Vinton-Shellsburg is back on the doorstep of the girls’ state basketball tournament

VINTON — Not all turnovers are created equal.

Both teams committed roughly the same number of mistakes in Wednesday night’s Class 3A girls’ basketball regional semifinal.

While Vinton-Shellsburg’s miscues were mostly benign, Mid-Prairie’s were costly. Steals that led to run-outs, run-outs that led to points.

The 10th-ranked Vikettes collected 14 steals and prevailed, 55-40, at Garrison Fieldhouse.

“Transition play, that’s where we get most of our points,” said Abby Davis, one of six contributing seniors who have transformed this program.

Alyssa Griffith led the Vikettes (16-7) with 15 points, Davis tallied 11 and three others added eight apiece, and the reward is a date with No. 6 Grinnell (17-5) in a 3A regional final Saturday at Grinnell.

The winner advances to the state tournament Feb. 27-March 4 at Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines.

“In the locker room, you could kind of see the emotion in the girls’ eyes,” Vikettes Coach Rich Haisman said. “This was their last game together on this court.

“They got to the regional finals last year and were heartbroken (in a two-point loss to Center Point-Urbana). They want to take it a step further this year, and they’re very motivated.”

The game was kind of a cat-and-mouse affair, with Vinton-Shellsburg surging to multiple sizable leads, then Mid-Prairie (16-7) answering.

A 10-point second-quarter run put the Vikettes in front 21-10, then the Golden Hawks got within 24-19 at halftime.

Vinton-Shellsburg opened a 35-24 lead, then Mid-Prairie cut it to 35-32.

Julia Johnson hit a 3-pointer at the end of the third quarter to make it 40-32, then the Vikettes stung the Golden Hawks 10-2 to open the fourth, and led by double digits the rest of the way.

The Vikettes’ 14 steals were part of Mid-Prairie’s 19 turnovers.

“We really wanted to get those deflections and those 50-50 balls,” said Meyer, who grabbed four steals and was “a monster at the front of the press,” according to Haisman.

Six seniors were among the seven Vikettes that played, and contributed 47 of the 55 points.

In the four years before this class entered high school, Vinton-Shellsburg won 11 games. In the four years since: 61-32.

Now, the mission is at least one more and the program’s first trip to state since 1999.

Maya Nonnenmann paced Mid-Prairie with 10 points and six rebounds.

Vinton-Shellsburg 55, Mid-Prairie 40

Class 3A Regional Semifinal, at Vinton

MID-PRAIRIE (40): Kylie Reinier 0-3 0-0 0, Landry Pacha 2-6 2-3 6, Amara Jones 2-8 0-0 5, Maya Nonnenmann 2-4 6-6 10, Nora Pennington 0-5 1-2 1, Josie Greiner 3-9 0-0 9, Jovi Evans 0-1 0-0 0, Callie Huber 3-4 0-0 6, Brylee Gearhart 1-2 1-2 3. Totals 13-42 10-13 40.

VINTON-SHELLSBURG (55): Abby Davis 4-6 1-2 11, Sophia Kreutner 3-7 0-0 8, Ashlie Meyer 3-9 1-3 8, Alyssa Griffith 5-10 5-8 15, Brylee Bruce 1-4 1-2 3, Julia Johnson 2-6 2-2 8, Kalie Burke 1-3 0-0 2. Totals 19-45 10-17 55.

Mid-Prairie 9 10 13 8 -- 40

Vinton-Shellsburg 11 13 16 15 -- 55

3-point goals: Mid-Prairie 4-22 (Reinier 0-3, Pacha 0-1, Jones 1-5, Nonnenmann 0-1, Pennington 0-3, Greiner 3-9), Vinton-Shellsburg 7-15 (Davis 2-3, Kreutner 2-4, Meyer 1-2, Johnson 2-6). Team fouls: Mid-Prairie 15, Vinton-Shellsburg 16. Fouled out: none. Rebounds: Mid-Prairie 27 (Nonnenmann 6), Vinton-Shellsburg 35 (Bruce 9). Assists: Mid-Prairie 4 (Reinier 2), Vinton-Shellsburg 12 (Meyer 4). Steals: Mid-Prairie 6 (Jones 3), Vinton-Shellsburg 14 (Meyer 4). Turnovers: Mid-Prairie 19, Vinton-Shellsburg 17.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com