Metro Sports Report

New Linn-Mar pool set for Nov. 1

The Linn-Mar girls swimming team got inside the school's new aquatics facility for a preseason photo that's being used on the annual schedule poster.

Unfortunately for the 47-member team, that is likely all it will get to do there this season.

"I was at an event with our board members just the other day and the goal is to have the pool open on Nov. 1," said Linn-Mar Coach Chad Derlein. "That would be just a week before the state meet is scheduled, so it doesn't look like we will get to swim there this season."

It was hoped the facility would be open by Oct. 1 so the girls could swim the back half of their schedule in the pool, but weather delays early in the spring pushed the project back.

Linn-Mar Assistant Superintendent Rick Ironside told the Metro Sports Report in April that the project was running about a month behind. His hope was that if the weather improved, the ground could be made up.

However, heavy rains through much of May and early June made that impossible.

"That's just how construction goes sometimes," Derlein said. "We just have to roll with the punches. I'm most disappointed for the seniors. My goal is that they will at least get to practice at least one day in there to say they had the opportunity."

Waukee foils Cougars at Linn-Mar Invy

The Cedar Rapids Kennedy Cougars have grown weary of finishing second behind Waukee in major golf tournaments.

It happened at the state tournament last year and it happened again Monday at the prestigious Linn-Mar Invitational at Hunters Ridge.

Waukee nipped Kennedy by one shot at the state meet. This time the Warriors trimmed the Cougars by four strokes.

Kernels sweep Peoria for 7th in row

PEORIA, Ill. -- The Cedar Rapids Kernels won their seventh straight game and finished a four-game sweep of the Peoria Chiefs on Tuesday night with an 8-3 victory before 1,164 fans at Dozer Park.

The Kernels (79-46) have won 12 of their last 13 games and stand a season-best 33 games over the .500 mark with 13 games left in the regular season.

Cedar Rapids scored five runs in the third inning and added three more runs in the fourth for the victory. The Kernels held the Chiefs to a total of six runs in the four-game series.

Peoria took its only lead of the series in the second inning with three consecutive two-out hits. Breyvic Valera doubled to deep left with two outs. He scored on Trevor Martin's RBI single to right field, giving the Chiefs a 1-0 lead. Martin advanced to second base on the throw and came home when Ildemaro Vargas bounced an RBI single into center field for a 2-0 edge.

Peoria's lone lead of the series was short-lived as the Kernels tallied five runs right away in the top of the fourth inning, pulling ahead 5-2. Nine men came to the plate in the fourth inning as the Kernels collected three hits and took advantage of two Peoria errors to take the lead for good.

Undaunted Huskies eager for Year 3

The members of the Cedar Valley Christian football team say there's more to playing the game than wins and losses.

There are intangibles and rewards for working hard, even if the scores don't show it.

The Huskies lost all nine of their games last season by lopsided tallies. The average final score was 75-12, and all told they were outscored by a whopping margin of 678 to 110.

Coach Ed Betsworth knows those scores are pretty ugly. "They were horrible," he acknowledged.

The Huskies, undaunted, are back for their third year of IHSAA eight-man football, facing another uphill climb with smile on their faces.

"It's a lot of fun," said senior McKeon Silver. "Personally, I didn't care about the scores. I just enjoyed playing.

"I love our sportsmanship," he added. "Everyone is good sports. When we hit somebody, we help them back up. We're a family. I love that."