Sickles nabs coaching award, four Cadets earn NEIC honors

CRESCO - Four members of the Crestwood girls’ basketball team recently earned Northeast Iowa Conference honors for the 2017 season, and Head Coach Doug Sickles was tabbed for Iowa Girls’ Coaches Association Class 3A Northeast Iowa Coach of the Year.

Cadet juniors Shannon Pisney and Ellie Friesen were named to the All-NEIC First Team and the IGCA 3A All-District Team. Junior Brynn Bodermann was named All-NEIC Second Team, and Emily Friesen received NEIC Honorable Mention.

The Cadets tied Waverly-Shell Rock for the NEIC title this season as both teams finished with an 11-1 mark. Crestwood (22-1 overall) qualified for the 2017 Class 3A State Tournament for the third time in the last four seasons. Crestwood’s NEIC title was its fourth in school history. The Cadets won the NEIC in 2000, 2003 and 2008.

Sickles said he was honored to receive the Coach of the Year Award, which is voted upon by other coaches, but he was quick to share the accolades.

“The award is great for our basketball program,” Sickles said. “You know that when you receive an award like this, your program is successful.

“However, the award is not about me. It’s about all the great kids I coach, and it’s about my great assistant coaches, Dale Dennler and Oakleigh Natvig. They deserve a lot of credit for all they do. I couldn’t do it (coaching) without all the kids and the coaches,” Sickles said.

Shannon Pisney led the Cadets in scoring this season with 414 points, was first in points per game (18.0), tallied 12 three-pointers, posted 216 rebounds to lead the team, dished out 72 assists, had 58 steals and eight blocks.

Ellie Friesen tallied 377 points, averaged 16.4 points per game, led the team with 47 three-pointers, had 100 rebounds, led the team with 124 assists, was first with 66 steals and had four blocks.

Brynn Bodermann scored 196 points, made 30 three-pointers, had 35 rebounds, 61 assists and 31 steals. Emily Friesen score 115 points, made 25 threes, had 92 rebounds, 52 assists and 30 steals.

 

Final NEIC standings: 1. (tie) Crestwood and Waverly-SR 11-1; 2. New Hampton 8-4; 3. Waukon 5-7; 4. Oelwein 5-7; 5. Decorah 1-11; 6. Charles City 1-11.

First Team: Shannon Pisney, jr, Crestwood; Payton Draper, sr, W-SR; Ellie Friesen, jr, Crestwood; Katie Harken, sr, W-SR; Isabel Leichtman, jr, NH; Grace Reyerson, sr, W-SR; Drew Becket, soph, Oel.

Second Team: Brynn Bodermann, jr, Crestwood; Lexi Rasmussen, sr, NH; Kelsi Crooks, sr, CC; Olivia Phillips, soph, W-SR; Amber Rosenstiel, jr, Oel; Maddie Ahlstrom, soph, Wauk; Darian Wegner, sr, NH.

Honorable Mention: Emily Friesen, jr, Crestwood; Jayme Willemssen, jr, W-SR; Emma Nicolaisen, sr, NH; Natalie McMillan, sr, Oelwein; Regan Wasson, sr, Waukon; Kayla Quandahl, sr, Decorah; Jodie Sindlinger, soph, CC.