Providence Academy is on the threshold of making girls basketball history in Minnesota. 

Not only did the top-seeded Lions roll to their 43^rd consecutive victory since last season with an 88-43 win over No. 5 Minnewaska Area in the Class AA semifinals of the Minnesota State High School League’s Girls Basketball State Tournament on Friday, March 14 at Williams Area, but Providence Academy is now just one victory away from winning a fourth consecutive state championship. 

Currently, they are grouped with New York Mills (1977-79), Minneapolis North (2003-05), DeLaSalle (2011-13), and Hopkins (2011-13) as the other League schools that have won three consecutive titles. 

Providence Academy’s latest victory played out like so many that preceded it. 

Relentless speed and quickness on both ends of the floor, athleticism in the open court and inside-outside scoring that didn’t give Minnewaska Area (28-4) much of a chance to breathe or mount any comeback. 

While junior guard Maddyn Greenway was her typical dominant self with 26 points, it was her younger sister, Beckett, an eighth-grader that continues her growth steps as an emerging superstar. Beckett finished with 19 points, including 14 in the first half when the Lions (31-0) built a 46-25 lead. 

That margin increased in the opening minutes of the second half when the Lions picked up where they left off with an 8-0 run. 

Senior guard McKenna Schaefer had 17 points and eight rebounds for the Lions while senior forward Hope Counts was a dominant presence in the post with 15 points and 15 rebounds. 

Senior post Sydney Dhal scored 21 points for the Lakers, who committed 24 turnovers, which the Lions turned into 35 points.