Jeff Johnson

The Cedar Rapids Kernels failed to come up with clutch hits and fell to Beloit, 7-1, Tuesday night in Game 1 of the Midwest League Western Division championship series.

The Gazette’s Iowa high school football contributors answer high school football questions you need to know. See how much Jeff Linder, Jeff Johnson, K.J. Pilcher and Scott Unash can gain in 4 Downs:

For the 11th time in 12 seasons as an affiliate of the Minnesota Twins, the Cedar Rapids Kernels have qualified for the postseason. That was via a first-half Western Division championship. They play second-half winner Beloit in a best-of-3 series that begins Tuesday night in Wisconsin and continues Thursday night and possibly Friday night in Cedar Rapids.

Cedar Rapids Prairie has a really good football team this season, one that won for the second straight time this early season, 38-13, Friday night over Cedar Rapids Kennedy at Kingston Stadium.

An injury and two suspensions depleted the quarterback position for the North Scott football team going into this season. Senior Cole Green got the nod despite not playing at all his junior season and only going out this season because he anticipated being his team’s kicker. He rushed for 159 yards and a touchdown, threw two TD passes, kicked five extra points and a field goal Thursday night at Kingston Stadium.

Senior center A.J. Evans announced his commitment Wednesday to play college basketball at James Madison University.

Enrollment numbers forced BGM High School back into 11-player football this season after five previous years of being an 8-Player program. Behind 545 combined yards rushing and passing, including seven total touchdowns, from senior quarterback Beau Burns, BGM won its opener last Friday over Columbus Junction, 47-14.

Results from week 1 and a look at week 2 matchups in Iowa High School Football -Triple Option Podcast

The Gazette’s Iowa high school football staff and Gazette contributor Scott Unash tackles high school football questions. See how much Jeff Linder, Jeff Johnson, K.J. Pilcher and Unash can gain in 4 Downs:

Sunday was special for Ty Langenberg. The Urbandale native and former Iowa Hawkeyes pitcher saw his mother, Kathy, throw out a ceremonial first pitch prior to the Cedar Rapids Kernels’ 2-1 win over Beloit. Then he went out and threw six very good innings for the victory in the regular-season finale at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Iowa City West’s football team dominated most of the game and shutout rival Iowa City High, 30-0, Friday night at Bates Field. The Trojans win The Boot trophy back for the first time since 2020.

Shortstop Marek Houston was the top draft pick of the Minnesota Twins in July, signed with the club and is making his professional debut. He excelled at low-Class A Fort Myers, prompting a promotion to the high-A Cedar Rapids Kernels for the rest of the minor league season.

A knee injury to its anticipated starter during spring practice left the Albany football team scrambling to find a starting quarterback for the 2025 season. Hitting the transfer portal late provided the Great Danes with their guy. Jack Shields will start Saturday in the season opener against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Kinnick Stadium.

Cedar Rapids Kennedy went 3-6 last football season, the school’s first losing season since 2014. In an effort to make that a one-off thing, the Cougars are stressing fundamentals and discipline in 2025.

The Gazette sports writers Jeff Johnson, Jeff Linder and K.J. Pilcher discuss the upcoming 2025 Iowa High School Football season including preseason rankings, predictions and games to watch in week 1.