Sports

Bulldogs fight to the finish

Published by editor on Tue, 03/02/2021 - 10:46am

CLEAR LAKE – Interim coach Matt Lokenvitz’s Bulldogs put up an epic battle, but in the end fell short as the No. 10 Clear Lake boys’ basketball team ended their season with a 57-49 win on Monday, Feb. 22.

The Bulldogs had pulled within two with a few minutes remaining, but the Lions made their free throws down the stretch to provide the final difference in the Class 3A sub-state 2 opener between the two teams.

Both Marco Guerrero and Payton McNealy came off the bench to lead the Bulldogs with 12 and 10 points, respectively.

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West Fork hits 10 three-pointers in district final victory

Published by editor on Wed, 02/24/2021 - 11:43am

CHARLES CITY – Janesville was simply daring Jakob Washington to shoot three-pointers, leaving him wide open.

The West Fork senior obliged, going 5-of-6 from beyond the arc on the way to a game-high 23 points to lead the Warhawks to their second-straight sub-state final with an impressive 83-51 win over the Wildcats.

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West Fork gains first state wrestling champ

Published by editor on Tue, 02/23/2021 - 8:40am

DES MOINES — The moment wasn’t too big for all 106 pounds of West Fork sophomore Kale Petersen.

The top-ranked Warhawk wrestler outscored his opponents in the state tournament 61-20 with two falls on his way to the school’s first-ever state wrestling title.

“It feels great, but it’s not only one (I will get),” Petersen said. “I feel like I’ve got two more in me. Hopefully, I’m West Fork’s first three-time state champ.”

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Barkema eighth for second straight year

Published by editor on Tue, 02/23/2021 - 8:35am

DES MOINES – Another year, another state medal for the Bulldogs’ Carl Barkema.

The junior 152-pounder finished eighth for a second consecutive year for coach Patrick Hansen after dropping to the consolation bracket following a loss to top-ranked, seeded and eventual state champion Jack Gaukel of Spirit Lake Park.

Barkema had a tough first round match against Spirit Lake Park’s Zach Jensen, who he pinned in 5 minutes, 22 seconds.

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Cougar freshman gets state experience

Published by editor on Tue, 02/23/2021 - 8:30am

DES MOINES – Kaden Abbas didn’t get the ideal draw at last weekend’s state tournament.

But the 120-pound AGWSR freshman does have a blueprint on what to work on this offseason after going 0-2 during the Class 1A session of the Iowa High School State Wrestling Championships on Thursday at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.

In the first year of having all 16 wrestlers seeded in each bracket at state, Abbas got the 16th seed in the 120-pound bracket. Two-time state champ and undefeated Marcel Lopez of New London got No. 1.

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Ames, Coach Schnoes reach milestones

Published by editor on Tue, 02/23/2021 - 8:26am

SHEFFIELD – West Fork long-time head coach Frank Schnoes knew that his senior shooting guard Kayden Ames was approaching career point No. 1,000, however, he was unaware that he would reach career win No. 600 on the same night.

The duo each achieved exclusive clubs in an 80-34 drubbing of St. Ansgar in the Class 1A District 4 quarterfinal at West Fork High School on Monday, Feb. 15.

Ames became only the fourth Warhawk to join the 1,000-point club while Schnoes is the 19th coach to achieve 600 career wins in Iowa history.

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Barkema, Showalter still chasing the dream

Published by editor on Thu, 02/18/2021 - 9:59pm

DES MOINES — Bulldog juniors Carl Barkema and Jack Showalter will continue to wrestle in the Class 2A state meet on Friday.

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Bulldogs advance two to state meet

Published by editor on Tue, 02/16/2021 - 9:32am

NEW HAMPTON — Two Bulldog wrestlers were the among the five competing to advance out of the Class 2A District 6 wrestling meet to punch their tickets to state.

Class 2A No. 7 152-pounder Carl Barkema and Jack Showalter (120) will represent coach Patrick Hansen’s team in Des Moines this week.

Barkema (40-1) qualified as a district champion, earning his second trip as a junior.

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Top-ranked Petersen to state; Janssen denied

Published by editor on Tue, 02/16/2021 - 9:22am

CLARKSVILLE — West Fork senior heavyweight Levi Janssen knows where his future lies.

And, though he walked off the mat in his final match a winner, he looks forward to competing on the gridiron instead after recently signing on the dotted line for Central College.

“I was just focusing on going out with a win because it was my last match of my season, forever,” Janssen said. “I ended up on a winning note, that’s what I wanted to do, my goal.”

West Fork coach Jared Arbegast, who was also an assistant on the Warhawk football team knows that, too.

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Abbas on to state, Lashbrook denied fourth trip

Published by editor on Tue, 02/16/2021 - 9:18am

CLARKSVILLE — Even though it meant leaving three-time state place winner Trey Lashbrook out of the mix, AGWSR head wrestling coach Chad Gerbracht wasn’t completely surprised his only state qualifier this season was freshman Kaden Abbas.

The 120-pounder is just that good and Gerbracht also knew that Lashbrook was coming off no off-season after shoulder surgery for the senior 126-pound wrestler.

“I thought (we had) two really good shots,” Gerbracht said. “Two outside shots and one really hard to get in. We were expecting him (Abbas) to get through here.