The Chaska Hawks girls basketball team team defeated defending state champions Minnetonka Skippers 55-52 in the Section 2AAAA final on Thursday, March 6, and will move on to the Minnesota State girls basketball tournament. Chaska’s first game of the girls state tournament will be Wednesday, March 12, at 4 p.m. at Williams Arena at the University of Minnesota.
If, several weeks ago, you had asked any player, parent or fan of the Chaska High School girls basketball team, “In a dream scenario, who would be the three teams you would beat in the playoffs to make it to the state tournament,” there’s a good chance the answer would have been Chanhassen, their biggest rival; Eden Prairie, a nemesis the past few seasons; and Minnetonka, the defending state champions — all of whom beat Chaska in the regular season.
Check. Check. And check.
In a game filled with heart-stopping moments, extremely physical play and clutch performances, the Hawks knocked off the defending state champions. The standing-room-only crowd at Minnetonka High School was treated to a classic playoff battle.
The Hawks came out of the gate with suffocating defense, forcing the Skippers into several hurried shots and misses in the first half. The aggressiveness was evident, with both teams racking up fouls as they battled for every loose ball and contested every pass.
Chaska made it clear early on that they were in it to win it, as Macy Anderson sliced through the defense for a driving layup, followed by an Addison Perkins three-pointer to take an early lead.
While the Hawks struggled from deep for much of the night, their first-half ball movement was textbook, leading to a parade of wide-open layups. Natalie Heyer, Ella Keenan, Regan Niebuhr and Addison Schneider all cashed in easy buckets down low due to the crisp passing, helping Chaska to first-half runs of 8-0 and 13-7. At halftime, the Hawks held a commanding 34-23 lead.
But the Skippers, true to their championship pedigree, roared back in the second half. Minnetonka opened the frame with a 13-0 blitz, flipping the script and erasing their entire halftime deficit. Chaska was trailing by two before Schneider had a steal and breakaway layup to tie things back up.
The Hawks would trail once again 40-36 before Anderson stepped up with her first of two huge three pointers to bring the Hawks to within one.
Minnetonka’s star Lanelle Wright, a junior, kept the Skippers shead of the Hawks midway through the second half. Wright scored her 1,000th career point earlier this year in their regular-season game against Chaska.
Enter freshman Natalie Heyer. Called into extended action due to foul trouble and injuries to other frontcourt players, Heyer showed poise beyond her years by hitting a clutch bucket, locking down on defense and sinking critical free throws. Heyer scored 12 on the game, notching perhaps the best performance of her young career.
After Anderson delivered another clutch shot from beyond the arc to knot things up at 44, the Skippers and Hawks traded baskets.
With six minutes left, Chaska made its move. Schneider scored two key buckets. Heyer added another basket and Schneider, who led all scorers with 18 points, capped the run with a pair of ice-cold free throws, pushing the Hawks ahead 54-48. Chaska’s composure at the free-throw line was a game-changer, with the team missing just one free throw all night.
But Minnetonka wasn’t done. Freshman Ari Peterson, the daughter of Vikings legend Adrian Peterson, delivered back-to-back baskets, cutting the deficit to 54-52 with just 37 seconds left.
The tension was thick as the Hawks got the ball back. Anderson was fouled, stepped to the line and calmly knocked down the first free throw of a 1-and-1, extending the lead to 55-52 with her 11th point of the night.
With 19 seconds remaining, Minnetonka got the ball back and had one final chance. A beautifully designed play led to an open three-point attempt by Minnetonka’s impressive 7th grader — yes, 7th grader — Lariah Wright, but the shot rimmed out. The Skippers secured the offensive rebound and had one final chance to tie. Another three-ball went up, but it, too, just barely missed its mark. The final buzzer sounded and the Hawks erupted in celebration on their opponent’s home floor.
Coach Samantha Canter, in just her second season at the helm of the Hawks Girls’ program, was full of praise for her team after the game.
“I am just so incredibly proud of this team,” she said. “They really relied on and trusted each other throughout the game. Being able to handle different adversities throughout the game from foul trouble and injuries, we really battled every moment and we had great composure.”
Canter also highlighted her team’s defense which has been the catalyst for their thrilling postseason run.
“As it has been all season, this win was all about our defense. I am so happy for all of the girls and especially our seniors. And a big shout out to our crowd – the energy was amazing last night,” she said.
It was a hard-fought, scrappy, and exhilarating battle—one that sent a clear message: the Hawks postseason run is no fluke. This is a team that is poised to make some noise. Next stop? The Minnesota Class AAAA State Tournament, their first trip since 2021, when they captured the program’s first-ever State Championship. And if Thursday’s win is any indication, Chaska is ready for the moment.
(Stay tuned this week for a preview of the Girls’ State Tournament matchup, which will be determined soon. The first game of the girls basketball tournament will be Wednesday at Williams Arena at the University of Minnesota.)
