By Keith Brake
Montezuma Magazine Editor
I think we all owe the Braves and their coaching staff a big salute for their accomplishments the last two seasons!
Montezuma competed against a pair of seasoned coaches in the Braves’ final two games at state.
Marty McKowen of Wapsie Valley picked up his 595th career victory when his team beat the Braves in the semifinals, and then his 596th in Wapsie’s state championship game win over Bishop Garrigan.
Frank Schnoes of West Fork has 584 wins, I believe. That’s a lot, but the Braves put him on temporary hold by winning over his club in the consolation game.
But Montezuma has a coach who I believe will be up there with big numbers one day.
Derrick Dengler is 66-10 in just three years leading the Braves’ program. That’s an .870 winning percentage.
More important, I believe, is his ability to teach the game.
“Trust in the process,” is a phrase Dengler uses often. It’s clear that the Braves do.
“Play together. Execute the little fundamentals,” the coach says.
The Braves lost to a very good Wapsie Valley team, one far better than a number eight seed in the state tournament indicated.
“We’re the only Class 1A school in a phenomenal conference,” Coach McKowen said. But seedings at state, sometimes on the way to state, seem to go by records, than by learned obsevation.
“We were only the number four seed in our district,” McKowen said.
What did McKowen think of the Braves coming in to the game?
“They’re a really good basketball team,” he told Chris Varney of KGRN. “They have so many weapons. You have to guard all of them. And I’m impressed how hard they play.”
And that last part goes for all of us who have enjoyed following them so much all season.
They WON third place and did it the old-fashioned way: They EARNED it!!