Metro Sports Report

Cougars feature spirited battle at QB

Derek Jacobus is healthy and ready to play quarterback for Kennedy High School this season after missing the entire 2012 campaign with a shoulder injury, but there's a minor glitch.

Sammy Lizarraga wants the job too, and they've been engaged in a friendly battle to see who starts the opener against Washington Aug. 30.

"There's some stuff that Derek does well, and there are some things that Sammy does well," Coach Tim Lewis said Wednesday. "They are pretty close right now."

Jacobus, a senior, is faster than Lizarraga and a state champion in the long jump. Lizarraga, a junior, is a few inches taller and appears to throw a prettier ball.

Kernels notch 9th win in last 10 games

PEORIA, Ill. - The Cedar Rapids Kernels scored five runs over the fourth and fifth innings and rolled to their ninth win in 10 games, downing the Peoria Chiefs, 6-1, Saturday night before a crowd of 6,166 at Dozer Park.

Max Kepler hit his eighth home run and also doubled to spearhead the Kernels' 10-hit attack. Joel Licon had a single, stretching his hitting streak to 15 games.

Hudson Boyd (4-4) pitched five innings of four-hit ball and allowed one run to pick up the win.

Local players in pro baseball

RYAN SWEENEY (Xavier, Chicago Cubs) - Placed on disabled list June 30 with fractured rib. Expected to return Sept. 1. Season stats: G - 44, Avg. - .295, AB - 112, H - 33, HR - 4, RBI - 15, SB - 1.

SCOTT SCHEBLER (Prairie, Rancho Cucamonga (Dodgers)) - Started in right field Saturday and was 1-for-3 in the Quakes' 4-3 win over Lake Elsinore. Season stats: G - 110, Avg. - .306, AB - 421, H - 129, HR - 26, RBI - 82, SB - 15.

KELLEN SWEENEY (Jefferson, Lansing (Blue Jays)) - Did not play Saturday in the Lugnuts' 5-3 loss to Lake County. Season stats: G - 99, Avg. - .184, AB - 316, H - 58, HR - 5, RBI - 28, SB - 1.

ANDREW HANSE (Linn-Mar, Bowling Green (Rays)) - Did not pitch Saturday in the Hot Rods' 2-1 loss to South Bend. Season stats: W - 1. L - 0. Sv - 0. ERA - 0.90. G - 5. IP - 10. H - 1. BB - 0. SO - 13.

CHAD CHRISTENSEN (Washington, GCL Twins (Twins)) - Started at third base Saturday and was 2-for-4 with a triple and an RBI in the Twins' 8-1 win over the GCL Red Sox. Season stats: G - 38, Avg. - .233, AB - 133, H - 31, HR - 1, RBI - 18, SB - 3.

JON KELLER (Xavier, GCL Orioles (Orioles)) - Did not pitch Saturday in the Orioles' 3-1 win over the GCL Rays. Season stats: W - 1. L - 0. Sv - 0. ERA - 2.79. G - 4. IP - 9.2. H - 9. BB - 0. SO - 9.

Successful Saints love their football

Duane Schulte called the Xavier football team together for the start of practice Wednesday and led the team as it jogged from the school to the practice field.

They kept coming and coming and coming.

There are 86 players on the varsity this year, the most since the high school opened for business in 1998. There are another 79 players on the sophomore and freshman teams, making for a total of 165 guys in the Xavier football program.