State News

Playoffs feature 1,000-yard rushers

There are certain milestones in sports that elevate an athlete to elite heights, such as rushing for 1,000 yards during a football season.

The Metro area has three of them this year and they'll be on display when the Class 4A playoffs begin Wednesday night.

Two of the 1,000-yard runners - Miles Moa of Kennedy and Mitch Christensen of Prairie - will match skills when the Cougars (6-3) and Hawks (5-4) battle in the second game of a playoff twinbill at Kingston Stadium at approximately 8 p.m.

The third 1,000-yard runner - Brendan Miller of Xavier - will try to help the sixth-ranked Saints (8-1) take care of Clinton (4-5) in a Class 4A game at Xavier at 7 p.m.

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Wash, Kennedy set for Kingston twinbill

The Washington Warriors and Kennedy Cougars have both earned home games in the opening round of the Class 4A playoffs and will host a doubleheader at Kingston Stadium Wednesday night.

Washington (6-3) will meet Cedar Falls (6-3) in the first game at 5:30 p.m., and Kennedy (6-3) will face Prairie (5-4) in the nightcap at 8 p.m. in a twinbill that features four teams from the Mississippi Valley Conference.

The Xavier Saints (8-1) will host Clinton (4-5) in the opening round of the Class 4A playoffs Wednesday at 7 p.m.

The Marion Indians (4-5) will visit West Delaware (8-1) in the first round of the Class 3A playoffs Wednesday at 7 p.m. in Manchester.

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Kennedy golfers settle for 2nd (again)

A steady stream of well-wishers patted the Kennedy golfers on the back and congratulated them on another successful season Saturday after they finished second at the Class 4A state tournament for the third time in four years.

The Cougars were Mississippi Valley Conference champs, CRANDIC champs and district champs again this year, along with other nice honors, and the well-wishers reminded them that placing second in the state tournament is pretty darn good.

For their part, the Cougars smiled and thanked everyone for their kind remarks, but inside they were obviously a little disappointed. They finished second by one shot last year and honestly thought they could climb to the top this time at Hunters Ridge in Marion, a course they've played often and conquered before.

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Kennedy's hopes blowing in the wind

His top golfer shot an 80, the winds howled at 30 mph and his team finished with one of its worst scores in ages.

Despite all that, Kennedy Coach Mark Wilden left Hunters Ridge Golf Course with an optimistic tune Friday after the opening round of the Class 4A state tournament.

And why not? The Cougars had a four-man score of 317, unusually high for them, but Ankeny Centennial was the only squad that fared any better at 310 in the 12-team field.

Kennedy, searching for its first state title since 1990, stands all alone in second place heading into the final 18 holes Saturday.

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