Metro Sports Report

One last look at the boys basketball season

Yes, I know the calendar reads April and that we just concluded the Masters and that baseball is under way around the major leagues.

But let's revisit the just completed high school basketball season before we put it in the history books for the year, because that's where this season rightfully belongs, in the annals of time and history.
 
I say that we are putting a cap on the year since Washington guard Wes Washpun and Marion guard Kasey Semler both made their college choices known this past weekend.

Washpun will play for Tennessee and Coach Cuonzo Martin. Semler will stay closer to home, playing for Coach Doug Wagemester and Kirkwood before, hopefully, taking his game to the Division I level.

These two were the final pieces of what was a great year for senior boys basketball players in the Metro. It's not very often you have an All-Metro squad that reads like a recruiting service report! Especially, in a city of less than a million people. Four different Division I conferences are represented, three teams that went to the postseason and four former Coaches of the Year in their respective conferences all benefitted from our bevy of talent this past season. And don't worry, I haven't forgotten about junior standout Marcus Paige who may be the best in the lot!
 

Sweeney adjusting to new role with A's

CHICAGO -- Ryan Sweeney is married to a nursing student from northern California, he's getting paid $1.4 million to play the game he loves and his surgically repaired knee is fine.

Life is good for the Major League outfielder from Cedar Rapids, except for one thing. He's not getting to play on a regular basis for the Oakland A's this season, so for the first time in his life he's been a spare part who mostly sits on the bench.

"I've never really been in a backup role, so it's new to me," Sweeney said Tuesday before the A's played the Chicago White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field. "I'm just trying to take extra swings and do whatever I can to try and stay sharp at the plate, because it's not easy."

Sweeney, 26, cracked the starting lineup Tuesday, only his second start in 11 games. He walked in his first two at-bats, then got yanked for a pinch-hitter in the top of the fifth when Chicago Manager Ozzie Guillen brought in a left-handed pitcher to face the left-swinging Sweeney with runners at first and second with two outs. The pinch-hitter (Conor Jackson) grounded out to end the inning.

Washington's Jones doubles up in 100, 200

It was a day of firsts for Washington freshman Jasmyne Jones on Tuesday at the Warrior Invitational at Kingston Stadium.

She had never beaten her fellow speedy freshman from Washington, Kadejah Sanders, in the 100 meter dash.  But at the Warrior Invitational, Jones just barely edged out Sanders by 0.01 of a second with a time of 13.40.

"Kadejah Sanders is one of my friends," Jones said. "She has always been faster than me, so I was glad that I beat her. We are both working each other to get better, so running with her is really good. I think I just leaned a little bit faster than her this time."

Jones also had never run the 200 meter dash at a high school meet before. Not only did she get a chance to run it at the Warrior Invitational, she won it by 0.78 of a second with a time of 27.34.

"I have never run an open 2 before, I have only done split 2's so that was actually really good that I got whatever my time was," Jones said. "I'm not even sure what time is good for an open 2."

The 4x100 provided a couple more firsts for Jones as she helped Washington win yet again with a time of 51.48 seconds.

Four Metro preps tabbed for Shrine Bowl

Four Metro preps are on the rosters released for the Iowa Shrine Bowl football game that will be played July 23 at Iowa State's Jack Trice Stadium in Ames. Kickoff is 7 p.m.

Metro players selected to play in the game for the North Squad are Linn-Mar running back Jer Garman, Marion flanker Dusty Albaugh, Xavier defensive end Chase Kloepfer and Kennedy offensive lineman Ross Ellsworth.

Garman set 12 school records during his three years as running back for the Lions. He also broke two Mississippi Valley Conference records set by Tim Dwight. He was a three-time MVC first teamer and twice first team all state. He will play college football at North Dakota.