Mother Nature won Thursday night — for the most part. Several late-season or season finale basketball games and girls’ playoff games were not played because of the snow storm blowing across Iowa on Thursday.
Newton High’s Cardinal teams did play at home Thursday night. They hosted Pella Christian in Little Hawkeye Conference finales.
It was Senior Night for Newton’s girls as they played their final regular season game. They head into Class 4A playoffs on Wednesday.
It was an historic night for the Newton boys’ basketball program. The Cardinals notched a victory over the visiting Eagles. It was the 1,000th victory in NHS boys’ basketball play.
There are two high school sports bringing the heat on Saturday — boys’ swimming and wrestling. The state boys’ swim meet is set for a 12:30 p.m. race start time in Iowa City. High school wrestlers hit the mats at district tournaments for Class 3A, 2A and 1A across the state.
NCMP’s boys have a contingent ready for the state swim meet to compete in five events. The state meet is in a new venue — the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center natatorium on the campus of the University of Iowa.
The NCMP Cardinals are planning to drop times in their events on Saturday. As one swimmer told me — swim fast and beat people.
Newton High’s wrestlers face a tough field of Class 3A competition in Saturday’s District 7 meet. The district meet is hosted by West des Moines Valley. The top two finishers in each weight class advance to next week’s 3A state tournament.
Let’s face it, competition at every district touranment is going to be tough. It’s high school wrestling in Iowa.
Prairie City-Monroe’s Mustangs are at a Class 2A district meet at Knoxville. Colfax-Mingo and Lynnville-Sully have wrestles in Class 1A districts at Guthrie Center and Pleasantville, respectively. Again, the the top two in each weight division qualify for the state tournaments.
Moving back to basketball, Newton High will have its annual Legacy Night on Monday when Newton’s boys host Winterset. There will be 10 men recognized for the legacies they left for Newton High School.
Those being honored are Steve Becker, Larry Reed, Chuck Knutson, Clyde Wiley, Nile McCoy, Brett Hall, Gary Matson, Burt Strike and Paul Turner. A reception will be held at 7 p.m. at the high school’s multi-purpose room across from the gymnasium. The men will be honored at halftime — around 8 p.m. — of the varsity boys’ game.
Now, back to the winter weather. I know I live in Iowa. I’ve lived in the Midwest all my live and winter is winter, but why the snow on a really busy weekend.
I guess it will get be in a good frame of mind to watch the 2018 Winter Olympics which started Thursday. The opening ceremony is Friday in South Korea.
Then I’m looking forward to Major League Baseball spring training.
Contact Jocelyn Sheets
jsheets@newtondailynews.com