CALAMUS — The scoreboard operator got quite a workout in the opening game of Monday’s doubleheader between the Calamus-Wheatland and Midland softball teams.

CLINTON — Already the reigning 3A state runner-up, the Central DeWitt baseball team knows it is going to get an opposing team’s best effort.

GOOSE LAKE — The first game certainly did not go as planned, but the Northeast softball team showed its resolve in the nightcap of Wednesday’s non-conference showdown with North Scott.

CASCADE — After pitching six scoreless innings, there was only one thing missing from Northeast senior Dakota Stevenson’s night.

Just ahead of the Fourth of July holiday, the Central DeWitt softball team provided their own fireworks during a home doubleheader with Beckman Catholic Monday.

WILTON — The Northeast softball team has lofty goals for this summer.

CENTRAL CITY — Every pitcher appreciates some insurance runs when they are on the mound. 

CALAMUS — Its early lead did not hold up in the opener, so the Calamus-Wheatland decided to give its first-inning run in the nightcap of Tuesday’s doubleheader with Maquoketa Valley some company.

ANAMOSA — The hosts had the strong beginning, the visitors the big close, but it was the lone run between them that proved to be the difference in Thursday’s River Valley Conference matchup between the Northeast and Anamosa baseball teams.

No area team had a busier first week than the Central DeWitt softball team.

No matter whether it was on the mound, at the plate, or on the base paths, it proved to be an impressive first week for the Central DeWitt baseball team.

CALAMUS — In a matchup of young pitchers, it was the veteran lineup of the Northeast softball team that won out in an Observer-area matchup with Calamus-Wheatland Wednesday night.

CALAMUS — The lead was not an easy thing to hold onto during Wednesday’s Observer-area clash between the Calamus-Wheatland and Northeast baseball teams.

The familiar signs have been popping up.

You could find a lot of good boys basketball in eastern Iowa gyms this winter.

Tucker Kinney opened his senior season for the Central DeWitt boys basketball team with a bang.

After the departure of four seniors from last year’s co-Tri-Rivers East champion, the Calamus-Wheatland boys basketball team knew its players would have new and expanded roles this winter.

Central DeWitt sophomore Taylor Veach earned a second all-state honor for her play this season.

There were not many boys basketball teams across the state that were as balanced on offense as the Northeast boys basketball team.

One group was dominated by youth, the other led by seniors, but together the Central DeWitt and Northeast wrestling teams accomplished something that had not been done in over a decade.

CEDAR FALLS — In recent years, you have been able to find an Observer-area high jumper on the awards stand at the Dickinson Relays, one of the state’s largest indoor track and field meets.

The first impression was great.

Heading into the season there were questions that each of the area’s three girls basketball teams needed to answer.

Prior to the start of the state co-ed bowling meets, the two Iowa high school athletic organizations announced the extension of their partnership with Cadillac XBC, keeping the state bowling meet in Waterloo through 2022.

A pair of big seasons on the lanes led to postseason honors for the Central DeWitt duo of senior Denyse Turnquist and junior Kimberly Hendricks.

CEDAR RAPIDS — For a brief moment, the Central DeWitt boys basketball team had it all in its grasp.

Before this winter, the last time the Calamus-Wheatland girls basketball team completed a season with more victories than defeats was 2008.

It proved to be a dominant divisional season for the Central DeWitt girls basketball team.

The progress was evident this winter for the Northeast girls basketball team.

WATERLOO — A new venue.

With three of its starters standing 6-4 or taller, you can understand why the Central DeWitt boys basketball team does the bulk of its damage on offense inside.

CENTER POINT — After nearly 27 minutes of traded leads and big momentum shifts, the Central DeWitt and Center Point-Urbana girls basketball teams found themselves right where they started in Tuesday’s 4A Region 4 final.

DES MOINES — Nothing seems to push Central DeWitt junior Keaton Zeimet harder than some adversity on the mat.

DES MOINES — It had been a decade since a Northeast wrestler stood on the awards podium at the state wrestling tournament.

It is a difficult task to defeat an opposing basketball team three times in one season, especially when that foe happens to be your biggest rival.

CLARENCE — The comeback seemed to come right from a sports movie.

After allowing an average of 60 points in their two regular season meetings, Maquoketa took a new approach to slow down the Central DeWitt boys basketball team’s offense during Monday’s 3A substate quarterfinal.

CASCADE — The postseason represents the start of a new campaign for sports teams.

BELLEVUE — This time, the start was much more to the Northeast girls basketball team’s liking.

WASHINGTON & WILTON — No Central DeWitt wrestlers had pinned more foes this winter than the junior duo of Keaton Zeimet and Cole Miller.

WHEATLAND — The postseason already gives teams more than enough motivation to bring home a victory.

Only one girls basketball team in the state of Iowa has made more three-pointers than Marion.

WHEATLAND — The Calamus-Wheatland boys basketball team erased most of the deficit created by a slow start.

Looking to surpass its win total from the year before, the Central DeWitt girls basketball team turned to a familiar approach during Monday’s WaMaC East makeup game with West Delaware.

CASCADE — The Northeast boys basketball team had been at its best in the fourth quarter of its previous two games.

DAVENPORT — They sit on opposite sides of the Central DeWitt wrestling team’s lineup, but juniors Keaton Zeimet and Cole Miller will have the same goal at next Saturday’s 2A district meet.