Metro Sports Report

Kernels fall quietly to Peoria

The Cedar Rapids Kernels struck out 12 times Thursday night and lost to the Peoria Chiefs, 3-1, in a Midwest League game before 1,259 fans at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

The Kernels lost quietly and quickly in just 2 hours and 5 minutes.

Cedar Rapids began the season with six straight victory, but now the Kernels have dropped two straight low-scoring games to Peoria. The Chiefs beat the Kernels, 3-2, in 12 innings Wednesday night in the first game of the series.

Both clubs have 6-2 records, but the Peoria pitchers have held the Kernels batters to just three runs in 21 innings.

Kernels starter John Curtiss blanked the Chiefs for five innings and took a 1-0 lead into the sixth inning, but the Chiefs touched him for three runs on five hits in the sixth to claim a 3-1 lead. As it turned out, that was the ballgame.

Xavier boys kick Lions in OT

Luke Koechner converted a penalty kick in overtime Thursday night as the Xavier Saints edged Linn-Mar, 3-2, in a match of premier Mississippi Valley Conference soccer teams at Linn-Mar.

The Saints took a 2-0 lead on goals by Will Hanigan and Connor Ramlo, but the Lions tied the game on goals by Daniel Luzindya and Danny Peak in the last 10 minutes of the second half.

Mason Hoxie was fouled in the penalty box in the final minute of overtime. Koechner took the penalty kick and gave Xavier the victory.

Ramlo and Hoxie had assists for the Saints in the match. Ben Johnson and Alexy Boehm collected assists for the Lions.

Xavier is ranked No. 2 in Class 2A. Linn-Mar is ranked No. 3 in Class 3A.

Wash girls roll by Cedar Falls

CEDAR FALLS - The Cedar Rapids Washington girls tennis team collected an 8-1 victory at Cedar Falls Thursday in a Mississippi Valley Conference meet.

Lilly Hartman defeated Madison McCann, 10-4, at No. 1 singles for the Warriors.

Hannah Sherman, Kelly King, Eliza Sundermann and Abby Van Metre also won their singles matches for the 2014 state champions.

Washington raised its record to 4-0.

WASHINGTON 8, CEDAR FALLS 1

Coker sparks Kennedy to track title

DUBUQUE - Jackson Coker uncorked a throw of 170 feet, 11 inches in the discus Thursday to help the Kennedy Cougars claim top honors at the Harley Sweet Invitational in Dubuque.

Coker's toss was the second-longest in the state this year.

Kennedy won the championship with 129 points. Washington placed third, Jefferson was fifth and Prairie finished sixth in the 11-team field.

Willie Rhoads won the high jump for the Cougars at 6 feet, 5 inches.