Jeff Johnson

The Prep Football Huddle podcast kicks off state semifinal week with a preview of this week’s Iowa high school state football semifinals.

Third baseman Christian Encarnacion-Strand, who played 74 games for the Cedar Rapids Kernels before getting promoted and eventually traded, is the 2022 Midwest League Most Valuable Player.

Cedar Rapids Xavier senior Michael Cunningham has more than doubled his rushing output from a season ago. His 1,300-plus yards ranks fifth in Class 4A.

Tyler Busch was acquired by the Iowa Heartlanders in an ECHL trade last week from the Fort Wayne Komets. He had three assists Sunday in Iowa’s first win of the season ... over Fort Wayne.

Cole Stallard had a hat trick, as the Iowa Heartlanders won for the first time this ECHL season, 7-2, Sunday afternoon over the Fort Wayne Komets. The Heartlanders went into Sunday with an 0-6 record.

The Detroit Free Press has reported that University of Iowa pitching coach Robin Lund will leave the program to be an assistant pitching coach for the Detroit Tigers.

The Iowa High School Athletic Association has released pairings for state football playoff semifinal games, which will be conducted this week at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls.

West Branch’s football team scored 14 points in a span of just under three minutes in the fourth quarter to rally past MFL MarMac, 27-24, in a Class 1A state playoff football quarterfinal, thrilling ailing Bears head coach Butch Pedersen

The Iowa High School Athletic Association announced Thursday it will create weekly boys’ basketball for the first time this season. The rankings will be used to help create postseason brackets.

Senior tight end Payne Durham played lacrosse growing up in the Atlanta area, but started playing football as a senior and has become one of the BIg Ten Conference’s best tight ends.

Linebacker-fullback Tate Joens is a senior for a Cedar Rapids Prairie football team that plays Friday night at Southeast Polk in a Class 5A state playoff quarterfinal. His brothers, father and uncles all played at the school, a string of Joenses that will end after this season.

This is the first appearance at the state tournament for the Clear Creek Amana volleyball team since 2014. The Clippers already have set a school record for wins in a season, a total they padded with a five-set victory over Marion in a thrilling Class 4A quarterfinal.

Second-ranked North Scott overwhelmed Bondurant-Farrar in three sets in their Class 4A state volleyball quarterfinal Monday afternoon.

The West Des Moines Valley volleyball team lost three regular-season matches to Ankeny, winning only one of seven games between the teams. But Monday at the state tournament, the Tigers got revenge with a three-game sweep in the Class 5A quarterfinals.

On the verge of a three-game sweep of Waukee Northwest in Monday’s Class 5A state volleyball quarterfinals, defending champion Pleasant Valley saw its opponent rally late to win the third set. The Spartans then took care of business in set four.