Metro Sports Report

Linn-Mar bowlers looking for return to state

Jeremy Moser is the girls bowling coach at Linn-Mar High School, but he's also a 37-year-old college student.

His bowlers like to tease him about that.

"The kids are giving me a hard time about being in school and having to go home and do homework at the same time they do after practice," he said with a laugh.

It gives the coach and players two things in common: Bowling and homework, both of which they take seriously.

Moser is taking a full load of classes at Mount Mercy University in order to get his teaching degree. He's currently working at Discovery Living, a group home in Cedar Rapids for adults with disabilities, but his goal is to become a classroom teacher.

So right now he's a student, a coach and a staff member at Discovery Living. "It keeps me hopping," he said.

Moser runs a successful bowling program at Linn-Mar. The Lions finished eighth at the Class 2A state tournament last year and appear to have another strong team.

"I'm excited about it," he said. "I've got a lot of returners."

Lombardi named Washington baseball coach

Tony Lombardi held his first meeting as the new baseball coach at Cedar Rapids Washington Tuesday and a 6-foot-4 lefthander with a 90 mph fastball and sweet swing showed up.

That lanky southpaw is A.J. Puk, the same A.J. Puk who left Lombardi's football team this past August to concentrate on baseball and play for a travel team.

Lombardi wants Puk and all the other top athletes at Washington to play baseball, have fun, enjoy some success and revive the program after two losing campaigns.

Puk is being recruited by some of the top college baseball programs in the country. He could play baseball for the Warriors next season or he could stick with travel ball. Maybe he could do both, like Dakota Freese did this past season.

State volleyball was an experiment gone well

No one really knew what to expect for this year's State Volleyball Tournament. That included the coaches, fans and participants. But now, looking back on the four-day run at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena, all went well. Very well.

As most everyone knows, the State Volleyball Tournament was moved to the Ice Arena this year because of the revamping and renovation of the US Cellular Center downtown. It is expected to be a one year temporary setting before moving back next year.

All the pertinent questions came to mind for the organizers, and everyone had much apprehension. But I can report first hand that it was a major success.

The crowds were lively and closer to the action. The media was happy as well because nothing much changed from how the tournament was conducted downtown. The coaches, when asked, said they liked the new atmosphere even more then the one downtown. And above all, everyone attending was ecstatic about the parking situation!

Courtney Strait calls Truman State a perfect fit

Courtney Strait was a few minutes late for basketball practice at Cedar Rapids Kennedy Tuesday afternoon, but she had a good excuse.

Strait signed a national letter-of-intent with Truman State during a ceremony in the Kennedy cafeteria and needed a little extra time to thank family and friends.

"Usually when we're late we have to run, but I think they'll be OK with this," she said, smiling.

Kennedy honored three of its athletes Tuesday as Allie Hutcheson signed to play volleyball at Northern Colorado, Brigham Stewart signed to play golf at Butler and Strait signed with Truman State.