Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

Getting over the hump. Getting the monkey off the back or just a big relief.

Call it what you want, Brandon Clubb doesn’t care, the second year Clear Creek Amana head coach is just happy to get a win.

Clear Creek Amana snapped a four-game losing skid last week with its first back-to-back wins of the season.

That stretch that started with a come-from-behind win over Benton Community qualified as all of those clichés and more for Clubb.

 “It is kind of a monkey off the back,” Clubb said. “we kind of got over a hump tonight that we hadn’t been able to get over.”
The Clippers went into the holiday break 2-5 and a few possessions away from being 5-2.

Clear Creek Amana lost three games by a combined 13 points during an 0-4 start.

After the break the Clippers had second-half leads in loss to Central DeWitt and Independence but again lost four in a row before a 73-69 win over Benton Community on Tuesday.

“It was a huge victory for us,” Clear Creek Amaan senior Darius Moore said. “After coming back from break and losing three games in a row when we expected to win all three of those games that game is a huge confidence booster.”

Clear Creek Amana followed with a 52-50 win over Center Point-Urbana.

“We did the stuff that we have been preaching for a week and a half since Christmas that we needed to do to win a ball game,” Clubb said. “We played tough defense we hit shots, which is an easy formula but we haven’t been able to do that.”

Clear Creek Amana lost to Vinton-Shellsburg on Tuesday and now faces three consecutive road games at WAMAC West Division leader South Tama, rival Williamsburg and Independence.

At 4-10 the Clippers still have opportunities to continue to get over the hump before the postseason begins.

1A and 2A District Assignments Announced

Postseason pairings won’t be set for a few weeks but West Branch and Regina will both be guaranteed a rematch with a regular season opponent in their district openers.  

West Branch and Regina both landed in Class 2A, District 8 when the Iowa High School Athletic Association released district assignments last week.

All six teams in District 8 come from the River Valley Conference with Regina and West Branch joining RVC North Division foes Bellevue, Monticello, North Cedar and Cascade.

The District 8 winner will face the District 7 winner for a trip to the state tournament.

District 7 is made up of Dyersville Beckman, Jesup, North Fayette Valley, Oelwein, Sumner-Fredericksburg and Waukon.

Performances of the Week

West Branch junior Beau Cornwell had 27 points and 10 rebounds in a 57-44 loss to Tipton.

Regina senior Jocoa Kerschen had 27 points and three rebounds in a 71-21 win over North Cedar.

Solon sophomore AJ Coons had 33 points, five rebound and five assists in a 63-61 overtime loss to Western Dubuque.

Clear Creek Amana freshman TJ Bollers had 10 points, seven rebounds and five blocks in a 52-50 win over Center Point-Urbana.

West High junior Dante Eldridge had 19 points, three assists and three steals in a 65-55 win over Cedar Rapids Prairie.