Kennedy Baseball

Lions, Cougars drop spot in soccer poll

Linn-Mar and Kennedy fell one spot in the new boys soccer rankings released Monday by the Iowa High School Soccer Coaches Association.

Linn-Mar fell from No. 4 to No. 5 in Class 3A and Kennedy dropped from No. 10 to No. 11. Prairie stayed in the seventh spot in the rankings.

The Xavier Saints remained No. 2 in Class 2A.

CLASS 3A

1. Johnston (14-0), 2. Ankeny Centennial (14-0), 3. Hempstead (9-1), 4. Iowa City High (12-1), 5. Linn-Mar (11-3), 6. Sioux City West (13-0), 7. Prairie (9-2), 8. West Des Moines Valley (10-4), 9. Ames (7-3), 10. Dowling (11-6), 11. Kennedy (5-6), 12. Iowa City West (7-6), 13. Des Moines Lincoln (8-5), 14. Bettendorf (7-6), 15. Ankeny (6-8), 16. Pleasant Valley (7-4).

CLASS 2A

1. Norwalk (10-2), 2. Xavier (7-2), 3. Waverly-Shell Rock (12-0), 4. Sioux City Heelan (11-0), 5. Perry (9-2), 6. DeWitt Central (12-1), 7. Pella (10-4), 8. (tie) Storm Lake (10-1), ADM (12-3), 10. Spencer (10-4), 11. Glenwood (8-5), 12. North Scott (8-6), 13. Clear Creek-Amana (8-5), 14. Decorah (8-3), 15. Webster City (11-4), 16. Knoxville (8-3).

Lizarraga commits to Wabash Valley

Cedar Rapids Kennedy all-state pitcher Sammy Lizarraga will continue his baseball career at Wabash Valley College in Mt. Carmel, Ill.

Lizarraga compiled a 7-1 record and 1.31 ERA for the Cougars last season as a junior, with 59 strikeouts in 64 innings. He hit .300 with two home runs and 34 RBIs and was Kennedy's primary catcher.

Lizarraga has been recruited as a pitcher and first baseman by Wabash, which is a community college.

Lizarraga helped Kennedy win the Mississippi Valley Conference title and make the Class 4A state tournament. He was named first team all-state.

Daniels will play ball at Iowa

Cedar Rapids Kennedy senior Zach Daniels has been a big fan of the Iowa Hawkeyes all his life. Now he'll be a Hawkeye himself and he couldn't be happier.

Daniels has accepted an offer to play baseball for UI Coach Rick Heller after he finishes his career with the Cougars next season.

Daniels made the Elite All-State team this past season with a remarkable year as a pitcher, hitter and second baseman for the Cougars.

Now he'll be taking his talents to Iowa.

"Some of my family have gone there and I grew up being a Hawkeye, so it just felt like the right fit," he said Monday night. "I just really liked the coaching staff at Iowa and their facilities and the resources they have. I just really liked what they have to offer.

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Daniels named captain of all-state team

Kennedy High School junior Zach Daniels has been named the captain of the Class 4A all-state baseball team by the Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association.

Daniels had a sensational year for the Cougars as a pitcher, hitter and second baseman as Kennedy reached the state tournament.

Sammy Lizarraga of Kennedy and Spencer Van Scoyoc of Jefferson joined Daniels on the IHSBCA All-State Super Team, which is selected regardless of a school's class as 4A, 3A, 2A or 1A.

Manny Jeffery of Linn-Mar made the Class 4A second team.

Bryce Grimm of Xavier was named first team all-state in Class 3A.