5 Up, 5 Down (Week 10)
Up Linn-Mar After losing consecutive games for the first time all season last last month — to Xavier and Jefferson — the Lions have since matched their longest win streak of the season, stringing together five straight wins. It’s…
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Linn-Mar
After losing consecutive games for the first time all season last last month — to Xavier and Jefferson — the Lions have since matched their longest win streak of the season, stringing together five straight wins. It’s becoming very clear why the Hawkeyes offered guard Jordan Bohannon a late scholarship offer – he’s 4A’s leading scorer, averaging 25.5 points per game.
Cedar Falls
The ultra-talented Tigers are hitting their stride at the right time, winners of six straight. The win streak is the longest of the season for Cedar Falls, and they are on a collision course to face the other 4A representative in this list of hot teams, Linn-Mar, in a Substate final. That would be one doozy of a game.
Anamosa
It’s now seven straight wins for the Raiders who will kick off their postseason tonight with a District 9 opening round game against North Cedar. Senior guard Kolin Schulte recently made a leap in the new 2016 rankings. He averaged 22.2 points per game while shooting 54 percent from the floor and 46 percent from 3 during the regular season.
Des Moines Christian
With a Division I wing — Keaton Van Soelen, Air Force — and a burgeoning guard in Ben Juhl, the Lions seem poised to make run to the state tournament over the next two weeks. They’ve won a season high eight straight games, and will start their postseason Thursday when they matchup against the winner of C-M-B and Woodward Academy.
Benton Community
We caught a glimpse of the Bobcats in July at the Norwalk Team Camp, they were good then, and they’re better now. Winners of 10 straight as they head into postseason play, they have to be considered one of the favorites to come out of their loaded Substate field.
Down
Cedar Rapids Xavier
Two weeks removed from inclusion in the “Up” side of the list , the Saints are faltering – losers of four straight as they head into the last week of the regular season. Two of the losses were to very good teams – Iowa City West and Linn-Mar – but the other two were very winnable games against a 6-13 Waterloos West squad, and a 10-10 Waterloo East team.
Ankeny Centennial
It’s the wrong time of the season to be playing poorly, and the Jaguars were rolling along until the last month of the season. It’s been a tough-go the whole second half of the season for Centennial – they started 9-2, but have dropped six of eight since.
Solon
The Spartans were a respectable 7-5 before their current eight game losing streak. In their defense all eight games have come at the hands of teams with winning records. They have one more regular season game to get back on track before postseason play starts a week from today.
PCM
After an impressive five game win streak during late January and early February, the Mustangs have dropped their last three regular season games against Nevada, Gilbert, and Greene County. Still, with future Grand View Viking Logan Gilman leading the way, this is a team I would not want to face in districts.
Durant
After a 10-0 start to the season, the Wildcats now find themselves skidding into the postseason, losers of nine out of 11 since the torrid start. It’s currently five straight losses for Durant, which will start its postseason play Tuesday, facing the winner of Regina and West Liberty.