Linn-Mar High School - Marion, Iowa

Offers were there early for Paige

MINNEAPOLIS -- Marcus Paige was just 14 years old, not yet in high school, when college basketball coaches began offering him full scholarships to attend their schools.

The first offer came from Ben Jacobson, the head coach at the University of Northern Iowa. The very next day, then-Iowa State coach Greg McDermott invited Paige to become a Cyclone.

This was during the summer of 2007, shortly after Paige had graduated from the eighth grade. College was still five years away, yet Jacobson and McDermott were willing to bet that the skinny, precocious point would grow into someone special.

They were right, but Roy Williams and the University of North Carolina won the grand prize. Paige committed to the Tar Heels on Thursday and made the announcement Saturday night before playing for Linn-Mar at the Timberwolves Shootout.

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Mahmens casts lot with DII champs

Linn-Mar senior Mac Mahmens has accepted a scholarship to play football at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, which won the NCAA Division II national title this past season with a 15-0 record.

Mahmens visited Minnesota-Duluth this weekend, was offered a scholarship Sunday morning and accepted Sunday afternoon. Certain of his decision, he called one of Duluth's assistant coaches with the news while driving back to Iowa with his father.

"I knew that's the place for me," Mahmens told the Metro Sports Report. "It's awesome up there."

Mahmens is a 6-foot-2, 285-pound lineman who played offensive guard, defensive tackle and defensive end for Linn-Mar this past season. He said Minnesota-Duluth plans to put him in the middle of the offensive line at center, which is where he played for Linn-Mar in 2009.

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Kiah Stokes chooses UConn

MARION — Kiah Stokes is headed for the mecca of women’s college basketball.

Stokes, the 6-foot-3 senior center for the Linn-Mar Lions, announced Thursday afternoon at a press conference that she’s accepted a scholarship to play basketball at the University of Connecticut next year.

Stokes visited Connecticut, Iowa, Tennessee, Georgia and Maryland before making her decision. She said the process was exciting, overwhelming and stressful at times.The Huskies, coached by Geno Auriemma, have won the last two NCAA titles and have won seven national championships since 1995.

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Garman commits to North Dakota

Linn-Mar tailback Jer Garman said Wednesday he has committed to play football at the University of North Dakota next season.

Garman was honored as the 2010 Metro Player of the Year after rushing for 1,601 yards and scoring 29 touchdowns for the Lions.

North Dakota assistant coach Josh Kotelnicki visited Garman Tuesday night. They played ping-pong and Garman offered Kotelnicki a deal, based on the outcome of their match.

"I played a little trick on him," Garman said. "I told him if you win, I'll commit to North Dakota. And if I win, I'll commit to North Dakota.

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