Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: The Newell-Fonda girls hoist the Class 1A state championship trophy on Saturday in Des Moines. For more photos, visit CU.messengernews.net

DES MOINES — The last time Newell-Fonda and Bishop Garrigan met for the Class 1A girls state basketball title, Ellie and Quinn Sievers were years away from the high school level.

On Saturday night inside a Casey’s Center that included former Golden Bear and current Iowa State star Audi Crooks, that specific Mustang duo helped lift their team to gold with a 64-56 victory.

Ellie Sievers, a sophomore, scored 16 points. Freshman Quinn Sievers matched her with 16, as both making the all-tournament team. Ellie was even tabbed MVP of the tournament.

For Newell-Fonda (25-2 overall), it marked its fifth ever championship and the third in four meetings in the finals vs. the Golden Bears (24-4). Head coach Dick Jungers has led the program to a remarkable five titles over the last 12 seasons, and N-F now has wins at state — second most all-time behind Ankeny’s 44.

Senior Jocee Walsh added 11 points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals for the Mustangs, while fellow 12th-grader Mareni Brabec had four points, five assists, three rebounds and two steals. Paige Erickson added five rebounds off the bench, and Quinn Sievers — who is technically a reserve as well — tallied five boards with two steals.

“There is a legacy (with Newell-Fonda girls basketball) coming down here (to state),” Walsh said. “It was important for us to uphold that and we did.

“It’s very special (winning the title). There is nothing better than this.”

The Mustangs started fast, leading by 10 points after the first and eventually building a 39-19 halftime edge. They led by 22 before Bishop Garrigan started mounting a comeback.

A 14-4 Bear run trimmed their deficit to 11, and with under a minute to go, the Golden Bears made it a 60-56 game. But Newell-Fonda sealed the deal at the free throw line.

N-F seniors Brabec, Camryn Puhrmann, Ava Vie and Walsh finished an incredible 95-13 with four trips to state and four appearances in the title round.

“This senior group has played in four championship games, so to bring the title home (in 2025-26), I just couldn’t be more proud of them,” Jungers said. “Their leadership didn’t always show up in stats, but it showed up in how they led.

“They are great people and great students who made this a cohesive group.”

Bishop Garrigan’s Graclyn Eastman had 16 points, 16 rebounds, five blocks, two steals and two assists, Sacha Alesch finished with 16 points, while Emmi Bartolo contributed 12. Madelyn Tigges recorded 12 points, 12 rebounds, three blocks and two steals.

Alesch and Bartolo were on the last state title squad for the Golden Bears as freshmen, along with seniors Alyssa Haugland, Carley Nielson and Ava Roether. They went 96-12 over the last four seasons with four trips of their own to state.

Along with the Sievers sisters, Bartolo and Eastman, Avah Underwood from Council Bluffs St. Albert and Jacey Johnston of Saint Ansgar made the all-tournament squad.

Newell-Fonda has now played in eight of the last nine 1A finals, and the Mustangs had previously been crowned champs in 2015, 2019, 2021, 2022.

NEWELL-FONDA 64, BISHOP GARRIGAN 56

Newell-Fonda – Ellie Sievers 6-13 2-4 16, Mareni Brabec 0-2 4-6 4, Rylee Hogrefe 7-9 0-0 15, Ava Vie 1-5 0-0 2, Jocee Walsh 4-7 3-5 11, Quinn Sievers 6-12 2-3 16, Paige Erickson 0-1 0-0 0, Camryn Puhrmann 0-0 0-0 0, Ella Roberts 0-4 0-0 0. Totals: 24-53 11-18 64.

Bishop Garrigan – Emmi Bartolo 4-13 0-0 12, Graclyn Eastman 6-12 4-8 16, Madelyn Tigges 5-9 2-6 12, Carley Nielson 0-5 0-0 0, Sacha Alesch 6-15 1-2 16, Alyssa Haugland 0-0 0-0 0, Addyson Faris 0-0 0-0 0, Ava Roethler 0-1 0-0 0. Totals: 21-55 7-16 56.

Quarter scores: Newell-Fonda led 22-12, 39-19, 49-35. Three-point goals: Newell-Fonda 5-15, Bishop Garrigan 7-26. Total rebounds: Newell-Fonda 31, Bishop Garrigan 43. Assists: Newell-Fonda 14, Bishop Garrigan 10. Turnovers: Newell-Fonda 10, Bishop Garrigan 18.