Bishop Garrigan freshman Audi Crook already is getting interest from major college coaches and it's easy to see why. At 6-feet-3, Crooks used her size effectively to help Garrigan beat Martensdale-St Marys 55-40 in Class 1A play to wrap up the state tournament's quarterfinal round.
Crooks, facing a team that had no one taller than 5-feet-8, had a double-double by halftime and finished with 25 points, 14 rebounds and three blocks. She made 11 of 19 shots and negated four of her misses by grabbing the rebound and scoring on the putback. Kaylyn Meyers added 15 points and five assists for the third-seeded Golden Bears, while Katie Noonan helped on the boards with 11 rebounds and scored six points.
Anna Parrott had 12 points and 12 rebounds for sixth-seeded Martensdale-St. Marys. Jensen Archibald led the Blue Devils with 14 points while adding six rebounds and four assists.
Martensdale-St. Marys surrounded Crooks with two or three players and held her to just two baskets in the first quarter, both on putbacks. But she got going after that and scored eight straight Bishop Garrigan points to help her team build a 26-17 halftime lead. The Blue Devils stayed within striking distance until Noonan hit a 3-pointer and Crooks followed with a three-point play that stretched the lead to 45-33. The Golden Bears remained in control after that.
Bishop Garrigan will take a 24-1 record against second-seeded Marquette Catholic in a semifinal at 3:15 p.m. Friday. The lone loss was a one-pointer to 2A semifinalist West Hancock, a loss the Golden Bears avenged late in the season.
Martensdale-St. Marys reached the state tournament for the first time since winning the 1A championship in 2011, earning its trip by upsetting third-ranked North Mahaska in the regional finals. The Blue Devils finish with an 18-9 record.