The top ranked teams claimed championship showdowns at the girls state tournament Friday night. West Des Moines Dowling made just one basket in the fourth quarter against Cedar Falls but it was a three pointer by Sonni Giudicessi with 44-seconds remaining as the Maroons claimed the 4A title with a 36-35 victory. Giudicessi says her winning shot came off a set play.She felt it was in when she shot it.The shot came just second after Cedar Falls had erased a ten point second half deficit to take a 35-33 lead. In the 1-A championship top ranked Preston downed second ranked Newell-Fonda 51-37. Preston got a big game from center Beth Marvin who had 16 points and 18-rebounds and Marvin said the Trojans took what the defense gave them.In a matchup of high scoring teams Marvin was not surprised that defense was the key. In class 3-A, second ranked Washington claimed the title with a 43-36 victory over Central Lee. For Washington it was a second straight title but coach Monte Davis said this was a much different team.Ninth ranked North Cedar claimed the 2-A title by stunning top ranked and previously unbeaten Council Bluffs St. Albert 49-45.
