Free throws are downfall against Wabasso

Wabasso beat the Tracy/Milroy/Balaton boys 81-65 in the third-place game of the Wabasso Holiday Tournament. The loss dropped TMB’s season record to 0-7 while Wabasso improved to 4-5.

The Panther boys return to action Thursday night in a 212 Conference match up with MACCRAY on the Tracy hardwood.

“We played our best game of the season so far against Wabasso,” said Coach Nat Boyer. “Our boys played hard, we took a step forward in this game. Fouls became a factor and free throws were the difference. We had 2 field goal attempts in the first half and they had 21.

In this game the Panthers got off to a good start and led 18-16 after one quarter of play. By the half it was 31-29 in favor of Wabasso. This time it was the third quarter that finished off the Panthers as they were out-scored 26-13 as the teams worked to the final score of 81-65.

TMB hit 28 of 49 two-point field goal attempts for 57%, but were only 1 of 7 from three-point range for 14 %. Wabasso hit 27 of 71 two-point field goal attempts for 38% and were 0 for 10 from three-point range. The Panthers pulled down 31 rebounds to 34, had 5 steals to 8, 2 blocked shots to 1, each team had 6 assists and T/M/B turned the ball over 13 times to 8 for Wabasso.

T/M/B was led in scoring by John Knott with 18 points, Gary Knott had 12 and Sean Kirk had 11. The Rabbits’ big margin came from the free throw line as they were 27 of 33 for 81% while TMB was 6 of 16 for 38%.

T/M/B 18 11 13 23 65

Wabasso 16 15 26 24 81

T/M/B-Nelson, 4,0/0,8; J.Knott, 8,2/5,18; Kirk, 5,1/3,11; Radke, 2, 0/0,5; McIntire, 1,0/2,2; Prairie, 2,0/2, 4; Zwaschka,1,1/2,3; G. Knott, 6, 0/0,12; Rignell, 0,2/2,2. Totals 29, 6/16, 65.

Wrestlers show strength at Montevideo tournament
Paul Carlson reaches 60 win milestone

The Panther wrestling team finished second in the Roder Invitational at Montevideo last Thursday.

The team scores were: 1)Canby, 240.5; 2)T/M/B, 187.5; 3)Pine Island, 183; 4)Willmar, 177; 5)Mounds View, 161.5; 6)Fulda/MCC, 153; 7)Montevideo, 113.

Cole Cooreman was the lone Panther champion at 119 pounds while Paul Carlson was second at 189. Adam Snyder, Cody Arnold, Ross Ryan and Mike Schreier all finished third. Carlson reached his 60th victory milestone at the tournament.

“We exceeded our expectations in this tournament,” said Panther Coach Brian Michelson. “We won six out of our last nine matches to explain how we placed second with only one champion. This was the best performance we have turned in so far this season.”

Panther wrestlers participate in tournament in Granite Falls on Saturday, Jan. 8.

“This will be another tough tournament with Canby, Wabasso, YME and Willmar there,” said Michelson. “We are still not 100% healthy but we will do our best. Our Hmong kids are just starting to come on.”

The Panther individual results were:

103-Eric Cooreman, 1-2;

112-Chia Thao, 2-2, 4th place;

119-Cole Cooreman, 3-0, first place;

125-Adam Snyder, 3-1, third place;

130-Derek Evans, 1-2, 5th place;

135-Cody Arnold, 3-1, third place;

140-Ross Ryan, 3-2, tied for third;

145- Chad Cooreman, 2-2, 5th place;

152- Andy Lackie, 2-2, 5th place;

160-James Prairie, 2-2, 4th place;

171-Travis Cambronne, 0-2;

189-Paul Carlson, 2-1, second place;

215- Mike Schreier, 3-1 third place;

275-Nate Jacob, 0-2.

TMB meets Minneota test

Two of the better area girls basketball teams, with identical 8-2 season records, met at Tracy Tuesday night and the Panthers prevailed over the Minneota Vikings by a score of 76-54.

“We played pretty well tonight,” said Panther Co-Coach Paul Soupir. “There were a few defensive lapses but they occurred when we tired.”

The Panthers turned the ball over only 9 times and the Vikings only 7. Tracy/Milroy/Balaton hit 31 of 57 field goal attempts for a very good 54%. The Vikings hit 20 of 60 shots for 33% but seven of them were threes. The rebounds were 28 for T/M/B and 29 for Minneota. The Panthers had 5 steals to 7 for Minneota, 5 blocks to 2 and 19 assists to 8.

Both teams were hitting the basket with regularity in the first period, which ended with T/M/B leading 24-17. By the intermission the lead had mounted to 42-33 and to 58-46 at the three-quarter mark.

The Panthers were able to work the ball inside and their post players led the scoring. Ashlee Domine was the leading scorer for the night for T/M/B with 21 points while Tessa Nelson added 17 more. Jillian Tholen, Alyssa Kirk and Emily Miller each had 10 points.

T/M/B 24 18 16 18 76

Minneota 17 16 13 8 54

T/M/B- Schaar, 2,0/0,1,4; Nelson, 8,1/3,2,17; Carpenter, 2,0/0,1,4; J.Tholen, 3,4/4,2,10; Kirk, 4,2/2,1,10; Domine, 9,3/4,5,21; Miller, 3,4/4,1,10. Totals, 31,14/17,13,76.

B-squad wins too

The Panther B squad won over Minneota 44-32. The young Panthers were led in scoring by Kirk and Lanoue with 10 points each, Carpenter and K. Tholen had 6 each while Miller and Fultz had 5 each and Vroman had 2 points.