PREP HOCKEY: Top-ranked Panthers tear through Spuds

Lakeville North puts on a show at the Holiday Classic, hangs 10 on Moorhead

ST LOUIS PARK - How many Division 1 recruits do they have? How many might they end up with? 

If Monday evening's 10-1 thrashing of Moorhead is any indication of the kind of talent Lakeville North is starting to develop, then why not take them all?

A couple of early miscues aside, North was able to showcase again how deep they are, and how well they all skate. Groups of scouts looked on with close attention to North's broad-framed and, talented defensemen broke out of the zone with ease, and pushed the puck ahead to forwards who use speed and creativity to thrive.

The No. 1-ranked team in the state made short work of a better-than-decent Moorhead (5-3-1) team in Monday's Sports Authority Holiday Classic in St. Louis Park, netting 10 goals on 33 shots.

Lakeville junior Taylor Schneider finished the game with four goals, and both Jack Poehling and Max Johnson finished with a pair of goals for the Panthers.

Nick Poehling, a 5-foot-10 senior leads the team with 13 goals, and his twin brother Jack has nine goals and 11 assists for a team-best 20 points in nine games. Both are St. Cloud State recruits, as is their younger brother Ryan, a sophomore.

Lakeville North improved its record to 9-0 heading into Tuesday night's game with Benilde-St. Margaret's (4-4-2) back in St. Louis Park at the Holiday Classic. 

Below are Lakeville North's current college commitments:

Ryan Edquist - Jr / G. - Minnesota; Jack McNeeley - Sr / D - UN-Omaha; Jack Sadek - Sr / D - Minnesota; Nick Poehling - Sr / F - St. Cloud State; Jack Poehling - Sr /  F - St. Cloud State, Ryan Poehling - So / F - St. Cloud State

- Drew Herron / Dec. 30, 2014

#mnhockey   #lakevillenorth  #moorheadspuds

Benilde-St. Margaret's regroups after bad first period to rally past No. 8-ranked Prior Lake 4-3

Red Knights score four unanswered to improve record to 4-4-1, Risteau records hat trick

ST LOUIS PARK - Prior Lake's first period effort had Benilde-St. Margeret's in a dangerous spot. 

The Lakers connected on three of their four shots in the opening period, and when the Red Knights made a change at goal at the start of the second period, a message was sent. 

Whatever was said during the intermission, it did not take long for BSM to put words into action.

In short time, a very fast group of Red Knight forwards would collectivley quicken its step.

Over the next 17 minutes, it had Prior Lake back on its heels and deep in its zone, as BSM peppered Lakers' goalie Drew Scites with 10 shots in the second period, and another nine in the third. In all, BSM outshot Prior Lake 23-18 over the three periods.  

Benilde-St. Margeret junior forward Zach Risteau would notch a hat trick over the second and third periods to drive the Red Knights past No. 8-ranked Prior Lake Monday in the opening game of the Sports Authority Holiday Classic at the St. Louis Park Rec Center.

Risteau netted his third, and the hat with 3:30 left in the third, providing the game-winning goal as well.

In net, senior Jalen Long replaced sophomore Ryan Bischel after the first period, and Long pretty much shut down Prior Lake's scoring production the rest of the way.

Prior Lake connected once on one of four powerplays, and BSM was 0-for-2 with the man advantage. The Lakers' three goals came in a flurry early on, with Tyler Bump breaking through at the 3-minute mark. Curtis Hansen and Hayden Maxfield both followed with goals over the next five minutes, and PL was in excellent shape after the first.

That confidence wore down as the game progressed, and the Lakers played a bit sloppy and out of sync in the second, and especially the third.

Tuesday's games match Prior Lake against Holy Family (5-4-2) in the 4:30 p.m. game back in the Holiday Classic, while BSM has top-ranked Lakeville North (9-0) in the 7 p.m. game.

-Drew Herron / Dec. 30, 2014

#mnhockey 

GIRLS SOCCER: Trojans blanked by Underwood

Atlantic shutout in 5-0 home loss, drops record to 0-4 on season

By Drew Herron - AJ/NT Sports / April 21, 2014

ATLANTIC - Underwood proved effective with its ball control and utilized possession and space to pick up a shutout victory over Atlantic 5-0 Monday evening at AHS.
The visiting Eagles broke the stalemate midway through the opening half as senior Allison Waters would net two goals within a 45-second span to drive Underwood ahead for good. Underwood led the Trojans 3-0 at the half before tacking on two more scores in the second half.
The victory improves the Eagles' record to 2-1 on the season while Atlantic drops its record to 0-4.
Despite the shutout loss, first-year head coach Jordan Newberg says he feels like his team took a step forward as the squad begins its third week of the schedule. Now, it's a matter of playing with a bit more nerve and self-assurance.
"I felt like we played better today, but the biggest thing we are lacking is confidence and belief in ourselves," coach Newberg says. "That's something we need to work on."
Underwood moved the ball efficiently as a unit and exploited gaps in the passing lanes to apply heavy pressure on the Trojans at times.
After Waters' two scores (20:00 and 20:45), Underwood sophomore Brooklynn Cooper capitalized on a penalty kick with 7:04 remaining in the half to add to its lead and take a swell of momentum into the break.
Atlantic struggled to move the ball upfield and feed its forwards, which contributed to its defensive woes against an offensively adroit Underwood team.
"We had our chances in the first half against the wind, and in the second (half), we just kind of sat back on our heels a little too much," coach Newberg says. "It's all about belief. We have to believe that we can move the ball, and once that happens we are going to be there."
"At times, we played well and moved the ball. But we relied too much on the through-ball rather than trying our style of play."
Underwood proved to win the bulk of the loose balls, and held the upper hand the majority of the match against a Trojans team consisting of mostly young and inexperienced players. Three freshmen and three sophomores saw extensive action Monday while just two seniors served as outfielders along with senior goalkeeper Maren McNees.
Atlantic began its season with a busy stretch of three matches in seven days, which allowed the team plenty of opportunity to test its mettle, but little practice time to work to rectify its mistakes. With a week to practice leading up to the Underwood match, the Trojans put a strong emphasis on shoring up its defensive presence.
"That first week was difficult for us, but we came back (to practice) and spent a lot of time working on our defense," coach Newberg says. "Today, I felt like we played better defense for the most part."
The team and the defense in particular is generally untested at the varsity level, and looks to make noticeable improvement from week to week. Dating back to this group of seniors' freshman season (2011), the girls program holds a 8-41-1 record, and hasn't won more than three games in a season.
Changing the mindset and expectations could be a formidable process.
"We've never had a lot of success," coach Newberg says. "Every team we go up against may be a team that we've never beaten before in the history of the program. A big part of it is that we don't believe that we can do it until we go out and beat one of these teams that we are not supposed to."

Humble Hallie from Hamlin grows into role as face of Iowa State Womens’ Hoops

Former Exira Vikette and Audubon County 4H-er leads Cyclones back to NCAA Tourney, is excited about potential professional career  

By Drew Herron - AJ Sports Editor / March 19, 2014

AMES – Iowa State will open NCAA Tournament play Saturday against Florida State as the program takes part in March Madness for an eighth straight year. 

This season, the team’s best player proved to be Hallie Christofferson, the face of the Cyclones Women’s Basketball team, and the pride of Hamlin, Exira, and all of Audubon County.

Christofferson wraps up her senior season as a unanimous First Team All-Conference Big 12 selection, is a finalist for most of the tier awards in women’s college hoops, and is on everyone’s All-American shortlist.

Eventually and probably, Christofferson will become for a while a professional basketball player. Wherever she ends up, be it the cities of the WNBA or in Europe, it will mark quite a distance to travel for a young woman from Hamlin, Iowa…population 251.

“I would like to take that chance if I’m given the opportunity,” Christofferson says of playing pro ball. “I’ve always thought it was so far out of my reach, I’d never really considered it. But now I’m looking forward to the chance.”

Christofferson leaves Iowa State a more polished player and individual than she came into it, and coach Bill Fennelly certainly has a lot to do with the success she has carved out for herself. But Fennelly will point to Christofferson’s upbringing, growing up on a corn and soybean farm in rural Audubon county (she and her siblings raised pigs) that made for a malleable individual ready to cultivate and grow.

“I think for her, it starts with the values she learned growing up in small-town Iowa,” coach Fennelly says. “Yea, Hallie has a lot of talent, but her work ethic, her individual accountability and sense of responsibility…all the good things that are prevalent in rural Iowa really show up.”

At Exira High School and in Audubon County, Christofferson was a lot of things growing up. She was valedictorian of her class, homecoming queen, an all-academic student who starred in track, volleyball, and of course, basketball. 

During her senior year, Christofferson guided the Vikettes to a Class 1A State Championship in the program’s final season before consolidation with Elk Horn-Kimballton. Moreover, she was an active 4H member and sometimes office holder from fourth grade through high school graduation.

Christofferson knows first hand what head, heart, hands, and health mean.

“I think I was President, Vice-President, and some other things at different times,” Christofferson jokes of her Audubon County 4H group. “We had a very small club, so we were able to do a lot.”

Fourth grade was also the same year Christofferson began to play basketball, and the rest is history in the making. The youngest of four children to Tom and Phyl, Hallie was able learn the value of hard work from her older brothers and sister as they went about life on the farm and in the community.

“I was always able to look up to my siblings, and use them as an example,” Christofferson says. “From them, I learned that dedication and hard work will lead you to where you want to be. I just followed their path.”

Eventually, Hallie followed her older sister Britta (who was a thrower for Iowa State’s Track team) to Iowa State, where she was exposed to the College of Design’s exhibitions, and other artists’ work that inspired her to become a Graphic Design Major, exposing a whole new artistic side to the polymath basketball star.

Now, Hallie works with pride on prints and poster series artwork projects that allow her a whole other avenue to be creative.

“In high school, I loved art, and I wanted to stick with something where I can work with my hands and be creative,” she says.

Christofferson doesn’t create the banners or posters with her own likeness for Iowa State Media relations, though there are plenty of those around. And like it or not, she has become the face of the program as well as a role model.

Prior to the season, Fennelly met with Christofferson as to what that might involve with speaking obligations and duties a step above the average player or starter. To see Christofferson mature and take the reigns of a program that heads into another March Madness this weekend, coach Fennelly says she is all that is right with college athletics.

“She’s humble to a fault, she’s quiet,” coach Fennelly says. “To be the star player and literally the face of the team in every way…it’s something she’s comfortable with. She’s short and to the point, but the Iowa State fan base can empathize with her. Every single one of our fans looks at her, this girl from small-town Iowa, and there is this instant connection.”

From Hamlin to…fill in the blank, Christofferson has opened some eyes as to how one might go from here to the rest of the world.

“I hope that (young players) don’t think that just because you come from a small school, that you don’t have the same opportunities as other people,” she says. “Maybe it does open some people’s eyes a little…if she can do it, why can’t I?”

#iowastate   #cyclones

Christofferson goes from farm to First Team Big 12

Former Exira standout finishing up decorated career at Iowa State

By Drew Herron - AJ/NT Sports / March 13, 2014

AMES – It’s not as though the basketball folks in Exira have a crystal ball that can look into the future.
But Vikettes coach Tom Petersen knew early on that he had something special in front of him one summer day in the Exira gym in 2006, when Hallie Christofferson, not quite a freshman, sweated through a workout.
The 6-foot-2 freshman was long, athletic and superbly coordinated for her frame, and she had many of the raw qualities desirable of a basketball player. But when coach Petersen saw firsthand the dedication and work ethic demonstrated from a young lady mature beyond her years, he believed at once he was seeing the start of something extraordinary.
"I wish people could have seen and watched the way she would go about practice, because it's not something you come along often,” he said. “And I haven't seen it since."
For Iowa State, the eureka moment came two years later, though Cyclones’ head coach Bill Fennelly says it took less than five minutes of seeing Christofferson working out at the ISU summer camp on the Ames campus prior to her junior year for the Cyclones' coaching staff to lock into her abilities as a DI player.
"After every session, we meet as a staff, and I told them immediately that I want that kid," coach Fennelly says of Christofferson. "From there on, we wanted her pretty bad and we recruited her pretty hard. I can say I've spent a lot of time at the Casey's in Exira."
It laid the framework for one of the most decorated careers in Iowa State Cyclones Women’s Basketball history, as evidenced again this week with Christofferson’s selection to the First Team All-Conference by the Big 12.
This latest honor is one of many bestowed upon Christofferson, who grew up on a farm in rural Audubon County, a bit east of Hamlin and north of Exira.
After leading Exira to its only girls’ basketball state championship as a senior in 2010, Christofferson made a quick transition to the pace of Iowa State and the Big 12.
As a true freshman, she started 27 of 33 games and averaged 9.3 points and 5.1 rebounds on her way to earning a spot on the All-Big 12 Freshman Team in 2011.
That quickly silenced critics who doubted that Christofferson’s domination of the Rolling Hills Conference and Class 1A basketball would translate well to the best conference in the country for women’s college basketball.
"She wasn't a big name coming into college and Exira, Iowa isn't exactly on the national map," coach Fennelly says. "But as a freshman, she makes the (Big 12) All-Freshman Team, and that was quite an accomplishment.
"Hallie had the skill sets that were more advanced that most freshmen, and we put her in a situation where she could be successful right away. We plugged her in and allowed her to grow in her role, and she's been a phenomenal asset ever since."
Most of those skill sets were built up in the gym in Exira, over the course of several hours over several years. From the onset, coach Petersen stressed fundamentals and pushed for hours upon hours of footwork and agility training. Those gains can be seen today on the floor at Hilton Coliseum.
"We work a lot on moves," coach Petersen says. "Obviously you want to spend time shooting the ball, but in practice we spend a lot of time on movement, because it's all position with your feet and your body if you want to be successful in the game of basketball.
"So many kids want to come into the gym, pick up a ball and just start shooting. Honestly, that would be the LAST thing I would encourage kids to do. You start off with ball handling, agility, weights and more ball handling…shooting is usually the last part that goes with it."
At the close of this week (March 14), Christofferson is averaging 18.7 points and 7.5 rebounds per game for Iowa State, and has recorded 19 career double-doubles. Amongst the honors this year for the All-American candidate are spots on the Naismith Trophy watch list as well as the Wooden Award, two of the most prestigious honors out there.
Christofferson is the school’s fourth leading scorer all-time in terms of points-per-game (18.5) and she ranks fifth on ISU’s single season points list (558). She’s also the best free throw shooter (.879) on the nation’s second-best free throw shooting teams (80.2).
In Ames, they have a saying of “Doing things the Iowa State Way.” Coach Fennelly says Christofferson is the living embodiment of that concept.
"Hallie has impacted our program positively and dramatically in a number of ways on the court and off the court,” he says. “Our fan base loves her, she's a phenomenal student and she's bringing national recognition to our university because of the (numerous) awards that are basketball related and not.
"I've been here 19 years, and we can all debate who are the best players to have ever played here. But when that discussion takes place, Hallie certainly deserves to be in that discussion."
Since her arrival on campus at ISU, Christofferson has played positions 2-3-4 and 5, and has grown her game tremendously and thoroughly.
This year especially, the team has relied heavily on her versatility as she eats up minutes and rarely leaves the court.
"Our team this year, the weight that she carried on her shoulders is probably greater than any one individual player we have ever had here," coach Fennelly says.
Christofferson came into the process at Iowa State as post, but came out the other side polished enough to play anywhere on the court. On the low block or the perimeter, that balance and versatility is also a product of hard work dating back to the Exira days.
Coach Petersen saw early that Christofferson could do a lot more than dominate the post. Sometimes the towering 6-foot-3 forward would bring the ball up court, shoot from long range, and slash inside and out whenever she was given the green light. She did it at Exira, and eventually she grew into that as well on the Big 12 stage.
"She's blossomed and opened up her game tremendously since she's been at Iowa State," coach Petersen says. "Now people can see how good a player she really is. In high school, she was mainly a post player…yea she could step up and shoot 3's, but we didn't need her to do that. As I watch her at the collegiate level, that's her greatest development or evolution…her ability to shoot from outside."
It’s the expansion of her game that has Christofferson most satisfied since arriving at Iowa State. In the Rolling Hills Conference, there was no reason for Christofferson to do anything other than what she was doing by dominating in the paint.
But she knew competing at the next level would require a different approach.
“When I was at Exira, all that was expected of me was to be a post player,” she says. “Coming here, I started to play the (No. 3 position), and that’s what I am most proud of in regards to improving my game. To expand out to the perimeter and shoot 3-pointers was my way to work my way out from the basket.”
At that level, to evolve one’s game takes an extra kind of effort and dedication. But from freshman year to sophomore and from sophomore to junior and from junior to senior, Iowa State has seen steady and marked improvement from Christofferson.
The process by which that happens is attributable more to the individual than the institution.
"I've got a lot of players come and sit in my office and tell me that they want to get better and they're going to do this, this and this," coach Fennelly says. "But they walk out the door, and that's the end of it, it's over. Obviously, it takes WORK. You need to put in the time, you need to be in the gym, you have to accept coaching, and you have to be accountable and responsible. Hallie's individual personality traits have allowed her to become a GREAT player because she put in the time."
Iowa State’s season and schedule now sits in limbo, waiting for the selection process to play out Monday. It will determine where or how the Cyclones will play their postseason tournament, and how Christofferson might end her collegiate playing career.
“It’s gone by so incredibly fast,” Christofferson says. “I remember as a freshman thinking or feeling like it was never going to end. Now, I try my best just to take it all in.”

#cyclones  #iowastate    #halliechristofferson    #big12

Exira-EHK's Nick Peppers named to Shrine Bowl All-Star football game

IWCC-bound senior is first ever selection in brief history since Danes-Vikings combination

By Drew Herron - AJ Sports Editor / March 13, 2014

ELK HORN - The meaning or honor of playing in the Iowa Shrine Bowl holds varying weight for different players.
For one of this year's participants on the South roster, it most certainly brings with it a great deal of pride.
Exira-EHK senior linebacker Nick Peppers was announced recently as one of Iowa's 46 best football players selected for the all-star game, a remarkable recognition of his talent and achievements while competing in the 8-Man game.
"It's an honor to say the very least," Peppers said this week. "It's something I wanted pretty badly since my freshman year. And when we switched to 8-Man, I thought it might not be possible. But this is something I've wanted for a long time. It's definitely been a goal."
Last season Peppers was a First Team All-State selection by most every publication to release a list, but there is always the underlying gap that exists in Iowa between 8-Man and 11-Man. As a sophomore, Peppers played 11-Man in 2011 and he led the state (all classes) with 166 total tackles (70 solo and 16 for loss).
But, before the 2012 season, the Spartans moved from Class A to 8-Man, where numbers and stats can easily get skewed. Still, Peppers collected 165 total tackles as a junior (17 for loss), and this last year, he finished with 126 and six for loss as he sat out two games injured.
Though there are four 8-Man players on each side of the North-South game, Peppers thinks there still exists a underlying stigma against athletes from smallest class, and helps keep the chip on his shoulder.
"I hear it all the time, and you see it on Twitter," Peppers says. "I think there definitely is a knock on 8-Man (players), but if anything, it gives you a little bit of extra motivational energy."
The game is scheduled for Saturday, July 26 at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls. The Iowa Shrine Bowl Game is an All-Star Football game selected of pre-college on each side of a north-south dividing line that around here means Highway 30. The event is also a fundraising event in which proceeds through ticket sales, advertising, merchandising, sponsorship and contributions for The Shriner's Hospital for Children. Anyone interested in tickets ($10 advance/$15 at door) or sponsorship can contact Nick directly at 712-249-5945.
This year, the 42nd annual installment of the game, features 46 graduated high school seniors selected to the teams. Each fall, Iowa high school coaches are asked to recommend a defensive and offensive player whom is a worthy representative of his school and community. The teams are then selected by coaching staffs from across the state.
Spartans' head coach Tom Petersen didn't hesitate to nominate Peppers, and apparently enough of the other coaches agreed that senior from EEHK had the skill sets to compete.
"He's been the face of our program the past four years," coach Petersen says. "Nick's a special player, but more importantly a special kid and a leader."
Coach Petersen credits Peppers' unselfishness throughout his career when asked to do what's best for the team. When his offensive carries begin to slow after his sophomore year, he did not sulk, he blocked harder and spent more energy on defense. As a sophomore during 11-man player, led the state in tackles. As he progressed along, Nick Peppers carried the ball less and blocked more in accepting his specific role on a very good team.
"Nick is not a (player) you can replace with one or two people, it's going to take an entire team to make up for what he had," coach Petersen says. "He's been such a tremendous asset for us turning this program around."
Peppers plans to play next fall at Iowa Western Community College. IWCC's ability to turn out talent and serve as a spring board to the next level have got the former Spartans' standout excited about pursuing this avenue.
Peppers enters the Shrine Bowl in hopes of securing a starting position at linebacker, the position he plans to  play at Iowa Western in the fall.
"This is definitely going to help keep me motivated to stay in top shape over the summer," Peppers says. "And once I get to Iowa Western, I'll be like I am a week ahead of everybody at Iowa Western. It's going to be an exciting time."

#8-Man   #exira-ehk   #iowaprepfootball    #shrinebowl

WRESTLING: Brad Kerkhoff eager to share the glory of state medal with kin

Audubon junior picks up second career medal at State

By Drew Herron - AJ Sports Editor / March 6, 2014

AUDUBON - The passion for wrestling runs deep in the Kerkhoff household.

Audubon junior Brad Kerkhoff recognizes it, appreciates it and he doesn’t hesitate to tap into it.

Kerkhoff recently captured a State Wrestling medal for the second straight year, with his dad and longtime Wheelers head coach Blane Kerkhoff there on the mat with him at Wells Fargo Arena.

It was the eldest Kerkhoff who was there to give Brad his red warm-up sweat suit and congratulate him first following 6-5 decision victory that fetched him seventh place. But when reflecting upon what it took to wrestle through to another Saturday at the State Tournament, Brad recounts a story more in line with brotherly love on this trip to Des Moines.

“To be honest, there is no way I would have placed or been able to make weight if I didn’t have my brother as a workout partner,” Brad Kerkhoff says of competing regularly against his older brother Blair. Blair is currently a sophomore 141-pounder at Coe College in Cedar Rapids.

“He’s picked up so much knowledge and technique wrestling on college, wrestling against him is a lot different than any other opponent around here,” Brad Kerkhoff says. “Having him around helps out a ton, somebody at your disposal who is ALWAYS willing to wrestle and help me.”

Brad and Blair both made it to the State Tournament in 2012, when Brad was a freshman at 106 and Blair a senior at 126.

Last year, mononucleosis shelved Brad for part of the off-season, and it was a while before he could go at it full blown. Having Blair around, with his collegiate wrestling education and training plan certainly helped as well. As did a more mature approach to nutrition and training regimen.

The countdown to State 2015 has already counted for the Audubon Wheelers, and perhaps no other individual is more driven than Brad as he looks forward to his final bite at the apple.

Four days a week to lift, three days to wrestle mixed in with camps and conditioning make up the bulk of this off season’s regiment and road map to Des Moines.

From his freshman year to his sophomore year he went up in weight classes from 106 to 120. As a junior, he competed at 126, not much of a transition as kids tend to grow, and many of the opponents he faced this winter were the same last year at 120. Next year, its almost certain Brad will not compete at 126, but perhaps more likely at 132 or 138, or even 145. Though, there is no way to predict how tall nature might take growing boys, but Brad will be ready to go wherever he ends up next winter.

Entering his senior year, Kerkhoff has a reputation as tough on the bottom and the top, and ought to have on record an ability to shoot effectively from his feet in the neutral position. Finishing up after shots is one area he expects to polish over the summer, as well as defending against shots. Continual footwork training and nutrition goes without saying. 

“I’d like to get a lot better with my feet,” Brad says. “To be able to take anyone down and to feel more confident (against shots) defensively on my feet. I can’t continue to give up takedowns like I have been, if I want to get to where I want to go.”

His coach and father, Blane, says the biggest difference and growth he saw this year compared to last was mental toughness and belief in himself.

“Every kid has the goal first of reaching State, and then you experience it and it makes you hungry for a medal,” coach Kerkhoff says. “And, once you get on the medal stand, it’s natural that you want to get something better. I know that’s a goal for him, and he has one more year to chase that championship.”

Brad Kerkhoff finished his junior season with a 47-8 record for a Wheelers’ team that posted a 20-2 dual record and won the Western Iowa Conference Tournament title.

Audubon sent five individuals to the State Tournament, and all but senior Matt Fett (who finished as fourth place medalist) will return for the Wheelers next year. 

There already is a buzz about town regarding next season’s wrestling squad, with 12 starters set to return. If all remains in place, Audubon can expect eight juniors to become seniors for 2014-15. This past season might be signs of bigger things to come by the end of next winter.

“We have all kinds of opportunity for Audubon Wrestling next year,” Brad says. “There are four of us returning State qualifiers and we all know what it’s like, and what we are capable of. That’s the thing about wrestling at State…you learn how good you are because you wrestle against the best and you see how you do.”

#audubonwheelers  #iowawrestling  #iahsaa

Exira-EHK's Evan Hansen finds lessons in defeat

Hansen goes from last year’s champ at 145 pounds to third place medalist at 182 as junior

By Drew Herron - AJ/NT Sports / Feb. 28, 2014

ELK HORN - There are multiple wrestlers that had won a State championship a year ago, only to leave Des Moines this February with something less.

Exira-EHK junior Evan Hansen is one of those former champions, having seized a title last year as a sophomore at 145 pounds, yet didn’t make it all the way to Saturday night this winter. However, nobody else who fell short this year had to jump up four weight classes, and be expected to hold his own, no less.

That’s Evan Hansen.

“He’s wrestling probably 10 pounds lighter than everybody else in that bracket,” Spartans head coach Rick Andersen says. “And the State Tournament wears on you and takes its toll physically. That (quarterfinal) match took a lot out of him, and in the semifinal match, it just wasn’t quite him wrestling out there.”

A smaller figure at 182 this winter and giving away weight and strength to his opponents, Hansen went 57-1 with his superior technique and work ethic.

And despite his one loss (in the state semifinal), Hansen will move forward with his very bright future.

"I felt like I competed pretty well all season," Hansen says. "I've been out-muscled and out-sized, but I was able to use the strength I did have as well as my speed and my flexibility (to compete). I think maybe I could have done better, but still, third place at 182…I know  am going to come back stronger next year."

Hansen as well as his coaches hope he can again compete at 182 pounds next year, but considering his impressive growth from his freshman season (119) to his sophomore (145), and especially into this season, it is tough to say how much taller Hansen might end up. 

Regardless, he shifts gears into the offseason. For a enthusiast like Hansen who just wrapped up his 13th season in the sport, that entails a whole lot of wrestling on his own accord.

Last offseason, Hansen put most of his efforts into wrestling camps. This time around, he will still make those rounds (even more so), and the High Altitude Wrestling weekly sessions in Martensdale are expected to keep him close to top form.

But Hansen knows first hand the responsibility lies with him, and for the next 50 weeks, he's not going to leave anything to chance. That entails more time in the weight room and more running and conditioning. Hansen wouldn't want it any other way.

"What I like about wresting is it's your own sport," he says. "If you lose, it's your own fault and there is no one else to blame. Also, it teaches you a lot about life. If you give up in wrestling, you are going to get destroyed or hurt. And if you give up in life then you can figure it's going to hurt you eventually."

#exira-ehk   #iowaprep  #iowawrestling

Spartans’ senior Trey Sander leaves it all on the mat

Sander medals third again for Exira-EHK at 195

By Drew Herron - AJ/NT Sports / Feb. 28, 2014

ELK HORN -- It never fails to play out on any given year at the State Tournament. Pick any weight bracket in any of the three classes, and you are likely to find at least one bad hombre who tumbles down the short list of contenders after suffering a loss before the finals.

It's a tough obstacle to overcome for many top-tier wrestlers with lofty and long set goals…to be relegated to the consolation bracket and survive. 

Exira-EHK senior Trey Sander could just as easily have closed shop after he dropped a decision (10-4) to eventual champ Tyler Hoffman of East Buchanan in the semifinal round Friday night at 195 pounds. In a flash, the chance of becoming a State champion in Iowa was over, and Sander had nothing left to do but to readjust his goals.

As Sander, teammate Evan Hansen and the coaches left the arena late Friday night, the mood proved to be a bummer all the way around. Hansen had lost his semifinals match almost simultaneously, and for the Spartans brood it was straight to the hotel and straight to bed.

But Saturday proved to be a new day, and with it, a new perspective.

"The main motivating factor for me was that I am a senior, and this was the last day I was going to wrestle," Sander says.

"Hoffman is a good wrestler, and I felt like we both wrestled our best match. It was disappointing, but I'm not about to hang my head. You need to keep moving forward and try to end on a positive note. And then of course, there is always the chance of facing Ben, again. That was a driver for me as well."

In the 1A Consolation semifinals and finals, Sander first picked up a tidy 3-0 decision in his first match of the morning Saturday. Then, Sander earned a most interesting matchup for third when Tri-Center’s Ben Wellman picked up a win by fall in the other semifinal. It set up another bout between The No. 2 and the No. 3 ranked individuals and longtime western Iowa opponents.

In 2014, the two multi-sport athletes would not meet for the State championship in Wrestling, but for third place. It did not diminish the level of competition between the two as they met for the third time in the past six weeks.

"We've been wrestling each other since third grade," Sander says of Wellman. "There is a lot of mutual respect there.

Wellman took the first two matches by decision, both by 4-3 final. 

On the mats at Wells Fargo Arena, Sander went on the offensive early, and had his way for the first time this season en route to a 5-2-decision victory to anchor third place.

After some testing of the waters on both sides, Sander shot successfully with a takedown and built an incredibly important early lead.

"I wanted to be aggressive and try to push the pace," Sander said. "I was working things and working things, and then I got that first takedown. After that, I felt like I was in control of the match, and I kept plugging away with the different (scenarios) I had been preparing for with him. And because I stayed offensive on him, I started scoring, and then I knew I had gotten into his head a little."

Saturday’s third place finish is another example of the kind of redemptions and breakthroughs seen every year at State.

Some guys will respond by throwing a tantrum, as well as their headgear when handed a loss that didn’t coincide with their own expectations. And some guys pick themselves up, dust themselves off and go back to work. You can lump Trey Sander into the latter group based on his consolation charge Saturday afternoon at Wells Fargo Arena.

He wasn’t about to allow one loss on one day define a career, or his character for that matter.

"I didn't want to end my career like that…just put my head down and let people beat me," he says. "To come back and wrestle as well as I could, and beat a rival while doing it…it was important to me that I finish as best I could. There is no sense in me feeling sorry for myself for one loss to a GREAT wrester.

"One thing you learn from wrestling is how to handle a loss or a failure."

#exira-ehk    #wrestling

BOYS HOOPS: Griswold tripped up by Nodaway Valley in District 13 final

No. 7-ranked Nodaway Valley tops Tigers 77-42, will face East Mills Saturday in Atlantic for 1A Substate 7

By Drew Herron - AJ/NT Sports / Feb. 27, 2014

STUART – Basketball is mostly a game of runs.

On Thursday night in Stuart, No. 7-ranked Nodaway Valley used a lot of them to bury Griswold 77-42 in the Class 1A District 13 Final and move one step closer to a third straight trip to the State Tournament in Des Moines.

The Tigers led after the opening quarter (16-13), but to start the second, Nodaway Valley contrived a tremendously burdensome 1-3-1-zone press on Griswold that effectively turned the tide in the Wolverines’ favor for good.

Nodaway Valley rode a 15-0 run to reclaim the lead permanently (then 28-16), and held Griswold scoreless for the first six-and-a-half minutes of the second frame. By the time Tigers’ forward Walker Mundorf knocked down a jumper and finally broke through with the team’s first points of the second quarter, Griswold was already in a double-digit hole.

It was a difficult stretch for the Tigers, one in which they could not recover from.

“We played really well in the first quarter as far as executing what we wanted to do both offensively and defensively,” Tigers’ coach Chad Rodgers says. “I’m real proud of the effort and the understanding of what it is Nodaway Valley is trying to do. Then, all of a sudden, we just kind of went blank in the second quarter. You could see it in their eyes…we just mentally checked out for about half that quarter.”

That 1-3-1-zone press is nothing new to the Tigers. In fact, Griswold used a similar brand of it to smash Exira-EHK into submission five days earlier on the tournament trail.

But the flavor brought by Nodaway Valley, with its speed, athleticism and deception simply flooded the Tigers’ efforts to effectively run its offense.

Nodaway Valley dictated the tempo with its press and transition, but the Wolverines also stretched the court, scoring from the outside as well as in.

Sophomore guard Jackson Lamb, who would finish the night with 27 points to lead all scorers, hit four 3-pointers in the opening half. In the paint, senior TJ Bower finished with 18, and Zach Plymesser chipped in 11 points from the wing.

All of it spread the Tigers thin, but Rodgers is especially peeved that his team didn’t do a better job at containing Lamb.

“Lamb is such a good shooter and we gave him way too many open looks,” coach Rodgers says. “It’s disappointing that we didn’t do a better job of identifying him, because he was the No. 1 (priority) on our game plan.”

After outscoring Griswold 24-4 in the second quarter, the gap continued to widen in the second half. At the close of the third, NV went ahead by more than 20 points, and by the end of the fourth, both sides would empty its bench as the running clock was enacted with about a minute-and-a-half remaining.

With the victory, Nodaway Valley improves its record to 22-2 on the season. The Wolverines now advance to Saturday’s Substate 7 final against East Mills (22-3) at Atlantic High School. Thursday night marked the ninth District final for Nodaway Valley in the past 11 years.

Forgive the Wolverines for being spoiled perhaps, but these District titles have become old hat.

“We were pretty calm in the locker room, we had a little celebration,” NV coach Darrell Burmeister says. “But we’re not here to hand out medals or cut down nets tonight or anything like that. It’s our tradition, if we win the District, we try to stay focused because we know we are one step away.”

No doubt about it, NV has been about as tradition-rich as any other 1A squad in southwest Iowa over the past decade.

Griswold, who played in its first District final game since 2004, just doesn’t yet have that swagger the Wolverines have built. That confidence within the program can often pay dividends at this point of the season when nerves flair.

“It especially helps with the mental aspect of things,” coach Rodgers says. “Our guys are here hoping to win, they get here and they expect to win. Once you get to a point where you put together multiple winning seasons and you get to experience more of these meaningful games, then your players begin to believe in the challenge. We’re just not there yet.”

Game Scoring (02/27)

GRISWOLD (15-9): Tyrel Peters 3, Jacob Maass 6, Caleb Schaaf 6, Walker Mundorf 5, Grant Haynes 5, Aaron Metheny 4, Drake Rieber 3    Free Throws: 7/14

NODAWAY VALLEY (22-2): Jackson Lamb 27, TJ Bower 18, Zach Plymess 11, Caleb Mueller 9, Delson Grantam 7, Nathan Venteicher 3, Mason Clarke 2    Free Throws: 23/34

#griswoldtigers    #iahsbkb

Spartans see a silver lining in tournament loss to Tigers

Exira-EHK will return its top two scorers and seven of its nine regulars 

By Drew Herron - AJ Sports Editor / Feb. 24, 2014

ELK HORN – This most recent season has barely had time to be packed away, but the Spartans are already looking ahead to 2014-15.

This year proved to be a stage of building for the future with so many young but competent players. Most in the conference expect Exira-EHK to win more games and put a more polished product on the court next winter, not least of whom is Spartans’ head coach Doug Newton.

“We’ve got plenty to build on, and a good bunch of kids coming back,” he says. “Now we just have to get into the gym over the summer and improve in some areas.”

Exira-EHK will lose two seniors (Tate Simpson and Zack Petersen), but at least seven regulars are eligible to return, including the team’s top two leading scorers and seven of its top eight.

The most productive scorer to return is junior Drew Peppers, who led the team at 8.3 PPG, and he was also the team’s leading rebounder at 7 boards per game.

Sophomore, Brady Hansen is just behind Peppers at 8.1 PPG, and proven juniors Jared Hansen and Jake Paulsen are combining for around a dozen total points per night.

Mix in junior Lucas Schwery, as well as freshmen Drew Buckholdt and Noah Pettepier, all regulars, and the Spartans can be expected to carry a lot of depth moving forward.

Exira-EHK had its struggles to translate improvements into the forms of win, and did not win back-to-back games this winter. But at the same time, the Spartans never had a losing streak of more than five games.

Of course, no victory was bigger for the Spartans than the one in the playoffs against a geographic rival in Audubon.

Sometimes the road to success requires many steps. Perhaps for the Spartans, the tournament victory this winter can spawn multiple playoff wins next February.

“That playoff win was certainly a good thing,” coach Newton says of the first-round victory over Audubon. “To succeed in a tournament atmosphere is important, and we had a lot of fun doing it. The wins didn’t come in large amounts this year, but we tried to enjoy the ones we had.”

#exira-ehk    #iahsbkb

Spartans turn Friday’s disappointment into Saturday triumph with pair of third place medals

Spartans’ pair each medals third at State Tournament

By Drew Herron - AJ Sports Editor / Feb. 24, 2014

DES MOINES – The script did not play out just exactly as the Spartan Wrestling program had once been hoping for.

But once Friday night’s semifinal disappointment was flushed from the system and the boys came back to Wells Fargo Arena Saturday, they showed they were more than ready to wrestle…these Spartans were hungry to finish.

Exira-EHK’s top two wrapped up the Tournament with a bit of clout and a pair of third-place medals to again stake the Spartans’ mark on Iowa’s wrestling landscape.

Again, the Spartans have hardware winners with Evan Hansen and Trey Sander, both repeat medalists from last February. Both wrestlers finished third with a 2-0  run through Saturday’s consolation bracket.

“We left here (Friday) night with our heads hanging, nobody talked on the way back to the hotel and everybody just went to bed,” says Spartans coach Rick Andersen. “And walking out of here now (Saturday), with both Evan and Trey winning their final matches to finish third…that was just an awesome finish for the year.” 

Both Spartans went 4-1 on the tournament, and both of them dropped out of the front side of the bracket within minutes of each other in Friday night’s late session.

Hansen was not his usual self during his semifinal match against Adam Hawkins of BGM, Brooklyn. Hawkins was ranked No. 2 in the latest set of ratings released by The Predicament, and that’s where he finished on the podium Saturday after falling eventually to Luke Huber of Hudson. Hansen fell behind in the second period of his semifinals match against Hawkins, and wasn’t able to mount much offense in a 6-0 loss by decision.

Sander was almost as flat late Friday evening when he ran into eventual champ Tyler Hoffman of East Buchanan in the semifinal round. Hoffman defeated Sander by 10-4 decision en route to picking up gold with an 8-4 decision over Chris Brincks of South Winneshiek in the final.

On Saturday at the Well, Sander was plugged into the consolation semifinal, where he first picked up a tidy 3-0 decision. Then, Sander earned a most interesting matchup for third when Tri-Center’s Ben Wellman picked up a win by fall in the other semi. The No. 2 and the No. 3 ranked individuals would not meet for the championship, but for third place, and  a third meeting between the two in the past six weeks.

Wellman took the first two matches by decision, both by 4-3 final. First on Jan. (18) at the Griswold Dual Tournament, and again during the previous Saturday’s (Feb. 15) 1A Sectional Tournament in Underwood.

On the mats in Wells Fargo Arena, Sander went on the offensive early, and border-line dominated Wellman in a 5-2 decision.

“Third time is a charm’s I guess,” coach Andersen says. “Trey said this was his last match, and he’s just going to go out there and lay it all on the line…see what happens.”

Sander scored a very important first period take down, an especially important head start on Wellman, who is known as an exceptionally tough defensive wrestler once he has any kind of slim lead. Before the match, the coaching staff pounded into Sander the importance of not allowing an early takedown to Wellman.

And to score a takedown and some points of his own helped open the door for Sander to do something he hadn’t done in two previous meetings against the No. 2-ranked guy at 195. He came out on the right end of a decision.

“That really set the stage” coach Andersen says of Sander scoring the early points. 

“And then Trey did a very good job from there on the attack and defending himself. He was always on the attack and it seemed like Wellman was always on his heels a little. It was a great match for Trey to finish his career with.”

Though it was an especially sweet finish for Sander, who was able to go from disappointment into triumph in about 14 hours, Hansen’s Saturday had a different vibe.

A State champion last year at 145 pounds, Hansen jumped four weight classes to 182 as a junior, where he entered the Tournament unbeaten and ranked No. 1 in the state.

Many expected Hansen to win another championship (not really a repeat when you go up four weight classes), though Hansen this time would wear down against heavier bodies as the Tournament went along.

“He’s wrestling probably 10 pounds lighter than everybody else in that bracket,” coach Andersen says. “And the State Tournament wears on you and takes its toll physically. That (quarterfinal) match took a lot out of him, and in the semifinal match, it just wasn’t quite him wrestling out there.”

Hansen stormed back Saturday on grit despite battling a high-ankle sprain suffered the night before. It inhibited Hansen’s offense, and limited his shots. Moreover, a jarred shoulder suffered during the quarterfinal victory continued to affect him as well, says coach Andersen.

On Saturday, Hansen’s heart was enough to carry him through.

“Evan’s a hard-nosed kid, he’s not going to lie down,” coach Andersen says. 

Andersen expects Hansen will add the third place medal to the gold one from a year ago, and go about his work to get back to the top.

“It’s a challenge, you see it over and over,” coach Andersen says. “There are a lot of (last year’s) champions who come back for a second (title) and it’s tough to get it. Now we’ve got a little bit of motivation and Evan is going to come back hungry next year. He’s going to come back at it hard.”

#exira-ehk   #iowaprep    #wrestling

WRESTLING: Wheelers bring home four State Tournament medals

Audubon puts four of its five onto podium stand, senior Matt Fett finishes team-best fourth

By Drew Herron - AJ Sports Editor / Feb. 27, 2014

DES MOINES – It’s been a winter of milestones met for the Audubon Wheelers Wrestling team.

A Western Iowa Conference championship, a 20-2 dual record and the home team’s first place finish at the 2014 Audubon Wheeler Invite will all prove to be memorable for the Wheelers.

But, perhaps no other day spoke more loudly for the program than did last Saturday’s (Feb. 22) final Tournament push at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. Audubon sent four individuals (all of them District champions) onward to the Tournament, and by the end of three brutal days of wrestling, four Wheelers emerged to stand on the podium and participate in the grand march.

Collectively, it was an impressive performance.

“This is probably one of our best finishes,” Audubon head coach Blane Kerkhoff said afterwards. “We got the kids on the mat here, and everybody but one brings home a medal. It was also a good learning experience for the younger guys who hadn’t medaled before…we’re already looking forward to next year.”

In the team standings, Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont edged Alburnett (111-106) in the team race, though Audubon finished with 37 points, 10th best in Class 1A and a field of 80-some teams.

Individually, Matt Fett provided the team’s top finish with a fourth-place effort at 220 pounds. Fett won his first match via 2-1 decision Thursday night, and then stumbled to in his first attempt Friday. Following a major decision loss that put Fett on the backside, he then rattled off a major decision (12-2 over Waco’s Tate Van Dyne), a regular decision (5-2 over GC’s Cale Crowder) and a pin over Blake Sappingfield of Lawton-Bronson at 1:24 to storm onto the third place match.

Once there, he was beat by decision (12-7) by Clay Meinders of AGWSR. Although he didn’t win his final match, Fett finished the Tournament especially strong and earned the medal he’s coveted for so long.

“Matt had a terrific run on the backside,” coach Kerkhoff says of Fett. “Before (Saturday), he said that he’s got a family of Fetts to have reached the medal stand, and he wanted to be a part of that too. He certainly did it this year, and he had a lot of fun doing it.”

The only Wheeler to finish his day Saturday with a victory was junior Brad Kerkhoff, who finished seventh at 126 pounds. It’s the second straight medal for Kerkhoff, who coincidently faced the same opponent as last year for the seventh and eighth place match. This time, Kerkhoff turned the tables to place seventh, and Jared Coyle of Maquoketa Valley would settle for eight place, as Kerkhoff persevered to a 6-5 decision.

Kerkhoff will add the medal to a now growing collection of hardware. But for two other underclassmen, this was a new and rewarding experience. For Jake Mulford (No. 6 at 132) and Trevor Smith (No. 8 at 145), a framework for next season has been laid.

Smith’s progress in particular from last year to this has been nothing short of remarkable, says coach Kerkhoff. Last year as a sophomore, Smith competed at 145 as well. Though this winter the Wheelers are seeing a more polished, confident and technically sound individual.

“He’s come such a long way, Trevor is the most improved wrestler we’ve got,” coach Kerkhoff says of Smith. “He’s become so much tougher, both on top and the bottom, and he’s not afraid to wrestle on the mat. Now, he is more than just takedowns and neutral wrestling, Trevor is real tough all the way around. We are seeing a terrific wrestler being built there.”

For the group, the backside bracket success can largely been seen as a positive, and substantiated with a 10th place team finish. Every year, the Tournament is certain to break down a number of wrestlers, who simply fold things up after their shot at a state title is lost. That opens up opportunities for other wrestlers to make their mark as well, because wrestling on the consolation side of the bracket can be an unpredictable thing.

“It really becomes a head game once you lose that first match,” coach Kerkhoff says. “To get things built back up again and going…it can be a challenge. Our guys really came to wrestle.”

Next year, the team will look to expand upon its successes and take things a step or two further.

“We’ve got a pretty good nucleus coming back and plenty to build on for next year,” coach Kerkhoff says. “But we need to keep improving and polishing. We don’t have any state champions yet, so we need to keep working hard to head that direction.”

#audubonwheelers   #iowaprep    #wrestling

Griswold overwhelms Exira-EHK, moves on to face O-M in District 13 semifinal

Tigers get out and run to 49-24 victory against overmatched Spartans

By Drew Herron - AJ/NT Sports / Feb. 22, 2014

GRISWOLD – It did not take long for Griswold to display the basketball intangibles Saturday night’s young opponent did not yet possess.
On its home court, Griswold, long and athletic with an underappreciated quickness about them, over ran Exira-EHK 49-24 in Class 1A District 13 quarterfinal action.
Griswold senior Tyrel Peters, who eventually would lead all scorers on the night with 18 points, nudged the Tigers onto their way in the opening quarter with 10 points of his own, and the home team didn’t trail at all after the opening two minutes.
The Tigers were more than effective at speeding the game up as they ran the floor and fed the offense with high-pressure trap defense.
“Our defense was very good tonight and our offense made too many foolish mistakes,” Griswold coach Chad Rodgers said afterwards. “But defense is what we have lived on all season long, and we did a nice job of applying pressure on their guards.”
The Tigers pestered the younger and under experienced Spartans squad with a 1-3-1 zone that employed an effective trap, and it led to multiple points off turnovers for Griswold.
“They speed us up a little bit, and we weren’t used to that,” Exira-EHK coach Doug Newton said. “It’s difficult to come out here and hit a switch and just be able to play at a faster pace than what you’ve been practicing at.”
Length was also a marked advantage for Griswold in Saturday night’s matchup, with the Tigers enjoying a height advantage averaging perhaps two or three inches across the floor.
The size and defensive tact helped build a metaphorical fence around the basket that stretched and grew as the game wore on. It denied the Spartans the penetration they’d have liked to employ, and kept scoring chances down with limited quality looks.
“We seemed to make one dribble too many, and then before long we’d end up in a double-team, and then try to do something about it instead of before,” coach Newton says of the trapping. “But when you’re facing players that are 6-foot-4 or 6-foot-5 and they’re closing in on you…we got kind of a deer in the headlights look.”
Exira-EHK shot the ball just 28 percent (10-of-36), and was out-performed on the boards 28-13. Griswold conversely shot 50 percent from the floor (20-of-40) and feasted on 20 turnovers.
Griswold moves on to a semifinal round meeting Tuesday (Feb. 25) against Orient-Macksburg at Nodaway Valley High School in Greenfield. The Bulldogs improved their record to 8-13 with a 57-31 win over Guthrie Center before the Tigers and Spartans tipped off Saturday night.
The Tigers (14-8) use four seniors on a squad that finished fourth in the top-heavy Western Iowa Conference, but none stepped up bigger against Exira-EHK than Peters.
“He carries us,” coach Rodgers says of Peters. “Offensively, when he gets into a flow, the rest of the team follows him. Defensively, when he’s being aggressive, we tend to play a lot better. So we kind of goes as he goes.”
Exira-EHK ends its season at 6-17 this winter, with a playoff victory to build on for next season.
“The guys didn’t quit, played their butts off and kept digging,” coach Newton says. “You can’t fault the effort.”

Game Scoring (02/22):
EXIRA-EHK (6-17): Drew Peppers 5, Drew Buckholdt 4, Jake Paulsen 4, Tate Simpson 3, Lucas Schwery 2, Noah Pettepier 2, Zack Petersen 2    Free Throws: 3/7

GRISWOLD (14-8): Tyrel Peters 18, Grant Haynes 9, Mason Boucher 9, Jacob Maass 4, Walker Mundorf 4, Johnny Duggan 3, Jacob Reynolds 2    Free Throws: 8/13

#griswoldtigers   #exira-ehk    #iahsbkb   #iowaprep

No. 8-ranked Adair-Casey survives scare against Exira-EHK

Left for dead, Spartans battle back and take lead in fourth quarter before Vais and Lady Bombers quell run

By Drew Herron - AJ/NT Sports / Feb. 22, 2014

ADAIR – There is an enduring cliché in the sports world that speaks to the difficulty that exists in trying to beat a singular team for a third time in the same season.

After prevailing again over Exira-EHK 55-51 in Friday night’s 1A Regional semifinal, No. 8-ranked Adair-Casey can probably attest to that.

The Lady Bombers led by as much as 14 points in the second half, and teetered on disaster in the waning minutes of the fourth quarter as AC trailed by three (50-47) with less than 1:20 to play and the season on the line.

That’s when big-time players make big-time plays, and AC senior London Vais was ready to fill that role.

Vais, the state’s third leading scorer at 26 PPG, hit a 3-pointer from the left wing with 1:09 remaining to pull the Lady Bombers even at 50-50. About 30 seconds later, she was sent to the free throw line and hit 2-of-2, pushing Adair-Casey ahead for good, and into Monday night’s Region 8 final against Kingsley-Pierson.

Vais finished with 29 points to lead all scorers, including the team’s final eight points.

“Confidence…that’s what it is,” AC coach Cory Bartz says of Vais. “She’s confident in herself, and her teammates have confidence in her. That was a huge lift, and it might have been what sparked the finish for us.”

Keeping a lid on Vais was primary focus for the Spartans, but in this instance there was no good defensive answer.

“There is a reason she is one of the best players in the state, and she showed that tonight,” Exira-EHK coach Tom Petersen said of Vais. “She put the team on her back. It’s a younger team and you can see they were looking for someone to get the ball to. She stepped up, and that’s what great players do.”

It was a cogent end to a rocky fourth quarter for the Lady Bombers.

AC started strong from the opening tip, forcing Exira-EHK into committing 24 turnovers in the first half, and leading 28-19 at the break. Moreover, the Spartans didn’t hit a shot until more than midway through the third quarter when senior Sydney Parker stopped the bleeding and put EEHK on a path to a run of its own.

Exira-EHK would finish the frame on a 10-4 run, and went about chipping away.

In the fourth, the Spartans implemented an aggressive defensive press, and it changed things dramatically.  With 6:38 remaining, Parker look an assist from Mara Burmeister in for a  lay-up to knot the game at 40, and about two minutes later the Spartans took their first ever lead when Burmeister converted a pair of free throw attempts to push EEHK out front 46-44.

It was the press, the bread-and-butter of Spartans’ basketball, that gave them a chance to fight back from a 14-point deficit.

“I think our pressure got to them, absolutely it did,” coach Petersen says. “We were waiting for times to do it, it’s just that we had too many girls in foul trouble.”

It was an especially frustrating stretch for the Lady Bombers, who felt like they had Exira-EHK on the ropes and ready to be put to bed.

“One or two more baskets and we could have pushed the lead to 16 (points), and then maybe they put their heads down and quit for the night,” coach Bartz says of EEHK. “But they regrouped and put a lot of pressure on us, and we didn’t handle it very well. We were preaching composure, composure, composure, and in the end it paid off.”

The pendulum would swing back, as over the final 2:40, Vais would seize control, hitting a 3-ball, a field goal +1, and four straight free throw attempts to seal the win.

Exira-EHK had its chances, but simply could not completely get over the hump after fighting for so long from behind.

“It’s never comfortable against Exira-EHK,” coach Bartz says. “You can be ahead by 25 (points), and they’re going to have a rally somewhere. You just need to withstand their punches and try to put some points on the board and score with them.”

The loss ends an otherwise successful season for the Spartans, who hang it up at 17-6.

 “I’m proud of the gals, a lot of teams probably would have folded its tents,” coach Petersen says. “To give us a shot to win it in the fourth quarter, that’s all you can ask for. Our kids battled, we just came up short.”

Adair-Casey will now head to Monday night’s Regional final meeting at Manning with Kingsley-Pierson (17-7). This group of Lady Bombers will work to get back to the State Tournament for the first time since 1992, and the first time in the 5-on-5 game.

Game Scoring (02/21)

EXIRA-EHK (17-6): Rachel Smith 18, Mara Burmeister 10, Sydney Parker 8, Kennedy Madsen 6, Claire Paulsen 3, Maggie Rasmussen 3, Rachel Walker 3    Free Throws: 12/15

ADAIR-CASEY (22-3): London Vais 29, Zoey Dinkla 9, Danni McCorkel 9, Anna Mulder 4, Emma Ferguson 2, Shelby Sorensen 2, Miranda Plowman 2   Free Throws: 16/26

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