COLUMN: Midland, MV enjoyed State moments in '16

Published by admin on Wed, 01/04/2017 - 9:37am

Skylar Tracy (5) and Ty’Rique Turman hold up the trophy the Midland football team earned for reaching the state semifinals in the UNI-Dome this past fall. (Express file photos)

Alec McDowell of Maquoketa Valley (top) wrestled his way to a third place finish at 182 pounds during the State Wrestling Tournament.

Libertie Uppena of Midland shows the form that earned her a state runner-up finish in the shot put at the state meet in May.

Maci Freiburger (facing camera) goes for a kill during Maquoketa Valley’s winningest volleyball season since 1998.
HOME STRETCH COLUMN
By: 
Pete Temple
Express Sports Editor

     Midland and Maquoketa Valley high schools found all kinds of ways to make history during the athletic seasons of 2016.

     A quick look:

 

Midland

     There was no question about the biggest achievement for Midland athletics during the calendar year: the football team’s first-ever trip to the UNI-Dome.

     The Eagles reached the state semifinals, and a spot playing on the prestigious UNI turf, by beating HLV of Victor 80-24 and Twin Cedars of Bussey 42-22. The win over HLV was Midland’s first home playoff football game since 1994.

     Though Midland lost to Don Bosco in the semifinals, it didn’t detract from a 9-3 season that included a 5-1 record and championship in Eight-player, District 4.

     But there was more to the year than that for Eagle fans. Midland had four qualifiers to the State Class 1A Girls Track and Field Meet: Libertie Uppena, Rylee Andresen and Drew Jensen in the 400, and Jaelynn Folkers in both the 1,500 and the 3,000. Uppena came away with the state runner-up spot.

     Two Eagle boys also went to State; Trace Jensen in the 1,600 and Alex Martens in the high jump.

     Folkers came back in the fall to qualify for the State Class 1A Girls Cross Country Meet.

 

Maquoketa Valley

     There were both team and individual achievements for Maquoketa Valley during 2016. The biggest individual ones came from wrestling, in which Alec McDowell (182 pounds) and Eric Heims (220) qualified for the State Class 1A Wrestling tournament.

     McDowell finished third in his weight class to cap a 51-3 season, and Heims went 1-2 at State.

     Other individual achievements were collected at the State Class 1A Girls Track and Field Meet. MV’s Alison Sheehy qualified for State in the discus, and three relays also advanced.

     As for the boys’ state meet, Kyle Wilson qualified in the 800.

     In the fall, Brenden Hogan qualified for the State Cross Country Meet, becoming the first Wildcat boy to do so in more than 10 years.

     Two girls’ teams had big seasons. The volleyball team went 14-13, its first season with a winning record since 1998 and only its second winning season since 2000.

     The softball team went 15-7 in Tri-Rivers Conference play, 26-15 overall, and reached the regional semifinals.

 

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