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The VPRD recently held its annual Triathlon, with athletes biking, running and swimming. Click HERE for results.

The VS Vikings arrived in Des Moines Monday afternoon to prepare for their 11 a.m. game vs. Waverly-Shell Rock in the State Tournament.  Nate Forsyth, a member of the VS 1998 State Championship Team, visited the Vikings on Monday before they boarded the school vans for the two-hour trip to the state capital. The State Tourney takes place at Principal Park, home of the AAA Iowa Cubs.

For the third time this season, the IMCA Late Model Sunday Series made an appearance at Benton County Speedway. For the second time, Ryan Dolan narrowly took the checkers ahead of series point leader Todd Cooney. Each driver enjoyed sizable leads in the 25-lapper before exchanging slide jobs in the final stages to set up an exciting finish. From a second row start, Dolan assumed command by the completion of the first lap while Cooney ran the top side from the fourth row.

The Vinton Parks & Recreation Department is once again hosting a Glow Ball Golf Tournament on Saturday, August 1st at the Vinton Country Club. This will be a two-person best shot 9-hole event that will begin at dark. The cost is $35 per team and includes use of glow golf balls, light sticks, glow necklaces and a chance to win prizes. Check-in will begin at 8 PM.

W. I. N. Whatever Is Necessary. That’s the philosophy of Coach Jim Struve and the 2015 Vinton-Shellsburg baseball team is taking to the State Tournament next Tuesday. The Vikings did whatever was necessary on Wednesday night at Williamsburg, with offense, pitching and defense. In the bottom of the first, with two Raider runners crossing home plate and the batter who hit a line drive into the right field corner rounding second, right fielder Jordan Womochil relayed the ball to the infield, where Tyler Rippel tagged out the runner who tried to stretch a double into a triple.

VS Boys and Girls Middle School/High School Swim Camp will take place next week, Monday through Friday,  July 27-31 at the Vinton pool from 5 – 6 PM. All boys and girls entering 6th through 9th grades interested in learning about competitive swimming are invited. Swimmers Must be able to swim two pool lengths to participate. Register through VPRD by July 24th.

Ty Rippel pitched a complete came shut-out vs. Benton and center fielder Wes Edwards overcame a day of nausea to double and score the winning run in the first inning as Vinton-Shellsburg won in the second round of District baseball action. Edwards' run was all the Vikes would get, and all they would need, as Rippel kept the Bobcats from scoring.

Tony Olson’s dream season continued Sunday night at Benton County Speedway. In just 35 Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod starts in 2015, Olson earned his 18th feature win, his seventh on the Vinton quarter-mile. Kurt Hogan took the lead from Jake Salisbury following a lap one caution while Olson worked through the pack from a fifth row start.

For the past several years, the Iowa High School Athletic Association has used a 32-team football play-off, which allowed approximately one-half of the more than 20,000 players to be on a play-off team each season. But a review of scheduling issues and concern for athlete safety has motivated the IHSAA to change the play-off system for the 2016 season.