In a classic that went down to the final second of the gameMakenzie Vander Molen made a driving layup with one-point-two seconds on the clock to give Pella a 25-to-24 win over Knoxville in the class three-A girls regional final. Pella led for most of the way but could never get away from Knoxville as the Panthers made several key defensive stops and grabbed the lead heading into the fourth quarter. The Panthers held a 24/23 lead when Pella called a timeout with just over ten second remaining. Coach Mike Vint explained what happedn in the final ten seconds. Vander Molen led Pella with 15 points as she was the only Lady Dutch in double figures. MeanwhileKnoxville Coach Jim Utimarkt said his team did everything it could to win the game. Sam Abens finished with 12 points to lead the Panthers. Knoxville finishes by far its best season ever at 21-and-threewhile Pella improves to 23-and-one and will play Spencerwho knocked off number two ranked Algona last night. That game will be next Tuesday night at eight in Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.

The Pella Christian Eagles are just one game away from the State Tournament after last nights defeat of Davis County in Oskaloosa 84-to-52. The Mustangs were able to keep it close for a while before the Eagles went on another one of their patented runs in the second quarter to stretch their halftime lead to 44/27. Four Pella Christian players scored in double figures. Cliff Warner scored 20 pointsTyler Klyn had 12Bill Nolte added 14and Tyler Van Zee scored ten. Davis County tried to beat the Eagles with their speed but found out that Pella Christian was just as fast. That combined with the huge size advantage the Eagles had was the main difference in the game. The Eagles for the right to go to State on Saturday.

The Knoxville boys finished the season Tuesday night against A-D-M in the first round of the class three-A Distrcit. The Panthers finished five-and-17but Coach Brad McWilliams says the effort all season was outstanding. He says the coaching staff got more out of this group than they ever dreamed. He says Dan GordonLuke Hileman gave great effort all season long. Knoxville returns a large group with at least two years experience like Blake McWilliams at point guardand Luke Moore at the post position who also has developed an outside shotso the future seems brighter for Knoxville boys basketball.

The P-C-M boys fought right to the endbut came up just shortlosing in the class two-A district final to Des Moines Christian 47-to-43. It looked like P-C-M would run away with it earlyas the Mustangs finished the first quarter up 12/six and did a good job of shutting down the Lions leading scorer Branden Stubbsbut Stubbs got going in the second quarter and finished the first half with 13 of his 21 points. The Lions move on to face Pella Christian in the Sub State final on Saturday for a trip to state. P-C-M ended the season at 18-and-six.

The Central Mens basketball season ended to the hands of Loras last night in the first round of the Iowa Conference Tournament. The Du-Hawks beat the Dutch 73-to-65. Central took the lead with just under four minutes left in the game 58/57but Loras closed the game on a 16-to-seven run to seal it away. Miguel Ley had 25 points to pace Central.