The top-seed Superior Spartans and second-seed Central Wisconsin Storm had already met twice this season and played two nail-biter hockey games. In the first, the Spartans won 3-2, and in the second the teams tied 1-1.

It was another nail-biter at the Mosinee City Recreation Center on Friday as the teams needed overtime after the Spartans charged back from being down 3-0, but it was the Storm who prevailed and will be heading back to the WIAA Girls Hockey State Tournament.

The Storm opened the scoring with 4:16 left in the first period. A defensive breakdown for Superior found Ava Whitmore in the slot with the puck, she fired low, blocker side but Kaylie Nault managed to make the stop. Madeline Kelter jumped on the rebound and gave the Storm the lead. The Storm ended up outshooting the high-powered Spartans 12-7 in the first period.

Just 2:18 into the second period the Storm extended their lead, again with an assist to Whitmore. Whitmore found herself with the puck in Gretzky's office, where she hit Gabi Heuser out front and Heuser knocked it in quick play to extend the lead to two goals.

Superior reshuffled their lines at this point and game alive. The dominated most of the rest of the second period, it it was once again the Storm who scored. Tristan Wicklund entered the zone with Sophie Bohlin, and fed the puck across to Bohlin who didn't miss and extended the lead to three goals.

It didn't take long for Superior to bounce back however, as just 13 seconds later Emma Ferg finally got them on the board during a scramble in front of the Storm net. Bella Thompson and Addy Benson were credited with the assists on the play.

Storm goalie Claire Calmes was the busier of the two goalies in the second period, as the Spartans put 13 shots on her in the period, versus just four shots for the Storm on Nault.

Superior cut the lead to one on a short-handed goal by Addy Benson at the 3:03 mark of the third period on a great individual effort. She split the two forwards and powered onto the defense before wristing it and cutting the lead.

It would say 3-2 Storm for another 13 minutes and 13 seconds as it appeared the referees put away their whistles for the back half of the third period, but eventually with 44.7 seconds left on the clock and the goalie pulled Makaela Reinke managed to find the back of the net during a mad scramble and die the game. Maddy Bachand was given the assist on the play. Superior out shot the Storm 12-4 in the third period.

Superior managed to put some shots on Calmes to open the overtime frame, but two penalties in 14 seconds put them down to 5-on-3, leaving Madi DePuydt room to work. She beat Nault one-on-one to put the Storm back on top and send them to Madison.

Nault had 23 saves in the loss for the Spartans. Calmes had 31 in the win for the Storm. Superior were previously the 2023 state runners up, and the Storm were the state champions in their last appearance in 2022.