Clear Creek Amana Clippers

Class 4A top-ranked Clear Creek Amana dropped their first match of bracket play at the Wamac Conference volleyball tournament Thursday night at Marion High School, then proceeded to win six straight.

Here’s who all 70 teams ranked in this week’s Gazette poll face in Week 8.

You would think, as a divisional champion, a No. 1-ranked team and the owner of a 40-0 record, Clear Creek Amana would get a lollipop in the first round of the Wamac Conference volleyball tournament. No such luck.

Here is a primer of area playoff races as the Iowa high school football season heads into its final week in Class 2A, 1A, A and 8-Player.

Jeff Linder, Jeff Johnson, K.J. Pilcher and Nathan Ford answer more high school football questions. Bears bear, bees bee and sports writers discuss what teams must win, dominant units, consistent performers and post-game celebrations.

This week, a handful of teams that have climbed into The Gazette’s rankings during the regular season get to test themselves against more-established top-10 teams. Here’s who all 72 teams ranked in this week’s Gazette poll face in Week 7.

Prep volleyball: Area Super Ten (Oct. 5, 2023). Same order of power at the top: Clear Creek Amana, Mount Vernon and Xavier; Beckman climbs into the top 10 for the first time all season

The top-ranked team in Class 4A, Clear Creek Amana pushed through some bumpy moments at the Michelle Starcevich Invitational volleyball tournament at Prairie High School.