Girls Basketball: Rutten leads Eagles past Perham 49-47

NEW YORK MILLS -- Sophomore center Ellie Rutten led all scorers with 21 points, including 14 of the Eagles' 26 in the second half to lead New York Mills (4-2) to a 49-47 come-from-behind victory over the Perham Yellowjackets (0-7) in girls basketball action Monday evening.

The lead changed hands frequently in the first half leading to a 28-23 advantage for the Yellowjackets at the break.

Perham held the Eagles scoreless through the first three minutes of the second half and upped the lead to nine points, 32-23. Amber Barvels scored at 14:54 to end the streak and the Eagles closed to within seven.

Rutten scored her 14 second half points in the final 14 minutes leading an offensive push for New York Mills.

EmaLeigh Roberts tied the score at 36.

Perham senior Miranda Lockhart's free throw put Perham ahead by one 37-36 with 10 minutes to go. It would be the last lead Perham would have in the game.

A Rutten runner in the lane gave the Eagles the lead for good 38-37 with 9:40 remaining.

Rutten's biggest basket came when she scrambled for loose change after a Lydia Irons miss at the free throw line. Rutten hustled to the loose rebound and scored to put Mills up 48-41 with less than a minute to play.

Rutten scored eight of the final 11 points for New York Mills.

Perham made a late run on baskets by Tina Scheidecker and Lockhart closing to within a deuce down 49-47. A heave from 30 feet by Emily Tobkin would not go at the buzzer allowing the Eagles to escape with the win in a game where momentum came in short bursts for both teams.

EmaLeigh Roberts had 10 points for the Eagles. Allison Smith led Perham with 12 points. It was the first game in seven that another Yellowjacket besides Analea Erickson led the team in scoring. Erickson had seven points. Lockhart added 10 points.

Game Results:

Perham at New York Mills.

Monday, Dec. 17

PER 28 19 -- 47

NYM 23 26 -- 49

Scoring:

PER -- Smith 12, Lockhart 10, Erickson 7, Scheidecker 7, Tobkin 6, Roberts 3, Miller 2.

NYM -- Rutten 21, E. Roberts 10, M. Roberts 6, Kempenich 6, Barvels 4, Honer 2.

1/3: New York Mills held Perham's leading scorer Analea Erickson to seven points. Robert Williams/FOCUS

2/3: Shelsey Honer scored two points, but made a big impact hustling to loose balls in the Eagles' victory Monday. Robert Williams/FOCUS

3/3: EmaLeigh Roberts drives to the hoop scoring two of her 10 points. Robert Williams/FOCUS