Neither team was No. 1 this time around, but the drama was still top-notch.
Solon junior Kobi Leitz hit a 3-pointer from the top of the arc with no time left to lift No. 5 Solon past No. 2 Mount Vernon, 55-54, on Friday, Feb. 2, in Mount Vernon.
“You don’t often get to be in games like that,” Mount Vernon coach Nate Sanderson said. “I give a lot of credit to our kids.”
The Mustangs led by seven, 41-34, at the start of the fourth quarter. Then Iowa recruit Callie Levin converted a pair of three-point plays as part of a 12-4 run, to put the Spartans ahead 46-45.
The Hwy. 1 rivals exchanged baskets. Sophomore Courtney Frank broke through with a 3-pointer at the very end of the shot clock to make it 52-50 and force a Solon time out with 31.9 seconds left.
Levin came up with another drive to the basket to tie it up again, then Mustang junior post Chloe Meester converted in the paint with about six seconds left.
“I didn’t think I was going to make it at first. It went in and I was pretty excited,” Meester said. “But then I really focused on getting back on defense.”
Solon (16-3) raced the ball down the court, Levin drew a double-team and kicked it to Lietz.
“Just one or two seconds too much on the clock,” Sanderson said. “But (Meester’s shot) was a look we wanted.”
Mount Vernon (17-3) had beaten Solon, 44-37, back on Jan. 16 in Solon. The Mustangs hit two 3-pointers in that win. They only made two 3-pointers again Friday.
“They always guard the 3-point line really hard,” Meester said. “They know we’re a good 3-point shooting team.”
“That’s their M.O. They don’t want you to make threes,” Sanderson said. “We had to win in the post, and we did at times. But at other times we couldn’t move the ball against their pressure and they capitalized at the other end.”
Reserve post Brynley Rassmussen led the Mustangs with 15 points, and Meester had eight points and 10 rebounds. Courtney Franck had 11 points and eight rebounds but fouled out with 1:14 to play.
If the teams play a rubber game, it’ll be in Des Moines at the state tournament. The regional pairings were released last week, and the Mustangs get to play all their regional games at home, starting with Anamosa (3-14) on Saturday, Feb. 3.
Also last week, Mount Vernon beat No. 11 (4A) Marion, 46-32, on Tuesday, Jan. 30, in Marion.
Before the playoffs, the Mustangs closed the regular season with a trip Tuesday, Feb. 6, to No. 15 West Delaware. Mount Vernon beat them, 46-32, at home back on Jan. 19.
Mustangs 46, Wolves 32
MOUNT VERNON (46) – Courtney Franck 0-3 2-4 2, Taylor Franck 2-6 1-2 6, Chloe Meester 5-6 0-0 10, Sydney Huber 3-6 6-6 14, Peyton Simpson 4-8 0-0 11, Eryn Jackson 1-3 0-0 3, Josie Niehaus 0-6 0-0 0, Brynley Rasmussen 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 15-38 9-12 46.
MARION (32) – Mallory Heinricy 0-4 0-0 0, Natalie McAllister 1-3 0-0 3, Jenna Heinricy 2-11 0-0 4, Mila Van Weelden 5-12 3-5 16, Madeline Pavelka 2-6 1-2 5, Grace Whalen 0-0 1-2 1, Harlow Griffin 1-9 1-2 3. Totals 11-45 6-11 32.
Mount Vernon 11 14 10 11 – 46
Marion 5 9 5 13 – 32
3-point goals – MV 7-17 (C.Franck 0-1, T.Franck 1-2, Huber 2-4, Simpson 3-5, Jackson 1-2, Niehaus 0-3), Marion 4-16 (M.Heinricy 0-3, McAllister 1-2, J.Heinricy 0-3, Van Weelden 3-8). Rebounds – MV 27 (Meester 9), Marion 26 (J.Heinricy 7). Assists – MV 13 (C.Franck 6), Marion 7. Turnovers – MV 16, Marion 13. Total fouls – MV 8, Marion 16.
Spartans 55, Mustangs 54
SOLON (55) – Kobi Lietz 5-10 0-0 11, Hailey Miller 3-9 0-0 7, Mia Stahle 0-3 0-2 0, Anna Quilin 0-2 2-4 2, Callie Levin 11-23 6-10 30, Delainey Durr 1-2 2-2 5, Laeni Hinkle 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 20-49 10-18 55.
MOUNT VERNON (54) – Courtney Franck 4-7 2-2 11, Taylor Franck 3-9 3-4 9, Chloe Meester 4-8 0-2 8, Sydney Huber 3-9 2-2 9, Peyton Simpson 1-3 0-0 2, Eryn Jackson 0-2 0-0 0, Josie Niehaus 0-3 0-0 0, Brynley Rassmussen 7-8 1-2 15. Totals 22-49 8-12 54.
Solon 18 8 8 20 – 55
Mount Vernon 11 13 15 15 – 54
3-point goals – Solon 5-20 (Lietz 1-4, Miller 1-5, Stahle 0-2, Quilin 0-1, Levin 2-6, Durr 1-2), MV 2-8 (C.Franck 1-2, T.Franck 0-1, Huber 1-1, Simpson 0-2, Jackson 0-1, Niehaus 0-1). Rebounds – Solon 30 (Levin 9), MV 29 (Meester 9). Assists – Solon 10 (Levin 4), MV 13 (C.Franck 4). Turnovers – Solon 13, MV 14. Total fouls – Solon 14, MV 12.
Mount Vernon sophomore Courtney Francks works against Solon junior Kobi Lietz on Friday, Feb. 2, in Mount Vernon.