High School Track
Central College will host an indoor meet with the boys’ teams participating tomorrow, March 20th, and the girls’ competing on Friday, March 21st.
The Columbus Co-ed Invitational is scheduled for Monday, March 24th, with Central Lee, New London, Van Buren County, and Winfield-Mt. Union making the trip to start the outdoor season.
High School Basketball
The 2025 Pizza Ranch All-Star Game is scheduled for March 29th at Dallas Center-Grimes High School with three of our local players and a coach making the trip to compete.
On the girls’ Southeast team, WACO’s Ella Huisenga, who ranked 2nd on the team in points and 1st in rebounds, earned a spot and accompanying her will be her coach Lisa Graber. The Southeast squad will face off against the Northwest team for the first round at 10:45 am.
On the boys’ Southeast team, a pair from the Southeast Iowa Super Conference South Division will join forces in West Burlington’s Mason Watkins and Luke Hellige of Holy Trinity Catholic. Watkins and Hellige both finished within the top 10 in the state in points per game and as their respective program’s all-time leading scorer. The Southeast and Northwest will square off for their first round matchup at noon.
IHSAA News
The Iowa High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) announced that the State Basketball Tournament will be played at James H. Hilton Coliseum in Ames starting in 2027.
The 14,267-capacity stadium agreed to a five-year deal with the IHSAA as their 2027-time frame coincided with the expectation that the CyTown District will be up in running, which will include retail, restaurants, common areas, and a Marriott hotel.
This agreement will conclude the partnership with the Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, who has hosted the tournament since 1963, marking 63 years of state tournament basketball in Des Moines.
“We have great relationships in Des Moines and at Iowa Events Center, and we thank them for all their years of support and their continued work in hosting our events,” IHSAA executive director Tom Keating said.
It will also be a historic occasion when the 32 teams from all four classifications meet up from March 8th through the 12th in 2027 as it will have been 101 years since the last time the state tournament was held in Ames. State Gym hosted a tournament (from 1920-22 there were two tournaments held) in 1917, 1919, 1920, 1921, 1922, and 1926 for Class B—the only one officially under the IHSAA.
Three of our local teams would like to be welcomed back to Ames, including a former champion. Mt. Pleasant controlled the state for a two-year stretch, winning the title 28-22 in 1917 over Iowa City. Fairfield attended in 1919 and 1921, getting tossed in the quarterfinals each time. Lastly, Columbus Junction ventured out in 1922, losing in the quarterfinals.
Southeastern Community College
The softball team will be back in action for a doubleheader on Saturday, March 22nd, against Southwestern Community College with game one at 1 pm.
The baseball team got back in the win column yesterday in their first conference showdown of the season, belting Marshalltown Community College 18-4. The Blackhawks will host a three-game series against North Iowa Area Community College on Saturday with their first game of a doubleheader at 1 pm.
College Basketball
The Iowa State men’s team grabbed the #3-seed for the South Region but they will be without the services of Keshon Gilbert for the rest of the season due to injury. The Cyclones will dance with the #14-seed Lipscomb on Friday, March 21st, at 12:30 pm.
In the woman’s NCAA national championship tournament, Iowa grabbed the 6th seed and will take on the #11-seed Murray State in Oklahoma on Saturday, March 22nd, at 11 am. This is the seventh consecutive trip to the NCAA tournament for the Hawkeyes.
The Iowa State women’ s team also continued their streak of consecutive appearances at the tournament at six but they will have to earn their way to the round off 64. The Cyclones will square off against Princeton tonight at 6 pm with the winner advancing to play the #6-seed Michigan.
March Madness
The KILJ Bracket Challenge brought to you by The Press Box and Wiley’s Interior Furnishings and Design is back for the 2025 March Madness men’s bracket with the same rules as last year. A printable bracket was posted to KILJ’s Facebook page. The bracket must be filled out and turned in to sports@kilj.com or our station by the end of the day.
For a full list of rules and prizes, follow this link: KILJ Bracket Challenge
This Day in Sports History
1966 – Underdog Texas Western College defeats Kentucky, 72-65, in the NCAA men’s college basketball championship—the first NCAA title for an all-Black starting five.
1972 – First AIAW Women’s Basketball Tournament, Immaculata beats West Chester State 52-48 in Normal, Illinois.
1984 – Two-time Cy Young Award winner Denny McLain is indicted on charges of drug trafficking, embezzlement and racketeering; 25 year sentence later quashed.