KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – Chiefs linebacker Justin Houston says he hopes to make his season debut Sunday at Carolina, though the decision to put the four-time Pro Bowl pass rusher on the field ultimately rests with coach Andy Reid.

Houston was hobbled by his knee the second half of last season, and tweaked it in a playoff win over the Texans. He barely played in a playoff loss to the Patriots and had surgery in February. The Chiefs have been hoping all along to have him for the stretch run.

He began practicing a few weeks ago, and was removed from the physically unable to perform list on Wednesday. And in his first comments since surgery, Houston said Thursday that he’s ready to “dominate.”

The 7:20-a.m. Sportscast w/Jim Field.

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AMES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa State says its latest recruiting class is its best in recent memory. The Cyclones signed three players on Wednesday, led by consensus four-star guard Lindell Wigginton from Nova Scotia. The 6-foot-2 Wigginton averaged 16.2 points per game last season for Oak Hill Academy in Virginia.

Iowa State also landed Terrence Lewis, a 6-5 forward from Milwaukee, Wisconsin ranked as the second-best player from his state, and Darius McNeill, a 6-foot-3 guard from Houston. The Cyclones 2017-18 class is ranked 19th by recruiting site 247sports.com and 17th by Rivals.com.

Iowa State, ranked 24th, opens coach Steve Prohm’s second season on Friday against Savannah State.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – Chiefs running back Spencer Ware passed the NFL’s concussion protocol and returned to practice Wednesday, and he should be available for Sunday’s game at Carolina. Ware was hurt in Indianapolis and missed last week’s game against Jacksonville.

Chiefs linebacker Justin Houston is also expected to be added to the roster, though coach Andy Reid said the move had not yet been made. Houston has been out after having surgery on a bothersome ACL in his left knee in February, and the deadline to join the active roster is Wednesday.

Reid has been hopeful that Houston will return for the stretch run, but he has not given a timetable for him to get on the field. Houston has been practicing for about three weeks.

2016 State Volleyball Tournament

Nov. 8-11, 2016 @ U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids

CLASS 5A

10:00-a.m., Court 1 – Cedar Falls vs. Ankeny

10:00-a.m., Court 2 – Ankeny Centennial vs. West Des Moines/Valley

CLASS 4A

Noon, Court 1 – Pella vs. Bishop Heelan

Noon, Court 2 – Dubuque Wahlert vs. Cedar Rapids Xavier

CLASS 3A

2:00-p.m., Court 1 – Union vs. Mount Vernon

2:00-p.m., Court 2 – Dike-New Hartford vs. Kuemper Catholic

CLASS 2A

4:00-p.m., Court 1 – Western Christian vs. Council Bluffs/St. Albert

4:00-p.m, Court 2 – Unity Christian vs. Waterloo Columbus Catholic

CLASS 1A

6:00-p.m., Court 1 – Janesville vs. Holy Trinity Catholic

6:00-p.m., Court 2 – Hudson vs. Springville

2016 State Volleyball Tournament: November 8-11, 2016 • U.S. Cellular Center, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Wednesday, November 9, Class 3A First Round (34-4)

Top Bracket

(3-0) Union 25-25-25, Osage 19-20-20

(3-1) Mount Vernon 25-19-27-25. Sioux Center 18-25-25-20

Bottom Bracket

(3-1) Dike-New Hartford 23-25-25-25,  North Polk 25-18-18-22

(3-0) Kuemper Catholic 25-25-25, Davenport Assumption 20-21-16

Wednesday, November 8 – Class 2A First Round

Top Bracket

(3-0) Western Christian 25-25-25, Grundy Center 11-17-16

(3-0) Council Bluffs St. Albert 25-25-25, Central Lyon 21-18-20

Bottom Bracket

(3-1) Unity Christian 22-25-25-25, Mediapolis 25-16-20-118

(3-1) Waterloo Columbus Catholic 23-29-25-25, Sumner-Fredericksburg 25-27-20-20

Wednesday, November 9

Class 1A First Round

Top Bracket

(3-0) Janesville 25-25-25, Starmont 20-21-13

(3-0) Holy Trinity Catholic 25-25-25, Sidney 19-16-21

Bottom Bracket

(3-1) Hudson 28-26-25-26, Lawton-Bronson 25-24-14-24

(3-0) Springville 25-25-25, Audubon 16-15-19

Atlantic senior basketball player Garrett Franken made it official on Wednesday, signing a national letter of intent with the University of North Dakota.  Franken, the son of Greg and Tina Franken, says he’s glad to have the decision behind him.

Franken says U-N-D immediately made an impression.

Franken says he has gotten a lot of encouragement from his high school coaches.

Atlantic coach Alan Jenkins says Franken has earned this opportunity.

Franken will play for a team that is coached by former University of Iowa assistant Brian Jones.

Atlantic’s Brooke Newell will play college golf at the University of Nebraska.  Newell signed a national letter of intent Wednesday to play in the Big Ten with the Huskers.  Newell said she narrowed down her search and Nebraska stood out.

Newell says getting her golf game to that level has taken a lot of practice.

Playing golf in division one is a dream come true, but Newell knows she will be pushed hard.

Newell gives a lot of credit to her coaches, but Atlantic High School golf coach Kathy Hobson says it’s her determination that makes Brooke special.

Newell, the daughter Danny and Tori Newell, will play for a Nebraska team coached by Robin Krapfl.

The 7:20-a.m. Sportscast w/Jim Field.

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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota Golden Gophers linebacker Cody Poock (pohk) has been scheduled for season-ending surgery on his shoulder. Poock, a junior who started his career at Iowa Western Community College, sat out the 2014 season with a knee injury. This year, he has 24 tackles in seven games, with one sack.

Gophers coach Tracy Claeys said Tuesday that the decision was made to give Poock the opportunity to recover as soon as possible from the procedure. Claeys says Poock’s lingering injury isn’t “doing anybody any good.” He didn’t say when Poock would have the surgery. Nick Rallis has replaced Poock in the lineup in Minnesota’s base defense.

Minnesota plays at No. 21 Nebraska on Saturday. Rallis must sit out the first half of that game after being ejected for targeting last week against Purdue.