Hanson girls finish sixth at Class B state tourney

HURON — The Hanson girls’ basketball team trailed early and was never able to battle back as the Beavers fell 61-36 to Estelline in the fifth-place game Saturday at the Class B state tournament at Huron Arena.

The Beavers (21-5) finished with a sixth-place finish at the state tournament.

“They were just better than us,” Hanson coach Jim Bridge said. “You feel bad ending with a loss, (but) there have been a lot of years where I would have traded spots with where I’m at right now.”

Estelline scored the first eight points of the game, and the closest Hanson got after that was down 16-14 midway through the second quarter after a pair of free throws by the Beavers’ lone senior, Ashley Robinson.

Mikayla Saathoff scored the next five points of the game, and Estelline began to pull ahead, leading 25-18 at the break. Saathoff finished with a game-high 28 points in her final high school basketball game.

“She hadn’t scored over 19 points in a game all year,” Estelline head coach Mark Kreie said. “She usually doesn’t score tons of points, but she had one heck of a game and played very well to end her career.”

Robinson was Hanson’s only player with double-digit points, ending her high school career with 12 points and four rebounds. She was named to the all-tournament team.

“She’s been a great leader for us,” Bridge said. “She’s had four tremendous years. Not only is she a great athlete, but she’s a great person. She’s been a great role model for our younger kids, and I’m very proud to be her coach.”

Hanson shot 11-of-44 from the field and 12-of-14 from the free-throw line. The Beavers brought down 30 rebounds but turned the ball over 19 times. Lindsi Dey led the team with six rebounds.

Along with Saathoff, Estelline got double-digit points from Megan Taylor and Erin Begalka. Taylor scored 11 and Begalka had 10. Saathoff led the team with eight rebounds and four assists.

Estelline shot 21-of-50 from the floor and 15-of-22 from the line.

E 13 25 42 61

H 8 18 26 36

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