Triton, Blooming Prairie Open Playoffs at Home

The Triton and Blooming Prairie girls' basketball teams open the playoffs at home this week. The Cobras entertain La Crescent Wednesday, February 21 at 7PM in Dodge Center in Section 1AA. The Awesome Blossoms host Wabasha-Kellog Thursday at 7PM in the ultra-competitive Section 1A tournament.

Triton (5-21) and La Crescent (5-19) meet in a play-in game, which is rescheduled for Wednesday due to ice travel conditions. The Lancers have won their last two games. The winner goes to top-seed Stewartville (No. 8AA, 21-5) Thursday. Other upper bracket games Thursday include Lake City at Dover-Eyota, Kenyon-Wanamingo at Caledonia and Cannon Falls at Zumbrota-Mazeppa. In the lower bracket, Chatfield is at second-seed Rochester Lourdes, Pine Island plays at Plainview-Elgin-Millville, Lewiston-Altura goes to Byron and St. Charles is at Winona Cotter.

Quarterfinals are February 26-27 at Mayo Civic Center. Semifinals are March 3 and the finals March 9 in Rochester. The top two seeds, Stewartville and Lourdes, split their games during the regular season. The Tigers were in 1AAA last season. The Eagles are the defending 1AA champs. Lourdes lost to NRHEG in the consolation final at state in 2017.

With three of the top four ranked teams in the state, Section 1A is as tough as it gets. No. 7 seed Blooming Prairie (16-8) starts the tournament against No. 10 Wabasha-Kellog (10-15) at 7PM Thursday, February 22 at BPHS. The winner is likely to face No. 2 seed and No. 3A-rated Hayfield February 26 at the Mayo Civic Center. The Awesome Blossoms just lost to the Vikings 75-45 on February 12. Hayfield has to play the winner of Tuesday's game between Rushford-Peterson and Hope Lutheran.

Tuesday's other play-in games include Bethlehem Academy at Lanesboro, Leroy-Ostrander at Fillmore Central and Glenville-Emmons at Mabel-Canton. Match ups set for Thursday are Schaeffer Academy at Kingsland, Southland at Houston and Spring Grove at Randolph.

Top-seed and No. 1A-ranked Lyle/Pacelli (25-1) is on an 18-game winning streak and is winning games by an average of more than 30 points. Two-time defending state champion Goodhue (No. 4A, 19-7) is seeded third. Grand Meadow (No. 10A, 21-5) is the fourth seed.

Quarterfinals are February 26-27 in Rochester. Semifinals are March 3 and finals March 9 at the Mayo Civic Center.