December 3, 2024
Girls’ Basketball
The latest era of Cardinal girls’ basketball begins this year with new coach Jordan Gentry at the helm. After several years coaching club teams, this will be Coach Gentry’s first season as a varsity head coach. The biggest difference he has noticed so far in the two levels of coaching has nothing to do with basketball.
“I have to do more admin stuff now,” he said with a laugh. “But the basketball—it’s the same. It’s all about teaching the game and instilling good habits. When it comes to basketball, that’s my sanctuary. I’m in my element.”
There’s always a learning curve when a team has a new coach—for the players and the coach—but perhaps that won’t be as steep for this year’s team. Last year, Coach Gentry coached several members of the Earlham girls’ varsity team in a fall league, which should give the process a bit of a head start.
“They kind of know what we’re looking for,” said the coach. “A little bit of what I’m about; how I approach things. So it will take a few steps further, of course, to engrain everybody. But it’s been a smooth process so far. It’s been a lot of fun. There’s been a really good vibe from everybody. Everybody is locked in with great energy. They’re asking questions and there’s an attention to detail. It’s been a day-by-day process. The girls have been getting better and learning a lot.”
The Xs and Os on both ends of the floor will be a little different for the Cardinals this season, but Coach Gentry says that his biggest emphasis will be to get the girls to play with consistent effort and energy. Not just in games, but practice, as well, in order to develop good habits.
Offensively, that means sharing the ball, playing fast, playing together, and working for good shots.
“We have a really good shooting team. They can fill it up,” said Coach Gentry. “It’s about taking good shots versus bad shots. That’s the one thing we’re digging into. The biggest thing is playing with space and playing with pace. Because we do have some folks on our team that can make some plays. What we always talk about is having energy with the ball. Shoot it, pass it, or drive it. There is a lot of ‘read and react.’ It allows them to play free, but within a structure.”
The tallest girl on the Cardinals’ roster this year is only 5’7”, so the Cardinals will most likely be one of the smallest teams in the conference. Even so, Coach Gentry will be asking his team to dig in on defense and grab rebounds.
“We don’t have the height, but we do have the grit,” he said. “Energy and effort—it doesn’t take skill to do that. It’s just a want-to attitude. We’ll do it as a collective group; everybody locking in on their assignment. Everybody is playing for each other and with each other. Helping your defender, getting in the gaps, things like that. But the biggest thing is communicating. We understand that there are going to be some teams that have bigger girls, but at the end of the day, we have strength in numbers.”
The Cards were 83rd out of 114 Class 1A teams in defense in Class 1A last season, allowing just under 50 ppg, and were 89th in rebounding.
The Cardinals return four of their top six scorers from last season. All four will need to take a step up offensively for the Cards to succeed. In ‘23-‘24, the team averaged just over 50 points per game, which was 32nd in 1A.
Junior Darby Moore was the team’s top scorer with 8.4 ppg. She led the team in field goal percentage (41%) and shot 43% from 3-point range. She’s a good outside shooter, drives to the basket well, and can score from the inside. With effort and attitude that are off the charts, she’s a terrific leader.
Olivia Nixt (7.6 ppg last year), Kenna Harskamp (7.4), and Avrie Fagan (6.5) are also returning juniors. Like Moore, Nixt is a good outside shooter that can also thrive in the paint. Harskamp is a strong ball handler and had some good shooting games last season. Fagan is an exceptional athlete that shoots well and drives to the basket with force and finesse. She led the team in assists last year with 54.
Sophomore Piper Koberg is the team’s tallest player. She played in just one game last year but looks improved this season. Juniors Mackenzie Harger and Camryn Sly and freshman Eden Forcht should contribute as depth players.
Earlham’s schedule is always tough. There will be some foes that the Cards just don’t match up well with on paper. But the game is played on the floor, and Coach Gentry can’t wait to get the girls out there.
“The brand of basketball that we’ll bring is going to be exciting,” he said. “What people can expect is that day by day, week by week, the girls will get better. Obviously, I don’t expect every day to be perfect. It’s a long season. There will be ups and downs, but it’s about how we bounce back and how we respond.”
There are just 11 players out for basketball this season, so there will be no JV team.
Coach Gentry is assisted by Dawson Madren.
Boys’ Basketball
Unless you’re a parent or superfan, you might want to study the roster in the program for at least the first couple of games this season. The Cardinals had a senior-heavy team last year, so that means several players who haven’t had many varsity minutes in the past will get their chance this season. Sometimes that can be a rocky transition for players, but so far, the team has been doing a good job in pre-season practice and getting used to the new dynamic.
“Effort wise, practices have been really good,” said head coach Kevin Williamson. “Mental wise, we started a little slow. There are a lot of guys we’re replacing. And so, some guys weren’t sure what their role was, and we were kind of feeling things out the first night or two. But it’s been really good the last week.”
The Cardinals return only one of their top five scorers from a team that struggled to score at times last season, averaging just over 52 ppg. Plus, they don’t really have a true post player this year. What they do have is plenty of fast, athletic guys that can shoot from the outside. Last year the Cards shot 32% from mid-range and 31% on 3-pointers. So, Coach Williamson and his staff thought, ‘Why not shoot more 3s?’
“We’re going to try to get the ball down the floor quicker and score before the defense can set up,” said the coach, “and if we can’t, we’re looking for a lot of 3s and driving lanes. I feel like all five positions that we put on the floor can shoot. We’re going to fire it up and see what happens.”
Critical to the operation will be senior Blake Reynolds, who’s been a starter since he was a freshman. He led the team in scoring last year (12.8 ppg) and enters this season with 667 career points. He led the team in steals (53) and was second in assists (60). He can do a little bit of everything—shoot, pass, take the ball to the hole, defend—and he’ll have to be even better this year.
“This is his fourth year as a starter, so he knows what he has to do,” said Coach Williamson. “He knows that in order for us to be successful he has to look for his, but he also has to get other guys involved.”
Reynolds has been a good point guard for three years, and that will still be his de facto title, but Coach Williamson will be asking the rest of the team to do more ball handling.
“We’ve gone away from a true point guard position,” he said. “Whoever gets the rebound, we want them going—all five positions. Because all of them can do that for at least the first two or three dribbles—and then pass ahead. Hopefully that will take a little pressure off Blake, with not having to handle the ball as much. He’s still going to be a primary guy with the ball in his hands, though.”
At 6’4”, senior Carter Hohertz has post-man height, but he’s more of a swing forward. He played in all 22 games for the Cardinals and had his moments shooting the ball. This season, he’ll need to take the ball hard to the basket more, too, and Coach Williamson said he’s been doing just that in practice and in two separate scrimmages the Cards have played.
“He’s not just a shooter anymore,” said the coach. “He’s figured out that he can go to the hoop and finish inside.”
Junior Blaine Tiedemann was also a solid player off the bench for the Cardinals last season. He’s smooth for his size (6’0”, 212 lbs) and has a soft shooting touch. He started practicing about a week after everybody else due to an injury he suffered in football. He’ll be counted on to be a factor on both ends of the floor, and is already a strong leader.
“He’s the most vocal guy we have,” said Coach Williamson. “So the gym is about 30 times louder these last two nights just because Blaine’s here. He’s a physical kid. He’s strong. Once he gets his legs under him, he’s going to help a lot.”
Senior Caleb Smith could be an X-factor. He’s the best athlete in the school, but he’s still learning basketball, since he was a wrestler up until last year. He didn’t play much last season, but certainly will this year.
“He’s kind of surprised us a little so far because last year he was injured and we didn’t get to see a whole lot,” said Coach Williamson. “He’s so physical. He’s the most athletic kid on the floor. If he can figure it out, and he’s starting to, he’s going to help us a ton.”
Newcomer Griffin Messer played in five varsity games with ADM last season. He’s a good athlete that is getting accustomed to a new system and new teammates.
“He can shoot the ball,” said the coach. “I think he just needs to get a little more confident. He’s a new guy that is being put into the mix. The team is learning how he plays and he’s learning how they’re playing. He’s going to help a ton on both ends. He’s starting to get after things a little more defensively, too.”
The rest of the main rotation, at least early in the season, should consist of seniors Blake Tiemeyer and Klayton Wolken and sophomore Brady Reynolds.
Any team that has played the Cardinals in recent years knows they are going to have to work hard for buckets. When the Cardinal offense has had off nights, their defense has kept them in games. That will need to be the case again in ‘24-‘25.
“We play some pretty good basketball teams in this conference, and our guys know that if they don’t show up on defense, it’s going to be a long night,” said Coach Williamson. “They buy in to defense right away. For whatever reason, that’s something we’ve hung our hat on. They’ve been working hard on that end and we’re trying a couple new things that hopefully will be noticeable the first couple times out. And as the season progresses, I think that will improve too.”
Coach Williamson is assisted by Jon Peterson and Alex Teig.
Boys’ Wrestling
I’ve only been following wrestling for about a decade or so, ever since I started writing the sports page for The Echo. Every year I’ve learned a little more about wrestling and have come to appreciate the dedication and sacrifice of these finely tuned athletes taking on a grueling sport. I observed a practice last week and I learned something else: wrestlers are pretty good singers, too. For nearly two hours, the Cardinal boys’ and girls’ teams endured a practice that was so demanding that I was getting tired just watching. Music blared most of the time; mostly upbeat, adrenaline-pumping tunes. After the last drill, another song came on as the athletes ran slow laps around the mat for a cool down. A mellow, John Denver tune was not what I was expecting. Then, with the same enthusiasm that they had embraced a taxing practice, everyone started singing along—in unison and in tune.
It was just another example of the complex duality that is wrestling.
“It’s a tough sport. So we try to make sure that when the kids come in, we’re keeping it light or having some fun,” said head coach Ben Strandberg. “You basically go through hell and then you come out singing, Country Roads at the end. You’re having a good time, but you pushed yourself and you tested yourself.”
The formula has been working for Earlham. Ever since the Cardinal wrestling program re-started three years ago, participation has exploded and success on the mat has followed.
“I think that’s what you’re seeing with this group,” said Coach Strandberg. “The success we’ve had over the last couple of years, you have good leaders that keep it light. They’re having fun, but in the same sense they’re trying to pump everybody up at the same time.”
Two 2024 state meet qualifiers return for the Cardinals this season. Senior Dallas Canoyer finished 4th at 113 and sophomore Max Millage made it to the blood round at 106. Junior Josh Winey is back, too. He was a state meet qualifier in 2023 and was certainly worthy last year, but ran into a loaded field at his weight at the district tournament.
This is a trio that will lead the way for the Cards on the mat and off.
“They’re intense,” said Coach Strandberg. “When you have those kids that are going to the state tournament, bringing home state medals and things like that, they just bring everything up a notch.”
Canoyer won 41 matches last year and has 104 career wins, 56 of those coming by fall. He has qualified for state three years in a row. Winey won 37 matches last year and has 67 career wins, 47 by fall.
“Josh and Dallas those are key guys in everything they do,” said Coach Strandberg. “They’re the guys you’re hearing about Friday night at football games. They’re the guys that are going to the state meet in track. They’re some of the best athletes and leaders we have in the school.”
Millage won 37 matches last season, 31 by fall or technical fall. He ran in some cross country races with the Cardinals this fall, but he’s definitely a year-round wresting ‘specialist.’
“That’s his love, and you see it when he’s out there,” said Coach Strandberg. “When he’s in a wrestling room, he’s a squirrel. That kid is all over. Sometimes you have to kind of calm him down a little. But he’s in his happy place and you have to let him go a little bit, but you also have to remind him that the energy needs to be honed and controlled a little.”
Canoyer and Millage are close to each other in weight, so that means that they square off against each other a lot in practice. That’s good for them, and it’s also a lot of fun for everybody else to watch.
“It’s a cool experience even for us coaches,” said Coach Strandberg. “Some of the scrambles they get in and how hard they push each other. I think they’re going to continue to sharpen each other.”
There are several other returning Cardinals that will make an impact this season.
Sophomores Cole Eitel and Keegan Long were both 3rd at the district meet last season and will be improved in their second varsity season this year.
Junior Konnar Stiles took some lumps in a tough weight class last season, but will be wrestling down a couple classes this season.
“I like what I see out of that kid,” said Coach Strandberg. “He’s a prime example of ‘it didn’t come easy.’ Wins came tough for him the past couple years but he’s always put his head down and kept trying.”
Junior ‘bigs’ Corbin Etter and Aidan Oscarson will be better after another year of seasoning. Junior Ethan Winey and sophomore Carson Winey are hard workers and will earn more varsity matches this season. Senior Jackson Berkley has notched 47 career wins.
“Jackson spent the summer in the military, and you can see that different focus in him this year,” said Coach Strandberg. “I think that’s going to go a long way.”
This season, the varsity Cardinals should start to reap the rewards of the fine youth program that has been going for several years. Five freshmen, Dylan Frazier, Bishop Hammen, Blaine Vanderheiden, Konnor Keller, and Colton Nixt, could have an impact. They have been practicing well in the pre-season and soaking up the Cardinal culture.
“All five freshmen have had a little bit of success. A couple of them are AAU state qualifiers,” said the coach. “But to actually come in and see what it’s like with Dallas and Josh and Max, to reach the highest level at the high school level, they follow suit. Those guys are really good examples of how to work.”
The Cards will have a tough, aggressive schedule this season that will take them to far flung locales like Sioux City, Emmetsburg, and Clarion.
“We’ve reached that level where, it’s not like we’re above our area, but we see the local teams so much that we wanted to go out and see some different competition,” said Coach Strandberg. “And the state series is built off of earning points, having wins over other 1A competition. That’s what gets you better seeds. I think we fell a little short with a couple of our guys last year.”
Coach Strandberg is assisted by Wyatt Spieker and volunteer coaches Kyle Canoyer, Eric Nixt, and Caleb Swalla.
Girls’ Wrestling
Just like the Cardinal boys’ team, the girls’ wrestling team is growing, too. This year, the team will feature one new wrestler and one new coach. Drew Evans will be the first ever dedicated head coach for the Earlham girls’ program.
Evans is from Independence, IA, where he was a place winner at the state wrestling tournament. He went to the University of Iowa, and he helped coach wrestling at Regina High School while he was working on his undergraduate degree. He is a secondary counselor at Earlham School and helped coach football this past fall.
“I always knew I wanted to coach,” said Coach Evans. “It’s just a nice way to get to know kids outside the school day. The role was open, and I talked to Ben and I talked to Chris (Caskey) about it. It seemed like it was a good fit, and I’ve really liked it so far.”
Coach Strandberg won’t get too far away from the girls’ team—his daughter Lilli competes, after all—but he says that having Evans on the staff is already making a big difference. And not just with the Cardinal girls.
“He’s instrumental with our boys, too,” said Coach Strandberg. “He was a state place winner at Independence, so he has experience. For him to jump in there and wrestle around with our bigger guys has been great, too.”
Senior Haley Glade is a three-time participant at the state tournament. She got 5th last season. This year there are two classes in girls’ wrestling for the first time ever. Glade will start the season ranked #1 at 155 in Class A.
Coach Evans quickly found out what all of Glade’s coaches have known about her for quite a while.
“She always brings a great attitude and really helps the team with her leadership,” he said. “She helps the girls that are newer to the sport and helps get them along. And she understands that we work hard in this wrestling room; we don’t take breaks. So she politely calls kids out at times. She’s just a good example for the kids that are newer to the sport.”
Glade is physically gifted, mentally tough, and technically skilled. With two classes this season, Glade certainly will have her mind set on bringing home a state title.
Senior Sophia Millage and sophomore Lilli Strandberg return from last year’s team. Last season was a learning experience for both, but they put in a lot of work in the off season, and they have already displayed how far they’ve come. Strandberg won her weight class at the Southwest Valley Invite on November 23 and Millage was 2nd, losing by 2 points to a previous state place winner.
“They came to me just ready to wrestle,” said Coach Evans. “They knew the basic technique. They are both getting a little bit stronger, with another year of maturity and experience under their belt. They just keep getting better. If they keep that up, there’s no reason they can’t enjoy great success this season.”
Senior Kenady Ridout is out for wrestling for the first time. It’s not easy to try a new sport in your senior year, but Ridout looks like she’s figuring it out quickly. She got 3rd at the tournament on the 23rd.
“She’s just such a great natural athlete and a strong kid,” said Coach Evans. “That’s going to pay great dividends.”
Ridout wrestles with Glade a lot in practice—and wrestling somebody with that much skill and experience can be good and bad. Coach Strandberg mentioned that Ridout was a bit nervous before her first competition.
“She came to me beforehand and said, ‘I just get my butt kicked all the time,’” he said. “I reminded her that Haley is a little different than what she’s probably going to wrestle every time. Then in her first match she hit a blast double takedown and got a pin—and she got up with a big smile.”
Earlham Echo 
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