Two more top ranked teams advanced at the girls state basketball tournament. In Class 4A, #1 Harlan rolled to a 54-31 win over Cedar Rapids Xavier. Top ranked Mediapolis used a 14-0 third quarter run to take the lead for good in a 63-53 over Mount Vernon in a class 3A quarterfinal.
In another 3A quarterfinal, Fifth ranked Crestwood jumped out to a 25-13 halftime lead and cruised to a 58-46 win over Spirit Lake. Madison Sickles led the Cadets with 17 points but defense was their key as Spirit Lake went a more than 11 minute stretch of the opening half without scoring.
Nevada claimed its first win at the girls state tournament since 1924. Lexy Koudelka scored 20 points as the seventh ranked Cubs beat Red Oak 54-38 in a class 3A quarterfinal. “Our girls came out with confidence, they were excited, but they didn’t have a lot of nervousness,” Nevada coach Kristin Meyer said.
The Cubs were making their first appearance at the tournament in 47 years and Meyer says the school was excited about it. She says it was huge and the girls fed off the noise made by the large contingent of fans at the game.