Jeff Linder

All seven classes will compete in the Iowa high school football playoffs this week. The Gazette’s Jeff Linder, Jeff Johnson, K.J. Pilcher and Nathan Ford share their thoughts on topics related to the postseason.

Iowa’s Caitlin Clark is an Associated Press preseason women’s basketball All-American, unanimously.

Reigning state champion Iowa City Liberty is one of three Metro/Iowa City “big-school” teams — and one of five overall — playing in regional-final volleyball matches Tuesday night.

West Branch snagged its second straight five-set postseason triumph Monday night, outlasting Lisbon (26-24, 25-20, 24-26, 23-25, 15-9) in a Class 2A volleyball regional semifinal Monday night at Lisbon High School.

Southeast Polk (5A), Western Dubuque (4A) and Creston (3A) are unanimous No. 1 picks in The Gazette’s final Iowa high school football rankings of the 2023 season.

Here are five of Monday’s best area Iowa high school volleyball regional-semifinal matches in 2A and 1A. No. 11 Dyersville Beckman plays at No. 10 Wapsie Valley in a 2A showdown.

Jayden Hanson’s first three interceptions of the season highlighted a seven-takeaway performance, and sixth-ranked Central City recovered from a sluggish first half to push past Lansing Kee, 52-28, in an 8-Player first-round playoff football game Friday night at the Alex Evans Athletic Complex.

Sunday’s Iowa women’s basketball exhibition is Clark-vs.-Clarke. Nicole McDermott and the Pride are all set for their Carver cameo.

Results from Thursday’s Class 2A and Class 1A Iowa high school state-qualifying cross country meets that included area teams.

It’s playoff time in Iowa high school football, at least for Class 2A, 1A, A and 8-Player. This episode of the Prep Football Huddle podcast previews the Round of 32 in those classes and looks at what’s at stake in the final week of the regular season for 5A, 4A and 3A teams.

Running step-by-step, side-by-side with Tipton’s Clay Bohlmann throughout the race, Vinton-Shellsburg’s Alex Torres had the decisive push at the end and captured the boys’ individual title at Thursday’s Class 2A state-qualifying meet at Monticello High School. Quite a departure from last year, when he didn’t qualify.

2023 area all-conference volleyball portal. Received so far: MVC Mississippi and Valley, Wamac East and West, River Valley North and South, Tri-Rivers East and West, Northeast Iowa, Upper Iowa, all-Metro.

Here are five of Thursday’s best area Iowa high school volleyball regional-quarterfinal matches in 5A, 4A and 3A. Cedar Rapids Prairie is surging under Claude Howard; Monticello visits West Delaware in a battle of 3A ranked squads.

Results from Wednesday’s Class 4A and Class 3A Iowa high school state-qualifying cross country meets that included area teams.

A volleyball player last year, Marion’s Addison Dabroski switched fall sports to cross country, and is duly rewarded with an individual title at Wednesday’s Class 3A state-qualifying meet at Solon.