Prep report: Two Harbors-Silver Bay swimmers out-touch Superior

SUPERIOR — It came down to the last touch but Thursday's girls swimming and diving dual ended in Two Harbors-Silver Bay's favor, 91-89 at Superior.

The Spartans won the day's final event, the 400-yard freestyle relay, by a decisive 11 seconds, but the visitors finished second and third, accumulating just enough points.

Superior's Kylie Peterson was a double winner, taking the 50 free (27.05 seconds) and the 100 back (1:13.65). Peterson, Charlotte Johnson, Paige Mattson and Kate Porter all participated in two winning relays and won an individual event for the Spartans.

Grand Rapids setter Braya LaPalnt found several targets on Thursday in a four-set win at Greenway, dishing out 44 assists.

Five Thunderhawks had at least seven kills, including LaPlant herself with nine. Haylee Finckbone finished with 16 kills, while Kyra Giffen had 13 to go with her 12 digs.

Lindsey Racine finished with a team-best 23 digs, while LaPlant had 14 and Olivia Mustar 11.

For Greenway, Miranda Gernander and Ava Johnson recorded 10 kills apiece, while Johnson had a team-best 20 digs. Lexi Hammer posted 33 assists for the Raiders.

The Compete for a Cure game raised $7,327 for the Itasca Area Cancer Crisis Fund.

The Polar Bears rallied from two sets down, but couldn't complete the comeback, as Esko won the fifth set 15-6.

Kenzie Kiminski had a big role on offense and defense for Floodwood, posting a team-best nine kills and added 18 digs. Alice Irvine led her team with 21 digs and added seven kills.

Laura Stephenson dished out 27 assists as the Rebels swept in Polar League play.

Alexis Hoffman had nine kills and Sarah Christy seven.

The Spartans' annual "Dig Pink" fundraiser match was a thriller, decided by the minimum two points in the fifth set, 15-13.

Superior took a 2-1 lead after winning sets two and three 25-21, 25-13 but the Lumberjacks took the match the distance after taking set four 25-19.

Gina Udd and Claire Koster had six kills apiece as the Hunters outlasted the Hilltoppers in their city match on top of the hill. Anna Pozniak finished with 20 assists and five aces.

For Marshall, Kailee Banta finished with 26 digs and Addi Stauber 25 digs plus a team-best 10 kills.

Eliza DeCaigny led the Bulldogs with eight kills and Madison Asleson added seven as the Bulldogs finished off the Bombers, but not before a 28-26 third set.

Ivy Polecheck had seven kills for Barnum.

Sascha Korpela had a 15-kill night for the Cardinals, while Kyra Granholm had a double-double of 11 kills and 10 digs.

The teams went to overtime tied at two but Gus Haugen broke the deadlock in the third minute of the first extra session and Matt Eklund finished it off in the second period.

Brayden Rock had a goal and two assists for the Hunters. Camden Rask made six saves.

Vincent Trok scored two minutes from the end of regulation for Hermantown to tie the game.

Denzel Majwega added four more goals to a total of 26 as the Hilltoppers won their third game in a row.

Elijah Aultman's goal in the 63rd minute was all the Lumberjacks would need for the win, their 13th straight after starting the season 1-2 overall. Walker Marquardt made one save for CEC, while Aiden Haala stopped six shots for Proctor

At Public Schools Stadium, the Hunters knocked off a Grand Rapids squad that had not yet lost in conference play in the regular season finale for both teams.

Alyssa Doyle had a hat trick for Denfeld and assisted on her team's other two goals.

The Hunters enter the postseason 9-7. Rapids is 11-3-1.