Girls' basketball, Fusion win

Matthew Keller placed fourth in the 100 breaststroke (1:15.43). PHOTO BY HERMAN LENSING

At the Melrose pool last night, the Melrose-Sauk Centre Fusion swimming and diving team was a big winner in their season opener. Against Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato, the Fusion won 111-74.

Coach Schreiner commented after the win, "This was a very good start to the season. This is our first time having a meet this early in the season and we didn't know exactly what to expect. The boys didn't disappoint. They came out very strong for the limited amount of practice we had."

At the home gymnasium, the Sauk Centre girls' basketball team got back on the winning track with a hard-fought 73-67 win over Class 3A Albany, a section finalist a year ago. The Mainstreeters led 42-37 at halftime and then poured it on with an 8-0 run during the first 59 seconds of the second half. Senior Mauren Thiesen led Sauk Centre with 18 points.

At the Paynesville triangular, the Sauk Centre-Melrose wrestling team lost 40-35 to Quad County in West Central Conference action. SC-M led 29-10 through 152 pounds before QC earned five pins in a row to go up 40-29. SC-M's Jimmy Thomas then earned a fall (1:19) to cap the scoring. The Paynesville match results are not available at this time.