West Central’s Braidyn Buhrow digs a ball off a serve from MFL-MarMac Thursday night, Sept. 15, in a 3-1 loss to the Bulldogs. The Blue Devils secured its first win of the season Tuesday night with a 3-2 win over Kee High. 

Blue Devil volleyball scores first win

By Chris Deback
cdeback@thefayettecountyunion.com

The West Central girls’ volleyball team claimed its first victory of the season with a 3-2 win over the Kee High Hawks on Tuesday, Sept. 13. Later that week, the girls fell to MFL-MarMac, 3-1.

It was a back and forth competition with the Kee Hawks as neither team was able to sustain success for more than one set. The Blue Devils took the first set, 25-19, but fell quickly behind in the second set before losing, 25-9. West Central rebounded in the third set to win a close one, 25-21, but ultimately fell in the fourth set, 25-14.

For the first time this season, it came down to a fifth and final set for the young, but experienced Blue Devils team. It was West Central who pulled out the victory, 15-11, in the final set. At that point, it was only the fourth set the girls had captured all season.

Shown in recent action, Macy Halverson continued her string of ribbon-winning performances last week, coming in 16th to lead NFV at the Starmont Cross Country Invitational. (Jerry Wadian photo)

NFV cross country battles illness, injuries

By Jerry Wadian
jwadian@thefayettecountyunion.com

North Fayette Valley cross country had to battle more than runners Tuesday, Sept. 13, at the Starmont Invitational in Arlington; it also had to contend with illness and injuries.

Courtney Streif and Josh DeLuca did not run with their respective teams due to illness.

For the girls, Ashley Pleggenkuhle was out with an injury, and Callie Halverson ran JV as she tries to return from an injury that prevented her from finishing the meet from last week.

With Streif and Halverson out, Faith Johnston and Emma Moyle were moved up to the varsity.

While teammates Marin Ehler and Jade Daughton (l-r)  look on, Tiffanie Koch skies high to deliver this spike in recent action. The TigerHawk senior delivered 18 kills and blocked eight shots in last week’s action. (Jerry Wadian photo)

TigerHawk volleyball trips Kee

By Jerry Wadian
jwadian@thefayettecountyunion.com

NFV beat Kee last week in Lansing, but went 0-3 in the tough Lisbon Tournament Saturday in Lisbon.

Thursday at Kee, the TigerHawks clipped the Kee Hawks in four games, 25-12, 25-14, 23-25, and 25-19.

Afterwards, NFV head coach Bruce Ehler said, “I’ve had teams that played well one match and not the next, but this is the first time I’ve seen a team be Jekyll and Hyde in the same match. Our first two sets were outstanding, and the last two were lackluster at best.”

The left side of the NFV O line collapses the Monti defense as Kade Chapman (26) rips off a 15-yard gain as the TigerHawk’s ‘next man in’ outscored the visitors, 14-0, during NFV’s 55-0  win Friday over the Panthers. (Jerry Wadian photo)

Everybody special in 55-0 romp

By Jerry Wadian
jwadian@thefayettecountyunion.com

Friday night in West Union, NFV’s special teams, offense, defense, and bench were all special as the TigerHawks romped over Monticello, 55-0.

In the “statistics can be deceiving” category, by the end of the first quarter Monti had four first downs to just two by NFV; yet, the TigerHawks held a, 21-0 lead!

The South Winneshiek girls’ cross country team placed third overall Saturday at Monticello. Senior Sadie Nymeyer stepped up to finish 36^th individually in the event with a time of 23:49. (Jerry Wadian photo)

SW XC boys, girls third at Monticello

Zakary Kriener

News Writer
zkriener@fayettepublishing.com

While the South Winneshiek boys’ and girls’ cross country teams had plans of competing at the Luther Invitational Saturday morning, Mother Nature had a different agenda.

Due to flooding, the meet in Decorah was cancelled and the Warriors decided to compete at the Monticello Invitational instead.

Facing some of the toughest competition it has seen so far this season, the Warrior girls managed 117 team points, good enough for third overall.

Warrior quarterback Joel Hanson looks for an open receiver downfield while trying to avoid the Cyclone pass rush during South Winn’s 31-6 loss Friday night. Hanson connected with receiver Cole Klimesh for the lone Warrior touchdown of the game. (Zakary Kriener photo)

Cyclones stall Warriors

Zakary Kriener

News Writer
zkriener@fayettepublishing.com

South Winneshiek traveled to Denver Friday evening for a game that would mark the beginning of district play for both the Warriors and Cyclones.

“Our kids played hard,” acknowledged coach Jason Ohrt following the game. “We knew going in (that) this would be a difficult challenge.”

West Central’s Collin Kime protects the football as he is tackled by two Turkey Valley defenders in recent action. Friday in Clarksville, Kane lugged the ball 19 times for 122 yards and caught four passes for another 108 yards, including a 10-yard TD catch.  Chris DeBack photo

Blue Devils' rally falls short, 28-24

By Jerry Wadian
jwadian@thefayettecountyunion.com

West Central had an 18-14 lead going into the fourth quarter Friday in Clarksville, but that first win proved elusive as the Indians rallied to win by four, 28-24.

The contest was originally set for 7 p.m. in Clarksville. However, it was moved to Maynard because of the condition of the field in Clarksville. The game was also moved up to 6 p.m. in hopes of beating the rain scheduled to hit the area. Unfortunately, the rain came early and with two lightning delays, the action didn’t start until nearly 8 p.m.

Marin Ehler (17) is known as a terrific setter (she had 105 assists Saturday at the Kepros Tournament in Cresco). However, the NFV senior is a versatile performer. Here, she gets the block against Turkey Valley Thursday in West Union. This was her second consecutive block during the TigerHawks’ second-set victory. (Jerry Wadian photo)

NFV beats TV; 2nd at Kepros

By Jerry Wadian
jwadian@thefayettecountyunion.com

North Fayette Valley volleyball beat Turkey Valley in three straight sets Thursday night in West Union. Saturday in Cresco, the TigerHawks finished second to host Crestwood in the Kepros Tournament.

The cloudburst Friday night in Cascade delayed the opening of the football game for almost 30 minutes. A driving rain fell throughout the first quarter, leaving standing water in many places, including this spot where Josh Mackey (44) fell after a nice gain. It could have been worse; Mackey might have fallen face first, like the Cougar defender just in front of the NFV senior. (photo by Dylan Kurt, Dyersville newspapers)

NFV wins 1st in 'District of Death'

By Jerry Wadian
jwadian@thefayettecountyunion.com

With five teams ranked in the top 10 and a sixth team that was undefeated over its first two contests, no wonder Class 2A District 4 is referred to by many as “The District of Death.”

This year only the top two teams per district will get automatic bids to the playoffs, so something had to give when district play opened Friday night.