States such as Missouri and Arkansas use a multiplier system, while other states have separate athletics classes for public and private schools. As an example, the enrollment of Council Bluffs St. Albert (which was in the Class 1A field) would jump from 152 to 228 using a multiplier of 1.5.

There were 383 IHSAA-member varsity basketball programs this winter, including 40 from private, mostly parochial, schools. Ten of those qualified for the state tournament, including half of the eight-team field in 1A.

That’s the highest number of private-school state entries in the 2000s. There were nine private-school state tournament teams last season, eight in 2008, five in 2007 and three in 2006.

“Some people have had concerns, particularly in the smaller classifications in basketball,” admitted the IHSAA’s Todd Tharp.

There were 24 private schools in 1A basketball this season, 11 in 2A, three in 3A and two in 4A. 1A is the largest classification, with 141 programs.

Tharp said the IHSAA studies the issue every two years, putting together a committee of athletics directors and administrators from public and private schools in 2008 that recommended the status quo. He said the IHSAA is scheduled to again look into the issue beginning this summer

“We’re trying to be proactive and think outside the box,” he said. “Because we know there are many, many small schools out there.”

Cedar Rapids Xavier athletics director Mike Winker said he sees no reason for change. Xavier has been 4A in basketball the past two seasons after three state appearances in the 2000s in 3A.

“I’m in favor of keeping the system the way it is,” Winker said. “There are many other factors that determine athletics success than being a private or public school.”

A little Hawk talk

You can kind of call this year’s state tournament an Iowa Hawkeye reunion.

Former Hawkeye and professional center Acie Earl was on the Solon bench Tuesday as an assistant coach. He works with the Spartans’ sophomores.

Another former Hawk, Jess Settles, is a volunteer assistant coach for Mount Pleasant. He is a relative of Panthers’ starting center Henry Kriegel-Coble.

MISSISSIPPI DIVISION

Cedar Rapids Kennedy

Cedar Rapids Washington

Dubuque Senior

Dubuque Wahlert

Iowa City High

Linn-Mar

Waterloo West

VALLEY DIVISION

Cedar Falls

Cedar Rapids Jefferson

Cedar Rapids Prairie

Cedar Rapids Xavier

Dubuque Hempstead

Iowa City West

Waterloo East

2009-10 All-Metro Boys' Basketball

Striking how much better the Valley Division was this season than the Mississippi Division. Three MVC are at the state tournament next week, all from the Valley Division.

2009 10.PDF All MVC Hoops

Here’s the way I would select the teams, based on eight first-teamers and eight second-teamers:

FIRST TEAM

COLLEEN BOUCHARD, sr., Xavier … 11.4 ppg, .419 3FG%, 3.0 spg

TIA DAWSON, jr., Washington … 15.8 ppg, 11.6 rpg, 4.0 bpg

KRISTEN HAHN, sr., Kennedy … 6.6 ppg, 4.4 spg, 66-36 ast-to-TO ratio

ALEX JACOBSON, sr., Jefferson … 12.7 ppg, 4.0 apg, 3.6 spg

KAYLA KLOPFENSTEIN, sr., Linn-Mar … 12.2 ppg, 2.2 apg, .381 3FG%

MORGAN PAIGE, sr., Marion … 25.8 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 3.6 spg, .569 FG%, .420 3FG%, .786 FT%

JADE ROGERS, sr., Kennedy … 18.3 ppg, 11.1 rpg, 3.1 spg

KIAH STOKES, jr., Linn-Mar … 19.5 ppg, 12.8 rpg, 5.0 bpg, .656 FG%

Co-Players of the year – Morgan Paige, Marion; and Kiah Stokes, Linn-Mar

Coach of the year — Mike Brandt, Linn-Mar

SECOND TEAM

MORGAN ALLEE, sr., Jefferson … 9.5 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 4.8 apg, 3.0 spg

LAURA BOENISH, sr., Kennedy … 8.5 ppg, 3.2 rpg

HANNAH BREITBACH, sr., Xavier … 8.3 ppg, .432 3FG%

HALEY BRIGHTWELL, sr., Kennedy … 8.0 ppg, 3.6 rpg, .504 FG%

BRITTANY FISH, sr., Marion … 12.6 ppg, .773 FT%, 4.4 apg

D.J. NORMAN, sr., Linn-Mar … 8.8 ppg, 3.6 apg

ALISSA ONEY, jr., Washington … 10.9 ppg, 3.2 apg

MORGAN TERPSTRA, sr., Linn-Mar … 6.8 ppg, 5.1 rpg

MISSISSIPPI DIVISION

FIRST TEAM ALL-DIVISION

COACH OF THE YEAR      Mark Reiland & Iowa City West Coaching Staff                               

SECOND TEAM ALL-DIVISION

HONORABLE MENTION ALL-DIVISION

 MISSISSIPPI DIVISION

VALLEY DIVISION

Other Mississippi Valley Conference teams may beg to differ and would likely exchange outcomes any day.

West crowned five champions, tallying 244½ points, to win its seventh straight MVC tournament title Saturday at Dubuque Senior. The Trojans finished a massive 89 points ahead of runner-up Linn-Mar.

The approach is the same every year, according to West senior Nick Moore.

“It’s come in and score as many points as possible,” Moore said. “Then go home and be proud of it.”

West performed about as well as possible, even with two starters (Keegan Wakefield and Garrett Hathaway) out. The Trojans moved 11 into the semifinals and placed 13 of 14 in the top eight.

“I’m not so sure we were going to do a whole lot better,” Reiland said with a full lineup, adding that Tracy Bowers (135) and Gradey Gambrall (140) moved up a weight. “When you put 11 in the semifinals, that’s a lot of balance.”

Moore was one of seven West finalists, dominating his way to the 160-pound championship and Outstanding Wrestler honors. Moore pinned his way through all four matches, sticking Cedar Rapids Kennedy’s Zach Parsons in 1:25.

Moore became just the sixth person to win four conference titles, joining older brother, Nate, who did it for West from 2005-08, and cousin, Cliff, who did it for Dubuque Hempstead from 1996-99.

“It gives you a little bit to feel good about,” said Moore.

Sophomore teammates Jack Hathaway (112), Gambrall and Justin Koethe (152) won their second straight crowns. Hathaway and Koethe also pinned their way through the tournament. Gambrall scored seven takedowns for a 16-7 major decision over Cedar Rapids Prairie’s Cameron Rathje.

David Solis, who placed sixth at state last year, entered as the sixth seed at 171. He surpassed that, beating Linn-Mar’s Mark Atwater, 5-2, in the final. Solis is started to regain his form that powered him to a strong finish last year.

“Her was scoring points,” Reiland said. “We know what he’s capable of and he knows what he’s capable of. We need to get him back there.”

Linn-Mar had one of its best team performances at the MVC meet Saturday. The Lions placed half of their lineup in the top four, including three finalists. Talented freshman Joel Northrup and sophomore Josh Pederson won titles for Linn-Mar.

Lions Coach Doug Streicher said most of the team wrestled to their pretournament seeds and won most of the matches they had realistic shots.

“We did that in most weight classes,” Streicher said. “Overall, we wrestled pretty good.”

Northrup avenged one of his losses, blanking Waterloo West’s Alonzo Henderson, 4-0, in the 103 final. He was the only freshman to leave with a gold medal.

“I was glad and excited,” Northrup said of the title. “It’s a big feat to do it.”

Northrup was able to win the battle on his feet unlike the previous meeting. He scored a takedown in the first, scoring two more points while dominating Henderson from the top position the rest of the match.

“It was a matter of fixing a few things on his feet,” Streicher said about the difference from the last meeting. “(Northrup) did what we asked him to do.”

Pederson has made a major leap in his two years at Linn-Mar. Last year, Pederson was a runner-up at the MVC junior varsity tournament. Now he’s a conference titlist, using a first-period takedown and kicking his hips over West’s Bowers for a reversal and two nearfall points to seal a 7-1 victory at 135.

“He’s 100 percent better,” Streicher said of Pederson from a year vago. “He’s had a really nice year.”

Prairie and Kennedy also had three finalists. Prairie, third with 140 points, had champs in Zach Witte (145) and 215-pounder Josh Lambrecht.

Luke Kremer was the Cougars’ lone champion, beating Dubuque Wahlert’s Shane Broderick, 6-3, at 125. Kremer didn’t get to wrestle in the MVC tournament as a freshman last year due to an illness.

“I felt good this year because I couldn’t last year,” said Kremer, who is 29-4 without a loss to a Class 3A wrestler from Iowa. “It made me wrestle harder.”

Ryan Sheldon also reached the finals for Kennedy.

Cedar Rapids Jefferson’s Connor Herman won the heavyweight title. Herman, a 22-1 junior, avenged his only loss this year with a 4-0 win over Mac Mahmens in the semifinals.

Cedar Rapids Xavier advanced two to the finals, receiving runner-up finishes from Braxton Chicchelly (130) and heavyweight Josh McDonald. Iowa City High’s Dexter Curry was second at 189.

AT DUBUQUE

(Dubuque Senior)

Teams  - 1. Iowa City West 244.5, 2. Linn-Mar 155.5, 3. C.R. Prairie 140, 4. C.R. Kennedy 122.5, 5. Waterloo East 122, 6. Waterloo West 120, 7. Iowa City High 101.5, 8. C.R. Jefferson 93, 9. C.R. Xavier 88, 10. Dubuque Hempstead 73.5, 11. Cedar Falls 62.5, 12. C.R. Washington 53, 13. Dubuque Wahlert 51, 14. Dubuque Senior 38.

Championship matches

103 pounds - Joel Northrup (LM) dec. Alonzo Henderson (WW), 4-0; 112 – Jack Hathaway (ICW) pinned Bryce Lynn (DS), 5:21; 119 – Kirk Sallis Jr. (WE) pinned Jon Skarda (ICW), 2:52; 125 – Luke Kremer (CRK) dec. Shane Broderick (DW), 6-3; 130 – Demetrious Taylor (WE) dec. Braxton Chicchelly (CRX), 3-0; 135 – Josh Pederson (LM) dec. Tracy Bowers (ICW), 7-1; 140 – Gradey Gambrall (ICW) major dec. Cameron Rathje, 16-7; 145 – Zach Witte (CRP) major dec. Stephen Settlage (CRJ), 14-4; 152 – Justin Koethe (ICW) pinned Ryan Sheldon (CRK), 1:32; 160 – Nick Moore (ICW) pinned Zach Parsons (CRK), 1:25; 171 – David Solis (ICW) dec. Mark Atwater (LM), 5-2; 189 – Kyven Gadson (WE) pinned Dexter Curry (ICH), 2:32; 215 - Josh Lambrecht (CRP) dec. Brock Haas (DH), 5-1; Hwt. – Conner Herman (CRJ) pinned Josh McDonald (CRX)*

*-No official time was provided.

Stokes took only eight shots from the floor Friday night, but made every last one of them as Class 4A top-rated Linn-Mar won its 30th straight Mississippi Valley Conference girls’ basketball game, 48-34, over No. 12 Cedar Rapids Xavier at Linn-Mar High School.

“They were physical, so I wanted to be physical right back,” said Stokes, who scored 19 points in front of hopeful suitors like Iowa State women’s coach Bill Fennelly and two coaches from Purdue.

“Once I got the ball, I wanted to attack and be aggressive.”

Linn-Mar (18-0 overall, 13-0 MVC) wrapped up a share of the Valley Division title, an accomplishment that Stokes met with a shrug.

“It’s good, and I’m happy about it, but our goal is at the end of the year,” she said.

Stokes’ spotless accuracy spearheaded a 54.3-percent effort for the Lions.

D.J. Norman added eight points, Morgan Terpstra seven.

Friday’s game wasn’t much different from the teams’ first meeting, won by Linn-Mar, 45-32, Jan. 8 at Xavier.

The Lions took the lead for keeps late in the first quarter, then broke to a 10-point lead by halftime.

“They challenged us. They always do,” said Lions Coach Mike Brandt. “But we held our composure the whole way through.”

Linn-Mar turned the ball over only nine times, compared to 17 for Xavier (11-6, 7-5).

Colleen Bouchard led the Saints with 14 points. Jessica Gansen, a rare match in size with Stokes at 6-foot-3, played her reasonably well defensively and tallied 10 points on 5-of-6 shooting.

“We can walk away with that as a positive,” said Xavier Coach Tom Lilly.

“To bother Stokes, you have to have somebody as big as she is. She likes to turn to her left shoulder, and we tried to take that away.”

Cedar Rapids Xavier coach Tom Lilly talks to his team during a game Tuesday against Iowa City West. Xavier is a win away from clinching a 17th straight winning season for Lilly. (Cliff Jette/The Gazette)

CEDAR RAPIDS — It’s all routine.

The sun rises every morning, sets every evening. Crops are planted every spring, harvested every fall.

And Tom Lilly wins every winter.

Lilly, the girls’ basketball coach at Cedar Rapids Xavier, is on the brink of his 17th consecutive winning season.

In the Mississippi Valley Conference, mostly against larger schools, that’s a feat.

“What can you say? He’s an outstanding coach,” said Mike Winker, Xavier athletics director. “We’re very fortunate to have him as a coach and a teacher.”

“Tom is outstanding with building relationships with people.”

Lilly, 54, is in his 25th year as a head coach. It has been a career highlighted by three state championships (2003, 2005, 2007), but the consistent winning has been even more remarkable.

His career record: 415-171, for a winning percentage of .708.

Only twice has Lilly failed to win more games than he lost. Cedar Rapids Regis was 12-12 in 1986-87 (Lilly’s second year) and 8-12 in 1992-93 (Regis’ first year in the MVC).

Since Xavier was formed in 1998, every team has won 15 games or more.

Simply put, down years don’t occur. Lilly won’t allow it.

“I’m extremely competitive,” he said. “I hate to lose. I don’t let losses go. I think of five ways I could have done a better job.

“So we work hard. We scout. We break down film. We have to do that to survive.”

This is a typical Xavier team. The Saints (11-5) don’t have a Division-I prospect and won’t wow you on the offensive end.

But they give points away grudgingly — only 37 points per game.

“We’ve got kids who buy into pride and sacrifice. They’re not going to let their teammates down,” Lilly said. “They want what’s best for each other. Not every team buys into that.”

Xavier has five regular-season games remaining, including a trip to Class 4A top-rated Linn-Mar Friday, then the postseason.

One more win wraps up another winning season.

The current run by Regis/Xavier is the longest in the area. Decorah is pursuing its 15th straight winning campaign; Cedar Rapids Kennedy already has clinched its 13th in a row.

Coach Tom Lilly (right) reacts during Cedar Rapids Xavier's 46-39 loss to Iowa City West on Tuesday. Lilly has suffered only one losing season in 25 years.