Metro Sports Report

Lombardi views bracket: 'Are you kidding me?'

Cedar Rapids Washington football coach Tony Lombardi has studied the brackets for the Class 4A playoffs and has two thoughts.

No. 1, the top half of the bracket for the eastern side of the state is loaded with many of the top teams from the Mississippi Valley Conference.

"It's Linn-Mar, Wash, City High, Cedar Falls," he noted. "Are you kidding me?"

No. 2, the bottom half of the bracket features Bettendorf, North Scott, Iowa City West and Pleasant Valley. Iowa City West is from the Valley but the others are from the Mississippi Athletic Conference, which has been weaker than the MVC in recent years.

Locals help Mustangs claim 1st loop title

EDITOR'S NOTE: Second in a two-part series looking at local college soccer programs.

In a history-making 2-1 overtime soccer victory over Grand View Saturday afternoon, the unique team chemistry of the Mount Mercy men was on full display.

The Mustangs tied the match when former Jefferson three-sport star Sid Beck set up a goal by Josip Druzijanic of Split, Croatia.

They won it with a screamer by Juan Maffey from Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Meanwhile, former Prairie starting quarterback Josh Putz stopped eight shots as goal keeper to preserve an upset over the once-beaten and nationally sixth-ranked Vikings.

The stunner marked Mount Mercy’s first-ever win against Grand View and a  Top 10 opponent. And it clinched the first Midwest Collegiate Conference men's soccer championship in school history.

Runners need to get hip to leg pain

Approximately 400,000 high school athletes participate in cross country each year in the United States.

Research shows that up to 38 percent of those runners may suffer at least one sports-related injury that forces them to miss at least one meet or practice. Girls have a significantly higher injury rate than boys. Girls also have significantly higher rates of serious running-related injuries that create a loss of at least two weeks or more from practice and competition. Girls also are five times more likely to suffer a repeat injury than boys.

Cross country athletes risk injury to the feet, ankles, knees, hips and low back. The most common injury is exercise related lower leg pain (ERLP) that occurs most commonly on the medial (inner) side of the shin bone on the lower leg. High school runners who have a history of these problems are at more risk to suffer a running-related injury during the next cross country season.

McDonald finished with 325 tackles

Jake McDonald made his 325th and final tackle for the Marion Indians Friday night, ending a brilliant career that saw him rank among the state leaders this season.

McDonald collected 135 tackles in nine games this year, which ranks third in Class 3A and 10th in the entire state. He also collected 21 tackles for loss, which leads Class 3A and ranks third in the state.

Unfortunately for McDonald, he won't make any more tackles because Marion finished with a 4-5 record and failed to make the playoffs. The Indians had high hopes, but lost four straight games after beginning the year with a 4-1 mark.

"Honestly, I think our biggest problem this year was ourselves," said McDonald, a sturdy 6-foot-2, 220-pound linebacker. "We were in every game, but we kind of shot ourselves in the foot in each one of our losses.