Jeff Linder

No. 3 Hawkeyes open the new women’s basketball season Monday at home vs. Fairleigh Dickinson

The Gazette’s 2023-24 preseason Iowa high school girls’ basketball rankings. Johnston, Clear Creek Amana, Solon, Dike-New Hartford and North Linn are No. 1.

In a game dominated by the offenses, interceptions by Rayce Heitman and Simeon Armbrecht loom large. No. 3 Williamsburg tops No. 4 Mount Vernon, 38-35, in a 3A state football quarterfinal classic.

Clear Creek Amana is a wire-to-wire No. 1 in The Gazette’s Super Ten area volleyball rankings.

Crafty, creative setter Katie Quick led Ankeny Christian to a Class 1A state volleyball title repeat.

This team did enough to be in the best-of-all-time conversation. Top-ranked Dike-New Hartford swept No. 2 Hinton, 25-14, 25-23, 25-16, in the Class 2A state volleyball championship match Thursday afternoon at Xtream Arena.

Last year’s 2A champion, third-ranked Western Christian ruled its new neighborhood, outdueling No. 1 Mount Vernon in a four-set Class 3A state volleyball final, 25-23, 22-25, 25-22, 25-18, Thursday afternoon at Xtream Arena.

North Scott concludes a brilliant week with a clean match and a 4A finals sweep of Indianola.

In only its third year, Waukee Northwest owns a Class 5A state volleyball championship. The Wolves outlasted No. 1 Dowling in five sets.

Defending Class 1A state champion Ankeny Christian returns to the finals; Eagles will face Fort Madison Holy Trinity for the title at 7 p.m. Friday.

Dominant Dike-New Hartford swept Denver for the fifth time this season in Wednesday’s Class 2A state volleyball semifinals, improving to 49-0 in matches and 107-1 in sets.

Pumped and prepared (but not overly prepared), No. 1 Mount Vernon spotted No. 4 Davenport Assumption the first set, then roared back to win Wednesday’s Class 3A state volleyball semifinal in four (23-25, 25-16, 25-15, 25-20) at Xtream Arena.

North Scott snapped Clear Creek Amana’s 46-match win streak with a 4A state volleyball semifinal sweep.

Mackenzie Dean’s consecutive offspeed kills give West Des Moines Dowling the second set, and the Maroons go on to sweep Pleasant Valley in a Class 5A semifinal.

Gritty senior Natalie Randolph overcame a torn ACL to her right knee and nearly posted a triple-double Tuesday, leading Fort Madison Holy Trinity to a Class 1A state volleyball first-round win over Don Bosco.