The 11th ranked Wartburg football team hosts 21st ranked Bethel of Minnesota on Saturday in the quarterfinal round of the NCAA Division III football playoffs on Saturday. The Knights opened the playoffs last week with a victory over Wisconsin-Platteville.

That’s Wartburg coach Chris Winter. The Knight’s defense will take on a balanced Bethel offense that is averaging more than 48 points and 464 yards per game.

The Wartburg defense created three turnovers a week ago and has 26 on the season. Winter says that will be a key against Bethel.

Winter on what could be a key to the outcome.

Tenth ranked Northwestern visits number-two Grand View in Saturday’s quarterfinal round of the NAIA football playoffs. Northwestern is 9-2 while the Vikings enter with a record of 11-0.

That’s Northwestern coach Matt McCarty. Grand View’s defense is one of the best in the country. The Vikings allow just over 63 yards of rushing and less than 200 yards of total offense per game.

McCarty says the game could come down to big plays and turnovers.

Grand View coach Joe Woodley on taking on a team with championship game experience.

Woodley says these programs are very similar.

Woodley says many times mistakes and turnovers will be the difference in big games.

Also in the NAIA quarterfinals sixth ranked Morningside vsits number-four Montana Western.

Iowa State’s defense is preparing for a balanced Arizona State offense that averages more than 32 points per game. The 16th ranked Cyclones at 12th rated Sun Devils collide Saturday in Dallas for the Big 12 championship. Cyclone junior defensive end Tyler Onyedim.

Onyedim says the Cyclones have reahed the title game because of the leadership of the senior class.

Cyclone defensive back Jontez Williams says the Sun Devils have a lot of weapons on offense.

Arizona State will be without injured star receiver Jordyn Tyson but Williams says that won’t change their approach.

Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt has passed for 21 touchdowns and isa also the Sun Devils second leading rusher.

The ACGC boys basketball team’s season got off to a great start Tuesday night when the Chargers won their opening game of the season 82-57 over the West Central Valley Wildcats. Payton Policky led the team with 21 points while Joe Crawford and Jathan South weren’t far behind. Coming off a successful season last year, the Chargers are looking to replicate and improve upon that success. ACGC finished fourth in the West Central Activities Conference last season with a 14-9 overall record and made a regional semi-final appearance. It appears that the Chargers have the squad this season to replicate some of their success. ACGC returns five of their top six scorers from a year ago including South who averaged 15.4 points per game and Noah Kading who averaged 12.0. You also cant forget about Policky.  Head Coach Lance Kading will be looking to them for leadership.

In addition to South and Kading, the Chargers have a number of capable athletes including Joe Crawford, whose quickness makes him a prime candidate for a breakout season.

The Chargers have the building blocks for success with a seemingly balanced attack with scoring, speed, and some size in Mason Wahl. Their goal this year is to make it to state.

The Key to getting there? Coach Kading says that their defense will be key.

The Chargers will be back in action this Friday against Woodward Granger. Pregame coverage of the doubleheader on KJANTV is set for 5:50 pm.

The sixth ranked Iowa State men used a 14-0 run in the second half to take command in an 81-70 win over fifth ranked Marquette in Hilton Coliseum. The Golden Eagles had used a 10-0 run to tie the game at 61. Cyclone coach T.J. Otzelberger.

It was another big game for Cyclone guard Keshon Gilbert. He finished with a game high 24 points and also dished out seven assists.

Iowa State shot 64 percent in the opening half to lead by nine at the break and finished with 42 points in the paint. Marquette coach Shaka Smart.

The Golden Eagles trailed by 15 points early in the second half before rallying to tie the game with under 10 minutes remaining.

Royce Parham led four Golden Eagles in double figures with 1y points as they fall to 8-1. Iowa State improves to 6-1.

The Atlantic Trojan Wrestling team begins their season today with the first dual of 2024 against Earlham. The Trojans bring a roster of 21 athletes and made up of two state qualifiers, a state medal winner in Aiden Smith, and nine letter winners. Despite having a 10-9 dual record a year ago, the Atlantic Wrestling team is bursting with confidence due to the effort and chemistry built in the offseason.

Senior State Qualifier Evan Sorensen was one athlete that noticed the positive energy building for the 2024 season.

Sophomore Collin Harris was another athlete who has enjoyed growing and improving over the offseason. He even commented on the passion that he and his teammates share with the start of a new season.

Senior State medal winner Aiden Smith also pointed out that this Atlantic squad is feeling stronger and they plan on seeing more success in 2024.

On the topic of success, Sorensen noted that Atlantic Wrestling head coach Tim Duff has the goal of seeing his team qualify for state duals.

Harris was also complimentary on the way coach Duff has guided and mold this year’s group.

Smith is confident that if the Trojans dig in to their chemistry and stay hungry, that this year will bring a lot of victories.

Atlantic’s dual with Earlham today will be at the home of the Cardinals, beginning at 5:30 p.m.

Kirk Ferentz says even with revenue sharing and other changes ahead for college football he plans to return for his 27th season as Iowa coach. The Hawkeyes are 8-4 and will discover their bowl destination on Sunday.

Ferentz says he still enjoys leading the program.

Ferentz says while he does not want to build a team through the transfer portal the Hawkeyes are looking at options for quarterback. The Hawkeyes have used three different starting quarterbacks this season. Jackson Stratton started the last two games and Brendan Sullivan started the two prior to that.

Marco Lainez is also on the roster but was limited for the second half of the season by a thumb injury.

IOWA CITY, Iowa – Three University of Iowa field hockey student-athletes have been named National Field Hockey Coaches Association All-West Region selections, it was announced Wednesday by the NFHCA.

Sophomore Dionne van Aalsum was named a first-team selection, while junior Milly Short and sophomore Gia Whalen earned second-team honors.

Van Aalsum was recognized on the first team for the second straight season. The Castricum, Netherlands native played in every game and had nine goals and one assist.

Short was named to the second team after a season of impressive defense, playing a role in eight shutouts. The Worcester, England native started every game and had a goal and two assists.

Whalen was listed as a second team selection after holding down the midfield for the Hawkeyes. The Paoli, Pennsylvania native played in every game and registered two goals.

Iowa finished the 2024 season with a 9-9 overall record.

IRVING, Texas – Northern Iowa’s Parker Keckeisen has been voted the Big 12 Wrestler of the Week by the Conference’s coaches following his performance in the Panthers’ victory over Missouri, competing in the 184-pound division. The redshirt senior earned a 17-4 major decision over Colton Hawks (No. 8) who earned Big 12 weekly honors last month.

The Glendale, Wisconsin native has won 33 consecutive matches and helped UNI improve to 2-0 in Big 12 duals this season. Keckeisen’s victory against Missouri also marked his 26^th career victory over a top-ten ranked opponent and pushed his own school record for best career winning percentage to 95.5% (106-5).

Keckeisen and his Northern Iowa teammates will return to action this weekend, joining a contingency of Big 12 programs at the prestigious Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational.

Iowa State is a win away from fulfilling receiver Jaylin Noel’s goal of winning a championship. The 16th ranked Cyclones take on 12th rated Arizona State on Saturday in the Big 12 Championship game in Dallas. It is their first appearance in the title game since a 27-21 loss to Oklahoma in 2020.

Both teams are 10-2 and Noel says the similarities don’t end there.

Noel says protecting the football will be a key. The Sun Devils are a plus 11 in turnover margin.

Noel and fellow receiver Jayden Higgins have been a lethal combination. They have combined for nearly 21 hundred yards of receiving and 15 touchdowns.

Higgins says practice this week has not changed even though they are preparing for a championship game.

Higgins says limiting turnovers against Arizona State is a key.