One big
second-quarter burst sent West Des Moines Valley on
its way to a state championship.
The
second-ranked Tigers wiped out a seven-point deficit with an 18-2 run and went
on to beat Cedar Falls 71-59 to win the Class 5A state championship.
It's the
first title for Valley and came in the school's 12th trip to the state
tournament and fourth appearance in the finals.
Valley
did it with the type of balance that has carried the team all season. Sophomore
Zoe Young led Valley with 21 points, including a long 3-pointer to help blunt a
late Cedar Falls comeback attempt.
Drake
University recruit Hannah Fuller added 16 points and seven rebounds, while
freshman Alex Honold scored 13 to go with nine
rebounds and Jamie Feldt had 11. Jamie's twin,
Jackie, helped out with four points and six rebounds.
The
victory was especially satisfying for Fuller and the Feldt
sisters. They played on the Valley team that lost to Waukee in the 2015
championship game.
Cynthia
Wolf led Cedar Falls with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Kiana Barney scored 15,
Ally Conrad added 11 and Emerson Green had eight.
Fifth-ranked
Cedar Falls had knocked off No. 1 Indianola in the semifinals, but Valley was
too deep and talented and once Valley got the lead, Cedar Falls faced a long
scramble to try to get back in it.
Cedar
Falls was leading 21-14 early in the second quarter when Valley took off,
finishing its big run with 11 straight points. Young, Honold
and Shea Fuller hit consecutive 3-pointers and Fuller
scored on a fastbreak layup, putting Valley ahead
32-23.
The lead
grew to 18 before Cedar Falls started chopping away at that margin, drawing to
61-54 when Green stole the ball and drove for a layup.
Then,
when it appeared Valley was content to run some clock, Young knocked down a 3
from NBA range. Young fed Jamie Feldt for a layup on
Valley's next possession and Fuller sank two free throws, taking the lead back
to 68-54 with 59 seconds left and Valley was home free.
Fuller
was named captain of the all-tournament team and was joined by Young, Wolf,
Barney, Grace Berg of Indianola and Logan Cook of Iowa City West.
Valley finishes its memorable season with
a 24-2 record. Cedar Falls goes home with a 23-3 mark.