English Valleys seeks to end long losing streak

NORTH ENGLISH – He is realistic enough to know he's not going to win every game. But Derek Dixon refuses to be OK with losing every one.

That's why he seems to be a good fit as first-year head boys' basketball coach at English Valleys. Fresh out of St. Ambrose University, he is attempting to turn around a program that has dropped 58 games in a row.

The Bears play Keota Friday night in their latest attempt to rid themselves of an awfully big monkey.

'I told the kids (the other) night that if we don't win a game this year, I'm going to be run out of town,” Dixon said. 'I've got pretty high expectations, and I let people know that. Sometimes that gets me in trouble. But losing games, that is not acceptable to me.”

Dixon didn't play basketball at SAU, with his coaching experience coming only at the freshman and middle-school girls' level. He got a teaching job at EV this fall and was introduced to his basketball players through being the Bears' assistant football coach this fall.

If his energy and enthusiasm account for anything, English Valleys will win a few games this season. It was tied with BGM going to the fourth quarter of its second game this season and hung tough Tuesday night with Iowa Valley.

'I'm not exactly sure I was ready to do this, but it's been fun and enjoyable,” Dixon said. 'The kids have helped out with that.”

The team has three returning starters in seniors forwards Tanner Icenbice and Sam Schauer and senior guard Adam Kerkove. Those boys, and everyone else, is dying to know what it feels like to win a game.

'We are close enough to get to the point where we are able to hang with teams,” Dixon said. 'A lot of it is a confidence thing. We need to believe we can fight through a game and finish one out.”

AROUND THE HOOP

- Cascade Coach Al Marshall is two wins shy of 700 for his illustrious career. If his team beats winless Mid-Prairie Friday night, he will go for his milestone victory Tuesday night at home against Anamosa. He would join Bob Hilmer (WACO, Fredericksburg, Forest City) and Fred Parsons (Van Buren, Fox Valley) as the only members of the 700-win club. Game time Tuesday is 6 p.m.

- West Central had a big win this week over Clayton Ridge, 75-70. The game was a matchup of the Upper Iowa Conference favorites in the big school and small school divisions. Six-foot-10 senior center Ethan Steinbronn is averaging 26 points and 11.3 rebounds for the Blue Devils.

- Most teams are done for the holidays this weekend, though there are 24 games around the state Monday night and seven more Tuesday. Metro teams playing Monday are Marion (at Washington, Iowa) and Cedar Rapids Washington (at New Hampton). That latter game was supposed to be Washington's opener but was pushed back because the Warriors advanced to the Class 4A state championship football game.

l Comments: (319) 398-8259; jeff.johnson@thegazette.com