The Little Hawk
SPORTS 18
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Schedule
Away Games 1/12 boys bb: vs Waterloo East @ city high school 1/8 M/W BB Double header: vs Iowa city west @ city high school 1/2 wrestling: vs Lincoln high school @ city high school 1/5 Girls bb: vs washington @ city high school 80 miles 65
1/4 boys bb: Vs mount pleasant @ city high school
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12/31 boys bb: vs mount vernon, ottumwa and pleasant valley @ city high school 12/18 GIRLS BB: VS cedar falls @ city high school
Boys Swimming 12/19 @ Mercer
1/5 @ CR Jefferson 1/12 vs Iowa City West
Bowling
12/19 @ Lancer Lanes, Cedar Rapids 1/4 vs Waterloo East
1/19 @ CR Kennedy
1/8 @ Maple Lanes, Waterloo
1/23 @ University of Iowa Rec Center
1/15 @ Lancer Lanes
Wrestling 12/19 Invitational @ Young-Arena Waterloo
1/2 @ Des Moines Lincoln 1/9 Invitational @ Evans Middle School
(ONLINE SCOREBOARD) Visit thelittlehawk.com for schedules and score updates on our interactive scoreboard.
Boys Basketball 12/31 Scrimmage vs Mount Vernon, Ottumwa and Pleasant Valley
1/4 vs Mount Pleasant 1/8 vs Iowa City West 1/12 vs Waterloo East
Girls basketball
12/18 vs Cedar Falls 1/5 vs Washington 1/8 vs Iowa City West 12/5 vs Muscatine 12/8 Dubuque Wahlert 1/12 @ Waterloo East
Little Hawk Sports Throwback
Letter From The Editors
T
he holiday season is finally upon us. They say that all good things must come to an end, and football season is over, as are all of the fall sports. However, with the changing of seasons comes new sports at the school that leads. We have coverage on the basketball teams, including a playmaker profile on the girls basketball team, center Kenya Earl. We also have a feature on two City High gymnasts. Also, in the spirit of the season, and the Iowa Hawkeyes going to the Rose Bowl for the first time in 25 years, Duncan has his preview of all the New Year’s six bowl games. We hope that you enjoy this issue of the Little Hawk, enjoy the bowl season and the other sports this time of year, and lastly, have a great holiday!
Your sports editors, Jonathan House Brady Vanlo
@LHSBrady @JonathanHouse6 @Dombalfox @littlehawksports
fresh sta rt
THe GIRLS BasketBALL TEAM is off to a solid 5-1 start To its SEASON after losing key seniors.
O
By Jonathan House n a Friday night in the City High gym, the City High girls basketball team comes onto the court. The Little Hawks roared into the season by defeating a state semi-finalist team from last year in Des Moines Dowling Catholic, a team that beat them 85-43 last year. “The first game, we beat Dowling, who has beat us the last two years, so that was pretty fun to win,” Courtney Joens ‘16 said. The team has been led by its senior leader and its leading scorer, Courtney Joens, who averages 16.7 points per game. Her sister, Ashley Joens ‘18 is the second leading scorer, having contributed 95 points. Kenya Earl also has helped to lead the Little Hawks, with five blocks. She also has contributed offensively with 15.6 points per game. The Little Hawks’ lone loss on the season came against Cedar Rapids Kennedy. To continue their winning ways, coach Bill McTaggart sees various means for the team to continue to play better. He believes that the most important
part is the team’s communication. “We can play a lot better, we didn’t rebound or play very well defensively,” McTaggart said of his team’s performance to begin the season. “We gotta be more vocal on defense, we’re not talking enough.” The Little Hawks returned their three leading scorers from last year, in the trio of Joens, Joens and Earl. However, the Little Hawks lost the second team leader in assists in Sarah Plock, as well as Sara Blowers, who averaged 5.7 points a game, fourth on the team last year. Despite their absences, Courtney thinks that this year’s team has been playing well. “So far, we’ve played pretty well together, we need to pass the ball a little bit better with each other, play more as a team,” Joens said. “Overall, we’re playing pretty hard.” Kenya Earl also thinks that this team has good chemistry and can rally behind fan support. “When the student section gets on their feet, it’s more fun,” Earl said of what it’s like to play. “Our goal is to win the MVC championship and go to state. Last year, we didn’t make it, so this year, it’s our big goal to go to state.”
T e a m av e r a g e s
56.7
44.3% 36.2%
pts/ game
FG percentage 3pt Percentage
RIGHT: Courtney Joens ‘16 charges the basket at home on December 8th, outscoring Wahlert 67-61 in a back and forth battle that ended in a game of keep away. PHOTO BY JOSEPH CRESS
Promise of what’s to come The boys burned through a solid preseason with eight wins and a loss, and started their regular season in a two game rut following a victory against Davenport North. Now they’re on the upslope - and trying to keep moving in the right direction.
By Dominic Balestrieri-Fox & Jim Geerdes
T
he boys’ basketball team is building momentum, as they came out of the preseason nearly perfect, posting eight wins and one loss. The strong start continued into the regular season’s first game: a 5842 win against Davenport North. After the initial success, the well seemed to have run dry as City High fell into a two game losing streak. City experienced its first loss to Muscatine and then its second to Davenport Central, both in away games. “We started with a good win against Davenport North,” head coach Don Showalter said. “Even though we lost the next two [games], we are keeping our heads up.” The season has been highlighted
by exceptional performances from Micah Martin ‘16, Naeem Smith ‘17, and Henry Mulligan ‘16. Martin has been dominant underneath the bucket, averaging 6.8 rebounds per game, while leading the team in scoring with 10.8 points per game. Smith racked up 17 assists-the most on the team throughout the first four games. Shooting specialist Henry Mulligan has the highest three point percentage along with an average of 9.8 points per game. Naeem Smith has set his goals high. “We definitely plan on winning the conference,” Smith said. “Our ultimate goal is to win state.” The boys play their next game on December 19th away against Burlington.
RIGHT: Naeem Smith ‘17 rushes down the court after a big steal against Cedar Rapids Jefferson in the second quarter. OPPOSITE: Micah Martin ‘16 takes a free throw againts Jefferson. PHOTOS BY JOSEPH CRESS
BUILDING UP To Tear THem DOwn
the young team looks to rebuild with key leadership from a few crucial senior leaders.
By Brady Vanlo
T
he winter sports season is finally here, and the City High wrestling team has recently kicked off its season with a meet against Cedar Rapids Kennedy. Though falling 34-46 in the opening meet, Daniel Kelly ‘16 believes that the team is off to a good start for the 2015-2016 season. “Like always, there are some positives and negatives,” Kelly said. “We didn’t get the result we wanted, but there is a lot of room to grow and improve and I think the team is heading in the right direction.” Teammate Nic Jarvis ‘16 is also thinking positive after the first week of the season. “After the first week, I think that the team competed hard and looked tough, especially for the beginning of the season,” Jarvis said. “With the system we’re running, it’s going to be interesting to see how the team is
going to continue to improve and build throughout the season.” Jarvis, a veteran of the Little Hawk wrestling team, is also ecstatic about his last year wrestling for City High. “Going into my last year, I know that I need to keep setting a good example to the younger guys on the team so that when I leave, they can continue to keep working hard to achieve the goals that we have at City High,” Jarvis said. With a young team returning, head coach, Cory Connell also believes that the 2015-2016 season can be successful if the wrestlers continue to work hard and keep improving day by day. “We have a long season ahead of us,” Connell said. “Every single day that we come in to wrestle, we just have to keep improving. We’ve had some good meets, but there is always room to get better.”
ABOVE: Ali Omar ‘16 struggles against a crossface hold in a match against Kennedy. PHOTO BY MAX GRUBER
ABOVE: Sam Naylor slices through the water at the Dubuque Quadrangular hosted by West High in the Coralville Recreation Center Saturday December 12th, 2015. PHOTO BY JOSEPH CRESS
Big Fish Now The boys swim team have last year’s size problem fixed, and is looking forward to the changes a larger team will bring. By Sam Bloom
T
he Little Hawks boys swim team will look for its first win of the season on December 19th at the Little Hawk Invitational. The team is a young team that lost two state qualifiers from last season, Abe Eyman-Casey and Jacob Cabbage. Both swimmers were mainstays on last year’s team and are currently swimming on the St. Olaf men’s swim team. Due to the team’s small number last year, 16 swimmers in all, the team found it much harder to win meets against bigger MVC teams, such as West High and Dubuque Senior. Improving the team’s numbers has been a goal for City High swim teams in recent years. “We have met one of our goals, which is to make the team grow,” Andrew Parr ‘16 said. “We have 24 boys signed up for the season compared to the 16 boys who swam last season”. Even though they have a tie and a loss this season (Loss to Pleasant Valley 43-126, tie with Cedar Falls
72-72), swimmers can agree that more people will help win meets that last year, seemed unwinnable. “I think we have mainly gotten better with size, the amount of people will probably correlate to the amount of meets we win,” Eric Thomas ‘18 said. Thomas was also a state qualifier last year in the 200 yard medley relay with Parr, Casey, and Cabbage. Thomas currently holds the 200 yard freestyle and 100 yard backstroke records this season for City and is looking to qualify for state in Marshalltown. Thomas also cites the team’s closeness as another key factor in winning more meets this season. “I think we are definitely more bonded as a team, and we have more sense of unity,” Thomas said. “[We] can swim as a team, instead as just individuals.” The team will host the Little Hawk Invitational December 19th at 11:00 a.m at the Mercer Aquatic Center.
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Kenya Earl_ The City High Junior has some big shoes to fill, but is making her own name as one of City’s top scorers. By Jim Geerdes & Jonathan House
K
enya Earl is following in her father’s footsteps by playing basketball, and looks to continue playing basketball at the collegiate level. Earl has been playing basketball since she was five. Her family’s basketball roots extend far beyond her relatively short career - her father, Acie Earl, played basketball for the University of Iowa from 1989-1993 and holds the Big Ten record for most career blocks. He was a first round pick by the Boston Celtics in 1993. Acie has recently turned to coaching a travel team, and gives his daughter tips to improve her game. “He teaches me a lot of things; he gives me tips and pointers when I get home from games,” said Earl. “He teaches me everything he knows, so that’s the plus side to having a dad who’s played.” Earl has a demanding basketball schedule, playing year round. She plays on her father’s travel team in addition to her regular season while attending camps during the summer, and playing tournaments during July. “I think playing AAU (Earl’s father’s travel team) ball is different than high school,” Earl said. “The contact and the playing are tougher for the most part, but that helps me play tougher in the season.”
She has recently received attention from multiple colleges. Despite only being a junior, she already has an offer from Western Illinois University. She has also received attention, but not yet a scholarship, from the University of MissouriKansas City. Earl’s young junior season is highlighted by her being City High’s third leading scorer through three games, behind only Courtney Joens ‘16 and Ashley Joens ‘18. She has averaged 16.0 points through her first five games, while averaging 82.9% from the foul line and shooting 40.8% from the field, as well as being the team leader in blocks with five. For Earl, team chemistry is a big part of her and the team’s success. “We get along great. We have group chats and we text all the time. We meet during open periods and passing time. We hang out a lot and go out to eat, so our team chemistry is pretty close.” Earl says that making it to state freshman year was her favorite memory of playing for City High thus far. She believes that this year’s team can win the MVC and make it back to state with the right amount of focus. “As we always say, do the little things right and make sure we are focused and playing as a team,” Earl said.
BOWLING with Duncan Below are Duncan’s college football predictions for the New Year’s Six bowl games. For more deep thoughts by Duncan check out his online blog Dunkin’ with Duncan. From the Hawkeyes, to the NFL, to NCAA Basketball, Duncan’s got something to say. Read his comprehensive sports blog at thelittlehawk.com
OHIO STATE vs. 8NOTRE DAME 7
NOOn CST
OK STATE vs. 12OLE MISS 16
7:30 PM CST
CLEMSON vs. 4OKLAHOMA 1
NYE 3 PM CST
BattleFrog Fiesta Bowl This is not a game for the faint of heart. Two powerhouse teams meet in Phoenix as Ohio State plays Notre Dame. My pick: Ohio State 48-21 Why: J.T. Barrett and Ezekiel Elliott will dominate the Irish defense, and the Notre Dame offense won’t overcome its turnover problem. This game could be a snoozer as Ohio State wins big.
All-state Sugar Bowl
From a College Football Playoff game a year ago to some what of a sleeper game this year, it features the two conference runner ups from the SEC and the Big 12 in Ole Miss and Oklahoma State. My pick: Ole Miss 73-59 Why: Had Ole Miss not blown it against Arkansas, it could’ve been SEC champs and possibly screwed up Alabama’s Playoff chances, but it didn’t, so here we are. The Rebels are just too dominant for the Cowboys defense that got rolled over by Oklahoma, a team very similar to Ole Miss.
Capital One Orange Bowl
This game is going to be all offense. Deshaun Watson and the Clemson Tigers have been tremendous this season as they have gone a perfect 13-0. Baker Mayfield has become Oklahoma’s savior as the Sooners have won seven straight and haven’t lost since the Red River Rivalry game versus Texas. Why: It’s safe to say that the Sooners are the hottest team in college football right now, and Baker Mayfield is as good as any player in the country. The Oklahoma defense, I feel, is just a little bit better than Clemson’s. Player to watch: Baker Mayfield
IOWA vs. 6STANFORD
Rose Bowl Game Presented By Northwestern Mutual
FL STATE vs. 18HOUSTON
The Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl
5
4 PM CST
9
11 AM CST
ALABAMA vs. 3MICH STATE 2
NYE 7 PM
It’s a classic Big Ten/ PAC 12 matchup in the Rose Bowl, and it’s big offense versus big defense in Pasadena on New Year’s Day. The Iowa Hawkeyes face up against the Stanford Cardinal, and this game could easily go either way. My pick: Iowa 42-28 Why: Iowa’s defense is just going to be too much for the Cardinal offense and will only score in junk time. I believe that the Hawkeyes are going to bounce back very well after the Big Ten Championship loss and will beat Stanford at the point of attack. Player to watch: Josey Jewell. Houston is more of a spread-you-out attack lead by quarterback Greg Ward. Ward is not only the leading passer for the Cougs, but also their leading rusher and didn’t start or play in Houston’s only loss against Uconn. On the other side, the Seminoles are led by running back Dalvin Cook, who broke the Florida State rushing record this season with 1658 yards and 18 touchdowns. My Pick: Houston 34-30 Why: Two words. Greg Ward. He can pass, he can run, and he can straight up overwhelm defenses.
Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic
Alabama is lead by Heisman trophey winning running back Derrick Henry, who has been a beast this season and will have to go up against a ferocious Michigan State front seven that dominated the Iowa run game in the Big Ten Championship. On the other side of the football, Connor Cook is going to have to throw the ball quickly to get past the dominant Alabama pass rush. I honestly am rooting for neither team to win, but sadly that cannot happen. My pick: Michigan State Why: All Alabama’s offense consists of is Derrick Henry, so if the MSU defensive line holds, it will be a long day for Nick Saban’s Crimson Tide.