The White Hawks faced some tough competition leading up to Winter Break. Minneapolis Southwest came to town first on Dec. 14. The first half was close with both teams playing hard; however, as the half ended, the Lakers capitalized on some White Hawks turnovers and built a lead. The White Hawks came out strong in the second half and fought back to come within 5. The Lakers finished the game with a 69-62 win.

Two Rivers was the next match up for the White Hawks on Dec. 16.  Both teams worked hard in the first half and the Hawks found themselves behind 31-33 at half. The White Hawks were a force in the second half and went ahead, finishing the game with a 66-58 win. This game marked coach Andre Phillips' 100th win!

Westonka went on the road to Hamline on Dec. 19 and played Northfield in the Hutton Winter Classic. During this late night game, both teams had the lead throughout. Unfortunately for the White Hawks, a last second tip ended the game with a score of 63-62 in favor of the Raiders.

The Chanhassen Storm was the last game of 2023 for the White Hawks on Dec. 21. This game was also a fight to the end! With both teams facing foul trouble, the free throw line became a frequent place. This high scoring game ended with a Storm shot with 7 seconds left to put them in the lead by 2. The White Hawks drove down for a last shot, and unfortunately were not able to put it in.  Final score 89-91 in favor of the Storm. White Hawks junior Max Kraay scored a career high 40 points.

As a team, the White Hawks have averaged 17 assists per game.  They’re shooting an average of 47 percent and getting to the line 23 times per game. Coach Phillips summed up the last few weeks: “It’s been a tough last two weeks in terms of getting the results we expect, but happy with how we are competing and playing tough teams close. Looking forward to getting back to competing after two weeks off from games.”

The White Hawks begin 2024 with a road game at Mankato West on January 4 and play Orono at home on January 9.  Hope to fill the gym and support our White Hawks!