Metro Sports Report

Williams resigns from Prairie wrestling

Cedar Rapids Prairie wrestling coach Blake Williams announced Monday that he will be leaving the College Community School District effective at the end of the school year.

Williams, who also teaches elementary Physical Education, informed his wrestling team Monday that he was leaving after 12 years to take a teaching position with the Solon Community School District.

Under Williams' direction the Prairie wrestling program has seen a lot of success, as indicated by its consistent finish in the top five of the state traditional tournament in the past four years as well as nine appearances in the state dual team tournament during his 12 years.

Williams accumulated a 253-57 record, including 104-14 in the MVC. He also coached 51 state medal winners, including four state champions.

Schmidt will follow his dream with Hawkeyes

Ryan Schmidt began attending Iowa football games with his parents when he was in grade school. He loved cheering for the Hawkeyes at Kinnick Stadium, especially since his father was a defensive back for Hayden Fry back in the 1980's.

Someday those 70,000 fans at Kinnick might be cheering for Schmidt, who has grown up to be a talented 6-foot-6 quarterback with a dream.

Schmidt has happily accepted Iowa's offer to join the Hawkeyes this summer as a preferred walk-on, which means Coach Kirk Ferentz and his staff want him there and think he can help the program.

"I'm really excited," Schmidt said Saturday night. "Ever since I was kid, I was a Hawkeye fan. It's been my dream to run out at Kinnick and play for Iowa, so I'm really excited."

His father, Rick, has Iowa football memorabilia around the house in Marion. Now there will be a picture of Ryan in a Hawkeye jersey as well.

Wensel bursts onto scene with Linn-Mar

Payton Wensel gave a hint of her immense talent last year as an eighth grader when she won the 200, 400 and 800 meter runs at the state meet for junior high school kids.

Now she's a freshman at Linn-Mar and is already a smash hit on a much bigger stage.

Wensel set a meet record in the 400 meter dash and helped Linn-Mar set another mark in the 4x800 relay as the Lions captured top honors at the 29th Annual J-Hawk Relays at Kingston Stadium.

She also ran on the triumphant 4x400 relay to finish with three gold medals in a major meet that featured 14 schools and five Metro teams.

Jenks calls halt to triathlon career

Stephanie Jenks is one of the top triathletes in the world, but the Linn-Mar junior plans to stop competing in the demanding event to focus on her equally promising career as a distance runner.

"I'm actually putting triathletes aside until after college," Jenks said Saturday during the J-Hawk Relays at Kingston Stadium. "I'm focusing on college and I want to run in college."

She said she hopes to pick a college by the end of the year.

Jenks won the silver medal in the triathlon at the 2014 Junior Olympics in China last summer and was named the USA Junior Triathlete of the Year. She has competed internationally for several years in the grueling event, which consists of swimming, biking and running.