Metro Sports Report

Eldred headlines Norway Hot Stove Banquet

Former Major League pitcher Cal Eldred will be the featured speaker at the Norway Baseball Association Hot Stove Banquet on Friday, Jan. 29 at the IBEW Hall in southwest Cedar Rapids.

Eldred, 48, compiled an 86-74 record with the Milwaukee Brewers, Chicago White Sox and St. Louis Cardinals from 1991 until his retirement following the 2005 season. He finished fourth in the American League Rookie of the Year voting in 1992 and made two appearances for the Cardinals in the 2004 World Series.

Eldred attended Center Point-Urbana High School and played at the University of Iowa. He was selected by Milwaukee in the first round of the 1989 draft and spent nine years with the Brewers.

Eldred is currently a special assistant for the Cardinals, working with minor leaguers in the organization.

Proceeds from the Hot Stove Banquet will be used to upgrade and maintain the Norway baseball field. The City of Norway recently purchased the field from the Benton Community School District for $1 and the newly formed Norway Baseball Association will run the facility.

Lilly nets 500th win of special career

Tom Lilly's remarkable career as a girls basketball coach had a humble beginning in 1980.

Lilly's girlfriend at the time -- "Who shall remain nameless" -- asked him to help her coach a 7th grade team at St. Matthew's school in Cedar Rapids and he accepted the chance to work at his alma mater.

He's come a long, long way since then.

Lilly collected his 500th victory as a varsity girls basketball coach Tuesday night when the Xavier Saints topped Davenport Assumption, 57-47, at the Ron Thillen Gymnasium at Xavier.

Lilly, 60, became the 32nd member of the 500 Club, according to the Iowa Girls' Athletic Coaches Association, and he's harvested four state titles and many fond memories along the way.

No. 4 Saints dunk Davenport Assumption

The Xavier Saints poured in 30 points in the first quarter Tuesday night and began the game with a dunk by Ryan Stulken.

Unwilling to rest on their laurels, coach Ryan Luehrsmann designed a special play for Stulken to begin the second half and the 6-foot-7 senior threw down another jam to get the crowd revved up again.

The fourth-ranked Saints cruised to an impressive 78-52 victory over Davenport Assumption and headed into the holiday break with a 5-1 record.

Stulken's slam to begin the game came in transition, but his dunk to start the second half was concocted by Luehrsmann during the 10-minute intermission and took Stulken by surprise.

"He just drew it up at halftime," Stulken said. "We never ran it in practice or anything. That was the first time.

Anderson commits to Denver volleyball

Linn-Mar junior Ellie Anderson plans to continue her successful volleyball career at the University of Denver, which is an NCAA Division I school.

Anderson announced her decision Thursday on her social media account.

Anderson, 5-foot-8, helped Linn-Mar compile a 28-9 record this season. She finished ninth in Class 5A with 803 assists and was honored as a first-team selection on the Mississippi Valley Conference team.

Anderson also had 228 digs, 117 kills, 47 aces and 21 blocks.