SPORTS MARCH 02, 2015

The 2015 Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union State Basketball Championships begin today at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines with two KILJ area teams favored to bring home state titles. In Class 1A Burlington Notre Dame enters the tournament ranked #1 and is the returning state champion. The Nikes boast a 23-1 record, having lost to #1 ranked Class 3A tournament qualifier Mediapolis. Taylor Hickey leads the Notre Dame scoring at 19.5 points per game, also is best in the Class 1A field. Riley Killbride has the nest free throw percentage in the tourney at 93%, just ahead of Hickey at 86%. Kori Mesecher leads the way in rebounding at 8.1 per game, Taylor Hickey leads the tourney field in assists at 7 per game.   Unranked Central Lyon with an 18-6 record is the opening round opponent for the Nikes. Notre Dame has met this team before on the Wells Fargo floor, losing to them in the 2013 State Tournament semi finals 76-53, the Lions went on to win the title that year. Two starters off that team return for Central Lyon this year, Sarah Halse and Ivy Sieperda. KILJ-FM 105.5 and kilj.com will broadcast today’s 1^st round game beginning at 11:45 a.m. The winner will advance to the semi finals Wednesday evening to play the winner of the Colo-Nesco vs Newell-Fonda game that opens the tournament this morning at 10 a.m.   This afternoon Exira/Elk Horn-Kimballton will play Bedford and Freemont-Mills tangles with Springville.The 2A Class will begin play at 5 p.m. with Unity Christian against Cascade, IKM-Manning plays South Central Calhoun at 6:45 and North Linn against Des Moines Christian will wrap up the 1^st day at 8:30 p.m.

South East Conference All Conference Selections

First Team

Kelsi Phipps, Senior       Mt Pleasant

Hannah Becker, Senior   Mt Pleasant

Sami Fritz , Sophomore   Fairfield

Nicole Buch, Freshman   Fairfield

Lakyn Boltz, Senior   Keokuk

Michaela   Davis, Freshman   Keokuk

SEC All Conference Second Team

Natalie Ita   Senior, Mt Pleasant

Paige Leffler   Junior   Ft Madison

Amber Salow, Junior Washington

Paige Kayvan , Senior Keokuk

McKenzie Flattery, Junior   Fairfield

Makenzie Pezley, Sophomore Keokuk

Honorable Mention

Shelby Allender   Mt Pleasant

Sarah Moffett Mt Pleasant

Player of the Year…..Kelsi Phipps   Mt Pleasant

The Danville Bears boy’s basketball team will be headed to Des Moines next week to play in the Class 1A Division of the Iowa High School Athletic Association boys state basketball championships. The #2 ranked Bears improved their record to 25-0 with an impressive Substate Championship game at Fairfield Saturday night by a score of 78-29 over Sigourney. Danville used a smothering defense and balanced scoring to roll to the win. Connor Hoelzen led the scoring with 19 points, Mason Spear added 14 and Dillon Sanchez 11. Danville will play Monday March 9^th against 22-4 Britt West Hancock at 2 p.m. KILJ-FM 105.5 and kilj.com will broadcast live.

In a 2A Substate Championship game Iowa City Regina beat West Burlington 69-38, West Burlington was trying to qualify for the State Tournament for the 1^st time ever.

Tonight the #5 ranked Ft. Madison Bloodhounds tangle with Williamsburg at Muscatine in a 3A Substate final at 7 p.m. The Raiders are ranked #1 in some polls and #2 in others.

South East Iowa SUPER CONFERENCE

BOYS BASKETBALL ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS – 2014-15

NORTH DIVISION                                                             SOUTH DIVISION

1^st TEAM ALL CONFERENCE                                         1^st TEAM ALL CONFERENCE

*Eli Gingerich, Jr. IMS                                                    *Jeff Giannettino, Sr. Notre Dame

*Brad Wachtel, Jr. L-M                                                  *Xavior Williams, Jr. Notre Dame

*Nick Viner, Sr. Lone Tree                                           *Garrett Saunders, Sr. Van Buren

*Javonte Squires, So. Lone Tree                                               *Blake Hellweg, Sr. Holy Trinity Catholic

*Trent Lasek, So. Highland                                          Connor Holzen, Sr. Danville

*Sam Jennings, Jr. Winfield-MU                                              Mason Speer, Sr. Danville

Keaton Winn, Jr. Pekin                                                 Hunter Peebler, Sr. Danville

Tucker Hall, Jr. Highland                                               Will Mertens, Jr. Van Buren

Braden Blake, Sr. WACO                                               Da’shon Johnson, Sr. West Burlington

Jesse Wollrab, Sr. Highland                                        Neiko Selmon, Sr. West Burlington                        

Chase Finke, Sr. Columbus                                         

Player of the year-Eli Gingerich, Jr. IMS                                Co-Player of the year-Blake Hellweg, HTC, Sr.

                                                                                                                                     Mason Spear, Danville, Sr.

Co-Coach of the Year-Tom Squires, Lone Tree   Coach of the Year-Dave Steffensmeier, HTC

                                     Marcus Hall, Highland

The Iowa State Cyclone men lost a heart breaker to Kansas State Saturday 70-69, tonight the Cyclones get right back into Big 12 play against Oklahoma, KILJ-AM 1130 will broadcast the game live beginning at 7:30 p.m.

The Iowa men had to go into overtime Saturday night to beat Penn State 81-77.

The UNI Panthers fell to Wichita State 74-60 on the road Saturday.

The Iowa State women won at home against #3 ranked Baylor Saturday 76-71, it was senior day for the Cyclones and gave head coach Bill Fennelly his 600^th career win.

Sunday the 17^th ranked Iowa women defeated Minnesota 92-76 to wrap up the regular season 23-6 overall and 14-4 in the Big Ten.