Haylee Stokes and Estherville-Lincoln Central are heading back to the Class 3A semifinals after winning their rubber match with Cherokee.
Stokes scored 23 points and made 10 steals as ELC steadily built its lead throughout the game and beat Cherokee 57-33. The two Lakes Conference rivals had split their two regular-season games, each winning at home.
Stokes, who’ll play at Minnesota State next season, added seven assists, six rebounds and a block to her line and turned it over only once while playing 31 minutes. ELC compiled 16 steals in all and forced 22 turnovers, which led to 21 points.
Hillary Ruschy added 16 points and four steals for the winners, who improved to 21-3, and Rylee Yager had an 11-point, 10-rebound double-double for a program that has been among the most successful at state in recent years.
This will be ELC’s third appearance in the semis in the last four years. ELC won the 3A title in 2022 and lost to Solon in last year’s championship game. The next opponent will be a challenge: Top-seeded Mount Vernon at 1:30 p.m. Thursday.
Mount Vernon advanced with a 75-19 rout of West Marshall and will be looking to avenge a loss to ELC in last year’s semifinals.
Sophomore Deidra Doeden was outstanding for Cherokee (21-4), scoring 18 points on 9-for-13 shooting, grabbing 15 rebounds, making two steals and blocking two shots. During one stretch in the game, she scored 14 of Cherokee’s 16 points.
Addy Wolfswinkel added nine points for Cherokee, which shot only 32 percent in the first half (6-for-19) and 38 percent for the game.
ELC jumped to a 12-1 lead and never trailed. Stokes scored ELC’s last nine points in the first half to produce a 27-14 lead, finishing that run with a slick move to the basket. Stokes and Ruschy combined for all but two of ELC’s 16 third-quarter points as the lead grew to 43-24 and ELC led by as many as 27 down the stretch.
The two teams had longer halftime break than usual because Wellls Fargo Arena had to be evacuated after a ventilation problem at a concession stand set off an alarm. Everyone was allowed back in after a few minutes and the game finished without incident.
