Metro Sports Report

Morgan Allee having a blast with Tritons

Morgan Allee had her own fan club at the Kirkwood Community College softball field Monday afternoon.

They came to see the former Jefferson High School star play for Iowa Central Community College against Kirkwood on a sunny, breezy day.

"Aunts, uncles, grandma, grandpas, brother, sister, mom and dad," said Allee, glancing over her shoulder. "I absolutely love it.

"I kind of miss it when they're not there, because they were at every high school game. I really enjoy it when they're at the games."

Aquatics center gets a diamond setting

Shared existing parking lots and proximity to public utility lines are key factors in locating the $5 million Linn-Mar aquatics center just east of the football stadium, school board members were told at their regular meeting Monday night.

The stand-alone facility, which will include a competition-sized pool and proposed seating for 400, will be built on the site of the current baseball field.

Accelerated plans call for construction to begin late this summer with completion by August of 2013.

Zach Johnson makes us proud

Zach Johnson is a long way from working for tips at Olive Garden. In fact, he could buy a couple franchises if he wanted.

It has been five years since Johnson’s victory in The Masters golf tournament, and five years since prize-winning writer Rick Reilly of Sports Illustrated commented on the win.

“I won’t be surprised if Zach Johnson in 10 years will be waiting tables at Olive Garden,’’ Reilly said in 2007 on the Dan Patrick radio show.

Even in another five years, it won’t happen.

Reaching pinnacle of Iowa gymnastics

She may be one of the best local athletes you’ve never heard of or seen in action.

One of the top gymnasts in the state of Iowa, Kennedy senior Allie Sindlinger has powered her way to the highest rung in a sport that arguably requires more effort and garners less attention than any of the multiple sports offered through her high school.

Saturday, she capped off a stellar career by winning the balance beam competition and placing second in the floor exercise at the state meet in Ames. For the third year in a row, her performance earned her a spot among a small cadre of Iowa gymnasts who will go on to compete in the seven-state regional competition in Minneapolis in April.

At last year’s regional meet, Sindlinger won the Level 8 balance beam competition in a face-off with girls from a host of larger cities around the Midwest. This year she’s competing at Level 9 – the highest tier of gymnastic performance short of collegiate and Olympic-level competition.