Sports, Friday, October 22nd

By Nathan Bloechl · Friday, October 22nd, 2021 at 11:32 am CDT

Prep Cross Country: Danville-NL Boys’ Headed Back to State:

Danville-New London’s Ty Carr went 16:43 good for first place as the Bears earned a team trip back to the Class 2A State Cross Country Meet in Fort Dodge.

The Bears finished second in the team standings behind only Tipton, who finished with 33 team points. Danville-New London had 44.

Monticello placed third.

Alexander Julian placed fifth for the Bears, Julian ran 17:09, Rylan Martin placed seventh finishing 17:13.

Seth Bailey placed 13th for Danville-New London, running 17:52.

Mediapolis’ Owen Schmidgall and Solomon Zaugg just missed out on state appearances, finishing 16th and 17th respectively.

The top-15 qualifiers head to state.

Charlie Sieck of Starmont placed second while Tipton’s Clay Bohlmann rounded out the top-three.

The 1A and 2A State Cross Country Meet will be held on Saturday, October 30th in Fort Dodge.

Prep Cross Country: Columbus Advances to State, W-MU’s Hemsworth Heads to State:

The Columbus cross country team is heading to state after a second place finish at yesterday’s state qualifying cross country meet in Iowa City.

Regina won the event, with Columbus finishing 25 points better than that of the Wildcats.

Winfield’s boys’ placed fourth.

They were led by Game Hemsworth, who advanced as an individual to the 1A state meet.

Hemsworth ran 18:29.14.

Kohlby Newsom was the Wolves team runner-up, he missed the state meet by two spots finishing in 17th place in 19:15.30.

WACO was led by Wyatt Dennis’ 21st place marker.

On the girls’ side WACO was led by Hannah Dennis who placed 36th.

Winfield-Mount Union had two runners finish; Maggie Hutton and Olivia Martinez.

Prep Football: WACO Readies for Postseason Opener, Other Area Matchups:

The undefeated No. 5 WACO football team will look to get their postseason started in a big way tonight when they welcome in 5-3 Edgewood-Colesburg in a first round tilt.

WACO finished their regular season 8-0 and enjoyed an idle week last week in preparation for their home playoff scrap.

Simeon Reichenbach has been the offensive catalyst for the Warriors this year, rushing for over 1,000 yards and 19 total touchdowns.

Quarterback Isaac Oswald has only thrown the ball 69 times, but has tossed eight scores and ran for four more.

Jonah Clark has been his top target — with Clark hauling in three touchdowns. He’s also ran for two of his own.

The lynchpin of WACO’s success this year has been their defense, however.

The Warriors are yielding just 12.3 points per game, a total that’s one of the best in 8-Player.

Cael Funk has been Edgewood’s best player this year, throwing for 734 yards, rushing for 407 and totaling 19 touchdowns.

He’ll need to be on his best for the Vikings to pull an upset.

Tonight’s game will kick at 7:00 p.m. and you can listen on KILJ-FM with the pre-game show at 6:30 p.m.

Other area matchups tonight in the first round of the playoffs:

  • North Tama at Wapello
  • Highland at Lynnville-Sully
  • New London at No. 1 Montezuma
  • Cardinal at West Branch
  • Mediapolis at Pella Christian

Other area regular season finales:

  • Keokuk at Solon
  • No. 1 North Scott at Mount Pleasant
  • Fairfield at Grinnell
  • Fort Madison at Burlington
  • Washington at West Burlington Notre Dame

Women’s College Basketball: Wesleyan Announces 21-22 Schedule:

The Iowa Wesleyan women’s basketball team have announced their 2021-22 schedule.

The Tigers will open up next week Wednesday at home against Waldorf University.

It will mark the first game back for head coach Steve Williamson who resumes his role at Iowa Wesleyan after a highly successful stint at William Penn.

Iowa Wesleyan will host ten home games this years and compete in 18 games on the road in their first year competing in the Continental Athletic Conference.

The Tigers will also host this year’s conference tournament, which is slated to be played February 24th-27th at Ruble Arena.

 

Robert C. Gingerich, Jr.

By Theresa Rose · Thursday, October 21st, 2021 at 9:07 pm CDT

 

Robert C. Gingerich, Jr., of Winfield passed away on Friday, October 15, 2021 at his home in Winfield.

According to his wishes no services will be held and cremation has been entrusted to the care of Murphy Funeral Home of Mt. Pleasant.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.murphyfuneralandmonuments.com

Murphy Funeral Home of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa is caring for his arrangements.

Street Work

By Theresa Rose · Thursday, October 21st, 2021 at 8:25 pm CDT

Attn. drivers in Mount Pleasant…starting at 8 am Friday, October 22, crews will be blacktopping Grand Avenue. Plans are to blacktop Harvey Drive next week. Both Monroe Street and Saunders Street are finished.

Joyce Howell

By Theresa Rose · Thursday, October 21st, 2021 at 7:50 pm CDT

Joyce Howell, 84, of Wapello, passed on October 20, 2021 at her home.  Visitation will be from 9:30 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. on Monday, October 25, 2021 at First Presbyterian Church of Wapello.  Memorial Services will follow at 11:00 a.m. on Monday at the church with a luncheon to follow.  Burial will be in Wapello Cemetery.   Memorials have been established for Keck Memorial Library, Wapello Community Schools, First Presbyterian Church of Wapello, and the Wapello Fire Department.  Snyder & Hollenbaugh Funeral and Cremation Service of Wapello is caring for the family. Sympathy notes may be left for the family at www.sandhfuneralservice.com.

 

Joyce Ann Howell was born on July 4, 1937 in Grandview, the daughter of Carl and Marguerite (Cocklin) McGill.  Joyce was a 1955 graduate of Grandview High School, received her teaching certificate from The University of Northern Iowa and her bachelor’s degree from The University of Iowa.  On May 31, 1960, Joyce was united in marriage to Willard Howell at the Little Brown Church is Nashua, Iowa.  Joyce was a teacher for over 30 years, including teaching in the school districts of Clear Lake, Battle Creek, North Polk and retiring in 1998 from Wapello Community Schools.  She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Wapello and a former member of Delta Kappa Gamma.  She enjoyed reading and watching games shows and sports.  Joyce’s greatest passion kids, grandkids and great-grandkids.

 

Joyce will be deeply missed by her husband, Willard; children, Lori (Dutch) Beenen of Columbus Junction, Debbie (Dave Fletcher) Howell of Cedar Rapids and Rod (Alisa) Howell of Wapello; grandchildren, Mickey Sprague, Amber (Tanner) Grimm, Zachary Howell, Ryley (Lexi) Howell, Arin Howell, Courtney Fletcher and Kayla Beenen and great-grandchildren, Taden Grimm, Brooke Sprague, Ryatt Howell and Willa Joy Grimm.

Joyce was preceded in death by her parents and two sisters, Patricia Bonnichsen and Carlyne McGill.

Honor Choir Students

By Theresa Rose · Thursday, October 21st, 2021 at 3:02 pm CDT

Five Mount Pleasant Community School District music students have been selected to the 2021 OPUS Honor Choir. They are seventh grader Michael Tansey, eighth graders Olivia McCormick, Caleb Reyes and Isaiah Denning and ninth grader Bryton Weir.

Over 2,100 students from across Iowa were nominated by their directors for 720 positions in the four OPUS Honor Choirs. Students were then selected by means of a recorded audition. The 2021 OPUS Honor Choirs will perform at 4 p.m., November 18th at CY Stephens Auditorium in Ames. The festival is made possible by the Iowa Choral Directors Association, Inc.

Daily Jail Countuy

By Theresa Rose · Thursday, October 21st, 2021 at 2:23 pm CDT

In the interest of keeping Henry County residents informed, the Henry County Sheriff’s office has requested KILJ post the daily jail count. During the jail referendum campaign it was publicized that the jail would be able to house additional inmates from surrounding counties and this would generate revenue for Henry County.

Date:   ____10-21-2021_____

 

JAIL COUNT

 

  25_    Henry County Inmates

 

 40_    Out of County Contract Inmates              

 

 65   TOTAL

Sports, Thursday, October 21st

By Nathan Bloechl · Thursday, October 21st, 2021 at 11:31 am CDT

Prep Volleyball: Holy Trinity, New London Sweep, W-MU Advances; Other Finals:

No. 5 Holy Trinity 3, Seymour 0 

Sophomore phenom Mary Kate Bendlage drilled 11 kills to lead fifth-ranked Holy Trinity to a sweep of Seymour yesterday in Fort Madison.

The win was Melissa Freesmeier’s 1,000th career victory.

Natalie Randolph chipped in with eight kills as the Crusaders rolled.

Seymour ends their year 19-12.

Holy Trinity improved to 30-10.

No. 13 New London 3, WACO 0 

New London advanced to semifinal action where they will battle Holy Trinity, with a sweep of WACO yesterday.

Natalie Burden had a match-high 17 kills while adding two blocks.

Emma Nye paced the Tigers back row with 23 digs while Elly Manning and Aliyah Christensen each had 15 assists.

New London improved to 26-13.

Holy Trinity has won five straight in the series, including a 3-0 sweep this year.

That game will be played Monday night at Shottenkirk Gymnasium.

You can listen on FM 105.5 and kilj.com.

Winfield-Mount Union 3, Wapello 2 

In a thriller in Wapello, it Winfield-Mount Union pulling out a gutsy, five-set win over the Arrows 3-2.

The slugfest was decided with a 15-10 Winfield-Mount Union win in the fifth set.

Melina Oepping paced the Lady Wolves with 15 kills, Bradie Buffington chipped in with 10.

Keetyn Townsley was a brick wall in the back row providing 59 digs.

Lindsay Massner led Wapello with 15 kills.

Winfield improved to 22-10.

No. 1 Notre Dame 3, Lone Tree 0 

Notre Dame stormed out of the gates and never looked back as they cruised to a sweep over Lone Tree last night.

The win hooks the Nikes and Winfield-Mount Union up with each other next Monday at Father Minnett Gymnasium.

Gabby Deery had 11 kills in the win while Josie Bentz added eight.

Notre Dame improved to 33-8 with the win.

Lone Tree ended their season 7-21.

Other area finals: 

  • Mediapolis 3, Van Buren County 0
  • Danville 3, Pekin 0
    • They’ll meet next week in a regional semifinal.
  • No. 10 West Burlington 3, Davis County 0
    • They’ll take on No. 4 West Liberty in the regional championship Tuesday.

Girls’ Cross Country: Panthers 7th at SQM in Solon:

Mount Pleasant finished 7th at yesterday’s state qualifying meet in Solon.

Three runners had lifetime bests for the Panthers.

Mount Pleasant was led by freshman Alexis Wagner who finished 18th in a time of 20:46, a near :45 second improvement.

Abby Blint ended 28th with a time of 21:10.

Bella Meador, Jenna Gilmore and Jayden Housh all were the next cluster of finishers for the Panthers.

Solon was the team champion, with Mount Vernon and Marion rounding out the top three.

Kayla Young of Solon was the meet champion in a time of 19:24.8.

Boys’ Cross Country: Mount Pleasant Finishes 6th: 

Mount Pleasant sophomore Ben Carthey missed out on the state cross country meet by just four seconds leading the Panthers to a 6th place finish in the team standings.

Carthey ran 17:24.

Nathan McWilliams finished 31st for the Panthers in a time of 18:02 while Christian Bracht-Wagner finished 36th.

Marion won the team standings with Solon and Mount Vernon rounding out the top three.

Shane Erb of Marion was the meet medalist, running 15:56.5.

Men’s College Basketball: Drake Tabbed as Preseason Favorites:

For the first time on record, Drake has been picked as the preseason favorite in the Missouri Valley Conference men’s basketball race by a voting panel consisting of coaches, sports information directors and media.

The Bulldogs are coming off three of the most successful seasons in program history and the team’s first NCAA Tournament appearance in 13 years, taking second in the league race last year (26-5, 15-3).

The Bulldogs received 29 first-place votes.

Loyola finished in second, with UNI in third.

Missouri State and Southern Illinois rounded out the top-five.

Gerhard E. Luebbers

By Theresa Rose · Wednesday, October 20th, 2021 at 8:38 pm CDT

Gerhard E. Luebbers, 88, of Farmington, Iowa, passed away at 7:27 a.m. Tuesday, October 19, 2021, at the home of his daughter in Revere, Missouri.

Born on May 26,1933, in Geneva, Iowa, the son of George A. and Dorothea (Willard) Luebbers. He married Patricia Skinner, they later divorced. On November 25, 1989 he married Ruth Emma Petty at Saint Boniface Catholic Church in Farmington. She preceded him in death on June 17, 2007.

He is survived by one daughter: Dawn (John) Hesse of Revere, Missouri; six sons: Andy Luebbers of Farmington, Iowa, Tom (Patricia) Petty of Colorado, Terry Petty of Hawthorne, Nevada, Jerry (Linda) Petty of Farmington, Iowa, David (Casey) Petty of Farmington, Iowa, Sam Petty of Clarksville, Tennessee; grandchildren: Kristopher, Kodi, Kelsie, Austin, Alissa, and many more grandchildren and great grandchildren, three sisters: Clara Munson, Jo DeFreise, Janice Pagen; and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, wife Ruth, step son Larry Petty, sister Agnes,  daughter in law Sylvia.

Gerhard was a member of the Saint Boniface Catholic Church, and The Knights of Columbus. He loved riding horses, welding, farming, ranching, dancing and watching western shows. Most of all he loved spending time with family and friends.

Friends may call 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Sunday, October 24, 2021 at Schmitz Funeral Home, Farmington.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held Monday, October 25, 2021, 10:00 a.m. at Saint Boniface Catholic Church in Farmington with Father Dennis Hoffman as Celebrant. Burial will be at the String Prairie Cemetery near Argyle.

A memorial has been established in his memory.

Online condolences may be made to the family at www.schmitzfuneralhome.com. Schmitz Funeral Home of Farmington is assisting the family with arrangements.