State Tournament: Monday Game Recaps

1A Quarterfinal: #1 Grand View Christian 61, #8 New London 51

Top-seeded Grand View Christian got a fight from eighth-seeded New London for the first 16 minutes, then used a big run to gain some distance from the Tigers in the second half en route to a 61-51 win, advancing to Wednesday's Class 1A semifinals.

The underdog Tigers came out and punched Grand View Christian in the face, jumping out to a 12-6 lead late in the first quarter, and holding a five-point edge midway through the second. But the Thunder closed the half on a 10-2 run to take a 25-22 lead into the locker rooms.

Grand View Christian was able to extend that run out to 18-2 early in the third quarter, grabbing an 11-point lead and pretty much coasting the rest of the way. New London never got closer than five points the rest of the morning, as the overwhelming size of the Thunder frontcourt, and the quickness and playmaking of their backcourt, proved to be too much for the smaller Tigers.

A pair of deep 3-pointers from Blaise Porter Blaise Porter 6'1" | PG New London | 2023 State #298 Nation IA late in the fourth quarter, sandwiched around a front-end miss on a 1-and-1, made things interesting briefly with 57 seconds to play, but the Thunder made their free throws down the stretch to hold on and advance.

Grand View Christian improves to 25-0 with the win. The Thunder await either West Harrison or Dunkerton in the semifinals on Wednesday afternoon. They were led by Frankie Chiodo Frankie Chiodo 6'0" | SG Dowling | 2023 State IA and Josh Sanderson Josh Sanderson 5'10" | PG Grand View Christian | 2023 State IA , who each had a team-high 14 points. Emiliano Barrantes Emiliano Barrantes 6'9" | PF Grand View Christian | 2025 State IA had 13 points and 12 rebounds, and Daniel Tobiloba Daniel Tobiloba 7'0" | C Grand View Christian | 2023 State IA chipped in 10 points, 13 rebounds, and 6 blocks.

New London's season ends with a 19-7 record and the school's second straight tournament appearance (2017). This loss marks the end of fantastic four-year varsity careers for standouts Kade Benjamin Kade Benjamin 6'6" | PF New London | 2023 State IA and Blaise Porter Blaise Porter 6'1" | PG New London | 2023 State #298 Nation IA . Porter led the Tigers with 15 points and 5 assists, while Benjamin added 14 points and 9 rebounds.

Team stats
New London: 20-57 FG (35.1%), 8-20 3P (40.0%), 3-4 FT (75.0%); 29 rebounds (9 offensive); 10 assists, 7 turnovers
Grand View Christian: 21-53 FG (39.6%), 3-15 3P (20.0%), 16-21 FT (76.2%); 44 rebounds (17 offensive); 8 assists, 9 turnovers

MVP: 2025 Emiliano Barrantes Emiliano Barrantes 6'9" | PF Grand View Christian | 2025 State IA (Grand View Christian) -- 13 points (5-11 FG, 1-6 3P, 2-4 FT), 12 rebounds, 1 assist

Take your pick from any of the GVC starters, but we'll go with Barrantes here, whose activity on the offensive glass was huge during their 18-2 run that blew this one open. The mobile 6-9 sophomore is an intriguing prospect to keep an eye on over the next few years.

1A Quarterfinal: #4 West Harrison 85, #5 Dunkerton 63

After getting run out of the gym early in their quarterfinal loss last year, West Harrison made sure that wouldn't happen again this year, scoring seven seconds into the game and never trailing as they cruised to a 85-63 win over fifth-seeded Dunkerton on Monday afternoon.

Koleson Evans Koleson Evans 6'6" | SF West Harrison | 2023 State IA scored on a layup with 7:53 left in the first quarter, and West Harrison rolled the rest of the way, leading by as many as 15 points in the first quarter and making sure that Dunkerton was never able to re-gain their footing. The Raiders were able to cut the deficit down to four points late in the second quarter, but a late spurt from the Hawkeyes pushed their halftime edge back to 10, 36-26.

Dunkerton scored the first two points of the second half, but West Harrison quickly responded with seven straight to push it back to 15 points and they never looked back.

West Harrison improves to 24-1 with the win, and will advance to play #1 Grand View Christian in the semifinals at 5:30 on Wednesday night. All five starters scored in double figures, led by Koleson Evans Koleson Evans 6'6" | SF West Harrison | 2023 State IA , who had 27 points and 14 rebounds. Walker Rife had 16 points, Mason McIntosh 15, Mason King Mason King 5'10" | PG West Harrison | 2023 State IA 13, and Sage Evans Sage Evans 6'2" | PF West Harrison | 2023 State IA chipped in 11 points and 21 rebounds in the resounding win.

Dunkerton's season ends with a 24-2 record and their first state tournament appearance since 2014. The stellar careers of Casey Gardner Casey Gardner 5'8" | PG Dunkerton | 2023 State IA and Preston Gillespie Preston Gillespie 6'3" | SF Dunkerton | 2023 State IA come to an end with this loss, and that tandem has their names all over the Dunkerton High record books. Gardner led the Raiders with 25 points while Gillespie chipped in 19. The Raiders will lose those two, but bring back Dylan Marquart Dylan Marquart 6'1" | SG Dunkerton | 2025 State IA , Noah Fuelling Noah Fuelling 6'0" | PG Dunkerton | 2025 State IA , and Dalton Weepie, giving them a solid trio to start rebuilding around.

Team stats
Dunkerton: 25-56 FG (44.6%), 8-26 3P (30.8%), 5-9 FT (55.6%), 14 rebounds (2 offensive), 10 assists, 8 turnovers
West Harrison: 32-59 FG (54.2%), 6-15 3P (40.0%), 15-20 FT (75.0%), 48 rebounds (16 offensive), 13 assists, 12 turnovers

MVP: 2023 Koleson Evans Koleson Evans 6'6" | SF West Harrison | 2023 State IA (West Harrison) -- 27 points (12-17 FG, 1-4 3P, 2-2 FT), 14 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block, 1 steals

Evans set the tone early, scoring 11 points in the first quarter en route to a game-high 27. The 6-6 combo forward is a major matchup problem at this level with his ability to score off of off-ball movement, stretch the floor, and pound the offensive glass.

1A Quarterfinal: #2 North Linn 72, #7 Madrid 63

North Linn got everything they could handle from an upset-minded Madrid team on Monday afternoon before finally prevailing, 72-63, advancing to the semifinals for the seventh consecutive season.

The Lynx have become accustomed to winning over the last decade, and they used the same formula they usually do to separate themselves from a really good Madrid team - force turnovers, score at the rim, and knock down free throws. The Lynx forced 18 turnovers, turning those turnovers into 26 points. They scored 35 points in the paint, and went 14-20 from the free-throw line, outscoring the Tigers by 10 from the stripe.

North Linn never trailed in the game, and after a 3-pointer from Mason Bechen Mason Bechen 6'1" | PG North Linn | 2025 State IA with 4:57 left in the first quarter gave them a 10-7 lead, they were never tied again. But that doesn't mean things weren't interesting. Madrid used a scorching hot 11-21 performance from behind the arc to keep things tight throughout. Whenever it looked like North Linn might start to run away and hide, the Tigers would knock down a 3 or two and get the deficit back down to a few possessions, just interesting enough that the Lynx had to be a bit worried.

But, at the end of the day, Madrid simply had no answer for Mason Bechen Mason Bechen 6'1" | PG North Linn | 2025 State IA on the perimeter, or for Tate Haughenbury Tate Haughenbury 6'5" | PF North Linn | 2023 State IA inside, and the poise and steady play of the Lynx were too much. This is a team that doesn't beat itself, you have to beat it.

North Linn improves to 25-0 with the win and will await the winner of the Gladbrook-Reinbeck/Remsen, St. Mary's tilt in the semifinals. The Lynx were led by Mason Bechen Mason Bechen 6'1" | PG North Linn | 2025 State IA , who had 29 points on 9-12 shooting. Tate Haughenbury Tate Haughenbury 6'5" | PF North Linn | 2023 State IA had 25 points in the win.

Madrid's season ends with a 22-3 record and the school's first appearance in the state tournament. The Tigers were led by Kadyn Severson Kadyn Severson 6'3" | CG Madrid | 2023 State IA , who had 21 points. Toryn Severson Toryn Severson 6'4" | SG Madrid | 2025 State IA had 17 and Brody Buck Brody Buck 6'0" | SG Madrid | 2025 State IA chipped in 12. The Tigers will lose Kadyn Severson Kadyn Severson 6'3" | CG Madrid | 2023 State IA and Jackson Newell Jackson Newell 6'8" | C Madrid | 2023 IA to graduation, but will bring back three starters and should be a threat to make a run to the state tournament again next season.

Team stats
Madrid: 24-43 FG (55.8%), 11-21 3P (52.4%), 4-8 FT (50.0%), 28 rebounds (8 offensive), 13 assists, 18 turnovers
North Linn: 26-46 FG (56.5%), 6-16 3P (37.5%), 14-20 FT (70.0%), 18 rebounds (4 offensive), 9 assists, 5 turnovers

MVP: 2025 Mason Bechen Mason Bechen 6'1" | PG North Linn | 2025 State IA (North Linn) -- 29 points (9-12 FG, 5-7 3P, 6-7 FT), 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals

Bechen was fantastic throughout the game for the Lynx, scoring 19 points in the first half to help the Lynx grab control of the game, then making big play after big play in the second half. A high IQ guard who can score from all three levels, he impacts the game on both ends of the floor with his quickness, skill, and intelligence.

1A Quarterfinal: #6 Remsen, St. Mary's 57, #3 Gladbrook-Reinbeck 47

An experienced Remsen, St. Mary's team making their seventh straight trip to the state tournament shook off a slow start, clamped down defensively, and used a balanced offensive attack to upset third-seeded Gladbrook-Reinbeck on Monday evening, 57-47, advancing to the Class 1A semifinals, where they'll face off with North Linn.

Everything that could go right did go right for Gladbrook-Reinbeck in the first 10 minutes, jumping out to a 24-13 lead with 6:00 left in the second quarter. From that point on, however, St. Mary's suffocated the Rebels offense, holding them to just 10 points over the next 14 minutes of action to grab a 41-34 lead after three quarters.

St. Mary's extended their advantage to 10 midway through the fourth quarter, and was able to keep Gladbrook-Reinbeck at arms length, never allowing the Rebels to get closer than two possessions the rest of the way.

Remsen, St. Mary's improves to 23-2 with the win. The Hawks were led by sophomore big man Collin Homan Collin Homan 6'5" | PF Remsen, St. Mary's | 2025 State IA , who had 17 points and 16 rebounds in the win. Jaxon Bunkers Jaxon Bunkers 5'11" | SF St. Mary's, Remsen | 2023 State IA had 12 points, and Cael Ortmann Cael Ortmann 6'2" | SF St. Mary's, Remsen | 2023 State IA added 11. The Hawks held Gladbrook-Reinbeck to just 23 points in the final 22 minutes of the game.

Gladbrook-Reinbeck's season ends with a 23-3 record and their first state tournament appearance since 2017. The Rebels were led by William Kiburis William Kiburis 6'4" | PG Gladbrook-Reinbeck | 2023 State IA , who finished off a stellar career with 16 points. Caleb Egesdal Caleb Egesdal 5'10" | SG Gladbrook-Reinbeck | 2023 State IA chipped in 14 points in the loss. The Rebels will lose their top three scorers off of this team, but will bring back two starters in Isaac Clark and Drew Eilers Drew Eilers 6'3" | PF Gladbrook-Reinbeck | 2025 State IA .

Team stats
Remsen, St. Mary's: 19-42 FG (45.2%), 5-12 3P (41.7%), 14-18 FT (77.8%), 31 rebounds (10 offensive), 11 assists, 10 turnovers
Gladbrook-Reinbeck: 17-41 FG (41.5%), 6-18 3P (33.3%), 7-14 FT (50.0%), 22 rebounds (6 offensive), 9 assists, 12 turnovers

MVP: 2025 Collin Homan Collin Homan 6'5" | PF Remsen, St. Mary's | 2025 State IA (Remsen, St. Mary's) -- 17 points (6-10 FG, 0-1 3P, 5-7 FT), 16 rebounds (7 offensive), 3 assists, 1 block

Nothing about what Homan did is going to blow you away, but he's always in the right place at the right time, and is the beneficiary of guards who love to give it up. He's a big, strong forward with soft hands and good touch around the rim, and he flashed some good court vision as well.

2A Quarterfinal: #1 Central Lyon 74, #8 Des Moines Christian 41

Central Lyon looked every bit the part of the #1 team in the state on Monday evening, blasting Des Moines Christian, 74-41, to advance to Thursday's Class 2A semifinals.

After finishing runner-up here last year, Central Lyon has been on a mission this season, routinely blowing teams out with their overwhelming combination of length, athleticism, IQ, and skill. That trend continued here, as they jumped out to a 25-11 lead after the first quarter, extended the advantage to 45-23 at the half, and reached a running clock with 2:30 left in the third quarter. They led by as many as 43 points in the fourth quarter.

Central Lyon improves to 22-1 with the win and will await either Pella Christian or MFL-Mar-Mac in the semifinals. The Lions were led by Andrew Austin Andrew Austin 6'6" | PF Central Lyon | 2023 State IA , who had 21 points and 14 rebounds. Josh Elbert, who came in averaging 4.9 points a game, had 18 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists. Zach Lutmer Zach Lutmer 6'1" | PG Central Lyon | 2023 IA had 17 points and 7 rebounds in the win.. The Lions shot 51.9% from the floor in a dominant all-around performance.

Des Moines Christian's season ends with an 18-7 record. The Lions were led by Seaton Ingram Seaton Ingram 6'5" | SF Des Moines Christian | 2025 State IA , who had 11 points. The Lions will lose Carsen Theis Carsen Theis 6'1" | SG Des Moines Christian | 2023 State IA to graduation, but bring back their other four starters. A perennial power who routinely wins 16+ games and is a threat to make it to the state tournament, that will be the case again next season.

Team stats
Des Moines Christian: 14-49 FG (28.6%), 6-20 3P (30.0%), 7-16 FT (43.8%), 23 rebounds (9 offensive), 5 assists, 11 turnovers
Central Lyon: 28-53 FG (52.8%), 10-23 3P (43.5%), 8-10 FT (80.0%), 43 rebounds (11 offensive), 17 assists, 14 turnovers

MVP: 2023 Andrew Austin Andrew Austin 6'6" | PF Central Lyon | 2023 State IA (Central Lyon) -- 21 points (9-13 FG, 1-2 3P, 2-2 FT), 14 rebounds, 2 steals

The 6-7 combo forward was a force throughout this one on the glass and as a three-level scorer. He's a fantastic athlete who loves to finish above the rim, he can stretch the floor, and he provides plenty of defensive versatility for the Lions.

2A Quarterfinal: #4 Pella Christian 61, #5 MFL MarMac 54

Basketball is a game of runs, and it was the run to close the first half that fourth-seeded Pella Christian used to sprint past fifth-seed MFL MarMac and into the 2A semifinals with a 61-54 win to conclude action on Monday night.

MFL MarMac, a team that has been questioned throughout the year due to the strength of the league that they play in, proved they belonged at the state tournament with their play in this quarterfinal. The Bulldogs jumped out of the gates quick, taking a 15-5 lead five minutes into the game behind a lightning-quick attack. Pella Christian was able to stem the tide, going on a 14-0 run to take a 23-19 lead midway through the second quarter. After MFL answered with an 8-0 run of their own, it was Pella Christian's 12-4 run to close out the half, giving them a 38-31 edge at the break, that was the difference maker.

MFL MarMac was able to get the deficit back down to as little as two points, 49-47, with 7:16 left to play, but a 7-0 spurt from the Eagles put the game away.

Pella Christian improves to 16-9 with the win. The Eagles were led by Aiden Stoltz Aiden Stoltz 6'0" | SG Pella Christian | 2023 State IA , who had 15 points. Tysen Devries Tysen Devries 5'9" | PG Pella Christian | 2024 State IA battled foul trouble and finished with 12 points. The Eagles will take on top-seeded Central Lyon at 10:30 on Thursday morning in the first 2A semifinal.

MFL MarMac's season ends with a 24-2 record and the school's first state tournament appearance since 2013. The Bulldogs were led by sophomore guard Zach Driscoll Zach Driscoll 6'0" | SG Decorah | 2025 State IA , who had a game-high 22 points and 8 rebounds. Carver Blietz-Bentien Carver Blietz-Bentien 6'1" | SF MFL MarMac | 2024 State IA added 15 points in the loss. The Bulldogs will bring back four starters and all but one player from this state-qualifying team, and will be a force to be reckoned with next season.

Team stats
MFL MarMac: 22-60 FG (36.7%), 4-18 3P (22.2%), 6-7 FT (85.7%), 36 rebounds (17 offensive), 8 assists, 8 turnovers
Pella Christian: 22-48 FG (45.8%), 6-17 3P (35.3%), 11-16 FT (68.8%), 34 rebounds (11 offensive), 18 assists, 11 turnovers

MVP: 2023 Aiden Stoltz Aiden Stoltz 6'0" | SG Pella Christian | 2023 State IA (Pella Christian) -- 15 points (6-9 FG, 3-5 3P, 0-1 FT), 2 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal

A 6-0 wing with great length, Stoltz made a number of big plays for the Eagles throughout the game, using his length and athleticism to change the tone of the game for Pella Christian.

State Tournament: Monday Game Recaps

In this article:

Class 1A: Stars to Watch (Part 1)

Dynamic Duos in Class 3A

Preseason All-Conference Teams: Bluegrass

Class 2A: 5 2027-2028 Players Who Could Break Out in 2025-26

Dynamic Duos in Class 2A

Team	1Q	2Q	3Q	4Q	Final
New London	12	10	15	14	51
Grand View Christian	10	15	25	11	61

Team	1Q	2Q	3Q	4Q	Final
Dunkerton	13	13	19	18	63
West Harrison	21	15	23	26	85

Team	1Q	2Q	3Q	4Q	Final
Madrid	11	14	20	18	63
North Linn	19	15	24	14	72

Team	1Q	2Q	3Q	4Q	Final
Remsen, St. Mary's	11	15	15	16	57
Gladbrook-Reinbeck	17	9	8	13	47

Team	1Q	2Q	3Q	4Q	Final
Des Moines Christian	11	12	4	14	41
Central Lyon	25	20	21	8	74

Team	1Q	2Q	3Q	4Q	Final
MFL MarMac	19	12	13	10	54
Pella Christian	14	24	11	12	61