Jeff Johnson

For the first time in 11 seasons as an affiliate of the Minnesota Twins, the Cedar Rapids Kernels failed to make the Midwest League playoffs. They still finished with a winning overall record, with a number of players moving up in the Twins farm system, including one who made the major leagues.

A clutch late drive and even more clutch 54-yard field goal with six seconds left by Kyle Konrardy gave the Iowa State Cyclones a 20-19 win over the Iowa Hawkeyes in Saturday’s Cy-Hawk Game at Kinnick Stadium.

Sophomore quarterback Cash Parks completed 27 of 42 passes for 342 yards and three touchdowns as Class 4A No. 7 Cedar Rapids Xavier beat 3A top-ranked Williamsburg, 29-27 in a thriller of a prep football game Friday night.

Rudy Guimond is a Quebec resident, Yale commit and Detroit Red Wings draft pick. The 19-year-old goaltender hopes to have a strong second season for the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, who begin preseason play this weekend.

Cedar Rapids Prairie head football coach Kyle Knock coaxed his father, Don, out of retirement this season to help coach the Hawks offensive linemen.

Walker Jenkins was the first-round draft pick of the Minnesota Twins last year. Kaelen Culpepper was Minnesota’s first-round pick this year. They find themselves together as members of the Cedar Rapids Kernels to end this baseball season.

The Prep Football Huddle podcast reviews Week 1 of the Iowa high school football season with takeaways including a young Cedar Rapids Xavier team’s potential, Clear Creek Amana’s new era, Class 5A rankings upheaval and more.

All classes have opened the Iowa high school football season. The Gazette’s Jeff Linder, Jeff Johnson, K.J. Pilcher and Nathan Ford share their thoughts on topics related to the start of the season.

The Independence football team is ranked No. 6 in Class 3A. The Mustangs found themselves trailing a good North Fayette Valley club late in the first half Friday night, but a late second-quarter touchdown and big second half lifted the Mustangs to a convincing 42-14 win.

Lance Pedersen’s first game as head football coach at Clear Creek Amana was a successful one, as his Clippers dominated the second half en route to a 28-3 win Friday night at Marion.

Brock Spack is the all-time winningest head football coach at Illinois State. Prior to that, he was a longtime defensive coordinator at Purdue. In short, he knows Iowa about as well as anyone. The teams play their season openers Saturday morning at Kinnick Stadium.

The Gazette’s Prep Football Huddle podcast returns for the 2024 Iowa high school football season. This week, a look at the first-year head coaches. Who will have the most success this season? Plus, games to watch in Week 1, Iowa Valley’s wild Week 0 win over BGM and answers to listener questions.

The Marion Wolves football team was the first team out of the Class 3A state playoffs last season and in 2022. They are determined not to let that happen again in 2024.

This is Week 1 of the high school football season in the state of Iowa. It’s also the hottest week weather wise of the summer. New heat stress protocol guidelines for athletes from the Iowa High School Athletic Association has teams scrambling to figure out if and when they can get outside for practices.

Senior quarterback Brent Yonkovic accounted for over 3,000 of his West Delaware football team’s 4,000 offensive yards last season. Potent as a runner and passer, he and the Hawks have soaring aspirations in 2024.