Comet senior Sam Niichel signs to play football for Loras College

By John Burbridge sports@charlescitypress.com

CHARLES CITY — Sam Niichel’s athletic career at Charles City came to an end twice this winter.

The first came during the Class 2A wrestling sectional at New Hampton High School. The 182-pound senior picked up his 22nd win of the season in his bracket’s third-place match, but was on the wrong side of the wrestleback rule and didn’t get a chance to battle for second place and to move on in the individual tournament.

The second end came on Monday when the Charles City boys basketball team was stopped short of state by losing to Waverly-Shell Rock in the substate final.

Obviously, Niichel wasn’t a member of the basketball team, but if he wasn’t the ringleader of the Comet Student Section that cheered and chanted with choreographed and improvised theatre at Charles City home and away basketball and volleyball games, he was at least one of the group’s most colorful and outspoken participants.

“For me, I guess that’s all over,” Niichel said. “It’s kind of sad but it’s onto a new chapter.”

On Tuesday with his family present as well as several  Comet basketball players for whom Niichel cheered for and supported to the end, Niichel signed his letter of intent to play football for Loras College, a NCAA Division III program in Dubuque.

“My brothers went on to wrestle in college, so I always imagined that’s what I would do,” Niichel said. “Then I decided it would be better to play football.”

Niichel was a two-way starter for the Comets’ football team this past season. As a linebacker, he was third on the team in total tackles, and scored a defensive touchdown when he returned an interception 17 yards against South Tama.

He also scored a 2-point conversion when — as holder for a PAT kick — he secured a bad snap and found passage to the end zone while breaking several tackles in the process.

At Loras, Niichel plans to major in math and minor in secondary education.