Sports, March 7th

By Slaten Swords · Saturday, March 7th, 2026 at 6:30 am CDT

Girls’ State Basketball

The Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union has now crowned two state champions after last night with Classes 4A, 2A, and 1A getting ready for their championship contests today.

In yesterday’s action, #1 Hinton will get a shot to defend their Class 2A title after defeating #4 Denver, 57-48, to tip-off the day. Sydney Doeschot led the Blackhawks with 19 points and five assists.

#2 Rock Valley needed a 21 to 9 rally in the fourth quarter, including a 9 to 0 run in the final 90 seconds to beat #6 Treynor yesterday, 57-54. Cayden Harmsen tallied 17 points in the victory. 

#1 Hinton and #2 Rock Valley will tangle for the Class 2A championship today at 4:45 pm.

In Class 1A, #1 Bishop Garrigan’s defense shutdown #5 Dunkerton in a 49-38 thumping of the Raiders. Emmi Bartolo tabbed a game high 17 points in the winning effort. 

On the bottom half of the bracket, #2 Newell-Fonda captured a 50-45 victory over #3 St. Albert. Ellie and Quinn Sievers combined for 31 points for the Mustangs. 

#1 Bishop Garrigan will face off against #2 Newell-Fonda for the Class 1A title at 7 pm tonight.

#1 Johnston nearly watched history slip through their fingers last night, but Jenica Lewis would not be denied as she went off for 14 points in a 15 to 3 run, leading to a 51-37 victory over #3 Waukee Northwest for the Class 5A title. Lewis’ 22 points led the Dragons to their third consecutive title and increased their win streak to 79 games, the longest in state history.

In the final game of the night, #2 Maquoketa, in just their second trip to the state tournament in program history, demolished #1 Mt. Vernon 59-42 for the Class 3A championship. The Cardinals outscored the Mustangs 16 to 2 in the fourth quarter. Cora Widel notched 21 points in the victory. 

The Class 4A championship against #2 Dallas Center-Grimes and #5 Carlisle is scheduled for today at 2:30 pm.

Girls’ High School Basketball

A handful of local athletes will be participating in the Larry Niemeyer Senior Girls All-Star basketball tournament scheduled for Saturday, March 14th.

In Class 2A, Danville’s Alaina Gourley will play on the Gray Team with their game at 1 pm.

Over in Class 3A, Adalyn Long of Washington will join a trio from the Southeast Iowa Super Conference in Kenna Sandoval of Central Lee and Grace Holsteen and Ellah Wagenbach of Mediapolis on the White Team. They will play at 10:30 am. 

Lastly, Kendra Boatman of Keokuk and Burlington’s Mylee Stiefel will join sides for the Gray Team in a combination of Class 3A/4A/5A talent. They will square off at 9:15 am.

Boys’ Postseason Basketball

For the Class 1A State Tournament, #4 Burlington Notre Dame will face off against #5 Bellevue on Tuesday, March 10th, with tip-off at 3:45 pm. KILJ 105.5 FM, kilj.com, will be on the call with the pregame show at 3:30 pm. 

Other Class 1A matchups include: #1 St. Edmond facing off against #8 Woodbine, #2 MMCRU taking on #7 Boyden-Hull, and #6 Marquette Catholic looking to upset #3 Bishop Garrigan.

Southeastern Community College

The men’s basketball team will travel to Indian Hills Community College tonight at 7 pm for the Region 11 championship.

The baseball team clouted Crowder College yesterday, 17-9. The two will have a doubleheader rematch today. 

The softball team split their doubleheader with Black Hawk College yesterday, losing game one 6-2 and shutting out the Braves 4-0 in game two. Kiera Klum and Lyndsey Kelley each smacked solo home runs in game one, while Logan Kelley swatted a three-run homer in game two. The Blackhawks will travel to St. Louis Community College on Monday, March 16th, for a doubleheader.

College Basketball

The #9 Iowa women’s team advanced to the Big Ten Tournament’s semifinals after withstanding a late Illinois run for a 64-58 final. Four of the five starters for the Hawkeyes notched double figures. Iowa will take on Michigan today at 3:30 pm.

The Iowa men’s team will close out the regular season with another top ten foe, as they face off against #9 Nebraska on the road tomorrow, March 8th, at 4 pm.

The #6 Iowa State men’s team will look to bounce back today at 1 pm at home against Arizona State.

This Day in Sports History

1982 – NCAA Tournament Selection televised live for the first time.

1986 – Wayne Gretzky breaks own NHL season record with 136th assist.

1988 – Jim Abbott, a one-handed pitcher, wins the 58th James E. Sullivan Award as the top amateur athlete in the United States, becoming the first baseball player to win the award.

MP Fire Department Responded to 3 Fires on Friday

By Allison Jacobs · Saturday, March 7th, 2026 at 6:29 am CDT

Henry County Dispatch reported 3 area fires last night, involving two structure fires and a vegetation fire: The MP Fire Department and Henry County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a structure fire in Westwood, west of Mt. Pleasant at about 7pm Friday evening.  The fire was reported in the 4000 block of Sycamore Dr.

At about 9pm, Mt. Pleasant Police Department and the MP Fire Department dispatched multiple units to a structure fire in the 400 block of S. Jefferson Street just south of Warren Street.

Around 9:30pm The Mt. Pleasant Fire Department extinguished a grass fire in the 300 block of East Henry St.  After the fire was out, crews remained on scene to monitor smoldering areas.

MPCSD School Board Regular Scheduled Meeting, Monday, 3/9/26

By Allison Jacobs · Saturday, March 7th, 2026 at 5:21 am CDT

Mt. Pleasant Community School District School Board will meet in regular session on Monday, March 9th in the high school media center at 2104 S. Grand Avenue.  The board will be voting on Phase One of the school district’s General Fund Budget Reductions for the 2026-27 school year.  A motion to set Monday, March 23 at 6:10pm as the Public Hearing date regarding the closure of Salem Elementary School at the conclusion of the 2026-27 school year is on the agenda for Monday’s meeting.  Citizens who want to make comments may contact Central Office on Monday to be added to the agenda: 319-385-7750.  Comments are limited to 3 minutes. There are many other items listed for the school board meeting: please find the complete agenda at MTPCSD.org/Board/Meetings or click:    Agenda

Budge Cuts Ahead for MPCSD – Finance Committee Report from 3/6/26

By Allison Jacobs · Friday, March 6th, 2026 at 5:07 pm CDT

The Mount Pleasant Community School District Board of Education will take a key step Monday night as it considers setting a public hearing for the district’s tax levy rate and a series of potential budget reductions for the Fiscal Year 2027 budget.

The meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday, March 9 in the Mount Pleasant High School Media Center.

District officials say the proposed reductions come as the school system faces declining student enrollment, limited increases in state funding, and the end of federal COVID-19 relief dollars that helped support school budgets over the past several years. Those factors are expected to create growing budget gaps in the coming years if spending adjustments are not made now. School leaders are outlining a two-phase plan that could reduce spending by more than 1.7 million dollars over the next two fiscal years.

Under Phase One, the district is proposing approximately $936,000 in reductions, including about $713,000 in personnel cuts affecting both certified and non-certified staff in this coming FY2027.

Other proposed reductions include:

  • Eliminating the VIBE program, which is a contract with Burlington Community School District for online education courses for families opting for an online option.
  • Ending summer school at all grade levels (middle school and high school had been cut this previous year so this would cut the K-5 summer school program for this coming summer).
  • Reducing a contract with Four Oaks which provides specialized, trauma-informed support for at-risk students, focusing on reducing suspensions, improving behavior, and bridging home-school gaps.
  • Trimming services through the Great Prairie Area Education Agency, which provide literacy consultants and special education facilitators that help with Individualized Education Plans (IEP).
  • Reductions in support staff time and overtime.
  • Moving some non-instructional software costs to the district’s Physical Plant and Equipment Levy (PPEL).
  • Lowering utility expenses tied to building changes.

Phase Two would focus on larger structural reductions totaling about $813,000. That includes roughly $290,000 in system-wide cuts across the district and a proposal to close Salem Elementary School, which could lead to an additional $523,000 in school-wide reductions.

If both phases are implemented, the total proposed reductions would reach about $1.74 million.

School board members are expected to vote Monday on whether to move forward with the public hearing process on the district’s tax levy and the proposed budget plan.

Residents will have an opportunity to provide input during the public hearing before any final decisions.  The board will be voting on Phase One at Monday evening’s meeting.

Delbert H. Moeller

By Shelbi Swinscoe · Friday, March 6th, 2026 at 12:56 pm CDT
Delbert H. Moeller, 85, of West Point, Iowa, passed away at 11:35 a.m. Thursday, March 5, 2026 at the Southeast Iowa Regional Home Health and Hospice in West Burlington, Iowa.
He was born on November 20, 1940 in St. Paul, Iowa, the son of Rudolph and Marcella (Klesner) Moeller. On June 25, 1987 he married Barbara Peffer.
Survivors include his wife Barbara; six children: Diane (Jerry) Francy, Randy (Michelle) Moeller, Wade (Kelly) Sass, Carol (Larry) Keester, Randi (Devron) Sedy, Kelly (Jason) Anderson; seventeen grandchildren: Kristin, Brent, Brianne, Jordan, Justin, Tyler, Alexis, Dalton, Devin, Brandon, Ben, Emily, Michael, Jordan, Ryder, Jaxon, Cooper; thirteen great grandchildren; two sisters: Nancy (Mike) Cutler of Marion, Iowa, Sr. Joanne Moeller of LaCrosse, Wisconsin; and four brothers: Victor (Maureen) Moeller of Port Aransas, Texas, Ronnie (Sharon) Moeller of Fort Madison, Iowa, Gary (Sandy) Moeller of Altoona, Iowa, Roger (Joan) Moeller of West Point, Iowa.
He was preceded in death by his parents; and two brothers: Richard and Paul Moeller.
Delbert graduated from Gem City Business College. He Served in the United States Army National Guard for six years and worked at Burlington Basket Company, where he retired as a controller. He was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church where he served on the Parish Council, as well as the West Point fire department, where he served as chief for six years. He also served on the West Point City Council, Utility Board, Zoning Board, West Point Sweet Corn Festival Committee, IARBGAR, and was Community Club President.
A Memorial Mass will be held at a later date with burial in Calvary Cemetery.
A memorial has been established in his memory for Southeast Iowa Regional Home Health and Hospice and West Point Fire and Rescue and can be mailed to the family at P.O. Box 22, West Point, Iowa 52656.

Schmitz Funeral Home of West Point is assisting the family with arrangements. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.schmitzfuneralhomes.com.

Prep Girls’ Basketball: Seven Local Athletes to Play in Larry Niemeyer All-Star Game

By Slaten Swords · Friday, March 6th, 2026 at 12:05 pm CDT

Prep Girls’ Basketball- With the Iowa girls’ high school basketball season coming to a close, it’s time to honor the best seniors in the state with the Larry Niemeyer All-Star game scheduled to be play at Cedar Fall High School on Saturday, March 14th, in an all-day event. Seven of our local athletes were picked to compete in the exhibition.

Class 2A

In Class 2A, Danville’s Alaina Gourley will be playing for the Gray Team with Rock Valley’s Jordan Te Grootenhuis acting as the coach. Gourley was a 1st Team All-Conference choice along with making the All-District team for southeast Iowa.

The senior averaged 17 points per game to go along with her 4.2 steals per game, which tied for first in the conference. Her 68.6% field goal percentage led the conference.

The Gray Team will play at 1 pm.

Class 3A

The Southeast Iowa Super Conference (SEISC) will be bringing a trio of players, including a pair of teammates, to Cedar Falls in Kenna Sandoval from Central Lee and Mediapolis’ Grace Holsteen and Ellah Wagenbach. Joining the trio will by Adalyn Long from Washington on the White Team, coach by Stephanie Dacey of Williamsburg.

Kenna Sandoval led the SEISC-South in points and rebounds per game, nearly averaging a double-double. The Hawk made the All-SEISC First Team.

Holsteen and Wagenbach were instrumental in the Bullettes’ first trip to the State Tournament since 2015, as they were both unanimous choices for the All-SEISC First Team along with Holsteen locking up Conference Player of the Year honors.

Washington’s Adalyn Long ranked 7th in the Southeast Conference (SEC) in points per game and 4th in assists per game. Along with All-SEC First Team honors, she also took home All-District for the southeast region.

The White Team will scrimmage at 10:30 am.

Class 3A/4A/5A

In a combination of the larger Class 3A schools and the two remaining classes, Burlington’s Mylee Stiefel and Keokuk’s Kendra Boatman will be playing for the same Gray Team under the direction of Chad Specht of Maquoketa and Nate Frese of Iowa City West.

The last two SEC Player of the Year award winners were once again jockeying to see who would claim their second nod this season with Boatman coming out on top as she led the conference in points, assists, and steals per game. Her 26.3 points per game ranked 4th in the state.

Stiefel was not that far behind, averaging 24.4 points per game, which ranked 8th in the state. The Grayhound also ranked 2nd in assists and 4th in steals per game. She did outpace Boatman in three pointers made per game with 3.6 on 33.5% shooting from beyond the arc.

The Gray Team will square off with the other select team at 9:15 am to tip-off the day.

Sonic Breaks Ground in Mount Pleasant

By Shelbi Swinscoe · Friday, March 6th, 2026 at 12:00 pm CDT

Construction has officially begun on a new Sonic Drive-In on the north side of Mount Pleasant.

Gary Shahan, Building and Zoning Administrator with the City of Mount Pleasant, confirmed crews have started breaking ground at 1206 North Grand Avenue. The project has been highly anticipated by local residents, with plans for the restaurant circulating in the community for nearly a year.

Shahan said building permits for the project were originally issued in April of last year. He added that construction is expected to take about three months to complete, weather permitting.

Once finished, the Sonic Drive-In will add another dining option along the North Grand corridor and mark a new commercial development for the area.

 

Steve Wilson

By Allison Jacobs · Friday, March 6th, 2026 at 11:12 am CDT

Steve Wilson, 77, of Mt. Pleasant, died Sunday, March 1, 2026 at Henry County Health Center in Mt. Pleasant.

Steven David Wilson was born March 12, 1948 in Mt. Pleasant. He was the son of Robert O. and Janet Ruth (Miller) Wilson.

Steve graduated from Mt. Pleasant High School as a member of the Class of 1966. He furthered his education by graduating from Kirkwood Community College and receiving his BA degree from Iowa Wesleyan College.

On July 9, 1966 at the First United Methodist Church in Mt. Pleasant, Steve was united in marriage to Joy Bernice Jacobs.

Steve was the Environmental Safety and Health Manager for the former Motorola Corporation of Mt. Pleasant.

Those thankful for sharing in Steve’s life include his wife of 59 years, Joy of Mt. Pleasant; 4 children – Brent (Terri Quartucci) Wilson of Mt. Pleasant, Heather (Brian) Richenberger of St. Louis, MO, Tawny Wilson of New London, IA and Flint (Sarah) Wilson of Mt. Pleasant; a brother – Barry (Linda) Wilson of Cedar Rapids, IA; a sister – Karen Chapman of Noblesville, IN; 9 grandchildren – Riggs (Dr. Sarah VanDeWalle) Wilson, Casey (Skylar) Miller, Adam (Leslie) Richenberger, Sean Richenberger, Keira McBeth, Jarrett Wilson, Sydni Wilson, Victoria Wilson  and Gabrielle Wilson, and Steve’s father Bob’s  wife, Dr. Dolores “D.P.” Wilson of Mt. Pleasant.

Steve’s parents precede him in death.

Steve and Joy were very active members of their community. Steve helped start the Mt. Pleasant Farmer’s Market as a way to sell his honey he raised. Steve and Joy received the Motorola Volunteerism Award for their work of establishing Teen Court in Henry County in 1992. Steve was well known in the community for his enthusiastic presentations on the value of wetlands and wildlife, many of which he gave to local school children in the Southeast Iowa area. Steve and Joy were instrumental in assisting with the re-introduction of trumpeter swans to Iowa. Animals played a huge part in their lives, loving horses, dogs, cats, and always helping injured wildlife. Steve also was passionate about studying and monitoring trees. He volunteered for Trees Forever and received an award for planting hundreds of trees around Mt. Pleasant and cemeteries.  Steve was a deeply spiritual person, constantly writing about his faith and the mutualistic relationship to nature.

A private Celebration of Life will be held by Steve’s family at a later date. Cremation rites have been entrusted to the Kimzey Funeral Home, 213 North Main Street, Mt. Pleasant.

Memorials may be directed to the family. Online condolences may be directed to  www.kimzeyfh.com.

(“Trumpeter Swan” photo by John Gaines/The Hawk Eye, photo scan courtesy of the Burlington Public Library.)