New Prague has owned Red Wing during Kraig Ulveling’s seven-year tenure as the girls’ basketball coach. He was looking forward to the day it would finally all come to an end, as were his players. It just happened to be at the most opportune time.

Sophomore Tesha Buck scored the Wingers’ last six points in the final minute as Red Wing survived a tense final few moments for a 59-53 victory over New Prague on Friday night in the Class 3A, Section 1 finals at the Rochester Civic Center. Red Wing earned its third state tournament trip with the win, and first since 2005.

“We drilled it in their heads the past four days that it didn’t matter what had happened in the previous 19 games,” Ulveling said. He entered the game with a career record of 0-19 against the Trojans. “We didn’t want them to get caught up in the atmosphere. We had to beat them on the basketball court.”

The Wingers (18-9) didn’t look like a squad that couldn’t beat New Prague from the outset. They used a 16-3 run in the middle stages of the first half to take a commanding 25-12 lead. They stretched the margin to 36-20 at halftime.

“We told them at halftime they would make a run,” Ulveling said. “It was going to take all 36 minutes to beat them.”

His assessment was correct. The Trojans (20-9) closed within 49-48 with three minutes remaining, but Ashley Brooks’ layup 20 seconds later restored order for Red Wing. Buck, who finished with a team-high 19 points, then put on the finishing touches.

“I got a little nervous during their run,” Buck said. “We had to stay together as a team. It was a very emotional game.”

As it always is against New Prague. In their previous meeting, Buck punched New Prague leading scorer Anna Rynda during a 72-64 setback on Feb. 18. She served a two-game suspension from the incident that was agreed upon by both schools’ administrators.

“I’m so proud of her,” Ulveling said. “Tesha has been vilified by everybody since that game. She stepped up tonight in the biggest game.”

Red Wing had seen its season come to an end at the hands of the Trojans the previous five seasons, twice in the section semifinals and the previous three years in the championship.

“All they ever remember is the last one,” a smiling Ulveling said.