The Faribault Falcon boys basketball team opened their season with a impressive 65-54 victory over the Class 3A 11th-ranked Northfield Raiders at Nomeland Gym on Friday night.

Faribault head coach Lance Walsten was particularly pleased with the way his team controlled tempo. Last year, Northfield was more physical than Faribault and swept them.

Friday night the Falcons matched the physicality and did a phenomenal job of defending 6-foot-4 senior Hunter Koep. Koep is listed by Minnesota Basketball News one of the top 100 high school boys basketball players in the state. In the second half, the Northfield star was held to four points and all of them were scored at the free throw line. He fouled out of the game with 48.1 seconds to go in the contest.

The Raiders had a lead early in the game, but after Faribault took the lead they did not relinquish it as for the most part the teams traded buckets in the first half.

Faribault led 26-22 at the half thanks to 17 points off their bench, including nine from Kade Hart. The four-point differential came at the free throw line where the Falcons scored nine points and the Raiders five.

Hart, a 6-foot-9 senior, has been battling mono and could only play limited minutes. He maximized his time on the floor with 16 points to lead all players in the game, including a monster three when Northfield was making a significant run late.

Senior Joe Jackson added 13 points off the bench and senior Chase Ernste finished with 10 points and a number of rebounds. Ernste was given the primary duty of defending Koep.

Seniors T.J. Hunt and Cody Ehlers added nine points each and I had Faribault with 11 turnovers in the game. Northfield also had 11 turnovers.

The free throw line was the difference, with the Falcons scoring 26 points at the line and the Raiders 16. Faribault had 20 more attempts from the charity stripe.

Koep led Northfield with 12 points and 6-foot-3 junior Alex Rasmussen added 10.

Northfield dropped to 2-1 overall and 1-1 in the Big Nine.

Faribault plays Sauk Rapids-Rice at 9AM Saturday in the Hopkins High School Basketball Showcase. The Falcons travel to Winona on Tuesday; the game will be on Power 96 Radio.

In the girls game, Northfield totally dominated from start to finish in a 51-19 victory.

The Class 3A 15th-ranked Raiders led 22-7 at the half. Five-foot-10 senior Kaylyn Kidd led all scorers with 14 points and 6-foot-2 junior Anika Hoff added 10 points for Northfield.

Faribault had no players in double figures. Leading scorer Elana Palmer had seven points and fouled out with 7:27 to go in the game.

Junior Grace Amacher added six points and senior Madison Rendler had four off the bench to give the Falcons some much-needed energy.

Faribault finished 5 of 17 from the free throw line and Northfield was 16 of 19.

The Falcons also had 17 turnovers after collecting just eight against Rochester Mayo earlier this week in a big 53-45 win.

It doesn't get any easier for Faribault. State-ranked and defending Section 1 Class 3A champion Winona invades Nomeland Gym on Tuesday while Northfield battles Owatonna.

The Raiders are 3-1 overall and 2-1 in the Big Nine and Faribault is 2-2 overall and 1-2 in conference action.

Nomeland Gym Faribault- photo by Gordy Kosfeld
Nomeland Gym Faribault- photo by Gordy Kosfeld
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