Metro Sports Report

Dowling puts the clamps on Xavier girls

Ever the tactician, Xavier girls basketball coach Tim Lilly said the sole purpose of Saturday’s home matinee with mighty West Des Moines Dowling was to get ready for February.

“The reason we schedule games like this is to get us better prepared for the tournament at the end of the year,” the savvy veteran coach said after watching his Saints fall 47-33 in the opening contest of a boy/girl doubleheader.  “That’s why we’re going to Assumption in two weeks. We want to play the best non-conference schedule possible.”

Bowling a family affair for Pernicka clan

Cedar Rapids Washington’s Keely Pernicka is off to a great start this year leading the Metro area with a 219 bowling average.

Pernicka, a junior, has been bowling for the Warriors since she was a freshman, but has been bowling so long it took some help from mom and grandma to recall that it was third or fourth grade when she she started bowling.

Pernicka began bowling in a league at Westdale Bowl where she could bowl and get a free ball. From there her passion for the sport has grown as it is truly a family affair.

“My grandma, aunts, uncles, everybody bowls,” Pernicka said. “During the summer we get together every Friday to bowl.”

Marion hands J-Hawk boys 1st loss

Jefferson's second trip to Marion in as many nights didn't go quite as well as its first one.

The J-Hawks ended a nine-season drought against Linn-Mar on Friday night, but couldn't solve Marion's mighty mites on Saturday.

Marion handed the J-Hawks their first loss of the season, 61-47, in a non-conference boys basketball game at Marion High School.

J-Hawks snap drought against Linn-Mar

It's been a long time since the Jefferson J-Hawks defeated the Linn-Mar Lions in a boys basketball game.

"Yeah, it was 1896," Jefferson Coach Stu Ordman quipped before the teams tangled Friday night at the Linn-Mar gym.

It wasn't quite that long, but it may have seemed that way to J-Hawk fans.

The drought is over.

Jefferson defeated Linn-Mar for the first time in nine seasons with a tense 46-44 verdict in a Mississippi Valley Conference game.

"It feels wonderful," Jefferson senior Ky Kramer exclaimed, "and to beat them here is even better."