VIDEO: Madrid girls stun Orient-Macksburg with thrilling last-second shot

The thrill of victory was only magnified by the agony of defeat on Thursday night.
The Madrid girls basketball team used a Samantha Springer shot from beyond the half-court line to defeat Orient-Macksburg in regional action, 41-38.
I’ve NEVER seen a buzzer beater like this. Why? @MadridTigers Samantha Springer hits a 3/4 court 3 to beat Orient-Macksburg 41-38 in the playoffs. That’s the last game ever for O/M which is closing due to low #s after being open since 1921. A century of sports ends in heartbreak. pic.twitter.com/XpH6EyCBwo
— Scott Reister (@scottreister) February 14, 2025
While the loss meant the end of the season for Orient-Macksburg, it actually held an even bigger final.
The school will close after the current year comes to a close, signifying the final time a girl will wear the team colors for the time being. Orient-Macksburg opened in 1921, but the school district voted to dissolve in June 2024.
For the southwest Iowa school, this marks the first district-wide closure in Iowa in over a decade. The decision was made based on low enrollment, staffing issues and financial difficulties.
Madrid, meanwhile, advances to face Lynnville-Sully next week.

Dana Becker has been a sports writer in Iowa since 2000, writing for The Fort Dodge Messenger, Mason City Globe-Gazette, Cedar Rapids Gazette and others. Dana resides in northcentral Iowa and started as a writer with SB Live Sports in 2022 focused on the state of Iowa. Along with providing coverage of football and wrestling, Dana also spotlights cross country, swimming, basketball, track and field, soccer, tennis, golf, baseball and softball. He began writing for High School on SI in 2023.
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