Author: Nathan Bloechl

By: Nathan Bloechl — sports@kilj.com 

Prep Baseball: Super Conference Names All-Conference Teams:

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.

Prep Baseball: Class 3 and 4A State Tournament Set:

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.

Prep Softball: Two State Champs Crowned:

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

College Football: Iowa Tabbed for Second Place Finish in Big Ten West:

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.

By: Nathan Bloechl — sports@kilj.com

Prep Baseball: New London Earns #5 Seed, Other Matchups in 1A and 2A:

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: All-SEC Teams Announced:

Mount Pleasant senior outfielder Chase Williamson was named second-team All-Conference the league announced yesterday.

Williamson was the Panthers’ lone selection on either the first or second team.

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 Baseball: Class 3A, 4A State Tournament Field Set:

The Class 3A and 4A State Tournament field has been set after last night’s round of substate games.

Qualifiers in 3A:

• Winterset
• MOC-Floyd Valley
• ADM
• Waverly-Shell Rock
• Marion
• Wahlert Catholic
• Cedar Rapids Xavier
• Central DeWitt

Qualifiers in 4A:

• Waukee
• Ankeny
• Johnston
• Dowling Catholic
• Ottumwa
• Cedar Rapids Prairie
• Dubuque Hempstead
• Pleasant Valley

Prep Softball: State Tournament Scoreboard:

The State Finals in all classes are set after a busy round of semifinals.

Here’s the full look at the scoreboard from Harlan Rogers Park:

Class 1A

Newell-Fonda 7, Southeast Warren 3

Lisbon 4,Wayne 3

Class 2A

Earlham 9, Wilton 6

North Linn 8, Central Springs 5

Class 3A

Davenport Assumption 12, Atlantic 0

Mount Vernon 6, Williamsburg 2

Class 4A

Boone 4, Winterset 2

Western Dubuque 8, ADM 1

Class 5A

Ankeny Centennial 8, Pleasant Valley 1

Fort Dodge 8, Waukee 3