Section Basketball Championship Games Set in Southeast Minnesota

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News)- Eight girls basketball teams in southeast Minnesota are one win away from the State Tournament.

The teams have endured three weeks of win-or-go-home basketball during the Section 1 tournaments. Just two teams remain in each of the four section tournaments.

The Section 1 Tournament championship games will be held in Rochester Thursday and Friday. The title games get started Thursday night and wrap up on Friday.

All games will be played at the Mayo Civic Center Arena in Rochester. The winner of each game will move onto the State Tournament.

Listen to #3 Stewartville vs. #1 Byron in the Section 1AAA Championship Game at 8 p.m. Friday on 103.1 KFIL, KFILradio.com and the KFIL App

Thursday, March 7

Section 1A

The top seeded Goodhue Wildcats have sailed through the Section Tournament, winning all games by double-digits.

Their postseason started with a 103-15 win over Lyle-Pacelli, followed by a 75-30 victory over Kingsland in the quarterfinals and a 73-49 over Spring Grove in the semi finals.

The #2 seed Hayfield Vikings have been equally as dominant through the Section Tournament, also winning three straight games by double digits.

Hayfield started their run to the Section Championship game with a 85-38 win over Wabasha-Kellogg. That was followed by a 71-37 defeat of Blooming Prairie in quarterfinal round and and 85-58 win over Rushford-Peterson in the semi finals.

The Wildcats and Vikings are set to tip-off the Section 1A Championship game at 6 p.m. on Thursday.

Section 1AA

A rivalry between two of the top girls' basketball programs in southeast Minnesota will be renewed with a trip to the State Tournament awaiting the winner.

The Cotter Ramblers have cruised through the section tournament as the top seed. Winning their first round game 75-25 over St. Charles. The Ramblers then took down Triton 68-53 in the quarterfinals and topped Dover-Eyota 77-61 in the semi finals.

The Rochester Lourdes Eagles leaned on their suffocating defense to get into the semi finals, beating Albert Lea 54-36 in the first round and topping Chatfield 5923 in the quarterfinals.

The Eagles then soared into the Section Championship Game by mounting a large comeback and defeating Caledonia 61-59 in a section semi final barn-burner. 

The Ramblers and Eagles are set to play for a trip to state and the Section 1AA title at 8 p.m. on Thursday in the Mayo Civic Area.

Friday, March 8

Section 1AAA

The #3 seed Stewartville Tigers had to go on the road in the semi final round to defend their section title. Their postseason started with a convincing 66-37 win over Red Wing in Round 1.

The Tigers then took a trip east to visit a young and talent #2 seeded Winona Winhawk team. The Tigers never trailed and held on to clinch a 51-44 win in the semi final.

The Byron Bears have not missed a beat in transitioning from a tremendous regular season that earned them the top seed in the Section Tournament. The Bears took down Faribault with a 69-41 win in the opening round of the postseason.

Byron continued their dominant play with a 63-50 win over Kasson-Mantorville in the semi final. The Bears will now look to make it three wins in a row over Stewartville to punch their ticket to the State Tournament.

The Bears and Tigers meet for the third time this season to decide the Section 1AAA champion at 8 p.m. on Friday at the Mayo Civic Arena.

Listen to #3 Stewartville vs. #1 Byron in the Section 1AAA Championship Game at 8 p.m. Friday on 103.1 KFIL, KFILradio.com and the KFIL App

Section 1AAAA

A team from Lakeville will represent Section 1AAAA in the State Tournament. Lakeville North is the top seed and has reached the Section Final with 70-30 Round 1 win over Owatonna and an 82-56 win over New Prague in the semi final.

Lakeville South was the two seed and like their counterparts started off the tournament with a dominant Round 1 win, notching a 73-48 win over Rochester Century. South then escaped defeat in the semi final, narrowly edging Rochester Mayo 58-57.

The Lakeville schools will take their crosstown rivalry to the Med City on Friday. The Section 1AAAA Final tips off at 6 p.m. at the Mayo Civic Area.

Listen to #3 Stewartville vs. #1 Byron in the Section 1AAA Championship Game at 8 p.m. Friday on 103.1 KFIL, KFILradio.com and the KFIL App