High School Track
The State Track and Field meet is scheduled to start today and run through Saturday, May 24th, in Des Moines. KILJ will be keeping track of 16 local teams, providing updates and results throughout the three-day event. For a full list of our local state qualifiers’ heat assignments and times, follow this link: Heat Assignments and Times
High School Tennis
The Fairfield boys’ team fell to Pella 5-1 yesterday in their Substate 8 championship contest. Rumin Luo picked up the lone win for the Trojans. Fairfield ended the season with a 14-1 record.
High School Golf
The girls’ Class 1A Region 5 final commenced yesterday and Wapello’s Emmalin Marshall finished as the medalist for the field, carding an 82 and punching her ticket to the state meet. The Arrows took 4th place with a score of 405.
New London finished in 6th place with a team score of 421, but Emma Busby shot an 85 for the 18-hole course, snatching the last spot for an individual state qualifier as she grabbed 4th place.
Kinlee Brown’s 17th place score of 101 led Columbus as the Wildcats finished in 7th place. Holy Trinity Catholic’s Elizabeth Griffin and Winfield-Mt. Union’s Kellee Milks each carded a 102 to tie for 19th place.
For Class 1A Region 4, Sophia Jirak of Van Buren County ended her junior season with an 18th place score of 101.
The girls’ Class 1A state meet will be held at American Legion Golf Course in Marshalltown, starting on Thursday, May 29th, and concluding on Friday, May 30th.
The Mt. Pleasant, Burlington Notre Dame, and Fairfield girls’ teams made the trip to Edmudson Golf Course yesterday for their Class 3A Region 3 final and the Panthers led the trio with an 8th place team score of 441 followed by Fairfield in 9th place with a 446. The Nikes took 11th place with a 456.
Mt. Pleasant’s Sophia Walderbach carded a 95 to grab 12th place. Ella Bentler of Fairfield scored a 101 for 23rd place, while Notre Dame’s Emersyn Hopkins collected a 25th place score of 103.
The boys’ Class 1A state golf meet will take place at South Hills Golf Course in Waterloo on Tuesday, May 27th, and Wednesday, May 28th.
Central Lee will contend for the boys’ Class 2A state championship starting Tuesday at Gates Park Golf Course in Waterloo.
Washington’s Drew Conrad will tee off on Tuesday at Pheasant Ridge Golf Course in Cedar Falls for the boys’ Class 3A state meet.
High School Soccer
In the girls’ Class 1A Region 3 bracket, Mt. Pleasant and Mid-Prairie needed 11 penalty kicks last night to decide the winner and it was the Golden Hawks who mounted the upset in a 2-1 final. The Panthers put together quite the effort to get there after allowing a first half goal, they went scoreless for 77 minutes. Yet, Charice Auwerda weaved her way through the defense and found Brianna Leonardo in front of the net for the game tying goal. Head coach Chris Davis knows this loss will sting,
“This team is probably the best team we’ve had in a while. Unfortunately, half of them are seniors. This is an unfortunate way to go out at the end of the season. They put their heart into it and fought back the entire game from being one down and I can’t be any prouder.”
Fairfield was shutout by Assumption last night 12-0. The Knights will take on Washington on Wednesday, May 28th, at 7 pm at home after the Demons defeated West Liberty 1-0.
The Mediapolis girls’ team will get to host Mid-Prairie next Wednesday at 7 pm after sneaking past Columbus/Winfield-Mt. Union last night 1-0.
The Burlington Notre Dame girls’ team will start their Class 2A Region 4 postseason journey tomorrow, May 23rd, on the road against Clear Creek Amana at 7 pm.
In the boys’ Class 1A Substate 5 bracket, Danville will take on (14-1) West Liberty on Tuesday, May 27th, at 7 pm in a road showdown.
The Central Lee boys team will travel to Mediapolis on Tuesday at 7 pm.
In the boys’ Class 2A Substate 5 bracket, #6 Burlington Notre Dame will take on Assumption on Tuesday at 7 pm at home.
It will be a Southeast Conference battle in the boys’ Class 2A Substate 6 semifinals as Mt. Pleasant will get to host Fairfield on Tuesday at 5 pm.
High School Baseball
Fairfield pulverized Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont last night, 16-0, as eight Trojans tabbed at least one RBI. Zandrik Allison collected a team-leading four RBIs, while Luke Konczal clobbered two doubles for three RBIs. Fairfield will travel to Moravia on Tuesday, May 27th, at 5:30 pm.
Wapello had no answer for BGM last night in a 13-0 loss. Kinnick Richenberger snatched three bases in the effort. Wapello will host Wilton tomorrow, May 23rd, at 5:30 pm.
Mt. Pleasant started the game off hot, pushing across three runs in the top of the 1st inning, but Grinnell remained consistent throughout the game and downed the Panthers 13-3. Zach Newton smacked a two-RBI double in the losing effort. Mt. Pleasant will look for a win in their home opener tonight against Cardinal with first pitch at 7 pm.
Van Buren County will travel to Keokuk tonight at 7:30 pm.
West Burlington will stay at home for their matchup against Louisa-Muscatine tomorrow at 5:30 pm.
Mediapolis will face off against New London on the road at 5:30 pm on Tuesday.
Central Lee will compete against Fairfield on Wednesday, May 28th, at 7:30 pm on the road.
Southeast Iowa Playbook
Last night was our last episode of the 2024-25 season of the Southeast Iowa Playbook and our special guest was Mt. Pleasant baseball head coach Brent Broeker. He thought Grayson Lowery could take the biggest step in his development this year and that appears to be the case after the sophomore logged an RBI in last night’s contest against Grinnell.
If you missed last night’s episode, then follow this link: Mount Pleasant Episode
Southeastern Community College
The baseball team is heading back to Enid, Oklahoma for the third straight season after nabbing the #7-seed as an at-large bid in the NJCAA DII World Series. The Blackhawks will start their postseason journey on Saturday, May 24th, at 10 am against the #10-seed Kellogg Community College, who is on a 17-game win streak after winning the Great Lakes District Championship.
This Day in Sports History
1911 – Boston pitcher Cliff Curtis lost his 23rd game in a row, dating back to 1910, still the all-time record for consecutive losses by a pitcher.
1987 – Canadian Rick Hansen completes his ‘Man in Motion’ world tour in a wheelchair at Vancouver’s BC Place Stadium, raising money for spinal cord research.
2003 – In Fort Worth, Texas, Annika Sörenstam becomes the first woman to play the PGA Tour in 58 years.