Photo by Ari Selvey: Red Rock Central’s Kendra Schroeder (12) drives into the lane for a shot during a nonconference girls basketball game against New Ulm Cathedral Friday at Cathedral High School.

NEW ULM — New Ulm Cathedral turned a 2-point halftime lead into a 53-39 win over Red Rock Central in a nonconference girls basketball game on Friday.

“We just had to reevaluate ourselves at halftime a little bit,” Cathedral head coach Dave Wilfahrt said. “We all agreed that we’re a better team than what we put out there that first half. We came out and had a nice run in the second half there, and they didn’t score for a while.”

Cathedral outscored the Falcons 26-13 in the second half, pulling away and allowing reserves to enter the game with a minute and a half to play.

“Our energy was a big focus in the locker room at halftime,” Cathedral’s Ashlyn Hillesheim said. “We just told ourselves this is unacceptable and we need to flip the switch right now. And we did that.”

With the win, Cathedral surpasses its win total from a season ago, improving to 7-10.

Hillesheim led the Greyhounds in scoring with 17 points with two 3-pointers. Hillesheim said that seeing the early shots go in helped her keep shooting with confidence.

“It really helps,” she said. “Just knowing that I can shoot, and my teammates support that. They tell me I can, and just knowing I can. It’s really helpful with the mindset.”

Jayde Altermatt had 15 points for Cathedral, while Pazkiewetz had 13 points. Shay Wilfahrt added 7 points.

Paige Wondercheck led the Falcons with 12 points, while Kysha Wani and Brai Olson each had 7 points.

A 3-pointer by RRC’s Lilly Batalden put the Falcons up 3-1 to open the game, but Cathedral responded with a 7-0 run, highlighted by a 3 from Altermatt, to take an 8-3 lead and force an RRC timeout. Kendra Schroeder scored on a putback for the Falcons and Olson made a mid-range shot to cut the lead to 11-7, but Pazkiewetz hit two consecutive 3-pointers to make it a 14-7 game and keep the Greyhounds hot from outside the arc.

“I always tell them, ‘If you have a good, open shot, take it,'” coach Wilfahrt said. “Some of the girls stepped up. Thea Pazkiewetz, she can make them, and she helped us out tonight for sure.”

RRC came back with a 3 from Wani, but a floater from Hillesheim made it a 16-10 game as RRC called another timeout. RRC worked to get the lead down to 22-21 on a transition layup from Wani, but another 3 from Altermatt gave the Greyhounds a 25-21 lead. Wondercheck had a putback and Celia Vogel hit a 3-pointer to give the Falcons a 26-25 lead with under a minute to play in the first half, but Hillesheim made a 3-pointer to give Cathedral a 28-26 halftime lead.

Hillesheim opened up the second half with a steal and a layup for Cathedral, then scored on a cut for a 33-26 lead. A layup from Shay Wilfahrt gave the Greyhounds a 35-28 advantage and forced an RRC timeout, then Cathedral scored 6 unanswered as Altermatt scored on a corner 3. RRC came back with a 3 from Kendra Schroeder, but Cathedral continued to push as Pazkiewetz added another 3-pointer for a 45-31 lead.

Vogel made another 3 to cut the lead to 49-34, but it wasn’t enough as Cathedral closed out the game.

Cathedral plays at Lester Prairie on Tuesday, while RRC (0-18) plays at Southwest Minnesota Christian on Tuesday.