My favorite thing about being a Bobcat is the supportive and welcoming atmosphere.
Benton Basketball, Week of Jan. 5, 2026
-Courtesy of Jim Magdefrau
Benton boys’ basketball
Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026
Marion 54, Benton 51
BC 5 12 18 16 - 57
M 12 16 13 13 - 54
Benton was 17 of 48 for field goals, 5 of 21 for three-pointers and 12 of 15 for free throws. The team had 31 rebounds, 11 assists, six steals, three blocks, and 13 turnovers. Eli Patterson had 19 points for Benton. Brody Timmerman added 10 points. Patterson had 12 rebounds. Brooks Mitchell-Birdsell had four assists and three steals. Patterson had two blocks.
Benton travels to Independence on Friday, Jan. 9, 2026.
-Courtesy of Jim Magdefrau
Benton boys’ basketball
Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026
Marion 54, Benton 51
BC 5 12 18 16 - 57
M 12 16 13 13 - 54
Benton was 17 of 48 for field goals, 5 of 21 for three-pointers and 12 of 15 for free throws. The team had 31 rebounds, 11 assists, six steals, three blocks, and 13 turnovers. Eli Patterson had 19 points for Benton. Brody Timmerman added 10 points. Patterson had 12 rebounds. Brooks Mitchell-Birdsell had four assists and three steals. Patterson had two blocks.
Benton travels to Independence on Friday, Jan. 9, 2026.
Due to areas of dense fog and slick county road conditions, Benton Community & Central Lutheran will be CLOSED today, Wednesday, January 7th. This is a change from the previous announcement. Stay safe & warm!
My favorite thing about being a Bobcat is being able to interact with amazing students that teach me something new each day.
Benton Community will have a 2 hour late start today, Wednesday, January 7, 2026. There will be no early dismissal, so school will be in session through 3:20. No morning activities and no breakfast is served on a late start. Also, there is no preschool today.
Girls/Boys Basketball Cancer Night Awareness Apparel Order
The store is open today through January 15th. All orders placed online and will be delivered to the high school on Monday, January 30th for the February 6th games against Williamsburg at home.
https://ea-custom-designs.myshopify.com/collections/together-we-fight-benton-basketball
The store is open today through January 15th. All orders placed online and will be delivered to the high school on Monday, January 30th for the February 6th games against Williamsburg at home.
https://ea-custom-designs.myshopify.com/collections/together-we-fight-benton-basketball
2026 Basketball Junior Cheer Clinic
Practice: Friday, January 23, at 3:45 in the Benton High School IMC. Dinner will follow and then the Jr. Cheerleaders will preform at half-time of the varsity girls basketball game starting at 6:30.
Clinic: Basketball Jr. Cheer (Grades preK-6)
Cost - $35.00/child & $10 for each additional shirt
(Price includes a t-shirt, bow, dinner with the cheerleaders on Friday, and their admission to the game. Dinner will be pizza from the Crooked Antler. )
Performance: Friday, January 23, at the Benton High School Gym
Please have the google form turned in no later than Jan. 8th, 2026 to guarantee a t-shirt!
Please make checks payable to Benton Community Schools.
There will be no special transportation to the high school. There are buses that travel from Keystone and from Norway to the high school after school. There is not a bus from Atkins to the high school after school, so anyone from Atkins will need to provide their own transportation.
Please contact Bethannie Draman, Brittany Reid or Gabby Foster, cheer coach, if you have any questions!
E-mail: bdraman@benton.k12.ia.us, bried@benton.k12.ia.us, gfoster@benton.k12.ia.us
Phone - (319) 640-5030 or (515) 371-9307
Sign up Google form:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSej1r2r_SpIiDqwg81poUWI8WCiaWgszLb10NuExDCPe2wovQ/viewform
Practice: Friday, January 23, at 3:45 in the Benton High School IMC. Dinner will follow and then the Jr. Cheerleaders will preform at half-time of the varsity girls basketball game starting at 6:30.
Clinic: Basketball Jr. Cheer (Grades preK-6)
Cost - $35.00/child & $10 for each additional shirt
(Price includes a t-shirt, bow, dinner with the cheerleaders on Friday, and their admission to the game. Dinner will be pizza from the Crooked Antler. )
Performance: Friday, January 23, at the Benton High School Gym
Please have the google form turned in no later than Jan. 8th, 2026 to guarantee a t-shirt!
Please make checks payable to Benton Community Schools.
There will be no special transportation to the high school. There are buses that travel from Keystone and from Norway to the high school after school. There is not a bus from Atkins to the high school after school, so anyone from Atkins will need to provide their own transportation.
Please contact Bethannie Draman, Brittany Reid or Gabby Foster, cheer coach, if you have any questions!
E-mail: bdraman@benton.k12.ia.us, bried@benton.k12.ia.us, gfoster@benton.k12.ia.us
Phone - (319) 640-5030 or (515) 371-9307
Sign up Google form:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSej1r2r_SpIiDqwg81poUWI8WCiaWgszLb10NuExDCPe2wovQ/viewform
My favorite thing about being a Bobcat is being surrounded by amazing people- staff that pour their heart into their work, students who show up every day willing to learn, and families that support all that we do in numerous ways.
SPORTS: BC girls get WaMaC win over Beckman to start new year
-Courtesy of Jim Magdefrau
Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, at Van Horne
Benton 50, Beckman 39
B 6 13 11 9 - 39
BC 10 6 21 13 - 50
Benton statistics are coming.
Beckman was 14 of 43 for field goals, 5 of 11 for three-pointers, and 6 of 12 for free throws. They had 17 rebounds, 12 assists, eight steals, two blocks, 15 turnovers and 19 fouls.
Benton (3-5) travels to Marion (2-4) on Tuesday, Jan. 6, and travels to Independence (6-2) on Friday, Jan. 9.
-Courtesy of Jim Magdefrau
Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, at Van Horne
Benton 50, Beckman 39
B 6 13 11 9 - 39
BC 10 6 21 13 - 50
Benton statistics are coming.
Beckman was 14 of 43 for field goals, 5 of 11 for three-pointers, and 6 of 12 for free throws. They had 17 rebounds, 12 assists, eight steals, two blocks, 15 turnovers and 19 fouls.
Benton (3-5) travels to Marion (2-4) on Tuesday, Jan. 6, and travels to Independence (6-2) on Friday, Jan. 9.
Benton girls’ wrestling team starts new year with invite at Center Point-Urbana
-Courtesy of Jim Magdefrau
Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, at Center Point Urbana
CPU Girls Varsity Invitational
Team scores
1 Prairie, Cedar Rapids 216.5
2 Waverly-Shell Rock 170.5
3 Dallas Center-Grimes 145.0
4 Mount Vernon 141.0
5 Decorah 134.5
6 Cedar Rapids Jefferson 109.0
7 Cedar Rapids Kennedy 101.0
8 West Delaware 92.0
9 Waterloo West 79.0
10 Benton Community 77.5
11 Assumption, Davenport 73.5
12 Center Point-Urbana 61.0
13 Cedar Rapids Washington 46.0
14 Cascade 45.0
15 Tipton 37.0
16 Xavier 27.0
17 Grinnell 23.5
18 Clear Creek-Amana 22.0
19 Starmont 9.0
20 North Cedar 8.0
Benton results
100 – Aubrey Krueger (11-19) scored 2.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Krueger won by decision over Aylla Karahodzic (Waterloo West) 10-12 (Dec 14-7)
Quarterfinal – Elizabeth Burns (Prairie, Cedar Rapids) 19-10 won by fall over Krueger (Fall 3:53)
Cons. Round 2 – Lily Schulte (West Delaware) 17-12 won by fall over Krueger (Fall 5:02)
Cons. Round 3 – Alicia Burgos-Guzman (Xavier) 9-19 won by fall over Krueger (Fall 0:57)
115 – Paige Eastman (23-10) placed 4th and scored 16.0 team points.
Quarterfinal – Eastman won by fall over McKena Kirk (Prairie, Cedar Rapids) 17-11 (Fall 2:45)
Semifinal – Kiersten Swart (Mount Vernon) 23-5 won by fall over Eastman (Fall 1:35)
Cons. Round 3 – Eastman won by fall over Olivia Tobin-Post (Cascade) 15-13 (Fall 1:18)
3rd Place Match – Isabella Kos (Decorah) 23-13 won by decision over Eastman (Dec 7-2)
130 – Adelyn McDonald (7-13)
Champ. Round 1 – Baylee Boyd (Grinnell) 16-16 won by decision over McDonald (Dec 8-4)
Cons. Round 2 – Megan Talyat (Xavier) 10-12 won by fall over McDonald (Fall 1:58)
135 – Marissa Nolte (4-11)
Champ. Round 1 – Kayel Roberts (Prairie, Cedar Rapids) 26-12 won by fall over Nolte (Fall 1:17)
Cons. Round 1 – Kate Seegers (Waverly-Shell Rock) 6-14 won by decision over Nolte (Dec 6-2)
140 – Izzy Schoettmer (25-8) placed 4th and scored 16.0 team points.
Quarterfinal – Schoettmer won by fall over Aly Flack (Xavier) 11-10 (Fall 2:29)
Semifinal – Makana Miller (Waverly-Shell Rock) 6-1 won by fall over Schoettmer (Fall 2:59)
Cons. Round 3 – Schoettmer won by fall over Jacky Bushoga (Cedar Rapids Jefferson) 8-3 (Fall 3:45)
3rd Place Match – Meredith Kaump (Cedar Rapids Kennedy) 21-8 won by major decision over Schoettmer (MD 11-3)
145 – Layna DeMoss (26-4) placed 2nd and scored 21.5 team points.
Quarterfinal – DeMoss won by fall over Evan McCright (Cedar Rapids Washington) 3-4 (Fall 0:32)
Semifinal – DeMoss won by tech fall over Elizabeth Roberts (Waterloo West) 9-5 (TF-1.5 3:27 (16-1))
1st Place Match – Luisa Meade (Prairie, Cedar Rapids) 27-5 won by decision over DeMoss (Dec 9-4)
155 – Lizzy Wolf (27-2) placed 2nd and scored 22.0 team points.
Quarterfinal – Wolf won by fall over Ella Waynawhere (Cedar Rapids Jefferson) 12-15 (Fall 0:46)
Semifinal – Wolf won by fall over Ashtyn Jahangir (Dallas Center-Grimes) 17-3 (Fall 2:48)
1st Place Match – Greta Brus (Assumption, Davenport) 17-0 won by fall over Wolf (Fall 3:07)
-Courtesy of Jim Magdefrau
Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, at Center Point Urbana
CPU Girls Varsity Invitational
Team scores
1 Prairie, Cedar Rapids 216.5
2 Waverly-Shell Rock 170.5
3 Dallas Center-Grimes 145.0
4 Mount Vernon 141.0
5 Decorah 134.5
6 Cedar Rapids Jefferson 109.0
7 Cedar Rapids Kennedy 101.0
8 West Delaware 92.0
9 Waterloo West 79.0
10 Benton Community 77.5
11 Assumption, Davenport 73.5
12 Center Point-Urbana 61.0
13 Cedar Rapids Washington 46.0
14 Cascade 45.0
15 Tipton 37.0
16 Xavier 27.0
17 Grinnell 23.5
18 Clear Creek-Amana 22.0
19 Starmont 9.0
20 North Cedar 8.0
Benton results
100 – Aubrey Krueger (11-19) scored 2.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Krueger won by decision over Aylla Karahodzic (Waterloo West) 10-12 (Dec 14-7)
Quarterfinal – Elizabeth Burns (Prairie, Cedar Rapids) 19-10 won by fall over Krueger (Fall 3:53)
Cons. Round 2 – Lily Schulte (West Delaware) 17-12 won by fall over Krueger (Fall 5:02)
Cons. Round 3 – Alicia Burgos-Guzman (Xavier) 9-19 won by fall over Krueger (Fall 0:57)
115 – Paige Eastman (23-10) placed 4th and scored 16.0 team points.
Quarterfinal – Eastman won by fall over McKena Kirk (Prairie, Cedar Rapids) 17-11 (Fall 2:45)
Semifinal – Kiersten Swart (Mount Vernon) 23-5 won by fall over Eastman (Fall 1:35)
Cons. Round 3 – Eastman won by fall over Olivia Tobin-Post (Cascade) 15-13 (Fall 1:18)
3rd Place Match – Isabella Kos (Decorah) 23-13 won by decision over Eastman (Dec 7-2)
130 – Adelyn McDonald (7-13)
Champ. Round 1 – Baylee Boyd (Grinnell) 16-16 won by decision over McDonald (Dec 8-4)
Cons. Round 2 – Megan Talyat (Xavier) 10-12 won by fall over McDonald (Fall 1:58)
135 – Marissa Nolte (4-11)
Champ. Round 1 – Kayel Roberts (Prairie, Cedar Rapids) 26-12 won by fall over Nolte (Fall 1:17)
Cons. Round 1 – Kate Seegers (Waverly-Shell Rock) 6-14 won by decision over Nolte (Dec 6-2)
140 – Izzy Schoettmer (25-8) placed 4th and scored 16.0 team points.
Quarterfinal – Schoettmer won by fall over Aly Flack (Xavier) 11-10 (Fall 2:29)
Semifinal – Makana Miller (Waverly-Shell Rock) 6-1 won by fall over Schoettmer (Fall 2:59)
Cons. Round 3 – Schoettmer won by fall over Jacky Bushoga (Cedar Rapids Jefferson) 8-3 (Fall 3:45)
3rd Place Match – Meredith Kaump (Cedar Rapids Kennedy) 21-8 won by major decision over Schoettmer (MD 11-3)
145 – Layna DeMoss (26-4) placed 2nd and scored 21.5 team points.
Quarterfinal – DeMoss won by fall over Evan McCright (Cedar Rapids Washington) 3-4 (Fall 0:32)
Semifinal – DeMoss won by tech fall over Elizabeth Roberts (Waterloo West) 9-5 (TF-1.5 3:27 (16-1))
1st Place Match – Luisa Meade (Prairie, Cedar Rapids) 27-5 won by decision over DeMoss (Dec 9-4)
155 – Lizzy Wolf (27-2) placed 2nd and scored 22.0 team points.
Quarterfinal – Wolf won by fall over Ella Waynawhere (Cedar Rapids Jefferson) 12-15 (Fall 0:46)
Semifinal – Wolf won by fall over Ashtyn Jahangir (Dallas Center-Grimes) 17-3 (Fall 2:48)
1st Place Match – Greta Brus (Assumption, Davenport) 17-0 won by fall over Wolf (Fall 3:07)
Happy New Year!
Why Benton?
I chose Benton because of its welcoming, inclusive community where everyone feels valued. The students and their families have a positive and meaningful impact on the teaching staff.
I chose Benton because of its welcoming, inclusive community where everyone feels valued. The students and their families have a positive and meaningful impact on the teaching staff.
Why Benton?
I chose Benton because it truly is a place where everyone belongs. I am not from the area, but was immediately welcomed. I student taught here, and knew I wanted to come back!
I chose Benton because it truly is a place where everyone belongs. I am not from the area, but was immediately welcomed. I student taught here, and knew I wanted to come back!
My favorite thing about being a Bobcat is the support I receive from all stakeholders. From students, to parents, to coworkers and administrators I always know that I have their support and confidence to successfully do my job.
Happy Holidays!
My favorite part of being a Bobcat is getting to wake up each day knowing my work truly matters. I’m grateful to teach at a school where I can challenge students and make a meaningful difference in their lives every day.
My favorite thing about being a Bobcat is the sense of community. It feels like more than just a workplace, it feels like home!
What is your favorite thing about being a Bobcat?
At some point of every day, the Middle School Students at Benton put a smile on my face.
At some point of every day, the Middle School Students at Benton put a smile on my face.
