Cedar Rapids Jefferson wins regional 7th grade basketball title

ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Cedar Rapids Jefferson seventh-grade boys' basketball team won the Pacesetter Great Four-State Championships last weekend at the Xcel Center.

The tournament included eight teams from Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota and Iowa.

Jefferson, the Iowa state champion, defeated Plainview-Elgin-Millville (Minn.), 39-23, in the first game, then toppled Platte-Gregory-Burke (North Dakota state champion), 41-28, in the semifinals. The J-Hawks beat Newton, 37-18, in the final.

'We've got good size and speed, we can go inside or outside, and play pretty intense defense,” said Brian Blietz, who coached the team with Aaron Schroeder. 'We've got good balance on offense and we can run a lot of defenses.”

The J-Hawks also won the Gym Rat tournament and the Iowa School Grade tournament.

MOSER'S MANGOLD WINS SCHOLARSHIPS

Six Moser School of Dance and Gymnastic students were recently recognized by Iowa State USTA Power Tumbling and the national USTA for the 2017 competition season.

Katelyn Mangold, 18, of Manchester was named winner of the Iowa State USTA scholarship by a vote of coaches and judges, and also was voted by all the coaches and judges at the national event winner of the Kevin Ballenger Memorial Scholarship from a field of 40 senior nominees.

Mangold also was a nominee for the Reegan Robertson Memorial Scholarship in Iowa, the national Vandergriff scholarship, the Amanda Howe scholarship and George Nissen honor.

Other Moser honorees were Rachel Clayberg, 14, of Jesup, 2017 Iowa USTA sportsmanship award; Hannabelle Erickson, 14, of Winthrop, nominated for the 2017 Iowa Achievement title; Reagan Brown, 13, of Guttenberg, awarded the 2017 USTA Vickie Wilson Spirit Award; Carter Philipps of Dyersville, recognized for his first year in the advanced level status; and Kayli Tegeler of Dyersville, also recognized for her first year advanced.

Debbie Moser was also nominated for the 2017 Iowa Coach of the Year.