Metro Sports Report

Linn-Mar board OKs plans for new pool

A large crowd of swimmers, former swimmers, parents and swim fans packed the Linn-Mar school board meeting Monday night to find out that the district will finally have a swimming pool to call its own.

After years of false starts, the board gave Superintendent Katie Mulholland the go-ahead to move forward with construction plans.

If all goes well, she said, the competition-sized pool should be built by August of 2013. It will be used by Linn-Mar swim teams and for general use by students throughout the district.

No. 1 West shoots past Hawks, 69-47

IOWA CITY -- For Iowa City West, the hole in the hoop seemed to grow larger with the passing of each quarter.

It ended up being ocean sized by the end of the game.

The shots started raining in during the second half Monday night as the top-ranked Trojans defeated visiting Cedar Rapids Prairie, 69-47, in a Mississippi Valley Conference boys basketball game at the West High gym.

Roy Williams pays 'family' visit on Paige

North Carolina Coach Roy Williams believes strongly in supporting his family, and that includes high school players who have signed with the Tar Heels.

That's why Williams flew into Cedar Rapids late Friday so he could watch Marcus Paige play for the Linn-Mar Lions Saturday night against Xavier.

Paige has already signed with North Carolina and isn't going to change his mind, so it's not like Williams has to keep wooing the talented point guard to make sure he shows up in Chapel Hill, N.C.

Lassen hopes to practice with Lions this week

Matt Lassen has been cleared by his doctor to begin practicing with the Linn-Mar basketball team again and he's hopeful of playing in games in a few weeks.

Lassen suffered a severe concussion and head injuries during a game against Iowa City West Dec. 9 at Linn-Mar when he fell and twice hit his head on the floor.

His doctor cleared him this past Wednesday to begin working out, but so far he's been practicing on his own with Linn-Mar trainer Jill Hendricks to get in shape. He hopes to begin practicing with the team again soon, perhaps this week.

"Right now I'm not quite in shape and my balance is a little off," Lassen said Saturday night after Linn-Mar played Xavier. "Once I get in shape he (the doctor) said I can start to practice."

He's working hard to get in condition.