Jeff Linder

Here are five of Tuesday’s best area Iowa high school volleyball regional matches. Cedar Rapids Washington is playing competitive ball and hosts Cedar Rapids Kennedy in a Class 5A quarterfinal.

The Gazette’s 2023 post-Week 8 Iowa high school football poll: Central Lyon-GLR (2A), Western Dubuque (4A) now have sole possession of No. 1 standing in their respective classes.

The final count for Sunday’s “Crossover at Kinnick” was 55,646, a number that was far more important than the final score — Iowa defeated DePaul, 94-72 — in a women’s basketball exhibition game.

Prep volleyball: Five Gazette-area 1A and 2A first-round matches to watch Monday.

Audrie Helmrichs returned to the net just in time to knock down the clinching kill, and Class 1A 14th-ranked Ed-Co outlasted Lisbon in the Tri-Rivers Conference volleyball tournament final, 25-20, 23-25, 19-17, Saturday afternoon at North Cedar High School.

Class 5A eighth-ranked Bettendorf ran, defended the run and whipped No. 10 Cedar Rapids Prairie, 35-8, at rainy John Wall Field on Friday.

Results from all of the area conference cross country meets through the past week.

The 2023-24 Iowa women’s basketball season tips off (kicks off?) with the Crossover at Kinnick, a 2 p.m. scrimmage Sunday with DePaul. A crowd of more than 50,000 — “That’s my personal goal,” Iowa Coach Lisa Bluder said — is expected.

Class 4A top-ranked Clear Creek Amana dropped their first match of bracket play at the Wamac Conference volleyball tournament Thursday night at Marion High School, then proceeded to win six straight.

It’s getting down to crunch time on the Prep Football Huddle podcast. This week’s show delves into eye-opening Week 7 wins from Solon, Marion and more, the updated playoff picture and Week 8 games to watch.

You would think, as a divisional champion, a No. 1-ranked team and the owner of a 40-0 record, Clear Creek Amana would get a lollipop in the first round of the Wamac Conference volleyball tournament. No such luck.

Two weeks remain, and so do dozens of scenarios. Such is life in trying to project the Class 5A playoff field. Here is a rundown on the 20 teams have a plausible path to playing Oct. 27.

Here is a primer of area playoff races as the Iowa high school football season heads into its final week in Class 2A, 1A, A and 8-Player.

In a much-anticipated showdown with two-time defending state champion Noelle Steines of Calamus-Wheatland, North Linn’s Meghan Wheatley ran to the front early and rolled to the individual girls’ title at the Tri-Rivers Conference cross country meet Tuesday afternoon at Little Bear Country Club.

Jeff Linder, Jeff Johnson, K.J. Pilcher and Nathan Ford answer more high school football questions. Bears bear, bees bee and sports writers discuss what teams must win, dominant units, consistent performers and post-game celebrations.