One of the best seasons in Winfield-Mount Union girls’ basketball history came to an end last night with a 68-36 loss to North Linn in the Class 1A state quarterfinals. The game was much closer than the final score indicated. Eighth-ranked WMU grabbed an early 10-6 lead and only trailed number-three North Linn by two at the end of the first quarter. But the Lynx used a 19-9 second-quarter run to widen their advantage to 33-21 at halftime, and when the Wolves couldn’t cut into that deficit in the third period, getting outscored 26-7 in the final 8 minutes did them in.

WMU senior Melina Oepping had game highs with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Wolves forward Bradie Buffington nearly had a double-double as well with 10 points and eight rebounds. Winfield-Mount Union finishes with a record of 22-2, their most wins in a season in 2 decades. Along with Oepping and Buffington, WMU will graduate Keetyn Townsley, Keely Malone and Anna Anderson.