Jeff Linder

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.

When you get to Week 9 of the Iowa high school football season, there’s a lot to sift through. Doing the math on Class 5A RPIs, visiting the district races in 4A and 3A, and peeking at the big games as playoffs start in 2A, 1A, A and 8-Player.

Here are five of Wednesday’s best area Iowa high school volleyball regional-quarterfinal matches. Archrivals West Branch and Iowa City Regina collide in Class 2A, and Central City will try to move one step closer to Coralville.

After letting the fourth set slip away, Cedar Rapids Washington rebounded immediately, building a 9-2 lead in Game 5. The Warriors went on to outlast Cedar Rapids Kennedy (22-25, 25-18, 25-20, 22-25, 15-11) in a Class 5A regional quarterfinal Tuesday night at Washington High School.

Girls’ basketball: 2023 Rivalry Saturday field will face state-title hopefuls from all five classes

Six months after its deepest postseason run ever, the Iowa women’s basketball team starts the new season in its highest preseason perch. The Hawkeyes are ranked No. 3 in the Associated Press preseason poll, released Tuesday.

The Iowa high school football postseason begins for teams in Classes 2A, 1A, A and 8-Player. The Gazette’s Jeff Linder, Jeff Johnson, K.J. Pilcher and Nathan Ford share their thoughts on teams bound for the UNI-Dome, upset-minded No. 4 seeds and the benefits of a Week 9 game for non-playoff programs.

Cross country state-qualifying meets are Wednesday (Class 4A and Class 3A) and Thursday (2A and 1A) throughout the state. Here are four things to keep an eye on in the area.

Clear Creek Amana remains a clear No. 1 in The Gazette’s volleyball Super Ten after winning the Wamac tournament and moving to 43-0.