Photo by Cheri Kopveiler
Teagan Lausten takes a contested shot in the lane during last week’s game against the Tigers.

By Chad Koenen

Publisher

After a season of close games, near misses and a few heart breaking losses, the New York Mills Eagles were able to pick up their first win of the season in their last regular season game of the year.

On Tuesday night, the Eagles hosted Rothsay in what would turn out to be a game to determine the 10th seed for Section 6A north sub section. The Eagles came into the game with an 0-25 record, but have led at halftime in a number of their games recently, while Rothsay was 5-20 heading into the contest. 

Fortunately, the Eagles were able to flip the script on the Tigers last week to pick up their first win by a score of 52-49. 

“It was a tight one throughout and although we still made plenty of mistakes, we banded together, worked hard and the kids just refused to let this one slip away,” said head coach Mike Baune. “I was very happy for the kids because they deserve to experience some success and they made it happen today.”

Photo by Cheri Kopveiler
Hunter Bosman drives to the basket during last week’s game against Rothsay. The Eagles won the game by a score of 52-49.

The Eagles were led offensively by Teagan Lausten who scored 23 points to go along with 6 rebounds. Sam Kopveiler finished with a double-double after scoring 11 points and pulling down 10 rebounds, while Isaac Kawlewski scored 7 points to go along with 10 rebounds.

With the win, the Eagles leapfrogged Rothsay for the 10th seed in the sub section. NY Mills traveled to seventh seeded Battle Lake on Monday night for a pigtail game in the sub section tournament. The Battlers are 14-12 on the season and defeated the Eagles on Feb. 22 by a score of 80-46. That game was close throughout the first half, before Battle Lake pulled away in the final 18 minutes of action.

The winner of Monday’s game, which was not available at the time of press, will travel to second seeded Ada-Borup West to take on the 10th ranked Cougars. The winner of the sub section quarterfinals will advance to Saturday’s semi-finals game in Perham against either third seeded and seventh ranked and Hillcrest Comets or the winner of sixth seeded Underwood against 11th seeded Rothsay. 

The sub section championship will be held next Wednesday in Perham at 7 p.m. and the Section 6A championship will be held on Friday, March 12 in Fergus Falls.