Metro Sports Report

Linn-Mar girls roar at state track

DES MOINES - Payton Wensel considers herself an awkward freshman in some respects, but she ran like a gazelle Thursday under blue skies in Des Moines.

Wensel captured the 400 meter dash and helped Linn-Mar win the 4x800 relay as the Lions roared into first place after the first day of the Class 4A state meet.

Linn-Mar junior Stephanie Jenks breezed to victory in the 3,000 meter run for the sixth state title of her record-setting career as the Lions got off to a fast start in the three-day meet.

Linn-Mar leads the pack with 30 points. Pleasant Valley is second with 24 points.

Wensel keeps surprising herself with her performances as a ninth grader.

Rima claims state title in 400

DES MOINES - Jalen Rima scrunched his face and shook his head when former Cedar Rapids Prairie football coach Mike Morrissey told him to join the track team two years ago.

Rima did not want to run around in circles, but Morrissey made it perfectly clear: No track, no football.

"I wasn't going to go out my freshman year, but because of him I went out," Rima said Thursday, all smiles. "Thank god he made me."

Kernels make early runs hold up

PEORIA, Ill - The Cedar Rapids Kernels scored three runs in the first inning and it proved to be enough as the Kernels downed the Peoria Chiefs, 3-2, Thursday night before 2,884 fans at Dozer Park.

The Kernels (25-16) opened the scoring in the top of the first against Chiefs righty Matt Pearce. Tanner English and Blake Schmit reached base on back-to-back walks. Two batters later Max Murphy walked to load the bases and English scored on a sacrifice fly from Zack Larson to make it 1-0. T.J. White tripled past a diving Collin Radack to drive in Schmit and Murphy for the 3-0 Kernels lead.

Cedar Rapids managed just three hits in the game, but still found a way to win.

The Chiefs got on the board against Kernels starter Felix Jorge in the bottom of the second. Alex DeLeon came up with two outs and blasted a solo home run over the left field wall to make it 3-1. The home run is DeLeon's second of the season and gives him 11 RBI so far this year.

Konrardy named 2nd team All-American

GREENSBORO, N.C. - Coe College junior Craig Konrardy has been named a second team All-American by the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA). Konrardy was the only player from an Iowa Conference school selected to the three teams.

Konrardy becomes the fifth Kohawk in school history to earn ABCA All-American honors and the third player to earn the honor under Coach Steve Cook, joining Alec Lewis (Second Team Pitcher in 2010) and Chad Kramer (Third Team First Baseman in 2006).

Konrardy, a shortstop from Waterloo, put together one of the best seasons in school history. He set school records for at-bats (203), runs scored (55), hits (83), doubles (22), total bases (115) and assists (175).