NDN-SS-11-27-19

JASPER COUNTY

2019-20 Winter Sports Preview •Basketball •Bowling •Wrestling •Swimming

•Newton • Prairie City-Monroe • Baxter • Colfax-Mingo • Lynnville-Sully

2 Winter Sports Preview 2019-2020

NCMP boys’ swim team settling in with new coach

By Jocelyn Sheets Newton Daily News Diving into a new season with a new head coach are the Newton/Colfax-Mingo/Pella Cardinal boys’ high school swim team. The NCMP Cardinals have a longtime swimmer Steven Jones guiding them in the 2019-20 season.

Jones brings high school and college swimming experience to the pool for the Cardinals. Jones, a 1976 Des Moines Lincoln graduate, has been swimming for 33 years.

He has competed at the Masters’ Club level and two years ago reached the 10,000yard mark as a swimmer, which translates as swimming an average of a mile a day for 28 straight years.

Jones will be helped by second-year assistant coach Jenny Jensen. Jensen was an as-

sistant coach a year ago with longtime NCMP Aquagirls’ head coach Sarah Patterson, who stepped down this summer after Jones three years as the NCMP boys’ head coach. Jensen has been the girls’ swim assistant coach for four years.

“I think he’s a great coach.

He has shown me already that he knows what he’s doing,” NCMP senior co-captain Clay Meyer said. “It’s just a different style of coaching than Coach P (Sarah Patterson) but we’re fitting together well as a team.”

Meyer along with seniors Jacob Nedder, Parker Sherwood and Isaak Miller are the

Cardinals’ senior captains.

Nedder and Meyer are the team’s top returning backstrokers at 1 minute, 1.46 seconds and 1:06.39, respectively, in the 100-yard races. Miller is the top butterfly swimmer at 1:01.33, and all three were in the top five for the team in the 50 freestyle.

Junior Jaden Dydell is the teams’ lone returning state qualifier. Dydell posted a personal-best time of 1:02.01 to finish 13th in the 24-swimmer field of the 100 breaststroke at the 2019 state meet. He also is the top returner in the 100 freestyle and the 200 individual medley events.

Dydell was the 2019 North Central Swim Conference 100 breaststroke champion after taking second in the Little Hawkeye Conference event to a NCMP teammate.

Nedder and Dydell were

on the second-place 200 medley relay at the LHC meet and Dydell swam on the second-place 200 freestyle relay team.

“Practices have been good.

Coach has us putting in a lot of meters each day to get us in condition,” Meyer said.

“NCMP is a team but most importantly we’re a family.”

Jones is taking the helm of a swim team for the first time.

He said he was ready to take the challenge and teach the fundamentals of the sport but also integrity, sportsmanship, how to get along with people and how to be a team.

“Swimming has always been my passion. I have been an assistant coach for Des Moines East the past two years and have coached at the YMCA the last six years in Ankeny,” Jones said. “I saw this as an opportunity to be a

head coach of a high school swim team.”

Jones swam for Des Moines Lincoln then swam collegiately at a community college in Maryland where he qualified as a sophomore for the National Junior College Athletic Association’s national meet on a relay.

NCMP BOYS |16 NCMP Boys Swimming 2019-20 Schedule Nov 26 — at Ankeny Centennial, 5:30 p.m.

Dec. 3 — Indianola, 5:30 p.m.

Dec. 7 — NCMP Invitational, 10 a.m.

Dec. 10 — Des Moines East (Boone), 5:30 p.m.

Dec. 14 — Marshalltown, noon Dec. 17 — Des Moines Lincoln, 5:30 p.m.

Dec. 19 — Grinnell 7 p.m.

Jan. 7 — Des Moines Roosevelt, 5:30 p.m.

Jan. 11 — Waterloo West Invite, noon Jan. 18 — Fort Dodge Invitational, 11 a.m.

Jan. 23 — LHC meet, Indianola, 5:15 p.m.

Feb. 1 — NCIC meet, Coe College, 10:30 a.m.

Home meets in bold

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121 W. 3rd St. N. Newton

Winter Sports Preview 2019-2020 3

Experience fuels Cardinal wrestling

By Jocelyn Sheets Newton Daily News Four Newton High wrestlers qualified for the 2019 Class 3A state tournament.

Three of those competitors return for the Cardinals’ 201920 mat campaign.

With 14 returning lettermen — all with varsity experience — seventh-year head coach Andy Swedenhjelm pegs this year’s team as an experienced team.

“We have plenty of returning experience at most weights, with the exception of 106,” Swedenhjelm said.

“Many of these kids have put in a ton of work in the offseason and are looking to have great results.”

Newton also has added girls to the high school wrestling team. There are six girls out this season and Swedenhjelm is excited to see them on the mat for the Cardinals.

Seniors Gage Linahon and Destin Schroder and sophomore Brennan Amos sparking the state tournament trend for Newton. The Cardinals had several other wrestlers who were in the hunt at districts for a spot at state last year.

In one preseason Iowa high school wrestling rankings, Linahon is ranked No. 1 at 220 pounds in Class 3A and Schroder is ranked No. 6 at 182 pounds.

Linahon is a three-time 3A state tournament qualifier who finished third at 220 in the 2019 event. Schroder was a 3A district champion at 182, going 1-2 at the state meet.

Amos and Linahon finished second in their district and advanced to state. Amos went 0-2 at the state meet in the 113 division. Amos is making a move up to 126 or 132 this season.

“Destin, Gage and Brennan got a taste of that state wrestling tournament experience,

Jocelyn Sheets/Daily News State qualifier and 2019 Little Hawkeye Conference champion at 182 pounds, Destin Schroder is back for Newton High’s Cardinals. Schroder helps lead the Cardinal wrestling team during the 2019-20 season.

and have been working like crazy to take the next step,” Swedenhelm said.

Seniors Canaan Terpstra (152), Zane Kohlmeyer (160) and junior Anthony Bestell (113) had at least 20 match wins a year ago.

Senior Blake Iske (138) is back after sitting out last season with an injury.

Others returning for the Cardinals are senior Gabe Hoen (195), juniors Owen Sanger (195), William Muckler (285) and Gabe Abrams (285), and sophomores Kaden Holmes (120), Damien Bayles

(138) and Colin Sharp (145).

“There’s high expectations for this year’s team. We have good senior leadership and a lot of good underclassmen,” Linahon said. “I’m just excited to get back on the mat and compete.”

Linahon said people have expectations for him but that’s not on his mind. Swedenhjelm said Linahon got some great experience at the Fargo national tournament this summer and looks like he has taken the next step.

“I want to go out and compete the best I can just like I

Jocelyn Sheets/Daily News Newton High’s Caanan Terpstra is ready for his senior wrestling season for the Cardinals. Terpstra is among 14 returning letter winners on the Newton team this year.

have the past three years. Just have fun,” Linahon said. “I’m going out and being aggressive on my feet. Swede kept telling me good shots, good takedowns at state last year.

That’s what I told myself and I took shot sand good things happened.”

Linahon went 34-10 last year. He placed second at 220 in the Little Hawkeye Conference meet and the 3A district meet.

Schroder, who went 36-6, was the 2019 LHC champion at 182. He is determined to get back to the state tournament.

“State title — that’s my goal this season. I realize there’s no time for rest if I want to reach that goal,” Schroder said. “I’m working on my condition and improving on how I work in the top position. I’m solid on the bottom and in neutral but there’s always room for improvement.”

Amos (26-14) is looking to do better than he did last year as a freshman. He got to the 3A state meet but this season is get back there and place.

“I learned to be better than everybody you have to work hard. To be the best you have to beat the best,” Amos said.

Terpstra was 21-17 a year ago and placed sixth at the LHC meet in the 145-pound division. He said he has been working on control his opponent’s legs better this year.

“There’s no pressure on me this year. It’s my last season and I’m going to go out there and have as much fun as I can,” Terpstra said. “I’ll wrestle how I wrestle and see what happens.”

Kohlmeyer moves up from 152 to 160 this season. He was 20-18 and placed third in the conference meet.

“As a team we’re fast. We have a lot of speed on our team and we’re tough,” Kohlmeyer said. “We’ve been in the room working hard the whole offseason.”

Kohlmeyer said he has big expectations for himself — “I’m looking for the Well” — as he sets his sights on qualifying for the state meet at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.

“How to practice is my focus this season for the whole year. You have to work hard all the time in the room. I’ve been working on my quickness also,” Kohlmeyer said.

Bestell finished second at 106 in the LHC meet. He had a 25-11 mark last season.

“I want to go to state and make the podium. I know to achieve that I have to improve on the mat each match,” Bestell said. “I improve how I wrestle on my feet and my shots. I’ve gotten better in scramble positions.”

Swedenhjelm said Bestell, Kohlmeyer, Terpstra, Abrams, and Muckler that put in a bunch of time freestyling and working hard throughout the summer.

Abrams and Muckler wrestled at 285 sharing varsity and junior varsity duty at that weight. Abrams was 16-10 and was fourth at the 3A district meet. Muckler (15-11) was fifth in the LHC meet.

CARDINAL WRESTLING | 14

4 Winter Sports Preview 2019-2020

Newton girls under guidance of new coach

By Jocelyn Sheets Newton Daily News With one returning starter and just three seniors, Newton High’s Cardinal girls are ready to do the work under new head coach Eric Vander Velden for success in the 2019-20 basketball season.

“Even though we have a very young team, many players played significant varsity minutes last season,” Vander Velden said. “We hope to be able to play 10 players every game so Vander Velden we can push the ball up the court and play pressure defense on a constant basis. We want the other team to work hard for 32 minutes.”

Sophomore Aurora Nehring, a 5-foot-11 forward, returns as a starter. She is the top scorer returning and was the team’s leading rebounder last year. Senior MacKenzie Newton High School 2019-20 Girls’ Varsity Basketball Schedule Nov. 23 — NHS tourney, vs. Grand View Christian Nov. 26 — Perry Dec. 3 — Chariton, 6:15 p.m.

Dec. 6 — Dallas Center-Grimes, 6:15 p.m.

Dec. 12 — Marshalltown, 6:15 p.m.

Dec. 13 — Grinnell, 6:15 p.m.

Dec. 20 — Oskaloosa, 6:15 p.m.

Jan. 4 — Knoxville, Wells Fargo Arena, 2 p.m.

Jan. 7 — Pella, 6:15 p.m.

Jan. 10 — Norwalk, 6:15 p.m.

Jan. 14 — Pella Christian, 6:15 p.m.

Jan. 16 — Nevada, 6:15 p.m.

Jan. 17 — Indianola, 6:15 p.m.

Jan. 21 — Boone, 6:15 p.m.

Jan. 24 — Dallas Center-Grimes, 6:15 p.m.

Jan. 28 — Grinnell, 6:15 p.m.

Jan. 31 — Oskaloosa, 6:15 p.m.

Feb. 4 — Pella, 6:15 p.m.

Feb. 7 — Norwalk, 6:15 p.m.

Feb. 11 — Pella Christian, 6:15 p.m.

Feb. 14 — Indianola, 6:15 p.m.

Home games in bold

Jocelyn Sheets/Daily News Aurora Nehring did well in a freshman year of baptism by fire as a starter for Newton High School. As a sophomore returner, Nehring is the top scorer and rebounder back on the court for the Cardinal girls in 2019-20.

Baker, a 6-foot center, came off the bench last year as did seniors Liv Whitten, a 5-6 forward, and Priscila Amador, a 5-3 guard.

“I’m hoping we keep the energy up and communicate well on defense, which is one thing we struggle with,” Baker said. “Moving the ball on offense and understanding all the plays is important for us to do also.”

Baker said the new system has some of the same aspects from former coaches. She said the freshmen and other younger players are catching on well.

Juniors Chassidy Henwood and Victoria Reynolds and sophomore Brooklyn Cupples, all guards, saw varsity action off the bench. Junior Meg Callaghan, who is a 5-10 forward, returns to the lineup after sitting out the entire 2018-19 season with an injury.

Nehring finished with 86 points, a 4.5-point per game average, She shot 39 percent,

38-of-98, from the field and went 10-of-24 from the freethrow line. She pulled down 87 rebounds, 53 off the defensive glass. Nehring led the team with nine blocked shots.

Baker scored 51 points last year and had 49 rebounds. She had seven blocked shots. Baker shot 33 percent from the field and was 5-of-15 from the line.

Henwood tossed in 40 points and was 17-of 44 from the field. She had 67 rebounds, 15 assists and 15 steals.

Reynolds and Cupples each scored 10 points off the bench.

Whitten had seven points and two steals and Amador had two points.

“We’re expecting to have a good season with our new head coach. We know Coach Vander Velden so the transition has been pretty smooth,” Whitten said. “We’re hoping to have fun and play hard for the team.”

Vander Velden is in his first year as a head coach but is familiar with the Newton girls’

basketball program. Vander Velden spent three years as the high school girls’ freshman head coach on the staff of Brandon Sharp. He served as Sharp’s varsity assistant coach in 2017-18.

Vander Velden was the varsity assistant coach for the Newton High boys’ basketball program a year ago.

His first six years in Newton were spent as the head eighthgrade girls’ basketball coach at Berg Middle School.

“I wanted to continue the process which has been instilled by previous coaches here. Everybody has been striving to turn our girls’ basketball program around,” Vander Velden said.

He is in his 12th year as an elementary education teacher in the Newton district.

Vander Velden said with his coaching of girls’ sports through the years in Newton, he wants the girls to succeed.

Working with other coaches has helped him develop his

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coaching skills.

“Every coaching staff involved with the girls’ basketball program the past 20-25 years wanted to change the tradition,” Vander Velden said. “The girls haven’t been to the state basketball tournament since 1994. We all want to move it forward and be a competitive program. That’s my goal.”

Newton’s girls have had three winning seasons in the past 13 years. The Cardinals were 12-11 in 2015-16. They posted 16-5 seasons in 200607 and 2008-09.

A year ago the Cardinals were 3-18.

The past the years the Newton girls have combined for a 14-53 mark. They went 2-17 in Little Hawkeye Conference play which was seventh in the conference.

“It’s about changing the mindset of our players to expect to beat teams. Right now, it is ‘everybody beats Newton,’” Vander Velden said.

“We’re working to switch that around.”

Working with Vander Velden to help with the change are varsity assistant coaches LaNita Keeton and Randy Mills, assistant coaches Bailey Johannes, Tyler Stewart and Alex Hutchinson.

“First of all, I’m proud to say that we have 32 players out from grades 9-12 which is tops in our conference. All of our players bring something to our three teams,” Vander Velden said. “Everyone is important to our program, along with our coaching staff.”

Vander Velden said other players new to the varsity and vying for playing time are junior Jerrica McGuire, sophomores Madi Altemeier, Alyssa Shannon, Jazzlyn Cooper and Kealey Manning and freshman Audrey Rausch.

GIRLS | 5

Winter Sports Preview 2019-2020 5

Cardinal bowlers ready to roll in 2019-20

By Jocelyn Sheets Newton Daily News A state qualifier is among three returning varsity bowlers for the Newton High boys’ bowling team. The Cardinal girls have two returning varsity bowlers joined by a senior to help the team go after a sixth straight conference championship.

Newton High’s Cardinal bowling teams set up to have a strong 2019-20 season. Guiding the Cardinal boys and girls is three-year head coach Christie Hughes and assistant coach Gina McGinley.

“We have some strong bowlers coming back to the boys’ varsity team this year.

They work well together and have a good spare game,” Hughes said. “Our girls’ team has bonded well this year.

They are supporting each other and helping newer bowlers develop their skills.”

A trio of seniors lead the Cardinal boys — Carter Vander Schel, Nate Keith and Eli Ingle. Junior Thomas Hodnett bowled six games on the varsity a year ago.

“This season will be different but we have some good incoming guys,” Vander Schel said. “Practices have been going well. For me personally, I want to throw another 300 game — that was awesome last year — and qualify for state again.”

Vander Schel led the Cardinal boys last season with a. 204.8 game average and a 409.5 series average. He had his series high of 504, which included a perfect 300 game, at the Class 2A district meet.

Vander Schel was the district runner-up qualifying for the 2019 Class 2A state tournament. In his first Iowa state bowling tournament, he finished 53rd with a 276 series on games of 147 and 129 on the lanes at Cadillac Lanes in Waterloo.

Abby Price and Jenna Miller are juniors who are the top bowlers back from the Cardinal girls. Miller won the individual girls’ championship at the 2019 Two Rivers Bowling Conference — formerly the Little Hawkeye Conference.

Price was fourth at the conference meet.

The Cardinal girls won their

Girls Continued from Page 4 “Our players have big shoes to fill as we lost four great senior leaders from last season. The returning players only come into the year with a total of 12.5 points a game last season. We have quick point guards and we have height that can play inside and even outside,” he said.

He said to be able to compete in every game, the Cardinals have to do three things to stay in games: rebound, limit

Jocelyn Sheets/Daily News Newton High senior Carter Vander Schel bowled a 300 game and qualified for the 2019 Class 2A state tournament. He’s focused on doing all over again for the 2019-20 bowling season.

fifth consecutive conference title with Oskaloosa in second place. Bondurant-Farrar was third followed by Knoxville, Norwalk, Pella Christian and Pella.

Newton’s boys were third behind champion Oskaloosa and runner-up Pella. Bondurant-Farrar was fourth followed by Knoxville, Pella Christian and Norwalk.

“Winning a conference championship is always a team goal,” Vander Schel and Price said.

Price had a 162.4 per game average and had a high game of 212 last year. She had a team-high series average of 324.8 and her high series was 362.

Miller had a 152.5 per game average and her high game was 210. She had a high series of 384 with a 304.9 series average. Senior Ashley Loehr bowled on the varsity for six games last year.

“We have a good team chemistry. We’ve seen improvements by everyone

turnovers and have good transition on offense and defense.

Working the ball inside to the post players to let them work is a plan, Vander Velden said, which should create some open shot for the team’s shooters.

Vander Velden said the Little Hawkeye Conference will once again be a tough conference as they are led by some of the great head coaches in the area and have great assistant coaches as well.

Grinnell, which finished ranked No. 3 in 4A, posted a perfect run through the LHC,

13-0, and was the only conference team to reach the 2019 state tournament. The Tigers finished second in the 2018 4A state tournament.

“Many teams bring back players who were young last season and now they have experience under their belts.

Grinnell, DCG, Indianola, Pella have players that can do it all. Norwalk and Pella Christian will be young but they will tough. Oskaloosa will be much improved. We can’t take any teams lightly and we have to be prepared for every game with

through the first week of practice,” Miller said. “My goal is to do better with higher scores than I did last year.”

Price said the girls were showing improvements but the bowling teams help each other in practices.

She said anyone struggling with something will ask one of the more experienced bowlers for help.

“One of the boys came up to me and asked how he could pick up a certain spare. I helped him out,” Price said. “I want to bowl 200 every game for a 400 series each meet. I want to have a chance to go to state.”

Keith was right behind Vander Schel last year for the boys’ team. He had a 172.8 game average with a 259 high game.

Keith also had a 345.5 series average and bowled a 426 high series. Ingle bowled a 160.2 game average with a high game of 234 and had a high series of 384 with a 320.4 series average.

“For me, I want to bowl well all season but I really want to go to state. This is my last year and I want to have a strong season,” Keith said.

“As a team, I see us going far as we’ve seen improvements across the board during the first week.”

Hughes said they are working hard to find the best bowler to step up to the varsity. She said all positions are open as the

Newton High School Girls’, Boys’ Bowling 2019-20 Schedule Dec. 2 — Marshalltown, 3:45 p.m.

Dec. 7 — Newton Cardinal Invitational, 9 a.m.

Dec. 14 — Knoxville, 9 a.m.

Dec. 16 — Des Moines North, 3:45 p.m.

Dec. 21 — Sigourney, 9 a.m.

Jan. 4 — Bondurant-Farrar, TBD Jan. 11 — Oskaloosa, 9 a.m.

Jan. 16 — Centerville, Clarke, 4 p.m.

Jan. 18 — Pella, 1 p.m.

Jan. 25 — Norwalk, 9 a.m.

Feb. 1 — Pella Christian, 1 p.m.

Feb. 15 — Twin Rivers Bowling Conference meet, Norwalk, 10 a.m.

Home meets in bold

Cardinals bowl for top spots.

Other boys on the 2019-20 season are senior Alex Wolfe, juniors Jarrod Hodge and Ben Zeien, sophomores Alex Allspach and Dallas King. Freshmen on the team are Tyler Padgett, Ryan Hammen and Logan Bown.

On the girls’ roster for the season are seniors Emily Goshorn, Jillian Waits, Gabby Pickerell and Deborah Durant and juniors Sydni Followill, Sara Sopher, Abby Hobbs, Shya Hartman and Danny Lewis. Sophomore Haylee Danley-Metz and freshman Olivia Pickerell fill out the team.

The Cardinal bowling teams get rolling on Dec. 3 at Marshalltown. They host the Cardinal Invitational at Cardinal Lanes on Dec. 7.

Contact Jocelyn Sheets at 641-792-3121 ext. 6535 or jsheets@newtondailynews.com

Junior Abby Price leads the Newton girls’ bowling team in the 2019-20 season.

the thought of taking no plays off and competing for all 32 minutes,” Vander Velden said.

He said Newton’s non-conference schedule has games that are very winnable. Vander Velden said it is nice the Cardinals are able to open the season with three non-conference opponents at home before they start the tough conference schedule.

“The players are also excited to be returning to Wells Fargo Arena on Jan. 4 with a rematch against Knoxville,” Vander Velden said “The girls

Jocelyn Sheets/Daily News

have to work hard in practice by competing and bringing the enthusiasm, communication and hustle for every drill. Each player needs to push each other to help us improve as a TEAM.” Newton opened its season Nov. 23 at home in a six-team tournament playing Grand View Christian. The Cardinals hosted Perry on Nov. 26 and will play Chariton at home on Dec. 3.

Contact Jocelyn Sheets at 641-792-3121 ext. 6535 or jsheets@newtondailynews.com

6 Winter Sports Preview 2019-2020

Carter takes reins of Cardinal boys’ basketball in 2019-20

By Jocelyn Sheets Newton Daily News During a very tough 2018-19 basketball season for Newton High’s Cardinal boys, two freshmen finished as the team’s top and third-highest scorers. The Cardinals had only one senior with any varsity experience on that squad under a new head coach.

For the 2019-20 season, the Cardinals have another new head coach but Jason Carter is familiar with the NHS boys’ program. After guiding the Newton High’s girls to a 3-18 season a year ago in his first season with that program, Carter has moved back to the boys’ basketball program.

“Going into the Carter season, I’m excited to continue to work with the boys again,” said Carter, who was an assistant varsity coach for the Cardinal boys from 2015-2018. “We have pretty much everyone back that played from last season. Only two players have played meaningful minutes in a varsity win, so we need to teach the rest of the group what it takes to win at the varsity level.”

Newton went 0-20 last year, which was the second such season in Cardinal boys’ basketball history.

They had an 0-20 season in 1999, a 1-18 season in 1997 and an 0-6 campaign in 1918.

“Things have been going really well and we’ve been practicing hard,” senior Kaleb Dydell said. “It’s good to have someone familiar back, It’s nice getting back into the groove of things.”

The Cardinals were 0-13 in the Little Hawkeye Conference, which had three Class 3A ranked teams including the two teams playing for the 2019 Class 3A state championship. Oskaloosa, which was second at the 2018 state tournament, beat Norwalk 48-44

for the 3A championship.

Norwalk was the LHC champion at 12-2 followed by Oskaloosa at 9-3, Pella at 10-4 and Indianola at 9-4. Pella Christian was fifth at 5-8 followed

by Grinnell at 4-9 and Dallas Center-Grimes in seventh at 4-10. Newton was eighth.

Carter is no stranger to the Little Hawkeye Conference. He grew up and graduated from Oskaloosa High School. He played football, basketball and competed in track for the Indians.

His first coaching experience came as a volunteer assistant varsity boys’ basketball coach at his former high school.

After graduating with an education degree from Iowa State University in 2006, Carter taught a year at Gilbert, Ariz., then moved back to his hometown.

Carter became a long-term substitute in the Oskaloosa district and was on the Indian boys’ basketball coaching staff. His first head coaching experience came a year later at Knoxville as the seventh-grade girls’ basketball coach.

Carter was on the NHS boys’ coaching staff when the Cardinals played in the 2017 Class 4A state tournament.

They lost to eventual state champion Iowa City West in the first round.

Sophomore Adam Mattes, senior Kyle Long and sophomore Noah Allen were Newton’s top three scorers a year ago. Mattes and Long earned LHC honorable mention honors last year.

The other starter back for the Cardinals is 6-foot-6 senior post player Quintrail Coley.

Mattes, who is 6-foot-3, was the only player to average in double figures last year, 10.5 points per game.

He finished with 209 points, shooting 47 percent from the field. He was 14of-46 from 3-point range and went 29of-44 from the free-throw line for 66 percent.

The 6-foot Long fired in 194 points for a 9.7 per game average, shooting

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Jocelyn Sheets/Daily News Newton High senior Kaleb Dydell (24) puts up a shot in a game last year. Dydell and the Cardinals have a new coach for the 2019-20 season.

32 percent from the field. He led the Cardinals with 41 3-pointers in 131 attempts. Long shot 65 percent, 15-of23, from the line.

Allen, who is 5-10, averaged 9.2 points a game, finishing with 184 points. He connected on 28-of-91 from 3-point range and was 12-of-23 from the line.

Allen dished out 54 assists and made 10 steals while long had 29 assists and 13 steals. Mattes pulled down 62 rebounds, which was third on the team, handed out 32 assists and made 16 steals.

Coley was Newton’s leading rebounder from last year with 98 — 69 came off the defensive glass — and he had seven blocked shots. Matted led the team with eight blocks. Coley average 5.1 points per game, finishing with 91 points, shooting 49 percent Newton High School 2019-20 Boys’ Varsity Basketball Schedule Dec. 3 — Chariton, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 6 — Dallas Center-Grimes, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 12 — Marshalltown, 7;30 p.m.

Dec. 13 — Grinnell, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 20 — Oskaloosa, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 4 — Knoxville, Wells Fargo Arena, 3:30 p.m.

Jan. 7 — Pella, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 10 — Norwalk, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 14 — Pella Christian, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 16 — Nevada, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 17 — Indianola, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 21 — Boone, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 24 — Dallas Center-Grimes, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 28 — Grinnell, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 31 — Oskaloosa, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 4 — Pella, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 7 — Norwalk, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 11 — Pella Christian, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 14 — Indianola, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 18 — Winterset, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 20 — Adel-DeSoto-Minburn, 7:30 p.m.

Home games in bold

from the field. Coley was 27-of-43 at the line.

“Kyle and Quintrail are the ones with meaningful minutes in a varsity win,” Carter said. “I think we have a group that is hungry to win, and will be willing to do what it takes to get this program back to winning.”

Others back with varsity experience are Dydell, who is 6-foot-2, 5-foot-10 senior Cody Satterfield, and sophomores Zay Arguello (6-2), Caleb Lawson (5-8) and Kael Swarts (6-3). Junior Parker Aalbers played on the junior varsity last year.

“We definitely have some shooters on the team which will be a strength.

We will need to really stress details on the defensive end of the floor to be competitive as well as toughness and rebounding,” Carter said.

Carter said seniors Logan Failor, Constance Grigsby and freshman Jake Ingle are in the varsity mix as well.

Newton averaged 50 points a game offensively a year ago but allowed 71.5 points per game. The Cardinals committed 265 turnovers and averaged just 25 rebounds a game.

“We’re excited about the season. I’m working hard to do whatever my team needs me to do,” Dydell said. “Coach Carter is bringing some of the things back we had in the system a few years ago along with his own ideas.”

Dydell said the Cardinal players are looking to execute better offensively and defensively as a team. He said Mattes and Allen logging a lot of varsity playing time as freshmen should have them ready for this season.

BOYS | 16

Winter Sports Preview 2019-2020 7

State quartet back to lead PCM wrestling

By Troy Hyde Newton Daily News The best era in Prairie City-Monroe wrestling history ended last season when the Mustangs won a district title, qualified for state in duals and sent eight wrestlers to the traditional state tournament.

But the Mustangs who are back in the mix this season are bound and determined to make sure PCM stays competitive on the mat this winter.

“I think the kids that have been around and in the program do have a chip on their shoulder,” said PCM coach PCM 2019-20 Varsity Wrestling Schedule Dec. 3 — Ogden (Greene County, Van Meter), 5:30 p.m.

Dec. 7 — DCG tournament, 10 a.m.

Dec. 10 — Pleasantville (Bondurant-Farrar/Sigourney-Keota), 5:30 p.m.

Dec. 12 — North Polk (Nevada/Carlisle), 6 p.m.

Dec. 14 — Centennial duals 10 a.m.

Dec. 19 — Roland-Story (Gilbert/Colfax-Mingo), 6 p.m.

Dec. 21 — SE Polk Tournament, 10 a.m.

Jan. 7 — Newton, 6:30 p.m.

Jan. 9 — Saydel (Woodward-Granger), 6:30 p.m.

Jan. 11 — PCM tournament, 9:15 a.m.

Jan. 16 — South Hamilton (Greene County), 6 p.m.

Jan. 18 — Centerville tournament, TBD Jan. 24 — South Hamilton (HOIC), 5 p.m.

Jan. 25 — Urbandale tournament, TBD Jan. 30 — ADM, Adel (Van Meter), 6 p.m.

Feb. 8 — Sectionals, Noon Feb. 15 — Districts, Noon Home meets in bold

Jeff Nicholson, who begins his third season as head coach.

“They know teams are going to come after us and it will be a big deal to them if we lose.

“Our veterans know they will need to win almost every time they step on the mat to give our team a chance to win a dual.”

The three all-time winningest wrestlers in PCM history in Jarron Trausch, Lucas Roland and Wes Cummings all graduated last year. A few years before that, the wrestler with the fourth most wins in school history, Xavier Miller, departed the program.

But back are seniors Payton Drake and Jace Smith and juniors Colby Tool and Landon Fenton, who all qualified for the state tournament last season.

“The kids have a great attitude so far,” Nicholson said.

“They are working like we expect them to work. I don’t see any drop off from the intensity. It’s just a different group and a younger group.

“We have to get the younger kids up to speed. There is work for us coaches to do.

They are coachable though.”

Tool finished sixth a year ago at 145 pounds and was fourth at 138 as a freshman.

He enters the season with a career record of 81-14.

Last season, Tool lost in the state semifinals in Sudden

Troy Hyde/Daily News Prairie City-Monroe senior Payton Drake, top, is one of four returning state qualifiers for the Mustang wrestling team this season. Drake earned his first state medal at last year’s state tournament.

Victory and never recovered.

Nicholson said Tool won’t be satisfied unless he ends the season on top of the podium.

Tool (43-4 last year) will start the season on the shelf after suffering a leg injury in the final football game of the season. He is expected to compete for the first time in early January.

“If anyone can come back from an injury and not see much drop off, it’s Colby,” Nicholson said. “He’s hard

headed and motivated and just does what he needs to do.

I am sure he will be stronger, too, because he is lifting every day before he comes into the wrestling room.

“I don’t think his postseason will be affected. He’ll have plenty of time to get into shape.”

Drake (35-10 last year) earned a medal in his first state tournament last season when he finished seventh at 120 pounds.

Drake enters the season with a career record of 11423. The 114 wins ranks 10th all-time at PCM. “Payton knows this is his last year. Over the time that I have been here, the seniors have always had a little more motivation,” Nicholson said.

“He can beat anyone on any given day, and we look forward to him having a good finish to his career.”

PCM WRESTLING | 13

PCM girls look to be competitive in rigid HOIC

By Troy Hyde Newton Daily News Regan Freland set Prairie City-Monroe’s single-game scoring record with a 35-point effort against Saydel as a sophomore. That season, Freland’s 420 total points set a new season scoring record at the school.

Back for one final season, the threetime all-state point guard is only 48 points shy of the school’s career scoring record and Freland hopes to bring the Mustangs back to a winning record in 2019-20.

“It’s been awesome. The girls around me the past three years have helped a lot,” Freland said. “I have had a good PCM 2019-20 Varsity Girls Basketball Schedule Nov. 23 — Chariton at Newton tournament, 11 a.m.

Nov. 26 — Knoxville, 8 p.m.

Dec. 6 — Saydel, 6 p.m.

Dec. 9 — Pella Christian, 6 p.m.

Dec. 10 — North Polk, 6 p.m.

Dec. 12 — Gilbert, 6 p.m.

Dec. 17 — Greene County, 6 p.m.

Dec. 20 — Nevada, 6 p.m.

Jan. 3 — Roland-Story, 6 p.m.

Jan. 10 — South Hamilton, 6 p.m.

Jan. 14 — Fairfield, 6 p.m.

Jan. 17 — North Polk, 6 p.m.

Jan. 18 — Pella, 1 p.m.

Jan. 21 — Saydel, 6 p.m.

Jan. 23 — Carlisle, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 28 — Greene County, 6 p.m.

Jan. 30 — Montezuma, 6 p.m.

Jan. 31 — Nevada, 6 p.m.

Feb. 4 — Roland-Story, 6 p.m.

Feb. 7 — South Hamilton, 6 p.m.

Feb. 11 — Gilbert, 6 p.m.

Home games in bold

set of teammates every year. They are fun to play with and they make what I have done easy to do.”

Freland is one of three starters back from last year’s 9-12 team. Head coach Jeff Lindsay likes what he has seen in the early-season practices. The Mustangs are working hard and preparing to compete in an always-tough Heart of Iowa Conference.

PCM went 6-7 in the conference last season. The Mustangs graduated three seniors from that team, including two starters and their third and fourth leading scorers.

“We should stack up well in the HOIC,” said Lindsay, who begins his fifth season. “Gilbert, North Polk and Roland-Story should be the favorites at the top, but we are capable of finishing in the top half of the league.”

Freland led the Mustangs in scoring, rebounding, assists, steals and blocks last year.

She averaged 15.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 3.1 steals per game and blocked 18 shots. She also made 48 3-pointers and shot 34 percent from long range.

“She’s going about her business,” Lindsay said. “She’s a good floor leader. She’s communicating well and isn’t playing like she has to be the only option.”

Freland comes into the season with 1,083 career points, 245 career rebounds, 219 career assists and 213 career steals. She is chasing the career scoring mark of 1,300 points, which was set by Lindsey (Vande Wall) Cun-

Troy Hyde/Daily News Prairie City-Monroe senior Regan Freland, right, guards Montezuma’s Shateah Wetering at the L-S Jamboree back on Nov. 18. Freland returns after leading the Mustangs in scoring the past three seasons.

ningham from 2006-09.

“I am not thinking about the record,” Freland said. “I will take it game by game and try to do what I need to do to help the team.”

Freland and juniors Lilli Baird and Emma George are back as returning starters. That trio along with senior Kate McCarthy played in all 21 games

last season.

Baird was second on the team in scoring at 7.7 points per game. She averaged three boards per contest and connected on 34 3-pointers. She was fourth on the team in assists with 26 and fifth in steals with 21.

PCM GIRLS | 8

8 Winter Sports Preview 2019-2020

Balanced Mustangs preaching defense in new season

By Troy Hyde Newton Daily News Prairie City-Monroe boys’ basketball coach Fred Lorensen told a story to his 2019-20 team recently.

His Mustang team in 2011-12 finished 22-3 and reached the state tournament.

Most of that roster was lost to graduation but PCM went 21-2 the following season.

How? “We had the best defensive average Brown PCM has ever had that year at 43.8 points per game,” said Lorensen, who starts his 39th season in the district. “That is what we try to get guys to do every year. That’s part of the mantra.”

That 2012-13 roster that went 21-2 had four players average from 10 to 11 points per game. Lorensen said balance might be where the Mustangs are headed this year after the top three scorers from last year’s 13-8 squad were lost to graduation.

Seniors Derek Brown and Jason Stafford are back from last year’s starting lineup.

They’ll get some help from a talented group of juniors and sophomore Durant Van Dyke.

“I think we will be really balanced.

It would be nice if a couple guys took the bull by the horns and could be big time scorers for us. I think we have several guys who can help us out.”

Lorensen begins the season with 587 career wins. He’s 477-158 at PCM, taken 10 teams to the state tournament and has one state title.

PCM 2019-20 Varsity Boys Basketball Schedule Dec. 3 — Knoxville, 7:45 p.m.

Dec. 6 — Saydel, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 9 — Pella Christian, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 10 — North Polk, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 12 — Gilbert, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 17 — Greene County, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 20 — Nevada, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 3 — Roland-Story, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 6 — Earlham, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 10 — South Hamilton, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 14 — Fairfield, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 17 — North Polk, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 18 — Pella, 2:30 p.m.

Jan. 21 — Saydel, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 28 — Greene County, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 30 — Montezuma, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 31 — Nevada, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 4 — Roland-Story, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 7 — South Hamilton, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 11 — Gilbert, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 13 — South Hardin, 7:30 p.m.

Home games in bold

PCM Girls Continued from Page 7 Baird enters the season two years removed from her latest ACL injury.

Lindsay said she is moving better and looks more confident.

“She played volleyball in the fall, which I think helped her confidence with the knee,” Lindsay said. “I am looking forward to her having a healthy season.”

George’s 3.0 points per game last season ranked fifth on the team and her 3.9 rebounds per contest ranked second. She also was third on the team in both assists (31) and steals (29).

McCarthy is expected to move into a starting role in the post this season after averaging nearly two points and

Brown and Stafford headline this year’s squad.

Brown averaged 7.2 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game last season while hitting 14 3-pointers.

“I spent most of my time this offseason getting my shot better because I knew I was going to be counted on to score more,” Brown said. “As a team, we need to find some team chemistry because most of us haven’t played together a lot.”

Stafford scored 6.5 points per game, grabbed 3.4 rebounds per contest and led the team with 4.14 assists per tilt.

Stafford made 21 treys and hit 76 percent of his free throws.

“I think we will be all around the board this year when it comes to scoring,” Stafford said. “It will be balanced and we need to be consistent. I want to have fun though. It’s high school basketball, you have to go out having fun.”

The five juniors who will get extensive playing time this season are Gatlin Boell, Grant Landgrebe, Andrew Mitchell, Sage Burns and Brayden Berger. Van Dyke also is expected to see plenty of court time.

Boell averaged 2.7 points and 1.9 rebounds off the bench last year.

Landgrebe averaged 1.6 points and 1.0 rebound per game and Mitchell scored just more than one point per game in his limited role.

The rest of the varsity includes seniors Cooper VandeLune, Kolten Johnson and Robbie Ferneding and foreign exchange student Arif Najafov.

“We will try to play really, really hard and get as good offensively as we can be,” Lorensen said. “Hopefully we can be good defensively, too.”

A change in philosophy from previous seasons this year is Lorensen plans to go to position-less players. He feels like he can insert anyone on the bench into any position on the floor. There will be no boundaries on positions to start the season.

Lorensen said all they have to do is identify the point guard, rim runner and inbounder.

“We think we have the team can do it. That way if someone gets hurt or gets into foul trouble, you don’t have to put in your next best two man, you just put in the next best player,” Lorensen said. “We are not that big. But we have guys who can guard anybody on the floor. So we should be able to make that work.”

Lorensen said nothing has changed as far as expectations within the Heart of Iowa Conference.

The Mustangs finished third at 10-3 last year, trailing Class 2A state qual3.1 rebounds per game as a junior.

Senior Alexis Kuecker played in 20 games last season, while senior Sierra Foster and junior Celeste Wagaman each appeared in 19 games.

Junior Riley L. Baird Hjortshoj played in nine games a year ago.

“We need more consistent scoring from more players,” Lindsay said. “I am hoping to have other girls step up to take some of the pressure off Regan.”

Wagaman averaged 2.9 points and 1.7 rebounds per game, while Foster scored 2.1 points and grabbed 2.2 rebounds per contest. Kuecker scored

Troy Hyde/Daily News Prairie City-Monroe senior Jason Stafford, left, is one of two returning starters for the Mustang boys’ basketball team this season. Stafford and fellow senior Derek Brown are due for larger roles on this year’s team.

ifier South Hamilton and 3A Gilbert.

“We still play to win the league,” Lorensen said. “That is always our goal and expectation.”

Lorensen said anyone who doesn’t pick two-time defending conference champion South Hamilton to win the league is not very smart. He also expects Gilbert to be very good but thinks every team in the conference will be better than they were last year.

“There are several good teams in our league,” Lorensen said. “If we play hard, work hard defensively and get better on the offensive end, we have guys who can do stuff.”

PCM’s tough non-conference slate includes 1A Montezuma and Earlham, 2A Pella Christian and 3A Pella, Fairfield and Knoxville. Montezuma could start the season as the top ranked team in 1A. “The only difference this year is our

margin of error is smaller,” Lorensen said. “Turnovers will be bigger, bad shots will be bigger and defensive lapses will be bigger. We have to take care of the little things, but there’s no reason why we can’t do that.”

PCM opens the season against Knoxville at 7:45 p.m. on Dec. 3 in Knoxville.

The home opener is against Pella Christian at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 9 in Monroe.

“I feel like the last couple of seasons we’ve started off hot against some lower teams and got too high on ourselves,” Stafford said.

“We have to have the mentality that anyone can beat us and we can beat anyone on any given night.”

1.4 points per game. Lindsay expects a bigger role from all four players, including Hjortshoj.

The Mustang roster features 19 players. Nine of those are freshmen, and sophomores Emily Foster and Delaney Baird also are expected to start the season on the varsity team.

“As a team, we need to rebound better and we need to take care of the ball,” Lindsay said. “We are putting more emphasis on rebounding in practice and we are trying to be more physical in the right way.

“Understanding our angles and movements in the offense and finding better passing angles are other things we’re focusing on.”

The HOIC is once again expected to be strong at the top. North Polk brings back its top two scorers from a

team that went 23-3 last season, Roland-Story welcomes back six of its top seven scorers from a 19-6 squad and Gilbert returns its top five scorers after going 16-6 last season.

PCM opens the season at the Newton tournament against Chariton at 11 a.m. on Nov. 23.

The Mustangs play at Knoxville at 8 p.m. on Nov. 26. Their first home game is against Pella Christian at 6 p.m. on Dec. 9 in Monroe.

“We have made a lot of improvements from last year,” Freland said.

“We just need to keep making strides and getting better. I am excited for the new season.”

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

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

Winter Sports Preview 2019-2020 9

Baxter girls seeking another jump in wins

By Troy Hyde Newton Daily News Baxter girls’ basketball coach Eric Padget joked that winning a game 1-0 someday would be pretty cool. But he also knows his Bolts team will have to be better offensively in 2019-20 to continue to climb closer to .500.

Baxter won five games in its first season as the Bolts and improved to 8-12 last season.

To take the next Bruntz step, the Bolts will have to score more than 42 points per game and shoot better than 32 percent from the field.

“We are trying to focus on winning every possession,” said Padget, who begins his fourth season since returning to the bench.

“We are stressing in the early part of the season about empty possessions.

We can’t come down the floor and not get a shot up.”

Baxter didn’t get enough shots up because it also turned the ball over 24 times per game. The defense was good enough to win more than eight games though. And that should continue with most of its roster back from last year.

This year’s team is headlined by seniors Caitlyn Bruntz, Holly Jessen and Baxter 2019-20 Varsity Girls Basketball Schedule Nov. 26 — BCLUW, 7:15 p.m.

Dec. 3 — GMG, 6 p.m.

Dec. 6 — North Tama, 6:30 p.m.

Dec. 7 — Clarksville, 4:30 p.m.

Dec. 10 — Meskwaki Settlement School, 6 p.m.

Dec. 12 — Madrid, 6 p.m.

Dec. 13 — Valley Lutheran, 6:30 p.m.

Dec. 20 — Waterloo Christian, 6:30 p.m.

Jan. 6 — Mormon Trail, 6 p.m.

Jan. 9 — Grand View Christian, 7:15 p.m.

Jan. 10 — Collins-Maxwell, 6 p.m.

Jan. 13 — Saydel, 6:30 p.m.

Jan. 14 — Colo-NESCO, 6:30 p.m.

Jan. 17 — GMG, 6:30 p.m.

Jan. 21 — North Tama, 6 p.m.

Jan. 24 — Meskwaki Settlement School, 6:30 p.m.

Jan. 28 — Valley Lutheran, 6 p.m.

Jan. 31 — Don Bosco, 6 p.m.

Feb. 4 — Collins-Maxwell, 6:30 p.m.

Feb. 7 — Colo-NESCO, 6 p.m.

Feb. 10 — Colfax-Mingo, 6:30 p.m.

Home games in bold

Sadie Meyer and juniors Sophie Meyer and McKenzie Eslinger.

The Bolts lost three seniors to graduation, including last year’s leading scorer and rebounder Kaylin Van Ryswyk. But Eslinger was second on the team in both categories and Jessen, Sophie Meyer, Bruntz and Sadie Meyer were all next in line in points per game.

“Offensively, we lose our leading scorer from last year, but I think we’ll be better from outside to make up for it,” Padget said. “It’s nice to have multiple shooters that teams have to pay attention to. I think we have that.

Hopefully that opens things up for (Eslinger) inside, too.”

Bruntz had another strong offseason where she took more than 1,000 shots. Padget said the hard work has shown on the practice floor during the early stages of the season.

Last year, Bruntz was hesitant to shoot when she was open. Padget doesn’t think that will be an issue this season, and that should also open things up on the wings for Jessen and Sophie Meyer, who combined to make 34 3-pointers last year.

“I plan to shoot the ball when I am open. I didn’t take enough open shots last year,” Bruntz said. “That won’t happen this season. My confidence is better.

“The shooting machine has helped.

I played a lot of one on one and was able to get up a lot of contested shots, too.”

Eslinger and Van Ryswyk created a strong 1-2 punch inside last year for the Bolts. Eslinger is back after averaging 7.6 points and 5.3 rebounds per game.

Sadie Meyer likely joins Eslinger in the post as the other starter this season. She averaged three points and 2.6 rebounds per game.

“Kenzie will score a lot and rebound for us,” Padget said. “Sadie Meyer is our floor leader. She’s another coach on the floor.”

Padget said the rest of the post players are juniors Lexi Samson, Brooke Bacon and Merrin Ziesman. Bacon and Ziesman will be used on the outside, too.

The rest of the backcourt will be Jessen, Sophie Meyer, Bruntz, junior

Troy Hyde/Daily News Baxter senior Holly Jessen is back for a final season for the Bolts’ girls basketball team. The Bolts were 8-12 last year and bring back five players who saw action in all 20 games.

Maddie Pierce and sophomore Lilie Vansice.

“I think it will be a good restart.

We’ll do some new things, run a new offense and hopefully we can capitalize on that,” Bruntz said. “I’m going to try to have a bigger role in the offense.”

Jessen was the Bolts’ third leading scorer last year at 6.2 points per game.

She also grabbed 3.6 rebounds and swiped 2.1 steals per game. Her 19 made 3-pointers led the team.

Sophie Meyer buried 15 shots from long range and averaged 4.9 points, 2.8 rebounds and a team-high 2.8 assists per game.

Bruntz scored 3.2 points per game, dished out two assists per contest and had a team-high 2.65 steals per tilt.

“Caitlyn is great on defense and loves to push the ball. I think we’ll be able to do that more this year,” Padget said. “We’ll have to depend on more outside shooters this year.”

Vansice appeared in 18 of the team’s 20 games last year and averaged 2.2 points and 1.7 rebounds per game.

Padget said Vansice played a lot of basketball at Kingdom Hoops this offseason and her ability to create off the dribble will help the team.

The Bolts were pretty solid on the defensive end. They gave up 47 points per game, grabbed 32 boards per contest and collected more than 11 steals per game.

Overall, Padget felt like his team was close. The Bolts’ point differential was only -4.8 points per game.

“It felt like we would have one bad quarter every game that we lost. It comes down to confidence,” Padget said. “The girls aren’t used to winning.

It’s a learned habit. And it’s not an easy habit to break, but we are working at it.”

Baxter’s best quarter last season was the fourth as it averaged 11.3 points in that frame. But the first quarter was their worst, scoring less than 10 points per game.

There’s no magic formula for faster starts, according to Padget. It once again comes down to confidence.

“We tried to mix things up last year to play loose out of the gate,” Padget said. “I don’t have a magic formula for that yet. We just have to be more confident. It’s a mindset shift.”

Baxter finished 3-6 in the South Division of the Iowa Star Conference last season.

Padget expects Colo-NESCO to again be the favorite and Collins-Maxwell should be good again. After that, he feels like it’s wide open.

BAXTER GIRLS | 10

Baxter wrestling turns program over to Amadeo

By Troy Hyde Newton Daily News

Troy Hyde/Daily News Baxter sophomore Grant Borts, top, hopes to continue to grow the Bolts’ wrestling program. He is back after winning three matches last season.

New Baxter wrestling coach Joe Amadeo is using the preseason practices to set the tone, set the standard and set the pace to what he wants his Bolts’ team to be about.

Amadeo will get seven wrestlers in his first year but numbers in the middle school and youth programs are much larger.

“It’s been good so far,” Amadeo said. “We have some real tough kids in the room.”

Amadeo is in his first season as a head coach in any sport. He graduated from Iowa State last year and wrestled for Dowling Catholic in his high school days. He teaches social studies

at the high school level.

The Bolts’ seven wrestlers include juniors Micah Kearns and Brad Matthews, sophomores Nick Nelson and Grant Borts and freshmen Curtis Gliem, Cole Smith and Kearns Jackson Bottorff.

Kearns had a teamhigh eight wins last year as he split time at 220 and 285. He will be at one of those two weights again this season.

Matthews recorded five wins at 160 last year. He is expected to bump up to 170 or 182 this season.

BAXTER WRESTLING | 10

10 Winter Sports Preview 2019-2020

Baxter boys seek climb to top of conference standings

By Troy Hyde Newton Daily News

Troy Hyde/Daily News Baxter senior Cole Damman is back for the Bolts this season after ranking second on last year’s team in scoring. Damman will have an even bigger role this year.

Baxter Girls Continued from Page 9 Colo-NESCO lost its top scorer from last year’s 19-4

The Iowa Star Conference South Division lost several of its top scorers from last season. So much so that Baxter boys’ basketball coach Zach Hasselbrink has no idea who the favorite in the league is this year.

The Bolts, with the return of two senior starters, should be in the mix.

But there is a lot of unknowns around the league heading into a new season.

“We are young outside of our top three guys,” Hasselbrink said about the Bolts.

“We’ll try to develop the young guys and get better every day. But playing for a conference championship is always the goal.”

Hasselbrink, who begins his fourth season, welcomes back seniors Cole Damman and Carter Nelsen at the top of the lineup.

Damman is the top returner after averaging 12.4 points, 3.8 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game last season.

He also made 47 3-pointers, which ranked third in the league, and collected a team-high 25 steals.

Damman is the No. 1 option for a Bolts’ team which averaged 54 points per game last year. His numbers should climb across the board after the graduation of Will Clapper, last year’s leading scorer.

“He’s the leader of the team. He’s improved every year, and he’s our hardest work in practice,” Hasselbrink said.

“He’s a special talent, does things the right way and is the best leader I have ever coached.”

Damman has set high goals for his senior season. He wants to be the MVP of the South Division, earn first-team all-conference honors and reach 1,000 career points. Damman enters his final campaign with 697 career points.

Another goal for Damman and Nelsen is to claim the Bolts’ first conference championship.

“The big overlying goal for us is to get better every day but something that we always compete for is the Iowa Star South Division championship,” Damman said. “We have played well in conference the past two years but always seem to be a game or two short so hanging the first basketball

team but every other significant varsity player is back.

Collins-Maxwell (15-6) and Meskwaki Settlement School (12-9) both bring back their top two scorers from last year.

Baxter 2019-20 Varsity Boys Basketball Schedule Dec. 3 — GMG, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 6 — North Tama, 7:45 p.m.

Dec. 7 — Clarksville, 5:30 p.m.

Dec. 10 — Meskwaki Settlement, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 12 — Madrid, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 13 — Valley Lutheran, 7:45 p.m.

Dec. 20 — Waterloo Christian, 7:45 p.m.

Jan. 6 — Mormon Trail, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 10 — Collins-Maxwell, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 13 — Saydel, 7:45 p.m.

Jan. 14 — Colo-NESCO, 7:45 p.m.

Jan. 17 — GMG, 7:45 p.m.

Jan. 21 — North Tama, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 24 — Meskwaki Settlement, 7:45 p.m.

Jan. 25 — Montezuma, 7:15 p.m.

Jan. 28 — Valley Lutheran, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 31 — Don Bosco, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 4 — Collins-Maxwell, 7:45 p.m.

Feb. 7 — Colo-NESCO, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 10 — Colfax-Mingo, 7:45 p.m.

Feb. 14 — Lynnville-Sully, 7:15 p.m.

Home games in bold

Nelsen

banner is definitely a huge goal for me and the senior class.”

Nelsen is now the top option inside after Clapper’s departure.

Nelsen averaged nearly 10 points and nearly eight rebounds per game last season. He also led the team with 23 blocks and added

23 steals.

He’ll get touches offensively, but Hasselbrink needs Nelsen to be dominant on the boards.

“He really came on as a junior,” Hasselbrink said. “I think he will continue to rise for us. He isn’t Will and he doesn’t need to play like Will. He just needs to play his game and rebounding is the biggest thing we need from him.”

Hasselbrink said his varsity roster has not been finalized. Junior Kael Johnston and sophomore Rory Heer are expected to be starters.

Junior Andrew Klemme and freshmen Cody Damman, Jake Travis, Trice Clapper, Cael Shepley, Carson Scroggins and Trey Wesselink are all battling for varsity spots and roles, according to Hasselbrink.

Johnston averaged nearly four points per game off the bench last season. He played in all 21 games and averaged 1.2 rebounds and just more BAXTER BOYS | 13

“I think we can get above .500. But we have to score more points,” Bruntz said.

“Our top scorer wasn’t at 10 points a game last year. We have more options this sea-

Baxter Wrestling Continued from Page 9

Borts tallied six wins at 145 last season but could drop down to 138 this year. Nelson had three wins at 138 but could be bumped up to 145 this season.

Gliem is the projected starter at 106 and Smith should take the varsity spot at 113 or 120. Bottorff could be slotted anywhere from 195 to 285.

“We are trying to Amadeo set a tone with the early practices,” Amadeo said. “The kids have good work ethic. We just want to be in position to compete this season. The guys have set short-term and longterm goals and they’ve set them high.”

The 24-year-old Amadeo said most of the wrestlers in the room have only one, two or three years total of wrestling experience. He wants to get the kids quality wins at some point this season.

Another level of excitement for Amadeo comes with having larger numbers in middle school and in the youth programs. He also has one girl wrestling at the middle school level, which Amadeo is excited about.

“We have about 10-12 wrestlers at the middle school level and 20 or 30 wrestlers in the youth programs,” Amadeo said. “That is where another part of my focus is. We need to build this program from the lower levels.”

Baxter opens the season at 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 5 in Montezuma. The only home event on the schedule, so far, is on Jan. 30 against Colfax-Mingo.

Contact Troy Hyde at 641-792-3121 ext. 6536 or thyde@newtondailynews.com Baxter 2019-20 Varsity Wrestling Schedule Dec. 5 — Montezuma, 5:30 p.m.

Dec. 7 — Woodward-Granger tournament, 10 a.m.

Dec. 12 — AGWSR, 6:15 p.m.

Dec. 17 — East Marshall, 6 p.m.

Jan. 4 — North Tama tournament, 10 a.m.

Jan. 9 — Belle Plaine, 6 p.m.

Jan. 11 — North Mahaska tournament, 10 a.m.

Jan. 14 — Colfax-Mingo, 6 p.m.

Jan. 16 — English Valleys, 6 p.m.

Jan. 21 — South Central Calhoun, 5:30 p.m.

Jan. 23 — Montezuma, 6 p.m.

Jan. 25 — North Tama tournament, 10 a.m.

Jan. 30 — Colfax-Mingo, 6 p.m.

Feb. 1 — ACGC tournament, 8 a.m.

Feb. 8 — Sectionals, Noon Feb. 15 — Districts, Noon Home meets in bold

son. Hopefully that will lead to more points.”

Baxter opens the new season against BCLUW at 7:15 p.m. on Nov. 26 in Conrad.

The Bolts’ first home game

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Winter Sports Preview 2019-2020 11

Key returners fuel C-M’s growing wrestling program

By Troy Hyde Newton Daily News Colfax-Mingo recently passed a bond that will give the school district a big upgrade for several of the athletic programs.

Included in the upgrade is a three-mat wrestling room.

And if the numbers in the Tigerhawk program continue to rise, the bigger practice room will be a welcomed addition to all involved.

This year’s Colfax-Mingo wrestling team features around 35 athletes, including a school-record 14 girls.

“There’s not a lot of room in there so I am glad the bond passed because the new facility is needed,” said Colfax-Mingo wrestling coach Erin Hume, who begins his fifth season. “The numbers have climbed every year since I started. We get about two or three more kids out every year.”

Colfax-Mingo had no state qualifiers in Hume’s first two seasons. The number grew to two in year three and the Tigerhawks sent four to the state tournament last season.

That was the most since Colfax-Mingo had five, including

Troy Hyde/Daily News Colfax-Mingo senior Trystin Ross, top, advanced to his first state wrestling tournament last season. He’s one of three returning state qualifiers in the Tigerhawk wrestling room this year.

Hume, in 2002.

And for the first time since Hume took over as head coach, he gets more than one returning state qualifier in the room.

“It’s great to have that leadership to draw on. We need them to bring their teammates along,” Hume said. “We are doing a lot of basic teaching early on. They want to go a little faster, but that’s what the rest of the season is for. We

have to get the inexperienced kids up to speed first.”

Seniors Trystin Ross and Cyden Fitch and junior Noah Strohmeyer are back after each went 0-2 in their first state meet.

“My Dad and I talk almost every night because it still haunts me that when I got there I just didn’t wrestle that well,” Ross said. “I went 0-2.

Nobody expected me to make it in the first place, but when

you get there, you want to win. We know what to expect now. Cyden and I want to win the whole thing.”

Ross and Fitch are both approaching the 100-win plateau. Fitch enters the season with 91 wins and Ross comes in at 90. Strohmeyer has won 49 matches in his first two seasons.

Of the 25 boys who are on the team, only about 10 have wrestled in high school be-

fore. The girls also doubled in size from the seven they had last year and most of the additions are first-time wrestlers.

“Success breads success. I knew having some success last year would help our girls’ program,” Hume said. “The returners from last year made it their mission to get more girls out. They recruited kids in the halls like crazy and talked to C-M WRESTLING | 13

C-M girls starting over with alum Warrick

By Troy Hyde Newton Daily News Blake Warrick coached junior high girls’ basketball for the past six seasons. Before that, he was the junior high boys coach.

Warrick turns his attention to high school this season as he takes over a struggling Colfax-Mingo girls’ basketball program which is on its fourth head coach in the past five seasons.

The 2006 Tigerhawk Warrick alum hopes to bring some stability to a program which hasn’t had a winning season since 2007-08. Colfax-Mingo was 3-17 last year and won seven, five and six games the previous three seasons.

“I am hoping that being from here Colfax-Mingo 2019-20 Varsity Girls Basketball Schedule Nov. 26 — East Marshall, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 3 — Lynnville-Sully, 6 p.m.

Dec. 6 — Montezuma, 6 p.m.

Dec. 10 — BGM, 6 p.m.

Dec. 13 — North Mahaska, 6 p.m.

Dec. 17 — HLV, 6 p.m.

Dec. 20 — English Valleys, 6 p.m.

Jan. 7 — Keota, 6 p.m.

Jan. 9 — Collins-Maxwell, 6 p.m.

Jan. 10 — Sigourney, 6 p.m.

Jan. 14 — Belle Plaine, 6 p.m.

Jan. 16 — Tri-County, 6 p.m.

Jan. 20 — West Central Valley, 6 p.m.

Jan. 21 — Iowa Valley, 6 p.m.

Jan. 24 — Lynnville-Sully, 6 p.m.

Jan. 28 — Montezuma, 6 p.m.

Jan. 31 — BGM, 6 p.m.

Feb. 4 — North Mahaska, 6 p.m.

Feb. 6 — Melcher-Dallas, 6 p.m.

Feb. 7 — HLV, 6 p.m.

Feb. 10 — Baxter, 6 p.m.

Home games in bold

will help,” Warrick said.

“I am from here, I went to school here and I want to be here. I care about the community and I care about the kids.”

It will be a true rebuild for Warrick as the top five scorers and top four rebounders from last year’s team are gone.

This year’s roster includes one senior in Abbey McConeghey and three juniors in Brennan Rhone, Daytin Chadwick and foreign exchange student Lilly Gregor.

The remaining 10 players are freshmen and sophomores.

“The mindset of the program has to change,” Warrick said. “They know they have been losing. That’s no secret. It’s time to buy in, work hard and think that winning is possible. We need more consistency and we need to go from a losing mindset to a winning mindset.”

Of the returners, only sophomore Avery Rague and Rhone played in all 20 games last year.

Rague averaged three points and two rebounds per game. Warrick said Rague is a hybrid type player who can play both inside and outside.

Rhone averaged 2.7 points and 1.5 rebounds per contest and had the second most assists with 24.

She’ll be part of the Tigerhawks’ backcourt this season.

“We are so young. We have a lot of freshmen playing,” Rhone said. “We need to get some team chemistry and we need to be more intense and know that our speed of the game needs to be improved.”

Rhone is the younger sister of former Tigerhawk Payton Rhone, who graduated last year and led C-M in scoring the past two seasons.

Troy Hyde/Daily News Colfax-Mingo junior Brennan Rhone, left, is back for the Tigerhawk girls’ basketball team this season. She’ll have a much bigger role after the program lost their top five leading scorers to graduation.

The younger Rhone spent a lot of time in the gym with her older sister this summer and her improvement was noticeable at the team’s jamboree earlier in the week.

“I am just trying to step up and help my team. Payton worked with me a lot in the gym this summer. We have taken a lot of shots together,” Brennan Rhone said. “We worked on ball han-

dling, shooting and we played a lot of one on one so that helped with my defense.”

Sophomores Kyra Lester and Melany Vry both played in 19 games last year and McConeghey appeared in 18 games. The trio scored a combined 41 points.

C-M GIRLS | 12

12 Winter Sports Preview 2019-2020

Strong returners raise expectations for C-M boys

By Troy Hyde Newton Daily News Colfax-Mingo’s boys’ basketball team brings back four starters from last year’s 4-17 squad. And in year two under head coach Mark Rague, the expectations for the Tigerhawks have been raised.

“We are more refined. Our skill has increased. Our speed has increased. Our strength has increased,” Rague said.

“That doesn’t necessarily mean we’ll win more games, but it does mean we should be able to compete in more games.”

“Everyone has expectations to improve on last year. It’s a matter of putting forth our best effort and executing.”

The Tigerhawks lost Zarek Hill to graduation. Hill was the team’s second leading scorer last year but C-M brings back top scorer Brady Berkey and returning starters David Rague, Jacob Nichols and Zach Steenhoek.

Berkey ranked second in the South Iowa Cedar League West Division with a 19.3 points per game average. He also averaged 6.8 rebounds, Colfax-Mingo 2019-20 Varsity Boys Basketball Schedule Dec. 3 — Lynnville-Sully, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 6 — Montezuma, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 10 — BGM, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 13 — North Mahaska, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 17 — HLV, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 20 — English Valleys, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 7 — Keota, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 9 — Collins-Maxwell, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 10 — Sigourney, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 14 — Belle Plaine, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 16 — Tri-County, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 20 — W. Central Valley, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 21 — Iowa Valley, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 24 — Lynnville-Sully, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 28 — Montezuma, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 31 — BGM, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 4 — North Mahaska, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 6 — Melcher-Dallas, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 7 — HLV, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 10 — Baxter, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 14 — Colo-NESCO, 6:30 p.m.

Home games in bold

C-M Girls

Continued from Page 11 McConeghey and Lester are backcourt players and Vry will play mostly in the post.

The rest of the roster includes sophomores McKayla Smith and Peyton Wright and freshmen Carley Underwood, Caylee Cunningham, Joslyn Chadwick, Abi Rawlins and Joslin Dawson.

Warrick expects Under-

4.0 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.0 blocks per game.

“You can tell he’s a senior who has one year left,” Coach Rague said of BerNichols key. “We are only on day three but every sprint we have done, he is winning them. He is pushing himself and wants to go out on a positive note.”

Berkey enters his final season with 729 career points, 212 career rebounds, 203 career assists and 111 career steals.

“We are looking a lot better than last year. I know that for sure,” Berkey said. “We should be able to get up and down the floor. We’ve been working on shooting a lot, too. I think we can stay in every game this year. That should be the goal.”

The Tigerhawks were 4-11 in the SICL last season. They averaged 51 points per game, made 37 percent of their shots and buried only 57 percent from the free-throw line.

C-M was outscored by an average of 15.5 points per game last year. Some of that was due to slow starts as the Tigerhawks averaged almost 11 points per game in the first quarter and nearly 16 points per game in the fourth.

“We are trying to increase their basketball IQ and increase the tool box,” Coach Rague said. “We want to expand what we’ve done the first year. The re-teaching is not as extensive in year two. We know the kids so much better and they know us.”

David Rague was the team’s third leading scorer last year at 5.3 points per game and he also averaged 3.1 rebounds per game. Nichols scored 3.9

points and grabbed a teamhigh 7.7 boards per contest.

Steenhoek scored 4.6 points per game and sophomore Cole Bracewell averaged 3.1 points per game.

Berkey, Rague, Nichols and Steenhoek played in all 21 games last year. Bracewell and junior A.J. Gibson both played in 16 games a year ago.

Gibson averaged 1.3 points per game.

Senior Wyatt Gull played in 12 games last season, averaging 1.5 points per game.

The roster is only 12 deep this season. Senior Anthony Hainey, junior Jason Rhinehart, sophomores Colton Lind and Sam Allen and freshman Carter Gibson round out the roster. Lind appeared in 11 varsity games last year.

“It’s not ideal, but we can find a silver lining with anything,” Coach Rague said about the low numbers. “The kids who are here, as long as they are working and battling, then they’ll get lots of opportunities.

“It gives us more opportunities for intimate teaching and more one-on-one coaching.”

Montezuma, which finished 22-3 last year and played in the state tournament, is the cream of the crop in the SICL, according to Coach Rague.

But there are opportunities for several other teams to improve from last year.

“We should be better this year. North Mahaska should be better. Keota brings back 95 percent of its scoring,” Coach Rague said.

Colfax-Mingo opens the season against Lynnville-Sully at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 3 in Colfax.

wood to play a lot at the point guard position in her first high school season. She plays a lot of club ball, is quick and he knows what he is getting after coaching her the past two seasons.

“We are definitely a young team,” Warrick said.

The Tigerhawks averaged 37 points per game last season but most of those points were lost to graduation. They also shot 30 percent from the floor, made 28 percent of

their 3-pointers and connected on 56 percent of their free throws.

Last year’s team averaged less than 10 points in every quarter and turned it over almost 24 times per game.

“We had way too many turnovers last season,” Warrick said.

“We have been working on a lot of ball handling and passing drills in the first part of the season. We have to give ourselves more opportunities

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

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Troy Hyde/Daily News Colfax-Mingo senior Brady Berkey, right, is back this season for the Tigerhawks after averaging around 20 points per game as a junior.

to score points.”

Warrick’s first season won’t be easy. The South Iowa Cedar League includes four teams that won at least 15 games last year.

Montezuma welcomes back five of its top six scorers, including Iowa recruit Shateah Wetering, from a 22-3 squad.

Lynnville-Sully brings back two of its top scorers from its 18-4 team and Sigourney’s roster has its three top scorers back from last year’s 19-4

team.

North Mahaska also went 15-5 last year and brings back everyone from that team.

Colfax-Mingo opens the season against East Marshall at 7:45 p.m. on Nov. 26 in Le Grand.

The Tigerhawks host Lynnville-Sully at 6 p.m. on Dec. 3 in Colfax.

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

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C-M Wrestling Continued from Page 11 girls who weren’t out for basketball.

“Having 14 girls out is pretty impressive. We have always embraced it.

I think I have always had at least one girl on the team since I became head coach.”

Ross went 31-17 last year between 160 and 170. He said dropping down to 160 so late in the season may have plagued him a bit. He will start this year at 170 but drop to 160 well before February.

Fitch “I was so worried about dropping down to 160 when I did last year that it messed me up. Getting to 160 sooner this year will be a big key,” Ross said. “We have to keep the expectations around here high. We are getting a bunch new things at the school soon, but we still have to keep grinding and keep getting better every day.”

Fitch is expected to be 138 all season. He wrestled at 126 or 132 last year but bumped up to 138 for the postseason because Hume said it was strategically the best move. Fitch was 28-6 last year between all three weights.

“He was a very undersized 138 pounder at the end of the season,” Hume said. “He had to rely on his wrestling ability to beat the heavier kids. He should be much more prepared to wrestle at 138 this season.”

Strohmeyer was 26-8 in his sec-

Baxter Boys Continued from Page 10 than one assist per game. He also ranked third on the team with 19 steals.

Heer played in 17 games last year and averaged 1.4 points per game but his role will expand this season.

“Kael’s jump shot has improved and he should take a leap for us,” Hasselbrink said.

“Rory is our spark plug. He’s our energizer bunny. He never

ond season on the mat and qualified for the state tournament at 106. He’ll start the season at 113, but Hume said Strohmeyer will be at 106 when it counts.

“He’s only been wrestling for two years total,” Hume said. “He’s wrestled more this offseason than he ever has.

He’s taking this season more seriously.

He knows what his potential is.”

Strohmeyer begins the season ranked fifth in a preseason wrestling poll at 106, while Fitch and Ross are both eighth at 138 and 160, respectively.

The Tigerhawks Strohmeyer gained a big addition to the program this season. Senior Zack Barnes is back after taking last season off. He won 64 matches his first two seasons and was a district qualifier at 106 as a freshman.

Hume expects Barnes to be in the varsity lineup at either 126 or 132.

Freshman foreign exchange student Judith Goetz could get some mat time at 106 while Strohmeyer is getting down to that weight. She’s embraced the sport of wrestling.

“She is loving it,” Hume said. “If she’s willing, we’ll put her in there and let her have some fun.”

After Strohmeyer makes the drop to 106, freshmen Vincent Fowler or Mason Edwards could take over at 113. They both will start the season at 120. Sophomore Mariah Webster also could see some time at 120.

stops and should be a nightmare in transition.”

Last year’s Bolts’ team went 11-10 overall and finished third in the Iowa Star Conference South Division at 6-4.

That squad graduated six seniors and six freshmen are expected to transition into those roles.

Hasselbrink says the freshmen all provide something different to the team.

Cody Damman is a good all around player, Travis is relentless and physical, Shep-

PCM Wrestling Continued from Page 7 Fenton (20-6 last year) suffered an injury during his first match at the state tournament last season and could not return, putting a sour end to his sophomore season.

One day earlier, Fenton defeated the eventual state runner-up 9-5 at the state duals.

Fenton kicks off his junior season ranked fifth at 126.

“He’s been unlucky with some of his injuries,” Nicholson said, “He was unlucky last year for sure because he would have been on the podium.”

That’s kind of how the state tournament went for PCM. The Mustangs spent most of last season ranked No. 1 but ran into some adversity with injuries and sickness at state and then suffered some close losses on the mat to derail their hopes at a state title.

The Mustangs ended up eighth in Class 2A in the traditional state tournament and went 0-3 for an eighthplace finish at state duals. They were 16-8 in duals overall.

Colfax-Mingo 2019-20 Varsity Wrestling Schedule Dec. 5 — Lynnville-Sully (North Mahaska/Belle Plaine), 6 p.m.

Dec. 7 — Woodward-Granger tournament, 9 a.m.

Dec. 10 — Interstate 35/Collins-Maxwell, 6 p.m.

Dec. 12 — Saydel (South Hamilton/Roland-Story), 6 p.m.

Dec. 14 — Des Moines East tournament, 9 a.m.

Dec. 17 — Sigourney-Keota (Fairfield/English Valleys), 6 p.m.

Dec. 19 — Roland-Story (Gilbert/PCM), 6 p.m.

Dec. 21 — North Polk tournament, 8 a.m.

Dec. 21 — Fort Dodge tournament (girls only), 10 a.m.

Jan. 9 — Montezuma/Pleasantville/BGM, 6 p.m.

Jan. 11 — PCM tournament, 9 a.m.

Jan. 4 — Collins-Maxwell/Baxter/Central Decatur, 6 p.m.

Jan. 16 — HLV (Bondurant-Farrar), 6 p.m.

Jan. 18 — Greene County tournament, girls only, 10 a.m.

Jan. 23 — Iowa Valley, 6 p.m.

Jan. 24 — Girls State Wrestling Tournament, Wayne, 5 p.m. (Day 1) Jan. 25 — Girls State Wrestling Tournament, Waverly, 9 a.m. (Day 2) Jan. 25 — Colfax-Mingo tournament, 9 a.m.

Feb. 1 — Belle Plaine (SICL tournament), 10 a.m.

Feb. 8 — Sectionals, Noon Feb. 15 — Districts, Noon Home meets in bold

Senior Hunter Green is expected to be the starter at 126. He won 12 matches last season. Sophomore Kylie Doty and freshman Tevin Wamsher will battle it out at 132. Doty was 4-4 last season.

Senior Tim Carroll is projected to be the starter at 145 at some point.

He’ll start the year at 152. Freshman Nathan Sloan also is at 145 and junior Hunter Stevens is another option at 152 or 160.

Sophomore Shane Aikin is expected to be the starter at 182, sophomore

ley is one of the best shooters on the team, Scroggins is a skilled stretch four and Trice Clapper plays a lot like his older brother Will and always finds the ball inside the lane.

The Bolts’ biggest weakness is their inexperience past the top three guys.

“We are teaching concepts we’re not used to teaching because the team is so young,” Hasselbrink said.

The biggest strength, according to Hasselbrink, is the team’s ability to transition up

Smith qualified for his first state tournament after going 28-18 at 285.

He was 0-2 at state.

“I don’t think they gave him the respect he deserves,” Nicholson said about Smith. “They don’t have him ranked, and that should motivate him. He knows he’s good enough. We expect him to have a big year.”

Numbers are down for the Mustangs this season. And several wrestlers who are in Fenton the room are at the same weights.

That could present some issues for Nicholson and the PCM coaching staff as the season goes along.

“It’s easier to be part of it when the team is ranked,” Coach Nicholson said.

“I think that has affected the numbers.

I can’t put my finger on why, but it’s definitely disappointing. We have put in a lot of work the past few years and it stinks to see the numbers drop.”

Fenton and Drake are both heavier this season and could be slotted

Destiny McBride-Dannels is an option at 195 and senior Will Thornton will start the season at 220 with the hopes of maybe cutting to 195.

Hume said sophomore Gaven Slycord could be the starter at 220 if Thornton gets to 195. Thornton won eight matches last year while Slycord was 5-7.

The heavyweight spot features senior Jakob Chapman, junior Jared Gorman and sophomore Kenny Schlosser. Schlosser was 26-12 as the starter last year and Gorman was 4-4.

“Whoever is our heavyweight will have a good season,” Hume said. “They are that close right now. It will be a fun preseason battle.”

The Tigerhawks were South Iowa Cedar League champions two seasons ago and finished third last year. They qualified for regional duals after a second-place finish at sectionals last season, too.

“We have a lot of inexperienced wrestlers, but we can have another good season,” Hume said. “To have a good lineup, we have to bring the younger guys along. That will be our only chance to win a conference or sectional title. But we have great leaders to do it. And if it happens, then it happened because it was supposed to.”

Colfax-Mingo opens the season at a quadrangular at 6 p.m. on Dec. 5 in Sully. The Tigerhawks will be in front of their home fans for the first time against Interstate 35 and Collins-Maxwell at 6 p.m. on Dec. 10 in Colfax.

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

and down the floor. The team speed should be very good.

Meskwaki Settlement School won the division last year at 9-2. North Tama was second at 7-2. Both programs lost their top player as did fourth-place GMG. Cole Damman should be one of the top returners in the league, which gives Baxter a shot to climb to the top of the division.

“The energy you feel in the gym for practice is absolutely insane,” Cole Damman said.

around 138 or 145 along with junior Brian Nicholson (11-10 last year).

Fenton begins the season ranked sixth at 126 and Drake is ranked sixth at 138.

“Every dual will be a battle. It won’t be as easy as before with the seniors we lost,” Drake said. “I think we can still do OK though.”

Tool is ranked fifth at 145 but likely will wrestle at 152.

Freshman Alex Tool Courtney is expected to be the starter at 106.

Freshman Zeb Padget could occupy 160 of 170 and freshman Carter Birkenholtz is a potential starter at 182.

Twins Cooper and Kinser Sloan are back and could be in position to wrestle at 195 and 220. Junior Chris Marshall also is in the mix at 195.

Cooper Sloan won 12 matches at 195 last season and sophomore Kaleb Ives won 12 matches at 145.

“We are down six or seven kids. The guys haven’t stopped talking to their

“It’s a different feel than what I can remember from the past couple years.

“I really like that we can match up well against a lot of different styles and can play multiple styles if we need too.”

Hasselbrink adds Jalen Sickels as an assistant coach.

The Bolts open the season against GMG at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 3 in Baxter.

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

friends and the coaches won’t quit either,” Coach Nicholson said. “We’ll keep trying to see if we can add to our numbers.”

Coach Nicholson said he expects the four returning state qualifiers to be on the medal stand in February. He just doesn’t know what weights they will be at.

Drake, who lost 2-1 to the eventual state runner-up last year at state, said he thinks he’ll be at 138 when it’s all said and done.

“For the weight they put me at, I think fifth is about right (when it comes to the rankings),” Drake said.

“I’ll try to climb the rankings and get to top three by the end of the year.”

PCM opens the season in a quadrangular at 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 3 in Ogden. Van Meter, Greene County and host Ogden are all expected to be in competition.

The Mustangs do not wrestle at home until they face Saydel and Woodward-Granger on Jan. 9.

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

14 Winter Sports Preview 2019-2020

Hawk boys shooting for success in 2019-20 Harthoorn said.

He said if the Hawk players and coaches can do those things and respond to adversity in a positive way, he believes good things will happen for this team.

Helping with the Hawks this season are assistant coaches Joel Harthoorn, Kurt Harthoorn, Jacob Van Manen and Kyle Van Dyke.

“The SICL Conference looks to be a strong league again this year,” Harthoorn said. “In order to compete for the conference title, you have to come ready to compete and improve each night. We look forward to the competition our conference provides.”

According to Harthoorn, Montezuma is the clear favorite in the West division.

The Braves went 15-0 in conference play last year. He said Keota (10-3) looks to be the team to beat in the East division.

The Hawks open the season in SICL play as they go to Colfax-Mingo on Dec. 3. Their home opener is Dec. 6 when BGM comes to Sully in SICL action.

By Jocelyn Sheets Newton Daily News It’s a shooter’s team this season for Lynnville-Sully boys’ basketball.

“We have some players who can handle the ball and shoot it, but we don’t have much size,” Hawk head coach Nick Harthoorn, who is in his 13th season guiding the Hawks.

“I’m excited about the fact we have 28 boys out for basketball this season.

That is the most I have ever had out in my coaching career. I look forward to seeing the work ethic, teamwork, commitment and character of this group of guys,” he said.

The Hawks went 15-6 overall last year. They finished third in the competitive South Iowa Cedar League at 12-3.

Pushing the Hawks this year will be a group of six returning seniors. They are guards Blaize Kuhlmann, Kinnick McFarland, Bray Noun Harder and Zane Fraker. Slater Young and Logan Ingersol are forwards.

Joining the seniors will be junior guards Mason Jansen and Aiden LeCompte and junior forward Carter Dunsbergen. Battling for varsity playing time are sophomores Mason Rodibaugh, Ryan Annee and Josh Hardenbrook and freshmen Preston Rodibaugh and Conner Maston.

Lynnville-Sully finished second in the SICL West Division. Kuhlmann claimed honorable mention recognition.

Kuhlmann averaged in double-figures at 10 points per game, with a team third-best 213 points last year.

The 5-foot-11 senior was the team’s second-leading rebounder with 97, 75 coming off the defensive glass. He dished out 48 assists and made a teamhigh 42 steals.

Kuhlmann leads a quartet of 3-point shooting threats for the Hawks. He shot 46 percent from long range, hitting a team-best 45 treys.

Fraker netted 27 3-pointers and McFarland drained 21 3s. Both players are 6-foot guards. Noun Harder, who is 5-feet-11, fired in 18 3-pointers.

Noun Harder scored 152 points and hit 40-of-58 free throws. He had 51 as-

Cardinal Wrestling Continued from Page 3

SM-NE3894914-1128

Hoen (15-15), Sanger (23-4), Holmes (4-8) and Sharp (8-22) wrestled at the JV level last season. They are looking to move up into a varsity spot this year.

“Concern wise would be our lightweight depth. I’m excited about the kids that we have to fill in our lineup at the lower weights, but we are a little thin if we have injury concerns,” Swedenhjelm said. “The upper weights we have enough depth to weather the storms.”

Contact Jocelyn Sheets at 641-792-3121 ext. 6535 or jsheets@newtondailynews.com

Jocelyn Sheets/Daily News Lynnville-Sully senior guard Blaize Kuhlmann (14) drives the lane. Kuhlmann leads the Hawks into the 2019-20 season with the threat to shoot from 3-point range or drive to the basket.

sists, 58 rebounds and 16 steals.

Fraker finished with 128 points, 63 rebounds, 27 assists and 16 steals.

He dropped in 17-of-28 free throw attempts.

McFarland tossed in 100 points and grabbed 41 rebounds. He also had 15 steals. Young had 26 points and 33 re-

bounds.

Ingersol and Jansen saw limited varsity duty last year.

“We aren’t big on setting a bunch of goals for the season. We want to focus on working really hard, being great teammates, bringing a positive attitude and being people of character,”

The six girls on Newton’s team are junior Grace Brown, sophomores Emma Fox, Raven Hoen and Shyanne Valledares and freshmen Kinzie Hardin and Patricia Baker.

Hoen and Valledares have wrestling experience at the Newton middle school level.

Swedenhjelm is excited with the six additions to the wrestling squad. It is the first time in his seven-year coaching helm at Newton that he has had girls on the high school team.

Girls’ wrestling is not a sanctioned high school sport in Iowa. The Iowa Wrestling Coaches and Officials Asso-

ciation and others have been pushing for it to be sanctioned.

Twenty-nine schools and 81 wrestlers competed in the inaugural Iowa Girls IWOCA State Tournament in January hosted by Waverly-Shell Rock.

Newton has Adam Hale, Carl Smith, Andy Cazett and Cole Peters as assistant coaches.

Newton is looking to build upon its third-place team finishes at the Little Hawkeye Conference meet and the 3A district meet. The Cardinals return eight wrestlers who placed in the top six in their respective weight classes at the 2019 LHC meet.

“Our kids wrestled really well at the end of the year, and took a lot of that momentum into the offseason,” he said. “We ramped up our schedule a little bit this year, and are looking forward to a big year.”

Norwalk and Indianola are always tough according to Swedenhjelm, while Dallas Center-Grimes and Grinnell have a lot of key people returning.

Pella and Oskaloosa have been doing a really good job building their programs back up, he said.

“It will be an extremely competitive season, and I could see a situation where the conference dual champion

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Lynnville-Sully High School Girls’, Boys’ Basketball 2019-20 Varsity Schedule Nov. 22 — EBF (girls) Dec. 3 — Colfax-Mingo, girls 6 p.m., boys 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 6 — BGM, girls 6 p.m., boys 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 7 — East Marshall, girls 4 p.m., boys 6 p.m.

Dec. 10 — North Mahaska, girls 6 p.m., boys 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 13 — HLV, girls 6 p.m., boys 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 17 — Montezuma, girls 6 p.m., boys 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 20 — Keota, girls 6 p.m., boys 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 21 — Van Buren, girls 6 p.m., boys 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 7 — English Valleys, girls 6 p.m., boys 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 10 — Belle Plaine, girls 6 p.m., boys 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 14 — Tri-County, girls 6 p.m., boys 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 17 — Iowa Valley, girls 6 p.m., boys 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 21 — Sigourney, girls 6 p.m., boys 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 24 — Colfax-Mingo, girls 6 p.m., boys 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 25 — Albia, girls 5 p.m., boys 7 p.m.

Jan. 28 — BGM, girls 6 p.m., boys 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 31 — North Mahaska, girls 6 p.m., boys 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 4 — HLV, girls 6 p.m., boys 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 7 — Montezuma, girls 6 p.m., 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 11 — Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont (boys), 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 14 — Baxter (boys), 7:30 p.m.

Home games in bold

is different than the conference tournament champion,” he said. “Our kids feel confident that we can take that next step and challenge Norwalk and Indianola for the top of the conference.”

The Cardinals begin the season at Boone on Dec. 2 in a non-conference dual. They host Indianola on Dec. 5 in LHC action then their annual Cardinal Invitational on Dec. 7.

Contact Jocelyn Sheets at 641-792-3121 ext. 6535 or jsheets@newtondailynews.com Newton High 2019-20 Varsity Wrestling Schedule Dec. 2 — Boone, 5:30 p.m.

Dec. 5 — Indianola, 6:30 p.m.

Dec. 7 — Newton Cardinal Invitational, 10 a.m.

Dec. 14 — Waverly-Shell Rock Invitational, 9:30 a.m.

Dec. 17 — Pella, 6:30 p.m.

Dec. 19 — Norwalk, 6:30 p.m.

Jan. 2 — Waverly-Shell Rock triangular, 5 p.m.

Jan. 7 — Prairie City-Monroe, 6:30 p.m.

Jan. 9 — Oskaloosa, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 11 — Ottumwa Invitational, 10 a.m.

Jan. 14 — Des Moines North triangular, 6:30 p.m.

Jan. 17-18 — Bettendorf Invitational Jan. 23 — Grinnell, 6:30 p.m.

Jan. 30 — Dallas Center-Grimes, 6:30 p.m.

Feb. 1 — LHC meet, Indianola, 10 a.m.

Home meets in bold

Winter Sports Preview 2019-2020 15

All hands on deck for Hawk girls for upcoming season

By Jocelyn Sheets Newton Daily News SULLY — With just 13 girls out for basketball this year, Lynnville-Sully longtime head coach Jerry Hulsing knows it’s going to be “all hands on deck.”

“We have a great 13 kids out here and they are working hard,” Hulsing said. “They’re going to give us everything they have and we’ll do a lot of good things with this group.”

The Hawks have eight returning letter winners. Three starters are back in seniors Mallory Loftus and Janelle Rozendaal and junior Krystal Van Dyke.

The problem is Rozendaal is sidelined for the early part of the season with an ankle injury she suffered during volleyball season. Rozendaal said she should be back to play maybe by mid-season.

Senior Brittney Hansen and juniors Cally Gibbs, Caitlin Alberts, Korinne Jansen and Meleisha Vos are the other returning. Sophomores Natalie Nikkel and Reagan McFarland are expected to push for varsity playing time.

Freshmen on the team are Ellyse Merten, Greenlee Smock and Haylie Routier.

Lynnville-Sully went 18-4 a year ago and finished 12-2 in the South Iowa Cedar League. The Hawks were second in the SICL West Division and second overall in the conference.

The Hawks lost both games to Class 1A state semifinalist Montezuma and two of their wins came against state qualifier North Mahaska.

“The conference is very competitive. We have work to do but we’ll take on the challenge,” Hulsing said.

“Montezuma, North Mahaska and Sigourney are conference favorites as

Jocelyn Sheets/Daily News Junior Krystal Van Dyke goes to the rim for a shot in a game last season. She is the leading scorer and rebounder back for the Lynnville-Sully for the 2019-20 season.

we open the season.”

Offensively, the Hawks will look to

Van Dyke and Loftus on the inside.

Van Dyke earned Class 1A Southeast District honors. Van Dyke was a firstteam SICL selection while Loftus was a second-team SICL selection.

Van Dyke averaged a double-double at 12.9 points and a team-high 11 rebounds per game. She scored 284 points — second on the team — and led the team with 243 rebounds.

Van Dyke made 44 percent of her shots, connected on 65 percent of her free throws and tallied 30 assists, 28 steals and 17 blocks.

Loftus was the team’s third-leading scorer with 243 points, with an 11-point per game average. She averaged four rebounds per contest (87 rebounds) and tallied 24 assists and 30 steals. Loftus shot 46 percent from the floor and 72 percent from the foul line.

“We have some good post players and we want to attack the rim. We want to get the ball inside, score or draw fouls,” Hulsing said.

“Our goal is to shoot the ball better from the outside than we have in the past. I think we can do that but we still want to get to the rim.”

Loftus, Gibbs and Alberts bring a threat of 3-point shooting. Loftus was 13-of-46 from that range a year ago while Gibbs hit 11 3-pointers. Alberts had six 3s last year.

Gibbs scored 58 points last season.

Alberts tossed in 38 points and Jansen had 30 points.

Rozendaal averaged 2.7 points and three rebounds per tilt for the Hawks.

She handed out 26 assists and made 23 steals.

“Depth is a concern for us but we have a lot of versatile players. Handling the ball on offense will be a team effort,” Hulsing said. “I like to play uptempo — get it and go.”

Hulsing is in his 28th season as

head coach for Lynnville-Sully. He has his longtime assistant Jeff Corbett back.

“We’ll play as much junior varsity as we can,” Hulsing said. “We’’ll just see how it goes.”

A stout defense is a Lynnville-Sully staple. Nothing will change according to Hulsing.

“We’re focusing on that right now, building on it. We’ve gone back to basics to solidify our defense,” he said.

The Hawks hosted a jamboree on Nov. 18. Hulsing said it was go to be back on the floor playing.

Lynnville-Sully opened the 201920 season on Nov. 22 at home against Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont. The Hawks play their SICL opener on the road at Colfax-Mingo on Dec. 3.

Contact Jocelyn Sheets at 641-792-3121 ext. 6535 or jsheets@newtondailynews.com Lynnville-Sully High School Girls’, Boys’ Basketball 2019-20 Varsity Schedule Nov. 22 — EBF (girls) Dec. 3 — Colfax-Mingo, girls 6 p.m., boys 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 6 — BGM, girls 6 p.m., boys 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 7 — East Marshall, girls 4 p.m., boys 6 p.m.

Dec. 10 — North Mahaska, girls 6 p.m., boys 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 13 — HLV, girls 6 p.m., boys 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 17 — Montezuma, girls 6 p.m., boys 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 20 — Keota, girls 6 p.m., boys 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 21 — Van Buren, girls 6 p.m., boys 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 7 — English Valleys, girls 6 p.m., boys 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 10 — Belle Plaine, girls 6 p.m., boys 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 14 — Tri-County, girls 6 p.m., boys 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 17 — Iowa Valley, girls 6 p.m., boys 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 21 — Sigourney, girls 6 p.m., boys 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 24 — Colfax-Mingo, girls 6 p.m., boys 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 25 — Albia, girls 5 p.m., boys 7 p.m.

Jan. 28 — BGM, girls 6 p.m., boys 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 31 — North Mahaska, girls 6 p.m., boys 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 4 — HLV, girls 6 p.m., boys 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 7 — Montezuma, girls 6 p.m., 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 11 — Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont (boys), 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 14 — Baxter (boys), 7:30 p.m.

Home games in bold

Lynnville-Sully wrestling team sees growth

By Jocelyn Sheets Newton Daily News SULLY — Two years ago Lynnville-Sully had just six wrestlers on its high school team. A year ago the Hawks numbered 11.

Going into the 2019-20 wrestling season, Lynnville-Sully has 15 on the squad. The Hawks have a solid freshmen contingent — seven — which includes 106-pound Elizabeth Elliot.

“We’re excited to see things moving forward for the girls’ side of our

sport,” Lynnville-Sully head coach Jason Walston said.

Walston enters his fourth year as Hawk head coach. He has R.J. Brown, Marlo Jansen, Tom Pool, Mike Hay and Chad Squires as assistant coaches.

“We have a lot of positive things happening for our program. I expect us to be competitive each time we step on the mat,” Walston said.

The Hawks have six returners on the team including Class 1A district tournament qualifiers junior CJ Snethen and sophomore Miles Mintle.

Troy Hyde/Daily News Lynnville-Sully’s Miles Mintle works to get leverage for a takedown during a match last year. Mintle returns to the mat for his sophomore season for the Hawks.

Also back are juniors Lane Mathis and Isaac Johnson and sophomores Brady Sassman and Brodey Johnson.

Lynnville-Sully has senior Jack Hartson and sophomore Gabe Wearmouth on the mat this season.

The other freshmen are Reese Dunsbergen, Malcom Hay, Chase Maddison, Caleb Rea, Kyle Squires and Gentry Walston.

Snethen is back at 132 pounds after going 16-10 at that weight last year. He placed fourth at the 1A district tournament and fourth in the South Iowa Ceder League meet.

Mintle is on pace to move up from 182 to 195 this season. He was 12-16 and was a 1A sectional champion at 182. Mintle placed third at the district meet and fifth in the SICL tournament.

“Our kids are working hard in the wrestling room and the competition is good,” Walston said. “All the varsity spots are up for grabs right now.”

Brodey Johnson (7-8) is working at 145 pounds as is Isaac Johnson. Sassman comes in at 182 and Mathis is 220 while Hartson is at 152 and Wearmouth is working at 160.

There’s a lot of competition for the lower weight classes among the Hawk freshmen. Elliot and Gentry Walston are at 106 and Rea is at 113.

Maddison is working at 126 while Dunsbergen, Hay and Squires are battling at 138.

Coach Walston said the SICL will

be tough as always with a lot of quality wrestlers return across the conference.

“We believe we have the kids to really compete against conference teams this season,” Walston said.

The Hawks will get a good gauge where they are in their season opener.

They will take on Pella, Davis County and host Ottumwa on Dec. 3.

On Dec. 5, Lynnville-Sully hosts the first of its two home meets of the season. It’s against SICL teams Colfax-Mingo, Belle Plaine and North Mahaska in Sully.

Contact Jocelyn Sheets at 641-792-3121 ext. 6535 or jsheets@newtondailynews.com Lynnville-Sully High School 2019-20 Wrestling Schedule Dec. 3 — Ottumwa quad, 5:30 p.m.

Dec. 5 — Colfax-Mingo, Belle Plaine, North Mahaska, 6 p.m.

Dec. 7 — Montezuma Invitational, 10 a.m.

Dec. 14 — Saydel Invitational, 9 a.m.

Dec. 17 — Highland, Interstate 35 Iowa Valley, 5:30 p.m.

Dec. 21 — North Polk Invitational, 10 a.m.

Jan. 9 — HLV quad, 6 p.m.

Jan. 11 — North Mahaska Invitational, 10 a.m.

Jan. 16 — Sigourney triangular, 6 p.m.

Jan. 18 — Pleasantville Invitational, 9 a.m.

Jan. 23 — Montezuma meet, 5:30 p.m.

Jan. 25 — Colfax-Mingo Invitational, 10 a.m.

Jan. 28 — Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont quad, 5:30 p.m.

Jan. 30 — North Polk quad, 5:30 p.m.

Feb. 1 — SICL meet, Belle Plaine, 10 a.m.

Home games in bold

16 Winter Sports Preview 2019-2020

NCMP Boys Continued from Page 2

After earning an associates degree, Jones said he spent 12 years as a Maryland State Trooper.

In 1990, he began swimming again in Maryland getting into open water swimming in rivers and the ocean.

Jones moved back to Iowa and worked in contract security for 10 years but has continued his swimming. He was a teacher associate in special education then in his current position as a custodian at Ankeny High School. He said he spent 33 years in law enforcement and security.

“We are small but a close nit team and with our team size there is more time to individualize with the student athletes as far as technique,” Jones said.

“We are working to get a relay or two and a couple of individual performances at state.”

NCMP has 18 swimmers

with 10 as returning lettermen. Other returners are juniors Henry Jensen, Landon Heisdorffer, Devin Lamb, Jordan Henderson and Gabriel Sanders and sophomore Johan Weithers.

Jensen, Heisdorffer and Lamb were the teams’ top swimmers in the 200 and 500 freestyle races. Jensen also is in the top five for the team in the 100 freestyle, the backstroke and the IM. First-year swimmers for the Cardinals are sophomores Jackson Mace-Maynard and Tyler Sterling along with freshmen Clay Lamb, Brad Comer, Ellijah Eekhoff, Camden Holland and Johan Brown.

“Depth is a concern in making meet plans. Athletes will have to swim what they are better at and we’ll be looking at who can provide us with strong relays,” Jones said.

NCMP Cardinal boys’ swimming 2019-20 season opens on Nov. 26 against Ankeny Cen-

Jocelyn Sheets/Daily News NCMP junior Jaden Dydell returns to the pool for the boys’ swim team. He qualified for the 2019 state swim meet in the breaststroke.

tennial at the Ankeny YMCA. NCMP has three home meets — Dec. 3 against Indianola, the

Good Luck Local Sports Teams

NCMP Invitational on Dec. 7 and against Des Moines Lincoln on Dec. 17.

Boys Continued from Page 6 “Playing any other level of basketball than varsity is different and they got a taste of what it is like playing varsity last year,” Dydell said. “Having Quintrail inside with his height will be good but I wish we had some more height.”

As a team, the Cardinals shot 37 percent from the field. They went 30 percent from 3-point range and 57 percent from the free-throw line.

“We just want to get better each week and be competitive week in and week out. Last season, the team wasn’t even competitive most weeks with 18 of their 20 losses being by double digits,” Carter said. “I have no doubt we can get this turned back around through hard work and focusing on just playing fundamental basketball.”

On Carter’s coaching staff are Brady Calow as the varsity assistant coach, Chris Dydell as the junior varsity head

Contact Jocelyn Sheets at 641-792-3121 ext. 6535 or jsheets@newtondailynews.com

coach and Tom Vanderlaan as the freshman head coach.

“We are excited for this challenge, and couldn’t ask for a better group of kids to start my first season as the head coach. I know they are also up for the challenge to get back to winning again,” Carter said.

Carter said the Cardinals play in one of the toughest conferences in the state, so they have to bring it night in and night out in Little Hawkeye Conference play. He said Newton isn’t worried about conference outlooks right now.

“We have enough to worry about to keep our plates full,” Carter said.

Newton’s boys open the 2019-20 season at home against Chariton on Dec. 3. When the Cardinals come back from Christmas break, they will have a rematch with Knoxville on Jan.4 at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.

Contact Jocelyn Sheets at 641-792-3121 ext. 6535 or jsheets@newtondailynews.com

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