Big-gym tour pays off for Springville

DES MOINES — The Springville Orioles' pre-state routine is like a rock band on tour. Every day, a new stage.

Mount Mercy on Thursday. Cornell College on Friday. Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Sunday. Grand View University for a shootaround Monday morning.

'They're longer, wider courts than what we're used to,' Coach Nate Sanderson said. 'The big courts seem massive. I wanted them to get used to a wider space.'

The third-ranked Orioles seemed acclimated to Wells Fargo Arena, building a 16-point lead before hanging on to top No. 6 Kingsley-Pierson, 60-53, in a Class 1A quarterfinal at the girls' state basketball tournament Monday afternoon.

Mikayla Nachazel recorded 24 points and 10 rebounds as Springville (24-1) advanced to Thursday's semifinal against No. 7 Newell-Fonda (19-6), a 53-42 victor against No. 2 Exira/Elk Horn-Kimballton. Game time is 11:45 a.m.

Newell-Fonda defeated the Orioles, 45-43, in the 1A championship game last season.

'It's a rematch, and it's the one we want,' Nachazel said.

Springville was cruising along, leading 51-35 with less than six minutes to play, but Kingsley-Pierson (21-3) didn't go down quietly. Some missed free throws left the door open, and the Panthers capitalized and got within 55-53 on a four-point possession with 31 seconds left.

Marina Keck made the first of two free throws, missed the second, then Addison Hirschman gathered the rebound and converted a three-point play.

'It's not over until the final buzzer goes off,' K-P Coach Nicole Goodwin said. 'We had to dig out and get our heart going.'

But Rylee Menster hit four free throws and Megan Wagaman added one as the Orioles hung on. The Orioles shot 37 fouls shots Monday, sinking 23.

'The late free throws helped a lot,' Wagaman said. 'We stayed relaxed, and that helped.'

Springville led from wire to wire, and Nachazel was a common denominator throughout.

'I didn't rebound last year as much as I wanted,' she said. 'I really wanted to improve my game this year. I came to the open gyms. Even when it's not basketball season, I'm working.'

'Mikayla was terrific,' Sanderson said. 'She's a dynamic post player. Her footwork, both to her left and right, is great. Her midrange shot is getting better and better.'

Springville built a 15-5 lead by the end of the first quarter. It was 25-19 at intermission, then a 12-3 run pushed the advantage to 40-26 late in the third quarter.

The trip to Carver on Sunday, on the way to Des Moines, cost $75 for an hour's use.

'It was fun,' Nachazel said. 'We took some selfies there.'

Menster added 16 points for the winners, Madi Wagaman scored eight.

Rachel Mercer led the Panthers with 17 points. Hirschman posted 14 points and 14 rebounds.

SPRINGVILLE 60, KINGSLEY-PIERSON 53 (Class 1A State Quarterfinal)

At Des Moines

KINGSLEY-PIERSON (53): Abby Sitzmann 0-6 0-0 0, Rachel Mercer 6-12 0-0 17, Marina Keck 1-4 1-2 3, Allison Bailey 3-7 4-4 10, Addison Hirschman 5-16 4-5 14, Brady Harvey 0-1 0-0 0, Madison Goodwin 3-7 0-0 9, Emily Reinking 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 18-54 9-11 53.

SPRINGVILLE (60): Megan Wagaman 1-3 4-7 6, Rylee Menster 3-7 9-14 16, Alyssa Jaeger 0-1 6-8 6, Madi Wagaman 3-3 2-2 8, Mikayla Nachazel 11-18 2-6 24, Chrissy Hoogland 0-0 0-0 0, Nichole Kane 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 18-33 23-37 60.

Halftime: Springville 25, Kingsley-Pierson 19. 3-point goals: Kingsley-Pierson 8-31 (Sitzmann 0-6, Mercer 5-11, Keck 0-1, Bailey 0-3, Hirschman 0-2, Harvey 0-1, Goodwin 3-7), Springville 1-4 (Megan Wagaman 0-1, Menster 1-2, Jaeger 0-1). Team fouls: Kingsley-Pierson 23, Springville 11. Fouled out: none. Rebounds: Kingsley-Pierson 29 (Hirschman 14), Springville 31 (Nachazel 10). Assists: Kingsley-Pierson 12 (Keck 5), Springville 12 (Megan Wagaman, Madi Wagaman 3). Steals: Kingsley-Pierson 5 (Mercer 2), Springville 9 (Menster 4). Turnovers: Kingsley-Pierson 16, Springville 15.

l Comments: (319) 368-8857; jeff.linder@thegazette.com