Jeff Linder

The Gazette Iowa high school sports staff answers questions about the winless teams and top defenses through Week 2, football in a small town vs. at big schools and the Netflix series “Quarterback” if focused at the high school level.

The Gazette’s post-Week 2 Iowa high school football poll: Williamsburg takes over the top spot in 3A after a win at Cedar Rapids Xavier; ADM replaces the Saints at No. 1 in 4A.

The Xavier Saints are coming off a state-championship season, but aren’t resting on last year’s accomplishment. They’re still on the hunt. Relentlessly.

Williamsburg created its own breaks, made some big plays and denied Cedar Rapids Xavier’s late 2-point conversion in a 21-20 victory. The Saints’ 14-game winning streak came to an end.

With some digging (mostly to other teams’ websites) and some word of mouth, we think we have a pretty good handle on the 2023-24 Iowa women’s basketball team’s non-conference schedule.

Plenty of teams impressed in Week 1 of the 2023 Iowa high school football season. Who stood out? We discuss our top takeaways and look ahead to Week 2 on the Prep Football Huddle podcast.

Prep cross country: Middle of the race no longer fazes Washington’s Micah Rees, who blisters the pack at the Bob Brown Invitational.

A week into the new volleyball season ... some things, we know (or least think we do). Some things, we don’t (like, who’s going to take charge in the Mississippi Valley Conference?). Here are five thoughts as August fades away.

Prep volleyball: Area Super Ten (Aug. 30). Clear Creek Amana remains a solid No. 1.

A dozen of the top Gazette-area Iowa high school football games to watch in Week 2.

Jeff Linder, Jeff Johnson, K.J. Pilcher and Nathan Ford kick off a season of high school football questions. Read our takes on Week 1 heroes, Week 2 contests and reasonable expectations of a first-year program.

The Gazette’s post-Week 1 Iowa high school football poll: All seven No. 1 teams remain the same, but 17 new teams climb into the poll, including four each in 5A and 8-Player.

Cross country: Western Dubuque’s Alyssa Klein runs to the girls’ title at the Prairie Invitational

Mount Vernon converted on fourth down on its first four touchdown drives and handled Monticello, 35-6.

Prep football: A dozen of the top Gazette-area games to watch in Week 1.