The Big Game 3-14-12: Carlie Wagner Has Arrived

I was at Williams Arena today, and there was a mass exodus of media types at about 4:30-5:00. What is going on? Everybody wanted to be at Target Center by 6 p.m. so as to catch Rebekah Dahlman's 3,889th point, which would surpass Tayler Hill's all-time Minnesota record for girls career points. And, for the record, Dahlman got her record, scoring 29 points to bring her total to 3,895.

But it wasn't enough for the #2 rated Bombers to get a win and to keep their hopes for a repeat state championship alive. Because history was made tonight, all right, but what people will remember about this night is--two words: Carlie. Wagner.

Wagner is the 5-10 sophomore guard for New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva that nobody except Kevin Anderson has ever seen, or so it seems. Kevin told me a month or so ago that Wagner is the best guard in the class of 2014. This was a notable comment because the Minnesota Gophers already have verbals from 2 2014 guards--Kanesha Bell of Kennedy, and Grace Coughlin of Benilde.

And as NRHEG completed its undefeated regular season, then earned a trip to the state tournament, the legend of Carlie Wagner began to grow. Well, she is no longer the sophomore guard nobody has ever seen, now she is the sophomore guard nobody will ever forget.

On a night when all eyes were on her--or on the Target Center court on which she was playing, anyway--Carlie Wagner went nuts. Everyone was there to see Rebekah Dahlman, but it was Carlie Wagner who went nuts.

No, she didn't score 47 points. Brittney Chambers' and Tayler Hill's legends still remain. And Wagner didn't even match Kelly Skalicky's old record of 45 points in a single game. No, all she did was score 43 points, while also adding 6 rebounds and 3 assists. Oh, and her Panthers didn't just defeat the defending state champions and the Gatorade Player of the Year, they kicked butt. The final was NRHEG 75 Braham 45. Say what? 75-45. My goodness.

If NRHEG should go on to win the title--hardly a sure thing, of course--but if they do, this game against Braham will become one of the most talked-about games in tournament history.

Meanwhile, at Williams Arena

I saw 6 games at the Barn, and there was not a close game among them. My reports have all been filed with Kevin and can be seen at kjasr.com as soon as he is able to post them. Let me just lay this onya:

Williams Arena All-Stars Wednesday March 14

Tyseanna Johnson, DeLaSalle 32 points 5 assists

Whitney Tinjum, Chisago Lakes 24 points 7 rebounds 2 steals

Allina Starr, DeLaSalle 18 points 7 rebounds 13 assists 4 steals

Jessica January, Richfield 21 points 6 rebounds 6 assists 5 steals

Brianna Rasmussen, Fergus Falls 22 points

2^nd Team

Marisa Toivonen, Red Wing 19 points

Sierra Ford-Washington, Richfield 20 points

Morgan Julius, Hutchinson 14 points 8 rebounds 3 steals

Kayla Miller, Pequot Lakes 18 points 6 rebounds 4 assists

Mattie Lueck, Pequot Lakes 20 points 2 blocks

Player of the Day


But the PoD is of course Carlie Wagner.


Coach of the Day

John Schultz, NRHEG