FIELD TWP- The North Woods girls continue to make good progress in a rebuilding season, although one had to look beyond the win-loss column this week to see it. The Grizzlies dropped hard-fought matchups at home against Moose Lake-Willow River, 68-55, and McGregor, 60-43.
Against ML-WR on Monday, the Grizzlies stood toe-to-toe with the Rebels for most of the game, with a mid-game drought spanning the halftime break leading to the loss. North Woods took the early lead on a triple by Brynn Chosa, and after falling behind regained the lead on a corner trey by Tatum Barto, 14-13. The Grizzlies trailed 25-23 with just over two minutes left in the half after a basket by Corra Brodeen when the Rebels began to create some distance. Finishing the half on an 11-2 run, the Rebels led 36-25 at the break.
ML-WR built the lead to 40-25 in the first two-and-a-half minutes of the second half before Sierra Shuster got the Grizzlies on the board with a deuce, and the Rebels were still up by 15 at 57-42 with six minutes remaining. But the Grizzlies rallied to within eight at 58-50 with three minutes left on an 8-1 run sparked by a pair of Brodeen free throws and two long three balls by Barto. There wasn’t enough gas left in the Grizzlies’ tank to fuel a comeback, though, as the Rebels pulled away in the final minutes to win by 13.
Barto was a scoring machine for the Grizzlies, putting up 26 points to lead all scorers, while Chosa cashed in for 11.
McGregor
North Woods was looking to avenge an early season 71-63 tournament loss to McGregor, and at the outset it looked as though they might be up to the task.
The Mercuries got out to a quick 4-0 lead, but a bucket by Brodeen and a backcourt steal and score by Barto gave Chosa the chance to put North Woods in the lead at the free throw line, which she did by making one of two for a 5-4 lead. Shuster hit a double to return North Woods to a 9-8 lead, the last time they would have the upper hand in the game. Taking advantage of North Woods misses and miscues, the Mercuries pulled out to a 25-11 advantage and held a 15-point edge at the break, 33-18.
North Woods has been challenged to mount big runs to come back from double-digit deficits, and that was the case again in the second half. As in the early going, the Grizzlies hit their stride and played the Mercuries tough and even until the final seconds when McGregor went up by the winning margin of 17.
Chosa led the Grizzlies in scoring with a dozen, followed by Barto with 11.
The Grizzlies were scheduled to be on the road against Deer River on Thursday, then back at home on Friday to take on Hill City-Northland. A tilt at Cherry is on tap for Tuesday.