Sports

Compiled by: Cheyne Reiter Union traveled to DeWitt Friday night in hopes of staying undefeated on their 2011 campaign but the Sabers had other plans. On homecoming night in DeWitt, the Sabers pulled the upset over Union and moved to 2-2 (2-0) on the year. Meanwhile, Union's record fell to 3-1 overall and 1-1 in district 5 play. In last year's contest, the Knights won a 47-46 thriller in what many referred to as a 'track meet.

       The most signficant statistic from the Union football loss to DeWitt Central on Friday was the word that was missing from the stat sheet: Burnside.      The senior running back, one of the leading rushers in the state, only went in for one play in the 20-13 defeat.      Knotted up at halftime with a score of 7-7, CC-DeWitt came out with a what Union coach Joe Hadachek called a "bruising rushing attack" in the third and took the lead 20-7 heading into the fourth quarter.

       A few weeks before the college football season started, I overheard a discussion between Hawkeye and Cyclone fans.      It got me to thinking about something I read when I was 10 or 12 years old. Just before, or maybe after, a big ISU-Iowa contest, a columnist who loved one of the teams shared some thoughts about the rivalry.

       Nolan Edwards stood with the other Viking captains, wearing his jersey and his jeans, as the pre-game coin toss determined who would kick off first.     Edwards continues serving as a team captain and as an "uncertified assistant coach," said head coach Pat Farley, despite his season-ending injury at Maquoketa Sept.

     A week after losing their leading scorer for at least the rest of the regular season with a broken collarbone in the 58-6 loss at Maquoketa, the Vinton-Shellsburg football team hopes to return to its winning ways tonight.       The Vikings host Western Dubuque, which defeated Marion, 7-0 last week.       Leading rusher Nolan Edwards had already scored five touchdowns in the first two Vikings games, but was injured on the team's first possession last week.

     The Vinton-Shellsburg 8th grade football team traveled to Independence to begin its football season. A team lost 28 - 18, but the B team won 24 - 0.     Photos courtesy of Nancy Jorgensen.

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

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

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

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