Lenox On Top At Half of Championship Game

Allen Dukes and his Lenox Tigers are sending shockwaves throughout the state as they have taken a commanding 22-10 lead into halftime of the 8-Player State Championship Game.  Armstrong-Ringsted, who lost in last year's final, knocked off the top two ranked teams in dominating fashion to land in the final.  Lenox defeated CWL, Corwith last Friday, 40-20, in the other semifinal.  Stay tuned to KMALand.com as Lenox looks to take the title!

Cyclone Women Beat In-State Rival, Move to 2-0

The Iowa State Lady Cyclones won on the road against Northern Iowa last night with a dominating 79-54 win.  Kelsey Bolte started out hot scoring 11 of the team's first 13 points and finished with 17 -- all in the first half.  The Cyclones - who are ranked #24 in one of the women's polls this week - are now 2-0.  This was just game one of a six game stint on the road.  CLICK HERE for more on the game.

Martin Daily Blog: 11/21

Happy Friday, KMALand.  This is Derek Martin filling in for Chris Williams who is off at the Dome again today.  The Lenox Tigers will try to tame the Mustangs of Armstrong-Ringsted today in the 8-Player Final.  Has there been a more impressive win this entire season than Armstrong-Ringsted's 57-20 win over Stanton last week?  If there has been it's probaby their win a week earlier against North Sentral Kossuth.  Lenox may be running into a buzzsaw today, but one thing is for certain - Coach Allen Dukes will have his boys ready to play.  Should be an interesting weekend at the Dome.

Speaking of the Dome, I made semifinal predictions last week in this very blog, and I'm back to gloat. While I did pick Stanton to advance to the championship round that is just one of two misfires by yours truly. I also decided to go with my heart and picked IKM-Manning to beat Central Lyon/George-Little Rock. I was a little sketchy on the prediction and for good reason. CL/G-LR will now play Solon for the third consecutive year in the state championship. Solon took the title last year and CL/GL-R won two years ago.

PREDICTION TIME

It's time to see how smart I am again this week as I pick your six state champions. We'll work from big to small so as to keep you on your seat for my 8-Player prediction.

Class 4A: West Des Moines Valley has held down the #1 ranking all season long and knocked off the mighty beast, Ankeny, last week. Ankeny was last year's runner-up and Valley used a strong comeback to put themselves in position for the title. Their opponent is the "home" team in Cedar Falls. I've got Valley in this one, but it should come down to the last couple minutes.

Class 3A: Sioux City Heelan has been an unstoppable force throughout the year. Tomorrow they face their final step in redemption from last year's runner-up finish. Decorah will be their opponent, and I just don't think there's anyone in the state from Class 3A to Class 8-Man that can touch Heelan right now. Wegher runs wild at the Dome and Heelan takes home the title.

Class 2A: I mentioned this one above, but for the third consecutive year it's Solon and Central Lyon/George-Little Rock. Much like Heelan, both of these teams have been nearly untouchable throughout the season. Solon is probably one of the few teams in the state below Class 3A that could give Heelan a run for their money. I'm taking Solon in a doozy.

Class 1A: Another dominating year for Emmetsburg as they head to the championship to take on West Lyon. West Lyon knocked off two-time defending champion, Saint Albert, two weeks ago then slipped by Prairie Valley last week. Emmetsburg has disposed of anything in its path including #1 Aplington-Parkersburg two weeks ago. I'm taking the E-Hawks in this one.

Class A: North Tama has basically bided their time as the #2 ranked team throughout the season. They were #2 when former #1 Madrid was knocked off by AHST, and then #2 when Madrid returned the favor. They get a chance to be #1 today with a win over Southern Cal. It'll be a battle, but North Tama is a team of destiny this year. I think they take the Class A crown.

8-Player: And finally in the one game where Southwest Iowa has a stake it's the 8-Player championship. Coach Dukes and the Lenox Tigers against Coach Robert Zotz and the Armstrong-Ringsted Mustangs. As I mentioned earlier, it's hard to find a more impressive win than Armstrong-Ringsted's 57-20 win over Stanton last week. In the end, I think the Mustangs will just be too much for Lenox - but I do expect Lenox to surprise some people with how they play. Either way it's been an outstanding season for the Tigers.

That's all for now, KMALand. Enjoy your weekend.

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ACS to make major announcement for '09 race season

Big changes are on the horizon for the Adams County Speedway. Track officials are gearing up to make a major announcement on KMA this coming Monday morning. Listen to KMA 960 and 99.3 Monday morning during the 7:20 sportscast as Chris Williams will visit with Adams County Fair and Racing Association president Cliff Baldwin. Baldwin will reveal details of the new Adams County Speedway promoter and track director. Also keep an eye on kmaland.com for more information.

Lenox to Play for a

8-Player State

Title on

Friday

Left: All photos courtesy of Kim Cline.

The Lenox Tigers are on the brink of their championship football game Friday morning when they will take on Armstrong-Ringstead in the 8-player championship football game. You'll be able to hear all of the action on KMA-FM with pre-game beginning at 10:15.

One interesting fact about this match-up is that neither team has ever won a football state championship at any level. Both football teams come in on a serious roll. Armstrong-Ringstead has outscored their past four opponents 229-83. Lenox has been dominating as well winning their last four games 173-34.

The key for Lenox will be stopping the two-headed rushing attack of Mustang quarterback Ridge Christensen and halfback Tyler Tonderum. Tonderum has rushed for over 2,000 yards this season while Christensen has surpassed well over 1,500 yards. All together, the Armstrong-Ringstead offense has averaged an amazing 704 yards per game this season.

Meanwhile, the Tiger defense has averaged giving up only 147 yards per game.

Williams Daily Blog: 11/20/08

The Royals made a big trade yesterday. They acquired a centerfielder from the Red Sox.

His name is Coco Crisp. Ever heard of him?

I have one question about this Coco Crisp. Why isn't his name a bigger deal? His name is Coco Crisp.

Seriously.

What were his parents thinking? It's as if the last name Crisp isn't odd enough. When they were preparing for this child, I want to know who/why and how they came up with the first name of Coco.

Left: That's Coco.

His name is Coco Crisp and it's officially the coolest name in all of sports. Good for him and good for the Royals for eying such a talent. That should be rule number one in running a professional sports franchise. If you ever have a chance to pick up a guy by the name of Coco Crisp, DO IT.

I was watching ESPN last night (that's a shock) and one of the announcers was getting wise with the other while talking about the trade. He said, "the Royals got Crisp, now they need 24 other players to be good" or something like that. I wanted to jump through my TV and let him have it. Royals fans have it hard enough. Last night, they were all excited about acquiring a guy named Coco Crisp and that guy from Connecticut had to go and ruin it.

Shame on the worldwide leader.

I'm heading off to Cedar Falls here this afternoon to watch the Lenox Tigers play for an 8-player state championship. I love watching that football team play. Against CWL, they were so undersized it's not even funny. But boy, those Tigers hit hard. I'm really excited for tomorrow.

I'm also excited for Saturday as I'm going to take in the Northwest Missouri State playoff game. I talked with Coach T yesterday and that man is jacked up to beat up on Pitt State.

That's it for today. I'm off to UNI. Stay safe KMAland.

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BOSTON (AP) - Outfielder Coco Crisp has been traded from the Boston Red Sox to the Kansas City Royals for reliever Ramon Ramirez.

Royals general manager Dayton Moore calls the switch-hitting Crisp a ``championship-caliber player'' who will help Kansas City move forward. Crisp is a career .280 batter in seven seasons with Cleveland and Boston.  The 29-year-old started 98 games for the Red Sox last season while sharing the center field job with rookie Jacoby Ellsbury.  He stole 20 bases in 27 attempts, marking the third season in a row he's reached the 20-steal plateau.  Ramirez is a 27-year-old right-hander who had a 2.64 ERA in 71 2-3 innings last season.

Knott Coach of the Year; Two Mustangs On First Team

Missouri Valley Head Coach Brian Knott was named Class 2A District 8 Coach of the Year Wednesday morning, and two Shenandoah Mustangs were named to the first team.  Seniors Jordan Golden (offensive line) and Clete Jones (linebacker) were both first team All-District selections.  All the first team players are listed below:

FIRST TEAM

QB - Brandon Boldt, JR, Kuemper Catholic

QB - Dustin Nelson, JR, Missouri Valley

QB - Bryce Irlbeck, JR, IKM-Manning

RB - Jeff Williams, SR, Clarinda

RB - Ryan Halbur, SR, IKM-Manning

RB - Joey Goff, SR, Missouri Valley

FB - Jared Croghan, JR, IKM-Manning

FB - Chaps Wilcke, JR, OABCIG

TE - Jon Dillinger, SR, Missouri Valley

OL - Cy Williams, SR, Clarinda

OL - Jason Kienast, SR, IKM-Manning

OL - Kenny Riesenberg, SR, Kuemper Catholic

OL - Colten Marsh, SR, Missouri Valley

OL - Jordan Golden, SR, Shenandoah

DL - Eric Croghan, SR, IKM-Manning

DL - Clint Gehling, SR, Kuemper Catholic

DL - Adam Kuhl, SR, MVAO

DL - Kyle Wunschel, SR, OABCIG

DL - Conrad Metz, SR, Red Oak

DE - Joe Flannigan, SR, MVAO

LB - Bryant Hummel, SR, Clarinda

LB - Jamie Gubbels, SR, Kuemper Catholic

LB - Nick Monzu, JR, Missouri Valley

LB - Austin Boger, SR, OABCIG

LB - Bill Honeyman, SR, Red Oak

LB - Clete Jones, SR, Shenandoah

DB - Chris Oberg, JR, MVAO

DB - Cole Boger, JR, OABCIG

P - Jared Gaskill, IKM-Manning

K - Zack Hahn, IKM-Manning

Coach of the Year: Brian Knott, Missouri Valley

Williams Daily Blog: 11/19/08

Yesterday, the University of Texas football program announced that defensive coordinator Will Muschamp would take over as the successor of Mack Brown, whenever the 57-year-old coaching legend decides to retire.

Good move or a bad move?

BAD MOVE. This probably seems great for Muschamp right now but let's think about this a little bit more. One big positive is Muschamp's raise. Instead of making $424,000, he's now getting $900,000 a year. Not a bad increase. I think we call can agree on that.

Above: Muschamp and Brown

But let's go back to the fact that Brown is only 57-years old. He's already stated that he doesn't plan on retiring anytime soon. Meanwhile, the 37-year-old Muschamp is just entering his coaching prime. If Texas somehow sneaks into the BCS title game this season, Muschamp would be a top candidate for all sorts of schools at the conclusion of the college football season. As a head coach at another BCS school, he'd make well more than $900,000. More importantly, he'd get some big-time college football coaching experience.

That would set himself up to take a big job like Texas in his future.

Now, Muschamp will be a defensive coordinator for probably at least 10 more years making less money and his career will be set in neutral.

I understand the security factor here. Muschamp knows that he's on the verge of taking over possibly the best job in all of college football. But is it worth the wait?

There's a similar situation going on at a once proud program, Florida State. Offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher will take over for 79-year-old Bobby Bowden when the coach steps down.

Do you see the obvious difference here? The 43-year-old Fisher played this card right. Bowden will coach one or two year more at the absolute most. Bowden is 22-years older than Brown.

Above: Jimbo and Bobby.

If Brown is anything like Bowden or my boy Joe Pa, he'll be at Texas for 15-20 more years. Is

Will Muschamp going to be a coordinator for that long?

This was a bad career move for Muschamp.

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Today's Sports Feature: IWCC VB Coach Terry Gamble

The IWCC Reivers will be playing for a volleyball national championship coming up this weekend in Council Bluffs.  

Iowa basketball team lands Sioux City product
     
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) _ The University of Iowa men's basketball team has landed another commitment from an in-state recruit.
    
Forward/center Brennan Cougill, who plays at Bishop Heelan High School in Sioux City, has signed a national letter of intent with Iowa. The team's coach, Todd Lickliter, announced Cougill's decision on Tuesday.
    
Lickliter says Cougill is a versatile post player, who is comfortable facing the basket. He says the Sioux City product has good court sense and vision.
    
Cougill, who is 6-foot-9-inches tall and weighs 260 pounds, initially gave a verbal commitment in 2007. He is the second Iowa product to sign with the Hawkeyes this year. Eric May, of Dubuque Walhert, will also join the team.

The United States Tennis Association Missouri Valley Iowa District Annual Awards event took place on Saturday, November 15th,2008 in Iowa City, Iowa. One award was given to the Pierson family of Red Oak as they were named the 2008 Iowa Tennis family of the year by the Iowa Tennis Association.

Above: Emily, Amy, Debbie, Jeff and Rachel Pierson of Red Oak.

The Hawkeye 10 Volleyball teams were released on Friday as well.  Below are the teams:

FIRST TEAM

Amy Dentlinger, SR, Kuemper*

Sydney Stickrod, SR, Kuemper*

Natalie Olberding, SO, Lewis Central*

Mary Kaufman, JR, Harlan*

Mary Klocke, SR, Kuemper

Anna Wernimont, JR, Atlantic

Kasey Swinnerton, SR, Atlantic

Kaely Piller, JR, Red Oak

Hayleigh Hansen, JR, Lewis Central

SECOND TEAM

Arinda Abbuhl, SR, Red Oak

Allison Adams, SR, Kuemper

Emily Morgan, JR, Lewis CEntral

Amber Leinen, SR, Harlan

Nicole Hunter, SR, Creston

Laura Steinauer, JR, Clarinda

Kristin Comstock, JR, Shenandoah

Erin Westering, SR, Atlantic

Kayla Krohnke, JR, Denison

HONORABLE MENTION

Stacie Hoffman, SR, Kuemper

Sammi Cedillo, SR, Lewis Central

Carly DeMarque, FR, Lewis Central

Katie Pappas, SR, Atlantic

Kate Renander, SR, Red Oak

Gabrielle French, FR, Red Oak

Jana Wolken, SR, Harlan

Maria Krejci, JR, Creston

Morgan Evans, SR, Creston

Shala Davidson, SR, Clarinda

Amanda Eller, SR, Denison

Nikki Akers, SR, Shenandoah

Jenna Turcotte, SR, Glenwood

Cassie Stewart, JR, Glenwood

*Denotes Unanimous Selection

Class 8-Man District 8 Teams Released

The All-District teams were recently released for Class 8-Man District 8.  Below are the players honored:

FIRST TEAM

QB - Chris Palmquist, SR, Stanton

RB - Alex Whigham, JR, Stanton

RB - Jacob Wood, SR, Farragut

RB - Grant McArdle, SR, Stanton

RB - Triston Crouch, JR, Sidney

End - Alex Cabbage, SR, Stanton

End - Chase Heinold, SR, Essex

End - Eli Cordon, SR, Villisca*

OL - Cam Lewellen, SR, Stanton

OL - Jeremy Oltmanns, SR, Stanton*

OL - Jerrylee Irwin, SR, Farragut

OL - Joe Adcock, SR, Villisca

Utility - Nathen Day, JR, East Mills

PK - Triston Crouch, JR, Sidney

PK - Nick Berggren, JR, Villisca

P - Colby Bredensteiner, SR, Farragut*

Returner - Alex Whigham, JR, Stanton*

DL - Eli Cordon, SR, Villisca*

DL - Tanner Stubbendeck, JR, Stanton

DL - Jeremy Oltmanns, SR, Stanton

DL - Alex Cabbage, SR, Stanton

LB - Nate Elwood, SR, Stanton*

LB - Brian Viscoky, SR, East Mills*

LB - Carroll Heitshusen, JR, Farragut

LB - Jake Barrett, SR, Sidney

DB - Grant Focht, SR, Stanton

DB - Alex Whigham, JR, Stanton

DB - Triston Crouch, JR, Sidney

Utility - Grant McArdle, SR, Stanton*

Kickoff - Lucas Oster, JR, Stanton

SECOND TEAM

QB - Jake Bolton, JR, East Mills

RB - Klinton hansen, SR, Hamburg

RB - Dustin Thompson, JR, Villisca

RB - Carroll Hetshusen, JR, Farragut

End - Gary Nielsen, SR, East Mills

End - Grant Focht, SR, Stanton

End - Andy Kuhr, SR, Hamburg

End - Ryan Pignotti, SR, East Mills

OL - Matt Miller, JR, East Mills

OL - Brian Visocky, SR, East Mills

OL - Duncan Spencer, SR, Sidney

OL - Deven Holman, SR, Hamburg

Utility - Kyle Bangston, SR, Essex

P - Nick Berggren, JR, Villisca

Returner - Nick McGinnis, SR, Farragut

Returner - Gary Nielsen, SR, East Mills

DL - Jerrylee Irwin, SR, Farragut

DL - Ryan Pignotti, SR, East Mills

DL - Caine Smith, JR, Hamburg

DL - Matt Barrett, JR, Hamburg

LB - Tyler Jones, SR, Stanton

LB - Dustin Thompson, SR, Villisca

LB - George Ellison, SR, South Page

LB - Kaleb Kahue, SO, Hamburg

DB - Marcus Birt, SR, Essex

DB - Colby Bredensteiner, SR, Farragut

DB - Aaron Williams, SR, Villisca

Utility - Gary Nielsen, SR, East Mills

Kickoff - Nick Berggren, JR, Villisca

*Denotes Unanimous Selection