New London — The New London Tiger basketball team is setting out for revenge.

After finishing one game shy of the state tournament a year ago, the Tigers will open their tournament trail run tonight at home against English Valleys.

Outright champions of the Super Conference, New London finished their year 18-2 behind the strong play of their two stars Blaise Porter and Kade Benjamin.

Porter, who is continuing to receive low and mid-major Division I college interest, averaged 17.6 points, 5.4 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game. It stands to reason he’ll take on more of a scoring burden as rotations tighten in the postseason.

His running mate Kade Benjamin is averaging 14.4 points per game, while Devon Swanson is at 13.4.

Perhaps the biggest reason for New London’s success this year has been the late season emergence of Kooper Schulte.

Schulte has upped his scoring average to just south of 8.0 points per game and has been the beneficiary of playing with three All-Conference players, getting open looks repeatedly.

The terrific Tiger shortstop has hit a blistering 54% of his three point shots while chipping in with 4.2 boards.

Their opponent tonight is no first round slouch, however. English Valleys enters 12-10 and similar to New London’s first round tussle with Lisbon last year — who featured Kole Becker — the Bears have boast one of the state’s best scorers in Kaden Hall.

Hall has been a one man wrecking crew, scoring 23.0 points per game and has the ability to single-handedly will his team to a win.

Tonight’s game will begin at 7:00 p.m. from New London High School; you can listen on FM 98.5 and AM 1130.

Nathan Bloechl will have the call.

Wayland — The WACO Warrior basketball team — who is following up a remarkable football season with a memorable one on the hardcourt — will open their postseason tonight when they host Keota in a 1A-5 first round scrap.

The Warriors finished their year a workman-like 17-4 with key wins over New London and Winfield-Mount Union,

More than anything, they’re a team that no one wants to face.

A balanced scoring attack is headed by sophomore guard Hunter Hughes, who at 45% from the field and 34% from three is averaging a team-high 12.1 points per game.

Simeon Reichenbach checks in at 9.2 points per game, while Reece Oswald is at 8.8.

Keota is 11-11.

The Eagles earned an easy 62-18 win over Tri-County in the prelim round last Friday. WACO has won four of the last five when the clubs meet, including a December 11th 61-38 triumph.

Keota is paced by a trio of sophomores, Sawyer Stout, Evan Vittetoe and Cole Kindred — with Stout spearheading the bunch at 13.7 points per game.

Tonight’s scrap will begin at 7:00 p.m. in Wayland.

John Kuhens and Kent Bennett will be on the call on FM 105.5 and kilj.com.

Other area boys’ first round action tonight:

• Van Buren County vs. Mediapolis
• Central Lee vs. West Burlington
• Highland at Winfield-Mount Union
• Notre Dame at Wapello
• Pekin at Montezuma
• Oskaloosa at Burlington
• Fairfield at Iowa City High

Wapello — Qualifiers from Saturday’s District Tournament at Wapello.

Area qualifiers are bolded.

106

1^st – Reanah Utterback (Sigourney-Keota)

2^nd – Dalton Ervin (Moravia)

113

1^st – Easton Schlabaugh (Highland)

2^nd – Gage Burden (New London)

120

1^st – Brandon Paez (Lisbon)

2^nd – Aiden Golston (Moravia)

126

1^st – Marcel Lopez (New London)

2^nd – Quincy Happel (Lisbon)

132

1^st – Tiernan Boots (Lisbon)

2^nd – Carlos Valenzuela (Highland)

138

1^st – Cade Siebrecht (Lisbon)

2^nd – Quinten Aney (Mediapolis)

145

1^st – Louden Huisenga (WACO)

2^nd – Indy Harbaugh (Lisbon)

152

1^st – Dominic Lopez (New London)

2^nd – Lincoln Holub (Lisbon)

160

1^st – Cade Molyneux (Sigourney-Keota)

2^nd –  Sam Aitchison (Regina)

170

1^st – Max Kohl (Lisbon)

2^nd – Aidan Udell (Regina)

182

1^st – Josh Glendening (New London)

2^nd – Jamien Moore (Lisbon)

195

1^st – Ronan Poynton (Regina)

2^nd – Indy Ferguson (Lisbon)

220

1^st – Jonah Clark (WACO)

2^nd – Conner Reed (Sigourney-Keota)

285

1^st – Wyatt Smith (Lisbon)

2^nd – Trace Goematt (North Mahaska)

2A District 8 – Williamsburg

106

1. Colin Cassady (West Liberty)
2. Carter West (NDWB)

113

1. Gavin Jensen (Williamsburg)
2. Kaiden Dietzenbach (NDWB)

120

1. Lane Scorpil (CC-WMU)
2. CJ Davis (NDWB)

126

1. Jaiden Moore (Benton Community)
2. Jordan Schmidt (Solon)

132

1. Blaine Frazier (NDWB)
2. Cason Miller (Fairfield)

138

1. Jackson Jaspers (Mount Vernon)
2. Tate O’Shea (NDWB)

145

1. Brenden Heying (Benton Community)
2. Joshua Zeman (West Liberty)

152

1. Isaiah Fenton (NDWB)
2. Henry Ryan (Mount Vernon)

160

1. Samuel West (NDWB)
2. Kam Royster (Williamsburg)

170

1. Drake Collins (West Liberty)
2. River Belger (NDWB) 

182

1. CJ Walrath (NDWB)
2. Felipe Molina (West Liberty)

195

1. Jack Geels (Williamsburg)
2. Jahsiah Galvan (West Liberty)

220

1. Clark Younggreen (Mount Vernon)
2. Tyler Hancox (Solon)

285

1. Gage Marty (Solon)
2. Gannon Callahan (Mid-Prairie)

Prep Wrestling: Districts Today With State Trips on the Line

Ten Nikes, five New London Tigers — among several other area qualifiers — will wrestle in today’s district tournament, with a trip to the State Tournament on the line.

Notre Dame will send Carter West, Kaiden Dietzenbach — a Mount Pleasant native —, C.J. Davis, Blaine Frazier — another Mount Pleasant native —, Tate O’Shea, Blake Wilson, Isaiah Fenton, Samuel West, River Belger and C.J. Walrath.

Only Wilson and Belger were not sectional champions.

Mount Pleasant pushed one qualifier to districts.

138-pounder Bowen Davis was the runner-up at Solon.

New London is sending Gage Burden, Marcel Lopez, Dominic Lopez, Josh Glendening and Trent Wilkerson to this today’s tournament.

Mediapolis advanced just one wrestler to districts. 4th ranked Quinten Aney won the 138-pound class at Sigourney.

Van Buren County will bring Dirk Boyles and Brant Tedrow to districts. Boyles won the 145-pound weight class.

WACO had three qualify for districts, competing at the English Valleys sectional.

Gage Samo (106), Louiden Huisenga (145) and Jonah Clark (220) were all sectional champions. All three have a great shot at qualifying for state.

Louisa-Muscatine had three district qualifiers.

The Falcons will be brining Skyler Beck, Kendal Pugh and Spencer Kessel.

Wapello qualified Zach Harbison and Garrett Dickey, while Columbus Community/Winfield Mount Union advanced No. 2 Lane Scorpil, Kai Malone and Russell Coil.

Districts will begin today at noon, you can listen to live coverage on FM 105.5 and kilj.com.

Prep Wrestling: State Dual Pairings Announced

The Iowa High School Athletic Association has released State Dual pairings ahead of next week’s tournament.

In Class 2A, Notre Dame will be the No. 8 seed and take on top-seeded West Delaware at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday morning.

The Hawks boast one of the deepest rosters in Class 2A and feature perhaps one of the best pound-for-pound wrestlers in the state in UNI recruit Wyatt Voelker, this year’s presumptive favorite once again to win it all at 195-pounds.

A ranked matchup awaits next Wednesday when No. 5 Isaiah Fenton will link up with No. 6 Logan Peyton at 152-pounds.

Should the Nikes win, they’ll get the winner of Sergeant Bluff-Luton and Crestwood.

The rest of the bracket sees No. 2 Independence battling No. 7 Winterset and No. 3 Osage feuding with No. 6 Atlantic

In 1A, Don Bosco is the top seed while Lisbon — who defeated New London in the regional dual finals is the two.

The Lions encounter No. 7 Wilton.

Girls’ Prep Basketball: Mount Pleasant Withstands Late Flurry to Win

Fairfield whittled a a 17-point deficit to just five in 57 seconds, but the Mount Pleasant girls’ basketball team held on to defeat the Trojans 43-38 in yesterday’s SEC finale.

The win moved the Panthers to 11-10 on the season, their first time above .500 this year.

Andrea Lopreato led all scorers with 18 points and 11 rebounds, while Kenna Lamm, Kate Schimmelpfennig and Jadan Brumbaugh all added six.

Mount Pleasant will now get a first round tournament trail date with Fort Madison on Wednesday.

The game will be played at the Hound Dome and tips at 7:00 p.m.

Fort Madison swept the season series with two double digit wins.

Boys’ Prep Basketball: Fairfeld Keeps Panthers at Bay, Wins Late

Fairfield won each of the game’s first three quarters, holding on for a 47-41 win over Mount Pleasant last night.

The Panthers, trailing by as much as ten in the fourth quarter, clawed back to within five but could not get any closer, as the Trojan defense buckled in.

Payton Hagans had 14 pints to pace the Panthers, hitting 4-of-7 three pointers.

Dewon Trent and Aaiden Ashton each had eight.

The Panthers will close their regular season at Pella next week.

They are now 8-12 on the season.