High School

Basketball notebook: Mid-week ranked battles highlight girls action in Iowa

Several ranked games featured thrilling finishes, exciting comebacks

Dana Becker

Sydney Bienemann (32) and the Waverly-Shell Rock girls scored a key win this past Tuesday night on Senior Night.
Sydney Bienemann (32) and the Waverly-Shell Rock girls scored a key win this past Tuesday night on Senior Night. / Lily Smith/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK

As we continue to move closer and closer to the postseason, it feels like we are getting more and more exciting action on the hardwood around the state this winter.

This past Tuesday night was no exception to that, as a handful of games pitted ranked teams against one another. 

On Senior Night, Waverly-Shell Rock’s Megan Heyer had 13 points to lead the Go-Hawks to an upset of Forest City, 49-40.

Waverly-Shell Rock used solid runs in the second and third to hand the Indians their first loss of the year. Brittany Bodensteiner added 11 points and five rebounds while Sydney Bienemann, also a senior, had nine rebounds and five assists. 

Like the Go-Hawks, Sioux Center secured a Top 10 victory by besting Central Lyon on Senior Night, 53-50.

After falling behind 21-6 eight minutes in and trailing by 14 at the half, the Warriors put it together in the second half, outscoring the Lions, 34-17. Maryn Franken had 22 points, going 10 of 13 from the free throw line, as senior Margo Schuiteman had 12 points and 12 rebounds.

Williamsburg was able to get the best of Clear Creek-Amana despite a 36-point effort from Averie Lower. The Raiders, who led by six at the half, held off a furious rally by the Clippers to win, 67-65. 

The series has been extremely competitive over the years, as Williamsburg now leads 24-16 since 2006. Clear Creek-Amana had won five straight before the Raiders swept them this season. 

Central DeWitt completed a season sweep of Pleasant Valley for the first time since the 2020-21 season, winning 59-55. Coming into this year, the Spartans had won six straight in the series. 

Storm Lake clinches outright league title for first time since 1980

The last time the Storm Lake boys clinched an outright conference title, nobody currently wearing a uniform was even born. Heck, some of their parents maybe weren’t even born yet.

But the Tornadoes did just that this past Tuesday night with an 80-58 victory over Cherokee.

Storm Lake secured the outright Lakes Conference crown for the first time since 1980, and at least a share of it for the first time since 2019. 

Cedar Rapids Prairie knocks off Cedar Falls in double-OT thriller

The Cedar Rapids Prairie and Cedar Falls boys put on a show for those lucky to be in attendance this past Tuesday night.

In the end, the Hawks pulled out the double-overtime victory, 71-70, surviving a last-second shot by the Tigers to win it.

Will Wehr had 21 points and eight rebounds to lead Prairie, as Devin Ikeda added 15 points and 12 rebounds. Austin Jones chipped in 12 while David Fason dished out seven assists.

For Cedar Falls, Jaydon Kimbrough had 26, William Gerdes finished with 19 and Anthony Galvin had 15. 

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Dana Becker
DANA BECKER

Dana Becker has been a sports writer in Iowa since 2000, writing for The Fort Dodge Messenger, Mason City Globe-Gazette, Cedar Rapids Gazette and others. Dana resides in northcentral Iowa and started as a writer with SB Live Sports in 2022 focused on the state of Iowa. Along with providing coverage of football and wrestling, Dana also spotlights cross country, swimming, basketball, track and field, soccer, tennis, golf, baseball and softball. He began writing for High School on SI in 2023.

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