×

On the state mic

DES MOINES — If you tuned in this week to the girls state basketball tournament, you might have been greeted with a familiar face or two.

Former Fort Dodge Senior High standout Molly Nelson and ex-Manson Northwest Webster all-stater Ellie (Herzberg) Howell have been on the call from Wells Fargo Arena for the action.

The two both shined after high school at current Missouri Valley Conference programs. Nelson played for Drake University, with Howell attending the University of Northern Iowa.

For Nelson, working along press row is nothing new as she has called Drake games for radio, Mediacom and ESPN since graduating in 2002. However, despite being a veteran of of the mic, her competitive juices still flow with each broadcast.

“The most exciting part of covering a game, whether it be high school or college, is just getting back into the player zone,” Nelson said. “Though it’s been awhile since I’ve worn a uniform, once the clock starts, I can mentally get back on the court attempting to see the game as a player and communicate strategy like a coach.”

Along with her coverage of the Bulldogs, Nelson also hosts Retiring Today on WOI and previously spent 10 years as a television news reporter. All of that experience helps her deal with all the ins and outs of her duties.

“Broadcasting basketball games is a fun way to combine those skill sets with my passion for basketball,” she said. “Seeing the game from media row is a blast. You are close to the action. You can hear the refs, sometimes you can hear the coaches and often the players. You have to watch the games closely, but you also have to watch the monitors to see what the viewer at home is seeing and talk about that.

“They may be looking at a replay, a coach or something in the stands, so you have to be ready to talk about that. I feel like you can never do enough prep work for a game. I look at so many stats, trends, quotes and highlights, and I just hope once the game starts, I can remember them, trying to use my notes as little as possible because by the time you dive into them, it’s too late and the next play is happening.”

Nelson called two games this week, working the Class 2A opener between Cascade and Denver, and the 4A quarterfinal between Glenwood and Gilbert. She has helped with both the girls and boys state tournaments for the last 10 years.

“It was so fun to be back in Wells Fargo Arena,” Nelson said. “I love the energy of the tournament and seeing all the familiar faces from IGHSAU friends to coaches to fellow media members. It’s always a big reunion.

“(Tuesday) night I got to talk to my former coaches, Lisa Bluder and Jan Jensen, as they were there checking out some of the Div. I prospects playing in the tournament.”

Herzberg called Monday’s 3A quarterfinals between Dike New-Hartford and Jesup, along with Clear Lake and Davenport Assumption.

While a newcomer to the position, it is something Herzberg says she would “consider doing it again if given the opportunity.”

A recent graduate of UNI, typically during the state tournament Herzberg would have been preparing for her own games. She helped lead the Panthers to the NCAA Tournament in 2017.

“It was my first time at state in probably four years,” she said. “It was fun to be back in that environment and see a couple great games while I was there.

“It was a really different view. It was fun to take more of an unbiased analytical view of the game. When I’ve been on the bench, court or stands, I’ve always had some stake in the game. This gave me the opportunity to really just take in the game and enjoy good basketball from a view that I hadn’t really had before.”

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today