Sports

STORM LAKE - In season opening prep track action here last week, Cherokee’s lady Braves turned in respectable performances in both relays and individual events. “Coach (Matt) Hockinson and I were happy with how our girls performed overall for the first meet out, especially with the weather we’ve had and its effect on our workouts,” said Cherokee girls’ track coach, Travis Schipper...

Last Friday, if you were confused and ticked off, we’re on the same page. I excitedly tuned to Iowa Public Television, expecting to watch our prep boys’ basketball championship games. Nothing. I frantically surfed TV channels, searching for our Iowa boys’ high school basketball championships. Where could they be?...

A 1952 Cherokean yearbook found its’ way onto my desk. It reveals a rich Cherokee football history lesson. In the fall football season’s of 1950 and 1951, Wilson High Brave gridders recorded perfect back-to-back 9-0 records. It was the fourth time in six years that Cherokee won the Lakes Conference title with an unblemished record. ...

Ridge View archery students who earned a state qualifying berth in 3D competition this week are, from left, Alexis Clark, jade Droegmiller, Brayden Stowater, Tyler Kolpin, Cameron Spina, Rayann Volkert and Nathan Yockey. Not pictured are Cassie Allen, Logan Pickhinke and Brant Price. The archery team is coached by Justin Kinney...

t’s time. It’s time for a shot clock. I’m begging’ ya, please. First quarter and even some halftime scores in the single digits are unbearable. Are you kidding me? We’re addressing the ever growing debate as to whether or not our high school basketball game should have a shot clock similar to that of both the collegiate and pro levels of the game...

Ridge View Raptor archery preps earned a state berth in “bullseye” competition this week are, from left, Andrew Brockton, Nathan Yockey, Jaden Droegmiller, Brayden Stowater, Cameron Spina, Tyler Kolpin, Beth Bailey, Taylor Hamrick, Lauren Johnson, Hannah Yockey, Alexis Clark and Rayann Volkert. Not pictured are Cassie Allen, Logan Pickhinke and Brant Price...

Go back in time with me again. This time to a cold, wintry Cleghorn night in 1980, and what was dubbed an exhausting six over(any)time game. It was still a time when girls played the six-on-six basketball game? Remember teams with names like the Cometettes, Raiderettes, Bravettes, Eaglettes, Tigerettes, Pantherettes, Piratettes, Cyclonettes, Midgettes, and on and on and on? When the six-girl game went away, so did all the “ettes.”...

Ridge View archery students who earned a state qualifying berth in 3D competition this week are, from left, Alexis Clark, jade Droegmiller, Brayden Stowater, Tyler Kolpin, Cameron Spina, Rayann Volkert and Nathan Yockey. Not pictured are Cassie Allen, Logan Pickhinke and Brant Price. The archery team is coached by Justin Kinney...

In February of 2018, The Des Moines Register released the state’s top 50 best prep wrestlers’ elite listing. The Register said the athletes were chosen based off their high school accomplishments, and they went back to 1926 to Feb. of ’18, in determining the best of the best...

Several names were recognizable as we carefully paged through the Des Moines Register’s all-time top 50 prep athletes in each of our three winter sports - wrestling and girls’ and boys’ basketball. In our humble opinion, The Register’s John Naughton got it right. It’s an impressive list of who’s who in prep winter stars in our state. No doubt...

Right now, headlines in our state’s high school sports scene are dominated by the girls’ and boys’ state basketball tournaments. So what better time to look back 44 years at Cherokee’s “best ever” finish in a state basketball tournament appearance. That would be the Braves of 1975, coached by legendary basketball wizard Dick Point, a 29-year coaching veteran, and Iowa Basketball Coaches’ Association Hall of Famer...

ORANGE CITY - The rubber match went to Remsen St. Mary’s, and with it a third straight ticket to the boys’ state basketball tournament next week in Des Moines. It took an overtime to do it, but St. Mary’s (19-6) ended South O’Brien’s (20-5) season with a 51-45 OT victory in Class 1A Substate play here Monday night. The evenly balanced teams battled to a regulation 40-40 deadlock, setting the table for the climatic overtime...

Aplington-Parkersburg's Chelsey Poppens are the 2019 inductees into the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union's Hall of Fame. The trio will be inducted Saturday, March 2 at the 100th Iowa Girls State Basketball Tournament.       Almquist-Woodin starred in the forward court at Pocahontas High School from 1964 to 1968. ...

Four area coverage cagers and one area coach earned recognition on Northwest Iowa All-District teams announced last week by the Iowa Girls’ Coaches Association. Cherokee Braves’ Head Coach Heath Hagberg was named “Coach of the year” in Class 2A Northwest District, while two of his players, seniors Payton Slaughter and Kassidy Pingel collected all district honors...

“That was a tough one,” said a disappointed Alta-Aurelia Head Coach Evan Franzmeier following a 39-38 Class 2A District Tournament final loss to OABCIG at Cherokee’s Washington High School gym Tuesday night. The loss shuts the lid on a successful Warriors’ season at 16-8, while OABCIG’s Falcons (18-4) advance to Class 2A Substate action at Sioux City East on Saturday against Rock Valley (17-7). A ticket to the state tournament looms in the balance...

Donald Trump played golf with Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus a few weeks ago. Trump prefers threesomes so this doesn’t surprise me at all. Tiger and Trump are a lot alike - narcissistic to the core with their moral compass pointing due south, like where mine used to point. They also have a problem avoiding the truth by telling lies that would scrape the tattoos off LeBron James - another famous faker...

Cherokee Charlie (Leissler), better known around these parts as Cherokee’s guitar playing, singing troubadour extraordinaire, is an avid baseball fan. Better yet, he’s a true blue pinstripe waving fellow Yankee fan! When I see him, I always call out, “Hey, thousand watt light bub.” Don’t ask me why. He responds with the same. Makes no sense really, but It’s a thing we do...

HULL - “Right now, it hurts and it’s difficult to look at the big picture,” said Cherokee Coach Heath Hagberg following his team’s regional final 82-71 season ending loss to Unity Christian here Monday night. “But in the locker room after the game, we told our girls this experience will make them better people down the road,” said a solemn Hagberg. “This journey is more than wins and losses. We have accomplished so much, and I’m very proud of these girls and our program.” he added...

Cherokee’s gritty senior point guard Payton Slaughter scored her 1,000th point here last Friday in a 77-50 regional seminfinal win over Boyden-Hull’s Comets. What’s particularly special about Slaughter’s Friday night fete is that the talented cager reached the milestone in just three seasons, missing her junior year with surgery to repair an ACL injury...

Three Cherokee County wrestlers advanced to this week’s State Wrestling Tournament in Des Moines. One remains. Alta-Aurelia’s undefeated 285 pounder Nick Gaes (39-0) remained in the hunt for an elusive state championship going into Friday’s matches. This is Gaes third straight trip to the big show...

It wasn’t very easy, but grit and determination led the 21-1 Cherokee Washington High girls to an entertaining 74-48 conquest of a feisty West Lyon team in Class 2A Regional Tournament basketball in Cherokee Wednesday night. The final tally was far from indicative of the type of game played as the Wildcats stayed close throughout until the final minutes when the 4th-ranked Braves pulled away...

Cherokee County lost a real treasure this month. Simply put, leaders like Duane Buttenob are few and far between. Our friend “Nobby” passed away earlier this month on February 3, a sad day for his family, his too many to count friends, and a multitude of fortunate athletes who adored playing for the legendary high school coach...

ORANGE CITY - Dreams do come true. It happened here Saturday for Cherokee 138-pound senior Hunter Shaw. In the Class 2A, 138-pound finals, trailing 5-0, a determined, relentless Shaw remained focus and pinned Spirit Lake Park’s Isaac Dixon in 3:20 to punch his ticket to the State Wrestlng Tournament in Des Moines this week...

Cherokee Middle School’s eighth grade Braves this season are, bottom row, from left, Julia Letsche, Kenna Mongan, Taylor Christensen and Heidi Letsche. Standing, from left, Ashly Wilkie, Coach Kory Stephens, Regan Poegler, Nya Nyaw, Taylor Farver Coach Matt Mongan and Jaylee Happe. Clockwise, on ladder, Ava Simonsen, Pearl Lugar, Lauren Schubert, Heidi Ellis and Natalie Harmon...

For Cherokee’s state ranked basketball team, the season’s not over yet. But hey, now is as good a time as any to “tip our hat” to Braves’ Head Coach, Heath Hagberg. After nine years as the head of our girls’ cage program, Hagberg announced recently he will not return next season due to professional and personal commitments...

Emotions ran high here Tuesday as a large Cherokee crowd waved goodbye to senior cagers and cheerleaders. But any sadness was erased as the Class 2A, fourth ranked lady Braves claimed a share of the Lakes Conference crown with a 60-33 win over Spirit Lake. The Braves, defending league champs, share this season’s title with Class 4A LeMars, the only team to defeat Cherokee his season...

PAULLINA - Three South O’Brien cagers hit double digits here Monday as the lady Wolverines got revenge from an earlier season loss by nipping Class 1A, 15th ranked MMCRU squad 61-60. Earlier this season, MMCRU topped SOS in an overtime clash, but this time the tables turned as the host Wolverines held on for the one point win. In the boys’ contest, SOS ran away with the win, logging a 64-27 win over the visiting Royals and claiming SOS Coach Kiley Yates’ 300th career win...

PAULINA - South O’Brien’s Wolverines featured five players in double figures on their way to a decisive 78-47 win over visiting Akron-Westfield here last Friday. The outcome was flip-flopped in the girls’ contest as A-W edged the lady Wolverines 53-46...

SPENCER - Cherokee wrestled in the Sectional Tournament at the Spencer Middle School here last weekend, advancing four matmen to the District Tournament this Saturday in Orange City. Advancing to Saturday’s districts are Braves Hunter Shaw, Cael Wood, Carson Fuhrman via runner-up finishes, while Treighton Schubert won his division to advance...

Cherokee’s lady Braves have some unfinished business. After a 75-36 win over Spencer here Thursday, the Braves need wins over Hull-Western Christian on Friday and Spirit Lake at home Tuesday in order to secure at least a share of the Lakes Conference title with LeMars...

ALTA - Alta-Aurelia’s Warriors clipped Emmetsburg 57-44, and improved to 12-5 on the season here Thursday night in a make-up Twin Lakes Conference clash. The Warrior gals, who have one senior, two juniors, two sophomores and seven freshmen on the roster, gave a valiant effort,No. 12 but fell short against a tall and talented E-Hawk squad, losing 75-30...

LE MARS - Cherokee lost its first basketball game here Friday night to a tall and talented Class 4A, seventh ranked, LeMars ballclub, 71-62. The win moves LeMars into a tie for first place in the Lakes Conference with the lady Braves at 7-1. LeMars is now 12-3, while the Braves sport a 15-1 mark...

When Larry Weede tragically died in a car accident a few weeks ago, a flood of good memories hit me between the eyes like one of Larry’s elbows in our previous heated adult league basketball games too many years ago. I first met Larry in the 1970s when the late Paul Eagan and Lynn Schwier brought him across the street from Wilson Jr. ...

ALTA - Alta-Aurelia Coach Evan Franzmeier summed it up best, “Cherokee made one more big play than we did.” In a game with so many crucial big plays by so many players, it was Cherokee sophomore Brayden Farver’s slick witted pass to teammate Alex Paulsrud under the basket that determined the final outcome. Cherokee 57-55 in overtime...

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...