Sophomore Cayden Brewer carries the ball up the field for Spencer against Norwalk, Friday on the Warriors home field, earning the 2-1 win. Trailing Norwalk 1-0 at the half, goals by Iain MacRae and William Frehse would propel Spencer to the win. Romeo Alvarez would provide an assist. The Tigers would duplicate the winning score against Denison-Schleswig Saturday to improve to 3-0 on the season.

SPENCER — Now 3-0, the Spencer boys golf squad downed Cherokee by 29 strokes in its Lakes Conference golf opener against Cherokee at the Spencer Golf & Country Club Thursday.

Behind a medalist and runner-up finish from Reid Doring and Trevor Cooke, the Tigers downed the Braves, 155-184. Doring recorded a 36 while Cooke finished with 38.

SHS coach Marc Bruning said he was “just very pleased with continued consistency one through six.

CHEROKEE — The Spencer Tiger boys delivered a dominant performance at the Lynn Jolly Coed Relays, in Cherokee, Thursday, besting a field of 12 with 148 points, pulling away from runner-up Okoboji which finished with 125.5. The purple-and-gold placed first in for relays — 4x800, shuttle hurdle, 4x200 and 4x100; while claiming the gold in the long jump, 100-meter dash and 110-meter hurdles.

EMMETSBURG — A 50-stroke loss to Emmetsburg, Thursday, wasn’t exactly how the Sioux Central boys golf team was hoping to begin its 2024 season. The E-Hawks took full advantage of its familiarity with Five Island Golf Course in a 159-209 win.

“Our scores were not quite what I was hoping for,” Rebel coach Chris Wildeman said. “Emmetsburg has a really good team and I think that intimidated us a little bit. Hopefully as we get more rounds in our scores will come down.”

Roughly 35,000 camo-covered hunters in stealth mode will be heading to the timber in the next few weeks for Iowa’s spring turkey season. And, just as important as contacting the landowner, checking the shell supply and finding the decoys, part of every hunt prep is to review safe hunting practices.

Usually, ice is still lingering on the lakes here in northwest Iowa at the time I am writing this for the Spring OPA Newsletter. But this time, there are boats out on the water looking for the hot panfish bite and docks are even going in. I believe I have heard that people have been referring this last winter as the “Lost Winter of 2024.”

Staff with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources are currently conducting their annual nighttime spring spotlight surveys across the state, collecting information on Iowa’s deer and furbearer populations.

As we go through life, many of us change the way we do things. We find a better way, or sometimes just a different way of performing some tasks. In the past several decades, many changes have taken place in the fishing world. Following are some of those changes.

In walleye country about 30 years ago, the big deal when it came to boats was an 18-foot aluminum boat and a 50-horsepower motor with tiller steering. This rig provided lots of room and outstanding trolling control.

Well, it looks as if our weather is now going to become a little more consistent with daytime temperatures in the 50s to 60s, which I am sure the dock and hoist setters have been waiting for. After all, on the conservative side, there are over 3,300 docks and over 8,700 hoists on the Iowa Great Lakes chain of lakes. The dock and hoist workers definitely need the time.

OKOBOJI — In the post COVID world, Spencer’s boys started its fourth year in a row just as it had performed in the previous three years, with a dominant 7-0 win victory against Spirit Lake. The Tigers have owned their matchup with the Indians for three straight seasons. The two teams moved the game — originally scheduled for Spirit Lake to the neutral turf field in Okoboji.

The Spencer YMCA Tigersharks swam at the GISL State Swim Meet in Des Moines on March 9. The team had several High Point winners along with swimmers who broke records at the meet. (Photos submitted)

After a successful state tournament, 33 Spencer archers will be competing at Nationals. The team will be traveling to Sandy, Utah, April 25-28.

Tracy Wilkerson, head coach, said “At the beginning of each season, the kids ask what it takes to go to Nationals. We tell them to place at state and then we will discuss it.”

For the last five seasons, the team has done just that.

Tiger senior Addison Hobben picked up right where she left off last season. The Spencer scorer found the back of the net three times on six shots to lead SHS to a 2024 campaign opening shutout at home against Spirit Lake in the season opener. The 6-0 victory also included solo goals from sophomores Faith Staedtler and Avery McAntee, and freshman Avery Metcalf. Olivia Jacobson finished with two assists for the home team, and Ana Olson added an assist as well.

SPENCER — With five of six first time varsity tennis players on the court, the Spencer boys tennis team made its 2024 debut Monday afternoon, hosting Lakes Conference foe Cherokee at the West Side Racquet Club. The Tigers would defeat the Braves 7-2 with the meet moving indoors due to moisture on the Riverview Courts.

SPENCER — A 203-227 score resulted in a girl golf triangular, turned dual, win for Spencer against Algona’s Bishop Garrigan.

Tiger coach Nate Wendt said his ladies “usually play against Humboldt and Bishop Garrigan, but it has always been competitive and a good start to the season