Metro Sports Report

Ashley Piper enjoys life at Colorado Christian

Ashley Piper was a member of a talented senior class on the Cedar Rapids Washington basketball team last season that sent four players to college teams.

Tia Dawson, the star center, went to Dartmouth. Alissa Oney, the point guard, went to Maryville. Janay Pritchett, a top reserve, went to William Penn. Piper, a wing player, went to Colorado Christian.

Manning makes quick impact at Platteville

Jake Manning finished his final exams at Wisconsin-Platteville on Wednesday, glad that was over. He then practiced with the basketball team for the last time before Christmas on Thursday and returned home to Cedar Rapids for a short vacation.

Then he took a nice, long nap.

"It was good," he said after waking up. "I needed it."

Manning, a pre-engineering student, had a busy and productive semester at Platteville as a true freshman. He did well in chemistry, calculus and his other classes and made an immediate impact on the basketball squad.

Athletes reap 'benefits' of bowl games

It’s the most hypocritical time of the year for college football.

The first few of 35 bowl games have been played. We’ll be watching them the rest of this year and well into next. Players will be making sacrifices by spending time away from family as they prepare for games, but don’t feel too sorry for them.

Every bowl game offers plenty of gifts for players, up to $550 worth of swag for as many as 125 individuals. Schools also are allowed to tack on another $400 worth of gifts, bringing to $950 the value of benefits players could receive.

Saxen finds her groove at Missouri Western

Alex Saxen turned frustration and disappointment into a celebration last Saturday (Dec. 17) when she scored 21 points for Missouri Western State University in a women's basketball game against Washburn.

It took everyone by surprise, because the Xavier High School graduate had played a grand total of only eight minutes in Missouri Western's first eight games and was scoreless for the season.