HIBBING— After graduating three top senior players last year, the Ely Timberwolves could have come into the 2024-25 season with expectations of a rebuilding year. But the team and new coach Tomi Cole had other ideas, as they wrapped up their regular season at 17-8 and made an impressive run to the semifinals in the Section 7A tournament.
But the Wolves’ playoff run, and their season, came to an end here on Tuesday, as they fell 57-32 to Cromwell-Wright.
The second-seeded Cardinals provided the bookends to Ely’s season, having also outpaced the Wolves 52-32 in their season opener. As they did in that first game of the season, the Cardinals found a way to shut down the normally well-balanced Ely offense. With a number of weapons, the Wolves had consistently managed to outpace opponents without relying too heavily on any one scorer.
But the Cardinal’s quick defense, left most of Ely’s weapons untapped. Sophomore Amelia Penke was the only Ely player to reach double digits, with 15 points, while fellow sophomore Lydia Shultz added eight. “They made it incredibly hard to get good looks at the basket,” said Ely Head Coach Tomi Cole. “Everything we attempted just didn’t fall.
“Cromwell certainly knows how to turn it up that extra notch this time of year.”
That intensity helped the Cardinals dominate the boards as the Wolves managed just 27 rebounds, barely half their rebound total from their quarterfinal contest with Bigfork.
The Wolves, seeded sixth in the tournament, reached the semi-finals after an impressive showing against the third-seeded Huskies, who the Wolves held to just 33 points, the Huskies’ lowest point total of the season. Ely controlled the boards much of the night, as they racked up 46 rebounds, including 30 defensive boards, along with 12 steals.
Penke again led the way offensively, pouring in 15 points, while notching 10 defensive rebounds as well, for a double-double. Junior Zoe Mackenzie added nine points, all on three-balls, while Shultz tallied six points and ten boards.
Sophomore Audrey Kallberg grabbed a dozen rebounds, while senior Clare Thomas notched five points and five boards. Maija Mattson notched four points and four boards.
The Wolves made it to their quarterfinal bout with the Huskies in the wake of their 67-38 pummeling of South Ridge in Ely. The Wolves started out shaky and let the height-advantaged Panthers gain the early momentum and a seven-point lead midway through the first half. It was a quiet time in the Ely gymnasium and a reminder that Ely had nearly let the Panthers rally for a win the previous Friday. “We definitely started shaky,” said Ely Head Coach Tomi Cole. “But I think once we got settled, it was more the game that we wanted to play.”
Indeed, the momentum shift was palpable, and the Wolves took full advantage with an unanswered 25-point run that left them firmly in control the rest of the way.
By the time South Ridge finally found the basket, several minutes into the second half, it was too little, too late for a rally.
“We gave up a lot of a lead last Friday and so we knew we just kind of had to put the pedal down and go,” said Cole. “Otherwise, they were going to chip away because they’re athletic. No team wants to lose at this time, and they’ve got some height, too.”
The Wolves posted a solid offensive attack with three players in double figures. Shultz led the way, pouring in 18 points, including three treys, while connecting on seven and 11 chances at the charity stripe and grabbing nine rebounds. Kallberg notched 14 points and grabbed 11 boards for the only double-double of the night. Thomas added 13 points, while Penke added nine along with five boards. Mackenzie added eight points to the effort.
Despite Tuesday’s loss, Cole said her team has a lot to be proud of. “It was certainly expected to be a rebuilding year, so I thought how we ended up was far beyond expectations.”
And Cole is optimistic about the years ahead, particularly given the consistent strength of the team’s several sophomores and lone junior, all of whom can be expected to return next season. “We relied heavily on our underclassmen this year,” said Cole. “We will certainly miss our two seniors, who brought a lot to our effort, but I think our sophomore group shows a lot of promise. I’d say Ely has a lot to look forward to.”