JANUARY
* The Cowgirl basketball team opened the month and new year red hot, winning five in a row to have a 7-2 overall record when it was over. Raven Kinnetz, Quinn Hansch and Morgan Middleton all had more than one of those in double-digit scoring with Morgan having a double-double as well.
* Not to be totally outdone by the ladies, the Cowboy basketball team carved out a bit of success themselves during the early part of the month with wins over Belmond-Klemme and St. Edmond and an overtime loss at Webster City by just four. Christian Gaytan and Coady Olson had huge nights in the stretch, with 26 and 24 points, respectively. Connor State had a double-double (10 points, 16 boards) versus the Lynx.
* Tyler Stein and Reed Abbas took bracket titles in a tournament at Ames. The team also had the heartbreak of losing a home dual to Algona on tiebreaker criteria.
* Kinnetz scores 26 to aid in a win over PAC to keep the Cowgirls rolling on through their schedule, with Courtney Harle posting 22 in a win at Southeast Valley (SEV) and reaching a double-double in hauling in 12 off the glass. They defeat Eagle Grove as Harle and Middleton score 12 points each and Hansch 10 counters.
* After starting the month well, the Cowboys hit a rough stretch in losses to PAC and SEV despite double-digit scoring by Connor State and Mateo Martinez in both of them. They manage to get back into the win column versus Eagle Grove as Martinez scores 23, Gaytan 16 and Olson 10 for the night.
* The wrestlers took big wins over North Polk and Saydel, with several individuals scoring wins by either fall or forfeit in both. As the month ended, they defeated Belmond-Klemme and Eagle Grove and finished second behind Iowa Falls-Alden at the NCC tournament. Abbas and Garrett Seaba were crowned champions at the end of the day. Also during the month, both Stein and Abbas picked up their 100th career win.
FEBRUARY
* The Cowgirls take wins over Webster City and St. Edmond. Middleton drained 16 points and Kinnetz 15 points through the rims versus the Lynx, with Jadyn Jondle joining Morgan at 14 points each versus the Gaels. They defeat Algona in their last scheduled game as Hansch scores 14, Jondle 11 and Kinnetz 10.
* The Cowboys dropped a pair of late season games despite double-digit scoring from State, Gaytan, Olson and Martinez over those two contests.
* The wrestling team advanced eight out of the sectional at Manson. Taking titles in their brackets were Stein, Seaba and Remi Hanson. At the district in Sioux Rapids the following Saturday, Stein and Abbas qualified for the second straight year for state with Seaba joining them in Des Moines. The team also qualified for their eighth overall appearance at state duals. They have finished no lower than sixth over those years.
* The Cowboy wrestlers take seventh in Class 1A at state duals, defeating Woodbury Central after dropping their opening two duals. In the traditional tournament, Abbas takes seventh and Stein eighth on Saturday. The team finished 34th in the 1A standings.
* The Cowboy basketball team opens district play with a big win over Eagle Grove, then has their season end in a loss to Osage. State scored 15 points and Martinez 14 points versus the Eagles, while State was high with 18 in the loss.
MARCH
* The Cowgirls have Kinnetz named to the First Team All-NCC and Middleton to the Third Team. They finish 16-5 overall and 10-4 for third in the conference standings. Kinnetz leads the scoring at 15.8 ppg, Harle the rebounding at 151 total, Kinnetz in assists and steals and Middleton in blocked shots. Kinnetz was also named to the 2A All-District Team.
* The Cowboys go 8-15 overall on their season and 3-11 in the conference. State leads scoring at 13.9 ppg, and also led the rebounds column with 147 total. Jaxon Carpenter led in assists and steals and State in blocked shots.
* The Cowgirl and Cowboy track & field teams compete at the indoor meet in Humboldt at the Nielsen Rec Center. Matea Conlon was first in the 60-meter dash, Middleton third in the shot and the Cowboy shuttle relay entry of State, Lindamann, Miller and Foss second as highlights.
(This is about the time that the COVID-19 pandemic hit the nation and the state, which stopped all high school spring sports by order of the Governor. Student-athletes found ways to stay in shape on their own to be ready for a later start, as coaches could have no contact with them. The later start never came, and the seasons of track & field, golf and soccer were cancelled. It continued into the summer sports seasons, at least to the extent that there was an abbreviated schedule and later start for those teams. The main thing was they at least got to compete, which was huge).
JUNE
* When summer sports statewide finally got underway, the Cowgirls had their share of troubles in finding enough runs to be competitive under new head coach Chace Pruismann. An exceptions to that was a nice 13-8 win at Rockford as the visiting ladies scored four in the first and another four in the seventh. Kendall Lienemann had a strong bat with three hits, while Brooke Askelsen drove in three runs. A close 3-2 loss at Iowa Falls-Alden had Lienemann going 2 for 4 and driving in both of those runs. They took a 3-0 lead early in a game at Rogers Park versus St. Edmond, but that was all they would get for the night in a loss to the Gaels.
* The Cowboys had almost the opposite luck as the girls in early games, as they scored runs that would somehow still not seem to produce a win. A 16-12 loss to Hampton-Dumont/CAL had Nevan Foss going 3 for 4, a 4-2 loss at Algona had Foss and Tyler Stein reaching home and a 7-6 loss at Rockford saw a huge Cowboy comeback to tie the game at 6-6 in the seventh only to have the home team plate the winning run. Mateo Martinez, Reed Abbas and Caleb Krueger all had two connections apiece at the plate. Stein would come back to pitch a strong game versus Clear Lake, only to have the offense come up a bit short in a 3-2 loss to the Lions.
* The Cowgirls finished the first half, and opened the second half, of their schedule with losses to Clear Lake and rated Humboldt with only one total run crossing. They hosted Garner-Hayfield/Ventura and won 8-7 over the Cardinals as a five-run fifth produced the victory. Clarrisa Hasty had two hits with a double and Quinn Hansch pounded a two-RBI double.
JULY
* The Cowboys started the month still searching for a first win. They plated a couple runs in a loss to Humboldt, as Foss went 2 for 3 and three others added a base hit each. Two straight shutout losses were followed by a much better offensive effort in a 4-3 loss to visiting Algona. Stein and Abbas had two hits each in that contest. They lost a close 4-3 game at Hampton as Abbas smacked two doubles and brought in two runs. They finally broke through for an 8-2 win at North Iowa as Stein and Chase drove in two runs each. A close home loss to West Fork saw Abbas blast a two-run homer, Chase get three hits and Foss, Krueger and Preston Gardner get two hits each.
* The Cowgirls found their third win of the year in a 3-2 victory over visiting West Fork. They made a two-run sixth inning hold up from there. Hansch and Paige Willey had two hits each. They traveled to highly rated Ogden for first round regional play, with the hosts not being too congenial in a 12-0 loss in three innings to end the Cowgirls season.
* The Cowboys won their district opener 12-7 over North Union at Garner. Krueger had three hits, while Martinez, Chase and Stein all connected bat to ball twice each. Their season would end in the next round 11-0 at Pocahontas as Abbas and Kain Nelson got a single each for the only hits. Final season stats show Chase with a .304 batting average to top that list, followed by Foss and Stein. Stein had 16 total hits, Martinez 10 total RBI, Stein nine total runs and Krueger 28 strikeouts.
AUGUST
* The cross country teams ran at Southeast Valley in their opener, with Raven Kinnetz a nice ninth in the hot conditions for a great start. Kaeden Langfitt was only one spot off that in his race, finished 10th to lead the Cowboy contingent.
* The football team opened with an 18-4 loss to Hampton-Dumont/CAL. Foss gained 22 total yards, while he and teammate Abbas had four solo tackles each.
* The Cowgirl volleyball team opened what they hoped would be a third straight trip to state season by again winning their invitational in rather dominating fashion, as the third-ranked (3A) home team went undefeated on the day and never lost a set.
SEPTEMBER
* The cross country team traveled to Webster City, with Kinnetz finished in 20th for the Cowgirls. She was followed by Makayla Pulido and Natalie Kirstein. Isaiah Nebbe paced the Cowboys for a 17th place finish, followed by Langfitt in 28th and Jacob Ingebritson in 44th. In a meet at Osage, it was Kinnetz in 15th and Langfitt 10th as the Cowboy team took seventh in the standings. The big hills at Sheldon Park in Humboldt saw Kinnetz take 26th followed by Pulido in 84th. Langfitt finished 13th, followed by Nebbe in 24th and Ingebritson in 62nd.
* The Cowboy football team dropped a 30-8 loss on the road at St. Edmond. Trenton Jergenson scored the lone TD and finished with 78 total rushing yards, while quarterback Shane Conlon managed 47 yards through the air. Foss had five solo tackles. The next week they lost 49-13 at South Central Calhoun as Martinez and Bryce Allen caught a TD pass each. Conlon threw for 146 total yards and Foss made six solo tackles. They found the going no easier the next week at home in a 45-13 loss to Belmond-Klemme. Foss took off on a 56-yard scoring run and scooped up a fumble for a 25-yard TD run. Allen, Nelson and Aiden Harrington all had four solo tackles each. They finish the month by losing 42-7 to visiting Pocahontas Area as Kirstein rushes for the only score.
* The Cowgirls opened NCC play with a three-set sweep of Webster City as Jadyn Jondle went a perfect 21 of 21 with six aces. Morgan Middleton made 29 kills and Jondle 12 digs as libero. They defeated Algona in three as Lexie Lane went 22 of 22 with four aces. Middleton made 26 kills and Jondle 10 digs. They won two of four at a tournament in Osage. Lienemann served up 30 of 32, Middleton ended with 45 kills and Jondle 31 digs. They go undefeated at the Forest City tournament as Lane goes 42 of 44 with 11 aces. Middleton had 32 kills and Jondle 19 digs. They defeat both PAC and IF-A in three straight sets, then end the month by going 4-0 at Boone. Lienemann served to 34 of 35, Friesleben made 69 total assists, Middleton made 54 total kills and Jondle 30 total digs.
OCTOBER
* The cross country team takes part in meets in Algona and Hampton. Kinnetz placed 41st on the River Road course, followed by Pulido in 78th and Kirstein in 89th. The Cowboy team was 13th, with Nebbe at 23rd, Langfitt at 40th and Ingebritson at 77th. At Maynes Grove, it was Kinnetz is 13th followed by Pulido and Kirstein. The boys had a great fourth place as a team, with Nebbe seventh, Langfitt 14th and Ingebritson 28th. Just down the road to Eagle Grove was the next stop, with Kinnetz looking great in finishing third followed by Pulido in 26th and Kirstein 34th. The Cowboys were fourth as a team, and led by Nebbe in eighth, Langfitt in 12th and Ingebritson in 30th.
* The Cowboys were able to crank up the offense just a bit more, however it still wasn’t enough in a 38-20 loss to SEV. Jergenson scored twice on the ground, with Conlon hitting Jaxon Capenter for a TD strike. Abbas made nine solo stops. They finally put one in the win column the next week, romping to a 76-0 win at the expense of winless Eagle Grove. Abbas had a long run of a fumble recovery to score one of his two TD’s, with Jergenson scoring four times and Martinez twice.
* The Cowgirls roll on with a sweep of St. Edmond as Lane goes 16 of 18 with four service aces. Middleton made 21 kills and Jondle 10 digs. They take the conference title the following week, and in relatively easy fashion, over the highly rated Humboldt Wildcats in three sets. Lienemann served at 20 of 20, Middleton made 25 kills and Jondle 10 digs. Following a first round bye, they take their regional semifinal in three sets over Nevada. Middleton was 16 of 16 and had 25 kills, with Jondle making 14 digs.
* The NCC cross country meet saw Kinnetz finish 14th followed by Pulido in 34th, Kirstein in 39th and Lauren Hansch in 48th. The Cowboys were eighth as a team, with Nebbe 11th followed by Langfitt in 20th, Ingebritson in 35th and Luke Brownell in 45th.
* At the qualifier in Eagle Grove, Nebbe punches his ticket for state cross country with a ninth place followed by Langfitt, Ingebritson, Brownell, Nick Carpenter, Jackson Beisel and Ian Schroder. Kinnetz just misses advancing to Fort Dodge by twenty seconds in finishing 20th, followed by Pulido, Kirstein and Hansch.
* The Cowboys lose their football playoff opener to Belmond-Klemme 42-12 as Jergenson and Foss provide the scores and both on the ground.
* In a battle for the ages, the Cowgirls and Des Moines Christian locked horns in a five-set thriller with the red & black edging then out for a third straight trip to state. The back and forth match finished with Lane at 22 of 22 in serving, Middleton with 31 kills and Jondle with 25 digs.
NOVEMBER
* The Cowgirls reach the semifinals again after defeating Red Oak, but were denied a chance to play for the 3A title in a loss to defending champion Mount Vernon at state volleyball in Cedar Rapids. The Mustangs took it in just three sets.
* Final season volleyball stats show Lane the top server at 361 of 393 with 69 total aces. Friesleben made 699 total assists, Middleton 491 total kills and Jondle 272 total digs. For their great efforts, Middleton was named to the 3A All-State first team and also the Elite All-State team. Jondle is a secons team All-State choice.
* Final football stats show Jergenson the leading rusher at 341 total yards with eight TD’s. Conlon threw for 667 total yards and six scores, with Martinez catching passes for 278 yards. Foss led in tackles with 70 total including 35 as solo’s.
* The Cowgirls open the new basketball season, under returning coach Liz Ennis, with a win over SEV. Kinnetz scored 22 points. They followed that with a big win over Eagle Grove as Middleton led with 18 points. She was followed by three others in double digits. Kinnetz finished with 16, Jondle 15 and Lane 12 points. They easily downed South Hardin as Kinnetz scored 14 and Middleton 11, and turned back St. Edmond as Kinnetz scored 19 and Middleton 15.
* The Cowboys win their basketball opener over Eagle Grove as Martinez knocks down 18 points and Connor State 14. Three players finish in double figures the next night out, but it’s still not enough to overcome South Hardin. State nets 18, Martinez 14 and Jaxon Carpenter 10 points.
DECEMBER
* The Cowboy wrestlers win one of three duals at Osage, defeating Union on falls by Remi Hanson, Danny Chavez, Kaeden Langfitt and Ethan Traub along with four wins by forfeit. They take duals over Hampton-Dumont/CAL, Humboldt, St. Edmond, Clear Lake and Webster City in conference action before the year is over.
* The Cowgirls suffer their first loss of the year at Clear Lake as Jondle scores 10 points, then defeat 13th ranked Iowa Falls-Alden as Middleton scores 18 and Kinnetz 10 points.
* The Cowboys finish the month and year keeping scores close but got no closer to a win. Martinez and State scored 14 points each, and Coady Olson 11, in a loss to Clear Lake. They hosted IF-A and lost despite four players reaching double figures. Olson had 19, Martinez 17, State 12 and Carpenter 10 points for the night.
