CEDAR RAPIDS — The Cedar Rapids Kennedy Cougars showed their claws last night.
With the season on the line, they dug in with those same claws and scratched out a win that moved them one game away from the state tournament.
The Cougars pounced on their opportunities and upset No. 10 Cedar Rapids Xavier, 4-2, in a Class 4A regional semifinal at Bob Erusha Field.
Kennedy scored all of their runs with two outs in the sixth inning.
“We’ve been kind of inconsistent and you never know when it’s going to happen,” Kennedy Coach Katie Bova …

CEDAR RAPIDS — Brittany Madsen is a fly-ball hitter.
“Much to my dismay,” chuckled Larry Niemeyer.  He was void of dismay after Madsen’s fly ball last night.  And full of delight.   Madsen poked a game-changing, season-saving grand slam in the top of the fifth inning as third-ranked Cedar Rapids Jefferson beat Cedar Rapids Prairie by an extremely deceiving 8-2 score in a Class 4A regional semifinal last night at the Jefferson Softball Complex.
“I thought the center fielder had it,” Madsen said. “I thought it was a routine pop fly.”
Instead, the …

Upper Iowa University announced today that Nick Shandri has signed an athletic scholarship to continue his career with the Peacocks and coach Heath Grimm, leaving NCAA Division III power Wartburg.
Shandri was a national qualifier at 197 pounds last year for the Knights, who won the national team title. He finished 24-11 as a junior in 2009, going 2-2 at the national tournament.
Shandri compiled a 122-18 career record in high school for Urbandale and Southeast Polk. He won the Class 3A 215-pound title in 2006 for Southeast Polk.
Upper Iowa capped last …

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Pregame jitters can affect any team once the postseason starts.
Case in point — Charles City’s softball team Saturday evening during the Comets’ postseason opener with Hampton-Dumont.
The Comets, though, after a shaky top of the first inning settled in nicely.
Having a slap base hit turn into a bases clearing triple always helps too.
Charles City recovered from its shaky start with a six run second inning en route to a 10-2 win over Hampton-Dumont in the Class 3A Region Four Quarterfinal game at Sportsmen’s Park’s Fluher Field.
Charles City (24-10) advances to …

Coordinators of the Tipton Motel Benefit Day – a fundraiser for Paul Beatty, the father of University of Iowa wrestler Chad Beatty – has released a schedule of events for the day-long event set for Aug. 15. Activities range from running to horseshoes.
8 a.m.: H.A.W.K. 5k – Sponsors – Tipton Motel, Family Foods, Junction Auto
 11 a.m.: Hoover Ball Tourn. – Sponsor – Hawkeye Wrestling Club
 11 a.m.: Horseshoe Pitching Tourn. – Sponsor – Hawkeye Wrestling Club
 11 a.m.: Bean Bag Toss Tourn.
 Noon – 4 p.m.: Car Show and Shine – Sponsor – …

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DES MOINES, Iowa – Listed below are the pairing for Monday nights Iowa high school softball regional semifinals.  The rankings used are those of the Iowa Sports Connection.
 
Class 1A…
Source: Iowa Sports Connection

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DES MOINES, Iowa – The Iowa Sports Connection has released their final regular season ISC-Iowa High School Baseball rankings.  Listed below are the ranking in each of the four classes along with other teams to watch this season.
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Source: Iowa Sports Connection