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Fairmont outlasts Redwood Valley, 74-70

FAIRMONT — Redwood Valley implemented an uptempo perimeter-oriented offensive scheme to counter Fairmont’s defensive-centered focus during Monday night’s regular-season Big South basketball clash at Cardinal Gym.

The pair of Cardinals’ contrasting styles produced a fan favorite 144 points on the strength of 19 made 3-pointers, to complement 15 lead changes, eight ties and four clutch free throws during the final 12 seconds of regulation.

Fairmont guards Nick Eversman and Pete Ortega sank two key charity tosses apiece, while 6-foot-7 center Wyatt Frank produced a double-double performance of 19 points and 16 rebounds to offset Redwood Valley sharpshooter Cole Woodford’s game-best 32 points in a 74-70 league victory.

“We didn’t play as much defense as I would have liked, but we were able to keep pace with them. They really like to play a fast-paced, get up-and-down-the-court game,” said Fairmont head coach Jared Thompson, whose lineup made 8 of 17 shots from 3-point range, including a team-best five from Jack Hested.

Cole Woodford drilled two of his game-best seven trifectas in back-to-back style to quickly open an early 8-2 lead for Redwood Valley before Hested and Zach Jorgensen answered with one trey apiece to later swing a 12-11 lead back to Fairmont with 14 minutes to go.

Power forward Dustin Schultz, who finished with 13 points and doled out five assists, pounded the paint for Fairmont, while the left-handed Woodford consistently beat the hometown defenders off the dribble to keep the lead changing hands midway through the opening half.

Woodford’s slashing leaner in traffic and ensuing traditional 3-point play staked Redwood Valley to a 19-16 lead before Fairmont reserve post player Lucas Denney stepped behind the arc and drained a 3-pointer with 11 1/2 minutes remaining before intermission to knot the score for the fifth time.

Woodford and Hested later had a long-range shootout from 3-point territory as the two sets of Cardinals generated two more ties at 30 and 32 with time winding down.

Cole Woodford nailed a right-wing 3 before Carson Woodford — Cole’s 6-5 freshman brother — drilled a top-of-the-key 3 to swing a 38-33 lead to Redwood Valley with 50 seconds to go before intermission.

Frank and Schultz, however, answered the challenge with a spinning low-post basket and a hard drive and leaner, respectively, to inch Fairmont within 38-37 at halftime. Schultz’s shot from inside of 10 feet just beat the buzzer.

After leading by as much as eight at 54-46 on the strength of Ortega’s 3-pointer at the 11-minute juncture, Kyle Huhnerkoch slowly inched Redwood Valley within striking distance with two baseline jumpers and a top-of-the-key 3-pointer to close within 61-60 with 5 minutes remaining.

Colin Wells sank two free throws to produce the conference contest’s final tie at 63-all with 2:58 to go before Eversman countered for Fairmont with a slicing drive to the basket for a lay-in.

Connor Josephson, however, cashed in a traditional 3-point play off a runner in the lane to give Redwood Valley its final lead of the game at 66-65 with 2:19 remaining.

Schultz’s power drive into the post gave Fairmont the lead for good before Ortega connected on two pivotal free throws with 12.9 seconds to go for a 72-67 lead.

Cole Woodford swooshed an NBA-distance 3-pointer 5 seconds later to draw Redwood Valley within two, but Eversman iced the Fairmont win with two charity tosses with only 6.5 seconds to go.

“Unfortunately, we struggled at the (free throw) line most of the night,” Thompson said in reference to his team’s 12-for-25 performance, “but we made the final four when they counted the most.”

Eversman finished with six points, eight rebounds and a game-best six assists for Fairmont, while Zach Jorgensen chipped in nine points, four assists and three steals.

Josephson netted nine points, grabbed six rebounds, doled out three assists and pocketed three steals for Redwood Valley.

Fairmont (11-13) plays host to New Ulm at 7:30 p.m. tonight in its regular-season finale at Cardinal Gym. The Cardinals then open the postseason by facing Martin County West at 7 p.m. Saturday night in Sherburn in a Section 3AA, South Sub-Section quarterfinal.

Redwood Valley (12-11), the No. 4 seed in the Section 3AA, North Sub-Section playoffs, plays host to No. 5-seeded Paynesville in a 7 p.m. quarterfinal Saturday night in Redwood Falls.

Red. Valley 38-32–70

Fairmont 37-37–74

FAIRMONT (74)

Schultz 6-10 1-5 13, Hested 5-9 0-0 15, Frank 8-20 3-8 19, Jorgensen 2-5 4-6 9, Eversman 2-3 2-2 6, P. Ortega 1-4 2-4 5, Denney 2-6 0-0 5, Flohrs 1-3 0-0 2. Totals 27-60 12-25 74.

REDWOOD VALLEY (70)

Cole Woodford 11-22 3-7 32, Smith 3-10 0-0 6, Huhnerkoch 3-5 0-0 7, Wells 1-1 2-2 5, Josephson 2-5 5-7 9, Guetter 0-2 0-0 0, Haas 1-1 3-4 6, Carson Woodford 1-2 0-0 3, Sander 1-5 0-0 2. Totals 23-53 13-20 70.

3-pointers: Redwood Valley 11-24 (Cole Woodford 7-14, Wells 1-1, Haas 1-1, Carson Woodford 1-1, Huhnerkoch 1-2, Sander 0-1, Guetter 0-1, Josephson 0-1, Smith 0-2); Fairmont 8-17 (Hested 5-9, Denney 1-2, P. Ortega 1-3, Jorgensen 1-3). Fouled out: Hested. Rebounds: Fairmont 34 (Frank 16, Eversman 8); Redwood Valley 31 (Josephson 6). Assists: Fairmont 17 (Eversman 6, Schultz 5); Redwood Valley 12 (Josephson and Cole Woodford 3 each). Steals: Fairmont 6 (Jorgensen 3); R. Valley 6 (Josephson 3).

Redwood Valley defeated Fairmont in B-squad action, 51-37, Monday night.

Tanner Rosch produced 14 points to top Fairmont, while Jake Harris and Jacob Crissinger chipped in eight and six points, respectively.

Redwood Valley edged Fairmont in C-squad play, 46-42, Monday night.

Gavin Junkermeier produced 16 points to top Fairmont’s effort.

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