The Atlantic School Board, Wednesday, received an update on District Athletic Facilities construction projects, from liaison Bob Sweeney. Sweeney said work on construction has been slowed due to the recent snowfall and now, bitterly cold temperatures, but for the most part, they are ahead of schedule with grading and dirt work at the Trojan Bowl and Baseball/Softball fields.  About 60% of the retaining wall for the baseball/softball fields is finished. The remainder will be done in the Spring, to adjust for settling and adjustments. Sweeny said also, plumbing and electrical connections have been installed for the concession/restroom building, there was a slight change in the design of the ticket booth and traffic flow into the stadium.

And, the Trojan Bowl scoreboard, field turf colors and keying of locks have all been recent topics of conversation (see a PDF of the current color scheme, here: Trojan Bowl colors 2-2020 ) He said gray colors would be used for markings, instead of solid black, and having white in the end zone. While those construction projects have slowed due to the weather, construction is still slated to begin in June on the High School Tennis, Soccer and Track.  On a related note, Superintendent Steve Barber said the District is very grateful for the Atlantic Community and all the support and resources they provide the school and community.

Barber extended a special thanks to the Atlantic Coca-Cola Bottling Company, for their generous donation and $100,000 matching grant challenge with the Trojan Bowl synthetic turf project. The challenge ends March 31st. The funding raising committee has raised nearly half of the $600,000 needed to make up the cost difference between what was bonded for due to the late change from a grass to synthetic field. Barber said “The response received from the community to the fund raising committee has been outstanding. We have a number of businesses and (30-to 40) individuals who have donated to the challenge ($70,000 to date), and Rolling Hills Bank has committed a $50,000 pledge.”

Bob Sweeney added $60,000 has been generated from advertising space on scoreboards within the district.

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

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Kristian Doolittle scored 20 points to help Oklahoma defeat Iowa State 90-61. Brady Manek scored 18 points and Alondes Williams added 14 for the Sooners, who outscored the Cyclones 50-25 in the second half. Oklahoma followed up Saturday’s victory over No. 13 West Virginia by avenging its loss at Iowa State a month earlier and falling a point short of its season’-high point total. Iowa State announced this week that guard Tyrese Haliburton will miss the rest of the season after fracturing his left wrist. The Cyclones shot just 34.5% in the second half.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP) — AJ Green had 27 points as Northern Iowa beat Illinois State 71-63. DJ Horne led the Redbirds with 16 points and six rebounds.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — Keandre Cook had 19 points on 7-of-10 shooting and Missouri State beat Drake 97-62. Missouri State led 24-19 midway through the first half and erupted for 28 points in the final 8:48 to go up 52-30 at intermission. The Bears were 11-of-17 shooting from 3-point range in just the first half. They finished 14 of 25 overall from beyond the arc. Lamont West and Gaige Prim scored 15 points each for Missouri State. The 97 points were a season best for Missouri State. Noah Thomas led the Bulldogs with 14 points.

JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — Brad Miller and the St. Louis Cardinals agreed to a $2 million, one-year contract. The deal for the 30-year-old infielder includes $500,000 in available performance bonuses for plate appearances. He hit .260 with 13 homers and 25 RBIs last year for Cleveland and Philadelphia. Miller has a .241 average with 88 homers and 293 RBIs in seven major league seasons that included time with Seattle, Tampa Bay and Milwaukee.

SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) — Salvador Pérez caught a bullpen session from prospect Brady Singer in the Kansas City Royals’ first spring training workout. Pérez hurt his a ligament in his right elbow during drills in spring training last year, and Los Angeles Dodgers team physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache performed Tommy John surgery on the six-time All-Star on March 6. Pérez is hitting and throwing to bases. Pérez said it was difficult to watch last year and not play as the Royals skidded to their second straight 100-loss season.

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — Devon Dotson scored 15 points and No. 3 Kansas finished the game with a 9-0 run to beat No. 14 West Virginia 58-49. The Jayhawks won for the ninth straight time and remain a game behind first-place Baylor in the Big 12. Isaiah Moss had seven of his 13 points after halftime for Kansas. West Virginia fell flat after leading by as many as nine points in each half and lost at home for the first time this season. Oscar Tshiebwe led the Mountaineers with 14 points and nine rebounds, but he had just two points after halftime.

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Damien Jefferson, Ty-Shon Alexander, Marcus Zegarowski and Denzel Mahoney all scored 18 points and No. 23 Creighton posted its second road win over a Top 10 team this month with an 87-82 decision over No. 10 Seton Hall on Wednesday night. Christian Bishop added 11 points as the Bluejays (19-6, 8-4 Big East) won for the sixth time in seven games, including a win at No. 8 Villanova at the start of the month. Quincy McKnight had 20 points to lead Seton Hall (18-6, 10-2), which lost for the second time in 14 games.

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Three University of Iowa seniors — Grant Judkins, Grant Leonard, and Austin Martin — have been named to the Big Ten Preseason Honors List, it was announced Wednesday by the league office.
​
Judkins, a right-handed pitcher from Pella, Iowa, will open the season as the Hawkeyes’ Saturday starter.  Last season, he went 4-7 with a 2.72 ERA with 65 strikeouts over 82 2/3 innings.  Judkins was the Collegiate Baseball and NCBWA National Pitcher of the Week on Feb.19 and finished the season ranking in the top 14 in the Big Ten in ERA, batting average against, and innings.

Leonard, a right-handed pitcher from Mokena, Illinois, returns for his second season as the Hawkeyes’ closer.  The reliever is a preseason All-American by the NCBWA (second team) and Collegiate Baseball (third team) and a member of the NCBWA Stopper of the Year Watch List.  As a junior, Leonard earned second-team All-Big Ten honors after tallying a single-season school record 14 saves.  He went 2-3 with a 3.37 ERA in 28 appearances.

Martin, a catcher from Altoona, Iowa, started 53 games — 49 behind the plate — during his first season as a Hawkeye, where he hit .294 with 10 doubles, 30 RBIs, and 29 runs scored. Martin had a team-leading 18 multi-hit games in 2019 and he hit safely in 34 contests.

The Hawkeyes were not picked to finish in the top six of the Big Ten preseason poll in a vote of the league’s coaches (only the top six spots are released). Michigan was tabbed as the favorite followed by Ohio State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Indiana, and Illinois.

Iowa opens the regular season Friday at the Snowbird Classic in Port Charlotte, Florida, facing Kent State at 3 p.m. (CT).

IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa wrestling coaches Tom Brands, Terry Brands, and Ryan Morningstar have agreed to contract extensions to remain in Iowa City through the 2026 wrestling season, Henry B. and Patricia B. Tippie Director of Athletics Chair Gary Barta announced Wednesday.

“We have great confidence in Tom, Terry and Ryan,” said Barta.  “They are committed to building on the current momentum and operating within our ‘Win. Graduate. Do it Right.’ philosophy.”

Tom Brands is in his 14th season as Iowa’s head coach. He has won three NCAA team titles, four Big Ten Championships, and owns a dual record of 229-23-1 (.908). Iowa has crowned 12 NCAA individual champions and earned 72 All-America honors since 2007.

Terry Brands is in his 22nd season on Iowa’s staff. He was an assistant coach from 1992-2000, and returned to the staff in 2009. He has held the title of associate head coach since 2011.

Morningstar has served as an assistant coach since 2012.

The Hawkeyes are 11-0 this season, sitting atop the Big Ten Conference and ranked No. 1 in the country. Iowa’s 2020 lineup includes 10 wrestlers ranked in the top 10, seven ranked in the top five, and two ranked at the top of their respective weight classes, including Spencer Lee at 125 and Michael Kemerer at 174.

Iowa has led the nation in attendance in each of Tom Brands’ 13 seasons, and the University of Iowa announced Feb. 5 the Carver Circle fundraising campaign to build a new wrestling training facility south of Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

(Radio Iowa) — Iowa football coach Kirk Ferentz and his wife Mary have won the Robert D. Ray Pillar of Character Award for 2020. The award is given out by the Robert D. and Billie Ray Center at Drake University, which is named for the former governor and his wife. Center spokesperson Amy Smit says it is the highest honor given based on character.”An individual or individuals who have displayed good character as public role models. Past award recipients have included: Hayden Fry, Shawn Johnson, Peggy Whitson, the astronaut and just really great Iowans who are really great role models for us,” Smit says.

Kirk-and-Mary-Ferentz

Smit says individuals are nominated for the award.”The award is decided by our national advisory council. And this particular award is something Governor Ray was passionate about before be passed — that this award be presented to the Ferentz’s,” Wit explains. Kirk Ferentz has been Iowa’s head football coach for the past 21 seasons, making him the longest-tenured active coach in college football. “He’s really made an impact on so many youth over his career. It’s really astonishing when you think about the number of players who go through his program,” according to Smit. “He takes character very seriously, and has made a huge impact.”

Kirk and Mary Ferentz met during their high school days in Pennsylvania. The Ferentz’s have been married forty years and have five children and nine grandchildren. “Mary has been making an impact on her own. She’s raised over two million dollars for the University of Iowa’s Stead Family Children’s Hospital through her ladies football academy. So, she’s been just as busy after raising their five kids at home,” Smit says.

The award will be presented in April in West Des Moines. “We’ll be getting together on April 17th at our All-Star evening to present the award to Kirk and Mary. We’ll have about 600 people in attendance — where we get together and celebrate good character,” Smit says. Smit says the event is open to the public and you can find out more at: www.AllStarEvening.org.

Front Row: Bradley’s Mother Stephanie Kinzie, Bradley Dennis. Back Row: Atlantic Cross Country Coach Dan Vargason, Assistant Track and Basketball Coach Jeremy Blake, Head Boys Basketball Coach Jeff Ebling.

Atlantic senior Bradley Dennis made his commitment official on Wednesday morning to attend Iowa Western Community College and compete on the Cross Country and Track and Field program.

Dennis has been a strong member of the Atlantic cross country and track programs his entire four years. Dennis was a three time state qualifier in Cross Country. He finished 33rd his freshman season in 2016, took 74th in 2018, and was 39th in 2019 in Class 3A with a time of 17:12.20 in Fort Dodge.

On the track Dennis was a member of the state Runner-Up team in 2019 for the Trojans. He was on the 4x800M Relay team that took a 4th place medal (Craig Alan Becker, Nathan Behrends, Bradley Dennis, Chase Mullenix) 8:06.88.

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

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

UNDATED (AP) — Iceland might not be a basketball hotbed. The small island nation in the North Atlantic has still produced three players at Division I colleges in the United States this season. Thorir Thorbjarnarson is at Nebraska. Jon Axel Gudmundsson of Davidson was the Atlantic 10 player of the year last season. Hakon Hjalmarsson is a freshman at Binghamton. The three are in contact almost every day and they follow each other online. The three say they take pride in representing their country.

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Darius Days scored seven of his 20 points in the final five minutes as No. 25 LSU rallied to beat Missouri 82-78. LSU trailed by eight points midway through the second half before taking the lead for good at 72-69 on Days’ 3-pointer with 4:43 remaining. With LSU leading 76-73, Days made a short shot following an offensive rebound with 25 seconds left. After Missouri again got within three points on Xavier Pinson’s basket, Days made two free throws with 11 seconds left. Dru Smith led Missouri with 20 points. Reed Nikko matched his career high with 13 points.

COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — Jalen Smith had 16 points and 13 rebounds, Eric Ayala scored 16 and No. 9 Maryland edged Nebraska 72-70 to extend its winning streak to seven games and remain alone atop the Big Ten. Maryland let a 14-point lead dwindle to 71-70 before Smith swatted away a shot in the final seconds to preserve the victory. Haanif Cheatham scored 20 and Thorir Thorbjarnarson added 15 for Nebraska, which has lost nine straight and is 0-9 on the road.

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Yor Anei scored 15 and had seven rebounds, Lindy Waters III added 12 points and Oklahoma State beat Kansas State 64-59. Jonathan Laurent had 11 points and Cameron McGriff provided 10 as the Cowboyspicked up their first win against Kansas State since 2017 and now sit in a tie for ninth place in the conference with the Wildcats. Mike McGuirl led Kansas State with a season-high 16 points. It was the first conference road win of the season for Oklahoma State.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Items from what became known as “The Pine Tar Game” between the Royals and Yankees will be sold by Heritage Auctions later this month. The highlight will be the jersey worn by George Brett that is expected to fetch more than $100,000. The bat, which now resides at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York.

The Atlantic/CAM wrestling team came up one match shy of advancing to the State Dual Team Tournament on Tuesday night in Atlantic. Humboldt’s Colton Goodell pinned Atlantic/CAM’s Noah Vandevanter at the 5:43 mark and broke a 29-all tie for the team scoring. The final margin was 34-29 in favor of Humboldt and they advance to the State Dual Team Tournament.

Atlantic/CAM beat Red Oak 46-29 in their first round match and Humboldt defeated Van Meter/Earlham 45-30 in their first dual.

Here’s a look at the match results for Atlantic/CAM’s two duals on the night.

Humboldt 34 Atlantic/CAM 20 

285: Cale Roller (ATL) over Josh Beldin (HUMB) (Fall 1:16)
106: Cole Nelson (HUMB) over Easton O`Brien (ATL) (MD 14-3)
113: Aybren Moore (ATL) over Jase Goodell (HUMB) (Dec 15-11)
120: Cresten Craven (HUMB) over Ethan Follmann (ATL) (Fall 1:18)
126: Joe Weaver (ATL) over Ty Gargano (HUMB) (MD 16-7)
132: Jaxson Bell (ATL) over Colby Clarken (HUMB) (Dec 7-5)
138: Brian South (ATL) over Jordan Jensen (HUMB) (SV-1 6-4)
145: Joe Weydert (HUMB) over Tanner O`Brien (ATL) (TF 16-0 5:36)
152: Kadin Stutzman (ATL) over Fletcher Satern (HUMB) (MD 15-4)
160: Levi Naeve (HUMB) over Jarrett Armstrong (ATL) (Fall 1:22)
170: Payton Fewson (ATL) over Braxden Scott (HUMB) (Fall 5:34)
182: Logan Nilles (HUMB) over Brenden Casey (ATL) (TF 22-7 5:45)
195: Walt Delanoit (HUMB) over Devin McKay (ATL) (Dec 10-6)
220: Colton Goodell (HUMB) over Noah Vandevanter (ATL) (Fall 5:43) (HUMB Unsportsmanlike Conduct -1.0)

Atlantic/CAM 46 Red Oak 29

220: Devin McKay (ATL) over Jordan Holaday (RO) (Fall 1:42)
285: Cale Roller (ATL) over Hunter Portales (RO) (Fall 0:42)
106: Easton O`Brien (ATL) over Brandon Erp (RO) (Fall 0:44)
113: Aybren Moore (ATL) over Chase Sandholm (RO) (Fall 1:38)
120: Johnathan Erp (RO) over Ethan Follmann (ATL) (Fall 5:47)
126: Joe Weaver (ATL) over Chase Roeder (RO) (Fall 0:22)
132: Dawson Bond (RO) over Jaxson Bell (ATL) (Dec 8-3)
138: Brian South (ATL) over AJ Schmid (RO) (Fall 1:06)
145: Tanner O`Brien (ATL) over Bryan Erp (RO) (MD 9-0)
152: Kadin Stutzman (ATL) over (RO) (For.)
160: Jacob Echternach (RO) over Jarrett Armstrong (ATL) (Fall 1:33)
170: Justin McCunn (RO) over Brenden Casey (ATL) (TF 18-2 5:11)
182: Bruce Lukehart (RO) over Payton Fewson (ATL) (Dec 6-1)
195: Carter Maynes (RO) over (ATL) (For.)

Class 1A and 2A wrestling teams competed in Regional Dual Team competition on Tuesday night. The winners of first round matches at each site advance to the final. The winner of each final advances on to the State Dual Team Tournament next Wednesday in Des Moines. Here is a look at the results.

CLASS 1A

At AHSTW, Avoca
Woodbury Central, Moville 37, AHSTW, Avoca 36,
Mount Ayr 46, Underwood 30
Final: Woodbury Central 57, Mount Ayr 20

At Clarion-Goldfield-Dows
Clarion-Goldfield-Dows 64, ACGC 16
Nashua-Plainfield 57, Martensdale-St. Marys 21
Final: Clarion-Goldfield-Dows 35, Nashua-Plainfield 30

At Denver
Denver 49, Beckman Catholic, Dyersville 30
New London 54, Colfax-Mingo 21
Final: Denver 42, New London 27

At Don Bosco, Gilbertville
Don Bosco, Gilbertville 84, Highland, Riverside 0
Alburnett 60, Wilton 17
Final: Don Bosco, Gilbertville 73, Alburnett 0

At Lake Mills
Lake Mills 67, Wapsie Valley, Fairbank 10
West Hancock, Britt 43, South Winneshiek, Calmar 23
Final: Lake Mills 55, West Hancock, Britt 18

At Lisbon
Lisbon 82, Wapello 0
Belle Plaine 46, Iowa Valley, Marengo 35
Final: Lisbon 81, Belle Plaine 0

At Logan-Magnolia
Logan-Magnolia 63, Interstate 35, Truro 12
Missouri Valley 58, Bedford/Lenox 13
Final: Logan-Magnolia 48, Missouri Valley 24

At West Sioux, Hawarden
West Sioux, Hawarden 57, Western Christian, Hull 24
Manson Northwest Webster 50, Westwood, Sloan 27
Final: West Sioux, Hawarden 45, Manson Northwest Webster 25

CLASS 2A

At Atlantic
Atlantic/CAM 46, Red Oak 29
Humboldt 45, Van Meter/Earlham 30
Final: Humboldt 34, Atlantic/CAM 29

At Independence
Independence 58, Mount Vernon 10
Charles City 39, Gilbert 24
Final: Independence 31, Charles City 29

At Osage
Osage 56, Forest City 18
Crestwood, Cresco 36, Emmetsburg 35
Final: Osage 36, Crestwood, Cresco 28

At Sergeant Bluff-Luton
Sergeant Bluff-Luton 59, MOC-Floyd Valley 24
Central Lyon, Rock Rapids 28, West Lyon, Inwood 26
Final: Sergeant Bluff-Luton 37, Central Lyon, Rock Rapids 33

At Union, LaPorte City
Union, LaPorte City 49, South Tama County, Tama 21
Assumption, Davenport 49, Iowa Falls-Alden 15
Final: Assumption, Davenport 41, Union, LaPorte City 32

At West Delaware, Manchester
West Delaware, Manchester 76, Anamosa 3
Camanche 48, Solon 35
Final: West Delaware, Manchester 54, Camanche 24

At Williamsburg
Williamsburg 76, Mount Pleasant 0
Bondurant-Farrar 58, North Polk, Alleman 18
Final: Williamsburg 39, Bondurant-Farrar 25

At Winterset
Winterset 64, Knoxville 14
Harlan 51, Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont 28
Final: Winterset 44, Harlan 35