PHS advances in Section 5-1A

PILLAGER - Josh Rardin recorded 16 points and 12 rebounds and the seventh-seeded Pillager Huskies shot 66 percent from the field in defeating 10th-seeded Menahga Braves 87-65 Monday in the first round of the West Subsection 5-1A playoffs.

Jake Martin led the Huskies with 20 points and Tyler Holbrook added nine points and 11 assists.

Menahga 23 42 - 65

Pillager 48 39 - 87

PILLAGER

Jake Martin 20, Luke Nelson 12, Tyler Holbrook 9, Justin Gangestad 2, Nathan Marcy 1, Jake Eastman 9, Josh Rardin 16, Zack Kadus 8, Andrew Knebel 9. Team totals: FG 31, FT 21-32 (66 percent), 3-point baskets: 4 (Martin 3, Eastman). Overall: 10-15. Next: No. 7 Pillager at No. 2 Sebeka 7 p.m. Friday in Section 5-A quarterfinals.

MENAHGA

Isaiah Davis 17, Dan Towers 11, Alex Pederson 11, Derek Pihlaja 3, Craig Thompson 2, Tom Gruchow 4, Kasey Tyge 6, Gerald Klemz 4, Don Hanninen 7. Team totals: FG 18, FT 25-42 (60 percent), 3-point baskets: 4 (Davis 2, Pederson, Tyge).

Pierz 71, Kimball 41

PIERZ - The Pierz Pioneers didn't have an answer for Scott Nystrom, but the Kimball Cubs didn't have one for Chad Lanners either as Pierz demolished its Central Minnesota Conference opponent 71-41 Monday.

Lanners finished with 21 points, six rebounds, four assists and four steals. Shane Stegora added 10 points and five rebounds. Aric Welle contributed 10 points and five rebounds and Michael Weber tallied 10 points and three rebounds, three steals and three assists helping Pierz take a 42-18 halftime lead.

Kimball's Nystrom led all scorers with 25 points.

Kimball 18 23 - 41

Pierz 42 29 - 71

PIERZ

Breck Weber 7, Robert Bell 6, Chad Lanners 21, Alex Leach 4, Shane Stegora 10, Tyler Monson 3, Aric Welle 10, Michael Weber 10. Team totals: FG 18-34 (53 percent), FT 23-26 (88 percent), 3-point baskets: 4 (Stegora 2, Lanners, B. Weber). Conference - 8-5. Overall - 15-10. Next game: hosts Maple Lake 7:30 p.m. Friday.

KIMBALL

Andy Dingmann 2, Scott Nystrom 25, Zak Kuseske 3, Scott Stenger 4, Sam Scheeler 3, Lorgan Looman 4. Team totals: FG 9-27 (33 percent), FT 8-17 (47 percent), 3-point baskets: 5 (S, Nystrom 4, Looman). Conference - 4-9. Overall - 9-15.

Eagle Valley 78, Verndale 51

EAGLE VALLEY - Jason Runyan led the 11th-seeded Verndale Pirates with 21 points, but it was the sixth-seeded Eagle Valley Rebels which came away with a 78-51 West Subsection 5-1A playoff victory Monday.

Daniel Weiher scored 13 points for the Pirates, who finish the season 3-21.

Verndale 30 21 - 51

Eagle Valley 39 39 -78

VERNDALE

Zack Meidinger 6, Jason Runyan 21, Daniel Weiher 13, Caleb Seals 4, Kyle Booth 1, Brady Siedschlaw 6. Team totals: FG 16, FT 15-21 (71 percent), 3-point baskets: 4 (Meidinger 2, Runyan 2). Overall: 3-21.

EAGLE VALLEY

Travis Cook 2, Trevor Ahrendt 7, Mike Fuller 5, Dillon Lundin 24, Devon Egeness 24, Tyler Notch 8, Dario Cervantes 5, Mitch Ahrendt. Team totals: FG 30, FT 16-30 (53 percent), 3-point baskets: 2 (Notch).

Walker-H-A 90, Pine River-B 47

WALKER - The Walker-Hackensack-Akeley Wolves defeated the Pine River-Backus Tigers 90-47 in Northland Conference boys' basketball Monday.

The Tigers have lost seven straight and drop to 3-10 in the conference and 3-22 overall.

Pelican Rapids 82, Wadena-DC 70

PELICAN RAPIDS - The Wadena-Deer Creek Wolverines fell to the Pelican Rapids Vikings 82-70 in a Section 8-2A tune-up match Monday.

The loss marks the fourth in W-DC's last five games. The Wolverines drops to 13-10 on the season and will host Park Rapids Friday.