MITCHELL — Due to the Hanson Classic boys basketball all day event, the Mitchell High School girls basketball team was unable to host Spearfish at the Corn Palace.
Instead, the Kernels went five minutes down the road and played at Mitchell Christian High School for the first time in school history.
Mitchell scored 16 points in the fourth quarter to put away Spearfish 48-40 and win its fourth game of the season.
“It should have felt like a foreign environment, but it felt really neat,” Mitchell head coach Cole Knippling said. “The noise was fun in here and it felt like a playoff game. I thought it was a good environment and experience for the whole team.”
1/69: Mitchell's Lauren Van Overschelde gets a crown from Kadence Halvorson during player introductions during a game against Spearfish on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
2/69: Kernel cheerleaders perform during a game against Spearfish on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
3/69: Mitchell's Sarah Sebert, left, does rock, paper, scissors with Kadence Halvorson during player introductions during a game against Spearfish on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
4/69: Mitchell's Sawyer Stoebner, Taylor Giblin, Lauren Van Overschelde and Kadence Halvorson take a selfie for player introductions during a game against Spearfish on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
5/69: Mitchell's Sawyer Stoebner goes in for a layup through the Spearfish defense during a game on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
6/69: Kernel cheerleaders perform during a game against Spearfish on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
7/69: Mitchell's Kaitlyn Christensen shoots as Spearfish's Stella Marcus (4) defends during a game on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
8/69: Mitchell's Sawyer Stoebner goes to the basket through a pair of Spearfish defenders during a game on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
9/69: Mitchell's Sawyer Stoebner fights for a loose ball with a pair of Spearfish defenders during a game on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
10/69: Mitchell's Sawyer Stoebner grabs a loose ball during a game against Spearfish on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
11/69: Mitchell's Sawyer Stoebner fights her way to the basket around a Spearfish defender during a game on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
12/69: Mitchell's Lauren Van Overschelde shoots around the defense of Spearfish's Hannah Schoon (3) during a game on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
13/69: Mitchell's Sawyer Stoebner grabs a loose ball during a game against Spearfish on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
14/69: Mitchell's Sawyer Stoebner drives down the court as Spearfish's Jozie Dana (14) defends during a game on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
15/69: Mitchell's Taylor Giblin looks to pass during a game against Spearfish on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
16/69: Mitchell's Sawyer Stoebner drives down the court as Spearfish's Jozie Dana (14) defends during a game on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
17/69: Mitchell's Kaitlyn Christensen shoots around a Spearfish defender during a game on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
18/69: Mitchell's Sawyer Stoebner is hit by Spearfish's Mya Kochuten (24) while going to the basket during a game on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
19/69: Mitchell's Kaitlyn Christensen shoots a basket as Spearfish's Jozie Dana (14) looks on during a game on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
20/69: Mitchell's Sarah Sebert dribbles to the basket as Spearfish's Mya Kochuten (24) defends during a game on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
21/69: Mitchell's Kaitlyn Christensen shoots around a Spearfish defender during a game on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
22/69: Mitchell's Sarah Sebert shoots as Spearfish's Mya Kochuten (24) tries to defend during a game on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
23/69: Mitchell's Sawyer Stoebner goes in for a basket past the Spearfish defense during a game on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
24/69: Mitchell's Sarah Sebert fights her way to the basket as Spearfish's Brylee Grubb (13) defends during a game on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
25/69: Mitchell's Sawyer Stoebner goes past the Spearfish defense for a basket during a game on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
26/69: Mitchell's Sawyer Stoebner goes in for a layup in front of Spearfish's Jozie Dana (14) during a game on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
27/69: Mitchell's Sarah Sebert shoots a basket during a game against Spearfish on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
28/69: Kernel students cheer during a game against Spearfish on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
29/69: Mitchell's Sarah Sebert shoots a basket during a game against Spearfish on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
30/69: Mitchell's Kaitlyn Christensen is fouled by a Spearfish defender during a game on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
31/69: Mitchell's Kaitlyn Christensen is fouled by a Spearfish defender during a game on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
32/69: Mitchell's Sarah Sebert fights for a rebound with Spearfish's Brylee Grubb (13) during a game on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
33/69: Mitchell's Taylor Giblin shoots a basket during a game against Spearfish on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
34/69: Mitchell's Sarah Sebert shoots in front of Spearfish's Brylee Grubb (13) during a game on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
35/69: Mitchell's Lauren Van Overschelde asks a question of a teammate while going to the free throw line during a game against Spearfish on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
36/69: Mitchell's Sarah Sebert talks to Mitchell's Taylor Giblin as she goes to the free throw line during a game against Spearfish on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
37/69: Mitchell's Taylor Giblin shoots over a Spearfish defender during a game on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
38/69: The Kernel bench celebrates a basket during a game against Spearfish on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
39/69: Mitchell Head Coach Cole Knippling knocks a stuck ball out from the backboard during a game against Spearfish on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
40/69: Mitchell's Sawyer Stoebner goes to the basket as Spearfish's Brylee Grubb (13) defends during a game on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
41/69: Mitchell's Kaitlyn Christensen grabs a loose ball between Spearfish's Stella Marcus (4) and Spearfish's Jozie Dana (14)during a game on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
42/69: The Mitchell bench reacts to a slip by a Spearfish defender during a game on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
43/69: The Kernel cheerleaders perform during a game against Spearfish on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
44/69: Mitchell's Addie Siemsen looks for an outlet as Spearfish's Stella Marcus (4) defends during a game on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
45/69: Mitchell's Sawyer Stoebner goes to the basket as Spearfish's Brylee Grubb (13) defends during a game on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
46/69: The Kernels bench celebrates a basket during a game against Spearfish on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
47/69: The Kernels bench celebrates a point during a game against Spearfish on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
48/69: Mitchell's Lauren Van Overschelde shoots over Spearfish's Tayler Duncan (2) during a game on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
49/69: Mitchell's Sarah Sebert drives to the court as Spearfish's Brylee Grubb (13) defends during a game on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
50/69: Mitchell's Kaitlyn Christensen goes to the basket as Spearfish's Brylee Grubb (13) defends during a game on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
51/69: Mitchell's Sawyer Stoebner drives to the basket past Spearfish's Brylee Grubb (13) during a game on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
52/69: The Kernel bench celebrates a basket during a game against Spearfish on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
53/69: Mitchell's Kaitlyn Christensen grabs a loose ball in front of Spearfish's Hannah Schoon (3) during a game on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
54/69: Mitchell's Sawyer Stoebner shoots over Spearfish's Brylee Grubb (13) during a game on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
55/69: The Kernel dance team perform during a game against Spearfish on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
56/69: The Kernel bench celebrates a basket during a game against Spearfish on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
57/69: Mitchell's Sawyer Stoebner splits a pair of Spearfish defenders to the basket during a game on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
58/69: The Kernel cheerleaders perform during a game against Spearfish on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
59/69: Mitchell's Sawyer Stoebner fights her way to the basket through a Spearfish defender during a game on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
60/69: Mitchell's Sawyer Stoebner shoots around Spearfish's Jozie Dana (14) during a game on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
61/69: The Kernel dance team perform during a game against Spearfish on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
62/69: The Kernel dance team perform during a game against Spearfish on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
63/69: The Kernel dance team perform during a game against Spearfish on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
64/69: Kernel students cheer during a game against Spearfish on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
65/69: The Kernel dance team perform during a game against Spearfish on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
66/69: Mitchell fans cheer on the Kernels during a game against Spearfish on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
67/69: Mitchell's Sawyer Stoebner looks for an outlet through a trio of Spearfish defenders during a game on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
68/69: Mitchell's Kaitlyn Christensen shoots around Spearfish's Brylee Grubb (13) during a game on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
69/69: The Kernel cheerleaders perform during a game against Spearfish on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
After scoring 18 points in the first quarter the night before in the Corn Palace against Sturgis, Mitchell struggled in the first quarter at the Mitchell Christian gym. Mitchell hadn’t scored a point until half way through the first quarter when Sawyer Stoebner found Sarah Sebert in the corner for an open 3-pointer.
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Spearfish was struggling as well, not scoring a point until there was nearly three minutes left in the first. Mitchell led 7-5 after the first quarter and Knippling said it was the style of play that created that slow start for both teams.
“I don’t think the arena had anything to do with it, I felt it was the style of the game,” Knippling said. “We talked about it and our game against Sturgis was fun, but it doesn’t always go that way. If we do start out slow, we have to keep grinding. I told them early in the game it was that style and it wasn’t going to be pretty. I told them they were going to have to fight for every single bucket and I thought we did a good job of that.”
Mitchell's Sarah Sebert fights for a rebound with Spearfish's Brylee Grubb (13) during a game on Saturday at Mitchell Christian School.
Matt Gade/Mitchell Republic
A grind it was, but the offense started to click for both teams after the first eight minutes. Spearfish went on a 12-4 run to start the second quarter and take a six point lead. After a Mitchell timeout, point guard Stoebner started controlling the pace of the game. She got to the free throw line twice, had four rebounds and three assists in a span of three minutes. She also split a pair of free throws at the end of the second quarter to give Mitchell a one-point lead heading into halftime.
Stoebner was just as impactful in the second half as well, helping Mitchell start the third quarter on a 11-4 run. Stoebner had two steals that led to a layup and Lauren Van Overschelde 3-pointer, giving the Kernels an eight point lead. Spearfish’s Stella Marcus would heat up in the final minute making a transition three and a layup as the quarter came to an end to cut the Kernel’s lead back to three.
Mitchell would go on to score 16 points and make 8-of-12 free throws in the fourth quarter to seal the win and earn its third straight victory.
Stoebner had another all-around performance and her third 20-point game this season as she finished with 22 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and three steals. Sebert had 11 points, four rebounds and two steals while Van Overschelde had six points and three steals. Kaitlyn Christensen added four points and six rebounds, and Taylor Giblin added five points.
Spearfish’s Marcus led the team with 18 points and Mya Kochuten had 14 points. The Spartans travel to St. Thomas More on Jan. 25.
As for Mitchell, they play three straight road games before returning to the Corn Palace for a matchup against Sioux Falls Roosevelt on Feb. 3. The Kernels started off the season losing its first four games but have recently found some habits they can contribute to wins going forward. Mitchell has held each opponent in its last games to 41 points or less.
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“We started to run a team offense and that’s a big thing we needed to rectify,” Knippling said. “For the first five or six games, we were really just relying on individuals making plays and now we’re just making team plays. We’re getting a lot of assisted baskets now and we’re helping each other defensively. We’re using the post, Kaitlyn and Taylor have really stepped up. Players are starting to know their roles and that’s why we’re improving.”
Branden is a sports reporter that graduated from Purdue University Northwest with a bachelor's degree in communications and a focus in journalism. He joined the Mitchell Republic in June 2021 and covers prep and collegiate athletics. He was also the lead on the Mitchell Republic Full-Court Press, providing a weekly web-exclusive look at high school basketball throughout all of South Dakota. Branden can be reached at bhull@mitchellrepublic.com and found on Twitter at @bhullreports.
