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Atlantic senior Grant Sturm officially signed with Simpson College on Monday to continue his baseball, football, and academic careers. Sturm signed at the Atlantic High School with family and coaches in attendance.
KJAN Sports spoke with Sturm about his decision and he said multiple things stood out.
Sturm said competing in collegiate athletics is something that was always on his mind.
Sturm had a tremendous senior campaign in the defensive backfield for the Trojan football team. He finished 14th in the state with 6 interceptions. He was in on 22.5 tackles, 21 of those solo stops. He also impacted the offense with 8 receptions for 112 yards and a touchdown. Sturm also was the lead kick and punt returner for the Trojans averaging over 20 yards on kicks and 15 yards on punts. He said the breakout season is probably why coaches started reaching out to him and he actually heard from the Simpson football staff first. He said some extra work this past offseason paid off.
Sturm has been the shortstop for the baseball team. He led the team offensively in 2020 with a .451 batting average and 17 runs scored. He also racked up 10 stolen bases. He said he considered a few other schools but was always leaning toward Simpson.
Attendance limitations have been removed for this week’s Iowa High School State Track & Field Championships following updated public health guidance and coordination with Drake University and Polk County Health Department.
The three-day IHSAA and IGHSAU meet at Drake Stadium will be open to all interested spectators, cancelling capacity and seating restrictions announced May 4.
“Throughout the pandemic, our number one priority for hosting athletic events has been the safety of our athletes, staff, spectators, and our community. In doing so, we have followed guidance from the CDC, the Iowa Department of Public Health, the Polk County Health Department, the NCAA, and our own administration,” Drake University athletic director Brian Hardin said. “Recently released CDC guidelines encouraged us to consult with these partners and revisit stadium capacity. We look forward to once again welcoming the best high school athletes our state has to offer to compete on the world-famous Blue Oval in front of all their family and friends who wish to attend.”
Masks are strongly encouraged of all spectators at this event, especially in common areas such as concourses, concession stand lines, and restrooms. Per CDC guidance, unvaccinated people should continue taking safety precautions before and while attending gatherings, such as wearing masks.
Polk County Health Department reminds spectators the safest way to attend any event is to be vaccinated. A mobile vaccination clinic will be located in the Drake Stadium concourse all three days of the meet. The Pfizer vaccine will be administered by members of Drake University’s College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, and Polk County Health Department. Anyone age 12 or older wishing to receive a vaccination will be able to do so.
The meet schedule will remain as previously planned, with six sessions taking place over three days, May 20-22. Drake Stadium will not be cleared between sessions.
“We appreciate Drake University and Polk County Health considering the latest CDC guidance in working to provide an opportunity for all fans to attend the IHSAA and IGHSAU State Track & Field Meet,” IHSAA executive director Tom Keating said. “Competing at the Blue Oval is a dream of every high school track and field athlete. Now our student-athletes will compete in front of family, friends, classmates and other fans from across the state.”
Tickets for all six sessions will go on sale at 12 p.m. on Tuesday, May 18. Tickets already purchased through qualifying participants are still good for their assigned sessions.
A free video livestream is available through the Iowa High School Sports Network for those who are unable to attend.
The attendance adjustments will allow for participating teams to view the meet from seating areas inside Drake Stadium. Coaches and student-athletes will be permitted in the stadium during all events of their assigned sessions.
Class 2A and Class 3A boys and girls will compete in early sessions each day. Class 1A, Class 4A, and Wheelchair boys and girls competitors will be in the later session each day.
Teams are encouraged to set up camps in the previously mapped area east of the tennis center, however the video board will no longer be utilized. Lot 17, outside Drake Fieldhouse, will be reserved as a warm-up space.
“We are thrilled with today’s news that allows fans to return to Drake Stadium without limitations,” IGHSAU executive director Jean Berger said. “Drake’s willingness to evaluate the new guidelines and adjust the capacity is truly appreciated. Our athletes absolutely love competing at Drake and the championship experience it can provide as our host.”
All digital tickets are $10, plus processing fees, and must be purchased through the Tickets page on the IHSAA website.
No promo codes or seat limits apply. Families of participants who have already purchased tickets with promo codes may purchase additional tickets through new transactions. Seating at each session is general admission. No cash sales will be conducted for tickets on site.
Former Iowa State standout defensive back Kamari Cotton-Moya has been named the new head football coach at Denison-Schleswig.
Denison-Schleswig Activities Director Derek Fink said in a release, “Kamari comes to the Monarch football program with great enthusiasm, knowledge and experience of the game of football, but most importantly, a passion to work with the kids of the Denison Community School District.”
Cotton-Moya played defensive back for the Cyclones from 2014-2017. He garnered a number of awards during his time in Ames, including being named First-Team All Big 12 in 2017. He had a short professional stint with the Arizona Hotshots of the Alliance of American Football in 2019.
Cotton-Moya has spent time coaching at his alma mater Ridgeview High School in Bakersfield California, as well as with the community’s youth football program.
GIRLS SOCCER
Atlantic 7, Riverside 0 (Jada Jensen with 6 goals and 1 assist, Aubrey Guyer 1 goal and 1 assist, and Lindley Eblen 1 assist.)
AHSTW 8, Logan-Magnolia 0
CB Thomas Jefferson 7, Missouri Valley 0
Glenwood 10, Kuemper Catholic 0
Tri-Center 9, Denison-Schleswig 0
Lewis Central 10, Harlan 0
BOYS SOCCER
Kuemper Catholic 5, Atlantic 1
Creston 3, Harlan 0
Glenwood 4, Denison-Schleswig 1
Lewis Central 4, St. Albert 1
Missouri Valley 3, CB Thomas Jefferson 0
GIRLS TENNIS
St. Albert 6, Atlantic 3
1S (SA): Landry Miller def. Tessa Grooms (8-1)
2S (SA): Allison Narmi def. Nellie Grooms (8-2)
3S (SA): Alexis Narmi def. Genevieve Martinez (8-6)
4S (SA): Georgie Bohnet def. Olivia Engler (8-4)
5S (A): Addi Schmitt def. Lily Barnes (8-6)
6S (A): Aspen Niklasen def. Samantha Horvath (8-1)
1D (SA): Miller/Allison Narmi def. Grooms/Grooms (8-1)
2D (SA): Alexis Narmi/Bohnet def. Martinez/Engler (8-5)
3D (A): Schmitt/Niklasen def. Barnes/Horvath (8-6)
Class 1A Region 1C @ Fort Dodge
Team Scores
Individual Qualifiers
Class 1A Region 2A @ Dunlap
Team Scores
Individual Qualifiers
Class 1A Region 2B @ Anita: See other Story
Class 1A Region 2C @ Neola
Team Scores
Individual Qualifiers
Class 2A Region 2A @ Panora
Team Scores
Individual Qualifiers
Class 2A Region 2B @ Shenandoah
Team Scores
Individual Qualifiers
Class 1A Region 2B Girls Golf @ Anita
05/17/2021
Team Scores
1st Westwood 419 (Team Qualifier)
2nd CAM 421 (Team Qualifier)
3rd Mount Ayr 450 (Team Qualifier)
4th Lenox 452
5th Earlham 473
6th East Union 499
Individual Qualifiers
1st Reese Snyder, 95, CAM
2nd Emma Shock, 100, Westwood
3rd Josie McCluskey, 102, Westwood
4th Cali Schelm, 102, Westwood
5th Chelsey Hoakison, 103, Lenox
6th Meredith Rich, 105, CAM
7th Mady McKee, 105, CAM
AMES, Iowa – The Iowa State softball team is headed to the NCAA DI Softball Tournament for the first time since 1988. The program’s rise under fourth-year head coach Jamie Pinkerton culminated in the Cyclones hearing their name called during the NCAA DI Softball Championship Selection Show on Sunday night. It is the program’s second-ever NCAA Regional berth.
The Cyclones will head to Columbia, Missouri to face UNI on Friday, May 21 at 1 p.m. CT at Mizzou Softball Stadium on ESPN3. Missouri is hosting the region, and is the No. 8 national seed. The Tigers will face UIC in their first tournament game on Friday at 3:30 p.m. CT.
“First and foremost, I’m really happy for the women ” Pinkerton said. “I’m really ecstatic for seniors Logan Schaben and Sami Williams. For them to be able to stay the course and buy in to three different coaches and to be able to provide the leadership that they have over the year, I’m really happy for them. It hits you in the feels for them.”
The Cyclones are 32-21 on the year, and closed the season with a flurry, winning six of their final seven regular season games. The NCAA Tournament bid is just the latest in a long list of unprecedented milestones the 2021 Cyclones have reached. Iowa State got off to a program-best 8-0 start, and earned its first-ever top-25 ranking in the NFCA Coaches’ Poll on Feb. 23.
“It’s a culmination things,” Pinkerton said. “The discipline and integrity and intention that they have to get better. I’m just ecstatic to see where we are and the excitement that has built around this program. It’s heartwarming to see that come to fruition. What this group of seniors has done and this team has done over our four years here. To know that we’ve had back-to-back winnings seasons for the first time since 1989 is really a mark of the culture that has been built and the hard work that the women have put in on the field, in the locker room and in the classroom.”
Pinkerton is 103-92 as Iowa State’s head coach – the fastest to coach the Cyclones to 100 wins in the modern era. This will be his fourth trip to a NCAA Regional with his third different team. Pinkerton led Arkansas to the regionals in both 2008 and 2009, followed by a trip to the tournament in 2017 with Montana after starting the program from scratch.
Following the announcement, Pinkerton credited his staff of assistant coaches Kate Sinnott and Courtney Herron-Martinez, director of operations Peter Suarez and volunteer assistant Ed Duegan.
“The work that the staff has put in has been amazing,” Pinkerton said. “This wouldn’t happen without them. When these things happen, they don’t always get a lot of the credit. It’s been a team effort and I really appreciate Courtney, Kate, Pete and Ed. Without them we wouldn’t be where we are today.
Five Big 12 Conference teams were selected to participate in the NCAA Tournament.
First round regional girls golf will be contested on Monday around the state for Class 1A and 2A schools. The top two team and top six individuals from each site will advance to second round regional competition.
Class 3A and 4A schools will contest their lone round of regional play on the 24th.
Here’s a look at the area sites and teams for Monday’s play.
CLASS 1A
Region 2A at Dunlap: AHSTW, Audubon, Boyer Valley, Coon Rapids-Bayard, Exira-EHK, Kingsley-Pierson, Logan-Magnolia, Woodbine.
Region 2B at Anita: CAM, Earlham, East Union, Lamoni, Lenox, Mount Ayr, Nodaway Valley, Southwest Valley, Westwood.
Region 2C at Neola: Bedford, East Mills, Essex/Stanton, Fremont-Mills, Griswold, Riverside, Sidney, St. Albert, Tri-Center
Class 2A
Region 2A at Panora: ACGC, DM Christian, Kuemper Catholic, OABCIG, Panorama, PCM, Van Meter, Woodward-Granger.
Region 2B at Shenandoah: Clarinda, Interstate-35, Missouri Valley, Red Oak, Shenandoah, Treynor, Underwood, West Central Valley.
Here’s a look at area high school sports action from Saturday outside of tennis competition which is listed in other stories on our sports page.
GIRLS SOCCER
Lewis Central 2, Pella 1
Waverly Tournament
Decorah 1, St. Albert 0
St. Albert 3, Dike New Hartford 2 (PK’s)
Abraham Lincoln Classic
Ankeny Centennial 3, Sioux City East 0
Ankeny Centennial 1, CB Abraham Lincoln 0
WDM Valley 1, CB Abraham Lincoln 0
WDM Valley 7, CB Sioux City East 0
GIRLS GOLF
IKM-Manning Invite
Team Scores
Individual Top 5
Full Results: 5-15-21-ikm-manning-wolves-invite
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