COLUMBIA — The St. Vincent Lady Indians’ season began and ended against the same opponent. Back in November, Principia defeated St. Vincent 68-34 in the season-opening St. Paul Shootout. Nearly four months later, the teams met again on the biggest stage in Missouri high school basketball.
The result brought the season full circle.
Principia used a blistering first half shooting performance to defeat St. Vincent 60-32 in the Class 3 state championship game March 12 at Mizzou Arena, capturing the state title while the Lady Indians finished as state runner-up for the second consecutive season.
Despite the loss, St. Vincent capped another remarkable year at 24-8 after moving up to Class 3 following last season’s Class 2 state runner-up finish.
For the Lady Indians, reaching the championship game again was a testament to the team’s resilience and determination.
“They played their hearts out,” St. Vincent coach Mel Kirn said. “They didn’t quit one bit. I’m very proud of them.”
Principia entered the championship game with a 30-2 record and the No. 1 ranking in Class 3 after defeating Skyline 69-46 in the semifinal round. Skyline later claimed third place with a 59-42 win over Lone Jack.
From the opening minutes, Principia’s offense proved difficult to slow down.
The Panthers built a 17-10 lead after the first quarter before extending the advantage to 38-19 by halftime behind sharp perimeter shooting and efficient ball movement.
“They were just hot,” Kirn said. “Anybody they played that night, they would have beat. They shot about 57 percent in the first half and hit seven threes.”
Principia continued its momentum in the third quarter, outscoring St. Vincent 13-3 to push the lead beyond 25 points. The Lady Indians battled through the fourth quarter, adding 10 points while refusing to let the deficit define their effort.
For the game, Principia shot 40 percent from the field and knocked down 11 three-pointers while also converting 9 of 12 free throws.
Loganne Love led the Panthers with 19 points, while Dasia Scott added 14 and Nya Walker contributed 12 points as Principia placed three players in double figures.
St. Vincent struggled to find offensive rhythm against Principia’s defensive pressure, shooting 27 percent from the field and just 12.5 percent from three-point range.
Kate Rubel led the Lady Indians with 10 points, while Brie Rubel added nine and Rylee Robinson contributed five. Sophie Verseman finished with four points, and Lana Adams chipped in two.
Even as the score widened, St. Vincent continued to compete.
The Lady Indians actually held a slight rebounding edge and remained aggressive defensively, finishing with six steals while limiting several of Principia’s inside scoring opportunities.
“If we hadn’t played the defense we did, they might have beat us by 50,” Kirn said. “We were in their faces, rebounding, doing what we could. They just had one of those nights.”
The Panthers also benefited from timely shooting during the third quarter, when one of their top players connected on three consecutive three-pointers that helped extend the lead.
That stretch proved decisive.
Still, St. Vincent never stopped competing.
Kirn said the team’s attitude remained positive even during halftime when the Lady Indians faced an uphill battle.
“We still thought we had a chance,” he said. “The locker room was positive. The girls were asking questions, trying to figure out adjustments. Nobody was hanging their heads.”
That mentality reflected the identity the Lady Indians built throughout the season.
St. Vincent entered the year with significant expectations after finishing second in the Class 2 state tournament the previous season. Moving up a classification only added to the challenge.
But the Lady Indians embraced it.
Kirn intentionally scheduled tougher opponents throughout the season to prepare his team for postseason play, believing the experience would help the team improve.
“I wanted good games,” he said. “When you play good teams, you find out where you are, and it makes you better.”
That approach paid off as St. Vincent navigated a difficult schedule before making a strong postseason run.
The Lady Indians captured both conference and district championships before defeating Twin Rivers and Arcadia Valley in the state playoffs to reach the Final Four. St. Vincent then advanced to the championship game with a 48-26 semifinal victory over Lone Jack.
For the team’s five seniors, the final moments carried extra meaning. Late in the game, Kirn offered the seniors the chance to leave the floor early and receive recognition. They declined.
“They told me they wanted to finish the game,” Kirn said. “They wanted to stay out there and fight.”
When the final buzzer sounded, the emotions were mixed.
The disappointment of falling short of a championship was real, but so was the pride in everything the team had accomplished.
“It was tough in the locker room at first,” Kirn said. “But after a few minutes, they realized what they had done. A lot of teams wish they could be here. We were here.”
For St. Vincent, the season will be remembered not just for the final score but for the journey that led them back to the state championship stage.
Two straight years. Two different classifications. Two trips to the state final.
And a program that continues to prove it belongs among the best in Missouri high school basketball.
