East Buchanan is attempting to claim its first state duals berth, but if the Bucs are going to end their season in Cedar Rapids they will have to earn it.
The third-ranked Bucs host a competitive Class 1A regional dual at Winthrop, featuring No. 9 Lisbon, Alburnett and West Branch. East Buchanan opens with West Branch, while Lisbon takes on Alburnett in the semifinals, starting at 6 p.m.
Opening round winners then compete for a trip to the state duals Feb. 27 at the U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids.
East Buchanan Coach …

Here we go with another installment of the Super Ten (and super five in each class). This is the final week of the regular season for the small schools (Class 1A and 2A).
Can’t believe the season is beginning its conclusion.
OVERALL      Team W-L Pvs
—- 1. Linn-Mar 16-1 1
—- 2. C.R. Jefferson 14-2 2
—- 3. C.R. Kennedy 12-5 3
—- 4. C.R. Washington 8-8 5
—- 5. Iowa City West 9-8 8
—- 6. Iowa City High 9-7 4
—- 7. Marion 15-3 6
—- 8. Solon 15-2 7
—- 9. Western Dubuque 14-4 -
—- 10. North Cedar …

KALONA — No leading scorer or second-leading scorer returning. Not much height around, and arguably the top player is a freshman.
That’s a recipe for a 4-and-something season at most schools. But this is Iowa Mennonite, and they really know how to cook — err, play basketball — in Kalona.
“I am a little bit surprised by our season,” said senior forward Truman Shetler. “I thought maybe we’d have one or two more losses. But this doesn’t really surprise me.”
The school with no nickname goes into the final week of its regular …

DYERSVILLE — The celebratory meals and the congratulatory pats on the back will have to wait, because the Denver-Tripoli wrestling team wasn’t wasting any time to get back to work.
The Titans had practice scheduled just hours after they powered their way to a team title in what was considered one of the tougher sectional fields.
Denver prevailed in fine fashion, advancing 10 to next week’s district meet and winning the Class 2A sectional wrestling tournament at Beckman High School. The Titans had eight champions and tallied 265½ points, 41 more than …

CEDAR RAPIDS — On Cedar Rapids Washington’s athletics hall of fame night, Josh Oglesby came up with a hall of fame performance.
Or at least a hall of fame minute.
It was the junior shooter’s trio of treys in that time midway through the fourth quarter that helped Washington to a 46-38 upset win over Class 4A third-ranked Cedar Rapids Jefferson last night. Hall of fame game, Josh?
“I don’t know if I’d go that far,” Oglesby said. “We need to come back Monday and work in practice and hopefully get another win …

MARION — Shoot at the north basket in the Marion High School gym in the very near future, and you might get a make. Or a miss.
But not a swish.
The Marion Indians cut down the net after claiming their third straight league championship, defeating Vinton-Shellsburg, 57-47, in a Wamac Conference West Division girls’ basketball game Friday night.
“There used to be a lone number (1975) on our basketball (championship banner),” Indians Coach Sherryl Gaffney-Paige said after climbing the ladder and taking the final snip. “Now there’s three more up there.”
That would …

CEDAR RAPIDS — It almost didn’t seem fair. You had one girls’ basketball team who likes to press defensively and play fast offensively and another who plays almost exclusively five players because injuries have depleted its rotation.
The outcome was predictable. Team one (Class 4A ninth-ranked Cedar Rapids Washington) wore out team two (No. 15 Cedar Rapids Jefferson), riding a strong second half to a 69-47 win on hall of fame night at Washington.
“That’s our style,” said Washington guard Alissa Oney. “Push the ball, push the ball and tire you out. …

Jeff Linder’s area girls’ basketball Super Ten, through games played Feb. 3:
1. LINN-MAR (18-0)
Offensive average: 63.9. Defensive average: 39.6. Streak: Won 18. Last ranking: 1st. Notable: Has clinched a share of the MVC Valley Division title, and can wrap it up with a win Friday. Bidding to become the first MVC team since Cedar Falls (2000 & 2001) to go unbeaten in the league two straight years. Upcoming schedule: At Cedar Rapids Prairie on Friday, hosts Cedar Rapids Jefferson on Tuesday.
2. CEDAR RAPIDS KENNEDY (15-2)
Offensive average: 62.6. Defensive average: 45.1. Streak: Won 3. Last ranking: 2nd. Notable: …

Cedar Rapids Washington will host its Hall of Fame night Friday between games of its girls’/boys’ basketball doubleheader with Cedar Rapids Jefferson.
Here are the inductees:
Bob Bleakley  (1958, baseball, football, basketball)
Tom Proctor (1968, swimming)
Geoff Mykleby  (1971, swimming)
David Facion (1977, track)
Pat Dale (1981, football, baseball)
Ronnie Hendred  (1982, track)
Mark McDermott (1990, swimming)
Shannon Oster  (2003, cross country, track)
Coach Norm Byers (golf)
Contributor Bob Payne (wrestling announcer)

District games begin Monday, Feb. 15. Games also will be played on Feb. 18, 23 and 25.
District finals in 1A are the 25th, in 2A the 23rd.
Top seeds in Class 1A include Iowa Mennonite, Lynnville-Sully, Clinton Prince of Peace, Lone Tree and Elkader Central.
In Class 2A, they include MFL/Mar-Mac, Cascade, North Cedar and BGM.
By far, the most interesting district is Class 2A, District 9, where you’ve got North Cedar, Solon and Iowa City Regina. Solon and Regina are earmarked for a second-round game Feb. 18 that could be a dandy.
Here …