SIOUX RAPIDS — “This is the first time ever,” said Kasey Krager, Sioux Central head girls basketball coach.

Local Shriners Steve Waller and Dean Jacobsen met with Spencer High School football cheerleaders Veronica Studer and Eve Maker to congratulate them on being selected the cheerleading team for the 2024 Iowa Shrine Bowl football game. The cheerleaders will report to camp in Cedar Falls on July 15. During the week they will be kept busy with rigorous training and lots of fun.

MASON CITY — The Iowa Lakes men’s basketball team moved to 23-6 overall and 13-4 in Iowa Community College Athletic Conference play with a 93-75 win over NIACC.

The Lakers were led by Benard Omooria with 21 points, Jaden Jefferson added 19 points, Sam West had 17 points and 11 rebounds, Kai Evans had 15 points and Blake Kooiman had 10 points.

Wyatt Helming led the way for NIACC with 20 points.

ROCHESTER, Minn. — The Iowa Lakes Community College softball team earned two wins in their opening weekend in Rochester. The Lakers combined for 14 hits in their game one 17-0 five-inning win over Minnesota North College-Vermillion. They then put up nine runs in the fifth inning to complete their second run-rule game of the day. This time with a 11-3 win over Central Lakes College-Brainerd. The Lakers are 2-0 on the season.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — The Iowa Hawkeyes No. 4-ranked women’s and men’s basketball teams will return to the Sanford Pentagon in the 2024-25 season for a nonconference game on Dec. 21. An opponent will be announced later. This marks the fourth trip to the Pentagon for the Iowa men’s program. Tickets will be as low as $30 and go on sale at 10 a.m. on Feb. 29 online only at ticketmaster.com.

Iowa Great Lakes Lutheran School will be sending archers to the Iowa State Archery Tournament, March 1-3. IGLLS has had a strong archery team for several years and this year is no exception with several students qualifying for state. The school had six qualify for bullseye, one qualify in 3D, and three qualify in both bullseye and 3D. (Photos submitted)

The weather is starting to feel like spring, but water temperatures are still dangerously cold.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources recommends that paddlers wait for consistent warm weather to allow the water temperatures to rise slowly. It could be several weeks before water temperatures are ideal and safe as water and air temperatures continue to change.

The results for the 14th Annual Keep Iowa Beautiful Photography Contest are in. Local resident Bill Beardsley won the Keep Iowa Beautiful Social Media Favorite Award. Entitled “Majestic Sunrise,” the photo captures the morning beauty of Big Spirit Lake. Judges noted: “Taken in Dickinson County, Iowa, this photo truly captures the beauty of our state.”

It’s this time of year when people who fish gather in a variety of locations. It might be at a sportshow, maybe a fishing seminar, sometimes at a bait shop. The talk will start with current subjects like the Super Bowl, college basketball, families or almost anything else.

Eventually the conversation will turn to fishing. In late winter and early spring, fishing equipment will be a popular topic. One area that gets lots of attention is fishing line.

So, the weekend of Feb. 9-11, as the ice fishing season was pretty much drawing to an end on the Iowa Great Lakes, my son, who was fishing off Triboji on the north end of West Okoboji, told me about a bunch of people (ice fishermen?) off Pike’s Point.

My first thought was maybe a late perch bite, because my son said they appeared to be out in pretty deep water. However, he told me, “But, dad, they didn’t act like ice fishermen. They were all kind of bunched up in a group.”

SPENCER — Sioux Central will enter the IGHSAU Class 2A State Tournament with a 22-1 mark and a No. 4 seed after blowing a close game open in the second half in the Region 5 final Wednesday night on a neutral floor in Spencer. The Rebels 51-32 victory against Pocahontas thrust them into a 8:30 p.m., Tuesday quarterfinal matchup with No. 5-seed Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont which finished the year 23-1.

HUMBOLDT — For the second straight time, Humboldt has eliminated the Spencer boys basketball team from Class 3A postseason play. After defeating the Tigers in the 2022 3A District Championship, the Wildcats bested the 2023-24 squad, Monday night at home, 81-65 in District 2 quarterfinal play, snapping Spencer’s two-game win streak to close out regular season play.

The Iowa Lakes Laker women stopped Marshalltown at home by 18, 75-53, Wednesday.

The Lakers had three in double figures, led by Allo Wolff’s double-double, 18 points and 13 rebounds. Also contributing, Emma Kanz finished with 16 and Jordyn Stokes added 13 points.

The Lakers connected on 15-of-16 from the free-throw line.

The Tigers were led by Mia Sao-Martinez’s 21 points.

ESTHERVILLE — Following a one-point 60-59 loss to Southwestern College Saturday, Feb. 17, ending a seven-game win streak, the Iowa Lakes men’s basketball team bounced back Wednesday night with a 93-78 home victory over Dakota County to move to 22-6 overall on the season.

Paul Galm, with the Everly Lions Club, made a $500 donation Monday night to Katrina Howard, the swim coach for the Spencer Special Olympics swim team. (Photo submitted)