Medford’s Kneifel Reaches 1,000 Points in Dramatic Way
Medford Tigers' girls' basketball coach Mark Kubat was hopeful that sophomore Emma Kneifel would reach the 1,000-point milestone in their home gym Friday night before spending this week on the bus with a series of road games. She made it to the mark, but just barely.
Kneifel needed 22 points in the game against United South Central to become the third Medford girl to reach 1,000 career points. Kubat said she didn't know how many she needed but knew she was getting close. With 20 points she went in for a layup and got fouled. Kniefel hit her first free throw. The bench players rose as she attempted her second free throw, but sat down with a groan when she missed.
Kneifel converted a layup a short time later to reach 1,001 points in her career, ending the night with 23 points. Kubat says Leah Steinbauer and Nicole Morgan are the only other Tigers to achieve that milestone. He expects Kneifel to shatter the school record by the end of her career, barring injury.
The Tigers' 68-32 win over USC Friday was their third in a row and fourth in their last five games. Medford starts a big week with a section seeding game at Fairmont Monday, February 5. The Tigers are just in front of the Cardinals in the 2AA-South standings. Thursday, Medford plays a makeup game at Blooming Prairie, looking to split the season series after a two-point loss December 8. Friday they play at Bethlehem Academy in a KDHL broadcast.