St. Michael-Albertville has steadily climbed the Class 4A state rankings this season. But with a demanding schedule on the horizon, the No. 4-4A Knights are in for a test.
The Knights (11-4, 3-1) are coming off an 88-80 loss to No. 1-4A Hopkins on Jan. 24, which is the closest an opponent has come to beating the Royals all season. Now, St. Michael-Albertville faces the gauntlet of No. 2-4A Wayzata on Thursday, followed by No. 10-4A Chaska on Saturday.
As usual, Lehigh commit Mackenzie Kramer has been a central piece to the Knights' offense. Averaging 19 points per game, she recorded a season-high 31 points in an 81-57 win at Moorhead on Jan. 21. Freshman Tessa Johnson (16.9 ppg) is also a solid contributor.
Opposing Chaska (14-4, 6-0) has maintained its spot in the state rankings thanks to a six-game winning streak. Scoring at a clip of nearly 19 points per game, sophomore Mallory Heyer has been a standout for the Hawks' offense.