State News

IGHSAU tinkers with soccer, softball

The Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union has approved changes for soccer and softball for the 2016 campaigns.

Beginning with the 2016 soccer season this spring, Class 3A will consist of the 40 largest soccer schools. Class 2A will consist of the next largest 48 schools and all the remaining schools will play in Class 1A.

Prior to this change, Class 3A consisted of the 32 largest soccer schools and 2A consisted of the next largest 48.

The changes will not affect Xavier and Marion High School, which will remain in Class 2A for girls soccer. Xavier ranks 54th in the state in enrollment and Marion is 60th.

The IGHSAU Board of Directors also has made a change for girls softball for the 2016 season. The regional finals in all classes (1A through 5A) will be played on the home field of the highest seeded team rather than at neutral or pre-determined sites, providing the school has adequate lights and meets other requirements.

Cougars climb to 3rd in Register poll

The undefeated Cedar Rapids Kennedy football team climbed into the No. 3 spot in the Class 4A rankings by the Des Moines Register Sunday.

The Cougars (8-0) whipped Cedar Falls, 21-7, Friday night and will be seeking the first undefeated regular season in school history when they visit Waterloo West this Friday.

The Washington Warriors (7-1) are ranked No. 5 in Class 4A this week. Washington's only loss was to Kennedy early in the season in a non-district game. The Warriors topped Iowa City High, 39-20, Friday.

The Xavier Saints (7-0) stayed in the No. 4 spot in Class 3A following their remarkable 38-35 victory over Iowa City Regina Friday night. The Saints rallied from a 35-7 deficit and won the game on a last-second field goal.

Kennedy, Washington and Xavier have all clinched No. 1 seeds for the playoffs as district champions.

CLASS 4A

1. Dowling (7-0), 2. Bettendorf (8-0), 3. Kennedy (8-0), 4. West Des Moines Valley (6-2), 5. Washington (7-1), 6. Ankeny (7-1), 7. Waukee (6-2), 8. Ankeny Centennial (6-2), 9. Pleasant Valley (6-2), 10. Fort Dodge (7-1).

CLASS 3A

1. Pella (8-0), 2. West Delaware (8-0), 3. Webster City (8-0), 4. Xavier (7-0), 5. Dallas Center-Grimes (7-1), 6. Norwalk (7-1), 7. Harlan (7-1), 8. Sergeant Bluff-Luton (7-1), 9. Independence (7-1), 10. Washington (7-1).

Saints, Cougars, Warriors keep their spots

The Xavier Saints, Kennedy Cougars and Washington Warriors held onto their lofty rankings in the Des Moines Register football poll Sunday following easy victories Friday night.

Xavier (6-0) walloped Dubuque Wahlert, 41-6, and stayed No. 4 in Class 3A. Kennedy (7-0) rolled by Waterloo East, 49-0, and remained No. 5 in Class 4A. Washington (6-1) defeated Prairie, 39-14, and stayed No. 6 in Class 4A.

CLASS 3A

1. Pella (7-0), 2. West Delaware (7-0), 3. Webster City (7-0), 4. Xavier (6-0), 5. Independence (7-0), 6. Dallas Center-Grimes (6-1), 7. Norwalk (6-1), 8. Harlan (6-1), 9. Sergeant Bluff-Luton (6-1), 10. Glenwood (7-0).

CLASS 4A

1. Dowling (6-0), 2. West Des Moines Valley (6-1), 3. Bettendorf (7-0), 4. Fort Dodge (7-0), 5. Kennedy (7-0), 6. Washington (6-1), 7. Ankeny (6-1), 8. Muscatine (6-1), 9. Waukee (5-2), 10. Pleasant Valley (5-2).

Metro teams ranked high in volleyball

Four Metro volleyball teams continued to rank among the best clubs in the state in the new IGHSAU polls Thursday.

The Marion Indians slipped one spot in Class 4A, but are still ranked very high at No. 3 behind West Delaware and Harlan.

Prairie, Kennedy and Linn-Mar are ranked 4th, 5th and 6th in Class 5A this week as they begin to aim for postseason competition and the state tournament in Cedar Rapids next month.

CLASS 4A

1. West Delaware (31-1), 2. Harlan (21-3), 3. Marion (20-4), 4. Lewis Central (23-3), 5. Sioux City Heelan (17-8), 6. Clinton (19-6), 7. Waverly-Shell Rock (28-9), 8. Charles City (18-8), 9. Dubuque Wahlert (13-9), 10. Fairfield (23-2), 11. Carroll (21-6), 12. Independence (17-7), 13. Western Dubuque (14-8), 14. Norwalk (21-8), 15. Pella (18-10).

CLASS 5A

1. Bettendorf (20-1), 2. West Des Moines Dowling (25-3), 3. Cedar Falls (23-2), 4. Prairie (21-3), 5. Kennedy (18-6), 6. Linn-Mar (20-4), 7. Ankeny Centennial (25-3), 8. West Des Moines Valley (32-8), 9. Southeast Polk (25-4), 10. Marshalltown (18-6), 11. Iowa City West (16-8), 12. Johnston (16-6), 13. Dubuque Hempstead (17-7), 14. Ankeny (20-11), 15. Sioux City East (20-3).