Mustangs Fall in Class A State Quarterfinals in First-Ever Appearance

Northome/Kelliher girls basketball team fights hard but can't overcome Central Minnesota Christian School in 82-69 loss

Mar. 13, 2026 at 1:35am

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The Northome/Kelliher girls basketball team made its first-ever appearance in the Class A state tournament, but fell to Central Minnesota Christian School 82-69 in the quarterfinals. The Mustangs battled back from an early double-digit deficit to trail by just 8 at halftime, but CMCS pulled away in the second half to secure the victory.

Why it matters

This was a historic moment for the Northome/Kelliher program, marking their first-ever state tournament appearance. Despite the loss, the Mustangs showed they can compete at the highest level and gained valuable experience for the future. The game also highlighted the strong fan support the team enjoys, with a large contingent making the long trip to cheer them on.

The details

The Mustangs got off to a quick 5-0 start, but CMCS responded with a 13-point run to take control. Northome/Kelliher battled back, led by senior Kate Thayer's 12 steals and 29 points, and senior Kylee Binkley's 4 first-half 3-pointers. However, CMCS pulled away in the second half, led by 30 points from Dienna Duininck and 21 from Emma Braem.

  • The Mustangs jumped out to a 5-0 lead early in the first half.
  • CMCS took a double-digit lead about 8 minutes into the first half.
  • Northome/Kelliher cut the deficit to 45-37 at halftime.
  • CMCS extended their lead to double digits early in the second half and maintained it to the end.

The players

Kate Thayer

A senior for Northome/Kelliher who finished the game with 12 steals and 29 points, leading the Mustangs' effort.

Kylee Binkley

A senior for Northome/Kelliher who hit 4 3-pointers in the first half to help the Mustangs battle back.

Dienna Duininck

A player for Central Minnesota Christian School who scored a game-high 30 points.

Emma Braem

A player for Central Minnesota Christian School who scored 21 points.

Brian Nelson

The head coach of Central Minnesota Christian School.

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What they’re saying

“The game was tough, hats off to them. They're a really physical team, fast team. You probably haven't seen the speed that they had played with tonight, maybe the defensive physicality that they played with. It was a testament to our girls, they were tough.”

— Brian Nelson, Head Coach, Central Minnesota Christian School

“This group of kids, I mean, not to say they made our job easy, but they do. They're a great group of kids. They work their butt off. They're the hardest-working kids in the gym.”

— Kevin Waldo, Head Coach, Northome/Kelliher

What’s next

The Northome/Kelliher Mustangs will now play in the consolation bracket, facing Mayer Lutheran on Friday at noon. The winner of that game will advance to the consolation final on Saturday at 8 a.m.

The takeaway

Despite the loss, the Northome/Kelliher Mustangs can be proud of their historic first-ever state tournament appearance. They showed they can compete with the top teams in Class A, and this experience will only make the program stronger going forward as they look to build on this success.