By: Nathan Bloechl — sports@kilj.com
Boys’ Basketball: Super Conference Releases All Conference Teams:
The Southeast Iowa Super Conference has released their robust All-Conference teams.
Here’s a look at local athletes honored on the first team and the other awards given out by conference coaches this year:
1st Team South Division
- Blaise Porter, New London
- Kade Benjamin, New London
- Ty Carr, Danville
- Dylan Stuecker, Central Lee
- Josh Smith, Notre Dame
- Vasin Thurman, Holy Trinity
- Marvion Jackson, West Burlington
- Darian Johnson, West Burlington
1st Team North Division
- Maddox Griffin, Wapello
- Caden Thomas, Wapello
- Cam Buffington, W-MU
- Cole Lipper, Mediapolis
- Abram Edwards, W-MU
New London sophomore Blaise Porter was named the South Division Player of the Year.
Porter helped guide the Tigers to the substate finals, averaging 22.4 points, five assists and four rebounds per game.
The North Division Player of the Year was split between Pekin senior Brady Millikin and Maddox Griffin of Wapello.
Wapello head coach Ken Spielbauer was named Coach of the Year.
Spielbauer orchestrated an 18-3 season for the Indians and were ousted in the district final in a narrow, double overtime loss to Easton Valley — the team that beat New London in substate.
College Wrestling: Iowa Wesleyan Claims Two All-Americans:
Two Iowa Wesleyan women’s wrestlers were named All-Americans following the National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships in Tiffin, Ohio.
Alaina Sunlin and Daisy Scholz, both freshman, were named All-Americans after placing 5th and 6th respectively.
The duo comprise Iowa Wesleyan’s first women’s All-Americans.
Also competing at Nationals over the weekend were Ashden Welty, Clara Padua and Kassandra Ayard.
College Wrestling: Iowa Wins Big Ten Title, Two Apiece for UNI and Iowa State, Former Mediapolis Standout Crowned:
The University of Iowa wrestling team won the 2021 conference championship yesterday, pouring in 159.5 points.
The Hawkeyes received individual championships from Spencer Lee (125), Jaydin Eierman (141), Alex Marinelli (165) and Michael Kemerer (174).
Penn State placed second with 124 while Nebraska finished with 105.5 points for third. Michigan (92 points) and Minnesota (77.5 points) rounded out the top five.
Lee, who won his Big Ten Championship by tech fall, was named the Wrestler of the Year.
Hawkeye head coach Tom Brands was picked as the league’s Coach of the Year.
In the Big 12, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State shared the team title.
Iowa State placed third with 117.5 points while UNI finished fifth with 79 points.
Former Fort Dodge standout Brody Teske (125) and Parker Keckeisen (184) were conference champions for the Panthers, while David Carr (157) and Gannon Gremmel (HWT) claimed conference crowns for the Cyclones.
In the NAIA National Championships over the weekend, former Mediapolis standout Brennan Swafford, now wrestling for Graceland University, was crowned a national champion.
Swafford is now a two-time national champion and completed a perfect season this year.
He was a four-time place winner as a prep at Mediapolis High School.
Girls’ Basketball: Five Champions Crowned:
The Iowa High School Girls State Basketball Tournament has come and gone, let’s take a look at the champions in each class:
1A:
No. 2 Newell-Fonda 66, No. 1 Algona Bishop Garrigan 52
2A:
No. 2 Dike-New Hartford 47, No. 1 Maquoketa Valley 42
3A:
No. 3 Unity Christian 48, No. 4 West Lyon 31
4A:
No. 2 Ballard 47, No. 1 Glenwood 45
5A:
No. 1 Waukee 71, No. 2 Johnston 43
The boys tournament begins today, with games taking place all day at Wells Fargo Arena in 1A and 2A.
College Basketball: Wesleyan Swept by Eureka:
The Iowa Wesleyan men’s and women’s basketball teams were clipped by Eureka over the weekend.
The women fell 89-61, with Anija Simmons and Morgan McCrea leading the way with 15 points apiece.
They’re now 1-6.
Meanwhile, the men suffered an 84-72 loss.
Marvin Saintolien paced the Tigers with 18 points, while Jarryd Fernandes finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds.
Iowa Wesleyan is now 2-5 and 1-2 in conference play.
Both teams will be back in action Tuesday when they travel to Webster.
The women will get things going at 5:30 p.m.