Sports

By Phil Monson

Working construction over the summer, at times Humboldt’s Jamison Heinz was a one-man wrecking crew.

The 2020 Humboldt High School graduate hopes to do just that on the field for the University of Iowa football team this season as he enters his third year with the Hawkeyes. The six-foot, 210-pounder moved from free safety to cornerback over the past year and is looking to earn a position on special teams as well as work his way up the depth chart on a stout Hawkeye defensive unit expected to be one of the nation’s top defenses again this fall.

“I worked construction for a guy this summer in Iowa City. We just finished putting in some windows the other day. I was also jack hammering a wall. It had been hot on those days as well, like it was all summer,” Heinz said. “It was just him and myself working on these projects, but I enjoyed doing it.”

By Phil Monson

The Shrine Bowl all-star football experience last week was like no other for Humboldt’s Caden Matson and Derrick Elman.

Matson, a 2022 Humboldt High School graduate, and Elman, Humboldt’s head coach who served as assistant coach for the North squad, both played key roles in the North’s 24-17 victory over the South in the 50th annual all-star game which raised over $100,000 for children’s Shrine hospitals.

The game was played inside the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls on Saturday, July 23. Elman’s daughter, Payton, who will be a freshman at Humboldt High School in the fall, also served as manager of the North squad.

Matson was voted the team captain of the North offense and quarterbacked the team during half the game.

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Humboldt High School was well-represented in the coaches’ association all-district baseball teams announced last week.

Humboldt baseball was represented by three players in the Class 3A Northwest District. Senior Caden Matson was named first-team at utility. Matson played shortstop and was Humboldt’s lead pitcher, where he compiled a 4-2 won-loss record.

Wildcat senior Levi Newton was named second-team at utility and fellow senior Hayden Holm named second-team at first base.

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Humboldt’s Bryce Gidel is looking to bounce back this year competing on the University of Iowa cross country and track teams.

Gidel, a 2020 Humboldt High School graduate who will be a junior this fall at Iowa, is focused on coming back from a sophomore year hampered by illness and injury.

A standout distance runner at Humboldt, Gidel is hoping for a much better season in 2022-23.

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Holm 2nd team, Thurm 3rd team
Wildcat baseball team finished year 15-10

Humboldt senior baseball players Caden Matson and Levi Newton both were named first-team all-North Central Conference by league coaches.

Senior Hayden Holm was a second-team pick while junior Josh Thurm earned third-team honors. The foursome helped Humboldt compile an overall won-loss record of 15-10, 10-4 and third in the conference standings.

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Wildcats went 14-14 overall

Humboldt softball was well-represented on the coaches’ post-season all-conference team announced last week.

The Wildcats placed five players altogether, including three on the first-team and two on the second-team.

The first-team consists of unanimous Wildcat selection in senior outfielder Alexis Hansen, junior shortstop Addison Thompson and eighth grade first baseman Paige Opheim.

Sophomore catcher Macey Varangkounh was chosen second-team, along with sophomore utility/designated hitter Rylee Coyle.

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By Phil Monson

By Phil Monson

Humboldt’s Kendal Clark set a pretty high standard for herself in her first season of collegiate softball.

Clark, a 2021 Humboldt High School graduate, completed her first season at Des Moines Area Community College in Boone, where she earned first-team All-American honors in the National Junior College Athletic Association Division II level. Clark, a starting outfielder, was also named to National Fastpitch Coaches Association all-Midwest Region First Team.

She helped lead the Bears to a fifth-place finish in the national tournament as DMACC finished the year 52-5 overall. Clark hit .559 for the Bears with a .633 on-base percentage and a 1.211 slugging percentage. She had 90 hits in 161 at-bats including 20 doubles, two triples and 27 home runs. Clark drove in 101 runs and scored 78 runs. Clark’s 101 RBIs led all of NJCAA Division II and she was second nationally in home runs to teammate Emma Dighton of Boone.

Carroll jumped on Humboldt for three runs in the first inning and added six in the second and three more in the third en route to a 12-0 victory over the Wildcats Saturday night (July 9) in a Class 4A regional semifinal round game in Humboldt.

A first inning single by Gracie Lyon was the only hit on the night for the Wildcats, who end their year at 14-14 overall.

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The Humboldt baseball team ended its season in a Class 3A substate opener at Gilbert on Friday, July 8. The Gilbert Tigers took an early lead and held off the Wildcats, 5-3.

The Wildcats end their season at 15-10 overall.

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