Metro Sports Report

J-Hawks cruise in Jefferson Jamboree

The Cedar Rapids Jefferson boys basketball team jumped to a 17-0 lead Monday night and crushed Center Point-Urbana, 41-12, at the Jefferson Jamboree.

Taylor Olson led the J-Hawks with 13 points. Creighton Robinson scored seven points, Alec Saunders scored six points and Ky Kramer netted five points.

All teams played two eight-minute quarters.

I.C. formidable; Uthoff sits, Stokes doesn’t

Metro 4A teams constantly butt heads with Iowa City teams, somewhat naturally because they are in the same conference but also because their paths often collide in the postseason.

Iowa City High eliminated Kennedy in the 4A first round football playoff bracket. Iowa City West edged the Cougars in the state volleyball semifinals – for the third straight year - in a five-set thriller.

Linn-Mar and Washington both defeated City High in regular-season football games. But Iowa City West went through the Valley Division unbeaten, including wins over Xavier, Prairie and Jefferson.

Iowa City’s excellence in boys’ and girls’ sports has been consistent. At least one Iowa City school has qualified for the state football playoffs for 20 consecutive seasons.

City High and West met in the state volleyball finals, with the Trojans winning a five-set match. The boys’ and girls’ cross country teams of both schools each had Top 11 state finishes. In state swimming, City High’s boys and West’s girls both finished sixth.

Henry, Atwater on Register elite football team

DES MOINES - Linn-Mar High School seniors Andy Henry and Mark Atwater were named to the Des Moines Register Elite All-State Football Team Sunday morning.

Henry made the Elite Offense at wide receiver after catching 53 passes with 18 touchdowns. Atwater was named to the Elite Defense after starring at linebacker.

Atwater also excelled as a quarterback for the Lions, but Blake Gimbel of Marshalltown and Kyle Starcevich of Southeast Polk were honored as the top quarterbacks in the state.

Cedar Rapids Washington senior Sean Bredl and Xavier senior William Wright were named to the Class 4A Second Team Offense as linemen. Cedar Rapids Kennedy senior Logan LeTellier was honored on the Class 4A Second Team Defense as a lineman.

Marion High School senior Jake McDonald was named to the Class 3A First Team Defense at linebacker.

You can see all of the Register's all-state football selections at www.dmregister.com.

Stingy Saints begin season ranked No. 11

The Xavier Saints have a stingy bunch of girls. On defense, that is.

Coach Tom Lilly likes it that way.

Xavier allowed just 33.9 points per game last season, the second-lowest yield among all 48 teams in Class 4A. Dowling Catholic was the stingiest at 33.6.

The Saints averaged 45.6 points themselves, a differential of plus 11.7 points that helped them compile a 15-8 record.

"We have traditionally put more emphasis the last few years on our defensive end," Lilly said. "In the process of doing that, it also limits our offensive capabilities. We kind of shrink the game, we slow down the game.

"We don't have a lot of games in the 70's and 80's," he said. "You've got to pick your poison."