Day 2 of the Minnesota girls basketball state tournament on Thursday, March 12, was a doozy. Here is our live report from Williams Arena (Class 4A and 3A) and Maturi Pavilion (Class 1A). You can also catch up on Wednesday’s recap. Other stories — and much more — are available on Strib Varsity’s Girls Basketball Hub, as well as the complete brackets for 4A, 3A, 2A and 1A.

Here’s a recap of the day’s action:

1/30

. . .

How the final seconds of Rosemount’s semifinal win played out

When No. 2 Rosemount won its Class 4A semifinal 65-64 over No. 3 Rochester Mayo, there were no glaring differences jumping off the final stat sheet.

The teams had similar shooting splits and a similar amount of turnovers, rebounds and fouls. Both coaches even admitted the two teams played eerily similar, happy to shoot early and often from deep and snag steals in transition, even if Rosemount had a bit of length on the Spartans.

The difference? “One free throw,” Rosemount coach Chris Orr said.

Mayo had just gone 1-for-2 from the line to tie the score at 64-64 in the game’s final minute when Rosemount found itself moving downcourt, looking for the game winner. After calling a timeout with 8.7 seconds left, junior guard Gianna Carpentier looked to inbound the ball to Gophers commit Amisha Ramlall near midcourt.

“I was chasing to get the ball, and it was a lot of physicality, obviously,” Ramlall said, feeling a defender behind her. “And then I fell.”

“Do what it takes to win,” Ramlall, who finished with 19 points for the Irish, told herself. “Whether it was one free throw, two free throws.”

While the final margin could be chalked up to one free throw, it would be remiss to not also throw in “one rebound” as another play that sealed the game.

When Ramlall’s second free throw popped out of the rim, her sophomore sister Ashna Ramlall, who led the Irish with 21 points, was there and reached for her sixth rebound of the night. Ashna got enough on the ball to pop it back out to her teammates, and while Mayo swarmed to get possession and call a timeout, enough time had burned from the clock to only give the Spartans 1.2 seconds for a final shot.

“We have a set play, set up for free throws and stuff [and] that came in a good time right there, because [Ashna] did it perfect,” Orr said.

When asked how time feels in that moment, watching the ball come off the rim and into the air — blink and you’ll miss it, or slow-motion — both Ashna and Orr emphatically agreed: “Slow.”

— Cassidy Hettesheimer

4A, Final: Rosemount 65, Rochester Mayo 64

Tied up at 64-64, Rosemount guard Gianna Carpentier looked to inbound the ball to Amisha Ramlall, who was pushed from behind and sent to the line with 8.2 seconds to play. Ramlall went 1-for-2, giving Rosemount a 65-64 lead, but Ashna Ramlall got a hand to the rebound to pop the ball back out to her teammates.

Mayo defenders scrambled and got possession of the ball, but after several exchanged timeouts, a final hurried Spartans shot went sailing wide of the backboard.

No. 2 Rosemount moves on to its third state title game, having finished runner-up in 1988 and 2021. The Irish will face No. 1 Hopkins on Saturday.

Amisha and Ashna Ramlall combined for 40 points for Rosemount. Carpentier put together a massive double-double for the Irish, with 11 points and 12 boards.

Mia Banks and Maggie Dyer totaled 51 points for the Spartans.

— Cassidy Hettesheimer

4A: One last chance

Mayo had the chance to retake the lead, down 64-63 with 39 seconds to play. The Spartans’ leading scorer, Amelia Mills, went 1-for-2 from the line to tie the score. Rosemount has used two timeouts to draw up a final look. The Irish have the ball with 8.7 seconds remaining to get a game winner, or head to overtime.

— Cassidy Hettesheimer

4A: Final minute

A midrange jumper from sophomore guard Ashna Ramlall with 2:09 to play gave the Irish back the lead at 64-63. Timeout called with 1:17 to play, Mayo ball. Ramlall leads Rosemount with 21 points.

— Cassidy Hettesheimer

4A: Mayo finds its shooting touch

With four minutes to go, Mayo leads 63-62. Mayo took the lead for the first time this half on yet another three-pointer from Amelia Mills.

The Spartans weathered a nearly 20-minute stretch when they shot 1-for-13 from three, but they seem to have gotten hot again in crunch time. Mills has a game-high 28 points, but also has four fouls.

— Cassidy Hettesheimer

4A: All tied up again

Mayo’s got it back to 60-60 with six minutes to play after Rosemount led for most of the second half. A pair of free throws from sophomore Maggie Dyer (who is up to 22 points now) tied it. The Irish are playing very up-tempo, which has led to a few long, risky passes sailing out of bounds or into the reach of Spartans defenders, slowing Rosemount’s ability to get things set up in the half court. Another piece of bad news for Rosemount — junior guard Gianna Carpentier is up to four personal fouls, one away from fouling out.

— Cassidy Hettesheimer

4A: High stress, high press?

Rosemount leads 55-51 with just under 10 minutes to play. The Irish perimeter defense has really tightened up this half. Mayo is 1-for-12 in its last dozen three-point attempts, and guards Ashna Ramlall and Gianna Carpentier have combined for eight steals.

But Mayo’s been able to make this game closer, forcing four Rosemount turnovers in the past four minutes to create some easier buckets.

— Cassidy Hettesheimer

4A: Sibling connection

Rosemount leads 53-43 with a dozen minutes to play, keeping its distance from Rochester Mayo after a pull-up three-pointer from junior Amisha Ramlall. The shot was set up by a long pass in transition by her sophomore sister Ashna. Read more about the three Ramlall sisters here.

— Cassidy Hettesheimer

4A: Irish inching ahead

If Mayo got the jump in the first half, it’s Rosemount off on the right foot in the second. An and-one for Maren Powell, a layup from Amisha Ramlall — fed by a bounce pass from junior Gianna Carpentier — and two made free throws from Carpentier have the Irish up 42-35 less than two minutes into the half.

Carpentier played for Farmington last year before moving to Rosemount, and after the Irish’s quarterfinal win, Rosemount coach Chris Orr called Carpentier a “very versatile player. She’s new to our program, but she’s a tremendous leader, and from day one, she has fit right in and was well respected by her teammates.”

— Cassidy Hettesheimer

4A, halftime: All tied up at the break

It’s 35-35 after 18 minutes of play between No. 2 Rosemount and No. 3 Rochester Mayo. Oddly enough, both teams are exactly 12-for-26 from the floor. Neither team has led by more than six — it’s been that close.

Mayo has cooled off some from deep. After starting 6-for-7 from three, the team is now 7-for-15. Sophomore Maggie Dyer leads the Spartans with 15 points, six rebounds and two blocks.

On the other hand, Rosemount has started to heat up beyond the arc. The Irish are now 6-for-11. Sophomore Ashna Ramlall has 14 points for Rosemount, shooting 4-for-6 from three.

— Cassidy Hettesheimer

4A: Automatic Amelia Mills

Mayo leads 24-20 halfway through the first half. The Spartans are 6-for-7 from three-point range, with sophomore Amelia Mills going 3-for-3. She’s automatic.

Rosemount’s got six points from junior Gianna Carpentier.

Was especially impressed by this second-chance play from Mayo: Sophomore Maggie Dyer missed a corner three, but junior Siri Kirkeby leapt to grab a tough rebound over two Irish players in the post and fed the ball back out to Dyer, who wouldn’t miss twice.

— Cassidy Hettesheimer

4A: Maple Grove game plan comes up short in semifinals

As it turned out, Hopkins’ overwhelming rebounding advantage in the Royals’ 60-45 victory over Maple Grove was partially by design.

Having played Hopkins twice during the regular season, Maple Grove coach Jon Leyse devised a different set of strategies to combat Hopkins’ firepower. Leyse said his team used three different defenses after halftime, including “one we hadn’t even practiced.”

A big part of Maple Grove’s game plan was centered on getting back on defense.

“You crash the boards and then Hopkins gets the ball, makes one pass and it’s in the basket,” he said. “We were committed to a one-and-done mentality.”

Foregoing offensive rebounding, Maple Grove counted on making its shots from the floor.

“We just didn’t hit our shots,” Leyse said. “But the girls executed what we asked them to do.”

— Jim Paulsen

4A: Rochester Mayo getting it done from deep

We just got out of the Hopkins’ postgame presser, and when their coach Tara Starks was asked about her assessment of playing either Rosemount or Rochester Mayo in the title game, she noted that, no matter the outcome of the later semi, the Royals would be seeing a team that likes to shoot threes.

True to that assessment, four minutes into this semifinal, Mayo is up 11-8 after starting 3-for-3 from deep — two three-pointers from sophomore Amelia Mills and one from senior Bemidji commit Mia Banks.

— Cassidy Hettesheimer

4A, Pregame: No. 2 Rosemount vs. No. 3 Rochester Mayo

Funnily enough, the two teams in our second Class 4A semifinal started the winter playing against one another in a preseason scrimmage. They were getting a feel for their rosters ahead of what they hoped would be a state tournament run, Rochester Mayo coach Andy Bromeling said after the Spartans’ 73-71 quarterfinal victory over No. 6 Monticello.

So Bromeling said he knows a key to Thursday’s game, as Mayo (29-1) seeks its third state title and first this century, will be slowing down the Irish’s strong three-point shooters. Rosemount (27-3) is chasing its first state title, having taken care of No. 7 Chanhassen in Wednesday’s quarterfinals 71-56. Rosemount is an especially deep squad, with a bevy of players who can come off the bench and pick up a quick five or six points. Their leading scorer, Gophers commit and junior guard Amisha Ramlall, has looked right at home on her future college court, with 22 points in her team’s quarterfinal win.

Mayo, meanwhile, has a dynamic sophomore duo in speedy point guard Amelia Mills and versatile forward Maggie Dyer.

— Cassidy Hettesheimer

4A, Final: Hopkins 60, Maple Grove 45

After a season of routs, Hopkins found itself in a battle in the Class 4A semifinals. Maple Grove, a team the Royals had defeated twice during the regular season, gave Hopkins a battle before succumbing to the Royals’ wealth of talent.

Hopkins pulled away in the final minutes to earn a 60-45 victory and advance to Saturday’s championship game.

Maple Grove, which trailed by 14 points at halftime, cut the deficit to six in the second half thanks to the sharp shooting of senior guard Katie Holmquist. She made 5-of-9 three-pointers en route to a game-high 22 points.

Hopkins leaned heavily on its superior strength inside, The Royals outrebounded Maple Grove 46-20 in the game. Jaliyah Diggs, back after missing the quarterfinals, led Hopkins with 20 points.

— Jim Paulsen

4A: Hopkins regains control

Suddenly, Hopkins can breathe a sigh of relief. The Royals went on of their patented runs, scoring seven quick points. It’s 54-41 Hopkins with 2:35 left.

— Jim Paulsen

4A: Hopkins under pressure

This is not the Hopkins team I expected to see. The Royals look a step slow. But will it matter?

— Jim Paulsen

4A: Getting tighter down the stretch

Time out with 5:42 left and Hopkins up 47-39. Maple Grove to inbound the ball. Hopkins is looking for stop here to halt Maple Grove’s momentum.

— Jim Paulsen

4A: Is Hopkins in trouble?

Erma Walker and Jaliyah Diggs, Hopkins’ leading scorers, have three fouls each. And Katie Holmquist hit another three-pointer from Maple Grove. Hopkins’ lead is 47-37.

— Jim Paulsen

4A: Maple Grove gaining momentum

The Crimson cut Hopkins’ lead to 41-34 on a three-pointer by Katie Holmquist. An Erma Walker layup brings the Royals’ lead back to nine.

— Jim Paulsen

1A: Physical play no problem for Duininck

On the program’s first trip to state, No. 3-seeded Northome/Kelliher rolled out its usual high-energy, full-court defense and honed in on No. 6 Central Minnesota Christian’s 5-foot-7 junior point guard, Sienna Duininck. But Duininck adjusted well to the Mustangs’ physicality, finishing with a game-high 30 points while adding 10 rebounds, eight assists and eight steals in the Bluejays’ 82-69 win.

“We had (Allison Lundin) on her for most of the game, just trying to wear her down full court. But (Duininck) didn’t wear down very well,” Mustangs coach Kevin Waldo said. “She got buckets inside, and then when we could stop her, it seemed like everyone else was hitting shots. So, I mean, that’s a good offense and a good team.”

Duininck, running point for a team making its first trip to state since 2001, is rated as a top-30 prospect in her class by Prep Girls Hoops. Though her school is two hours west of the Twin Cities, she plays club basketball with the Minnesota Stars, based out of Inver Grove Heights, and has played against players like the Morgan Mathiowetz, the standout junior point guard of her team’s upcoming semifinal opponent, Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s.

The physicality of that gameplay, plus the attention she’s received from defenses during the Bluejays’ regular season, helped her deal with the Mustangs’ press.

“I’ve just got to stay mentally strong and know that my teammates have my back no matter what, and they’re going to push me down, I’m going to fall down, but I just have to keep getting up, keep my head up,” Duininck said.

Northome/Kelliher did force her into 10 turnovers, part of the team’s 22 steals, led by 12 from senior Kate Thayer. Thayer is the only Minnesota basketball player, girls or boys, with over 1,000 career steals, and the entire Mustangs teams played with a similar defensive intensity.

“We’ve seen (that type of press) in the half court, three-quarter court, quite a bit,” Central Minnesota Christian head coach Brian Nelson. “But from end to end — tonight was a little different.”

Duininck and the Bluejays rose to the challenge.

— Cassidy Hettesheimer

4A: Hopkins stays ahead in second half

Not much has changed after halftime. Hopkins is struggling to get some flow. Maple Grove is mostly playing a perimeter game. But Katie Holmquist just hit a runner, cutting Maple Grove’s deficit to 41-29.

— Jim Paulsen

1A: Mustangs fans proud despite loss

Fans watching Northome/Kelliher back home said history was made this season despite the team’s loss in the quarterfinals.

“We’re very proud of them — and I wish they could’ve hit more baskets,” said Judy Maltrud, 86, after watching the game at the Northome municipal bar with her husband Bob, who will soon be 90.

They said they appreciated the bar airing the game, otherwise they wouldn’t have been able to watch it. Manager Angel Strandtmann said they will show the game tomorrow, too.

“For the first time going to state, we’re proud,” Strandtmann said.

Fans hope the Mustangs can return to state next year, though they are losing five seniors.

“That’s half the population,” joked Bob Maltrud.

— Kim Hyatt

4A, halftime: Hopkins 32, Maple Grove 18

Not Hopkins’ finest half, by any means. The Royals seem unable to find any rhythm. What they are doing well, however, is rebounding. Hopkins holds a 24-10 edge, led by eight rebounds from Erma Walker. Jaliyah Diggs is pacing the Royals with 10 points. Maple Grove is doing largely what it hoped to do — avoid turnovers and keep the game at its own pace. But physically, the team is overmatched by Hopkins.

— Jim Paulsen

4A: Hopkins building its lead

Maple Grove has done a nice job controlling the tempo, but Hopkins can do so many things well. For example, Hopkins has a 21-7 edge in rebounds. Hopkins leads 29-16.

— Jim Paulsen

1A, Final: Central Minnesota Christian 82, Northome/Kelliher 69

What a game from Bluejays junior guard Sienna Duininck, who finished with 30 points, nine rebounds and a team-high eight assists while shooting 11-for-16 from the floor. She helped the Bluejays break the Mustangs’ high press. Senior Emma Braem added 21 points.

For the Mustangs, senior guard Kate Thayer led her team with 29 points, 11 rebounds, 12 steals and five assists. Central Minnesota Christian shot 55.4% from the floor, while Northome/Kelliher shot 32.8%. The Bluejays are making the most of their first trip to state since 2001 and are looking for their first state title.

They’ll face Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s in the semifinals.

— Cassidy Hettesheimer

1A: Mustangs fans anxious as game nears the finish line

Fans were feeling anxious at the Northome municipal bar with minutes left in the second half and the Mustangs trailing by more than 15 points. Angel Stradtmann, the manager, held her hands in prayer against her lips as she closely watched the final minutes of the game. “We do everything we can to support the girls,” she said of the watch party and potluck that was attended by families, senior citizens and a local sheriff’s deputy.

— Kim Hyatt

4A: Erma Walker exits

Hopkins’ Erma Walker exits following a collision going after a loose ball. She was holding her back. Hopkins leads Maple Grove 16-9.

— Jim Paulsen

4A: Erma Walker making presence felt

Hopkins’ Erma Walker has already grabbed five rebounds. She doesn’t chase her game. She lets it come to her.

— Jim Paulsen

1A: Bluejays keeping Mustangs at bay

Central Minnesota Christian has found ways to break the Northome/Kelliher press and leads 69-54 with over six minutes to play. The Bluejays are more than doubling the Mustangs in points in the paint, 34-16, and shooting 52% from the field to the Mustangs’ 30%.

— Cassidy Hettesheimer

4A: Hopkins goes on an early run

Maple Grove scored the first four points of the game. Hopkins didn’t blink and quickly scored nine in a row. Royals lead 9-4.

— Jim Paulsen

1A: Bluejays start second half strong

Central Minnesota Christian 58, Northome/Kelliher 42, with a dozen minutes to play. That’s the largest lead of the night as the Bluejays get out to a swift start in the second half. Sienna Duininck is up to 20 points, six rebounds and four assists, while Emma Braem has 13 points.

— Cassidy Hettesheimer

4A, Pregame: Maple Grove vs. Hopkins

This being the state tournament, bringing together many of the the best teams in Minnesota, the expectation is that the games will be tight and the margins slim.

But if the past is a reliable indicator of what lies ahead, the first Class 4A semifinal could turn out to be a walkover.

No. 1 seed Hopkins (26-2) made short work of Blaine in the quarterfinals on Wednesday, racing out to a 46-10 lead before cruising to a 65-28 victory. The Royals are talented and stacked, paced by 6-1 junior power forward Erma Walker, who may be the toughest player in the state. Jaliyah Diggs, who sat out the quarterfinal victory, is expected to play for Hopkins. That’s another 17.2 points the Royals can count on.

Maple Grove (26-5), the No. 4 seed, knows the challenge that lies ahead. The Crimson have lost to the Royals twice already: 89-56 on Jan. 6 and 67-52 on Jan. 30. With starting guard Katie Holmquist healthy and with two games of experience to draw from, Maple Grove could give Hopkins a battle.

Maybe.

— Jim Paulsen

1A: Northome/Kelliher fans remain optimistic

Scoreless for nearly four minutes in the first half, the Mustangs ended the dry spell with a three pointer. Then another. And another. And another. The team narrowed the deficit to a single possession, but fell behind by eight at the end of the first. Fans at the Kelliher municipal bar were frustrated with the level of turnovers. “Rebound!” bartender Jane Hanks shouted as she popped the top off a Bush Light bottle. “Set it up!”

Hanks remained optimistic, saying she has faith in her girls.

“I actually watch this. I don’t usually watch the Vikings.”

— Kim Hyatt

1A, halftime: Central Minnesota Christian 45, Northome/Kelliher 37

No. 3 Northome/Kelliher played well despite a 16-0 run by Central Minnesota Christian. The Mustangs press high and grab steals, and they’ve got 12 so far, led by eight from senior guard Kate Thayer. She’s got 11 points for the state debutantes, while senior Kylee Binkley has 13. The Mustangs cut their deficit to four before the Bluejays got some more breathing room before the half, punctuated by a buzzer-beating layup by junior Maddy Vander.

Central Minnesota Christian junior Sienna Duininck has looked silky smooth for the Bluejays in this quick-paced game. She has team-high 15 points shooting 6-for-10 from the floor. Carrie Mulder, one of the team’s three seniors, has 13 points at the half and three assists.

— Cassidy Hettesheimer

1A: Mustangs connecting from three

After a 16-0 run by Central Minnesota Christian tilted first-half momentum in the Bluejays’ favor, the Mustangs have settled things down. They now trail just 34-30. Senior Kate Thayer launched a nice pass out of pressure under the basket to senior Kylee Binkley, who averages over 23 points per game for Northome/Kelliher. Binkley hit another three shortly after. She’s up to 12 points off four three-pointers.

— Cassidy Hettesheimer

1A: Bluejays take the lead

Midway through the first half, Central Minnesota Christian has burst out for a 16-0 run and a 24-13 lead, capped off by a tough and-one from junior guard Sienna Duininck. She now has a team-best eight points for the Bluejays.

— Cassidy Hettesheimer

1A: Northome/Kelliher has early edge in first half

A third of the way through the first half, the Mustangs lead 13-12 over Central Minnesota Christian. Senior guard Kate Thayer already has seven points and four steals for the Mustangs — there’s a reason why she is the only player in Minnesota with over 1,000 career steals. Carrie Mulder and Emma Braem each have five points for Central Minnesota Christian.

— Cassidy Hettesheimer

1A: How Morgan Mathiowetz gets it done

There are few basketball players in the state who could put up 41 points in a regular-season game, let alone under the blinding lights and hundreds of ball-following eyes that the state tournament brings. But Morgan Mathiowetz is no ordinary basketball player.

The junior guard, who has the third-most points in Minnesota this season, led Sleepy Eye Saint Mary’s to a 72-57 win over Mayer Lutheran in the quarterfinals on Thursday.

Mathiowetz dribbled the ball at center court with 10 seconds left in the game, but no one tried to steal it from her. She had already won the game with 41 points on 14-for-25 shooting, including 6-for-11 from three-point range.

“We kind of expect that from Morgan,” said head coach Bruce Woitas through a laugh. “She’s that kind of player.”

“Morgan kind of kept us in,” Woitas added. “She puts time into the game and invests time in the game, and we’re just happy she’s on our side.”

Despite scoring over half of her team’s points, Mathiowetz was intent on spreading the credit following the win.

“Our advantage, especially today in the second half, is when you’re able to find our open shooters and they’re able to hit shots,” Mathiowetz said. “So just kind of trusting each other and trusting in our offense and just letting other people hit shots.”

— Olivia Hicks

1A: Northome/Kelliher fans gather to watch game

Mustang fans who didn’t travel 4.5 hours south watched a livestream of the game at local bars in Kelliher and Northome. At the municipal bar in Kelliher, close to 20 people gathered to cheer on the team at its first state tournament appearance. Tommy Trutwin, cousin to star senior Kate Thayer, bellied up at the bar to watch the game with Thayer sinking the first shot, a three pointer. The bar erupted in applause.

“This is her last year. I’m gonna miss seeing her play,” Trutwin said.

— Kim Hyatt

1A Pregame: No. 3 Northome/Kelliher vs. No. 6 Central Minnesota Christian

Both of these Class 1A teams say hello to Maturi Pavilion for the first time in a while — or the first time ever, for Northome/Kelliher. The Mustangs (29-1) make their first trip to state, while the Bluejays (26-3) are here for the first time since back-to-back trips in 2000 and 2001. The Mustangs are led by the state’s all-time steals leader, All-Minnesota senior guard Kate Thayer, averaging over eight steals per game in addition to 27 points. Meanwhile, junior guard Sienna Duininck is the go-to scorer for Central Minnesota Christian, averaging 24 points per game.

— Cassidy Hettesheimer

How Benilde-St. Margaret’s booked its return ticket

Both Benilde-St. Margaret’s and the Marshall Tigers knew the momentum shift a deep three-pointer can bring to a team — especially one fighting to return to the Class 3A state championship.

“We have really talented players that can hit big shots,” Red Knights junior guard Pressley Watkins said. “It’s just knowing that we trust each other enough to take those shots, and we’re good enough to make those shots.”

So when Watkins hit two quick three-pointers and junior guard Sydney Friedly sank another in the first three minutes of the second half of the No. 2-seeded Red Knights 71-59 semifinal win over No. 3 Marshall, it was a blow to a Marshall team that had shook off a slow start midway through the first half.

“[That] was a little bit reminiscent of our championship game with them last year,” Marshall head coach Dan Westby said. Last year, “they came out and drained two threes to start the second half, and then we’re playing catch up the whole second half.”

The Red Knights shot 10-for-20 from deep, with Watkins 5-for-8 as part of her 21 points, and Friedly 3-for-5 as part of her 13. Meanwhile, they held Marshall to just 4-for-16 from deep, including just one three in the first half, tightly defending go-to shooter Avery Fahl.

“[Marshall’s players] are all really good athletes, and they kind of feed off that energy,” Watkins said. “They made a lot of tough layups, but giving that up instead of some threes, helping off drive, is what we’ll give up in games like that.”

Senior Mira Wismer, a 6-1 forward, adds length to a Red Knights team that’s otherwise “undersized,” described Watkins. Wismer finished with 12 rebounds and five blocks, helping the Red Knights outrebound Marshall 41-29.

“Her energy and how hard she works, it brings, honestly, the size of our team up,” Watkins said. “What she does [might not] be flashy, but she’s really like the glue that pulls this team together.”

“It’s a skill,” Ellefson said of her rebounding, “and she has perfected it.”

Wismer dealt with some foul trouble early, as did other Red Knights, with three players finishing with four personal fouls, though the defending champs had the depth to navigate the challenge. Seventh grade guard Jayda Nobles grabbed some key boards in Wismer’s place, finishing with four points and seven rebounds, but also four fouls, in 12 minutes.

— Cassidy Hettesheimer

1A: Sleepy Eye Saint Mary’s secures state semifinal slot

After beating Mayer Lutheran 72-57, Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s will advance to the semifinals on Friday, March 13 at 2 p.m. at Williams Arena.

The Knights were carried to victory by junior guard Morgan Mathiowetz’s 41-point game. The team’s top-scorer went 14-of-25 from the field, including six three pointers.

Junior Hallie Hunter, with 18 points, and senior Izzy Keaveny, with 11 points, led the Crusaders.

— Olivia Hicks

1A: A moment to remember for Mayer Lutheran

Sisters Clara Keaveny and Izzy Keaveny had a play they likely won’t forget anytime soon.

With 10 minutes left in the second half, Clara launched the ball toward the basket into the hands of Izzy for a one-touch layup.

The play helped boost the Crusaders’ chances with a current score of 59-46, Sleepy Eye Saint Mary’s leading.

— Olivia Hicks

1A: Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s looks to boost advantage as second half starts

Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s extended its lead into the second half with junior guard Brynne Ibberson’s layup and free throw putting three extra points on the board. Mayer Lutheran’s leading scorer this game, junior Hallie Hunter, responded on the opposite end.

The Knights lead 52-39.

— Olivia Hicks

1A: It’s the Morgan Mathiowetz show

It shouldn’t be a surprise that one of the state’s top-scorers would show up and show out on the big stage here at Maturi Pavilion, but there’s something about Morgan Mathiowetz’s first half that has the crowd and commentators alike with mouths gaping. Perhaps it’s the 28 points the junior guard put up in just 18 minutes of play.

She’s currently shooting 62% from three-point range, making five of her eight shots. She also made nine of her 14 field-goal attempts. She’s contributed to over half of Sleepy Eye Saint Mary’s points as they lead 43-33 lead over Mayer Lutheran. The Knights will hope she keeps up that form going into the second half.

— Olivia Hicks

Final: Benilde-St. Margaret’s back to defend 3A title

The three-time defending Class 3A champ and No. 2 seed Benilde-St. Margaret’s gets a chance to become the only the second team to win four straight state titles after knocking off No. 3 Marshall, 71-59, in the semifinals — a rematch of last year’s title game.

All-Minnesota junior guard Pressley Watkins led the Red Knights with 21 points, shooting 5-for-8 from three, while sophomore Zaida Jenkins scored 13 and junior guard Sydney Friedly, 13 points and a team-high six assists. Senior forward Mira Wismer finished with five blocks and a team-high 12 rebounds.

The Red Knights, out-rebounding Marshall, 41-28, were especially effective on the defensive glass, and pulled away to start the second half, but they had to navigate foul trouble and a flurry of turnovers (16, to Marshall’s eight). Tigers senior guard Taleigha Bigler finished with eight steals, in addition to her team-high 21 points. Senior guard Reese Drake also scored 21.

Benilde-St. Margaret’s faces No. 1 Stewartville in the Class 3A title game Saturday. Stewartville beat the Red Knights 85-76 in January.

— Cassidy Hettesheimer

1A: Mayer Lutheran attempts to close gap

Junior Hallie Hunter leads Mayer Lutheran in points with 10 and is keeping her team close to Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s, which leads 39-31. Both senior Izzy Keaveny and junior Braylin Stahlke’s layups put points on the board, but it was Clara Keaveny who brought the Crusaders into 30-point territory.

However, no one can quite match Morgan Mathiowetz’s 24 points so far in the first half.

— Olivia Hicks

3A: Tigers’ late scramble

Marshall, down 61-53, has been able to stay within striking distance by drawing fouls and generating turnovers, led by eight steals from senior guard Taleigha Bigler. With three minutes to play, both Alivia Bell and Jayda Nobles have four personal fouls for Benilde-St. Margaret’s.

— Cassidy Hettesheimer

3A: BSM vs. Marshall … the final five minutes

While the Red Knights are outshooting Marshall to keep a 60-50 lead with just over four minutes to play, Benilde-St. Margaret’s has turned the ball over 15 times, and Marshall just seven. Taleigha Bigler is up to 19 points, and Reese Drake 17, to try and claw the Tigers back into this one.

— Cassidy Hettesheimer

3A: Red Knights start strong

Halfway through the second half: Benilde-St. Margaret’s has built back its early lead, up 58-43, forcing a Marshall timeout. They’ve outscored the Tigers 19-9 to start the second half.

Junior guard Pressley Watkins is up to 21 points but still opted for a nice bounce pass in the paint to put Mira Wismer up to six points. Seventh-grader Jayda Nobles, a name to know, has played nice minutes off the bench, with four points and five rebounds in ten minutes. The Red Knights are managing to navigate foul trouble, with four players now with three personal fouls each.

— Cassidy Hettesheimer

1A: Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s takes lead

Junior guard Morgan Mathiowetz is on a roll. Her made free throw gave Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s the lead, 27-20.

In just 10 minutes of play, she’s 5-of-8 from the floor, including 3-of-5 from three-point range. She’s 5-of-5 from the free throw line, giving her 18 total points.

— Olivia Hicks

1A: Mayer Lutheran starts with momentum

Mayer Lutheran scored the first basket on senior Avery Arvig’s shot, assisted by junior Braylin Stahlke. Junior Hallie Hunter followed it up by finding the basket 20 seconds later and then again with a layup.

Sleepy Eye Saint Mary’s responded with top-scorer Morgan Mathiowetz putting two points on the board, followed by a three-pointer. The junior guard has put up all 10 of the Knights’ points.

The Crusaders narrowly lead 13-10.

— Olivia Hicks

3A, second half: Watkins keeps cooking

To help keep Benilde-St. Margaret’s up 51-41 with just over a dozen minutes to play, All-Minnesota junior guard Pressley Watkins hit two more quick three-pointers to start the second half, and junior guard Sydney Friedly sank one of her own. The Red Knights are 9-for-15 from deep; Watkins is 5-for-8.

But All-Minnesota senior guard Reese Drake scored seven of the Tigers’ early second-half points to keep the Tigers close. Avery Fahl, who had 16 points in the Tigers’ quarterfinal win, has been held to just one point so far this afternoon, 0-for-2 from the field, by the Red Knights’ defensive efforts.

— Cassidy Hettesheimer

1A: Hillcrest Lutheran Academy coach uses her own tourney experience to guide team

Back in 2008, Hannah Clark was a captain and top scorer at Fergus Falls High School. She capped off her senior basketball season by leading the Otters to their first state tournament. Nearly two decades later, she’s in a similar position, but this time watching from the bench.

As head coach of the Hillcrest Lutheran Academy Comets, she guided a roster of 12 to the girls basketball state tournament for the first time in program history.

Her biggest piece of advice as a seasoned state tourney visitor and University of Iowa basketball grad? Savor it.

“What we’ve just been telling them, all of us coaches, is just enjoy the moment,” Clark said. “Only 32 teams get to play in the state tournament, and so it’s a real big opportunity for them.”

The team’s 83-55 victory over New Richland-H-E-G was led by eighth-grader Elin Retzlaff and her 31-point game.

“On our team, on any given night, anyone can score,” Retzlaff said. “So the defense focused on Elsa [Retzlaff] and Ella [Knutson], it gave me the opportunity to score, and then it just helped to get in a rhythm.”

“She’s amazing, she really is,” Clark added. “She has just been really growing into her confidence this year, and that’s been fun to see. I think one of the unique things about our team is we are so unselfish. We could care less who gets the points.”

Playing a team game and relishing in this special moment is what Clark wants her players to focus on.

“Yes, it’s about basketball. Yes, we want to win games,” Clark said. “But being able to look in the crowd and see our community and support, that’s what’s going to stick with them as they look back on this experience. I just continue to say, take it all in. Enjoy it, because it does go fast, and I want them to just savor every moment.”

— Olivia Hicks

Stewartville’s “baby freshmen” are all grown up

Jayci Rath and Audrey Shindelar were too young to really soak in the entire experience of Stewartville playing in the state championship game three years ago.

Rath, who had 20 points in Thursday’s 65-51 semifinal win vs. Cretin-Derham Hall, recalled feeling with Shindelar like “baby freshmen playing on this huge stage” when the Tigers lost to Benilde-St. Margaret’s 66-60 in the 2023 title game at Williams Arena.

“We lost a lot of seniors that year,” Rath said. “It took a lot to get back. Audrey and I, and everyone worked so hard to get back to this moment. This team is so amazing.”

Rath and Shindelar enjoyed the ride even more this time as seniors. They’ll have another shot a winning it all Saturday against the winner of Marshall-Benidle St. Margaret’s in the other semifinal.

“It’s just been great to see their growth,” said Tigers coach Tanner Tiege, who took over in the 2023-24 season. “I had the opportunity to step into this position, and they kind of just built that trust. We have that relationship now where we’re able to stay at that level, build and do the things we need to do to be successful.”

As talented freshmen, Rath was a starter and Shindelar was a spark off the bench on the 2022-23 team. Now they’re the team’s leading scorers and victory away from finishing their high school careers with Stewartville’s first state girls basketball championship.

“It means a lot,” said Shindelar, who had 16 points Thursday. “We’re just so excited to be back and have another chance to compete for a state title because it’s a lot of fun.”

— Marcus Fuller

1A Pregame: Mayer Lutheran vs. Sleepy Eye Saint Mary’s

No. 7 seed Mayer Lutheran (25-5) is about to face off against No. 2 seed Sleepy Eye Saint Mary’s (29-1) in the third Class 1A quarterfinal game of the day. Both the Crusaders and the Knights visited the tournament last year and both have star power on their side.

Mayer Lutheran boasts senior sisters Clara and Izzy Keaveny. Clara has a 15.9 points per game average while Izzy has 13.4. The Knights will lean on junior guard and All-Minnesota player Morgan Mathiowetz. A top shooter in Minnesota, the North Dakota State commit recently hit 3,000 career points and has an eye-watering 33.8 points per game average.

This will be an exciting one. Stick around for live updates as tip-off begins.

— Olivia Hicks

Halftime: Benilde-St. Margaret’s gets some breathing room, but foul trouble

Benilde-St. Margaret’s heads into halftime with a 39-32 lead. The Red Knights got off to a hot start, frustrating Marshall defensively to build a 15-2 lead, but the Tigers turned to senior guard Taleigha Bigler (12 points) for six steals and big buckets to help tie things up at 24-24 with six minutes to play in the half.

The Red Knights shored things up defensively going into the final minutes of the first half, with Pressley Watkins hitting her third three-pointer (13 points, 3-for-5 from deep) late to buy some breathing room.

One of the Red Knights’ strengths — their depth — will be tested in the second half, as foul trouble could be something to keep an eye on. The Red Knights picked up 13 first-half fouls, to the Tigers’ 6, with Marshall finishing the half 9-for-16 from the line. Senior forward Mira Wismer picked up her third foul toward the final minutes of the first half, and three other players have two a piece. At 6-1, Wismer provides length for the Red Knights against a tall Marshall team. In high school, players foul out after picking up five personal fouls.

— Cassidy Hettesheimer

Co-op of tiny towns in northern Minnesota makes history with first trip to girls state basketball tournament

Decades after two tiny towns combined their high school sports programs, the Northhome/Kelliher girls basketball team earned their first state tournament appearance when they captured the Section 8, Class 1A championship on March 6.

The team plays in its first state tournament today at 5 p.m. against Central Minnesota Christian.

And the fanfare stretched beyond the communities of Kelliher and Northome, populations 340 and 155 respectively, just north of Bemidji and to the east of Red Lake.

Tribal police escorted the Mustangs home last week after the team secured its spot at the state tournament to compete against bigger teams, including many that have made it there before.

Not so for the Mustangs.

So, even though the Red Lake Warriors compete against the Mustangs, they joined in celebrating this historic moment that has northern Minnesota swelling with pride.

Before the team loaded a bus bound for the Twin Cities on Tuesday, pep fests were held at both K-12 schools about 12 miles apart. Firetrucks and emergency vehicles led parades through both towns, and players high-fived kindergartners in the schools’ hallways.

Read more about Northome/Kelliher’s journey here.

1A: Hillcrest Lutheran Academy will face Mountain Iron-Buhl in semifinals

With a chorus of “I believe that we will win,” echoing onto the court, Hillcrest Lutheran secured its spot in the Class 1A semifinal game against Mountain Iron-Buhl with a 83-55 quarterfinal game against New Richland-H-E-G.

In the fast-paced game, Hillcrest Lutheran eighth-grader Elin Retzlaff was the difference-maker. She made 31 of the team’s total points and made all 18 of her attempted field goals.

Senior guard Gabrielle Schlaak led the Panthers with 20 points while making more than half of her attempted shots. She also made five of her eight attempted three-pointers.

— Olivia Hicks

3A: Marshall ties things up

With just over six minutes to play in the half, Marshall tied the game at 24 — all thanks to a pair of free throws from Danielle Nubile. The Tigers are on a 15-3 run, and the Red Knights have started picking up fouls, with four players with two a piece. The Red Knights have eight turnovers, while Marshall, with five, hasn’t coughed the ball up on this scoring streak.

— Cassidy Hettesheimer

3A: Marshall settles in

Though Benilde-St. Margaret’s held a 21-16 lead halfway through the first half, the Tigers have found the start of a scoring touch. Senior guard Taleigha Bigler’s four steals have helped create a few of those Marshall scoring chances, and she leads the Tigers with five points.

The Red Knights are 4-for-6 from three-point range to start … and they’re still not making it easy for the Tigers on the other end. Freshman Kiera Willis chased down an unmarked Reese Drake, streaking into the paint, for a block from behind.

— Cassidy Hettesheimer

3A: Benilde stifles to start

Good defensive start for the Red Knights, up 15-2 in the first half, with junior Pressley Watkins, senior Mira Wismer, junior Alivia Bell each picking up early steals, including Bell’s nice play to swat away a Tigers pass and assist Wismer in transition. Wismer stuffed another Tigers try in the paint and grabbed her own block. It’s tough to get past the Red Knights right now, forcing Marshall into a timeout just five minutes in.

Watkins leads the Red Knights with six points, sinking two of her three shots from deep.

— Cassidy Hettesheimer

1A: Hillcrest Lutheran extends lead to 30+

New Richland-H-E-G and Hillcrest Lutheran are trading shots, but the Comets lead 68-36.

The Panthers got a spark Chloe Stork’s three-pointer, followed by Quinn Vanmaldeghem’s layup, but Hillcrest always came back. Senior Comet Ella Knutson is standing out this half with a layup followed by a three-pointer followed by another layup.

— Olivia Hicks

1A: Hillcrest continues shooting streak

New Richland-H-E-G started the second half with the momentum, something the Panthers desperately needed. Senior guard Gabrielle Schlaak opened things up with a three-pointer seven seconds in, but Hillcrest Lutheran Academy responded with Ella Knutson’s layup as the Comets continued to score.

Sophomore Aaveah Stender and eighth-grader Elin Retzlaff’s three-pointers extended Hillcrest Lutheran’s lead to 49-22.

— Olivia Hicks

3A: Marshall looks for revenge in 2025 championship rematch

Next up, we get to see whether No. 2 Benilde-St. Margaret’s or No. 3 Marshall will face No. 1 Stewartville in Saturday’s Class 3A championship game.

Ahead of this year’s tournament, Strib Varsity reporter Marcus Fuller dove into the interesting history between these two schools — on the basketball court, and on the volleyball court, where some of today’s players do double-duty.

That history includes Benilde-St. Margaret’s winning its third consecutive Class 3A basketball title by defeating Marshall 73-57 in last year’s basketball state championship game. These teams haven’t faced one another this year, teeing up a win-or-go-home rematch.

We’ve seen plenty of deep teams take the court at this year’s state tournament, but perhaps no squad challenges opponents to “pick your poison” like the five-time champ Red Knights (24-6). Seven Red Knights players have a season-high of 18 points or more, but no player averages more than 14 points per game. In an 88-53 quarterfinal win over No. 7 Rock Ridge on Wednesday, March 11, it was freshman Kiera Willis leading the way with 19 points and seven rebounds, followed by junior Sydney Friedley with 15 points and a team-high four assists, while senior Mira Wismer had 13 points and eight rebounds.

That depth and variety has been their method to wining most of the year and helped them knock off the top-ranked team in Class 3A, Orono, in their section title game.Meanwhile, Marshall (26-4) is seeking its first state championship since the program won a pair in 2000 and 2001. The Tigers have finished runner-up five times since, including last season. All-Minnesota senior guard Reese Drake averages over 20 points per game, surrounded by a crew of talented teammates. In a 70-44 quarterfinal win over Totino-Grace, junior forward Avery Schneekloth led with 18 points, senior forward Avery Fahl put up 17 and Drake finished with 16 points and seven rebounds and assists. Senior guard Taleigh Bigler grabbed a team-high 14 boards.

— Cassidy Hettesheimer

1A: Retzlaffs dominate first half

With a minute left in the first half, sophomore Elsa Retzlaff put up five points with a three-pointer followed by a layup for Hillcrest Lutheran. Her total came to 10 points, trailing behind eighth-grader Elin Retzlaff’s 18 points this half.

In a game that started with a constant back-and-forth pace, the Comets have found a strategy that works: attacking the basket and keeping the pressure on with repeated shots. Both teams are fast, but Hillcrest’s shots have been more accurate with 14 of the team’s 31 field goals finding the bottom of the net. Only five of New Richland-H-E-G’s 27 attempts have gone in.

— Olivia Hicks

Fifty years of girls basketball state championships

This year’s girls basketball state tournament is the 50th anniversary of the championship series conducted by the Minnesota State High School League for the sport.

This year’s state tournament also marks the 51st anniversary of the first championship season for girls basketball in Minnesota.

Here’s a quick history lesson:

In the early 1970s, girls basketball grew quickly statewide. By 1972, there were 172 teams, the next year 220. The 1974-75 school year saw more than 400 girls basketball teams competing — about half in the fall and half in the winter.

The 1974-75 school year saw two champions crowned in girls basketball. In March 1976, the first “official” state tournament — with two classes — was held at Met Sports Center in Bloomington. St. Paul Central (Class 2A) and Redwood Falls (Class 1A) were the first official champions.

Read more about the history of the tournament by Joel Rippel.

3A: Stewartville reaches first title game since 2023

Stewartville’s girls basketball program had never been to the state tournament until 2023, but now it will be playing in the title game for the second time in four seasons.

The top-seeded Tigers extended their win streak to 28 straight Thursday with a 65-51 victory against No. 4 Cretin-Derham Hall in the Class 3A semifinals. Seniors Audrey Shindelar and Jayci Rath combined for 36 points.

Rath, a St. Thomas recruit, scored 12 of her 20 points in the second half. She also finished 5-for-8 on three-pointers. Shindelar, a South Dakota State recruit, had 11 of her 16 points in the first half.

The Tigers (29-1), who lost to Benilde-St. Margaret’s in the 2023 Class 3A championship, will play Saturday against the winner of Marshall-BSM in the second semifinal Thursday at Williams Arena.

The Raiders (23-8), who were led by Madeleine Hamiel’s 15 points, will play in the third place game Saturday.

— Marcus Fuller

1A: Gabrielle Schlaak leads New Richland-H-E-G

New Richland-H-E-G is scrambling to bridge the gap against the Hillcrest Comets, thanks to senior guard Gabrielle Schlaak. She’s scored five points of the Panthers’ nine points.

But Hillcrest is proving difficult to catch. Eighth-grader Elin Retzlaff leads the team with 12 points. She’s made two of her four three-pointer attempts and is 4-of-8 from he floor.

Hillcrest leads 23-9 with six minutes left in the half.

— Olivia Hicks

1A: Hillcrest puts on the pressure early

Hillcrest Lutheran Academy scored first in this 1A quarterfinal game with senior Elsa Retzlaff’s layup. Eighth-grader Elin Retzlaff followed with a shot before it was New Richland-H-E-G’s turn to put points on the board. Senior guard Gabrielle Schlaak’s three-pointer.

It’s a close start to the game with Hillcrest leading 10-7.

— Olivia Hicks

1A: The secret behind Mountain Iron-Buhl’s one-loss season

Mountain Iron-Buhl had a near-perfect regular season, with its only loss to Class 3A Rock Ridge. The Rangers knew they had put in the work all year and brought that mentality to the big stage at Maturi Pavilion for a 75-62 state quarterfinal game against Braham on Thursday, March 12.

“They put in a lot of time, they’re all playing year round, they all put in extra time shooting and they’ve earned it,” coach Jeff Buffetta said. “It’s one of those things that it’s just not a given to get here. They’ve earned the right to get here. When you have moments like this — we haven’t had a lot of moments like this — you have to be able to handle it mentally and physically.”

The team came out swinging in the first half, leading 53-22, but that form waned in the second as the Braham Bombers pressed to close the gap.

“We could have handled it better, but it’s an experience and it comes back tomorrow,” Buffetta said.

No one was more motivated to win than game top-scorer and senior guard Aniyah Thomas. Her 22 game points not only kept the team afloat, but she was a key figure in keeping the team steady when things got tight.

“When it started getting closer, we started kind of just getting frantic with the ball and throwing it,” Thomas said. “My role was to try to help my team calm down, control the floor, control the pace of the game and just make the easy pass and move the ball, because something’s going to be open if we keep running our offense.”

When the pressure got to the team, Thomas reminded herself of the senior girls in leadership roles when she was at state previously.

“I was working hard for those minutes the previous years,” Thomas said. “I was able to play a few minutes here and there and just gave it my all within those minutes to help the older girls and let the older girls do their thing. But now it’s kind of my turn. So I think that’s just a full circle moment.”

— Olivia Hicks

3A: Stewartville’s three-point shooting helps get separation

Stewartville’s defense was the story of the first half to stay in control against Cretin-Derham Hall in Thursday’s Class 3A semifinals.

It was offense that gave the Tigers a double-digit lead to start the second half.

Audrey Shindelar, Jayci Rath and Leah Hebl hit three-pointers for Stewartville to take a 43-32 lead midway through the second half. The Raiders had held the Tigers to just 1-for-6 shooting from beyond the arc in the first half.

In Wednesday’s quarterfinal win vs. Willmar, Stewartville shot 8-for-22 from long distance, including Shindelar’s four three-pointers.

— Marcus Fuller

3A: Stewartville holds off CDH surge before halftime

Stewartville threatened to stretch its lead to double figures a few times in the first half of Thursday’s Class 3A semifinals, but Cretin-Derham Hall stayed in the fight.

Audrey Shindelar, who had a game-high 11 points in the first half, broke down a few defenders for a layup to make it 23-15 Tigers with just under three minutes left. CDH freshman Isabella Deleeuw scored back-to-back layups to make it a four-point margin.

Shindelar scored again late in the first half to give Stewartville a seven-point advantage, but Raiders freshman Madeleine Hamiel muscled in a basket — plus the foul — with nine seconds remaining. Hamiel, who didn’t have her first field goal until the 3:09 mark, finished off the three-point play to pull within 28-24 at halftime.

The Raiders impressively stayed within striking distance after Stewartville held them to 31% shooting from the field (10-for-32) in the first half.

— Marcus Fuller

1A, Pregame: New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva vs Hillcrest Lutheran Academy

No. 5 seed New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva (27-3) is preparing to tip off against No. 4 seed Hillcrest Lutheran Academy (28-2) here at Maturi Pavilion.

The winner plays Mountain Iron-Buhl in the semifinals.

The two have yet to meet this season and both will look to their top-scorers to be the difference makers. For New Richland-H-E-G, twin sisters Camryn and Quinn Vanmaldeghem lead with Camryn’s 29.3 points per game and Quinn’s 13.8 rebounds per game.

It’s Hillcrest Lutheran Academy’s maiden tournament visit and the No. 4 seed will attempt to make a strong first impression. The Comets are led by eighth-grader Elin Retzlaff’s 16 points per game average.

The action will begin shortly, so stay tuned for updates.

— Olivia Hicks

1A: Mountain Iron-Buhl punches ticket to semifinals

After a regular season with only one loss, the Mountain Iron-Buhl Rangers have extended their winning ways with a 75-62 Class 1A quarterfinal victory over Braham. The game was even closer compared to the last time the two met, with just a 13-point gap compared to the win in January by 16 points.

Aniyah Thomas and Paige Norman led the team in points with 22 points for Thomas and 15 for Norman, but Braham junior guard Morgan Rysdam led the entire game with 32 points.

The Rangers will compete in the semifinals on Friday, March 13 at 12 p.m. for a shot at playing in the final.

— Olivia Hicks

3A: CDH goes on lengthy scoring drought

Cretin-Derham Hall went from having one of its best offensive starts of the season to the worst.

The Tigers forced CDH to shoot 5-for-22 from the field to start today’s Class 3A semifinals. The Raiders also went on a four-minute scoring drought, which finally ended with a rainbow shot from Gabriella Hoban to make it 11-8 at the 8:37 mark.

Freshman Madeleine Hamiel had 34 points vs. Hill-Murray, but she didn’t score her first points until two free throws with 7:13 left in the first half. Hamiel was 0-for-4 from the field with her team trailing 21-13 with 4 ½ minutes left in the half. The Raiders blitzed Hill-Murray in the Class 3A quarterfinals with a 19-point victory while shooting 52%, but they were shooting just 23% late in the first half on Thursday afternoon vs. Stewartville.

— Marcus Fuller

1A: Braham’s Morgan Rysdam leads game in points

Of any player from either roster, it’s Braham junior guard Morgan Rysdam who is finding her groove this half. She’s the top scorer out of any player with 32 points this game. She’s made 10 of her 16 field goal attempts.

The Mountain Iron-Buhl student section unsuccessfully tried to knock Rysdam off her game with shouts of “Morgan! Morgan! Morgan!” as she closed MIB’s lead to 72-61.

— Olivia Hicks

3A: Defensive battle to start Class 3A semifinals

Stewartville and Cretin-Derham Hall scored 73 and 84 points in their quarterfinal victories, respectively, on Wednesday, March 11. The scoring wouldn’t come as easily in the next round, though.

Both teams brought hard-nosed and physical defense into today’s semifinals. That resulted in CDH and Stewartville combining to shoot 3-for-14 from the field to start, which included missing their first five shots.

The Tigers scored their second field goal of the game on a layup from Leah Hebl to take a 7-6 lead. What’s helped is going 3-for-6 from the free throw line up to that point.

Cretin-Derham Hall’s Madelein Hamiel and Stewartville’s Audrey Shindelar combined for 60 points in the quarterfinals, but they’ve started today’s game with a total of three points on combined 1-for-5 shooting with just under 12 minutes left in the first half.

— Marcus Fuller

1A: Morgan Rysdam and Aniyah Thomas trade shots

Both Mountain Iron-Buhl and Braham had trouble connecting passes in what felt like a slow crawl of a game halfway through the second half. Senior Ranger Aniyah Thomas’ pass to junior Paige Norman went wide, and Braham’s lineup couldn’t seem to find each other on the court.

But that changed when Braham junior guard Morgan Rysdam’s three-pointer lit a fire. The shot was quickly met by back-to-back three-pointers thrown by Thomas.

The score sits at 66-40.

— Olivia Hicks

1A: Mountain Iron-Buhl stomps out any Braham momentum

Junior guard Morgan Rysdam opened the second half with a three-pointer, assisted by Jenna Beck. The Braham Bombers successfully prevented any points from the Mountain Iron-Buhl roster for nearly two minutes after the start of the half.

At the 15:24 mark, however, the Rangers were able to stretch their lead to 55-27 with Izzy Wiitta’s shot finding the basket.

— Olivia Hicks

1A: Top-scoring duo Paige Norman and Aniyah Thomas lead first half

Junior guard Anna Holmstrom may lead the team in points per game this season for Mountain Iron-Buhl, but junior Paige Norman and senior Aniyah Thomas are the standouts in this game so far, making up over half of the Rangers’ 53 first-half points. Braham has scored 22 points total.

Norman’s 15 points are just ahead of Thomas’ 14. The junior is 3-for-3 from beyond the arc while Thomas is shooting 75% from the field — completing six of eight shots.

The Braham Bombers looked to top-scorer Morgan Rysdam for points leadership. With eight points, the junior guard completed two of her four attempted three-pointers but couldn’t compete with the Rangers’ control of the first half.

— Olivia Hicks

3A Pregame: Stewartville vs. Cretin-Derham Hall

No. 1 seed Stewartville (28-1) enters today’s Class 3A semifinals against Cretin-Derham Hall on a 27-game winning streak that started after a loss against Lakeville South on Nov. 22. During that streak, the Tigers had only two wins under double digits.

In Wednesday’s quarterfinals, Stewartville senior Audrey Shindelar scored 26 points in a 73-54 victory against No. 8 Willmar at Maturi Pavilion. Shindelar’s younger sister, Danika, also contributed with 11 points, eight assists, eight rebounds and six steals in the game.

The Tigers are vying for their first championship game appearance since finishing 2023 runner-up against Benilde-St. Margaret’s.

Fourth-seeded- Cretin-Derham Hall (22-8) advanced to today’s semifinals after an 84-65 win against No. 5 Hill-Murray on March 11 at Maturi Pavilion. Freshman Madeleine Hamiel led the team with 34 points, 12 rebounds and eight steals in the game.

The Raiders, who have played in back-to-back state tournaments, are looking for their first championship game appearance since winning the 1999 Class 4A title.

— Marcus Fuller

1A: Anna Neyens looks for three-pointer shots

Junior guard Anna Neyens has an eye for three-pointers and she’s proving she isn’t afraid to take them for Mountain Iron-Buhl. Neyens leads the Rangers in attempted three-pointers with three. She’s made two of them, coming close to junior Paige Norman’s 2-of-2 form.

Norman brings MIB’s lead to 34-8.

— Olivia Hicks

1A: Braham’s top-scorer attempts to narrow points gap

It’s looking like junior guard Morgan Rysdam is hoping to carry her 22.1 points per game average into this 1A quarterfinal. After Mountain Iron-Buhl junior guard Anna Neyens’ three-pointer missed the basket, Rysdam secured a rebound and a three-pointer for Braham. Her chance at a second three-pointer just missed.

The Rangers are up 24-4 with just over 10 minutes left in the first half.

— Olivia Hicks

1A: Junior Paige Norman on fire after tip-off

Braham had the first possession and took the first shot of the game, but it’s been all MIB since. Mountain Iron-Buhl sophomore guard Izzy Wiitta’s rebound off a Braham missed layup put the Rangers firmly in control. Junior 6-footer Paige Norman’s back-to-back three-pointers within a minute of each other created a 9-1 cushion for Mountain Iron-Buhl.

— Olivia Hicks

1A Pregame: Mountain Iron-Buhl vs. Braham

The Class 1A quarterfinals are underway here at Maturi Pavilion as No. 1 seed Mountain Iron-Buhl (28-1) gets ready to take on No. 8 seed Braham (24-6).

The two last met in late January with a close 69-53 game with Mountain Iron-Buhl coming out on top. The Rangers have had a near-perfect season, only losing to Class 3A Rock Ridge. They will attempt to keep up that form today, buoyed by junior guard Anna Holmstrom’s 16.9 point per game.

The Braham Bombers have top-scoring junior guard Morgan Rysdam, who averages 22.1 points per game and 7.6 rebounds per game, on their roster. She put up 21 points and eight rebounds in the game against the Rangers earlier in the season.

I’ll be here all day with updates as the Class 1A quarterfinals begin. Stick around for updates.

— Olivia Hicks