Metro Sports Report

A.J. Puk arrested in Florida

Former Cedar Rapids Washington prep A.J. Puk was one of two pitchers on the Florida Gators baseball team arrested on UF's campus late Sunday night and charged with criminal trespass.

Sophomores Puk and Kirby Snead were charged with a third-degree felony after University Police arrested them after climbing a crane inside a marked construction without legal authority, according to records at the Alachua County Jail.

Police took the two players into custody at the site, located near the chemistry lab building, at 11:43 p.m. Sunday. The players were booked at 1:08 a.m. in Alachua County Jail and remained there waiting to appear before a judge Monday morning to receive their bond amount.

Puk and Snead have been suspended indefinitely, according to the Gainesville Sun.

Austin Flieder wins Metro Spotlight Award

Linn-Mar senior Austin Flieder is the winner of the Metro Spotlight Award for high school boys this week, the Metro Sports Report announced Sunday.

Flieder is one of the top sprinters in the state for the Linn-Mar track team, which has gotten off to another strong start this year.

Flieder ranks second in the state in the 400-meter dash in 49.45 seconds, performed Saturday at the Kennedy meet at Kingston Stadium. Will Seeser of Camanche leads the state at 49.37, just eight-hundredths of a second ahead of Flieder.

Flieder also performs on outstanding relay teams for Linn-Mar. The Lions rank No. 1 in the state in the 4x200 relay (1:29.58), they are No. 6 in the 1600 medley (3:35.81) and No. 7 in the 4x400 (3:26.77).

Payton Wensel wins Metro Spotlight Award

Linn-Mar freshman Payton Wensel is the winner of the Metro Spotlight Award for high school girls this week, the Metro Sports Report announced Sunday.

Wensel has established herself as one of the top sprinters in the state for the Linn-Mar track team with impressive performances in the 200 and 400 meter dashes.

Wensel leads the state in the 200 at 25.54 seconds, accomplished at the Pleasant Valley Relays in Bettendorf Friday night. She also ranks second in the state in the 400 in 57.84 seconds, performed April 4 at the J-Hawk Relays at Kingston Stadium.

With those times, Wensel would have tied for fourth in the 200 at the Class 4A state meet last year and would have placed fifth in the 400.

Tillery helps Kernels start 4-0

Zack Tillery got off to a terrific start as a hitter when he was a freshman at Florida Gulf Coast University a few years ago, but he's making his money as a pitcher now.

The Cedar Rapids Kernels are glad he is.

Tillery gave the Kernels a strong performance out of the bullpen Sunday as Cedar Rapids topped Beloit, 8-3, before 1,732 fans in the home opener at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Tillery, 22, allowed only one hit in 3 2/3 innings as the Kernels won their fourth straight game to begin the season. He struck out four batters and did not allow a run with his club clinging to a 5-3 lead at the time.

Tillery hit .314 with six home runs and 39 RBIs as a freshman at Florida Gulf Coast. He was also a pitcher in college, but for a time it looked like his future might be at third base.