Metro Sports Report

Clock strikes midnight for Cinderella Cougars

CEDAR FALLS - Kennedy senior Alex Hillyer cried as the left the UNI-Dome floor late Monday night.

They were tears of sadness, but also tears of pride.

"I can't believe it's over," he said softly as he walked slowly toward the locker room, his right elbow raw and bloodied. "We made a good run."

Marion falls again to DeWitt Central

Long after the scoreboard lights had been turned off Monday night at Thomas Park, Marion Coach Tony Perkins was standing alone in the middle of the football field.

The 26 seniors on his team that had just lost 28-13 to DeWitt  Central in the second round of the Class 3A playoffs and were walking hand-in-hand the length of gridiron and back again as is a tradition for the last home game.

'Singing Saint' helps Xavier get ready

Harry Daubitz has dress shoes, dancing shoes and football shoes at Xavier High School and enjoys wearing them all.

He performs in honor choir, sings at his church, performs in show choir and recently made the all-state choir. He's in so many choirs that he kind of lost count.

"Five or six," he said.

Daubitz, a tenor, also sings a happy tune for the third-ranked Xavier football team that will host Waterloo East in the second round of the Class 4A playoffs Monday night.

He's not a star on the football squad, but he's an important member of the Scout Team that helps the varsity prepare for its next opponent.

You don't normally associate football and singing - or singing and football - but Daubitz loves putting on the pads and playing the game.

Jordan Houdeshell inspires us all

There will be many top candidates for the Male Athlete of the Year awards for 2012-13, but the winner should be a determined young man who cannot run or walk.

His name is Jordan Houdeshell, and he's one of the most inspirational athletes you'll ever meet. And yes, he's definitely an athlete.

Houdeshell, a senior at Linn-Mar High School, won his second straight title at the state cross country meet Saturday in the wheelchair division. He became the first-ever state wheelchair champ in 2011 and gave an encore performance Saturday at the Lakeside Municipal Golf Course in Fort Dodge.