Metro Sports Report

MVC wants study of IHSAA, IGHSAU merger

The Mississippi Valley Conference has encouraged the governing bodies for high school athletics in Iowa to consider studying a possible merger of the Iowa High School Athletic Association and the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union.

The conference has not taken a stand on whether a merger should happen, but league officials would like the IHSAA and IGHSAU to study the pros and cons.

Marla Padget, the principal at Waterloo East High School and MVC president for the 2012-13 school year, sent a letter to Rick Wulkow, the executive director of the IHSAA, and to Mike Dick, the executive director of the IGHSAU, informing them of the league's desires.

Evans named top track athlete by Gatorade

CHICAGO - Linn-Mar High School junior Josh Evans has been named the 2012-13 Gatorade Iowa Boys Track & field Athlete of the Year, the company announced Thursday.

Linn-Mar freshman Stephanie Jenks won the girls' award from Gatorade earlier this week, giving Linn-Mar a clean sweep of the honors.

Evans won the 3200 meter run at the Class 4A state track meet and anchored the sprint medley relay to victory, helping Linn-Mar win the team championship. He captured the 1600 meter run at the Drake Relays, breaking a meet record that had stood for 24 years.

Local players in pro baseball

SCOTT SCHEBLER (Prairie, Rancho Cucamonga (Dodgers)) - Started in left field Thursday and was 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI in the Quakes' 11-3 loss at Lancaster. Season stats: G - 57, Avg. - .281, AB - 210, H - 59, HR - 9, RBI - 31, SB - 7.

KELLEN SWEENEY (Jefferson, Lansing (Blue Jays)) - Started at third base Thursday and was 1-for-4 with a double in the Lugnuts' 2-1 loss at Bowling Green. Season stats: G - 57, Avg. - .193, AB - 187, H - 36, HR - 3, RBI - 14, SB - 0.

RYAN SWEENEY (Xavier, Chicago Cubs) - Started in center field Thursday and was 0-for-3 in the Cubs' 6-1 loss to the Cardinals. Season stats: G - 36, Avg. - .289, AB - 83, H - 24, HR - 2, RBI - 7, SB - 0.

ANDREW HANSE (Linn-Mar, Hudson Valley (Rays)) -  Pitched two innings in relief Thursday and picked up his first professional save in the Renegades' 6-0 win over Staten Island. Season stats: W - 0. L - 0. Sv - 1. ERA - 0.00. G - 2. IP - 4. H - 2. BB - 1. SO - 5.

Warriors skidding without Puk, Gillis

The Cedar Rapids Washington baseball team got off to a promising start this season, but the Warriors are struggling now without A.J. Puk and Zac Gillis on the team.

Puk is leaving Saturday for the University of Florida, where he'll join the baseball program and attend summer school.

Gillis leaves next week for Iowa Western Community College, where he'll join the football team and take a class this summer.

Both of them stopped playing for Washington last week and the results have not been good without those two big bats in the lineup. The Warriors have an 0-and-4 record without them and have been outscored, 32-4.

Davenport North defeated Washington, 7-2, Wednesday night in a non-conference game at the Washington diamond.