Linn-Mar Boys Basketball

Robertson enjoying the ride

Chris Robertson gently cradled the Class 4A state championship trophy as he left Linn-Mar High School Sunday afternoon. "Can I keep it on my nightstand for a while?" he wondered.

He was kidding, of course. The trophy will find a permanent home in the Linn-Mar trophy case, assuming there's room. The Lions won their third state basketball title in eight years and the fourth in school history Saturday night, so it's getting crowded in that display case.

It's a nice problem to have.

Linn-Mar has made five trips to the state finals in the past eight years, compiling a 3-2 record in those games, and has won championships with three different groups of players.

"That's just unheard of, especially in Class 4A where you have so many kids that move from school to school," Robertson said after the Lions were honored at the school. "I think that's one of the things we take a lot of pride in, we've done it with Linn-Mar kids, kids that have come to our little-kids camps and moved on to our school. It's been an unbelievable ride."

The ride could continue indefinitely at Linn-Mar, which has one of the top programs in the state. Four starters graduate, including tournament MVP Matt Bohannon, but Marcus Paige will be back along with a talented group of juniors-to-be.

Robertson, 40, intends to coach again next season, but there's no guarantee he'll coach forever. He and his wife, Mandi, have four children, and he'd like to attend as many of their activities as possible, something that's difficult during the basketball season that runs from November to March.

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LIONS ARE CHAMPS!!!

DES MOINES -- Matt Bohannon hugged Linn-Mar Coach Chris Robertson so hard Saturday night it probably hurt, but that's not why Robertson shed a few tears at Wells Fargo Arena.

They were tears of sheer joy.

Bohannon and Marcus Paige netted 24 points apiece as Linn-Mar completed its perfect season with a 56-42 victory over No.3 Des Moines Hoover in the finals of the Class 4A state tournament.

"It's emotional," said Robertson. "I just love these guys. They're just such great kids, great character, great role models in our community. This is fantastic."

Bohannon was named captain of the Class 4A all-tournament team and also was honored as the MVP of the entire tournament, regardless of a school's size or classification.

"It's a complete team honor," Bohannon declared.

The top-ranked Lions (26-0) claimed the school's third state title in eight years and the fourth overall.

"I'm happy for all of them, but nobody knows how much this means to Matt Bohannon," said Robertson. "Now he can sit at the Thanksgiving table with his brothers and talk about championships. I couldn't be more happy for him."

Jason Bohannon helped Linn-Mar win the 4A title in 2004, then Zach Bohannon helped the Lions claim the state crown in 2007. Matt has something to brag about, too.

"Now Zach can't give me crap for not having one," he said with a smile. "I'm just kidding."

Bohannon and Paige combined to score 48 of Linn-Mar's 56 points, but it was far from a two-man show. Shane Benton contributed his usual dose of hard-nosed defense, Josh Montague blocked three shots despite playing with a torn MCL in his right knee and Ian McBrayer was a rock near the basket  as usual.

The Lions also got solid help off the bench from Michael Thul, Mason Krusie and Derik Gogg to prevent Hoover (23-3) from spoiling their party.

"It couldn't be a sweeter ending and it couldn't have happened to a greater group of guys," said Robertson, in his sixth year as Linn-Mar's head coach. "It's been an outstanding ride and I don't think it will sink in for a few days, but we're sure going to enjoy it tonight."

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Paige, Bohannon on Register all-state teams

DES MOINES -- Jarrod Uthoff of Cedar Rapids Jefferson, Marcus Paige of Linn-Mar and Josh Oglesby of Cedar Rapids Washington were named first team all-state by the Des Moines Sunday Register on its Class 4A all-star basketball squad.

Matt Bohannon of Linn-Mar was a third-team pick in Class 4A and Kasey Semler of Marion was a second-team selection in Class 3A.

Paige and Bohannon led Linn-Mar to the Class 4A state title Saturday night with a 56-42 victory over Des Moines Hoover. Bohannon was named the tournament MVP and the captain of the Class 4A all-tournament team.

The Register's all-state teams were selected prior to Saturday night's championship game.

Uthoff, a 6-foot-8 senior who has signed with Wisconsin, led the state in scoring at 26 points per game. Oglesby, a 6-6 senior who has signed with Iowa, averaged 21.4 points. Paige, a 6-1 junior who has committed to North Carolina, averaged 17.7 points this season.

Uthoff, Oglesby and Paige were joined on the Class 4A all-state team by Adam Woodbury, a 7-1 junior from Sioux City East, and Judd Welfringer, a 6-5 senior from Waukee.

Bohannon, a 6-4 senior who has signed with Northern Iowa, averaged 16.5 points. Semler, a 6-1 senior, was the second-leading scorer in Class 3A this season at 21 points.

For more information on the Register all-state teams, go to DesMoinesRegister.com/HS Insider.

Des Moines Sunday Register All-State teams

Class 4A

FIRST TEAM
Josh Oglesby — C.R. Washington, 6-6, Sr., Guard
Marcus Paige — Linn-Mar, 6-1, Jr., Guard
Jarrod Uthoff, C.R. Jefferson, 6-8, Sr., Forward
Judd Welfringer, Waukee, 6-5, Sr., Forward
Adam Woodbury, Sioux City East, 7-1, Jr., Center

SECOND TEAM
F — Kelly Madison, D.M. Hoover, 6-3, Sr.
F — Kale Abrahamson, Valley , 6-7, Jr.
C — Matt Tiby, Urbandale, 6-8, Sr.
G — Corey Schaefer, Johnston, 6-0, Sr.
G — Grant Lang, Ankeny, 6-4, Sr.

THIRD TEAM
F — Alex Olsen, C.B. Abraham Lincoln, 6-4, Sr.
F — Tavian Pomlee, Davenport Central, 6-5, Sr.
C — Nate Wells, Davenport West, 7-1, Sr.
G — James Harrington, Cedar Falls, 6-1, Jr.
G — Matt Bohannon, Linn-Mar, 6-4, Sr.

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Lions took on and beat all foes

DES MOINES -- The Linn-Mar Lions won basketball games this season in Minneapolis and LaCrosse, Iowa City and Waterloo, Cedar Rapids and Marion, Waukee and ultimately Des Moines.

They won them all, and they won most of them convincingly. Twenty-six games and 26 victories, and they won them all by an average of 22 points per game.

Linn-Mar High School is the king of Class 4A basketball again this year. The coronation came Saturday night at Wells Fargo Arena, where the Lions beat Des Moines Hoover, 56-42, for the title.

The entire season belonged to Linn-Mar, which began the season as the No.1 team in the polls and ended the year with a glittery piece of hardware for its blossoming trophy case back home.

This makes four state titles for Linn-Mar and three in the past eight seasons, making the word "dynasty" an apt description for Coach Chris Robertson's program. Robertson was an assistant coach when the Lions captured the state crown in 2004, but he won his own title in 2007 and now has another.

This is the second time the Lions have finished with a perfect record on their road to the title. They finished 25-0 in 1983 and topped that mark this season at 26-0.

The Lions were not perfect in 2004 when they finished 24-3, nor perfect in 2007 when they went 24-1, but nobody is complaining, and nobody will return those trophies to sender.

Linn-Mar has compiled an 186-18 record the last eight years during its dynasty, a phenomenal display of excellence over an extended period of time. There has been a steady stream of outstanding players, and unlike some "dynasties" there's been a different collection of players for each title.

The Lions who won the state title in 2004 were not the same team that won the title in 2007, and the guys who won the title in 2007 were not the team team that won the title Saturday. The Bohannon family has been a common denominator for each crown -- Jason in 2004, Zach in 2007 and Matt in 2011 -- but the continued success is more a testament to the overall program than to bloodlines.

Four of the starters from Saturday night's victory over Des Moines Hoover are seniors and will graduate, but Marcus Paige returns next season and other underclassmen are anxious for their turn in the spotlight for the 2011-12 campaign.

Linn-Mar High School will salute the 2011 state champions at a special assembly in the main gym Sunday at 2 p.m. The Lions will be the guys with the big trophy and the even bigger smiles.