Gazette photographers pick their favorite Sports photos of April 2019

Iowa Hawkeyes forward Megan Gustafson holds 2-year-old corgi Lennon, owned by Erin Manfull of Iowa City and dressed in an Iowa jersey, after the team arrived at the Coralville Transit Intermodal Facility on Tuesday, April 2, 2019. Fans gathered to welcome the Hawkeye women's basketball team back from Greensboro, North Carolina, after their loss to Baylor in the Elite Eight round of the NCAA tournament. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)

(from left) Sho Takaoka (17) and Hussin Al-Yassiri (12) of the Cedar Rapids Inferno try to stay warm during introductions prior to facing Union Dubuque F.C. in a United Premier Soccer League game at Coe College's Clark Field in Cedar Rapids on Saturday, April 27, 2019. The sports desk had suggested trying to incorporate the day's snowy weather into the coverage of this game, which was a bit of a challenged, given the snow stopped falling before the game began. I went high in the stands so the snow would stand out and took advantage of the fact the players were desperately trying to stay warm during the team introductions. (Cliff Jette/The Gazette)

The Coe College offensive and defensive lines had a competition to see which line could go the longest without dropping a punt. The offensive line won this contest. I like the various reactions from each player. Coe's Brody Bohr (left) and other offensive players run towards a teammate after he caught a punt during a duel between defensive and offensive linemen during spring practice at Clark Field in northeast Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Thursday, April 18, 2019. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Kane County's Zac Almond (9) is unable to tag Cedar Rapids' Yunior Severino (13) as he reaches first base during a Midwest League baseball game at Veterans Memorial Stadium on Wednesday, April 10, 2019. I had several images of this play but finally decided this was my favorite due the gesture by the baserunner as he tries to avoid being tagged. (Cliff Jette/The Gazette)

Linn-Mar's Trent Davis reacts after winning the boys 110m high hurdles in 13.99 during Drake Relays at Drake Stadium in Des Moines on Friday, April 26, 2019. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)

I love the facial expression of Pender as well as the body language as she celebrates her grand slam with teammates at home plate. It's not as clean as I would have wanted considering the coach standing there. I think I would have missed the moment if I had taken the time to shift my position. Luther's Addy Pender (center) high-tens Hannah Halverson (left) as she crosses home plate after her grand slam during the second inning during the nightcap of their college softball game against Coe at Clark Softball Field in northeast Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Tuesday, April 16, 2019. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

I grabbed a monopod and my 16-35mm lens from the back of my car, planning on making this photo from opening night of the 2019 Kernels season. I didn't have my remote cord, transmitter or receiver with me so I had to take the photo old-school by setting the two-second timer then thrusting the camera, attached to the end of the six-foot long monopod, skyward. I had the auto bracketing feature turned on which shot a burst of seven frames of varying exposures. I pressed the shutter button and raised the monopod 16 times (112 frames) to get the one I liked with the best exposure AND the framing I wanted that didn't cut out the people or the stadium. Members of the Cedar Rapids Kernels housing families hold the Stars and Stripes during the National Anthem at the Cedar Rapids Kernels 2019 Midwest League home opener against the Peoria Chiefs at Veterans Memorial Stadium in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Thursday, April 4, 2019. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Cedar Rapids' Yeltsin Encarnacion (43) catches a Burlington fly ball for an out during a Midwest League baseball game at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Cedar Rapids on Saturday, April 13, 2019. I like the expression on the player as well as the pattern of the grass plus the warm evening light. (Cliff Jette/The Gazette)

Most of the time photographing the reaction to a home run is better than the actual swing. I like the ball boy getting into the celebration too waiting for a helmet bump. Iowa Hawkeyes' Izaya Fullard is congratulated by teammates as he comes into home plate after his two RBI home run during the bottom of the sixth inning of their Big Ten Conference baseball game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Duane Banks Field in Iowa City, Iowa, on Friday, April 5, 2019. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

The background isn't as clean as I would want it but the action is pretty nice. I like that both players are in the air right before Albright punches the ball away. It is a storytelling photo of the defensive stand by West. Iowa City West goalkeeper Zachary Albright knocks the ball away from Iowa City High's Quincy Ott as the Little Hawks mount a late charge during the second half of their boys high school soccer match at the University of Iowa soccer complex in Iowa City, Iowa, on Tuesday, April 9, 2019. West won 1-0. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Center Point-Urbana's Emilie Brunko (31) breaks away to score against Solon in their girls prep soccer game at Solon on Tuesday, April 30, 2019. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)

They haven't made my ultimate soccer lens yet. Sometimes shooting loose from nearly the other end of the field has its advantages. City High only needed the one goal and the celebration is good as well as the West goalkeeper in the background provides some context. Iowa City High's Mia DePrenger celebrates her goal with teammates during the second half of their girls high school soccer match against the Iowa City West Women of Troy at the University of Iowa soccer complex in Iowa City, Iowa, on Tuesday, April 9, 2019. City High won 1-0. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

As a photographer, I look at golf as a game of extremes. The most emotive photos are when players are having their best or worst rounds. It's pretty uneventful otherwise. Another lesson is a follow the play even after the club makes contact with the ball. Cedar Rapids Washington's Emma Sorg reacts after her drive hit a goose during the CRANDIC Golf Tournament at Brown Deer Golf Club in Coralville, Iowa, on Wednesday, April 17, 2019. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Cedar Rapids' Jeff Branch (10) recovers a Bismarck during the first half of an Indoor Football League game at the US Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids on Saturday, April 20, 2019. The dim, flat light combined with very brief plays in a relativel small space make indoor football one of the hardest sports to shoot. I was pleased to get good action from a play that was actually interesting. (Cliff Jette/The Gazette)

It was the Monday after the Drake Relays and I think there was a little hangover from racing on the blue oval. Even though she's not in focus, the action and expression on the Davenport West runner draws your eye to her. Prairie's Kianna Alexander runs for the next hurdle as Davenport West's Ashley Smith falls into a hurdle during the 4 x 100-meter shuttle hurdle relay at the Prairie Invitational track and field meet at Cedar Rapids Prairie High School in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Monday, April 29, 2019. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Solon sprinter Erin Kerkhoff has qualified for Drake Relays in several events and is legally blind. Photographed during practice in Solon on Tuesday, April 23, 2019. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)

Iowa's Amanda Carty lands in the long jump pit during Drake Relays at Drake Stadium in Des Moines on Friday, April 26, 2019. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)

Iowa's Raymonte Dow loads into the blocks for the men's 400m hurdles during Drake Relays at Drake Stadium in Des Moines on Friday, April 26, 2019. Dow placed fourth in 61.51. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)

Sandi Morris clears the bar while competing in the women's World Showdown Invitational pole vault during Drake Relays at Drake Stadium in Des Moines on Friday, April 26, 2019. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)

The cynical side of me says that it's just a marketing ploy by an athletic shoe company, but the optimist in me says that the players are taking the slogan to heart and derive motivation from the names they wrote in the white space. There were quite a few Harpers written on the jackets. The name Harper, for Iowa Kid Captain Harper Stribe of Polk City, Iowa, is seen on the jacket of Iowa Hawkeyes forward Megan Gustafson (10) as she warms up before their Elite Eight Greensboro regional championship game against the Baylor Lady Bears of the NCAA basketball tournament at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex in Greensboro, NC, on Monday, April 1, 2019. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Iowa's Tania Davis receives a basketball from head women's basketball coach Lisa Bluder recognizing Davis' 1000 career points at with the Hawkeyes during an event celebrating the 2018-2019 women's basktetball team at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City on Wednesday, April 24, 2019. This was a predictable event that didn't offer many real candid moments, so this genuine interaction between a player and her coach stood out to me. (Cliff Jette/The Gazette)

Iowa Hawkeyes guard Tania Davis reacts after disembarking the team bus at the Coralville Transit Intermodal Facility on Tuesday, April 2, 2019. Fans gathered to welcome the Hawkeye women's basketball team back from Greensboro, North Carolina, after their loss to Baylor in the Elite Eight round of the NCAA tournament. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)