2024 Fall Sports Preview
INSIDE: Previews of fall sports teams at Newton, Lynnville-Sully, PCM, Colfax-Mingo and Baxter
Newton football seeks to build off playoff season
By Troy Hyde Newton News
The Newton football team has posted three consecutive winning seasons and advanced to the postseason in back-to-back years.
But the Cardinals graduated their quarterback, top running back, four starting offensive linemen and seven of the top 12 tacklers on defense.
That doesn’t mean head coach Andy Swedenhjelm thinks his Cardinals will take a step back. In fact, he likes what he sees in both the returners and the replacements.
“We are really happy with where the program is headed,” Swedenhjelm said. “We have had a little taste of success recently, and I believe it has made our kids hungry for more. They have the belief and expectations now that we should be a winning program.”
This year’s roster features 16 seniors, 20 juniors and around 18 sophomores.
The Cardinals improved their non-district schedule last fall, which led to a 2-3 start to the season. But they finished 4-1 and a head-tohead win over Pella helped them earn the No. 2 seed in Class 3A District 4 with a 4-1 record.
While advancing to the playoffs is becoming the norm under Swedenhjelm, the next step is to win a postseason game. Newton’s last postseason victory came in 2014.
“Our program expects to be able to compete for a district title and playoff spot, but we also respect our opponents enough to know it will be a dogfight week in and week out,” Swedenhjelm said. “We feel pretty confident we are
flying under the radar a bit right now and are excited for the opportunities we have this upcoming year.”
Class 3A District 4 features defending champion Bondurant-Farrar as well as Pella, Gilbert, Carlisle and Des Moines Hoover.
Newton, B-F and Pella all went 4-1 last season. Gilbert was the other playoff team at 2-3 and may be the preseason favorite with so many top players from last year’s squad back.
“I believe our district is one of the most competitive in the state,” Swedenhjelm said. “Gilbert will probably get some preseason hype since they return a bunch of guys from last year, but programs like Bondurant, Pella and Carlisle consistently do a nice job of developing players.”
Juniors Caden Klein and Finn Martin are both back after earning first team all-district honors last fall. Senior Peyton Rozendaal was a second-teamer, too.
Klein takes over at quarterback and will play both ways as a linebacker on defense. He led Newton with 60.5 tackles last year and added five sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss.
Martin could be Klein’s top target after grabbing 19 passes for 246 yards and two touchdowns last year. Senior Cade Bauer added eight catches for 140 yards and three scores but no other returner had more than 100 receiving yards.
Seniors Skyler Milheiser and Christian Ergenbright both caught TD passes.
Milheiser joins Martin as the starting tight ends. Newton will be in 12 personnel more this season.
“Our speed is something people will rightfully talk
Troy Hyde/Newton News
Newton junior Caden Klein, right, returns to the football team after earning first team all-district honors on defense last season. He’s expected to keep his spot at linebacker but also takes over as the Cardinals’ quarterback this fall.
about, but I also think our tight end group is really good,” Swedenhjelm said. “Both (Martin) and (Milheiser) do a lot of things really well, and it gives us a little different dimension in regard to formations and alignments.”
Replacing all-state running back Cody Klein will be ju-
and Gabe Otto.
“Offensively, we have a ton of weapons we feel like we can work with, and we have really been emphasizing a unit mentality,” Swedenhjelm said. “When we have good depth, and plenty of people that we can use in a game, it allows us to be fresh. This group collectively has a lot of versatility.
“We will be in 12 personnel quite a bit (one running back, two tight ends), which is a bit of a change up from last year. That will allow us to move guys around to scheme some better matchups.”
Newton will have to replace four graduated starters on the offensive line.
But seniors Colton Brady and Jose Benitez split time last season. They are projected to start at both guard spots.
The center is expected to be junior Koltt Ahn and Zach Felten likely will start at right tackle.
Competition at left tackle is down to juniors Rylan Modlin and Will Rawlins, who is a transfer from Texas.
Brady and Benitez helped the Cardinals rush for 2,102 yards and average 5.8 yards per carry, which both ranked in the top 10 of 4A.
Junior Coleby Revell is back on the defensive line after collecting 16.5 tackles and seven tackles for loss last fall.
nior Chris Deanda and sophomore Qhjuan Coley.
Joining Bauer and Ergenbright at wide receiver will be seniors Reilly Trease and Creighton Andrew and junior Nick Thomason. The other two tight ends competing for playing time are juniors Colton Northcutt
Felten, Rawlins and seniors Derek Wermager and Lincoln Peterson will compete for time at defensive end.
“I feel really good about our trenches,” Swedenhjelm said. “We feel like we have seven to nine players who can play at a high level for those three positions.”
Plethora of returners hope to give Newton girls XC boost in LHC
By Troy Hyde Newton News
A large number of varsity runners are back for the Newton girls cross country team.
And the Cardinals hope experience can help them climb the ladder of the Little Hawkeye Conference this season.
“There’s excitement about how this team can build off last year,” Newton head girls cross country coach Rachelle Tipton said. “The team’s expectations are to place in the top half of meets and to get more athletes under 25 minutes than last year.”
Senior Bella Winther led the Cardinals last season at both conference and the state qualifying meet. But
seven other girls could push for that top spot in the lineup. And one qualified for the state meet in 2022.
The Cardinals’ roster features four seniors in Winther, Hadley Kruse, Lex Dirksen and Tamika Rodenborn.
The juniors are returning varsity runners Paxton Panada and Abbie Preston. Sophomores Alivia Kingery, Sarah Malow, Meghan Trout and Lilian Wadsworth should also push for a varsity spot after running on the varsity last season. There are six freshmen who should improve as the season goes.
Kruse qualified for the state meet as a sophomore but missed most of last season with an injury.
“The team is gelling really well and will all be pulling for each other to see big improvements,” Tipton said. “The preseason went well. There were a lot of athletes out running and working to improve.
“This is a tough and big incoming freshman class so they will be looking to make some noise and push the pace. I foresee the varsity lineup changing as the athletes get stronger and more confident.”
Newton opens the season at Marshalltown on Aug. 29. The Cardinals’ annual home meet is Sept. 24 and they host the conference meet. That will be on Oct. 14. Both home events will be at Maytag Park.
Kruse
Troy Hyde/ Newton News
Newton senior Bella Winther returns to the Cardinal girls cross country team after leading the squad last season. Several key runners are back on this year’s squad and a large freshmen class hopes to help Newton move up in the Little Hawkeye Conference standings.
NCMP has high expectations in new season
By Troy Hyde Newton News
The Newton-Colfax-Mingo-Pella girls swim team features 10 seniors, seven returning state qualifiers and a talented freshmen class.
That’s why head coach Nick Shelton has high expectations in 2024. The sky’s the limit for a group he hopes can make a big splash at the state meet at the end of the season.
“My expectations are pretty high. That’s safe to say,” Shelton said. “We should win both conference meets again, and I expect to be top three at the district meet. I’d like to see all three relays get top 10 at state, too. I think that’s doable.”
The Aquagirls were third at last year’s regional meet and the state relay teams finished 11th, 16th and 20th.
There was only one senior on last year’s state contingent. Two alternates on those relay teams also are back and the freshmen class goes six deep to replenish any talent lost to graduation.
“I think year two is easier because they know my expectations,” Shelton said. “They’ve been grinding in the pool. We did some hard sets that first week and they showed up and did them without complaining. It’s been really good so far.”
Five of the seven returning state qualifiers from last year are part of NCMP’s 10-person senior class.
The two juniors who advanced to state — Harper Barton and Tori White — were individual qualifiers with senior Addison Van Maanen.
White was the lone regional champion as she swam to victory in the 100-yard back-
stroke. She finished 31st at the state meet.
“I think we’ll be strong at every stroke,” Shelton said. “Backstroke will just be the one we have the least amount of depth. But we have good times in that so it’s still strong.”
Barton advanced to state in the 100 freestyle and placed 20th in Marshalltown.
Van Maanen’s first individual state berth came in the 100 breaststroke. She was 24th at state and will have plenty of competition in the pool this
fall. The breaststroke is one of the more competitive strokes on the team.
“I think we can qualify individually in at least four events,” Shelton said. “I expect Tori in the back, I think Peyton (Ray) can qualify, I think Addison will get in in either the IM or the breaststroke and Harper could qualify in two events.”
Senior Alex Riney was a state qualifier in three relays last fall, while Barton and seniors Peyton Ray and Izzy
The rest of the senior class features Anna DeVries, Haylee White and Veronica Mark.
“They are a special group of girls,” Shelton said about the seniors. “They’ve been through a lot in their careers. They are tight knit. They are there for each other and really love each other.”
The other two juniors are Brilea Moffitt and Kadie Andersen, who attends Colfax-Mingo High School.
The sophomores are Madi Scott, Kimberlee Miller and Emalee Weuve.
Freshmen Temple Barton, Alexa Van Maanen, Amily Amos, Julia Nedder, Lillian Pifko and Peyton Phillips provide the Aquagirls will talented depth.
“Some of the freshmen are leading lanes sometimes and that’s cool to see,” Shelton said. “It’s a good freshmen group. They are motivated to work and get things done.”
NCMP is coming off championships in both the Little Hawkeye Conference and North Central Swim Conference.
Lane both competed in two.
Riney was joined by Barton, Ray and senior Paige Benson in the 200 freestyle relay and that group placed 11th.
The 400 freestyle relay team of Barton, Riney, Lane and Ray were 16th and the 200 medley relay team which placed 20th brings back Riney, Lane and White.
Seniors Hailey Dickerson and Avery Meyer were state alternates and should provide NCMP with depth in freestyle events.
It was the Aquagirls’ seventh LHC title in the past eight seasons. Both conference championships included wins in seven events.
Barton was a champion in four events at both meets, including two victories in the 100 breaststroke. Ray won both the 100 and 200 freestyle at the NCSC meet.
The roster of 23 is smaller than some recent seasons, but Shelton will still have tough decisions to make when it comes to relays late in the season.
Troy Hyde/Newton News
From left: Junior Tori White and seniors Addison Van Maanen and Avery Meyer all return this season for the NCMP Aquagirls. White and Van Maanen both qualified individually for last year’s state meet, while Meyer was a relay alternate. NCMP brings back seven state qualifiers from 2023 and has even higher expectations in 2024.
Troy Hyde/ Newton News
Newton senior Macy Lampe begins her fourth season as the Cardinals setter this fall. She enters her final campaign with 1,271 career assists.
She set a new career high in assists in 2023 with 531.
Newton volleyball looks to carry last year’s momentum into 2024
By Troy Hyde Newton News
Coming off its first winning season in more than a decade, the Newton volleyball team hopes to use a blend of experience and youth to continue its climb in the Little Hawkeye Conference.
The Cardinals welcome back three four-year starters and gain a talented transfer with the hopes of using last year’s end-of-season wins over Oskaloosa and Dallas Center-Grimes to carry them into another successful season.
“The 2024 season goal is to build off last season,” Newton head volleyball coach Heidi Woollums said. “Having three players entering their fourth var-
sity year brings experience and a sense of calm to the court. They lead by example, encourage others and truly want the best for each individual on the team. You would never know throughout open gym and preseason work that this group hasn’t played a season together.”
The returning varsity starters are seniors Delaney Woollums, Macy Lampe and Chloe Swank.
Woollums and Lampe both earned honorable mention all-conference honors last fall.
Woollums is top the returning attacker after posting 190 kills, 197 digs and 21 aces last season. She led the Cardinals with a kill efficiency of .234 and finished with a serving percentage of 95.
The 190 kills ranked 13th in the LHC.
Lampe will be one of the two setters and will attack in the front row in the Cardinals’ 6-2 formation.
She led Newton and ranked fifth in the conference with 531 assists last season and added 147 digs, 30 kills and 25 aces. Her serving percentage was 96.3.
Swank, the returning starter at libero, led the Cardinals and ranked eighth in the conference with 267 digs and added 10 assists and 21 aces. Her serving percentage was 95.6 and Newton successfully served at a 94.5 percent clip last season.
Two returning state qualifiers lead Newton boys cross country
By
Last year’s Newton boys cross country team finished one spot off a state berth.
But only three runners from that squad are back and for the first time in years, head coach Steve Weeks had trouble answering an important question.
“I don’t know how to answer that,” said Weeks when asked who he thought would replace the graduated seniors. “With so much potential on this team, I could honestly see 10-12 guys competing for those seven varsity spots. It’s going to come down to who wants it most and who can put in the work and mental focus to get it done.”
The favorites to run on varsity are seniors Javin Doland and Christian Buchli, junior Lance Zaabel and sophomore transfer Cooper Lenz.
Weeks also expects seniors Gentry Swarts, Talon Currie and Keary Sanger, junior Levi Zaabel, sophomore Noah Tremel and freshmen Drew Lamont and David Wickett to be in the mix for one of the seven spots.
“Those who put in summer miles are usually the ones making the varsity cut,” Weeks said. “Our goals are pretty standard — to always improve our times. Our focus
has always been to take on difficult tasks and learn to overcome adversity.”
Doland qualified for the state meet last season as a junior. He grabbed the final state qualifying spot, finished 42nd in a loaded Little Hawkeye Conference and ended up 62nd in the Class 3A race at state.
Lance Zaabel finished 24th at the state qualifier and 31st at the conference meet. Buchli placed 40th at the state qualifier.
Lenz is a transfer from East Marshall. He qualified for the 2A state meet and placed 51st overall. His time of 17 minutes, 14.4 seconds was only five seconds slower than what Doland ran at state.
“(Doland) and (Buchli) are our team captains this year, and Lance probably put in the most work of anyone on the team this past summer,” Weeks said. “All three are looking very strong and they’re motivated to earn this town another state qualifier banner for the rafters of the high school gym.”
Swarts, Currie and Sanger are all in their second year with the team, and Weeks expects their experience to propel them closer to
Continued from page 5
in the pool could also determine who fits in where.
“The relays are what I’m most excited about,” Shelton said.
varsity this fall.
Weeks also hopes the addition of Levi Zaabel to create a bit of sibling rivalry with his twin brother Lance will motivate both of them.
“(Tremel) has always been a top JV runner, and this may be the time he breaks into that varsity lineup,” Weeks said. “(Lamont) and (Wickett) are two freshmen I watched closely as middle schoolers as the leaders of every race I got to watch of theirs. They may be that exciting spark of the rookies looking to make immediate impacts to varsity.”
The Cardinals, who were sixth at last year’s LHC meet, have once again set a goal to qualify for the state meet.
The 3A state qualifier will take place on Oct. 23.
Newton opens the season at Marshalltown on Aug. 29. The Cardinals’ annual home meet is Sept. 24 and they host the conference meet this year. That will on Oct. 14. Both home events will be at Maytag Park.
“That should always be the standard we hold ourselves to,” Weeks said about having the goal to qualify for state. “If you’re always taking on the hard things in life and giving your best effort, improved race times will come naturally, along with developing good work ethic and character.”
“We only lost one senior off our three state relay teams. It’s going to be tougher to figure out those teams this year than last year was. With so many kids back and a strong freshmen class, I have no idea who will be where. There are some good sophomores from Pella, too. It’s going to be tough. They’ve all bought into
the team mentality though. They all want what’s best for the team.”
The Aquagirls open their season at home against Tipton and Williamsburg on Aug. 29.
NCMP goes to Marshalltown on Sept. 3, travels to Grinnell on Sept. 5 and has home meets on Sept. 17 and
Oct. 1.
The NCSC meet will be hosted by Grinnell on Oct. 19 and the Little Hawkeye Conference meet is Oct. 22 in Indianola.
The regional meet is scheduled for Nov. 9 and the state meet will take place Nov. 1516 in Marshalltown.
Troy Hyde Newton News
La. Zaabel
Troy Hyde/Newton News Newton senior Javin Doland returns to the top of the Cardinals’ lineup after making it to the state cross country meet last year.
The times
L-S football plans to extend strong stretch of success
By Troy Hyde Newton News
The Lynnville-Sully football team is 27-5 over its past three seasons and one of those campaigns ended in the UNIDome.
The Hawks hope to keep their recent string of success going this fall despite losing plenty of talent from last year’s 8-2 squad.
“Success is hard to sustain,” Lynnville-Sully head football coach Mike Parkinson said. “It might look easy though. There’s a handful of teams you can name off who have been able to sustain it recently. We want our name to be associated with those teams.”
While last year’s squad graduated the school’s all-time leading rusher and a handful of players who are competing at the next level, L-S welcomes back a healthy number of returners and hopes a few inexperienced players can fill in the gaps of those lost to graduation.
Last year’s Hawks went 8-2 after going 11-1 and reaching the state semifinals in 2022. The 2021 team also was 8-2.
L-S finished as the runner-up in Class A District 6 and scored a postseason win over Pekin before bowing out against ACGC in the second round.
An injury to the team’s top tailback hindered the offense, but the defense led Class A with 19 interceptions and ranked third with 80 tackles for loss, tied for fourth with 12 fumble recoveries and sixth with 22 sacks.
“Are we willing to do what it takes to stay near the top of the class?” Parkinson said. “I love what this team is doing so far. We’ve pushed them
to see where we are at, and they’ve responded well. They don’t complain. They just go to work every day.”
Parkinson and his coaching staff have a lot to figure out before the season opener on Aug. 30.
But what he does know is that senior Lannon Montgomery will play quarterback, senior Carson Maston and junior Ben Squires likely will play both ways on the lines and junior Dawson James and senior Wyatt Mathis will be one of the top linebacking duos in the class.
Montgomery split his time between quarterback and running back last fall. He threw for 203 yards and two touchdowns, rushed for 570 yards and nine scores and hauled in 13 passes for 128 yards.
all-district player at tight end last season, while Montgomery earned second team honors as a utility player.
The offensive line is led by Maston, who was a first team all-district choice last fall. Squires and Mathis likely end up starting there, too. James could find his way back there if others are better fits at the skill positions.
James had both a receiving and rushing TD last fall. The Hawks rushed for 1,751 yards despite not having graduated all-state tailback Corder Noun Harder for most of the season.
Parkinson said a few younger players are competing for the other spots on both the offensive and defensive lines.
Gosselink and junior Michael Spooner could end up at defensive end, while Maston and Squires will take snaps inside on the defensive line.
Right now, several Hawks are competing for spots at tailback, fullback, wide receiver and tight end.
“We need to see separation, and we’ll let them compete,” Parkinson said. “Our job as coaches is to find the best 1113 players and then slide them into positions that best fit our team. There’s still work to do though and we may have a running back by committee.”
Parkinson said James, senior Terran Gosselink, juniors Matthew Mintle, Jaiden Richards, Gavin Olea and Jack Bowlin and sophomore Gavin Fisk all will compete at running back.
Bowlin, Gosselink, James, Mintle and Richards also could slide in at wide receiver or tight end, too.
James was a first team
tackles and had two picks as a member of the L-S secondary but likely moves to linebacker this season.
Bowlin will start at safety after earning second team all-district honors last season. He finished with 35 tackles and ranked tied for eighth in Class A with five interceptions.
The rest of the Hawks’ secondary could include Richards, Mintle, junior Landyn Fisk and/or sophomore Kimball Elliott.
Sophomore Trace Carlson, Mathis and Olea are in a competition at kicker and either Landyn Fisk or Mathis will take care of the punting duties.
Numbers are down overall as the Hawks’ roster goes 31 deep.
Gosselink was a first team all-district selection in the defensive backfield last fall. He was second on the team with 53.5 tackles and snagged four interceptions.
Maston finished with 21.5 tackles, 2.5 sacks, six tackles for loss and one interception last season.
James and Mathis headline the four-linebacker set.
Others competing for spots are Fisk, Montgomery, Olea and junior Burt Johnson.
James led the Hawks with 64 tackles and added 10 tackles for loss, two sacks, two fumble recoveries and an interception.
Mathis added 43.5 tackles, eight tackles for loss and two fumble recoveries.
Mathis and Squires were an honorable mention all-district players.
Montgomery made 22
“We have quality, but do we have depth?” Parkinson said. “I think we’ll have really good starters, but we don’t have a lot of backups yet.”
Lynnville-Sully, which has appeared on a few preseason rankings, opens the season at Danville on Aug. 30. They go to conference rival North Mahaska on Sept. 6.
The Class A District 6 opener is at Madrid, which is the preseason favorite, on Sept. 20.
More than a handful of Hawks enter the football season after helping the baseball team win a state title this summer. Parkinson hopes that momentum carries into the fall.
“We challenged those guys to bring that edge and winner’s mentality into this season,” Parkinson said. “How do we harness that and bring it over into our season? We are counting on a lot of those guys this season.”
Troy Hyde/Newton News
Lynnville-Sully senior Lannon Montgomery returns to quarterback for the Hawks this fall and is expected to move to linebacker on defense. The Hawks are 27-5 over the past three seasons.
L-S harriers hope deeper rosters move Hawks up in SICL
By Troy Hyde Newton News
Will this be the year the runner-up streak at the conference meet ends for the Lynnville-Sully girls cross country team?
The Hawks have finished second in the SICL in seven straight seasons, but with three returning all-conference runners and a talented freshmen trio coming in, L-S just might have enough to reach the top of the conference.
On the boys’ side, every single varsity runner from last year returns, including a pair of state qualifiers in senior Hendrick Lowry and sophomore Colton Alberts.
“Our big theme or goal for the year is LEVEL UP,” L-S head cross country coach Darin Arkema said. “We’ve got to work, improve, gain and climb to get to the next level. We don’t want to stay content with what we’ve done or where we’ve been.”
Senior Olivia Norrish is back for the Hawks for one final season.
She’s a two-time Class 1A state qualifier and was fourth at last year’s SICL meet.
Sophomores Peyton Sharp and Emma Parkinson also return after going 5-6 at conference and just missing out on a state berth.
The difference this year with the back half of the lineup is the incoming freshmen should compete closer to the returning pack.
Sharp missed a state berth by one placing and two seconds. Parkinson was 13th at the state qualifier and the top 10 runners advance to state.
The incoming freshmen are Breah Lowry, Abigail Ver Ploeg and Mandeesa Vos.
“I’m very excited about this group and the potential I believe they have as a team,” said Arkema, who begins his 22nd season at his alma mater. “All three returners were all-conference last year and they each had strong track seasons in the spring.
“(The three freshmen) are certainly going to do more than just complete our roster or give us enough runners to score as a team.”
This girls team has high goals and expectations for themselves as individuals and also as a team regarding our conference meet, state qualifying and the state meet, according to Arkema.
“Our girls teams have been near the top of our conference for the last decade, but it has basically been a decade since they’ve been conference champions,” Arkema said.
The boys squad goes 11 deep. Eight of those runners were on last year’s team and the Hawks add a sophomore and two freshmen.
Lowry was fourth at the SICL meet and advanced to state after a sixth-place finish at the state qualifying meet.
Alberts was sixth at conference and advanced to state with one of the final qualifying spots.
Sophomore Blake Wilmesmeier was 15th at the SICL meet and 35th at the state qualifier last season, while junior Ethan Dunsbergen placed 17th and 39th, respectively.
The rest of the returners are junior Will Conover and sophomores Evan Arkema,
Jordan Dunsbergen and Keegan Schnell. Sophomore Sam Terlouw joins the squad this fall along with freshmen Andrew Arkema and Madden Gunsaulus.
“Their commitment to this season and preparation during the summer has been terrific,” Coach Arkema said about his boys team. “They believe in themselves and qualifying for the state meet is something they see as a real possibility and are committed to.”
The Hawks placed third at last year’s SICL meet but were just four points back of the runner-up spot. They also placed fifth out of 13 teams at the 1A state qualifier.
“They have been talking throughout the summer about what they could accomplish and the work it’s going to take,” Coach Arkema said. “I believe each member of our boys team will benefit this season from having more guys on the team and the competition that will take place to try and earn a varsity spot.”
The Hawks made a few changes to their schedule this year. They open their season at Collins-Maxwell on Aug. 29 and head back to Grinnell on Sept. 10.
The team’s home meet is Sept. 19 at Diamond Trail Golf Club in Lynnville.
The Hawks will try win SICL titles at the conference meet on Oct. 15 in Montezuma.
“We made a few changes to our schedule in order to get to some new meets and run on some different courses against hopefully some tough 1A and 2A competition,” Coach Arkema said.
Troy Hyde/Newton News
Lynnville-Sully senior Hendrick Lowry is one of two returning state qualifiers for the boys cross country team. The Hawks have their sights set on a conference title and state berth in 2024.
Troy Hyde/Newton News
Lynnville-Sully senior Olivia Norrish is a two-time state qualifier for the Hawks, who have finished second in the SICL in seven straight seasons.
L-S volleyball resets roster after graduation losses
By Troy Hyde Newton News
There will be a lot of new faces on the varsity volleyball court for Lynnville-Sully this fall.
The Hawks graduated seven seniors from their 17-13 squad. Only senior Alaina Roberts returns from an L-S team which went 4-4 in conference play.
And that’s not going to be the only transition the Hawks will make this fall. The program also will be under new leadership as Heather James returns as head coach.
“When I took this position I knew it was going to be a restart for the season because there were so many seniors last year,” James said.
“I took the time during our open gyms this summer and camp time to assess where we are.”
Fortunately for James, not everything will be new. The Hawks’ assistant coach will be Shelby Van Der Wilt, who has been on staff for the past four seasons.
“She has a lot of knowledge and experience she can carry over to this next season,” James said. “We have a lot of talented athletes and now it’s up to us coaches to put the teams together to find who has the best chemistry, skill and ability to have a successful season for all teams.”
Roberts played primarily in the back row last season and finished with 16 kills, 69
assists, 213 digs and 29 aces. Her serving percentage was 91.5.
She’ll move to setter this season and be joined by junior setter Kate Harthoorn in the Hawks’ 6-2 formation.
The hitters will be senior Jakeira Hay, juniors Tatum Huyser and Ashlan Cordes and sophomore Ava Brummel. Senior Sevanah Routier will play in the back row.
Huyser appeared in 10 matches last fall and tallied seven kills and 13 digs and was 28-of-28 in serves.
“I’m glad to have Alaina back this season,” James said. “She’s one of three seniors, and she’s a great positive leader for the team.”
L-S VB | 20
Troy Hyde/ Newton News
L-S senior Alaina Roberts is the only returning starter for the Hawks, who reset their roster after reaching the regional championship match last fall.
PCM football needs to keep edge in 2024
By Troy Hyde Newton News
The PCM football team has made the playoffs in every season since at least 2007-08. But making the postseason is no longer the goal for the Mustangs.
And head coach Greg Bonnett thought his program got an edge back to them last season that was present in the 2018 championship season and the 2020 season that also ended at the UNI-Dome.
Bonnett hopes the momentum gained last season carries into this one as the Mustangs are expected to start the year ranked in Class 2A by several different outlets.
“We were missing that edge we had back in 2018 and 2020,” Bonnett said. “Now I feel like we have pretty fierce competitors at many positions, and that’s always a good thing.”
Last year’s team went 8-3 despite starting 1-2. The Mustangs cruised through the district portion of their schedule and posted seven straight wins before losing by 10 to eventual 2A state champion Van Meter.
PCM did not score fewer than 36 points in any of its wins during the seven-game victory streak.
The Mustangs ranked fourth in 2A with 3,174 rushing yards and fifth with 4,524 total yards. They also were sixth with 56 touchdowns and ninth with a yards per carry average of 6.4.
Headlining the offense is returning first team all-state running back Adrien Robbins, who begins his senior season after leading 2A with 2,182 rushing yards last fall. He ranked tied for fourth with
24 touchdowns and was the team’s top kick returner, too.
Robbins was the 2A District 6 Offensive MVP but first team quarterback Gavin Van Gorp also returns.
The Mustangs welcome back 2A District 6 Defensive MVP Finn Wilson as well as first team all-district defensive linemen Trenner Van Dyke and Kaden Clark and first team linebacker Brevin DeRaad.
The special teams brings back first team all-district kicker Dominic Witt and Van Gorp returns as the punter after averaging 34.6 yards per boot last fall.
“The first week went awesome,” Bonnett said. “Our focus was learning how to do the basic things our program does at practice and improving technique.”
Robbins added 202 receiving yards to his offensive output. The other running back is junior Evan Jones and juniors Shay Burns and Keegan Fenton are the fullbacks.
Burns rushed for 254 yards last fall, while Jones added 201 yards on the ground.
Van Gorp, a senior, threw for 1,347 yards and tied for seventh in 2A with 18 touchdown tosses.
He also ran for 413 yards and two scores and had only three interceptions.
Junior Chase Wagaman returns as Van Gorp’s backup.
The Mustangs lost most of their wide receivers last season. Taking over those roles will be senior Riley Graber and junior Gavin Steenhoek. Senior Carson Hansen and Cutler VandeLune and junior Alex Wendt also are in the mix.
Senior Harlan Shannon,
freshman Danson Drake and Wendt are all taking first team reps with the varsity at tight end.
“I expect us to run the ball because that’s our returning strength, but I really like what I’ve seen from our top four wide receiver guys,” Bonnett said. “I have no doubts we can be a successful running and passing team.”
The offensive line will feature senior Van Dyke at right guard, senior Clark at left tackle, junior Braedyn Lester at center, senior Tate Birkenholtz at left guard and freshman Hayden Shannon at right tackle.
Lester moves to the offensive line after playing fullback in the playoff game against Van Meter last fall.
“For a PCM team we are big up front and we can move pretty well, too,” Bonnett said. “The game is always won in the trenches, and our coaching staff does a really good job with those guys.”
PCM’s defense brings back a lot from last year’s squad. The defensive line features Clark and Van Dyke and the ends will be Wendt, Fenton, Hayden Shannon and senior Gavin DeRaad.
Clark was a second team all-state defensive lineman after collecting 26 tackles. Van Dyke had 42.5 tackles and nine tackles for loss and DeRaad totaled 16.5 tackles.
The linebackers include seniors Tad Wilson, Brevin DeRaad and Finn Wilson and Jones.
Wilson tied for eighth in 2A with 81 tackles and he added one fumble recovery and one interception. Brevin DeRaad’s first team all-district honor came after he posted 50 tack-
les and Jones was a second team all-district linebacker after a season with 40 tackles.
Robbins and Hansen are expected to start at cornerback but VandeLune, Wagaman and Steenhoek all will play, according to Bonnett. The safeties are Graber and Wagaman.
Graber had 16.5 tackles and two interceptions last year on his way to second team all-district honors.
The Mustangs registered 11 picks last fall, which ranked
PCM
Adrien Robbins has the most returning rush yards in the state after gaining 2,182 yards last fall. That was tied for the most in Class 2A. The Mustangs enter 2024 as the favorite in 2A District 6 and with a likely a preseason ranking.
tied for eighth in 2A.
“I expect the defensive group to be very solid,” said Bonnett, who is the reigning 2A District 6 coach of the year. “I think we have guys back who really work well together and understand the defense inside and out.”
Witt, a junior kicker, ranked fourth in 2A with 28 touchbacks. He was 49-of-49 in PATs and 1-of-3 in field goals.
Troy Hyde/ Newton News
senior
PCM senior Rebecca De Vries led the Mustangs with 201 kills and 40 blocks last season and added 40 aces and 51 digs last fall.
PCM volleyball seeks second straight winning season
By Troy Hyde Newton News
The PCM volleyball team brings back its top hitter from last season. But the next best eight kill producers either graduated, transferred, changed positions or are the team’s libero.
But third-year head coach Sarah De Vries hopes four seniors and four juniors at the top of the lineup can help the Mustangs post back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since the program had at least four straight above .500 campaigns from 2007 to 2010.
“The players have been doing great as practices have started this week,” De Vries said.
“There’s a lot of positive energy in the gym and I’ve loved how our veteran players have been encouraging and pushing our new varsity players.”
The veteran returners are seniors Rebecca De Vries and Addison Steenhoek and juniors Tori Lindsay and Lillian Humpal.
De Vries led the Mustangs with 201 kills and 40 blocks last season and added 40 aces and 51 digs.
The rest of the front row from 2023 will have to be replaced though. Aside from losing six seniors who played in at least 29 matches, Lindsay moves from hitter to setter this fall.
Lindsay registered 110 kills, 215 digs, 27 assists and 45 aces last fall. She also led the team with a serve percentage of 94. Steenhoek is back at libero. She led the Mustangs with 342 digs and 48 aces a year ago and posted 25 assists and 20 kills. De Vries, Lindsay and Steenhoek started all 32 matches in 2023.
Humpal played in seven matches and had a serve percentage of 89.
Steenhoek and De Vries both were second team all-conference selections, while Lindsay earned honorable mention recognition.
Troy Hyde/ Newton News
Key returners raise expectations for PCM XC
By Troy Hyde Newton News
Eric Osterhaus may have taken over the PCM cross country programs at the perfect time.
The Mustang girls are coming off a season where they finished second in the Heart of Iowa Athletic Conference but fell one point shy of a state berth.
But they welcome back two former state qualifiers and three other runners from last year’s squad and bring in a pair of talented freshmen.
The boys’ team returns a 2023 state qualifier and five varsity runners from last season while also adding two talented freshmen and a sophomore transfer from a Class 4A program.
“The girls team is experienced and man, they work hard,” Osterhaus said. “The expectations are high for this team. We want to avenge the one point that kept us from the state meet last year.
“This boys team looks tough. I don’t think it’s a stretch to say they are capable of competing at the state meet as well.”
The other returners are junior Raegan Vannoy and sophomores Ali Hilsabeck and Bailey Wheeler.
The Mustangs add freshmen Darby DeRaad and Annie Ford, who Osterhaus feels will challenge for varsity spots.
“We bring back a lot of talent and also will be bringing up some excellent freshmen,” Osterhaus said. “Our biggest focus both early and throughout the season will be mental toughness. This is not an easy sport. It’s important to keep them engaged and focused on our goals.”
The PCM boys finished seventh at the conference meet and 11th at last year’s state qualifying meet. Osterhaus feels much better about the squad this fall as five runners from last year return.
The other returner is sophomore Kolby Clark. Freshmen Owen Osterhaus and Rylan Edgington and sophomore transfer Kash Fischer also will challenge for varsity spots. Fischer ran for Southeast Polk last fall.
“(Fischer) is a really strong runner who had an excellent career while competing for the Rams,” Coach Osterhaus said. “We also add a couple of solid freshmen who had outstanding junior high careers.” This will be Osterhaus’ first season coaching cross country. He was an assistant girls track at PCM last spring and focused mainly on the distance events.
“I have been involved in the sport of cross country from a very young age, competing in high school as well as four years at the college level,” Coach Osterhaus said.
PCM sophomore Lila Milani, left, and junior Coby DeRaad qualified for their first state meet last season and a plethora of returners for both teams give the Mustangs high expectations this fall.
PCM’s girls placed all five returners in the top 19 of last year’s conference meet. The first five also were in the top 35 of the state qualifying meet.
PCM Football
Continued from page 11
The Mustangs were 1-2 in non-district games last fall. PCM lost 29-28 to 1A Pella Christian and 27-7 to 3A Nevada.
PCM downed 1A state-ranked Sigourney/Keota in the opener. The Mustangs play all three teams again this season and S/K and Nevada could start the season ranked in their re-
spective classes.
Sophomore Lila Milani advanced to state last year and was sixth at the HOIAC meet.
Junior Abi Teeter qualified for state in 2022.
“All three of our non-district opponents are awesome football teams and we did all the things a team wanting to win cannot do,” Bonnett said. “Allowing big plays, critical errors, general distraction, bad coaching, you name it. It was all a solid learning experience.”
It’s too early for Bonnett to know who the favorites are in 2A District 6. PCM is the only team in the preseason rankings though.
Clark Troy Hyde/Newton News
Junior Coby DeRaad ran at the state meet last season and finished sixth at the conference meet.
Sophomore Gabe Nessa was the second-best finisher at the state qualifying meet, but juniors Charlie Ford and Joe Shaver were second and third on the team, respectively, at the HOIAC meet.
Jesup and Union Community both won playoff games. Union brings back both quarterbacks and lots of offensive production, Jesup returns its QB but also lost a large chunk of its defense and West Marshall welcomes back leading rusher Ben Gonzalez and lots of its defensive personnel.
Vinton-Shellsburg went 0-8 last year. The Vikings will have a new head coach and some of their top defensive talent is back.
The Mustangs open their season at Williamsburg on Sept. 3.
They go to Davis County on Sept. 12 and their home meet is on Sept. 23 at Gateway Recreation Golf Course in Monroe. PCM competes in the conference meet on Oct. 14.
“I expect there to be some very good games in our district,” Bonnett said.
PCM opens its season on the road against Sigourney/Keota on Aug. 30. The Mustangs host both Pella Christian (Sept. 6) and Nevada (Sept. 13) before opening district play at Jesup on Sept. 20.
The team’s Homecoming game will be against Union Community on Sept. 27.The final home game and Senior Night will be against Vinton-Shellsburg on Oct. 4.
C-M volleyball chases bounce back with new coach
By Troy Hyde Newton News
For the first time in nearly a decade, Colfax-Mingo will have a new head volleyball coach. And Michael Hunsberger has a returning first team all-conference player and a roster that goes 31 deep to work with in his first season.
Him and his coaching staff also will be tasked with taking over a program that suffered its worst season since 2018 and tied for its fewest wins since 2014.
“We are taking this time of transition to look at each area and athlete to make sure that we step into our potential,” Hunsberger said. “My desire is to see our program rebound from a tough season while we work to build a foundation of success.”
The Tigerhawks were 7-22 last season and finished 1-7 in conference play. But bringing back first team all-conference senior Trinity Smith will help.
Colfax-Mingo also welcomes back three other players who played in at least 24 matches. Only two senior starters graduated but another player also was lost to transfer.
Smith led the Tigerhawks with 266 kills and added 258 digs and 37 aces last season despite missing five matches. She will no doubt be one of the best players in the South Iowa Cedar League this fall.
“We are excited to have Trinity back
for her senior year,” Hunsberger said. “She’s very talented and we’re going to lean on her to lead this team. We believe she will continue to grow this season. She has been working hard to get ready throughout the offseason and throughout our first week of practice. We are expecting big things from her.”
The other returning full-time starters are junior Britney Keeney and sophomore Katelyn Steenhoek. Junior
Grace Hunsberger started 14 matches last year and senior Kaylee Collins played in all 29 matches and started 11 of them.
Keeney put down 116 kills, led the squad with 38 blocks and tallied 14 digs. Steenhoek finished with 49 kills, 22 assists, 82 digs and 13 aces and her serving percentage was 94.6.
Grace Hunsberger had 14 kills and 15 blocks and Collins collected 80 digs and her serving percentage was 96.3.
Junior Cadence Linn and sophomores Macie Porter, Grace Allen and Dakota Allen all played sparingly at the varsity level last season. Porter finished with 31 digs, Grace Allen had 22 digs, Dakota Allen registered 16 digs and Linn totaled 14 digs.
“Losing starters can be tough, but we’re very excited with all the talent we are bringing back from the varsity and also younger athletes who are coming up,” Coach Hunsberger said.
“We return many girls with a lot of varsity experience and we’re excited about many others who are return-
Troy Hyde/Newton News
Colfax-Mingo senior Trinity Smith returns as one of the best players in the South Iowa Cedar League this fall. She was a first team all-conference player in 2023.
ing. We also have a lot of younger athletes who are developing and have a lot of potential.”
It’s too early for Coach Hunsberger and his coaching staff to determine who exactly will play varsity and where they will play.
“We’re excited about this season and also the opportunity we have in starting fresh,” Coach Hunsberger said. “We have a great group of athletes who are ready to compete.
“We see many with potential and are excited to see who steps up to fill the open positions.”
Coach Hunsberger, who took over the boys basketball program last winter, will lean on his coaching staff to help determine the varsity roster. That staff incudes Hannah Hanson, Erin Wenzel, Blake Warrick and Krissy Yanske.
“I’m passionate about our district and have a desire to see each of our programs succeed in building strong foundations,” Coach Hunsberger said. “Programs that strive to succeed in competition and always have an environment of growth where each of our athletes are coached/mentored.”
Colfax-Mingo plays in its annual home tournament to open the season on Aug. 31. This year’s tournament features Baxter and six other schools.
The SICL opener is against BGM on Sept. 9 in Brooklyn. The Tigerhawks play three straight conference matches at home against North Mahaska (Sept. 23), Lynnville-Sully (Sept. 30) and Sigourney (Oct. 3).
The conference tournament dates are slated for Oct. 14 and Oct. 17.
C-M football seeks turnaround with new coach
By Troy Hyde Newton News
New Colfax-Mingo head football coach Drake Buscherfeld did not know much about the Tigerhawk program before taking the job this offseason.
But he’s hoping his experience around hall of fame coaches will help him turn things around.
The Tigerhawks are coming off a 1-8 season and their last winning fall came in 2018.
“Our camp and the first week of practice have gone great. I can’t ask for much more from them, and I’m proud of where we are at this point,” Buscherfeld said. “The focus really has been on our players believing in the things we’re doing and believing in the talent our team has.
“The Colfax-Mingo School District and community as a whole have put a lot into the athletics recently and the future looks bright.”
Colfax-Mingo finished 5-4 in 2018 and was .500 in 2017.
The Tigerhawks were 8-3 and won their first playoff game in school history in 2015 but have only four winning seasons since 2008.
This year’s group hopes a solid group of seniors can help get things back on track.
Headlining the squad will be seniors Shane Hostetter, Xavier Woods, Isaiah Baucom and Jashawn Fleming, senior transfer Caden Sykes and an experienced group of juniors.
Hostetter returns to quarterback this fall after playing mostly wide receiver last season.
He threw for 1,000-plus yards while splitting time at quarterback as a sophomore. Last season, Hostetter earned
first team all-district recognition as a wide receiver after ranking third in Class 1A with 52 catches and eighth with 616 yards and adding three scores.
Baucom is back as the team’s primary running back after gaining 295 yards and scoring one TD on 80 carries last fall. He was a second team all-district selection.
The other running backs are junior Kyle Wood and sophomore Wyatt Carpenter.
Woods likely will be Hostetter’s No. 1 target this season. He caught 10 passes for 195 yards and two scores last fall.
they’ve shown us so far.”
Many Tigerhawks will play both ways. Juniors Luke Padgett, Teagan Dybevik and Konner Bennett as well as sophomores Jace Lewis and Allan Bregar will play on both sides of the line.
Fleming also will play defensive end.
Providing depth on the offensive line are seniors Tate Carlson and Brock Nichol.
Sykes, Nichol, Baucom, Lewis and Wood are the inside linebackers, while Fitch, Carpenter and freshman Camden Cunningham are the outside linebackers.
Woods, Teed and Trotter are the cornerbacks and Hostetter will play safety.
Sykes will handle the punting duties, while Woods and Thornton are the kickers.
week, practicing the way winners practice and to put it simply, do the right things consistently as that’s what will put you in the top 50 percent of teams. We have a great group of seniors this year and I’m hoping to capitalize on some momentum and excitement heading into the season.”
Buscherfeld thinks Sigourney/Keota, Pella Christian and Pleasantville will once again be the favorites in 1A District 6.
The Tigerhawks open the season at home against Wayne (Aug. 30) and Grand View Christian (Sept. 6).
The rest of the receivers are juniors Alex Teed, Wyatt Thornton, Izaiah Lewis and Cason Fitch and freshman Chase Trotter.
The tight ends are Fleming and Sykes, who is new to the C-M district.
“I think we have some really great talent on the offensive side and we hope to be able to spread the ball around and use them all,” Buscherfeld said. “Hostetter, Baucom, Sykes and Woods should have great senior years and they have some good players to go along with them. Up front we will be young, but I like what
“We have some size and physicality on the defensive side, which should help us do some good things,” Buscherfeld said. “Looking at more senior leadership on that side with Jashawn on the line, Sykes, Baucom and Nichol with linebackers and Woods and Hostetter in the secondary. We expect to hang our hat on defense and force teams to really earn it.”
Hostetter led the Tigerhawks with 39.5 tackles last season and he added 7.5 tackles for loss. Baucom was second on the squad with 35.5 tackles.
Fitch finished with 20 tackles last fall, Woods added 16 and Fleming contributed 15.5.
“When I talk to the kids about what it takes to succeed, I usually come back to a similar mindset of continuing to do the right things consistently,” Buscherfeld said. “That means showing up to the weight room three days a
Saydel, the only team C-M defeated last year, is on the schedule for Week 3 (Sept. 13) and the Tigerhawks open district play at Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont on Sept. 20. The 2024 Homecoming game will be against Cardinal on Sept. 27.
C-M finishes with the gauntlet of Pleasantville, Sigourney/Keota and Pella Christian in October.
“I did not know a lot about Colfax-Mingo before taking the job but have learned in the first few months that it’s an amazing place to be, the kids have worked really hard to succeed and there’s tons of support to see us succeed,” Buscherfeld said.
Buscherfeld is a high school graduate of Algona Bishop Garrigan where he played for Hall of Fame coach Marty Wadle.
He started his coaching career at Dike-New Hartford where he coached under Hall of Fame coach Don Betts.
Buscherfeld spent last season at Jesup where he helped the J-Hawks register the first playoff victory in school history.
Troy Hyde/Newton News
Colfax-Mingo senior Shane Hostetter earned first team all-district honors as a wide receiver last season. He will return to quarterback this fall and hold down a starting position on defense, too.
Colfax-Mingo harriers stick to script under Tomas
By Troy Hyde Newton News
Long-time Colfax-Mingo cross country coach Zach Tomas probably knows who his top three or four runners on both teams will be this fall.
But Tomas has more questions than answers right now. He will figure things out as the season progresses and once the athlete return to school, the Tigerhawks will ramp things back up.
“We start to get locked in once school starts,” Tomas said. “We don’t put a lot of emphasis on offseason stuff. And we have kids who are in and out early on due to the
fair. We have plenty of time to get to where we need to be.”
The C-M boys are expected to be led by seniors Harrison Rhone and Owen Ament and junior Sullivan Wilkins.
Seniors Shae Wilkins and Devan Chadwick, junior Mallory Sipma and freshman Ashlynn Hosbond headline the girls’ roster.
Rhone and Sullivan Wilkins have been the top two male runners in preseason practices, but Ament is playing football, too, for the first time. He was the top C-M male returner at last year’s state qualifying meet.
Rhone missed most of the year due to injury, but Tomas
said he’s back to nearly 100 percent. The rest of the boys’ roster features freshman Willie Fitzgerald and sophomores Asher Knutson and Ryan Moore.
“I could see any of those top three guys leading us this year,” Tomas said. “We will probably be pretty bunched up on each side. We could have three or four on each team who lead us at some point this year.”
Shae Wilkins finished 10th at last year’s conference meet and was the top female returner at the state qualifying meet.
C-M XC | 19
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Troy Hyde/Newton News Colfax-Mingo seniors Shae Wilkins, left, and Owen Ament both return to the Tigerhawk cross country squads this fall. The Tigerhawks hope to be in the top half of the South Iowa Cedar League this season.
Baxter football hopes to run more to fit 8-man game
By Troy Hyde Newton News
Last year’s Baxter football team passed for 2,400 yards and rushed for nearly 1,200.
The Bolts averaged 8.8 yards per carry in 2022 and ran for nearly eight yards per carry in 2021.
Long-time head coach Rob Luther knows to compete in 8-man football, the Bolts will have to be closer to the 2021 and 2022 numbers than last season’s unbalanced attack.
“We better run what our kids are good at,” Luther said. “We likely have a little shift in philosophy. We had a lot of basketball guys in the past, but this year’s team is more physical and we need to run the ball more than in past seasons.”
Luther is back for year 28 at Baxter. This season though will be a lot different than previous ones as Luther will not be an administrator for the first time in several years.
Luther retired from his role as Baxter High School Principal and resigned from his football post in May. He was hired back to the football team in July and has a roster of 30 for this upcoming season.
“I’m excited about not having the administrator job. Starting a new year is always hard so it will be nice to just focus on football in August,” Luther said. “But now I’m dealing with some kidney stones and a back injury I suffered playing golf.”
The Bolts started 3-0 last season but finished 5-4.
They earned a postseason bid after finishing 3-3 in 8-man District 9 but lost in the opening round of the playoffs to WACO.
Baxter is trying to remain a postseason team from District 9 but has not won a playoff game since 2020.
The Bolts began 8-man competition 8-1 in 2017 and have since gone 7-2 twice.
This year’s Baxter squad has large senior and freshmen classes but only two sophomores.
Luther said it’s been an up and down preseason as the Bolts prepare for their second straight Week 0 game. They hosted Springville on Aug. 23.
“I thought going into last year’s game we were more ready to play than we actually were,” Luther said. “I get frustrated with watching the film from last year. We’ll learn
and the offense will feature a double wing.
Seniors Cainan Travis and Cade Robinson will be the primary ball carriers with junior Cael Wishman also expected to get carries.
Travis is the only returning first team all-district player for the Bolts.
He ran for 265 yards and three scores and caught 39 passes for 450 yards and six scores, too.
His all-district honor came on defense as he compiled 71 tackles and 10 tackles for loss.
Robinson ran for 399 yards and three scores and caught 38 passes for 272 yards and three TDs.
That helped him earn a second team all-district honor at running back.
Junior Stadan Vansice is back at wide receiver after grabbing 16 passes for 190 yards and a touchdown last fall.
His all-district honor came on defense as he had 50.5 tackles and one interception.
from it.
“At times we look solid but look like we need to figure things out at other times. The attitude has been great though.”
Senior Perrin Sulzle ranked second in 8-man last fall with 2,375 passing yards and 34 touchdowns and his 203 completions led the class.
Sulzle also ran for 512 yards and five scores but will move to a new position in 2024. He was the district’s second-team quarterback last season but Luther said Sulzle will play tight end on offense and be used in multiple roles on defense.
The new quarterback is projected to be junior Eli Dee,
“The defense is a half step ahead of the offense right now,” Luther said.
The defensive linemen will be Smith, Anderegg and Johnson.
Wishman will play defensive end with Sulzle, who also could play linebacker and safety.
Wishman was a second team all-district defensive linemen last season. He finished with 71 tackles and nine sacks and ranked fourth in 8-man with 28.5 tackles for loss. He added three fumble recoveries and a touchdown.
Travis and Hamilton will primarily play linebacker, while the defensive backs are Vansice, Robinson and Sulzle. Travis also will handle the kicking duties, while Vansice returns as the punter.
Luther said they will play around 15 of the 30 players on varsity.
Junior Aiden Johnson will play multiple spots on the field, and the returning offensive linemen are seniors Carter Smith and Grant Anderegg, who were second team and honorable mention all-district selections, respectively, last fall.
Luther said Johnson and juniors Cody Spurgeon and Trevor Hamilton, who has been the most surprising in camp so far, are competing for the other offensive lineman spot.
The defense was much improved last year, and Luther hopes to take another step this fall.
The Bolts will run multiple sets, but there’s only so much teams can do in 8-man.
They’re still trying to figure out roles for seniors Skyler Stoll, Alex Dille, James Esqueda and Jack Anderson as well as freshman Maddux Tuhn. Anderson, who was honorable mention all-district last fall, had 44.5 tackles, two sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss last season but spent the majority of the first full week of practice at the Knoxville Nationals. His role has yet to be determined.
Luther doesn’t expect any one team in 8-man District 9 to be top five but all of them might be top 20. The Bolts could finish anywhere from 2-6 to 8-0, according to Luther.
“Everybody has a lot back,” Luther said. “We just have to stay healthy. We won three games on the last play last fall. Those could have gone either way.”
Troy Hyde/Newton News Second team all-district lineman Carter Smith, right, will anchor the Baxter football team up front this fall. The Bolts hope to run the ball more in the wide open 8-man game.
Baxter volleyball wants more offense in 2024
By Troy Hyde Newton News
The Baxter volleyball team has figured out what it takes to win matches in its division of the Iowa Star Conference.
The goal now for head coach Jordynn Wesselink and the Bolts is to improve enough to win more matches outside of the conference.
Baxter is coming off a 6-20 season but went 4-3 in conference play. The Bolts have not had a winning season since 2019.
“Our offseason work and preseason practices have been good,” Wesselink said. “We really focused on the offensive side of the game and made sure to work with our hitters on different sets we can run. We are also working on our serving to make sure we can be more efficient in that aspect of the game.”
The top returner is senior Abbie Meyer, who was a first team all-conference hitter last season. She led the Bolts with 106 kills, 51 aces and 10 blocks and added 127 digs.
Junior Caydence Sulzle was an honorable mention all-conference selection after registering 106 digs and 15 aces last fall.
Seniors Adison Bonney and Hannah Huffaker and junior Lexi Dart also are back after seeing varsity action last season.
Boney had 45 kills, 76 assists, 58 digs and 26 aces last season, while Huffaker put down 24 kills and Dart collected 13 kills.
Wesselink is unsure about what her lineup is going to look
Baxter
Abbie Meyer headlines the Bolts volleyball team this fall. She earned first team all-conference honors last fall and led the team with 106 kills, 51 aces and 10 blocks.
like at this point in the season, but the Bolts have to replace four seniors who played in at least 20 matches last fall.
“With the numbers we have this year, all of us coaches are excited to see the growth and talent that all the players bring to the program. We don’t have a set lineup or teams made yet, but we do know there are many girls who would be able to play on the different levels we have.”
Wesselink said Meyer, Huffaker and Bonney will be looked at for experience and leadership.
Throw in Sulzle and the quartet played in at least 22
matches last fall. Dart played in 13 matches.
“We’re going to be looking at our junior and sophomore classes and really focusing on what players can fulfill certain spots and zone in on who’s going to play the spot the best, but also bring great enthusiasm and leadership every single day,” Wesselink said. “At the end of the day, we’re going to put on the court the six best players no matter their class.”
Boney shared setting duties with graduated senior Julie Damman last fall. Wesselink won’t commit to a setter at this point but says the position battle is down to four players.
Sulzle has a chance to be the team’s libero, but that position also has been undecided.
A key for the Bolts in moving their record in the opposite direction is finishing games better and continuing to fight, push and be aggressive, according to Wesselink.
“We’re going to continue to work hard in practice and have a no fear mindset,” Wesselink said. “If we can do this we will be a stronger team and will make fewer mistakes. The girls will learn to have a short memory, move on to the next play and stay positive with each other.”
Baxter opened its season at Belle Plaine on Aug. 27.
The annual Colfax-Mingo Tigerhawk tournament is Aug. 31.
The Bolts’ first home match is against Lynnville-Sully on Sept. 3 and the Iowa Star Conference South Division opener is a triangular against BCLUW and Valley Lutheran on Sept. 12 in Conrad.
PCM VB
Continued from page 12
That group helped the Mustangs finish 18-14 last season, which was PCM’s first winning season since 2010. They were 2-5 inside Heart of Iowa Athletic Conference play.
“We did graduate a great group of seniors, but with (Steenhoek), (De Vries), and (Lindsay) returning I know we will have great leadership on the court,” Coach De Vries said. “I’m also excited to work with the younger players who are coming up.”
court IQ.”
Joining Steenhoek in the back row will be Hudnut and Stravers.
The rest of the varsity roster has yet to be determined, according to Coach De Vries.
“We have some great young players who we will add to help support us at practices and push our starters,” Coach De Vries said. “We’re still looking at who those players will be.”
Those players who are young or have little varsity experience are seniors Stella Stravers and Chloe Sloan, juniors Addi Hudnut and Claire Van Wyk, sophomore Addison Pederson and freshmen Libby Winters and Peyton Lathrum.
Rebecca De Vries moves to right-side hitter, which will be more ideal for her as a lefty.
Pederson and Winters will rotate in the middle. Humpal, Van Wyk, Sloan and Lathrum all are competing for playing time at outside hitter.
Lindsay takes over at setter in the Mustangs’ 5-1 formation. Coach De Vries knew last season she would take over the position this fall.
“We had a week of preseason team camps and this seemed to work out best,” Coach De Vries said. “Tori is an amazing athlete and has such great
The Mustangs hope to use last year’s 18-win season as a boost for this year. Coach De Vries wants her team to improve their winning percentage and move up in the conference standings.
PCM opened its season at the Newton tournament on Aug. 27. The Mustangs also face the Cardinals at the Lynnville-Sully tournament on Aug. 29.
The team’s home opener will be against Des Moines North on Sept. 5 in Monroe. The HOIAC opener is at West Marshall on Sept. 9.
Because the Mustangs made it to the state softball tournament this past summer, and some of the varsity players also are on that team, Coach De Vries said they weren’t able to get everyone on the court together until August.
“We spent a preseason week at team camps that gave us valuable time on the court together trying different rotations and positions,” Coach De Vries said. “We want to continue what we started last year and make small steps forward.”
Troy Hyde/Newton News
senior
Steenhoek
Increased numbers should help Baxter harriers climb ISC ladder
By Troy Hyde Newton News
The Baxter boys cross country team brings back two state qualifiers, welcomes a talented freshmen and is coming off a runner-up finish at the Iowa Star Conference meet.
The girls have enough runners for a team score, welcome back a three-time all-conference runner and bring in a transfer who ran varsity on a Class 2A team which fell just one point shy of a state berth last season.
Expectations are high for the Bolts. The vibes might be higher.
“We are eagerly anticipating the season,” Baxter head cross country coach Dennis Vaughn said. “It will be great having a full girls’ squad. Both teams have veterans returning and the addition of new runners. We should be very competitive in 2024, and we are looking forward to a successful season ahead.”
Leading the boys’ team will be senior Matt Richardson and sophomore Max Handorf, who both ran in the Class 1A state meet last season.
Richardson and Handorf finished 3-4 at the state qualifying meet, 1-3 at the conference meet and placed 30th and 34th, respectively, at state.
Richardson, who now owns
the school record for a 5K, also placed 55th at state as a sophomore.
Handorf was the top finishing freshman at last year’s state meet and the second freshman in school history to qualify for state.
The rest of the roster features senior Logan Rainsbarger, junior Maddox Peters, sophomore Dakota Parker and freshman Brecken Fisher.
Peters was 24th and Rainsbarger placed 26th at last year’s
conference meet.
“(Richardson) and (Handorf) both start the season ranked and the three other returners will be competitive runners this fall,” Vaughn said. “(Fisher) is a talented freshman who will be a strong addition to a very talented squad.”
The Baxter girls welcome back three-time all-conference runner Zoey Gliem, a senior who was eighth at the conference meet last season. Senior Emie Tuhn also is back and the newcomers are sophomores Avery Wonders, Kendall Brummel and Gwen Tichy.
Senior Makayla True joins the Bolts this fall after running on PCM’s varsity the past few seasons. She posted times under 23 minutes consistently last fall.
“We are looking forward to scoring as a team again,” Vaughn said. “It is great to have three seniors to provide leadership, and the underclassmen will provide energy and enthusiasm. They will be an exciting team to work with, and we’re looking to see them develop into a competitive team.”
The Bolts opened their season at Woodward-Granger on Aug. 26.They go to Collins-Maxwell on Aug. 29 and compete at Colfax-Mingo on Sept. 12. The conference meet is Oct. 17.
has high expectations.
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The rest of the roster includes Ava Van Maaren, who’s a senior out for the first time. There are a few athletes on the fence about joining the team, too.
“(Sipma) made huge strides from her freshman to sophomore year, and I think she continues on her upward
trend,” Tomas said. “(Hosbond) won junior high races but is only in her second year of competition. She will probably challenge for the top spot. I don’t know where they’ll end up each meet.”
Tomas has a goal of finishing in the top half of the South Iowa Cedar League every year.
Last year, the girls were fourth and the boys took fifth. The Tigerhawks were eighth and 11th, respectively, at the state qualifying meet.
C-M opens its season at Collins-Maxwell on Aug. 29.Its home meet is at Kelly Fields on Sept. 12 in Colfax. The SICL meet is Oct. 15.
Sipma and junior Lilyan Hadsall went back-to-back at both the conference and state qualifying meets and Chadwick was not far behind.
Troy Hyde/Newton News Baxter senior Zoey Gliem returns to lead the girls cross country team this fall. She’s a three-time all-conference runner.
Troy Hyde/ Newton News
Baxter senior Matt Richardson is a two-time state cross country meet qualifier and finished 30th in Class 1A last fall. He’s back this season to help lead a talented Bolts’ squad that
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Klein headlines a linebacker core that includes seniors Jace Auen and Damien Smith, juniors Trevor Manka and Northcutt and sophomores Nick Milburn, Isaiah Hansen and Deanda. Manka is a transfer from Nebraska.
Seniors Kaiden Rogers and Ergenbright, juniors Dawson Maki and Ali Yahia and sophomore Alameen Shanto make up the cornerbacks and seniors Trey Davidson and Rozendaal and junior Micah Mattes are the safeties.
Rozendaal compiled 31.5 tackles and 5.5 tackles for loss last fall and added one interception. He also returned a fumble for a TD.
Davidson contributed 28 tackles, Smith had 14 tackles and Rogers snagged one interception.
Newton’s defense tallied 16 sacks, 65 tackles for loss, 10 fum-
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The Cardinals finished 15-14 last season but went 1-5 in conference play.
They did win twice at the conference tournament when they downed Oskaloosa and DCG for the first time since 2013. That also was the most recent winning season before last year.
But six seniors graduated off that roster, including four-year starter and first team all-conference hitter Kadance Ahn.
Senior Lola Rivera moves into the lineup at right-side hitter and will play opposite of Lampe.
Juniors Addie Ratcliff and Emersyn Gross will be the middle hitters.
The lone sophomore is Morgan Frehse, who will play outside hitter.
ble recoveries and nine interceptions, which all ranked in the top 11 in 4A last fall.
“Defensively, we are really excited about our depth,” Swedenhjelm said. “We feel there are a lot of guys who do a really good
“Lola adds fire to the court with her presence and both Ratcliff and Gross have shown an eagerness to learn throughout open gyms and their continued growth should be fun to watch,”
Coach Woollums said. “While Morgan may be the youngest on the team, you wouldn’t know it by the power she displays when attacking.”
Joining Lampe at setter in the 6-2 formation will be junior Isabelle Rawlins. She was a two-time honorable mention all-district player in Texas the past two seasons.
Senior Addison Hook had 56 assists, 23 digs and 13 aces last season. She’ll provide the Cardinals with bench depth.
Teaming up with Swank on
job. They fly well to the ball, and we have some really good leaders over there. I think so far in camp they have shown a willingness to pursue and play with great effort.”
The Cardinals will have to replace all-district kicker and punter Christian Lawson, too. Sophomore Jackson Price is expected to kick and Felten is the new punter.
Swedenhjelm said the first few weeks of practice have been great. The Cardinals have spent time tweaking both the offense and defense.
The coaching staff also is teaching the players how to react to what other team’s do to them.
Newton will be tested right out of the gates as it plays at ADM on August 30. The Cards host Dallas Center-Grimes on Sept. 6 and then go to Norwalk on Sept. 13.
The Homecoming game will be against Marshalltown on Sept. 20 and the district opener is at Bondurant-Farrar on Sept. 27.
Area Home Dates
Through September
August 29
Girls Swimming
Tipton, Williamsburg at Newton, 5:30 p.m.
August 30
Football
Wayne at Colfax-Mingo, 7 p.m.
August 31
Volleyball
Baxter at Colfax-Mingo tournament, 9 a.m.
September 3
Volleyball
Dallas Center-Grimes at Newton, 7:15 p.m.
Lynnville-Sully at Baxter, 7 p.m.
September 5
Volleyball
Des Moines North at PCM, 7:15 p.m.
September 6
Football
Dallas Center-Grimes at Newton, 7:30 p.m.
Pella Christian at PCM, 7 p.m.
Grand View Christian at Colfax-Mingo, 7 p.m.
September 10
Volleyball
Pella Christian at Newton, 7:15 p.m.
September 12
Cross Country Newton JV, Baxter at Colfax-Mingo, 4:30 p.m.
the back row will be senior Lainey Vander Schel and junior Sloan Brodersen. Delaney Woollums, Lampe and Rawlins also will play all the way around.
Rivera and Vander Schel have played many sets with Hook, Lampe, Swank and Woollums during the offseasons. Vander Schel played in seven matches last season and Rivera appeared in three.
Rounding out the varsity roster as position backups are juniors Gabby Bunker and Brooklyn Sterling.
“We are looking for Delaney to be an offensive leader and put the ball down when needed,” Coach Woollums said. “With the addition of Isabelle, Macy will be a key for us on the right side. She brings a power that is impressive to see from a setter.
“Chloe does an amazing job communicating and taking charge in the back row.”
September 17
Girls Swimming Oskaloosa at NCMP, 5:30 p.m.
September 19
Volleyball Perry at PCM, 7:15 p.m.
September 20
Football Marshaltown at Newton, 7:30 p.m.
September 23
Volleyball Grinnell at Newton, 7:15 p.m.
North Mahaska at Colfax-Mingo, 7:30 p.m.
BGM at Lynnville-Sully, 7:30 p.m.
Cross Country PCM home meet at Gateway Recreation Golf Course, 4:30 p.m.
September 24
Cross Country Newton home meet at Maytag Park, 4:30 p.m.
Volleyball
Meskwaki Settlement School at Baxter, 7 p.m.
September 27
Football
Union Community at PCM, 7:30 p.m.
Cardinal at Colfax-Mingo, 7 p.m.
September 13
Football
Nevada at PCM, 7:30 p.m.
Pleasantville at Lynnville-Sully, 7 p.m.
Fort Dodge St. Edmond at Baxter, 7 p.m.
Wayne at Lynnville-Sully, 7 p.m.
Colo-NESCO at Baxter, 7 p.m.
September 30
Volleyball
Lynnville-Sully at Colfax-Mingo, 7:30 p.m.
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“There will be other players added to the varsity roster but as we are just in the first week of practice we’re still figuring out how the full varsity roster will look,” James added.
James coached the L-S volleyball team for five years during her first stint. She’s a Pella Christian High School graduate and originally from Searsboro.
“We have some good talent who I’m excited can now step up and fill many of those open roles,” James said. “I think when you start any season you need to get back to the fundamentals of volleyball and go from there. We’re going to focus these first couple weeks on that and build from there.”
D. Woollums
Troy Hyde/Newton News
Newton junior Finn Martin is a returning first team all-district player for the Cardinals.