The sixth-seeded Breckenridge Cowgirls built an 8-point halftime lead, then withstood several runs by the third-seeded Perham Yellowjackets for a 55-43 win in Perham in the first round of the Minn. Section 8AA girls basketball tournament on Wednesday.

The Cowgirls advance to the quarterfinals, where they will play North No. 2 seed Hawley at 7 p.m. Friday in Hawley. The Nuggets beat Thief River Falls 77-38 on Wednesday.

The Cowgirls split their games with Hawley during the regular season, lost 57-39 in Hawley in the second game of the year and beating the Nuggets by the same score on Feb. 23.

The Cowgirls, now 12-6 on the season, led Perham 26-18 at the half and 41-32 with seven minutes to play before Perham cut the lead to 43-42 with just under three minutes to go.

Junior Carcie Materi’s three-point play with 48 seconds to go gave Breckenridge a 51-42 lead.

The Cowgirls were led by senior Jude Held and Materi each with 15 points.

Seventh-grader Parker Yaggie added eight points while Grace Conzemius and Anna Erickson scored six points each.