Johnston, Dowling rematch set for 5A championship game

Rematch from last year set for title on Friday night between Johnston, Dowling

Amani Jenkins and Johnston are returning to the Class 5A state championship game. / Cody Scanlan/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The rematch everyone wanted to see is now official in Class 5A, as Johnston and Dowling got past semifinal round opponents on Thursday at the Iowa girls high school state basketball tournament.

The Dragons (25-0) and Maroons (22-3) will meet on Friday at 6 p.m. inside Wells Fargo Arena for the crown from Des Moines.

Johnston took care of Ankeny Centennial, 62-41, as Amani Jenkins led three players in double figures with 19. The Virginia Tech signee was 8 of 11 from the field and buried three 3-pointers, adding four steals and two blocked shots. 

Jenica Lewis chipped in 16 points and five assists with three steals while Ari Phillips had a double-double, scoring 10 points and gathering 10 rebounds with four assists and two blocks.

As a team, Johnston recorded 10 steals, five blocks and had 13 assists on 26 made field goals. They put the game away in the second, outscoring the Jaguars, 23-9.

The Dragons, who have three previous state titles, are in the finals for the seventh time since 2016. 

For Ankeny Centennial, Mya Crawford and Ava Martin each scored 13 points. Jaeden Pratt had seven rebounds and Crawford recorded five steals.

Dowling 52, Waukee Northwest 47

Dowling's Ava Zediker helped her team win in the semifinals on Thursday. / Lily Smith/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Maroons are the final hurdle standing in the way of perfection for Johnson, as they advanced to the 5A finals with a 52-47 victory over Waukee Northwest Thursday.

Ellie Muller scored 17 points with 12 rebounds, three assists and two steals to lead the Maroons, as Ava Zediker added 15 and Layla Trytten scored 12. Zediker is headed to Creighton University in the fall.

Dowling erased a four-point halftime deficit by going on a 14-7 run the third. They played just six all game long, with Muller, Zediker and Trytten all seeing the court for a full 32 minutes.

The championship game will be a rematch of last year, which saw Johnston post a victory. Dowling is seeking its sixth title all-time and now owns 34 wins at the state tournament, second-most behind Ankeny.

Romey Croatt had 16 points with 11 rebounds to lead the Wolves, as Vana Bilic and Cassidy Danburg both scored nine.