ST. PETER — Junior point guard Annika Southworth suffered a hand injury in practice this week, and junior forward Emmy Remmert was just getting back after missing time with an illness.
So the St. Peter girls basketball team needed everyone to play a role Saturday.
“It was awesome to see everyone work together,” senior guard Rhyan Holmgren said. “One of the things that makes this team different is we all celebrate for each other.”
Holmgren scored 23 points and had nine rebounds as St. Peter defeated New Ulm 78-70 in the semifinals of the Section 2AAA girls basketball tournament Saturday at Gustavus Adolphus. The Saints (26-2) are the top seed, but playing without one starter, and getting limited minutes from another, made it a tough task to get past the Eagles (21-7), who were also missing a starter.
“We got about everything we could get from Emmy,” St. Peter coach Bob Southworth said. “Thank God, Kylie (Southworth) was making some shots. We needed everyone tonight.”
Kylie Southworth hit three 3-pointers in the opening six minutes to help the Saints get up 17-13, and the lead grew to 31-20 as Holmgren made an elbow jumper.
Morgan Hulke’s third 3-pointer and seven straight points from Brooklyn Lewis helped the Eagles crawl back within 35-31, but Kylie Southworth’s driving hoop in the final minute made it 41-33 at halftime.
The Saints built a double-digit lead before New Ulm started to come back. A 7-0 run started by Hulke’s 3-pointer brought the Eagles within 65-63 with 5 minutes to play, but Holmgren took control of the basketball, making 8 free throws to preserve the win.
“I’m usually the go-to player in those situations,” Holmgren said. “I’m just glad my teammates and coaches trust me in those situations.”
Kylie Southworth finished with 21 points, making 5 3-pointers, and Maddison Kamm had 17 points and eight rebounds.
The Saints will face Marshall in the section championship game Thursday at Gustavus Adolphus. St. Peter has defeated Marshall three times this season.
Marshall 61, Mankato East 55: Marshall scored the final six points in the last minute and defeated the Cougars in the Section 2AAA semifinals at Gustavus.
In the first half, East’s biggest lead was 5-0 after the first minute, and Marshall’s biggest lead was three as neither team shot the ball well.
Early in the second half, East went up 31-27 on Madeline Beaty’s 3-pointer, but Marshall answered with six straight points.
Each team was able to find some offense in the second half, though Marshall had the more balanced attack. Ellie Edberg had 10 points in the first seven minutes before Macy Birkholz took over. Birkholz made three 3-pointers and three other field goals as East (18-10) took its final lead at 52-51 with two minutes to go.
After Birkholz tied the game with a 3-pointer at the 1:15 mark, Marshall’s Reese Drake answered with a 3 to start the final run.
Birkholz finished with 29 points and nine rebounds, while Edberg had 19 points and five rebounds. Kylinn Stangl also had seven rebounds.
Drake had 19 to lead Marshall, which had five players with eight or more points.
Marshall (21-8) plays St. Peter at 7 p.m. Thursday at Gustavus Adolphus
Please follow Chad Courrier on X @ChadCourrier.