This week’s column might be more of a wandering one as I share my thoughts of the season and the importance of family.

WATERLOO — A motto SHS coach Bob Schlaeger applied to every match this year, win or lose — “the journey continues” — has kept the team moving forward. Following the Wednesday, May 29, final game of the season, he said, “Our journey has come to a very good end.”

DES MOINES — “I can’t say enough about the support we had and thank everyone for helping make this a season to remember,” said Kasey Krager, Sioux Central head girls basketball coach, following his team’s Friday, March 1, semifinal exit from the team’s first ever state tournament appearance.

FORT DODGE ― Spencer finished fourth in 16 team field tournament hosted by Fort Dodge, Friday. Four Tigers reached the championship match with Shaylee Sutherland, wrestling at 140, pinning her way to the title. Also reaching the finals, finishing runner-up, were Kiara Ruiz, at 100; 120-pounder Summer Fliss; and Kyiah Logan, wrestling at 130. Consolation title were earned by Breanna Johnson, at 125; and Brooke Mart, at 235. (Photo by Memories in the Making)

CARROLL — Matt Stevenson, addressing Spencer’s 54-31 loss at Carroll-Kuemper, Thursday night, said, “Basketball is an extremely difficult sport, especially when you don't play mentally tough.

EMMETSBURG — Minus 120-pounder Tillmon Schon, in a lineup already riddled with forfeits, the Spencer boys wrestling team scored wins against host Emmetsburg and a hole-filled Western Christian squad. They downed Wolfpack, 65-4; and 39-25 over the E-Hawks.

SPENCER — Saturday, in their first home meet of the year, Spencer sent seven to finals, claiming three individual crowns, finishing second behind Jackson County in the team standings.

With two open weight classes, the Tigers managed 197, while the Huskies, from Minnesota, trailing by a slight margin heading into the placement round, pulled away with 233.

MASON CITY — It came down to the final race at the Mason City pool Thursday, the 400 relay, as Spencer’s boys rallied to sweep the competition, downing the River Hawks, 85-84, and Des Moines Hoover, 100-68. Mason City would record the win over Hoover, 100-61.

SIOUX RAPIDS — Failing to have any player in double digits, combined with giving the ball away, allowed Pocahontas allowed the Indians to outscore the visitors from Sioux Central 34-14 in the first half, on their way to a 62-44 win Friday evening to close out 2024.

Kasey Krager, Rebel head coach, admitted, “We were flat to start and didn’t do a good job of taking care of the basketball and Pocahontas had a lot to do with it.

CHEROKEE — Sophomore Remi McGregor and Gavin Casey, a junior, brought home championships at 126 and 157, Saturday, at the Paul Fuhrman Tournament, in Cherokee. Their individual titles helped the Rebels to a sixth place finish.

“We saw very good competition (Saturday),” Sioux Central coach Chance Rice said. “We wrestled hard and coming out with sixth as a team only having 10 wrestlers was a very solid day.

He added, “We saw flashes of the boys building and learning.”

ALTA — It was a tough night at Alta-Aurelia, Thursday, for Sioux Central’s boys as they dropped 2 of 3 duals against their opponents. The wrestling squad won against M-M-C/RU, 47-30; but fell against Graettinger-Terril/Ruthven-Ayrshire, 53-6, and the team’s hosts. The Warriors topped the Rebels, 53-21.

Chance Rice, Sioux central coach, said, “We continued to fight and focus match by match.”

SIOUX RAPIDS — In a low scoring affair, Sioux Central rallied in the second half, limiting visiting Pocahontas-Area to three points in the final period, en route to a 44-37 victory heading into the holiday break, Friday.

Stephen Tjaden, Rebel head coach, said, “We came out early offensively and settled for a lot of outside and contested shots, along with missing some bunnies around the rim.

Laker softball inks Knobloch

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources will release rainbow trout in nine locations across Iowa this winter in areas that would not support them during warmer months.

Winter trout stockings are a great place to take kids to catch their first fish. A family-friendly event is paired with some stockings to help anglers have success and fun while fishing.

Here is a great fishing opportunity for youth anglers, age 15 and under. How about a morning of ice fishing at Lost Island Lake? The date is set for Saturday, Jan. 11, from 10 a.m. to noon.

The fishing outing is sponsored by the Palo Alto Conservation, Emmet County Conservation and the Iowa Great Lakes Fishing Club. That’s not all: ice shacks, heaters, rods and reels and bait will all be provided for use during this outing.