The TigerHawk Invitational Cross Country Meet was renewed after a three-year hiatus Thursday in West Union. Here, the 50 girls who ran in the eight-team race head down the long straightaway before reaching “Old Buzzard Hill,” named after Bob Scott, who started both the sport and the Invitational during his 37 years of teaching and coaching. (Jerry Wadian photo)

TigerHawk Invitational is back!

By Jerry Wadian
jwadian@thefayettecountyunion.com

After a three-year hiatus, the TigerHawk Invitational Cross Country Meet returned Thursday to the high school course in West Union.

Eight full teams ran on the course. However, it had to be changed a bit from its traditional route because of projected construction at the elementary school. NFV head coach Neal Bentley said, “The teams really had to run a gritty race because the course had some muddy, slippery spots, and was even a little swampy in places due to the recent heavy rains.”

NFV runners acquitted themselves in grand fashion as the boys won their race and the girls finished third to a pair of ranked teams.

With plays like this Dylan Muggler (12) sack, NFV held Sumner-Fredericksburg to just three first downs. However, three long runs and a pick-six cost the TigerHawks in a 26-22 loss Friday in West Union. (Jerry Wadian photo)

Big plays stagger TigerHawks again

By Jerry Wadian
jwadian@thefayettecountyunion.com

NFV did many things extremely well again but lost for the second consecutive week on four big plays.

Three long runs and a pick-six were the difference in the game as the TigerHawks suffered a 26-22 loss to Sumner-Fredericksburg Friday in West Union.

Warrior VB faces stiff competition

Zakary Kriener

News Writer
zkriener@fayettepublishing.com

The South Winneshiek volleyball team faced some tough competition last week, facing Crestwood Tuesday, Aug. 28, before playing New Hampton and Sumner-Fredericksburg on Saturday.

Crestwood

The Warriors fell in three consecutive sets (25-18, 25-17, and 27-25) to the Cadets of Crestwood early last week but were competitive throughout the entire evening.

South Winn senior Ashley Kriener posted a sixth-place finish at last week’s MFL/MarMac cross country meet, finishing with a time of 22:35.84. (Jerry Wadian photo)

Warrior XC teams post runner-up finishes

Zakary Kriener

News Writer
zkriener@fayettepublishing.com

The South Winn boys’ and girls’ cross country teams competed at the MFL/MarMac Cross Country meet on Thursday. The meet was added after the varsity meet at Charles City, scheduled for the same day, was cancelled earlier in the week.

The No. 4-ranked boys (Class 1A) took runner-up honors for the meet with 56 points and were led by senior Paul Hageman (17:53.01, second place) and junior Emmett Schwartzhoff (18:38.41, fourth place). The boys came in behind only No. 15-ranked Maquoketa Valley (45).

Running behind blocker Levi Lukes (6), South Winn’s Jaron Todd returns a kickoff during Friday night’s tough 44-8 loss to Sumner-Fredericksburg. Todd led the team in rushing with 89 yards and scored his third touchdown of the season. (Zakary Kriener photo)

Warriors handed tough loss by S-F

Zakary Kriener

News Writer
zkriener@fayettepublishing.com

Overall, it was an ugly night for the South Winn football team on Friday. Despite a competitive opening quarter, the Warriors fell, 44-8, to a veteran Sumner-Fredericksburg squad that they had beaten in the previous nine matchups.

“We got out-executed most of the night by a very solid veteran squad in Sumner-Fred.,” said Warrior coach Jason Ohrt. “There were, (however), glimpses of success despite the outcome of the game.”

The Cougar running attack proved to be the biggest difference in the losing effort for the Warriors as S-F had 320 yards on the ground compared to South Winn’s 111.

Taylor Hepperle hits a hole during the Blue Devils’ 43-0 win over Meskwaki Settlement School on Friday night. Hepperle had 118 yards and a touchdown in the win, which marked the school’s first since 2015. (Jerry Wadian photo)

Blue Devils win big!

Zakary Kriener

News Writer
zkriener@fayettepublishing.com

The West Central Blue Devil football team earned its first victory since 2015 on Friday night, winning in dominating fashion over Meskwaki Settlement School.

The Blue Devils did the majority of their scoring in the first half, bringing a 36-0 lead into halftime.

West Central put one more touchdown on the board in the second half, leading to a final score of 43-0.

Leading the way for the Blue Devils was the rushing attack of Taylor Hepperle and Adam Dolf. Hepperle put up 118 yards on the ground and a touchdown, while Dolf had only five attempts for 39 yards but made the most of them as he rushed for a pair of scores.

The TigerHawks’ Brinna Ehler is about to power this slam by West Central’s Isabel Eitl Thursday during the opening night of the volleyball season for NFV. (Jerry Wadian photo)

Volleyball opens season

By Jerry Wadian
jwadian@thefayettecountyunion.com

NFV opened the 2018 volleyball season last week.

Game one came against visiting West Central on Thursday night.

The Blue Devils won all three 25-16, 25-21, and 25-20.

According to co-head coach Jared Tilleraas, “It was nice to finally get out and play a real game. 

“West Central had already played two matches this season, and you could tell. We had a lot of girls playing their first meaningful varsity minutes, and we had way too many unforced errors and missed serves,” stated the coach after his first game as a varsity coach.

NFV’s Carson Ward looks pretty determined as he takes on one of the many hills the Tri-City Golf Course in Luana on Thursday. With his time of 20:49.43, the TigerHawk senior finished 23^rd in a field of 55 runners. (Dick Fridley photo)

TigerHawk thinclads run at MFL/MM

By Jerry Wadian
jwadian@thefayettecountyunion.com

With the storms that swept through the area on Tuesday, Aug. 28, NFV’s cross country race at Oelwein was cancelled. However, the TigerHawks were able to get into the nine-team meet hosted by MFL/MM on Thursday in Luana.

“We’re very grateful the Bulldogs were willing to let us into the meet at the last minute,” stated TigerHawk head coach Neal Bentley.

Both the boys’ and girls’ teams placed fourth in the meet. Waukon won the girls’ meet, and Maquoketa beat South Winn by two points in the boys’ race. 

Brooks Hovden (10) slips in front of a Union receiver and skies high in the air to pick off this pass Friday night. The TigerHawk senior later used the same athletic ability to jump high enough to block a field goal attempt. (Jerry Wadian photo)

Special teams sink TigerHawks, 22-15

By Jerry Wadian
jwadian@thefayettecountyunion.com

NFV battled Union, the third-ranked team in Class 2A right down to the wire, but two big plays by Knight special teams were the difference in a 22-15 ballgame.

Union started the game by running the opening  kickoff back 81 yards for a TD and a 6-0 lead just 17 seconds into the contest. 

“The returner dropped the ball a couple of times in trying to pick  it up and we fell out of our lanes,” explained NFV head coach Bob Lape.

After the teams combined for three consecutive three-and-outs, Brooks Hovden ended the next Union possession by leaping high in the air to snare his second interception of the season. However, three plays later the TigerHawks gave it right back on an interception.

NFV Football will be broadcast

By Jerry Wadian
jwadian@thefayettecountyunion.com

Fans unable to make Thursday’s Sixth Annual Channel Seed Ag Bowl football game in Waverly, which features the TigerHawks at the Go-Hawks, now have two other options to enjoy the game live.

Option one is to access the TigerHawks Sportscast. This will provide a live play-by-play broadcast. Chris DeBack will provide the play-by-play coverage and will be joined in the broadcast booth by a student intern from Upper Iowa University.