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Undefeated Mt. Iron-Buhl defeats Lac qui Parle Valley at Breakdown Invitational

By Ricky Campbell, SportsEngine, 12/09/17, 3:00AM CST

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Senior Mary Burke paced the Rangers' attack with 23 points.


Mary Burke (2) goes up strong for the inside shot. Burke led all scoring with 23 points for Mt. Iron-Buhl in a 67-57 win over Lac qui Parle Valley at the Breakdown Invitational on Saturday afternoon. Photo by Cheryl Myers, SportsEngine

Mountain Iron-Buhl’s Mary Burke has made some improvements to her game in the offseason.

After losing in the Class 1A state championship last year to Goodhue, a game where Burke contributed seven points in her 31 minutes, including a one-for-three night from behind the arc and a missed free throw, Burke came into Saturday’s game against Lac qui Parle Valley with a new role and a polished game. It showed.

Burke led all scorers with 23 points in the Rangers’ 67-57 win over Lac qui Parle Valley (4-1, 3-0) in the Girls Breakdown Invitational at Minnetonka High School. The senior center hit one three-pointer and made four of seven free throws — two aspects of Burke’s game that she said she worked hard on during the offseason.

“Threes, free throws and doing more so others can score,” Burke said, when asked about her offseason. “I see myself a little more of a leader, too.”

After starting Saturday’s game a little slow to the Eagles’ fast-paced style of play, the Rangers and Burke found their groove and closed the half up five points. Junior guard Macy Savela contributed 16 points in the win for Mountain Iron-Buhl (5-0, 1-0), which is ranked No. 3 in Class 1A by Minnesota Basketball News. Savela was two for three from three-point land and had six points from the free-throw line.

Coach Jeff Buffetta said the difference against No. 7-1A Lac qui Parle Valley was “playing with energy and communicating better” in the first half. The Rangers opened up their lead in the second half, by as much as 14, thanks, in part, to Burke playing her role.

“She opens up the floor,” Buffetta said. “She allows us to make things happen with an open floor.

“She’s a hard worker,” he added.

For the Eagles, who had trouble running their offense in the second half and found themselves struggling to out-rebound Mountain Iron-Buhl, 5-foot-3 senior guard Kelsea Lund scored 19 points, including a perfect five-for-five from beyond the arc. Lund also made both her shots from the free-throw line. Lindsay Kranz, a junior, contributed with 10 points for Lac qui Perle Valley.

Heading into Saturday’s matinee, Burke already had 81 points on the season, including 33 in her team’s 75-42 victory over Mesabi East on Nov. 30. The Minnesota-Crookston commit said her game is helped by her Ranger teammates, pointing out eighth-grader Jacie Kvas, a 5-foot-7 center, who added six points “coming off the bench and working hard.”

“We really feed off each other’s energy,” Burke said.


Senior guard Kelsea Lund (2) drives the lane for Lac qui Parle Valley. Lund led the Eagles scoring with 19 points bringing her average points per game to 17.3 this season. Photo by Cheryl Myers, SportsEngine

First report

Mountain Iron-Buhl stayed perfect on the season Saturday by leaning heavily on senior Mary Burke, who finished the game with 23 points in a 67-57 win over Lac qui Parle Valley in the Breakdown Girls Invitational at Minnetonka High School.

After starting slow in the beginning of the first half, Mountain Iron-Buhl, ranked No. 3 in Class 1A by Minnesota Basketball News, went into the break with a 29-24 lead. The second half, however, was all Rangers, as they led by as much as 14.

Burke, a 5-foot-11 center, was helped by junior guard Macy Savela, who added 16 for the Rangers (5-0, 1-0), including two for three from behind the arc. She had six points from the free-throw line.

Lac qui Parle Valley (4-1, 3-0) was led by 5-foot-3 senior guard Kelsea Lund, who finished the night with 19 points, including a perfect five-for-five night in three-pointers. Lindsay Kranz chipped in with 10 points for the No. 7-1A Eagles.

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