Metro Sports Report

Local boys do well again

Tue - 10 May Written by Scott Unash

It seems like a broken record, but a good one at that. More and more Metro athletes have succeeded and exceeded at their chosen craft.

Today, let's examine the recently held NFL draft and the, hopefully, upcoming free agent signing period for recently graduated college senior players.

Again our fair city can stand proud at the possibility that three young men with ties to the area may play in the NFL next year.

Let's start with the one player that is assured of making an NFL roster and that is Aldon Smith out of Missouri, drafted seventh by the San Francisco 49ers.

Yes, I know Smith didn't graduate from here, but he does have ties to the city. Aldon attended Washington High School through his sophomore year and in that brief stay showed flashes of the brilliance and athletic skill that sent him to the University of Missouri to play defense for the Tigers. Even at that age he was a chiseled, angular athlete that had unlimited potential at whichever sport he chose to pursue (he also played basketball at Wash).

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Hairston overcomes stumble to star for Hawks

Tue - 10 May Written by Tom Fruehling

IOWA CITY -- As a top-flight middle distance runner for the Iowa Hawkeyes, Adam Hairston knows it's a steady pace over the long haul that wins races. Life's like that, too.

A misstep along the way doesn't have to mean defeat.

The fifth-year senior from Cedar Rapids Kennedy will be among the favorites in the 800-meter run at the Big Ten Track and Field Championships which run Friday through Sunday at the Francis X. Cretzmeyer Track in Iowa City. His goal is to qualify for the regionals and then the nationals as he did as a junior.

In track, says the personable and gifted 22-year-old true student-athlete, "What you want is to still be running at the end of June."

Beyond that, his dream is to be running this time next year as well. That's when a qualifying meet will be held in Eugene, Ore., for the 2012 Olympics. And Hairston thinks he's got a good chance of at least making a run for the team.

His 1:48.5 personal best for the 800 meters at Iowa ranks third all-time in school history. He figures he'll need to shave two seconds or more off his time to have a shot in Oregon. But then, he's overcome the odds before.

At 17, while a senior at Kennedy, he had his dreams shattered. He was a four-year honor roll student, a good and popular kid who'd never been in trouble.

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Marion's Adam Jones (20) cracks a shot that slips past Clear Creek Amana keeper Joe Weldon for the Indians' third goal in a 3-2 win over the Clippers on Tuesday at Marion. (Photo by Margaret O'Banion)

Fast start fuels Marion boys soccer

Tue - 10 May

The Marion boys soccer team took advantage of two penalties in the first 15 minutes to grab an early lead and beat Clear Creek Amana, 3-2, Tuesday at Marion.

“Overall, we did a pretty good job of working the ball around and getting it to players,” said Marion senior Steen Irish. “It was a rough game, just get by with a win.”

The Indians, ranked No. 12 in Class 2A, were going into the wind in the first half, but that didn’t stop them from dominating the play.

“We were moving the ball, taking long shots and crashing the goal,” said co-head coach Tom Schulte. “Our defense was good, we were switching fields, everything we tell them to do, that’s what they were doing.”

The Indians' first goal came on a beautiful shot off of a direct kick from Irish from just outside the penalty box in the sixth minute.

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No. 3 City High tops No. 5 Warriors

Tue - 10 May Written by Metro Sports Report

Iowa City High scored a pair of first-half goals and beat Washington, 2-1, Tuesday in a showdown of top-5 ranked boys soccer teams at Kingston Stadium.

Fernando Pacheco's breakaway goal in the 17th minute gave No. 3 City High a 1-0 lead.

The Little Hawks (12-2, 10-1 MVC) stretched their lead to 2-0 on a penalty kick by JD McCullough in the 37th minute.

No. 5 Washington (12-3, 9-2) scored on a penalty kick by Austin Bergstrom in the 65th minute.

Iowa City High took over sole possession of first place in the Mississippi Division.

Iowa City High 2, Washington 1

Goals -- ICH: Fernando Pacheco, JD McCullough; CRW: Austin Bergstrom. Assists -- ICH: McCullough.

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Xavier boys remain No. 1 in 2A soccer poll

Tue - 10 May Written by Metro Sports Report

Xavier again received all nine first-place votes and remains the No. 1 ranked Class 2A boys soccer team in the latest Iowa High School Soccer Association poll.

Xavier has been ranked No. 1 in every poll this season.

Marion slipped three spots to No. 12 in Class 2A after suffering its first loss of the season, a 1-0 shootout decision to Class 1A No. 2 Waterloo Columbus.

Washington is ranked No. 5 in Class 3A and Kennedy is No. 7. Linn-Mar dropped out of the rankings.

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