High School Girls’ Tennis
Burlington Notre Dame played tough against Davis County last night but the Nikes came up short, falling 5-4. Liliana Anderson, Jessee Pearson, and Faith Gibb each won their singles match. The Nikes will travel to Keokuk tomorrow, August 14th.
Mt. Pleasant will host Burlington today at 10 am for their home opener.
Fairfield will face off against Fort Madison on the road today.
High School Volleyball
WACO will be holding a scrimmage on Monday, August 17th, with Central Lee also participating at 6:15 pm.
Danville will host a scrimmage on Tuesday, August 18th, with Van Buren County, New London, and Wapello making the trip at 5 pm.
West Burlington and Burlington Notre Dame will scrimmage on Tuesday at West Burlington at 4 pm.
Here’s a quick preview of the Southeast Conference (SEC). Washington finished on top of the regular season standings last year with a 9-1 conference mark, but it was Burlington that finished with the conference title after dispatching Washington in the SEC tournament. The Demons will have to replace SEC Player of the Year Leighton Messinger after she put up 320 kills last season to lead the team. Layla Green, a First Teamer last year, will look to lead the charge up on the net after tabbing 205 kills and leading the team with 45 blocks. Reagan Miller will most likely be the main setter with 500 assists last year and a team leading 55 aces. Washington will attempt to advance further than the Regional Quarterfinal.
Burlington put up an impressive 31-13 record last year after being eliminated in the Class 4A semifinal by North Scott. The Grayhounds boasted a balanced net attack with five different players notching at least 140 kills. They are set to return three of those hitters, including Meilah Ertz, who led the team in kills last year, and their two setters from last year. The Grayhounds will have to find pieces to replace Sydney Schroeder, who led the team in aces, Daphne Brown, who led the team in blocks, and Lily Newell, who led the team in digs.
It has been three years since Fairfield sat atop the conference standings, but the Trojans did usurp Burlington in five sets during the season to go 7-3 in the SEC for 3rd place. Fairfield should be tough at the net this year, as they plan to return their two main attackers from last year in Natalie Steele and Leah Helmick. They have the tough assignment of finding a new setter after graduating Faith Jones, who finished the year with 751 assists and 65 kills.
Mt. Pleasant collected their first winning season since 2021 last year after producing a 22-15 overall record last year, which included a win in the quarterfinals of the Class 4A Regionals. The Panthers touted a senior-heavy squad last year, losing out on Addison Clark, who will be playing at Simpson College, and Alex Scott as the main attackers, and Abby Carthey, who nabbed 491 assists last year. Jenna Schwartz, who claimed 56 blocks last year, will be a presence at the middle of the net with spots open for underclassmen to step up.
High School Football
Fairfield will host a scrimmage against Sigourney-Keota on August 21st at 7 pm.
Washington will scrimmage Muscatine on August 21st at 5:30 pm on the road.
Mediapolis will face off against Fort Madison on August 21st at 6:30 pm for a scrimmage at home.
West Burlington/Notre Dame will square off against Burlington at Bracewell Stadium at 5 pm for their Fall Fest Scrimmage on August 21st.
Central Lee will host Wapello for a scrimmage on August 21st at 6 pm.
Columbus will scrimmage Cardinal at 7 pm at home on August 21st.
Van Buren County will travel to Albia for a Powerade Scrimmage on August 21st at 6 pm.
Danville
The Bears have a couple Fall Sports Parent Meetings scheduled. High school volleyball parents will congregate on Monday, August 17th, at 6 pm in the gym, while junior high volleyball parents will meet on August 26th at 5:30 pm at the junior high gym.
Meet the Players Night
Winfield-Mt. Union will be holding their Meet the Players Night on Wednesday, August 19th, following backpack night at 5 pm. The fall sport participants will be announced at 6:30 pm starting with Cross Country.
Southeastern Community College
The men’s and women’s soccer teams will take on Graceland University on Sunday, August 16th, on the road with the women leading off at 1 pm.
The volleyball team will compete in the Opening Weekend Tournament in Rockford starting on August 20th with game one against Elgin Community College at 2:30 pm.
This Day in Sports History
1910 – The Brooklyn Superbas and the Pittsburgh Pirates play “the game of perfect symmetry” in baseball to tie 8-8 as both have 13 hits, 2 errors, 12 assists, 5 strikeouts, 3 walks, 1 hit baseman, and 1 passed ball.
1932 – Yankees hurler Red Ruffing became the first MLB pitcher since 1906 to hit an extra-inning, game-winning home run in New York’s 1-0 win over the Senators in Washington.
1993 – Blue Jay Rickey Henderson pays Turner Ward $25,000 to wear his #24.