STORM LAKE—The West Bend-Mallard Wolverines wrestling team opened their 2024-2025 season on Thursday, Dec. 5 on the road against Emmetsburg and Storm Lake.

The purple-and-gold fell to Emmetsburg in a Twin Lakes Conference match by the final score of 54-10 and fell to the Storm Lake Tornadoes by the score of 78-6 in a non-conference match.

SPENCER—For the first time ever, the Bishop Garrigan Golden Bear boys swim team competed in an event on Tuesday, Dec. 3 at Spencer.

Bishop Garrigan finished in fourth place with a team score of 234 points as the Spencer Tigers ended up in first place with a team total of 574.

The top place winner for the black-and-gold was Matt Besch in second place in the 100-yard butterfly event with his clocking of 1:01.17.

MANSON—Mason Knapp placed second at 113 pounds to highlight the performances of the West Bend-Mallard Wolverine wrestling squad at the Doug Wood Invitational on Saturday, Dec. 7.

The purple-and-gold finished in 10^th place overall in the team standings with a team score of 42.5 points as Alta-Aurelia won the team title with a total of 252.5 points.

WEST BEND—West Bend-Mallard scored the first 19 points of the game and never looked back in a 61-15 Twin Lakes Conference girls basketball victory on Friday, Dec. 6 over the Southeast Valley Jaguars.

The aggressive purple-and-gold defense forced a total of 33 Jaguar turnovers leading to many easy baskets in the transition game.

ARMSTRONG—Second-ranked Estherville-Lincoln Central’s suffocating defense shut down the North Union offense on Monday, Dec. 9 in a 52-14 non-conference girls basketball victory over the green-black-and-silver.

The aggressive Midget defense forced 22 Warrior turnovers in the contest while doing a great job of taking care of the basketball as they committed just six turnovers on the night.

NORTHWOOD—The North Union Warrior wrestling team began the 2024-2025 season with a Top of Iowa quadrangular on Thursday, Dec. 5.

The green-black-and-silver lost to Northwood-Kensett 42-24, fell to North Butler/Clarksville 45-30 and were blanked by the Osage Green Devils 83-0.

Max Merrill (190), Lucas Dreyer (215) and Brennen Bollinger (285) all went 2-1 during the evening as Jackson Hutchinson, Merrill, Dreyer and Bollinger each recorded a fall.

ARMSTRONG—An 11-0 run to end the first half proved to be the difference in the game as the Estherville-Lincoln Central midgets defeated the North Union Warriors 49-46 on Monday, Dec. 9 in a non-conference boys basketball play.

Trailing 7-2, North Union scored the final 10 points of the first period to lead 12-7 at the end of the frame. In the second quarter, the visitors reversed the run as they turned an 18-17 deficit into a 28-18 advantage.

GRAETTINGER—A pressure defense forced 30 West Bend-Mallard turnovers as Graettinger-Terril/Ruthven-Ayrshire earned a 75-34 non-conference boys basketball victory on Tuesday, Dec. 3 over the purple-and-gold.

That pressure defense came up with a total of 21 steals as many of those thefts led to easy baskets as the home team built a huge first half advantage.

BUFFALO CENTER—North Union went on the road in Top of Iowa Conference boys basketball play on Friday, Dec. 6 and came home two points short in a hard-fought 45-43 league loss to the North Iowa Bison.

The green-black-and-silver had a couple of good looks in the final 10 seconds of the contest, but the basketball bounced harmlessly off the rim.

WEST BEND—Southeast Valley had a big first quarter and went onto a 76-43 Twin Lakes Conference boys basketball victory over the West Bend-Mallard Wolverines on Friday, Dec. 6 in the league opener for both squads.

The Jaguars led 22-10 at the conclusion of the first stanza before increasing their advantage 35-21 at intermission and led 52-29 going into the final eight minutes of action.

By Greg Grabianowski, Sports Editor

ALGONA—An all-state selection returns for his fourth consecutive year to highlight the members of the 20th annual edition of the Kossuth County Advance’s All-Area Football Team.

Iowa State recruit Alex Manske of Algona is a member for the fourth straight year as 13 other players are back for the second consecutive season after their excellent performances on the field this fall.

DES MOINES—Four members of the Bishop Garrigan Golden Bears football team were named first-team all-state recently by the Iowa Football Coaches Association. Also named to the eight-man second-team all-state squad was West Bend-Mallard’s Clint Fehr.

The four Golden Bears honored were running back Trayton Cink, offensive lineman Carter Schwab, linebacker Ethan Marso and defensive utility player Keaton Helleseth.

DES MOINES—After a very successful 2024 campaign, three members of the Algona Bulldog football team were selected to Iowa Football Coaches Association all-state teams recently.

Senior Alex Manske was named to the first-team as an offensive utility player while classmate Jack Limbaugh was a first-team choice as a defensive lineman. Another senior Tate Slagle was chosen to the second team as a defensive back.

MASON CITY—Mara Davis and Regan Jensen earned individual titles to highlight the performances of the Algona Bulldog girls’ wrestling squad at the Riverhawk Girls Invitational held on Tuesday, Nov. 26.

The red-and-black finished third in the team standings in the 11-team field with 177.5 points as Mason City won the team title with 214.5 points.

FORT DODGE—Sophomore Graclyn Eastman poured in a career-high 30 points to help lead the top-ranked Bishop Garrigan Golden Bear girls basketball squad to a 78-20 non-conference victory in the season opener held on Tuesday, Nov. 27 over the St. Edmond Gaels.