Columbia Heights, on a magic run of its own this season, showed it was no St. Paul Johnson on Thursday, overcoming a late-game, three-pointer-fueled comeback by New Prague to grab a 57-50 victory. The victory ended the Trojans’ unlikely Cinderella run, and ensured the Hylanders their first  state title game appearance ever. They will play Orono for the 3A title at 6 p.m. Saturday.

“It’s crazy,” Heights star Zach Lofton said, when asked about the season that brought Columbia Heights to state for the first time since 1930. “Eighty-one years.”

From the tipoff, New Prague came out firing three-pointers — the weapon the Trojans used to upset No. 1-seed St. Paul Johnson a day earlier — but Lofton went on a tear six minutes in to give the fourth-seeded Hylanders some padding.

“There is no one who can go up the court faster than Zach with the ball,” Columbia Heights coach Willie Braziel said. “When he has that ball, he’s gonna run, and I know they’re not catching him.”

While typically dominant, Keanu Glover and Ben Glover each had a slow start (Keanu finished with no points; Ben with 10). Junior Jordan Mills — who normally averages 7.4 points — already had achieved a double-double by halftime. Mills finished with 11 points and 16 rebounds.

“Where did that come from? We don’t know,” Braziel said. “He put us on his back.”

In the second half, the Hylanders extended their lead to 15 with six minutes remaining. But New Prague had one push left in the tank. The Trojans hit six three-pointers in the final five minutes to bring the deficit to three, but Columbia Heights was able to hold on.

“Our kids showed they just don’t quit,” Trojans coach Tim Dittberner said. “We made a run this time, but it was just a little too late.”