RAPID CITY – A second-quarter drought proved to be the undoing for the Aberdeen Central girls’ basketball team Saturday night, as the Golden Eagles fell 65-42 to Sioux Falls Washington in the third place game of the State AA tournament.

The Golden Eagles were within striking distance after the opening quarter, trailing just 18-15.

But that tide changed in a hurry in the second stanza. The Warriors put up 20 points to Central’s seven, ballooning a one-possession contest into a 16-point advantage, one from which the Golden Eagles could not recover.

Taryn Hermansen was effective when she had the ball in her hands, going 6-for-8 from the floor for 14 total points and nine rebounds in her final game in a Golden Eagles uniform. Lauryn Burckhard notched 11 points, while Ava Yeske and Emma Dohrer, both seniors, had six points apiece.

Hermansen was named to the all-tournament team.

Washington got 21 points from Dana Harpe and another 17 from Josie Biteler. Layla Berte and Rylan Kennett finished with nine points each.

As a team, the Warriors earned 23 trips to the free throw line to just eight for the Golden Eagles.

Central’s fourth place finish is the team’s highest since claiming the crown in 2018.

“I’m super proud of our girls. We came out higher than we were seeded and I feel like four is where we’ve been (rated) all season,” said Central coach Paiton Burckhard. “Proud of our seniors and grateful to have coached them for my first two years.”

SIOUX FALLS WASHINGTON (19-5): Layla Berte 4 1-2 9, Josie Biteler 5 4-6 17, Rylan Kennett 3 2-2 9, Dana Harpe 8 5-9 21, Jersey Peterson 2 1-2 5, Londynn Laddusaw 0 2-2 2, Ella McKean 1 0-0 2. Totals 23-52 15-23 65.

ABERDEEN CENTRAL (16-8): Ava Yeske 2 0-0 6, Kenadi Withers 1 0-0 2, Emma Dohrer 2 0-0 6, Lauryn Burckhard 5 0-2 11, Taryn Hermansen 6 2-4 14, Kamdyn Borge 1 0-0 3, Lucy Fritz 0 0-2 0. Totals 17-45 2-8 42.

Sioux Falls Washington 18 38 56 65

Aberdeen Central 15 22 38 42

3-pt field goals – Biteler 3, Kennett; Yeske 2, Dohrer 2, Burckhard, Borge. Total fouls – Sioux Falls Washington 9; Aberdeen Central 13. Rebounds – Sioux Falls Washington 29 (Biteler 6); Aberdeen Central 34 (Hermansen 9, Burckhard 7). Assists – Sioux Falls Washington 3; Aberdeen Central 9 (Dohrer 3). Turnovers – Sioux Falls Washington 6; Aberdeen Central 20. Steals – Sioux Falls Washington 12 (Berte 3, Biteler 3, Kennett 3); Aberdeen Central 2 (Withers, Borge). Blocks – Sioux Falls Washington 4 (Berte 3); Aberdeen Central 1 (Burckhard).