OXFORD, Iowa – No. 2 Clear Creek Amana started Class 3A regional play in dominating fashion Saturday, topping South Tama 10-0 in five innings in Oxford.
CCA (36-5) had 14 hits overall in the shortened game, led by Jazmyne Neely who hit a home run and a double.
Fran Strub and Caitlin Wnek each hit 2-for-3 with three RBIs. Strub hit a triple and Wnek a double.
Mariah McKinnon hit 3-for-3 and also picked up the pitching win, moving her record to 24-1.
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Clear Creek Amana hits — and runs — with frequency.
The Clippers (33-5) are hitting a fat .405 and averaging about nine runs per game as they begin defense of their Class 3A state softball championship today. No. 2 CCA opens at home against South Tama, and — as is usually the case — gets its entire regional path at Oxford.
“I do like our offense,” CCA Coach Jim White said. “I think the move (of the pitcher’s rubber) to 43 feet is a reason.”
But not the only reason.
Caitlin Wnek, Fran Strub …

Prep golfers hit the course for Iowa High School Athletic Association championship meets today as 35 sectional meets in all three classes across the state.
Decorah senior Andrew Peter will look to defend his individual state title, and help lead the Vikings back to the Class 3A state meet. The Vikings, who placed fourth at state last season, travel to Charles City for a sectional with Clear Lake, Crestwood, Forest City, Hampton-Dumont, Iowa Falls-Alden and New Hampton. The top four individuals and top two teams advance to next week’s district play, joing a Manchest …

CEDAR RAPIDS — This is the time prep tennis coaches are put to the test.
With rosters due Monday for Thursday’s Class 1A and 2A district meets, boys’ tennis coaches are challenged to find their best possible lineup.
It turns out that determining lineups for district competition is more complex than filling out a sheet with names. Coaches implore strategy to try to advance as many athletes to the state meet as well as improving the team’s chances to reach team substate.
Coaches and players have to decide whether to compete in singles …

The top six teams in the rankings have a number of wrestlers on the list. All of them have at least five wrestlers ranked. Defending state champion Ballard still leads the way with Denver-Tripoli and Davenport Assumption close behind. The state tournament could be very interesting depending upon the number of qualifiers each can take to Des Moines.
Top 10 State Tournament Teams (# of ranked wrestlers)
1. Ballard (6)
2. Denver-Tripoli (8)
3. Davenport Assumption (7)
4. Independence (6)
5. Forest City (5)
6. East Marshall (5)
7. Centerville (3)
8. Emmetsburg (4)
9. Dallas Center-Grimes (4)
10. Sgt. Bluff …

Nick Moore (Iowa City West) — Attempting to be the 19th four-time state champion in Iowa history. Won the Class 3A 152-pound title last year with 49-0 record.
Austin Blythe (Williamsburg) — Junior heavyweight won the Class 2A state title in his second straight state finals appearance. He was 46-1 last season.
Christopher Halblom (Alburnett) — The junior capped a perfect season (39-0) by winning the Class 1A 112-pound title. The Pirates’ first state champ.
Zack Witte (C.R. Prairie) — Sophomore had a great run at the state meet last year, reaching the …

When reached on his cell phone Saturday morning, Pat Farley was in the middle of a breakfast date at the Evansdale McDonald’s.
The first-year football coach at Vinton-Shellsburg was meeting with his counterparts from New Hampton, exchanging films in preparation for Wednesday’s Class 3A substate game, an encounter that seemed impossible three weeks ago.
“We kind of backed on in,” didn’t we?” Farley said.
Well, not exactly. The Vikings (4-5 overall, 3-4 3A District 4) sprinted home with three straight wins, got some assistance and claimed their second postseason berth — the other …

Top 3 teams, top 10 individuals qualify for state meet Oct. 31 at Fort Dodge … single-meet sites start at 4 p.m.; double-meet sites start at 3:30.
CLASS 4A
At Burlington — Bettendorf, Burlington, Clinton, Davenport Central, Davenport North, Davenport West, Iowa City West, Muscatine, North Scott, Pleasant Valley.
At Cedar Rapids (Noelridge) — C.R. Jefferson, C.R. Kennedy, C.R. Washington, Dubuque Hempstead, Dubuque Senior, Iowa City High, Linn-Mar, Waterloo East, Waterloo West.
At Marshalltown — Ames, Cedar Falls, C.R. Prairie, Des Moines North, Fort Dodge, Marshalltown, Mason City, Newton, Southeast Polk, Storm Lake.
CLASS 3A
At …

IOWA CITY HIGH at C.R. JEFFERSON (Thursday)
Time & place: 7:15 p.m., at Kingston Stadium.
Records: City High is 8-0; Jefferson is 1-7.
What’s at stake: For City High, an unbeaten regular season and the possibility of a No. 1 seed in the Class 4A East playoffs.
 
C.R. KENNEDY at DUBUQUE WAHLERT
Time & place: 7:15 p.m., at the Rock Bowl, Dubuque.
Records: Kennedy is 3-5; Wahlert is 2-6.
What’s at stake: Kennedy guarantees a substate berth with a win. Wahlert could slide into the postseason with a win and some assistance.
 
LINN-MAR at IOWA CITY WEST
Time & …

TULSA, Okla. — Former University of Iowa two-time All-American wrestler and Tama native Paul Bradley won by unanimous decision at the Strikeforce Challengers Series event Saturday.
Bradley, 26, improved to 12-1, winning all three rounds against Levi Avera at 170 pounds. Bradley was a three-time state finalist and a 2001 Class 2A 171-pound state champ for South Tama High School.
Lisbon native and two-time state wrestling champ (1991-92) Zach Light also competed. Light, one of the top wrestling trainers in the sport, lost by armbar submission to undefeated Tyron Woodley (6-0) in the …