Author: Nathan Bloechl

Girls’ Prep Basketball: Lopreato Leads Panthers to Easy Win; Other Prep Finals:

Andrea Lopreato finished with 31 points and 10 rebounds as Mount Pleasant cakewalked past Washington last night 61-30.

The Panthers held Washington to just 14 first half points as the Demons shot just 17% for the game.

Kenna Lamm chipped in with 16 points for Curt Watson’s group.

Mount Pleasant snapped their five game losing skid with the win and improved to 2-6.

The Demons were led by Abby Murphy who had eight.

Washington is now 1-6.

Other girls’ finals:

• Winfield-Mount Union 70, Wapello 24
  • Winfield upped their ledger to 7-2. It was Mitch Wachs’ 400th career victory.
• Danville 62, New London 19
  • New London fell to 0-10.
• Holy Trinity 47, Central Lee 44
• Highland 61, Columbus 23
• Keokuk 50, Fort Madison 46
• West Burlington 59, WACO 40

Boys’ Prep Basketball: No. 5 Demons Roll Past Mount Pleasant; Other Area Results:

Washington led 25-8 at the end of the first quarter and never looked back, cruising past Mount Pleasant 70-41 last night.

The Panthers whittled the deficit to 13 at the end of the first half but saw Washington outscore them 33-17 down the stretch.

The Demons remained perfect on the year at 6-0.

Mount Pleasant fell 2-4, they’ve now lost two straight.

Eric Rawson’s bunch will take the weekend to correct their mistakes before taking on Burlington, Tuesday night.

You can listen to that game on FM 105.5 and kilj.com.

Nathan Bloechl and Kent Bennett will have all the action.

Other area finals:

• Fort Madison 51, Keokuk 27
• Hillcrest Academy 60, Pekin 59
• Holy Trinity 51, Central Lee 39
• West Burlington 63, WACO 49
  • WACO dropped to 5-2
• New London 55, Danville 54
  • New London stayed perfect at 5-0. Danville dropped to 6-1.
• Winfield-Mount Union 58, Wapello 32
  • The Wolves stayed perfect through six games, they’re 6-0.

Prep Volleyball: State Volleyball Moved to Coralville:

The Board of Directors of the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union approved Xtream Arena in Coralville as the new home of the Iowa Girls State Volleyball Tournament beginning in 2022.

Xtream Arena opened in September of 2020. The arena has a capacity of 5,100 spectators.

Xtream Arena is only the second venue the Iowa State Volleyball Tournament will call home since the sport was sanctioned by the IGHSAU in 1973.

The Alliant Energy PowerHouse in Cedar Rapids has hosted the state tournament since 1991.

Prior to that, the tournament was hosted by various high schools across the state.

College Basketball: Iowa Wesleyan at Mount Mercy:

The Iowa Wesleyan basketball team, 5-9 on the year, is back on the floor today when they travel to take on Mount Mercy in a nonconference scrap.

The Mustangs are 8-5 on the season and are 5-0 on their home floor.

Wesleyan was dispatched by Division II Quincy University earlier this week.

Tip is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. from Cedar Rapids.

College Football: Hutchinson Set to Return to Ames:

Iowa State wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson has announced his plans to return to Ames.

In two seasons with Cyclones, Hutchinson has caught 146 passes for 1,724 and nine scores.

He led the team with 953 yards and five touchdowns this year.

Hutchinson joins teammate Will McDonald IV as Cyclones who have denied overtures from the NFL to return to Ames for their senior year.

Mount Pleasant — The Mount Pleasant girls’ basketball team is back on the hardwood tonight and will look to end a five-game losing skid tonight when they welcome in Washington for a pivotal Southeast Conference matchup.

The Panthers are looking for their first win since a November 29th meeting with Ottumwa.

Washington earned win number on their season back on December 10th, a 49-30 triumph over Burlington.

The Demons dropped a 40-38 decision to Sigourney on Monday.

Washington is paced by junior guard Kaylin Long who is scoring 7.2 points per game.

Makenna Conrad is second on the team with 6.0 points per game. They’re averaging just 33 points a night as a team.

Mount Pleasant star Andrea Lopreato has been as advertised following her breakout sophomore season.

The do-it-all forward is scoring 16.7 points per game to go along with 8.4 rebounds.

Senior Kenna Lamm is also enjoying a coming out party.

Lamm is scoring 12.3 points per game, second on the team.

Tonight’s game will begin at 7:30 p.m. and you can listen on FM 105.5 and kilj.com.

Nathan Bloechl and Kent Bennett will have all the action.

Other Southeast Conference fixtures tonight include:

• Fairfield vs. Burlington
• Fort Madison vs. Keokuk

KILJ — Mount Pleasant had two double winners, Bowen Davis and Carson Coleman, but that was not enough as the Panthers went 0-2 at Fort Madison last night.

Davis, wrestling at 138 pounds, won both of his matches by fall.

Coleman earned a fall win and decision victory.

Fort Madison swept the double dual with a 52-27 win over Mid-Prairie and the aforementioned 53-24 win over Mount Pleasant.

Logan Pennock paced the Bloodhounds with a fall win and a tech fall.

Mediapolis Sweeps Home Double Dual 

We did not get the anticipated Quinten Aney – Marcel Lopez matchup, but Mediapolis earned two wins sweeping their home double dual yesterday.

Aney earned two wins — one by fall, the other by forfeit — spearheading six other double winners for the Bulldogs, who earned a 46-30 win over Cardinal and a slim 42-41 win over New London.

Marcel Lopez had two tech fall wins while wrestling at 126 and 132.

His brother Dominic had a fall win and a forfeit victory via injury default.

Gage Burden picked up a fall and forfeit, as well.

New London, who went 1-1, picked up their won over Cardinal 53-24.

Notre Dame Romps at Wapello

No. 4 Notre Dame went 3-0, with wins over Columbus Community/Winfield-Mount Union, Wapello and Durant yesterday in Wapello.

Mount Pleasant native Blaine Frazier led a group of seven wrestlers who went 3-0 on the night.

Frazier, ranked No. 2 in the latest 132 pound rankings in Class 2A, earned two falls and a forfeit.

River Belger had a terrific showing, picking up three falls.

Lane Scorpil, 2A’s No. 2 at 120, registered a fall, tech fall and forfeit win for the Wildcats.

WACO Sweeps Van Buren Quad

WACO dispatched of Van Buren County, Pekin and Louisa-Muscatine sweeping a Super Conference quad in Keosauqua last night.

Louden Huisenga was one of eight wrestlers who went 3-0 on the evening.

Huisenga picked up a decision, major decision and fall victory.

Jonah Clark had two falls win and a forfeit.

Washington — The Mount Pleasant boys’ basketball team will get their first test against a ranked opponent tonight when the Panthers hookup with No. 4 Washington.

The Demons are 5-0 on the year and have received huge performances week in and week out by junior point guard Ethan Patterson, who’s scoring a league high 21.8 points per game.

Kasen Bailey, another all-conference player, checks in 12.4 points per game while Lucas Kroll is at 10.6 points.

Mount Pleasant’s strong second half against Cedar Rapids Washington wasn’t enough as the Panthers’ saw their two-game winning streak come to a close on Monday.

The Panthers are 2-1 in the last three meetings with the Demons.

That game tonight will begin at 7:30 p.m. at Washington High School.

In the Super Conference tonight:

• Holy Trinity at Central Lee
• New London at Danville
• Columbus at Highland
• Louisa-Muscatine at Lone Tree
• Cardinal at Van Buren County
• WACO at West Burlington
• Wapello at Winfield-Mount Union

All Super Conference matchups are girl-boy doubleheader, with the girls’ tipping at 6:00 p.m. and the boys’ at 7:30 p.m.

Mount Pleasant — For the first time in their program’s history, the Iowa Wesleyan women’s wrestling team has joined the NAIA Top 25 poll.

This week the Tigers check in at No. 20 in the poll with wrestlers Alaina Sunlin, Mia Palumbo and Joanna Vanderwood also cracking into the individual rankings.

Sunlin is No. 4 in the country at the 101-pound weight class, Palumbo is ninth at 109 while Vanderwood is No. 14 at 130.

Grand View is No. 1 in the latest rankings, followed up by Life University and Southern Oregon.

The team will be in action one last time before the New Year when they travel to the Ken Kraft Midland Championships in Hoffman Estates, Illinois on December 30th.

Mount Pleasant — Iowa Wesleyan sophomore Alaina Sunlin has been named the Heart of America women’s wrestler of the week.

This is the second time this season Sunlin has won the award.

Last Saturday, the Monticello, Iowa native kept her perfect record in tact, as she improved to 11-0 on the year at the William Jewell Duals.

She won all four of her bouts in the 101-pound weight class, with wins over No. 9 Baker, No. 13 Missouri Baptist, No. 15 William Jewell and (RV) University of St. Mary.

She won via Fall in 1:18, Tech Fall 10-0, Tech Fall 10-0 and Tech Fall 10-0.

Sunlin and the Tigers will wrestle next on December 30th at the Ken Kraft Midlands Championships.