Former local athletes find success in college

Claire Stark starts 11 of first 12 games for Cougar women’s basketball

After graduating high school from West Central Area in 2023, Claire Stark chose to continue her basketball career at the University of Minnesota Morris. After two successful seasons, Stark has become a key member of the starting five for the Cougars to start her junior season.

Stark has played in all 12 games and started 11 of them for the Cougars. She has averaged 5.8 points and 3.6 rebounds per game,  shooting 47.3 percent from the field. She has eclipsed double digits twice with 12 points against St. Catherine Nov. 14 and 12 points against Wisconsin-Oshkosh Dec. 28. Her high rebound games were eight against Macalester Nov. 10 and eight in the same game she had 12 points Nov. 14 against St. Catherine.

Her averages are down from 9.0 points and 4.9 rebounds per contest, but she is still clocking over 20 minutes a game and a key member of the Cougar starting five to start the 2025-26 season.

The Cougars have started the season 3-9 in non-conference play. UMM will start UMAC play Jan. 7 against Martin Luther in New Ulm Wednesday, Jan. 7.

MSU Dragon and former Knight Anthony Sykora starts junior season 4-3

Anthony Sykora, 2023 West Central Area graduate, just started his junior season on the Minnesota State University Moorhead wrestling team and has started with a 4-3 record early in the 2025-26 season.

Sykora has been in action at three different meets for the Dragons this season. He started the season at the Auggie Invite Nov. 22 where he went 4-1 in the 174-pound bracket with all of his wins coming by decision. He started with a 5-1 decision win over Bowen Rothbauer from Augsburg, but then lost to the top seed Lucas Henderson from Upper Iowa by decision 11-5. Sykora beat another Auggie in Trenton Dow in the consolation semifinals by 3-1. He earned an 8-3 decision win in the consolation finals against Johnson & Wales’ Shane Reitsma 8-3 to earn fifth place.

Next, Sykora and the Dragons stayed at home in Moorhead to host the 12th ranked team in the country Augustana Dec. 12. The team lost 34-6 against the Vikings and Sykora fell by decision 8-2 at 174 pounds. 

He also went on the road to the third-ranked team in the country Wisconsin-Parkside and lost by tech fall 17-1 at 174 pounds en route to the Dragons losing 39-3 to Parkside.