No. 1 Hamlin dominates Red Cloud in middle two quarters, advances to third-straight Class A title game

031023.HamlinGirlsBasketball1.JPG — Hamlin's Ally Abraham (14) powers up a shot through contact between Red Cloud's Maikole Carlow (left) and Jewelia LeBeau (right) during a Class A state girls basketball tournament semifinal on Friday, March 10, 2023, at the Watertown Civic Arena.

By Landon Dierks

March 10, 2023 at 8:29 PM

WATERTOWN — Top-seeded Hamlin used a 16-0 second-quarter run to take control and never looked back, claiming a 57-35 win over fourth-seeded Red Cloud in the Class A girls basketball state semifinals on Friday night at the Watertown Civic Arena.

The No. 1 Chargers (24-0) advance to the Class A title game for the third-straight year, having finished as runners-up in each of the previous two seasons.

After falling behind 8-2 early, Hamlin outscored Red Cloud 41-15 over the next two and a half quarters. The Chargers led by as many as 29 points in the fourth quarter.

Kami Wadsworth paced all scorers with 23 points on 10 of 14 shooting, while Addison Neuendorf dropped in 13 points powered by four 3-pointers with five assists for Hamlin. Marissa Bawdon also had nine points.

For the Crusaders (21-3), Ashlan Blount led the way with 14 points, as Lolo Carlow had nine points and two assists and Kennedy Fridia scored eight points.

Friday night’s second semifinal between No. 2 Wagner and No. 6 Sisseton decides each team’s opponent for Saturday’s night session, with Hamlin facing the winner and Red Cloud getting the loser.

By Landon Dierks

Dierks covers prep and collegiate athletics across the Mitchell Republic's coverage region area, focusing on Mitchell High School football and boys basketball and area high school football, volleyball and basketball, as well as Dakota Wesleyan women's basketball. He was also the lead on the Mitchell Republic Gridiron Spotlight, producing video and providing live play-by-play for the traveling weekly prep football broadcast during its first season in the fall of 2021. Dierks is a Mitchell native who graduated from South Dakota State University with his bachelor's degree in journalism in May 2020. He joined the Mitchell Republic sports staff in August 2021. He can be reached at ldierks@mitchellrepublic.com and found on Twitter at @LDierksy.