Knights clinch conference title

By JEREMY BEHNKE

Journal Sports Writer

SLEEPY EYE -- Monday's nonconference boys basketball game between Sleepy Eye St. Mary's and Red Rock Central saw nearly 50 turnovers as SESM won 54-38 in the regular season finale for both teams.

The win coupled by Wabasso's 83-64 loss to Cedar Mt. Comfrey gives the Knights the Tomahawk Conference title.

The Knights defense was stingy as it caused 29 turnovers. The Knights had problems of their own holding on to the ball as they had 20 turnovers, eight in the first quarter.

"We came out sloppy and we kind of rushed things a bit," St. Mary's coach Peter Roufs said. "We were trying to make things happen, so we needed to slow down a bit."

Matt Mathiowetz and Joey Wahl led the Knights with 12 points each. Wahl hit three three-pointers, all in the first half.

Mathiowetz had a quiet first half, scoring only two points. His only first-half basket came on a steal and a layup in the first quarter, giving the Knights a 10-4 lead.

The Falcons, thanks to the help of Andy DeCock. DeCock scored all of his six points.

In the second quarter 6-foot-8 center Mark Engen's three-pointer brought the Falcons to within three at 14-11, but the Knights went on an 8-0 highlighted by a couple of Wahl three-pointers and Mathiowetz's bucket.

Kyle Ludewig's basket made it 28-15. The Knights led 29-16 at halftime.

In the third quarter, Mathiowetz got a steal and went coast-to-coast for the layup and drew a foul. The free-throw put St. Mary's up 38-24.

The Knights tightened up the defensive pressure in the third and pressed. The full-court pressure enabled the Knights to force a turnover, resulting in a layup for Matt Gangelhoff. Gangelhoff scored St. Marys' next basket to give the Knights a 42-24 lead after three quarters.

"We typically get a big runs in most of our games," Roufs said. "Defensively, we needed to get more aggressive. We wanted to try to cause turnovers. It's just something we've been doing throughout the year."

Mathiowetz drained a three-pointer to start the fourth quarter and then had a layup on the Knights' next possession to make it 49-26.

Engen scored 10 points to lead the Falcons. He also caused some problems down low for the Knights.

"He's a nice player," Roufs said. "We have played 21 games before this one, and we haven't seen anybody in the middle that size all year. He caused some problems and distracted some shots for us."

St. Mary's (20-2, 16-2) is the No.1 seed in Section 2A, North sub-section tournament. The Knights will play the winner of Buffalo Lake-Hector and Sleepy Eye Public Tuesday at St. Mary's.

RRC (12-11) plays Westbrook-Walnut Grove in the first round of the Section 3A tournament Thursday.

RRC (38)

Berg 2, Miller 4, DeCock 6, K. Engen 6, M. Engen 6, Keck 5, Sykora 3, Furth 4. RRC was 3-of-7 from three-point range.

SESM (54)

Ludewig 8, Mathiowetz 12, Fuchs 0, Cook 0, Brandl 6, Wahl 12, Gangelhoff 8, Martinez 2, Huiras 2. SESM was 4-of-8 from three-point range.