Girls basketball
The girls basketball team had a busy weekend filled with some losses and wins. On Jan. 19, the girls hosted a home game against Linn-Mar, and the next day, they headed down to Cedar Falls. On Jan. 22 and 23, they had away games at Hempstead High School and Waterloo West.
On Jan. 19 against Linn-Mar the girls picked up a close game but ultimately lost 42-45. Freshman Sasha Baldwin was on fire, scoring a total of 17 points and keeping the score close. On defense, Grace Fincham ’26 kept Linn-Mar on their feet with seven rebounds.
There were multiple wins this weekend too; on Jan. 23, the girls played Dubuque Hempstead and won 64-47. Junior Elle Barnett kept West in the lead, scoring a total of 16 points, alongside Alyson Skala ’24, who had five rebounds. The next day the girls played against Waterloo West and won a close game, 36-30.
The girls will be heading across town Jan. 26 to play City High at 6 p.m.
Boys basketball
The boys were not as busy as the girls this weekend. On Jan. 19 and 23, they hosted home games against Linn-Mar and Waterloo West.
On Jan. 19, they played a close game and won against Linn-Mar 52-47. Jack McCaffery ’25 kept West in the lead scoring 24 points. Kareem Earl ’24 and Julian Manson ’26 helped secure the win with solid defense.
On Jan. 23, the boys locked in another victory against Waterloo West ending the game 64-45. Big moves were made by Earl, who scored 13 points, and Manson, who scored 12 points. On defense, Mason Goering ’26 had a total of six rebounds.
As of now, the boys are ranked No. 2 in the state for class 4A. They will be heading to City High Jan. 26, taking on the Little Hawks at 7:30 p.m.
Boys swimming
The boys swim team went to Linn-Mar to compete in the Mississippi Valley Conference championships. The Trojan-Bolts picked up a fourth-place finish, while West High swimmers collected a few medals.
West High students Hayden Hakes ’25, Winston Fan ’26 and Max Gerke ’24 participated in the 200-yard medley relay, earning the team a first-place finish. Hakes followed that up with a silver medal in the 200-yard individual medley.
Gerke got in on the medal action, taking home silver in the 50-yard freestyle. Adding to his collection, Gerke placed first in the 100-yard freestyle.
Hakes returned for a second-place finish in the 500-yard freestyle. Gerke, Hakes and Ethan Landon ’27 earned a bronze medal in the 400-yard freestyle relay.
The swim team will be back in action at the state qualifier at Summit Middle School in Johnston Feb. 3 at 12 p.m.
Girls wrestling
The girls traveled just up the road to Prairie High School in Cedar Rapids to compete in the Mississippi Valley Conference Tournament. The team placed 11th, but a handful of girls finished on the podium.
After a first-round loss, Xuvia Stevenson ’25 got a few byes and won in overtime to compete in the seventh-place match. Losing in that match, she placed eighth. In the 120 bracket, Trinity Myers ’25 pinned one wrestler and pinned another three on her way to a third-place finish.
Helen Orszula ’24 won three different ways on her way to a third-place finish. She pinned a girl, won by major decision and won by decision to secure the medal. Sylvia Broffitt ’26 won by fall three times but couldn’t get out in the third place, getting pinned to earn a fourth-place finish.
Rounding out the podium finishes, Peyten Van Dyke ’27 lost one match but pinned the rest of the way to the third-place finish.
The Trojans will travel to the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines Jan. 27 at 11 a.m. for the state qualifier. The top four wrestlers will make it to the state meet at Xtream Arena Feb. 1 and 2 at 9 a.m. and 10 a.m., respectively.
Boys wrestling
The boys team made the trek to Clinton for the Bob Lueders Invite Jan. 20. The team placed second and had many podium finishes.
Charles Barnhouse ’27 won his semifinal match in overtime but lost the championship round, placing second. Alex Pierce ’26 placed first after a technical fall and decision in the semifinal and championship round, respectively.
After winning by decision in the semifinal bout, Mathew Tran ’27 lost in the championship match, finishing second in the 120 bracket. At 144, Braden Doyle ’24 placed third, winning by decision in the consolation finals.
Justin Avila ’25 captured a first-place finish after a fall in the championship bout. Sterling Warren ’25 added a fourth-place finish after falling in the consolation finals. Kyler Scranton placed third with a first-period fall over his opponent at 175.
In the upper weights, Serafim Surguladze ’25 notched a seventh-place finish at 215 with a third-period pin. Ashton Honore ’24 finished the day with a seventh-place finish, also with a third-period pin.
The boys will wrestle in the regional duals Jan. 30. The location has yet to be determined, but the state duals will be at Xtream Arena at 10 a.m.
