Top 10 Local Sports Moments for 2025
Wed, 12/31/2025 - 1:44pm
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By:
Nate Troy TPD Sports Editor
CRESCO - The Crestwood and Turkey Valley sports teams gave fans ample reasons to stand up and cheer during 2025.
Listed below are the top 10 local sports moments for this year. This is not meant to be a be-all, end-all list - it’s just one man’s opinion.
1. Cheerleaders Win State
The Crestwood Cheerleading Competition Squad placed first at the Class 2A Iowa State Cheerleading Coaches Association State Championships on Nov. 1 in Des Moines for the second straight year.
The Crestwood Team competed among a total of 21 teams in their division and category. In the Spirit Division, routines consisted of a one-minute cheer section followed by a one-minute cheer fight song section.
Despite a few challenges, which included only having five cheerleaders on the mat instead of six, the Crestwood team demonstrated remarkable talent and teamwork. Their hard work paid off as they posted a stellar score of 93.1 out of 100, which tied them with Spirit Lake. Judges used the Motion Technique portion as the tie-breaker, which gave the Cadets the edge and first place.
“I’m so incredibly proud of my team,” Coach Kalley Cunningham said. “They faced numerous setbacks this season and overcame them.”
2. Crestwood Girls’ Cross Country Team Qualifies for State Meet
The Crestwood girls’ cross country team grabbed second place at the Class 2A State Qualifier Meet on Oct. 23 in Oelwein to qualify for the State Meet as a team.
The Cadet girls’ squad finished 13th overall in Class 2A at the State Meet in Fort Dodge on Oct. 31. Lexus Dohlman posted the highest finish among the Cadets at the State Meet by placing 43rd.
During the 2025 season, the Cadets took second at New Hampton, Crestwood and Waverly-SR and were fourth at the UIC Meet and the Waukon Meet.
“Hard work and dedication were the major keys to the girls’ success this fall,” Cadet Coach Karen Steffen said. “Pushing through tough workouts helped them push through tough races.”
3. Carter Schmauss places second at State Wrestling Tournament
Crestwood junior Carter Schmauss took second place at 126 pounds at the Class 2A State Wrestling Tourney in Des Moines on Feb. 22. Carter won three decisions at the State Tourney before losing a 12-7 decision to C. J. Davis of Burlington Notre Dame in the championship match. Carter finished the season with a 44-5 overall record.
Senior Mitchell Schmauss (42-3) placed third at 120 pounds and freshman Mitchell Williams (41-13) took eighth place at 106 pounds at State. Brock Voyna competed at 175 pounds at State but didn’t place.
“Carter wrestled a great match (in the finals) and controlled the match until the last 10 seconds,” Cadet Coach Keith Anderlik said. “Carter also beat a returning State Champion (Gage Spurgeon of E-B-F).”
4. Crestwood Track Team nab first, second place at State Qualifier
The Crestwood girls’ track team racked up 126 total points at the Class 2A State Qualifier Meet at home on May 15 to take first and advanced to the State Meet in 10 events.
The Crestwood boys’ track team tallied 155 points at the State Qualifier Meet to place second overall. The Cadet boys’ team advanced to the State Meet in eight events.
“We qualified a competitor in every field event, which was a huge accomplishment,” Cadet Girls’ Coach Karen Steffen said. “Two years ago, we struggled scoring points in field events. We emphasized field events this year, and it paid off.”
Cadet boys’ coach Justin Denner noted, “Our guys did a great job getting themselves mentally and physically ready to compete. They competed their tails off, which is all that we can hope for.”
5. Crestwood’s Ainsley Teeling and Kenzie Moellers qualify for State Golf Tournament
Cadet linksters Ainsley Teeling and Kenzie Moellers both finished in the top 10 at the Second Round of the Regional Golf Tournament to qualify for the Class 2A State Meet on May 29 in Boone. Teeling placed third with an 18-hole score of 83. Moellers placed sixth with a score of 88. Teeling finished sixth at the State Golf Meet.
6. TV Golfer Nicholas Bernhard Qualifies for State
Turkey Valley’s Nicholas Bernhard tallied an 18-hole score of 81 to place fourth at the District Golf Meet to qualify for the State Meet. Bernhard is the first Turkey Valley boy to qualify for the State Golf Meet in school history. He placed 10th at the State Golf Meet.
7. Crestwood’s softball team wins final NEIC title
The 2025 Crestwood Softball Team won the final Northeast Iowa Conference regular season title, which was their seventh in school history (1972, 1973, 1974, 2008, 2009, 2020, 2025). The Cadets lost in the region semifinal to post an impressive 20-8 overall record.
8. Cadet football team crushes New Hampton during homecoming game
Facing New Hampton during the 2025 Homecoming game on Sept. 19, the Cadet varsity football team hammered the Chickasaws, 26-7. Jose Lievano gained 157 yards rushing and scored one touchdown. Cadet quarterback Alex Loden tallied 168 yards passing, threw for two touchdowns and ran for one touchdown.
9. Crestwood Seventh Grade Football team posts undefeated season
The 2025 Crestwood seventh grade football team recorded a perfect 6-0 mark this year. The Cadets tallied 214 points while holding their opponents to zero points. The icing on the super sweet victory cake was crushing their rival, the Decorah Vikings, 28-0, in the final game of the season.
10. Crestwood football team rallies to beat NFV
Quarterback Alex Loden ran for an 18-yard touchdown with 1:32 left to help the Cadets edge North Fayette Valley 21-17, to clinch a playoff berth on Oct. 3.
