Sports

     Vinton -Shellsburg was beat by Waterloo Columbus 0-3, Tuesday evening in volleball action. Game scores were: 23-25 16-25 8-25      See complete match stats HERE. See the 2011 Vikette volleyball schedule with scores and a roster HERE.

     The Vinton-Shellsburg Middle School girls ruled the field at the S.Tama Cross Country meet on Monday, Sept. 12. Lily Horst won the race, and the Vikettes had five of the top eight finishes. Bristi Gerber came in third for VSMS.     The Middle School course is 1.5 miles.    The top 8 finishers in the girls race were: 1 Lily Horst, 8 10:23 6:55 Vinton-Shellsburg 2 Haley Fye, 8 10:40 7:06 East Marshall 3 Bristi Gerber, 8 10:42 7:08 Vinton-Shellsburg 4 Chloe Osborn, 8 10:57 7:18 Vinton-Shellsburg 5 Baylee Kivett, 8 11:03 7:21 Grinnell 6 Cassie Kenney, 7 11:05 7:23 Vinton-Shellsburg 7 Whitney Grubb, 8 11:11 7:27 Grinnell 8 Hannah Haisman, 7 11:17 7:31 Vinton-Shellsburg      In middle school boys action, Jonah Blix and Ben Eden led the Vikings.

       The Vinton-Shellsburg boys cross country team came in fourth place at the Benton Community Invite on Saturday, Sept. 10, just one point behind third place Waterloo Columbus. Mount Vernon-Lisbon won the meet; Solon finished second.       Sophomore Wyatt Lyons led the Vikings, finishing in third with a time of 17:29; junior Ricky Jeray was fourth, at 17:50.

     The Vinton-Shellsburg Vikings' hopes for a return to the post-season in 2011 took a double hit Friday in Maquoketa.      The Vikings lost the game, 58-6, and also lost their leading scorer, Nolan Edwards, who suffered a possibly broken collar bone on the Vikings' first possession.       The Cardinals scored on every posession but their last, scoring eight touchdowns and a field goal.

The Union Knights continued their winning ways Friday night with a district opening 56-7 victory over Center Point - Urbana in La Porte City. Union is now  in 3A D5.      The Knight defense gave up only one score in the second quarter and were led by seniors Dylan McLaughlin and Cole Hinders have 10 tackles each.  Senior defensive lineman Kyle Ansley helped out with six tackles followed by four each from Brian Dunkelberger, Trev Hadachek, and Shay Fehl.

     The Vinton-Shellsburg Vikettes defeated Center Point-Urbana, 3-2, Tuesday evening.      Game scores were: 13-25 25-14 18-25 25-23 15-9     See complete game stats HERE at the Quik Stats Iowa web site. 

          When the Vinton-Shellsburg Vikings end their season vs. Union on Oct. 21, they will have one defensive game plan: Stop Wes Burnside.       That, however, is easier said than done. Burnside has rushed for 455 yards on 45 carries in the first two Union wins, for a 10.1 yard per carry average.

       Dave Schulze of Keystone will remember the Benton County Speedway as the location of his first career feature race win. He took the checkered flag Sunday in the Sport Mod feature.      Other Winners at the Benton County Speedway Sunday, Sept. 4, have all been in Victory Lane in Vinton this year: Hobby Stock: Scott Pippert Stock Car: Phil Holt Modifieds: Mike Burbridge Sport Compact: Bill Whalen, Jr.

       VINTON -- It was an up-and-down day for the Vinton-Shellsburg volleyball team Saturday, as Coach Steph Miller's Vikettes went 3-3 in their own invitational tournament at Garrison Fieldhouse.      Union (rated fifth in 3A), West Delaware (rated seventh in 3A) and Dike-New Hartford (rated fourth in 2A) all ended up 5-1, but D-NH won the team title on tie-breakers.

       For the first time since the 2005 season, the Vinton-Shellsburg Vikings will begin district play with an undefeated record.      The Vikings scored on a 52-yard pass from Lincoln Riffey to Kelyn Rickels early in the first quarter en route to a 35-21 win in their home opener against South Tama.