The Little Hawk

17/12/2025

PREVIEW: City vs. West and USA vs. Ukraine at Xtream Arena
Admission to the event is a non-perishable food item that will go to the Coralville food pantry
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The City girls’ wrestling team is the opening event for a “friendly” match between Team USA and Team Ukraine. Due to the ongoing war in Ukraine, many training centers have been shut down. They have decided to come to “Wrestletown, USA” aka Coralville and Iowa City.
“It’s really great that we get to wrestle before such a cool match-up,” said Martha Willard ‘27. “I’m really grateful for the opportunity to watch and learn from Team USA and Ukraine’s national team.”
The matches will take place at Xtream Arena in Coralville on December 18, starting at 5:00 p.m. The City High wrestling team will face off against Cedar Rapids Washington in a dual meet. Then, beginning at 6 pm, City will battle against West High’s wrestling team. At 7 pm, the matches begin, featuring Team USA and Ukraine competing. 
“I think our team is wrestling very hard in their matches, and the intensity of practice has increased, which will directly help your performances in matches,” said Coach Alhers.
The USA Team and the Ukraine Team have been in joint training for two weeks with the University of Iowa Women’s Wrestling program, which will end in this “friendly” dual.
“I’m looking forward to our team wrestling in an exciting and energetic atmosphere.  We keep focusing on getting better and wrestling in all positions, and this will continue to give us a good look at our improvements,” said Coach Alhers.
To support the Coralville Community Food Pantry, the admission is one nonperishable food item. Fans are encouraged to bring more to donate.

📸 Martha Willard
📝 Louisa Berry-Stoelzle
Read the full story on TheLittleHawk.com 🦅

12/12/2025

GameDay! #3 vs #10 double header at 6
Graphic by

12/12/2025

Top Ten Most Viewed Stories of 2025 on TheLittleHawk.com

Eight of the Dumbest Bills in the 2025 Iowa Legislature, by Lily Rantanen, Martha Willard, Ethan Lalumiere, and Ben Clifton 5 Candidates Competing for three seats, by Martha Willard The bad history of project 2025 and why it matters, by Melody Ross Targeted: New Evaluation System Drops All ICCSD Hig...

12/12/2025

Good Morning City High!

Your donation will support the student journalists of Iowa City High School. For 2025, we are trying to update our video and photo studio, purchase new cameras and attend journalism conferences.

11/12/2025

Read DUMB BILLS and more at thelittlehawk.com!

MOST VIEWED STORIES OF 2025
1. Eight of the Dumbest Bills in the 2025 Iowa Legislature by Lily Rantanen, Martha Willard, Ethan Lalumiere, and Ben Clifton
2. 5 Candidates Competing for Three Seats by Martha Willard
3. The Bad History of Project 2025 and Why it Matters by Melody Ross
4. Targeted: New Evaluation Drops All ICCSD High Schools’ Ratings by Tai Caputo and Lily Rantanen
5. PERFORMER PROFILE: Abigail Sigafoose by Lily Rantanen
6. Dancing into Show Choir Season by Yomi Hemley
7. PERFORMER PROFILE: Brody Clarke by Yomi Hemley
8. Local Business Spotlight: Kitty Corner Social Club by Martha Willard and Lily Rantanen
9. City Orchestras Hold Annual Mid-Winter concert by Estelle Hartz
10. City High State Champion Matt Gatens Returns to Coach the Hawkeyes by Ahmed Basher and Jack Rogers

09/12/2025

191 STUDENTS INDUCTED INTO THE NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY

STORY AND PHOTO BY RAYAN AHMED

City High held its annual induction ceremony for the National Honor Society. It was chartered and inducted its first members in the spring of 1958. The purpose of the National Honor Society is to encourage enthusiasm for learning and recognize students who demonstrate excellence in the four foundations of the National Honor Society: scholarship, leadership, service, and character. City High Librarian Jenahlee Chamberlain is the current NHS advisor at City High. She helps lead the program and supports students.

”I thought it would be a good opportunity to connect with students,” Chamberlain said. “In the library, I see all kinds of kids. I get to meet anybody who comes through here, but I don’t necessarily have kids that I see every single day, so I just wanted to have a way to connect and give back to the school.”

Each year, suniors and seniors with a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or above are eligible for membership consideration into the National Honor Society.

09/12/2025

CITY HIGH QUIZ BOWL TEAM FINISHES SECOND AND QUALIFIES FOR NATIONALS

Story by Jonah Hefti
Photos by Nico Vergara-Vanegas

The City High quiz bowl of Jethro Michaelson, Felix Cook, Daniel Drollette, and Jonah Hefti placed second at a tournament in Epworth, Iowa, allowing them to attend nationals this spring. The other two teams placed 5th and 10th in the competition, and both the A and B teams went 5-1, an improvement on their previous tournament.

“Although we didn’t get first, that’s our qualification for nationals,” Felix Cook ’28, a club member, said. “I absolutely loved the competition. It was the first quiz bowl competition I went to, and it was a total blast.”

With this performance, they will be able to send a team to the national competition in Georgia if they can secure enough funding. But quiz bowl is not always all about the competition. Felix Cook believes that some of what makes quiz bowl fun is the payoff of knowing something immediately, and when some of your outside knowledge comes up in a question.

“My favorite question was Baker Miller Pink,” Felix Cook said, “The first clue to the question was something like one shade of this color called the Baker Miller variety. After that, I buzzed in and said pink. I believe I read a book on colors that I learned Baker Miller pink from.”

The team will continue to attend competitions this year and hopes to qualify a second team for the nationals competition as well as to score a victory in the state competition. They also hope to fundraise enough to be able to send a team to the national competition in Atlanta.

09/12/2025

UFA: The Trifecta
Molly Carlson breaks down her journey as a female athlete playing three sports
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When someone hears that Molly Carlson ‘26 is a Division I athlete, they don’t blink an eye. The only question is: in which sport? Carlson excels in three. 
Carlson’s first love was softball. She has played as long as she can remember, and has always enjoyed it.
Growing up, the senior watched her brother Drew play baseball, and be coached by their father. Naturally, she followed in his footsteps. 
“It’s always been special to me because it brought me closer to my family, and was always the sport that just stuck,” Carlson said. “I’ve always had a deeper understanding and passion for what I learned and did in softball, which kept me working at it and wanting to get better.”
Carlson’s father has always supported her passion for softball. 
“My dad was one of my first and best coaches, and [he] still is to this day. He’s never too busy to go get in work with me or talk me through a hard time. He’s my rock and understands me so well,” said Carlson. 
When Carlson was in eighth grade, she began starting varsity for City High. 
“I hit a walk-off home run to beat Jefferson at home. I  felt like I did it for my team, [and]hat made me so proud as an 8th grader,” Carlson said. “Being able to pull through and step up like that in a big moment helped me gain confidence as a player.” 
In just eighth grade , Carlson was already making an impact on City High softball. As she entered her freshman year , she knew she could do big things for City High sports. Fall of freshman year, she went out for volleyball. 
Carlson went on to play volleyball all four years, and was a starting defensive specialist on varsity her junior and senior years. She continued to play volleyball along with her other sports because of her teammates. 

📸 Rose Nkumu
📝 Tessa Driscoll

Read the full profile on TheLittleHawk.com 🦅

24/11/2025

Back to the Mat
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City High wrestling is coming off a successful season, winning the MVC and placing multiple wrestlers on the state podium, along with sending nine wrestlers in total to state. This season, the team will look pretty similar, with only three wrestlers graduating. One notable loss is Donovan Gipson ‘26, a state qualifier who transferred to Liberty in the offseason. The team has three wrestlers coming into this season ranked. Raphael Etuma ‘26 is currently ranked third, behind Fargo Champion DreShaun Ross ‘26 of Fort Dodge.
Kane Willey ‘26 and Blaine Heick ‘26 are both ranked tenth in the preseason rankings (Willey Heavyweight, Heick 190). The underclassmen on the team are also proving to make a splash, with Jack Litton ‘28 being ranked eleventh (106) and Chase Williams ‘28 qualifying for state his freshman year (126). However, a significant loss comes with Marshall Sheldon ‘28, who qualified for state his freshman year, yet will miss this season due to a hand injury he sustained in football.
The team went undefeated in dual tournaments last season, with a record of 7-0, yet did not end up qualifying for the team state tournament.
“I want to place at state this year and work on my conditioning. I’m looking forward to wrestling in the Ames tournament this season; we get to stay at a hotel and there’s always good competition,” Heick said.
Chris Davis also looks to continue to make an impact this season. Davis, two-time state qualifier and four year varsity veteran of the troupe, will be moving up a weight class this season to 144 pounds. Last year, Davis wrestled at 132 pounds. Although he has the most experience on the team, moving up a weight class may prove to be difficult.
“I’ve gotten bigger, stronger, and I feel like my confidence will grow throughout the season with all the practices, meets, and tournaments. Last year I was definitely not as strong, but I know I can keep up with the guys in this class,” Davis said.

Read the full story on TheLittleHawk.com

✍️ Rito Perez
📸 Amber Seaton

20/11/2025

PAPER DAY!!! READ ABOUT LOTS OF COOL STUFF IN THE NOVEMBER ISSUE OF THE LITTLE HAWK!! AVAILABLE WHEREVER YOU CAN GET IT!!

15/11/2025

RESULTS FROM DAY 2 at STATE SWIMMING:
By Louisa Berry-Stoelzle

The City High Girls Swim Team placed 12th in the 200 Medley Relay with swimmers Maeve Waas, Louisa Berry-Stoelzle, Ava Remme, and Helena Mundisev.
The 400 Free Relay placed 13th with swimmers Helena Mundisev, Ava Remme, Maeve Waas, and Celeste Miller.
The 200 Free Relay finished 18th with swimmers Maddie Elkins, Louisa Berry-Stoelzle, Abby Tierney, and Celeste Miller.

Helena Mundisev placed 13th in the 500 free with teammate Ava Remme following close behind in 14th place.

Maeve Waas placed 10th in the 100 Fly and 14th in the 100 Back.