Alexandria routs Bemidji 67-38 as offense falters after halftime

Alexandria’s balanced offense carried the Cardinals to a decisive 67-38 road victory over Bemidji High School’s girls basketball team, turning a competitive first half into a one-sided finish. Bemidji managed 29 points before halftime but produced just nine points across the second half, unable to answer Alexandria’s depth.

In the Jan. 15 game, Alexandria showcased balance rather than a single go-to scorer, with four Cardinals finishing in double figures and the team pulling away after the break. Bemidji’s attack was led by Karley LaZella with 11 points and Clara Sherwood with 10, the only local players to reach double digits in the scoring column. The final boxscore read 67-38 in favor of the visitors.

The flow of the game favored Bemidji early, as the home side matched Alexandria through the first two quarters and kept the score within reach at the intermission. The second half told a different story: Bemidji’s offense stalled, contributing just nine points after halftime, while Alexandria sustained scoring across multiple players to pull clear. That swing in production turned what had been a contest into a comfortable win for the Cardinals.

For Bemidji coaches and players, the game underscores a need to sustain offensive rhythm and defensive stops across all four quarters. The first-half performance showed the team’s capability to score against a balanced opponent; the second-half dropoff highlights in-game adjustments and endurance as areas for attention. For community supporters tracking the season, the outcome will matter in how the team addresses late-game execution and rotation decisions in practices and upcoming matchups.

Alexandria’s victory also serves as a reminder of the value of depth at this stage of the season. A lineup that can produce multiple double-digit scorers is difficult to defend when one player cools off, and the Cardinals capitalized on that advantage.

Moving forward, Bemidji’s staff will likely prioritize sharpening second-half offense and defensive continuity. Local fans should watch the boxscore for whether LaZella and Sherwood can convert this showing into a stronger, more balanced scoring effort in the next games, and whether the team can close out four-quarter contests in front of the home crowd.