By Greg Grabianowski, Sports Editor

HUMBOLDT—Recording eight pins during the evening, the Algona Bulldog girls wrestling squad defeated the Humboldt Wildcats 58-24 in a North Central Conference match on Thursday, Dec. 12.

After Mara Davis earned a forfeit at 100 pounds, Alyssa Olson won by fall in 1:16 at 105 and Reese Taylor earned six points at 110 pounds via forfeit.

By Greg Grabianowski, Sports Editor

SWEA CITY—North Union hosted three other wrestling squads on Tuesday, Dec. 10 in a quadrangular non-conference meet in Swea City.

The Warriors defeated Pocahontas Area 48-30 and West Bend-Mallard by the final score of 66-6, but lost to Sioux Central by the score of 46-18. West Bend-Mallard also fell to Sioux Central 48-24 and Pocahontas Area 47-18 during the evening.

CLEAR LAKE—Algona built a big first half lead and held off a late Clear Lake comeback as the eighth-ranked red-and-black girls basketball squad defeated the Lions 47-44 in a North Central Conference contest on Friday, Dec. 13.

The Bulldogs started fast, taking a 14-2 lead at the end of the first quarter and took a 29-16 to the locker room at intermission. Clear Lake cut the lead to 38-34 heading into the final eight minutes of action.

BRITT—North Union went on the road on Friday, Dec. 13 for a Top of Iowa Conference girls basketball contest and came home with a 46-24 conference victory over the West Hancock E-Gals.

The opening eight minutes was tight as the visitors held a narrow 10-7 at the conclusion of the first period. The green-black-and-silver took control of the game in the second frame by taking a 27-12 advantage to the locker room at halftime and led 39-18 heading into the fourth quarter of play.

ALGONA—Junior Carter Schwab poured in a career-high 35 points to lead the Bishop Garrigan Golden Bears’ basketball team to a 71-61 non-conference victory over the Newell-Fonda Mustangs on Thursday, Dec. 12.

Schwab was successful on 12 of 19 overall field goals, including going five of eleven behind the three-point line and sank six of eight charity tosses in establishing a new career high.

WEST BEND—Denting the victory column for the first time in the 2024-2025 campaign, the West Bend-Mallard Wolverine boys basketball team defeated the Storm Lake St. Mary’s Panthers by the score of 63-19 in Twin Lakes Conference play.

Balanced scoring was one of the keys in the win as eleven different purple-and-gold players scored between ten and two points in the contest.

HUMBOLDT—In a key early season North Central Conference dual meet, the Algona Bulldog boys wrestling team earned a 39-24 victory over the Humboldt Wildcats.

The red-and-black received falls from Barrett Morgan, Carter McGregor and Jack Limbaugh. Brooks Morgan, Tate Slagle and Garrett Goche each won by major decision and Teague Alesch, Isaac Wilson and Ashton Moreno all won by decision.

ALGONA—Fifth-ranked Newell-Fonda took control of the game with a big run in the third period and went onto a 76-60 win over No. 1 Bishop Garrigan in a foul-filled, sloppy non-conference girls basketball contest played on Thursday, Dec. 12.

SPENCER—The Bishop Garrigan Golden Bear boys swim team competed at a triangular meet at Spencer on Tuesday, Dec. 10 against the Tigers and Carroll.

Carroll won the meet with 50 points closely followed by Spencer with 44 and Bishop Garrigan finished third with 24 points. Matt Besch was the top place winner for the black-and-gold taking second in the 500-yard freestyle in 5:57.42.

SWEA CITY—The North Union Warriors’ wrestling squad hosted a Top of Iowa Conference quadrangular on Thursday, Dec. 12.

The green-black-and-silver lost to Central Springs 54-24 and Lake Mills 66-6 before defeating Saint Ansgar by the final score of 35-27.

ALGONA—Forest City remained undefeated for the year with a 75-54 non-conference boys basketball victory on Thursday, Dec. 12 over the Algona Bulldogs.

After a tight first period, the visitors broke the contest open in the second stanza to hold a 37-27 advantage at intermission and led 60-35 heading into the game’s final eight minutes of play.

ARMSTRONG—Forest City built a big, early lead and never looked back in a 78-36 Top of Iowa Conference boys basketball victory over the North Union Warriors on Tuesday, Dec. 10. The visitors took a commanding 34-13 lead to the locker room at intermission.

Lane Bruhn had a big evening for the green-black-and-silver with a career-high 19 points and Cole Nicoson narrowly missed double digits with nine points.

By Greg Grabianowski, Sports Editor

ALGONA—The North Central Conference announced recently that three schools will become members of the league after the conclusion of the 2025-2026.

Eagle Grove, Forest City and Garner-Hayfield/Ventura will move from the Top of Iowa Conference to the NCC. Additionally, Charles City will now join the conference earlier than planned, beginning in the 2026-2027 school year.

WEST BEND—Senior point guard Hailey Stalzer poured in a career-high 39 points to keep the West Bend-Mallard Wolverine girls basketball squad undefeated with a 61-14 non-conference victory on Monday, Dec. 16 over the Northwood-Kensett Vikings.

Stalzer scored 34 points in the opening half as she was successful on 14 of 23 overall field goals on the night, including six of ten behind the three-point arc and went five of eight from the charity stripe to establish her new career high.