Metro/I.C. is guaranteed two 5A/4A state berths, and could get as many as three more

If Bruce Dall wanted a new challenge, he got it.

“The schedule has been super-tough,” said the first-year girls’ basketball coach at Cedar Rapids Prairie. “It has felt every night like we’ve been preparing for a state-tournament game.”

This time, it’s for real.

Sixth-ranked Prairie (19-4) hosts No. 12 Iowa City West (15-8) in a Class 5A regional final Tuesday.

Tipoff is 7 p.m.

Dall is a five-time state champion — at Ackley AGWSR (1A) in 2009, at Dike-New Hartford (2A) for four in a row (2021-24).

“There’s a lot of preparation at the 5A level,” he said. “The level of play is high.

“It’s been exciting and rewarding.”

Tuesday’s potential reward is a spot in the state tournament; for Prairie, it would be its first since 2020.

The West-Prairie matchup is one of six 5A/4A regional finals Tuesday.

Also in 5A, No. 11 Iowa City High (16-7) is at No. 10 Iowa City Liberty (16-6), and No. 15 Cedar Rapids Washington (13-9) visits No. 2 West Des Moines Dowling (19-3).

In 4A, No. 8 Cedar Rapids Xavier (18-4) welcomes No. 9 Waverly-Shell Rock (19-2), No. 15 Marion (13-9) travels to No. 3 Maquoketa (20-2) and No. 11 Clear Creek Amana (15-7) heads to No. 5 Central DeWitt (19-4).

Prairie earned a 65-57 win over West on Jan. 17. To duplicate that result, the Hawks will have to slow the Trojans’ 3-point prowess.

“We have to keep them off that line, make them shoot uncomfortable shots instead of wide-open shots,” Dall said. “Our teams are familiar with each other, so it’s going to come down to execution.”

Speaking of familiarity, City and Liberty will meet for the third time. Both teams won in the regular season on their home floor.

“We’re going to do our best to consider this a home game,” City Coach Lynsey Barnard said. “This has a different feel to it. These are kids we know. All Iowa City kids are our kids.”

The Little Hawks have doubled their win total since going 8-15 a year ago.

“There’s a different level of trust this season,” Barnard said. “That has allowed them to play freer.”

The Tom Lilly/Libby Fandel combo led Xavier to a state championship in 2022. Both are departing after this season concludes — Lilly into retirement, Fandel to graduation and eventually a college career at Kansas.

“I think we’ve definitely grown a lot from the beginning of the season,” Fandel said after a 41-point regional-semifinal onslaught against Decorah. “It’s going to be a good game. I’m glad that we get to play it at home.”

Fandel’s career scoring total stands at 1,872 points, second-most in Metro history.

Tuesday’s Class 5A regional finals

(All games, 7 p.m.)

No. 15 CEDAR RAPIDS WASHINGTON (13-9) at No. 2 WEST DES MOINES DOWLING (19-3)

Washington got an unfortunate draw, considering how well it has played the last six weeks. The Warriors answered a 2-6 start with 11 victories in its last 14 games, including a current six-game win streak. Washington outlasted Bettendorf, 61-57, in the regional semifinals behind 15 points apiece from sophomore Sira Doumbia and junior Samantha Becker, plus 14 from soph Elysionna Westerfield. Becker has made a full recovery from an ACL injury and averages 17.2 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. An upset win would send the Warriors to state for the first time in 12 years. Dowling’s only two in-state losses have come to No. 1 Johnston, and returns all five starters from last year’s state runner-up team.

No. 12 IOWA CITY WEST (15-8) at No. 6 CEDAR RAPIDS PRAIRIE (19-4)

If Prairie can duplicate its previous result against West (a 65-57 home win on Jan. 17), it will advance to state for the first time since 2020. Balance makes the Hawks a tough nut to crack; four players average in double figures, led by junior Emily Larsen (15.8 ppg) and senior Asia Beale (15.7). Sophomore KeaOnna Worley (12.8 points, 5.6 assists per game) is a dynamic point guard. Few teams statewide are as reliant on the 3-point shot as West. The Trojans take attempt 24.7 shots behind the arc, and make 8.3. Sophomore Sasha Baldwin and junior Abby Neumiller are the most prolific snipers. Baldwin (11.5 ppg) is the Trojans’ second-leading scorer, to junior Grace Fincham (16.0 ppg, 7.9 rpg).

No. 11 IOWA CITY HIGH (16-7) at No. 10 IOWA CITY LIBERTY (16-6)

Chapter III of this season series will determine a state representative from the Iowa City Community School District. Both teams won on their home floor in the regular season — City 52-43 on Dec. 13; Liberty 56-51 on Feb. 7. There’s little debate on who’s best player on the floor; Liberty junior Natalie Ramsey averages 22.0 points and 10.3 rebounds, and shoots 50 percent from the field. Madeline Casey adds 12.7 points per game and is a prolific 3-point shooter. The Bolts are seeking their first state berth in school history. City chases its first trip to Des Moines since 2022. Senior August Palmer (14.0 ppg), sophomore Kaitlin Loria (12.0) and junior Tessa Driscoll (10.6 ppg) are the Little Hawks’ top scorers.

State

Ames (12-10) at No. 1 Johnston (22-0)

No. 14 Ankeny (10-12) at No. 3 Waukee Northwest (17-4)

No. 13 Southeast Polk (10-12) at No. 4 Ankeny Centennial (15-7)

No. 9 Waukee (13-10) at No. 5 Pleasant Valley (18-4)

No. 8 Cedar Falls (17-5) at No. 7 Davenport North (18-4)

Tuesday’s Class 4A regional finals

(All games, 7 p.m.)

No. 15 MARION (13-9) at No. 3 MAQUOKETA (20-2)

Maquoketa has reached its girls’ basketball peak with two consecutive River Valley Conference North Division titles, and now takes aim at its first state-tournament berth in school history. The Cardinals possess an all-junior starting five led by three-year starters Cora Widel (14.4 ppg) and Aubrey Kroymann (13.2). Maquoketa’s 36.1-point defensive average is tops in 4A. Marion went to state four straight years from 2016 through 2019, and the Wolves are seeking their first trip since. They played the more challenging schedule of the two teams, and they have an effective inside game with senior Madeline Pavelka (16.4 ppg, 9.0 rpg) and soph Harlow Griffin (14.0 ppg).

No. 11 CLEAR CREEK AMANA (15-7) at No. 5 CENTRAL DEWITT (19-4)

Reigning champion CCA is a step away from its third consecutive state tournament. Two of the top players in 4A will be on display: Central DeWitt senior Lauren Walker is second in the class in scoring (24.7 ppg), and CCA junior Averie Lower is third (23.0). Central DeWitt earned a share of the Mississippi Athletic Conference championship (along with Pleasant Valley). Junior Lena Evans scored 29 points and Lower added 20 in CCA’s 65-60 regional-semifinal win over Keokuk. The Clippers gained some separation in the second quarter and held on. Evans adds 17.2 points per game in the Clippers’ all-junior starting lineup.

No. 9 WAVERLY-SHELL ROCK (19-2) at No. 8 CEDAR RAPIDS XAVIER (18-4)

This regional-final matchup has seemed inevitable for most of the season, with the Saints and the Go-Hawks hovering at our near the 8-9 line in the IGHSAU rankings. So here we are. Xavier senior Libby Fandel has upped her game even more in recent weeks; the University of Kansas recruit scored a school-record 41 points in the Saints’ regional-semfinal rout of Decorah. Fandel is at 25.5 points per game, and her career total stands at 1,872, second most in Metro history. The MVC Mississippi Division champion has won 10 straight games and also gets 10.1 ppg from junior Madden Wilson. WSR was the 4A state runner-up last season, with two starters back from that team. One of them is sophomore Lizzy Frazell (17.2 ppg).

State

Lewis Central (12-10) at No. 1 Sioux City Heelan (20-2)

Adel ADM (15-9) at No. 2 North Polk (21-2)

No. 13 Pella (16-7) at No. 4 Norwalk (21-1)

No. 10 Carlisle (18-4) at No. 6 Dallas Center-Grimes (18-4)

Storm Lake (16-7) at No. 7 Sioux Center (20-2)

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com