EXIRA 57, MOUNT AYR 55

Exira's last victory in girls basketball will go down as its most memorable.

The second-ranked Vikettes beat No. 8 Mount Ayr 57-55 on Friday night to win the Class 1A state championship and they did it in dramatic fashion.

Ann Walker made a layup at the buzzer for the game winner, a basket that came at the end of an inbounds play that began at the other end of the court.

The victory caps a 26-0 season for Exira, which won its first state title. It comes in the last year for the school, which will merge with Elk Horn-Kimballton starting next fall.

Hallie Christofferson led Exira with 27 points and 17 rebounds and was voted captain of the all-tournament team. She finished with 92 points in the three tournament games, the third most in a five-player tournament.

Walker and Maddy Peppers each scored 13 for the Vikettes, who appeared to have secured the victory when Christofferson sank one free throw for a 55-51 lead with 22.1 seconds left.

Mount Ayr's Becca Pennington made two free throws to cut the lead to 55-53, then intercepted pass after Exira inbounded. She missed a layup, but Tiffany Wimer scored on the follow to tie it with 5 seconds left.

After a timeout, Courtney Peppers inbounded for Exira and threw the ball to Chelsea Nelson at midcourt. Nelson then turned and fired the ball to Walker, who drove for the game-winning layup, the ball dancing on the rim before falling through as the buzzer sounded.

Pennington finished with 19 points to lead Mount Ayr, which had never won a state tournament game before this year.

Bailey Myer added 13 points and five steals for the Raiderettes, who set a school record for victories this season and finished 26-2.

Walker, Pennington and Myer also made the all-tournament team, along with Susan Kies of Newell-Fonda and Morgan Halverson of Martensdale-St. Marys.