Prep Football: Keokuk’s Junior Linebacker Mason Claus Ranked the #27 Senior Recruit for Iowa

Keokuk, IA- The Keokuk football team may not have had the season they were hoping for but that did not stop the talent on the team from shining through with junior Mason Claus being ranked the 27th top football recruit in the state of Iowa by the Des Moines Register.

(Photo courtesy of Iron Rail Photography by Pray Lawson a senior at KHS)

 Claus has been a vacuum on the defensive side, leading Class 3A in tackles his sophomore year and collecting the second most total tackles in 3A last year despite missing the final two games due to injury.

Head coach Marvin McNutt knows they have a star in one of the only six ranked 3A players for the state of Iowa,

“Rightfully so, he works hard and leads our team as a junior, because he attacks the game.”

Claus, who also saw action at wide receiver is a jack-of-all-trades, master of all, having made the state track and field meet in past seasons and leads his class academically, sporting a 4.0 GPA as he eyes a degree in engineering.

“Football is a big part of my life, it is the one thing I love to do, and I want to keep playing it for as long as I can,” Claus said. “I’m very grateful for this, I have put in a lot of work and next year you’re going to be surprised at where I will be at.”

The junior is hoping to follow in his coach’s footsteps and play at the University of Iowa. Claus finished the year with 79.5 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 11 tackles for loss, and four receiving touchdowns.

Mount Pleasant Personnel & Finance Committee Meeting Agenda REVISED

The Mount Pleasant Personnel & Finance Committee will meet Tuesday, December 24, 2024, at 9:00 AM at City Hall in the City Administrators’ Conference Room.
AGENDA
1. Call to order.
2. Discuss November 30, 2024 Court order in matter CVEQ006708 and possible motion
3. Discuss General Liability Insurance Renewal
4. Discuss Downtown Christmas Decoration Displays
5. Discuss Financing a Pumper Truck for the Fire Department
6. Discuss FY26 Budget Timeline
7. Discuss Phone Service Provider for Police Department
8. Discuss Purchase of New Public Works Truck and Plow
9. Open Forum.
10. Adjourn.

The Henry County Extension Office Looks For Their Next Youth Program Educator

Do you have a passion for working with youth and making a positive impact in your community? The Henry County Extension Office is looking for a Youth Program Educator to focus on Positive Youth Development (PYD). Join us in empowering youth to reach their full potential. For more information about the Youth Program Educator position head to ISU Henry Co Extension Jobs

Sports, December 20th

High School Basketball

Mediapolis pulled off the sweep against Winfield-Mt. Union last night with the girls’ team running away with a 77-34 win, while the boys’ team squeaked out a 51-47 final. Amelia Grier led the Bulldogs with 17 points as the team notched 20 steals. Cooper Buffington collected a double-double with 16 points and 13 rebounds in the losing effort. 

Winfield-Mt. Union will head into winter break.

Mediapolis will travel to New London tonight in a doubleheader, starting at 6 pm. 

Columbus secured a pair of victories last night against New London with the girls’ team cruising to a 63-30 final and the boys’ team picking up their first win over the Tigers since 2010 in a 59-49 win. The Wildcats will tango with Wapello at home tonight with game one at 6 pm. 

A comeback, overtime thriller was what the WACO girls’ team cooked up last night against #14 Highland in a 64-59 victory. The Warriors enter winter break with a 3-3 record. 

Van Buren County will take on Danville with the girls tipping off the night at 6 pm tonight at home. 

Holy Trinity Catholic will face off against Burlington Notre Dame tonight with game one at 6 pm. 

West Burlington will compete against Central Lee tonight with the boys following the girls’ game at 7:30 pm. 

Mt. Pleasant will host Washington tonight in a doubleheader with the girls’ tipping-off the night at 6 pm. KILJ 105.5 FM, kilj.com, will be on the call with the pregame show at 5:45 pm. Boys’ head coach Eric Rawson knows his team will have to play fast and physical against the Demons tonight,

“Yeah, they’re undefeated in the conference right now, so. And they took down Keokuk at home and they beat Fairfield last week, so. You know, they’re a dangerous team kind of similar in a way to Benton. They got some guys that can shoot it and some guys that can put it on the floor and get to the basket. So, we got to play with more sense of urgency and toughness, and we got to find ways to score.”

Fairfield will travel to Keokuk tonight with the girls’ playing at 6 pm.

High School Wrestling

Mt. Pleasant competed in a dual against Fort Madison last night and the girls’ team fell 48-18, while the boys’ team took down the Bloodhounds 47-33. Quintrie Lee and Paris Phosy each won their match by fall for the Panthers. 

The Mt. Pleasant boys’ team had Ramzy Davis, Keegan Birdsell, Jefferson Avalos Ramirez, and Landon Beckler each win their match by fall, while Cruz Aguilar claimed his match by technical fall. 

The Fairfield girls’ team struggled in their dual against Burlington last tonight 66-18. Samantha Lyons and Aliya Abbot each picked up wins for the Trojans. The Fairfield boys’ team won their dual 42-38. Aiden Westercamp, Cason Miller, Dain Burkart, Brody Lyons, and Dre Smithburg all helped lead the Trojans to victory. 

The WACO boys’ team hosted a double dual last night but fell to Burlington Notre Dame 56-20 and Mediapolis 42-39. Louden Huisenga, Tyler Rogers, and Gage Samo went undefeated on the night for the Warriors. The Nikes would take the night with a dominating 71-9 win against the Bulldogs. Kyler Crow and Brody Minster won both of their matches for Mediapolis, while the Nikes were led by Dirk Boyles,  Joey Glendening, Rowan Berndt, and Jared Glendening, who each went 2-0. 

The Wapello boys’ team had their senior night spoiled last night by Columbus/Winfield-Mt. Union 54-39 and Van Buren County 36-34. The Wildcats ended the night 2-0 with a 60-19 win over the Warriors. Jordan Chamberlin, Grayson Nagle, and Cohen Wolford each went undefeated on the night for Wapello. The Wildcats had Kason Dopler, Payton White, Tayson Samuels, and Bowen Thomson each go 2-0 on the night. 

The Mediapolis, Columbus/Winfield-Mt. Union, New London, and Burlington Notre Dame boys’ teams will participate in the Fort Madison Invitational tonight.

The Van Buren County boys’ team will travel to Dike-New Hartford in a dual tournament tomorrow, December 21st.

The Wapello, Mt. Pleasant, and WACO boys’ teams will compete at the Regina Catholic Invitational tomorrow.  

The Columbus/Winfield-Mt. Union girls’ team will compete in the John Randles Invite at Prairie tomorrow.

The Wapello and WACO girls’ teams will travel to Chariton for an invitational tomorrow. 

High School Bowling

Mt. Pleasant will travel to Burlington today for a triangular.

Southeastern Community College

The #20 men’s basketball team will take on Western Iowa Tech at home on January 8th with tip-off scheduled for 7 pm. 

College Football

#18 Iowa State will face off against #16 Miami in the Pop Tarts Bowl on December 28th at 2:30 pm in Orlando. 

Iowa will take on #19 Missouri for the Music City Bowl on December 30th in Nashville at 1:30 pm. 

College Basketball

The #3 Iowa State men’s team will host Morgan State on Sunday, December 22nd, with game time scheduled for noon. 

The Iowa men’s team will meet Utah tomorrow, December 21st, at 5 pm in a road matchup. 

The #22 Iowa women’s team will face off against Northern Iowa tonight at 6:30 pm at home. 

The Iowa State women’s team will look to get back in the win column tomorrow on the road against Oklahoma State at 4 pm. 

This Day in Sports History

1921 – The American League votes to return to a best-of-7 World Series, while the National League votes for a best-of-9; Commissioner Kennesaw Mountain Landis casts the deciding vote for a best-of-7. 

1966 – The NBA awards the Seattle Supersonics a franchise for the 1967-68 season. 

1979 – Behn Wilson scores the game-tying power play goal with 4:08 remaining in regulation to keep the Philadelphia Flyers unbeaten streak alive at 28 — tying the NHL record for longest undefeated stretch — in a 1-1 draw with the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Spectrum.

Gerald “Garry” Stewart,

Gerald “Garry” Stewart, 86 of Ainsworth, IA died Wednesday, December 18, 2024, at his home in Ainsworth.

His body has been cremated and a visitation will be 4-7:00 PM, Monday, December 30, 2024, at the Beatty-Peterseim Funeral home in Washington followed with a Masonic Service at 7:00PM. Private family burial will be at the Indian Creek Cemetery near Columbus Junction with military honors.  A general memorial in the name of Garry Stewart has been established.

Garry was born January 6, 1938 in Burlington, IA, the son of Paul D. and Cecile W. (Feldman) Stewart. He graduated from Columbus Junction High School in 1956 and was united in marriage to Nancy Carron Pine, April 10, 1958, in Bellflower, CA. He served in the US Army and was employed at Std Oil and Chrysler Motors in California, before moving back to Iowa in 1961. Garry owned and operated Stewart and Sons in Ainsworth along with his wife for 63 years. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge, Shriners, Lions Club, Ainsworth Fire Department and City Council. He enjoyed vanilla ice cream, racing cars and attending grandchildren and great-grandchildren’s sporting events

Survivors include his sons, Chris Stewart of Hayesville, Kurt (Dawn) Stewart of Ainsworth and Eric (Deb) Stewart of Riverside; sister Joyce Morris of Homer, NY; grandchildren, Nicole (Derek Walker), Matthew (Amy), Tyler (Alyssa Hayes), Dylan (Lexi), Geoffrey (fiancé Katey Sieren), Brittany Thompson (Cody), Derrick (fiancé Audrey Tharp), Emily and Cory; great-grandchildren, Karson, Quinn, Jaxon, Crue, Sage, Lily, Bo, Abyl, Emerie, Luka, Murphy and Josie.

 

He was preceded in death by his parents, wife Nancy, July 19, 2020, and a stillborn daughter.

Donald Duane Crowl

Donald Duane Crowl, 95 of Fairfield, formally of the Trenton area, died Monday, December 9, 2024, at Parkview Care Century in Fairfield.

His body has been cremated and a graveside service at North Hill Cemetery near Wayland will be later. The Beatty-Peterseim Funeral Home is assisting with arrangements.

Donald was born on March 27, 1929, in Henry Co, Iowa, the son of Jesse and Hannah (Schantz) Crowl. He lived north of Trenton most of his life and operated a salvage business.

Survivors include a son Darrell and nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents and brothers Clarence and Dean.

Swedesburg Lutheran Church Hosts ” Lessons & Carols Concert-Service” This Sunday

The Mount pleasant community has been without one of their most traditional holiday events since the closing of Iowa Wesleyan; Lessons & Carols. Blair Buffington is the Director of the Mount Pleasant Chorale and of the Southeast Iowa Symphony Orchestra Chorus. Blair has put in the extra efforts for 2024 to bring back a spectacular event. Blair talks about what that event is.

Lessons and Carols is a service of Scripture and song held by churches around the world during the Christmas season. During the service, each Scripture lesson is followed by a carol or other song that reflects on the lesson’s message. Blair talks about what you can expect at this Lessons and Carols.

Lessons and Carols is this Sunday (Dec. 22nd) The event starts at 3 PM. It is a free concert but free will donations will go towards the upkeep to the church’s 1928 pipe organ. Lessons and Carols is located at Swedesburg Lutheran Church in Swedesburg, Iowa, just 8 miles north of Mount Pleasant.

Hershey Hall Was The Topic For Henry County Supervisors At This Week’s Meeting

The Henry county supervisors met on December 19th for their weekly meeting. The room was full with members of the public, along with representatives of Southeast Iowa regional planning, IWU Hershey LLC, and Mount Pleasant Community School District.

The Supervisors meeting started with an update from the county engineer, Jake Hotchkiss, followed by the main topic, Hershey Hall.

The public hearing started in conversation about the proposed “Hershey Hall Urban Renewal Plan.” Speaking first and voicing concern on behalf of the MPCSD was Superintendent Henriksen. He mentions proposed plans for the school to construct new facilities on the downtown campus and wants Southeast Iowa regional planning to consider the environment around an elementary school.

Item (6) a resolution was approved that determines Hershey Hall as part of an Urban Renewal Project and the county adopted the “Henry County Hershey Hall Urban Renewal Plan.”

A motion was put into public discussion for item (9) and then approved, authorizing execution of a Development Agreement between Henry County and IWU Hershey LLC.

The Housing will be section-42-housing, which is your moderate income families, and verifies income annually. Construction could start spring time and be done December of 2026.