Class 1A: Mpls. North, Goodhue reach final with contrasting styles

Just how dominant has Minneapolis North been in this postseason? The Polars routed Red Lake 82-61 in the Class 1A semifinals Friday, and the general question from many observers was "What did North do wrong?"

The Polars committed 21 turnovers and made just half of their free throws.

"People expect us to beat everybody by 50," North coach Larry McKenzie said. "Red Lake played very well, but we still won by 20. This is the state tournament. It's supposed to be the best eight teams, right?"

Boasting a lineup that could compete for a Class 4A title, the ultra-athletic Polars blitzed Red Lake early, taking a 9-0 lead before the game was two minutes old. Yet Red Lake, playing a freewheeling and fearless style, gave the Polars everything they could handle in the first half and trailed 49-37 at halftime. Will Morrison, a 5-foot-8 guard with basketball moxie, led Red Lake with 11 points in the first half and 19 for the game.

"Every time we'd shoot, they'd have someone run into the corner and get open," North guard Tyler Johnson said. "We must have given them 10 free baskets."

In the second half Red Lake cut the North lead to 49-42. But the Polars turned up the defensive pressure and quickly rebuilt the lead, which never fell below 15 points for the rest of the game.

Jamil Jackson Jr. scored 21 points and grabbed nine rebounds for North, the type of game the senior forward has envisioned for years. In each of the two previous seasons, Jackson missed a last-second, potentially game-winning shot in the Section 4 finals.

Red Lake's confident play and flair won over the crowd. Despite trailing by double digits late in the second half, the Red Lake players were high-fiving and cheering every made shot.

When junior guard Rob McClain made a free throw that proved to be his 1,000th career point, the Warriors bench erupted.

Their play, and their attitude, was a reflection on coach Roger White's approach. White's son Aaron, who would have been a freshman on the team, died in November after battling cancer.

"Being through what I've been through, losing my son, things that used to seem really, really important don't seem as important," White said. "We use basketball as an instrument for life. I want to win — I'm a coach — but at the same time, this is special for these boys. We can't take the fun out of it, and that's what it's about. It's about being fun and having a great experience. There's more to life than basketball."

Goodhue 41, Central Minnesota Christian 38: The victory may not have won any style points, but to the Wildcats it was a thing of beauty.

As one of the few Class 1A teams in the rough-and-rugged Hiawatha Valley Conference, the Wildcats suffered nine losses, but those losses prepared them for the postseason.

Goodhue took control with a 15-0 run that spanned 8½ minutes of the first half, turning a 7-3 deficit into an 18-7 lead. Central Minnesota Christian (27-4) clawed its way back after halftime, cutting the deficit to 39-38 with 1:38 left. But the Bluejays failed to score on their final four possessions.

Center Jacob McNamara led Goodhue (24-9) with 14 points, including an uncharacteristic three three-pointers, and guard Ben Opsahl added 11. Taylor Slagter scored 11 points to lead Central Minnesota Christian, based in Prinsburg.