Mountain Iron-Buhl girls' basketball falls in state title game

Top-seeded Rangers unable to overcome slow start, lose 80-63 to Sleepy Eye Saint Mary's

Mar. 15, 2026 at 1:40am

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The Mountain Iron-Buhl girls' basketball team, the top seed in the tournament, fell to No. 2 Sleepy Eye Saint Mary's 80-63 in the Class A State Championship game on Saturday. The Rangers struggled with a nightmare start that ultimately proved too much to overcome.

Why it matters

Mountain Iron-Buhl was the favorite heading into the state title game, but their inability to recover from a poor opening proved costly against a tough Sleepy Eye Saint Mary's squad. The loss is a disappointment for the Rangers, who were seeking their first state championship.

The details

Mountain Iron-Buhl fell behind early and trailed 45-27 at halftime. Despite a better second half, they were unable to fully erase the deficit and ultimately fell by a final score of 80-63.

  • The Class A State Championship game took place on Saturday, March 15, 2026.
  • Mountain Iron-Buhl trailed 45-27 at halftime.

The players

Mountain Iron-Buhl

The top-seeded girls' basketball team that lost in the Class A State Championship game.

Sleepy Eye Saint Mary's

The No. 2 seed that defeated Mountain Iron-Buhl 80-63 in the state title game.

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The takeaway

Despite being the tournament favorite, Mountain Iron-Buhl was unable to overcome a slow start and ultimately fell short of the state championship, losing to a tough Sleepy Eye Saint Mary's squad.