Dike-New Hartford and the Petersen twins have done it again.
Payton and Jadyn Petersen each recorded a third double-double in as many state tournament games and Dike-New Hartford claimed its second straight Class 2A state championship, beating Central Lyon 59-52 in a well-played final.
Payton, named captain of the all-tournament team, scored 23 points and grabbed 13 rebounds and Jadyn, also an all-tournament pick, added 15 points and 12 rebounds. Add it all up and the two sophomores combined for 101 points and 67 rebounds at state as the Wolverines finished off a 25-2 season.
They were especially effective at giving their team extra possessions with offensive rebounds.
Jadyn pulled down 10 off the offensive glass and converted three putbacks in the second half to help the Wolverines fend off the Lions (24-3). Payton, the all-tournament captain for the second time, grabbed six offensive rebounds and scored four times on putbacks.
Dike-New Hartford also got a nice lift from 6-foot junior Ellary Knock, who scored 11 points, collected six rebounds and sank all four of her free throws. The Wolverines finished with a 37-28 rebounding advantage and a 21-10 edge in second-chance points.
Central Lyon, seeking its second state championship, got 19 points from Addison Klosterbuer, a sharp-shooting junior who went 5-for-10 from 3-point range, with all of her makes from well beyond the arc. Desta Hoogendoorn added 12 points and 10 rebounds for the Lions, while Regan Van Wyhe had five points and eight rebounds. Teammate Kaylee Davis handed out five assists and scored nine points.
Neither team led by more than six points until Dike-New Hartford pulled away at the end. Knock’s basket inside broke the game’s final tie and produced a 47-45 lead. Jadyn fed her sister with a nifty bounce pass and Payton scored through contact and completed the three-point play for a 50-46 lead.
A couple of minutes later, Knock lobbed a pass to Payton on an inbounds play from the sideline and she dropped in a layup to make it 56-50 with 1:31 left and the Wolverines finished it off with free throws. They were just 6-for-11 from the line before Knock made a pair and Taylor Kvale sank one of two for the final point.
Dike-New Hartford also has won the last two 2A volleyball championships and Payton Petersen was the all-tournament captain both times.
Klosterbuer and Hoogendoorn both earned all-tournament honors along with Reese Johnson of Denver and Panorama’s Payton Beckman.