Monticello vs. Benton highlights Saturday’s area 3A Iowa high school girls’ basketball regional finals

They’ve got a seat at the table.

Now, Donnie Kremer said, whether his team gets the last chair when the music stops ... that’s on them.

“We have an opportunity, and that’s all we can ask for,” said Kremer, girls’ basketball coach at Monticello High School. “If we want it, we have to go and get it.

“It’s not going to be easy.”

Class 3A regional finals are Saturday night, with winners advancing to the state tournament Feb. 26-March 2 at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.

Four of them contain area schools, and the best of the bunch is at Van Horne, where No. 9 Monticello (20-3) visits No. 8 Benton Community (17-6).

Tip time is 7 p.m.

“I think it’s going to be an outstanding ballgame,” Benton Coach Jeff Zittergruen said. “If it comes down to the final minutes, our senior leadership is invaluable.”

In the other area 3A showdowns, No. 3 Solon (20-3) hosts No. 14 Chariton (20-3), No. 4 Mount Vernon (20-3) welcomes Mediapolis (18-4), and Center Point-Urbana (10-13) plays at No. 7 Dubuque Wahlert (18-5).

Benton was the 3A state runner-up last year, and though the Bobcats lost 2023 area player of the year Jenna Twedt to graduation, they did bring back the remainder of their nucleus.

That crew includes seniors like Emma Townsley, McKenna Kramer, Piper Nelson and Zoey Junge.

Trailing at halftime against Williamsburg in the regional semifinals, that veteran leadership was key.

“The girls had been in that spot, they’d played in some big games,” Zittergruen said. “The big thing was, they didn’t get rattled.”

The Bobcats won, 52-46.

Monticello had no such drama. The Panthers won their first two postseason games by a combined 60 points.

This is a perennially competitive program, with 19 winning seasons in the last 20 years. Now, the Panthers want to make that state step for the first time since 2018.

“We have overachieved by leaps and bounds,” Kremer said. “I wouldn’t have guessed that we would win 20 games.

“Jayden (Kuper) is capable of taking over a game, and she makes everybody around her better. But (Benton) is senior-dominated and has been through this, so we have our work cut out for us.”

Solon is seeking to exceed last year’s state-semifinal finish, while Center Point-Urbana made seven state appearances from 2014 through 2022. Mount Vernon’s last state voyage came in 2016.

All of the Metro/Iowa City 5A and 4A teams are still standing and will be playing in regional semifinals Saturday. Among the highlights, 5A No. 11 Cedar Rapids Prairie (15-4) hosts Linn-Mar (11-10), and 4A No. 12 Marion (15-7) welcomes No. 11 Maquoketa (19-3).

Saturday’s Class 3A Iowa high school girls’ basketball regional finals

(All games 7 p.m.)

Mediapolis (18-4) at No. 4 Mount Vernon (20-3), Region 1

Both teams endured some stomach-turning moments in the previous round. Mount Vernon got more than it wanted from Davenport Assumption, finally pulling away in the final two minutes behind a pair of critical 3-pointers from Peyton Simpson and surviving, 47-37. Mediapolis trailed Tipton by nine points after a quarter, then held the Tigers to 11 second-half points and won, 39-36. That was a departure to a normal Mediapolis pace; the Bullettes score at a 3A-best 65.8-point clip. However, their strength of schedule is second-weakest in the class. Juniors Sydney Huber and Chloe Meester average 13.5 and 12.9 points per game, respectively. BC Moore projection: Mount Vernon by 23.

No. 14 Chariton (20-3) at No. 3 Solon (20-3), Region 5

Solon has won eight consecutive games, all but one of which have been of the lopsided variety. The Spartans have stormed through the postseason, chalking up wins of 78-22 and 82-21 over Fairfield and Davis County. A state semifinalist last year, Solon has designs of an even longer run this season behind a veteran lineup led by senior Callie Levin (22.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 5.2 steals per game), a University of Iowa recruit. Classmate Hailey Miller adds 14 ppg. Two of the Chariton’s three losses came to South Central Conference rival Eddyville EBF. Seniors Mckenzie Snook (16.4 ppg) and Tatyana Allen-Winston (15.7) are the Chargers’ big guns. BC Moore projection: Solon by 33.

Center Point-Urbana (10-13) at No. 7 Dubuque Wahlert (18-5), Region 6

Don’t underestimate CPU. The Stormin’ Pointers have won eight of their last 11 games after a sluggish 2-10 start, including an impressive 58-44 win over West Delaware on Wednesday behind Mya Hillers’ 21 points. Wahlert dropped its last three regular-season games, but regrouped in time for the postseason with comfortable wins over Independence and Waukon. Claire Lueken paces the Golden Eagles at 17.5 points per game. This isn’t the end-all for either team. CPU’s starting lineup consists of four juniors and a sophomore; Wahlert’s rotation features only one senior. BC Moore projection: Wahlert by 13.

No. 9 Monticello (20-3) at No. 8 Benton Community (17-6), Region 7

The area’s game of the night. Benton is in a position for its third consecutive state-tournament appearance (it was the 3A runner-up last year) behind senior guards Emma Townsley (15.2 ppg) and McKenna Kramer (13.3). The Bobcats advanced with a come-from-behind win over Williamsburg, 52-46, in the regional semis. Monticello is a co-champion of the River Valley Conference North Division, along with Maquoketa. The Panthers’ defensive average of 32.8 points per game is second-best in 3A. Junior Jayden Kuper (18.6 points, 11.4 rebounds, 4.8 steals per game) was the divisional player of the year. Monticello won its first two tournament games by a combined 60 points. BC Moore projection: Benton by 1.

State

No. 11 Algona (19-4) at No. 2 Des Moines Christian (22-1)

No. 15 Cherokee (15-7) at No. 6 Harlan (19-3)

No. 12 Forest City (20-3) at No. 5 Roland-Story (22-1)

No. 10 Spirit Lake (16-5) at No. 1 Estherville ELC (21-2)

Saturday’s Class 5A Iowa high school girls’ basketball regional semifinals

(All games, 7 p.m.)

Region 2

Cedar Rapids Jefferson (6-16) at No. 2 Davenport North (20-2)

Muscatine (11-10) at Cedar Rapids Washington (10-11)

Region 4

Urbandale (5-17) at No. 4 Waukee (16-4)

Iowa City West (12-9) at No. 13 Southeast Polk (9-12)

Region 6

Iowa City High (8-14) at No. 6 Pleasant Valley (17-4)

Bettendorf (11-10) at No. 12 Waukee Northwest (10-11)

Region 7

Dubuque Hempstead (7-15) at No. 7 Cedar Falls (20-1)

Linn-Mar (11-10) at No. 11 Cedar Rapids Prairie (15-4)

Region 8

Cedar Rapids Kennedy (8-14) at No. 8 Ankeny (12-9)

No. 15 Iowa City Liberty (11-8) at No. 9 West Des Moines Valley (11-10)

Saturday’s Class 4A Iowa high school girls’ basketball regional semifinals

(All games, 7 p.m.)

Region 1

Oskaloosa (11-10) at No. 1 Clear Creek Amana (21-0)

Fort Madison (14-6) at Keokuk (18-3)

Region 2

Bondurant-Farrar (10-12) at No. 2 Waverly-Shell Rock (21-0)

Decorah (15-7) at No. 14 Western Dubuque (16-6)

Region 5

Indianola (6-16) at No. 5 North Polk (20-2)

No. 11 Maquoketa (19-3) at No. 12 Marion (15-7)

Region 6

Gilbert (13-9) at No. 6 Mason City (20-2)

Cedar Rapids Xavier (9-13) at No. 10 DeWitt Central (15-5)

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com