Jeff Johnson

The Iowa High School Athletic Association’s RPI (Ratings Percentage Index) is a huge deal the last three weeks of the prep football regular season. Waterloo West was ranked one spot ahead of Cedar Rapids Kennedy (just on the outside looking in at the top 16) and picked up a huge 28-21 win Thursday night at Kingston Stadium.

Cedar Rapids RoughRiders Coach/President Mark Carlson broke the United States Hockey League record for most regular-season victories last Friday night when his team beat Lincoln. Another win the following night gave Carlson 780 career victories. Plaudits for the only head coach Cedar Rapids has had have continued to pour in.

Iowa’s quarterback situation for its game Saturday night at Wisconsin is a bit cloudy. Starter Mark Gronowski was injured late in a game two weeks ago, though he very well could be back against the Badgers. Wisconsin also has had injury issues at QB, with starter Billy Edwards Jr. hurt in the season opener. If he can’t go Saturday, the Badgers’ starter might just be Hunter Simmons.

The Gazette sports writers Jeff Johnson, Jeff Linder and K.J. Pilcher discuss Iowa High School Football Week 6 results, upcoming matchups in Week 7, games to watch in Week 7 and the recently rankings.

The high school football season enters the final weeks of the regular season. Gazette staff breaks down what teams are in most need of a win, most reliable kickers, which district is still up for grabs and what will high school football be like in 25 years.

Alex Hanna has taken over as head coach of the Ed-Co football program this season, after 16 years as defensive coordinator for the now retired James Rochford. Hanna has led the Vikings to a No 6 ranking in Eight-Player and a 6-0 record, including a big 58-28 win Friday night at no; 7 Easton Valley.

West Des Moines Dowling’s football team showed why it is ranked third in Class 5A Friday night with an impressive 34-0 win over Cedar Rapids Kennedy at Kingston Stadium. The Maroons outgained the Cougars, 470-113, and Kennedy head coach Brian White took a tumble on the sideline after he was run into by a player who were going out of bounds.

Mark Carlson set went into Friday night’s home game at ImOn Ice against the Lincoln Stars with 778 regular-season victories in his amazing 26-year head coaching career. One more victory gave him the United States Hockey League’s all-time record, which he got Friday night when the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders beat Lincoln, 3-2. The 56-year-old sat down with The Gazette to talk about his career earlier this week. He’s not close to retiring, by the way.

Defenseman Guerin Slezak tore the ACL in his knee in a USHL playoff game last April for the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders. Last season’s captain (and this season’s presumed captain) is skating again after surgery and is eyeing a November return to the lineup.

The Gazette sports writers Jeff Linder, Jeff Johnson and K.J. Pilcher talk about Week 5 results in Iowa High School Football and the upcoming Week 6 matchups.

The Cedar Rapids Kernels announced Tuesday that long-time general manager Scott Wilson is leaving the baseball club. He will become executive director at NewBo City Market.

The Gazette’s Iowa sports staff and contributors opted to discuss high school football instead of rocket science and macroeconomics. See how much ground Jeff Linder, Jeff Johnson, K.J. Pilcher and Scott Unash cover in 4 Downs.

There’s a reason Clear Lake’s football team is ranked No. 1 in Class 3A. The Lions have athletes all over the place, all on display Friday night in an impressive 43-0 win at No. 5 Independence.

Forward David Bosco had a tryout for the United States National Team Development Team last summer. He didn’t make the team, which has been a boon for the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders (and potential loss for The Program), for whom he had two goals and an assists last weekend at the USHL’s Fall Classic.

Christopher Meyer has a lot of physical gifts that have allowed him to excel in four sports for Independence High School. That includes being the starting quarterback and an all-state safety for the Class 3A fifth-ranked Mustangs football team.