Shipman subsequently posted this on his Facebook page: “I’ve struggled putting this into words for a very long time. Earlier this year I received a job offer from a school district I hold a very high regard, Mound City. Next year I will be their HS Principal and Athletic Director. I am very excited for this opportunity and look forward to working with the great people in the district! With that excitement there is also sadness.”
“During my time at NN I have had the privilege to work with some of the best people in education. I’ve had the opportunity to watch boys grow up into men and constantly be reminded of how rewarding coaching and teaching can be.”
“Last night was a lot harder than I expected. It was my last night coaching basketball at NN. Last night coaching a group of juniors and seniors that I’ve been with since they were in middle school basketball. And the last night coaching with a true friend who I wish all the luck in the world to in his seasons in the future, Michael Trautz.”
“Though my time isn’t over at NN till May, these past 6 years have been the most beneficial of my life. And I’d like to say thank you to everyone who has supported me these past years. My beautiful wife, Morgan Shipman and our amazing son Jack. My close friend and mentor, Tim Conn. And all the friends who have helped me along the way. I still get to coach baseball and finish these last few months strong as a Mustang!”
The Mustangs had finished the previous year as a doormat, winning only two games that year. But in Shipman’s first year at the helm of North Nodaway, he won 17 games. Things did not look promising at first, as North Nodaway got off to a 2-5 start. But then they went on a tear, winning 15 of their last 19 games and won 17 games in the 2014-2015 campaign. They lost a heartbreaker to Trevor Meyer and West Nodaway for the Northwest Missouri Tournament title on a last-second shot from Meyer, but they turned around and beat the Rockets twice. Against Worth County, they lost 49-35 in December, only to turn around and beat them in districts. They threw a scare into Stanberry, trailing by only six at one point before losing 55-41 in the semifinals. Stanberry would go on to the Final Four.
In the 2015-2016 season, the Mustangs won their first tournament in 50 years, beating South Nodaway 63-56 to win the Northwest Missouri Tournament. The last time a North Nodaway boys squad won a tournament, in 1965, Ron Huff was the leading scorer and they beat Sheridan 59-57 at the Ravenwood Tournament. Wayne Winstead was coaching for the Bearcats that game. “That was a fun year,” said Shipman afterwards. “I hope we don’t have to wait another 50 years for our next one.”
That team featured Kobe Reynolds and Peyton Coleman, who could both break down defenses at will. They did not have very much size, yet they consistently outworked other teams. They rarely buried teams, yet they were rarely out of a game either. Both eclipsed the 1,000 point mark in their careers.
The 2016-2017 season had more exciting basketball. Against Mound City, as North Nodaway was holding the ball for a last-second tiebreaking shot, everybody thought Peyton Coleman would take the last shot, but instead, Dakota Smyser took it to the hole and won it at the buzzer 43-41 in double overtime. Tyler Bix, then a freshman, was instrumental in that win. At the Northwest Missouri Tournament, Peyton Coleman won a scoring duel over Korbin Koch as the Mustangs beat West Nodaway 66-51. Against East Atchison, who won 20 games that year, the Mustangs gave the Wolves everything they could handle and came up just short, but Coleman had 37 that game.
The 2017-2018 season was a rebuilding year, but there were still highlights. On February 7th, North Nodaway led state-ranked Worth County the whole way until the Tigers came back in the fourth quarter to win 56-53. On February 15th, the Mustangs came back from 15 points down in a wild game to beat West Nodaway 73-66.
The 2018-2019 season saw a revival in North Nodaway’s fortunes, as they were in most of their games, even against strong teams. Against a 27-2 Mound City squad that was stopped by Jefferson at the Civic Arena, North Nodaway gave them everything they could handle before they fell 63-48 on December 11th. They put up another good fight against East Atchison, leading much of the way, before falling 48-41 on January 9th; the Wolves would finish 22-4 that year.
The South Holt game was one of the biggest wins the Mustang boys had during the course of the Shipman era. It also showed that Michael Trautz, the man who will take over for Shipman, is ready for a head coaching job. The junior varsity squad, led by Trautz, set the tone for the whole evening by beating the Knights for Courtwarming, playing as a team as well as a lot of varsity units and playing the kind of complete game that a lot of varsity squads would love to see. That set the tone for the whole night. After the girls won over a solid Knights squad that took it to the next level this year, the varsity boys took the floor. That game, Cody Wood went to the rack at will, getting 41 points in a 77-69 overtime win. Ryan Riley was lights out from 3-point range that game.
West Nodaway, played on February 14th, 2019, was another epic win for the Mustangs. They faced seemingly impossible deficits against the Rockets, the crowd was screaming, and nothing seemed to be going right. But the Mustangs chipped away, and by the fourth quarter, they were right back in it. Sure enough, they came away with the 65-63 win. It was Shipman’s 100th coaching win at both Gilman City and North Nodaway. The Mustangs would finish 13-10 last year.
This year, North Nodaway continued to surprise people. Having lost Arron Coleman and Cody Wood, the catalysts for last year, they nonetheless won another 13 games and finished at 13-12. They were lights-out from downtown, capable of making 10 threes a night. Tyler Bix emerged as one of the top clutch players on the team, and the Mustangs were particularly good at the line. If the Mustangs had the lead at the end of the game, it was usually game over, as they were automatic from the line at that stage.
They came from behind to beat West Nodaway on December 4th, as Cameron Wilson came off the bench and put on a clinic, blocking some shots and getting some boards. They beat Worth County twice, and they beat West Nodaway again in the Northwest Missouri Tournament as Austin Bird sparked the Mustangs with 20 first half points. They avenged a 67-43 blowout loss to St. Joseph Christian, beating them 41-40 in Fairfax to take third. They avenged another loss at Fairfax as well, beating South Holt in overtime 46-40 after losing to them back in December. Shipman was always a tough coach to beat twice; they won three different “revenge” games this year.
Their starting five worked well together and played well together. Ryan Riley was a constant threat to shoot long 3-pointers with a hand in his face. Austin Bird could score points in bunches and became a threat to go to the rim after being a 3-point shooter for much of his career. Karson Oberhauser was a steady presence, was the top defender and rebounder on the team, and had 16 boards against DeKalb. Andrew Blackford emerged as another shooter; along with his brother Aydan, who will be a freshman next year, they will pose a formidable duo for Trautz to work with. Bix was a constant threat to drive, and he developed a 3-point shot this year.
Trautz will have plenty to work with next year. Karson Oberhauser will return, as will Andrew Blackford. Jeremiah Dobbins got some quality minutes against DeKalb and looks to compete for a spot. Two promising freshmen, Ethan Fry and Aydan Blackford, will compete for a starting spot as well. Hunter Carlson could develop into a force in the post, and Damian Dailey and Darron Bix both have length and athleticism.
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