CEDAR RAPIDS — This is the time prep tennis coaches are put to the test.
With rosters due Monday for Thursday’s Class 1A and 2A district meets, boys’ tennis coaches are challenged to find their best possible lineup.
It turns out that determining lineups for district competition is more complex than filling out a sheet with names. Coaches implore strategy to try to advance as many athletes to the state meet as well as improving the team’s chances to reach team substate.
Coaches and players have to decide whether to compete in singles …

The Iowa High School Golf Coaches Association released its opening set of adjusted rankings on April 21. Reports seem to be a little more wide spread than the girls, but likely doesn’t include all Iowa prep golfers and teams. It does give you an idea of what some golfers are shooting from around the state. Since no course is the same, including differences in par and difficulty, the is an adjustment formula to calculate the rankings.
Rankings are a good measuring stick and more functional as a conversational tool. They really don’t …

DECORAH — Decorah’s Andrew Peter has been there and done that at the state golf tournament.
The Vikings’ top golfer is the defending Class 3A state champion, but his focus has slightly shifted away from his personal pursuits since he already owns one of Iowa’s top prep prizes.
Obviously, Peter wouldn’t mind another individual title, but the Decorah senior is set on helping the team earn some hardware this time around. He leads a Vikings team that finished fifth at last year’s state meet and returns all six of its top players …

Press News Release
For Immediate Release
Contact: Dan Ninham, dninham@clbs.k12.mn.us; cell: 218-368-6430
2nd Annual Tri-State (MN-IA-WI) All Star Boys Basketball Games
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Luther College Regents Center Gym in Decorah, IA
http://sports.luther.edu/about/facilities/regents-center/index.html
Admission: $10 for adults and $5 for students
10:30 am – Doors Open For Spectators
11:10 am – Team Introductions/National Anthem
11:20 am – Slam Dunk Contest
11:45 am – Team Wisconsin vs. Team Iowa
01:00 pm – Team Wisconsin vs. Team Minnesota
02:00 pm – 3 Point Shooting Contest
02:30 pm – Team Iowa vs. Team Minnesota
Note: Team Iowa Girls were not able to field a team …

Williamsburg (17-6) vs. Mount Pleasant (20-1) at U.S. Cellular Center, 6:30 p.m.: Williamsburg comes into this game off a 59-56 district final victory over Wamac Conference rival Clear Creek-Amana. The Raiders defeated South Tama in the first round of districts, 76-60. Williamsburg likes to play an up-tempo game, led by senior guard Chad Malloy. He averages 18.0 points per game and has made a team-high 47 3-pointers, one more than teammate Kelly O’Rourke … Mount Pleasant has been ranked No.1 or No. 2 since Christmas. The Panthers lost to Marion in a substate …

DECORAH — Gene Klinge is one win away.
Mary Halvorson scored 22 points, and Class 3A second-ranked Waukon handled Decorah, 57-30, in a Northeast Iowa Conference girls’ basketball game last night.
Klinge picked up his 937th career win. He can tie the late Bob Mullen atop the state’s all-time list of winningest girls’ basketball coaches Friday, when the Indians travel to Caledonia (Minn.).
The potential record-breaker could be Monday (at home against Charles City) or Tuesday (at New Hampton).
Waukon is 6-0 this season.
Kristyna Herman added 12 points, Logan Hjerleid 10.

IOWA CITY – Grace Murray and Beth Eyanson formed a friendship in swimming, but it’s expanded beyond a common interest in the sport.
The Iowa City standouts are better friends than competitors, but their competitiveness will be on display Saturday during the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union State Swim meet at the Horne Henry Center of the Marshalltown YMCA.
The state meet begins with the diving tonight at 5. Swim events are set for noon Saturday.
Eyanson and Murray have been two of the top performers in the area since they were …

CLASS 4A
Cedar Rapids Xavier at Clinton
Time & place: 7 p.m., at Clinton.
Radio: KMRY-AM (1450), KGYM-AM (1600).
Records: No. 8 Xavier is 9-2; No. 3 Clinton is 11-0.
Notable: Four days after holding Linn-Mar’s Jer Garman to 32 yards in a 41-3 stroll, the Saints try to slow another prolific running attack. Clinton’s David Johnson has rushed for 1,304 yards and 27 touchdowns. The River Kings were champions of the Mississippi Athletic Conference, and the only MAC team to survive the substate round. Xavier has won eight straight games after a 1-2 start.
Linder’s pick: …

MARION — Prep football fans at Thomas Park last night got their money’s worth.
But it was Decorah senior Robby Jewell who gave the Vikings fans a little more for their money.
Jewell picked off Marion quarterback Dalton Combs in the second overtime, securing Decorah’s 37-30 upset victory over No. 4 Marion in a Class 3A first-round playoff game at Thomas Park.

The teams battled back and forth for most of the game, spilling every ounce of effort they had.
“We said we were going to leave it all out on the field,” Jewell …

FORT DODGE — It took two years and a lot of convincing, but Moran Lonning finally realized that cross country was the fall sport for her.
“Cross country is really strong (at Decorah High School), and volleyball isn’t,” said Lonning, who had played volleyball for two years before making the switch.
“Some of the girls said, ‘Moran, you have to come out.’ My dad finally talked me into it.”
Lonning was rewarded with a second-place finish in the Class 3A girls’ race at the state meet Saturday at Lakeside Golf Course.
She was timed …