Jeff Johnson

Cedar Rapids Kennedy moved to the No. 1 spot in Class 4A in this week’s Iowa High School Athletic Association rankings and looked the part Tuesday night by going up to Dubuque and disposing of eighth-ranked Dubuque Senior, 66-44.

Cedar Rapids Kennedy is the new top-ranked team in Class 4A, as the Iowa High School Athletic Association has announced its weekly poll. The Cougars (10-0) play No. 8 Dubuque Senior (10-1) on Tuesday night. Cedar Rapids Xavier lost twice last week and has been moved down from third to first in Class 3A. North Linn remains second in 1A, Alburnett inches to sixth in 2A.

Defenseman Eric Pohlkamp of the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders has had one heck of a month on the ice. He was part of a United States national team that won a gold medal at the World Junior ‘A’ Challenge, was to take part in Monday night’s BioSteel All-American Game in Michigan, was included on NHL Central Scouting’s Mid-Term Rankings of potential NHL draft pick. He’s also had two hat tricks and leads the USHL in scoring by defensemen.

Alburnett’s boys’ basketball team went to 2-0 against River Valley Conference opponents this season with an impressive 64-37 win over Cascade at Saturday’s Wells Fargo Advisors Shootout at Coe College. The Pirates are ranked seventh in Class 2A.

The Cedar Rapids Kennedy boys’ basketball team has rolled its opponents so far this season. Over a 10-0 start, the Cougars’ average win is by over 30 points per game. Kennedy beat Dubuque Wahlert at home Friday night, 86-55.

Watch or listen to the January 12, 2023, Prep Basketball Podcast as Jeff Johnson and Jeff Linder discuss the latest Iowa high school basketball rankings and possible upcoming changes.

Alburnett’s boys’ basketball team goes into Friday with a 10-1 record and a No. 7 ranking. That’s in a new class, as the Pirates have bumped up from 1A to 2A this season.

Marion’s boys’ basketball team hasn’t faced many junk defenses this season, but Center Point-Urbana started Tuesday night’s game with a box-and-one: four defenders in a zone and another face guarding Marion all-state guard Brayson Laube. The Wolves laid waste to that D, getting 14 first-quarter points from Myles Davis in a 75-57 win.

Waukee Northwest, Cedar Rapids Xavier, Central Lyon and Grand View Christian were your No. 1 boys’ basketball teams in the first-ever Iowa High School Athletic Association rankings, released just prior to the holidays. Monday’s second rankings see those teams stay at the top in their respective classes.

The Iowa Heartlanders are last in the ECHL’s Central Division in large part due to lack of success in close games. Meanwhile, the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders are on a heater, winning their last five games and going 7-2-0-1 in their last 10.

Iowa City High and Iowa City West played girls’ and boys’ basketball Sunday afternoon, the first hoops games ever at Xtream Arena. City High’s boys’ one a dramatic affair, while West won the girls’ game comfortably.

The River Valley Conference Shootout went off successfully Saturday at Kirkwood Community College’s Johnson Hall. Fourteen of the league’s 15 teams took part in seven boys’ basketball games.

Class 3A top-ranked Cedar Rapids Xavier kept its record perfect Friday night, when Aidan Yamilkoski hit a 15-foot jumper at the buzzer to give the Saints a 64-62 win at Class 4A 10th-ranked Iowa City West.

Watch or listen to the January 5, 2023, Prep Basketball Podcast as Jeff Johnson and Jeff Linder discuss the latest talking points in Iowa high school basketball.

Brendan and Riley Fitzgerald are part of a true hockey family, their fathers front-office guys for their respective National Hockey League clubs. The first cousins grew up playing together and have been reunited this season as members of the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders.