Sports
Seniors lead Vikings to victory at end of season marked by tragedies
For the Vinton-Shellsburg Vikings, the 2014 football season began and ended as they hoped – with the scoreboard showing 12-point victories over Benton Community and Crestwood.
But the 56 days between the season-opening win on Aug. 29 and last Friday were full of difficulty on the field, and the kind of off-field tragedies that coach Jim Womochil says no team should have to face. Area bowlers advance in Family Doubles bowling competition
During the month of October, many local youth bowlers teamed up with a parent to participate in the 49th Annual Family Doubles tournament at Berry's Lanes. This year we had great participation and were able to qualify bowlers in all of the categories, except one. The family doubles tournament is a team competition that allows the bowlers to have some flexibility when they can bowl their three games as long as they have them completed before October 19th.
Vikings, Vikettes qualify for State XC Meet; Dinderman first with personal best
Derek Dinderman went into Thursday's Regional cross country meet hoping to finish in 16 minutes and 30 seconds, which would have been a personal best, says his mother, Dana.
Derek did even better than he hoped, leading the Vikings to a State-qualifying 3rd place by winning the boys event with a time of 16:23. That's 27 seconds faster than his previous best. Ranked Vikings, Vikettes aiming to qualify for State at Regional CC event
Derek Dinderman and Lily Horst are leading the Vinton-Shellsburg cross country teams as the runners prepare for the Regional contest Thursday at Hart Ridge Golf Course near Manchester. The Regional event determines which teams or individuals will qualify for State.
Both the boys and girls are ranked in the Iowa Association of Track Coaches Top 15 among Class 3A teams. Vikings to participate in Waverly-Shell Rock Pink Night, Friday
The Waverly-Shell Rock and Vinton-Shellsburg football teams and coaches are teaming up in a national effort to fight cancer through the American Cancer Society’s Coaches vs. Cancer program at the home football game on Friday, October 10.
W-SR Coach Mark Hubbard and V-S Coach Jim Womochil hope to bring awareness to the fight against cancer by involving the players and fans at the game this Friday.
Former Vikes help college teams to gridiron wins
Former Vinton-Shellsburg Viking Gunner Tranel sacked the University of Wisconsin-Stout quarterback, broke up a pass, and made a career-high 15 total tackles in Wartburg's 45-14 win on Sept. 20.
After a bye week, Tranel, a junior linebacker, and the Knights travel to Pella to play Central College; next Saturday, they travel to Cedar Rapids to play Coe College. Union Knights dominate at homecoming 49-0 over East Marshall
The Union Knight defense opened up with fumble recovery by senior Justin Carey on the first series of the game at La Porte City on Friday night and the offensive scored quickly when Tate Hadachek (sr) turned a short pass from John Boisen (soph) into a touchdown. Hadachek would go on to score on the very first play of the next drive with a pass from senior Brady Driscol.
Carrying the ball: VS Cross country teams continue unique Homecoming tradition
In certain parts of eastern Iowa, on certain fall Friday afternoons, drivers have slowed down, to look at an unusual sight: Teenagers jogging along the shoulder of the road while carrying a football.
This strange sight for some drivers has been a familiar part of Homecoming for Vinton-Shellsburg since 1987, the year that John Frazier took over as cross country coach after Ken Stark's retirement. Mustangs spoil VS Homecoming, 29-12
After playing a scoreless first quarter in its Homecoming game vs. Independence, Vinton-Shellsburg fell behind, 14-0 after two second quarter touchdowns by the Mustangs.
Late in the second quarter, QB Jordan Womochil connected with Austin Bohnsack for a 19-yard touchdown pass to cut the lead to 14-6.
But the second half played out like the first, with the Mustangs scoring two more touchdowns. Meet VS Hall of Fame inductee Gary Tharp
Forty six winters ago Gary Tharp was a ninth-grader when he became one of the first-ever Vinton Viking wrestlers. During that season of 1958-59 and over the next three, he set several “firsts” for the team, under the leadership of Coach Mel Waldon.
Gary, who now lives near the northwest Arkansas town of Rogers, near Beaver Lake in the Ozark Mountains, is traveling back to Iowa, where he will be honored as one of the new Viking-Vikette Hall of Fame inductees Friday during VS Homecoming festivities.