The Exira-EHK Boys basketball team had a challenging 2024-2025 campaign going 5-18 but look ahead with all but three players returning. The Spartans knew this year was going to be a challenging season with just three seniors and many looking to gain more experience at the varsity level.

Three of the five Spartan victories were against West Harrison including one in the postseason. The other two wins for Exira-EHK came on the road at Boyer Valley and a home game against Paton-Churdan. After the West Harrison playoff victory, Exira-EHK went on the road to ACGC and fell 78-45. The Spartans had two players average double figures this season in Senior John Nelson and Junior Austin Rasmussen. Nelson was a massive part of this Exira-EHK team as he was the leading scorer, stealer, and blocker as well.

Head Coach Tony Santisteben says he appreciates the hard work each one of his guys put in throughout the season.

Santistaben said the improvement was very noticeable as the year went on.

There is much to look forward to with this Spartans group and they are ready to get after it in the offseason.

The ACGC Girls basketball team’s incredible 22-2 season has come to an end. Despite a win short away from the state tournament, the Chargers had plenty to be proud of looking back on the year.

ACGC began the year 6-0 before falling to Des Moines Christian in a home contest 46-33 on January 7th. After the loss to begin the 2025 portion of the schedule, the Chargers won 16 games in a row. ACGC put up at least 50 points in all but two of those 16 games. The Chargers competed with many talented athletes including three players who averaged double figures. Senior Shay Lemke was the lone senior for ACGC, averaging just over ten points a game and led the team in steals and assists with over five a game in each category. Junior Camdyn Richter will return for one final season in a Charger uniform. Richter was ACGC’s leading scorer and rebounder averaging 15 points and seven boards a contest.

ACGC ran into a buzzsaw in the Class 2A-Region 1 Final against eventual State Semifinalist, Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont.

Head Coach Brad Baudler emphasized how much focus and paying attention to detail goes into this successful of a season.

Team chemistry is a major recipe for success and the ACGC Chargers bought into winning as a team and not so much the personal accolades.

Lemke played a major role into the Chargers’ success this past season and will be difficult to replace but she was the only senior in the program. This gives ACGC the opportunity to become stronger as a team with many of the same players.

ACGC came up one game short of a trip to Des Moines for the state tournament, but this team will be on a mission to get over the hump they stumbled on when the season rolls around in November.

It is back to work at Iowa State as the Cyclone football team gets ready for spring drills. ISU missed out on a chance to take part in the College Football Playoff by falling to Arizona State in the Big 12 Championship game but capped the program’s first 11 win season with a thrilling victory over Miami in the Pop Tart’s Bowl.

That’s Cyclone coach Matt Campbell. Several key players are gone from that team but a solid nucleus returns meaning expectations will be high for the 2025 season.

Campbell says the Cyclones hope to build off the momentum created by last season.

Rocco Becht is entering his third season as the starting quarterback and says he took some time off before the start of winter workouts.

Becht feels the bowl win created a sense of momentum with the program.

As he begins his third year as the starter Becht says his leadership role will grow even more.

Winter workouts are winding down and the Cyclones open spring drills on March 25th.

EVANSTON, Illinois – The University of Iowa men’s wrestling team finished in third place at the 2025 Big Ten Championships at Welsh-Ryan Arena.

Iowa dropped all three finals bouts in Session IV.

“We are heading to Philadelphia,” said head coach Tom Brands. “I think you have to be looking forward. You evaluate, you look forward, you get better. You have to really look forward to the competition, not just because the date is on the calendar, but because you are excited to compete at the National Championships.”

No. 1 seed Drake Ayala finished as runner-up at 125 pounds losing to second-seeded Lucas Byrd of Illinois via fall, 3:16.

Second-seeded Michael Caliendo dropped a 4-1 decision at 165 pounds to the No. 1 seed Penn State’s Mitchell Mesenbrink.

At 197, No. 1 seed Stephen Buchanan lost a 4-2 decision to No. 3 seed Jacob Cardenas of Michigan.

The Hawkeyes won three placement matches. No. 7 seed Ben Kueter finished in third after defeating No. 3 seed Joshua Heindselman of Michigan, 2-1.

In fifth place matches, fourth seed Patrick Kennedy pinned No. 12 seed Maryland’s Branson John in 1:59 at 174 and No. 4 Seed Gabe Arnold defeated No. 3 seed Silas Allred of Nebraska, 4-3.

No. 2 seed Kyle Parco dropped the 149 third place match to No. 1 seed Shayne Van Ness of Penn State, 13-0.

Fourth seed Jacori Teemer finished in seventh earlier in the day defeating No. 9 Chase Saldate of Michigan, 8-3

Finals
133 –#2 Lucas Byrd (Illinois) pinned #1 Drake Ayala (Iowa), 3:16
165 – #1 Mitchell Mesenbrink (Penn State) dec. #2 Michael Caliendo (Iowa), 4-1
197 – #3 Jacob Cardenas (Michigan) dec. #1 Stephen Buchanan (Iowa), 4-2

Third Place Matches
149 – #1 Shayne Van Ness (Penn State) major dec. #2 Kyle Parco (Iowa), 13-0
285 – #7 Ben Kueter (Iowa) dec. #3 Joshua Heindselman (Michigan), 2-1

Fifth Place Matches
174 – #4 Patrick Kennedy (Iowa) pinned #12 Branson John (Maryland), 1:59
184 – #4 Gabe Arnold (Iowa) dec. #3 Silas Allred (Nebraska), 4-3

Seventh Place Match
157 – #4 Jacori Teemer (Iowa) dec. #9 Chase Saldate (Michigan), 8-3

Consolation Semifinals
149 – #2 Kyle Parco (Iowa) major dec. #4 Dylan D’Emilio (Ohio State), 9-0
174 – #2 Carson Kharchla (Ohio State) dec. #4 Patrick Kennedy (Iowa), 4-2
184 – #6 Edmond Ruth (Illinois) dec. #4 Gabe Arnold (Iowa), 2-1 TB1
285 – #7 Ben Kueter (Iowa) dec. #4 Nick Feldman (Ohio State), 2-0

Extra Match
125 – #5 Joey Cruz (Iowa) major dec. #13 Caelan Riley (Illinois), 11-2

125 – #7 Brendan McCrone (Ohio State) dec. #5 Joey Cruz (Iowa), 8-1

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – The University of Iowa baseball team defeated Rutgers, 12-6, to win the series behind another strong offensive performance on Sunday afternoon at Bainton Field.

This is the second straight season the Hawkeyes have won their Big Ten opening series (2-1 vs. Purdue in 2024).

“It was a really great day for us. For the first time this year, when we got punched in the mouth, we fought back,” said head coach Rick Heller. “I really feel like the team came together this weekend. I feel like they really understand and know what we have to do to be a good team, and they showed that these last two days.”

The Hawkeyes tallied nine hits, including three home runs and a double. Iowa smacked 10 home runs this weekend as a team.

“We had a good spell there where a lot of line drives were getting caught and hitting into bad luck, and we needed a weekend like this one,” said Heller. “Yeah, the wind was blowing hard, but those balls were hit hard. We were smoking balls.”

The game was knotted at two heading into the third inning when redshirt junior Jackson Beaman hit his seventh home run of the season to give Iowa a 4-2 advantage. The Scarlet Knights produced a four-run fourth inning to take a 6-4 lead, but that was it for their offense.

In the fifth inning, junior Gable Mitchell stole home on a throw down to second to cut Iowa’s deficit to one. The sixth frame featured a beautiful RBI bunt single down the first base line by senior Ben Wilmes and a three-run shot from junior Miles Risley. Iowa’s final three runs came in the seventh inning on redshirt sophomore Ben Swails’ second home run of the series.

“Lots of guys up and down the lineup were productive, and that’s the type of team we need to be,” said Heller. “Everybody in the lineup do their part, and we’re pretty good when we do that and when we play clean baseball.”

Redshirt senior Reece Beuter got the nod on the mound for the Hawkeyes. He allowed six earned runs on six hits through 3 2/3 innings. He struck out three and walked two Scarlet Knights. Fifth-year Brant Hogue relieved him and threw 2/3 of an inning. He gave up one hit and hit one batter.

Junior Anthony Watts came in and pitched the rest of the game to earn his first win of the season. He allowed one hit and struck out two batters.

“The bullpen and Anthony Watts bounced back, too. He shut them down the rest of the way,” said Heller. “I couldn’t be prouder of our team. I feel like this is a big weekend for us to get a Big Ten series on the road after losing game one and getting a chance now to go home for two weeks and rest up from traveling.”

UP NEXT

The Hawkeyes will head back to Iowa City for a single game against Augustana on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. (CT) at Duane Banks Field. The game will be streamed on B1G+ and available on the Hawkeye Radio Network.

Drake won’t need to sweat out an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Bulldogs put the game away with a late 15-2 run to beat Bradley 63-48 in St. Louis to win the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament. In his first season as head coach Ben McCollum inherited a team with one returning player and has led the Bulldogs to a 30-3 record and the Valley regular season and tournament crowns.

It was Drake’s third straight Valley tournament title.

McCollum says Drake’s greatest strength is its unselfish nature.

After being held to a total of 12 points in the first two meetings with Bradley junior guard Bennett Stirtz finished with 24 points, including five-of-seven from three point range.

The Bulldogs know their named will be called on selection Sunday as the program has clinched a third straight trip to the NCAA Tournament.

Iowa’s season continues after an impressive win at Nebraska.

Gary Dolphin on the Hawkeye Network. The Hawkeyes limited the Huskers to 35 percent shooting and pulled away in the second half for an 83-68 victory. It clinched a spot in the Big Ten Tournament.

That’s Iowa coach Fran McCaffery. The Hawkeyes finish Big Ten play 7-13 and take a 16-15 overall record into this week’s Big Ten Tournament.

McCaffery says the post game locker room was jubilant.

Payton Sandfort led the Hawkeyes with 22 points. It capped a disastrous finish to the season for the Huskers. Once considered a lock for the NCAA Tournament Nebraska dropped six of its last seven games and will miss the Big Ten Tournament. Husker coach Fred Hoiberg.

Nebraska is 17-14 and its NCAA has almost certainly burst.

The Hawkeyes are the 15th seed in the Big Ten Tournament and will play 10th seed Ohio State Wednesday night in Indianapolis.

Drake built on a four point halftime lead and wore down Bradley in the second half to win the Missouri Valley Conference basketball championship 63-48 Sunday in St. Louis.

MVC Player of the Year Bennett Stirtz scored a game-high 24 points and Tavion Banks had 13 points and nine rebounds to help the Bulldogs  win their third consecutive conference crown and the automatic berth in the NCAA tournament.

Drake improves to 30-3, the most wins in Division I men’s basketball.

Darius Hannah led the Braves (26-8) with 19 points.