MEET WITH GJ HORIZONS TO DISCUSS LHA FACILITY
GRAND JUNCTION, IOWA—Bob and Joyce Ausberger, Jefferson, were the winning bidders for the T.R. Watts & Son Building at 201 East Main Street in Grand Junction this morning. Joyce Ausberger told Eye on Grand Junction the bid was $2,800. The auction was conducted by Dale Higgins Auction of Grand Junction.
The Ausbergers had met with the Grand Junction Horizons board of directors in a special board meeting late Thursday afternoon at the Grand Junction Public Library to outline the Ausbergers’ plans to use the building as a welcome center for the local chapter of the Lincoln Highway Association.
The board asked the Ausbergers about the input required of GJ Horizons and who would be in charge of renovating the building, utility costs and general upkeep. At that time the Ausbergers had yet to make their bid, so they did not have a definitive purchase cost or possible renovation and upkeep costs for the building. They did tell Horizons they were interested if the price was in the $2,000 to $3,000 range.
Horizons members and the Ausbergers discussed monthly costs for electric, water and sewer from Grand Junction Municipal Light and Water and heating costs from Black Hills Energy.
If the Ausbergers did get the winning bid, Horizons agreed to help staff the proposed LHA welcome center and discussed how the community could work to make the welcome center an integral component of revitalization of Grand Junction’s Main Street.
The local LHA had a center on Lincolnway in Jefferson, next to the Hy-Vee Drug Store, but the building is owned by Hy-Vee and the company had other uses planned for the building, so the center was closed a few years ago.
Joyce Ausberger told Horizons that a similar office in Grand Junction would be opened between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. during the heavy tourism months in spring and summer, fewer hours in the fall, and not opened at all during the coldest months of winter. The office would offer free travel information and sells maps, brochures, and other items of interest to travelers on the Lincoln Highway, in addition to serving as a gathering spot for local residents and area Lincoln Highway enthusiasts.
Horizons members shared with the Ausbergers the community’s deep history with the Lincoln and there were a number of members present whose fathers were businessmen during the Lincoln’s hey-dey in the 1950s, when it was U.S. Highway 30.
They discussed with the Ausbergers some of the local memorabilia related to the Lincoln that is available from Grand Junction residents.
The Ausbergers are long-time supporters of the Lincoln Highway on a national, state and local level. They helped save the historic original Lincoln Highway bridge just north of the Union Pacific railroad tracks that serves as key component to the historic bridges and Grand Junction Lion’s Club Tree Park just east of Grand Junction on the section of the Lincoln built in the 1920s, which replaced the original route on the north side of the tracks.
Copyright Eye on Grand Junction 2011
Showing posts with label Iowa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Iowa. Show all posts
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Monday, July 25, 2011
GJ Puts Out Welcome Mat for Fun Day
FULL DAY OF ACTIVITIES PLANNED, INCUDING PARADE, PLAY AND FOOD!
Grand Junction residents, friends and supporters are putting out the welcome mat for the annual Grand Junction Fun Day on Saturday, July 30.
Activities are planned for residents and visitors of all ages. “We want to encourage everyone to come to Grand Junction on June 30 to enjoy the great events we have lined up for the day,” says Pierre Kellogg, Fun Day Committee Chairman.
The day kicks off with the Fun Day Walk at Karber Field on South Ninth Street at 8:30 a.m.
A street fair with a variety of vendors will get underway at 10 a.m. at “Fun Day Central,” the block of East Hager Street between South 12th Street and South 13th Street, anchored by First Presbyterian Church on the west and First United Methodist Church on the east and the newly refurbished East Greene Sports Court (former tennis courts) in the middle. The street fair vendors will be open until 3 p.m.
Set up for the Grilling Contest will be from 8-11 a.m. at the south end of East Greene High School at the corner of Bennett and South 12th Streets. Pies for the Pie Contest and Auction are to be dropped off from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the church hall (basement) of First United Methodist Church.
On the opposite side of the EGHS school grounds at Bennett and South 13th Streets, the Naked Ladies Garden Club will host a “tea in the garden” in the new Rain Garden from 10 to 11:30 a.m.
“This is a wonderful addition to our school grounds,” says Kellogg. “Enjoy the various plant species and vegetation planted in the Rain Garden. Stroll the new walkways, take a rest on the benches and be sure to visit the Memorial Bricks area which celebrates our deep educational heritage in Grand Junction.”
The Fun Day Parade will step off at 11:30 a.m. Set up begins at 10:30 a.m. at the East Greene bus barn at the corner of Bennett and South 14th Streets. The parade route will head north on 14th Street to Main Street and then west on Main to Ninth Street and then turn south on Ninth Street to Bennett Street.
A food stand sponsored by Grand Junction Firemen’s Bingo will open at Noon at 12th and Hager and a car show will be held along 12th Street south of Hager. Car viewers and lunch goers will be entertained by the Town and Country Band which will be performing at the food stand area, beginning at 12:30 p.m.
At 1 p.m. sidewalk art and games for kids will be held at the Presbyterian church. The winning pies from the pie contest and other items will be auctioned from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. at the high school on 12th Street. Auction items include two ISU football tickets and tailgate, double bed size quilt, hair cuts from the Hair Junction, and a catered dinner for six. Judging for the grilling contest is at 2:30 p.m. at the grilling venue on the school grounds.
A cribbage tournament will be held at 2:30 p.m. in the air conditioned band room of the East Greene Jr.-Sr. High School building. The band room is accessed through the main doors of the school's north entrance.
The Off the Track Players of Grand Junction will present its afternoon performance of a one-act play, “Ladies at Poker,” at 3:30 p.m. at the Presbyterian church hall, which is air conditioned. Bingo, sponsored by the Grand Junction Fire and Rescue Department, will be from 5-8 p.m. at the Community Center on Main Street. The Grand Junction Lions Club will serving supper from 5-7 p.m. by the Sports Court on Hager Street and First United Methodist Church will have an ice cream social at the church from 5-7:30 p.m.
A 3 x 3 basketball tournament will be held at 5 p.m. at the Sports Court.
The Off the Track Players of Grand Junction will present its evening performance of “Ladies at Poker” at 7 p.m. in the Presbyterian church hall (still air conditioned!). Admission is by free will offering at both presentations.
A street dance and DJ will be held on Main Street from 9 p.m. to midnight with a BYOB beer garden. Plans are underway by several East Greene alumni groups to hold their class reunions at the street dance, with the Class of 1986 planning a 25th year anniversary gathering at the event.
Other activities throughout the day include free admission to the Kennedy Museum, located at Hager and 11th Streets.
Grand Junction residents, friends and supporters are putting out the welcome mat for the annual Grand Junction Fun Day on Saturday, July 30.
Activities are planned for residents and visitors of all ages. “We want to encourage everyone to come to Grand Junction on June 30 to enjoy the great events we have lined up for the day,” says Pierre Kellogg, Fun Day Committee Chairman.
The day kicks off with the Fun Day Walk at Karber Field on South Ninth Street at 8:30 a.m.
A street fair with a variety of vendors will get underway at 10 a.m. at “Fun Day Central,” the block of East Hager Street between South 12th Street and South 13th Street, anchored by First Presbyterian Church on the west and First United Methodist Church on the east and the newly refurbished East Greene Sports Court (former tennis courts) in the middle. The street fair vendors will be open until 3 p.m.
Set up for the Grilling Contest will be from 8-11 a.m. at the south end of East Greene High School at the corner of Bennett and South 12th Streets. Pies for the Pie Contest and Auction are to be dropped off from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the church hall (basement) of First United Methodist Church.
On the opposite side of the EGHS school grounds at Bennett and South 13th Streets, the Naked Ladies Garden Club will host a “tea in the garden” in the new Rain Garden from 10 to 11:30 a.m.
“This is a wonderful addition to our school grounds,” says Kellogg. “Enjoy the various plant species and vegetation planted in the Rain Garden. Stroll the new walkways, take a rest on the benches and be sure to visit the Memorial Bricks area which celebrates our deep educational heritage in Grand Junction.”
The Fun Day Parade will step off at 11:30 a.m. Set up begins at 10:30 a.m. at the East Greene bus barn at the corner of Bennett and South 14th Streets. The parade route will head north on 14th Street to Main Street and then west on Main to Ninth Street and then turn south on Ninth Street to Bennett Street.
A food stand sponsored by Grand Junction Firemen’s Bingo will open at Noon at 12th and Hager and a car show will be held along 12th Street south of Hager. Car viewers and lunch goers will be entertained by the Town and Country Band which will be performing at the food stand area, beginning at 12:30 p.m.
At 1 p.m. sidewalk art and games for kids will be held at the Presbyterian church. The winning pies from the pie contest and other items will be auctioned from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. at the high school on 12th Street. Auction items include two ISU football tickets and tailgate, double bed size quilt, hair cuts from the Hair Junction, and a catered dinner for six. Judging for the grilling contest is at 2:30 p.m. at the grilling venue on the school grounds.
A cribbage tournament will be held at 2:30 p.m. in the air conditioned band room of the East Greene Jr.-Sr. High School building. The band room is accessed through the main doors of the school's north entrance.
The Off the Track Players of Grand Junction will present its afternoon performance of a one-act play, “Ladies at Poker,” at 3:30 p.m. at the Presbyterian church hall, which is air conditioned. Bingo, sponsored by the Grand Junction Fire and Rescue Department, will be from 5-8 p.m. at the Community Center on Main Street. The Grand Junction Lions Club will serving supper from 5-7 p.m. by the Sports Court on Hager Street and First United Methodist Church will have an ice cream social at the church from 5-7:30 p.m.
A 3 x 3 basketball tournament will be held at 5 p.m. at the Sports Court.
The Off the Track Players of Grand Junction will present its evening performance of “Ladies at Poker” at 7 p.m. in the Presbyterian church hall (still air conditioned!). Admission is by free will offering at both presentations.
A street dance and DJ will be held on Main Street from 9 p.m. to midnight with a BYOB beer garden. Plans are underway by several East Greene alumni groups to hold their class reunions at the street dance, with the Class of 1986 planning a 25th year anniversary gathering at the event.
Other activities throughout the day include free admission to the Kennedy Museum, located at Hager and 11th Streets.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Keeping It Grand
SOUNDS AND SIGHTINGS AROUND THE “JUNCTION”
The Walt and Claudia Light home on East Elizabeth Street has a remodeled front porch. Across the street, Bud and Pat Fagen have upgraded their driveway and added a new paved frontage parking area… Work continues on the new roof on the former Slininger’s funeral home at the corner of Main and South 16th Streets. Also on the “roofing beat,” Beger Roofing just finished putting a new roof on St. Brigid’s Catholic Church on South 15th Street… The new memorial marker at the Lion’s Club was dedicated recently. The marker honors the efforts of Bob Clause and Doug Wessling and all the Lions’ Club members in building the Tree Park east of town and how that led to the establishment of the Lincoln Highway Welcome Center and Historic Bridges area. The handsome new marker faces out to U.S. Highway 30 and is located at the top of the U drive of the Welcome Center, just off the Lincoln. The front reads: DEDICATED TO THE MEMBERS OF GRAND JUNCTION LIONS CLUB WHO IN 1980 ESTABLISHED, PLANTED AND CARED FOR THE ORIGINAL TREE PARK SITE. And on the back: LIONS CLUB TREE PARK… We are still the “City of Trees—Tall and Beautiful” although a few of our leafy friends were “pruned” a bit by the recent high winds that have rolled through town. Some of the, um, “trees no longer living,” were felled by storms and have been laid to rest branch by branch, it seems, at the City Dump/Tree Cemetery on the west edge of town. Reports also indicate that “amateur logging” in various yards the last week or so guarantee already that the fireplaces of Grand Junction will have wood available through the next two winters!.. Business has been brisk at Municipal Swimming Pool as the hot weather has made the pool a respite for young and old alike… Numerous attractive Lincoln Highway heritage signs have been placed along Lincoln Highway through Grand Junction and beyond town on the Lincoln over to Jefferson. The signs feature the “Iowa Byways” marking and logo just above “LINCOLN HIGHWAY Heritage Byway” on the middle and bottom of the signs… Plans continue for the day-long Grand Junction celebration—“Fun Day”—on Saturday, June 30. Mark your calendars!
The Walt and Claudia Light home on East Elizabeth Street has a remodeled front porch. Across the street, Bud and Pat Fagen have upgraded their driveway and added a new paved frontage parking area… Work continues on the new roof on the former Slininger’s funeral home at the corner of Main and South 16th Streets. Also on the “roofing beat,” Beger Roofing just finished putting a new roof on St. Brigid’s Catholic Church on South 15th Street… The new memorial marker at the Lion’s Club was dedicated recently. The marker honors the efforts of Bob Clause and Doug Wessling and all the Lions’ Club members in building the Tree Park east of town and how that led to the establishment of the Lincoln Highway Welcome Center and Historic Bridges area. The handsome new marker faces out to U.S. Highway 30 and is located at the top of the U drive of the Welcome Center, just off the Lincoln. The front reads: DEDICATED TO THE MEMBERS OF GRAND JUNCTION LIONS CLUB WHO IN 1980 ESTABLISHED, PLANTED AND CARED FOR THE ORIGINAL TREE PARK SITE. And on the back: LIONS CLUB TREE PARK… We are still the “City of Trees—Tall and Beautiful” although a few of our leafy friends were “pruned” a bit by the recent high winds that have rolled through town. Some of the, um, “trees no longer living,” were felled by storms and have been laid to rest branch by branch, it seems, at the City Dump/Tree Cemetery on the west edge of town. Reports also indicate that “amateur logging” in various yards the last week or so guarantee already that the fireplaces of Grand Junction will have wood available through the next two winters!.. Business has been brisk at Municipal Swimming Pool as the hot weather has made the pool a respite for young and old alike… Numerous attractive Lincoln Highway heritage signs have been placed along Lincoln Highway through Grand Junction and beyond town on the Lincoln over to Jefferson. The signs feature the “Iowa Byways” marking and logo just above “LINCOLN HIGHWAY Heritage Byway” on the middle and bottom of the signs… Plans continue for the day-long Grand Junction celebration—“Fun Day”—on Saturday, June 30. Mark your calendars!
Friday, October 22, 2010
Hawks Head to Ar-We-Va
LOOKING FOR FIRST WIN EVER AGAINST ROCKETS
Three points and three seconds. It could not have much closer, unless maybe it had been 1 point and 1 second.
Either way, East Greene suffered a heartbreaking loss to longtime rival Coon Rapids-Bayard in Coon Rapids Friday night as the Crusaders scored with just 3 seconds left to beat EG 29-26 and remain unbeaten in Division 7 at 6-0 while the Hawks fell to 4-2.
Of course, the loss was tempered somewhat by EG having clinched a spot in the 8-Man Football playoffs. It’s the Hawks’ first-ever playoff appearance in 8-Man football and the first since qualifying 21 years ago after three straight appearances (1987-89) in Class A (11 man).
East Greene heads to Ar-We-Va (2-4, 3-5) tonight to close out the regular season. The Hawks have qualified for the State Playoffs as the No. 3 team in Division 7 and will be waiting for the results to come in tonight from games in Division 8 as to determine that division’s No. 2 seed. That school—which could be Fremont-Mills (Tabor), East Mills (Malvern) or Stanton—will host the Hawks on Wednesday with kickoff slated for 7 p.m.
Coon Rapids-Bayard takes a perfect D7 mark (7-1 overall) to Glidden where it will face Glidden-Ralston (also 6-0 in D7 and 7-1 overall) to determine the Division winner and top-seed in the playoffs. First-place bragging rights will be determined in the “Lincoln League” (D7) right on the Original Lincoln Highway (today’s U.S. 30), where the GR gridders play, although both teams will host playoff games next week against the No. 3 and 4 seeds from Division 8.
Boyer Valley has already nailed down the No. 4 spot in Division 7 and will head to the top-seeded team in D8 on Wednesday.
CRB 29, EG 26: East Greene has had a fierce rivalry in boys and girls sports with CRB over the years, and this game was more of the same. It was a thriller from start to finish. According to the website of KCIM radio station in Carroll, CRB QB Michael Schwenk left the game in the first half with an injury, but returned to action in the second half. His top receiver, Jacob Esdohr, filled in at QB during his absence.
East Greene went into halftime with a 1 point lead but CRB went back in front after the break. But the Hawks kept battling and it looked like victory was in hand when they scored with just 35 seconds left in the game to go up 26-21. A two-point conversion would put them up by eight points forcing CRB to run the field in just 35 seconds, score a TD and then either kick to tie or add a two-point conversion to win.
But EG’s two-point conversion attempt was stopped and then the unthinkable happened. The Crusaders drove the length of the field in just 5 plays and scored with just 3 seconds on the clock. They added insult to injury by succeeding on their two-point conversion.
The Hawks only had time left to get the kickoff after the touchdown and return the ball all the way to payday, but that did not happen, so CRB got the win and the chance to host a playoff spot at home, in addition to setting up a somewhat expected CRB-GR finale for the Division title.
EG did everything it could to keep itself in the driver’s seat for a possible three-way tie atop D7. The Hawks certainly had the firepower, amassing a whopping 465 total yards to CRB’s 298. EG was clearly moving the ball as it had 27 first downs compared to just 12 for the Crusaders.
But four fumbles and an interception by QB Tory Beger really did the Hawks in. This is a problem that plagued the Hawks last year throughout the season but not as much this year, so that level of miscues in a big game was troubling.
The Hawk defense again rose to the occasion, limiting Schwenk to 13 completions in 27 attempts for 210 yards and intercepting him twice. Schwenk is one of the state’s all-time leading quarterbacks, and these numbers were way below his season average. EG’s Schyler Bardole showed why he is one of the state’s all-time best running backs as he racked up 268 yards on 48 carries and scored three touchdowns and a two-point conversion.
QB Tory Beger went 5-9 for 73 yards and the interception. Beger also carried the ball 18 times for 53 yards and a TD. Tyler Cooklin rounded out the offense with 12 carries for 68 yards.
Bardole, Beger and Cooklin all had good efforts on defense. Bardole led the Hawks with 9 tackles and he intercepted a pass and ran it back 12 yards. Cooklin intercepted a pass and ran it back 22 yards while Beger recovered a fumble.
Ar-We-Va gave D7 co-leader Glidden-Ralston a very tough game on Oct. 8, losing 24-13, and the Rockets fell to Boyer Valley by just one, 28-27, earlier in the season. The Rockets are 2-4 in Division 7 and 3-5 overall.
Most of the attention in D7 will be on the game in Glidden however, as the Wildcats are ranked 8th in state by the D.M. Register and the Crusaders are among a handful of teams right behind the top 10.
UPDATING THE RECORD BOOKS: Bardole ranks No. 4 for all-time career touchdowns in 8-man football, and the three scored at CRB moved him to 88, just one TD behind Shane Nicholson who played at Melcher-Dallas from 2005 to 2008. One touchdown against Ar-We-Va will move him into a tie and two or more touchdowns will move him past Nicholson into the No. 3 slot. Bardole is fifth in most points scored in a career (574) and four more points will move him to No. 4 past Jared Bruce (577) who played at Aurelia from 2007 to 2009. Nine points scored will move him into the No. 3 slot, now filled by Nicholson at 582. In career rushing yards, Bardole is fourth at 4,296 and closing in on Jeff Struecker (4,377) who played for Sentral (Fenton) from 2000 to 2003. Bardole has a been a starter in the backfield since his freshman season in 2007.
District 7 Standings
Coon Rapids-Bayard 6-0, 7-1
Glidden-Ralston 6-0, 7-1
East Greene 4-2, 6-2
Boyer Valley 3-3, 5-3
Woodbine 2-4, 3-5
Ar-We-Va 2-4, 3-5
Walnut 1-5, 1-7
Charter Oak-Ute 0-6, 0-8
Oct. 22 Results:
Ar-We-Va (Westside) 55, Walnut 22
Boyer Valley (Dunlap) 54, Woodbine 13
Glidden-Ralston 92, Charter Oak-Ute 6
Coon Rapids-Bayard 29, East Greene 26
Oct. 29 Games:
Coon Rapids-Bayard at Glidden-Ralston
East Greene at Ar-We-Va
Walnut at Boyer Valley
Woodbine at Charter Oak-Ute
EYE ON GJ SAYS: If the Hawks need any incentive for tonight’s game, they need only think back to July and the susbstate baseball championship game in Denison where Ar-We-Va edged the Hawks 3-2 and advanced to the state tourney at Principal Park in Des Moines. Most of the Hawk starters—Beger, Cooklin, Aaron Lyons, Zach Dearborn and Wes Onken with the exception of Bardole, a non-baseball player—played key roles on that Hawk baseball squad.
Or some of the pummelings taken in years past at the hands of the Rockets should get them psyched up. In 2007, when Bardole was a freshman, the Hawks were whipped 57-7 as Ar-We-Va rolled up an 8-1 record and 4-1 in Division 2, losing only to GR. Both teams qualified for the playoffs that year and posted first-round wins. In a quarterfinal rematch, Ar-We-Va drubbed the Wildcats 44-6 to get revenge for the regular season loss and advance to the semifinal round, where they lost a heartbreaker to Armstrong-Ringsted, 45-42, in overtime. In 2008, EG closed the gap, falling to AWV 39-20 in a non-division game in Grand Junction. Last year, the Hawks traveled to Westside in the season opener, but fell in a tough, hard-fought game, 15-2. The game goes back to Westside again this year as both teams are back in the same division again, this time it’s D7 whereas in the mid 00s it was D2. Next year the Hawks will host.
EG @ ?? ON WED.: Teams vying for the top spots in Division 8 are first-place Fremont-Mills (6-0, 8-0), along with East Mills (5-1, 6-2) and Stanton (5-1). Fremont-Mills hosts East Mills tonight in Tabor while Stanton is at home against winless South Page (College Springs). The most likely scenario tonight is that Fremont-Mills prevails over East Mills, claiming the D8 crown at 7-0 and dropping East Mills to 5-2 and third place in the district with Stanton easily dispensing of South Page to grab the No. 2 spot at 6-1. EG would then travel to Stanton next Wednesday in a first-round playoff game.
If, however, East Mills should beat FM, ranked seventh in the state in 8-man, one spot ahead of Glidden-Ralston, and Stanton should prevail, then all three of those teams would end up deadlocked for first at 6-1 and they would have to go the points differential tie-breaker. FM has an advantage there, however, as they have won all their games by 13 points or more, so a close loss would not drop their points down too much. Stanton’s point difference is presently at 8.17 but most likely they will beat South Page by more than 13, so their differential would increase slightly while a win by EM, which stands at 9.17 with the tie-breaker, would also increase, based on how many points it would score in the win against the points it would give up, so a 2-, 3- or 6-point win might not really shift its differential by much, so it really all comes down to the points, and that might leave FM in first, and allow EM to keep it advantage over Stanton.
But seriously, EG fans might want to get their maps out and start planning their route down to Stanton, which is in southeastern Montgomery County, six miles from Red Oak, the county seat.
If EG does get by its D8 opponent in round one, it would meet the winner of the game between the No. 1 seed in D7 (GR or CRB) and the No. 4 seed in D8 (Nishnabotna). The way the playoffs are constructed in the second round, if a team that travels in the first round meets a team that had the home field in that round, then the traveling team gets to host in round two—that would be East Greene, versus [most likley] GR or CRB
Clearly, EG matches up well with CRB as noted in the 29-26 squeaker from last week but the incentive would be there to get one back from GR, too, as the Hawks are a much better team than the squad that ended up at the wrong end of this year’s Homecoming game with the Wildcats, 40-8.
Three points and three seconds. It could not have much closer, unless maybe it had been 1 point and 1 second.
Either way, East Greene suffered a heartbreaking loss to longtime rival Coon Rapids-Bayard in Coon Rapids Friday night as the Crusaders scored with just 3 seconds left to beat EG 29-26 and remain unbeaten in Division 7 at 6-0 while the Hawks fell to 4-2.
Of course, the loss was tempered somewhat by EG having clinched a spot in the 8-Man Football playoffs. It’s the Hawks’ first-ever playoff appearance in 8-Man football and the first since qualifying 21 years ago after three straight appearances (1987-89) in Class A (11 man).
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East Greene came up short, 15-2, in last year's game at Ar-We-Va, but running back Schyler Bardole, one of the all-time leading career rushers in 8-man football in Iowa, will look to lead the Hawks to a win tonight in Westside. (Photo from AWVCSD.com) |
Coon Rapids-Bayard takes a perfect D7 mark (7-1 overall) to Glidden where it will face Glidden-Ralston (also 6-0 in D7 and 7-1 overall) to determine the Division winner and top-seed in the playoffs. First-place bragging rights will be determined in the “Lincoln League” (D7) right on the Original Lincoln Highway (today’s U.S. 30), where the GR gridders play, although both teams will host playoff games next week against the No. 3 and 4 seeds from Division 8.
Boyer Valley has already nailed down the No. 4 spot in Division 7 and will head to the top-seeded team in D8 on Wednesday.
CRB 29, EG 26: East Greene has had a fierce rivalry in boys and girls sports with CRB over the years, and this game was more of the same. It was a thriller from start to finish. According to the website of KCIM radio station in Carroll, CRB QB Michael Schwenk left the game in the first half with an injury, but returned to action in the second half. His top receiver, Jacob Esdohr, filled in at QB during his absence.
East Greene went into halftime with a 1 point lead but CRB went back in front after the break. But the Hawks kept battling and it looked like victory was in hand when they scored with just 35 seconds left in the game to go up 26-21. A two-point conversion would put them up by eight points forcing CRB to run the field in just 35 seconds, score a TD and then either kick to tie or add a two-point conversion to win.
But EG’s two-point conversion attempt was stopped and then the unthinkable happened. The Crusaders drove the length of the field in just 5 plays and scored with just 3 seconds on the clock. They added insult to injury by succeeding on their two-point conversion.
The Hawks only had time left to get the kickoff after the touchdown and return the ball all the way to payday, but that did not happen, so CRB got the win and the chance to host a playoff spot at home, in addition to setting up a somewhat expected CRB-GR finale for the Division title.
EG did everything it could to keep itself in the driver’s seat for a possible three-way tie atop D7. The Hawks certainly had the firepower, amassing a whopping 465 total yards to CRB’s 298. EG was clearly moving the ball as it had 27 first downs compared to just 12 for the Crusaders.
But four fumbles and an interception by QB Tory Beger really did the Hawks in. This is a problem that plagued the Hawks last year throughout the season but not as much this year, so that level of miscues in a big game was troubling.
The Hawk defense again rose to the occasion, limiting Schwenk to 13 completions in 27 attempts for 210 yards and intercepting him twice. Schwenk is one of the state’s all-time leading quarterbacks, and these numbers were way below his season average. EG’s Schyler Bardole showed why he is one of the state’s all-time best running backs as he racked up 268 yards on 48 carries and scored three touchdowns and a two-point conversion.
QB Tory Beger went 5-9 for 73 yards and the interception. Beger also carried the ball 18 times for 53 yards and a TD. Tyler Cooklin rounded out the offense with 12 carries for 68 yards.
Bardole, Beger and Cooklin all had good efforts on defense. Bardole led the Hawks with 9 tackles and he intercepted a pass and ran it back 12 yards. Cooklin intercepted a pass and ran it back 22 yards while Beger recovered a fumble.
HAWKS vs. AR-WE-VA: The Hawks will need to bounce back for a road trip to Westside to take on a tough Ar-We-Va Rockets squad. Ar-We-Va has a strong tradition, having qualified for the playoffs four straight years in 8-Man (2006-2009) and three times in the 1990s in Class A.
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Nic Nicoliasen heads down the sideline toward the goal line after hauling in a pass deep in Rocket territory in last year's game at Ar-We-Va. (Photo from AWVCSD.com) |
Ar-We-Va was eliminated from a playoff spot a few weeks ago, but will be playing for pride and upholding its advantage over EG, as the Hawks have never beaten the Rockets since Ar-We-Va moved to 8-Man in 2002, a year after EG made the switch.
Ar-We-Va gave D7 co-leader Glidden-Ralston a very tough game on Oct. 8, losing 24-13, and the Rockets fell to Boyer Valley by just one, 28-27, earlier in the season. The Rockets are 2-4 in Division 7 and 3-5 overall.
Most of the attention in D7 will be on the game in Glidden however, as the Wildcats are ranked 8th in state by the D.M. Register and the Crusaders are among a handful of teams right behind the top 10.
UPDATING THE RECORD BOOKS: Bardole ranks No. 4 for all-time career touchdowns in 8-man football, and the three scored at CRB moved him to 88, just one TD behind Shane Nicholson who played at Melcher-Dallas from 2005 to 2008. One touchdown against Ar-We-Va will move him into a tie and two or more touchdowns will move him past Nicholson into the No. 3 slot. Bardole is fifth in most points scored in a career (574) and four more points will move him to No. 4 past Jared Bruce (577) who played at Aurelia from 2007 to 2009. Nine points scored will move him into the No. 3 slot, now filled by Nicholson at 582. In career rushing yards, Bardole is fourth at 4,296 and closing in on Jeff Struecker (4,377) who played for Sentral (Fenton) from 2000 to 2003. Bardole has a been a starter in the backfield since his freshman season in 2007.
District 7 Standings
Coon Rapids-Bayard 6-0, 7-1
Glidden-Ralston 6-0, 7-1
East Greene 4-2, 6-2
Boyer Valley 3-3, 5-3
Woodbine 2-4, 3-5
Ar-We-Va 2-4, 3-5
Walnut 1-5, 1-7
Charter Oak-Ute 0-6, 0-8
Oct. 22 Results:
Ar-We-Va (Westside) 55, Walnut 22
Boyer Valley (Dunlap) 54, Woodbine 13
Glidden-Ralston 92, Charter Oak-Ute 6
Coon Rapids-Bayard 29, East Greene 26
Oct. 29 Games:
Coon Rapids-Bayard at Glidden-Ralston
East Greene at Ar-We-Va
Walnut at Boyer Valley
Woodbine at Charter Oak-Ute
EYE ON GJ SAYS: If the Hawks need any incentive for tonight’s game, they need only think back to July and the susbstate baseball championship game in Denison where Ar-We-Va edged the Hawks 3-2 and advanced to the state tourney at Principal Park in Des Moines. Most of the Hawk starters—Beger, Cooklin, Aaron Lyons, Zach Dearborn and Wes Onken with the exception of Bardole, a non-baseball player—played key roles on that Hawk baseball squad.
Or some of the pummelings taken in years past at the hands of the Rockets should get them psyched up. In 2007, when Bardole was a freshman, the Hawks were whipped 57-7 as Ar-We-Va rolled up an 8-1 record and 4-1 in Division 2, losing only to GR. Both teams qualified for the playoffs that year and posted first-round wins. In a quarterfinal rematch, Ar-We-Va drubbed the Wildcats 44-6 to get revenge for the regular season loss and advance to the semifinal round, where they lost a heartbreaker to Armstrong-Ringsted, 45-42, in overtime. In 2008, EG closed the gap, falling to AWV 39-20 in a non-division game in Grand Junction. Last year, the Hawks traveled to Westside in the season opener, but fell in a tough, hard-fought game, 15-2. The game goes back to Westside again this year as both teams are back in the same division again, this time it’s D7 whereas in the mid 00s it was D2. Next year the Hawks will host.
EG @ ?? ON WED.: Teams vying for the top spots in Division 8 are first-place Fremont-Mills (6-0, 8-0), along with East Mills (5-1, 6-2) and Stanton (5-1). Fremont-Mills hosts East Mills tonight in Tabor while Stanton is at home against winless South Page (College Springs). The most likely scenario tonight is that Fremont-Mills prevails over East Mills, claiming the D8 crown at 7-0 and dropping East Mills to 5-2 and third place in the district with Stanton easily dispensing of South Page to grab the No. 2 spot at 6-1. EG would then travel to Stanton next Wednesday in a first-round playoff game.
If, however, East Mills should beat FM, ranked seventh in the state in 8-man, one spot ahead of Glidden-Ralston, and Stanton should prevail, then all three of those teams would end up deadlocked for first at 6-1 and they would have to go the points differential tie-breaker. FM has an advantage there, however, as they have won all their games by 13 points or more, so a close loss would not drop their points down too much. Stanton’s point difference is presently at 8.17 but most likely they will beat South Page by more than 13, so their differential would increase slightly while a win by EM, which stands at 9.17 with the tie-breaker, would also increase, based on how many points it would score in the win against the points it would give up, so a 2-, 3- or 6-point win might not really shift its differential by much, so it really all comes down to the points, and that might leave FM in first, and allow EM to keep it advantage over Stanton.
But seriously, EG fans might want to get their maps out and start planning their route down to Stanton, which is in southeastern Montgomery County, six miles from Red Oak, the county seat.
Interestingly, no matter which D8 team EG takes on, should the Hawks win, they would then meet the winner of the first-round game matching the D7 winner (CRB or GR) with the D8 No. 4 team, which is Nishnabotna, presently at 3-3 in fourth place with a game tonight at Essex (1-5, 1-7). Villisca and Sidney are both 2-4 and they face off in Sidney, but even if Nishna were to lose tonight and drop to a tie with the Villisca-Sidney winner, Nishna would get the No. 4 spot in the head-to-head tiebreaker, as it has beaten both teams this season.
Clearly, EG matches up well with CRB as noted in the 29-26 squeaker from last week but the incentive would be there to get one back from GR, too, as the Hawks are a much better team than the squad that ended up at the wrong end of this year’s Homecoming game with the Wildcats, 40-8.
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