March 18, 2024

Regional basketball pairings are released

The path to another state tournament berth has been drawn for the sixth ranked Lynnville-Sully girls’ basketball team.

The Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union released its basketball pairings for Class 1A, 2A and 3A on Monday afternoon and the Hawks were given two home games and a potential trip to Iowa City for a regional final and a chance to lock down a fifth state tournament berth in the last six years.

Lynnville-Sully, one of six remaining undefeated teams in Class 1A, received a first-round bye and will face either HLV (2-13) or Cedar Valley Christian (7-8) in the 1A Region 5 quarterfinals in Sully on Feb. 17.

A win would then advance the Hawks (16-0) to the regional semifinals, which also will be in Sully on Feb. 20. Potential opponents include Iowa Valley (12-4), Montezuma (5-11), Belle Plaine (9-7) or Meskwaki Settlement School (4-10). L-S has beaten Montezuma twice in conference play this year and also has a conference win over HLV, Iowa Valley and Belle Plaine.

The 1A Region 5 final will be played at Iowa City West. The favorite to reach that game on the other side of the bracket is No. 12 Springville (13-2). All girls basketball playoff games involving area schools tip off at 7 p.m.

Prairie City-Monroe is another area team which was potentially given a pair of home playoff games.

The Class 3A No. 15 Mustangs will play in Region 6 and will host Centerville (6-10) in the regional quarterfinals on Feb. 14.

A win would push PCM to the regional semifinals in Monroe on Feb. 18. The opponent would either be Albia (7-9) or Chariton (5-9).

Things could get much tougher for the Mustangs (11-5) after the first two rounds. The regional final will be played in Washington on Feb. 21 and the opponent will likely be 3A No. 1 and undefeated Mediapolis.

The other three teams in the region include Mediapolis’ first-round opponent, Louisa-Muscatine (2-14), Central Lee (11-6) and Davis County (8-7).

Colfax-Mingo and Collins-Maxwell/Baxter will both play in Class 2A Region 7.

The Raiders (2-14) will travel to Pella Christian (8-6) for a first-round game on Feb. 14, while Colfax-Mingo (0-15) heads to Conrad to face BCLUW (5-12) that same night.

A CMB win over the Eagles would put the Raiders in the regional quarterfinals against former Heart of Iowa Athletic Conference rival West Marshall (13-4). That game will be played in State Center on Feb. 17.

Colfax-Mingo’s regional quarterfinal opponent, if it knocks off the Comets, will be 11th-ranked Des Moines Christian (12-4). That game will be in Urbandale on Feb. 17.

Those two regional quarterfinal winners will meet in the semifinals in Urbandale on Feb. 20. The regional final will be played at Adel on Feb. 23. And the likely opponent from the other side of the bracket is No. 7 Panorama (14-2). Van Meter (11-5) also is on the other side.

The Class 4A and 5A pairings will be released by the IGHSAU on Feb. 2.

Contact Troy Hyde at
641-792-3121 ext. 6536 or thyde@newtondailynews.com