Girls' basketball roundup

PIERZ - Sophomore guard Avery Jackson led all scorers with 19 points, lifting the Wadena-Deer Creek Wolverines past the Pierz Pioneers 58-49 in a non-conference season opener Tuesday.

Also pitching in for the Wolverines were Courtney Volkmann with 13 points and Rachel Craig with 11.

The Pioneers were led by Miranda Przybilla's 15 points and Amber Preimesberger's 10. Emily Weber added seven points, six blocks, six steals and five rebounds for Pierz.

Wadena-Deer Creek 26 32 - 58

Pierz 15 34 - 49

WADENA-DEER CREEK

Kayla Krause 2, Hannah Toedter 4, Courtney Volkmann 13, Avery Jackson 19, Kelsi Crawford 5, Rachel Craig 11, Rachael Carlisle 4. FG 22-52 (42 percent), FT 12-23 (53 percent), 3-point baskets: 2 (Volkmann, Jackson). Overall: 1-0. Next: host Crosby-Ironton 7:15 p.m. Friday.

Pierz

Erika Broschofsky 3, Jayme Sczublewski 6, Amber Preimesberger 10, Kelsey Meyer 6, Miranda Przybilla 15, Emily Weber 7, Sarah Schirmers 2. FG 15-49 (31 percent), FT 13-25 (52 percent), 3-point baskets: 6 (Meyer 2, Przybilla 2, Sczublewski 2). Overall: 0-1. Next: host Little Falls 7:30 p.m. Friday.

Pine River-Backus 73, Cass Lake-Bena 33

PINE RIVER - Katie Wangberg's 26 points, 10 steals, and seven rebounds powered the Pine River-Backus Tigers to a 73-33 drubbing of the Cass Lake-Bena Panthers in a Northwoods Conference game Tuesday.

Wangberg's performance was rivaled by teammate Tatum Sheley who finished with 18 points, seven steals, six rebounds, and five assists.

Cass Lake-Bena 17 16 - 33

Pine River-Backus 39 34 - 73

CASS LAKE-BENA

Autumn Brunelle 6, Danielle Jourdain 10, Jordan Jackson 2, Joy Smith 2, Petra Rodriquez 3, Randi Michaud 8, Valerie Rodriquez 2. 3-point baskets: 1 (Michaud).

PINE RIVER-BACKUS

Tatum Sheley 18, Hannah Lemberg 7, Brittany Kelley 4, Grace Lemberg 6, Katie Wangberg 26, Kendra Hamilton 4, Alexis Hansen 2, Autumn Ackerman 6. FT 9-12 (75 percent), 3-point baskets: 2 (Sheley 2). Conference: 1-0. Overall: 1-0. Next: host Walker-Hackensack-Akeley 7:30 p.m. Friday.

Pillager 73, Swanville 38

SWANVILLE - Jackie White poured in 26 points to lead the Pillager Huskies past Swanville 73-38 in a non-conference season opener Tuesday.

Nineteen of White's points came in the first half as the Huskies took a commanding 43-17 lead. White also had six assists and five steals and was joined in double figures by Shauna Maurer with 16 points and eight rebounds. Kaylie Hanson had nine rebounds and 16 points and Shelby Knocken collected seven assists and five steals.

Swanville 17 21 - 38

Pillager 43 30 - 73

SWANVILLE

Lexi Loven 4, Marissa Evans 2, Molly Jordan 5, Laurie Kruchten 8, Holly Pelzer 4, Sam Tousley, Tiffany Barthel 5, Lacee Primus 1, Nicole Mortenson 9.

PILLAGER

Bristy Bourgoin 2, Kaylie Hanson 16, Kali Howland 2, Shelby Nokken 2, Ally Hunstad 2, Jackie White 26, Alexa Fletcher , Jessica Kadus 6, Kayla Rardin 4, Shauna Maurer 16. 3-point baskets: 2 (White 1, Rardin 1). Overall: 1-0. Next: host Staples-Motley 7:15 p.m. Thursday.

Lake Region 44, St. Francis 17

BAXTER - Kelsey Grider recorded 19 points and 11 rebounds as the Lake Region Christian Hornets kicked off their season with a dominating 44-17 win over the St. Francis Patriots Tuesday.

Carissa Grogg filled up the stat sheet for the Hornets with 10 points, six rebounds, four assists, three steals and a block, while Shandra Zacher added nine points, seven rebounds, five assists, and five steals.

St. Francis 4 13 - 17

Lake Region 30 14 - 44

ST. FRANCIS

Brianna Mineko 6, Jackie Karpe 2, Kim Gibson 2, Jessica Springer 2, Amanda Anderson 2 Anhhelicka Venderburgh 2. 3-point baskets: 2 (Mineko 2).

LAKE REGION

Carissa Grogg 10, Cayanne Robben 2, Shandra Zacher 9, Kelsey Grider 19, Bethany Cressman 4. Overall: 1-0. Next: host Rosemount 5 p.m. Friday.

Esko 44, Crosby-Ironton 43

CROSBY - Katie Swanhorst had 14 points and Jana Anderson 12 as the Crosby-Ironton Rangers nearly pulled off an upset, losing 44-43 to Esko in a non-conference opener Tuesday.

After Esko had jumped out to a 25-16 half-time lead, the Rangers trailed by nine with three minutes to go. They pulled within one, only to fail to score on an inbound attempt at the end of the game.

Twelve of Swanhorst's points came on three-point baskets.

Esko 25 19 - 44

Crosby-Ironton 16 27 - 43

ESKO

Julianne Carley 5, Katie Tonner 2, Alyson Glumac 2 , Lydia Pelletier 4, Keely Deidrick 13, Danielle Salo 2, Amanda Bergstedt 13, Kate Marquis, Savanna Trapp 3. 3-point baskets: 4 (Carley 1, Deidrick 3).

CROSBY-IRONTON

Cassie Valentino 2, Katie Swanhorst 14, Jana Anderson 12, September Prushek 2, Kendra Perpich 6, Missy Foote 7. FG 16-60 (27 percent), FT 4-9 (44 percent), 3-point baskets: 7 (Swanhorst 4, Anderson 1, Perpich 2). Overall: 0-1. Next: at Wadena-Deer Creek 7:15 p.m. Friday.

Pine City 56, Aitkin 55

AITKIN - Meredith Chaput scored 26 points, but the Aitkin Gobblers' missed free throws cost them in a 56-55 loss to the Pine City Dragons in a Great River conference opener Tuesday.

The Gobblers, who were 10-23 from the line, also received nine points each from Carissa Herron and Lena Montano.

Pine City 24 32 - 56

Aitkin 20 35 - 55

PINE CITY

Kerrie Hughes 11, Laura Linzmeier 5, Jamie Dickey 7, Gretchen Linzmeier 9, Nicole Sebastian 2, Kayla Weiss 10, Karina Nordrum 12. 3-point baskets: 4 (Hughes 2, L. Linzmeier, Weiss).

AITKIN

Meredith Chaput 26, Carissa Herron 9, Melissa Paulson 2, Lena Montano 9, Miranda Paulson 2, Kristy Hoge 7. FT 10-23 (65 percent), 3-point baskets: 5 (Chaput 5). Conference: 0-1. Overall: 0-1. Next: host Hinckley-Finlayson 7:30 p.m. Friday.

Upsala 79, Verndale 43

VERNDALE - Elizabeth Johnson led the Verndale Pirates with 13 points in a 79-43 loss to the Upsala Cardinals in a non-conference season opener Tuesday.

Upsala 44 35 - 79

Verndale 22 21 - 43

UPSALA

Holly Boeckermann 1, Lauren Phillips 6, Aimee Pelzer 22, Brooke Lampert 8, Kimmy Mrozek 4, Kaitlyn Wuebkers 13, Bethanie Westrich 11, Hannah Phillips 14. 3-point baskets: 1 (Pelzer).

VERNDALE

Lizzy Yungbauer 6, Trista Finck 8, Elizabeth Johnson 13, Heather Hejhal 2, Jordy Schluttner 3, Teresa Moenkedick 2, Jenny Swenson 3, Amber Wendt 2, Chaitra Collison 4. FG 18-51 (35 percent), FT 9-27 (33 percent). Overall: 0-1. Next: at Swanville 7:30 p.m. Friday.