FOF golf tourney Saturday

The annual Friends of Football (FOF) Golf Tournament has a few slots left for its Saturday tourney at Pleasant Valley Sports Club in Clermont. 

The tourney will be a three-person, best-shot format with a shotgun start at 10 a.m. 

The cost is $120 per team, which includes lunch, mulligans, and entry to all of the door prizes and field events.  Carts are available but are not part of the tournament fee; those needing carts should contact Pleasant Valley Sports Club.

Anyone wishing to enter should call Pleasant Valley Sports Club at (563) 423-7396 or Chris Bemiss at Bemiss Distributing (563) 422-6095.

FOF’s prime objective is to help defray expenses for parents of children competing in the fifth- and sixth-grade football programs. Funds from the golf tournament also feed the students who are part of the NFV football team, including its managers and cheerleaders. 

Paul Hageman gets a lead from second base during the Warriors’ dominant 13-3 win over Turkey Valley last week. (Zakary Kriener photo)

Warriors win two but fall short in District final

Zakary Kriener

News Writer
zkriener@fayettepublishing.com

The South Winneshiek baseball team got its 2018 postseason started with a bang. The Warriors hosted Postville on Tuesday, July 10, in a District quarterfinal matchup between a pair of familiar Upper Iowa Conference foes.

South Winn was firing on all cylinders throughout the contest as it cruised to a dominant 15-0 win over the Pirates in four innings.

“This was a great way to start District play as several guys hit it well, and we were able to minimize our pitch count to allow all of our arms to be eligible to pitch on Thursday,” said coach Alex Smith after the win.

Jaron Todd was credited with the win on the mound as he tossed two innings, giving up only two hits and striking out three batters.

On offense, senior Hunter Todd went 1-3 with a double and three RBI, while Seth Greve (2-2, a double, two RBI), Noah Tieskoetter (2-2, a triple, two RBI), and Kody Kleve (3-4, four RBI) also had solid outings for South Winn.

On Thursday, the Warriors hosted Turkey Valley in a District semifinal game in Calmar.

Independence native Curt Martin is no stranger to area racing fans. Shown in recent action, Martin will be one of many Late Model drivers competing for the $2000 winner’s purse as the Deery Brothers Summer Series returns to the Fayette County Speedway in West Union on    Wednesday, July 25. The Deery Late Model race will be one of many highlights for the Fayette County Fair that will be running that week. (IMC photo by Barry Johnson)

IMCA Deery Series to return to FCS

 The IMCA Deery Brothers Summer Series for Late Models is returning to the Fayette County Speedway (FCS) for the first time in nine years.

The Deery Series is the longest-running tour for Late Models in the Midwest and will make a much-anticipated return to West Union during the Fayette County Fair on Wednesday, July 25.

The Deery Brothers Summer Series comes to town with IMCA Late Models racing for $2,000 to win and a minimum of $300 to start. 

Over the past few seasons, Maeley Nefzger has been a standout performer for the West Union swim team. Shown in action against Waukon on Tuesday, July 10, Nefzger won a bronze medal in the 50 freestyle at the Conference Swim-Off on Saturday in Sumner. (Jerry Wadian photo)

Swim team ends season

By Jerry Wadian
jwadian@thefayettecountyunion.com

The West Union swim team ended its 2018 season Saturday at the Conference Swim-Off in Sumner, where it finished fifth in the nine-team conference.

Earlier in the week, the team lost its final home meet of the season to Waukon on Tuesday, July 10. No results from that meet were available at press time. 

The New Hampton first baseman is about to make a bare-handed grab of this flip, but Ty Stee has already crossed the bag as his little “nubber” couldn’t be handled by the Chick defense. Stee’s infield single was one of three hits for NFV in its 2-1 playoff loss Saturday in New Hampton. (Kris Van Sickle photo) 

Baseball loses pitching duel

By Jerry Wadian
jwadian@thefayettecountyunion.com

The Class 2A District 5 baseball playoff game between NFV and New Hampton was a classic pitching duel. 

The two teams combined for just seven hits and no earned runs as the Chicks outdueled the TigerHawks, 2-1, Tuesday, July 10, in New Hampton.

NFV’s Brooks Hovden deserved a better fate, throwing 78 pitches over five innings, allowing four hits and the two unearned runs while fanning five and walking one. Dylan Muggler came on in 

the sixth to strike out the side on three pitches.

However, NH ace Aden Zwanziger was just as good, allowing three hits and a walk with one K.

NH pushed across a run in the bottom of the first. The TigerHawks responded as Gunner Rodgers scored in the top of the third.

However, the Chicks would score the only other run of the game in the bottom of the inning on a hard-hit ball to the infield. NFV made the great stop, but trying to still get the runner, overthrew the bag at first. 

Warrior pitcher Taylor Buchheit had a strong week on the mound last week as she notched career strikeout number 1,000 on Monday, July 2, against Hudson. South Winn went on to win the game, 7-6. (Zakary Kriener photo)

SW SB goes 1-1 in postseason play

Zakary Kriener

News Writer
zkriener@fayettepublishing.com

The Warrior softball team began its 2018 postseason on a high note with a  Monday night, July 2, win but saw its season end the following night with a loss to North Linn.

In a contest that saw senior pitcher Taylor Buchheit notch her 1,000th career strikeout in the second inning, the Warriors pulled out a 7-6 win over Hudson to start postseason play.

South Winn sophomore Seth Greve takes a big swing at a pitch during recent Warrior baseball action. SW clinched the Upper Iowa Conference title with a sweep of Clayton Ridge on Monday, July 2, with a combined two-game score of 25-0 . (Kris Van Sickle photo)

Warrior BB wins UIC, tunes up for postseason

Zakary Kriener

News Writer
zkriener@fayettepublishing.com

The South Winn baseball team captured the Upper Iowa Conference championship after sweeping Clayton Ridge/Central Elkader in a two-game series on Monday, July 2.

In game one, the Warriors earned a 13-0 shutout win over CR/CE, a game that featured 18 hits by the red and white.

Blue Devils falter in first-round action

By Chris Deback
cdeback@thefayettecountyunion.com

The West Central softball team’s season came to an end with a 4-0 loss to the BGM Bears in the first round of the Class 1A Region 3 playoffs on Tuesday, July 2. 

Even though the Blue Devils traveled to BGM for the game, they were the home team. 

The Blue Devils held their own against a solid Bears squad that scored two runs in the first inning, and one run each in the second and third. 

“In the first inning, I think our nerves got the best of us a little bit,” said Nick Robinson, West Central head coach. “We gave them a couple runs, but after that, [senior pitcher Mary McDonough] really settled in and pitched well.” 

Jaxson Ludgren combines power and form in recent action for the West Union swim team. (Jerry Wadian photo)

Conference Swim Meet Saturday

By Jerry Wadian
jwadian@thefayettecountyunion.com

The West Union swim team heads to Sumner Saturday for the Conference Swim Meet. At the meet, warm-ups will begin at 9 a.m. with the competition starting at 10 a.m.

Last week, the swimmers had just one meet, losing to always powerful Decorah, 462-178, in Decorah.

Brooks Hovden wears a protective mask while pitching the TigerHawks to a 14-4 victory in the District opener Saturday over Sumner-Fred. The mask became necessary after the junior had a bunt attempt earlier in the week go into the air, breaking his nose. Despite that, Hovden singled twice and went 3 1/3 allowing three hits and three runs. He also had a bunt attempt during the game. (Kris Van Sickle photo) 

TigerHawk BB advances

By Jerry Wadian
jwadian@thefayettecountyunion.com

NFV advanced in the Class 2A District 5 baseball playoffs Saturday in Waukon, pasting Sumner-Fredericksburg, 14-4, in six innings.

  Both teams pushed two runs across in the first, but the Columbia blue, black and silver gave itself breathing space with a six-run second. Two more in the third and fifth innings gave NFV a 13-4 lead later ended the game in the sixth with a solo run.

 In all, the TigerHawks collected 11 hits and six walks; they also stole six bases.