Chargers Dominate Wolverines in Epic Showdown: A Must-See Recap!

Staff photo by Ari Selvey: Pierson Brau (5) contests a shot from Sibley East’s Ezra Weber at MVL High School.

By Ari Selvey

aselvey@nujournal.com

NEW ULM — In a recent boys basketball showdown, Minnesota Valley Lutheran (MVL) dominated Sibley East with a final score of 74-44. A standout feature of this game was MVL’s impressive defense, which restricted Sibley East to just 17 points in the first half.

MVL head coach Craig Morgan attributed this success to his players’ determination. He noted the importance of controlling defensive rebounds early on. “We found ways to rotate players until we found the right mix to score,” Morgan said. This approach paid off as the team built momentum throughout the game.

On the other side, Sibley East struggled to cope with MVL’s aggressive play. Coach Dave Halquist admitted that his team wasn’t prepared for the intensity of MVL’s defense. They had difficulty executing their offensive game plan, especially against such a physical opponent.

Leading MVL was Owen Birkholz, who scored 16 points and grabbed four rebounds. Brennan Bendix added 13 points, all in the second half, while Ethan Schauland contributed 12 points, three rebounds, and three steals. Pierson Brau also made an impact with 10 points and three rebounds.

Sibley East’s top scorer was Quintin DeVlaeminck with 16 points, followed by Ezra Weber with 9 points.

The game started with Sibley East taking a quick lead of 5-1, but MVL quickly tied it at 9. After some back-and-forth efforts, MVL launched a 16-3 scoring run, highlighted by a five-point play from Birkholz, who hit a three-pointer and then made two free throws after a foul. By halftime, MVL was leading 30-17.

In the second half, MVL switched to a full-court trap defense, which further pressured Sibley East. With three-pointers pouring in from Bendix, Sibley East called for a timeout as the score reached 43-24. MVL maintained their momentum, scoring 9 unanswered points to stretch their lead to 49-24.

Sibley East managed a fightback with some layups, but MVL’s defense held strong. As the game wound down, MVL’s Wyatt Feucht and Micah Horak added points to secure the victory. The game ended with a strong showing from the Chargers, as they wrapped up their win comfortably.

MVL now holds a season record of 11-9, with plans to face Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton next. Meanwhile, Sibley East stands at 6-13 and will play JWP on Monday.