Author: Nathan Bloechl

Prep Basketball: Mount Pleasant at Mid-Prairie for Tune-Up Jamboree:

The Mount Pleasant boys’ basketball team will get their final tune-up in tonight before taking the court for live bullets next week when they travel to Mid-Prairie for a jamboree tonight.

The Panthers will get scrimmage matchups in against Central Lee, Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont, Pekin, Tipton, West Branch and Wilton.

Expectations have ratcheted up for Mount Pleasant in Eric Rawson’s second year with the Panthers as they return consensus All-Conference selection Dawon Trent.

Trent flourished in his first season getting starters minutes, averaging 15.8 points and 7.3 rebounds per game.

Also returning the Panthers this year are Sam Jerrell and Owen Vansickel, who both expected to take more control in the offense with a year under their proverbial varsity belts.

Mount Pleasant will host Xavier next Tuesday in their regular season opener.

You can listen to that contest on FM-105.5.

Tip is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

Men’s College Basketball: VCSU Upends Iowa Wesleyan:

Up one at halftime, Iowa Wesleyan saw Valley City State go on an extended 47-31 run in the second half to come from behind for a 91-76 win over the Tigers on Saturday.

Kaleb Cresswell led all scorers with 22 points for Wesleyan while Dylan Hurley added 16 points and six rebounds.

Victor Munoz had 10 points and seven boards off the Wesleyan bench.

Duoth Gach led Valley City State with a highly efficient 21 points in 22 minutes.

Now 3-6, the Tigers will be off until Saturday afternoon when they host William Penn University.

Tip is set for 3:00 p.m.

Women’s College Basketball: Wesleyan Throttles Hannibal in Easy Win:

Iowa Wesleyan led by 19 at halftime as the Tiger women rolled to an easy 72-48 win over Hannibal-LaGrange on Saturday.

Kyla Moore scored a game-high 22 points to go along with seven swipes and four rebounds.

Breann Wendland added 16 points and 10 boards, while Brittany West chipped in with 15 points.

The win moved Iowa Wesleyan to 5-1.

They’ll be off Monday and Tuesday before traveling to Grinnell, Wednesday night.

Tip is set for 6:00 p.m.

College Football: UNI Clinches 22nd Playoff Berth:

The UNI football team will be making their 22^nd appearance in the FCS Championships when they face No. 5 Eastern Washington on the road this Saturday.

This will be the third time UNI has squared off with the Eagles in the postseason and first time since 2005.

UNI has won all three.

If the Panthers should spring an upset, it will be on the back of their elite defensive unit.

UNI is No. 1 in the nation in forced turnovers while quarterback Theo Day is tops in the country in yards per reception.

Eastern Washington finished their regular season winners of two straight and 9-2 overall.

Saturday’s game will kick at 3:00 p.m.

Prep Football: Day One Finals of State Championships:

8-Player

#2 CAM 42, #3 Easton Valley 40

• Lane Spieker (CAM): 465 total yards and five touchdowns

Class A

#1 West Hancock 19, #2 Grundy Center 14

• Matthew Francis (WH): 25 carries, 119 yards, 1 TD

Class 1A

#1 Van Meter 17, #6 West Sioux 14

• Dalten Van Pelt (VM): 26 carries, 122 yards

Class 4A

#4 Lewis Central 32, #2 Cedar Rapids Xavier 24 (3 OT)

• Braylon Kammrad (LC): 14-of-26, 121 yards, 2 TDs

Prep Football: Day Two Schedule:

Class 2A

#3 Southeast Valley vs #5 West Lyon

Class 3A

#1 Harlan Community vs #3 Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley

Class 5A

#3 Ankeny vs #2 Southeast Polk

All games can be watched online on the IHSAA.com website.

Girls’ Prep Basketball: IGHSAU Releases Preseason Rankings:

The first edition of the IGHSAU basketball rankings have been released and one area team is in the poll.

Here’s a full look at the rankings:

Class 1A

1.) Newell-Fonda 26-1
2.) Algona Bishop Garrigan 25-2
3.) Exira/Elk Horn-Kimballton 24-1
4.) Springville 21-5
5.) North Linn 21-3
6.) MMCRU 21-3
7.) Burlington Notre Dame 19-2
8.) North Mahaska 15-4
9.) Westwood 19-5
10.) Storm Lake St. Mary’s 19-4
11.) St. Ansgar 22-2
12.) Maquoketa Valley 25-1
13.) Montezuma 23-2
14.) Kingsley-Pierson 23-2
15.) Stanton 20-3

Class 2A

1.) Dike-New Hartford 26-0
2.) Nodaway Valley 24-1
3.) Grundy Center 19-4
4.) Central Lyon 20-3
5.) Denver 18-5
6.) Panorama 19-5
7.) Cascade 15-7
8.) Sibley-Ocheyedan 16-6
9.) West Hancock 19-6
10.) Treynor 20-5
11.) Jesup 13-9
12.) West Fork 14-8
13.) South Central Calhoun 14-9
14.) Underwood 19-4
15.) North Union 15-7

Class 3A

1.) Unity Christian 25-2
2.) Ballard 24-1
3.) West Lyon 24-2
4.) Cherokee 23-1
5.) Clear Lake 19-2
6.) Estherville-Lincoln Central 18-6
7.) Center Point-Urbana 15-7
8.) Sergeant Bluff-Luton 13-9
9.) West Liberty 16-6
10.) West Marshall 13-8
11.) Roland-Story 17-5
12.) Des Moines Christian 20-4
13.) Davenport Assumption 8-12
14.) Vinton-Shellsburg 18-5
15.) Nevada 12-10

Class 4A

1.) Glenwood 21-4
2.) Indianola 18-5
3.) Central DeWitt 16-3
4.) Cedar Rapids Xavier 10-7
5.) Dallas Center-Grimes 21-3
6.) Bishop Heelan 17-6
7.) North Scott 16-3
8.) Solon 17-6
9.) Winterset 14-9
10.) Grinnell 16-8
11.) Mason City 7-13
12.) Spencer 15-8
13.) Benton Community 15-8
14.) North Polk 15-8
15.) Waverly-Shell Rock 21-3

Class 5A

1.) Johnston 18-2
2.) Waterloo West 19-2
3.) Cedar Falls 17-4
4.) Iowa City High 10-5
5.) Southeast Polk 15-4
6.) Des Moines Roosevelt 10-2
7.) West Des Moines Valley 10-7
8.) Iowa City West 14-4
9.) Ankeny Centennial 16-3
10.) Cedar Rapids Washington 13-4
11.) Dowling Catholic 11-7
12.) Waukee Northwest 0-0
13.) Sioux City East 18-5
14.) Pleasant Valley 10-9
15.) Bettendorf 10-4

College Football: Iowa State’s Hall a Doak Walker Semifinalist:

Iowa State running back Breece Hall has been named a semifinalist for the Doak Walker Award.

The award is presented annually to the nation’s best running back.

Hall has been the offensive lynchpin for the Cyclone offense, rushing for 1,172 yards and 16 touchdowns.

He’s in the midst of the second longest streak in NCAA history for rushing touchdowns in consecutive games.

He’ll look to keep that going with a road date at Oklahoma on Saturday.

Kick from Norman is set for 11:00 a.m.