LAPORTE CITY — Playing a nearly perfect game in what was an immensely pressure-filled class 3A regional semi-final situation in LaPorte City Saturday, February 20, the Anamosa girls basketball team’s flawless play placed them a mere game away from a first-ever state tournament berth.
“I will have to say, that was about as complete of a game as I’ve seen us play this year,” said Raider girls basketball coach Jack Leighty after his team absolutely hammered past the host Union Knights in a 57-41 blowout triumph. “Union is a very good team and we just took them out of anything they wanted to do offensively. And then our offense was firing on all cylinders too and that just made for one very memorable night of basketball.”
Anamosa (16-7) led from start-to-finish and pounded away at the Knights with a pressure defense that would not allow a low-post shot, while also shooting lay-ups of their own at the offensive end in a dominating demonstration of precisionly played basketball.
“We knew coming in that Union liked to play a triangle-and-2 and box-and-1 defenses and we were prepared offensively for what we were going to see,” said Leighty. “We ran our ‘Carolina’ offense so well, we scored time and again with it and just kept running it until Union proved they could slow it down. It took them a while.”
Anamosa scored the game’s first basket and never trailed, though Union did tie the score on several occasions in the first and second quarters.
“We really began to take control about halfway through the second quarter and once we got going, we never let up.”
With the score tied at 16-16 just one minute into the second stanza, the Raider girls went on a game-changing 19-4 spurt and took a commanding 35-20 halftime advantage.
“Kayla and Lauren did a great job not only knowing when to take a shot and score, but also when to pass and find an open teammate, and they both found Tristan time and again for easy baskets.”
Camp scored 11 of her game and career-high 21 points in the first half, and wasted little time in making sure the big lead would not be lost.
“We came out in the second half and played even better, if that’s possible,” said Leighty as Anamosa out-scored the Knights 16-10 in the third quarter to take a huge 51-30 lead into the final frame. “That was pretty much the game right there in the third. We had the win right there to take, and we took it.”
The Raiders built their lead to as much as 22 points before settling in for the 16-point rout.
“Tristan was just remarkable,” said Leighty. “Credit Kayla and Lauren for setting her up, but she hardly ever missed and was a huge reason the game played out like it did.”
Buck added 11 points and five rebounds while Sanborn chipped in with 10 points, five boards, four assists and three steals.

DES MOINES— Dream became reality for Anamosa’s Jesse Hansen Wednesday, February 17, reaching the 2010 state wrestling tournament had been something the senior had hoped to experience before ending his Raider career.
“Just walking out onto the mat and knowing I had accomplished what I had set out to accomplish was amazing,” said Hansen as he warmed up before battling Carroll’s No. 3 ranked junior Taylor Berger in a class 2A first-round 152-pound bout. “Just looking at the crowd and knowing everyone here was among the best in the state, and to know I am here too, was pretty cool.”
Hansen’s opening bout was a 17-2 technical fall defeat at the hands of Berger, who went on to reach the 152-pound championship match.
“I just wrestled a horrible match in that first one,” said Hansen as the bout came to and end at the 2:45 mark of the second period. “Berger is one of the top wrestlers in Iowa and he showed me that with the way he went about his business out there. He was always attacking and usually I’m the one able to do all of that. It was different.”
The loss dropped Hansen to the first-round consolation match against Clear Lake’s Jordan Dahl.
“It was win or go home this time,” said Hansen who rolled to a very impressive 17-1 technical fall triumph. “
“I felt some pressure before this match knowing what was at stake, but was able to score on just about any move I wanted. It felt great to keep my season alive and get a win at the state tournament. Not everyone who gets here gets to taste victory, and it tasted great for me.”

INDEPENDENCE — The game was theirs from the start, playing outstanding basketball in front of a raucous crowd in Independence Friday, February 19, the Anamosa boys team was at ease taking a double-digit lead into the fourth quarter ready to put away the host Mustangs in the regular-season finale for both clubs.
“We have grown so much this year, but have yet to experience some things, like taking a big lead into the fourth quarter on the road and finishing a team off,” said Raider boys basketball coach Wayne Lasack as his team led the host Mustangs 52-41 with just eight minutes remaining. “We had a 12-point lead with just three minutes to play, and for whatever reason, started turning the basketball over and missed some key free throws that would have clinched it.”
As the Mustangs began their comeback, the crowd grew louder and louder and was at a fever-pitch when Eric Hewson connected on 1-of-2 free throws to tie the game with 11.6 seconds left.
“I called my last timeout after he made the first shot and hoped to ice him for the second and it worked perfectly,” said Lasack as his team had one last chance to win in regulation with the score tied at 62-62. “We had some good looks right before the buzzer but none of them would go down.”
The Mustangs scored first in the overtime and had a 66-63 lead with 2:02 to play when Kurt Vavricek connected on a lay-up trimming the host lead to a single point.
After two Tre Ross free throws with 1:50 left put the Raiders ahead 67-66, Tyler Cooksley connected for Independence to give his team a 68-67 advantage.
Ross came right back and drilled a huge 3-pointer with 1:01 to go putting Anamosa ahead 70-68, but when Newsom answered with a trey of his own with 45-seconds to play, the hosts had a 71-70 lead in front of a deafening crowd.
“That was as loud as I have ever heard a gym,” said Lasack. “The place was shaking it was so loud in there, you couldn’t hear yourself think, but Tre stepped up and hit some huge shots for us, including the game-winner.”
Ross calmly and cooly connected on the game-winning jumper quieting the raucous crowd with 29-seconds to play. The Anamosa defense then took over hounding Mustang shooters into misses at the final buzzer.
“What a great game to be a part of,” said Lasack as his team posted the thrilling 72-71 overtime triumph. “This game had it all. A great start by us. A big comeback by them, and then some amazing play in the overtime by both teams.”
Ross was sensational and never allowed the crowd to faze him scoring 24 points while also adding 11 rebounds, two assists and four steals.