HURON — The Mitchell Kernels outscored the Huron Tigers 23-8 over the final six minutes in the fourth quarter, building a one-point lead into a 62-46 Eastern South Dakota Conference girls’ basketball win Saturday evening at Huron Arena.
Huron falls to 0-2 with the loss, while Mitchell opens its season with a win.
The Tigers were back on the Arena floor less than 24 hours after coming up just short against the Yankton Gazelles, and seemed determined from the opening tip to not let the Kernels get out to a lead.
Havyn Heinz got the Tigers rolling early, as she sandwiched a pair of three-pointers around a field goal by Jayda Shillingstad for a quick 8-0 Huron lead a minute-and-a-half into the game.
Mitchell got a field goal, but Heinz made it 10-2 with a pair of charity tosses, before the Kernels began to climb back into it. Jordyn Cranny hit a three and then Carly Haring scored four straight points to make it 10-9 for Huron.
The offenses went into hibernation for some time, until Reagan Rozell hit a three with three-and-a-half minutes to play and only a late field goal from Mackenzie Miller shortened the Huron lead to 13-11 as the first quarter horn sounded.
The 9-3 run with which Mitchell closed the first quarter extended to the second period, as Miller scored five straight points and Payton Morgan added a field goal for an 18-13 lead.
The Kernel press forced back-to-back turnovers and the Mitchell height advantage led to numerous second chances for the visitors as well.
But the Tigers rallied. Heinz hit a pair of free throws and Gracie Schoenfelder hit one-of-two at the line to carve the lead to two. Haring scored for Mitchell, but a three pointer from freshman Tenley Buddenhagen and a nifty bucket from Shillingstad put the Tigers back on top, 21-20.
The teams traded the lead for much of the remainder of the half, but Shillingstad drained a pair of free throws and Buddenhagen dialed long distance again to give Huron a 28-24 lead as the teams headed to the locker room.
One of coach Wade Stobbs’ goals after the Yankton game was for his team to get to the free throw line more, and after a 9-10 effort at the line in the first half against the Kernels, the strategy was working.

Two quick buckets by the Kernels knotted the score early in the third quarter, but Shillingstad hit a three to put Huron back on top. The teams traded baskets, but the Mitchell went on a 9-2 run over the remainder of the fourth quarter to put the Kernels ahead by four headed to the final frame.
Abby Fullerton scored three points in the opening minute of the fourth, carving the lead to one at 39-38, but an 11-1 Kernel run, fueled by the Mitchell press put the lead at 11 points, 50-39 and despite a final flurry, Huron was unable to climb back into contention.
“The girls kinda ran out of gas down the stretch,” Stobbs said. “We just threw the ball all over the place, particularly in the last quarter. We had tired legs and tired minds.”
Miller notched game-high totals in points and rebounds, with a 17-point, 10-rebound double-double. Cranny added 11 for the Kernels.
Shillingstad led Huron with 15 points and Heinz added a dozen. Schoenfelder and Buddenhagen shared rebounding honors with seven each.
The most telling statistic on the night were the 28 turnovers that the Kernel press forced in the game. While the Tigers enjoyed a 16-10 advantage at the free throw line, turnovers led to a huge advantage in number of shots and Mitchell had more than twice as many field goals in the game.
“We’re gonna be on the short side in most of the games,” Stobbs said, “but we have to find a way to be stronger on the boards against the teams that have the size advantage against us.”
Huron returns to action on Tuesday, when the team travels to Brookings.

Mitchell     11  24  39  62    
Huron     13  28  35  46

Mitchell (1-0): Tess Limberg 3 0-0 6; Jordyn Cranny 4 1-3 11; Payton Morgan 3 0-1 6; Shianne Hiemstra 1 0-0 2; Mackenzie Miller 7 3-4 17; Tayler Factor 2 0-0 4; Chelsea Brewster 2 2-2 6; Carly Haring 3 4-4 10. Totals: 25 10-14 62.

Huron (0-2): Reagan Rozell 1 0-0 3; Jayda Shillingstad 5 4-4 15; Havyn Heinz 2 6-6 12; Sami Shoultz 1 2-4 4; Gracie Schoenfelder 0 1-2 1; Tenley Buddenhagen 2 1-2 7; Allyson Fullerton 1 2-6 4. Totals: 12 16-24 46.

FG: M - 25-621 40%; H - 12-33, 36%. 3-pt FG: M - 2-7 (Cranny 2); H - 6-9 (Heinz 2, Buddenhagen 2, Rozell 1, Shillingstad 1). Rebounds: M - 36 (Miller 10); H - 28 (Schoenfelder and Buddenhagen, 7 each). TO: M - 15; H - 28. A: M - 7; H - 6. Fouls: M - 23; H - 16.


PHOTOS BY MIKE CARROLL/PLAINSMAN
Huron’s Jayda Shillingstad during a game against Mitchell on Saturday at Huron Arena.
Hurons’ Reagan Rozell dribbles against defensive pressure by Mitchell’s Chelsea Brewster during their game Friday at Huron Area.