There were “Welcome Home” festivities for the Orab State Tournament Boys Basketball Team at 10:00 p.m. on Friday, March 9 in the high school gym. The late arrival was caused by a pair of individual awards earned by a pair of Orabs during the course of the year.
Prior to the start of Friday’s Class 2A State Championship game Steven Van Meeteren was presented the 2A Student Achievement Award and Scholarship. Only one scholarship is awarded in each class at the State Tournament. The $1,000 dollar scholarship is sponsored by the Iowa Bankers Association.
Also just before the start of the 2A title game another senior Ryan Van Marel received his certificate of recognition as a member of the Iowa Basketball Coaches Association Academic All-State team for 2018. The team is selected by an IBCA panel from more that 130 applicants.
The Welcome Home Ceremony for the Orab Basketball Team included an official “Welcome Back” from Sheldon High School Principal Sherrie Zeutenhorst. The team received congratulations from Superintendent Robin Spears, and a presentation of Commemorative Basketballs from Randy Kruse of Farm Bureau Financial Services. The festivities then wrapped up with a few words from Orab Head Coach Eric Maassen.
Click here to watch the video of the Welcome Home event at the high school gym.
The Orabs opened with a 63-50 quarterfinal win Monday night against Kuemper Catholic to advance to the final four.
Sheldon Orabs fell in the semifinals 65-43 to the Cascade Cougars. Their consolation game was on Thursday afternoon with Aplington-Parkersburg and ended with a 65-52 loss, giving them a fourth place finish at the State Tournament. The Orabs closed their season at 22-5.
The basketball season started with 96 teams in Class 2A across the state. With Sheldon finishing in the top four there were only three teams ahead of them at the end of the tournament and 92 finishing behind them.
Due to State Tournament games, some other activities have been rescheduled as follows:
The Procession of Choirs concert will be held on Tuesday, March 13 at 7:30 p.m. at the high school.
The Parade of Bands concert has been moved to Tuesday, March 20 at 7:00 p.m. at the high school.
