Sports Spotlight Vol. 3 Iss. 6 by Sports Spotlight USA, Inc

CRESTON/O-M: EXTRA HEARTBEAT P. 20 | BRODY TESKE: THE KID’S GOT GAME P. 22

March 2015

STATE WRESTLING

Join The Club Union’s Max Thomsen’s fourth state title marks the end of a historic career. BY TORK MASON │ P. 18

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Rundown The

March 2015

Volume 3, Iss. 6

JOINING THE CLUB Union’s Max Thomsen becomes the 24th Iowa prep to win four state wrestling titles.

Departments Warming Up

WRESTLING

GIRLS BASKETBALL

▶Creston/Orient-Macksburg faced a near-tragedy at the state wrestling tournament and responded with a strong performance.

▶Carlisle has emerged as one of the state’s best, thanks in large part to do-it-all point guard Agatha Beier.

20 Extra Heartbeat

22 The Kid’s Got Game ▶Fort Dodge freshman Brody Teske didn’t let the bright lights keep him from winning a state title.

24 Beier Beware

4 5

BOYS BASKETBALL

26 Falcons Take Flight

▶Aplington-Parkersburg has made a dramatic turnaround this season, going from 8-14 a year ago to the top 10.

6 8

Staff and Contacts President...........................Rush Nigut (rush@sportsspotlight.com) Business Ops.....................John Streets (john@sportsspotlight.com) Programming Director.....Tony Atzeni (tony@sportsspotlight.com) Editor-in-Chief.................Tork Mason (editor@sportsspotlight.com) Sales Director....................Peter Tarpey (peter@sportsspotlight.com) Graphics............................Giuliana Lamantia (art@sportsspotlight.com)

Sports Spotlight, U.S.A. Inc. 1063 14th Pl Suite C Des Moines, IA 50314 515.244.1118

Correction In the February 2015 issue, Sports Spotlight wrongly identified an athlete as Southeast Polk’s Nolan Hellickson in a photo. Sports Spotlight regrets the error.

10 12 30

Be a Sport ▶Long-term benefits of youth sports Mic’d Up ▶Southeast Polk head wrestling coach Jason Christenson Hy-Vee Horizon Athletes of the Week GTSB Student Athlete of the Month ▶Aidan Keen, Iowa City West The Bullpen ▶How to handle an ankle sprain The Month Ahead Where are They Now? ▶Four-time champs Marlin, Sebolt stick together. March 2015 | SPORTS SPOTLIGHT | 3

Warming Up

Be a Sport

Let children grow with success, failure | By Nancy Justis

OES CONFIDENCE BEGET competence, or does competence beget confidence? The chicken or the egg. I guess I should begin with some definitions. Webster’s American Dictionary defines confidence this way: “Trust in a person or thing [...] A feeling of assurance or certainty.” Competence is defined as: “The state or quality of being competent (properly qualified, able).” Confused? In either case, confidence and competence go hand in hand. “Changing the Game: The Parents Guide to Raising Happy, High-Performing Athletes and Giving Youth Sports Back to the Kids” explains it this way: “The more competent we are, the more confidence we have in our performance. And the more confident we are, the more likely we are to seek out ways to become more competent [...] As your child develops competence in a sport, his confidence also increases [...] Confidence is a natural byproduct of skill.” How can you help your children build competence? Ever heard of the Slanty Line theory of learning developed by Dr. Muska Mosston? It goes against the traditional concept of learning. Mosston gives the example of the game where a stick begins low to the ground where all kids can jump over it. As the stick is raised, more children begin to drop out because they can’t meet the height. Eventually there is one winner. This is counter-productive because the children who need the activity the most are the ones eliminated first. The solution is to slant the stick so one end is lower than the other. Children can run and jump and feel successful at their own pace. When players feel comfortable they seek new challenges and participate at their own skill level. Slanty Line activities allow children of all levels to play together. That’s what youth sports should be about. Children need parental help in becoming confident. Goal setting is one key component. You should help them set goals that are progress-driven, making comparisons to his or her previous scores, not comparisons to a teammate. The process is what makes them better. It’s difficult to watch a child fail. But failure is a fact of life. My 6-year-old grandson becomes very pouty when he fails to perform in a way he deems “perfect.” My daughter explained it to him this way. “Even college players make mistakes. Did you see where the kicker had to make a tackle because everyone else missed the runner?” His response: “Oh, so that’s why kickers also wear pads.” He was in a better mood the rest of the day. Children need parents, coaches, teachers and others in their lives who believe in them no matter what. Research shows failures do not ruin their self-esteems. Self-esteem comes from achievement. So let them fail and also let them figure a lot out on their own. Besides having people around them who believe in them, confidence also comes from being prepared, whether winning or losing. Building confidence doesn’t happen overnight. Dr. Carol Dweck, in her book “Mindset,” says there are two types of mindsets when it

Children need parents, coaches, teachers and others in their lives who believe in them no matter what.

4 | SPORTS SPOTLIGHT | March 2015

comes to performance — fixed and growth. Those with fixed mindsets may judge situations in terms of how they reflect upon their own ability. If you do badly on a test, you are not smart, for example. These individuals rarely challenge themselves. People with a growth mind-set see challenges as an exciting part of learning and occasional failures is part of success. They pick themselves back up and try again. Dweck found adults can instill a fixed mind-set in children by praising them in wrong ways. In a test of 400 fifth-graders, she found praising children for their intelligence instead of their effort was more detrimental. John O’Sullivan, author of “Changing the Game,” gives several “action” steps for developing confidence in young athletes. — Take a good hard look at your child in training and competition, and ask yourself “does my child display confidence, or is he/ she scared?” — Look for opportunities to give your child more control over the athletic process, thus displaying your trust, which helps build confidence. — Don’t always intervene when the child is failing. Let it happen, then discuss the reasons for the outcome, such as lack of preparation, lack of focus, etc. — Keep your attention and your child on the process and the controllable things and look for ways to measure improvement. — Praise effort. Positive Coaching Alliance believes in five comments of praise to every one comment of constructive criticism. — Try not to over praise or praise sarcastically. — Do not compare your child to others. — Display your love no matter what. Tell us what you think by emailing Justis at njustis@cfu.net. Nancy Justis is a former competitive swimmer and collegiate sports information director. She is a partner with Justis Creative Communications and a State “Champion” for “Positive Coaching Alliance.

Mic’d Up With Tony Atzeni

Warming Up

See what some of the state’s top coaches and athletes have to say, though the filter of Hall of Fame broadcaster Tony Atzeni.

The Interview

JASON CHRISTENSON

S O U T H E A S T P O L K H E A D COAC H Southeast Polk was denied a state wrestling championship in 2014, but the Rams came back strong and brought home the hardware in 2015. Coach Christenson talks about his team’s season and the people who support the program. TONY ATZENI: I’m here with head coach Jason Christenson of Southeast Polk. The Rams just won the state duals and the traditional state tournament at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. Coach Christenson, what’s it feel like, both the duals and the state championship, now that you’re removed from that? JASON CHRISTENSON: It’s surreal. We’re in a situation right now where it feels like a 100-pound load has been lifted off your back. You’ve got the kids here at school congratulating you when they walk by in the hall or come into your class, and the staff ’s doing the same thing. I get to see our kids, since I teach Advanced Weights. It may not be a whole lot of talk, but a general feeling of satisfaction and elation. TA: You crowned some individual champions, as well. Could you talk about them, in particular Nolan Hellickson? Here’s a kid, just missed and got third [place], just missed and got [third], and

this year finally gets that hand raised. I know the elation is there for him, but as a coach, you’ve got to be pretty pleased, too. JC: Oh, absolutely. That was one of my favorite memories of the tournament, to see him out there getting his hand raised and seeing the smile on his face. What people didn’t see was how dejected, how down he was the last two years. To finally see that celebration [...] it’s just one of those things that’s tough to describe. TA: Alright. Let’s say you’re not coaching or teaching here at Southeast Polk; what would you be doing instead? JC: Being a coach’s son, I know what demands and dynamic that come with the job. But in college, I wasn’t thinking about coaching. I was really into biology and thought I was going to be a physical therapist. It wasn’t until about halfway through college and then switched gears. But now, if I wasn’t coaching and teaching, I’d probably want to be like a forest ranger where I’m off by myself and doing my own thing. TA: You’re a family man, we talk about the coaching and you get a lot of credit, but the families of coaches have to be pretty special, too. So talk about your family a little and the time you have to take away from them because of what you do for a living.

JC: First off, I think my wife, Jeannie is the main reason I put so much into it. There’s a little bit of pride there, it’s not much fun for your wife to go to a dual or tournament and watch you and your kids get their butts kicked. [But the time away from home] is a huge sacrifice that all of our wives and families make, because most of us have them. I can’t thank all of our coaches’ wives enough for giving up their husbands for our kids. TA: Last question. How about the fan support that you guys get at Southeast Polk? JC: Our fans are outstanding. This is the best school in Iowa as far as fans go for wrestling. We get great student support, parental support. Even though we’re several different communities, we all come together. People talk about teams being a family, but ours is truly a family. TA: Okay, I lied. One last question. Is Iowa still the best state in the country when it comes to wrestling? JC: You’ve got to look at Pennsylvania pretty hard and just see how many Division-1 wrestlers they put out. The argument for us has always been per capita. For our size, we’ve got the best state tournament in the country. There’s no bigger three-ring circus than the Iowa High School State Wrestling Tournament.

www.agentkeithh.com

March 2015 | SPORTS SPOTLIGHT | 5

Josh & Justin Portillo

Andrea Larson

Photo by Tork Mason

Photo (L) courtesy of The Des Moines Register; Photo (R) by Tork Mason

Photo by Tork Mason

Faber, a Creighton University signee, led the Maroons back to the state tournament to defend their Class 5A title. The senior was fifth in the state in scoring (18.9 ppg) and was among state leaders in total blocks (37) entering the state tournament.

Burns won the Midwest High School Hockey League scoring crown, tallying 51 points with 23 goals and 28 assists on the year. His biggest week came from Feb. 4-8, when piled up 4 goals and 8 assists in three games.

Berg had a stellar freshman season and took the Indians to their first state tournament appearance since 2009. She led the team in scoring (16.3 ppg), rebounding (7.0 rpg) and blocks (17).

Alex Walton Photo courtesy of David Mable

Walton won a pair of state titles and set a state record in the process. The senior set a new record in the 200 individual medley with his time of 1:49.20 minutes to win his second title in the event. He also won the 100 backstroke for the third time.

Senior | North Linn

Schmidt scored 35 points, going 11-for-19 from the field with five 3-pointers, in a 126-121 fourovertime victory against Woodward Academy on Jan. 30. The senior was averaging 15.0 points per game as of Feb. 25 for the 20-2 Cardinals.

Photo courtesy of The Des Moines Register

Senior | Muscatine

Photo courtesy of Earlham High School

Grace Berg

The Portillos came away with just one championship between them in 2014, but the twins werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t to be kept from doubling up this year. Justin won his first title at 106 pounds, while Josh claimed his second crown at 126 pounds.

Larson led Mediapolis to an undefeated regular season and a top seed in the Class 3A state tournament. The senior was among state leaders in scoring (21.7 ppg), rebounding (10.4 rpg) and blocked shots (62) entering the state tournament.

Freshman | Indianola

Senior | Earlham

Alan Schmidt

Juniors | Clarion-Goldfield-Dows

Alex Burns

Senior | Mediapolis

Senior | Johnston

Senior | Dowling Catholic

Audrey Faber

Nicole Miller Photo by Tork Mason

Miller, a Drake University signee, led North Linn back to the state tournament. The senior led Class 2A in scoring at 26.4 points per game, and was among state leaders in assists (121) and steals (108) enterting tournament play.

Student

Athlete

of the

MONTH

Presented by the Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau- IowaGTSB.org

CLICK IT OR TICKET Aidan’s Q & A What’s your favorite sport to play? Why? Besides swimming, baseball was my favorite sport I ever played. What’s your favorite sports memory? Getting to go to the Zone Select camp with a lot of my friends from my team and other teams. Do you have any fun pre-game “rituals” that prepare you for an event? Before a race, I shake out my muscles and readjust my cap and goggles a lot. What’s your favorite subject in school and why? Principles of Engineering. I get to work with my hands and it’s also a lot of math and science. Who inspires you? Why? My teammates, because they’re always there to push me and cheer me on. They’re my best friends and best competition. What is your dream job? Swim coach for UC-Berkley or a biomedical engineer.

Achievements Sports: Swimming Academic Achievements/Honors: Scholastic All-American, Honors Society Candidate College or post-high school plans: Undecided on which school, but plan to swim for an NCAA Division-1 university. Athletic Achievements/Honors: Olympic trials qualifier; 2013-14 District Athlete of the Year; State Athlete of the Year; 200 freestyle central zone record holder, Zone Select camp; National Select camp qualifier Photo courtesy of David Mable

Aidan Keen

Volume 3 Issue 4

SportsSpotlight.com Iowa City

West High School, Class of 2016, 3.97 GPA

SportsSpotlight.com

Warming Up

The Bullpen

Sponsored content that offers fresh perspectives, from sports training to injury treatment and prevention.

I sprained my ankle, now what? Ankle sprains occur when the foot rolls or turns beyond its normal arc of motion. Significant injury can occur to these ligaments, particularly on uneven surfaces upon landing. Sprains can be graded from mild to severe, and with severe sprains, significant instability of the ankle bones can occur. With more severe injuries, a visit to the physician is important. X-rays are necessary to rule out a fracture. On examination the ligament will be tender, and the doctor may be able to determine the severity of your injury by exam alone. Treatment for the majority of these injuries is nonsurgical. Most sprains need only a period of protection to heal, and this may take 1-2 months. Even complete ligament tears can heal without surgery

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Warming Up

Month Ahead

What to watch and watch for this month Monday 3/2-3/7 2015 Girls Basketball State Tournament March is finally upon us once again, and fans won’t have to wait long for March Madness to hit its stride. The state’s top girls prep teams will hit the hardwood in the month’s opening week at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. Can Western Christian’s Jamie Gesink (right) lead the Wolfpack to their fourth-straight Class 2A title? Monday 3/16 Start of spring sports season With basketball in the rearview mirror, preps will hit the links, court, and pitch for the spring season. Practices for golf, tennis, and boys soccer all start today. Monday 3/23 Start of girls soccer practice Teams can finally get back on the pitch to kick off practices for the 2015 season. Which schools will emerge as state title contenders this spring? Thursday 4/2 First day of boys soccer competition Iowa City Regina (1A), Norwalk (2A) and Iowa City West (3A) kick off their state title defense. Will the Regals, led by senior forward Michael Adam (left), claim their sixth championship in seven years?

12 | SPORTS SPOTLIGHT | March 2015

Monday 3/9-3/14

2015 Boys Basketball State Tournament

The dance card for this year’s tournament had yet to be filled at press time, but three of four defending state champions — including Josh Carter and Dubuque Wahlert (above) in Class 3A — were still alive in postseason play as of Feb. 25. Monday 4/5 First day of girls soccer competition A new season opens in girls soccer. Davenport Assumption has been the dominant force in Class 1A, but the Knights will have to replace four-time Gatorade Player of the Year Rose Ripslinger and All-State forward Madi Irmen. North Scott (2A) and Cedar Rapids Kennedy (3A) will also be taking aim at repeating as state champions.

In the

Spotlight high school This page presented to you by:

Each month we publish youth and high school action photos from around the state. We would love to get yours! Send us your photos at support@sportsspotlight.com Ogden’s Nick Ross (right) cries after losing his Class 1A 182-pound first round match. (Photo by Tork Mason)

Wahlert Catholic’s Andrew Turner reacts after his stunning upset victory over Mediapolis’ Cole Erickson. Turner was losing 16-3 before scoring a pin in the final minute of the match. (Photo by Tork Mason)

Alburnett’s Hunter Washburn fights for position against North Cedar’s Trever Greene. Washburn won the match by major decision, 14-5. (Photo by Tork Mason)

Saydel’s Grant Sherman celebrates after beating Albia’s Bryce Leshen, 3-1, in a sudden-victory Class 2A quarterfinal at 152 pounds. (Photo by Tork Mason)

Lisbon’s Carter Happel reacts after beating Wilton’s Trey Brisker by major decision, 18-6, in the Class 1A 138-pound championship match to win his third-straight state title. (Photo by Tork Mason)

Union’s Jacob Holschlag goes for a takedown against North Fayette Valley’s Nick Baumler in the Class 2A 170-pound finals. Holschlag won the match, 9-1, to claim his second state title. (Photo by Tork Mason)

Southeast Warren/Melcher-Dallas’ Jacob Hoch scrambles for position against North Butler’s Caleb Wedeking in the Class 1A 160-pound quarterfinals. Hoch won the match, 5-3. (Photo by Tork Mason)

Mount Ayr’s Joe Ricker (top) and Sibley-Ocheyedan’s Houston Coleman wrestle in the Class 1A heavyweight quarterfinals. Ricker won the match, 9-2. (Photo by Tork Mason)

Are You Not

Entertained? Another state wrestling tournament is in the books, and the 2015 edition provided plenty of buzz and a new addition to a historic club.

LIGHTNING IN A BOTTLE Bettendorfâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fredy Stroker (gold singlet) made quick work of his opponents on his way to a third state title. The senior won by fall in three state tournament bouts, including a pair of first-period pins.

S TAT E W R E S T L ING

Pledging The

Fraternity With yet another dominant performance at Wells Fargo Arena, Union, LaPorte City’s Max Thomsen cemented his legacy as one of the state’s best-ever on the mat and joined the elite four-time state champion club. BY TORK MASON Photographs by Tork Mason

ax Thomsen stood at the center of the mat and raised four fingers as the sellout crowd at Wells Fargo Arena gave him a standing ovation that lasted for over a minute. The Union (La Porte City) senior finally completed what only 23 Iowa preps had done before him, winning his fourth state wrestling championship with a 3-0 victory over Bondurant-Farrar’s Caleb Coleman in the Class 2A 145-pound finals and finishing his career with a 204-1 record. “It’s a priceless feeling,” Thomsen said after his final match. “Only 24 people have had that feeling. Everybody works hard, and I feel like I put in that little extra bit to get the job done. This is the best feeling of my life.” Thomsen fell in love with the sport at an early age and began travelling to weekend tournaments in kindergarten. He also competed on the national stage as a youth, where he experienced quite a few more losses than he did wearing the Union singlet. And that’s where he said he learned some of his most valuable lessons. “I got my butt whooped, but it was all a part of practice and starting to build up,” 18 | SPORTS SPOTLIGHT | March 2015

Thomsen said. “My dad always told me the only tournament that counts is the state tournament, so that was the one that I was always ready for when I was a little kid UNTOUCHABLE Thomsen mowed down the field at 145 pounds, pinning his way to the finals and surrending just one point all week.

S TAT E W R E S T L ING

and I just used the national tournaments for practice. “Everybody loses, even the greats. But every single loss, you learn a lot more than you do from a win, and you just build off of your losses and fix what you did wrong.” If there’s one thing to learn about Thomsen, it’s that he’s not afraid to challenge himself, whether in a national tournament or in the wrestling room. He’s spent the past several offseasons working with Bettendorf’s Fredy Stroker, who won his third state title this year and lost a 4-1 overtime match to Thomsen in December. Stroker said Thomsen doesn’t do anything special on the mat, but is fundamentally sound in all areas and has excellent defense. That’s made for some interesting contests in their offseason workouts, too, he said. “We’re always going back and forth,” Stroker said. “We’ve had some pretty long battles; we’ve had some challenges where we say first one to eight takedowns and neither of us could score even one. That’s what gets us better.” Some of the state’s fourtime champions made the quest a personal mission, but Thomsen said he didn’t start out with making that kind of history on his mind. He was more concerned with making sure he was doing everything he could to reach his full potential, whatever that might be. “[Winning four titles] was more just a dream; it wasn’t really a goal,” he said. “When I got to high school, I wanted to be as dominant as I could be. When I was a freshman, there were obviously kids older than me, but I believed I was as tough or tougher than any of them.” Even though it wasn’t his initial plan to be in this position as a senior, Thomsen was fully aware of the significance of what he was trying to achieve in Des Moines this winter, teammate Jacob Holschlag said. “He’s always been calm about it,” Holschlag said. “But I think it was honestly a lot of pressure for him. It’s

20 | SPORTS SPOTLIGHT | March 2015

Extra Heartbeat Creston/Orient-Macksburg faced a near-tragedy during the state duals and responded with a second-place finish in the traditional tournament BY TORK MASON

pencer Wray thought he was just bringing a teammate his bag after Creston/Orient-Macksburg’s semifinal dual at the state duals. He never expected and could hardly believe what he would see moments later. “What the hell is going on?” Wray recalled thinking. “I didn’t even know he was hurt during his match; I didn’t see him holding his chest until we were shaking hands and what not. Then he started lying down on the mat. I saw a bag by the chairs; everybody else had already left, and I was like, ‘Oh, that’s Pettit’s bag.’ So I started walking it over to him. “That’s when he started seizing up.” Wray’s teammate, senior Tayler Pettit, was rushed to nearby Mercy Medical Center after paramedics used a defibrillator to keep him alive. He was subsequently diagnosed with Wolf-Parkinson-White Syndrome, a condition in which a patient has an extra electrical pathway in the heart that can cause an arrhythmia, or an extra heartbeat that throws the heart offrhythm. Pettit was released from the hospital on Feb. 22. Panther sophomore Chase Shiltz said Wray got the team together at the hotel and got his teammates calmed down a bit before the coaching staff came up to give the team an update and decide how they were going to proceed. Head coach Darrell Frain said he wasn’t even sure if the team should have

continued to compete in the tournament. “That was a huge concern, because I really didn’t want to,” Frain said. “But then [Pettit’s] mom wanted us to come and at least finish for each other. We did it, it wasn’t the most impressive thing, but we fought through and later that night we found out he was doing a little bit better and the morale started picking up. We just steamrolled from there.” The Panthers took the mat on Feb. 19 for the start of the traditional state tournament as an unranked team with a new purpose and rallying cry, which was emblazoned across the backs of their warm-up shirts: “Do it for Pettit.” It sparked the team to drastically outperform expectations, as the Panthers finished in a tie for second place in Class 2A thanks to five ULTIMATE RESOLVE

The Panthers, including Shiltz (above), kept Pettit in their minds throughout the tournament and let him fuel their surprising performance.

“We all know that Pettit [...] would be like, ‘If anything happens, just go out and keep doing you guys,’” Wray said. placewinners, including Shiltz, who won the title at 160 pounds, and Wray, who took second at 138 pounds. Frain wasn’t entirely sure how his team managed to respond so strongly, but he didn’t try to take any of the credit for the boys’ quick rebound. “I wish I could answer that for you; it’s one of those things where I think the situation may have brought us together and made us focus a little more,” he said. “We wanted to do it for Tayler, and it’s just one of those things; every kid

stepped up. Each day got better; we found out he was doing better, and we wrestled better as that news came in. We’ve just got some tough, highcharacter kids. That’s all I can really say.” As for the shirts, Frain heaped praise on the community in Creston for its support of the team through a very emotional time. “A local business did it that night and we had them by the end of the day on Thursday,” Frain said. “That’s kind of how, in a smaller community, everybody has each other’s backs. We have a lot of support back home, especially for wrestling, so

that wasn’t surprising.” The team’s performance served as the most surprising and uplifting storyline of the tournament, and Wray said the team did what Pettit would have told them to do. “We all know that Pettit, if he’d passed away, would be like, ‘If anything happens, just go out and keep doing you guys,’” Wray said. “We know that’s just what Pettit would have wanted us to do, so we just went out there and kept doing us. You can’t step back now.”

March 2015 | SPORTS SPOTLIGHT | 21

STAT E W R E S T L ING just a big weight off his shoulders now, coming in here and getting that number four.” Union head coach Pat Hogan said Thomsen felt like he over-prepared during last year’s state tournament, so he tried to take a more relaxed approach in his final appearance at Wells Fargo Arena. Holschlag agreed. “This year, he was much more relaxed and didn’t take as much warm-up time,” he said. “Last year, he warmed up forever and then went out and the mat and was just flat.” Hogan said the pressure to win one final time was definitely something CENTER OF ATTENTION

Thomsen’s quest for his fourth state title garnered a great deal of interest from fans and media statewide.

The Kid’s Got Game

Fort Dodge freshman Brody Teske shined under the bright lights

BY TORK MASON

reshmen are supposed to exhibit signs of their inexperience, especially when they compete on the biggest stages, but Fort Dodge’s Brody Teske was having none of that sort of thinking at the state wrestling tournament. The freshman 106-pounder went under the bright lights of Wells Fargo Arena and showed the poise of an older wrestler on his way to a state title. He wasn’t thrown off by the hype and sellout crowd — he embraced it. “It fulfilled what I expected from it,” Teske said of how his first state tournament appearance compared to his expectations. “I just came out and fed off of all the big crowd; it just pumps a guy up. This is why you go to practice every day and make yourself better. So you can come out in front of all these people.” Teske came out and put on a show, largely breezing through the field to the finals, where he faced defending state runner-up Jakob Allison from Waukee. Allison, a junior, dropped down from 113 pounds earlier in the season, but his experience and elite pedigree didn’t overmatch

22 | SPORTS SPOTLIGHT | March 2015

the Dodgers’ undefeated rookie. There was a flurry of scoring in the first period, but Teske said he was prepared for that. “I knew he was going to come out strong, so I had to get the first takedown and control it from there, and he did come out pretty strong,” Teske said. “I took him down right away and he reversed me, and put in the leg like we expected, and I reversed him right back. “That’s when it set in, like, ‘Let’s go, you can’t be giving up points like that.’” Fort Dodge head coach Bobby Thompson said Teske’s performance in a deep field highlighted

his poise, something he displayed all season. “[The state tournament] is a tough atmosphere to come into at such a young age,” Thompson said. “And 106 was loaded. The kid he beat in the first round came all the way back and finished third. It says a lot, not only about his character and confidence, but his mental toughness to not get rattled. He’s got a lot of confidence and wrestles with a lot of confidence.” Thompson added that his freshman star is one of the most dedicated underclassmen out there, saying that it sometimes seems as if Teske is already a college wrestler, based on how he prepares for matches and manages all of the behind-the-scenes aspects of the sport. “That’s what he’s preparing himself for, is to be a Division-I wrestler,” Thompson said. “He’s got the skill set for that, but when he comes into the room, it’s all business. He comes to work hard; he’s getting weight workouts, he’s getting cardiovascular workouts on his own. He manages his weight. He does every aspect of the sport very well.” That dedication to detail is a big reason for Teske’s meteoric rise; Thompson said some of the kids he’s beating by major decision now, are kids who were beating him two years ago. That’s

STATE WR E S T LI N G

Thomsen had to deal with, and it was a relief to finish the job. “I just talked to him and asked how he felt, and he said it was a weight off his shoulders,” Hogan said after the tournament. “With those kinds of expectations, it’s hard not to feel that way.” But once he stepped onto the mat, Thomsen said those expectations slipped from his mind and he just let it fly. “I just went out there, soaked it up and had fun,” he said. “I knew that was my last ride and you only get to live in those moments sometimes. I just lived it up.”

when Teske made the decision to focus solely on wrestling and it’s paid big dividends in his young career. And his work ethic has rubbed off on his teammates, team captain and 195-pound state champion Sam Cook said. “It’s not something you always see in a freshman, for sure,” Cook said of Teske’s work ethic. “Him showing us that really boosted us as a team throughout the season. Seeing someone so young having success the way he’s doing it, made us all want to work just as hard and have just as much success.” Cook added that his freshman teammate wasn’t about to let a golden opportunity go to waste. “He came here, I know he’s been dreaming about it since he was a little kid,” Cook said. “And he was ready for it.”

“I just came out and fed off of all the big crowd; it just pumps a guy up,” Teske said of his first state tournament. This is why you go to practice every day and make yourself better.

“SO YOU CAN COME OUT IN FRONT OF ALL THESE PEOPLE.” March 2015 | SPORTS SPOTLIGHT | 23

AG ATHA BE I E R

Beier Beware Carlisle’s Agatha Beier is a do-it-all force for one of Class 4A’s top teams. By Darrin Cline

The girls basketball renaissance that has taken place at Carlisle in the last two years is one of the great turnarounds in Iowa prep sports. Two years ago, the Wildcat girls ended the season at 1-22; last year, the team stunned the state by going 20-7 and making a run to the state semifinals in Class 4A. Much of the credit has gone to the veteran leadership of new coach Brian White and the talented upperclassmen, but one of the program’s youngest players has become the catalyst. She may only be a sophomore, but Agatha Beier has taken full reign of the team, and the Wildcats have rolled with her leading the charge. Entering the 2014-15 season ranked third in Class 4A, the Wildcats knew the expectations would be high. They rolled to a 19-2 regular season record, with their only losses coming against fellow top10 teams and conference foes Perry and Ballard—by a combined seven points. No matter if it has been a dominant win or a gut-wrenching loss, Beier’s resolve and court presence have never waivered. That poise is something to which her teammates have become accustomed. “I remember seeing Agatha at one of our open gyms when I was a freshman; I didn’t know who she was, but even in sixth grade she was big and strong,” said senior Kaleigh Haus, who leads the Wildcats in scoring. “You could already tell she was going to be intimidating.” Beier’s talent was apparent from an early age. She began playing at Kingdom Hoops in Ankeny, and was soon placed on a travelling AAU team. Beier was able to play alongside STEPPING UP Beier was an integral piece some of the best of Carlisle’s run to the state players in the semifnals in 2013-14. state, and play

against some of country’s top blossoming talent. She arrived on the high school scene ready for showtime. Coach White knew he had a talented freshman at his disposal, but even he was surprised by her ability. “I don’t know if anyone could have predicted the type of year she was going to have last year as an incoming freshman,” White said. “I knew about her and was exctited to work with her the summer before the season; I knew she was going to be a huge contributor to the team.” While this year’s results have become a new standard for Carlisle, it was just last season that the term “Cinderella” was thrown at the team all season long. The team was coming off a 1-22 season in 2012-2013, and featured only two seniors. But the Wildcats made no excuses and instead focused on the future. They started the season 1-4, but went on tear, dropping only two more regular season games. They upset familiar foe Perry in the regional final and bested Dallas Center-Grimes in the first round of the state tournament. They were knocked out in the semifinal round by eventual champion Harlan, 45-42. “When we beat Perry to go to state last year; that was the most memorable thing so far,” Beier said. “I always dreamed of playing at Wells Fargo [Arena], and that came true. The crowd was great, the team was great; it’s something I’ll never forget.” Beier was a Sports Spotlight Class 4A second team All-State selection, while Brian White was named Class 4A Coach of the Year. Beier came into her high school career without much experience at the point, but with her competitive zeal and ability to adapt to her coach’s intense style, she

learned quickly. “I played more wing growing up, but coming in we needed a point guard so Coach White moved me there and taught me what my job would be,” she said. “With my ability to read the floor, I think I do a good job of finding my teammates in transition. It’s a great feeling to sneak that pass by the defenders and get my teammates the ball.” Despite averaging just under 10 points per game — fourth best on the team — Beier leads the team in nearly every other statistical category, including rebounding, blocked shots and assists. Her 158 assists led Class 4A and was over three times as many dimes as the Wildcats’ next-best distributor. While her assist numbers often catch the most attention, it is her rebounding total that best embodies her playing style. “Rebounding is who wants it the most, and whose willing to get in there and fight for it.” Beier’s talents have grown exponentially in her first two seasons. Standing 5-foot9 and possessing elite court vision, Beier is a troubling matchup for defenders. Her combination of size, passing and competitiveness has enabled her to fill the stat sheet on a nightly basis. “I expect a lot out of my point guards,” White said. “That’s why I think she’s done so well. She loves being pushed; I expect her to be a coach on the floor and calling plays — all the little things that may go unnoticed. She just had to learn to be a leader, which is tough as a freshman. Now she’s expected to be point guard, to be the quarterback; shes definitely our floor general now.”

March 2015 | SPORTS SPOTLIGHT | 25

A- P BOYS H O O P S

Falcons Take Flight Using lessons learned from his late father, AplingtonParkersburg boys basketball head coach Aaron Thomas has led the Falcons to a spot in the top 10 and has them poised to make noise in March.

B Y DA R DA N I E LS O N Ph o t og r a p h s c ou r t e s y of Bryon Houlgrave

he Aplington-Parkersburg boys put together one of the best seasons in Class 2A basketball this year with a team and a coach who went to work at something they love to do, and the Falcons entered the postseason with just one loss. Coach Aaron Thomas took over the boys basketball job after moving home following the 2009 shooting death of his father, the legendary football coach Ed Thomas. He succeeded his father as athletic director and also helped coach the football team for a few seasons, along with his basketball duties. He has since moved from the athletic director position to become the principal at the high school.

His team’s success this year comes on the heels of an 8-14 season last year. Thomas credited the players for the improvement. “We were a group of sophomores and juniors last year with a couple of seniors who played a little bit, but were more role players for us,” Thomas said. “They put in a ton of time in the offseason, so they’re a year older, a year stronger. This group really likes to play basketball, they get along extremely well together.” He said everyone accepted their role on the team, from the starters down to those who may PUSHING THE TEMPO Thomas has installed his high-flying not play many minutes, but push every day in offensive philosophy that’s paid big practice to make the boys in the rotation better. dividends. The Falcons are among Class That’s been beneficial, since Thomas coaches 2A leaders in scoring, thanks in part to an up-tempo style and depth is important. Cooper (left). March 2015 | SPORTS SPOTLIGHT | 27

A-P B OYS H O O P S

“We play nine guys consistently every junior Nick Waller as players who have night, we want to get up and press and try taken up the role of team leaders. He said to play fast and speed other teams up and Cooper has always been a good player, but we try create turnovers,” Thomas said. has improved his strength and quickness, He said they also take very good care and said that has allowed him to improve of the basketball, averaging only around his overall game. Ellis said Waller is a 11 turnovers a game. They make the most clutch shooter they can look to in a pinch. of those saved opportunities, too, hitting Overall though, Ellis comes back to the around 48 percent from the field and over closeness of the team as the reason they’ve 35 percent from three-point range. The fast play has led to a scoring average in the SUM OF HIS PARTS Thomas took influences from many of his former coaches, including his 70’s – and the Falcons play tough defense father, and applied them to his own philosophy. A which held opponents to right around 50 key piece in his strategy is Waller (right). points a game. Senior Ross Cooper leads the team in scoring. He said the chemistry the team has built off the court has been a big factor in the success of the team this year. “Everything we do is together, we hang out together all the time, so being good friends and having a lot of team chemistry has helped us out a lot,” Cooper said. He said several close loses last season and the overall losing record helped push them to work harder for this season. “Working this summer we knew that losing was just a feeling we didn’t want to have again and we’d have to work a lot harder and develop a lot more offense this year,” Cooper explained. “We learned some lessons from last year that helped us out a lot in winning close games and just

father, but he was more passionate about basketball. He fed that passion in college, playing at Drake University, and he said that experience gave him an even deeper understanding of the game and led to his own path in coaching. “It allowed me to carve my own niche,” Thomas said. Thomas built his own coaching plan in part by taking the football influence of his father and applying it to basketball. “I use a lot of my father’s coaching, what I witnessed with football and how he got a lot out of kids,” Thomas said. “He got everybody to buy into the team aspect.” Two other coaches also helped shape his coaching style. His high school coach Bill Dohrn used the fast-paced style Thomas adopted for his teams. Dohrn led Aplington to two state titles in the 1990s before the school merged with Parkersburg. And Thomas said he took to heart the lessons of his college coach at Drake, Kurt Kanaskie. Thomas said Kanaskie was a very good X’s and O’s coach and the things he learned playing for him are used now in the way he runs his practices. “I think for every coach you’ve got to take a little bit from everybody you’ve been influenced by and make it your own, and that’s something that I, along with a

“It’s demoralizing for the defense to get dunked on,” Cooper said. “WE LIKE THAT.” winning games in general.” Cooper worked on his game to get stronger inside with his post moves to become more than just an outside shooter. That inside attack has included several dunks, and he credited teammate Jake Schipper with giving him good passes. Cooper said he and Schipper had been experimenting with some alley-oop plays in practice and they worked, and they eventually worked them into the offense. “It definitely can be a game-changer,” Cooper said of dunking. “It swings the momentum, it’s demoralizing for the defense to get dunked on. We like that.” Junior Nick Ellis named Cooper and

28 | SPORTS SPOTLIGHT | March 2015

had so much success. “We all rely on each other; we’re all confident in our shots,” Ellis said. The players’ trust in each other is built on their belief in their coach and his philosophy. “He brings a level of intensity, he expects us to be intense and into and passionate about the game, and I think he sets a great example for that in leading us,” Cooper said. “And I think he and coach [Jason] Berkey just do a great job.” Aaron Thomas’ coaching philosophy is heavily influenced by his father, but there’s more to it. Thomas said he enjoyed playing high school football for his

great assistant staff, have done here at A-P,” Thomas said. Thomas said the team has enjoyed the experience of playing in front of the full gyms as their win total grew. They want to get to Des Moines and the state tournament, but he said they know it’s a tough road in Class 2A. “The longer we can play, the better it’s going to be,” Thomas said. “The worst part for me […] this is such a great group of kids and I’m going to hate when we don’t get to go to practice the next day or when I don’t get to be around these young men each and every day, because it has been a special season.”

W HE R E A R E T H E Y NOW?

Four-Time Champs Stick Together By Larry Cotlar

The North Iowa Community College wrestling team was ranked fifth in the NJCAA wrestling rankings heading into the national meet at the Jacobson Building at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines on Feb. 27-28, and a big reason for the team’s success is a pair of former four-time Iowa high school state wrestling champions. Redshirt freshman Jake Marlin was a four-time state champion at Creston High School, claiming titles at 130, 135 and twice at 138 pounds. Marlin was following in the footsteps of his father, Randy, who was a state champion at Creston in 1986. After graduating from Creston in the spring of 2013, Marlin wrestled at The University of Iowa for one season. He redshirted for the Hawkeyes in 2013 but still compiled a 6-2 record in limited action. After the season, Marlin decided to leave the vaunted Iowa program. “It was not the right fit for me,” Marlin said. “I was from a small town and the school was just too big for me.” So he took a look at NIACC, which is located in Mason City. “It was a smaller school and I knew I would fit right in there,” he said. But the size of the school was not the only reason for Marlin’s decision to transfer to NIACC. It was an opportunity for him to reunite with a major influence in his life. T. J. Sebolt took the long road on his way to becoming a four-time state champion at Centerville High School from 2002-2006. “When I was in first grade, they passed out flyers inviting kids to start wrestling; I didn’t know anything about wrestling,” Sebolt said. “My mom put the flyers on a table. My dad said ‘I want you to get into that’. So I did.” Things didn’t exactly work out

30 | SPORTS SPOTLIGHT | March 2015

immediately for Sebolt. “I joined a local mat club and was pinned something like 27 straight times,” Sebolt said with a chuckle. “But I started taking private lessons from [former Centerville state champion] Jason Hlupnick and started figuring some things out. I didn’t become a good wrestler until the fifth grade.” But eventually, it all began clicking for Sebolt. Starting with the seventh grade, he never lost to an Iowa opponent throughout junior high and high school, suffering only one loss to Ryan Moyer from Park Hill (MO) early in his freshman year at Centerville. By the time he had left Centerville, Sebolt had captured titles at 103, 119 and 130 pounds. After graduating, Sebolt headed to Iowa State. However, just like Marlin, Sebolt’s time at the Division-I school was short. He decided to leave the Cyclone program after only one year. Sebolt then began working in the construction business when he received a phone call in the fall of 2007. It was an invitation to join the NIACC wrestling program as an assistant coach. Sebolt had seen Jake Marlin wrestle in the Iowa state tournament as a freshman and was impressed. He invited Marlin to attend his camp after his sophomore year at Creston. He would then continue working with Marlin, coaching him on a Fargo, North Dakota all-star team which competed in Oklahoma. So after Marlin left Iowa, he called Sebolt and decided to reunite with his former coach. He gives Sebolt a lot of credit for his development on the mat. “I couldn’t have asked for a better coach,” Marlin said. “T.J. helps me in so many ways. He is very technical and knowledgeable

Photo courtesy of NIACC Athletic Communications

about the sport. He understands the little things which help you be successful and he understands me.” Sebolt also has high praise for Marlin. “Jake has unbelievable natural ability, great motion and is extremely athletic,” Sebolt said. “He also has the ability to rise to the occasion. The bigger the tournament, the better he wrestles.” Sebolt also believes Marlin has championship potential. “He needs to become more consistent, but he should win a national title or two while he’s here,” he said. “It’s completely up to him. The sky’s the limit.” Sebolt said he really has learned to love coaching. “I love being able to influence lives,” he said. “We make adjustments and face huge situations. Coaching presents a different challenge than competing. It’s fun.” Does he want to become a head coach someday? “I really don’t know,” Sebolt said. “I started a wrestling club four years ago for third graders. We travel and compete in tournaments. I’m not sure I would want to give that up to become a head coach.” As for Marlin, he is poised for stardom at NIACC. “I love it here,” he insisted. “I’m set up to win a national championship this season.”

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