Metro Sports Report

Kernels banquet draws record crowd

It looks like the Cedar Rapids Kernels have hit a grand-slam by joining forces with the Minnesota Twins this season.

A record crowd of more than 500 baseball fans attended the 17th Annual Hot Stove Banquet at the Cedar Rapids Marriott Thursday night to mingle with Twins Manager Ron Gardenhire and members of the Twins Winter Caravan.

Several dozen fans were dressed in Twins attire and many others identified themselves as Minnesota fans, delighted the Kernels are the new Class A affiliate of the Twins in the Midwest League.

James twins spark Jefferson bowlers

Two weeks ago, Jefferson High School senior bowler Will James nervously went into the final frames of a Saturday morning youth league match knowing that twin sister Lindsey was beating him.

Bowling on opposing teams, Will calculated he’d have to roll a near-perfect final game to overtake his sister. So what does he do but knock out a 289 to close out the series and top Lindsey’s score by 15 pins.

“She hates it when I beat her,” says Will.

Hunter, Manego spark Kirkwood men

The Kirkwood men's basketball team has a little ritual in the locker room after games.

Once the coaches are done talking, the players are given a chance to say something about the team. Wednesday night, sophomore Devan Douglas wanted to say a few words about the way Kevin Hunter and Sean Manego played against Iowa Central.

"He just wanted to congratulate us, to keep our confidence up," said Manego, a 6-foot-1 sophomore from Cape Coral, Fla.

Hunter muscled in 14 points and Manego canned 11 to help the Eagles dispense with Iowa Central, 68-57, in an ICCAC game at Johnson Hall.

No.4 Kirkwood women roll after slow start

The players on the Kirkwood women's basketball team respect Coach Kim Muhl and like him a lot, but sometimes it seems like they play poorly just to torment him a little.

"Well, may-be," joked sophomore Kianna Jacobs, smiling mischievously at the suggestion. "He does get a little crazy at times."

The Eagles played miserably for the first 10 minutes against Iowa Central Wednesday night at Johnson Hall. They fired air-balls, passed the ball into the stands and generally messed up.