Pleasant Valley trips Iowa City High for girls’ state basketball breakthrough

DES MOINES — Pleasant Valley has been a major player in most major girls’ sports.

Most, but not all.

Halle Vice registered 16 points and 10 rebounds, and the fourth-ranked Spartans held No. 5 Iowa City High to 21-percent shooting in the second half of a 52-47 Class 5A quarterfinal victory at the girls’ state basketball tournament Monday afternoon at Wells Fargo Arena.

“When I asked the girls how many of them have been in this arena before, six of them raised their hands,” Pleasant Valley Coach Jennifer Goetz said. “When I asked them how many have been here to play basketball, none of them.”

» Photos: Pleasant Valley vs. Iowa City High in Class 5A quarterfinals

The Spartans (22-2) recorded their first state victory in program history. They’ll face No. 1 Johnston (24-0) in the semifinal round at 10 a.m. Thursday.

“We love this opportunity,” Goetz said. “We found a way to get it done.

“People think of us as this little team out east, how cute.”

Well, not entirely. Pleasant Valley has won state championships recently in track and field, softball and cross country. The volleyball team won it all in November. Vice was a part of that.

“We watched a lot of film on City High, and they’re a good shooting team,” Vice said. “We tried to get in front of them and tried not to foul them.”

The Little Hawks (19-5) were off the mark Monday, particularly in the second half. Two of their top players — Kelsey Joens and Eviyon Richardson — were a combined 7 of 30. Another, Andie Westlake, fouled out with 4:08 to go and the score tied, 45-45.

“They definitely took away the 3-point shot,” said Joens, an Iowa State University commit who finished with 17 points and nine rebounds. “We had to drive, too. They were everywhere.”

Vice made the second of two free throws to put Pleasant Valley in front, 46-45, with 2:55 left. On the Little Hawks’ next possession, Reagan Pagniano got a steal and Addie Kerkhoff converted it into a bucket.

Bella Cooley’s basket got the Little Hawks within 48-47, But Vice made four straight free throws in the final minute.

City High had two fourth-quarter possessions in which it got four shots, and no points.

“Those possessions are magnified in the fourth quarter,” City Coach Bill McTaggart said. “We came up empty too many times.”

The game swung Pleasant Valley’s way late in the second quarter. City High seemed to have control after Georgia Kimm and Joens hit consecutive 3-pointers for a 27-16 lead, but the Little Hawks got loose with the ball and the Spartans were within 27-22 at intermission.

“We were up 11, had a chance to go up 13 and had a bad possession,” McTaggart said. “That continued in the third quarter, and it was a struggle the rest of the way.”

Goetz said, “(That run) gave us a boost at halftime. Then in the second half, the girls did pinpoint what we asked and we made enough shots.”

The Spartans made their first five shots of the second half and took their first lead of the half, 35-32, on Pagniano’s 3-pointer.

Westlake scored City High’s first eight points and finished with 13. Kimm added eight points, Richardson seven.

Addie Kerkhoff complemented Vice’s double-double with 12 points. Pagniano had seven points and five assists.

Pleasant Valley 52, Iowa City High 47

Class 5A State Quarterfinal, at Des Moines

IOWA CITY HIGH (47): Emmy McComas 0-4 0-0 0, Georgia Kimm 3-6 0-0 8, Kelsey Joens 6-19 3-4 17, Eviyon Richardson 1-11 5-5 7, Andie Westlake 4-6 2-2 13, Lauren Koch 0-0 0-0 0, Bella Cooley 1-4 0-1 2. Totals 15-50 10-12 47.

PLEASANT VALLEY (52): Jessie Clemons 1-2 2-2 4, Halle Vice 5-15 5-6 16, Mattie Moats 1-5 0-0 3, Addie Kerkhoff 5-15 0-0 12, Megan Schiltz 2-3 0-0 4, Reagan Pagniano 2-8 2-2 7, Quinn Vice 0-1 0-0 0, Addy Maurer 2-3 0-0 6. Totals 18-52 9-10 52.

Iowa City High 17 10 14 6 -- 47

Pleasant Valley 12 10 21 9 -- 52

3-point goals: City 7-22 (McComas 0-1, Kimm 2-4, Joens 2-8, Richardson 0-5, Westlake 3-4), PV 7-19 (H. Vice 1-5, Moats 1-4, Kerkhoff 2-6, Pagniano 1-2, Muarer 2-2). Team fouls: City 13, PV 16. Fouled out: Westlake. Rebounds: City 37 (Richardson 11), PV 34 (H. Vice 10). Assists: City 10 (Joens, Richardson 3), PV 12 (Pagniano 5). Steals: City 3 (Kimm, Joens, Richardson), PV 7 (Clemons 4). Turnovers: City 12, PV 8.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com