Metro Sports Report

Metro teams feasting on MAC (mostly)

Many of us hated to see the demise of the Mississippi Valley Conference as a football league this season, but it's certainly been good for Metro teams so far.

Metro clubs have a 4-1 record against teams from the old Mississippi Athletic Conference, and you may remember it was those MAC teams who were in favor of dumping conference games in favor of districts.

The MAC schools were tired of playing each other and wanted some variety. They're getting it now, along with some lumps.

It began in Week 2 of the season when Xavier dumped Davenport Assumption in a Class 3A game, 30-6, and Linn-Mar topped Pleasant Valley in a Class 4A contest, 21-14.

There was more of the same Friday night when Linn-Mar belted Clinton, 49-7, and the Jefferson J-Hawks strolled by Davenport North, 42-7. The only blemish for Metro teams against MAC clubs so far was Kennedy's 24-7 loss to North Scott Friday.

Rekers stars as Coe smacks Cornell

MOUNT VERNON - The first night game for the Cornell Rams at Ash Park Stadium turned into a nightmare for the home team.

Josh Rekers passed for 343 yards and two touchdowns Saturday night as Coe College smacked Cornell, 50-21, in the 124th renewal of the series.

Rekers threw for 317 yards and three touchdowns last week in a 36-28 loss at Wheaton, giving the 6-foot-6 junior from Dike-New Hartford a total of 660 yards and five TDs in two games.

Rekers completed 18 of 30 passes with one interception Saturday. He also scored on a 1-yard run.

Former Cedar Rapids Kennedy prep Trevor Heitland caught seven passes for 176 yards, including a 74-yard TD pass from Rekers.

Prairie wins title at Linn-Mar tourney

The Cedar Rapids Prairie volleyball team lived dangerously at the Linn-Mar tournament Saturday but had the last laugh.

The Hawks whipped Linn-Mar, 21-14, 21-12, in the championship match after surviving several near-misses in the earlier rounds.

Prairie lost games against Vinton-Shellsburg and Pleasant Valley in pool competition, but pulled things together and won both of those matches 2-1.

The Hawks also lost a game to Solon in the semifinals before snaring a 21-14, 9-21, 15-9 victory to reach the finals.

Prairie finished the tournament with a perfect 6-0 record.

There were lots of ups-and-downs in the annual tournament. Marion defeated Linn-Mar in pool play, but then the Lions defeated the Indians in the semifinals.

Marion High School does not beat Linn-Mar High School in too many sports, but volleyball has been an exception over the years. The Indians are currently ranked No.3 in Class 4A and Linn-Mar is ranked No.6 in Class 5A, so both schools have good teams.

No.1 Saints spank No.3 Solon

The Xavier Saints have been ranked No.1 in Class 3A football by the Des Moines Register all season, based largely on tradition.

Now they've earned it.

Xavier stomped third-ranked Solon, 28-0, Friday night with a stingy defense and powerful running game at Saints Field in a Class 3A District 4 affair.

Xavier began the season with a 24-2 loss at Dowling Catholic, which is ranked No.1 in Class 4A and the defending state champs. Since then the Saints have handed two of their top competitors in Class 3A with a 30-6 conquest of then-No.5 Davenport Assumption and now Solon.

This was the first Class 3A district game for the Saints since dropping down from Class 4A. Solon reached the semifinals of the Class 3A playoffs last year and is a traditional state power, so stuffing the Spartans was a major achievement.