EMERSON — For Brian Clarke, waterslides are a must-do on RAGBRAI.
“You should always do the slip and slides whenever you see one,” said the 35-year-old Iowa City cyclist who is riding in his sixth RAGBRAI this year. Clarke, who stood akimbo feet away from the inflatable palm tree waterslide, was drenched, trying to catch his breath from running at top speed and flinging his body on the slide where he was met by the rush of swashing water.
Like many others participating in the Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa, Clarke spoke about community as the reason why he comes back year after year.
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“RAGBRAI is just too fun,” said Clarke, flashing a cheeky smile as he watched his friends from a distance take their turn on the waterslide posted on a patchy green lawn near the entrance to Emerson, the last pass-through town on Day 1. “It’s such a great Iowa experience, and you meet great people from all walks of life and from all over the country. It’s a great way to bring everybody together.”
Further down, 76-year-old Gene Hassman was under a tent with his family serving cyclists with another way to cool down from the summer heat. “Our Grandkids Ice Cream Stand” set up shop for the second year in a row for RAGBRAI 2024.
It all started when Gene Hassman’s grandkids wanted to set up a lemonade stand for the cyclists on last year’s historic 50th anniversary ride. But he had a bigger idea in mind.
“Last year, the grandkids asked me what I thought about them selling lemonade as the RAGBRAI went through Ankeny … and I said, ‘Well, how about if we do all of RAGBRAI across the whole state?’ and we did it all the way across state,” Hassman said.
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It’s now the second year the family has come together to serve up root beer floats, ice cream sundaes and brownie sundaes. On Wednesday, they will start selling a variety of pies including apple, cherry, triple berry and, an Iowa favorite, strawberry rhubarb.
The grandparents, based in Cedar Rapids, and the rest of the family, based in Ankeny, are scooping up and serving ice cream all across the route.
Tuesday: Atlantic
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Wednesday: Lacona
Thursday: Chillicothe
Friday: Wayland
Saturday: Kingston
It takes weeks of preparation to get ready for the statewide ice cream scooping.
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“It’s a little bit stressful getting ready, making sure you got everything,” he said. “But once we’re out here and going, it just seems to go smoothly… We’re all enjoying it.”
“It’s very rewarding,” his daughter Kristin Prenderghast interjected. “It’s teaching the kids good entrepreneurial skills, how to give quality products, how to give good service, how to get repeat customers… And it’s fun for them!”
The grandkids, Cole, 15, and 12-year-old twins Chase and Emma, are excited to serve the cyclists.
“It’s a really fun, new experience,” Cole Prenderghast said. “It’s fun meeting so many new people and have so many great interactions with everybody.”
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Just steps away from ice cream sundaes was a different frozen treat: pickle-‘sicles’.
Jessa Bears, 38, of Farragut, and Michelle Bacher, 26, of Sydney, were selling $2 popsicles made with pickle juice and a pickle to raise funds for Local Iowa Food Empowerment 5b, a nonprofit in southwestern Iowa that, with funds through the federal Local Food Purchasing Assistance program, purchases produce from local farmers to give to Iowans in need.
Bears told the Des Moines Register that the funding her nonprofit relies on expires next year, and their appearance in Emerson was an effort to help sustain their program.
“It’s been very popular in the area,” she said. “We’ve got a lot of producers in Iowa, and unfortunately, we have a lot of people in need.”
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As Bears and Bacher wrapped up the interview with the Register, a passerby handed them $20 and told Bears to give away 10 free treats to anyone who wanted one.
Bears did.
Bears, who rocked a cardboard cut-out tank promoting the popsicles, stood in the middle of the crowded street, drawing attention to the treats, which she yelled out was “courtesy” of a kind donor.
Kyle Werner is a reporter for the Register. Reach him at kwerner@dmreg.com.
F. Amanda Tugade covers social justice issues for the Des Moines Register. Email her atftugade@dmreg.com or follow her on Twitter@writefelissa.
Nebraska Cornhuskers (12-2, 2-1 Big Ten) at Iowa Hawkeyes (10-4, 1-2 Big Ten)
Iowa City, Iowa; Tuesday, 8 p.m. EST
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BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Hawkeyes -3.5; over/under is 159.5
BOTTOM LINE: Iowa plays Nebraska after Drew Thelwell scored 25 points in Iowa’s 116-85 loss to the Wisconsin Badgers.
The Hawkeyes are 8-1 in home games. Iowa averages 89.4 points and has outscored opponents by 12.3 points per game.
The Cornhuskers are 2-1 in Big Ten play. Nebraska has a 9-2 record against teams over .500.
Iowa averages 10.4 made 3-pointers per game, 1.9 more made shots than the 8.5 per game Nebraska gives up. Nebraska has shot at a 46.2% rate from the field this season, 0.2 percentage points fewer than the 46.4% shooting opponents of Iowa have averaged.
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The Hawkeyes and Cornhuskers square off Tuesday for the first time in conference play this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Owen Freeman is shooting 65.2% and averaging 16.8 points for the Hawkeyes.
Brice Williams is shooting 49.1% and averaging 18.8 points for the Cornhuskers.
LAST 10 GAMES: Hawkeyes: 6-4, averaging 90.1 points, 29.3 rebounds, 19.1 assists, 8.4 steals and 5.0 blocks per game while shooting 51.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 79.6 points per game.
Cornhuskers: 9-1, averaging 76.6 points, 33.8 rebounds, 14.0 assists, 7.7 steals and 2.2 blocks per game while shooting 47.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 64.2 points.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
The Gazette offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
University of Northern Iowa posted a signature win over Nebraska Sunday at the McLeod Center. Iowa City High claimed Zimmerman Invitational title. Clear Creek Amana boys’, Vinton-Shellsburg girls’ earn runner-up finishes in the Wrestling Weekend That Was.
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UNI SHUCKS THE CORNHUSKERS
The 10 th-ranked Panthers earned a marquee victory, defeating No. 4 Nebraska Sunday at the McLeod Center. UNI came up one point shy of knocking off the Cornhuskers last season, but this time they left no doubt in their 24-9 triumph, winning seven of 10 bouts.
“They’re really a good team,” UNI Coach Doug Schwab said in the post-dual interview. “That’s a good win for our program. Feel like things have been building and that’s just evidence for everybody we’re building and where we’re going as a program.”
It was UNI’s first win over Nebraska since 1991, tying in 2000 when current Nebraska Coach Mark Manning was the Panthers’ head coach.
“That’s a long time,” Schwab said. “I didn’t know. None of these guys were alive.”
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The Panthers had a little fun with the history lesson. They were quick for a quip on the streak-snapping win.
“That’s on Doug,” 157-pounder Ryder Downey said to extract laughs during the news conference.
“That was my parents’ wedding,” said NCAA champion Parker Keckeisen, who had a crucial pin at 184.
Everything seemed to go UNI’s way. Well, the Panthers imposed their will to force things into their favor. They nearly won all of the key toss-up matches and converted key moves, like Trever Anderson’s takedown at 125, a seven-point cradle from Cael Happel at 141, the third-period comeback from Wyatt Voelker at 197, heavyweight Lance Runyon’s reversals, Keckeisen’s pin and overtime takedowns from Downey and 165-pounder Jack Thomsen.
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Schwab noted the performances represented the grit, heart and fight of the program and how the wrestlers trust the preparation for competition.”
“As close as the matches were, we found a way to win a whole bunch of them,” Schwab said. “I think that makes it a whole lot of fun.”
UNI’s Trever Anderson celebrates after a win over Nebraska’s No. 5 Caleb Smith at 125 pounds in the Panthers’ 24-9 win Jan. 5, 2025 at McLeod Center, Cedar Falls. (Photo courtesy of Nic Ryder)
Anderson, Happel, Downey and Keckeisen scored wins over highly-ranked foes. Anderson beat No. 5 Caleb Smith, 5-2, with a second-period takedown. Anderson said he takes pride in providing a spark to ignite the rest of the lineup. He lit the powder keg Sunday.
“It’s my job to go out and start it off,” said Anderson, who was third at the Soldier Salute. “I go out and do that just rolls, like a snowball. It just keeps going.
“I think it’s a job that’s under emphasized … I think it helps the other guys.”
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Happel, ranked No. 8, extended his win streak over No. 5 Brock Hardy. He trailed 4-0 in the second when he locked up a cradle for a takedown and four nearfall, fending off a late takedown attempt for a 7-5 decision.
In a battle of top-five wrestlers who met for the second time in a month, No. 5 Downey scored a takedown in sudden victory-1 to beat No. 3 Antrell Taylor, 5-2. The win avenged a loss at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational in December.
Schwab said he isn’t surprised Downey has ascended the ranks and capable of wins over top-tier wrestlers.
“He puts a tremendous amount of time into his craft,” Schwab said. “He works his tail off every day.”
Keckeisen helped set the nail in the Cornhuskers’ coffin that Voelker hammered shut. Keckeisen led 4-1 in the second when he cinched up a cradle for his second takedown and flattened unbeaten and fifth-ranked Silas Allred for a pin in 3:38. Keckeisen was asked if he was looking for a cradle.
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“No,” Keckeisen said. “I was just thinking wrestling.”
UNI improved to 4-0 overall and 2-0 in the Big 12 Conference. The Panthers have notable dual wins over South Dakota State, Missouri and now Nebraska. They next step is to have the same effort for each dual.
“You’ve seen indications of our team being able to do that,” Schwab said. “I told our team if we’re going to go from a good team to a great team we have to do that in competition and we have to be consistent with it.”
IOWA CITY HIGH WINS ZIMMERMAN INVITE
Iowa City High started 2025 with success. The Little Hawks scored 234.5 points, beating runner-up Iowa City Liberty by 62, for the team title at Maquoketa’s Zimmerman Invitational.
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Kendall Kurtz (120), Chase Williams (126) and 190-pounder Blaine Heick each won titles for City High. Kurtz and Williams won each of their matches with bonus points. Kurtz tallied three technical falls, outscoring foes, 57-11. Williams had a pin and two major decisions.
Laith Alawneh (150), Marshall Sheldon (165), Mason Tilley at 175, Raphael Etuma (215) and heavyweight Shaaban Naim all placed second for City High, which wrestle at Cedar Rapids Jefferson on Thursday.
CLEAR CREEK AMANA RUNNER-UP AT VALLEY DUALS
Clear Creek Amana finished second at the West Des Moines Valley Duals on Saturday. The Clippers went 3-1 with victories over Muscatine (71-7), Ankeny Centennial (40-35) and Dallas Center-Grimes (43-33). Indianola went 4-0 to win the team title, topping CCA 41-29.
Iowa City West went 2-2 at the tournament, tying for third.
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VINTON-SHELLSBURG GIRLS’ PLACE 2ND
Vinton-Shellsburg finished second at the Denver Invitational on Saturday. Waverly-Shell Rock scored 198.5 points, 33.5 ahead of the Vikings.
Chloe Sanders at 140 and Sadie Burke (170) won championships for V-S. The Vikings’ Ellie Weets (115) and Camden Erhardt (130) posted runner-up honors.
LATE HEROICS FOR INDEPENDENCE
Independence received a pin from 190-pounder Braylen Bieber in the final match against Western Dubuque for a 39-33 dual victory Saturday.
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The teams split the 14 weight classes, but Independence won all by bonus points. Western Dubuque stormed back with three straight wins to tie the dual before the final match. Bieber capped the win with a 2:20 pin over David Theisen.
The Mustangs are ranked No. 6 in Class 2A, while the Bobcats are No. 14 in 3A.
Following the conclusion of the Iowa Hawkeyes’ 2024 season, star offense tackle Mason Richman recently shared a heartfelt message to the Iowa community.
The Hawkeyes’ former cornerstone left tackle expressed his gratitude towards the program in an Instagram post last week.
Richman, a former three-star recruit out of Stilwell, KS, did not receive many D1 offers out of high school. However, he briefly discussed his journey to Iowa in the post, claiming that he was the “easiest recruiting job ever.”
“I was the easiest recruiting job ever. 11 Days from camp to commit. No money. Sure as heck no guarantees on playing time or living situation or any wack stuff. In fact if anything it was disincentive to put on knee braces and 60 pounds over 3ish years. But heck for a free education, I’d do it again.”
– Mason Richman via Instagram
After redshirting his freshman year in 2020, Richman became a four-year starter for the Hawkeyes at the left tackle position. Over the course of his career at Iowa, the former three-star developed into a core piece of the offense, as he was named honorable mention All-Big ten by league coaches and media in 2023.
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This year, he became one of the best offensive lineman in the country. Richman finished the 2024 season with a PFF run blocking grade of 81.4 while allowing two sacks in 743 total snaps.
Richman ended the post by stating his love for Iowa and everyone in the Hawkeyes’ program.
“I love this place and everything that it and god have given to me. I can say honestly and positively that I would rather struggle and fight with these brothers and this team than to go out scared. God Bless and Thank you for reading.”
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