Ryan Pleggenkuhle

Three years into bringing bowling to Monticello High School, Brian Meyer added an assistant coach. That individual just happened to be a professional bowler ... and his son, Jace.

University of Iowa signee Gabe Arnold moved 890 miles from Wyoming Seminary College Preparatory School in Kingston, Pa., to Iowa City for his senior year of high school. A visit to Iowa City and an interaction with City High senior and fellow future Hawkeye Ben Kueter had something to do with it.

Naomi Simon took her offseason preparation very seriously. Between June 4 and July 14, Simon traveled to wrestling camps and tournaments in Pagosa Springs, Colo., Tulsa, Iowa City, Indianola, Decorah and Fargo, N.D.

Here are some Gazette area teams and bowlers to watch entering the 2022-23 Iowa high school bowling season.

For defending Class 3A state bowling champion Aiden Mitts, as enjoyable as winning last year’s individual crown was, he’d like to share the experience with his Cedar Rapids Jefferson teammates this go-around.

It was an up-and-down opening day at the NJCAA Division II Volleyball Championships for Kirkwood Community College. The seventh-seeded Eagles began their day with a victory over 10th-seeded Moraine Valley in five sets, then were swept by No. 2-seed Parkland in the quarterfinals.

Trailing by four at intermission, Wartburg (10-0, 8-0 A-R-C) forced turnovers and capitalized on a few short fields in the second half to preserve its perfect season in a 19-14 win over Coe (7-3, 6-2).

A junior from Cedar Rapids Kennedy, Maria Trotta has qualified for multiple events in the state swim meet before. During Saturday’s regional swim meet at the Linn-Mar Aquatic Center, Trotta turned it up a notch.

Fourth-ranked Carlisle ended No. 5 Iowa City Liberty’s season Friday night, rushing for 530 yards and defeating the Lightning 56-28 in a Class 4A state quarterfinal game at Liberty High School.

Thanks to a 28-0 third quarter run, third-ranked Cedar Rapids Xavier (10-0) defeated Cedar Rapids Washington, 44-7, in a Class 4A opening-round playoff matchup Friday night at Saints Field.

Trailing two sets to none, Class 1A top-ranked Springville rallied to defeat No. 12 New London in a regional volleyball final. The Orioles advance to state for the eighth time in the last 10 years.

A week after a dramatic, district-clinching victory over Burlington, Iowa City Liberty followed up Friday at home with a much more convincing win over Clinton.

No. 10 Cedar Rapids Prairie got back on the winning track Friday defeating Iowa City West, 49-28, in a 5A District 4 contest at Trojan Stadium. The Hawks were led by Makelle Taylor, who tied a school record for most touchdowns in a game with five.

Graham Beckman completed 10 of 17 passes for 295 yards and four touchdowns (all to different targets), leading Class 4A sixth-ranked Iowa City Liberty to a 49-0 victory over Fort Madison in a 4A District 3 matchup at home Friday night.

After putting up just 69 yards of total offense in the first half and trailing 9-0, the Lightning offense finally struck in the second half. No. 9 Iowa City Liberty rallied to beat No. 8 North Scott, 20-16, in a 4A top-10 battle.