DES MOINES, Iowa — Carlisle made the most out of its first appearance in a state championship game.
The Wildcats picked up their defense in the second half and made just enough plays down the stretch to turn back Dallas Center-Grimes 38-36 to win the Class 4A title.
Starting the final day of the 2026 tournament, Carlisle relied on star guard Macy Comito to set the tone on offense and got some critical defensive stops after going ahead to stay late in the third quarter.
The Wildcats completed a 26-1 season marred only by a one-point loss to Class 5A West Des Moines Valley in the regular-season finale. Dallas Center-Grimes, the state champion in 2023, had a 15-game winning streak broken and finished 23-3.
Comito, who will play at Iowa State next season, didn’t come close to matching her record-breaking 42-point performance in a semifinal victory over Sioux City Bishop Heelan. But she still was the best player on the floor and finished with 17 points, five assists, three steals and a critical rebound in the final minute. She was voted captain of the all-tournament team.
Ella Smith added nine points and five rebounds for the Wildcats and Mallie Stoner scored eight. Carlisle shot only 35 percent, but its ability to shut off the Mustangs at the other end of the floor made the difference.
Macy Meyer, the youngest sister of IGHSAU Hall of Famer Makenzie Meyer, led DCG with 13 points and Leah Brauch scored eight. Ava Smid, whose eight-point burst in the final minute lifted the Mustangs past Norwalk in the semifinals, added six points, 10 rebounds and three steals.
Carlisle gave up numerous open shots as Dallas Center-Grimes took a 21-16 lead into halftime. The Wildcats were much more disruptive in the second half and held the Mustangs to three field goals over the final two quarters. After Smid’s layup gave the Mustangs a 25-22 lead with 5:58 left in the third quarter, they did not make another shot from the field until Brauch connected with 1.6 seconds remaining.
Carlisle went ahead to stay when Comito drove into the lane and dropped a bounce pass to Alyvia Freeman for a layup, making it 29-28. Ella Smith’s two free throws hiked the lead to 31-28 heading into the fourth quarter.
The Mustangs made six straight free throws in the final period to keep it close and they had a chance when Carlisle’s Kami Clark missed a jump shot with the clock approaching 30 seconds. But Smith got a hand on the ball and Comito ran it down to keep possession.
Even with Smith sinking two free throws to make it 38-34 with 14.6 seconds left Carlisle still wasn’t assured of winning. Stoner’s jump shot drew the Mustangs to within two again and they got a quick timeout with 1.6 seconds remaining.
Carlisle then had to inbound from under its own basket and all thoughts turned to Smid’s heroics in the previous game, when she stole three straight inbounds passes and made layups to give her team an improbable victory. But the Wildcats threw the ball long, Freeman ran it down and they had their title.
Stoner, Meyer and Smid also were named to the all-tournament team, along with Braylyn Birmingham of Norwalk and Melnia Snoozy of Bishop Heelan.
