ESKO — Eli Laposky hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to lift the Pequot Lakes Patriots to a 66-63 victory over the Esko Eskomos on Tuesday, Feb. 7, during a matchup against the top two teams in Section 7-2A.
The Patriot senior caught the inbounds pass around half court with 1.8 seconds left and had to double-clutch and tilt his body in mid-air to avoid a defender as his off-balance shot went through the net as time expired.
“I think Esko’s defenders were more worried about actually stopping the play and making sure we didn’t get the inbounds, but the ball bounced right in front of me, and I just had to shoot it … As I shot, I thought, 'Oh, that might go in,'” Laposky said.
As the shot fell, the Patriots erupted off the bench and swarmed Laposky, who said the Esko athletes and student section had been taunting the Patriots after having defeated Pequot Lakes in the section football championship in November.
“It was something I will always remember,” Laposky said. “(Esko fans) were chirping the whole game, so I went right to the student section. I had to make sure they knew, because there is a rivalry there for sure … We are going to have to see them again.”
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Gavin Kennen and Grant Loge each scored 20 points to pace the Patriots. Laposky finished with 13 points and Brayden Spiczka added nine for the 11-5 Patriots, who are on a seven-game winning streak.
“We are moving the ball around a lot better and trusting each other,” Laposky said. “I think by the end of the year, we will be trusting each other a lot more than when we started.”
Esko 33 30 -- 63
Pequot Lakes 32 34 -- 66
ESKO
Carter Zezulka 5, Makoi Perich 17, Sam Haugen 2, Dalton Spindler 18, Cuinn Berger 15, Braedyn Male 6.
PEQUOT LAKES
Eli Laposky 13, Gavin Kennen 20, Grant Loge 20, Conner Quale 4, Brayden Spiczka 9.
Pequot Lakes 45, St. Cloud Cathedral 35
PEQUOT LAKES — Grant Loge’s 18 points led the Pequot Lakes Patriots to their sixth-straight win in a 45-35 victory over the St. Cloud Cathedral Crusaders Friday, Feb. 10
Gavin Kennen added 12 points and Eli Laposky totaled 10 as the Patriots improved to 13-5 overall.
Cathedral 22 13 -- 35
Pequot Lakes 17 28 -- 45
ST. CLOUD CATHEDRAL
Alex Schroeder 3, Emanuel Kutzera 18, Maxwell Pfeiffer 7, Jacob Voth 1, Zachary Stolzenberg 6. FT 8-11 (73%).
PEQUOT LAKES
Eli Laposky 10, Clay Erickson 3, Gavin Kennen 12, Grant Loge 18, Brayden Spiczka 2. FT 10-18 (56%). Overall: 13-5.
Pequot Lakes 74, Park Rapids 53
PARK RAPIDS — Pequot Lakes’ Grant Loge recorded 17 points for the Patriots as they beat the Park Rapids Panthers 74-53 Thursday, Feb. 9.
Pequot’s Eli Laposky added 12 points and River Sommerness scored 10 in the Mid-State Conference game.
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Park Rapids 22 31 – 53
Pequot Lakes 34 40 – 74
PARK RAPIDS
Noah Morris 13, Blake Morris 5, Aidan Yliniemi Hesel 2, Cory Johnson 2, Landon Strasburg 2, Matt Johanning 2, Mason Yliniemi 6, Noah Larson 14, Ryan Carroll 4, Luke Hartung 3. FT 12-22 (55%).
PEQUOT LAKES
Eli Laposky 12, Riggs Magnuson 2, Gavin Kennen 14, Grant Loge 17, Dalton Anderson 3, Brayden Spiczka 9, Harrison Kennen 2, River Sommerness 10, Leo Marc Bolz-Andolshek 5. FT 9-15 (60%).
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