Alex girls' basketball: Cards honored for memorable season

• Trumm

Photo by Eric Morken Senior guard Lauren Trumm dived for a loose ball against Thief River Falls in the Section 8AAA playoffs. Trumm was named the team's Offensive MVP after averaging more than 22 points per game.

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There were plenty of accolades to hand out for the Alexandria girls’ basketball team after finishing with another trip to the Section 8AAA title game this past season.

Lauren Trumm earned a lot of that recognition as she was named the team’s Offensive MVP at the awards banquet on March 29. Trumm wrapped up her Cardinal career by averaging 22.4 points per game this season. She shot 62 percent from inside the arch on her way to scoring 605 points.

Trumm proved to be much more than just a scorer for this team, though. She led Alexandria in offensive rebounds (54), total rebounds (190) and steals (157) as well. She was recognized on the all-state team by the Minnesota Girls Basketball Coaches Association and an honorable-mention selection on the Associated Press all-state team.

Trumm was one of three Cardinal players selected to the All-Central Lakes Conference team. Senior point guard Cara Wood and sophomore wing Amanda Christianson also played their way onto the team. Whitney Gesell and Kalli Bowser were honorable-mention selections. Christianson was the second-leading scorer on the team at 12.1 points per game.

Wood was named the Playmaker of the Year by her teammates. She guided this offense for the second straight year and finished with a team-leading 104 assists. She added 100 rebounds and averaged almost five points per game, as well.

Gesell was named the Defensive Player of the Year. Her length and quickness made her a versatile defender and helped her grab 126 rebounds on the season. She also added 40 steals and blocked 12 shots.

Junior Jess Syvrud brought home the Best Attitude Award. She provided a spark off the bench this year, setting her up for what will likely be an expanded role next season.

Kalli Bowser rounded out the team award winners as the Most Improved Player. The junior stepped in as the starting center this season and was second on the team in rebounds with 151. She also averaged 8.2 points per game.

The Cardinals did equally as well off the court as they did on it. Thirteen players on the team earned a Minnesota State High School League Scholarship Academic Achievement Gold Award with GPAs between 3.6-4.0. Three others earned Silver Awards with a GPA between 3.0-3.59. They had a cumulative team GPA of 3.67, and Trumm was named academic all state.

Alexandria also said goodbye to its three senior captains at the banquet. Trumm, Gesell and Wood all played their last game in an Alexandria uniform in the section title game.

They wrapped up their careers by leading the Cardinals to their third straight 20-win season this past winter with a 22-5 record. The Cardinals finished second in the Central Lakes Conference at 13-3 behind Fergus Falls (30-2, 16-0), a team that finished third at the Class AAA state tournament.

ALEXANDRIA GIRLS’ BASKETBALL AWARDS

TEAM AWARDS – Offensive Player of the Year – Trumm; Playmaker of the Year – Wood; Defensive Player of the Year – Gesell; Best Attitude – Jess Syvrud; Most Improved – Kalli Bowser

ALL CLC – Wood, Trumm, Christianson; Honorable mention – Gesell, Bowser

CLC PERFORMER OF THE WEEK – Gesell, Wood, Trumm, Bowser, Christianson

LETTER WINNERS – Wood, Gesell, Trumm, Bowser, Syvrud, Danielle Strater, Christianson, Amanda Gould; Senior Manager Letter Winners – Missy Schroeder, Kendra Holm; Manager Participation – Klarissa Eisenbraun

MSHSL ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AWARD – GOLD (3.6-4.0) – Gould, Rachel Peterson, Christianson, Bowser, Karly Betterman, Trumm, Syvrud, Emily Thul, Sarah Bruzek, Strater, Abby Hlinsky, Wood, Gesell; SILVER (3.0-3.59) – Sam Carver, Sam Frederick, Alyssa Freiderich

ALL STATE AWARDS – Coaches Association – Trumm; AP Honorable Mention – Trumm; Coaches Association Academic – Trumm

Season Statistics

TEAM – Points – 1,642; Assists – 355; Steals – 358; Blocks – 62; Turnovers – 354; Rebounds – 808

INDIVIDUAL – Rachel Peterson – 1 rebound; Christianson – 326 points, 12.1 PPG, 52 assists, 56 steals, 25 blocks, 127 rebounds; Abby Hlinsky – 5 points, 0.6 PPG, 1 steal, 2 rebounds; Strater – 36 points, 1.3 PPG, 18 assists, 14 steals, 52 rebounds; Bruzek – 18 points, 1.5 PPG, 5 rebounds; Betterman – 14 points, 0.9 PPG, 1 assist, 1 steal, 7 rebounds; Syvrud – 53 points, 2.0 PPG, 31 assists, 20 steals, 34 rebounds; Wood – 122 points, 4.7 PPG, 104 assists, 42 steals, 4 blocks, 99 rebounds; Thul – 4 points, 0.4 PPG, 1 steal, 1 block, 4 rebounds; Gesell – 230 points, 8.5 PPG, 34 assists, 40 steals, 12 blocks, 126 rebounds; Bowser – 204 points, 8.2 PPG, 22 assists, 26 steals, 11 blocks, 151 rebounds; Sam Frederick – 2 points, 0.3 PPG; Trumm – 605 points, 22.4 PPG, 90 assists, 157 steals, 9 blocks, 190 rebounds; Alyssa Freiderich – 2 points, 0.4 PPG, 1 rebound; Jaylen Olson-Rodel – 2 points, 0.3 PPG, 2 rebounds; Gould – 19 points, 1.1 PPG, 3 assists, 7 rebounds

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