Douglas Miles

Your Prep Sports

IOWA CITY – Even with its star player leading the charge West High displayed a complete team when the stakes were the highest.

When the Class 5A seventh-ranked Trojans found their lead trimmed to three points against rival Liberty High with a chance to go to state, one would assume they would be forced to lean on senior Grace Fincham, a Drake signee who had already poured in a team-high 24 points.

One would be wrong.

As the Lightning defenders focused on Fincham, West High senior Kate Van Waning and junior Sasha Baldwin saved the day.

“That is what we really believe as a coaching staff, but I think the girls do (too),” fourth-year West High coach Nate Frese said after the Trojans held off No. 8 Liberty, 61-54, in a girls basketball regional final Tuesday night at West High School. “We are a team. We’re not just one player. We’re not just going to pump it into Grace and get her 26 shots a game.”

West High (17-7) had an 11-point lead at 55-44 midway through the fourth quarter, but an 8-0 Liberty High surge made things awfully uncomfortable for the Trojans.

Clinging to the three-point lead, a Van Waning driving layup gave the Trojans some brief breathing room.

When Liberty High responded with a basket to get within three points again at 57-54, it was Baldwin’s turn.

Her drive and basket pushed the Trojans’ lead back to 59-54.

“I knew that we could do it this whole time,” Baldwin said. “I was proud of the whole team. We knew that we had this in us the whole season.”

After a defensive stop, Baldwin stepped to the free throw line and calmly drained both attempts to seal the victory with 42.2 seconds to go.

“We practice that in practice all the time,” Baldwin said. “Definitely felt comfortable.”

Baldwin and Van Waning each finished with 11 points.

Van Waning drilled three of West’s eight three-point baskets.

“We have so much confidence in each other,” Fincham said. “Obviously, when people are guarding me hard, that gives opportunities for other people and they definitely took advantage of those opportunities perfectly. I am so proud of them.”

After dropping each of its last four appearances in a regional final, West High’s senior class of Fincham, Ava Frese, Abby Neumiller and Van Waning will end their prep careers in Des Moines.

The Trojans earned the No. 6 seed and will play a state quarterfinal against third-seeded Waukee Northwest (17-5) Monday at 3:15 at Casey’s Center.

“This means everything,” Ava Frese said. “Since we’ve been playing together, this senior class, since fourth grade and every game, every practice has led up to this. We’ve been working for this for the past seven years.”

This will be the first state appearance for West High since 2021 and the eighth overall.

One year after making its state debut, Liberty High bows out at 15-8 despite a game-high 25 points from South Dakota recruit Natalie Ramsey.

Liberty High             4   17   16   17  – 54

West High                  12  21   13   15  – 61

Liberty High (54) – Ava Casey 6 1-1 17, Aubrey Meyer 0 0-0 0, Natalie Schechinger 0 2-2 2, Kennedy Goodheart 2 0-0 6, Morgan Bennett 1 0-0 2, Madilyn Meyer 1 0-0 2, Natalie Ramsey 11 3-4 25, Brynlie Walker 0 0-0 0, Totals 21 6-7 54.

West High (61) – Ava Frese 2 0-1 4, Savannah Mathias 2 2-2 6, Kate Van Waning 4 0-0 11, Abby Neumiller 2 1-1 5, Grace Fincham 9 2-2 24, Sasha Baldwin 4 2-2 11, Totals 23 7-8 61.

Three-point goals – Iowa City Liberty 6 (Casey 4, Goodheart 2), Iowa City West 8 (Fincham 4, Van Waning 3, Baldwin 1). Total fouls – Iowa City Liberty 10, Iowa City West 12. Fouled out – None.

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