Sergeant Bluff-Luton Poses Interesting Challenge to Osky Boys

Posted on March 2, 2018 by Rick Watts

The State Boys’ Basketball Tournament begins next week at Wells Fargo Arena and for the first time since 1996, the Oskaloosa Indians will be present.

The hype for this team all season has been State-Or-Bust, but now that they’re there, the Osky faithful would love to see them grab a win to move one step closer to a state championship.

It has been a while since the Indians have been at state, but their first opponent overcame an even longer drought last year during an improbable run.

Sergeant Bluff-Luton ended a 77-year state tourney drought in 2017 as they entered the action at Wells Fargo Arena with a record of 15-9. Their first opponent was Little Hawkeye Conference team Pella, who came into the tournament as the #3 seed.

Those facts are eerie, as SB-L comes in once again on a roll, entering The Well with a 15-9 record. They are once again playing a Little Hawkeye Conference team with over 20 wins in Oskaloosa, who happens to be the #3 seed.

Oskaloosa hopes the identical comparisons stop there, as the Warriors upset Pella in the quarterfinals last season, 66-55, ending the state title hopes for the Dutch.

Six seniors have departed from Sergeant Bluff-Luton since last year, including the two leading scorers from that magical run. SB-L eventual would lose in the state championship game to Cedar Rapids Xavier, 54-49.

The hunger to get back along with excellent play down the stretch has led to another surprising state appearance for a team that hadn’t broken through the glass ceiling for multiple generations.

Despite a fairly modest 15-9 record, analytical site BCMooreRankings.com has SB-L ranked 9th in Class 3A, sporting the 6th toughest schedule of all 3A teams. Their participation in the rugged and large Missouri River Athletic Conference certainly helped them in the postseason.

By contrast, Oskaloosa goes into the tournament ranked #4 by BCMoore with just the 31st toughest schedule in the state. The Indians have played well against new foes, however, as their only loss against a team they were playing for the first time was on the road against Dubuque Wahlert in overtime back on January 13th.

If you’re curious, the top three teams ahead of Oskaloosa in the BCMoore rankings are Cedar Rapids Xavier, Mount Pleasant, and Glenwood, all of whom are at state. Xavier and MP are the #1 and #2 seed, while Glenwood is seeded 4th.

The game is slated to begin at 4:30 PM on Tuesday, March 6th. You can hear the broadcast from Wells Fargo Arena starting around 3:30 PM on 99.5 FM/740 AM KMZN, radiokmzn.com, and the KMZN mobile app. Emery Songer and Doug DeKock will be calling the action.

The winner of the battle between Osky and SB-L will move into the state semifinals Thursday afternoon against either Mount Pleasant or Waverly-Shell Rock.

Area State Wrestling Qualifiers

Posted on February 12, 2018February 12, 2018 by Rick Watts

Saturday was a huge day of district wrestling around Iowa as 37 area wrestlers punched their ticket to the State Wrestling Tournament at Wells Fargo Arena.

17 teams representing 19 schools will have at least one wrestler at the big dance looking to get on the podium.

Here is the full list of the wrestlers involved:

CLASS 3A
Newton – Blayden Rhone (182), Jaise Gulling (195), Gage Linahon (220)
Ottumwa – Joey Mitchell (182)
Pella – Ryan Hancock (113)

CLASS 2A
Albia – Aden Reeves (120), Ben Mason (195)
EBF – Tyler Landgrebe (120)
Grinnell – Brock Beck (113)
Knoxville – Coby Meyer (170), Chase Bellon (220)
PCM – Landon Fenton (106), Chase Shirk (126), Colby Tool (138), Wes Cummings (160), Lucas Roland (170), Jarron Trausch (182)

CLASS 1A
English Valleys – Seth Thompson (120), Caleb Peach (170)
Lynnville-Sully – Josh Dunsbergen (138)
Montezuma – Grant Battreall (285)
Moravia – Wil Martin (113), Nicholas Martin (145)
North Mahaska – Jarrett Stodghill (132)
Pekin – Zach Hammes (132), Drake Harbison (138), Keaton Baayen (152), Kaden Baker (160), Mason Juhl (195)
Pleasantville – Evan Mann (195), Chaz Clark (220), Matthew Kauffman (285)
Sigourney/Keota – Mason Dye (106), Kaleb Reeves (220)
SE Warren/Melcher-Dallas – Alec Henderson (152), TJ Dierking (170), Colby Page (182)

You can hear State Wrestling Tournament coverage throughout the weekend starting Thursday morning on 99.5 FM/740 AM KMZN, radiokmzn.com, and the KMZN mobile app. Taylor Howard and Brett Sams will be on the call.

Osky Boys Survive Road Test at Grinnell

Posted on January 24, 2018 by Rick Watts

(Grinnell, Iowa) – The Oskaloosa boys’ basketball team didn’t have its full roster available Tuesday night and struggled to separate from winless Grinnell, but the Indians were able to complete the road win, 56-45. The Oskaloosa girls had a rough night against #3 Grinnell, falling 104-29.

In the boys’ game, Xavier Foster was on fire to start, scoring the Indians’ first 12 points with a myriad of moves down low and a couple of threes. Osky would close the first quarter strong and hold a 19-10 lead.

After that, however, Grinnell switched their defense into a zone, and Oskaloosa would have problems. All season long, junior Cole Henry has been the focal point of the Osky zone offense and he was one of four players out with an illness Tuesday night. That forced Jarad Kruse to move into Henry’s spot instead of his normal spot on the wing.
The difference was apparent, as the Indians succumbed to a 12-0 Grinnell run that would eventually tie the game at 19, but Osky would score the last nine in the first half to take a 28-19 advantage into the locker room.

The third quarter was much of the same, as Osky couldn’t truly grab a hold of the game. The Indians would push their lead to 15 at one point, but Grinnell immediately fought back and before the end of the quarter, had it back down to ten at 39-29.

In the fourth, the teams would trade hoops throughout, and Osky was able to finish the game with clutch free throws from Rian Yates and Tanner DeKock. The final score ended up with Osky winning 56-45.

Xavier Foster would finish with a great line of 21 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists, and 4 blocks. Jarad Kruse would join him in double figures with 13 points, 8 boards, and 4 assists. Rian Yates was a good playmaker in his first start of the year, scoring 9 points, dishing out five dimes and grabbing three steals. Oskaloosa only turned the ball over five times as a team.

Grinnell was led by senior Ethan Mitchell, who had 18 points and 6 rebounds.

Oskaloosa moves to 14-1 on the season and 9-0 in the Little Hawkeye Conference. Grinnell is now 0-14 overall and 0-9 in the LHC.

The girls’ game was quite the opposite, as the highly ranked Grinnell girls dominated throughout en route to a 104-29 victory over winless Oskaloosa.

Naomi Jackson was the hot hand, scoring a career high of 35 points. Sienna Durr added 20 for the Tigers, who are now 15-1 overall and 8-1 in conference play. Oskaloosa was led by Marleigh Denburger, who finished with 8 points and 7 rebounds. Osky is now 0-16 overall and 0-9 in the conference.

Oskaloosa will be back in action Friday night at home against Dallas Center-Grimes. The game can be seen on radiokmzn.com and MCG Channel 7 in Osky. The radio broadcast can be found on 99.5 FM/740 AM KMZN and the KMZN mobile app. The pregame show starts at 6 PM with the girls starting the doubleheader at 6:15.

Osky Boys Stay Unbeaten with Rout at Pella

Posted on January 10, 2018January 10, 2018 by Rick Watts

(Pella, Iowa) – It was another banner night for the Oskaloosa Boys Basketball Team as they finally got their elusive win over the Pella Little Dutch. The sweetness of this win is compounded by the fact that it was on the road and by a decisive margin, 72-45.

The game was sloppy on the outset, as both teams had struggles getting into their groove. Oskaloosa would get a couple long balls from Tanner DeKock to take an early 17-7 lead after the first quarter.

In the second, the Indians started to push toward a run with Jarad Kruse heating up with 10 points in quick fashion. The Osky defense was stingy, but a steady push from Landon VanderLeest kept Pella within striking distance. The halftime score was 37-23 in favor of the Indians.

The third quarter saw Osky push the lead to 20 but Pella battled back to keep it at a 14 point margin heading into the fourth, 52-38.

Osky ran away with the game in the fourth, outscoring the Dutch 20-7. A few more Cole Henry dishes to Jarad Kruse finished the game with the 72-45 final score.

Kruse led the way for the Indians with 20 points. Henry had 14 points to go along with a game-high 11 assists and five rebounds. Spencer Tucker was also in double figures with 13. Xavier Foster only scored six points, but had 12 rebounds, five steals, and three blocks in the game.

Pella was led by Landon VanderLeest, who finished with 14 points.

Oskaloosa improves to 11-0 as we pass the halfway point of the season. They are now 6-0 in Little Hawkeye Conference play. Pella falls to 6-4 overall and 3-3 in conference play.

The Osky girls were in action and struggled mightily against the #12 Lady Dutch. Pella got off to an 18-0 start in the first quarter and cruised to a 63-14 victory.

Osky was led by Marleigh Denburger with 7 points. Pella’s Emily Holterhaus led all scorers with 21 points.

Oskaloosa is now 0-10 on the year with an 0-6 mark in conference play. Pella is 8-3 overall with a 4-2 record in the Little Hawkeye.

Oskaloosa will be back in action on Friday night at home against Indianola in a conference doubleheader. The girls will tip-off at 6:15. You can hear the broadcast on 99.5FM/740AM KMZN and watch a live video stream of the game on radiokmzn.com, as well as on MCG Channel 7 in Oskaloosa. The broadcast will begin at 6 PM.

Oskaloosa Boys Sharp Offensively in Rout of Centerville

Posted on December 6, 2017December 6, 2017 by Rick Watts

The Oskaloosa Indians Boys Basketball team was back at it on Tuesday night against Centerville in a non-conference matchup. The offensive output stole the show, as the Indians scored a season-high in their 92-65 victory.

The first quarter started with both teams hitting some early shots in a fast-paced affair. By the end of the quarter, Osky had put together enough to take a 19-14 lead into the second.

The Indian defense would slow the Big Red offense significantly in the second quarter as Centerville only mustered nine points in the period. Oskaloosa, on the other hand, continued to stay hot as several players got into the act offensively. After a 25 point quarter, Osky had a 44-23 halftime lead.

The third quarter was something special to watch, as both teams put on one of the best collective offensive displays one would ever see at a high school game. The teams traded baskets for most of the third quarter en route to scoring a ridiculous 62 combined points. Oskaloosa would get the better end after becoming unconscious from three-point land with Spencer Tucker leading the way. The Indians outscored the Big Reds 39-23 in the offensive showcase in just eight minutes of basketball.

The fourth quarter saw the running clock and some strong work from the second unit of Centerville to cut the lead down by the end of the game, but it was all Osky with the 92-65 final.

The Indians were led by Spencer Tucker, who exploded from downtown in the second half and cruised to a 22-point night. Xavier Foster had a big game all around with 19 points, 6 rebounds, 4 steals, and 2 blocks. Jarad Kruse and Cole Henry also chipped in plenty of offense, as Kruse had 16 and Henry had 14.

Centerville was led by Dan Hargrave, who finished with 15 points.

Oskaloosa is back in action on Friday as they will play Grinnell in Little Hawkeye Conference play. That will be a part of a doubleheader starting with the girls’ game at 6:15 PM. You can hear the broadcast on 99.5 FM/740 AM KMZN and watch a live video stream on radiokmzn.com and MCG Channel 7. The pregame show will begin at 6 PM.

Osky Boys Roll, Girls Fall in Little Hawkeye Opener Against Pella Christian

Posted on December 2, 2017 by Rick Watts

The Oskaloosa basketball teams were back at it Friday night against Pella Christian to kick off Little Hawkeye Conference action this year.

The girls started things off but were behind the 8-ball immediately with a 25-8 first quarter for the Eagles. The game would get tougher from there, as PC outscored the Indians 25-7 in the second quarter. The Eagles would eventually cruise down the streatch for a 66-21 victory. Pella Christian is now 3-1 on the year while the Osky girls are 0-3.

Lindsey Holmberg led Osky with five points and two steals. Jillian Jennings and Ashley Drost each put in four points.

Kaley Wilson led PC with a game-high 21 points. She also filled up the stat sheet with three rebounds, four assists, five steals, and a block. Morgan Fopma also was in double figures with 15.

The boys’ game was the same story with the schools reversed as Osky would take their claim to an early advantage and eventually pull out to a 32-19 halftime lead. They would go up by over 20 before getting the 64-46 win. Osky is now 2-0 on the season and PC is 0-2.

Cole Henry was the headliner for the Indians with 21 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists, all game-highs. Jarad Kruse put in 15 points with 7 boards and four assists. Xavier Foster and Rian Yates each had 8 points for Osky. Spencer Tucker had five assists in setting up the offense.

For PC, Josh Van Gorp had 10 points and five rebounds. Dan Jungling finished with nine points.

Oskaloosa is back in action Saturday at Knoxville to face the Panthers. The girls start things at 3:30 PM with the boys to follow.

The next Osky broadcast on the No Coast Network will be with the boys’ basketball game next Tuesday as the Indians host Centerville. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:45 PM. The broadcast on 99.5 FM/740 AM KMZN and the live video stream on radiokmzn.com and MCG Channel 7 will start around 7:30 PM.

Oskaloosa Football Builds Confidence with Route of Fort Madison

Posted on September 11, 2017 by Rick Watts

Just two short weeks ago, the Oskaloosa football team stumbled in a highly anticipated season opener against the three-time defending state champion Pella Little Dutch. But on the first week of district play, Osky seems to be finding their groove.

The 58-14 drubbing of Fort Madison is a similar score to the 49-0 win the Indians picked up on the Bloodhounds’ home field last year. That’s a great sign for Osky supporters as their team looks to get back to the playoffs.

Quarterback Seth Howard looked in the zone against Fort Madison, going 15 for 24 for 257 yards and 3 TDs. He also ran ten times for 110 yards and 3 TDs. This kind of performance is sure to excite fans of the Indians as an athletic quarterback who can find his targets downfield will make Osky tough to beat.

Howard will be the first to say he couldn’t do it without his targets, as several players got into the act offensively. None more so than Cole Henry, who caught four passes for 38 yards and two touchdowns. The 6-foot-7-inch junior will be a threat in short yardage, especially in the redzone, all season long. Alex Chapman led Osky with 127 receiving yards on four receptions. Tanner DeKock had three catches and a TD on the day as well.

Complementing the improved passing game was a rush attack that got going behind the Blake VanVeldhuizen-led offensive line. Casey Hill was the main beneficiary, rushing 13 times for 60 yards and a TD. Tyler Miller also had his best day in the backfield so far this season, gaining 47 yards on 6 carries with a rushing TD as well.

Defensively, Osky starting a little slowly, but eventually were able to surround the Hounds and not allow any big plays. Keaton DeKock and Cole Kraber had seven tackles each. Turnovers also played a factor as Alex DeJong picked off two more passes to increase his season total to four and Calvin Silvers had a fumble recovery.

All in all, there didn’t seem to be a lot of holes for Coach Jake Jenkins and the Indians last Friday, but there will be stiffer tests in Class 3A District 5. Mount Pleasant will host Osky this Friday and they are no pushover, as they nearly upset Washington, falling 16-14 on the road.

You can hear that game live on 99.5 FM/740 AM KMZN, radiokmzn.com, and the KMZN mobile app starting with the pregame at 7 PM on Friday as Mount Pleasant and Oskaloosa battle to stay in the mix at the top of District 5.

Story By Emery Songer

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