West Central’s Brady Forsyth hits a layup from the lane in a 57-49 loss to East Buchanan in the first round of the Class 1A District 7 playoffs on Monday, Feb. 13. Dick Fridley photo

Blue Devils season ends at Districts

Chris DeBack

cdeback@thefayettecountyunion.com

The West Central boys’ basketball team’s season came to an end with a loss to East Buchanan, 57-49, in the first round of the Class 1A District 7 playoffs on Monday, Feb. 13. 

First-quarter struggles put the Blue Devils into quite a hole. Brady Forsyth scored the team's lone points with a pair of free throws with 3:47 remaining in the quarter. The 3-19 Buccaneers scored the game's opening five points and reeled off 13 points to end the first quarter up, 18-2.

Bowlers sixth at SQM

by Jerry Wadian

jwadian@thefayettecountyunion.com

The NFV boys’ bowling squad finished its second season of competition by finishing sixth at the State Qualifying Meet in Charles City on Tuesday, Feb. 14.

Jordan Baumler celebrates after winning NFV’s first-ever state wrestling championship. The TigerHawk junior won his title match in the final seconds after taking second-ranked Kadon Hulett of Creston/O-M to the mat in the final 20 seconds. Trailing by one, Baumler struggled to gain control, succeeding only in the final seconds to win, 6-5. Celebrating with Baumler are head coach Jacob Pedersen (left) and the NFV cheerleaders. (Kris Van Sickle photo) 

Baumler first NFV wrestling champion

A last-minute takedown Saturday night at the Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines turned Jordan Baumler into the first North Fayette Valley athlete in history to earn a state wrestling title.

Manning Kuboushek takes a deep shot on his first-round opponent, whom he went on to pin, during Saturday’s District Wrestling Tournament at Starmont, whom he went on to pin. The junior 195-pounder placed second in his weight class, advancing him to the 2017 State Wrestling Tournament this weekend in Des Moines. (Zakary Kriener photo

Kuboushek to State for Warriors

Zakary Kriener

News Writer
zkriener@fayettepublishing.com

It was a tough day for the Warriors at Saturday’s District Wrestling Tournament, hosted by Starmont High School, as only one of the 10 District qualifiers advanced to this weekend’s State Wrestling Tournament.

“With 10 wrestlers competing, we had a lot of opportunities in front of us,” said head coach Jake Elsbernd. “Some of them we knew would be very challenging, but we were unable to capitalize on many of those opportunities.”

While the day did not turn out as many had hoped, junior 195-pounder Manning Kuboushek did keep his season alive with a runner-up finish that advanced him to State.

West Central’s Mary McDonough takes a one-handed shot from just outside the lane against Starmont’s Cynthia Hamlett on Thursday, Feb. 9. The Blue Devils lost, 53-39, in the first round of the Class 1A Region 4 playoffs ending their season. 

Lady Devils' season ends in Starmont

By Chris Deback

cdeback@thefayettecountyunion.com

Despite a strong first-half performance, the West Central girls’ basketball team fell to the Starmont Stars, 53-39, in the first round of the Class 1A Region 4 playoffs.

After Starmont scored the game’s first points, junior Braidyn Buhrow countered, scoring on an offensive rebound while drawing a foul. She made the free throw to put the Blue Devils up early. The teams traded buckets over the next several possession before WC jumped out to a seven-point lead. Kenzie Squires scored, and was fouled off an inbounds pass and made the accompanying free throw.

Blue Devils finish regular season

By Chris Deback
cdeback@thefayettecountyunion.com

The West Central boys’ basketball team ended its season with a 13-game losing streak with losses to Clayton Ridge, 63-27, and Jesup, 74-18, last week.

The Blue Devils’ defense was stiff in the first quarter Tuesday evening, Feb. 7, allowing Clayton Ridge just seven points. WC scored five; however, it always seems the Blue Devils have one bad quarter each game that tends to put them on the ropes. This game was no different as Clayton Ridge outscored WC, 19-9, in the second quarter and 23-6 in the third quarter.

NFV’s Spencer Heyer drives the lane, skying over Central Springs tallest player on his way to a basket during the TigerHawks’ 61-25 round-one playoff victory Monday, Feb. 13, in West Union. (Jerry Wadian photo)

TigerHawk boys advance in a romp

By Jerry Wadian
jwadian@thefayettecountyunion.com

The North Fayette Valley boys’ basketball team moved on in Class 2A District 4 basketball by beating Central Springs, 61-25, Monday, Feb. 13, in West Union.

With the win, the TigerHawks will play round two in Osage Thursday at 7 p.m. Their opponent is New Hampton, which is 12-8 on the season. A win over the Chickasaws would send the NFV to the District title game Tuesday, Feb 21, in Charles City.