SPENCER — On Wednesday morning, Special Olympics Iowa and ESPN presented a banner to signify that Spencer High School is a Unified Champion School. In order to receive this honor, schools must have three components. Unified sports, whole school engagement and student leadership. Schools must apply and be selected, only three schools in Iowa are receiving this title this year.

Iowa Lakes' Jeremiah Burke took on a bigger role with two of the Lakers starters out last week. Burke took advantage of the opportunity, recording 35 minutes per game. Burke was 24 of 38 from the field to total 55 points in two games. Burke in a game against Southeast, had 24 points and 23 boards. In the next game against Central, he stayed hot, pouring in 31 points along with another 20 rebounds.

The Iowa Lakes men's basketball team fell to 6-5 on the season with a 79-59 loss to North Dakota State College of Science. The Lakers were led by Jeremiah Burke’s 22 points. Isaiah Williams also scored in double figures with 12 points. NDSCS was led by Micah Swallow with 20 points. ILCC will begin Iowa Community College Athletic Conference play on Saturday when they travel to Fort Dodge to take on Iowa Central. Tip for that contest will be at 3 p.m.

MANSON — The Sioux Central girls wrestling team traveled on down to Manson Northwest-Webster Monday night for the 2022 Manson Girls Invitational. The girls would compile a record of 10-6 on the evening.

HARTLEY — After a loss to the Remsen St. Mary Hawks on Monday, Sioux Central got a chance to defeat the Harley-Melvin-Sanborn Hawks Tuesday. The Rebels had won five straight against the Hawks coming into the game.

MADISON, Neb. — Iowa Lakes volleyball coach Mike Turnbull announced the sixth addition to the roster from the class of 2023, Cattibrie Hysell, a 5-foot-8 hitter/defensive specialist. At Nebraska’s Madison High School, she has been a member of the volleyball, basketball and track teams for four years. She is busy and well accomplished off the court also. Hysell is an honor student and participates in cheer, dance, FFA, Quiz Bowl and STEAM.

The Lakers got two wins on Thanksgiving weekend, defeating Southeast Community College, out of Beatrice, Nebraska, in the first game, 53-44. The Lakers were led by Brielle Bartelt with 14 points. Ihari Oromo added a double double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Anisah Wolf finished with 10 points.

ESTHERVILLE — The Iowa Lakes men's basketball team fell to 6-4 on the season with a pair of losses this weekend in the Iowa Lakes Classic.

Their first loss of the weekend came at the hands of Southeast Community College, 84-68.

Jeremiah Burke would lead the way for the Lakers with 24 points and 23 rebounds. Isaiah Youngquist added 12 points, and Isaiah Williams would dropped 10.

Southeast was led by Luke Williams with 36 points.

SIOUX RAPIDS — Okoboji/HMS opened its first-ever state sanctioned girls wrestling season at a tournament hosted by Sioux Central on Nov. 15. The Pioneers’ contingent combined to win seven matches on the night.

LE MARS — Spencer was tested in their first regular season game of the season, having players in foul trouble early, but finding a way to pull it out in the end at Le Mars on Tuesday night. Spencer would come out on top of the Bulldogs 65-62 to pick up their first win of the new season. The girls were led by big scoring nights from Jada Piercy who chipped in 24 points and Jerra Merchant who added 20 of her own in the win.

The Lakers continued to build their 2023-24 volleyball roster with the addition of 5-foot-9, middle hitter/right-side hitter, Hailey Shequen, a 2023 graduate from Little Falls, Minnesota. She is a three-time letter winner for Little Falls and has been named offensive MVP, who competed at the club level for six years with the Little Falls JO Club & Midwest Power. She has also been a figure skater since the age of seven.

Iowa Lakes Community College head softball coach Katie King announced the signing of Alayna Leighton to the 2023-24 recruiting class. Leighton is the daughter of Adam Leighton and Chad and Cheryl Schmitz, and attends Stewartville High School in Stewartville, Minnesota. An outfielder/middle infielder, Leighton has two varsity letters with one season to go for the Tigers. In her junior season, she compiled a .382 batting average with 21 hits, including one triple.

FORT DODGE — The Spencer girls wrestling team had a midweek matchup on Tuesday, competing in the East vs. West Dual Tournament. Which showcases some of the best wrestlers on each side of the state. The girls competed with teams like East Buchanan, Lewis Central, Ridge View, Riverside and S.W.A.T. Valkyrie. The tournament took place at Iowa Central Community College.

SIOUX RAPIDS — The Sioux Central Rebels girls basketball team got their season started on Monday night when they hosted the Remsen-St. Mary’s Hawks in Sioux Rapids. The girls did not get off to the start they hoped for turning the ball over multiple times early in the contest and getting down 14-6 at the end of the first quarter.

MARSHALLTOWN — The Iowa Lakes men's basketball team traveled to Marshalltown this past weekend to play in the Emerson Classic. The Lakers would win one and lose one at the event.

In their first contest of the weekend the Lakers would take on Bryant and Stratton Community College. Iowa Lakes would fall to the Bobcats, 71-67