EG Takes On Mason City Newman
East Greene is seeded eighth among eight teams in the Class 1A State Baseball Tournament and will face top-seeded Newman (Mason City) is the opening game of the four-class tournament at 6 p.m. tonight at Principal Park in Des Moines.
Newman finished the season ranked No. 1 in the state in Class 1-A at 30-1 and rolled through the district and substate outscoring opponents 59-3 to moves its season mark to 34-1. EG however put together its longest win streak of the season to go from the seventh-place team in the West Central Conference to a state tournament qualifier.
Interestingly, EG began sectional tournament play at 10-14 and by beating last year’s state tournament qualifier Grandview Park Baptist, 2-1, in the substate game, the Hawks not only evened their season record at 14-14, but they qualified for the state tournament, coming out the winner of a substate with some impressive teams, most notably Earlham, Van Meter, Martensdale-St. Mary’s and Iowa Christian Academy.
East Greene is making its first appearance in the state tournament along with Adair-Casey, Alta and Tri-County (Thornburgh). Calamus-Wheatland from eastern Iowa played in the 1955 tournament as Calamus, losing in the championship game.
Newman is making its 12th appearance at state. The Knights have qualified three out of the last four years. Newman won it all in 2002 and 1998 and finished as runner-up in 2004 and 1967, the first year it advanced to state.
Newman’s only loss this season was to cross-town rival Mason City, a 4-A school. The Knights have victories over nearby Clear Lake (twice), Webster City and Forest City--all 3A schools. Newman won the North Iowa Conference with a perfect 14-0 record. Other schools in the North Iowa are Belmond-Klemme, Lake Mills, Garner-Hayfield, North Iowa (Buffalo Center), Osage, West Hancock (Britt) and Forest City. Newman and North Iowa are 1A schools and other than 3A Forest City, the other league teams are all 2A.
Newman also has a 2-1 win over Don Bosco (Gilbertville), winner of the Iowa Star Conference and the No. 3 ranked team in Class 1A. The Dons were eliminated by Northern University High (Cedar Falls) 5-2 in the opening round of the district in Traer. NUH went into the game ranked No. 6. Kee of Lansing, ranked No. 4 in the state, sidelined NUH 7-2 in the substate final at Oelwein.
Kee (38-6) is seeded second in the tournament and faces seventh-seed Tri-County (19-6) in the second half a doubleheader tomorrow night at Principal Park. In the opener tomorrow night at 6 p.m., third-seeded Lenox (21-3) takes on sixth-seeded Calamus-Wheatland (18-9).
The EG-Newman game tonight is followed by an 8 p.m. match-up between Adair-Casey, seeded fifth, and fourth-seed Alta (30-3). Adair-Casey, a member of the Rolling Hills Conference, is 20-5, and advanced to state by winning the substate at Coon Rapids. The Bombers knocked out perennial West Central baseball power Coon Rapids-Bayard in the semifinal round of the district, also held on Crusaders’ home field in Coon Rapids.
First round winners advance to the semifinal games starting at noon and 2 p.m. next Thursday (July 30) at Principal Park with the winners of those games meeting for the 1A State Championship on Saturday (August 1) at noon at Principal.
EYE ON GJ SAYS: Well, Newman certainly brings some lofty credentials with them as they head down from Mason City. But the Hawks have been playing a “new season” since the districts got underway on July 14. And EG is a central Iowa team playing in its backyard. EG goes in and out of Des Moines year-round playing baseball and basketball at Iowa Christian at AIB on Fleur Drive, Des Moines Christian in Urbandale, Ankeny Christian in Ankeny and Grandview Park Baptist on the east side of Des Moines. So a quick drive back to DM and over to the stadium, could be regarded as just another game. And in years’ past some EG teams have had regular season games at the Principal.
Each team is playing on the same turf within the same seven-inning framework. And if the Hawks stayed focused on the matters at hand, anything came happen. EG is the upstart here so the pressure is really on the hands-down favorite, Newman, and its veteran-laden team. EG is lead by two sophomore pitchers, Tyler Cooklin and Wes Onken. Leading hitter is senior BradLee Clark. Conference rival Van Meter rolled into the state tournament in 2003 relatively unknown as Martensdale-St. Mary’s, the top-ranked team in the state, was the favorite and northwest Iowa power Granville (Spalding) was in the field. Yet the Bulldogs emerged the champion. So, anything can happen.
EG is central Iowa’s representative in 1A, having bested such Des Moines area teams at Madrid in the district in Ames and Grandview Park Baptist in the substate in Ankeny. Hopefully the home folks in Des Moines will get behind the East Greeners! Other central Iowa/Des Moines area teams qualifying for state are Gilbert and I-35 (Truro) in 2A, Boone and Norwalk in 3A, and Dowling (West Des Moines) and Johnston in 4A. Go Hawks!
Friday, July 24, 2009
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
ON TO STATE!!
EG Beats Grandview Park Baptist, 3-2
East Greene downed Grandview Park Baptist 3-2 in the substate championship in Ankeny tonight to secure its first-ever state baseball tournament berth.
The Hawks are one of eight teams to qualify for the Class 1A State Tournament which gets underway Friday at 6 p.m. at Principal Park in Des Moines. Seedings and pairings will be announced Wednesday after the completion of three substate finals around the state that were postponed tonight due to rain.
Other winners tonight in substate finals were Adair-Casey, Lenox, Alta and Kee (Lansing). Adair-Casey, a Rolling Hills Conference member, beat AHST (Avoca) 6-4, in Coon Rapids to advance to state.
Tomorrow night’s substate games are Newman (Mason City) at Garrigan (Algona), Notre Dame (Burlington) vs. Tri-County (Thornburgh) in Fairfield, and Calamus-Wheatland vs. New London in Lisbon.
EYE ON GJ SAYS: This is the first trip to state for East Greene of Grand Junction, but not the first trip for Grand Junction, as the Bluejays were the State Fall Baseball Champions in 1939. This flock (of Hawks) is clearly flying high with the spirit of that '39 team which will mark the 70th anniversary of that championship this fall. The 1939 Bluejays played their baseball games on what was then the recently built Dutton Memorial Park field which is now the home of the East Greene Hawkettes softball team on the East Greene campus in the heart of Grand Junction. The historic Dutton Memorial Park grandstand is at the corner of Kelly and 14th Streets. The Hawks’ home baseball park in Rippey also has a deep history as it was the longtime home of the Rippey Merchants and Rippey Demons semipro teams and the Rippey High Bulldogs, and site of the Iowa State Summer High School Baseball Championship in 1953, 1959 and 1960 and the state high school Fall Baseball Championship in 1962. Go Hawks!
East Greene downed Grandview Park Baptist 3-2 in the substate championship in Ankeny tonight to secure its first-ever state baseball tournament berth.
The Hawks are one of eight teams to qualify for the Class 1A State Tournament which gets underway Friday at 6 p.m. at Principal Park in Des Moines. Seedings and pairings will be announced Wednesday after the completion of three substate finals around the state that were postponed tonight due to rain.
Other winners tonight in substate finals were Adair-Casey, Lenox, Alta and Kee (Lansing). Adair-Casey, a Rolling Hills Conference member, beat AHST (Avoca) 6-4, in Coon Rapids to advance to state.
Tomorrow night’s substate games are Newman (Mason City) at Garrigan (Algona), Notre Dame (Burlington) vs. Tri-County (Thornburgh) in Fairfield, and Calamus-Wheatland vs. New London in Lisbon.
EYE ON GJ SAYS: This is the first trip to state for East Greene of Grand Junction, but not the first trip for Grand Junction, as the Bluejays were the State Fall Baseball Champions in 1939. This flock (of Hawks) is clearly flying high with the spirit of that '39 team which will mark the 70th anniversary of that championship this fall. The 1939 Bluejays played their baseball games on what was then the recently built Dutton Memorial Park field which is now the home of the East Greene Hawkettes softball team on the East Greene campus in the heart of Grand Junction. The historic Dutton Memorial Park grandstand is at the corner of Kelly and 14th Streets. The Hawks’ home baseball park in Rippey also has a deep history as it was the longtime home of the Rippey Merchants and Rippey Demons semipro teams and the Rippey High Bulldogs, and site of the Iowa State Summer High School Baseball Championship in 1953, 1959 and 1960 and the state high school Fall Baseball Championship in 1962. Go Hawks!
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Hawks Advance to Ankeny!
EG Wins District Championship
East Greene beat GMG of Garwin 6-1 in the district championship at Ames tonight.
The Hawks now head to Ankeny on Tuesday to take on Grandview Park Baptist of Des Moines in the Substate 6 Championship. The winner qualifies for the 1A State Baseball Tournament at Principal Park (formerly Sec Taylor Stadium) in Des Moines. Game time Tuesday is 7 p.m.
EG moves on with a 13-14 mark while GMG's season ends at 12-15.
Grandview Park Baptist beat Martensdale-St. Mary's on MStM's home field in St. Mary's tonight, 11-3. The Defenders, 12-11, are members of the Heart of Iowa-Small Conference, where they finished in fourth place at 7-9. Martensdale-St. Mary's ends its season at 25-11.
EYE ON GJ SAYS: East Greene is the lone team remaining from the West Central Conference in post-season play, as co-champ Panorama fell to Bondurant-Farrar 11-1 in six innings in a 2A district championship game in Adel. Woodward-Granger, another area 2A school, ended its season in a 5-3 loss to East Sac in the district hosted by Kuemper in Carroll. Adair-Casey won the 1A district at Coon Rapids, downing Walnut 9-1. The Bombers take on the winner of the AHST (Avoca) vs. Odebolt-Arthur game being played in Dunlap in the Substate 8 Championship on Tuesday, also in Coon Rapids.
East Greene beat GMG of Garwin 6-1 in the district championship at Ames tonight.
The Hawks now head to Ankeny on Tuesday to take on Grandview Park Baptist of Des Moines in the Substate 6 Championship. The winner qualifies for the 1A State Baseball Tournament at Principal Park (formerly Sec Taylor Stadium) in Des Moines. Game time Tuesday is 7 p.m.
EG moves on with a 13-14 mark while GMG's season ends at 12-15.
Grandview Park Baptist beat Martensdale-St. Mary's on MStM's home field in St. Mary's tonight, 11-3. The Defenders, 12-11, are members of the Heart of Iowa-Small Conference, where they finished in fourth place at 7-9. Martensdale-St. Mary's ends its season at 25-11.
EYE ON GJ SAYS: East Greene is the lone team remaining from the West Central Conference in post-season play, as co-champ Panorama fell to Bondurant-Farrar 11-1 in six innings in a 2A district championship game in Adel. Woodward-Granger, another area 2A school, ended its season in a 5-3 loss to East Sac in the district hosted by Kuemper in Carroll. Adair-Casey won the 1A district at Coon Rapids, downing Walnut 9-1. The Bombers take on the winner of the AHST (Avoca) vs. Odebolt-Arthur game being played in Dunlap in the Substate 8 Championship on Tuesday, also in Coon Rapids.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
EG TO DISTRICT FINALS
Hawks Get By Madrid, 7-5
The third time proved to the charm for East Greene as they beat Madrid 7-5 in Rippey tonight in the semifinal round of District 12. The Hawks had previously dropped two West Central Conference contests to the Tigers this season, including a 5-3 loss in their season finale last Friday in Madrid.
The win upped the Hawks’ record to 12-14. Madrid ends the season at 13-13.
EG moves on to the district championship game against GMG of Garwin on Saturday in Ames. Game time is 7 p.m.
GMG (12-14) advanced with a semifinal win over Northeast Hamilton, 8-4, tonight in Ackley, after dispatching Colo-Nesco, 4-0, in the first round on Tuesday.
GMG finished in a tie for fifth place in the 9-team Iowa Star Conference, just ahead of Northeast Hamilton at 8-8. NEH finished the season at 15-11 overall.
The winner in Ames advances to the substate championship game Monday night in Ankeny versus the winner of the Martensdale-St. Mary’s vs. Grandview Park Baptist game in St. Mary’s.
The third time proved to the charm for East Greene as they beat Madrid 7-5 in Rippey tonight in the semifinal round of District 12. The Hawks had previously dropped two West Central Conference contests to the Tigers this season, including a 5-3 loss in their season finale last Friday in Madrid.
The win upped the Hawks’ record to 12-14. Madrid ends the season at 13-13.
EG moves on to the district championship game against GMG of Garwin on Saturday in Ames. Game time is 7 p.m.
GMG (12-14) advanced with a semifinal win over Northeast Hamilton, 8-4, tonight in Ackley, after dispatching Colo-Nesco, 4-0, in the first round on Tuesday.
GMG finished in a tie for fifth place in the 9-team Iowa Star Conference, just ahead of Northeast Hamilton at 8-8. NEH finished the season at 15-11 overall.
The winner in Ames advances to the substate championship game Monday night in Ankeny versus the winner of the Martensdale-St. Mary’s vs. Grandview Park Baptist game in St. Mary’s.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
EG BEATS SWG!
Down Eagles 8-2 in Tourney Opener
East Greene opened tourney action on its home field tonight (Tuesday) with an 8-2 win over Southeast Webster-Grand (Burnside). With the win, EG advances on to Thursday night’s semifinal round game against Madrid, a 7-1 winner over Glidden-Ralston. Game time at Walt Anderson Field is 7 p.m. The winner on Thursday advances to the district championship game in Ames on Saturday.
In other area Class 1A and 2A games:
CRB 6, Ar-We-Va 3
Adair-Casey 6, Exira 0
Van Meter 5, Earlham 4 (8 innings)
Martensdale-St. Mary’s 5, Iowa Christian 2
Panorama 16, WCV 1
Bondurant Farrar 11, DMC 1 (5 innings)
Woodward-Granger 1, Ogden 0
EYE ON GJ SAYS: The Hawks win over the Eagles breaks their five-year streak of opening round district tourney losses. Last year the Hawks went to CRB and took on the conference co-champs, losing 5-2. Two years ago, EG was hosting the tourney at Rippey but lost to Pomeroy-Palmer 8-6 in 8 innings in the first round. In the three previous years, EG dropped opening round games to GR in 2006, CRB in 2005, and Southern Cal in 2004. EG is usually placed in the same district as CRB and usually the games are played on the Crusaders’ home diamond in Coon Rapids. And each of the last five years, CRB has advanced to the district title game. CRB won the district in 2007, then took the substate crown and advanced on to the state tournament, where they made it to the semifinal round. CRB also won the district in 2005, but lost in the substate game to Walnut, repeating the same scenario from 2004, when they made it to substate, but were knocked out by West Harrison of Mondamin.
EG was the last team to keep CRB out of the district finals. EG beat Ar-We-Va in the first round 4-2 in 2003, then downed the Crusaders 8-4 on their home diamond in the semifinal round. EG took on Adair-Casey in the championship game in Coon Rapids, but lost to the Bombers, 4-2. AC lost to West Harrison 8-7 in the substate game, the first of two straight trips to state for West Harrison. WC foe Van Meter won the 1A state championship that season.
EG and CRB are in different districts--and substates--this year. CRB hosts all three rounds of district play and the substate game too. The Crusaders face Adair-Casey in Thursday’s semifinal round. The winner will play either Walnut or Elk Horn-Kimballton in the district final Saturday in Coon Rapids.
East Greene opened tourney action on its home field tonight (Tuesday) with an 8-2 win over Southeast Webster-Grand (Burnside). With the win, EG advances on to Thursday night’s semifinal round game against Madrid, a 7-1 winner over Glidden-Ralston. Game time at Walt Anderson Field is 7 p.m. The winner on Thursday advances to the district championship game in Ames on Saturday.
In other area Class 1A and 2A games:
CRB 6, Ar-We-Va 3
Adair-Casey 6, Exira 0
Van Meter 5, Earlham 4 (8 innings)
Martensdale-St. Mary’s 5, Iowa Christian 2
Panorama 16, WCV 1
Bondurant Farrar 11, DMC 1 (5 innings)
Woodward-Granger 1, Ogden 0
EYE ON GJ SAYS: The Hawks win over the Eagles breaks their five-year streak of opening round district tourney losses. Last year the Hawks went to CRB and took on the conference co-champs, losing 5-2. Two years ago, EG was hosting the tourney at Rippey but lost to Pomeroy-Palmer 8-6 in 8 innings in the first round. In the three previous years, EG dropped opening round games to GR in 2006, CRB in 2005, and Southern Cal in 2004. EG is usually placed in the same district as CRB and usually the games are played on the Crusaders’ home diamond in Coon Rapids. And each of the last five years, CRB has advanced to the district title game. CRB won the district in 2007, then took the substate crown and advanced on to the state tournament, where they made it to the semifinal round. CRB also won the district in 2005, but lost in the substate game to Walnut, repeating the same scenario from 2004, when they made it to substate, but were knocked out by West Harrison of Mondamin.
EG was the last team to keep CRB out of the district finals. EG beat Ar-We-Va in the first round 4-2 in 2003, then downed the Crusaders 8-4 on their home diamond in the semifinal round. EG took on Adair-Casey in the championship game in Coon Rapids, but lost to the Bombers, 4-2. AC lost to West Harrison 8-7 in the substate game, the first of two straight trips to state for West Harrison. WC foe Van Meter won the 1A state championship that season.
EG and CRB are in different districts--and substates--this year. CRB hosts all three rounds of district play and the substate game too. The Crusaders face Adair-Casey in Thursday’s semifinal round. The winner will play either Walnut or Elk Horn-Kimballton in the district final Saturday in Coon Rapids.
HAWKS HOST DISTRICT
EG Falls at Madrid, 5-3
Madrid got by East Greene 5-3 in the final regular season game in Madrid on Thursday night. The loss dropped the Hawks to 7-11 in the West Central Conference, where they finished seventh. EG takes an overall record of 10-14 in tonight’s opening round district game against Southeast Webster-Grand in Rippey.
Tom Beger and Brock Lyons were on the mound for the Hawks at Madrid, giving up 10 hits, 2 walks, advancing 1 hit batter and striking out 3. Brock Hinkel got the win for the Tigers. He struck out 8, walked 3 and gave up 3 hits.
Bradlee Clark led the charge offensively, going 2-for-3 and batting in all three EG runs. Tyler Cooklin rounded out the hitting with a double.
Des Moines Christian and Panorama clinched a tie for the West Central championship on Thursday night and Coon Rapids-Bayard had the chance to make it a three-way finish at the top, but the Crusaders fell at Van Meter, 4-3, in a makeup game on Friday. It was payback for the Bulldogs as CRB had quashed their title hopes, beating them in Coon Rapids on Tuesday.
2009 West Central Conference Baseball
Des Moines Christian 14-4 18-8
Panorama 14-4 16-4
Coon Rapids-Bayard 13-5 23-6
Earlham 13-5 18-7
Van Meter 11-7 16-13
Madrid 10-8 14-11
East Greene 7-11 10-14
West Central Valley 5-13 6-20
Glidden-Ralston 3-15 5-19
Guthrie Center 0-18 1-24
DISTRICT PREVIEW: The spotlight shines on Rippey tonight as four teams square off in the first two rounds of district play at Walt Anderson Field. Madrid (14-11) takes on Glidden-Ralston (5-19) in the opener at 5 p.m. with East Greene taking on Southeast Webster-Grand (4-19) in the nightcap at 7 p.m.
Tonight’s winners meet in the semifinal game on Thursday at 7 p.m. The winner on Thursday advances to the district final in Ames at 7 p.m. on Saturday where they face the winner of the lower bracket of District 12 at Ackley. Facing off in Ackley tonight are GMG of Garwin (10-14) and Colo-Nesco (1-21) in the opener followed by the host school, Ackley-Geneva/Wellsburg-Steamboat Rock (4-13) and Northeast Hamilton (14-10).
The Ames winner moves on to the one-game substate championship and the winner there advances on to the State Class 1A tournament in Des Moines. The substate game is Tuesday, July 21, at 7 p.m. in Ankeny.
EYE ON GJ SAYS: Madrid has to be the favorite in the Rippey bracket as it has downed the Hawks twice this season, the first win coming in Rippey, 14-3, on June 8. The Hawks did show big improvement though in their second go at the Tigers, losing by just two runs in their Friday game at Madrid.
EG must first get by Southeast Webster-Grand, a team they beat 3-2 in Rippey in the third game of the season. SWG finished 4-19 and 2-8 in the Twin Lakes Conference, but that is a bit deceiving as the other five TLC teams play in Class 2A. EG, though, played a demanding 18-game conference schedule in a conference with four 2A teams. EG will definitely need to bring its “A” game to get by the Eagles and move on to the semifinal round.
Madrid should take care of GR pretty easily as they’ve downed the Wildcats twice already this season, 16-1 and 10-2. Should EG get by SWG, the Hawks would have a home field advantage in their third go-round against Madrid.
Northeast Hamilton seems to be the team-to-beat in the Ackley bracket as they are 14-10 and the only team with a winning record.
Whichever team makes it to Ames and then advances on to Ankeny will face the winner of the powerful Martensdale-St. Mary’s district winner. The top half of the bracket at Bussey has Southeast Warren (Liberty Center) taking on Melcher-Dallas and the host school, Twin Cedars, facing Grandview Park Baptist, a team that made it to state last year.
The lower bracket has host Martensdale-St. Mary’s (23-10), a longtime power in state 1A baseball, taking on Iowa Christian Academy (16-2), champions of the Rolling Hills Conference in the nightcap. West Central rivals Van Meter and Earlham square off in the first game. Earlham (18-7) just missed tying for the league crown with 2A schools DMC and Panorama, while Van Meter (17-13) is a major force. Van Meter, who won the state title in 2003, will looking to make amends from last year, when after tying for the league crown with CRB, DMC and Panorama and having 21 total wins to its credit, was bounced out in the first round by Guthrie Center, a team that finished eighth in the conference.
The winner of this district will clearly be the favorite in the substate battle at Ankeny next Tuesday.
CLASS 2-A UPDATE: Three of the four Class 2A West Central teams advanced in 2A opening round district action on Saturday. The fourth team, Guthrie Center, was sidelined by conference foe West Central Valley, 8-2 in Guthrie Center. Panorama pummeled Nodaway Valley of Greenfield, 17-2 in 5 innings, in the second half of a doubleheader in Guthrie. WCV and Panorama face off tonight, also in Guthrie. Des Moines Christian got by Colfax Mingo, 8-6, and advances on to play Bondurant-Farrar. Ogden opened 2A play at home with a 5-2 win over Prairie Valley. Jefferson-Scranton also played at Ogden, but was dispatched in 5 innings by Woodward-Granger, 12-2. The Rams ended the season at 10-14. Perry and Boone open 3A tourney play on Friday.
Madrid got by East Greene 5-3 in the final regular season game in Madrid on Thursday night. The loss dropped the Hawks to 7-11 in the West Central Conference, where they finished seventh. EG takes an overall record of 10-14 in tonight’s opening round district game against Southeast Webster-Grand in Rippey.
Tom Beger and Brock Lyons were on the mound for the Hawks at Madrid, giving up 10 hits, 2 walks, advancing 1 hit batter and striking out 3. Brock Hinkel got the win for the Tigers. He struck out 8, walked 3 and gave up 3 hits.
Bradlee Clark led the charge offensively, going 2-for-3 and batting in all three EG runs. Tyler Cooklin rounded out the hitting with a double.
Des Moines Christian and Panorama clinched a tie for the West Central championship on Thursday night and Coon Rapids-Bayard had the chance to make it a three-way finish at the top, but the Crusaders fell at Van Meter, 4-3, in a makeup game on Friday. It was payback for the Bulldogs as CRB had quashed their title hopes, beating them in Coon Rapids on Tuesday.
2009 West Central Conference Baseball
Des Moines Christian 14-4 18-8
Panorama 14-4 16-4
Coon Rapids-Bayard 13-5 23-6
Earlham 13-5 18-7
Van Meter 11-7 16-13
Madrid 10-8 14-11
East Greene 7-11 10-14
West Central Valley 5-13 6-20
Glidden-Ralston 3-15 5-19
Guthrie Center 0-18 1-24
DISTRICT PREVIEW: The spotlight shines on Rippey tonight as four teams square off in the first two rounds of district play at Walt Anderson Field. Madrid (14-11) takes on Glidden-Ralston (5-19) in the opener at 5 p.m. with East Greene taking on Southeast Webster-Grand (4-19) in the nightcap at 7 p.m.
Tonight’s winners meet in the semifinal game on Thursday at 7 p.m. The winner on Thursday advances to the district final in Ames at 7 p.m. on Saturday where they face the winner of the lower bracket of District 12 at Ackley. Facing off in Ackley tonight are GMG of Garwin (10-14) and Colo-Nesco (1-21) in the opener followed by the host school, Ackley-Geneva/Wellsburg-Steamboat Rock (4-13) and Northeast Hamilton (14-10).
The Ames winner moves on to the one-game substate championship and the winner there advances on to the State Class 1A tournament in Des Moines. The substate game is Tuesday, July 21, at 7 p.m. in Ankeny.
EYE ON GJ SAYS: Madrid has to be the favorite in the Rippey bracket as it has downed the Hawks twice this season, the first win coming in Rippey, 14-3, on June 8. The Hawks did show big improvement though in their second go at the Tigers, losing by just two runs in their Friday game at Madrid.
EG must first get by Southeast Webster-Grand, a team they beat 3-2 in Rippey in the third game of the season. SWG finished 4-19 and 2-8 in the Twin Lakes Conference, but that is a bit deceiving as the other five TLC teams play in Class 2A. EG, though, played a demanding 18-game conference schedule in a conference with four 2A teams. EG will definitely need to bring its “A” game to get by the Eagles and move on to the semifinal round.
Madrid should take care of GR pretty easily as they’ve downed the Wildcats twice already this season, 16-1 and 10-2. Should EG get by SWG, the Hawks would have a home field advantage in their third go-round against Madrid.
Northeast Hamilton seems to be the team-to-beat in the Ackley bracket as they are 14-10 and the only team with a winning record.
Whichever team makes it to Ames and then advances on to Ankeny will face the winner of the powerful Martensdale-St. Mary’s district winner. The top half of the bracket at Bussey has Southeast Warren (Liberty Center) taking on Melcher-Dallas and the host school, Twin Cedars, facing Grandview Park Baptist, a team that made it to state last year.
The lower bracket has host Martensdale-St. Mary’s (23-10), a longtime power in state 1A baseball, taking on Iowa Christian Academy (16-2), champions of the Rolling Hills Conference in the nightcap. West Central rivals Van Meter and Earlham square off in the first game. Earlham (18-7) just missed tying for the league crown with 2A schools DMC and Panorama, while Van Meter (17-13) is a major force. Van Meter, who won the state title in 2003, will looking to make amends from last year, when after tying for the league crown with CRB, DMC and Panorama and having 21 total wins to its credit, was bounced out in the first round by Guthrie Center, a team that finished eighth in the conference.
The winner of this district will clearly be the favorite in the substate battle at Ankeny next Tuesday.
CLASS 2-A UPDATE: Three of the four Class 2A West Central teams advanced in 2A opening round district action on Saturday. The fourth team, Guthrie Center, was sidelined by conference foe West Central Valley, 8-2 in Guthrie Center. Panorama pummeled Nodaway Valley of Greenfield, 17-2 in 5 innings, in the second half of a doubleheader in Guthrie. WCV and Panorama face off tonight, also in Guthrie. Des Moines Christian got by Colfax Mingo, 8-6, and advances on to play Bondurant-Farrar. Ogden opened 2A play at home with a 5-2 win over Prairie Valley. Jefferson-Scranton also played at Ogden, but was dispatched in 5 innings by Woodward-Granger, 12-2. The Rams ended the season at 10-14. Perry and Boone open 3A tourney play on Friday.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
REGIONAL SOFTBALL
Hawkette’s Season Ends at CRB
Coon Rapids-Bayard ended the Hawkettes’ season in the opening round of the regional softball tournament in Coon Rapids last night, 11-4.
CRB’s freshman pitcher Marissa Spoo picked up the win, giving up five hits and striking out five EG batters. The Hawkettes gave up 5 hits and 5 walks and allowed the Crusaders to steal base seven times. EG finished the year at 4-19.
CRB (17-12) advances to the quarterfinal round Friday night, taking on Glidden Ralston (22-7). In other Region 4 games, Earlham (27-8) eliminated CAM 12-0 in Anita and Exira (12-6) beat Adair Casey. Earlham and Exira square off Friday in Anita.
In the lower bracket of Region 4, Madrid (16-17) beat Colo-Nesco in Madrid, and Van Meter downed Grandview Park Baptist 3-0 in Van Meter. Madrid takes on Van Meter (10-19) in quarterfinal action Friday in Madrid.
TONIGHT’S CLASS 2A SCORES: Three of the four West Central Conference teams competing in Class 2A were sidelined in opening round regional action tonight (Thursday) with West Central Valley seeing its game at Nodaway Valley rained out until tomorrow. Two other area 2A teams, however, advanced on to the quarterfinal round. Jefferson-Scranton beat Prairie Valley and Ogden sidelined Gilbert.
Bondurant-Farrar 2, Des Moines Christian 0
North Polk 9, Panorama 0
Woodward-Granger 12, Guthrie Center 0
Jefferson-Scranton 5, Prairie Valley 1
Ogden 5, Gilbert 3
EYE ON GJ SAYS: No big surprises with the WC 2A teams, as they each faced formidable opponents. North Polk pitcher Sammy Snygg had 12 strikeouts in the win over Panorama, giving her a career record 2,178 strikeouts. Snygg, a senior, broke the old mark held by Jen Bice of Woodward-Granger who notched 2,175 strikeouts in her high school softball pitching career from 1995 to 1999.
J-S and Ogden got off to good starts. J-S will take on the winner of South Hamilton and Fort Dodge, which was postponed by rain from Thursday to Friday, in the quarterfinals, now scheduled for Saturday at 7 p.m. at Rogers Complex in Fort Dodge, site of the state tournament. Ogden takes on South Hardin in Roland at 7 p.m. on Friday. The winner of that game advances to the regional semifinal in Fort Dodge on Monday to take on the winner of the J-S and South Hamilton or St. Ed’s game. The Fort Dodge semifinal winner will take on the Humboldt semifinal winner in the regional final on Wednesday, July 15, at 7:30 p.m., also in Fort Dodge. All Fort Dodge games will be at Rogers.
The 1A teams in the West Central had an excellent opening night, going 3-0 against competition from other leagues. The league went to 2-0 against the Heart of Iowa-Small and 1-0 against the Rolling Hills. With CRB’s win over EG and Glidden-Ralston’s bye, the league has five teams still in play after round one. However, four of them face off against each other in the quarterfinals
Coon Rapids-Bayard ended the Hawkettes’ season in the opening round of the regional softball tournament in Coon Rapids last night, 11-4.
CRB’s freshman pitcher Marissa Spoo picked up the win, giving up five hits and striking out five EG batters. The Hawkettes gave up 5 hits and 5 walks and allowed the Crusaders to steal base seven times. EG finished the year at 4-19.
CRB (17-12) advances to the quarterfinal round Friday night, taking on Glidden Ralston (22-7). In other Region 4 games, Earlham (27-8) eliminated CAM 12-0 in Anita and Exira (12-6) beat Adair Casey. Earlham and Exira square off Friday in Anita.
In the lower bracket of Region 4, Madrid (16-17) beat Colo-Nesco in Madrid, and Van Meter downed Grandview Park Baptist 3-0 in Van Meter. Madrid takes on Van Meter (10-19) in quarterfinal action Friday in Madrid.
TONIGHT’S CLASS 2A SCORES: Three of the four West Central Conference teams competing in Class 2A were sidelined in opening round regional action tonight (Thursday) with West Central Valley seeing its game at Nodaway Valley rained out until tomorrow. Two other area 2A teams, however, advanced on to the quarterfinal round. Jefferson-Scranton beat Prairie Valley and Ogden sidelined Gilbert.
Bondurant-Farrar 2, Des Moines Christian 0
North Polk 9, Panorama 0
Woodward-Granger 12, Guthrie Center 0
Jefferson-Scranton 5, Prairie Valley 1
Ogden 5, Gilbert 3
EYE ON GJ SAYS: No big surprises with the WC 2A teams, as they each faced formidable opponents. North Polk pitcher Sammy Snygg had 12 strikeouts in the win over Panorama, giving her a career record 2,178 strikeouts. Snygg, a senior, broke the old mark held by Jen Bice of Woodward-Granger who notched 2,175 strikeouts in her high school softball pitching career from 1995 to 1999.
J-S and Ogden got off to good starts. J-S will take on the winner of South Hamilton and Fort Dodge, which was postponed by rain from Thursday to Friday, in the quarterfinals, now scheduled for Saturday at 7 p.m. at Rogers Complex in Fort Dodge, site of the state tournament. Ogden takes on South Hardin in Roland at 7 p.m. on Friday. The winner of that game advances to the regional semifinal in Fort Dodge on Monday to take on the winner of the J-S and South Hamilton or St. Ed’s game. The Fort Dodge semifinal winner will take on the Humboldt semifinal winner in the regional final on Wednesday, July 15, at 7:30 p.m., also in Fort Dodge. All Fort Dodge games will be at Rogers.
The 1A teams in the West Central had an excellent opening night, going 3-0 against competition from other leagues. The league went to 2-0 against the Heart of Iowa-Small and 1-0 against the Rolling Hills. With CRB’s win over EG and Glidden-Ralston’s bye, the league has five teams still in play after round one. However, four of them face off against each other in the quarterfinals
BASEBALL
Hawks Fall to League Leaders
East Greene dropped games to two of the conference leaders on Tuesday and Wednesday, after wining three of its four previous games.
Earlham downed the Hawks 16-6 on Wednesday in Rippey, moving the Cardinals into a three-way tie for first place in the West Central at 13-4. The Hawks fell to 7-10 in the conference and 10-13 overall. EG came close to ending Panorama’s title hopes but fell to the Panthers 6-3 on Tuesday in Rippey. Panorama is also 13-4.
EG got the week off a good note with a 10-2 win over Glidden-Ralston. The previous Friday the Hawks blasted West Central Valley 15-1 in six innings. Heading into the WCV game the Hawks had lost a tight battle to Coon Rapids-Bayard, 6-4, on June 30 after winning 10-3 over Guthrie Center the previous night.
One of the Hawks’ biggest wins of the season came on Friday, June 26, when they downed Iowa Christian Academy 3-1. It was just the second loss of the season for ICA, champions of the Rolling Hills Conference at 11-1. ICA (16-2) has victories over West Central teams DMC and Van Meter this year. It’s only other loss was to RC opponent Walnut, which handed EG a 5-3 loss in the first round of the Hawks’ tournament in Rippey on June 20. EG lost the consolation game in the tourney to Class 2A Woodward-Granger, 11-8. East Sac, also a 2A school, won the championship beating Walnut 15-3.
Tyler Cooklin got the win against ICA giving up 10 hits, 4 walks and striking out 3. He had a big night at the plate too, going 2-3 with a single and a double.
EG heads to Madrid for its last conference game of the season tonight. EG will host the first two rounds of the Class 1A District Tournament in Rippey next week. EG faces Southeast Webster-Grand and Madrid takes on Glidden-Ralston on Tuesday, the winners of the those two games will meet on Thursday.
West Central Conference Standings
(Through Wed., July 8, Conf. and Reg. Season Records)
Des Moines Christian 13-4 17-8
Earlham 13-4 18-6
Panorama 13-4 15-4
Coon Rapids-Bayard 12-4 22-5
Van Meter 10-6 15-12
Madrid 9-8 13-11
East Greene 7-10 10-13
West Central Valley 5-12 6-19
Glidden-Ralston 2-15 4-19
Guthrie Center 0-17 1-23
EYE ON GJ SAYS: That was a big win for the Hawks over ICA and shows their potential. The team has just three seniors and its top two pitchers are sophomores, so next year looks promising. As for this year, EG has a chance to make a good showing on its home diamond in the district tourney next week, and tonight’s game at Madrid will show how both teams look heading into the tournament.
The conference race is very tight--as expected. Last year five teams (EG among them) were fighting for the conference crown and it went down to the last night, leaving four teams tied for the crown. It’s pretty much the same this year as DMC, Earlham and Panorama are knotted up at 13-4 and Coon Rapids-Bayard is right behind them at 12-4. Panorama takes on Earlham in Panora tonight so the loser of that game will be eliminated,
It was a five-team race as the week began, but thumpings at the hands of Earlham (14-1 in 5 innings) and CRB (12-2 in 5 innings) dropped Van Meter to 10-6 and out of the league chase. The Bulldogs can play the spoiler though, as they travel to Urbandale to take on Des Moines Christian tonight and host CRB tomorrow night (Friday) in Van Meter. Earlham is going for a league-sweep as the Lady Cardinals won the WC softball crown on Monday.
East Greene dropped games to two of the conference leaders on Tuesday and Wednesday, after wining three of its four previous games.
Earlham downed the Hawks 16-6 on Wednesday in Rippey, moving the Cardinals into a three-way tie for first place in the West Central at 13-4. The Hawks fell to 7-10 in the conference and 10-13 overall. EG came close to ending Panorama’s title hopes but fell to the Panthers 6-3 on Tuesday in Rippey. Panorama is also 13-4.
EG got the week off a good note with a 10-2 win over Glidden-Ralston. The previous Friday the Hawks blasted West Central Valley 15-1 in six innings. Heading into the WCV game the Hawks had lost a tight battle to Coon Rapids-Bayard, 6-4, on June 30 after winning 10-3 over Guthrie Center the previous night.
One of the Hawks’ biggest wins of the season came on Friday, June 26, when they downed Iowa Christian Academy 3-1. It was just the second loss of the season for ICA, champions of the Rolling Hills Conference at 11-1. ICA (16-2) has victories over West Central teams DMC and Van Meter this year. It’s only other loss was to RC opponent Walnut, which handed EG a 5-3 loss in the first round of the Hawks’ tournament in Rippey on June 20. EG lost the consolation game in the tourney to Class 2A Woodward-Granger, 11-8. East Sac, also a 2A school, won the championship beating Walnut 15-3.
Tyler Cooklin got the win against ICA giving up 10 hits, 4 walks and striking out 3. He had a big night at the plate too, going 2-3 with a single and a double.
EG heads to Madrid for its last conference game of the season tonight. EG will host the first two rounds of the Class 1A District Tournament in Rippey next week. EG faces Southeast Webster-Grand and Madrid takes on Glidden-Ralston on Tuesday, the winners of the those two games will meet on Thursday.
West Central Conference Standings
(Through Wed., July 8, Conf. and Reg. Season Records)
Des Moines Christian 13-4 17-8
Earlham 13-4 18-6
Panorama 13-4 15-4
Coon Rapids-Bayard 12-4 22-5
Van Meter 10-6 15-12
Madrid 9-8 13-11
East Greene 7-10 10-13
West Central Valley 5-12 6-19
Glidden-Ralston 2-15 4-19
Guthrie Center 0-17 1-23
EYE ON GJ SAYS: That was a big win for the Hawks over ICA and shows their potential. The team has just three seniors and its top two pitchers are sophomores, so next year looks promising. As for this year, EG has a chance to make a good showing on its home diamond in the district tourney next week, and tonight’s game at Madrid will show how both teams look heading into the tournament.
The conference race is very tight--as expected. Last year five teams (EG among them) were fighting for the conference crown and it went down to the last night, leaving four teams tied for the crown. It’s pretty much the same this year as DMC, Earlham and Panorama are knotted up at 13-4 and Coon Rapids-Bayard is right behind them at 12-4. Panorama takes on Earlham in Panora tonight so the loser of that game will be eliminated,
It was a five-team race as the week began, but thumpings at the hands of Earlham (14-1 in 5 innings) and CRB (12-2 in 5 innings) dropped Van Meter to 10-6 and out of the league chase. The Bulldogs can play the spoiler though, as they travel to Urbandale to take on Des Moines Christian tonight and host CRB tomorrow night (Friday) in Van Meter. Earlham is going for a league-sweep as the Lady Cardinals won the WC softball crown on Monday.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
TOURNEY ACTION
Hawkettes Meet CRB in Regional
East Greene fell to Glidden-Ralston in its final regular season softball game, 10-0, in 5 innings at Glidden Monday night.
Wildcat ace Hallie Schon limited the Hawkettes to 1 hit while striking out 8 and walking just one. Ashley Thorpe took the loss, giving up 5 hits and 10 walks.
East Greene ended the regular season 4-18 and 2-16 in the West Central Conference. GR beat Panorama in a make-up game last night to end its last year in the conference as runner-up to Earlham with a 13-5 record.
West Central Conference
FINAL STANDINGS
Earlham 15-3
Glidden-Ralston 13-5
Des Moines Christian 10-7
Madrid 10-7
Van Meter 9-8
Guthrie Center 8-10
Panorama 8-10
West Central Valley 7-10
Coon Rapids-Bayard 5-11
East Greene 2-16
REGIONAL PREVIEW: EG heads to Coon Rapids tonight to take on Coon Rapids-Bayard in opening round regional Class 1A action. EG dropped a close game to the Crusaders 12-11 on its last trip to Coon Rapids on June 9. Last week, the two teams tangled again in Grand Junction, but CRB got the better of the Hawkettes, 12-3.
It’s a new season tonight though and the Hawkettes will be out to redeem their earlier losses. CRB finished just ahead of EG in the conference race at 5-11 but the Crusaders fared better in non-conference play as their overall season mark is 16-12.
EG and CRB face off at 7:30 p.m. as the nightcap in a doubleheader. Exira faces Adair-Casey in the first game at 6 p.m. Those two teams are in the lower half of the Coon Rapids bracket and the winner will advance to play the winner of the Earlham-CAM game tonight in Anita in the quarterfinals on Friday, also in Anita. Both of those games are at 7 p.m.
The EG-CRB winner takes on Glidden-Ralston, which got a first round bye, in a quarterfinal game at Coon Rapids, also on Friday. Winners of the games in Anita and Coon Rapids will meet in the regional semifinals on Monday at 7 p.m in Coon Rapids. The winner of that game will face the winner of the lower half of the Region 4 bracket in the final in Ames next Wednesday (June 15) at 7 p.m. with winner advancing to the 1A State Tournament in Fort Dodge.
EYE ON GJ SAYS: Earlham and Glidden-Ralston look to have the upper hand in the Coon Rapids half of the bracket. GR ended the season at 22-7 and finished just behind Earlham in the always tough West Central. GR was ranked as high as seventh earlier this season. Earlham (26-8) should have an easy time in its half of the CR bracket opposite three teams from the Rolling Hills, which is not as competitive as the West Central which has a mix of 1A and 2A teams. The RH is all 1A teams. Exira won the RH at 9-1, just ahead of CAM and Orient-Macksburg, both at 7-3. Exira is 11-6 overall, CAM is 12-8 and Adair-Casey is 2-22.
West Central opponents Madrid and Van Meter are the in the lower half of the regional bracket. Madrid (15-17) opens at home against Colo-Nesco while Van Meter (9-19) hosts Grandview Park Baptist. The winners of those two games will face off Friday at Madrid, with the winner advancing to the semifinal round against the winner of the Sully quarterfinal game. Lynnville-Sully will be the favorite, hosting the first three rounds on its home diamond. Lynnville-Sully hosts BGM (Brooklyn) in round one and the winner will take on the GMG (Garwin)-North Tama (Traer) winner on Friday in Sully. Lynnville-Sully (20-7) is ranked 15th in Class 1A.
In Class 2A, conference opponents Des Moines Christian (13-19) and West Central Valley (15-12) are in the upper bracket of Region 8 and Panorama and Guthrie Center are in the region’s lower bracket. They all face stiff competition. DMC takes on Bondurant-Farrar (28-3), the No. 4 ranked team in Class 2A, Thursday night in Bondurant. West Central Valley travels to Greenfield to face Nodaway Valley (23-9) on its home diamond. The winner of those two games will advance to the quarterfinal at Bondurant on Friday. The winner Friday advances to the upper bracket semifinal in Truro, facing either Wayne (Corydon), Mount Ayr, Central Decatur or I-35 (Truro).
Panorama (13-16) travels to Alleman on Thursday to face North Polk (26-6), which tied for the Heart of Iowa-Large title with Bondurant-Farrar at 17-1. North Polk, ranked No. 3 in Class 2A, won the 2A state championship last year over Solon 4-2 and finished the season 40-4. North Polk has made 15 state tournament appearances and has been to state the last four seasons straight, also winning a title in 2006 and finishing third in 2007.
Guthrie Center takes on another area softball power, Woodward-Granger (20-9) at Woodward on Thursday. The winner advances to the quarterfinal in Alleman on Friday against the North Polk-Panorama winner. The Friday winner moves on to the semifinal game in Greenfield on Monday. Teams on the opposite side of the Greenfield (lower) bracket are Shenandoah, Clarinda, Griswold and Red Oak. The regional final is Wednesday, July 15, at Adel.
Also in Class 2A on Thursday, Jefferson-Scranton (14-13) opens regional play at Farnhamville against Prairie Valley (14-16) while Ogden (14-13) hosts Gilbert (5-15). Class 3A opens regional action on Saturday. Perry (1-27) travels to Carroll and Boone (21-8) hosts Nevada. The winners advance to the semifinal round at Boone on Monday with the regional final on Wednesday at Dallas Center.
East Greene fell to Glidden-Ralston in its final regular season softball game, 10-0, in 5 innings at Glidden Monday night.
Wildcat ace Hallie Schon limited the Hawkettes to 1 hit while striking out 8 and walking just one. Ashley Thorpe took the loss, giving up 5 hits and 10 walks.
East Greene ended the regular season 4-18 and 2-16 in the West Central Conference. GR beat Panorama in a make-up game last night to end its last year in the conference as runner-up to Earlham with a 13-5 record.
West Central Conference
FINAL STANDINGS
Earlham 15-3
Glidden-Ralston 13-5
Des Moines Christian 10-7
Madrid 10-7
Van Meter 9-8
Guthrie Center 8-10
Panorama 8-10
West Central Valley 7-10
Coon Rapids-Bayard 5-11
East Greene 2-16
REGIONAL PREVIEW: EG heads to Coon Rapids tonight to take on Coon Rapids-Bayard in opening round regional Class 1A action. EG dropped a close game to the Crusaders 12-11 on its last trip to Coon Rapids on June 9. Last week, the two teams tangled again in Grand Junction, but CRB got the better of the Hawkettes, 12-3.
It’s a new season tonight though and the Hawkettes will be out to redeem their earlier losses. CRB finished just ahead of EG in the conference race at 5-11 but the Crusaders fared better in non-conference play as their overall season mark is 16-12.
EG and CRB face off at 7:30 p.m. as the nightcap in a doubleheader. Exira faces Adair-Casey in the first game at 6 p.m. Those two teams are in the lower half of the Coon Rapids bracket and the winner will advance to play the winner of the Earlham-CAM game tonight in Anita in the quarterfinals on Friday, also in Anita. Both of those games are at 7 p.m.
The EG-CRB winner takes on Glidden-Ralston, which got a first round bye, in a quarterfinal game at Coon Rapids, also on Friday. Winners of the games in Anita and Coon Rapids will meet in the regional semifinals on Monday at 7 p.m in Coon Rapids. The winner of that game will face the winner of the lower half of the Region 4 bracket in the final in Ames next Wednesday (June 15) at 7 p.m. with winner advancing to the 1A State Tournament in Fort Dodge.
EYE ON GJ SAYS: Earlham and Glidden-Ralston look to have the upper hand in the Coon Rapids half of the bracket. GR ended the season at 22-7 and finished just behind Earlham in the always tough West Central. GR was ranked as high as seventh earlier this season. Earlham (26-8) should have an easy time in its half of the CR bracket opposite three teams from the Rolling Hills, which is not as competitive as the West Central which has a mix of 1A and 2A teams. The RH is all 1A teams. Exira won the RH at 9-1, just ahead of CAM and Orient-Macksburg, both at 7-3. Exira is 11-6 overall, CAM is 12-8 and Adair-Casey is 2-22.
West Central opponents Madrid and Van Meter are the in the lower half of the regional bracket. Madrid (15-17) opens at home against Colo-Nesco while Van Meter (9-19) hosts Grandview Park Baptist. The winners of those two games will face off Friday at Madrid, with the winner advancing to the semifinal round against the winner of the Sully quarterfinal game. Lynnville-Sully will be the favorite, hosting the first three rounds on its home diamond. Lynnville-Sully hosts BGM (Brooklyn) in round one and the winner will take on the GMG (Garwin)-North Tama (Traer) winner on Friday in Sully. Lynnville-Sully (20-7) is ranked 15th in Class 1A.
In Class 2A, conference opponents Des Moines Christian (13-19) and West Central Valley (15-12) are in the upper bracket of Region 8 and Panorama and Guthrie Center are in the region’s lower bracket. They all face stiff competition. DMC takes on Bondurant-Farrar (28-3), the No. 4 ranked team in Class 2A, Thursday night in Bondurant. West Central Valley travels to Greenfield to face Nodaway Valley (23-9) on its home diamond. The winner of those two games will advance to the quarterfinal at Bondurant on Friday. The winner Friday advances to the upper bracket semifinal in Truro, facing either Wayne (Corydon), Mount Ayr, Central Decatur or I-35 (Truro).
Panorama (13-16) travels to Alleman on Thursday to face North Polk (26-6), which tied for the Heart of Iowa-Large title with Bondurant-Farrar at 17-1. North Polk, ranked No. 3 in Class 2A, won the 2A state championship last year over Solon 4-2 and finished the season 40-4. North Polk has made 15 state tournament appearances and has been to state the last four seasons straight, also winning a title in 2006 and finishing third in 2007.
Guthrie Center takes on another area softball power, Woodward-Granger (20-9) at Woodward on Thursday. The winner advances to the quarterfinal in Alleman on Friday against the North Polk-Panorama winner. The Friday winner moves on to the semifinal game in Greenfield on Monday. Teams on the opposite side of the Greenfield (lower) bracket are Shenandoah, Clarinda, Griswold and Red Oak. The regional final is Wednesday, July 15, at Adel.
Also in Class 2A on Thursday, Jefferson-Scranton (14-13) opens regional play at Farnhamville against Prairie Valley (14-16) while Ogden (14-13) hosts Gilbert (5-15). Class 3A opens regional action on Saturday. Perry (1-27) travels to Carroll and Boone (21-8) hosts Nevada. The winners advance to the semifinal round at Boone on Monday with the regional final on Wednesday at Dallas Center.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
CITY BUSINESS
City Seeks Funds for New Water Tank
The city of Grand Junction is seeking funds from the Iowa Department of Economic Development to construct an 80,000-gallon water tank. The city is asking the state to release federal funds under Title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974.
The city has published a public notice in the Jefferson Bee indicating the project “will have no significant impact on the human environment.”
In a related matter, the Grand Junction Municipal Light and Water Board held a public hearing at is regular meeting on May 18 on a proposed bank loan for local matching funds for construction of the 80,000-gallon water tank. No comments were heard at the hearing.
EYE ON GJ SAYS: It’s not yet clear where this new water tank will be constructed or if its to supplement or replace the existing water tower on 11th Street. It may be that the new LDC Grand Junction ethanol plant north of town will be joining the city water system, and more storage capacity will be needed.
The city of Grand Junction is seeking funds from the Iowa Department of Economic Development to construct an 80,000-gallon water tank. The city is asking the state to release federal funds under Title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974.
The city has published a public notice in the Jefferson Bee indicating the project “will have no significant impact on the human environment.”
In a related matter, the Grand Junction Municipal Light and Water Board held a public hearing at is regular meeting on May 18 on a proposed bank loan for local matching funds for construction of the 80,000-gallon water tank. No comments were heard at the hearing.
EYE ON GJ SAYS: It’s not yet clear where this new water tank will be constructed or if its to supplement or replace the existing water tower on 11th Street. It may be that the new LDC Grand Junction ethanol plant north of town will be joining the city water system, and more storage capacity will be needed.
COMMUNITY
Ebban Clause Marries Philip Walker
Ebban Clause, daughter of Reg and Mary Clause, Jefferson, was married May 24 at the Iowa Arboretum near Madrid to Philip Walker, son of Robert and Rosaleen Walker of Comugny, Switzerland.
Ebban is the granddaughter of Roger and Dorothy Clause of Grand Junction.
Ebban is a graduate of Jefferson-Scranton High School and Iowa State University. Philip is a graduate of the International School of Geneva and Loughborough University, Leicestshire, United Kingdom. The couple is living in Geneva, Switzerland, where both are employed by Caterpillar Inc.
EYE ON GJ SAYS: Ebban has deep roots in far eastern Greene County as she is also the granddaughter of Royal and Marie Holz of Grand Junction, both deceased. Royal passed away in January of this year at age 93. Ebban is the legacy of the Clause Brothers Inc. farm operation, which is operated by her dad, Reg (EG ‘67), northeast of town, and the Holz Brothers Inc. operation southeast of her town, as her mom is the former Mary Holz (EG ‘73).
Ebban Clause, daughter of Reg and Mary Clause, Jefferson, was married May 24 at the Iowa Arboretum near Madrid to Philip Walker, son of Robert and Rosaleen Walker of Comugny, Switzerland.
Ebban is the granddaughter of Roger and Dorothy Clause of Grand Junction.
Ebban is a graduate of Jefferson-Scranton High School and Iowa State University. Philip is a graduate of the International School of Geneva and Loughborough University, Leicestshire, United Kingdom. The couple is living in Geneva, Switzerland, where both are employed by Caterpillar Inc.
EYE ON GJ SAYS: Ebban has deep roots in far eastern Greene County as she is also the granddaughter of Royal and Marie Holz of Grand Junction, both deceased. Royal passed away in January of this year at age 93. Ebban is the legacy of the Clause Brothers Inc. farm operation, which is operated by her dad, Reg (EG ‘67), northeast of town, and the Holz Brothers Inc. operation southeast of her town, as her mom is the former Mary Holz (EG ‘73).
SEASON FINALE
Hawkettes End Regular Season at GR
East Greene takes on Glidden-Ralston tonight, Monday, July 6, at Glidden in the final conference and final regular season softball game of 2009.
The game is actually the last West Central Conference softball game ever between EG and Glidden-Ralston, and GR’s last appearance in the West Central Conference in girls high school competition. The Wildcats baseball team is playing in a similar finale tonight against EG in Glidden.
When school opens in the fall for 2009-2010, GR will be competing in the Rolling Hills Conference, along with longtime rival Paton-Churdan and six western Iowa teams--Adair-Casey, Orient-Macksburg, CAM (Anita), Exira, Elk Horn-Kimballton and Walnut. Two suburban Des Moines Schools, Ankeny Christian and Iowa Christian Academy in West Des Moines, round out the 10-team league.
East Greene and Glidden-Ralston have been conference opponents since the formation of the Central Valley Conference in the late 1970s. After the Central Valley was disbanded a decade later, both schools became original members of the Coon River Valley Conference and then both moved to the West Central Conference in the 1996-97 season.
EG was hoping to head to Glidden as the spoiler in the Wildcats’ effort to leave the West Central as conference champions, but Earlham earned that honor with a 6-2 win over GR at the Lady Wildcat Tournament in Glidden on Friday, which counted as a make-up game for a game rained out earlier in the season. GR went into that game with a 11-4 conference mark, just behind Earlham at 13-3.
Earlham clinched the league crown, however, with the win, upping its conference mark to 14-3, while GR dropped to 11-5. Earlham has no make-up games on its schedule, so tonight’s game at Van Meter will just be icing on the cake for the Cardinals, as a loss would drop them to 14-4 but still keep them ahead of second-place GR. Des Moines Christian’s title hopes were dashed when it dropped a 1-0 game to Madrid on Friday. The Lions fell to 10-6 and were mathematically eliminated with that loss and Earlham’s win over GR.
EG and Glidden-Ralston tangled earlier in the season with GR winning 9-5 in Grand Junction. The Hawkettes will be out to revenge that loss and get some momentum going for the regional tournament. EG opens regional play Wednesday against Coon Rapids-Bayard in Coon Rapids. GR drew a first-round bye and will face the EG-CRB winner on Friday in quarterfinal action in Coon Rapids.
GR has a makeup game with Panorama which could be played Tuesday as GR does not have a Wednesday regional opening round game as do the other conference schools who play in Class 1-A and Panorama, a 2-A school, does not open regional play until Thursday.
West Central Conference Standings (through 7-4)
Earlham 14-3
Glidden-Ralston 11-5
Des Moines Christian 10-6
Madrid 9-7
Van Meter 9-7
Guthrie Center 8-8
Panorama 7-9
Coon Rapids-Bayard 5-10
West Central Valley 5-10
East Greene 2-15
East Greene takes on Glidden-Ralston tonight, Monday, July 6, at Glidden in the final conference and final regular season softball game of 2009.
The game is actually the last West Central Conference softball game ever between EG and Glidden-Ralston, and GR’s last appearance in the West Central Conference in girls high school competition. The Wildcats baseball team is playing in a similar finale tonight against EG in Glidden.
When school opens in the fall for 2009-2010, GR will be competing in the Rolling Hills Conference, along with longtime rival Paton-Churdan and six western Iowa teams--Adair-Casey, Orient-Macksburg, CAM (Anita), Exira, Elk Horn-Kimballton and Walnut. Two suburban Des Moines Schools, Ankeny Christian and Iowa Christian Academy in West Des Moines, round out the 10-team league.
East Greene and Glidden-Ralston have been conference opponents since the formation of the Central Valley Conference in the late 1970s. After the Central Valley was disbanded a decade later, both schools became original members of the Coon River Valley Conference and then both moved to the West Central Conference in the 1996-97 season.
EG was hoping to head to Glidden as the spoiler in the Wildcats’ effort to leave the West Central as conference champions, but Earlham earned that honor with a 6-2 win over GR at the Lady Wildcat Tournament in Glidden on Friday, which counted as a make-up game for a game rained out earlier in the season. GR went into that game with a 11-4 conference mark, just behind Earlham at 13-3.
Earlham clinched the league crown, however, with the win, upping its conference mark to 14-3, while GR dropped to 11-5. Earlham has no make-up games on its schedule, so tonight’s game at Van Meter will just be icing on the cake for the Cardinals, as a loss would drop them to 14-4 but still keep them ahead of second-place GR. Des Moines Christian’s title hopes were dashed when it dropped a 1-0 game to Madrid on Friday. The Lions fell to 10-6 and were mathematically eliminated with that loss and Earlham’s win over GR.
EG and Glidden-Ralston tangled earlier in the season with GR winning 9-5 in Grand Junction. The Hawkettes will be out to revenge that loss and get some momentum going for the regional tournament. EG opens regional play Wednesday against Coon Rapids-Bayard in Coon Rapids. GR drew a first-round bye and will face the EG-CRB winner on Friday in quarterfinal action in Coon Rapids.
GR has a makeup game with Panorama which could be played Tuesday as GR does not have a Wednesday regional opening round game as do the other conference schools who play in Class 1-A and Panorama, a 2-A school, does not open regional play until Thursday.
West Central Conference Standings (through 7-4)
Earlham 14-3
Glidden-Ralston 11-5
Des Moines Christian 10-6
Madrid 9-7
Van Meter 9-7
Guthrie Center 8-8
Panorama 7-9
Coon Rapids-Bayard 5-10
West Central Valley 5-10
East Greene 2-15
Monday, July 6, 2009
SOFTBALL
EG Loses Heartbreaker to WCV
A trip to Stuart on Thursday, July 2, resulted in a tough 2-1 loss to West Central Valley, leaving the Hawkettes mired at the bottom of the West Central Conference standings at 2-15.
EG had a good defensive outing, limiting the Wildcats to just the 2 runs off 3 hits, despite giving up 6 walks. WCV’s Molly Cox proved to be formidable on the mound though, as she gave up just 4 hits while striking out 12 Hawkette batters. Cox didn’t get much defensive backup from her teammates as WCV committed 5 errors.
It was not a good week all around for the Hawkettes as they got thumped by Coon Rapids-Bayard 12-3 on Tuesday, June 30, and Guthrie Center got the measure of EG with a 13-1 pasting called after 3 innings the previous night. Guthrie pounded out 14 hits in that game.
The Hawkettes had generated some momentum just the week before, winning 3 out of 4 games including solid wins over conference foes Madrid and Panorama. The Hawkettes fell to league-leader Earlham 10-0 on June 22 but came back two nights later to win 7-6 over Rockwell City-Lytton in non-conference action on the road.
EG lost another close one to Des Moines Christian the following night, Thursday, June 25. EG had played DMC tough on the Lions’ home field in Urbandale on June 4, dropping a well-played 6-3 game and was ready for some payback when DMC headed north to Grand Junction.
The Lions, who made it the state tournament the last two years and finished as runner-up game to Madrid in the conference last year, were contending for the league crown again this year. DMC was just a half game behind Glidden-Ralston going in to the EG game.
Despite racking up 15 hits in the game, the Hawkettes fell 8-7. DMC shortstop Hannah Heilskov drove in the winning run with a single in the top of the seventh. The Lions’ Britt Schoon notched her third home run of the season in the game.
Ashley Thorpe was pitched 4 innings and Malarie Gilley was on the mound for 3. Combined, they gave up 9 hits and 5 walks, while striking out 3. Gilley was 3-4 at the plate while Heidi Kiner went 2-3. Katylnn Gannon and Molly Neese were both 2-4 with 2 RBI’s apiece.
The win over RC-L helped up the Hawkettes overall win tally. Heading into tonight’s game at Glidden-Ralston the Hawkettes are 4-17.
A trip to Stuart on Thursday, July 2, resulted in a tough 2-1 loss to West Central Valley, leaving the Hawkettes mired at the bottom of the West Central Conference standings at 2-15.
EG had a good defensive outing, limiting the Wildcats to just the 2 runs off 3 hits, despite giving up 6 walks. WCV’s Molly Cox proved to be formidable on the mound though, as she gave up just 4 hits while striking out 12 Hawkette batters. Cox didn’t get much defensive backup from her teammates as WCV committed 5 errors.
It was not a good week all around for the Hawkettes as they got thumped by Coon Rapids-Bayard 12-3 on Tuesday, June 30, and Guthrie Center got the measure of EG with a 13-1 pasting called after 3 innings the previous night. Guthrie pounded out 14 hits in that game.
The Hawkettes had generated some momentum just the week before, winning 3 out of 4 games including solid wins over conference foes Madrid and Panorama. The Hawkettes fell to league-leader Earlham 10-0 on June 22 but came back two nights later to win 7-6 over Rockwell City-Lytton in non-conference action on the road.
EG lost another close one to Des Moines Christian the following night, Thursday, June 25. EG had played DMC tough on the Lions’ home field in Urbandale on June 4, dropping a well-played 6-3 game and was ready for some payback when DMC headed north to Grand Junction.
The Lions, who made it the state tournament the last two years and finished as runner-up game to Madrid in the conference last year, were contending for the league crown again this year. DMC was just a half game behind Glidden-Ralston going in to the EG game.
Despite racking up 15 hits in the game, the Hawkettes fell 8-7. DMC shortstop Hannah Heilskov drove in the winning run with a single in the top of the seventh. The Lions’ Britt Schoon notched her third home run of the season in the game.
Ashley Thorpe was pitched 4 innings and Malarie Gilley was on the mound for 3. Combined, they gave up 9 hits and 5 walks, while striking out 3. Gilley was 3-4 at the plate while Heidi Kiner went 2-3. Katylnn Gannon and Molly Neese were both 2-4 with 2 RBI’s apiece.
The win over RC-L helped up the Hawkettes overall win tally. Heading into tonight’s game at Glidden-Ralston the Hawkettes are 4-17.
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