(Games played Wednesday, March 11)
AT WILLIAMS ARENA
6:00: Concordia Academy vs. Rochester Lourdes (Seed 1)
8:00: Waseca (Seed 5) vs. Pelican Rapids (Seed 4)
AT MATURI PAVILION
6:00: Providence Academy vs. Sauk Centre (Seed 2)
8:00: Duluth Marshall vs. New London-Spicer (Seed 3)
Examining the field: A new champion will be crowned in Class AA due to the Concordia Academy Beacons ending the Minnehaha Academy Redhawks six year run as Section 4 champions. That's the good news for the Roseville school. Now the bad news. They go up against the top ranked and top seeded Rochester Lourdes Eagles. One of the top girls basketball programs in the state, the Eagles advanced to their 19th state tournament and will battle for their ninth state title trophy, the first for current head coach Aaron Berg, who took over the coaching reigns after Myron Glass retired. Can the Beacons lights shine bright against the top seeded Eagles or will the home of the Mayo Clinic add another state title?
Closing the day's festivities at The Barn is the Waseca Bluejays, playing their first season in Class AA after the sections were reconfigured last spring by the Minnesota State High School League. The Bluejays head to Minneapolis winning nine of their last ten games. The opposition is the fourth seeded Pelican Rapids Vikings, heading down I-94 for the first time since 2013. The Vikings are unbeaten at 29-0 and they are seeded fourth? They were the second seed in Section 8 and beat the top seeded Fergus Falls Otters. Can Pelican Rapids prove that they are one of the top teams in Minnesota and set up a possible showdown with Rochester Lourdes?
Next door at Maturi Pavilion, the Providence Academy Lions are back in the state tournament for the first time since 2013. The lions are on a five game winning streak and go up against the powerhouse from the home of Sinclair Lewis, Sauk Centre. Head coach Scott Bergman has led the Mainstreeters into their ninth and their fifth in sixth years. They came out of perhaps the toughest section in the state, Section 6 as the number two seed behind a team they lost to in the regular season, the Albany Huskies. Don't count out the Mainstreeters, they could be back for Saturday afternoon's Class AA final.
Wrapping up Quarterfinal Wednesday is the Duluth Marshall Hilltoppers, returning to Minneapolis for the first time in 20 years. Marshall is best known for their outstanding boys hockey program but this time is the girls basketball team's turn to take the state tournament spotlight. The Hilltoppers have a tough hill to climb in the third seeded New London-Spicer Wildcats. The Wildcats will play in their 18th state tournament, all under the veteran leadership of Mike Dreier. Their only loss this season was to Sauk Centre on December 19 55-50. Could there be a rematch in the semifinals?
Next. The Class A quarterfinal preview.
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