By Bob Bakken
MaxPreps.com
Coaches, Coach Nice
The Iowa Girls' High School Athletic Union Board of Directors has adopted a change to its bench decorum rule for girls basketball coaches. The change is effective with the upcoming season next fall.
With a few exceptions, coaches will be required to stay seated on their bench at all times during the course of a game. Coaches can stand to confer with a player when the clock is stopped, congratulate a player who has fouled out of a game, and walk the sidelines to determine the disqualified players' replacement.
The Iowa High School Athletic Association Board of Control is expected to consider the same rules, which if approved, would provide the same "seat belt" regulations approved by the Girls' Union to boys' basketball, beginning in 2008.
Other changes involving girls' basketball for next year include the end of the rating system of officials by coaches, the end of boys practicing with girls' teams, and the end of eighth grade students being allowed to practice against students in grades nine through 12 in sports other than softball.
Delaney Retires as Mason City A.D.
Mason City athletic director Dan Delaney is retiring after over 20 years heading the Mohawks' athletic programs.
The state's athletic director of the year in 2001, as named by the Iowa Athletic Directors' Association, will be replaced by Robert Kinney. Delaney told the Mason City Globe Gazette it was time for a change.
"It's time to get a person in there that's a little bit younger," Delaney said. "There's a lot of hours and a lot of commitments, but it's a great job."
Mason City had several state championship teams during Delaney's tenure, including back-to-back state boys basketball title teams in 1996 and 1997.
Madlock Takes Reins at East Waterloo
East Waterloo boys basketball assistant coach Ed Madlock has been named to become the head girls basketball coach at the same school, pending school board approval.
Madlock replaces Rich Uthoff, who resigned following the 2006-2007 season. His coaching background includes time as an assistant at the University of Northern Iowa, Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, then coming to assist in the boys' program at East.
In his time with Steve McGraw's staff, Madlock was part of a team that won a 4-A state title four years ago, and a runner-up finish at state in 2002 and 2004. He takes on a program that made its first regional championship appearance in school history this past season.
Golf: Sophomore Tink Among State Champs
The Class 1-A individual boys state golf championship was the closest of the three state finals held last weekend. Sophomore Jon Tink of Walnut Ridge Baptist Academy in Waterloo shot a 72-77-149 to win the state championship by one shot over Hinton senior Josh Solma at Spring Valley Golf Course in Livermore last weekend.
Tink's first day 72 was key to winning the title, as Solma followed his first-day 77 with a 73 to come within one shot of take the crown.
Monticello senior Matt Wennekamp capped his Iowa high school golf career with a five-shot Class 2-A victory over senior Jed Dirksen of Hampton-Dumont in the two-day tournament last weekend at the Lake Panorama National Resort course in Panora.
Wennekamp used a consistent 73-73-146 score to claim the hardware.
In Class 3-A, Decorah senior Cody Schweinefus rode a second-day 70 for rally back for a five shot individual victory over Pella junior Aaron Smith and sophomore Jake Thomas of Independence. Schweinefus opened the tournament with a 76 over the first 18 holes to finish with a 146 score at Spirit Hollow Golf Course near Burlington.
In team competition, Mason City Newman ousted defending champion Hinton by six shots to win in Class 1-A, Hampton-Dumont destroyed Solon's championship hopes by 30 shots in Class 2-A, while in Class 3-A, Huxley-Ballard fashioned a 12 shot victory over Fairfield for the state title.
Boys Tennis: Caris Lives Up to No. 1
Iowa crowned boys' tennis champions last weekend in Cedar Rapids and Waterloo. The Class 2-A finals were played in Cedar Rapids, and a sophomore from Des Moines Roosevelt, Charlie Caris, carried the number one seed into the tournament.
Caris didn't disappoint, as he defeated Davenport Central junior Mitch Beckert in straight sets of 6-2, 6-4 to win the championship.
In doubles play, the Iowa City West tandem of Madison Adams and Chris Yates defeated the Clinton duo of Randy Hurlbut and Josh Lawrence in three sets, 7-6(7-5), 3-6, and 6-3.
The Class 1-A finals were held at the same time at the Byrnes Tennis Center in Waterloo.
Fairfield senior Johannes Gottschlich defeated sophomore Sean Mathison of Cedar Rapids Xavier 6-2, 6-3 in the finals for the singles title, while the doubles championship went to the hometown siblings Joe and Jim Nora of Waterloo Columbus, who knocked off the No. 1 seed and defending state champions, Tripp Ott and Brooks Bertch of Dubuque Wahlert, 3-6, 6-3, 7-5.
