Winona Cotter

vs. Rochester Lourdes

4 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 4

It's clear that the path to winning the Class 2A, Section 1 title this season won't be easy.

Winona Cotter (11-1, 5-0) has emerged as a contender after winning its first 11 games of the season. Part of the No. 8-2A Ramblers' success has been thanks to a defense that's held opponents to 39 points per game.

On offense, senior Jordan Rubie has been the catalyst, averaging more than 14 points per game for a Winona Cotter team that had a runner-up finish to Caledonia in last season's section playoffs.

Rochester Lourdes (9-1, 5-1), meanwhile, also looks poised to be a challenger again this season after losing to Caledonia in last year's section semifinals.

The No. 2-2A Eagles feature senior Alyssa Ustby, a guard who has averaged nearly 21 points per game in the seven games the MN Girls' Basketball Hub has stats for.