All Signs Prove Bad for Village Christian : Division IV girls: St. Bernard ends Crusaders’ season with 83-56 victory.

A large banner draped in the St. Bernard High gym accurately forecast Thursday night’s semifinal of the Southern Regional Division IV State girls’ playoffs.

“Stomp On The Village People,” the sign read, and the defending state champion Vikings obliged, polishing off Village Christian, 83-56.

With a front line that includes 6-foot-4 forward Marte Alexander and 6-2 forward Olympia Scott, St. Bernard (27-5) towered over the Crusaders (26-3), whose tallest player is 5-11 senior center Christy Ludwig.

Scott, who will play at Stanford next season, had 26 points, 19 rebounds and five blocks. Alexander, who signed with Arizona, had 13 points.

“I think we did a good job considering the size disadvantage,” Village Christian Coach John Domke said. “They just have a great team.”

Village Christian kept the score close and trailed by only eight with 2 minutes, 43 seconds remaining in the third quarter, but St. Bernard pulled away to a 58-41 lead heading into the final period.

Barely four minutes later, the Crusaders trailed by 30.

“This is the best team we’ve played so far as far as aggressiveness and defending the post,” St. Bernard Coach Lori Pawinski said.

Junior guard Trisha Palmquist led the Crusaders with 18 points and Lindy James had 12.

“They were just too good,” Palmquist said. “There was really nothing we could do.”

In an effort to stop St. Bernard’s powerful front line, the Crusaders tried driving the lane to draw fouls. The tactic proved ineffective, however.

“I thought it worked real well in the first half,” Domke said. “But we just couldn’t capitalize in the end.”