College Basketball: Mount Mercy Races Past Wesleyan

Mount Pleasant — Joey Brown scored 15 points and added eight boards, but it was Mount Mercy who raced out to a big lead and coasted to an 87-63 victory over Iowa Wesleyan last night at Ruble Arena.

The Mustangs led 44-23 at the half after RoyShawn Webb poured in a game-high 26 points.

Bailey Basala added 25.

Jett Tjaden added 11 points off the Wesleyan bench, as the Tigers fell to 1-2.

The Tigers will take on William Woods University in their next matchup on Friday, November 5th in Fulton, Missouri.

Tip is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.

Prep Volleyball: Notre Dame Rallies from Set One, Wins Three Straight

Cedar Rapids — Gabby Deery provided a match high 28 kills as top-seeded Notre Dame withstood a 25-23 set one loss to rally for three straight and a 3-1 win over eighth-seeded Tri Center.

Notre Dame picked up 25-17, 25-20 and 25-14 wins following their loss.

Deery was unstoppable at times, drilling kill after kill while being fed 49 attack attempts.

Josie Bentz added 17 kills on 33 attempts, chipping in with seven aces.

Jenna Bentz was terrific from her setter position, leading the Nikes with a match high 53 assists.

Ava Parkins led the back row with 15 digs.

Mikenzie Brewer paced Tri-Center with 14 kills while Marissa Ring added 12.

Tri-Center closes their year 27-11.

Prep Volleyball: Holy Trinity Survives Thriller, Advances to Semis

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

Cedar Rapids — Melissa Freesmeier can breathe a little bit easier — at least for now.

The fourth-seeded Holy Trinity Crusaders took every punch, every jab and every body blow in stride last night, outlasting fifth-seeded Janesville in five sets in an epic clash of two legendary programs.

Freesmeier and the Crusaders were 0-9 lifetime against Janesville in the state tournament but finally nipped them in a matchup that will be remembered for a long time.

Kassi Randolph and Brooke Mueller led the Crusaders with 13 kills apiece, while Natalie Randolph also finished in double figures with 11.

Holy Trinity dropped the first set 25-23 then countered for two gut-wrenching wins in the second and third sets, 25-21 and 25-22.

Janesville then answered in a must-win set four with a 25-20 triumph, spearheaded by their senior ace Pyper McCarville, who finished with a match high 24 kills on 72 total attempts.

From there, Holy Trinity buckled down.

The Crusaders got a huge fifth set block from Mueller to shift the momentum as Holy Trinity rode the wave for a 15-8 clincher.

The win means the two southeast Iowa powers — Notre Dame and Holy Trinity — will collide tonight in a semifinal for the ages.

The winner will move into Thursday’s state championship.

Match time tonight is set for 6:00 p.m., you can listen on FM 105.5 and kilj.com.

Sports, Wednesday, November 3rd

Prep Volleyball: Notre Dame Rallies from Set One, Wins Three Straight:

Gabby Deery provided a match high 28 kills as top-seeded Notre Dame withstood a 25-23 set one loss to rally for three straight and a 3-1 win over eighth-seeded Tri Center.

Notre Dame picked up 25-17, 25-20 and 25-14 wins following their loss.

Deery was unstoppable at times, drilling kill after kill while being fed 49 attack attempts.

Josie Bentz added 17 kills on 33 attempts, chipping in with seven aces.

Jenna Bentz was terrific from her setter position, leading the Nikes with a match high 53 assists.

Ava Parkins led the back row with 15 digs.

Mikenzie Brewer paced Tri-Center with 14 kills while Marissa Ring added 12.

Tri-Center closes their year 27-11.

Prep Volleyball: Holy Trinity Survives Thriller, Advances to Semis:

Melissa Freesmeier can breathe a little bit easier — at least for now.

The fourth-seeded Holy Trinity Crusaders took every punch, every jab and every body blow in stride last night, outlasting fifth-seeded Janesville in five sets in an epic clash of two legendary programs.

Freesmeier and the Crusaders were 0-9 lifetime against Janesville in the state tournament but finally nipped them in a matchup that will be remembered for a long time.

Kassi Randolph and Brooke Mueller led the Crusaders with 13 kills apiece, while Natalie Randolph also finished in double figures with 11.

Holy Trinity dropped the first set 25-23 then countered for two gut-wrenching wins in the second and third sets, 25-21 and 25-22.

Janesville then answered in a must-win set four with a 25-20 triumph, spearheaded by their senior ace Pyper McCarville, who finished with a match high 24 kills on 72 total attempts.

From there, Holy Trinity buckled down.

The Crusaders got a huge fifth set block from Mueller to shift the momentum as Holy Trinity rode the wave for a 15-8 clincher.

The win means the two southeast Iowa powers — Notre Dame and Holy Trinity — will collide tonight in a semifinal for the ages.

The winner will move into Thursday’s state championship.

Match time tonight is set for 6:00 p.m., you can listen on FM 105.5 and kilj.com.

College Basketball: Mount Mercy Races Past Wesleyan:

Joey Brown scored 15 points and added eight boards, but it was Mount Mercy who raced out to a big lead and coasted to a big 87-63.

The Mustangs led 44-23 at the half after RoyShawn Webb poured in a game-high 26 points.

Bailey Basala added 25.

Jett Tjaden added 11 points off the Wesleyan bench, as the Tigers fell to 1-2.

The Tigers will take on William Woods University in their next matchup on Friday, November 5th in Fulton, Missouri.

Tip is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.

College Wrestling: Iowa Wrestling Tabbed Preseason No. 1: 

The University of Iowa wrestling team is the preseason No. 1 according to the latest National Wrestling Coaches Association poll.

The Hawkeyes nabbed all 14 first-place votes and are one of ten Big Ten programs in the first edition of the rankings.

Penn State, Missouri, Michigan and NC State round out the top five.

Kevin Dresser’s Iowa State Cyclones are the preseason No. 14, while Northern Iowa is No. 17.

Iowa will open up their season November 19th, hosting No. 22 Princeton.

The dual is set to begin at 7:00 p.m.

Prep Volleyball: Notre Dame, Holy Trinity Open at State

Cedar Rapids — Two local teams will take center stage at the Alliant Energy PowerHouse tonight when Class 1A’s top-ranked Notre Dame plays Tri-Center and fourth-seeded Holy Trinity locks horns with Janesville.

Notre Dame, 35-8, will play at 6:00 p.m. on FM 105.5 as they look to reprise their role as State Champions.

The road starts tonight with a 27-10 Tri-Center team led by sophomore outside hitter Mikenzie Brewer, who is averaging 2.4 kills per set.

Brewer also leads the team in blocks as her net presence will be something to watch tonight.

On the other side, Notre Dame’s brilliance this year has been something to see.

The Nikes have not missed a beat, steamrolling through Super Conference play largely untested.

Gabby Deery leads a dominant front row with 4.0 kills per set while Jenna and Josie Bentz as well as Megan Harrell all come together to form one of the state’s best attacks.

Following that, fourth-seeded Holy Trinity will take on the 25-15 Janesville Wildcats.

Holy Trinity made sure their hiatus at state was the shortest possible — this is head coach Melissa Freesmeier’s 20th trip to state and 13th time in the last 16 years.

Natalie Randolph paces a well-balanced attack for the Crusaders, with 2.4 kills per set.

Brooke Mueller, Mary Kate Bendlage, Kassi Randolph and Kayla Box will be in the mix offensively, as well.

In the back row, senior libero Anna Sobczak is as good as they come.

Holy Trinity will take the floor at 8:00 p.m.

You can listen to that match here on FM 105.5 as well.

Prep Volleyball: State Scoreboard Day One

Cedar Rapids — Day one of the IGHSAU State Volleyball finished out yesterday with some upsets and the typical elite play.

Here’s the full scoreboard:

5A 

No. 8 Johnston 3, No. 1 Iowa City Liberty 2

No. 4 Cedar Falls 3, No. 5 Dowling Catholic 0

No. 2 Pleasant Valley 3, No. 7 Ankeny Centennial 1

No. 3 Ankeny 3, No. 6 Urbandale 2

4A

No. 1 Western Dubuque 3, No. 8 Bishop Heelan

No. 5 Marion 3, No. 4 Xavier 2

No. 2 North Scott 3, No. 7 Bondurant-Farrar 0

No. 3 Waverly-Shell Rock 3, No. 6 Oskaloosa 2

College Wrestling: Wesleyan Releases Winter Schedule

Mount Pleasant — After competing in a condensed season last spring due to the COVID-19 pandemic, finishing 2-2 in duals, the Iowa Wesleyan wrestling team is ready to step back into Ruble Arena.

The Tigers will compete in their first regular-season contest on November 6th as they travel to Simpson College to compete in the Luther Hill Invitational in Indianola.

Shawn Contos will join Nathan Bloechl on Thursday morning for this week’s episode of Tiger Nation.

2021-2022 Iowa Wesleyan Men’s Wrestling Schedule

November 6: @ Luther Hill Invitational (Tournament)

November 17: Simpson (Dual) *Home*

November 28: @ Harold Nichols Cyclone Open (Tournament)

December 8: @ Fontbonne (Dual)

December 15: Waldorf (Dual) *Home*

January 8: @ Central Under Armour Invitational (Tournament)

January 19: St. Ambrose (Dual) *Home*

January 21: @ Cornell (Dual)

February 9: @ Grandview (Dual)

February 11: @ Central Last Chance Invitational (Tournament)

College Football: Iowa State’s Hall named Maxwell Semifinalist

Ames — Iowa State tailback Breece Hall has been named a Maxwell Award semifinalist.

The list was released last night and the award is given annually to the nation’s best collegiate player.

Hall, who has been the unquestioned bellcow for the Cyclones, has rushed for 13 touchdowns and has 1,193 scrimmage yards.

He also has an active streak of 20 consecutive games with a rushing touchdown.

Hall and the Clones will welcome in Steve Sarkisian’s Texas Longhorns this Saturday.

Kick from Jack Trice Stadium is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.