ADEL, Iowa — Three years of frustration were erased in one fell swoop Wednesday as Class 2A No. 4 Panorama walloped No. 12 Nodaway Valley, 58-41, in the Region 7 Final to return to the state tournament for the first time since 2018.
Nodaway Valley (20-4) had handed Panorama (24-1) their lone loss this year, sinking a half-court heave at the buzzer to steal a 55-54 victory. There was no such drama Wednesday.
The Panthers opened an 18-13 lead after eight minutes of play, but the Wolverines clawed back to trail by only a bucket, down 25-23, at the intermission.
Four minutes into the third period the Panorama lead was only four points, at 29-25, but head coach Kylee Boettcher’s squad scored 16 of the next 23 points to enter the fourth quarter holding a 45-32 advantage.
Nodaway Valley was never able to come with single digits after that, with the celebration slowly brewing among Panther players and faithful.
Panorama had been stopped in the regional finals in each of the last three years, losing by an average of 34 points. Those demons were exorcised Wednesday.
“We had control of the game from the tip and kept our compusure to the final buzzer,” Boettcher said. “I am especially happy for our seniors.”
Nodaway Valley’s Maddax DeVault and Panorama’s Payton Beckman entered the game was the second and third highest scorer in 2A. The seniors cancelled each other out in the first meeting, with each scoring 21, and did the same Wednesday, with both scoring 13 points.
DeVault ends a stellar prep career with 1,779 points while Beckman will have at least one more game to add to her school-record 1,648 points. She has 497 points for the season.
Laci Rishel poured in a game-high 19 points to lead Panorama. Beckman had 13 and Tyme Boettcher 11, with Jaidyn Sellers adding 10 points and Angel Poldberg five. Rishel sank three 3-pointers, Boettcher two, and Beckman and Poldberg one apiece.
Bella Hogan had nine points, Lindsey Davis seven, Annika Nelson six, Joria Holliday four and Madison Fry two for the Wolverines.
Panorama finished 9-of-13 free throws and Nodaway Valley 8-of-14.
The Panthers will play sixth-ranked Iowa City Regina (20-4) at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. The winner will face the victor of the 6:45 p.m. contest between No. 1 Dike-New Hartford (22-2) and South Central Calhoun (19-5). The semifinal will be at 10 a.m. March 4.
The bottom half of the bracket features No. 2 Denver (23-2) against No. 14 Underwood (22-2) at 10 a.m. Wednesday, with No. 3 Central Lyon (22-2) facing No. 10 Cascade (20-4) in the 11:45 a.m. tilt. Those winners meet at 11:45 a.m. March 4.
The Class 2A championship game will be contested March 5 at 4:45 p.m.
