Jeff Linder

The Mount Vernon Mustangs played the part of an elite volleyball team, sweeping their way to the Wamac Conference tournament Thursday night at Marion High School.

Mount Vernon-Lisbon’s Grady Olberding and Center Point-Urbana’s Grace Estling won Wamac Conference individual cross country titles. The MVL girls and Grinnell boys claimed the team championships.

The Gazette’s Prep Football Huddle takes a look at playoff scenarios for area teams entering Week 8 of the Iowa high school football season. Plus, a new trivia game and a look back at the key results from Week 7.

Prep volleyball: A look at the remainder of conference-tournament week; Wamac and River Valley titles will be determined Thursday, the Tri-Rivers on Saturday.

Assignments have been released for 2024 Iowa high school state-qualifying cross country meets.

Results from 2024 Gazette-area high school cross country conference meets, including the Mississippi Valley, Wamac, River Valley and Tri-Rivers and more

Area volleyball Super Ten rankings through matches played Oct. 15: MVC tournament champion Cedar Rapids Xavier replaces Mount Vernon at No. 1.

Games with playoff implications. Defending champions poised to return to the state finals. What is the next technological impact? The Gazette’s Jeff Linder, Jeff Johnson, K.J. Pilcher and Nathan Ford share their insights on these Iowa high school football topics.

Women’s basketball: Iowa State is No. 8 in the Associated Press preseason poll. South Carolina is No. 1; Iowa is among others receiving votes.

Here are 17 of the top Gazette-area Iowa high school football games to watch in Week 8, and how they will shape the playoff picture.

Women’s basketball: A 6-foot-5 post from Alaska, Layla Hays had her mind made up before her visit last weekend. ‘They have had a place in my heart since my first visit.’

Iowa high school football rankings: An emphatic win over Solon, coupled with Algona’s loss to Humboldt, sends Williamsburg back to the top of Class 3A.

Class 3A top-ranked Mount Vernon was knocked off by Dike-New Hartford in the semifinals of the Westside volleyball tournament Saturday. Pleasant Valley eventually won the tournament title.

Cross country: Back from a series of college visits, Tipton’s Noelle Steines powers to the girls’ title at the Bob Mudd Lynx Invitational.

The Gazette has learned that Layla Hays, a 6-foot-5 center from Wasilla, Alaska, has committed to the Iowa women’s basketball program.