Curt Ritchie has been a successful high school football coach for more than three decades, including the last 24 seasons at Williamsburg. He will now take over the Cornell College football program, which is coming off consecutive .500-record seasons.
Derek Weisskopf of Williamsburg is The Gazette’s 2024 Male Athlete of the Year. Team oriented is a virtually unanimous description of the soon-to-be Iowa Hawkeyes linebacker.
Drake Relays (Thursday boys): In his first time on the track in more than a week, Jesup’s Jack Miller claims the long jump championship.
Prep track and field: Williamsburg’s Derek Weisskopf competes in three field events, and wins two, at Thursday’s Bobcat Invitational.
Derek Weisskopf of Class 3A state champion Williamsburg and Preston Ries of 2A semifinalist Monticello have been named class captains by the Iowa Print Sports Writers Association. The honors were in conjunction with the IPSWA all-state teams, which were voted upon Sunday and released Tuesday.
Versatile Rayce Heitman has scored 18 touchdowns — rushing, receiving, defensively and on special teams. Williamsburg takes on Sioux City Heelan in Friday’s Class 3A state football championship game.
Three Iowa high school football state football championship games in the UNI-Dome feature Gazette-area teams. MFL MarMac and Williamsburg look for their first titles. Western Dubuque attempts to win its first crown since 2019.
In a game dominated by the offenses, interceptions by Rayce Heitman and Simeon Armbrecht loom large. No. 3 Williamsburg tops No. 4 Mount Vernon, 38-35, in a 3A state football quarterfinal classic.
Jeff Linder, Jeff Johnson, K.J. Pilcher and Nathan Ford delve into questions surrounding the high school football season. Read what we had to say on conversions, passing duos, recruits and the expansion of Friday Night Lights.
If Game 1 was a test for Williamsburg starting quarterback Kellen Cockrell, he passed … with flying colors. With Cockrell at the helm, the Raiders offense, which led Class 2A in touchdowns last season, picked up right where it left off Friday in an impressive season-opening, 42-14, win at home against 1A No. 9 West Branch.
Williamsburg senior and University of Iowa commit Derek Weisskopf can run, jump, tackle and punt and is developing into a blocker in his 6-foot-3, 215-pound frame. He has played a major role in the Raiders’ success the last couple seasons but his approach to the game might be as strong as his physical skills.
Friday’s Class 2A boys’ state track and field roundup: Iowa football recruit Derek Weisskopf of Williamsburg repeated as the high jump champion.
Gracie Federspiel earned girls’ athlete-of-the-year honors, winning four events to lead Solon to the Wamac Conference girls’ track and field championship. Solon’s boys also dominated, racking up 157 points
Boys’ track and field: Led by high-jumper Derek Weisskopf and a stable full of speedy sprinters, Williamsburg rates as an early favorite in Class 2A
When you need to understand the wonders of high school football in Eastern Iowa, people seek our answers. Jeff Linder, Jeff Johnson, Nathan Ford and K.J. Pilcher address midseason MVP candidates, deep talent pools in the Metro, midseason surprises and whether seven classes work.
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