32 minutes wasn’t enough in Thursday afternoon’s 4A state semifinals between Dallas Center – Grimes and Cedar Rapids – Xavier. 40 wasn’t either nor was 44. It took 48 minutes and three overtimes between the two teams to decide the final, and the Saints were able to knock out the top overall seed in 4A in a 55-50 victory.
The remarkable contest ended the 15 game winning streak and season for the Mustangs, who concluded the year with a 21-4 record. Xavier moves to the championship game on Saturday afternoon and improved to 19-6 on the year.
Both teams were able to get opportunities throughout the end of regulation and both the first and second overtimes, but DCG couldn’t finish a pair of layups in regulation and the second overtime and Xavier couldn’t hit their shot in the first OT.
Both teams played in a low scoring slugfest in the first half, as DCG was able to hold Xavier to 2 points in the second quarter and take a 15-11 lead. In the third, Xavier was able to attack and find the free throw line while forcing DCG into multiple turnovers, scoring 17 in the frame to take a 28-25 lead. In the fourth, Xavier was able to lead 34-27 after a layup by freshmen Libby Fandel at 5:32 left, but DCG was able to go on a 11-2 run in the next five minutes keyed by sophomore Vanessa Bickford’s three to make it 37-36. After a free throw, Xavier’s Kyla Mason got fouled on a layup with 4.1 seconds left and knocked down both free throws, making it 38-38 to send to OT.
In the first OT, DCG trailed by four, but got a pair of big layups by junior Emma Miner, then senior Avery Korsching got a steal and layup at 51 seconds left to tie at 44 and send to another frame. In the second OT, both teams only put up 3 points, with DCG having a chance to win but couldn’t put home the shots.
Xavier was able to create distance in the three OT, as Fandel was able to put up five in the frame. DCG had a chance to tie in the last thirty seconds down 3, but a missed three by Miner lead to a transition layup for Xavier, putting away DCG in a wild ending.
DCG was able to get a great game from Miner, finishing with 16 points and 6 rebounds as well. Bickford was able to get 10 points and six rebounds, and junior Finley Fitzgerald was able to add eight points. Xavier was lead by 18 points and 10 rebounds by Fandel and Kyla Mason’s 16 points off of the bench.
DCG and Xavier both committed both above their season average in turnovers but the stat of the game might have been the DCG free throw shooting, as they hit only 10-22 on the night, well below their season average.
For DCG, this season was a special one, as they were Little Hawkeye Conference champions, Substate champions, and won a state game for the second consecutive year. They will be losing seven seniors from their roster, but will be projected to return a very good team next year, as they hope to make their third consecutive trip to the state tournament.