Steinbronn, West Central have had great season

MAYNARD - Take one of the best big men around, sprinkle in some experienced teammates and add a 25-year-old head coach who was ‘X'-ing and ‘O'-ing for junior-high kids just two years ago.

That's been the recipe for success for the West Central Blue Devils this season. They went into their non-conference game Thursday night against Cedar Valley Christian with a 16-2 record, a top seed in their Class 1A district and with what appear to be legimiate hopes of making it to the state tournament for the first time since back-to-back appearances in 1995 and 1996.

'I think we might be having a little bit more success than what I thought we'd have at the beginning of the season,” said West Central Coach Darin Lockard. 'The kids put in a lot of work in the offseason.”

That work included attending a lot of open gyms at the school over the summer, the coach said, not to mention participating in a summer league at Ed-Co High School. Of course, you've got to have talent to go with the hard work, and that begins with Ethan Steinbronn.

The 6-foot-10 senior center is West Central's all-time leading scorer, averaging 23 points, 14 rebounds and five blocked shots per game this season. Lockard calls him the team's 'rim protector” defensively, a guy who literally stands in the lane to swat away or alter any shots that might come his way.

The kid isn't just one of those big, lumbering, immobile guys. He has an inside-outside game offensively and is a good enough athlete to throw for just under 2,800 yards and 30 touchdowns as West Central's football quarterback this past fall.

'He's good,” Lockard said. 'He has a unique skill set for his size. He does a lot of things for us.”

Lockard said Steinbronn had overtures from Division I schools like Northern Illinois but has decided to stay close to home and play for Division II Upper Iowa.

'I support his decision, and the reasons for him making it,” Lockard said. 'It was a good decision for him.”

Senior guard Joe Wolfe was Steinbronn's favorite receiving target in football, and is WC's second-leading basketball scorer at 11.2 points per game. He has signed to play football at Iowa Central Community College.

Junior Dustin Gordon is the team's leading long-distance shooter. He had eight treys in a 34-point night last week against Lansing Kee and followed that up by going 4 for 4 from the 3-point line in a blowout win Tuesday night against South Winneshiek.

Seniors James Niemann and 6-8 Matt Langel are the Blue Devils' other two starters. Lockard is a 2008 West Central graduate who was promoted from his position as middle-school head coach two years ago.

He thinks being so close in age to his players is a good thing.

'It has been a lot of fun,” he said. 'The guys keep me on my toes. Day in and day out, I have enjoyed the interaction with the kids. I think I can relate to stuff, especially off the court, that maybe an older coach couldn't.”

Despite a top see in District 6, West Central was not granted any home games in the postseason, presumably because of the small size of its gym. North Linn appears to be its most imposing district mate, while top-ranked and undefeated Gladbrook-Reinbeck is among the teams in the corresponding district.

'I like where we're at,” Lockard said. 'Our guys know they can't take any games off. We will be trying to extend the careers of our seniors for as long as we can.”

AROUND THE HOOP

- Pairings for the 'District of Death” are out, and you've got a first-round game in Class 2A, District 7 that's worthy of a district final. Dyersville Beckman hosts Anamosa on February 16 that's must see.

Beckman is 11-7, with six of its losses to 3A teams. Anamosa is 12-6, with two losses to Beckman, three to 3A teams and the other to 2A fifth-ranked Monticello.

Speaking of Monticello, it also is in an almost unfair district. The Panthers have a first-round bye, opening its tournament trail February 19 against the winner of the Alburnett/MFL Mar-Mac first-rounder.

MFL Mar-Mac, by the way, has the worst record of the six teams in District 7, a 'paltry” 10-8.

The Iowa High School Athletic Association revealed all pairings for 2A and 1A late Wednesday night. The first two rounds are played in double-headers at various sites, with the rest of the tournament at neutral sites.

Pairings for Class 3A and 4A will come early next week.

- Maquoketa knocked off West Delaware, 53-50, Tuesday night for its first win of the season. That leaves Tri-County (0-16) as the only winless team in the area. There are eight undefeated teams remaining in the state: Iowa City West, Pleasant Valley, Des Moines Hoover, Danville, Ar-We-Va, Gladbrook-Reinbeck, Aplington-Parkersburg and Colo-NESCO.

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