2025-2026 Playoffs: Saturday Night’s Intriguing Regional Matchups

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Saturday night is a busy one. There are over 50 games being played across the state of Iowa for Regional Playoff action throughout all Class levels. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In this article we highlight five games that have intriguing matchup's to keep an eye out for. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Thanks for tuning in and enjoy!</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <li class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Class 5A: Region 4 - Ankeny Centennial (10-11) vs Roosevelt (16-6)</strong></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Roosevelt Roughriders are going to look to take their 16-6 record on the road to play in their first game of the Post season on Saturday evening against Ankeny Centennial. When you compare these two programs side-by-side, this becomes a very interesting matchup. Both groups have well known prospects, with noteworthy guard play, who can turn it on and compete at a collegiate level so it's going to come down to execution. You might look at these two program's records and you might try to dismiss the Jaguars but that would be a mistake. The Jaguars group has played a TOUGH schedule this season and that should help carry them throughout this one. Roosevelt hasn't had as tough of a schedule as the Jaguars so it'll be fun to see how everyone reacts once they get punched in the mouth. This game could go either way. We will give the slight advantage to AC being the higher ranking team and all but it wouldn't shock anyone if the Roughriders won the game when the final buzzer sounds.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Roosevelt's Key Players: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='669067' first='Keke' last='Walker'] (13 PPG, 2.1 APG), [player_tooltip player_id='766456' first='Malaina' last='Hackley'] (10 PPG, 4 RPG, 5.5 APG), Kenna Ledinsky (4.3 RPG, 2.6 APG)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Ankeny Centennial's Key Players:</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='923916' first='Lizzie' last='Beam'] (17 PPG, 5 RPG, 2 APG), [player_tooltip player_id='880919' first='Faith' last='Perpich'] (10 PPG, 2 APG), [player_tooltip player_id='1307660' first='Rylyn' last='Boeding'] (8 PPG, 5 RPG)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <li class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Class 3A: Region 5 - Williamsburg (19-5) vs Tipton (21-2)</strong></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Just like we mentioned in the matchup before this one, if you are looking at these team's records in this battle, you might get tempted to think that the Tipton Tigers are the team to beat here but in reality, it's the other way around. It's Williamsburg who is the big favor on their home floor with a chance to go to State. This makes a lot of sense. Williamsburg is a team that was rated as the #1 team in the 3A Class for a good amount of this season. They are a group with 4-5 prospects that can score it, pass it, and defend it at a high rate. When you combined that with their gym and home crowd, it becomes am uphill battle for others team's to come in and escape with a victory. Is it impossible? No. It will all come down to the Post play between both of these programs. Tipton has a tall and dominant Post prospect as an underclassmen and Williamsburg has a seasoned veteran under the hoop in [player_tooltip player_id='656292' first='Zoe' last='Allen'] so now it all comes down to game strategy or how both programs use their star in major moments down the stretch. Tipton has had to face some adversity this season and they have skated by with ease but I'm not sure if that will be the cause in Williamsburg on Saturday night.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Tipton's Key Players: </strong> [player_tooltip player_id='1314677' first='Jordyn' last='Schmidt'] (11.5 PPG, 9 RPG), [player_tooltip player_id='896439' first='Averie' last='Bolger'] (10 PPG, 2.3 APG)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Williamsburg's Key Players:</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='656292' first='Zoe' last='Allen'] (11.9 PPG, 5 RPG), [player_tooltip player_id='1215782' first='Taylor' last='Sanchez'] (10 PPG, 2 RPG), [player_tooltip player_id='1093414' first='Channing' last='Becker'] (8.3 PPG, 2.4 APG), [player_tooltip player_id='1056799' first='Ava' last='Hocker'] (6 RPG, 3 APG)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <li class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Class 3A: Region 6 - PCM (22-1) vs Mediapolis (23-0</strong>)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>What happens when a freight-train from hell runs into a brick wall? Well we are about to find out tomorrow night when Mediapolis (23-0) goes to PCM (22-1) in one of the more highly anticipated games of the season for both programs. The PCM Mustangs are 22-1, only falling to a 5A team to start their season in Carlisle High School while the Mediapolis Bulldogs have yet to see a loss this season. Both of these teams have a different strategy when it comes to getting buckets on the offensive side. PCM likes to slow down the action. They run sets within the half court and use their size + execution to make waves against weaker, smaller, and dumber opponents. Mediapolis is more of a run-and-gun-type program. They want to let the three ball fly at high rates, they want to run the floor, and they want to pressure their opponents into simple mistakes on both sides of the ball. This one is going to come down to who can control the pace of play. Whoever can get the game to be played how they would like it to be on the offensive end will have the advantage. From there, it's all about whoever can adapt quicker in real time. Whoever accomplishes those two things is going to have a significant chance of coming out on top when it's all said and done.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Mediapolis' Key Players: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='839371' first='Grace' last='Holsteen'] (17 PPG, 3.4 APG), Ellah Wagenbach (12.3 PPG, 4.3 RPG),  [player_tooltip player_id='1160666' first='Josie' last='Hutcheson'] (11 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 2.1 APG)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>PCM's Key Players: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='582810' first='Tori' last='Lindsay'] (14 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 3.6 APG),  [player_tooltip player_id='1325841' first='Libby' last='Winters'] (12 PPG, 10 RPG, 2 APG)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <li class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Class 3A: Region 7 - Forest City (21-3) vs Algona (20-4)</strong></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>When you compare Forest City and Algona, you start to notice that their numbers on the season as a whole are extremely similar in almost every category on offense and defense. They both average the same about of points for and points against, they have both shot right around 300 free throws as a whole, they both sit around with a 41% FG percentage, they both are shooting 30% from behind the three point line, and they both have deep rosters. These are just SOME of the things they have in common. I could go on and mention every single statistic but I'm sure you get the picture by now. I think Algona has the advantage here. Their three top prospects are all averaging over 11 PPG individually. That's the only clear advantage we see between both of these squads. If you have a chance, stop in to see this one. It might turn out to be the game of the Playoffs at this point.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Algona's Key Players:</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='834563' first='Hayden' last='McLaughlin'] (14 PPG, 5.1 RPG), Kate Limbaugh (14.1 PPG, 9 RPG), Bella Jo Dunning (11.1 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 2.4 APG)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Forest City's Key Players: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='839336' first='Hayden' last='Brown'] (13 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 3 APG), [player_tooltip player_id='1091996' first='Jenna' last='Dontje'] (9.9 PPG, 9 RPG)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <li class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Class 4A: Region 8 - Sioux Center (16-6) vs MOC-Floyd Valley (15-8)</strong></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Every year we see Sioux Center at the State Tournament it seems as of recent. As a group this is a team that has won several games over their past 4-5 years and they are looking to build on that once again tomorrow night. For MOC-Floyd Valley, this game is about being able to take the punches of Sioux Center. Looking at the analytics, the only statistic where Sioux Center really beats the Dutchman is from the three point shooting game. Sioux Center gets up several more three pointers a game and sometimes when those shot are falling, they can be the difference between winning or losing a close contest. Whoever wins this game, will have a really fair shot to make it to DSM at the end of the day. If you look at their regional, there is a path. Now it's just about whoever finds it first and leaves it all out on the floor.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>MOC-Floyd Valley's Key Players:</strong> Ady Jeltema (14 PPG, 5 RPG), [player_tooltip player_id='1091301' first='Brielle' last='Hoegh'] (11 PPG, 5 RPG)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Sioux Center's Key Players: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='777226' first='Maryn' last='Franken'] (20 PPG, 9 RPG, 3 APG), [player_tooltip player_id='1209839' first='Amirah' last='Bleeker'] (10 PPG, 3 RPG, 3 APG), Paelyn Winterfeld (6 PPG, 4 RPG, 3 APG</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->