—Messenger photo by Dana Becker Bishop Garrigan celebrates after winning a Class 1A quarterfinal game.

DES MOINES — Back inside Wells Fargo Arena for the first time since claiming the Class 1A title last year, the Bishop Garrigan girls showed no signs of nerves.

The defending state champions dominated Martensdale-St. Marys in the quarterfinals, 67-44, as future Iowa State Cyclone Audi Crooks finished with a 1A single-game record 42 points on 20 of 25 shooting with 14 rebounds.

Crooks now has 257 points at the state tournament in her career. That surpassed the previous state record set by former Pocahontas Area star Elle Ruffridge, who was sitting courtside as an IGHSAU color commentator for the game.

“I am really appreciative of these last four years,” Crooks said. “I am just happy that I was able to contribute to Bishop Garrigan athletics, to girls basketball, and the meaning of being an ‘Iowa Girl.’ Especially with the movement going on with women in sports.”

In their fourth consecutive appearance in the elite eight, the Golden Bears (24-1 overall) will take on Remsen St. Mary’s (24-1) here Friday at 1:30 p.m. in the semifinals. The Hawks knocked off West Fork, 54-41.

Bishop Garrigan, who made it to the finals two years in a row before breaking through with the first state title in school history, has now won 24 in a row since a loss in the season opener to Hopkins, a top team out of Minnesota. Their last loss to an Iowa team came to Newell-Fonda on Dec. 9, 2021.

Crooks scored 20 on 9 of 12 shooting in the first half as the Golden Bears built a 36-12 lead. Joyce had four of the 10 assists for Garrigan in the opening 16 minutes on 14 made field goals.

“Our goal was to take anything that was not in our control out of the game,” BGHS head coach Brandon Schwab said. “We wanted to be the aggressors and make sure that we throw that first punch in the first three or four minutes of each quarter. I think that our players did a really good job of breaking the game up and winning those spurts.”

Bishop Garrigan also turned 12 Martensdale-St. Marys mistakes into 13 points and had just four turnovers as a team before the break. Ellie Baker and Brynnly German each scored eight for the Blue Devils.

Over the past four seasons, the Golden Bears are 99-8, with three defeats coming to Newell-Fonda and two against 5A programs West Des Moines Valley and Iowa City West.

Crooks now sits fourth on the state’s all-time lists for points scored (2,659) and rebounds (1,313).

BISHOP GARRIGAN 67, MARTENSDALE-ST. MARYS 44

Bishop Garrigan — Molly Joyce 2-9 2-2 7, Abbie Capesius 1-5 0-0 2, Zoe Montag 0-4 0-0 0, Ashlyn Hovey 2-3 0-0 6, Audi Crooks 20-25 2-4 42, Alyssa Haugland 0-1 0-0 0, Sacha Alesch 1-6 0-0 3, Reece Kemna 0-0 0-0 0, Ava Roethler 0-0 0-0 0, Emmi Bartolo 2-7 0-0 6, Alaina Casey 0-1 0-0 0, Reagan Murphy 0-2 0-0 0, Ava Snider 0-0 0-0 0, Haley Nemmers 0-1 1-2 1. Totals: 28-64 5-8 67.

Martensdale-St. Marys — Ellie Baker 2-2 3-7 8, Brynnly German 2-8 4-8 8, Carolyn Amfahr 1-3 0-0 2, Sophia Shannon 2-7 0-0 5, Campbell German 1-4 0-0 2, Autumn Elbert 0-0 0-2 0, Karson Oberender 1-2 0-0 3, Maryann Hart 0-0 0-0 0, Emily Hughes 0-0 0-0 0, Hadley Pearson 3-6 1-2 7, Kathryn Ballard 0-0 0-0 0, Kailey Phinney 3-6 0-0 6, Sydney Bears 3-6 0-0 6, Carly Franey 1-3 0-0 3. Totals: 16-41 8-20 44.

Quarter scores: Bishop Garrigan led 21-4, 36-12, 58-29. Three-point goals: Bishop Garrigan 6-24 (Joyce 1-5, Montag 0-3, Hovey 2-3, Alesch 1-4, Bartolo 2-7, Casey 0-1, Murphy 0-1), Martensdale-St. Marys 4-12 (Baker 1-1, Amfahr 0-1, Shannon 1-3, C. German 0-1, Oberender 1-1, Pearson 0-2, White 0-1, Franey 1-2). Total rebounds: Bishop Garrigan 37, Martendale-St. Marys 33. Turnovers: Bishop Garrigan 9, Martensdale-St. Marys 19. Steals: Bishop Garrigan 10, Martensdale-St. Marys 4. Blocked shots: Bishop Garrigan 4, Martensdale-St. Marys 2. Points off turnovers: Bishop Garrigan 19, Martensdale-St. Marys 7.