Sports
Vikings find positives, areas to improve, in disappointing loss to S. Tama
It was clear in the locker room, said Vinton-Shellsburg football coach Jim Womochil, that losing to South Tama -- even though the Trojans had entered Friday's game ranked 14th in Class 2A -- was not acceptable to his players.
Standing outside that locker room after his team's 17-14 loss Friday night, Womochil gestured toward the facility and said, "In there I saw tears. Former Vikings Hallberg, Tranel ready for start of college football season
Two former Vinton-Shellburg stand-outs are preparing for the upcoming college football season which starts tomorrow.
Troy Hallberg, a senior lineman at Iowa Wesleyan College in Mount Pleasant, will suit up in the purple jersey with the number 61, starting at tackle, when the Tigers host Simpson College at 1 p.m. tomorrow.
"The team is looking good, but there is still room for improvement," says Hallberg, the son of Greg and Kriss Hallberg of rural Vinton. Rough road ahead: Vikings face ranked opponents in first three away games
The Vinton-Shellsburg Vikings 2014 football season includes a long and challenging road schedule. The first three of the Vikings four away games are against ranked opponents.
The road trips begin this Friday, as the Vikings travel to South Tama. Although they won just three games last year, the Trojans are much improved, says Viking coach Jim Womochil. VS girls second, boys fourth, at Williamsburg cross country meet
Lily Horst and Derek Dinderman again led Vinton-Shellsburg cross country runners during Tuesday's meet in Williamsburg.
Each placed third in their varsity races. The Vikings finished fourth in team scoring; the Vikettes were second.
See complete results below:
Varsity girls
Varsity boys
JV girls
JV boys
See more photos from cross country mom Nancy Jorgensen HERE. Raining Buckets Challenge: Vikes defeat Benton 20-8 in downpour
In a week that saw residents throughout the area participating in the Ice Bucket Challenge, the Vinton-Shellsburg Vikings, Benton Community Bobcats and their fans experienced a different kind of drenching Friday night.
After lightning delayed the freshman-sophomore contest (which VS won, 44-8), rain fell through most of the varsity contest. Baseball, softball tryouts set for September
Any girl grades 3rd - 6th and any boy age 8-13 can now sign up for softball and baseball tryouts to be held in September. Players must register to play in the 2015 season. Tryouts will only be conducted if an age group has more than needed as determined by that age group coach. Additional teams will be formed if enough players are available.
VS teams take third in first cross country meet of season
Junior Lily Horst finished second for the girls, and senior Derek Dinderman finished third in the boys event, as the Vinton-Shellsburg cross country teams both placed third in the Mount Vernon-Lisbon invitational Tuesday in Mount Vernon.
Vikette Senior Payton Leonard, who has been a leader of the girls track team, joined cross country this year and finished fifth in her first race. Blowout: 318 athletes prepare for seasons of fall sports at VSMS, VSHS
Announcer Larry Druschel counted 318 names among the student-athletes who will compete in football, volleyball, cross country, swimming and cheerleading for Vinton-Shellsburg High School and VS Middle School this year.
Druschel read each name during the annual Fall Blow-Out, where Viking football players compete in brief scrimmages and the announcer introduces each team to the audience of parents and VS fans. Fall Blowout, volleyball preview set for today at VSHS
Vinton-Shellsburg will introduce the athletes of its fall sports teams to the public during the annual Fall Blowout and Volleyball Preview today.
The Volleyball event takes place at 3:30 p.m. today in the high school gym. The Blowout begins at 5 p.m. at the Karr Athletic Complex, where the younger players will be introduced and the high school football teams will scrimmage.
Gustin takes XSAN Hawkeye Dirt Tour checkers at Benton County
Richie Gustin raced to his career seventh XSAN Hawkeye Dirt Tour feature win on the night Tyler Droste nearly raced to his first.
Gustin caught Droste with two circuits left in Monday’s 30-lapper for IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modifieds at Benton County Speedway, then pulled ahead to take the $1,000 checkers by four car lengths. He’s now the eighth different winner in as many tour events this season.