Wildcats top North Linn, three others

MAQUOKETA VALLEY RECAP

Wrestling

     The Wildcats traveled to North-Linn to take on four opponents, and won all four matches. MV defeated Central Elkader 69-4, Central City 72-6, North Linn 34-33, and Postville 48-30.

     Eric Heims scored a big pin and Norman Wilson won a 4-3 decision in the Central Elkader match. Against Central City, Carter Stahlberg and Heims both won by fall.

     In the North Linn match, winners included Cole Kruse and Wilson by fall, Robert Hildebrand, Zach Cornell and Mitch Smith by decision; Alec McDowell and Heims by forfeit.

     Wilson and Heims scored two big falls in the Postville match.

     “Coming in I was not sure how we would match up with North Linn, who has been wrestling very well this year,” Maquoketa Valley coach Tim Andrews said. “To come away with a victory in a tougher environment was a good feeling for everyone involved in the program.”

     On Saturday, Dec. 10, the Wildcats competed in Aplington-Parkersburg’s Keith Vry Invitational.

     Six Wildcats had top-five finishes. McDowell won the 182-pound championship, Chance Downs (152 pounds) and Heims (220) both took third, Hildebrand was fourth at 138, and Smith placed fifth at 160.

     “We got what we wanted, and overall I was very happy with how the kids performed given the tough competition,” Andrews said.

     As a team, the Wildcats finished eighth out of 14 with 85 points.

Boys basketball

     Maquoketa Valley was handed a pair of defeats in recent boys basketball action.

     The Wildcats (1-1, 1-2) played host to Edgewood-Colesburg Dec. 2, and lost 50-44, as Ed-Co outscored Maquoketa Valley 31-23 in the second half. Kyle Wilson led the ‘Cats in scoring with 16 points, Jake Bonert had 11 and Brock Hillers added seven points and nine rebounds. Tyson Tucker had five points and three assists. Bonert had six steals, and Hillers had five.

     MV then traveled to Springville for a Dec. 6 game, and lost 67-45. The Wildcats led 16-15 after one quarter, but were outscored 52-29 the rest of the way. Tucker had 14 points and seven rebounds, Bonert had 12 points, and Clint Krapfl had six points and seven rebounds. Trevor Elgin, Hillers and Bonert had two steals apiece.

Girls basketball

     Maquoketa Valley suffered its first girls basketball loss of the season, taking Springville to overtime before falling 62-58 Tuesday, Dec. 6 at Springville.

     The Wildcats (1-1, 3-1) had three players score in double figures. Brianna Mensen had a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Sam Wall scored 17 points, and Gracie Gellersen had 16. Abby Holtz made five assists.