Metro Sports Report

Tavian Patrick (22) will be one of Washington's key weapons in the big playoff game against Kennedy on Friday night at Kingston Stadium. (MSR photo by Ken Gilchrist).

Cougars vs Warriors: A week too soon?

Thu - 05 Nov Written by Jim Ecker

The showdown between the Kennedy and Washington football teams in the Class 4A playoffs Friday night should be great fun, but could be coming a week too soon.

That's the only "negative" comment you can make about their impending battle at Kingston Stadium. It's coming in the quarterfinals of the postseason tournament instead of the semifinals.

Both teams are worthy of advancing to the Final 4 next Friday night in the UNI-Dome instead of having one of their seasons end this week. The Cougars (11-0) are ranked No. 3 in the state by the Des Moines Register and the Warriors (10-1) are ranked No. 5.

Washington's only loss was to Kennedy, 28-24, in the second game of the season two months ago. Otherwise, neither team has lost.

The other quarterfinal game in the Class 4A playoffs in Eastern Iowa features Iowa City High (8-3) at Bettendorf (11-0). Clearly, the Iowa High School Athletic Association used geography when it arranged the pairings for our side of the state.

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Johnson Mator has been a key player on defense for Kennedy after moving back to Cedar Rapids from Pennsylvania this year. (MSR photo by Margaret O'Banion)

Mator was 'missing link' for Kennedy defense

Wed - 04 Nov Written by Jim Ecker

Kennedy Coach Brian White began getting e-mails in February from a high school sophomore in Pennsylvania who said he was moving to Cedar Rapids and planned to play football for the Cougars this year.

"Yeah. Sure. Whatever," White recalled thinking, not taking it too seriously at the time.

Then Johnson Mator sent White the video highlights of him playing linebacker for the varsity football team at Central York High School last year as a sophomore and White got excited.

True to his word, Mator moved to Cedar Rapids and quickly became a key member of the Kennedy football team that has an 11-0 record and is ranked No. 3 in Class 4A heading into Friday night's showdown with Washington in the quarterfinals of the state playoffs at Kingston Stadium.

Mator plays the "mike" linebacker position for the Cougars and has excelled all year, leading the team in tackles and tackles behind the line of scrimmage. Kyle Knock, Kennedy's defensive coordinator, has been impressed with Mator from Day 1.

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Kelsey Fauser (3) and Ashlyn Moos celebrate after a Kohawk goal in the second half of Wednesday's penalty shootout loss to Loras at Clark Field. (MSR photo by Ken Gilchrist)

No. 16 Coe women ousted by Loras

Wed - 04 Nov Written by Jim Ecker

Coe senior Sarah Fathallah left Clark Field for the final time Wednesday evening with a heavy heart and a lump the size of a walnut near her right eye.

Fathallah was hurt with about 14 1/2 minutes left in the second half and never returned to action as the 16th-ranked Kohawks lost to Loras College, 1-1 in a PK Shootout, in the semifinals of the Iowa Conference tournament on the Coe campus.

The Kohawks struggled on offense much of the day and it didn't help when Fathallah, one of their leading scorers, was hit in the head by an opponent's elbow and knocked dizzy. But Fathallah, a former Linn-Mar star, was more bothered by the loss than she was by her nasty-looking injury.

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Kirkwood's Madsy Richards, a Xavier graduate, bumps the ball during Wednesday night's five-set victory over Southwestern at Johnson Hall. (MSR photo by Margaret O'Banion)

Freshmen spark No. 17 Eagles to victory

Wed - 04 Nov Written by Jim Ecker

Kirkwood volleyball coach Jill Williams has been waiting all season for her freshmen to click on the same night and help the Eagles win a big match.

It happened Wednesday night.

Freshman Morgan Grimm collected 25 kills and the 17th-ranked Eagles survived Southwestern, 3-2, in the dramatic semifinals of the Region XI-B tournament at Johnson Hall.

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No. 15 Mustangs trim Midland in OT

Sat - 07 Nov Written by Metro Sports Report

CJ Parker scored 22 points Friday night and Tre Wagner had 21 as the 15th-ranked Mount Mercy Mustangs edged Midland, 103-100, in overtime in the opening round of the ActionCOACH Shootout at the Hennessey Recreation Center.

Wagner gave Mount Mercy an 86-84 lead with two free throws with six seconds left in regulation, but Jesse Jones scored with one second left to force overtime.

Parker hit a 3-pointer to break a 97-97 tie and give the Mustangs a 100-97 edge with 27 seconds left in overtime. Ben Struss made two free throws to make it 102-97 and Chris Ford hit one free throw to make it 103-97 with six seconds left.

James Kaiser nailed a 3-pointer for Midland with one second left to make it 103-100.

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