Top-seeded Jackson County Central and second-seeded Fairmont will meet in the championship game of the Section 3AA South Sub-Section girls basketball tournament at 8 p.m. Thursday at the RA Facility at Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall.
The Huskies had a first-round bye and then defeated fourth-seeded Redwood Valley 72-56 in the semifinals Tuesday in St. James. JCC has won 17 straight (more on that later) and has a 20-6 record.
It’s the first time Jackson County Central has been to the sub-section championship game since 2011. The Huskies beat Fairmont 66-38 in that game.
This is the first 20-win season for JCC since that 2010-2011 team went 26-3 and qualified for the state Class 2A tournament.
Three players scored in double figures for the Huskies in the Tuesday win over Redwood, led by Zadi Farmer’s 22 points that included five three-point baskets. Rylie Cother scored 17 points and Kinley VanDeVere 11.
Fairmont (20-7) beat Pipestone 70-49 in Tuesday’s second semifinal, led by Brylee Miller’s 25 points.
The Huskies and Cardinals split their regular season contests with the home team winning each game. Fairmont won 68-48 on Dec. 20 and JCC won 68-63 on Jan. 24.
The first game in Marshall Thursday is at 6 p.m. with New London-Spicer (27-1) playing Minnewaska Area (25-3) for the North Sub-Section crown. The winners play for the section title on Thursday, March 6, also at SMSU.
Double digit win streaks
There are six Class 2A girls basketball teams in the state with double digit winning streaks, with three of those teams being undefeated.
Crosby-Ironton is 27-0, while Providence Academy and Royalton are 26-0.
Jackson County Central has won 17 in a row, Maranatha Christian 15 and New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva 11.
Here’s a look at the teams that have winning streaks of 10 games-plus through Tuesday.
Listed are team, winning streak and season record, their last game and their next game.
Crosby-Ironton (27, 27-0)
Last game: Defeated Greenway/Nashwauk-Keewatin 114-25 (Section 7AA)
Next game: Saturday vs. Esko at Cloquet, 11 a.m. (Section 7AA)
Providence Academy (26, 26-0)
Last game: Defeated Green Bay Notre Dame Academy 79-69 (regular season)
Next game: Saturday vs. Holy Family Catholic or Eagle Ridge Academy (Section 5AA)
Royalton (26, 26-0)
Last game: Defeated Pine City 63-28
Next game: Thursday vs. Mora (Section 6AA)
Jackson County Central (17, 20-6)
Last game: Defeated Redwood Valley 72-56 (Section 3AA)
Next game: vs. Fairmont at SMSU (Section 3AA)
Maranatha Christian (15, 21-3)
Last game: Defeated St. Agnes 54-43 (regular season)
Next game: Saturday vs. Southwest Christian or Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted (Section 5AA)
New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva (11, 20-5)
Last game: Defeated Medford 87-28 (Section 2AA)
Next game: Thursday vs. Waterville-Elysian-Morristown (Section 2AA)
Section 3AA
South Sub-Section
Friday, Feb. 21
Quarterfinals
Jackson County Central had bye
Redwood Valley 76, St. James Area 61
Fairmont 61, Luverne 37
Pipestone 65, Windom 64
Tuesday, Feb. 25
Semifinals
At St. James
Jackson County Central 72, Redwood Valley 56
Fairmont 70, Pipestone 49
Thursday, Feb. 27
Championship
At SMSU
Jackson County Central (20-6) vs. Fairmont (20-7), 8 p.m.
North Sub-Section
Friday, Feb. 21
Quarterfinals
Upper bracket
New London-Spicer 81, Eden Valley-Watkins 42
Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta 42, Montevideo 39
Minnewaska Area 63, Litchfield 25
Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg 65, Paynesville 59
Tuesday, Feb. 25
Semifinals
At Willmar H.S.
New London-Spicer 72, Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta 27
Minnewaska Area 59, Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg 32
Thursday, Feb. 27
Championship
At SMSU
New London-Spicer (27-1) vs. Minnewaska Area (25-3), 6 p.m.
Section 3AA championship
Thursday, March 6
At SMSU
South Sub-Section champion vs. North Sub-Section champion, 5 p.m.
JCC girls basketball schedule/results
Monday, Nov. 25: Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial, W 76-51
Tuesday, Dec. 3: at Blue Earth Area, W 84-27
Thursday, Dec. 5: at Pipestone, W 84-44
Friday, Dec. 6: New Ulm, L 69-68
Tuesday, Dec. 10: Estherville Lincoln Central, L 82-42
Friday, Dec. 13: at Tri-City United, L 61-51
Tuesday, Dec. 17: St. Peter, L 70-62
Friday, Dec. 20: at Fairmont, L 68-48
Friday, Dec. 27: Marshall at SMSU, L 76-56
Saturday, Dec. 28: MACCRAY at SMSU, W 65-31
Friday, Jan. 3: Belle Plaine, W 89-70
Tuesday, Jan. 7: Redwood Valley, W 77-68
Friday, Jan. 10: at Windom, W 91-83
Monday, Jan. 13: Luverne, W 76-62
Tuesday, Jan. 14: at Worthington, W 93-58
Thursday, Jan. 16: Blue Earth Area, W 82-40
Tuesday, Jan. 21: Tri-City United, W 80-47
Friday, Jan. 24: Fairmont, W 68-63
Monday, Jan. 27: at Maple River, W 95-78
Tuesday, Jan. 28: Pipestone, W 80-58
Friday, Jan. 31: at Belle Plaine, W 86-82
Tuesday, Feb. 4: Windom, W 67-64
Friday, Feb. 7: at Waseca, W 60-21
Tuesday, Feb. 11: at Luverne, W 91-55
Friday, Feb. 14: at Redwood Valley, W 73-44
Tuesday, Feb. 25: Redwood Valley at, St. James, W 72-56
Thursday, Feb. 27: Fairmont at SMSU, 8 p.m.