Audi Crooks poured in 43 points as the 16th ranked Iowa State women blasted Valparaiso 97-50 in Hilton Coliseum. The 43 points was an ISU single game record.

The record was set after Crooks began the game under the weather.

The Cyclones improve to 4-0.

The Audubon Football team’s historic season came to a close in a 60-36 state semifinal loss against the Bishop Garrigan Golden Bears. Five-Wheeler turnovers were the key difference in the game with the first one occurring on Audubon’s first play from scrimmage deep in their own territory. Audubon matched Bishop Garrigan’s energy for nearly the entirety of the first half until two costly turnovers inside a minute to go in the second quarter turned a 14-14 game into a two-touchdown deficit for Audubon. The turnovers piled up for the Wheelers to a point they couldn’t recover from and were unable to slow down the dynamic Golden Bear offense down falling short to have the opportunity to play in the program’s third ever state championship game.

On Audubon’s first play from scrimmage, Sophomore Quarterback Aiden Kjergaard ran up the ball up the middle and the football was punched out by Senior Ethan Marsh. In just two plays and from three yards out, Bishop Garrigan took a 6-0 lead. Audubon settled into the game with a sustained ten play 60-yard drive which nearly took five minutes. Audubon eventually scored with a five-yard Kjergaard run up the middle. Once Audubon took their first lead of the game at 8-6, the Golden Bears answered right back with a 12-play drive of their own regaining the lead 14-6. In the second quarter, Audubon struck back with another Kjergaard touchdown run from 44 yards out to tie the game at 14. Disaster hit the Wheelers on 4th & 6 as Audubon entered the red zone by throwing an interception caught by Bishop Garrigan’s Madden Miller and returned to the Wheeler 25. Seven plays later, the Golden Bears retook the lead with a nine-yard touchdown run from Senior Quarterback Tate Foertsch. Thirty seconds later, a high snap resulted in another Wheeler turnover and set Bishop Garrigan up at the Audubon six. It took only one play to put the Golden Bears ahead 30-14 at the half.

Bishop Garrigan took their first of three different 24 point leads they would have in the game on a 38-yard touchdown pass from Foertsch to Michael Joyce but Jorgen Nawatzke retuned that kickoff to the house for a 72-yard touchdown. On the next drive, Foertsch ran in a two-yard touchdown and after three quarters it was 44-20. The Wheelers didn’t back down as Carson Wessell punched in a four-yard touchdown on the ground early in the fourth only to be followed by another Foertsch tocuhdown run inside the five for the Golden Bears to put the game at 52-28. After the score, Bishop Garrigan goes with a surprise onside kick the Wheelers were unable to control. The mistake by Auduon resulted in a Bishop Garrigan recovery. First play Foertsch finds Weston Rosenmeyer for a 33-yard touchdown pass giving the Golden Bears their largest lead 60-28. Kjergaard ended his sophomore season with a three-yard touchdown run to end the game at 60-36.

Head Coach Sean Birks says today despite the loss, his team was extremely successful this year.

The high number of turnovers was too tall of a task to come back from.

Birks was satisfied with the way his team moved the ball in the first half despite the mistakes.

The coaching staff was proud of the work ethic they’re team had all year.

Audubon graduates seven seniors and returns several members from both their offensive and defensive starting lineups.

The 21st ranked Iowa Hawkeye women host Drake Thursday night in the 57th meeting in the series. The Hawkeyes will have a significant size advantage along the front line with center Ava Heiden and power forward Hannah Stuelke.

That’s Iowa coach Jan Jensen who says Drake’s smaller lineup can be difficult to guard.

Jensen says the Drake games always carry some added emotion as she goes up against the school she starred for and served as an assistant coach.

While the Big Four series is a thing of the past for men’s basketball it remains a part of women’s basketball in the state. Drake coach Allison Pohlman.

Iowa will have the size advantage and the Bulldogs will counter with a versatile lineup.

The Bulldogs are 1-1 and Pohlman says playing in sold out Carver-Hawkeye Arena will be a challenge for a team that features three sophomores and a freshman in the rotation.

The Hawkeyes lead the all-time series 31-25.

Iowa center Logan Jones says mental preparation will be a key as the Hawkeyes get ready to head west to play 17th ranked USC. A year ago, the Hawkeyes were lackluster in a loss at UCLA.

That’s Hawkeye center Logan Jones who says they have to be mentally prepared at kickoff.

Senior guard Beau Stephens says the Hawkeyes need to treat the trip west like any other game.

USC coach Lincoln Riley wants the Trojans to savor the spot they are in with three games remaining. At 7-2 and ranked 17th in the latest College Football Playoff Poll, USC is in the hunt heading into Saturdays game at home against 21st ranked Iowa.

Riley wants his team to enjoy being part of big games.

A concern for Riley is Iowa return specialist Kaden Wetjen.

The Audubon Wheelers are set to return to the UNI-Dome for a semifinal matchup for the first time since 2021. The Wheelers square off against the undefeated Bishop Garrigan Golden Bears. Head Coach Sean Birks is preparing his team for a versatile Bishop Garrigan offense.

The line of scrimmage battle will be a key factor.

It’s a business mentality for Audubon but Birks believes his team needs to cherish the opportunity as well.

The trip to the UNI-Dome isn’t just important for the football program but impactful to the entire community of Audubon.

Audubon comes into the game leading the state in total touchdowns and rushing touchdowns. Meanwhile, Bishop Garrigan has scored 50+ points in all 11 games this season. You can catch all the action on KJAN with coverage beginning at 9 am with kickoff scheduled for 10 am.

The 16th ranked Iowa State women return to action Wednesday night by hosting Valparaiso. The Cyclones are 3-0 and the average margin of victory has been 48 points.

That’s junior guard Jada Williams, who says the Cyclones are looking to cut down on turnovers.

Valparaiso is 0-2 after blowout losses to DePaul and Detroit Mercy.

Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz says the Hawkeyes need to take their run defense to the west coast when they play USC. A year ago, The Hawkeye defense gave up 211 yards on the ground in a loss at UCLA.

Ferentz says the approach needs to be better this week.

Poor tackling was an issue in Big Ten losses to Indiana and Oregon. That will need to be shored up against a USC team that averages just over 200 yards of rushing per game.

From a statistical standpoint the Iowa defense ranks high but in all three losses opponents have won it on the final drive of the game.

The challenge does not get any easier against a USC offense that is averaging nearly 40 points and more than 500 yards per game.

Iowa running back Kamari Moulton is confident the Hawkeyes will bounce back with a good effort. After falling to seventh ranked Oregon on a late field goal the Hawkeyes get ready to visit 17th ranked USC.

After being bottled up for 101 yards by the Oregon defense the Hawkeye offense will need a productive ground game against the Trojans.

Regular season trips out west have for the most part ended badly for the Hawkeyes, who are 1-7 all-time in regular season games in the Pacific time zone. They will become annual trips in the new Big Ten.