BLOOMING PRAIRIE — The Blooming Prairie girls basketball team fought off a stingy Lyle/Pacelli team 66-33 in the first round of the Section 1A West Division girls basketball playoffs Friday.

No. 11 seeded L/P (2-22 overall) forced 27 BP turnovers, but the third-seeded Awesome Blossoms (13-12 overall) grabbed 20 more rebounds than the Athletics to pull away.

“We had to play our best game to beat them,” L/P head coach Brad Walter said. “We couldn’t contain them and they killed us on the boards. I think that was the difference in the game and we knew we were undersized coming in.”

BP senior forward Marie Morem, who had nine points, seven rebounds and five steals, was one of five Blossoms to grab at least six boards on the night, but she said that the game didn’t go as smoothly as BP was hoping.

L/P was within 13-12 halfway through the first half after Haley Meyer scored and the Athletics stayed to within 15 until the eight minute mark in the second half.

“I was more nervous than I have been for any game, which was weird because I don’t get nervous before games,” Morem said. “Everyone was saying how into it their crowd and team was and that can take you a long way. They’re crowd was really intimidating and I was really impressed.”

BP built up its lead during a 16-1 run early in the first half that saw Yasmine Smith, who finished with 11 points and eight rebounds, score on two put-backs and a breakaway.

BP closed the first half with a steal and a lay-up by Kelli Naatz, who had 12 points and 10 rebounds, to go up 34-19 at the break and Whitney Burt took over in the second half. Burt, who finished with 15 points, nine rebounds, six steals and three blocks, scored nine in the second frame.

“I got less nervous. It was a really full gym and we’re not used that,” Burt said.

Any chance of an L/P comeback all but ended when starting point guard Ann Rysavy, who had five points and four rebounds, left the game after taking a hard foul on the way to the hoop with 12:37 left in the game.

“That was a big loss for us because Ann’s kind of a spark for us,” Walter said. “She gets our offense going and we didn’t have much dribble penetration after that.”

The Blossoms will now play No. 2 seeded Faribault Bethlehem Academy (14-11 overall) at Rochester Civic Center Tuesday at 8 p.m.

F.B.A. swept the season series against the Blossoms, but BP is ready for the challenge.

“We’re hoping to beat them, we know we can and I don’t know why we haven’t,” Burt said. “I think we’re ready for them now.”

As for L/P, Walter is hoping the team’s playoff win over Janesville/Waldord/Pemberton can propel the program, which graduates three seniors.

“This is huge and we’ve got a young group of girls,” he said. “The biggest part is what the girls want to do in the offseason. If they get in the gym and play it could be a different Lyle/Pacelli basketball team next year.”

LP 19 14 — 33

BP 34 32 — 66

BP scoring: Whitney Burt, 15; Erica Manske, 12; Kelli Naatz, 12; Yasmine Smith, 11; Marie Morem, 9; Janelle Morem, 4; Ashley Campbell, 3; free throws: 68 percent (15-for-22); rebounds: 51 (Naatz, 10); turnovers: 27

L/P scoring: Haley Meyer, 10; Jordan Lewison, 10; Dani Felten, 5; Ann Rysavy, 5; Madison Truckenmiller, 2; free throws: 69 percent (18-for-26); rebounds: 31 (Lewison, 7); turnovers: 32