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(AP) – The third time was a charm for Jamestown High School and senior center Paige Peterson.

Peterson, the third Jamestown High School girl to be named a North Dakota Miss Basketball finalist, was a runaway winner of the award presented annually to the best senior in the state in voting by the North Dakota Associated Press Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association.

Peterson, a traditional 6-foot-1 center whose strength was her inside play, received 12 first-place votes and 80 points in the voting.

Previous Jamestown finalists were Morgan Dale in 2009 and Kyra Dewald in 2013. Jamestown also has one Mr. Basketball winner: Brian Flam in 1987.

Peterson will play college basketball at Augustana in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.

“It’s been my goal since fifth grade, that I wanted (Miss Basketball) in my senior year,” Peterson said. “There’s a lot of good players, I was just excited when I heard I was a finalist.”

Jamestown coach Andy Skunberg said Peterson was a throwback to the days of a dominating inside post player.

“She commanded a lot of attention inside,” Skunberg said. “Whenever she touched the ball, there was always a couple of girls on her. She did a good job finding other girls and posted up big inside.”

She came up biggest against Mandan when she notched a career-high 34 points and 20 rebounds.

“I usually go down low end to end getting rebounds and doing the dirty work,” Peterson said. “I like playing outside, I just don’t get the opportunity to do that much.”

Peterson had 18 double-doubles in 24 games while leading the Blue Jays to their second straight state Class A tournament.

“My major goal was getting to state,” Peterson added. “After state was over, if came across my mind, that it would be nice if I won it.”

Other finalists were Central Cass center Faith Dooley, Thompson post Shannon Galegher, Bismarck forward Keisha Engelhardt and West Fargo guard/forward Cassidy Thorson.

Dooley, a 6-3 center, averaged 21 points, 12.3 rebound and 6.1 blocked shots. She received four first-place votes and 46 points.

Galegher, a 5-10 post, averaged 17 points and 10 rebounds. She received 25 points.

Engelhardt, a 5-9 forward, averaged 17.9 points and 10.8 rebounds. She received one first-place vote and 21 points.

Thorson, a 5-11, forward, averaged 14.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists. She received five points in the voting.