Golden Eagles advance to AA State Tourney

In a do or die, pressure packed game, the Golden Eagles came up big in the second half and earned a berth in next week's State AA Tournament in Sioux Falls. The Eagles defeated the Spearfish Spartans 60-44 in the Region 2AA Championship. The Eagles played well the entire game, but still trailed after one quarter, 13-12. Katie Norman kept the Eagles in the game early on, scoring 7 of Aberdeen Central's first 8 points of the game. A solid second quarter, fueled by an agressive half court trap, gave the Golden Eagles a 26-21 halftime lead. The Eagles may have played their best quarter of the season in the third quarter, hitting 3 three-pointers amongst other long perimter shots and getting good transition baskets. Freshman Amber Cantalope sparked the Eagles in the quarter, nailing a long two pointer, then a minute later hitting back to back three-pointers, pushing the lead from 5 points to 13. The Eagles put the game nearly out of reach two possesions later when Dawn Sillman also hit a three pointer. Solid trips on offense and good freethrow shooting in the fourth quarter iced the game for Aberdeen Central. The Golden Eagles advance to the AA Tournament for the second straight year and will open up with perrenial power and top ranked Sioux Falls Roosevelt on Thursday night in the opening game of the night session. Other first round games include Yankton vs Pierre and Rapid City Central vs Brookings in the afternoon, and Sturgis vs Sioux Falls Washington in the other night game. The Eagles enter the tournament with a 14-7 record.

Boxscore:

Aberdeen Central: Sillman 5 5-6 16, Goodman 1 2-4 4, Norman 4 7-7 15, L. Graf 1 0-0 2, E. Graf 1 1-1 3, Cantalope 3 0-0 8, Dahlerup 0 1-2 1, Burgard 2 1-2 5, Jark 2 1-4 5, Rice 0 1-2 1. Three point goals: Sillman, Cantalope 2

Spearfish: Gusso 1 0-0 2, Haughland 3 2-2 8, Dana 4 0-0 10, Barraclaugh 3 4-4 10, McLaughlin 5 0-0 10, Quaal 1 0-0 2. Three point goals: Dana 2

Fouled out: Dana, Lensegrav, Brandy. Total fouls: Aberdeen Central 12, Spearfish 22, Rebounds: Aberdeen Central 35(Goodman 9), Spearfish 45(Barraclaugh 9). Turnovers: Aberdeen Central 13, Spearfish 19.

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