Metro Sports Report

Thompson's sad day ends with title

New Cedar Rapids Prairie wrestling coach Kane Thompson ran the gamut of emotions Saturday with deep sadness, some happiness and a bittersweet victory all rolled into a short period of time.

Thompson helped bury his 82-year-old grandfather Saturday morning in Brooklyn (Iowa), then drove back to Cedar Rapids Saturday afternoon with a heavy heart and saw his Prairie Hawks win the championship of the Five Seasons Duals at Kennedy High School.

Ironically, Prairie defeated Thompson's former team in the finals when it topped Alburnett 40-34 in a tight battle for the crown.

Thompson missed Prairie's first three matches Saturday before arriving in time for part of its fourth match and all of the finals against Alburnett, where he coached for the last eight years.

Jackson sparks No. 2 Kirkwood men

The Kirkwood Eagles were not getting a whole lot accomplished in their men's basketball game against Black Hawk College Saturday afternoon when Coach Bryan Petersen reached deep into his bench and sent Al'Tavius Jackson onto the floor.

The 6-foot-1 freshman got things going in a hurry.

Jackson tossed in eight points with an impressive flurry late in the first half and finished with a career-best 18 points to help the second-ranked Eagles roll Black Hawk, 97-69, at Johnson Hall.

Jackson had not played in Kirkwood's last four games and had scored only 18 points all season. He matched that output in a single showing as the Eagles raised their record to 11-1.

Mount Mercy knocks off Wartburg

CJ Parker collected a double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds Saturday as Mount Mercy topped Wartburg, 85-75, in a men's basketball game at the Hennessey Recreation Center.

Chris Ford also scored 17 points as the Mustangs raised their record to 8-3. Tre Wagner contributed 16 points for Mount Mercy.

Nick Webber scored 20 points for Wartburg (4-3).

WARTBURG (75): Kalan 1 0-0 2, Herman 3 0-0 8, Woeste 2 7-10 11, Webber 8 3-3 20, Putchio 1 1-2 3, Stoveall 1 2-2 4, Brown 2 3-4 7, Kickbush 3 0-0 8, Sabus 3 0-0 7, Pitz 1 0-0 2, Ellis 1 0-0 3. Totals 26 16-21 75.

MOUNT MERCY (85): Houston 2 1-1 5, Wagner 4 8-11 16, Parker 4 8-9 17, Brawner 2 2-2 7, Bedford 1 0-0 3, Strong 3 1-4 8, Ford 6 3-3 17, Lamaak 4 0-0 8, Gogg 2 0-0 4. Totals 28 23-30 85.

Halftime - Mount Mercy 46, Wartburg 34. 3-point goals - Wartburg 7 (Herman 2, Kickbush 2, Webber 1, Sabus 1, Ellis 1), Mount Mercy 6 (Ford 2, Parker 1, Brawner 1, Bedford 1, Strong 1).

No. 7 Kennedy girls top Ames

AMES - The Cedar Rapids Kennedy girls basketball team won its sixth straight game Saturday with a 49-38 victory over the Ames Little Cyclones in Ames.

Lela Sellers scored 17 points and grabbed seven rebounds as the seventh-ranked Cougars raised their record to 6-1. Sydney Hayden popped in five 3-pointers and added 15 points.

Hailey Dolphin contributed seven points and six rebounds to the victory. Linden Runels had seven rebounds.

Kelly Friedrich scored 12 points for Ames (4-2).

KENNEDY (49): Langhurst 2 1-2 5, Hamilton 1 0-0 3, Hayden 5 0-0 15, Sellers 8 0-1 17, Hellweg 0 0-0 0, Dolphin 2 2-2 7, Runels 1 0-2 2, Maier 0 0-0 0. Totals 19 3-7 49.

AMES (38): Weiss 4 0-0 11, Friedrich 4 2-2 12, Frisk 1 1-2 3, Barnes 0 0-0 0, Alvarez 0 0-0 0, Lipsey 2 0-0 5, White 2 3-4 7. Totals 13 6-8 38.

Halftime - Kennedy 31, Ames 20. 3-point goals - Kennedy 8 (Hayden 5, Hamilton 1, Sellers 1, Dolphin 1), Ames 6 (Weiss 3, Friedrich 2, Lipsey 1).