Metro Sports Report

RoughRiders limp into holiday break

There might be a lump of coal on Christmas morning for the RoughRiders following Saturday's 5-1 loss to Indiana at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena.

The loss was the sixth in the last seven games for Cedar Rapids (13-9-1). That includes the fourth loss in the last five games at home in The Stable.

"We've just got to play smarter," RoughRider Coach Mark Carlson said. "We're playing hard, we've got to play smarter. Bottom line."

The RoughRiders will all scatter and head home for the holidays, then return on Dec. 26. They play at Des Moines (10-12-2) on Dec. 27 and at home against Waterloo (18-5-1) on Dec. 28.

No.1 Kirkwood falls, 115-111, in OT

MASON CITY - They billed the contest between No.1 Kirkwood and No.2 NIACC as the "Game of the Century" in Mason City Saturday afternoon.

They may have been right.

NIACC defeated Kirkwood, 115-111, in overtime in a wild affair between two national powers from the ICCAC conference.

Danielle Woolfolk scored for Kirkwood with eight seconds left in the second half to tie the game, 95-95, and force overtime, but the Trojans outscored the Eagles 20-16 in the extra session.

No.16 Eagles knock off NIACC

MASON CITY - Jalen Currie, Taylor Olson and Joe Tagarelli scored 16 points apiece Saturday as No.16 Kirkwood defeated NIACC, 85-76, in an ICCAC conference men's basketball game in NIACC.

JC Fuller contributed 14 points and Ajay Lawton had 13 for the balanced Eagles (10-3, 2-0). Tagarelli snared nine rebounds and Currie grabbed eight boards. Olson and Lawton had seven assists.

Sam Skoken scored 24 points and David Humphries had 20 for NIACC (11-5, 0-2).

Skidding RoughRiders fall to Chicago

The RoughRiders gave away paper hockey masks for Friday the 13th. On the ice, Chicago played the part of "Jason" by scaring out a 4-1 win over Cedar Rapids.

It marked the fourth loss in the last five games for Cedar Rapids (13-8-1).

"We need to get better, get tougher, both mentally and physically," RoughRiders Coach Mark Carlson said. "I thought we did a lot good in the game, but you've got to stay focused throughout the course of the game, and you have to earn victories."