The South Winneshiek boys’ basketball program, including players, coaches, and managers, celebrates with its newly earned State qualifier banner. The Warriors downed a talented Gladbrook-Reinbeck squad on Saturday night in Manchester, giving the team its first State appearance since 1987. (Zakary Kriener photo)

We're going to State!!!

Zakary Kriener

News Writer
zkriener@fayettepublishing.com

The last time the South Winneshiek boys’ basketball team qualified for the State Tournament, “Walk Like an Egyptian” was the top song on the radio, “Beverly Hills Cop II” was one of the most popular movies of the year, and Scottie Pippen was a rookie member of a Chicago Bulls team that had not yet won any of its six NBA titles. On Saturday night in Manchester, that changed as the 2020-2021 Warrior squad won its Substate championship game, 63-57, over Gladbrook-Reinbeck and punched its ticket to the State Tournament!

Warrior senior Jacob Herold put up an impressive 29 points in South Winn’s postseason win over Wapsie Valley last week. (Zakary Kriener photo)

SW boys knock off talented WV squad to move on

Zakary Kriener

News Writer
zkriener@fayettepublishing.com

The Warrior boys are moving on! A 61-53 upset win over Wapsie Valley on Thursday night – a team that was ranked as high as No. 4 this season – advanced South Winn into the Class 1A Substate 3 semifinal on Tuesday night.

“It was an incredible and tremendous team win by our guys tonight,” said an excited coach Blake Moen after the big win. “I am so proud of them. It took every one of us to get this win and we stuck together and fought for one another.”

Warrior 220-pounder Damon Meyer ties up with his first round State opponent, Chris Gardner of Underwood. Meyer took care of business in the match, pinning Underwood in the third period. (Amy Decker photo)

Pair of Warriors compete at State Wrestling

Zakary Kriener

News Writer
zkriener@fayettepublishing.com

The 2021 State Wrestling Tournament has now come and gone and the Warriors have another place winner as senior 220-pounder finished sixth in his senior campaign, marking his second straight year of finishing on the podium.

“We are very proud of how our wrestlers competed at the State Tournament last weekend,” said coach Jacob Elsbernd, who also coached junior Ethan Maldonado to his third straight appearance at Wells Fargo Arena.

WC bitten by Huskies in quarters

Zakary Kriener

News Writer
zkriener@fayettepublishing.com

The West Central girls played their final game of the season Thursday as they fell to Nashua-Plainfield, 56-39, in the Region 3 Tournament Quarterfinals.

West Central senior Hunter Kent-Thomas goes up for a layup during recent Blue Devil basketball action. Last week, Kent-Thomas and his team fell to a strong Gladbrook-Reinbeck squad to end the 2020-2021 season. (Zakary Kriener photo)

Blue Devil boys fall to Rebels

Zakary Kriener

News Writer
zkriener@fayettepublishing.com'

The 2020-2021 season came to an end for the West Central boys’ basketball team as it fell to powerhouse Gladbrook-Reinbeck, 77-19.

North Fayette Valley seniors Kole Johnson (12) and Grant Stolka (21) fight for possession during the TigerHawks’ second round playoff game against Waukon on Thursday night. (Waukon Standard photo)

TigerHawk boys topped by Waukon

Zakary Kriener

News Writer
zkriener@fayettepublishing.com

In a hard fought battle by the North Fayette Valley boys, Thursday night marked the end of their 2020-2021 run as a tough Waukon squad got the win, 57-48.

TigerHawk senior Emma Ney drains a three-pointer during North Fayette Valley’s semifinal game at Waukon last week. Despite a resilient effort against the No. 14-ranked Indians, NFV fell by a score of 67-53. (Zakary Kriener photo)

Spectacular NFV girls' season comes to an end

Zakary Kriener

News Writer
zkriener@fayettepublishing.com

The North Fayette Valley girls looked to avenge one of their two regular season losses on Wednesday night (Feb. 17) as they took on No. 14-ranked Waukon in the Region 5 semifinals.

“I loved our fight, but you have to tip your hat to them,” said coach Jim Calkins after his team’s heart breaking loss to the Indians. They out-positioned us on the glass. We thought we had gotten back into the game with our triangle-two defense, but Waukon made the necessary adjustments in the second half.”

TigerHawk senior 182-pounder Kale Rodgers keeps the front headlock in tight against his first round opponent, Mitch Mayberry of Glenwood, during last week’s State Wrestling Tournament. Rodgers won the opening round match, 5-4, and went on to place eighth in Class 2A. (Emily Koch photo)

TigerHawk wrestlers compete at State

Zakary Kriener

News Writer
zkriener@fayettepublishing.com

A pair of TigerHawk wrestlers represented North Fayette Valley well last week at the State Tournament in Des Moines, including a podium finish for senior 182-pounder Kale Rodgers.

“Kale is a gamer! He just knows how to get it done,” said a proud coach Jacob Pedersen after the tournament. “A goal for Kale was to get onto the podium and he sure did, placing eighth. I couldn’t be more proud for him!”

South Winn 170-pounder Logan Hageman refuses to back down to No. 2-ranked Lane Swenson of South Hamilton in his first round match at Districts on Saturday. Swenson was ultimately able to come out on top of the match, but Hageman would bounce back to pin his opponent in the next round to take third. (Marie Conway photo)

Maldonado and Meyer are on to State!

Zakary Kriener

News Writer
zkriener@fayettepublishing.com

Two Warriors are headed to Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines this week after qualifying for the 2021 State Wrestling Tournament on Saturday.

“I am very proud of how our guys prepared this week and how they wrestled on Saturday,” said coach Jacob Elsbernd after two of four Warrior wrestlers advanced at Districts. “It is always tough to see some of our guys not achieve their goals, but it doesn’t take away from the great seasons they put together!”

Both Damon Meyer (220) and Ethan Maldonado (126) will head to State on Thursday. For No. 11-ranked Maldonado, he is not three-for-three in trips to State while No. 6-ranked Damon Meyer will make his second trip to The Well.

South Winn’s Katrina Hageman brings the ball up court during a recent girls’ basketball contest. Last week, the Warriors saw their season come to an end as they fell to Dyersville Beckman in the first round of the Region 1 Tournament. (Zakary Kriener photo)

Trailblazers end South Winn girls' season

Zakary Kriener

News Writer
zkriener@fayettepublishing.com

The South Winneshiek girls had their 2020-2021 season come to an end last week as the Warriors fell to Dyersville Beckman in the first round of the Region 1 Tournament.