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Comet coaches show skills at ‘Blowout’

Press photos by John Burbridge Charles City head girls basketball coach Danielle Rippentrop celebrates after putting on a shooting clinic Friday during the Orange and Black Blowout. Rippentrop went 4 of 4 from the field — layup, free thow, 3-point shot, half-court shot — ahead of two contestants doing the same to win $500.
Press photos by John Burbridge
Charles City head girls basketball coach Danielle Rippentrop celebrates after putting on a shooting clinic Friday during the Orange and Black Blowout. Rippentrop went 4 of 4 from the field — layup, free thow, 3-point shot, half-court shot — ahead of two contestants doing the same to win $500.
By John Burbridge sports@charlescitypress.com

CHARLES CITY — During the annual “Orange and Black Blowout” held Friday at Comet Gym, fans were able to get a preseason glimpse of the Comet boys and girls programs in scored and officiated scrimmage mode before the start of their respective seasons.

One thing was for sure — the Comet head coaches came to play.

As a preview to the make-layup-free-throw-3-point-shot-half-court-shot in 30 seconds contest, Charles City boys head coach Ben Klapperich and girls head coach Danielle Rippentrop were put on the spot to lead by example.

Klapperich started by showing he still had some hops when “throwing down” his layup attempt. He took some ribbing from the crowd and his players when his subsequent free-throw drew nothing but air, but Klapperich eventually made a free throw and 3-point shot before drawing too much iron on his half-court attempt as time expired.

Then it was Rippentrop who stole the show.

Press photo by John Burbridge Charles City head boys basketball coach Ben Klapperich dunks his layup attempt as Jackson Molstead looks on.
Press photo by John Burbridge
Charles City head boys basketball coach Ben Klapperich dunks his layup attempt as Jackson Molstead looks on.

The Comet girls’ second all-time leading scorer went four of four from the field while completing the task in less than 20 seconds.

Rippentrop’s effort apparently inspired the contestants as two out of three entries ended up making all four shots to win the $500 grand prize donated by Mike Molstead Motors.

The Comet girls will open the season on Tuesday (Nov. 20) when they host Clear Lake at Comet Gym.

Last year, Charles City’s girls team was winless but returns its top three scorers. Senior Jodie Sindlinger led the Comets in scoring and rebounding last season, and senior Kara Hoffman and junior Olyvia Zuspan were the team’s 3-point-threat tandem.

The Comet boys will open the season on Nov. 29 when they host Aplington-Parkersburg.

Charles City’s boys team broke into the Associated Press Top 10 Class 3A rankings during several junctures of the season. The Comets had an overall record of 18-5 and were stopped one game short of state with a regional final loss to Waverly-Shell Rock.

Though the Comets have lost much of their scoring and rebounding from last season due to graduation, they return two-time all-state guard Jackson Molstead, who during his junior season eclipsed 1,000-points for his career.

Also returning is 6-foot-6 junior Bradley Andrews, who was among the Comet shot-block leaders last season. Andrews has gotten stronger from last season and — as displayed during the “Blowout” scrimmage — can throw it down a little more forcefully than his coach.

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