MINNEAPOLIS-For the first time in the four-class era, two undefeated girls basketball teams will meet for a state championship. Elk River ensured that with a 57-56 victory over Lakeville North in the Class 4A semifinals at 8 p.m. Thursday night at Williams Arena on the University of Minnesota campus.
The victory sends the No. 2-seeded Elks (31-0) into the big-school championship game on Saturday night against No. 1 Hopkins (31-0).
Senior guard Gabi Haack scored 15 of her 20 points in the second half for the Elks. Kramer and senior forward Sidney Wentland had 10 points each.
Lakeville North (28-3), the No. 3 seed, was attempting to make its first return trip to the state championship game since winning the Class 4A crown in 2010.
Hopkins 64, Eastview 59
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MINNEAPOLIS-Paige Bueckers scored 31 points and Raena Suggs added 16 as Hopkins held off a late Eastview rally for a 64-59 victory Thursday night at Williams Arena in a MSHSL State Girls Basketball Class 4A semifinal game.
The Royals (31-0) advanced to the Championship Game for the sixth time in seven years.
Bueckers, a freshman guard who scored 31 in the Royals' quarterfinal win over Minnetonka, was 12-for-16 from the field, snared six rebounds and had three steals.
Rachel Ranke led Eastview (24-7) with 19 points and a game high five steals. Allie Pickrain added 15 for the Lightning.
Holy Angels 43 Winona 58,
MINNEAPOLIS-Winona jumped to an 8-2 lead in the first six minutes and never looked back to defeat Holy Angels 58-43 in a Class 3A semifinal game at Williams Arena Thursday.
The third-seeded Winhawks, who lost to the Stars in last year's 3A title game, improved to 26-4 overall. They will face Orono, also 26-4, for the 3A championship at 6 p.m. Saturday at Williams Arena.
Justine Schultz led the Winhawks with 14 points. Eden Nibbelink, a 6-2 senior guard, added 12 points and recorded five blocks. Danneka Voegeli had 11 rebounds and Abby Winter had 10.
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Destinee Oberg, a sophomore guard, led Holy Angels with a game-high 15 points and 13 rebounds.
Holy Angels (25-4) will face Alexandria (26-5) for third place at 4 p.m. Saturday at Gangelhoff Center at Concordia University in St. Paul.
Orono 50, Alexandria 34
MINNEAPOLIS-Top-seeded Orono used mini-runs in the second half to pull away from Alexandria for a 50-34 victory in the Class 3A semifinals Thursday at Williams Arena.
The victory sends the Spartans (26-4) into a state championship game for the first time in three state tournament trips. Senior guard Tori Andrew powered the Spartans with 18 points and senior guard Natalie Smaron added 14.
Alexandria, which made just 3 of 19 shots in the second half, was paced by senior guard Kara Thomson and senior center Kayla Feldhake, both of whom had nine points.
Alexandria, which will play in the 3A third-place game Saturday at Concordia St. Paul, was 8 of 20 from the field in the first half, including 4 of 10 from 3-point range. Senior guard Kara Thomson paced the Cardinals (26-5) with nine points in the first half. She was 3 of 3 from 3-point range.
-- mshsl.org
