Blog

By Jim Wieners

For the fifth consecutive year and for the 13th time since 1993 Incarnate Word Academy is headed to the Missouri State High School Activities Association Girls Basketball Semifinal and is seeking back-to-back state titles for the second time in those five years.

IWA will be seeking their second consecutive Class Four Girls State title, their fourth overall since 2010 and their sixth since 1995. The Red Knights begin their quest Friday, March 21 around 4:15 p.m. at Mizzou Arena, on the University of Missouri Campus, Columbia, against seven-time State Champion Marshfield, who is making their first state semifinal appearance since 2002 and last won state in 1999. This game follows the other Girls Class Four semifinal, featuring Dexter and St. Joseph-Benton, which is scheduled to start at 2:30 p.m.

On Saturday, March 22, semifinal winners play in the championship at 6:20 p.m. while the losers play for third place at 11 a.m.

Incarnate Word heads to Columbia with a 29-1 record losing only to Tennessee-based Blackman 58-49 on Jan. 25 in Louisville, Ky., and Blackman was ranked first nationally according to IWA head coach Dan Rolfes in a quarterfinal post-game interview Feb. 15 at Francis Howell, in Weldon Spring. IWA had defeated Blackman 53-44 on Jan. 1 (New Years Day) to win a tournament in Naples, Fla. “Overall, we played the hardest schedule,” Rolfes said and “the hard schedule prepared us.”

IWA began their run at a Class Four repeat by rolling over two Public High League teams to win District Five at Vashon. On March 7 the Red Knights rolled over Soldan International Studies 68-14, after leading 49-0 at halftime then the next day, March 8, rolled over PHL Champion Miller Career Academy, 76-58. Napheesa Collier scored 27 points against Soldan International Studies and added 32 points to go with pulling down 15 rebounds against Miller Career Academy while Gwen Adams scored 17 against Miller.

In the March 12 Sectional at Parkway West, in West County, IWA won 57-44 over 24-2 Mary Institute-Country Day School and the Red Knights defeated MICDS, Metro League Champions, twice this season as Collier scored 30 points and pulled down 18 rebounds. In the March 15 Quarterfinal at Francis Howell IWA rolled over Jefferson City-Helias Catholic, 66-20 as Collier scored 23 and Abbey Hoff added 20.

HAZELWOOD CENTRAL GIRLS won Class Five, District Seven at Hazelwood West but lost the March 12 Sectional at St. Charles West to St. Joseph’s Academy, 56-45. In District Seven Hazelwood Central won March 6 over Hazelwood East, 48-36, and on March 8 defeated top-seeded McCluer North, 38-29.