BISHOP HEELAN 73, WAUKON 54

Bishop Heelan of Sioux City is back at the top in Class 3A girls basketball.

Carly Tritz put up big numbers, including a state tournament-record 11 steals, to lead top-ranked Heelan past No. 2 Waukon 73-54 in Saturday night's championship game.

Heelan also won the 2008 championship and finished second last year.

Tritz scored 25 points on 11-for-15 shooting, grabbed six rebounds and handed out five assists. Her 11 steals broke the record of 10 shared by Mary Berdo of Washington in 1994 and Kate Galligan of Cedar Rapids Jefferson in 1990.

Millie Niggeling added 22 points, eight rebounds, six assists and four blocks for Heelan, which finishes 26-1. Amanda Hoffman scored 11, while Maggie Vondrak and Natalie Vondrak helped out by grabbing seven rebounds apiece.

Mary Halvorson led Waukon with 24 points, nine rebounds and four steals. Carissa Berger added 10 points for the Indians, who finished 25-2 and fell one win short in their bid to give veteran coach Gene Klinge his second state championship.

Klinge concludes his 48th season with a 956-219 record. He guided Waukon to the 3A championship in 2004.

Tritz set the tone for the game with a huge first quarter. She made all six of her shots in the period, scored 13 points and made seven steals despite sitting out the final 1:10 after picking up her second foul.

With Tritz and Niggeling both on the bench for much of the second quarter to keep them from getting a third foul, Waukon stayed close behind Halvorson and trailed just 37-30 at halftime.

But Tritz led a 15-3 run to open the second half, stretching the lead to 52-33, and Heelan was never in danger again.

During that burst, Tritz converted a three-point play, assisted on two baskets and made a layup after a steal. Later in the quarter, the Creighton recruit showed her athleticism by hitting a spinning jumper and a turnaround shot.

Tritz made her record-breaking steal with 2:03 left in the game and completed her night by feeding Jenna Graves for a layup with 1:11 to play.