WAUKON 53, ALGONA 46

Six years after winning their first state championship in girls basketball, Waukon and veteran coach Gene Klinge are getting a chance to win another.

Second-ranked Waukon ended Algona's unbeaten season with a 53-46 victory in the Class 3A semifinals Thursday night, sending the Indians into Saturday night's title game against No. 1 Sioux City Heelan.

Waukon won its only state title in 2004, which also was the first championship in Klinge's long coaching career. Klinge, the state's career leader in victories, now has 956 wins.

Mary Halvorson, the team's go-to player all season, led Waukon with 20 points and 10 rebounds. Jordon Reiser added 13 points and five rebounds, while Kristyna Herman and Carissa Berger each scored six points. Herman grabbed six rebounds and made four steals.

Natalie Hackbarth led Algona with 16 points, Kirsten Lipps scored 15 and Laura TerHark eight.

Trailing by 11 points in the third quarter, Algona rallied to tie the score twice but could never get the lead. Reiser and Halvorson hit back-to-back 15-foot jumpers to break the final tie and give the Indians a 45-41 lead.

Then, after missing four of six free throws while trying to salt the game away, the Indians made six straight to finally nail it down. Herman sank four of those free throws and made a key steal with 26 seconds left and Waukon leading 49-44.

Waukon heads to the title game at 6 p.m. Friday with a 25-1 record. Algona, which reached the state tournament for the first time, finishes a memorable season with a 25-1 record.