JEFF B | Iowa Prep Illustrated, Iowa Grandstand Sports

DES MOINES — Shooting can make or break a team in a game. Cherokee showed just that against Class 3A top-ranked Mt. Vernon in the 2026 state quarterfinal at Casey’s Center on Monday evening.

The Braves trailed 8-0 early before putting its first points on the scoreboard with Deidra Doeden getting the basket off a rebound on a Braves missed shot with 3:12 left in the first quarter.

Mt. Vernon would maintain a lead from three to a 14 point Cherokee deficit enroute to a 55-44 Braves’ loss.

Cherokee trailed 20-6 on a 3-point basket by the Mustangs’ Quinn Persching with 4-1/2 minutes left in the second quarter. Cherokee cut the deficit to 23-14 at halftime.

The Braves top two scorers this season, Addy Wolfswinkel and Doeden had a combined six points the first half.

Making the most of its offensive possessions the first half was an alarming issue for Cherokee. The Braves had 10 turnovers and shot 26 percent from the floor, inlcuding 0-of-6 on 3-point tries.

Cherokee went to the fourth quarter trailing 41-33.

Wolfswinkel had eight of her 12 points in the third quarter. Kadyn Volkert had all of her team-best 13 points in the second half. Cherokee finished 16-of-45 (35.6%) shooting from the floor overall. Included was 4-of-15 (26.7%) on their 3-point attempts. The Braves struggled with foul shooting, finishing 8-of-14 (57.1%).

One statistical category the Braves won was rebounding against Mt. Vernon 33-31. Doeden collected a game-high 15 rebounds. Mt. Vernon’s Courtney Franck had a team-best 11 for the Mustangs.

Persching who led Mt. Vernon with 12 first half points totaled a game-high 21 points with all six of her field goals of 3-point variety. Savannah Wright finished the game with 14 points.

Cherokee winds up finishing its season with a 20-4 record, it’s seventh 20 or more win in a season since 2014-2015 season. Three Braves’ senior Volkert, Macy Gravenish, and Nora Hare played their final game in a Braves uniform.

Mt. Vernon improves to 23-2 and will face fifth-ranked Dubuque Wahlert (19-5) in a 3A semifinal on Thursday.

Cherokee Braves Record: 20-4 | Mt. Vernon Mustangs Record: 23-2

Mt. Vernon Leading Scorer: Quinn Persching 21, Savannah Wright 14.
Team Totals: 20-52 (38.5) 11-26 (42.3) 4-10 (40.0)

CHEROKEE
Starters: Kadyn Volkert 13, Addy Wolfswinkel 12, Deidra Doeden 9, Macy Gravenish 2, Jillian Paulsrud 2. Bench: Anna Nixon 6, Nora Hare 0, Bryn Lewis 0, Avalyn Pruitt 0.
Team Totals: 16-45 (35.6) 4-15 (26.7) 8-14 (57.1)

Rebounds (33) Doeden 15, Paulsrud 5, Nixon 5, Wolfswinkel 3, Gravenish 2, Volkert 1, Hare 1, team 1.
Assists (9) Volkert 4, Doeden 4, Paulsrud 1.
Steals (3) Wolfswinkel 1, Nixon 1, Doeden 1.
Blocks (2) Doeden 1, Volkert 1.