Wright County Conference leader Waconia broke an eight-game win streak for the Cardinal boys on Friday, Feb. 27. After defeating Wright County Conference foe Glencoe-Silver Lake 65-56, Tuesday Feb. 24, Annandale fell to the 17-6 Waconia team 79-51. "They are the top team in the WCC and we found out why," coach Skip Dolan said. The Cardinals kicked off the week at home against the Panthers, a very physical basketball team that isn’t afraid to push their opponents around, Dolan said. The Annandale team held their own to come out on top by a point after a "very well played half." The halftime score was 28-27. It wasn’t until the 10-minute mark in the second period that the Cardinals pulled away. Matt Lashinski sparked a 10-0 run for the home team when he found the bottom of the bucket from three-point range. Dillon Dougherty hit another three and Caleb Mol followed up with two baskets of his own. That was the end for the Panthers, who couldn’t close the gap and ended up losing by nine. Mol led in scoring in the Cardinal win. He put up 17 points and had eight rebounds. Dougherty came alive in the second half when he hit nine of his 12 points. Mike Starke contributed by making seven of eight free throws late in the game, Dolan said. G-SL is in fifth place in the conference. Waconia’s size and quickness were too much for the Cardinals, who fell into a 41-28 deficit by the end of the first period on Friday at home. The Wildcats took control of the game with help from 6 foot, 7 inch-sophomore Shelby Moats and senior guard Jon Heimdal, who held Cardinal point guard Starke to just three points. "They played like champions," Dolan said of the Waconia team. "They play the best defense in the conference hands down. "I thought we were getting the same shots they were getting in the first half. They just made their threes and we did not." While the Cardinals never led, they kept it close in the first half, trailing at one point 23-21 after a well placed three-point shot from Matt Lashinski. But Waconia with its many weapons was quick to answer. The Wildcats ended the half on an 18-7 run. Mol pulled Annandale to within 11, 41-30, with a basket to open the second half, but that was as close as the Cardinals got. Mol was called for his fourth foul with 11:56 to play, and Waconia was on its way to the win. Near the end of the game, the Cardinal bench got to take the floor. The Annandale team had hoped to play a closer game with the Wildcats after coming within two points of a win against the WCC leader earlier in the season, Dolan said. "The whole night our kids came out and were excited about playing the top team in the conference. We just really have to tip our hats to Waconia." Friday night was senior night for the Annandale team. Eight seniors were recognized including Mike Fliegel, Lashinski, Mol, Starke, Tyler Ledwein, Travis Eid, Jake Ergen and Troy Holmes. They were all given a red and white basketball signed by their teammates. "They have been a wonderful group of seniors to work with," Dolan said. "The way they are respectful to the other coaches, players and officials, that is what the sports world is all about." The Cardinals face a brutal week going into the last days of the regular season. They were scheduled to kick off the week Monday, March 2, with a makeup game against Monticello, the No. 1-ranked team in the Cardinals’ section. Annandale was supposed to play them on Thursday, Feb. 26, but it was cancelled due to snow. If the game had taken place it would have featured the top two teams in the section because at the time the Cardinals were ranked second. Annandale was scheduled to travel to Watertown-Mayer on Tuesday, March 3, to take on a team that beat the Cardinals on their home court earlier in the season. On Friday, March 6, the Cardinals will go to Delano, which is in second place in the WCC. Annandale is third. The playoff season will start for the Cardinals on Thursday, March 12. Annandale will host the first game, Dolan said, but they don’t yet know who they will be playing. He expected to know that and the seeding by Saturday, March 7. Results Annandale 65, G-SL 56 Mike Starke, 15 points; Matt Lashinski 6 points, 6 rebounds; Mike Fliegel 6 points, 5 rebounds; Dillon Dougherty 12 points; Caleb Mol 17 points, 8 rebounds; Phil Nowak 9 points, 14 rebounds. Waconia 79, Annandale 51 Starke 3 points; Lashinski 6 points, 4 rebounds; Mike Fliegel 6 points, 3 rebounds; Dougherty 4 points; Tyler Ledwein 3 points; Mol 22 points, 10 rebounds; Nowak 5 points, 8 rebounds; Travis Eid 2 points.
