WATERTOWN — Lennox, a town rich with basketball history, captured its first Class A girls championship since 1988 on Saturday.

The Orioles used a third-quarter spurt to pull away from Mahpiya Luta, 65-51, for the Class A state girls basketball championship at the Watertown Civic Arena. The state championship snapped a 38-year drought, and delivered a title to the hoop-crazed Lennox community. 

“It just means a lot to the community,” Lennox coach Adam Quail said. “Our team is a reflection of the community with just how hard we worked. I am happy for all the young Lennox Orioles girls that got to watch this and witness this, and hopefully we keep it going.” 

Lennox, which is littered with upperclassmen, spoiled Mahpiya Luta’s bid for its first-ever state championship and avenged an early-season defeat. On Jan. 17, Lennox lost to Mahpiya Luta by a 66-56 score at the Hanson Classic in Mitchell. 

The Orioles (22-3) flipped the script on Mahpiya Luta (23-1) and used a 44-24 second-half margin to secure the state championship. 

“It’s our first time being here as a whole team and we came in and won,” said Lennox senior Andie Peters, who scored 15 points. “We weren’t supposed to win. We were the underdogs and it feels really good.” 

The Orioles used a 28-14 spurt in the third quarter, flipping a 27-21 halftime deficit into a 49-41 advantage entering the final quarter. 

“We were all swinging the ball and we shared it,” said Lennox freshman Tori Gerdes, who totaled 22 points and 10 rebounds. “We found the open person, and we went up strong.” 

Ashlan Carlow-Blount gave Mahpiya Luta a 33-30 lead with 5:17 left, but just like the blizzard building outside, Lennox unleashed a flurry of 3-pointers to fuel its run.

Teagen Sturm and Peters combined for three 3-pointers as Lennox pulled ahead 39-33 at the 3:36 mark. The Orioles went on a 14-0 run in three minutes. 

“We finally strung a few stops together,” Quail said. “We got a few shots to fall and then it felt like the momentum switched just like that in an instant and it’s just funny how basketball works.”

Lennox hit four 3-pointers in the third-quarter, and stretched its lead to eight points entering the final frame.  

“I think our defense really took control of it,” Peters said. “We knew what we had to do to stop them. They’re shooters, they’re fast. But we tried to battle back and we did. We got ahead and that’s how we got the win.”

In the fourth quarter, Lennox ballooned its lead to double digits and used a 16-10 fourth-quarter margin to secure the win. 

“It was a battle all the way through and through,” Peters said. “They’re tough. They’re fast. But so are we. It was a good battle. We played them in season. We saw how they played. We battled back and forth and it was great.”

Mya Mills led Mahpiya Luta with 16 points and hit five 3-pointers. She added four assists and four steals. Carlow-Blount totaled 11 points, six rebounds, five assists and three steals. Tahca Zephier recorded eight points and Peyton Knife totaled seven points. 

Mahpiya Luta finished as Class A runner-ups for the second season in a row. It finished with a 47-2 record through the past two seasons. 

Lennox’s Bergan Musser finished with 10 points. Sturm had eight points, five rebounds, seven assists and four steals. Adie McVey recorded five points and eight boards. Lennox outrebounded Mahpiya Luta, 39-27. 

Peters, Izzy Vargas and Mia Hanisch are the lone seniors on the Lennox roster, which also features four juniors, four sophomores and four freshmen. 

Peters, who will play college basketball at Dakota Wesleyan University, said the young Orioles will be a force again next season. 

“It’s going to be great for them,” Peters said. “I hope they come back. I hope they keep winning.”