What a way to start the new year! A last second shot at the buzzer by Winner’s Elijah Pederson gave the Warriors a 58-56 victory over Lennox in the Sacred Hoops Classic in Mitchell on Saturday.
Brady Fritz was named the MVP of this game. In the dramatic finish, Winner was trailing by 2 with less than a minute to play. Slade Cournoyer took a nice mid range shot that just missed the rim and Brady Fritz came from the backside for a tip to tie the game at 56-all.“We then had to get a stop on the defensive end. Lennox was very patient before shooting a 3 pointer with about 25 seconds to go and that short fell short,” said Winner coach Brett Gardner.
Lennox called a time out to set their defense. “We told our guys we are going to the rim with under 6 seconds to play so Lennox cannot get the ball back,” said Gardner. Lennox fouled twice to stop the clock. With 8 seconds to go, Blake Volmer drove to the elbow and faked a hand off to Cournoyer and then swung a pass to Peterson in the corner. Peterson took one dribble and pulled up for a 15 footer as time expired. As the ball fell through the hoop the Winner team and bench erupted in joy as Winner captured in the victory. “It was a big shot for Elijah and the Winner Warriors,” said the coach.
Fritz scored 25 points in this game. Volmer and Cournoyer each had 11, Peterson, 6 and Ethan Bartels, 5.Fritz pulled down 7 rebounds, Volmer, 6 and Peterson, 5. The Warriors shot 41 percent from the field and 80 percent from the free throw line.
“We are very happy with the toughness we showed in a physical, fun game at the Corn Palace,” said Gardner. “The feel of that game was much like a SoDak 16 game and we were able to make some key stops down the stretch.
We are proud of our guys for handling themselves and making big plays when needed,” said Gardner. He said Peterson’s shot was huge and was a fun ending to a great game. “His teammates were so happy for him and it was awesome to see the guys celebrating on the court together,” he explained.
Winner vs. Bon Homme On Thursday, Winner defeated Bon Homme 71-42. Fritz scored 20 points, Volmer and Bartels, 14 each. The Warriors shot 38 percent from the field and made 9 of 20 free throws. Volmer and Peterson each pulled down 10 rebounds, Bartels, 8 and Fritz, 6.
Volmer had 4 assists and Bartels had 8 steals. “We felt the game didn’t have much flow but our guys rebounded the basketball very well and that was the biggest difference. On nights that you don’t shoot very well you seem to do other things such as force turnovers and grad rebounds. We were able to do that and the outcome was in our favor because it,” said the coach. The Warriors outrebounded Bon Homme by 25 and that is big to gain extra possession.
Winner won the junior varsity game 48-17. Leading scorers were Kolbie Osborn, 13, Finn Bartels and Kylar Meek, 9 each; Michael Olson and Shawn Hammerbeck, 6 each. Bartels had 5 assists. Winner has games on Thursday and Saturday. On Thursday, Winner will play Colome with the JV game starting at 6:30 p.m.
After the Christmas break, local basketball and the wrestling team are ready to return to action.
The Winner girls basketball team will host Parkston on Saturday, Jan. 2. The C game will start at 1 p.m. with the JV/varsity starting at 2:15 p.m.
The Winner boys basketball team will play in the Sacred Hoops Classic Jan. 2 in the Mitchell Corn Palace. Winner will play Lennox at 7:30 p.m. Masks are required.
The Winner Area wrestling team will compete in the McCook Central tournament in Salem on Jan. 2. The tournament starts at 9 a.m.
The Colome Cowboys and Cowgirls basketball teams will play in Centerville on Jan. 2. The games will start at 1 p.m. Colome will host Avon in a basketball doubleheader on Monday, Jan. 4.
Winner Area wrestling team won first place at the Gregory Invitational on Saturday.
The Warriors scored 163.5 points.
Bon Homme/Scotland/Avon took second place with 148 points.
First place for Winner went to Maxton Brozik, Karson Keiser, Aaron Gilchrist and Riley Orel.
Also placing for Winner were Jude Sargent, 2nd ; Konner Osborn, Gavin Tucker, Riley Shippy, Stetson Shelbourn and Jack Peters, all fourth.
Brozik won the championship with a pin over Brock Kotalik of Bon Homme, 1:33.
Keiser won first with a pin in 1:55 over Kellan Hurd of Miller/Highmore-Harrold.
Gilchrist won first place with a 12-6 decision over Joey Hoverson, Wessington Springs/Woonsocket.
Orel, 152, won first place with a 1-0 decision over Keegan Haider of Wessington Springs-Woonsocket.
Several Winner wrestlers took the ACT test on Saturday and did not wrestle. The next action for Winner will be the Valentine tournament on Saturday, Dec. 19. Due to COVID-19, there will be no fans allowed at this tournament.
Two members of the Winner volleyball team were considered for volleyball player of the year by the Mitchell Republic.
Ellie Brozik and Kalla Bertram were the two considered.
Brozik has been Winner’s most efficient at the net during the team’s run at the state tournament. The junior racked up 415 kills, 186 digs and 48 aces.
Bertram, a senior, did a little bit of everything for Winner. Bertram had 257 kills, 294 digs and 69 aces.
Chosen as the player of the year was Julia Weber of Bridgewater-Emery.
Bella Swedlund of the Winner girls basketball team is featured on the cover of the Hansen Anderson girls basketball season preview book.
She is one of 17 girls featured on the cover from all classes of basketball.
The WHS girls open the season Dec. 11 with Wagner in a double header with the boys team.
Three members of the Winner volleyball team have been named to the Southeast South Dakota all conference team. Named to the team are Ellie Brozik, Kalla Bertram and Mackenzie Levi.
By Dan BechtoldEditor
Community member came together Sunday evening to welcome home the Winner High School volleyball team who played in the state tournament.
The Winner Lady Warriors won the SoDak 16 and qualified for the state meet which was held this last weekend in Watertown. The girls played three matches in the Watertown Civic Arena. They lost to Hamlin and Madison and defeated Hill City.
At Sunday’s celebration, coach Jaime Keiser said the team is fortunate to have been able to get this far due to COVID-19.“This is a special team of amazing girls who never cared who got the stats or the credit, all they wanted to do was win,” explained the coach
Keiser said the play at state was a complete team effort.
“The state meet did not go as we were hoping. We were excited to see Hamlin and everyone on this team wishes we could have that match back,” said the coach. “I know these girls could have played a lot better against Hamlin,” she added. “I know how much potential they have and we did not put that full potential into the Hamlin match.
Keiser was proud of how the girls came out against Madison the next day. She said Winner gave 110 percent. The coach added the girls gave 110 percent against Hill City and came up with a win. “I am very honored to have been able to coach these girls. I would not want to coach any other team.” Assistant coach Jenna Phillips spoke along with the five seniors.
Two members of the champion Winner High School football team have been named to the Sioux Falls Argus Leader Elite 45 football squad.
Brady Fritz and Sam Kruger were named to the Elite 45 and Preston Norrid was named honorable mention.
Branded by his coach as one of the fastest players in the state, Fritz was dynamite for the Winner Warriors in 2020.
Commanding an offense that does its damage on the ground, he rushed for 499 yards and eight touchdowns on 68 carries but was also effective when called on to pass. He was 23 of 38 for 504 yards.
At free safety, Fritz intercepted a pass and returned it 65 yards for a touchdown.
“Brady is a real leader and a quality person off the field,” said coach Trent Olson.
Kruger was the Warriors leading rusher and receiver this season. On the ground, he logged 810 yards and 12 scores on 105 carries. Through the air he caught five passes for 89 yards and four touchdowns.
On defense, Sam played SAM linebacker. “That is the most difficult position in our defense,” said Coach Olson.
Kruger logged a team high 60 tackles and two forced fumbles.
“We were very balanced on both offense and defense, but Sam was our best all around player,” Olson said.
“He has been instrumental in our success these past couple of seasons,” said Olson.
Norrid, also a senior, was included in the list of honorable mention.
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