Metro Sports Report

'Trooper' Vogl boots Cougars into finals

DES MOINES - Jamie Vogl spent the entire regular season on the junior varsity for the Kennedy girls soccer team, but she's been in the thick of things for the Cougars at the Class 3A state tournament in Des Moines.

On Thursday, she banged heads in a nasty collision with Bettendorf junior Ashton Glaus and needed seven stitches to close a wound in her forehead near the hairline.

On Friday, she scored the only goal of the game as the Cougars upended No.6 Waukee, 1-0, in the semifinals at Cownie Soccer Park.

Kennedy (15-6) will face No. 4 Dubuque Hempstead (18-2) in the championship match Saturday at 4 p.m. on Field 9.

Vogl was supposed to be hosting her own graduation party Saturday at 4 p.m., but she and her teammates have other plans now. Maybe the Cougars can turn Vogl's graduation party into a state championship party as well.

No Title 9 for the amazing Saints

DES MOINES - Marisa Berutti did her best to battle her raw emotions and fight back the tears Friday afternoon, but it was no good.

It hurt too much. The tears won.

"It sucks," she said succinctly.

Xavier's bid for Title 9 at the Class 2A state meet ended with a 1-0 loss to second-ranked North Scott in a memorable PK Shootout at Cownie Park.

The Saints lost at the state tournament for the first time since 2005, snapping their unprecedented streak of eight titles in a row.

Berutti, a senior, played for three state champions during her extraordinary career, but a fourth crown slipped away in a defensive struggle.

Cubs activate Sweeney from DL

Former Cedar Rapids Xavier standout Ryan Sweeney has been activated from the 15-day disabled list and was in the line-up for Friday night's game at Philadelphia. He went 0 for 4 in the Cubs' 2-1 win over the Phillies.

Sweeney, who has been on the DL since May 3 after straining his right hamstring making a catch in the outfield against the St. Louis Cardinals, was in center field and batted second. Sweeney replaced Emilio Bonifacio on the active roster. Bonifacio strained his rib cage swinging the bat in Thursday night's loss at Pittsburgh.

In two games with Class A Kane County in the Midwest League on a rehab assignment, Sweeney went 0-for-5. He is batting .186 (11 for 59) for the Cubs.

Kanzler proves them wrong with Kernels

Go ahead and underestimate Cedar Rapids Kernels outfielder Jason Kanzler. He’s used to it. Having to show people they’re wrong about him is nothing new.

”I think I’ve done that my whole life, pretty much,” Kanzler said. “I was never really at the top on anyone’s priority list. I wasn’t recruited out of high school. I tried to walk on at Northeastern University and I was cut after two weeks.”

Even after the Minnesota Twins made Kanzler their 20th-round draft pick in 2013, he’s had doubters.

Kanzler wasn’t just one of the final players cut from the Kernels roster in the final days of spring training this past March, ”I was the last guy,” he said.

And he said it without a trace of a smile.