NEWTON, Iowa (AP) — Ryan Preece survived a green-white-checkered finish to win the NASCAR Xfinity race Saturday at Iowa Speedway for his first career victory. The 26-year-old Preece, running the second of a two-race deal in the No. 20 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, held off Kyle Benjamin on three restarts in the final 17 laps. Preece started from the pole.

Benjamin was second, followed by Brian Scott, Brennan Poole and rookie Cole Custer. William Byron, who began a streak of three wins in five races at Iowa last month, finished ninth. Justin Allgaier was 20th after leading 106 laps.

The Beckman Catholic Trailblazers defeated the Kuemper Catholic Knights 9-6 Saturday at Principal Park to win the Class 2A championship game. Beckman wins its sixth state championship and its first since back-to-back titles in 2012-2013.

The Trailblazers came out firing on all cylinders, tagging Kuemper pitching for nine runs in the bottom of the first inning. Beckman sent 13 batters to the plate in the inning, drawing six walks, recording three hits and one hit by pitch. Nine runs is all Beckman would need, with starting pitcher Jackson Bennett holding Kuemper to one run in four innings of work. He gave up just two hits, walking four and striking out nine before leaving the game due to a pitch count restriction.

Kuemper clawed its way back into the game, scoring one in the fourth and five runs in the sixth to get within three runs. Six straight baserunners reached for the Knights to start the sixth inning, with the first five coming across to score. Leadoff hitter Izak Baumhover reached base in four of five plate appearances, going 2-for-3 with a double, RBI, walk and hit by pitch.

Beckman second baseman Riley LeGrand did it all for the Trailblazers, reaching base three times with two singles, two RBI and a walk, while pitching the final inning to seal the 9-6 win for the Blazers en route to their championship victory.

Beckman Catholic finishes the season with a 32-11 record as it takes home the Class 2A state championship for the third time in the last six seasons. Kuemper Catholic finishes the season with a 22-13 record.

The Newman Catholic Knights defeated the Martensdale-St. Marys Blue Devils 8-3 Saturday at Principal Park to win the Class 1A championship game. Newman wins its third state championship in the last five years, also taking home the Class 1A title in 2013 and 2015.

The Knights trailed early, overcoming a 3-0 deficit to win the state championship. Martensdale-St. Marys jumped out to an early lead on a two-run single off the bat of third baseman Esa Johanson in the top of the second. Blue Devils starting pitcher Kevin Duncan retired the first nine Newman hitters he faced, striking out six. The Knights’ bats exploded in the bottom of the fourth, tagging the Blue Devils for seven runs on five hits. The first six batters of the inning reached base and scored for the Knights as they took a 7-3 lead.

Newman starting pitcher Evan Paulus pitched his second complete game of the tournament, holding the Blue Devils to three runs on five hits. Paulus did not allow a hit in his last three innings of work, and struck out five in his outing. The Knights’ offensive showcase was a spread-out attack, with all nine hitters reaching base at least once but no one recording multiple hits.

Newman Catholic finishes the season with a 35-3 record as it takes home the Class 1A state championship for the third time in the last five seasons. Martensdale-St. Marys finishes the season with a 41-5 record.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Hall of Fame outfielder Lou Brock says he is free of cancer more than three months after the 78-year-old St. Louis Cardinals great announced he had been diagnosed with a type of blood cancer.

Brock said in a statement Friday that a doctor’s diagnosis that he had conquered multiple myeloma was “the greatest news ever.” He credited God and thanked family, friends and fans for their support, saying he remained hopeful.

Brock’s previous health issues have included having his left leg was amputated below the knee in late 2015 because of an infection caused by complications with diabetes. He was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes more than 15 years ago and has worn a prosthesis since the amputation.

He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1985.