IHSAA honor to be presented at boys state tournament
10 Basketball Hall of Fame Recipients to be Honored at Boys' Cage Tournament
Three former basketball coaches and seven players will join the Iowa High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame at the Boys' State Basketball Tournament, next week at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.
The presentations will be Saturday evening at the intermission of the Class 4A championship game.
Profiles of the new Hall of Fame class follows.
COACHES
BOB JOSTEN, Webster City -
At Clinton St. Mary's, he was a four year letter winner in four sports. A three-year basketball starter he was a key player on the Irish's 1965 state tournament runner-up. He went on to start at the University of South Dakota, before returning home as the sophomore basketball and head football coach for a year. He went to Notre Dame, Burlington and a four year 66-27 record with two district titles helped him land the Webster City job in 1976. His Lynx teams had a reputation for being a "tough out." The school won eight North Central Conference titles and earned State Tournament trips in 1985 and 2001. He was active in the Iowa Basketball Coaches Association until he retired in 2003 with a career mark of 368-235. He served Webster City for 12 years as Activities Director and also taught AP Government. He and his wife Kathy raised a son Jared who is Webster City's all-time leading scorer and who played four seasons at the University of Northern Iowa.
BOB HORNER, Mason City -
A New Jersey native, Mr. Horner came to Iowa following graduation from Lakewood High School. He attended North Iowa Area Community College and earned his B.S. degree from Upper Iowa University. After teaching and coaching junior high at West Hancock, he started his varsity coaching career with three years at West Bend-Mallard and six years at Lake Mills, logging a combined record of 168-76 with his 1986 Lake Mills team making the State Tournament. From 1987 through 2004 he directed Mason City to 221 wins, five conference titles and five State Tournament appearances including back-to-back championships in 1996 and 1997. He took a career mark of 389-263 when he returned to coach North Butler this year. He and his wife Bev raised three girls - Tracy, Heather and Kristin, and a son Jeff, who scored 2,194 career points, holds a state high of 12 three-point goals in a game and state best of 760 career treys prior to staring at the University of Iowa.
STEVE MCGRAW, Waterloo East -
Considered by his colleagues as one of the state's best coaches and one who builds lasting relationships with his players, Mr. McGraw's numbers bear out the accolade. He coached 13 teams to the State Tournament; won two State Championships (1990 and 2003); and had eight other teams that were fourth or better including runner-up finishes in 1991, 2002, and 2004. He had a 19-12 mark against state tourney teams; devoted 39 years to kids and the profession; and has the ninth best career record in the history of the game - 579-269 with a 465-188 mark at Waterloo East. Only three other coaches have directed more State Tournament teams. A graduate of Indianola High School, where he played baseball, basketball and earned all-state honors in football, he earned his degree at Simpson College where he played basketball and baseball. He started his career at Tri-County, Thornburg before taking over at Waterloo East in 1979. He was also a top baseball umpire,
working eight State Tournaments through 1991. He and his wife Jan reside in Waterloo.
PLAYERS
BOB RICKER, Diagonal -
When Mr. Ricker graduated from Diagonal in 1951 he departed not only with virtually all of the school's scoring records but left as Iowa's second leading all-time career scorer with 1,525 points. He was a four year starter for hall-of-fame coach Dale Herrington and the Maroons advanced to the substate tournament each of his four seasons and also to the one-class State Tournament in 1949. He poured in a then state record 63 points including a state best of 31 field goals a 1951 sectional tournament game against Conway. His state leading 701 points that year was second best all- time. He was named to the fourth team all-state in 1951, a year when only nine small school players were recognized on the seven teams. Remarkably Mr. Ricker's achievements were made while competing with a hearing impairment since age three. Upon graduation he went into farming and is now retired. He and his wife Lucy raised three boys and currently make their home in Mount Ayr.
BRIAN MCDERMOTT, Aquin, Cascade -
Playing for Coach Al Marshall at Aquin he was a three year starter scoring 1,231 points for an 18.7 ppga. His senior year he earned first team All-State and was the Dubuque Telegraph-Herald Player of the Year. At Grand View Junior College, on nationally ranked teams, he played two seasons and was All Region NJCAA in 1976. He later started two years for University of South Dakota. In 1977 he set a then NCAA record with 21 assists in a game. As a senior he won the Rube Hoy Award as the student athlete that contributed the most to the quality of student life. He played in the European Pro League and in 1979 won MVP honors averaging 30 ppg and 10 assists for Leeds, England. He coached 13 years at Dakota State leading them to the NAIA Final Four in 1992. Since 1996 he has continued his coaching success at Southern Oregon University. He and his wife Jan have raised two children - Josh and Josi, both collegiate players.
JAMIE LILLY, Humboldt -
Mr. Lilly and his teammates made Humboldt history in 1976 when they became the school's first ever State Tournament team and they repeated the act the following year. He was the leading scorer each year averaging 17 ppg as a junior on a 21-2 club and 28.0 ppg as a senior on a 19-3 team. Both years the Wildcats were eliminated by the eventual State Champion. He was a two-time all conference player and All-State first team in 1977 for Hall-of-Fame Coach John Westphal. After one season at Iowa State University he transferred to Western Illinois University where he sparkled for the Leathernecks, He had top 10 career rankings finishing eighth with 1,448 career points and third and sixth best respectively in free throw and field goal percentage. He was indicted into the WIU Athletic Hall-of-Fame in 2004. He is a sales representative for Rytee Corporation in Jackson, WI. He and his wife Mary are the parents of three girls and a son and reside in Port Washingt
on, WI.
LOREN DEKRUYF, Boyden-Hull -
Pick a school record at Boyden-Hull and chances are he owns it or has rivaled it. A three-year starter, he led hall-of-fame Coach Paul Walton's team to second in the 1990 State Tournament when averaged 27.9 ppg, repeated as an All-State selection and was selected to the Academic All-State team by the IBCA. His senior year bolstered his career point total to 1,605 and a career 24.0 ppga. For his career he shot 60.1 percent from the floor and 80.6 percent from the charity stripe while blocking 131 shots and garnering 722 rebounds - all Boyden-Hull bests. The "beat" didn't stop when he attended the University of South Dakota where he had 1,038 career points with double digit seasons he final two campaigns. His helped the team to North Central Conference titles twice and two NCAA Division II Elite 8 National Tournaments. After teaching and coaching at Carlisle he is now a middle school counselor at Urbandale. He and his wife Meredith have two sons and
a daughter.
KLAY EDWARDS, Winfield-Mt. Union -
Playing on three State Tournament teams that finished second, third and fourth, he is one of only five preps to earn All-State Tournament honors three times. He was also a two-time All-State choice. He posted a career "1K double-double" with 1,976 points and 1,000 rebounds. Just 15 preps all-time have scored more than 1,500 points with 1,000 or more rebounds. Shooting over 60% from the floor and 75% from the foul line, he averaged a double-double in his three tourney years with averages of 19.5ppg and 10.4 rpg as a sophomore; 20.3 ppg and 10.4 rpg as a junior and 23.8 ppg and 10.6 rpg in his final campaign. He played four seasons at Iowa State for three different coaches and finished as the school's 16th leading career rebounder His play was crucial when the Cyclones advanced to the 1997 Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament. He currently is the C.E.O. of People's State Bank in Winfield. He and his wife Lesley are the parents of a daughter and t
hree sons.
CARY COCHRAN, Tri-Center, Neola -
In 1997 he graduated as Iowa's all-time leading scorer and 3-point artist with 2,650 points and 352 treys. Playing for his father Carl, a hall-of-fame coach, he piloted Tri-Center to the 1995 and 1997 State Tournaments. A four-year letter winner and three year starter, he had a career scoring average of 28.5 ppg. He scored in double figures in 92 of his 93 career games and tallied 20 or more 80 times, with an individual game high of 59. He led his team in assists, dealing out 706 during his career, an Iowa all-time best at the time. He won numerous honors including first team All-State his final three seasons and a spot on the 1997 All-State Tournament team. Playing at Nebraska he shattered their 3-point field goal records by splashing 268 for his career, 89 in a season and eight for a game. In 2002 he led the NCAA in free throw percentage (92.2). He was a conference and district All-Academic honoree. He currently works for the Wells Fargo
Bank in Council Bluffs.
CHUCK HARMISON, Ames -
He was at the heart of balanced Ames High attacks that earned 1975 and 1976 championship game berths. With him in the starting line-up, Ames rolled to a 45-3 two-year mark. Under hall-of-fame coach Arnie Zediker, he was the "go to guy," averaging 21 ppg and 13 rebounds as a junior and 23 points and 13.5 rebounds in a 24-0 senior campaign. The 1975 team lost 56-51 in the finals to Des Moines Lincoln and the1976 club dropped Marshalltown, 75-48, in the championship for the school's first unbeaten season ever. He was twice a first team All-State selection and was the first large school championship player to earn All-State Tournament Team honors two straight years, a feat that has been accomplished by five others since. At Iowa State he played four years and ranks 18th on their career rebounding chart. He later played one year professionally in Belgium and 15 years in Australia. He is currently the general manager of the National Basketball League in Sydne
y, Australia. He and his wife Leanne have a son, Mitchell.
Media Awards and Officials Hall of Fame
Honorees to be Honored by the IHSAA
Four members of the media and seven officials will be honored by the Iowa High School Athletic Association at the Boys' State Basketball Tournament, next week at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.
The media presentations will occur during the intermissions of the Class 1A championship, Friday night, with the officials being honored at the halftime of the Class 2A championship, also on Friday, March 12.
Media Award Winners
Mike Baumgartner - Dubuque -
A 1967 graduate of Marshalltown, Mr. Baumgartner started his broadcast career while in high school working two years at KSO in Des Moines. Upon graduation he became the Sports Director at KFJB in Marshalltown, a post he held until 1971 when he embarked on a 20 year career at KOEL in Oelwein as Sports Director and Operations Manager. For 20 years he was a race car track announcer at various venues in northeast Iowa. In 2004 he returned to radio as Program Director at The River 101.1 WVRE-FM in Dubuque.
Kent Harshbarger - Mediapolis -
A teacher, counselor, coach and athletics director at Mediapolis High School, Mr. Harshbarger uniquely served the district also in the positions of sports reporter and editor of the Mediapolis News. He covered the community's highly successful activities program and city affairs from 1990 until 2006. He is currently an Enrollment Services Specialist at Southeast Community College in West Burlington. He and his wife Karen have a daughter and reside in Mediapolis.
Donald Nielson - Avoca -
Mr. Nielson acquired photography and printing press skills in high school while working for the Coon Rapids Enterprise. He earned his college degree in journalism from the University of South Dakota in Vermillion in 1971, working as a news photographer for the local paper and commuting to Hawarden for additional work. In 1974 he purchased the Avoca Journal-Herald and has served as publisher since. Sixteen years ago he started the Oakland Journal. He covers community events and AHST sports, missing only one football game in 35 consecutive years.
Lori Wiser - Ocheyedan - Her high school journalism experience in Woodbine included being a reporter, feature writer and photographer for the Woodbine Twiner. While earning her degree from Central College in 1984, she was a reporter for the Central College Ray. In 1988 she took her present position as sports editor, photographer and assignment reporter with The Ocheyedan Press-Melvin News. She has been active in the Iowa Newspaper Association and has been a multiple winner for writing and photography. In recent years she has had to scale back her work awaiting a heart transplant.
Officials' Hall of Fame
Dennis Bradshaw -
A native of Dayton he played basketball and baseball and earned his degree from Buena Vista College. He started his teaching and coaching career at Ar-We-Va High School. After retiring his coaching in 1976, he stayed connected with sports by joining a football crew as an umpire. The group worked all levels from junior high through junior college games. He ended his officiating career in 2000 in the Iowa Shrine Bowl. He was selected for the IHSAA playoffs 16 years and worked a total of 23 playoff games, including three championships and several semifinal round contests. He retired as a social studies teacher in 2005. He and his wife Connie reside in Carroll.
Edward Conway - A native of Brooklyn, NY, Mr. Conway came to Iowa in 1971. When his oldest son was playing club soccer in 1982, there was a shortage of officials so he volunteered and quickly became registered with the IHSAA and IGHSAU. Three years later he worked his first boy's interscholastic match in Council Bluffs. He has officiated in the IHSAA State Tournament for 14 years with two title matches and 12 years with the IGHSAU including one title match. He and his wife Kathleen have two sons and reside in Council Bluffs. He has his own communications company.
Ward Hunter - Mr. Hunter was a 1980 Ogden High School graduate where he played football and was a first team All-State player in 1979 and a member of the Shrine Bowl in 1980. While in college he wanted to get back into the game of football and joined a crew, and later took up officiating wrestling. He was on the gridiron for 24 seasons, retiring in 2006. Twenty-one seasons he was selected for the state playoffs and 30 post season games included three championship contests and five semifinal round match-ups. He and his wife Diane reside in Ogden where he is a district sales manager for LG Seeds.
Michael Mumma - At Merrill, WI he was a three sport star and a member of their 1964 State Champion golf team. He sandwiched a three year tour in Viet Nam earning a Bronze Star, around his college work at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Stevens Point. He started officiating football in college, and after law school and locating in Jefferson, he returned to the gridiron. He worked 28 seasons before retiring in 2003. He was chosen for the playoffs 12 consecutive years and earned three title games. He and his wife Margaret live in Jefferson where he maintains his law practice.
Jerry Nikkel -
Already a Hall-of-Fame Basketball Coach, Mr. Nikkel is one of three IHSAA Hall of Fame coaches to be selected for the Officials' Hall of Fame, joining wrestling greats Bob Siddens and Marv Reiland. He began officiating football in 1969 and has worked the playoffs each year since 1983. In that 27-year span he has appeared in 48 post-season games including four championship contests. As a boys' basketball coach he directed Pella Christian and Marshalltown into the State Tournament and had a 29-year career mark of 439-190. He currently is the head women's basketball coach at Central College. He and his wife Judy reside in Pella.
Ron Tryon - Starting in high school and working youth contests and junior high games he waited until 1979 he began a high school officiating schedule in earnest. All told, youth games through varsity he worked over 535 football contests and an estimated 300 softball and 150 baseball games. He was chosen for the football playoffs 24 years and worked a total of 49 games including six championships and eight semifinal round contests. In baseball and softball he has umpired sectional and district play. He is retired from Farm Bureau Insurance. He and his wife Pam have raised three children and reside in Adel.
David Wyckoff - A four sport star at Bedford, he became a three sport official after retiring as head basketball coach at Diagonal in 1973. He became the principal at Ar-We-Va in 1973, retired 30 years later. Already a baseball official, he added basketball and football. During a 21-year career as a football referee he was selected 19 times for the playoffs working 23 games including two championship games. In 23 years as a basketball official he was chosen for sectional and district games and worked numerous district and sub-state games in baseball. He and his wife Betty make their home in Bella Vista, AR.
