K.J. Pilcher

Mount Vernon girls pursue a historic championship trifecta State track and field 2025: If Mount Vernon claims the 3A title, it will become the first school in state history to reign in volleyball, basketball and track in the same school year.

Mount Vernon girls pursue a historic championship trifecta

DeMoss delivers strong start in postseason-opening win over Northeast Kirkwood Coach Eric Frese has seen the progress made by freshman Jessa DeMoss. He had confidence in her to open the postseason and she responded with a complete game two-hitter in a 5-1 win over Northeast.

Strong start from Jessa DeMoss helps Kirkwood softball to 5-1 win over Northeast to open regional

Austin Blythe excited to spearhead Williamsburg football program Austin Blythe wanted to coach but wasn’t sure if he wanted to be a head coach. After two seasons as an assistant, he is taking over at his alma mater Williamsburg.

Former #Hawkeyes standout Austin Blythe discusses why he's excited to take over as the head football coach at his alma mater Williamsburg.

From @kjpilcher.bsky.social: www.thegazette.com/football/aus...

Has Beth Goetz stepped into a position that could rival Bump Elliott with significant hires?

ICYMI: Wrestling Weekend That Was features the fitting way UNI wrestling’s seniors capped their home competition in front of record-setting crowd.

ICYMI: Class-by-class breakdown of the boys’ state wrestling tournament.

ICYMI: Boys’ state wrestling tournament brackets, Gazette-area pairings, schedule, tickets and how to watch.

ICYMI: 5 storylines entering the boys’ state wrestling tournament.

Iowa City High’s Kendall Kurtz continues winning ways with district title Iowa City High’s Kendall Kurtz has had a successful month. He defeated Dubuque Hempstead’s MItchell Pins for the 120-pound Class 3A district wrestling title Saturday at Cedar Rapids Jefferson. Kurtz enters next week’s state tournament with a 19-match win streak.

Iowa City High’s Kendall Kurtz rides momentum toward Class 3A boys’ state wrestling tournament

Enjoy this fella. He’s so darn adorable. Hope you enjoy him.

The kid looks great in purple. Can’t wait until the next chapter as a Bulldog begins.

Iowa Girls' Wrestling on the rise: IGHSAU Director Erin Gerlich talks growth and state tournament on The Pinning Combination Podcast This week, The Gazette’s K.J. Pilcher and Dick Briggs sit down with Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union Executive Director Erin Gerlich.

Pinning Combination Podcast: Iowa Girls’ Wrestling on the rise

The Gazette’s 5th area high school boys’ wrestling individual rankings Here are The Gazette’s fifth 2024-25 installment of area high school boys’ wrestling individual rankings.

The Gazette’s 5th installment of area Iowa high school boys’ wrestling individual rankings

Linn-Mar among leaders at Mississippi Valley Conference Super Meet The Lions won two straight MVC Super Meets before being unseated by Cedar Rapids Prairie last season. Linn-Mar is coming off a team title at Clinton’s Bob Lueders Invitational and is one of the favorites at the MVC tournament.

Linn-Mar looks to continue strong season at Mississippi Valley Conference Super Meet

Iowa City High pulls away late to upend Prairie and win MVC Valley title Iowa City High won seven of the final nine matches to defeat host Cedar Rapids Prairie, 42-26, Thursday night. The Little Hawks won the Mississippi Valley Conference Valley Division dual title.

Late run propels Iowa City High past Cedar Rapids Prairie for Mississippi Valley Conference Valley dual title

Solon’s Richards overcomes adversity to advance to state wrestling Tess Richards has persevered injury and illness the last two seasons. She was determined to compete in this year’s postseason and claimed the 115-pound title Friday at the Class 1A girls’ wrestling regional at Solon.

Solon’s Tess Richards overcomes adversity, pins way to Class 1A girls’ wrestling regional crown

No. 1 Penn State hands No. 2 Iowa its first dual loss of the season The second-ranked Hawkeyes received wins from Drake Ayala and Stephen Buchanan but the No. 1 Nittany Lions dominated the rest of the dual for a 30-8 victory Friday night at the Bryce Jordan Center in State College, Pa.

No. 1 Penn State routs No. 2 Iowa, 30-8, in battle of Big Ten Conference leaders

Linn-Mar’s DeBow wins 3rd MVC tournament crown, Lions take team title Linn-Mar’s Malik DeBow has made a habit of wrestling his best late in the season. He rolled to his third Mississippi Valley Conference Super Meet title and helped the Lions claim their third MVC tournament team title in the last four seasons.

Linn-Mar’s Malik DeBow continues late-season success with 3rd Mississippi Valley Conference Super Meet title

Super proud of this kid! It was fun to watch her compete and try new things, especially as something as tough as wrestling. Tough kid. Some of her teammates got in the selfie fun.

West Liberty’s Ryker Dengler competes on the mat and court Multisport athletes are not unique, but West Liberty’s Ryker Dengler is a rare competitor who wrestles and plays basketball. He has been successful in both, qualifying for state last year and leading ...

I've been making jokes for 30+ years about A.C. Slater from "Saved by the Bell" being a 5-sport star because he somehow (impossibly) wrestled AND played basketball. With @kjpilcher.bsky.social telling this here story ... welp, I've been proven wrong. Good stuff. www.thegazette.com/wrestling/do...

National sporting goods retailer will occupy former Sears store at Lindale Mall The identity of the retailer has not been disclosed. The name could be made public as soon as March, according to a spokesman for the developer.

National sporting goods retailer will occupy former Sears store at Lindale Mall

NEW: The Cedar Rapids school board Monday approved the purchase of almost 51 acres of land for $7.5 million off Highway 100 in northeast Cedar Rapids as the location of a future middle school that would replace Harding Middle School. www.thegazette.com/k/cedar-rapi...

I have joined the bluesky community. Follow me for sports and some random/fun comments from the crazy life I call my own!