GIRLS BASKETBALL
John Marshall vs. Owatonna, Section 1AAAA final, 6:30 p.m., Friday (Mayo Civic Arena): The top two teams in the Big Nine Conference meet for a third time this season (they split their two regular-season meetings). JM (22-6), the No. 1 seed in the section, has defeated its two intra-city rivals, Century and Mayo, to reach the title game. Owatonna is 20-8.
Caledonia vs. Lourdes, Section 1AA final, 8 p.m., Thursday (Mayo Civic Arena): Caledonia, the East Subsection winner, hasn’t faced West Subsection champion Lourdes this season. The Warriors (25-3) have lost just once since Dec. 20 (a 54-33 loss to Cotter on Jan. 19, which they avenged in Saturday’s East Subsection final). Lourdes (21-7) has won 12 of its past 13 games.
Rushford-Peterson vs. Faribault B.A., Section 1A final, 6:30 p.m., Thursday (Mayo Civic Arena): West Subsection champ FBA and East Subsection winner R-P meet for the first time this season. FBA is 17-10, but the Cardinals have won six games in a row and nine of their past 10. R-P is 17-11, and has won five of its past six games.
BOYS BASKETBALL
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Rochester Mayo at Rochester Century, 7:30 p.m., Friday: The intra-city rivals close the regular season against one another. Mayo (15-2 Big Nine, 20-4 overall) still has a chance to tie Mankato West (16-1, 20-4) for the regular season conference championship. Century is 4-13 in the Big Nine, 5-18 overall.
Caledonia vs. Chatfield, East Subsection 1AA quarterfinal, 2:30 p.m., Saturday (RCTC): The teams that battled all season for second place in the Three Rivers Conference meet in the first round of the postseason. Caledonia finished 16-2 in the TRC and 18-5 overall, while Chatfield is 13-5 in the TRC and 17-8 overall. The teams split two games this season.
BOYS HOCKEY
State Class A and AA tournaments, Wednesday-Saturday, St. Paul (Xcel Energy Center): Fifth-ranked Section 1A champion Mankato West (25-2-0) has a tough first-round draw in its first-ever state appearance, facing top-ranked Duluth Marshall in the opening game of the tournament, at 11 a.m. Wednesday. The Section 1AA champion will face Hill-Murray in the opening round for a second straight year. Last year, Rochester Century knocked off the Pioneers in overtime. This year, Lakeville South gets its chance, in its first-ever trip to state.
