Comet boys basketball coach Ben Klapperich reaches 100th win with 73-47 victory over Chickasaws

Press Staff Report

CHARLES CITY — With the Comets’ one-sided 73-47 home win over New Hampton on Friday night, Charles City boys basketball head coach Ben Klapperich reached the 100-victory milestone of his coaching career.

Of course, he had some help getting there like he did against the Chickasaws.

Senior Keenan Wiley recorded a double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds — six offensive; senior Jeb Wandro had 17 points; and senior Jack Hanson scored 14, dished out six assists and was cited for four steals for the Comets.

The Comets didn’t waste much time in helping Klapperich get closer to the 200-win milestone when they defeated Grand View Christian 58-56 the following afternoon at Comet Gym.

Wandro scored 18 points; Hanson added 13 with seven assists; Wiley recorded another double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds; and senior Kaden Buseman scored 10 points while hitting two-out-of-three of his 3-point attempts for the Comets, who won their sixth straight while improving to 11-7 overall — Charles City improved to 5-4 in the Northeast Iowa Conference after Friday’s win over NH.

The first-half of Friday’s varsity doubleheader served as “Senior Night” for Charles City’s girls team. One Comet senior, Maggie Boss, scored a career-high 29 points while hitting seven 3-pointers; and another Comet senior, Lauren Staudt, added 10 points.

But it wasn’t enough as the Chickasaws, led by Ava Leichtman’s 21 points, defeated the hosts 70-56.

Charles City fell to 2-17 overall and 0-9 in the NEIC.

After Monday’s home game against Mason City, Charles City’s girls will close out the regular season with Tuesday’s NEIC road game against Waukon which will be the first game in another varsity doubleheader.