Jeff Johnson

There are so many interesting things about Michigan football player Mike Sainristil. He was born in Haiti, escaping the country with his parents and brother when was less than a year ago. He’s a grad student who began his football career with the Wolverines as a wide receiver but who has make a seamless transition to defensive back.

North Linn boys’ basketball coach Mike Hilmer notched his 500th career varsity coaching victory Tuesday night when his Lynx beat Easton Valley, 103-21, at home. Hilmer’s father, Bob, is the state’s all-time leader in wins with 917.

The Iowa Heartlanders played four ECHL games in five days last week, in three different cities. But they beat Kalamazoo and Wheeling and lost to Fort Wayne in a shootout, picking up five of a possible eight standings points. Meanwhile, the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders lost twice in their annual Thanksgiving home and home against Waterloo, one in overtime.

Cedar Rapids Kennedy won its first 22 games last boys’ basketball season, the first team in school history to sweep the regular season. It was top ranked and top seeded going into the Class 4A state tournament but was upset by Pleasant Valley in the first round. This season’s Cougars should be mighty good, too, with tons of talent and motivation from coming up short a season ago.

These aren’t the only quality Iowa high school boys’ basketball teams in the area this season. But it’s a pretty good start to the list.

Here are 12 of the area’s players heading into the 2023-24 Iowa high school boys’ basketball season.

Former NHL player Adam Johnson died in late October when his throat was accidentally slashed by the skate of an opposing player in a professional hockey game in England. Since that tragedy, whether players of all ages should wear protective neck guards has become a hot topic.

After a poor offensive effort Thursday, Iowa’s men’s basketball team rebounded to shoot 56 percent from the field in an 85-72 win Friday night over Seton Hall in the consolation game of the Rady Children’s Invitational.

Iowa’s men’s basketball team missed its first 14 3-point shots and fell to Oklahoma, 79-67, Thursday afternoon at the Rady Children’s Invitational in San Diego.

Here is a look at the two hockey clubs representing the Corridor. The Iowa Heartlanders are on a winning roll, the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders lost twice last week and have had their top goal scorer leave.

The Iowa Hawkeyes get a late touchdown and beat Illinois, 15-13, Saturday afternoon at Kinnick Stadium to clinch the Big Ten Conference West Division championship.

Williamsburg has one of the best football programs in the state, has been to the playoffs 24 times and finished state runner-up three times. Friday afternoon provided the school’s first championship, a 20-0 win over Sioux City Heelan securing the Class 3A title.

Junior quarterback Brady Hetzel threw for 325 yards and four touchdowns to lead Council Bluffs Lewis Central to a 40-21 win over Western Dubuque in Thursday night’s Class 4A state championship football game.

Illinois senior defensive tackle Jer’Zhan Newton is one of seven finalists for the 2023 Outland Trophy. He could have entered the NFL Draft after last season but chose to return to college and is now a projected first-round pick.

The Iowa Heartlanders were the last team to win an ECHL game this season, but they’ve won four in a row after toppling Utah, 3-2, Wednesday morning at Xtream Arena. The play of goaltender Peyton Jones has been integral in this run.