Cardinals seal North Iowa Conference title

The Garner-Hayfield/Ventura boys are winding down their regular season and are beginning to focus on what’s ahead for tournament play. The Cardinals got a bye in the first round of Class 2A District 4 tournament action.  G-H/V will open tournament play on Thursday, Feb. 14, at home against Forest City.  

The Indians topped Hampton-Dumont, 62-49, on Monday night.

G-H/V 63, Newman 47

With a win against Newman Catholic on Monday, Feb. 4, the G-H/V boys sealed the title for the North Iowa Conference.

“The whole coaching staff is very proud of how the boys developed and battled all year to earn their conference championship,” said Coach Joe Albertson.

Newman was the team to come out executing in the first quarter.  Cold shooting plagued the Cardinals early in the first.  Late in the first quarter, G-H/V found their game legs and were able to close the gap, trailing by only two, 12-10.  The Cardinals went on a scoring run in the second quarter, led by Joel Toppin.  G-H/V outscored the Knights 20-1 in the second quarter for a 30-13 lead by halftime.

“It was scoring in the paint and keeping them off the boards that kept us ahead for double digits the rest of the way,” said Albertson.

Newman could never catch up from the disastrous second quarter and the Cards took the 63-47 win.

Coach Albertson praised the play of Austin Kropp for his post defense and also for his offensive game.

“The guys did a great job finding him where he can score,” said Albertson.

Toppin led the team with 19 points, followed closely by Kropp with 15.  Other leading scorers included Braden Meints with nine and Zach Buseman with seven.

Meints and Toppin led the team under the boards with nine and seven rebounds apiece.

Heath Hutcheson and Spencer Shaw led the team in assists with six and five respectively.

G-H/V 53, Charles City 47

The Cardinals weren’t playing their “A” game when they faced Charles - Read More Via e-Edition