FHS turns a 26-24 lead into 57-37 victory
International Falls earned a refreshing 57-37 win Thursday at home against Eveleth-Gilbert in front of a good-sized crowd celebrating Winter Sports Week.
It’s the second win in a row for the Broncos (5-9), which suffered through a frustrating six-game losing streak from Dec. 29-Jan. 15.
“We decided it was not fun to lose anymore,” said Broncos senior Olivia King, who scored a game-high 14 points. “We wanted to start winning.”
Heaven Grinsell also scored 14 points and both King and Grinsell came up big in the rebounding department. Reva Renollet added 11 points. Renollet has been one of the more consistent scorers for the Falls since being inserted into the starting lineup.
“She’s playing a lot better,” Broncos head coach Shawn Gilbert said. “She’s playing with confidence and (playing with confidence) is good for all of them.”
The Broncos opened the year averaging 54 points a contest while finishing 3-3, but during the six-game slide, the average plummeted to under 37 points a game.
In back-to-back wins over Tower-Soudan and the Golden Bears, the offense has averaged just under 60 points.
“I think the past couple games we’ve been slowly but surely getting there. Playing more as a team,” King said.
The Golden Bears didn’t play much as a team Thursday, and their coach was quick to point it out.
“We’re not a high-scoring team, but defensively I wasn’t happy with rebounding,” Golden Bears head coach Natalie Belt said. “We gave up too many second shots, thirds and fourths.”
Josie Delich was the lone Golden Bear in double figures with 13 points, and 12 came in the first half.
The Broncos clamped down on Eveleth-Gilbert (5-9) with a 1-3-1 zone in the second half.
“It went really well. They only scored 13 points in the second half,” Gilbert said.
The Falls led by only two at halftime at 26-24, and although Gilbert prefers a man-to-man, up-tempo style, he’s more than willing to accept a win with a zone defense.
“Exactly. Whatever it takes to win,” he said. “If we have to be a zone team, we’ll be a zone team.”
The Broncos return to action Monday at Lake of the Woods before traveling Thursday to Borderland rival Littlefork-Big Falls.
Game notes
• Winter Sports Week wraps up tonight following the boys hockey game between No. 6 Virginia/Mountain Iron-Buhl and International Falls at Bronco Arena. The “Dirty Dozen” are expected to play at tonight’s game.
• Both the FHS basketball and hockey cheerleading squads were on hand for the game and performed at halftime. To view photos from the performance, visit www.ifallsdailyjournal.smugmug.com.
• Broncos senior captain Kara Kennedy, out with an achilles tendon injury, said she will be cleared to play Feb. 8. The Broncos play Feb. 9 at home against Virginia, and have seven games that follow before the Section 7AA Tournament.
