By Greg Grabianowski

Sports Editor

BISHOP GARRIGAN—Bishop Garrigan broke open a tight contest after the first period with a big second quarter and went onto a 62-42 girls’ basketball victory over the Algona Bulldogs on Saturday, Dec. 16.

For the first time in many years in the battle, both teams came in ranked as Algona was rated No. 10 in Class 3A and defending state champion Bishop Garrigan is number eighth in Class 1A.

By Greg Grabianowski

Sports Editor

CHEROKEE—Both Brennen Bollinger and Gavyn Morphew won three matches to win individual titles to highlight the performances of the North Union Warriors wrestling team at the Paul Fuhrman Invitational on Saturday, Dec.16.

The green-black-and-silver finished in fourth place in the team standings with 170.5 points in the 10-team field of teams.

ARMSTRONG—Bishop Garrigan handed the North Union Warrior boys’ basketball team their first loss of the 2023-2024 season on Friday, Dec, 15 by the final score of 58-53.

The black-and-gold shot the ball well in the win by making 22 of 37 shots from the floor for 59.4 percent, hit two of eight three pointers for 25.0 percent and sank 12 of 26 foul shots for 46.1 percent.

WEST BEND—Alta-Aurelia built a big first quarter advantage and went onto a 71-52 Twin Lakes Conference boys’ basketball victory over the West Bend-Mallard Wolverines on Friday, Dec. 15.

The Warriors led 21-8 at the conclusion of the opening frame before increasing their advantage to 41-20 at intermission. The visitors took a 60-45 lead into the final eight minutes of play.

ALGONA—Algona outscored Iowa Falls-Alden 20-8 in the third stanza and that production led the red-and-black to a hard-fought 43-36 North Central Conference girls’ basketball win on Friday, Dec. 15 over the Cadets.

The conference contest was dead-locked at 11-11 at the end of the first period before the visitors took a 19-15 lead to the locker room at halftime.

ARMSTRONG—Being on the road for a Top of Iowa Conference girls’ basketball contest on Friday, Dec. 15, eighth-ranked Bishop Garrigan earned a 65-30 victory over the North Union Warriors.

The black-and-gold raced out to a 21-6 advantage after the game’s first eight minutes of play. The visitors also led 35-16 at halftime and enjoyed a 53-26 lead heading into the fourth quarter of play.

MANSON—West Bend-Mallard went on the road for a non-conference boys’ wrestling quadrangular and dropped all three matches on Thursday, Dec. 14.

The purple-and-gold fell to West Central Valley 54-27, lost to Manson Northwest Webster by the score of 60-24 and to Eagle Grove 66-18.

Both Mason Knapp at 113 pounds and Cortlyn Schupbach at 215 pounds went 3-0 on the night as Phillip Fehr was 2-1 at 106 pounds for the Wolverines.

CLARION—Algona boys’ wrestling team improved to 3-0 on the year in North Central Conference matches with a pair of conference victories on Thursday, Dec. 14.

The red-and-black defeated the Iowa Falls-Alden Cadets by the score of 72-6 and topped the Clarion-Goldfield/Dows Cowboys by the score of 50-24.

During the evening of league matches, nine different Bulldogs won a pair of matches as the squad recorded a total of 13 falls.

HOLSTEIN—Algona girls’ wrestling squad went 2-1 on Thursday, Dec. 12 in a quadrangular held at Ridge View High School.

The red-and-black defeated Sheldon/Sibley-Ocheyedan 60-24 and topped Western Iowa 63-18 but lost a close match to Ridge View by the score of 42-37.

Seven Bulldog wrestlers went 3-0 during the night and they were Mara Davis (100), Reese Taylor (105), Alissa Engel (110), Laura Stohr (115), Malyn Davis (120), Reagan Haynes (170) and Gretchen Gorham (190).

ALGONA—Humboldt exploded for 30 points in the third quarter to blow open a three-point game at halftime and went onto a 77-60 North Central Conference boys’ basketball win on Tuesday, Dec. 12 over the Algona Bulldogs.

Algona led 12-10 at the end of the first stanza before the visitors took a narrow 29-26 advantage to the locker room at intermission. The Wildcats then blew the contest open in the third period taking a commanding 59-41 lead into the final eight minutes of play.

ARMSTRONG—Remaining unbeaten on the year on Tuesday, Dec. 12, the North Union Warrior boys’ basketball team ran past the Belmond-Klemme Broncos by the score of 77-27.

The home team raced out to a 25-4 lead at the conclusion of the first period and took a commanding 53-10 advantage to the locker room at intermission. The Warriors also led 70-14 as the fourth period began.

WEST BEND—Stepping outside of Twin Lakes Conference play on Thursday, Dec. 14, the West Bend-Mallard Wolverine boys’ basketball team dropped a 56-46 non-conference contest to the North Iowa Bison.

West Bend-Mallard led 17-10 at the conclusion of the first period of play but the Bison rallied to cut the lead to 25-22 at halftime and the game was dead-locked at 32-32 heading into the fourth quarter.

By Greg Grabianowski

Sports Editor

A nice group of 11 area football players were named to the 2023 Academic All-State football team by the Iowa Football Coaches Association recently.

The Iowa Football Coaches Association honored students who were senior starters involved in other extra-curricular activities with at least a 3.7 cumulative grade point average.

SIOUX CITY—Playing inside the spacious Tyson Events Center, the North Union Warrior boys’ basketball team lost a 57-51 decision to Elk Park/Jefferson on Saturday, Dec. 16 in the two-day Arena Invitational.

The green-black-and-silver fell behind 16-11 at the end of the first quarter and trailed 33-27 at halftime. The Warriors also trailed 43-38 heading into the final eight minutes of action.

ALGONA—Algona earned their first North Central Conference boys’ basketball victory of the season on Friday, Dec. 15 with a 64-41 win over the Iowa Falls-Alden Cadets.

The red-and-black improved to 4-2 overall on the year and is 1-1 in North Central Conference play while the Cadets fell to 2-4 overall and is 1-2 in the league.