Jeff Johnson

Relief pitcher Nick Trabacchi of the Cedar Rapids Kernels is a recipient of the 2025 Harmon Killebrew Award, it was announced Thursday. A player at each of the parent Minnesota Twins’ minor league affiliates is honored each season for outstanding community service.

The two words you heard most when asking around for a scouting report on the 2025-26 Cedar Rapids RoughRiders were “speed” and “depth.” The club begins the United States Hockey League regular season Friday against Des Moines at the league’s annual Fall Classic in suburban Pittsburgh.

Quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis started five games as a red-shirt freshman for the University of Minnesota in 2022 and then the entire 2023 season. But the Gophers brought in a touted quarterback from the transfer portal that offseason, and Kaliakmanis ended up moving on to Rutgers, where he has become one of the best QBs in the Big Ten Conference.

The Gazette sports writers Jeff Linder, KJ Pilcher and Jeff Johnson discuss results from Week 3 and upcoming matchups in Week 4 of Iowa High School Football on the Triple Option Podcast presented by The Gazette.

The West Michigan Whitecaps had the best overall record in minor league baseball after the regular season. The Caps won all four playoff games, including 3-1 Tuesday night over the Cedar Rapids Kernels at Veterans Memorial Stadium to win the 2025 Midwest League championship. West Michigan finished 96-39 overall, playoffs included.

The Gazette’s Iowa high school football and contributors bloviate on the world of high school football. See how much Jeff Linder, Jeff Johnson, K.J. Pilcher and Scott Unash ground they cover in 4 Downs.

He is a preferred walk-on at this point, but Cedar Rapids Prairie senior tight end/defensive lineman David Fason hopes to eventually secure a scholarship to the University of Iowa. Regardless he committed Tuesday to play football for the Hawkeyes.

The Cedar Rapids Kernels led the West Michigan Whitecaps, 3-0, after three innings of Game 1 of the Midwest League Championship Series on Sunday afternoon in Comstock Park, Mich. But the Whitecaps, who have an overall record of 95-39 (best in the minors) scored the final five runs to pull out a 5-3 win.

Trevor Kuennen had a 10-yard touchdown on a screen pass on the first play of overtime as Class 4A fourth-ranked Decorah beat defending 3A champion No. 5 Dubuque Wahlert, 19-13, Friday night at Loras College’s Rock Bowl in Dubuque. The Vikings are 3-0 heading into another big game this coming week against Western Dubuque.

The Cedar Rapids Kernels beat Beloit, 7-1, Friday night at Veterans Memorial Stadium in a deciding Game 3 of the Midwest League Western Division championship series. The game strangely was delayed a half-hour with the bases loaded and two outs in the top of the first inning of a scoreless game because a transformer blew.

Too many penalties and too many missed tackles foil Cedar Rapids Kennedy in a 23-15 loss Friday night to Waukee at Kingston Stadium.

The Cedar Rapids Kernels scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to go from 2-1 down to 5-2 ahead, eventually securing a 5-3 win over the Beloit Sky Carp in Game 2 of the Midwest League Western Division playoff series. Winner-take-all Game 3 is Friday night at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Cael Kongshaug is in his first season as a varsity starting quarterback and is beginning to realize the potential many believed he’s had since he was younger. The Cedar Rapids Prairie junior has led the Hawks to a 2-0 record and No. 5 ranking in Class 5A.

The University of Massachusetts football program has a 26-122 record since deciding to go from the FCS level to FBS in 2011. But a new head coach (Joe Harasymiak) and a conference (the Mid-American) has the school excited about its future possibilities.

The Gazette Sports writers Jeff Linder, KJ Pilcher and Jeff Johnson discuss results from Week 2 and upcoming matchups in Week 3 of Iowa High School Football