Mount Pleasant Municipal Utilities Manager Jack Hedgcock recently informed his Board of Trustees that he plans to retire before the end of the year. The Board meets Wednesday morning at 7:15 am to review the details of a transition plan and approve a recruitment strategy for a new manager.
Boys’ Tennis: Mount Pleasant Works Keokuk for Sweep
The Mount Pleasant boys’ tennis made quick work of Keokuk yesterday, sweeping the Chiefs 9-0 in a Southeast Conference bout.
Mount Pleasant’s top singles player Owen Vansickel earned a 10-4 win, dispatching Ivan Lopez while Jake Ensminger and Phoenix Watson both goose-egged their opponents in 10-0 wins.
Vansickel and Levi Graber teamed up in doubles for a 10-0 win, as well.
Keokuk forfeited the remainder of their matches.
Mount Pleasant is now 2-0 on the year.
Girls’ Tennis: Keokuk Takes Down Mount Pleasant
Keokuk took home four winners in singles play and won two doubles matches in a 6-3 win over Mount Pleasant yesterday.
The Panthers got on the board first with a win in No. 1 singles, with Savana Walls defeating Olivia Rule 8-1.
In No. 3 singles, Gisele Fajardo-Pena picked up an 8-5 win, but Keokuk then swept the remainder of the singles matches.
In doubles Walls and Melanie Olivas won 8-2 over Rule and Julia de Gala.
Mount Pleasant is now 0-2.
Girls’ Soccer: Mount Pleasant Wins over Columbus
Elly Manning scored twice while Evelyn Escobar made two saves, as the Mount Pleasant girls’ soccer team picked up a 2-1 win over Columbus last night.
Manning opened the scoring halfway through the first half when she found the back of the net from 20 yards out.
Columbus evened the ledger in the second half, but Mount Pleasant saved some late heroics.
Charice Auwerda and Manning teamed up for a buzzer beating goal to lift the Panthers to their second win as many fixtures.
Off today and Wednesday, Mount Pleasant will play at Washington Thursday night.
Boys’ Golf: Kempker, Matheny Lead Mount Pleasant
Nick Matheny and Reece Kempker both shot one-over 37’s to pace Mount Pleasant at Fairfield yesterday.
The two shared medalist honors, helping the Panthers to a third place finish.
Fairfield won the team championship followed up by Washington. Fort Madison was fourth.
Mount Pleasant finished with 180 strokes.
Roman Roth of Washington finished in second individually, with Fairfield’s Max Weaton placing third.
College Baseball: BBQ at the Ballpark Moved
Iowa Wesleyan’s BBQ at the Ballpark for today has been cancelled, the institution has announced.
The school will host BBQ at the Ballpark now on April 26th, when the Iowa Wesleyan softball team takes on Culver-Stockton in a doubleheader.
Today’s baseball and softball games remain scheduled to be played, with the baseball team taking on Viterbo at 1:00 p.m. and the softball team playing Mount Mercy at 4:00 p.m.
You can listen to the Wesleyan baseball game at 1:00 p.m. on FM 105.5 and kilj.com.
Nathan Bloechl will have the call from Mapleleaf Athletic Complex.
College Basketball: KILJ Bracket Challenge Winner:
Hattie Liechty has won the 2022 KILJ Bracket Challenge powered by Press Box Grille and Bar and Wiley’s Interior Furnishings and Design.
Liechty finished with with 1,160 points — 60 better than that of LJ Bracket who ended in second.
DHSH took home third.
This year we had over 90 entries.
Thank you to all those who entered, played and followed along.
Wesleyan Student Taken Into Custody After Knife Incident
Monday afternoon the Mount Pleasant police department responded to Iowa Wesleyan University for a report of an assault with a knife.
Upon arrival it was determined no injury had occurred and the knife was only displayed in a threatening manner.
The suspect was identified as Lujuan Morgan, 18 of St Ann, Missouri. He was located along with the knife.
He was arrested and charged with Assault with a Dangerous Weapon. He was transported to the Henry County Jail.
The Henry County Sherriff’s Office assisted on the incident.
Mount Pleasant Man Jailed After Pulling Gun on Female
Sunday at approximately 7:53 p.m. the Mount Pleasant police department responded to 709 S Main Street for a report of a male subject who pulled a gun on a female subject.
It was determined that Edward Easley, 23, of Mount Pleasant, was in a verbal argument with the victim.
After displaying the gun, Easley fled the area and went to Salem. On the way he hit a deer with his vehicle.
He was located at 310 N Jefferson St in Salem and was taken into custody by Henry County Deputies.
He is a known felon.
The weapon was recovered at the scene.
Easley was charged with Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon. He was transported to the Henry County Jail.
Prep Track: Mount Pleasant Runs Well at Home Co-Ed
Mount Pleasant — The Mount Pleasant track team ran well at their home coed relays event on Friday at Mapleleaf Athletic Complex.
Kenna Lamm showed out well in the hurdles, winning the event in 17.56 while Iowa State recruit Jadan Brumbaugh continued her red-hot start to the season with yet another shot put gold with a heave of 45 feet, 3.5 inches.
Allie Westercamp, Jenna Gilmore, Thanh Phung and Lamm won the shuttle hurdle relay, clocking in a time of 1:13.25.
The Panther boys’ performed well, with Bryce Wilson — a state place winner last year — winning the 110m hurdles with a time of 15.58. He and teammate Will Davidson will be neck and neck all year. Davidson finished in second in 15.68.
Davidson claimed another victory in the long jump with a leap of 20 feet, 6.25 inches. Davidson also helped guide the shuttle hurdle relay team to a win in 1:04.09.
He was joined on that quartet with Morgan Van Nyhuis, Avin Truong and Bryce Wilson.
Mediapolis won the 4×400 Friday, as well.
The Bulldogs ran 3:32 even and the team comprised of Kadin Salek, Logan Rosas, Anthony Isley and Levi Arnold.
Girls’ Tennis: Mount Pleasant Beaten by Davis County
Mount Pleasant — The Mount Pleasant girls’ tennis team fell in their spring opener Friday, dropping and 7-2 decision to Davis County.
Savana Walls beat Maddie Warning in No. 1 singles 8-5, but the Mustangs swept Mount Pleasant in each of the remaining singles bouts.
Walls and Melanie Olivas won No. 1 doubled 8-4.
That duo dispatched Davis County’s Jenna Marlow and Jada Will 8-4.
Boys’ Tennis: Panthers Sweep Davis County
Bloomfield — Owen Van Sickel started the day with an 8-0 win in No. 1 singles over Dean Bragg as Mount Pleasant swept Davis County 9-0 in their opener on Friday.
Phoenix Watson followed up Van Sickel’s win with an 8-2 win over Jaxson lee while Jake Ensminger made short work of Syrus Benge, 8-1, in No. 3 singles.
In doubles play, Van Sickel teamed up with Elliot Cook for an easy 8-3 win, while Ensminger paired with Tim Cam for an 8-3 winner.
Both the Panther boys’ and girls’ tennis teams are back in action tonight for a home-and-home with Keokuk.
Both matches will begin at 4:30 p.m. with the girls’ in Keokuk and the boys’ playing at East Lake Park.
College Wrestling: Wesleyan Names Kadel Head Coach
Mount Pleasant — Jake Kadel has officially been named the head coach of the Iowa Wesleyan wrestling program, the institution has announced.
Kadel, a New London, Iowa native, led the Iowa Wesleyan women to a 13th place finish at the NAIA Women’s Wrestling National Invitational earlier this year.
Under his watch, the Tigers also earned their first individual national champion in Adaugo Nwachukwu — who won the 136-pound national title.
Kadel spent last year as an assistant coach, subsequently earning the interim tag following the departure of Shawn Contos.
Before Iowa Wesleyan, Kadel spent one year as an assistant at St. John’s Jesuit High School and Academy in Toledo, Ohio.
Prior to that, he was a wrestling instructor for the Hard Drive Performance Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.