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Articles by Ryan Murken
Playing football, coaching youth Heyen’s two passions
Chances are if you’ve lived in Hastings or anywhere around the Tribland area for a period of time you probably know Jim Heyen. To most, Heyen is known as ‘The Mr. Tire guy.’ You’ve probably heard Heyen, the manager of 18 Mr. Tire stores affiliated with Trumbull-based Cooperative Producers Inc. say this a time or two: “If we don’t have it and we can’t get it then they don’t make it.” Others in Hastings know Heyen from his 19-year tenure on the Hastings Board of Education.
West High's Pierce Wins Fourth MVC Crown To Help Trojans to Runner-up Team Finish
West High Alexander Pierce, Blest Woods, Boys Wrestling, City High, Diego Robertty, Kaden Stitt, Liberty High, West High Douglas Miles Your Prep Sports IOWA CITY – Now that the boys’ wrestling postseason has arrived, it is time to score points and score them fast. It could be argued that no wrestler in the state can pile up the points in short order quite like West High senior Alexander Pierce.
City High Qualifies Two Wrestlers For State Meet at Home Regional
City High City High, Girls Wrestling, Martha Willard, Molly Carlson, Shaona Emmanuel Douglas Miles Your Prep Sports IOWA CITY – Martha Willard never cared for wrestlebacks. After falling to top-seeded Chloe Adamson of Linn-Mar in the finals of the 120-pound bracket at a Class 2A girls wrestling state-qualifying meet, the City High junior hoped that would be enough to deliver her to the state meet.
Solon Rolls Past Benton Community In Postseason Opener
Solon Eli Kampman, football, Kaden Hoeper, Kyler Jensen, Maddox Kelley, solon Douglas Miles Your Prep Sports SOLON – Benton Community has had its moments recently against Solon. Last season, the Spartans’ undefeated start was upended by the Bobcats, though Solon enacted revenge in the playoffs. This year, Benton is the only team to stay within single digits of the Spartans.
West High Downs Liberty High For First Trip to State Tournament Since 2016
West High Audrey Small, Edie Miller, Ellie Wilson, Hadley Miller, Liberty High, Lila Eastvold, Sophia Austen, Volleyball, West High Douglas Miles Your Prep Sports IOWA CITY – Jaedynn Evans always wanted to coach volleyball, but she figured it would be at the collegiate level. The former Regina prep – just 10 months removed from the end of a collegiate playing career that spanned six years – has clearly found a home coaching at the prep level with West High.
Liberty High Improves to 5-1 With Rout of Davenport Central
Liberty High Brody Beaver, football, Jordan Schroeder, Liberty High, Logan Laubenthal, Reece Rettig Douglas Miles Your Prep Sports NORTH LIBERTY – Before the game, Scott Chandler directed his team to play ‘a perfect game.’ The Liberty High football coach knew his team was facing an overmatched opponent in one-win Davenport Central, so he guarded against any temptation for the Class 5A fifth-ranked Lightning to play down to that level. Liberty listened to its coach in a near-flawless performance.
Liberty High Remains Unbeaten With Homecoming Win Over Linn-Mar
Liberty High football, Landon Bell, Liberty High, Logan Laubenthal, Reece Rettig Douglas Miles Your Prep Sports NORTH LIBERTY – Reece Rettig continues to make magic on the football field. The Liberty High senior quarterback – who led the Lightning all the way to the Class 5A state championship game last season – ran for two scores and threw for a third as the 5A second-ranked Lightning overpowered Linn-Mar, 28-7, Friday night at Liberty High School. “You take what they give us,” Rettig said.
Solon Finishes Strong in Road Win at Williamsburg
Solon Cody Milliman, Eli Kampman, football, Kaden Hoeper, Maddox Kelley, solon, Williamsburg Your Prep Sports WILLIAMSBURG – Solon didn’t get off to the start it was looking for on Friday. There was nothing wrong with the way the Spartans finished. Solon rattled off 33 consecutive points after facing an seven-point deficit and rolled to a 33-14 win over Williamsburg in a non-district contest at Bob Murphy Field in Williamsburg. “I really liked the way we responded,” Solon coach Lucas Stanton said.
Miller, Regina Sprint Past West Branch to Remain Unbeaten
Regina Cooper Gates, football, Kyle Tracy, Regina, Savion Miller, Tate Wallace, West Branch Douglas Miles Your Prep Sports IOWA CITY –Regina knew West Branch was bringing a stout rushing attack. The well-prepared and focused Regals proved to be up to the task. “I just really felt we did a good job on defense,” Regina coach Dustin Elsbury said after the Class 1A third-ranked Regals overpowered West Branch, 28-16, in a non-district prep football game Friday night at Regal Field.
City High Downs Bettendorf For First State Title in Program History
City High baseball, City High, Dom Salibi, Drew Nye, Jaxton Schroeder, Owen Hicks, Paxton Bell, Talon Young Ryan Murken Your Prep Sports SIOUX CITY – Worth the wait? The additional miles? The heartbreak along the way? You bet. All of it. And then some. Three decades since its last title game appearance, 294 odd miles from its campus in Iowa City and after two semifinal losses in the past three seasons City High has its first state baseball title.
Liberty High Fends Off Linn-Mar to Return to State Tournament For Third Time in Four Seasons
Liberty High baseball, Brady Zimmerman, Cooper Hughes, Dallas Miller, Liberty High, Mason Waterbury, Pryor Reiners, Reece Rettig Douglas Miles Your Prep Sports NORTH LIBERTY – Liberty High has faced plenty of early deficits throughout the prep baseball season. So when the Class 4A sixth-ranked Lightning allowed a first-inning run in a do-or-die substate final against visiting Linn-Mar, there was no outward frustration. They just went to work.
City High Rally Comes Up Short in Regional Final Loss to Seventh-ranked Cedar Falls
City High City High, Eve Vitense, Lance Grulke-Mangrich, Lianna Hull, Molly Carlson, Softball Douglas Miles Your Prep Sports CEDAR FALLS – A fantastic freshman gave City High late life, but the door to state softball was ultimately slammed shut.
Breaking Down Tuesday's Your Prep Sports Area Softball Regional Finals
City High Ava Tague, City High, Clear Creek Amana, Kyla Schulte, Lianna Hull, Liberty High, Softball Ryan Murken Your Prep Sports The first pitch of the state softball tournament is less than a week away. Before action gets underway next week at Rogers Sports Complex in Fort Dodge the state fields must be set. That process will be completed on Tuesday with regional final matchups scheduled to be played for the three largest classes in the state.
Regina Rallies For Sweep of Mid-Prairie to Claim RVC South Division Title
Regina baseball, Jack Gavin, Regina, Tate Lynch, Will Litton Douglas Miles Your Prep Sports IOWA CITY – Chip away. No bad body language. Those were the directives from Regina coach Mark Roering after his team was on the wrong end of a 9-0 first inning score. Any Regal response would require clutch relief pitching and a bevy of timely hits. Regina got both, and a memorable comeback was punctuated with a conference crown.
Liberty High Downs Cedar Rapids Washington, Storms into Class 3A Title Game
Liberty High Boys Soccer, Collin Weis, Conley Sundblad, Liberty High, Roman Riggs Douglas Miles Your Prep Sports DES MOINES – Two years ago, Liberty High used an offensive blitzkrieg to win a boys’ soccer state championship. This season, the Lightning are leading with a youthful defense.
West High Seniors Postnikov and Stier Storm Into State Doubles Semifinals
West High Girls Tennis, West High Douglas Miles Your Prep Sports IOWA CITY – When first-year West High girls’ tennis coach Nina Marquardt configured her early-season lineup, she elected to reunite seniors Marie Stiers and Sasha Postnikov as doubles partners. Two-plus months later, that decision is paying off in a big way at the Class 2A girls’ state tennis tournament.
West High Doubles Tandem of Medina and Hua Reach State Semifinals
West High Abhay Anil, Anthony Medina, City High, Derek Hua, Tennis, West High, Will Feagler Douglas Miles Your Prep Sports IOWA CITY – Anthony Medina has long considered himself better at doubles tennis than singles. After reaching the boys’ state tennis tournament last season in singles and falling short of a top-eight finish, the West High senior is getting a chance to showcase his talent in doubles alongside fellow senior Derek Hua.
Clear Creek Amana Senior Prince Rules Class 3A Throws
Clear Creek Amana Adam Zeman, Boys Track and Field, Clear Creek Amana, Joey Dains, Landon Prince, Owen Rosenberg Ryan Murken Your Prep Sports DES MOINES – After a 16th place finish in the shot put at the state meet last season Landon Prince left Drake Stadium unsure he had what it took to win a state title. “I truly didn’t think I was strong enough,” Prince admitted on Friday.
Clear Creek Amana Senior Prince Wins Class 3A Discus Title
Clear Creek Amana Boys Track and Field, Clear Creek Amana, Landon Prince Ryan Murken Your Prep Sports DES MOINES – Landon Prince called it crazy. His head coach described it as wild. Regardless of the adjective used to describe it the senior season for Prince has been one of the record books. Prince continued to cement his status as the best thrower in the state winning the Class 3A discus title on Thursday at the state track and field meet at Drake Stadium in Des Moines.
Shafer Wins Discus Title to Lead Solon at State Qualifying Meet
Solon Girls Track and Field, Jerzey Haluska, Kate Shafer, Kobi Lietz, Reese Hahn, solon Douglas Miles Your Prep Sports MOUNT VERNON – Kate Shafer was ready to make the most of her final opportunity. The senior wrapped up her final classes at Solon High School early on Thursday, then arrived in Mount Vernon for a Class 3A state-qualifying meet intent on making up for last season. Shafer did so in splendid fashion.
McCaffery Headlines Area IPSWA All-State Basketball Selections
West High Andrew Rotzoll, Clear Creek Amana, Jack McCaffery, Regina, West High, Will Litton Ryan Murken Your Prep Sports Following the best season of his prep career West High senior Jack McCaffery picked up one of the biggest accolades of his career. McCaffery was named first-team all-state by the Iowa Print Sports Writers Association when the organization announced its postseason awards on Tuesday.
Defending State Champ Davenport Assumption Downs Clear Creek Amana in Substate Semifinal
Clear Creek Amana Andrew Rotzoll, Beckett Boeset, Boys Basketball, Brody Clubb, Clear Creek Amana, Hayden Umoren, Robert Meade Douglas Miles Your Prep Sports TIFFIN – Clear Creek Amana had not seen this version of Davenport Assumption. Sure, the Clippers opened last season with a scrimmage against the eventual Class 3A boys’ basketball state champions. But this version of the Knights contained a few new faces and a somewhat pedestrian record of 12-10. That win-loss mark proved deceptive.
West High Can't Keep Pace With Sixth-ranked Cedar Rapids Prairie in Regional Title Game
West High Abby Neumiller, Ava Frese, Girls Basketball, Grace Fincham, Kate Van Waning, Sasha Baldwin, West High Douglas Miles Your Prep Sports CEDAR RAPIDS – West High gave a quick glance at the burgeoning celebration before exiting the floor. Given their youth, it is easy to envision the Trojans doing the celebrating a year from now.
Solon Sophomore Feuerbach Storms Into State Title Match
Solon Lucas Feuerbach, solon, wrestling Ryan Murken Your Prep Sports DES MOINES – Lucas Feuerbach locked up a state medal in his second appearance at the Class 2A state tournament on Thursday. Feuerbach has his sights set on leaving Des Moines with a lot more than just his first career medal.
Solon Sophomore Feuerbach Wastes No Time Advancing to Class 2A Quarterfinals
Solon Charlie Karam, Jordan Schmidt, Lucas Feuerbach, solon, wrestling Ryan Murken Your Prep Sports DES MOINES – Solon sophomore Lucas Feuerbach had to wait all day for his opening match at the Class 2A state wrestling tournament. When Feuerbach’s match finally came on Wednesday evening he didn’t waste any time advancing to the 2A quarterfinals. Feuerbach (44-3) needed just 28 seconds to pin Creston’s Gunner Martwick in a 215-pound second-round contest at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.
West Branch Sends Two to Quarterfinals on Strong Opening Day at State Tournament
West Branch Cash Hatfield, Cooper Gates, Ethan Humphrey, Regina, West Branch, wrestling Ryan Murken Your Prep Sports DES MOINES – After picking up a state medal as a freshman in 2023 Cooper Gates saw his sophomore season as a chance to climb the podium. Instead, Gates missed the medal stand in his return to the Class 1A state tournament last winter. With the memory of last year’s disappointment as motivation Gates is back at Wells Fargo Arena chasing more hardware.
Clear Creek Amana Seniors Howell and Nash Advance to 3A Quarterfinals
Clear Creek Amana Cale Nash, Clear Creek Amana, Nolan Howell, Trace Robertson, wrestling Ryan Murken Your Prep Sports DES MOINES – With 15 career matches in four trips to the state wrestling tournament Cale Nash is among the more experienced wrestlers at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines this week. The Clear Creek Amana senior will be in uncharted territory on Thursday morning and he couldn’t be more excited.
Familiar Foursome Earns Spots at State Meet For Solon
Solon Charlie Karam, Jackson Feuerbach, Jordan Schmidt, Lucas Feuerbach, solon, wrestling Your Prep Sports Solon had four wrestlers secure spots at the state wrestling tournament on Saturday at the Class 2A, District 12 meet in Williamsburg on Saturday. It will be a familiar foursome that represents Solon next week in Des Moines.
West High Steps Up For Runner-up Finish at State Swimming Meet
West High Boys Swimming, City High, Hayden Hakes, Philip Berry-Stoelzle, West High, Winston Fan Douglas Miles Your Prep Sports IOWA CITY – All season long, Zach Armstrong directed his team to “step up” to the standard that is West High boys’ swimming. The Trojans rose up on Saturday and delivered a performance befitting one of the best programs in the state.
Liberty High Fends Off City High in Top-10 Cross-town Showdown
Liberty High Ava Casey, City High, Girls Basketball, Hannah Ramsey, Liberty High, Madeline Casey Douglas Miles Your Prep Sports NORTH LIBERTY – The Liberty High girls’ basketball team is no stranger to close contests. The Class 5A 10th-ranked Lightning entered Friday night with an 8-1 record in games decided by single digits. Liberty found another tight tussle against rival Iowa City High.
Watkins Pours in Career-High 32 Points as City High Pulls Away From Liberty High
City High Boys Basktball, Christopher Watkins, City High, Jaxton Schroeder, Jerimiah Washpun, Liberty High, Maddoc Coapstick Douglas Miles Your Prep Sports NORTH LIBERTY – Playing Liberty High brings out the best in Christopher Watkins. The City High junior entered Friday averaging a team-best 11.8 points per game for the Little Hawks. Back on Dec. 12 Watkins doubled that number with 22 points in a win over Liberty High. He was even better in the rematch.
In Third Trip to State West Branch Senior Hartz Secures First State Medal
West Branch Girls Wrestling, Kara VeDepo, McKenna Rogers, Olivia Bonnema, solon, Teagyn Hartz, West Branch Ryan Murken Your Prep Sports CORALVILLE – Teagyn Hartz didn’t advance to the final day or earn a medal in either of her first two trips to the IGHSAU state wrestling tournament. What the West Branch senior did gain from back-to-back trips to the state meet was valuable experience. On Thursday Hartz used that experience to secure herself a state medal.
Regina Takes Control of RVC South Division Race With Road Win at Mid-Prairie
Regina Boys Basketball, Drew Greve, Regina, Tate Lynch, Tate Wallace, Will Litton Your Prep Sports Calm. Cool. Collected. That was Regina on Tuesday evening in its meeting of River Valley South Division leaders with Mid-Prairie. Now you can add conference leader to that list. Regina took control of the game with an 8-0 first quarter run and never let the lead slip away in a 62-51 win over Mid-Prairie in a hotly contested RVC South Division showdown in Wellman.
Class 2A Third-ranked Regina Uses Second-half Surge to Down Mid-Prairie
Regina Addie McLaughlin, Caitlin Martin, Ella McLaughlin, Girls Basketball, Morgan Miller, Regina Your Prep Sports The normally fast-paced and high-octane Regina offense was uncharacteristically slowed in the first-half of Tuesday’s meeting of River Valley Conference South Division unbeatens with Mid-Prairie. Class 2A third-ranked Regina switched gears after halftime to remain unbeaten in RVC play.
Wilton Rallies Past Regina In Class 1A Quarterfinal Thriller
Regina football, Kyle Tracy, Noah Clark, Regina, Savion Miller, Tate Wallace Matt Coss Your Prep Sports IOWA CITY – Will Aitchison summed it up succinctly. “The ball bounces in funny ways sometimes,” the Regina High senior said. This time, it fell in Wilton’s direction. The sixth-ranked Wilton football team recovered an onside kick and marched 49 yards in the closing two minutes to knock off fourth-ranked Regina 21-14 in a Class 1A state quarterfinal Friday night at Regal Field.
Liberty High Defense Shuts Down Waukee In Class 5A Postseason Debut
Liberty High Dallas Miller, football, Liberty High, Owen Drapeaux, Pryor Reiners, Reece Rettig, Sutton Koller Douglas Miles Your Prep Sports NORTH LIBERTY – Liberty High left the door open for an upset. Clinging to a 17-14 halftime lead, the Lightning – the top seed in the Class 5A prep football playoffs – turned the ball over twice in the third quarter, which gave No. 16 seed Waukee the opportunity to bust through with a late lead. The Liberty defense slammed the scoreboard shut both times.
Road Win at Bettendorf Sends West High to Quarterfinals For First Time Since 2020
West High Butali Butali, Campbell Janis, football, Jack Wallace, Julian Manson, Mason Woods, West High Matt Coss Your Prep Sports BETTENDORF – Campbell Janis saw the ball in the air and pounced. “I saw an opportunity to get a win and I took it,” he said.
City High Storms Into Postseason With Win Over Top-ranked Bettendorf
City High Bobby Bacon, Chayse Newton, City High, Dawson Kahl, football, Parker Sutherland Douglas Miles Your Prep Sports IOWA CITY – First it was up tempo, then it was ground and pound. Both worked to perfection for the Iowa City High offensive attack, which just might have vaulted the Little Hawks into the Class 5A playoff field.
Woods And Wallace Shine As West High Knocks Off Third-ranked Pleasant Valley
West High Declan Bunn, football, Jack Wallace, Julian Manson, Mason Woods, West High Matt Coss Your Prep Sports IOWA CITY – After Jack Wallace connected with Ethan Headings for a touchdown in the waning moments of the fourth quarter Friday night, fireworks filled the sky beyond the south bleachers at Trojan Field. The light show was fitting on West High’s Senior Night.
Regina Closes Regular Season With Win Over Fourth-Ranked Wilton
Regina football, Kyle Tracy, Noah Clark, Regina, Savion Miller, Will Aitchison, Wilton Your Prep Sports IOWA CITY – Regina wanted to secure district title and lock up a home playoff game in its regular season finale. The Regals had to settle for a win, a perfect home record and being a team no one wants to see in the postseason.
Clear Creek Amana Stuns Cedar Rapids Xavier to Keep Postseason Hopes Alive
Clear Creek Amana Clayton Isham, Clear Creek Amana, Conlan Poynton, football, Owen Rosenberg, Tay Seals Douglas Miles Your Prep Sports CEDAR RAPIDS – To outsiders, the task seemed insurmountable. After all, Clear Creek Amana had lost its last four prep football meetings with Cedar Rapids Xavier by a combined score of 148-21. In order to stay alive in the chase for a spot in the Class 4A playoffs, the Clippers would have to flip the script on the Saints’ home field.
Clear Creek Amana Has Three-Game Winning Streak Snapped With 28-7 Loss to North Scott
Clear Creek Amana Clear Creek Amana, Conlan Poynton, Ethan Vice, football, Owen Rosenberg, Trace Robertson Matt Coss Your Prep Sports TIFFIN – Lance Pedersen had very few complaints about how his defense performed for about three quarters Friday night. The problem for Clear Creek Amana’s football team was it couldn’t generate any offense to help support that defense.
Clear Creek Amana Cruises Past Burlington For Third Consecutive Win
Clear Creek Amana Brody Clubb, Clear Creek Amana, Conlan Poynton, Ethan Vice, football, Owen Rosenberg Matt Coss Your Prep Sports TIFFIN – The biggest challenge for Lance Pedersen on Friday night was not the opponent. After Clear Creek Amana throttled Burlington 56-0 in a Class 4A District 3 homecoming tilt, the team urged the Clippers’ first-year head coach to ring the victory bell outside Clipper Field. “It was kind of intimidating,” Pedersen admitted.
Benton Community Stuns Solon With Late Touchdown
Solon Eddie Johnson, football, Maddox Kelley, Owen Einwalter, solon, Ty Bell Douglas Miles Your Prep Sports VAN HORNE – What looked like a Solon escape quickly went sideways. After trailing for much of their prep football contest at Benton Community, the Class 3A second-ranked Spartans rallied to claim the lead with 1:36 left. But the Bobcats had one response left.
Liberty High Defense Steps Up in 26-21 Win Over Cedar Rapids Prairie
Liberty High football, Liberty High, Owen Drapeaux, Reece Rettig, Scott Chandler, Sutton Koller Douglas Miles Your Prep Sports NORTH LIBERTY – Liberty High has been searching for complementary football. Through four games, the Lightning had posted dazzling offensive numbers, but a lack of consistency on defense turned nearly every contest into a shootout. Liberty might have found some balance Friday night.
Liberty High Defense Steps Up in 26-21 Win Over Cedar Rapids Prairie
Liberty High football, Liberty High, Owen Drapeaux, Reece Rettig, Scott Chandler, Sutton Koller Douglas Miles Your Prep Sports NORTH LIBERTY – Liberty High has been searching for complementary football. Through four games, the Lightning had posted dazzling offensive numbers, but a lack of consistency on defense turned nearly every contest into a shootout. Liberty might have found some balance Friday night.
Solon Turns Back Mount Vernon in Top-10 Showdown
Solon Eddie Johnson, football, Maddox Kelley, Owen Einwalter, solon, Ty Bell Matt Coss Your Prep Sports SOLON – Mount Vernon High School’s football team had ample scoring opportunities Friday night. Solon turned them away time and time again. Thanks to a defense that held Mount Vernon scoreless on seven consecutive possessions in its territory, Class 3A fifth-ranked Solon escaped with a 7-6 non-district triumph on Armed Forces Night at Spartan Stadium.
Liberty High Fends Off Cedar Falls in Homecoming Thriller
Liberty High football, Landon Bell, Liberty High, Logan Laubenthal, Owen Drapeaux, Reece Rettig, Sutton Koller Susan Harman Your Prep Sports NORTH LIBERTY – This really wasn’t a single football game. Liberty High and Cedar Falls went back and forth taking turns scoring, and even when the Bolts went ahead by a touchdown with 20 seconds left the lead wasn’t safe. But Liberty (3-1) prevailed, 49-42, and set off a huge Homecoming celebration in the middle of the field.
Liberty High Comes Up Short in Road Loss at Pleasant Valley
Liberty High Dallas Miller, football, Liberty High, Owen Drapeaux, Reece Rettig, Sutton Koller Matt Coss Your Prep Sports BETTENDORF – Liberty High had not turned the football over in its first 11 quarters of the season. But in the fourth quarter of a back-and-forth game Friday night, Liberty High gave it away twice and saw its opportunity for a signature road victory dissipate.
Wallace and Manson Help West High Get Back on Track With Win Over Urbandale
West High Adam Salem, Butali Butali, football, Jack Wallace, Julian Manson, Mason Woods, West High Douglas Miles Your Prep Sports IOWA CITY – Jack Wallace and Julian Manson have formed a terrific tandem. West High’s senior quarterback and junior receiver put in a lot of work away from the practice field to learn each other’s timing and tendencies, which quickly become second nature on game day. Friday night against Urbandale that exceptional chemistry was on full display.
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