Sports

OXFORD– A new non-conference rivalry started Monday, May 21, as the Clear Creek Amana (CCA) Clippers welcomed the Liberty High Lightning (Bolts) to McAreavy Field, in Oxford, on opening night of the 2018 season. The Clippers overwhelmed the very young Bolts - 19 freshmen, four sophomores and two eighth-graders, 13-1 and 13-1, in a pair of three-inning games.
Freshman Ashlyn Geasland singled for the Bolts in the top of the first inning, in game one, and scored Liberty’s run on an RBI triple by sophomore Brylee Klosterman.

CEDAR RAPIDS– The Liberty High Bolts picked up a morale boost and their first two wins of the 2018 varsity baseball season Tuesday, June 5, on Mount Mercy University’s (MMU) diamond, in Cedar Rapids. The Lightning vaporized the Nikes of Burlington Notre Dame Catholic, 14-2 and 19-0.
The Bolts opened with two runs in the bottom of the first inning of game one, added four runs in the second and six runs in the third. The Nikes scored one run each in the top of the second and fifth of the five-inning game.

DES MOINES– A top-eight finish; a couple more school records and Solon’s girls’ track team returned from the 2018 state track meet knowing they had pushed themselves to the limit.
Qualifying in 14 events, the Lady Spartans had the numbers. A down-to-the-wire second-place finish in the 4x400 meter relay and school record in the fourth-place shuttle hurdle relay were final day highlights; but it took an all-in effort from everybody to rack up the 28 team points.

DES MOINES– The Solon boys track and field team found success against tough statewide competition, again.
“We were really pleased with our team performance at the state track meet. Our goal from the beginning of the year has always been to go out and compete as the best version of ourselves each time we have the opportunity. When you can do it during championship season it is very satisfying,” said Coach Mark Sovers.

This is the second part of Robert Neustrom’s story of growing up a Hawkeye.
It started in the 1930s when his grandfather Bob listened to Hawkeye football on the radio.
Ozzie Simmons was the star running back out of Texas playing for Iowa from 1934-36 and one of Bob’s favorite players.
Ozzie is one of the reason Iowa plays Minnesota for the Floyd of Rosedale trophy.
The Gophers, a national football power at the time, had pounded the Hawks 48-12 in 1934 in Iowa City.
Tensions were high after that game and Ozzie was a target of the Minnesota players’ wrath and insults.