March Madness is a beautiful time of the year. Student sections get louder; the tables are turned; glass slippers fit or break for potential Cinderellas.

The scene is visible not only at the Division I collegiate level, but in high school as well. Minnesota is no different, and this year’s section 1A and 1 AAfinals in the southeastern part of the state will feature exciting talent.

On the 1A side, #2 ranked Spring Grove (26-1) cut off a furious Rushford-Peterson (15-8) rally in the semifinal and will take on an athletic Goodhue team (21-9). Chase Grinde had a monster day, leading all scorers with 26 points. The Lions have had a tremendous season, making a mockery of almost all of their opponents. The section final was only the second game decided by less than 10 points.

Goodhue will have their hands full with Spring Grove, but they will also provide a challenge. The Wildcats were ranked first in the Hiawatha Valley League in points against, a conference that included scorers such as Isaiah Wannarka and Brady Kuchinka. When it comes to strength of schedule, Goodhue has certainly packed in plenty of quality games, especially compared to Spring Grove. The Wildcats are led by Jacob McNamara, who scored 22 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in the Wildcats’ trouncing of Grand Meadow.

The Wildcats looked mighty impressive last week, and have great momentum heading into the section final. Goodhue only lost two games in the month of February. Spring Grove has great athleticism, and a season with only one loss is an incredible feat. Although Goodhue comes into this game the underdog, I believe they can hang in the Lions’ den. Expect this game to go into overtime and Goodhue to carry on their season into the state tournament.

PREDICTION: Goodhue 68, Spring Grove 64 (OT)

The AA tournament features a highly anticipated matchup of last year’s subsection title game between the Saint Charles Saints and the Caledonia Warriors, a game that Caledonia used to propel them to a second place finish in the state tournament. Just like last year, the Saints beat the section’s #2 seed Lake City in rally fashion on Saturday.

Caledonia (27-2) has been a basketball powerhouse for the last few years. However, you could make an argument that there is no “face of the franchise”. The Warriors have one of the most complete teams in the state. Gavin Schroeder is an excellent shot blocker and is a major presence from both the high and low post. The King brothers, Owen and Noah, are some of the best shooters in the conference. The defense is fronted by the lanky Colton Lampert, a guard who will both question your offensive decisions and the way you rock your hairdo.

For the Saints, the charismatic Dayton Danielson has also sported a ponytail while saucing out Steve Nash-esque passes to teammates. The athletic Luke Leistikow grabs 7.2 boards a game, which is impressive, considering Saint Charles is a fire three-point shooting team. Although the Saints are youthful (only three seniors on the roster), young bucks Keagan Maloney and Kaden Vaughn, as well as junior Justin Ruhberg, spark an explosive offense that scores 80 points a game. Defensively, the Saints play an impressive full court, but their half court could use some improvement before the section title game.

Saint Charles has to be more active in half court defense if they want to keep up with the Warriors. It was a close game during the regular season, but Caledonia has not missed a step. The Saints will be sharp shooters from beyond the arc. This game will have its flair and entertaining moments. Many predicted that these two teams would finish atop the section. Expect the Warriors to return to the Target Center in March.

PREDICTION: Saint Charles 79, Caledonia 90