CLASS 3A STATE TOURNAMENT
Tuesday (July 29th)
Quarterfinals
Waverly-Shell Rock 3, Solon 1
Assumption 8, Harlan 7
Sergeant Bluff-Luton 2, Algona 1
Dallas Center-Grimes 3, Fairfield 0 (nine innings)

Friday (Aug. 1st)
Semifinals
Noon. — Waverly-Shell Rock (36-2) vs. Assumption (24-15)
2 p.m. — Sergeant Bluff-Luton (25-11) vs. Dallas Center-Grimes (23-14)

CLASS 4A STATE TOURNAMENT
Wednesday, (July 30)
Quarterfinals
Noon — Waukee (35-4) vs. Johnston (22-16)
2 p.m. — Iowa City West (32-9) vs. Dowling Catholic (29-10)
6 p.m. — Dubuque Hempstead (36-5) vs. West Des Moines Valley (24-16)
8 p.m. — Cedar Rapids Kennedy (31-6) vs. Southeast Polk (29-13)

FARGO, N.D. (AP) — Three-time defending national champion North Dakota State is picked to win the Missouri Valley Football Conference title. The poll of league coaches, media and sports information directors released Tuesday shows the Bison with 24 out of 39 first-place votes and 370 points. NDSU has won 24 straight games. The Bison had a change in head coaches over the winter when Chris Klieman was named to replace Craig Bohl, who left for Wyoming.

South Dakota State is the second choice with eight first-place votes and 330 points, followed by Northern Iowa with seven first-place votes and 324 points. Youngstown State is tabbed for fourth with 240 points, followed by Southern Illinois (237), Illinois State (197), Missouri State (180), South Dakota (121), Western Illinois (96) and Indiana State (50).

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — Chiefs linebacker Derrick Johnson still believes his best days are ahead. The 31-year-old veteran is beginning his 10th season, coming off his third Pro Bowl and closing in on the franchise record for tackles. He needs just 19 to reach 1,000 for his career, which would be one more than Gary Spani recorded from 1978-86. Johnson said this week that he hasn’t thought about hanging up his cleats, even though he’ll turn 32 in November.

Johnson said he’s still working out in the offseason with Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles, and as long as he can keep up with him, he’s going to keep going. Besides, there may be no more valuable player on the Chiefs defense than No. 56.

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Jedd Gyorko singled in Yangervis Solarte with the go-ahead run with two outs in the sixth inning and Tyson Ross and the San Diego Padres beat the St. Louis Cardinals 3-1 on Tuesday night. Ross, a first-time All-Star, won his third straight start by holding St. Louis to one run and four hits in six innings. He struck out seven, including fanning the side in his last inning. It was the eighth time Ross (10-10) went six-plus innings and allowed two or fewer runs, the second-longest such streak in the majors.

Gyorko returned Monday from a 44-game stay on the disabled list with plantar fasciitis. His run-scoring single to left off Lance Lynn came just as it seemed the Padres would strand two runners. Solarte homered into the short porch in right with two outs in the seventh. It was his second with the Padres and eighth overall.

Joaquin Benoit pitched the ninth for his third save.

w/ Jim Field

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CLASS 2A STATE TOURNAMENT

Monday, July 28
Quarterfinals
North Polk 7, Maple Valley-Anthon-Oto 1
Roland-Story 4, South Winneshiek 1
Beckman Catholic 6, Hinton 3
Van Meter 2, Iowa City Regina 1
Thursday, July 31
Semifinals
6 p.m. — North Polk (30-5) vs. Roland-Story (27-12)
8 p.m. — Beckman Catholic (28-13) vs. Van Meter (32-2)

CLASS 3A STATE TOURNAMENT
Tuesday, July 29
Quarterfinals
Noon — Waverly-Shell Rock (35-2) vs. Solon (23-15)
2 p.m. — Harlan (25-8) vs. Assumption (23-15)
6 p.m. — Sergeant Bluff-Luton (24-11) vs. Algona (27-7)
8 p.m. — Fairfield (30-7) vs. Dallas Center-Grimes (22-14)

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) – The presumptive favorite to win the starting right guard spot with the Kansas City Chiefs worked out with the third team on Monday. The guy who is challenging him for the spot slid over to center during another portion of the workout. Rishaw Johnson and Zach Fulton are just the start of the offensive line shuffle.

After watching three linemen who started last season depart in free agency – all within hours of each other – the Chiefs are trying to cobble together some sort of protection for quarterback Alex Smith that can also manage to open up running lanes for Jamaal Charles during training camp.

And with lingering questions about the health of left tackle Eric Fisher and an ankle injury to starting right tackle Donald Stephenson, that job hasn’t gotten a whole lot easier.

NEWTON, Iowa (AP) – Brad Keselowski will run the NASCAR Nationwide race in Iowa on Saturday, just a day before the Sprint Cup event at Pocono. Keselowski will make his seventh start in NASCAR’s second-tier series this season. Keselowski, who has already won a pair of Nationwide races in 2014, will replace Ryan Blaney in the No. 22 car so Blaney can run a trucks race in Pocono on Saturday.

Keselowski has won twice in four Nationwide races at Iowa Speedway, including the inaugural event in 2009.  Keselowski will fly back to Pennsylvania following Saturday night’s race to run the No. 2 car at Pocono on Sunday.

Officials with the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce invite you to run in the “AtlanticFest Road Race” on August 9th Help kick off AtlanticFest 2014 by registering for the 5 mile run, 2 mile run, or 2 mile walk. All pre-registered runners and walkers will receive a dri- fit shirt. Over 100 awards given and a $5 all-you-can eat pancake breakfast.

Pick up a form at the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce or YMCA, or register online at www.atlanticiowa.com. For questions, please call the Atlantic Area Chamber at 712.243.3017.