Van Meter wrestling earns two state seats, girls hoops ends season in overtime
It’s on to postseason action for the Bulldogs looking to collect some more trophy case items. (Note: Events covered Feb. 6-12)
Boys Wrestling
Van Meter will bring two Bulldogs into the Wells Fargo Arena this week, as Jackson Boese (182 pounds) and Quinn Arellano (106) each qualified at Saturday’s district event in ADM.
Following the easiest path, Boese breezed through with three unique wins. He first won a major decision, then a second round pin and a 9-3 decision in the title round. All three came against opponents with winning records.
Arellano’s path was a little more dramatic, as he required a win-or-nothing round to advance.
After winning by decision after his first round bye, Arellano lost in the first period in the championship round. That put him in the second place match to fight for the final spot in his class, which he won in the second round.
Girls Basketball (6-16)
If the game had only stopped after one quarter, the Bulldogs would have pulled off an upset win over Des Moines Christian (19-3) to keep their season alive in the playoffs.
But what started out as a 6-0 lead for Van Meter ended up as a 42-39 overtime loss to the Lions, sending the Bulldogs packing in a showcase that proved the team’s 6-16 overall record isn’t a true reflection of team’s capabilities.
This is the second time this season the Bulldogs have held a lead of five points or more against the Lions in the first half, only to come out with a loss. But the number of teams that can even say they held a two-possession lead over DMC this season is slim.
Making this near-win a possibility, Finley Netten was responsible for 18 points thanks to consistent pressure on her that sent her to the charity stripe. She made 6-of-8 free throws to go with her two three-pointers.
Teya Speltz brought some muscle with 10 rebounds, trying to fend off DMC’s six-foot Maren Miller who hauled in 16 boards. Speltz also added eight points to her box score.
And of note, with Katie Vaught’s four points, all three of Van Meter’s leading scorers were sophomores while DMC was led by two seniors and a junior.
Boys Basketball (15-6)
The regular season ended with a tough contest in Class 3A, falling 65-59 to Newton (13-5).
That ultimately has no bearing on the Bulldogs’ next game, though, as their second round matchup in regional action was determined by the winner of the quarterfinals game, Nodaway Valley (14-8).
The Wolverines are riding a four-game win streak led by two players averaging over 18 points per game for the season. Even so, they only score three points more per game as a team than the Bulldogs who have the edge in rebounds and turnover rate.
This article originally appeared on Dallas County News: Van Meter wrestling earns two state seats, girls hoops ends season in overtime
