For the second year in a row, Heritage Christian Academy defeated the Menahga girls basketball team at the state Class A tournament.
Last year, HCA ended the Braves' first trip to state with a 66-59 victory in the consolation semifinals.
On Saturday (March 16) at Concordia-St. Paul, HCA ended the Braves' second trip to state with a 60-52 victory in the third-place game. HCA, the No. 4 seed, held Menahga to one field goal during the first 9:13 to start the second half to overcome a 37-35 deficit and spark the win.
Menahga, the No. 3 seed, used a layup and two free by Greta Hillukka to take a 4-0 lead. Layups by Annika Aho and Hillukka, a jumper by Alyssa Peterson, a layup by Tara Hendrickson and a 3-pointer by Peterson gave the Braves a 15-10 lead with 8:19 to play in the first half. HCA claimed its first lead at 16-15 befofre back-to-back 3-pointers by Peterson put Menahga in front 21-18 at the 6:32 mark. A 3-pointer by Cierra Ahlf and two free throws by Peterson put the Braves ahead 27-22 at the 3:51 mark. HCA used a 3-pointer by Taylor Schuck and a three-point play by Taylie Scott for a 30-29 edge before a jumper by Peterson and a layup and a 3-pointer by Ahlf gave the Braves a 37-32 lead before Scott's 3-pointer before the buzzer made it 37-35 at the break. The first half featured five ties and four lead changes.
Kirstin Robbins' 3-pointer and a layup by Joslyn Allen gave HCA a 40-37 advantage before a layup by Ahlf made it 40-39 with 14:56 to play. Menahga didn't hit another field goal for more than six minutes as HCA responded with a 9-2 run for a 49-41 lead with 11:28 remaining. A layup by Janie Tormanen ended that run as the Braves trailed 49-43 with 8:47 to play. A 3-pointer by Peterson cut the gap to 51-46 with 7:44 to go, but the Braves went scoreless for almost six more minutes as HCA extended its lead to 57-46 with 2;07 left. Peterson hit a 3-pointer to make it 57-49 with 1:40 left, but HCA hit three free throws for a 60-49 advantage. Hendrickson's 3-pointer with :24 left ended the scoring.
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Scott's 21 points and seven rebounds and Robbins' 14 points and six assists led HCA. Allen added 12 points and seven rebounds while Schuck finished with 11 points as HCA improved to 28-3.
Peterson ended her high school career with 21 points and three assists while Ahlf capped off her high school career with 12 points and seven rebounds. Aho dished out four assists in her final high school game while Hendrickson had three steals and Hillukka had three assists. Menahga ended the season with a 30-3 record to tie last year's 30-2 mark for the most wins in a season in school history.
HERITAGE CHRISTIAN ACADEMY: Schuck 3 3-4 11, Scott 7 6-7 21, Robbins 5 2-6 14, Tostenson 0 0-0 0, Allen 5 2-4 12, Miller 1 0-0 2, Jacobson 0 0-0 0. Totals: 21 for 41 (FG), 13 for 21 (FT).
MENAHGA: A. Peterson 7 2-2 21, T. Hendrickson 2 4-6 9, Aho 1 0-0 2, Ahfl 4 2-2 12, Hillukka 2 2-3 6, K. Hendrickson 0 0-0 0, Pinoniemi 0 0-0 0, M. Peterson 0 0-0 0, Tormanen 1 0-0 2. Totals: 17 for 48 (FG), 10 for 13 (FT).
Halftime: Menahga 37, HCA 35. Three-pointers: Schuck 2, Scott 1, Robbins 2, A. Peterson 5, T. Hendrickson 1, Ahlf 2. Team fouls: HCA 14, Menahga 19. Rebounds: Menahga 23 (Ahlf 7, T. Hendrickson 3, Hillukka 3, A. Peterson 2, Pinoniemi 1, M. Peterson 1, Tormanen 1, Team 5). Assists: Menahga 13 (Aho 4, A. Peterson 3, Hillukka 3, T. Hendrickson 1, Ahlf ,1 M. Peterson 1). Steals: Menahga 7 (T. Hendrickson 3, Ahfl 2, A. Peterson 1, Hillukka 1). Turnovers: HCA 11, Menahga 6.
