Boys Basketball Catching Fire at 7-1

This article is from the Charger Ink dated December 20, 2012, by Editor in Chief - Karoline Dittmer

The Chariton varsity boys basketball team has been working to win this year and have a shot at State.  So far in the season, the varsity team has had seven wins and one loss.  Davis County has been their only loss.  "I think this group works well together.  They understand how to play good team basketball.  I also think a lot of that working together comes from how the coach runs them in practice.  The team expects to win together, loose together, and work together," said Assistant Coach Jay Pierschbacher.  "I think we're doing pretty well but we have a lot more room for improvement," said freshman Daric Laing.  Junior Willie Felderman said, "I think as a team, our most important asset is working hard and getting better every day."  Alex Wright, a senior said, "We've started to play more as a team than in the years past.  We've started sharing the ball.  It feels good to be winning, but we can't stop doing our best and keeping the dream alive."

The varsity boys have two players who are amongst the top in the South Central Conference.  T.J. Hockenson, a freshman, is currently in third for the most rebounds and points.  "I feel like I've been doing my job but without my team I couldn't do it.  It's a big accomplishment, but it isn't just about me.  It's mainly about the team," said Hockenson.  Senior Bryce Cunningham is number one in assists.  "Being a leader is all about the team chemistry and having good teammates who know what to do.  I'm really going to miss our awesome student section, coaches, and beating Albia," said Cunningham.  "Bryce is our hero!" yelled Laing, Felderman and Hockenson.

55-46 Win over Knoxville



Daric Laing and Alex Wright



The Chariton Varsity Boys returned to their winning streak December 17 at the Charger Dome by defeating Knoxville 55-46.  50 percent shooting at the 3 point line helped lead the boys to a victory.  Senior guard Alex Wright went 5-7 from downtown and 5-9 from inside the arc to finish with 25 points along with two steals and one rebound.  Daric Laing went 2-4 from three-point range and almost had a double-double with 18 points, nine rebounds, three assists, three steals and one block.  With the win the Chargers are now  7-1 overall.  (Google is having problems with their blog.  It took several hours to figure out how to insert a picture.  I had to do it from Picaso.)

Willie Felderman and Daric Laing

CHS Varsity boys suffered 1st loss

CHS Varsity Boys Suffer their First Loss to Davis County

Bryce Cunningham goes up for a lay up
against Davis County

The first loss of the Chariton Varsity boys basketball team happened December 14 at the Charger Dome.  Davis County came on strong and defeated the team 65-46.  Chariton held a six-point lead in the second period and continued to fight hard and ended the first half tied at 21-21.  Davis County came out fighting and outscored Chariton 44-25 in the second half.  Chariton is now 6-1 overall on the season and 3-1 in the conference. 

Chariton went on an 8-0 run to start the second period that ended with baskets by Andrew Laing and Alex Wright to take a 19-13 lead.  Davis County then went on a 6-0 run to tie the game at 19 apiece.

TJ Hockenson had a double-double with a team high 12 points and a team high 12 rebounds and one steal.  Alex Wright had 10 points, eight rebounds, three steals and one assist.  Bryce Cunningham had 10 points, one rebound, five assists and one steal.  Laing had four points, three rebounds, four assists, two steals and one block.  Felderman had four points, four rebounds, two blocks and an assist. 

Varsity girls fall to Clarke

The Chariton varsity girls basketball team showed great improvement in a 64-40 loss to ranked and two-time defending SCC champion Clarke at Chariton Monday night.  The Lady Chargers started out strong and trailed by just three after one period but a key switch by Clarke defensively in the second quarter along with their superior talent helped lift them to a convincing victory.  With the loss the Chartion girls are now 0-2 overall and 0-1 in conference play.

Chargers Remain Undefeated

55-24 win over Eddyville-Blakesburg brings the team to a 6-0 standing overall and 3-0 in conference play.  The boys got off to a slow start, but got it going and took the game.   Senior guard, Bryce Cunningham, went 6-10 from inside the arc and 1-3 from three-point range to finish with 16 points, eight assists, three rebounds, two steals and two blocks.  Senior guard, Alex Wright, also had a good game with 11 points, a team-high eight rebounds, three steals, two assists and two blocks.  Daric Laing went 3-3 from inside the arc and 1-4 from three-point range to finish with nine points, three rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block.  TJ Hockenson had seven points, seven rebounds and a block.  Christian Bengtson had six points, one rebound, one assist and one steal.  The Chargers took good care of the ball with just 11 turnovers and they committed just seven fouls.  Chariton had 15 assists, seven steals and seven blocks.

JV Boys Soar to Victory over Blakesburg-Fremont

The Chariton JV boys got off to a good start and their defense was on fire.  The 36-18 win brought the Charger JV's to a 2-2 overall standing.  The team jumped out to a 10-2 lead after one period and never allowed more than eight points in a quarter all night.  Conner Altenhofen led the scoring attack with 10 points and one rebound.  The Chargers outscored the Rockets, 6-5 in the second period to take a 16-7 lead into halftime.  In the second half, they outscored the Rockets 12-3, with a lead of 28-10 after three periods.  Brett Braida had six points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals.  Sawyer Dow had four points, one rebound and two steals.  Alec Reynolds had two points, two rebounds, three assists and a steal.  Joey Krutsinger had two points, four rebounds and a steal.  Hunter Storm had one rebound, two steals and two assists.  Quinn Storm had four rebounds and two assists. 

Varsity Chargers rout Melcher-Dallas

The Chariton varsity boys improved to 5-0 with a 71-45 thumping of Melcher-Dallas at Chariton December 8th.  The Chargers stormed out to a 23-4 lead after one period and torched the nets by shooting 54 percent from inside the arc.  TJ Hockenson led the team in scoring with 19 points along with six rebounds, two steals, one assist and one block.  Daric Laing had 16 points, two rebounds and two steals.  Alex Wright had a team-high eight rebounds along with six points, five assists and two steals.  Willie Felderman had eight points, two rebounds and a block.   The Chargers shot 15-20, 75 percent, from the foul line.  Chariton pulled down 33 rebounds including nine offensive boards.  The Chargers committed just 10 turnovers and 11 fouls with 22 assists, 16 steals and five blocks.  Bryce Cunningham had four points, one rebound, nine assists, five steals and a block.  Christian Bengtson had three points, four rebounds and six assists.  Conner Altenhofen had two rebounds.

Defense Hurts JV Chargers against Albia

The Chariton JV boys just could not recover after a slow start and subpar defense in a 56-39 loss at Albia December 7th.  The Chargers got down 20-12 after one period and 36-22 at halftime and couldn't recover.  Conner Altenhofen led the Chargers with 14 points along with five rebounds.  Brett Braida had 12 points, two rebounds, three assists and one steal.  Ben Morrett had six points, three rebounds and three assists.  Hunter Storm had five points, one rebound, two assists, two steals and a block.  Quinn Storm had one point and one assist.  Alec Reynolds had two rebounds and two assists.  Joey Krutsinger had two rebounds and two blocks. 

Varsity Chargers Edge Albia 59-57

The final buzzer ended a heart-stopping 59-57 game win over Albia at Albia Friday night, December 7th.  The game was close throughout.  At the buzzer Chariton scored a basket with 1.9 seconds left to get the win.  With the win, Chariton remained unbeaten and moved to 4-0 on the season.  Freshman starter TJ Hockenson had a double-double with a game high 21 points and 14 rebounds.  He went 8-12 from the field and 5-6 from the line.  Fellow freshman starter Daric Laing went 2-2 from beyond the arc to finish with 12 points, four rebounds, six assists and two steals.  Senior Bryce Cunningham had 12 points, eight assists, three rebounds, two blocks and one steal.  Alex Wright had six points, four rebounds and one assist.  Willie Felderman had six points, three rebounds, one assist and one steal.  Carl Williams had two points and three rebounds.  Christian Bengtson had two assists.  Chariton held a 17-15 lead after one period and Albia outscored the Chargers 13-10 in the second to take a 28-27 lead into halftime.  Chariton outscored the Blue Demons, 19-16, in the third to take a two-point lead heading into the final period.  Each team scored 13 points in the final period and Chariton scored the final basket with 1.9 seconds left to get the two-point win.

Cain Scores 25 in 9th Boys' win over Clarke

The Chariton ninth grade boys basketball team rolled to a 54-22 win over Clarke at Chariton Monday, December 3rd.  Aaron Cain had an outstanding game scoring a team-high 25 points to go along with a team-high seven rebounds, six steals and one assist.  With the win, the Chariton freshmen boys moved to 2-1 overall.  As a team, Chariton shot 21-53, 40 percent, from inside the arc.  They shot 3-8, 38 percent, from three point range and 3-4, 75 percent from the line.  Chariton had a ball-hawking defense with 18 steals and they dished out 11 assists on offense.  The Chargers pulled down 28 rebounds and had 16 turnovers.  Brad Krutsinger had five points, five rebounds, seven steals and four assists.  Chase Altenhofen had four points, six rebounds and one assist.

Anderson Earns Five Medals

Sailor Elaine Anderson, Chariton, had a successful gymnastic outing, earning five medals at the prestigious 2012 Peppermint Twist Invitational.  The event was held at the Minneapolis Convention Center on November 30 - December 2 and was hosted by Twin City Twisters Gymnastics.  Sailor participated at Level 6 as a member of the Triad Gymnastics team.  Competing in the Level 6 (9 and under) division, Sailor earned medals in each event including floor exercises, balance beam, vault and uneven bars.  Out of 40 possible points, Sailor accumulated an amazing 35 and captured fourth place in the All-Around competition in her division.  She trains 16 hours a week at Triad Gymnastics in Ankeny, where Jason Wymer and Rachel Thompson coach her.  Sailor has been involved in gymnastics for more than seven years. 

Charger Freshman Basketball at Albia

The Chariton freshmen boys fell to Albia 44-32, at Albia on December 7th.  Brad Krutsinger and Aaron Cain each led the team in scoring with eight points.  Krutsinger also had five rebounds, two assists and two steals.  Cain had three rebounds, one steal and one block.  Chase Altenhofen had five points, a team-high seven rebounds and one steal.  As a team Chariton had 26 rebounds, seven assists, eight steals and two blocks.  The Chargers also went 7-12 from the line.  Cain went 2-2 and Sherrick went 2-3.  Curnutte went 1-1 and Krutsinger and Altenhofen each went 1-2. 
JV Girls Beat Albia in Opener

Varsity Boys Beat Clarke 73-55

The Chariton Varsity boys moved to 3-0 on the season with a 73-55 win over Clarke at Chariton Dec. 3.  The Chargers shot a scorching 69 percent from the line in the win.  Starting freshman T.J. Hockenson went 9-9 from the field and 8-8 from the line to finish with a team-high 26 points, along with a team high eight rebounds, four steals and three blocks.  Fellow starting freshman Daric Laing shot 7-11 from inside the arc and finished with 16 points, two rebounds, five assists and two steals.  Senior guard Bryce Cunningham went 3-6 from inside the arc and 1-3 from three-point range and 1-3 from the line to finish with 10 points, three rebounds, eight assists and two steals.  Senior guard Alex Wright went 4-5 from inside the arc and finshed with 8 points, five rebounds, two assists, one block and one steal.  Connor Altenhofen went 0-1 from the field.

CHS JV Boys Beat Clarke at Home

The Chariton JV boys basketball team bounced back from an opening loss with an impressive 53-15 win over Clarke at Chariton Dec. 3rd.  The Chargers turned it up a notch in the second half scoring 33 points and evened their record at 1-1 overall.  Brett Braida went 2-3 from three point range and 5-6 from the line to lead Chariton with 13 points to go along with four rebounds and a steal.  Ben Morrett went 3-4 from inside the arc and 3-4 from the line to finish with 9 points to ago along with seven steals, two rebounds and one assist.  Quinn Storm had a team-high nine steals along with five points, five rebounds, two blocks and two assists.  Sean Sullenger went 3-4 from the field and 2-2 from the line to finish with eight points and five rebounds.  Alec Reynolds went 3-3 from the field and had 6 points, five rebounds and one block.  Conner Altenhofen had five points and six rebounds.  Mathias Plank had three points and one assist.  Eduard Rodygin had two points, two rebounds, three assists and three steals.  Joey Krutsinger had two points, one rebound and one assist.  Hunter Storm had two rebounds, Drew Derringer had five rebounds and one assist.  Ben Sullenger had one rebound.  Sam Reus had one steal.  Paul Long also played and went 0-1.

Chariton JV Boys lose to Oskaloosa

The Chariton JV boys struggled in their first game of the year with a 51-28 loss at Oskaloosa November 29.  The Chargers struggled at both ends of the floor and shot 30 percent from inside the arc and 53 percent from the line.  Ben Morrett and Brett Braida each led Chariton with eight points apiece and Morrett added three steals and an assist while Braida had one rebound and an assist.  Connor Altenhofen went 4-4 from the line and had six points, three rebounds and a steal.  Alec Reynolds had four points, one rebound and one steal.  Sam Reus had two points, a rebound and a steal.  Hunter Storm had two rebounds and a steal.  Quinn Storm had two rebounds and an assist.  Joey Krutsinger, Sean Sullenger and Sawyer Dow each had a rebound.  Eduard Rodygin had one steal.  Drew Derringer played and went 0-1 from the field.

2012-2013 Varsity Boys Basketball Team

2012-13 Chariton Varsity Boys Basketball Team.  Front from left:  Hunter Storm, Ben Morrett, Christian Bengtson, Daric Laing, Alex Wright and Bryce Cunningham.  Middle row from left:  Will Felderman, Joey Krutsinger, Brett Braida, Alec Reynolds and Dmitry Reus.  Back row from left:  Asst. Coach Jay Pierschbacher, Asst. Coach Carl Williams, Carl Williams, Conner Altenhofen, T.J. Hockenson, Sean Sullenger, Head Coach Ben Schooley and Asst. Coach Dan Reynolds.

2012-13 JV Boys Basketball Team

Pictured are the members of the 2012-13 Chariton JV Boys basketball team.  Front row from left:  Eduard Rodygin, Drew Derringer, Paul Long and Mathias Plank.  Middle row from left:  Ben Morrett, Quinn Storm, Sawyer Dow, Ben Sullenger and Sam Reus.  Back row from left:  Alex Reynolds, Hunter Storm, Conner Altenhofen, Sean Sullenger, Joey Krutsinger and Head Coach Jay Pierschbacher.

2012-2013 Chariton Freshman Basketball Team

Pictured are the members of the 2012-13 Chariton Freshmen Boys Basketball Team.  Front from left:  Max Covington, Adam Kaska, Kyle Dooley, Grant Shriver and Ethan Payton.  Middle from left:  Sam Lerner, Ethan Curnutte, Aaron Cain and Cody Evans.  Back row from left:  Head Coach Carl Williams, Spencer Sherrick, Bradley Krutsinger, Chase Altenhofen, Dillon Sanders and Carter Riechmann.

Chariton JV Girls Basketball Team 2012-13

Pictured are the members of the 2012-13 Chariton JV Girls Basketball Team.  Front from left:  Maria Blong, Micaela Folkerts, Sarah Fuhs and Jessica Wiederholt.  Middle row from left:  Kelsey Carver, Meredith Davis, Nikki Vande Lune, Delaney Richards and Tia Bauer.  Back row from left:  Ryley Heffron, Haley Reece, Emily Seuferer, Carley Arnold, Alexis Curran, Madison Showers and Laurin Zern.

Chariton Freshmen Girls Basketball Team

Pcitured are the members of the 2012-13 Chariton Freshmen Girls Basketball Team.  Front from left:  Tia Bauer, Micaela Folkerts, Meredith Davis and Ryley Heffron.  Back row from left:  Jessica Wiederholt, Carley Arnold, Haley Reece, Laurin Zern and Maria Blong.

Varsity Lady Chargers 2012-13 Basketball Team

Pictured are the members of the 2012-13 Chariton varsity girls basketball team.  Front from left:  Chelsea McGee, Kylie Bengtson, Miranda Davis, Leah Dow and Emily McRoberts.  Back row from left:  Alexis Curran, Sarah Fuhs, Emily Seuferer, Emma Fuhs, Allyson Showers and Emily Grismore.

2012-13 Chariton Wrestling Team

Pictured are the members of the 2012-13 Chariton wrestling team.  Front from left:  Nick McDaniel, Stephen McCurdy, Nic Ryan, Carter Isley, Broc Johnson, Sawyer Atwell, Lucas Heaverlo and Devin Harberts.  Middle row from left:  Sara Runyan (manager), Dallas Cady, Tanner Poush, Jacob Cohen, Connor Grgurich, Cody Stevenson, Daniel Ilyenko, Dillon Blubaugh and Cassedy Smith (manager).  Back row from left:  Asst. Coach Zach Baughman, Samuel Adams, Jordan Baughman, Trevin Nance, Tim Good, Evan Havick, Pavel Garbuzov, Tyler Nance and Head Coach Scott Eddy.  Not pictured:  Cameron Kautz and Asst. Coach Todd Jensen.

Chariton Varsity Boys flatten I-35 in Opener

The Chariton Varsity boys were successful in their season opener with a 58-45 win over I-35 at the Charger Dome.  Playing in his first high school game, Chariton freshman T.J. Hockenson recorded a double-double with 19 points and 15 rebounds along with a block, a steal and an assist.  Hockenson shot 8-13, 62 percent, from the field, and pulled down six offensive boards in the win.

Another freshman, Daric Laing, also started and had 13 points, two rebounds, one block and two assists.  Senior guard Alex Wright went 5-10 from the field and just missed a double-double with 11 points, nine rebounds and three assists.

Varsity Girls lose to I-35 in Opener

The Chariton varsity girls suffered a close loss to I-35 in their season opener at Chariton.  The Lady Chargers overcame an early 11-0 deficit to take a seven-point lead but couldn't quite hit enough shots down the stretch to pull out the win.  Allyson Showers had seven points, three steals and one block.  Emily Grismore and Leah Dow had two points apiece.  Kylie Bengtson had four assists and one block.  Alexis Curran had one block.

Varsity Charger Boys Beat Osky

Bryce Cunningham, T.J. Hockenson and Daric Laing

In the picture above, Chariton senior guard Bryce Cunningham guards an Oskaloosa player; in the back are T.J. Hockenson and Daric Laing (Cindy Laing photo).

Chariton Varsity boys beat Oskaloosa with a 2-0 overall.  After 37 defensive rebounds, the scored ended up 50-42.  Senior guard Bryce Cunningham led the team with eight rebounds, five assists and two steals.  Senior guard Alex Wright had 11 points, seven rebounds and two assists.  For the second straight game Chariton shot at least 50 percent from inside the arc.

2012-13 Chariton Basketball Cheerleaders

Pictured are the 2012-13 Chariton Basketball Cheerleaders.  Front (bottom):  Cassie Carpenter.  Second row from left:  Sara Blythe, Mallory Gwinn, Kasey Lahart, Tori Greubel and Sierra Pruiett.  Third row from left:  DeAneria Cobty, Ashley Batty, Mackenzie Welch and Victoria Giesken.  Fourth row (top):  Cierra Covington, Not pictured:  Mikayla Rich and Serina Hinman  (Justin Sharp Photo).