The winner of the Central Lakes is still yet to be decided, but we do know it will be the Cardinals.
Alexandria (21-3, 13-1) and Willmar (21-2, 12-2) — both Cardinals — enter the final week of the regular season boasting a combined 42-5 record. Their game Thursday will determine the fate of the Central Lakes Conference.
Alexandria holds a one-game league lead over Willmar since beating it 55-51 on Jan. 23. If No. 7-3A Alexandria defeats Willmar again, they’ll win the conference outright for the third year in a row, and No. 6-3A Willmar would finish second for the third straight year. If Willmar wins, they will share the league title.
In the Jan. 23 meeting, Emily Jones and Courtney Gould each scored 13 points for Alexandria, while Cayle Hovland scored a game-high 14 for Willmar.
While these teams will be fighting for the Central Lakes crown, they’ll also be looking for a top seed in their respective sections. Both teams hope to return to the Class 2A state tournament after likely receiving the one-seed in their section.