Metro Sports Report

Koepke seeks 3rd title at City Am

Steve Koepke has not been entirely happy with his golf game since he won the U.S. Open local qualifier in May at the Blue Top Ridge course in Riverside, but that could be changing.

Koepke fired a 4-under-par 68 in the first round of the 61st Annual Men's City Amateur tournament Friday at Gardner Golf Course to put himself in solid contention for his third title.

Jeff Wenthe grabbed the first-day lead with a 5-under 67. Koepke stands in second place with his 68, with Ryan Schrimper another shot back at 69.

Chris James, a two-time champion, is tied for fourth place with Brigham Stewart at 1-under 71.

Koepke, 41, had an early tee time Friday and was the clubhouse leader for much of the day until Wenthe came along to move in front.

Koepke collected 14 pars and four birdies on the 6,670-yard layout at Gardner.

Murphy helps Kernels stay in 1st place

Max Murphy grew up rooting for the Minnesota Twins and won the Kirby Puckett Award during his collegiate career at Bradley University, so imagine his delight when his favorite team selected him in the ninth round of the draft this summer.

"It was cool getting drafted by them," said Murphy, who is from Robinsdale, Minn. "It was incredible. It was awesome."

Murphy used to drive through Cedar Rapids along I-380 on his trips from Minnesota to Bradley University in Peoria, Ill., but he never stopped in town. The outfielder is here now, however, as a Twins farm hand.

Murphy helped the Cedar Rapids Kernels top Burlington, 6-1, Thursday before 3,059 fans at Veterans Memorial Stadium to stay in first place in the Western Division of the Midwest League.

Cougars foiled by SE Polk at state

DES MOINES - It was the type of game Kennedy baseball teams have won dozens of times over the years under Bret Hoyer.

Tense, low-scoring, dramatic.

This time, the Southeast Polk Rams managed a slight edge and tripped the third-ranked Cougars, 1-0, in the opening round of the Class 4A state tournament at Principal Park in Des Moines.

Southeast Polk (30-13) will face Dubuque Hempstead (37-5) in the semifinals Friday. Johnston (23-16) will play Iowa City West (33-9) in the other semifinal.

Kennedy, which finished ahead of Hempstead and Iowa City West as the Mississippi Valley Conference champs, fell short and finished 31-7.

Kernels climb into tie for 1st place

It has been a long road back to the top for the Cedar Rapids Kernels, but when they topped Burlington, 3-2, in 11-inning walk-off fashion on Wednesday night, they pulled into a tie atop the Midwest League’s Western Division standings.

The Kernels rode their way to the top on the shoulders of second baseman Ryan Walker.

Walker had three hits in six at-bats and all three Cedar Rapids RBIs, including the game-winner in the 11th inning when he drove in Max Murphy and sent 2,424 fans home happy from Veterans Memorial Stadium.