(IHSAA) The Iowa High School Athletic Association and its title sponsor, the Iowa Farm Bureau, are proud to have secured the HeadStrong Concussion Insurance program for the 2018-19 school year.

HeadStrong provides “first-dollar” insurance coverage for all students (males and females) in grades 9-12 participating in the practice or play of interscholastic sports sanctioned by the IHSAA. These include: baseball, basketball, bowling, cheerleading (non-competition), cross country, football, golf, soccer, swimming, tennis, track and field, and wrestling.

The Iowa Farm Bureau is sponsoring the premium expense for every IHSAA participant in the program. Coverage will run from August 1, 2018 to August 1, 2019. The insurance carrier for this policy is Nationwide Life Insurance Company, with K&K Insurance serving as a third-party administrator.

“The IHSAA and the Iowa Farm Bureau believe providing this insurance puts Iowa at the forefront of providing quality care for student-athletes who sustain a concussion in one of our sanctioned sports,” said Alan Beste, executive director of the IHSAA.

“We hope this insurance removes the financial barrier students and their parents or guardians may have when it comes to seeking care for a concussion.”

HeadStrong was developed to insure student-athletes from the high cost of concussion treatment and potential neurological follow-up. It provides student-athletes with $0 deductible and $0 co-pay coverage for concussion assessment and treatment and serves as a secondary or excess policy to other primary and collectable insurance. It will become the primary payor if no other insurance is available.

The IHSAA is now one of seven state high school athletic associations providing coverage for 100 percent of participants, joining Arizona, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. More information and guides to the program are available through the links below.

IHSAA: http://www.iahsaa.org/information/sports-medicine-wellness-info/

Dissinger Reed: http://www.dissingerreed.com/high-school-programs/

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

MIAMI (AP) — Javy Guerra cleaned up a ninth-inning mess created by struggling closer Kyle Barraclough, getting Yadier Molina to hit into a double play to end the Miami Marlins’ 2-1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. After Wei-Yin Chen pitched 5 2/3 innings of one-hit ball, Miami led 2-0 going into the ninth and handed the game off to Barraclough. Barraclough loaded the bases and walked in a run before Guerra got Molina to end it.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Javier Baez went deep, Cole Hamels pitched six strong innings and the Chicago Cubs beat the Kansas City Royals 3-1. Baez hit the first pitch from reliever Kevin McCarthy in the sixth inning to center for his 25th home run, putting the Cubs ahead 2-1. Baez doubled in the eighth to score Jason Heyward, upping his RBI total to an NL-leading 88. Hamels is 2-0 since the Cubs acquired him in a July 27 trade with the Texas Rangers. He allowed one run and seven hits.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Erik Chinander turned around a bad defense his first year at Central Florida. He’s confident he can do the same as Nebraska’s new defensive coordinator. The Cornhuskers allowed 54 or more points in four of their last six games and ranked in the 100s nationally in three of the four major defensive categories. Chinander is heartened by the Huskers’ desire to make amends for their shoddy performances in 2017.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — The PGA Championship finally found its identity. It’s the one major where players are allowed to practice in shorts. They might not need to next year. The suffocating heat Monday at Bellerive was a welcome reminder that the PGA Championship is moving to May.

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs made out pretty well when they drafted Tyreek Hill out of West Alabama in the later rounds of the NFL draft. The speedster has become one of the NFL’s most dynamic players. Now, they’re hopeful another late-round gamble, this time on swift cornerback Tremon Smith out of Central Arkansas, will pay off in a similarly splendid way.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Golf fans are not seeing double this week at the PGA Championship. Indeed, there are two Zach Johnsons roaming Bellerive. One is the two-time major winner from Iowa, the other is a PGA pro from Utah who played his way into the year’s final major.

The Alliance of American Football has signed its first 100 players for the new spring league.

The AAF begins a 10-game regular season with eight teams in February. The first batch of players to sign the league’s standard three-year deal worth $250,000 was announced Monday . The players are allocated based on where they played in college or professionally. Players without geographic ties to an AAF team are allowed to sign with any team.

Players who receive NFL contracts will be allowed to break deals with the AAF, which was founded by TV and film producer Charlie Ebersol and Bill Polian.

Three former Iowa State players signed with Alliance teams. Center Oni Omoile signed with Memphis, Wide Receiver Dondre Daley signed with Orlando, and Safety Kamari Cotton-Moya signed with Phoenix. Former Nebraska Defensive Back Kieron Williams also signed with Phoenix.

The Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association held their All-Start Series over this past weekend. Here is a look at the scores.

Thursday, August 2nd

Small East 4, Large East 1
Small West 10, Large West 8

Friday, August 3rd

Large East 19, Small West 8
Small East 6, Large West 5 (9 innings)

Saturday, August 4th

Small East 5, Small West 3
Large West 9, Large East 4

Sunday, August 5th

Consolation Game
Large West 8, Small West 3

Championship Game
Small East 5, Large East 0

Garret Reisz (St. Albert) was named the MVP of the Small West team. Players from the area that played on the Small Schools West Squad in the All-Star Series were Pitchers Garret Reisz of St. Albert and Bryce Neal of Clarinda. Catchers Jared Moser of Harlan and Ben Berg of Kuemper Catholic. Infielder Ryan Doran of Harlan. Utility Player Jaden Driskell of Creston. Coaches for the team included Steve Daeges of Harlan as Head Coach and Steve Birchard of Creston as an Assistant.

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

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Rookie Jake Cave hit his first career grand slam and closer Fernando Rodney survived a chaotic ninth inning as the Minnesota Twins defeated the Kansas City Royals 6-5. Rodney gave up Whit Merrifield’s fourth hit of the game leading off the ninth, but catcher Mitch Garver threw him out trying to steal second. Rodney then allowed two more base runners, but with the tying run 90 feet away he retired Rosell Herrera on a ground ball to earn his 24th save in 30 chances.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Jack Flaherty cruised through six innings, Matt Carpenter hit another homer and the St. Louis Cardinals held on for a 2-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Flaherty allowed three hits with seven strikeouts and one walk in six innings. It marked the first time he completed six innings since July 3. Carpenter’s solo home run was his career-high 29th of the season.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The St. Louis Cardinals have claimed right-hander Tyson Ross off waivers from the San Diego Padres. The 31-year-old Ross is 6-9 with a 4.45 ERA in 22 starts this season. He will join the team during its upcoming series in Miami.

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

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Jedd Gyorko drove in three runs while Kolten Wong, just off the disabled list, and Yadier Molina both had three hits to lead the St. Louis Cardinals to an 8-4 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Gyorko hit a pair of doubles, including a tiebreaking one in the fifth inning.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Dexter Fowler’s difficult season has taken another downturn as the St. Louis Cardinals outfielder fielder has sustained a broken left foot. Fowler has been put on the 10-day disabled list. Second baseman Kolten Wong was activated from the 10-day DL.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Max Kepler had three hits, including a two-run homer that put Minnesota ahead to stay, and Jose Berrios threw seven sharp innings to help the Twins beat the Kansas City Royals 8-2. Eddie Rosario and Logan Morrison also homered as the Twins won their second straight against the Royals. Kepler went 3 for 3 with a walk and scored two runs.

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt is just as excited to see Patrick Mahomes II at quarterback as the rest of the team’s fans. Hunt took in practice at Missouri Western and spoke on a number of issues. But his most effusive praise was reserved for Mahomes. He thinks the QB could lead Kansas City to playoff success.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Lee Westwood of England withdraws from the PGA Championship next week with an injury, missing the major for only the second time since he first played it in 1997. The PGA of America did not specify the nature of Westwood’s injury.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Dexter Fowler’s difficult season has taken another downturn as the St. Louis Cardinals outfielder has sustained a broken left foot and will wear a walking boot for one month.

Fowler was put on the 10-day disabled list prior to Saturday night’s game with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Second baseman Kolten Wong was activated from the 10-day DL.
Fowler was examined by team doctors. He’ll be reevaluated after a month in the boot.
The 32-year-old Fowler was removed in the eighth inning of Friday night’s 7-6 loss to the Pirates. Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said Fowler was injured earlier in the game when he fouled a ball off the foot.

Fowler is hitting just .180 with eight home runs and 31 RBIs in 90 games. This is the second year of his $82.5-million, five-year contract. Wong had been out since July 22 with left knee inflammation. He is hitting .216 with seven homers and 24 RBIs in 91 games.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Chris Archer didn’t make it past the fifth inning in his Pittsburgh Pirates’ debut.

However, he still got a standing ovation when he was removed from the game. And his team pulled out a win, too.

Adam Frazier’s RBI single in the eighth inning helped the Pirates beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-6 on Friday night.

Pittsburgh overcame a rough outing by Archer, acquired from Tampa Bay earlier in the week, as gave up five runs and seven hits in 4 1/3 innings. He struck out six and walked four. Despite the uneven performance, the right-hander — winless in his last eight starts — received the ovation when he was removed during a three-run fifth inning.

The Pirates broke a 6-6 tie in the eighth when Josh Harrison singled with one out off Jordan Hicks (3-3) and Jordy Mercer walked. After pinch-hitter Jose Osuna struck out, Frazier drove in Harrison by grounding a single into center field.

Kyle Crick (2-1) gave up Jedd Gyorko’s tying RBI grounder in the top of the eighth. Felipe Vazquez pitched a scoreless ninth for his 25th save, the most in a season by a Pirates’ left-hander. Mike Gonzalez had 24 in 2006.

Pittsburgh improved to a major league-best 17-5 since July 8.

Archer ran into trouble early as Matt Carpenter hit a home run to center field, his 27th, on the game’s third pitch. Carpenter extended his franchise record for homers leading off a game to 23, including eight this season.

Frazier and Starling Marte had three hits for Pittsburgh, which had a total of 12, and Gregory Polanco drove in three runs. Polanco hit a two-run triple and scored on Colin Moran’s sacrifice fly in the first inning then hit a sacrifice fly during a three-run third that pushed the lead to 6-2.

Rookies Tyler O’Neill and Yairo Munoz each had three hits of St. Louis’ 15 hits and Carpenter, Gyorko and Dexter Fowler added two each. The Cardinals left 16 runners on base while losing for the third time in four games.

St. Louis starter John Gant gave up six runs in four innings.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: Rookie LHP Austin Gomber (1-0, 3.22 ERA) will make his second career start Saturday night. He is moving from the bullpen to replace RHP Carlos Martinez (strained right shoulder).

Pirates: RHP Ivan Nova (6-6, 4.33) is 4-1 with a 3.59 ERA in nine starts since being activated from the disabled list. He was out from May 25-June 9 with a sprained right ring finger.