Prep Girls’ Basketball: Mount Pleasant Hosts Fort Madison, Other Regional Matchups:

The Mount Pleasant girls’ basketball team will look to win their second in a row tonight when they open up Southeast Conference action at Panther Gymnasium, hosting Fort Madison.

The Panthers are coming off a Monday night win over Ottumwa, 43-29.

Fort Madison has started their season well, also with a victory over Ottumwa in their pocket, while defeating Davis County 58-43, earlier this week.

Mount Pleasant is lead by Andrea Lopreato’s 18 points per game, the junior is also leading the squad with 8.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists.

The consensus first-team All-Conference player from a year ago looks poised for another huge season.

The Panthers have won nine of the last 10 tilts between the two schools with Fort Madison nipping Mount Pleasant in their most recent matchup, 36-31 back on January 8th.

Tonight’s game will be varsity only and will tip at 6:30 p.m.

You can listen on FM 105.5 and kilj.com.

Nathan Bloechl and Kent Bennett will have all the action.

Other area scraps:

• Holy Trinity vs. Cardinal
• Louisa-Muscatine vs. Columbus
• Winfield-Mount Union vs. Highland
• Wapello vs. Hillcrest Academy
• Pekin vs. Mediapolis
• New London vs. WACO
• Central Lee vs West Burlington
• Notre Dame vs. Van Buren County

Prep Boys’ Basketball: Mount Pleasant at Fort Madison, New London Opens:

The Mount Pleasant boys’ basketball team will look to get into the win column, albeit in a tough environment, when the Panthers travel to the HoundDome to take on Fort Madison.

The Panthers suffered a Tuesday night defeat at the hands of Cedar Rapids Xavier, one in which they shot a meager 29% from the field and 23% from the three point land.

Dewon Trent looked to be in good form however.

The Mount Pleasant forward has a chance to claim Southeast Conference Player of the Year honors this year.

Tonight will be Fort Madison’s first of the year but the Panthers are 4-1 against the Bloodhounds in the last five.

Dayton Davis will lead a solid senior class that will be bookended by Miles Dear, Tate Johnson and Landes Williams.

Tonight’s game will tip at the HoundDome at 7:30 p.m.

Meanwhile in Henry County, a matchup of rivals commences tonight when New London squares off with WACO.

The Tigers and their star-power need no introduction.

Blaise Porter, arguably the top prospect in southeast Iowa and classmate Kade Benjamin comprise the best 1-2 punch in the conference and will start their quest to Wells Fargo Arena tonight.

Standing in their way on their 2021-22 debut is WACO, who looked strong in a 58-29 win earlier this week against Holy Trinity.

First team all-state running back Simeon Reichenbach scored 12 points in that matchup while Hunter Hughes chipped in with 11.

Tonight’s game will tip from Wayland at 7:30 p.m.

Other area matchups:

• Burlington at Keokuk
• Fairfield at Washington

Prep Girls’ Basketball: Latest IGHSAU Basketball Rankings:

	School	Record	LW
1	Newell-Fonda	2-0	1
2	Bishop Garrigan	1-1	2
3	Exira-EHK	1-0	3
4	Springville	3-0	4
5	North Linn	2-1	5
6	MMCRU	1-0	6
7	Burlington Notre Dame	3-0	7
8	North Mahaska	1-1	8
9	Storm Lake St. Mary’s	0-0	9
10	Montezuma	2-0	13
11	East Buchanan	2-0	NR
12	Stanton	1-0	12
13	Central Elkader	3-0	NR
14	CAM	1-0	NR
15	Westwood	1-1	9

	School	Record	LW
1	Dike-New Hartford	2-0	1
2	Grundy Center	1-0	3
3	Denver	4-0	5
4	Central Lyon	1-1	4
5	Panorama	1-0	6
6	Cascade	2-0	7
7	Nodaway Valley	1-1	2
8	Sibley-Ocheyedan	1-1	8
9	West Hancock	1-0	9
10	Jesup	2-0	11
11	South Central Calhoun	2-0	13
12	Treynor	1-1	10
13	North Union	1-0	15
14	Aplington-Parkersburg	2-0	NR
15	Wilton	2-0	NR

	School	Record	LW
1	Unity Christian	2-1	1
2	West Lyon	2-0	3
3	Ballard	2-1	2
4	Estherville-Lincoln Central	3-0	6
5	Center Point-Urbana	3-0	7
6	Cherokee	2-1	4
7	Sergeant Bluff-Luton	1-0	8
8	Clear Lake	0-1	5
9	West Liberty	2-0	9
10	West Marshall	3-0	10
11	Vinton-Shellsburg	3-0	14
12	Roland-Story	0-1	11
13	Harlan	2-0	NR
14	Okoboji	2-0	NR
15	Davenport Assumption	0-2	13

	School	Record	LW
1	Glenwood	1-0	1
2	Indianola	2-0	2
3	Central DeWitt	1-0	3
4	Cedar Rapids Xavier	3-0	4
5	Bishop Heelan	3-0	6
6	North Scott	2-0	7
7	North Polk	2-1	14
8	Dallas Center-Grimes	2-1	5
9	Winterset	1-0	9
10	Grinnell	2-0	10
11	Solon	1-2	8
12	Mason City	1-1	11
13	Spencer	1-1	12
14	Gilbert	2-0	NR
15	Benton Community	2-1	13

	School	Record	LW
1	Johnston	2-0	1
2	Waterloo West	0-0	2
3	Cedar Falls	1-0	3
4	Iowa City High	0-0	4
5	Des Moines Roosevelt	1-1	6
6	West Des Moines Valley	2-0	7
7	Iowa City West	1-0	8
8	Ankeny Centennial	3-0	9
9	Southeast Polk	1-1	5
10	Cedar Rapids Washington	2-0	10
11	Dowling Catholic	4-0	11
12	Waukee Northwest	2-1	12
13	Sioux City East	1-0	13
14	Pleasant Valley	1-0	14
15	Linn-Mar	2-0	NR

College Football: Grand View Takes on Lindsey Wilson in NAIA semifinals Saturday:

Third ranked Grand View visits top ranked Lindsey Wilson of Kentucky in the semifinal round of the NAIA playoffs on Saturday.

Lindsey Wilson is the defending national champion.

“What an opportunity we have to play the defending the national champions on their home turf. I know our guys are excited about the challenge and the opportunity and [we] just can’t wait for Saturday to get here.”

That’s Grand View coach Joe Woodley who says the Vikings first goal is to make a game of it. Lindsey Wilson has only played one game that was not a blowout in posting a 12-0 record.

Former Mount Pleasant standout Brody McGhghy has been a special teams ace for the Vikings this year.

Saturday’s game will kick at 12:30 p.m. from Columbia, Kentucky.

James H. McLeland died on Wednesday, December 1, 2021 surrounded by the love of family and friends both near and far.  Visitation will open at 2:00 PM at Pedrick Funeral Home, Keosauqua with family present 5:00 to 7:00 PM. Funeral service will be held at 10:30 AM Saturday December 4, 2021 at the Keosauqua United Methodist Church with Pastor Mary Kathryn Hart, Reverend Herb Shafer and Pastor Larry Smith officiating.  Burial will be in Maple Grove Cemetery, Cantril immediately following the funeral. For gifts of remembrance, please donate in Jim’s name to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, Bentonsport Improvement Association or Compassus Hospice Care may be left at the funeral home, church or mailed to the family at 21937 Marion Street, Keosauqua, IA 52565.

Born in Keosauqua, Iowa on March 22, 1941, Jim loved his home state. He attended Iowa State University, married Carrel Phelps and had two sons, Tony and Curt. He started a career teaching auto mechanics, then farmed for several years in the Bonaparte area, and eventually returned back to a career as an automotive instructor. He could fix and build almost anything and was a born teacher – both patient and knowledgeable.

After some life changes, Jim launched a second act when he met Patricia DeSpain in Illinois. On December 21, 1996, Jim and Pat married and began a life together in Freeport, Illinois. They enjoyed an ever-expanding circle of friends and family, and Jim became a beloved figure in the lives of Pat’s children and grandchildren.

To all who knew him, Jim was a joke teller and yarn spinner like no other. Whether he was regaling an unsuspecting restaurant server, or his family (especially the grandkids!) who could recite many of his jokes right along with him, Jim loved to entertain and lift people’s spirits. 

Jim could be counted upon to offer his quiet counsel and wisdom to his many friends and family members. Always ready to lend an ear, Jim could often be found visiting either on the phone or in person. He never knew a stranger – everyone he met quickly became a lifelong friend.

Always an active and involved member of his community wherever he lived, after retirement he and Pat moved to historic Bentonsport where Jim became self-appointed mayor. He could be spotted on any given day riding his Gator around town to check in on his friends and neighbors.

A member of the Bentonsport Improvement Association – or “hysterical society” as he called it due to the many laughs they enjoyed together – Jim always sought to make things better for his community.

Jim’s spirit will live on in many hearts thanks to his generosity of spirit, faithfulness in friendship, and love of his fellow man.

Jim is survived by his wife of 25 years, Patricia L. McLeland, brothers Vern (Debra) McLeland, Ken (Debbie) McLeland and Jerry (Katrina) McLeland, sister Shirley Hicks, sons Tony (Molly) McLeland, Curt (Elizabeth) McLeland, and grandsons Jordan (Chelsea) McLeland, Jared (Holly) McLeland, and Nick McLeland. He is also survived by his extended family, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents, James and Valera (Hervey) McLeland.

The family wishes to thank the hospice staff of Compassus for their empathetic support in Jim’s final days.