Men win third straight

The Central Lakes College men's basketball team on Wed., Jan. 30 won its third straight game, 71-59, at Northland (Thief River Falls) to move the season record to 11-7 (5-2 in Northern Division). The CLC women bowed to the Division-leading Northland team, which is nationally ranked, 73-44, to end a five-game win streak. Andre Thomas led the Raider men with 18 points, while Kevin Kuefler added 10. CLC shot 51% from the field (31-60) and 33% from beyond the arc (5-15), building a 37-25 halftime lead. In the women's contest, CLC trailed at the half, 36-25, behind the hot-shooting Pioneers, who are ranked sixth in the latest NJCAA Division III poll. Taalyr Egeness and Lindsay Monson tallied 14 points each for the Raiders, who made 16 of 54 (30%) from the field and 3 of 9 beyond the arc. The CLC women are now 5-2 in the Division and 6-12 overall. Next: Rainy River at CLC, Sat., Feb. 2.

Player of Week

Sierra Benning of Clarissa, a 5-4 sophomore guard for Central lakes College's women's basketball team, has been named Northern Division Player of the Week in the latest report from the Minnesota College Athletic Conference. Her effort in the week that ended Jan. 26 earned her the honor. She averaged 14 points and 10 assists while leading the Raiders (5-1 in the Division) to a pair of wins. Sierra added sic steals and 5.5 rebounds per game while shooting 50 percent from the field. She is a transfer from North Dakota State College of Science, where she played last season. She is the daughter of Ray and Margo Benning, publishers of the Independent News-Herald newspaper of the Clarissa.

Wins vs. Itasca

Central Lakes College basketball teams defeated Itasca Sat., Jan. 26 in games played in Brainerd. The Raider men won, 79-64, led by Kevin Kuefler's 15 points and 14 each from Kahreem Horsley and Andre Thomas. CLC upped its record to 3-2 in the Northern Division of the Minnesota College Athletic Conference, 11-7 overall ahead of the next outing at Northland Wed., Jan. 30. The CLC women captured their fifth straight win, 81-54, hitting a season-high point total by making 47% of their shots and 6 of 13 from beyond the arc. Five players scored in double figures: Ashley Arneson (shown) 16, Jalynn Lamb and Sierra Benning 13, Carlie Sweet 12, and Taalyr Egeness 11. The Raiders (6-11) are 5-1 in the Northern Division going into their game this Wednesday vs. nationally ranked Northland.

Wins vs. Mesabi

The Central Lakes College men's and women's basketball teams defeated Mesabi Range Wed., Jan. 23 in the Brainerd campus gym. The women moved their Northern Division MCAC record to 4-1 with a 71-54 triumph, their fourth straight in a 5-11 season. Lindsay Monson scored 20 to lead the way as CLC made 15 of 16 free throws, including Lindsay's 6 of 6. The CLC men survived the 24-point performance by Division scoring leader Bacarius Dinkins (19.8 ave.) of the Norse, winning 75-68 after leading at the half, 43-33. Brandon Davis (shown) led the scoring for the Raiders with 19, followed by 14 from John Jedneak and 12 from Kevin Kuefler as the Raiders upped their record to 3-2 in the Division, 10-7 overall. Next: Itasca at CLC Sat., Jan. 26, women at 1, men at 3.

Raider women win third straight

The Central Lakes College Raiders scored 56 second-half points to rally and beat Vermilion 78-75. The Raiders trailed 39-22 at the half and found themselves down 31-10 early in the half before getting their legs under them. “We had a really long road trip because our bus broke down,” Raiders head coach Dennis Eastman told the Brainerd Dispatch. “We were on the bus for five hours instead of three hours. So we came out slow. I give credit to the girls they came out in that second half and decided they wanted to win. “I think it was just a matter of getting warmed up. The game was scheduled for 1 p.m. and we didn’t get there until 2 p.m. and we had 20 minutes to get ready for the game. The girls just weren’t mentally or physically ready, but they came together in the second half.” Lindsay Monson scored 20 points, Sierra Benning 15, Carlie Sweet (shown)13, and Taalyer Egeness 12. CLC is now 4-1 in the division, 4-12 overall.Men lose to ranked power

Kevin Kuefler scored a team-high 15 points as the Central Lakes College Raiders fell to NJCAA’s third ranked and the Northern Division’s top-ranked Vermilion 90-66 Saturday, Jan.19 at Ely. Brandon Davis added 12 points for the Raiders, who are now 2-2 in division play. CLC shot 35% (24 of 68) and Vermilion 62% (32 of 52). The Raiders are now 9-7 overall this season. Next: Mesabi Range at CLC Wed., Jan. 23, women at 6, men at 8.

Raiders win

The Central Lakes College men's and women's basketball teams defeated Fond Du Lac Wednesday, Jan. 16 in games played in the Brainerd campus gym. The men captured a 70-48 win behind Bryan Gichaba (18 points, shown), Kevin Kuefler (14), and John Jedneak (11), shooting 44% as a team in the second half, when the Raiders outscored the Thunder, 39-22. It was the second Northern Division win for CLC, which is now 9-6 overall going into Saturday's game against nationally ranked Vermilion at Ely.

Women win

The CLC women disposed of the Thunder women, 88-44, by shooting 46% from the field and 77% at the line. The Raiders connected on 6 of 19 from beyond the arc. Five players for CLC scored in double figures. Ashley Arneson emerged in this one as the leading scorer with 19 points, followed by Taalyr Egeness with 13, Jalynn Lamb 11, and Sierra Benning and Jessica Kadus 10 each. The Raider women are riding a 2-game win streak and take a record of 2-1 in the division, 3-11 overall into their next anticipated win at Ely Saturday.

Women win, men lose

The Central Lakes College women's basketball team got back on the winning side of Minnesota College Athletic Conference play Saturday, Jan. 12, defeating Hibbing, 82-60. It is the Raiders' second win of the season. CLC  exploited a leaky Cardinal defense to grab a 47-25 halftime lead. “Central Lakes has a nice little mix with Sierra Benning at the point and Jalynn Lamb and Lindsay Monson at the posts,” Hibbing Coach MikeTurnbull said. “If you allow them to get into a high-low look, you have to continue to work and work and work to keep them out of the play." Turnbull is a former CLC basketball coach. The Raiders were led by Monson (shown) with 21 points and Lamb and Benning with 15 apiece.
The CLC men led at halftime, 38-24, but dropped a heart-breaker to the host Cardinals, 54-53, to leave the Raiders with a 8-6 record. A three-point shot as time expired brought Hibbing the rare conquest of CLC. In the first half the Raiders' defense stymied the home team, which turned the ball over 9 times. But the Cards went on a 17-7 run in the second half to take a 44-41 lead with 7:32 to play. The Raiders led, 53-49, with 27 second left. Kevin Kuefler had 18 points and Andre Thomas 10.

Men win big

The Central Lakes College men's basketball team captured its first Northern Division win of the season, 97-58, at Rainy River (International Falls) Friday, Jan. 11. The Raiders were led by Andre Thomas, who scored 16 points; John Jedneak (shown) with 12 points; and Kevin Kuefler, who tallied 12 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists. CLC made 7 of 8 from beyond the arc and out-rebounded the Voyageurs, 49-32, The team committed only four second-half turnovers en route to win number 8 vs. 5 losses.

The Raider women lost, 86-70, as the home team shot 47% against the CLC women, who made 39% of their shots. Taalyr Egeness scored 17, Lindsay Monson 14, Ashley Arneson 12, and Sierra Benning 11. CLC is 1-11 going into the Saturday game at Hibbing.

Men win, women lose

Men win
The Central Lakes College men's basketball team improved to 7-5 on the season with an 86-78 win Saturday, Jan. 5 over St. Cloud Technical and Community College in the CLC Winter Classic on the Brainerd campus. Kevin Kuefler (shown) scored 21 points (8 of 16 from field, 5-7 free throws) and Brandon Davis 18 ( 9-18 at FT line). Tyler Flugum connected four times from beyond the arc to tally 13 points. The night before, CLC triumphed, 88-78, in overtime vs. Minnesota West. In that game Andre Thomas drained 5 threes and totaled 25 points. Bryan Gichaba and Brandon Davis both scored 15, and Kahreem Horsley added 12 as the Raiders made a sizzling 50% of their shots. From the line they made 24 of 31 (77%). Good win guys!

Women lose
The CLC women's basketball team lost to the Lady Jays from Minnesota West Friday night, 61-54, after leading at halftime. The winners outshot the Raiders 10-2 from the free throw line. Lindsay Monson led CLC with 16 points, and Sierra Benning added 11. The Raiders shot 40% from the field, the Blue Jays to 36%. In the second half, Mn West went to the line 14 times while the Raiders didn’t attempt a single free throw. CLC overall: 1-10. Next: at Rainy River (International Falls) women at 6 p.m., men at 8 p.m. Friday.