South Winn senior Tiffany Riehle goes for a kill in recent Warrior volleyball action. Riehle’s all-around effort against Turkey Valley on Thursday, which included a total of eight kills and eight blocks, helped the Warriors pick up their third consecutive win. (Zakary Kriener photo)

Warrior Volleyball records 3rd straight shutout

Zakary Kriener

News Writer
zkriener@fayettepublishing.com

The South Winneshiek volleyball team continued its stellar midseason run as it picked up its sixth win in its last seven matches and third straight shutout victory by defeating Turkey Valley, 3-0.

Aided by a strong defensive effort, the Warriors defeated the Trojans by scores of 25-19, 25-13, and 26-24 to secure the Upper Iowa Conference win.

The Warrior boys’ cross country team had a dominating performance Thursday at Central Elkader as South Winneshiek runners claimed four of the top five spots. Among the top runners were (far left) Paul Hageman (second place, 18:14.8), (593) Derek Dietzenbach (first place, 18:07.03), and (592) Paxten DeVilbiss (third place, 18:41.80). (Jerry Wadian photo)

SW takes top spot in G/B XC action

Zakary Kriener

News Writer
zkriener@fayettepublishing.com

The South Winneshiek boys’ and girls’ cross country teams, each carrying a top-four ranking in Class 1A, competed Thursday at Central Elkader.

The Warrior boys, ranked No. 3 in the state, had a near-perfect showing on the day, taking four of the top five spots and winning by an overwhelming number of points.

Senior Derek Dietzenbach crossed the finish line first with a time of 18:07.03, followed by junior Paul Hageman in second with a time of 18:14.80. 

Fourth place went to senior Paxten DeVilbiss (18:41.83); sophomore Emmett Schwartzhoff rounded out the top five with a time of 18:55.53, and junior Eric Franzen rounded out the scoring for the Warriors with an eighth-place finish in a time of 19:33.31.

The spectacular effort yielded a 20-point effort for South Winn, only five points short of a perfect team score. Dunkerton took runner-up honors with a team score of 56, while Kee placed third with 90 points.

The girls’ varsity race featured three of the top-four ranked teams in Class 1A as South Winn (No. 4) looked to challenge top-ranked Kee and No. 2-ranked Central.

Warrior junior Levi Lukes stiff-arms a Bulldog defender as he makes his way toward the sideline for a long punt return in South Winn’s 50-0 win over MFL/MarMac Friday night. Lukes found the end zone on a 44-yard run in the second quarter and later returned a blocked field goal attempt 80 yards for a score on the final play of the game. (Zakary Kriener photo)

South Winn Warriors win big against Bulldogs!

Zakary Kriener

News Writer
zkriener@fayettepublishing.com

After struggling against its first three opponents of the season and opening the season with a disappointing 0-3 record, the South Winneshiek football team broke out Friday night against the MFL/MarMac Bulldogs to the tune of a 50-0 victory.

The Warrior defense started hot, forcing the Bulldogs to punt the ball on their first possession of the game. On South Winn’s ensuing possession, senior quarterback Hunter Todd wasted no time as he hit running back Braxton Smith down the seam for a 56-yard touchdown pass on SW’s very first play.

West Central’s Decker Wirtz looks to make a block on a Central City defender in a 56-20 loss to the Wildcats on Friday, Sept. 15. Chris DeBack photo

Blue Devils battled Central City

By Chris Deback
cdeback@thefayettecountyunion.com

Injuries continued to take a toll on a young West Central football team.

The Blue Devils lost a road game at Central City, 56-20, on Friday, Sept. 15. The team was without upperclassmen Collin Kime and Tyler Buzynski. Kime is expected to miss the rest of the season; however, Blue Devils head coach Steve Milder is optimistic that Buzynski will be back for Friday’s game against Tripoli. 

Central City scored six times before the Blue Devils found the end zone. 

West Central’s Kenadie Betz sets senior Mary McDonough for an attack attempt against MFL/MarMac on Thursday, Sept. 14. The Blue Devils prevailed in a thrilling five-set match, 3-2. Chris DeBack photo

West Central wins thriller in Monona

By Chris Deback
cdeback@thefayettecountyunion.com

The West Central volleyball team pulled out a thrilling road victory, 3-2, at MFL/MarMac High School in Monona on Thursday, Sept. 14.

The Blue Devils came out poised and ready for action against the Bulldogs. That showed as the team took the first two sets, 25-18 and 25-17.

Taylor Ney ran her first cross country race of the season Tuesday, Sept. 12, at Starmont. It hurts the NFV sophomore to run because she recently had neck surgery. However, that didn’t stop her as she ran the entire JV race, finishing 60^th in a field of 80 runners. (Jerry Wadian photo)

Strong finishes for NFV cross country

By Jerry Wadian
jwadian@thefayettecountyunion.com

The NFV cross country teams continued to improve as they competed Tuesday, Sept. 12, at the Starmont Invitational in Arlington. 

Head coach Neal Bentley said afterwards, “I was impressed with how our runners, from middle school   through high school, finished their races strong. I saw a lot of terrific finish line sprinting.”

NFV senior Claire Hanson does what she does best in drilling home this kill between three Kee players Thursday in West Union. Hanson had 13 kills in the three-set victory to go with a pair of blocks. (Jerry Wadian photo)

TigerHawk volleyball sweeps Kee

By Jerry Wadian
jwadian@thefayettecountyunion.com

Last weekend in the Kepros Tournament at Cresco, Kee beat NFV, 2-1. Thursday, the TigerHawk volleyball team got a measure of revenge, sweeping the Kee Hawks, 25-17, 25-21, and 25-18, in West Union.

“We needed that game!” exclaimed NFV head coach Bruce Ehler. “The energy and effort was so much better than when we played them in Cresco.”

NFV quarterback Brooks Hovden rolls out to pass as a Monti defender closes in. Gunner Rodgers (7) tries to slow the Panther defender down, and Brian Roulson (69) has blocked his man and now looks downfield to follow the action. (photo by Pete Temple, Monticello Express)

Oelwein in for Homecoming

By Jerry Wadian
jwadian@thefayettecountyunion.com

NFV gave up two long runs in the second half in falling, 34-26, at Monticello. 

This week is Homecoming, and NFV hopes the winless Huskies from Oelwein will be the perfect antidote for its early season stumbles.

Friday, the TigerHawks broke on top with a 10-yard pass from Brooks Hovden to Lance Butikofer with 4:24 to play in the opening quarter.

The teams traded touchdowns throughout a wild second quarter with NFV going into the halftime break with a 20-13 lead.

Monti scored on a short run midway through the third quarter to tie the game at 20-20.

Then, in a little over two-minute span, the wheels came off the wagon for the TigerHawks.

South Winneshiek junior Ashley Kriener has her eyes set on the finish line during recent Warrior cross country action. Saturday, SW competed at the Luther College All-American event, which featured some of the strongest competition of the year for the Warriors. (Jerry Wadian photo)

XC competes at All-American Invite

Zakary Kriener

News Writer
zkriener@fayettepublishing.com

The South Winneshiek boys’ and girls’ cross country teams competed against some of the strongest teams in the tri-state area Saturday at the Luther College All-American Invitational in Decorah.

Warrior senior Taylor Buchheit records a dig as she helped South Winn pick up victories in five of its six sets last week, including a 2-0 win over No. 14-ranked Jesup on Saturday. (Zakary Kriener photo)

Warrior VB has hot week!