Molstead becomes Comets’ all-time leading scorer

By John Burbridge sports@charlescitypress.com

CHARLES CITY — All-state senior guard Jack Molstead finished Friday’s game against Oelwein with 1,578 career points, making him the Charles City Comets all-time leading scorer.

He was about to attempt to get his 1,579th career point, but the referees prevented it on the account of it being superfluous.

“It’s all good,” Molstead said after hitting the front end of a 1 and 1 free throw with no time left in regulation, giving the Comets a 68-67 Northeast Iowa Conference victory over Oelwein while avenging a loss earlier in the season.

Earlier in the game, Molstead passed Greg Brunner for the school’s top spot.

“I knew I needed 21 points if I wanted to do it (at home),” said Molstead, who scored a game-high 35 points against the Huskies. “It’s a great honor, but it’s also humbling knowing the player I passed.”

Brunner continued his career at Iowa where he became and still remains the Hawkeyes’ all-time leading rebounder.

Recently, Molstead announced that he was going to continue his career at Wartburg College in Waverly.

“I feel it’s the right fit for me,” Molstead said of the NCAA Division III program. “I was impressed by the coaching staff, and it’s close to home.”

Molstead earned the distinction of being a nominee for the McDonald’s All American high school boys team. He — like all other nominees from Iowa — didn’t make the final roster, which was laden with players from pro sports-geared preparatory schools.

“But just being considered is a great honor for me,” Molstead said.

Against the Huskies, Charles City jumped out to a 14-6 lead after one quarter before Oelwein responded with a 10-0 run on way to taking a 30-26 lead at intermission.

A 3-point basket by JJ Ritter — with Molstead assisting — helped Charles City take a 1-point lead (45-44) going into the fourth quarter.

A pair of 3-point baskets by Dom Robertson on consecutive Oelwein possessions put the Huskies up 55-53 with 3:25 left in regulation.

When Molstead scored 4 points in a matter of 3 seconds — layup followed by a steal of the inbounds pass and another layup — it gave the Comets a 64-63 lead. Then another steal and layup from Marcus Cranshaw extended Charles City’s lead to 3.

Husky 6-foot-5 post player Mason Meyer scored in the paint to tie the game at 67 with less than 5 seconds remaining before Molstead got fouled by Zachary Wegner 50-odd-feet from the basket just as time expired.

It wasn’t ruled a shooting foul. Charles City was in the bonus but not in the “double bonus”, thus if Molstead missed the front end the game would have went into overtime.

Robertson scored 28 points to lead the Huskies.

The following night, Charles City traveled to take on Class 2A No. 10-ranked Dike-New Hartford and lost, 79-78, despite a career-high 46 points from Molstead.

Bradley Andrews added 14 for the Comets, who fell to 10-5 overall.

Cade Fuller had 32 points for DNH.

* In the girls game featuring Oelwein and Charles City as part of Friday’s varsity doubleheader, the Comets threatened to pull out their first victory of the season before eventually falling 35-31.

As was the case in this season’s previous meeting between the two schools, Charles City’s full-court pressure addled the Huskies. The Comets also made things uncomfortable for Oelwein with their half-court defense and superior rebounding.

Charles City took a 11-5 lead after the first quarter, but Oelwein eventually caught the Comets at halftime and later went up 27-20 late in the third quarter.

But a 3-point basket by Kara Hoffman and consecutive steals and layups from Ashlyn Hoeft suddenly tied the game.

Charles City was up by 2 (29-27) before Drew Becker’s 3-point shot off the glass put Oelwein up for good. Becker scored a game-high 20 points for the Huskies.

Hoeft scored 9 points, and Liz Fiser and Jodie Sindlinger each scored 8 for the Comets.

Boys Varsity

CHARLES CITY 68, OELWEIN 67

Scoring By Quarters

OELWEIN 6 24 14 23 — 67

CHARLES CITY 14 12 19 23 — 68

OELWEIN — Dominique Robertson 28, Zachary Wegner 5, Jacob King 6, Camren Palmer 2, Steven Nicolay 10, Mason Meyer 15.

CHARLES CITY — Jack Molstead 35, JJ Ritter 11, Marcus Cranshaw 9, Colton Slinger 8, Bradley Andrews 2, Tait Arndt 2.

DIKE-NEW HARTFORD 79,
CHARLES CITY 78

Scoring By Quarters

CHARLES CITY 16 19 15 28 — 78

DNH 7 21 25 26 — 79

CHARLES CITY — Jack Molstead 46, De’Ontaye Hoefer 2, JJ Ritter 5, Marcus Cranshaw 2, Colton Slinger 3, Bradley Andrews 14, Cael Ruzicka 2, Tait Arndt 4.

DIKE-NEW HARTFORD — Jim Koop 2, Cade Fuller 32, Ryan Moore 3, Parker Kiiewiet 3, Dane Fuller 8, Derek Kinney 8, Colton Harberts 21, Owen Goos 2.

Girls Varsity

OELWEIN 35, CHARLES CITY 31

Scoring By Quarters

OELWEIN 5 16 6 8 — 35

CHARLES CITY 11 9 7 4 — 31

OELWEIN — Kylie Parmely 3, Emma Hefel 2, Haley Woodson 2, Drew Becker 20, Carley Jeanes 1, Lauren Harrison 6.

CHARLES CITY — Lydia Staudt 3, Kara Hoffman 3, Liz Fister 8, Ashlyn Hoeft 9, Jodie Sindliner 8.