State tourney run underway for Exira-EHK Spartan girls

 DES MOINES -- Making its third consecutive trip to the Girls State Basketball Tournament, Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton played in one of four Class 1-A state quarterfinal games Monday at Wells Fargo Arena.
 The third-rated Spartans (23-1) took on No. 8 Sidney (23-1) on Monday afternoon at 3:15. The winner will face No. 2 Turkey Valley (21-3) or No. 9 Janesville (24-0) in Thursday’s semifinal round at 11:45 a.m. The Class 1-A championship game is set for Friday at 6:00 p.m. and will be broadcast live on Iowa Public Television.
 This year’s 1-A state field includes five teams that have qualified for at least the second straight season: No. 1 Springville (22-2), No. 2 Turkey Valley, No. 3 Exira-EHK, No. 7 Kingsley-Pierson (23-1) and No. 12 Burlington Notre Dame (19-6).
 Springville won last year’s 1-A title with a 48-47 win over Turkey Valley and was also the state runner-up in 2015, when the Orioles knocked out Exira-EHK in the semifinals. Notre Dame claimed the championship in 2014.
 E-EHK will be trying to duplicate the feat of the 2010 Exira girls, who won the crown in their third straight year as a qualifier.