Kenyon-Wanamingo Pressure Results in Win Over Blooming Prairie

For the second straight game the Kenyon Wanamingo Knights used full court pressure on their way to an easy victory.  The Knights defeated Blooming Prairie in the Castle 80-53.

K-W jumped out to an early double digit lead, the Awesome Blossoms made a short run to cut the deficit to 7 points before the Knights closed out the first half on a run to lead 37-22.

Senior 6'4 Laden Nerison tallied 15 first half points and finished with 26 while applying pressure at the top of the zone press with his long arms and quick feet.

Senior, 6'9 Paul Kortsch scored 14 points and altered many Blooming Prairie shots  around the basket. Senior 5'10 Gavin Sommer had 13 points.

The trio (Nerison, Sommer, Kortsch) were chosen for the Held Bus Service of Kenyon Knights of the Game honor.

Blooming Prairie senior 6'4 Drew Kittleson received the Cashwise Foods and Pharmacy of Owatonna Delivery of the Game designation for his 20 point performance including hitting 10 of 11 free throws.  The only other player from Blooming Prairie with double figures was senior 6'1 Colin Jordison with 14 points.

The Awesome Blossoms finished the game going 14 of 19 from the free throw line while the Knights were 8 of 9 for the game.

One of the impressive statistics for the game was the 5 total turnovers by Kenyon-Wanamingo.  Blooming Prairie finished the game with 17 turnovers.  K-W scored 19 points off those miscues.

With the win the #20 Minnesota Basketball News rated Class 1A Knights improved to 9-2 overall, 5-1in the East Division of the Gopher Conference.

The Awesome Blossoms fall to 2-6 overalll, 2-4 in the East.

Next up for K-W is a game at Hayfield Tuesday against the defending Class 1A State Champion Vikings.

Blooming Prairie hosts Randolph Tuesday in their next contest.

Other results in boys high school basketball Friday night included:

• Lakeville North 61  Eagan 44
• New Prague 69  St. Louis Park 61
• Belle Plaine 49  Waterville-Elysian-Morristown 46
• Owatonna  73  Rochester Mayo 52
• Byron 59  Goodhue 53
• Cannon Falls 65  Rochester Lourdes 55
• Chatfield 86  Fillmore Central 65
• Hayfield 66  Triton 51
• Mankato East 67  Rochester John Marshall 35
• Spring Grove 58  Schaeffer Academy 14

Girls high school basketball results reported:

• Chatfield 53  Fillmore Central 20
• Eastview 73  Apple Valley 28
• Holy Family Catholic 59  Belle Plaine 46
• Lakeville North 46  Eagan 44
• Lanesboro 69 Alden Conger/Glenville-Emmons 32
• Lewiston-Altura 39 Rushford-Peterson 25
• Minnesota Valley Lutheran 76  LeSueur-Henderson 35
• New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva 59  Maple River 51
• Norwood-Young America 63  Tri-City United 22
• Prior Lake 65  Lakeville South 55
• Rosemount 65  Farmington 33
• Shakopee 68  Burnsville 30
• Spring Grove 49  Schaeffer Academy 42
• St. Clair 83  Martin County West 55
• St. Louis Park 86  New Prague 65
• Waseca 60  Blue Earth Area 16
• Southland vs Lyle/Pacelli postponed

High school girls hockey scores:

• Dodge County 4  Duluth 0

Boys high school hockey scores:

• Rochester Mayo 1  Hibbing/Chisholm 0
• Proctor 3  Red Wing 2
• Hopkins 3  New Prague 2
• Farmington at Rochester Century postponed
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