2017 Class AAA State Girls Basketball Tournament Preview

              2017 CLASS AAA STATE GIRLS BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT QUARTERFINAL SCHEDULE

                           Games played Tuesday, March 14 at Target Center, Minneapolis
6:00:  Willmar vs. Orono (Seed 1)
8:00:  Alexandria (Seed 5) vs. Grand Rapids (Seed 4)
                           Games played Wednesday, March 15 at Mariucci Arena, Minneapolis
10:00:  Waseca vs. Holy Angels (Seed 2)
12:00:  DeLaSalle vs. Winona (Seed 3)

Examining the Field:  The Willmar Cardinals return to state for the first time since 2010 and it won't be an easy task for the red and white since they take on the top seeded Orono Spartans.The Spartans advance with their second win this season over their Wright County Conference rivals the Hutchinson Tigers.  In 2015, they took home the the third place trophy by beating the Kasson-Mantorville Komets.  Can they upgrade their medals in 2017?

Concluding Tuesday's festivities is the fifth seeded Alexandria Cardinals and the fourth seeded Grand Rapids Thunderhawks.  The Cardinals have a senior dominated roster that's marks he school's first trip to state since 2011.  Thunderhawks fans will have more to cheer about as they will head down Highway 169 four days after the boys hockey team won the Class AA boys hockey state title  Last year, they lost to the Winona Winhawks in the Class AAA quarterfinals.  It should be an interesting match up.

The scene shifts to Mariucci Arena on the University of Minnesota campus Wednsday as the Waseca Bluejays make their state tournament debut against the second seeded and defending state Class AAA champions the Holy Angels Stars.  Waseca swept the Mankato schools, East and West and beat New Ulm to clinch their first trip to state.  Head coach Dan Woods brings back several players from last year's title team that includes Destinee Oberg and the two Megans, Meyer and Thompson.  Can Destinee lead the Stars to their final destiny of the season, their second consecutive Class AAA championship?

Wrapping up the Class AAA quarterfinals is the DeLaSalle Islanders and the third seeded Winona Winhawks.  The Islanders were seeded fourth in Section 4 and they pulled off the upset against the top seeded Mahtomedi Zephyrs and beat the third seeded St. Anthony Village Huskies.  They hope to continue their momentum against the Winhawks, who make their return trip up Highway 61 after they lost to Holy Angels in last year's Class AAA title game.  Winona has won eight straight games since they beat a Big Nine Conference rival that spent a week as the top team in Class AAA the Northfield Raiders.  There could be a rematch of last year's championship game if both Winona and Holy Angels win on Wednesday.