Metro Sports Report

Grid Aid: Jeff alumni teeing off for program

Steve Ehlert and his buddies attended Cedar Rapids Jefferson when J-Hawk football flourished. Back in the 1970s, Jefferson was in the midst of posting 21 straight winning seasons, eight conference championships and a state playoff title.

For a variety of reasons, Jefferson football has fallen on hard times. It has lost 22 straight games and has recorded winning records only twice since 1991. The 2012 season will represent a changing of the guard, with Brian Webb taking over for Jim Womochil as head coach.

Ehlert and his classmates wanted to find a way to support the program. They have organized the Jefferson Alumni Golf (JAG) outing, which will be played August 11. Proceeds will go entirely to the J-Hawk football program.

Gutsy Cannoy stars on mound for Marion

Cale Cannoy played football at Marion High School, so he's accustomed to wearing pads to protect his chest and ribs from injury.

Now he's wearing a special pad on his chest when he pitches.

Hawks sweep Rams with tight pitching

The Cedar Rapids Prairie baseball team gave up two runs in the top of the first inning Monday night against Dubuque Senior.

That was it for the doubleheader.

The Hawks did not surrender another run in the next 13 innings and swept the Mississippi Valley Conference twinbill, 4-2 and 9-0, at Prairie.

“We really got some good pitching tonight,” said Prairie Coach Matt Thede. “When you get pitching like that, it’s a lot easier to come out on top.”

After giving up two runs on four hits in the first inning of the opener, Bryce Alberts went 5 2/3 more innings and gave up only three more hits while striking out seven. Brennan Hammer came in to get a one-pitch save.

“After that first inning, I just tried to throw strikes instead of trying to strike people out and that worked really well for me tonight,” said Alberts.

J-Hawks rely on 'Pete' for tourney run

Just call her “Pete,” like everyone else does.

“If someone says ‘Hannah,’ my teammates are like, ‘Who’s that?’,” says Hannah “Pete” Petersen, ace pitcher for the past five years for the Jefferson softball team.

She’s also a slugger from the left side of the plate, with a career batting average well over .300 (and close to .400 this year).

But it’s on her strong left arm that the J-Hawks depend. It’s capable of blowing the ball past batters.

But Pete is plenty craft, too, with dipsy-dos and changeups in her arsenal. Veteran Coach Larry Niemeyer’s team is loaded with solid hitters from top to bottom. And the defense, as always, is air-tight.