(Atlantic) 5th ranked Exira-EHK is heading to the state tournament for the 6th time since 2015. The Spartans were a 63-47 winner over #10 Stanton in a Class 1A Regional Final played in Atlantic on Wednesday.
Quinn Grubbs led the way with 25 points. She hit four of the team’s nine first half 3-pointers. They’d end up with 11 makes beyond the arc on the night. Grubbs made five while Mollie Rasmussen and Shay Burmeister each had three. The Spartans held previously unbeaten Stanton scoreless over the game’s first few minutes and built a 9-0 lead. They ballooned their 15-7 first quarter lead into a 31-16 advantage at the break. Grubbs and Burmeister combined for 25 first half points.
Jenna Stephens got going for Stanton in the 3rd quarter, but it was too little, too late for the Viqueens. Stephens scored 16 of her team high 18 after halftime. Exira-EHK stretched the lead up to as big as 22 points in the 3rd quarter. Stanton hit a 3-pointer from Stephens to end the 3rd quarter and got another 3-point bucket from Abby Burke to start the final frame, but the momentum quickly subsided as Exira-EHK was patient with their double digit lead in the fourth quarter.
The Spartans made 9/15 from the free-throw line in the second half. Grubbs reached 1,000 career points. Joining Grubbs in double figures scoring were Burmeister with 13 and Rasmussen with 12. Alisa Partridge scored 8 points, grabbed a few offensive rebounds, and took three charges. Outside of 18 points from Stephens, Stanton got 11 from Abby Burke and Marleigh Johnson scored 7. Burke made three 3-pointers, extending her school record to 142.
Exira-EHK will play at the state tourney for a second straight season. They were in the semifinals at Wells Fargo Arena last year. Stanton ends their campaign at 24-1. It’s the third straight season they’ve been eliminated by the Spartans.
