No. 4 Mount Vernon is heading to the IGHSAU state basketball tournament for the first time since 2016, and the sixth time in school history, after taking care of Mediapolis, 61-34, on Saturday, Feb. 17, in Mount Vernon.
The Mustangs were awarded the fourth seed and open state play against fifth seed Harlan (20-3) at 6:45 p.m., Monday, Feb. 26, at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.
Win, and Mount Vernon would play in a Class 3A semifinal at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 29, against the winner of top seed Estherville-Lincoln Central (22-2) and eighth seed Forest City (21-3). The 3A championship is 8 p.m. Friday, March 1.
The other four teams at state in 3A include second seed Des Moines Christian (23-1), Benton Community (18-6), third seed Solon (21-3) and Dubuque Wahlert (19-5).
Earlier in the week, the Mustangs had more of a tussle with Davenport Assumption in a 3A regional semifinal, winning 47-37, on Wednesday, Feb. 14.
The Knights were leading, 37-35, following a short shot by Holly Jondle with about three minutes to play.
That’s when senior Peyton Simpson put on her cape.
“She’s been the best shooter in the conference all season long,” Mount Vernon coach Nate Sanderson said. “And our best shooter for three years. It was awesome to see her take those big ones down the stretch.”
The first big one was a 3-pointer from the right corner that gave Mount Vernon the lead, 38-37.
After the Knights missed a 3-pointer on the other end, Simpson drilled another 3-pointer to make it 41-37 with about a minute to play.
“Coach told me at halftime that he didn’t spend all that time during the summer with me to not shoot the ball,” Simpson said. “I tried to get open a little more and make sure my feet were set.”
Sanderson expanded on that halftime pep talk.
“She turned down a couple shots in the first half,” he said. “I just pulled her over and said, ‘I’ve not been in the gym with you the last three years — nights, afternoons and summer mornings; this is the night where that pays off.’ I was just encouraging her to let it rip.”
Mount Vernon went 6-of-6 at the foul line in the last 50 seconds to provide the final margin.
Assumption (11-12) was pesky all night, leading at the half, 20-19.
“We knew this was no average four seed, playing in the MAC and playing against bigger schools all year long,” Sanderson said. “This was not going to be an easy one.
“Assumption did a great job of hanging around, hanging around, and had us on the ropes there. But credit to our kids for surviving.”
The Knights canned seven 3-pointers (of 20).
“They shot the ball a lot better than what we had scouted,” Simpson said. “At half, we talked about closing out on their shooters a little more.”
Assumption only had two 3-pointers in the second half.
Simpson finished with 15 points, followed by Meester with 10.
Against Mediapolis, Sydney Huber led the team with 14 points. Taylor Franck and Simpson each scored 10, and Courtney Franck had eight points, 10 rebounds and seven assists.
Courtney Franck broke two school records last week in single-season assists (107) and steals (77).
Mustangs 47, Knights 37
ASSUMPTION (37) – Lexi Hayes 1-3 0-0 3, Ella Curoe 1-5 0-0 3, Maddi Tolle 3-13 3-3 11, Holly Jondle 2-4 0-0 4, Maddy Nigey 4-11 0-0 11, Gabby Stoffregen 0-2 0-0 0, Erin Robbins 1-2 3-4 5, Anna Timmons 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 12-40 6-7 37.
MOUNT VERNON (47) – Courtney Franck 1-5 2-4 4, Taylor Franck 3-7 2-3 9, Chloe Meester 4-6 2-4 10, Sydney Huber 2-9 0-0 4, Peyton Simpson 4-7 4-4 15, Eryn Jackson 1-4 0-0 3, Josie Niehaus 0-0 0-0 0, Brynley Rasmussen 1-1 0-2 2. Totals 16-39 10-17 47.
Assumption 11 9 9 8 – 37
Mount Vernon 12 7 13 15 – 47
3-point goals – DA 7-20 (Hayes 1-3, Curoe 1-2, Tolle 2-6, Nigey 3-7, Stoffregen 0-2), MV 5-19 (C.Franck 0-2, T.Franck 1-4, Huber 0-4, Simpson 3-5, Jackson 1-4). Rebounds – DA 25 (Curoe 6, NIgey 6), MV 23 (Meester 7). Assists – DA 8 (Curoe 3, NIgey 3), MV 9 (T.Franck 3, Simpson 3). Turnovers – DA 14, MV 13. Total fouls – DA 16, MV 6. Fouled out – Nigey.
Mustangs 61, Bulldogs 34
MEDIAPOLIS (34) – Josie Hutcheson 0-1 0-0 0, Jaydon Wirt 2-9 0-0 6, Haley Steffener 1-7 0-2 2, Grace Holsteen 1-6 0-0 2, Hanna Wagenbach 5-15 4-5 14, Ellah Wagenbach 2-3 0-2 5, Maycie Thornburg 0-0 0-0 0, Amelia Grier 2-2 0-0 5, Bryn Wright 0-1 0-0 0, Josie Parrott 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 13-44 4-9 34.
MOUNT VERNON (61) – Courtney Franck 3-5 1-2 8, Taylor Franck 3-10 2-2 10, Chloe Meester 4-6 0-0 8, Sydney Huber 6-12 1-1 14, Peyton Simpson 4-12 0-0 10, Alivia Truitt 0-0 0-0 0, Lillian Wischmeyer 0-1 0-0 0, Eryn Jackson 1-5 0-0 3, Lucy Wischmeyer 0-1 0-0 0, Sophia Meester 1-2 0-0 2, Josie Niehaus 0-4 0-0 0, Brynley Rasmussen 3-4 0-0 6, Rylee Rasmussen 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 25-62 4-5 61.
Mediapolis 10 4 10 10 — 34
Mount Vernon 14 16 18 13 — 61
3-point goals – M 4-17 (Wirt 2-9, Steffener 0-2, Holsteen 0-4, E.Wagenbach 1-1, Grier 1-1), MV 7-29 (C.Franck 1-1, T.Franck 2-5, Huber 1-4, Simpson 2-9, Li.Wischmeyer 0-1, Jackson 1-4, Niehaus 0-4). Rebounds – M 31 (Hutcheson 7), MV 40 (Huber 11, C.Franck 10). Assists – M 9 (Holsteen 4), MV 17 (C.Franck 7). Turnovers – M 9, MV 5. Total fouls – M 5, MV 12.
Mount Vernon senior Brynley Rassmussen puts up a shot over Davenport Assumption sophomore Ella Curoe on Wednesday, Feb. 14, in Mount Vernon.