Section Tournaments: Major upsets in AA and A

Around this time every year, the girls basketball Section Tournaments bring some of the most exciting basketball of the entire high school season. Yes, there are plenty of one-sided blowouts in the early rounds, but there are always a handful of close games and thrilling upsets, as well. This year the vast majority of the unexpected outcomes have come from Class A and AA. And while each of the 32 Section Final games are set to take place over the next two days, we figured we take some time to highlight teams that have already pulled off impressive postseason feats, plus some of the top performers in those matchups.   Section 2AA – Glencoe-Silver Lake    After finishing their regular season with a record of 12 wins and 14 losses, Glencoe-Silver Lake was assigned the #8 seed in section 2AA. In the opening round, the Panthers faced off against #9 seed Blooming Prairie, where they eked out a 46-42 win over the Awesome Blossoms. In the quarterfinals, GSL put on a stunning performance, stopping #1 seed St. Clair in their tracks with a 59-53 win. Then on Monday GSL pulled off yet another upset, toppling #5 seed Maple River in the semifinals, winning by a margin of 18 points. The Panthers are now set to face off against Norwood Young America in the section finals, hoping to earn their first State Tournament trip since 2021.   [player_tooltip player_id='675954' first='Brooke' last='Mickolichek'] – 2027 Guard/Forward, Glencoe-Silver Lake   Mickolichek has been the best player for the Panthers in the section tournament, hands down. Dropping 19, 22, and 19 points in her last three performances, the 5'10 guard/forward has been incredibly consistent on offense. Using her strength and athleticism, Brooke easily muscles her way to the rim where she finishes through contact or elevates over defenders for a clean shot. The Glencoe-Silver Lake junior has also been an unstoppable force on the defensive end. Averaging nearly 12 rebounds a game this season, her sheer tenacity on the boards has been impressive. Combined with her quickness and ability to guard multiple positions, Mickolichek's efforts have been a major difference maker in the postseason.    Section 4AA – St. Croix Lutheran   St. Croix Lutheran pulled off two consecutive upsets to earn their way into the section final. Last week, the #6 seed Crusaders pulled off a nail-biter 51-50 win over St. Croix Prep, the third seed in section 4AA. Then in Tuesday's semifinal matchup against #2 seed Visitation, they pulled off yet another victory, beating the Blazers 60-56. Led by senior duo [player_tooltip player_id='362575' first='Callie' last='Oakland'] (Northern Iowa) and [player_tooltip player_id='472446' first='Amaya' last='Penn'] (Bemidji State), St. Croix Lutheran is set to take on Minnehaha Academy in the section final game on Friday, March 6th.    [player_tooltip player_id='362575' first='Callie' last='Oakland'] – 2026 Post, St. Croix Lutheran (Northern Iowa)   The state's leading rebounder (pictured above, right) has been utterly dominant in her last three performances, averaging over 25 points and 15 boards per game. In Tuesday's section 4AA semifinal, Oakland was aggressive from the tip-off, looking for opportunities to score from every spot on the floor. The 6'1 post backed opponents down in the paint, out worked defenders for rebounds, and provided an imposing presence in the paint on both ends of the floor. Callie also showed off her skills as a passer, consistently finding teammates on backdoor cuts to the basket. When things came down to the wire against the Blazers, Oakland went 6-8 from the free throw line, sealing the win for the Crusaders.   Section 7AA – Pequot Lakes   Pequot Lakes cruised their way through the first two rounds of the tournament with one-sided wins over #13 Greenway/Nashwauk-Keewatin and #5 Mesabi East. In Tuesday's section semifinal matchup against #1 seeded Crosby-Ironton, the Patriots got out to an early lead. At one point they were ahead by as many as 16 points. In the second half [player_tooltip player_id='205310' first='Tori' last='Oehrlein'] and the Rangers dialed things up a notch, closing the gap by the 8-minute mark. The two teams traded buckets for much of the remaining time, but it was Pequot that came away with the narrow 3-point victory. They will face Duluth Marshall Thursday night for a berth in the State Tournament.   Emersyn Sullivan – 2028 Guard, Pequot Lakes   The sophomore guard played a crucial role in Tuesday's semifinal, bringing her fiery, competitive spirit to both ends of the floor. On defense Sullivan used her speed and quick hands to make things difficult for the Rangers. The 5'6 point guard dove for loose balls, sprinted back on defense, and forced turnovers on the perimeter. On the other end of the floor she displayed her prowess as a pass-first point guard, unselfishly feeding the ball to her teammates all game. The Patriots junior wasn't one to turn down open looks, though. With the game tied and under a minute on the clock, Sullivan found herself with an open look at the three point line. Without hesitation she knocked down the game winner with a smooth, textbook release.   Section 7A – Ely   The Timberwolves have pulled off three impressive wins in this year's postseason, earning themselves a trip to the section final. After sailing through the first round with a 19-point win over #10 Carlton-Wrenshall, Ely pulled off a major upset last week, taking down #2 seed Deer River in a 51-50 quarterfinal win. They pulled off yet another upset on Tuesday night, knocking out #3 seed Chisholm. The Timberwolves are led by juniors Audrey Kallberg, Amelia Penke, and Lydia Shultz.

Around this time every year, the girls basketball Section Tournaments bring some of the most exciting basketball of the entire high school season. Yes, there are plenty of one-sided blowouts in the early rounds, but there are always a handful of close games and thrilling upsets, as well. This year the vast majority of the unexpected outcomes have come from Class A and AA. And while each of the 32 Section Final games are set to take place over the next two days, we figured we take some time to highlight teams that have already pulled off impressive postseason feats, plus some of the top performers in those matchups.