D-G-F overcomes loss of Hauglid with big win

GLYNDON, Minn. -- In one misplaced step, any state title hopes crumpled to the floor in a whimpering, writhing heap.

Ninety minutes later, not even the game was lost.

Though initially stunned by a first-quarter ankle injury to senior point guard Steph Hauglid, the No. 3-ranked Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton girls recovered for a 34-32 victory against Fergus Falls in Minnesota prep

basketball.

It was a lesson in character for the Rebels, 0-2 last season sans Hauglid, their motor.

"We just can't do it without her," said D-G-F senior guard Coley Nelson, who had 11 points and three 3-pointers.

"Usually we can't do it without her."

How long the Rebels may be without the 5-foot-3 Hauglid is unknown. Her left ankle will be tested this weekend.

Friday, they weren't exactly sharp, but passably gutsy as Hauglid went down only two minutes into the contest.

D-G-F trailed from the start, and by as many as seven, only to claim its first lead on a 3-pointer by Nelson with 6:12 to go in the fourth quarter.

A four-point possession only three minutes later, on hoops by Kelly Lopez and Tonya Tripp, staked the Rebels to a 33-30 advantage with 2:59 left.

They wouldn't get another field goal, however, relying on two defensive stops in the final 11 seconds for victory.

"It was an ugly win, but a good win against a good team," D-G-F head coach Ron Tollefson said. "We had two weeks off, we struggled in practice and we lost our point guard. ... But a win is a

win, and a month from

now we can look back and think we played the best game of our lives."

That's a luxury afforded by winning; the Rebels struggled throughout.

They turned the ball

over on their first four

possessions.

They didn't score until 4:22 into the first quarter.

They were ineffective in the paint and in transition.

But they did enough.

Down 24-17 early in the

second half, D-G-F (9-0) held Fergus Falls (6-4) scoreless for more than five minutes.

The Otters managed only 12 points the entire second half.

"Part of it feels like we gave it away, but give D-G-F

credit," Fergus Falls coach Dave Rund said. "Part of our turnovers at the end were a result of their good defense."

Credit the loss of Hauglid for some of that defense.

Full of anxious energy at the prospect of losing their floor leader, the Rebels had no choice but to rely on effort.

"We were lost without her," Tollefson said. "You see how valuable she is."

Fergus Falls 10 20 26 32

D-G-F 7 17 24 34

FERGUS FALLS: Brusven 2 0-0 4, Barry 4 0-0 9, Shaikoski 5 3-5 13, Brause 1 0-0 2, Hensch 1 0-0 2, Larson 1 0-0 2, Sletten 0 0-3 0, Stortroen 0 0-0 0, Becklund 0 0-0 0. Totals 14 3-8 32.

D-G-F: C. Nelson 4 0-0 11, Hauglid 0 0-0 0, Dawson 4 0-0 8, Parke 1 0-0 3, Tripp 3 2-3 8, N. Nelson 1 0-0 2, Lopez 1 0-2 2, Skalsky 0 0-0 0. Totals 14 2-5 34.

3-point goals: Barry, C. Nelson 3, Parke. Total fouls: FF 14, D-G-F 13. Fouled out: Hensch. Rebounds: FF 23 (Shaikoski 11), D-G-F 20 (C. Nelson, Dawson, Tripp 6). Turnovers: FF 18, D-G-F 17.

Readers can reach Forum reporter Terry Vandrovec at (701) 241-5548