CALEDONIA — Senior Aubrie Klug ran out to the cafeteria area of Caledonia High School, sat at a table, found a Sharpie and joined her teammates as a long line of fans awaited autographs.
As the last few made their way to the end of the line, it probably numbered about 50 as players and coach Scott Sorenson sat and signed team photo after team photo. Some of those moving through the line had questions, but most simply awaited their signatures and completed their keepsakes.
Some were nervous to talk to the players and other were more wrapped up in talking to each other, but the smiles never left their faces as they basked in the celebration of a 63-46 nonconference victory over Holmen on Monday.
The Warriors (19-6) are one win away from an unbeaten season in the Three Rivers-East — they host Fillmore Central (13-11) on Thursday in a regular-season finale — and the focus will quickly turn to the MSHSL postseason.
But this tradition of signing team photos for younger fans made for a nice setting as Caledonia concentrates on finishing the regular season on a good note.
“We started this three years ago, and I think it’s been a good thing for the kids,” Sorenson said of the meet and greet. “It is youth basketball night, and I think everybody likes it.”
Sorenson could also safely say he liked the Warriors’ win over the Vikings (13-7).
Caledonia did ride Klug almost exclusively in building an eight-point halftime lead, but others stepped forward as it pulled away in the second half to get a second straight win after a tough nonconference loss to Stewartville (21-1) last Thursday.
Sorenson said his team played the Tigers well in a 66-57 loss before bouncing back with an 81-47 win over La Crescent-Hokah and the win over Holmen.
“We walked into that game with no one giving us a chance,” Sorenson said of the Stewartville matchup. “They had beaten the teams that had beaten us already, and unless you are standing next to them, you don’t understand how big they are.
“They have two D-I kids who are a legit 6-1 and solid and a post that is probably 6-2.”
Klug, who has committed to play at Upper Iowa University, scored 29 points and went toe to toe with South Dakota commit Audrey Shindelar, who scored 31.
She followed up with 34 points in the win over Holmen and had 25 of them by the end of the first half.
The Vikings managed to hang around but were never a serious threat while trailing by double figures for most of the second half.
Junior Jessica Stendel added 10 points and senior Nicole Banse added nine.
“Holmen played very well and played a physical game,” Sorenson said. “That’s what we’ll see in the tournament, so it’s a great test for us to play teams like Stewartville and Holmen down the stretch.
“They push us so we know what we’ve got.”
