TODAY'S QUARTERFINALS:

CLASS 1A STORY LINES

1 MARANATHA AIMING TO REPEAT

Defending state champion Maranatha opened the season as the team to beat, and it remains that way entering the quarterfinals. The No. 1-ranked Mustangs (25-5) had only one senior on last year's team. Coach Jim Hammond's squad has two outstanding guards in senior Alexis Long and sophomore Madison Lee, and 6-2 junior center Onye Osemenam owns the paint. The Mustangs didn't lose to a Class 1A school during the season.

2 SMART TEAM RETURNS TO FIELD

Ada-Borup welcomed the return of Dave Smart to the bench two years ago after a one-year hiatus to watch his daughters play college basketball. One year later, it's back to familiar territory for the Cougars. They will be making their fifth state tournament appearance in the past seven years. The Cougars won back-to-back state championships in 2008 and 2009.

3 RANGERS RELOAD, DON'T REBUILD

Mountain Iron-Buhl finished third in the state tournament last year and appeared to be in rebuilding mode. Guess again. The Rangers are 29-1 with only one senior among their top six scorers.

RON HAGGSTROM