“[We were] just being strong back, that’s the only thing you can do. You can’t be weak with them [WWG],” Lakeview senior Brook Gunlogson said of the competitive atmosphere. “I think we were rushing a lot, throwing up shots. We just had to calm down a little bit, get movement before we threw up shots. Sometimes we just wouldn’t rebound, and they [WWG] would get a quick lay up and they would take over the lead then. For the most part, I think we just sometimes need to slow down.”

Lakeview entered the second half with a 4-point halftime lead. Despite another competitive start to the half, the Lakers broke out to a double-digit lead about midway through behind a well-balanced shooting effort.

Carter and Schmidt continued to fight off one another in the paint, standing as one another’s teams as the tallest players.

Leah VanDeWiele sank a 3-pointer for WWG out of the half to cut into a 34-33 deficit, to which Schmidt responded with a post-up on the next possession for Lakeview, followed up with a block on the defensive end.

Lakeview's Jovie Benson goes up for a fastbreak layup Monday night.

Schmidt again drove the lane for the and-1 and followed up her own rebound to further the Lakers’ 42-35 lead, just as Stensrud drilled in a 3-pointer to give Lakeview its first double-digit lead of the night with 9:43 to play, 45-35.

Carter showed her versatility after hitting a 3 of her own to help the Chargers climb back, 47-41.

“They [opposing teams] guard me, and that’s hard, but I know my teammates are going to get open, so I can get them passes,” Carter said. “I just go into the game taking whatever shot I can take.”

But, Jorgeson made two straight baskets to quickly give Lakeview back a 10-point lead, 51-41, with just over five minutes of gameplay left as the Lakers held off the Chargers the rest of the way despite some late Chargers’ baskets.

WWG faced a deficit the entire second half, but showed a valiant comeback attempt with its attack to the basket.

Lakeview's Brook Gunlogson begins to drive the baseline Monday night in the first half.

Carlie Ross also sank a 3-pointer with 5.3 seconds left, but Lakeview made its last free throws after WWG intentionally fouled to seal the win.

“We want to keep it moving. We don’t want to slow it down … Obviously, we are trying to push the whole game, but there were some times [like at] the end there, where we kind of tried to slow it down, that’s what we got to look for,” Gunlogson said. “That’s what I try to look for [as a point guard], is what kind of offense I’m going to set up based on what we need to do.”

Schmidt led the Lakers with 17 points, seven rebounds and three blocks. Stensrud and Jorgenson each finished with 13 points, with Jorgenson shooting a team-high 71% from the field, going 5 for 7. Stensrud led with four assists.

Carter led WWG with 17 points, while Ross followed with another 7.

The Lakers and Chargers showed one another tough physicality from the jump. Both showed one another a full-court press, and were able to force a few turnovers on each side.

Westbrook-Walnut Grove's Leah Carter (right) grabs the defensive rebound Monday night in the first half against Lakeview in Cottonwood. 

Carter helped lead WWG on both ends in the first half with 14 points, while battling down low on the boards. She had 4 of the Chargers’ first 8 points, while Schmidt and Stensrud got the scoring started for the Lakers.

Jorgeson hit a 3-pointer to help give the Lakers an 11-8 edge, just as WWG’s Hadley Jenniges responded directly after with a midrange jumper to pull the Chargers back within a point.

Carter and Jorgeson exchanged 3s, while a field goal from Emma Brusven put Lakeview ahead 20-15.

Lakeview built up a 26-18 lead with about five minutes to go after Gunlogson hit back-to-back 3-pointers.

The Chargers found some momentum to end the half and cut back into a 32-28 deficit going into the break with the help of baskets from Carter and Jenniges, while Ross continued to facilitate the Chargers’ offense.

Lakeview's Brynn Stensrud begins to cut toward the basket Monday night in the first half.

Carter taking Charge

Carter has been a dominating force in the paint throughout her varsity basketball career, and has continued to set the tone throughout this season. The senior center is the Chargers’ tallest player standing at 6-foot-1.

Prior to Monday, Carter recently broke the program rebounding record in an 80-60 win over Yellow Medicine East last week Monday. The previous record was 942 set by Kate Hansen.

“My teammates have helped get me there, and I’m just so grateful,” Carter said regarding her record-breaking accomplishments. “I just go into each game as if it’s a battle. I just try my hardest, and my teammates have my back.”

With her achievement, Carter joins a club of her own as the only Charger in school history to now reach 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds.

Stensrud makes a signing

Stensrud, a senior guard, also secured her opportunity to play four years of collegiate basketball after signing her letter of intent last week to Briar Cliff University, located in Sioux City, Iowa.

BCU is a part of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.

“She’s [Stensrud] worked so hard to earn it. It was fun talking to the coaches and what they expect out of her. It’s hard to see her go, she’s been with us for four years, but if anybody has earned what she’s got coming, it’s her … She’s earned everything she gets,” Lakeview head coach Mike Imes said. “I think what it does, is a lot of the younger girls see how much work it took for her to get that, and we’ve got some really good young kids coming up. They know now what it takes if you want to play college ball, you got to put in the time. She’s been a true leader that way.”

Stensrud has also been a scoring powerhouse throughout her prep career for the Lakers, and has been a vital part of the offensive forefront again this season as well.

Preparing for playoffs

Lakeview and WWG have less than 10 combined games left remaining in the regular season before they both hope to make a deep playoff run.

The Chargers (13-8) have five games remaining, and will next stay on the road to take on Adrian-Ellsworth (13-8) at 7:15 p.m. on Friday. Prior to Monday, WWG had won four-straight games.

“We had [four] games in a row that we won, and we are beating teams that we lost to the first time,” Carter said. “I think we are peaking at a good time, and it just feels good.”

Lakeview moves to 18-5 on the season, and has three regular-season games remaining. The Lakers will stay home to host Tracy-Milroy-Balaton (8-12) on Friday at 7:30 p.m.

“We don’t want to stay the same, we want to keep building and getting better, which for a while there, we were staying the same. But, I think now, I’m starting to feel like we are going up,” Gunlogson said. “The biggest thing is that we have to keep working as a team … I think it’s starting to come back to us, and it’s a good time for it to come.”