The season came to an end Saturday afternoon for the Littlefork-Big Falls girls basketball team.

The No. 4-seeded Vikings lost their Section 7A quarterfinal game against top-seeded Mountain Iron-Buhl, 57-37, at the University of Minnesota Duluth.

“Defensively, we played really well,” said L-BF head coach John Larson. “Offensively, we missed some close shots and that didn't help.”

The Vikings, who had been trounced by the Rangers, 70-37, when the two teams faced each other Dec. 12 during the regular season in the L-BF High School gym, stayed close to MI-B early in the playoff game's first half.

The Rangers didn't take their first double-digit lead until around the midway point of the first half when Chelsea Mason sank a 3-pointer to pull in front, 18-8. The half ended with MI-B holding a 26-14 lead.

The Vikings, who didn't put the Rangers in the bonus during the first 18 minutes after committing just six fouls, found themselves putting MI-B in the double bonus for the second half when all five starters had at least four fouls and DyAna Imhof ended up fouling out of the game.

The Rangers shot 18-25 from the free-throw line in the second half when freshman guard Mya Buffetta scored all 11 of her points from the charity stripe.

Lissy McColloch led MI-B in scoring with 18 points, followed by Buffetta with 11.

Kaylee Kennedy led L-BF with 14 points, while Brooke Millerbernd also scored in double figures with 10.

The Vikings, who ended the season at 16-7, are losing three front-court players – Abby Thompson, Millerbernd and Imhof – to graduation.

“The young girls have some big shoes to fill,” said Larson, who noted the three seniors have been with the team in his four seasons as head coach.

MI-B advanced to Wednesday's Section 7A semifinals at the University of Minnesota Duluth to face No. 2-seeded Cromwell. That winner advances to Friday's championship game at UMD to face the other semifinal winner between North Woods and McGregor.

MI-B 57, L-BF 37

L-BF 14 23 – 37

MI-B 26 31 – 57

L-BF: Kaylee Kennedy 14, DyAna Imhof 4, Breann Larson 1, Abby Thompson 8, Brooke Millerbernd 10. 3-pointers: Kennedy, Millerbernd. Free throws: 13-24. Fouls: 24. Fouled out: Imhof.

MI-B: Macy Savela 2, Allie Knuti 8, Allie Negen 1, Lissy McCulloch 18, Chelsea Mason 7, Kiana Martinson 4, Charity Aultman 2, Sarah Overbye 2, Tatum Primeau 2, Mya Buffetta 11. 3-pointers: Mason 2, Buffetta. Free throws: 22-29. Fouls: 23. Fouled out: Knuti.