Newell-Fonda Edges Springville For Class 1A Girls Basketball Championship

Finally, after years of heartbreak on the final night of the season, Newell-Fonda is a state champion. Newell-Fonda's Sarah Matus set a three-point tournament record.

Hailey Falline's layup with 2 seconds left lifted the seventh-ranked Mustangs to the Class 1A championship with a 45-43 victory over No. 11 Springville.

Falline delivered from the left block after Springville tied the score at 43 when freshman Madi Wagaman made the first of two free throws with 12.5 seconds remaining. Newell-Fonda rebounded the miss and called time to set up a final play -- and the seventh-ranked Mustangs (23-4) made it work for their first state title.

It was an especially sweet victory for Newell-Fonda and its fans. The Mustangs lost in the last two championship games and had been 0-5 in state finals, losing those games by a total of 18 points.

Erin Gerke led Newell-Fonda with 17 points and Falline finished with 10 -- none bigger than the two at the end.

Freshman Rylee Menster led No. 11 Springville (23-4) with 10 points. All-tournament captain Sarah Matus and Megan Wagaman each scored nine for the Orioles, who beat Newell-Fonda in the 2008 title game.

Neither team led by more than five points before the game came down to the final hectic seconds.

Jordan Wilken's basket inside put Newell-Fonda up 43-42, and the Mustangs wasted a chance to increase their lead when Maddi Morenz missed the front end of a 1-and-1 opportunity.

Then, after Wagaman's free throw, Newell-Fonda inbounded under the Springville basket and Gerke pushed the ball up the floor. She passed to Morenz on the left side and Morenz found Falline near the basket for the game winner.

Springville was awarded a timeout with 1.2 seconds left but could only get off a desperation shot that fell short.

Matus, a 5-foot senior, hit three 3-pointers to finish with a record 12 for the tournament, breaking the previous mark of 11 held by Rock Valley's super shooter, Deb Remmerde, and four others. Menster finished with six steals to give her 16, the most in 1A since the tournament went to five classes. The old record was 11 by Newell-Fonda's Renee Maneman last year.

2015 Class 1A All-Tournament Team

• Erin Gerke, Newell-Fonda
• Taylor Hickey, Burlington Notre Dame
• Rachel Smith, Exira/Elk Horn-Kimballton
• Rylee Menster, Springville
• Brianna Wells, Newell-Fonda
• Sarah Matus, Springville (captain)