Dragons, Patriots move on in Subsection 3A girls hoops

The Adrian-Ellsworth Dragons held off a late Southwest Minnesota Christian charge Tuesday night and defeated the Eagles 57-47 in the second of two South Subsection 3A girls basketball semifinals at Worthington High School.

The second-seeded Dragons will next meet No. 1 seed Hills-Beaver Creek, which beat No. 4 Westbrook-Walnut Grove 48-35 in Tuesday's first semifinal, at 8 p.m. Friday at SMSU in Marshall.

Adrian-Ellsworth scored the game's first eight points against Southwest Minnesota Christian and went on to hold a 27-22 advantage at the half. The Dragons had their largest lead at 42-30, but the Eagles hung tough. A 3-pointer from Hannah Caspersen and a hoop from Madyson Fey made it a three-point game, 44-41. Ava Brown and Shandra Cuperus got back-to-back Adrian-Ellsworth baskets for a seven-point lead, but Caspersen and Fey once again made buckets, making it 50-47. The Dragons, though, scored the final seven points.

Cuperus had 22 points to lead A-E while Brown and Katelyn Frodermann added 13 points apiece. Fey had 17 and Caspersen 16 for the Eagles.

In the first game, Ella Sammons had 12 points on four 3-point shots to lead a balanced scoring attack for the Patriots, who led 23-17 at halftime and later went on a surge to move ahead by as many as 18. Leah Carter had 12 points for W-WG and Riley Parker had 11.

**

In boys basketball Tuesday night, the Worthington Trojans played on the road at Mankato West and were defeated 79-63. It was the final game of the regular season for WHS; next is the Section 2AAA tournament that tips off on March 5.

**

In Section 3AA South girls basketball Tuesday night, it was:

Jackson County Central 72, Redwood Valley 56

Fairmont 70, Pipestone Area 49

In area boys basketball Tuesday night, it was:

Fairmont 71, St. Clair 29

Marshall 75, Willmar 55

West Lyon 61, Cherokee 49

Spirit Lake 71, Osage 42

Western Christian 88, Hinton 46