Sports, July 18th

By Slaten Swords · Friday, July 18th, 2025 at 6:30 am CDT

Postseason Baseball

Classes 1A and 2A will be heading to Merchants Park in Carroll, Iowa, to start their journey to the state championship on Monday, July 21st, for Class 1A and Tuesday, July 22nd, for Class 2A. Here’s the matchups.

To start off the day on Monday in Class 1A, #8 Hillcrest Academy will square off against #1 Remsen St. Mary’s at 11 am. 

#4 Martensdale-St. Marys will compete against #5 Kee at 1:30 pm, followed by #2 Lynnville-Sully facing off against #7 East Buchanan. The night cap at 7 pm will be #3 Saint Ansgar taking on #6 Logan-Magnolia.

For Class 2A, #1 Underwood will attempt to defend their first state title against #8 Cascade at 11 am.

#5 Mediapolis will play #4 Unity Christian at 1:30 pm on Tuesday. KILJ 105.5 FM, kilj.com, will be on the call with the pregame show at 1:15 pm. Mediapolis junior Kyler Crow is used to the feeling of being counted out,

“You know, a lot of people have said we’ve had a bad schedule, or an easy schedule and a lot of people have put us down and I just mean I can’t wait to see their faces when they see that we’re on the ride to Carroll and a lot of the teams that they bet on aren’t so, you know, it feels great to be the underdogs. I mean, we’ve always been the underdogs in every tournament we go to. So, going to State is huge.”

At 4:30 pm, #3 Van Meter will take on #6 Chariton and #2 Pleasantville and #7 West Lyon will end the night at 7 pm.

Classes 3A and 4A held their substate championships last night, here’s the list of state qualifiers.

Class 3A and Class 4A will be heading to Lewis and Clark Park in Sioux City for a one-year layover before returning to Cedar Rapids next season. Here are the matchups.

In Class 3A, #1 Wahlert Catholic enters as the favorite as the take on #8 Boone to start Monday’s slate of games at 11:30 am. The winner of that matchup will face off against the winner between #4 Assumption and #5 Saydel. On the bottom half of the bracket, #2 Pella will compete against #7 Sergeant Bluff-Luton at 5 pm and #3 Bishop Heelan will have their showdown with #6 Carlisle.

Class 4A will get started on Tuesday morning with #6 Waukee attempting to upset #3 Iowa City High at 11:30 am. At 2 pm, #2 Johnston and #7 Prairie will square off, followed by #4 Waukee Northwest versus #5 Iowa City Liberty at 5 pm. #1 Sioux City East and #8 Bettendorf will be the night cap at 7:30 pm.

Postseason Softball

Class 4A will begin the tournament on Monday, July 21st, with #1 Xavier tasked with #8 Pella at 10 am. #4 Dallas Center-Grimes will play #5 ADM at 10:30 am. #7 North Scott will be looking for the upset against #2 Norwalk, while #3 North Polk will attempt to take down #6 Western Dubuque.

Class 5A will hold the early afternoon contests with #1 Waukee Northwest playing #8 Dowling Catholic. #4 Ankeny Centennial will continue their rivalry with #5 Valley at 3 pm. #2 Linn-Mar will compete against #7 Pleasant Valley at 4:45 pm and #3 Southeast Polk will act as the home team against #6 Cedar Falls.

Class 3A’s bracket will be split between Monday and Tuesday, July 22nd, with the top half of the bracket being the nightcaps with #1 Wahlert Catholic facing off against #8 Center Point-Urbana and #4 PCM linking up with #5 West Liberty at 7:30 pm.

On Tuesday, #7 Washington will attempt to spoil #2 Williamsburg’s trip to Fort Dodge at 10 am and #3 Albia will take on #6 Estherville Lincoln Central at 10:30 am.

In Class 1A, Wayne grabbed the #1-seed with a 25-2 record and they will face off against the #8-seed Highland. #4 Riverside and #5 Newell-Fonda will link up in the early evening matchup. 

With a 28-4 record, #2 Clarksville will square off against #7 Newman Catholic with the winner scheduled to face off against the winner between #3 Wapsie Valley and #6 St. Edmond. 

Over in Class 2A, #1 Van Meter enters as the favorite as the Bulldogs look to defend their Class 2A title with an opening round matchup against #8 East Marshall. Grabbing the #4 and #5 seeds were Durant and West Fort, respectively.

#2 Louisa-Muscatine flew past Pella Christian 6-3 on their way to their first state tournament appearance since 2022. The Falcons will compete against #7 West Monona. Lastly, #3 West Lyon will take on #6 Cascade at 3 pm. 

Local Athletic Summer Camps

Today is the registration due date for two local volleyball camps: the Mediapolis volleyball camp for 3rd all the way through 9th graders starting on August 4th and the Danville youth volleyball camp for 2nd through 8th graders starting on the same date. 

The WACO youth volleyball camp for 5th through 8th graders and the high school camp’s registration due date is Wednesday, July 23rd. 

Check out this link for other local summer athletic camps: School Summer Camps

Prospect League

The Burlington Bees have now scored 102 runs in their last 10 games, improving to 8-2 in that span after knocking off the Springfield Lucky Horseshoes last night, 10-2. Corey Boyette smacked a home run for two RBIs, while Blake Gaskey threw six scoreless innings, fanning five in the win. The Bees will stay at home tonight to take on the Quincy Doggy Paddlers at 6:30 pm.

The Clinton LumberKings have dropped their third straight contest after surrendering four runs in the top of the 8th inning to fall to the Normal CornBelters last night, 4-2. The LumberKings will travel to start a two-game series against the Thrillville Thrillbillies tonight at 7 pm. 

This Day in Sports History

1914 – MLB Boston Braves start ‘miracle’ move from last place to become World Series champs.

1927 – Ty Cobb nabs his 4,000th MLB career hit.

1959 – William ‘Bill’ Wright becomes the first African American to win a major golf tournament (U.S. Amateur Public Links Championships).

Colin Anderson Dominates 2025 Henry County Meat and Breeding Goat Shows

By Hayden Douglas · Friday, July 18th, 2025 at 5:10 am CDT

The 2025 Henry County Fair Goat Show proved to be a showcase of excellence, featuring outstanding entries across market and breeding divisions. With a deep field of competitive youth exhibitors, the judges had their work cut out for them as they evaluated animals on structure, muscle, finish, and rate of gain (R.O.G.).

Market Goat Division

Lightweight Class
In the Light Weight Meat Goat class, Tyi-Alicyn Alter led the way to earn Champion Lightweight honors with a well-balanced, stylish goat. Reserve Champion Lightweight went to Ava Kempker, whose goat impressed with finish and performance.

Medium Weight Class
Colin Anderson claimed the Champion Medium Weight Meat Goat title with a goat praised for structural correctness, smooth lines, and strong performance. Abigail loyd followed with a Reserve Champion finish, showing a goat with good dimension and growth.

Heavy Weight Class
Beatrice Anderson earned the Champion Heavy Weight Meat Goat honor with a standout entry that combined mass and balance. Aubrey Loyd took Reserve Champion Heavy Weight with a powerful goat that showed well in the ring.

Top Overall Market Goat Results

  • Grand Champion Meat Goat: Colin Anderson

  • Reserve Grand Champion Meat Goat: Abigail Loyd

  • 3rd Place Overall Meat Goat: Aubrey Loyd

  • 4th Place Overall Meat Goat: Beatrice Anderson

  • 5th Place Overall Meat Goat: Tyi-Alicyn Alter

Champion County Born Meat Goat was awarded to Abigail Loyd, highlighting local breeding excellence.

Breeding Doe Division

Colin Anderson extended his success into the breeding classes as well, taking home the title of Grand Champion Breeding Doe with an animal praised for completeness, femininity, and overall design. Beatrice Anderson was named Reserve Champion Breeding Doe, following closely with a high-quality, well-balanced doe.

Top Breeding Doe Placings:

  • Grand Champion Breeding Doe: Colin Anderson

  • Reserve Champion Breeding Doe: Beatrice Anderson

  • 3rd Place Overall: Beatrice Anderson

  • 4th Place Overall: Aubrey Loyd

With wins across both divisions, Colin Anderson’s efforts stood out in a highly competitive field. Judges praised the overall quality of the show, noting the attention to structure, growth, and handling ability. Congratulations to all exhibitors for an excellent showing at the 2025 Henry County Fair.

Tate Beard Claims Top Honors in Breeding Ewe Show at Henry County Fair

By Hayden Douglas · Thursday, July 17th, 2025 at 1:56 pm CDT
Tate Beard and his Grand Champion Sheep

Tate Beard, a member of the Scotts sod busters 4-H Club, had a banner day at the Henry County Fair, earning both Grand Champion and Reserve Champion honors in the breeding ewe division.

Beard, the son of Philip and Katie Beard, brought two standout animals to the ring

 

Securing first and second place is no small feat, and Beard says it reflects the many hours of hard work and dedication behind the scenes.

But he’s not done yet. Tate will be back in the show ring later this week with his market wethers.

 

 

Tate Beard with his Reserve Champion Sheep

As the fair continues, Beard’s determination and strong showing are setting a high bar for the rest of the competition — and proving that commitment and care behind the barn doors can lead to big moments in the spotlight.

Henry County Supervisors Explore Workforce Merger, Burn Ordinance, and Approve School Resource Officer Contract For New London

By Hayden Douglas · Thursday, July 17th, 2025 at 10:22 am CDT

Henry County Supervisors Explore Workforce Merger, Burn Ordinance, and Approve School Resource Officer Contract

MOUNT PLEASANT — July 17, 2025
The Henry County Board of Supervisors met Thursday morning for a full agenda that included a public hearing on a proposed burn ordinance, contract approvals, and participation in a multi-county discussion on merging Iowa’s regional workforce development boards.

Workforce Development Merger Proposal

The board joined a Zoom call with Mississippi Valley Workforce Development to discuss a proposed merger with the South Central and Northeast Iowa workforce areas. The consolidation is prompted by drastic federal funding cuts that have left the South-Central region unable to operate past October 1 without restructuring.

Key points:

  • The merger would preserve local control and service delivery by combining administrative efforts.
  • Supervisors expressed concern about how financial liabilities would be shared among counties.
  • The decision must be unanimous across the three regions, with a letter of intent due by August 18.

Public Hearing: Open Burn Ordinance

A motion was made and approved to enter a public hearing on a proposed open burn ordinance intended to reduce unnecessary fire department calls, particularly during red flag or burn ban conditions.

One county resident addressed the board, voicing support for the ordinance’s intent but stressed the need for clear communication and public education. “Where do you find out if you’re in a burn ban or red flag day?” he asked. Also raising concerns about how smaller burns and recreational fires would be treated.

Board response:

  • Supervisors and emergency officials clarified that recreational and contained fires are not the target.
  • The ordinance focuses on large-scale burns like CRP or ditch burning, particularly under risky weather conditions.
  • Education and outreach will be a priority. County emergency alerts, a public safety app, Facebook, and other media will be used to notify the public about burn bans and red flag warnings.

The public hearing was then closed, with no objections. Supervisors noted that official readings of the ordinance will follow at future meetings.

Contract Approved for School Resource Officer

The board next reviewed a 28E agreement with the New London School District to provide a School Resource Officer (SRO). The board approved the agreement.

Other Business

The board briefly discussed the possibility of a future 28E agreement with the City of Salem, though no timeline has been established. Updates will be provided after the public safety committee meets.

The meeting concluded with subcommittee reports and general updates.

Brownfield Ag News Youth Belt Buckle Ceremony Honors Henry County 4-H and FFA Accomplishments

By Hayden Douglas · Thursday, July 17th, 2025 at 10:09 am CDT

At this year’s fair, several graduating 4-H and FFA members were recognized for their years of hard work and dedication with a special keepsake: a commemorative belt buckle, courtesy of Brownfield Ag News. The belt buckle symbolizes the culmination of their youth agriculture careers and the impact the programs have had on their lives.

Among those honored was Briar Bender, a member of the Wayne Soil Savers. Briar received the Brownfield Ag News belt buckle as he wraps up his time in both 4-H and FFA.

Briar is the son of Tracy and Jason Bender.

Another honoree, Alyssa Greaber, is a longtime member of the Jefferson Juniors 4-H Club.

Alyssa, the daughter of Troy and Cassie Graber.

The Brownfield belt buckle ceremony is a tradition aimed at recognizing young people who have committed years to leadership, livestock, community service, and personal growth through 4-H and FFA.

Sports, July 17th

By Slaten Swords · Thursday, July 17th, 2025 at 6:37 am CDT

Postseason Baseball

Classes 1A and 2A will be heading to Merchants Park in Carroll, Iowa, to start their journey to the state championship on Monday, July 21st, for Class 1A and Tuesday, July 22nd, for Class 2A. Here’s the matchups.

To start off the day on Monday in Class 1A, #8 Hillcrest Academy will square off against #1 Remsen St. Mary’s at 11 am. 

#4 Martensdale-St. Marys will compete against #5 Kee at 1:30 pm, followed by #2 Lynnville-Sully facing off against #7 East Buchanan. The night cap at 7 pm will be #3 Saint Ansgar taking on #6 Logan-Magnolia.

For Class 2A, #1 Underwood will attempt to defend their first state title against #8 Cascade at 11 am.

#5 Mediapolis will play #4 Unity Christian at 1:30 pm on Tuesday, July 22nd. KILJ 105.5 FM, kilj.com, will be on the call with the pregame show at 1:15 pm. Mediapolis head coach Rick Whitaker doesn’t foresee any first-time nerves with this squad,

“For sure. I’ll try to give him the lowdown of, like, you know, the process of what we’re going to do and kind of get them ready for that. But these kids play, you know, they play Perfect Game. They play just a ton of ball with some scouts in the crowd and stuff. So, I’m not sure, you know, I don’t know. They might have those jitters, but I don’t think this team will. I think we’ve played so much ball that it probably won’t matter.”

At 4:30 pm, #3 Van Meter will take on #6 Chariton and #2 Pleasantville and #7 West Lyon will end the night at 7 pm.

Classes 3A and 4A held their substate championships last night, here’s the list of state qualifiers.

Class 3A: Bishop Heelan (last year’s runner-up), Sergeant Bluff-Luton, Boone, Wahlert Catholic, Assumption, Pella, Carlisle, and Saydel.

Class 4A: Sioux City East, Waukee Northwest, Waukee, Johnston, Prairie, Iowa City High, Iowa City Liberty, and Bettendorf. 

Postseason Softball

Class 4A will begin the tournament on Monday, July 21st, with #1 Xavier tasked with #8 Pella at 10 am. #4 Dallas Center-Grimes will play #5 ADM at 10:30 am. #7 North Scott will be looking for the upset against #2 Norwalk, while #3 North Polk will attempt to take down #6 Western Dubuque.

Class 5A will hold the early afternoon contests with #1 Waukee Northwest playing #8 Dowling Catholic. #4 Ankeny Centennial will continue their rivalry with #5 Valley at 3 pm. #2 Linn-Mar will compete against #7 Pleasant Valley at 4:45 pm and #3 Southeast Polk will act as the home team against #6 Cedar Falls.

Class 3A’s bracket will be split between Monday and Tuesday, July 22nd, with the top half of the bracket being the nightcaps with #1 Wahlert Catholic facing off against #8 Center Point-Urbana and #4 PCM linking up with #5 West Liberty at 7:30 pm.

On Tuesday, #7 Washington will attempt to spoil #2 Williamsburg’s trip to Fort Dodge at 10 am and #3 Albia will take on #6 Estherville Lincoln Central at 10:30 am.

In Class 1A, Wayne grabbed the #1-seed with a 25-2 record and they will face off against the #8-seed Highland. #4 Riverside and #5 Newell-Fonda will link up in the early evening matchup. 

With a 28-4 record, #2 Clarksville will square off against #7 Newman Catholic with the winner scheduled to face off against the winner between #3 Wapsie Valley and #6 St. Edmond. 

Over in Class 2A, #1 Van Meter enters as the favorite as the Bulldogs look to defend their Class 2A title with an opening round matchup against #8 East Marshall. Grabbing the #4 and #5 seeds were Durant and West Fort, respectively.

#2 Louisa-Muscatine flew past Pella Christian 6-3 on their way to their first state tournament appearance since 2022. The Falcons will compete against #7 West Monona. Lastly, #3 West Lyon will take on #6 Cascade at 3 pm. 

Local Athletic Summer Camps

Tomorrow, July 18th, is the registration due date for two local volleyball camps: the Mediapolis volleyball camp for 3rd all the way through 9th graders starting on August 4th and the Danville youth volleyball camp for 2nd through 8th graders starting on the same date. 

The WACO youth volleyball camp for 5th through 8th graders and the high school camp’s registration due date is July 23rd. 

Check out this link for other local summer athletic camps: School Summer Camps

Prospect League

The Burlington Bees thrashed the Normal CornBelters last night 18-3. Caleb Seibers collected eight RBIs as he cracked a grand slam and a triple, while Kooper Schulte went 3 for 3 with a triple and four RBIs. The Bees head back home tonight against the Springfield Lucky Horseshoes at 6:30 pm.

The Clinton LumberKings dropped their matchup against the Illinois Valley Pistol Shrimp last night 11-2. The LumberKings will host the CornBelters at 6:30 pm tonight.

This Day in Sports History

1902 – The Baltimore Orioles forfeit to St. Louis having only five players available to play; they then forfeit their franchise back to the American League.

1936 – New York Giants future Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Carl Hubbell begins MLB record 24 game winning streak, beating the Pittsburgh Pirates, 6-0 at Forbes Field.

1974 – Bob Gibson becomes the second pitcher to strike-out 3,000 (Cesar Geronimo).

Morgan Meyer Crowned 2025 Henry County Fair Queen

By Hayden Douglas · Thursday, July 17th, 2025 at 6:10 am CDT
2025 Henry County Fair Queen: Morgan Meyer

A new queen now wears the crown at the Henry County Fair. During Wednesday evening’s coronation ceremony, Morgan Meyer was named the 2025 Henry County Fair Queen, earning the top honor and the chance to represent Henry County throughout the coming year—including at the Iowa State Fair Queen competition.

Zenlynn Lee & Morgan Meyer as 2025 Henry Co Fair Royalty

Among those joining Meyer on the court was Zenlynn Lee, who was awarded 1st Runner-Up and also named Miss Personality Plus, impressing judges with her charisma, enthusiasm, and strong presence.

In the junior division, Quintrie Lee was crowned the 2025 Junior Queen, with Courtney Smith named 1st Runner-Up.

The younger royalty titles were also acknowledged during the ceremony. Ezra Lemley was honored as the 2023 Henry County Fair Princess, and Adalyn Anderson received the 2024 Princess 1st Runner-Up.

Each year, the Henry County Fair Royalty Contest celebrates young women who exemplify leadership, confidence, and a commitment to community. Congratulations to all the 2025 fair royalty honorees!

The 2025 Henry county Fair Royalty coverage is brought to you by Hometown Veterinary care.

Prep Baseball: Mediapolis is State Bound After Shutting Down MFL MarMac

By Slaten Swords · Wednesday, July 16th, 2025 at 12:11 pm CDT

Solon, IA- It would have taken the entire town of Mediapolis to rip Lance Ludens off the mound in the Class 2A Substate 4 championship bout against another Bulldog squad in MFL MarMac, at least that’s what Mediapolis head coach Rick Whitaker thought,

“Yeah, if I came out there, he would be ticked.”

The strategy was to ride Ludens for all seven innings and the plan worked to perfection as he threw a complete game shutout, sending Mediapolis to their second state tournament appearance in program history with a 2-0 victory over MFL MarMac.

Ludens, a Central College commit, has been masterful throughout this postseason run having started against West Liberty and Durant, tossing 12.2 innings of scoreless ball and striking out 11 in the process.

MFL MarMac’s Parker Kuehl was poised to duel on the mound having also started the last two games for the Bulldogs, logging 11.2 innings allowing only five hits, two earned runs, and fanning 19.

There was little doubt that it might only take one run to win this contest as Mediapolis had failed to score more than four runs in the past four games after a spree of 85 runs scored in an eight-game span and MFL MarMac had gone from averaging 12.1 runs per game in their first 21 games of the season to 4.4 runs per game in their last nine showdowns.

Despite the recent use and a fastball with not as much steam behind it as it would with a typical rest period, Ludens was riding the adrenaline that comes from entering these big moments,

“Confident in my defense, so every game I just try to come out, stay relaxed, stay calm, throw some strikes, hopefully roll some ground balls and let my defense do most of the work tonight. I was a little hyped up, so I was feeling really good, and I think I got a few more strikeouts I normally do, but yeah, just coming in, staying calm and treating every game like the last. It’s a job. It’s a business. So just get the job done.”

He started the strikeout chain in the top of the 1st inning after getting Kuehl to popout on the first pitch of the game, sitting down Jacob Schellhorn and Brayden Gordon on strikes. Ludens saved the orange-and-black Bulldogs from going 1-2-3 in the bottom of the frame with a single but a groundout by Kyler Crow ended the inning an at-bat later.

Ludens would add another strikeout in the top of the 2nd inning before allowing his first baserunner in the 3rd inning on a leadoff hit-by-pitch to Kyler Nuehring. The future member of the Dutch proceeded to fan the next two batters before popping out Kuehl for the second time. Three innings down, no hits, no runs, one baserunner, five strikeouts.

Kuehl would get into trouble in the bottom of the 2nd inning when Henry Luttenegger and Braeden Oliver hit back-to-back two out singles to put runners on first and second base. Nevertheless, quick reflexes on the mound stopped a sharp grounder off Hayden Guegler’s bat, thwarting the threat. Moreover, a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the third kept the game even.

Kuehl was now through three innings, allowing only three hits and striking out two. Zeroes still on the scoreboard.

The defensive momentum carried over into the top of the 4th inning with a Schellhorn leadoff single. A strikeout and fielders choice left a runner on first base and two away when Jaxon Millage managed a single to put Bulldogs on first and second base. Then Ludens slammed the door again with his seventh strikeout of the game.

Around this time last year, Mediapolis was on the opposite end of a two-run walk-off home run by Anamosa in the District Championship. But, the nucleus of the team was set to return to the diamond for the 2025 season, still coach Whitaker knew some things would have to bounce their way,

“I knew we were going to have one of my better teams and I’ve had a I’ve had quite a few good teams, especially my first couple of years, but we just didn’t get the breaks. And you got to get the brakes when you play baseball sometimes… You know, you get a little bit of luck, and you have a good team. That’s when you go and I think, the chemistry and the camaraderie, it’s all got it’s all got to come together. So, I thought we had a chance. But I wasn’t 100% positive because anything can happen in Iowa baseball…”

Crow was the one to receive the break, on a 1-2 count, Kuehl hung a curveball. Expeditiously, the ball left the park over the left-centerfield fence, Mediapolis now led 1 to 0. Crow was also quick to move around the bases,

“I mean I it felt good off the bat, but it was a line drive, and I didn’t want to be in one of those situations where I pimped it, and then it didn’t go over. So, I just hustled to first and once I heard everyone cheer, then I slowed down and took my jog and made sure to put our team ahead in the game so we could go win it.”

Coach Whitaker also felt that same relief as the ball cruised over the fence,

“I thought it was gone right off the bat, but I wasn’t sure because they have a really tall fence here [Solon High School]. I don’t show a lot of emotion on the field during the game, but I did there.”

Nevertheless, the inning was not over yet as two errors by Millage at first allowed Max Griffin and Henry Luttenegger to get on base, leading to an Oliver RBI-single moving Mediapolis to a 2 to 0 lead.

A year ago, Oliver went 0 for 6 at the plate with three strikeouts. As a senior, he is now hitting over 0.370 at the plate.

“I love to talk about that kid [Oliver] because he’s our senior hitting the eight spot all year” said coach Whitaker. “Last year he was our right fielder… and I had to DH for him and he just worked his butt off in the offseason. And he’s been one of our better hitters all year. I’m superstitious, so I didn’t want to move him from that hole because he sees a lot of fastballs down there. So, I’m like, I’m just going to leave him down there and let those teams think OH 8-9 let’s go. And a lot of times throughout the year the bottom of the order has basically come through for us.”

That short spurt of offense was followed by both teams being set down in order in the 5th and 6th innings with Ludens collecting another strikeout, while Kuehl tabbed three more. MFL MarMac was down to their final three outs of the 2025 season and the Bulldogs were going to go down swinging.

Ben Krambeer started the top half of the frame with a single and Millage followed suit, redeeming his miscues in the field. No outs and the first two runners had reached. Ludens quickly responded by getting Wesley Corlett, who was pinch hitting for Kade Humble, to ground into a fielder’s choice at second base.

One out and runners at the corners. It was time for a rendezvous at the mound. Perhaps it was to calm his team down, maybe talk some strategy, or just maybe it was to settle his own nerves,

“But I still got anxious because these kids wanted it, so I want it so bad for the kids. Not for myself. I want it for those guys because you spend a lot. It’s summer baseball. I tell the kids all the time, you know, it’s different. It’s a different sport than you know, basketball, football because you’re during the school, summer. You’re just there’s no distractions. It’s just baseball, you know? And so, you spend a ton of time, you know, 30 some games and you’re together. I just wanted it for them, really. Because you become like a little family in the summer for sure.”

Ludens answered the call by striking out Nuehring for the second out of the inning. Tyce Wikner, an 8th grader, was now called to the bat. Ludens was there before, a kid with a dream of going to state and now he was one out away from living that dream.

One pitch, a flare into centerfield to the reliable glove of Crow and the game was over. Ludens had now thrown 19.2 innings, allowing zero runs on six hits, tabbing 20 strikeouts, and collected a 3-0 record in his postseason run. The man all about business on the mound earned a chance to live his childhood dream,

“Feels great. It’s been a long time coming. Ever since 8th grade, even before 8th grade, you know, when I was little, just putting the work in. I knew one day; I’d be in high school playing baseball and making the state tournament was something I always wanted to do. So finally getting be able to do it my senior year is a great feeling.”

Crow was quick to give his team the praise after the game for helping him play his best,

“I just like to give a big shout out to my team because you know it’s a team sport and they’ve helped me all the way through the year. Through my ups and through my downs, I couldn’t do it without them.”

The Bulldogs clinched the #5-seed a decade removed from their last trip to state, pinning them against the #4-seed Unity Christian at 1:30 pm on Tuesday, July 22nd, at Merchants Park in Carroll, Iowa.

Despite a 27-2 record, three-straight shutouts in the postseason, and a Southeast Iowa Super Conference South Division title—a conference that has now sent seven teams to state in the last seven years including a state champion in New London, Crow knows Mediapolis will be considered longshots,

“You know, a lot of people have said we’ve had a bad schedule, or an easy schedule and a lot of people have put us down and I just mean I can’t wait to see their faces when they see that we’re on the ride to Carroll and a lot of the teams that they bet on aren’t so, you know, it feels great to be the underdogs. I mean, we’ve always been the underdogs in every tournament we go to. So, going to state is huge.”

KILJ 105.5 FM, kilj.com, will be on the call with the pregame show at 1:15 pm on Tuesday!