Class 4A Championship
Cedar Rapids Xavier 54, Bishop Heelan 40
Cedar Rapids Xavier emerged from a clash of two programs with extensive championship credentials with another state title. The Saints got contributions up and down the lineup and used a big second half to beat Bishop Heelan of Sioux City 54-40 for the Class 4A state championship. It’s the fifth title for Xavier (20-6), which has lost only once when reaching the state finals. Bishop Heelan (23-3) had been seeking a fourth championship and frustrated the Saints early with a zone defense in taking a 24-17 halftime lead and then going up 29-20 early in the second half. But Xavier began doing a better job moving the ball to get open shots and outscored the Crusaders 34-11 the rest of the way. Riley Jonker led Xavier with 13 points, including three straight baskets for the Saints when they broke the game open midway through the fourth quarter. She had scored only seven points in Xavier’s first two games at state, but came up big when her team needed her the most. Mary Kate Moeder went 3-for-4 from 3-point range in adding 11 points for Xavier, while Lexi Beier knocked down three 3s in scoring 10 points. Freshman Libby Fandel, chosen the all-tournament captain, finished with nine points, seven rebounds and two assists and Kyla Mason scored eight points. Fandel was outstanding throughout the tournament and ended up with 39 points, 21 rebounds, 14 assists and eight steals in the three games. With only one senior, Bishop Heelan is likely to remain strong. Junior Jada Newberg led the Crusaders with 13 points on 5-for-7 shooting and Kenley Meis, also a junior, added 10 points and eight rebounds. The team’s lone senior, Joslyn Verzal, hit two 3-pointers and scored eight points in her final high school game. Moeder hit a 3-pointer after stealing an inbounds pass and Mason sank a free throw to produce a tie at 33 heading into the fourth quarter. After Newberg converted a three-point play to put the Crusaders up 36-33, Xavier responded with a 10-0 run that included back-to-back 3s from Beier to take the lead for good.Xavier won its other state championships in 2003, 2005 and 2007 and finished second in 2002. The Saints now have an impressive 20-9 record in 14 state tournament appearances.Bishop Heelan won titles in 2008, 2010 and 2020 and was the runner-up in 2008.Mason, Newberg and Bishop Heelan’s Brooklyn Stanley also were named all-tournament, along with Glenwood’s Abby Hughes and Emma Miner of Dallas Center-Grimes.
Class 2A State Championship
Dike-New Hartford 59, Central Lyon 52
Dike-New Hartford and the Petersen twins have done it again. Payton and Jadyn Petersen each recorded a third double-double in as many state tournament games and Dike-New Hartford claimed its second straight Class 2A state championship, beating Central Lyon 59-52 in a well-played final. Payton, named captain of the all-tournament team, scored 23 points and grabbed 13 rebounds and Jadyn, also an all-tournament pick, added 15 points and 12 rebounds. Add it all up and the two sophomores combined for 101 points and 67 rebounds at state as the Wolverines finished off a 25-2 season. They were especially effective at giving their team extra possessions with offensive rebounds. Jadyn pulled down 10 off the offensive glass and converted three putbacks in the second half to help the Wolverines fend off the Lions (24-3). Payton, the all-tournament captain for the second time, grabbed six offensive rebounds and scored four times on putbacks. Dike-New Hartford also got a nice lift from 6-foot junior Ellary Knock, who scored 11 points, collected six rebounds and sank all four of her free throws. The Wolverines finished with a 37-28 rebounding advantage and a 21-10 edge in second-chance points. Central Lyon, seeking its second state championship, got 19 points from Addison Klosterbuer, a sharp-shooting junior who went 5-for-10 from 3-point range, with all of her makes from well beyond the arc. Desta Hoogendoorn added 12 points and 10 rebounds for the Lions, while Regan Van Wyhe had five points and eight rebounds. Teammate Kaylee Davis handed out five assists and scored nine points. Neither team led by more than six points until Dike-New Hartford pulled away at the end. Knock’s basket inside broke the game’s final tie and produced a 47-45 lead. Jadyn fed her sister with a nifty bounce pass and Payton scored through contact and completed the three-point play for a 50-46 lead. A couple of minutes later, Knock lobbed a pass to Payton on an inbounds play from the sideline and she dropped in a layup to make it 56-50 with 1:31 left and the Wolverines finished it off with free throws. They were just 6-for-11 from the line before Knock made a pair and Taylor Kvale sank one of two for the final point. Dike-New Hartford also has won the last two 2A volleyball championships and Payton Petersen was the all-tournament captain both times. Klosterbuer and Hoogendoorn both earned all-tournament honors along with Reese Johnson of Denver and Panorama’s Payton Beckman.
Class 1A Championship
Bishop Garrigan 52, MMCRU 49
Even without a big game from star center Audi Crooks, Bishop Garrigan of Algona still had enough to win a state championship. But it sure wasn’t easy. Everyone played a role as Bishop Garrigan erased the disappointment of championship game losses the last two years with a 52-49 victory over MMCRU for the Class 1A title and a wrap to the 2022 state tournament. Four clutch free throws from all-tournament captain Molly Joyce and a last-second block by Abbie Capesius lifted the Golden Bears (25-3) to that elusive title after MMCRU had stormed back from a 12-point deficit to tie it. MMCRU (26-2) had upset three-time defending champion Newell-Fonda in the semifinals and almost pulled off another stunner. But the Royals fell just short and left with the satisfaction of an outstanding season and the school’s first appearance in the championship game. Joyce finished with 18 points to lead all scorers. Crooks added 15 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, but that was a modest scoring night for the 6-foot-3 junior, who is being recruited by Division I college programs from across the country. She had scored 57 points in the first two games at state. Capesius finished with seven points and five rebounds, Meredith Tigges hit a couple of 3-pointers for six points and Emma Grandgenett scored five. Taylor Harpenau and Mya Holmes each scored 11 points for MMCRU, Emily Dreckman added 10 and Kora Alesch and Ellie Hilbrands scored eight apiece. Hilbrands also grabbed 10 rebounds. Bishop Garrigan appeared to be in control with a 46-34 lead and less than 5 minutes to play. But the Royals stormed back with 12 straight points, sparked by consecutive 3-pointers from Holmes and Harpenau, to pull into a tie at 46 on Alesch’s baseline jumper with 2:40 to play. The Golden Bears then went to their insurance policy, getting the ball inside to Crooks, and the right-hander banked in soft left-handed layup for a 48-46 lead. She then rebounded a miss at the other end and Bishop Garrigan went into a delay game to force the Royals into fouling. Joyce, who had missed the front end of two 1-and-1 opportunities during MMCRU’s late rally, swished four in a row and Capesius blocked a last-second 3-point shot to close it out. Crooks, Dreckman and Harpenau also made the all-tournament team, along with Macy Sievers of Newell-Fonda and Kamryn Kurt of North Linn.
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