Minnesota State is getting a good one in Estherville-Lincoln Central’s Hayley Stokes.

Stokes, a 5-foot-6 junior, scored in a variety of ways and finished with 44 points to lead top-seeded ELC past Forest City 61-47 to start the Class 3A tournament.

ELC was upset as the top seed in the first round of last year’s tournament after winning it all in 2022. Stokes and her teammates made sure it didn’t happen again, taking control with 14-3 run in the first round and never facing a serious challenge the rest of the way against a Forest City team playing in the state tournament for the first time.

Stokes, who will be able to sign with Minnesota State in November, scored on drives to the basket using either hand, hit a pull-up jumper and knocked down four 3-pointers. She wound up 15-of-24 from the field while adding seven steals, five rebounds, three assists and a block.

Only two other players scored or the winners. Hillary Ruschy had nine points and five rebounds and Rylee Yager added eight points, five rebounds and four steals. ELC made 18 steals in all and outscored Forest City 30-12 in points off turnovers.

Colette Loges led Forest City with 12 points and Emma Anderson, playing in a school record 93rd game, scored 11. Hayden Brown and Lexi Isebrand each scored seven for the Indians with Brown adding eight rebounds, three assists and three steals.

ELC’s first-quarter burst produced a 21-9 lead. Forest City scored the final six points of the half to draw to 21-15 but never got any closer. An 11-2 run that Stokes capped with a jump shot made it 32-17 and ELC led 34-24 at the half.

Stokes made all five of her shots in the third quarter, including a 3-pointer, to send her team into the final period with a 49-31 lead. The lead grew to 54-35, but Forest City, backed by a large, vocal crowd, stayed with it and trailed just 58-47 when Anderson followed up a miss with 1:19 left.

The Indians’ threat ended there and Stokes finished it off with three free throws.

Estherville-Lincoln Central will take a 23-2 record into a semifinal game at 1:30 p.m. Thursday. Forest City, which upset fifth-ranked Roland-Story to earn its first state tourney berth, finished a memorable season with a 21-4 record.