MINNEAPOLIS — Red Wing girls basketball coach Dave Muelken is prepared to run a few sprints today at the end of the Wingers practice.
He made a bet with his team that if they advanced to the Class AAA state championship, he was going to run sprints with them.
Get those running shoes ready.
The No. 5-seeded Wingers stunned top-seeded Richfield 61-59 Thursday afternoon in a Class AAA semifinal at Target Center.
The Wingers (23-7) will play for the first championship in team history at 6 p.m. Saturday against defending champion Minneapolis DeLaSalle (27-4).
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"It's been a few years since I've done any sprints,'' Muelken said, "but that's OK, I'll be ready. I just hope I don't pull a hamstring.''
Red Wing was forced to play the final minutes of Thursday's game without its three seniors — Tesha Buck, Macy Kelly and McKenna Schaffer, who were all on the bench after having fouled out.
Buck finished with 18 points, while Kelly added 13 along with 12 rebounds.
Richfield senior Jessica January, who has committed to DePaul, led all scorers with 29.
The Wingers won the game at the line, sinking 27 of 36 free throws. Richfield finished made 16-of-25.
Red Wing has played in four previous state tournaments (1978, 2005, 2011, 2012) but has never played in a championship game.
