Mount Vernon Mustangs

A closer look at Friday’s Gazette-area Iowa high school football state quarterfinal games.

From an early age, Mount Vernon senior kicker Gunnar Fishler has struggled with balance and coordination issues. Every game the Mustangs play — home or away — often begins with Fishler’s ceremonial kickoff. The cheer from the crowd each time his right foot connects with the ball is one of the loudest of the night.

Five champions were crowned as the 2024 Iowa high school state volleyball tournament concluded Thursday at Xtream Arena in Coralville. Here is The Gazette’s roundup with scores, stats and complete coverage.

Mount Vernon swept Dubuque Wahlert in a Class 3A Iowa high school state volleyball semifinal match Wednesday at Xtream Arena in Coralville.

State volleyball, Class 3A semifinal: No. 1 Mount Vernon was surgical early and overwhelmed Dubuque Wahlert. The Mustangs earned another shot at a state championship; they’ll face Western Christian in a title rematch.

With Iowa high school football teams one win away from the UNI-Dome, The Gazette’s Prep Football Huddle podcast reviews last week’s playoff games and takes a class-by-class look at this week’s quarterfinals.

The Gazette’s roundup of Wednesday’s Iowa high school state volleyball tournament semifinal matches at Xtream Arena in Coralville with scores, stats and links to complete coverage.

State volleyball, Class 3A quarterfinals: Top-ranked Mount Vernon has one of the best offensive attacks in the state. Mid-Prairie hants it hat on defense, which helped it make the state field for the first time in 20 seasons. Chalk one up for the offense of the Mustangs, but it certainly did not come easily.