Greene County Retakes Lead in HOI Softball

WIN OVER PCM TODAY CAN CLINCH TIE FOR CROWN

Greene County swept a doubleheader from Gilbert, 4-0 and 6-0, last night in Jefferson to move back into first place in the Heart of Iowa Conference. The Rams meet Prairie City-Monroe today at 2 p.m. to finish out a game interrupted on June 21 in Jefferson. GC was ahead 4-2 with no outs and the bases loaded when the game was stopped in the fourth inning due to rain.

GC can clinch at least tie for the league crown if they can finish off PCM. The wins over Gilbert moved the Rams to 12-2 in the league with only the PCM game today and a tilt at Roland-Story on Friday left on the regular and conference season schedule. PCM (11-2) played North Polk last night in Alleman, but a score from that game has not yet been reported.

If the Rams win today and again tomorrow night in Roland, they would win the crown outright with a 14-2 mark. A win today and loss tomorrow would leave them at 13-3, and PCM would need to have won last night over North Polk and then take care of Gilbert tonight in its conference finale to forge a tie the league title. Losses today and tomorrow would drop the Rams at 12-4 and open the door for PCM to secure the crown with a win tonight over Gilbert.

Gilbert played Nevada on Tuesday, but no score has been reported. The GC wins over Gilbert dropped Gilbert to 8-6 in the league with the Tuesday game and the PCM tilt tonight still to be added.

 
A PCM loss to North Polk last night or a loss tonight to Gilbert would also boost the Ram’s chances of winning the conference championship.
 
HEART OF IOWA CONFERENCE SOFTBALL STANDINGS
Greene County                        12-2
PCM (Monroe)                        11-2
North Polk                                9-4
Roland-Story                            9-5
Gilbert                                       8-6
Colfax-Mingo                           4-9
CMB (Maxwell)                        5-10
South Hamilton                         2-11
Nevada                                      1-13
 
Games not included: North Polk at PCM and CMB at South Hamilton (Wed.), Nevada at Gilbert (Tues.)
Games remaining: PCM and Greene County, completion (today); PCM at Gilbert, South Hamilton at Roland-Story, North Polk at Colfax-Mingo (tonight); Greene County at Roland-Story, Nevada at South Hamilton (Friday); Colfax-Mingo at North Polk

Greene County Softball Vies for League Title

KEY GAMES WITH GILBERT, PCM THIS WEEK

It’s “clutch time” for the Greene County softball team. After leading the Heart of Iowa Conference all summer, the Rams dropped a 2-1 game to North Polk (Alleman) last night to fall into second place behind Prairie City-Monroe.

PCM is 11-2 with Greene County right behind at 10-2. North Polk (9-4) is in a three-way race for third place with Gilbert (8-4) and Roland-Story (8-5). Gilbert played at Nevada (1-12) on Tuesday but no score has yet been reported.

The Rams have four games left in conference play. They take on Gilbert tonight in Jefferson in a doubleheader and then host PCM in another key game tomorrow. The PCM battle is actually a resumption of a game stopped by rain on June 15. Greene County had the lead, 4-2, when play was stopped in the bottom of the fourth inning. The Rams had the bases loaded and no outs.

The outcome of the PCM game will have considerable impact on who wins the conference. Greene County closes out league play on Friday at Roland-Story. PCM has games remaining this week with Gilbert and North Polk.

Hawks Snap 15-Game Losing Streak

BEAT ICA/ACA IN 4-0 SHUTOUT AT RIPPEY

East Greene snapped a 15-game losing streak in a 4-0 shutout of Iowa Christian Academy (West Des Moines)/Ankeny Christian Academy in Rippey on Tuesday night, June 26. It was the first win of the season in Rolling Hills Conference play for the Hawks. EG improved to 2-17 for the season.

Reed Ostrander got the win, striking out 11, walking two and giving up just one hit. The Hawks rapped out six singles, two from Tyler Beger and one each from Ostrander, T.J. Lint, Max Neese and Jacob Vreugdenhil.

EG takes on non-conference opponent Madrid tonight in Madrid. The Hawks will look to pick up another conference win when they host Walnut on Thursday. They are back in action on Friday at Colo-Nesco. The regular season ends next week with games on Monday at Orient-Macksburg and Tuesday in Rippey against Glidden-Ralston. The OM game will be a partial doubleheader as the teams will first complete a game suspended June 14 in Rippey. The game will resume with OM leading 8-2 after 4 ½ innings. The GR game is a makeup from May 31. It will be last East Greene baseball game ever at the Walt Anderson field in Rippey as next year East Greene begins sports sharing with Jefferson-Scranton as Greene County.

The Hawks and Glidden-Ralston will meet up again on Saturday, July 7, in an opening round district game at Coon Rapids. The winner moves on to face top-seeded Coon Rapids-Bayard on Tuesday, July 10, in Coon Rapids.

Rolling Hills Conference

Exira/Elk Horn-Kimballton                 10-1
CAM (Anita)                                         8-3
Walnut                                                   7-4
Iowa Christian/Ankeny Christian          6-6
Orient-Macksburg                                  4-6
Adair-Casey                                           3-5
Glidden-Ralston                                     3-7
East Greene (Grand Junction)                1-9


                                       

Griffiths to Serve as LHD Parade Marshals

CARSON AND BETTY TO LEAD OFF ANNUAL GJ PARADE

The parade committee for the Lincoln Highway Day Parade in Grand Junction is urging all area businesses, clubs, organizations and nonprofit groups to participate in the parade on Saturday, July 28, on Main Street in Grand Junction. The parade will begin at 11 a.m.

“Join us as we celebrate our Lincoln Highway heritage in Grand Junction and Greene County at our annual parade,” said a committee spokesperson. The parade is part of the annual Fun Day in Grand Junction which has been renamed Lincoln Highway Day.

Carson and Betty Griffith, longtime Grand Junction residents, will be honored as Grand Marshals of the Lincoln Highway Day parade.

The Griffiths moved to Grand Junction in 1960 when Carson became the vocal music teacher at East Greene. He retired several years ago after a long career teaching music at East Greene. He continues to be involved in musical activities locally and throughout the state. Betty was a beautician for several years, and later worked at the East Greene school junior high-elementary school in Rippey and at Royal Jewelers in Jefferson.

Carson is beloved among his many former students at East Greene where he was known as “Mr. G” and “Griff.” He was recently awarded the Impact Award given annually to a Greene County resident honored for his or her volunteer work. The Griffiths are active with the Elk’s Lodge in Jefferson and have been longtime members of First Presbyterian Church in Grand Junction. Betty is a member of Presbyterian Women, El Carim Club and serves as chairman of the Grand Junction Library Board of Trustees.

The Griffiths have two daughters, Kim Hartley and Kelley Bruns, and two grandchildren, Emily and Alyssa Hartley.

The Griffiths will lead off the parade which features the theme, “Locomoting Along the Lincoln Highway.” The theme focuses on transportation and movement. “Along with floats, we encourage all types of transportation such as motor homes, farm machinery, horse-drawn buggies, and classic antique cars and trucks to join us in the parade. Feel free to use your imagination!”

“We are also encouraging all classic car owners and enthusiasts to enter their vehicles in the parade and the classic car show in the afternoon along 12^th Street south of Hager Street,” said the spokesperson.

Lincoln Highway Day will also mark the grand opening of Lincoln Highway Association Building located in the former Watts Building at the corner of Main and 11^th Streets in Grand Junction. “Local members of LHA and members of Grand Junction Horizons will be putting out the welcome mat to Lincoln Highway enthusiasts, LHA members statewide, and classic are enthusiasts,” the spokesperson added.

The parade will also feature representatives from the fire departments participating in the Fire Department Water Fights, sponsored by Grand Junction Fire and Rescue. The water fights will be held on Main Street at 1 p.m.

A short reception in the foyer of First Presbyterian Church will held after right the parade to honor the Griffiths. “Alumni returning for the All-East Greene alumni on Lincoln Highway Day are encouraged to stop by and say hello to Carson and Betty,” said the spokesperson. “We want to encourage the alumni reunion classes to enter their own floats in the parade too.”

The All-East Greene Alumni event will be held at Ferg’s/My Tighes on U.S. Highway 30 and North 18^th Street with a dinner from 5 to 7 p.m. at cost of $7.50 and a reunion party from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. with a cash bar. Menus is pulled pork sandwich with two sides. An All-East Greene Alumni golf event is planned for 12:30 p.m. at Lakeside Golf Course at Grand Junction. Regular Lakeside fees apply.

Businesses and organizations interested in participating in the parade can contact a member of the parade committee by phone or email: Joyce Nelsen at 515-738-5430 or joyfullnana@iowatelecom.net, Pierre Kellogg at 515-370-1123 or firemanpjk@yahoo.com, and Alan Robinson at 515-738-2612 or eyeongj@gmail.com.

Gordon Honored for June Yard of the Month

HOME, YARD SITE OF OLD ST. BRIGID’S CHURCH

The yard of Richard Gordon, 301 South 16^th Street, has been named “Yard of the Month” in Grand Junction. Gordon operated a welding business on Main Street in Grand Junction for many years until he retired. He also served several terms as mayor of Grand Junction.

The Gordon property at the corner of South 16^th and East Hager streets is familiar to longtime area residents as the former site of St. Brigid’s Church. The Gordon yard is three-quarters of a city block and is well landscaped with a variety of flowers, plants, shrubs and trees while incorporating the stately trees that dotted the church property when the church building was on the site.

The house is situated at an interesting angle facing the corner of 16^th and Hager. Two outbuildings are located on the opposite corner at 17^th and Kelley. Interesting plants and shrubbery have been planted along the Kelley Street side, which is blocked off to vehicular traffic but open to pedestrians.

Yard of the Month in Grand Junction is sponsored by Grand Junction Horizons.