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Hopkins uses big second half to overcome halftime deficit and remain undefeated

By Luke Hanlon, SportsEngine, 01/17/23, 12:45PM CST

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The Royals scored 35 second-half points en route to a 57-50 victory over Wayzata.


Hopkins guard Liv McGill (23) led the way for the Royals Tuesday night with 17 points in a big win over Wayzata. Photo by Korey McDermott, SportsEngine

Hopkins is used to winning this season, and most of those victories have not been tightly contested.

The Royals, No. 1 in the Class 4A rankings released by Minnesota Basketball News on Jan. 13, came into Tuesday’s matchup against No. 4-4A Wayzata with a 12-0 overall record and an average margin of victory of 32 points.

They got their closest test of the season but kept their undefeated season alive with a 57-50 home victory against the Trojans.

Hopkins coach Tara Starks thought her team did not play up to its standard tonight, but she was pleased with the way her team fought to get the victory.

Hopkins senior Taylor Woodson (center) drives on Wayzata's Shannon Fornshell Tuesday during the second half of a Royals' 57-50 win. Photo by Korey McDermott, SportsEngine

Hopkins senior Taylor Woodson (center) drives on Wayzata's Shannon Fornshell Tuesday during the second half of a Royals' 57-50 win. Photo by Korey McDermott, SportsEngine

First report

Hopkins’ undefeated season rolls on after it came away with a 57-50 win over Lake Conference rival Wayzata on Tuesday night.

The Trojans set the defensive tone right away by forcing the Royals into a shot clock violation on the first possession of the game. They forced a few more Hopkins turnovers early and jumped out to an early 7-0 lead. Both defenses kept the intensity high in the first half as the Royals forced 13 Trojan turnovers, while the Trojans forced the Royals into 11. The Royals won the turnover battle 22-19.

The Trojans held the lead throughout the first half. Despite trailing by as much as 10 points, the Royals ended the half with a surge of energy and went into halftime trailing 26-22.

The Royals took their first lead of the game with 15:03 left in the game. Nine more lead changes followed that as neither team was able to hold onto control. Liv McGill helped put the game away late for Hopkins, as she scored a tough bucket in the paint to put the Royals up 50-47 with 1:20 left. Right after that, Taylor Woodson stole a Wayzata inbound pass and turned it into two points.

McGill finished with a game-high 17 points and added seven rebounds, two assists and two steals for the Royals (13-0, 3-0).

Sophie Hawkinson led the Trojans (12-2, 2-1) with 11 points while adding three rebounds and a steal.

Trojans sophomore Sophie Hawkinson (12) led her Wayzata teammates with 11 points in a hard-fought contest Jan. 17 against host Hopkins. Photo by Korey McDermott, SportsEngine

Trojans sophomore Sophie Hawkinson (12) led her Wayzata teammates with 11 points in a hard-fought contest Jan. 17 against host Hopkins. Photo by Korey McDermott, SportsEngine

The MN Girls' Basketball Hub poll is for entertainment purposes only.

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