GRUNDY CENTER — The Grundy Center boys’ basketball team improved to 19-0 with Monday’s 81-56 romp over Wapsie Valley.

The Class 2A No. 5 Spartans got a game-high 23 points from Tiernan Vokes, while four others scored at least seven points. Jalen Kirkpatrick tallied 18 points, Brayden Davie had 13, Judd Jirovsky got 11, Brayden Wallis added nine and Ryker Thoren seven for Grundy Center.

Briggs Boehme led Wapsie Valley (9-12) with 20 points, but the Warriors suffered their fifth-straight loss.

Grundy Center goes to 2A No. 6 Grand View Christian on Thursday and 3A No. 6 Waverly-Shell Rock on Saturday to close the regular season.

Grundy Center girls overtake Wapsie Valley for the win

GRUNDY CENTER — The Grundy Center girls’ basketball team needed a fourth-quarter rally to overtake Wapsie Valley for a 47-38 win in Monday’s regular-season finale for both teams.

The visiting Warriors (9-12) led 34-31 with seven minutes left before getting outscored 16-4 the rest of the way, suffering their sixth-straight loss.

Grundy Center’s balanced scoring effort was led by Maddy Hendershot’s 12 points. Ava Mundt added nine points, Kali Aldrich had eight, Raelyn Steinmeyer scored seven, Karlee Lynch finished with six and Caturella Brown added five.

Steinmeyer and Brown made back-to-back 3-pointers midway through the fourth quarter to give the Spartans a 41-36 lead, and Grundy made 4-of-6 free throws down the stretch to seal the win.

The Spartans open Class 2A Region 5 play at home against Alburnett on Feb. 18.

Redhawks clipped by Janesville in Iowa Star Challenge

TRAER — The North Tama girls’ basketball team rallied back from a 14-point halftime deficit only to suffer a heartbreaking 58-57 loss to Janesville in Saturday’s Iowa Star Challenge.

The Redhawks (8-12) trailed 38-24 at the half but came all the way back to tie the game at 57-all on a layup by Gabriella Seda with 1:10 left to play.

North Tama had the ball with 37 seconds left but Klaire Osborn forced a turnover and made 1-of-2 free throws with 13 seconds left. The Redhawks turned the ball over again before getting a chance to shoot, and Janesville (12-9) claimed the win.

Honor Hovenga led the Wildcats with 17 points, Zoey Barnes had 15 points and 14 boards, and Liz Hovenga got 12 points.

Ava Breakenridge racked up 23 points and 11 rebounds to lead North Tama. Kruiz Ewoldt and Seda scored nine points apiece, while Lily Sell scored seven points. Shawna Cibula contributed five points, seven rebounds, seven steals and five assists.

The Redhawks open Class 1A Region 2 play Thursday at home against Belle Plaine.

Wolverines defeat Clarksville in cross-divisional contest

GARWIN — The GMG boys’ basketball team racked up its third-straight win, beating Clarksville 60-36 in Saturday’s Iowa Star Challenge.

The Wolverines (9-12) won the second half 33-15 to break open their six-point halftime lead.

Grady Dieleman led GMG with 19 points, while Jonas Buchanan had 17 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. Ethan Klemesrud got 10 points, while Colin Teske and Rider Kupka scored seven points apiece.

Sam Hoodjer scored 17 points off the bench to lead Clarksville (4-16).

Redhawks can’t catch Wildcats in Iowa Star play

TRAER — A 15-point halftime deficit was more than the North Tama boys’ basketball team could overcome, falling 59-48 to Janesville in Saturday’s Iowa Star Challenge.

Talan Pletz scored a game-high 23 points to pace Janesville (15-6), which won its third in a row. Daniel Britt had 13 points and Gabe Meaney had a double-double of 11 points and 12 rebounds for the Wildcats.

Kayler Morris scored 19 points but on 7-of-28 shooting for North Tama (12-9), which outscored the Wildcats 28-24 in the second half. Josh Dostal added 18 points and six boards.

Two area boys wrestlers win Iowa Star titles

ROCKFORD — North Tama’s Kolt Knaack and South Hardin-BCLUW’s Ryan Busch won Iowa Star Conference gold at the conference meet at Rockford High School on Saturday. Knaack won the 150-pound title while Busch was the 165-pound champ.

South Hardin-BCLUW nipped North Tama in the team standings, finishing sixth with 82.5 points to the Redhawks’ 75 points in seventh. Riceville won the team title with 168.5 points, followed by Maquoketa Valley (142.5 points) and Lynnville-Sully (122.5).

Knaack was 4-0 in a round robin at 150 pounds, winning three matches by fall and one by medical forfeit to improve to 42-0 this season.

Redhawk teammate Maxon Monat added a 2nd-place finish in a round robin at 113.

Busch pinned Dalton Africa of Maquoketa Valley in the third period of the championship match at 165 pounds, the last of three pins for Busch on the day. Garrett Bruner added a bronze medal for the Storm and Parker Pagel, Conner Teckenberg and William Patterson all finished fourth.

South Hardin-BCLUW will compete at a 2A district tournament in Webster City on Saturday while North Tama heads to a 1A state-qualifying meet at South Hamilton.

A-P/GC boys 2nd at Grinnell Duals

GRINNELL — Aplington-Parkersburg/Grundy Center boys wrestling went 4-1 for second place at the Grinnell Duals on Saturday.

A-P/GC defeated Grinnell 51-24, BGM 42-39, Clarke-O/M 48-32, and Woodward-Granger 42-38. The Falcons’ only loss came to champions Des Moines East, with the Scarlets winning by a 44-26 margin.

Maison Copp was 5-0 on the day with four pins and one win by forfeit at 190 pounds; Carter Liston had two falls and one tech fall in a 5-0 day at 126 pounds. Jesse Brouwer was 4-1 with all four wins by fall at 215 pounds and Devan Eberhart added three head-to-head wins at 144 pounds.

A-P/GC will compete for spots at the state tournament at a Class 2A district tournament at New Hampton on Saturday.

No. 5 Spartan boys stroll to 18-0

GRUNDY CENTER — The Grundy Center boys’ basketball team tallied its 18th win in as many tries, drubbing Dike-New Hartford 60-38 on Friday night.

Jalen Kirkpatrick scored 21 points for the second game in a row upon return from an injury, helping the Class 2A No. 5 Spartans improve to 18-0. Tiernan Vokes added 13 points, while Brayden Wallis and Ryker Thoren finished with eight points apiece.

Judd Jirovsky handed out nine assists and Brody Zinkula had five helpers in the win.

Colin Meester and Devon Lotts had 10 points apiece to pace the Wolverines (10-10).