The 7:20-a.m. Sportscast with Jim Field.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (6.6MB)

Subscribe: RSS

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White says an Illinois license plate featuring the St. Louis Cardinals will be sold in support of public schools. The license plate was unveiled Thursday by White at Busch Stadium prior to the Cardinals game against the Chicago Cubs. The plates with the Cardinals “Birds on Bat” logo will be available for purchase after Labor Day. Fans will be able to order random number, personalized or vanity plates.

White says the plate offers an opportunity for fans to express pride for their team, while supporting public education in Illinois. According to the secretary of state’s office, the cost of a random number Cardinals plate for a currently titled vehicle with valid Illinois registration will be $69. Pricing varies for vanity and personalized license plates.

Here is the latest Mid-America sports news from The Associated Press

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Jack Flaherty struck out nine in seven strong innings and Matt Wieters hit a three-run homer as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Chicago Cubs 8-0 in a matchup of NL Central leaders. The Cardinals won two games in the three-game set and claimed first in the division, a game ahead of Chicago. The Cubs have lost four of six overall and 11 of their last 16 on the road.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Scott Frost starts his second year at Nebraska with an experienced quarterback and high expectations. The Cornhuskers went 4-2 after an 0-6 start last season and are a trendy pick to win the Big Ten West. The reason Nebraska is favored in a wide-open division is Adrian Martinez. He was the most productive freshman quarterback in the nation. The defense is expected to continue the improvement that started last season. Nebraska allowed an average of 14 fewer points over the last six games.

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa State lost star wide receiver Hakeem Butler to the NFL a year earlier than it expected to. Graduate transfer La’Michael Pettway joined the Cyclones in hopes of joining Butler in the pros in 2020. The 6-foot-3 Pettway led Arkansas in catches a season ago. He will be counted on to replace the 1,318 yards and nine touchdowns that Butler had last year.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The former head football coach at a Kansas community college where a defensive lineman died of heatstroke after the first day of practice says the death was an act of God. KCUR reports that the comment by former head coach Jeff Sims on Wednesday comes nearly one year after 19-year-old Braeden Bradforth collapsed following practice at Garden City Community College. Sims says, “It’s unfortunate what happened, but God has a plan.”

CLASS 3A:

11:00—#1 Xavier, Cedar Rapids (39-2) vs. #4 Marion (33-5)

1:30—#2 Assumption, Davenport (32-4) vs. #3 Central DeWitt (37-3)

CLASS 4A:

4:30—#2 Iowa City, West (34-7) vs. #6 Urbandale (29-14)

7:00—#1 Johnston (34-5) vs. #4 Dowling Catholic, W.D.M. (31-11)

Class 1A Semifinals

Newman Catholic, Mason City 10, Don Bosco, Gilbertville 0 (5 innings)

Alburnett 4, St. Mary’s, Remsen 3

Class 2A Semifinals

Van Meter 3, West Sioux, Hawarden 0

North Linn, Troy Mills 3, Des Moines Christian 0

DAWSON, Iowa (AP) — An Oskaloosa man has been given 50 years in prison for stabbing to death a college basketball player. Court records say the sentence was handed down Friday to 24-year-old Luke VanHemert. He’d been convicted in April of second-degree murder for killing 22-year-old William Penn University player Marquis Todd.

VanHemert’s lawyers had argued that he was defending himself when he killed Todd during a fight after a car crash in March 2018. They said VanHemert should have been exempt from prosecution because of Iowa’s “stand your ground” law. The law enacted in 2017 says a person doesn’t have to retreat before using deadly force if he or she reasonably thinks his or her life is being threatened.

But the judge said that law didn’t apply in VanHemert’s case and ordered him to go on trial.

5A All State       

Coach of the Year:  Jeff Koenig, Iowa City High

3rd Team       

Name    School    Grade
Caitlyn Jones    Council Bluffs Jefferson    12

Full Teams: 2019 5A All State

4A All State       

1st Team       

Name    School    Grade
Abbie Hlas     ADM    11
Morgan Schaben    Harlan    12
Coach of Year: Jim Flaws, Carlisle       

2nd Team       

Name    School    Grade
Sarah Heilesen    Denison-Schleswig    12
Sydney Bermann    Glenwood    12

Full Teams: 2019 4A All State

3A All State 

1st Team    

Name    School    Grade
Baylee Newell     Atlantic    12
Sydni Huisman    Treynor    12
Coach of the Year: Ron Ferrill, Davenport Assumption

2nd Team 

Name    School    Grade
Olivia Engler    Atlantic    11
Sara Keeler    Creston    11
Alli Mertz    Kuemper Catholic    12
Logan Hughes    Shenandoah    12
Stella Umphreys    Treynor    10

3rd Team    

Name    School    Grade
Josie Ayala    Carroll    9
Megan Carey    Greene County    12
Kamryn Buntrock    Red Oak    12
Konnor Sudmann    Treynor    12

Full Teams: 2019 3A All State

2A All State       

1st Team       

Name    School    Grade
Caroline McAlexander    Mount Ayr    12
Lexi Lander    West Monona    11
Coach of the Year: Marv Porter, North Linn

3rd Team       

Name    School    Grade

Katie Anzalone    AHSTW    12
Erikah Rife    Logan-Magnolia    9
Reanna Rife    Logan-Magnolia    11
Lydia Knapp    Panorama    12
Olivia Larsen    Sidney    11

Honorable Mention       

Name    School    Grade

Lexi Branning    IKM-Manning    11
Alexa Anderson    Mount Ayr    10
Kenedee Bubke    MVAOCOU    11
Kiley Henschen    West Monona    12

Full Teams: 2019 2A All State