Q-C Alumni report: Position switch suits ex-Bulldog McKenna

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By Steve Batterson | Tuesday, October 7, 2008 12:30 AM CDT | () comments

Kyle McKenna is making the most of a move from defender to forward this season for the Wartburg men’s soccer team.

The sophomore has recorded a team-leading four game-winning goals for a Knights team that is attempting to earn its sixth straight NCAA Division III postseason berth.

“It’s something that I didn’t really expect this season. I came into preseason camp expecting to play defense, but now I find myself as part of the attack,’’ said McKenna, a Bettendorf graduate from Davenport.

“It’s a new role, something different, and I’m still getting used to it because I haven’t been in this position for awhile.’’

McKenna finds himself covering more territory in his new role, saying the additional running involved has tested him as much as anything.

“That’s probably the biggest change for me. I’m all over the place now, trying to make things happen. Initially, that took some getting used to,’’ McKenna said.

McKenna, a returning all-conference player, followed the Bulldogs’ Matt Haager to Wartburg, and both are making significant contributions on a 7-3 team adjusting to a new head coach.

“It’s good to have some Quad-Cities area guys here, and we’re contributing,’’ McKenna said.

McKenna, whose heroics includes the deciding goal in a 1-0 win over Augustana, said tough early-season competition that included Cal-Santa Cruz is benefiting the Knights as they work into the heart of their conference schedule.

“As a team, we’re starting to play better soccer and get the chemistry that is needed to be successful,’’ McKenna said. “The coaches are working the freshmen in with everybody else, and although we started off a little sluggish we’re starting to get things down.

“We don’t see any reason why we can’t get back to postseason play this year and defend our conference title. Those expectations are there every year, and the way we are playing now I feel like we can make it happen.’’

Football

Bettendorf graduate Adam Coleman is one of three true freshmen who have played this season for the Northern Illinois football team. Playing behind senior Alex Krutsch, the 6-foot-3, 245-pounder is listed on the second team at defensive tackle for the Huskies. Coleman has played in three of Northern Illinois’ first five games.

Junior Nick Hoffman of Moline is the starting right tackle for the unbeaten Monmouth College football team. Hoffman blocked for an offense that piled up 571 yards Saturday in a 69-0 rout of Grinnell, allowing the Fighting Scots to improve to 5-0, 4-0 in Midwest Conference play.

Jacob McCullough, a William Penn senior from Conesville, Iowa, who attended Columbus is the starting right tackle for the Statesmen team that will host St. Ambrose on Saturday.

Men’s golf

Andrew Townsend, a junior at Central College, won medalist honors at the Ryerson Fall Classic on Saturday. The Pleasant Valley grad from Bettendorf carded a 147 to lead the Dutch to a runner-up finish in the team competition.

Davenport West grad Andy Peterson had the low second-round score at the Ryerson Fall Classic. The Central College senior finished with a 154 total, tying him for eighth in medalist play.

Women’s golf

Wartburg junior Ellen Rickert of Davenport helped lead the Knights to their fourth Iowa Conference championship in five years, finishing 11th in medalist competition.

Sophomore Allison Crooks, a Moline grad, tied for 23rd in medalist play at the Iowa Conference women’s golf championships. Crooks’ effort helped Central finish in a tie for second place, the Dutch’s best finish since 1993.

Men’s soccer

St. Ambrose senior Greg Lehman, a Pleasant Valley grad from Davenport, leads the Midwest Collegiate Conference with an average of 0.4

game-winning-goals a game.

Volleyball

Ashford’s Kendra King, a freshman from Morrison, Ill., leads the Midwest Collegiate Conference in aces with an average of 0.53 a game.

Outside hitter Kelsey Steffens, a Central DeWitt grad, earned all-tournament honors for Wartburg at last weekend’s Augustana Invitational. The senior had 37 kills in four tournament contests.

Lindsay Schneider, a North Cedar grad from Clarence, Iowa, and Jane Ohde, a former Columbus athlete, added 34 and 24 kills respectively.

Got news?

The Alumni Report highlights what former Quad-City area high school athletes are up to at the collegiate level. To submit information, Steve Batterson can be contacted at (563) 383-2290 or

sbatterson@qctimes.com. Comment on this story at qctimes.com.