Linn-Mar High School - Marion, Iowa

Jenks places 15th at IAAF race

EUGENE, Ore. - Linn-Mar High School junior Stephanie Jenks placed 15th in the 3000 meter run at the IAAF World Junior Track & Field Meet Thursday night.

Mary Cain of the United States won the race in 8 minutes, 58.48 seconds. Jenks, one of the youngest runners in the event, finished in 9:31.47.

Runners from 14 nations competed in the 3000. The World Junior Meet is for runners 19-and-younger. Jenks will not turn 17 until next month.

There were 18 runners in the race at Hayward Field.

Davenport West ousts Linn-Mar

DAVENPORT - If anyone can appreciate the strike zone as a batter, it's a pitcher.

Davenport West's Thomas Dorton used that to his advantage in his first at-bat with the bases loaded in the first inning Friday.

Dorton fought back from an 0-2 count to draw a walk for the Falcons' first run and helped sparked West to four more runs in the inning. It helped West to an eventual 5-2 victory over Linn-Mar in a Class 4A first-round substate game at the Falcons' complex.

West (26-6) advances to host Bettendorf in a regional semifinal at 7 p.m. Monday.

"I just had to foul (pitches) off and just try and get on base," Dorton said of his first at-bat. "The (umpire) had a pretty tight strike zone so I kind of knew where the balls and strikes were.

"I kind of knew it was coming. It's 10 times better as a pitcher because you know where everything is at."

Linn-Mar starting pitcher Ryan Wyant got the first two outs of the inning but the Falcons strung together three straight singles to load the bases when Dorton came up. He took a strike, then fouled a pitch off. Then Wyant suddenly could not find the zone.

After Dorton forced a run in with his walk, teammate Kyle Verdon took the same selective approah. Wyant walked him on five pitches to give West a 2-0 lead.

"We got (Wyant) frustrated and that's the point," Dorton said.

The Falcons then got some help from shaky defense by the Lions (16-22).

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Sommer tops All-Metro softball team

Katie Sommer spent only year on the Linn-Mar High School softball team after moving here from Dubuque, but she made the most of it.

Sommer hit a sizzling .617 for the Lions this season, stole 57 bases, averaged two hits per game and displayed amazing skills at shortstop.

The Metro softball coaches honored Sommer Monday by naming her the Athlete of the Year on the All-Metro Softball Team.

Nikki Price of Xavier and her assistant coaches were named the Staff of the Year.

The Jefferson J-Hawks, who have qualified for the Class 5A state tournament, led the All-Metro team with three first-team selections with Maddie Hansen, Alyssa Olson and Erin Kuba.

Erin Drahozal and Hayley Deutmeyer were honored on the first team from Xavier. Jessi Puk and Bria Lenten made the top honor squad from

Washington. Gabi Carter and Natalie Rumer were named from Prairie. Sommer and Maddy Ryan were selected from Linn-Mar. Haley Vanourney from Marion High School also made the first team.

FIRST TEAM

Maddie Hansen (Jefferson), Alyssa Olson (Jefferson), Erin Kuba  (Jefferson), Erin Drahozal (Xavier), Hayley Deutmeyer (Xavier), Jessi Puk (Washington), Bria Lenten (Washington), Haley Vanourney (Marion), Gabi Carter (Prairie), Natalie Rumer (Prairie), Katie Sommer (Linn-Mar), Maddy Ryan (Linn-Mar).

SECOND TEAM

Hannah Towns (Jefferson), Katelyn Holub (Jefferson), Alissa Good (Jefferson), Kristie Sommer (Linn-Mar), Elison Ollinger (Linn-Mar), Christina Lincoln (Linn-Mar), Allison Schwach (Xavier), Courtney Colston (Xavier), Emily Oler (Washington), Anne Riley (Washington), Halle Lueck (Prairie), Ashley Hamilton (Kennedy).

HONORABLE MENTION

Jefferson - Tori Brandon, Emily Walton
Kennedy - Tianna Drahn, Paige Timmerman
Marion - Camryn Cannoy, Bayley Fuller
Washington - Payton Bruner, Erica Oler
Xavier - Morgan Breitbach, Jamie Feltes
Linn-Mar - Madison Rentschler, Morgan Braughton
Prairie - Amanda Stecklein, Mallory Jones

Katie Sommer honored in MVC softball

Linn-Mar senior Katie Sommer has been named the Athlete of the Year in the Valley Division on the Mississippi Valley Conference all-star softball teams.

Nikki Price and her assistants were named the Staff of the Year in the Valley Division after winning the division title.

Xavier, Linn-Mar and Prairie claimed three spots apiece on the Valley Division first team.

Pitcher Erin Drahozal, infielder Hayley Deutmeyer and outfielder Courtney Colston made the squad from Xavier. Pitcher Maddy Ryan, infielder Katie Sommer and outfielder Elison Ollinger made the team from Linn-Mar. Catcher Natalie Rumer, infielder Gabi Carter and outfielder Halle Lueck were named from Prairie.

Bria Lenten of Washington was a first-team pick in the Valley Division as a utility player.

The Jefferson J-Hawks landed three berths on the Mississippi Division first team with pitcher Alyssa Olson, catcher Maddie Hansen and infielder Erin Kuba. Kennedy claimed two spots with infielder Ashley Hamilton and outfielder Tianna Drahn.

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