Game of the Year

Undefeated Comets face No. 1-ranked Go-Hawks tonight

Staff Report

CHARLES CITY — One of the challenges first-year Charles City boys basketball coach Ben Klapperich was due to face when he took over the Comet program was to gives fans a reason to fill the school’s new and larger capacity gymnasium for home games.

That shouldn’t be a problem for tonight’s varsity home game against Northeast Iowa Conference rival Waverly-Shell Rock.

The undefeated Go-Hawks are the top-ranked Class 3A team according to the latest Associated Press Iowa Boys Basketball Poll. They are led by Northern Iowa-bound post player Austin Phyfe, who is averaging 20.4 points a game while shooting 75 percent from the field. Phyfe, who was a second-team all-stater his junior year and a third-team all-stater his sophomore year, also leads his team in rebounding with nearly 13 per game and blocked shots.

The Comets are also undefeated (6-0) and recently broke into the Top 10 of the aforementioned poll. Leading scorer for Charles City is junior forward Cade Hemesath, who is averaging 22.2 ppg while shooting 62.5 percent from the floor. Hemesath also leads the team in steals and blocks.

Sophomore guard Jack Molstead, who was a NEIC first-team selection as a freshman, leads the Comets in assists and 3-point shots made while averaging 18.7 ppg.

Senior Jaden Foster is Charles City’s leading rebounder.

Though it may be trite and premature to refer to tonight’s matchup as the “Game of the Year”, fans are advised to get there early to assure preferable seating.

Action in Charles City’s new competition gym will start at 5 p.m. with a CC vs. W-SR boys freshman game. The junior varsity boys game will follow at approximately 6:15 p.m.; tip-off for the varsity boys game will be at approximately 7:30 or 7:45 p.m.