Metro Sports Report

Marion cruises to 4A state tourney

MAQUOKETA - Roxanne Paulsen has been operating a successful volleyball program at Marion High School for many years and won a state title in 2008, but none of the players on this year's team had ever played in the state tournament when the season began.

That changed Tuesday night.

The third-ranked Indians dominated DeWitt Central, 25-13, 25-13, 25-18, in the Class 4A regional finals and claimed the school's first trip to the state tournament since 2009.

Marion (33-7) will face Charles City (41-4) in the quarterfinals of the state meet next Tuesday, Nov. 11 at the U.S. Cellular Center in downtown Cedar Rapids at 4 p.m. on Court 2.

"It's been five years," Paulsen noted. "None of these girls were part of the high school squad the last time we went, so it was nice to be able to do it tonight.

Prairie spiked by Iowa City High

Spirited students from both Iowa City High and Prairie packed the south stands of the Linn-Mar gym Tuesday night, cheering on their schools’ volleyball teams in a Class 5A regional and trying hard to out-yell the other side.

Except for the fact that the Little Hawks brought with them a 6-foot tall Big Bird mascot, the outcome of the dueling students section seemed to be a draw.

Would that the match on the floor been equally close as eighth-ranked City High (24-10) dominated Prairie (23-14) in three sets and punched its ticket to next week’s state tournament in Cedar Rapids.

The up-and-coming Prairie girls took a short-lived 12-11 lead in the first game but ended up losing, 25-20. They didn’t lead again until briefly at 3-2 in the third game but lost that one as well, 25-19.

In between, the young and vastly improving Little Hawks led all the way in game two as they coasted 25-14.

Smothers 'brothers' power No.1 Warriors

The Smothers Brothers was a popular television show in the 1970's that featured comedy, music and political satire by Dick and Tommy Smothers.

"I've heard a lot about it," Cedar Rapids Washington fullback Caleb Smothers said with a smile Monday night. "A lot of the older substitute teachers throw that at me."

The top-ranked Warriors had their own version of the Smothers Brothers Monday night in their 25-14 victory over Cedar Falls in the second round of the Class 4A playoffs at rainy Kingston Stadium.

Caleb Smothers and Connor Vincent are not really brothers, but the two fullbacks looked like twins in the Washington backfield Monday with their power running and absolute aversion to being tackled.

Smothers and Vincent are known more for their blocking and tackling than their running, but they played key roles as the Warriors (11-0) advanced to a date with Iowa City West (7-4) in the quarterfinals Friday night at Kingston.

Smothers and Vincent normally combine for 42 yards in Washington's running attack, but they combined for 110 yards on 14 carries Monday and were especially effective on a 77-yard touchdown drive that clinched the game in the fourth quarter.

Saints top Waverly-Shell Rock

The Go-Hawks of Waverly-Shell Rock found out right away Monday night that they had nowhere to go against Xavier’s stout defense.

They were held to one first down and forced into quick punts the first four times they had the ball in a second round Class 3A playoff game on the Saints’ rain-soaked field.

Xavier, meanwhile, had a missed field goal and three touchdowns to show for its first four possessions.

With a 21-0 cushion barely into the second quarter, the Saints (8-3) soared 33-20 and advanced to the quarterfinals Friday night at home against West Delaware.

“We knew they had a good running game,” said Xavier Coach Duane Schulte. “So the first thing you want to do is stop the run. And we did that, for the most part, by playing some sound fundamental football.”

For the game, the G-Hawks managed just 78 yards rushing on 32 carries.

“We were just flying to the ball and making gang tackles,” said Saints linebacker Thomas Ickes.