The Bemidji High girls basketball team reached the 20 victory mark Thursday night, rolling over the outmatched Little Falls Flyers 74-47 at the Fieldhouse.
Bemidji enjoyed a quiet evening, taking an early lead and expanding it constantly throughout the game.
The one sided contest gave Coach Rick Kehoe a chance to get his entire squad into action and take a look at reserves in extensive game action to plan for the future.
Things will be much the same tomorrow when Bemidji hosts Rocori in the opener of a girls-boys double header. The Spartans entered the week with a 4-17 record,.
Bemidji opened in style, with Erika Weimann and Megan Huseby drilling the first two shots for treys and a 6-0 lead.
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But the Flyers 2-3 zone gave Bemidji some early problems trailing only 14-8 after five minutes before Bemidji's board power and greater depth began taking the game over.
Kenzie Kane, Jess Yost and Selina Gilbertson came off the bench for 17 first half points as the host team moved steadily ahead with small runs, none more than six points.
But the staunch defense smothered the Flyers from the start, seldom allowing an extra shot and forcing a stream of turnovers.
Gilbertson closed the half with a trey as Bemidji took a 43-22 lead to the locker room.
Huseby's nine led seven in the scoring column.
Sophomore center Whitney Weisz was the main Little Falls threat, netting nine points with a variety of left handed hook shots.
None of her teammates had more than five.
Opening runs of seven and 10 put the game away to start the second half, establishing a 60-28 lead and bringing the reserves off the bench.
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At 66-35 the starters let for good with eight minutes to play.
But the second and third fives held their own down the stretch while Little Falls went basically with eight players.
Kayla Hirt and Yost shared scoring honors for Bemidji with 14 each. Kane added 13 and Huseby 11 while Kelsey Heisler was a bucket shy of double figures with eight.
Weisz reached 13 to pace the Flyers while Paige Beseman had 10.
"We didn't play with all that much intensity," said Coach Rick Kehoe, "but we didn't have to. And a win by that margin I'll always take. But we found some things that we have to work on for Saturday."
Bemidji held a wide 55-32 lead in rebounding with Hirt and Yost each grabbing 11. Beseman's seven topped the Flyers.
Bemidji had 16 turnovers. Little Falls had 24.
The win lifted Bemidji to 20-1 and dropped Little Falls to 7-15.
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The B and C teams made it a complete sweep.
The B Team turn3ed in one of its best efforts of the year in a 53-33 triumph to reach 8-12.Caitlin Hadrava was a one girl wrecking crew, netting 22 points and grabbing 18 rebounds. Cori Treat also had her season best with14 points.
No Flyer reached double figures.
Bemidji held a 54-30 bulge off the boards and committed 21 turnovers while forcing 33.
The freshmen reached double figures with a 61-21 runaway to reach10-5.
Greta Steever had 16 and Jessa Lusby 14 for half of the Bemidji total. Eight other players scored.
Jamie Jenks took game honors with 17 of the Flyers 21 points.
The B and C Teams will play the 3 p.m. contests Saturday. the frosh at the Middle School gymnasium.
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BEMIDJI (74) Heisler 3 2-2 3 8; Hirt 6 2-2 1 14; Hendricks 1 0-0 3 2; Weimann 1 2-2 2 5; Huseby 5 0-0 4 11; Yost 7 2-5 1 14; Kane 6 0-0 2 13; Gangelhoff 0 0-0 2 0; Gilbertson 2 0-0 3 5; Monsrud 0 0-0 0 0; Erpelding 1 0-0 0 2; Felling 0 0-0 0 0; Morehouse 0 0-0 0 0; Treat 0 0-0 0 0; Totals 32 8-111 21 74
LITTLE FALLS (47) Beseman 3 4-6 3 10; Voss 0 2-4 2 ; 'Weisz 5 3-6 1 13; Emerson 1 0-0 1 3; Spillum 2 0-0 0 4; Jorgenson 0 1-4 2-1; Messinger 4 0-0 1 8; Ploof 1 1-1 1 4; Hanowski 1 0-0 0 2; Totals:17 11-22 12 47
Halftime score; Bemidji 43, Little Falls 22
Three point field goals: Bemidji 4 (Weimann, Huseby, Kane, Gilbertson); Little Falls 2 (Emerson, Ploof)
Rebounds: Bemidji 55, Little Falls 32
Turnovers: Bemidji 16, Little Falls 24
Officials; Brian Bond and Bob Roers.
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BEMIDJI B (53) Hadrava 22, Treat 14, Sagedahl 4, Morehouse 4, Monsrud 3, Erpelding 2, Gronhovd 2, Long 2, Lane, Muller, Williams, Deegan, Anderson, Pender 0; Totals: 22 6-15 14 53
LITTLE FALLS B (33) Kampa 9, Welle 7, Hartness 5, Johnson 4, Hanowski 3, Burns 2, Finch 2, Kabanuk 1; Ploof, Conkel ,Gau, Espino, Moe 0;
Totals:13 7-9 12 33
Halftime score; Bemidji 28, Little Falls 15
Three point field goals; Bemidji 3 (Treat 2, Monsrud); Little Falls none
Rebound: Bemidji 54, Little Falls 36
Turnovers, Bemidji 21, Little Falls 33
Officials: Roers and Bond
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BEMIDJI C (61) Steever 16, Lusby 14, Frey 6, Mart 6, Myhra 5, Bardwell 4, Jahner 4, Woods 2, Hoverson 2, Conkle 2,. Johnson 0
LITTLE FALLS (21) Jenks 17, Anderson 2, Baumgartner 2
Halftime score; Bemidji 28, Little Falls 10
