Sports, August 30th

By Slaten Swords · Saturday, August 30th, 2025 at 6:30 am CDT

High School Football

Mt. Pleasant’s defense came to play in their 17-14 victory over Mediapolis last night. The Panthers rebounded from allowing a touchdown on Mediapolis’ opening drive that saw Quincy King and Gannon Gunn connect four times for 68 yards and the eventual touchdown. The Mt. Pleasant defense forced three turnovers with Jack Newman and Brody Clark each nabbing an interception, while Tate Dorothy had a strip sack to stump a late promising drive by Mediapolis. Panther head coach John Bowlin was impressed with his defense that surrendered less than 30 rushing yards on the game,

“Our D-line, we got about 7 guys that rotate there, they’re all very capable of doing a great job, so we knew they’d be a strong point for us, and we got to keep getting better and better at things. Obviously seeing our linebackers step up, filling some roles for, you know, we missed a couple of guys from last year. So those guys stepped in, had a great game, just big for us, but really, it’s great you can allow 5 yards, obviously, so it’s surprising, but that’s also expected that we completely shut down the run, do our job.”

Grayson Walker tossed for 143 yards and found Isiah Lange for a four-yard touchdown, while Griffen Jones plunged in from a yard out on a fourth-and-goal. Nathan Schmidgall scampered in for a Bulldog kick return touchdown.

The Panthers will travel to take on Knoxville on Friday, September 5th, at 7:30 pm. KILJ 105.5 FM, kilj.com, will be on the call with the pregame show at 7:15 pm. 

Mediapolis will attempt to bounce back on Friday against Keokuk at home at 7 pm.

WACO shutout Central City last night 49-0. Hayden Shelman finished with 141 total yards and four total touchdowns. The Warriors will have an early season rivalry matchup against Winfield-Mt. Union on Friday at 7 pm on the road. 

West Burlington/Notre Dame snuck past Danville last night 19-13. The Falcons will look to start the season 2-0 when they travel to Fort Madison on Friday at 7:30 pm.

Danville will face off against Louisa-Muscatine on Friday at 7 pm at home. 

Columbus was walloped by BGM 47-14 last night. The Wildcats will take on Van Buren County on Friday at 7 pm on the road.

Van Buren County was clobbered by Central Lee 28-8 last night. The Hawks will compete against Albia on Friday at 7 pm at home.

Wapello steamrolled Louisa-Muscatine last night 34-12. Wapello will host Highland on Friday at 7 pm. 

New London defeated Cardinal last night 36-32 in their first game back in Class A since 2017. The Tigers will travel to Pekin on Friday at 7 pm.

Fairfield fell to Benton last night 29-12. The Trojans will face off against Centerville on Friday at 7:30 pm at home.

High School Volleyball

Central Lee will host an invitational today with West Burlington and Van Buren County making the trip. 

Mt. Pleasant and Fairfield will participate in a tournament today at Grinnell. 

Burlington Notre Dame will take on Quincy today at 9 am on the road. 

The Arrow Tournament will take place at Wapello High School on Tuesday, September 2nd, with Burlington Notre Dame, Central Lee, Columbus, Holy Trinity Catholic, and Mediapolis participating. 

Winfield-Mt. Union will travel to Louisa-Muscatine on Tuesday at 7:30 pm. 

High School Cross Country

Central Lee will participate in the Prairie Meet today. 

Danville will compete at the Williamsburg Invitational on Tuesday, September 2nd, along with Mt. Pleasant and Mediapolis. 

Van Buren County, Mediapolis, Fairfield, and New London will head to the Wildwood Meet on Thursday, September 4th. 

High School Girls’ Tennis

Mt. Pleasant will square off against Burlington at home on Tuesday, September 2nd. 

Fairfield will take on Mt. Pleasant on Thursday, September 4th, at home. 

Southeastern Community College

The volleyball team split their matches on day one of the Jimmy John’s Invite yesterday, falling to Allen County Community College 15-8 in the fifth set and sweeping St. Ambrose. The Jimmy John’s Invite will continue today with matchups against Mineral Area College and Spoon River College. 

The women’s soccer team will stay on the road to take on Metropolitan Community College today at 2 pm.

The men’s soccer team is back in action today against Metropolitan Community College at 4 pm on the road. 

College Football

#22 Iowa State will host South Dakota today at 2:30 pm. KILJ 98.5 FM and AM 1130 will have the call.

Iowa will tangle with UAlbany tonight at 5:10 pm for their home opener. KILJ 105.5 FM will be on the call. 

This Day in Sports History

1913 – The Phillies lead the Giants 8-6 in top of 9th when fans in the centerfield bleachers try to distract the Giants and the Umpire forfeits the game to the Giants, which leads to a riot. The forfeit is later overruled.

1984 – Red Sox Jim Rice grounds into a record 33rd double play en route to 36.

1997 – The first WNBA Championship: the Houston Comets beat the NY Liberty. Cynthia Cooper led the postseason, averaging 28 points per game.

Local High School Football Scores (Week 1)

By Slaten Swords · Friday, August 29th, 2025 at 11:26 pm CDT

8-Player

Easton Valley 59, Winfield-Mt. Union 22 (Thursday)

WACO 49, Central City 0

Iowa Valley 49, Don Bosco 34

Class A

West Burlington/Notre Dame 19, Danville 13

Central Lee 28, Van Buren County 8

New London 36, Cardinal 32

Wapello 34, Louisa-Muscatine 12

BGM 47, Columbus 14

Class 3A

Mt. Pleasant 17, Mediapolis 14

Benton 29, Fairfield 12

Burlington 62, Fort Madison 19

Williamsburg 44, Keokuk 0

Solon 36, Assumption 13

Mid-Prairie 50, Washington 35

Goat and Sheep Producers Invited to Parasite Management Workshop in Mt. Pleasant

By Hayden Douglas · Friday, August 29th, 2025 at 6:44 am CDT

Goat and sheep producers across Southeast Iowa are invited to attend Parasite Patrol: Mastering Fecal Egg Counts for Healthier Goat Herds and Sheep Flocks, a hands-on educational workshop focused on practical parasite management.

The program, offered through a collaboration between Iowa State University Extension and Outreach and the University of Wisconsin–Madison Division of Extension, will take place Tuesday, Sept. 24, from 3 to 7 p.m. at the Henry County Extension Office in Mt. Pleasant. A light snack will be provided.

The workshop will teach participants how to use fecal egg count (FEC) techniques to identify and monitor internal parasite loads, one of the most pressing health challenges for sheep and goats. By learning how to conduct fecal egg counts on their farms, producers can make informed decisions about parasite control, reduce unnecessary deworming, and track treatment effectiveness.

During the training, attendees will: Learn how to perform fecal egg counts, Explore parasite lifecycles and resistance issues, Practice identifying parasite eggs under a microscope, Receive guidance on integrated parasite control strategies, Organizers note that space may be limited to ensure a hands-on learning experience, and early registration is encouraged. For more information or to register, contact the Henry County Extension Office at 319-385-8126.

Alliant Energy Partners with HomeServe to Offer Home Repair Plans

By Hayden Douglas · Friday, August 29th, 2025 at 6:44 am CDT

Alliant Energy has announced a new partnership with HomeServe, a home solutions provider, to offer optional repair plans to customers in Iowa. The program is designed to help homeowners manage the financial strain and stress of unexpected repairs.

“These plans give customers peace of mind and a cost-effective way to safeguard their homes,” said Aimee Davis, Alliant Energy’s VP of Communications, Marketing & Customer Operations. The repair plans cover customer-owned natural gas lines and electrical equipment that connect homes to Alliant Energy’s systems. Coverage includes failures or damage from normal wear and tear—repairs that are not Alliant’s responsibility.

Benefits include reduced out-of-pocket costs, access to reliable local contractors, and 24/7 repair scheduling through HomeServe.

“Our goal is to make home-ownership easier,” said Tom Rusin, CEO of HomeServe North America.

Customers will receive details in the mail soon. Participation is voluntary and will not affect gas or electric service. HomeServe is an independent partner of Alliant Energy.

Charles “Charlie” W. Gotsch

By Hayden Douglas · Friday, August 29th, 2025 at 6:41 am CDT

Charles “Charlie” W. Gotsch, 67, of Mount Pleasant, died unexpectedly Wednesday, August 27, 2025, at the Henry County Health Center.

Charlie was born November 28, 1957, in Kansas City, Missouri, the son of Edward and Evelyn (Wohlgemuth) Smith. He graduated from Carrollton, Missouri High School in 1976 and attended Northwest Missouri State. On June 21, 1980, Charlie married Laurie Anderson in Norborne, Missouri. He enjoyed working on cars, racing, golfing, fishing, bowling and coaching softball. He was a member of the local bowling league, the Moose Lodge and served on the Mount Pleasant softball board. He was also a member of the AKL Fraternity.

Charlie is survived by his wife Laurie, two daughters, Kristi (Kevin) Kenealy of Nevada, Iowa, Amanda (Jesse) McCreedy of Hills, Iowa, four grandchildren, Korin, Keaton and Kael Kenealy, Ronan McCreedy, two sisters, Sherry (Rodney) Swan of Stover, Missouri, Deb Staton of Kansas City, Missouri, a brother Clifford (Marilyn) Smith of Carrollton, Missouri, a sister-in-law, Mary Gotsch of Tulsa, Oklahoma, four brothers-in-law, Bob (Connie) Anderson of Prairie Village, Kansas, Ron (Nancy) Anderson of Fayette, Missouri, Greg (Denise) Anderson of Carrollton, Missouri, Mark (Barb) Anderson of Camdenton, Missouri, as well as many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Barry Gotsch.

Funeral service will be held 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, September 3, 2025, at Olson Powell Chapel & Crematory in Mount Pleasant. Burial will be in the Pleasant Hill Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 1:00 – 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, September 2, 2025, at the Olson-Powell Chapel & Crematory where the family will be present from 5:00-7:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, memorials have been established for Mount Pleasant Girls Softball League and Mount Pleasant Music Boosters. The Olson-Powell Chapel & Crematory is caring for Charlie and his family.

Sports, August 29th

By Slaten Swords · Friday, August 29th, 2025 at 6:38 am CDT

High School Volleyball

SCC hosted a quad yesterday with Burlington, Danville, Wapello, and West Burlington playing against one another. The Arrows were led by Mila Jordan’s eight kills and Kate Lanz’s six blocks in their two-set sweep of the Falcons (21-16, 21-19). West Burlington would bounce back to beat Danville in both sets 21-13 and 21-14. The Falcons’ night would end on a loss at the hands of Burlington in a contentious battle 23-21 in set one and 21-16 in set two. 

The Arrow Tournament will take place at Wapello High School on Tuesday, September 2nd, with Burlington Notre Dame, Central Lee, Columbus, Holy Trinity Catholic, and Mediapolis participating. 

Winfield-Mt. Union gutted out a five-set thriller against Keokuk last night. After winning the second and third sets 25-21 and 25-19, the Chiefs forced a fifth set with a 25-19 victory in sets one and four. Yet, the Wolves were able to claw past Keokuk in the fifth set with a 15-11 final. The Wolves will travel to Louisa-Muscatine on Tuesday at 7:30 pm. 

Central Lee handled business last night against Fort Madison, beating the Bloodhounds in four sets (25-13, 20-25, 25-17, and 25-14). Kenna Sandoval tabbed 30 assists and two block solos as Taylor Jones tallied 10 kills and five total blocks of her own. The Hawks will host an invitational tomorrow, August 30th, with West Burlington and Van Buren County making the trip. 

Mt. Pleasant made the trip to Ottumwa last night to compete in a triangular and exited the night with a pair of victories. The Panthers snuck out with a 15-11 final in the third set to beat the Bulldogs for the first time since 2021, following that up with a sweep of Davis County (25-19, 25-19). 

Mt. Pleasant and Fairfield will participate in a tournament tomorrow at Grinnell. 

Burlington Notre Dame will take on Quincy tomorrow at 9 am on the road. 

High School Cross Country

Van Buren County put together a dominant showing at Albia last night as the boys’ team won the meet with 61 points and the girls’ team took second place with 64 points. Lincoln Bainbridge snatched the silver with a time of 16 minutes and 25 seconds, while Kayley and Adalyn Snowgren grabbed top ten finishes on the girls’ side with Kayley finishing in 5th place with a time of 21 minutes and 37 seconds. 

Van Buren County, Mediapolis, Fairfield, and New London will head to the Wildwood Meet on Thursday, September 4th. 

Danville traveled to Iowa City West for their Early Bird meet and Alaina Gourley ran away with the gold medal time of 19 minutes and 43 seconds in the girls’ 5K, beating second place by seven seconds. The boys’ team was led by Isaac Shinn as his time of 17 minutes and 36 seconds was good enough for 32nd place. 

The Bears will compete at the Williamsburg Invitational on Tuesday, September 2nd, along with Mt. Pleasant and Mediapolis. 

High School Girls’ Tennis

Fairfield shutout Keokuk last night 9-0. The Trojans allowed only eight points for the entire match. Fairfield will take on Mt. Pleasant on Thursday, September 4th, at home. 

Mt. Pleasant will square off against Burlington at home on Tuesday, September 2nd. 

High School Football

Winfield-Mt. Union scored first but ultimately fell 59-22 to Easton Valley last night. The Wolves will host WACO on Friday, September 5th, at 7 pm.

Mt. Pleasant will square off against Mediapolis tonight at 7:30 pm for their home opener. KILJ 105.5 FM, kilj.com, will be on the call with the pregame show at 7:15 pm. Panther head coach John Bowlin is looking for his team to leave their mark throughout the entire season,

“So, just focus on our assignments and just, you know, being a physical team, I think that’s the biggest thing that our guys need to hang their hats on is we need to be the most physical team out there. I feel good about our all-around athleticism, but we may not be the fastest team, but I think I think our eleven guys will work really well together and, you know, just got to go win the line of scrimmage. So, I think that’s our biggest MO is control the line of scrimmage, control the football and play physical. So that’s what we’re going to focus on here going into Week 1 is being that team when you leave the field that somebody says, man, these guys play hard, they play tough and they’re physical.”

WACO will kick off the season with a road showdown against Central City tonight at 7 pm.

Danville will compete against West Burlington tonight at 7 pm on the road. 

Columbus will host BGM to start the season tonight at 7 pm.

Wapello will clash with Louisa-Muscatine tonight at 7 pm on the road. 

New London will ring in the new season with a home contest against Cardinal tonight at 7 pm.

Van Buren County will tangle with Central Lee tonight at 7 pm on the road. 

Southeastern Community College

The volleyball team will host the Jimmy Johns Invite through the weekend, starting today against Allen County Community College. 

The women’s soccer team will stay on the road to take on Metropolitan Community College tomorrow, August 30th, at 2 pm.

The men’s soccer team is back in action tomorrow against Metropolitan Community College at 4 pm on the road. 

College Football

#22 Iowa State will host South Dakota tomorrow, August 30th, at 2:30 pm. KILJ 98.5 FM and AM 1130 will have the call.

Iowa will tangle with UAlbany tomorrow at 5:10 pm for their home opener. KILJ 105.5 FM will be on the call. 

This Day in Sports History

1885 – Boxing’s first heavyweight title fight with 3-oz gloves and 3-minute rounds was fought between American boxers John L. Sullivan and Dominick McCaffrey in Cincinnati, Ohio.

1977 – MLB St Louis Cardinal Lou Brock eclipses Ty Cobb’s 49-year-old career stolen bases record at 893 as the Padres win 4-3.

2022 – St. Louis Cardinal slugger Albert Pujols hits career home run 694 off of a major league record 450th different pitcher in 13-4 win over Reds in Cincinnati.

Southeast Iowa Fishing Report 8/29/25

By Hayden Douglas · Friday, August 29th, 2025 at 5:27 am CDT

Anglers across southeast Iowa are finding steady late-summer action on rivers and reservoirs, with catfish continuing to provide the most consistent bite.

On the Cedar River, from Cedar Rapids down to Moscow, as well as between La Porte City and Cedar Rapids, catfish remain the main draw. Channel catfish are biting fairly well on cut bait worked into brush piles, while flatheads can be found with live bait in similar areas.

At Coralville Reservoir, electronics are key for locating suspended black and white crappie around brush piles and rock walls. Channel catfish are hitting well, with anglers having success trolling rattle rigs with cut bait or soaking stink bait near cover.

The Iowa River, both from Coralville Lake to River Junction and upstream to Marshalltown, is producing fair results for multiple species. Channel and flathead catfish are steady on cut or live bait near brush and rock structure. Smallmouth bass, spotted bass, and white bass are showing up along rocky shorelines and current seams, with soft plastics working best. Wipers are also biting in current seams on similar presentations.

At Lake Macbride, the seasonal 10-horsepower motor restriction is in effect. Electronics are useful for finding suspended schools of crappie in the lake basin. Channel catfish are biting on stink bait, cut bait, and green sunfish along the rocky jetties. Flathead catfish are also active near rocks on cut or live bait. Bass anglers are finding fair success on soft plastics worked through green vegetation. Wipers are slow, but scattered suspended fish may be located around wind-blown points or shad schools.

The Wapsipinicon River, from Troy Mills to Oxford Junction, is another solid option. Channel catfish are taking cut bait in brush piles, while flatheads prefer live bait in the same areas. Smallmouth bass and walleye are biting on soft plastics fished along rocky shorelines and current seams.

For more details, contact the Lake Macbride Fisheries Station at 319-624-3615.

Midwest Old Threshers Celebrates 75 Years with Special Recognition of Founding Families

By Hayden Douglas · Thursday, August 28th, 2025 at 12:33 pm CDT

Mount Pleasant, Iowa — The 75th Annual Midwest Old Threshers Reunion is officially underway, and this year’s milestone celebration brings not only a packed schedule of events, but also a heartfelt tribute to the association’s origins.

The program turned to a special presentation honoring the four men whose vision created the Midwest Old Threshers Association back in 1949: Clark Everts, W.E. “Ted” Detrich, Ray Ernst, and Herman Elgar. Inspired by a steam engine and threshers gathering in Pontiac, Illinois, the group believed Henry County’s rich agricultural history and steam power heritage made Mount Pleasant the perfect place for a reunion. Their idea became reality in 1950, when the first show featured 15 steam engines, 8 separators, and drew an estimated 10,000 visitors to McMillan Park.

Seventy-five years later, the reunion continues in the same location, now attracting crowds from across the nation. Descendants of the founding families were invited to the presentation and recognized before the crowd.

The ceremony concluded with applause for the families, who wore matching shirts bearing images of the founding fathers, before the Mount Pleasant Panther Marching Band prepared to take the stage.

As the 75th reunion continues, organizers encourage visitors to not only enjoy the steam engines, parades, music, and exhibits, but also to remember the tradition and vision that began with four men in 1949 — a tradition that continues to bring generations together in Mount Pleasant.