Thursday’s state-tournament capsules

DES MOINES - Thursday's games at the girls' state basketball tournament at Wells Fargo Arena:

CLASS 1A SEMIFINAL

No. 11 SPRINGVILLE (22-3) vs. No. 2 EXIRA-EHK (25-0)

* Time: 10 a.m.

* How they got here: Springville outlasted No. 4 Fremont-Mills, 53-50, in the quarterfinals. Exira-EHK downed No. 14 Bedford, 63-48.

* Coaches: Nate Sanderson is 60-55 in five years at Springville, 129-151 in 13 seasons overall. Tom Petersen owns a five-year mark of 100-20 at Exira-EHK, and is 312-85 in 17 years overall.

* Key players: Springville has four girls averaging at least 8.5 points per game. Mikayla Nachazel (5-10, fr.) leads the way at 12.0 points per game, followed by Sarah Matus (5-0, sr., 11.8 ppg) and Rylee Menster (5-3, fr., 11.4 ppg). The Spartans are similarly balanced. Rachel Smith (5-10, sr.) is the scoring leader at 12.5 points per game. Mara Burmeister (5-7, soph.) and Sophia Peppers (5-11, fr.) add 11.9 points per game apiece.

* BC Moore computer projection: Exira-EHK by 10.

CLASS 2A SEMIFINAL

No. 3 NORTH-LINN (24-1) vs. No. 2 WESTERN CHRISTIAN (22-3)

* Time: 1:30 p.m.

* How they got here: North-Linn got 31 points from Nicole Miller in a 57-46 quarterfinal win over No. 9 Des Moines Christian. Three-time defending champion Western held off No. 12 Iowa City Regina, 50-45.

* Coaches: Brian Wheatley is 190-69 in 11 years, all at North-Linn. He has coached the Lynx to 20-plus wins, five straight seasons. Bill Harmsen is 100-8 in four years at Western, 170-39 in nine seasons overall.

* Key players: Miller (5-8, sr.), a Drake recruit, paces North-Linn at 26.4 points per game. Maddie Boer (5-6, sr.) adds 12.6 points per game, Morgan Boer (5-11, jr.) 10.9. That trio accounted for all of the Lynx's scoring in the first round. Jamie Gesink (5-9, sr.) is Western's leader at 13.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. Kenzie Bousema (5-8, sr.) adds 11.5 ppg.

* BC Moore computer projection: Western Christian by 5.

CLASS 4A SEMIFINAL

No. 2 WESTERN DUBUQUE (24-0) vs. No. 6 SIOUX CITY HEELAN (22-3)

* Time: 8:30 p.m.

* How they got here: Western Dubuque smothered No. 7 Indianola in the first round, 51-30. Heelan came back from a double-digit deficit to oust No. 3 Ballard, 70-67.

* Coaches: Amy Ostwinkle owns a 105-56 mark in seven years at Western Dubuque. She coached the Bobcats to last year's 4A final. Darron Koolstra is 127-23 in six years at Heelan. This is his fifth state team; the 2010 Crusaders won a championship.

* Key players: Rose Simon-Ressler (5-10, sr.) leads Western Dubuque at 13.2 points per game. Megan Maahs (6-1, jr.) adds 12.9 points and 9.5 boards per contest. Three Heelan players average a shade over 12 points per game - Megan Todd (5-7, sr.), Taylor Beaulieu (5-8, sr.) and Tristan Beaulieu (5-9, sr.)

* BC Moore computer projection: Western Dubuque by 2.

OTHER GAMES

* Class 2A semifinal: No. 1 Unity Christian (25-0) vs. No. 6 South Central Calhoun (23-2), 11:45 a.m.

* Class 3A semifinal: No. 1 Mediapolis (25-0) vs. No. 7 Nevada (22-3), 3:15 p.m.

* Class 3A semifinal: No. 2 Pocahontas Area (24-1) vs. No. 5 Crestwood (22-2), 5 p.m.

* Class 4A semifinal: No. 1 Harlan (24-0) vs. No. 4 Carlisle (22-2), 6:45 p.m.

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