St. Albert had been getting closer to winning the girls basketball state championship, and it finally happened a week ago — the first in school history and the first in Council Bluffs history. The Saints had to go into double overtime to defeat Newell Fonda 61-58.
Head Coach Dick Wettengel had taken the St. Albert boys team to the state tournament but never won — he finished second with the Falcons in 1993 and 1994. He left to coach the Lewis Central boys, but returned to lead the Saintes girls program. St. Albert lost in the first round to Newell Fonda in 2020, lost in the semis to North Linn last year, and now they have won the title.
In recent years, the 1A state tournament has been dominated by Newell Fonda, who won three straight titles in 2019, 2020, and 2021, Bishop Garrigan of Algona, who were in four straight finals, winning in 2022 and 2023, as well as North Linn, last year’s champion, and Springville, who won three straight championships just before Newell Fonda.
This year, St. Albert defeated Bishop Garrigan in the semifinals and Newell Fonda in the championship game, which is no small accomplishment.
Wettengel stated that numerous plays by various players contributed to the championship game’s victory. In the second overtime game, he claims it came down to one big three-point shot.
Junior Avah Underwood was named Captain of the All Tournament team. Sophomore Maura Ryan was also named on the team. Ellie Monahan had a big block in the second overtime. Wettengel says the team effort has been there all season.
St. Albert loses two senior starters — Monahan and Payton Johnsen — as well as Kirsten Piskorski off the bench, but they should be among the favorites to return to the state tournament next year.