North Nodaway’s cheerleaders and basketball teams were celebrated at the athletic banquet Wednesday, and five seniors were recognized for having gone all four years through the program.
The fall cheerleaders were recognized first. They were Emily Keho (most improved), Lacy Riley (most energetic), Addalea Barcus (most improved stunter), Sydney Whipple, Katelyn Parman, Amy Richards, Riley Volner (MVP), and Gabby Harker. They were sponsored by Ms. Trautz.
The basketball cheerleaders were Amy Richards (best spirit), Katelyn Parman (most encouraging), Nevaeh Smith, Olivia Renfro (most improved, best team player), Addalea Barcus (best voice projection), Riley Volner (leadership), and Emily Keho (most easygoing).
The basketball girls were next. Honored were Jacquelyn Cline, Ellaina Renfro, Lauren Herndon, Saryn Brown, Angie Parker, Andrea Jenkins, Addalea Barcus, Lacy Riley, Emily Keho, and Jackie Wray. They were coached by Ms. Limback.
The girls lost two players; Saryn Brown (knee) and Kelsey Barcus (early graduation), and had to have other players learn new roles. Addalea Barcus and Lacy Riley were pressed into service and Jackie Wray earned some minutes later in the year. Despite this, and playing a schedule with no pushovers, they still managed to create some good wins. Jacquelyn Cline rewrote the single game scoring recordbook, scoring 36 against Albany and then 41 against Union Star. That record had stood for 50 years. She will continue her career next year at North Central Community College, where she will look different wearing red..
Cline led the area in points per game despite facing a box and one every night. She was a super unselfish player who could nonetheless carry the team on her shoulders; when she succeeded, the whole team succeeded. For this, she was awarded the offensive player.
Lauren Herndon was everywhere on the count; when the team was down, she could be counted on to make plays happen on defense. She led the team in steals and was one of the top rebounders. For that, she got the defensive player. She always showed a positive attitude regardless of the score, and became more vocal this year. For that, she got the leadership award.
Ellaina Renfro was one of those players who was always wanting to step up and always asking what she could do to help the team. She did all the little things to help the Mustangs go, and she was a presence in the paint. In the team’s victory over Northeast Nodaway, she blocked seven shots. Asked to learn a new role, Renfro stepped up and learned how to play the guard position after having been a post her previous three years. When Cline got her 41 points against Union Star, it was Renfro and the whole team who was feeding her the ball. For that, she was given the hustle award.
Addalea Barcus had to step up, even in practice. She earned more and more minutes as the season progressed, and broke into the starting lineups, where she became a presence on defense. She always came with a good attitude every day. For that, she was named the most improved player. Only a freshman, she, Lacy Riley, and Jackie Wray will all provide a bright future if they work at it.
Although she didn’t play much, Andrea Jenkins always led the cheers on the bench, always popped off the bench to recognize a good play, and always wanted to do what was best for the team. For that, she was given the Heart of a Mustang award.
Although there were only five awards to give out, four other players stepped up this year. Angie Parker, despite her small size, stepped up to become one of the top rebounders on the team, take charges on defense, and provide occasional scoring punch. Lacy Riley provided occasional scoring punch and showed steady improvement throughout the course of the year; by the end of the season, she was starting to finish at the rim. Jackie Wray will provide some much needed size in the paint for the next three years and got more physical as the season progressed. Emily Keho has potential as a ballhandler and has a good midrange shot.
A pair of incoming freshmen, Lily Blaine and Mya Hansen, could factor in the mix as well.
They were coached by Sami Jackson and assisted by Madison (Thompson) Geib. Sami said that the best teams were the ones that showed the most fight and heart and the ones who stick together no matter what, and that she couldn’t have asked for a better group of players.
Like the girls, the boys were faced with adversity to begin with as Aydan Blackford missed the first month of the season with a broken collarbone. Despite this, they got him back in January and wound up winning five games this year after winning only one each of the last two years. “It was a pleasure to go to battle with these kids,” said coach Cody Jenkins.
Despite only winning five games this year, the hunger is there for the Mustangs; before Wednesday’s banquet, there were six of them playing a game of pickup basketball. The day after districts had ended, Owen Martin walked to his car after school totally bored because there was nothing to do.
Team members were Aydan Blackford, Damian Dailey, Ethan Fry, Mason Richardson, Brice Trimble, Owen Martin, Jeremiah Dobbins, Preston Hansen, Blaine Clements, Kaeden Nave, and Jordan DeLeon. Eighth grader Ridge Clements was the manager and he meshed right in with the older guys during Wednesday’s scrimmage. The scoreboard did not always show it, but the team grew throughout the course of the year. They went from turning it over 30 times per game at the start of the year to 15 times per game. They went from 5 assists per game to 10. Cody Jenkins has been preaching consistency, which starts in the classroom. When kids get consistent in the classroom, then it starts showing up on the basketball court as well.
When he returned, Aydan Blackford played the last 13 games and had 9 in which he scored double figures. He averaged 14 points per game. For that, he was awarded the offensive player.
Mason Richardson was already a force on the offensive end, but he stepped up his role on the defensive end, and was always asked to guard the other team’s best player, even when they were taller. For that, he was named the defensive player of the year.
Owen Martin led the team in tips and steals. He always put in the time, and coach Jenkins said he was always pestering him about when the film would be ready so he could watch. He has been putting in a lot of time and effort and is one of those players you can’t get out of the gym. For that, he was named the most improved and given the hustle award.
Two players were named the newcomer award. Blaine Clements and Jordan DeLeon fought epic battles during practice, and it showed up on the floor. Blaine broke into the rotation, backing up Damian Dailey, and gave the Mustangs quality minutes. Jordan developed the hunger necessary to get better, and meshed right in with the other players Wednesday. The two kept right on banging together in the scrimmage.
Damian Dailey kept the Mustangs going during the first part of the year when Blackford was down, leading in scoring, rebounding, and blocked shots. He showed a lot of growth both in the classroom and on the floor. For that, he got the Mustang award.
The other senior, Jeremiah Dobbins, provided a lot of ballhandling help, size, and occasional scoring punch from outside. The Mustangs will return a lot of other horses for next year. Ethan Fry and Aydan Blackford could form a devastating backcourt if they stay healthy. Brice Trimble can score a bunch of 3-pointers in a hurry and greatly improved his defense this year. Preston Hansen, an undersized post player, made a lot of hustle plays when he was in. Kaeden Nave provided some quality minutes for the Mustangs at guard off the bench.
At the end of the banquet, five seniors were recognized for playing all four years and putting in the time and the effort through the good times and the bad. They were Jeremiah Dobbins, Damian Dailey, Jacquelyn Cline, Ellaina Renfro, and Riley Volner.
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