Cedar Rapids Kennedy notched an impressive 60-43 win Saturday afternoon over fourth-ranked West Des Moines Valley to put a stranglehold on the top spot in Class 4A in this week’s Iowa High School Athletic Association boys’ basketball rankings. The other No. 1s remain the same: Bellevue Marquette in 1A, West Lyon in 2A and Clear Lake in 3A.
Marion, led by senior Jacob Shaffer, took home first place in Saturday’s 18-team (all classes) Independence Baker Tournament at Cadillac XBC in Waterloo. The Wolves have big goals for the postseason.
See photos from the 2024 Wamac Conference boys’ wrestling tournament at Williamsburg High School. Mount Vernon claimed its first team title.
The Class 4A boys’ rankings saw a big shake-up this week (though Cedar Rapids Kennedy is still the clear No. 1) and that leads this episode of Call It Both Ways, a podcast about Iowa high school basketball.
Solon’s Class 3A fourth-ranked boys’ basketball team stayed unbeaten Tuesday night with a 70-54 win at No. 8 Marion.
Class 3A No. 4 Solon beat No. 8 Marion 70-54 in a Wamac Conference East Division boys’ basketball game Tuesday night at Marion High School.
Class 4A No. 10 Marion beat 3A No. 2 Solon 48-45 in a Wamac Conference East Division girls’ basketball game Tuesday at Marion High School.
Mila Van Weelden knocked home a go-ahead 3-pointer with 45 seconds to go, and Class 4A 10th-ranked Marion toppled 3A No. 2 Solon, 48-45, in a Wamac Conference East Division girls’ basketball game at Marion High School. Thirty-nine days had passed since Solon’s 28-point win over the Wolves.
North Linn lost its first game of the season last week to Linn County rival Alburnett and slipped from first to second in Class 1A in this week’s Iowa High School Athletic Association boys’ basketball rankings, with fellow Tri-Rivers Conference mate Bellevue Marquette assuming the top spot.
Girls’ basketball Super Ten: Snow, wind and cold limit the schedule. Cedar Rapids Prairie climbs to No. 4.
Marion’s Natalie Hedlund dislocated her shoulder and had to medically forfeit out of last year’s state tournament. Hedlund underwent shoulder surgery over the summer and continues to wrestle with a shoulder brace. But she is back now, with a record of 17-3.
The first weekend of wrestling tournaments in 2024 gave the Pinning Combination podcast plenty to discuss this week, from the NWCA National Duals in Cedar Falls to high school action returning around the state.
Girls’ basketball Super Ten: The first one after the holidays has the same top six as previously, led by Clear Creek Amana.
The Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union is likely to announce its girls’ basketball regional pairings in mid- to late January. Here is The Gazette’s first version of mock pairings ... all five classes, all 346 teams.
Scenes from the Liberty girls’ wrestling tournament at Liberty High School in North Liberty, Iowa on Monday, Dec. 18, 2023.
© 2025 The Gazette | All Rights Reserved.
Daily Newsletters