Snow Game
I’ve shot sports in torrential rain, freezing wind, and plenty of other extreme weather but I’d never shot a sports event in the snow until a couple weeks ago.
It snowed for the entire game between the Green Bay Packers and the Houston Texans, essentially transforming Lambeau Field into a soggy snow globe. It’s definitely a different challenge shooting in the snow, but preferable to the extreme cold and makes for some great scenes.
Thanks for looking!
Adam
All photos © Adam Wesley/USA Today Network-Wisconsin
Top Sports Photos from 2015
Here’s a selection of some of the favorite sports photos from 2015. It was a fun year of sports coverage, I went to Seattle for UNI and Iowa in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, and in football I covered Iowa’s 12-0 regular season. Plus lots of high school sports coverage. For a look at some of the great sports work done from my colleagues and I at The Gazette in 2015 click here
Thanks for looking!
Adam
Solon’s infielders signal to the outfielders after recording an out against PCM in a Class 3A regional final at Grinnell High School in Grinnell on Monday, July 13, 2015. (Adam Wesley/The Gazette)
Alburnett’s Drake Halblom flexes in celebration after pinning Moravia’s Briar Cochran in sudden victory during a 120 pound first round 1A match at the 2015 State Wrestling tournament at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines on Thursday, Feb 19, 2015. (Adam Wesley/The Gazette)
Fans wear black and gold at Kinnick Stadium for Iowa’s game against Pittsburgh in Iowa City on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2015. (Adam Wesley/The Gazette)
CPU’s Payton Hasleiet (20) and Mount Vernon’s Hayley Corkin (11) vie for the ball in a girls’ high school basketball game at Center Point-Urbana High School in Center Point on Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2015. (Adam Wesley/The Gazette)
Iowa forward Aaron White (30) dunks against Davidson in a 2nd round men’s basketball NCAA tournament game at KeyArena in Seattle on Friday, March 20, 2015. (Adam Wesley/The Gazette)
Cedar Rapids Xavier’s Blake Whitten (12) sheds tears of joy as he celebrates with Dallas Klein (19) after the Saints defeated Iowa City Regina in a high school football game at Regina High School in Iowa City on Friday, Oct. 16, 2015. (Adam Wesley/The Gazette)
Former Iowa wrestler Matt McDonough walks onto the stage at the AGON-V – Iowa Against the World wrestling event at the U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids on Friday, April 3, 2015. (Adam Wesley/The Gazette)
Cedar Rapids Prairie’s Kenzie Soeken (13) celebrates after a block near the end of the 2nd set against Dubuque Hempstead in a class 5A volleyball regional final at Prairie High School in Cedar Rapids on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2015. (Adam Wesley/The Gazette)
Iowa City High’s Nate Wieland (15) is stopped at the goal line against Iowa City West in a class 4A high school football game at City High School in Iowa City on Friday, Sept. 18, 2015. (Adam Wesley/The Gazette)
Northern Iowa guard Wes Washpun (11) celebrates after drawing a foul against Wyoming in a 2nd round men’s basketball NCAA tournament game at KeyArena in Seattle on Friday, March 20, 2015. (Adam Wesley/The Gazette)
Iowa City High’s Fanta Traore runs ahead of Cedar Rapids Xavier’s Carlie Jurgens in the 200-meter dash at a girls’ high school track meet at West High School in Iowa City on Tuesday, March 31, 2015. (Adam Wesley/The Gazette)
Iowa Hawkeyes defensive back Sean Draper (7) and Iowa Hawkeyes defensive back Desmond King (14) chest bump as the Hawkeyes take the field for warmups before a NCAA football game against Nebraska at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln on Friday, Nov. 27, 2015. (Adam Wesley/The Gazette)
Iowa Hawkeyes guard Mike Gesell (10) reacts as Iowa Hawkeyes center Adam Woodbury (34) draws a foul in a NCAA basketball game against Florida State Seminoles at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City on Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2015. (Adam Wesley/The Gazette)
South Tama’s Jerry Lowe (9) scores a goal past Bishop Heelan goalie Nathan Gobell (1) in a Class 2A quarterfinal at the Cownie Soccer Complex in Des Moines on Thursday, June 4, 2015. South Tama won 3-2. (Adam Wesley/The Gazette)
An Iowa fan cheers in a NCAA football game against Pitt at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2015. (Adam Wesley/The Gazette)
Iowa’s Sammy Brooks flexes after his 17-2 win over Oklahoma State’s Jordan Rogers in a NCAA wrestling meet at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015. (Adam Wesley/The Gazette)
Iowa City West’s Izaya Ono-Fullard (23) reacts after tagging out Cedar Rapids Prairie’s Corbin Day (6) at 3rd base in a class 4A high school baseball substate final at Prairie High School in Cedar Rapids on Wednesday, July 22, 2015. (Adam Wesley/The Gazette)
Center Point-Urbana’s Haley Weideman (27) can’t quite reach the ball during a Class 3A quarterfinal against Mount Vernon at the Girls’ High School State Volleyball Tournament at the U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2015. (Adam Wesley/The Gazette)
A lone Iowa fans stands in the Wisconsin student section as the Wisconsin fans “jump around” in a NCAA football game at Camp Randall stadium in Madison on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2015. (Adam Wesley/The Gazette)
Wisconsin Badgers tight end Troy Fumagalli (81) and Iowa Hawkeyes linebacker Cole Fisher (36) react as a pass intended for Fumagalli falls incomplete on 4th down late in the 4th quarter in a NCAA football game at Camp Randall stadium in Madison on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2015. (Adam Wesley/The Gazette)
Cedar Rapids Xavier’s Luke Duball (15) celebrates after scoring a golden goal in the 2nd period of extra time to win the 2A championship match for the Saints over Central DeWitt at the Cownie Soccer Complex in Des Moines on Saturday, June 6, 2015. (Adam Wesley/The Gazette)
Cedar Rapids Kennedy’s Dalles Jacobus (60) holds up a wooden board that reads “Family” as he walks off the field the high school football Class 4A state championship game against West Des Moines Dowling at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls on Monday, Nov. 23, 2015. (Adam Wesley/The Gazette)
All photos ©2015 Adam Wesley/The Gazette
Fall playoffs: prep sports
As a newspaper photojournalist, fall means (among other things) high school sports playoffs. Here are a few of my favorite shots so far from this year’s fall prep playoffs.
Thanks for looking,
AW
Runners compete in a Class 4A high school girls state qualifying meet at the Seminole Valley Cross Country Course in Cedar Rapids on Thursday, Oct. 22, 2015. (Adam Wesley/The Gazette)
Captains from Cedar Rapids Jefferson and Dubuque Senior line up at midfield before a 1st round class 4A high school football playoff game at Ash Park Stadium at Cornell College in Mount Vernon on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2015. (Adam Wesley/The Gazette)
Cedar Rapids Jefferson’s Tavian Rashed (24) tackles Dubuque Senior’s Lee Bonifas (1) in a 1st round class 4A high school football playoff game at Ash Park Stadium at Cornell College in Mount Vernon on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2015. (Adam Wesley/The Gazette)
Runners leave the start at a Class 1A high school state qualifying meet at the Seminole Valley Cross Country Course in Cedar Rapids on Thursday, Oct. 22, 2015. (Adam Wesley/The Gazette)
Cedar Rapids Jefferson’s Valentino Green (28) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against Dubuque Senior in a 1st round class 4A high school football playoff game at Ash Park Stadium at Cornell College in Mount Vernon on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2015. (Adam Wesley/The Gazette)
Cedar Rapids Prairie’s Kenzie Soeken (13) celebrates after a block near the end of the 2nd set against Dubuque Hempstead in a class 5A volleyball regional final at Prairie High School in Cedar Rapids on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2015. (Adam Wesley/The Gazette)
A referee gets tripped up after a fumble during Mount Vernon’s game against Dyersville Beckman in a 1st round class 2A high school football playoff game at Ash Park Stadium at Cornell College in Mount Vernon on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2015. (Adam Wesley/The Gazette)
West Delaware’s offense huddles against Solon in a Class 3A 2nd round playoff high school football game at West Delaware High School in Manchester on Monday, Nov. 2, 2015. (Adam Wesley/The Gazette)
Cedar Rapids Washington students Ryan Miller and Caleb Kleman walk across the field dressed as sharks at a Class 4A high school state qualifying meet at the Seminole Valley Cross Country Course in Cedar Rapids on Thursday, Oct. 22, 2015. (Adam Wesley/The Gazette)
All photos copyright 2015 Adam Wesley/The Gazette
Night Game
Saturday saw a night game at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City as the Hawkeyes hosted Pittsburgh. Here are a few of my favorite shots from the field and the stands.
Thanks for looking
Fans wear black and gold at Kinnick Stadium for Iowa’s game against Pittsburgh in Iowa City on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2015. (Adam Wesley/The Gazette)
A young Iowa fan cheers in a NCAA football game against Pitt at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2015. (Adam Wesley/The Gazette)
Iowa Hawkeyes running back Jordan Canzeri (33) hurdles Pittsburgh Panthers defensive back Avonte Maddox (14) on his way to a first down in the 4th quarter of a NCAA football game at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2015. (Adam Wesley/The Gazette)
An Iowa fan eyes a beach ball at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2015. (Adam Wesley/The Gazette)
Iowa Hawkeyes place kicker Marshall Koehn (1) screams in celebration as he leaves the field after kicking a 57-yard game-winning field goal against the Pittsburgh Panthers in a NCAA football game at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2015. (Adam Wesley/The Gazette)
All photos © 2015 Adam Wesley/The Gazette
A Muddy Battle for the Boot
Every year Iowa City West and Iowa City High’s football teams compete in a crosstown rivalry game for “The Boot” trophy. This was the first year I have photographed the game, complete with torrential rain, hours of lightning delays, and seemingly infinite amounts of mud…everywhere. With the trend of larger high schools like City and West all building new fields with artificial turf, sodden turf and mud are becoming a thing of the past at urban schools. Indeed, had this game been played at West High’s new facility across town all the jersey’s would have been mud free. But City High has a traditional grass field which quickly became saturated and turned to mud.
So here’s a rarity these days: photos of football being played in the rain on a muddy, grass field, as it was intended.
Iowa City High’s Naeem Smith (20) celebrates after tipping a pass away from Iowa City West’s Oliver Martin (8) on 4th down in a class 4A high school football game at City High School in Iowa City on Friday, Sept. 18, 2015. (Adam Wesley/The Gazette)
Iowa City High’s Kyle Swenning (10) runs across the field with the boot after the Little Hawks defeated Iowa City West in a class 4A high school football game at City High School in Iowa City on Friday, Sept. 18, 2015. (Adam Wesley/The Gazette)
Iowa City High’s Nate Wieland (15) is stopped at the goal line against Iowa City West in a class 4A high school football game at City High School in Iowa City on Friday, Sept. 18, 2015. (Adam Wesley/The Gazette)
Iowa City High student Lyric Davenport reacts as her umbrella blows in the wind during the Little Hawks game against Iowa City West in a class 4A high school football game at City High School in Iowa City on Friday, Sept. 18, 2015. (Adam Wesley/The Gazette)
Standing water by the end zone at Iowa City High’s football field is shown during a thunderstorm at City High School in Iowa City on Friday, Sept. 18, 2015. (Adam Wesley/The Gazette)
Referees take shelter from the rain during a lightning delay in the Iowa City High against Iowa City West class 4A high school football game at City High School in Iowa City on Friday, Sept. 18, 2015. (Adam Wesley/The Gazette)
Cheerleaders from Iowa City High and Iowa City West dance in the gym during a lightning delay in a class 4A high school football game at City High School in Iowa City on Friday, Sept. 18, 2015. (Adam Wesley/The Gazette)
Iowa City High quarterback Nate Wieland (15) runs out of bounds against Iowa City West in a class 4A high school football game at City High School in Iowa City on Friday, Sept. 18, 2015. (Adam Wesley/The Gazette)
All photos © 2015 Adam Wesley/The Gazette
College football is back
College football is back, so I thought I’d (belatedly) share a few shots from the University of Iowa’s season-opener vs Illinois State over Labor Day weekend. The most defining feature of the day was the heat, with the endzone field turf reaching temps of 135+ during the second half. So most of the more interesting photos, especially after the 1st quarter were to be found in the stands, as the fans reacted to the heat, and the scoreline.
An Iowa fan sweats in the 4th quarter of a NCAA college football game against the Illinois State Redbirds at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City on Saturday, Sept. 5, 2015. (Adam Wesley/The Gazette)
Fans were slow to fill the seats until kickoff, with temps soaring well into the 90s at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City on Saturday, Sept. 5, 2015. (Adam Wesley/The Gazette)
Student reaction to a late-game touchdown by Iowa in a NCAA college football game at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City on Saturday, Sept. 5, 2015. (Adam Wesley/The Gazette)
Student reaction to the Iowa cheerleading team beating Illinois State’s cheerleading team in a competition during a timeout at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City on Saturday, Sept. 5, 2015. (Adam Wesley/The Gazette)
Even the ads are corn-themed here at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City on Saturday, Sept. 5, 2015. (Adam Wesley/The Gazette)
A rare moment of interest on the field, as Iowa Hawkeyes running back Jordan Canzeri (33) attempts to hurdleIllinois State Redbirds safety La’Darius Newbold (8) in a NCAA college football game at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City on Saturday, Sept. 5, 2015. (Adam Wesley/The Gazette)
All photos © Adam Wesley/The Gazette
Adam Wesley - Photojournalist 
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