IKM is getting another chance to win the Class 1A state championship.

The top-ranked Hawks beat No. 4 Twin River Valley 44-26 on Wednesday night to advance to the title game for the second year in a row. In last year's finals, IKM lost to Charter Oak-Ute 63-61.

IKM improved to 27-1 with a combination of solid defense and the scoring of Margo Muhlbauer and Bailey Schechinger.

Muhlbauer scored 18 points and had three steals, while Schechinger added 13 points and six rebounds. Stephany Scheuring helped out with seven points and four assists.

Liz Trauger led Twin River Valley with 17 points and 15 rebounds. Trauger finishes her career with 2,115 points, which is eighth on the state's all-time list. The loss was the first for Twin River Valley in 27 games this season.

Muhlbauer will get one more game to add to her total, which now stands at 2,286 points. That's the fifth-best figure in five-player basketball.

IKM took control early and never let up. The Hawks scored the game's first eight points and led 16-5 early in the second quarter.

Twin River Valley scored five straight points to cut the lead to 16-10, but IKM finished the quarter with a 6-0 run to go up 22-10. The Hawks' lead fell below double digits only once after that.