Thursday August 17th Local Sports

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Spencer Torkelson homered twice against Minnesota for the second time in a week, and the Detroit Tigers survived a late scare for an 8-7 victory over the Twins. Torkelson lifted Griffin Jax’s 1-1 sweeper into the left-field seats at Target Field to give the Tigers a 6-4 lead in the top of the seventh, giving the second-year first baseman his fourth career multi-homer game. His home run highlighted a four-run seventh inning for Detroit. Torkelson, who also homered Tuesday night and almost had a third in the ninth inning Wednesday, leads the Tigers with 20 home runs. He’s the seventh player in club history with that many during his age-23 season.

 

 

AMES — The race is on at Iowa State where the Cyclones are in search of a new starting quarterback. Redshirt freshman Rocco Becht, junior college transfer Tanner Hughes and true freshman J.J. Kohl are competing to replace Hunter Dekkers, who was charged in a gambling probe. Offensive coordinator Nate Scheelhaase (sheel-house) has been impressed with all three.

Scheelhaase says all three have limited experience in the program.

Scheelhaase says while they are different from a physical standpoint their styles are similar.

The Cyclones open at home on September 2nd against Northern Iowa.

 

 

DES MOINES — Drake football coach Todd Stepsis hopes the end of last season carries over to this fall. After starting 2022 with an 0-8 record, the Bulldogs won their final three games, including a win over a Butler team that was trying to lock up a spot in the FCS playoffs.

Stepsis credits team character for rescuing the end of last season.

The Bulldogs have always played a challenging non-conference schedule and this season is no different.

From 2004 to 2019 Drake enjoyed 14 winning seasons and three Pioneer Football League titles but the program has struggled the past two seasons since the pandemic. Improvement begins with an offense that averaged less than 18 points per game a year ago.

Drake opens September 2nd at North Dakota.

 

 

DES MOINES — Four area teams are ranked in the pre-season high school cross country team rankings from the Iowa Association of Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches:

 

== The Lake Mills boys are ranked 3rd in Class 1A. The top five 1A boys teams are Adair-Casey/Guthrie Center, Woodbine, Lake Mills, Madrid and Bellevue.

 

== The North Iowa girls are ranked 9th in Class 1A. The top five 1A girls teams are Earlham, Dyersville Beckman, Alta-Aurelia, St. Edmond of Fort Dodge and North Linn.

 

== The Garner-Hayfield-Ventura boys are ranked 10th in Class 2A. Des Moines Christian leads that class, with Okoboji, Waukon, Tipton and Mediapolis rounding out the top five.

 

== The top five girls teams in Class 2A are Mid-Prairie of Wellman, Williamsburg, Van Meter, Tipton and Denver

 

== The Clear Lake girls are ranked 6th in Class 3A. The top five are Pella, Ballard, ADM, Washington and Mount Vernon-Lisbon.

 

== The top five boys teams in Class 3A are Pella, Carlisle, Gilbert, Mount Vernon-Lisbon and Lewis Central.

 

== The top five boys teams in Class 4A are Dowling of West Des Moines, Ankeny, Cedar Falls, Johnston and Valley of West Des Moines. The top five 4A girls teams are Johnston, Dubuque Hempstead, Dubuque Senior, West Des Moines Valley and Pleasant Valley.

 

You can see the full rankings for each class by clicking here

 

 

CEDAR FALLS — Northern Iowa volleyball coach Bobbi Peterson says versatility will be a strength heading into the new season. The Panthers lost five seniors off last year’s team that finished 27-8 and made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Peterson is entering her 24th season as head coach and has led the Panthers to 16 trips to the NCAA Tournament.

Peterson has put together another challenging non-conference schedule.

UNI opens with tournaments at Western Michigan, Creighton and Texas A&M.

The Panthers play Villanova at the Western Michigan Tournament on August 25th. UNI is the preseason favorite in the MVC volleyball poll. Drake has been picked to finish second.