Comets Catch Fire In Start of Winter Season with Statement Wins
Winter has officially arrived, and with it, the girls’ and boys’ basketball programs are storming into December with commanding performances. The Comets are sending an early-season message: these are teams, and a school, on the rise.
Girls Dominate the Week: Relentless, Locked-In, and Fun to Watch
Last Thursday night’s win over Battle Lake was the kind of performance that makes a gym buzz. Hillcrest raced to a 40–10 halftime lead and never looked back, closing out a 70–30 victory behind a defensive identity that head coach Hannah Clark says fueled everything.
“I really liked our defensive intensity throughout the entire game,” Clark said after the win. “It gave the girls energy on both ends of the floor.”
That defensive spark became offense in a hurry.
Elsa Retzlaff delivered a breakout night, torching the Battlers with 29 points and four steals, controlling the tempo and stretching the floor. Her sister Elin Retzlaff added 15 points, four rebounds, and four steals, heating up as the night went on and attacking the rim with confidence.
Inside, Ella Knutson was dominant, posting 14 points, 11 rebounds, and four assists, a textbook double-double that showed her growing command in the paint.
Hillcrest rounded out their scoring with Aaveah Stender, Paisley Peterson, and Emme Berge contributing four points apiece, steady contributions that kept the offense balanced and the pressure constant.
Clark noted that the second half opened up beautifully:
“The girls did a nice job attacking the hoop. Once we started getting to the rim, it opened up the rest of the floor.”
The win builds on Tuesday’s 56–44 victory over Underwood, where Elsa (22 pts) and Elin (21 pts) again formed a dynamic scoring duo, while Knutson grabbed 10 rebounds and added four points in a gritty all-around effort. The Comets’ box score in that game shows impressive rebounding (34 team boards) and unselfish play (13 assists) that laid the groundwork for Thursday’s explosion.
Boys Make Their Statement: 69–53 Win Over Underwood
Not to be outdone, the Hillcrest boys delivered a convincing early-season win of their own, defeating Underwood 69–53 in a game where the Comets controlled the pace and punished the boards. Hillcrest led 25–16 at halftime before erupting for 44 points in the second half to put the game away.
The stat lines paint the picture:
Kian Stender poured in 29 points on an efficient 9–13 shooting, including 8-for-11 from beyond the arc. His +21 plus/minus led the team, and his shot chart shows him scoring efficiently from all over the floor.
Lincoln Nash added 15 points, knocking down key threes and pulling in five rebounds.
Ethan Swedberg anchored the inside, scoring eight points with a massive 12 rebounds, controlling the paint, and limiting second-chance opportunities.
Will Selvig’s five points and Zane Holmquist, Sean Berge, and Drew Fischer’s defense and deflections gave Hillcrest significant production in key moments.
The team stats underline a complete performance. Hillcrest shot 47% from the field, hit 11 threes, grabbed 32 defensive rebounds, and recorded 16 assists, a level of efficiency and teamwork that signals strong chemistry early in the season.
With scoring spread across the roster, rebounding dominance, and confident guard play, the boys now look poised to build momentum heading into the heart of December.