Valley Division showdowns begin Tuesday

The strength of the Mississippi Valley Conference lies in the Valley Division, and the race cuts to the chase immediately after the holiday break ends.

Linn-Mar (6-1 overall, 4-0 MVC) has back-to-back games with Cedar Rapids Kennedy (9-1, 4-0) Tuesday and Cedar Falls (7-1, 4-0) Friday. Those two games will provide a divisional pecking order as the season hits its midpoint.

The girls' basketball season resumed Saturday with a handful of area games. Twenty-eight teams in Iowa are unbeaten, including six from the area — Western Dubuque in Class 4A, Center Point-Urbana and Union in 3A, Iowa City Regina in 2A, and Springville and Turkey Valley in 1A.

Springville and Turkey Valley will collide at Rivalry Saturday, Jan. 9 at the U.S. Cellular Center.

Here's a peek at the area races as the season resets:

MVC MISSISSIPPI DIVISION

Overview: Iowa City High (7-1, 3-1) can grab firm control of the steering wheel in this race if it can notch a home win Tuesday against Cedar Rapids Washington (5-4, 3-2), the only team within shouting distance of the Little Hawks. City isn't deep by any stretch, but the threesome of Ashley Joens, Courtney Joens and Kenya Earl combine for more than 52 points per game.

Preseason top 3: 1. Iowa City High, 2. Cedar Rapids Washington, 3. Cedar Rapids Xavier.

Midseason player of the year: Ashley Joens, Iowa City High.

Midseason top 3: 1. Iowa City High, 2. Cedar Rapids Washington, 3. Cedar Rapids Xavier.

MVC VALLEY DIVISION

Overview: Kennedy has won nine straight games after a season-opening loss at defending 5A champion Waukee, including a comeback win over City High. Lela Sellers has been spectacular in her second season at Kennedy, averaging 18.6 points and 9.2 rebounds, and shooting 58 percent from the floor. She has a strong supporting cast, as does Iowa signee Amanda Ollinger (19.0 ppg, 7.4 rpg) at Linn-Mar. Cedar Falls and Iowa City West (6-1, 5-1) are the primary threats.

Preseason top 3: 1. Linn-Mar, Cedar Rapids Kennedy, 3. Iowa City West.

Midseason player of the year: Lela Sellers, Cedar Rapids Kennedy.

Midseason top 3: 1. Cedar Rapids Kennedy, 2. Linn-Mar, 3. Cedar Falls.

WAMAC EAST DIVISION

Overview: Western Dubuque's regular-season win streak stands at 29 games, but the Bobcats (8-0, 4-0) haven't been blasting teams. Four of their games have been decided by single digits. Two of those wins are against their top threats, Mount Vernon (6-3, 3-1) and DeWitt Central (7-3, 3-1). Northern Iowa recruit Megan Maahs is averaging 17.1 points, 12.6 rebounds and 3.6 blocks per game per game.

Preseason top 3: 1. Western Dubuque, 2. Mount Vernon, 3. DeWitt Central.

Midseason player of the year: Megan Maahs, Western Dubuque.

Midseason top 3: 1. Western Dubuque, 2. Mount Vernon, 3. DeWitt Central.

WAMAC WEST DIVISION

Overview: Center Point-Urbana (9-0, 4-0) set the tone for a big season with a 32-point opening-night win against Mount Vernon, and a 58-42 home victory over Marion established the Stormin' Pointers as the class of the division. The rematch is Jan. 29 at Marion. The Wooldridge sisters are averaging about 30 points per contest. Marion has a pair of non-division challenges in the week ahead — at Western Dubuque on Tuesday and against Linn-Mar at Rivalry Saturday on Jan. 9.

Preseason top 3: 1. Center Point-Urbana, 2. Marion, 3. Benton Community.

Midseason player of the year: Arika Wooldridge, Center Point-Urbana.

Midseason top 3: 1. Center Point-Urbana, 2. Marion, 3. Benton Community.

RIVER VALLEY NORTH DIVISION

Overview: Monticello (6-2, 5-2) drew even with Cascade (7-2, 5-2) with a last-second 40-39 road win on Dec. 18, and those two teams are two games clear of the rest of the field. Their rematch Feb. 2 at Monticello will be pivotal. The rest of the pack is dangerous. Northeast (6-5, 2-5) has won five straight after a 1-5 start and plays at Cascade on Tuesday.

Preseason top 3: 1. Monticello, 2. Northeast, 3. Cascade.

Midseason player of the year: Allison Ries, Monticello.

Midseason top 3: 1. Monticello, 2. Cascade, 3. Camanche.

RIVER VALLEY SOUTH DIVISION

Overview: Tight road wins at Monticello and West Branch have put Iowa City Regina (7-0, 6-0) in control of the race, and the Regals are in a good early position for their eighth consecutive league title. The Regals and West Branch (9-1, 6-1) are the top two 2A teams in the area, both outscoring the competition by about 20 points per game. They'll meet again Feb. 2 at Regina.

Preseason top 3: 1. West Branch, 2. Iowa City Regina, 3. Durant.

Midseason player of the year: Kennedy Brown, Iowa City Regina.

Midseason top 3: 1. Iowa City Regina, 2. West Branch, 3. Durant.

TRI-RIVERS EAST DIVISION

Overview: Bellevue Marquette (5-2, 3-0) and Easton Valley (6-4, 3-0) have climbed to the top of the ladder. Their first meeting is Jan. 12 at Easton Valley. The River Hawks were 5-14 last season. Cedar Valley Christian (3-6, 0-3) is a year away from contending, but the Huskies have won three of four after an 0-5 start.

Preseason top 3: 1. Bellevue Marquette, 2. Calamus-Wheatland, 3. Midland.

Midseason player of the year: Rylee Andreson, Midland.

Midseason top 3: 1. Bellevue Marquette, 2. Easton Valley, 3. Midland.

TRI-RIVERS WEST DIVISION

Overview: The four strongest teams in the Tri-Rivers reside in the West. Last year's 1A state runner-up, Springville (8-0, 4-0) has been a wrecking crew, averaging 60.5 points per game while allowing a state-least 23.5. Four of the top five players are sophomores, led by Mikayla Nachazel (17.3 ppg) and Rylee Menster (12.8). Last year's 2A runner-up, North-Linn (9-1, 4-0) is perfect in league play but is without all-stater Morgan Boer for the near future with a knee injury. The Lynx play Maquoketa Valley (7-1, 3-1) at home and Springville on the road next week.

Preseason top 3: 1. Springville, 2. Maquoketa Valley, 3. North-Linn.

Midseason player of the year: Taylor Huber, Alburnett.

Midseason top 3: 1. Springville, 2. Maquoketa Valley, 3. North-Linn.

NORTHEAST IOWA

Overview: Waverly-Shell Rock (6-3, 4-0) has been the class of the league the past 5 1/2 seasons, carrying a 62-2 conference mark through that time. The five-team defending champions have one main threat, and that's Crestwood (7-1, 3-0). The first meeting between the teams is Friday at Waverly. The race for third is anybody's guess.

Preseason top 3: 1. Waverly-Shell Rock, 2. Decorah, 3. Charles City.

Midseason player of the year: Taylor Schuring, Decorah.

Midseason top 3: 1. Waverly-Shell Rock, 2. Crestwood, 3. Waukon.

SOUTH IOWA CEDAR EAST

Overview: First-place Iowa Valley (7-3, 6-2) won four straight games — including a 45-43 win at Belle Plaine (7-4, 5-2) on Dec. 15 — before a three-point loss against Montezuma in its last contest before the break. The Tigers possess perhaps the best all-around athlete in the SICL in Marissa Ward (15.4 ppg, 7.4 rpg). Iowa Valley and Belle Plaine meet again in their league finale Feb. 2. If Sigourney (4-5, 4-3) is to catch the leaders, it will have to do so with road wins.

Preseason top 3: 1. Sigourney, 2. Belle Plaine, 3. Iowa Valley.

Midseason player of the year: Marissa Ward, Iowa Valley.

Midseason top 3: 1. Iowa Valley, 2. Belle Plaine, 3. Sigourney.

SOUTH IOWA CEDAR WEST

Overview: Last year's SICL champion, Lynnville-Sully (10-0, 9-0) has bolted into the West lead, and will be sitting pretty if it can beat Montezuma (9-1, 6-1) at home on Jan. 29. The Hawks won the first go-round between the teams, 51-44. Montezuma is an underclass-dominant team and figures to be a heavy hitter at least through 2018. BGM's Jolissa Kriegel averages a double-double.

Preseason top 3: 1. Lynnville-Sully, 2. BGM, 3. Montezuma.

Midseason player of the year: Jolissa Kriegel, BGM.

Midseason top 3: 1. Lynnville-Sully, 2. Montezuma, 3. BGM.

UPPER IOWA LARGE

Overview: If there were no divisions in the UIC, this quintet would comprise the middle of the pack. Only 1 1/2 games separate first place from last in the Large Division, with preseason favorite MFL MarMac (5-4, 4-2) in front. But judging by the Bulldogs' loss to South Winneshiek (2-6, 2-3) — the team with the worst overall record in this division — just about anything is possible.

Preseason top 3: 1. MFL MarMac, 2. Clayton Ridge, 3. North Fayette Valley.

Midseason player of the year: Hayley Vogt, MFL MarMac.

Midseason top 3: 1. MFL MarMac, 2. North Fayette Valley, Edgewood-Colesburg.

UPPER IOWA SMALL

Overview: It's a given that the top two teams in the UIC — Turkey Valley (10-0, 6-0) and Lansing Kee (8-1, 5-1) are small schools, and Elkader Central (7-3, 4-1) probably makes it a top three. Take away their first meeting, a 41-32 Turkey Valley win, and nobody has come close to either of the top two teams. Turkey Valley is averaging 25.3 points per game and awaits a shot at 1A No. 1 Springville at Rivalry Saturday on Jan. 9.

Preseason top 3: 1. Turkey Valley, 2. Lansing Kee, 3. Elkader Central.

Midseason player of the year: Shelby Reicks, Turkey Valley.

Midseason top 3: 1. Turkey Valley, 2. Lansing Kee, 3. Elkader Central.

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