Team capsules for the Class 4A qualifiers at the state volleyball tournament, in bracket order:No. 9 CEDAR RAPIDS XAVIER (26-11)Nickname: SaintsCoach: Barb Sullivan (3rd year, 95-55)Tourney history: 4th appearance. Most recent was 2010, when they made 4A semifinals.Starting lineup:No. Name Ht. Yr. Pos.1 Halle Heying 5-4 Jr. L4 Melissa Everett 6-0 Sr. MH7 Kara Zwanziger  6-0 Jr. MH12 Sarah Homan 5-6 Sr. S 13 Kayla Torson 5-11 So. OH 14  Audrey ...

Tuesday's area regional final volleyball matches for Class 5A, 4A and 3A:CEDAR RAPIDS KENNEDY vs. DUBUQUE HEMPSTEAD (Class 5A)Time and site: 7 p.m., at MonticelloRecords and rankings: Kennedy is 24-12 and ranked ninth; Hempstead is 28-6 and No. 3.Notable: Kennedy is a win away from ...

SOLON -- Monday was rough."It's been horrible," Jim White said after telling his Clear Creek Amana softball players that he was leaving to coach at Solon High School. "I met with the kids, and it was not good."This is extremely tough. I've gone through a ...

MOUNT VERNON -- First, they started communicating.Then, they started clicking.The Class 4A sixth-ranked Solon Spartans overcame a quiet, tired first set and surged past No. 8 Maquoketa, 17-25, 25-15, 15-10, to win their second straight Wamac Conference volleyball tournament Thursday night at Mount Vernon High School."We finally ...

A conglomeration of volleyball notes during a busy week:WAMAC PLAY REACHES BRACKET PHASEThe Wamac Conference tournament will enter bracket play Thursday at Mount Vernon High School. Here are championship pairings, based on Tuesday's pool play:#1 Solon (26-4) vs. #8 Clear Creek Amana (20-11), 5 p.m.#4 ...

Solon High School volleyball coach Peter Gustin was asked to name a primary challenger for his team at the Wamac Conference volleyball tournament this week.It became a fairly lengthy conversation."Let's see. Maquoketa has an incredibly strong team," Gustin said. "If you play them, you've got to ...

MARION -- Trev Biery knows what's coming tomorrow morning.Pain."I'm sure I'm going to be sore," Biery said. "It's OK. I'm used to it."Biery rushed for three touchdowns, left with a sprained ankle, then returned to help run out the clock as Marion upended 10th-ranked Solon, ...

A dozen key area football games for Week 7:WILTON at IOWA CITY REGINATime and site: 7 p.m. Friday, at ReginaRecords and rankings: Wilton is 5-1 overall, 4-0 Class 1A District 6; No. 1 Regina is 6-0, 3-0.Notable: Wilton already has a playoff berth wrapped up, and ...

Through the past four seasons, the West Branch Bears have been a consistent volleyball winner.And a relatively anonymous one.They haven't been to state, and they haven't received a lot of attention. But check this out -- as four-year starters, Heather Poula, Kelley Trimble, Paige Donohoe ...

Joe Martin was bleary-eyed and weary Saturday morning. And he couldn't be happier."I think I got an hour and a half of sleep," said Martin, second-year head football coach at Springville High School. "It was a long ride home, but that's all right."The Orioles took ...