By Chad Koenen

Publisher

In a match up between two of the top teams in Minnesota and North Dakota on Saturday morning, the Henning Hornets suffered just their second loss of the season as part of the Breakdown Red River Showcase in Moorhead. Fourth ranked Henning led throughout much of the game, but fell to Hankinson, who has suffered just one loss and is one of the top teams in Class B in North Dakota, by a score of 91-87.

The loss comes on the heels of another commanding win over Wadena-Deer Creek to remain unbeaten in the Park Region Conference on Thursday night.

This week the Hornets will wrap up their Park Region Conference schedule with a game in New York Mills on Tuesday, before hosting Verndale on Friday night in the last home game of the regular season. 

Henning will wrap up its regular season next week when they travel to Brandon-Evansville on Tuesday, Feb. 25 and Underwood on Friday, Feb. 28. The Hornets are currently 19-3 on the season and 12-0 in the conference.

Thursday

Logan Kostelecky knocked down five 3-pointers  and Teigan Bjerke recorded a double-double as the Henning Hornets defeated the Wadena-Deer Creek Wolverines by a score of 75-28 on Thursday night. The night took on an extra special meaning for the Hornets as they honored seven seniors as part of senior night in Henning. 

“Tonight we recognized our seven seniors and all they’ve done for our basketball program. Devan Wiederich, Teigan Bjerke, Eli Reinbold, Noah Umland, Logan Kostelecky, Mason Samuelson and Dawson Misegades are really quality kids who’ve bought into what it means to be a team,” said head coach Randy Misegades.

Henning shot 50 percent from the field and went 8-24 from behind the 3-point line. They also held the Wolverines to just 25 percent shooting from the floor and forced 26 turnovers. The Hornets held a 34-16 lead at halftime before turning it on in the second half to outscore Wadena-Deer Creek 41-12 in the final 18 minutes of action.

The commanding win allowed the Hornets to give several players some extended playing time in one of their final home games of the season.

“We had another big crowd and all the guys got extended minutes tonight,” said Misegades.

Kostelecky led the way offensively for Henning with 30 points on just 10-15 shooting from the floor, while Bjerke finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds. He also had six assists in the win. 

Eli Reinbold scored seven points, Dawson Misegades scored five points, Beck Thorson scored three points, Devan Wiederich, Andrew Suchy and Bradon Grabe rounded out the scoring with two points apiece. 

The win clinched at least a share of the Park Region Conference title with two games remaining on the conference schedule.

POINTS: Thorson 3, Wiederich 2, Bjerke 14, Reinbold 7, Umland 10, Kostelecky 30, Suchy 2, Misegades 5, Grabe 2

ASSISTS: Thorson 1, Bjerke 6, Reinbold 2, Umland 2, Kostelecky 3, Bjerke 1, Wiederich 2

REBOUNDS: Thorson 2, Wiederich 1, Bjerke 11, Reinbold 6, Kostelecky 5, Bjerke 1, Suchy 2, Misegades 3, Grabe 1

STEALS: Wiederich 2, Bjerke 4, Umland 5, Kostelecky 3, Bjerke 1, Wiederich 1, Misegades 2

Saturday

One of the top ranked Class A Minnesota teams took on one of the top ranked Class B North Dakota teams in the annual Breakdown Red River Showcase in Moorhead on Saturday morning. With a combined three losses between the two teams, Saturday’s match up turned into a high flying game that featured a total of 178 points. 

Henning led by as many as 14 points in their game against Hankinson on Saturday and maintained a 46-39 lead at halftime, but were unable to hang on in a wild finish as the Hornets suffered just their third loss of the season by a score of 91-87.

“One of the wildest games I’ve ever been a part of,” said head coach Randy Misegades. “When you score 87, that should be enough to win. Logan and Teigan kept us in the game offensively, but we simply didn’t do a good job on the defensive end of the floor.”

The Hornets shot well throughout the game and were led by a trio of seniors who all finished in double digits scoring. Logan Kostelecky hit six 3-pointers and went 14-28 from the floor to finish with a team-high 36 points to go along with a team-high seven assists and six rebounds. Teigan Bjerke recorded a double-double and went 12-15 shooting on his way to 27 points and 10 rebounds. Noah Umland also reached double figures as the senior finished with 13 points.

Todd Bjerke scored six points, Dawson Misegades scored four points and Eli Reinbold finished with one point to round out the scoring. 

Hankinson shot lights out throughout the game as they shot 60 percent from the floor, including 12-23 from behind the 3-point line. They were led by Rashaun Earl who went 14-20 from the floor and hit six 3-pointers on his way to a game-high 42 points. 

“Rashaun Earl was even better than advertised. We ran two guys at him all game and he still found a way to score. He was phenomenal,” said Misegades. 

While Henning lost just its third game of the season they may get one of their preseason starters back as soon as this week as Kale Misegades could return to the line up. Misegades suffered an injury in a preseason scrimmage and has been working to get himself healthy for the homestretch of the regular season.

“We’ll get Kale Misegades back this week so hopefully that gives us a shot in the arm heading into the final few weeks and into postseason play,” said head coach Randy Misegades. 

POINTS: Bjerke 27, Reinbold 1, Umland 13, Kostelecky 36, Bjerke 6, Misegades 4

ASSISTS: Bjerke 4, Despard 1, Reinbold 4, Umland 5, Kostelecky 7

REBOUNDS: Bjerke 10, Reinbold 1, Umland 6, Kostelecky 6, Bjerke 6, Misegades 5

STEALS: Thorson 1, Reinbold 2, Umland 1, Kostelecky 1