Kaitlyn Staples and Kaitlyn Rohloff led a dominant performance for Hancock in a 71-40 victory over Mayer Lutheran in the Class 1A girls’ basketball semifinals Friday at Williams Arena.

Hancock (29-1) held Mayer Lutheran (27-5) to its second-lowest point total of the season in the process.

“We thought we had to turn the script and out-fast break them and set the tempo on them,” Hancock coach Ton Thielke said. “I was just proud of our girls, one, for talking on defense, talking on those flex screens. They showed up.”

Staples, a sophomore forward, shot 5-for-6 from three-point range and scored 17 points. Rohloff, a freshman, went 6-for-7 from the field and also scored 17 points.

Mayer Lutheran coach Chris Gustin said he called Hancock’s performance a “buzz saw” when he talked with his team afterward.

“All the loose balls bounced to them, Gustin said. "They shot well from the free-throw line. We contested threes. They made them. We didn’t contest threes. They made them. It just felt like everything went their way.”

Hancock began the game on a 9-2 run, and the Crusaders never recovered. Only one Crusaders player finished in double figures as senior forward Julia Carns scored 11 points.

Hancock gets a shot at a state title against Minneota, a year after coming up short in the Class 1A, Section 6 final. Thielke credited past Hancock players for “laying a foundation” for this year’s Owls team.

“Coming up short the past two years makes us want it even more,” Owls senior Rylee Hanson said.

Kaitlyn Staples and Kaitlyn Rohloff led a dominant performance for Hancock (29-1) in a 71-40 win over Mayer Lutheran (27-5).

Staples, a sophomore forward, shot 5-6 from three-point range and scored 17 points. Rohloff, a freshman, went 6-7 from the field and also scored 17 points.

Mayer Lutheran couldn’t gain traction against the Owls but senior forward Julia Carns finished in double figures with 11 points.