Scheels Prep of the Week: Crompton More Than A Shooter

Regina junior Mary Crompton dribbles against Benton. Jeff Yoder/For Your Prep Sports.

Ryan Murken
Your Prep Sports

IOWA CITY – Mary Crompton could pretty much write her own scouting report last season.

“Last year most teams classified me as a shooter,” Crompton explained.

Crompton carries the shooter tag for a reason.

A 46 percent 3-point shooter in her first two varsity seasons Crompton established herself as one of the top shooters in the state.

This season Crompton has demonstrated she is much more than just a long ball specialist.

The 5-foot-8 junior has used an expanded offensive repertoire to get off to the best start of her career this season.

“It’s easy to guard someone when they are just a shooter,” Crompton said. In the offseason I put a lot of focus into getting to the basket and finishing with contact so over and over again I’d have someone pushing me or hanging on my arm as I was finishing.”

That work has paid off the season with the most efficient offensive season of her career.

Crompton is averaging 19.5 per game for Class 2A top-ranked Regina helping the Regals to an 8-0 start.

She is shooting 63 percent from the field and better than 50 percent from 3-point range on the season while averaging a career-high in scoring.

“My teammates are doing a good job of finding me and shots are going down,” Crompton said. “Definitely you just need to see the ball go through the hoop a couple of times and then the rest builds off that.”

Hitting shots has always been a big part of Crompton’s game.

This year Crompton is doing it all for Regina on both ends of the court.

Crompton averaged 21 points in back-to-back wins over Monticello and West Branch but more importantly turned in a pair of standout defensive efforts on standouts Lauren Ries and Tatum Koenig.

“Mary doesn’t get enough credit for her defense but she is a tremendous defensive player,” Regina coach Jeff Wallace said.

Crompton shadowed Ries during a 74-45 Regina win holding the junior standout to a season-low seven points.

She helped hold Koenig to 13 points, nearly seven below her season average in a 70-50 win.

“I enjoy the challenge that my coach puts on me with guarding one of the other team’s leading scorers,” Crompton said. “I just try to put the pressure on and make them as uncomfortable as possible.”

Defense isn’t the only area in which Crompton has improved this season.

Coming off an all-state sophomore season in which she averaged better than 16 points per game Crompton has become even more difficult to defend with her ability to attack defenders off the dribble.

Over the last three games Crompton has averaged 19 points per game while shooting 71 percent from the field.

“It’s hard to guard someone when they can shoot and drive,” Crompton said. “I think that’s become a good part of my game.”

Scheels Athlete of the Week: Joens Posts Back-to-Back Big Games

City High junior Ashley Joens

By Ryan Murken
Your Prep Sports

IOWA CITY – It took half a dozen stiches to close the cut Ashley Joens got following a fall in the second half of a win over Muscatine.

Those stitches were set to be removed Saturday morning.

Following Friday’s win over Cedar Falls someone joked that the way Joens place last week the City High junior might want to leave the stitches in for a little while longer.

Joens posted back-to-back strong performances last week following a six-point outing against Muscatine that was cut short by her trip for stitches.

The 5-foot-11 Joens had 30 points and 13 rebounds in a 77-47 win over Cedar Rapids and had 27 points and nine boards in 62-40 win over third-ranked Cedar Falls.

“I think we are getting better every game,” Joens said. “Those were two good wins for us, the second half (against Cedar Falls) was definitely the best half we have played.”

Already a two-time all-state selection Joens is on her way to another strong season as a junior.

She is averaging 18.4 points and 9.6 points per game while helping City High to a 5-0 record and a number two ranking in Class 5A.

Joens is shooting 54 percent from the field this season after shooting 60 percent (21-of-35) in the wins over Cedar Rapids Prairie and Cedar Falls.

“The offense runs around her as you can see but she does a great job of passing when she gets double teamed,” City High coach Bill McTaggart said. “She is hitting the open girl.”

A unique talent that can play with the ball in her hands or with her back to the basket, Joens has already been used in a variety of ways this season.

Joens did everything from post up on the low block to break the press against Cedar Falls.

The Iowa State recruit had a team-high three assists against the Tigers and added two steals.

“We have a lot more guards and when she goes to Iowa State she will not be playing as inside as much so she will have a good all-around game because she practices a lot on the outside and she plays a lot on the inside,” McTaggart said. “She can handle the ball, she is a just a good all-around player.

Things don’t get any easier for Joens and the Little Hawks this week as City High travels to fifth-ranked West High (5-0) on Tuesday.

City High closes out its December schedule by traveling to Dubuque Senior and hosting Cedar Rapids Jefferson.

“There is a lot of energy and enthusiasm in the West High game every year,” Joens said. “It’s always an exciting game and they are a good team so it’s going to be fun.”

Scheels Athlete of the Week: Kabela Adjusting Quickly to Basketball

West Branch senior Cooper Kabela

By Ryan Murken
Your Prep Sports

If Cooper Kabela had his way he would have been playing football deep into the month of November and all the way through the Class 1A playoffs.

Instead Kabela swapped his cleats for basketballs shoes in October.

For the first time during Kabela’s varsity career West Branch wasn’t playing football in November this season after an opening-round playoff loss to Regina.

Kabela, who moved from tight end to quarterback midway through the football season, put his rare break between the end of football season and the start of basketball season to good use.

The senior forward took a little time to rest up and then got into the gym to prepare for his final season prep basketball season.

That early worked has shown up so far.

Kabela averaged 26.5 points on 66 percent shooting in his first two games this season helping West Branch get off to a 1-1 start.

“In past years it’s taken a couple of weeks to get into it,” Kabela said. “This year I had those couple weeks at the beginning of the season to get back into the basketball rhythm and get my jump shot going and I think that has helped.”

Kabela scored 21 points in a season-opening win over Wilton and poured in 32 in a 70-56 loss to Monticello last week.

The senior forward has now scored in double figures in 24 straight games dating back to last season.

“I think he’s decided this is my senior year and I want to go out with a bang,” Burger said. “One of the best things that he’s been doing here lately is just showing great leadership. In the locker room, on the court, after the court he’s being a great leader.”

A three-year starter and four-year letter winner, Kabela was named to the River Valley Conference Elite team last year.

This season Kabela has taken his game to another level.

He spent the offseason and the time between sports working on his jump shot and the hard work has paid off so far.

“Last year I was more of an inside player so I tried to make myself harder to guard by developing a better jump shot,” Kabela said. “I worked hard on that.”

An improved jump shot has made the 6-foot-4 Kabela a difficult matchup when he steps away from the hoop.

Kabela was 3-of-5 from 3-point range in the win over Monticello and has three assists this season.

“We want him to face the basket as much as he can,” Burger said. “He is a great guy with his back to the basket but he is also pretty darn good when he faces the basket. He has just done everything he has needed to do to make himself a great player.”

Kabela was almost unstoppable against the Panthers last Friday.

He had 19 of his game-high 32 points in the opening half, finished 11-of-17 from the field and grabbed seven rebounds.

“I think he’s the best post in the conference and he’d be good in any league, any class,” Monticello coach Tim Lambert said. “He’s legit.”

Scheels Athlete of the Week: Regina Senior Jack Jensen Ends Career With Big Title Game

Jack Jensen hauls in a touchdown pass in the Class 1A title game at the UNI-Dome. Jeff Yoder/For Your Prep Sports.

By Ryan Murken
Your Prep Sports

Regina didn’t end the season it way it wanted last week at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls.

Fifth-ranked Western Christian stopped the Regals run of six straight state titles with a 47-34 win over the top-ranked Regina in the Class 1A title game.

That didn’t stop Regina senior Jack Jensen from putting an exclamation point on an impressive season.

Jensen hauled in a touchdown pass and added two interceptions, one that he returned 71 yards to set up a Regina touchdowns.

“It’s tough, we knew it was going to be a really good game and if we made mistakes they would hurt us,” Jensen said. “They are a good talented team and they executed off our mistakes.”

Jensen had the best season of her career as a senior leading Regina with 44 receptions for 836 yards and 10 touchdowns as a receiver.

The 5-foot-9, 141-pound senior tied for the team lead with seven interceptions from his corner back spot.

He played his best football in the postseason.

Jensen had an interception in all four playoff games, with six of his seven picks coming in the playoffs.

His first interception in the 1A title game came on a tipped pass inside the Regina 15 yard line and he returned it to the Western Christian 15 to set up the Regal’s first touchdown of the game.

“It was tipped and I just grabbed it with one hand and I saw open field so I took off,” Jensen said. “Isaac (Vollstedt) there and got me a good block.”

The second interception for the game for Jensen was a diving pick in the end zone that turned away a Western Christian scoring chance.

Jensen was equally important for Regina on offense in the title game.

He caught four passes for 91 yards including a 68-yard touchdown pass from junior Michael Conlon that put Regina up 27-19 with 1:37 left in the first half.

“That was a big play and we got some big plays, you want to dial those up and take them when you can get them,” Regina coach Marv Cook said. “My hat is off to Western Christian, they were sound defensively we did make a couple of big plays on them but it seemed like they recovered and made plays when they had to.”

The big effort by Jensen wasn’t enough to earn Regina a seventh straight state title but it hardly sullied an outstanding career by Jensen and his classmates that featured three state titles and a 51-4 four-year record.

“It shows that we are a tough team and we are love each other and play for one another,” Jensen said. “It was an amazing time.”

Scheels Prep of the Week: Flitz Efficient in Dome Debut

West High junior Evan Flitz rolls out against Bettendorf in a playoff game on Oct. 28. Jeff Yoder/For Your Prep Sports.

Ryan Murken
Your Prep Sports

The longer the playoffs go the better Evan Flitz seems to perform.

That’s good news for West High which will play for its first state title since 1999 on Friday thanks in large part to the play of its junior quarterback.

Flitz continued his strong postseason by throwing for 254 yards and three touchdowns in a 35-7 semifinal win over fourth-ranked Cedar Rapids Washington last Friday at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls.

The performance by Flitz helped lift West High (10-2) in the Class 4A state title game for the first time since 1999 where it will face three-time defending 4A champion West Des Moines Dowling (11-1) on Friday at 7:06 p.m.

In his first ever appearance in the UNI-Dome, Flitz completed 19-of-26 passes without an interception and tossed scoring strikes of 34, 3 and 22 yards.

“I would say that I’m a pretty calm guy but certainly when you step out of the tunnel and you see the fans yelling and the atmosphere it’s very different,” Flitz said. “Getting a win feels good and having experience that I can draw from is great.”

Flitz has been impressive in his first season as a starter, completing 70 percent of his passes for 2,051 yards and 22 touchdowns with five interceptions.

The 6-foot, 175-pound junior has been at his best in the playoffs, completing 55-of-74 passes for 804 yards and 10 touchdowns with just one interception in three postseason wins.

Behind the play of Flitz, West High is averaging 32.3 points and 393 total yards per game in postseason play.

We talked about that, it’s no different, we have faced pressure since really the beginning of the season and we are used to it,” Flitz said of the postseason. “All through the playoffs we kind of blocked that out. We trust in what we are doing here in practice and that carries over to Friday nights.”

Flitz missed a pair of games with a knee injury in the middle of the season but has come back to lead West High to five straight wins.

He is completing better than 76 percent of his passes in his five games since returning from the injury sustained in the second half of a week five loss to Cedar Rapids Prairie.

Junior Ethan Postler led West High to a pair of wins with Flitz sidelined and together the duo has helped West High lead Class 4A in passing efficiency, completing better than 68 percent of its passes on the season.

After passing for 119 yards in his first game back from injury Flitz has thrown for more than 200 yards in four straight games including a career-high 330 with five touchdowns in a quarterfinal win over Prairie.

“We really took control of our own destiny and winning out in the regular season and then three playoff wins,” Flitz said. “We garnered some momentum and we’ve been able to keep that going.”

Scheels Prep of the Week: Williams Concludes Strong Kicking Career

Clear Creek Amana senior Tyreke Williams

By Ryan Murken
Your Prep Sports

TIFFIN – Standing 6-foot-1 and weighing 220 pounds Tyreke Williams is quickly recognized as a football player.

It is picking the position at which Williams excels that people often struggle.

“People ask me what position I play and when I say kicker they don’t believe because I look more like a lineman,” Williams said. “I’ve gotten used to that, I just laugh about it.”

Williams may look like a lineman but he produces like one of the best kickers in the state.

The senior has handled both the punting and place kicking duties for Clear Creek Amana the past two seasons while double as a defensive lineman and has established himself as one of the top kickers around.

Williams connected on 12-of-17 field goals the past two seasons with a career-long of 47 yards.

“I’ve never been fortunate enough to work with a kicker like Tyreke before,” Clear Creeek Amana coach Matt Hughes said. “Most of the times in high school football you have to go for it on fourth downs or not kick the field goal so having that option is something that we’ve gotten used to and he’s been such a huge asset for our team. He’s been a special player for us.”

Williams grew up playing soccer so when coaches were looking for place kicking volunteers in middle school he threw up his hand.

After three test kicks the kicking job belonged to Williams.

“In middle school coaches came up and asked if I could kick a ball through the up rights,” Williams said. “I kicked one through, they moved it back a little further I kicked it through, moved it back a little further and I kicked it through and they said, ‘alright, you’re our kicker’,”

Since that time Williams became a major asset for the Clippers with both his punting and place kicking.

This fall Williams had the best season of his career helping Clear Creek Amana to a 7-2 record that included the first 6-0 start in program history.

“I think I’ve had a great year but I couldn’t do it without a perfect snap and a perfect hold,” Williams said. “It’s been really fun, last year we had a good year and this year we’ve built on that and had a great season so it’s been really fun to be a part of that.”

As a senior Williams made 6-of-7 field goal attempts and was 24-of-29 on extra points.

Of his 44 kick offs 14 went for touchbacks.

All of those were improvements over 2015 when Williams was 6-of-10 on field goals.

“I feel like I’ve gotten a lot better just going to camps and working at it,” Williams said. “I’ve worked on kicking a lot the past few years.”

Where Williams impressed the most this season was with his punting.

He averaged 42.5 yards per punt o 31 punts, good for fourth best in the state among players with at least 10 punts.

“When you have somebody that can consistently kick 45 plus yard punts and then boom some 60 yard punts in there too it totally changes the field position battle,” Hughes said. “That is something that we got used to having that as a weapon and we will definitely miss that when he’s not around anymore.”

Williams closed his career on Friday by converting all four of his extra points and booming a 56-yarder on his only punt attempt in a 42-6 win over Central DeWitt.

He would like to continue his kicking career in college and is looking at several options.

Hughes believes that Williams, who has made field goals as long as 65 yards in practice, has the potential to enjoy a strong collegiate career.

“I don’t think there is any doubt he can kick at the next level,” Hughes said. “You just don’t see strong legs like that. He has every bit of a leg and that’s without having a kicking coach. If someone brought him on and spent time on teaching him more the fundamentals of kicking he could have a great career.”

Scheels' Prep of the Week: West High's Thomas Has Big Day at MVC Meet

West High junior Alleyna Thomas

By Ryan Murken
Your Prep Sports

CORALVILLE – Alleyna Thomas had a simple goal going into the Mississippi Valley Conference swimming meet.

“Going into it I wanted to drop time and see how close I could get to my best times,” Thomas explained.

Thomas did a lot more than that last Saturday at the University of Iowa Campus Recreation and Wellness Center pool.

The West High junior post a career best time to win the 200 freestyle and helped the Women of Troy 400 freestyle relay team to a title in a MVC record time of 3:37.61.

In all, Thomas collected four top three finishes to help West High to a third place team finish.

“I wasn’t expecting that at all,” Thomas said of her performance. “It was really exciting, the whole meet I was super excited to see how well everyone was doing.”

Thomas claimed her individual title in the 200 free in a time of 1:58.29, more than three seconds better than her previous career-best time.

“Alleyna has grown and matured as an athlete a lot even in just the three years that I’ve known here,” West High coach Byron Butler said. “Her goal was to crack 2:00 and she crushed it, she absolutely crushed it.”

Thomas posted a 2:01.9 early in the season and as her training increased saw her time in the 200 free rise to the 2:04 or 2:05 range according to Butler.

After clocking a 2:06 in the event midway through the season Butler saw Thomas getting frustrated with her times.

He assured her as the season went on the times would lower. On Saturday Thomas proved her coaches right.

“Rob (assistant coach Rob Miecznikowski) told her right before her swim, expect to be out in front, if you are out in front at the 100 that’s not a mistake just keep going,” Butler said. “We were telling her that 2:00 is absolutely going to happen, let’s just see how far under we can get and I think now she really sees that we aren’t insane.”

Thomas added a third place finish in the 500 free in 5:15.46 but her most memorable moments came in the relays.

She joined Lily Ernst, Elaina Martz and Melanie Housenga in finishing second in the 200 free relay in 1:40.59.

The big performance from the Women of Troy came in the 400 free relay as the same foursome set a MVC record with a time of 3:37.61.

The time was nearly a second better than the West High school record of 3:38.5.

“At the beginning of the season we wanted to try to break the school record but we didn’t think we were going to,” Thomas said. “Then we get to conference record and we break not only our school record but the conference record and we were just blown away.”

All four swimmers in the 400 relay had times under 55 seconds as West High finished more than two seconds in front of runner-up Cedar Falls.

“I talked to coach Miecznikowski about the 18 years he has been with the girls team and he said he has never had a relay where every girl went 54 so it was just really cool what they did,” Butler said. “They didn’t exceed our expectations because I know they have more in them but I think they may have surprised themselves a little bit.”