Girls State Basketball: Providence Academy beats Fergus Falls 55-53 for first state title

Providence Academy completed its journey of unfinished small business on Saturday, March 19, 2022. To do so, nevertheless, the Lions experienced to survive some tense times while on the threshold of introducing to the program’s ladies basketball history.

The prime-seeded Lions, remaining unsatisfied in a runner-up complete in the Class AA subject a yr in the past in an abbreviated year amid a world wide pandemic, erased these memories by keeping off Fergus Falls for a 55-53 victory in the championship video game at Williams Arena on the University of Minnesota campus.

Senior forward Maria Counts scored 19 details, like 16 in the second 50 percent, to protected the second Class AA championship for the Plymouth-centered faculty. Junior forward Grace Counts experienced 13 of her 17 factors in the to start with 50 % when the Lions (29-4) crafted a 4-level edge at the crack. Eighth-quality Maddyn Greenway chipped in 15 points, and all were wanted from all those three and the supporting forged as Fergus Falls (26-6) hardly ever wavered in its try to capture the Lions.

Senior guard Ellie Colbeck played the overall 36 minutes and scored 41 details, such as 24 in the second 50 percent. She also experienced four rebounds, 3 assists and two steals. Colbeck assisted on a a few-pointer by freshman Brynn Sternberg that drew the Owls to inside of 55-53 with .2 seconds still left. The clock was modified to .4, but Fergus Falls was not able to get its hands on the ball once again.

Moments previously, Maria Counts and Greenway made free throws to create a 55-50 benefit with 9.2 seconds remaining in regulation.

Colbeck’s output did not pretty threaten the one-recreation record for factors. That belongs to Carlie Wagner of New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva, who scored 53 factors in a match in the course of the 2014 condition match.

Fergus Falls, seeking its 1st condition championship in 6 point out tournament appearances, didn’t personal a lead during the sport, but threatened it by routinely closing to inside of a few or four points in the next 50 %.