When the calendar turns to March, that’s when teams want to be playing their best. As the Section 4A girls basketball tournament gets started, it may come down to what ever team is playing their best.
With five to six teams clearly above the competition, it’s anyone’s guess who comes out of this section as champions.
If there is a favorite, it has to be Maranatha Christian once again. The Mustangs have reached the state tournament the past seven years, and look to have the nod as the somewhat favorite.
Heritage Christian, Lester Prairie/Holy Trinity, Mayer Lutheran, Minneapolis North and CHOF all are more than capable of knocking off the Mustangs and claiming the section title as well.
Maranatha, Heritage Christian and LP/HT know each other very well playing against each other in the Minnesota Christian Athletic Association. Mayer Lutheran also seems to be a familiar rivalry with those three as well. CHOF and Minneapolis North, who are contenders, are also the wild cards as well as they each take part in their own conferences.
No. 1 Maranatha Christian
The Mustangs are looking to make it a remarkable eight straight state tournament trips. The Mustangs won the Class A title in 2011 and 2012, and were runner-ups last season.
The Mustangs post an overall record of 19-7 this season, including a pair of wins over LP/HT, and one over Heritage Christian. If you want to be the Section 4A champions, you have to go through the Mustangs.
The Mustangs have a dangerous group of offensive players led by Jaclyn Jarnot who’s averaging 18 points a game for the Mustangs. Jarnot is a double-double machine who presents a lot of matchup problems for the opposition with her touch and size.
Elise Moore, Kylie Post, and Sami Paynes are also players to keep an eye for the Mustangs. All three average 10 more points a game this season, and can carry the load if needed.
One thing that sets the Mustangs apart from the rest of the section is their depth. The Mustangs aren’t affair to play 10 or even more girls if needed. If a team hopes to snap the Mustangs streak of state tournament runs and Section 4A domination, they’ll have to play a complete game.
No. 2 Minneapolis North
The Polars are on the wildcards in this section. With an overall record of 16-9, the Polars overcame an up and down season early on. The Polars finished their regular season red-hot, winning seven of their last eight games.
The Polars are led by Monique Wooten. Wooten is averaging 15.7 points a game. She also leads the team in 3-pointers made with 13.
Other key players to keep an eye on for the Polars are Luul Yusuf, Alani Pettis, and Serena Ballard. All three players average close to 10 points a game, as the Polars have multiple players who can lead the way.
No. 3 Lester Prairie/Holy Trinity
There’s nothing more the Bulldogs of LP/HT would like to do more than snapping Maranatha Chrisitan’s streak of seven straight tournament appearances. During that stretch, the Bulldogs have talented teams as well, but just couldn’t quiet come out on top against the Mustangs.
LP/HT and Maranatha Christian have already faced off twice this season. In the first matchup, the Mustangs used a 10-0 run to close out the game to steal on away for a win. In the second matchup, the Mustangs fired on all cylinders as they ran away with the game early.
One thing the Bulldogs do have is arguably the best player in the section. Madi Radtke is a matchup nightmare for opposing teams. The St. Thomas commit has great speed and size that makes her a tough guard.
Radtke has been posting 30 point games on a regular basis this season, and is the heart of the Bulldogs’ offense. The Bulldogs will go as far as Radtke can take them.
Madi Radtke has the Bulldogs poised for another deep run in the Section 4A tournament.
As good as Radtke is, she does have a good supporting cast as well. Although the Bulldogs aren’t that deep off the bench, their starting lineup is one to be reckoned with.
Hope Feltmann, who’s one of the best passers in the MCAA, joins the backcourt with Radtke. Feltmann has struggled shooting the ball this season, but certainly has the capability to get hot at any minute.
Steph Lohse, who’s been playing through an injury for most of the season, is another key player for the Bulldogs. Lohse seems to have a knack for knocking down big shots or creating turnovers when needed. Lohse helps take a lot of the pressure of Radtke and Feltmann when she’s playing well.
Inside, the Bulldogs don’t have much height compared to other teams, but that doesn’t stop Kayla Weinzierl from battling it out down low. Weinzierl is playing some of her best basketball as of late, and is the major presence for the Bulldogs inside. Kaylee Scheevel also is a big rebounder for the Bulldogs.
Jenna Dolezal is the x-factor for the Bulldogs. At five-foot-three-inches, Dolezal is fearless as she drives to basket. With her ability to dribble and finish at the rim.
If the combination of Weinzierl, Lohse, Dolezal, and Feltmann can play well and take some pressure off of Radtke, there’s no reason the Bulldogs couldn’t come out as section champs when it’s all said and done.
No. 4 Heritage Christian
The Eagles are another team who have had some ups and downs. With an overall record of 16-10, and 5-4 record against section opponents, it will be interesting to see what Eagles team shows up for the section tournament. Will it be the Eagles who gave Maranatha Christian all they could handle in a tough two-point loss? Or will it be the Eagles who lost four straight games in mid January?
Whatever team shows up, it won’t be easy for their opponents. The Eagles play teams tough. In their 10 losses this season, only three have been by 10 or more points. Even with the Eagles have struggled a bit at times, they’ve still found themselves in games for a majority of the season.
The Eagles have a nice core group of players to lean on at the offensive side. Taylie Scott, Annika Simonson, and Maddy Torve are all capable of putting up big numbers and leading the way. They all average 12 or more points this season.
The Eagles have also been much more consistent as of late. Heading in to section play, they’ve won six of their last 10 games.
The Eagles have the talent to make a deep run, but will need to keep their consistent playing going if they hope to clinch a state tournament berth.
No. 5 Mayer Lutheran
Like Maranatha Christian, the Crusaders are very deep. Not only do the Crusaders send out one of the best starting lineups in the section, their bench can come in and give good minutes as well.
With a record of 17-9, and section record of 1-2, the Crusaders can be a scary team to face come playoff time. Although they finished the regular season losing six of their last 10 games, the Crusaders played some tough competition in those games to gear up for a deep postseason run.
Senior guard Emilee Gustin is one of the best shooters in the section. She’s the schools all-time leader in 3-pointers made, and hit the 1,000 career milestone as well this season. When Gustin is knocking down shots from the outside, the Crusaders are tough to beat.
Mya Chmielewski is also a player to keep an eye on for the Crusaders if they hope to make a deep run. Chimielewski is a versatile scorer, who can hurt you in multiple ways. She can knock down the three, as well as get to the basket and finish at will. If that’s not enough, Chimielewski is their best defender as well. She usually guards the opponent’s best player, giving them a tough time throughout the game.
Mayer Lutheran’s Mya Chmielewski is a force to be reckoned with on both ends of the floor. She’s one of the best defenders on the team, and recently reach 1,000 career points as well.
Maddy Hucky, Sophie Flucas, Nicole Klaustermeier, Kate Strehlke, and Olivia Quiram are also key players for Mayer Lutheran. Hucky is a pure scorer who can do it many ways. Strehlke is tough-nosed defender who rebounds well for her size. Klaustermeier has the capability to score, and takes good care of the ball while running the offense. Quiram gives the Crusaders some height off the bench. She’s a good rebounder, and has improved on the offensive end as the season has progressed.
A tough schedule to close out the regular season has the Crusaders ready for a playoff push. With the talent they have in the starting line up, and more talent coming off the bench, the Crusaders are a sneaky team to watch out for.
No. 6 CHOF
The CHOF Lions are another sneaky team to keep an eye. They recently beat Heritage Christian, the No. 4 seed, by 20 points. The Lions enter the section tournament with mediocre record of 14-10, but are 6-2 against Section 4A opponents this season. Their two loses came against Minneapolis North and Maranatha Christian.
No. 7 West Lutheran
The West Lutheran Warriors come into the Section 4A tournament with an over 12-14 record this season. The Warriors had a nice month of December to kick off their season where they won six of their first eight games. Since then, the Warriors have struggled. They come into the tournament winning just three of their last 10 games. They also post a record of 4-5 against section opponents.
No. 8 Christian Life School
The Hawks come into the tournament on an impressive streak and could surprise a few people. After losing their first six games of the year, they closed out the regular season with 19 straight wins. The Hawks have also been in a handful of close games this season, and have been able to find ways to win.
No. 9 Nova Classical Academy
The Knights are another team in the Section 4A tournament that post an impressive record for being the No. 9 seed. The Knights finished the season with an overall record of 17-7, as they won eight of their last 10 games to close out the regular season.
No. 10 Legacy Christian
The Lady Lions come into the tournament in the midst of a tough stretch. They lost six out of their last games, finishing the regular season with a record of 7-18. They are also just 1-6 against section opponents this season. Their lone win came against West Lutheran during the MCAA tournament.
No. 11 North Lakes Academy
The Huskies have had an up and down season all year long. With an overall regular season record of 13-13, the Huskies will need to be more consistent if they hope to make a run. The Huskies are 4-0 against section opponents this year with a pair of wins over Liberty Classical and Learning for Leadership.
No. 12 Liberty Classical Academy
The Lions come into the Section 4A tournament with an 8-11 record overall, and a 2-2 record against section opponents this season. In their last 10 games, the Lions are 5-5.
No. 13 Cristo Rey Jesuit
With an overall record of 9-16, the Pumas come into the Section 4A tournament a the No. 13 seed. The Pumas have been playing .500 basketball to close out season, winning five of their last 10 games.
No. 14 MN Transitions
The Wolves enter the section tournament without a win on the season. Losing 15 straight games, the Wolves will look to snap their losing streak and upset No. 3 LP/HT in the first round.
No. 15 Hope Academy
Hope Academy has endured a tough season. With just six wins on the season, it will take a lot for them upset the Minneapolis North.
No. 16 Chesterton Academy
Although the season has been tough, Chesterton Academy sneaks into the play-in game as the No. 16 seed. If they win, a matchup with No. 1 Maranatha Christian awaits.
No. 17 Learning For Leadership
The Mustangs have won just one game all year. A matchup with Chesterton Academy in the play-in games gives them a chance to get win No. 2, but top-seeded Maranatha Christian awaits.
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