Chaska’s unheralded sophomore Chase Maetzold scored 14 points and grabbed 17 rebounds and junior Tyler Forrest scored 22 points as the Hawks pulled away late from Eden Prairie in a Section 2AAAA semifinal game. The Hawks battle Prior Lake for a state tournament berth on Friday.
Great teams don’t just survive on the performances of their stars—they thrive when multiple players are able to step into the spotlight at crucial moments. For Chaska, in their Section 2AAAA battle against Eden Prairie, that player was sophomore Chase Maetzold, who caught fire from three-point range and dominated the glass with a monster 17-rebound performance to help the Hawks pull away late with a 60-43 victory on Saturday at Chaska High School.
The final score suggested a comfortable win, but those who watched the game knew better. The game was a defensive slugfest from start to finish, with Eden Prairie’s physical, aggressive defense making every possession a battle.
“Credit to EP, they guarded us very well and made us work for every bucket,” said Chaska head coach Nick Hayes.
The Hawks managed just 24 first-half points against some of the tightest defense they’d faced all season. The Eagles jumped passing lanes, contested every shot on the perimeter and made Chaska earn everything in the paint.
“We told the guys to be confident and strong with the ball,” Hayes said. “They’re all skilled basketball players. When we’re all on the same page and maintaining spacing, back cutting and trusting each other, we can handle pressure.”
The first half was a grind. The Hawks led throughout, but the Eagles would briefly take the lead with a late flurry. That’s when junior captain Tyler Forrest stepped into the spotlight.
With just more than three seconds left in the half, Forrest, who had already hit two three-pointers as the shot clock expired earlier in the half, received a pass on a well-designed inbounds play, drove to the right side of the key and drained an off-balance buzzer-beater to give Chaska a 24-23 halftime lead.
“Tyler’s buzzer-beater was huge for our guys’ confidence,” Hayes said. “It was special to see it all unfold. The last week we’ve periodically worked on this full-court setup/play for a late clock situation, and our guys had us organized and ready for it before I could even say anything. I’m so happy for Tyler to get to his spot and hit that massive shot.”
The Hawks never trailed again in the game.
Maetzold sparked Chaska’s second-half surge, knocking down a big three-pointer to give the Hawks breathing room. An assist down low to junior captain Kalin Jochum, followed by several big rebounds and another three-pointer helped the Hawks extend the lead to 36-26. When Maetzold drained his third three-pointer of the half, Chaska led 39-31 with eight minutes remaining.
“I saw a couple go in then shot the next shots with confidence,” Maetzold said.
But Eden Prairie, led by star guard Hamze Yusuf’s 17 points, refused to go away. The Eagles kept clawing back, making Chaska work until the final minutes.
Eden Prairie’s aggressive defense eventually led to numerous fouls, with the Hawks capitalizing at the free throw line. Senior Evan Atkinson and juniors Kalin Jochum and Eli Herzog converted crucial free throws late in the game. Jochum found Herzog with a backdoor pass for a layup that pushed the lead to 50-40 with 2:10 to go, and the Hawks would continue to ice the game at the line.
Hayes was particularly impressed with Maetzold’s complete performance, especially on the defensive end.
“Chase was awesome,” Hayes said. “We all know how well he can shoot it, and I was excited for him to have those big threes. But I was more proud of what he brought on the defensive end. Coach Sanders has worked with him all season on the defensive end, so to see him protect the rim so well and have 17 rebounds was incredible. That’s very impressive for any high school player to have in a single game.”
Maetzold credited his rebounding success to physicality and awareness.
“I was just focusing on attacking the rebound and going through contact to get them because I knew they were a good offensive rebounding team,” he said.
The Hawks’ defensive gameplan also deserves credit. Chaska held Eden Prairie to just 22 percent shooting from the field and forced tough shots all night.
“We just wanted them to take tough shots, and I feel like we did a good job doing that,” Maetzold said.
Forrest finished four-for-five from three-point range, with each make coming at a critical moment. His 22 points led all scorers, while Jochum added six points and played solid defense. Herzog chipped in seven points and Atkinson contributed six points — all from the free-throw line in crucial moments.
The road to State goes through Prior Lake
The victory sends Chaska to the Section 2AAAA championship game on Friday night, where they’ll face top-seeded Prior Lake—a team that defeated the Hawks over the holidays.
“We had a battle with the Lakers back in late December,” Hayes said. “They’re a big team with a lot of skill who earned the top seed in our section. Our focus this week will be to continue to grow our team’s ability to rebound and force one-and-done possessions, handle their defensive pressure both on-ball and in the gaps, and just be us and play confident.”
The Hawks have found multiple ways to win during their current 21-game win streak, pulling out several close contests. Earning their 22nd straight win will be tough, but the payoff would be the Hawks’ first trip to state in nine years. Coach Hayes knows this team is ready.
“We can’t wait for the opportunity to compete in a section championship. Our guys will make the most of it and leave it all on the floor.”
Section 2AAAA Championship Game
No. 2 Chaska (24-4) vs No. 1 Prior Lake (21-6)
Friday, March 13 at Prior Lake High School
7 p.m. tipoff
