2017 Class A State Girls Basketball Tournament Preview

                            2017 CLASS A STATE GIRLS BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT QUARTERFINAL SCHEDULE
                                                    Games played Thursday, March 16 at Mariucci Arena in Minneapolis

11:00:  Southwest MN Christian vs. Mountain Iron-Buhl (Seed 1)
1:00:  Maranatha Christian Academy (Seed 5) vs. Ada-Borup (Seed 4)
3:00:  GRHEC/Truman/Martin Luther vs. Goodhue (Seed 2)
5:00:  Red Lake vs. Cromwell-Wright (Seed 3)

Examining the Field:  It's south vs. north to open the Class A quarterfinals as the Southwest MN Christian Eagles head up from Edgerton for their seventh trip to Minneapolis against the top seeded and top ranked Mountain Iron-Buhl Rangers.  It's the sixth straight year head coach Jeff Buffetta has led the Rangers to a state tournament berth and this year could be the year that they become the first Iron Range team to win a state title since Chisholm in 1984.  They have experience in seniors Chelsea Mason, Mya Buffetta and Patty Overbye as well as good young talent that has been the key to MI-B's success.  The Rangers only loss this season was to the top ranked team in Class AA, the Roseau Rams.  Girls basketball fans could be celebrating in the Iron Range come Saturday afternoon.

Two perennial powers, the fifth seeded Maranatha Christian Academy Mustangs and the fourth seeded Ada-Borup Cougars battle in the second quarterfinal game.  The Mustangs have played in every state tournament since 2010 and face the cougars, who have not lost a game since they fell to Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton in the season opener.  Head coach David Smart has built a powerhouse in northwestern Minnesota that has won three state titles and also has one of the best pep bands you'll hear at any state tournament.  Don't count out the Cougars.  They could be a legitimate threat to Mountain Iron-Buhl's chance at a state title.

The team with the longest name in the tournament Granada Huntley/East Chain/Truman/Martin Luther has a tough task ahead as the Mustangs take on the second seeded and defending Class A champion Goodhue Wildcats.  It may be the first state tournament for the current combination of GRHEC/Truman?Martin Luther but not for head coach Rick Uttech, who led East Chain to the 1982 Class A final, losing to the Moose Lake Lakers.  The Wildcats have their version of Three Sisters, Madeline,  Lexie and Sydney Lodermeier.  Goodhue is on an eight game winning streak.  Will there be purple reign at The Barn?

Wrapping up the Class A quarterfinals are the Red Lake Warriors and the third seeded Cromwell-Wright Cardinals.  The Warriors are not only making their first trip to Minneapolis, they are also the first Native American team to play in the tournament since it began in 1976.  The Warriors are on a 15 game winning streak since they lost to Mountain Iron-Buhl and they have won by an average margin of 23 points in the Section 8 tournament.  The Cardinals return to state for the first time since 2004.  They got off to a 9-0 start and have gone 16-4 since they lost to the Rangers on December 29.  Could another rematch be in the wings?

That's the state tournament preview.  There's a lot of action coming up over five days of tournament play.