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No reason to wait, Paige commits to UNC

MINNEAPOLIS -- Marcus Paige has been a big fan of the North Carolina basketball program since he was in the second grade, barely big enough to dribble a ball.

Now his dream of playing for the famed Tar Heels will come true.

Paige, a junior at Linn-Mar, announced Saturday he's accepted a scholarship offer from North Carolina Coach Roy Williams and will join the Tar Heels for the 2012-13 school year.

"It's exciting," he said after playing in the Timberwolves Shootout at the Target Center. "There's not really a whole lot of words to describe it, especially when you know it's a dream you've had as a kid. It's just a great feeling."

Ellis Paige, the point guard's father, summed up the family's feelings in one word. "Elated," he said.

Paige had planned to wait until after the 2010-11 high school season to narrow his list of colleges, take more visits and make a decision, but he saw no reason to wait any longer.

"That was the plan, but I always said if something feels right I'm not going to drag it out for no reason," he said. "Things fell into place and it felt right. There's no need to wait."

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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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Baseball moms go the distance to showcase sons

FORT MYERS, Fla – There are undoubtably thousands of “baseball moms” scattered all across the country. These are the women who go the extra mile to make sure their sons stay involved with baseball and continue to share the same passion they have for the game.

In the cases of Melissa Stickney and Paula Greve, it’s an extra 1,400 miles.

The two moms from east-central Iowa were in southwest Florida last week with their sons Mitch Stickney and Nathan Greve for the Perfect Game National Underclass Showcase-Main Event at the Boston Red Sox 5-Plex Player Development Complex and Terry Park.

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New field, new dreams for Lions

When planners of a sweeping update of Linn-Mar High School’s athletics complex took the first steps in that process, the athletes who will be using those facilities had not yet taken theirs. Some of them were not even born.

"I was the principal for 12 years and this project has been on the table for at least 15 years," said Jerry Van Dyke, who has remained closely involved with the high school in retirement as the coordinator/adviser on the project, which will be ready for use this Spring.

The need for action was obvious, especially during the rainy season. Venerable Armstrong Field, home to the Lions for half a century, is in the Indian Creek flood plain. As more and more land was developed, more and more water ended up where it shouldn’t have been.

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