Sports

Races rescheduled: Vinton Frostbuster set for April 10

VINTON, Iowa – There will still be an IMCA Frostbuster Week to start the 2016 race season. The last three of those specials will be held next week, however.  Friday’s special at Marshalltown Speedway has been canceled, as was the Thursday event at Benton County Speedway in Vinton, due to rain. Boone Speedway will still host a sanctioned show on Saturday, April 2, paying $1,000 to win in the Fast-Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifying feature; the complete purse for the Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods and IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks is to be determined this afternoon.

8-year-old wins local bowling tourney with score of 213

8-year-old Byron Christianson bowled a remarkable 213 to win the Zippy Midgets tournament. The 213 that Byron Christianson bowled on Saturday would have been among the top 20 one-game scores among the 40+ high schoolers who competed in the 2016 Class 1A Boys State Tournament earlier this year. And Byron is only 8.  Byron, the son of Jarron and Ashlyn Christianson, rolled his personal best while winning the Zippy Midgets tournament at Berry's Lanes on Saturday.

Tyler Stueck signs with Mount Mercy

Tyler Stueck, with MMU coach Luke Slaymaker & VS coach Chad Pettyjohn, signs his Letter of Intent. Vinton-Shellsburg senior golfer Tyler Stueck will continue his career into the collegiate level. Stueck, the son of Tom and Cindi Stueck, has signed a Letter of Intent to attend college and play golf for Mount Mercy in Cedar Rapids.  VS Coach Chad Pettyjohn joined the Stuecks and Mount Mercy Coach Luke Slaymaker for the signing. Last year, Stueck was one of the six top golfers in the Wamac West, with a 9-hole average of 41.

NASCAR veteran Schrader to be part of Vinton Frostbuster Modified field

 Ken Schrader joins the Xtreme Motor Sports IMCA Modified field for the Thursday, March 31 Frostbuster special at Benton County Speedway.  The popular NASCAR driver will be among contenders for a $1,000 winner’s check and a berth on the ballot for the 2016 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational.  Completing the season-opening program at Vinton are IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars running for $500 to win, Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods for $400 to win and IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks for $250 to win.

Sign up continues for new youth 7-on-7 football league

VSHS assistant FB coach Andrew May invites all VS 5th-8th graders to join the new 7-on-7 league. More than 30 area youngsters have signed up already for the first Vinton-Shellsburg 7-on-7 football league “This could be the start of something pretty cool,” says Andrew May, of the new league, which begins next month. Both boys and girls in grades 5-8 can still sign up for the 7-week session which begins April 5. There is no cost for participants, said May.

Vikette relay teams win two events at Wamac West indoor meet

The Vinton-Shellsburg girls track team did well at the Wamac indoor meet on Saturday in Mount Vernon, where Vikette winners included the 4 X 800 relay team and the 4 X 400 team. Bristi Gerber, Lily Horst, Taylor Spies and Annika Schmidt won the  4 X 800 event with a time of 10:18.95. The 4 X 400 team (Maci Griffith, LaDorshae Mull, Schmidt and Sarah Schminke) won with a time of 4:25.

Vikings set Wamac indoor 4 X 200 record, win many events

The Vinton-Shellsburg boys 4 X 200 relay team (Tyler Bartz, Jordan Womochil, Nick Hyland and Joel Barnes) set a new Wamac West indoor record at the Coe College track in Mount Vernon on Saturday. The relay team, which finished 6th at State last year, completed the race on Saturday with a time of 1:33.89, .11 seconds faster than the previous indoor record.

Barnes, Gerber lead VS at Wartburg track meet

Joel Barnes and Bristi Gerber led the Vinton-Shellsburg athletes at the Wartburg Track and Field Meet on Tuesday.  Barnes won the 400M with a time of 52.85, and also was a member of the first-place 4 X 200 relay team, which won with a time of 1:34.50. Gerber won the 800M run with a time of 2:33.74, more than seven seconds ahead of the second-place finisher.

TV station honors Viking bowler Stein as Athlete of the Week

Nick Stein discusses his State Bowling success with Scott Saville of KCRG. The votes of Vinton-Shellsburg fans made a difference in the voting of the recent KCRG Athlete of the Week. Viking bowler Nick Stein received that honor this week, and appeared on the evening broadcast of KCRG on Wednesday. Stein was nominated after winning the state individual bowling title and leading the Vikes to the Class 1A team title.

Vikette golfer Walker signs to play golf at Central

Teammate Lauren Tandy and friend Keri Webster joined the Walkers and Coach Woodhouse at the signing. Vinton-Shellsburg High School golf history was made this week when Olivia Walker became the second senior Vikette golfer to sign with a college team. Walker joiner her parents, Okee and Randi, along with Vikette Coach Janet Woodhouse, for a signing ceremony on Thursday. She will study education at Central College in Pella and play golf for the Dutch.