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Chisago Lakes 79, Spectrum 47

Chisago Lakes put together one of its most complete performances of the young season, rolling past Spectrum 79-47 behind balanced scoring, relentless defense and a fast start that set the tone early.

The Wildcats jumped on Spectrum from the opening tip, using pressure defense and nice ball movement to build a commanding 36-16 halftime lead. Chisago Lakes continued to extend the margin after the break, outscoring the Sting 43-31 in the second half to cruise to the 32-point win.

Madison Eagle paced the Wildcats with 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting, adding four free throws as Chisago Lakes consistently attacked the basket. RaeAnn Goehring followed with 17 points, knocking down a pair of three-pointers and finishing a strong all-around night that included four steals and three assists. Mariana Cooksley added 14 points on 5-of-8 shooting, giving the Wildcats three players in double figures before the fourth quarter even began.

Kayla Larsen chipped in 12 points and a team-high five assists, helping fuel the offense. The ‘Cats turned defense into offense throughout the night, forcing 20 Spectrum turnovers and with 10 steals, repeatedly disrupting passing lanes and pushing the tempo.

Spectrum struggled to find any rhythm offensively, shooting just 10-of-52 from the field. Maggie Novotny led the Sting with 16 points. 

Chisago Lakes 51, Sauk Rapids-Rice 44

Chisago Lakes carried that momentum into its next contest, edging Sauk Rapids-Rice 51-44 in a non-conference matchup to improve to 3-3 on the season.

The Wildcats built a 20-13 lead by halftime in a tightly contested first half, leaning again on defensive intensity to keep the Storm in check. Sauk Rapids-Rice made several pushes in the second half, but Chisago Lakes answered with timely baskets and key stops down the stretch to secure the win.

For Chisago Lakes, the back-to-back wins highlighted the team’s growing confidence and depth as the schedule begins to ramp up. 

Chisago Lakes will travel to a pair of road games before the holiday break. The Wildcats head over to county rival North Branch on Thursday, December 18, before heading to Cambridge-Isanti on Monday, December 22. Following those contests, Chisago Lakes will step away from game action for a nearly two-week Christmas break, giving the Wildcats a chance to recharge before the second half of the season gets underway.

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