Maquoketa is positioned for its first girls’ basketball league title in 20 years

Chad Specht stood on his deck last spring, coffee cup in hand.

Just blocks away, at Maquoketa High School, the girls’ basketball coaching job had become open.

Specht’s wife interrupted his thoughts:

“You’re going to try this, right?”

Right.

“There’s a good group of girls here. I live within 1,000 feet of the school. It’s an easy fit for my family,” Specht said.

Plus, conditions are favorable for massive success.

Led by seniors but driven by a stacked sophomore class, the Class 4A 11th-ranked Cardinals are in pursuit of their first league championship in 20 years.

Maquoketa captured the Wamac Conference East Division title in 2004, the Big Bend crown in 1995. In terms of five-player girls’ basketball, that’s it.

In their second year in the River Valley Conference, the Cardinals (10-2 overall, 5-0 North Division) are scheduled to play at 3A No. 8 Monticello (10-2, 5-0) Friday, weather permitting.

“I’m hoping we can get it in,” Specht said. “Monticello has a good squad, a great player in (Jayden) Kuper and some really good guards around her.”

Specht spent three successful seasons at DeWitt Central, compiling a 50-12 record in a stint that ended in 2020. After that, he served as a boys’ assistant at Maquoketa, then North Scott.

Then, as Specht said, “this popped up.”

The Cardinals won’t wow you with their shooting percentages (37.5 percent from the field, 29.3 from the arc), but they’ll zing you defensively, averaging 15.8 steals per contest.

“I want defense to be a tradition for us,” Specht said. “I know kids love to score points. But we have nights that three or four of them can put it in the cup, and nights that nobody can.

“We try to apply pressure at all positions, and we try to be flexible in our defenses, though we’re primarily a man-to-man team.”

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Led by Cora Widel (16.6 points per game), Aubrey Kroymann (15.1) and Kendall Kuhlmann (9.9), the sophomore class comprises 78 percent of Maquoketa’s scoring.

Widel and Kroymann are listed at 6-foot and 6-1, respectively.

“Cora ... not many people work as hard as she does,” Specht said. “Aubrey is a very talented, gifted athlete.”

Despite all of the attention that the 10th-grade class draws, Specht was quick to point out “the phenomenal leadership” of the seniors.

Reese Kuhlmann will run track at Winona State next year. Kacy Williams will do likewise at Mount Mercy. Carley Cavanagh will pitch at Kirkwood.

When Specht took the job, one of his requests was the enhancement of the Cardinals’ non-conference schedule.

DeWitt Central and Western Dubuque already were there. A Rivalry Saturday date with Mount Vernon was added, along with Davenport Assumption and Iowa City Liberty.

McDonald’s consideration for Callie Levin

Solon senior Callie Levin is one of four Iowans — and 700 players nationwide — to earn nomination for McDonald’s all-American status.

A guard bound for the University of Iowa, Levin is averaging 20.0 points, 7.3 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 5.7 steals per game for the 3A top-ranked Spartans (10-1). She has scored 1,611 points in her career.

Also nominated from Iowa are Aili Tanke and Aaliyah Riley, both of Johnston, and Brooklyn Love of Waterloo West.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com