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

UNDATED (AP) — No. 17 Iowa State leads the Big 12 going into its home game against Kansas State on Saturday. It’s the first time the Cyclones have been in first place this late in a season since they were tied at the top of the old North Division in 2004. Iowa State has been poised to make late-season runs in recent seasons under coach Matt Campbell but have been unable to finish the job. Kansas State began the week with 12 active COVID-19 cases. Wildcats coach Chris Klieman says he’s been on edge waiting for players’ test results this week.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — Penn State backup quarterback Will Levis could make the second start of his career when the winless Nittany Lions host Iowa. Penn State head coach James Franklin said Levis provided “a spark” after replacing Sean Clifford in last week’s loss to Nebraska. Levis ran for 61 yards and added 219 yards through the air for the Nittany Lions, who are 0-4 after starting the season ranked in the Top 10. Iowa has won two straight following an 0-2 start, including a 35-7 romp over Minnesota last week.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The biggest downside to success in the NFL may come each April, when the team that wins the Super Bowl also wins the rather dispiriting opportunity to pick last in each round of the draft. Yet despite having to wait deep into the night to finally make their selections, the Kansas City Chiefs have managed to get a massive return on their draft investments, not only this past year but going back to the 2019 draft.

UNDATED (AP) — The Big 12 football championship game could have a very familiar look, or could have some new teams. No. 18 Oklahoma and No. 22 Texas could have another December rematch if they both win the rest of their regular-season games. The Sooners or Longhorns have won the last 10 Big 12 championship games. But there are five teams with one or two conferences losses with a month to go before the title game. No. 14 Oklahoma State and No. 17 Iowa State are the top two teams in the current standings. Neither of them have played in the league’s title game.

UNDATED (AP) — The No. 4 Baylor Lady Bears are the preseason favorite again in the Big 12 Conference. They won their 10th regular season title in a row last season, but didn’t get a chance to defend their 2019 national championship when the season was ended abruptly by the coronavirus pandemic. The virus is lingering at the start of a new season. Iowa State is No. 15. The Cyclones go into coach Bill Fennelly’s 26th season returning Big 12 scoring leader Ashley Joens. Baylor has preseason player of the year NaLyssa Smith and top newcomer DiJonai Carrington, the former All-Pac 12 guard at Stanford.

(Radio Iowa) – Drake announced there will be no fans allowed in the Knapp Center for Bulldog home games at least at the start of the season. Only family members will be on hand. Drake’s home opener is December third against Nebraska-Omaha.

That’s Drake coach Darian DeVries who has averaged 22 wins his first two seasons as head coach. During that time the school has worked hard to build its fan base.

Junior guard D.J. Wilkins says fans or no fans they are just anxious to get the season started.

The Bulldogs open the season at Kansas State on November 25th.

The Atlantic girls basketball team is getting revved up for the 2020-21 season and bring a wealth of returning experience to the table.  5 of the top 7 scorers return for a team that went 9-14 last season and Head Coach Dan Vargason says their mentality in practice shows a commitment to improvement.

Top scorer Haley Rasmussen returns for her senior season and will look to build off a 17 point per game average. Rasmussen shot 41% from the field and 33% from 3-point range despite garnering a lot of attention from opposing defenses. Coach Vargason says Rasmussen continues to work hard and he expects others to step up when she gets the defensive attention.

The Trojans will be replacing two senior starters in McKenzie Waters and Corri Pelzer but Coach Vargason thinks they have a good mix of players to step up and fill important roles.

Atlantic was scheduled to open the season next Tuesday night at home against Denison-Schleswig but that game has now been postponed. We’ll have coverage of the Trojans when their season opens.

Following Fremont-Mills’ appearance in the 8-Player Championship on Thursday the All-District honors for 8-Player District 7 were released. Here’s a look at the full list of honorees.

WASHINGTON —  Today (Thursday), U.S. Secretary of the Interior David L. Bernhardt designated Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois, as a National Historic Landmark, recognizing the significant role the ballpark has played in the city of Chicago and the history of professional sports.  National Historic Landmarks are buildings, sites, districts, structures, and objects that have been determined by the Secretary of the Interior to be nationally significant in American history and culture.

“The historical significance of Wrigley Field is interwoven into our nation’s story and a key part of what has become America’s beloved pastime for over a century,” said Secretary Bernhardt. “It is with great enthusiasm that I designate this iconic national treasure, the site of many legendary events, innovations and traditions in baseball history, as a National Historic Landmark.”

“Wrigley Field is a special place in the hearts of generations of fans,” said Chicago Cubs Executive Chairman Tom Ricketts. “That’s why, from our first day as owners, we committed to preserving Wrigley, which will now take its well-earned place in the lineup of American history and culture as a national treasure.”

HISTORICAL AND NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE OF WRIGLEY FIELD

Built in 1914, Wrigley Field has been the home of the Chicago Cubs since 1916, a National League charter franchise dating to 1876. Two years younger than Fenway Park in Boston, Wrigley Field is the second oldest ballpark in Major League Baseball and the oldest in the National League.  Wrigley Field is the only remaining ballpark connected to the Federal Baseball League, the short-lived rival to the National and American Leagues. It also hosted the first tryouts and organization of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. And, it was home to the Chicago Bears from 1921 to 1970, one of the original franchises in the National Football League.

Several innovations in baseball history have their origins in the ballpark. In 1916, the original owner Charles Weeghman started the custom of permitting fans to keep balls hit into the stands as mementos. Wrigley Field was the first ballpark to have refreshment booths behind the stands, and the first to use an organ on-site to entertain fans during games. The Chicago Cubs were among the first to embrace broadcasting home games on radio in 1925 and on television in 1946. These broadcasts drew fans from across the globe and contributed to the popularity of the Chicago Cubs and American baseball.

Many legendary events have taken place in the ballpark, including baseball’s only “Double No-Hitter” in 1917, Babe Ruth’s supposed “Called Shot” during the 1932 World Series and Gabby Hartnett’s “Homer in the Gloamin’” that helped propel the Chicago Cubs to the 1938 National League pennant. It was also the location in 1933 of the first National Football League championship, the forerunner to today’s Super Bowl.

Wrigley Field’s ivy-covered, brick outfield wall and well-known bleachers behind it were constructed during renovations in 1937. The 27-foot-high outfield scoreboard was also added at that time. Other improvements include seating renovations, the addition of an upper deck, and the addition of lights for night games in 1988. Renovations during the multi-year restoration and expansion project initiated in 2014 further enhanced the iconic features of Wrigley Field.

AMES, Iowa – Iowa State guard Tyrese Haliburton was drafted by the Sacramento Kings with the No. 12 pick in the first round of the 2020 NBA Draft. He is the third-highest draft pick in school history.

Haliburton was selected with the No. 12 pick to become the 41^st Cyclone to be drafted. Iowa State has had 14 players drafted since the Big 12 was formed in 1996-97, the third-best total in the league.

The Oshkosh, Wisconsin native’s story is one for the movies.

Haliburton arrived at Iowa State as the No. 172 ranked player in the nation following a successful prep career at Oshkosh North High School. As a freshman, he averaged just 6.8 points but his impact on the floor was impossible to ignore. He ranked second nationally and led the Big 12 Conference with a 4.5 assist-to-turnover ratio, while leading all conference freshmen in minutes played (33.2 per game).

The summer following his freshman season saw Haliburton lead the 2019 USA Basketball Men’s U19 World Cup Team to a Gold Medal in Greece. He was named to the All-Star Five of the tournament, averaging 7.9 points and a tournament-best 6.9 assists. His efficiency was off the charts, connecting on 68.9 percent of field-goal attempts and 10-of-18 three-pointers.

As a sophomore, Haliburton took on a heavier load of the offense and responded. He averaged 15.2 points, 6.5 assists, 5.9 rebounds and 2.5 steals before his season was cut short after 22 games due to a left wrist fracture. He earned All-Big 12 Second-Team accolades.

At the time of his injury he was sixth in the big 12 in scoring, second in field goal percentage (50.4), first in assists, first in steals, second in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.3), third in 3-point field goal percentage (41.9) and 13^th in rebounding.

Haliburton had four double-doubles and posted the sixth triple-double in school history, finishing with 22 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists at TCU.

He was a Cousy Award Finalist and on the Wooden Award Midseason Top-25 and the Lute Olson Award Midseason Watch List. He earned all-district honors from both the USBWA and NABC despite his shortened season.

An all-around student-athlete, Haliburton was an Academic All-Big 12 First-Team honoree and an ISU Scholar-Athlete last season.

Haliburton is the eighth player that Iowa State head coach Steve Prohm has had drafted in his nine years as a college coach (Murray State and Iowa State), which includes six Cyclones. Haliburton is Prohm’s fourth point guard to be drafted, giving him the second-most point guards selected since he became a head coach.

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

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (7.6MB)

Subscribe: RSS

The Iowa Association of Track Coaches released their Academic All-State honorees on Wednesday. Here is a look at area athletes that made the list. Requirements are the athlete must be a senior, attain a 3.8 or higher cumulative GPA, and be a State Coed meet qualifier or finish in the top thirty at a State Qualifying Meet during the year of application.

BOYS

Craig Alan Becker, Atlantic
Zach Dixon, Earlham
Trey Gross, Harlan
Connor Keller, IKM-Manning
Brett McGee, Tri-Center
Kayden Pearson, Lewis Central
Nathan Rohrberg, Glenwood
Clayton Stafford, Creston

GIRLS
Taylor McCreedy, Atlantic
Abi Albertsen, Harlan
Olivia Anderson, Harlan
Haley Bach, Lewis Central
Lauren Becker, Glenwood
Paige Davis, Creston
Liv Freund, Harlan
Jorja Hoover, AC/GC
Emma Hughes, Glenwood
Kennedy Kjergaard, Harlan
EmmaKay McClain, AC/GC
Katie Noah, Earlham
Kylie Petersen, Boyer Valley
Erin Schultz, Glenwood
Rylee Sloss, AC/GC
Brecken VanBaale, Harlan
Ella Waddle, Panorama