Springville pushes No. 1 Algona Garrigan to the wire at girls’ state basketball

DES MOINES - The scheme was there. The effort most definitely was there.

The Springville Orioles simply didn't make quite enough shots to pull a memorable upset. And it would have been a biggie.

Audi Crooks hit 12 of 13 shots in a 25-point, 10-rebound performance, and Molly Joyce converted 6 of 8 free throws in the final 80 seconds as top-ranked Algona Garrigan escaped with a 48-42 victory in a Class 1A quarterfinal at the girls' state basketball tournament Wednesday afternoon at Wells Fargo Arena.

'A lot of people overlooked us,” Springville Coach Christina Zaruba said. 'They didn't think we had a chance.

'If somebody beats (Garrigan), they can send us a thank-you note, because I think we provided the blueprint.”

Garrigan (24-1) will face No. 4 Exira-EHK (24-0), a 60-55 victor over No. 5 Marcus MMCRU, in a semifinal at 2 p.m. Friday.

The eighth-ranked Orioles (21-5) made Crooks - a strong-bodied, 6-foot-3 sophomore who has received offers from all four of Iowa's Division-I programs - work for her numbers.

'We had Lauren (Wilson) in front of her, and we squished her from behind,” Zaruba said.

Last year's 1A runner-up, Garrigan (24-1) shot to a 14-5 lead early in the second quarter, but Springville was the Golden Bears' equal - at least - the rest of the way.

'In the postseason, we stepped up our defense immensely,” Wilson said. 'We don't like to just sit in a zone.”

The fearless Orioles were within 23-19 at halftime, then took brief leads at 29-27 and 31-29 in the third quarter.

But 26-percent shooting (13 of 50) proved to be too much to overcome.

Garrigan held a 39-33 lead early in the fourth quarter, but Grace Matus' free throws cut it to 41-39 with 1:45 to go.

Joyce then salted it away from the line.

'It was a little too close for comfort,” said Crooks, who picked up her fourth foul with 3:56 remaining, but never was ticketed with a fifth. 'I had to stay set on defense, and I had to be aware of any flops they might try. I had to stay in the game.”

Wilson led Springville with 13 points and nine rebounds. Matus added nine points, and Molly Stamp, Morgan Nachazel and Hannah March scored six apiece.

'We played really good defense,” Matus said. 'If we could have made a few more shots ...”

Springville does not have a senior on its roster.

'We hope to be back here next year,” Matus said.

ALGONA GARRIGAN 48, SPRINGVILLE 42

Class 1A State Quarterfinal, at Des Moines

SPRINGVILLE (42): Grace Matus 1-6 6-6 9, Savannah Nealman 0-3 2-2 2, Lauren Wilson 5-16 3-4 13, Molly Stamp 2-5 0-0 6, Morgan Nachazel 2-12 0-0 6, Isabel Guerrero 0-0 0-0 0, Hannah March 3-8 0-0 6. Totals 13-50 11-12 42.

ALGONA GARRIGAN (48): Molly Joyce 2-12 8-10 13, Katelyn Meyers 3-9 0-0 7, Gracie Elsbecker 0-1 0-0 0, Reese Rosenmeyer 0-1 1-2 1, Audi Crooks 12-13 1-3 25, Emma Grandgenett 0-0 0-0 0, Anna Berke 0-2 0-0 0, Kelly Baade 0-1 0-0 0, Abbie Capesius 1-4 0-2 2, Meredith Tigges 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 18-43 10-17 48.

Halftime: Garrigan 23, Springville 19. 3-point goals: Springville 5-20 (Matus 1-5, Wilson 0-3, Stamp 2-3, Nachazel 2-8, March 0-1), Garrigan 2-17 (Joyce 1-7, Meyers 1-4, Elsbecker 0-1, Rosenmeyer 0-1, Berke 0-1, Baade 0-1, Capesius 0-2). Team fouls: Springville 17, Garrigan 17. Fouled out: Nealman. Rebounds: Springville 29 (Wilson 9), Garrigan 39 (Crooks 10). Assists: Springville 9 (Wilson 4), Garrigan 12 (Meyers 6). Steals: Springville 10 (Nachazel 3), Garrigan 10 (Berke 4). Turnovers: Springville 21, Garrigan 24.

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