From the Street Committee Meeting

By Theresa Rose · Thursday, February 10th, 2022 at 4:31 pm CDT

The Mount Pleasant Street Department is requesting no parking restrictions on Pearl Street. Director Rick Mullin brought the request to the City Council Street Committee meeting Wednesday. He said there is already a section that is no parking except for loading and unloading in front of the Iowa Wesleyan University mens’ dorm.  However, he said there are vehicles parked all along the south side of the street up and down that block.  This is creating a problem for snow plowing to the point where crews are no longer plowing the street at all. There is also a problem with traffic flow and accessibility.  The committee agreed to recommend the no parking restrictions to the full council.  The Street committee also discussed intersections where parking blocks visibility for example at White and Monroe Streets and at Jackson and Monroe. City Administrator Brent Schleisman asked the council members to drive the problem areas and he will get a police report on numbers of crashes at the various intersections.

School Supt John Henriksen attended the meeting to talk about paving the property the school district purchased from the city on Lincoln Street east of the Middle School. The lot is not square and the right away of way is unusually wide. Approximately 15 parking spaces could be lost because of this.  The Supt is requesting a permanent easement for parking, sidewalks and access.

Prep Girls’ Basketball: Tournament Trail Begins Tonight

By Nathan Bloechl · Thursday, February 10th, 2022 at 2:20 pm CDT

KILJ — The tournament trail gets underway officially tonight in 1A Girls’ as first round district games commence across the area.

Our featured game will be in Fort Madison at Shottenkirk Gymnasium, where Holy Trinity will host New London.

The Crusaders, 10-11 on the year, limped into the postseason on the back of five straight losses to close the season, most recently a 57-42 defeat by Fort Madison.

Holy Trinity has two players in double figures.

Sophomore Mary Kate Bendlage leads the team with 14.5 points per game, while Natalie Randolph scores 11.6.

Bendlage is also the team leader in boards at 7.2 per game.

Meanwhile New London earned their first win of the year last week, 47-43 over Hillcrest Academy.

The Tigers are 1-21 under first year head coach Terri Hester-Matthews.

Natalie Burden is team leader with 7.4 points per game, while Emma Nye scores 4.7 per contest.

New London has not defeated Holy Trinity since January 13th, 2015 — a streak extending to 17 straight games.

Tonight’s game will begin at 7:00 p.m.

John Kuhens and Kent Bennett will have the call on FM 105.5 and kij.com.

The winner will play next Tuesday in the second round.

Other first round scraps tonight:

  • WACO at Wapello
  • Hillcrest Academy at Winfield-Mount Union
  • Lisbon at Highland
  • Lone Tree at English Valleys

Girls’ Prep Basketball: 4A Pairings Announced

By Nathan Bloechl · Thursday, February 10th, 2022 at 2:19 pm CDT

KILJ — The Mount Pleasant girls’ basketball now knows their postseason fate.

The Panthers, who are now even at 10-10, will play the always tough Fort Madison Bloodhounds in the first round of the Class 4A playoffs.

Fort Madison swept the season series with the Panthers this year, with both wins by double digits and are, as of today, 15-4 on the season.

Those four losses have came against Fairfield, twice against No. 12 Keokuk and No. 7 Notre Dame.

All but one of their defeats were by single digits.

Mount Pleasant has won two straight since dropping to Keokuk and Mediapolis and will close the season tomorrow with a date against Fairfield.

Their first round game will tip at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, February 16th.

The winner will play at No. 12 Keokuk at 7:00 p.m. on February 19th.

Boys’ Prep Basketball: 3A Pairings Released, Mount Pleasant Gets Rematch

By Nathan Bloechl · Thursday, February 10th, 2022 at 2:18 pm CDT

KILJ — The Mount Pleasant boys’ basketball team will get a rematch of last years’ district semifinal in this year’s first round when they travel to take on Mount Vernon.

The pairings were announced yesterday.

The Panthers are the No. 5 seed while Mount Vernon is the four.

Mount Vernon, who graduated Division I Keaton Kutcher who’s now at South Dakota, enters the postseason at 9-10.

Brady Erickson and Joe Rhomberg are the two returning fulcrums from last year’s team that advanced to within one game of the state tournament.

The winner will most likely await top-seeded and top-ranked Marion — the Wolves play eighth-seeded Keokuk.

The first round will be played on Monday, February 21st.

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

Nathan Bloechl and Kent Bennett will have the call.

Prep Wrestling: State Dual Tournament Pairings Announced

By Nathan Bloechl · Thursday, February 10th, 2022 at 2:18 pm CDT

Des Moines — The Iowa High School Athletic Association has released State Dual pairings ahead of next week’s tournament.

In Class 2A, Notre Dame will be the No. 8 seed and take on top-seeded West Delaware at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday morning.

The Hawks boast one of the deepest rosters in Class 2A and feature perhaps one of the best pound-for-pound wrestlers in the state in UNI recruit Wyatt Voelker, this year’s presumptive favorite once again to win it all at 195-pounds.

A ranked matchup awaits next Wednesday when No. 5 Isaiah Fenton will link up with No. 6 Logan Peyton at 152-pounds.

Should the Nikes win, they’ll get the winner of Sergeant Bluff-Luton and Crestwood.

The rest of the bracket sees No. 2 Independence battling No. 7 Winterset and No. 3 Osage feuding with No. 6 Atlantic

In 1A, Don Bosco is the top seed while Lisbon — who defeated New London in the regional dual finals is the two.

The Lions encounter No. 7 Wilton.

Sports, February 10th

By Nathan Bloechl · Thursday, February 10th, 2022 at 12:31 pm CDT

Prep Girls’ Basketball: Tournament Trail Begins Tonight

The tournament trail gets underway officially tonight in 1A Girls’ as first round district games commence across the area.

Our featured game will be in Fort Madison at Shottenkirk Gymnasium, where Holy Trinity will host New London.

The Crusaders, 10-11 on the year, limped into the postseason on the back of five straight losses to close the season, most recently a 57-42 defeat by Fort Madison.

Holy Trinity has two players in double figures.

Sophomore Mary Kate Bendlage leads the team with 14.5 points per game, while Natalie Randolph scores 11.6.

Bendlage is also the team leader in boards at 7.2 per game.

Meanwhile New London earned their first win of the year last week, 47-43 over Hillcrest Academy.

The Tigers are 1-21 under first year head coach Terri Hester-Matthews.

Natalie Burden is team leader with 7.4 points per game, while Emma Nye scores 4.7 per contest.

New London has not defeated Holy Trinity since January 13th, 2015 — a streak extending to 17 straight games.

Tonight’s game will begin at 7:00 p.m.

John Kuhens and Kent Bennett will have the call on FM 105.5 and kij.com.

The winner will play next Tuesday in the second round.

Other first round scraps tonight:

  • WACO at Wapello
  • Hillcrest Academy at Winfield-Mount Union
  • Lisbon at Highland
  • Lone Tree at English Valleys

Girls’ Prep Basketball: 4A Pairings Announced

The Mount Pleasant girls’ basketball now knows their postseason fate.

The Panthers, who are now even at 10-10, will play the always tough Fort Madison Bloodhounds in the first round of the Class 4A playoffs.

Fort Madison swept the season series with the Panthers this year, with both wins by double digits and are, as of today, 15-4 on the season.

Those four losses have came against Fairfield, twice against No. 12 Keokuk and No. 7 Notre Dame.

All but one of their defeats were by single digits.

Mount Pleasant has won two straight since dropping to Keokuk and Mediapolis and will close the season tomorrow with a date against Fairfield.

Their first round game will tip at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, February 16th.

The winner will play at No. 12 Keokuk at 7:00 p.m. on February 19th.

Boys’ Prep Basketball: 3A Pairings Released, Mount Pleasant Gets Rematch

The Mount Pleasant boys’ basketball team will get a rematch of last years’ district semifinal in this year’s first round when they travel to take on Mount Vernon.

The pairings were announced yesterday.

The Panthers are the No. 5 seed while Mount Vernon is the four.

Mount Vernon, who graduated Division I Keaton Kutcher who’s now at South Dakota, enters the postseason at 9-10.

Brady Erickson and Joe Rhomberg are the two returning fulcrums from last year’s team that advanced to within one game of the state tournament.

The winner will most likely await top-seeded and top-ranked Marion — the Wolves play eighth-seeded Keokuk.

The first round will be played on Monday, February 21st.

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

Nathan Bloechl and Kent Bennett will have the call.

Prep Wrestling: State Dual Tournament Pairings Announced

The Iowa High School Athletic Association has released State Dual pairings ahead of next week’s tournament.

In Class 2A, Notre Dame will be the No. 8 seed and take on top-seeded West Delaware at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday morning.

The Hawks boast one of the deepest rosters in Class 2A and feature perhaps one of the best pound-for-pound wrestlers in the state in UNI recruit Wyatt Voelker, this year’s presumptive favorite once again to win it all at 195-pounds.

A ranked matchup awaits next Wednesday when No. 5 Isaiah Fenton will link up with No. 6 Logan Peyton at 152-pounds.

Should the Nikes win, they’ll get the winner of Sergeant Bluff-Luton and Crestwood.

The rest of the bracket sees No. 2 Independence battling No. 7 Winterset and No. 3 Osage feuding with No. 6 Atlantic

In 1A, Don Bosco is the top seed while Lisbon — who defeated New London in the regional dual finals is the two.

The Lions encounter No. 7 Wilton.

 

Larry L. Marshall

By Theresa Rose · Wednesday, February 9th, 2022 at 9:52 pm CDT

Larry L. Marshall, 82, of Wapello, passed away on Tuesday, February 8, 2022 at the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics.  Graveside services will be 2:00 p.m. on Friday, February 11, 2022 at the Wapello Cemetery.    A memorial has been established for the American Cancer Society in Larry’s name.    Sympathy messages can be left for the family at www.sandfuneralservice.com. Larry L. Marshall was born on November 7, 1939, in Wapello, Iowa, the son of Merrit and Lela (Tisor) Marshall.  Larry was a 1960 graduate of Wapello High School.  He proudly served his country in the United States Navy during the Vietnam War.  On April 4, 1969, Larry was united in marriage to Sandra Partington at the Wapello United Methodist Church.  Larry worked for over 24 years at the US Gypsum Plant, retiring in 1982.  He was a member of the Wapello Church of the Nazarene, Wapello VFW and the Masonic Lodge # 5 of Wapello.  Larry enjoyed woodworking and gardening. Larry will be deeply missed by his wife, Sandy and one son, Brad Marshall of Wapello.