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The Laconia Spartans are back-to-back Division 4 state champions. 

It was a battle from start to finish in the title game as the Spartans were able to hold off a strong Cuba City squad to win 47-43 in the title game. 

The Spartans scored the go-ahead basket with 1:09 left off an inbounds play scored by junior Aubrey Leonard to give them a 43-41 lead. A fastbreak layup by junior Molly Duel extended the lead to 45-41 with 48 seconds remaining. 

Cuba City cut the deficit to two with a basket by junior Alexis Runde and both teams missed opportunities before Duel sealed the win by hitting a pair of free throws with five seconds left. 

The contest featured nine lead changes and the game was tied seven times. Cuba City held the lead for 15:39, while Laconia led for just 10:12 of the contest. 

Cuba City held an early six-point lead in the game and Laconia’s largest lead was four midway through the second half. 

Senior Callista Vande Berg (6-0) finished with 11 points and 12 rebounds, both game-highs, for the balanced Laconia squad. She had a huge first half for the Spartans, scoring 10 points and made two three-pointers. 

Junior Eva Engel (5-10) tallied eight points, making two from behind the arc. Leonard netted seven points while fellow juniors Tierney Madigan (5-10) and Payton Morgan (5-10) scored six points each for coach Chris Morgan and the Spartans. 

Madigan added six rebounds, four assists, and three blocks. Morgan hit two big three-pointers in the second half, the last one gave the Spartans a 41-39 lead with 1:34 left which was off a steal by Engel. 

Cuba City was led in scoring by sophomore Ashley Rowe (5-7) who netted 11 points and added five rebounds and three assists. 

Juniors Oliva Olson (5-7) and Emily Wiegman (5-3) each scored seven points for coach Jason Derby and the Cubans. Olson also collected 10 rebounds, seven assists, and a steal. 

The Cubans finish the season with a 25-5 record in their state-record 17th trip to the WIAA state tournament. 

Laconia finishes the year with a 28-2 record, joining a short list of teams that have repeated as WIAA state champions.

The Spartans' only in-state loss this season was against Division 3 state champion Edgewood.