Once again, the talented and athletic Minneota Vikings are state-tournament bound in high school girls’ basketball. The defending Class A state champions — after trailing by six points (16-10) midway through the first half — whipped Southwest Minnesota Christian by a decisive final score of 78-50 at Southwest Minnesota State University (SMSU) in Marshall last Friday, claiming another Section 3A championship.
Minneota, which was recently in Class AA for a couple of years, has become a dominant force in both volleyball and basketball, winning multiple sectional titles and a combined five state championships — three in volleyball and two in girls’ basketball.
The Vikings won their first Class A volleyball state championship in 2006 — after defeating Heron Lake-Okabena, known then as Southwest Star Concept (SSC) in the section finals — and have claimed the last two state crowns, winning back-to-back in 2018 and 2019. Minneota has been the Class A volleyball runner-up four times (2001, 2005, 2009 and 2017).
After edging a great Fulda squad in a drama-filled triple overtime thriller for the 2005 Section 3A girls’ basketball title, the Vikings — eight years later —won their first girls’ basketball state championship in 2013. Minneota was the Class A runner-up in 2014 and last March finished a 30-1 season with its second basketball title, winning a state championship in both volleyball and basketball in the same school year. That could happen again this year?
Minneota’s 10-girl basketball roster has just one senior, only two juniors, five sophomores and two freshmen. They certainly appear to be a continual dynasty.
Windom capped an excellent season of girls’ basketball with a trio of victories in the 3AA South-Sub-Section Tournament, advancing to the sectional championship game following wins over Montevideo (69-58), Redwood Valley (62-51) and Luverne (54-52). The Eagles buzzer-beating victory over a young Luverne squad at Worthington last Tuesday (March 3) was one of the best and exciting all-around games I have seen this winter.
Windom played perennial power New London-Spicer (18 state tournaments) even up for 23 minutes at Marshall Friday night, knotting the score at 29-29 five minutes into the second half. The 27-1 Wildcats, however, unleashed an effective fast-break attack and took control down the stretch — pulling away for a 65-47 victory, putting the brakes on Windom’s six-game winning streak as the Eagles finished a fine year with a 19-9 overall record, having won 11-of-12 before their loss to NL-S.
There were four great boys’ games played on the SMSU court Saturday as four Section 3A sub-section champions were crowned.
In the day’s first clash, top-seeded Central Minnesota Christian (out of Prinsburg, near Willmar) defeated third-seeded Lac qui Parle Valley (Appleton, Milan, Madison, Marietta-Nassau) in a close battle from start to finish. The Bluejays, who recently won three straight section titles (2015, 2016 and 2017), ended up winning the 3A North Sub-Section championship by a final score of 64-56.
In the afternoon’s second game, defending section champion and second-seeded Westbrook-Walnut Grove played well in the South Sub-Section title clash against top-seeded and undefeated (27-0) Southwest Minnesota Christian. Six minutes into the second half, the Chargers held a 40-35 lead and had the ball with a chance to go up by seven or eight. But the Eagles got a defensive stop and forced several more turnovers, while rattling off 13 unanswered points to earn a 48-40 lead, which they extended to a 60-48 victory, avenging last year’s dramatic one-point (74-73) loss to W-WG in the 2019 sub-section finals.
The two Christian High Schools play Thursday (March 12) for the section championship at SMSU with a 5 p.m. tipoff.
Both Class AA championship games were played Saturday evening.
Minnewaska Area (Glenwood, Starbuck and Villard) edged Redwood Valley in a thriller for the 3AA North Sub-Section title, 51-50. Aaron Ver Steeg — the grandson of Heron Lake’s Dean Garoutte, a long-time loyal supporter of high school athletics and a genuine Minnesota Twins fan — scored 13 timely points for the Lakers. Aaron’s mother, Denise — the youngest of 10 — grew up in Heron Lake and played high school sports for both the Scarlet Knights (HL-O) and the Silver Bullets (HL-O-Lakefield) in the late 1980s.
Jackson County Central rallied from an early deficit and held off Fairmont (56-51) to claim the 3AA South Sub-Section championship. The Huskies, coached by Alex Hein, will play Minnewaska at SMSU Thursday (8 p.m.) for an opportunity to participate in this year’s state tournament.
Hein graduated from Fulda High School in 2009 and played multiple sports for the Raiders. After earning his teaching degree at Dordt College in Sioux Center, Iowa, Hein taught and coached several years in St. James. He is completing his second year as JCC’s head coach.
Alex’s dad, Randy Hein, continues to organize the still-popular Fulda Men’s League, which is in its 40th winter of providing basketball opportunities for adults. After three games of opening-round tournament action last Wednesday, the championship game between Heron Lake and this year’s new team — The Midgets, also known as the “Iron Five” — tips off at 8 p.m. tonight (Wednesday, March 11).
Fulda’s Justin Dierks, along with Brewster’s Kurt Obermoller and the Westbrook trio of Tyson Elzenga, Tristan Joel and Cole Bunting are the five young players who never take a rest and have won more often than not since joining the League this year.
Heron Lake, captained by 51-year-old Mark Fest (who still can swish 3-pointers), has played in the League for years and has claimed several championships in the past. The Lakers needed to win twice last week—which they did, advancing them to this week’s finals.
