High School Basketball
Mt. Pleasant hosted Keokuk last night in a conference doubleheader. For the girls’ game, Keokuk’s experience and tenacious defense led to a 74-14 final. The Panthers struggled to maintain any continuity on offense and the Chiefs were unstoppable from three-point land as Kendra Boatman nailed six threes on her way to a game-high 28 points. Paityn Ensminger, Kynlee White, and Abby Carthey each scored four points in the effort.
The boys’ game featured the two top teams in the Southeast Conference squaring off to see who would sit atop the rankings to enter the new year. In a back-and-forth affair that saw Keokuk’s last second three from Diego Garcia rim out, it was Mt. Pleasant that walked out with a hard fought 57-55 win. Payton Hagans had a monster game as he dropped 37 points, a career high. Head Coach Eric Rawson talked about Hagans’ performance after the game.
Christian Stacy also finished in double figures with 10 points on the night. The Panthers head into winter break with a 5-3 record and a 4-0 conference record. Coach Rawson talked about how big the win was heading into the break.
Holy Trinity Catholic swept Clark County last night with the girls’ team winning 54-24, while the boys’ team breezed past Clark County 61-34. Luke Hellige led the Crusaders with 24 points on the night. The girls’ team will travel to take on Mt. Pleasant tomorrow, December 21st, at 6:45 pm with KILJ 105.5 FM, kilj.com, on the call with the pregame show at 6:30 pm. The boys’ team enters winter break with a 6-3 record.
The WACO girls’ team kept it close, but ultimately fell to Lone Tree last night 49-39. Emma Wagler led the Warriors with 15 points. The boys’ team clobbered Lone Tree 74-49. Hunter Hughes went off for 21 points in the win with Colton Leichty cashing in for 15 points. The girls’ team will head into winter break with a 4-5 record, while the boys’ team will host North Linn tomorrow at 7:30 pm as they recognize the contributions Bob Hilmer made to both communities.
The Winfield-Mt. Union girls’ team lost to Highland last night 49-34. The girls’ team is 3-8 heading into winter break. The boys’ team breezed past the Huskies 66-13. Abram Edwards tallied a double-double, scoring 10 points and gathering 11 rebounds. Cam Buffington led the Wolves with 18 points. The boys’ team heads into winter break with an 8-1 record.
The New London boys’ team will travel to Regina Catholic tomorrow at 7:30 pm, while the girls’ team will compete against Columbus tomorrow at 6 pm at home.
The Danville boys’ team will host BGM tomorrow at 7:30 pm. The girls’ team will head into winter break with a 5-4 record.
The Central Lee girls’ team heads into winter break with a 3-5 record. The Central Lee boys’ team is 2-6 entering winter break.
The Mediapolis girls’ team heads into winter break with an 8-1 record. The boys’ team touts a 5-3 record heading into winter break.
The Van Buren County boys’ team will face off against Columbus on January 4th at 7:30 pm and the girls’ team will travel to Fairfield on January 2nd at 7:30 pm.
High School Wrestling
The WACO boys competed in the BGM holiday duals last night and fell to South Tama, 66-17, Baxter, 37-36, and BGM, 42-36. Against South Tama, Louden Huisenga won by fall and Gage Samo took his match by technical fall. Samo picked up a win against Baxter by fall. Lastly, Gage Samo, John Mclaughlin, Deacon Bird, and Kale Warren all picked up wins by fall against BGM. The boys’ team will compete in a meet at Washington on January 4th.
The Columbus/Winfield-Mt. Union, Mt. Pleasant, and WACO girls’ teams will compete at a tournament after winter break on January 5th at Highland.
The Mt. Pleasant boys’ teams will have to wait until after winter break with the Panthers competing on January 4th at Sigourney.
The Columbus/Winfield-Mt. Union boys’ team will compete Saturday, December 23rd, at Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont.
New London will wait until after winter break to compete in a quad at Cascade on January 4th.
High School Bowling
Mt. Pleasant will take on Washington on January 4th.
College Football
Iowa State University will take on Memphis in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl in Memphis on December 29th at 2:30 pm. The Cyclones defeated Memphis in the 2017 AutoZone Liberty Bowl 21-20.
#20 Iowa will face off against #25 Tennessee in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl on January 1st at noon.
College Basketball
The #4 Iowa women’s team will face off against Loyola-Chicago tomorrow, December 21st, at 5 pm at home.
The Iowa State women’s team will compete against UNI tonight at 6:30 pm.
The Iowa State men’s team will host Eastern Illinois tomorrow at 7 pm.
The Iowa men’s team will host UMBC tonight at 7 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 Kenesaw Mountain Landis casts the deciding vote for a best-of-7.
1966 – The NBA awards the Seattle Supersonics a franchise for 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.