Tough hardwood battles

The Prior Lake girls basketball team bounced right back after its loss in the season opener.

The Lakers won a pair of close games, including holding on for a 74-72 South Suburban Conference home victory over Shakopee Dec. 12. Junior McKenna Hofschild had a game-high 30 points.

Prior Lake went into the contest off a 79-75 victory at New Prague Dec. 8 in non-league play. Hofschild finished with 28 points in that victory. She had 31 in the team’s 78-56 opening loss to No. 7-ranked Park Center.

Hofschild is going to get her points this season. But if the Lakers want to challenge for the Section 2AAAA crown and in the SSC, others need to provide scoring. Ninth-grader Kate Trachsel has done that in the last two wins, scoring 18 points against New Prague and finishing with 15 against Shakopee.

Ninth-grader Emily Kulstad was also in double figures in the win over Shakopee with 12 points.

Prior Lake is back on the court Dec. 15 at home versus Lakeville South and is on the road Dec. 19 at Farmington in two SSC games at 7 p.m. The Lakers are at Eden Prairie Dec. 22 in a battle of section foes at 7 p.m.

In the win over Shakopee, Prior Lake led by as many as 14 points in the first half, taking a 40-29 lead into the break. But the Sabers fought back. 

The Sabers went to the free throw line down three points with seven seconds left, making the first one and missing the second attempt. Shakopee got the offensive rebound and missed a couple short shots that would have tied the game.

Junior Alexander Wiskow chipped in six points for the Lakers, while ninth-grader Tatum Brostrom scored four.

In beating New Prague, sophomore Haidyn Pitsch scored nine points for Prior Lake, while Wiskow and ninth-grader Abby Kuboushek each had six and Kulstad and sophomore Ella Schnackenberg both scored four.

To see more photos of the Lakers’ win over Shakopee, click here.