Size matters.
Or it sure can. Lourdes made it matter on Monday night in the Section 1AA girls basketball quarterfinals at Mayo Civic Arena.
The longer Eagles continually outreached the Warriors for rebounds and pushed to a 60-48 win.
Lourdes (19-9) is the No. 3 seed, while Caledonia (19-9) was seeded sixth.
It was 6-foot center Megan Hobday who led the way for the Eagles, who play No. 2 seed Hayfield at 2 p.m. Saturday in the semifinals at Mayo Civic Auditorium.
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Hobday finished with 19 points and a crucial 13 rebounds. She also blocked or bothered countless shot attempts by Caledonia.
"Defensively, Megan is a game-changer for us," Lourdes coach Aaron Berg said of the multi-year starter. "She's been that her whole career for us."
Lourdes turned a relative close game at halftime (leading 30-25) into a rather comfortable win.
With a front line of Hobday, 5-11 junior Wynter Bergner and 5-11 long-armed freshman Alyssa Ustby, Lourdes gave Caledonia trouble all game, on both ends of the court.
Bergner finished with 16 points and Ustby had eight.
"We had a size advantage that worked for us at both ends of the court," Berg said.
Besides owning the interior against Caledonia, Lourdes also had a big advantage at the free-throw line, where it outscored Caledonia 16-3.
Caledonia got its usual big scoring game from explosive guard Mariah Schroeder. The senior finished with 25 points, putting a wrap on what's been a stellar career with the Warriors.
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Lourdes 60, Caledonia 48
CALEDONIA (48)
Ashley Schroeder 4 P; Mariah Schroeder 25 P; Amber Conniff 7 P, 1 3-PT; Katie Tornstrom 12 P, 2 3-PT.
LOURDES (60)
Anna Braun 2 P; Madison Berg 7 P; Grace Rogers 3 P, 1 3-PT; Alyssa Ustby 8 P; Eleanor Plager 5 P, 1 3-PT; Wynter Bergner 16 P; Megan Hobday 19 P.
Halftime:LOUR 30, CAL 25.
Free throws:CAL 3-6, LOUR 16-21.
Three-point goals:CAL 3, LOUR 2.
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Hayfield does the expected
It can be tough to beat a team three times in a season.
But less tough on Monday night for Hayfield when it had already recorded two decisive wins this season over Section 1AA quarterfinal opponent Zumbrota-Mazeppa.
The Vikings did it again, this time at Mayo Civic Arena, beating the Cougars 61-35. Hayfield (23-5) is the No. 2 seed and Z-M (12-14) was seeded 10th.
Hayfield next plays No. 3 seed Lourdes at 2 p.m. Saturday at Mayo Civic Auditorium in the semifinals.
It was the Vikings' defense that overwhelmed Z-M. The Cougars managed just 18 points in the first half and had just one player hit double figures in scoring. That was freshman center Ali Hunstad, with 17 points.
Hayfield rode its usual balance. Maggie Streightiff had 14 points, Olivia Matti 13 and Carrie Rutledge 10. Kate Kruger and Sophia Waldner each chipped in seven.
Hayfield 61, Zumbrota-Mazeppa 35
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ZUMBROTA-MAZEPPA (35)
Natalie Majerus 8 P, 2 3-PT; Lyndsey Quam 4 P; Ali Hunstad 17 P; Natalye Quam 2 P; Taylor Blakstad 2 P; Megan Johnson 2 P.
HAYFIELD (61)
Maggie Streightiff 14 P, 2 3-PT; Emily Sprau 2 P; Olivia Matti 13 P, 1 3-PT; Carrie Rutledge 10 P, 3 3-PT; Kate Kruger 7 P, 1 3-PT; Sophia Waldner 7 P; Elecia Brown 4 P; Abby Stasko 4 P.
Halftime:HAY 42, ZM 18.
Free throws:ZM 3-5, HAY 4-6.
Three-point goals:ZM 2, HAY 7.
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