Dallas Center-Grimes holds off state-tournament-rookie Maquoketa, 49-44

DES MOINES -- They kept climbing. Kept digging.

But when the Maquoketa Cardinals had the summit in sight, the footing got rocky again.

Sixth-ranked Dallas Center-Grimes regrouped after a 16-point lead got away, and held off No. 3 Maquoketa, 49-44, in a Class 4A quarterfinal at the girls’ state basketball tournament Tuesday night at Wells Fargo Arena.

“It’s like a stab in the heart,” Maquoketa’s Cora Widel said after the Cardinals’ first state-tournament season ended at 21-3. “It might sting a little, but it’s great motivation for next year.”

That’s because the Cardinals’ entire starting lineup returns for 2025-26.

“We proved that Maquoketa belongs here,” Coach Chad Specht said.

True. Meanwhile, Dallas Center-Grimes (20-4) looked like a state veteran. The Mustangs are here for the fifth consecutive year, and will face No. 2 North Polk (23-2) in a 4A semifinal at 6:45 p.m. Thursday.

“It was like a home gym for them,” Specht said.

DCG scored 13 points for an early 13-2 lead and appeared to be poised to run the Cardinals out of here when it was 26-10 and 28-12.

“Everybody knew we hadn’t been here before,” Maquoketa’s Aubrey Kroymann said. “Some of us might have come out shaky. But we gave our best effort.”

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Maquoketa was within 31-21 at halftime, and eventually drew even at 38-all on Kroymann’s bucket with 7:41 to go.

But Leah Brauch answered with a 3-pointer, and the Mustangs led the rest of the way.

“(Maquoketa) was the type of team that was going to fight to the buzzer,” Brauch said. “This is the point of the season that any team can win.

“We like to play free and loose, and I knew I was going to hit that shot.”

Maquoketa was within 41-40 and 43-42, with multiple chances to take the lead, but couldn’t cash in.

So, now it’s grow a little more, build a little more. Do that, and the best should be yet to come.

“It was nice to get a taste,” Kroymann said. “Hopefully this fuels us for more next year.”

Kroymann led the Cardinals with 13 points, and Widel scored 12.

Ava Smid posted 13 points and 11 rebounds for the Mustangs. Tessa Jones added 12 points.

Dallas Center-Grimes 49, Maquoketa 44

Class 4A State Quarterfinal, at Des Moines

DALLAS CENTER-GRIMES (49): Leah Brauch 3-5 0-0 8, Macy Meyer 4-8 0-0 9, Ava Smid 6-9 1-2 13, Devon Carlile 0-6 0-0 0, Tessa Jones 3-7 3-4 12, Neela Williamson 0-1 2-4 2, Addie Abens 1-2 0-0 3, Aniyah Boens 1-1 0-0 2, Paisley Heidgerken 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 18-39 6-10 49.

MAQUOKETA (44): Aubrey Kroymann 5-8 3-7 13, Maelyn Kluever 3-9 0-1 6, Kendall Kuhlman 2-7 0-0 6, Justice Armbruster 2-5 0-0 5, Cora Widel 4-12 3-3 12, Arabella Wagner 0-1 0-0 0, Hadley Ihrig 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 17-43 6-11 44.

Dallas Center-Grimes 20 11 7 11 -- 49

Maquoketa 7 14 15 6 -- 44

3-point goals: DCG 7-19 (Brauch 2-2, Meyer 1-4, Carlile 0-3, Jones 3-7, Williamson 0-1, Abens 1-2), Maquoketa 4-19 (Kluever 0-3, Kuhlman 2-6, Armbruster 1-1, Widel 1-8, Wagner 0-1). Team fouls: DCG 15, Maquoketa 16. Fouled out: none. Rebounds: DCG 27 (Smid 11), Maquoketa 25 (Kuhlman 6). Assists: DCG 10 (Brauch 3), Maquoketa 7 (Kroymann, Armbruster 2). Steals: DCG 6 (Jones 3), Maquoketa 9 (Armbruster 5). Turnovers: DCG 15, Maquoketa 17.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com