Graettinger-Terril is off to a good start in its first state tournament appearance as a consolidated school.

The 12th-ranked Knights got 22 points from Megan Torkelson and beat Bedford 49-37 in Class 1A action in the tournament's opening game.

Torkelson also had five assists, four rebounds and two steals and was steady at the free throw line, making 10 of 12. Lexy Determan added nine points and seven rebounds for the Knights (24-2), while Theresa Petersen sank two 3-pointers in scoring eight points.

Laura Laidig led Graettinger-Terril with nine rebounds.

Erica Dalton's 13 points and 10 rebounds led Bedford (20-6), which reached the state tournament for the first time. The Bulldogs had an all-junior starting lineup and only one senior on the team.

Erin Johnson added 11 points for Bedford. Teammate Elaine Mauderly grabbed eight rebounds.

Torkelson scored the game's first six points as Graettinger-Terril jumped to an 8-0 lead. The Knights led by as many as 12 points before Bedford battled back, cutting the lead to 33-30 on Dalton's layup early in the fourth quarter.

But Graettinger-Terril scored the next six points to go up 39-30 and held on.