The Class A Girls Basketball State Tournament at the Watertown Civic Arena
Friday, March 13, 2026
No. 2 Mahpíya Lúta 58, No. 6 Sioux Falls Christian 45
Mahpiya Luta used a strong third-quarter run to create separation and defeat Sioux Falls Christian 58-45 Saturday.
The Chargers stayed within striking distance in the first half, trailing just 23-18 at halftime, but Mahpiya Luta seized control after the break. Mahpiya Luta outscored Sioux Falls Christian 16-7 in the third quarter to stretch the lead to 39-25 heading into the final period.
Ashlan Carlow-Blount led Mahpiya Luta with 14 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, while Peyton Knife added 10 points. Dorthie Mesteth chipped in nine points, Mya Mills finished with eight points and five steals, and Jayden Standingsoldier added eight points and six rebounds.
Mahpiya Luta controlled the game defensively, forcing 24 Sioux Falls Christian turnovers and turning those into 11 points. They also dominated inside, outscoring the Chargers 32-20 in the paint and holding a 52-46 rebounding advantage.
Sioux Falls Christian struggled to find offensive rhythm, shooting 23% from the field (15-of-64) and 16% from three-point range.
Emory Lems led the Chargers with 15 points, six rebounds and four assists, while Aubrie VanBeek added 10 points and six rebounds. Ruth Dvoracek and Lezlei Setzer each finished with eight points, with Setzer also grabbing a team-high nine rebounds.
Mahpiya Luta pushed its lead to as many as 20 points early in the fourth quarter after back-to-back three-pointers by Mills and Mesteth. Sioux Falls Christian rallied late with a 20-point fourth quarter but could not get closer than 13 points down the stretch.
Mahpiya Luta shot 32% from the field and 33% from beyond the arc, helping secure the 13-point victory.
No. 5 Lennox 57, No. 1 Hamlin 41 – Semis
Lennox used a dominant third quarter and a strong inside presence to pull away from Hamlin for a 57-41 victory Saturday.
The Orioles outscored Hamlin 23-13 in the third quarter, turning a six-point halftime lead into a comfortable double-digit advantage they never relinquished.
Teagen Sturm and Bergan Musser led a balanced Lennox offense with 14 and 12 points, respectively. Musser also had a strong all-around game with six steals and four rebounds, helping fuel the Orioles’ defensive pressure.
Lennox controlled the game inside, scoring 34 points in the paint compared to just six for Hamlin. The Orioles also forced 18 turnovers, converting them into 18 points.
After trailing 10-6 at the end of the first quarter, Lennox responded in the second period. The Orioles went on an 11-1 run midway through the quarter, highlighted by baskets from Musser, Sturm and Adie McVey, to take a 23-17 halftime lead.
Lennox then seized control coming out of the locker room. Sturm scored seven early points in the third quarter and later knocked down a three-pointer during a key stretch as the Orioles pushed the lead to double digits. A three-pointer by Karlie Bosma at the buzzer gave Lennox a 46-30 advantage heading into the fourth quarter.
Hamlin never got closer than 13 points in the final period.
Tori Gerdes added eight points and five rebounds for Lennox, while Bosma finished with nine points and McVey contributed six points and four rebounds off the bench.
Hamlin was led by Addison Neuendorf, who scored a game-high 22 points, hitting five three-pointers and going 7-of-8 from the free-throw line. Addelyn Jensen added five points and 10 rebounds.
The Chargers struggled offensively overall, shooting 30% from the field, while Lennox finished at 37% and held a 30-23 rebounding edge.
No. 4 Sioux Valley 61, No. 8 Lakota Tech 53 – Consolation Semis
Sioux Valley used a strong rebounding performance and balanced scoring to defeat Lakota Tech 61-53 Friday.
Kailey Cradduck led Sioux Valley with 19 points and 17 rebounds, anchoring a dominant effort on the boards. The Cossacks controlled the rebounding battle 54-33, including 19 offensive rebounds, which helped produce 24 second-chance points.
Amari Ward added 14 points, 13 rebounds and five assists, while Talya Vincent finished with 12 points, hitting four three-pointers. Avery Schmuck chipped in seven points off the bench.
Sioux Valley built separation in the second quarter, outscoring Lakota Tech 17-6 to take a 30-18 halftime lead. Cradduck scored inside and Ward hit a three-pointer during the run as the Cossacks pushed their lead into double digits.
Lakota Tech responded in the third quarter behind Lizzie Robinson, who scored a game-high 22 points and helped cut the deficit to 47-37 entering the fourth. Robinson also added five assists.
The Tatanka tried to rally late, but Sioux Valley answered with timely shots. Vincent knocked down two fourth-quarter three-pointers and Ward added a basket inside to keep the lead comfortable.
Amelia Shangreaux led Lakota Tech with 15 points and seven steals, while Isabella Shangreaux added seven points and seven rebounds.
Despite forcing 22 Sioux Valley turnovers, Lakota Tech struggled offensively, shooting 27.9% from the field and 18.2% from three-point range.
Sioux Valley shot 37% overall and 26% from three, but their advantage on the glass and second-chance scoring proved decisive in the eight-point win.
No. 7 West Central 46, No. 3 Wagner 38 – Consolation Semis
West Central built an early lead and held off a late Wagner push to secure a 46-38 victory Friday.
Wagner was carried by Ashlyn Koupal, who delivered a dominant performance with 35 points and 17 rebounds, scoring all but three of the team’s points. Koupal shot 11-of-26 from the field, knocked down three three-pointers, and went 10-of-11 at the free-throw line.
West Central jumped out quickly, using three early three-pointers to build a 19-8 lead after the first quarter. The Trojans extended the advantage to 35-20 at halftime, fueled by strong perimeter shooting.
The Trojans hit 9-of-21 three-pointers (42%) in the game, with Kacey Jaton leading the team with 16 points, including three three-pointers. Mackenzie Skonhovd added 11 points, while Ellie Knight chipped in 10 points and eight rebounds.
Wagner began to chip away in the second half as Koupal took over offensively. The senior scored 12 points in the third quarter and helped trim the deficit to 44-32 heading into the fourth.
The Red Raiders made one final push late in the game. Koupal scored seven straight points midway through the fourth quarter to cut the deficit to 45-39 with 3:33 remaining.
However, Wagner struggled to generate offense elsewhere, finishing the game with just three points from the rest of the roster. The team also committed 23 turnovers, which West Central converted into 14 points.
West Central struggled offensively down the stretch, failing to make a field goal in the fourth quarter, but held Wagner to just two field goals in the final period to preserve the win.
Wagner finished 12-of-37 shooting (32%), while West Central shot 16-of-55 (29%), but the Trojans’ advantage from beyond the arc and their fast start proved enough to secure the eight-point victory.