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

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — The Iowa Hawkeyes look to slow the Illini running game and take advantage of one of the nation’s worst defenses to end a three-game skid. The Hawkeyes (6-4, 3-4 Big Ten) travel to Champaign on Saturday. Illinois (4-6, 2-5) will depend on tailback Reggie Corbin has rushed for 1,011 yards this season, averaging 8.9 yards per carry, and has nine touchdowns. He left last week’s game against Nebraska with a foot injury, but is expected to play Saturday.

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Texas Tech seems to relish playing on the road, and the Red Raiders have a visit to Kansas State looming on Saturday. They need to win at least one of their final two games to reach six wins and qualify for a bowl game. The Wildcats also need to win and then beat Iowa State in their regular-season finale to become bowl eligible.

UNDATED (AP) — The four teams fighting for two spots in the Big 12 championship game are led by quarterbacks who’ve proven they can take over a game. Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray, West Virginia’s Will Grier, Iowa State’s Brock Purdy and Sam Ehlinger of Texas have been impressive this season. They could determine which teams make it to the Dec. 1 title game in Arlington, Texas.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska’s offense has generated more than 450 yards in seven straight games. If the Cornhuskers put up the same numbers against Michigan State’s stout defense, it will be another sign first-year coach Scott Frost’s up-tempo spread option is a force in the Big Ten just as it was when he was at Central Florida in the American Athletic Conference. The Spartans rank first in the nation in rushing defense and allow fewer than 20 points per game.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Chiefs are visiting the Rams in one of the biggest games of the NFL season and a possible Super Bowl preview. The game was originally scheduled for Mexico City before poor field conditions at Azteca Stadium prompted the NFL to move the game to California on six days’ notice. Two offenses averaging 33 points per game have never met this late in a regular season, and the game is only the fifth meeting since 1970 between two one-loss or unbeaten teams in Week 11 or later.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Chiefs’ defense has been maligned all season, but one area that has stood out has been their ability to pressure the quarterback. Dee Ford has nine sacks, and the Chiefs have 31 as a team, helping to take some pressure off a mishmash defensive backfield.

Jordan Bohannon scored 16 points to lead Iowa to a 77-69 upset of No. 13 Oregon in the second semifinal of the 2K Classic on Thursday night.

Luka Garza added 12, and Ryan Kriener finished with 11.

The Hawkeyes (3-0) will play UConn in the championship game tomorrow, while Oregon (2-1) will meet No. 15 Syracuse in the consolation game. Connecticut upset Syracuse, 83-76, in the first game.

Iowa led throughout. The Hawkeyes jumped out to an 8-0 lead in the first 2:36, and enjoyed a 39-28 advantage at halftime. The lead grew to 13, 52-39, on Kriener’s dunk with 12:19 left in the second half.

Oregon closed with seven, 76-69, in the final 23.6 seconds, but that was as close as the Ducks would come.

Ehab Amin led all players with 25 points. Bol Bol chipped in with 14, and Victor Bailey Jr. had 12.

Thursday, November 15

Eight-Player Finals
New London 55, Rockford 14

Class A Finals
Hudson 30, AHSTW 7

Class 3A Finals
Xavier, Cedar Rapids 34, Epworth, Western Dubuque 20

Class 1A, District 8

First Team

Offense
QB: Anthony Potthoff, Van Meter
RB: Ian Abrahamson, Van Meter
RB: Ben Kingery, ACGC
RB: Keelan Klommhaus, Mount Ayr
WR/TE: Cole Arnburg, West Central Valley
WR/TE: Dawson Frost, Mount Ayr
WR/TE: Gracen Wellberg, Panorama
OL: Ryan Schmitt, Van Meter
OL: Brett Berg, Van Meter
OL: Trent Hambleton, Panorama
OL: Sam Madsen, ACGC
OL: JD Hitt, Clarinda
Kicker: Sam Bardwell, Van Meter

Defense
DL: Chris Reames, Van Meter
DL: John Shields, Mount Ayr
DL: Hunter Holmes, Panorama
DL: Quynton Younker, ACGC
LB: Reas Knapp, Mount Ayr
LB: Cameron Smolik, Van Meter
LB: Parker Fryar, Van Meter
LB: Cole Sackett, West Central Valley
LB: Trey Cobb, Panorama
DB: Zach Rizzuti, Panorama
DB: Michael Shull, Clarinda
DB: Spencer Lamb, Van Meter
DB: Zach Madden, Van Meter
Punter: William Shull, Clarinda

Second Team

Offense
QB: Carson Wadle, West Central Valley
QB: Payton Weehler, Mount Ayr
RB: Gabe Rowley, ACGC
RB: Williams Shull, Clarinda
WR/TE: Allias Stahl, Panorama
WR/TE: JJ Richards, Van Meter
OL: Koltin Sloss, Panorama
OL: Rush Rowan, West Central Valley
OL: Noah Miller, Van Meter
OL: Sam Miller, Van Meter
Kicker: Myles Green, Mount Ayr

Defense
DL: Tyler Erdman, Van Meter
DL: Isaac Grose, Mount Ayr
DL: Lucas Marsh, ACGC
DL: Gage Buttler, ACGC
LB: Korbin Klommhaus, Mount Ayr
LB: Kasey O’Brien, Van Meter
LB: Nathan Lindsay, Clarinda
LB: Luke South, Panorama
DB: Brice Sechrist, West Central Valley
DB: Zach Drummond, Van Meter
DB: Hunter Haveman, Mount Ayr
DB: Carson Campbell, Clarinda
Punter: Kolben Klommhaus, Mount Ayr

Offensive MVP: Ian Abrahamson, Van Meter
Defensive MVP: Chris Reames, Van Meter

The AHSTW Vikings finished as the State Runner-Up in Class A after a 30-7 loss to Hudson in the Championship game on Thursday afternoon. The Vikings finish a stellar season at 12-1 and the Pirates finish 13-0, winning their second straight trip to the title game.

Hudson scored on the opening possession of the game by trotting down the field with a 12-play 75-yard drive that was capped off by an 8 yard touchdown run by Christian Seres. The defenses stole the show for a good chunk of the first half before Hudson scored again with 1:05 left in the first half on a Jacob Murray 10 yard touchdown run. The Pirates led 13-0 at halftime.

The third quarter was owned by the Pirates as they capitalized on an early short field to add a 32-yard Austin Appleton field goal. After an interception on the Vikings next possession, the pirates scored again on a 20-yard touchdown run by Seres to make it 23-0. Jacob Murray would add another touchdown run with 7:57 left to make it 30-0. The Vikings would get in the end zone to avoid a shutout with 3:57 left on a 6 yard touchdown run by quarterback Blake Osbahr. The Vikings converted two fourth downs on that drive to get some points on the board.

Hudson was led by star tailback Christian Seres with 161 yards on 32 carries and two touchdowns. Jacob Murray was 10-16 passing for 116 yards for Hudson. Ethan Fulcher finished with 66 total offensive yards and led the way on defense with 7.5 tackles and 5 tackles for loss.

AHSTW got 46 yards on the ground from Gabe Pauley on 10 carries. Osbahr ran for 22 yards and the score. He also was 14-27 passing for 198 yards on the day. Pauley was the leading Viking tackler with 12 stops on the day.

AHSTW says goodbye to a talented senior class that had one of the most accomplished seasons in school history. Listen to postgame comments from AHSTW Head Coach Davis Pattee below.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (5.4MB)

Subscribe: RSS

Chase Mullenix with his parents, Matt & Michelle and AHS Track coach Jordan Mullen.

Atlantic multi-sport athlete Chase Mullenix signed a letter of intent Thursday to join the Iowa State Track team.  Mullenix said the recruiting process started after his junior track season.

After settling on track, Mullenix said Iowa State stood out.

Mullenix helped Atlantic to a runner-up team finish in class 3-A last spring by winning four titles.  He won the 800 meters and helped win the 4 x 800, 4 x 400 and distance medley relays.  After playing multiple sports in high school, Mullenix says he’s excited to see how much he can improve by specializing.

Mullenix plans to major in kinesiology at ISU.

Compiled by the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union
Thursday, November 15

Class 1A

Class 2A

Class 3A

Class 4A

Class 5A

Chase McLaren with his parents Dustin McLaren and Jess Ehrman and Atlantic/CAM coach Tim Duff

Atlantic/CAM wrestler Chase McLaren signed his national letter of intent Thursday to wrestle for Grand View University in Des Moines.  Entering his senior season, McLaren has a chance to be a four time state qualifier after a 7th place finish at 132 pounds last season.  McLaren credits the Atlantic/CAM program for making this opportunity possible.

McLaren describes how he will fit into the Grand View program.

Grand View has won the last seven NAIA national championships and had 10 All-Americans last season.  McLaren wants to tap into that success.

McLaren considered playing baseball in college, but chose to wrestle at Grand View after fielding other offers.  He will study business and said being in Des Moines was another plus for Grand View.

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

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (6.5MB)

Subscribe: RSS

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

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — James Palmer overcame a cold start to score 29 points, Isaac Copeland Jr. had 18 points and 10 rebounds, and Nebraska beat Seton Hall 80-57. The Cornhuskers ended a seven-game losing streak against opponents from the Big East with their dominant performance in the Gavitt Tipoff Games. Myles Powell had 24 points to lead Seton Hall.

MEXICO CITY (AP) — The NFL’s decision to move the regular-season game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Los Angeles Rams due to the poor condition of the turf at Azteca Stadium has left many Mexicans disappointed, angered and wondering how it will affect the relationship with the league for the future.

NEW YORK (AP) — ESPN’s equipment trucks already were headed for Mexico when the network found out next Monday night’s mega-matchup between the Chiefs and Rams was being switched to Los Angeles. And the scramble was on.