ROCHESTER -- Winona made Austin play its game and the Packers' run at the school's first state tournament berth was cut short in the Section 1AAA finals Friday night at the Mayo Civic Center.

The third-seeded Winhawks, who had never reached the section championship, will be making their first state tournament appearance when the quarterfinals begin Tuesday night around Minnesota.

Austin, top-seeded and fifth-ranked, stumbled out of the gate and never got going until it appeared as though the dream season would come to its eventual end. The Packers were playing for their first trip to state since 1976.

"In the second half we made a good run at them," said Amy Kelly, one of six AHS seniors. "We did the best we could."

The Packers erased a 10-point Winona lead with a frantic fourth-quarter rally that fell short of Winona's clutch free-throw shooting down the stretch. The Winhawks, 58 percent free-throw shooters entering the game, made 11-of-14 freebies in the final period to seal the triumph.

"Everything seemed to be falling for us," Winona coach Mark Winter said. "We felt pretty confident when we were coming down the stretch."

Winona (15-10) had won nine of its last 11 games entering Tuesday's state Class AAA quarterfinal contest against No. 8 Hutchinson (22-4).

Austin ended the season with a 21-5 record and a share of the Big Nine Conference championship.

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Ross Thede can be reached at 434-2234 or by e-mail at :mailto:sports@austindailyherald.com