Kiah Stokes and the Linn-Mar Lions braced themselves for a big early-season test from Virginia Johnson and the Iowa City Little Hawks Tuesday night (Nov. 30).

They aced it.

A-plus, ladies.

Stokes poured in 29 points, grabbed 18 rebounds and blocked four shots as the fourth-ranked Lions dumped the third-ranked Little Hawks, 60-48, at Linn-Mar.

 The defending Class 4A state champions opened a 19-point bulge in the fourth quarter and cruised their 28th straight victory with an impressive show.

“They’re a great team and we thought it was going to be a battle, right to the end, a last-second shot,” Stokes said.

If City High is great, then Linn-Mar is greater. At least it was Tuesday.

“I feel real confident coming out of this game,” said Linn-Mar senior Jenna Eells, who nailed four 3-pointers and scored 14 points. “I think we really proved it tonight. I hope we can keep it up for the rest of the season.”

Virginia Johnson, an all-state forward who has signed with the University of Iowa, popped in 23 points for the Little Hawks, but she got in mild foul trouble in the first half and tweaked her right ankle, giving Linn-Mar an opening.

Iowa City led, 23-20, when Johnson picked up her second foul and left the game with 5:16 remaining in the second quarter. Linn-Mar promptly went on a 13-4 surge for a 33-27 lead, with Stokes scoring seven points without having to battle the 6-foot-1 Johnson inside.

Johnson collected her third foul with 3:25 left in the third period. She stayed in the game, but played softly on defense. Linn-Mar pounced again, using an 8-0 spurt to take control at 48-35.

The lead grew to 58-39 with a few minutes left to play, hardly the showdown most people expected.

Iowa City High (2-1) played a box-and-one on defense, with Johnson fronting Stokes and another Little Hawk sliding over for a double-team. Eells made them pay by nailing four 3-pointers.

“Stay relaxed,” said Eells, seizing the opportunity. “And shoot.”

Stokes enjoyed her teammate’s show.

“Jenna was hitting 3 after 3 after 3,” she said. “I was very impressed by her.”

The Little Hawks had a choice to make. Double-team Stokes and make Linn-Mar’s guards beat them. Or single-team Stokes and let her score 40.

“Pick your poison,” City High Coach Bill McTaggart said. “If they’re hitting from the outside it makes it really tough, because everybody in the state is going to have a hard time guarding her one-on-one.”

Linn-Mar Coach Mike Brandt wants his shooters to shoot. It’s as simple as that.

“It can’t be a one-man show,” he said. “Whoever’s on that floor cannot be afraid to attack and shoot the ball. We want every kid that goes on that floor to play with no fear. ”

Mykaela Brandt, the coach’s daughter, takes that philosophy to heart, darting and diving with reckless abandon. The 5-foot-6 sophomore scored 11 points.

Johnson scored 23 points, but got little help from her teammates. Haley Lorenzen, the daughter of former Kennedy star Al Lorenzen, was second-best for the Little Hawks with nine points.

Meanwhile, Linn-Mar (2-0) got 29 points from Stokes, 14 from Eells and 11 from Brandt.

Stokes got off to a fairly slow start against the box-and-one, but caught fire after Johnson got in foul trouble. She dominated the rest of the game.

“She’s a lot stronger,” said Johnson, sitting in the Linn-Mar trainer’s room with her tender ankle. “Maybe her sophomore year, she was a lot skinnier. Now she’s kind of built up, with muscles.

“We have to front her,” Johnson said, “because once she gets it, it’s pretty much a done deal.”

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CITY HIGH (48): Sierra Chambers 1 0-0 2, Kelsey Coleman 0 0-0 0, Mickey Hansche 1 0-0 2, Virginia Johnson 10 0-0 23, Kiera Washpun 2 0-0 4, Kayla Hyche 2 1-1 6, Haley Lorenzen 3 2-2 9, Harper Beasley 1 0-0 2, Erin Danielson 0 0-0 0. Totals 20 3-3 48.

LINN-MAR (60): Mykaela Brandt 4 2-4 11, Sara Strauel 3 0-0 6, Kailee Karr 0 0-0 0, Jenna Eells 5 0-0 14, Kiah Stokes 13 3-4 29, Rachel Thrune 0 0-0 0, Leandra Martins 0 0-0 0, Courtney Major 0 0-0 0. Totals 25 5-8 60.

Halftime — Linn-Mar 33, City High 29. 3-point goals — City High 5 (Johnson 3, Hyche 1, Lorenzen 1), Linn-Mar 5 (Eells 4, Brandt 1).