Upsets seem to happen more in the lower classes - so shoo your booky out of the room for these games!
2A -- Projected state seed is in ( )
SS1 – Hull-Western Christian (22-2) vs. Sioux Center (20-4) – winner = Hull-WC (4)
**This should be a good one, as Sioux Center will look to end Western’s dominance (4 straight state appearances with 3 titles). Western beat them by 10 in their only reg season match-up. I can’t imagine Tyler Wolterstorff (who is finally a senior – avg 19.4 ppg) letting Western lose this one.
SS2 – Ft. Dodge-St Edmond (20-3) vs. Emmetsburg (18-5) – winner = Ft Dodge-St Ed (6)
**The only losses for St Eds on the year were narrow losses to a couple of solid 3A squads (Iowa Falls & Webster City). A couple of juniors (Nick Clark, 19 ppg & Neil Flattery, 11 ppg) lead their attack.
SS3 – West Marshall-State Center (20-3) vs. PCM-Monroe (24-0) – winner = PCM (1)
**PCM has been at or near the top of the class 2A AP poll for the better part of the season. Although the Heart of Iowa conference was a little down this year, they had a solid non-conference win against Pella in late January to keep their undefeated season alive. They are led by 6’4 Junior Scott Bruxvoordt (20 ppg), who is an athletic specimen that can really jump -- but fellow Junior Jordan Van Roekel and Senior Josh Fosenburg make it hard for opposing defenses to key in on him too much.
SS4 – Dike-New Hartford (22-2) vs. Sheffield-West Fork (23-0) – winner = Dike-NH (5)
**Another difficult call, with two pretty solid teams. I like Dike’s schedule a little better (was tougher), so will go with them to win a close one.
SS5 – Cascade-W.Dubuque (23-1) vs. Dyersville-Beckman (15-9) – winner = Cascade-WD (2)
**Cascade-W Dubuque has the best defense statistically in 2A (and best overall in all classes) giving up only a little over 33 pts per game. Competition in the Tri-Rivers conference was scarce this year, but these two met in a mid-season tilt at Dyersville, with Cascade-WD pulling that one out 39-37. Expect another low-scoring game with Cascade making it back to state for the first time in a decade.
SS6 – Iowa City Regina (16-8) vs. Stanwood-North Cedar (22-2) – winner = IC Regina (8)
**West Branch/North Cedar should be a great semifinal – wouldn’t be shocked if West Branch won. Regina has played a pretty stout diet of 2A, 3A, and 4A schools, and I think it will pay off and send them to their first state tourney since ’02.
SS7 – Nodaway Valley (20-4) vs. Pella Christian (19-5) – winner = Pella Christian (7)
**Pella Christian should win this one going away. This P.C. team doesn’t seem to have the fire power that some of their past state teams have had, but they won’t need it to beat N.V.
SS8 – Logan-Magnolia (19-5) vs. Treynor (22-1) – winner = Treynor (3)
**Logan-Magnolia lucked out as IKM upset Carroll-Keumper in the district semi. Beyond that, the state will send the obligatory SW IA team to state so they can be over-seeded and crash and burn.
1A -- Projected state seed is in ( )
SS1 – Boyden-Hull (16-8) vs. Woodbury Central (21-3) – winner = Boyden-Hull (8)
**Central Lyon could throw a giant wrench in this if they beat Boyden-Hull in the district final (which could happen considering they split the regular season, and both games were close). Either way, whoever represents the Siouxland Conference at substate is going to Wells and likely getting the grossly deceiving 8 seed.
SS2 – Storm Lake-St Mary (23-1) vs. Algona-Garrigan (13-11) – winner = SL-St Mary (3)
**SL-St Mary has a balanced scoring attack with 4 of their starting 5 averaging in double figures. Apparently Garrigan already got beat (oops), but I don’t think it’ll matter who SL-St Mary faces.
SS3 – Cedar Falls NU High (22-2) vs. Tripoli (18-6) – winner = Cedar Falls NU High (4)
**NU High has put together a nice little run of 3 straight state appearances, with a title in ’08 as a highlight. Senior Kyle Denning leads this year’s squad with 17.6 ppg, and they shouldn’t have much trouble making it to a 4th straight state tourney.
SS4 – Clinton Prince of Peace (22-2) vs. Iowa Mennonite (23-1) – winner = IMS (2)
**IMS has been on an every other year state tourney run the past few years (’05, ’07, ’09) – and this year could add to the pattern. They are led by Soph Chance Miller, who scores at a 15 ppg clip. This private school battle could be close though, as Prince of Peace has a senior-dominated lineup.
SS5 – Danville (24-0) vs. Sigourney (21-2) – winner = Danville (1)
**Danville has been ranked near the top of the class 1A most of the year, and took full advantage of their opportunity to jump to #1 when they knocked off previously top-rated IMS their second to last regular season game (64-59). They are led by the super-Soph Soukup twins (Steven and Michael), who both go 6’4, and can both fill it up on any given night. Steven is averaging 19.4 ppg, and Michael is avg 17.7. Sigourney and Keota are two pretty decent teams, but I don’t think either will have an answer for the twins.
SS6 – North Tama (20-4) vs. Colo-Nesco (21-2) – winner = North Tama (5)
**If North Tama makes it to substate, they will have earned it getting past Lynnville-Sully, who finished 4th last year at state. The main reason I like North Tama is their talented senior duo of Lucas Hefty and Brendon Boerm. The pair led North Tama to a stunning 1A title in football this past fall by knocking off Madrid in a crazy title game. Boerm was the do-everything left-handed QB and Hefty was his #1 target at WR. Hefty is avg 16.5 ppg on the hardwood, whileBoerm is avg 13.7 ppg.
SS7 – Guthrie Center (18-7) vs. DM GV Park Bapt (18-6) – winner = DM GV PB (7)
**Park Baptist doesn’t have the best record, but plays mostly 2A teams in the Heart of Iowa conference. That level of competition will be enough to get them to state in 1A. They are led by Senior 20 ppg scorer Reed Mells.
SS8 – Boyer Valley-Dunlap (18-5) vs. Riverside-Oakland (16-8) – winner = BV-Dunlap (6)
**This is the token west-central IA team to make it to state. They’re not terrible, but not great either.
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