The Oskaloosa boys’ basketball team had a ton of hype going into the 2016-17 season following two six-win years under Head Coach Ryan Parker.

The attention of the state was drawn to Osky thanks in large part to 6’10’’ freshman Xavier Foster, who was named to several All-State watchlists before even playing a minute of high school basketball. As coaches from around the region started to scout Foster, 6’8’’ sophomore Cole Henry also emerged as a much improved player.

Add those factors to a team that returned a large chunk of contributors and there was no denying that Oskaloosa would make noise this year.

A 5-2 start is extremely encouraging, especially considering the huge double-overtime win over Pella Christian to start Little Hawkeye Conference play, 76-70. That win over a top flight team in Class 2A gave the Indians reason to hope that a conference title was definitely a possibility.

But, as everyone knows by now, the Little Hawkeye is as tough a conference as there is in the state of Iowa. There is a supreme lack of weak teams and there are no off nights. A road loss at Grinnell and a home loss to Newton displayed exactly the type of competition that is displayed on a nightly basis in the LHC.

The 1-2 conference start isn’t a death blow to conference title hopes by any means, however. Dallas Center-Grimes is the lone team who hasn’t lost a Little Hawkeye game this season, while Pella, Grinnell, Norwalk, Newton, Pella Christian and Oskaloosa have lost either once or twice. Indianola, in their first year in the LHC, has yet to get a win on the season overall, as they find out exactly what they’ve gotten into.

The conference race may be up for grabs, but that is purely for bragging rights. The real goal this season for Oskaloosa is to finish with a winning record for the first time in several years, and make a run towards the state tournament.

Class 3A is wide open, and with two make-up games on the slate, the next six weeks of the season is loaded with 14 more games to improve and find an identity. That time will also allow for the growth of Xavier Foster, who has been limited in minutes while he catches up to the speed of the varsity game.

Osky should be well on their way to passing their win totals from the last two years, but with non-conference affairs against Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont, Albia, and Chariton and two conference tilts against Indianola (all of which Oskaloosa should be heavily favored), a 10-win season is a legitimate possibility.

The excitement continues Friday, January 6^th, as the Indians go on the road to face Norwalk. You can watch the game in high-definition online at radiokmzn.com and also on MCG with a live stream. The games can also be heard on 99.5 FM/740 AM KMZN. The boys’ game will follow the girls’ varsity, which tips off at 6:15 PM, with the coverage beginning at 6.

It’s never been easy for the Oskaloosa Girls’ Basketball team. The Indians play in one of the toughest conferences in the state: the Little Hawkeye. That alone makes each and every game a war, and makes it extremely tough for a young team that is trying to develop skills and depth to compete at the top.

The Little Hawkeye is among the best all-round conferences that Iowa has to offer in high schools sports, as multiple teams routinely make trips to state tournaments all year long. That is especially true this winter season on the hardwood, as the boys’ side has 7 of their 8 teams who have a legitimate chance to make a deep run toward state, and the girls’ side has five teams ranked in various classes, four of which are in the top 8 in their respective class.

Oskaloosa has seen three of those ranked teams so far this year, and it hasn’t been an easy go for the Indians. A great first half added confidence against Pella Christian (#8 in 2A), but Osky faultered down the stretch to lose 63-44. A 69-29 loss to Grinnell (#5 in 4A) on the road and a 76-20 loss to Dallas Center-Grimes (#13 in 4A) have shown the Indians have a lot of work to do if they plan on winning multiple conference games. Pella and Indianola, whom Osky has not seen as of yet, are ranked #1 in Class 4A and 5A respectively.

But a tough battle against Newton in which Osky came from behind from 13 points down twice showed the kind of fight that Indian supporters have learned to expect from these girls. The 48-46 home loss still stung, but it shows that the Indians will have their opportunities to win games this season. The other three games Osky has played this year were wins at home against Centerville (47-34) and Knoxville (46-36) and a loss to Fairfield at home (63-22).

Norwalk is the final team in the Little Hawkeye, and Osky has collected conference wins against the Warriors the last couple of seasons. Two contests against Norwalk remain on the slate. A road matchup with Newton should also be competitive, as should non-conference matchups against North Mahaska, Washington, Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont, and Albia.

Senior Alexis Westercamp has been the best player in an Osky uniform the last four years, and is now taking up even more responsibility as the Indians continue to grow. Young players like Marleigh Denburger and Lindsey Holmberg are learning how to compete from veterans like Leah Van Maanen, Katelyn Smith, and Shalandra Shilling.

While a deep postseason run at this point seems unlikely for the 2-5 crew, continued growth under Head Coach Steve Kaisand is the chief goal behind the scenes. Stealing games will be the mantra against ranked clubs and building a backbone for the future will be what the Indian girls will look to do as the season treads on.

The girls will get their first shot at getting a win after the holiday break against Norwalk on the road on Friday, January 6^th. You can view the game in high-definition on our live video stream on radiokmzn.com and on MCG with the coverage starting at 6 PM. Tip-off is at 6:15. The boys’ game will follow. You can also hear all the action over the airwaves on 99.5 FM/740 AM KMZN.

Wrestling has and always will be a passion in the state of Iowa, and in Oskaloosa, the mat will always have a special place after the Class 3A Traditional State Team Championship season of 2003.

While it is tough to see Oskaloosa having that kind of season as a whole, there are at least four wrestlers that will look to build on strong starts to the season and get to Wells Fargo Arena to represent the Indians in February.

The IAwrestle rankings (found on iawrestle.com) have expert opinions on the top ten wrestlers at every weight class in all three classes. Oskaloosa is in Class 3A, the largest class, and two wrestlers currently are in the rankings: seniors Drew Sams and Jason Beebe.

Sams is a perennial contender to go to state, and placed 7^th in 2016. He’s ranked #5 currently in the IAwrestle rankings at 152 pounds. Beebe had a devastating leg injury a couple of years ago in football, but returned to the mat last season and did very well, despite not making it to The Well. He’s ranked 6^th at 182 pounds in the IAwrestle rankings.

This pair is joined by Josh Diehl at 120 pounds and Callan Tomlin at heavyweight as contenders to go to state. Both wrestlers made it last year and have been in the IAwrestle rankings this season. Diehl has gotten off to a shaky start with a few losses on the year, but will be in the conversation by season’s end. Tomlin is looking to place at heavyweight to end an excellent career on the mat.

As a full team, Oskaloosa should be competitive in most weight classes within the Little Hawkeye Conference and beyond, but if they are going to make waves in 2017 at the state tournament, this quartet will be leading the way under Head Coach Chase Weber.

The Indian wrestlers will be back in action on Thursday, January 5^th, as they have a home dual against Newton. Action begins at 6:30 PM in the Oskaloosa High School Gymnasium.