Mount Vernon holds off Mid-Prairie 58-50 in Class 3A regional girls basketball

MOUNT VERNON — Mount Vernon needed to feel uncomfortable.

The Class 3A top-ranked Mustangs have run roughshod through the girls basketball schedule for the past two months, which included 15 wins in a row by 10 or more points. The last team to stay within single digits of the defending 3A state champions was rival Solon way back on Dec. 16.

If Mount Vernon was to return to the state tournament and be ready to tussle with what is sure to be a rugged 3A bracket, it would benefit greatly from a challenge to mirror the state environment.

Mid-Prairie more than provided said challenge.

“That was exactly what our girls needed heading into the state tournament,” first-year Mount Vernon Coach Jacob Misener said after the Mustangs held off No. 12 Mid-Prairie, 58-50, in a girls basketball regional final Saturday night at Mount Vernon High School. “Was to get hit in the mouth and be a part of some adversity. Be a part of a really tight game that was back and forth. Then how are we going to respond? How are we going to handle that? Can we stick together and find plays at the end of the game? That was pretty special. That is a fun way to earn it.”

Mid-Prairie opened the game by scoring nine of the first 11 points, but Mount Vernon responded with a 14-1 explosion that appeared to give the Mustangs some semblance of control. When Mount Vernon extended its lead to 24-14 early in the second quarter, one had to wonder if this would be the start of a rout. But an 11-2 surge by Mid-Prairie pulled the Golden Hawks within a point, and the deficit was just 28-25 at halftime.

“We talked about on paper, them being the underdog or them being the lower seed,” Misener said. “They did exactly what we thought they would do and then some. I just want to give a lot of credit to them. Our girls finding a way to weather the storm, stay calm in time outs, communicate with each other through the noise. We haven’t had to do that in a while.”

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The second half was highlighted by three ties and eight lead changes. With less than three minutes left, a basket by sophomore Quinn Pershing gave the Mustangs the lead for good at 49-48. Pershing tacked on four pressure-packed free throws in the final two-plus minutes to keep Mid-Prairie at bay.

“I practice free throws a lot,” said Pershing, who finished with 13 points. “I just practice shooting. … I just know that my teammates have confidence in me.”

Fellow Mount Vernon sophomore Savanna Wright was difficult for Mid-Prairie. The speedy guard led all scorers with 26 points, including nine in the pivotal final frame. Wright’s back-to-back baskets extended the Mustangs’ lead to 55-48 with 1:09 to go.

“Taking it to the rim,” Wright said. “I wasn’t really making my shots tonight, but I realized my best shot was to try to get to the rim and get to the (free throw) line. Just make the finishes that I need to make.”

Sophomore Tessa Bombei scored 16 points, while senior Jovi Evans registered 15 for Mid-Prairie, which ends its season at 18-6.

Senior Taylor Franck chipped in 11 points for Mount Vernon (22-2), which brings a 20-game win streak to the state tournament. The Mustangs are the top seed in 3A and will open with a state quarterfinal game against No. 8 Cherokee (20-3) March 2 at Casey’s Center in Des Moines.

This is the third state berth in a row and eighth overall for Mount Vernon. Last season’s state title was the second for the Mustangs’ program.

“It means a lot,” Wright said. “We lost really key pieces (all-staters Chloe Meester and Sydney Huber) from last year, but we know that we can do it if we just play together. We’re still a really good team and we can do it again.”

Class 3A Regional Final

At Mount Vernon

No. 1 Mount Vernon 58, No. 12 Mid-Prairie 50

MID-PRAIRIE (50): Katelyn Harland 0 1-2 1, Jovi Evans 6 0-3 15, Brooklyn Schneider 4 0-0 8, Tessa Bombei 6 3-4 16, Morgyn Bender 2 0-0 6, Olivia Swartzendruber 1 0-0 2, Jeorgia Evans 1 0-1 2, Myli Hershberger 0 0-0 0, Harper Pacha 0 0-0 0, Sophia Puttmann 0 0-0 0, Totals 20 4-10 50.

MOUNT VERNON (58): Quinn Pershing 3 6-6 13, Savanna Wright 10 5-6 26, Taylor Franck 4 3-4 11, Courtney Franck 0 0-0 0, Rylee Rasmussen 1 1-2 3, Alivia Truitt 1 0-0 3, Sophia Meester 1 0-2 2, Kinley Nissen 0 0-0 0, Lucy Wischmeyer 0 0-0 0, Totals 20 15-20 58.

Mid-Prairie 14 11 9 16—50

Mount Vernon 19 9 13 17—58

Three-point goals – Mid-Prairie 6 (Jo. Evans 3, Bender 2, Bombei 1), Mount Vernon 4 (T. Franck 1, Pershing 1, Truitt 1, Wright 1). Total fouls – Mid-Prairie 11, Mount Vernon 13. Fouled out – None.

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