By Bob Bakken
MaxPreps.com
Sophomore Corey Schaefer made seven fourth-quarter free throws for Johnston in a 78-71 win over sixth-ranked Southeast Polk last Friday night. Schaefer had averaged just eight points a game up to the contest, but finished with 24 points in the win. He made 5-of-6 free throws in the final 30 seconds to provide the Dragons the upset victory.
Shots from the 3-point line came about as easy as free throws in the contest, as the teams combined for 22 treys in the contest. Johnston had a 40-24 lead at halftime, but Southeast Polk dropped in nine shots from beyond the arc in the second half and had tied the score at 63 with four minutes left in the game.
Tyler Stumme hit eight of the 13 threes for Southeast Polk. Johnston hit nine 3-pointers in the game as a team.
It was the Rams’ first loss in CIML Central Conference action, as Southeast Polk fell to 2-1 in league play, 6-2 overall. Johnston is 5-1 for the season, 3-1 in the conference.
Wrestling: Tofanelli Thrives on Workouts
Des Moines Lincoln wrestler Colby Tofanelli is unbeaten this year, among the top wrestlers in the state and loves the workouts that are part of the wrestling regimen.
The workouts include running in the morning before school, wrestling practice after school and work on cardio exercise equipment in the evening.
It’s helped him become a two-time state tournament finisher and unbeaten through nine matches this season, improving his career record to 71-9.
Tofanelli was eighth in Class 3A at 130 pounds two years ago, fourth at 135 last year, and will be gunning for another improvement to a championship at 140 this season. He’s ranked third in the state in his weight class through the last ratings in mid-December.
Wrestling: Dan Gable Invitational Competitive at Waterloo
The 11th annual Dan Gable Wahawk Invitational wrestling tournament was won by Cedar Rapids Prairie with 176 points to second-place Bettendorf’s 171.5 points and host Waterloo West’s 146.5 points. Waterloo East was fourth at 144.5. The team victory was Prairie’s fourth straight team title.
Among the individual winners, Waterloo East’s Tray Pendleton won his third straight Gable title at 285 pounds and ran his season record to 18-0 as the top-ranked wrestler in that weight class.
Waterloo West’s Nick Sand claimed the title at 119 pounds with an impressive performance that improved his season mark to 20-0. He’s ranked first in the state in his weight category. Sand defeated Taylor Wickett of Bettendorf 20-5 in the championship match.
Basketball: High Schools Join Coaches vs. Cancer Effort
Five Des Moines-area high school basketball teams will join the national effort of coaches tackling cancer that has become more popular at the collegiate level.
Des Moines Roosevelt boys basketball coach Paul Doerrfeld is getting CIML rivals East, Lincoln, North and Hoover, along with Johnston to join in the awareness effort.
Roosevelt players are selling tickets to their boys-girls basketball games with Ottumwa on Jan. 30 for $10. Five dollars will go to the school and the rest will be a donation to the American Cancer Society.
The other schools will be holding similar events either on the same day or in the week following Roosevelt’s effort.
Doerrfeld was on a state committee for the Coaches vs. Cancer effort and felt the idea would also work at the high school level.
Also of Note…
* The current leaders in the Iowa boys basketball rankings from the Associated Press are Ames on top of Class 4A, Harlan in Class 3A, Solon in Class 2A, and Iowa Mennonite in Class 1A.
* According to the latest rankings from the Iowa Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association, the top wrestling teams in Iowa are Gilbertville-Don Bosco, Ballard of Huxley, and Iowa City West. Don Bosco leads the Class 1A rankings, Ballard paces Class 2A, and Iowa City West leads Class 3A.
* Gatorade’s Iowa cross country athlete of the year is Ashlie Decker of West Des Moines Dowling. Decker won the Class 4A individual championship and led the Maroons to the state team title. Decker also won the Nike Cross Country Nationals Heartland Regional event this past fall.
