Westbrook-Walnut Grove clinched a narrow 57-50 victory over the Worthington Trojans in a tense matchup that showcased solid defensive play. The game, held in Worthington, saw both teams battling fiercely, with the score remaining tight throughout.
The Chargers managed to maintain slight leads in the first half, initially propelled by a three-pointer from Carlie Ross, which contributed to a 5-0 start. At its peak, Westbrook”s lead in the first half extended to eight points. However, the Trojans responded with resilience; a contested layup from Claire Schultz and a drive by Alaina Feit helped them stay within striking distance.
As the first half concluded, the Chargers held a 25-20 advantage. The second half commenced with Westbrook scoring six consecutive points, capitalizing on turnovers that led to fast-break opportunities. Ross capped off the run with a steal and an easy layup, marking the first double-digit lead of the night at 31-20.
Despite falling behind, Worthington mounted a comeback, narrowing the gap to just five points with layups from Feit and Paula Dykstra. They continued their surge, closing to within 41-38 thanks to a personal 7-0 run from Savannah Dale with seven minutes to go.
A pivotal three-pointer from Hadley Jenniges halted the Trojans” momentum, restoring a six-point lead for Westbrook. Senior post player Leah Carter then took charge, hitting a three-pointer followed by a three-point play, extending the Chargers” lead to 54-42 with less than four minutes remaining. Carter finished with a remarkable 20 points, including 14 in the second half.
Alongside Carter”s performance, Ross contributed nine points, while Leah VanDeWiele added eight, Natasha Wahl scored seven, and Jenniges chipped in six. For Worthington, Dale led with 16 points, 11 of which came in the second half. Feit contributed 13 points, while Dykstra added nine. Following this loss, Worthington fell to a 2-12 record and aims to break an 11-game losing streak in their upcoming match against Tri-City United. Meanwhile, the 7-6 Chargers prepare for a matchup against 6-6 Murray County Central in Slayton on Friday.
