No. 1 Johnston eliminates Linn-Mar

DES MOINES — Taryn Knuth received a bouquet of flowers at game's end, part of an elaborate prom-posal that high school kids do these days.

'It was very unexpected,' she said. 'I had no idea.'

Friday's victory, though ... she expected that.

'We expect to beat whoever we play,' she said.

Top-ranked Johnston made life difficult inside and out for sixth-ranked Linn-Mar, holding the Lions to 29-percent shooting in a 51-39 Class 5A semifinal win at the girls' state basketball tournament at Wells Fargo Arena.

'It was just one of those games,' Linn-Mar Coach Jaime Brandt said. 'It wasn't our day. Shooting, finishing ... you have those games sometimes.

'Johnston is a great team. We could have quit and lost this game by 30 points, but the kids kept battling.'

The Dragons (22-3) will make their first state-finals appearance at 8 p.m. Saturday against No. 3 Ankeny Centennial (22-3). The matchup marks the fourth consecutive year that the 5A final is an all-CIML affair.

'We have the best teams (in the CIML),' Johnston's Rachel Hinders said. 'We all know each other. It's really competitive. It's fun to get out and play them.'

The Lions retired at 20-5. The Dragons got away from them early.

Linn-Mar led, 4-2, before Johnston scored the next 10 points. The Dragons held a 16-7 lead after one quarter, 27-14 at halftime.

University of Iowa recruit Amanda Ollinger was shadowed by Knuth — a 6-foot-4 junior, and Knuth's length made it difficult. Ollinger mustered 17 points and 16 rebounds, but shot 7-of-22 from the field.

'She's a great player,' Knuth said of Ollinger. But I've played against a lot of great players. I'm just as big, just as quick as her.'

Ollinger said, 'The first half, you could tell their length bothered us a little. We played better in the second half, but it was just too big of a hole.'

The Lions shot 6 of 32 in the first half.

'We had more jitters today than we did Wednesday (in a quarterfinal win over Indianola),' Linn-Mar's Lexi Frese said.

Johnston scored the first six points of the second half to take any remaining drama out of it at 33-14. The Lions got within 10 points twice early in the fourth quarter.

Knuth led the Dragons with 14 points. Elle Brown added 12 points, and Hinders posted 11 points and 11 rebounds.

Linn-Mar started the season 5-0, lost four of eight games, then won 11 in a row before Friday's defeat.

'I don't think anyone expected us to get here,' Frese said. 'We hit a lull in the midseason, then we escalated right after that and kept on going.'

JOHNSTON 51, LINN-MAR 39 (Class 4A State Semifinal)

At Des Moines

JOHNSTON (51): Elle Brown 4-13 3-5 12, Haylee Towers 1-1 0-0 3, Shayna Stubbs 1-4 3-4 5, Rachel Hinders 4-7 3-4 11, Taryn Knuth 6-14 1-2 14, Paige Sieren 1-2 2-2 5, Brooke Wilmes 0-0 0-0 0, Jennah Johnson 0-2 1-2 1. Totals 17-43 13-19 51.

LINN-MAR (39): Alie Akers 0-0 0-0 0, Lexi Frese 3-7 0-0 6, Brittney Lancial 1-2 0-0 3, Kamryn Finley 3-13 2-2 9, Amanda Ollinger 7-22 2-2 17, Ally Johnson 0-3 1-2 1, Megan Murphy 0-1 0-0 0, Carly Spies 1-1 1-1 3, Claire Larson 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 15-52 6-7 39.

Halftime: Johnston 27, Linn-Mar 14. 3-point goals: Johnston 4-8 (Brown 1-2, Towers 1-1, Hinders 0-2, Knuth 1-1, Sieren 1-2), Linn-Mar 3-21 (Frese 0-1, Lancial 1-1, Finley 1-7, Ollinger 1-6, Johnson 0-3, Murphy 0-1, Larson 0-2). Team fouls: Johnston 6, Linn-Mar 15. Fouled out: none. Rebounds: Johnston 34 (Hinders 11), Linn-Mar 33 (Ollinger 16). Assists: Johnston 8 (Brown, Stubbs 2), Linn-Mar 6 (Finley 4). Steals: Johnston 4 (Stubbs 2), Linn-Mar 3 (Ollinger 2). Turnovers: Johnston 5, Linn-Mar 7.

l Comments: (319) 368-8857; jeff.linder@thegazette.com