Linn-Mar hosted top-ranked Iowa City West in its final Mississippi Valley game of the season Thursday night and dropped a 57-37 decision to the Trojans.

Iowa City West (21-0, 16-0) completed an undefeated season.

“Iowa City West is definitely one of the best teams in the state,” said Linn-Mar Coach Chris Robertson. “They played like a winner. You can’t make mistakes against them because they make you pay every time.”

The Trojans got off to a trademark quick start and had a 15-4 lead at the end of the first quarter and maintained that margin the rest of the half. They extended the lead in each quarter of the second half.

Linn-Mar (12-9, 11-5) was led in scoring by Jimmy Roth with 12 points and Matt Lassen chipped in eight.

“We moved the ball well and I got some good shots, but nothing was easy,” said Roth. “They can make some shots, it was tough.”

Especially in the second quarter Linn-Mar displayed a very efficient offensive attack and scored 16 of its 37 points.

“We moved the ball from side to side in our offense and we have improved on that all season,” said Lassen. “Playing like that will get us a long way in the tournament.”

Roth and Lassen are both seniors and they cited improved play as a highlight of their final season. Both are excited to get to that first tournament game against Dubuque Hempstead.

“I agree with the guys,” said Robertson. “We started off 2-6 and we did a nice job of turning things around. It was a lot of hard work on the players’ part, but as they began to buy in we won 10 of our last 13."

Wyatt Lohaus led Iowa City West with 17 points.

IOWA CITY WEST (57): Morgan 4 0-0 9, Lohaus 7 2-2 17, Batie-Gaddy 5 0-1 10, Swank 4 4-4 14, Stewart 0 0-0 0, Lowe 0 0-0 0, Ukah 2 0-2 4, DiLeo 1 0-0 3, Gallagher 0 0-0 0, Grimsman 0 0-0 0,  Fleming 0 0-0 0, Spiess 0 0-0 0, Simpson 0 0-0 0, Withrow 0 0-0 0, Shear 0 0-0 0. Totals 23 6-9 57.

LINN-MAR (37): Martins 0 0-0 0, Lassen 3 2-2 8, Roth 5 1-2 12, Meier 1 0-0 2, Gogg 2 0-2 4, Bohannon 3 0-0 6, Schlotterback 0 0-0 0, Uhlir 1 0-0 3, Strellner 0 0-0 0, Mortensen 0 0-0 0, Dick 1 0-0 2, Nelson 0 0-0 0. Totals 16 3-6 37.

Halftime - Iowa City West 31, Linn-Mar 20. 3-point goals - Iowa City West 4 (Morgan 1, Swank 2, DiLeo 1), Linn-Mar 2 (Roth 1, Uhlir 1).