Barnum Advances To State Title Game

Wes Vork-NSO

For Additional Photos Click Here To View Our Complete Photo Gallery

Click Here For The Complete Game Box Score

Mar 19

Dwight Cadwell-NSO

MINNEAPOLIS – The Barnum Bombers rolled into the state championship game on Saturday with a huge 61-52 semi-final victory over the Parkers Prairie Panthers Friday afternoon at the Target Center. It was Sarah Myhre bombing three second half three-pointers and four clutch free throws down the stretch to distance the Bombers from the Panthers in the eventual nine-point win.

“They did a good job defending Katrina so we had to step up and help,” Sarah Myhre told Northland Sports Online. She continued, “We played for the moment today; I was really excited to come off a tough game yesterday and help out. I was a bit nervous but I knew I could make those shots. They were shots we have practiced in the gym thousands of times. I just had to relax and play my game.” Myhre talked about the need to finish the playoffs strong, commenting “We have to leave it all on the floor. In years past we always knew there was next year, but there is no more next year for a lot of us.”

Barnum opened the game by scoring the first four points off of two free throws by Katrina Newman and a basket by Leah Nordvall to give them the early lead and some confidence. The Panthers, however, started firing away and soon took the lead themselves when Sari Noga canned two free throws to put the Panthers up by one at 5-4.

“They are a great team,” Katrina Newman mentioned to NSO. “We were so nervous in the locker room but we knew we had a job to do and we did it. Sarah stepped up huge in the second half, when she nailed those shots it brought us back to life and we knew we couldn’t be stopped.” Newman also had the assignment of guarding one of the top players in the state in Minnesota, Gophers recruit Sari Noga. Newman virtually shut her down, holding her to 18 points with six of those 18 coming in the last minute of the game.

The lead changed hands six more times over the next six minutes with Barnum finally retaking the lead at 22-19 off of a Sarah Myhre three-pointer. The Bombers never trailed again in the game. Myhre’s three-pointer, with 4:48 remaining in the first half, propelled the Bombers to close on a 9-1 run and enter the locker room with a eight point 28-20 lead.

“I am so proud of Sarah,” Head Coach Randy Myhre told NSO. “She does so many things that a lot of people don’t see. She’s a leader on and off the court and it showed today when they
keyed on
Kat and Jess
in the second half. She stepped up and showed her leadership. Myhre also mentioned the importance of off-court leadership by stating, “Sarah is a do-er and a pleaser. She
is a leader in the locker room, she organizes church mission trips and is right there to help with things like American
Cancer Society fundraising events.”

Katrina Newman led Barnum in scoring at the break with ten points, but the Panthers adjustments at halftime helped to shut down Katrina in the second half. That’s when Sarah Myhre took over, drilling three straight three-pointers to distance the Bombers after Parkers Prairie had cut the Barnum lead to one at 40-39. Myhre then hit the next three Barnum shots from the field and the Bombers led by ten and moved on to the win Friday afternoon.

“They are a great team,” assistant coach Jerry Erickson told NSO. “It was just great to be part of a great game, played by two good teams the way it is supposed to be played. We played very well defensively and we shut down their best player offensively so we executed our game plan.”

The Bombers were led by Sarah Myhre, who finished with 24 points. Katrina Newman added 18 points, Jessica Newman chipped in with 11, Leah Nordvall finished with 6, and rounding out the scoring with 2 points was Katie Myhre.

If there was some nervousness, the Bombers left it in the locker room and not at the free throw line. For the game, Barnum shot 73% from the stripe and went 14-17 in the second half. The Bombers also shot 49% from the field, a very important stat in the contest that showcased great defense by both teams.

The Bombers improve to 30-2 overall and play the Wildcats of Goodhue Saturday at noon at the Target Center for the Minnesota Class A state title. Goodhue defeated the Northern Freeze 51-44 to advance to the state championship game.

Dwight Cadwell can be reached at dwight@northlandsportsonline.com