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Wagner Twins Continue Big Sister's Legacy

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- They watched as their older sister achieved one of the most decorated high school basketball careers in state history. And now, it's their team.

As David McCoy reports, Carlie Wagner might have put New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva on the map. But her little sisters are determined to keep it there.

Maddie and Marnie Wagner don't just look alike, don't just play alike or don't just talk alike; they also finish each other's sentences.

"My dad always makes fun of us for it," Maddie said.

"We just know each other so well," Marnie said.

Maddie and Marnie are twins and if you've ever seen them play, you'd almost go ahead and guess that, with the kind of chemistry you couldn't replicate outside a labor and delivery room.

"We just know each other so well that, we know where we're going to be on the court and what she's going to do most of the time," Marnie said.

Together, they're the team's two leading scorers. Of course, they had a pretty good role model to learn from.

Before she was pouring in points for the Gophers, big sister Carlie Wagner was busy winning back-to-back state titles, leading the team to a 61-game winning streak and scoring the second-most points in state girls' high school basketball history.

And, of course, she was also mentoring her two little twin sisters.

"That was really fun," Maddie said. "It was fun but, you knew she was the boss, so we got yelled at every now and then."

"She bossed you around. You knew when you made a mistake," Marnie said.

Now that the boss is gone, they've had to learn to win without her.

"It was a lot of pressure, I'm not going to lie," Maddie said.

And they have.

After a .500 season a year ago, the Wagner twins have led the Panthers to a 22-6 record and a spot in next week's section semifinals.

"I think we have a really good chance of going to state. We're strong in every aspect," Marnie said.

"Last year was more of a learning year, and I think we've grown a lot more this year. Without having Carlie around and having her be in control all the time," Maddie said.

But who's the boss now? Well, they disagree on that.

Maddie and Marnie say they're just now starting to think about where to play in college, but wherever they end up going, it'll be together – of course.

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