STAR JOURNAL REPORT

After trailing by only a point at halftime, Rhinelander High School varsity girls basketball team stayed close with Northland Pines in the second half before the Hodags lost their Great Northern Conference home game to the Eagles, 58-54.

Both teams tallied most of their points inside the arc with only three 3-pointers scored between them.

RHS was led by Kaly Kostrova with a game-high 25 points, while senior teammate Ali Schickert added 10 points.

Northland Pines had three players score in double figures with Lexi Smith also picking up 25 points, while Shannon Clark and Hadley Kruse each recorded 11 points.

Thursday’s game was much closer than the conference opener between the two teams in Eagle River on Dec. 2 when the Hodags lost to the Eagles, 57-39.

RHS’s record dropped to 2-3 in the GNC and 4-6 overall, while Northland Pines improved to 3-2 in conference play and 9-4 overall.

Eagles 58, Hodags 54

Eagles          29           29 – 58

Hodags        28           26 – 54

Eagles: Payton Calix 2, Kirsten Lindemann 4, Shannon Clark 11, Brooke Kowalski 3, Lexi Smith 25, Hadley Kruse 11, Cassie Gauthier 2. 3-pointers: Kruse. Free throws: 15-21. Fouls: 13.

Hodags: Ally Seefeldt 6, Brooke Mork 6, Kaly Kostrova 25, Maddie Meyer 7, Ali Schickert 10. 3-pointers: Kostrova 2. Free throws: 10-18. Fouls: 19.