Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

The girls state basketball tournament gets underway in less than a week at Casey’s Center in Des Moines.

Before the state tournament can get underway the fields for next week’s tournament need to be set.

Eight Class 3A teams have already secured spots at the state tournament set to run Marcy 2-7 and 16 more teams will secure their spots at state with regional finals in Classes 4A and 5A on Tuesday.

Before games tip off on Tuesday here is a look at the two Class 5A regional finals featuring Your Prep Sports area teams.

Class 5A, Region 7

No. 10 City High (17-6) at No. 9 West Des Moines Valley (12-10)

When: Tuesday, 7 p.m.

Where: West Des Moines Valley High School

Statistical leaders: City High – Tessa Driscoll, 5-6, Sr., 12.8 ppg., 5.1 rpg., 3.3 apg.; Kaitlin Loria, 5-10, Jr., 11 ppg., 6.7 rpg., 1.5 apg. West Des Moines Valley – Tylee Weite, 5-10, Jr., 14.5 ppg., 5.2 rpg, 2 apg; Avery Moon, 5-10, Sr., 9.4 ppg., 5 rpg., 2.3 apg.

About the Little Hawks: City High is playing in a regional final for the second consecutive season and seeking its first trip to state since 2022.

The Little Hawks lost back-to-back games to Cedar Rapids Washington and Cedar Rapids Jefferson to close the regular season but responded with a 69-33 win over Ames in the Region 7 semifinal on Saturday.

The 36-point semifinal win came after City High won 56-47 at Ames back on December 3.

City High has been among the best defensive teams in Class 5A this season holding opponents to 44.4 points per game while facing a schedule that consisted of 14 games against ranked teams.

The Little Hawks are 9-5 against ranked opponents this season with four of their six losses coming to teams ranked in the top eight in Class 5A.

Senior point guard Tessa Driscoll leads a balanced City High offensive attack with 12.8 points per game while junior Kaitlin Loria averages 11 points per game.

Hattie Galloway (7.1), Thisbe Lewis (5.5), Eve Vitense (5.4) and Maybes Miller (5.1) all average better than five points per contest.

About the Tigers: West Des Moines Dowling is seeking to return to the state tournament for the fourth time in five seasons after having a string of three consecutive state tournament appearances snapped last season.

Don’t be fooled by the record, the Tigers have played one of the toughest schedules in Class 5A this season with nine of their losses coming to ranked teams including eight losses to team ranked in the top six.

The Tigers also have four wins over ranked opponents this season including a victory over 5A third-ranked Waukee Northwest and a win over 1A top-ranked Algona Garrigan.

West Des Moines Valley enters the regional title game coming off consecutive wins over 4A fifth-ranked Carlisle to close the regular season and a 72-25 win over Southeast Polk in the Region 7 semifinal on Saturday.

The Tigers have relied on a balanced offensive attack that features seven players that average at least 5.3 points per game while ranking fifth in Class 5A in scoring at 60.3 points per game.

Junior Tylee Weite is the only player averaging in double figures at 14.5 points per game but teammates Avery Moon (9.4 ppg) and Jenna Fuller (8.7) are both capable scorers.

West Des Moines Valley leads 5A in made 3-pointers per game with 9.1 triples per contest and is shooting a 5A-best 35.1 percent from beyond the arc.

Who to watch: City High – Senior point guard Tessa Driscoll is the player that makes it all go for City High.

Driscoll averages a team-high 12.8 points per game and leads the Little Hawks with 46 made 3-pointers on 32 percent shooting from beyond the arc.

The 5-foot-6 senior is the Little Hawks top scorer but the impact that Driscoll brings to the court is much greater than just scoring.

She is the Little Hawks top facilitator and creator on offense averaging 3.3 assists per game and he rebounding ability (5.1) per game has been a big factor in allow City High to get out in transition.

A big game from Driscoll would be key in City High getting a road win in a tough environment on Tuesday.

West Des Moines Valley – Much like City High has in Driscoll, West Des Moines Valley has its own dynamic back court leader in junior guard Tylee Weite.

Weite leads the Tigers in scoring (14.5 ppg) and rebounding (5.2) and also averages 2 assists and 1.7 steals per game.

The 5-foot-10 Weite has made a team-high 52 3-pointers and is shooting 36 percent from beyond the arc and is also a 79 percent free throw shooter.

Weite has been at her best down the stretch averaging 18.6 points per game while scoring in double figures in five straight games including 22 points in a regional semifinal win over Southeast Polk.

What to watch: Two things to monitor closely in what should be one of the best 5A regional finals of the night.

First is tempo.

West Des Moines Valley wants to get up and down and score points and will do so largely by firing 3-pointers.

The Tigers rank third in 5A in scoring at 60.3 points per game and are attempting 28 3-pointers per game, third most in 5A.

Meanwhile, City High doesn’t necessarily want to go slow but the Little Hawks don’t want a track meet.

City High is 15-1 when holding opponents under 50 points this season and is 2-5 when allowing more than 50 points.

Class 5A, Region 8

No. 8 Liberty High (15-7) at No. 7 West High (16-7)

When: Tuesday, 7 p.m.

Where: West High

Statistical leaders: West High – Grace Fincham, 5-11, Sr., 19.2 ppg., 8.6 rpg., 2.4 apg.; Abby Neumiller, 6-0, Sr., 10.6 ppg., 3.8 rpg., 1.7 apg. Liberty High – Natalie Ramsey, 6-0, Sr., 21.5 ppg., 11 rpg., 1.9 apg., 1.5 spg.; Ava Casey, 5-4, Jr., 8.7 ppg., 3.9 apg, 2.3 rpg.

About the Trojans: West High is making its 12^th consecutive regional final appearance and is seeking to snap a four-game losing skid in regional title games.

The Trojans have lost in the regional final each of the past four seasons, all on the road, including a 61-40 loss at Cedar Rapids Prairie last season.

This year the Trojans have home court advantage as they attempt to return to the state tournament for the first time since 2021.

West High is battle tested, going 8-7 against ranked in-state opponents this season with another loss to Lincoln (Nebraska) Southwest (14-8).

The Trojans have surged down the stretch, winning three of their last four games, including victories over ranked teams Cedar Rapids Kennedy and Cedar Rapids Xavier with their only setback a 10-point loss to top-ranked two-time defending state champion Johnston in the regular season finale.

West High has three players averaging double figures led by senior forward Grace Fincham who leads the Trojans with 19.2 points and 8.6 rebounds per game.

Senior Abby Neumiller is averaging 10.6 points per game and junior Sasha Baldwin is averaging 10 points per game.

About the Lightning: Liberty High is seeking a second consecutive trip to state in another regional final matchup with a cross-town opponent.

Last season the Lightning defeated City High in the regional title game after splitting a pair of regular season meetings with the Little Hawks.

It is a similar setup this season as Liberty High and West High each took turns winning on the opponent’s home floor during the regular season.

Liberty High lost back-to-back road games to ranked teams late in the regular season falling to City High and Cedar Rapids Xavier but rebounded with a home win over No. 14 Cedar Rapids Kennedy in the regular season finale before downing Cedar Rapids Jefferson 57-35 in the Region 8 semifinal on Saturday.

Ramsey is the only Liberty High player averaging in double figures but three other Liberty High players are scoring at least 6 points per game.

Junior Ava Casey averages 8.7 points per game while sophomore Natalie Schechinger is averaging 6.8 and Brynlie Walker averages 6.2 per game.

Who to watch: West High – Senior Grace Fincham is seeking to add one of the few missing pierces to a brilliant prep career, a trip to the state tournament.

A Drake recruit, Fincham has put together her best prep season to date, averaging 19.2 points, 8.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game while shooting 49 percent from the floor including 37 percent from 3-point range and 78 percent from the free throw line.

Fincham will also be key on the defensive end of the court on Tuesday as she will likely spend much of the game matched up on Liberty High senior standout Natalie Ramsey.

The 5-foot-11 Fincham averaged 17 points and 7 rebounds per game in two matchups with Liberty High this season including a 21-point, 6-rebound effort in a 52-36 West High win at Liberty High in January.

Liberty High – Senior Natalie Ramsey has been one of the best players in the state the past two seasons and enters the regional final fourth in Class 5A in scoring at 21.5 points per game.

Ramsey has had a knack for coming up big in the biggest moments.

She had 26 points and 14 rebounds in a 41-40 win at West High on January 31 and exploded for 40 points and 16 rebounds in a regional final win over City High last season.

A South Dakota signee, Ramsey is averaging a double-double with 11 rebounds per game this season and the Lightning will need another big game from their senior star on Tuesday to return to the state tournament for the second year in a row.

What to watch: What more could you ask for in a regional final than a winner-take-all rubber match between two cross-town rivals?

That is the situation at West High where two teams that know each other well will square off with a spot at the state tournament up for grabs.

Don’t expect a high scoring game between two teams that know each other well.

West High won the first meeting 52-36 at Liberty High on January 6 and the Lightning took the rematch 41-40 in a thriller at West High on January 30.

With points expected to be at a premium on Tuesday expect contributions from secondary scorers to be the difference.

Fincham and Ramsey are the headliners but both teams have capable scorers throughout the lineup and those players could determine the outcome on Tuesday.

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