Mason City trips No. 1 Western Dubuque, 47-39

DES MOINES — Makenzie Meyer and Megan Maahs are two of the best players in the state. Both have Division-I collegiate futures ahead of them.

The one that had the game-tilting moment? Neither of them.

Marci Wolters drained back-to-back baseline 3-pointers to give Mason City the lead for good, and the ninth-rated Mohawks tripped No. 1 Western Dubuque, 47-39, in a Class 4A quarterfinal at the girls' state basketball tournament Tuesday night at Wells Fargo Arena.

'It's surreal,' Wolters said. 'I can't explain what happened, I'm so hyped right now.'

Mason City dropped a class to 4A this season, and despite a 16-8 record, the Mohawks are a threat to win it all. Credit a schedule against Central Iowa Metro League giants.

'We came in with the worst record, so I'm sure a lot of people think we're not as good as we actually are,' said Meyer, who will play at the University of Iowa next year.

The Mohawks will face No. 5 Keokuk (22-2) in a semifinal at 10 a.m. Friday. The Chiefs beat No. 4 Ballard, 42-31, Tuesday.

Western Dubuque retired at 24-1. The Bobcats were state runners-up in 2014 and 2015.

'We can't hang our heads,' said Maahs, a signee at the University of Northern Iowa. 'Making it here for the third year in a row, it's something to be proud of.'

Maahs' final high-school game consisted of 20 points and 14 rebounds. Her 3-pointer with 3:19 to go put the Bobcats in front, 33-32.

But Wolters answered with a triple of her own, then followed with another.

'I definitely had a lot of confidence after I hit the first one,' Wolters said. 'I'm glad my teammates got me open and got me the ball.'

The Bobcats twice got within three points, but Mason City closed it out by hitting 9 of 10 free throws.

Mason City built a nine-point lead early in the second quarter before got within 23-22 at halftime. The teams combined for seven points in the third quarter, and it was 26-all headed to the fourth period.

Maahs made a 3-pointer for a 30-28 lead, then the last one for a 33-32 edge.

'It's hard for her right now,' said Bobcats Coach Amy Ostwinkle. 'But she brought our program to a completely new level. What she accomplished here, most high-school kids don't even dream of.'

Morgan Pitz, who played the majority of the season with a torn ACL, added 12 points for the Bobcats.

Wolters led Mason City with 11 points. Meyer added 10 points and nine rebounds.

MASON CITY 47, WESTERN DUBUQUE 39 (Class 4A State Quarterfinal)

At Des Moines

MASON CITY (47): Rachel Danielson 0-2 7-8 7, Makenzie Meyer 2-9 6-6 10, Olivia Pederson 1-2 0-0 2, Marci Wolters 4-10 0-0 11, Megan Meyer 2-5 4-5 9, Jacqueline Rier 2-2 0-0 5, Hannah Faktor 1-3 1-2 3, Kayla Till 0-2 0-0 0, Bailey Baker 0-4 0-0 0. Totals 12-39 18-21 47.

WESTERN DUBUQUE (39): Blair Burds 1-3 0-0 2, Abigail Dolphin 0-2 0-0 0, Morgan Pitz 4-13 2-2 12, Megan Maahs 8-21 3-5 20, Jessica Cartee 0-2 0-0 0, Madison Simon 0-3 0-0 0, Quinn Herbst 2-2 1-2 5, McKenzie Maahs 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 15-46 6-9 39.

Halftime: Mason City 23, Western Dubuque 22. 3-point goals: Mason City 5-14 (Danielson 0-2, Mak.Meyer 0-1, Pederson 0-1, Wolters 3-4, Meg.Meyer 1-1, Rier 1-1, Faktor 0-2, Till 0-2), Western Dubuque 3-15 (Dolphin 0-1, Pitz 2-6, Meg.Maahs 1-5, Cartee 0-1, Simon 0-2). Team fouls: Mason City 13, Western Dubuque 19. Fouled out: Dolphin. Rebounds: Mason City 32 (Mak.Meyer 9), Western Dubuque 29 (Meg.Maahs 14). Assists: Mason City 9 (Danielson 4), Western Dubuque 9 (Dolphin 4). Steals: Mason City 8 (Mak.Meyer 2), Western Dubuque 5 (Dolphin 2). Turnovers: Mason City 12, Western Dubuque 12.

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