Sports

by Perry Hesse

A battle of ranked Class 2A teams turned into a lopsided Homecoming win for the Waukon Indians Friday, September 17 as the hosts manhandled North Fayette Valley (NFV) to the tune of 48-21. The victory improved seventh-ranked Waukon’s record to 3-1 on the season and was the first defeat for the ninth-rated Tigerhawks.

“We had a size advantage, although our offensive line wasn’t that much bigger than their defensive line,” said Waukon football coach Chad Beermann. “Our offensive line continues to improve, especially run blocking. Our pass blocking still has a ways to go.”

The Waukon volleyball team played to a nearly undefeated week, coming up just shy of that unblemished mark in its final match of the week to currently hold an 11-8 season record that includes an even, 1-1 start to the Northeast Iowa Conference (NEIC) season. The Lady Indians began the week with a four-set triumph at home over Charles City Tuesday, September 14 by scores of 25-18, 19-25, 25-19 and 25-13.

The Kee volleyball team got both its home and Upper Iowa Conference (UIC) schedule underway this past week but ultimately played to a week without a win in either dual match or tournament action, the Kee netters currently holding a 1-12 record on the season. The Hawks fell to Clayton Ridge at home to open UIC play Thursday, September 16 by scores of 14-25, 8-25 and 12-25 before falling in three matches at the Waukon Tournament Saturday, September 18 to have their tournament day ended at the close of the event’s initial round of pool play competition. Those tournament scores included falling by final results of 8-21 and 7-21 to Crestwood, 14-21 and 9-21 to Turkey Valley and 18-21 and 15-21 to North Crawford, WI.

by Perry Hesse

The Kee football team kept its perfect 2021 season intact thus far with a rout of Calamus-Wheatland in a game played at Midland High School Friday, September 17, dealing the Eight-Player newcomer Warriors a 68-0 shut-out. The Hawks scored nine touchdowns on the night, including one from the defense, on the way to 372 yards of total offense while limiting the Warriors to just 82 total yards.

“We executed the way we needed to, both offensively and defensively,” said Kee football head coach Chad Winters. “We were dominant on both sides of the ball and that led to lots of explosive plays on offense and tackles for loss on defense. We talk about finishing games completely, and we were able to do that.”

The Waukon girls cross country team ran in a couple larger meets this past week, finishing in the latter half of the final team standings at each event. The Indian distance ladies finished 12th in the overall team scoring at the uniquely scored Dick Pollitt Invitational hosted by Waverly-Shell Rock Tuesday, September 7 before placing 25th in a field of 28 teams at the Luther All-American Invitational at Decorah Saturday, September 11.

The Indians were next scheduled to compete at the Starmont Invitational Tuesday, September 14 before hosting their own Waukon Invitational Tuesday, September 21, details of which can be found in a shaded box elsewhere on these same Sports pages. The distance Tribe will then compete at the Jesup Invitational Tuesday, September 28.

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The Waukon boys cross country team pulled double duty this past week, faring well in two of its largest meets of the season. The distance Tribe finished second in the overall team scoring at the uniquely scored Dick Pollitt Invitational hosted by Waverly-Shell Rock at Wartburg College Tuesday, September 7 before placing 11th in a field of more than two dozen teams from the tri-state area at the Luther All-American Invitational at Decorah Saturday, September 11

The Indians were next scheduled to compete at the Starmont Invitational Tuesday, September 14 before hosting their own Waukon Invitational Tuesday, September 21, details of which can be found in a shaded box elsewhere on these same Sports pages. The distance Tribe will then compete at the Jesup Invitational Tuesday, September 28.

The Waukon football team wrapped up its non-district schedule in convincing fashion Friday, September 10 when the grid Tribe traveled to Crestwood to face a third consecutive fellow Northeast Iowa Conference opponent. Facing a Cadet team yet to win a game this season and giving up more than 40 points per game in their first two contests of the season, the grid Indians continued both those trends for the host squad in dealing Crestwood a 42-6 defeat.

“The biggest thing coming out of the non-district schedule is players learning to play together,” Waukon football coach Chad Beermann said of his team’s continued improvement in non-district play that peaked in this final non-league contest. “We are gaining confidence, and the kids are just starting to see what they are capable of.”

A strong start behind an even stronger running game allowed the Kee football team to break a recent grip the Springville football team has had on the Hawks. Having surrendered six of their past seven match-ups to the Orioles over the past nine seasons, including the past four in a row by no closer than a three-touchdown margin, the football Hawks jumped out to a 34-0 headstart over the Orioles through the first quarter-plus and then played nearly even football on the scoreboard for the game’s remainder to remain undefeated on the season with a 66-39 home victory Friday, September 10.

Despite snapping that four-game skid against a traditionally-strong Springville squad that is winless yet this season, Kee football head coach Chad Winters would still like to see a more focused complete-game effort from his now 3-0 squad. After bolting to their 34-0 early edge, the Hawks were outscored by a 39-32 result over the game’s nearly entire three final quarters.

The Kee volleyball team got its 2021 underway at a pair of locations that begin with “W,” as the Lady Hawks played at both Waukon Monday, August 30 and at Wauzeka-Steuben in Wisconsin Thursday, September 2. Although the Lady Hawks’ season didn’t necessarily begin with that same “W” fate in the win-loss column after a pair of first-night sweeps, they wrapped up their week’s action reversing that trend to end up with an early-season match record of 1-2.

At the Waukon triangular event, the Hawks were swept by both Riceville, 25-19 an 25-21, and the host Indians, 25-11 and 25-7. The Kee net squad bounced back from those season-opening losses to deal Wauzeka-Steuben, WI that same fate, posting a road dual match sweep, 25-22, 25-21 and 25-17.

by Perry Hesse

After opening the 2021 season with one of its most difficult losses in recent memory, Waukon Indian football pride was quickly restored on a drizzly Friday night, September 3 at Decorah as Waukon rebounded from that season-opening loss with a 15-0 victory over the host Vikings. It was believed to be Waukon’s first win at Decorah since 2006 and its first shut-out of the Vikings since the fall of 2007, although the two teams have not matched up in five of those seasons during that past timeframe.

“One of the things we stressed with the kids this week is talent is not the issue with this team,” said Waukon football coach Chad Beermann. “We just need to focus so we can show and use the talent on the field. Obviously, our line played with more focus this week. Now we have to get our skill players on the same page.”