The stage is set for the 2024-25 Girls State Basketball tournament at Williams Arena and the Maturi Pavilion on the campus of the University of Minnesota later next week with the conclusion of respective section championship games last night.
The Walker-Hackensack-Akeley Wolves are back-to-back Section 5A champs after a thrilling 61-59 overtime upset win over the seventh-ranked Braham Bombers at SCSU on Friday night. The Wolves head to the tourney with a 25-4 record overall. WHA lost in the consolation finals to Mayer Lutheran last season. This is WHA’s second state tournament appearance.
The West Central Area Knights (23-6) entered the Section 6A playoffs as the two-seed in the south Sub-Section, but fought their way to the section title after a 56-51 win over defending section champion Underwood. Addison Staples’ 21 points led the Knights. This is WCA’s second state tournament appearance in program history, and their first since the 2021 season.
The rest of the Class A tournament field includes defending state champion Goodhue (24-5), Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s (29-2), MACCRAY (23-5), Mayer Lutheran (26-3), Cromwell-Wright (25-4), and Sacred Heart (24-6)
In Class AA, the Minnewaska Area Lakers won the Section 3AA championship, overcoming an early 15-3 defecit to beat Fairmont 53-38 on Thursday night. Sydney Dahl led the Lakers with 13 points, with Lauryn Ankeny adding 11 in the win. Minnewaska also knocked off the number-three team in the state and defending section champion New London-Spicer in the semifinals to get to this point. The Lakers (27-3), are the sixth-ranked team in Class AA to finish out the season. This is the fifth state appearance in program history, and their first since taking second in 1999.
The top-seed in Section 6AA Sauk Centre Mainstreeters are headed back to state after a 60-37 win over Milaca last night. Sauke Centre (27-2) is heading to state for the 10th time in team history, making the tournament for the first time since 2020.
The Crosby-Ironton Rangerettes are headed back to state for the third-straight season after a 59-46 win over Proctor in the Section 7AA championship game at UMD last night. Regan Juenemann led CI with 23 points, Gopher committ Tori Oehrlein added 17 in the win. The three-time defending section champions are undefeated at 30-0 and are the number-two ranked team in the state, behind only defending state champion Providence Academy. C-I is averaging nearly 90 points per game this season. C-I took fourth place at state last year.
In Section 8AA, the Heart O Lakes Conference’s Barnesville Trojans won a thriller over top-seed Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton at Concordia College last night 57-56 to capture the 8AA crown. Abby John’s layup with 48 seconds left gave Barnesville the lead, and the team held on their their first section title since 2007. Barnesville enters the tournament 22-6 overall. This is their fourth state appearance in program history.
The rest of the Class AA field includes Caledonia (27-3), New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva (23-5), Minnehaha Academy (20-9), and defending champion Providence Academy (29-0).
The Alexandria Cardinals (24-4) of Section 8AAA are headed back to the state tournament for the fourth time in the last five seasons after a 73-52 win over Fergus Falls on Thursday. All five Cardinals starters were in double figures that night, led by SDSU committ Hadley Thul’s 16 points. Chloe Scholl, who will play at Gustavus Adolphus next season, added 15, MaCee Linow had 14, Kate Hennessey netted 11, and Allie Haabala had 10. This is Alexandria’s 14th trip to the state tournament and are looking for their first title since 1999. They finished third last year.
The rest of Class AAA includes Stewartville (21-8), Marshall (27-1), Cretin-Derham Hall (20-9), DeLaSalle (24-5), Monticello (29-0), defending champion Benilde-St. Margaret’s (23-6), and Rock Ridge (24-5).
In Class AAAA, the Brainerd Warriors (25-4) are making their first state tournament appearance since 1997 after a comeback win over top-seed St. Michael-Albertville 70-54 in Thursday’s 8AAAA title game. Brainerd outscored the Knights 47-26 in the second half to erase a 28-23 halftime deficit and improve to 25-4. Mya Tautges led all scorers with 23 points. It’s Brainerd’s fourth state trip in program history.
The rest of the AAAA field includes Lakeville North (18-11), Chaska (18-11), Eastview (25-3), White Bear Lake (20-9), Maple Grove (26-2), Hopkins (24-5), and Anoka (20-8).
The Girls State Basketball tournament runs March 12-15.