Newell-Fonda is another step closer to a fourth straight appearance in the Class 1A championship game.

The defending champs relied on their defensive pressure throughout the game and pulled away in the fourth quarter to knock off unbeaten Exira/Elk Horn-Kimballton 53-42 to complete the 1A quarterfinal round.

That puts the seventh-ranked Mustangs into a semifinal game at 11:45 a.m. Thursday against No. 3 Springville, the team Newell-Fonda beat in last year’s title game on a last-second shot.

Erin Gerke led Newell-Fonda with 15 points, while freshman Olivia Larsen came off the bench to get 10 points and six rebounds. Maddi Morenz added eight points for the Mustangs and Mallory Sievers contributed with six rebounds, six steals and four points.

Newell-Fonda came up with 23 steals and 22 offensive rebounds, leading to a 37-7 edge in points off turnovers and a 14-6 margin in second-chance points.

Kealey Nelson led second-ranked Exira/EHK with 17 points on 6-for-7 shooting. Mara Burmeister added nine points for the Spartans, while Maggie Rasmussen and Sophia Peppers each scored eight. Exira/EHK shot a respectable 45.5 percent but got 37 fewer shots than the Mustangs.

Newell-Fonda trailed 34-33 heading into the fourth quarter of the back-and-forth game but soon took control. The Mustangs began the quarter with a 9-0 run, the last two baskets coming after steals, to open a 42-34 lead and were ahead the rest of the way.

Exira/EHK cut the lead to 42-38 on Nelson’s follow shot, but the Mustangs responded with a 7-1 to secure the victory.

Newell-Fonda moves on with a 19-6 record. Exira/Elk Horn-Kimballton, a semifinalist last year, finishes 23-1.