On Tuesday night, the Knights basketball team (15-7) was crowned District Champion when they beat Roland-Story (16-7) on a neutral site 61-58. The Knights got off to a slow start in the first half and were down 16 at one point. But second half adjustments allowed the Knights to go on a 19-1 run in the third quarter that erased the deficit. The momentum changing highlight came when Ivan Johnson dunked for an "and one" three point play. He finished the game with 24 points and has been for the Knights all season along with Dontre English, who finished the game with 16 points. Perhaps the biggest bucket of the game came when Preston Brittain (who finished with 15 points) hit a three pointer to tie the game with 16.7 seconds left in the game.
The team now moves onto Substate this Saturday where they will play Panorama (18-4) and an opportunity to qualify for State. This is the furthest that any Woodward Academy team has advanced in the post season since the varsity basketball program began in 2008. You can read a Des Moines Register article on the game here and check out a video below.
This video is really a result of testing out some new equipment, but it's cool and we thought we should share it with you. The aerial shots were launched from the courtyard between our education buildings. From there, you can see our Education Center and eventually it overlooks our main campus area that includes Knight Base. Expect more of these shots in the coming months as well as a more comprehensive aerial tour this summer.
Every day, the collective staff at Woodward Academy works with students to help them make positive decisions in their life. Whether it be guiding students in phase work, teaching them how to add fractions, or confronting their negative behavior, it can become very easy for these things to become common place and to lose sight of the impact that we have on these students. Over the past 11 years, I have seen a lot of things, yet I am reminded about the work that we do here at Woodward Academy. One of those conversations happened last week.
I was in my office when a student told me how he was frustrated that he was being asked to stay at Woodward Academy for a few months longer. This was a student who had attended WA for about a year and he had been performing well. He is a Knight, active in athletics, and has good relationships with students and staff. But he had it in his mind that he would be able to go home and didn't handle the news the best that he could have. Part of me was sympathetic toward his feelings of wanting to go home because he deserved it.
Here is the official poster for the 2015 Woodward Academy Knights of Iron powerlifting team. The lifters already have 2 meets under their belt this season and have 2 more coming up in preparation for the USAPL High School National Championships, March 27-29 in Milwaukee, WI. This year's team won their second meet (there was no team competition during the first meet) and several lifters have earned individual honors including one who is now the American record holder in the squat and for his three-lift total.
The poster is a combination of individual shots of the lifters with images from practice in the background. If you're an campus, pick up a poster of the team and put March 14 on your calendar to attend Woodward Academy's home meet held in the Knights gymnasium.
Very rarely do we report on a loss, but the Woodward Academy vs. Earlham game on January 30 set a record for the most combined points scored in a high school game in Iowa history and we thought it was worth noting. The game went into 4 overtimes and accumulated 247 points. The previous record of 245 points was set in 1999 in a 7 overtime game. The Knights were 11-5 going into the game and had already secured a #1 ranking in the upcoming district tournament. The Earlham Cardinals are also a playoff bound team and came into the contest with a 13-2 record.
Earlham led most of the game but the Knights were never out of it. In the final moments of regulation, the Knights pressed more than usual and rattled the Cardinals into turning the ball over and allowed the overtime periods to begin (which is where the video highlights start). A lot of times, over time periods can be sucked up with conservative play, but both teams went on the offensive and it made for a great atmosphere (even though the Knights ended up on the losing side in the 125-121 contest). Woodward Academy was led by Ivan Johnson (#1) who scored 37 points and Dontre English (#3) with 31 points. That amazing tandem has been outstanding lately and scored 66 combined points just a week ago when the Knights defeated a highly regarded Des Moines Christian team.
Home court advantage is something that is often talked about in athletics. If you have a chance to attend a Knights basketball game, you'll be able to see one of the most supportive student bodies in the state. In addition to watching the Knights on the court, check out all of the Knights in the stands as well when you watch the video. Finally, you can see some pictures of the game if you visit our Knight Pics website.
