Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

The Matchups

No. 2 Dallas Center-Grimes (21-2) vs. No. 7 Waverly-Shell Rock (22-1)  

Dallas Center-Grimes returns to the state tournament for the second year in a row and the fifth time in the past six seasons.

The Mustangs enter the state tournament riding a 13-game winning streak that includes victories over state qualifiers Williamsburg, Ankeny and Norwalk.

Since averaging just 35.5 points per game in back-to-back losses to 5A No. 10 City High and 4A No. 3 Norwalk in early January, Dallas Center-Grimes has averaged 64 points per game during its 13-game winning streak.

The Mustangs are 5-2 against state qualifiers this season including a 2-1 mark against teams in the 4A field.

Junior Macy Meyer leads Dallas Center-Grimes with 14.4 points per game while sophomore Ava Smid averages 12.1 points and 6.9 rebounds per game.

Senior Leah Brauch averages 9.5 points per game.

Waverly-Shell Rock returns to the state tournament for the second time in the past three seasons and fifth time in the past eight years.

The Go-Hawks finished runner-up in their last state tournament appearance in 2024, falling to Clear Creek Amana in the title game.

Waverly-Shell Rock brings an 11-game winning streak into the state tournament that includes a 63-45 win over defending 4A champion Cedar Rapids Xavier in the regional title game.

The lone loss for the Go-Hawks this season was a 50-29 loss to 3A top-ranked Mount Vernon on January 9.

Junior Lizzy Frazell is the only Waverly-Shell Rock player averaging double figures but four players are scoring at least five points per game.

Frazell averages 19 points, 6 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game and senior Brittney Bodensteiner averages 8.6 points and 8.3 rebounds per game.

No. 3 Norwalk (21-2) vs. No. 6 Central DeWitt (23-1)  

Central DeWitt and Norwalk meet in a rematch of last year’s quarterfinal thriller won by Norwalk 56-54.

The rematch should be another great game as both teams enter the state tournament playing at a high level.

Central DeWitt enters riding a 23-game winning streak that included a 67-47 win over No. 11 Solon in the regional title game.

The Sabers lost to 5A No. 10 City High in the season opener and hasn’t dropped a game since, posting wins over 3A state qualifier Maquoketa, 5A No. 15 Bettendorf and 4A No. 15 Clinton during its win streak.

The second consecutive trip to state is the fourth in the past six seasons for the Sabers who are seeking their first semifinal appearance during that span.

Senior Ava Putman leads the Sabers with 17.1 points per game while sophomore Emma Putman averages 9.2 points per game.

Senior Kinley Birt averages 7.8 points and 6.8 assists per game and sophomore Audey Fuglsang averages 6.8 points and 5.5 rebounds per game.

Norwalk returns to state for the second consecutive season after making its first trip since 2007 last year.

After its quarterfinal win over Central DeWitt last year Norwalk fell to eventual state champion Cedar Rapids Xavier in the semifinals.

Norwalk enters on a six-game winning streak after defeating No. 14 Independence 61-44 in the regional title game.

The Warriors are 3-2 against state tournament qualifiers this season with wins over 5A qualifier Ankeny Centennial, Dallas Center-Grimes and 3A qualifier Des Moines Christian and losses to Dallas Center-Grimes and 3A qualifier Maquoketa.

Sophomore Braylyn Birmingham ranks second in the state in scoring at 30.1 points game and also averages 7.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game.

Senior Hannah Overholser averages 8.1 points and 3 assists per game while senior Pearl Brown averages 7.7 points and 4.9 rebounds per game.

No. 1 Sioux City Heelan (23-0) vs. No. 8 North Polk (20-3)  

Top-ranked Sioux City Heelan is one of only four remaining unbeaten teams in the state entering the final week of the season.

The Crusaders completed the first unbeaten regular season in program history and are now seeking an exclamation point with its first state title since claiming the 3A crown in 2020.

Sioux City Heelan has been among the most successful programs in the state the half decade, posting a 113-11 record and five consecutive state tournament appearances the past five seasons.

The only thing missing is a title and the Crusaders have been close, losing to the eventual state champion in three of its previous four trips to state.

Sioux City Heelan finished runner-up in 4A in 2020, lost in the semifinals in both 2023 and 2024 before falling to champion Cedar Rapids Xavier in the quarterfinals last season.

This year the Crusaders have been dominant, winning games by a whopping 36.9 points per game, the fourth-highest point differential in the state.

Sioux City Heelan has three players averaging better than 14 points per game highlighted by junior all-stater Melina Snoozy who averages 20.2 points and 8 rebounds per game.

Senior Trishelle Miller averages 15.3 points and 5.4 assists and sophomore Ella Otten averages 14.3 points and 3.4 rebounds per game.

Last year’s 4A runner-up North Polk returns to the state tournament for the fourth straight season.

The Comets finished runner-up for the second time in three seasons last year falling to Cedar Rapids Xavier in the title game.

North Polk has racked up a 90-12 record over the past four seasons that have all ended at the state tournament.

All three losses this season for North Polk have come to state qualifiers with two losses to Carlisle and one to Dallas Center-Grimes in the season opener.

Entering the state tournament North Polk has won 15 of its last 16 games including a 62-42 win over No. 10 Sioux Center in the regional title game.

Junior Fayth Sullivan leads North Polk in scoring (16) and rebounding (9.1) while junior Campbell Schulz averages 14.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game.

Sophomores Sophia Bouchard and Jaslyn Rasmussen combined to average 14.3 points and 8.1 rebounds per game.

No. 4 Clear Creek Amana (20-2) vs. No. 5 Carlisle (23-1)

Clear Creek Amana returns to the state tournament for the third time in the past four seasons after falling in the regional title game last season.

The Clippers have been dominant on their way to the state tournament, ranking second in 4A in scoring with 64.8 points per game and third in point differential at 25.5 per game.

Clear Creek Amana won 17 consecutive games to open the season before back-to-back losses to state qualifiers Cedar Rapids Washington and Mount Vernon.

The Clippers responded with three consecutive wins, averaging 77 points per game in postseason wins over Oskaloosa and No. 15 Clinton.

The Clippers are led by senior guard Averie Lower who needs four 3-pointers to move into a tie for third on the all-time list for made 3-pointers.

Lower ranks fifth in 4A in scoring at 24.2 points per game and eighth in 4A in rebounding with 9.8 rebounds per contest.

An Arizona State recruit, Lower is shooting 54 percent from the floor including 44 percent from beyond the 3-point line and 77 percent from the free throw line.

Senior Lena Evans is averaging 17.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 4.3 steals per game to give the Clippers one of the best one-two combos in the state.

Senior Kenedy Stratton averages 8.1 points and 3.5 assists per game and freshman Lydia Keller is averaging 6.3 points and 3.5 rebounds per game.

Carlisle is making its eighth trip to the state tournament in program history and first since 2015.

The Wildcats have already set a program record for wins in a season and will look to add to their impressive season in Des Moines.

Carlisle has been among the best defensive teams in 4A, ranking third in 4A in points allowed at 32.3.

The lone loss for Carlisle this season was a 59-58 setback at 5A state qualifier West Des Moines Valley in the regular season finale.

Carlisle advanced to the state tournament with a 51-22 win over No. 12 ADM in the regional final.

Iowa State recruit Macy Comito is the top scorer for the Wildcats, ranking sixth in 4A in scoring with 20.3 points per game.

Senior Ella Smith averages 8.7 points and 5.3 rebounds per game, sophomore Kami Clark averages 7.5 points and senior Mallie Stoner averages 7.4 points and 6 rebounds per game.

The Players

Dallas Center-Grimes: Macy Meyer, 5-7, Jr. – A second team all-state selection last season as a sophomore Meyer has been even better this season while leading the Mustangs back to the state tournament. Meyer has increased her shooting percentage from the field (43%) 3-point range (39%) and free throw line (87%) this season while averaging 14.4 points, 2.8 assists, 2.3 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game.

Waverly-Shell Rock: Lizzy Frazell, 5-11, Jr. – A Drake commit, Frazell already owns school records for 3-pointers in a game (12), season (75) and career (195) and ranks 10^th in 4A in scoring at 19 points per game to go with 6 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 3 steals and 1.7 blocks per game.

Norwalk: Braylyn Birmingham, 5-11, Soph. – A returning first team all-state selection, Birmingham has cemented her status as one of the top scorers in the state ranking second in all classes with 30.1 points per game on 52 percent shooting from the field. Birmingham also averages 7.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.3 steals and 1 blocked shot per game.

Central DeWitt: Ava Putman, 5-9, Sr. – After averaging 11.8 points per game last season in a complimentary role to all-state Lauren Walker, Putman has taken her game to another level this season while leading the Sabers in scoring at 17.1 points per game. A Truman State recruit, Putman averages 4.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 3 steals per game.

Sioux City Heelan: Melina Snoozy, 6-0, Jr. – A first-team all-state pick last season Snoozy continues to add to a resume that already ranks among the best in the state. Snoozy leads the Crusaders in both scoring (20.2) and rebounding (8) and also averages 3.1 assists and 2.3 steals per game.

North Polk: Campbell Schulz, 5-9, Jr.  – A Northern Iowa commit, Schulz is averaging 14.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game and leads the Comets with 4.1 assists and 3.7 steals per contest.

Clear Creek Amana: Averie Lower, 6-0, Sr. – An Arizona State recruit, Lower will go down as one of the best shooters in state history needing just four 3-pointers to move into a tie for third most in state history. Lower ranks ninth in the state in scoring at 24.2 points per game and averages 9.8 rebounds, 3.4 steals and 2.9 assists per game.

Carlisle: Macy Comito, 5-9, Sr. – The all-time leading scorer in Carlisle history with 1,728 points, Comito has been one of the top scorers in the state the past three seasons averaging better than 18.5 points per game each of the past three seasons. Comito is averaging 20.3 points, 3.4 steals, 3.3 assists and 3 rebounds per game this season while shooting 38 percent from 3-point range.

The Storylines

The Favorite

Top-ranked Sioux City Heelan returns to the state tournament as the top seed for the second consecutive season coming off the first unbeaten regular season in program history.

The Crusaders have been dominant, averaging a 4A-best 71.5 points per game and winning games by a 4A-high 36.9 points.

Sioux City Heelan enters as the favorite and has the benefit of learning from the experience of holding that title last season.

The Underdog

If there was ever a tournament field void of a true underdog this may just be it.

No team in the 4A field has more than three losses or is ranked outside the top eight leaving no team that would be a total surprise to win a game.

For the sake of this article the underdog role goes to Carlisle, which is making its first state tournament appearance in more than a decade.

Make no mistake, the Wildcats are certainly capable of winning games in Des Moines and shouldn’t be taken lightly by any opponent.

The Darkhorse

For most of the season much of the focus in Class 4A has been on four teams – Norwalk, Sioux City Heelan, Clear Creek Amana and Dallas Center-Grimes.

All four of those teams are certainly worthy of being considered as title contenders.

However, it would be very dangerous to not include Central DeWitt in that conversation.

Norwalk certainly won’t be taking the Sabers lightly after Central DeWitt pushed the Warriors to the limit in a quarterfinal last season.

Central DeWitt enters riding a 23-game winning streak and capable of adding to that total over the next week in Des Moines.

The Focus

For the sixth straight season there will be a new 4A champion.

Waverly-Shell Rock downed defending champion Cedar Rapids Xavier in the regional title game meaning there will be a new team atop 4A this season.

Last season, Xavier won its second title in four seasons as the eighth seed and this year the 4A field may once again be as balanced as any of the five state tournament fields this week.

Prior to Xavier’s title last season the previous two 4A title games had been matchups of the top two seeds.

It feels like too balanced of a field this season for their not to be an upset or two in the 4A field again this season.

The Numbers

Five Fast Facts

* – Clear Creek Amana senior Averie Lower ranks fourth in state history with 333 career made 3-pointers and is a career 44 percent shooter from 3-point range.

* – Dallas Center-Grimes is making its sixth consecutive state tournament appearance. The Mustangs are 126-20 during that six-year span with four semifinal appearances and a state title in 2023.

* – Five of the eight state qualifiers from last season return this year including three of the four semifinalists from a year ago in Norwalk, North Polk and Dallas Center-Grimes.

* – Two of the nine players in the state this season with at least 75 made 3-pointers are in the 4A field. Clear Creek Amana senior Averie Lower ranks third in the state with 92 made 3-pointers and Waverly-Shell Rock junior Lizzy Frazell is ninth with 75 made 3s.

* – Norwalk sophomore guard Braylyn Birmingham scored 50 points in a win over Waukee earlier this month.

The Schedule

Tuesday’s Quarterfinals

Dallas Center-Grimes (21-2) vs. Waverly-Shell Rock (22-1), 11:45 a.m.

Norwalk (21-2) vs. Central DeWitt (23-1), 1:30 p.m.

Sioux City Heelan (23-0) vs. North Polk (20-3), 3:15 p.m.

Clear Creek Amana (20-2) vs. Carlisle (23-1), 5 p.m.

Thursday’s Semifinals

Dallas Center-Grimes/Waverly-Shell Rock winner vs. Norwalk/Central DeWitt winner, 5 p.m.

Sioux City Heelan/North Polk winner vs. Clear Creek Amana/Carlisle winner, 6:45 p.m.

Friday’s Championship

Semifinal winners, 2:30 p.m.

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