Lumberjacks basketball splits with East

The Cloquet boys and girls teams traveled to Duluth East High School Tuesday night to meet the Greyhounds in a basketball doubleheader. Cloquet was seeking to sweep the Greyhounds, but they would have to settle for a split on the night.

The Lady Lumberjacks opened the twin bill with a 66-50 win over Duluth East. Allie Wojtysiak would prove to be the difference in the win over the Greyhounds. Wojtysiak scored 21 points, including 15 in the first half to lead all scorers. Wojtysiak’s inside presence and drives to the basket carried the scoring load in the half.

Cloquet would lead the Greyhounds by a score of 32-24 at the break. The Greyhounds had the lead only once in the first half — for a mere 15 seconds midway through the half at 16-15. The Lumberjacks used their inside game to control the rest of the first half as the Greyhounds struggled to get anything going offensively.

A 26-11 run to start the second half by Cloquet ensured the Lumberjack’s second straight victory. Cloquet hit 15 second-half free throws as the Greyhounds got into foul trouble early in the half and the Lumberjacks cruised to a 16-point victory. Phoebe Bieri add 11 points in the win for Cloquet, which improves to 2-1 on the season and will meet Grand Rapids at home Thursday night as this issue of the Pine Knot News went to press.

The nightcap saw the 2-0 boys team ready to take on an East team that had yet to play a game. The ’Jacks were hoping to start 3-0 for the first time since 2014, but the Greyhounds spoiled that plan with a fast start and solid defense to pick up the 77-64 win.

The Greyhounds jumped out to a 13-2 lead as poor shooting by Cloquet and timely outside shooting by the Greyhounds put the ’Jacks behind the 8-ball right away. Cloquet responded with a Lumberjack run of their own that would tie the contest at 15-15.

However, that was the last time Cloquet tied with Duluth East as the Greyhounds would mix in several three-pointers and a solid post game from sophomore Noah Paulson to keep the Lumberjacks at a distance.

Hot shooting from sophomore Adam Schneider kept Cloquet close in the first half, but Duluth East had a 42-32 advantage at half time. The second half saw both teams make several small runs back and forth, but Cloquet could never narrow the margin closer than three points.

Seniors Marcus Pokornowski and Alex Leuzzo, along with Schneider, kept the Lumberjacks close with several acrobatic drivers to the basket and some key baskets, but again every run the ’Jacks made was answered by Duluth East.

Most of those answers came from beyond the arc as the Greyhounds finished the night with nine three pointers. Cloquet had struggles from the free throw line as they converted on only nine of 23 free throw opportunities, shooting 23 percent from the line, while the Greyhounds connected on 12-16 free throws.

The Greyhounds also used their height advantage to out-rebound the Lumberjacks 44-31, and one other key stat was East made 41 defensive stops while Cloquet managed only 32.

Pokornowski led the Lumberjacks with 18 points on the evening, while Schneider added 16 and Leuzzo finished with 11. Duluth East had five players in double figures, led by Noah Winesett, who poured in 18, and Will Van Scoy, who chipped in with 15.

The Cloquet boys will face the Esko Eskomos Friday night in Esko starting at 7:15 p.m.