High School Girls’ Postseason Basketball

Class 5A tipped off the 2025 state tournament yesterday and #1 Johnston showed why they are the defending champions by running #8 Iowa City Liberty out of the gym in a 73-45 final. Amani Jenkins led the scoring with 16 points.

#4 Ankeny Centennial nearly followed the same formula, outscoring #5 Pleasant Valley 20 to 5 in the 1st quarter, but a three-point fourth quarter allowed the Spartans to close the gap but it was not enough as the Jaguars exited with the 51-47 final. Ava Martin knocked down six threes for a team high 20 points in the win. Ankeny Centennial and Johnston will collide in the semifinals on Thursday, March 6th, at 10 am.

On the bottom half of the bracket, #2 Dowling Catholic smacked #7 Davenport North 64-38 and #3 Waukee Northwest outpaced #6 Prairie 63-56 to pin the Maroons and Wolves against one another on Thursday in the semifinals.

Over in Class 3A, #1 Mt. Vernon lapped #8 West Marshall to the tune of a 75-19 final. Savanna Wright knocked in 23 points as the Mustang defense held West Marshall to just 18.2% shooting for the game. 

In their own dominant showing, #5 Estherville Lincoln Central defeated #4 Cherokee Washington 57-33. Haylee Stokes delivered 23 points in the win. #1 Mt. Vernon will face off against #5 Estherville Lincoln Central on Thursday at 1:30 pm.

On the bottom half of the bracket, #2 Wahlert Catholic outlasted #7 Spirit Lake 51-46. They will take on the winner between #3 Williamsburg and #6 Des Moines Christian set to start off today’s action. 

Classes 2A and 4A will begin their tournament runs today. The Class 2A matchups include #1 Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont, looking to cap out a perfect season, facing off against #8 Treynor. #4 North Mahaska will verse #5 Central Lyon. #2 Regina Catholic returns to the state tournament to compete against #7 Maquoketa Valley, while #3 Hinton will take on #6 Rock Valley.

For Class 4A, #1 Bishop Heelan will face off against #8 Xavier with the winner competing against either #4 Norwalk or #5 Central DeWitt. On the bottom half of the bracket, #2 North Polk will tangle with #7 Sioux Center and #3 Maquoketa will take on #6 Dallas Center-Grimes.

Class 1A will begin tomorrow, March 5th, with #1 Saint Albert leading off the day against #8 Dunkerton, followed by #4 Bishop Garrigan versus #5 Montezuma, #2 North Linn taking on #7 Gladbrook-Reinbeck, and #3 Newell-Fonda attempting to avoid the upset against #6 Springville.

High School Boys’ Postseason Basketball

In the Class 3A Substate 6 championship match, Keokuk rumbled with #3 Knoxville, but the undefeated Panthers were too much, winning 63-55. The Chiefs ended the season with a 17-8 record.

Knoxville is making their first trip to the state tournament since 2000 and joining them will be MOC-Floyd Valley, Storm Lake, Clear Lake, Xavier, Central DeWitt, ADM, and Ballard.

Joining North Linn in the Class 1A state tournament set to start on March 10th will be Boyden-Hull, St. Edmond, Marquette Catholic, Gladbrook-Reinbeck, Madrid, Woodbine, and Remsen St. Mary’s.

Also punching their ticket to the Class 2A state tournament with Grand View Christian were Unity Christian, West Lyon, Jesup, Grundy Center, Union Community, Treynor, and Western Christian.

All-SEC Wrestling Honors

The Southeast Conference (SEC) released the All-Conference 1st and 2nd Teams yesterday for the boys’ and girls’ wrestling teams with the Fairfield boys’ team yielding the most 1st Team selections and the Burlington girls’ team tabbing the most 1st Teamers.

Starting with the boys, Mt. Pleasant grabbed the conference title with an undefeated record against SEC competition. Helping the Panthers were three 1st Team selections in Lane Beckler, for the 126-pound weight class, Ramzy Davis, for the 150-pound weight class, and Payton Walker, for the 190-pound weight class, as they each nabbed at least 20 wins for the season.

Fairfield had five wrestlers earn All-SEC 1st Team in Cael McCabe, Aiden Westercamp, Cason Miler, Dain Burkhart, and Dre Smithburg. McCabe led the field with a bronze medal at the 2025 state tournament, while Miller finished his senior season with a 7th place performance and Co-SEC Wrestler of the Year honors. 

Sharing the award with Miller as Co-SEC Wrestler of the Year was Washington’s Aaron Boone as he collected an impressive 50-4 record for the season as he also took home a bronze medal at the state tournament. Jude Carter and Blain Reese joined him on the 1st Team along with Burlington’s Braxton Hutchinson.

On the girls’ side, Keokuk’s Jalyiah Gardner took SEC Wrestler of the Year honors after collecting a 44-5 record and a runner-up position in the Class 1A 140-pound weight class. 

Burlington garnered seven members of the 1st Team in Grace Navarre, Sarina Cline, Brooklyn Sparrow, Mia Oddo, Amaziah Twillie, Kiara Rodriguez, and Alannah Peterson with six total wrestlers making the state tournament. 

Mt. Pleasant had two wrestlers earn 1st Team honors in Paris Phosy and Zenlynn Lee. Phosy collected a 5-3 record against SEC foes, while Lee punched her ticket to the state tournament and collected a 23-7 record for the year. 

Lastly, Samantha Lyons was the lone Trojan to nab 1st Team honors as the sophomore grabbed 4th place at the state tournament and finished the season with a 35-6 record. 

If you would like to look at the full list of All-SEC honorees, then follow the links provided.

Link: All-SEC Boys List

Link: All-SEC Girls List

Southeast Iowa Playbook

Tune in to KILJ 105.5 FM, kilj.com, tomorrow night at 6 pm for a new episode of the Southeast Iowa Playbook featuring the trio of state wrestlers from WACO in Ian Maize, Gage Samo, and Louden Huisnega as they discuss what led up to the tournament and the emotions that came with competing in Des Moines.

Southeastern Community College                                                     

The men’s basketball team will host Marshalltown Community College tomorrow, March 5th, at 7 pm.

College Basketball

The #10 Iowa State men’s team will compete against BYU at home tonight at 8 pm.

The Iowa men’s team sits in 15th place in the Big Ten with two conference games left on the schedule as they look to upset #8 Michigan State on Thursday, March 6th, at 7 pm at home for their senior night.

The Iowa women’s team will get a rematch with Wisconsin tomorrow, March 5th, at 7:30 pm for their opening matchup of the Big Ten tournament in Indianapolis.

The Iowa State women’s team will be gearing up for the Big 12 tournament as they received a bye into the second round, scheduled for Thursday.  

This Day in Sports History

1927 – Babe Ruth becomes the highest-paid player in MLB history when he signs a 3-year, $70,000 per season contract with the New York Yankees.

1970 – Jacksonville is the first college basketball team to average 100-plus points per game.

1993 – First ESPY Awards: Michael Jordan and Monica Seles win.

Mt. Pleasant, IA- The Southeast Conference (SEC) has officially released the All-Conference Awards and underclassmen rule both the 1^st Team and 2^nd Team with a total of only five seniors on either list. Burlington yielded the most 1^st Team selections.

Wrestler of the Year

Earning Wrestler of the Year and the only member of Keokuk to make the 1^st or 2^nd Team was Jalyiah Gardner. The All-SEC 1^st Team honoree tore through the regular season and earned the #3-seed for the 2025 state tournament. An inspired performance saw Garnder skip her way to the championship bout for the 140-pound weight class.

Against #8 Teagan Carritt of Logan-Magnolia-Woodbine, Gardner was unable to grab one last win, falling to Carritt. Gardner touts a 41-4 record for the season and 2^nd place at the state tournament. She finished the season with a 44-5 record.

Burlington

The Grayhounds had seven members earn 1^st Team honors with four of the wrestlers making a trip to the state tournament.

In the 105-pound weight class, Grace Navarre, a sophomore, was able to collect 31 wins during the season and punch her ticket to the state tournament. Grabbing the #13-seed, Navarre pulled off an upset with a 1-0 decision victory over #4 Lila Sheehan of Mason City.

However, Navarre would fall in her next two matches and claim a 32-19 record for the season.

In the 110-pound weight class, junior Sarina Cline grabbed 1^st Team honors. Cline snatched 30-plus wins for the season and finished just a spot short of punching her ticket to the state tournament.

Brooklyn Sparrow, a junior in the 120-pound weight class, took home 1^st Team honors. Sparrow collected 15 wins for the season.

In the 135-pound weight class, sophomore Mia Oddo also turned in a stellar campaign that ended with a trip to the state tournament and 1^st Team All-Conference. Oddo had a tough draw as the #16 seed and turned in a record of 25-25.

Amaziah Twillie, a freshman in the 155-pound weight class, pulled off two terrific upsets as she knocked off the #4 seed and advanced to the semifinals. However, Twillie could not parlay her day one success onto day two as her day started with a loss to #1 Haylee McGrew of Ankeny in the semifinals.

In the consolation bracket, #4 Shanona Emmanuel of Iowa City, City High took advantage of the rematch, registering a quick pin of Twillie. The loss sent the freshman to the 5^th place match where #9 Kalen Jo Westerfield of Lewis Central pulled off the win by fall.

Twillie collected a 6^th place finish and a 29-13 record.

Tabbing 1^st Team All-SEC honors was senior Kiara Rodriguez of the 190-pound weight class. The senior performed well on day one of the state tournament , but Rodriguez fell to #9 Maddison Wright of Lewis Central, placing her in the 7^th place match but due to medical forfeit she could not wrestle. Ending her season with a 37-6 record and 8^th place at state.

Lastly, Alannah Peterson took home 1^st Team All-SEC honors in the 235-pound weight class as she also made a run through the state tournament. On the final day, Peterson took down #7 Sage Dzeladini of North Scott by major decision to take one more step towards the bronze.

However, Peterson lost by ultimate tiebreaker to #3 Aniyah Smith, casting her to the 5^th place match. With a rematch against #5 Delilah Subsin of Ottumwa in place Peterson had learned everything she needed from her first matchup, defeating the Bulldog by fall.

Peterson took home 5^th place and a 24-6 record for the season.

Freshman Wandy Luna (115), senior Emma Warth (125), junior Sara Cruz (130), and sophomore Macy Peterson (170) yielded 2^nd Team honors.

Fort Madison

The Bloodhounds had two state qualifying wrestlers for the season and two wrestlers grab 1^st Team honors.

In the 125-pound weight class, Briena Fenton, a sophomore, competed well throughout the season and collected the #14-seed for the state tournament. Fenton went on to finish the season with a 36-18 record.

Mara Smith earned 1^st Team honors for the 130-pound weight class. The junior qualified for the third straight year for the state tournament. Smith started off the third session with a matchup against #10 Tatum Heaberlin of Gilbert on her path towards third place. Smith collected a hard-fought victory by fall to advance one step closer to the third-place match.

Smith pinned #11 Brielle Parke of Linn-Mar to punch her ticket to the bronze medal match against #3 Kylee Shoop of West Delaware. Unfortunately, Shoop proved to be too much, defeating Smith by major decision.

Smith finished in 4^th place and with a 46-6 record for the season.

Taking home 2^nd Team honors were sophomore Kat DiPrima (140), junior Tatum Peters (155), and junior Mady Emmett (190).

Mt. Pleasant

The Panthers had two wrestlers finish their season with 1^st Team All-SEC honors with one making the trip to the state tournament.

Paris Phosy took a big step in improvement for her sophomore campaign, snatching 1^st Team All-SEC for the 115-pound weight class. Phosy collected 15 wins, including a 5-3 record against other SEC foes.

If there was an award for it in the SEC, Zenlynn Lee, a junior, would most certainly have earned Comeback Wrestler of the Year after missing all of last season with a knee injury and returning to dominate, taking home 1^st Team honors for the 145-pound weight class.

Lee’s time at the state tournament did not quite go to plan as the #6-seed, but in a year where she said that she was trying to get back to full form and still grabbed a 23-7 record for the year, it was mighty impressive.

Earning 2^nd Team honors for the Panthers was freshman Quintrie Lee (110).

Fairfield

Samantha Lyons gets to soak up the spotlight as the only Trojan on the 1^st Team, as the sophomore grabbed the spot at the 170-pound weight class. Lyons had no trouble on day one of the state tournament, advancing to the semifinals.

Unable to pull off one more upset, Lyons was set loose in the consolation bracket, where she handled #6 Gracie Pinckney, advancing to the third-place match on a 7-1 decision victory over Pickney. Lyons would garner 4^th place after losing to #2 Layna DeMoss of Benton by major decision.

Lyons ended the season with a 35-6 record.

Sophomore June Conner (100), junior Alyia Abbot (105), and sophomore Kendra Allsion (235) snatched 2^nd Team honors.

Washington

The Demons did not have any 1^st Team wrestlers but grabbing 2^nd team honors were sophomore Ryha Wellinton (135) and senior Peggy Miller (145).

Wrestling Academic All-Conference

Wrestler Team

Alannah Peterson Burlington

Edine Saint Amine Burlington

Brooklyn Sparrow Burlington

Emma Warth Burlington

Alyia Abbott Fairfield

Kendra Allison Fairfield

Madalyn Emmett Fort Madison

McKayla Schinstock Fort Madison

Tatum Peters Fort Madison

Mara Smith Fort Madison

Jalyiah Gardner Keokuk

Jaylah Gardner Keokuk

Reagan Haage Keokuk

Katie Ettinger Mount Pleasant

Zenlynn Lee Mount Pleasant

Peggy Miller Washington