Lumberjacks advance to Section 7AAA semifinals

Top seeds prevailed Tuesday in Section 7AAA girls basketball games. Cloquet, the No. 4 seed, knocked off Chisago Lakes, and No. 2 Hibbing downed North Branch and the No. 3 Princeton bounced Hermantown out of the playoffs. Top seed Grand Rapids had a first round bye. The semifinal games take place Saturday at Duluth Denfeld High School.

CLOQUET-62

CHISAGO LAKES-58

The host Lumberjacks led at halftime 30-24 and extended that lead to as much as 14 points in the second half before allowing a late surge by the Wildcats and the four-point deficit of 62-58.

Cloquet rode the hot shooting of Vanna Kelley, who tallied five 3-pointers in her 23 points. Allie Wojtysiak scored 19 points and had 12 rebounds.

"We have told Vanna (Kelley) all season she is so capable of being an all-around player," said Cloquet coach Heather Young. "She has solid ball handling skills, can see the floor and pass well, sneak in for those rebound, and can take the great shot when it is the right time. Look for the great shot, not the good shot. She did those things and it paid off for the team and her."

Young said Wojtysiak has carried the team in the rebounding column all season long.

"She is a master at out-tipping most players on the floor," Young said. "That takes heart and tenacity. You can't coach that ... it's just what's inside her. She also will put up anywhere from 10-20 points a game which helps her team as well. She is a double-double in the stats column most nights for us. We are fortunate to have her help spark us when it is needed."

The Lumberjacks had defeated the Wildcats a week before by six points and the game on Tuesday night played out in much of the same way.

Cloquet got to the free throw line 26 times and made 21 while the Wildcats went to the line the exact same number of times but made only 13. It turned out to be the difference in the game.

"Games can be won at the free-throw line," Young said. "It might not be noticed during the game but when we revisit our team goals each game, we look at our free throw percentage as a team."

Junior Kate Owens had a nice night for Cloquet with seven points, while eighth-grader Alexa Snesrud chipped in five. Kendra Kelley and Olivia Diver scored three each and Grace Dushkin finished with two points.

Cloquet will play Grand Rapids at 1 p.m. Saturday at Denfeld. The Thunderhawks have gone 12-3 in the final 15 games of the regular season.

HIBBING-66

NORTH BRANCH-48

The Hibbing Bluejackets had four players score in double digits and were led by Abbey McDonald's 17 points. Hibbing led by only four points at halftime, but outscored the Vikings by 14 points in the second half.

Hibbing has lost only twice all season, both times at the hands of Grand Rapids. The Bluejackets and Thunderhawks opened the season against each other with Grand Rapids winning by four points. They met again in January with the Thunderhawks winning by just two.

PRINCETON-51

HERMANTOWN-48

Hermantown had lost five in a row and seven of their last eight games while Princeton had also struggled at the end of the season, suffering six losses in their final seven regular season games.

Hibbing and Princeton will tip at 3 p.m. at Denfeld. The teams met in mid-December with the Bluejackets winning by nine.

SATURDAY'S SEMI-FINAL ROUND:

Cloquet will play No. 1 seed Grand Rapids at 1 p.m. Saturday at Duluth Denfeld. The Thunderhawks have gone 12-3 over their final 15 games of the regular season.

The 3 p.m. game between Hibbing and Princeton will tip at 3 p.m. at Denfeld and features a Bluejacket team that has lost only twice all season, with both of those losses coming at the hands of Grand Rapids. Princeton and Hibbing met once during the season in mid-December with the Bluejackets nabbing a nine point victory.

Winners on Saturday will go to the championship at 7 p.m. Thursday at Denfeld.