Perham Girls Basketball Earns Conference, Section Honors After State Trophy Finish

Kaia Anderson's career ended with a third-place trophy, a spot in the All-State All-Star game, and a place in the Perham girls basketball record books. The Yellowjackets' senior leader headlined a wave of individual and team honors distributed after Perham's best-ever finish at the Class AA state tournament, the program's third trip to the Twin Cities in four seasons.

The postseason began in Moorhead on Friday, March 6, when Perham toppled top-seeded Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton 71-63 for its third Section 8AA title in four seasons. The game was tied 33-33 at halftime, and no team led by more than four points until the final minutes. With 4:44 remaining, DGF's Danielle Boyd converted a layup in front of Perham's Quinn Hanson to put the Rebels up 56-54, their first lead since 1:15 remained in the first half. Perham answered with a 10-0 run, capped by an Addy Draeger three-pointer, and never surrendered control again.

Anderson, the team's lone senior, poured in a game-high 25 points. Sophomore Sophie Nelson added 16. Boyd led DGF with 15, while Aria Garrett and Annaliese Aas each finished with 12 for the Rebels, who closed the season 24-5 overall and 12-4 in Heart O' Lakes Conference play. It was Perham's first victory over DGF in two years.

From there, the Yellowjackets traveled to Williams Arena or Maturi Pavilion in Minneapolis for the Class AA state tournament, opening play on March 11 and ultimately finishing third, the highest state finish in program history.

The Heart O' Lakes Conference honored four Perham players on the All-Conference team: Anderson, sophomores Regan Hemberger, Sophie Nelson and Lauren Gjerde. Junior Addy Draeger and freshman Ashtyn Kunza were named All-Conference honorable mention. Frazee claimed the conference title with a 13-3 record, and Yellowjackets guard Jayden Sonnenberg took HOL Most Valuable Player honors while Frazee head coach Trey Heinsius won HOL Coach of the Year.

Head coach TJ Super was named Section 8AA Coach of the Year, and assistant Michelle Bormann received Section 8AA Assistant Coach of the Year recognition.

Anderson and Hemberger both earned spots on the Class AA All-Tournament team. Anderson went further still: she received Minnesota Girls Basketball Coaches Association All-State honors, an upgrade from the honorable mention she earned the season before, and finished in the top 40 in Miss Basketball voting. She was also selected as one of the top 10 seniors in Class AA for the All-State All-Star game, joining Frazee's Sonnenberg, Pelican Rapids' Morgan Korf and Breckenridge's Parker Yaggie.

Anderson finished her Perham career as the program's second-all-time leading scorer, and the Perham Focus noted she was only the second player in program history to collect that full portfolio of accolades, following Willow Thiel. With Hemberger, Nelson, Gjerde, Draeger and Kunza all returning next season, the Yellowjackets lose one irreplaceable senior but carry significant depth into 2026-27.