Fewer than 24 hours after suffering the first loss of the season (a hard-fought 56-55 decision to second-ranked West Hancock) Bishop Garrigan did not have a lot of time reflect. But, the fifth-ranked Golden Bears made a statement Jan. 11 when they were too much for No. 13 Class 3A Cherokee. The convincing, 65-45 win over the Braves was a nonconference contest played in the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City.

Sixth-ranked Algona remained undefeated with a 59-40 nonconference boys basketball victory over the Garner-Hayfield/Ventura Cardinals Jan. 11 in Algona.
The home team scored the game's first seven points and raced to an early 14-2 advantage. Algona led 14-9 at the first quarter break. The Bulldogs led 17-11 halfway through the second stanza and finished the half with a 12-5 run to take a 29-16 lead at intermission.
Get all the details in the Jan. 16 Advance.

Bishop Garrigan outscored West Hancock 30-7 in the second quarter to blow open a five-point game and went on to an 80-29 Top of Iowa Conference boys basketball victory on Jan. 10.
The black and gold led 17-12 at the conclusion of the opening frame before blowing up the advantage to 47-19 at intermission and took a commanding 62-22 lead into the fourth period.
Get all the action in the Jan. 16 Advance.

Chloe Lofstrom poured in 33 points and yanked down 22 rebounds to help lead the North Union Warriors girls basketball squad to a 69-49 Top of Iowa Conference victory over the Eagle Grove Eagles in Armstrong Jan. 7.
The green, black and silver led 21-14 at the end of the first quarter and took a 30-27 advantage to the locker room at intermission. The Warriors blew the contest open in the third period, taking a 58-40 lead into the game's final eight minutes of play.

Algona held off a stubborn Garner-Hayfield/Ventura Cardinal squad 48-43 in nonconference girls basketball action Jan. 11 in Algona.
The home teaam led 13-9 at the conclusion of the first stanza, had a narrow 27-25 advantage at intermission and led 36-34 at the end of the third period.
Get all the action in the Jan. 16 Advance.

Trevor Kruse of North Union edged Connor Fehr of West Bend-Mallard in the 170-pound finals in the only head-to-head matchup between the two teams at the Graettinger-Terril/Ruthven-Ayrshire Invitational Jan. 11.
Kruse topped Fehr 5-2 in the finals to earn his gold medal.
Read more about it in the Jan. 16 Kossuth County Advance.

For the first time this season, the West Bend-Mallard Wolverines boys basketball squad earned a win, claiming a 61-47 nonconference victory over Paton-Churdan Jan. 7.
The purple and gold led 17-11 at the conclusion of the first period and increased that advantage to 31-22 at intermission. The Wolverines also enjoyed a 55-36 lead heading into the final quarter.
Get all the action in the Jan. 16 Kossuth County Advance.
 

Bishop Garrigan improved to 8-1 overall and remained unbeaten in the league at 6-0 with an 86-52 conference victory over the North Iowa Bison on Jan. 4 (postponed from Dec. 30).
A high-scoring first quarter saw the black and gold leading 26-16 at the break. The home team increased its advantage to 44-23 at intermission.
Get all the action in the Jan. 9 Kossuth County Advance.

North Union fought off a stubborn Lake Mills squad 43-38 in a Top of Iowa Conference girls basketball contest Jan. 6. The league contest was scheduled for Friday evening, but Mother Nature was the only contestant that night, and the game was pushed back three days.
The two teams traded punches in the opening quarter, and the lead seesawed with the home team clinging to a one-point lead as the frame concluded.
Get all the details in the Jan. 9 Kossuth County Advance.

Eagle Grove outscored West Bend-Mallard 17-6 in the final stanza to break open a five-point game and went on to a 45-29 nonconference boys basketball victory over the purple and gold on Jan. 6.
Jacob Darland got the home team on the scoreboard first with a basket that was immediately matched by one from Jared Schmidt to tie the contest at 2-2.
Read more in the Jan. 9 Kossuth County Advance.

A week off for the Christmas break did not slow down fifth-ranked Bishop Garrigan as the black and gold rolled to an 84-19 victory over the North Iowa Lady Bison.
The Top of Iowa Confernce game was played on the afternoon of Saturday, Jan. 4, as Mother Nature postponed the contest of the previous evening.
Get all the action in the Jan. 9 Kossuth County Advance.

Ninth-ranked Lake MIlls improved to 6-1 overall and 5-1 in the league with an 80-33 Top of Iowa Confernce victory over the North Union Warriors Jan. 6.
The home team held a narrow, 20-16 lead after a high-scoring first period before the Lake Mills defense tightened the screws.
Read more in the Jan. 9 Kossuth County Advance.

The West Bend-Mallard Wolverines girls basketball team earned its fourth straight victory with a 49-36 nonconference win over the Eagle Grove Eagles in Eagle Grove on Monday, Jan. 6.
The visitors held a narrow, 8-7 lead at the end of the first quarter before increasing the advantage to 27-17 at the halftime break.

Read all about 2019's champions, from golf to basketball and from football to track, in the Sports Year in Review in the Jan. 2 Kossuth County Advance.

Algona won a pair of key North Central Conference wrestling matches Dec. 19 in Webster City. The red and black topped Webster City 39-33 and defeated the Clear Lake Lions 49-23.
In the win over the Lynx, the Bulldogs received falls from Gavin Bowman at 138 pounds in 4:46, Luke McKenna at 160 in 5:02, Spencer Long at 182 pounds in 1:58, Cole Lewis at 195 in 25 seconds and Andrew Hamilton at 220 pounds in 48 seconds.
Get all the details in the Dec. 26 Advance.