Benton Community has one upset under its belt; now, No. 1 Mount Vernon awaits

Benton Community has pulled the upset of the Class 3A girls’ basketball postseason, so far.

If the Bobcats could get one more ... that would be downright seismic.

“We’re excited for the opportunity,” Benton Coach Jeff Zittergruen said. “We know we’re going up against a really good team. We just want to keep playing as long as we can.”

Benton (9-14) visits No. 1 Mount Vernon (22-1) in a 3A regional final Saturday. Tipoff is 7 p.m.

The 3A state field will be drawn up after Saturday’s games. In other contests involving area teams, No. 3 Williamsburg (22-2) welcomes No. 10 Monroe PCM (21-3), and Center Point-Urbana (15-8) travels to No. 2 Dubuque Wahlert (18-4).

Class 5A and Class 4A regional semifinals also are Saturday; those winners advance to Tuesday’s regional-final round.

Benton was a state qualifier each of the last three years, highlighted by a 3A runner-up finish in 2023. This is a largely new crew.

“Everybody has stepped into new roles,” Zittergruen said. “It’s been fun to see the growth of this group.”

That growth was visible Wednesday, when the Bobcats went to Mediapolis and shocked the 13th-ranked Bullettes, 50-47.

“I thought we would be able to defend them,” Zittergruen said. “They get a lot of their offense out of their pressure defense, so we needed to limit our live-ball turnovers.”

Benton did commit 27 turnovers, but only 13 of those came directly from Mediapolis steals. Aubrey Kelly scored 21 points to pace the Bobcats.

Wednesday’s win was an accomplishment, to be sure. But Mount Vernon is another animal completely. The Mustangs beat Benton, 62-27, Dec. 10.

“Their basketball IQ is so high,” Zittergruen said. “Their guard play is so good. We’re going to go in there and try to compete.”

The PCM-Williamsburg matchup is one of four ranked-vs.-ranked 3A regional finals.

Williamsburg has allowed 31 points — total — in its first two postseason games.

“We kept (Mid-Prairie) at bay all night (in a 35-16 regional-semifinal win),” Raiders Coach Stephanie Dacey said. “Offensively, we got some good looks that didn’t fall.

“Our confidence level is at just the right amount. Everybody is smiling at practice, they’re focused on the scout, playing with joy and without fear.

“I hope Saturday’s game doesn’t come down to the wire, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it does.”

Despite a 56-38 win over Tipton in the regional semifinals, CPU Coach Philip Klett believes his team has another level in it. And another level probably will be necessary to take down Wahlert.

“We still haven’t played our best game,” Klett said. “I hope they all can click at the same time.”

With the exception of Linn-Mar, the entire cast of Metro/Iowa City 5A/4A teams remains intact.

Seven of those teams are ranked, led by 5A No. 6 Cedar Rapids Prairie and 4A No. 8 Cedar Rapids Xavier, who captured Mississippi Valley Conference divisional titles.

Prairie (18-4) hosts Waterloo West (9-13); Xavier (17-4) welcomes Decorah (11-11).

Reigning 4A state champion Clear Creek Amana (14-7), ranked 11th, hosts Keokuk (18-4).

Saturday’s Class 3A regional finals

(All games, 7 p.m.)

BENTON COMMUNITY (9-14) at No. 1 MOUNT VERNON (22-1)

Mount Vernon has won 21 consecutive games since an early-December loss to 5A power Cedar Rapids Prairie, and none of its games against Iowa competition in that run could be classified as down-to-the-wire. The Mustangs beat Solon in their regional semifinal, 52-32. Led by Evansville signee Sydney Huber (15.6 ppg) and Louisville volleyball recruit Chloe Meester (14.8), four starters average in double figures, leading Mount Vernon to a 3A-best 66.1-point scoring average. Benton is a significant underdog in this one, but the Bobcats have been to three consecutive state tournaments and are coming off a 50-47 upset of No. 13 Mediapolis. Junior Aubrey Kelly is averaging 14.3 points per game.

CENTER POINT-URBANA (15-8) at No. 2 DUBUQUE WAHLERT (18-4)

This ought to be closer than the rankings might suggest. Wahlert is bidding for its third consecutive state-tournament appearance, and the veteran Golden Eagles have been steeled by their Mississippi Valley Conference comrades. They are 12-3 against 5A competition, 4-1 vs. 4A. Their only two games against 3A foes have come in the postseason. Senior Claire Lueken averages 21.1 points per game. Center Point-Urbana relies on balance, depth and defense. In a 56-38 regional-semifinal win over Tipton, Addy Tupa (who averages 5.9 points per game) scored 19, and the Stormin’ Pointers forced 30 turnovers. Coach Philip Klett institutes a nine-player rotation, led by senior Mya Hillers (9.0 point per game).

No. 10 MONROE PCM (21-3) at No. 3 WILLIAMSBURG (22-2)

Points could be hard to come by, and this might be a first-team-to-40 sort of affair. Williamsburg has allowed 31 points — total — in its first two postseason games, and PCM ranks third in 3A with a defense that yields just 33.2 points per game. Williamsburg owns a 15-game win streak and the Wamac Conference West Division championship. The Raiders’ last state-tournament appearance came in 2014, which also marks their last 22-win season. Several players have been key elements of Williamsburg’s back-to-back state softball championships, including senior Carly Rich, who leads the team at 12.7 points per game. Junior guard Tori Lindsay paces PCM at 13.0 points per contest, and freshman Libby Winters (12.7 ppg) shoots 56.8 percent from the floor.

State

Atlantic (18-6) at No. 5 Cherokee (20-3)

No. 9 Des Moines Christian (20-3) at No. 7 Roland-Story (22-2)

No. 11 Hampton-Dumont/CAL (21-2) at No. 6 Estherville ELC (19-3)

No. 12 Spirit Lake (16-7) at No. 8 Algona (20-3)

West Marshall (18-5) at No. 4 Forest City (23-1)

Saturday’s Class 5A regional semifinals

(All games 7 p.m.)

Region 2

Des Moines Lincoln (7-16) at No. 2 West Des Moines Dowling (18-3)

Bettendorf (16-5) at No. 15 Cedar Rapids Washington (12-9)

Region 5

Waterloo West (9-13) at No. 6 Cedar Rapids Prairie (18-4)

Cedar Rapids Kennedy (10-11) at No. 12 Iowa City West (14-8)

Region 8

West Des Moines Valley (7-15) at No. 10 Iowa City Liberty (15-6)

Cedar Rapids Jefferson (8-13) at No. 11 Iowa City High (15-7)

Saturday’s Class 4A regional semifinals

(All games 7 p.m.)

Region 3

Clinton (9-13) at No. 3 Maquoketa (19-2)

Western Dubuque (3-18) at No. 15 Marion (12-9)

Region 4

Burlington (16-5) at No. 5 Central DeWitt (18-4)

Keokuk (18-4) at No. 11 Clear Creek Amana (14-7)

Region 8

Decorah (11-11) at No. 8 Cedar Rapids Xavier (17-4)

Mason City (17-6) at No. 9 Waverly-Shell Rock (18-2)

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com