(Des Moines, IA) — The first round of the Iowa Girls High School Basketball State Tournament will conclude tonight with a Class 1A first round game between #3 seed St. Albert and #6 seed Exira EHK — coverage on KSOM.
The Saintes are the defending state champions and 21-3 on the season but it was not an easy road for Head Coach Dick Wettengel’s club. Injuries have changed the starting line up from even before the season started till now which Wettengel says has made it challenging
St. Albert and Exira EHK have a lot of similarities — both teams average exactly 61.9 points per game; both teams have given up about 37 points a game; both teams have shot below 30 percent from three point land; and both teams play exceptional defense. Wettengel says there are some differences in types of defense
Exira EHK is 22-1 and has not lost since the first game of the season to Riverside. Spartans Head Coach Tom Petersen says the Saintes have tremendous size which gives them an advantage in the rebounding department
St. Albert is led by Senior Ava Underwood who averages a double double — 12.5 points and 10.9 rebounds a game plus Junior Lexie Pearce averages 11.3 ppg. The Spartans are led by Junior Taryn Petersen at 20 ppg and her cousin Senior Jaelynn Petersen at 15.5 ppg. Coach Petersen says this is an amazing opportunity
St. Albert faces Exira EHK in the Class 1A first round — the winner will play the winner of #2 Newell Fonda and #7 Saint Ansgar in the semifinals on Friday. Game time is at 6:45 pm, our coverage starts at 6:20 on westerniowatoday.com and 96.5 FM KSOM.
Exira EHK Head Coach Tom Petersen
St. Albert Head Coach Dick Wettengel
Probable Starting Line Ups
Exira EHK
#10 Riley Miller (5-8 Junior)
#13 Taryn Petersen (5-8 Junior)
#14 Harlow Miller (6-1 Senior)
#23 Kadence Sporrer (5-8 Senior)
#24 Jaelynn Petersen (5-9 Senior)
St. Albert
#2 Sophia Denton (5-8 Junior)
#4 Eleanor Coughlin (5-5 Junior)
#22 Molly Wise (5-11 Senior)
#24 Brooklyn Rutledge (5-11 Junior)
#40 Ava Underwood (6-0 Senior)
