Metro Sports Report

'Jake's Game' is big success for Jacobson

Ben Jacobson, smiling broadly, embraced his family and warmly acknowledged all the fans who flocked to Johnson Hall Wednesday night to support him in his fight against brain cancer.

"Unbelievable," was his one-word response when asked what the night meant to him. "Unbelievable."

Jacobson, 34, was diagnosed with Level 2 brain cancer in October. The 2 1/2-inch tumor in the frontal lobe of his brain is inoperable, due to its location, but he has vowed to wage a fierce battle against the disease.

Jacobson has been back on the job as an assistant men's basketball coach at Kirkwood Community College since mid-November and he's extremely appreciative of all the support he's received from the Kirkwood athletic department, the Kirkwood community, friends and fans.

A GoFundMe campaign has raised $10,155 for the Jacobson family to help with expenses, already surpassing the initial goal of $10,000.

The NIACC basketball teams, who were Kirkwood's opponents in the doubleheader Wednesday, raised $1,970 for Jacobson at a basketball clinic and presented Jacobson with a check during a pre-game ceremony.

Brie Tauber joins IWSL for 2018 campaign

Brie Tauber, an outstanding student/athlete at Clarke University in Dubuque, has joined the Iowa Women's Softball League for the 2018 campaign this summer.

Tauber, a middle infielder, hit .368 for Clarke last season as a sophomore. She also stole 23 bases and scored 51 runs in 53 games. She is a switch-hitter, somewhat of a rarity in college softball.

Clarke finished with a 41-12 record in 2017, including a 26-8 mark in the Heart of America Conference.

In addition to her work for the Clarke softball team, Tauber was named a Scholar/Athlete All-American by the NFCA in 2017 and made the Dean's List. She is studying biology and physical therapy.

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Tauber earned five varsity letters during her high school career at Dubuque Hempstead and hit .397 as a senior in 2015. She was a member of the National Honor Society at Hempstead and was a two-time all-conference selection on the softball field.

'Jake's Game' fundraiser for KCC coach

Ben Jacobson has discovered that a lot of friends are rooting for him in his fight against brain cancer, including people he doesn't even know.

The "GoFundMe" campaign to help Jacobson and his family with their medical expenses has reached $7,620 toward the initial goal of $10,000.

The basketball program at NIACC, one of Kirkwood's rivals in the ICCAC conference, has raised an additional $2,000 for Jacobson through their own clinics.

And now Kirkwood Community College, where Jacobson has worked as an assistant men's basketball coach the past five years, will be holding a special fundraiser for Jacobson Wednesday night when the Eagles host NIACC in a doubleheader that begins at 5:30 p.m. with the women's game at Johnson Hall.

(CLICK HERE FOR GOFUNDME LINK)

Kirkwood is calling it "Jake's Game," and spectators are asked to wear gray, the color for brain cancer awareness.

Jacobson, 34, was diagnosed in October with Level 2 brain cancer. There is an inoperable 2 1/2-inch tumor in the frontal lobe of his brain, located in a delicate spot that cannot be removed by surgery.

Kirkwood men dump No. 7 Iowa Central

FORT DODGE - The Kirkwood men's basketball team blasted seventh-ranked Iowa Central, 84-62, Saturday for its second big victory over a top-10 team in four days.

The Eagles whipped No. 2 Lincoln College, 71-55, Wednesday night.

Freshman Bailey Kale tossed in five 3-pointers and scored 19 points for Kirkwood in the 22-point victory Saturday in the ICCAC conference opener for both teams in Fort Dodge.

Chris King scored 13 points for the Eagles, who raised their overall record to 11-4. Doug Wilson had a big game for Kirkwood with 12 points, 10 rebounds and four blocked shots. Carlo Marble added 10 points.

Kirkwood blew to a 24-point lead at halftime and cruised to the victory from there.