High School

Estherville-Lincoln Central girls head basketball coach resigns after eight seasons

Don Martindale is stepping down after leading Estherville-Lincoln Central girls to state title, five state appearances

Dana Becker

This was the final team that Don Martindale would coach at Estherville-Lincoln Central, as he announced his resignation following eight seasons.
This was the final team that Don Martindale would coach at Estherville-Lincoln Central, as he announced his resignation following eight seasons. / E-LC Girls Basketball/X

Don Martindale has announced his resignation as head girls basketball coach at Estherville-Lincoln Central. The news was first reported by KCAU 9 SportsZone.

Martindale was the coach in charge during the 2022 season when the Midgets captured the Class 3A state championship. Estherville-Lincoln Central reached the state tournament five times under his guidance during eight years.

This past season, the Midgets went 21-4 overall, their fourth consecutive season with at least 20 wins. They reached the state tournament, falling to Mount Vernon in the semifinals, 35-34.

Martindale took over in 2017-18, winning eight games. That was the most since the 2012-13 season went 23-4. From that point on, Estherville-Lincoln Central never won few than 14 games in a season.

Overall, Martindale was 150-49, winning 26 games during the state-title season. 

Estherville-Lincoln Central graduates all five senior starters in Cara Schiltz, Rylee Yager, Haylee Stokes, Julissa Smith and Hillary Ruschy. They are set to return Morgan Clabaugh, Zoey DeRuyter and Grace Nath.

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Dana Becker
DANA BECKER

Dana Becker has been a sports writer in Iowa since 2000, writing for The Fort Dodge Messenger, Mason City Globe-Gazette, Cedar Rapids Gazette and others. Dana resides in northcentral Iowa and started as a writer with SB Live Sports in 2022 focused on the state of Iowa. Along with providing coverage of football and wrestling, Dana also spotlights cross country, swimming, basketball, track and field, soccer, tennis, golf, baseball and softball. He began writing for High School on SI in 2023.

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