Jeff Linder

Nine starters are back for a Mount Vernon softball team that is full of talent, long on joy and determined to take it one step further this summer.

Here are eight area teams to watch for the 2022 Iowa high school softball season.

Here are 17 of the top area players to watch for the 2022 Iowa high school softball season.

State track and field, Class 4A boys Saturday: Iowa City Liberty newcomer Eric Lucas won the 110-meter high hurdles. West Des Moines Dowling claimed the big-school boys’ title.

State track and field, Class 3A boys Saturday: Cedar Rapids Xavier started the season with no 4x100. Saturday, the Saints were state champions.

State track and field, Class 4A girls Saturday: Iowa City High freshman Ani Wedemeyer made an immediate impact, while Cedar Rapids Prairie’s Gabby Cortez bowed out with one final rush of glory.

State track and field, Class 3A girls Saturday: Western Dubuque’s Audrey Biermann made it back-to-back four-title years. Solon claimed the team title.

2022 Iowa high school state track and field overview: Solon (3A) and Mid-Prairie (2A) were among the state champions.

State track and field, Class 3A boys Friday: Washington (Iowa) and Benton Community earned second-place relay finishes.

State track and field, Class 3A girls: Solon won the distance medley relay Friday and declared itself as a championship contender.

State track and field, Class 4A girls: Cedar Rapids Prairie’s Gabby Cortez was moved out of two relays and into two others . The experiement paid off as the Hawks take the lead into Saturday’s final push.

State track and field, Class 4A boys: Iowa City High’s distance-medley win was worth flipping for. The Little Hawks moved into first place in the team standings.

State track and field, 3A girls: Solon’s opening day is the opposite of nightmarish. The Spartans jet to the top of the standings thanks to a 3,200-meter relay title.

State track and field, 3A boys: Western Dubuque won the 3,200-meter relay, while Washington (Iowa) took the team lead after Elijah Morris’ 400-meter conquest.

State track and field, 4A girls: Cedar Rapids Prairie’s Gabby Cortez started her final meet with a win in the 400 meters.