Thursday October 5th Local Sports

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Twins swept the Toronto Blue Jays in their AL Wild Card Series with a 2-0 win in Game 2. Sonny Gray pitched five effective innings and Carlos Correa contributed an RBI single and a quick-twitch tag off a pickoff throw from Gray that ended the fifth. The Twins advanced for the first time in 21 years. They will play the defending World Series champion Astros. Game 1 of the best-of-five AL Division Series is in Houston on Saturday. Twins relievers logged 7 1/3 scoreless innings in the series. The Blue Jays left nine runners on base each game.

 

 

IOWA CITY — Iowa women’s basketball coach Lisa Bluder calls it a new season and a new challenge. The Hawkeyes are coming off an historic run to the NCAA championship game last season, and with three starters returning, are a consensus top ten team in the preseason polls.

Three starters return from a year ago including national player of the year Caitlin Clark. While the expectations are high Bluder says the Hawkeyes are not approaching it as a national title or bust.

Clark has become one of the most recognizable athletes in the country but Bluder says there is never an issue with chemistry because she is such a good teammate.

Because of the popularity of the team the Hawkeyes will make several appearances on national television. A challenging schedule awaits against 11 teams ranked in the preseason top 25.

Reigning National Player of the Year Caitlin Clark has not set a timetable for a decision on her future. Clark is entering her senior season for an Iowa team that is coming off an appearance in the NCAA championship game and she could return for a fifth season.

The Hawkeyes return three starters but Clark says it is a much different team.

Clark says she is embracing the popularity that she and the team are enjoying and the opportunities that come with it.

Clark says the Hawkeyes are embracing the expectations.

Clark says one area she hopes to improve in this season is in the half court offense.

They open the regular season at home on November 8th against Fairleigh Dickinson. They will play a pre-season game at Kinnick Stadium against DePaul on October 15th.

 

 

IOWA CITY — Purdue’s offense has always been a tough matchup for Iowa and this week figures to be no different. The Boilermaker “Air Raid” offense wants to spread the field and the Boilers are also rushing for 150 yards per game.

That’s linebacker Jay Higgins who says they are prepared for fast tempo as well as an offense that huddles.

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Hawkeye corner Jermari Harris says Purdue’s run game has also been effective.

Former Hawkeye receiver Tyrone Tracy is playing running back for Purdue and leads the team with 288 yards of rushing.

That’s Iowa safety Quinn Schulte.

 

 

 

MASON CITY — The NIACC volleyball team dropped a three sets to one decision at home last night to Southeastern Community College in an Iowa Community College Athletic Conference contest. Southeastern won 25-14, 22-25, 25-19, 25-17. Sophomore Alyssa Wickersheim and freshman Ellie Hanna led the Trojans with seven kills apiece. Wickersheim also had 15 digs, one assist and one ace serve and Hanna added three digs. NIACC is 9-15 overall and 1-6 in the conference. They’ll host their own tournament on Friday and Saturday, which includes a 50th anniversary celebration of the Trojans’ volleyball program on Friday

 

 

CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — Former North Iowa Huskies and NHL coach Kevin Constantine was suspended indefinitely by the Western Hockey League on Wednesday as coach of the Wenatchee Wild. The major junior league said an independent investigation determined Constantine violated WHL regulations and policies by making what it called “derogatory comments of a discriminatory nature.” The WHL said Constantine will not be eligible to apply to the commissioner for reinstatement until 2025 at the earliest. Constantine was previously suspended Sept. 24 pending the independent investigation. The 64-year-old Constantine coached the North Iowa Huskies United States Hockey League club in the 1985-86 season, later coaching in the NHL from 1993-2002 with the San Jose Sharks, Pittsburgh Penguins and New Jersey Devils. He coached in Austria last season.