Sports : Vikings to face coach with most State experience in Iowa history

Don't let the six losses fool you: Harlan is a very good high school basketball team with a very rich history.

Although the Cyclones are seeded eighth, two of their losses came by a combined five points to Atlantic, which was ranked second -- right behind Vinton-Shellsburg -- for most of the year.

The Cyclones "stunned" Atlantic in Sub-State action, according to the headline on the KMALAND radio station web site, defeating them 52-43 in their Sub-State contest.

Close losses

The six Cyclones losses were by a combined total of just 23 points. On the season, the Cyclones out-scored their opponents by an average of 13.6 points per game. See their complete schedule/results list HERE.

While the Vikings are making just their second appearance at State in School history -- the first since 1996 -- Harlan Coach Mitch Osborn is taking his 17th team, and ninth from Harlan. Yes, statistics fans, that number, 17, is more trips to Des Moines than any other coach in Iowa High School history.

Other Class 3A teams at State

Here are a few more details about the other six teams hoping to bring home the Class 3A championship trophy:

No. 2 seed Dallas Center-Grimes

The seventh-ranked Mustangs (22-2) defeated Norwalk in overtime, 64-61, to reach the State Tournament. Their losses came to Carroll, which was ranked in the Top 10 most of the season, and Ballard. The Mustangs also defeated each of those teams this season.

Where they're from: Dallas Center and Grimes are in Central Iowa, west and northwest of Des Moines in Dallas County.

No. 3 seed Waverly-Shell Rock

Many V-S fans watched the Go-Hawks defeat Clear Lake on Monday before the Vikings' Sub-State victory. At 20-4, and ranked fifth the Go-Hawks are in their third consecutive State Tournament.

No. 4 seed Grinnell

The 20-4 Tigers defeated a Top 10 team, Centerville, 48-33 in Sub-State action. Their regular-season defeats include a 1-point defeat to Dallas Center-Grimes, and two 2-point losses.

No. 5 seed MOC-Floyd Valley

The Dutch are making their third straight State appearance after defeating long-time rival Sioux City Heelan, 70-61.

Where they're from: Orange City, one county south of the northwest tip of Iowa.

No. 6 seed Mount Pleasant

The 2012 state champs in Class 3A earned this year's trip to Des Moines by defeating Solon, 51-33. Last year, the Panthers defeated Western Dubuque in overtime to win the state title.

Where they're from: Henry County in southeast Iowa.

No. 7 seed Davenport Assumption

Viking fans would be interested in knowing that to reach state, Assumption defeated a teams that VS beat twice this season: Marion. Marion defeated CPU in first-round District action, then kept the game close before losing 51-4, to the Knights.

See the Class 3A bracket HERE.