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Comets hold preseason Orange and Black Blowout

Press photo by John Burbridge Charles City Comets Kara Hoffman, left, and Lynn Hoeft hit the floor in battle for a loose ball during one of the Orange and Black inter-squad scrimmages.
Press photo by John Burbridge
Charles City Comets Kara Hoffman, left, and Lynn Hoeft hit the floor in battle for a loose ball during one of the Orange and Black inter-squad scrimmages.
By John Burbridge sports@charlescitypress.com

CHARLES CITY — There were a variety of on-court activities during the Orange and Black Blowout held Friday night in the Charles City Middle School Competition Gym to help amp up enthusiasm for the upcoming boys and girls basketball seasons.

First, there was the mother of all “knockout” competitions in which just about every school-age kid in the gym attendance participated in.

Then there were dribble duals where in close quarters you try knock away the ball from opponents’ dribbles while maintaining possession of your own.

There was the layup, free throw, 3-pointer and half-court shot competition where contestants attempted to make all four within 30 seconds.

And then there was the wardrobe drill best performed by kids in elementary school that requires them to put on adult-size jerseys and shorts and Bob Lanier-size shoes in a race back and forth across the court with the winner first making a layup.

Only thing missing was a slam-dunk ocontest.

The winner likely would have been Charles City sophomore Bradley Andrews — or at least he would have been one of the favorites.

During one of the inter-squad varsity scrimmages that were held in between these said contests, Andrews was able to fill the lane during a turnover-propelled fastbreak and finish with a left-handed jam to get the crowd off its feet.

Comet fans also were treated to a barrage of 3-point shots made by returning all-state junior guard Jackson Molstead in the first boys varsity scrimmage of the evening, as well as some effective inside work by senior Cade Hemesath, who’s had to shake off an injury sustained late in the football season.

Both players were the Comets’ leading scorers last year with Molstead and Hemesath respectively averaging 19.4 and 15.8 points a game.

The Comets will open the boys basketball season at home when they host Dike-New Hartford on Nov. 28.

Charles City’s girls junior varsity and varsity teams also scrimmaged during Friday’s blowout.

Among the top returners are the backcourt tandem of Payton Reams and Olyvia Zuspan, who often guarded each other while playing for different squads during the scrimmages.

Reams, a senior, led the Comets in assists last season; and sophomore Zuspan led the team in steals and 3-point baskets made as a freshman.

Junior Jodie Sindlinger was the Comets’s shot-block leader last season, and while averaging 6.6 points per games, led the team in both field goal and free throw percentages.

The Comet girls will be tested early this season as they will open up on the road to face Class 3A No. 3-ranked Clear Lake on Tuesday.

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