Prep report: Grand Rapids/Greenway earns berth in section title game

Grand Rapids/Greenway punished a Blaine team less than 48 hours removed from one of the longest games in Minnesota State High School League history, knocking off the Bengals 3-0 for a trip to the Section 7AA girls hockey final.

Second-seeded Blaine, which hosted Saturday's semifinal at Fogerty Arena, went to six overtimes in the quarterfinals on Thursday night vs. seventh-seeded Anoka, finally breaking through on its 91st shot on goal of the game to win 2-1.

That may have had something to do with third-seeded GRG's 15-2 shot advantage in the first period, though the only goal that came of it was a power play tally from Allie LeClaire at 5:26.

The Lightning maintained their territorial advantage but didn't ice the game until late, when Reanna Smith made it 2-0 with 5:45 to play and Mercury Bischoff scored into an empty net in the last minute.

Riley Toivonen made 17 saves for the shutout for GRG (16-11), which will face defending state champion Andover on Thursday in the section final at St. Luke's Sports and Event Center in Proctor.

The Greyhounds continued their hot streak, by topping fifth-ranked Rogers on Saturday at Essentia Duluth Heritage Center.

Caden Cole scored for the 'Hounds just 25 seconds into the game, but the teams went to the locker rooms tied 1-1 after 17 minutes with the visitors holding a 15-5 shot advantage.

Thomas Gunderson's goal with 39 seconds left in the second frame allowed the Greyhounds to get the upper hand and Grant Winkler scored late into an empty net to clinch it.

Kole Konstedt made 35 saves for the Hounds (17-6-1), who won their ninth consecutive game, despite being outshot 36-21.

The Red Knights showed up mad at the IRA Civic Center, scoring four times in the game's first 11:22 and holding on despite a big Rapids counterattack.

The Thunderhawks were down big early, but cut the deficit in half less than three minutes later with goals from Will Stauffer and Luka Rohloff.

They even got within one on an unassisted second-period goal from Kyler Miller at 8:00 but that was all the hosts' scoring.

Myles Gunderson made 16 saves for Rapids (12-11-1).

Dylan Hedley recorded a hat trick, while Brant Tiedeman and Kasey Lamppa scored two goals apiece as the Wolverines won in a rout at Pine City Civic Center.

Ryan Rothfork made 21 saves for Rock Ridge (14-8-1).

The Lumberjacks scored four unanswered goals, two of them by Hudson Snesrud, for a come-from-behind road victory at the Furniture and Things Community Event Center.

It was Snesrud's second goal of the game that broke a 2-2 tie with 6:32 to play.

Noah Knutson finished with a goal and two assists for CEC (15-8-1), which had a 44-13 shot advantage and got 11 saves from Caden Kubis.

The Hawks gave up a first-period power play goal but overcame it for a close win at Hermantown Hockey Arena.

The Hawks evened the game up 1:39 into the second period on Kade Kohanski's 12th goal of the season, but it remained deadlocked well into the third period until Aaron Evjen scored on the power play at 7:11.

Wyatt Carlson scored a late empty-netter for the Hawks (21-2-1), who got 20 saves from Garron Opsahl.

In Division 2 at Osceola, Wisconsin, Northwestern qualified for the WIAA team sectionals on Tuesday by finishing fourth, with three wrestlers winning tournament titles.

Tommy Brown won the championship at 113 pounds by pinning Cole Steffen of St. Croix Falls in 1:52, while Tanner Kaufman prevailed in a 7-3 decision at 170 over Lucas D'Jock of Luck/Frederic/Grantsburg/Siren. Ian Smith was also a champ, taking a 2-0 decision over Grant Cook of Amery.

Logan Jones (126) took second and Andrew Bourque (285) third, allowing them to progress to Division 2 individual sectionals on Feb. 18 in Amery, Wisconsin.

Three Superior wrestlers netted top-four finishes they needed to advance during Saturday's Division 1 regional at Hayward.

Connor Kreuger finished second in the 138-pound division after losing the championship match 5-0 and then protecting second place by winning a wrestleback match.

At 145, Jason Thomas also took second when he lost by fall 35 seconds into the championship match.

Isaiah Essien of Superior took fourth at 160. Individual sectionals are Feb. 18 in Eau Claire. Superior finished eighth as a team with 62 points.

Superior finished eighth as a team at the Division 1 regional meet on Saturday at Hudson, Wisconsin.

Paolo Pagnucci was the Spartans' top individual finisher, taking seventh in the 100-yard breaststroke in 1 minute, 5.81 seconds. Superior's 400 freestyle relay took sixth, while the 200 medley relay was seventh and the 200 free relay eighth.

Wyatt Tischler (diving, ninth) and Will Monroe (100 free, 10th) also nabbed top-10s.

Duluth racked up 413 points to win the Taconite Invitational meet on Saturday in Biwabik, with host Mesabi East (275), Rock Ridge (261) and Princeton (251) bunched in the next three places.

The Rock Ridge 200 medley relay of Bodi George, Gabe Agnes, Gunnar George and Nate Spiering set a meet and pool record of 1:42.80, while Duluth's Grant Wodny won two events and set a meet and pool record of 1:45.16 in the 200 free.

George won the 50 free and 100 butterfly for the Wolverines, while the Giants' Carter Steele touched first in the 100 free and 100 backstroke.

A triple double of 15 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds from Jase Nelson helped the Tigers stay unbeaten in the Heart O'North Conference and claim a key home win over second-place Ladysmith on Saturday in Maple.

After a 43-43 tie at the half, Ladysmith edged ahead briefly before three straight 3-pointers put Northwestern ahead for good, though the Lumberjacks did close to within three points. Cole Lahti secured the win with 10 straight free throws and finished with 24 points.

Bryce Oswskey scored 17 points and made five treys, while Luke Sedin added 14 points and Gavin Williams 10.

Northwestern (18-1, 15-0 HON) now leads the league by two games with three to play.

Four Wolverines scored in double figures, which was more than enough to hold off 38 points from Marshall's Brooks Johnson.

Casey Aune had 17 to pace the Wolverines (17-4), while Tyson Wilson added 14. Rock Ridge led 51-27 at halftime.

Cherry prevailed on the road on Friday night in a meeting of two of the state's top six teams in Class A.

Isaac Asuma had 25 points, six rebounds and five assists in the win, while Carson Brown added a double-double of 15 points and 10 boards for the 16-3 and third-ranked Tigers.

No. 6 Perham got 26 from Micah Thompson but fell to 16-4.

Five Spartans scored in double figures as Superior won comfortably at home.

Emma Raye and Savannah Leopold led the way with 18 points apiece, while Kloe Zentkowski kicked in 12 and both Annabel Manion and Eva Peterson scored 11.

The 20-1 Spartans, who led 38-21 at halftime, host a showdown with 21-2 Grand Rapids Thursday night.

The Hilltoppers scored 49 first-half points to gain the upper hand on Saturday.

Regan Juenemann finished with 22, making six 3-pointers, and Chloe Johnson scored 19. Mariah Lucero made four treys for her 12 points.

Kyra Latvala dropped 31 points on the Bobcats in a non-conference game on Saturday as all the Eagles made it into the scoring column.

Claire Holmstrom posted 19 points and 15 boards for Solon (14-8).

Solon Springs 74, Birchwood 47