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The Chisago Lakes girls basketball team opened its season with a hard-fought effort on Thursday, November 20, but ultimately fell 56-43 to Milaca.

Milaca’s sister duo of sophomore Annabelle and senior Madison Gothmann proved to be the difference. The pair combined for 47 of the Wolves’ 56 points, with Annabelle scoring 22 and Madison pouring in a game-high 25. They carried the offensive load, especially in the second half when Milaca slowly stretched a single-digit lead into a more comfortable margin.

Chisago Lakes, meanwhile, showed flashes of nice offense, even as shots refused to fall. The Wildcats finished just 18-of-53 from the field and 5-of-21 from beyond the arc, but they stayed in the game by crashing the boards and sharing the ball. Chisago Lakes hauled in 39 rebounds, only 11 short of Milaca’s 50 despite the Wolves’ height advantage.

Junior forward Madison Eagle gave the Wildcats a strong interior presence, scoring eight points and grabbing nine rebounds while battling Milaca’s bigs for position all night. Senior RaeAnn Goehring added another eight points, including two three-pointers.

Sophomore Mariana Cooksley provided a spark, finishing with six points and going 2-for-3 at the free-throw line, while freshman guard Kara Hall chipped in seven points and knocked down a three. Lilly Smith and Ruby Anderson each added a triple as well, giving the Wildcats five different scorers from deep.

Defensively, Chisago Lakes forced 20 Milaca turnovers and picked off 10 steals, led by steady efforts from Kayla Larsen and Goehring at the top of the press. Larsen’s stat line—seven rebounds, three assists, three steals—was the definition of a grit from a longtime senior player.

Where the Wildcats struggled most was containing Milaca’s second-chance opportunities. The Wolves grabbed 14 offensive rebounds and took a staggering 80 shots from the field. Even with their low shooting percentage, the sheer volume allowed the Wolves to maintain control of the game.

For an early-season matchup, the Wildcats showed plenty to build on and with a young core, Chisago Lakes appears poised to grow quickly as the schedule picks up with away non-conference contests against Osceola, Hibbing and St. Agnes over the next two weeks.

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