The Early Lead: Year in Review
By BRANDON HURLEY
Sports Editor
It was a big year for sports in Greene County as we witnessed some rare and incredible feats throughout the last 12 months. From track to football to basketball, athletes in Greene County were setting the bar high, literally and figuratively.
Below, we reveal the top five moments of 2016 as chosen by The Jefferson Herald sports staff.
5. Greene County football retains Cowbell for third straight season
In an otherwise bleak season, the Greene County football team retained the Cowbell trophy for the third consecutive year with a 38-0 shutout victory of rival Perry in Iowa’s oldest trophy game. The Rams have held the Bluejays scoreless for eight straight quarters and only allowed 95 yards in 2016’s contest.
4. Paton-Churdan boys hand Ar-We-Va first conference loss
The Ar-We-Va boys’ basketball team entered their Feb. 5 matchup with Paton-Churdan riding a 58-game winning streak as a member of the Rolling Valley Conference, never having lost a contest until P-C pulled out a thrilling, 64-62 victory in Churdan. Then senior Noah Juergensen recorded a double-double with 26 points and 13 rebounds. The victory remains Ar-We-Va’s only RVC loss as the top 10 ranked squad is undefeated this winter.
3. MacLagan hall of fame induction
Four-time state champion Brent MacLagan was inducted into the Iowa High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame as part of the 2016 class during halftime of the 4A football state title game Nov. 21 in Cedar Falls. The 1995 Jefferson-Scranton graduate won three consecutive 400 meter hurdle titles and a 1,600 meter championship during his high school career. The hurdle and one-mile combo was never done up to that point and has yet to be duplicated. MacLagan also was named to the All-state team for football two times and led a successful track career at the University of Northern Iowa.
2. Paup leads 1A in scoring
Paton-Churdan graduate Carleigh Paup led all of Class 1A in scoring with a 24.7 PPG average during the 2015-2016 basketball season. The former Rocket was third across all classes behind Pocahontas Area’s Elle Ruffridge (28.4) and Hinton’s Kailey Burke (27.1). Paup tallied a season-high 41 points Dec. 12, 2015 in a 68-59 win over Charter Oak-UTE in which she also recorded six blocks.
1. Durbin wins high jump state title
A sweep of a single event at the Drake Relays and state is a rare feat, but Greene County’s Megan Durbin pulled it off with relative ease this past spring, earning herself the top spot on this end-of-the-year list.
The then sophomore high jumper captured the Drake Relays title April 29 in Des Moines clearing five feet, eight inches. She turned around not even a month later May 19 and secured the 3A state title, clearing five feet, five inches. Durbin has never finished worse than second in the state high jump in her two years as a high school track athlete.
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