Gladbrook-Reinbeck’s Austin Gehring shoots over a Hudson defender during the boys’ NICL Senior All-Star basketball game played last Friday in Reinbeck. PHOTO BY JAKE RYDER

REINBECK – Morgan Neuroth added another honor to her basketball resume last Friday night.

In her final appearance on the court in an East Marshall uniform, the all-state and multi-time all-conference Mustang star was named her team’s MVP for the NICL Senior All-Star Games at Gladbrook-Reinbeck High School.

While the West girls came up short against the East girls, 62-46, Neuroth finished with 15 points and led a late charge for West in the fourth quarter.

West trailed 54-38 heading to the fourth, which was contested under “Elam Ending” rules with the first team to hit the target score of 62 points being declared the winner.

East got stuck on 59 points as Neuroth attacked the basket on the other end, but East MVP and Union Community senior Ava Mills finally closed out the West with a 3-pointer. Mills racked up 31 points — AGWSR’s Ava Olson added 17 points for the West.

PHOTO BY JAKE RYDER

“We got one last shot at all playing together,” Neuroth said. “It was really fun to see people that we played all year in our conference and just work together and have fun.”

In what can be a busy time of year for many of these athletes trying to get ready for spring sports, there were no practices ahead of time so G-R head coach Amber Gerringer and the West girls called it on the fly, with all 10 girls for both squads putting in a full 30 minutes plus the fourth quarter target score scramble.

“We honestly all just met each other today,” Neuroth said. “But it was fun to just go play and have fun and just go throughout the whole game and talk to everybody while we were playing.

In the 3-point competition, Neuroth shared a win with G-R’s Madison Resendez when both made four baskets in the final round of competition. Neuroth started hot with seven baskets in the first round before coming back to Earth.

“In the finals, you just gotta be clutch,” Neuroth said.

PHOTO BY JAKE RYDER

Neuroth will attend DMACC next fall and play softball.

Gladbrook-Reinbeck seniors Isaac Clark and Austin Gehring represented the Rebels on the home court one last time as part of the boys NICL Senior All-Star Game on Friday.

Coming off another state quarterfinals run, the G-R boys enjoyed being home and ended up on opposite sides of the court as the seniors from all three NICL divisions mixed together on “Home” and “Away” teams.

Clark scored 16 points for the visitors, while Austin Gehring had 13 points for the home team in an 86-81 win for the NICL Home team.

“It’s fun to get out there and play with some people you don’t usually play with all the time, just hang out and have fun,” Gehring said.

Denver’s Eli Ricketts hit the game-winning shot – Hudson swept the high honors with Lyle Olson and Tanner Michael winning the MVP awards and Oliver Thompson taking the dunk contest crown. The Pirates brought six of their 10 seniors from this year’s 2A state runner-up team to Friday’s game, with head coach Sean Leonard leading one of the benches.

Clark was the runner-up to Michael in the 3-point contest at halftime of the boys game, with Michael winning a 14-12 shootout with Clark in the finals. Michael scored 29 points in the game as well for the Away team.

“I knew he was a good shooter, so I figured I’d lose anyways,” Clark said. “But then again, I’ve got the advantage of shooting here.”

Friday was just like a practice for Clark and Gehring, who were used to getting after it in the gym preparing for the next opponent with Gehring leading the scout team.

“We love competing,” Gehring said. “Sadly, we’re done, but it’s been a lot of fun, basketball, football, every sport really, just battling, competing. … It’s just memories, you know. Last time you will be here so it’s always fun.”

Clark added, “That’s why we did it. Just to wear the jersey again and play with some friends from other schools one more time.”