Call it a learning experience for Minnehaha Academy.

The talented but young Redhawks went fast-break for fast-break with a veteran Sauk Centre team for 34 minutes on Wednesday in the Class 2A quarterfinals. The problem was that games are 36 minutes long, and it was a two-minute stretch of sloppiness that led to the Redhawks’ downfall and a 74-65 victory for the No. 2-seeded Mainstreeters.

Sauk Centre’s cadre of juniors and seniors are cut from the same mold. They’re fast, athletic and stand between 5-6 and 5-8. The Mainstreeters play a relentless, run-and-fun style, with emphasis on the fun. There’s nothing fearless about this group.

“That’s just the kind of team we have,” said senior Jill Klaphake, who finished with 20 points. “We have great team chemistry and we just make it so fun.”

Minnehaha Academy’s youthful lineup — one senior plays sparingly — stayed with the up-tempo Mainstreeters for the first half and much of the second. But the two-minute loss of focus resulted in five turnovers in a span of six possessions. Sauk Centre took advantage, turning a 52-48 deficit into a 60-52 lead it never relinquished.

“Our girls got tired,” Minnehaha Academy coach Josh Thurow said. “You could see we were dragging a little bit. We just didn’t have any gas left in the tank at times.”

Sauk Centre is appearing in its seventh state tournament, which junior guard Kelsey Peschel said worked to its advantage. The fleet Mainstreeters were confident a run would materialize somewhere.

“Every year we come back here, the nerves go down a little bit,” Peschel said. “We try to get them run down in the first half and because we have more energy, we get them in the second half.”

JIM PAULSEN

In a tight game, one bad offensive stretch was all it took to do in Minnehaha Academy. The youthful Redhawks turned the ball over five times in a span of six possessions in the second half and watched a four-point lead dissolve into an eight-point deficit as Sauk Centre pulled away for a 74-65 victory.

Minnehaha Academy, whose only senior rarely plays, built a first-half lead of 12 points and stayed with the up-tempo Mainstreeters until the fateful stretch of sloppiness. Sauk Centre’s relentless style also wore down the Redhawks in the game’s final minutes.

Taytum Rhoads led Minnehaha Academy (24-5) with 25 points. Jill Klaphake led Sauk Centre (30-1) with 20 points.

Check back later for more on the game.