Jeff Johnson

Here is a quick look at each of the conferences involving Gazette-area boys’ basketball teams. And our predicted winner for each.

Cedar Rapids Kennedy’s boys’ basketball team qualified for last year’s state tournament, upending Waukee Northwest in the first round before falling to champion Ames in the semifinals. With the dynamic guard court of Kenzie Reed and Colby Dolphin back, the Cougars have high expectations for 2022-23.

13 area all-state selections return from last season

Longtime West Branch teacher and coach Butch Pedersen was recently diagnosed with blood cancer myelodysplastic syndrome. The West Branch Lions Club is conducting a bone marrow donor drive December 7 at the high school in the hopes of finding a match for Pedersen and others as part of their treatment.

Dylan Hryckowian has six goals and eight assists in 14 games this season for the Cedar Rapids RoughRIders. His older brother, Justin, played for the club in 2019-20 and is having a great sophomore season for Northeastern University.

The Iowa Heartlanders have dug themselves an early season hole. Which made a tough 4-3 shootout loss Sunday afternoon to Kalamazoo at Xtream Arena even tougher.

Central Lyon/George-Little Rock racked up a time-of-possession advantage of 36 minutes to 12, converting two drives of nine-plus minutes into 10 points that pushed it past Williamsburg, 10-6, Friday morning in the Class 2A state championship football game.

Mo Ibrahim tore his Achilles tendon in Minnesota’s first game last season. He rehabbed, decided to return to the Gophers for a sixth season and is setting all sorts of school rushing records.

There has no more consistent football winner in the 2000s than Williamsburg. The Raiders have qualified 15 straight seasons for the playoffs, advanced to championship games now three times. But they have yet to win it all. Williamsburg gets its chance to change all that Friday morning when it plays Central Lyon/George-Little Rock in the Class 2A final.

Which seven Iowa high school football teams will leave the UNI-Dome with state championship trophies? The Prep Football Huddle podcast has picks for all seven championship games and breakdowns of the Gazette-area games.

Cedar Rapids Xavier and Council Bluffs Lewis Central played a three-overtime thriller last year in the Class 4A state football championship game. Lewis Central ended up winning after a 20-minute delay prior to the third OT when the UNI-Dome lights went out.

With their regular play-by-play broadcaster out sick, the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders turned to Josh Karnish and Andy Moore to call the club’s game this past Saturday night against Chicago. They’re players on the team.

West Branch’s football team won its first 11 games this season, qualifying for the Class 1A state playoff semifinals despite having their head coach Butch Pedersen be mostly away from the team down the stretch while undergoing treatment for cancer. The Bears dropped a 48-17 decision Friday morning to top-ranked Van Meter.

Junior quarterback Tye Hughes decided to leave Iowa City Liberty and transfer to West Branch this season. He has helped the Bears to an 11-0 record and a spot in the Class 1A state playoff semifinals.

Jim Leonhard took over has head coach of the Wisconsin Badgers in early October after the surprise firing of Paul Chryst. The 38-year-old former Wisconsin defensive back has made an impression, steering the Badgers to wins in three of four games going into Saturday’s game at Iowa.