Hudson Girls Basketball Team Advance to State Semifinals

Hudson had five players score in double figures and needed all of those points to get past Woodbury Central in an entertaining, well-played Class 2A game.  Casey Miles came within two rebounds of a triple-double as the fourth-ranked Pirates beat No. 14 Woodbury Central 84-75 to earn a berth in the state semifinals.

Miles scored 16 points, handed out 10 assists and grabbed eight rebounds to help Hudson improve to 24-1 on the season. Abby Hillmer led the Pirates with 23 points on 10-of-16 shooting, Lindsey Koch scored 20, Amanda Cartney had 15 and Corey Miles 10.

Woodbury Central, playing in the state tournament for the first time, also had great balance. Kristin Hubert knocked down six 3-pointers in leading the Wildcats with 20 points. Ellen Gallagher added 18 points, Makenzie Melby scored 13 and Jacey Stratton 10.

Neither team showed any tournament jitters in the back-and-forth game. Woodbury Central shot 50 percent for the game and Hudson, in the tournament for the first time since 2003, shot 49 percent. The Pirates also hit 22 of 25 free throws, including 12 of 13 in the final 2 minutes to secure the victory.

The lead changed hands five times in the first half, and while Hudson led throughout the final two quarters, Woodbury Central kept nipping at the Pirates' heels.

It was 46-44 midway through the third quarter when Hudson finally began to get some breathing room. Cartney scored six points and Koch drained a 3-pointer behind Cartney's screen at the third quarter buzzer for a 58-50 lead.

Hillmer scored inside before driving for a bucket to increase the lead 64-52 early in the fourth quarter and that was enough for the Pirates to hold on. Woodbury Central got the lead down to five before Hudson started its free throw parade.

Hudson will play second-ranked Cascade at 11:45 a.m. Thursday, with the winner advancing to the championship game. Woodbury Central finishes 21-4 after upsetting No. 3 Hinton and No. 9 Treynor to reach the state tournament.

Story By: IGHSAU