NDN-SS-03-31-2022

2022 Spring Sports Preview

INSIDE: Previews of spring sports teams at Newton, Baxter, Lynnville-Sully, PCM and Colfax-Mingo

Spring Sports Preview, March 29 & 31, 2022 – Page 2

Newton girls golf drops to 3A; Heryford favored to win first title

By Troy Hyde Sports Editor Rylee Heryford was third as a freshman and second last season. That was in Class 4A. In her final season, the future Division I golfer and her Newton Cardinal teammates will play their postseason in 3A and that will only help Heryford in her quest for an individual state title she’s been so close to earning in her prior two prep seasons.

Newton head girls golf coach Ashley Kahler feels her team’s schedule, which still includes several dates against 4A programs, will prepare her

squad for the 3A postseason.

“I like that we are still playing 4A schools,” Kahler said.

“Playing the best teams in 4A like we’ll do will prepare us for 3A competition come postseason time.”

Heryford was one of the best golfers in 4A last season and the drop to 3A will only improve her rankings.

She shot a 141 over two days in the 4A state tournament last spring. The 3A state champion shot a 149 in her tournament. And Heryford would have been a state champion in three of the four classes.

The Cardinals are the de-

fending Little Hawkeye Conference champions. They were led by Heryford’s individual conference championship.

Newton lost its No. 2 and 3 golfers from last year’s LHC title team. That squad also took fifth in the regional tournament.

This year’s squad brings back five golfers who played varsity holes last year. The varsity roster predominantly featured Heryford, senior Madison Price and juniors Marin Pettigrew and Ella Price. Senior Emily Zink played three nine-hole rounds, too.

Troy Hyde/ Newton News Newton senior Rylee Heryford has finished in the top three in Class 4A in the past two state tournaments.

She will try to win her first state title this spring in 3A.

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Spring Sports Preview, March 29 & 31, 2022 – Page 3

Expectations are sky high for Newton boys track

By Troy Hyde Sports Editor Expectations couldn’t be higher for Newton’s boys track and field team.

The Cardinals’ roster features maybe the top distance runner in the state in senior Jackson Mace-Maynard, a standout sprinter in senior Nate Maki and seven other athletes who competed at the Drake Relays or the state meet last season.

Pair the standout list of returners with two seniors who could push for a state berth in the shot put and discus and a pair of freshmen who will definitely help the varsity team this season, and the Cardinals expect to compete for a Little Hawkeye Conference championship and a top-three finish in the Class 3A state meet.

“The expectations are high, and I feel like we have a chance at doing well if everyone puts in the work,” Newton boys track and field coach Chad Garvis said. “A top-three finish at the state meet is a good goal to have.”

The class of the roster is Mace-Maynard, who is coming off a top-five finish at the state cross country meet in the fall.

Last year, Mace-Maynard was fourth in both the 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs at the state meet and anchored the Cardinals’ 4x800 and distance medley relays to top-five finishes, too.

He finished fourth in the 800 and anchored the 4x800 relay to eighth at last year’s Drake Relays.

Girls Golf Continued from Page 2 “I just really enjoy these girls and I’m excited to see what everyone can do this season,” Kahler said. “We would like to defend our Little Hawkeye Conference title and shoot for a state berth.”

Heryford had the fourth best nine-hole average in 4A

Troy Hyde/Newton News Newton senior Jackson Mace-Maynard is one of the favorites to win the Class 3A title in the 800-, 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs this spring.

This year, he’s already qualified for the Drake Relays in the 3,200.

“Jackson has a shot at a few titles in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200,” Garvis said.

“We also should have a real shot in the distance medley with Jackson on the anchor leg.”

The distance medley relay team placed fifth at last year’s state meet and welcomes back Maki, sophomore Cody Klein, senior Treycen Garton and Mace-Maynard from that squad.

The 4x800 relay team which placed

last year at 37.83. That would have led 3A. Her 18-hole average of 75.88 ranked seventh in 4A and third in 3A. She had lows of 34 (9 holes) and 70 (18).

After winning her second conference title, she went on to claim the regional championship in Iowa City.

Pettigrew and Ella Price both played in seven 18-hole rounds last season. Pettigrew

fourth at state and eighth at the Drake Relays a year ago has all four runners back in Garton, Klein, senior Derek Beiner and Mace-Maynard.

Klein, Garton and Beiner also were part of the state-qualifying 4x400 relay team.

Maki qualified for the state meet individually in the 100 and 200 last spring and is off to a great start in 2022. He’s already ran a 22.8 second 200 time in the indoor season, which currently ranks second in the state.

The Cardinals were sixth in a loaded LHC last season. They also finished fifth at their state qualifying meet and ended up 15th at state.

“The guys need to have high expectations for themselves and their teammates,” Garvis said.

Newton could take a big step up in the team race at state if they get points in a few field events.

Senior Keith Moko is back on the squad after qualifying for the Drake Relays in the high jump last season.

His best jump of 6 feet, 4 inches was the fourth best mark in 3A and he was 11th at Drake.

He also won the long jump title at the Little Hawkeye Conference indoor meet last week.

Seniors Nate Davies (discus) and Dallas King (shot put) have shots at state berths this year, too, according to Garvis. Davies’ best throw in discus last year was 140-4.

The other big event for Newton could be the shuttle hurdle relay. The

averaged 104.71, while Ella Price registered an average of 116.29.

“Marin was playing some of her better golf from conference to regionals and we hope she can use that success and run with it this year,” Kahler said.

In nine-hole competition, Pettigrew averaged 53.25. Ella Price averaged 58.

Heryford, Madison Price

Cardinals were 22nd in the event last year and bring back three of the four runners in seniors Cole Swank and Reese Hammons and junior Brody Bauer. State alternate Curtis Payne, a sophomore, also is back and Garvis said freshmen Reilly Trease and Christian Ergenbright are in the mix for a spot on the relay.

Swank, Hammons and Payne have the best returning times in the 110 high hurdles and Bauer is the top returner in the 400 hurdles.

After Maki, the sprint group includes senior Colin Sharp, Klein, Beiner and sophomores Eli Stewart and Nathan Milburn.

“We have lots of fast guys out this year,” Garvis said. “With a group like this, the cream will rise to the top.”

The middle distance runners include Garton, Beiner, Klein and junior Jared Smith.

Garton has the top returning time in the 400 and the second-best time in the 800. Klein had top-three times last year in the 200 and 400 and Beiner’s time of 52.53 in the 400 this indoor season ranks 21st in the state.

Moko and Ergenbright are the high jumpers and Moko, Trease and Payne all could compete in long jump.

Loren Jacobsen will be an assistant coach for Garvis this season. Jeff Richardson is the school’s throwing coach.

and Zink are the lone seniors this season.

Pettigrew and Ella Price are part of a trio of juniors with Jessie Hutchinson. The rest of the 15-player roster includes two sophomores and seven freshmen.

“As we get to the second half of the season pushing towards conference, regionals and state, we need to be consistent,” Kahler said. “We

Contact Troy Hyde at 641-792-3121 ext. 6536 or thyde@shawmedia.com

will have some bad holes and some good holes. We just have to move on from the bad holes and find a way to be consistent.”

Allison Grier is back as the team’s assistant coach and Kailee Meyer will be a volunteer assistant coach.

Contact Troy Hyde at 641-792-3121 ext. 6536 or thyde@shawmedia.com

Spring Sports Preview, March 29 & 31, 2022 – Page 4

Hawks ready for more championships Troy Hyde/ Newton News

Lynville-Sully junior Greenlee Smock is the defending Class 1A state golf champion and also ran to a state medal on the blue oval last spring. She headlines the Hawks in the 2022 spring season.

By Troy Hyde Sports Editor Lynnville-Sully junior Greenlee Smock went into last season as one of the Class 1A golfers who had a chance to win the girls state title.

After finishing last season undefeated and claiming the school’s first female individual golf title, Smock enters this season as the bonafide favorite to repeat as champion.

Lynnville-Sully golf coach Jeff Knouse will take it one meet at a time though.

“I think Greenlee’s ceiling is whatever she wants it to be,” Knouse said. “Be-

ing that she is the 1A defending state champion, we obviously have state on our minds, but in reality we’re just taking the season one meet at a time and focusing on what she needs to accomplish in each of those. If she does that, I think you’ll see her in Marshalltown this May.” Marshalltown is the site of the 1A girls state golf tournament. The boys 1A state golf tournament will be played in Ames.

The Hawks will do what they can to advance to those tournaments and both teams have key returners back to help lead the way.

Smock leads an L-S girls’

squad which is made up for four golfers. The other three are seniors Brooke Maston, Callista Hackert and Dakotah Bokhoven.

The boys’ roster of eight golfers is made up of entirely freshmen and sophomores.

The top returners are sophomores Max Mintle and Keegan DeWitt.

“Our varsity boys roster may look quite a bit different than last year’s,” Knouse said. “With a senior graduating and a couple other guys not back out for golf this year, it’s a very different feel for our boys team, but one I am excited about.”

Smock ranked first in

1A last season with an 18hole average of 76.67 and was second in nine-hole average with a 40.25. Her lows for the season were 37 (9) and 73 (18).

Her first prep season included state, regional and conference championships.

“Greenlee’s ability to handle difficulty, even in the most pressure situations, is what makes her the high-level performer she is,” Knouse said. “The girl just works hard. But I think what may contribute to her success even more than her work ethic is her attitude.”

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Spring Sports Preview, March 29 & 31, 2022 – Page 5

Hawks: Track and field teams hope to successfully defend conference titles Continued from Page 4 Maston was the next best Hawk female golfer. She was a second team all-conference player after taking 13th in the South Iowa Cedar League meet.

She had averages of 62.53 (9) and 114 (18).

“I call our girls’ team the Fab Four because these four have stuck together for the past couple of years,” Knouse said. “We’re fully aware that every score counts at every meet, but our girls have risen to the challenge and performed well.”

The girls team was third in the SICL tournament despite playing with only four players last spring, too.

Knouse has put a high priority on being successful on and around the green.

“Each of our girls has a great swing and the ability to strike the ball well, and I think we’ll continue to see that this year.”

Mintle and DeWitt had similar scores and averages last year. They helped the Hawks place seventh at the SICL tournament.

Mintle led the Hawks with averages of 49.5 (9) and 92.5 (18) and was a district qualifier last season.

DeWitt’s averages were 50.89 (9) and 95 (18).

The other two returners are sophomores Deven Liekweg and Kyler Agan. The newcomers are sophomores Garrett Jansen and Lucas Sieck and freshmen Carter Brand and Carson Maston.

“We are a young team with a ton of potential. What coach wouldn’t love that?” Knouse said. “I think you’ll see a ton of improvement from a lot of these guys.

“Our goal for the guys is the same as the girls. We want to be lights out in the short game. While it might not be the most fun thing to do at practice, we spend a bulk of our time on the practice green trying to improve our putting and chipping.”

BOYS TRACK AND FIELD Coming off a wiped out season due

Troy Hyde/Newton News Lynnville-Sully junior Conner Maston competed in three events at the state meet last season, including the high jump.

to COVID-19, Lynnville-Sully’s boys track and field team hit the scene in a big way last spring.

And with five returning state qualifiers and a roster loaded with upperclassmen, the Hawks seek a second straight SICL title and an even stronger performance at the state meet.

The Hawks were close to medaling in several events last season. And three of those events feature returners from this year’s squad.

“With the accomplishments achieved last season, the number of returners and new athletes to add into the equation, this group has expectations of themselves individually and as a team,” L-S boys track and field coach Darin Arkema said.

The roster features eight seniors, seven juniors and a sophomore who competed in three events at state.

The Hawks won the SICL title last year without a winning a single event.

They made sure they ended the season on a high note, too, as junior Conner Maston finished 11th in the high jump and three relays were in the top 12.

Maston anchored the distance medley and sprint medley relays to 11th

and 12th, respectively.

Those relays also bring back sophomore Corder Noun Harder, juniors James Gruver and Kyle Squires and senior Josh Hardenbrook.

Gruver qualified for the 400 hurdles and is the only returning member from the state-qualifying shuttle hurdle relay team. Noun Harder ran at state in the 100-meter dash.

The Hawks bring back senior Ryan Annee, who leaped 19 feet, 10 3/4 inches in the long jump last season.

Junior Zach Morningstar will be the anchor of the distance events after qualifying for state in cross country this past fall.

The top three sprinters from last year — Noun Harder, Hardenbrook and Maston — are back. So is Squires, who also had the team’s best distance in the shot put.

Maston had the team’s top times in the 400 and 800 last season and led the squad in the high jump.

Gruver is the team’s top hurdler this spring and provides the Hawks with depth in the 400 and 800 and may also run a few 1,600s.

The team’s other sprinters are Annee and fellow seniors Owen Norrish,

Braden Alberts and Gage Elscott, junior Bryce Richards, Max Mintle and freshmen Austin Larson and Aidan Stock.

“Having a lot of options is a blessing, but it does take work to find the right mix and fit for guys in the lineup that leads to success for the team and utilizes abilities for everyone,” Arkema said.

“I try to get a lot of variety with regards to who is in what and what relay orders look like, especially early in the season.”

The Hawks come in with question marks in both distance races and hurdles after losing several athletes to graduation.

Morningstar and Gruver, who also qualified for state in cross country, will lead the distance runners along with Maston in the 800. Arkema said freshman Hendrick Lowry and sophomore Blake Van Wyk could be used for 800s and the 1,600 and added that Richards could be bumped up to an 800 if needed.

Gruver will headline the hurdle group but it’s mostly a bunch of new faces and big question marks after that.

Richards was an alternate on the state shuttle hurdle relay team last year.

The field events gave the Hawks a big boost early in meets last year.

Maston is back to lead the high jump, Annee headlines the long jump and Squires is the team’s best in shot put.

Junior Kale Ehresman, Elscott and Stock all will see time in long jump, too, while a group of five or six guys have been involved in both shot put and discus.

Seniors Benjamin Orchirbat and Noah Johnson were two of the better discus throwers last year and the other athletes working at both shot put and discus include Alberts, senior Mason Rodibaugh and sophomore Isaac Vos. Arkema, who was a 1996 graduate of Lynnville-Sully, is in his 22nd year at his alma mater. This is his third season as boys track and field coach and Jeff Corbett returns as his assistant coach.

HAWKS | 19

Spring Sports Preview, March 29 & 31, 2022 – Page 6

Baumgartner leads Newton boys tennis team’s new-look lineup

By Troy Hyde Sports Editor The biggest positive for Newton’s boys tennis team is that the No. 1 player from last season is back.

The negative is five players from last year’s varsity squad were lost to graduation.

That leaves Newton boys tennis head coach Jared Gerber with a lot of holes to fill.

The good news is, the roster is not just senior-dominated this season.

There will be players on this year’s team who will be around awhile.

“It’s great to have players who can gain experience this season and be around next year,” Gerber said. “The more matches they are able to play, the better they will be prepared and handle adversity in matches.”

The top returner is senior Blake Baumgartner, who went 4-4 at No. 1 singles last year.

He’ll be back in the top posi-

tion this spring and Gerber said plenty of improvement was made over the offseason.

“Blake has put a lot of time and effort into getting better during the summer and offseason,” Gerber said. “He played a lot of good competition last season, and I think that showed him what he’s capable of and areas he could improve.

“If he plays as well as he’s capable of, he’ll be right where he wants to be to win matches and to have a chance at state.”

The three other returners are senior Landon Rae, junior Johnny Valtman and sophomore Seth Adams.

Valtman was 1-0 at No. 2 singles and 3-4 at No. 4 singles last spring.

Adams was 1-0 at No. 6 singles and Rae played on varsity doubles a season ago.

Gerber said the team has not yet started playing challenge matches to fill out the lineup, but senior Cayden Jackson and sophomores

Troy Hyde/Newton News Newton senior Blake Baumgartner returns as the Cardinals’ No. 1 player this spring. He was 4-4 in the top spot last year.

David Holmes and Andrew Wiles all played at the top of the JV level last year and got a lot of match experience.

Senior Kael Swarts and junior Collin Buchli are out for tennis this spring, and Gerber expects the newcomer duo to make an impact somewhere.

“It will definitely be tough to fill the shoes of the five seniors,” Gerber said.

“But we do have some options and a few freshmen look like they will vie for a spot on varsity. It’s exciting to have a few freshmen filling in the lineup.”

The freshmen Gerber is referring to are Evan Marshall and Ethan Valtman.

The roster goes about 16 deep this season. Gerber said the team has already formed a

great bond and get a long with each other.

“They also are willing to learn and want to get better,” Gerber said. “We have been starting practices with fundamentals and starting to work on more advanced parts of tennis.

“In order to be more successful, we need to improve on our consistency in serving and ground strokes. If we are making a lot of errors, we aren’t putting pressure on the opponent. We also need to be willing to play aggressively when an opportunity presents itself instead of shying away from those moments.”

The Cardinals went 5-6 last season and were 3-3 in conference play.

They finished fourth in the Little Hawkeye Conference tournament and fourth at districts.

Contact Troy Hyde at 641-792-3121 ext. 6536 or thyde@shawmedia.com

Returning state qualifiers headline Baxter spring sports squads

By Troy Hyde Sports Editor Senior Elie Tuhn and junior Mandee Selover are back for this year’s Baxter girls track and field team after competing at the state meet last spring.

That’s one of the positives for the Bolts. The biggest downfall for Baxter is that the roster includes just 14 athletes.

“That will make it difficult to compete as a team to try and win meets,” said Baxter girls track and field coach Jason Aker, who begins his

fourth season as head coach.

“We just won’t be able to put all of the relays together that we have in the past and we will rarely have two athletes scoring in one event as we have had in the past.”

Tuhn and Selover will indeed lead this year’s Bolts’ squad. They will be joined at the top of the roster by senior Maggie Schabilion and junior Bree Buswell.

Tuhn qualified for the Class 1A state meet in the 1,500and 3,000-meter runs last spring. She medaled in the 3K with an eighth-place finish and was 11th in the 1,500.

Selover is back after leading the Bolts in the 100 and 200 and qualifying for the state meet in the long jump. She was 18th in the long jump inside Drake Stadium.

Tuhn will once again be predominantly used in distance events, but is open to running any race the coaching staff needs her to run.

Selover’s biggest focus is with long jump but she will be used in open sprinting events and relays again this spring.

“When it comes to goals for individuals, getting Mandee and Elie back to state is a major focus,” Aker said. “They

know everything they are doing now is preparing them for that and for them to improve on their performances.”

Buswell is back after leading the Bolts in hurdles in 2021. She had the top times in both the 100 hurdles and 400 hurdles. She will be used in sprint events, too.

Tuhn and Schabilion are the team’s only seniors.

Schabilion had the team’s second-best time in the 400 and second-best leap in the long jump last year.

Selover, Buswell and Schabilion will be joined in the sprinters’ group by juniors

Abby McReynolds and Lilyan Headlee and sophomore Lydia Pierce.

Pierce has the team’s top returning time in the 100, second-best time in the 100 hurdles and third best leap in the long jump. Headlee brings back the second best returning time in the 100 and third top time in the 200.

McReynolds’ returning time in the 200 ranked second behind Selover. She also brings back the top high jump and will be joined in the event

by Pierce.

BAXTER | 8

Spring Sports Preview, March 29 & 31, 2022 – Page 7

State returners highlight Cardinal girls track

By Troy Hyde Sports Editor There are 54 girls on the Newton girls track and field team this spring. Seven of them are back from competing in the 2021 state meet and 25 are new to the program.

Competition is heavy throughout several events.

And only a few have locked down varsity spots.

“It’s exciting to have this many girls out,” Newton girls track and field co-head coach Rachel Tomas said.

“It creates many options for us coaches to field a lineup.

Varsity spots will be competitive when there are this many girls to choose from. We have been pleased with what we have been seeing so far in practice and the few indoor meets we’ve had.”

The roster is headlined by senior Alyssa Shannon and junior Addy Terpstra.

Shannon and Terpstra definitely have varsity spots somewhere.

Shannon is the top 800and 1,500-meter runner on the squad and likely will compete in the 3,000, too.

She finished 11th and 15th, respectively, in the 800 and 1,500 at last year’s state meet.

Terpstra was 12th in the 100 hurdles at the 2021 state meet and anchored the shuttle

Troy Hyde/Newton News Newton senior Alyssa Shannon, left, won the 1,500-meter title at the LHC indoor meet last week. She heads into her final year having competed in both the 800 and 1,500 at last year’s state track and field meet.

hurdle relay team to 12th. She also ran on the sprint medley relay squad which finished 16th.

Shannon anchored the 4x800 relay team to 16th at state last spring. Back from that squad are senior Grace Benson and junior Kate Muckler.

Shannon won the Little Hawkeye Conference indoor title in the 1,500 last week.

“Alyssa is a tremendous runner and competitor,” Tomas said. “She is starting the season with a solid base so we will focus on speed and endurance.”

Terpstra anchored the Car-

dinals to an LHC indoor title in the shuttle hurdle relay and set a new LHC indoor record in the 60 hurdles last week.

She put in a lot of work in the offseason and looks primed for a huge outdoor season.

She will be joined in the hurdles by several returners and some newcomers who will challenge for a spot on the shuttle hurdle team.

That group includes junior JaQuay Priest and sophomores Alyssa Beerends and Chloe Rorabaugh, who all ran on the state shuttle hurdle team last spring.

Tomas said senior Emma Rogers, junior Annie Main,

sophomore Gracie Clayton and freshman Macy Lampe all are in competition for shuttle hurdle spots. Clayton and Beerends are the 400 hurdlers.

“The hurdle competition continues to be fierce,” Tomas said. “The shuttle hurdle relay will potentially see some movement as girls compete for the varsity spots.”

The state-qualifying 4x800 relay team lost one senior last spring and two are gone from the sprint medley relay.

Terpstra and Priest are the top returning sprinters, senior Kya Butler is a top returner in 200s and 400s and sophomore Taylor Schilling and Muckler also led the way in 400s.

The rest of the sprinters include Rogers, Rorabaugh, seniors Maggie Williams and Casse Adams, junior Audrey Rausch, sophomore Claire Breuer and freshmen Lola Rivera, Abby Bruce, Brooklyn Shannon and Briana Shannon.

Rausch and the Shannon twins will dual sport with soccer. Butler is dual sporting with tennis.

Shannon, Muckler, Benson and senior Morgan Stalzer are back as the top returning distance runners.

Tomas said a handful of freshmen will make an immediate impact in 400s, 800s and the distance races and that

group features Peyton Ray, Hadley Kruse, Bella Winther and Alex Riney.

The high jump is one event that has no competition. That spot belongs to Riney.

Rogers and Priest headline long jump, but Main, Bruce and freshman Jaiden Dawson provide depth in the event.

Senior Kealey Manning and junior Marissa Cunningham are the top returners in shot put and discus, respectively.

Williams will provide depth in both throwing events, while juniors Jayden Lukefahr (discus), Tierney Adams (shot put) and Lydia Biondi (shot put) also will compete for varsity time in the throwing events, which is guided by assistant coach Jeff Richardson.

Rachelle Tipton is the program’s other co-head coach.

“We, as coaches, have been impressed with the work and performances so far this season,” Tomas said. “A large team is great, but it can be difficult to get competition for everyone so spots will be competitive. We are really focusing on one meet at a time and working towards our goals for the postseason in May.” Contact Troy Hyde at 641-792-3121 ext. 6536 or thyde@shawmedia.com

Pair of state qualifiers lead Colfax-Mingo spring sports teams

By Troy Hyde Sports Editor With a large roster and its six top point scorers from last season all back, Colfax-Mingo’s girls track and field team

hopes to take the next step after tying for third at last year’s South Iowa Cedar League meet.

The Tigerhawks welcome 38 participants to this year’s squad and the top two point

scorers from last season hope to return to the state meet and bring with them a few more teammates this time around.

“It’s nice to have a lot of experience back, but one thing I have learned in my time

coaching is that every year is a new year,” C-M girls head track and field coach Zach Tomas said.

The top returning point scorers for Colfax-Mingo were junior Carley Under-

wood and senior Kyra Lester, who both competed at the state meet last spring.

Underwood scored 148.25 points and finished 22nd in COLFAX-MINGO | 14

Spring Sports Preview, March 29 & 31, 2022 – Page 8

Baxter: Boys track and field team seeks return to state under new leadership Continued from Page 6 “Lydia and Abby both have worked really hard over the last year to improve as athletes,” Aker said. “Lydia also will hurdle for us. We are talking to Lilyan about all the possibilities where she can help the team. She is willing to run almost anything to help us out.”

Sophomore Evelyn Boothroyd and freshmen Addison Kerwin and Zoey Gliem are newcomers who are working in sprint events and Kerwin and Gliem may be used in hurdles.

Gliem also is a distance runner and joins Tuhn as well as sophomore returners Regan Russell and Morgan Ratliff in distance events.

Russell and Ratliff have the team’s top returning 800 times and Russell has the second best times behind Tuhn in both the

1,500 and 3,000. Ratliff ’s time in the 400 last year is the third best returning mark this spring.

Sophomore Jo Harder is the top returning thrower and she will be joined by freshman Adison Bonney in both the shot put and discus.

The top registered times in the 4x100 and sprint medley relays last year included Selover, Schabillion and Buswell and the best time in the distance medley relay featured the trio of Schabilion, Selover and Tuhn.

The Bolts were second in a very competitive Iowa Star Conference meet last season.

They finished seventh at their 1A state qualifier.

Scott Ranck is back as Aker’s assistant coach.

BOYS TRACK AND FIELD Last year’s Baxter boys track

and field team featured no seniors and zero state qualifiers.

But first-year head coach Colby Wagner hopes a bigger roster and a squad now littered with plenty of experience will flip the script this spring.

“With the ability to bring back almost everyone from last year and gain around 10-12 new boys, practices have been going very well,” Wagner said. “The extra teammates have made for some competitive workouts where athletes can push and be pushed by teammates.”

The top returner is senior Rory Heer.

Heer posted the team’s best times in the 200, 400, 800 and 1,600 and the 400 hurdles and had the second-best 100 and recorded the top leap in the long jump.

BAXTER | 9

Troy Hyde/Newton News Baxter senior Elie Tuhn ran in two individual state events last season for the Bolts. She was top 12 in both the 1,500- and 3,000-meter runs at Drake Stadium.

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Spring Sports Preview, March 29 & 31, 2022 – Page 9

Deep rosters, coaching changes highlight Mustangs this spring

By Troy Hyde Sports Editor PCM’s three state qualifying relay teams from last season each bring back three of the four runners who competed on the blue oval.

PCM head girls track and field coach Eric Karr hopes

experience paired with a deep roster will lead the Mustangs to even more success this spring.

The roster goes 43 deep but 26 of those athletes are either freshmen or sophomores. The junior and senior classes go nine- and eight-deep, respectively.

“So far, the girls have shown up ready to work,” Karr said. “It hasn’t been the easiest when it’s outside in shorts one day and in winter clothes the next, but workouts have been fantastic. They’ve been lively, encouraging and just about everything you would hope for in the first few weeks.”

Baxter

as I know we can have great success,” Wagner said. “I just want my athletes to have a good time while also working hard. I’m excited for what will happen this year.”

Wagner served as an assistant coach under former head coach Josh Russell the past two seasons and was an assistant cross country coach this past fall.

Wagner’s assistant coach this spring will be Josiah Eckels.

This year’s Baxter roster goes 26 deep with seven seniors, five juniors, four sophomores and 10 freshmen.

Continued from Page 8 Heer can’t do all of those events in any one meet but his experience at the top of the roster will be a big asset for Wagner in his first season as head coach.

“Rory never has an off button,” Wagner said. “He’s constantly pushing himself and others to compete and perform at their top level.”

If it wasn’t Heer leading a running event last spring it was junior Carson Scroggins or sophomore Cody Samson.

Scroggins has the top returning time in the 100 and tied Heer in the 200. He was second to Heer in the 400 and ranked second in the high jump.

Samson trailed Heer and Scroggins in the 400, was second to Heer in the 800 and posted the third-best time in the 1,600.

Junior Cody Damman was second to Heer in both the 1,600 and long jump and was fourth to the above-mentioned trio in the 400.

Sophomore Ashton Kerwin was slated to return as the top hurdler but an injury will keep him out of action.

The top returning hurdler after Kerwin is sophomore Logan Jones.

The other hurdlers are juniors Kolton Hill and Damman and freshman Logan Rainsbarger. Jones also had the team’s top time in the 3,000 last spring.

Senior Nate McMinamen and junior Trice Clapper headline the throwers. McMinamen and Clapper were 1-2 in discus last spring and the duo was flipped in the shot put.

Senior Chelsea Bird returns after competing in three state events last year. She was part of the shuttle hurdle relay team which placed 10th and ran on the 4x100 and 4x200 relays.

Senior Delaney Baird and sophomore Ryan Bennett also were on the two sprint relays

Troy Hyde/Newton News Baxter senior Rory Heer led the Bolts in several individual events last spring and is back for one final season on the oval in 2022. He’s a former state qualifier, too.

Sophomore Treyton Travis and Scroggins were 1-2 in the high jump.

The Bolts will bring back at least three runners in all seven relays and they welcome the entire foursome in the 4x400, 4x800 and distance medley relays.

Baxter was seventh at last year’s Iowa Star Conference meet and the lone winner was Heer in the 800. The Bolts also placed eighth in their 1A state qualifier.

“I’m looking forward to this season

GOLF Baxter senior Zach Backus spent a ton of time on his golf game in the offseason.

Lessons with John Shawver at Fore Seasons is hopefully one of the things that takes Backus’ game to the next level.

The Bolts senior headlines a Baxter boys’ roster which features five total players. Senior Allison Colyn leads a girls’ squad which goes six deep.

“We always want to be able to compete as a team and right now we have enough golfers to do that,” Baxter golf coach Zach Hasselbrink said. “The expectations we will have will lie within the individuals.”

Backus will have higher expectations than anyone else who plays golf for the Bolts this spring.

He had averages of 51.43 (9 holes) and 101.5 (18) last season as he played seven nine-hole rounds and two 18hole rounds. His lows were 47 and 94.

“Hopefully his last season is his best,” Hasselbrink said. “He’s worked a lot this offseason and made a ton of

that placed 16th (4x200) and 23rd (4x100).

Bird, Baird and Bennett lead the sprinters and Karr said junior Flo Alamos and freshmen Stella Stravers and Addison Shannon have been fast in the early workouts.

MUSTANGS | 17

improvement. We are excited for his senior, and I think he can get the average down in the 40s for nine holes.”

The only other boys who played in varsity meets last year were senior Carter Samson and sophomore Cameron Petermeier. Samson was a regular who averaged 64.57 for nine holes.

Petermeier played in five nine-hole rounds.

The rest of the boys’ roster features freshman Hudson Beathards and senior Braeden Kelly, who will dual sport with track and field.

“Zach is our No. 1 again, but I don’t know how it will shake out after that,” Hasselbrink said. “We have only had four practices so far and they have all been indoors.”

Colyn and senior Calleah Frink are the two girls with the most varsity experience. Colyn held averages of 64.14 (9) and 120 (18) last year. The other returner is senior Kinley Beathards, who played in one nine-hole round and one 18-hole round last season.

The rest of the girls’ roster includes freshmen Abbie Meyer and Karlee Koehler and sophomore Leah Shanks, who came out at the end of last season but is in her first full season with the program.

Hasselbrink said Meyer will challenge the returners for a spot at the top of the lineup. Her older sisters — Sadie and Sophie Meyer — both were all-conference golfers.

Greg Pickett returns as Hasslebrink’s assistant coach.

Contact Troy Hyde at 641-792-3121 ext. 6536 or thyde@shawmedia.com

Spring Sports Preview, March 29 & 31, 2022 – Page 10

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Spring Sports Preview, March 29 & 31, 2022 – Page 11

Newton boys soccer hopes lineup tweaks can remedy close losses

By Troy Hyde Sports Editor Newton’s boys soccer team was so close last season. The 10 losses were a bit deceiving.

Head coach Zach Jensen hopes a few tweaks to the lineup will improve the record and the Cardinals’ standing in a tough Little Hawkeye Conference.

“We were so close, competitive and right there in almost all of our games last year,” Jensen said. “One bounce our way and it could be a completely different outcome.”

The Cardinals were 9-10 and 3-4 in the LHC last spring.

Of the 10 losses, eight were by one or two goals, but they scored just four goals in the losses and were shut out six times.

That is why Jensen and the coaching staff, which includes assistant coaches Brett Lundberg and Steve Weeks, have made changes to the front line.

Troy Hyde/Newton News Newton senior Breyton Schwenker is back to lead the Cardinal defense after earning second team all-conference honors last year.

Second team all-conference seniors Derek

Beiner and Hunter Kennedy are back. But the

rest of the scoring lineup will look a bit different.

Beiner and Kennedy tied for second on the team with five goals each.

Beiner led the team in assists with five and tied for the team lead with 15 points.

Kennedy tallied three assists and tied for the third on the team with 13 points.

But not much offensive production returns.

Senior Bryar Annee scored two goals in a reserve role but is expected to be in the mix for more playing time this season.

Others who Jensen said are battling for minutes are sophomores Nate Lampe, Cody Klein, Jacob Sweeney, Landon Menninga and Conner McPartlin.

Lampe and Klein were defensive starters as freshmen last season.

Lampe was an honorable mention all-conference player last year.

“Because of our lack of production in the fi-

nal third last year, you will kind of see a completely different backline unless we need to use those guys in closing out games,” Jensen said.

“We simply failed at putting the ball in the back of the net. Unfortunately, that is where the games are won and lost. Soccer can be a cruel game.”

The backline does bring back senior Breyton Schwenker, who was a second team all-conference pick last year.

He started all 17 matches he played in and scored one goal.

Jensen said sophomore Christian Lawson will join Schwenker in the starting lineup.

The others who will compete for playing time on defense include senior Ryan Nook and sophomores Caleb Mattes and Bryen Hernandez and freshman Landon Bozarth.

Lawson had one goal and one assist last season. His brother, senior Caleb Lawson, returns

as the goalkeeper after stopping 93 shots in 1,465 minutes last season.

The Cardinals won a postseason road match against Benton last season but ended their year with a 2-0 loss to Grinnell.

Jensen is hoping the experience some of his younger players got will carry over into 2022.

Newton dealt with a rash of injuries all at once, too.

“We just need to stay healthy,” said Jensen, who also mentioned sophomore Jesus Murillo and freshman Christian Buchli as players the coaching staff is looking at for varsity playing time.

“To fix the closegame losses, we need to execute better in front of the goal and in our final third. Concentration and composure are the keys to this.”

Contact Troy Hyde at 641-792-3121 ext. 6536 or thyde@shawmedia.com

Garrett sisters lead Cardinal girls tennis squad

By Troy Hyde Sports Editor Senior Maggie Garrett is slotted in at the No. 1 singles spot. Newton head girls tennis coach Erick Zehr expects sophomore Lauryn Garrett to be in the No. 2 singles position.

But everything else is wide open and up for grabs for the remaining 23 or so players on this year’s Cardinal girls tennis squad.

“We lost a lot of our depth last year,”

Zehr said. “Even beyond our top 10, the next four also graduated. There are five returning players who will anchor our varsity lineup but the rest of the spots are wide open.”

Maggie Garrett was 3-8 at No. 1 singles last year.

Her younger sister Lauryn Garrett played in four different spots in the singles lineup, finishing 3-2 at No. 1, 0-1 at No. 2, 2-4 at No. 3 and 1-1 at No. 6.

The other varsity returners are se-

nior Kya Butler and sophomores Olivia Hotchkin and Ella Swarts.

Butler was 1-1 at No. 3 singles, Hotchkin finished 2-0 at No. 5 singles and 0-1 at No. 6 singles and Swarts registered records of 0-1 and 1-3 at No. 5 and No. 6 singles, respectively.

“There are several returning players who look to have the inside lane, but we also have some new players who have shown real promise here in the first week, so we will let their play determine their spots as the season pro-

gresses,” Zehr said.

Zehr said the 25 players who are on the team this spring represents the smallest roster of his long-standing tenure as head coach.

Having the No. 1 player from last year’s team back is a positive though.

“Maggie was our lone captain last year and will be again this year because she leads the team in such a positive way,” Zehr said.

GIRLS TENNIS | 19

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Spring Sports Preview, March 29 & 31, 2022 – Page 13

CIU girls ready to build off successful first season

By Troy Hyde Sports Editor The inaugural soccer season for the Central Iowa United girls was a smashing success.

CIU won 11 matches, ended the regular season with five straight victories and claimed a postseason triumph.

And the season ended impressively, too, with a 1-0 loss to a North Polk squad which spent time in the state rankings.

Head coach Sadie Jones hopes her program can continue the momentum but will have to replace 27 goals and 22 assists lost to graduation.

“I was pleased with our first year coming together,” Jones said. “We were a successful team which I think started with leadership amongst the seniors. I expect this year’s seniors to really step in and fill the role that the graduated se-

Troy Hyde/Newton News Central Iowa United senior Lilie Vansice returns this spring after tying for the team lead with 15 goals and ranking second with 31 points last spring.

niors created last year.”

Ryan Boley is back as Jones’ assistant coach.

The losses from graduation will be felt, but seniors Lilie Vansice, Kenzi Wierson, Tori Bienfang, Avery Fricke, Grace Tollefson, Izabell Voelker, Isabelle Hill and Reilly Jensen all

are back after helping Central Iowa United go 11-6 in its first season.

The program is made up of athletes from Baxter, Colfax-Mingo, Collins-Maxwell, Colo-NESCO and West Marshall.

Vansice tied for the team lead with 15 goals and added one assist for 31 points, which ranked second on the squad.

There are five Baxter Bolts on the squad. Vansice is joined by juniors Kendyl Stevenson, Emma Ziesman and Alaina Stouffer and freshman Rylee Van Beek.

Vansice and Stevenson were the only two players who earned significant varsity minutes last season. Stevenson started 15 matches on defense.

Helping Vansice in the scoring half of the field will likely be Wierson as well as Fricke, Voellker and Bien-

fang, but Jones expects freshmen Reese Jensen and Cerra Muntz to make immediate impacts.

Wierson scored six goals and delivered four assists last season.

She ranked third on the team in goals and fourth in assists and her 16 points were third on the squad.

Bienfang and Fricke both tied for fourth with five goals each. Bienfang’s five assists ranked third and her 15 points was fourth. Voellker also scored three goals.

“I feel we will be able to get our offense back to where it was last year as long as we focus on drills that create some give and gos that lead to scoring opportunities,” Jones said.

The defense lost goalkeeper Elise Robertson, who registered 133 saves last season.

Jones said seniors Gabby Eirikson and Taylor Cox are the

front runners to replace Robertson.

The returners on defense are Stevenson, Tollefson and Reilly Jensen.

Tollefson scored three goals and dished out two assists in 2021.

Jones said Wierson could be used on defense and the other players battling for minutes are sophomore Sophie Comegys and Hill.

Comegys and Hill each scored one goal last year and appeared in nine and 15 matches, respectively.

Four players from Colfax-Mingo will be on this year’s roster, including sophomore Cassidy Smith and freshmen Lily Webster, Sophie Hockemeier and Karmylia Snyder.

Contact Troy Hyde at 641-792-3121 ext. 6536 |or thyde@shawmedia.com

Central Iowa United boys restart after roster subtractions

By Troy Hyde Sports Editor Central Iowa United’s boys soccer team played well down the stretch last season.

CIU started 2-8 in its first season but went 3-3 in its final six matches to give the program some momentum heading into this spring.

Unfortunately for head coach John Fuller, a handful of players decided to not play this season and he’ll try to rebuild the squad through a roster chalked full of freshmen and sophomores.

“We do have some new players who are talented and will hopefully perform well in game

situations, but again this year I have a lot of freshmen and sophomores and first-year players,” Fuller said. “We will hopefully play a full JV schedule to gain experience faster than last year when we had fewer players out.”

Central Iowa United is made of players from Baxter, Colfax-Mingo, Collins-Maxwell, Colo-NESCO and West Marshall.

There are five seniors, but 10 of the 11 players from West Marshall are either freshmen or sophomores.

Junior Dane Beatie headlines the front line. His eight goals, four assists and 20 points leads all returners and senior

Ephram Muntz also had six goals, five assists and 17 points last spring.

Baxter’s trio of players includes senior Tanner Scroggins, sophomore Ben Richardson and freshmen Gavin Kampman.

Scroggins shared goalie duties last year but had 144 saves in a team-high 936 minutes.

He’s the lone returning goalie this season.

Richardson scored three goals, dished out two assists and scored eight points last year. Sophomore Andrew Tollefson had three goals.

Senior Masen Lundquist started all 15 matches last year on defense. He’s the biggest re-

turner besides Scroggins on that end of the field.

“We lost some key players on our back line, one to school transfer and one to injury,” Fuller said. “We have a lot of training and adjustments to find the back four which work well together.”

Sophomore Austin Lane and freshman Jermaine Cross are Colfax-Mingo’s representatives on the squad.

Central Iowa United finished 5-11 in its first season. Fuller’s assistant coach will be Danny Beattie.

Contact Troy Hyde at 641-792-3121 ext. 6536 or thyde@shawmedia.com

Troy Hyde/Newton News Central Iowa United senior Tanner Scroggins had 144 saves in a team-high 936 minutes as goalie last spring.

Spring Sports Preview, March 29 & 31, 2022 – Page 14

Colfax-Mingo: Tigerhawks hope conference championships are in near future Continued from Page 7 Class 2A in the 100-meter hurdles at state. She also was the top long jumper.

Lester qualified for state in the discus and has one of the top marks on the team in shot put, too. She placed 21st at state in the discus last season, scored 130 team points and is closing in on a school record in the discus.

“I really think last year was just about getting those two experience at the state level and I look for them to continue to improve this year,” said Tomas, who begins his 12th season as C-M girls head track and field coach.

A big part of C-M’s success last year came in field events.

The Tigerhawks registered five runner-up finishes at the conference meet and three came in field events.

Underwood was the runner-up in the long jump and 100 hurdles, Lester finished second in the discus and senior McKayla Smith took the silver in the shot put.

Lester and Smith both went more than 100 feet and 33 feet, respectively, in the discus and shot put last season. And they have already been better in the shot put this indoor season.

“Carley has had a great start to her season and Kyra has some unfinished business this season,” Tomas said. “Kyra and McKayla are probably the best throwing duo I have seen in my 13 years of coaching.”

Smith was third on the team last year in scoring with 102 points. Junior McKenna Pleima came in fourth with 89.75 points and the next best two scorers were juniors Caylee Cunningham (68.25) and Abi Rawlins (45.25). Senior Kylie Doty (35.5) was 10th.

Pleima was the team’s top sprinter last season and will assume that role this spring, too. Junior Felicity Woods and Cunningham and sophomore Mickayla Lind also provide the Tigerhawks with depth in the sprint events.

Senior Danica Linn returns after leading C-M in the 800 last year. But Tomas expects freshman Trinity Smith to make an immediate impact in the middle distances, too.

Other C-M athletes expected to lead the way on the track include Doty, Rawlins, seniors Maggie Schroeder and Melany Vry, sophomores Ashton Byal, Charlotte Donahue, Addie Schroeder and freshmen Lily Webster and Shae Wilkins.

Tomas also likes his deep group of hurdlers which includes Underwood, Doty, Vry, Lind and Webster, who will dual sport with soccer.

Underwood and Rawlins headline the long jumpers, Cunningham is the leader in high jump and junior Holland Robinette gives the Tigerhawks another talented thrower to go with Lester and McKayla Smith.

Tomas said the other varsity high jump spot likely will go to either Lind or Webster.

The final runner-up finish for C-M at last year’s conference meet came in the 4x100 relay. That team included Underwood, Cunningham and Pleima.

The Tigerhawks welcome back all four runners from their top 4x100, 4x400 and distance medley relay teams and three of the four athletes are back in the 4x200, sprint medley and shuttle hurdle relays.

Tomas’ assistant coaches from last year are back. That group includes Laurie McGhee, Skylar Rawlins and

Troy Hyde/ Newton News Colfax-Mingo senior Kyra Lester returns to the Tigerhawk girls track and field team after throwing discus at the state meet last season.

McKinzie Abell. Todd Jones joins the staff this year as a volunteer discus coach.

BOYS TRACK AND FIELD Colfax-Mingo’s track and field teams were supposed to break in their new state-ofthe-art facility and host multiple meets this season.

That won’t happen due to the track not being ready in time for the season.

And head Tigerhawk boys track and field coach Matt Barkalow will have the smallest roster of his long tenure since his first season back in 2007.

Barkalow is a no-nonsense, no excuses coach though and he will work with the 15 Tigerhawks who decided to be part of his program this spring.

“While we expected to have at least twice as many guys out this spring, I couldn’t be prouder of the young men who all came out to work hard for our program, their teammates and our school,” Barkalow said. “We don’t have a huge squad, but everyone on our team has a lot of heart and will compete their best each

day this season.”

To top it off, the Tigerhawks won’t be able to use their old limestone track because of the construction of the school’s new competition gym.

“We were able to get into the new stadium to work for the first time on our new football turf field during Spring Break,” Barkalow said. “We will continue working there all season and hope to have some asphalt down on the oval in early April.”

The top two returners are seniors Justin Myers and Grant Alexander.

No Tigerhawk qualified for the state meet last season but Myers and Alexander were close and hope to get over the hump in their final seasons.

Myers led the Tigerhawks in the 110 high hurdles and 400 hurdles, has the second-best returning time in the 100 and third best time in the 400. He also is the top returner in the high jump and could even try long jump this season, too.

Alexander is the top thrower on the team. He led the Tigerhawks in both the shot

put and discus last season and claimed a runner-up finish in the shot put at the SICL meet.

“Both of these seniors are dynamic leaders for our team,” Barkalow said.

“Each of them narrowly missed qualifying for state in 2021. Qualifying this spring are their main individual goals. We believe in them and have high expectations for both young men.”

After Myers and Alexander, other key returners include seniors Seth Johnson and Coleman Craig, junior Carter Gibson and sophomores Jared Lewis, Elias Hostetter and Ben Keeney.

Johnson is the top returner in both the 100 and 200 and Gibson comes back as the team’s best 400 runner and was second to Johnson in the 200.

Lewis is the top returner in the 800 and 1,600, Craig returns as the best 3,200 runner and was second to Lewis in 1,600 and Keeney is the second-best returner in both the shot put and discus.

COLFAX-MINGO | 15

Spring Sports Preview, March 29 & 31, 2022 – Page 15

Colfax-Mingo Continued from Page 14 Gibson and Myers were two of the runners in team’s best 4x400 and sprint medley relay teams last spring.

But every other relay brings back just one returner from last year.

“Unfortunately, being the shallowest depth-wise since my first season will really affect our ability to fill our meet lineups as we’d like,” Barkalow said.

“I think as the season progresses, we will play with a different relay or two each meet and see if we can load a few up. By the end of the season, we’ll use our best quartets on those and see which ones emerge as the most competitive.”

Alexander, Craig, Johnson and Myers are the team’s lone seniors and Gibson is the only junior.

The sophomore class is the largest at eight deep and Owen Ament, Harrison Rhone and Xavier Woods are the three freshmen.

Barkalow said Woods has great potential in anything from a 100 to an 800 and a huge ceiling in the high jump.

Barkalow expects a breakout season from Hostetter in the 400 and 800 distances, sophomore Brandon Kite offers potential in the sprints, sophomore Merritt McConeghey adds depth to the middle distances and Ament, Rhone and Tony Buenrostro could provide depth behind Craig in the distance events.

Joining Myers in hurdles could be Gibson, Kite, Woods and Lewis.

C-M was eighth in the SICL meet last season and finished 10th in its 2A state qualifying meet.

Phil Grant begins his sixth season as Barkalow’s assistant coach.

Former Tigerhawk and state medalist Jake Lietz enters his fifth season as a volunteer coach and C-M alum and

Troy Hyde/Newton News Colfax-Mingo senior Justin Myers is back for the Tigerhawk boys track and field team and leads the squad in hurdles. He will be counted on for much more this spring and has goals of ending his season at the state meet in May.

former state qualifier Gabe Simpson begins his first season as a volunteer.

GOLF Colfax-Mingo’s golf program has a new head coach and Jeff Beener’s first priority is to improve the overall numbers of both squads.

This year’s girls’ team will have just three golfers, but the boys squad features three returners and more than a handful of freshmen.

“The past has shown me that numbers have been a struggle for both teams,” Beener said. “I think it can help having the head coach in the building.”

The top returner for the Tigerhawks is sophomore Charlotte Donahue, who was sixth overall in

the regional opener last spring and led the squad in the regional finals.

She is joined on the girls’ team by returner Holland Robinette and newcomer Caylee Cunningham.

Two seniors from last year’s squad are gone and last year’s No. 1 golfer, Carley Underwood, will focus solely on track and field this spring. Donahue, Cunningham and Robinette also will be part of the Tigerhawk track and field team.

“These three girls have attended morning practices and are working hard to improve their respective games,” Beener said.

The three returners on the boys’ side are senior Shane Aikin and juniors Cole Duffy and Cavan Magnuson.

The newcomers are sophomore Kaden Dalton and freshmen Owen Ament, Sean Ament, JaShawn Fleming, Shane Hostetter, Brock Nichol and Harrison Rhone.

Owen Ament and Rhone also are part of the C-M track and field team.

“One strength I noticed from the three returning boys is their consistency in scoring,” Beener said. “The hope is they will improve scores and consistently score better. Obviously things to improve on in golf will be the short game, chipping and putting, which will spend a significant amount of practice time on.”

Donahue’s averages last season were 62.83 (9 holes) and 111.67 (18).

Robinette’s averages were 66.5 (9) and 121.33 (18).

Aikin and Duffy both were consistently on the varsity last season. Aikin averaged 57 (9) and 113 (18). Duffy held averages of 66.63 (9) and 129 (18).

The Tigerhawk girls were sixth in the SICL tournament last spring and advanced to the regional finals after a runner-up finish in the first round.

The C-M boys were eighth in the conference meet and fifth at sectionals.

“After creating numbers, a close second for priorities is to create excitement and get kids interested in golf,” Beener said. “The numbers were good for our optional practices and our practices over spring break. Unfortunately, we began the first week of practice with rain and cold weather.”

Beener has been coaching and teaching in the C-M district for the past two years.

Beener was last a head golf coach at North Mahaska in 2009.

He played one year of collegiate golf at William Penn University.

Please recycle your old newspapers.

Contact Troy Hyde at 641-792-3121 ext. 6536 or thyde@shawmedia.com

Game Highlights Photos and More We Cover Local Sports! newtondailynews.com

Spring Sports Preview, March 29 & 31, 2022 – Page 16

Newton boys golf ready for state push

By Troy Hyde Sports Editor Newton’s boys golf team was six shots shy of a state tournament berth last season.

That’s simply a few too many three putts, a couple of water hazards and a handful of tee shots that soar out of bounds.

Head coach Pat Riley hopes bringing back his top two golfers, five returning varsity players and a deep roster can push the Cardinals over the top this spring.

“I feel like we have a shot at making the state tournament and a shot to win the conference, but talk is cheap,” Riley said. “How are these guys going to work? Will they go the extra mile for themselves and the team to support each other and get better?”

Last year’s Cardinal squad placed fifth in the Little Hawkeye Conference tournament and then took third at their Class 3A sectional meet.

At a competitive district, Newton was sixth but finished just six strokes back of a state berth.

“My goal is to get these guys to gel and become ‘a team’ which is always supporting and encouraging one another,” Riley said.

“When that happens, we will be ready for that next level.”

The five returning varsity letter winners are seniors Ethan Walker, Lincoln Ergenbright, Braydon Chance and Garret Beerends and sophomore Kinnick Pritchard.

Walker was the runner-up at the LHC tournament and placed fifth at the district meet. His season averages were 43 (nine holes)

and 78.08 (18 holes) and his lows were 41 (9) and 71 (18).

Ergenbright also earned all-conference recognition by placing seventh at the LHC meet.

He was 13th at districts and held season averages of 42 (9 holes) and 85.33 (18). His lows were 41 and 80.

“The strength of our team starts with Ethan and Lincoln,” Riley said. “These two have worked tirelessly over the last four years on their games. I am counting on them to not only score for us, but also be positive role models and leaders on the team.”

Outside the five returning varsity players, the Cardinals have a deep roster but very limited golf experience overall.

Best of Luck to all area spring sport teams!

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Troy Hyde/Newton News Newton senior Ethan Walker was the runner-up in the Little Hawkeye Conference tournament last season. Walker is back as the Cardinals’ No. 1 golfer in 2022 and hopes to lead the squad to the state tournament later this spring.

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Spring Sports Preview, March 29 & 31, 2022 – Page 17

Mustangs: Track teams led by key returners, soccer team seeks best season ever Continued from Page 9 “There are a lot of options,” Karr said. “I think sprints will score a lot of points for us. We have some new girls this year who are fantastic additions.”

One of the top events for the Mustangs the past several seasons has been the shuttle hurdle relay. The event has produced multiple medal-winning foursomes and last year’s group was 10th despite one of the runners hitting a hurdle and falling to the track.

The returners from the team are Bird and seniors Kate McClellan and Belle Hudnut.

So far, the fourth Mustang in the relay is Baird, who is new to the event.

Karr said there are up to five girls who are working hard to be in the mix, too, including sophomores Eliana Buswell and Avery Houser, who were the backups last season.

“I expect the shuttle hurdle team to compete for state points just like we do every year,” Karr said. “Kate McClellan has been putting in the time, and I think people are going to be stunned with her hurdles this year. Belle and Chelsea are looking fast as usual, too.”

The Mustangs will have to replace Margo Chipps, who took her talents to Northern Iowa. Karr said options in the 400 hurdles include Baird and freshman Addison Steenhoek.

Steenhoek is part of the next group of runners who will help the Mustangs in 400s, 800s and the distance events.

The group includes juniors Paige Steenhoek, Sophia Steenhoek, Riley DeVore and Jillian Fairbanks, sophomore Tiffani Koonce and freshmen Makayla True and Addison Steenhoek.

“We didn’t lose any point scorers in our distance events from last year,” Karr said. “Paige and Tiffani are who we will look at to score points in the opens and the others will fill in on relays. Riley and Sophia are starting to transition into 400s and 800s, but they can run whatever we need. Adding Makayla and Addison really strengthens the group, and there are other girls who can’t be counted out either. This group could be exciting to watch.”

Troy Hyde/Newton News PCM senior Chelsea Bird, left, gets the baton from sophomore Ryan Bennett during last year’s state track and field meet. Bird and Bennett are joined by a handful of teammates who also competed inside Drake Stadium last May.

The Mustangs would take a step forward as a team if they can score more points in the field events.

Senior Claire Wilson is the top returning high jumper and the top five leapers in the long jump also are back.

Led by junior Rylee Gallaher, the top two discus throwers are back.

Three of the top four shot putters also return, led by senior Vi Humpal.

“At this point, the long jump and high jump are wide open, but I’m confident we will get those spots figured out,” Karr said. “I expect continued success from Rylee and Vi in the throwing events and we’ve added some new girls who are showing a lot of potential.”

The Mustangs were third in the Heart of Iowa Conference meet last year and placed fourth in their Class 2A state qualifier.

Karr is back for his fourth season as head coach. Assistant coach Logan Bieghler is back and John Schaeffer has been added to the coaching staff as the school’s throwing coach.

“Both of these guys are fantastic and the girls love them,” Karr said.

“They truly make my job easier.”

SOCCER PCM’s soccer team won just two matches and scored 12 goals last season. But head coach Darrin Telfer and the Mustangs have set a goal to win 10 matches and record a postseason victory this spring.

Neither one of those things has been done in the program’s history.

“We bring back all but one player from last year’s team and the kids have developed and have another year under their belts,” Telfer said. “There is some good senior leadership, too.”

The roster includes around 20 players. Emma George was the only player lost from last year’s team but foreign exchange student Flo Alamos enters the program and will basically take over George’s role on the team, according to Telfer.

Telfer has been coaching in and out of the program for the past 15 years.

He says this particular team has the best combination of skill set and athleticism than any other team he’s been a part of.

“They are getting after it,” Telfer said. “There is lots of competition, and it will be fun to see who gets the minutes.”

Seniors Tyler Kuecker and Carson VandeLune are back after leading the team in goals, assists and points last season.

The rest of the varsity offensive players are senior Nik Ball, junior Caden Bouwkamp, sophomores Justin Johnston and Jake Elrod and Alamos, who is from Brazil.

“Tyler and Carson are our primary attackers,” Telfer said. “They put a lot of pressure on teams in ways we haven’t been able to do in previous years.”

Telfer said the battle for playing time in the defensive backfield will between senior Kyle Sanders, juniors Donovan Nickelson and Darrell DeVries and sophomore Gabe Hobbs.

Sanders and Nickelson led the group last season.

Sophomore Alex Egland and DeVries are back as potential goalies, but freshman Kaden Clark will push them both for playing time.

The Mustangs will once again have just one soccer program.

There are six girls on this year’s squad, including Alamos, seniors Emily Foster, Anna Sitzmann and Gracelyn Nickelson, junior Rae Ann Duinink and sophomore Faith Defenbaugh.

Gibson Berns is Telfer’s new assistant coach. Brian Adams is back as the volunteer coach.

BOYS TRACK AND FIELD PCM’s boys track and field team brings back a handful of its 2021 state qualifiers. But if the team seeks similar success in 2022, it just might have to rely on a large freshmen class.

The Mustangs’ roster goes 41 deep and 19 of them are freshmen.

MUSTANGS | 18

Spring Sports Preview, March 29 & 31, 2022 – Page 18

Mustangs: Boys track and field and boys golf welcome new head coaches Continued from Page 17 But seniors Aidan Anderson and Trey Broderson and junior Gavin Fenton are all back for first-year head coach Cole Ashman.

Last year’s large senior class will need to be replaced though.

“There are big holes to fill with the kids who graduated last year,” said Ashman, who is in his third year in the district and fourth year as a track coach. “We are going to need some kids to step up this year to fill those spots.”

Ashman replaces Collin Harrison as head boys track coach. Harrison has taken over the PCM boys golf program.

Anderson is back after running on the 4x100 and 4x200 relay teams’ which reached the state meet last season. He also has the Mustangs’ top returning times in the 100 and 200.

The other returning varsity sprinter is senior Kaden Hale, who joins Anderson with one of the top returning times in the 100.

Fenton and junior August Stock are the top returners in the 400 and 400 hurdles and Broderson and sophomore Griffin Olson are the other returners in hurdles. Olson had a top time in the 100.

Fenton, Broderson and Stock ran on the shuttle hurdle relay team at the state meet last year. They were part of a 13th place finish in 2A.

“All of these kids are back, but some of their events might change throughout the year as we find what we can really excel at in both open and relay events,” Ashman said.

Stock is out for track after suffering an injury during football season and missing the entire basketball campaign due to the same injury.

Ashman said the team has high hopes for Stock, but he’s still going through the recovery process.

PCM does not have a single returner who registered a top-five time in the 800, 1,600 or 3,200 last year. Ashman said the Mustangs will determine who the distance runners will be as the season progresses.

Ashman said the competition at long jump moves to senior Will Oelmann, junior Ayden Camu and freshman Gavin Van Gorp.

“Some of our other athletes may step up and be able to do long jump as well,” Ashman said.

“We are still looking for our high jumpers.”

Junior Caleb Kuefner is the top returner in shot put with senior Ben Buys and junior Gavin VanBaale also back in the throwing events.

Buys was the top discus thrower last year.

The Mustangs were fourth in the HOIC meet last season and placed seventh in their 2A state qualifier.

Ashman’s assistant coaches will be Jason

Troy Hyde/Newton News PCM junior Eleigh Davis is expected to be the Mustangs’ No. 1 golfer after leading the girls team last spring.

Stock and throwing coach John Schaeffer.

GIRLS GOLF PCM head girls golf coach Dylan Dunn took over a program last year which welcomed in a handful of inexperienced golfers.

The Mustangs were seventh in the HOIC meet and all four of those players are back this season.

The good news for Dunn is he has added four more players to the roster to add some much-needed depth.

“We had our first practice of the year tonight,” Dunn said on March 21. “One thing I really enjoyed last year about the girls was how willing they were to learn the game of golf and try new things. I have seen

so much growth in all of my returning golfers.”

The returners are seniors Tori Peterson and Deanna McHargue and juniors Eleigh Davis and Riley Johannes. The newcomers are junior Isabelle Lorton and freshmen Meredith Chipps, Alyce Engle and Brelee Burger.

“I really saw a ton of improvement tonight on our chipping and putting,” Dunn said. “The girls have made tremendous progress.”

Dunn doesn’t have a roster order yet but is confident Davis will be the team’s No. 1 golfer after an offseason of improvement with golf pro John Shawver at Fore Seasons.

Davis led the Mustangs’ last year with averages of 60 (nine holes)

and 113.67 (18).

“I really have high hopes for her this year,” Dunn said about Davis. “I think she has a great chance at cracking all-conference this year. She has worked on her golf game all winter and really improved her skills.”

Johannes had averages of 64.33 (9) and 129.67 (18).

Peterson and McHargue rounded out last year’s varsity team. Peterson averaged 66 and 133.67 and McHargue averaged 76.67 and 156.

“This offseason went really well,” Dunn said.

“Most of the girls had already played some golf this year before our first practice. One area I wanted to improve on this year was our short game around the greens.

I really think that will help us take some strokes off our scores.”

BOYS GOLF Collin Harrison had a dilemma back in 2014.

The PCM boys track and field team and boys golf team both had head coach openings at the same time.

Harrison thought about applying for both positions but decided to stick with track. He was the junior high track coach at the time and with coaching football, it made sense to continue coaching those athletes.

But when the head boys golf position opened back up this offseason, Harrison decid-

ed to make the switch from ovals to links.

“I still love track. I love those guys, too,” Harrison said. “But my family life has changed so it made some sense to make the switch now.

The season is a little shorter with practices starting later and there a lot less night time events.”

Harrison’s family welcomed another child around Christmas. That played a factor into his decision, but he also can be seen playing golf at Gateway Recreation Golf Course almost every day in the summer and he played golf in high school.

Harrison takes over the golf program from Mike Cardin, who has moved to a volunteer assistant position. Brad Hill is back as the team’s long-time assistant coach.

The Mustangs will look a lot different this season. Harrison inherits a program which won conference and sectional titles last year but bring back just three players who saw any varsity time.

All six scorers on the HOIC championship team were seniors.

Only junior Grant Van Veen was part of the sectional title and he shot a career-best 80 at the district tournament.

Van Veen joins senior Keaton Thomas and sophomore Nick Farver as the returners.

MUSTANGS | 19

Spring Sports Preview, March 29 & 31, 2022 – Page 19

Mustangs

Girls Tennis

Continued from Page 18

Continued from Page 11

Harrison doesn’t have a lineup yet as the team just started practicing on March 21.

But he expects the three returners to start the season at the top of the lineup.

“We will rely on those three to be at the top of the lineup this season,” Harrison said. “We hope they can come together.”

The rest of the roster includes senior Nick Farver, sophomores Mark Bussan and Martin Hosbond and freshmen Tate Tangeman, Jeffrey McDanel, Easton Van Veen, Pete Kiernan and Charlie Sitzmann.

Grant Van Veen has the most varsity experience.

The elder Van Veen averaged 46.67 (9) and 91.56 (18) last year.

Farver and Thomas each played one ninehole round at the varsity level and recorded scores of 47 and 49, respectively.

After losing so many seniors from the varsity last year, competition this spring is wide open.

“We need to find more consistency in our scoring,” Harrison said.

“We have lots of kids who hit it well. But can they do the things that help them score well?

“We just want to get better every day and consistently improve and that progress should help our team scores.”

“She is always looking out for teammates, supporting them and treating them like equals.

She sets such a good example on and off the court and I can always count on her to fill just about any role the team needs,” Zehr said about Garrett. “She had a lot of close losses last year.

I’m hoping the extra year of experience will be able to push her over the edge to turn those into wins. There are a lot of good players in the LHC, and Maggie is right there among the best of them.”

Zehr’s team makes up for being small in numbers with enthusiasm and energy. The team

Contact Troy Hyde at 641-792-3121 ext. 6536 or thyde@shawmedia.com

Troy Hyde/Newton News The Newton girls tennis team welcomes back No. 1 singles player Maggie Garrett for one final season on the courts. She played in that slot last season, too.

Hawks

Continued from Page 5 GIRLS TRACK AND FIELD It took Lynnville-Sully head girls track and field coach Kevin Johnson just two seasons to win an SICL championship.

And the first year was wiped out due to COVID-19.

Unfortunately for Johnson and the Hawks, only three athletes from last year’s state meet are back. Fortunately for L-S, the three who are back were a large part of last year’s successful team.

“I’m excited about this season. We lost some good seniors and with that good senior leadership, especially after losing a season due to COVID,” Johnson said. “With that being said, we have a new group of seniors who have stepped up and are ready to guide the program.”

The top returner is Smock, who had the quite the spring season in 2021.

Smock won the 1A state title in golf and was nearly as successful on the oval. She

won three individual conference titles and earned her first state medal on the blue oval.

Smock was sixth in the 3,000 and placed 15th in the 1,500 at the state meet. She won SICL titles in the 800, 1,500 and 3,000 and also has the second best returning times in the 200 and 400 and was part of the state qualifying 4x800 relay team which placed 13th.

The other returning state qualifiers are senior Reagan McFarland and sophomore Carsyn McFarland. They were both on the state qualifying 4x100 relay team which placed 11th with a pair of graduating seniors.

Reagan McFarland, senior Aliya James, Carsyn McFarland and senior Sydney Jansen have the top four returning times in the 100.

Carsyn McFarland has the top returning time in the 200 and Jansen has her name on the third fastest 200 time.

Junior Kinsley Tice and senior Callista Hackert are the two top distance returners after Smock. Tice has the sec-

ond best returning time in the 1,500 and the third best time in the 400 and 800 and Hackert returns with the second best time in the 800 and third fastest time in the 1,500 and 3,000.

Many of last year’s top hurdlers are gone but junior Allie Van Wyk is back to lead a group that Johnson said will include several new athletes.

Jansen, Van Wyk and sophomore Brooke Conover are the top returners in high jump.

The McFarland sisters and sophomore Morgan Jones are expected to be the top long jumpers.

The Hawk throwers will be seniors Lily Zylstra and Natalie Nikkel, junior Abby Squires, sophomores Abby Roberts and Aubree Arthur and freshman

will be very young and inexperienced overall though.

“Our mission is to learn as much as possible and focus on growth and development, and let the wins come as they may,” Zehr said.

“If we can fill in the second half of the varsity with a couple of strong doubles pairings, we could end up being quite competitive.”

The Cardinals were 4-7 last season and 1-5 in the Little Hawkeye Conference. They finished fifth at the conference tournament.

Cassidy Bos is back as Zehr’s assistant coach.

Contact Troy Hyde at 641-792-3121 ext. 6536 or thyde@shawmedia.com

Sophia Squires. Abby Squires and Zylstra have the top returning throws in both the shot put and discus.

“With the weather being like it has, this is one area that we will see progress as the season starts,” Johnson said. “We have athletes interested and working hard. We look forward to what these groups/individuals can do in field events.”

Johnson has been in the L-S district for 20 years. He begins his third season as head girls track and field coach.

His new assistant coach will be L-S alum Cori Schell and last year’s assistant coach, Jill Schuring, will be a volunteer coach.

The Hawks won the SICL title last season and placed third in their 1A state qualifier.

Lynnville-Sully’s roster goes 27 deep. Twelve of them are new and six of them are freshmen.

Contact Troy Hyde at 641-792-3121 ext. 6536 or thyde@shawmedia.com

Spring Sports Preview, March 29 & 31, 2022 – Page 20

Newton girls soccer hopes to cure close losses with small fixes

By Troy Hyde Sports Editor Newton’s girls soccer team went 9-9 last season but five of the nine losses were by a single goal and another loss was just 2-0.

The Cardinals lost just six goals and two assists from that squad, but head coach Abby Lamont will have to rebuild a defense that lost some significant pieces.

Still, a roster with loads of experience expects to get over the hump and turn the close losses into wins in 2022.

“Small fixes and our record would have been very different last year,” Lamont said. “This year, we’re focusing on a new type of offensive attack with more progression and options as we transition.

“If we can put these things into our game plan, we are confident we can fix those close losses.”

The Cardinals’ most experienced players are seniors Rori Nehring, Madison Altemeier, Brynn Cazett, Brooklyn Cupples and Morgan Peterson and juniors Au-

Troy Hyde/Newton News Newton senior Madison Altemeier (30) headlines the Cardinal girls soccer team’s defense this spring. Newton brings back a plethora of starters from last year’s 10-10 squad.

drey Rausch and Emma Lopez-Garcia.

Nehring returns as the team’s goalkeeper after registering 133 saves in 1,286 minutes between the posts last year.

She also tallied three assists and earned honorable mention all-conference honors.

Rausch and Cazett both were first team all-conference picks after leading Newton in

State Push Continued from Page 16 Sophomore Colin Cummins is back this season and Riley anticipates he will crack the varsity lineup at some point this season.

The newcomers are seniors Adam Mattes, Brennan Amos,

goals, assists and points.

Rausch had a teambest 22 goals and 52 points. She tied Cazett with eight assists.

Cazett scored 11 goals and had 30 points, both of which ranked second behind Rausch.

The rest of the offense features Cupples, Peterson and freshmen twins Briana and Brooklyn Shannon. Junior Silla Nilles and sophomore

Connor Brain and A.J. Currie, juniors Jake Ingle, Ian Reynolds, Tade Vanderlaan and Alex Thomason and freshmen Derek Wermager, Lincoln Peterson, Peyton Rozendaal, Evan Marshall and Isaiah Speirs.

“Our weakness is minimal

Taylor Maki are other offensive options.

“Our biggest strength will be speed,” Lamont said. “Speed in both our defensive and attacking thirds. Our returning players are strong in speed and agility and our incoming players will strengthen our overall performance as a team.”

Every single player on the Cardinals’ varsi-

varsity experience,” Riley said. “Outside of the top four from last year, most everyone playing varsity this year will be new to that level.

So my goal is to get them to understand how to score and then use their athleticism and go do it.”

ty roster except Nehring and backup goalie Natalee Freese have multiple positions listed by their name.

Peterson started Friday’s scrimmage against Carlisle as a midfielder but moved back to defender during the match.

That also might be the roles of Altemeier, Lopez-Garcia, junior Addison Ross, sophomore Estella Allen and freshmen Delaney Woollums, Alex Garvis and Riley Plowman.

Lopez-Garcia returns to the squad after earning second team all-conference honors last year.

She started the 2021 season as a midfielder before moving to defense.

She registered two goals.

Altemeier will be the rock in the middle of the Cardinal defense. Lamont’s starting defensive lineup in the scrimmage also featured Woollums, Plowman and Lopez-Garcia.

Peterson’s 11 points last season ranks third among the returners.

She scored two goals and delivered seven assists. Altemeier had two goals and one assist a season ago and Cupples

Newton was fifth in the LHC meet last season but was just five strokes back of second.

Riley feels like he has a team which can win the conference title, but there will be growing pains early in the season due to the roster inexperience at the back end of the roster.

“When it comes down to

scored twice and dished out three assists.

Cupples is working her way back from an injury suffered during last soccer season. She did not play in Friday’s scrimmage.

Ross started eight games and played in 12 last season, while Allen appeared in 13 matches a year ago.

“Nehring and Altemeier will anchor our defense with their extensive experience and outstanding skill sets,” Lamont said.

“They will be joined

by Emma Lopez-Garcia, who brings a large soccer IQ and an extensive playing background. We have some new players battling for spots in our backline who will bring speed, talent and knowledge of the game to the roster.”

The Cardinals’ 2022 captains are Altemeier, Cazett, Cupples, Nehring and Peterson.

Lamont’s assistant coaches are Susan Altemeier and Victoria Jordan.

Contact Troy Hyde at 641-792-3121 ext. 6536 or thyde@shawmedia.com

crunch time, that is when we need to be at our best,” Riley said. “Other conference schools are going to be better out of the gate, but I believe we will only get better as the season progresses.”

Contact Troy Hyde at 641-792-3121 ext. 6536 or thyde@shawmedia.com