Two long time rival teams stepped out onto the floor for the chance to play another day. It didn’t matter that neither team was at the top of the Tri Rivers Conference.  It didn’t even matter that neither team has a winning regular season.  All that mattered was this game, on this night…and the two teams came to play.

From the opening tip the game was close, and while the Orioles took an early lead, they couldn’t hold on to it for long. In a see-saw game of great defense with moments of good offense, the half ended with the Wildcats up by one.

Both teams brought a decent crowd, and they were loud, filling the gym with cheers, jeers, and a few boos…but for the most part, the crowds were clearly there for the teams.

Late in the game, Central City had finally broken open a barely breathing room ten point lead when senior point Jeffrey Stevens was called for an intentional foul against Springville’s point, senior Jordan Scriver.   Was the technical call warranted?  The view from the cheap seats (three rows up on the Oriole side  and directly in front of  the play) says no…it looked very much like a case of too much forward momentum to allow for Stevens to slow down.  Nevertheless, the foul was called, and the resulting four points were just the break the Orioles needed to get back in the game.   As the clock ticked down it became a moment to moment game, with a thick tension in the air.   This was high school basketball at it’s finest.

When the Orioles got the ball under the basket, down by four, with less than ten seconds to play, freshman Dan Fitzgerald came in off the bench and cool as ice swished a three pointer, making it a one point point game.  The play was a thing of beauty and it brought Oriole fans to their feet.

Both sides were  on their feet for those final jaw clenching 3 seconds, as Junior Patrick Ray took one for the team and fouled out, and Central City made only 1 of two free throws…a tiny spark of hope flared….but the last minute long pass by the Orioles went slightly astray, and the game ended at 42-40, with Central City moving on.

The fans for both sides stayed on their feet giving well deserved applause to the boys as they did the traditional one handed congratulatory line-up and the Orioles headed to the locker room.  Then something terrific happened.

Senior Point and team leader Jordan Scriver turned around and sought out the young man who had been called for the technical.  He extended his hand in sincere congratulations, and Senior Wildcat Point Jeffrey Stevens responded with a gracious handshake.  Two team leaders fought a valient fight and in the end the victor and his opponent showed their teammates why they are team leaders.   Jordan then personally congratulated (and was joined by a teammate in this) several other Central City players before heading out of the gym to be with his team.

This was a great game….the kind of game that makes you want to watch High School basketball.   Congratulations to the Central City Wildcats & Good Luck at Lone Tree next week.

Though it rarely gets much press…Oriole Fan LOVES displays of integrity on the athletic field…and last night Jordan & Jeffrey set exactly the kind example we should hope that all our children follow.   Jordan closed out his final basketball season with class, and Jeffrey responded in kind.  Both schools have much to be proud of.

Congratulations Jordan, on a high school basketball career you can be proud of, and on showing the leadership that makes us proud to call you an Oriole.
You represented your team, school & community in grand style, and we can’t wait to watch you go for the gold in your final season on the track!

After losing two close games, the Orioles bounced back to win the third in a slightly quicker paced match-up.  Momentum slipped away in game four when Don Bosco ran up an 8 point lead that ultimately was just too much for the Orioles to overcome.

The night was not a rout. This was among the best of the 1A match-ups, from the looks of the scores… There was a nervous energy that could be felt when you walked into the building……both teams clearly came to play.   The first two games were a see-saw of scoring right up to 20 points, with Springville falling in both.  Don Bosco served well and clearly had the ability to keep the ball in play, while Springville struggled with a number of lifting calls from the up ref who seemed to have a different idea of what the rules are…and a line judge who’s call were all over the map…er…court…but the Orioles did not go down without a fight.  Indeed they played some of their most intense and skilled moments of the entire year.   Throughout  all four games Don Bosco had very few answers to Senior Maggie Ray’s hard driving kills, while Karlee Markley and Alesea Bednarz also closed out their high school careers with superb games. 
Sadly, throughout, (especially during game four)vthere were some almost astonishing moments of …shall we say…”tacky”…behaviors exhibited by the Don Bosco players on the court, beginning with the student body booing when the Oriole Starting line-up was announced…continuing with the coach throwing his clipboard, and culiminating with one player showing very poor judgement during the fourth game.  Following the match, further displays of ill manners came from the Don Bosco team as they boarded the bus.  
Yes… it was a big win for them, sending them into the State tournament with a starting line-up full of seniors…and they played some darn good volleyball…we can’t take that away from them….it’s just a shame that they had to marr the win with such a poor choice of emotions.

I’m glad to say I saw no response, and no such displays of poor sportsmanship from the Orioles or their fans, with our AD nipping the only potential problem situation in the bud as soon as he was made aware of it.  Good for you Orioles, for choosing not to fall into that behavioral trap.

To the 2009 Orioles I say….you played some solidly good volleyball, with a very respectable ending to a great season that saw you accomplish much much more than had been “expected”.   BIggining the season an obscure bunch of  “who?” players, you brought home an outright conference championship and a three game sweep in post season play, landing a spot (the only Tri Rivers team to do so) in a regional final. You played hard, and ended the season with class. You represented your school well, and we thank you.

Looking ahead, though we bid  farewell to starters Marklee, Ray & Bednarz, the Orioles should be pretty strong contenders next year, retaining power hitter & blocker Hannah Loehr who  showed that she is a player to be reckoned with in her first year as a starter.  Additionally, starters Katie Wyman, Hope Matus and CJ Fitzgerald will return to the court, and the Oriole bench has some very good defenders who will make their presence known in a good way.   
Great Job…& Great Season Ladies…Stand Tall…you made us proud !!

2009 Tri Rivers Conference Champions/Regional Finalist Springville Orioles.

Now get out there and do it all over again on the basketball court!  GO ORIOLES!!

Good luck to all the teams who advance to the state tournament.

The night belonged to the Orioles from the beginning, when the National Anthem singer was a no show, and Oriole players/singers Hope Matus & Sydney Vaughn stepped out of the team line-up and over to the mic to do the anthem, & their team proud.

The first game was over in a hurry, with the Orioles playing superb offense, providing the student body several oopportunities for their favorite “chicka, Chicka, BOOM!” chant  as they put down kill after kill. 
Game two showed the serving skills of North Tama, who rallied several times behind some great ace serves, but it wasn’t enough, and Springville rallied for the win.
The Orioles got off to a rough start in the third game, but found their stride midway through to take control and bring it home for the 3 game sweep  Springville 25-25-25, North Tama 10-21-16.

The Orioles advance to the Regional Final on Tuesday November 3rd where they will challenge (5th ranked) Don Bosco for a state berth. 

Bolstered by sound defense,  the Orioles Offense stepped up to keep the team alive in Regional play.
Minus a starter due to illness, Springville once again filled that gap with Sophomore Alysha Dirks, who made the most of her time on the court, managing 6 kills and an important dig.  Katie Wyman had 9 kills, Maggie Ray 6 and Hannah Loehr led all players with 13 kills and 2 blocks.  Springville won the match in three games, Springville 25-25-25, Prince of Peace 17-19-20.

The Orioles, now 22-12, will play North Tama in the Regional Semi-Final on Friday October 30th in Vinton. Game time is 7:00 pm.

Winner of that game will advance to the Regional Final.
Congratulations Orioles…Keep Rolling!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Staying cool and playing smart, the Oriole Volleyball team took care of Calamus Wheatland in three games Wednesday night to advance to the next round of play.
Game two was a little close for comfort, but the score was misleading, for there was never really any doubt that the Orioles would come away victorious. 

Maggie Ray led all players in kills, and the Orioles, propelled by great offensive plays by Hannah Loehr, CJ Fitzgerald, Hope Matus and Katie Wyman,  dominated the match from the start.

The Springville ladies will take it on the road Tuesday October 27th, playing Prince of Peace in round two of regional volleyball play.

Tuesday’s game will be played at Wheatland, (Kinda makes you wonder who decided the when and where of these regional games doesn’t it) at 7:00 pm.

The rest of the state may not have paid much heed to the 2009 Oriole Squad, but make no mistake, Oriole Volleyball is here to stay!

Come on out Oriole Fans, and support your team as they continue Post Season play!

Bettendorf still holds the top spot, while Cedar Falls, which won the MVC Super Meet on Saturday at Loras College in Dubuque, is still third. Decorah, Iowa City West and Cedar Rapids Kennedy still hold their spots at seventh, eighth and ninth. Kennedy placed second at the MVC conference meet, one spot in front of West.

Linn-Mar, which finished fourth in the MVC meet, is in 12th place, while Cedar Rapids Washington (15th) and Iowa City High (17th) are in the top 20.

Eastern Iowa is best represented in the 100 butterfly. City High’s Beth Eyanson (59.80) is fourth, West’s Grace Murray (59.88) is fifth, Decorah’s Hannah Maher (1:00.42) is sixth and Washington’s Jill Broghammer is eighth at 1:00.72. Bailey Pons of Cedar Falls is second with a time of 58.69. Eyanson actually captured the conference championship in the 100 fly in 1:00.81.

Decorah is represented in the top 10 of all 11 swim events.

Here is the complete list of rankings.

The distance between the top-ranked and third-ranked teams in Class 3A is further than the drive it takes to reach each other.

Top-ranked Solon handled No. 3 Iowa City Regina, 42-7, in a Class 2A District 5 battle last night at Regina High School.

Solon seemed to have a little more adrenaline pumping and wanted to put its stamp on a game that determined the district champion and increased the Spartans win streak to 35 games.

“To a certain extent,” Solon Coach Kevin Miller said. “We knew this was a good football. We new this was going to be our greatest challenge to date. I’m very proud of the way our kids came out of the gate and asserted themselves physically.”

The first half was the James Morris show. Morris racked up 171 yards on nine carries, including three touchdowns. He made it look easy at times, scoring on two of his first three touches. Morris finished with 191 yards.

Morris gave the Spartans a 7-0 lead with a 60-yard dash on their second offensive play. Morris burst through the left side of the line and rumbled down the left sideline outrunning everyone.

“That’s James being James but at the same time a lot of that starts upfront,” Miller said. “Again we challenged that offensive line and they truly did respond.”

It was much of the same when he scored on runs of 45 and 33 yards in the second quarter. The 33-yard score appeared to be stopped for a 5-yard gain when Morris kept churning and ran through and over a couple defenders before pulling away for the score, making it 28-0.

Morris was quick to point out the big plays are possible when everyone is doing their job. He praised his wide receivers for breaking those big plays.

“Wide receivers just getting down field and locking onto their men. That really opens up big plays,” Morris said. “That’s what it is in college and on the professional level, all 11 guys finding somebody to block.”

Andy Ashton added 108 rushing yards, including a 2-yard score in the third quarter.

Miller said that the defense and offensive line were challenged this week to enforce the Spartan style of play.

“We controlled the line of scrimmage,” Miller said. “We were able to dictate what we wanted to do.”

Morris, who has signed to play football at the University of Iowa, did some damage with his arm as well. Taking over for injured quarterback Wes Sleeper, Morris floated a pass for Derrick Loveless, who caught it and cruised to the end zone, for a 60-yard scoring strike. Loveless also had a 46-yard interception return for a touchdown in the second half.

“Derrick’s a great receiver and he made a great play,” said Morris, who went 2 of 4 for 76 yards. “It wasn’t a great throw by any means. He had to stop on a dime and come back for it. It’s cool to air it out.”

The Spartans (8-0, 6-0) didn’t expect such a lopsided victory over the highly-ranked Regals.

“I know if we take care of business and we do well and I know what we’re capable of doing games can get out of hand,” Morris said. “I wasn’t expecting it.”

The Regals (7-1, 5-1) looked strong at the start, taking the opening drive to Solon’s 16. Regina had a pass dropped in the end zone and then gave up a sack that resulted in a fumble. Solon was in control after the turnover.

Regina, who was led in rushing back running back Anthony Halsch finishing with 65 yards on the ground, responded right before the half. After appearing to be stopped deep in their territory and Solon calling a timeout, expecting to get the ball back before halftime, the Regals converted a 4th-and-10 from their 25 yard line with a Sean Sullivan 26-yard run.

Backup quarterback Tyler Nelson hit Braden Lehman for a 42-yard pass to the 5. Lehman then made a juggling catch in the back of the end zone from Jack Verducci, who returned from an injury, two plays later. Regina pulled within 28-7 at the half.

Regina Coach Marv Cook said he was proud of the way his proud of the way his young team played. He added “our time is coming” to be a regular 2A power.

“They are the benchmark,” Cook said of the Spartans, “and we know what we need to do to get there.”

 For only the 2nd time since starting a volleyball program, the Orioles captured the conference volleyball title outright. (Springville won the title in 2000. They also tied for the title in 2007, and tied for the Valley Division in 2006)  The Orioles cleared a major hurdle in their climb by defeating previously unbeaten (in the conference) Monticello last week  in 3 straight sets.  Monticello dropped a match to Alburnett two nights later, leaving Springville with destiny firmly in their own hands. 

The Oriole ladies made good by defeating East Buchanan last night to seal the deal and finish the regular season all alone at the top with an 8-1 record. 
With a starter out sick and a sophomore JV player stepping in to fill the hole in the front row,  it took a little time for the players to find a groove.  The team struggled a bit dropping game two, and with game three starting a bit wobbly, fans held their breath… but sparked by great tip from cool headed setter Karlee Markley, Katie Wyman found her kill stride & the team came alive.  With 9 kills each from Maggie Ray, Katie &  Hannah Loehr, the Orioles left no doubt in the end.  With her signature unconcerned style, Alesea Bednarz served 10 aces to cap her final regular season game in style.

Coming off the bench to start, Alysha Dirks had 4 kills and two blocks, and fellow sophomore & regular starter CJ Fitzgerald added 4 kills and three aces, giving fans a good feeling about what the Orioles will be serving up over the next few years. 

The Orioles will take on Calamus Wheatland in first round regional play on Wednesday the 21st at Springville.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Congratulations to the 2009 Springville Orioles - Tri Rivers Conference Champions!

It’s no surprise the first team is dominated by Cedar Rapids Kennedy with three selections. The Cougars were the top-ranked seen for most of the season and finished fourth at the state meet Friday and Saturday at Davenport Country Club. The Cougars’ Dane Worley was the top individual finisher, tying for third with 149. He’s joined on the first-team by senior teammates Connor Steele and Isaac Brown.

Cedar Rapids Prairie’s Parker Linn, Linn-Mar’s Tyler McCann and Cedar Rapids Jefferson’s Dalton Stevens round out the first team. Worley, Steele and Linn were unanimous picks, while Kennedy Coach Mark Wilden was Coach of the Year.

Linn-Mar’s Ryan Schrimper, who had the second-best Metro finish at state tying for 13th with 159, was named to the second team. He helped the Lions to a sixth-place team finish.

Here are the teams, including honorable mention selections:

1st Team

1. Dane Worley, Kennedy (11)*

2. Connor Steele, Kennedy (12)*

3. Isaac Brown, Kennedy (12)

4. Parker Linn, Prairie (12)*

5. Tyler McCann, Linn-Mar (10)

6. Dalton Stevens, Jefferson (12)

* = unanimous

2nd Team

1. Cody Bell, Kennedy (10)

2. Jonathan Chadick, Kennedy (10)

3. Mitchell Martin, Kennedy (10)

4. Will Thinnes, Xavier (12)

5. Ryan Schrimper, Linn-Mar (12)

6. Jack Shey, Washington (12)

Honorable Mention

Kennedy: 1. Brigham Stewart (10); 2. Dan Wasta (11)

Washington: 1. Morgan Land (12); 2. Will Havertape (12)

Jefferson: 1. Joby Frey (12); 2. Eric Lehmkuhl (10)

Xavier: 1. J.P. King (10); 2. Devin Olson (11)

Linn-Mar: 1. Keith Brown (12); 2. Joel Bergen (12)

Prairie: 1. Colyn Snyder (10); 2. Ian Tucker (11)

Marion: 1. Matt Schneiders (10); 2. Nick Cranny (11)

Coach of the Year: Mark Wilden, Kennedy