Here is the latest Mid-America sports news from The Associated Press

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The most heartwarming new tradition in college football can be found at Iowa. It’s called “The Wave.” At the end of the first quarter, everyone inside Kinnick Stadium is encouraged to turn and wave to the young patients watching the game in the nearby children’s hospital. The idea was sparked in June by a fan and it has already become a beloved part of game day. Scott Turner is the executive director of the hospital. He says it provides a sense of normalcy for patients and their loved ones.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska defensive coordinator Bob Diaco said he needs more time to get the defense up and running the way coaches and fans expect. He added that his players’ tackling skills were so poor at the start of spring practice that to say it was alarming would be an understatement. With the Cornhuskers 4-5 and head coach Mike Riley on the hot seat, Diaco addressed reporters for more than 20 minutes after practice to lay out the challenges he’s faced.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Royals have promoted Terry Bradshaw to hitting coach and Cal Eldred to pitching coach as part of a series of moves to manager Ned Yost’s coaching staff. Vance Wilson will oversee the bullpen, Pedro Grifol will continue to oversee catchers and Mike Jirschele will handle third base duties. Mitch Maier will be the new first base coach.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa didn’t really know what it had in sophomore Nate Stanley when he was named the starting quarterback in August. Stanley’s coming out party came last weekend when he threw five touchdown passes in a stunning 55-24 rout of Ohio State. It was the second five-touchdown performance of the season for Stanley. It helped the 25th-ranked Hawkeyes return to the Top 25 for the first time this season. Iowa plays at No. 6 Wisconsin on Saturday.

Wednesday, November 8, 2017 @ US Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids

Class 1A First Round

6:00 p.m. – Court One: Janesville vs. East Mills
8:00 p.m. – Court One: Starmont vs. Holy Trinity Catholic
6:00 p.m. – Court Two: LeMars Gehlen Catholic vs. Tripoli
8:00 p.m. – Court Two: Springville vs. North Tama

Class 2A First Round

2:00 p.m. – Court One – Dike-New Hartford vs. Wapsie Valley
4:00 p.m. – Court One – Council Bluffs St. Albert vs. Unity Christian
2:00 p.m. – Court Two – Western Christian vs. Iowa City Regina
4:00 p.m. – Court Two – Grundy Center vs. Sidney

Class 3A First Round

10:00 a.m. – Court One – Osage vs. Tipton
12:00 p.m. – Court Two – Sioux Center vs. Red Oak
10:00 a.m. – Court One – Waterloo Columbus Catholic vs. Beckman Catholic
12:00 p.m. – Court Two – Kuemper Catholic vs. Iowa Falls-Alden

Atlantic senior Ally Anderson made her commitment official on Tuesday afternoon, signing to continue her academic and softball career at Des Moines Area Community College in Boone. Anderson signed her official papers surrounded by her parents, DMACC Assistant Coach Daron Harris, Atlantic Head Coach Terry Hinzmann, and Assistant Coach Michelle Blake. Ally will head to DMACC next fall after finishing her final season as a Trojan next summer. Anderson said she just liked the school and the coaching staff and that was what helped her make the decision to head there.

Bears Assistant Daron Harris said Ally is exactly the type of player they look for at DMACC, players that are leaders on and off the field, show coach-ability, and carry themselves in a proper manner.

Andersen went 27-9 as the main starting pitcher for the Trojans this past season while compiling a 1.62 ERA. Ally had 237 strikeouts and just 10 walks during the 2017 campaign. Andersen also was a key player in the batter’s box for Atlantic with 62 hits, 58 RBI’s, and 8 Homeruns last season with a .488 average.  Anderson had a .538 on base percentage and a .866 slugging percentage last season. Anderson has been a 4 year starter already for the Trojans after stepping in during her 8th Grade season.

Anderson will join a Bears squad that has been to the NJCAA Division II Championships 5 out of the 6 years the program has played. They are coming off a 47-9 record last season with a 24-2 conference mark under Head Coach Bob Ligouri.

Class 5A First Round

12:00 p.m. – Court One – (3-0) #1 Cedar Falls 25-25-25 #8 Urbandale 13-13-15
12:00 p.m. – Court Two – (3-2) #2 West Des Moines Valley 15-25-22-25-15,  #7 Dowling Catholic 25-15-25-19-10
2:00 p.m. – Court One – (3-0) #5 Linn-Mar 25-25-25, #4 Cedar Rapids Jefferson 21-23-15
2:00 p.m. – Court Two – (3-0) #3 Ankeny Centennial 25-25-26, #6 Dubuque Hempstead 15-15-24

Class 4A First Round

4:00 p.m. – Court Two – (3-0) #6 Lewis Central 25-25-25, #3 Waverly Shell-Rock 21-20-16
4:00 p.m. – Court One – (3-1) #6 Sergeant Bluff-Luton 20-25-25-25, #5 Bishop Heelan 25-18-22-21
6:00 p.m. – Court One – (3-0) #1 Cedar Rapids Xavier 25-25-25, #8 Independence 16-10-23
6:00 p.m. – Court Two – (3-0) #2 Dubuque Wahlert 25-26-25, #7 Pella 13-24-22

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – Iowa DNR Conservation Officers have charged 31-year old Nicholas W. Slater, of Glendale, AZ, with deer poaching in Lake Manawa State Park. The incident allegedly happened November 19, 2016.

Slater faces the following charges in Iowa:

No valid non-resident deer license
No valid non-resident deer license (antlered or any sex)
Restrictions on taking game – illegal transportation of deer
Restrictions on taking game – illegal taking of deer
Restrictions on taking game – illegal possession of deer
Hunting on game refuge
No non-resident hunting license and habitat fee.

The total fines for Slater are $2,243.20, plus liquidated damages for an antlered deer scoring 150 points or less. A judge will determine the exact total of liquidated damages. The charges are part of a large, multi-state investigation that is ongoing.

Tuesday, November 7, 2017 @ US Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids

Class 4A First Round

4:00 p.m. – Court One – Sergeant Bluff-Luton vs. Bishop Heelan
6:00 p.m. – Court One – Cedar Rapids Xavier vs. Independence
4:00 p.m. – Court Two – Waverly-Shell Rock vs. Lewis Central
6:00 p.m. – Court Two – Dubuque Wahlert vs. Pella

Class 5A First Round

12:00 p.m. – Court One – Cedar Falls vs. Urbandale
2:00 p.m.   – Court One – Cedar Rapids Jefferson vs. Linn-Mar
12:00 p.m. – Court Two – West Des Moines Valley vs. Dowling Catholic
2:00 p.m.   – Court Two – Ankeny Centennial vs. Dubuque Hempstead

The 7:20-a.m. Sportscast w/Jim Field.

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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum in Illinois wants people to share their stories about baseball. The library in Springfield has for several months been hosting a special exhibit about the rivalry between the Chicago Cubs and the St. Louis Cardinals. Now it’s asking people to share their own stories about the rivalry on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram and share those stories with the hashtag #TheRivalry.

At the end of the month, the library will select one story about the Cubs and one about the Cardinals for special prizes. The exhibit includes gear — much of it on loan from the National Baseball Hall of Fame — once worn or used by such greats as Rogers Hornsby, Greg Maddux and Stan Musial.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — No. 6 Wisconsin will be without top receiver Quintez Cephus for its game Saturday against No. 25 Iowa. Cephus suffered a right leg injury in a 45-17 win over the weekend at Indiana. The sophomore is tied with tight end Troy Fumagalli with a team-high 30 catches. The Badgers (9-0, 6-0 Big Ten, No. 9 CFP) also listed inside linebacker Chris Orr as out for Saturday, while safety D’Cota Dixon is questionable with a right leg injury.

Here is the latest Mid-America sports news from The Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Kansas City first baseman Eric Hosmer, third baseman Mike Moustakas and outfielder Lorenzo Cain are among nine free agents who have received $17.4 million qualifying offers from their teams. Chicago Cubs pitchers Jake Arrieta and Wade Davis also received the offers, as did Tampa Bay pitcher Alex Cobb, Colorado closer Greg Holland, St. Louis pitcher Lance Lynn and Cleveland first baseman Carlos Santana. Players have until Nov. 16 to accept.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa forward Nicholas Baer, the Big Ten’s reigning Sixth Man of the Year, could miss up to a month after breaking his left pinky finger. The Hawkeyes announced on Monday that Baer suffered the injury in practice over the weekend. Baer won’t need surgery, but he’ll have to sit for 3-to-4 weeks. Baer averaged team highs in rebounding, steals and blocked shots per game in 2016-17 and was in position to jump into the starting lineup before he got hurt.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — No. 6 Wisconsin will be without top receiver Quintez Cephus for its game Saturday against No. 25 Iowa. Cephus injured his right leg in a 45-17 win over the weekend at Indiana. The Badgers say that inside linebacker Chris Orr also will miss the Iowa game with a right leg injury.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — The St. Louis Cardinals have released veteran right-hander Trevor Rosenthal and extended a qualifying offer to pitcher Lance Lynn. The 27-year-old Rosenthal had Tommy John surgery this summer and could miss the entire 2018 season. He went 3-4 with a 3.40 ERA and 11 saves this year in his sixth season with the Cardinals.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Royals have extended qualifying offers to outfielder Lorenzo Cain, first baseman Eric Hosmer and third baseman Mike Moustakas. Starting pitcher Ian Kennedy did not opt out of the remaining three years and $49 million left on his contract. Fellow pitcher Mike Minor declined his $10 million mutual option.

AMES, Iowa (AP) — For the first time in more than a month, Iowa State is trying to bounce back from a loss. The 24th-ranked Cyclones are already bowl eligible with six wins. They have a shot to reach the Big 12 championship game if they win the rest of their games. Iowa State hosts No. 12 Oklahoma State on Saturday, followed by road games at Baylor and Kansas State.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska will go into its last three regular-season games needing to win two to achieve the six victories necessary to be eligible for a bowl. The Cornhuskers have played in nine straight bowls. Since 1969, the only years they didn’t go to a bowl were 2004 and 2007. The Huskers visit Minnesota this Saturday.

UNDATED (AP) — Michigan State’s Miles Bridges headlines The Associated Press preseason All-America team. The 6-foot-7 sophomore is the leading vote-getter with 61 votes from the 65-member national media panel that selects the weekly AP Top 25 poll. Notre Dame’s Bonzie Colson, Arizona’s Allonzo Trier, Villanova’s Jalen Brunson and Missouri freshman Michael Porter Jr. rounded out the team released Monday.