Dowling Catholic had more than enough scoring to offset Davenport North’s two superstars, so it’s the Maroons who will play on.

Four players scored in double figures, Ellie Muller pulled down 20 rebounds and the second-ranked Maroons never trailed in beating North 64-38 to advance to the Class 5A semifinals. 

Dowling (21-3), the state runner-up a year ago, improved to 34-21 in state tournament games and will play again at 11:45 a.m. on Thursday. The Maroons are making their 27th appearance at state and trail only Ankeny (43) in state tourney wins.

Ava Zediker and Layla Trytten led Dowling with 18 points each, Muller scored 15 and Katie Muller added 11. Zediker, who has signed with Creighton, added nine rebounds and four assists. Trytten, who came in averaging 9.7 points, hit four 3-pointers and Ellie Muller went 3-for-4 from deep. 

University of Iowa signee Journey Houston led North (19-5) with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Alaina Dreckmeier also scored 11 and LSU recruit Divine Bourrage scored six to go with six rebounds and two assists.

Dowling outrebounded North 43-26 and held the Wildcats to 30 percent shooting. The Maroons shot 47 percent and pulled away to win comfortably after North made a run at them in the third quarter.

A 16-5 run helped Dowling built a 27-15 lead at halftime. After managing only six field goals in the first half, North began the third quarter with eight straight points and drew to 27-22 when Bourrage splashed a 3 from the top of the key.

But the Wildcats, who made it to state for the third straight year, got no closer.

Dowling responded with 16 straight points to stretch its lead to 43-22 and was never in danger again. Ellie Muller scored nine points in that burst, which she finished with back-to-back 3-pointers and a free throw.

Trytten then took over the scoring load for the Maroons, getting to the basket on a drive and knocking down three 3-pointers in the first five minutes of the final quarter as the lead ballooned to 59-31.