Metro Sports Report

Lilly sees state champs as underdogs

Xavier girls basketball coach Tom Lilly has modest goals for his team, but they often translate into monumental achievements.

He's won four state titles with the Saints, including a surprising run to the Class 4A crown last year, but it starts with the basics.

"Our goal has always been kind of simple," Lilly said Monday on the first day of practice. "First of all, we want to be competitive. We don't want anyone sitting their starters down in the fourth quarter because we weren't competitive. That's the worst thing in the world as a coach."

Gardner wins Metro Spotlight Award

Xavier senior Wes Gardner is the winner of the Metro Spotlight Award for high school boys this week, the Metro Sports Report announced Sunday.

Gardner has been a valuable member of the Xavier football team this season on defense, offense and special teams as a defensive back, running back, receiver and punt return specialist.

Gardner has 30 tackles and three interceptions for Xavier's defense, which has collected eight shutouts in 12 games. He has caught 12 passes for 125 yards and three touchdowns, and he's carried the ball 14 times for 54 yards and one TD.

Coppock wins Metro Spotlight Award

Linn-Mar senior Kiley Coppock is the winner of the Metro Spotlight Award for high school girls this week, the Metro Sports Report announced Sunday.

Coppock helped the Linn-Mar volleyball team compile a 23-15 record this season. She led all Class 5A players in digs by a considerable margin with 749, an average of 7.97 digs per set.

Here is our Question-&-Answer session with Kiley Coppock:

Drake nets 2 silver medals at state

MARSHALLTOWN - Judging strictly by her frowns, you might have thought Kelsey Drake had an awful day at the 48th annual state swimming meet in Marshalltown Saturday.

But that wasn't it. She simply wanted to swim faster, especially in the 100 butterfly, even though she submitted the best time of her life by a few tenths of a second.

Drake placed second in both the 200 individual medley and the 100 butterfly, both times to girls who are two or three years older than the Jefferson ninth grader. Her times in both events were good enough to earn her all-American consideration.

The frowns gave way to smiles after the meet as she realized what she had just accomplished in the crowded, noisy pool at the Marshalltown YMCA as just a freshman.