State champs again!

Even having a shot at a state title taken away due to the global pandemic didn't deter Minneota.

The Vikings capped off a perfect 25-0 season with a 48-45 victory over Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa in the Class A State Girls Basketball championship Friday afternoon at Target Center.

Technically, it was the second straight state championship for the Vikings after capturing the crown in 2019. They reached the semifinals of the state tournament last season and were heavily favored to win before the tournament was shut down.

Minneota has qualified for the state tournament each of the last four years and nine of the past 11 years; winning titles in 2013, 2019 and 2021.

The Vikings trailed only one time in this game, 6-4. This was the second meeting of the season between the two teams; Minneota winning 42-38 on Feb. 20 at home.

With BBE double-teaming Miss Basketball Minnesota finalist and two-time All-State star Abby Hennen, junior Natalee Rolbiecki showed why she is also an All-State performer by scoring all 10 of her points in the first half. Abby Rost, who had a stellar all-around performance, had eight of her 12 points in the opening half. Rost was named the Player of the Game by 45TV. Rolbiecki and Rost each drained a pair of 3-pointers in that first half.

Minneota went into the locker room at intermission holding a 28-18 advantage.

In the second half, Minneota built what seemed to be a comfortable 16-point lead at 40-24 before going nearly 10 minutes without a field goal; hitting only a pair of free throws. BBE took advantage of the Vikings going cold and slowly whittled away at the deficit.

When Josie Knutson tossed in a 3-pointer, the Jaguars were within two points, 43-41 with less than a minute remaining. It was the first shot the Jaguars made beyond the arc after missing their first nine attempts.

But Minneota didn't panic. On their ensuing possession, Jeren Rost picked a perfect time to score her lone basket of the game, working free under the basket and taking a pass for an easy layup and a 45-41 lead.

BBE's Karissa Jones was then fouled on a layup attempt and she sank both free throws to make it 45-43.

Hennen, who has played in four straight state girls basketball tournaments, was then fouled and connected on one of two free throws for a 46-43 advantage with 26.6 seconds left.

BBE ran some time off the clock before calling a timeout. Instead of trying a shot from 3-point range in an attempt to tie the game, the Jaguars elected to drive inside where Knutson scored with 3.9 left.

Hennen was then quickly fouled with 2.8 to go and calmly sank both free throws to finish with 12 points in her final game in a Minneota uniform.

BBE never came close with a desperation shot at the buzzer.

Abby Rost, the only other senior on the team, nearly had a double-double with nine rebounds to go along with her 12 points.

After a quiet first half, McKenna Yost came on strong in the second half, scoring seven points on a 3-pointer and a pair of field goals. Her nifty reverse layup with 1:41 remaining quelled an 8-0 run by the Jaguars and made it 43-36.

Kennedi Jurrens came off the bench and scored all four of her points in the first half.

For BBE, Alissa Knight and Knutson finished with 11 points each. Knight also pulled down 10 rebounds. Jones added eight points.

Although the crowd was sparse due to COVID restrictions and guidelines, you wouldn't know it from the boisterous fan bases.

Check the website for updates on the game, as well as next week's Mascot for stories and photos.