By Greg Grabianowski

Sports Editor

ARMSTRONG—North Union’s scrappy defense forced 28 turnovers in a 68-40 season-opening victory on Monday, Nov. 27 over the West Bend-Mallard Wolverines.

The green-black-and-silver pocketed a total of 15 steals and shared the basketball well with 20 assists in their 30 made field goals.

By Greg Grabianowski

Sports Editor

FOREST CITY—In the season opener featuring a pair of ranked Class 3A girls’ basketball teams on Tuesday, Nov. 21, the 11^th-ranked Forest City Indians topped the 10^th-rated Algona Bulldogs by the score of 65-48.

A pair of big runs by the home team was the difference in the contest as the red-and-white had a 10-0 run in the first half and finished the game with a 13-0 run.

By Greg Grabianowski

Sports Editor

ESTHERVILLE—Estherville-Lincoln Central erupted for 26 first-period points and never looked back in an 87-73 season-opening win on Monday, Nov. 27 over the Algona Bulldog boys’ basketball team.

The red-and-black hit 20 of 34 field goal attempts in the first half, going 18 of 25 in paint in opening two quarters for 72 percent.

By Greg Grabianowski

Sports Editor

ALGONA—Bishop Garigan scored the first 11 points of the game and never looked back in a 78-17 season opening victory on Tuesday, Nov. 21 over the St. Edmond Gaels.

The new-look Golden Bears splashed 12 of 22 three-point field goals in the win, forcing many Gael turnovers and came up with 21 steals.

By Greg Grabianowski

Sports Editor

MASON CITY—Crowning five champions along with five runner-ups, the Algona Bulldog girls’ wrestling squad won the Riverhawk Invitational held on Tuesday, Nov. 21.

The red-and-black’s team total of 244 points was the highest of the 10 teams competing in the event as Mason City was second with 212 points.

By Greg Grabianowski

Sports Editor

ESTHERVILLE—Top-ranked Estherville-Lincoln Central built an early double-digit lead and went onto a 54-38 non-conference victory on Monday, Nov. 27 over the Algona Bulldog girls’ basketball squad.

An 8-0 run to close out the first quarter and a 7-0 run to finish the first half gave the red-and-white a comfortable margin as they led by as many as 23 points during the contest.

First Team Offense

Lucas Ahrenstorff Harris-Lake Park 12 U

Cole Fehr West Bend-Mallard 11 RB

Caleb Hemphill Harris-Lake Park 12 RB

Tate Foertsch Bishop Garrigan 10 QB

Keaton Helleseth Bishop Garrigan 11 OL

Travis Luitjens Harris-Lake Park 12 OL

Devin Meyer Harris-Lake Park 12           WR

Landon Montag West Bend-Mallard 12 U

Sam Plathe Bishop Garrigan 12           WR

First Team

By Greg Grabianowski

Sports Editor

CEDAR FALLS—November 16 might have just have become the most favorite day for the Bishop Garrigan Golden Bears football team to play.

The black-and-gold earned the school’s first football state title on Nov. 16, 1985 under the direction of head coach Larry Weier and repeated that feat on Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023 with a 39-30 victory over second-ranked Bedford.

By Greg Grabianowski

Sports Editor

DES MOINES—Bishop Garrigan senior running back Caden Roethler was voted as the eight-man football player of the year by the Iowa Print Sports Writers and Iowa Football Coaches Association on Sunday at Dowling High School.

Roethler ran the football 219 times this year for 1,340 yards as he scored 22 touchdowns along with rushing for five two-point conversions and caught one pass for nine yards.

By Greg Grabianowski

Sports Editor

DES MOINES—A pair of Algona Bulldogs’ football players were selected to the Class 3A first-team all-state team on Sunday in a vote by the Iowa Print Sports Writers and Iowa Football Coaches Association.

Senior Porter Reffer was chosen to the squad as a wide receiver while junior teammate Alex Manske was named all-state for the third straight season at an offensive utility position.

The Kossuth County Advance All-Area Football Team is selected by the newspaper’s sports editor, Greg Grabianowski, with input from the local coaches. 

This is the 18th season Grab has selected student-athletes for all-area teams.

By Greg Grabianowski

Sports Editor

ALGONA—A nice group of 14 young men return to the 19^th annual edition of the Kossuth County Advance All-Area Football Team.

By Greg Grabianowski

Sports Editor

HOLSTEIN—In their 2023-2024 season opener, the Algona Bulldog girls’ wrestling squad went 2-1 in a quadrangular meet held at Ridge View High School.

The red-and-black defeated Dension-Schleswig 72-6 in their opening match but fell to Ridge View by the score of 30-54.

By Greg Grabianowski

Sports Editor

FORT DODGE—Six young ladies placed first in their weight class to help lead the Algona Bulldog girls’ wrestling squad to a first place finish at the Fort Dodge Early Bird Scramble on Thursday, Nov. 16.

The red-and-black topped the six-team field with a team score of 184.5 points as Fort Dodge second with a team total of 114 points.

Alex Manske Algona 11 QB

Landon Montag West Bend-Mallard 12 QB

Porter Reffer Algona 12           WR

Cole Fehr West Bend-Mallard 11 RB

Cohen Reffer Algona 12 OL

Preston Guerdet North Union 12           WR

Landon Hagedorn North Union 12 RB

Cortlyn Schupbach West Bend-Mallard 12 OL

Evan Allie Algona 10 RB

Tate Foertsch Bishop Garrigan 10 QB

Aiden Ulrich Algona 11 OL