CEDAR RAPIDS — Cedar Rapids Washington’s Joseph Gallet wants to conclude his prep career in explosive fashion.
That finish would be deafening, considering the noise the Warrior senior made last year.
Gallet returns as the most decorated swimmer from last season’s state meet where he won three gold medals, including the 100 breaststroke title.
“I’m extremely excited for the season,” Gallet said. “Being it my last year, my senior year, I kind of want to go out with a bang.”
The fuse for Gallet’s boom is lit by a tremendous competitive steak. Gallet takes …

WINTHROP — Mike Stafford, who coached East Buchanan to football prominence, has vacated his coaching post.
“When he retired from teaching two years ago, he made us aware that he would coach one or two more seasons,” said East Buchanan athletics director Pat Schloss. “Saturday, he informed us that this would be his last season.”
Stafford was the head coach at EB for 27 years, compiling a 165-95 record. The Bucs were 6-4 this season, earning a Class A substate berth.
He coached the Bucs to 14 postseason appearances. They advanced to the …

“Why me,” Shirley Ryan sometimes asks.
“I don’t know why or how I’ve been so fortunate to have all these kids together at one time,” said Ryan, the volleyball coach at Mount Vernon High School.
The Mustangs rolled to a 43-1 record and a Class 2A state championship. Four players have committed or signed to play at the Division-I level.
Three of them were named to the 2A first-team all-state team, released by the Iowa Girls Coaches Association.
Included is Ali Stark, one of nine players named to the Elite team.
Joining her are Jessica …

Source: Iowa Girls Coaches Association
ELITE
OH Haley Eckerman jr. Waterloo East
OH Hannah Willms sr. Dike-New Hartford
OH Jessica Gehrke sr. Iowa City West
L Kristen Hahn sr. Cedar Rapids Kennedy
OH Ali Stark jr. Mount Vernon
OH Carli Tritz sr. Sioux City Heelan
OH Amber Aschoff sr. Ankeny
S Kinsey Caldwell soph. Waverly-Shell Rock
OH Heidi Splinter sr. Dubuque Hempstead
Player of the year — Haley Eckerman, Waterloo East
CLASS 4A
First Team
OH Jessica Gehrke, sr., Iowa City West; MB Haley Eckerman, jr., Waterloo East; OH Amber Aschoff, sr., Ankeny; OH Heidi Splinter, sr., Dubuque Hempstead; L Kristen Hahn, sr., Cedar …

MARION — Chris Robertson isn’t fully down with calling Linn-Mar “Basketball High.”
“I think the football team proved that we’ve got more going on in athletics,” the Lions head boys’ basketball coach said.
Linn-Mar had a turnaround football season that ended with a Mississippi Valley Conference divisional championship and playoff berth. Cross country and volleyball also were strong in the fall.
But this is winter, and everyone knows what that means: Linn-Mar basketball. It’s the annual Metro jamboree tonight, then the start of the regular season this weekend.
The Lions graduated Zach Bohannon (Air …

MARION — Chris Robertson isn’t fully down with calling Linn-Mar “Basketball High.”
“I think the football team proved that we’ve got more going on in athletics,” the Lions head boys’ basketball coach said.
Linn-Mar had a turnaround football season that ended with a Mississippi Valley Conference divisional championship and playoff berth. Cross country and volleyball also were strong in the fall.
But this is winter, and everyone knows what that means: Linn-Mar basketball. It’s the annual Metro jamboree tonight, then the start of the regular season this weekend.
The Lions graduated Zach Bohannon (Air …

CLASS 1A
Keota
—- Went 21-2 last season and returns top two scorers Cody Uphold and Joe Saresky and four of top five. Top four rebounders also are back. Should be a handful for South Iowa Cedar League foes … again.
Central City
—- We’ll add perennial power Iowa Mennonite to this list, too. But let’s talk about the Wildcats, who went 18-6 a season ago and return three of their top four scorers (John Rochford, Jeffrey Stevens and Mason Nielsen), as well as their top two rebounders.
CLASS 2A
Dyersville Beckman
—- The Blazers are usually …

CLASS 4A
—- Tayler Bontrager (Iowa City West): Senior guard helped Cinderella team to state tournament last season, averaging 15.4 points per game.
—- Jarrod Uthoff (Cedar Rapids Jefferson): Junior center made big splash when promoted to varsity part way through last season, averaging 15 points and 7.6 rebounds in 11 games.
—- Marcus Paige (Linn-Mar): Smooth beyond his years as freshman point guard who helped his team to runner-up finish at state tourney last season.
—- Josh Oglesby (Cedar Rapids Washington): Junior shooter is being recruited by several D-I college programs. Will not …

Bettendorf bounces J-Hawk girls, 35-31-
Megan Hayes scored 14 points and Bettendorf defeated Cedar Rapids Jefferson last night in a non-conference girls’ basketball game, 35-31, in Cedar Rapids.
Britteny Steffeny scored 10 points to pace Jefferson.
LINN-MAR 80, MUSCATINE 25 —
Kiah Stokes poured in 28 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to lead Class 4A third-ranked Linn-Mar to the victory at home.
DJ Norman added 15 points, and Kayla Klopfenstein 11.
Linn-Mar (1-0) led 50-11 at halftime.
IOWA CITY WEST 87, NORTH SCOTT 36 —
Kristin Fomon scored 16 points and led five players in double figures as Iowa …

CEDAR RAPIDS — Seven good minutes.
Four at the beginning of the game, three at the start of the second half.
Seven good minutes was good enough.
Class 4A ninth-ranked Cedar Rapids Xavier opened each half strong and recorded a sleepy 39-30 victory over Davenport West in a non-conference girls’ basketball game Friday night at Ron Thillen Gymnasium.
“We’re getting good starts, but then we’re getting into substitution patterns, and those people need to pick it up,” Xavier Coach Tom Lilly said after the Saints improved to 2-0.
Xavier shot to a 9-2 lead through four …