Prep Volleyball: Gazette’s Linder Picks Preseason Top-10

By Nathan Bloechl · Thursday, August 12th, 2021 at 12:00 pm CDT

KILJ — Cedar Rapids Gazette columnist Jeff Linder has released his preseason top-10 volleyball rankings and as you would expect, there was some local flavor in his 1A rankings.

Kicking things off, the Nikes of Notre Dame are Linder’s preseason No. 1 in Class 1A.

The Nikes went 19-5 last season en route to claiming their first ever State Championship.

Not to be outdone, fellow Super Conference rival and Henry County program New London is No. 5 in Linder’s poll.

The Tigers return several key pieces from last year’s group that finished 22-8 as a 1A State Qualifier.

In Class 3A, West Burlington is primed for a breakout season.

The Lady Falcons biggest addition is snagging Maureen Heath — Iowa’s third winningest volleyball coach of all-time — from New London.

West Burlington finished last year 18-4 and was a 3A regional quarterfinalist one season ago.

Major League Baseball: Field of Dreams Game Puts Iowa on Center Stage

By Nathan Bloechl · Thursday, August 12th, 2021 at 11:59 am CDT

Dyersville — More than three decades after the film, the Field of Dreams is back in center stage tonight as the world watches the Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees play in Dyersville tonight, in the MLB Field of Dreams game.

This will be Iowa’s first ever Major League Baseball game, with an expected crowd of 8,000 in attendance, more than the double that of the population of Dyersville itself.

Both teams will wear throwback jerseys for the contest, harkening back to the legends of the 1919 season.

Tonight’s game will begin at 6:15 p.m. and can be watched on the FOX family of networks state wide.

Sports, Thursday, August 12th

By Nathan Bloechl · Thursday, August 12th, 2021 at 11:26 am CDT

College Football: Cyclones Land Four on USA Today All-American Preseason Team, Hawks Get One:

The Iowa State Cyclone football team keeps hauling in preseason honors.

Yesterday, the Cyclones received four preseason All-Americans.

Breece Hall, Charlie Kolar and Mike Rose were named to the USA Today First Team All-America Preseason Football team.

Safety Greg Eisworth was a second team choice.

Hall has the chance to contend for 2,000 rushing yards this season, after scoring 21 touchdowns and averaging 131 yards on the ground per game last season.

Iowa center and Solon graduate Tyler Linderbaum was a first team choice for the Hawkeyes and is the preseason favorite for the Rimington Trophy, given annually to the nation’s top center.

Clemson leads the way with six picks, while Iowa State has the  four selections.

Iowa State opens their season at home September 4th against Northern Iowa.

College Football: Grand View Selected to Win Heart of America:

The Heart of America Athletic Conference football coaches selected their 2021 Heart North and South Preseason Polls this week, as Grand View and Baker were picked to top the Heart North and South Divisions respectively.

The Vikings captured the Heart North division titles in 2019 and 2020 outright and have earned at least a share of the Heart North championship in five of the six seasons divisional play began in the Heart in 2015.

Grand View features two Mount Pleasant graduates in offensive lineman Chase Adams and linebacker Brody McGhghy.

2021 Heart North Preseason Coaches’ Poll

Place School (1st Place Votes) Points

1st  — Grand View (5) 25

2nd — Culver-Stockton (1) 21

3rd — William Penn 16

4th — Clarke 12

5th — Peru State 11

6th — Graceland 5

Conference play begins August 28th and wraps up on November 13th.

Prep Volleyball: Gazette’s Linder Picks Preseason Top-10

Cedar Rapids Gazette columnist Jeff Linder has released his preseason top-10 volleyball rankings and as you would expect, there was some local flavor in his 1A rankings.

Kicking things off, the Nikes of Notre Dame are Linder’s preseason No. 1 in Class 1A.

The Nikes went 19-5 last season en route to claiming their first ever State Championship.

Not to be outdone, fellow Super Conference rival and Henry County program New London is No. 5 in Linder’s poll.

The Tigers return several key pieces from last year’s group that finished 22-8 as a 1A State Qualifier.

In Class 3A, West Burlington is primed for a breakout season.

The Lady Falcons biggest addition is snagging Maureen Heath — Iowa’s third winningest volleyball coach of all-time — from New London.

West Burlington finished last year 18-4 and was a 3A regional quarterfinalist one season ago.

Major League Baseball: Field of Dreams Game Puts Iowa on Center Stage:

More than three decades after the film, the Field of Dreams is back in center stage tonight as the world watches the Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees play in Dyersville tonight, in the MLB Field of Dreams game.

This will be Iowa’s first ever Major League Baseball game, with an expected crowd of 8,000 in attendance, more than the double that of the population of Dyersville itself.

Both teams will wear throwback jerseys for the contest, harkening back to the legends of the 1919 season.

Tonight’s game will begin at 6:15 p.m. and can be watched on the FOX family of networks state wide.

Patsy C. Hedger

By Nathan Bloechl · Wednesday, August 11th, 2021 at 4:07 pm CDT

Patsy C. Hedger, 85, of Beecher, Illinois and former area resident passed away on Monday, August 9, 2021, at the Beecher manor in Beecher, Illinois.

Funeral arrangements are pending at the Murphy Funeral Home of Mt. Pleasant.

 

Ellen L. Donnolly

By Nathan Bloechl · Wednesday, August 11th, 2021 at 4:06 pm CDT

Ellen L. Donnolly, 96, of Mt. Pleasant passed away on Friday, July 30, 2021, at the Park Place Elder Living Center in Mt. Pleasant.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Tuesday, August 17, 2021, at 10:30 a.m. at the First Baptist Church in Mt. Pleasant with Rev. Steve English and Rev. Charles Comfort officiating.  Ellen has donated her body to the University Of Iowa Carver College Of Medicine.  A private burial will be held in the Forest Home Cemetery in Mt. Pleasant at a later date.  Memorials may be directed to First Baptist Church of Mt. Pleasant or to Green Lake Conference Center at Green Lake, Wisconsin, financial gifts to Green Lake help maintain and improve the facilities, provide programming, and fund scholarships that enable hundreds of pastors, lay persons, youth and adults to come for conferences who would otherwise not have been able to attend in her memory.

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

Murphy Funeral Home of Mt. Pleasant is caring for her arrangements.

Prep Basketball: It’s Here — Shot Clock Coming to State of Iowa

By Nathan Bloechl · Wednesday, August 11th, 2021 at 11:55 am CDT

KILJ — For the first time in the history of high school basketball in Iowa, shot clocks will be introduced to the game in the start of the 2022-23 season.

The decision was finalized at Sunday’s Iowa High School Athletic Association Board Meeting and is expected to be announced — and made official — by state officials today.

Now, the state will mandate shot clocks in all varsity boys and girls basketball games starting in 2022.

The timer will be set for :35 seconds on each offensive possession.

Iowa will become the 10th state nationwide to adopt a shot clock, joining Georgia, Massachusetts, California, Maryland, New York, Washington, South Dakota, Rhode Island and North Dakota.

It was unclear how the state will implement the purchase of shot clocks and/or if they will have a mandated “system”.

Clocks will undoubtedly be ran by volunteer administration at the site of the home team’s gym.

Prep Baseball: Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association Releases All-State Teams

By Nathan Bloechl · Wednesday, August 11th, 2021 at 11:54 am CDT

(Photo Courtesy: John Lovretta // thehawkeye.com) 

KILJ — The Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association has released their 2021 All-State teams, announced yesterday.

In Class 1A, New London had three all-state honorees.

The Tigers were led by outfielder Joshua Catala, who was a second team choice.

Catala hit .462 with three doubles, three triples and two home runs and drove in 26.

He also swiped 24 bags.

Making the third-team were Hecniel Rodriguez and Kooper Schulte.

Rodriguez led New London with seven triples and 37 runs batted in. He also was terrific on the hill going 6-0 in 31 innings with a 1.58 ERA.

Schulte, one of the premier shortstops in the state, hit .360 this season with three homers and 27 runs batted in.

The Iowa Western commit also record five saves in a fireman role in the New London bullpen.

The Tigers finished their season 26-2 after falling to Kee in the first round of the Class 1A State Tournament.

College Football: Iowa State No. 8, Iowa No. 18 in Preseason Coaches Poll

By Nathan Bloechl · Wednesday, August 11th, 2021 at 11:54 am CDT

KILJ — The Iowa State Cyclone football team is ranked No. 8 in the preseason USA Today Coaches Poll, announced yesterday.

Alabama, Clemson, Oklahoma, Ohio State and Georgia round out the top-5.

Iowa enters the preseason ranked No. 18, three spots behind fellow Big Ten West rival Wisconsin, who checks in at No. 15.

Also in the Big Ten, Penn State is No. 20.

Michigan, Northwestern, Missouri and West Virginia are all receiving votes.