February 2014

The Humboldt girls basketball team kept their season alive Saturday night (Feb. 15) by winning their first round Class 3A Regional Tournament game in the Humboldt gym. The Wildcats held off Forest City, 39-36, to advance into a Feb. 19 semifinal round game against Spirit Lake at Spirit Lake.Avery Terwilliger scored 14 points while Lauren Friesth and Madison Thomas each had nine to power the Wildcats, who improved to 13-9 overall. Kessa Kuyper made five and Maggy Duffield added two. Forest City was led by Sarri Happel with 23 points. The Indians fall to 11-11.Tipoff in Spirit Lake is 7 p.m. Spirit Lake opened with a 59-27 victory over Estherville-LC. See complete story in the Humboldt Independent Newspaper.

Humboldt County Ministerial Association received a $1,500 Working Here Fund grant to support its Food Pantry. The grant is provided through Farm Credit Services of America’s (FCSAmerica) Working Here Fund. Humboldt County Ministerial Association’s goal is to address hunger needs and build awareness for food insecurity. It is the only Food Pantry in Humboldt County. Humboldt County has a population of 9,905 people. “We have been serving 35 families monthly and that number jumped to 45 and 55 families starting August of 2013,” said Nancy Johansen, Humboldt County Ministerial Association. “We recognize the need is growing, so we try and provide enough food to last a family approximately one week.” According to statistics, Humboldt County has 52 percent of residents living at or below the poverty level. There are 11.5 percent, or 1,140 people that are food insecure. The Food Pantry is open two mornings every week, and serves approximately 50 families.

No. 1 ranked and unbeaten Clear Lake pulled away late in the game to upend Humboldt, 86-78 in a North Central Conference boys' basketball game in the Humboldt gym Thursday night (Feb. 13).The Wildcats, 13-6 overall, 12-6 in the NCC, were led in scoring by Jaxon Heinz with 24 points while Jack Curran muscled in 20. Brady Ross was next with 12 and Kenny Kuyper made nine. Clear Lake, 19-0 overall, 18-0 in the NCC, was led by Spencer Davidson's 27 points. Davis Dieken added 15, Matt Stephany had 13 and Jack Abbas made 12.Next action for the Wildcat boys will be Monday, Feb. 17, at home against Fort Dodge Senior High in a JV-varsity doubleheader.See complete story in the Humboldt Independent Newspaper. Subscribe for full access to both print and electronic editions of the Independent.

Led by 6-foot-9 Drake University recruit Casey Schlatter, the Iowa Falls-Alden Cadets posted a 69-64 victory over the Humboldt boys basketball team Monday night (Feb. 10) in the Humboldt gym. Schlatter scored 51 points to power the Cadets. Humboldt was led by Jaxon Heinz with 16 points, Jack Curran with 14 and Brady Ross with 14. Austin Zylstra scored eight points. Nick Heider and Thomas Orness each had five and Kenny Kuyper made two.Humboldt is now 13-5 overall, 12-5 in the North Central Conference. The Wildcats host Clear Lake on Thursday, Feb. 13, and Fort Dodge on Feb. 17. They end their regular season at Storm Lake on Feb. 20.Class 3A District tournament pairings are now out and the Wildcats will meet Nevada on Monday, Feb. 24, in a 6:30 p.m. game in the Webster City gym in the first round. Webster City and Gilbert will play in the second game at 8:15. The winners will meet in Fort Dodge in a district final on Feb. 27 at 7 p.m.