Defense propels Spartans back to Des Moines
RED OAK -- Throughout another season-long journey to the Girls State Basketball Tournament, two constants have existed for Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton.
Defense and winning.
It’s only fitting that those two things went hand-in-hand again Monday night as the unbeaten, 2nd-ranked Spartans survived a major test from Nodaway Valley to win 41-35 in a Class 1-A, Region 7 final at Red Oak.
After trailing for much of the first half, Exira-EHK sped to a 31-21 third-quarter lead, only to see the Wolverines rally and tie the score (33-33) with about five and a half minutes remaining.
The Spartans would score the next six points, however, four on converted steals by Mara Burmeister and Sophia Peppers, and overcame seven fourth-quarter turnovers by forcing nine.
The victory puts Exira-EHK (23-0) back in the state tournament with a spotless record for the second straight year. The Spartans will face last year’s 1-A champion, 7th-ranked Newell-Fonda (18-6), in a quarterfinal game Monday afternoon (3:15) inside Wells Fargo Arena.