FALL SPORTS
2 August 2010
The Valley News & Clarinda Herald-Journal
Table of contents Clarinda Academy BXC ..................Page 3 Clarinda Academy GXC ..................Page 3 Clarinda Academy volleyball ..........Page 4 Clarinda Academy football ..............Page 5 Clarinda football ..............................Page 6 Clarinda volleyball ..........................Page 7 Clarinda boys’ cross country ..........Page 8 Clarinda girls’ cross country............Page 9 Essex football ................................Page 10 Essex volleyball ............................Page 11 Nishnabotna football......................Page 13 Nishnabotna volleyball ..................Page 16 Sidney football ..............................Page 17 Sidney volleyball............................Page 18 South Page football ......................Page 19 South Page volleyball....................Page 20 Shenandoah football ....................Page 21 Shenandoah volleyball ..................Page 22 S-E boys’ cross country ................Page 23 S-E girls’ cross country ................Page 24
Behind the covers Our plan this year was to go with a movie theme and to recreate three different movie posters on three separate covers. Unfortunately, lack of response by some of the cross country coaches led to just two covers. Thanks to S-E runners Alexis Saner and Derek Kellison for showing up, and sorry the cover shot didn’t work out. Anyway, the football cover was a recreation of the Watchmen poster, while the volleyball was Dragonball Evolution. The center spread is a unifying theme taken in the Legacy 3 movie theatre in Shenandoah. Thanks to the theatre for the use of its facility, and thanks to all the athletes that took part in the pictures. We hope you enjoy them.
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August 2010 3
Eagles look to their experience for leadership By KENT DINNEBIER Staff Writer
Clarinda Academy is ready to hit the ground running and Head Coach Josh Matheny is excited about the prospects for the 2010 boys’ cross country season. Matheny returns for his fourth season as head coach of the Eagles and will be assisted by Shana Brown. “I think we have devel-
oped a professional relationship over the last three years and she does an excellent job of helping to run practice and assisting at our meets,” Matheny said. The Eagles have 18 athletes out for the boys’ program this season including three experienced distance runners. James Gutierrez ran at the varsity level for the Eagles last season and was
able to medal in a few races. “This will be the fourth season I’ve had the privilege of coaching James. He ran cross country last year, wrestled and played baseball so we’re pretty well acquainted. He has done a good job of taking a leadership role this season and setting the tone for what needs to be done out there,” Matheny said.
Meanwhile, Luis Lira has run cross country at the varsity level in the past and Cesar Aguilera also has experience as a distance runner. “Luis brings some more varsity experience to the team and Cesar also played soccer here and demonstrated a great deal of endurance, so we’re excited to have both of them on the team,” Matheny said.
However, a key absence for the Eagles will be Corey Morrison, who has been discharged from the Academy. Morrison qualified for the state cross country meet last fall and was also a state qualifier in track for the Eagles. “With Corey being gone we have a hefty void to fill, but I feel we have a lot of individuals who are up to the challenge. I feel the
team as a whole will be more competitive than year and everyone is pushing each other to succeed,” Matheny said. As a result, the Eagles are aiming to finish in the top three of the team standings at three or more varsity meets this season while improving their individual times each time out. “I would also like to see see EAGLES, Page 12
Abshire to break ground for Academy cross country girls By KENT DINNEBIER Staff Writer
Heather Abshire will anchor the Clarinda Academy girls’ cross team when the Eagles open the season Tuesday, Sept. 7, at the Clarinda Invitational. An experienced distance runner, Abshire will be the first runner to compete at the varsity level for the Eagles in recent years. “She has done a great job in practice and has been working with our more inexperienced girls,” Clarinda Academy Head Coach Josh Matheny said. Meanwhile, the other three members of the girls’ cross country team at the Academy will open the year competing at the junior varsity level.
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“Hopefully that will give them a little more confidence and allow them to compete against other runners that are at their same level,” Matheny said. Although the small number of females enrolled at the Clarinda Academy and the turnover in students create challenges for all the girls’ athletic programs, Matheny said he is looking forward to the upcoming cross country season. “I’m as excited as can be with the crop of runners we have on both the boys’ and girls’ teams. We are always competing for numbers as students come and go. But it is a good thing when the students do leave because it means they have succeeded in the program and achieved their personal goals,” Matheny said. see ACADEMY, Page 4
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FALL SPORTS
4 August 2010
The Valley News & Clarinda Herald-Journal
Inspiration Welsch looks to inspire Eagle volleyball team to reach new heights By KENT DINNEBIER Staff Writer
Amanda Welsch turned her life around while playing volleyball for Clarinda Academy and now, as the new head coach of the Eagles, she is hoping to inspire her players in the same way. After playing for the Eagles as a senior, Welsch went on to play volleyball at Southwest Community College before returning to the Academy as a teacher and coach. “Ever since I was a teenager I wanted to come back and serve like those that helped me turn my life around,” Welsch said. “Seeing the kids grow and change is my inspiration to be here. It’s what I love and what we all love here at Clarinda Academy. We are all working to make a difference and make tomorrow’s world better one student at a time.” Welsch served as an assistant coach with the volleyball program for three years before being named the head coach for this season. “I am ecstatic. It’s some-
thing I’ve been patiently waiting for the last couple of years. I’m hoping to put a new outlook on the program and allow the girls to see a different side of volleyball,” Welsch said. Clarinda Academy has 18 players out for the volleyball program this season including Ashley Jackson who started for the Eagles as a freshman. In addition, Welsch said the Eagles have several other players with volleyball experience. “We have a lot of talent from what I’ve seen and the students that have played before have been teaching the other players just like I’m teaching t h e m , ” Welsch said. During the preseason, Welsch said the Eagles have been focusing on increasing their volleyball knowledge, mastering the fundamentals of the game and developing a sense of teamwork. “I’m trying to teach these girls they can rely on people and hopefully they will learn to be there for each other,” Welsch said. “I want to give them a sense of
ACADEMY
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N DA DEMY ACA
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Since Clarinda Academy will not have enough runners to qualify for team scoring at meets, Matheny said the Eagles will be
focusing on individual improvement over the course of the year. “We want all the runners to improve their individual times at every meet and earn a medal at some point during the season,” Matheny said.
Go Eagles, Cardinals, Rebels!
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Continued from Page 3
team, which is something most of them have never been able to experience before. Hopefully that will open their eyes to the fact they don’t have to worry about their home lives and the dangers they’ve faced in the past. Instead, they can be kids again and have fun, and that could afford them a better life than what they’ve had.” The Eagles will be competing in the Corner Conference again this year and will open the season against Nishnabotna. “I want them to be part of a successful team, but that success will not be measured in wins and losses. It’s what you accomplish as a person,” Welsch said.
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FALL SPORTS
The Valley News & Clarinda Herald-Journal
August 2010 5
Eagles ready to step up to test of tough district By KENT DINNEBIER Staff Writer
Playing in one of the strongest district in Class 1A, Clarinda Academy Head Coach Brad Knight knows the Eagles will be tested every Friday night. However, he also knows the Eagles can meet that challenge through hard work and focusing on the success of the team. “We have a challenge in front of us, and we take the mindset we can overcome the challenge if we stick together and work hard,” Knight said. “We may take some lumps along the way, but it won’t be due to a lack of effort or a lack of will to be successful.” The 45 players out for the Clarinda Academy football program have taken the first steps toward developing that sense of teamwork by displaying a willingness to learn and work hard to improve during the preseason. “They are also buying into the idea that we are a team, and the success of the team is what is important. For a group of young men to be willing to buy into this concept, having never played together, or having grown up together, is a critical factor that puts on the pathway to have a chance to be successful,” Knight said. In addition to forging that sense of team and displaying
a positive attitude about the upcoming season, Knight said the Eagles will also benefit from their overall speed and size. However, Knight said the inexperience of many of the players remains a legitimate concern for the squad. Clarinda Academy opens the season Friday, Aug. 27, with a home clash against Martensdale-St. Mary’s and then plays at Woodward Academy Sept. 3. “Martensdale-St. Mary’s is coming off a state baseball title and, in my opinion, success breeds success. Woodward Academy is a lot like us. They have the same type of kids and they have an outstanding football staff,” Knight said. The Eagles then face a challenging Class 1A District 8 schedule that features the likes of Audubon, Council Bluffs St. Albert, Griswold, Logan-Magnolia, Treynor, Tri-Center and Underwood. “It is the opinion of nearly anyone you talk to that District 8 is the toughest district in our class,” Knight
Photo by Bob Eschliman EAGLE FOOTBALL... Members of the 2010 Clarinda Academy football team are (in not particular order): Nick Humphrey, Anthony Rucker, Carlos Salazar, Zaken Spotted Horse, Johntaye Terrell, Patrick Tolbert, Deandre Williams, Mike Briley, Joey Disessa, Shannon Gold, Cole Offerman, Gervon parker, Caleb Porter, Ernesto Reyes, Devin Turner, Keevin Ware, DeMario Woods, Andre Young, Jay Applegate, Richard Bird, Mitchell Mincks, Christian Monsivais, Shilo Thomas, Gervontae Burgess, Brendon Ford, Maquel Gaffney, Rudy Garcia, Troy Gladden, Freddie Johnson, Jordan Nelson-Brown, Dylan Winker, Akieam Harris, Jerome Drain, Brandon Grant, Corey Levesque, Ricky Lloyd, Darnell Fraley, Tereall Green, Darrell Jenkins, Carlos Lopez, Donovan Patterson, Andrew Robertson, Michael Speech, Henry Young, Terrance Prigeon.
said. “Our schedule is loaded with big games, and we will need to show up each week with our ‘A’ game if we want to put ourselves in position to have a chance to win.”
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FALL SPORTS
6 August 2010
The Valley News & Clarinda Herald-Journal
Lindsay takes over for legend on Clarinda sideline By KENT DINNEBIER Staff Writer
Jim Lindsay has some big cleats to fill as he tackles his first season as head coach of the Clarinda Cardinals football program. Lindsay has replaced Dave Carper who coached the Cardinals for more than 15 seasons and was at the helm when Lindsay, a 1996 Clarinda graduate, played outside linebacker for the Cardinals. “It’s a great opportunity to follow Coach Carper. I have some big shoes to fill because he had a great run for a lot of years here,” Lindsay said. “My goal is to keep Clarinda where Dave got the program to. The expectations are high and hopefully we can get back to the level he had them at a couple of years ago.” After graduating from high school, Lindsay played football at Simpson College see LEGEND, Page 26
Photo by Kent Dinnebier CARDINAL FOOTBALL... Clarinda Cardinals football players and coaches for the 2010 season are (front row) Nick Lasley, Trevor Shane, Jordan Dammann, Steven Ripley, Brodie Bergren, Caedron Bartles, Landon Pulliam, (second row) Jeremiah Haug, Logan Wilham, Cordell Turner, Zach Mullen, Dalton Young, Alex Hiatt, Tyler Steeve, Scott Brockman, Zach Aucker, Joel Hartstack, Alex Archer, (third row) Bryson McAlpin, Jordan Hernandez, Cole Race, Jordan Johnson, Trent Aldrich, Kramer Samuelson, Nathan Cabbage, Dakota Woods, Taylor Luna, Jason McCall, (fourth row) Derrick Nicks, Colin Sunderman, Ross Christie, Blake Luna, Eddy Love, Dakota Calfee, Kassidie Runyon, Skyler Shane, (fifth row) Taylor Graenser, Nathan Jones, Dusty Swindler, Isaac Durfey, Terry Blank, Troy Aldrich, (back row) Head Coach Jim Lindsay, Assistant Coach Josh Porter, Manager Keely Grimes, Assistant Coach Roger Williams and Assistant Coach Andrew Almelien.
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FALL SPORTS
August 2010 7
CARDINAL VOLLEYBALL... Clarinda volleyball players and coaches for the 2010 season are (front row) Natali Donahue, Heather Auffert, Bethany Reiter, Sarah Steinauer, Jennifer Geer, Miranda Sunderman, Taylor Wagoner, Paige Fast, Karyee Buch, (second row) Charity Espinosa, Carissa Kelley, Maddy Chambers, Alykk Livengood, Corie Woodard, Brooke Larsen, Teal Driscoll, Ellie Shane, Marissa Anderson, Haley Schaner, Shelby Meads, (third row) Katie Larsen, Megan Calfee, Bailey Mellencamp, Halle Goudie, Emily McComb, Hannah Davidson, Jenny Bair, Sydney Rarick, Joselyn Pulliam, Leah Brooke, Stephanie Haffner, (back row) Megan Pittman, Samantha Swanson, Haley Owens, Sarah Taylor, Darcy Sunderman, Allyson Karr, Kaylee Buch, Krista Rogers, Kelsea Price, Assistant Coach Kiki Wilson, Head Coach Maria Jacobus and Assistant Coach James Hash. Photo by Kent Dinnebier
Shuffling cards...
By KENT DINNEBIER Staff Writer
Clarinda volleyball coach Maria Jacobus has shuffled the Cards in hopes of dealing out a successful season in 2010. “Some younger kids have really stepped up for us and
we have moved some people around, so I think we’re going to be ready to go,” Jacobus said. Last season the Cardinals posted an overall record of 13-15 and finished tied for fifth in the Hawkeye 10 Conference with a 4-5 record.
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Nine players return from that squad including letter winners Kaylee Buch, Teal Driscoll, Jenny Geer, Sarah Steinauer and Miranda Sunderman. However, Clarinda lost seniors Laura Steinauer and Emma Sunderman to gradsee CARDS, Page 12
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FALL SPORTS
8 August 2010
The Valley News & Clarinda Herald-Journal
Cardinal cross country has a new leader of the pack By KENT DINNEBIER Staff Writer
The Clarinda boys’ cross country team is bringing a pack mentality to the 2010 season under new head coach Mike Smith. “It is crucial we have our top six or seven runners pushing each other in practice and at meets. That is how you keep your low,” Smith said. Smith has served as the assistant coach for the Clarinda cross country program in recent years and also is the head coach of the girls’ track team. He is joined on the cross country staff by new assistant coach Marilyn Wagoner. “I felt like it was a natural fit to move over to cross country because I see a lot of these runners in the spring,” Smith said. The Cardinals, who have 12 runners out for the boys’ team this season, held their time trials Friday, Aug. 20, and Smith was very pleased with the results as only one minute separated the top four finishers. Freshman Justin Cabeen led the time trials. Last season Cabeen ran at the middle school level for the Cardinals and was consistently a top finisher. Meanwhile, returning letter winner Aaron Spinler was second in the time trials. “I really see him and Justin pushing each other as the season goes along,” Smith said.
Aaron Spinler
Photo by Kent Dinnebier CARDINAL CROSS COUNTRY... Clarinda boys’ cross country team members for the 2010 season are (front row) Sam Rarick, Josey Stanton, Noah Bix, Forrest Greenwood, Jack Davidson, Javi Tait, (back row) Assistant coach Marilyn Wagoner, Aaron Spinler, Aaron Chartier, Tony McGlade, Kenny Hobson, Justin Cabeen and Head Coach Mike Smith. Not pictured are Luke Jensen and Jordan Peterman.
Following closely behind Spinler was Tony McGlade. McGlade is also returning from last year’s team and Smith said he has one of the surprises of the preseason after putting in a hard summer of work. Aaron Chartier also returns for Clarinda and rounded out the lead pack of Cardinals runners Friday night. “The top four runners were all within sprinting distance of each other at the end,” Smith said.
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“It’s important that top group of boys push each other and stay within distance of each other if we are going to be able to compete, especially in the Hawkeye 10 Conference.” The final two returning runners for the Cardinals are Jack Davidson and Javi Tait. Like Cabeen, freshman Noah Bix has joined the team after competing at the middle school level last season. Other newcomers for the Cardinals this year are
Forrest Greenwood, Jordan Peterman and Sam Rarick. Luke Jensen has also joined the team after participating in a portion of the 2009 season. Josie Stanton will also be competing for Clarinda at the middle school level this season. The Cardinals open the season Tuesday, Aug. 31, at Maryville and then will host the Clarinda Invitational Sept. 7.
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FALL SPORTS
August 2010 9
Manley heads strong Cardinal harrier squad By KENT DINNEBIER Staff Writer
State qualifier Jordan Manley leads a strong group of runners returning to the Clarinda girls’ cross country team for the 2010 season. Manley qualified for the state meet after finishing 10th at district last year and picked up right where she left off by leading the team time trials held Friday, Aug. 20, in Clarinda. Also returning for the Cardinals are Kristine McCunn, Emily Morris, Anna Smith, who finished second in the time trials, and Abby Stanton. Team manager Hannah Falk also ran for Clarinda last season and could compete at some point this year. “It’s nice to have that kind of experience coming back because they can really help the younger runners,” Clarinda Head Coach Mike Smith said. After serving as the assistant coach for the Clarinda cross country program, Smith has taken the
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reins of both the boys’ and girls’ teams this season. Smith also serves as the head coach of the Clarinda girls’ track team. Marilyn Wagoner has also joined the cross country program this season as an assistant coach. Besides the strong group of returning runners, Smith Kristin Clement and Holly Crawford are among the promising newcomers that have joined the team this season. Clement went out for cross country after playing volleyball last season, while Crawford joins the team as a freshman. “Kristin showed some interest over the summer and came out and did some runs with us. I am looking forward to seeing her compete and I think she will get better with every race. I am also looking forward to seeing Holly compete,” Smith said. “It’s nice to see a younger group of up and coming runners that can push our older group.” The Cardinals also have two middle school runners
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Photo by Kent Dinnebier CARDINAL CROSS COUNTRY... The Clarinda girls’ cross country team for the 2010 includes (front row) Tamra Haley, Emily Morris, Abby Stanton, Elizabeth Mayer, (back row) Assistant coach Marilyn Wagoner, Andrea Nelson, Kristan Clement, Anna Smith, Jordan Manley, Hannah Falk and Head Coach Mike Smith. Not pictured are Holly Crawford and Kristine McCunn.
including eighth grader Elizabeth Mayer. “Elizabeth has put in a lot of miles and it should be fun to watch her as an eighth grader. She had a very strong showing at our time trials,” Smith said.
Over the course of their summer workouts and the preseason, Smith said the Cardinals have developed good team chemistry and are well conditioned heading into the season. “I am really excited
about this team. They have a will to compete and the heart is there. They support each other very well and are a nice close-knit group of runners,” Smith said. The Cardinals open the season Tuesday, Aug. 31, at
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Maryville and then host the Clarinda Invitational Sept. 7. “We want to get better and better every time out, and make sure that when they’re done, they gave it their very best,” Smith said.
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FALL SPORTS
10 August 2010
The Valley News & Clarinda Herald-Journal
Improved numbers have Trojans’ fortune looking up By MATT PRIETO Staff Writer
Mike Almquist has a much more relaxed look on his face this summer than he did one year ago. A quick glance at one of his practices will tell you why. The Trojans have 22 athletes out for football this season. “Some guys will get to rest and I can rotate people in and out,” said Almquist. “I will have to decide who is starting and who is second string in a lot of cases.” One season ago, Essex struggled with numbers peaking at 14 and showing up to at least one game with the minimum eight. Incredible, especially when you consider two short years before that the Trojans completed a string of three straight state tournament appearances that included a berth in the 2006 championship game. “I guess that’s just the way it is in small schools,” said Almquist. “Sometimes you have the numbers, sometimes you don’t.” The upside of the last two years for the Trojans is that a lot of young players started getting substantial playing time as freshman and sophomores. That group are juniors and seniors now.
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Cameron Kinney has been in the starting lineup since ninth grade, and although injuries cut his season short last year, he still found time to score touchdowns rushing, passing and receiving. Levi Allen emerged as the Trojans big play threat lining up at end. Allen and
Jordan Jones were tied for the team lead in touchdowns scored last season. Jones also took a few snaps at quarterback last season. “We have two or three guys taking snaps right now,” said Almquist. “Not sure exactly where everyone will end up.” Allen and Jones had two
interceptions apiece on defense last year and wereteam leaders in tackles along with Dallas Lindsy. Kinney recovered two fumbles and returned one of them for a touchdown. Dakota Riley and Christian Latham both started all nine games last season, giving the Trojans
plenty of game experience. “These guys are ready to win some games,” said Almquist. “We went out to the passing tournament at Lamoni and another one up in Ames and did decent. The guys are very familiar with each other by now.” The Trojans open the season on the road at Seymour
before returning to host Afton East Union. “I know some are coaches that have played those teams and I think thye gave me pretty good scouting reports on the,” said Almquist. “Hopefully we can get off to a good start and build some momentum.”
Photo by Matt Prieto Trojans football… Members of the 2010 Essex football team are, front row (from left): Cam Kinney, Conner Bengston, Dakota Riley, Jordan Jones, Levi Allen. Second row: Dallas Lindsey, Bret Baucomb, Justin Moyer, Colton Cederburg, Christian Latham, Seth Mortimore. Third row: Tucker Scott, Jacob Ohnmacht, Brett Johnson, Zach Dailey, Jacob Jones, Lane Brammer. Top: Dakota Davis, Kaleb Kelley.
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The Valley News & Clarinda Herald-Journal
August 2010 11
Trojanettes Volleyball… Members of the 2010 Essex volleyball team are, Front row: Annie Lindburg. Second row: Naela Thornton, Felisha Monson. Third row: Aspen Riley, Jasmine Glasgo, Betsy Luna, Tessie Lindburg, Austine Nelson, Mariah Johnson, Haley Fundermann. Back row (from left): Koreen Polsey, Kendria Johnson, Seana Perkins, Regan Burns, Bailey Stanley, Skylar Ross. Photo by Matt Prieto
Face lift...
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By MATT PRIETO Staff Writer
Same coaches, different look about the Essex volleyball this season. The power hitters are gone, replaced by smaller and quicker players. The Trojanettes won more than 20 games last
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season and head coach Denny Perry doesn’t see any reason why that should change in 2010. “We still have a ton of talent,” said the always energetic Perry. “Talented in different ways and we will just have to adapt our style of play to suit their strengths. We just don’t have a lot of height but we
do have a lot of quickness.” The team will center around Annie Lindburg who handled the majority of the team’s setting duties last season. Lindburg was also among team leaders in digs and serve percentage averaging more than three digs per game and two assists a game. Her total of 73 ace serves averaged out
to just under one per game “First to practice and the last to leave,” said Perry. “That pretty much sums up Annie. She is our leader for sure. She never slacks off and she doesn’t let anyone else slack off either. She leads by example.” Naela Thornton led the team last year in serve percentage and piled up nearly
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200 digs. Thornton also leads the returning players from last season in kills. Thornton piled up 69 kills in only her sophomore season. “No shortage of talent this season,” said Perry. “Our style might look different and the faces will be see ESSEX, Page 25
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Essex has new look for 2010
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FALL SPORTS
The Valley News & Clarinda Herald-Journal
EAGLES
Continued from Page 2 everyone on the, whether they run at the varsity or junior varsity level, earn a medal at some point during the year,” Matheny said. While the Eagles will open the season Sept. 7 at the Clarinda Invitational, Matheny said he is just as interested in seeing all of his runners complete the
CARDS
Continued from Page 7 uation after last season. Steinauer was an honorable mention allstate selection at outside hitter, while Sunderman was the top blocker for the team. To fill those positions, Buch will be moving to outside hitter while junior Alyson Karr and freshman Darcy Sunderman will
serve as middle blockers for the Cardinals. Karr was selected as the most improved player last season for Clarinda. Jacobus said the Cardinals will also be switching their offensive alignment from a 4-2 formation with two setters to a 5-1 formation with Sarah Steinauer serving as the lone setter. “Sarah was a starter last year for us along with senior Katie
Aldrich and is the only setter we have coming back with experience. We have a lot of great underclassmen to support Sarah, but we feel confident Sarah can get the job done so we’re going with what we have,” Jacobus said. Meanwhile, Jacobus said the Cardinals are also pleased to have Beth Reiter returning to the team at outside hitter after a couple of years away from the program.
“Beth has made tremendous growth over the summer. She’s playing really well and we’re really excited to have her,” Jacobus said. “Junior Emily McComb has also been playing really well this summer and will be supporting Jenny Geer at defensive specialist. We’re excited to have her on the bench for us.” Therefore, Jacobus said the
season. “Cross country is not as prominent as football or volleyball, but I think when you run four to seven miles a day in practice and then go out and compete in a meet, that says a lot about a person. “Especially for our kids since most of them haven’t competed that much before. So completing the season is a moral victory for them,” Matheny said.
Cardinals have their sites set on improving their finish in the Hawkeye 10 Conference and advance further in the regional tournament than last season when they lost to Red Oak in the first round. “We felt there were some games we gave away last year, so if we can correct that we can accomplish those goals. It should be fun,” Jacobus said.
The Valley News & Clarinda Herald-Journal
FALL SPORTS
August 2010 13
A whole new team...
Photo by Matt Prieto BLUE DEVIL FOOTBALL…Members of the 2010 Nishnabotna football team are, front row (from left) Alec Hendrickson, Andrew Thompson, Joel Delong, Colin Nahkunst, Daniel Stockstell, Jacob Tristan, Brody Esser, Joseph Heitshusen, Dakota Dovel, Kaleb Kahue, Doug Raymond. Second row: Lucas Pauley, Colton Holman, Jud Kuein, Johnny Wood, Jarrod Murphy, Robby Bruce, Kyle Tillman, Trent Tierney, Paul Fichter, Schuyler Brennan, Cody Warren. Row three: Chris Osborn, Thomas Gude, Blake Thibodeaux, Colton Cooper. Back: Kyle Sebek. Not pictured: Andrew Gude, Joseph Gude, Chad Swigart, Brady Gutschenritter.
Blue Devils set for first run on football field By MATT PRIETO Staff Writer
Hamburg returns nearly everyone from a young team that went 2-7 last season. Farragut lost most everyone from its substate
qualifying squad of a year ago. Together they will forge forward together as Nishnabotna in the continued cooperation between the two schools that started last spring.
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“Its going to be a learning experience for both groups of kids,” said head coach Toby Young. “Lots of guys learning new a new offense, it will take some time and effort.” Brody Esser started all
10 games last year as a junior for Farragut and was the teams third leading tackler on the season with 87, including 18 tackles for a loss which led the team. “Brody knows what his role will be,” said Young.
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“Things won’t change all that much for him. The guys that are used to carrying and throwing the ball will still get the ball, but maybe in a different way than they are used to.” Kaleb Kahue led
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FALL SPORTS
16 August 2010
The Valley News & Clarinda Herald-Journal
Loaded! Blue Devils look to rule the courts By MATT PRIETO Staff Writer
Photo by Matt Prieto BLUE DEVIL VOLLEYBALL… Members of the 2010 Nishnabotna volleyball team are front row (from left) Amanda Griffith, Bianca Patel, Mariah Voyles, Chelsea Nebel, Rebecca Sears and Amy Brennan. Second row: Carissa Pabolo, Kelsey Lewis, Kelsey Woodward, Amber Miller, Alexis Adams, Jordan Bennett, Christa McCall. Third row: Makayla Smith, Katie Kuhr, Amanda Brennan, Kaitlin Benefiel, Ellie Lutt, and Nicole Schwartz. Top Row: Samantha Johnson,Cierra Voyles, Jody Shough, Rachel Finnell, Ashley Gilbert, Paige Jewell, Paris Adrian, and Molly Goltz. Not Pictured are Nicholle Blank, Alexia Blank, and Jennifer MacDonald. Head Coach Wendy Gardner and Assistant Susan Harris.
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It’s Wendy Gardiner’s second year as head coach but she says she feels like a first year coach all over again. Gardiner takes the helm at Nishnabotna after leading Farragut to a 179 record last year. This year she adds a new crop of girls from Hamburg to the Lady Admirals left from last years team. “I had to get used to a new group of girls all over again, see LOADED, Page 26
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FALL SPORTS
August 2010 17
Photo by Matt Prieto COWBOY FOOTBALL... Members of the 2010 Sidney football team are, front row (from left): Conner Nenneman, Nick Benedict, Mark Nenneman, Ben Klinkebeil,Nick Shipley, Jacob Buck, Drake Strickler, Miguel Alvarez, Nash Graham. Second row: Clint Clark, jared Gregory, Noah McKeever, Nick Fichter, Antonio Rodriguez, Christian Valquier, Dominick Spencer, Ryan Scott, Brendon Hardy, Tyler Dupre, Christian LeMaster, Kevin Miller. Top row: Devon Barrett, Matt Linkenhoker, Zane Burge, Jordan Points, Timmy Moore, Jeremy Cain, Ethan Burge, Kenny Kelly, Jacob Gordon, Trevor Schaaf, Garett Graahm. Not pictured: Dylan Thorne, Richard Golden, Jake Hills, Jacob Thorne, Chance Baker, Luke Nenneman.
Cowboys look to build on Class of 2010’s legacy By MATT PRIETO Staff Writer
The question that will have to be answered this football season in Sidney is simple. How do you replace the 2,636 yards of total offense the Cowboys lost to graduation? The graduating class of 2010 left behind a legacy that includes conference titles in baseball and basketball, as well as two sub-
state appearances on the gridiron. “There is no question we lost some athletes,” said head coach Donnie Sears. “You don’t just replace talent like that overnight, but we do have a lot of guys back that spent a ton of time on the field.” This years team isn’t short on ability. Heir apparent to the quarterback position is Noah McKeever, who showed considerable
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skills last season as a freshman. He made the most of his six appearances, scoring three touchdowns. It’s the fact he has yet to attempt a forward pass in a varsity game that has to be sorted out. “He has been working hard on his passing, even staying late after practice and throwing passes to receivers,” said Sears. “He works hard and its going to be fun watching him devel-
op as a player.” Brendon Hardy made the most of his appearances at running back last season, averaging over 10 yards per carry as well as catching three passes. Trevor Schaaf and Jacob Gordon also have a decent amount of playing time under their belts with over 200 yards rushing and five touchdowns combined between them last season. Both will be expected to fill
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a variety of roles in the Cowboy backfield this season. “Hardy and Schaaf running the ball with Gordon leading the way should net us some yards,” said Sears. “Gordon runs the ball pretty well himself and is extremely strong.” Garrett Graham returns for his senior season as the only true receiver with a catch to his name in 2009. “Garrett works so hard
on everything and is always trying to improve,” said Sears. “He gets the little things right and runs excellent routes.” Gordon is the top returning tackler from last season with 69, including six behind the line of scrimmage. Devin Barrett (41 tackles), Jake Hills (21) and Ethan Burge (20) all return this season with considersee COWBOYS, Page 19
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FALL SPORTS
18 August 2010
The Valley News & Clarinda Herald-Journal
Old with the new... Cowgirls get new head coach to go with experienced group of players By MATT PRIETO Staff Writer
Sidney returns most of last year’s starters for the 2010 volleyball season. The Cowgirls only lost three regulars to graduation and they return statistical leaders in several categories for new head coach Michelle Flores. The Cowgirls will be looking to improve upon their seven win campaign from one season ago and with most of last year’s team in place they should have a good chance to do so. The team has gotten a head start on the season by playing in a summer league, giving Flores a chance to put names with faces and get an idea of what the team needs to work on to be successful in 2010. “I’ve gotten a pretty good look at them in the summer league we played in,” she said. “I’m learning the players as we go. We went back to square one and started. I think we have a lot of potential if we work hard.” Aimee Osborne returns for her senior season after leading the entire conference in blocks, averaging more than double the next closest play with over two per game. She also led the team in kills last season along with Holly Blazek who graduated last spring. “Amiee will obviously be a focal point of our attack with her height and attacking ability,” said Flores. “We have been working hard on the basics, trying to build from the ground up.”
Photo by Matt Prieto COWGIRL VOLLEYBALL... Members of the 2010 Sidney volleyball team are, front row (frome left): Lindsey Holt, Keawna Conley, Lauren Smalley. Middle row: Tori Moreland, Joely Marshall, Ruth Ellen Gregory, Tayler Holt, Shelby Anderson. Top Row: Jessica Lowthorp, Maggie Slater, Mallory Johnson, Shelbie Driever, Emily Bohlen, Emma Chapman. Not Pictured: Nikki Campbell, Logan Doty, Molly Longman, Sarian Mohrhardt, Aimee Osborne, Bailry Shirley, Mandie Uhlenkamp, Emily Whitehead.
Sidney returns two experienced setters in Lindsey Holt and Sammy Doty. They were the team leaders in assists as well as digs. Mandie Uhlenkamp returns this season after leading the team in serve percentage in 2009. Maggie Johnson was a regular starter last season and averaged .5 kills per game. Johnson will be a senior this year. Kristen Countryman was third on the team in kills last season as a sophomore and led the team with 66 games played. Bailey Shirley and Rachel Norton both recorded over 20 digs each and Norton served at an 84 percent clip while racking up 10 aces on the season. Sidney will rely on speed and the back row for defense this season as opposed to a strong presence at the net. “The girls have made a lot of progress
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already in getting ready for the season,” said Flores. “The main thing we will have to adapt to is not having a lot of height.” It the first year coaching in Iowa for Flores who comes to Sidney via Minnesota where she accumulated all of her previous coaching experience. She will be assisted by Kent Larson. “It’s nice to have Kent around,” said Flores. “He knows the girls and knows our competition around here really well. He helps me in a lot of ways.” see COWGIRLS, Page 20
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FALL SPORTS
Rebels look to overcome low numbers By KENT DINNEBIER Staff Writer
The Rebels may be small in number, but they have big hopes for the 2010 football season. Tyler Stevens and Zac Stevens return for their second season as co-coaches of a South Page football program that consist of 12 players. “It’s been hard to scrimmage because of our numbers, but the kids are working hard at it and our practices are going well. The kids are running quite a bit and are in pretty good shape,” Tyler Stevens said. South Page has four players returning for their senior season this year in Devin Devine, Andy Greedy, Michael Ribbey and Tyler Slough. “All four of them are beginning to know what we want out of them. They are good leaders and have been showing the other kids what we want. It’s good to have that kind of experience,” Tyler Stevens said. After playing quarterback last season for the Rebels, Devine will shift to tight end on offense and will play safety on defense. Sophomore Jacob Sunderman will be the new
“It’s been hard to scrimmage because of our numbers, but the kids are working hard at it and our practices are going well.” – Tyler Stevens South Page football coach signal caller for South Page this season. Slough returns at running back and linebacker. He will be joined in the offensive backfield by sophomore running back Briar Hoyt. “We have a sophomore class that will get a lot of playing time this year and we are looking for Briar Hoyt to have a pretty good year at running back,” Tyler Stevens said. Greedy will play on the offensive and defensive line, while Ribbey will see time at tight end on offense and play linebacker on defense. South Page opens the season Aug. 27 at Adair Casey and then hosts Seymour Sept. 3 before kicking off play in Eight Man District 8. While Stanton and East Mills are traditionally strong programs, Tyler
Stevens also expects Nishnabotna to be put a solid team on the field this year. Nishnabotna was
formed by the consolidation of Farragut and Hamburg. After going winless in 2008, the Rebels went 1-8 last year with the lone victory coming over Essex. However, Tyler Stevens said the team feels it can improve on that total this season. “We’re looking to improve over the last two years and are shooting for a few more wins this year,” Tyler Stevens said.
August 2010 19
COWBOYS
Continued from Page 17 able playing time on the defensive side of the ball under their belts. “Burge has put on a considerable amount of size since last year and has been working as nose guard,” said Sears. “All three of those guys will make an impact up front.” The Cowboys open the season with Walnut before a week two trip to Lamoni. “Things are coming along pretty well but with the heat the first week of practice its difficult to know exactly where we stand,” said Sears. ‘I cant ever remember it being this hot for the first week of practice, but everyone else is in the same boat too.”
Photo by Bob Eschliman REBEL FOOTBALL... South Page football players and coaches this season are (front row) Zane Smalley, Jacob Sunderman, Mike Ribbey, Monty Hoyt, Briar Hoyt, (back row) Coach Tyler Stevens, Blake Harvey, Dakota Cowan, Andrew Greedy, Dustin Peregrine, Devin Devine and Coach Zac Stevens. Not pictured are Tyler Slough and Korey Slough.
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The Valley News & Clarinda Herald-Journal
Lady Rebels 2010 Small in numbers, but big in experience, leadership By KENT DINNEBIER Staff Writer
Photo by Bob Eschliman REBEL VOLLEYBALL... South Page volleyball players this season are (front row) Maggie MacVenn, Mistary McClarnon, Heather Stimpson, Kady Van Fosson, (back row) Haley Simpson, Megan Hamilton, Natalie Story and Kelsie Neihart. Not pictured are Kristan McClarnon and Brianna Wheelbarger. The Rebels are coached by Amanda Wooten.
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South Page will be relying on its four upperclassmen to set the tone for the 2010 volleyball season. Megan Hamilton is the lone senior on the squad. She is joined by juniors Maggie MacVenn, Kelsie Niehart and Brianna Wheelbarger. Also returning from last season for the Rebels are sophomores Kristin McClarnon, Natalie Story and Kady Van Fosson. “I am excited to have all of them back. They have shown good leadership with the freshmen and are excited about the season. They are fun girls to work with and have shown a lot of heart so far,” South Page Coach Amanda Wooten said. The final three members of the South Page volleyball program this season are freshmen Mistary McClarnon, Haley Simpson and Heather Stimpson. Wooten, who is returning for her second season as head coach of the Rebels, said the three freshmen have been important additions to the team. “I’m looking forward to having at least
COWGIRLS
Continued from Page 18 The Cowgirls open the season at the Fremont-Mills Early Bird Invite before the home opener against South Page on September 9th, followed by a trip across the border to Nebraska to play in the
one, if not more, of them play at the varsity level,” Wooten said. Although the Rebels lost five players from last year’s team to graduation, Wooten was pleased with the hard work and dedication the squad displayed during the preseason. “I think that is our greatest strength. Everyone has been working hard and I feel we are ahead of where we were at this time last year,” Wooten said. “My goal is to have the team continue to improve in all levels of our offense and defense, especially our hitting.” South Page opens the season Thursday, Sept. 2, with a home match against Diagonal and then moves into Corner Conference action. Besides perennial power Stanton, Wooten expects Nishnabotna to have a strong volleyball team this season. However, Wooten said the rest of the Corner Conference race looks to be up for grabs this year. “Overall, the conference has really changed from last year. A lot of the schools lost a lot of key players,” Wooten said.
Humboldt Invitational. The Early Bird contains teams from the Corner Conference as well as non-traditional opponents like Tarkio, Missouri for Sidney to test themselves against. “I don’t know a lot about the opposition around here yet, but I did see a few of them in the summer league,” said Flores. “I guess I will see everything soon enough.”
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FALL SPORTS
August 2010 21
Home of the Mustangs
Photo by Kevin Slater MUSTANG FOOTBALL... Members of the 2010 Shenandoah football team are, front row (from left): Sam Kroepel, Jordan Tacker, Jake Flores, Caleb Count, Trevor Wood, Dakota Lawson, Jacob Holmes, Drew Nielsen, Jose Rendon, Nick Laughlin, Damion Dawson, Shaun Rice, Sam Larson. Second row: Damion Moore, Scott Hastings, Tyler Lorimor, Evan Lindburg, Matt Gray, Caleb Flynn, Tyler McCoy, Jacob Tacker, Chris Count, Jackson Baker, Parker Rice, Tyler Dalley, Kyle Hiser, Zac Taylor. Third row: Phillip Mann, Caleb James, Nick Allely, Adam Heslinga, Jake Doerr, Jordan Poe, Dustin Nebel, Kyle Sparks, Luke Slyster, Stephen Langley, Jordan Pelphrey, Ryan Matheny. Top: Head coach Brett Roberts, asst. coach Bryan Diekmann, Brandon Smith, Trevor Johnson, Drew Bayless, Skylar Bruning, Travis Sunderman, Brandon Smith, Tyler Nothwehr, Patrick Richardson, Matt Gray, Jake Coulier, asst. coach Jon Skillern, asst. coach Maurice McCabe.
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The Mustangs have had their struggles as of late, going a combine 0-18 in the past two seasons. However, with a ton of returning talent, a new coaching situation and a brand new district for 2010, there is reason for Shenandoah to believe this truly is a whole new season. “The kids are picking up the changes we made and the changes in staff,” said head coach Brett Roberts. “They’ve been working hard, and we have more depth than last year, so it’s nice.” The Mustangs go from arguably one of the tough-
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est Class 2A districts in the The combined record for state the past two seasons, the other six teams in the to one where they should be district was 14-41 in 2009. much more competitive. The past two seasons Although the new district Roberts has been one of will cnertainly add travel two co-head coaches, with time to the Mustangs his main focus on offense. schedule, it also presents This year as the lone man in several opportunities. charge, he will be responsi“It’s definitely not the ble for all aspects of the powerhouse we’ve been team. in,” said Roberts. “This dis“It has a lot more respontrict is really up in the air, sibility and a lot more it’s really hard to pick out work,” Roberts said of the the four playoff teams. I change. “I have a really think we’ll be right in there. good coaching staff and It’s definitely a lot of travel, they keep me on the ball but I think it’s a good and help me with things I opportunity for us.” need. But it’s also to have a Only two teams in the program to call my own so district managed a winning we could do things the way record last season, and coach Skillern, coach Pella Christian accomplished that in Class 1A. see MUSTANGS, Page 27
FALL SPORTS
22 August 2010
The Fillies are back...
The Valley News & Clarinda Herald-Journal
Bank on it!
Photo by Kevin Slater FILLIE VOLLEYBALL... Members of the 2010 Shenandoah volleyball team are, front (from left): Emma Christensen and Avery Grebert. Second: Alisha Woodyard, Catherine Stout, Mackayla Stoaks, Adrian Ruzek, Draven Moore, Kimberly Taylor, Hayleigh Connell, Kali Akers, Mariah Bengston, Jamie Stribling, Harley Collier. Third row: Tasha Clark, Kaylyn Poe, Jami Wiesen, Breanna Allely, Yessenia Barbosa, Laura Perry, Tarynne Kinghorn, Beth Wilson, Whitney Croll, Claudia Cepeda, Megan Bright, Shyanne Powers, Kylie Farrel, Leanne Johnson. Fourth row: Ashton Matheny, Jourdan Perkins, Cassie Gilbert, Bailey DeBolt, Mackenzie Johnson, Brittany Comstock, Rebecca O’Hearn, Jenny McCoy, Lindsey Hastings and Haley Lembrick. Top: Amanda Folk, Brittanee Bartles, Amber Clark, Shaylee Taylor.
Fillie volleyball: By KEVIN SLATER Sports Editor
Coaches hate terms like “rebuilding year,” but for Shenandoah volleyball coach Shannon Gilbert there is no avoiding it. The Fillies graduated a senior class that has been a huge part of the team the last three seasons. Gone are the Fillies’ top-five leaders
in kills, and a stagering 96 percent of the team’s total in that category. They lost an even bigger percentage of the team’s assists, with only three perecent coming back for 2010. Gilbert said this season his team’s biggest strength will also be his biggest challenge. “There are a lot of different players in a lot of differ-
Shenandoah has an inexperienced group of players, but are loaded with talent and desire
ent positions,” said Gilbert. “The hardest part for me will be finding out who is going to be the most consistent. “Continuity might be an issue because with so many people capable of playing, we might not be used to playing together.” The top returner in kills is junior Brittany Comstock who had 22. She is also has
the most blocks of any returning player with 23, a total good enough for third last year. Gilbert said she will play the middle position this season. The only other returning player with a significant amount of varsity experience under her belt is Lindsey Hastings. The junior was second on the team last season with 163 digs.
Gilbert said she and Cassie Gilbert will be relied upon for a lot of the outside hitting. “They’re both getting a lot smarter with understanding where they need to hit it,” said coach Gilbert. Most of the other returning varsity experience came from back row players. Seniors Amber Clark and Shaylee Taylor each played
in about a third of last season’s games, and add quickness and court coverage to the team. Those two, along with Brittanee Bartles and Hayley Lembrick, give Gilbert a good group to choose from. “It’s a matter of me figuring out who is going to be the most consistent,” see FILLIES, Page 27
The Valley News & Clarinda Herald-Journal
FALL SPORTS
August 2010 23
Mustang cross country experienced and deep By KEVIN SLATER Sports Editor
Last season was full of pleasant surprises for the Mustang cross country team as they surpassed most people’s expectations. One of those people wasn’t head coach Andy Campbell who said even though his squad was unproven, he knew they could do big things. This year with the top six runners from a season ago returning, Campbell said he expects to build on to that success and achieve even more. “The team returns its top6 runners from last year,” said Campbell. “Derek Kellison, Kyle Fischer, Brandon Stout, Austin Fichter, Adam Fichter, and Tate Jensen. That being said, there is a very quality group of newcomers this year, and also at least four other runners with varsity experience (Quentin Bangston, Andy Fick, Jake Kinghorn, Clayton Young). “Most years I have a good idea of what will happen at our time trial, but there are a lot of quality runners this year that could shake things up.” Derek Kellison established his place in front of
the Mustang pack last year by leading them each time out. He finished just one spot away from clinching himself a trip to the state meet as he was 11th at the district race. The previous season, Kellison was 62nd at the district meet, and summed up the kind of surprise the rest of the area got from the
Mustangs in 2009. The team’s No. 2 runner for most of last season was freshman Kyle Fischer. With a year of varsity experience under his belt, Campbell said he looks for Fischer to be even better in 2010. The No. 3 through 6 runners for the Mustangs varied nearly every meet,
which Campbell said is good for competition and improving. Brandon Stout, Austin Fichter, Adam Fichter and Tate Jensen went back and forth in those spots and all return to add important pieces to the ShenandoahEssex puzzle this season. The Mustangs have a lot of experience, including 10
seniors – Jade Allen, Adam Fichter, Austin Fichter, Andy Fick, Jensen, Kellison, Jake Kinghorn, Matt O’Hearn, Mitchell Steinkuehler, and Clayton Young – and Campbell said that will be big this season. “I think experience always helps,” said Campbell. “They know what it takes to compete in
our conference and district. I’ve been very pleased with the example set by our 10 seniors.” So far during practice, Campbell said his number 1 through 10 runners have all been extremely close. He said that is great for competition, but hopes they continue to push each other. see BXC, Page 25
Photo by Kevin Slater MUSTANG CROSS COUNTRY… Members of the 2010 Shenandoah-Essex boys’ cross country team are, front row (from left): Zac McCoy, Tyler Ranner, Joe Racine, Quentin Bangston, David Hogue, Brad Young, Hector Rendon, Sean Skillern, Ryan Laughlin. Top: Derek Kellison, Matt O’Hearn, Austin Fichter, Kyle Fischer, Tate Jensen, Andy Fick, Jake Kinghorn, Jade Allen, Adam Fichter, Clayton Young. Not pictured: Mitchell Steinkuehler, Dalton Stoaks and coach Andy Campbell.
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FALL SPORTS
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FILLIE CROSS COUNTRY... Members of the Shenandoah-Essex 2010 girls’ cross country team are, front row (from left): Karen Fischer, Ashton Mayer, Lili Rodriguez, Madi Saner, Katie Johnson Second Row: Anna Hart, Yevgenyia Kruopite, Kelly Pullen, Jamie Schubert, Frankie Hughes Third Row: Steph McBride, Alexis Hoxie, Alexis Saner, Hannah Langley, Megan Hart, Kaylee Birt, Coach Liz Skillern. Photo by Kevin Slater
Talent and leadership define Fillie cross country By KEVIN SLATER Sports Editor
Alexis Saner
The Fillie cross country program has a long history of success. This season they are looking to add a new piece to that history as they compete without Farragut and possibly in Class 2A for the first time in five years. “I’ve got a lot of experience back and that is going to help,” said Fillie coach Liz Skillern. “It’s always are expectation that we improve upon last year’s performance, and I definitely think we will do that.” Shenandoah-Essex returns nearly all of its top varsity runners from 2009. Among those are the No. 1 and 2 runners, Alexis Saner and Anna Hart. As a freshman, Saner led the team every time she competed. She showed area runners she was a force to be recogned with right off
the bat as she ran to a runner-up finish at the always tough Glenwood meet to start the season. She maintained her high showings and may have made more noise at the end of the season if it weren’t for some health issues. “She’s very driven,” Skillern said of Saner. “She put in about 250 miles this summer and she’s very miticulous about her running.” Illness kept her from competing in the conference meet, and a cramp hampered her at the district meet. However, Skillern said she is looking better than ever this season and ready to lead once again as the team’s top runner. Hart was consistently the team’s No. 2 runner last season, and led the team with a 12th-place conference finish. “Anna is looking great, she’s grown up a lot and
has a lot more desire and confidence in her abilities,” Skillern said. In the No. 3 through 6 positions the Fillies are loaded with consistency. Ashton Mayer, Karen Fischer, Madison Saner and Jamie Schubert all had impressive showings at times last season. “Maddie looks great in practice, she’s been working very hard and stepped it up a notch,” Skillern said. “Ashton’s got the experience, she’s been around cross country most of her life.” Mayer, who will be a senior this season, improved so much throughout last season that by the end of the year she had established herself as the team’s third runner. She is one of five seniors on this year’s team. Skillern said she’s not sure where each of them fit in the lineup, but is happy to have their leadership.
“Their going to be our nucleus, wherever they are in the top 10 it doesn’t matter, because they’re all strong leaders,” she said. “I’m going to count on my seniors a lot. Heart and determination sometimes can get farther than talent can.” Skillern said their were six runners who put in more than 100 miles during the off season, and for the first time in a long time, they are a veteran squad. She is hopeful that will help the Fillies move on to the next phase in their program. “We’re older and more experienced and hopefully that will make the difference down the stretch,” she said. Also in the mix this season will be freshman Megan Hart, who Skillern said runs as high as No. 2 in practice. see GXC, Page 25
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“Megan as a freshman is looking very tough,” Skillern pointed out. “She just goes all out.” Another freshman Skillern expects to compete for a varsity spot is Stephanie McBride. “What’s nice is that seven of them are going to have to work very hard to get on varsity,” Skillern said. However, with only 13 runners in total, Skillern said it would be nice to have added depth, especially for JV. “We just need more numbers.”
ESSEX
Continued from Page 11 a little different, but that’s it.’ Felicia Monson and Aspen Riley also played a considerable amount last season for Essex. Perry also expects Haley Fundermann to make an impact this season. Riley and monsoon combined for over 50 kills last season and Monson racked up an additional 23 aces and 112 digs. “We have 18 kids out,” said Perry. “I think that’s pretty good participation for a school as small as we are. Some of the younger girls like Tessie Lindberg, Jasmine Glasgo and Mariah Johnson might not have a ton of game experience yet but they are talented and will likely make an impact this season. Essex won’t have much blocking presence at the net. Riley Monson and Austine Nelson are the only players returning with a recorded block and none of them had more than 10. “We are going to have to rely on quickness and back row defense,” said Perry. “You have to be in really good shape to play that way so we are going to work extra hard. It takes so much energy to run around and chase balls during long rallies. Practicing in this heat will toughen us up.” It’s Perry’s tenth year at the helm of the Essex program and he is pleased with what he sees so far in the early practices. The season starts as usual at the Fairfax, Missouri Invite which is a two day affair before non-conference games against Bedford and Riverside. The Conference season opens the second week of September against Fremont-Mills. “Like I said, we are going to have to play a little bit different this year,” he said. “But these girls work together very well and have a lot of experience playing together. I think we will do just fine.”
August 2010 25 With numbers usually in the teens, the Fillies have went up against opponents with up to 40 runners on their squads as part of Class 3A the last several years. Although the state had not released the cross country classifications as of last Friday, Skillern thinks that with the drop to 2A and teams closer to their size, the Fillies would have a legitimate shot at getting back to Fort Dodge for the state meet this season. “We had success last year, but I want to move on to the next level and that should always be our goal,” said Skillern. “I don’t want people just out for cross country, I want them to be cross country runners and compete and give everything they have.”
BXC
Continued from Page 23 “I think that they will be a very competitive group,” he said. “Like I told the guys in practice, a pack looks pretty, but what you really need is everyone running to their top potential. If that makes a pack that’s fine, but we just want everyone on top of their game.” In addition to the wealth of returning experience, the Mustangs also have the luxury of added talent. Allen, David Hogue, Ryan Laughlin, Zac McCoy, Joe Racine, Hector Rendon, Sean Skillern, and Bradley Young or all new to the team this season. Campbell said these aren’t just added bodies, but some people that can really make a difference. “Out of this group I see several that could make a run at challenging for a varsity spot,” said Campbell. “I will be able to tell you more after the time trial. That is the day of truth where you really find out what people have.” Last year Shenandoah-Essex finished sixth in the conference, and fifth in the district. This season Campbell is looking for a big step up. “I think that the guys should be thinking top three in both this season.” With a total of 20 athletes on the team, a lot of proven runners, and some unproven talent mixed in, Campbell has good reason to believe that will be possible this season. “We have had similar numbers before, but it’s been a few years that the team has had this depth of talent,” Campbell said. “I think the junior varsity will be very tough this season, and that will put the pressure on the varsity to run tough every meet. “I think that competition will always make your team better.”
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LEGEND
Continued from Page 6 and then started his coaching career at Ventura High School. Lindsay was at Ventura High School for three years and spent two years as head coach before serving as an assistant coach for two years at Garner Hayfield and three years as the head football and wrestling coach at Cardinal High School in Eldon. In 2009, Lindsay returned to Clarinda to serve as an assistant coach for Carper. “It was a great opportunity to come back and get in the swing of things, and Dave was great to work with,” Lindsay said. The Cardinals have 43 players on the football team this season including approximately 15 letter winners who return from a team that went 2-7 a year ago. Both of those wins came in district play. “We had a lot of young guys that saw a lot of playing time last season and that has me a little excited. While we’re still a relatively young team, we have a good group of quality guys that have a lot of varsity experience. A lot of these guys also started in basketball, wrestling and baseball so they have a lot of varsity experience and have been in the pressure of varsity games and close games,” Lindsay said. Despite their youth, the Cardinals do have seven sen-
iors returning to the team this year in Caedron Bartles, Brody Bergren, Jordan Dammann, Nick Lasley, Landon Pulliam, Steven Ripley and Trevor Shane. “That’s a good group of guys and they have really stepped up and been leaders,” Lindsay said. Meanwhile, Clarinda will also be relying on a strong junior class that includes Jeremiah Haug, Kramer Samuelson, Tyler Steeve and Logan Wilham. “They have transitioned great from sophomores to upperclassmen and have stepped into that leadership role as well,” Lindsay said. Lindsay said the Cardinal faithful can also look forward to a new offensive approach this season that will feature more of a multi-formation look. The new offensive scheme is designed to capitalize on the Cardinals’ overall quickness and take advantage of their talent at the skill positions. “There will be more of a mix with the run and the pass. We will try to pass the ball a little more and we believe we have the skill people to do that, but you still have to be able to run the ball in October in Iowa,” Lindsay said. On the defensive side of the football, Lindsay said the Cardinals will be employing the same defensive scheme as
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Roger Williams returns as the defensive coordinator. Also returning to the coaching staff this season are assistants Andrew Almelien and Josh Porter. “I couldn’t ask for a better staff. We are all on the same page. They have been willing to listen to my ideas and we have a really good rapport,” Lindsay said. Besides playing for a new coach, Clarinda will also be competing in a newly aligned district this year. Joining Clarinda in Class 2A District 8 this season will be Bondurant-Farrar, Clarke of Osceola, Colfax-Mingo, Interstate 35 Truro, PCM Monroe, Pella Christian and Shenandoah. Of the eight teams, Lindsay said Bondurant-Farrar and Pella Christian were the only two to post winning records last season. “After that there are some good quality guys coming back for everybody, so it should be pretty much wide open,” Lindsay said. Clarinda will open the season Friday, Aug. 27, at home against Red Oak in a non-district clash and then will travel to Logan-Magnolia for its other non-district game. “If we can take care of the little things and get all 11 guys on the field doing their job and doing it right, hopefully everything else will take care of itself,”
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Continued from Page 16 but its going really well,” she said. “We played some games this summer and did some group outings to get to know each other.” Both schools will provide plenty of talent to this year’s squad. Gardner will have six regular starters returning combined between the two schools and nearly30 girls total to select from. “I keep thinking about all the positions on the floor and then going over who I have to play in each position,” said Gardner. “I have to find room and playing time for a lot of talented girls, but that’s a really good problem to have.” Mariah Voyles and Jody Shough were among the Admirals leaders in kills last season. Paige Jewell and Becky Sears are the leading hitters returning from last years Wildcats squad.
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Voyles and Shough combined for exactly 300 kills last season. Voyles added 51 blocks as well and should be a consistent force at the net. Jewell and Sears each averaged .5 kills per game last season. Chelsea Nebel piled up 381 assists for Farragut last season and Molly Goltz led the team last year in serve percentage and was also the leader in aces among non-seniors.Goltz also averaged just over one kill per game. “It will help to have a lot of experience at setter,” said Gardner. “We are figuring each other out and learning to play together, and most everything goes through the setter.” Amanda Griffith, Ashley Gilbert and Rachel Finnell will all add attacking depth. The back row was almost completely lost to graduation. Amy and Amanda Brennan will be among the candidates to fill that role this season. Amanda Brennan racked up over two digs per game last season while Amy added just under one dig per game while adding 46 assists to that total. “Both teams from last year lost the majority of their back row, but I think we will be just fine with Amy and Amanda back there,” said Gardner. “A lot of girls are going to get opportunities all over the court this season and it’s just a matter of seeing who steps up.” With 29 girls out, it appears the options are endless and it gives Gardner a variety of answers for any situational strategy that might arise. “The summer league really helped us a lot,” said Gardner. “I have been working them hard and I think we will be ready.”
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MUSTANGS
Continued from Page 21 Diekmann, coach McCabe and myself see best for the program.” Leading the charge for the Mustangs will be running back Nick Allely and quarterback Kyle Sparks. “The offense isn’t going to change much from last year,” said Roberts. “When healthy Nick’s one of the best backs in the area and in the district as well. He’s definitely a physically gifted runner, so our game plan is to give the ball to Nick. “When they start shutting him down we have Kyle Sparks coming back at quarterback and he’s shown he can throw the ball.” Allely was an all-district selection last season despite missing two games due to a preseason injury. When healthy, Allely showed he was one of the top backs around, picking up 494 yards with an average of over five yards each time he carried the ball. Roberts said he hit the
FILLIES
Continued from Page 22 Gilbert said. At the setter position Gilbert said he also has at least four people he would feel comfortable with. Ashton Matheny saw some time on varsity last season and will likely be handling the bulk of the duties. However, Bailey DeBolt, Laura Perry and even freshman Emma Christensen could step into that role. “If one of my setters is having an off day I have people I can bring in, which is nice,” said Gilbert. Junior Mackenzie Johnson proved to have a strong serve last season as she was asked to come off the bench in some pressure service moments. The upside about losing so many seniors is it gives Shenandoah’s younger players a chance to step up. Gilbert has several talented underclassmen who are expected to play valuable minutes. Gilbert pointed out sophomores Breanna Allely, Megan Bright, Tarynne Kinghorn and Whitney Croll who all add size and jumping ability to the front row. “The sophomores have really
weighroom hard in the off season and put on about 20 pounds of muscle. “Added strength helps you avoid injuries every time,” said Roberts. Sparks, who will be a junior this season, improved with each outing last year. He ended up with 576 yards passing, but needs to be more selective with his throws as he had 11 interceptions compared to just two touchdowns. The team’s returning leader in receiving is Jordan Poe, who had 145 a year ago. He will be playing the tight end position this season. “Jordan can definitely catch the ball,” Roberts added. Roberts said he is excited about his offensive line this season as they have three players returning that have started at least two years. Ryan Matheny at center and Phillip Mann at tackle are both heading into their third season as starters. “It all starts at center and Ryan is super smart,” said Roberts. “As
a coach it’s great to have a kid like Ryan on the field, he’s our eyes and ears out there.” Stephen Langley is a returning starter at guard, and Jake Doerr also has experience. “I like what we have on the line and I like the way they work together,” Roberts said. Defensively, the Mustangs are looking to put more pressure on the opposing offense this season, as they return nine starters and 13 with varsity experience. “Our biggest problem the last two years has been we can’t stop the run,” Roberts explained. “The first priority is going to be to stop the run and make the other team one dimensional. We’re going to dare them to pass on us. “We’re going to be real aggressive, blitz a lot and force the other team to make mistakes.” The team will base out of a 5-3 defense, but will also change based on what the other team lines up in. Allely led the team with eight tackles for loss from his linebacker position last season and
stepped up and played well in a lot of positions,” he said. The Fillies are coming off of a 919 season and were winless in the always tough Hawkeye Ten conference. Gilbert said the key to improving upon that this season will be concentration. “We got to play smarter and we’ve got to get better at serving and passing. Those two things in volleyball
Brittany Comstock
August 2010 27
was in on 49 tackles. “He’ll definitely make plays,” Roberts said. Tyler McCoy comes back for a third year as a starting linebacker, and Roberts said he expects a lot of the man in the middle. “He’s going to be our leader on defense.” Sparks was recognized on the all-district team from his safety position where he helped on 40 tackles and picked off a pass. Jacob Tacker and Chris Count return as starters on the corners, while Matheny and Langley will achor the line. Poe will make the switch from lineback to defensive end this season. On the special teams Roberts said he has four good kickers, including McCoy and freshman Jose Rendon. Poe and Mann both have varsity punting experience and Rendon can help there as well. In addition to assistant coach Jon Skillern and Bryan Diekmann, the Mustangs have added Maurice McCabe to the
are huge.” Although they are for the most part on unproven bunch, Gilbert said he can see some areas where this year’s team is superior to the last few seasons. “I think this group will play together as a team,” he said. “We may not have the athletic ability we’ve had in the past few years, but I think we’ll do just as good if not better.” Gilbert mentioned Kuemper Catholic, Lewis Central and Harlan as the team’s to beat in the conference, but quickly pointed out he is confident the Fillies can play with anyone. “I would expect us to play in the middle of this conference. I think anyone can beat anyone on a given day.” Whatever the outcome, Gilbert said he is happy with the effort he is getting from his players and said he expects that to continue throughout the season. “They’re a good group of kids and they’re working hard,” he said. “That’s what it takes in this conference – hard work, dedication and a good attitude.”
staff. He comes from Minnesota where he has been a head coach and has around 20 years of experience. “He brings a lot of experience and has coached in a lot of different systems,” Roberts said fo McCabe. “He’s definitely a good addition.” The beginning of the schedule looks favorable for the Mustangs as they don’t face a team with a winning record in Class 2A last year until Week 6. They start off with the non-district schedule with Underwood at home who was 5-4 last season and plays in 1A, and then travel to Red Oak who was 1-8 last year in Shenandoah’s district and now plays in Class 3A. “It’s very important to get off to a good start,” said Roberts. “The last two years we were real close in our non-conference games and we couldn’t pull them out and it set the tone for the season. “So, those two games are definitely important and we are going to be primed and ready to go.”
DEVILS
Continued from Page 13 was one of seven players to catch a pass last season for Hamburg, five of whom return in 2010. Joel Delong, Andrew Thompson and Colin Nakhunst all had triple digit receiving yards last season, as the Wildcats were forced to make a number of lineup changes due to injury. That resulted in Kahue and Thompson racking up signifigant passing yards after opening day quarterback Doug Raymond went down with an injury. “The guys that played end that are just used to catching passes will have to learn to block and get involved more in running plays,” said Young. “If they do that then they will have a better chance of being open when we pass.” Raymond threw for 585 yards and eight touchdowns while playing quar-
terback with Delong being the primary target. Delong hauled in 21 passes for 438 yards and seven touchdowns. Delong also led the team in interceptions with three. Kahue led in tackles with 139. Young has the luxury of good numbers, something he hasn’t had the past few years. The Blue Devils have 32 players out for the squad. “That certainly give me the option of resting players and playing other guys on only one side of the ball,” said Young. “I had guys last year that literally never came out of the game.” The Blue Devils open the season at Farragut, playing host to Lamoni before heading north to play Walnut in their other nondistrict game. “Should be an interesting season,” said Young. “I think the district is wide open.”
28 August 2010
FALL SPORTS
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