Montezuma Varsity Boys Basketball Coach reaches 100th win milestone

​     Montezuma Coach Derrick Dengler is shown with his Montezuma players following the 56-50 road win at SICL foe, Iowa Valley, on Thursday, Jan. 13. The win marked the 100th victory for Dengler as a head coach.

​By J.O. Parker
 
     Montezuma Varsity Boys’ Basketball Coach Derrick Dengler celebrated a milestone last week. Dengler, who started coaching at Montezuma during the 2012-13 season as an assistant, was named head coach starting with the 2017-18 season. He earned his 100th win on Thursday, Jan. 13 in an away game against SICL foe, Iowa Valley.
       Following the 56-50 win by the 10-3 Braves, the team posed with Coach Dengler, who was holding a sign announcing the milestone.
      Under Dengler’s leadership, the Braves have advanced to state the last three years, winning a state championship in 2021, the first in 31-years at the school.
      “I am obviously tremendously lucky to have the situation I have had,” noted Coach Dengler. “I have had tremendous players to coach, they deserve all the credit. The community and staff here at Montezuma have helped me with tremendous support and guidance, can't thank them enough. And of course my wife, she helps keep everything together at home so I can do this.”
    Dengler went on to say, the community support and the people and players who are passionate about basketball at Montezuma has made his job tremendously easy.  
      “When it is like that, it makes it really fun to be a part of,” he said.