Postseason Preview: Class 3A, Substate 2
The favorite: The only remaining undefeated team in 3A is Clear Lake, and the Lions are the favorite to emerge from this substate. They’ve been really good on both ends of the floor, ranking 8th in scoring offense in…
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The favorite: The only remaining undefeated team in 3A is Clear Lake, and the Lions are the favorite to emerge from this substate. They’ve been really good on both ends of the floor, ranking 8th in scoring offense in the class (67.1 points a game) and 7th in defense (49.5), and they’ve handled business against teams in this substate, going 8-0 against the other teams in the group (they haven’t played Decorah, have beaten Webster City and Hampton-Dumont twice each). The Lions have a balanced group, with three players averaging in double figures in Drew Enke (13.0), Tate Storbeck (12.3) and Carson Toebe (11.2), while five others average between 3.7 and 7.7 points a game. Anyone can have a big game on any given night, which makes them tough to gameplan for. If there is one weakness that this group has, it’s at the free throw line, where they are shooting just 61.9% as a team. That could be a factor in a semifinal or final as they try to ice away games, but this team has proven they can beat the top contenders in the group, and have to be considered as big a favorite as any team in 3A to come out of their substate.
The biggest threat: Charles City has two things going for them that make them the biggest threat to Clear Lake, despite the fact that the Lions pounded them early this season, 87-60. First, the Comets have the best individual player in the substate in senior guard Jackson Molstead (28.7), the school’s all-time leading scorer. Second, they don’t need to see the Lions until the substate final. Of course, Webster City could trip them up in the semifinal, but Molstead will be the best player on the floor and should get them through that one in a tight contest. Bradley Andrews (12.6, 36.2 3P%) and JJ Ritter (8.8, 38.6 3P%) provide some additional scoring punch for Charles City, but this team will live and die with how Molstead plays. If he’s scoring and distributing efficiently, they can get through this substate. If a team finds a way to limit him, they will struggle.
Two more contenders: Waverly-Shell Rock always has to be considered a threat, as the Go-Hawks have made it to State eight of the last nine years. This group isn’t the most talented team Coach Steege has ever had, but he’s one of the best coaches in the state at developing a game plan and getting his team to stick to it, so you can count on him being ready for Clear Lake in the semifinal. Hogan Hansen (14.2, 47 3PM) has been a dangerous weapon as a freshman, and Nebraska football commit Mosai Newsom (10.1) gives them some physicality and skill in the paint. The other key contender here is Webster City, who lost at the buzzer to Clear Lake just a few weeks ago, 52-51. The Lynx have a number of shooting threats and a big man in Henry Hoversten (14.5, 9.1 rebounds) who can control the glass on both ends of the floor. They’ve played Clear Lake tough twice, and they’d host Charles City in the semifinal should both teams win.
The dark horse: Iowa Falls-Alden sophomore Karson Sharar (22.8) is one of the most talented scoring threats in the state, and is the only sophomore in the state who holds a Division I offer currently (Drake). He has missed some time this year, but is always a threat to go off for 40 on a given night, and the Cadets have another solid scoring threat in Logan Aldinger (15.1, 60 3PM) who can fill it up as well.
Players to watch
2019 Drew Enke, Clear Lake
2019 Tate Storbeck, Clear Lake
2022 Carson Toebe, Clear Lake
2020 Collin Bleich, Algona
2019 Jackson Molstead, Charles City
2020 Bradley Andrews, Charles City
2021 Karson Sharar, Iowa Falls-Alden
2020 Logan Aldinger, Iowa Falls-Alden
2019 Henry Hoversten, Webster City
2019 Dylan Steen, Webster City
2022 Hogan Hansen, Waverly-Shell Rock
2019 Mosai Newsom, Waverly-Shell Rock
SUBSTATE FINAL PREDICTION
Clear Lake vs. Charles City
As the only undefeated team remaining in 3A, Clear Lake got about as good a draw as they could have expected given the way the IHSAA splits these teams primarily geographically. The Lions haven’t played the type of schedule that Charles City or Waverly-Shell Rock have, but they’ve already beaten both of those teams and are clearly the team to beat here. While it may not be smooth sailing the whole way, Clear Lake punches their ticket to State for the first time since 1979.