By Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

Game of the Week

5A No. 4 West High (16-3) at Linn-Mar (11-8)

West High closes out the regular season with a pair of Mississippi Valley Conference road trips beginning on Tuesday against Linn-Mar.

The Women of Troy won the first meeting between the two teams 56-36 on January 10, limiting Linn-Mar to 33 percent shooting and holding the Lions to 17 points over the final three quarters.

Linn-Mar opened the season 10-3 but has lost five of its last six and four straight entering Tuesday.

Junior Kamryn Finley leads Linn-Mar in scoring at 14.6 points per game and returned to score 12 in a loss to Cedar Rapids Jefferson last Friday after missing the previous two games with an injury.

West High has won back-to-back games since a road loss at Cedar Falls and secured the MVC Mississippi Division title with a win over Dubuque Senior on Friday.

What to Watch

If history is any guide the most competitive area game this week should come in West Branch on Thursday when the Bears host Clear Creek Amana in the regular season finale for both teams.

Since the two teams started playing a non-conference contest annually in the 2010-2011 season four of the six meetings have been decided by less than five points.

West Branch has won all six of the games since 2010 including a rare lopsided victory in the series, 54-24 in Tiffin last season.

Last year’s 30-point win is the only game in the last six meetings decided by more than 15 points and followed back-to-back two-point West Branch wins the previous two seasons.

Keep an Eye On

Solon faced an unusual schedule last week when a makeup game on Monday forced the Spartans to play Maquoketa twice in a five-day span.

A similar schedule quirk awaits Solon this week.

Solon hosts rival Mount Vernon in its regular season finale on Wednesday in a game moved one day to accommodate the Spartans hosting regional wrestling.

The two teams will meet again 72 hours in a Class 3A, Region 5 quarter final in Mount Vernon.

Mount Vernon won the first meeting this year 56-28 in Mount Vernon and defeated Solon 61-50 in the regional finals last season.

The Schedule

Tuesday Feb. 7

5A No. 4 West High (16-3) at Linn-Mar (11-8)

Cedar Rapids Washington (7-12) at 5A No. 5 City High (18-1)

Tipton (5-14) at 2A No. 1 Regina (21-0)

4A No. 1 Marion (19-1) at Clear Creek Amana (12-7)

Wednesday, Feb. 8

3A No. 11 Mount Vernon (13-6) at Solon (8-12)

Thursday, Feb. 9

Clear Creek Amana (12-7) at West Branch (12-8)

Friday, Feb. 10

5A No. 4 West High (16-3) at Waterloo West (11-7)

5A No. 5 City High (18-1) at Dubuque Wahlert (4-14)

Saturday, Feb. 11

Class 3A, Region 5 Quarterfinal: Solon (8-12) at 3A No. 11 Mount Vernon (13-6)