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AMES, Iowa – Iowa State softball head coach Jamie Pinkerton has named Aaron Jackson as a volunteer assistant coach for the Cyclones.
Jackson comes to Iowa State after serving as the head coach at Carroll College in Montana the past seven seasons. Jackson started the program at the same time that Pinkerton started the program at Montana.
“I’m excited to have someone with the experience that Aaron has joining our staff at Iowa State,” Pinkerton said. “Aaron was starting the program at Carroll during the same time that I was starting the program at Montana. He was able to make an impact on a new program immediately and we look forward to Aaron bringing his knowledge to our team.”
Carroll won the Cascade East Division title in 2016, which was the first of three appearances in the Cascade Conference Tournament under Jackson. In addition to his head coaching duties, Jackson also served as a member of the NAIA Softball Executive Committee and the NAIA All-American Selection Committee.
Prior to his time at Carroll, Jackson was the head coach at Eastern Oregon for three seasons (2011-13). In his three seasons at Eastern Oregon, Jackson led the Mountaineers to seven wins over top 25 teams and had five players earn all-conference honors.
Ross Martens saved the best round of the weekend for last and took the title at the 63rd Annual Tournament of Champions at Atlantic Golf and Country Club on Sunday. Martens shot a final round 66 on Sunday, which matched the best round of all golfers through the three day event. He began the day at even par for his first two rounds and was one shot behind leader Andrew Martin. His 66 brought the weekend total to -3, 204, which ended up 4 shots better than Runner-Up Zach Christianson from the Atlantic Golf and Country Club.
Ross Martens, 2021 Championship Division Champion
Martens opened the round with a bogey but quickly turned things around after that. He used a big stretch of 4 under through five holes to take command of the lead. He birdied 7, 8, 10, and 11 and just edged out a another birdie attempt on 9 to make his strong run. He would later survive a little trouble on the 13th. Christianson had driven the green and Ross’ second shot ended up short left. He chipped up and then was able to sink a 13 foot par putt to save the hole. Christianson then lipped out on a birdie attempt and ultimately no movement came to the leaderboard. Martens said he was thankful for all of the support, loves playing in the tournament, and always wanted to win it. His parent were able to walk the entire round with him and his father was on the bag.
The Senior Division needed a playoff to decide the winner. Last year’s champ Ron Peterson got caught on the back nine by Del Miller and they both finished at +8 for the weekend. Both players parred the first playoff hole. Miller then nearly chipped in for birdie on the second and tapped in for a par. Peterson ended up with a bogey after missing his putt and Miller secured the win. It’s the fourth time Miller has grabbed the senior title.
Del Miller, 2021 Senior Division Champion
Rick Thompson, 2021 Super Senior Division Champion
The Super Senior Division was won for the second year in a row by Rick Thompson. He shot a stellar round of 67 on Sunday to grab the win by one stroke over another Past Champion in John Willmore. Thompson finished the weekend with a +7, 214 total.
Thanks to all the tournament leaders, volunteers, and Atlantic Golf and Country Club staff for another wonderful tournament and helping us execute our live coverage.
Listen to the post round interview with Ross Martens below.
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Sunday, August 15, 2021 @ Atlantic Golf & Country Club
CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION (FINAL)
SENIOR DIVISION (FINAL)
SUPER SENIOR DIVISION (FINAL)
Saturday, August 14, 2021 @ Atlantic Golf & Country Club (CLICK HERE for Sunday Tee Times August 15th)
CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION (Complete)
SENIOR DIVISION (Complete)
SUPER SENIOR DIVISION (Complete)
Friday, August 13, 2021 @ Atlantic Golf & Country Club (CLICK HERE for Saturday Tee Times)
CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION (Complete)
SENIOR DIVISION (Complete)
SUPER SENIOR DIVISION (Complete)
(Radio Iowa) – Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz expects junior quarterback Spencer Petras to take major strides this season. In his first year as a starter, Petras finished third in the Big Ten in passing yards as the Hawkeyes closed on a six game winning streak.
Ferentz says Petras made a lot of progress after the Hawkeyes stumbled to an 0-2 start.
Ferentz says Petras has the qualities needed to lead an offense.
All American center Tyler Linderbaum says Petras gained valuable experience last season.
Linderbaum says Petras is a natural leader.
The Hawkeyes open at home on September fourth against Indiana.
(Radio Iowa) – Last night’s (Thursday night’s) Field of Dreams game in Dyersville featured eight home runs, including a final two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth that secured the 9-to-8 victory for the Chicago White Sox. Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred says there’ll be a Field of Dreams game again next year, likely in August. “It’s just been so successful that it’s hard not to take the opportunity to do it again,” he said during a news conference before the game. The commissioner did not reveal which teams would play in a second Field of Dreams game.
“The reception that this event has received has been so positive that we will be back,” Manfred said. “I think it’s pretty clear we’ll be back next year and we’ll have to talk about it after that.” Kevin Costner, star of the iconic 1989 movie that inspired last night’s game, says there’s nothing like tradition. “It does feel like all the teams are going to want to touch this,” Costner said. “There’s going to be hot competition to play here.” On Wednesday, Costner toured the field built on the same property as the baseball diamond originally constructed for the movie. Thursday night, Costner played a role in opening the Fox Sports national broadcast of the Field of Dreams game.
During the news conference before the game, Costner used the word nuanced to describe the field and the entire event. “Field of Dreams all the way through from the movie to this moment has had the benefit of people who are very careful,” Costner says. The White Sox and the Yankees wore special retro uniforms for last night’s game and the players entered the field through the rows of corn surrounding the outfield. Eight-thousand were in the stands for the game a few miles outside of Dyersville. Hundreds more set up lawn chairs in the City Square in Dyersville to watch the game on a big screen.
Karen Kramer has lived in Dyersville for 30 years and she says the event is about much more than baseball. “I’m watching groups of families come in,” she says. “The whole movie is really about that and I think that’s what we’re finding.” Ken Graves connects the underlying theme of the movie to his own experience. He’s been playing baseball since he was five. “That was a gift that my Dad gave to me and my Dad has been gone for like 23 years,” he says. “You know, there are some things that maybe you didn’t want to say, but you said at the time, and you wish you could take it back — and you wish you could have somebody come back.”
Costner, the movie’s star, suggests a film without car chases or explosions still connects with audiences because it’s about a father and a son getting a second chance to deal with unfinished business.
(Radio Iowa) – The Dyersville area is getting a lot of national attention for tonight’s (Thursday) for the Major League baseball game, but Dyersville’s mayor James Heavens says the impact it has had on the state is a good thing. “I’m very impressed and very amazed that the people of Iowa — because I get around quite a bit in my business — are very aware of this game and I think they are very proud it as Iowans that it’s happening. It happens to be in Dyersville — but it is kind of an Iowa strong, Iowa cornfield type of thing,” Heavens says. He says he’s found that to be the case everywhere he goes in the state.
“When they find out I am from Dyersville — not even knowing I am the mayor — they’ll comment,”Oh you got the big game up there, we’ll be watching that.’ That kind of warms your heart,” he says. Heavens has been mayor in two different stints totaling 14 years. He says the movie site is something unique. “You know when you go out to the Field of Dreams it’s like everybody’s barriers around them drop. I mean you can go up to somebody and say ‘Hey where are you from,’…and they say we really like Dyersville. And they’ll tell you their whole life story, it’s like all of their defenses drop when they are out there and it’s like one big neighborhood almost,” Heavens says. Heavens says it is good to see the movie site back in the national spotlight, which he said had kind of dropped off until new owners took over with improvement plans.
“For many years the Field of Dreams was kind of just there,” according to Heavens, “it wasn’t a big economic engine for the city or the county. But it did attract 60-thousand visitors per year,” he says. Heavens will watch the game on T-V outside with others. “They offered a couple of tickets to the mayor and the city council and I elected to not take one because there’s a lot of people who really, really wanted to go to that game. And if they can take my seat — so much the better,” Heavens says. Heavens says they’ve spruced up the city and filled what few potholes they have to prepare for all the visitors — but they don’t have to worry about much else.
“This is Major League Baseball’s party here, and we want to help them host that as best as we can — and I think we do a good job of that. You know we have a toy show here in the fall, we like company and we like people to come and see us,” Heavens says. Heavens hopes ML-B will continue holding games at the Field of Dreams movie site and he would especially be interested in seeing one between the Cubs and Cardinals.
(Radio Iowa) – Iowa receiver Tyrone Tracy says the Hawkeyes are feeling confident as they get ready for a new season. The Hawkeyes stumbled out of the game last year by losing two close games before rallying with six straight victories to end a COVID shortened season with a record of 6-2.
Tracy says quarterback Spencer Petras has taken charge of the offense. in his first season as a starter, Petras finished third in the Big Ten in passing yards for an offense that averaged nearly 32 points per game.
With Ihmir Smith-Marsette and Brandon Smith trying to make NFL rosters Tracy is expected to become the leader of the receivers.
The Hawkeyes open September fourth at home against Indiana.
The 63rd Annual Tournament of Champions will tee up this weekend at the Atlantic Golf and Country Club. We’ll have coverage throughout the weekend on KJAN.
Two of the division winners from last year’s tournament will be back to try to defend their titles. Dr. Matt Weresh won the Championship Division in 2020 with a two-shot victory. He finished with a weekend total +1, 208, grabbing his third title at the T of C. He currently is not scheduled to play. Zach Christianson was runner-up with a 210 total in 2020 and he’ll be back in the field.
Ron Peterson will be back to defend his Senior Division title. The Senior Division is open to players 50 years of age and up. Peterson had won the Championship Division multiple times and last year was his first playing in the Senior portion of the tournament. He ran away with a 7-shot victory, finishing with a +8, 215 weekend total. Del Miller and Darron Baker both finished at +15 to take 2nd and 3rd place respectively; they will both be back in the field as well.
The Super Senior Division, which is available to players 65+, was won in 2020 by Rick Thompson. He shot terrific +1, 208 total to win the division by ten shots. He also is back in the field for this year’s event.
Currently 43 players are entered in the Championship Division, 28 players in the Senior Division, and 14 players in the Super Senior Division.
We’ll have live reports from the course all weekend long, so keep it tuned to KJAN for all the latest results and check the sports page here for continuous score updates.
Check out the first round tee times here: 2021 Round 1 Tee Times
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