Sports

The Highland girls bolted to a 13-4 lead, held a 29-21 halftime advantage and cruised to a 50-40 victory Tuesday against visiting IMS in a Southeast Iowa Super Conference (North) basketball game.

The Huskies used a suffocating defense that disrupted IMS’ offense from getting into any sort of flow. It was especially good at preventing IMS from scoring any points inside the paint.

The Huskies led by as many as 15 points in the third quarter. IMS carved the deficit to 9 points in the fourth quarter, but couldn’t get any closer.

Read the entire story in the Jan. 12 issue of the Riverside Current

The Highland girls basketball team held a scrimmage Saturday against Keota and Clear Creek-Amana in preparation for the regular basketball season.

The Highland Huskies took a hit on the road Saturday, October 9. In the first match-up the Huskies lost to Holy Trinity Catholic 8-21 and 7-21. The Huskies played Camanche next but came up short with scores of 9-21 and 10-21. The final match was against Keokuk, where the Huskies were defeated 13-21 and 6-21.

The Huskies lost three games in a conference match-up at home October 5 against Winfield-Mt. Union by scores of 21-25, 20-25 and 12-25.

The Huskies and Louisa-Muscatine battled it out at Highland Monday, October 4 in conference play. Highland challenged L-M all evening, alternating wins until the fifth game which L-M pulled ahead to take the fifth game for the 12-15 win. It was back and forth as the Huskies won the first game 25-19, lost the second 21-25, won game three 25-20 and lost 22-25.

The Highland cross country teams had some of their best times this year at the Southeast Iowa Super Conference meet Thursday, October 7.
Matt Eden led the Huskies with his best time of the season at 17:48 for 30th place. Luke Mahler was close behind with his personal best run at 17:57 to finish 32nd. Improving more his previous best time by more than 1 minute and 30 seconds was Keegan Hall with a time of 18:57 for 56th. Jared Bean finished 82nd in 21:16.
Molly Metz competed for the girls’ cross country team and finished in 61st place with a run of 20:11.
Evan Mahler finished with his best run of the season and a conference championship in 11:34. He improved his time by more than a minute.
The next meet is the Lake Darling Classic Thursday, October 14.

The Huskies squared off against longtime local rival Lone Tree for a win in the season football opener Friday, August 27 in Lone Tree 26-13.
The Lions stopped Highland quarterback Austin Arnold deep in the LT territory late in the first quarter, just one yard short on a fourth and nine. Lone Tree’s tailback Levi Reitzler sprinted down the left side of the field on the very next play for an 88-yard touchdown, to put the Lions on the board 7-0.
In the second quarter the Lions ran the ball inside to the Highland 10. Highland’s defense forced LT quarterback Gabe Lorack to fumble.
In the next play, Reitzler stripped the ball out of Huskie Trey Brenneman’s hands and ran the ball seven yards in for a touchdown.
The tide turned late in the second quarter as the Huskies got field position and several flags were called on the Lions. William Greiner scored from four yards out for the first Huskie touchdown.
The Huskies owned the second half of the stretch, thanks to the running of Greiner and Skyler Houseal. Following a roughing the passer penalty, Derrick Stewart found the hole and raced 11 yards into the end zone for the second touchdown.
Lone Tree had one chance to even things up, but the Huskies defense held stalling the Lions with 5:25 left on the clock.
Stewart added a 33-yard touchdown run to put the game away for the Huskies. Greiner rushed for 101 yards on 17 carries.
The Huskies held the Lions to six yards rushing in the third quarter.
Highland 0 6 6 14 – 26
Lone Tree 7 6 0 0 – 13
H – William Greiner 4 run (kick failed)
H – Skyler Houseal 3 run (kick failed)
H -Derrick Stewart 11 run (Tyler Brenneman pass from Austin Arnold)
H-Stewart 33 run (pass failed)
First downs 13; Rushes-Yds 45-228; Comp-Att-Int 8-15-0; Passing Yds 107; Fumbls-Lost 4-4; Penalties-Yds 6-46; Punts-Avg 3-31.
Rushing-William Greiner 17-101, Derrick Stewart 8-63, Skyler Houseal 8-34, Austin Arnold 8-10, Trey Brenneman 4-20.
Passing – Arnold 8-15-107-0.
Receiving – Brenneman 2-37, McFarland 3-27, Stewart 2-42, Tyler Brenneman 1-1.

Highland placed three team members of the baseball team on first team and two were honorable mention to the Southeast Iowa Super Conference All Conference Baseball Team – 2010 North Division.
Pitcher senior Zach Rozmus, Infield (SS) senior Cody Boyd, Utility (pitcher) freshman Jake Hootman were first team honorees.

Senior Riley Kleopfer (1st base) and freshman Derrick Stewart (DH) were honorable mention.
The team ended up as co-conference champions which had not happened since 1986.
North Division Standings
Conf. Season
Pekin 13-3 16-10
Highland 13-3 14-6
L& M 12-4 19-7
IMS 10-4 14-7
Wapello 7-9 8-12
Lone Tree 6-10 8-11
WMU/WACO 5-11 5-15
Mediapolis 4-12 5-16
Columbus 0-14 0-14

All-District honors
Highland placed three players on the All District teams. Zach Rozmus was named 1st team All Distric pitcher. Cody Boyd and Jake Hootman were named to 2nd All District team.

Tri-County South 12U Babe Ruth softball team, made up of girls from Wellman and Riverside, played in the Mid-West Plains regional tournament in Newton, Kansas, last week earning fourth place.
Tri County South played in the game opener versus the host team Newton. Lexi Duwa started the game with an inside the park home run that set the momentum for Tri-County and they never looked back. Tri-County won 16-7. Kylie Hogue hit a triple, Rylee Boyse had a double and Ali Naylor, Brynn Hogue, Tara Mann and Paige Peck all had singles. Duwa took the win for Tri-County.
In game two, team Iowa played against Heartland, Missouri. Tri-County jumped to an early lead 4-2 going into the bottom of the second inning. In the fifth, Heartland added three runs to break open the lead 4-5 and win the game.
Brynn Hogue and Chyann Adamson had two hits each for Tri-County. Kylie Hoge took the loss.
Game three was another outstanding game for Tri-County as every girl on the team hit the ball well. Tri-County scored 15 runs in the first inning. The umpires called a time and pulled the girls from the field for a water break as it was 110 degrees and Wellington, Kansas, couldn’t get an out. Tri-County won the match-up 16-0. Lexi Duwa took the win.

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Highland girls’ softball team did well in the Southeast Iowa Super Conference Team honors. Ten girls received honors.
Honors are as follows: First team: pitcher Mariah Freel, sophomore; Infield Kayla Schneider, junior; Outfield Molly Kleopfer, senior.; Utility Morgan Fisher, senior.
Second team: Catcher Haili Hunter, junior.; Infield Anna Sweeting, senior; Outfield Taylor Vonnahme, junior; Utility Paige Wieland, freshman.
Honorabble Mention: Brittany Gerot, junior, Brittany Stewart, senior.
North Division Standings
Pekin 18-0 30-6
Highland 15-2 19-9
Mediapolis 12-6 17-11
Lone Tree 10-8 18-14
WACO 9-9 14-13
Columbus 7-11 7-23
IMS 6-12 10-17
Wapello 5-13 7-17
L-M 4-14 6-20
W-MU 3-14 4-20

by Ranee Fladung
The Highland Huskies moved out to an early lead against New London Thursday, July 15, to clinch the win at 9-3 and advance to the Class 1A district final against Burlington, Notre Dame Saturday.
The Huskies home field, home team advantage helped set the pace Thursday as the Huskies came out with bats swinging. “Really, really pleased with how we hit the ball,” said head coach Andrew Davis.
Senior Zach Rozmus started the Huskie rally with a triple past the left fielder who missed the ball after an attempt for a diving catch. “He (Rozmus) came out and did his senior thing,” said coach Davis. “He was the catalyst that got us going.”
Riley Kleopfer had a base hit up the middle to score Rozmus for the first run of the game. Kleopfer scored on a fielder’s choice which was dropped by the second baseman to put Highland on top 2-0.
Jake Hootman held New London scoreless in the second inning when Highland made its move and took advantage of several errors. Rozmus came back to nail a 2-run homerun in the bottom of the second innng and Derrick Stewart hit a 3-run homer over the left field fence to help push the Huskies to an 8-0 lead. “We are very pleased with the production from the bottom of our lineup, and being able to score runs all the way down,” said coach Davis.

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by Ranee Fladung
Highland Huskies baseball team came out swinging with a home field advantage Tuesday, July 13 in the first round of Class 1A districts against Lone Tree Lions. Highland pulled out a 13-14 win in extra innings to advance to the second round Thursday, July 15.
Highland Senior Zach Rozmus led off in the first inning with a slow roller to the second baseman to get on base. It was followed by Cody Boyds double which scored Rozmus for the first run of the game. Ten batters later the inning ended with Highland scoring seven runs in all.
Lone Tree answered the Huskies with six runs of their own keeping the game a close one for fans. And tied the game at 7 in the bottom of the second inning.
Highland came back to score two more runs in the top of the third off a Riley Kleopfer 2-run homerun over the center field fence with two outs and giving the Huskies a 9-7 lead.
In the bottom of the third, Lone Trees Brock Aumundson scored on a missed throw to first bring the Lions to within one point of tying it again.
In the top of the fifth inning, Rozmus started another hitting spree with a base hit up the middle followed by a base hit by Boyd. With two on base Kleopfer nailed a 3-run homerun over the left center field fence to put Highland on top 8-12. Lone Tree scored runs in the fifth and sixth innings for a 10-12 score.
In the seventh inning, the Huskies scored on a solo homerun by Boyd over the center field fence pushing Highland to a 10-13 lead that dissolved in the bottom of the seventh as Lone Tree fought back to tie the game. The Lions catcher, Lucas Zeman, started the rally with a solo home run. Highland pitcher Jake Hootman came in as relief in the sixth inning, walked one, hit one, struck out one and walked another Lion to load the bases with two outs. Lone Tree’s Austin Ronan nailed a base hit to drive in the tying run, before Hootman ended the inning striking out Kyle Close.
Neither team would score in the eighth inning. Hootman drove in the winning run with two outs in the top of the ninth inning and went on to strike out the next three Lone Tree batters and clinch the win for the Huskies.
“Doesn’t matter what records are, its how you play the game,” said head coach Andrew Davis. “We played a team that came out and fought hard against us and we were fortunate to win.
We have to be ready to hit and play better baseball. We know we dodged a bullet today, but we need to come back and be ready to play New London.”
“We were looking for some sparks and Riley provided some for us,” said head coach Andrew Davis.
Jake Hootman gets the win and improves his record to 8-0. He gave up three runs off two hits while striking out six batters. Rozmus pitched 5.5 innings and gave up four runs off five hits while striking out nine batters.
Rozmus was 3-6 with an RBI, Boyd was 3-6 with a homerun, a double and three RBIs, Kleopfer was 3-5 with two homeruns and four RBIs, Hootman was 2-6 with an RBI, Zach Miller was 1-5 with two RBIs. Also getting hits were Derrick Stewart, Danny LaRoche, Austin Arnold and Dylan Reed.