Metro Sports Report

Snitker wins Metro Spotlight Award

Cedar Rapids Washington quarterback Reid Snitker is this week's winner of the Metro Spotlight Award for high school boys, the Metro Sports Report announced Sunday.

Snitker threw two touchdown passes in the final 61 seconds last Thursday night as the Warriors rallied from a 27-15 deficit to stun Waterloo West, 28-27, at Kingston Stadium.

Snitker, a junior, completed 22 of 31 passes for 222 yards. Both of his TD passes were to Isaiah Nimmers, including the game-winner with 15.5 seconds remaining.

Buxton wins top award from Twins

The Minnesota Twins have selected Byron Buxton for the 2013 Sherry Robertson Award as their Minor League Player of the Year, the club announced Sunday morning.

Buxton, 19, split the season between the Cedar Rapids Kernels in the Midwest League and the Fort Myers Miracle in the Florida State League.

He hit .334 this season with 19 doubles, 18 triples, 12 homers, 77 RBIs, 109 runs scored and 55 stolen bases in 125 games for the two teams. He also excelled in center field.

Local players in pro baseball

RYAN SWEENEY (Xavier, Chicago Cubs) - Started in center field Sunday and was 0-for-4 in the Cubs' 4-0 loss to the Cardinals. Ended the season with an 0-for-13 skid. Season stats: G - 70, Avg. - .266, AB - 192, H - 51, HR - 6, RBI - 19, SB - 1.

RoughRiders drop home opener, 5-4

The Cedar Rapids RoughRiders sure didn’t look like a team that pulled into the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena around 3:30 a.m. Saturday after Friday’s season-opening 6-3 win at Lincoln, Neb.

Fourteen hours later, the Riders took the ice for their home opener against a talented Sioux Falls team.

The Riders struck first, but Sioux Falls, led by its top line of C.J. Franklin, Zeb Knutson and former RoughRider Dennis Kravchenko, built a 5-2 lead in the third period and held on for a 5-4 victory before a crowd of 2,204 fans at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena.