Metro Sports Report

Local players in pro baseball

RYAN SWEENEY (Xavier, Chicago Cubs) - Slated to play in rehab assignment for Kane County on Saturday and rejoin the Cubs Sunday when MLB rosters expand to 40 players. Placed on disabled list June 30 with fractured rib. 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 Friday and was 0-for-4 in the Quakes' 3-2, 11-inning loss to Lancaster. Season stats: G - 122, Avg. - .299, AB - 469, H - 140, HR - 27, RBI - 91, SB - 15.

KELLEN SWEENEY (Jefferson, Lansing (Blue Jays)) - Started at third base Friday and was 1-for-4 with an RBI in the Lugnuts' 8-5 win over Lake County. Season stats: G - 106, Avg. - .184, AB - 343, H - 63, HR - 5, RBI - 31, SB - 1.

ANDREW HANSE (Linn-Mar, Bowling Green (Rays)) - Did not pitch Friday in the Hot Rods' 9-2 loss to South Bend. Season stats: W - 1. L - 0. Sv - 2. ERA - 0.57. G - 9. IP - 15.2. H - 13. BB - 2. SO - 20.

CHAD CHRISTENSEN (Washington, GCL Twins (Twins)) - Season completed. Season stats: G - 47, Avg. - .235, AB - 162, H - 38, HR - 3, RBI - 21, SB - 4.

JON KELLER (Xavier, GCL Orioles (Orioles)) - Season completed. Season stats: W - 1. L - 2. Sv - 0. ERA - 4.11. G - 6. IP - 15.1. H - 17. BB - 2. SO - 18.

DAKOTA FREESE (Washington, Oakland) - Signed with A's out of June draft, but spent summer on disabled list with shoulder injury.

Prairie clips J-Hawks in opener, 24-7

The Prairie Hawks were struggling with their running game Thursday night when they decided to put 630 pounds of muscle on the right side of the offensive line.

Their names are Bryce Meeker and Christian Ohrt, and the two behemoths helped Prairie grind out a 24-7 victory over Jefferson in the season opener at Kingston Stadium on a humid night in southwest Cedar Rapids.

Meeker, who stands 6-foot-6 and 285 pounds, normally plays offensive tackle, but he shifted to guard to make room for Ohrt, a Jefferson transfer who measures 6-foot-8 and 345. They helped pave the way for a rushing attack that netted 246 yards as "Air Prairie" took most of the night off.

Kernels clinch 2nd half flag

The Cedar Rapids Kernels bounced back from Wednesday night’s 9-1 loss to Kane County by jumping on the Cougars for the first five runs of Thursday's game and holding on for a 5-2 win in front of 2,522 fans at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

The win clinched the Midwest League Western Division second half title for the Kernels, who ran their record to 45-21 in the half with their 85th win of the season.

Cedar Rapids Manager Jake Mauer continued to improvise his lineup, inserting regular third baseman Travis Harrison into left field. Harrison was an outfielder in high school, but had not played the position in nearly two years with the Twins organization.

Football prevues - Aug. 30

The second night of the season features an intra-city battle between Washington and Kennedy at Kingston Stadium.

A "new" coach will be on the sidelines for the Warriors in Paul James, who guided guided Washington to a 58-48 record in 11 seasons before stepping down after the 2005 season to assume the full-time duties of associate principal/activities director. He now wears all three hats.

Xavier didn't nab the crown last year, falling in the Class 4A state title game to Ankeny, but the Saints have a No.1 target on their backs this season. Dubuque Hempstead will be rolling out the green carpet for Xavier at Dalzell Field, which reopened last spring after nearly $10 million of renovations. It's like putting lipstick on a pigskin for the Mustangs, who were winless in 2012.