Messenger photo by Britt Kudla The Bishop Garrigan girls pose with their 1A state tournament trophy in Des Moines on Wednesday. For more photos, please visit CU.messengernews.net

DES MOINES — It wasn’t the return to state the Bishop Garrigan girls were hoping for here on Wednesday.

A slow start hindered any hopes of an upset for the No. 15 Golden Bears, as top-ranked and two-time defending state champion Springville claimed a 54-36 victory inside Wells Fargo Arena. The Orioles (22-3 overall) advance to the Class 1A semifinals on Friday at 1:30 p.m.

Bishop Garrigan (17-8) ended an 18-year absence from the state tournament, but came out shooting just 1 of 12 from the field and trailed Springville, 9-2, after the first period.

The Orioles pushed their lead to as many as 26 in the second half, holding the Golden Bears to just 27 percent shooting from the floor.

Jenna Boelter, who earlier this year became the program’s all-time leading scorer, had 10 points. She was greeted with a large applause after being subbed out late by the BGHS fans, concluding her career with 1,520 points.

Grace McGuire added nine points and four rebounds for the Golden Bears, with Kaylyn Meyers scoring eight. Whitney Hovey had five rebounds.

“I’m very proud to have played as a Golden Bear the last four years,” Boelter said. “My best friends are the same girls playing with me on the court and that made the experience that much more fun.”

For the Orioles, Mikayla Nachazel scored a game-high 19 points, collecting nine rebounds and dishing out four assists. Alyssa Jaeger and Madi Wagaman each scored 10, with former St. Edmond student Nichole Kane chipping in seven points and three rebounds.

Springville has reached the last four state championship games, placing second in 2015 before winning each of the last two.

They are a combined 96-10 over that time, with the last loss at state coming in the 2015 title game to Newell-Fonda, 45-43.

Rylee Menster, Jaeger, Wagaman and Nachazel all saw action in that game, with Menster and Nachazel starting. Menster and Nachazel are both headed to Minnesota State to play basketball, with Wagaman and Sami Johnson set to play volleyball for Kirkwood.

Bishop Garrigan upset No. 5 Kingsley-Pierson in the regional final, as Boelter tied the game with a last-second three-pointer to force overtime. Boelter also leaves BGHS as the program leader in career triples and steals.

This was the final game for Golden Bear seniors Boelter, Alisa Altman, Hovey, McGuire, Livia Miller, Emory Miller, Megan Wadle and Caitlin Thilges.

Fort Dodge Senior High graduate Chad Shellmyer was an official for the contest.

SPRINGVILLE 54, BISHOP GARRIGAN 36

Springville — Nichole Kane 3-4 0-0 7, Rylee Menster 2-8 1-2 6, Madi Wagaman 4-5 1-2 10, Alyssa Jaeger 3-3 4-6 10, Mikayla Nachazel 7-16 5-6 19, Rylee Chapman 0-0 0-0 0, Melissa Nulle 1-1 0-0 2, Megan Pearson 0-0 0-0 0, Kali Spicer 0-0 0-0 0, Courtney Boland 0-0 0-0 0, Sami Johnson 0-3 0-0 0, Kelly Kirchman 0-1 0-0 0. Totals: 20-41 11-16 54.

Bishop Garrigan — Katie Noonan 0-2 1-2 1, Whitney Hovey 1-7 0-0 2, Kaylyn Meyers 4-14 0-0 8, Jenna Boelter 3-7 1-2 10, Grace McGuire 3-13 2-2 9, Emma Lichter 0-0 0-0 0, Alisa Altman 0-2 0-0 0, Madison Meister 1-3 0-2 2, Emma Fogarty 0-0 0-0 0, Grace Elsbecker 0-0 0-0 0, Makenzie Meister 0-0 0-0 0, Livia Miller 0-0 0-0 0, Emory Miller 0-0 0-0 0, Megan Wadle 0-0 0-0 0, Caitlin Thilges 2-4 0-0 4. Totals: 14-52 4-8 36.

Quarter scores: Springville led 9-2, 29-10, 45-24. Three-point goals: Bishop Garrigan 4-18 (Noonan 0-2, Hovey 0-4, Boelter 3-6, McGuire 1-5, Altman 0-1), Springville 3-8 (Kane 1-2, Menster 1-5, Wagaman 1-1). Total rebounds: Bishop Garrigan 24, Springville 38. Steals: Bishop Garrigan 7, Springville 9. Blocked shots: Bishop Garrigan 2, Springville 4. Assists: Bishop Garrigan 6, Springville 17. Team fouls: Bishop Garrigan 10, Springville 13.