Iowa Prep Sports Podcast

The start of the boys’ high school wrestling competition this week means the wrestling season is firing on all cylinders. The Pinning Combination podcast with The Gazette's K.J. Pilcher and hall of fame coach Dick Briggs takes a look ahead at the upcoming events for Iowa, Iowa State and UNI. They also discuss girls’ wrestling teams off to a good start and previews the beginning of the boys’ season.

For the first time since 1977, there are no Gazette-area teams in the Iowa high school state football championships. But The Gazette's K.J. Pilcher and Jeff Johnson are making picks for all seven of this week’s games anyway on the Prep Football Huddle podcast.Plus, a look at successful seasons for Iowa City Liberty and Mount Vernon that ended with narrow semifinal losses last week.

The UNI-Dome welcomes 28 teams for the Iowa high school state football semifinals this week.The Gazette's Jeff Linder, Jeff Johnson and K.J. Pilcher discuss last week’s quarterfinal results, preview some noteworthy semifinal matchups and pick the champions in all seven classes on this episode of the Prep Football Huddle.

With Iowa high school football teams one win away from the UNI-Dome, Jeff Linder and K.J. Pilcher review last week’s playoff games and take a class-by-class look at this week’s quarterfinals on The Gazette’s Prep Football Huddle podcast.Plus, which games are we most looking forward to this week?

It’s all about the playoffs now with 16 teams remaining in each of the seven Iowa high school football classes. The Gazette's Jeff Linder, K.J. Pilcher and Jeff Johnson take a class-by-class look at the brackets with games to watch and surprise teams to consider on this episode of the Prep Football Huddle.

Iowa high school football’s Week 8 was full of surprises and The Gazette's Jeff Johnson, Jeff Linder and K.J. Pilcher put them into perspective on this week’s episode of the Prep Football Huddle.Plus, a look at the playoff scenarios for 5A, 4A and 3A entering Week 9, intriguing first-round matchups in 2A, 1A, A and 8-Player, possible changes to the format and another round of trivia.

K.J. Pilcher, Jeff Linder and Jeff Johnson take a look at playoff scenarios for area teams entering Week 8 on the Prep Football Huddle, The Gazette's Iowa high school football podcast.Plus, a new trivia game and a look back at the key results from Week 7, including Williamsburg returning to the top of the Class 3A rankings with a 42-13 win over Solon.

Jeff Linder, K.J. Pilcher and Jeff Johnson are ready for a big Week 7 where multiple ranked Iowa high school football teams will be tested. The Prep Football Huddle discusses the biggest games, looks back at what happened in Week 6, updates the rankings and playoff picture and plays another game of “Who’s Got More?” on this episode.

The Prep Football Huddle podcast with The Gazette's Jeff Linder, Jeff Johnson and K.J. Pilcher reviews the notable games from Week 5 of the Iowa high school football season and the updated Gazette statewide rankings.Plus, a look at the Class 5A RPI system and a trivia game of “Who’s Got More?”

A wild Iowa high schoool football Week 4 saw another No. 1-ranked Class 5A team fall, a two-point conversion decide one rivalry game and a failed two-point conversion determine another. The Gazette's K.J. Pilcher, Jeff Johnson and Jeff Linder break it all down on the Prep Football Huddle podcast.Plus, a look at the updated rankings and Class 5A RPIs, Week 5 games to watch and the return of Match Game!

Teams like Cedar Rapids Prairie, Linn-Mar and North Linn are climbing The Gazette’s Iowa high school football rankings after big Week 3 wins. The Gazette's Jeff Linder, Jeff Johnson and K.J. Pilcher discuss what stood out last week and the Week 4 games that might shake up the next poll on the Prep Football Huddle podcast.Plus, a unique setting for volleyball at West Delaware and a rare playoff to decide a regular-season golf tournament in Cedar Rapids.

The second week of Iowa high school football games gives us double the data to help determine the pecking order of teams. Which teams made the biggest statements in Week 2? The Gazette's Jeff Johnson, K.J. Pilcher and Jeff Linder look back at some key Gazette-area games and how those results shook up the rankings on this week's episode of the Prep Football Huddle.Plus, a look ahead to the biggest Week 3 games and test your statistical knowledge with a game of “Who Has More?”

The Gazette's Prep Football Huddle podcast with Jeff Linder, Jeff Johnson and K.J. Pilcher reviews Week 1 of the Iowa high school football season with takeaways including a young Cedar Rapids Xavier team’s potential, Clear Creek Amana’s new era, Class 5A rankings upheaval and more.Plus, a conference realignment update, a game of “Would you rather?” and a look ahead to the best Week 2 games this Friday.

The Gazette’s Prep Football Huddle podcast returns for the 2024 Iowa high school football season. This week, Jeff Linder, Jeff Johnson and K.J. Pilcher take a look at the first-year head coaches. Who will have the most success this season? Plus, games to watch in Week 1, Iowa Valley’s wild Week 0 win over BGM and answers to listener questions.

It’s time for the postseason in Iowa high school soccer. Nathan Ford and Ryan Pleggenkuhle preview every substate and region involving Gazette area teams and makes state-qualifier predictions on this week's episode of Park The Bus.

The River Valley Conference’s hold on the top of the Class 1A Iowa high school boys’ soccer rankings didn’t change, but the team at the top did. Nathan Ford and Ryan Pleggenkuhle discusse West Branch’s rise to No. 1 and the notable results from last week, plus preview a big week of ranked matchups in the Gazette area on this episode of Park the Bus.

Iowa City Regina is the new No. 1 team in the Class 1A Iowa high school boys’ soccer rankings, but the Regals weren’t the only team that moved up. Nathan Ford and Ryan Pleggenkuhle detail the Gazette-area boys’ and girls’ teams on the move on this week’s episode of Park The Bus.

The Iowa High School Athletic Association’s first weekly boys’ soccer rankings provide some helpful talking points for this week’s episode of Park The Bus, The Gazette’s high school soccer podcast. Hosts Nathan Ford and Ryan Pleggenkuhle also take a look back at last week’s games by naming teams and players of the week in the area for boys and girls.

On the first episode of Park The Bus, a podcast covering Iowa high school soccer in the Gazette area, Ryan Pleggenkuhle details teams and players to watch in 2024 as well as some bold predictions.

The field is set for the 2024 Iowa high school girls’ state basketball tournament and The Gazette's Jeff Johnson and Jeff Linder take a class-by-class look at what to expect on this week’s episode of Call It Both Ways.Plus, an update on the boys’ basketball postseason with state qualifiers soon to be determined.