Seiling edges Okarche for second straight title

Seiling’s student section wasted little time.

“We’ll be back” chants rang loud and proud in State Fair Arena as Seiling players lifted the gold ball for a second straight season.

No. 1 Seiling had rallied to edge No. 2 Okarche 46-40 to win the Class A state championship Saturday afternoon.

For a team built heavily around a group of sophomores, there’s little doubt the student section had the right idea about the next two years.

“But let’s try not to jinx ourselves,” Seiling sophomore point guard Macy Gore said.

Seiling (28-1) won 23 straight games to close out the season. The title is the program’s fourth overall.

Saturday may have been its toughest game in that span.

Okarche (26-5) led by seven late in the first half with Seiling sophomore Karly Gore on the bench in foul trouble. Seiling battled back to tie the game at the break.

Then Okarche rattled off six straight points to open the second half.

Seiling coach Brady Hamar called timeout and made slight adjustments to the defense. Seiling went on a 16-3 run to take a 38-31 lead with 2:55 remaining.

“That type of toughness that you weren’t sure (about),” Hamar said. “They fought through.”

Gore’s twin sister Macy led the way with 12 points, eight assists, five steals and three rebounds. Karly scored eight and grabbed 10 rebounds. Paidynn Day also scored 10, including four in the final period to help seal the game.

Seiling forced 22 turnovers with its high-pressure defense.

“If you play defense the shots will fall and we will win,” Karly Gore said.

Okarche committed eight turnovers down the stretch, but remained in the game until near the end behind 3-pointers from Hope Sellers and Baily Vogt.

Vogt and Kinsey Neiderer scored 12 points apiece, while Sellers added seven.

But Macy Gore hit free throws with 5.9 seconds left to seal the game.

It was perfect late-game execution by a young team that replaced seven seniors from last year’s title run. Hamar said he watched them grow up throughout the season.

“It just kept happening,” Hamar said. “We knew that they were kind of ready. You could just see it in their face. They were tougher than nails.”