Willmar Cardinals face top-seeded Stewartville Tigers in state tournament

Underdog Willmar squad looks to continue surprise postseason run against powerhouse Stewartville

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

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The Willmar Cardinals girls basketball team, the eighth seed in the Class AAA state tournament, will face top-seeded Stewartville in the opening round on Wednesday. Willmar has been the underdog throughout the postseason, but that hasn't stopped them from beating Fergus Falls in overtime and top-seeded Little Falls to advance to state for the first time since 2018. Stewartville, on the other hand, is a powerhouse this season, having won 26 straight games since their only loss. The Tigers are led by a trio of senior starters, but Willmar plans to throw plenty at Stewartville's offense to try to get them out of rhythm.

Why it matters

Willmar's surprise run to the state tournament has been an inspiring underdog story, as the Cardinals have defied expectations by knocking off higher-seeded opponents. Meanwhile, Stewartville is looking to continue its dominant season and make a deep run in the state tournament. This matchup pits the plucky upstart against the established powerhouse, setting the stage for an intriguing opening-round clash.

The details

Willmar (18-11) is the eighth seed in the Class AAA bracket and is making its first state tournament appearance since 2018. The Cardinals advanced by beating Fergus Falls in overtime and top-seeded Little Falls in the Section 8AAA championship. Stewartville (27-1) is the top seed and is returning to state for the fourth straight season, having won the Section 1AAA title with a 61-50 victory over Byron. The Tigers' only loss this season came in the second game against Lakeville South, and they have wins over several highly ranked opponents, including Benilde-St. Margaret's, Marshall, Rochester Lourdes, and Minnehaha Academy.

  • The state tournament game between Willmar and Stewartville will take place on Wednesday, March 10, 2026 at 10 a.m. at Maturi Pavilion on the University of Minnesota campus.
  • Willmar head coach Brendan Hedtke made a bet with his team over the summer that if they made it to the state tournament, he would let them buzz his hair at a practice. The team held up their end of the bargain, and Hedtke had his head shaved on Monday.

The players

Telilie Lange

A senior guard for the Willmar Cardinals.

Lyza Gustafson

A senior forward for the Willmar Cardinals.

Tanner Teige

The head coach of the Stewartville Tigers, in his third year leading the program.

Audrey Shindelar

A 5-foot-10 senior guard for the Stewartville Tigers who is committed to South Dakota State University. She averages 23 points and 5 assists per game.

Brendan Hedtke

The head coach of the Willmar Cardinals.

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What they’re saying

“We've taken it upon us to use that momentum we've gotten from the last few games.”

— Telilie Lange, Senior guard, Willmar Cardinals (Yahoo Sports)

“I think we're all just kind of (thinking) we got nothing to lose. So we're just gonna play and give it everything we got.”

— Lyza Gustafson, Senior forward, Willmar Cardinals (Yahoo Sports)

“It's good to be able to pull from that experience. The girls understand that it doesn't matter who we play when we play them. We've got to bring our best if we want to be able to achieve the goals that we want to achieve.”

— Tanner Teige, Head coach, Stewartville Tigers (Yahoo Sports)

“They're a good team and an experienced team that's been there (at state). It's a team that we can maybe provide some challenges they haven't seen consistently throughout the year. They're pretty big and we have some size to combat some of that. Some good defensive performances like we had at Little Falls could maybe turn the tide a little bit against their offense.”

— Brendan Hedtke, Head coach, Willmar Cardinals (Yahoo Sports)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This matchup between the underdog Willmar Cardinals and the powerhouse Stewartville Tigers sets the stage for an intriguing opening-round clash in the Class AAA state tournament. Willmar's surprise postseason run has defied expectations, and they will look to continue that momentum against a Stewartville squad that has dominated most of its opponents this season. The outcome of this game could provide valuable insight into the depth and competitiveness of the Class AAA field.