Sports

Cyclones best Tigers in regional rematch

Published by admin on Fri, 09/04/2020 - 10:00am

ELDORA – South Hardin volleyball started the 2020 season the way it ended the 2019 campaign.

The Tigers could not reverse the end result though, dropping their season opener with Denver on Thursday at South Hardin High School.

The Cyclones won, 25-10, 25-20, 25-17. Denver is ranked 11th in Class 2A in the IGHSAU’s preseason volleyball rankings.

Ellie Anderson and Rylee Nelson led the South Hardin attack with five kills each. Emma Salvo distributed 15 assists. However, the Tigers were hobbled by 30 attack errors.

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Small Tiger volleyball group keeping flexible

Published by admin on Sun, 08/30/2020 - 10:00am

ELDORA – There won’t be a lot of disagreements over playing time on the South Hardin volleyball sideline this fall.

Even with only eight players out for varsity, the Tigers are still looking forward to a chance of building off last season’s 15-14 finish, South Hardin’s best record in almost a decade.

Though there’s little margin for error in terms of injuries that the Tigers could sustain, the girls aren’t feeling the pressure after reaching the regional semifinals last year.

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Tigers look to experience, balance

Published by admin on Sat, 08/29/2020 - 10:00am

ELDORA – Nick Eller hopes this year’s South Hardin football senior class gets to see the fruits of its labor.

In four years as the head coach in Eldora, Eller considers his skill players to be the most athletic group he’s had so far, and the Tigers have potential to build off last season’s 5-4 record.

“They’ve got a nice knowledge of the playbook since a lot of them have been doing it for four years now, and we’ve got some good, explosive guys,” Eller said. “The biggest key is to stay healthy and get them the ball and let ‘em go.”

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Football at a glance

Published by admin on Tue, 08/25/2020 - 10:00am

Class 1A District 3

Teams / South Hardin, Aplington-Parkersburg; Dike-New Hartford; East Marshall, Hudson, South Hamilton.

Notables / D-NH is two years removed from a state championship appearance in 1A and were state quarterfinalists last year, losing to eventual state champion West Lyon. … Hudson is up in 1A this year, also two years removed from an undefeated Class A championship run before being snakebitten by injuries last season. … Aplington-Parkersburg returns quarterback Owen Thomas for a team that was a win away from a district title last season.

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Volleyball at a glance

Published by admin on Tue, 08/25/2020 - 10:00am

The NICL West has one fewer team this year as West Marshall has left for the Heart of Iowa Conference.

For those that remain, it will likely be a competitive West schedule, though juggernaut Grundy Center, winners of 11-straight NICL West titles and 71 consecutive West wins, persists as the favorite until any team proves otherwise.

AGWSR / The Cougars went 11-16 last season but return a lot of crucial pieces, including sophomore and leading attacker Brynn Smith, setter Natalie Gerstein and senior leaders like MaKenna Kuper and Taylor Sperfslage.

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Cross country at a glance

Published by admin on Tue, 08/25/2020 - 10:00am

Iowa Falls-Alden/AGWSR– Both school districts reached a mutual agreement to practice separately while competing together this fall. Chad Gerbracht has been hired on as AGWSR’s coach for Cougar practices, and Gerbracht said he has leaned on seniors Derek Blackburn and Kate Pfaltzgraff to lead the small AGWSR group. Blackburn is the lone AGWSR boy running this fall, while Sidney Schafer and Trinity Rotgers join Pfaltzgraff on the girls’ side.

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AGWSR community remembers teacher, coach Hames

Published by admin on Mon, 08/24/2020 - 12:00pm

ACKLEY – Brad Hames’ life has been defined as one of service and commitment to friends, family, students and colleagues in the AGWSR community.

“His roots go deep and wide here in Ackley,” AGWSR High School Principal Jason Gabel said.

Described often as having a laid-back, but straightforward and competitive personality, and the willingness to do a variety of things to support the area where he lived and worked, the AGWSR family is in mourning for the Hames family after Brad died at the age of 48 during a morning walk on Monday, Aug. 17.

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Big Ten conference postpones fall sports to spring: Big 12 moving forward

Published by admin on Sat, 08/22/2020 - 2:00pm

The Big Ten announced the postponement of the 2020-21 fall sports season on Tuesday, due to ongoing health and safety concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This includes cross country, field hockey, football, soccer and volleyball. In a statement issued Tuesday, the conference said it “will continue to evaluate a number of options regarding these sports, including the possibility of competition in the spring.”

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IGHSAU posts fall sports guidelines

Published by admin on Wed, 08/12/2020 - 9:15am

The Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union’s recently-released guidelines on fall sports, including volleyball, provide a glimpse into what indoor sports may look like in the 2020-21 school year as COVID-19 continues to spread.

In addition to promoting social distancing and keeping people that are sick, or have been exposed to someone who is sick, from attending competitions or practices, changes have been made to normal volleyball-playing procedures.