State Tournament: Thursday Game Recaps

2A Semifinal: #1 Central Lyon 56, #4 Pella Christian 55

For the second straight season, Central Lyon will play for the Class 2A championship following a thrilling win over #4 Pella Christian, 56-55, on Thursday morning.

North Linn delivered the comeback of the tournament in the final game last night, and Central Lyon and Pella Christian delivered the game of the tournament to open up Thursday's action. A back-and-forth slugfest that saw 12 lead changes, seven in the second half, Central Lyon was eventually able to outlast the Eagles and move into tomorrow's championship game.

Pella Christian's 2-3 zone defense really stymied a high-powered Central Lyon attack throughout the first half, holding the Lions to just 39.1% shooting and forcing 8 turnovers as they built a 26-21 halftime lead.

The overwhelming athleticism of Central Lyon was on full display early in the third quarter, as the Lions came out of the break in a press, forced a few Eagles turnovers, and scored nine points in the first 1:30 of the quarter. The Lions went on a 17-2 run to take a 38-32 lead, and it looked like they might run away with it, as they have so many times this season. But Pella Christian answered with a 10-0 run of their own, taking a 42-38 lead into the final period.

Central Lyon scored the first six points of the fourth quarter, and grabbed the lead for good with 5:16 to play. But it was not without drama. Dane Geetings Dane Geetings 6'3" | PG Pella Christian | 2024 State IA hit a 3 with 21 seconds left to cut the Central Lyon lead down to 56-55. Pella Christian still had a pair of fouls to give and did so quickly. Zach Lutmer Zach Lutmer 6'1" | PG Central Lyon | 2023 IA missed the front-end of a 1-and-1 with 15.6 left, offensive rebound to Reece Vander Zee Reece Vander Zee 6'5" | SF Central Lyon | 2024 State IA , who was then fouled with 14.6 seconds to go. He also missed the front-end of his 1-and-1, and PC got the rebound. Tysen Devries Tysen Devries 5'9" | PG Pella Christian | 2024 State IA lost control of the ball on the Eagles' final possession, was able to regain it late and got a good look at a corner 3 as time expired, but didn't have quite enough on it, hitting the front of the iron and falling off. Ball game.

Central Lyon improves to 23-1 with the win and will await either Western Christian or Roland-Story in tomorrow's championship game. The Lions were led by Andrew Austin Andrew Austin 6'6" | PF Central Lyon | 2023 State IA , who had 20 points and 14 rebounds. Reece Vander Zee Reece Vander Zee 6'5" | SF Central Lyon | 2024 State IA had 19 points, and Zach Lutmer Zach Lutmer 6'1" | PG Central Lyon | 2023 IA had 8 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 blocks, and 2 steals.

Pella Christian's season ends with a 16-10 record and a second straight semifinal appearance. The Eagles were led by Dane Geetings Dane Geetings 6'3" | PG Pella Christian | 2024 State IA , who had 20 points. Tysen Devries Tysen Devries 5'9" | PG Pella Christian | 2024 State IA had 11 points and 5 assists in the loss. Geetings, DeVries, and Josiah Vos Josiah Vos 6'5" | SF Pella Christian | 2024 State IA will all return for the Eagles, and they'll be among a handful of teams near the top of the 2A rankings to begin next season.

Team stats
Pella Christian: 20-48 FG (41.7%), 11-24 3P (45.8%), 4-6 FT (66.7%), 23 rebounds (6 offensive), 10 assists, 8 turnovers
Central Lyon: 23-48 FG (47.9%), 5-19 3P (26.3%), 5-10 FT (50.0%), 31 rebounds (11 offensive), 12 assists, 11 turnovers

MVP: 2023 Andrew Austin Andrew Austin 6'6" | PF Central Lyon | 2023 State IA (Central Lyon) -- 20 points (8-11 FG, 1-2 3P, 3-5 FT), 14 rebounds (5 offensive)

Both Austin and Vander Zee were excellent in this one, stepping up huge on the offensive end. The mobile, athletic 6-7 forward who can score from all three levels was particularly great in the Lions' early third quarter run, helping them gain some momentum and get back into the game.

2A Semifinal: #3 Western Christian 79, #2 Roland-Story 61

For the third straight year, it'll be an all-northwest Iowa championship game in Class 2A as Western Christian raced past Roland-Story on Thursday afternoon, blowing open a tight game midway through the third quarter en route to a 79-61 win.

The first half was excellent, with nine lead changes and seven ties throughout the first 16 minutes, as the teams looked evenly matched on both ends of the floor. The Wolfpack took a narrow 34-32 lead into the break, and the tight play continued through the first several minutes of the third quarter.

Western Christian used a 9-0 run in 1:31 of gametime to turn a 43-all game (3:39 third quarter) into a 52-43 advantage, and then used a 20-6 run to open the fourth quarter to put the game on ice.

The Wolfpack are a typical Western Christian team - long, extremely smart, great passers, and they play this beautiful game the right way. They don't care who does the scoring or gets all the accolades, they just care about winning games. They had 19 assists on 29 made field goals, with just five turnovers.

Western Christian improves to 22-3 on the year and advances to the state championship game for the 12th time in school history. The Wolfpack were led by Kaden Van Regenmorter Kaden Van Regenmorter 6'4" | SF Hull, Western Christian | 2025 State IA , who had a game-high 23 points on 7-10 shooting. Tate Van Regenmorter Tate Van Regenmorter 6'5" | PF Western Christian | 2023 State IA had 18 points, Karsten Moret Karsten Moret 6'3" | SG Western Christian | 2025 State IA 17, and Ashtin Van’t Hul Ashtin Van’t Hul 6'0" | PG Western Christian | 2023 State IA added 11 for the 'Pack, who scored 38 points in the paint and had 14 fast break points.

Roland-Story's season ends with a 25-2 record and a second straight trip to the state tournament. The Norsemen were led by Isaiah Naylor Isaiah Naylor 6'0" | SG Roland-Story | 2023 State IA and Jonovan Wilkinson Jonovan Wilkinson 6'2" | SF Roland-Story | 2024 State IA , who each had 19 points in the loss. Among the starters, only Wilkinson will return.

Team stats
Western Christian: 29-59 FG (49.2%), 7-20 3P (35.0%), 14-21 FT (66.7%), 37 rebounds (9 offensive), 19 assists, 5 turnovers
Roland-Story: 24-58 FG (41.4%), 4-19 3P (21.1%), 9-13 FT (69.2%), 34 rebounds (9 offensive), 6 assists, 11 turnovers

MVP: 2025 Kaden Van Regenmorter Kaden Van Regenmorter 6'4" | SF Hull, Western Christian | 2025 State IA (Western Christian) -- 23 points (7-10 FG, 0-1 3P, 9-11 FT), 8 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 block, 1 steal

Van Regenmorter was in complete control throughout this game, shining as a playmaker out of the mid-and-high post areas, where he was able to both score and facilitate. He had 7 assists against no turnovers, was highly efficient as a scorer, and impacted the game defensively.

3A Semifinal: #1 Bondurant-Farrar 54, #5 North Polk 45

For the first time since winning the state title in 1997, Bondurant-Farrar will play for a state championship after a come-from-behind win over Raccoon River Conference rival North Polk, 54-45.

There's an old saying in basketball, "It's tough to beat a team three times". Unless, as former Norwalk coach Chris Larson says "We're just better than them". In this case, both were true. It was incredibly tough for Bondurant-Farrar to beat North Polk for a third time, but the Bluejays are also just better.

North Polk took the lead 40 seconds into the game and didn't trail in the first half, using their smothering defense to get their hands on a ton of Bondurant-Farrar passes, allowing nothing to come easy for the Jays. The Comets led by as many as eight in the first half, and held a slim 25-24 lead at the break.

Bondurant-Farrar took a lead 17 seconds into the third quarter, but that lasted for just 22 seconds, and North Polk led the rest of the quarter. But you just had a feeling that the Bluejays had finally gained some momentum late in the quarter and anticipated a run.

That run came midway through the fourth quarter, 9-0 spurt that turned a 42-all game into a 51-42 lead for the Jays with 1:46 to play, and that was all she wrote. The Jays smothered the Comets in the fourth quarter, winning the final eight minutes 16-6.

Bondurant-Farrar remains undefeated and will go into tomorrow night's championship with a 25-0 record. The Bluejays were led by Jaxson Fried Jaxson Fried 6'6" | SF Bondurant- Farrar | 2023 State IA , who had 15 points to lead four in double figures. Cole Miller Cole Miller 5'10" | PG Bondurant-Farrar | 2025 State IA had 12, and Reed Pfaltzgraff and Colby Collison Colby Collison 6'4" | SF Bondurant-Farrar | 2023 State IA each chipped in 11 points for the Jays, who outrebounded North Polk 30-16 and won despite turning it over 14 times.

North Polk's season ends with a 20-6 record and their first state tournament appearance since 2000. The Comets were led by Reggie Postel Reggie Postel 6'1" | SG North Polk | 2024 State IA , who had a game-high 16 points. Jaxon Rutledge added 10 in the loss. Postel is the only starter who will be back for the Comets.

Scoring
North Polk: Reggie Postel Reggie Postel 6'1" | SG North Polk | 2024 State IA 16, Jaxon Rutledge 10, Graedan Sullivan 6, Kole Krings 6, Austin Parkins 3, Jackson Nemmers Jackson Nemmers 6'2" | SG North Polk | 2023 State IA 2, Drew Owen 1, Brad Olinger 1
Bondurant-Farrar: Jaxson Fried Jaxson Fried 6'6" | SF Bondurant- Farrar | 2023 State IA 15, Cole Miller Cole Miller 5'10" | PG Bondurant-Farrar | 2025 State IA 12, Reed Pfaltzgraff 11, Colby Collison Colby Collison 6'4" | SF Bondurant-Farrar | 2023 State IA 11, Everett White 5

Team stats
North Polk: 16-44 G (36.4%), 5-14 3P (35.7%), 8-11 FT (72.7%), 16 rebounds (6 offensive), 6 assists, 5 turnovers
Bondurant-Farrar: 21-36 FG (58.3%), 5-15 3P (33.3%), 7-12 FT (58.3%), 30 rebounds (6 offensive), 6 assists, 14 turnovers

MVP: 2025 Cole Miller Cole Miller 5'10" | PG Bondurant-Farrar | 2025 State IA (Bondurant-Farrar) -- 12 points (5-8 FG, 1-3 3P, 1-2 FT), 7 rebounds, 2 assists

Despite being the youngest member of the Bluejays starting five, it was Miller who kept them afloat early as Collison and Fried had very quiet first halves. He has had a great week here.

3A Semifinal: #2 Xavier 72, #6 Heelan 59

Second-seeded Cedar Rapids Xavier was in control throughout this one, advancing to the 3A championship game for the third time in school history with a convincing 72-59 win over Sioux City Heelan on Thursday evening.

Heelan scored 33 seconds into the game, held the lead for 1:38, and then it was all Xavier the rest of the way. The Saints used a 15-3 first quarter run to grab control of this one, and they didn't look back. Heelan was able to claw back to within 3 points, 30-27, at the half, but the Crusaders never got any closer, as Xavier extended the lead to 12 by the end of the third quarter and never led by fewer than seven points the rest of the way.

Xavier played a very clean game, turning it over just three times, shooting 51% from the floor and 80% from the free-throw line. Despite Heelan shooting over 51% from the floor themselves, this one was never in much doubt.

Xavier improves to 20-6 with the win and advances to the state championship game for the third time in school history, the first time since winning back-to-back titles in 2016 and 2017. The Saints were led by Aidan Yamilkoski Aidan Yamilkoski 6'4" | SG Xavier | 2023 State IA , who had 21 points, while Josef Lemker Josef Lemker 6'2" | SG Xavier | 2023 State IA and Joseph Bean Joseph Bean 6'3" | PG Kennedy | 2024 State IA each had 19 in the win.

Heelan's season ends with a 19-7 record and the school's 18th state tournament appearance, first since 2012. The Crusaders were led by Carter Kuehl Carter Kuehl 5'11" | PG Bishop Heelan | 2023 State IA , who had a game-high 26 points, concluding a great week at the state tournament from him. Matthew Noll Matthew Noll 6'7" | PF Bishop Heelan | 2024 State IA had 15 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists in the loss. The Crusaders will bring three starters and their top bench player back, and will be a contender in 3A again next season.

Team stats
Heelan: 22-43 FG (51.2%), 6-15 3P (40.0%), 9-11 FT (81.8%), 23 rebounds (2 offensive), 12 assists, 10 turnovers
Xavier: 25-49 FG (51.0%), 6-19 3P (31.6%), 16-20 FT (80.0%), 26 rebounds (6 offensive), 11 assists, 3 turnovers

MVP: 2023 Josef Lemker Josef Lemker 6'2" | SG Xavier | 2023 State IA (Xavier) -- 19 points (7-11 FG, 3-5 3P, 2-2 FT), 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block, 1 steal

Lemker can get overshadowed by Yamilkoski and Bean, but he hit several big shots to stop Heelan runs dead in their tracks and keep the Crusaders at arms length.

4A Semifinal: #4 Valley 58, #8 Pleasant Valley 51

For the ninth time in school history, and, given the young core of this team, potentially the first of three straight times, the Valley Tigers advanced to the Class 4A championship game with a 58-51 win over eighth-seeded Pleasant Valley.

Points were hard to come by for both teams early, and then impossible to come by during a 10:43 game-deciding stretch that saw Valley go on a 27-2 run to turn an 18-9 deficit into a 36-20 lead.

Pleasant Valley, behind a flurry of 3s in the fourth quarter, was able to get back to within six points on a few occasions in the final few minutes, but the hole they dug turned out to be a little too big.

Valley's starting lineup goes 6-4 Curtis Stinson Jr Curtis Stinson Jr 6'5" | SG Western Reserve Academy | 2025 State #157 Nation OH ., 6-0 Xzavion Robinson Xzavion Robinson 6'1" | PG Valley | 2025 State #342 Nation IA , 6-4 Kiki Deng Kiki Deng 6'4" | SG Valley | 2025 State IA , 6-3 Trevian Carson Trevian Carson 6'4" | SG Valley | 2023 State IA , and 6-8 Trevin Jirak Trevin Jirak 6'9" | C Valley | 2025 State #349 Nation IA . They're incredibly long, extremely athletic, and they really turned up the heat on Pleasant Valley in the third quarter, holding the Spartans to just two points in the quarter, and holding them scoreless during an 8:57 stretch between the second and third quarters. The length and athleticism was simply too much for Pleasant Valley, and they couldn't get any clean looks.

Valley improves to 20-5 with the win and will play in the state championship game for the first time since 2017, awaiting either Waukee or Waukee Northwest. The Tigers were led by Zay Robinson, who had 15 points. Kiki Deng Kiki Deng 6'4" | SG Valley | 2025 State IA had 11, and all seven Tigers who played scored.

Pleasant Valley's season ends with a 20-6 record and the school's seventh state tournament appearance. The Spartans were led by Max Muszalski Max Muszalski 6'5" | PF Pleasant Valley | 2024 State IA , who had 16 points and 12 rebounds. Connor Borbeck Connor Borbeck 6'2" | SG Pleasant Valley | 2023 State IA battled foul trouble and finished with 14 points, while Coy Kipper Coy Kipper 5'8" | PG Pleasant Valley | 2024 State IA had 13. The Spartans will return four starters, losing only Borbeck, and should be a borderline top-5 team in the class heading into next season.

Team stats
Pleasant Valley: 17-51 FG (33.3%), 8-22 3P (36.4%), 9-12 FT (75.0%), 34 rebounds (10 offensive), 10 assists, 11 turnovers
Valley: 21-42 FG (50.0%), 5-14 3P (35.7%), 11-19 FT (57.9%), 28 rebounds (2 offensive), 11 assists, 9 turnovers

MVP: 2025 Xzavion Robinson Xzavion Robinson 6'1" | PG Valley | 2025 State #342 Nation IA (Valley) -- 15 points (6-9 FG, 1-1 3P, 2-5 FT), 2 rebounds, 3 assists

It seemed like the major spark for Valley during their huge run came courtesy of an alley-oop that the 5-11 Robinson threw down. He's a jaw-dropping athlete with elite quickness that he used to get to the rim routinely.

4A Semifinal: #3 Waukee Northwest 66, #2 Waukee 46

Just about everything that could go wrong went wrong early for Waukee Northwest, but it didn't matter, as the Wolves grabbed control in the second quarter and rolled crosstown rival Waukee en route to a 66-46 win, landing them a spot in the Class 4A championship game tomorrow night.

Less than three minutes into the game, a technical foul was called on a player on the Northwest bench. By rule, coach Brett Watson had to sit for the remainder of the game. Seventeen seconds after that call, star wing Pryce Sandfort Pryce Sandfort 6'7" | SF Waukee Northwest | 2023 State #123 Nation IA picked up his third foul and had to sit for the remainder of the half. The Warriors took advantage of the situation, racing to a 16-7 lead late in the quarter. Enter Cade Kelderman Cade Kelderman 6'0" | PG Waukee Northwest | 2023 State IA .

Kelderman, who was also outstanding in the Wolves' regular-season win over Waukee, was absolutely dominant in the second quarter, helping spark a Northwest run that ended up being 32-4, turning a 16-7 deficit into a 39-20 advantage. Ball game, Wolves. State championship appearance, punched.

Waukee guard's stood little chance against Kelderman's dribble penetration, and he was able to get to the rim for finishes routinely. As soon as he gets a defender on his hip, he's tough to stop, and he proved that throughout this one. The Wolves lead ballooned to as many as 24 in the fourth quarter, turning a much-anticipated rubbermatch into a laugher.

Northwest improves to 23-2 on the year with the win. Cade Kelderman Cade Kelderman 6'0" | PG Waukee Northwest | 2023 State IA finished with 26 points and 5 assists on 7-10 shooting (4-5 3P, 8-8 FT). Grant Tigges Grant Tigges 6'4" | SG Waukee Northwest | 2024 State IA was excellent while Sandfort battled foul trouble, stepping up and knocking down some huge shots and finishing with 12 points. Andrew Cose Andrew Cose 5'11" | PG Waukee Northwest | 2024 State IA and Pryce Sandfort Pryce Sandfort 6'7" | SF Waukee Northwest | 2023 State #123 Nation IA each had 10 in the win.

Waukee's season ends with a 23-3 record and their fifth state tournament appearance in the last six years. The Warriors were led by Omaha Biliew Omaha Biliew 6'8" | SF Waukee | 2023 State IA , who had 21 points. Vance Peiffer Vance Peiffer 6'7" | C Waukee | 2023 State IA added 10 in the loss. The Warriors will lose four starters from this year's team, bringing back only Mason Costello Mason Costello 6'3" | SG Waukee | 2024 State IA among the top five.

Team stats
Northwest: 21-46 FG (45.7%), 10-21 3P (47.6%), 14-15 FT (93.3%), 29 rebounds (7 offensive), 7 assists, 7 turnovers
Waukee: 19-42 FG (45.2%), 5-17 3P (29.4%), 3-11 FT (27.3%), 24 rebounds (5 offensive), 3 assists, 12 turnovers

MVP: 2023 Cade Kelderman Cade Kelderman 6'0" | PG Waukee Northwest | 2023 State IA (Northwest) -- 26 points (7-10 FG, 4-5 3P, 8-8 FT), 4 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal

Something about this crosstown rivalry brings out the best in Kelderman. He was phenomenal in this one, the best player on the floor in a game that featured a future Iowa State and Iowa player. The Wolves needed someone to step up with Sandfort limited, but Kelderman rose to the occasion.

Team	1Q	2Q	3Q	4Q	Final
Pleasant Valley	5	13	2	31	51
Valley	4	9	22	23	58

State Tournament: Thursday Game Recaps

In this article:

Preseason All-Conference Teams: River Valley South

Preseason All-Conference Teams: River Valley North

Five 2028s I’m Excited to See at the Expo

Five 2027s I’m Excited to See at the Expo

Five 2026s I’m Excited to See at the Expo

Team	1Q	2Q	3Q	4Q	Final
Pella Christian	10	16	16	13	55
Central Lyon	11	10	17	18	56

Team	1Q	2Q	3Q	4Q	Final
Western Christian	19	15	20	25	79
Roland-Story	18	14	16	13	61

Team	1Q	2Q	3Q	4Q	Final
North Polk	12	13	14	6	45
Bondurant-Farrar	9	15	14	16	54

Team	1Q	2Q	3Q	4Q	Final
Heelan	8	19	14	18	59
Xavier	15	15	23	19	72

Team	1Q	2Q	3Q	4Q	Final
Northwest	12	21	16	17	66
Waukee	16	4	13	13	46