Ironmen finish State Farm Classic as runners-up after loss to undefeated Washington

Community falls short in title bid despite strong tournament showing

Bella Green, Senior Staff Reporter

Jan 9, 2025

The Iron have lost to just one team this season, the 20-0 Washington Panthers.

The Washington Panthers denied the Ironmen girls basketball team’s quest for a third consecutive State Farm Holiday Classic title, handing Community a 61-43 loss on Dec. 30 and a runner-up finish.

The championship contest marked an emerging rivalry as Community dashed Washington’s Classic trophy dreams the past two seasons, defeating the Panthers in 2023’s semifinals and 2022’s finals.

Dec. 30’s State Farm Holiday Classic championship game was a bowtie event for Community’s staff, with all four coaches sporting formal neckwear on the sidelines. The choice of attire was inspired by assistant coach Darrelyn Dunn who has made the bowtie his signature gameday look. Before the season started, he suggested that the rest of the staff follow suit on the condition of the team achieving two things: an Intercity title and Classic championship game appearance. “We had forgotten about it,” Coach Feeney said, “Coach Dunn did not.”
Photo Courtesy of: Charles Green

It was no surprise for Iron head coach Mr. David Feeney that Community would again square off against Washington in a battle for the tournament crown—a matchup previewed on Dec. 16 when Community fell 62-31 to the Panthers.

While the Iron were overmatched in their previous meeting, the two-weeks-more-mature Community squad jumped to an early lead in the rematch, heading into halftime ahead 28-22.

But the undefeated Panthers roared back after the break, erupting for 20 third-quarter points while holding Community to just nine.

“Washington’s different,” Feeney said. From their agile stretch big, Becca McDougall, to sharp-shooting guards Avery Tibbs and Mazzy O’Brien, the team has “firepower.”

Tibbs and O’Brien combined for 39 points, catching fire in the second half to seal the Panthers’ victory.

Despite the defeat, Feeney delivered a clear message to his team post-game: “There’s only one team we lost to in 2024.”

Community closed the calendar year at 13-2, surpassing many preseason expectations and earning a #14 AP ranking in the latest poll.

The tournament four-day schedule was grueling, featuring what Feeney described as a “murderer’s row of teams.”

After a first-round 57-19 rout of Geneseo, the Iron secured victories over Chicago-area Plainfield North and the #5 ranked 3A team Chicago St. Ignatius before taking on an the top-ranked 3A Washington team..

Community prevailed 54-43 against Plainfield North and outlasted St. Ignatius 56-51 in an overtime thriller.

The St. Ignatius game, Feeney said, proved the team could “take a punch” from the unrelenting Wolfpack “and then counter punch” with timely threes in clutch-time and a game-extending steal from Camry Fisher in the final moments of regulation.

Community also showed poise against the ’pack, converting 20 free throws at an impressive 87% clip.

Leading the Iron throughout the Classic was Rayna Powers, who averaged 11.3 points per game and earned a spot on the State Farm Holiday Classic All-Tournament Team.

Kenna Malinowski emerged as a perimeter threat, draining 2.5 threes per game and adding a team second-best 10.5 points per game.

The Iron opened 2025 with three straight victories to improve to 16-2 on the season and look to stay perfect in Big 12 play when they head to Peoria Richwoods (9-7) on Thursday, Jan. 9.

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