Local Athletes Honored at 2026 MBT & KIOW Prep of the Week Banquet

On Wednesday evening, MBT Bank and KIOW hosted their annual Prep of the Week Banquet at the Boman Fine Arts Center in Forest City.

Nearly three dozen local athletes from area schools were honored at the event, with a meal catered by Waldorf University and the presentation of certificates. Student athletes in attendance were selected as an MBT KIOW Prep of the Week from April 28, 2025, to April 13, 2026

*Grade listed is at the time the athlete was selected as Prep of the Week*

2025 Spring and Summer Sports

Hunter Sunkle – Junior – Forest City – Baseball

Emma Schumacher – Sophomore – Garner-Hayfield-Ventura – Softball

Emma Anderson – Freshman – West Hancock – Softball

Dru Seglem – Junior – Forest City – Softball

Maddie Newton – Freshman – North Iowa – Softball

Not Pictured – Audrey Overgaard – Senior – Garner-Hayfield-Ventura – Golf

Not Pictured – Bethany Warren – Senior – Forest City – Track & Field

Not Pictured – Avery Eastvold – Senior – Lake Mills – Track & Field

Not Pictured – Gavin Grunhovd – Senior – North Iowa – Track & Field

Not Pictured – Kane Koch – Senior – Lake Mills – Baseball

Not Pictured – Brighton Kraus – Junior – Garner-Hayfield-Ventura – Baseball

Not Pictured – Bailey Dagestad – Senior – Lake Mills – Softball

2025 Fall Sports

Kailyn Byom – Junior – Garner-Hayfield-Ventura – Volleyball

Cora Sauer – Junior – Lake Mills – Volleyball

Nathan Bixel – Junior – West Hancock – Football

Silas Gann – Senior – Forest City – Cross Country

Ty Sopko – Senior – Forest City – Football

Knute Rogne – Senior – Lake Mills – Cross Country

Emma Eichenberger – Junior – North Iowa – Volleyball

Regan Eastvold – Junior – Lake Mills – Volleyball

Lake Mills Cross Country Team – Knute Rogne SR., Brayden Eden SO., Lane Rygh JR., Royce Peterson SR., Stephen Brandenburg SR., Hayden Thompson SR., Caleb Skogen JR.

Forest City Cross Country Team – Ethan Bertram SR., Silas Gann SR., Holden Reynolds JR., Cooper Blaser JR., Liam Weissenfluh FR., Grant Gayther JR., Daunta Berg JR.

Not Pictured – Brody Heifner – Junior – Belmond-Klemme – Football

Not Pictured – Kara Renneker – Junior – Lake Mills – Cross Country

2025-26 Winter Sports

Mya Peterson – Senior – Lake Mills – Wrestling

Meara Kudej – Senior – West Hancock – Basketball

Bella Schisel – Senior – Garner-Hayfield-Ventura – Basketball

Alexa Heflin – Junior – Garner-Hayfield-Ventura – Wrestling

Kaleb Feld – Senior – Garner-Hayfield-Ventura – Wrestling

Hayden Brown – Senior – Forest City – Basketball

Piper Kjeldahl – Senior – Lake Mills – Wrestling

Josiah Kjeldahl – Senior – Lake Mills – Wrestling

Holden Reynolds – Junior – Forest City – Basketball

Steve Brandenburg – Senior – Lake Mills – Wrestling

Preston Davison – Sophomore – Garner-Hayfield-Ventura – Basketball

Jenna Dontje – Senior – Forest City – Basketball

Not Pictured – Kysen Lamb – Junior – Belmond-Klemme – Basketball

Not Pictured – Rockwell Hughes – Sophomore – North Iowa – Basketball

Not Pictured – Griffin Paulsen – Senior – Belmond-Klemme – Basketball

Not Pictured – Nash Delger – Senior – Lake Mills – Basketball

Not Pictured – Teague Smith – Senior – West Hancock – Wrestling

2026 Spring Sports

Lauren Hillesland – Senior – North Iowa – Track & Field

Lexi Isebrand – Senior – Forest City – Track & Field

Malia Hinz – Sophomore – Garner-Hayfield-Ventura – Track & Field

Bella Schisel – Senior – Garner-Hayfield-Ventura – Soccer

AJ Fuentes – Junior – Garner-Hayfield-Ventura – Soccer

Holden Reynolds – Junior – Forest City – Track & Field

Not Pictured – Braden Dougherty – Senior – Belmond-Klemme – Track & Field

Forest City

Lake Mills

Garner-Hayfield-Ventura

West Hancock

North Iowa