Metro Sports Report

Marion's Beth Knapp (white jersey) applies the defensive pressure against an unidentified Clear Creek Amana player during Tuesday night's basketball game at Marion. The Indians used a strong defensive effort to beat the Clippers, 55-43. (Photo by Margaret O'Banion)

Marion girls ride their defense to victory

Tue - 17 Jan Written by Metro Sports Report

Coach Brian O'Donnell has to be wondering what his Marion girls basketball team might be capable of doing if the offense and defense ever get going on the same night.

In Tuesday's 55-43 Wamac Conference victory over Clear Creek Amana, it was a night for the defense.

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District football assignments announced

Tue - 17 Jan Written by Metro Sports Report

Marion and Cedar Valley Christian found out Tuesday their district football assignments for the next two years.

Marion will be in District 6 in Class 3A and Cedar Valley will be in District 4 in 8-player.

The Iowa High School Athletic Association released assignments for all teams, with the exception of the Class 4A Mississippi Valley and Mississippi Athletic conferences.

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Schools need authority to fire coaches

Sun - 15 Jan Written by Mark Dukes

In most jobs, your performance can result in anything from salary raises to termination. But if you’re a high school coach in Iowa, there are no worries of getting fired because of your won-loss record.

High school fans can be known to grumble about their head coach as much as their counterparts in the college and professional ranks. Grumble all you want, though, because you’re stuck with your head coach, no matter how many losses he or she accumulates.

A healthy debate can be generated over the merits of this situation. Is it important for high school coaches to win? Is it grounds for termination if a coach loses too much? Is winning or losing a high priority in high schools?

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State champ happy to be wrestling again

Mon - 16 Jan Written by Jim Ecker

Zach Witte has a three-inch scar and a big lump on the side of his left wrist, visual reminders of a broken bone that cost him the first six weeks of the wrestling season.

The inside doesn't sound too pretty either.

"There's a wire and there's two pins in there," he said Monday before practice at Prairie High School. "They're going to stay in there permanently, unless it bugs me and we'll take them out."

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5 Metro boys teams in same substate

Mon - 16 Jan Written by Metro Sports Report

Five Metro boys teams will vie for one spot in the Class 4A state basketball tournament when the tournament series starts next month.

Substate groupings for basketball were released by the Iowa High School Athletic Association on Monday. Class 4A Substate 6 includes five Metro teams - Kennedy, Linn-Mar, Prairie, Washington and Xavier - and Iowa City High.

Jefferson was placed in Substate 3 with Cedar Falls, Marshalltown, Mason City, Waterloo East and Waterloo West.

Marion, meanwhile, was placed in Substate 5 in Class 3A. The Indians are joined by Anamosa, Benton, Clear Creek Amana, Davenport Assumption, DeWitt Central, Solon and Williamsburg.

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