Linn-Mar Girls Basketball

Metro girls teams drop in rankings

Linn-Mar dropped down, Xavier dropped down and Kennedy dropped out.

That was the story Thursday afternoon when the IGHSAU released the new girls basketball rankings.

The Linn-Mar Lions dropped from No. 6 to No. 8 in Class 5A following their first loss. The Xavier Saints fell from No. 13 to No. 14 in Class 4A, and the Kennedy Cougars fell completely out of the Class 5A rankings after being ranked No. 10 a week ago.

Waukee topped the 5A poll and Harlan led the 4A rankings.

CLASS 5A

1. Waukee (4-0), 2. West Des Moines Valley (6-0), 3. Dowling (5-2), 4. Iowa City West (7-0), 5. Southeast Polk (4-1), 6. Johnston (5-1), 7. Iowa City High (6-1), 8. Linn-Mar (5-1), 9. Ankeny Centennial (3-2), 10. Cedar Falls (6-1).

CLASS 4A

1. Harlan (3-0), 2. North Scott (6-0), 3. Western Dubuque (5-0), 4. Ballard (7-0), 5. Sioux City Heelan (3-0), 6. Carlisle (6-1) 7. Perry (5-2), 8. Keokuk (6-0), 9. Waverly-Shell Rock (6-0), 10. Davenport Assumption (3-3), 11. Indianola (5-2), 12. Lewis Central (6-1), 13. Davenport North (6-0), 14. Xavier (4-3), 15. Pella (5-2).

Ollinger leaving Jeff for Linn-Mar

Amanda Ollinger confirmed Wednesday night that she has played her last basketball game at Cedar Rapids Jefferson and will start attending Linn-Mar High School when school resumes in January after the holiday break.

Ollinger, a 6-foot-2 junior, is one of the most decorated two-sport athletes in the state. She has been named all-state in basketball and volleyball and has committed to the University of Iowa for basketball.

Ollinger said the transfer is for "personal reasons" and not related to basketball. Both of her parents, Scott and Bonnie Ollinger, work in Marion and the family will be moving from the Jefferson district to the Linn-Mar district in the coming weeks, making it more convenient for the family.

According to IGHSAU rules, Ollinger will be immediately eligible at Linn-Mar since her family will be living in the Linn-Mar district. She will become the second high-profile athlete to switch from Jefferson to Linn-Mar this year. Kelsey Drake, a state champion in swimming, moved from Jefferson to Linn-Mar for the beginning of the 2014-15 school year.

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City hands Linn-Mar 1st loss

IOWA CITY – The ninth-ranked Iowa City High girls basketball team upset No. 6 Linn-Mar 48-42 Tuesday at City High.

The Lions jumped to a 20-6 lead in the first quarter and led 26-20 at halftime, but the Little Hawks took control in the second half with a 15-10 edge in the third quarter, and pulling away down the stretch with a 13-6 edge in the fourth quarter.

Kamryn Finley had 13 points for Linn-Mar (5-1), and Megan Murphy addded four 3-point goals for 12 points.

Courtney Joens had 13 points for Iowa City High (6-1), and Kenya Earl had 11 points.

LINN-MAR (42): Akers 0 0-0 0, Frese 0 0-0 0, Lancial 0 0-0 0, Murphy 4 0-0 12, Montague 2 0-0 5, Sharma 1 1-2 3, Finley 4 4-6 13, Larson 0 0-0 0, Nietert 3 3-4 9. Totals 14 8-12 42.

IOWA CITY HIGH (48): Plock 0 0-1 0, Sara Blowers 0 0-2 0, Schroder 2 0-1 4, A.Joens 2 5-9 9, Sam Blowers 3 2-2 9, C.Joens 6 1-3 13, Earl 3 4-5 11, Christophersen 1 0-0 2. Totals 17 12-23 48.

Halftime – Linn-Mar 26, Iowa City High 20. 3-point goals – Linn-Mar 6 (Murphy 4, Montague, Finley), Iowa City High 2 (Sam Blowers, Earl).

Linn-Mar girls trim Warriors

In the end, it was a game of hot-potato.

After a mad scramble in the closing seconds with the ball changing hands several times, Linn-Mar sophomore Lexi Frese was the last one to touch it with 1.5 seconds to go.

She then sank one of two free throws and with it sank Washington’s last hope of a desperation homecourt comeback from a disastrous 15-point first quarter deficit.

“In my head, I knew they were not going to go away,” said Linn-Mar Coach Jaime (Printy) Brandt, cool as a cucumber after the 41-39 squeaker for her team. “I’m just proud of my girls for finishing it out.”

She admitted, though, that it was a real nail-biter right to the end.

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