Metro Sports Report

Marcus Paige crowned 'Mr. Basketball'

Linn-Mar Coach Chris Robertson yelled at Marcus Paige during the championship game of the Class 4A state basketball tournament in Des Moines last March.

It happened during a timeout. Robertson didn't like the way Paige and the Lions were playing and let him know it.

Rest assured, it was one of the few times Robertson snapped at Paige during his four-year career in a Linn-Mar uniform.

"Not very often. Probably a handful of times," Robertson said. "He's one of those guys, he understands the game so well. If he makes a mistake, he's usually patting himself first before I get a chance to do it.

"He's special. He's a neat kid," Robertson said. "We're going to miss him."

The members of the Iowa Newspaper Association recognized his special talents on Tuesday and named Paige the winner of the "Mr. Basketball" award for 2012.

Hogg paces Metro runners at MVC meet

CEDAR FALLS - Robert Hogg is smart, talented, handsome and strong.

Some guys have all the luck.

Hogg put his talent on display Monday when he captured the 800-meter run in 1:59.61 at the Mississippi Valley Conference indoor track meet at the UNI-Dome.

It was an excellent time on a 200-meter indoor track in March, but Hogg was actually a little disappointed. "I was going for 1:58," he said.

Wash parents file complaint against Lombardi

Parents of Cedar Rapids Washington students have filed a complaint against Washington coach Tony Lombardi and accused him of using inappropriate language in his dealings with the school's students and athletes, multiple sources have told the Metro Sports Report.

The complaint has reached the central administration of Cedar Rapids Community Schools, according to the sources.

Lombardi attended the Mississippi Valley Conference boys indoor track meet Monday at Cedar Falls and was asked for a comment.

"I've got nothing to say," Lombardi said.

Washington principal Ralph Plagman could not be reached for comment Saturday, Sunday or Monday.

Paige tops memorable winter of prep sports

The winter high school sports season has melted to nothing, but it also has left us with some indelible impressions.

The Metro area was shut out of state championships in the winter of 2012. Its best finishes were Jefferson’s runner-up placing in Class 2A girls’ bowling, Linn-Mar’s fourth-place showing in the boys’ basketball and wrestling tournaments, and Prairie’s fifth in wrestling.

Not a bad year, not a great year.