At the start of the season, Eastview was a bit of a mystery.
After downing Rosemount 47-38 in the Class 4A, Section 3 final on Thursday night, some of the early season questions surrounding the Lightning are long gone.
“From the beginning, a lot of people weren’t really sure about us,” first-year Eastview coach Molly Kasper said after the game, citing a mostly new coaching staff and just one returning starter from last season as the causes of concern.
“Our locker room has stayed the strongest, and we’ve been the ones that have dictated how good we can be,” Kasper continued.
The Lightning (25-4) took a 18-14 lead into halftime after a lackluster opening period but turned things around in the second half behind sophomore forward Megan Walstad.
Walstad scored back-to-back baskets to begin the second half, jump-starting the Eastview offense and solidifying a presence in the Rosemount paint.
“We need to be just as physical as the other team,” Kasper said. “We started to attack the lane more, and that’s really what we needed from the tip-off and we didn’t get (that) until the second half.”
Kasper said that her instructions to Walstad were to take the first possession out of the break and score, and Walstad offered a similarly uncomplicated explanation of her second-half duties.
“My role is to be here, to clean things up and go up strong, and that’s what I did in the second half,” Walstad said.
With the win, Eastview makes its fifth consecutive trip the state tournament.
Maddy Olson led Rosemount (16-13) with a game-high 21 points, and Irish coach Chris Orr said she showed no signs of slowing down as the Lightning slowly added to their lead in the game’s final minutes.
“There’s no quit in her,” Orr said. “I’m happy she’s only a junior.”
Orr added that he takes a great deal of pride in what his team has accomplished after losing five seniors and two of its three leading scorers from last year.
“(I) couldn’t be prouder of these girls,” Orr said. “They’re a fun team to coach, and it’s been a blast this year.”
Eastview's applies a full court press on Rosemount. Photo by Korey McDermott
First Report
Junior guards Allie Pickrain and Rachel Ranke each scored 12 points to lead Eastview past Rosemount 47-38 in the Class 4A, Section 3 final to advance to the state tournament for the fifth straight season.
Sophomore forward Megan Walstad added 10 points, including eight in the second half, to help the top-seeded Lightning (25-4) in the victory against the South Suburban Conference foe Irish (16-13).
No.3-seeded Rosemount junior guard Maddy Olson scored 21 points to lead all scorers.
Rosemount's Maddy Olson lead all scorers Thursday night with 21 points. Her Irish were defeated by Eastview, ending their 2016 postseason run. Photo by Korey McDermott
