Turkey Valley journeys into unfamiliar waters

It will be a mystery tour, to be sure.

Magical? Maybe.

Eighth-ranked Turkey Valley journeys into unfamiliar territory as the Class 1A regional girls' basketball tournament begins.

'Other than (first-round opponent) Riceville, I'm not sure we've ever played any of these teams before,” said Dan Stepan, who shares coaching duties with Carletta Nymeyer. 'Everything is brand new.”

Turkey Valley (20-1) carries an 18-game winning streak into Thursday's battle with Riceville (6-15), a team the Trojans defeated, 55-31, on Jan. 26. Tipoff is 7 p.m. at Jackson Junction.

It's the second year of the Stepan-Nymeyer arrangement, and it has worked handsomely. After a four-win campaign in 2012-13, the Trojans won 13 games last year, and the progress has carried into this winter.

Turkey Valley suffered its only loss in its third game - to Class 4A Decorah - then ran through the Upper Iowa Conference in winning its first five-player league championship.

'I didn't think we'd win 20 games, but I thought we'd definitely be in the race,” Stepan said. 'The big key is that we've scored 55 points per game, which is 14 points more than last year. Our goal is always to get to 52. If we do that, we're going to win most of our games.”

In sophomore Shelby Reicks, Turkey Valley has a bona fide playmaker. Reicks averages 11.9 points, 5.8 assists and 4.5 steals, and her assist-to-turnover ratio is nearly 3-to-1.

The top four scorers are three sophs and a freshman. That nucleus was coached by Nymeyer in middle school.

'She's the organized one,” Stepan said. 'I coach up the practices and do most of the subbing. We talk back and forth a lot. It has worked well.”

Thursday's schedule includes an intriguing battle at Marengo, where Iowa Valley (14-7) meets Montezuma (8-13) for the second time in three days. The Tigers outlasted the Braves in overtime in Tuesday's regular-season finale.

Turkey Valley is one of two area 1A ranked teams. The other - No. 11 Springville (18-3) - has a first-round bye and opens postseason action Tuesday.

DOWN TO THE WIRE IN THE MVC

The Mississippi Valley Conference season ends Friday, with five teams still harboring hopes for at least a share of a divisional title.

Iowa City West (18-2, 11-1) has wrapped up a share of the Valley Division title while Iowa City High (14-6, 10-2) has done likewise in the Mississippi Division. The intracity rivals play Friday at West, with the winner guaranteed sole possession of its divisional crown.

'It's always one of our goals,” said West Coach B.J. Mayer. 'The MVC is pretty good, year in and year out, and to finish on top of your division is a big deal.

'Hopefully, we're able to take care of business (Friday).”

West won the first battle, 74-46, at City High on Jan. 9 in a game that did not count in the league standings.

City High is a game up on Cedar Rapids Xavier (14-6, 9-3) in the Mississippi Division. The Saints are prohibitive favorites at home Friday against Waterloo East (0-19, 0-12).

West holds the edge on Cedar Rapids Kennedy (15-5, 10-2) and Linn-Mar (14-7, 10-2) in the Valley Division. Kennedy is at Dubuque Hempstead (9-10, 6-6); Linn-Mar hosts Cedar Rapids Prairie (4-16, 2-10).

CLASS 1A REGIONAL FIRST ROUND

(7 p.m. unless noted otherwise)

Region 3

West Bend-Mallard (0-19) vs. Ruthven GTRA (3-17), 6 p.m., at Algona Garrigan

North Iowa (3-18) at Algona Garrigan (16-5), 7:30 p.m.

Northeast Hamilton (4-15) at Latimer CAL (3-18)

Riceville (6-15) at Turkey Valley (20-1)

Ackley AGWSR (13-8) at Clarksville (10-11)

Mason City Newman (6-16) at Northwood-Kensett (17-4)

Nashua-Plainfield (7-13) at Rockford (16-4)

Region 4

Garwin GMG (7-13) at Gladbrook-Reinbeck (11-10)

Valley Lutheran (1-19) at North Tama (18-3)

Waterloo Christian (2-19) at Don Bosco (11-10)

East Buchanan (3-18) at Dunkerton (13-8)

Elkader Central (10-10) at Lansing Kee (18-3)

West Central (2-18) at Tripoli (15-6)

Region 5

Cedar Valley Christian (8-13) at HLV (3-18)

Montezuma (8-13) at Iowa Valley (14-7)

Meskwaki Settlement (5-14) at Belle Plaine (11-10)

Central City (1-20) at Calamus-Wheatland (7-14)

Clinton Prince of Peace (3-18) at Bellevue Marquette (14-5)

Easton Valley (5-13) at Midland (15-6)

Region 6

Winfield-Mount Union (3-18) at New London (10-11)

Harmony (1-21) at Fort Madison Holy Trinity (12-9)

Moulton-Udell (6-14) at Van Buren (9-12)

Lone Tree (8-13) at Sigourney (12-8)

Iowa Mennonite (4-17) at Keota (11-10)

Tri-County (2-19) at WACO (14-7)

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