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Although the Chisago Lakes girls basketball team struggled early in the year due to injuries to two of their top players, they rebounded enough to finish fourth in the North Suburban Conference and earn a haul of awards.

The team finished with an overal record of 15-12, including 11-5 in the conference. The fourth place finish was their second best since they moved to the conference six years ago.

Four Wildcats earned All-Conference awards, including two Honorable Mentions.

Whitney Tinjum and Hannah Trandahl were the two to win All-NSC while Zoe Hansen and Bryanna Fernstrom earned All-NSC Honorable Mention

Tinjum also earned third team All-State honors, as well as the North Suburban Conference Player of the Year.

Wildcat Head Coach Craig Walker, who has been around the North Suburban Conference since 1997, said this is the first time he could remember the conference player of the year award going to an underclassman.

Tinjum, who is a junior, set two program records for points and rebounds in a season with 500 points and 178 rebounds. She did all this while missing a chunk of games early in the season after suffering a concussion.

Walker explained why he thought Trandahl, a sophomore point guard, earned All-Conference. "Hannah was rewarded for her consistent defensive and playmaking abilities as a point guard," he said. She led the team in assists and steals while improving her shooting to 40 percent this year.

A variety of other awards were handed out at the banquet:

-Whitney Tinjum - MVP, Minnesota Girls Basketball Coaches Association All-State, Star Tribune 3rd Team All-Metro, Pioneer Press Honorable Mention All-Metro, Wildcat Award

Brittney Land- Most Improved Player

Zoe Hansen - Coaches Award

Bryanna Fernstrom - Rookie of the Year.

Walker only hopes that the girls can continue to grow together. They only lose one senior this year, but she was a talented one.

The Wildcats graduate forward Kasie Shoberg.

"This was my fourth year leading this program and Kasie is the first player to start and finish all four of those years," Walker said. "It's been great to see her grow as a basketball player and to also grow into a fine young woman."

Shoberg has been accepted to Northwestern University in Roseville where she plans to continue playing basketball and study business.

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