1. Smart stars

Undefeated Ada-Borup boasts impressive numbers beyond its 29-0 record. Three of the Cougars’ top four scorers are senior forwards Lexi Merkens (14.8 points per game), Miki Lee (12.25) and Haley Poehler (9.72). They each earned academic all-state honors as well.

 

2. Life is grand

Mountain Iron/Buhl senior guard Lissy McCulloch, who committed to Jamestown University, scored career point No. 1,000 this season. Springfield senior guard Joeli Arnoldi went over the 1,000-point milestone in the Tigers’ last regular-season game. Maranatha Christian Academy, located in Brooklyn Park, has two players with more than 1,000 career points in junior guard Alaina Jarnot and senior guard Lexi Lee.

 

3. Last hurrah for Minneota seniors

Minneota is making its fifth consecutive state tournament appearance, and three seniors — Payton Boerboom, Emily Stienessen and Taylor Reiss — have been part of all of them. Reiss is the school’s all-time leading scorer. She needs 11 points to reach 3,000 career points. Minneota also hasn’t lost a Camden Conference game during that span. The Vikings, who won the title in 2013, fell in the title game last season. They move up to Class 2A next season.

4. Field tested

Maranatha Christian Academy defeated three state tournament entrants this season: Minneota, Lyle/Austin Pacelli and Mountain Iron/Buhl. The Mustangs’ lowest margin of victory in those three games was 11 points.

 

5. Run and gun

Maranatha simply overwhelms opponents with offense, averaging 87.3 points per game. Alaina Jarnot has 713 career assists. Springfield echoes the Mustangs’ style. The Tigers average almost 70 points per game. Joeli Arnoldi is the program’s all-time assists leader.

DAVID LA VAQUE