03/16/2026
Wildcats Hold Off Warriors in Section Championship Thriller
The Caledonia Warriors battled until the final buzzer but ultimately fell just short against the top-seeded Goodhue Wildcats, 76–71, in the Section Championship game.
Caledonia came out firing early, as Aaron Stemper opened the scoring with a three-pointer to set the tone. The Warriors and Wildcats traded blows throughout the first half, with the score tied at 9–9 when the first substitutions came in with 13:21 remaining in the first half.
Sophomore Grant King, who entered the night just a few points away from a major milestone, reached 1,000 career points during the opening half. Caledonia held an 18–13 advantage with 10:40 left before halftime.
Goodhue kept the pressure on and called a timeout with 6:18 remaining in the half as the Warriors clung to a narrow 25–22 lead. Caledonia maintained its composure down the stretch and took a 30–25 advantage into halftime.
The second half proved to be just as exciting. The Warriors led 38–37 with 13:22 remaining before Goodhue tied the game at 41 with 12:30 to play.
Stemper continued to deliver in big moments, knocking down a three-pointer to tie the game at 47 with nine minutes remaining. The Wildcats briefly took control, leading 51–49 with 6:14 left, but Stemper answered again with another clutch three that put Caledonia ahead 56–54 with 5:03 to play.
Late in the game, Stemper drilled yet another three to bring the Warriors within three at 66–63. However, Goodhue responded with a basket to extend the lead to 68–63.
Caledonia refused to go away. Zeke Gengler knocked down a key three-pointer to pull the Warriors within two at 68–66. A costly Goodhue over-and-back violation gave Caledonia a chance, prompting a Warriors timeout to draw up a play.
But the Wildcats capitalized down the stretch, converting free throws and an and-one opportunity to push the lead out of reach.
Despite the loss, the Warriors put together an impressive performance. Aaron Stemper led Caledonia with 27 points, while Grant King finished with 23 and Coby Hammell added 11.
The Warriors conclude their season with an 18–11 record and a Section Runner-Up finish after a hard-fought postseason run.
