Undefeated: An uncommon feat

DES MOINES -- Somewhere, hidden in Mike Sconsa's classroom, are a list of goals composed by his girls' basketball team at Cascade High School.

Sconsa hasn't seen them yet. They're out of sight and out of mind until the season is over.

The word "undefeated" probably isn't to be found.

"This has been totally unexpected," said Sconsa, who has built a perennial winner in his 10 years as head coach.

Cascade is one of three teams that take unblemished records to the state tournament this week at Wells Fargo Arena. The Cougars (25-0) face Manson-Northwest Webster (20-4) in a Class 2A quarterfinal at 5 p.m. Monday.

Harlan (23-0) meets North Scott (17-6) in a 4A first-rounder Tuesday; Iowa City High (23-0) tangles with Cedar Rapids Kennedy (16-7) in a 5A contest Wednesday.

What enables a team to get through the regular season unscathed, then to survive through regionals?

Talent, for sure. A little luck, possibly.

Chemistry and focus, absolutely.

"Day in and day out, the dedication on this team has been as good as any team I've ever coached," said City High Bill McTaggart. "I don't have to get on these kids. If somebody's not paying attention, one of the captains will jump on them."

With two exceptions, the Little Hawks have breezed through their schedule. They had to come from behind to beat Waterloo West at home and Muscatine on the road.

"The Waterloo West game, in particular, was huge," McTaggart said. "We didn't get down, and were able come back against a top-five team."

It doesn't hurt to have an ace in your pocket, and the Little Hawks have that in Haley Lorenzen, a 6-foot-3 post bound for the University of Florida who appears to be the frontrunner for Miss Iowa Basketball 2014.

City High has three primary and necessary weapons -- a post (Lorenzen), a brilliant driver/distributer/defender (senior Kiera Washpun) and an outside shooter (Courtney Joens), who McTaggart said "loves the gym like most teenage girls love the mall."

Like City High, Cascade came into the season with high hopes. The Cougars reached the Class 3A state semifinals last year, and had a good nucleus back.

However, they entered a new league (the River Valley Conference) that was a gauntlet of strong opponents.

"You look at our schedule, with Camanche and Bellevue and Monticello and (Iowa City) Regina, and a lot others ... and we picked up Waverly-Shell Rock for a non-conference opponent," Sconsa said. "You sure don't assume you're going to win them all."

But the Cougars did, going 17-0 in the RVC, toppling Waverly-Shell Rock (a top-five 4A team) by two points, then rallying past Regina, 51-46, in the regional finals.Earlier this season, Sconsa classified his team as "perfectly imperfect." The Cougars aren't imposing at first sight, with no starters taller than 5-foot-9.

"We're small, and we're not great shooters," acknowledged senior Abbey Meyer. "But we're tough and we're quick.

"We had some close games this year, but we were able to pull them out because at the end, we were the tougher team."

Sconsa said, "We're lucky to have girls here that play so hard. They play like their lives depend on it. That toughness, that grit ... it will carry on to other parts of their lives after they leave here."

Of the three unbeatens, only Harlan seems to be a clear favorite to finish that way. For Cascade and City High, potential landmines loom immediately.

Sconsa said Manson-Northwest Webster "has the makeup of a team that can play with anybody." And the Little Hawks know what kind of problems a balanced Kennedy outfit can pose, despite a 23-point margin in their regular-season encounter.

"On paper, they're as talented as anybody," McTaggart said.Washpun said, "It's a whole different game than last time. We have to control our composure. We have to make them play our game."We've been successful this season because we've played as a team. And that's the way we have to continue."