1ST day of girl’s basketball practice for high school teams in Iowa. The Mt. Pleasant Panthers are now under the direction of Dave Hutchcroft who has returned for this season to coach after Joanna Settles resigned at the end of last season. MPHS will be in the IWC basketball jamboree in the 18th of November against Mediapolis, and will open the season November 22nd at home against Durant. The MPHS girls and boys bowling teams open practice today also. The boys basketball and wrestling will begin next Monday.
The MPHS cross country teams held their awards banquet Sunday night. Winning special awards for each team: Most Potential: Delaney McDowell; Rookie of the Year: Taylor Murray; Spirit Award: Beth Wells; Most Improved: Brooklyn Starr; Most Valuable Runner: Ellie Conrad; and Coach’s Award: Natalie Ita.
Boys Awards Newcomer – Riggs Wilson, MVP – Logan Murray, Most Improved – Adam Bodenham, Most Potential – Ben Zihlman, Panther Award – Dilan Zilliox
The Class “A” District 6 All District selections have been announced. Making 1st team all district from Henry County were: Tucker Janacek Waco, Kyle Davis Winfield Mt. Union, Sam Jennings Winfield Mt. Union, Braden Blake Waco and Austin McBeth of New London. Second team selections from Winfield Mt. Union- Thayne McElhinney, Colton Hinkle, Keaton Pallister, Matthew Niebuhr, and Kolt Rossiter. From New London-Tristan Kadel and Hunter Moeller. From Waco Ben Herzinger and Bryce Achen.
Iowa Wesleyan faced University of Northwestern for their final game of the season. The Eagles were too much for the Tigers, winning by a score of 34-12 on Senior Day.
Iowa Wesleyan was led in rushing by Caleb Huss, carrying the ball 16 times for a total of 30 yards. Raul Becerril had 5 receptions for 122 yards and a touchdown.
On defense, the Tigers were led by Ryan Gerleman who had 12 tackles on the day (7solo, 5 assists) and a fumble recovery.
Iowa Wesleyan finished the season 6-4 overall and 6-3 in UMAC play. This season the first winning season the Tigers have had in 20 years.
Former 2012 State Champion and Class 3A Player of the Year from Mt Pleasant Jordan Ashton has gotten off to a good start with his new team this year. Jordan is the starting shooting guard with the Kirkwood Community College Eagles and is averaging 14 pts per game while shooting 48% from the field, 38.6% from behind the arc, and 100% from the freethrow line. Kirkwood is currently 3-0 and Jordan is tied for the leading scorer on the team. The teams next game is Saturday against Marshalltown Community College.
There is a “Meet and Greet” tonight in West point for the Holy Trinity Catholic state volleyball and Cross Country State Qualifiers, Allison Sporkman and Brett Schneider. There is a Free-will Donation: Pork Loin Sandwich dinner at Aggie’s on the Square (formerly West Point Knights of Columbus Hall) from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM.This is a great opportunity to get autographs, photos with our Crusader Volleyball team and our state qualifying Cross Country girls!!Volleyball tickets for will be available for purchase at the Meet and Greet for Wednesday’s match only they are $10 per person regardless of age. Tickets for the rest of the week will need to be purchased in Cedar Rapids.
The Southeast Iowa Super Conference will be well represented at the 2014 Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union State Volleyball Championships. #1 ranked Holy Trinity Catholic and #5 ranked New London will both be there and could meet in a semi final clash. On Wednesday November 12th Holy Trinity will play on court one at 4 p.m. against LeMars Gehlen Catholic. The New London Tigers will play on court on at 6 p.m. against Tripoli. KILJ-FM 105.5 and kilj.com will broadcast both matches live.
Coming up later this month the IHSAA football playoff championships will be played at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls. During halftime of some of those games special awards will be handed out to people who have impacted young athletes and students lives.
Sports Medicine Awards
Special presentation Thursday, November 20 at the halftime of the Class 3A championship.
Troy Kleese, Dr. Lonnie Pitts, Dr. Brian John Sayler
IHSAA Media Awards
Special presentation Thursday, November 20 at the halftime of the Class 3A championship.
John Bohnenkamp is a 1984 graduate of Fort Madison High School and a 1988 graduate of the University of Iowa’s School of Journalism. Since 1999 he had been the sports editor of The HawkEye in Burlington where he manages a staff of five writers that offers comprehensive coverage of professional, collegiate and prep sports in Iowa, western Illinois and northeast Missouri. He is the paper’s primary beat reporter for University of Iowa and Western Illinois University football and basketball, while also writing regular columns on topics of interest. He arrived at The HawkEye, Iowa’s oldest daily newspaper, in 1991 as a prep sports writer and was elevated to assistant sports editor in 1993. He started his career as a sports and news reporter for the Daily Gate City in Keokuk in 1988 and from 1990-91was that paper’s sports editor. In 2012 he was named Iowa Sports Writer of the Year.
Jerry Giese with the Sioux City Journal where he covers high school and small college sports in the Journal’s three-state area.
Kirk Hardcastle: He is now in his second year as Sports Information of North Iowa Area Community College but helps cover area teams for the Globe Gazette.
Mark Amadeo: today co-hosts the Iowa Sports Spotlight. He also co-hosts the “Morning Show,” and does play-by-play of Grand View University football.
Tony Atzeni: Mr. Atzeni is the Program Director and lead host of the Iowa Sports Spotlight statewide Friday Night Live scoreboard shows and Saturday morning programming during football and basketball seasons.
Iowa Football Coaches Association Coaches Hall of Fame inductees:
ROGER HARRINGTON: He was raised in Eldora, where he was an all around athlete, attending Iowa State University for three years and graduating from Wartburg College. He t spent five years coaching at Washington High School.
BILL POST – A native of Rolfe, he played on successful teams and bowl championships at Iowa Central Community College and Dakota State University.
Walt Fiegel Coaching with Character Award winner:
PAT MITCHELL – Coach Mitchell retired this summer with the fourth best win-loss record all-time. In 47 years his teams rolled to a 344-138-2 record. Forty three of those seasons Cedar Falls posted winning records, making the state playoffs 25 times and appearing in five title games, winning the 1986 championship.
Bernie Saggau Award of Merit:
Ken Winkler: An educator, athletics director and coach, Mr. Winkler is a native of Hamburg.