Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

The Matchups

No. 15 Clear Creek Amana (19-4) vs. No. 1 North Scott (23-0)

Clear Creek Amana pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the postseason snapping a string of four straight state tournament trips for Marion with a convincing 66-49 road win over the second-ranked Indians.

Things don’t get any easier for the Clippers in their first ever state tournament appearance with top-ranked and unbeaten defending state champion North Scott waiting in the opening round.

Clear Creek Amana enters playing as well as any team in the state.

The Clippers have won 14 of their last 15 games and bring a five-game winning streak into state tournament play, a stretch that includes wins over a pair of top five teams.

The past three games for Clear Creek Amana have been wins at No. 5 Center Point-Urbana and No. 2 Marion and a 75-59 win over Pella in which the Clippers shot 67 percent from the field.

Clear Creek Amana is led by senior all-stater Karsyn Stratton with 21.2 points per game while senior Meagan Harvey adds 9.3 points per game and sophomore Calia Clubb averages 9.1 points 9.3 rebounds per contest.

North Scott has won state titles in each of its previous state meet appearances, edging Marion 50-49 in the championship game last season after downing the Indians 50-42 for the 2017 title.

The Lancers rolled past No. 11 Keokuk 66-27 in the regional final and have had just three games decided by single digits all season.

North Scott is led by one of the state’s best players in senior center Grace Boffeli who is shooting 70 percent while ranking second in the state in scoring (29.4) and fourth in rebounding (12.2).

Senior guard Presley Case averages 8.8 points and is ranks second in the state with 7.3 assists per game.

No. 5 Center Point-Urbana (21-2) vs. No. 6 Waverly-Shell Rock (20-2)

The lone Class 4A quarterfinal to feature a regular reason rematch figures to be one of the best in the opening round after Center Point-Urbana edged Waverly-Shell Rock 40-38 back in December.

Waverly-Shell Rock returns to the state tournament for the second straight season seeking its first semifinal appearance since 2013.

The Go-Hawks have won 20 straight since starting the season with back-to-back losses to Mason and Center Point-Urbana posting wins over 5A qualifier Cedar Rapids Prairie and downing ninth-ranked Cedar Rapids Xavier by 17 in the regional final.

Among the most efficient offensive teams in the state, Waverly-Shell Rock leads 4A in both field goal percentage (48.5) and 3-point percentage (39.3) while averaging 54.4 points per game.

Junior Abbie Draper leads the Go-Hawks with 18 points per game while senior Britney Young averages 11.5 points per game and is shooting 49 percent from 3-point range, best in the 4A field.

Center Point-Urbana makes the jump back up to Class 4A after winning the 3A state title a year ago.

The Stormin’ Pointers are making their fifth consecutive appearance at the state tournament and have reached the semifinals in three of the last four seasons but all in Class 3A.

The two losses for Center Point-Urbana have come to Marion and Clear Creek Amana by a combined three points and the Stormin’ Pointers returned to state with a 49-44 win over No. 10 Central DeWitt.

No. 3 Glenwood (24-0) vs. No. 8 Gilbert (19-3)

Both teams ended relatively long state tournament droughts with regional final wins last week but the winner of this quarterfinal is going to end a lengthy streak without a victory at the state tournament.

Gilbert has won 10 straight games to return to the state tournament for the first time since 1997 and is seeking its first win at state since 1955.

The Tigers started the season 3-2 with losses to 5A No. 14 West High and 3A qualifier North Polk but have won 15 of 16 since with their lone loss in that stretch coming to North Polk.

Gilbert is among the most balanced teams in the 4A field with three players averaging between 10 and 16 points per game led by sophomore Ava Hawthorne.

Four Tigers have more than 100 rebounds led by junior Emma Bulman who grabs 6.5 per game to go with 13.1 points.

Glenwood joins North Scott as the only unbeaten teams in the 4A field winning 24 games by an average of 24 points.

The Rams are making their third trip to state and first since 2012 with their lone state tournament win coming in 1979.

What it lacks in state tournament experience Glenwood more than makes up for in offensive explosiveness.

The young Rams lead 4A in scoring at 72.5 points per game and are tops in 4A with 420 assists.

Three Rams average more than 11 points per game led by sophomore Madison Camden with 17.8 points per game and freshman Jenna Hopp with 13.3 points per game.

No. 4 Ballard (22-1) vs. No. 7 Council Bluffs Lewis Central (19-5)

Two teams streaking into the postseason playing their best basketball collide in what appears to be another evenly-matched 4A quarterfinal.

Ballard has won 22 in a row after a 52-45 loss to 4A qualifier Gilbert in the season opener, knocking off No. 12 Mason City 58-45 in the regional final.

The Bombers were a state tournament regular in the early 2000s reaching the semifinals eight times in nine seasons from 2006 to 2014 but haven’t won a game at state since, dropping quarterfinal contests in 2015 and 2016.

Ballard is one of the stingiest defensive teams in the state leading 4A in points allowed at 30.7 while collecting a 4A-best 335 which is 20 more than any other team.

Three Bombers average between 10.6 and 11.6 points per game led by junior guard Josie Fleischmann who ranks fifth in the state with 74 made 3-pointers and is shooting 47 percent from beyond the 3-point arc.

Council Bluffs Lewis Central is no state tournament stranger, qualifying for the fourth time in five seasons but is seeking its first win at state since 1965.

The Titans have won seven straight and 13 of their last 14 games with the only loss in that stretch coming at 5A No. 10 West Des Moines Valley.

A stiff schedule has tested the Titans with a pair of five-point losses to 4A qualifier Glenwood, an out of state loss to Millard South (Nebraska) and a one-point loss to 3A qualifier Red Oak.

Council Bluffs Lewis Central also owns wins over 5A qualifier Sioux City East, 3A qualifier Sioux City Heelan and 1A qualifier Council Bluffs St. Albert.

The Titans possess a formidable front court with seniors Megan Witte (16.5 points, 5.6 rebounds) and Delaney Esterling (11.9 points, 7.1 rebounds).

The Players

CLEAR CREEK AMANA: Karsyn Stratton, 5-8, Sr., The top scorer in Clear Creek Amana history Stratton is leading the Clippers in scoring for the fourth straight season and ranks fourth in 4A at 21.2 points per game.

NORTH SCOTT: Grace Boffeli, 6-1, Sr., Northern Iowa recruit ranks second in the state in scoring at 29.4 points per game and fourth in rebounds per game with 12.2 leading 4A in both categories.

CENTER POINT-URBANA: Ryle Goebel, 5-11, Soph., Goebel shot an impressive 62 percent from the field while averaging a team-high 16.6 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game.

WAVERLY-SHELL ROCK: Abbie Draper, 6-1, Jr., Leads the Go-Hawks in scoring (18), rebounding (7.5) and blocked shots (2.3) and is shooting 58 percent from the floor.

GLENWOOD: Elle Scarborough, 5-9, Jr., The third leading scorer for the Rams at 11.2 points per game Scarborough leads Glenwood in rebounds (5.5), assists (5.1) and steals (3).

GILBERT: Ava Hawthorne, 5-10, Soph., Hawthorne leads the Tigers in scoring at 16 points per game and adds 5.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game.

BALLARD: Molly Ihle, 5-6, Jr., One of only two players in 4A with more than 120 assists and 90 steals Ihle averages 10.6 points, 5.9 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 4 steals per game.

COUNCIL BLUFFS LEWIS CENTRAL: Megan Witte, 6-1, Sr., A Northern Iowa volleyball recruit, Witte leads the Titans in scoring (16.5), assists (2.8), and steals (2.8) while adding 5.6 rebounds per game.

The Favorite

As the unbeaten and top-ranked defending state champion North Scott (23-0) comes to Wells Fargo Arena as the unquestioned favorite in an otherwise balanced Class 4A field.

The Lancers are 45-3 over the past two seasons with all three losses coming to Class 5A competition and have won the state title each of the past two times they’ve reached the state tournament.

An experience North Scott squad has a veteran senior point guard in Presley Case and one of the state’s most dominant players in senior center Grace Boffeli.

North Scott is seeking its third title in four years and would become the first back-to-back champ in 4A since Harlan in 2014 and 2015.

The Underdog

At this point it hardly seems wise to call the Clippers an underdog.

In its past three games Clear Creek Amana has a pair of road wins over top-five teams knocking off defending 3A state champion and fifth-ranked Center Point-Urbana and second-ranked defending 4A runner-up Marion.

There is no questioning the Clippers are dangerous as they set their sights on another upset this time against top-ranked and defending state champion North Scott on the state’s biggest stage.

Rankings and seedings call the Clippers underdogs but they haven’t looked like it of late.

The Darkhorse

Entering the state tournament unbeaten and third-ranked Glenwood is hardly flying total under the radar but the Rams are new to the state tournament.

Glenwood is making its first trip to Wells Fargo Arena since 2012 and hasn’t won a game at state since 1979 but has the firepower to change that in a hurry this week.

The Rams are young, with a freshman and two sophomores in their starting lineup, but explosive averaging a 4A-leading 72.5 points per game.

Glenwood is certainly a team to watch this week in a 4A tournament that sets up to be one of most exciting to watch.

The Focus

Balance.

Class 4A is one of only two tournament fields with a returning state champion and the only field with a pair of unbeaten teams yet picking a champion to emerge from the 4A qualifiers is no easy task.

North Scott is one of only four remaining unbeaten teams and joins Newell-Fonda in 1A as the only 2019 champs with an opportunity to repeat in the same class (Center Point-Urbana won 3A a year ago and is also in the 4A field).

What stands out about the 4A field is the strength of teams from the one to the eight seeds. 4A is the only class without a team with more than five losses and five of the teams have two or fewer losses on the season.

Five Fast Facts

* – The top four teams in Class 4A in points allowed this season are all in the 4A tournament field. Ballard, Waverly-Shell Rock, Center Point-Urbana and Gilbert.

* – Clear Creek Amana is shooting 57 percent from the field, including 50 percent from 3-point range, during the postseason while averaging 70.5 points per game.

* – North Scott senior Grace Boffeli leads the state in free throw attempts (215) and free throws made (166) shooting 77.2 percent from the line.

* – Ballard junior Josie Fleischmann ranks fifth in the state with 74 made 3-pointers this season and is shooting 47 percent from beyond the 3-point arc.

* – Half of the four remaining undefeated teams in the state are in the 4A field in North Scott (23-0) and Glenwood (24-0) making 4A the only class with a possible title game matchup of unbeaten teams.

The Schedule

Tuesday’s Quarterfinals

Clear Creek Amana (18-4) vs. North Scott (23-0), 11:45 a.m.

Center Point-Urbana (21-2) vs. Waverly-Shell Rock (20-2) 1:30 p.m.

Glenwood (24-0) vs. Gilbert (19-3), 3:15 p.m.

Ballard (22-1) vs. Council Bluffs Lewis Central (19-5) 5 p.m.

Thursday’s Quarterfinals

Clear Creek Amana/North Scott winner vs. Center Point-Urbana/Waverly-Shell Rock winner, 5 p.m.

Glenwood/Gilbert winner vs. Ballard/Council Bluffs Lewis Central winner, 6:45 p.m.

Saturday’s Championship

Semifinal winners, 3 p.m.

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