Waukee 60, Johnston 58

Class 4A Quarterfinals

Waukee 60, Johnston 58

DES MOINES – Tuesday night’s last win was worth the wait.

Waukee emerged victorious for the first time in seven trips to the state tournament, narrowly edging CIML rival Johnston in a Class 4A quarterfinal at Wells Fargo Arena. Four of the Warriors’ appearances have come since 2008, but a 60-58 win that had to be dragged out to the final buzzer was sweet for coach Justin Ohl’s squad.

Johnston (20-4) battled the longer Warriors throughout, and the game’s largest lead until the fourth quarter was only five points. But 28 points from senior guard Boston Grimes weren’t enough to top Waukee on this night, when a one-point advantage in each half made up the final margin and the two teams went shot for shot down the stretch. Nathan Johnson led Waukee by scoring 18 points, with Noah Hart (15 points), Dylan Jones (11), and Jaxx Rittman (11) chipping in double-digits, too.

Grimes and Bo Sandquist were terrific in the Dragon backcourt, and scored all 23 of the team’s points in the fourth quarter. Sandquist finished with 17 points on 5-of-10 shooting from 3-point range. It was the program and coach Bob Sandquist’s first trip since 2009, when they finished third. Waukee was 0-6 at state entering Tuesday’s games with losses in quarterfinals in 1982, 1990, 2000, 2008, 2012, and 2015.

The fourth-seeded Warriors (20-4) will meet defending 4A champ Iowa City, West in Thursday’s 6:30 p.m. semifinal.

Quarterfinal Round – March 6-7

Iowa City, West 62,  Muscatine 50 – Final | BOX SCORE | GAME STORY

Waukee 60, Johnston 58 – Final | BOX SCORE

10:30 a.m.— North Scott, Eldridge vs. Valley, W.D.M.

12:15 p.m.—Cedar Falls vs. Sioux City, East

Semifinal Round – March 8

6:30—Iowa City, West vs. Waukee