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J-Hawks escape and are off to state

CEDAR FALLS -- The collective "Phew" could be heard all the way back to the west side of Cedar Rapids Tuesday night.

The Jefferson boys basketball team is going back to the state tournament for the ninth time in school history.

Barely. Sparingly. Nervously.

It was eighth-ranked Jefferson 57, underdog Waterloo West 55 in the Class 4A substate finals at the McLeod Center on the University of Northern Iowa campus. And "Phew" doesn't begin to describe how the J-Hawks escaped.

Jefferson (17-5) will face third-ranked Des Moines Hoover (21-2) in the opening round of the state tournament on Wednesday, March 9 at 8:15 p.m. at the Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.

DiMarco Mallett missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer Tuesday night that would have given Waterloo West (9-15) an improbable trip to the state tournament with a losing record.

"We kept saying, 'Give ourselves a chance, Give ourselves a chance,' and we did," said Waterloo West Coach Justin Little. "We had a shot. It looked good to me and it just missed."

Jarrod Uthoff and his long arms bothered Mallett just enough on the final shot of this tense chess match. The J-Hawks whipped Waterloo West by 30 points in January at Waterloo West, but the Wahawks upset Cedar Falls in the substate semifinals last Friday and were hungry for more.

"It was kind of ripe for an upset," said Jefferson Coach Stu Ordman. "They had nothing to lose."

On the other hand, Jefferson had everything to lose.

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Saunders hustles J-Hawks into substate final

If Jarrod Uthoff is Iowa’s “Mr. Basketball”, then Alec Saunders should get votes for the “Mr. Hustle Award.” If there is such a thing.

The No. 8-ranked Jefferson J-Hawks got a stellar 27-point, 15-rebound performance from MVP-candidate Uthoff and a blue-collar-lunch-bucket display from Saunders to defeat a pesky Western Dubuque team, 60-50, in a Class 4A substate semifinal at Jefferson High School Friday night.

Jefferson (16-5) plays Waterloo West (9-14) Tuesday night at the McLeod Center in Cedar Falls in the substate final for the right to go to the state tournament. Waterloo West upset Cedar Falls, 52-49, Friday night.

Saunders drained two 3-pointers and had 11 points, three steals and three assists, including a number of outstanding “effort plays” that won’t show up in the boxscore.

“I try and get out and beat everyone down the floor,” the 5-foot-11 junior said. “I try and lead everyone else to get more pumped up.”

Saunders said Uthoff is the best player in the state.

“I look up to him and try to be like him,” he said. “I think he is the best.”

A panel of newspaper writers from around the state will cast votes for the Mr. Basketball Award following the state tournament. Uthoff is a leading candidate.

Saunders and the J-Hawks have their sights set on more than just winning their next game.

“I think we can win it all,” Saunders said. “With the amount of talent we have with Uthoff and him getting the ball and then kicking it out, I think we can win state.”

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Allie Trcka 7th at state bowling

DES MOINES -- The Trcka family left its mark on the state bowling tournament in Des Moines this week.

First Tara, then Allie.

Allie Trcka, a senior from Cedar Rapids Jefferson, placed seventh at the girls Class 2A state tournament Friday before a standing-room-only crowd at Plaza Lanes.

Her performance came a day after her cousin Tara Trcka, a sophomore at Xavier, won the Class 1A state crown at Plaza Lanes.

"I'm excited for her," Allie said. "She wins everything. She's going places in bowling."

Tara Trcka won the small-school title with a three-game series of 674 on Thursday. Allie Trcka (she prefers Allie, not Allison) placed seventh in the big-school tournament with a three-game series of 615.

"I'm excited, because it's my last year," Allie said, "but I wish I would have done better."

It's no coincidence the Trcka cousins are bowlers. Tara's father,Tom, owns May City Bowl in Cedar Rapids. Allie said she began bowling when she was 3 or 4 years old.

"I grew up at the bowling alley, so it was something I jumped into," she said. "I liked doing it.

"You just bowl for yourself and it's fun. You're on your own."

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Herman wins; J-Hawks' mat season ends

IOWA CITY – Cedar Rapids Jefferson’s Conner Herman continued his state championship form Tuesday night as he defeated Iowa City West’s Sean Beasley with a pin at 1:40 in the Class 3A regional dual meet tournament.

After capturing the traditional style state title at 215 pounds Saturday, Herman said he hasn’t had much time to soak it all in.

“It’s been crazy.  First one for Jefferson in 13 years; people have been really supportive,” he said. “I’m talking to people I haven’t talked to in a year or two, so it's good.  It’s what we need.”

Unfortunately, the majority of Herman’s teammates did not enjoy the same success, as the J-Hawks fell to Iowa City West 52-15. Six of their 13 wrestlers got pinned.

Herman registered the only pin for Jefferson at 1:40 and dominated all three periods. Jefferson's other winners were Mic Vesey at 285, Blake Carson at 135 and Griffin Bollman at 103 and all won by decision.

One of the most challenging hurdles after winning a state title is not inside the ring though, according to Herman.  It was an outside factor: keeping his focus for the match against a strong Trojans team.

“It’s hard.  I’m still up on Cloud Nine and haven’t been able to come down from there yet, it’s been amazing,” he said. “It’s still going to be with me for awhile, that feeling that I have right now.”

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