In a low-scoring pitchers’ duel, the Exira-EHK-Audubon Softball team edged out the AHSTW Lady Vikes 3-0 on Thursday night. Both pitchers excelled in different fashions, but it was Exira-EHK-Audubon that got the big hits at the right times to pick up their second win of the season.

Exira-EHK-Audubon got on the board early. Riley Miller brought home Anna Larsen with an RBI double to give them the early lead. Despite the good start, runs would be hard to come by. Lady Vikes pitcher Sienna Christian came through in pressure packed scenarios. Although she struggled with control at times, she battled back numerous times striking out 11 and stranding 8 Exira-EHK-Audubon baserunners. Six were stranded in scoring position.

Despite Christian’s work, Exira-EHK-Audubon broke through again in the third. Alissa Testroet blooped one into shallow right for her first of two hits, driving in Miller. Exira-EHK-Audubon picked up their final run in the sixth as Jordan Muford drove in the game’s final run.

On the other side of the duel, Riley Miller was near impeccable. She retired the side in order 4 times and, after giving up a pair of walks in the third, completely shut the door. She retired 14 of the last 15 batters and ended the game with 12 strikeouts while allowing just 2 hits. She was extremely efficient throughout the course of the ballgame. Miller rarely got behind in the count and limited the number of Lady Vike baserunners. In a low-scoring game, Miller was a big reason why the team is now 3-0. Head Coach Tom Petersen applauded her performance.

Despite coming out on top, he says there are still some things to work on at the plate.

Moving forward in the young season with a young team, Petersen believes their ability to communicate will be key.

Up next for Exira-EHK-Audubon will head home to take on Tri-Center, while AHSTW will remain at home to battle with Underwood.

 1A STATE TOURNAMENT AT AMERICAN LEGION GOLF COURSE IN MARSHALLTOWN 

Team:

1. Easton Valley – 344

8. Mount Ayr – 398

Individual:

4. Jaylee Shaffer, 79 – Mount Ayr

8. Gwen Nixon, 83 – East Union

33. Miaya Fourez, 93 – Southwest Valley

37. Kathryn Ballard, 95 – Martensdale-St. Marys

38. Mary Stephens, 95 – Underwood

54. Clare Christensen, St. Albert (104)

57. Reese Miller, 105 – Boyer Valley

58. Kamryn Willis, 105 – Boyer Valley

60. Alana Doolittle, 107 – Mount Ayr

63. Olivia Huntington, 107 – Mount Ayr

69. Abby Larson, 114 – Mount Ayr

72. Izzy Gilbertson, 115 – Mount Ayr

2A STATE TOURNAMENT AT CEDAR POINTE GOLF COURSE IN BOONE

Team:

1. Olewein – 325

7. Red Oak – 388

10. Shenandoah – 395

Individual: 

T17. Addy Beiter, 86 – Kuemper Catholic

T21. Sophi Pedersen, 87 – Treynor

T26. Brynn Knaus, 90 – Red Oak

T26. Taylor Rasmussen, 90 – Clarinda

28. Addy Weinreich, 91 – Clarinda

T29. Ashlee Dinges, 92 – Shenandoah

43. Emily Sebeniecher, 97 – Red Oak

T44. Kylie Foutch, 98 – Shenandoah

T44. Addey Lydon, 98 – Red Oak

T48. Sarah Pickens, 99 – Shenandoah

T56. Nellie Blaine, 103 – Red Oak

T56. Ellison Johnson, 103 – Red Oak

T62. Carley Jones, 106 – Shenandoah

T62. Riley Burke, 106 – Red Oak

T67. Rachel Jones, 110 – Shenandoah

T72. Alaina Anderson, 115 – Shenandoah

 3A STATE TOURNAMENT AT SADDLEBACK RIDGE GOLF COURSE IN SOLON 

Team: 

1. Gilbert – 305

Individual:

38. Macy Mueller, 84 – Harlan

Hawkeye Ten Conference 

Atlantic – 6 vs Glenwood – 2

Harlan – 9 vs Denison-Schleswig – 4

Clarinda – 1 vs Shenandoah – 0

Lewis Central – 13 vs Kuemper Catholic – 3

Corner Conference 

Griswold – 11 vs Bedford – 3

Fremont-Mills 5 Stanton 4

Western Iowa Conference 

Exira-EHK-Audubon – 3 vs AHSTW – 0

Riverside – 10 vs Treynor – 7

Logan-Magnolia – 5 vs Tri-Center – 1

Pride of Iowa Conference 

Nodaway Valley – 12 vs Mount Ayr – 9 (9 inn)

Wayne – 7 vs Lenox – 4

Southeast Warren – 14 vs Central Decatur – 2

Martensdale-St. Marys – 17 vs East Union – 7

West Central Activities Conference 

Des Moines Christian – 11 vs ACGC – 1

Des Moines Christian – 9 vs ACGC – 0

Non-Conference 

Creston – 6 vs Woodbine – 2

Creston – 11 vs Woodbine – 3

Missouri Valley – 12 vs MVAOCOU – 2

Colo-Nesco – 14 vs Boyer Valley – 13

East Sac County – 10 vs Coon Rapids-Bayard – 2

1A 

St. Albert – 2 vs Treynor – 1

Van Meter – 3 vs Chariton – 0

Regina Catholic – 3 vs Beckman Catholic – 1

West Sioux – 4 vs Western Christian – 0

West Central Valley – 2 vs Pella Christian – 1

Hudson – 2 vs Postville – 0

North Fayette Valley – 7 vs Tipton – 0

West Liberty – 1 vs Mediapolis – 0

2A 

Knoxville – 4 vs Perry – 1

Bishop Heelan Catholic – 6 vs MOC-Floyd Valley – 0

Sioux Center – 4 vs Sergeant Bluff-Luton – 0

Williamsburg – 3 vs Mount Pleasant – 2

Wahlert Catholic – 4 vs Xavier – 3

Gilbert – 4 vs Des Moines Christian 0

Burlington Notre Dame – 4 vs Maquoketa – 0

Webster City – 4 vs Aplington-Parkersburg – 0

3A 

Des Moines Hoover – 6 vs Glenwood – 0

Iowa City Liberty – 1 vs North Polk – 0

Storm Lake – 7 vs Spencer – 1

Norwalk – 2 vs Bondurant-Farrar – 0

Dallas Center-Grimes – 8 vs Mount Vernon – 0

Cedar Rapids Washington – 1 vs Marion – 1

Urbandale – 2 vs Pella – 1

Hawkeye Ten Conference 

Glenwood – 7 vs Atlantic – 6  (8 inn)

Harlan – 13 vs Denison-Schleswig – 3

Shenandoah – 7 vs Clarinda – 4

Red Oak – 3 vs Creston – 2

Lewis Central – 10 vs Kuemper Catholic – 1

Western Iowa Conference 

AHSTW – 9 vs Audubon – 4

Treynor – 13 vs Riverside – 3

Logan-Magnolia – 7 vs Tri-Center – 0

Underwood – 12 vs IKM-Manning – 0

Corner Conference 

Bedford – 12 vs Griswold – 2

East Mills – 11 vs Sidney – 10

Fremont-Mills – 13 vs Stanton – 3

Pride of Iowa Conference 

Mount Ayr – 10 vs Nodaway Valley – 0

Lenox – 13 vs Wayne – 3

Southeast Warren – 19 vs Central Decatur – 4

Rolling Valley Conference 

Coon Rapids-Bayard – 19 vs Exira-EHK – 1

West Central Activities Conference 

Des Moines Christian – 12 vs ACGC – 7

Des Moines Christian – 16 vs ACGC – 6

Non-Conference 

St. Albert – 4 vs Woodbine – 2

Southwest Valley – 17 vs Essex – 0

Glidden-Ralston – 10 vs West Central Valley – 0

The Atlantic Boys Tennis season has come to an end this spring after going 8-4 in dual competition this year and a runner-up finish at the tournament the Trojans hosted. Atlantic loses four seniors who all had a very impactful career according to Head Coach Mike McDermott.

The Trojans lose seniors Conner Johnson, Kinnick Juhl, Gradyn O’Hara, and Reid Woodward. This group were also in the top spots on the team.

The Trojans arguably played their best tennis in the middle by winning five duals in a row plus that second-place tournament finish.

Despite, four departures on the roster, plenty of talent remains for 2026.

Unlike the girls’ program, the boys’ season will remain in the spring. The near future shines bright for tennis in Atlantic.

The PGA Tour Champions returns to the Wakonda Club with Friday’s opening round of the Principal Charity Classic. Ernie Els is back to defend his title.

Els is not thinking about trying to repeat.

Els says with warm and dry weather expected the course could change over the next few days.

Els says the two keys this weekend will be driving the ball well and making key putts.

Canada’s Stephen Ames has won the tournament twice in the last four years and always enjoys returning to Des Moines.

Ames has struggled as of late. In nine starts on the tour this season he has no wins and only three top ten finishes.

Ames hopes coming back to a course has experienced so much success will get his season turned around.

Minnesota Vikings linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel is thankful for his contract extension. The native of Rock Valley signed a one-year, 23 million dollar extension is coming off a Pro Bowl season with the Vikings in 2024.

Van Ginkel played college football at Iowa Western, South Dakota and Wisconsin and feels he is a good fit in the system designed by Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores.

Van Ginkel says the extension was big for himself as well as his family.

The CAM Cougars kicked off their 2025 season with a resounding 10-0 walk-off win over the Boyer Valley Bulldogs in six innings Wednesday night. They were aggressive both on the base paths and at the dish. While on the mound, they limited Bulldog baserunners and did not give them a chance to get back in the ballgame.

Makade Paulsen was excellent in his opening start of the season. Throwing 5.0 innings, he allowed just 3 hits and 2 walks on 85 pitches while collecting 6 strikeouts. His command was on point early and when he did get behind, he was able to battle back. Behind him, the defense took care of business.

At the plate, the Cougars were aggressive all night long. 7 different Cougars collected hits with three of them having multiple. Carson McKee went 3-for-4 and picked up his first hit of the night in the second to put CAM on the board. It was a part of a 4-run inning for the Cougars. Although they were kept off the board in the third, CAM picked up three more in the fourth. Lukas James had the big at-bat of the inning, grabbing a two-RBI double.

For as aggressive as they were at the plate, they were equally so on the base path. The Cougars collected 11 stolen bases on Wednesday. Cohen McCann, Collin Bower, and James all grabbed two steals, while five others nabbed one.

It was an overall team effort for the Cougars as McKee shut the door in the sixth on the mound and then grounded into a fielder’s choice to end the game. The Cougars, now 1-0 will hit the road Friday to take on Earlham. On the flip side, Boyer Valley will return home to take on IKM-Manning and will look to get back to .500.

3A AT PHEASANT RIDGE GOLF COURSE IN CEDAR FALLS 

Team: 

T1. Waverly-Shell Rock – 588

T1. MOC-Floyd Valley – 588

9. Atlantic – 634

Individual:

T31. Hudson McLaren, 155 – Atlantic

T35. Sam Brosam, 157 – Atlantic

T40. Brady Wood, 158 – Atlantic

T66. Gage Gross, 167 – Atlantic

T69. Tristan Hayes, 169 – Atlantic

76. Evan Stanislav, 172 – Glenwood

77. Trevan Hansen, 175 – Atlantic

1A AT SOUTH HILLS GOLF COURSE IN WATERLOO

Team:

1. Boyden-Hull – 618

3. Woodbine – 656

10. CAM – 690

Individual:

1. Keith Thompson, 145 – Hamburg

5. Chase Jahde, 149 – CAM

T16. Cody Dickinson, 162 – Woodbine

T23. Cal Pryor, 165 – Woodbine

T34. Carson Kelley, 170 – Woodbine

T40. Braxton Dennis, 174 – CAM

T40. Skyler Stolley, 174 – Woodbine

T40. Xander Johnson, 174 – Woodbine

44. Carter Gruver, 175 – Woodbine

T53. Chase Spieker, 181 – CAM

T58. Coby Venteicher, 184 – CAM

T74. Austin Eblen, 194 – CAM

78. Madden Cary, 196 – CAM

2A AT GATES PARK GOLF COURSE IN WATERLOO

Team: 

1. Columbus Catholic – 600

T9. Kuemper Catholic – 658

Individual: 

T16. Kayden Schon 156 – Kuemper Catholic

T16. Parker Cary, 156 – Panorama

T23. Aiden Kaster, 160 – Earlham