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The head coach is the sick on this time for Dyersville Beckman
But a boys basketball team that has had players sick and injured all season pushes through for 59-33 Class 2A district semifinal win Thursday night at Alburnett
Feb. 19, 2026 10:58 pm
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ALBURNETT - Michael Molony was sick Thursday night. Because of course he was.
The Dyersville Beckman boys basketball coach picked up a nasty case of the stomach flu from his 4-year-old daughter Scotland. He cared for her all day Wednesday, was hoping he wouldn’t catch the rhinovirus from her, but if he did not until Friday or later, at least after his team’s Class 2A district semifinal game at Alburnett.
No such luck. Not for these Blazers, who have had someone or someones out with sickness, injury or both for games and practices since mid-December.
“You know, last Friday was the first time since December 19 that we had everybody at practice that we were supposed to have,” said Malony, whose team came away with a 59-33 victory. “And so it was a great three practices for Tipton, then obviously building on it for tonight. And this time of year doesn't really matter. People don't feel sorry for you, just like they don't in the regular season.
“You just got to get tougher. Don't make excuses. So we battled a lot of games. We were just missing something.”
And it was Alburnett, who was missing one of its best players Thursday in junior guard Laken Caves. He played all season with a torn labrum in his shoulder and finally had to have surgery on it this week.
It made a difference. Alburnett scored just two points in the second quarter, and Beckman went on an 18-0 scoring run in the second and third quarters to put things to bed pretty early.
“We knew what we were going to be up against,” said Alburnett Coach Jeff Christopherson, who hit the 400-win mark for his career late in the regular season. “Just wish we would have battled just a little bit better.
“It wasn't like we didn't have looks. We had looks. And, you know, I told them at halftime ‘You know, we're only down by 10, and we had some great looks that didn't go down.’ I said ‘We just got to come out in that second half, and we’ve got to win the first four minutes.’ I don't think we did that.”
A 24-14 halftime lead to 49--27 after three quarters. Caiden Bueckers led Alburnett with 13 points, though he went just 5 for 15 from the field.
The Pirates shot just 31 percent in the game.
Beckman (13-10), meanwhile, shot over 50 percent because of good ball movement. Guard Tayveon Barnhart nailed four 3-pointers and had a game-high 16 points.
Forward Brady Gogel added 14 points and nine rebounds.
“Yeah, we've had ups and downs,” Gogel said. “We've had guys hurt, sick, guys in and out of the lineup every night. We’re healthy now, and we’re putting our best basketball together, getting hot at the right time.”
Beckman plays a district final game Tuesday night at Denver (15-7), a Thursday night winner over North Fayette Valley. Alburnett ends its first season in the River Valley Conference with a 14-9 overall record.
The Pirates actually beat Beckman late in the regular season, 75-72, at Alburnett.
“We learned a lot this season playing in the River Valley Conference,” Christopherson said. “I'm sure that we probably would have won the Tri-Rivers, though Maquoketa Valley might not say that.
“I mean, the bottom line is lot of people gave us a chance to probably win 10 ball games this year going into the season. But I felt pretty good about the 14 wins that we got.”
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AT ALBURNETT
DYERSVILLE BECKMAN (59): Brady Gogel 4-10 6-8 14, Jake Wegmann 5-9 3-4 13, Noah Kluesner 3-7 0-0 6, Tayveon Barnhart 6-12 0-0 16, Andrew Schlarmann 2-2 0-0 4, Brenndan Engler 1-1 0-0 2, Aden Kruse 1-1 0-0 2, Jack Helle 0-0 0-0 0, Jack Wessels 0-0 0-0 0, Steffen Goerdt 0-0 0-0 0, Luke Kruse 0-0 0-0 0, Reed Bockenstedt 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 22-42 9-14 59.
ALBURNETT (33): Hayden Gustafson 1-4 0-0 2, Kinnick Wilhelm 0-0 1-2 1, Liam Carolan 2-4 0-0 5, Caiden Bueckers 5-15 1-1 13, Beckett Misener 2-11 2-2 7, Brody Kaestner 1-2 0-0 3, Zach Krigbaum 1-2 0-0 2, Bryce Borrett 0-0 0-0 0, Ben Haugh 0-0 0-0 0, Camden Jergenson 0-1 0-0 0, Joey Zaghloul 0-0 0-0 0, Hunter Frey 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 12-39 5-19 4-5 33.
Halftime - Beckman 24, Alburnett 14. 3-point goals - Beckman 4-8 (Wegmann 0-1, Barnhart 4-7), Alburnett 5-19 (Gustafson 0-1, Carolan 1-3, Bueckers 2-7, Misener 1-6, Kaestner 1-2. Rebounds - Beckman 23 (Gogel 9), Alburnett 25 (Misener 6). Total fouls - Beckman 14, Alburnett 16. Fouled out - Carolan. Turnovers - Beckman 7, Alburnett 17.
Comments: (319)-398-8258, jeff.johnson@thegazette.com
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