Iowa high school girls’ basketball regional scores: Class 5A and 4A state tournament fields set Tuesday

Most of the favorites advanced in Tuesday night’s Class 5A and 4A Iowa high school girls’ basketball regional finals, but not without a few scares.

Sixteen more teams earned their spots in next week’s state tournament. Here’s a glimpse at each game, plus the IGHSAU state tourney pairings.

Class 5A regional finals

No. 4 West Des Moines Dowling 59, No. 12 Iowa City West 37

Dowling (19-4) won its 16th straight game to win its ninth regional title in the last 11 seasons and return to state for the 24th time. The Maroons led 18-9 after a quarter and 32-20 at halftime. Iowa City West finished 16-7.

No. 6 Ankeny Centennial 35, No. 11 Linn-Mar 32

In the closest MVC-at-CIML matchup of the night, Linn-Mar nearly pulled off the upset. Centennial (17-6) sophomore Mya Crawford’s steal and layup broke a 31-31 tie with 4:07 remaining and the Jaguars held the Lions (15-8) without a field goal the rest of the way. Zoe Kennedy got a look at a deep 3-point attempt in the final seconds, but it hit the back of the rim. Centennial is state bound for the third straight year.

No. 7 Southeast Polk 71, No. 7 Iowa City Liberty 46

Southeast Polk (15-7) put up 48 points in the first half for a 23-point cushion and got back to state for the fourth time in the last five seasons after missing out last year. Liberty ended a breakthrough campaign with a 14-8 record.

No. 1 Pleasant Valley 52, Dubuque Senior 17

Top-ranked Pleasant Valley (23-0) held Senior (12-11) scoreless for the first 14 minutes, building a 22-5 halftime lead and cruising to the state tournament. [Dubuque Telegraph Herald]

No. 2 Johnston 79, No. 15 Sioux City East 51

Last year’s 5A champion, Johnston (22-1) earned its ninth state tournament bid in a row. East’s season ended with a 17-5 record.

No. 3 Waterloo West 69, Waukee 68

The preseason No. 1 team got all it could handle from Waukee (11-12). West held on by a point at home with a late bucket from Oklahoma commit Sahara Williams. The Wahawks (22-1), last season’s 5A runners-up, advance for the fourth straight year

No. 5 Davenport North 65, No. 13 Ankeny 61

Davenport North (21-2) earned its second girls’ state basketball bid in school history after a breakthrough in 2016. Journey Houston totaled 27 points and 11 rebounds, while Divine Bourrage had 17 and 12. Ankeny finished 12-11. [Quad-City Times]

No. 9 West Des Moines Valley 37, No. 8 Cedar Falls 20

Valley (15-8) produced a defensive gem on the road to beat Cedar Falls (15-7). Valley held CF to seven second-half points, including just two in the third quarter, after taking a 20-13 lead into halftime.

Class 5A girls’ state basketball tournament

Quarterfinals — Monday, Feb. 27

No. 2 Johnston (22-1) vs. No. 7 Southeast Polk (15-7), 10 a.m.

No. 3 Waterloo West (22-1) vs. No. 6 Ankeny Centennial (17-6), 11:45 a.m.

No. 1 Pleasant Valley (23-0) vs. No. 9 West Des Moines Valley (15-8), 1:30 p.m.

No. 4 West Des Moines Dowling (19-4) vs. No. 5 Davenport North (21-2), 3:15 p.m.

Semifinals — Thursday, March 2

10 a.m.

11:45 a.m.

Final — Friday, March 3

6 p.m.

Class 4A regional finals

No. 5 Decorah 67, No. 13 Mason City 61

Decorah (21-2) is state bound for the first time since 2007. Yazmeen Whitsitt hit a tie-breaking 3 to put Decorah up 52-49 with 3:45 remaining and the Vikings held on. Whitsitt finished with 14 points.

Senior Haley Gossman (8.1 ppg) stepped up with 21 points to lead the Vikings. Bryar Duwe scored 18, including Decorah’s first nine of the third quarter on three 3-pointers to take the lead after trailing 28-27 at the break.

No. 6 Cedar Rapids Xavier 54, Western Dubuque 46

It wasn’t easy.

And ...

“We didn’t expect it to be,” Tom Lilly said.

Sixth-ranked Cedar Rapids Xavier finally spring itself free in the final two minutes and ended Western Dubuque’s improbable postseason run, 54-46, in a Class 4A girls’ basketball regional final Tuesday night at Ron Thillen Gymnasium.

“We saw how they played the last couple of games,” said Xavier’s Kyla Mason, who posted 21 points and 11 rebounds. “We couldn’t overlook them. We had to play our absolute best.”

» Read more from The Gazette’s Jeff Linder

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No. 7 Clear Creek Amana 61, No. 10 North Scott 46

When the stakes are high, sometimes it’s necessary to make a bold adjustment.

Clear Creek Amana’s defensive adjustment paid off Tuesday night.

In front of an energized crowd, No. 7 Clear Creek Amana (18-4) defeated No. 10 North Scott, 61-46, in a Class 4A girls’ basketball regional final.

“It feels great,” junior Ava Locklear said. “We came into this game looking for this.”

With the win, the Clippers are headed to the state tournament for the first time since 2020 and the second time in school history.

» Read more from Gazette correspondent Ryan Pleggenkuhle

No. 1 Dallas Center-Grimes 65, Humboldt 36

The top-ranked Mustangs (20-3) led by double-digits, 18-8, after one quarter and increased the lead to 32-18 at halftime. They’ll head to state for the third straight season. The last two ended in the semifinals, including a triple-overtime classic against Xavier last year. Humboldt wrapped up at 14-8.

No. 2 North Polk 45, Bondurant-Farrar 26

North Polk (21-2) earned its third double-digit win over Raccoon River Conference rival Bondurant-Farrar (13-10) this season. The Comets are back at state for the first time since making three straight trips from 2018-2020.

No. 3 Sioux City Heelan 42, No. 15 Spencer 22

Last year’s 4A runner-up had no problems returning to Des Moines. The Crusaders (22-2) led 16-4 after the first quarter and 23-8 at halftime. Spencer finished 16-7.

No. 4 Ballard 58, Carlisle 41

Another all-Raccoon River Conference regional final, and this one also went to the favorite decisively. Ballard (18-3) lost to Carlisle (15-8) in December, but the rubber match was more like the Bombers’ 49-26 win in January as they jumped out to a 26-10 halftime lead.

Glenwood 65, No. 8 Pella 45

Glenwood (16-8) knocked off a ranked opponent for the second time in four days to clinch its fourth straight state tournament appearance. The Rams beat No. 12 Council Bluffs Lewis Central in Saturday’s regional semifinals, then outscored Pella (17-6) 16-7 in the first quarter and 20-11 in the third to pull away.

Class 4A girls’ state basketball tournament

Quarterfinals — Tuesday, Feb. 28

No. 1 Dallas Center-Grimes (20-3) vs. Glenwood (16-8), 11:45 a.m.

No. 4 Ballard (18-3) vs. No. 5 Decorah (21-2), 1:30 p.m.

No. 2 North Polk (21-2) vs. No. 7 Clear Creek Amana (18-4), 3:15 p.m.

No. 3 Sioux City Heelan (22-2) vs. No. 6 Cedar Rapids Xavier (16-7), 5 p.m.

Semifinals — Thursday, March 2

5 p.m.

6:45 p.m.

Final — Saturday, March 4

2:30 p.m.