(KWMN)- The Winona Senior High School boys’ basketball team met with the Austin High Packers last Saturday night with a trip to the Section 1AAA championship game on the line.
For two teams with solid offensive prowess, this matchup proved to be dominated by both defenses, leading to a low scoring affair with an overtime ending.
Both teams shot out to a hot start to the game, trading punches back and forth, remaining at a deadlock midway through the first half. It wasn’t until late in that first half that the Winhawks made a slight run. Enough to take a 29-23 lead heading into the locker room.
Austin came out of the break with force and pounced on a lackluster Winhawk second half start to erase the deficit. It was again back and forth from there on out. An Austin triple would be answered with a Winona triple, and at the same time, a Winona turnover would be answered with an Austin turnover. Neither team could break free.
Late in the game it was crunch time, with each possession magnifying to be a pivotal moment. With 2:30 to play, Mason Langowski had a strong finish down low, earning a whistle in the process, tying the game up at 52 with a chance to take a lead from the line. Langowski missed the free throw, but the Winhawks got the rebound, only to give it right back to Austin with an errant pass. Austin got the ball back with 1:49 to play.
With their ensuing possession, they held the ball for over a minute, winding the clock down to 31 seconds when Jacob Herrick drove down the lane and earned a trip to the free throw line after a Jackson Harvey foul. Herrick made both free throws for Austin, taking a 54-52 lead.
With 30 seconds to go, the Winhawks had the ball and a chance to tie or win the game, after wasting some seconds off the clock, Isaiah Bell was hacked driving down the lane and was put at the free throw line with a 1-and-1 chance to tie it up at 54. He drained both of the free throws, two of his 11 points on the night, and on the other end Austin missed a game winner. Overtime was next.
In the overtime period, Winona looked as if they had control. With 1:09 to play, Austin had the ball down 58-55 and were called for an offensive foul, giving the ball right back to the Winhawks, who now had a chance to close out the game. The ensuing inbound however, was knocked out of bounds, and was called off on the Winhawks. Austin had the ball down three with 55 seconds to play. Ater Manyoun drained a three-ball with 42 seconds to tie up the game for Austin. The following possession for the Winhawks had Charles Vandeberg put up a mid-range shot that missed the mark. Austin countered in transition with under 20 seconds to play, opting against a timeout and allowing Manyoun to put up a three with 11 seconds to play that was missed and rebounded to Winona.
After a timeout, Winona had eight seconds on the clock to draw up a play and win the game. In what Head Coach for the Winhawks, Kyle Martin, said was not the play drawn up in the huddle, Charles Vandeberg improvised to get the ball at center court with the time ticking down. He found a sliver of space, if that, thanks to a screen from Jackson Harvey and pulled up from way downtown (The volleyball line, about a foot inside halfcourt), and drained a three-pointer to send the Winhawks to the section championship game. Vandeberg got three of his 13 points at the perfect time. Final score, Winona 61, Austin 58.
“So pumped for these guys. they didn’t give up, they battled…Charlie hits a big shot to take us where we want to be,” Kyle Martin said of the win.
Cassellius, although seemingly quiet all night long, still finished with 15 points. Harvey ended with 15 as well.
In what was a wild ending, the Winhawks not only booked their trip to the section championship game, but they also beat Austin for second time this season thanks to a buzzer beater (Cassellius hit a game-winner against Austin on Feb. 17), got revenge against Austin from last year’s section championship game and also stopped a four-year run of Austin winning the section. Not to mention that this season was the first time in 12 years that Winona beat Austin–and they did it twice–It was also the first-time beating Austin on their homecourt in even longer. Kyle Martin didn’t even know how long it had been since the programs last win in Austin.
This win sets up a section championship game with Stewartville, with a trip to the state tournament on the line. Stewartville is a lengthy team that couples their length with athleticism. Martin said that he likes to think Stewartville is quite similar to Austin, just maybe a little more talented. Stewartville is also the lone section opponent that the Winhawk’s didn’t face throughout the season. That carries both advantages and disadvantages. Martin thinks having the ‘clean slate’ going against a team without any history behind facing them can provide a level playing field, especially with it being at the Civic Center in Rochester. At the same time, it’s harder to gameplan for the same reason, not knowing the other team very well.
The Winhawks will play in their second straight section championship game, being the #3 seed both times. Already slaying the ‘unslayable’ dragon that is the Austin Packers, they’ll shift their attention to the one seeded Stewartville Tigers. Winona’s last section championship and State tournament berth came 13 years ago in the 2009-10 season. According to mshsl.org, Stewartville has never won the section title to reach the State tournament.
The Winhawks take on the Tigers of Stewartville Friday, March 17 at 6:00 p.m. from the Mayo Civic Center in Rochester, Minn. Coverage will begin at 5:50, with tip to follow after, on Real Country 101.5 FM 1380 AM or right here on winonaradio.com.
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