WINTER SPORTS 2017: PAGE 5A PRESS & DAKOTAN ? PLAIN TALK Moles Creating BHS Wrestling Legacy As Part Of Crofton-Bloomfield Program Bees history, he became the first to record 100 career wins when he reached the milestone at the Creighton Invite on Dec. 2. BLOOMFIELD, Neb. — Quinten “I want to create history for my Moles wants wrestling to thrive in town, and hopefully that will spark his home town. something for the younger kids He remembers his reaction — to keep this going,” Moles said. “jumping for joy” — when in his “That’s what I want to do.” sixth grade, his coach informed It’s not that Bloomfield would the boys that Bloomfield would be starting a youth wrestling program. need to attract enough interest to “I remember it like it was yester- field its own wrestling team (without a joint venture with another day,” said Moles, now a senior. school), it’s that Moles said he That was seven years ago. doesn’t want the sport to drop off It’s now been four years the Bees map. that Bloomfield has had varsity He can remember being a midwrestlers, and they joined with Crofton to form a Class C squad in dle schooler out on the wrestling mat for the first time, but for him, Nebraska. the sport came fairly naturally. And while there may not be “Once I started wrestling, it much history associated with wrescame to me right away,” Moles tling in Bloomfield, Moles — also said. “I feel like I caught on pretty a football standout — is starting quick; that I was able to do it right the foundation. As a member of the first senior class of wrestlers in away.” BY JEREMY HOECK jeremy.hoeck@yankton.net NEBRASKA PREP WRESTLING While the technique work came later, it was his determination that enabled him to succeed right away, he added — he has twice reached the state tournament. “I think it’s my drive to want to win,” Moles said. “I hate losing. I always want to challenge myself to be the best I can.” It was obvious right away that Moles had the ability to do just about anything on the mat, according to Crofton-Bloomfield head coach Caden Alexander. Alexander, in his third year as head coach, previously coached at Norfolk Catholic and Wayne, which meant his wrestlers at those schools matched up against Moles. “What I’ve seen is that he has phenomenal athletic ability, and that’s won him a lot of matches,” Alexander said. “His technique has MOLES | PAGE 6A Crofton-Bloomfield’s Quinten Moles, top, was the first Bloomfield High School wrestler to record 100 career victories, a mark he reached earlier this season at the Creighton Invitational. Yankton Girls Return To The Ice BY BEN HEGGE GIRLS’ HOCKEY sports@yankton.net After not fielding a team in 2016-17, girls’ junior varsity hockey is back in Yankton, and the team is focused on improvement. “We want to get better every day,” said Yankton head coach Mike Freeman. “Whether it is a game or practice, our number one priority is improving.” A year ago there were not enough players for a junior varsity squad, but the 201718 roster features 13 players; Creighton junior Derek Wortman was a state qualifier for enough to play their 19-game the Bulldogs a season ago. schedule. “This season is a refier), Jaden Janssen (Sr., 160, building year for us,” said fourth at state), Ethan Poppe Freeman. “We are happy to COACH: Zac Kliment be able to have a team again ASSISTANTS: Tim Nielsen, (Sr., 182, state qualifier), Jared Hornback (Sr., 220/285) this year, but now we need to Garret Zimmerer continue to grow as players.” NEWCOMERS: Frank VITALS: Class D One of the biggest chalMarquez (Jr.), Kevin Marquez LAST YEAR: The Bulldogs lenges the girls’ junior varsity (So.), Hunter Hegge (So.), finished fourth in the state team has faced is having a Nathan Skillings (Fr.), Ocean dual tournament wide variety of players said Hawk (Fr.), Tyson Sauser RETURNING: Cody HanFreeman. Yankton’s roster (Fr.), Gage Pederson (Fr.), vey (So., 120, state qualifier), features a mix of experienced Calvin Dather (Fr.) Brenden Waldow (Jr., 138), hockey players and also Derek Wortman (Jr., 145, those who are new to the state qualifier), J.D. Kuhlman sport. (Jr., 152), Thad Hazen (So., “It can be difficult at times 152), Tegan Mclean (Sr., 160), to manage the different skill Levi Stacken (Sr., 195, state levels,” said Freeman. “But, COACH: Justin Bartling qualifier), Brody Vrooman our team has done a great job ASSISTANTS: Matt Wort(Jr., 285) of helping one another. It is mann, Cameron Schrempp NEWCOMERS: R.J. Wilmes going to take time, but I think VITALS: Class B (Fr., 126), Sam Vortherms this team is going to really RETURNING: Morgan (Fr., 132), Bode Wortman (Fr., Koch (So., 145), Ethan Koch improve over the course of 138), Terance Burrell (So., the season.” (Jr., 160), Eric Hoesing (So., 170), Elijah Costello (Fr., 182), 170) Yankton opened their Anthony Cook (Fr., 220) NEWCOMERS: Cruz Dyer season on Nov. 26 and are currently in the middle of (Fr., 106), Kirby Hochstein (Fr., 126), Jacob Rohan (Fr., 285), Turner Korth (Jr., 152), Charlie Dendinger (Fr., 182) COACH: Caden Alexander ASSISTANTS: Trevor Wiebelhaus, Michael Janssen, FROM PAGE 4A Todd Sauser VITALS: Class C COACH: Don Maxwell “Overall today, I was RETURNING: Reece McASSISTANT: Mike Naeve pretty happy with how we Farland (Sr., 132), Jarrin Sage VITALS: Class C wrestled,” Smith said after (So., 145), Quinten Moles (Sr., the Watertown Tournament. 152, two-time state qualiNEB. WR | PAGE 6A “What you can’t do is look at our overall dual scores. We don’t have our complete lineup yet and, until that time, we are going to be giving up some points. “We looked much more confident on our feet today, and we keep improving on all other areas as well,” he added. “I would say the positives definitely outweighed any negatives we saw today.” After the opener, the Bucks won’t be home again until Jan. 18 for a dual against Huron. After a triangular with ESD foes Harrisburg and Mitchell on Jan. 30, the Bucks will host their annual invitational on Feb. 3. While Ne- Creighton Hartington Cedar Catholic CroftonBloom?eld Laurel-ConcordColeridge YHS WR Season Sched. (0-3) 11/26 at Sioux Falls 2-9 12/2 at Sioux Center 0-4 12/3 at Sioux Center 0-7 12/9 at Omaha 4:10 pm 12/10 at Omaha 10:25 am 12/16 vs. Huron 4 pm 12/30 at Rushmore 9 am/4 pm 12/31 at Rushmore 11 am 1/6 at Sioux Center 11 am 1/20 vs. Sioux Falls 3/7 pm 2/4 vs. Omaha 3 pm 2/10 at Huron 7:30 pm 2/11 at Huron 1 pm 2/17 vs. Aberdeen 2/7 pm 2/18 vs. Aberdeen 11 am 2/23-25 State Tourn. TBD (at Watertown) can compete, but we just need to do so on a more consistent basis,” said Freeman. “We will go on stretches where we are the aggressor and teams struggle to get shots on goal against our defense.” However, at the end of the day, Yankton is focused less Katelyn Lyman, 5, and the Yankton girls’ hockey team re- on outcomes and more on turn to the ice after a one-year hiatus. the process of improving. “We have a really hard working group,” said Freetheir 19 game schedule. The “There are definitely man. “This is a rebuilding schedule includes junior var- things that we need to imyear for us, so we just want sity teams from Sioux Falls, prove on,” said Freeman. “We to have fun and improve Rapid City, Aberdeen, Huron, struggle with awareness at along the way.” Omaha and Sioux Center. times. Passing and positionThe next home contest With having a young team ing is an area where we are for Yankton will be on Dec. 16 comes a learning curve, and striving to improve.” against Huron. while Yankton has seen some While Yankton has seen growing pains early in the some rough patches, there Follow @bigheadbenny13 season, they have also shown has also been a lot of good on Twitter. great signs of improvement along the way. said Freeman. “We have shown that we braska power Millard South is not in the field this year, defending tournament — and state — champion Pierre returns. Regional teams like Bon Homme-Scotland-Avon, Dakota Valley, Vermillion and Wagner are also in the field. “We keep adding to the tournament,” Smith said. “I’ve been very pleased with the teams coming in. We’ve been able to keep that competitive level. It makes for a really fun day.” One change to the Bucks’ schedule will come in the post-season. Region 2A has gone away from its traditional format — it was the only region in the state to use a two-day format — to make it a single-day competition on Feb. 16 at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls. “I’m definitely in favor of a one-day regional. The other three regions (in Class A) are one-day, so it was good for us to change,” Smith said. Hartington Shopper Hartington, NE Trey Bakke is the Bucks’ leading scorer this season, with 10 goals and 10 assists through six games. (402) 254-7471 Hockey Check out this week’s advertising in the Hartington Shopper or at our Web Site: FROM PAGE 4A after being down three goals earlier in the contest,” said Kapla. “We ended up losing on a last second goal. That can be hard to take, but to play in a game like that this early in the season is great for us.” December is a big month for Yankton as it plays 11 total games in the month including eight home games: Dec. 8, 9, 10, 15, 29, 30 and 31. to a successful season said Coach Kapla. The team holds their practices at 6 a.m. and workout after school twice a week with local strength and conditioning coach Mark Roozen. “You can tell just how dedicated this group is,” said Follow @bigheadbenny13 Kapla. “They get up early in on Twitter. the mornings for practice and after school they get an extra, hockey specific workout with Coach ‘Rozy.’ I really think our dedication is going to pay off.” Yankton is in mid-season PO Box 248 form as they opened the 214 N. Broadway season on November 5th. In their first four games, the Hartington, NE 68739 Yankton junior varsity squad (402) 254-3549 earned three wins. But, it was www.steffendrug.com the one loss that came as the biggest learning tool, said Kapla. “We lost 6-5 to Watertown www.hartingtonshopper.com 402-254-6406 313 Industrial Ave. Hartington, NE www.folkersbros.com CEDAR CATHOLIC TROJANS Boys’ Basketball 12/1.................................at Boone Cent.-NG 12/5......................................... vs. Bloom?eld 12/8.................................................at O’Neill 12/12............................................ vs. Crofton 12/21-22 ....................Knight Holiday Classic (at Midland Univ., Fremont) 12/28-30 .....................Wayne Holiday Tourn. (at Wayne State College) 1/4................................... at Laurel-Con.-Col. 1/12................................................. at Pierce 1/16.......................................... vs. Creighton 1/19...............................................vs. Wayne 1/20......................... vs. Guardian Angels CC 1/23................................................. at Ponca 1/27-2/3 ................................Mid-State Conf. (at Norfolk Catholic and NECC) 2/6...................................................at Homer 2/8........................................ vs. Battle Creek 2/10...............................at Lutheran High NE 2/16.................................vs. Norfolk Catholic Girls’ Basketball 11/30 ..............................................at Crofton 12/1.................................at Boone Cent.-NG 12/5......................................... vs. Bloom?eld 12/8.................................................at O’Neill 12/11 ................................ at Norfolk Catholic 12/14................................................vs. Avon 12/28-30 .....................Wayne Holiday Tourn. (at Wayne State College) 1/4................................... at Laurel-Con.-Col. 1/12................................................. at Pierce 1/13............................. vs. Lutheran High NE 1/16.......................................... vs. Creighton 1/19...............................................vs. Wayne 1/20......................... vs. Guardian Angels CC 1/23................................................. at Ponca 1/27-2/3 ................................Mid-State Conf. (at Norfolk Catholic and NECC) 2/6...................................................at Homer 2/8........................................ vs. Battle Creek Wrestling Cedar Catholic/Hartington-Newcastle 12/2............................ Howells-Dodge Tourn. 12/9........................................ Stanton Tourn. 12/16............. Elgin Public-Pope John Tourn. 12/30........................................ Pierce Tourn. 1/6..........................................Winside Tourn. 1/11 ......................Crofton-Bloom?eld Tri. (C) (Crofton-Bloom?eld, West Holt) 1/13..................................... Battle Creek Inv. 1/16........................................... Clarkson Tri. (Guardian Angels, Scribner-Snyder) 1/20..................................Oakland-Craig Inv. 1/25..................................................HCC Tri. (Wake?eld-Allen, Winnebago) 1/27..........................................Plainview Inv. 2/3.........................................Mid-State Conf. (at Norfolk Catholic HS) And for the Bucks, the focus of the season is to prepare for that “one day.” “Overall, our goal is to punch as many tickets to state as possible,” Smith said. “Conference matches are just a stepping stone to where we need to be, but we’d like to be closer to the middle (of the standings).” For that to happen, the Bucks need to take care of themselves — and each other — according to Diedrichsen. “First, we need to make sure we’re all making weight, filling out every spot in the lineup,” he said. “Second, we need to keep our heads up when stuff doesn’t go our way. “Everyone’s pretty excited for the year, excited for wrestling to start.” Follow @JCimburek on Twitter WRESTLING Season Sched. (0-6) 11/30 Home Triangular 0-2 (Beresford-Alcester-Hudson, Watertown) 12/2 12/5 12/7 Watertown Inv. Lennox Quad 0-4 (late) Vermillion Quad (late) (Lennox, Lincoln, Washington) (Brandon Valley, Dakota Valley, Vermillion) 12/16 Washington Inv. 9 am 1/6 Brandon Valley Inv. 9 am 1/8 Brookings Tri. 5 pm 1/12 (Brookings, Roosevelt) Aberdeen Cent.Tri. 1 pm (Aberdeen Central, Brandon Valley) 1/13 1/18 1/19 1/27 Harrisburg Inv. vs. Huron at Pierre Les Tlustos Inv. 10 am 7 pm 6 pm 9 am 1/30 Home Triangular 5 pm 2/3 2/10 2/16 Yankton Inv. Huron Inv. Region 2A 9 am 10 am 1 pm 2/23-24 State Tourn. 10 am (at Brookings) (Harrisburg, Mitchell) (at Sanford Pentagon) (at Premier Center, Sioux Falls) Slowey Construction, Inc. 2510 W. 31st. Yankton, SD (605) 665-8489 HARTINGTON-NEWCASTLE WILDCATS Boys’ Basketball 11/30 ............................................... at Ponca 12/2.............................. vs. O’Neill St. Mary’s 12/5.......................................... vs. Wake?eld 12/9................................................vs. Pierce 12/12..................................................at Allen 12/15.............................................vs. Walthill 12/28-29 ................... Stanton Holiday Tourn. 1/4-5 .......................................Classic Tourn. (Final Round at Hartington) 1/11 ............................................... vs. Homer 1/12..............................................at Osmond 1/16................................vs. Laurel-Con.-Col. 1/18................................................at Crofton 1/19...........................................at Bloom?eld 1/23...........................................vs. Plainview 1/25............................................. vs. Winside 1/26-2/5 .........................Lewis & Clark Conf. (Finals at Laurel) 2/6...................................................at Wausa 2/9................................................... at Wynot 2/16............................................ at Randolph Girls’ Basketball 11/30 ............................................... at Ponca 12/2.............................. vs. O’Neill St. Mary’s 12/5.......................................... vs. Wake?eld 12/9................................................vs. Pierce 12/12..................................................at Allen 12/15.............................................vs. Walthill 12/28-29 ................... Stanton Holiday Tourn. 1/4-5 .......................................Classic Tourn. (Final Round at Hartington) 1/9.............................................. at Randolph 1/11 ............................................... vs. Homer 1/12..............................................at Osmond 1/16................................vs. Laurel-Con.-Col. 1/18................................................at Crofton 1/19...........................................at Bloom?eld 1/23...........................................vs. Plainview 1/25............................................. vs. Winside 1/26-2/5 .........................Lewis & Clark Conf. (Finals at Laurel) 2/6...................................................at Wausa 2/9................................................... at Wynot Wrestling Cedar Catholic/Hartington-Newcastle 12/2............................ Howells-Dodge Tourn. 12/9........................................ Stanton Tourn. 12/16............. Elgin Public-Pope John Tourn. 12/30........................................ Pierce Tourn. 1/6..........................................Winside Tourn. 1/11 ......................Crofton-Bloom?eld Tri. (C) (Crofton-Bloom?eld, West Holt) 1/13..................................... Battle Creek Inv. 1/16........................................... Clarkson Tri. (Guardian Angels, Scribner-Snyder) 1/20..................................Oakland-Craig Inv. 1/25..................................................HCC Tri. (Wake?eld-Allen, Winnebago) 1/27..........................................Plainview Inv. 2/3.........................................Mid-State Conf. (at Norfolk Catholic HS)