Northfield Girls Basketball is Going to the Dance

The Northfield Raiders shut out Red Wing in overtime to capture a 41-34 Section 1AAA title Thursday night in Rochester.  After eight lead changes in the first half the Wingers took a 21-17 lead at the break.  Red Wing tried to shorten the game with some very lengthy possessions and it nearly worked.

The two teams had played twice during the regular season with the Raiders winning the first game by a point at Red Wing and the second contest Northfield dominated 63-46 in the Raider gym.  It was Northfield's 25th win of the season against three losses.

Red Wing ended their year 22-7.  5'10 senor Tayzha Buck led the Wingers with 8 points.  Buck was the only senior on this year's team and heads to Division One University of Evansville in Indiana to play basketball.

Northfield was led by 5'9 senior Grace Touchette with 14 points and 5 of the 7 points scored in overtime.  Touchette was 5 of 6 from the free throw line in the overtime and finished 8 of 11 from the charity stripe.

At the end of regulation it was 34-34.  The Raiders pitched a shutout in the overtime and began the extra period with a baseline drive and layup by 6'1 junior Emma Carlson.

After the game Northfield Head Coach Tony Mathison told KDHL he was so happy for the seniors who the very day they were defeated last year in Rochester in the Section final by Winona set a goal to make it to state in March of 2018.

"We're going up there to have fun," he said.  I said the #3 ranked Raiders could definitely make some noise and he agreed.

Northfield is now 25-3 and will find out who they play when they seed the tournament this weekend.