Oskaloosa–Despite losing a heartbreaker over the weekend, the Statesmen football team is still in contention for the playoffs as the eighth NAIA top-25 rating was releasedMonday.

Due to its double-overtime loss to Benedictine (Kan.) last Saturday, William Penn (6-3, 2-1 North) is now on the outside looking in at #19 with 105 points.  Heart of America Athletic Conference foes Baker (Kan.) at #3, Grand View at #4, and Benedictine at #12, are ranked ahead of the navy and gold.

A co-North Division crown is still available, but the Statesmen will likely have to come in the back door to make the playoffs and it is uncertain at this time how many teams the Statesmen will need to jump to order to grab one of the final at-large berths.  Fortunately, several teams ahead of WPU still have ranked opponents on their schedule, leaving that option a viable one.

The nation’s top five remains unchanged with Southern Oregon (334 points, 8 first-place votes), Morningside (six top votes), Baker, Grand View, and Doane (Neb.) (1 first-place vote) leading the NAIA.

WPU travels to Lamoni Saturday to face Graceland in a Heart North Division contest at 2 p.m.

NAIA Football Rating #8 – November 2, 2015
(Number in parentheses is first-place votes)
1. Southern Oregon (8)
2. Morningside (6)
3. Baker (Kan.)
4. Grand View
5. Doane (Neb.) (1)
6. Saint Francis (Ind.)
7. Reinhardt (Ga.)
8. Marian (Ind.)
9. Montana Tech
10. Tabor (Kan.)
11. Saint Xavier (Ill.)
12. Benedictine (Kan.)
13. Montana Western
14. Kansas Wesleyan
15. Lindsey Wilson (Ky.)
16. St. Francis (Ill.)
17. Campbellsville (Ky.)
18. Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.)
19. William Penn
20. Cumberlands (Ky.)
21. Point (Ga.)
22. Northwestern
23. Robert Morris (Ill.)
24. Dickinson State (N.D.)
25. St. Ambrose

Others receiving votes: Arizona Christian 6; Faulkner (Ala.) 5; Carroll (Mont.) 3.

Story provided by Wade Steinlage

The high school quarterfinal games have been announced.

In Class 3A, #1 ranked Pella takes on #10 Davenport Assumption.

In Class 2A, #2 South Tama goes on the road to face #1 Albia.

In Class A, #7 Gladbrook-Reinbeck goes to #1 BGM and Lynnville-Sully will be at #9 Mount Ayr.

You can hear the Lynnville-Sully/Mount Ayr game on 104.9 FM KBOE and 99.5 FM/740 AM KMZN starting with the Playoff Pregame Show at 6:00 pm!

GAME INFO

TIME: 7 PM

PLACE: Pleasantville High School, Pleasantville

ON THE LINE: A trip to the State Volleyball Tournament in Cedar Rapids

BROADCAST INFO

STATION: 99.5 FM/AM 740 KMZN, and kboeradio.com

ANNOUNCER: Emery Songer

PREGAME: Begins at 6:45 leading up to the first serve at 7 PM

EBF ROCKETS

Record: 34-2, ranked #3 in Class 2A

Key Player: Karlie Taylor (SR)

Key Stat: 9.91 – EBF’s Assists per Set average is 6th in the state in Class 2A. Assists

per Set is a good measurement of designed plays that set up attackers for kills. Of the

top nine in Assists per Set in Class 2A, no team has more than 8 losses.

Last time out: Beat Pekin in the Class 2A Region 4 Semifinals, 3-0

DES MOINES CHRISTIAN LIONS

Record: 19-13

Key Player: Ebby Prewitt (SR)

Key Stat: 11 – Des Moines Christian is riding an 11-game winning streak into the

Regional Final with EBF

Last time out: Beat Central Decatur in the Class 2A Region 4 Semifinals, 3-0

THIS SEASON

These two teams have not met this season.

GAME INFO

TIME: 7 PM

PLACE: Newton High School, Newton

ON THE LINE: A trip to the State Volleyball Tournament in Cedar Rapids

BROADCAST INFO

STATION: 104.9 FM KBOE, 99.5 FM/AM 740 KMZN, and kboeradio.com

ANNOUNCER: Emery Songer

PREGAME: Broadcast begins at 7 PM following NASCAR Live on KBOE

PCM MUSTANGS

Record: 10-26

Key Player: Ashley Van Gorp (SR)

Key Stat: .161 and .191 – PCM’s kill efficiency percentages for their Round One win

over Saydel and Round Two win over Chariton were much better than the Mustangs

season mark of .063. If the Mustangs are going to advance to state, this trend must

continue.

Last time out: Beat Chariton in the Class 3A Region 3 Semifinals, 3-2

NEVADA CUBS

Record: 29-9, ranked #4 in Class 3A

Key Player: Kati Cassabaum (SR)

Key Stat: 2.68 – Nevada’s aces per set number is second in all of Class 3A, just behind

East Sac County (2.83)

Last time out: Beat North Polk in the Class 3A Region 3 Semifinals, 3-1

THIS SEASON

These two Heart of Iowa conference foes met once this year, in Monroe on October 8th.

Nevada dominated the outing, 3-0, with scores of 25-7, 25-12, and 25-14. The Cubs

had an unreal kill efficiency of .395 as a group in the win.

GAME INFO

TIME: 7 PM

PLACE: Denver High School, Denver

ON THE LINE: A trip into the Round of 8 in the Class A Football Playoffs

BROADCAST INFO

STATION: 104.9 FM KBOE and kboeradio.com

ANNOUNCE TEAM: Jamie Brockman and Brian Myers

PREGAME: 6 PM for the Mahaska Zone Network Playoff Football Pregame Show

MONTEZUMA

Record: 7-3

Opponent Record: 49-46 (.516)

Key Player: RB Carson Losure (JR)

Key Stat: 5 – In Monte’s three losses this season, none of them have been by more

than five points (lost to Lynnville-Sully by 3, Colfax-Mingo and BGM by 5); Also, all three

teams that Monte lost to are still alive in the Round of 16

Last time out: Beat Maquoketa Valley on the road in Round One, 21-13

DENVER

Record: 9-1, ranked #5 in the final Radio Iowa Poll

Opponent Record: 43-53 (.448)

Key Player: The Offensive Line

Key Stat: 2,588 – Combined rushing yards from running backs Mitchel Siech and Izaak

Shedenhelm; The two combined for over 7 yards per carry and 43 rushing touchdowns

on the season

Last time out: Beat Newman Catholic (Mason City) in Round One, 59-0

MATCHUP NUGGETS: Denver’s lone loss was a 42-7 defeat at the hands of Dike-New

Hartford (9-1, still in playoffs)…Both teams played Grundy Center; Monte beat GC in

Week 1, 8-7 at home, while Denver beat GC in Week 7, 42-6 at home

GAME INFO

TIME: 7 PM

PLACE: Winfield-Mount Union High School, Winfield

ON THE LINE: A trip into the Round of 8 in the Class A Football Playoffs

BROADCAST INFO

STATION: 99.5 FM/AM 740 KMZN and kboeradio.com

ANNOUNCE TEAM: Emery Songer and Van Love-Scott

PREGAME: 6 PM for the Mahaska Zone Network Playoff Football Pregame Show

LYNNVILLE-SULLY

Record: 7-3

Opponent Record: 50-45 (.526)

Key Player: RB Sage Ehresman (SR)

Key Stat: 21 – Workhorse running back Ehresman is tied for 7th in the state in Class A

with 21 rushing touchdowns on the season

Last time out: Beat Pekin on the road in Round One, 36-34

WINFIELD-MOUNT UNION

Record: 10-0, ranked #8 in the final Radio Iowa Poll

Opponent Record: 33-61 (.351)

Key Player: QB Kolt Rossiter (SR)

Key Stat: 994 and 806 – Leading rushers Darren Hunter and Bryce Robison have split

carries en route to fantastic seasons, along with 26 combined rushing touchdowns for

the unbeaten Wolves

Last time out: Beat North-Linn at home in Round One, 38-0

MATCHUP NUGGETS: Lynnville-Sully just beat Pekin, who was #2 in Class A District

6; Winfield-Mount Union is the #1 seed from that same district…L-S beat Pekin by just

two points, while W-MU beat Pekin in Week 9 by four, 16-12…Class A District 7 went 4-

0 in Round One, with BGM, Colfax-Mingo, L-S, and Montezuma all advancing; the only

district in all classes to do that…W-MU is the only team left in Class A District 6, as

Pekin, Lone Tree, and Danville all bowed out in the first round

In Class 3A, there were plenty of postseason volleyball action and two area teams made it to their respective regional finals.

In Region 3, PCM hung tough and held on to get a thrilling win over Chariton on the road in five sets.

PCM won the first set 25-20. It would be tight throughout, as Chariton would take the next two sets, 25-20 and 25-21. PCM would tie it up to send it to a fifth set by getting a 25-20 victory in the fourth set.

That fifth set went all the way down to the wire, but the Mustangs came out on top, winning 16-14.

PCM will face Nevada in the Class 3A Region 3 Final next Tuesday. You can hear that matchup live on 104.9 FM KBOE and 99.5 FM and AM 740 KMZN and on kboeradio.com on Tuesday, with the broadcast starting right at the top of the seven o’clock hour.

Also in Class 3A regional play, Centerville advanced to the Region 8 Championship by beating Davis County in straight sets, 25-7, 25-13, 25-23.

Centerville now has a stiff test, as they will face #1 West Liberty in the regional final in Donnellson on Tuesday. That match begins at 7 PM.

TIME: 7 PM

PLACE: Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont High School, Eddyville

STATION: 104.9 FM KBOE, 99.5 FM and AM 740 KMZN, and kboeradio.com

PREGAME: 6:45 PM

ON THE LINE: A trip to the Class 2A Region 4 Final in Pleasantville next Wednesday

EDDYVILLE-BLAKESBURG-FREMONT

Record: 33-2

Key Player: Karlie Taylor (SR)

Key Stat: .422 – Taylor’s Kill Efficiency Percentage leads all of Class 2A among players

with at least 500 attacks this season.

Last time out: Swept Pella Christian in the Class 2A Region 4 Quarterfinals in Eddyville

PEKIN

Record: 23-5

Key Player: Beth Atwood (SR)

Key Stat: 250 – Pekin led the Southeast Iowa Super Conference North in aces this

season, as well as aces per set (.316)

Last time out: Beat Cardinal 3-1 in Class 2A Region 4 Quarterfinals in Eldon

THIS SEASON: The teams have not met this season

The Oskaloosa Volleyball team fought valiantly against #11 Fairfield on Thursday night, but couldn’t come up with the victory, falling in five sets, 3-2.

The Indians won the first set by riding an early run, getting the win 25-22. Fairfield battled back to win the next two sets by pulling away late, 25-18 and 25-17. By the time the fourth set reached the latter stages, the Indians were trailing by three points, and Fairfield only needed three more points to win the set. Osky continued to fight, and would eventually get themselves the set win, 25-23.

Heading into the fifth and deciding set, the Indians knew what was on the line, but so did the Trojans. Fairfield came out hot, starting the fifth set on a 7-1 run, and cruised to a 15-7 win to end Oskaloosa’s season. The Indians finished at 18-20.

The volleyball careers of seniors Paige VanMersbergen, Zoe Lynch, Paige Howard, Brooke Caves, Maria Settimi, and Taylor Green ended with the loss.

Fairfield’s record improved to an outstanding 33-3 on the year. They will face #10 Pella in the Class 4A Region 4 Final on Tuesday at 7 PM in Oskaloosa. Pella reached the game by sweeping Grinnell in straight sets on Thursday night.

Oskaloosa–The Statesmen women’s basketball team slowed down NAIA Division II #7 Briar Cliff, but could not find enough offense for a huge upset in a 63-46 season-opening setback Thursday.

After a rough start that saw the home crew fall behind 8-0 and then 12-1, WPU (0-1) climbed its way back into it to tie the Chargers (1-0) at 18-18 after the initial 10-minute quarter.

The navy and gold actually managed to claim the lead at 22-21, but the edge was short-lived.  The visitors eventually led 36-30 at the break and never led by less than a half dozen the remainder of the matchup.  The Statesmen’s biggest bane was its lack of ball control, committing 34 turnovers, while forcing BCU into 18 giveaways.

William Penn was outshot 41.5%-32.0%, but hit the glass hard with a 45-36 advantage, led by a game-high 12 rebounds from newcomer Vashti Nwagbaraocha (Fr., Milwaukee, Wis.).  The freshman just missed a double-double by also scoring nine points.

Kadejah Young (Minneapolis, Minn., Physical Education) guided the home team with 13 points off the bench, while Alyssa Phillips (Jr., Gurnee, Ill., Communications) had six points.  Destiny Spinner (Saginaw, Mich., Biology) and Tyra Johnson (Fr., Calumet City, Ill.) both contributed five points.

Spinner and Young dished out three assists apiece and Young also stole two passes.

“I am extremely happy with the way our team played tonight,” New Head Coach Willie Scott said.  “We really stayed within our system, but unfortunately we still have a few key players injured, forcing us to play our freshmen a volume of minutes without a break.  Everyone played together and never quit.”

“These non-conference games will help us get past the butterflies and relax,” Scott said.  “I really like our chances once we get to conference play.”

“On a side note, Alyssa Phillips had a wild day, driving to and from Chicago today to get cleared to play,” Scott added.  “She showed up just before tipoff and after being sidelined for the last three weeks with a rare heart condition, she played with, well, a lot of heart.”

Next Up: William Penn will remain in Oskaloosa Friday to host NAIA D-II #1 and defending national champion Morningside in non-conference action at 5:30 p.m.

Story provided by Wade Steinlage