Hopes are high for the Wartburg football team heading into Saturday’s season opener at Monmouth of Illinois. After back-to-back trips to the national semifinals The Knights are ranked fourth in the NCAA Division III preseason poll and coach Chris Winter says a run defense that gave up less than 50 yards per game last season looks solid, again.

A new quarterback will lead an offense that expects to be good up front.

Several key players graduated from last year but a number of reserves who have played a lot of football will step into those spots.

Iowa State safety Jeremiah Cooper says the Cyclones are preparing for a difficult test when they visit 21st ranked Iowa. It is the 71st meeting in the Cy-Hawk series.

Iowa State won in Kinnick Stadium two years ago but Cooper says it is a difficult venue for a road team.

Cooper says the Hawkeye offense looks to be improved.

Cooper says the players need to be ready for the intensity of an in-state rivalry.

Cooper says communication can be a challenge in Kinnick Stadium.

Iowa’s offense is hoping for a better start in Saturday’s game against Iowa State. After getting a pair of field gals in the opening half the Hawkeyes erupted for 34 second half points in a 40-0 win over Illinois State. Quarterback Cade McNamara had three second half touchdown throws and finished with 251 yards of passing.

McNamara feels the momentum created by the second half has carried over to the practice field.

Freshman Kamari Moulton finished with 65 yards of rushing against Illinois State and says the Cyclone defense is always a challenge.

Iowa center Logan Jones says there is no added emphasis on this game because of the rivalry.

Jones felt the offensive line made progress in the opener.

PLACE TEAM                POINTS  PLACES OF FINISHERS              AVG. TIME SPREAD

  1 Indianola                36    2    6    8    9   11   14   20  20:28.9  1:54.2
  2 Dallas Center-Grimes     77    1    5   22   24   25   27   29  21:02.7  3:18.4
  3 Winterset               102    7   10   13   21   51   54   56  21:47.9  3:55.8
  4 Van Meter               104    3   18   19   31   33   46   64  21:38.5  3:29.0
  5 Christian               112    4   15   26   30   37   47   58  21:52.0  3:30.1
 6* Pella Christian         193   16   28   42   50   57   68   73  23:25.9  3:22.5
 7* Lynnville-Sully         193   23   32   34   39   65   72       23:19.2  3:59.4
  8 Adair-Casey Guthrie C   201   12   35   40   53   61   62   67  23:27.2  3:58.2
  9 Waverly-Shell Rock      211   38   41   43   44   45   48   60  23:45.3  0:53.3
 10 Carlisle                265   36   52   55   59   63   66   71  24:33.4  2:19.1
 11 Atlantic                279   17   49   69   70   74   75   76  25:06.4  5:51.1

8. Adair-Casey Guthrie C
   12  Ava Campbell, Sr         21:08.2  
   35  Jayla Hoover, Sr         22:58.7  
   40  Adalyn Benson, Sr        23:27.4  
   53  Paige Van Meter, Sr      24:35.3  
   61  Brooklyn Schafer, So     25:06.4  
   62  Lillie Lauzon, Fr        25:22.6  
   67  Emmarae Ellis, Sr        25:58.8  
Total Time = 1:57:16.0     Total Places = 201

11. Atlantic
   17  Katrina Williams, Jr     21:32.1  
   49  Hailey White, So         24:20.1  
   69  Ella Brummer, Jr         26:04.6  
   70  Bella Brock, Jr          26:11.7  
   74  Allison Middents, So     27:23.1  
   75  Cadence Kinzie, So       30:21.1  
   76  Gracelynn Kelley, Fr     32:20.2

Boys Team Standings

1 Dallas Center-Grimes     24    1    3    5    6    9   16   20  17:01.6  1:02.9
  2 D M Christian            60    2    7   11   17   23   25   31  17:36.7  1:30.2
  3 Southeast Polk           93   10   13   15   22   33   34   49  18:07.3  1:14.0
  4 Carlisle                118    8   21   26   28   35   43   55  18:20.4  1:45.3
  5 Pella Christian         166    4   27   40   47   48   53   59  18:41.9  2:29.2
  6 Adair-Casey Guthrie C   175   14   19   42   46   54   79   80  18:50.5  1:49.3
  7 Winterset               199   18   29   41   50   61   65   66  19:04.0  1:58.7
  8 Lynnville-Sully         206   24   30   32   58   62   64   74  19:09.0  1:38.8
  9 Van Meter               220   12   36   45   56   71   72   73  19:27.1  3:28.6
 10 Indianola               229   38   39   44   51   57   69   70  19:23.3  0:39.7
 11 Atlantic                308   37   52   67   75   77   78   81  20:35.7  2:52.1
 12 North                   349   60   63   68   76   82   83   84  21:06.5  3:05.0

6. Adair-Casey Guthrie C
   14  Gavin Sloss, Sr          17:50.1  
   19  Preston Kent, So         18:02.5  
   42  Noah Kading, Sr          19:16.2  
   46  Tate Fever, Jr           19:24.3  
   54  Jonny Kading, So         19:39.3  
   79  Jameson Pfrang, So       22:16.4  
   80  Brody Beeler, So         22:35.2  
Total Time = 1:34:12.4     Total Places = 175

11. Atlantic
   37  Luke Irlmeier, Sr        19:07.7  
   52  Vincent Meisinger, So    19:33.8  
   67  Xander Cook, Jr          20:42.8  
   75  Hadin Thompson, Sr       21:34.1  
   77  Caleb Andersen, So       21:59.7  
   78  Anthony Akers, So        22:09.3  
   81  Tye Houser, Sr           22:39.6  
Total Time = 1:42:58.1     Total Places = 308

Red Oak 3, Atlantic 0 (25-20, 25-14, 25-22)

Glenwood 3, Shenandoah 0 (25-20, 25-21, 25-16)

AHSTW Triangular

AHSTW 2, Nodaway Valley 0 (25-6, 25-8)

Griswold 2, AHSTW 0 (25-18, 25-19)

Griswold 2, Nodaway Valley 0  (25-6, 25-8)

Kuemper Catholic Tournament

Kuemper Catholic 2, Greene County 0 (21-16, 21-12)

Kuemper Catholic 2, Roland Story 1 (21-19, 17-21, 15-11)

Greene County 2, Ogden 0 (21-12, 21-9)

Roland-Story 2, Greene County 0 (21-14, 21-7)

Roland Story 2, Ames 1 (21-15, 15-21, 15-12)

Ames 2, Greene County 0 (21-15, 21-11)

Roland Story 2, Ogden 0 (21-11, 21-10)

Iowa State coach Matt Campbell says linebacker Caleb Bacon will miss Saturday’s game at Iowa with a lower leg injury. Bacon was injured in a season opening win over North Dakota and underwent surgery.

Campbell says Bacon could return at some point this season.

Campbell says limiting mistakes against the Iowa defense will be a key. Turnover margin has been a key in Iowa winning seven of the last eight games in the series.

Campbell says Iowa’s defense can make adjustments and takes advantage of mistakes.

In the rapidly changing world of college football Campbell hopes there will still be a place for this series.

Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz says watching Saturday’s season opening win over Illinois State from home was a helpless feeling. Ferentz was suspended for the season opener for a recruiting violation.

Saturday’s game will be the 34th time Ferentz has been involved in this series.

Ferentz says Matt Campbell has built an outstanding program and the series has featured a bunch of close games.

The Hawkeyes have been bottled up by the Iowa State defense in recent years and Ferentz says the Cyclone defense has been tough on a lot of foes.

Ferentz says he was encouraged by the play of the Iowa offense in the second half against Illinois State as well as the play of quarterback Cade McNamara. After battling injury the past couple of years McNamara finished with 251 yards of passing and three touchdowns.

Northern Iowa coach Mark Farley was pleased with the way his team performed in the season opener. The Panthers cruised to a 35-7 win over Valparaiso.

After installing the “air raid” offense in the off season the Panthers rushed the ball for 365 yards.

The Panthers hit the road this week to take on a St. Thomas of Minnesota team that had a lengthy home winning streak snapped with a loss to the University of Sioux Falls.

LIMA, Peru – University of Iowa freshman thrower Bryce Ruland claimed the U20 World Championships discus title on Saturday.

The Waterford, Wisconsin, native set a personal record of 62.59 meters to win gold. Ruland’s mark, which was achieved on his first throw of the finals, was the sixth-best throw in 2024.

Ruland held off silver medalist Jarno Van Daalen (62.22 meters) of the Netherlands and Mico Lampinen (62.20 meters) of Finland.

On the track, sophomore Luke Knepp placed 29th in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, crossing the line in 9:33.17.

The Iowa Association of Track & Cross Country Coaches released their latest state rankings on Monday September 2nd.

BOYS

CLASS 1A

13. Jackson Walter, St. Albert

26. Carter Buttry, Sidney

27. Aiden Gaul, St. Albert

CLASS 2A 

3. Kyle Wagoner, Clarinda

6. Emmanuel Grass, Red Oak

12. Hayden Heitbrink, Red Oak

17. Luke Daoust, Shenandoah

20. Osiel Pedersen, Red Oak

22. Bryce Williams, Red Oak

CLASS 3A

7. Dayton Wiederin, Kuemper Catholic

11. Alex Amaro, Bishop Heelan Catholic

18. Daniel Delarosa, Sergeant Bluff-Luton

22. Erik Heslink, Harlan

28. Fletch Badding, Kuemper Catholic

30. Baylen Kueffer, Sergeant Bluff-Luton

CLASS 4A

3. Evan Lillie, Lewis Central

10. Marshall Arkfeld, Lewis Central

14. Kevin Coots, Lewis Central