Prairie-Washington, Liberty-West highlight Tuesday’s area 5A/4A regional-final slate

With one exception, Cedar Rapids Washington has been spotless through its last 14 games.

That one exception? A loss to Cedar Rapids Prairie. Tuesday night, the Warriors have an opportunity to wipe it clean.

Fifth-ranked Washington (17-4) welcomes No. 13 Prairie (12-10) in a Class 5A girls basketball regional final, one of eight 5A/4A state-or-else games involving area teams.

“I don’t think either team is going to change much,” Washington Coach Chris James said. “We’ll do pretty much what we did last time; we’ve just got to do it better.”

In other area 5A games, No. 7 Iowa City West (16-7) and No. 8 Iowa City Liberty (15-7) play their rubber-match showdown at West, No. 14 Cedar Rapids Kennedy travels to No. 2 West Des Moines Dowling (19-3), and No. 10 Iowa City High (17-6) goes to No. 7 West Des Moines Valley (12-10).

Reigning 4A state champion Cedar Rapids Xavier (No. 9 and 12-9) plays at No. 7 Waverly-Shell Rock (21-1). Also in 4A, No. 4 Clear Creek Amana (19-2) hosts No. 15 Clinton (15-8), No. 11 Solon (15-7) heads to No. 6 Central DeWitt (22-1) and No. 14 Independence (16-7) travels to No. 3 Norwalk (20-2).

Winners advance to next week’s state tournament at Casey’s Center, Des Moines.

Prairie was part of the 5A field last year, and the Hawks are a win away from their first back-to-back trips since 2005 and 2006.

“It’s been a strange year, one of the weirdest seasons in my 31 years,” Prairie Coach Bruce Dall said. “We’ve had a lot of ups and downs — inconsistency from game to game — but we’re playing well right now.

“I think we’ve woken up, our chemistry is better and we’re trusting each other on defense.”

Speaking of waking up, Prairie overcame an early 14-0 deficit in beating Waterloo West 59-52 in the regional-semifinal round.

Meanwhile, at Washington, James “hasn’t had more fun coaching than I have this year,” and winning certainly helps.

“Building the relationships the last three or four years with these kids ... you’ve got to enjoy it because time goes by so fast,” he said.

Liberty made its state-tournament debut last season, and won the most recent battle with West — 41-40, on the road, Jan. 30. The Trojans prevailed, 52-36, at North Liberty on Jan. 6.

Tuesday’s Class 5A regional finals

(All games, 7 p.m.)

No. 13 CEDAR RAPIDS PRAIRIE (12-10) at No. 5 CEDAR RAPIDS WASHINGTON (17-4)

Prairie pursues its second consecutive state-tournament berth while Washington chases its first trip to Des Moines since 2013. The Warriors shared the MVC Valley Division championship (with Cedar Falls), and would it won it outright if not for a 62-57 loss to Prairie on Feb. 10 at Cornell College. That was Washington’s only setback in its last 14 games. Six-foot-4 junior post Sira Doumbia (15.7 ppg, 10.0 rpg, .684 FG%) continues to improve rapidly, and Samantha Becker (14.7 ppg) leads a Washington senior class that went through a 1-21 season as freshmen. For Prairie, junior KeaOnna Worley (17.9 ppg), senior Emily Larsen (14.0) and senior Brynlie Hadenfeldt (13.8) account for 82 percent of the offensive punch. Larsen will be at UNI next season, Worley will join her in 2027.

No. 8 IOWA CITY LIBERTY (15-7) at No. 7 IOWA CITY WEST (16-7)

This serves as a rubber match between the ICCSD rivals. Both teams broke serve with road regular-season wins — West prevailed 52-36 on Jan. 6, then Liberty countered with a 41-40 victory 24 days later. University of South Dakota recruit Natalie Ramsey is Liberty’s focal point, averaging 21.5 points and 11.0 rebounds per game, shooting 84 percent from the line. The MVC Mississippi Division champion, West is a veteran squad with four senior starters including Drake signee Grace Fincham (19.2 points, 8.6 boards per game). Both teams average 55 points per game, and both allow 47.

No. 10 IOWA CITY HIGH (17-6) at No. 9 WEST DES MOINES VALLEY (12-10)

In its most important wins of the season, City High has leaned on its defense. The Little Hawks will need to defend effectively in this one against a Valley squad that scores at a 60.3-point clip. City’s stopping power was on full display in its 69-33 regional-semifinal rout of Ames, limiting the Little Cyclones to six points in the first half. City has a veteran trio of senior Tessa Driscoll and juniors Kaitlin Loria and Hattie Galloway. Valley is paced by junior Tylee Weite (14.5 ppg) and suffered only one loss outside the mighty Central Iowa Metro League.

No. 14 CEDAR RAPIDS KENNEDY (12-10) at No. 2 WEST DES MOINES DOWLING (19-3)

Bentley Dill’s 31 points carried Kennedy past Waukee in the regional-semifinal round Saturday, and the Cougars will need more heroics all around if they want to give Dowling a scare. If anybody is to end Johnston’s two-year 5A title reign, the Maroons probably are the best bet. The three Muller sisters (Ellie is a senior, Katie a junior, Nikki a freshman) combine for more than 40 points per game, and Ellie — a University of Missouri recruit — adds 12.5 boards per contest. Dill, a sophomore, averages 21.6 points per game for the Cougars, who are chasing their first state trip since 2014.

State

Indianola (14-8) at No. 1 Johnston (23-0)

Pleasant Valley (15-7) at No. 3 Waukee Northwest (16-5)

No. 12 Ankeny Centennial (11-11) at No. 4 Cedar Falls (18-4)

No. 11 Sioux City East (17-5) at No. 6 Ankeny (14-8)

Tuesday’s Class 4A regional finals

(All games 7 p.m.)

No. 9 CEDAR RAPIDS XAVIER (12-9) at No. 7 WAVERLY-SHELL ROCK (21-1)

Here’s one way to succeed in the postseason: Balance. All five Xavier starters reached double figures in an easy regional-semifinal win over Gilbert. The Saints will need all of their pistons firing again if they are to return to the state tournament. They were conquered at home by WSR in their regular-season game (53-47, Dec. 6). Senior Madden Wilson leads the Saints in scoring (14.0 ppg), rebounds (7.6), assists (6.2) and steals (3.2). WSR has won 10 in a row, including a 50-44 regional-semifinal victory over Decorah, a game the Go-Hawks trailed heading into the fourth quarter.

No. 15 CLINTON (15-8) at No. 4 CLEAR CREEK AMANA (19-2)

CCA dropped two straight games after starting 17-0, but the Clippers are back at close to full strength now. Senior Lena Evans has returned and scored 24 points in a regional-semifinal rout of Oskaloosa (the final was 82-36), complementing Averie Lower’s 27. A signee of Arizona State, Lower averages 23.6 points and 9.6 rebounds per game, while Evans adds 17.9 ppg. Clinton got a late basket to edge North Scott in the previous round, 51-49. The availability of Clinton soph Jhaliana Guy is a key; the Stanford recruit averages 24.4 ppg, but didn’t play Saturday.

No. 11 SOLON (15-7) at No. 6 CENTRAL DEWITT (22-1)

Solon hits the road to face the Mississippi Athletic Conference-champion Sabers, a team that carries a 22-game win streak. Among those victories are five decided by four points or less. Solon has won four straight games, including a 54-45 regional-semifinal victory over Marion. Freshman Tenley Levin leads the Spartans at 18.5 points and 8.8 rebounds per game, and has a knack for getting to the line (nearly 9 free-throw attempts per game). Senior Ava Putman and sophomore Emma Putman combine for 26.8 ppg for the Sabers, who shoot a healthy 44.3 percent from the floor.

No. 14 INDEPENDENCE (16-7) at No. 3 NORWALK (20-2)

It’s a long shot against an established power, but Independence is in line for its first state-tournament berth in school history with a victory. The Mustangs’ 16 wins are their most in a season since 2004-05, and even better days should be in their future. Indee’s top two scorers are a sophomore (Libby Preuss, 14.8 ppg) and a freshman (Kiersten TeBockhorst, 11.5 ppg). Norwalk was a state semifinalist last season, and soph Braylyn Birmingham (30.3 ppg, 8.0 rpg) might already be the state’s best player. The Warriors shoot 76 percent from the free-throw line as a team.

State

Spencer (13-9) at No. 1 Sioux City Heelan (22-0)

Pella (13-9) at No. 2 Dallas Center-Grimes (20-2)

No. 12 ADM (15-7) at No. 5 Carlisle (22-1)

No. 10 Sioux Center (17-6) at No. 8 North Polk (19-3)

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com