There are two waves of players that take the court for Minnetonka.

One is the starting five, the second runs four deep off the bench, as the Skippers employ a "line change" approach to substitutions. If the first wave is a hurricane, the second is a tsunami.

Four players scored in double figures as the Skippers (14-3) cruised to a 77-66 road win over Elk River on Thursday night.

"I think we have found nine kids who are producing for us," Minnetonka coach Leah Dasovich said. "I'm pretty lucky that I can wave in and wave out and not miss a beat."

First-wave player Hannah Hedstrom scored 15 points to lead the Skippers, ranked No. 5 in Class 4A by Minnesota Basketball News.

Hedstrom, a senior guard, scored 13 points in the second half, and said that opposing teams have tried multiple strategies to stop the Skippers to no avail.

Senior forward and Wisconsin commit Courtney Fredrickson and senior forward Lizzie Odegard both scored 12 points for the Skippers.

"Teams have tried different things, but we have so many scoring threats that if they're shutting down one person, another person is going to step up," Hedstrom said. 

One of those who stepped up on the second wave is guard Kayla Mershon, who scored 13 points off the bench, a career-high for the 6-foot-3 sophomore.

"I have to go off (Lizzie Odegard's) energy," Mershon said of the UW-Milwaukee commit that she sometimes replaces on the floor.

"(I) feed off that (energy) and come into the game."

Dasovich has a sincere appreciation for her team's willingness to embrace different positions and playing styles on the court.

"I love that everyone knows their role and plays it well," Dasovich said. 

The Skippers spoiled the evening for Elk River senior center Abi Scheid, who scored a game-high 25 points and set the program's all-time scoring record in the process.

Scheid and fellow senior Gabi Haack had the highest scoring totals of the game, with Haack adding 16 points for the No. 7-4A Elks (13-4)

Mershon said that Elk River can have the high scorers, the Skippers will take the win. 

"Of course (we'd rather have the balance)," Mershon said with a laugh. "Because we won."


Elk River guard Gabi Haack (32) attempts a layup as Minnetonka's Lizzie Odegard defends the lane. Photo by Chris Juhn

First Report

Senior guard Hannah Hedstrom scored 15 points and sophomore forward Kayla Mershon scored 13 off the bench to lead Minnetonka (14-3) to a 77-66 road victory over Elk River on Thursday night.

Four players scored in double-figures for the Skippers, ranked No. 5 in Class 4A by Minnesota Basketball News, and Minnetonka outscored the Elks 44-37 in the second half to cruise to victory.

Elk River (13-4) senior center Abi Scheid scored a game-high 25 points for the No. 7-4A Elks, and became the school's all-time leading scorer after a made free throw at the 11:57 mark of the second half.

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