The girls high school basketball season came to an end Saturday with champions crowned in each of the four classes. For the second straight year the Kenyon-Wanamingo girls can say their last loss of the season came to the state champions. A year ago, they made it all the way to the title game before losing to Carlie Wagner's led New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva team. This season their loss came in the subsection title game against the Dover-Eyota Eagles. The Eagles soared to the state championship after winning in overtime in the section final against their conference rivals from Plainview-Elgin-Millville.

I remember saying during the broadcast of that K-W vs. D-E game that the Eagles were the best rebounding girls team I thought I had ever seen. They went to the state tournament and set records for most rebounds over three games and a record in the title game for most rebounds in a game with 71. The old record was held by Archbishop Brady in a 1979 game against Redwood Falls. The three-game record total is now 171 by the Eagles and the old record by St. Paul Central (156) was in 2007. Now they have the numbers to prove it. The Dover-Eyota Eagles are the best rebounding team in the history of girls basketball in Minnesota.

Dover-Eyota defeated Fairmont 62-53 in the first state game, Roseau 94-61 in the semis and came from behind in a see-saw affair with Sauk Centre to win the championship 71-58. They have a good shot at getting back to defend their title, too. Two of the ladies in the midst of this rebounding prowess are back next year in 6-foot-1 Madison Nelson and 6-foot-1 Megan Hintz.

In Class A, the Ada-Borup Cougars finished their season undefeated -- the only girls or boys high school team in the state to finish with an unblemished record. The Pine To Prairie Conference and Section 6A champs almost lost to Section 1A champion Lyle/Austin Pacelli in the semis. The Athletics had a 10-point lead with about eight minutes to go when the Cougars went on a 12-0 run aided in part by a technical against the Athletics head coach. With the clock stopped, Ada-Borup was able to cut into that lead more at the line and of course got the ball back and continued their momentum. Lyle/Pacelli still led by three in the final minute, but Ada-Borup's never-say-die attitude prevailed in the end.

The Class AAA state champions for the second straight year are the Park Center Pirates. History did repeat itself here. Last year Park Center defeated Marshall in the title game, and this year the same two teams played for the crown again. The Pirates sailed away with a 52-45 win. The No. 2 seed Park Center opened their run with a 72-57 win over RIchfield and trailed in the second half against Section 1 AAA champion Kasson-Mantorville in the semis before going on a run at the end and winning 47-37. Boy can those Pirates play defense! Having said that, I believe if K-M has Cori Kennedy they don't turn the ball over 24 times and they just might knock off Park Center. But we'll never know. I mean, if I don't go into radio maybe I become the president or panhandle for gold and become a millionaire.

Hopkins regained the Class AAAA title with a 68-60 victory over the Eastview Lightning, dashing Apple Valley's hopes of winning the boys and girls titles. I said Hopkins regained the title because before Eastview's championship last year, the Royals were champs in 2011, 2012 and 2013 and captured titles in 2004 and 2006, losing in overtime to Bloomington Kennedy in 2005.

Featured in this year's state tournament program was the 2005 State Champion Elgin-Millville team with Miss Basketball that year, Katie Ohm, and company. The Section 1A titlists beat Fosston 43-34. Ohm hit two free throws with 34 seconds to go in the first half to give her Watchmen a 21-20 halftime lead. Candace Olstad hit a pair of free throws late to put Elgin-Millville up for good. The AA champs that year were the Rochester Lourdes Eagles 50-33 over Pequot Lakes. AAA champs Minneapolis North bested Academy of Holy Angels 71-45.

Former Gopher and 2005 Minnesota Miss Basketball Katie Ohm
Former Gopher and 2005 Minnesota Miss Basketball Katie Ohm
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