Metro Sports Report

Indians give O'Donnell a happy birthday

When Marion Coach Brian O'Donnell saw before the season that Williamsburg was scheduled on his birthday, he had a request for his wife.

"I told her I hoped she'd get me something nice, because I wasn't sure I'd have a fun day."

The Williamsburg Raiders started the year ranked No. 1 in the state in Class 3A, while the gritty Marion girls were coming off of a 6-16 season marked by one heart-breaking loss after another.

But they came through when it counted Tuesday night in their home gym, delivering a 48-46 birthday surprise that gives them a 6-0 start.

"It's still early in the season, obviously, but I'm very happy," said O'Donnell, the second-year coach who turned 37. "We had so many games last year when we just barely came out on the short end that this win is phenomenal.

Pep talk spurs Warriors to big home win

Call him a prophet. Call him psychologist. Frank Howell doesn’t care.

Howell used a bit of both in urging his No. 7 Washington girls basketball team to a hard-fought 50-44 victory over No. 6 3A Dubuque Wahlert at the Warrior gym Tuesday night.

Xavier depth douses City High girls

Two teams with a lot in common put strength against strength on Tuesday, and Cedar Rapids Xavier came out with a 58-47 victory over Iowa City High.

Both teams use full-court pressing defenses, and both have more than the usual array of post players to clog up the middle and score easy baskets.

"They are a really good defensive team, and they're really fast and they get a lot of fast breaks," City High guard Mickey Hansche said. "They never really shoot outside; they just like to pound it in because they have two 6-footers inside. We didn't really box out that well. They got a lot of offensive rebounds and got second and third shots."

But maybe what Xavier had that City didn't was an inexhaustible bench.

Xavier Coach Tom Lilly played 12 players in the first six minutes and the hockey line changes continued throughout the game.

"We like to utilize as many as we can in the first half, see how they are doing, see what kind of matchups it presents for us," Lilly said. "It gives our first group of kids extra opportunities to rest in case we do need significant minutes in the second half I think we can get them."

Hendricks cares for Lassen and Lions

Within seconds last Friday night after Linn-Mar basketball player Matt Lassen suffered a concussion when he cracked his head on the court, athletic trainer Jill Hendricks was down on the floor with him calling for an ambulance.

And when Marcus Paige sprained his All-American ankle the day before the season opener, it was Hendricks who decided whether he should play.

She stops bloody noses and tapes ankles, too. But her job involves a lot more.

"When people see me at games, they might just think I'm the water girl," Hendricks says. "That's hardly the case."

For starters, she has a bachelor's degree in exercise science from Central College in Pella with an emphasis on athletic training, as well as a master's from Drake in public administration.