For the second straight game to start the season, Spencer’s girls basketball team found itself in a massive first quarter crater from which they were ever able to climb out of in a 74-29 loss to No. 10 Le Mars at the Spencer field house Tuesday night. The Tigers fell 73-22 to open the season against powerhouse Ankeny at home Saturday.

“Le Mars had too much pressure for us to handle,” Spencer coach Matt Stevenson admitted. “We hit the panic button early and couldn't recover.”

SIOUX CITY — Spencer boys swim team had a chance to dip their toes into the competition pool Tuesday, traveling to Sioux City for a pentathlon with Sioux City West. Despite the Black Raiders dominance in the pool — the Tigers best finish was an eighth place by Ethan Weston in the 50-yard breaststroke. The meet had four multistyle 50-yard events and the 100-yard individual medley.

Sioux Central girls basketball, No. 12 in the Class 2A preseason poll, launched its 2023-24 campaign with a par of convincing victories against regional opponents Manson-Northwest Webster and Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn on back-to-back nights to start the week. Bradi Krager propelled her teammates with a combined 51 points in the Monday and Tuesday night wins.

Iowa Lakes’ Jazlin King (above) and Arianna Smith (below) were among the Lakers competing at the Emerson Classic last weekend. The Lakers went 1-1, falling to No. 11 Rock Valley, 52-80, on Friday. They were led by La’Nya Burnside with 10 points. On Saturday the Lakers defeated Lewis & Clark, 74-57, and were led by Jordyn Stokes with 21, and teammate Paige Martin added 10 points. (Photos submitted)

ESTHERVILLE — Two Iowa Lakes Community College women's volleyball athletes were named to the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference Division II Women's Volleyball All-Region teams.

Morgan Wigg and Makenzie Uribe were both name ICCAC Region 11 All-Region Honorable Mention

ESTHERVILLE — The Iowa Lakes men’s basketball team moved to 6-2 on the season with a 107-78 win over Northwestern’s JV Monday night.

The Lakers were led by Kai Evans with 20 points, Jaedan Jefferson with 17, Sam West’s 16 and Benard Omooria tallied 11.

Northwestern was led by Will Pool with 18 points.

Iowa Lakes picked up a pair of victories in Marshalltown this weekend.

The first was a 62-59 win over Bryant and Stratton, of Wisconsin.

TUSCON, Ariz. — Champions.

That’s the word the Iowa Lakes men’s soccer team can call themselves after claiming the NJCAA Division II Soccer title Saturday night in dramatic fashion, winning a 5-3 shootout following a scoreless double-overtime affair with Phoenix College in front of a locally partisan crowd.

HOLSTEIN — Despite a five wrestler shortage, due to injury and illness, the 11th-ranked Spencer Tiger girls wrestling team scored a third place finish at the Ridge View Invite Saturday, powered by four weight champions and a runner-up placement.

“Ridgeview is a very competitive tournament with 20-plus teams in it,” Tiger coach Dave Storm said. “… There was only six points between first place, and third place in the team race.”

Spencer girls basketball welcomed powerhouse Ankeny into the field house Saturday afternoon for the Tigers’ season opener. The Hawks formidable offense and defense put 70-plus on the scoreboard while limiting the host team to single digits in each quarter, for the 73-22 win.

“Obviously Ankeny is a real deal 5A basketball team, we were well aware of that going into that game,” Spencer coach Matt Stephenson said.

The Spencer boys basketball team hosted a Meet the Team night Friday in the field house where the Tigers participated in skills drills, a 3-point shootout and an inter-squad scrimmage. The coaches also got in the action as head coach Kory Petzenhauser demonstrated “bent wrist” form, taking an opportunity to shoot from the floor. (Above) Cael Bruning claimed the crown in the 3-point competition, and Dalton Flikkema drove for a basket in the scrimmage. (Photos by Sondra Hookfin)

SIOUX RAPIDS — Friday, the Rebels hosted the Sioux Central Girls Invitational in Sioux Rapids. The home team placed fourth among seven teams. Makala Zeka led the way with an individual title at 125 pounds, finishing 3-0 on the night

Phosphorus is an essential nutrient for all life, but too much of it can have a devastating impact on water quality. When phosphorus levels in a water body are too high, it can lead to a process called eutrophication. Eutrophication is the overgrowth of blue green algae and other aquatic plants, which can deplete oxygen levels in the water and make it uninhabitable for fish and other aquatic life.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has scheduled a virtual public meeting to update the public on statewide chronic wasting disease surveillance and management efforts.

I’ve been doing a lot of reading about fishing and outdoor things recently. When I don’t go fishing, much of the time I’m reading about fishing. Following are a couple of fishing things that I’ve been reading about.

Life as a turtle isn’t always easy, especially for Iowa’s threatened Blanding’s turtle. Many populations have been declining for decades across their range due to habitat loss and fragmentation. Native to the northern two-thirds of Iowa, land conversion and loss of wetland habitats are hurdles that this species has struggled to overcome.