Dennis Olejniczak died Saturday in Deocrah at the age of 86. He coached high school baseball at Janesville and Decorah for 56 years, winning three state championships and accruing over 1,400 victories.
116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Dennis Olejniczak died Saturday in Deocrah at the age of 86. He coached high school baseball at Janesville and Decorah for 56 years, winning three state championships and accruing over 1,400 victories.
High school football: Cedar Rapids Xavier’s Cash Parks, Cedar Rapids Prairie are the offensive, defensive players of the year on The Gazette’s all-area team.
Rettig’s persistent pursuit of peak production made him invaluable part in Iowa City Liberty football reaching new heights, advancing to the Class 5A state finals for the first time in school history.
Duane Schulte was the first varsity football coach in the history of Cedar Rapids Xavier High School back in 1998. He has built a program that has won five state championships, including this season’s Class 4A title.
Iowa City Liberty quarterback Reece Rettig has been named the Class 5A football player of the year by the Iowa Football Coaches Association. There are 45 players from The Gazette area that are first-team players in their respective classes.
The streak continues. West Des Moines Dowling uses an overpowering running game to beat Iowa City Liberty, 27-10, Friday night in the Class 5A state championship football game at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls. A suburban Des Moines school has won the last 16 biggest-school titles.
See photos as the Liberty Lightning took on the Dowling Maroons in the IHSAA Class 5A football playoffs championship game at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls.
Cedar Rapids Xavier’s Carter Hoffmann has come a long way since a nervous sophomore making his first start at Waverly-Shell Rock. In his final game, Hoffmann rushed for 207 and three touchdowns to power the Saints to a 31-6 win over Pella for the Class 4A state football title.
Carter Hoffmann rushed for 207 yards and scored three first-half touchdowns as Cedar Rapids Xavier beat Pella, 31-6, Thursday night in the Class 4A state championship game at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls. It’s the fifth state football title for the school.
West Lyon scored on its opening play of overtime and produced a goalline stand to beat Iowa City Regina, 34-27, in the Class 1A state football championship Thursday at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls.
Photos from Iowa High School Football State Championship between Iowa City Regina and West Lyon November 20, 2025.
High school football: Iowa City Liberty chases a 5A state championship Friday, and ‘Dowling’s just another monster in our way.’
Third-ranked Oklahoma State won seven matches, including three pins, and snapped a six-dual losing streak to No. 7 Iowa with a 32-11 dual win Sunday at Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater, Okla.
The Cyclones (21-7, 9-7 Big 12) led by 13 points with 7:35 remaining, but the Horned Frogs (23-4, 13-3) immediately responded with a 9-2 run to pull within four, and then struck for 14 straight points late in the game to fully secure the win.
Daily Newsletters