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Today is Thursday, Nov. 13, the 317th day of the year. There are 48 days remaining in 2025. Below is a collection of news items found in the Creston News Advertiser for this week in history.
5 years ago (2020)
Creston/O-M Panthers cracked the All-District 9 football team Thursday night. On the first team, Jackson Kinsella was selected as an at-large member of the offense. On defense, Derek Paup (lineman), Garon Wurster (linebacker) and Colby Burg (defensive back) were each selected. On second team the Panthers had lineman Andy Weis and linebacker Briley Hayes as selections. The Panthers had two honorable mentions in Brance Baker (offensive) and Conner Travis (defensive).
It’s been nearly two and a half months since United Church of Christ Congregational held its final service. Now the doors have been reopened to the community under new ownership bearing a new name – Uptown Brick and Bell. Doug Brunell, pastor of Abundant Life Church, attended UCCC’s final service. Brunell said when he walked through the doors, “It just impacted me.” On a “whim,” he decided to purchase it.
10 years ago (2015)
It wasn’t quite midseason form, but the first time the Creston girls basketball team took the court in the 2015-16 season was a success as the Panthers held off Adair-Casey, 27-20, in the two-quarter finale of the Southwestern Basketball Jamboree Thursday night in the SWCC gym.
Northwest Missouri State University defensive lineman Collin Bevins of Creston has been named one of eight finalists for the 2015 Gene Upshaw Division II Lineman of the Year Award. Bevins was one of two players selected from the NCAA’s Super Region Three, along with Minnesota State’s Joshua Gordon.
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina were the most popular candidates among Creston students at Union County’s Iowa Youth Caucus held Thursday at Creston High School. This was the first year for the free, bipartisan event, which teaches Iowa teenagers about the importance and formats of the Iowa caucuses.
An experienced team led by a group that has played with each other since middle school, Creston boys basketball has added a young core to make a leap in the Hawkeye 10. The Panthers are loaded with veteran leadership this season, boasting eight seniors in the 2021 class. This is the largest senior class since the 2016-17 season held 10.
15 years ago (2010)
When the Eight-Man championship game kicks off at 10:35 a.m. Friday in the UNI Dome, the two highest rated teams face off for the third year – each with a victory – Lenox with a 34-32 triumph in 2008 and Armstrong-Ringsted with a 49-30 decision last fall. Top-rated Lenox has smashed through 13 games literally unchallenged, eliminating Meskwaski Settlement School, Grandview Park Baptist, Adair-Casey and Tripoli in the postseason. This is their ninth playoff appearance and their sixth in eight-player.
As the end of the first semester nears, Creston High School Principal Jay Slight is encouraged about positive developments from a new academic booster at the school this year. Modeled after a similarly successful program last year at Creston Middle School, a “success room” was implemented at the high school. Nick Blakesley staffs the room, where chronically under-performing students are sent to catch up in their classes and reduce their failure rate. It’s working, Slight said to the Creston School Board this week.
20 years ago (2005)
The Simpson wrestling team has been in the top 10 in the nation for the past two years, but hasn’t gone all the way to number one. If senior co-captain Cody Downing has anything to do with it, the third time will be the charm. Downing, a senior from Creston, is anticipating a great year.
When Ray Albrechtsen decided to start taking martial arts classes in 1985, he was out of shape and looking for an activity to enjoy with his son. Today, he has a black belt in Kenpo karate and enjoys teaching others how to defend themselves and get into shape at the same time. That’s why he has opened Kenpo Karate LLC, a place where people of all ages, shapes and sizes can learn Kenpo right here in Creston.
Senior middle hitter Brittany Riley represents Creston on the second unit of the Hawkeye 10 All-Conference volleyball selections announced this week. Two Panther teammates, senior outside hitter Caitlin Sprague and junior middle blocker Kari McCann, received honorable mention. The Panthers had three nominations based on their sixth-place finish in the conference at 3-6, owning the sixth-place tiebreaker over Clarinda and Glenwood based on head-to-head victories.