Prep athletes of the week: Prior Lake's McKenna Hofschild set basketball record without knowing it
She didn't know how exceptional her game was until it was over, but everyone else did.
At the Breakdown Tip-Off Classic on Saturday at Hopkins' Lindbergh Center, Prior Lake battled through a foul-plagued game against high-tempo Park Center, eventually falling 99-95. Afterward, the buzz surrounding the game was all about the masterpiece by Hofschild, the Lakers' 5-3 senior guard.
She scored a state-record 63 points, making 24 of 30 free throws, and helped the Lakers rally from a double-digit deficit and keep the result in doubt until the end. She scored 42 of her points in the second half.
"There wasn't a moment in the game that I realized what was happening," Hofschild said. "They didn't show point totals on the scoreboard, so I had no idea how many I had. I was just trying to do anything and everything to help my team."
Hofschild, who topped 2,000 career points in the game, broke the previous state record of 58 points by Kay Konerza of Lester Prairie, which had stood for 37 years. She admitted to being a little overwhelmed to have her name atop a list of top scorers that also includes such state legends at Rebekah Dahlman of Braham and Carlie Wagner of New Richland- Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva.
"I still haven't wrapped my mind around it," she said. "It's crazy to think I'm at the top of that category."
REID BALLANTYNE • Stillwater • wrestling
The No. 1-ranked wrestler in Class 3A at 126 pounds dominated his weight at the Dick Shiels Faribault Invite. He won all three of his matches with first-period pins, defeating Garrett Morris of Plainview-Elgin-Millville at 1:56 in the finals.
IZZY DANIEL • Blake • hockey
The senior forward, who has committed to play at Cornell, has scored multiple goals in four games in a row. Last week she had back-to-back two-goal games in victories over Shakopee and Blaine, giving her nine goals in her past four games.
JENNA JOHNSON • Wayzata • basketball
The Trojans began 3-0, with Johnson, a sophomore guard and the youngest player in the regular rotation, leading the way. She scored 65 points and leads the team with a 21.7 average.
LUC LAYLIN • St. Michael-Albertville • hockey
The senior forward set a school scoring record with six goals and an assist in an 8-4 victory over St. Francis. Earlier he scored the game-winner in overtime in a 5-4 victory over Monticello in the first game at the Knights' new rink.
ROWAN MORGAN • Mounds View • wrestling
The senior took first at 195 pounds at the Ken Droegemueller Invitational. Morgan, who finished fifth at 182 in the 2018 state meet, won all three matches by fall, including a 51-second pin over Deionte Robertson of Columbia Heights in the finals.
CHAR MORKE • Cambridge-Isanti • gymnastics
Morke, a senior, won the all-around title at the highly regarded Jackie Mann Invitational in Perham. She won the floor exercise (9.65), was second on uneven bars and balance beam and third on vault, posting a total of 38.15.
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Six players plus head coach Garrett Raboin and assistant coach Ben Gordon are from Minnesota. The tournament’s games will be televised starting Monday.