Late surge for Wolverines falls short against NYM

The Wadena-Deer Creek Wolverines rallied late but dropped a 65-60 decision to New York Mills in the final game of the Park Region Conference Girls Basketball Showcase on Dec. 8 in New York Mills.

Madalyn Erp led the way for the Eagles with 25 points. She hit eight of nine free throws in the victory, many of them in the closing minutes as the Eagles staved off a late surge from the Wolverines.

Kennedy Gravelle led all scorers for the Wolverines. She finished with 28 points, despite not playing much of the first half as she picked up two fouls in the first 42 seconds of the first half. Despite that, Gravelle scored 11 first half points and added 17 more in the second half.

The Wolverines fell behind early in the first half as the Eagles raced out to a 10-0 run. The Wolverines rallied to cut the lead to 3-points after a 3-point play by Ashley Adams. However, the Eagles stretched the lead back out to 10 before the half closed.

The Wolverines worked to whittle down the lead in the second half and closed to within two points after a pair of free throws from Gravelle, making it 59-57. However, a missed free throw and rebound helped the Eagles stretch it back to five on a bucket by Erp. After Tiffany Thompson hit one of two free throws, Gravelle came back and sank a 3-pointer to cut the lead to 63-60. However, Erp iced the game at the free throw line, hitting the final two attempts for the 65-60 victory.

Lauryn Gravelle finished with nine points before fouling out in the second half, while Adams and Laura Krause had eight points each.

The Wolverines were coming of a 74-32 defeat to Parkers Prairie. In the loss, Kennedy Gravelle finished with 19 points to lead all Wadena-DC scorers.

The Wolverines sit at 1-4 on the new season and 0-2 in the Park Region Conference. The Wolverines hosted Hawley on Dec. 11, before hosting Bertha-Hewitt on Dec. 13 at the Wadena-DC High School gymnasium.

WDC 24 36--60

NYM 34 31--65

WDC-Ashley Adams 8, Madison Carsten 3, Kennedy Gravelle 28, Lauryn Gravelle 9, Laura Krause 8, Nevada Schulz 4

3-pointers: K. Gravelle 4. Free Throws: 14-18. Team Fouls: 23. Fouled Out: L. Gravelle

NYM-Bella Bauck 2, Daisy Wurst 2, Emilee White 7, Kenna Salo 8, Madalyn Erp 25, Karli Kawlewski 9, Brenna Thompson 2, Tiffany Thompson 10

3-pointers: White 2, Erp. Free Throws: 20-31. Team Fouls: 20. Fouled Out: None

1/2: Wadena-Deer Creek's Madison Carsten attempts the outside shot against New York Mills during the Park Region Conference Showcase. Jason Groth/Pioneer Journal

2/2: Wadena-Deer Creek's Ashley Adams drives to the basket and avoids the contact as she get the layup to drop for the Wolverines against New York Mills. Jason Groth/Pioneer Journal