Tuscola is now 32-1. That lone loss was a 57-37 setback to St. Anthony earlier in the year. The Lady Warriors will now face Neoga for the sectional championship. That game will be at 7 p.m. Thursday.

“We were prepared. We just couldn’t finish the game,” said St. Anthony coach Aaron Rios. “Tuscola made the plays at the end. That’s why they’re the winners tonight.

“We had chances to expand our lead in the fourth quarter,” Rios added. “We missed a lot of ‘gimmies.’ I thought Tuscola showed a lot of veteran leadership tonight. This was a tough loss for us.”

After falling behind 6-0, St. Anthony went on a 12-0 run. Anna Faber and Vonderheide both hit a pair of shots, helping the Lady Bulldogs build a 12-6 edge after the opening eight minutes.

A three by Tuscola’s Ella Boyd trimmed the margin to three, but Nuxoll hit a pair of shots and Nancy Ruholl converted a Tuscola turnover into a three-pointer, giving SAHS its first double-digit lead of the game, 21-11. It was 24-13 before the Lady Warriors closed strong, scoring the final six points to get with 24-19 at halftime.

“Every time we made a run, they found a way to stick around,” Rios noted. “They’d hit a shot or a free throw. They found ways to grind it out. That’s the type of team they have. They’re grinders. And they never give up.”

St. Anthony opened the second half quickly. Nuxoll hit a shot and Lucy Fearday connected on a three to make it a 10-point bulge again, 29-19. Back-to-back scores by Vonderheide increased the margin to a dozen points before Tuscola, again, made a surge.

Ella Boyer scored seven points and Zoey Thomason hit a shot that got the Lady Warriors to within 35-32 heading into the final quarter.

In the final 90 seconds, Ava Boyer and Woodard, who both had just two points, were the catalysts. Boyer scored four points to get Tuscola within two and Woodard then hit both the game-tying and game-winning baskets.

Moss scored 16 points and Ella Boyer added 14 to lead Tuscola. The Lady Warriors shot 36 percent overall, connecting on 15-of-42 shots. They were 1-for-11 from three-point range and 14-for-19 at the foul line. They turned the ball over 20 times.

Vonderheide was the only St. Anthony player in double figures with 10 points. Nuxholl had eight and Ruholl and Faber both scored seven. The Lady Bulldogs made 18-of-45 shots, a 40 percent clip. They were 2-for-10 from long range and 3-for-9 at the foul line. They had 18 turnovers.

The Lady Bulldogs finished their season with a fine 27-6 record.

“We didn’t go as far as we wanted, but it was a great season,” Rios said. “I’m very proud of this ball club. And we have a good nucleus coming back.”

But Rios will say goodbye to three seniors – Anna Faber, Lucy Fearday and Rilie Willenborg.

“Rilie didn’t get to play a lot, but it was great having her on this team,” Rios said. “Anna probably improved more than anybody and Lucy will go down as one of the best players in school history. These girls have done a lot for our program. They will be missed.”