Leach Lake Lakers beat Central Lakes 49-42 in season opener

The Leach Lake Tribal Lakers defeated the Central Lakes College Raiders 49-42 on Friday, Nov. 6, to open the 2026-27 season. The victory came after the Lakers trailed in the first half, but they outscored the Raiders 27-17 in the second half to secure the win.

Central Lakes started the contest with a 21-15 lead after the first quarter. The Raiders extended their advantage to 26-22 at the halftime mark. However, the Lakers scored 13 points in the third quarter and 14 in the fourth. Central Lakes managed only five points in the second quarter and four in the third.

Kelsey Fineday led the Lakers with 15 points. Taylor Kingbird added 13 points, and Sarah Howard contributed nine. The team shot 21 of 55 from the field, resulting in a 38.2 percent success rate. Their free throw shooting was 2 for 14, or 14.3 percent, and they converted five of 18 three-point attempts.

Autumn Schiller led the Raiders with 11 points and nine rebounds. Sophomore Sophia DeRosa and Rosita Rodriguez each scored seven points. Gracie Mudgett added six points and recorded five steals. Brynn Chosa contributed eight rebounds and five points. DeRosa also had five steals. All seven Raiders who played in the game recorded at least one point.

Mark Lindquist, in his first year as head coach for Central Lakes, attributed the loss to the team's shooting efficiency. "We didn’t shoot the ball very well," Lindquist said. "I could tell the freshman had first-game jitters. Leach Lake made some shots in the second half and that was the difference."

The Lakers' box score also listed points from Wilson (2) and Otthoudt (2). The game took place in Brainerd. The Raiders' second-quarter scoring slump to five points proved to be a turning point in the contest. The Lakers' 27-point second-half output overwhelmed the Raiders' 17 points over the same period.