Trojan girls run past Eagles, Stars

The New Prague Trojan girls basketball team opened the 2012 portion of their schedule with a pair of one-sided wins against New Ulm and Holy Angels last week.

The Trojans (8-4, 1-0 Missota) were scheduled to play at Northfield Tuesday, Jan. 10. They will host Chaska on Friday, Jan. 13, then play at Shakopee Tuesday, Jan. 17. The team is battling a rash of injuries and illnesses that have several players either out or not playing at full speed.



Trojans 76, Eagles 29

New Prague defeated New Ulm 76-29 on Tuesday, Jan. 3, in a game with a potential Section 2AAA foe.

The Trojans used their pressure defense to force 50 turnovers against the winless Eagles. The Trojans had 31 steals.

Anna Rynda scored 20 of her game-high 24 points in the first half, while Annie Dittberner had 16 points, all in the first half as the Trojans took a 50-17 halftime lead.

Ten other players scored for the Trojans. They were Kristy Bendzik (7), Lauren Carr (6), Makayla Reimers, Jesscia Allar and Lilly Rezac (4 each), Emily Rezac (3) and Steph Hanson, Ella Grote, Rachel Thompson and Kayla Kroyer (2 each).

Carr and Bendzick each pulled down nine rebounds for the Trojans, who pushed the tempo and never let New Ulm's offense get into a flow.

Hanson had six assists and Emily Rezac and Rynda both had three. Rynda had seven steals and Hanson six.

Trojans 63, Stars 31

While the Trojans dominated New Ulm from start to finish, their win over Holy Angels Friday, Jan. 6, came a little bit harder.

New Prague didn't play well in the first half and let the Stars keep it close. The Trojans led by just eight points at halftime, 25-17.

Whatever Coach Ron Gunderson told his players at halftime, the Trojans took it to heart. They came out with a stifling full-court press and quickly doubled the lead, causing the Stars to take a time out just one minute into the half. The Trojans outscored Holy Angels 38-14 in the second half, with most of the Stars' points coming via free throws in the final minutes, when the Trojans had emptied their bench.

New Prague forced 36 Holy Angels turnovers, with Hanson getting six steals, Rynda five and Dittberner four. New Prague had just 12 turnovers for the game. Dittberner also had five assists.

Reimers had seven rebounds and Bendzick six for the Trojans.

Rynda led the Trojans with 23 points. Others scoring for New Prague included Reimers and Hanson (8 each), Bendzick (7), Dittberner (5), Grote (4), and Carr, Lilly Rezac, Allar and Rachel Haecherl (2 each).