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B.E. Area passes up Fairmont cagers, 57-29

BLUE EARTH — Samantha Barslou’s pinpoint passing become contagious among her Blue Earth Area basketball teammates on Friday night.

Barslou distributed a game-best eight assists, while Lindsey Norman doled out four assists to complement a game-high 14 points to power the hometown Bucs to a 57-29 Big South Conference rout over the Fairmont Cardinals in Blue Earth.

“Tonight was one of our best passing games of the season. Everybody was looking to find an open teammate, and just as important, we were also able to finish,” Blue Earth Area assistant coach Travis Armstrong said in reference to the maroon-and-gold lineup’s 15 team assists.

The Bucs manufactured three double-digit scoring surges to eventually nearly double the final margin of victory over the rival Cardinals.

“They simply outhustled us in every aspect of the game tonight,” said Fairmont head coach Don Waletich, whose lineup committed 28 turnovers for a minus-10 in that team category.

Blue Earth Area built a 10-0 lead off of the game’s initial tip while Fairmont missed its first 13 field-goal attempts before Abby DeWitt’s 3-pointer ended the offensive drought with 6 1/2 minutes remaining in the opening half.

Trailing 17-4 on the heels of Sofie Blair’s traditional 3-point play off a Barslou assist, Brooke Hunwardsen sank a solo free throw as the Cardinals outscored the Bucs 11-4 during the final 5 minutes to trail only 21-15 at intermission.

Brenna Cutler, who pulled down a game-best 10 boards, hit a putback to  inch Fairmont within four to open the second half before Reegan Howard later triggered Blue Earth Area’s second 10-0 run of the night with a low-post cutter off Barslou’s threaded pass through traffic.

Lindsey Norman converted Samantha Ripley’s pass into a baseline lay-in before Norman switched roles and spotted Caitlin Rorman for back-to-back baskets.

Rorman, who finished with 10 points, pocketed one of her three steals and fed Norman for the ensuing layup to widen the Bucs’ margin to 33-19 with 14:19 left in the second half.

DeWitt hit a slashing banker in the paint before teammate Taylor Crissinger snapped the nets on a 25-foot 3-pointer, but it was not enough down the stretch.

Sofie Blair’s putback basket later triggered Blue Earth Area’s 13-0 scoring surge that put the game in the win column.

Norman, Rorman, Sidney Blair, Howard and Barslou each delivered points and assists during the final double-figure explosion to seal the final outcome.

Howard produced 10 points and a team-best four steals for the Bucs, while Barslou netted six points and three steals to complement her game-high eight assists. Sofie Blair and Sidney Blair delivered seven and four points, respectively, off the home team’s bench.

Crissinger scored six points to top the Cardinals, while DeWitt and Lexi Lunn finished with five points apiece.

Fairmont (7-8) travels to Class 2A, No. 7-ranked Pipestone Area today for a 2 p.m. contest. Blue Earth Area (6-8) hits the road to Le Sueur-Henderson on Tuesday night.

Fairmont      15-14–29

B.E. Area      21-36–57

FAIRMONT (29)

Crissinger 2-5 0-0 6, B. Cutler 1-7 1-4 3, C. Cutler 1-3 1-2 3, Hunwardsen 0-4 2-5 2, DeWitt 2-7 0-0 5, Lardy 1-3 0-0 2, Lunn 2-9 0-0 5, Harder 0-1 0-0 0, Murphy 1-2 0-0 3, Moeller 0-1 0-0 0, Mosloski 0-1 0-0 0, Gustafson 0-1 0-0 0, Scott 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 10-45 4-11 29.

B.E. AREA (57)

Rorman 5-8 0-0 10, Howard 5-9 0-0 10, Ripley 0-1 2-4 2, L. Norman 6-9 2-5 14, Barslou 1-5 4-4 6, Sidney Blair 1-5 2-7 4, Sofie Blair 3-5 1-5 7, A. Norman 0-1 0-0 0, Mensing 0-2 0-0 0, Klabunde 0-0 1-2 1, B. Johnson 1-3 0-0 3, H. Johnson 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 22-48 12-27 57.

3-pointers: Fairmont 5-20 (Crissinger 2-4, DeWitt 1-3, Lunn 1-4, Murphy 1-2, B. Cutler 0-1, Hunwardsen 0-3, Harder 0-1, Moeller 0-1, Scott 0-1); B.E. Area 1-10 (B. Johnson 1-1, Rorman 0-2, Howard 0-3, Barslou 0-3, Mensing 0-1). Fouled out: None. Rebounds: Fairmont 34 (B. Cutler 10, Lardy 8); B.E. Area 34 (Rorman 6). Assists: B.E. Area 15 (Barslou 8, L. Norman 4); Fairmont 6 (DeWitt 3). Steals: B.E. Area 17 (Howard 4, Rorman and Barslou 3 each); Fairmont 14 (Hunwardsen 4, Lunn 3).

Blue Earth Area doubled up Fairmont, 42-21, during B-squad action Thursday.

Kylee Harder scored seven points to top the Cardinals, Savannah Baker netted five points, while Chloe Murphy chipped in four points.

Bryn Miller poured in a game-best 24 points to guide Fairmont to a 38-27 victory over Blue Earth Area during C-squad play on Thursday.

Kaitlin Scott added six points for the Cardinals.

West Hancock 53, North Union 44 — Faith Hammer scored a game-best 20 points to steer the Eagles to a nine-point Top of Iowa Conference victory over the Warriors on Friday night in Armstrong.

Samantha Hagedorn produced 15 points to pace North Union, while Hallie Reese delivered 13 points and doled out three assists.

Chloe Lofstrom contributed eight points and five rebounds to the Warriors’ performance, while Bre Anderson scored eight.

The Warriors made 13 of 36 field goals and scorched the nets on 17-for-21 free throw shooting.

North Union (11-2) travels to Belmond-Klemme on Tuesday night.

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