Border rivals East Buchanan, North Linn battle for girls’ state basketball berth

What better time? That’s how Nathan Reck sees it.

East Buchanan hasn’t gotten the best of North Linn in girls’ basketball in about 15 years. The Buccaneers haven’t played in a state tournament, ever.

To do one, they’ll have to do the other.

“It would be quite a victory if we can knock them off,” said Reck, in his sixth year as head coach. “I think we have leveled the playing field with them.”

Longtime Tri-Rivers Conference rivals who share a border, 14th-ranked East Buchanan (19-5) faces No. 6 North Linn (21-2) in a Class 1A regional final Wednesday; tipoff is 8 p.m. at Manchester.

The regional trail ends Wednesday with 1A and 2A finals, plus a number of 4A and 5A games that were postponed Tuesday due to weather.

Also in 1A, No. 3 Springville (22-1) faces No. 15 Baxter (24-0) at Van Horne and English Valleys (21-3) takes on No. 7 Burlington Notre Dame (22-0) at Fairfield.

In Class 2A, No. 6 Iowa City Regina (19-4) meets No. 13 Mediapolis (21-2) at Muscatine, and No. 10 Cascade (19-4) tangles with Bellevue (15-8) at Dubuque Senior.

All other games start at 7 p.m., and all winners head to the state tournament next week at Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines.

This is old hat for some of these teams. Springville is after its seventh state berth in eight years. Cascade is chasing its eighth in 10 years. North Linn pursues its seventh in nine years, and its fourth in a row. Regina goes after its sixth in 10 years.

Both North Linn and East Buchanan have navigated their way through a postseason maze of Tri-Rivers rivals.

“We’ve had to keep playing rivalry games,” Reck said. “Lo and behold, we have the biggest one yet.”

North Linn has a winning streak of 30-plus games against the Bucs. This season, it was 60-49 at Troy Mills, 52-49 at Winthrop.

“We had to come from behind both times,” Lynx Coach Brian Wheatley said. “There probably won’t be any surprises (Wednesday), though there will be some wrinkles here and there. There’s no need to overcomplicate things. The kids just have to do what they’re capable of doing.”

“It’s going to be a battle. East Buchanan is really, really good. They’re definitely capable of knocking us off.”

Springville was shipped to a bracket of unknowns, and has trounced Conrad BCLUW and Collins-Maxwell in the first two rounds.

“Sometimes it’s good to play a bunch of new teams, sometimes it’s not,” Orioles Coach Christina Zaruba said. “We don’t know what to expect, but they don’t know what to expect from us, either.

“We’ve been in this position a lot, and the kids know what to expect and what needs to be done.”

Springville possesses the top 1A scorer in Lauren Wilson, a versatile 6-foot senior who averages 24.8 points, 12.1 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 4.2 blocks per game. She’ll have a big advantage on the Bolts, none of whom stand taller than 5-8.

“She’ll get her points,” Zaruba said. “If they put two people on her, we’ll pull her outside, and that will open it up for everybody else.”

Wednesday’s Class 2A Regional Finals

REGION 5

No. 10 CASCADE (19-4) vs. BELLEVUE (15-8)

Time & site: 7 p.m., at Dubuque Senior H.S.

Overview: The 2A postseason has been mostly chalk so far, but Bellevue did pull one moderate surprise, knocking off No. 7 Jesup in the regional semifinals. Cascade won both regular-season encounters with the Comets by verdicts of 45-27 and 45-33 on its way to the River Valley Conference North Division title. Like always, the Cougars are driven by defense; their 30.4-point defensive average ranks third in 2A, and they have allowed 25 and 33 in their two postseason games. Senior Ally Hoffman leads the attack at 13.2 points and 9.0 rebounds per game, and junior Alyssa Lux provided 11.8 ppg. A win Wednesday would send the Cougars to state for the eighth time in 10 years. Bellevue has three double-digit scorers, led by senior Mariah Hueneke (16.6 ppg).

BC Moore computer projection: Cascade by 10.

REGION 6

No. 6 IOWA CITY REGINA (19-4) vs. No. 13 MEDIAPOLIS (21-2)

Time & site: 7 p.m., at Muscatine H.S.

Overview: Mary Rogers has Regina in the regional finals for the third straight year since she took over as head coach, and is looking for her first breakthrough to state. The Regals will try to slow a Mediapolis attack that scores at a 60.2-point rate. Both of the Bulldogs’ losses came in early February, but they have responded with three straight wins, including a 51-26 trouncing of Louisa-Muscatine in the regional semifinals. The champion of the River Valley Conference South Division, Regina rallied from an eight-point third-quarter regional-semifinal deficit to get past West Branch, 48-40. The Regals have four scorers between 9.2 and 11.2 points, topped by junior Grace Gaarde. Mediapolis is paced by senior Hallie Mohr (20.6 ppg, 9.4 rpg).

BC Moore computer projection: Iowa City Regina by 6.

STATE

No. 1 Dike-New Hartford (21-2) vs. West Fork (19-4), at Hampton

No. 2 Denver (22-2) vs. No. 15 Aplington-Parkersburg (17-6), at Waverly

No. 3 Central Lyon (21-2) vs. Ridge View (19-4), at Kingsley

No. 4 Panorama (23-1) vs. No. 12 Nodaway Valley (20-3), at Adel

No. 5 Sibley-Ocheyedan (18-5) vs. South Central Calhoun (18-5), at Estherville

No. 8 Treynor (21-2) vs. No. 14 Underwood (21-2), at Council Bluffs Lewis Central

Wednesday’s Class 1A Regional Finals

REGION 4

No. 6 NORTH LINN (21-2) vs. No. 14 EAST BUCHANAN (19-5)

Time & site: 8 p.m., at West Delaware H.S., Manchester

Overview: This border rivalry has slanted sharply in North Linn’s favor for quite a while, but East Buchanan has closed the gap somewhat this year. The Buccaneers led in both regular-season games, but the Lynx prevailed both times, 60-49 at Troy Mills, 52-49 at Winthrop. North Linn has hit the 20-win mark for the 12th consecutive season and is seeking its seventh state appearance in that time, its third in a row. That includes a 2A championship in 2020. Sophomore guards Kamryn Kurt (17.9 ppg) and Macy Boge (13.1) lead this year’s edition. East Buchanan counters in the backcourt with senior Lauren Donlea, a Wartburg recruit who averages 14.3 points, 5.5 assists and 5.1 steals per game. A victory would send the Bucs to the state for the first time.

BC Moore computer projection: North Linn by 14.

REGION 5

No. 3 SPRINGVILLE (22-1) vs. No. 15 BAXTER (24-0)

Time & site: 7 p.m., at Benton Community H.S., Van Horne

Overview: Springville was assigned to an unfamiliar land for postseason play, and the Orioles have thrived in it. They whipped Conrad BCLUW in the quarterfinals, 84-29, then ousted Collins-Maxwell in the semis, 67-41. Baxter is one of three 1A unbeatens (Burlington Notre Dame and Stanton are the others) shooting for state-tournament slots. The Bolts have the most stingy defense in 1A, allowing just 24 points per game. Don’t expect the Orioles to be fazed; this is a veteran group, and this is a tradition-rich program shooting for its seventh state appearance in eight years. Senior Lauren Wilson is the 1A scoring leader at 24.8 points per game, and adds 12.1 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 4.2 blocks per game. Elle Tuhn and Lilie Vansice score at a 14-point clip for the Bolts.

BC Moore computer projection: Springville by 19.

REGION 6

ENGLISH VALLEYS (21-3) vs. No. 7 BURLINGTON NOTRE DAME (22-0)

Time & site: 7 p.m., at Fairfield H.S.

Overview: It has been a memorable season for English Valleys, and now the Bears will try to advance to state for the first time since back-to-back trips in 2003 and 2004. They avenged a 22-point regular-season loss to Montezuma, holding the Bravettes to 11 second-half points in a 44-36 regional-semifinal upset. Senior Mia Ayers paces the Bears at 13.6 points per game, followed by senior Kaeley Axmear (8.1 ppg) and sophomore Kennedy Axmear (7.1 ppg, 8.5 rpg). Notre Dame has outscored its opponents by 29 points per game, and the closest margin was seven (against Fort Madison). Notre Dame advanced to state five straight years from 2013 through 2017, and is the two-time reigning 1A champion in volleyball. Senior Megan Harrell scores at a 14.1-point clip for the Nikes.

BC Moore computer projection: Burlington Notre Dame by 28.

STATE

No. 1 Newell-Fonda (22-1) vs. No. 13 Remsen St. Mary’s (21-2), at Ida Grove

No. 2 Algona Garrigan (21-3) vs. Riceville (22-2), at Clear Lake

No. 4 Marcus MMCRU (22-1) vs. No. 9 Storm Lake St. Mary’s (22-1), at Cherokee

No. 5 Exira-EHK (21-1) vs. No. 10 Stanton (24-0), at Atlantic

No. 8 North Mahaska (22-1) vs. No. 12 Martensdale-St. Marys (23-1), at Pella Christian

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com