Tucker Wentzien scored 25 points and grabbed 11 rebounds last night as Class 2A top-ranked Solon improved to 23-0 with a 71-40 stroll past Monticello in a boys’ basketball district semifinal at Solon.
Matt Morrison and Cody Strang added 10 points apiece for the Spartans, who play North Cedar next Tuesday at Maquoketa.
Jay Ahlrichs led Monticello, which bowed out at 9-13, with 16 points.
Solon plays North Cedar at Maquoketa on Tuesday.

HIGHLAND 51, SPRINGVILLE 44 — Highland (11-10) picked up its first postseason win since the 2001-02 season, using a 14-1 second-half …

DES MOINES — Belle Plaine’s Colton Wagner barely had enough energy to sign his bout sheet.

He was wiped out after winning one of the most memorable matches in this state wrestling tournament, holding on to beat No. 1 Chris LeClere of North Linn in the Class 1A quarterfinals at Wells Fargo Arena.
“By the end, I had nothing left,” Wagner said. “I gave everything I had to get that lead. I just knew what to do to win.
Second-ranked Wagner built an early lead and staved off LeClere in the final minute of …

DES MOINES — Tyler Shulista and Christopher Halblom are wrestling in their first state tournament for Alburnett and both won quarterfinal bouts last night in the Class 1A state wrestling tournament at Wells Fargo Arena.
Shulista was a takedown machine in beating Elkader Central’s ninth-ranked Mitch Funk, 13-4. Halblom topped No. 7 Tanner Scott of Eddyville-Blakesburg, 8-1.
Shulista is a freshman and ranked No. 1 at 103. Halblom, the top-ranked 112-pounder, was a Class 2A state runner-up at 103 for Center Point-Urbana last year. Halblom transferred to Alburnett, allowing the longtime friendship …

Dubuque Senior Swimmer Jordan Huff finished his high school career in style. Jordan became the first swimmer in Iowa history to win the 100 and 200 freestyle three straight years. Huff and his teamates won the first state swimming team title in school history.

DES MOINES — Iowa City West and its fans experienced a wide range of emotions Thursday.
The Trojans’ wins generated excitement, anxiety, pain, heartache and surprise. The end surely brought some relief.
The Trojans advanced seven to the semifinals and captured the lead in the Class 3A state wrestling tournament at Wells Fargo Arena. West has 73 1/2 points and leads defending champion Waverly-Shell Rock by 3 1/2 points.

“The quarterfinalists wrestled a pretty good round,” West Coach Mark Reiland said. “We came out pretty flat in the wrestlebacks. We have seven left, …

(This story will appear in Friday’s Gazette … it’s also posted on iowaprepsports.com) 

Fifty to three.

Yeah, Springville has hit its in postseason stride.
The defending state champion, top-ranked Orioles (22-1) have allowed just 44 points in their first two regional girls’ basketball games. In a 69-15 triumph over Lone Tree on Tuesday, they outscored the Lions, 50-3, through the final three quarters.
“Our defense is really starting to come around,” said Springville Coach Brian O’Donnell. “It’s back to where it was last year at tournament time. I think we’re quicker to the ball, …

By Jeff Dahn

Ames is unbeaten and a unanimous No. 1 in the latest Class 4A rankings.  Everyone knows about the Little Cyclones’ Harrison Barnes, a 6-7 junior who is the most highly recruited player in Iowa high school history. Duke, North Carolina, Kansas and UCLA are among the dozens of schools that have extended an offer to Barnes. Iowa State and Iowa are the list, too.
Now another 6-7 Ames junior is starting to get noticed. He’s Doug McDermott, the son of Iowa State Coach Greg McDermott. Doug is averaging 18 …

DES MOINES — The Predicament considers Williamsburg sophomore Austin Blythe the cream of the Class 2A field at 285 pounds. Blythe begs to differ.
“I’m not ranked No. 1 anymore. Everyone else is,” Blythe said.
That’s a look inside Blythe’s psyche as he attempts to return to the finals at the state wrestling tournament.
Blythe (43-1) made quick work of his first-round opponent Thursday morning, pinning Nick Trenkamp of West Delaware in 49 seconds. Next up is third-ranked and undefeated Adam Praska (31-0) of Cresco Crestwood in the quarterfinals today.
“I’m ready to go. I …

By Jeff Linder
The Gazette
Fifty to three.
Yeah, Springville has hit its in postseason stride.
The defending state champion, top-ranked Orioles (22-1) have allowed just 44 points in their first two regional girls’ basketball games. In a 69-15 triumph over Lone Tree on Tuesday, they outscored the Lions, 50-3, through the final three quarters.
“Our defense is really starting to come around,” said Springville Coach Brian O’Donnell. “It’s back to where it was last year at tournament time. I think we’re quicker to the ball, and our post defense has been phenomenal.”
Class 1A and …

3A Team Leaders
1. Waverly-Shell Rock………32
2. Iowa City West…………….31 1/2
3. Southeast Polk……………24
4. West Des Moines Valley….21
5. Indianola……………………20
1A Team Leaders
1. Don Bosco…………….27
2. Nashua-Plainfield…….17
3. Belle Plaine……………16 1/2
4. Mason City Newman…14 1/2
5. Twin River Valley……..14
Class 3A First Round 103 Pounds Class 1A First Round 103 Pounds Cory Clark, Southeast Polk pinned Dillon Wiegel, Cedar Rapids Jefferson, 0:21. Kory Kistner, Sioux City East def Devon Feltus, Burlington, injury. Kyle Larson, Valley West Des Moines t-fall Alonzo Henderson, Waterloo West, 19-4/5:59. Tyler Willers, Pleasant Valley pinned Patrick Murphy, Des Moines North Hoover, 5:25.
  Greg Keating, Linn-Mar …