Eastview's Rachel Ranke was known for her three-point shooting last season. But with the Lightning bringing in a new coach in the offseaon, the 5-foot-11 junior guard had to adjust to a new role on the team.

“Rachel can score in a variety of ways, and only being a junior, she came in already having a lot of experience,” Eastview coach Molly Kasper said. “Her versatility is what is important to us.”

Ranke’s versatility was apparent in Eastview’s 72-66 upset victory at St. Michael-Albertville on Saturday afternoon in a matchup featuring two of Class 4A's top two teams.

She had four field goals, including two three-pointers, and made 10 free throws to finish with 20 points for the Lightning, ranked No. 4 by Minnesota Basketball News. Ranke scored 15 points after halftime.

After missing a few free throws early in the game, Ranke brought her focus back to the team.

“I knew that free throws win games and I knew if I knocked them in, it would help our team get the win,” Ranke said.

Ranke, a Kansas State verbal commit, averages 16.6 points per game and leads her team with 232 points this season.

She said the adjustment to playing in the post has been beneficial.

“I love to shoot, but at the same time, it’s easy points inside with my size,” Ranke said. “It’s different, but it’s helped (my team) a lot.”

The win over the No. 3-ranked Knights was exciting for the Lightning, especially after they recorded a 64-48 loss to No.1-4A Hopkins on Dec. 30.

“After Hopkins, we had to get into the gym and get going,” Ranke said.

Ranke and her teammates have Eastview going in the correct direction with 13 victories in 14 games so far this season.

The program is no stranger to success, having reached the Class 4A state tournament seven times since 2000. The Lightning won a title in 2014 and finished second three times (2000, 2003, 2015).

Ranke would like to see similar postseason success from her favorite NFL team, the Minnesota Vikings. She was on Twitter throughout the Vikings' playoff loss to the Seattle Seahawks last Sunday and tweeted broken heart emoticons after Minnesota's Blair Walsh missed a 27-yard field goal with 22 seconds remaining in another disappointing postseason performance for the Vikings.

“I love the Vikings, and I was sad. But I knew it (a loss) was coming being a Minnesota fan; they’ll get it next year,” Ranke said.

Eastview's Mariah Alipate (3) passes the ball in the Knights Defensive zone. Addie Johnson (35) of the knights stood in front defending the basket. Photo by Chris Juhn

Eastview's Mariah Alipate (3) passes the ball in the Knights Defensive zone. Addie Johnson (35) of the knights stood in front defending the basket. Photo by Chris Juhn

First Report

Junior guard Allie Pickrain scored a team-high 26 points and made two late free throws to seal Eastview’s 72-66 win at St. Michael-Albertville in a battle between two top Class 4A teams on Saturday.

Junior guard Rae Johnson finished with 23 points to lead the Knights (13-2), ranked No. 3 in Class 4A Minnesota Basketball News.

St. Michael-Albertville pushed the pace and took a 27-18 lead midway through the first half on three-pointers from Johnson.

Pickrain tied the game 30-30 with a three-pointer with less than two minutes to play, but the Knights retook the lead to end the half ahead 34-30.

Early in the second half, the No. 4-ranked Lightning (13-1) started penetrating the Knights' defense and junior guard Rachel Ranke took advantage, scoring from beyond the three-point line and underneath the basket. She scored 15 of her 20 points in the final 18 minutes.

St. Michael-Albertville's aggressive defense kept the game tight, highlighted by a play made by junior guard Lizzy Heil on ball heading out of bounds. She jumped and slammed the ball off a Lightning player’s foot, giving the Knights another possession.

Senior guard Sydney Tracy then sank a three-pointer, followed by a basket and a free throw from Johnson to help St. Michael-Albertville close the gap to 69-64 with one minute to play.

But with 17 seconds on the clock, Pickrain solidified the win from the free-throw line.

Tracy finished the game with 18 points.

Spotlight Game Coverage

  • Familiar powers land highest state seeds

  • By RON HAGGSTROM, Star Tribune 03/09/2024, 1:30pm CST
  • Hopkins, Minnetonka and St. Michael-Albertville lead the Class 4A list. Benilde-St. Margaret's heads 3A, and Providence Academy is atop 2A.
  • Read More