K.J. Pilcher

Nicki Wood took a simple approach to the plate. She looked for a pitch she liked and swung. Wood hit an RBI double in the bottom of the sixth, sparking a four-run inning and helping Coe to a 5-1 victory and doubleheader split with Grinnell.

Brendan Sher entered Iowa baseball’s series opener hitting just .193 with three runs. He went 2-for-3 with two runs and his second home run of the season in a 4-2 victory over Illinois.

Zach Becicka was a former Cedar Rapids Prairie wrestler, who recently helped lead Solon wrestling and its female competitors. He was named the Hawks’ first official girls’ wrestling coach.

Kyle Hayes capitalized on the conditions and belted home runs in his first three at-bats in Kirkwood baseball’s wild 21-17 loss to NIACC. The teams combined for seven home runs and tallied more than 30 hits.

Emilee Linder expected a big jump from her small high school at Pekin to college softball at Kirkwood. In her second season, she ranks among the Eagles’ offensive leaders.

Here are some of the Gazette area individuals and teams to watch during the 2022 Iowa high school boys’ golf spring season.

Here are some of the Gazette area individuals and teams to watch during the 2022 Iowa high school girls’ golf season.

Dyersville Beckman junior Nate Offerman started playing golf at 8 years old and at 12 was taking 20-minute bike rides to play for two hours. His dedication and determination to be his best resulted in his Class 2A state title last spring.

Northern Iowa freshman Mya Dodge has set the tone for the Panthers batting, leading the team in seven offense categories and tying for the team-high in home runs.

Chase Moseley spent the last two seasons with Kirkwood. After a semester at Mount Mercy, he opted to return to the Eagles for one more semester available from the canceled 2020 season. He has served as a leader for the fifth-ranked Eagles.

Iowa freshman Sam Petersen is an infielder by trade. He realized that his best chance to contribute was a move to the outfield. He made his ninth start, and two diving catches, against Central Michigan Saturday.

K.J. Pilcher and Dick Briggs discusses the biggest takeaways from the 2022 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships and takes a closer look at Iowa, Iowa State and Northern Iowa on the Pinning Combination podcast.

Iowa placed third at the NCAA Wrestling Championships and loses lots of points and talent, but still has experience ... and Spencer Lee coming back.

Iowa’s Jacob Warner had a strong tournament run end with a runner-up finish at the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships.

The emotion was nearly palpable for Iowa’s senior All-Americans, regardless of the end result. They helped third-ranked Iowa to a third-place finish at the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships.