Spring ahead took on even more meaning Saturday afternoon in Goodhue. December is a distant memory.

The No. 2-ranked Wildcats avenged a regular-season beat down by No. 1 Mountain Iron-Buhl, successfully defending their Class 1A state championship with a 73-51 victory over the Rangers at Williams Arena. Mountain Iron-Buhl throttled Goodhue 78-34 on Dec. 3.

“That game was in the back of our heads all of the time,” Goodhue senior guard Mckenzie Ryan said. “It’s an amazing feeling to be back-to-back state champions. Not too many people can say that.”

Goodhue jumped on the Rangers at the outset, racing to a 16-6 lead in the first seven minutes. Senior guard Maddy Miller scored eight of her game-high 21 points during the quick start. 

The Wildcats’ 2-3 zone also pushed Mountain Iron-Buhl’s offense farther out on the court then it preferred, limiting them to two field goals in its first 11 attempts.

“Goodhue really took it to us aggressively,” Mountain Iron-Buhl coach Jeff Buffetta said.

The Rangers (31-2) needed to change the momentum, and did so by picking up Goodhue with full-court pressure on defense. 

It ignited a 13-2 run by forcing four turnovers, capped by senior guard Mya Buffetta’s three-pointer that gave the Rangers a 19-18 lead with 6:21 left in the first half.

Ryan quickly restored order for the Wildcats (28-4) with back-to-back three-point plays. Both plays were identical, hard driving layups to the basket and one. Ryan wound up with 14 points as the Wildcats had four players in double figures. Goodhue led 29-22 at halftime.

“It gave us a lot of energy, a spark,” Ryan said.

It carried over into the second half. Junior forward Sydney Lodermeier buried a three-pointer on the Wildcats’ initial possession, and the celebration was drawing near.

She finished with a double-double (14 points and 14 rebounds). The Wildcats held a 45-22 advantage on the boards.

Senior guard Chelsea Mason led the Rangers with 16 points.

“[The first meeting] was very humbling,” Goodhue coach Josh Wieme said. “We questioned ourselves a lot. 

“We wanted our players to focus day-to-day on getting a little better. It paid off.”