Girls’ Regional Basketball

For Class 3A Region 6, #8 Mediapolis pulled off the upset over the weekend, defeating #6 PCM 49-42 behind a defense that forced 18 steals to qualify for the state tournament. Amelia Grier led the team with 17 points, while Josie Hutcheson tabbed 13 points and six steals. Mediapolis head coach Todd Borrison talked about how this moment has been more than a year in the making,

“This group’s been working so hard, just about every day, just been running, running, running. And to finally punch your ticket to the state tournament, it’s gotta be a special feeling. It’s a great feeling, you know, and you really feel for the kids. We do a lot of basketball year, you know, year-round, and these kids have committed, and they put in the time, and they’ve kept, you know, getting better and better, and they’ve trusted the process. And the ultimate reward is punching your ticket, and they got to experience that today. And we’ve been close a couple times, but this is always a big hurdle to get over. And they just fought, and fought, and fought tonight, and I was really, really proud of them.”

#7 Mediapolis will square off against #2 Maquoketa for the state quarterfinals on Monday, March 2nd, at 8:30 pm. KILJ 105.5 FM, kilj.com, will be on the call with the pregame show at 8:15 pm.

The other Class 3A matchups include #1 Mt. Vernon taking on #8 Cherokee Washington, #4 Wahlert Catholic will face off against #5 Williamsburg, and #3 Des Moines Christian will tangle with #6 Forest City.

For Class 4A Region 6, Keokuk was handled by Central DeWitt over the weekend, 88-43. Elizabeth Mason led the scoring with 15 points. The Chiefs finished the season with a 15-8 record. 

High School Wrestling

The 2026 Iowa High School Athletic Association’s (IHSAA) state tournament is in the books and ten of our local wrestlers finished on top of the podium. Here’s the highlights.

In Class 1A for the 113-pound weight class, WACO’s #2 Ian Maize got his rematch against Don Bosco’s #1 Kaiden Belinsky but fell short of the title, finishing with the silver medal and a 38-4 record. 

In the 157-pound weight class, #6 Cohen Wolford of Wapello nabbed 8th place with a 40-7 record for the year. 

In Class 2A for the 120-pound weight class, Mt. Pleasant’s #14 Levi Evans started the day with a victory over #5 Rowan Berdnt by an 8-7 decision to advance to the 3rd place match. Evans would finish in 4th place with a 38-7 record for the season, while Berndt took 6th place.

The Nikes also had #2 Kohen Dietzenbach (113-pound weight class) take 5th place, #5 Colt Boyles (132-pound weight class) snatched 6th place, and Kael Cook (150-pound weight class) finished in 7th place. 

Washington’s #7 Caden Greiner claimed 4th place in the 138-pound weight class.

Lastly, in the 175-pound weight class, #6 Dain Burkhart of Fairfield shook off the loss in the semifinals by picking up a pair of victories on Saturday, including a 9-8 overtime victory for the bronze medal and a 41-7 record.

Mediapolis’ #2 Kyler Crow finished his fourth trip to state by grabbing the silver medal, losing by major decision in the championship match. Crow claimed a 51-2 record for the season. 

All-Conference Girls’ Basketball

The Southeast Iowa Super Conference released their All-Conference teams for the North and South Divisions yesterday. 

For the North, Wapello’s Macey Kuntz and WACO’s Brenna Graber were placed on the 1st Team. Kuntz was one of four players in the conference to average a double-double, while Graber finished in the top five for assists and steals per game.

In the South Division, Grace Holsteen of Mediapolis and Kenna Sandoval of Central Lee took home Co-Conference Player of the Year, while Todd Borrison was named Coach of the Year, as the Bulldogs finished the season 24-0 and as state qualifiers.

Mediapolis’ starting five of Holsteen, Ellah Wagenbach, Josie Hutcheson, Amelia Grier, and Bryn Wright were named 1st Team. Joining them was Alaina Gourley of Danville, Kaylee Webb of West Burlington, and Sophia Jirak of Van Buren County.

For a full list of the All-Conference lists, follow this link: All-SEISC Teams

Boys’ District Basketball

In Class 3A Substate 4, #5 Mt. Pleasant will venture to #4 Davenport Assumption for their first round matchup tonight at 7 pm. KILJ 105.5 FM, kilj.com, will be on the call with the pregame show at 6:45 pm. 

Substate 5 houses the rest of our local teams with #8 Fairfield traveling to #1 Pella. #4 Burlington will host #5 Washington, while #3 Keokuk will take on #6 Fort Madison at home for a pair of Southeast Conference clashes. 

In Class 1A Substate 5 District 9, it’s a rematch of last year’s district championship, Burlington Notre Dame will host Holy Trinity Catholic tomorrow, February 24th, at 7 pm. KILJ 105.5 FM, kilj.com, will be on the call with the pregame show at 6:45 pm.

In District 10, Hillcrest Academy will travel to Calamus-Wheatland tomorrow at 7 pm.

In Class 2A Substate 5 District 9, Central Lee will compete for the District Championship tomorrow at 7 pm against Regina Catholic.

In Substate 5 District 10, Mid-Prairie will head to Northeast for the District Championship at 7 pm tomorrow.

High School Bowling

Keokuk’s Chase Hemann will compete in the Class 2A individual state tournament on Wednesday, February 25th.

Southeastern Community College

The women’s basketball team lost to Northeast Community College, 70-61, over the weekend. Mia Stokes claimed a 14 point and 13 rebound double-double. The Blackhawks will take on Southwestern Community College on Wednesday, February 25th, at home at 5:30 pm.

The men’s basketball team dropped another close contest over the weekend, falling to Moberly Area Community College 71-68. Prophet Fields finished with 19 points in the effort. The Blackhawks will travel to Marshalltown Community College on Saturday, February 28th, at 7 pm for their regular season finale. 

College Basketball

The Iowa State women’s team came up short against #12 TCU, losing 80-73. Audi Crooks finished the game with 22 points. The Cyclones will square off against Oklahoma State on Wednesday, February 25th, at 6:30 pm at home.

The #13 Iowa women’s team executed the upset against #6 Michigan yesterday, 62-44. Ava Heiden tabbed a double-double with 24 points and 10 rebounds. The Hawkeyes will host Illinois on Thursday, February 26th, at 8 pm.

The Iowa men’s team fell to #24 Wisconsin yesterday, 84-71. Bennett Stirtz collected 23 points in the effort. The Hawkeyes will contend with Ohio State at home on Wednesday at 8 pm.

The #6 Iowa State men’s team was unable to find the answers against #23 BYU over the weekend, losing 79-69. Tamin Lipsey cashed in for 19 points. The Cyclones will attempt to bounce back against Utah on the road tomorrow, February 24th, at 8 pm.

This Day in Sports History

1968 – Wilt Chamberlain becomes the first NBA player to score 25,000 points.

1969 – 11th Daytona 500: LeeRoy Yarbrough driving for Junior Johnson, catches Charlie Glotzbach on final lap to win; first Daytona 500 won on a last lap pass.

1985 – Five minutes into a game against rival Purdue, Indiana head coach Bobby Knight drew a technical foul then nonchalantly turned around, picked up a chair and hurled it past Boilermakers guard Steve Reid.

Prep Girls’ Basketball- The Southeast Iowa Super Conference (SEISC) released their All-Conference teams for the North and South divisions with the state-bound Mediapolis squad leading the way with seven All-Conference nominees.

North Division

The North Conference Player of the Year went to Lone Tree’s Finley Jacque as she led the division with 19 points per game, while adding 5.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 4.3 steals per game. Her output led to the Lions securing 2^nd in the North.

Highland may have been upset in the Region 6 quarterfinals, but the Huskies accumulated a 19-2 overall record and a perfect record in North play. Kamryn Fink, unanimous, and Hailey Brun led the play on the court, and conducting the team from the sideline was Jody Fink, as she was named North Coach of the Year.

For our local teams, Wapello’s Macey Kuntz, a junior, and Brenna Graber, a junior from WACO, both earned 1^st Team honors. Kuntz was one of four players in the North to average a double-double with 13.9 points and 10.1 rebounds per game, while Graber averaged 11.8 points per game and finished top five in assists and steals per game.

Columbus had Kennedy Woepking and Ellie Sanders placed on the 2^nd Team. Both averaged over 10 points per game, while Woepking added eight rebounds per contest.

Wapello’s Annaka Greiner tabbed 2^nd Team honors as she averaged 7.8 points per game to go along with 2.4 steals per game.

WACO’s Madelyn Farmer was named 2^nd Team along with Winfield-Mt. Union’s Madisen Kellogg. Farmer, a junior, nabbed the 10^th most rebounds in the North. Kellogg etched her name in the history books by tying the team record for points in a game with 35 against New London, she also averaged 14.9 points and 7.3 rebounds per game.

*Unanimous

First Team: Kamryn Fink*, Highland; Hailey Brun, Highland; Finley Jacque, Lone Tree; Ava Christofferson, Lone Tree; Grace Kissell, Louisa-Muscatine; Hannah Kissell, Louisa-Muscatine; Abby Guise*, Pekin; Macey Kuntz*, Wapello; Brenna Graber, WACO; Claire Withrow, Hillcrest Academy

Second Team: Katelyn Thomann, Highland; Kinzie Ruess, Highland; Dalanie Graap, Lone Tree; Kennedy Woepking, Columbus; Ellie Sanders, Columbus; Anna Hadley, Pekin; Annaka Greiner, Wapello; Madelyn Farmer, WACO; Niva Helmuth, Hillcrest Academy; Madisen Kellogg, Winfield-Mt. Union.

Honorable Mentions: Isabel Rendon and Iris Garza for Columbus, Taeya Wagner and Lexi Brown for Wapello, Carlee Lunsford and Drew Graber for WACO, and Suttyn Schlee and Quin Smith of Winfield-Mt. Union

Standings: Highland (16-0), Lone Tree (12-4), Louisa-Muscatine (10-6), Columbus (9-7), Pekin (9-7), Wapello (8-8), WACO (4-12), Hillcrest Academy (3-13), Winfield-Mt. Union (1-15)

South Division

Another year, another undefeated run for Mediapolis through the SEISC, including a dominant win over Highland at the shootout. This year, the Bulldogs put the exclamation mark on the regular season by clinching their first trip to the state tournament since 2015. The result was all five of their starters getting placed on the 1^st Team.

Additionally, Grace Holsteen of Mediapolis will share the Conference Player of the Year award with Central Lee’s Kenna Sandoval. Holsteen averaged nearly 17 points per game, while tying for the conference lead in three-pointers made per game with 3.2. Sandoval nearly averaged a double-double with a conference-high 17.6 points and 9.5 rebounds per game.

Nabbing Coach of the Year honors was Todd Borrison as he led the Bulldogs to a perfect 24-0 record on the season and a #8 ranking in Class 3A. Coach Borrison discussed what makes his team so special,

“Well, they really love each other, and they take care of each other, and they play together as a team. And I said before, our strength, our superpower is our balance. And that balance starts, to be a team of truly balanced kids, you gotta really like each other, and you gotta know each other’s strengths and weaknesses. And they really get the game, and they really, ultimately, they don’t care who gets any credit. They just like to win, and that makes it a fun group, and a group that you like to see be successful.”

Along with Holsteen, the Bulldogs had Ellah Wagenbach, Josie Hutcheson, Amelia Grier, and Bryn Wright named to the 1^st Team. Wagenbach, Grier, and Hutcheson each averaged 11 points per game, while Hutcheson ranked first in the conference in three-point percentage, knocking down nearly 50% of her tries. Wright led the conference with 6.1 assists per game.

Also finding a spot on the First Team was Danville’s Alaina Gourley, Kaylee Webb of West Burlington, and Van Buren County’s Sophia Jirak. Gourley finished second in the conference in points per game with 17 and tied for first in steals with 4.2. Webb led the conference with 4.2 steals per game and added 7.8 rebounds to her 12.9 points per game. Jirak did it all with 10.9 points, 3 assists, and 2.3 steals per game.

Holy Trinity Catholic’s Adalyn Kruse found a spot on the 2nd Team as she supplied 11.6 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. Danville placed two on the 2^nd Team in Alivia Bauer, as she put up 11.5 points and 7.9 rebounds per game, and Brynley Wenig.

Mediapolis’ final senior, Maycie Thornburg, was put on the 2^nd Team, as was Central Lee’s Taylor Jones and Nora Lampe. Burlington Notre Dame’s Daisy Hazell made the 2^nd Team along with West Burlington’s Presley Prill and Van Buren County’s Marlee Mertens and Adalyn Snowgren, who led the Warriors in scoring.

*Unanimous

First Team: Kenna Sandoval*, Central Lee; Alaina Gourley*, Danville; Grace Holsteen*, Mediapolis; Josie Hutcheson*, Mediapolis; Ellah Wagenbach*, Mediapolis; Amilia Grier*, Mediapolis, Bryn Wrigth, Mediapolis; Kaylee Webb*, West Burlington; Sophia Jirak, Van Buren County

Second Team: Taylor Jones*, Central Lee; Nora Lampe, Central Lee; Alivia Bauer*, Danville; Brynley Wenig, Danville; Adalyn Kruse*, Holy Trinity Catholic; Presley Prill*, West Burlington; Adalyn Snowgren, Van Buren County; Marlee Mertens, Van Buren County; Maycie Thornburg, Mediapolis

Honorable Mentions: Jayden Mueller and Macie Doty of Central Lee. Addi Steffener of Mediapolis. Daphny Wells and Kayley Snowgren of Van Buren County. Kaitlyn Kipp and Kinsey Cameron of Burlington Notre Dame. Elizabeth Griffin and Olivia Bendlage of Holy Trinity Catholic. Megan Lee and Molly Proost of New London. Macie Wagner and Violette Sowell of Danville. Kyleigh Applegate and Adley Mundth of West Burlington.

Standings: Mediapolis (16-0), Danville (10-4), Van Buren County (9-5), West Burlington (9-5), Central Lee (8-6), Holy Trinity Catholic (3-10), Burlington Notre Dame (2-11), New London (0-14)

Monroe, IA- It has been 11 years since Mediapolis has been to Des Moines for the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union’s State Basketball Tournament. After taking down #6 PCM 49-42 for the Class 3A Region 6 championship on their home floor this past weekend, this group, led by six seniors, will get an opportunity at their first state title since 1973.

Coached by the tandem of Todd and his son Cade Borrison, the Bulldogs entered the game with a 23-0 record, while the Mustangs collected a 22-1 record for the year.

Nerves appeared to play a large role in the contest as the very first play of the game led to a wide-open Lila Milani lay-up that she threw too hard off the glass for an early miss. Both teams struggled in terms of offense, as the Mustangs keyed on stopping the Mediapolis three-point shot and the Bulldogs supplied relentless pressure. For Mediapolis, they were well versed on what the plan was.

“The biggest thing I’ve learned is just making sure that you have your kids ready to go every night, and that starts in practice, and that always carries over to games” said coach Cade Borrison. “And all the preparation, I’ve learned a lot from my dad. And yeah, I’ve just, it’s been so much fun, and I couldn’t ask for a better coach to work with.”

The Bulldogs’ pressure allowed for Amelia Grier to snatch six first quarter points, while the outside containment meant Josie Hutcheson was able to roll to the basket or cut backdoor as she supplied six points of her own in the first quarter. Despite holding a 15 to 8 lead at the end of the 1^st quarter, PCM would not go away easy.

The Mustangs boasted a defense that held their opponents to 29 points per game in their 22 victories and their physicality kept the Bulldogs to just five points in the second quarter, while a Tori Lindsay three-pointer at the buzzer brough the score even at 20 heading into the break.

A year ago, the Bulldogs were ousted by Benton in the Regional Semifinal at home. A day after the team was back in the gym, adamant that would not happen again.

“This group’s been working so hard, just about every day, just been running, running, running” explained Coach Todd Borrison. “And to finally punch your ticket to the state tournament, it’s gotta be a special feeling. It’s a great feeling, you know, and you really feel for the kids. We do a lot of basketball year, you know, year-round, and these kids have committed, and they put in the time, and they’ve kept, you know, getting better and better, and they’ve trusted the process. And the ultimate reward is punching your ticket, and they got to experience that today. And we’ve been close a couple times, but this is always a big hurdle to get over. And they just fought, and fought, and fought tonight, and I was really, really proud of them.”

Grier’s defense again led to quick offense for Mediapolis to start the second half and that separation was all Mediapolis needed, despite Lindsay’s 12 points in the second half for a game high 22 points.

Overall, Mediapolis tallied 18 steals and only made four three-pointers on the night, despite the squad averaging 11 per game. Grier led the way with 17 points, but Grace Holsteen added 11, including eight points in the fourth quarter, and Hutcheson added 13 points of her own. This cohesiveness is what coach Todd Borrison believes will carry Mediapolis through the tournament,

“Well, they really love each other, and they take care of each other, and they play together as a team. And I said before, our strength, our superpower is our balance. And that balance starts, to be a team of truly balanced kids, you gotta really like each other, and you gotta know each other’s strengths and weaknesses. And they really get the game, and they really, ultimately, they don’t care who gets any credit. They just like to win, and that makes it a fun group, and a group that you like to see be successful.”

The Bulldogs grabbed the #7 seed for the Class 3A state tournament and will face off against #2 Maquoketa at 8:30 pm on Monday, March 2^nd. KILJ 105.5 FM, kilj.com, will be on the call with the pregame show at 8:15 pm.