Surprising Bobcats do it again

DES MOINES -- New opponent. Same script.

Eighth-ranked Western Dubuque saw a double-digit lead evaporate, then came through like troopers down the stretch and defeated No. 7 Ballard, 30-23, in a Class 4A semifinal at the girls' state basketball tournament Thursday night at Wells Fargo Arena.

The Bobcats (23-2) held Ballard scoreless for the final 4:45 after the Bombers (21-5) had drawn even. The reward: A championship date with No. 1 Harlan at 6 p.m. Saturday.

Harlan (25-0) held off No. 6 Carlisle, 45-42, on Thursday.

"It doesn't matter who we play. The girls understand that if they focus on themselves, they can get the task done," said Bobcats Coach Amy Ostwinkle. "They don't lose confidence when a team makes a run on them."

It was the same winning script the Bobcats followed in a quarterfinal win over Sioux City Heelan on Tuesday.

Get ahead, lose the lead, regroup and win going away.

"There was no doubt in my mind that we would win," said junior Rose Simon-Ressler, who led all scorers with 15 points. "Teams are going to make runs on us. We knew what we had to do to stay with them."

Simon-Ressler's 18-footer gave Western Dubuque a 22-12 lead with 5:20 left in the third quarter. But the Bobcats didn't manage a field goal for nearly nine minutes, and that allowed Ballard to come back.

Meredith Ossian's 3-pointer with 4:45 left in the game got the Bombers even at 23-all.

"They came back and tied it, and we tried to hold our composure," said WD sophomore Megan Maahs. "And we did it again."

Simon-Ressler scored on the next possession to put the Bobcats back in front.

Morgan Pitz made three of four free throws to send the lead to 28-23. Western Dubuque missed four straight free throws, but it didn't matter; Ballard couldn't score.

"It was like they knew us like the back of their hand," said Ballard's Gabie Doud. "We couldn't pull it out. Props to them."

Mikaela Armstrong's two free throws in the final seconds provided the final points.The co-champion of the Wamac Conference, Western Dubuque didn't trail all game. A 10-2 run late in the first half helped push the Bobcats to an 18-11 advantage at intermission.

Maahs added nine points and 12 rebounds for the Bobcats, who outboarded Ballard to the tune of 32-17.

Doud led Ballard with 11 points. The Bombers shot just 25 percent (9 of 36) from the floor.

"Our defense wins games," Maahs said. "We rotate on screens. We're just all together."

WESTERN DUBUQUE 30, BALLARD 23

Class 4A State Semifinal, at Wells Fargo Arena

WESTERN DUBUQUE (30): Mikaela Armstrong 0-2 2-3 2, Molly Lembezeder 0-1 0-0 0, Zoey Weber 0-3 1-4 1, Rose Simon-Ressler 6-9 3-3 15, Megan Maahs 3-7 3-5 9, Jenny Brehm 0-1 0-0 0, Maddy Clark 0-0 0-0 0, Morgan Pitz 0-0 3-4 3, Jessica Cartee 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 9-24 12-19 30.BALLARD (23): Gabie Doud 5-11 0-4 11, Abby McGee 0-1 0-0 0, Emily Knittel 1-6 1-2 3, Makenzie Ihle 0-4 0-0 0, Alanna Dubberke 2-7 0-0 4, Charcey Petersen 0-0 0-0 0, Jenna Moody 0-2 0-0 0, Meredith Ossian 1-5 2-2 5, Taylor Larson 0-0 0-0 0, Sheridan Gealow 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 9-36 3-8 23.Halftime: Western Dubuque 18, Ballard 11. 3-point goals: Western Dubuque 0-2 (Armstrong 0-1, Brehm 0-1), Ballard 2-15 (Doud 1-3, McGee 0-1, Ihle 0-4, Dubberke 0-2, Moody 0-1, Ossian 1-4). Team fouls: Western Dubuque 10, Ballard 19. Fouled out: none. Rebounds: Western Dubuque 32 (Maahs 12), Ballard 17 (Dubberke 6). Assists: Western Dubuque 5 (Armstrong, Maahs 2), Ballard 4 (four with 1). Steals: Western Dubuque 7 (Maahs 3), Ballard 11 (Doud 5). Turnovers: Western Dubuque 17, Ballard 9.