Third place at state!

Photo by Dan Dickinson West Branch junior Ethan Humphrey stands on the podium Saturday night at Casey’s Center after placing third in the Class 2A state tournament at 113.

Senior Kennedy Simpson and junior Ava Burnett represented West Branch’s girls’ basketball team with All-River Valley Conference recognition out of the South division.

8th boys beat Durant, West Liberty
Sports · March 04, 2026
West Branch Middle School’s eighth-grade boys’ basketball teams recently defeated both Durant and West Liberty.

Teams E, B & 2 take Futsal titles in final contests
Sports · March 04, 2026
Teams E, B, and 4 all won their respective grade levels after Sunday’s championship Futsal games.

Humphrey 3rd, Hatfield 8th at state
by Matthew Dickinson, sports editor · Sports · February 25, 2026
Another successful state tournament for the West Branch boys’ wrestling team resulted in a third-place finish for Ethan Humphrey, a long-awaited medal for Cash Hatfield, and a school record for Cooper Gates.

Coach Slocum announces plans to step down
by Matthew Dickinson, sports editor · Sports · February 25, 2026
Following six successful years coaching the West Branch wrestling team, Head Coach Jake Slocum announced he would step down.

Big 3Q helps Monticello end Bears’ season
by Matthew Dickinson, sports editor · Sports · February 25, 2026
A last-minute comeback came up just short as the West Branch boys’ basketball team fell 53-46 to Monticello Feb. 19 in road Class 2A-4 district semifinal action.

Girls close season with loss to Bellevue
by Matthew Dickinson, sports editor · Sports · February 25, 2026
West Branch’s girls’ basketball could not overcome a slow start, falling 71-41 to Bellevue in Class 2A District 4 quarterfinal action Feb. 17 on the road.

8th mix with Mid-Prairie, beats Tipton
Sports · February 25, 2026
West Branch Middle School’s eighth-grade boys basketball team went 1-1 against Mid-Prairie on Feb. 19 and then went 2-0 against Tipton.

Futsal league selects qualifiers for March 1 championship games
Sports · February 25, 2026
Team E broke the tie in a nail-biter Sunday, helping it finish the regular Futsal season with a win over rival Team D in the elementary division.

Bears sending 4 to state tourney
by Matthew Dickinson, sports editor · Sports · February 18, 2026
After bumping up to Class 2A this season, the West Branch boys’ wrestling team still sent four grapplers to the state tournament while placing third as a team with 133 1/2 points at Saturday’s district tournament.

Pedersen, Dale lead Bears to advance
by Matthew Dickinson, sports editor · Sports · February 18, 2026
West Branch’s boys’ basketball team used a pair of big nights from seniors Brennen Dale and Brandon Pedersen to advance in the Class 2A playoffs with a 66-55 Monday night home triumph over Anamosa.

No. 11 Tipton wins title by beating Bears
by Matthew Dickinson, sports editor · Sports · February 18, 2026
The West Branch girls’ basketball team could not play spoiler in a Feb. 10 home matchup with Class 3A No. 11 Tipton, as the Tigers won 55-25 to claim the River Valley Conference South division outright.