No. 3 seed Rochester Mayo secured a 73-71 win over No. 6 Monticello in the Class AAAA quarterfinal of the Minnesota State High School League's Girls Basketball State Tournament on March 11, 2026, at Williams Arena. Senior guard Amelia Mills led with 26 points, including a crucial layup in the final minute. The Spartans advanced to the semifinals after a see-saw battle.
Rochester Mayo qualified for the state tournament for the first time since 2015, while Monticello made its debut at the Class AAAA level after competing in Class AAA the previous year. The Spartans, with a record of 29-1, extended their winning streak to 27 games in this matchup against the 25-5 Magic.
The game remained close throughout, with both teams trading baskets and free throws in the closing minutes. Rochester Mayo trailed by four points with less than six minutes left but rallied with three consecutive three-pointers to take a five-point lead. Senior guard Mia Banks hit the first, followed by back-to-back threes from Mills. Monticello responded with a five-point run, but Mills' layup with 57 seconds remaining gave the Spartans the lead for good.
Junior guard Siri Kirkeby contributed 17 points for Rochester Mayo. On the Monticello side, senior guard Samantha Voll scored 25 points, while senior guard Addison Ruda and senior forward Abby Ruda each added 12 points.
This victory sends Rochester Mayo to the Class AAAA semifinals, where it will face No. 2 Rosemount on Thursday night at Williams Arena. The game highlighted both teams' objectives: Rochester Mayo adding to its resume and Monticello building a foundation in its new classification.
