Metro Sports Report

Carter stars as Prairie sweeps Tigers

CEDAR FALLS - Gabi Carter belted two home runs and drove in seven runs Tuesday as Prairie ripped Cedar Falls, 11-0, in the first game of a Mississippi Valley Conference doubleheader in Cedar Falls.

Prairie won the second game, 6-2.

Amanda Stecklein went 3-for-4 and hit a home run for the Hawks in the first game. Carter also was 3-for-4. Kristen Wahlert was 2-for-4.

Kennedy girls win Metro Spotlight Award

The Kennedy girls soccer team laughed and joked and danced its way to the Class 3A state title in Des Moines this past week.

The unranked Cougars also played exceptionally well on the field with precise passing and a relentless attack.

As a result, the entire team of state champions was saluted Sunday by the Metro Sports Report as winners of a Metro Spotlight Award.

Kennedy dominated Dubuque Hempstead, 5-2, in the finals Saturday, culminating an historic run of victories in the post-season tournament.

The Cougars beat No.1 Linn-Mar in the regional finals, knocked off No.2 Bettendorf in the opening round of the state tournament, tripped No.6 Waukee in the semifinals and bounced No.4 Hempstead in the championship game.

Zach Daniels wins Metro Spotlight Award

Kennedy junior Zach Daniels is the winner of the Metro Spotlight Award for high school boys this week, the Metro Sports Report announced Sunday.

Daniels has excelled for the third-ranked Cougars this season as a pitcher, hitter and second baseman.

Daniels has pitched three straight shutouts, giving him a 3-0 record and 0.00 ERA in 21 innings. He has struck out 14 batters and walked only four. Opposing batters are hitting a meager .176 against him with just 13 hits.

Daniels began the year by beating Mitch Keller and the Xavier Saints, 5-0, on a one-hitter in the Metro tournament. Less than two weeks later, Keller was selected in the second round of the Major League draft and got a $1 million signing bonus from the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Cougars claim 3rd title in 6 years

DES MOINES - Cedar Rapids Kennedy goalkeeper Olivia Weigel has been on the bottom of dogpiles before, so she knew exactly what to do as soon as the Cougars captured the state title at the Class 3A soccer tournament in Des Moines Saturday.

She immediately fell to the ground and covered her head as the entire team rushed toward her end of the field and piled on top of her to begin the celebration after Kennedy whipped No.4 Dubuque Hempstead, 5-2, for the crown.

"They've done that to me multiple times before," said Weigel, delighted with the state title and happy she escaped unharmed. "It's just fun. It's a good way to celebrate."