Go-Hawks end Comets’ season in substate final, 55-43

By John Burbridge sports@charlescitypress.com

DENVER — It’s never a good night to have a bad shooting night.

Especially during an elimination game.

But such was the fate of the Charles City Comets in their quest to get past Waverly-Shell Rock in the Class 3A Substate 2 final on Monday for an elusive state tournament berth.

Struggling from both the field and at the free-throw line, the Comets found themselves engaged in an uphill battle against the Go-Hawks, who ended up vanquishing Charles City, 55-43.

“They took away our 3-point shot … we only made one all night,” Comet head coach Ben Klapperich said after his team was stopped a game short of making the school’s first boys basketball state appearance since 1956.

“Their guards are very physical, especially on dribble drives,” Klapperich said. “We were able to kick out for some open looks for shots that we normally make. But they didn’t fall. We had a tough night offensively. We couldn’t get in a rhythm.”

For most of the game, Comet junior Jack Molstead had a difficult time getting on the scoreboard as he was held to just 2 points through about two-and-a-half quarters. Nonetheless, Molstead was able generate some much-needed offense in the fourth quarter after the Go-Hawks’ lead swelled to 10 with the team’s lone 3-point basket and a hard-floor-hitting 3-point play that drew the Comets within 4 (43-39) with a little more than three minutes remaining in regulation.

Molstead led the Comets with 14 points. Mike Cranshaw and Cade Hemesath, both playing their last games as Comets, had 12 and 10 points, respectively.

Though Charles City as a team struggled offensively, early on Cranshaw looked poised to have a big game.

Utilizing a quick first step, in-air agility, a thick-body to shield defenders, and a thing called the backboard, Cranshaw helped give the Comets a 10-8 lead after one quarter with a several near-spectacular drives to basket.

But then he ran into some bad luck. While battling Go-Hawk senior Jack Seward for a rebound near the baseline, Cranshaw inadvertently made contact with Seward once the latter secured the board, enough to send him out of bounds. Had Seward managed stayed in bounds, it would have likely been a “no-call”. But because he didn’t, it initiated a late whistle which saddled Cranshaw with his third foul while still in the first quarter.

Seward had 14 points and Luke Velky scored 16 to lead the Go-Hawks (19-4), who will head to Wells Fargo Arena next Tuesday for the first-round games of the Class 3A state tournament bracket.

Waverly-Shell Rock also had 10 points from Jacob Bahe, whose break-finishing dunk gave the Go-Hawks a 21-13 lead late in the first half while igniting the team’s raucous student section.

“Our kids battled but it just wasn’t our night,” said Klapperich, whose team finished the season with an overall 18-5 record.

“I’m very proud of our seniors and how much this group has matured through the years,” Klapperich said. “This group has helped set a high standard for Comet Basketball.

“If these guys put just half the effort into their future professions as they did this season playing basketball, they’ll end up being very successful.”

Class 3A Substate 2 Final

WAVERLY-SHELL ROCK 55, CHARLES CITY 43

Scoring By Quarters

CHARLES CITY 10 7 11 15 — 43

W-SR 8 13 15 19 — 55

CHARLES CITY (43)

Jack Molstead 14, Hakeem Sharief 2, Mike Cranshaw 12, Bradley Andrews 3, Noah Schlader 4, Cade Hemesath 10.

WAVERLY-SHELL ROCK (55)

Jack Seward 14, Braden Holmquist 2, Trey Angel 3, Jordan Downing 4, Luke Velky 16, Jacob Bahe 10, Mosai Newsom 4.