North is making the school's second state tourney appearance. The Stars lost an opening game to No. 1-ranked Des Moines Lincoln in 2002, 78-59.

"We're going into this tournament with a lot of confidence and maybe a little bit of a chip on our shoulders,'' said Walker. "A Sioux City school has never won a girls state tournament game and we'd like to change that.

Sioux City high schools have played seven state tournament games and lost them all. East has five losses, North one and Heelan one in the old six-player state finals in 1984.

East was ranked second going into the 2002 state tournament, but lost a first-round game to sixth-ranked Davenport West, 55-52, and finished 23-2.

North's frantic style centers around speedy junior guards Tanaeya Worden (5-5) and Jacqui Kalin (5-6). Kalin averages 13.8 points and Worden 13.1.

North's only loss is Bellevue (Neb.) East, 65-56, and the Stars defeated Phoenix St. Mary's in the finals of the Sacajawea tournament in the Tyson Events Center in mid-December. St. Mary's is currently the No. 1-ranked 5A team in Arizona and has reached the state tourney title game.

Coach Frank Howell starts three guards, including quicksilver 5-7 sophomores Katelin Oney and Micha Mims. Oney averages 12.9 points while 5-8 junior guard Alyssa Green averages 13.5 points.

Howell, a 1992 William Penn graduate, is 53-18 at the school. He also guided Audubon to Class 2A state tourney berths in 1998 and 1999 with his '99 club winning a state championship.

Washington's losses are to Prairie (68-55), Iowa City West (55-51), Cedar Rapids Xavier (50-42) and Jefferson (78-48). The Warriors have also beaten Jefferson (67-54) and Xavier (50-45), along with Linn-Mar (81-67).

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