2014 Grinnell Tigers
A Season to Remember
Poweshiek County CR March 19, 2014
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A SEASON TO REMEMBER
GRINNELL TIGERS BOYS BASKETBALL 2014
Tigers make state tourney for 3rd consecutive year By DANN HAYES dhayes1@dmreg.com
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n a three-year run, a group of seniors have done something at Grinnell High School that Scott Sharp, the head basketball coach for the Tigers, believes is quite a feat. “They’ve had a great imprint on the Grinnell basketball program,” he said. “These seniors will ride off into the sunset leaving a huge mark and we wish them the best – they certainly set the bar high for future Grinnell teams.”
The seniors had just played No. 6 WaverlyShell Rock in the quarterfinals of the Class 3A boys state basketball tournament at Wells Fargo in Des Moines on Tuesday, March 11 – they lost 6758. Despite the loss, the appearance in the tournament speaks volumes for these seniors – this was the third straight season they had qualified for the state tournament. They finished fourth two years ago. “It’s sad to see the 10 of them leave,” Sharp said. “They can hold their head
high as they walk out of here tonight.”
The Tigers reached the state tournament by first stopping Williamsburg 55-38 in the district 11 semifinals – the Raiders had beaten Grinnell earlier in the season. Ranked number 10 at the time, they stopped Grinnell by 10 points, 67-57. In the finals the Tigers met Pella – they had split the season with Grinnell taking the first one in dominating See GRINNELL page 3
Way to Go! CR photo by J.O. Parker
Ryan Campbell, 43, tries to block a shot by a Waverly-Shell Rock player during Grinnell’s 67-58 Class 3A quarterfinal loss to the Go-Hawks at the 2014 state basketball tournament at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.
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Grinnell: Open with win over South Tama Continued from page 2
fashion 60-46, while Pella rebounded in the second match winning 76-72. In the finals it was all Grinnell as they won the Class 3A District 11 tournament 65-41. Then it was on to substate where they were pitted against No. 4 Ft. Madison. The Tigers won that bout 62-58 and moved on to the state tournament. What follows is a more in-depth roundup of “A Season Worth Remembering.”
Grinnell Tigers
Boys Basketball 2013-2014 Grinnell 70 South Tama 27 The Grinnell Tigers floated behind 21 points by Joe Schmidt, 18 from Eli Dunne and Nate Vosburg’s 11 points to dominate in the season opener at Tama on Tuesday, Dec. 3. The Tigers, who out rebounded the Trojans 36 to 21, opened with a 17-9 first period lead, then jumped to a 39-16 halftime lead to take control.
Both Dunne and Schmidt controlled the boards with seven rebounds each. Denton York added five with Clayton Scurr grabbing four. Mason Doty added three steals on the night. Grinnell 77 Knoxville 37 An 18-point performance by Joe Schmidt, sparked by an opening 3-point goal boosted the Grinnell Tigers to a 77-37 dominating performance over Knoxville on Friday,
Grinnell 45 Despite 11 points from Eli Dunne and 10 by Joe Schmidt, the Dec. 6 at home. The Tigers jumped out Tigers fell to Benton to a 22-9 first period lead Community 57-45 Satand never looked back as urday, Dec. 7. Grinnell controlled the Dunne recorded 13 boards on both ends and rebounds on the night created opportunities that while Schmidt added led to open shots for scores. seven. Three Grinnell Tigers were in double figures with Eli Dunne connecting for 11 points and Denton York adding 10. Dunne added seven rebounds and Schmidt six as the Tigers had 35 total rebounds to 20 for Knoxville.
Benton Community 57
Grinnell 70 Norwalk 50 A 27-point scoring spree by Joe Schmidt with another 17 by Eli Dunne boosted the Grinnell Tigers to a 7050 win at Norwalk on Friday, Dec. 13. The Tigers broke
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Page 3 open a tie game, 27-27, at halftime with a 24-12 scoring spree and added a 19-11 streak in the fourth period to knot the win. Dunne controlled the boards for the Tigers with 15 rebounds – 11 on defense – while Clayton Scurr added three steals on the night. Schmidt was 6-of-12 from three-point range. Mt. Vernon 67 Grinnell 65 The Mt. Vernon Mustangs came back from a 35-25 halftime deficit to See GRINNELL page 4
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Grinnell: Tigers drop game to Mt. Vernon as they come back for win Continued from page 3
defeat the Tigers 67-65 on Tuesday, Jan 21. Eli Dunne led the Tigers with 30 points – he was 11-of-14 from two point range – and had six rebounds. Joe Schmidt, who scored 16 points, also recorded six rebounds. The Tigers had built the halftime lead with a 21-11 second period, but the Mustangs fought back in the second half to take the lead and the win.
Grinnell 60, Pella 46 Four Grinnell Tiger players scored in double figures to lead them to a big 60-46 win over Pella on Dec. 12, 2013. With Joe Schmidt leading the charge – he scored 15 points and added seven rebounds – the Tigers jumped out to a 20-16 lead, then played even with the Little Dutch as they went into the locker room at halftime with a 32-28 cushion. Nate Vosburg scored
12 points, Denton York added 11 and also had seven rebounds while Eli Dunne, who also had seven rebounds, scored 10 points. The Tigers dominated in the third period out scoring Pella 13-8 and added 15 in the final stanza for the 60-46 win. Schmidt added four steals on the night.
No. 10 Williamsburg 67 Grinnell 57 The Grinnell Tigers were out scored 21-6 in the first period setting the tone in a 67-57 loss to the Class 3A No. 10 Williamsburg Raiders on Saturday, Jan. 14. Both Joe Schmidt and Elli Dunne led the Tigers with 18 points each – Dunne also had nine rebounds for Grinnell. Schmidt added five assists to lead the Tigers. Sam Allen scored 10 points for the Tigers . See GRINNELL page 5
CR photo by J.O. Parker
Joe Schmidt, 23, looks to defend against a Waverly-Shell Rock player during quarterfinal action at the Class 3A state basketball tournament. The Tigers lost to the Go-Hawks 67-58 on Tuesday, March 11.
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Grinnell: Lost to No. 10 Williamsburg with slow start in first period Continued from page 4
But it wasn’t enough as the Raiders took the first period lead, then had a 32-21 halftime deficit before closing the gap in the third period 49-48. In the final stanza, the Raiders out scored Grinnell 18-9 for the win. Christian Mertens added six points and three assists in the loss.
Grinnell 77 Oskaloosa 38
CR photo by J.O. Parker
Sam Allen, 25, shoots a free throw at the Class 3A quarterfinals against Waverly-Shell Rock.
The Grinnell Tigers jumped out to a 24-10 lead and went on to dominate the Oskaloosa Indians 77-38 in basketball action on Tuesday, Jan. 7. The Tigers were led by Sam Allen who scored 18 points and Eli Dunne with 13. Twelve players scored during the game with Clayton Scurr adding 11 and Joe Schmidt connecting for 10. Grinnell extended the lead at halftime 47-24 as they improved to 5-2 on
the season. Schimidt led the Tigers on the boards with five rebounds and added nine assists and nine steals on the night.
Grinnell 63 Newton 44 The Grinnell Tigers came-from-behind to grab a 63-44 win over Newton on Jan. 10 at home. Down 16-12 at the end of one period and 26-23 at halftime, the Tigers came on in the third period for a 32-26 lead, them dominated
in the fourth 27-14 for the win. The Tigers were led by Eli Dunne with 16 points – he had seven rebounds and was 5-of9 from field goal range. Sam Allen added 12 points and Nate Vosburg 10. Joe Schmidt added nine rebounds to lead the Tigers and had four assists while Vosburg had eight. Mason Doty had three assists and three steals. Grinnell 65 No. 3 Dallas CenterGrimes 62
Call it what you want – clutch performance, come-from-behind win, up and down game, whatever – but make sure you add a win into the Grinnell Tiger win column after a 65-62 victory over the previously No. 3 Dallas Center-Grimes Mustangs. Grinnell improved to 6-2 with the win on Tuesday, Jan. 14, while Dallas Center-Grimes fell to 9-2. Led by Joe Schmidt who scored 24 points – 4-of-5 from the field, including a 3-of-5 night See GRINNELL page 6
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GRINNELL TIGERS BOYS BASKETBALL 2014
Grinnell: Tigers stop Pella Christian 68-49
slow down Knoxville as they out scored them 1711 for the win.
Continued from page 5
from 3-point range – before fouling out, and Eli Dunne with 14 points – 5-of-6 in field goals – the Tigers jumped out to a fast 13-7 first period lead, only to have the Mustangs take over at halftime 2926. Dallas Center-Grimes out scored the Tigers in the second period 22-13. But the second half turned into Grinnell’s time as they came out and fought back for a hard earned 43-42 lead. In the final stanza, both teams traded baskets, but it was the Tigers
who finished on top with the win. Dunne led the Tigers on the boards with eight rebounds before he also fouled out, followed by Denton York who added seven. Schmidt and Nate Vosburg both had two steals on the night.
Grinnell 68 Pella Christian 49 The Grinnell Tigers saw four players score a combined 57 points as they stopped the Pella Christian Eagles 68-59.
Joe Schmidt scored 17 points and Sam Allen added 15 to lead the Tigers. Denton York scored 13 and Clayton Scurr connected on 12 as the Tigers turned it on in the final three stanzas for the win – they had an 11-10 lead at the end of the first period. With Schmidt controlling the boards for the Tigers with 11 rebounds, Grinnell came out from the locker room and out scored the Eagles 27-14 – the Tigers led 27-22 at the half.
Chariton 64 Grinnell 60
Grinnell 73, Albia 59
Denton York scored 16, Joe Schmidt 15 and Nate Vosburg added 11 but the Grinnell Tigers fell to Chariton in a hard-fought game on Saturday, Jan. 18. Schmidt had 10 assists and nine rebounds.
Eli Dunne connected for 27 points to lead the Tigers past Albia on Saturday, Jan. 25. Two other players also scored in double figures – Joe Schmidt had 13 and
Nate Vosburg connected for 10 – as the Tigers jumped to a 24-15 first period lead and extended it to 37-26 at halftime. Both Dunne and Vosburg had five assists on the game while Vosburg led the team with nine rebounds. See GRINNELL page 7
Grinnell 60 Knoxville 50 With 17 points, Nate Vosburg led the Tigers to a 10-point win over Knoxville on Jan. 24. Vosburg scored 17 points and Eli Dunne added 16 and 14 rebounds for Grinnell. Joe Schmidt added 12 points as the game was knotted at 15-15 at the end of the first period. The Tigers were able to build a precarious 29-25 halftime lead, and played point-for-point with the Panthers in the third period as they both scored 14. In the final stanza, the Tiger defense was able to
CR photo by J.O. Parker
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Grinnell: Tigers hit three game losing streak starting with Pella Continued from page 6
Grinnell 59 Norwalk 48 The Grinnell Tigers jumped to a 14-9 first period lead to defeat Norwalk 59-48 on Jan. 28.
With Joe Schmidt scored 18 points and Clayton Scurr and Eli Dunne both adding nine, the Tigers held a three point lead at halftime – 27-24 – as the Warriors
were able to inch back into the game. But a determined Tiger defense kept them off the scoreboard in the second half as Grinnell out scored them 32-24 for the win.
Dunne led the Tigers with eight rebounds while Schmidt added four
Pella 76, Grinnell 72 Despite a 24 point game by Eli Dunne, the Pella
Little Dutch were able to hold on for a 76-72 in the second meeting of the two rivals on Jan. 31. The Little Dutch took a 17-13 lead at the end of the first period, then expanded that to 36-29 at the end of the first half. They added two more, out scoring Grinnell 2422 in the third before the Tigers poured in on in the fourth – Grinnell out scored Pella 21-16. Sam Allen scored 14 points for Grinnell while Joe Schmidt added 13 –he was 3-of-10 from 3-point range. Dunne led the Tigers on the board with six rebounds.
Newton 60 Grinnell 43
CR photos by J.O. Parker
Grinnell Tiger head coach Scott Sharp calls for a time out with Sam Allen, 25, in the foreground during the Class 3A quarterfinal game against Waverly-Shell Rock in the state tournament.
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Elli Dunne scored 14 points for Grinnell, but the Tigers couldn’t break the Newton Cardinal defense as they defeated Grinnell 60-43 on Feb. 7. Joe Schmidt was held to eight points in
the game – he had five rebounds – while Clayton Scurr also added eight points. The Tigers fell behind early as Newton took a 17-10 lead after one and added to it at halftime – 32-23. Both teams came out a little cold in the third, but Newton was able to keep the lead and jump to a 4431 lead.
Dallas Center-Grimes 70 Grinnell 64 The Grinnell Tigers lost their third game in-a-row on Feb. 11 with a 70-64 loss to Dallas Center-Grimes. Despite 21 points by Grinnell Tiger Nate Vosburg – he also had seven rebounds and five assists – the Tigers fell to Dallas Center-Grimes 70-64 on Tuesday, Feb. 11. Grinnell had built a close lead in the first half, See GRINNELL page 8
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GRINNELL TIGERS BOYS BASKETBALL 2014
Grinnell: Tigers dominate Oskaloosa, Washington to end regular season Continued from page 7
taking a 15-14 lead after one and holding onto a 33-30 lead into the locker room at halftime. But the Mustangs regrouped and out scored the Tigers 25-21 in the third period and 15-10 in the final stanza to capture the win. Eli Dunne scored 12 points for the Tigers and added six rebounds.
Grinnell 61 Pella Christian 56 The Grinnell Tigers
broke a three-game losing streak when Joe Schmidt scored 23 points and added four rebounds as the Tigers stopped Pella Christian 61-56 on Feb. 14. Clayton Scurr added 13 points and two steals as the Tigers jumped out a 15-13 first period lead, saw that lead drop to a 2727 knot at halftime, then played strong basketball in the third period and tough defense in the final stanza for the win. Eli Dunne scored 10
points for the Tigers. Denton York led the team in rebounds with seven while Nate Vosburg added six for Grinnell. With the score tied at halftime, the Tigers came out in the third period and out scored the Eagles 19-12 in the third period for a 46-39 score at the end of three. Solid defense and opportune scores kept the Eagles on the short end of the score in the final stanza as Pella Christian out scored the Tigers 1715 in the fourth, but not enough for the win.
Grinnell 78 Oskaloosa 50
Grinnell’s Christian Graham, 33, defends against Jake Velsky, 24, of Waverly-Shell Rock during the GoHawks’ 67-58 win in the Class 3A quarterfinals of the state basketball tournament in Des Moines.
A 23-8 first period romp by the Tigers boosted Grinnell to a 7850 victory over Oskaloosa on Feb. 17. Nate Vosburg led the Tigers with 15 points while Joe Schmidt added 11 and Denton York tossed in 10. Oskaloosa fought back in the second period to close the gap at halftime to 43-25, but the Tigers roared out of the locker room at half and out score the Indians 19-7 for a 62-32 lead. Schmidt led Grinnell with five rebounds while both York and Eli Dunne, who scored eight, had four rebounds.
CR photo by J.O. Parker
Luke Honald, 15, defends during a regular season game against Norwalk during the 2013-2014 high school boys basketball season.
Grinnell 64 Washington 49 Joe Schimdt connected for 18 points and Eli Dunne added 13 as the Grinnell Tigers won its final regular season game with a 64-49 bashing of Washington on Friday, Feb. 21. Schmidt connected for his points from 3-point range as he was 6-of-11 in
the game. The Tigers jumped out to an 18-10 first period led, then extended that to 40-23 as they finished the season 13-7. Ryan Campbell led the Tigers on the boards hauling in seven rebounds and added four assists on the night. Other scorers for the Tigers included Sam Allen
who scored nine points and Nate Vosburg with eight. Denton York added seven. Dunne was 5-of-7 from the stripe. Class 3A District 11 Semifinals Grinnell 55 Williamsburg 38 The Grinnell Tigers See GRINNELL page 9
See GRINNELL page 5
GRINNELL TIGERS BOYS BASKETBALL 2014
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Grinnell: Run for state tourney sweet with wins over Raiders and Pella Continued from page 8
spotted the Williamsburg Raiders a 12-9 first period lead, then shut them out in the second period as they won a Class 3A quarterfinal game in Pella on Monday, Feb. 24. The victory came when it counted for Grinnell and avenged a 67-57 loss to the Raiders earlier in the season The Tigers captured a 55-38 win after they took over the game in the second period, shutting down the Raider offense 9-0 in the second period, then adding 37 points in the final two stanzas to
out score Williamsburg 37-26 in the second half for the win. Joe Schmidt scored 16 points to lead Grinnell while Sam Allen added 15 in the win – he was 5-of-7 from 3-point range. Schimidt was also the hot hand at the stripe, connecting for 8-of-10 from the free throw line while adding four rebounds. Eli Dunne led the Tigers with 11 rebounds while adding four assists –Nate Vosburg also had four assists.
Class 3A District 11
CR photo by J.O. Parker
Finals Grinnell 65, Pella 41 The Grinnell Tigers dominated a good Pella basketball team as they stopped the No. 8 Little Dutch 65-41 in Newton on Thursday, Feb. 27. The two split games during the regular season with Grinnell notching a 60-46 victory in their first meeting in Grinnell on Dec. 20, 2013, but Pella turning in a 76-72 win when they met again in Pella on Jan. 312, 2014. The win moved Grinnell into the Class 3A Substate 6 finals against No. 4 Fort Madison, 19-3, at Iowa City West. Four Tiger players scored in double figures as they took charge early, building a 14-10 first period lead, then taking a 27-22 halftime lead. The difference in the game was in field goals, as the Tigers hit 48 percent to just 28 percent for Pella. From two-point range is more drastic as Grinnell was hot on 55 percent of their shots while Pella hit only 24 percent. Behind 20 points from Joe Schmidt and 13 by Eli Dunne, the Tigers ran away with it in the second half, out scoring the Little Dutch 38-19 in the final two stanzas. Nate Vosburg added 12 points for Grinnell and Clayton Scurr notched 11. Grinnell controlled
the boards for the most part as Dunne grabbed 11 rebounds and Vosburg and Schmidt both added eight – the Tigers had 39 rebounds to 24 for Pella. The Little Dutch were led by Jordan Pingel with 12 points and Nathan Clayberg who added seven. Isaac Naaktgeboren led Pella in rebounds with eight. Seth Johnson added eight assists in the loss.
Class 3A Substate 6 Finals Grinnell 62, No. 4 Ft. Madison 58 The Grinnell Tigers defeated the No. 4 Fort Madison Bloodhounds 62-58 in the Class 3A Substate 6 finals at Iowa City West on Monday, March 3. The Tigers qualified for the Class 3A state tourney for the third year in a row. Led by Eli Dunne with 18 and Joe Schmidt with 17 points – Schmidt was 7-of-8 from the charity stripe – the Tigers used a big fourth quarter to capture the win. Nate Vosburg added 10 points in the game while Clayton Scurr grabbed five steals to help shut down the Bloodhound attack. Down 38-32 at the end of three, Grinnell took the lead with almost five minutes left when Schmidt
CR photo by J.O. Parker
connected on a 3-point shot for a 42-41 lead. Fast play and steals helped them jump to a 4641 lead. The Tigers had 11 steals on the night while Ft. Madison recorded two. The Bloodhounds came right back to close the gap to 54-50 with 57 seconds to go. A 3-point shot by Colton Herrick for Ft. Madison closed it to 5855 with 16 seconds left. Dunne was then fouled and scored on both shots at the line for a 60-55 lead. The Bloodhounds got two, but Schmidt was fouled and hit on both
free throws with 3.9 seconds remaining and a 62-58 lead. In the third period, Fort Madison built a 10-point lead when Nagel David connected on a 3-point shot. But Sam Allen added a two-point shot and Joe Schmidt stole a pass and scored to close it to 38-32 at the end of three quarters. Both Schmidt and Dunne had six rebounds. Class 3A Quarterfinals
See GRINNELL page 10
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Grinnell: Go-Hawks stop Grinnell offense in quarterfinal win Continued from page 9
State Basketball Tournament Waverly Shell-Rock 67 Grinnell 58 The No. 6 WaverlyShell Rock Go-Hawks knew what they needed to do to get past the Grinnell Tigers in the first round of the Class 3A boys state basketball tournament on Tuesday, March 11 – stop the Tigers leading scorer Joe Schmidt. That’s what they did as they defeated the Tigers 67-58 to advance to the semifinals of the tournament.
Schmidt, who led the Tigers all season with a 15.7 per game average, was held to seven points – he was 3-of-11 from field goal range during the game. “They did a really good job defensively against him and Joe’s a tough match up for them,” said Scott Sharp, head coach for the Tigers. “They might not be overly big, but they were quick and really fought you inside.” Eli Dunne led the Tigers with 22 points – he was 8-of-20 from the field and 5-of-8 from the charity stripe.
He also had a presence on the boards, grabbing 17 rebounds (eight in the first half) – the team had 29 total. The Go-Hawks had 23 rebounds – Sean Westendorf led them with eight. Nate Vosburg scored 11 for Grinnell. Waverly-Shell Rock was led by Jake Valky with 18 points, Westendorf with 17 and Dan Stensland who added 13. “On the offensive side – Westendorf and Velky – they had big games for them and we couldn’t afford to have those two guys combined have as
Grinnell Tiger Mason Doty, 13, reacts to a call on the floor during the Class 3A quarterfinal game at Wells Fargo Arena on Tuesday, March 11. CR photo by J.O. Parker
many points as they did.” But one of the biggest keys, both coaches agreed, was taking Schmidt out of his game. “You’ve got to give a ton of credit to [Go-Hawk
2013-2014 Basketball Season Grinnell Tigers (17-7) Class 3A, state qualifier Regular Season Grinnell 70, South Tama 27 Grinnell 77, Knoxville 37 Benton Community 57, Grinnell 45 Grinnell 70, Norwalk 50 Mount Vernon 67, Grinnell 65 Grinnell 60, Pella 46 Williamsburg 67, Grinnell 57 Grinnell 77, Oskaloosa 38 Grinnell 63, Newton 44 Grinnell 65, Dallas Center-Grimes 62 Grinnell 68, Pella Christian 49 Chariton 64, Grinnell 60 Grinnell 60, Knoxville 50 Grinnell 73, Albia 59 Grinnell 59, Norwalk 48 Pella 76, Grinnell 72 Newton 60, Grinnell 43 Dallas Center-Grimes 70, Grinnell 64 Grinnell 61, Pella Christian 56 Grinnell 78, Oskaloosa 50 Grinnell 64, Washington 49 Class 3A, District 11 Playoffs First Round Grinnell 55, Williamsburg 38
District 11 Championship Grinnell 65, No. 8 Pella 41 Class 3A Substate 6 Grinnell 62, No. 4 Fort Madison 58
2012 State Class 3A Basketball
Quarterfinals Waverly-Shell Rock 67, Grinnell 58 Wahlert Catholic, Dubque 81, Chariton 59 Harlan 64, Humboldt 44 Central Clinton, DeWitt 69, MOC-Floyd 67
3A State, Semifinals Wahlert Catholic, Dubuque 67, Harlan 36 Central Clinton, DeWitt 56, Waverly-Shell Rock 54 3A Championship Wahlert Catholic, Dubuque 67 Central Clinton, DeWitt 57 Third place Waverly-Shell Rock 65, Harlen 61
players] Drew Demuth and Camry Moore,” said Nate Steege, head coach for Waverly-Shell Rock. “They did a great job of taking Schmidt out of his game and taking him out of his rhythm – he’s a rhythm player and I felt like he was uncomfortable all night. “I thought that was key, us keeping him under control,” he said. The game started with the Tigers taking the opening tip-off and scoring a fast two points. But the Go-Hawks came right back and connected on three straight baskets for a 6-2 lead. Taking advantage of a couple key turnovers and some hot hands from the field, the Go-Hawks had an eight point lead at the end of the first period – 23-15. But in the second period, the Tigers mounted a charge that saw them work the ball inside to Dunne for solid scores under the net. “Dunne’s a high profile
player,” Steege said. ‘He took it to us two years ago when he was a sophomore, so we knew he was a handful defensively. “We were throwing everything but the kitchen sink at him trying to slow him down,” he said. At the 3:30 mark of the second quarter, Dunne took a pass from Schmidt, moved inside and connected for two and was fouled. He hit the free throw which knotted the game at 29-29. After two 3-point attempts by Grinnell, the Go-Hawks scored on a 3-point play and had a 32-29 lead with one minute to go in the half. Grinnell closed it to 32-30 and on their next possession, the GoHawks were called for travelling. Dunne took the in-bounds pass and went down court and was fouled trying to score. He hit both free throws to tie the game at the halfSee GRINNELL page 11
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Grinnell: ‘It’s been a great group of kids to work with’ – Coach Sharp Continued from page 10
way mark. “It started on the offensive end,” Steege said of Grinnell’s second period game plan. “They took us out of our rhythm ... and it carried over to our defense.” But in the third stanza, the Go-Hawks found their game, again, and returned to the focus – stop Schmidt. In the first half, Schmidt had two points while Dunne scored 12 and Vosburg had 10. Westendorf scored 12 by halftime for WaverlyShell Rock. “We felt that we had a couple of guys that if we picked [Schmidt] up full court, we cold wear him down and get him out of his rhythm and I thought that is what we
did,” Steege said. “He made some really tough shots when the game was on the line. He’s a tough player and we were lucky enough to keep him under control for most of the game.” The Tigers took a quick 35-32 lead to open the second half when Christian Graham grabbed a pass from Dunne and hit from 3-point range. But the Go-Hawks came right back and scored twice on a couple Tiger turnovers to take a 37-35 lead. “A couple times they were very crafty and cagey and I know we had the ball stolen from us from behind a couple of times tonight,” Sharp said. “Or at least knocked
loose.” While Grinnell would keep it close, they weren’t able to take the lead anymore as the Go-Hawks moved on to the semifinals. “We had come back in the other three tournament games, but tonight we just weren’t quite able to come back,” Sharp said. “It’s been a great group of kids to work with, and they meshed well together this year. “And our seniors – it’s sad to see the 10 of them leave,” he added. “They’ve had a great imprint on the Grinnell basketball program and they can hold their heads high as they walk out of here.”
CR photo by J.O. Parker CR photo by J.O. Parker
An official with the Iowa High School Athletic Association presents the state participating trophy to the Grinnell Tigers after they lost in the Class 3A quarterfinals 67-58 on Tuesday, March 11 at Well Fargo Arena in Des Moines.
Grinnell Tiger Eli Dunne, 41, drives towards the basket through a crowd of GoHawks during the Class 3A quarterfinals of the state basketball tournament. Dunne scored 22 points to lead the Tigers in a 67-58 loss to Waverly-Shell Rock at Wells Fargo Arena on Tuesday, March 11.
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GRINNELL TIGERS BOYS BASKETBALL 2014
Congratulations On A Spectacular Season! From All Your Fans! We would like to salute the team, students and community of Grinnell for an exciting basketball season!
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