Metro Sports Report

Chicagoland turns down Mount Mercy

Mount Mercy University will have to keep looking for a new conference for the 2015-2016 school year.

The Chicagoland Athletic Conference has turned down Mount Mercy's application to join the league, ending Mount Mercy's best hope for finding a suitable new affiliation.

"We knew this was a possibility," Mount Mercy athletic director Scot Reisinger said Thursday morning. "We obviously are disappointed by it. But we have some backup plans that we're putting into place now."

Mount Mercy currently belongs to the Midwest Collegiate Conference, but that league will be disbanding after this school year due to a lack of members.

St. Ambrose University will be introduced today as the 15th member of the Chicagoland Conference, according to the Quad City Times. Mount Mercy was hoping to join them, but the Mustangs did not get enough support from current Chicagoland schools.

Warriors flexing muscles in 4A football

The top-ranked Washington Warriors have been winning football games this season with a strong running attack and stingy defense.

Wsahington (6-0) ranks second in Class 4A in rushing offense at 274.3 yards per game and ranks fourth in Class 4A in scoring defense at 9.8 points per game.

Keagan Pinter of Prairie leads all Metro rushers with 815 yards on 115 carries. Tavian Patrick of Washington is second in Metro rushing with 615 yards, but has had only 54 carries. Pinter ranks fifth in Class 4A rushing in the state.

Linn-Mar quarterback Ryan Schmidt is tied for fourth in Class 4A scoring with 11 touchdowns for 66 points. Gunner Lenzen of Washington is tied for first in Class 4A with 29 PAT's.

JoJo Simpson of Prairie leads all Class 4A punters with a 41.7-yard average on 18 punts.

Lizzie Adams wins Metro Spotlight Award

Linn-Mar senior Lizzie Adams is the winner of the Metro Spotlight Award for high school girls this week, the Metro Sports Report announced Sunday.

Adams is a valuable member of the Linn-Mar swimming team, which is ranked fourth in the state power rankings.

Adams is a member of three relay teams that will challenge for top honors at the state meet.

Jenn Jenks, Adams, Kelly Wingerson and Kelsey Drake are ranked No. 1 in the state in the 400 freestyle relay in 3:38.08. The same foursome is ranked No. 3 in the state in the 200 freestyle relay in 1:39.77.

Adams, Paige Broghammer, Drake and Jenks are ranked No. 5 in the state in the 200 medley relay in 1:52.04.

Adams also ranks 19th in the 100 backstroke, 21st in the 50 freestyle and 30th in the 100 freestyle.

Connor Vincent wins Metro Spotlight Award

Cedar Rapids Washington senior Connor Vincent is the winner of the Metro Spotlight Award for high school boys this week, the Metro Sports Report announced Sunday.

Vincent is one of the stars for the top-ranked Washington football team.

Vincent, 6-foot-1, 220 pounds, packs a wallop at linebacker for the undefeated Warriors and also sees spot duty in the backfield on offense.

Vincent leads Washington (6-0) with 57 tackles. That number includes 40 solo tackles, 15 tackles for loss, and three sacks. He scored an 18-yard touchdown on defense when he stripped the ball from a Muscatine ballcarrier and raced into the end zone.

He has carried the ball 14 times for 109 yards and one touchdown for a 7.8 yard average. He also has two catches for 21 yards and a touchdown.

Vincent is a strong candidate for Class 4A all-state honors this season. He is big, strong, fast, an excellent leader and plenty tough.

Washington visits Prairie Friday night.