Sports

ESTHERVILLE - “Cherokee’s girls are a state championship caliber team,” said Estherville-Lincoln Central veteran Coach Don Martindale. Martindale’s comment came after the Braves dismantled his Midgets on the way to victory No. 15 and a 73-39 win. While the girls’ game was a one-sided affair, Cherokee’s boys staved off a gallant late game surge by E-LC, and came home with a 67-60 win...

SPIRIT LAKE - With a busy week of basketball on the charts, Cherokee teams have little time to savor a clean sweep over Spirit Lake here last Friday night. Cherokee boys nailed some pressure-packed free throws down the stretch, and canned a dozen three pointers to stun a favored Spirit Lake club, 63-62. And, in the opener, Cherokee girls overcame early foul trouble and injuries, and improved to 14-0 in a 58-51 win over a taller Indians team...

Just got off the horn with Cherokee’s newly named head football coach, Tony Gunter. And, if first impressions are worth a nickel, this guys’ a quarter. “I’m your older than average new hire,” quipped Gunter. “I’ve been around awhile. But bottom line, I would like to build a legacy at Cherokee that people are proud of.”...

POCAHONTAS - Cherokee wrestlers lost two but finished the night strong with a 51-30 dual meet win over host Pocahontas Area here Thursday night. Cale Wood (152), Carson Fuhrman (160) and Bryce Lussier (220) all notched win in the Poky dual, Fuhrman with a fall in 3:33, Lussier a fall in 1:59 and Wood a 6-0 decision...

Cherokee’s girls remained perfect at 8-0 with a 48-35 win over rival Hull-Western Christian here last week. In the boys’ contest, Cherokee dropped a hard fought, low scoring 32-29 contest to the taller HWC cagers to fall to 4-5 on the season. In the girls contest, Cherokee junior varsity coach, Brandon Slaughter, said are starting to learn the system. ...

No excuses. I messed up. It’s not the first time, and unfortunately, won’t be the last. So, thanks to the watchful eye of good friend Doctor Bob Martin, who politely emailed me that in a recent writing I was remiss in not mentioning the 1986 Cherokee Braves state baseball tournament appearance...

RANDOM HISTORY If you haven’t already figured it out, I love history. Especially local high school sports history. I enjoy revisiting positive athletic accomplishment of the past. That’s one reason we started requesting old photos for our sports pages. And, thanks to so many area contributors, we will continue to run old sports photos as long as they keep showing up on my desk...

That scratchy sound you hear is the push broom Storm Lake School District Superintendent Stacey Cole and Athletic Director Ty Seaman are using to sweep under the rug a series of embarrassing incidents at the recent Storm Lake/Cherokee boys basketball game...

Fifty-five years is a long time. Most marriages don’t last that long. With 55 years of coaching high school sports under his belt, you would think Leo Hupke would have had enough. Move on, do something different. Smell the roses. Not so fast. We sat down recently with an always humble 78-year-old coach to reminisce about his lifelong career as a coach...

SAC CITY - Senior team leaders Kassidy Pingel and Payton Slaughter scored 18 apiece in leading Cherokee’s Class 2A, fourth ranked Braves to an 11-0 start via a decisive 81-56 win over East Sac’s Raiders here last week. In the nightcap, Cherokee’s boys dropped an 88-64 battle to the Raiders, going into holiday break even at 5-5...

Ridge View’s lady Raptors got back on the winning track here last week with a decisive win over OABCIG 63-35, while the Raptors boys dropped a tough tussle to Manson-NW Webster 59-54. “We started out a list shaky, but I thought we settled in real well and created turnovers with out press,” said Ridge View Head Girls’ Coach Brian Bode. “The girls did a nice job of finding the open girl. We had quality looks and quality possessions.” he said...

Try as they may, the Cherokee Braves finished just one notch out of the championship at Saturday’s Paul Fuhrman Wrestling Invitational here, totaling 158 team poijts to champion Sheldon/South O’Brien’s 162. The pesky Braves of Coach Austin Todd featured three champs, with Damon Williams reigning at 132, Dane Jurgensen at 145, and Cael Wood at 152...

Cherokee’s unbeaten Lady Braves went to 8-0 here Tuesday with a sound 82-35 win over host Storm Lake. Then in a highly contested and emotional nightcap, Storm Lake’s Tornadoes put up 101 points on their way to a 14-point win over the Braves. The Lady Braves did what they do. Nothing new, simply in-your-face pressure defense, easy transition baskets off turnovers, and overall hustle and grit. That’s it. That’s enough as the Class 2A, fourth-ranked Braves notched its eighth win in a row...

Just like our weather, statistics change daily. But we would be remiss in not noting Cherokee Washington High School’s girls’ basketball team’s appearance at the top of list in many categories. In a recent glance, Cherokee’s lady Braves were at the top in two categories which include all teams in the state - assists and steals...

SIBLEY - Alta-Aurelia senior wrestler Alex DeRoos went 9-1 and scored 30 points for the Warriors in wrestling action here last week at the Sibley-Ocheyedan Invite. DeRoos, a 182 pounder, pinned his way through the field of competitors to earn the individual title. DeRoos pinned Derek Anderson of Hinton in :47, followed by a fall over Sibley-Ocheydan’s Dylan Platt in just 19 seconds. Then the AA senior grappler finished it off in round five with a pin over JJ Okihn of MOC-FV in 4:25...

It’s not often, if ever, you have two sister teammates leading the state in any statistical category. At present, Cherokee sister cagers Payton and Teagan Slaughter top the state in steals at one and two, respectively, with 44 and 43 steals on the young season...

“When your feet hit the floor in the morning, it’s a good day.” For us oldies but goodies, as we age, that’s a good quote to remember. So put on your happy face and enjoy the day, and perhaps take in an area high school ballgame or wrestling meet. Good stuff...

I could have stood the shackles if it wasn’t for the rattling of the chains… And so goes the Country song I’m reminded of at every Cherokee Braves basketball game I’ve attended the past too many years. Parents and grandparents, caretakers, babysitters, guardians, school administrators, parole officers, do your jobs and tell the young kids at the ballgames to SIT THE HELL DOWN!!!...

POCAHONTAS - “Tonight was a crazy night for our team,” said Cherokee Head Wrestling Coach Austin Todd following his team’s gutty performance here Tuesday. Cherokee’s mat Braves recorded three wins, 41-30 over West Ben-Mallard, 42-34 over Sioux Central, and 36-30 over Pocahontas...

Following a split with Unity Christian cagers last Friday, Cherokee teams are looking at a full slate of games this week. At Orange City, Cherokee’s girls moved to 4-0 with a 91-42 win, while the Braves dropped to 2-1 in the nightcap, losing to the Knights, 78-55...

Cherokee’s Braves remained ranked fourth in Class 2A basketball rankings released Thursday by the Iowa Girls’ High School Athletic Union. The Braves follow 2A leader Grundy Center at the number one spot, followed by Treynor and Central Decatur in the two and three slots...

For the past too many years watching hundreds of high school basketball games, I can’t comprehend how and why so many players miss easy close-in shots and too often can’t even make a lay-up or a put-back. Boys, girls, it doesn’t matter. The chart in my head tells me the odds of a miss of those easiest shots in the game are much greater than a make. No doubt about it. Watch the games. Watch the film...

ORANGE CITY - Cherokee’s wrestling season got underway with a road trip to MOC-FV for a double dual on Tuesday, December 27.  The Braves took on MVAOCOU in the first dual of the night and came out with a 54-21 victory, then dropped a close battle with host MOC-FV 39-33...

For the past too many years watching hundreds of high school basketball games, I can’t comprehend how and why so many players miss easy close-in shots and too often can’t even make a lay-up or a put-back. Boys, girls, it doesn’t matter. The chart in my head tells me the odds of a miss of those easiest shots in the game are much greater than a make. No doubt about it. Watch the games. Watch the film...

MANSON - Cherokee’s junior varsity squads captured victories here Monday, with the girls improving to 2-0 on a 58-29 win, while the young Braves notched a season opening 45-18 win over Manson NW Webster cagers. Abby Vandelune was a key factor in Cherokee’s JV win, netting 14 points to lead the way. “Abby played really well and hard tonight,” said Cherokee JV Coach Brandon Slaughter. “As a team, we played with much more intensity the second half,” he added...

MANSON - In a foul fest here Monday night, Cherokee’s Braves opened the season with a 64-33 win, while the Cherokee gals made it a clean sweep recording an 85-48 victory over Manson NW Webster. In the boys’ game, officials blew the whistle often, calling 31 fouls in the first half alone, and adding another 14 in the second half. That’s 45 fouls. That’s a lot...

I sit in amazement about the NFL moving the bally-hooed Kansas City Chiefs/L.A. Rams football game Monday night from its original Mexico City location to the L.A. Coliseum. It seems the turf at the Mexico City field was damaged and “hazardous” because of repeated use and patching from a series of soccer games, rain, and concerts...

A balanced scoring attack helped propel Cherokee’s junior varsity Braves to a 59-28 opening season win here last week. Molly Pitts led the Cherokee charge with 12 points, followed by Camille Zwiefel with nine, Lexi Pingel eight, and Anna Paulsrud with seven...

Cherokee’s Class 2A fourth ranked Braves were dominant in a season opening 89-37 non-conference win over MVAOCOU here Tuesday night. This game was almost mover before it started as the Braves, fueled by a tenacious full court press defense, jumped out to a 41-8 first quarter lead...

KINGSLEY - River Valley’s Wolverines fell to 0-2 on the young season dropping a 58-15 contest to Kingsley-Pierson here Tuesday night. Danika DeWitt scored six points to lead the Wolverine offense in a Western Valley Conference contest. For K-P, it was Jayde Barto with 10 points, six steals and five assists to lead the Panthers. Teammate Madison Goodwin had 10 points, while younger sister, McKenzie, added eight points and nine rebounds in the win...

Cherokee senior Kassidy Pingel recently signed a letter of intend and announced her plans to attend Upper Iowa and play basketball for the Peacocks. Pingel, a four-year starter for the Braves, is one of the team’s leaders going into this season ranked fourth in pre-season polls. (Photo Contributed)...

Rich and Peggy Hinkhouse, owners of the Brightside Lounge here, will be host a benefit on Saturday to raise money for the planned renovation of Cherokee’s high school baseball field. The ongoing project, dubbed “Kenny Bern Field Project” involves renovation of the current high school diamond and renaming the facility after longtime Cherokee supporter Kenny Bern...

The late Frank Buckingham, who wrote on these pages for decades and later became the voice of sports on KCHE Radio here, was always a friend and inspiration for me in days gone by. I admired his work ethic and his flare for the written word. “Buck” wrote his column “Sports Mirror” on these pages for over two decades and again was all over the air waves later as Sports Director at KCHE...

South O’Brien’s football team placed seven players on the Class A District 1 All-District football teams announced recently, while MMCRU had four players receive postseason honors. Junior running back talent Tristan Wilson highlighted SOS all-district list, leading the Wolverines and the district in rushing with 1,485 yards on 262 carries and 11 touchdowns. ...

River Valley Wolverine junior Tristan Mammen earned 8-Man District 1 All-District First Team honors as the lone River Valley representative on the first team elite squad. Mammen’s teammate, sophomore Tyler Towne and senior Dom Schirmer also were honored, making the second team all-district listing...

Earlier this week yours truly was fortunate to experience an uplifting and moving activity at our high school here. It was a gathering of some 60 students who joined together for fun, some pizza, a couple games of dodgeball and more importantly, a positive, inspirational message by Northwestern College and Cherokee baseball Coach Jared Kirkeby. They came together as the Cherokee chapter of the “Fellowship of Christian Athletes.”...

Alta-Aurelia’s Warriors, co-champions of Class A District 2 football and playoff qualifier this season, placed a total of 14 players on the all-district teams announced Monday. In addition, AA Co-Head Coaches Grant Peckenschneider and Chris Reinhart were named Coaches of the Year by the district...

The Cherokee Braves cross country runners,coaches, and chaperones were raring to go on an early Saturday morning before embarking on their trip to Fort Dodge for the State Cross Country Championships. The WHS girls qualified as a team after placing third in Districts. The teams are coached by Matt Hoskinson and Dave Ellis...

Thanks to cohort Rhonda Fassler’s generosity, I wolfed a couple Krispy Kreme donuts the other day, the first of the incredible delicacies I’ve had in 17 years. In fact, I have an interesting story about Krispy Kremes. The last one I had was in 2001 with CBS Sports Icon Greg Gumbel at Eppley Airport in Omaha. ...

Last week when we published a story listing the Class 1A, All-District 9 grid honors, we failed to include the All-District Academic football players and cheerleaders. We apologize to all and will try to do better. Cherokee had a total of 13 students make the all-district elite list. ...

Alta-Aurelia’s talented volleyball Warriors placed three players on Twin Lakes All-Conference teams announced this week. For the Warriors, it was senior Annika Patton on first team, while junior Sydney Stanton was named second team and freshman Shea Lockin earned third team honors...

Alta-Aurelia’s talented volleyball Warriors placed three players on Twin Lakes All-Conference teams announced this week. For the Warriors, it was senior Annika Patton on first team, while junior Sydney Stanton was named second team and freshman Shea Lockin earned third team honors...

Cherokee junior cross country runner Bryce Kremer (with headband) was also in the thick of his races this season. Kremer earned a 46th place finish at the state meet in Ford Dodge on Saturday. Kremer clocked a 17:49.5 in the 5K distance. Reece Smith of Garner-Hayfield won the race in 16:00.7...

A warm, summer like day welcomed cross country runners from across the state to Fort Dodge Saturday with several area runners clocking respectable individual performances. In Class 1A, Ridge View’s Katlyn Wiese turned in our area’s top finish, a 19th place slot in 20:38.1. The junior Raptor’s effort helped place her squad at 13th in the 15-team field. Right behind Wiese was Alta-Aurelia’s Alexa Fredericksen in 36th place (21:15.2) and MMCRU’s Kaitlyn Goth in 37th (21:15.6)...

FORT DODGE - Cherokee swimmers, seniors Brooklyn Wissbaum and Megan Brown, turned in respectable performances here competing for the Storm Lake swim team. The two Cherokee seniors turned in some of their best times of the season, Brown in the 200-yard medley and Wissbaum and Brown in the 200-yard freestyle relay. Brown also placed 15th in the 50-yard freestyle...

For the first time since 1995, Alta-Aurelia Warriors made the playoffs and were rewarded with a trip south of I-80 to take on the AHSTW Vikings of Avoca last Friday night. The game was a tale of two halves as the Warriors dominated the first half, and the Vikings charged back in the second half. Not one or two overtimes would decide the game, but in the third overtime the Vikings sealed a 30-28 victory on their home field...

Because we’re in the thick of prep football playoff play, let’s turn back the page to 1972, the first Cherokee team ever to qualify or the prestigious playoffs. It was also the year longtime Cherokee football coach Leo Hupke was named “Siouxland Coach of the Year” by the Sioux City Journal...

ORANGE CITY - Unity Christian’s highly touted volleyball team proved to be too much and too tall at the net for Ridge View here Thursday, posting a 3-0 Class 2A regional final victory. The win send Unity Christian against Cherokee on Tuesday in LeMars for a regional final and a trip to the state tournament on the line. The contest will begin at 7p.m...

Although it was a 3-0 win, it was too close for comfort. “I’m still trying to catch my breath,” said Cherokee Coach Charity Anderson, shortly after the win. “This was a tough one.” And tough it was. South Central Calhoun’s Titans put up a gallant effort here Thursday night, but a focused, never quit Cherokee contingent won In three close sets and advanced to Tuesday’s Class 2A Regional Final against Unity Christian at LeMars...

A big shout out to our area runners who will compete in this Saturday’s State Cross Country Meet in Fort Dodge. We will have some 30 area harriers participating in the meet representing Cherokee, Alta-Aurelia, Ridge View, South O’Brien and MMCRU. These young folks have earned and deserve our full support. Make no mistake, this is a tough sport. It reminds me a lot of wrestling. In cross country, it’s you vs. the clock, and in wrestling it’s one on one competition...