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Chisago Lakes 63, Mahtomedi 52

For some high school athletes, breaking one record would be sufficient enough to call a career successful.

Senior Wildcat basketball player Whitney Tinjum seems intent on downing every record in the Chisago Lakes history book.

She scored 40 points last week in a 63-52 victory over Mahtomedi and that gave her the record for most points scored in a game by a girl in Chisago Lakes history.

She bested a record that was set by Julie Lochnar in 1979 and had stood for over 30 years.

Most of the three dozen-plus points were needed for the Wildcats, as they only won the game by 11 points, and it took a pretty big second half comeback.

Going into the locker room at halftime, the Wildcats were down 29-24 and they weren't getting the scoring balance they were used to.

The scoring balance didn't equal out in the second half, either, but it didn't matter as Tinjum basically willed the team to victory with her performance.

The girls played a suffocating defense, swiping 25 steals from the Zephyrs, including 10 by junior guard Hannah Trandahl, and that led to some easy points for Tinjum.

The combination of that pressure defense and the hot shooting of Tinjum led to a big second half for the Wildcats as they chiseled away that lead, blew past the Zephyrs and then held on for the victory.

Almost as amazing as Tinjum's 40 points is the fact that only four girls even scored points for the Wildcats, and three of those girls combined for 62 of the Wildcat's 63 points.

Tinjum had 40 points along with seven rebounds, six steals and two assists.

Sophomore center Bryanna Fernstrom had 14 points, six rebounds and five blocks and Trandahl had eight points, three boards, three assists and two blocks to go along with her 10 pockets picked.

Senior Brittney Land was the only other Wildcat to score, hitting a single free throw.

Mahtomedi was led by Samantha Maixner, who had 13 points, although it could've been worse since she only shot nine-for-16 from the free throw line.

In fact, free throw shooting was Mahtomedi's main downfall in the loss to the 'Cats. As a team, the Zephyrs were only 20-of-33.

"It's been a great start to my senior season and we have great camaraderie within the team," Tinjum said after her record-breaking performance. "Without my teammates, I could never have achieved this milestone."

But, Tinjum also noted last week when she hit her 2,000 point mark that it isn't about her individual accomplishments, just one goal at the end of the year. "The [records] mean a lot to me, but I'd give up all 2,000 points to make it to the state tournament this year," she said.

The Wildcats began the South St. Paul Holiday Tournament earlier this week with a game against Park of Cottage Grove.

It's a redemption game of sorts for the Wildcats, as the Wolfpack upset Chisago Lakes in the first round of sections last year, and sent them packing.

Other teams participating in the tournament are South St. Paul and Prescott.

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