Jeff Linder

Led by the Gookin sisters, Class 3A No. 4 Mount Vernon weathered some pregame distractions and swept Marion in a softball doubleheader.

New Iowa women’s basketball coach Jan Jensen sat for an hour-long one-on-one interview with The Gazette on Tuesday at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

Prep softball notes: Iowa City Liberty’s sweep of Dubuque Wahlert on Tuesday further tightens the anybody’s-race MVC Mississippi Division; all seven teams are within 1 1/2 games.

Area softball Super Ten and standings (June 5): Western Dubuque holds onto the top spot; the Bobcats are 8-0 in MVC play.

The Alburnett Pirates exude an aura. Call it a “their-year” vibe. The Class 2A third-ranked Pirates earned a Tri-Rivers Conference softball doubleheader sweep of Maquoketa Valley — 12-2 and 4-1 — Thursday at the Martin Sports Complex.

When Class 3A top-ranked Williamsburg lost its first game of Wednesday’s Wamac Conference doubleheader to 3A No. 5 Benton Community — its third consecutive setback after a 5-0 start — it was met more with shrugs than shudders.

Area softball Super Ten and standings (May 29): Western Dubuque climbs to the top spot; Cedar Rapids Kennedy and Cedar Rapids Jefferson make swift jumps.

For the majority of the state’s softball teams, enough of a sample size was created last week to make some observations. Here are five Gazette area teams that won Week 1.

After attending his sister’s visitation, Cedar Rapids Jefferson softball coach Mike Kuba returned to “where the magic happens,” coaching the J-Hawks to a doubleheader split with Western Dubuque.

Cedar Rapids Xavier smashed four home runs, including three in one inning, in a softball sweep of Iowa City Liberty, 12-2 and 4-3.

Another domino has fallen within the University of Iowa women’s basketball staff. Former assistant coach Jenni Fitzgerald — who has served the last four years as an advisor — announced her retirement Wednesday.

The 20th edition of Rivalry Saturday is set for Nov. 30, and 10 of the 16 teams played in the 2024 Iowa high school girls’ basketball state tournament.

Youth can be used as a crutch. Or an excuse. For the Solon softball team Monday night, it was neither. The Class 3A 11th-ranked Spartans earned a Wamac Conference split with No. 6 Mount Vernon

A good portion of Willliamsburg’s nucleus is back from its 2023 state softball championship team, and the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union took note. Williamsburg is the top-ranked team in the 3A preseason rankings, released Monday afternoon.

Sigourney pitcher Carly Goodwin piles up the strikeouts and looks to lead the Savages deep into the high-temp, high-stakes territory of the state tournament in July.