Metro Sports Report

Let all prep teams into playoffs

There's one thing we can say at the start with some surety: This state will never have a one-class basketball tournament in this millenium. And of course that goes without saying for football.

But as we come to the 24th of October with the start of the high school football playoffs, it is a wonder to yours truly how much leeway is given to losing teams making the playoffs.

With Xavier a certainty for postseason, there are other teams from eastern Iowa that have already qualified for playoff action in Class 4A with Iowa City West, Pleasant Valley, Cedar Falls, Muscatine, Dubuque Senior and Davenport Assumption.

Jenks runs away with MVC title

CEDAR FALLS - Stephanie Jenks likes to take naps, but she does it quickly.

That figures, because the Linn-Mar High School freshman is incredibly fast at just about everthing she does.

Jenks continued to make a shambles of the high school cross country season Thursday by running away with top honors at the Mississippi Valley Conference meet at Birdsall Park in Cedar Falls.

Jenks helped the Lions win the team championship with 65 points in a tight battle with Iowa City High (75), Kennedy (77) and Iowa City West (79).

Jenks won the 4-kilometer race in 14 minutes, 10 seconds. That gave her a 10-second victory over Allison Gregg of Cedar Falls, who finished third in the state meet last year.

Jenks has been ranked No. 1 in the state for several weeks and has posted four impressive victories. She won the Cedar Rapids Invitational by 16 seconds, captured the Heartland Classic in Ames by 14 seconds, blew away the field at the Charger Classic Invitational in Aurora, Ill., by 43 seconds and now has an MVC title to her credit.

Prep football prevues - Oct. 5

The rivalry grows.

Solon has only been a member of the Wamac Conference since 2008, while Marion is a charter member from back in 1940.

Solon and Marion have developed healthy rivalries in basketball, soccer, baseball and softball.

But because of district play in football, the gridders have yet to play each other.

That changes Friday night.

Marion hosts Solon at Thomas Park Field in a showdown for first place in Class 3A District 6.

The winner clinches a playoff berth. The loser still has some work to do.

Kennedy seeks a high finish at state golf

Cedar Rapids Kennedy will be aiming for another high finish at the Class 4A state golf meet Friday and Saturday at the Tournament Club of Iowa in Polk City.

The Cougars have placed 3rd, 4th, 2nd and 4th at the state meet the last four years. They won the district title by 10 shots Monday and are among the contenders at state, but top-ranked West Des Moines Valley is the heavy favorite.

Valley won its fifth state crown last year and features Jeff Swegle, the defending medalist.

The Xavier Saints, who finished third at the district meet, also hope to contend in the state tournament.

Kennedy is ranked fourth in the state and Xavier is ranked 10th.

There are 12 teams in the tournament with Ankeny, Ames, Bettendorf, Dowling, Kennedy, Johnston, Muscatine, Ottuwma, Pleasant Valley, Valley, Waukee and Xavier.

The 36-hole tournament will begin Friday at noon. The second round is scheduled to begin Saturday at 9:30 a.m.