Sports

With three-time state champioin Jessica Sindlinger of Charles City leading the field at 8-under par, the rest of the Class 4A field in the girls golf meet remained above par after Day 1 of the State Girls Individual Golf Meet, with the exception of Mackenzie Black of Independence, who made par of 73 to finish second. Vinton-Shellsburg golfer Natalie Ketchen finished with a 91, tied for 17th place; Vikette Erin Randall carded a 94 and is tied for 21st heading into Wednesday's Day 2 at the Ames Golf & Country Club.

A Vinton man who was still a teenager when he bowled his first perfect game is now a member of the Greater Cedar Valley USBC Bowling Association Hall of Fame. Darrin Lindsey was inducted May 15. He has lived in Vinton since 1985, when his family moved here from Waterloo. He was already a very successful bowler; he was 17 when he threw his first 700 game in the YABA Hot Shot League; six months later he achieved his first 300 game.

After losing a one-point game at home against South Tama to start the 2013 season, the Vinton-Shellsburg Vikings won their next four, giving Coach Jim Struve his 500th win as a high school coach. The Vikings swept East Marshall at Le Grand on Wednesday, then defeated Independence twice on Thursday. The first honor bestowed upon Coach by his players was an informal, spontaneous one: An ice shower from the team's cooler.

After two wins at East Marshall on Wednesday, the Vinton-Shellsburg Vikings are 2-1 on the 2013 season, and Coach Jim Struve is two wins away from joining the Iowa Baseball Coaches Association 500 Wins Club.  The Vikings could give Coach Struve his 500th win tonight, as they host Independence in a varsity doubleheader.  Vikettes shut out South Tama A day after senior pitcher Maddie Cornell gave up no earned runs against Belle Plaine, sophomore pitcher Brea Burroughs shut out the South Tama Trojans in a 10-0 victory for the Vikettes.

The high school soccer players and golfers put away their clubs and plastic cleats and traded their spheroids and gloves and footwear for those of a different type. Baseball and softball season is under way. Both the Vikings and Vikettes opened the season with home games. The Vikings were down by five to S. Tama, but rallied in the last two innings to cut the deficit to one.

The Vinton-Shellsburg Red Cedar Shooters Trap team won its final meet of the regular season Saturday at the Izaak Walton League, hosting Cedar Rapids Jefferson in a dual meet. The Red Cedar Shooters Gold Squad took the squad honors for the day with a 212/250 for the event.  Black Squad was right behind with a 210/250. Top Shooter honors for the day went to Red Cedar's Senior Tiffany Auen, who shot a 46/50, a personal best.

  The Vinton-Shellsburg Vikettes came within just six strokes of earning a trip to the team State Golf Meet at the Regional contest on Monday, finishing in third place. Seniors Erin Randall and Natalie Ketchen did advance to the State individual event; both carded an 89.  Coach's Report: May 20, 2013 Westwood Golf Course, Newton Par 71 Weather conditions: Windy, upper 70s, low 80s   Team Standings: (top two teams advance to State) Grinnell                         353 Newton                          376 Vinton-Shellsburg         382 Adel-Desota                  401 Dallas Center-Grimes   408 Norwalk                         420 Ballard                           426 Winterset                       436 Creston                          447 Carlisle                          458 Perry                              462 Webster City                  468 Top 5 Individuals (and ties) advance to State in Medalist Competion: Amanda Hintz                    Grinnell   82 Erin Randall                        V-S         89 Natalie Ketchen                   V-S         89 Shelby Townsend                Perry       89 Samantha Ramsey               Grinnell   90 Amber Kracht                     Grinnell    90 We are delighted to have Erin Randall and Natalie Ketchen both shoot 89 and advance to the State competition to be held at the Ames Country Club next Tuesday and Wednesday.

  A year after helping coach Heartland Community College of Normal, Illinois, to third place in the 2012 D-II National Championships, Vinton native Josh Kauten and the coaching staff and players are celebrating another Region 24 Championship. The Hawks return to the National Championships this weekend, in Oklahoma.  See Josh''s page on the Heartland site HERE.

The second season of Vinton-Shellsburg boys soccer ended Monday night with a first-round Sub-State loss at Independence, 3-1.  The Vikings and Mustangs remained scoreless until halfway through the first half, when the Mustangs scored two goals within three minutes. The hosts dded another early second-half goal. The Vikings got on the board with just under seven minutes left with a Lasse Heddinger penalty kick.

Nolan Sagan shaved nearly 5 seconds off his first-place finishing time in the District 800M dash during the State Track Meet finals on Saturday, finishing second in his heat and 8th overall in Class 3A with a time of 1:57.64. His first place time during the District meet in Vinton a week earlier was 2:02.44. "Nolan had a great day Saturday," said VS Boys Track Coach Aric Chvala.