High School Sports

Participation rates need to be studied

The Leetonia school district’s July 1 meeting to reassure the public that a football season would go forward is something that would be unheard of 20 years ago. It was taken for granted that at least 20-something kids would come out for the football team. Coaches might say we’re a little thin or inexperienced back […]

Published

3 weeks ago

July 8, 2025

Your Sports Nation

But a new era is upon us. The shrinking of the footprint of high school football is getting more apparent by the year and more programs will struggle with finding enough numbers to fill teams in the future. It just won’t be Leetonia.

I think we’ve heard all the reasons before about why this is happening. Some say the kids aren’t tough enough anymore. Some say developmental programs aren’t like they used to be. Some say communities aren’t as attached to the romance of ‘Friday Night Lights’ anymore as the social aspect has been replaced by that phone you carry in your hand.

I think though it might be a death by a thousand cuts for small districts fielding football teams. There is no centralized reason why some football traditions are just hanging on by a thread.

On paper, it’s the numbers game. Smaller enrollments mean there are smaller pools of potential players. There’s only a certain percentage of the student body who can perform as athletes just like there’s only a certain portion that can be musicians. And when those margins shrink the challenge to round up everyone who can possibly play just to field a team — let alone field a winning team — is daunting.

If you look back on the era in which the current high school athletes were born, the country was in the midst of a significant economic downturn from 2007-2010. It was challenging to begin raising a family then when nationwide unemployment soared to 10 percent.

Then there’s what is motivating children to play football. We are now several years removed from cable television’s heyday. If you were from a previous generation the fantasy that you wanted to be your college or NFL hero started by watching them on TV. Children of today’s era might not have access to expensive streaming plans or know how to work an antenna. Netflix has some sports content, but you are looking at a generation raised on YouTube. Sports highlights are something that are seen on TikTok or Instagram. Live event observation is something older generations revel in.

And when you have access to literally any interest in the world, it’s easy to see how attentions become divided. Kids get attracted to playing different sports. Some get interested in cars, construction or cooking. Some get plugged into video games which are more complex and all consuming than they have ever been.

Educational patterns have also shifted. I remember covering Crestview’s run to the 2021 state championship game in boys soccer. There were a lot of kids on that team who were not on a traditional education path. They would take on educational programs attached to the trades and a lot of those had significant work requirements. Sports were not a top priority, rather an escape. And the program had to make room for those kids to miss practice or training every once in a while.

As football is more regimented and asks of more time, does that become a reason why students decide to skip and instead focus more on a career path that will set them up for future success?

The safety concerns over head trauma and concussions may have quieted but they have not gone away. Some parents don’t want to deal with the risk and some kids are happy to go play another sport that offers the same life lessons without the baggage of possible serious head injuries.

I think too that specialization in sports plays a role. Football needs athletes who play in multiple disciplines to be successful. Take West Branch’s program for example. A lot of the players on the 2024 state championship baseball team were also key members of the football team. That’s not always the case anymore in many communities. If a kid is specializing in a sport like baseball or basketball wherein the parents are paying thousands of dollars to attend travel events and get private instruction, the focus gets a lot more narrow of the athlete. They have specific investments behind them and the goals tend to be squarely placed on making it to the next level in that sport.

Make no mistake about it, if programs do begin to fold there are ripple effects. It might start with league membership. It would certainly wipe out marching band or cheerleading programs in some places. Community identity might begin to wither away. And what do you do with stadiums, some of which have been recently upgraded?

There are solutions that are being bantered about of course. Eight-man football is one that has popped up as a possibility. Sebring took that route. But area coaches who have worked their whole lives in 11-man environments would much rather transition to other 11-man programs than to have to deal with learning how that works. Plus the eight-man experiment in Ohio is far from being widely adopted. For it to become viable, it would need dozens of struggling schools to all meet and agree to go in that direction at once. And that is not happening.

The most obvious solution that is already is there is if a school does not offer football, any student is welcome to join a neighboring school district’s team. Heck, last year Columbiana’s leading rusher was a student at Heartland Christian. Of course, there are transportation and social challenges that come with being plopped into a new environment for any kid but at least it the dream of playing 11-man football alive for any student in Ohio.

Perhaps the Ohio High School Athletic Association can take some of its war chest in funds and study why kids are shying away from football. Maybe even allow struggling programs to break off and run a rehabilitation division where programs don’t have to worry about computer points and playoffs. Perhaps those games could be more run like scrimmages to allow for more teaching moments.

There is precedent for getting teams back on square footing even in this area. I remember when the Inter-Tri County League came into existence. A lot of the teams that went into the lower tier of that league had been through a lot of hard times. But teams like Western Reserve or Southern started to flourish when they were given a chance to breathe.

I don’t believe anyone quite has the answers that would fix this but it would be best to start looking beyond the stereotypical excuses given.

High School Sports

The Fan Sports Network Presents

Published

6 hours ago

July 29, 2025

Your Sports Nation

High School Sports

R.W. Mercer/Jackson Junior Golf Tour 'Junior City Championship' Results

David Rice | JTV Sports Monday July 28th (7-28-2025, 6:10PM): The junior city championship was played on Monday at Ella Sharp Park GC, as apart of the R.W. Mercer-Jackson Junior Golf Tour. Here are the full results: Player Division Score Jacobs, Cash 11-12-13-14 9 hole Boys 37 Munro, Foster 11-12-13-14 9 hole Boys 48 Eisele, […]

Published

9 hours ago

July 29, 2025

Your Sports Nation

R.W. Mercer/Jackson Junior Golf Tour 'Junior City Championship' Results

David Rice | JTV Sports

Monday July 28th

(7-28-2025, 6:10PM): The junior city championship was played on Monday at Ella Sharp Park GC, as apart of the R.W. Mercer-Jackson Junior Golf Tour. Here are the full results:

Player	Division	Score
Jacobs, Cash	11-12-13-14 9 hole Boys	37
Munro, Foster	11-12-13-14 9 hole Boys	48
Eisele, Stevie	11-12-13-14 9 hole Boys	53
Jacobs, Brantley	11-12-13-14 9 hole Boys	59
Munro, Cade	11-12-13-14 9 hole Boys	59
Palmer, Braylon	11-12-13-14 9 hole Boys	64
Hoeft, Haydn	11-12-13-14 9 hole Boys	69
Paszkiet, Chase	11-12-13-14 9 hole Boys	69
Bigelow, Joseph	Boys 10 & Under 9 Holes	42
Hampton, Gavin	Boys 10 & Under 9 Holes	42
Riddle, Everett	Boys 10 & Under 9 Holes	43
Fish, Rowan	Boys 10 & Under 9 Holes	45
Vermeulen, Lincoln	Boys 10 & Under 9 Holes	45
Maska, Baker	Boys 10 & Under 9 Holes	52
Ault, Wyatt	Boys 10 & Under 9 Holes	68
Mohlman, Aiden	Boys 13 & 14	76
Mulnix, Maddox	Boys 13 & 14	76
Palmer, Marshall	Boys 13 & 14	83
Thompson, Patrick	Boys 13 & 14	83
Micheel-Mays, Henry	Boys 13 & 14	86
Banks, Logan	Boys 13 & 14	88
Narkiewicz, Casey	Boys 13 & 14	92
Biela, Andy	Boys 13 & 14	94
Hunt, Kobe	Boys 13 & 14	94
Cook, Zach	Boys 13 & 14	95
Gallant, Carson	Boys 13 & 14	102
Peckham, Owen	Boys 13 & 14	103
Valkuchak, Colin	Boys 13 & 14	103
Jenks, Brayden	Boys 13 & 14	105
Boldt, Andrew	Boys 15 & 16	66
Cooper, Gabe	Boys 15 & 16	67
Nguyen, Leo	Boys 15 & 16	75
Ruhl, Brandon	Boys 15 & 16	75
Skidmore, Vincenzo	Boys 15 & 16	77
Miller, Tony	Boys 15 & 16	80
Stevens, Charlie	Boys 15 & 16	81
Evans, Jack	Boys 15 & 16	82
Trumper, Brock	Boys 15 & 16	82
Hays, Cayne	Boys 15 & 16	84
Renaud, Liam	Boys 15 & 16	84
Reason, Kaden	Boys 15 & 16	89
Porter, Bailee	Boys 15 & 16	91
Flick, Cooper	Boys 15 & 16	92
Boyk, Ayden	Boys 15 & 16	97
Jones, Nixon	Boys 15 & 16	99
Levy, Lincoln	Boys 15 & 16	101
Kimberly, Landon	Boys 15 & 16	104
Scott, Parker	Boys 15 & 16	107
Fivenson, Damion	Boys 15 & 16	110
Staib, Cayden	Boys 17 & 18	67
Brafford, Jake	Boys 17 & 18	71
Osterberg, Jarrett	Boys 17 & 18	76
Rowe, Cody	Boys 17 & 18	77
Senkewitz, Adam	Boys 17 & 18	77
Cekander, Bristen	Boys 17 & 18	79
Kulka, Anthony	Boys 17 & 18	79
McDonald, Robert	Boys 17 & 18	79
Palmer, Javen	Boys 17 & 18	79
Earnst, Aidan	Boys 17 & 18	83
Bowman, Eli	Boys 17 & 18	84
Schonfeld, Nolan	Boys 17 & 18	87
Trumper, Cole	Boys 17 & 18	87
Wallbaum, John	Boys 17 & 18	94
Beda, Anastasia	Girls 12 & under 9 holes	71
Thompson, Anna	Girls 13 & up 9 holes	50
Fish, Viviana	Girls 13 & up 9 holes	51
Roberts, Ellie	Girls 13 & up 9 holes	54
Ault, Katelyn	Girls 13 & up 9 holes	67
Rhodes, Avery	Girls 13-14-15	86
Rentfrow, Ava	Girls 13-14-15	101
Graetz, Cecilia	Girls 13-14-15	102
Manning, Ashlynn	Girls 13-14-15	112
Berro, Marrisa	Girls 16 & Up	88
Rousseau, Kayla	Girls 16 & Up	90
Warner, Mya	Girls 16 & Up	99
Webster, Grace	Girls 16 & Up	104
Fivenson, Kierra	Girls 16 & Up	105
Penn, Samantha	Girls 16 & Up	110

The next stop on the tour takes places on Monday August 4th at Pine Hollow GC.

High School Sports

Long Begins His Third Season As Gaffney High's Athletic Director, Littlejohn Takes Over As …

By Billy G. Baker Publisher Gaffney—Former HSSR Mr. Football, Malcolm Long, established new school passing records at Gaffney High when he led the Indians to great success on the football field nearly 20 years ago, so he is quite at home starting his third season as the athletic director at his alma mater. “What I […]

Published

11 hours ago

July 29, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Long Begins His Third Season As Gaffney High's Athletic Director, Littlejohn Takes Over As ...

By Billy G. Baker

Publisher

Gaffney—Former HSSR Mr. Football,
Malcolm
Long, established new school passing records at
Gaffney
High when he led the Indians to great success on the football field nearly 20 years ago, so he is quite at home starting his third season as the athletic director at his alma mater.

“What I stress to all our coaches at Gaffney is to be fair and consistent in their dealings with the student athletes on their teams,” said Coach Long. “I also want our coaches to be good role models and to teach our athletes good life skills, along with how to be successful citizens after they graduate.”

Coach Long said he has grown into the athletic director’s role at Gaffney High as he starts his third season, over-seeing one of the state’s top athletic programs year-end and year-out. “I have learned to be more eccentrical in my relationships with coaches, the school administration, and all the student athletes in our program,” he said. “Communication is very important in all relationships.”

During his prep career at Gaffney, Long helped lead the football team to three state titles, plus two in basketball. He went on to
SC State where he set 14 passing records and led the Bulldogs to three straight MEAC titles in 2008, 2009, and 2010.

In prior interviews, Long has told the HSSR he did not pursue a professional football opportunity, after college, because he was focused on becoming a minister. Today, Long serves as the Pastor of the Cedar Grove Missionary Baptist Church in Gaffney. He is married to the love of his life
Porchee’ and they are the proud parents of two football and basketball playing sons,
Jamarion (15) and
Malachi (12).

Prior to becoming the athletic director at Gaffney, Coach Long spent six seasons on the Gaffney staff as the team’s quarterback coach.

“I want to thank Gaffney principal
Eric
Blanton for his trust in me in offering me the athletic director’s job,” said Long. “I am grateful for his support and leadership. He is also very supportive of the athletic program at Gaffney High as well.

“I also want to thank our Superintendent,
Dr. Thomas White, and the Cherokee County School board, for budgeting for the total renovation of the baseball and softball stadiums at Gaffney High School that are presently under construction,” said Coach Long. “Both teams are getting new locker rooms, new bleachers, and it is a complete face-lift for both facilities.”

This past season two very successful head coaches (Dan
Jones and
Mark
Huff) retired after long coaching careers at Gaffney.

“Coach Jones was the longest serving football coach in Gaffney history with 32 years of service to the team,” said Coach Long. “Coach Jones taught his players mental toughness. Maybe I should not say this but he was the first coach I ever saw hit a kid with his head without a helmet on and that got the entire team’s attention. He was a former Gaffney player who loved teaching the game of football.”

Coach Huff announced his retirement as the girls’ basketball coach at the end of this season. Huff won five boy’s state titles (2003, 04, 05, 2010, and 2012) and he was selected in to the SCACA Hall of Fame in 2014.
Julian
Wright, Huff’s top assistant last season, has been named the girls’ basketball head coach for this season.

Long time Gaffney offensive coordinator
Donnie
Littlejohn was named the new head football coach in January of this year. “Coach Littlejohn understands the Gaffney tradition, being a former player who has been coaching in the program for 22 seasons,” said Coach Long. “Since becoming the head coach he has been doing a very good job holding the kids accountable for things like their weight room work-outs and being on time for meetings.

“We are anticipating a very good football season and this team has a lot of potential to compete for a state title,” said Coach Long. “I consider Coach Littlejohn a player’s coach.”

Coach Littlejohn will be assisted by
Kevin
Phillips who will serve as the team’s Associate Head Coach/Linebackers/ and also as recruiting coordinator.
Ian
Cooper is the defensive coordinator while
Brad
Van
Horn will serve as offensive coordinator.

Tony
Smith is the strength coach. Brennen
Canupp will coach special teams/corner backs while
Brandon
Mullins will coach safeties/DB’s.
BJ Little will coach OLB’s and
Jordan
McFadden will work with the defensive linemen.
Brad
Phillips is the quarterback’s coach and
Dave
Reams will work with running backs.

Jeff
Allen will mentor the offensive linemen while
Wayne
Starks will work with receivers.
Julian
Wright
will coach TE/H-backs/OL
and Scott Simpson
will work with kickers. Scott Farmer
will serve as director of football operations.
Andrew
Hinchliffe is the head junior varsity football coach.

Other varsity head coaches returning include
Jeff
Mages in baseball and
Maddie
Pruitt in softball. Charles
Blue will begin his third season as the head boys’ basketball coach.
Jasmine
Smith is back as the competitive cheer coach.
Lawanda
Moorer will once again head up the boy’s and girl’s cross- country program.

Zach
Bridges returns as the boy’s golf coach while
Tina
Frye is back to lead the girl’s golf team.
Scott
Simmons is back at the boys’ soccer coach and
Lily
Cazel returns to mentor the girls’ soccer team.
Neely
Swofford will be the new swim head coach for both the boys and girls swim teams.

David
Reams returns as the boy’s tennis coach and
Kenny
Harris will head up the girl’s tennis program.
Jacob
Bostic is back as the head volleyball coach and
Daniel
Grellman returns as the wrestling head coach. The two athletic trainers include
Gianni
Paglia and
Aaron
McCarley.

“I also wanted to thank
Barbara
Toney who worked as an athletic secretary for 20-plus years before she retired after this schoolyear,” said Coach Long. “Barbara is succeeded by
Barbara
Allison.

“I also want to thank
Frank
Giles for his many years of being a football and basketball game announcer at Gaffney games,” said Coach Long. .

High School Sports

BASEBALL

BASEBALL: Alm lands all-state recognition, invitation to East Coast Pro showcase Published 12:41 pm Tuesday, July 29, 2025 On the verge of a big opportunity, Polk County’s Gunnar Alm has added another honor to his growing list. The rising Polk senior has been tabbed as a first-team all-state player by HighSchoolOT.com. HSOT covers high school […]

Published

11 hours ago

July 29, 2025

Your Sports Nation

BASEBALL: Alm lands all-state recognition, invitation to East Coast Pro showcase

Published 12:41 pm Tuesday, July 29, 2025

On the verge of a big opportunity, Polk County’s Gunnar Alm has added another honor to his growing list.

The rising Polk senior has been tabbed as a first-team all-state player by HighSchoolOT.com. HSOT covers high school sports across North Carolina and releases all-state teams for every sport.

It marks the second consecutive HSOT all-state honor for Alm, who was named the 1A Player of the Year by the North Carolina Baseball Coaches Association.

The Wolverine standout will travel to Alabama in the week ahead to take part in East Coast Pro, an annual showcase run by Major League Baseball scouts that highlights the top high school players in the Eastern half of the United States.

MLB scouts invite players whom they feel are the best in their areas. Those players travel to Hoover, Ala. for four days of workouts and games, with each player assigned to represent a professional franchise. Alm will compete with the Minnesota Twins team, which will include players from North and South Carolina, Virginia and Maryland. The team will be managed by Ty Dawson, Carolinas area scout for the Twins.

High School Sports

City High Trio Highlights Area IGCA All

Ryan Murken Your Prep Sports It was a turnaround season for City High as the Little Hawks posted their highest win total since 2021 while advancing to a Class 5A regional title game. This week the Little Hawks have continued to reap the postseason rewards for their successful season. City High had three players named […]

Published

12 hours ago

July 29, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

It was a turnaround season for City High as the Little Hawks posted their highest win total since 2021 while advancing to a Class 5A regional title game.

This week the Little Hawks have continued to reap the postseason rewards for their successful season.

City High had three players named to the Iowa Girls Coaches Association Class 5A all-state teams when the organization released its postseason awards on Monday.

Junior Molly Carlson and seniors Lianna Hull and Avy Lindsey all earned all-state honors from the IGCA after helping City High to a 23-15 record and a spot in a 5A regional title game.

The City High trio highlighted a group of seven Your Prep Sports area athletes to earn all-state honors.

Liberty High senior pitcher Kaelyn Rickels, Clear Creek Amana junior infielders Kyla Schulte and Brenna Williams and Solon senior catcher Addie Miller were all IGCA all-state selections.

Carlson was a Class 5A first-team all-state selection following a monster season in which she led City High in hits (57), extra-base hits (25), doubles (15), RBI (46), total bases (102), batting average (.449), slugging percentage (.803) and OPS (1.303).

The junior catcher hammered 10 home runs, posted a .500 on-base percentage and scored 24 runs.

Hull earned second team all-state honors after capping a brilliant five-year career with a strong senior season.

The senior shortstop batted .449 with a team-high 43 runs, nine extra-base hits, 11 RBI, 19 walks, a team-best .529 on-base percentage and an OPS of 1.097.

Lindsey was named to the Class 5A third-team after batting .322 with 14 extra-base hits, five home runs and 28 RBI.

The senior second baseman scored 26 runs while posting a .525 slugging percentage and an OPS of .921.

Rickels was named to the Class 5A third team after posting a 7-7 record and 2.66 ERA in a team-high 118 1/3 innings pitched.

The senior right-hander struck out 80 and walked just 15 batters while posting a 1.17 WHIP.

In Class 4A Schulte was a first-team pick and Williams earned second team honors for Clear Creek Amana.

Schulte batted .459 with 26 extra-base hits including 10 home runs and drove in a team-high 52 runs while helping the Clippers to a 31-9 record.

The junior second baseman scored 39 runs and posted a .514 on-base percentage, .844 slugging percentage and a 1.358 OPS.

Williams earned second team honors after batting .403 with 34 runs scored, 31 RBI and a team-high 19 walks.

Miller was a second-team all-state pick in Class 3A for Solon.

The senior batted .427 with 21 extra-base hits including seven home runs and led the Spartans with 34 RBI.

Miller scored 31 runs and posted a .500 on-base percentage, a .777 slugging percentage and a 1.277 OPS.

Iowa Girls Coaches Association All-state Softball Teams

Class 5A

First team – Jordyn Kennedy, Jr., Ankeny Centennial; Mady Ott, Jr., Ankeny Centennial; Brooklyn Teerlinck, Sr., Bettendorf; Morgan Hewitt, Sr., Cedar Rapids Jefferson; Lily Knutson, Jr., Cedar Rapids Kennedy; Kaylynn Shorter, Sr., Davenport North; Clara Page, Soph., Des Moines Roosevelt; Sam Gripp, Soph., Indianola; Molly Carlson, Jr., City High; Grace Anderson, Sr., Johnston; Emily Koranda, Sr., Linn-Mar; Kasey Kane, Sr., Pleasant Valley; Riley Redig, Sr., Cedar Rapids Prairie; Leah Conlon, Sr., Sioux City East; Kennedy Borud, Sr., Southeast Polk; Tatum Johnson, Jr., Urbandale; Kari Rose, Jr., West Des Moines Valley; Mackenzie Mohler, Sr., West Des Moines Valley; Aunya Van Zetten, Sr., Waukee Northwest; Sophia Schlader, Fr., Waukee Northwest

Second team – Sydney Smalley, Sr., Ames; Kaylee Mescher, Sr., Ames; Aubrey Scieszinski, Sr., Ankeny Centennial; Amanda Finck, Jr., Cedar Falls; Lexi Trueg, Jr., Cedar Falls; Sophia Kevitt, Sr., Cedar Rapids Jefferson; Maddie Sparks, Jr., Davenport West; Ellie Olson, Sr., West Des Moines Dowling; Luci Weber, Sr., Dubuque Hempstead; Jolee Strohmeyer, Jr., Dubuque Senior; Mallory Tomkins, Jr., Dubuque Hempstead; Lianna Hull, Sr., City High; Grayce Reiners, Jr., Johnston; Skylar Peterson, Jr., Muscatine; Ashley Hansen, Jr., Pleasant Valley; Karter Price, Soph., Southeast Polk; Jesslyn Stairs, Sr., Southeast Polk; Addy Ballard, Jr., West Des Moines Valley; Francesca Dehl, Jr., Waterloo West; Abi Felt, Jr., Waukee; Laurel Richards, Sr., Waukee Northwest

Third team – Camryn Johnson, Sr., Ames; Aubrey Lensmeyer, Sr., Ankeny; Kori Lincicum, Jr., Ankeny Centennial; Sydney Runyan, Sr., Cedar Falls; Ava Erger, Sr., Cedar Rapids Jefferson; Adalyn Thorstenson, Fr., Cedar Rapids Kennedy; Ayla Streit, Sr., Davenport North; Grace Bell, Soph., Des Moines Roosevelt; Abby Johnson, Jr., West Des Moines Dowling; Annie Hefel, Jr., Dubuque Senior; Ava Rupp, Jr., Dubuque Senior; Dana Blake, Sr., Indianola; Avy Lindsey, Sr., City High; Kaelyn Rickels, Sr., Liberty High; Annie Cassidy, Soph., Linn-Mar; Elsie Lewis, Sr., Muscatine; Lily Garrison, Soph., Ottumwa; Tatum Goerdt, Sr., Cedar Rapids Prairie

Coach of the year – Carrie Eby, Waukee Northwest

Class 4A

First team – Lauren Hagedorn, Jr., ADM; Chloe Roling, Fr., Carlisle; Kyla Schulte, Jr., Clear Creek Amana; Jenah Gray, Soph., Dallas Center-Grimes; Addison Lyddon, Jr., Dallas Center-Grimes; Hope Allstot, Soph., Fort Dodge; Ellie Doster, Soph., Fort Dodge; Katie Sniezek, Jr., Gilbert; Aubree Davis, Council Bluffs Lewis Central; Mack Sims, Jr., Newton; Ava Husak, Sr., North Polk; Adalynn Johnson, Jr., North Scott; Carly Brewer, Sr., Norwalk; Nyah Hulbert, Sr., Norwalk; Emma Eekhoff, Sr., Pella; Brooklyn Ocker, Sr., Sergeant Bluff-Luton; Melanie Runde, Jr., Western Dubuque; Zoey Breeding, Sr., Winterset; Braylen Conlon, Sr., Cedar Rapids Xavier; Katie Pilcher, Sr., Cedar Rapids Xavier

Second team – Kinzie Maxwell, Soph., ADM; Chloe Thurlby, Sr., Bondurant-Farrar; Keirah Wiseman, Sr., Burlington; Logan Brown, Sr., Carlisle; Mallie Stoner, Jr., Carlisle; Brenna Williams, Jr., Clear Creek Amana; Ava Adamson, Sr., Creston; Sophia Bauman, Sr., Dallas Center-Grimes; Tessa Jones, Soph., Dallas Center-Grimes; Lucy Porter, Sr., Fort Dodge; Kylee Bond, Jr., Grinnell; Katelyn Klever, Sr., North Polk; Lucy Lucas, Sr., North Polk; Bailey Birmingham, Sr., Norwalk; Maddie Gullion, Sr., Norwalk; Haylee Parker, Soph., Oskaloosa; Katie Scheckel, Jr., Pella; Bailey Moreau, Jr., Sergeant Bluff-Luton; Kaitlyn Thole, Sr., Western Dubuque; Ashlynn Devine, Sr., Winterset; Carley Jonker, Sr., Cedar Rapids Xavier

Third team – Alexis Havlovic, Soph., Bondurant-Farrar; Carlyn Busch, Sr., Boone; Anna Prosise, Soph., Central DeWitt; Emerson Bohlen, Sr., Charles City; Taryn Frederickson, Sr., Creston; Lauren Luzum, Jr., Decorah; Brylie Lorence, Sr., Fort Madison; Clara Newton, Jr., Gilbert; Allison Koontz, Sr., Glenwood; Rhiannon Rees, Jr., Grinnell; Brenna Leraas, Sr., LeMars, Kalyn Hackman, Sr., Maquoketa; Aubrey Deshaw, Sr., MOC-Floyd Valley; Tessa Dillinger, Sr., North Polk; Chevelle Kingsley, Sr., North Scott; Brinley Schroeder, Fr., North Scott; Lily Delperdang, Jr., Sergeant Bluff-Luton; Avery DeHaan, Soph., Storm Lake; Kyla Ramler, Soph., Western Dubuque; Maddyn Gates, Soph., Cedar Rapids Xavier

Coach of the year – Nikki Gahring, Cedar Rapids Xavier

Class 3A

First team – Grace Pence, Jr., Albia; Reagan Haynes, Soph., Algona; Ana Glawe, Sr., Benton Community; Kavri Van Kekerix, Sr., Boyden-Hull; Mya Hillers, Sr., Center Point-Urbana; Addyson Jeske, Sr., Eagle Grove; Hillary Ruschy, Sr., Estherville-Lincoln Central; Rylee Yager, Sr., Estherville-Lincoln Central; Hayden Gookin, Soph., Mount Vernon; Camden Webb, Fr., PCM; Libby Winters, Fr., PCM; Rylee Parsons, Jr., PCM; Peyton Jeter, Sr., Roland-Story; Isabel Bernard, Sr., Sumner-Fredericksburg; Julia Roth, Jr., Dubuque Wahlert; Ruth Tauber, Jr., Dubuque Wahlert; Ella Greiner, Sr., Washington; Leighton Salazar, Jr., Washington; Pearson Hall, Sr., West Liberty; Alley Gorsh, Sr., Williamsburg; Jersey Metz, Jr., Williamsburg; Makenna Hughes, Sr., Williamsburg

Second team – Aliyah Hood, Soph., Albia; Madeline VanLoon, Soph., Albia; Allison Trunkhill, Jr., Algona; Charlotte Nigey, Jr., Davenport Assumption; Lila Wiederstein, Jr., Atlantic; Peyton McLaren, Soph., Atlantic; Hannah Greiner, Sr., Benton Community; Kenna Sandoval, Jr., Central Lee; Taylor Schwenn, Soph., Clear Lake; Haylee Stokes, Sr., Estherville-Lincoln Central; Colette Loges, Sr., Forest City; Charlee Morton, Sr., Hampton-Dumont-CAL; Claire Dieleman, Jr., Humboldt; Audrie Kohl, Sr., Missouri Valley; Addison Steenhoek, Sr., PCM; Margo Schuiteman, Sr., Sioux Center; Addie Miller, Sr., Solon; Lauren Eslick, Sr., Southeast Valley; Susie Funke, Jr., West Delaware; Sully Hall, Soph., West Liberty; Mallory Wulf, Jr., West Liberty; Taylor Sanchez, Soph., Williamsburg

Third team – Sophia Caudle, Fr., Davenport Assumption; Addie Williamson, Sr., Davenport Assumption; Zoey Kirchhoff, Jr., Atlantic; Layna DeMoss, Soph., Benton Community; Cianna Newman, Sr., Camanche; Adriana Howard, Sr., Centerville; Payden Hoffman, Soph., Centerville; Sydney Cain, Sr., Chariton; Maisy McCoy, Jr., Clarke; Lydia Barker, Jr., Davis County; Leah Helmick, Soph., Fairfield; Becca Anderson, Jr., Greene County; Isabelle Janssen, Soph., Iowa Falls; Payton Harris, Fr., Mediapolis; Dilynn Meade, Soph., Missouri Valley; Grace German, Sr., Missouri Valley; Sophia Woodward, Sr., Sioux Center; Addison DeBoom, Soph., Unity Christian; Ruby Zylstra, Sr., Unity Christian; Lyndsey Kelley, Sr., West Burlington; Jillian Karsjen, Sr., West Marshall; Lillian Fischer, Sr., West Marshall

Coach of the year – Adam Berte, Williamsburg

Class 2A

First team – Addison Frake, Jr., Cascade; Allison Toft, Soph., Durant; Haley Glade, Sr., Earlham; Peyton Grabenbauer, Jr., East Marshall; Sarah Mead, Jr., Jesup; Addie Clark, Sr., Lisbon; Grace Kissell, Fr., Louisa-Muscatine; Hannah Kissell, Jr., Louisa-Muscatine; Brenna Staab, Sr., MMCRU; Olivia Chapman, Fr., Osage; Chloe Snyder, Soph., Pella Christian; Halee Hauswirth, Jr., Pocahontas Area; Delaney Matthews, Jr., Treynor; Mary Stephens, Sr., Underwood; Finley Netten, Sr., Van Meter; Ava Hohenadel, Sr., Van Meter; Cali Richards, Sr., Van Meter; Libby Trewin, Sr., West Fork; JoAnna Wallace, Sr., West Fork; Ella Langenhorst, Sr., West Lyon; Jersey Hawf, Sr., West Lyon; Savannah Lucas, Sr., West Monona

Second team – Ingrid Landa, Jr., Alburnett; Maggie Cassidy, Fr., Dyersville Beckman; Kaylen Morris, Jr., Belmond-Klemme; Sharli Fessler, Sr., Central Springs; Lily Coil, Sr., Columbus; Bailey Grant, Sr., East Marshall; Livy VanDerSluis, Jr., Grand View Christian; Marissa Askeland, Sr., Griswold; Kayla Sypersma, Jr., Hinton; Elyse Maxwell, Soph., Interstate 35; Hayden Kresser, Jr., Jesup; Kamryn Taylor, Sr., Louisa-Muscatine; Kalli Freiburger, Jr., Maquoketa Valley; Cadence Driscoll, Sr., Northeast; Aubrey Leonard, Jr., Ogden; Aubrey Chapman, Sr., Osage; Lauren Hoover, Jr., Pocahontas Area; Hayden Thomas, Sr., Tri Center; Ashlynn Huff, Sr., Van Buren; Preslee Dickman, Sr., West Fork; Braylyn Childress, Jr., West Lyon; McKenna Baker, Soph., West Monona

Third team – Eva Walker, Jr., Aplington-Parkersburg; Kate Green, Sr., Cascade; Brilee Ackerson, Jr., Denver; Madde Buskohl, Sr., Dike-New Hartford; Bailey Kraklio, Jr., Durant; Riley Miller, Soph., Exira EHK/Audubon; Ailey Wahlert, Fr., Griswold; Gracie Knobloch, Sr., Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn; Karlyn Korvana, Jr., Hinton; Addie Rhoades, Sr., Hudson; Brylei Clausen, Sr., MVAOCOU; Kamrin Groen, Soph., North Butler; Regan Grewe, Sr., North Mahaska; Leah Mangelsen, Sr., Northeast; Ella Clark, Sr., Pleasantville; Taylor Perkins, Fr., Pleasantville; Peyton Athen, Sr., Shenandoah; Adalyn Minahan, Jr., Treynor; Bianca Prickett, Sr., Van Meter; Brihanna Hill, Jr., West Monona; Addison Westergard, Sr., West Sioux; Kinsey Drake, Sr., Wilton

Coach of the year – James Flaws, Van Meter

Class 1A

First team – Katie Quick, Sr., Ankeny Christian; Claire Lodge, Sr., Clarksville; Emmalee Manwarren, Sr., Clarksville; Rachel Eglseder, Jr., Edgewood-Colesburg; Lana Alley, Soph., Fremont-Mills; Kamryn Fink, Fr., Highland; Addison Winters, Jr., Kee High; Ellie Baker, sr., Martensdale-St. Marys; Keirsten Klein, Jr., Murray; Kinzee Hinders, Sr., Newell-Fonda; Sami Kruckenberg, Jr., Mason City Newman; Kenzie Bridgewater, Sr., North Linn; Elly Henderson, Sr., Riverside; Madison Kelley, Jr., Riverside; Josephine Moore, Sr., Sigourney; Jaycee Neer, Sr., Southeast Warren; Mariah Myers, Sr., Fort Dodge St. Edmond; Lauren Gibb, Sr., Fort Dodge St. Edmond; Taylor Buhr, Jr., Wapsie Valley; Izzie Moore, Sr., Wayne; Allie Jo Fortune, Sr., Wayne; Charlie Pryor, Sr., Woodbine

Second team – Lainey Schuknecht, Sr., Akron-Westfield; Katelyn Weathers, Soph., Ankeny Christian; Aniya Hardee, Soph., Bedford; Delaney Engler, Sr., Calamus-Wheatland; Paige Kampman, Jr., Clarksville; Anna Hart, Jr., Coon Rapids-Bayard; Kennedi McGarvey, Sr., Don Bosco; Faith Dugan, Fr., Edgewood-Colesburg; Taylor Mikesell, Sr., English Valleys; Kassidy Wenck, Jr., Glidden-Ralston; Lilly Barre, Sr., Highland; Karlee Arp, Jr., IKM-Manning; Lydia Kriegel, Sr., Iowa Valley; Anna Mercer, Sr., Newell-Fonda; Avah Hanig, Sr., Mason City Newman; Jaylyn Beran, Sr., Riceville; Kallie Peck, 8^th, Seymour; Lexi Clendenen, Jr., Southeast Warren; Faith Shirbroun, Jr., Fort Dodge St. Edmond; Espyn Decker, 8^th, Wapsie Valley; Ava Whitney, Sr., Wayne; Lexi Gilbert, Soph., Woodbury Central

Third team – Josie Jacobs, Sr., Akron-Westfield; Macy Musich, Jr., Bedford; Karagyn Minnaert, Sr., BGM; Hanna Merron, Sr., Algona Garrigan; Sydney Lovrien, Jr., Clarksville; Jayden Peters, Soph., Collins-Maxwell; McKenna Hoefer, Jr., Edgewood-Colesburg; Reese Gute, Jr., Fremont-Mills; Delaney Shaw, Sr., Hillcrest Academy; Ayla Hall, Sr., HLV-Tri-County; Lilah Strong, Soph., Kee High; Julia Howe, Soph., Kingsley-Pierson; Allyson Martin, Soph., Lamoni; Sadie Cox, Sr., Lenox; Ellie Sievers, Fr., Newell-Fonda; Ainsley Ulrich, Soph., North Union; Hallie Bunkers, Soph., Remsen St. Mary’s; Peyton Schafer, Fr., Riverside; Dani Aller, Sr., Sigourney; Addison Merritt, Soph., Springville; Maci Mayer, Jr., Saint Ansgar; Bree Mitchell, Sr., Stanton

Coach of the year – Katie Burman, Clarksville

Did you enjoy this subscription free article? Help keep Your Prep Sports free by donating

High School Sports

2025 Apollo APBA Gold Cup highlights

The 2025 Apollo APBA Gold Cup, also known as Tri-City Water Follies, celebrated speed on the water and air over the course of three days. The big prize, the oldest trophy in motorsports, was won by Dave Villwock after three boats jumped the start of the final race. Strong Racing’s Corey Peabody crossed the John […]

Published

13 hours ago

July 29, 2025

Your Sports Nation

The 2025 Apollo APBA Gold Cup, also known as Tri-City Water Follies, celebrated speed on the water and air over the course of three days.

The big prize, the oldest trophy in motorsports, was won by Dave Villwock after three boats jumped the start of the final race. Strong Racing’s Corey Peabody crossed the John Mostoller start/finish line first, but he, along with J. Michael Kelly and Gunnar O’Farrell all were ahead of the clock at the beginning of the race.

Villwock wins his 11th Gold Cup which ties him with Chip Hanauer for the most all time. He also won his 68th race as an unlimited driver.

The Grand Prix Thunder Cup started with six boats, but three died on the course, including the leaders Jeff Bernard and Austin Eacret. That opened the door for Greg Hopp who wins the trophy for the second straight year.

Meanwhile Kennewick native Kyle Davenport won his second 2.5 litre final in the past three years and Brady Brackett won his first race ever in the 1.5 litre final.

The 2026 event will run July 24-26 on the banks of the Columbia River.