Wednesday’s best: Five area girls’ basketball regional games to watch (5A and 4A quarterfinals, 3A semifinals, Feb. 18, 2025)

How has Mount Vernon developed into an elite girls’ basketball program?

Simply put, the Mustangs make shots.

The owner of a Class 3A No. 1 ranking and a 20-game win streak, Mount Vernon (21-1) enters Wednesday’s regional-semifinal round at or near the top of the state (all classes) in most shooting categories.

* Field-goal shooting: No. 3, .483.

* 3-point shooting: No. 4, .363.

* Effective field-goal percentage: No. 1, .554.

It helps when everybody can shoot, and all five Mount Vernon starters are hitting at 45 percent or better. Senior post Chloe Meester is at 61.8 percent.

No wonder Solon Coach Jamie Smith said this of the Mustangs earlier this season:

“That’s the best starting five I’ve ever coached against. They’ve got everything you need. To me, they’re just different level.”

Now, Smith’s Spartans will try to slow the Mustangs on Wednesday.

Here are five of Wednesday’s best area matchups:

Linn-Mar (5-16) at Waterloo West (8-13)

Class 5A Region 5 quarterfinal

Linn-Mar claimed a 54-43 home win over West on Jan. 10. The Lions will have to contend with Army West Point commit Nakia Ollivierre, who leads Class 5A (and is second in all classes) in scoring at 25.7 points per game. The 5-foot-9 junior accounts for nearly half of the Wahawks’ attack. Linn-Mar has a talented junior of its own in Dreya Kern (14.7 points, 5.8 rebounds per game). The winner advances to play at No. 6 Cedar Rapids Prairie (18-4) in a regional semifinal Saturday.

Solon (12-10) at No. 1 Mount Vernon (21-1)

Class 3A Region 1 semifinal

Solon is the reigning 3A state champion, and if Mount Vernon has its way, this will be a passing-of-the-torch observance. The Mustangs have won 20 consecutive games, and that streak includes 62-30 and 57-33 victories over the Spartans. Four players are double-figure scorers (Evansville signee Sydney Huber leads at 15.6 ppg). Solon got 17 points from sophomore Laney Johnson and pulled away from Davenport Assumption in the second half of a 51-39 first-round win. The winner meets No. 13 Mediapolis (21-1) or Benton Community (8-14) in a regional final Saturday.

Tipton (16-6) at Center Point-Urbana (14-8)

Class 3A Region 2 semifinal

If there’s a team that can make an “underrated” rallying cry, it’s CPU. The unranked Stormin’ Pointers actually stand at No. 6 on the BC Moore computer chart in 3A. They routed Wilton in the first round, 74-17, limiting the Beavers to two points in the first quarter and one in the third. CPU doesn’t have a double-digit scorer (senior Mya Hillers leads at 9.0 ppg), but is very effective 1-through-9. Tipton has won four straight games, including a 53-44 regional-quarterfinal victory over Anamosa. The Tigers’ top four scorers are sophomores, led by Jordyn Schmidt (11.5 ppg). The winner faces No. 2 Dubuque Wahlert (17-4) or Monticello (16-7) in a regional final Saturday.

West Delaware (14-8) at West Marshall (17-5)

Class 3A Region 3 semifinal

Don’t be surprised if West Delaware’s 120-mile bus ride home from State Center is a happy one. The Hawks are riding a four-game win streak, and are fiercely battle-tested by their Wamac Conference East Division peers. They’ll have the best player on the floor in senior post Brooke Krogmann (19.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, 5.5 blocks per game). West Delaware put a 72-34 whooping on North Fayette Valley in the first round while West Marshall handled Union Community, 61-24. The Trojans’ Bella Borgos matches Krogmann’s 19.5 ppg, and Lily Zahnd is good for 11.1 points and 10.5 boards per contest. The winner faces No. 4 Forest City (22-1) or Waukon (15-7) in a regional final Saturday.

Mid-Prairie (16-5) at No. 3 Williamsburg (21-2)

Class 3A Region 4 semifinal

Williamsburg is riding a 13-game win streak, and that run contains a 64-49 home victory over Mid-Prairie on Jan. 13. Champions of the Wamac Conference West Division, the Raiders are in the midst of their first 20-win season since recording four of them in a seven-year span between 2007-08 and 2013-14. Senior Carly Rich and junior Zoe Allen average 12.7 and 11.4 points per game, respectively. Mid-Prairie was second in the River Valley Conference South Division and gets 11.5 points and 9.2 rebounds per game from senior Callie Huber. The winner faces No. 10 Monroe PCM (20-3) or Albia (17-5) in a regional final Saturday.

Wednesday’s Class 5A Regional Quarterfinals

(All games 7 p.m.)

Region 2

Des Moines North (0-18) at Des Moines Lincoln (6-16)

Region 5

Linn-Mar (5-16) at Waterloo West (8-13)

Region 8

Urbandale (4-17) at West Des Moines Valley (6-15)

Wednesday’s Class 4A Regional Quarterfinals

(All games 7 p.m.)

Region 3

North Scott (6-14) at Clinton (8-13)

Western Dubuque (2-18) at Independence (7-14)

Region 4

Fort Madison (13-6) at Burlington (15-5)

Mount Pleasant (3-18) at Keokuk (17-4)

Region 8

Waterloo East (8-12) at Decorah (10-11)

Webster City (4-17) at Mason City (16-6)

Class 3A Regional Semifinals

(All games 7 p.m.)

Region 1

Solon (12-10) at No. 1 Mount Vernon (21-1)

Benton Community (8-14) at No. 13 Mediapolis (21-1)

Region 2

Monticello (16-7) at No. 2 Dubuque Wahlert (17-4)

Tipton (16-6) at Center Point-Urbana (14-8)

Region 3

Waukon (15-7) at No. 4 Forest City (22-1)

West Delaware (14-8) at West Marshall (17-5)

Region 4

Mid-Prairie (16-5) at No. 3 Williamsburg (21-2)

Albia (17-5) at No. 10 Monroe PCM (20-3)

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com