The Ram basketball season is long over, ending on February 21st with a 1-point loss in the semifinals in the regional tournament. Typically, the final game of the postseason means the end of the seniors' seasons as Rams. This year was a bit different.
    Reagan Seuntjens (daughter of Hillary and Pete Seuntjens of Danbury), Trista Ohlmeier (daughter of Mindi and Shawn Ohlmeier of Mapleton), and Makynlee Yockey (daughter of Sherrie and James Yockey of Smithland) were all chosen for the Iowa Girl's Coaches Association's All-Star Game.on March 15th in Cedar Falls. Only 30 seniors from each of the five athletic classes are chosen to participate in this exclusive event. The Lady Rams along with the other 27 seniors from Class 2A were divided into 3 teams. Seuntjens was on the gray team while Ohlmeier and Yockey were on the select team.
    "It is very rare to see three seniors from the same high school team selected to play in the IGCA All-Star game," commented Ram Head Coach Paige Landwehr. "It is a true testament to the work ethic and ability of our 3 seniors to all get chosen to play in this prestigious game. MVAOCOU was the only school in 2A that had 3 seniors that played in this game"
    Playing with ladies from across the state, the newly formed teams practiced for a few hours before the games took place.
    "It was a lot of fun to meet good players from all around the state," said Reagan Seuntjens.
    "I was definitely shocked," Seuntjens said of learning that she and her fellow teammates were all chosen to play in the game. "I think it's crazy to even get one person from a team let alone three! It's a huge honor, and it felt great to be recognized."
    "When I found out that I was chosen to play in the All-Star game along with Mak and Reagan, I was super excited," exclaimed Trista Ohlmeier. "It was cool to me that we would all get to play again with our jerseys on."
    "My reaction to finding out I was chosen was definitely just feeling honored," added Makynlee Yockey. "I know that only a very select few are chosen for things like that, and that made it even more special to me."
    During the season and postseason, the ladies and their fellow Rams played their hardest, striving to get the victory. However, for the All-State games, all three said they had something else on their minds - to relish in the moment.
    "During the game I was just focused on having fun because it was my last time playing in a Ram jersey so I wanted it to be a good time," said Seuntjens. "Obviously, I still played hard and did my job, but I wasn't focused on winning."
    "My thoughts during the game were very light," said Ohlmeier. "I was having a lot of fun with the group of girls I was with."
    "During the game all my thoughts were definitely positive and happy," stated Yockey. "I had so much playing with the team and getting to know and see how other basketball players play."
    The ladies definitely went home with memories that most basketball players don't get the opportunity to experience.
    "I am very proud of the way that Reagan, Mak, and Trista represented MVAOCOU during this All-Star game," concluded Landwehr.
    Trista's postseason still wasn't over, though. She was also chosen for the second team of the Iowa Basketball Coaches Association's All-Star game. While the IGCA is an elite game, inviting only 150 seniors, 30 from each class, the IBCA is even more elite. They pick only 48 seniors throughout the state of Iowa based on region of the state. Trista was one of 12 girls selected to play on the Northwest Iowa team.
    "It is a very high honor to get selected to play in the IBCA All-Star Game," said Coach Landwehr. "I believe that Trista was very deserving of being selected to play in this tournament due to her ability to affect the game in a variety of different ways both offensively and defensively."
    These games were held on March 29th in Grimes.
    "In the second All-Star game that I got to play in I felt a little different," commented Trista. "This time I wasn't with my teammates but I was still in my jersey. I was grateful for both of the opportunities to go out and play with other great athletes!"
    Congratulations to all three ladies.

    With some exceptions where it is a bit chilly out yet, , it appears the warm weather has finally arrived to stay. That means that little league is also arriving for the year. That also means that it's time to clean up the ballfield and park areas around the diamonds.
    This year's ballfield and park clean up day will be held on Sunday, April 27th at 1:00 p.m. Everyone is welcome to join the little league committee in picking up sticks, pulling weeds, prepping fields for little league season, and other tasks to make the park ready for the teams to play ball. Please bring rakes, weed eaters, and other yard tools to help speed up the clean up task.

    The Mapleton Zone LWML Spring Rally will be held on Saturday, April 26th at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 100 7th St. in Ida Grove. The brunch and coffee will run from 9:00 until10:00 a.m. at which time guest speaker Rev. Dr. Keith Haney will discuss John 21:7-31, the Bible story of the woman at the well.
    All are welcome to attend.

    Before the Easter break, the students at Danbury Catholic School relived the Stations of the Cross for family members. This year they followed the stations in St. Mary's Church. While Jesus (Mia Seuntjens) traveled the length of the church and back, students Carter Bettin and Brynly Sexton stood at the station along the walls.
    To the left, Jesus carries the cross with help from Simon (William Dirksen). soldiers Garrett Allen (by William) and Oakley Meyers in the background walk along. One the wall is one of the stations.