West coach Dr. Tony Pappas watches the action as Waterloo West's Gabby Moore drives the ball downcourt as Waukee's Lindsey Kelderman chases after during a Class 5A semifinal-round action of the Iowa girls basketball championships played Thursday at the Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.
Waterloo West head coach Tony Pappas reacts to a second-half point during the Wahawks' win over Des Moines East in the 2014 state tournament
CEDAR RAPIDS – Waterloo West head coach Dr. Anthony Pappas moved a step closer to joining an elite group of Iowa high school girls’ basketball coaches Friday.
In a 66-53 victory over Cedar Rapids Prairie, the third-ranked Wahawks (9-1) helped Pappas earn his 599th career victory.
In a 44th year career which includes stops at Mallard and North Fayette, Pappas owns a career mark of 599-337. He could earn win 600 Saturday against Fort Dodge at Siddens Gymnasium in a game that tips off at 6:30 p.m.
When Pappas earns his 600th win he will become just the 15th coach in state history to reach that mark.
Friday, West sunk 10 3-pointers as it gradually built its lead. The Wahawks led 32-20 at halftime and 50-33 after three quarters.
Sahara Williams had 25 points, including 5 3-pointers, and Halli Poock had 21 with 4 3-pointers. Brooklynn Smith chipped in 15 points.
“We played a good Prairie team,” Pappas said. “We started to pull away in the third, but Prairie scrapped the whole game and didn’t allow us to pull away.”
WEST 66, CR PRAIRIE 53
WEST (9-1) – Halli Poock 8 2-3 21, Sahara Williams 9 2-4 25, Gabby Moore 1 0-0 3, Sierra Burt 0 0-0 0, Jaide Domatob 0 0-0 0, Brooklynn Smith 6 3-4 15, CC Moore 0 2-2 2. Totals 24 9-13 66.
CEDAR RAPIDS PRAIRIE (5-3) – Kamryn Grissel 2 1-2 5, R. Ryann Decker 0 0-0 0, Hailey Cooper 7 4-6 19, Natalie Bennett 3 0-0 8, McKenna Murray 3 3-3 10, Catie Rettinger 4 2-2 11. 19 10-13 53.
West;17;15;18;16 – 63
Prairie; 10;10;13;20 – 53
3-point goals – West 10 (Poock 4, Williams 5, G. Moore). CRP 5 (Cooper, Bennett 2, Murray, Rettinger). Total fouls – West 11, CR Priarie 13. Fouled out – Bennett.
Jim Nelson
Sports Reporter
I’m a Waterloo native who has covered Cedar Valley sports for more than 30 years for the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier. I’m also a big Cincinnati Reds fan … Go Big Red Machine!
