There was a wave of memorable games, athletes, moments and stories to be taken in around the Allen County area in February.
Take a look back at six athletes who made being a fan of the area’s six high schools and community college especially worthwhile. Vote for your Allen County Area February Athletes of the Month by clicking here.
Wyatt Westervelt
Iola senior Wyatt Westervelt made his second straight trip to the 4A state championship in Salina last weekend. He advanced to state after toppling Prairie View’s Trevor Brooks in a 7-6 decision at the 4A regional tournament.
It was an impressive senior season for Westervelt, who led his Mustang teammates by example on the mats and in the weight room. He also finished in second in his 190-pound weight class at the Pioneer League championship Feb. 9.
Cole Mathes
Mathes is only in his sophomore year wrestling for Humboldt High but doesn’t seem like a young pup by the way he hits the mats. One of Mathes’s biggest wins this year was against the No. 3 wrestler in the state, Jayhawk-Linn’s Andres Flores, on a technical fall in a home meet.
The sophomore then took fifth place at the Class 3-2-1A Regional D tournament in Sabetha on Saturday, Feb. 18. He took down Nemaha Central’s Abram Kiem in a two-minute fall over for his final win at regional.
At state, Mathes took fifth in his 165-pound weight class. He defeated Minneapolis’ Augustus John on a medical forfeit to secure the fifth-place spot.
Ahmed Mahgoub
Mahgoub has been a monster for the Allen Community College men’s basketball team this season, currently second on the team with 5.6 rebounds per game behind big man Brayden Thompson. The sophomore averages 13.2 points per game, second best on the team.
Mahgoub topped 20 points three times this season, including scoring 22 against North Arkansas College. Mahgoub went for 23 points last weekend against Kansas City Kansas Community College in a 72-65 loss.
Josie Weers
Weers joined an exclusive club when she surpassed 1,000 career points in a 49-20 victory over Central Heights on Feb. 21. The senior scored 23 points in that game, something she has grown accustomed to in her final high school season.
Weers averages a team-high 18.8 points, 13.9 rebounds and 2.6 steals per game.
She just recently poured in 27 points in a Class 1A substate win over Altoona-Midway on Thursday, Feb. 23.
Carsyn Haviland
One of only two seniors on this year’s Humboldt girls basketball team, Haviland has stepped into a much larger role and has taken the challenge head-on. She most recently scored a team-high 15 points in a Class 3A substate playoff win over Douglass, 54-30.
Haviland has been a leader for the Lady Cubs all season. She also scored 15 when Humboldt took down Caney Valley Feb. 3. Haviland then netted a team-high 11 points in their senior night victory over Yates Center, 51-20.
Aylee Beckmon
Beckmon has been a key reason why the Crest girls have been able to turn the tide and increase their wins mark this year, including a key victory over rival Marmaton Valley in a Class 1A-I substate playoff game, a game in which the CHS freshman scored a team-high 10.
When Crest desperately needed a basket in their 42-41 final-minute victory over Northeast on Feb. 9, Beckmon came through in the clutch and hit the game-winning free throw. Beckmon has also impressed defensively and has older sister Haylee to look up to.
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