Mike Condon

Linn-Mar senior TJ Jackson had a homecoming game for the ages. It started with him taking back the opening kickoff 88 yards for a score. That was followed shortly after by a 51-yard scoring pass from Austin Waller. He capped his short night with a 90-yard punt return for a score as the Lions rolled to a 56-6 victory over Cedar Rapids Jefferson.

Iowa high school girls’ swimming notes: Solon sophomore Grace Hoeper embraces a leadership role for Iowa City High while emerging as a state-title contender.

Friday’s Cedar Rapids metro football showdown between Kennedy and Jefferson started with a J-Hawk surprise, then turned into a Cougar romp.

Cedar Rapids Prairie scored the final four touchdowns of the contest en route to a 40-20 victory over Dubuque Senior. Prairie's creative running attack unofficially racked up 395 yards on 43 carries.

The Alburnett Pirates didn't panic. Two plays after Class A No. 4 North Linn took a 13-9 lead, Mason Neighbor connected with Grayson Carolan on a 75-yard touchdown pass with 2:02 remaining, giving Alburnett a 16-13 upset win.

Gazette area teams and individuals to watch for the 2022 Iowa high school girls’ swimming and diving season.

Tipton’s Avary Calonder has developed a routine to handle being a two-sport athlete in the same season, excelling in both swimming and volleyball.

The North Linn football team is ranked No. 4 in The Gazette’s Class A preseason poll, coming off a stellar 9-1 campaign.

Cedar Rapids Xavier tied the score in the seventh, but Independence scored on an error in the eighth and held on for a 5-4 win in a Class 3A substate final. The Mustangs earned a state baseball tournament berth for the first time since 2010.

Linn-Mar’s Dylan Muszynski made big plays at the plate and in the field in the Lions’ 7-2 substate baseball semifinal win over Iowa City West.

Waterloo Columbus ended Cedar Rapids Xavier’s dream of a third-straight girls’ state tennis title with a 5-4 upset win Wednesday.

Cedar Rapids Xavier’s boys’ tennis team completed a state sweep on Tuesday and the Saints girls want to do the same Wednesday.

Cedar Rapids Xavier is 10th team in boys’ state tennis history to win the “triple crown” of singles, doubles and team titles in the same year. Iowa City West took down top-seeded Pleasant Valley to claim the 2A team title.

Cedar Rapids Xavier and Iowa City West's boys’ tennis teams saw their players come away with titles in the singles and doubles state tournament. Tuesday, the focus shifts back to the team as the semifinals and finals are contested.

Ella Tallett won the singles crown, while Ally Burger and Courtney Carstensen repeated as doubles champions as Cedar Rapids Xavier swept the Class 1A girls’ state tennis titles.