Five Standouts from Treynor vs. Coon Rapids-Bayard

In a matchup of two top ten teams between 1A and 2A, Treynor built a massive first half lead and held on through the final 16 minutes, defeating Coon Rapids-Bayard on the road by a final score of 66-55.    The leading scorer between both teams, [player_tooltip player_id='1765521' first='Cal' last='Heydon'] put together 28 points, showing off a plished game as one of the more skilled players on the court on Thursday evening. A three-level scrorer, Heydon not only attacked the rim, getting to the free throw line off and-one layups by finishing through contact, but he showed off the ability to create his own shot in the mid-range and make open three-pointers. Even when Heydon would pick up his dribble on the wing, he'd find a way to maneuver and create space to get a shot up over his defender, showing off a middy, reminiscent of the way Bennett Stirtz creates space off two feet, rising and firing for two.   Though the Crusaders still lost by double digits, Heydon's play in the second half is what made the final score respectable and propelled CRB into a competitive second half contest.     Described as a JR Smith type of offensive player by the color announcer for Coon Rapids-Bayard, [player_tooltip player_id='2853857' first='Bryce' last='Lewis'] showed off why the comparison made sense on Thursday evening.   Though he wasn't perfect from outside, Lewis is a shooting guard that can get ridiculously hot off just one made shot, gaining confidence and showing off a smooth stroke from the outside, where he's willing to fire at any given moment.   It ultimately wasn't enough, and his three-point percentage this season isn't reflective of how good of a shooter he can be, but Lewis is still valuable thanks to his tight handle, the fact that he's not turnover prone and that opposing defenses have to account for him on the perimeter because of his ability to get in a deadly shooting rhythm.     Treynor's version of [player_tooltip player_id='1765521' first='Cal' last='Heydon'], [player_tooltip player_id='1978103' first='Alec' last='Lovely'] is another polished player that will be the Cardinals' most consistent, go-to scorer throughout the rest of the 2025-26 season.   The Simpson College commit showed that off in a variety of ways, taking advantage of the Crusaders' 2-3 zone, particularly as a shooter. On the outside, Lovely used a shot-fake to send his defender flying, and promptly drilling a wide-open three to make them pay. He also exposed holes in the zone, stepping in and making easy two-point jumpers with ease. With a confident, pretty looking shot from almost anywhere on or inside the three-point line, opposing defenses can't give Lovely much space for fear of him knocking down shots all night.     The tallest player on Treynor's roster, but not a traditional center, standing at 6-foot-6, [player_tooltip player_id='2413619' first='Corbin' last='Thien'] is a versatile front court player that can and does do a lot of valuable things for the Cardinals.   A long, athletic defender, Thien can matchup with the biggest player on the opposing team, but he can also take on the best scorer and make them have a diffcult night thanks to his ability to swat shots and get his hands in passing lanes.   The leading rebounder on the night between both squads, Thien uses more than just his height and athleticism, to get boards, grabbing ten on the night and fighting off three Crusaders at once to bring down a crucial board in the second half. He's also a good cutter on offense, either finding a layup in the paint or forcing the CRB defense to collapse on him on the baseline, leaving teammates open for shots.     One of the primary reasons the Cardinal's built an insurmountable lead in the first half, [player_tooltip player_id='2906551' first='Riley' last='Lauver'] had one of his best shooting nights of the season in Coon Rapids on Thursday.   Finishing the game 4-of-8 from three, proving his ability to make shots with more regularity than his season average of 29.3% indicates. With any room on the outside, Lauver was willing and able to knockdown triples against the Crusaders, showing off a high, quick release and good form from the outside.   He added eight rebounds to finish with a near double-double for the Cardinals.

In a matchup of two top ten teams between 1A and 2A, Treynor built a massive first half lead and held on through the final 16 minutes, defeating Coon Rapids-Bayard on the road by a final score of 66-55.