North Linn makes its 13th consecutive girls’ basketball regional final appearance

There’s no selective memory here.

North Linn is making its 13th consecutive appearance in a girls’ basketball regional final, and Coach Brian Wheatley said, “I remember all of them.”

Recent memories have been fond.

The Lynx will try to move past the regional-final round — and on to the state tournament — for the sixth straight year; they’ll take a 22-1 record and a Class 1A No. 1 ranking into their battle Wednesday with Edgewood-Colesburg (19-4).

Tipoff is 7 p.m. at Manchester.

It is one of three regional finals involving area teams. Also in 1A, No. 9 Montezuma (19-4) faces No. 8 Anita CAM (21-2) at Norwalk.

In the lone 2A area matchup, No. 6 Iowa City Regina (19-4) meets No. 11 Cascade (16-6) at Cedar Rapids Kennedy.

North Linn’s streak of regional finals under Wheatley began in 2012, and they have run the gamut in outcome and postgame emotion.

After losing the first two, the Lynx broke through in 2014.

All told, they are 8-4 in this current streak, and have been money since 2019.

“It’s been a lot of fun,” Wheatley said. “But you don’t have a lot of time to reflect. Everything is going into Wednesday, because (Ed-Co) is a team that has really improved and is going to come out with a lot of confidence.”

The Lynx will have to contend with Ed-Co post Audrie Helmrichs, who averages 16.1 points and 12.4 rebounds per game and shoots nearly 60 percent from the floor.

“They’re going to want to get it inside,” Wheatley said. “(Helmrichs) is really strong and uses her body well.

“We’re going to want to make it a full-court game as much as we can.”

Led by the guard trio of Kamryn Kurt, Macy Boge and Molly Boge, the Lynx average more than 18 steals per game.

Regina’s comeback in the regional semifinals ‘was chaos’

Four days later, Regina’s come-from-behind regional-semifinal win over Maquoketa Valley still is a bit incomprehensible.

Even on tape.

“It was chaos,” Cascade Coach Mike Sconsa said. “They made plays, and that’s what good teams do.”

Regina scored five points in the final 10 seconds of regulation (a 3-pointer, a steal and a basket), then won in overtime, 61-53.

The Regals and the Cougars have been two of the area’s most dependable winners in the past 20 years.

“We’re going to have to play really well,” Sconsa said. “We’ll need some things to go our way to have a chance. The kids know that. We have to make Regina play our style.”

And that’s to make it a grind.

“We’re not going to be flashy,” Sconsa said. “But I’ve been really happy. Ever since we got blown out against Monticello (Jan. 26), we’ve been playing more rugged, tough defense. That’s what I’d been looking for.”

Wednesday’s Class 2A regional finals

(All games 7 p.m.)

No. 6 Iowa City Regina (19-4) vs. No. 11 Cascade (16-6), Region 4, at Cedar Rapids Kennedy

There was no inter-divisional regular-season game between these teams this season, and that’s a shame, because the last three games have been decided by three points or less. Regina advanced with a nearly-impossible-to-describe regional-final win over Maquoketa Valley in the regional semifinals. The Regals overcame a five-point deficit in the final 10 seconds of regulation, then won in overtime, 61-53. Cascade had its stresser in the round before, an OT win over Dyersville Beckman before topping Alburnett, 49-37, Friday. Three of Regina’s four losses came against 3A state qualifiers (Solon, Mount Vernon and Benton Community); the other to 1A No. 1 North Linn. Junior Morgan Miller leads the Regals at 19.7 points per game, while junior Molly Roling (13.3 ppg) is Cascade’s leader. BC Moore projection: Regina by 13.

State

No. 1 Dike-New Hartford (22-2) vs. Aplington-Parkersburg (19-4), at Cedar Falls

No. 2 Panorama (22-1) vs. No. 15 Denver (16-7), at Marshalltown

No. 3 Westwood (20-0) vs. Exira-EHK (16-6), at Denison

No. 4 Sioux Central (21-1) vs. Pocahontas Area (14-8), at Spencer

No. 5 Eddyville EBF (22-1) vs. No. 14 North Mahaska (19-4), at Oskaloosa

No. 7 Central Lyon (19-3) at No. 10 Hinton (20-2), at Orange City (Unity)

No. 8 Nodaway Valley (20-3) vs. No. 9 Grundy Center (20-2), at Huxley

Wednesday’s Class 1A regional finals

(All games 7 p.m.)

No. 1 North Linn (22-1) vs. Edgewood-Colesburg (19-4), Region 1, at Manchester

North Linn has won 24 straight in this series, including verdicts of 66-18 and 67-50 in this year’s regular-season encounters. The Lynx have advanced to their 13th consecutive regional final, and have netted a record of 8-4 in their previous 12 (with five straight wins). North Linn has won 21 straight games. Ed-Co, meanwhile, is on a 10-game win streak. The Vikings pulled away in the second quarter and beat Lansing Kee, 67-50, their last time out behind 22 points and 19 rebounds from Audrie Helmrichs. The senior post averages 16.1 points and 12.4 boards per game, shooting 58.5 percent from the floor. North Linn, on the other hand, is guard-centric behind the trio of seniors Kamryn Kurt and Macy Boge and junior Molly Boge, who combine for 47.7 points, 13.0 assists and 11.5 steals per game. BC Moore projection: North Linn by 26.

No. 9 Montezuma (19-4) vs. No. 8 Anita CAM (21-2), Region 8, at Norwalk

After losing nearly half of its scoring punch from last year’s 16-8, regional-final team, Montezuma has re-fortified and is even better this season. Juniors Ellen Cook (13.8 points per game) and Shiressa Wetering (13.2) have become the Bravettes’ ringleaders, and they shared the South Iowa Cedar League West Division title (along with Lynnville-Sully and North Mahaska). Montezuma loves the long ball; more than half of its shots this season have come from behind the 3-point arc, with Cook and freshman Vivian Cook the top threats from outside. CAM is fourth in Class 1A in scoring offense at 63.9 points per game, and the Rolling Valley Conference champion has won 10 straight games, all by double digits. The veteran Cougars are led by senior Eva Steffensen (21.1 points, 9.7 rebounds per game). BC Moore projection: CAM by 5.

State

No. 2 Newell-Fonda (21-2) vs. No. 13 Coon Rapids-Bayard (20-3), at Fort Dodge

No. 3 Remsen St. Mary’s (22-0) vs. George-Little Rock (16-5), at Sioux Center

No. 4 Council Bluffs St. Albert (21-1) vs. No. 14 Woodbine (16-7), at Harlan

No. 5 Algona Garrigan (22-2) vs. No. 10 Riceville (22-1), at Mason City

No. 6 Martensdale-St. Marys (17-6) vs. No. 12 Fremont-Mills (23-0), at Atlantic

No. 7 Calamus-Wheatland (23-1) vs. Danville (19-4), at Muscatine

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com