EIHC reunion in 3A regional final

It's not Apollo 13, but Aaron Feddersen is facing the task of bringing his team back to Earth."It will be a challenge," the girls basketball coach at Williamsburg High School said. "The kids were so proud and excited (Wednesday). As much as you want to let them bask in it, you've got to get back to work."The Raiders (16-7) rallied from an 18-point third-quarter deficit to upend No. 6 Mediapolis, 66-60 in overtime in a Class 3A regional semifinal.Saturday, they'll be reunited with old Eastern Iowa Hawkeye Conference foe Mid-Prairie (17-6), with a state-tournament berth on the line.Tipoff is 7 p.m. at Cedar Rapids Prairie.It is one of three 3A regional finals involving area teams. Fourth-rated Cascade (21-2) faces Crestwood (14-6) at Manchester while No. 11 Center Point-Urbana (18-5) takes its shot at No. 1 Davenport Assumption (20-2) at Wilton.Regional finals are Monday in 1A and 2A, Tuesday in 4A and 5A.Williamsburg trailed Mediapolis, 40-22, with 4 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter before chipping away."We wanted to get within double digits by the end of the quarter so they could start seeing us in their rear-view mirror," Feddersen said. "We've been in a lot of close games, and I think that paid off at the end."The Raiders have been in 16 games decided by 10 points or less.No. 13 Mid-Prairie counters with experience. The Golden Hawks have nine seniors on their roster."They've played together so long. They took a lot of lumps when they were younger," Mid-Prairie coach Marc Pennington said. "They've come a long way, and we want to keep this ride going as long as we can."The EIHC was a very strong girls basketball league before it split in 2008. Williamsburg went to the Wamac Conference; Mid-Prairie joined the Cedar Valley Conference."We don't play any more but we have a lot of respect for them," Pennington said. "A lot of the kids know each other."It should be a very good game. The teams are very similar. It should be fun."

SATURDAY'S CLASS 3A REGIONAL FINALS

No. 4 CASCADE (21-2) vs. CRESTWOOD (14-6)

Time and site: 7 p.m., at Manchester

BC Moore computer projection: Cascade by 3

Notable: Cascade is a beast defensively; its 27.1 points allowed per game is the lowest rate in the state. The Cougars have won 10 straight. This game is a rarity in that both teams are so balanced, neither has a double-figure scorer. Junior Abbey Meyer leads Cascade at 7.9 points per game while Savannah Lentz paces Crestwood at 8.1. The Cadets defeated Northeast Iowa Conference rivals Waukon and New Hampton to get to this point. Cascade is seeking its first state berth since 2009; Crestwood qualified most recently in 2003.

No. 11 CENTER POINT-URBANA (18-5) vs. No. 1 DAVENPORT ASSUMPTION (20-2)

Time and site: 7 p.m., at Wilton

BC Moore computer projection: Assumption by 22

Notable: Assumption is a two-time defending state champion and is the team to beat again. The Lady Knights went undefeated in the Mississippi Athletic Conference, a league comprised mostly of 5A teams. Danielle Moore is Assumption's top scorer at 12.5 points per game. Center Point-Urbana is playing excellent ball right now and has good size. Freshman Arika Wooldridge is a budding star, averaging 14.7 points per game and shooting 55 percent from the floor. Kennedy Salow adds 13.1 points per contest. CPU has won seven straight games and beat qualify opponents (Union and Monticello) in the first two rounds by double digits.

No. 13 MID-PRAIRIE (17-6) vs. WILLIAMSBURG (16-7)

Time and site: 7 p.m., at Cedar Rapids Prairie

BC Moore computer projection: Mid-Prairie by 3

Notable: This is a reunion of old Eastern Iowa Hawkeye Conference foes. Williamsburg rallied from an 18-point deficit in the final 12 minutes of regulation to upend No. 6 Mediapolis, 66-60 in overtime in the regional semifinals. Mid-Prairie has had an easier postseaon path, pushing aside South Tama and Baxter CMB by 14 and 20 points. The Golden Hawks are full of seniors, nine of them in all. Mariah Swartzentruber leads them at 10.7 points per game. Williamsburg is paced by junior Paige Greiner, a Drake commitment who posts 15 points and 4 assists per game. The Raiders reached the state tournament in 2006 and 2008; Mid-Prairie last advanced in 2004.