Ryan Pleggenkuhle

As the 2023-24 season unfolds, the Decorah bowling program finds itself in familiar, yet new territory. The Vikings sit atop the Northeast Iowa Conference standings, but this season makes the first in program history without a Bruening on the roster.

The Vinton-Shellsburg boys’ bowling team was state runner-up last season and hopes to take that final step in 2024.

Iowa City High senior Kendra Schwarting gave reason for the buzz inside May City Bowl in Cedar Rapids on Dec. 1 as she became the first to throw a 300 in this year’s Iowa high school girls’ bowling season.

NXTPRO, founded in 2021, is one of the nation’s largest basketball grassroots platforms and shoe circuits, operating more than 35 tournaments throughout the year. It’s a circuit the Iowa Barnstormers, a Corridor-based AAU basketball program, will compete in again this spring, this time under Puma’s administration.

Despite leading all Class 3A girls' bowling teams in pins per match last season, Cedar Rapids Kennedy fell short of making it to the state tournament. Now, the Cougars are determined to right the ship.

A look at some of the top Gazette-area teams and bowlers to watch in the 2023-24 Iowa high school bowling season.

Independence returns four of its top six bowlers from a team that finished fifth in last year’s Class 2A state tournament.

If it isn’t broken, don’t pass it. That’s the approach East Buchanan took in its 38-7 rout of fifth-ranked Lisbon Friday night in a Class A second-round prep football playoff game. The Buccaneers, led by “thunder and lightning” backs Tanner Thurn and Hunter Bowers, rushed for 379 yards. All their offensive yards came on the ground.

Edgewood-Colesburg had climbed to a height the volleyball program hadn’t reached since 2005 — a regional final match. Fort Madison Holy Trinity denied the Vikings a trip to state with a sweep.

The Class 3A seventh-rated Center Point-Urbana volleyball team is state tournament bound for the first time since 2015 after defeating No. 12 Mid-Prairie (32-13) in four sets (25-23, 17-25, 25-17, 25-21) Tuesday night at Center Point.

Four touchdowns from Casey Kelley highlighted the evening for the Hawks as Cedar Rapids Prairie clinched a spot in the Class 5A playoffs with a 45-38 win over Iowa City West.

Cedar Rapids Xavier (6-2, 4-0) earned the Class 4A District 3 title with a 35-7 victory over Clear Creek Amana (2-6, 2-2) at Clipper Field Friday night, thus making postseason qualification “official.”

Sitting at No. 15 in the Class 5A RPI rankings, Iowa City West needed a home victory Friday to boost their playoff position before facing two ranked opponents to close the regular season. West did what it needed to do — and then some with a 58-8 rout of Cedar Rapids Washington.

Ultimately, a combination of “ice in the veins” and a huge goal line stand were the difference at Spartan Stadium. Class 3A No. 7 Solon defeated Benton Community, 16-13, in a double-overtime thriller Friday night in a pivotal District 5 battle.

Propelled by running-back duo, Daniel Larmie and Caden Henkes, No. 8 Ankeny was the team to boost its playoff hopes, knocking off Iowa City West, 48-21.