BY MIKE KOSIK
Staff Writer
The Holdingford boys basketball team lost to Sauk Centre 70-50 in the Section 6AA West semifinals. The Huskers, who were seeded third in the playoffs, met the Mainstreeters, seeded number two, March 11 at Sexton Arena on the campus of St. John's University. Holdingford reached the semifinals after beating St. John's Prep in the quarterfinal game. The Huskers opened the Section 6AA West playoffs with a home 73-50 win over St. John's Prep. The Johnnies scored the first six points, but Holdingford quickly got on track.
A three by Matt Catlin gave the Huskers their first lead at 10-8. The Johnnies nailed a three, but Joe Meier's shot under the basket gave the Huskers a 12-11 lead.
Meier went on to score the next six points for Holdingford, turning in a 17-point performance for the first half. He led the team with 21.
While Meier was scoring from underneath the basket in that first half, his teammates were hitting from the perimeter. Matt Catlin and Blake Patrick had three threes each and Dalton Frink one three.
As a team the Huskers had 12 three-pointers in the game.
"I think the team did really well defensively and offensively," said senior center Joe Meier. "We made our shots, that's what we needed to do." At the half, the Huskers led 42-26. Holdingford continued to pull away in the second half.
Tyson Patrick, Frink, Catlin and Blake Patrick all scored in the opening four minutes of the second half to give the Huskers a 26-point margin. That lead stretched to 34 points after Folsom nailed three threes in a row to make it 69-35 with just under eight minutes left. The Huskers then closed out the game as many of the reserves got a chance to play in those final minutes. It was a good opening playoff win for the Huskers.
"It feels great to get that first win," said Meier. "We had a good crowd, their last home game of the year. We just had fun, did our thing and got the job done," said senior guard Blake Patrick. This was the second time the Huskers faced St. John's Prep. Earlier in the season on Feb. 21 they traveled to St. John's and won 75-40. Against Sauk Centre (21-6), the Huskers had an early lead following two three-pointers, one by Dalton Frink and the other by Tyson Patrick, and then a lay-up by Blake Patrick. That put Holdingford up 8-5.
After tying the game the Mainstreeters took a 10-8 lead with a three and never gave it up.
By the half, Sauk Centre led 29-21.
While the Huskers continued to battle, the Mainstreeters stretched their lead.
Early in the second half, the Huskers were within eight, but that was the closest they would get.
Holdingford was down by 11 (58-47) with a little over three minutes left in the game, but the Mainstreeters scored the next 10 points to go up by 21 (68-47) with 1:47 remaining.
The Huskers shot 18-54 from the field for 33.3 percent.
Sauk Centre was 27-51 for 52.9 percent.
Sauk Centre went on to play Melrose for the Section 6AA West championship March 14 at St. John's.
Holdingford closed out the year 23-5 and champions of the Central Minnesota Conference at 13-1.
Holdingford vs. St. John's Prep
Joe Meier 21, Matt Catlin 11, Blake Patrick 14, Evan DeMorett 2, Dalton Frink 6, Austin Lange 7, Tyson Patrick 2, Isaiah Folsom 10.
Holdingford vs. Sauk Centre
T. Patrick 5, B. Patrick 13 (5 assists), Frink 6, Catlin 7 (7 rebounds), Meier 4, Lange 2, Folsom 7, Jared Thell 4, Adam Ripplinger 2.
Joe Meier shoots for two in the game against St. John's Prep.
PHOTOS BY MIKE KOSIK
Holdingford's Blake Patrick puts the ball up between two Sauk Centre defenders.