Metro Sports Report

Davis, Silver honored at MLK luncheon

Capria Davis of Kennedy High School and Carly Silver of Cedar Valley Christian School were among 22 area students honored at Monday’s 26th Annual Remembering Martin Luncheon at Kirkwood Community College.

One student from each Cedar Rapids high school and middle school is nominated for the honor by school administrators for exemplifying the ideals and values of Martin Luther King Jr., whose legacy is commemorated at the luncheon.

Davis and Silver, both of whom are seniors, play varsity basketball for their respective schools.

Davis also runs track, plays in the orchestra, is a member of the Student Advisory Council and is active in the Cultural Diversity Club and the Biology Club. She is involved with the Boys and Girls Club of America and is a peer mentor through the Best Buddies program.

Silver, who hadn’t played basketball since fifth grade, joined the Cedar Valley squad this year so the school would have enough players to field a team in its first year as a member of the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union. She is also a volleyball player and participates in drama and choir.

Paige impresses with leadership, unselfishness

There was a time when I thought Marcus Paige was just a bit overrated. Not anymore.

Paige had a sub-par shooting night against Cedar Rapids Washington Friday night and missed four free throws in the first half. But he still had 24 points and displayed a whole bunch of intangibles that didn’t show up on the stat sheet.

“Marcus needs to get his act together on his free throws,” his mother, Sherryl Gaffney-Paige, told me at halftime. "He’s not playing very well.”

No, he wasn’t. But it says something when you have a bad game and still get 24 points, five assists, five steals and five rebounds. For most players, that would be a career night.

Silver's bullet shoots Huskies to 2nd win

The coach was yelling, “Don’t shoot.”

Even her teammates admitted afterward they were hoping she wouldn’t do it.

But Cedar Valley Christian senior Carly Silver was all alone in her spot at the top of key. And so she cooly sailed in a 3-point shot. That brought the Huskies to within one point of Unity Christian with four minutes to go Saturday night in their first home game of the season.

The 300-or-so fans who packed the shoe box-sized gym went wild.

Hughes leads Warriors at Jim Voss meet

The Cedar Rapids Washington boys swimming team enjoys a stiff challenge from top competition, even if it means the Warriors don't collect all the first-place medals.

That's why they invited a strong field to the 2012 Jim Voss Invitational Saturday afternoon at the Washington pool.

The meet featured No. 3 Ankeny, No. 4 West Des Moines Valley, No. 9 Cedar Falls, No. 10 Bettendorf, two strong clubs from Waukesha, Wis., and No. 5 Washington.