Girls’ basketball reset: Balanced, prolific North Linn looking like a Tri-Rivers West Division lock

Individually, you won’t find anybody from North Linn at the top of many statistical charts.

Collectively, though ... that’s a different matter completely.

“Our kids have put in a ton of time,” Lynx girls’ basketball coach Brian Wheatley said. “We’ve got really good balance, and we’ve got kids that are unselfish.

“They don’t talk about numbers. They just go out and play.”

They just go out and dominate.

Ranked No. 3 in Class 1A, North Linn (9-0 overall, 7-0 Tri-Rivers West) has the rest of the division in a sleeper hold. The Lynx outscored their seven West Division rivals by an average of 43 points per game the first time through.

North Linn ranks in the top five (all classes) in five different categories:

* Scoring average: No. 3, 73.6 points per game.

* Margin of victory: No. 2, 40.8 points per game.

* Assists per game: No. 5, 18.8.

* 3-points per game: No. 4, 8.9.

* 3-point percentage: No. 2, .381.

And here’s the real kicker: Four players (juniors Kamryn Kurt and Macy Boge, sophomore Molly Boge and senior Elise Ware) are averaging in double-figures, and a fifth (senior Ellie Flanagan) is close at 9.8 ppg.

The Lynx begin their second tour of the Tri-Rivers West on Tuesday at home against Starmont. They won’t be bereft of post-holiday competition; non-conference tests against three ranked teams -- Iowa City Regina and Cascade in 2A, and Mount Vernon -- await.

“All three of those teams do different things, and they’ll all make us better,” Wheatley said.

The season resumes Monday with a handful of area games, then comes back in full force Tuesday. Here’s a look at area conference races as we resume:

MVC Mississippi Division

RACE RESET

Co-leaders Cedar Rapids Xavier (8-1, 4-0) and Iowa City Liberty (6-3, 4-0) collide twice in January. Their game Tuesday (at Xavier) does not count toward conference standings. Their encounter Jan. 27 (at North Liberty) does. As of now, that is the pivotal game in the divisional race. Cedar Falls (4-4, 3-1) hosts Xavier on Jan. 20, then travels to Liberty four days later. Cedar Rapids Prairie (4-5, 2-2) is a young team of intrigue and should get sharply better as the season progresses.

MIDSEASON MVP

Jasmine Barney, sr., Iowa City Liberty

PRESEASON PICKS

1. Cedar Rapids Xavier, 2. Iowa City Liberty, 3. Dubuque Senior

MIDSEASON PICKS

1. Cedar Rapids Xavier, 2. Iowa City Liberty, 3. Cedar Falls.

MVC Valley Division

RACE RESET

Last year’s Class 5A state runner-up, Waterloo West (8-0, 4-0) has carried the No. 1 tag since the preseason. The Wahawks face a challenging stretch in late January, in which they’ll be tested at Iowa City West (6-2, 4-0) and at home against Linn-Mar (7-3, 3-1) in successive games. Cedar Rapids Kennedy (4-4, 1-2) has won four of its last five games and is capable of knocking off one of the contenders.

MIDSEASON MVP

Sahara Williams, sr., Waterloo West

PRESEASON PICKS

1. Waterloo West, 2. Iowa City West, 3. Linn-Mar.

MIDSEASON PICKS

1. Waterloo West, 2. Iowa City West, 3. Linn-Mar.

Wamac East Division

RACE RESET

Solon (7-1, 1-0) assumed the tag of favorite when it topped Marion (5-4, 1-1) at home, 50-38, on Dec. 16. The rematch is Jan. 24 at Marion. Mount Vernon (5-4, 1-0) ran through a non-divisional gauntlet just before the break with its four losses coming by a combined 20 points. The Mustangs get their first crack at Solon on Jan. 17 at home.

MIDSEASON MVP

Callie Levin, jr., Solon

PRESEASON PICKS

1. Marion, 2. Solon, 3. West Delaware.

MIDSEASON PICKS

1. Solon, 2. Marion, 3. Mount Vernon.

Wamac West Division

RACE RESET

This is, again, the deepest field of quality teams in the area, with four teams ranked in the top 10 -- Clear Creek Amana (6-2, 2-1) in Class 4A, Benton Community (9-1, 2-1), Center Point-Urbana (7-4, 3-0) and Vinton-Shellsburg (5-4, 1-1) in 3A. CPU holds the lead, for now, by virtue of a 27-22 win over Benton at Rivalry Saturday. With those four teams, fans are guaranteed at least one dandy every Tuesday and Friday night once divisional play resumes for good Jan. 13.

MIDSEASON CO-MVPs

Jenna Twedt, sr., Benton Community, and Ava Locklear, jr., Clear Creek Amana

PRESEASON PICKS

1. Benton Community, 2. Vinton-Shellsburg, 3. Clear Creek Amana.

MIDSEASON PICKS

1. Benton Community, 2. Clear Creek Amana, 3. Center Point-Urbana.

River Valley North Division

RACE RESET

Cascade has captured seven of the nine North championships since the configuration of the league. The Cougars (8-0, 5-0) have moved to the front of the pack again, thanks to a 45-41 road win against Monticello (8-1, 4-1) on Dec. 13. The rematch is Jan. 27 at Cascade. Bellevue (7-3, 4-1) still gets two cracks at Cascade; the first is Jan. 10 on the road. The move by Maquoketa (5-4, 3-2) and Dyersville Beckman (4-3, 2-3) from the Wamac gives the division additional depth.

MIDSEASON MVP

Jayden Kuper, soph., Monticello

PRESEASON PICKS

1. Cascade, 2. Monticello, 3. Bellevue.

MIDSEASON PICKS

1. Cascade, 2. Monticello, 3. Bellevue.

River Valley South Division

RACE RESET

After winning the first five RVC South titles, Iowa City Regina went through a three-year title drought before reclaiming the crown last year. The Regals (10-1, 6-0) moved to the front of the pack with a 68-61 win at West Liberty (4-3, 3-1) on Dec. 20. Those two contenders meet again in the league finale Feb. 7 at Regina. West Liberty has been the South runner-up three straight years and got a major boost with the transfer of Iowa State signee Kelsey Joens from Iowa City High.

MIDSEASON MVP

Kelsey Joens, sr., West Liberty

PRESEASON PICKS

1. West Liberty, 2. Iowa City Regina, 3. West Branch.

MIDSEASON PICKS

1. Iowa City Regina, 2. West Liberty, 3. Mid-Prairie.

Tri-Rivers East Division

RACE RESET

Defending champion Calamus-Wheatland (7-2, 6-0) claimed sole possession of the lead with a 49-45 win at Bellevue Marquette (8-1, 5-1) on Dec. 20, and the Warriors host the Mohawks on Jan. 31. Both of Cal-Wheat’s losses were by a single point. Lisbon (5-4, 4-2) has played six games that have been decided by single digits, winning four.

MIDSEASON MVP

Megan Kremer, jr., Bellevue Marquette

PRESEASON PICKS

1. Calamus-Wheatland, 2. Bellevue Marquette, 3. Clinton Prince of Peace.

MIDSEASON PICKS

1. Calamus-Wheatland, 2. Bellevue Marquette, 3. Lisbon.

Tri-Rivers West Division

RACE RESET

North Linn, 20 wins. It’s a feat that the Lynx have accomplished 12 consecutive years, and the string appears secure this season. North Linn (9-0, 7-0) has a challenging post-holiday non-conference slate (Iowa City Regina, Mount Vernon and Cascade) coming up, which will liven things up. The Lynx should be a lock for their ninth league title in the last 11 years. Springville (7-3, 6-1) will get their second shot at the Lynx at home Jan. 13.

MIDSEASON MVP

Kamryn Kurt, jr., North Linn

PRESEASON PICKS

1. North Linn, 2. East Buchanan, 3. Springville.

MIDSEASON PICKS

1. North Linn, 2. Springville, 3. East Buchanan.

NICL East Division

RACE RESET

Sumner-Fredericksburg (6-2, 3-0) has moved into front-runner mode based on its 55-47 victory over Jesup (4-3, 1-1) on Dec. 6. But the story here is the vast improvement of Oelwein (5-2, 1-0), whose five victories match the number of the last three seasons combined. The Huskies have won four straight games, and their top two scorers are freshmen.

MIDSEASON MVP

Laney Pilcher, sr., Jesup

PRESEASON PICKS

1. Jesup, 2. Sumner-Fredericksburg, 3. Wapsie Valley.

MIDSEASON PICKS

1. Sumner-Fredericksburg, 2. Jesup, 3. Oelwein.

Northeast Iowa

RACE RESET

Decorah made a dent into Waverly-Shell Rock’s recent NEIC dominance last year, sharing the crown with the Go-Hawks. Led by one of the area’s top backcourt duos in Bryar Duwe and Yazmeen Whitsitt, the Vikings (8-2, 4-0) travel to Waverly for their first meeting with the Go-Hawks (6-1, 3-0) on Jan. 6, then they’ll close the conference race Feb. 10 at Decorah. Waukon (5-4, 2-1) is a threat to the co-favorites, as its 59-51 loss at Decorah on Dec. 20 will attest.

MIDSEASON MVP

Carlee Rochford, sr., New Hampton

PRESEASON PICKS

1. Decorah, 2. Waverly-Shell Rock, 3. Waukon.

MIDSEASON PICKS

1. Decorah, 2. Waverly-Shell Rock, 3. Waukon.

South Iowa Cedar East Division

RACE RESET

Iowa Valley (8-2, 6-1) has made a habit of winning close games, going 5-1 in contests decided by single digits. That includes a 46-42 victory at English Valleys (5-3, 3-2) on Dec. 9, an outcome that has the Tigers in charge of the race. They’ll square off again Jan. 27 at Marengo. Sigourney (6-5, 4-3) played both teams close the first time around.

MIDSEASON MVP

Lydia Kriegel, soph., Iowa Valley

PRESEASON PICKS

1. Sigourney, 2. Iowa Valley, 3. Belle Plaine.

MIDSEASON PICKS

1. Iowa Valley, 2. English Valleys, 3. Sigourney.

South Iowa Cedar West Division

RACE RESET

North Mahaska lost nearly 70 percent of its scoring from last year’s state-tournament team, but the Warhawks (9-1, 6-0) haven’t slipped at all. They claimed the first chapter in their two-part series with Montezuma (7-1, 5-1) by a 50-44 count on the road Dec. 13, and the sequel is Jan. 31 at New Sharon.

MIDSEASON MVP

Breckyn Schilling, soph., North Mahaska

PRESEASON PICKS

1. Montezuma, 2. North Mahaska, 3. Lynnville-Sully.

MIDSEASON PICKS

1. North Mahaska, 2. Montezuma, 3. Lynnville-Sully.

Upper Iowa

RACE RESET

Elkader Central (7-0, 4-0) is on track for its first league championship since 1976, when everybody was still playing the six-player game. Among the league wins have been a pair of convincing victories over its chief challengers -- 54-34 over MFL MarMac (6-3, 4-2) on Nov. 22, and 70-40 over Turkey Valley (5-3, 5-1) on Dec. 20. Central resumes road tests this week against North Fayette Valley (3-3, 3-1) and MFL MarMac.

MIDSEASON MVP

Delaney Scherf, sr., Elkader Central

PRESEASON PICKS

1. Elkader Central, 2. Turkey Valley, 3. MFL MarMac.

MIDSEASON PICKS

1. Elkader Central, 2. Turkey Valley, 3. MFL MarMac.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com