The Exira-EHK-Audubon girls basketball team saw their 22-game win streak and their season come to an end Wednesday night as they fell to the St. Albert Saintes 45-37 in the state quarterfinal. Despite a slow start, Exira-EHK-Audubon fought hard in a physical game for all four quarters. After surrendering a 15-1 run to start game, they would constantly battle and thanks in large part to their stout defense, would tie the game in the fourth quarter. Although Taryn Petersen’s team leading 18 points played a large part in the comeback effort, St. Albert’s ability to control glass was too much to overcome. It was a solid effort against one of the best teams in the state that came up just a little short.

The start to the ball game couldn’t have gone any worse for Exira-EHK-Audubon. St. Albert was on top of them from the opening tip. At points throughout the opening quarter, Exira-EHK-Audubon struggled to move the ball without turning it over. Although St. Albert wasn’t electric on offense it was enough to go on a 15-1 over the course of the first five minutes. However, after Taryn Petersen hit the first field goal of the game with just under two minutes in the quarter, Exira-EHK-Audubon settled in. Over the course of the final two minutes, they outscored St. Albert 7-2 to get themselves back in the game.

That trend continued in the second. Although it took a while for the offense to get going, they continued to close the gap. Through the final 10 minutes of the half, Exira-EHK-Audubon outscored the Saintes 19-7 including a 9-2 run over the final four minutes of the second and went into the half down by two.

Credit has to be given to the defenses. It was the lowest point total in a class 1A quarterfinal, and the lowest point total in the whole tournament for a game that finished within single digits. St. Albert’s pressure caused a lot of issues for Exira-EHK-Audubon. On the other end, Exira-EHK-Audubon did a phenomenal job in the half court and continued to find ways to survive. However, it was the overwhelming need to survive possessions caused by the rebounding of St. Albert that ultimately turned out to be the biggest difference. The Saintes outrebounded Exira-EHK-Audubon 51-25. A lot of the damage was done on the offense glass. There were numerous times were the Saintes earned second, third, and even forth chance opportunities. Eventually this became too much to survive.

However, despite everything, Exira-EHK-Audubon hung in the game. Although St. Albert extended their lead in the third, Exira-EHK-Audubon came right back in the early stages of the fourth going on a 10-2 through the first three minutes of the frame to tie the game. Unfortunately, St. Albert found and answer on both offense and defense, as Exira-EHK-Audubon never truly threatened again.

Head coach Tom Petersen was extremely pleased with his team’s effort against the defending champs.

Junior Taryn Petersen credited their ability to get to the inside as the adjustment that got them back into the game.

Jaelyn Petersen one of three seniors on the team was happy with what her and her classmates were able to accomplish over their careers.

St. Albert is one of the best teams in the state and are primed to defend their state championship. For Exira-EHK-Audubon, they showed that they could hang with the best.

Exira-EHK-Audubon ends the season with a record of 22-2 and made their first state tournament appearance in four years.