State News

Football coaches irked by new IHSAA rules

Several Metro football coaches are troubled by new IHSAA rules that will limit the amount of practice time for their teams this season.

The IHSAA has banned two-a-day practices during preseason drills in August, citing player safety in typically hot conditions. In addition, teams may not engage in full contact drills until the sixth day of preseason practice and cannot hold full contact scrimmages until after the 10th practice.

Total practice time may not exceed three hours of physical activity per day. The IHSAA adopted these measures on March 8.

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6 Metro girls make INA all-state

Dani Franklin of Cedar Rapids Washington and Ashley Stulken of Xavier have been named first team all-state in girls basketball by the Iowa Newspaper Association.

Franklin helped the Warriors reach the state tournament and was named first team all-state in Class 5A. Stulken helped the Saints win a state title and was named first team in Class 4A.

Abby Herb of Washington, Madison Dellamuth of Cedar Rapids Prairie and Paige Hendrickson of Kennedy were named third team all-state in Class 5A.

Michalyn Mohr of Marion High School was named second team all-state in Class 4A.

Ally Disterhoft of Iowa City West was named Miss Basketball.

State bowling tournament postponed

The Iowa High School Athletic Association and the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union have postponed Thursday and Friday's State Coed Bowling Tournament at Plaza Lanes in Des Moines until Monday and Tuesday, March 11 and 12.

Information from the National Weather Service prompted the decision. Their forecast indicates snow will begin in Des Moines at about nooon on Thursday.

While there may not be an issue in getting teams and individuals to Des Moines, conditions will likely deteriorate rapidly. Neither the Union nor the Association want to have students, coaches or spectators attempting to return home from the Thursday competition or coming for the Friday competition to travel in unsafe and dangerous conditions.

The tournament will be held March 11 and 12 at Plaza Lanes. Class 1A will compete on Monday and Class 2A will compete on Tuesday. Competition will begin at 11 a.m. both days.

Doors will open one hour before competition begins.

Sweeney seeks redemption in Boston

Ryan Sweeney will be getting a second chance with the Boston Red Sox.

Sweeney, 27, agreed Friday to accept a minor league deal with the Red Sox and will join them in spring training, but there are no guarantees he'll be put on the 25-man roster when the season begins.

Sweeney joined Boston last year with high hopes, but he suffered a series of injuries and batted just .260 in 63 games. His season ended prematurely when he punched a door and fractured a bone on his left hand.

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