Dike-New Hartford edges Hampton-Dumont-CAL in girls basketball playoffs

Wolverines prevail 37-34 in tight first-round 3A matchup

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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The Dike-New Hartford girls basketball team narrowly defeated Hampton-Dumont-CAL 37-34 in a first-round 3A playoff game on Saturday. The Wolverines jumped out to an early 11-2 lead, but the Bulldogs fought back to make it a close contest throughout. Despite Hampton-Dumont-CAL's tenacious defense, Dike-New Hartford was able to hold on for the win and advance to the regional semifinals.

Why it matters

This playoff matchup showcased the competitive nature of Iowa high school girls basketball, with two teams battling hard for a chance to advance in the postseason. The outcome highlights the growth and development of the Hampton-Dumont-CAL program, which gave the favored Wolverines all they could handle.

The details

Dike-New Hartford built an early 11-2 lead, but Hampton-Dumont-CAL responded to make it a 5-point game by the end of the first quarter. Both teams struggled offensively in the second quarter, with the Bulldogs winning that period 5-4. The Wolverines increased their lead to as many as 10 points in the second half, but Hampton-Dumont-CAL fought back with strong defense, forcing turnovers and getting key baskets from MacKenzy Valley to make it a 2-point game late. However, Dike-New Hartford's Payton Foster hit free throws down the stretch to seal the victory.

  • The game was played on Saturday, February 15, 2026.
  • Dike-New Hartford has advanced to a regional semifinal on Wednesday, February 19, 2026.

The players

Payton Foster

A player for the Dike-New Hartford Wolverines who hit key free throws late to help secure the victory.

MacKenzy Valley

A standout player for the Hampton-Dumont-CAL Bulldogs, scoring a team-high 20 points and making several key plays to keep her team in the game.

Matt Dove

The head coach of the Dike-New Hartford Wolverines, who praised the effort and improvement of the Hampton-Dumont-CAL team.

Miranda Stafford

The head coach of the Hampton-Dumont-CAL Bulldogs, who was proud of her team's defensive intensity and effort in the close loss.

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What they’re saying

“You've got to give Coach Stafford and those girls a ton of credit. They improved so much throughout the course of the year. And you could see it on the tape. You could see it just in everything they were doing, the confidence in those girls. They should be excited. They've got a young group. They're going to be a tough team next year for sure. And hats off to those guys. A lot of credit to them for making things difficult for us tonight.”

— Matt Dove, Head Coach, Dike-New Hartford Wolverines (radioonthego.com)

“Kind of what you expect out of our girls, they're going to work hard on the defensive end and then hope we can get something to go on the offensive end. It didn't go our way, but super proud of what they put together on the defensive end tonight. They locked in this week in practice and knew what to expect and just were ready to work hard.”

— Miranda Stafford, Head Coach, Hampton-Dumont-CAL Bulldogs (radioonthego.com)

What’s next

Dike-New Hartford will face #1 (3A) Mount Vernon in the regional semifinals on Wednesday, February 19, 2026.

The takeaway

This close playoff matchup demonstrated the competitive spirit and defensive intensity of both the Dike-New Hartford Wolverines and the Hampton-Dumont-CAL Bulldogs, foreshadowing an exciting future for the Bulldogs program despite the narrow defeat.