Metro Sports Report

Linn-Mar stakes claim as top Metro track team

The Linn-Mar Lions staked their claim as the best boys track team in the Metro area Friday night, and they did it with superstar Kyle Dunn on the sidelines.

The Lions captured the 25th Annual Wilkinson Relays in a meet that featured all seven Metro schools, including the 2009 and 2010 state champion Washington Warriors.

Linn-Mar rolled up 113 points to clip Des Moines Hoover, the runnerup, by 21 points. Washington finished third with 90 points in the 10-team field at Kingston Stadium.

It was an impressive showing by the Lions, especially with Dunn sidelined with a nagging hamstring problem. Dunn is the defending state champion in the 400 meter dash and the 400 low hurdles, but he skipped the Wilkinson Relays on a chilly night.

Washpun would fit well with the Hawkeyes

We're back after missing a couple of editions of the Metro Sports Report, and through the magic hands of Jim Ecker (my typist) I did miss it. A hospital stay gives you time to reflect and time to thank the caregivers and doctors for their excellent care, and caring.

And a reflection I had was on a winter's night in January of a high school basketball game that featured new Iowa Coach Fran McCaffery scouting Wes Washpun at a Cedar Rapids Washington home game. Coach McCaffery came into the gym, sat by himself and watched the talents of Washpun.

Wes didn't have a particularly good night and I thought to myself, Coach McCaffery probably canceled him off the recruiting list. Now here we are in April and thank goodness, Wes has become a hot prospect for the Hawks, mainly because of Cully Payne's opt-out and the need to scurry for a guard to back up Bryce Cartwright. Instead of looking across the country, Coach McCaffery probably has his man 25 miles away.

What would Iowa get in the talented Washpun? Number one would be a great leaper. Number two would be plenty of court speed. Number three a good defender. What would Wes have to improve upon? Mid-range shooting, free throws and the ability on the drive to finish it.

I've found Wes to be a smiling, good-attitude guy who would fit in with the Iowa teammates extremely well. So here's a wish: If he wants it, and wants to compete in the Big Ten, here's an opportunity that never looked like it would come about.

PART II: Since this is the final weekend of the regular hockey season, I reminded the incoming pros - the Cedar Rapids Kernels - that the hockey RoughRiders are on the verge of winning the regular season title and the Anderson Cup, and it would behoove the Kernels to follow suit.

So congratulations to these high schoolers who have acquitted themselves in the USHL so well.

Washpun meets with McCaffery, waits to sign

Fran McCaffery made a strong pitch to Wes Washpun Thursday night, but Washpun left Carver-Hawkeye Arena without giving the University of Iowa basketball coach an answer on whether he plans to join the Hawkeyes next season or not.

Washpun said he'll probably decide by Monday or Tuesday what he plans to do, and a large part depends on whether new Tennessee Coach Cuonzo Martin offers a scholarship or not.

Washpun is a 6-foot-1 point guard from Cedar Rapids Washington who averaged 18 points, 5.4 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 3.4 steals and 2.1 blocked shots this sesaon.

He said he expects to hear from Martin in the next day or two. Martin offered him a scholarship to Missouri State, but is still evaluating his new team at Tennessee.

Paul Lusk, a former Hawkeye and the new coach at Missouri State, has offered a scholarship, and Washpun said "Missouri State is still very much in the picture." The spring signing period begins Wednesday.

Washpun said he and his parents spent more than an hour in McCaffery's office at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

"It went pretty good," he said. "We talked about how I would fit into the system, and how he would develop me as a player, what my role would be, and a little about what he plans to do (at Iowa) and the new facility they're building. And he talked to my parents about my living situation and what it would be."

Iowa is building a new practice facility adjacent to Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

"He said, of course, all my playing time would have to be earned," Washpun remarked, "but he'd like to use me and Bryce (Cartwright) together and also apart, to split up time like that."

Cartwright was Iowa's starting point guard this season and will be a senior during the 2011-12 campaign.

No. 1 Saints best No. 3 Bulldogs

BETTENDORF -- Meagan Konchar scored two goals and Kayla Armstrong added another to lead Class 2A No. 1 ranked Xavier past Class 3A No. 3 Bettendorf, 3-2, Friday in a nonconference girls soccer game.

Xavier improved to 2-0. Bettendorf was playing its first game.

Konchar scored both of her goals during the first 12 minutes of the match and Xavier led, 2-0, at halftime.

Bettendorf halved Xavier's lead early in the second half when Halli Meyer scored on a penalty kick.

Armstrong's goal boosted the Saints' lead to 3-1.

The Bulldogs pulled within 3-2 with just under 14 minutes to play when Abby Zimmerman booted home a rebound off a corner kick.

AT BETTENDORF

Xavier 3, Bettendorf 2

Goals -- CRX: Meagan Konchar 2, Kayla Armstrong; BETT: Halli Meyer, Abby Zimmerman. Assists -- CRX: Armstrong, Lauren Konchar, Berutti; BETT: Katie Moore.