Supporters of Steele McLaren line up and illuminate Steele’s #32 at a prayer vigil on Tuesday night at the Trojan Bowl.

It’s been an emotional week for the Atlantic community, school district, and football team. Atlantic senior Steele McLaren suffered a severe brain injury after falling out of the back of a pickup truck in an accident on Sunday afternoon. Steele is fighting for recovery at Nebraska Medicine in Omaha and he has an overwhelming number of people supporting him. The outpouring of support from Atlantic, Southwest Iowa, and the country started quickly after news spread. Multiple fundraisers have been organized from apparel sales, meal events, online giving, and local bank donations. A prayer vigil was held on Tuesday night at the Trojan Bowl to support Steele, who is a starting defensive tackle for the Trojan football team. Atlantic Head Coach Mike McDermott said that was an important moment for the team.

Many other athletic programs have reached out to support Steele and the team, including this week’s playoff opponent West Marshall. Their Head Coach Cody Hackett said they want to do all they can to support Atlantic as they deal with the tragic event.

Coach McDermott said it certainly has been a different type of football week, but he thinks the guys want that cathartic moment of being able to step on the field for a couple hours.

You can hear more from Coach McDermott on Trojan Preview on Friday afternoon at 4:45 p.m. on KJAN. We’ll also have the game on KJAN and KJANTV.

The Atlantic Trojans (7-1) football team hits the road on Friday night to State Center to face off against the West Marshall Trojans (7-1) in a Class 2A Third Round Playoff match-up. Atlantic is coming off a 2nd Round win over Des Moines Christian 21-0 and West Marshall defeated Centerville 60-0 in their 2nd Round contest. West Marshall has a run heavy offense led by 1,587 yards from tailback Preston Pope. West Marshall has some size up front to clear the path for Pope, and Atlantic Head Coach Mike McDermott said his team will need to play tough to stop that run game.

West Marshall also has quite a bit of playoff experience back from a team that was knocked out in the round of 16 the past two seasons. West Marshall Head Coach Cody Hackett said his team wants more this year.

Atlantic has hung their hat on a stout defense and some balance on offense. Atlantic has posted 5 straight shutouts to end the season and Coach McDermott said they expect that defense to rise to the occasion.

West Marshall runs a base 3-5 defense with linebackers moving around the field to match up. Coach Hackett said Atlantic poses some challenges with their balance. He also has been impressed by Atlantic’s defense.

We’ll have coverage of the battle of the Trojans on KJAN. You can hear more from Coach McDermott on Trojan Preview at 4:45 p.m. Our final edition of the pick ’em show Who’s Gonna Win? will start at 5:55 p.m., followed by pregame at 6:30 p.m. and kickoff at 7:00 p.m. Chris Parks and Mike Smith will have the call on AM 1220, FM 101.1, online at kjan.com. You can also watch the live video stream of the game on KJANTV!

(A-P) – No. 23 Iowa State heads to Kansas on Saturday trying to get back on track after a tough loss to Oklahoma State. The Cyclones still believe they have a chance to win the Big 12, but falling to the winless Jayhawks would make that nearly impossible. Kansas is trying to bounce back from a blowout loss to rival Kansas State.

Iowa State quarterback Brock Purdy (15) throws a pass during an NCAA college football game against Oklahoma State Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020, in Stillwater, Okla. (AP Photo/Brody Schmidt)

It will be the second game back for Jayhawks coach Les Miles after he missed the trip to West Virginia because of a positive COVID-19 diagnosis.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Home football games for the University of Iowa won’t have the same buzz this season because the usual 69,000 fans won’t be there. One beloved tradition will go on uninterrupted.

FILE – In this Saturday, Aug. 31, 2019 file photo, Iowa fans wave to children in the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital at the end of the first quarter of an NCAA college football game between Iowa and Miami of Ohio in Iowa City, Iowa. During a season when the atmosphere will be subdued at Iowa home football games because the usual 69,000 fans won’t be there, one tradition will go on uninterrupted. At the end of the first quarter, players and coaches from both teams will turn to the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital and wave, just as they’ve done every home game since 2017.( (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File)

At the end of the first quarter at the home opener Saturday against Northwestern, players and coaches from both teams will turn to the nearby Stead Family Children’s Hospital and wave at the young patients. The tradition has been in place for every Iowa home game since 2017. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, patients will stay in their rooms to wave back.

IOWA CITY, Iowa – – University of Iowa football players Shadrick Byrd and Yahweh Jeudy (YAW-way JUDY) have entered the NCAA Transfer Portal, with the intention to transfer at the end of the fall semester. The announcement was made Thursday by head football coach Kirk Ferentz.

Bryd is a running back from Alabaster, Alabama, while Jeudy is a linebacker from Pompano Beach, Florida. Both players are redshirt freshmen. Jeudy has not seen game action, while Byrd played on special teams in Iowa’s opening contest.

Iowa plays its first home game of the 2020 season Saturday, hosting Northwestern (2:35 p.m., ESPN).

The 7:20-a.m. Sportscast with Jim Field.

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2020 WIC All-Conference Volleyball

First Team

Macy Van Fossen (Underwood, sr.); Presley Pogge (Tri-Center, sr.); Peyton Cook (Underwood, sr.WIC); Emma Flathers (Treynor, jr.); Maddie Lewis (Treynor, jr.); Ava Hilts (Missouri Valley, soph.); Ashley Christians (Logan-Magnolia, sr.); Miranda Ring (Tri-Center, jr.).

Second Team

Zoe Rus (Underwood, sr.); Stella Umphries (Treynor, sr.); Ella Myler (Missouri Valley, soph.); Maya Contreraz (Missouri Valley, soph.); Lesley Morales-Foote (Underwood, jr.); Kenna Ford (Riverside, sr.); Macanna Guritz (Logan-Magnolia, soph.); Courtney Ohl (Logan-Magnolia, sr.).

2020 WIC Academic All-Conference – Fall Sports

(Must be senior, maintain 3.25 grade point average)

Volleyball

AHSTW: Kailey Jones, Claire Harris. Audubon: Johanna Saurs, Madison Vorms, Elizabeth Zaiger. IKM-Manning: Lauren Danner, Sierra Ferry. Logan-Magnolia: Ashley Christians, Emilie Thompson, Ashlyn Doiel, Emme Lake, Courtney Ohl. Missouri Valley: Olivia Guinan, Carlie Winchester. Riverside: Kenna Ford, Kya Hackett, Ella Hensley. Treynor: Anna Halverson, Stella Umphries. Tri-Center: Presley Pogge. Underwood: Macy Van Fossen, Zoe Russ, Taylor Nelson, Ali Robertson, Hailey Seider.

Cross Country

AHSTW: Claire Denning, Jade Draman, Chloe Falkena, Holly Hoepner, Kailey Jones, Julia Kock, Martha Pace. Audubon: Katelyn Nielsen. IKM-Manning: Quintin Dreyer, Conner Keller, Tanner Spoelstra. Logan-Magnolia: Marissa Brenden, Marissa McCoy, Noah Bock. Missouri Valley: Bre Boruff, Ella Rangel. Riverside: Ben Schroder, Conner Stevens. Treynor: Mia Nichols, Claire Yochum. Tri-Center: Peyton Pogge, Faith McPhillips, Brett McGee, Luke Hundtoffe. Underwood: Rachel Pinchot.

The Iowa Association of Track Coaches released the final cross country team rankings of the season prior to the State Meets being contested this Friday and Saturday.