Jeff Johnson

The Iowa Heartlanders beat Wichita on three consecutive days last week. The ECHL club gave up just four goals in those games. The Cedar Rapids RoughRiders dropped three games last week.

Meet The Gazette’s 2023-24 all-area high school boys’ basketball team. Decorah’s Jonathan Carlson is the Coach of the Year. Linn-Mar’s Davis Kern is the Player of the Year.

Upper Iowa University grad student Jake Hilmer is his school’s all-time leading scorer and assists man. He is eyeing a possible pro basketball career when his career ends at UIU, which plays in a NCAA Division II regional game Saturday

Cedar Rapids Washington announced the hiring of Eric Addy as its new varsity head football coach Wednesday. Addy comes to town from Des Moines North.

Cedar Rapids Washington announced the hiring of Eric Addy as its new varsity head football coach Wednesday, pending school board approval. Addy comes to town from Des Moines North.

The Cedar Rapids RoughRiders have picked up standings points in their last six USHL games to climb into a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Part of the surge can be credited to the goaltending tandem of Rudy Guimond and James Norton. Guimond, a Detroit Red Wings draft pick, has been here all season. Norton joined the club in January after beginning the season in the NAHL and excelling in a short emergency stint with Dubuque of the USHL.

The Iowa Print Sports Writers Association has announced its all-state boys’ basketball teams. First-teamers include two players from North Linn and one each from Linn-Mar, Cedar Rapids Kennedy, Williamsburg, Decorah, West Branch, Monticello and Maquoketa Valley.

Cedar Rapids Kennedy’s dreams of an undefeated championship season ended Friday night, as West Des Moines Valley won its second straight Class 4A boys’ basketball title with a 63-59 win.

North Linn’s boys’ basketball team won its third state championship with a 57-56 win over Bellevue Marquette in the Class 1A title game at Wells Fargo Arena. The Lynx were making their seventh consecutive appearance in a championship game.

Here is a look at Friday’s schedule at the Iowa high school boys’ state basketball tournament at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. And an in-depth look at the games involving Gazette-area schools. Four champions will be crowned.

Top-ranked Cedar Rapids Kennedy’s boys’ basketball team is known for its game-changing offensive spurts. A 27-point first quarter helped lift the Cougars past Ankeny, 63-51, Thursday night in Class 4A state tournament semifinals and into Friday night’s championship game.

This was the most successful boys’ basketball team in the history of Decorah High School. The Vikings finished the regular season ranked No. 1, made it to the state tournament for the second time in three years. Davenport Assumption owned overtime in a 61-53 Class 3A semifinal Thursday. Still, the future of the program appears bright.

The North Linn Lynx grabbed a lead at halftime and kept extending it in the second half en route to a 67-51 win over Winfield-Mount Union in a Class 1A boys’ state basketball semifinal. North Linn will play in its unprecedented seventh consecutive state championship game Friday afternoon at 1 against Bellevue Marquette.

Here is a look at Thursday’s schedule at the Iowa high school boys’ state basketball tournament at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. And an in-depth look at the games involving Gazette-area schools.

West Des Moines Valley, Ankeny, Bettendorf advance to Class 4A semifinals of the 2024 Iowa boys’ state basketball tournament.