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

#exira-ehk    #iowaprep    #iahsbkb

Wheelers whip through Underwood to send five to State as District champs

Kerkhoff and Juelsgaard returning, Fett, Smith and Mulford reach State for first time

By Drew Herron - AJ Sports Editor / Feb. 20, 2014

UNDERWOOD – If there is a silver lining to be found in missing out on this year’s State Dual Tournament, it’s the cause and effect result one disappointing Tuesday had on what turned into a remarkable Saturday.

The five Wheeler individuals that remained alive all hit the mat truly hungry in the District 1A site in Underwood on Feb. 15, and swept through their matches via a cumulative 10-0 performance that include seven pins and three decisions in a statement effort.

On paper it might not have been so surprising in retrospect, but after falling hard to Logan-Magnolia (53-15) in the Regional Dual four days prior, and placing third a few too many times last Saturday, the Wheelers entered the District cautiously optimistic.

But pushing all five guys through, as District champions no less…it’s not bad.

“We’re pretty happy with the way today turned out,” Wheelers head coach Blane Kerkhoff says. “We knew we had the potential, but you never really know how things are going to shape up. Today, the kids wrestled hard, and good things happened.”

After the Regional Dual loss mid-week, the boys got back to work with the clock ticking. Over the week, the Wheelers spent part of their time practicing with Atlantic/CAM’s squad, and coach Kerkhoff says that he feels it was very beneficial as far as addressing the physical side of things. 

By Saturday, the Wheelers had their confidence back about them, and they put it on display.

“I don’t think there was ever any doubt in their mind, it’s just a matter of putting it on the mat,” coach Kerkhoff says. “Tuesday night was real downer all the way around. It’s difficult to get a lame horse to win a race, and that’s what we were Tuesday. Today was much better.

“But, it is a bit surprising,” coach Kerkhoff says. “You never know if you are going to come out and wrestle that well."

Another bit of good news is all five Wheelers to advance will face a District runner-up to open the State Tournament Thursday.

That might create some favorable match-ups, though coach Kerkhoff says don’t buy into that too much.

 “The kids need to understand that nothing is easy at the State Tournament,” coach Kerkhoff says. “But at the same time, it’s just another match. We can’t let that arena get us out of our focus. Every one of our guys is going in as a champion, but you never know what you are going to get drawn into,” coach Kerkhoff says. “But hopefully we will be wrestling all three days.”

Kyle Juelsgaard was impressive again, using a first-period pin and a major decision in the final (10-0 over Guy Sudmann – Underwood). In doing so, he was the first of the five Wheelers to put his name on the list at State, and he’s doing it for the second straight year.

“He really controlled the ties up on his feet, and he looked good with his takedowns,” coach Kerkhoff says. “Kyle was in control in both of his matches.”

At 126, junior Brad Kerkhoff too will return to Wells Fargo Arena is Des Moines after working his way through the District with a pair of routine pins. The No. 7 ranked individual in Class 1A, Kerkhoff brings a 44-6 record to State.

“Brad’s real steady and he fears no one,” coach Kerkhoff says. “He comes in with a plan, and he puts it to work.”

Junior Trevor Smith qualified for State this year with two pins as well, marking the fifth pin on the day through the first four weight classes. 

“Trevor has good technique and positioning,” coach Kerkhoff says. “And when he’s on, he’s tough to beat. He finished up his finals match real strong…he got the cradle, settled in, didn’t let it get out of control, and just worked (Bauerkemper) all the way down to his back before he got the fall.”

Sophomore Jake Mulford is headed to Des Moines as well for the first time at 132 pounds. Mulford rode out two decisions at the Underwood District to finish as champion, improving his record to 22-7 on the season.

With all five guys advancing, the Wheelers have the opportunity to do something memorable at Wells Fargo Arena, especially if they keep up the torrid pace.

“It’s pretty exciting when you come here with five guys, and all five are District champs and we are all moving on together,” Fett says. “It’s going to be a fun and exciting week.”

WRESTLING: Spartans’ pair headed back to State

Top-ranked Evan Hansen enters tournament unbeaten and ranked No. 1

By Drew Herron - AJ Sports Editor / Feb. 20, 2014

UNDERWOOD – It’s late February, and the Spartans’ top wrestling pair of Evan Hansen and Trey Sander are right where they belong…Wells Fargo Arena.

The two qualified at last Saturday’s 1A District Tournament in Underwood, where Evan Hansen went 2-0 to move on as a champion, while Sander placed as runner-up after losing a tough match via 4-3 decision to Tri-Center’s Ben Wellman.

Hansen is last year’s State champion at 145 pounds in Class 1A, and Sander took third at 195, the same weight he competes in now. Hence, the bar is set pretty high this weekend for a pair of Spartans who have been there before, and they know firsthand what it’s like wrestling on Saturday in Des Moines.

“We’re going to have a good tournament,” Exira-EHK coach Rick Andersen says. “Both of these guys are mentally strong and ready to take this tournament on. I’m really looking forward to it.”

In the District final last Saturday, Hansen worked out an impressively quick pin in the semifinal round, then used an injury default in the finals against Jacob Becker of Westwood Sloan. Becker would have proved to be a worthy opponent at 40-5 and ranked No. 5 in the state, though he was recovering from a previous illness, and once qualified, elected to default.

No matter, Hansen continues his unblemished season.

“Evan is right on target,” coach Andersen says. “It would have been nice for him to get that finals match, just to see where he’s at a little better. But he’s been wrestling very well he’s looking pretty sharp. I am pretty impressed and excited to see what he can do.”

It appears as though 182 pounds this year is a more open weight class, and Hansen, at 53-0, ought to be considered the favorite that everyone else will hope to stack up against.

“If he wrestles as hard as he can, Evan has every opportunity to win the thing.”

A champion last year at 145 pounds, Andersen says Hansen is stronger and has shown more technical ability on the mat this winter. 

At 195 Trey Sander picked up a pin in the semifinal round, then fell to Wellman in the final in what might have been the marquee matchup of the District. Wellman is the only wrestler to defeat Sander this year, and he’s done it twice in much the same way, and by the same score.

On Saturday, he scored the first points (on a takedown) and the last (on an escape) to slip past Sander again.

“Wellman is a good wrestler, and he just kind of sucks you into his style of match,” coach Andersen says. “If you can get away from it, you can win. But Trey couldn’t get away from it today.”

Afterwards, Sander was upset, though coach Andersen says he thinks his senior could draw motivation from this experience.

“I think the two of them could very well end up in the finals. Trey is disappointed about this, but in no way did it disqualify him from winning a State championship. If you get second (place) here, you still have every chance to go down there and prove yourself.”

GIRLS HOOPS: Proficient offense drives Exira-EHK past Woodbine

Spartans whip Woodbine 74-48, advance to Regional semifinal against Adair-Casey

By Drew Herron - AJ/NT Sports / Feb. 18, 2014

ELK HORN – Four different Spartan players finished in double figures, and once things started clicking Tuesday night against Woodbine, it did not take long for everything to fall into place.

Exira-EHK would end up lashing Woodbine via a 74-48 final to advance on towards Friday’s Class 1A Region 8 semifinal.

“It’s a game of runs, and tonight we did a good job of putting together multiple runs,” Exira-EHK head coach Tom Petersen said afterwards. “I was proud of the way we battled. We did a lot of good things from the second quarter on.”

A constraining 17-17 tie after one quarter was lifted in the second frame, and Exira-EHK began to build inertia. The Spartans opened the second quarter on a 14-1 run before Woodbine would call a time out in hopes of regrouping. That would never happen, as EEHK would outscore the Tigers 42-14 over the middle two quarters, and soon the game was decidedly in the Spartans’ hands.

Exira-EHK post Kennedy Madsen led all scorers with 16 points, and notched a double-double with 10 boards. More importantly, she was a steady source of scoring production from the low block, and the Spartans were more than happy to oblige what Woodbine was giving them in terms of scarce defensive coverage in the paint.

“They played behind the post, and that’s something we saw on film,” coach Petersen says. “One thing we talked about was to make sure we attack the interior as much as possible. We wanted to attack the basket and not settle.”

The team’s top two scorers average-wise heading into Tuesday got their bite at the apple as well, with Rachel Smith and Claire Paulsen each finishing with 15 points.

But it’s Madsen’s 16 and freshman Maggie Robinson’s 11 points that helped guide the Spartans’ along to a season-high 74 points.

It was an encouraging collective display for a team that continues to grow from week-to-week.

“We had some girls step up for us tonight,” coach Petersen says. “No. 1 is Kennedy Madsen. The first half, that is the best she has played all season long. And for Maggie to come off the bench and add 11, we’ve got to have that. For us to be successful we need to have that balance.”

Helping the team’s effort was its efficiency from the free throw line, where the Spartans hit 22-of-28 against Woodbine. By contrast, EEHK sank just 17-of-35 last week against West Harrison, and that improved figure is something the team is almost certainly going to need to rely on as they progress along in the tournament.

In the five practices leading up to Tuesday’s game, the Spartans have devoted significant time on shooting free throws, and the 79 percent shown against Woodbine could be offered as proof that the team is getting the message.

This victory drives Exira-EHK into a Regional semifinal meeting with Adair-Casey (21-3), this year’s inaugural Rolling Valley Conference champs, and last year’s champs for the Rolling Hills.

Friday will be the third crack the Spartans will have at No. 8-ranked AC, who defeated them twice during conference play. Most recently, Exira-EHK played them tough in a 36-33 loss to the Lady Bombers on Feb. 10.

It’s going to be the toughest challenge to date for this Spartans squad, who must make the third time a charm if they wish to prolong their run.

“We were fortunate enough to hold them to them to 36 (points) last time, and I don’t see that happening again,” coach Petersen says. “We know we can’t stop (London) Vais, we want to contain her as much as we can. Offensively, we need to make better decisions, and we can’t turn the ball over that much. We need to have confidence shooting the ball because early in this game the adrenaline took over, and we weren’t shooting, we were throwing shots.”

Game Scoring (02/18)

EXIRA-EHK (17-5): Kennedy Madsen 16, Claire Paulsen 15, Rachel Smith 15, Maggie Rasmussen 11, Sydney Parker 6, Alex Petersen 2, Emily Copic 2, Katie Kunik 2, Rachel Walker 1    Free Throws: 22/28

WOODBINE (12-12): Melissa Sherer 14, Megan Maaske 12, Allison Lee 6, Heathr Smith 5, Shelby Behrendt 4, Bailee Meyer 4,  Daisha Nuzum 3    Free Throws: 9/17

#exira-ehk   #iowaprep   #iahsbkb

GIRLS HOOPS: Both Defense and offense sparkle for Wheelers in opening round victory over Prairie Valley

Bylund leads way with 28 points as Audubon prevails 62-37

By Drew Herron - AJ Sports Editor / Feb. 15, 2014

AUDUBON – It generally is every team’s hope that, come playoff time, your group is playing its best basketball.

The Wheelers showed they have that in them Saturday night.

Audubon senior Susie Bylund poured in 28 points to help lead the way as the Wheelers rolled over Prairie Valley 62-37 in opening round tournament action.

It’s the second straight victory for a squad that has experienced its ups and downs since returning from Christmas Break. As the group embarks on the Class 2A Tournament trail, the Wheelers appear to be on the upswing.

“I think we are playing as well as we have all season,” Audubon coach Kim Subbert says. “We are learning to be more patient and run the offense to get better shots…and we’re doing a better job with that.”

Bylund finished with 13 points in the first quarter, and scored 10 of the team’s first 11 on her way to a season-high.

It was an encouraging sign, says coach Subbert, as Bylund works her way back to top form after suffering a broken nose at Underwood on Jan. 28. Bylund missed the second half of that game, and then next one at Missouri Valley before returning to action against IKM-Manning on Feb. 6.

Long established as the team’s leading scorer, coach Subbert says Bylund was perhaps a little skittish on the court before apparently shedding some of that fear Saturday. Against Prairie Valley, Bylund stepped up and took charge from the opening tip.

“When she came back, the first couple games, she had to learn how to play with that,” coach Subbert says of the broken nose. “It’s taken her a while, but she’s becoming more comfortable. And tonight, she stepped up big.”

Audubon led 19-11 after one quarter, and Prairie Valley cut the spread to four points (19-15) early in the second before the Wheelers went on an 8-0 run that effectively buried their guests.

Prairie Valley is a short-handed squad, with just two players on its bench. That lack of depth played into the Wheelers’ hands, and they intended to exploit it by running the court and wearing the Warriors down.

“We wanted to get up and down the court and get after it,” coach Subbert says. “That’s the way we like to play when we can.”

Two other players besides Bylund finished in double figures, with Emily Haubrich contributing 12 points and senior Haillie Anthofer with 11. Anthofer is now averaging 11.5 points per game, and continues to be a viable scoring option for the Wheelers, in addition to her running the point.

“We’ve been counting on Haillie a little bit more,” coach Subbert says. “I think that maybe a good thing that came out of it (Bylund’s broken nose). Haillie has had to step up and score a little bit more, and she’s done a nice job with that.”

The 62 point outing is the highest production the team has seen in 10 games, dating back to Jan. 17’s win over Oakland Riverside.

Throughout the season, Wheelers’ practices have been more geared towards defense. In recent weeks, the team has been spending more time on its shooting, and it blossomed Saturday.

“Lately, we’ve been working quite a bit on our shooting, and hopefully that’s going to help us down the road,” coach Subbert says.

With the win, Audubon advances into a second round meeting Tuesday in Rockwell City against South Central Calhoun. It’s a rematch from Dec. 3, the second game of the season for the Wheelers and a 70-45 loss. The No. 12-ranked Titans will be favorites once again.

“It’s going to be a big challenge,” coach Subbert says of SCC. “They’re big, and they can shoot. It’s going to be tough. We tried to press them last time, and we know now that isn’t the answer. But, we will watch the tape, and try to figure something else out.”

Game Scoring (02/15)

AUDUBON (9-13): Susie Bylund 28, Emily Haubrich 12, Haillie Anthofer 11, Courtney Rudolph 4, Morgan Gust 4, Jordan Meaike 2, Kiara Brannan-Sporrer 1    Free Throws: 16/23

PRAIRIE VALLEY (2-18): Zoe Schneider 17, Erica Rittgers 8, Erica Jaeschke 5, Tiffany Blunk 5, Mallory Strutzenberg 2    Free Throws: 5/14