ARMSTRONG—North Union head coach Matt Ernster turned 38 on Friday, Aug. 26 and his players made sure it was a happy birthday as they blanked the Okoboji Pioneers 39-0 in the season opener.

All-state running back Bryer Prochniak rushed for 175 yards and scored four touchdowns and quarterback Carter Morphew contributed 110 yards rushing and threw for another score in the win.

SIOUX RAPIDS—West Bend-Mallard dropped the first two sets but roared back winning the final three games to take their Twin Lakes Conference and season opening victory over Sioux Central in thrilling sets on Thursday, Aug. 25.

The Rebels started fast by taking the first set 26-24 and 25-19 before the purple-and-gold back to take the third game 25-10. The Wolverines forced the fifth set by winning the fourth game 25-22 and cruised to a 15-4 victory to win the match.

ALGONA—Bishop Garrigan opened the season and Top of Iowa Conference play on Thursday, Aug. 25 with a hard-fought victory over Belmond-Klemme in four sets.

The black-and-gold took the opening game by the score of 25-22 and won the second by the tally of 25-15. The visitors won the third set 18-25 before the Golden Bears ended the match with a 25-10 win in the fourth game.

ESTHERVILLE—The Algona swim team opened the 2022 season on Tuesday, Aug. 23 at the Estherville Wellness Center and fell to the Spencer Tigers by the score of 134.5 to 39.5.

The bright spot for the red-and-squad was the diving event as the team picked up their only win. Freshman Reese Taylor compiled a winning score of 170.65 points to break the school record as the old record was set in 2012 by Shelby Brindley with a score of 138.95.

PERRY—Brooke Ludwig won the 200-yard freestyle event in 2:21.46 to highlight the performances of the Algona swim team in a meet held at Perry on Thursday, Aug. 25.

The Bluejays defeated the red-and-black by the score of 88-55. Algona was the runner-up in four individual races and three relays on Thursday.

GOWRIE—Freshman Tyra Schupbach finished in fifth place overall to highlight the performances of the West Bend-Mallard Wolverine boys’ and girls’ cross-country squads at the Southeast Valley Invitational on Thursday, Aug. 25.

By CHUCK FRIEND

Freelance contributing writer

MASON CITY – It is no secret that Mason City native Mark Holt is a fan of racing. And that love has developed into what is now known as the Nostalgia Dirt Series.

By Greg Grabianowski

Sports Editor

LIVERMORE—Former Twin River Valley graduate Dallas Clark will be enshrined into the University of Iowa Athletics Department Hall of Fame on Saturday, Sept. 2 at the Hawkeyes’ season opener against the South Dakota State Jackrabbits.

By Greg Grabianowski

Sports Editor

DYERSVILLE—An area man is playing a big role in the new expansions that are taking place at the Field of Dreams site in Dyersville, Iowa.

Jason Blome is a 2001 graduate of North Kossuth and 2008 graduate of Iowa State University with a degree in landscape architecture. His wife Amber is also from the area as she is from Algona.

Tuesday, Aug. 23

Swim—Spencer vs Algona @ Estherville

Thursday, Aug. 25

VB—Algona @ ADM Tournament

VB—Belmond-Klemme @ Bishop Garrigan

VB—West Bend-Mallard @ Sioux Central

XCC—AHS, BG, NU @ Spencer Invitational

XCC—West Bend-Mallard @ Gowrie Invitational

Swim—Algona @ Perry

Friday, Aug. 26

FB—Algona @ Emmetsburg

By Greg Grabianowski

Sports Editor

ALGONA—The 2022 fall sports season began on Tuesday as the Algona swim team hosted the Spencer Tigers in a meet held in Estherville.

Today, (Thursday) is a busy day for local volleyball squads as the Algona Bulldogs play in the ADM tournament, the Bishop Garrigan Golden Bears host Belmond-Klemme and the West Bend-Mallard Wolverines travel to face Sioux Central.

By Greg Grabianowski

Sports Editor

ALGONA—Jon Feldick had never played the Algona Country Club golf course before this weekend. But that did not seem to bother the Cedar Falls resident as he shot a seven-under par 173 over 45 holes to win the annual Randy Buscher Memorial “Algona Am” golf tournament.

DES MOINES—A trio of players off the fourth place North Union Warriors softball squad were recently named to the Class 2A first-team all-state unit by the Iowa Girls Softball Coaches Association.

Seniors Cassie Beadle and Sam Nielsen along with junior Emily Meyer joined 19 other players across the state to make up the first team in Class 2A.

DES MOINES—Abbie Capesius of Bishop Garrigan and Lillian Etherington of Algona were recently chosen to the third-team all-state team in their respective softball classes by the Iowa Girls Softball Coaches Association.

Capesius was selected as a shortstop to the Class 1A squad while Etherington was picked to the Class 3A unit, also as a shortstop.

By Greg Grabianowski

Sports Editor

ALGONA—Both Derek Green and Kelly Shryock went home with an extra $2,000 in their pockets as the big winners in the Bradie Becker Memorial Race at the Kossuth County Speedway on Thursday, Aug. 11.

The evening saw many of the family and friends of Bradie come out into victory lane after the features for photos and another highlight of the night was a guest appearance from “Checkers” the clown.