NIACC Rewind 2007

Rewind for December 17

By Craig Pinley

NIACC Sports Information Director

North Iowa Area Community College had its fourth athlete become an All-American this fall as football player Lorenzo Brown (Bristol, CT/Eastern) earned honorable mention status with the National Junior College Athletic Association. Brown, who was Co-Most Valuable Player on offense in Region XI, threw for 20 touchdowns and ran for six more while producing 2,883 yards in total offense. Brown was at his best in the Midwest Football Conference West playoff game against Iowa Central Community College, tossing for 339 yards and four touchdowns in a 48-47 victory. Brown is the second NIACC quarterback named honorable mention All-American in the past two seasons; Ben Alford was similarly honored in 2006 after being Offensive Player of the Year in Region XI.

Another football player was honored with the opportunity to participate in a prestigious event last weekend, the Triumphant Sport Bowl’s Junior College All-Star game in Mesa, AZ. Sophomore Kyle Staudt (Charles City/HS) was selected for the contest after earning All-Region XI first-team honors this fall. Staudt, an offensive lineman, was a key cog that allowed NIACC to rank among the national leaders in total offense in 2007 and post its second straight 7-4 record.

NIACC’s three primarily winter sports teams finished their pre-Christmas holiday slates last weekend. NIACC’s wrestling team lost a 20-19 dual meet decision at home to Ellsworth Community College on Friday and fell to 2-2 overall. Fourth-ranked NJCAA 157-pounder DaVaughn Perkins (Omaha, NE/North) continued his stellar season, posting his 20^th victory in beating Ryan Bormann by fall in 2:46. Nationally-rated teammates Cody Hogan (Richmond, MO/HS), T.J. Moen (Des Moines/Saydel) and Albert White (Harvey, IL/St. Rita) also won, though their matches were much more closely-contested.

Hogan moved from 125 to 133 pounds and edged Justin Dixon 3-2. At 141, Moen beat Danny Gray 6-4 with late points in the third period and White and 2007 NJCAA national qualifier Kurt Simon provided NIACC fans with an entertaining match at 149 pounds as White finished with five points in the closing moments to win 15-7. NIACC’s other victory came at 174 pounds at Tyler Hancock (Camp Verde, AZ/HS) edged Joe Perry 7-6.

In women’s basketball, NIACC ended its pre-Christmas schedule with a 59-42 home loss to Anoka-Ramsey Community College last Tuesday. Madelyn Houser (Gilbert/HS) scored 13 points and added 10 rebounds and five assists for the Trojans, now 3-8 this season. Tiffany Braun (St. Ansgar/HS) scored eight of her 10 points in the first half as head coach John Oertel’s team took a 28-26 lead. However, a 20-2 second-half run gave Anoka-Ramsey enough momentum to post its second win over NIACC this season.

In men’s basketball, NIACC moved to 8-7 overall by beating Marshalltown Community College 62-50 on Sunday morning at the Impact JUCO Shootout at Drake University. Greg Smalls (Charleston, SC/West Ashley) scored a collegiate-high 25 points on 10 of 14 field goal shooting and Bernell Benjamin (Minneapolis, MN/Hopkins) pitched in with 19 points as the Trojans got a measure of revenge for a loss to the Tigers eight days earlier in Marshalltown.

NIACC’s athletic department would like to extend special thanks to a handful of individuals for their help in compiling and posting information for Rewind updates and bulletin boards at NIACC athletics offices in 2007. They include administrative assistant Emily Ruehlow, student workers Kara Cobb and Sara Cox and student interns Jarrod Tell and Devin Johnson.

On behalf of NIACC athletics, we would like to wish you a special holiday season and good tidings for 2008.

 

Rewind for December 10

Some accurate long-range shooting has given the North Iowa Area Community College women’s basketball team new life in the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference as the Trojans opened ICCAC play with a 67-47 win over visiting Ellsworth Community College last Wednesday and added a 61-42 victory over visiting Southeastern Community College on Saturday night.

Against Ellsworth, head coach John Oertel’s squad made 11 of 26 three-point baskets and Tiffany Burgess (Des Moines/East) scored 10 of her 12 points during a 24-6 spurt in the first half to key the win. Burgess and Tiffany Braun (St. Ansgar/HS) each tallied 12 points in Saturday’s win as the Trojans made 8 of 20 3-pointers. In the initial eight games of the season, NIACC had made just 27 treys.

Madelyn Houser (Gilbert/HS) gave the Trojans a little of everything in the Southeastern win, scoring nine points, blocking nine shots and adding seven rebounds and four steals. Meanwhile, Burgess, Caiti Findreng (Elkhorn, WI/Waterford Union), Sara Cox (Waterloo/West) and Braun gave NIACC two three-point field goals apiece as the home team led 26-20 at intermission and then went on an 11-0 run in the opening minutes of the second half to put the game away. The Trojans, 3-7 overall, host non-ICCAC opponent Anoka-Ramsey Community College at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

In men’s basketball, NIACC (7-7) lost a non-conference game at Marshalltown Community College 54-38 Saturday after losing an 84-78 overtime decision to conference foe Ellsworth on Wednesday. In the Marshalltown defeat, Bernell Benjamin (Minneapolis, MN/Hopkins) scored six points and he had 17 points (all in the second half and overtime) against Ellsworth. Brandon Stephens (Flint, MI/Central) led the Trojans with 23 points on Wednesday, continuing his strong play in December. On December 2, in the second game at the Ellsworth Classic, Stephens had scored 24 points and Greg Smalls (Charleston, SC/West Ashley) contributed 23 points, six rebounds and five assists in an 82-81 loss to Mid-State Technical College of Wisconsin. On Sunday, NIACC gets another crack at Marshalltown, this time in an 11 a.m. matchup that is part of the JUCO Shootout at Drake University’s Knapp Center in Des Moines.

In wrestling, NIACC (2-1) split a pair of dual meets – the Trojans traveled to Minnesota and beat Rochester Community Technical College 27-18 Wednesday and lost 27-23 at home to Neosho County Community College of Kansas Friday - and finished eighth out of 15 schools at the 35^th annual Dick Walker Wrestling Invitational held at Wartburg College last Saturday. Albert White (Harvey, IL/St. Rita) won both of his dual meet matches and placed second in the 149-pound weight class at Wartburg. T.J. Moen (Des Moines/Saydel) and DaVaughn Perkins (Omaha, NE/North) placed third at the invitational at 141 and 157 pounds respectively. Head coach Richard Fergola’s team hosts Ellsworth at 6 p.m. Friday in a dual meet.

 

Rewind for December 3

The best news for NIACC athletics this week was the announcement that Mike Unwin and Simon Cook were named second-team All-American soccer players by the National Junior College Athletic Association. Unwin scored a school-record 27 goals for the Trojans. Cook was among the nation’s leaders in goals against average and posted nine shutouts as NIACC finished third in conference and more than doubled its win total from the previous season with 13 wins under head coach Mike Regan.

In men’s basketball, NIACC defeated North Central Community College of Missouri 77-65 on Friday at the Ellsworth College Classic as Brandon Stephens (Flint, MI/Central scored a season-high 26 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. Tokie Aramona (Kansas City, MO/O’Hara) pitched in with 17 points and Nate Haaland (Osage/HS) added 11 for head coach Bryan Martin’s team, which had their game with Mid-States College of Wisconsin cancelled by inclement weather on Saturday.

The Trojans opened their week by defeating Rochester Community and Technical College 77-60 last Tuesday at home as Greg Smalls (Charleston, SC/West Ashley) scored 18 points and Joe Speth (Bettendorf/HS) tallied seven of his 15 points during a 15-2 run early in the second half. NIACC trailed 35-31 at halftime, but Smalls and company clamped down defensively, holding the Yellowjackets without a field goal for more than six minutes while pulling in front for good.

At 8 p.m. Wednesday, the men’s team opens Iowa Community College Athletic Conference play against Ellsworth. The women’s team will play Ellsworth at 6 p.m. Wednesday. The Lady Trojans (1-7) lost 65-43 to Rochester on Tuesday and had their Saturday afternoon game with the Wartburg College junior varsity postponed. Tiffany Braun (St. Ansgar/HS) scored eight points to lead NIACC in scoring while Madelyn Houser (Gilbert/HS) led all rebounders with 11.

In wrestling, NIACC’s open meet at the University of Northern Iowa on Sunday was cancelled. The Trojans, ranked 12^th in the latest NJCAA polls, will travel to Rochester, MN for a meet at RCTC. At 7 p.m. on Friday, head coach Richard Fergola’s team hosts fourth-rated Neosho County Community College of Kansas. A handful of NIACC wrestlers are ranked in their respective weight classes by NJCAA coaches. DaVaughn Perkins (Omaha, NE/North) is rated fifth at 157 pounds, Cody Hogan (Richmond, MO/HS) and Albert White (Chicago, IL/St. Rita) are rated sixth at 125 and 149 and Jordan Graham (Mason City/HS) is seventh at 184. Neosho comes to NIACC with five top-eight rated wrestlers.

 

Rewind for November 26

This week’s Rewind begins by highlighting the efforts of NIACC alum Justin Redmond-Trotter (Milwaukee, WI/Marquette), who has starred for Eastern New Mexico University thus far this season. Redmond-Trotter had consecutive 22-point performances in losses to Regis (CO) University and Colorado School of Mines after tallying 25 points in a win over Western New Mexico and he’s averaging 17 points per game for the 2-3 Greyhounds, a NCAA Division II school. Last season, Redmond-Trotter averaged 12 points per contest and earned Lone Star Conference West second-team honors.

An All-Region honoree from last season’s Trojan roster, Max Stambaugh, is averaging nine points per game for Iowa Wesleyan College, now 4-4 overall. Another NIACC alumnus, Milica Kovacevic of Croatia, has averaged 11 points and nearly eight rebounds as her Waldorf College squad has compiled a 6-2 record. Kovacevic scored 17 points in her team’s season-opening win over Doane College (NE) and has grabbed 11 rebounds on three occasions for the Warriors, who are affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.

Closer to home, the NIACC men’s basketball team began the week with an 87-78 home loss last Tuesday to the junior varsity of William Penn University despite a collegiate-best 23 points from Bernell Benjamin (Minneapolis, MN/Hopkins and 14 points from Brandon Stephens (Flint, MI/Central).

On Friday, NIACC’s men and women played in the Moberly Area Community College Classic and the men dropped a 78-59 decision to State Fair Community College as Stephens and Devion May (Detroit, MI/King) scored 12 points each. On Saturday, Stephens and Greg Smalls (Charleston, SC/West Ashley) tallied 12 points apiece during an 85-73 loss to the host school. It was the fourth consecutive double figure scoring performance from Stephens and fifth in nine games.

In women’s basketball, NIACC finished the week 0-3 after losing twice at Moberly and once in the Twin Cities. On Tuesday, the Trojans had dropped a 67-32 decision at Anoka-Ramsey Community College as Madelyn Houser (Gilbert/HS) produced 15 points. On Friday at Moberly, the Trojans lost 68-43 to the host school despite the 11 points by Caiti Findreng (Elkhorn, WI/Waterford Union). On Saturday, NIACC lost 61-32 to State Fair as Britta Milius (Plainfield/Nashua-Plainfield) scored eight points.

On Tuesday at 5:30 p.m., head coach John Oertel’s team (now 1-6) faces Rochester Technical Community College in the first game of a women’s-men’s basketball double header. The men’s contest will follow shortly thereafter.

While the basketball teams were in Missouri, the NIACC wrestling program had no competition this week. The Trojans head to the University of Northern Iowa for an open meet on Saturday. After one month, a handful of NIACC wrestlers are ranked in their respective weight classes by NJCAA coaches. DaVaughn Perkins (Omaha, NE/North) is rated fifth at 157 pounds, Cody Hogan (Richmond, MO/HS) and Albert White (Chicago, IL/St. Rita) are rated sixth at 125 and 149 and Jordan Graham (Mason City/HS) is seventh at 184.

 

Rewind for November 19

Two head coaching changes and a bowl game in football highlighted last week’s activities in the North Iowa Area Community College athletic program.

NIACC athletic director Dan Mason announced that NIACC’s previous softball coach, Mary Jo Vrba, was taking over the head coaching position in volleyball following the resignation of Ted Bieth. Vrba had coached softball four years with the Trojans, compiling a 21-20 mark last spring.

Vrba has had plenty of experience coaching volleyball, having done so at both Loras College and Wartburg College during the past decade. A three-sport athlete at NIACC, Vrba played volleyball for the Trojans under coach Joyce Ruehlow and was part of two national tournament teams (1994 and 1995). She was also an All-Region XI basketball player and an All-America player in softball at NIACC.

With Vrba’s move to volleyball, Tyler Sisco has accepted the head softball coaching position at NIACC. Sisco was an assistant coach the previous two seasons in baseball at NIACC. He had coached high school softball last summer at Sheffield Chapin-Meservey Thornton.

-In football, NIACC ended its 2007 with a 28-21 loss to Joliet Junior College in the feature game of the Graphic Edge Bowl Sunday at the UNI Dome in Cedar Falls. The Trojans, under head coach Scott Strohmeier, finished 7-4 overall. They were ranked 14^th in the nation before losing to the 11^th-ranked Wolves (10-2).

Sophomore linebacker Luke Dolan (Cedar Rapids/Kennedy) led his team in tackles and was named the game’s Defensive Player of the Year as he intercepted a pass and forced a fumble that led to a touchdown. Quarterback Lorenzo Brown (Bristol, CT/Eastern) accounted for 241 yards in offense and threw three touchdowns to finish with 20 for the season.

Trailing 7-0, Brown connected on a 70-yard scoring pass to Jameel Williams (Tampa Bay, FL/Armwood-Sefner) to cut the NIACC deficit to 7-6 with 1:11 left in the half. Early in the fourth period, Dolan forced a fumble on a punt return and Josh Berry (Wellman/Mid-Prairie) recovered on the Joliet 43-yard-line. Moments later, Brown threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to Travis Lietchi (Omaha, NE/Burke) and then Brown converted a two-point run to tie the game at 14-all. Anthony Stewart scored on runs of 2 and 77 yards for Joliet within a span of 1:29 to give the Wolves a 28-14 lead with 4:50 left. Brown and Joe Audlehelm (Van Wert/Central Decatur) hooked up on a 5-yard scoring pass with 3:09 left and the extra-point kick by Ryan McMahon (Des Moines/Dowling Catholic) cut Joliet’s lead to 28-21. However, Joliet got the ball back and ran out the clock to complete the win.

While the football team’s season ended in a loss, other NIACC teams and individuals enjoyed the thrill of victory last week.

-In wrestling, freshman DaVaughn Perkins (Omaha, NE/North) traveled to his hometown and made the most of his trip, winning the 157-pound title in the Amateur Division of the Kaufman-Brand Open wrestling meet Saturday at the University of Nebraska-Omaha.

Perkins defeated Ross Brunkhardt of the University of Nebraska-Kearney by a 3-2 margin in the finals. He had edged Joe Grygerko of the University of Minnesota (unattached) 7-3 and Iowa Central Community College's Carrington Banks 9-5 to reach the finals. He was 5-0 on the day. Cody Hogan (Richmond, MO/HS) was another NIACC competitor that fared well, placing fifth in the 125-pound weight class.

NIACC hosted Ridgewater Community College last Wednesday at NIACC Gymnasium and came away with a 35-15 dual meet victory. Hogan opened the dual with a victory at 125, followed by Nathan Jones (Ankeny/Saydel) at 133, T.J. Moen (Des Moines/Saydel) at 141, Albert White (Chicago, IL/St. Rita) at 149, Perkins at 157 and Aaron Hancock (Camp Verde, AZ/HS) at 165. Jordan Graham (Mason City/HS) wrestled a weight class higher than usual and earned a victory at 197.

-In women’s basketball, Lindsey Urbatsch (St. Ansgar/HS) and Caiti Findreng (Elkhorn, WI/Waterford Union) scored 10 points apiece and the Trojans defeated the Grand View College junior varsity 58-51 last Monday at NIACC Gymnasium. Head coach John Oertel’s team, now 1-3, plays a 5 p.m. non-conference game Tuesday against Anoka-Ramsey Community College. NIACC’s women and men will play a tournament at Moberly Area Community College in Missouri on Friday and Saturday.

-In men’s basketball, NIACC split a pair of contests at a tourney at Indian Hills Community College in Ottumwa last weekend to move to 5-1 on the season. The Trojans host the William Penn University junior varsity at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the NIACC Gymnasium before playing in Missouri over the weekend. On Friday, NIACC lost to nationally-ranked Lincoln College of Illinois 79-71 despite 14 points by Bernell Benjamin (Minneapolis, MN/Hopkins) and 11 points by Joe Speth (Bettendorf/HS). On Saturday, head coach Bryan Martin’s team rebounded with a 77-68 win over Malcolm X College of Chicago as Brandon Clark (Atlanta, GA/Platte County) produced 15 points and Tokie Aramona (Kansas City, MO/Bishop O’Hara) had 14 points and grabbed 14 rebounds. NIACC made 26 of 42 field goals for 62 percent. Aramona’s prep teammate Michael Sanders added 13 points and Brandon Stephens (Flint, MI/Central) and Speth had 12 and 10 points respectively to key a balanced scoring effort.

 

Rewind for November 12

Dan Mayer (Redfield/West Central Valley) placed 35^th overall and earned U.S. Citizen All-America honors as the North Iowa Area Community College men’s cross country team placed 21^st in the National Junior College Athletic Association cross country championships Saturday.

Mayer, a sophomore, ran 8,000 meters in 26 minutes, 7 seconds to finish 17^th among American finishers. Ben Cheruiyot of the host school, Rend Lake College, won the individual title with a 23:28.64. Other top finishers for NIACC included Sean Coleman (Imperial, MO/Seckman), who was 131^st in 28:04; Seth Blanchard (Charlotte/NE Goose Lake), who was 134^th in 28:08; and Sam Meyer (Wykoff, MN/Kingsland), who was 156^th in 28:28. In the team standings, NIACC posted a total of 569 points. Lansing Community College edged Iowa Central Community College 111 to 120 to win the team title.

NIACC’s women didn’t fare as well as a team, placing 28^th, but three Trojans have run well enough this year to post the first, third and fifth best 5,000-meter clockings in school history. On Saturday, Kacy Nehowig (Paynesville, MN/HS) – the school record holder – ran a 19:25 for 63^rd overall to break Elly Meyer’s 5K mark. Teammate Kelly Ipsen (Homestead/Iowa Valley) finished 78^th individually in 19:40 while Magen Krones (Mason City/Newman Catholic) ran a 21:16 to finish 165^th overall. Ipsen’s time was the third best in school history while Krones’ clocking ranks fifth.

Iowa Central had 111 points for the low team score in the 33-team competition. NIACC, coached by Curtis Vais, had a team total of 674 points. Pasca Cheruiyot of Rend Lake College ran a 16:12.99 for individual honors in the 5,000-meter race.

In other NIACC sports action this weekend:

-In men’s basketball, Joe Speth (Bettendorf/HS) scored 19 points and Jeff Loats (Belmond/Belmond-Klemme) contributed 10 points in a balanced scoring attack that enabled the North Iowa Area Community College men’s basketball team to defeat the Morningside College junior varsity 78-64 Sunday in the finale of the Konigsmark Classic.

Speth was a key player in the late stages after Morningside creeped to within five points, 55-50, with 9:47 left in the contest. He had an inside basket at the 8:09 mark, a pair of foul shots at the 6:21 mark and a three-point play with 3:57 remaining to help the Trojans move to 4-0 on the season and take both games they played at the Konigsmark Classic. Speth also added six rebounds for NIACC, which next plays on Friday against Lincoln (IL) Community College in the first round of the Indian Hills Classic on Friday in Ottumwa.

As a team, NIACC did well at the foul line against Morningside, making 18 of 22 overall and 11 of 12 in the final 6:21. A day earlier, the Trojans beat the University of Sioux Fallx junior varsity 68-46 on the strength of 17 points and nine rebounds by Greg Smalls (Charleston, SC/West Ashley). Leaidng 32-23 at the intermission, NIACC blew the game open midway through the second half by holding USF without a field goal for a span of 5:04 and scoring 15 straight points. Dwayne Mays (Chicago, IL/Thornton) had a pair of field goals during the run, Nate Haaland (Osage/HS) had a three-point basket and Smalls and three others added field goals. From there, head coach Bryan Martin was able to use his bench and 10 players eventually scored for the Trojans, which had edged Riverland Community College last Tuesday 79-73 as Smalls tallied 23 points and Speth scored 20.

-In women’s basketball, NIACC started the season with three losses, two at the Konigsmark Classic last weekend. On Saturday, the Trojans fell 61-49 to Moberly Area Community College (MO) as Tiffany Braun (St. Ansgar/HS) and Britta Milius (Plainfield/Nashua-Plainfield) scored nine points each. On Friday, head coach John Oertel’s team lost 56-47 to Highland Community College (KS) as sophomore Tiffany Burgess (Des Moines/East) scored a collegiate-high 17 points and Braun tallied 12 points. NIACC had lost its opener 66-64 Tuesday at Riverland despite 17 points, 14 rebounds by Madelyn Houser (Gilbert/HS). At 7 p.m. Monday, NIACC hosts the Grand View College junior varsity.

-In football, NIACC’s Lorenzo Brown (Bristol, CT/Eastern) was named Co-Offensive Player of the Year in Region XI and seven others were named first-team All-Region after the 15^th-ranked Trojans earned their second straight bowl game berth. Wide receivers Marques Parker (Omaha, NE/Westside) and Brad Theilen (Nashua/Nashua-Plainfield), offensive lineman Kyle Staudt (Charles City/HS), defensive linemen Reggie St. Pierre (Miami, FL/Central) and Michael Daniels (Leesburg, GA/Lee County), kicker Ryan McMahon (Des Moines/Dowling Catholic) and punter Jacob Grobe (Oakland, IA/Riverside) were the other first-teamers. Fourteen others earned honorable mention All-Region honors for head coach Scott Strohmeier’s team, which plays a 3 p.m. contest November 18 against Joliet Junior College in the Graphic Edge Bowl at the UNI Dome in Cedar Falls.

-In volleyball, freshman middle hitter Sarah Heineman (Garrison/Vinton-Shellsburg) earned second-team All-Region XI after finishing third in hitting percent during conference play. Two others, Kallie Winn (Twentynine Palms, CA/HS) and Nicki Sandberg (Welcome, MN/Martin County West) earned honorable mention honors. Winn led the conference in hitting percentage and service aces per game; Sandberg led the Trojans in digs. Following the team’s 13-23 season, Ted Bieth announced his resignation after three years as head coach.

-In wrestling, NIACC competed at the Harold Nichols/Cyclone Open at Ames last Saturday. The Trojans host Ridgewater Community College on 7 p.m. Wednesday in a dual meet. Glenn Rees (Atascadero, CA/HS) was NIACC's best finisher with a 6th place finish at the Harold Nichols/Cyclone Open.

 

Rewind for November 5

A football win in a playoff game, a rousing success for a reinstated wrestling program’s initial meet and a season-opening win in men’s basketball highlighted North Iowa Area Community College athletics during the past week.

The 18^th-rated North Iowa Area Community College football team edged seventh-rated Iowa Central Community College 48-47 last Saturday at the Midwest Football Conference West Division playoffs in Ft. Dodge to earn a berth in the premier game at the Graphic Edge Bowl on November 18 at the UNI Dome on the campus of the University of Northern Iowa. Quarterback Lorenzo Brown (Bristol, CT/Eastern) threw for a season-high 339 yards and four touchdowns, including a 42-yard screen pass to Marques Parker (Omaha, NE/Westside) with 2:22 left. An extra-point kick by Ryan McMahon (Des Moines/Dowling Catholic) provided the Trojans with the winning point.

Iowa Central had a chance to tie the game at 47-all, but chose to try a two-point conversion pass, which failed. With just over a minute left, D.J. Pratt (Bexley, OH/Harmony Prep) intercepted a pass to help seal the victory. Parker caught nine passes for 139 yards and two touchdowns. Brad Theilen (Nashua/Nashua-Plainfield) caught a pair of touchdown passes and totaled 133 yards on nine catches. Travis Lietchi (Omaha, NE/Burke) and Kevis Streeter (St. Augustine, FL/HS) combined for 201 rushing yards.

In wrestling, NIACC’s reinstated program hosted its first meet in over three decades with the inaugural Kaye Young Open last Saturday. Head coach Rich Fergola’s team got an individual title from 149-pound freshman Albert White (Chicago, IL/St. Rita), who was named the meet’s Most Outstanding Wrestler after winning all four of his bouts.

T.J. Moen (Des Moines/Saydel) placed fourth at 141 and collected the first win of the meet (and first for NIACC in 32 years) in his opening match. Cody Hogan (Richmond, MO/HS) at 125, DaVaughn Perkins (Omaha, NE/North) at 157, Jordan Graham (Mason City/HS) at 184 and Luke Stika (Cresco/Crestwood) at 197 all finished fifth individually. NIACC will travel to Ames for an open meet at Iowa State University on Saturday.

In men’s basketball, NIACC opened the 2007-08 season with a 61-33 home win over the Grand View College junior varsity as Brandon Stephens (Flint, MI/Central) produced a game-high 12 points and 12 rebounds. Brandon Clark (Atlanta, GA/Platte County) scored all 10 of his points in the first half as the Trojans raced to a 35-11 lead. A 23-0 run broke a 2-all tie as Clark scored eight points and Stephens and Joe Speth (Bettendorf/HS) had four apiece.

At 8 p.m. Tuesday, head coach Bryan Martin’s team will play in Austin, MN at Riverland Community College. The women’s basketball team, coached by John Oertel, will open its season with a 6 p.m. contest that evening at Riverland.

In volleyball, NIACC won its Region XI opener last Tuesday against Ellsworth Community College before ending its season with a defeat against Iowa Lakes Community College on Friday. Head coach Ted Bieth’s team finished 13-23 overall. In Tuesday’s home victory, middle hitter Sarah Heineman (Garrison/Vinton-Shellsburg) posted 15 kills while outside hitter Anita Whitehead (Fairmont, MN/Martin County West) added 11 kills. Heineman and Whitehead had seven kills each in the Iowa Lakes defeat.

In soccer, NIACC freshmen Mike Unwin (Yately, England/HS), Simon Cook (Hampshire, England/Alton College) and Chris Bazen (Farnborough, England/Merristwood) earned first-team All-Region XI honors after the Trojans finished 13-5, its best overall mark in school history. Unwin, a forward had 27 goals to set a NIACC season record. His 63 points were tied for fifth in the NJCAA when his season ended. Cook, a goalkeeper, was among the national leaders with a stellar 0.833 goals against average. Bazen produced three goals and six assists from the midfield.

Second-team All-Region players included Sam Broadbent (Fleet, England/Farnborough Tech) and Lewis Clack (Farnborough, England/Fernhill) while honorable mention was given to Zach Rollins and Craig Halverson, both from Caledonia, MN and Caledonia High School. Meanwhile, NIACC’s Mike Regan was named Coach of the Year for Region XI.

In cross country, head coach Curtis Vais and the men’s and women’s teams head to Ina, IL for the NJCAA Cross Country Championships on Saturday at Rend Lake College. The Trojan men are ranked 20th in the latest polls while the women are 23rd.

 

Rewind for October 29

Soccer head coach Mike Regan was named ICCAC coach of the year for leading NIACC on a record breaking breaking season this past week. Regan, who was in his first season as head coach at NIACC, led NIACC to second place tie in the ICCAC, and broke breaking a variety of school records along the way.

But the men’s soccer season at North Iowa Area Community College came to a close last Tuesday in the first round of the Region XI playoffs as Iowa Central Community College edged the Trojans 3-1.

Isaac Tongo (Omaha, NE/Northwest) opened the scoring for NIACC with his 10^th goal of the season at the 18:00 mark as Mike Unwin (Yately, England/HS) earned the assist. However, the Tritons evened the score before halftime and tallied two more in the second half to beat NIACC for the first time in three matches this season.

Despite the loss, head coach Mike Regan’s team finished 13-5 overall, more than doubling last season’s win total of six. The Trojans also set school records for goals scored (71), fewest goals allowed (15) and Iowa Community College Athletic Conference victories (11).

Individually, Unwin’s 27 goals set a school record and he was ranked tied for seventh in points nationally with 62 when his season ended. Goalkeeper Simon Cook (Hampshire, England/Alton College) was also among the leaders in the NJCAA, ranking as high as third nationally before the Region XI playoff loss.

In football, Brad Theilen (Nashua/Nashua-Plainfield) caught a pair of touchdown passes from Lorenzo Brown (Bristol, CT/Eastern) and Kevis Streeter (St. Augustine, FL/HS) added a pair of scoring runs as North Iowa Area Community College edged North Dakota State College of Science 50-45 last Saturday in Wahpeton, ND.

Theilen grabbed a 16 yard touchdown pass from Brown to put NIACC up 7-6 in the first period. He added a 17 yard TD catch in the second quarter as the Trojans produced 423 yards of offense overall. Brown also hit Jameel Williams (Tampa Bay, FL/Armwood-Sefner) with a 21 yard scoring strike before halftime and he added a 35 yard touchdown run in the second half. Streeter ran 16 times for 80 yards and had touchdown runs in the third and fourth quarters.

Travis Lietchi (Omaha, NE/Burke) led NIACC with 115 yards on 23 carries and his 35 yard run late in the fourth period sealed the victory as the Trojans moved to 6-3, 5-3 in Midwest Football Conference play. Head coach Scott Strohmeier’s team will play in Ft. Dodge at noon Saturday to play Iowa Central Community College (7-1, 6-1) in the MFC West Division playoffs.

In cross country, the NIACC men’s and women’s cross country teams both finished third at the Region XI meet on Sunday as the Trojans prepared for the National Junior College Athletic Association meet at Rend Lake Community College in Ina, IL on November 10.

Dan Mayer (Redfield/West Central Valley) placed sixth overall on the men’s side, running the 8,000-meter course in 25 minutes, 48.4 seconds. It was the third best clocking in NIACC history and earned the sophomore second-team All-Region honors. David Barmasai of Iowa Western Community College won individual honors with a 24:23.9 clocking, edging Iowa Central Community College’s Steven Dak (24:30.2).

NIACC teammates Juan Rodriguez (Bogota, Colombia) and Seth Blanchard (Charlotte/NE Goose Lake) placed 13^th and 16^th individually with times of 27:37.8 and 27:56.8 respectively. Sean Coleman (Imperial, MO/Seckman) was 22^nd in 28:18.3 and Sam Meyer (Wykoff, MN/Kingsland) was 25^th in 28:23.3 for head coach Curtis Vais’ team. All four earned honorable mention All-Region honors. Iowa Central won the team title with 22 points, followed by Iowa Western (52) and NIACC (74) as seven squads were represented.

In the women’s race, 5,000 meters in length, Kacy Nehowig (Paynesville, MN/HS) placed eighth overall in 20:24.1 to lead all NIACC runners. Kelly Ipsen (Homestead/Iowa Valley) was 10^th in 20:37.9. They had the second and third best times ever in NIACC women’s cross country history, said Vais. Lydia Kosgei of Iowa Central won individual honors with a clocking of 18:07.2. NIACC had 50 points as a team to finish behind Iowa Western (43) and Iowa Central (12).

NIACC entered regionals ranked 22^nd in the men’s national ratings and tied for 25^th in the women’s poll.

In volleyball, NIACC lost an ICCAC home match to Marshalltown in three games, then dropped five matches to ICCAC opponents last weekend to end regular-season play 12-22. The Trojans host Ellsworth Community College at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the Region XI playoffs.

In winter sports, head coach Bryan Martin’s men’s basketball team will host Grand View College junior varsity at 7 p.m. on Thursday in the Trojans’ opener. The women’s team, under head coach John Oertel, will open play on November 6 in Austin, MN, at Riverland Community College. In wrestling, NIACC held its Blue & Gold Grapple last Saturday and head coach Rich Fergola’s team will host the Kaye Young Open on Saturday at the NIACC Gymnasium.

 

Rewind for October 22

Mike Unwin (Yately, England/HS) set a school record for goals in a season by scoring a pair of goals for the North Iowa Area Community College men’s soccer team last Wednesday in a 4-0 victory over Dakota County Technical College. Unwin’s second goal of the contest – his 24^th – broke the previous mark of 23 goals set by Eric Pozzani last fall.

Isaac Tongo (Omaha, NE/Northwest) opened the scoring in the Dakota County match with a goal at the 8:00 mark. Unwin’s goals came at the 20^th and 47^th minute respectively. Craig Halverson (Caledonia, MN/HS) scored on a header in the 52^nd minute to finish the scoring for the Trojans. Simon Cook (Hampshire, England/Alton College) had four saves en route to his ninth shutout.

On Saturday, NIACC defeated Ridgewater Community College 5-2 to clinch second place in the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference. Unwin tallied three goals – giving him 27 overall – and Tongo had the other two for the home team. The Trojans ended regular-season play 13-4, 11-3 in ICCAC action. Head coach Mike Regan’s team plays Ridgewater again in Mason City at 3 p.m. on Tuesday as the Region XI playoffs begin.

-In volleyball, NIACC had an unbeaten week, taking three five-game matches to move to 12-16 on the season. Lindsey Urbatsch (St. Ansgar/HS) and Sarah Heineman (Garrison/Vinton-Shellsburg) had 11 kills each and Kallie Winn (Twentynine Palms, CA/HS) had 29 set assists and seven service aces to help NIACC edge Ellsworth Community College last Monday in an ICCAC contest in Mason City. Brittany Johnston (Ottumwa/HS) led the Trojans on defense with 20 digs.

On Wednesday, head coach Ted Bieth’s team played in Waverly against the Wartburg College junior varsity and the 19 kills by Anita Whitehead (Welcome, MN/Martin County West) helped the Trojans beat the Knights in five games. Heineman added 18 kills and Winn and Urbatsch produced 13 apiece while Nick Sandberg (Fairmont, MN/Martin County West) totaled 22 digs. On Thursday, NIACC traveled to Decorah for a non-conference match against the Luther College junior varsity, winning again in five games. On Tuesday at 7 p.m., NIACC (11-16) hosts Marshalltown Community College it its final regular-season home match before playing next weekend against a handful of ICCAC squads at a neutral site.

-In football, NIACC fell 7-0 last Saturday to Iowa Central Community College despite holding the 11^th-rated visitors to just 189 total yards and 10 first downs. Jake Peterson scored the lone touchdown of the day with a 3 yard run in the first period for the Tritons. NIACC received 69 yards rushing from quarterback Lorenzo Brown (Bristol, CT/Eastern) and 56 more from running back Kevis Streeter (St. Augustine, FL/HS), but turned the ball over three times to fall to 5-3, 4-3 in the Midwest Football Conference. Iowa Central (7-1, 6-1) clinched the regular season title in the division with the victory, but the 20^th-rated Trojans can assure itself of a playoff game with the Tritons on November 3 by beating North Dakota State College of Science on Saturday in Wahpeton, North Dakota.

The NIACC cross country program had the week off from competition before participating in the Region XI meet on October 28 in Ft. Dodge. Meanwhile, both the men’s and women’s basketball teams and the reinstated wrestling program have been readying for the regular season, with the wrestlers hosting the Blue & Gold Grapple on Saturday as an inter-squad meet before competing at the inaugural Kaye Young Open on November 3 in the NIACC Gymnasium. The first official basketball game occurs on November 1 at 7 p.m. as the men’s team hosts the junior varsity of Grand View College.

 

Rewind for October 15

Kevis Streeter (St. Augustine, FL/HS) scored three touchdowns and the North Iowa Area Community College defense held College of DuPage to just 223 yards in a 23-6 Midwest Football Conference victory last Saturday in Lombard, IL. NIACC won its third straight contest and is now 5-2, 4-2 in MFC play. The Trojans – 17^th in the latest National Junior College Athletic Association polls - host Iowa Central Community College at 1 p.m. Saturday in Mason City with the winner having the upper hand in the divisional standings.

Head coach Scott Strohmeier’s team opened the scoring with a 27-yard field goal by Ryan McMahon (Des Moines/Dowling Catholic) with 9:50 left in the first quarter. The field goal was set up by a 17 yard pass from Lorenzo Brown (Bristol, CT/Eastern) to Streeter and a 17-yard pass from Brown to Joe Audlehelm (VanWert/Central Decatur).

In the second quarter, Brown passed to Marques Parker (Omaha, NE/Westside) for 37 yards and Parker ran for 17 yards to set up a 2 yard Streeter touchdown that put the Trojans up 9-0 at the 13:12 mark. With 7:41 left in the third period, Brown’s 28-yard run was the key play in a seven play drive that ended with Streeter scoring again from 2 yards out. With 14:55 left in the final period Streeter added a 1 yard scoring run to complete a 4:32 drive that took nine plays and went 49 yards. College of DuPage scored its points on Nick Booth’s 15-yard run with 11:16 remaining.

Brown totaled 62 yard rushing on 13 attempts and finished 10 of 19 for 211 yards passing to lead an offense that gained 367 yards on the day. Streeter produced 44 yards rushing on 14 carries. Parker had three catches for 55 yards. Defensively, Michael Daniels (Leesburg, GA/HS) led NIACC with five solo tackles and two assists. He also had 2.5 tackles for loss (including two sacks) and forced a fumble that he recovered. The Trojans also picked off two passes.

In other NIACC athletics events this past week:

Sarah Heineman (Vinton/Vinton-Shellsburg) had 12 kills and three blocks last Tuesday night to lead a balanced offensive attack as the North Iowa Area Community College volleyball team beat Pillsbury Baptist College 30-18, 30-13, 30-21 in a non-conference match.

Kallie Winn (Twentynine Palms, CA/HS) was 14 of 15 serving with one ace and added 24 assists and seven digs for the Trojans against Pillsbury. Anita Whitehead (Fairmont, MN/Martin County West) produced 11 kills and five digs to help her team’s defensive effort and Lindsey Urbatsch (St. Ansgar/HS) had nine kills as head coach Ted Bieth’s team dominated play throughout. Nicki Sandberg (Welcome, MN/Martin County West) was 14 for 17 serving with three aces. Brittany Johnston (Ottumwa/HS) was 11 of 12 serving with an ace and had six digs.

NIACC opened strongly in game one as Urbatsch had four kills. Game two was dominated by the Trojans, who took an early 12-2 edge and coasted from there. Heineman led her team with four kills in that game. In game three, Whitehead took control, producing seven kills as the Trojans pulled away after Pillsbury stayed close until the midway point.

On Saturday, Heineman contributed 40 kills in four matches and Whitehead produced 29 kills as the North Iowa Area Community College volleyball team finished 2-2 at the Ellsworth Community College Invitational. Heineman was at her best during a 30-26, 30-19 victory over the host school, tallying 15 kills. NIACC opened the invitational by beating the Mt. Mercy College junior varsity 30-21, 30-21 as Whitehead had seven kills and 11 of 11 serving with three aces. Heineman and Urbatsch added six kills apiece while Winn added 10 assists and six digs.

Coe College’s junior varsity defeated NIACC 30-26, 30-19 before NIACC’s win over Ellsworth. Coe won all four of its matches to win the invitational. In the final match of the day, Rochester Community Technical College defeated NIACC 24-30, 30-24, 15-11. Heineman and Whitehead totaled 13 kills, Urbatsch had 12 kills and Winn added 27 assists.

At 7 p.m. Monday, NIACC (9-16) hosts Ellsworth in an Iowa Community College Athletic Conference match played at the NIACC Gymnasium.

-In men’s soccer, NIACC split a pair of Iowa Community College Athletic Conference matches this week, beating Iowa Western Community College 1-0 in Council Bluffs on Wednesday before losing 2-1 at Marshalltown Community College on Saturday that ended a six-match win streak. The Trojans, now 11-4, 9-3 in conference, host Dakota County Community College at 4 p.m. on Wednesday and finish regular season play with a 1 p.m. home match against Ridgewater Community College on Saturday.

In Wednesday’s win, Mike Unwin (Yately, England/HS) scored the lone goal in the first half and goalkeeper Simon Cook (Hampshire, England/Alton College) made it stand up for his eighth shutout of the season. On Saturday, Unwin scored his 22^nd goal to give NIACC an early lead, but Marshalltown scored the final two goals as the number four ranked team in the country remained unbeaten for the season.

-In cross country, Dan Mayer (Redfield/West Decatur) continued his strong season Friday by finishing fourth overall at the Dr. Robert Tucker Invitational men's cross country race at Loras College as his North Iowa Area Community College team placed fourth overall.

Mayer ran the 8,000-meter race in 26 minutes, 54 seconds. The men's winner, Eric Osterhaus of Simpson College, was clocked in 25:58. Juan Rodriguez (Bogota, Colombia) finished 21st in 28:18 for head coach Curtis Vais’ team, which had 93 points. Loras College (39) was the champion overall, beating Monmouth College (57) of Illinois and Simpson (60) for team honors in the six-team meet. NIACC was ranked 20^th in national rankings heading into Friday’s action and Mayer was rated 54^th individually, according to the best times posted by NJCAA runners.

 

Rewind for October 8

Quarterback Lorenzo Brown (Bristol, CT/Eastern) ran for three scores and passed for another to lead the North Iowa Area Community College football team to a 55-24 Midwest Football Conference victory over visiting Harper College Saturday afternoon.

Brown finished 14 for 22 passing and totaled 209 yards through the air to help his team move to 4-2 overall, 3-2 in the MFC. His 16-yard touchdown pass to Brad Theilen (Nashua/Nashua-Plainfield) just 4:38 into the game to help put NIACC up 7-0. The touchdown was set up by a 38-yard screen pass from Brown to Joe Audlehelm (Van Wert/Central Decatur).

Travis Lietchi (Omaha, NE/Burke) scored on a 1-yard plunge to enable NIACC to take a 13-0 lead with 5:02 left in the opening period. Brown passed to Marques Parker (Omaha, NE/Westside) for 17 and 18 yards on the drive and Parker added a 20-yard run. Brown’s 20-yard run with 8:40 left in the second quarter put head coach Scott Strohmeier’s team up 20-0 before Harper College’s quarterback Matthew Brant passed 15 yards for a touchdown to Brian Whitehead with 5:43 left before halftime. A Brant to Brian Mitz two-point conversion pass made the score 20-8.

NIACC’s defense put some points on the board just before intermission as Gerard Oxendine (St. Augustine, FL/HS) returned a fumble 30 yards for a score at the 1:21 mark to put the Trojans up 27-8. The fumble was caused by a Jayveri Kelly (West Palm Beach, FL/Forest Hill) hit on Brant while he was attempting to pass. Just minutes into the second half, Luke Dolan (Cedar Rapids/Kennedy) recovered another Harper fumble and Kevis Streeter (St. Augustine, FL/HS) scored his first touchdown – from 15 yards out – to put the home team up 34-8.

The Hawks (3-4, 2-4) narrowed the lead to 34-16 on Seneca Jackson’s 1 yard run and a Brant two-point conversion pass to Whitehead at the 4:27 mark of the third period. Streeter took complete charge of NIACC’s next scoring drive, returning the Harper kickoff 26 yards to his team’s 40-yard-line, then running for six yards on first down before breaking loose for a 54-yard touchdown at the 3:25 mark. Harper scored at the 1:56 mark of the period on Jackson’s second 1-yard scoring run and his two-point conversion run, narrowing NIACC’s lead to 41-24.

After Harper’s final touchdown, NIACC iced the game at the 12:14 mark of the final quarter as the Trojans ran eight straight running plays, the last a 9 yard scoring run by Brown. Brown later added a 2 yard touchdown run as NIACC scored the second most points ever allowed by a Harper College squad in its history. Overall, NIACC ran 55 times for 319 yards, including a game-high 124 yards on 11 carries by Streeter and 57 yards by Lietchi. Parker led his team with 78 yards on five catches and added 51 yards on five rushes. Brant threw for 307 yards and Mitz grabbed 13 passes for 143 yards for Harper, which could manage just 28 yards rushing.

NIACC travels to Lombard, IL, for a 1 p.m. MFC contest Saturday against College of DuPage.

-In soccer, coach Mike Regan’s Trojans continued their strong play in Iowa Community College Athletic Conference play, beating host Iowa Central Community College 4-1 last Wednesday and routing host Indian Hills Community College 15-1 on Saturday to move to 10-3 overall, 8-2 in the ICCAC. NIACC has won five straight matches, outscoring opponents 41-3 in that span.

On Wednesday, Isaac Tongo (Omaha, NE/Northwest) opened the scoring late in the first half and Mike Unwin (Yately, England/HS) scored two second-half goals and Liam Fisher (Camberly, England/Collingwood College) added another in Ft. Dodge.

In the Indian Hills victory, Unwin tallied four goals – he now has 21 overall – and Sam Broadbent (Fleet, England/Farnborough Tech added three more. Chris Bazen (Farnborough, England/Farnborough Tech also produced two goals and added two assists while Fisher had a goal and a pair of assists.

On Tuesday, NIACC travels to Council Bluffs for a 4 p.m. match at Iowa Western Community College. On Saturday, the Trojans play at ICCAC leader Marshalltown Community College.

-In cross country, Dan Mayer (Redfield/West Central Valley) finished 15^th individually in the men's race and Kacy Nehowig (Paynesville, MN/HS) was 20th in the women's competition as North Iowa Community College competed at the Don Huston Invitational at Wartburg College on Saturday.

Mayer ran the 8,000 meter men's race in 28 minutes, 27 seconds to lead the Trojans, who finished seventh out of eight teams with 187 points. Iowa Central Community College's Joshua Sawe was the individual medalist in 26:44 and Iowa Central (23 points) won the team title over Augustana College (58) and the host school (61).

Nehowig ran a 26:15 for 6,000 meters. Steph Wedo (Castalia/Postville) was 55th in 31:14 as the lone NIACC women participants on a hot and humid day. Iowa Central's Lydia Kosgie (24:00) was the individual medalist while Wartburg (24) was the team champion.

Both Mayer and Nehowig, along with Kelly Ipsen, have compiled some of National Junior College Athletic Association's top-rated individual times. NIACC's men are rated 16th in the latest NJCAA poll while the women are 22nd. The Trojans compete Friday at the Dr. Robert Tucker Invitational at Loras College in Dubuque.

-In volleyball, Sarah Heineman (Vinton/Vinton-Shellsburg) had perhaps her best individual performance of the season in a three-game loss to Iowa Central Community College last Monday, producing 15 kills and three blocks. Kallie Winn (Twentynine Palms, CA/HS) added 15 setting assists and four kills for the Trojans, who lost at nationally-rated Iowa Lakes Community College on Wednesday. Coach Ted Bieth’s team, now 6-14 overall, plays at Pillsbury Baptist College on Tuesday.

 

Rewind for October 1

A 41-27 upset of 15^th-rated Grand Rapids Community College (MI) last Saturday kept the North Iowa Community College football team in the hunt for a Midwest Football Conference title and raised the Trojans’ overall record to 3-2.

Head coach Scott Strohmeier’s team got off to a 24-0 lead and held on as NIACC evened its MFC record to 2-2. At 1 p.m. Saturday, the Trojans host Harper College in their Homecoming game.

NIACC ran for 227 yards and passed for another 247, getting nine receptions for 99 yards and a score from wide receiver Marques Parker (Omaha, NE/Westside). Parker’s 34-yard touchdown reception on a pass from Lorenzo Brown (Bristol, CT/Eastern) enabled the Trojans to get off to a 14-0 first-quarter lead. Brown had tossed an 18-yard scoring strike to Joe Audlehelm (Van Wert/Central Decatur) just 2:24 into the contest for NIACC’s initial points. Overall, NIACC had much success against a Grand Rapids defense that had allowed just 242 yards per game entering Saturday’s contest, controlling the ball for a whopping 42 minutes offensively. Meanwhile, Antwan Pratt (Bexley, OH/HS) led NIACC’s defense with five solo tackles and an assist as the Trojans held the host Raiders to minus-5 yards rushing.

After Brown’s passing got NIACC started offensively, a 3-yard touchdown run by Travis Lietchi (Omaha, NE/Burke) helped put the Trojans up by 24 points at the half before Grand Rapids made a late rally. He also had a 4-yard fourth-period scoring run after Brown had scored from a yard out earlier in that quarter. Lietchi had 103 yards on 22 carries to lead his team in rushing while Brown added 53 rushing yards to go with the 247 yards he totaled on 20 of 33 passing.

In soccer, Mike Unwin (Yately, England/HS) scored a pair of goals and NIACC began the second half of Iowa Community College Athletic Conference play on the right foot, beating Scott Community College 5-0 on Saturday.

The first goal came in the 20^th minute when Sam Broadbent (Fleet, England/Farnborough Tech) found the left corner of the goal off of a pass by Isaac Tongo (Omaha, NE/Northwest). Tongo scored the second goal five minutes later with the assist from Liam Fisher (Camberly, England/Collingwood College), giving the Trojans a 2-0 lead at halftime.

Unwin scored on a penalty kick at the 54-minute mark, giving NIACC the 3-0 lead. Sam Jeffery (Yately, England/Farnborough Tech) scored for NIACC in the 72^nd minute after breaking away from a Scott defender. Unwin added the final goal of the day – his 15^th of the season - by converting a Jeffery pass in the 79^th minute.

NIACC improved their record to 8-3 overall and 6-2 in ICCAC play. The win ties the school record for the most wins in a season set in 2001. NIACC plays a 2 p.m. ICCAC match against Iowa Central in Fort Dodge on Wednesday.

Unwin scored five goals in a 13-0 rout over visiting Indian Hills Community College on Wednesday. Brady Ott (Clear Lake/HS) added two goals while Broadbent had a goal and four assists. Simon Cook (Hampshire, England/Alton College had three saves in the shutout.

-In volleyball, the Trojans began the week by losing in three games at Marshalltown Community College last Monday. NIACC also competed last weekend at a tournament at College of DuPage in Illinois, losing twice on Friday in the 16^th annual Chaparral Invite and twice more on Saturday. Sarah Heineman (Vinton/Vinton-Shellsburg) had 21 kills on the weekend for head coach Ted Bieth’s team, which plays a 7 p.m. ICCAC match against Iowa Central tonight at the NIACC Gymnasium.

-In cross country, both the men and women moved up the rankings in the latest NJCAA polls. The men are tied for 15^th, up three places, and the women are tied for 21^st, up one notch from a week ago. The Trojans, coached by Curtis Vais, compete Saturday at Wartburg College in the Dan Huston Invitational that begins at 10:30 a.m.

 

Rewind for September 24

Despite 188 yards passing and two touchdowns by Lorenzo Brown (Bristol, CT/Eastern), the North Iowa Area Community College football team lost to Joliet Junior College 21-14 Saturday at Mohawk Field on the campus of Mason City High School. NIACC is now 2-2 overall, 1-2 in Midwest Football Conference play heading into next Saturday’s noon (CST) contest at Grand Rapids Community College in Michigan.

Defensively, NIACC got off to a great start in the first half, thanks to a pair of interceptions by Laquentin Black (Davis, OK/HS). His first pickoff (and return of 17 yards) came minutes into the contest. Brown also started well, tossing scoring passes of 14 and 24 yards to Grant Ita (Burlington/HS) and Brad Theilen (Nashua/Nashua-Plainfield) respectively to give the Trojans a 14-0 lead with 13:36 left in the half. Ita’s first touchdown of the season came with 5:21 left in the first period and the extra-point kick by Ryan McMahon (Des Moines/Dowling Catholic) gave head coach Scott Strohmeier’s team a 7-0 lead. The Trojans had capitalized on a botched punt snap to set up the score. Moments later, NIACC had its best offensive drive of the game, eight plays for 84 yards to take a 14-0 lead.

Travis Lietchi (Omaha, NE/Burke) had a run of 21 yards and Brown connected with Brad Theilen four times for 68 yards, the last a 24 yard scoring pass. Theilen had six catches for 121 yards to lead all receivers on Saturday. Lietchi paced NIACC rushers with 40 yards on 11 tries. Black, who had seven solo tackles and three assists to lead all defensive players, got his second interception midway through the second period. The NIACC interior linemen clogged up running lanes as Joliet had just 37 yards rushing and 126 total yards at the intermission.

However, Joliet’s defense played well in the second half and Mitch Watkins (16 of 30 for 204 yards) hit Christian Graham on a 69-yard scoring pass to help Joliet narrow NIACC’s lead to 14-6 with 9:57 left in the third period. Nine minutes later, Watkins connected with A’veon Jones for a 15-yard touchdown and a two-point pass from Watkins to Jeff Gustafson tied the score at 14-all. The fourth quarter included eight Anthony Stewart rushes for 60 yards and Stewart’s 36 yard run with 4:14 left provided the winning points for the Wolves. He totaled 167 yards on 25 attempts.

In cross country, head coach Curtis Vais’ team competed Friday in Davenport at the Brissman-Lundeen Invitational meet, with the men finishing 16^th of 32 teams and the women placing 20^th of 26 squads.  The men’s team was second among community college teams after learning they had been ranked 18^th in the most recent National Junior College Athletic Association poll.

Dan Mayer (Redfield/West Central Valley) finished 24th individually of 409 runners at Credit Island Park. He ran the 8,000-meter course in 26 minutes, 47 seconds. The individual champion, Iowa Central Community College's Joshua Sawe, was clocked in 25:08. NIACC had a team total of 439 points as host Augustana College (43) won the men's team title for the fifth straight year. Juan Rodriguez (Bogota, Colombia) ran a 28:14 to finish second for NIACC and 84th overall.

In the women's competition, NIACC had a team total of 599 points as the University of Wisconsin-Parkside (70 points) was the team champ. Kelly Ipsen (Homestead/Iowa Valley) finished 64th individually for the Trojans, running 6,000 meters in 24:39, fourth best in NIACC history. Her clocking was the second fastest in NIACC’s history. Kacy Nehowig (Paynesville, MN/HS) was 98th in 25:13 as 309 runners competed overall. Jessica Lamp of UW-Parkside ran a 21:50 for individual honors. NIACC’s women were rated 22^nd in this week’s cross country poll. The Trojans compete next at Wartburg College on October 6.

In soccer, freshman goalkeeper Simon Cook (Hampshire, England/Alton College) was named ICCAC Athlete of the Week for his efforts in shutout wins over Iowa Central and Ridgewater. He has three shutouts in conference play as the Trojans have gone 4-2 in ICCAC action, 6-3 overall. Cook played well last Wednesday in a 2-0 loss to nationally-rated Marshalltown Community College, producing six saves in a game where NIACC was shorthanded by two players for nearly 45 minutes.

On Saturday in Northfield, MN, head coach Mike Regan's squad won a 4-0 match against the junior varsity of St. Olaf College. Liam Fisher(Camberly,England/Collingwood College), Sam Broadbent (Fleet, England/Farnborough Tech), Sam Jeffery (Yately, England/Farnborough Tech) and Zach Rollins (Caledonia, MN/HS) all scored once. At 2 p.m. Tuesday, NIACC plays host to Indian Hills Community College in ICCAC action. It hosts Scott Community College at 2 p.m. on Saturday. 

In volleyball, NIACC dropped an ICCAC match to fifth-rated Iowa Lakes Community College (30-22, 30-20, and 30-12) on Monday and defeated non-conference opponent Pillsbury Baptist College (30-19, 30-27, 30-14) in the NIACC Gymnasium on Tuesday. Lindsey Urbatsch (St. Ansgar/HS) and Kallie Winn (Twentynine Palms, CA/HS) were the co-leaders in kills for NIACC with four apiece against Iowa Lakes and Urbatsch and Sarah Heineman (Vinton/Vinton-Shellsburg) totaled 10 kills each in the Pillsbury victory. Head coach Ted Bieth's team is 6-7 overall as it heads into tonight's ICCAC match at Marshalltown.

In men's basketball, head coach Bryan Martin announced that longtime Osage High School boys basketball coach Mark Mohl will assist his program this winter. Mohl, who also coaches baseball at Osage High, was head coach for eight years and assisted a state championship team before leaving that position after last season. One of his previous players at Osage High, Nate Haaland, will play at NIACC this season. 

Finally, USA Wrestling Magazine recently documented the top non-Division I recruiting classes for 2007-08 and NIACC’s program was given top honors. Head coach Richard Fergola’s team has 19 Iowa wrestlers on the roster. Included in the class is four-time Illinois titlist Albert White (Chicago, IL/St. Rita) and three-time Nebraska state champion DeVaughn Perkins (Omaha, NE/Westside). NIACC opens its first season in more than three decades on November 3 with the inaugural Kaye Young/NIACC Open meet.

 

 

Rewind for September 18

The North Iowa Community College men’s soccer team produced its highest scoring output of the fall last Saturday, beating Ridgewater Community College 9-0 in Willmar, MN. Mike Unwin (Yately, England/HS) scored four goals and dished out two assists as the Trojans won their fourth straight contest. Head coach Mike Regan’s team is now 4-1 in Iowa Community College Athletic Conference play, heading into a 4 p.m. home contest Wednesday against nationally-rated Marshalltown Community College.

NIACC opened up a 4-0 halftime lead and Unwin (a team-high eight goals) and company kept on the attack in raising its overall record to 5-2. Sam Broadbent (Fleet, England/Farnborough Tech) pitched in with a pair of goals and an assist and Ben Newell (Mason City/HS), Isaac Tongo (Omaha, NE/Northwest) and Andy Lloyd (Clear Lake/HS) also scored. Liam Fischer (Camberly, England/Collingwood College) added two assists and goalkeeper Simon Cook (Hampshire, England/Alton College) earned his second shutout of the week and fourth of the season.

On Wednesday in Minnesota, NIACC edged Dakota Tech College 2-0 as Sam Jeffery (Yately, England/Farnborough Tech) scored a first-half goal and Broadbent added a second-half goal on an assist by Unwin. Cook produced six saves in the victory.

In football action, Marques Parker (Omaha, NE/Westside) caught four passes for 131 yards and a touchdown and added 209 kickoff and punt return yards, but NIACC was beaten 27-17 by host Rock Valley College in a Midwest Football Conference game.

After totaling more than 500 yards of offense in each of its first two football games, the Trojans were limited to just 267 against Rock Valley and fell to 2-1 overall, 1-1 in MFC play. Kevis Streeter (St. Augustine, FL/HS) paced NIACC with 103 yards on 15 carries, but the Trojans lost four fumbles, two inside the opponents’ five yard-line.

Trailing by 10 points early, Parker’s 55-yard touchdown reception of a pass by Brown at the 12:06 mark of the second period narrowed NIACC’s deficit to 13-10, but the Golden Eagles took a 20-10 lead into halftime on an Al Adams 13-yard touchdown scamper with 2:02 remaining before intermission.

After Adams’ scoring run, Parker nearly put NIACC back on the board by racing 59 yards with the ensuing kickoff. But with 26 seconds left in the half, Ryan Rodriguez forced Brown to fumble at the Rock Valley goal line and the Golden Eagles recovered to keep their lead intact.

Parker added a 69-yard punt return early in the third period and had a 42-yard pass reception in the fourth quarter, but NIACC couldn’t take advantage of either one of the big plays, missing a field goal and fumbling deep in Rock Valley territory. Lorenzo Brown (Bristol, CT/Eastern) scored NIACC’s final touchdown on a 1-yard run late in the third period to narrow Rock Valley’s lead to 20-17 before Adams’ 20-yard scoring run gave the Golden Eagles their final points.

NIACC returns home on Saturday, hosting Joliet Junior College in a 1 p.m. MFC contest at Mohawk Field on the campus of Mason City High School.

In volleyball, head coach Ted Bieth’s Trojans fell to 5-6 overall after losing in five games to the visiting Wartburg College junior varsity. Sarah Heineman (Vinton/Vinton-Shellsburg) produced a team-high 18 kills and fellow freshman Kallie Winn (Twentynine Palms, CA/HS) had 11 service aces to go with 27 setting assists as NIACC totaled 18 aces in all. Brittany Johnston (Ottumwa/HS) had two aces and led the Trojans with 14 digs defensively.

Last Wednesday, NIACC received 15 kills from Heineman and four service aces apiece from Winn and sophomore Amy Schilling (New Hampton/HS) to beat Ellsworth Community College in three games. The win avenged a defeat to the Panthers in the finals of the Anoka-Ramsey Tourney on September 8 and evened NIACC’s record in ICCAC play to 1-1. The Trojans play a 7 p.m. ICCAC match tonight at home against Iowa Lakes Community College. NIACC plays at the same time on Tuesday, this time hosting Pillsbury College in a non-conference match.

In cross country, head coach Curtis Vais’ team had the week off. NIACC next competes at 5 p.m. Friday in Davenport at the Brissman-Lundeen Invitational meet, which is hosted by Augustana College.

 

Rewind for September 11

A pair of cross country team titles last Saturday were among the highlights of a successful week of North Iowa Community College athletics, as the men’s soccer team won its two games this week and the football team won its conference opener decisively on Saturday as well.

At Sugar Grove, IL, Kacy Nehowig (Paynesville, MN/HS) won the individual competition and the NIACC women's cross country team took team honors at the Waubonsee Community College Chief Invitational.

Nehowig ran the 3.0-mile course in 19 minutes, 26 seconds to beat teammate Kelly Ipsen (Homestead/Iowa Valley), who ran her race inn a time of 20:24. Kristen Axtell (Letts/Louisa-Muscatine) was 17th in 23:22, Steph Wedo (Castalia/Postville) was 19th in 23:57 and Magen Krones (Mason City/Newman Catholic was 20th in 23:59. Head coach Curtis Vais' squad finished with 59 team points, edging Lincoln Community College (69) and the host team (79) in the eight-team competition.

In the men's race, NIACC's Dan Mayer (Redfield/West Central Valley) had a big day as well, running 5.06 miles in 27:42 for medalist honors to lead the Trojans to the team championship. The team totaled a low score of 60 points, with Lincoln (67) and Joliet Junior College (86) finished third in the 10-team men’s event. Juan Rodriguez of Bogota, Colombia, was ninth overall in 29:34 while Seth Blanchard (Charlotte/NE Goose Lake) was 15^th in 30:06, Sean Coleman (Imperial, MO/Seckman) was 17^th in 30:13 and Sam Meyer (Wykoff, MN/Kingsland) was 18th in 30:25 to round out the NIACC placers. NIACC's sixth and seventh runners, Quentin Adair (Ames/Gilbert) and Kevin Coy (Knoxville/HS), didn't figure in the team scoring, they finished 22nd and 24^th individually with times of 30:38 and 30:51 respectively. NIACC next competes on September 21 in Davenport at a meet hosted by Augustana College.

In a Midwest Football Conference game played at Mason City High, sophomore quarterback Lorenzo Brown (Bristol, CT/Eastern HS) threw for 334 yards and one touchdown and Travis Lietchi (Omaha, NE, Burke HS) rushed for 107 yards on 15 carries with three touchdowns as NIACC defeated Ellsworth Community College 45-15 to move to 2-0 overall.

Brown completed 15 of 24 passes overall, including a 26 yard TD pass to Brad Theilen (Nashua, IA/Nashua-Plainfield HS) late in the second quarter. NIACC opened the scoring on a 23 yard touchdown run by freshman running back Kevis Streeter (St. Augustine, FL/HS). Streeter rushed for 55 yards on nine carries and added a 57 yard pass reception in the fourth period. Later in the initial period, Lietchi scored on a 26 yard run to put NIACC up 14-0. After Ellsworth (1-1) tied the game with a pair of touchdowns, Brown delivered his touchdown strike to Theilen to put the home team up 21-14 at halftime.

In the second half, NIACC’s defense helped out as John Ricke (Garner, IA/Garner-Hayfield) recovered a fumble after a muffed punt return by Ellsworth’s Branden Robinson at his own 11-yard line. Two plays later Lietchi rushed for his second TD, this one from four yards out, and the extra point from Ryan McMahon (Des Moines, Dowling Catholic) made the score 28-14 in NIACC’s favor at the 11:46 mark of the third quarter. McMahon kicked a 43-yard field goal with 10:09 left in the game, Lietchi scored on a 5 yard run with 4:09 left, and D.J. Pratt (Bexley, OH/Harmony Prep) returned a blocked punt by Jameel Williams (Tampa, FL/Armwood-Sefner) six yards for the game’s final touchdown with 2:22 remaining.

Overall, NIACC totaled 533 yards of offense. Theilen had four catches for 103 yards while Marquese Parker (Omaha, NE/Westside) caught eight balls for 131 yards and added 83 yards on three kickoff returns and a punt return for nine yards. Ellsworth totaled over 400 yards of offense, but NIACC’s defense got a strong performance from Gerard Oxendine (St. Augustine, FL/HS) as he had 11 solo tackles and an assist, and Reggie Saint-Pierre (Miami, FL/Central) added seven solos and two assists and Antwan Pratt (Bexley, OH/HS) had six solos and a pair of assists. Besides Ricke, Laquentin Black (Davis, OK/HS), StarMeek Jones (Paterson, NJ/HS) and Brady Randall (Vinton, IA/Washington) had takeaways.

On Saturday, head coach Scott Strohmeier’s team travels to Rockford, IL to play a 1 p.m. (CST) Midwest Football Conference game against Rock Valley Community College.

At Pella, the NIACC men’s soccer team moved to 3-2 overall by beating the Central College junior varsity 5-1 on Saturday as Mike Unwin (Yately, England/HS) scored three second-half goals and Sam Jeffrey (Yately, England/Farnborough Tech) and Chris Bazen (Farnborough, England/Merristwood) added tallies to blow open a scoreless tie after 45 minutes. Head coach Mike Regan’s team had emerged victorious last Wednesday in a 1-0 home Iowa Community College Athletic Conference decision over Iowa Central Community College as Sam Broadbent (Fleet, England/Farnborough Tech) scored in the 85^th minute on an assist from Craig Halverson (Caledonia, MN/HS). NIACC travels to Minnesota to play ICCAC opponent Dakota County Technical College at 4 p.m. on Wednesday.

The women’s volleyball team also had a successful Saturday, finishing second at the Anoka-Ramsey Tournament near the Twin Cities to move to 4-5 overall. Sophomores Katie Bormann (Fredricksburg/Sumner-Fredricksburg) and Anita Whitehead (Fairmont, MN/Martin County West) were the top hitters for the Trojans with 30 and 24 kills respectively as NIACC defeated junior varsity teams from Bethel College and St. Thomas University of Minnesota and edged Rainy River Community College in a three-game match before losing to Ellsworth in the tourney finals. Sarah Heineman (Vinton/Vinton-Shellsburg) added 20 kills for the day for head coach Ted Bieth’s team. Three days earlier, Heineman paced NIACC with six kills as her team lost a closely-contested three-game match at ICCAC foe Iowa Central Community College three days earlier. At 7 p.m. Wednesday in Iowa Falls, the Trojans get a rematch with Ellsworth, this time in ICCAC play.

 

Rewind for September 4

The North Iowa Area Community College football team opened the 2007 season with a resounding 54-14 victory against the William Penn University junior varsity. Head coach Scott Strohmeier’s team benefited from the three scoring passes of sophomore quarterback Lorenzo Brown (Bristol, CT/Eastern), with wide receiver Brad Theilen (Nashua/Nashua-Plainfield) catching two touchdown throws. Fellow wide receiver Marques Parker (Omaha, NE/Westside) also made his presence felt with a punt return for a touchdown. The Trojans open Midwest Football Conference play at 1 p.m. Saturday with a home contest against Ellsworth Community College.

The soccer team had dropped a 2-0 home Iowa Community College Athletic Conference decision to Iowa Western Community College on Tuesday. England native Simon Cook had nine saves in the defeat. He added five saves for head coach Mike Regan’s team in a 1-0 loss to the Grinnell College junior varsity on Friday. NIACC hosts ICCAC foe Iowa Central Community College at 3 p.m. on Wednesday.

The NIACC men’s cross country team finished second overall at the Mt. Mercy College Mustang Gallop Saturday in Cedar Rapids as Dan Mayer (Redfield/West Central Valley) placed second individually with a 5-kilometer time of 17 minutes, 2 seconds at Jones Park. Colombian student Juan Rodriguez was ninth in 17:33, Sam Meyer (Wykoff, MN/Kingsland) was 10^th in 17:38 and Sean Coleman (Imperial, MO/Seckman) was 12^th in 17:44 for the Trojans, who totaled 47 team points to finish second to Coe College (35).

In the women’s race, NIACC placed fifth with 104 points as Kacy Nehowig (Paynesville, MN/HS) ran four kilometers in 16:12 for fourth individually. Kelly Ipsen (Homestead/Iowa Valley) was seventh in 16:34, Steph Wedo (Castalia/Postville) was 30^th in 18:22 and Mason City/Newman Catholic alum Magen Krones (18:25) was 32^nd for head coach Curtis Vais’ team. Cornell College was the team champion with 32 points. NIACC will run in the Waubonsee Community College Chiefs Invitational Saturday in Sugar Grove, IL, with races beginning at 10 a.m.

In volleyball, NIACC finished 1-3 at the season-opening NIACC Invitational Saturday, beating Clinton Community College 31-29, 23-30, 16-14 in its initial match behind seven kills from Sarah Heineman (Vinton/Vinton-Shellsburg). Heineman added 11 kills in a 30-23, 30-20 loss to the Loras University junior varsity (the eventual tourney champion) and she had nine kills in a three-game loss to Madison Area Technical College (WI). The Trojans ended their day with a three-game defeat to Northland Community College of Minnesota as Lindsay Urbatsch (Grafton/St. Ansgar) had seven kills. Setter Kallie Winn (Twentynine Palms, CA/HS) also had a productive day with two service aces in the Clinton win, 25 set assists and six service aces in the MATC loss and 18 assists, three kills in the Northland defeat.  Head coach Ted Bieth’s team opens ICCAC play with a 7 p.m. match at Iowa Central on Wednesday.

 

Rewind for August 27

Two North Iowa Area Community College women’s basketball players were honored for their scholastic prowess as the National Junior College Athletic Association named Kaeanna Wood (Atlantic/HS) and Jordan Stiles (Rockwell/Rockwell-Swaledale) to its Academic All-America team.

Wood was named to the Distinguished Academic All-America squad after posting a 3.92 grade-point average on a 4.0 scale. Those named Distinguished All-America needed to earn at least a 3.8 GPA during their two years in community college. Stiles, a second-team All-Region XI selection last winter for head coach John Oertel’s team, posted a 3.61 GPA. All Academic All-America performers had at least a 3.6 GPA.

NIACC’s first official result in a fall sport was a good one, a 1-0 victory posted by the Trojans soccer team at Scott Community College last Saturday afternoon. Freshman Mike Unwin, who played his prep soccer in England, tallied the lone goal in the contest, scoring in the 75^th minute. Another newcomer from England, Simon Cook, had three saves in goal. Coach Mike Regan’s squad opens its home slate at 4 p.m. Tuesday against Iowa Western Community College in an Iowa Community College Athletic Conference contest.

In football, the Trojans scrimmaged last Friday against Dubuque University as they readied for their opener. Coach Scott Strohmeier’s team will play Thursday at 7 p.m. in Oskaloosa against the William Penn University junior varsity. NIACC was among a half dozen Midwest Football Conference teams receiving mention in the preseason NJCAA Top 25 football poll. Pearl River Community College in Mississippi is ranked first while Snow College in Utah is second and defending national champ Blinn College in Texas is third.

NIACC’s cross country teams will travel to Cedar Rapids Saturday for the Mt. Mercy Mustang Invitational as the Trojans look to win their third straight title in that meet. While the men’s team has a few returnees to their top seven, only Anna Schumacher (Grandview/Lousia-Muscatine) is back for head coach Curtis Vais on the women’s side. Both teams will rely on a strong group of freshmen to help them as they try to earn a berth in the national meet. Meanwhile, head coach Ted Bieth’s volleyball team readies for the NIACC Invitational on Saturday as five squads participate in a round-robin event.

In men’s basketball, head coach Bryan Martin announced the signing of the eighth player for this year’s recruiting class, guard Daniel Green of Simeon High School in Chicago. The others are Joe Speth (Bettendorf/HS); Cody Hanson of nearby Northwood-Kensett High School, local product Nate Haaland of Osage High; D.J. Green of Des Moines’ Roosevelt High; Michael Sanders and Tokie Aramona of O’Hara High in Kansas City, MO; and DeAnthony Taylor of Washburn High in Minneapolis.

Finally, NIACC’s 2007 All-America baseball player Tom Heithoff (Carroll/Kuemper Catholic) signed a national letter-of-intent to play at Evansville University, a Division I school in Indiana. Heithoff is one of more than a half dozen Trojans from coach Todd Rima’s team that will be continuing their careers with four-year schools.

 

Summer Update for August 20

The fall sports season is underway at North Iowa Area Community College and four sports programs are busily preparing for the 2007 season as classes begin on campus.

The men’s and women’s cross country team, under head coach Curtis Vais, begins action with the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference Time Trial at 11 a.m. on Friday. Last fall, the men’s team finished 12^th among National Junior College Athletic Association teams in its division as returnee Dan Mayer (Redfield/West Central Valley) placed 59^th individually.

A new head coach, Mike Regan, will direct the men’s soccer program at NIACC this season. Regan assisted previous head coach Colin Murphy as the Trojans finished 6-11-1 in 2006. This season, Murphy will assist Regan, as will Alexsandar Bogdanovic. This year’s team includes a bevy of newcomers from England to go along with a strong group of returning players, including All-Region XI pick Andy Scott. The Trojans begin play on Saturday with a 2 p.m. ICCAC game at Scott Community College.

The Trojans football program under head coach Scott Strohmeier will need to replace a pair of players that earned All-America recognition from last year’s 7-4 squad. Standout defensive back Anton Cullom (first-team NJCAA) and two-year starting quarterback Ben Alford (honorable mention) were the conference’s Defensive and Offensive Players of the Year and must be replaced. However, Strohmeier expects a strong quarterback to emerge from a handful of candidates and the Trojans had a strong recruiting class as they hope to continue building from last year’s strong performance. Defensive lineman Reggie St. Pierre (Miami, FL/Central) returns after earning honorable mention All-Region XI honors and honorable mention All-Region XI pick Kyle Staudt (Charles City/HS) is a key returnee in the offensive line. NIACC also added a new defensive coordinator, Mike Blackbourn, from South Dakota State University. The Trojans open their season with a 7 p.m. non-conference away contest against the William Penn University junior varsity on August 30.

In volleyball, third-year coach Ted Bieth returns four players (including three starters) from a team that finished 15-21 in 2006. Two returnees, Katie Bormann (Fredricksburg/Sumner-Fredricksburg) and Anita Whitehead (Fairmont, MN/Martin County West), were among the team leaders in kills and blocks last fall. Freshman Sarah Heineman (Garrison/Vinton-Shellsburg) comes to NIACC after earning All-State mention as a prep and should help immediately. Another freshman, Kallie Winn of Twentynine Palms, CA, was an All-Section pick in high school and is among three newcomers that will play multiple sports at NIACC. On September 1, the Trojans open their season by hosting the NIACC Invitational in Mason City.

Among other sports, NIACC’s baseball program had a couple of opportunities to celebrate this summer as one player earned All-America honors and another signed a national letter-of-intent. The All-America honoree was first baseman/pitcher Tom Heithoff (Carroll/Kuemper Catholic), who earned third-team recognition for Division II schools from the NJCAA after being named the Region XI Player of the Year. He placed third nationally with 67 runs batted in and hit .406 and was 6-1 on the mound. Head coach Todd Rima’s program welcomes a 17-member recruiting class for the 2007-08 season after finishing 33-20 last spring.

In wrestling, NIACC’s re-instituted program under head coach Richard Fergola has 34 on its roster, including three recruits – Albert White (Chicago, IL/St. Rita), T.J. Moen (Des Moines/Saydel) and DeVaughn Perkins (Omaha, NE/North) that earned All-America honors from ASICS. White, a four-time Illinois state champ, was a first-team pick.

Another piece of positive news for NIACC athletics occurred earlier in August as a local contractor, Henkel Construction, won the bid on a $5.3 million dollar project that will bring NIACC a new indoor athletics/recreation facility. Among the amenities for the facility are new locker rooms, a new set of basketball courts, wrestling room, an upgraded weight room and office space.

For more on NIACC athletics, check the school’s website at www.niacc.edu/athletics or contact athletic director Dan Mason by phone at 641-422-4281 or email him at masondan@niacc.edu.

 

Rewind for May 21

A new head coach, a regional Player of the Year and participants in national competitions highlighted the North Iowa Area Community College athletic program’s events last week.  

The new head coach – in men’s soccer – is a familiar face. Mike Regan, the assistant coach the past two seasons, will take over the Trojans’ program. Regan, who is from England, has been overseeing NIACC men’s soccer activities since the departure of previous head coach Colin Murphy. He has already made an impact on the recruiting trail, bringing two players from England this past semester after having recruited a pair of NIACC players from last fall’s roster.  

The Player of the Year – in Region XI Division II baseball – is Tom Heithoff (Carroll/Kuemper Catholic), who was honored with first-team status as both a pitcher and infielder. He was among the top 10 statistically in nearly every category among Iowa Community College Athletic Conference players, leading the ICCAC in triples and runs batted in. He also posted six wins as a pitcher and was second in strikeouts for the Trojans, who finished 33-20 overall.  

Among national statistical leaders, Heithoff ranks third with 67 RBI and tied for fifth in homers with 12. Five other players earned second-team honors, including Alex Rehnstrom (Sioux Rapids/Sioux Central), Casey Johnson (Brooklyn, WI/Oregon), Zack Welter (Cedar Falls/HS), Jeremy Ische (Norwood Young America, MN/Central) and Jason Hunt (Olathe, KS/Olathe South). Rehnstrom’s .412 batting average ranks 43^rd nationally and Welter is among the nation’s leaders in saves with eight.   

Two NIACC women’s golfers were challenged by the renowned LPGA International Golf Course in Daytona Beach, FL, last week as Whitney Weber (Clear Lake/HS) and Kayli Jones (Garner/Garner-Hayfield) tied for 73^rd and 86^th respectively at the National Junior College Athletic Association meet. Brittany Lockwood (Mason City/HS) had also qualified for nationals, but was unable to compete due to an illness. 

Last weekend, NIACC track and field coach Curtis Vais brought a handful of competitors to Coffeyville, KS, at the outdoor nationals. On Friday, Ronnisha Hall (Pahokee, FL/HS) placed ninth in the women’s hammer throw and competed in the shot put. Meanwhile, Lucas Nelson (St. Ansgar/HS) placed 15^th in the men’s hammer throw on Friday and placed 14^th in the javelin on Saturday.  Spencer Rahm (Wesley/Bishop Garrigan) also had a top-15 finish Saturday, placing 13^th in the discus.

 

Rewind for May 14

The North Iowa Area Community College men’s golf team placed fourth of seven teams at the Region XI meet in Burlington. The top finisher for coach Chris Frenz’ team was Andrew Cullen (Clear Lake/HS), who finished in a tie for 12^th individually and narrowly missed a berth at the NJCAA nationals.

 Two other NIACC teams still have student athletes participating in national events this week. In women’s golf, Whitney Weber (Clear Lake/HS), Kayli Jones (Garner/Garner-Hayfield) and Brittany Lockwood (Mason City/HS) are beginning play today at the NJCAA women’s golf tourney in Daytona Beach, FL.

 Later this week (May 17-19), track and field coach Curtis Vais has a handful of competitors in Coffeyville, KS, at the outdoor nationals, including indoor women’s track and field All-American Ronnisha Hall (Pahokee, FL/HS) and men’s team competitors Donny Severs (Burlington/HS), Lucas Nelson (St. Ansgar/HS) and Spencer Rahm (Wesley/Bishop Garrigan).

 Severs set a region record by tossing the shot put 35.56 meters at the Loras Open last month and is currently ranked eighth in that event heading into nationals. Hall is ranked sixth in the shot put; she’ll also throw the hammer at nationals. Nelson will compete in the hammer and javelin. Rahm will compete in the discus competition.

 The NIACC baseball team competed at the Region XI playoffs this past weekend in Waterloo. Coach Todd Rima’s team lost 7-1 to Kirkwood Community College on Friday in opening round despite two hits by shortstop Erik Smith (Pisgah/West Harrison). Jeremy Ische (Norwood Young America, MN/Central) hit a homer as NIACC lost 9-7 in Saturday’s second round. The Trojans finished 33-21 for the season.

 In softball, NIACC ended its season on Tuesday in Ft. Dodge, beating Ellsworth Community College 9-1 before dropping a 17-7 extra-inning decision to Kirkwood Community College at the Region XI tournament.

 The Trojans, coached by Mary Jo Vrba, finished 20-19 overall. They had two players earn second team All-Region XI honors, sophomore shortstop Brittney Balduf (Mason City/HS) and sophomore outfielder Stephanie Haacke (Kensett/North Central). Balduf finished the regular season with a .403 batting average, 10^th in the conference, tied for fourth with 19 stolen bases, was fifth in homers with nine and seventh in runs batted in with 44. Haacke led the conference in walks with 32 and was second in steals with 31.

 Five other players earned honorable mention All-Region XI status: Amber Riesenberg (Lake City/Southern Cal), Kimberly Fleming (Mason City/Newman Catholic), Laura Fjelstad (Lake Mills/HS), Leah Mork (DeWitt/Central) and Brittney Zamora (Las Cruces, NM/HS). Among conference leaders, Fleming was tied for seventh in the conference with six homers and Fjelstad tied for fourth in walks with 22.

 

Rewind for May 7

Graduation day was last Friday, but most spring sports teams were still in the most important part of their seasons last weekend.  The North Iowa Area Community College softball team began Region XI playoff action last Saturday and the Trojans got off to a good start with a 6-5 first-round victory over Muscatine Community College, thanks to a pair of homers and three RBI from Amber Riesenberg (Lake City/Southern Cal).

 In game two on Saturday, NIACC lost a 6-3 decision to Iowa Central Community College despite three hits apiece from Riesenberg and Stephanie Haacke (Kensett/North Central). On Tuesday, coach Mary Jo Vrba’s team – now 19-18 this spring - is scheduled to play Ellsworth Community College in a Tuesday elimination game in Ft. Dodge.

 Shortstop Brittney Balduf (Mason City/HS) was honored as a Division II Athlete of the Week in the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference. NIACC baseball player Tom Heithoff was also an Athlete of the Week. Balduf ranked among the top 10 in the conference in five offensive categories after producing three hits and a pair of RBI in her team’s final conference game, a 7-1 win over Ellsworth last Monday. The Trojans had lost 4-2 in game one of the double header to end their conference slate with a 7-13 mark. 

The 10^th-rated baseball team benefited greatly from Heithoff’s long ball power last Tuesday as he hit homers in consecutive innings and drove in five runs during his team’s 17-9 win over Iowa Lakes Community College to sweep a double header. Heithoff is among the national leaders in homers, runs batted in and batting average. He’s also 6-1 as a pitcher and has fanned 58 in 45 2/3 innings, seventh in strikeouts per inning nationally.

 Heithoff had one other honor bestowed upon him recently as he was named Male Outstanding Athlete/Scholar at NIACC. Softball player Kimberly Fleming (Mason City/Newman Catholic) was Female Outstanding Athlete/Scholar.

 On Saturday, the baseball team lost 4-3 and 5-2 to visiting Kirkwood Community College in a double header. Clay Bourgeois (Barataria, LA/Fisher) was a bright spot offensively, getting a pair of hits in each contest. Before rain wiped out Sunday’s double header, three teams were tied at the top of the ICCAC with 14-8 records. The Trojans, now 33-16 overall, were scheduled to host Kirkwood in a double header Monday, weather permitting. Coach Todd Rima’s team will play in Waterloo at the seven-team Region XI Division II playoffs this weekend. 

In men’s golf, NIACC was in the midst of the Region XI tournament in Burlington when rain postponed play. It is hoped that the 36-hole event can be completed on Monday.

 

 

Rewind for April 30

The North Iowa Area Community College wrestling program celebrated a bright moment in its history as seven competitors from the Trojans’ 1973 national championship team and former coach Kaye Young watched their national championship banner hoisted to the NIACC gymnasium rafters during a ceremony on Sunday afternoon.  

Approximately 200 were on hand to see the banner raised as former U.S. Olympic wrestling champion Dan Gable gave the keynote address at the “Back to the Future” event. NIACC’s wrestling program had previously run from 1967 to 1976 under Young and was reinstated last fall. New head coach Richard Fergola was hired this winter and a full schedule of meets is set for the 2007-08 season, said athletic director Dan Mason.

 In women’s golf, Whitney Weber (Clear Lake/HS), Kayli Jones (Garner/Garner-Hayfield) and Brittany Lockwood (Mason City/HS) helped NIACC finish fourth as a team at the Region XI meet in Council Bluffs. Weber carded an 84 for 18 holes, Jones had an 85 and Lockwood shot a 90. The trio earned a trip to the NJCAA nationals in Daytona Beach, FL, May 14-17 by virtue of finishing among the top 10 individually of those not of the winning team, Iowa Central Community College. Weber had readied for regionals on Friday by winning individual honors at the Iowa Lakes Community College Invitational in Okoboji Friday, shooting an 83 for 18 holes.  

In men’s golf last Friday, NIACC placed fourth at the Iowa Lakes Invitational as Greg Engels (Rockford/Rockford Rudd-Marble Rock) and Elliott Sheriff (Rockwell/Rockwell-Swaledale) had identical 18-hole scores of 77 to lead the Trojans. NIACC’s score of 307 strokes was 13 behind Iowa Western Community College’s 294. The host school’s Ross Froehlich shot a 69 for medalist honors.

 In baseball, NIACC traveled to Ft. Dodge to face Iowa Central Community College in a battle for the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference lead last weekend. Thanks to a double header sweep on Sunday, the Trojans (31-14, 12-6) remained in first place. Tom Heithoff (Carroll/Kuemper Catholic) continued to shine on the mound, tossing a one-hitter in a 2-0 game one victory. Heithoff, now 6-1 this season, fanned nine Tritons. In game two, Heithoff drove in two runs and Casey Johnson (Brooklyn, WI/Oregon) had three hits as NIACC used a four-run first inning to seal a 5-3 victory.

 On Saturday, the Trojans lost 10-6 and 7-2. Josh Swenson (Burnsville, MN/Apple Valley) had a pair of hits in each game while Alex Rehnstrom (Sioux Rapids/Sioux Central) produced three hits in game two. Last Thursday, Rehnstrom was named ICCAC Division II Athlete of the Week for his work in games against Southeastern Community College and Indian Hills Community College.

 On Friday, NIACC split a double header against non-conference visitor Marshalltown Community College, winning game two 12-2 after losing the opener 9-3. Shayden Bertagnolli (Roy, UT/Hs) had a three-run triple and a two-run homer to pace the Trojans in the nightcap as Brian Prusinski (Muskego, WI/HS) and four relievers combined on a three-hitter. 

NIACC hosts Iowa Lakes Tuesday in a 2 p.m. double header at Roosevelt Field.  

In softball, NIACC (17-16, 6-12 in conference) split a double header at Ellsworth Community College, losing the opener 6-3 and winning the second contest 7-3. In game one, Kimberly Fleming (Mason City/Newman Catholic) had three hits, including a solo homer in the first inning, while Brittney Balduf (Mason City/HS) had a solo homer in the fifth frame.  

Balduf was the star in game two, collecting four hits, including a run scoring single in the first inning and a two-run triple in the third. Amber Riesenberg (Lake City/Southern Cal) and Traci Lerch (DeWitt/Central) added RBI hits in the fifth inning as Hanna Reis (Newell/Newell-Fonda) picked up the win on the mound. Coach Mary Jo Vrba’s team will host Ellsworth in a 3:30 p.m. double header today to close out ICCAC play and will play the Luther College junior varsity on Tuesday before participating in the upcoming Region XI playoffs.

 In track and field, NIACC Ronnisha Hall (Pahokee, FL/HS) won the women’s shot put with a toss of 13.65 meters (44-9 ½ feet) for the top individual finish of the North Iowa Community College track and field team at Saturday’s Loras Open. Another highlight for the women’s team was the performance of sprinter Tamira O’Neal (Bolingbrook, IL/Romeoville), who ran the 100 meter dash in 13.67 seconds to place fourth and added an eighth place finish in the 200 (27.46).  

The men’s team received a strong performance from sprinter Paul Darby (Austin, TX/Reagan), who ran a 49.50 to place second in the 400, ahead of teammate Ramelle Naysm (St. Louis, MO/McCluer), who was fourth in 51.13. In the shot put, NJCAA national qualifier Donny Severs (Burlington/HS) tossed the shot put 15.55 meters (51 feet) for third place and Logan Weeks (Des Moines/Lincoln) placed fourth in the 5,000 with a 16:59.70 clocking. NIACC’s 4 x 100 relay also placed third in 44.27. 

 Finally, former NIACC alum Marshall Yanda was drafted in the third round by the Baltimore Ravens, the 86^th pick overall in the National Football League draft in New York. Yanda was an offensive lineman for the University of Iowa.

 

 

Rewind for April 23

The North Iowa Area Community College softball team’s recent upsurge highlights this week’s athletics news as the Trojans beat Marshalltown Community College and Southwestern Community College in double home double headers Saturday and Sunday. Coach Mary Jo Vrba’s team plays a home double header against Ellsworth Community College at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday and the two teams play again Thursday in Iowa Falls. 

On Sunday, NIACC beat Southwestern 3-2 and 8-0, getting a one-hit, five-inning shutout from Brittney Zamora (Las Cruces, NM/HS) in game two. Zamora and Brittney Balduf (Mason City/HS) had two hits for the Trojans, who scored twice in the second inning and four in the third. The game one winning pitcher was Hanna Reis (Newell/Newell-Fonda), with Balduf contributing two hits and Stephanie Haacke (Kensett/North Central) driving in a run in the first inning and scoring the game-winner in the bottom of the fifth. 

Against Marshalltown, Reis picked up the 8-3 game one victory as Amber Riesenberg (Lake City/Southern Cal) had two hits and drove in a pair of runs. Kimberly Fleming (Mason City/Newman Catholic) also had two hits in the opener and then added three more in game two, a 3-1 win. She also drove in two runs as Zamora tossed a five-hitter over seven innings while fanning five. On Wednesday, NIACC had split a double header with Iowa Lakes Community College, winning the opener 8-3 before being edged 10-6 in game two. Riesenberg was 3-for-3 in game one and drove in two runs with a single during NIACC’s four-run first inning. 

In track and field, NIACC competed in the Dick Young Track and Field Classic at Grinnell College last Saturday and Donny Severs (Burlington/HS) led the Trojans by placing second in the men’s shot put with a toss of 15.37 meters, just behind the 15.42-meter throw by Iowa State’s Zac Brouillette. The top women’s finish was by Ronnisha Hall (Pahokee, FL/HS), who placed sixth in the shot put. Coach Curtis Vais’ team competes Saturday at the Loras Open in Dubuque.   

In baseball action, NIACC’s sixth-rated Division II NJCAA team won two of three games last weekend in Iowa Community College Athletic Conference action, beating Southeastern Community College 2-1 on Sunday before rain postponed game two. The two teams play a 2 p.m. contest today at Roosevelt Field in Mason City as NIACC tries to improve on its 28-10 overall record, 10-3 in ICCAC play.

 Sunday’s victory was keyed by the hitting of Casey Johnson (Brooklyn, WI/Oregon) and Alex Rehnstrom (Sioux Rapids/Sioux Central) and the pitching of Tom Heithoff (Carroll/Kuemper Catholic). Johnson’s fielder’s choice grounder broke a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the fifth inning and Heithoff made the lead stand up, tossing a four-hitter with nine strikeouts to move to 5-1 on the season. Johnson and Rehnstrom both had two hits overall.

 On Saturday, NIACC beat Southeastern 11-8 in game one and lost 9-1 in the nightcap. Rehnstrom produced three hits and Johnson and Jeremy Ische (Norwood Young American, MN/Central) had a pair of runs batted in to support the pitching of Jared Koch (Cherokee/Washington), who is now 5-1 overall. Zack Welter (Cedar Falls/HS) picked up his seventh save. On Thursday, NIACC split a double header with Indian Hills Community College, the eighth-rated team in NJCAA Division I baseball, beating the Falcons 5-3 in game two after dropping a 4-0 decision in the opener. Again, Rehnstrom was a key to victory, contributing three hits in game two, while Ische’s two-run single broke a 3-3 tie. 

In women’s golf, NIACC placed fourth at the Iowa Central Invitational last Monday as Brittany Lockwood (Mason City/HS) shot a 92 for 18 holes. The Trojans, who had a team score of 394 strokes, also received a 94 from Whitney Weber (Clear Lake/HS). Both the women and men’s teams will play at NIACC’s own invitational on Tuesday at Highland Country Club in Mason City. The men had played last weekend in Ottumwa at an invitational hosted by Indian Hills, placing eighth of 10 teams in the two-day event. Elliott Sheriff (Rockwell/Rockwell-Swaledale) produced a 36-hole score of 163 to lead coach Chris Frenz’ team.

 

 

Rewind for April 16

The weather finally broke and clear days marked last weekend, but the forecast has been sunny for the North Iowa Area Community College baseball team all spring. On Sunday, the ninth-rated Trojans continued their strong season as they defeated Ellsworth Community College 20-3 and 9-8 in Iowa Falls. The team is now 24-7 overall, 7-1 in Iowa Community College Athletic Conference play heading into today’s 2:30 p.m. double header at Ellsworth. Jared Koch (Cherokee/Washington) moved to 4-1 on the season by tossing five innings of four-hit ball in the opener and striking out six.  

Offensively, Tom Heithoff (Carroll/Kuemper Catholic) and Jason Hunt (Olathe, KS/Olathe South) each hit a homer and drove in five runs as NIACC produced six runs in both the second and third innings. In game two, Jeremy Ische (Norwood Young America, MN/Central) had a homer and four runs batted in and the Trojans scored the winning run in the top of the eighth inning to make a winner of reliever Zack Welter (Cedar Falls/HS).  

Last Monday, the Trojans upended Iowa Lakes Community College 10-0 and 12-5 last Monday in Mason City as Koch and Tom Heithoff pitched five innings apiece for victories. Koch moved to 3-1 overall by tossing five-hit ball and throwing just 57 pitches. Meanwhile, Clay Bourgeois (Barataria, La/Fisher) hit a three-run homer and Hunt added a two-run homer to give Koch all the support he needed in game one. 

In game two, coach Todd Rima’s team banged out 14 hits, scoring four runs in the first inning to give Heithoff an early cushion. Alex Rehnstrom (Sioux Rapids/Sioux Central) had three hits and five runs batted in to lead NIACC in the nightcap. Bourgeois, Rehnstrom and Josh Swenson (Burnsville, MN/Apple Valley) had four hits apiece in the double header. The Trojans continue to remain near the top of Division II offensive statistical rankings, as their .382 batting average was second nationally before banging out 29 hits in two games on Sunday.  

In softball, NIACC coach Mary Jo Vrba announced that shortstop Brittney Balduf (Mason City/HS) has signed a letter of intent to play for the University of Northern Iowa next year. She showed why she’s a Division I-caliber in a pair of double header losses last weekend. On Saturday at Muscatine Community College, Balduf hit a homer in each game as the Trojans lost 7-3 and 10-2. On Sunday, Vrba’s team lost 11-7 and 9-6 at Kirkwood Community College, but Balduf’s two homers and three RBI in game two kept her team close until the home team scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning.

 In men’s golf action last Monday in Burlington, NIACC finished sixth at the 10-team Southeastern Community College Invitational as Andrew Cullen (Clear Lake/HS) shot an 80 for 18 holes to finish in a tie for fifth individually. Matt Mostrom (Ventura/HS) shot an 88 as coach Chris Frenz’ team had a team total of 349 strokes. Iowa Wesleyan (320) took team honors. 

In track and field, NIACC’s throwers had the best results as the Trojans participated in the Jim Duncan Invitational at Drake University Saturday. After learning that the Loras Invitational had been cancelled, coach Curtis Vais made arrangements for his team to head south and Lucas Nelson (St. Ansgar/HS) made a strong showing, finishing fifth in the hammer throw with a toss of 41.41 meters. Teammate Spencer Rahm (Wesley/Bishop Garrigan) was sixth in the hammer with a toss of 40.92 meters and placed ninth in the discus (Nelson was 14^th). In the shot put, Joe McCall (Council Bluffs/Lincoln) was eighth overall with a toss of 12.85 meters. 

Men’s basketball coach Bryan Martin announced that Ryan Sones (Laurens/Laurens-Marathon) signed a national letter-of-intent with Upper Iowa University in Fayette and Max Stambaugh (Mason City/HS) signed with Iowa Wesleyan College in Mt. Pleasant. Stambaugh earned second-team All-Region XI honors this season while Sones was a  key reserve on the Trojans’ 21-11 squad.

 

 

NIACC Athletes Honored

MASON CITY (April 13, 2007) – More than a dozen student-athletes were among those honored during the North Iowa Area Community College Alumni Association’s annual Pathways to Success Luncheon on Monday.

Athletes honored included:
Baseball: Jay East (Garner/Garner-Hayfield), Dan Mousel (Sioux City/Bishop Heelan Catholic), Brandon Westphal (Sumner/Sumner-Fredericksburg), Alex Rehnstrom (Sioux Rapids/Sioux Central), Jared Koch (Cherokee/HS) and Tom Heithoff (Carroll/Kuemper Catholic).
Football: Wesley Brommel (Norwalk/HS)
Men’s golf: Andrew Cullen (Clear Lake/HS).
Men’s basketball: Ryan Sones (Laurens/Laurens-Marathon).
Softball: Stephanie Haacke (Kensett/North Central) and Kimberly Fleming (Mason City/Newman Catholic).
Women’s basketball: *Amber Riesenberg (Lake City/Southern Cal), Jordan Stiles (Rockwell/Rockwell-Swaledale) and Kaeanna Wood (Messena/Atlantic). Riesenberg also plays softball.

Each April, top NIACC students are recognized for their scholarship, leadership and character during the luncheon, which is sponsored by local businesses and organizations. Students must have a 3.0 grade-point average on a 4.0 scale to be eligible.

Rewind for April 9

Although the chilly temperatures and windy conditions cancelled many North Iowa Area Community College sporting events last week, the women’s and men’s golf teams managed to compete well in their opening tournaments.

The women’s team edged Ellsworth Community College for first place at the Ellsworth Invitational last Thursday as Kayli Jones (Garner/Garner-Hayfield) shot a 45 for nine holes for team honors. Whitney Weber (Clear Lake/HS) added a 46 for coach Chris Frenz’ team as their team score of 191 edged the host school by one stroke at the Highland Golf Course. They play on Wednesday, traveling to Forest City to face Waldorf College at Bear Creek Country Club.

In men’s golf action last Monday, NIACC finished sixth as a team at the William Penn Invite as Andrew Cullen (Clear Lake/HS) shot an 8-over-par 78 to finish in a tie for 14th individually. Greg Engels (Rockford/Rockford Rudd-Marble Rock) tied for 20th with a 79 for the Trojans, who compete at the Southeastern Community College Invite today.

In baseball, NIACC dropped a pair of non-conference games at nationally-rated Indian Hills Community College last Tuesday, losing 11-7 and 7-3 to fall to 20-7 overall.

Despite the losses to the Division I school, coach Todd Rima’s team was still ranked 10th in the latest National Junior College Athletic Association Division II poll and team is hitting .379, second nationally. The Trojans play an ICCAC double header today at 2 p.m. against Iowa Lakes Community College. The two teams will play at the same time on Tuesday as well.

NIACC continues to receive honors for individual accomplishments as Jeremy Ische (Norwood Young America, MN/Central) was named ICCAC Division II Athlete of the Week for his efforts from March 29-April 4. Ische sports a .467 batting average, good for 20th in the country. Tom Heithoff (Carroll/Kuemper Catholic) has a .500 batting average, which puts him fifth individually while his 43 runs batted in is the most among Division II players. He’s also fifth in strikeouts per nine innings (27 in 18 2/3 innings) as a pitcher.

In softball, NIACC dropped its opening conference games last Wednesday at Iowa Lakes Community College by scores of 13-8 and 8-7. Kimberly Fleming (Mason City/Newman Catholic) hit two-run homers in each game as the Trojans fell to 11-6 overall.

Whitney Bauer (DeWitt/Central) hit a solo homer to give NIACC an early lead in game one and she and Leah Mork (DeWitt/Central) had three hits apiece for the Trojans. In game two, Brittney Balduf (Mason City/HS) had a two-run homer and Fleming tied the game 7-7 with her second homer of the day before Iowa Lakes scored a run in the bottom of the seventh inning to win game two.

Coach Mary Jo Vrba’s team will travel to Iowa Falls Tuesday for a 3:30 p.m. ICCAC double header at Ellsworth.

Rewind for April 2

The North Iowa Area Community College softball team picked up an individual honor and a non-conference victory last week as sophomore Kimberly Fleming (Mason City/Newman Catholic) was honored by the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference as the Division II Scholar Athlete of the Week.  

Fleming, who had a 3.92 grade-point average on a 4.0 scale, was hitting .444 before Thursday’s non-conference game against the Wartburg College junior varsity. She had one of her team’s 11 hits as the Trojans beat the Knights 9-8 on Thursday and raised their record to 11-4. Traci Lerch (DeWitt/Central) hit a solo homer and Brittney Balduf (Mason City/HS) had three hits, including two RBI doubles, while pitcher Hanna Reis (Newell/Newell-Fonda) recorded her sixth victory in eight decisions. 

Trailing 2-1, Balduf’s first RBI double occurred during a four-run third inning. Laura Fjelstad (Lake Mills/HS) singled in Balduf, Leah Mork (DeWitt/Central) ripped a triple to bring home pinch-runner Nicole Sternat (Fredericksburg/Sumner-Fredericksburg) and Holly Schmidt (Readlyn/Wapsie Valley) doubled to score Mork to put NIACC up 5-2.

 Up 5-3 in the bottom of the fourth, Lerch led off for NIACC by driving a Robin Petersen pitch over the left field fence. Balduf drove in another run with her second double and scored on a Fjelstad single. Balduf scored her team’s final run in the sixth inning and the Trojans needed it as Wartburg scored four runs in the seventh before falling short. 

Coach Mary Jo Vrba’s team opens Iowa Community College Athletic Conference play with a 3:30 p.m. Tuesday home double header against Iowa Lakes Community College.

 In baseball, NIACC ended a busy week by splitting a double header Sunday at Muscatine Community College, dropping ga