Sports
Vikette 4 X 200 team earns first win of season for VS track
The Vinton-Shellsburg Vikettes track team competed in its second indoor meet this season on Tuesday. The 4 x 200 team members came home with T-shirts announcing that they are champions of their event.
The four runners -- Hannah Kalous, Sarah Schminke, Olivia Erhardt and Hanna Timmerman -- came in first of 26 teams in that event, with a time of 1:56. Viking Cole Smith named to All-State Academic Team
Cole Smith, the Vikings' leading scorer this season, was among 21 players namedto the 2017 boys Academic All-State team.
Of the hundreds of boys who play basketball for an Iowa high school this year, only 21 of them have earned recognition from the Iowa Basketball Coaches Association as being among the top in academics. Vinton-Shellsburg senior Cole Smith is among them. Union's Barz named to Iowa All-Academic Basketball Team
Jackie Barz: Union senior is among 24 honored on the IBCA All-Academic Team.
Union senior Jackie Barz is one of 24 Iowa high school girls basketball players who have been named to the Iowa Basketball Coaches Association's 2017 Girls Academic All-State Team.
Barz, the daughter of Jim and Melanie Barz, is planning to travel soon to the San Diego area to visit Point Loma Nazarene University, where she is leaning towards pursuing a bio/chem major, on a pre-med track for neurology. Wood earns ninth place individual medal; Vikette bowlers 6th at State
Erin Wood tied for 9th among individuals at the State Bowling meet.
Brianna Lundvall
By Tom Lundvall
The Vinton-Shellsburg Vikettes bowling team competed at the 2017 Iowa High School state bowling tournament for the first time on Monday. Erin Wood grabbed the Vikettes first strike, in the first game, with Taylor Berry following with a spare. Brianna Lundvall picked up back to back strikes in the 6th and 7th frames, with Korey Murdock following her with a strike in the 7th. Vikings advance in District hoops; face unbeaten West Delaware Thursday
The youngest VS fans were among those cheering the loudest as the Vikings won their District opener.
Tyler Bartz followed this key rebound late in the game with two free throws to give the Vikes a 3-point lead in Monday's victory.
Four years ago, when the unbeaten Vinton-Shellsburg basketball team headed into the District Final, they face a Union team with much fewer wins. VSHS sports update: Weeks 5th at State wrestling; girls in DM for State Bowling tourney
Vikette bowlers, from left to right: Coach Amber Pattee, Jillian White, Madison Rippel, Connie Upmeyer, Korey Murdoch, Brianna Lundvall, Taylor Berry and Erin Wood.
Carter Weeks, second from left, on the 5th place podium at State.
The Vinton-Shellsburg High School athletes have had a busy weekend.
Viking wrestler Carter Weeks earned the Fifth Place medal at 106 pounds in Class 2A at the State Wrestling Meet on Saturday. Vikings Weeks, Betterton advance at State Wrestling Meet
Carter Weeks (106) won his first match in OT to advance.
By Jeff Holmes
Four of the five area wrestlers remain alive after the first night of action at the State wrestling tournament in Des Moines.
Both Vinton-Shellsburg entries - 106-pounder Carter Weeks and 145 Scott Betterton -- are still on the hunt for Saturday night's podium, along with Union 106-pounder Jack Thomsen and Center Point-Urbana 113-pounder Caleb Fuessley. Murdock leads VS girls to state with 442 series at Regional contest
These bowlers will represent VS at the State meet on Monday: Brianna Lundvall, Taylor Berry, Erin Wood, Korey Murdock, Jillian White, Connie Upmeyer and Madison Ripple.
By VS Bowling Coach Amber Pattee
The girls Varsity Team performed extremely well at the Regional contest, shooting over 300 pins above their current average for the season. This team has come together and are peaking at the right time. Berry ties for first; VS teams 2nd at WaMaC bowling contest
Taylor Berry, right, tied for first among WaMaC girls with a 440; Korey Murdock tied for 6th.
Junior Taylor Berry rolled six strikes in the first of her two games, ending up with a 256/184/440 score to tie for first among the girls at the WaMaC bowling contest Saturday in Cedar Rapids.
There are currently 7 teams from the WaMaC that have bowling teams, 4 teams are class 1A and 3 are class 2A. Vikings Weeks, Betterton earn trip State Wrestling Meet
Vinton-Shellsburg junior Carter Weeks (left) stalks an opponent on his way to a Sectional championship last week at LaPorte City. Saturday, Weeks finished second at 106 at the District meet at Decorah and earned a trip to next week's State wrestling tournament in Des Moines.
Scott Betterton celebrates with a young Viking fan after earning a trip to the State Wrestling Meet.