SHS girls now 10-0

The Superior High School girls basketball team picked up its 10th win of the season Tuesday night with a 66-31 victory over the Hermantown Hawks.

Superior improves to 10-0 and 5-0 in the Lake Superior Conference, while Hermantown goes to 4-8, 2-3.

It was senior night for the three seniors on the Spartan team: Abby Clemons, Alison Wainionpaa and Natalie Kintop. All three seniors started, along with juniors Hailey Kontny and Jessica Lindstrom.

"All three seniors have led this team this year in their own way and they are a huge part of our success," SHS coach Phil Roe said. "A Division I scout in the stands told me after the game that he was impressed with our team's defensive presence and that you don't see a lot of high school teams play with that kind of tenacity on the defensive end of the court.

"I really think that holding Hermantown to 12 points in the first half was a result of tenacity and a total team effort. That can only happen if all five girls on the court are talking, scrapping, digging in and executing."

Superior scored 40 points in the first half and led by no less than 28 points for the remainder of the game.

Kontny scored the first points of the night with a 3-pointer from the top of the arc, and Lindstrom added a pair of free throws for a 5-0 lead. Hermantown’s Carly Hansen put the ball up inside to make it 5-2, but back-to-back baskets by Wainionpaa and a layup by Kontny pushed Superior’s lead to 11-2.

Shania Bolen’s jumper from the left side snapped the Spartans’ scoring streak, but Superior followed up with an 18-0 run to put the game out of reach.

Kontny led the Spartans with 13 points, followed by Wainionpaa and Lindstrom with 12 points each. Alyssa Correll scored nine points — all in the first half, Shannon Johnstad had eight and Clemons had seven. Rachal Fregin added a 3-pointer for Superior, and Missy Toland chipped in with a long 2-pointer.

Emily Neumann sunk a pair of 3-pointers in the second half and led the Hawks with 12 points.

SPARTAN SPIN: The Spartans, who were ranked No. 2 among Division 1 schools in this week’s Associated Press poll, are back in action Jan. 15 at Cloquet. ... Neumann is the daughter of former Superiorites' Shawn and Shawn (Murray) Neumann.

Hermantown 12 19 — 31

Superior 40 26 — 66

Hermantown — Emily Neumann 12, Caitlin Windus 6, Carly Hansen 4, Kianna Hren 4, Haley Wargin 3, Shania Bolen 2.

3-point goals — Neumann 2. Totals 12 5-6 31.

Superior — Hailey Kontny 13, Alison Wainionpaa 12, Jessica Lindstrom 12, Alyssa Correll 9, Shannon Johnstad 8, Abby Clemons 7, Rachal Fregin 3, Missy Toland 2. Totals 29 4-6 66.

3-point goals — Fregin, Clemons, Correll, Kontny.

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