High School Track
Fairfield and the Fort Madison girls’ team competed in the Hilltop Co-ed Invitational yesterday and the Southeast Conference pair combined for seven first place finishes.
Starting with the girls’ teams, Fort Madison’s Olivia Buckner outpaced Samantha Lyons of Fairfield to snatch the bronze in the 60-meter finals with a time of 8.33 seconds, while Lyons took 4th place. The Trojans would get their own 1st place finisher in Lilly Bergren’s 60-meter hurdle time of 10.03 seconds. The Bloodhounds would also get the better of the Trojans in the 400-meter dash as McKayla Schinstock finished in 2nd place with a time of 1 minute and 5 seconds as Lyons grabbed 6th place. Fort Madison proved tough in the distance events as Addison Rump took the gold in the 800-meter run with a time of 2 minutes and 39 seconds and Avery Rump yielded the silver in the 1500-meter followed by Jordyn Marshall in 4th place. Fairfield’s Alex Jo Steward took the bronze in the 3,000-meter with a time of 13 minutes and 19 seconds. For the relays, Fort Madison’s teams in the 4×200 and 4×800 finished in 1st place, while Fairfield’s 4×200 squad grabbed 7th place.
In the field events, Fort Madison again proved to be just a tick better as Dayonna Davis’ leap of 15 feet and 4 inches in the long jump snatched the gold away from Fairfield’s Kensley Fligg, who leapt 14 feet and 8 inches for 2nd place. Brylie Lorence launched the shot 42 feet and 4.5 inches, which was good enough for the win and a Blue Standard mark. Elyse Setterstrom’s throw of 30 feet and 6 inches took 8th place.
On the boys’ side, Dylan Adam and Dayson Workman finished as a tandem in the 60-meter dash, grabbing 4th and 5th place, respectively, as Adam clocked a time of 7.41 seconds. Ryan Gibberson finished in 2nd place with a time of 8.67 seconds in the 60-meter hurdles. Gabe Tejada was the lone Trojan to finish on top of the podium with a 1st place run in the 800-meter run with a time of 2 minutes and 1 seconds. Aaden Regur took 5th place in the 1600-meter run. The 4×400 meter relay team led the pack for the Trojans with a 3rd place time of 3 minutes and 40 seconds.
For the field events, the Trojans exhibited some bounce as Ousman Saine leapt 6 feet and 2 inches for 3rd place in the high jump with Blake Burnett taking 5th place, while Aiden Westercamp grabbed 7th place in the long jump with a mark of 16 feet and 4 inches.
Central College will host an indoor meet with the boys’ teams participating on Thursday, March 20th, and the girls’ competing on Friday, March 21st.
Southeastern Community College
The softball team will be hosting a spring break camp running today through Thursday, March 20th, for grades 2-5 from 8 am to 10 am and grades 6-12 from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm at Fun City Turf at 614 S. Broadway Street if you signed up. Participants should bring their bats, gloves, and sliding gear.
The softball team will be back in action for a doubleheader on Saturday, March 22nd, against Southwestern Community College with game one at 1 pm.
The baseball team had their six-game win streak snapped last night in an extra-innings duel against Black Hawk College, losing 3-2. The Blackhawks will stay on the road today to face off against Marshalltown Community College.
College Basketball
The Iowa State men’s team grabbed the #3-seed for the South Region but they will be without the services of Keshon Gilbert for the rest of the season due to injury. The Cyclones will dance with the #14-seed Lipscomb on Friday, March 21st, at 12:30 pm.
In the woman’s NCAA national championship tournament, Iowa grabbed the 6th seed and will take on the #11-seed Murray State in Oklahoma on Saturday, March 22nd, at 11 am. This is the seventh consecutive trip to the NCAA tournament for the Hawkeyes.
The Iowa State women’ s team also continued their streak of consecutive appearances at the tournament at six but they will have to earn their way to the round off 64. The Cyclones will square off against Princeton tomorrow, March 19th, at 6 pm with the winner advancing to play the #6-seed Michigan.
March Madness
The KILJ Bracket Challenge brought to you by The Press Box and Wiley’s Interior Furnishings and Design is back for the 2025 March Madness men’s bracket with the same rules as last year. A printable bracket was posted to KILJ’s Facebook page. The bracket must be filled out and turned in to sports@kilj.com or our station by the end of the day tomorrow, March 19th.
For a full list of rules and prizes, follow this link: KILJ Bracket Challenge
This Day in Sports History
1892 – Canada’s Lord Stanley of Preston announced he would donate a silver challenge cup to be awarded to the nation’s best hockey team.
1945 – Montreal Canadien Maurice “Rocket” Richard becomes the first NHL player to score 50 goals.
1958 – MLB Los Angeles Dodgers announced their mascot and clown Emmett Kelly will not perform in 1958.
Julia Ann “Judy/Rooney” Wilson, age 87, of Columbus Junction, Iowa, passed away Saturday, March 15, 2025, at the Wapello Specialty Care Center in Wapello, Iowa.