High-scoring Suzanna Yoder leads Iowa Mennonite into girls' basketball postseason

No ranked teams from the area will be in action when the girls' basketball postseason kicks off Thursday.

But the top small-school scorer in the state will be.

Suzanna Yoder leads Iowa Mennonite (9-10) in a Class 1A first-round regional clash with Iowa Valley (5-14). Tipoff is 7 p.m. Thursday at rural Kalona.

Yoder, a senior, is averaging 27.3 points per game. Only one player — West Des Moines Dowling's mega-recruit Caitlin Clark (31.9 ppg) — scores at a higher rate. Nobody in 1A is close.

IMS is enjoying its best season since 2013-14.

Yoder has been the team's top scorer each of her four years on the varsity team, and has scored 1,507 points in her career.

Springville is the three-time defending 1A state champion. The Orioles (13-8) have rebuilt nicely after losing the core of their team to graduation, and earned a first-round bye. They'll face Midland (8-11) or Central City (6-14) in Round 2 on Tuesday.

No. 3 Montezuma (17-1) carries a 16-game winning streak into the postseason and, without a doubt, is the area's top 1A squad. A state-tournament team last year, Montezuma opens Tuesday against Twin Cedars (6-16) or Moravia (4-13).

Regionals begin Saturday in Class 2A and Class 3A, Tuesday in 4A and 5A.

Thursday's Class 1A regional first round

All games, 7 p.m.

Region 2

Riceville at Rockford

Northwood-Kensett at Algona Garrigan

North Iowa at Mason City Newman

West Central at Turkey Valley

Nashua-Plainfield at North Butler

Region 3

Waterloo Christian at Gladbrook-Reinbeck

Starmont at Elkader Central

Edgewood-Colesburg at Dunkerton

North Tama at Don Bosco

Midland at Central City

Region 4

Iowa Valley at Iowa Mennonite

BGM at Meskwaki

HLV at GMG

Lone Tree at Clinton Prince of Peace

Cedar Valley Christian at Cal-Wheatland

Region 5

Twin Cedars at Moravia

English Valleys at Keota

Melcher-Dallas at Moulton-Udell

Winfield-Mount Union at WACO

New London at Burlington Notre Dame

l Comments: (319) 368-8857; jeff.linder@thegazette.com