Four Comets make All-Conference

Jack Molstead, Cade Hemesath make All-NEIC first team;
Noah Schlader selected to second team; Jaden Foster honorable mention

Staff Report

The Northeast Iowa Conference released its Boys Basketball All-Conference Selections, and four Charles City Comets were honored.

Making the first team were Comet sophomore Jack Molstead and junior Cade Hemesath.

For guard Molstead, this is his second first-team selection as he was the lone freshman to earn the distinction last season. For the second straight season, Molstead led the Comets in scoring as his 19.4 points per game is up nearly 4 points from last year.

Molstead also led the team in assists (131) as his assist-turnover ratio was greater than 3 to 1. Molstead also had 41 steals to lead the team and shot more than 40 percent from 3-point range.

Front-line player Hemesath was a second-team selection last season. This season, Hemesath averaged 15.8 ppg while shooting 50 percent from the floor. Hemesath led the Comets in blocks (24) and ranked second on the team in rebounds and steals.

Sophomore shooting guard Schlader was the team’s most accurate 3-point threat while shooting 40.6 percent from beyond the arc. He also was competent at the free-throw line while shooting 73.5 percent. Schlader averaged 9.1 ppg and was among the Comet leaders in assists and steals.

Senior Foster led the team in total rebounds (151) as well as offensive rebounds (45). An all-district selection in football, Foster will continue his athletic career in that sport as he recently signed on to play for Iowa Central.

The Comets finished with a regular-season record of 15-7 and a 7-5 mark in the NEIC.

Class 3A state tournament qualifier Waverly-Shell Rock, which led the NEIC with a 12-0 conference record, also had four players selected.

Northern Iowa-bound post player Austin Phyfe and fellow Go-Hawk senior John Stensland were both selected to the first team. Waverly-Shell Rock juniors Jacob Bahe and Jack Seward were respective second-team and honorable mention selections.

Rounding out the first team were Crestwood senior Spencer Cuvelier, a two-time first-team selection; Decorah junior Nick Bockman; and Waukon sophomore Michael Sweeney.

Other second-team selections were New Hampton sophomore Tristan Sweitzer; Oelwein sophomore Dominque Robertson; Crestwood junior Clayton Ollendieck; Decorah junior Jerod Redenius; and Waukon junior Isaiah Welch.

Other honorable mention selections were Decorah seniors Lowden Rockweiler and Shawn Shindelar; New Hampton senior Zach Wemark and junior Keagan John; and Crestwood junior Kristian Szajna.