Should Huskies Feel Slighted with Third Seed?
The Owatonna High School boys basketball team has the best record in Section 1AAAA (14-3). They have the highest scoring offense (68.5 points per game) while also featuring the top statistical defense in the section (53.2 points per contest). Yet they are the third seed behind Lakeville South (12-6) and Farmington (11-7). At No. 19 in the Minnesota Basketball News poll, the Huskies are also the only ranked team.
OHS coach Josh Williams commented on the AM 1390 KRFO High School Coaches Show that his team would need several more wins than those rivals from the South Suburban Conference. Apparently they didn't have enough.
Third-seeded Owatonna will host sixth-seed New Prague Wednesday, March 17 at the OHS gym with coverage on AM 1390 KRFO, simulcasting at 94.7 FM and on the free app. Brad Fischer will have all the play-by-play.
The Huskies losses came against ranked Class 3A teams, twice to Mankato West 63-58 and 73-59 and at Austin 52-49 in a game where Owatonna led almost the entire way. OHS has scored 77 or more points five times. The closed the season 8-1 over their final nine games.
New Prague (5-13) has five losses by less than ten points. They Northfield 71-61 in their only common opponent. Owatonna swept two games from the Raiders. New Prague played what appears to be a very competitive game against No. 1AA Waseca 74-63 in mid-January.
Wednesday's winner will advance to the semifinals on Saturday, probably at No. 2 seed Farmington who hosts Mayo (7-11) Wednesday. Top-seed South gets a first-round bye as John Marshall dropped out of the tournament, leaving the section with seven teams. Northfield plays at Century in the other quarterfinal.
Other games involving local teams Wednesday:
- OHS girls hockey at Farmington in section semifinals on Kat Kountry 105 FM
- Medford girls basketball hosts Maple River, Section 2AA subsection quarterfinal
- NRHEG girls play at Fairmont, Section 2AA subsection quarterfinal
How is your Minnesota trivia? Do you know the following things about the state?