Rabbits knock off top-rated Knights

By JEREMY BEHNKE

Journal Sports Writer

NEW ULM -- Some time before Friday nights game, Wabasso head coach Lance Larson told his players that they needed to play an entire 32 minutes against a tough team in the Tomahawk Conference.

And some time on Friday, the Rabbits decided to step up and do just that.

Wabasso overcame a nine-point second quarter deficit and defeated Sleepy Eye St. Mary's 62-61. It was the seventh straight win for the Rabbits.

"We've had some stretches here in the last eight, nine games where we've played well for small amounts of time, whether it be half a quarter, maybe a quarter, maybe a half," Larson said. "We've never been able to play at the intensity level we need to. I said that'll work against some of the weaker teams, but against the good teams, that's not good enough."

The situation wasn't ideal for the Rabbits to pull off the win. They were down by nine in the second quarter on the Knights' home court, but got back into the game thanks to their full-court press.

Then, with Matt Samyn sitting on the bench with five fouls with 6:56 remaining in the fourth quarter, Jase Guetter and Cole Guetter took over for the Rabbits as Wabasso held on for the win.

"I was starting to make my layups that I missed earlier," Cole Guetter said. "I started to come on strong. I wanted this one bad. They're No. 1 in state. Someone had to step up because Samyn was in foul trouble."

Cole Guetter finished with 12 points and six assists and Jase Guetter scored 13 and had four assists. Samyn, despite sitting on the bench often due to foul trouble, scored 10 points and grabbed eight rebounds.

"He's our main guy," Cole Guetter said. "Everything we do in our offense revolves around him and we get open shots on the outside because he draws in the defense."

The teams were tied at 14 at the end of the first quarter as Dan Mathiowetz carried the Rabbits down low. Dan Mathiowetz scored 16 points and had eight rebounds.

In the second quarter, Matt Gangelhoff's 3-pointer put St. Mary's up 27-18, but the Rabbits came back and were down 33-29 at halftime.

Then, with the press frustrating the Knights, Samyn banked in a 10-foot jumper to give the Rabbits the lead.

"We've been working on it a lot lately," Cole Guetter said. "Earlier in the year, we weren't using it right, but we figured it out in practice."

A pair of Cole Guetter jumpers gave the Rabbits a 50-42 lead that they held heading into the fourth quarter.

Samyn drew his fifth foul when he was whistled for a charge, but Jase Guetter made sure the Rabbits held the lead as he took over as the Wabasso floor leader.

"At the beginning of the year, he was asked to play a position he's not used to playing," Larson said. "He does a good job of taking care of the ball than he did earlier and you couldn't ask much more out of him as far as willing our team to win."

Alex Plotz' free throws put the Rabbits up by four, but Matt Mathiowetz hit a shot from half-court as time expired to make it 62-61. Mathiowetz finished with 17 points, 10 rebounds and six assists. Kyle Ludewig scored 15 points and grabbed eight rebounds and Gangelhoff had 16 points for the Knights.

"Our seniors haven't beaten these guys in four years now, and we wanted to do it for them," Cole Guetter said. "We figured it was now or never."

St. Mary's (17-3, 12-2) hosts New Ulm Cathedral Monday at 6 p.m.

Wabasso (14-5, 10-3) is at Windom today.