Butternut Battles Early, Falls to Northland Pines

The Butternut Midgets hit the road Monday for their second straight matchup against a Division 3 opponent, traveling to Northland Pines in hopes of building on a strong start to the season. Early on, the Midgets looked poised to do just that. They controlled much of the first half, matching up well defensively and holding a slim lead for most of the opening period.

But momentum shifted just before the horn, as the Eagles knocked down a three-pointer to take a 21–20 lead into halftime.

The second half proved far more difficult for Butternut. Cold shooting and Northland Pines’ dominance on the glass slowed the Midgets’ transition game and limited their scoring opportunities. As the Eagles pulled ahead by double digits, Butternut managed a few brief runs but couldn’t close the gap, eventually falling 55–33.

Shooting woes plagued the Midgets all night, as they finished just 13-for-62 from the field (21%) and 6-for-22 at the free-throw line.

“We are talented, but very young, and tonight that inexperience showed,” commented Coach Troy Scherwinski. “We need to get better at consistently doing the little things.”

Despite the loss, several players turned in strong individual performances. Gianna Nahring led Butternut with 15 points and 6 rebounds. Caitlynn BeBeau added 6 points and a team-high 10 rebounds, while Brooklynn Treml chipped in 6 points and 8 boards.

With the win, Northland Pines improves to 4-2. Butternut drops to 1-2 and now looks ahead to a busy week, hosting Mellen on Tuesday before traveling to Mercer on Friday.