Metro Sports Report

A slice of Americana

Mon - 19 Dec Written by Scott Unash

I love calling and watching Metro basketball. The terrific athletes, the top-flight coaches, the strategy. It's compelling more often than not night in and night out.

But there is something about basketball in the smaller towns.

Last Thursday night, my partner Phil Dunne and I got to call the game on KGYM radio between Cedar Valley Christian and North Linn from Troy Mills, and once again I was reminded what makes small-town athletics so great.

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Saints up to 5th, Prairie cracks girls poll

Thu - 22 Dec Written by Metro Sports Report

Xavier moved up three spots to No. 5 and Prairie jumped into this week's Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union Class 4A basketball poll.

Xavier (9-2) replaced Cedar Rapids Washington at No. 5. The Saints handed Davenport Assumption its first loss Tuesday, dropping the Knights from No. 2 to No. 3 in the Class 3A poll.

Washington (5-1) fell to No. 9 after an overtime loss to Waterloo West on Tuesday at Washington.

Prairie (6-3) jumped into the poll at No. 11. The Hawks have won three straight games, including a 20-point rout of then-No. 10 Linn-Mar and a 19-point win over Class 3A No. 12 Marion.

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Prairie and Linn-Mar in dual meet rankings

Thu - 22 Dec Written by Metro Sports Report

Cedar Rapids Prairie is ranked No. 6 and Linn-Mar No. 9 in Class 3A in the first dual meet rankings released by the Iowa Wrestling Coaches Association.

Prairie and Linn-Mar have split a pair of dual meets.

Bettendorf is ranked No. 1 in Class 3A. Southeast Polk is No. 2 and Iowa City West No. 3.

Davenport Assumption is No. 1 in Class 2A and Nashua-Plainfield is No. 1 in Class 1A.

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Prairie's Josh Wenger (top) puts Waterloo East's Joey Petersen into a pinning combination during their meet Dec. 20 at Waterloo. Wenger is ranked fifth in Class 3A at 113 pounds. (Photo by Russ DeHoedt)

18 Metro wrestlers ranked by Predicament

Tue - 20 Dec Written by Metro Sports Report

Eighteen wrestlers from Metro high schools are ranked this week by The Predicament.

Eight wrestlers from Cedar Rapids Prairie are ranked in the top 10, with Zach Witte rated No. 1 at 152 pounds. Witte, a 2010 state champion, has not wrestled yet this season due to a broken bone in his left arm suffered during the football season.

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Kennedy's Elliott Christians (left) and AJ Carter (center) vie for a rebound with Waterloo West's Dale Jones (23) during Tuesday night's basketball game at Kennedy. Christians grabbed 14 rebounds and scored 11 points, including nine during the Cougars' 24-point fourth quarter that lifted them to a 57-47 win. (Photo by Justin Tedford)

Cougars finish fast for 5th win

Tue - 20 Dec Written by Mike Koolbeck

For three quarters Kennedy was the gang that couldn't shoot straight Tuesday night at the Cougar gym.

It's a good thing games last four quarters.

Kennedy outscored Waterloo West 24-9 in the fourth period and pulled away for a 57-47 win in a Mississippi Valley Conference boys basketball game.

Cody Bell scored 15 points to lead the Cougars (5-1, 3-1 MVC). Elliott Christians had 11 points and 14 rebounds, and Trevor Heitland and Josh Jahlas added nine points apiece.

Dale Jones scored 19 points and grabbed 14 rebounds to lead West (3-3, 2-2).

"What we did is we ground out a win," Kennedy Coach Bob Fontana said. "Until we get everybody back, that's what we have to do."

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