LINCOLN, NE — A historic season for the South Platte Blue Knights came to an end Wednesday night in Lincoln.

The #3 Hartington Cedar Catholic Trojans defeated #6 South Platte 46-37 in the quarterfinals of the Class D1 Girls Basketball Championship Tournament.

The Trojans jumped out to an early 8-0 lead with all points coming from senior Brynn Wortmann. Sophomore Avery Hawyard got the Blue Knights on the board with a baseline jumper, but South Platte trailed 11-5 after the first quarter.

The rest of the game was more even as South Platte tried to make up ground. The Trojans grabbed the first four points of the quarter to go up 15-5, but a 5-0 by the Blue Knights trimmed the lead back to 15-10.

Three players for South Platte reached the foul line in quarter two and all went 1-2 from the stripe to try and keep the Knights in it. At the break, Hartington Cedar Catholic led 21-14.

The teams continued to battle back and forth in quarter three. South Platte trailed 33-25 late in the quarter, but the Trojans got the last three points of the quarter to take an 11 point lead into the final period. At that point, it was the largest lead for Hartington Cedar Catholic.

The Trojans won the battle of the boards in the third quarter allowing them to slightly stretch their lead.

South Platte wouldn't go away quietly, however. Junior Lauren Stanley put home a basket in the paint to make it 36-27 in favor of the Trojans. Hartington Cedar Catholic battled back with four straight points to go up 40-27, its largest lead of the contest.

Another 5-0 run by the Blue Knights brought the deficit back to eight points at 40-32. After a basket by the Trojans, but a free throw by senior Mariah Koenen and a three-pointer by freshman Madison Cheleen, South Platte trailed by just six, 42-36, with just over two minutes left in the game.

That's as close as the Blue Knights would get, however. Hartington Cedar Catholic held on for a 46-37 victory.

Senior Autumn Dickmander led South Platte with nine points while Stanley added seven. Mariah and Haily Koenen each had five points.

Wortmann paced the Trojans with 19 points while senior Brooke Kuehn added 14. Junior Jordyn Steffen scored seven points.

Hartington Cedar Catholic moves on to a semifinal game against #2 Weeping Water on Thursday.

South Platte ends its season at 20-3. It was the first appearance at the state tournament for the South Platte Blue Knights.