Warhawks advance to district final after 2OT battle

ALGONA – Thomas Nuehring wasn’t even sure how many fouls he had.

The scoreboard operator had assessed him with an extra personal foul than the official scorekeeper had and when he was whistled for a foul with two minutes, 27 seconds to go in double overtime, many in the crowd thought the West Fork senior guard had fouled out.

He had not, finishing with four fouls and eventually shot the two winning free throws in the 65-64 double overtime Class 1A District 3 semifinal at Algona Garrigan on Tuesday, Feb. 20.

“Actually, in the first half, I thought I had three, I went to the locker room and they told me I had two,” Nuehring said. “I didn’t believe it. At the end of the game, they tried to get me out with five fouls and I only had four, I knew I had four.”

He also nailed a dare-me open three to start the second overtime before the initial foul confusion as the Warhawks went up 61-58.

“He stepped up and hit a big three for us and hit those free throws late,” West Fork coach Frank Schnoes said. “I was real impressed with his composure as a senior.”

Zach Martinek, who had 10 points at half, led all scorers with 30.

The full story will appear in the March 1 print editions of the Sheffield Press and Pioneer Enterprise.