DES MOINES – Clearly there was something wrong after Thursday’s class 2A semifinal. There were no long faces and no tears. Both teams were happy, and the game didn’t end in a tie.Top-ranked Western Christian (25-1) trounced Aplington-Parkersburg 64-40 to advance to the state championship ...

 Preseason girls basketball rankings for 2012-13, courtesy Jeff Linder of The Gazette/KCRG:CLASS 5A 2011-12 W-L 2012 Postseason1. Southeast Polk 24-2 4A state semifinalist2. Mason City 21-3 4A state qualifier3. Muscatine 19-4 4A regional finalist4. Des Moines East 15-6 4A regional finalist5. Iowa City High 17-7 4A state qualifier6. Waukee 19-6 4A state semifinalist7. Ames 16-8 4A state qualifier8. Iowa City West 25-1 4A ...

CEDAR RAPIDS -- It was everything it was supposed to be.Dike-New Hartford came back from two sets down, then survived a match point in the final game to outlast Western Christian in a breathtaking Class 2A championship classic, 18-25, 18-25, 25-18, 27-15, 16-14, at the ...

CEDAR RAPIDS -- It's been in the back of their minds for a full year.It can move forward now.Second-ranked Western Christian earned the rematch is has coveted, rallying from a 22-13 deficit in the third game and sweeping No. 3 Carroll Kuemper, 25-14, 25-13, 25-23, ...

CEDAR RAPIDS -- Victory was not enough. A sweep was inadequate."We wanted to make a statement," Western Christian Coach Tammi Veerbeek said. "We wanted to show that we're here to win a state championship."Yeah, this is one hungry Wolfpack.Second-ranked Western needed a skimpy 52 minutes ...

DIKE -- Big Blue is back, and better than ever before.As if it ever really went away.One of the cornerstones of Iowa high school volleyball, Dike-New Hartford appears to be on the verge of a second dynasty. The Wolverines are defending Class 2A state champions. ...

Team capsules for the Class 2A qualifiers at the state volleyball tournament (in bracket order):No. 12 SUMNER-FREDERICKSBURG (24-6)Nickname: CougarsCoach: Ed Boltz (6th year, 120-51)Tourney history: 1st appearance as S-F, though Sumner qualified three times in the 1990s.Starting lineup:No. Name Ht. Yr. Pos.2 Kaylyn Brandt 5-9 Sr. S7 Kally Frisch 5-11 Jr. OH8 Jessica Eekhoff 5-8 Jr. MH9 Tara Converse  5-7 Jr. DS15 MaKaya Henniges  5-11  Sr. MH16 Ashley Larson 5-6 Jr. L  No. ...

 CEDAR RAPIDS -- Western Christian owned Dike-New Hartford and Diane Harms at the state volleyball tournament.Until now.Third-ranked Dike-New Hartford won its eighth state championship -- but its first since 1997 -- by shocking No. 1 Western in straight sets, 25-19, 30-28, 25-23, for the Class ...

CEDAR RAPIDS -- For Grundy Center, this was the big upset that got away.Top-ranked Western Christian wiggled off the hook in the second and third games, and escaped with a four-set win over No. 4 Grundy Center in a Class 2A semifinal at the state ...

 CEDAR RAPIDS -- As well as they reload, as often as they return, the volleyball players from Western Christian don't seem to view state-tournament appearances as a birthright."It's such a blessing that we can come back here," Brooke Wolterstoff said after top-ranked Western swept Carroll ...