Author: Nathan Bloechl

Iowa City — University of Iowa junior offensive lineman Tyler Linderbaum has been named to the Rimington Trophy Watch List, the Boomer Esiason Foundation announced Friday.

The Rimington Trophy is awarded to the nation’s premier center in college football.

Linderbaum (6-foot-3, 290-pounds) was a finalist for the Rimington Trophy a year ago and earned first-team All-America honors from The Athletic and Pro Football Focus.

The Solon, Iowa, native was named a preseason first-team All-Big Ten selection and preseason first-team All-America selection by Athlon Sports. Linderbaum was also named to the Big Ten Conference preseason honors list.

The Hawkeyes open the 2021 season Sep. 4, hosting Indiana.

Iowa City — University of Iowa men’s basketball center Luka Garza has been named the 2020-21 Big Ten Jesse Owens Male Athlete of the Year, the conference announced last week.

Garza is the first Hawkeye men’s basketball player to earn the Big Ten Jesse Owens Male Athlete of the Year award, which was introduced in 1992.

Garza is the first basketball player to earn the distinction since Michigan State’s Denzel Valentine in 2016, and only the seventh all-time.

The Jesse Owens Male Athlete of the Year is selected by a panel of conference media members from nominations submitted by each institution.

By: Nathan Bloechl — sports@kilj.com

Prep Baseball: Previewing New London’s Trip to State Again, 2A Bracket:

The New London Tiger baseball team has earned the No. 5 seed in the upcoming Class 1A State Baseball tournament, the IHSAA has announced.

The Tigers will take on No. 4 Kee (Lansing) Monday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. at Merchants Park in Carroll.

You can listen to the matchup on FM 105.5 and kilj.com.

Here’s the full Class 1A bracket and schedule:

Monday, July 26th 

11:00—#1 St. Mary’s, Remsen vs. #8 Grundy Center

1:30—#4 Kee, Lansing vs. #5 New London

4:30—#2 St. Albert, Council Bluffs vs. #7 Lisbon

7:00—#3 Tri-Center, Neola vs. #6 Alburnett

In Class 2A, the bracket is as follows:

Tuesday, July 27th 

11:00—#4 Unity Christian vs. #5 Clarinda

1:30—#1 Van Meter vs. #8 Davis County

4:30—#3 Camanche vs. #6 Denver

7:00—#2 Centerville vs. #7 New Hampton

Class 1A semifinals will be played on Wednesday at 11:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. with the state finals scheduled for Thursday, July 29th at 12:00 p.m.

Prep Baseball: Recapping All-SEC Baseball:

Let’s recap All-SEC Baseball Honors once again, the selections were made earlier this week by league officials.

Mount Pleasant senior outfielder Chase Williamson was named second-team All-Conference — the highest honor for a Panther this season.

The Central College football recruit hit .322 this season, clubbing five doubles while finishing tied for second on the team with 17 RBI.

On the honorable mention team were Will Edeker and midseason callup Payton Hagans.

Burlington’s Brock Dengler was named as the Conference Player of the Year.

Edeker, Dalton Gardner, Jack Johnson, Dalton Church and Lincoln Henriksen were all named Academic All-Conference, as well.

Prep Softball: State Tournament Wraps Up Friday:

The 2021 IGHSAU State Softball Tournament concluded yesterday with three more programs earning state championship nods.

Here’s the full state championship scoreboard:

CLASS 3A 

Davenport Assumption 10, Mount Vernon 5

CLASS 4A 

Western Dubuque 3, Boone 1

CLASS 5A 

Fort Dodge 2, Ankeny Centennial 0

College Football: Two Iowa State Tight Ends Named to Mackey Watch List:

Iowa State All-Big 12 tight ends Charlie Kolar and Chase Allen appear on the John Mackey Award watch list, given annually to the nation’s best tight end.

The duo have each earned All-Big honors three times in their respective careers to help the Cyclone tight end unit rank as one of the best nationally. Iowa State’s 82 receptions from its tight ends in 2020 was the best in the nation and its 1,057 receiving yards ranked second.

Kolar returns for his senior season as one of the best tight ends in the country. The two-time All-American and two-time First Team All-Big 12 choice, who was one of three finalists for the Mackey Award in 2020, is on pace to shatter virtually all tight end marks in Cyclone history.

Allen, who hails from Nixa, Mo., has also had an impressive career for the Cyclones. Allen decided to return for his super senior season (sixth year in school) with 48 receptions, 526 receiving yards and four touchdowns in his career.

By: Nathan Bloechl — sports@kilj.com

KILJ — The Southeast Iowa Super Conference has named their 2021 All-Conference Team, conference commissioner Don Lamm has announced.

Representing the North Division on the first team was the Mediapolis duo of pitcher Tyler Samuel and outfielder Josh Darbyshire.

The North Division Player of the Year was Mediapolis’ Jaxon Brooks.

Brooks hit .427 this year with seven doubles, six triples and two home runs.

He drove in a team-high 27 runs.

Mediapolis was also well represented on the second-team, with Aidan Danz, Max McClure and Ryan Ensminger all representing the Bulldogs.

Winfield-Mount Union junior infielder Nick Crow was selected to the second team.

Crow hit .295 with a double and drove in nine.

The South Division was littered with local talent.

New London had several on the first team, Hecniel Rodriguez, Tucker Gibbar, Kooper Schulte and Carter Allen comprised the 1st Team infield.

Josh Catala was honored as a first team outfielder, his teammate Camden Kasel was a second team choice.

Catala was also the Player of the Year in the South Division.

The junior hit .462 with three doubles, three triples and two homers. He drove in 26 and stole 24 bases.

Danville’s Grifen Molle and Sawyer Nelson were selected to the first and second teams respectively.

Mediapolis’ Rick Whitaker was the North Division Coach of the Year, while Brad Helmerson of New London was the Coach of the Year in the South Division.

Helmerson and New London will take on Lansing Kee in the first round of the Class 1A State Tournament Monday afternoon.

By: Nathan Bloechl — sports@kilj.com

Iowa City — The IHSAA has released the brackets for the Class 3 and 4A State Baseball Tournaments, to be played in Iowa City at Duane Banks Field.

Wednesday, July 28 – 3A Quarterfinals

11:00—#4 Central DeWitt vs. #5 Waverly-Shell Rock

1:30—#1 Marion vs. #8 ADM, Adel

5:00—#2 Cedar Rapids Xavier vs. #7 MOC-Floyd Valley

7:30—#3 Wahlert Catholic vs. #6 Winterset

Thursday, July 29 – 4A Quarterfinals

11:00—#1 Pleasant Valley vs. #8 Ottumwa

1:30—#4 Dowling Catholic vs. #5 Cedar Rapids Prairie

5:00—#2 Ankeny vs. #7 Waukee

7:30—#3 Johnston vs. #6 Dubuque Hempstead

Semifinals in both classes will be played Friday, while the state finals will be at noon and 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 31st.

By: Nathan Bloechl — sports@kilj.com

The State Softball Tournament produced two high quality tilts yesterday in both the 1A and 2A State Championships.

Here’s a look a the full scoreboard:

Class 1A

Newell-Fonda 4, Lisbon 1

Class 2A

North Linn 2, Earlham 1

By: Nathan Bloechl — sports@kilj.com

Iowa City — The Iowa Hawkeye football team has been pegged to finish in second place in the annual Big Ten preseason poll.

Iowa received five first place votes to finish in second behind Wisconsin, who received 29 first place votes.

Northwestern, Minnesota and Nebraska rounded out the top-five in the Big Ten West.

Ohio State was selected as the champion of the Big Ten East, receiving all 34 first-place votes.

Penn State was second, followed up by Indiana, Michigan and Maryland.

Ohio State was picked by 33 of 34 writers to defeat Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship game.