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Blommers, Foster Make History as Osky Splits DH with Newton

Posted on by Sam Parsons

By Sam Parsons

Friday night was Senior Night at Oskaloosa High School for girls and boys hoops, and it was a night headlined by the history made by two members of the Indians’ girls team.

Osky senior Presley Blommers entered the contest 11 points shy of the 1,000 mark for her career total. Sophomore Dasia Foster was 8 rebounds away from breaking the school’s single season record in that category.

Both would reach the milestones quickly enough. But plenty of drama was included along the way.

The game began with Blommers scoring 10 points in the first quarter, seeming poised to hit 1,000 very quickly, and the Indians jumped out to a 14-4 lead; however, the Cardinals put up quite the fight. They were able to round into form with sophomore Alex Garvis among the primary players tasked with stopping Blommers. The Cardinals succeeded in a big way in the second quarter; they outscored the Indians 10-5 in the frame and held Blommers off the scoreboard. Blommers was hobbled from an ankle injury sustained early in the game, but gutted it out for the rest of the night; in the meantime, though, the Indians and Cardinals were tied at halftime, 19-19, and she still hadn’t hit the milestone.

“I thought we came out and looked pretty good. I thought, ‘Okay, we’re in rhythm, this is going to happen,'” said Osky coach TC Cunningham after the game. “And then the closer Presley got to the record, the tighter we became. And [her teammates] wanted it just as much as her.”

Dasia Foster sat out for much of the second quarter and entered halftime with 3 (unofficial) rebounds. She still had some ground to cover to make history, too.

The third quarter of play was back and forth, but the celebrations cut through the tension when Blommers hit a lay-up in the third quarter to record her 1,000th and 1,001st career points.

It wasn’t long after that that Foster would break the school record for rebounds in a single season; this moment didn’t quite have the reaction from the crowd that Blommers’ shot did, as rebounds are not counted live on the scoreboard, but it was clear by the time the fourth quarter began that Foster, who finished the night with 12 official rebounds, had the record.

“Before the game, I was nervous,” said Foster. “I don’t really get super nervous before games, but this game, I just knew what I wanted to do, and what I needed to do. And it was just nerve wracking. But then I got in the game, and it was just gone.”

“I wanted to get it done with one of my favorite teammates and best friends, Presley Blommers…being able to have her break 1,000 for her Senior Night and me getting the school record is just a crazy feeling.”

Still, there was a job to be finished: Newton had, in the midst of all the emotion, taken the lead from the Indians and entered the fourth with a 31-29 lead.

With the feelings of pride put in the rearview mirror (for now), the Indians got back to work in the fourth. Right away, Blommers started piling on the points on her way to 19 on the night. The Cardinals, meanwhile, got cold from the floor after shooting the ball exceptionally well for much of the game. Junior Sophia Reynolds finished the game with 19 points and was on fire from midrange in the first three quarters, but with the Indians’ defense tightening up and shots starting to miss, the Cardinal offense was held to just 4 points in the fourth quarter as the Indians put the finishing touches on a 43-35 victory to seal the deal on a great night for Osky girls basketball.

“I’m so proud of them,” Cunningham responded when asked about the girls who came through with the milestones. “The work they’ve put in, the time they’ve gelled together to know how to play with one another…it’s been great to see them grow. Especially Presley…to see her grow and mature to where she’s at, she is a true leader of our basketball team and as a student in Oskaloosa High School. Dasia is just a sophomore…her future is off the charts.”

The win improves their record to 9-10 on the season with two games left to play before the postseason begins.

Full postgame comments from TC Cunningham:

Full postgame comments from Dasia Foster:

The nightcap of the doubleheader featured Osky’s boys hosting the 5th ranked 3A team in the state in Newton. The Cardinals entered this game full strength; in their previous meeting with Osky, they had been missing senior guard Jake Ingle, who is their #2 scorer on the season.

It was the Cardinals’ game to lose from the first quarter on. The game began with a touching moment as the Indians agreed to let the Cardinals score 2 points on a lay-up in exchange for senior Brody Allman getting the start and cashing in a 2 point shot of his own to begin the competitive part of the game 2-2. It was Allman’s second field goal attempt of the season, and his second make.

From there, though, the 5th ranked Cardinals handled their business. They jumped out to a 24-13 lead after one quarter and led 42-29 at half, thanks in large part to 16 points and 5 (unofficial) rebounds in the half from senior Cole Plowman, who finished with a game-high 23 points. The third quarter was even more dominant for Newton, as they held the Indians to just 6 points scored and pulled away to a 27 point lead entering the final quarter. The Cardinals coasted to a 79-43 victory to sink the Indians to 1-16 on the year.

Osky will face Knoxville tonight (2/6) in search of win #2 on the year.

Girls stats

Boys stats

Oskaloosa Boys Survive Scare From Newton

Posted on by KBOE Administrator

The Oskaloosa basketball teams hosted Newton on Tuesday night and the two games were decided by a nail-biting five points combined. The Osky boys survived a late Newton rally by winning, 57-56, while the Indian girls battled but ultimately fell, 28-24.

The boys’ game was one where Osky hoped to get a more comfortable win after outlasting Newton in a tight 56-53 game on the road in December. But Garrett Sturtz and his All-State caliber resume would not go quietly into the Oskaloosa night.

The game was very back and forth from the start, with Newton closing the first quarter on a 9-1 run to take a 12-10 lead. In the second quarter, Osky’s offense got going and a buzzer beater layup by Cole Henry gave the Indians a 30-27 lead at the half.

After the break, things got sloppy as both teams struggled mightily to score points. Sturtz would eventually draw his fourth foul, which all came on charges offensively. Unfortunately, Osky was unable to take advantage of Sturtz being off the floor as they only increased their lead to 37-32 at the end of the 3rd quarter.

The fourth was the exact opposite, as both teams lit up the gym for a combined 44 points. Many of those came from Sturtz, who would score 22 of the 24 Newton points down the stretch. Oskaloosa would counter with Spencer Tucker scoring six points late including two free throws after the Newton bench was assessed a technical foul.

As the game wore on, Sturtz got a three-point play to cut the Osky lead to one and Rian Yates was fouled by the Cardinals with just under 10 seconds to play. After Newton called a timeout to ice the shooter, Yates missed the front end of the 1-and-1 opportunity, allowing Newton a chance to win. Sturtz drove down the floor but picked up his dribble at the three-point line and pump faked. The Oskaloosa defense didn’t bite as Sturtz attempted a tough leaning shot to draw a foul. There was no whistle, and the Indians survived.

Oskaloosa got 18 points and 5 rebounds from both Cole Henry and Jarad Kruse who were vital pieces to the Osky puzzle. Spencer Tucker also was in double figures with 10 points and added 7 assists.

Sturtz led the way for the Cardinals with an impressive 42 points to go with 9 rebounds. He shot 13 for 14 from the free throw line. In two games against Oskaloosa, the Newton senior scored a combined 86 points.

With the win, the top-ranked Indians move to 16-1 overall and 11-0 in Little Hawkeye Conference play. Newton falls to 9-6 overall and 5-6 in the LHC.

The girls’ game was equally entertaining from a competitive standpoint, as the Osky girls mounted a comeback from 14 points down to put plenty of pressure on Newton.

Marleigh Denburger, Oskaloosa’s leading scorer coming into the game, was saddled with foul trouble throughout the first half and the Cardinals built up a 22-8 halftime lead. But the Indians chipped away to head to the fourth down 27-20.

The fourth quarter saw Newton employ a stalling strategy to limit Osky’s possessions. This resulted in a slow quarter pace-wise, and forced Oskaloosa to pressure the ball as time went on. Unfortunately, the Indians couldn’t find buckets on their end to complete the comeback while Newton struggled to ice the game from the free throw line.

After the smoke cleared, Newton was outscored in a poor shooting fourth period, 4-1, but held on to beat Osky, 28-24.

Marleigh Denburger, Lindsey Holmberg, and Mary Nelson all had 6 points for Osky in the game. Nelson also had 8 rebounds. Emma Kelderman had a solid game despite going scoreless with 7 boards and 3 assists. Holmberg had 3 steals on the defensive end.

Newton was led by Taylor Ryan, who scored 8 points off the bench, all in the first half. Anna Forsyth was the engine for Newton, scoring 6 points, grabbing 7 rebounds, and getting 3 steals while serving as the lead guard for the Cardinals. Marcelina Marvelli had 5 points and 4 steals and Ali Bestell had 5 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 blocks for Newton.

Osky is now 0-18 on the year and 0-11 in the Little Hawkeye. Newton snapped a ten-game losing streak and are now 4-15 overall and 2-9 in the conference with both wins coming against Oskaloosa.

Osky has a big doubleheader on Friday on the road at Norwalk. The Indian boys dominated a very good Norwalk team early in January and the Warriors will be looking to return the favor in a matchup of highly ranked teams. The girls’ game should also be competitive as Norwalk has struggled in conference play.

Due to space restrictions, we will have AUDIO ONLY for the Oskaloosa vs. Norwalk doubleheader on Friday night. The broadcast starts at 6 PM and the girls will start around 6:15. You can hear all the action on 99.5 FM/740 AM KMZN, radiokmzn.com, and the KMZN mobile app.

Osky Boys Stay Unbeaten with Rout at Pella

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(Pella, Iowa) – It was another banner night for the Oskaloosa Boys Basketball Team as they finally got their elusive win over the Pella Little Dutch. The sweetness of this win is compounded by the fact that it was on the road and by a decisive margin, 72-45.

The game was sloppy on the outset, as both teams had struggles getting into their groove. Oskaloosa would get a couple long balls from Tanner DeKock to take an early 17-7 lead after the first quarter.

In the second, the Indians started to push toward a run with Jarad Kruse heating up with 10 points in quick fashion. The Osky defense was stingy, but a steady push from Landon VanderLeest kept Pella within striking distance. The halftime score was 37-23 in favor of the Indians.

The third quarter saw Osky push the lead to 20 but Pella battled back to keep it at a 14 point margin heading into the fourth, 52-38.

Osky ran away with the game in the fourth, outscoring the Dutch 20-7. A few more Cole Henry dishes to Jarad Kruse finished the game with the 72-45 final score.

Kruse led the way for the Indians with 20 points. Henry had 14 points to go along with a game-high 11 assists and five rebounds. Spencer Tucker was also in double figures with 13. Xavier Foster only scored six points, but had 12 rebounds, five steals, and three blocks in the game.

Pella was led by Landon VanderLeest, who finished with 14 points.

Oskaloosa improves to 11-0 as we pass the halfway point of the season. They are now 6-0 in Little Hawkeye Conference play. Pella falls to 6-4 overall and 3-3 in conference play.

The Osky girls were in action and struggled mightily against the #12 Lady Dutch. Pella got off to an 18-0 start in the first quarter and cruised to a 63-14 victory.

Osky was led by Marleigh Denburger with 7 points. Pella’s Emily Holterhaus led all scorers with 21 points.

Oskaloosa is now 0-10 on the year with an 0-6 mark in conference play. Pella is 8-3 overall with a 4-2 record in the Little Hawkeye.

Oskaloosa will be back in action on Friday night at home against Indianola in a conference doubleheader. The girls will tip-off at 6:15. You can hear the broadcast on 99.5FM/740AM KMZN and watch a live video stream of the game on radiokmzn.com, as well as on MCG Channel 7 in Oskaloosa. The broadcast will begin at 6 PM.

Osky Boys Survive Road Test at Dallas Center-Grimes

Posted on by KBOE Administrator

It wasn’t easy, but the Oskaloosa Boys’ Basketball Team was able to find a way to pull out a 56-49 victory over Dallas Center-Grimes on the road. It was a bad night for the Osky girls as they were defeated by DCG, 81-7.

The boys’ game featured two teams ranked in the Iowa Prep Hoops top ten in Class 3A with Osky coming in at #4 and DCG at #7. They played it tough throughout, but Oskaloosa will point to several areas in which they could have done better and made this one a little easier on the hearts of Indian supporters.

The first quarter saw the Indians rack up several three pointers and a fast pace against DCG’s man-to-man defense. That run saw Osky open up a 20-8 lead with a few minutes left in the first. The Mustangs would switch into a zone defense and slow the pace and fight back to a 20-12 deficit at the end of the first.

In the second, both teams struggled to score the ball with the limited possessions and few fastbreak opportunities. DCG was able to make a couple of long-range buckets to cut the Osky lead to three at the half, 29-26.

The third quarter was equally difficult for both teams to score, but it was during this period that Osky botched multiple attempts at dunks and layups, allowing the Mustangs to hang around. After the third, it was still a three point affair, 39-36.

The fourth quarter was interesting, as Osky built the lead up to nine with good defense and some made shots from outside. The game remained in the balance, however, due to poor free throw shooting down the stretch. Oskaloosa would finish the game just 11 for 22 from the charity stripe and until the last few moments, DCG was within one or two possessions. Eventually, four made free throws from Rian Yates allowed the Indians to close the game out and get the road win, 56-49.

Oskaloosa was led in scoring by Xavier Foster, who started hot and took the game over in the second half when Osky needed it most with the offense struggling. Foster finished with 17 points, 7 boards, and 3 blocks. Cole Henry and Jarad Kruse each had 10 points. Henry added 6 rebounds and 6 assists.

Osky’s boys are now 7-0 on the season and 3-0 in the Little Hawkeye Conference. DCG falls to 5-2 overall and 1-2 in the LHC.

For the Osky girls’ game, it was all Fillies from the tip to the buzzer. That included shutting out the Indians in the entire second half. The final score was 81-7. Osky drops to 0-6 on the year and 0-3 in the Little Hawkeye with DCG now 6-2 and 3-0 in the LHC.

Oskaloosa’s basketball teams are back in action at home against Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont in a battle of Mahaska County schools. The doubleheader starts with the girls game at 5:30 PM with the boys’ game to follow.

Oskaloosa Rolls to 6-0 with Thrashing of Washington

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It was business as usual for the Oskaloosa Indian Boys’ Basketball team on Tuesday night. The Indians dominated Washington at home, 83-50, and stay unbeaten at 6-0.

Oskaloosa knew they had a huge size advantage, as Washington only had one player taller than 6-foot-tall available while the Indians have nine such players on their roster.

It was a slow start for both sides as neither side shot very well in the first few minutes, but the pace picked up and Oskaloosa used plenty of fastbreak and transition opportunities to take an early 21-14 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The Indians started to roll in the second quarter with high-flying dunks from Cole Henry, Jarad Kruse, and Xavier Foster and hot shooting from others to open up a 46-22 lead at the half.

The third quarter was again extremely entertaining as both teams traded highlight reel plays. Osky had the better of them, as Foster had multiple dunks in the period and Osky could not be stopped in the offensive half of the floor. After three periods of play, it was all Osky, 75-41.

Head Coach Ryan Parker emptied the bench in the fourth quarter and the Indians cruised down the stretch to their 83-50 win.

Oskaloosa was led by Jarad Kruse, who finished with 22 points and added three assists, four steals, and two blocks. Cole Henry and Xavier Foster each had 17 points. Henry had six boards and three assists with a block while Foster finished with five rebounds, three assists, four steals, and three blocks in a complete effort. Spencer Tucker was also in double figures with 10 points and added six rebounds, seven assists, and two steals.

Washington was led by senior Jack Redlinger with 10 points.

Osky improves to 6-0 on the season while Washington falls to 0-4.

The Indians are back in action Friday night on the road at Dallas Center-Grimes in Little Hawkeye Conference play. The girls’ basketball teams will start the action around 6:15 PM. You can hear our pregame show on 99.5 FM and 740 AM KMZN and radiokmzn.com starting at 6 PM. The boys’ game will follow.

Oskaloosa Boys Sharp Offensively in Rout of Centerville

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The Oskaloosa Indians Boys Basketball team was back at it on Tuesday night against Centerville in a non-conference matchup. The offensive output stole the show, as the Indians scored a season-high in their 92-65 victory.

The first quarter started with both teams hitting some early shots in a fast-paced affair. By the end of the quarter, Osky had put together enough to take a 19-14 lead into the second.

The Indian defense would slow the Big Red offense significantly in the second quarter as Centerville only mustered nine points in the period. Oskaloosa, on the other hand, continued to stay hot as several players got into the act offensively. After a 25 point quarter, Osky had a 44-23 halftime lead.

The third quarter was something special to watch, as both teams put on one of the best collective offensive displays one would ever see at a high school game. The teams traded baskets for most of the third quarter en route to scoring a ridiculous 62 combined points. Oskaloosa would get the better end after becoming unconscious from three-point land with Spencer Tucker leading the way. The Indians outscored the Big Reds 39-23 in the offensive showcase in just eight minutes of basketball.

The fourth quarter saw the running clock and some strong work from the second unit of Centerville to cut the lead down by the end of the game, but it was all Osky with the 92-65 final.

The Indians were led by Spencer Tucker, who exploded from downtown in the second half and cruised to a 22-point night. Xavier Foster had a big game all around with 19 points, 6 rebounds, 4 steals, and 2 blocks. Jarad Kruse and Cole Henry also chipped in plenty of offense, as Kruse had 16 and Henry had 14.

Centerville was led by Dan Hargrave, who finished with 15 points.

Oskaloosa is back in action on Friday as they will play Grinnell in Little Hawkeye Conference play. That will be a part of a doubleheader starting with the girls’ game at 6:15 PM. You can hear the broadcast on 99.5 FM/740 AM KMZN and watch a live video stream on radiokmzn.com and MCG Channel 7. The pregame show will begin at 6 PM.

Osky Boys Roll, Girls Fall in Little Hawkeye Opener Against Pella Christian

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The Oskaloosa basketball teams were back at it Friday night against Pella Christian to kick off Little Hawkeye Conference action this year.

The girls started things off but were behind the 8-ball immediately with a 25-8 first quarter for the Eagles. The game would get tougher from there, as PC outscored the Indians 25-7 in the second quarter. The Eagles would eventually cruise down the streatch for a 66-21 victory. Pella Christian is now 3-1 on the year while the Osky girls are 0-3.

Lindsey Holmberg led Osky with five points and two steals. Jillian Jennings and Ashley Drost each put in four points.

Kaley Wilson led PC with a game-high 21 points. She also filled up the stat sheet with three rebounds, four assists, five steals, and a block. Morgan Fopma also was in double figures with 15.

The boys’ game was the same story with the schools reversed as Osky would take their claim to an early advantage and eventually pull out to a 32-19 halftime lead. They would go up by over 20 before getting the 64-46 win. Osky is now 2-0 on the season and PC is 0-2.

Cole Henry was the headliner for the Indians with 21 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists, all game-highs. Jarad Kruse put in 15 points with 7 boards and four assists. Xavier Foster and Rian Yates each had 8 points for Osky. Spencer Tucker had five assists in setting up the offense.

For PC, Josh Van Gorp had 10 points and five rebounds. Dan Jungling finished with nine points.

Oskaloosa is back in action Saturday at Knoxville to face the Panthers. The girls start things at 3:30 PM with the boys to follow.

The next Osky broadcast on the No Coast Network will be with the boys’ basketball game next Tuesday as the Indians host Centerville. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:45 PM. The broadcast on 99.5 FM/740 AM KMZN and the live video stream on radiokmzn.com and MCG Channel 7 will start around 7:30 PM.

Oskaloosa Boys Win, Girls Fall at Fairfield

Posted on by KBOE Administrator

The Oskaloosa boys and girls participated in their first doubleheader on the hardwood this season on the road against Fairfield. The boys picked up a big 64-52 win and the girls struggled to a 55-28 defeat. 

The girls led off the double-dip with a very fresh young group leading the charge. No senior played in the game. That inexperience showed as the Indians committed 23 first half turnovers and scored only six points through the first two quarters. At the break, it was all Fairfield, 34-6. 

Things got better as the game wore on, however, as the ball-handling improved with only four giveaways in the second half. The Indians would outscore the Trojans 22-21 in the last two quarters, the second straight game Osky would better their opponent down the stretch.  

Sophomore Mary Nelson led the way in scoring for the Indians with 11 points. Junior Marleigh Denburger just missed on a double-double with nine points and 11 rebounds. Freshman Kaylee Johnson pulled down a team-high seven rebounds and snagged three steals. 

“I like the fight in my girls,” Head Coach Jacie White said after the game. “We just have to find a way to fight earlier in games and stay in them.” 

The boys would be tested for the entire first half. The first quarter showcased both teams’ defensive abilities as neither side was able to put a run together. Fairfield would have a small 12-9 lead after the first period. The second stanza would see the Indians put together more offense with great ball movement. Osky outscored the Trojans in the second 22-14 and had a 31-26 lead at the half. 

In the second half, Osky would increase the lead with great defense and some solid offensive work. They would eventually cruise to the twelve-point win.  

Senior Jarad Kruse did a lot of the work for Osky with a mammoth double-double, netting 21 points and 12 boards. He also added two assists and four steals. Junior Cole Henry also had double figures in points and rebounds as he put up 14 and 11 with a team-high five assists. Tanner DeKock would also have five assists. Highly touted sophomore Xavier Foster would score 16 points for the Indians. 

“I thought we played well at times,” Head Coach Ryan Parker said. “But we need to clean up a few areas. Rebounding and effort need to improve and we will figure that out.” 

“We are going to get everyone’s best shot every single night,” Parker continued. “We have to be ready every night and play at a high level. It’s different being the hunted instead of the hunter and we need to go through experiences like tonight.” 

Both teams will be back in action on Friday night in their home openers. They will face Pella Christian to kick off Little Hawkeye Conference play. The girls will start things off at 6:15 PM at the Oskaloosa High School Gymnasium. 

You can hear the live broadcast on 99.5 FM/740 AM KMZN and check out a live video stream on radiokmzn.com and MCG Channel 7 with the pregame show starting at 6 PM. 

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