Prep report: Peterson's 19 points lead Superior past Esko

Superior’s Eva Peterson scored 19 points to help lead the Spartans to a 55-34 win at Esko Monday.

Superior jumped out to a 26-15 lead, but the Eskomos began trapping the ballhandler in the second half, according to Spartans coach Dave Kontny.

The Spartans responded well, playing patiently and working the ball and the clock to “get better looks” in the second half.

Kloe Zentkowski joined Peterson in double figures with 12 points.

Hannah Swanson led Esko with 15.

The Redhawks had too much for the Hilltoppers on Monday night in Minneapolis even though Chloe Johnson racked up 30 points.

Regan Juenemann added 18 and Ada Skafte 12 for Marshall (12-8).

Addi Mack, with 26 points, was one of five Redhawks that scored in double figures. Minnehaha is ranked No. 5 in the state in Class AA.

The Tigers couldn’t make a 14-point lead hold up as the Lumberjills came from behind to win their Heart O’North game at home on Monday.

Raemalee Smith poured in 33 points for Ladysmith, while freshman Marika Gago added 17.

That canceled out six 3-pointers and 28 points from Northwestern’s Tieryn Plasch.

The Tigers are 15-6 overall, 12-3 in the HON.

Solon Springs wrapped up its regular season home schedule with a victory on Monday night, taking down the Drummond Lumberjills with help from a 13-point first-half lead.

Bailey Monson scored 22 points for the Eagles (13-7, 10-3 Indianhead) and Claire Holmstrom 20.

Duluth Denfeld’s Aidan Altona led all scorers with 26 points and sophomore Marnaries Ferguson had 25 to lead the Hunters to an 87-70 home win over Two Harbors Monday.

Denfeld used its speed to push the ball up the court to build an 11-point halftime lead, a lead that would swell to 20 at one point in the second half.

“(Denfeld) did a great job of finding the open guy and capitalizing,” Agates coach Bill Anderson said. “When they didn’t, they got an offensive board and putbacks. It seemed like every time we were able to make a little run, they answered with a two-on-one or a breakaway and they got an easy one. I tip my cap to them, they got us tonight.”

Two Harbors senior Trent Gomez finished with 22 points to lead the Agates and Ethan Bopp finished with 16.

The Spartans rallied from five points down at the half to take down the Polar Bears in Floodwood.

Nashwauk-Keewatin had five scorers in double digits led by Ladanian Trans’ 14 points. Conner Perryman added 13.

Floodwood’s Jonah Spindler made seven triples and scored 25 points, while Justin Spindler added 21 points.

An offensive onslaught continued on Monday from the top of East's lineup, as the line of Thomas Gunderson, Cole Christian and Wyatt Peterson combined for 12 points as the Greyhounds prevailed at Essentia Duluth Heritage Center.

CEC kept the first period scoreless but the game broke open in the second period, with East scoring four times, one by Peterson, two by Grant Winkler and one by Gunderson.

The Lumberjacks came fighting back from 4-1 down, as A.J. Kazel and Patrick Dunaiski's tallies made it a one-goal game and, after Christian scored on the power play, Noah Knutson's second goal of the game for CEC made it 5-4. Gunderson finished the game off with an empty-netter to wrap up the 'Hounds' seventh consecutive win. It's East's longest winning streak since the second half of the 2017-18 season.

Christian had a goal and five assists, Gunderson had two goals and three assists and Winkler had two goals and two assists.

Kole Konstedt made 23 saves for East (15-6-1), while Caden Kubis stopped 28 shots for the Lumberjacks (13-8-1), who were playing East in the regular season as a AA team for the last time in the foreseeable future.