Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

The Matchups

No. 1 Dike-New Hartford (22-2) vs. South Central Calhoun (19-5)

Defending Class 2A state champion Dike-New Hartford is making its fifth consecutive state tournament appearance after claiming the first title in program history last season.

The Wolverines have been impressive all season ranking third in Class 2A in both points per game (64) and points allowed (30.1) while winning games by a 2A-leading 33.8 points per contest.

Dike-New Hartford has a pair of regular season wins over second-ranked Denver with both its losses coming to state qualifiers in 3A sixth-ranked Center Point-Urbana and 1A second-ranked Algona Garrigan.

The Wolverines have seven players averaging at least five points per game led by sophomore Payton Petersen (17.8) and junior Ellary Knock (10.5).

South Central Calhoun posted back-to-back regional wins over ranked opponents to return to the state tournament for the first time since 2015.

The Titans have a pair of losses to top-10 ranked 1A opponents this season in Storm Lake St. Mary’s and Newell-Fonda.

South Central Calhoun has won six of its last seven with the lone loss in that stretch coming to Class 4A Spencer.

Juniors Riley Batta and Kylee Schleisman combine to average 29.4 points, 11.7 rebounds, 6.4 assists and 5.7 steals per game.

No. 4 Panorama (24-1) vs. No. 6 Regina (20-4)

Regina appeared at the state tournament five times in six seasons from 2013 to 2018 before a three-year absence.

The Regals are back in Des Moines this week seeking the fourth state tournament win in program history.

Regina will have a tough test in its opener against a Panorma squad that enters riding an 11-game winning streak.

Panorama avenged its only loss of the regular season, a one-point setback at Nodaway Valley on January 15, with a 58-41 win over the Wolverines in the regional final.

The Panthers have been among the best defensive teams in 2A this season ranking first in 2A in both points allowed (28.1) and steals per game (21.3).

Panorama has outscored opponents by an average of 33.4 points per game this season.

Senior guard Payton Beckman is one of the top shooters in 2A ranking fifth in three-point percentage (41%) and second in free throw percentage (83%) while averaging a team-high 19.9 points per game.

Regina has followed a similar path to success this season with strong defense and excellent guard plan and perimeter shooting.

The Regals are holding opponents to 35.8 points per game and have allowed more than 40 points just twice in their last 10 games.

Regina has three players averaging double figures led by junior guard Grace Gaarde with 11.4 points per game.

Lily Simpson is averaging 10.8 points and 8.6 rebounds and Morgan Miller is adding 10.3 points per game.

No. 2 Denver (23-2) vs. No. 14 Underwood (22-2)

A couple of teams looking to end long droughts without a state tournament win hook up on Wednesday in what could be one of the most exciting of the 2A quarterfinals.

Denver returns to the state tournament for the second time in three seasons seeking its first win at state since a runner-up finish in 1999.

Underwood is back at state for the first time since winning the second of back-to-back state titles in 2004.

Both regular season losses for Denver came to top-ranked defending 2A champion Dike-New Hartford and the Cyclones have wins over 1A qualifier North Linn and 4A qualifier Waverly-Shell Rock.

Denver is led by the combo of senior Reese Johnson who averages 16 points and 7.5 rebounds per game and junior Grace Hennessy who is averaging 15.5 points and 4.4 boards.

Underwood brings a 13-game winning streak into the state tournament, a stretch that includes a pair of wins over eighth-ranked Treynor who handed the Eagles their last loss back on January 7.

The Eagles have allowed more than 41 points just twice during their current winning streak and are holding opponents to 32.3 points per game during that stretch.

Underwood is led by sophomore Alizabeth Jacobsen who averages 13.4 points and 7.5 rebounds per game and senior Kendra Kuck who is scoring 13.2 points and adding 5.3 rebounds per game.

No. 3 Central Lyon (22-2) vs. No. 10 Cascade (20-4)

The final Class 2A quarterfinal is a contrast in styles as high-scoring Central Lyon and defensive-centric Cascade meet for a spot in the semifinals.

Central Lyon ranks second in Class 2A in scoring averaging 64.3 points per game while shooting a 2A-best 47.1 percent from the field.

Led by junior sharp shooter Addison Klosterbuer who is shooting 38 percent from three-point range while averaging a team-leading 13.9 points per game the Lions are the top three-point team in 2A at 34.1 percent from beyond the arc.

Both regular season losses for Central Lyon came to Class 3A second-ranked West Lyon.

Cascade is once again one of the top defensive teams in Class 2A ranking third in 2A in points allowed at 30.1.

The Cougars are making their eighth state tournament appearance in the past 10 seasons and are 6-1 in their previous seven quarterfinal contests.

Cascade is led by senior Ally Hoffman who leads the team in scoring (13.4), rebounds (9.1), assists (3.8), steals (4.2) and blocked shots (1).

The Players

Dike-New Hartford: Payton Petersen, 5-10, Soph. – A returning first team all-state selection Petersen is averaging 17.8 points per game on 68 percent shooting to go with 8.8 rebounds and 3 steals per game.

South Central Calhoun: Riley Batta, 5-11, Jr. – Batta leads the Titans in scoring (17.1), rebounding (8.4) and blocked shots (1.2) and ranks third on the team in both assists (2.6) and steals (2.4).

Panorama: Payton Beckman, 5-7, Sr. – The top scorer for the Panthers at 19.9 points per game Beckman really makes her mark on the defensive end where she ranks third in 2A with 4.9 steals per game.

Regina: Grace Gaarde, 5-3, Jr. – The engine that makes Regina go Gaarde leads the team in scoring at 11.4 points per game but is at her best as a facilitator ranking third in 2A with 5.6 assists per game.

Central Lyon: Addison Klosterbuer, 5-11, Jr. – A South Dakota commit, Klosterbuer leads the Lions with 13.9 points per game while shooting 38 percent from three-point range and also averages 4.1 rebounds and 2 steals per game.

Cascade: Ally Hoffman, 5-7, Sr. – The versatile Hoffman makes it all go for the Cougars leading the team in scoring (13.4), rebounds (9.1), assists (3.8), steals (4.2) and blocked shots (1).

Denver: Reese Johnson, 5-9, Sr. – Already with 1,000 career points and 500 career rebounds Johnson does it all for the Cyclones lead the team in scoring (16), rebounds (7.5), assists (3.4) and steals (3.1).

Underwood: Alizabeth Jacobsen, 6-3, Soph. – Jacobsen has emerged as a force in the paint averaging 13.4 points on 64 percent shooting from the floor to go with 7.5 rebounds and 1.8 blocked shots per game.

 The Storylines 

The Favorite

Top-ranked defending champion Dike-New Hartford is attempting to become first repeat champion in 2A since Unity Christian won back-to-back titles in 2015 and 2016.

The Wolverines have been on cruise control for most of the season winning games by an average of nearly 34 points per game and return to Des Moines the unquestioned favorite.

The Underdog

South Central Calhoun has already pulled off an impressive underdog postseason run.

The unranked Titans will now attempt to keep that Cinderella season going in Des Moines.

South Central Calhoun knocked off No. 11 West Hancock by 20 in the regional semifinals and then downed fifth-ranked Sibley-Ocheyedan 54-51 in the regional championship.

Now the Titans get another ranked team in No. 1 Dike-New Hartford in the quarterfinals.

The Darkhorse

Regina has hung out around the seven, eight or nine mark in the 2A rankings most of the season but has put together a resume that ranks among the best in 2A.

Now the Regals need to prove they can hang with anyone on the state’s big stage.

Regina lacks state tournament experience but has the versatility, athleticism and veteran leadership that it takes to succeed at state.

The key for the Regals will be getting out in transition and withstand any early nerves.

The Focus

Is everyone chasing Dike-New Hartford?

It feels that way.

The defending champion Wolverines have been impressive all season and enter as the lone returning 2A qualifier from a season ago.

Dike-New Hartford already owns a pair of convincing regular season wins over second-seeded Denver.

 The Numbers 

Five Fast Facts

*– Defending champion Dike-New Hartford is the only team from the 2021 Class 2A field to return to the state tournament this season.

*– Panorama is the top free throw shooting team in Class 2A this season converting on 72.8 percent of their trips to the line.

*– Regina and Central Lyon are the only teams in the 2A field with three players averaging double digit points. For Regina Grace Gaarde (11.4), Lily Simpson (10.8) and Morgan Miller (10.3) are all scoring at least 10 points per game.

*– Central Lyon is making its third trip to state but first outside of Class 1A. The Lions won the Class 1A title in 2013.

*– Three teams enter the 2A state tournament with winning streaks of 10 games or more led by Underwood which has won 13 in a row.

The Schedule

Tuesday’s Quarterfinals

Dike-New Hartford (22-2) vs. South Central Calhoun (19-5), 6:45 p.m.

Panorama (24-1) vs. Regina (20-4), 8:30 p.m.

Wednesday’s Quarterfinals

Denver (23-2) vs. Underwood (22-2), 10 a.m.

Central Lyon (22-2) vs. Cascade (20-4), 11:45 a.m.

Friday’s Semifinals

Dike-New Hartford/South Central Calhoun winner vs. Regina/Panorma winner, 10 a.m.

Denver/Underwood winner vs. Central Lyon/Cascade winner, 11:45 a.m.

Saturday’s Championship

Semifinal winners, 4:45 p.m.

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