Metro Sports Report

No.3 Kirkwood women win 14th straight

MASON CITY - Kianna Jacobs collected 15 points, 10 rebounds and five assists Wednesday as third-ranked Kirkwood knocked off NIACC, 77-57, for its 14th victory in a row.

Alexis Fitzpatrick topped the Eagles (22-3, 11-0) with 16 points. Friday Chuol pitched in 14 points. Bianca Dufelmeier and Whitney Henderson had 12 points apiece.

Kirkwood's five post players combined to shoot 20 of 32 from the field for 43 points with Jacobs, Chuol, Henderson, Krissi Tow and Haley Faber sharing the chores.

Kennedy girls end Wash's title hopes

Many of the girls on the Kennedy and Washington basketball teams are friends from playing on the same AAU clubs during the spring and summer, but there's no love lost when they tangle in high school games.

"Everything off the court is friendly and we get along, but once we're on the court the friendship kind of goes away," Kennedy junior Paige Hendrickson said Tuesday night. "We play to win."

Did they ever, on both sides.

Stephanie Botkin tossed in 25 points and Hendrickson notched 24 as the Cougars dented the Warriors, 72-65, in a highly entertaining Mississippi Valley Conference game in the Washington gym.

The setback knocked Washington (14-6, 8-4) out of contention for the Valley Division title with its fourth MVC loss of the season.

NIACC rally stuns Kirkwood men

MASON CITY - NIACC scored the last nine points of the game and stunned Kirkwood, 85-80, Wednesday night in junior college men's basketball.

Kirkwood (13-11, 5-4) held an 80-76 lead with just under three minutes to play before NIACC went on its winning run.

Kasey Semler led Kirkwood with 25 points that included four 3-pointers in the first 3:26 of the second half that helped the Eagles erase a 43-37 halftime deficit.

Warriors whip Cougars for 3rd win in row

It's hard to call a guy the "Metro Coach of the Year" when his team has won only four games all season, but you might want to give Adam Sanchez a serious look.

The young man has performed miracles with the Cedar Rapids Washington boys basketball team this season in his first year as head coach.

The Warriors, winless and hopeless a year ago, drilled the Kennedy Cougars 54-38 Tuesday night for their third Mississippi Valley Conference victory in a row.