It’s an all-northwest Iowa final in Class 2A.
Sydney Doeschot’s three-point play late in the game gave Hinton the lead and the unbeaten Blackhawks held on to top Iowa City Regina Catholic 51-45, setting up a championship showdown with Central Lyon.
The two will meet a 4:45 p.m. Saturday in a clash between schools located just an hour apart. Central Lyon advanced with a 63-49 victory over top-seeded Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont.
Hinton has defeated Central Lyon once already this season, winning 67-60 on Dec. 17.
In a highly competitive semifinal, Hinton (26-0) and Regina (24-2) traded the lead seven times before the Blackhawks emerged with the victory, thanks in large measure to some clutch rebounding in the final two minutes.
The game was tied at 45 when Doeschot rebounded her own miss, was fouled as she went back up and scored and sank the ensuing free throw with 1:35 left. Hinton’s Raelyn Kempema then snared the rebound after Regina’s Morgan Miller missed a 3-point shot and Karlyn Kovarna’s two offensive rebounds led to a Doeschot free throw that made it 49-45.
Deoschot grabbed another rebound after Miller misfired on a runner and the Blackhawks wrapped it up when Doeschot got behind the defense for a breakaway layup with 15 seconds left.
Doeschot finished with 24 points to lead all scorers. She also collected seven rebounds, four assists and two steals while playing the entire game. Kempema added 11 points and 14 rebounds for the Blackhawk,s who piled up a 46-27 margin on the boards, including 17 on the offensive end. Addy Pigott did her part for Hinton with seven points and six rebounds.
Regina got an impressive game from freshman Addie McLaughlin, who made her first five 3-point shots and finished with 19 points. Miller had nine points and six rebounds for the Regals, while Caitlin Martin had seven points and six rebounds. Regina shot just 30.6 percent but stayed in it with McLaughlin’s shooting and by coming up with nine steals – five by McLaughlin – and forcing 14 turnovers in all.
Neither team ever held a double-digit lead and while Hinton led for most the second half, it was never ahead by more than five points. Regina tied it twice – at 42 on Ella McLaughlin’s 3 from the right corner and again at 45 when Miller swished a trey from the top of the key with 2:45 remaining.
That was the Regals’ last basket and Hinton scored the final five points to reach the championship game for the second time. The Blackhawks lost to Rock Valley 62-56 in the 1A final in 2002.
