Metro Sports Report

Taylor Olson will play at Kirkwood

Fri - 20 Apr Written by Jim Ecker

Taylor Olson considered going to college in Maryland, Missouri, South Dakota or Idaho, but he's decided to stay home and play basketball in his home town next season.

Olson said Friday that he's committed to Kirkwood Community College and will join the Eagles as a point guard for the 2012-13 campaign.

Olson averaged 18.4 points, 3.5 assists and 1.8 steals at Cedar Rapids Jefferson this year and made second team all-state on the Iowa Newspaper Association team. He helped the J-Hawks make three straight trips to the Class 4A state tournament as their starting point guard.

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Prairie senior Zach Witte (left) tangles with top-ranked Brian Realbuto of Somers, NY, during their 152-pound bout Friday at the Dream Team Classic wrestling meet at Iowa City West. Witte, a two-time Iowa state champion who will attend UNI, was beaten 15-4. (Photo by Ken Gilchrist)

Witte and Team Iowa fall to Team USA

Fri - 20 Apr Written by Jim Ecker

IOWA CITY - Zach Witte of Cedar Rapids Prairie was the premier 152-pound wrestler in Iowa this year, but he tangled with the No. 1 guy in the country Friday night and absorbed a major defeat.

Brian Realbuto of Somers, N.Y., defeated Witte, 15-4, in the Dream Team Classic before a packed house at Iowa City West High School.

The event featured an all-star team from Iowa against an all-star team from across the country, but it turned into a mismatch. Team USA won 11 of 13 bouts and strolled away with a 40-7 victory.

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Wisconsin came to its senses

Thu - 19 Apr Written by Bob Brooks

I don't imagine in his wildest dreams that former Cedar Rapids Jefferson basketball player Jarrod Uthoff thought he would ever create a firestorm on the national stage about his desire to leave the Wisconsin program.

And so this developing story became a headline-maker on sports talk across the country. Wisconsin and Coach Bo Ryan were getting beat up over the treatment of this former J-Hawk, who had signed on at Wisconsin, asked for his release and had done things the right way, including academics.

So with all of this pub, it took the head man of the Badgers, Barry Alvarez, to step in, meet with the principals in the case separately, first Uthoff and then Bo Ryan, and make a decision.

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Luehrsmann named Xavier basketball coach

Fri - 20 Apr Written by Jim Ecker

Ryan Luehrsmann thought seriously about becoming a basketball coach when he finished playing for the Iowa Hawkeyes 12 years ago, but the right opportunity did not come along.

Now it has.

Luehrsmann, 34, was named the boys basketball coach at Xavier High School on Friday after spending two years as the freshman coach with the Saints.

"I'm looking forward to it," he said. "It's all very exciting."

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Uthoff looks forward after winning appeal

Thu - 19 Apr Written by Jim Ecker

Jarrod Uthoff is relieved, happy and ready to find a new school now that the University of Wisconsin has lifted most of the restrictions on where he can go.

"I'm just glad this is over with and I can go on about finding the right school for me, with all the publicity dying down now," he told the Metro Sports Report in a telephone interview Thursday evening.

"I feel good," he said. "I can focus on finding the right fit for me."

Uthoff, 18, was thrust into the national spotlight the past few days when he challenged Wisconsin Coach Bo Ryan and essentially won.

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