3A, 4A district, substate pairings

The Class 3A district and Class 4A substate pairings are now posted at www.iahsaa.org for everyone to study.

No surprises among the Metro/Iowa City teams, at least to those who were paying attention.

In 4A, Kennedy gets a first-round bye and will host the Waterloo West-Waterloo East winner in a substate semifinal Feb. 27. Linn-Mar and Washington also get first-round byes.

Linn-Mar hosts the winner of the Dubuque Hempstead-Xavier game, also on the 27th. Xavier hosts Hempstead Feb. 23 and Jefferson hosts Dubuque Senior the same night. That winner plays at Washington Feb. 27.

Iowa City High and Iowa City  West also get byes in the first round. Prairie plays at Muscatine Feb. 23 with that winner going to West for a semifinal.

In 3A, Marion hosts Washington (Iowa) in a first-round district game Feb. 23. That winner plays the winner of Clear Creek Amana-Williamsburg Feb. 26 at Iowa City West in a district final.

Again, complete pairings are now available at www.iahsaa.org.

Live chat Monday, new Super 10

Gazette sportswriters Jeff Linder, K.J. Pilcher and me will be doing our fifth live chat at www.iowaprepsports.com Monday from noon until at least 12:30 p.m. The last couple of chats have gone long, which makes all three of us feel needed. Please join us and talk about boys’ basketball, girls’ basketball and prep wrestling, and please offer any comments on our coverage. It’s been a hot topic the last couple of weeks (big-school vs. small-school) and a discussion certainly welcomed in these changing times.

Here are the most recent Gazette Super 10 boys’ basketball area rankings, with not a lot of changes from last week. As well as Kennedy has been playing (how much better can you do than 17-0?) I’m keeping Linn-Mar at No. 1. We’ll see if I’m right when the two teams meet a week from Tuesday at Kennedy. I apologize for the big-school bias.

Anyway, the Super 10:

 

Area boys’ basketball rankings: Overall

Team                                        W-L   Pv

1. Linn-Mar                                16-1   1

2. C.R. Kennedy                         17-0   2

3. Solon                                    19-0   3

4. C.R. Washington                     13-4   5

5. Marion                                  15-3   6

6. Union Community                   16-2   4

7. Iowa Mennonite                      18-1   9

8. Benton Community                 14-4   7

9. Iowa City High                        12-5   8

10. North Cedar                         17-2   —

 

Class 4A — 1. Linn-Mar (16-1), 2. C.R. Kennedy (17-0), 3. C.R. Washington (13-4), 4. Iowa City High (12-5), 5. C.R. Jefferson (9-8).

Class 3A — 1. Marion (15-3), 2. Union (16-2), 3. Benton Community (14-4), 4. Mount Vernon (13-4), 5. Oelwein (10-5).

Class 2A — 1. Solon (19-0), 2. North Cedar (17-2), 3. Cascade (16-4), 4. Dyersville Beckman (14-5), 5. Mid-Prairie (14-5).

Class 1A — 1. Iowa Mennonite (18-1), 2. Keota (16-1), 3. East Buchanan (16-1), 4. HLV (16-2), 5. West Central 13-3.

 

Unofficial pairings for 4A substates 3, 4 and 6

The IHSAA won’t release its official Class 4A substate pairings until early next week, but here are the pairings according to records kept by My Back to the Door and MVC stats guru Denny Goettel. These  seeds were determined by each team’s points totals  in the 11 games played in games 5 through 15 on their schedules. Each team’s seed appears in parentheses:

Substate 3: Newton (No. 6) at Cedar Falls (3); Waterloo East (5) at Waterloo West (4); East/West winner at Cedar Rapids Kennedy (1); Newton/Cedar Falls winner at Marshalltown (2).

Substate 4: Dubuque Senior (6) at Cedar Rapids Jefferson (3); Dubuque Hempstead (5) at Cedar Rapids Xavier (4); Hempstead/Xavier winner at Linn-Mar (1); Senior/Jefferson winner at C.R. Washington (2).

Substate 6: Davenport West (6) at Burlington (3); Cedar Rapids Praire (5) at Muscatine (4); Prairie/Muscatine winner at Iowa City High (1). Davenport West/Burlington winner at Iowa City West (2).

First-round games are scheduled for Monday, Feb. 23; substate semifinals are slated for Friday, Feb. 27 and substate championship games are scheduled for Tuesday, March 3 at neutral sites. The Substate 6 and 4 championship games will comprise a double-header at the U.S. Cellular Center the night of the 3rd.

Morrison, Solon continue to win

Matt Morrison dropped in 15 points in Class 2A top-ranked Solon’s 79-45 win over West Liberty in boys’ basketball Thursday night. Nothing at all eye-popping there. It was just another night in the gym for Morrison and his Spartans teammates, just another notch in the “W” column in the standings.

Solon improved to 18-0 with the win, its 19th straight counting its victory over Pella Christian in last year’s state tournament 2A consolation game, which earned the Spartans the third-place trophy.

Solon is now 85-7 over the past three seasons with Morrision as its point guard. This year’s Spartans are winning their games by an average of 25.9 points, fourth best in Class 2A behind top-10 ranked Hull Western Christian, IKM-Manning and Fort Dodge St. Edmond.

Morrison (6-foot-1) is having a terrific senior season. He is averaging 17.3 points, is 36 of 98 from 3-point range (36.7 percent) and also averages 5.1 assists. He hit nine 3-pointers and scored 40 points in win over West Delaware earlier this season.

Morrison has accepted a scholarship to play basketball at Division I Northern Iowa, the first-place team in the Missouri Valley Conference. He looks like he should be a very good college player.

Morrison is nothing if not a winner. He quarterbacked the last three Solon football teams to a 38-2 overall record with back-to-back state championships and one state runner-up.

In the last three seasons of varsity basketball and football, Morrision has experienced the thrill of victory 123 times. He’s known the agony of defeat only nine times. Again, 123-9. Amazing.

He hasn’t done it alone, of course. Fellow Solon seniors Cody Strang and Kyler Stahle were all-state football players like Morrison, and are big contributors to the basketball team. He has also been taught by outstanding coaches like Kevin Miller and Brad Randall.

Morrison and the Spartans may or may not add a basketball state championship to go with the ones they’ve won in football. Regardless, they’re winners, through and through.

Rivalry Friday in the MVC

It’s not an official event, but Friday night is definitely “Rivalry Friday” in the Mississippi Valley Conference. It would be nice to get this set of games in the USCC for the now two-year-old “Rivalry Saturday” that really hasn’t drawn well.

Here are Friday night’s seven regular season matchups, with comments on the top ones and predictions for all:

C.R. Washington (12-4, 8-3 MVC) at C.R. Jefferson (9-7, 5-6) – This is the oldest rivalry in the Metro and possibly in the MVC (I don’t know how long the Iowa City and Dubuque schools have been meeting, but this one started in 1957. I think that makes it the oldest). Washington has won 11 of 13 and Jefferson has lost seven of 12. Prediction: Washington 63, Jefferson 55.

C.R. Xavier (5-10, 3-8)  at C.R. Kennedy (15-0, 11-0) - It’s “The Battle of 42nd Street” with only about three miles separating the two schools. Kennedy has been unstoppable to date (hence the 15-0 record) with a defense that has allowed only 38 points per game. The Saints have won four of six. Prediction: Kennedy 53, Xavier 35.

Iowa City High (11-5, 7-4) at Iowa City West (5-6, 7-9) - The defending 4A state champion Little Hawks have lost four of six and survived by the hair on their chins in a tw0-point win over West in their first meeting this year at City High. Prediction: West 50, City High 49.

C.R. Prairie (3-13, 0-11) at Linn-Mar (15-1, 11-0) – Prediction: Linn-Mar 70, Prairie 49.

Cedar Falls (8-6, 6-5) at Dubuque Senior (2-12, 1-10) - Prediction: Cedar Falls 53, Senior 39.

Dubuque Wahlert (11-4, 7-3) at Dubuque Hempstead (5-10, 2-9) - Prediction: Wahlert 68, Hempstead 48.

 Waterloo East (6-7, 4-6) at Waterloo West (9-6, 6-4) - Prediction: West 58, East 52.

There you go. I can’t for the life of me figure out how to get rid of the “smiley face” that appears in the Xavier record. Once again, technology eludes me.

There isn’t a whole lot on the line as far as division championships go. Both Kennedy and Linn-Mar have at least three-game leads in their divisions with five games left to play. Both are up three in the loss column.

It’s still a great night of basketball for the area’s largest schools. It’s spelled F-U-N.

Iowa recruit Cougill having big year

The Iowa men’s basketball team is in need of an inside presence, and it looks like help might be on the way in the person of Sioux City Heelan big man Brennan Cougill

Cougill, a 6-9 senior post, is headed to Iowa City next season, and he’s been impressive in his senior season while leading the Crusaders to a 12-2 mark and the No. 2 ranking in Class 3A (they should be ranked No. 1, and that will be addressed here a little bit later).

Cougill, who some critics have called “soft” (he’s a somewhat rolly-polly 270 pounds) has been nothing short of sensational this season. He averages 17.6 points and 14.5 rebounds, with 54 blocked shots after 14 games (3.9 per game).

There is criticism about the level of competition he faces, which is unfounded. Heelan plays a killer schedule, which includes wins over Iowa 4A second-ranked Linn Mar, 1A No. 2 Rock Valley and 2A third-ranked and two-time defending state champion Hull Western Christian. The Crusaders’ two losses were to a decent 4A team in Sioux City East and to Nebraska Class A (big-school) fourth-ranked Omaha Creighton Prep.

Expect Cougill and Dubuque Wahlert senior guard Eric May (another Iowa recruit), to play a lot for the Hawkeyes next season. They, with Linn-Mar senior Zach Bohannon, have to be considered the early front-runners for 2009 Iowa Mr. Basketball. Bohannon is headed for the Air Force Academy.

Also expect the 2009 Mr. Basketball vote to be a tight one. There are numerous deserving candidates out there, including Northern Iowa-bound Matt Morrison, a senior at unbeaten and 2A top-ranked Solon.

Plenty of great teams, players in Class 1A

Class 1A basketball in the area is alive and well, with plenty of talented players completing for teams that can make realistic runs to the state tournament.

Five teams from around the area or in area conferences are ranked in the Class 1A AP top-10, led by top-ranked Preston (16-2) of the Big East (which was upset Tuesday night by 2A Northeast). No. 4 Keota (15-1) of the South Iowa Cedar League, No. 7 Iowa Mennonite (16-1), No. 9 East Buchanan (15-1) of the Tri-Rivers and No. 10 HLV (15-2) of the SICL are also in the top-10.

Central City (13-4) of the Tri-Rivers and West Central (11-3) of the Upper Iowa Conference are contending for conference titles. And the Tri-
Rivers, SICL and Upper Iowa are leagues that include quite a few 2A schools in their memberships.

Great teams need great players, and there is no shortage in these small schools.

The best is arguably West Central’s Tyler Wedemeier, a 6-foot-8 senior who was named first-team all-state last season. Wedemeier is averaging 22.2 points and 11.4 rebounds for a West Central team that has spent time in the top-10.

Jesse Ney, a 6-4 senior from Iowa Mennonite, is also having a terrific year. Ney averages 19.9 points, 7.9 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.2 steals with 17 blocks in 17 games. IMS spent a week as the state’s top-ranked 1A team before losing its only game of the season to 3A Keokuk last month.

Another kid having an all-state type of season is North Tama 6-3 senior guard Wyatt Hanus, a first-team all-state quarterback for the Redhawks in the fall. Hanus averages 17.7 points, 9.5 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 2.8 steals for an 11-6 North Tama outfit.

Good teams such as Keota, East Buchanan, HLV and Central City may not have an all-state candidate on their rosters, but win with balance and grit.

East Buchanan’s Blake Goodenbour, Trevor Franck, Jordan Conrad and David Monaghan all average between 11.5 and 7.9 points. Central City’s John Rochford, Trent Fiechtner, Sean Brandhorst and Jeffrey Stevens are all between 11.0 and 7.9.

HLV finished third at last year’s 1A state tournament and graduated just two seniors from that team. This year’s Warriors are led by returning starter Scott Blomme (6-5) who averages 15.9 points and 9.9 rebounds. Brenden Kuesel is 11.8 points, Bryce Hasley 9.9.

Keota is having a dream season. The Eagles started 13-0 before losing last week to Lynnville-Sully, a streak that included a five-point win over HLV early last month. Senior Ryan Carr (12.8 ppg) and juniors Joe Saresky (12.6) and Cody Uphold (11.9) lead the Eagles. Carr was 41 of 126 (32.5 percent) from 3-point range through 16 games.

Keota and HLV meet for the second time in the regular season Tuesday night. There’s a good chance they will meet a third time in a district tournament semifinal Feb. 24 at a site to be determined. One team that deserves to be in anyone’s state tournament field will be eliminated early.

It’s going to be interesting to see how big these small schools play down the stretch as they vie for conference titles and make themselves tournament ready.

Class 1A, 2A district pairings are posted

The IHSAA has posted play-in and first-round pairings for  its Class 2A and 1A district tournaments, which begin Feb. 16. A complete list of the pairings can be found at www.iahsaa.org under the basketball tab.

Since these tournaments are seeded, there are really no blockbuster matchups, although West Liberty at Tipton and Regina at Mid-Prairie should be competitive games in 2A District 9.

There are a handful of play-in games in 1A on Feb. 16 with the first-round games scheduled for Feb. 19. There’s really no game on the 19th that jumps out, but if Keota can beat WACO and HLV can get past BGM that night, Keota (14-1) and  HLV (14-2) would meet Feb. 24 at a site to be determined.

Class 1A-3A district pairings

Bud Legg of the IHSAA informs me the group expects to have the district tournament first-round pairings for classes 1A through 3A posted sometime Wednesday night or early Thursday morning. Bud got a day behind by attending the 50th anniversary observance (celebration)  of the deaths of Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and the Big Bopper up in Clear Lake. I love Bud Legg. Forever a rock ‘n roll animal!

Anyway, the most immediate link to the pairings is www.iahsaa.org. I’ll provide the link here again once they are posted.

Live prep chat Monday; new Super 10

K.J. Pilcher and Jeff Linder will join me Monday for our fourth live chat about the winter prep sports scene. Please join the conversation at noon (or maybe even a little before noon) at www.iowaprepsports.com. The more the merrier.

One topic might be the latest boys’ basketball area Super 10. I’ve struggled with the top-four all season. Linn-Mar, Kennedy, Solon and Union all have state championship-caliber teams.

Here’s the most recent Super 10, with last week’s ranking to the right:

1.       Linn-Mar                                              14-1       1

2.       C.R. Kennedy                                     14-0       2

3.       Solon                                                    16-0       3

4.       Union                                                    15-1       4

5.       C.R. Washington                              11-4       6

6.       Marion                                                 13-3       7

7.       Benton Community                        13-3       10

8.       Iowa City High                                   11-4       8

9.       Iowa Mennonite                              14-1       -

10.   South Winneshiek                           10-2       -

 

Class 4A – 1. Linn-Mar (14-1), 2. C.R. Kennedy (14-0), 3. C.R. Washington (11-4), 4. Iowa City High (11-4), 5. C.R. Jefferson (9-6).

Class 3A – 1. Union (15-1), 2. Marion (13-3), 3. Benton Community (13-3), 4. Oelwein (9-3), 5. Mount Vernon (11-4).

Class 2A – 1. Solon (16-0), 2. South Winneshiek (10-2), 3. North Cedar (15-2), 4. Cascade (13-4), 5. Dyersville Beckman (10-5).

Class 1A – 1. Iowa Mennonite (14-1), 2. Keota (14-1), 3. HLV  (14-2), 4. East Buchanan (14-1), 5. West Central (10-3).