Metro Sports Report

Thomas Bean of Xavier got squeezed between the Mount Pleasant goalkeeper and a Mount Pleasant defender during the first half of Saturday's Class 2A substate finals at Heco Field. (MSR photo by Margaret O'Banion)

Saints march back to state again

Sun - 28 May Written by Jim Ecker

The Xavier Saints were sorely disappointed last year when they were upset by Hudson in the opening round of the Class 2A boys state soccer tournament.

Now they hope to make amends.

The fourth-ranked Saints dumped Mount Pleasant, 4-0, in the substate finals Saturday at Heco Field and are heading back to the state tournament for the 16th time in the last 17 years.

The Saints were one of the top-ranked teams in the state last year when they lost 3-2 in the first round.

"I think we've had a chip on our shoulder from Day 1," Xavier Coach Amir Hadzic acknowledged. "That was really a bad feeling for everybody."

The Saints (12-4) will face the Marion Indians (11-4) in the opening round of the 2017 state tournament on Thursday at 2:30 p.m. at the Cownie Soccer Park in Des Moines.

Marion is making its first trip to the state tournament in school history. Xavier makes regular trips to state and will be seeking the eighth title in its rich history.

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Taylor Nearad, shown here in action this season for Kirkwood, is one of 52 players who will be participating in the Iowa Women's Softball League, which begins play on Sunday. (MSR photo by Margaret O'Bannion)

College softball league begins Sunday

Fri - 26 May Written by Jim Ecker

The idea for the Iowa Women's Softball League began last summer when I asked Joe Drahozal what his daughter, Erin, was doing for softball while she was on vacation from Upper Iowa University.

Joe's answer surprised me: Erin would not be playing softball during the summer, except for individual workouts, because there were not any women's collegiate fast-pitch softball leagues in Iowa.

Well, there is now.

The new Iowa Women's Softball League will swing into action this Sunday afternoon with doubleheaders at Kirkwood Community College and Coe College at 2 p.m.

There are 52 players and four teams in the league. That number includes 46 active college players and six former college players who are anxious to get on the field again.

It's taken nearly a year of planning and preparation by the Metro Sports Report and friends, but Opening Day is fast approaching and everyone is ready to roll.

As president of the Metro Sports Report , I'd like to personally thank all the college coaches for their support. We have players from 23 different colleges and they hail from 34 different high school programs.

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Rosters for Iowa Women's Softball League

Fri - 26 May Written by Metro Sports Report

There are 52 players in the new Iowa Women's Softball League that starts on Sunday, May 28.

The 52 players are from 23 colleges and 34 high schools and include players from NCAA DI, NCAA DII, NCAA DIII, NAIA and Junior Colleges.

Here are the rosters:

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Schedule for Iowa Women's Softball League

Fri - 26 May Written by Metro Sports Report

Here is the schedule for the Iowa Women's Softball League.

The league will be conducted on 10 straight Sundays from May 28 through July 30. There will be doubleheaders each day at Kirkwood and Coe at 2 p.m.

The season will conclude with league playoffs on July 30.

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Courtesy runner Riley Beck slides past Marion catcher Chase Zielke with Xavier's only run during a 5-1 loss in the first round of the Metro Tournament at Ken Charipar Field Monday. (MSR photo by Margaret O'Banion)

Marion tops Saints in Metro tourney

Tue - 23 May Written by Metro Sports Report

Brady Donohue pitched six strong innings Monday night as the Marion Indians topped Xavier, 5-1, in the first round of the Bob Vrbicek Metro Baseball Tournament at Ken Charipar Field.

Washington defeated Jefferson, 12-0, in six innings in the other first-round game at Xavier.

Xavier and Jefferson will meet in a consolation game at Xavier Tuesday at 5 p.m., followed by the winners bracket semifinal game between Marion and Washington at 7 p.m.

Linn-Mar trimmed Mount Vernon, 4-3, in eight innings and Prairie defeated Kennedy, 6-2, in the first-round games at Prairie on Monday. Kennedy and Mount Vernon meet in a losers bracket game at 5 p.m. at Prairie Tuesday, then Prairie will face Linn-Mar in the winners bracket semifinal at 7 p.m.

The final round is Wednesday with the championship and consolation games to be played at Veterans Memorial Stadium. The fifth and seventh-place games are slated for Xavier.

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