Metro Sports Report

Bardsley torches J-Hawks with 31

John Bardsley's right hand is a mess, with bubble wrap on the back of his hand and two fingers taped together to protect a broken bone.

It hasn't hurt his shot a bit.

Bardsley poured in a career-best 31 points off the bench Friday night to steer Kennedy past Jefferson, 80-73, in an entertaining Mississippi Valley Conference game at Jefferson.

Saints end 0-for-29 skid against Lions

It was long overdue when a bleachers-full of Xavier students started chanting “Just like football” in the waning moments of a 62-57 boys basketball win at Linn-Mar Friday night.

The Saints, no question, have owned the gridiron of late.

But when the basketball boys pulled out their victory on some clutch plays at the end, it marked the first time in school history (going back to 1998) that they've managed to turn the trick against the Lions.

“Zero and 29 before tonight,” Saints assistant coach Brad Stovie pointed out as fans mobbed the players. “Yeah, I'd say this was a pretty special night.”

Franklin, Hobbs send Wash past Prairie, 58-49

Dani Franklin scored 20 points and Aleena Hobbs added 16 to power eighth-ranked Washington past Prairie, 58-49, Friday night in a Mississippi Valley Conference girls basketball game at Prairie.

Kandis O'Donnell added 10 points for Washington (15-4, 10-1).  Franklin had 10 rebounds.

Cyerra Hutchins scored 18 points and Olivia Usher 17 for Prairie (6-13, 4-7).

Washington led by five points at halftime and by six after three quarters.

Indiana escapes RoughRiders in shootout

The RoughRiders had been skating along, winning 9 of their last 11 games and moving up the USHL standings. Sooner or later, the other puck was going to drop.

And it dropped Friday, in a 4-3 shootout loss to Eastern Conference leader Indiana played before a crowd of 2,143 at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena.

Indiana scored twice in the final 6-1/2 minutes of the game, the second with 1:07 to play, to forge a tie that sent the game to overtime.

"They are a good team," RoughRider forward Judd Peterson said. "When we were up 3-1, it was definitely a good feeling. They got that late one, and it hurt us. You never want to give up a goal in the last two minutes of any period."