Can anyone stop Solon? North Cedar awaits

The Class 2A No. 1-ranked Solon Spartans have been unbeatable and unchallenged on their way to a 23-0 record this season. The Spartans have won 24 straight games dating to last year’s 2A state consolation victory over Pella Christian, the state’s longest winning streak regardless of class.

Solon won its first two district games by an average of 39 points, including a 106-43 romp past Alburnett in the first round, a game in which the Spartans had 42 points at the end of the first quarter and 60 at halftime. They will get their first real postseason test Tuesday night when they take on North Cedar (21-2) in a district final at Maquoketa.

Here are a few quick stats on both teams:

Solon (23-0): The Spartans average 74.7 points per game and won their 23 games  by an average of 27.4 points. Senior point guard Matt Morrison, an all-stater in both basketball and football who will head to Northern Iowa next year on a basketball scholarship, is the undisputed leader. He averages 16.6 points, 4.9 assists and 4.9 steals. Tucker Wentzien is as 12.1 points and 8.0 rebounds, Ben Weeks at 12.6 points and Ben Bergman at 10.1 points and 7.1 rebounds. The Spartans are a matchup nightmare for anyone and a team with at least two legitimate all-state candidates in Morrison and Wentzien.

North Cedar (21-2): The Knights have won six straight games since back-to-back losses to Wilton and Mid-Prairie in late January that forced them to settle for a tie for the Cedar Valley Conference championship with Mid-Prairie. They average 67 points a game, led by senior point guard Jessy Gutwiler (17.0), who will likely matchup with Morrison on the defensive end. Andy Weiland averages 11.9 points and 5.2 rebounds and 6-4 freshman Jordan Hay is at 10.3 points and 6.1 rebounds.

The Solon-North Cedar winner will face either Dyersville Beckman (18-5) or Cascade (19-4) in the Substate 4 championship Saturday at Marion. Those teams meet Tueday at Western Dubuque. It’s an intriguing matchup in its own right. Cascade has won 12 straight and its defensive average is a miniscule 34.4 points. Beckman, which plays in the predominantly 3A Wamac Conference, has won seven straight. The Blazers beat the Cougars, 49-41, in a regular-season game Jan. 10.

Any thoughts on the winners of the those two games? I’m anticipating a Beckman-Solon substate final at Marion on Saturday.

Live chat Monday; new area Super 10

K.J. Pilcher, Jeff Linder and me will be talking it up in another prep sports live chat at noon on Monday. With the traditional state wrestling meet just completed, the state duals coming up and the boys’ and girls’ basketball postseasons in full swing, there should be plenty to chat about. You can join in at www.iowaprepsports.com  at noon.

Now, here is the second to last area Super 10. With Linn-Mar beating Kennedy then losing to Cedar Falls, Solon is your overall No. 1. Comments are welcome:

THE SUPER TEN

Area boys’ basketball rankings: Overall

Team                                                    W-L   Pv

1. Solon                                                23-0   3

2. Linn-Mar                                           19-2   1

3. C.R. Kennedy                                     20-1   2

4. Iowa Mennonite                                 21-1   4

5. Union Community                               19-2   5

6. Iowa City High                                    16-5   7

7. C.R. Washington                                 15-6   6

8. North Cedar                                      21-2   8

9. Keota                                                20-1   9

10. Marion                                           17-4   10

Class 4A — 1. Linn-Mar (19-2), 2. C.R. Kennedy (20-1), 3. Iowa City High (16-5), 4. C.R. Washington (15-6), 5. C.R. Jefferson (11-10).

Class 3A — 1. Union (19-2), Marion (17-4), 3. Benton Community (16-5), 4. Mount Vernon (14-6), 5. Clear Creek Amana (11-10).

Class 2A — 1. Solon (23-0), 2. North Cedar (21-2), 3. Dyersville Beckman (18-5), 4. Cascade (19-4), 5. Mid-Prairie (18-5).

Class 1A — 1. Iowa Mennonite (21-1), 2. Keota (20-1), 3. East Buchanan (19-1), 4. HLV (19-3), 5. West Central (17-4).

 

Monday’s, Tuesday’s pairings

The state’s Class 4A and 3A teams get into postseason action early this week, while Tuesday’s slate includes Class 2A district finals and 1A district semifinals. Here are some of the pairings:

Monday

(All games 7 p.m.)

 

CLASS 4A SUBSTATE FIRST ROUND

Substate 3

Newton at Cedar Falls

Waterloo East at Waterloo West

Substate 4

Dubuque Senior at C.R. Jefferson

Substate 6

C.R. Prairie at Muscatine

Davenport West at Burlington

State

C.B. Lewis Central at Sioux City North

Fort Dodge at Des Moines Lincoln

Mason City at Ankeny

Clinton at Davenport Central

Pleasant Valley at Davenport North

Ottumwa at Oskaloosa

Indianola at Waukon

W.D.M. Valley at Des Moines North

Des Moines East at W.D.M. Dowling

 

CLASS 3A DISTRICT SEMIFINALS

District 3

Decorah at Crestwood

Waukon at New Hampton

District 4

Clear Lake at Forest City

Hampton-Dumont at Charles City

District 5

South Tama at Benton Community

Center Pt.-Urbana at Vinton-Shellsburg

District 6

Waverly-Shell Rock at Union Comm.

Independence at Oelwein

District 7

West Delaware at Dubuque Wahlert

Maquoketa at Western Dubuque

District 8

Anamosa at Mount Vernon

Dav. Assumption at DeWitt Central

District 9

Washington at Marion

Clear Creek Amana at Williamsburg

District 10

Fort Madison at Mount Pleasant

Fairfield at Keokuk

 

Tuesday

(All games 7 p.m.)

 

CLASS 4A SUBSTATE FIRST ROUND

Substate 4

Dubuque Hempstead at C.R. Xavier

 

CLASS 2A DISTRICT FINALS

District 7

Dyersville Beckman (18-5) vs. Cascade (19-4), at Epworth

District 8

North Cedar (21-2) vs. Solon (23-0), at Maquoketa

District 9

Mid-Prairie (18-5) vs. Wilton (17-5), at Muscatine

State

Sibley-Ocheydan vs. Hull W. Christian

Hinton vs. Hull Western Christian

Okoboji vs. East Sac

Fort Dodge St. Edmond vs. Emmetsburg

West Fork vs. Garner-Hayfield

Sumner-Fred’burg vs. Glad.-Reinbeck

Pekin vs. Central Lee

Pella Christian vs. Davis County

PCM vs. Des Moines Christian

Jefferson-Scranton vs. Grundy Center

Panorama vs. West Marshall

Treynor vs. Clarinda Academy

C.B. St. Albert vs. Manilla IKM

 

CLASS 1A DISTRICT SEMIFINALS

District 7

Tripoli at North Butler

Wat. Walnut Ridge at C.F. NU High

District 8

West Central at Postville

Wapsie Valley at East Buchanan

District 9

Bellevue Marquette at Preston

Cal-Wheatland at Prince of Peace

District 10

Highland at Central City

Iowa Mennonite at Winfield-Mt. Union

District 11

North Mahaska at F.M. Holy Trinity

Lynnville-Sully at Moulton-Udell

District 12

Montezuma at Burlington Notre Dame

HLV at Keota

Thursday’s area district pairings

Here is Thursday’s slate for area Class 2A district semifinal and Class 1A district first round games. The brackets at www.iahsaa.org were not updated as of Wednesday afternoon, so the sites listed for the 2A games are based on the highest seed hosting. All games begin at 7 p.m.

CLASS 2A DISTRICT FIRST ROUND

District 7

Clayton Ridge at Cascade

MFL MarMac at Maquoketa Valley

 

CLASS 2A DISTRICT SEMIFINALS

District 5

Lake Mills at Garner-Hayfield

Turkey Valley at West Fork

District 6

Gladbrook-Reinbeck at Hudson

Denver at Sumner-Fredericksburg

District 7

Dyersville Beckman at South Winneshiek

District 8

Monticello at Solon

Northeast at North Cedar

District 9

West Liberty at Wilton

West Branch at Mid-Prairie

District 10

Van Buren at Central Lee

Wapello at Pekin

District 11

Belle Plaine at Davis County

Albia at Pella Christian

 

CLASS 1A FIRST ROUND

District 7

Rockford at North Butler

Riceville at Tripoli

Janesville at Cedar Falls NU High

Waterloo Walnut Ridge at North Tama

District 8

Lansing Kee at Postville

Elkader Central at West Central

Dunkerton at East Buchanan

Wapsie Valley at Don Bosco

District 9

Andrew at Preston

Midland at Bellevue Marquette

Rivermont Collegiate at Prince of Peace

Morningstar Academy at Cal-Wheatland

District 10

Olin at Central City

Springville at Highland

Iowa Mennonite at Lisbon

Lone Tree at Winfield-Mt. Union

District 11

Fairfield Maharishi at F.M. Holy Trinity

Eldon Cardinal at North Mahaska

Twin Cedars at Moulton-Udell

Moravis at Lynnville-Sully

District 12

English Valleys at Burl. Notre Dame

New London at Montezuma

WACO at Keota

BGM at HLV

A one-sided “Catfight”

By Jeff Dahn

CEDAR RAPIDS — The big crowd gathered early, eager to grab the best available seats for what promised be a tight game between two of the state’s big-school best.

Quite unexpectedly, they had the opportunity to leave those seats early.

Class 4A third-ranked Linn-Mar built a 21-point halftime lead, kept its foot to the gas throughout the second half and whipped No. 2 Cedar Rapids Kennedy, 79-48, in front of a stunned sellout crowd of 2,180 fans packed in the Kennedy gym.

No one saw this coming, certainly not a 31-point blowout by one Mississippi Valley Conference division champion over the other. Linn-Mar (19-1, 15-0 MVC) extended its winning streak to 12, and Kennedy (19-1, 14-1) had its 19-game win streak snapped.

“It was a great environment and great team win overall,” Linn-Mar senior sensation Zach Bohannon said. “It was exciting coming out and seeing all the fan support … and it was just one of those things where we wanted to put on a show for everybody here.”

Bohannon was the top showman, scoring 25 points on 9-of-11 shooting from the floor and a 6-of-6 effort from the line. He led the Lions with seven rebounds, and he also had plenty of help.

Nate Hutcheson scored 13 points, a total matched by sophomore Shane Benton coming off the bench. Benton was 5 of 6 from the floor. Will Roth left the bench to score 10 points and grab five rebounds.

The Lions finished 26 of 44 from the field (59.1 percent) and ran roughshod over the defensively talented Cougars. Kennedy was 16 of 49 shooting (32.6 percent).

“We shot real well tonight,” Hutcheson said. “It’s real hard to guard a team that doesn’t miss much, and tonight we just didn’t miss much.”

The Lions jumped to a 17-8 first quarter lead and were up 26-15 after Kennedy’s Kyle Lamaak hit a free throw with 4:26 left in the second quarter. From that point, Linn-Mar finished the half on a 12-2 run to take a 38-17 lead at the break.

The Lions shot lights-out in the first half, draining 14 of 22 from the field, including 4 of 5 3-pointers. Zach Bohannon was 5 of 7 from the field and 5 of 5 from the line in the first half, good for 16 points.

The Cougars struggled, hitting just 5 of 21 from the floor with 10 turnovers.

“I thought we came out real loose and just playing and that was one of our goals,” Linn-Mar Coach Chris Robertson said. “I know it was a big game in a lot of ways, but the conference had already been decided and I just wanted our guys to play loose and use it as a steppingstone to get into the tournament.”

Linn-Mar led 62-36 after a foul-plagued third quarter and its final margin of victory was its biggest lead.

The Cougars could never get going offensively. Jake Hughes and Jake Heffernen led the Cougars with 11 points each, and Heffernen grabbed a team-high seven rebounds.

Kennedy hosts Dubuque Wahlert in its MVC regular season finale Friday; Linn-Mar is at Cedar Falls.

 

 

 

 

Linn-Mar/Kennedy

It’s 5:15, more than two hours before the varsity game between 4A No. 3 Linn-Mar and No. 2 Kennedy will tip off, and the Kennedy gym is already nearly full.

The Linn-Mar and Kennedy student bodies worked together last week to sell t-shirts with identical “Catfight” logos, with the Linn-Mar kids (and some adults, too) wearing black and the Kennedy side wearing white. Prodeeds from the sale of the shirts will be donated to Theatre Cedar Rapids to help that group with its flood recovery. The word is $7,500 was raised. Pretty cool.

If you planned on watching the game in person, you better get here soon. Real soon. There can’t be more than 100 seats left as this is written. If you’re at home, participate in Jeff Linder’s live blog at www.iowaprepsports.com Enjoy!

New Super 10; live chat Monday

Here are the latest Super 10 rankings of area boys’ basketball teams. And be sure to join K.J. Pilcher, Jeff Linder and me for the live prep sports chat Monday at noon at www.iowaprepsports.com

THE SUPER TEN

Area boys’ basketball rankings: Overall

Team                                        W-L   Pv

1. Linn-Mar                                18-1   1

2. C.R. Kennedy                         19-0   2

3. Solon                                    21-0   3

4. Iowa Mennonite                      20-1   7

5. Union Community                   18-2   6

6. C.R. Washington                     14-5   4

7. Iowa City High                        14-5   9

8. North Cedar                          19-2   10

9. Keota                                    19-1   -

10. Marion                               16-4   5

Class 4A — 1. Linn-Mar (18-1), 2. C.R. Kennedy (19-0), 3. C.R. Washington (14-5), 4. Iowa City High (14-5), 5. C.R. Jefferson (10-9).

Class 3A — 1. Union (18-2), Marion (16-4), 3. Benton Community (15-5), 4. Mount Vernon (14-5), 5. Clear Creek Amana (11-9).

Class 2A — 1. Solon (21-0), 2. North Cedar (19-2), 3. Dyersville Beckman (16-5), 4. Cascade (17-4), 5. Mid-Prairie (16-5).

Class 1A — 1. Iowa Mennonite (20-1), 2. Keota (19-1), 3. East Buchanan (18-1), 4. HLV (17-3), 5. West Central (16-4).

Linn-Mar/Kennedy 2006

 The buzz around town is certainly gaining momentum regarding Tuesday night’s basketball game between Class 4A c0-No 2.-ranked Linn-Mar (17-1)and Cedar Rapids Kennedy (18-0). The buzz is deafening despite the fact both teams have difficult tests Friday when Linn-Mar hosts Iowa City West and Kennedy goes across town to Cedar Rapids Washington.

With both schools doing so well this year, people’s minds have wandered back 25 years ago to 1984 when Linn-Mar and Kennedy were both highly ranked and they played memorable games at the (then) Five Seasons Center and Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Linn-Mar was the defending state champion in ‘84 and Kennedy went on to win the state championship that year.

But you really only have to look back three years to find two other memorable Linn-Mar/Kennedy games. In 2006, both teams were ranked in the top-five all season and played two of the best games of the season within a week of each other. The first was a regular-season finale and the second a 4A substate semifinal.

Here are The Gazette accounts of those two games, which featured terrific performances from a slew of players who went on to earn first-team all-state recognition at some point in their careers. The first game was played Feb. 24, 2006, at Linn-Mar:

 By Jeff Dahn

MARION – After becoming the Metro area’s all-time career scoring leader,
Linn-Mar’s Jason Bohannon received a polite, standing ovation from more than 2,000 fans crowded into the steamy Linn-Mar gym.
After winning one of the best games of this high school basketball season, the Kennedy Cougars were mobbed by their classmates in a wild scene of celebration that put a terrific topper on a
fantastic night of basketball.

Class 4A fifth-ranked Kennedy got double-digit scoring from four starters and an excellent defensive effort from its fifth and outlasted second-ranked Linn-Mar last night, 93-88, in a double-overtime Mississippi Valley Conference thriller.
“They have a great team and the atmosphere they had was pretty intense,” Kennedy senior Ben Lamaak said. “We came over here and we played smart and that’s something we’ve been working on the last couple of years. There have been some games we haven’t been able to finish, but this ball club is able to do that.”
Lamaak was a big reason the Cougars will enter the postseason next week with a record of 19-2. The 6-foot-4 senior finished with a monster double-double of 29 points and 23 rebounds, including a three-point play that gave Kennedy a 91-88 lead with 36.8 seconds left in the second overtime.
Quite a few of his rebounds came off the offensive glass.
“That’s one of the ways I try to get some of my points,” Lamaak said.
“We have some strong, athletic guys and the ball was rolling our way.”
Kennedy enjoyed a 58-51 lead at the end of the third period, and the seven points were the most to separate the teams. The game was knotted at 74 at the end of regulation after Bohannon made two free throws with
12.8 seconds left. The Cougars didn’t grab the upper hand until Lamaak’s three-point play and two free throws from Rory Cunningham with 4.9 seconds left in the second OT.
“Both teams showed a lot of guts, heart and desire,” Kennedy Coach Bob Fontana said. “It was a possession by possession game and we played five quarters of basketball. There was a lot of effort left on the floor tonight by both teams.”
Kaylon Williams made three 3-pointers and finished with 25 points, Cunningham had 20 points and nine rebounds and Ryan Keel finished with 11 points and eight rebounds in support of Lamaak. Craig Schultz, the other starter, had eight points but spent most of his energy guarding Bohannon.

Bohannon, who finished with a team-high 31 points, netted an 18-foot jumper from the left wing with 5:39 left in the third period for his 11th and 12th points, which made him the Metro’s all-time scoring leader with 1,525. He has 1,544 for his career.
Jordan Printy finished with 22 points for the Lions (19-2), who also got a strong game from senior point guard Blair Harris, who made 8 of 9 field goal attempts for 17 points.
“I thought (Kennedy) played great defense all night,” Linn-Mar Coach Chris
Robertson said. “We had to work really hard for everything we got. I told the guys in the locker room that unfortunately somebody had to lose that game, but what a great basketball game. These are two great teams.”

Despite its 19-2 record, Linn-Mar had to play a first-round substate against Clinton, which it won to set up a substate semifinal rematch with Cougars on March 3, 2006, at Kennedy. Only a week  had passed since the regular season double-OT knockdown, and Bohannon and Lamaak once again put on a show:

By Jeff Dahn

CEDAR RAPIDS – Back and forth they battled, possession after possession, big shot after big shot, big play after eye-popping big play.
But in Class 4A boys’ basketball in the state of Iowa in 2006, there is simply no one who can take over a game like Linn-Mar’s Jason Bohannon.
Bohannon wowed a capacity crowd of more than 2,100 energetic fans who seldom sat down by scoring 18 points in the fourth quarter, leading Linn-Mar past Ben Lamaak and Cedar Rapids Kennedy, 75-74, in a substate tournament semifinal at Kennedy.
Lamaak, who had his stellar senior season brought to a close, scored 17 of his 28 points in the final frame as he and Bohannon single-handedly hoisted their teams on their backs. But in the end, as has happened so often the past three seasons, Bohannon and the Lions prevailed.
“The first three quarters our guys played great,” said Bohannon, who drilled five 3-pointers – four in the fourth quarter – and finished with a game-high 31 points. “Blair Harris played a great game, Joe Elgin had some huge baskets in there, and we just played great team ball.
“Toward the end I just started feeling it and felt like I had to do what I had to do to move us on to the next round.”
The next round is Tuesday when the 4A fifth-ranked Lions (21-2) face No.-10 Cedar Rapids Jefferson (16-6) in the second game of a substate double-header at the U.S. Cellular Center.
Fourth-ranked Kennedy (19-3) completed its best season since the 1997 team finished fourth at the state tournament. There wasn’t a dry eye in the Cougar locker room after the loss.
“It’s real difficult,” Kennedy Coach Bob Fontana said. “I hurt because I
hurt for the kids. This group has been a very special group for us and it’s been a fun group to coach. They’ve played big in big games for us this year, and we just came up a few points short.”
The second half of last night’s game featured 17 lead changes and four ties, including 11 lead changes in the fourth period. It was the Bohannon and Lamaak show, as Bohannon put down 4 of 5 3-point attempts during one incredible 5-minute stretch, while Lamaak kept pace by hitting all eight of his field goal attempts over the final 8 minutes, including a long
3-pointer at the buzzer.
Bohannon’s final 3-pointer gave the Lions a 70-68 lead with 58 seconds left. Jordan Printy and sophomore Grant Gibbs then combined for four free throws to make it 74-69 with 20 seconds remaining, and, at long last, Linn-Mar was in control.
“What a great game,” Linn-Mar Coach Chris Robertson said. “I really feel bad
that Kennedy has to drop out now. It’s a great team, and I still think we should play each other in Des Moines. But we’re excited about the win. I thought a lot of guys stepped up for both teams.”
The game really didn’t feature Bohannon and Lamaak until the final period.
Linn-Mar’s Harris and Elgin each scored 12 points in the first three quarters. Gibbs hit 3-pointers in each of the second and third quarters and finished with eight points.
On the Kennedy side, sophomore Kaylon Williams netted 13 of his 16 in the first three periods, and Rory Cunningham finished with 15, 12 in the first three periods.
Fontana was visibly frustrated he won’t be taking such a talented team to state.
“(Linn-Mar) did what they had to do to win, and as I told our kids, unfortunately a state tournament game was played right here in Cedar Rapids tonight.”

Linn-Mar beat Jefferson in the substate final and advanced to the state tournament for what was then the third straight year. The Lions beat Indianola in a first-round game at state then lost to Pleasant Valley and Sioux City East to finish fourth.

Linn-Mar/Kennedy; ‘09 conference champs

There will be no advance ticket sales for Tuesday’s much anticipated Mississippi Valley Conference game between Class 4A co-No.2 ranked Linn-Mar and Cedar Rapids Kennedy at Kennedy, school officials have announced. The gym at Kennedy seats around 2,100 fans but it still might be a good idea to arrive early. Tickets go on sale at 5 p.m.

Kennedy (18-0) and Linn-Mar (17-1) both wrapped up MVC division titles Tuesday. Kennedy (13-0 in league play) clinched the Mississippi Division title outright with its win over Waterloo West and with City High beating Wahlert. Linn-Mar (13-0 MVC) has a three-game lead over Washington with three games to play.

Both teams face difficult assignments Friday before they meet next week. Kennedy must travel to Washington (14-4, 10-3) to face the red-hot Warriors, who are 13-2 after a 1-2 start to the season. Linn-Mar hosts an always troublesome Iowa City West (8-10, 6-7).

The races for championships in other area leagues have now either been decided or will be in the next couple of days. Here’s a quick rundown:

Wamac East – Unbeaten Solon has clinched both the division and overall Wamac titles.

Wamac West – Benton Community clinched the title Tuesday with its double-OT win over Williamsburg coupled with Clear Creek Amana’s upset of Marion.

Cedar Valley – North Cedar (12-2) and Mid-Prairie (11-2) will share the title if Mid-Prairie beats West Liberty (5-8) in the regular season finale Friday.

Big East – Northeast is the champion.

Northeast Iowa – Crestwood is the champion.

South Iowa Cedar – Keota is the champion.

Tri-Rivers – East Buchanan (14-1) has a makeup game with Springville (4-10) scheduled for Thursday. The Bucs have a half-game lead over Cascade (14-2) heading into that game.

Upper Iowa – Sumner-Fredricksburg is the champion.

“Understanding A-Rod”

Here is an insightful column written by Doug Glanville, an Ivy League educated former Major Leaguer who was a teammate of Alex Rodriguez with the Rangers in 2003 (courtesy of The New York Times):

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/09/opinion/09glanville.html