Le Mars boys drop home finale to Sioux Center

LE MARS — In their last home game of the season, the Le Mars Community boys basketball team recognized longtime head coach Dave Irwin as he announced this will be his final season as the leader of the program. Irwin is the winningest coach in school history, a benchmark he achieved last season.

The Bulldogs did their best to get Irwin a final win at home, but Sioux Center pulled away in the fourth quarter for a 66-54 victory.

Le Mars led 31-26 at halftime and trailed by just two entering the fourth quarter, but the Warriors outscored the home team 20-10 in the game’s final eight minutes to secure their first win in the series since a meeting in January 2019. Le Mars had won the previous three meetings in the series.

Sioux Center’s Kylar Fritz went off for 30 points in the game. He was 8-of-10 overall from the field including making a pair of 3-pointers. He also went 12-of-20 at the free-throw line. Fritz tied for the team lead with six rebounds along with Carson Bruhn who was next on the team with 12 points.

Briggs Friedmann added 10 points which included a pair of 3-pointers. Cael Van Beek added nine points.

The Bulldogs were led by Dylan Susemihl’s 13 points. He made three 3-pointers in the game.

Drew Galles was next with nine points. Ben Martin and Nolan Parmelee added eight points apiece.

Teagen Kasel and Andrew Fifita chipped in six points apiece. Fifita and Nolan Kass led the team with six rebounds apiece. Fifita had the most assists with five.

Le Mars fell to 4-15 on the season. They are scheduled to finish the regular season on Thursday at South Sioux City.

Sioux Center improved to 14-7 with the win.