IRVING, Texas – Yonger Bastida has been named the Big 12 Co-Wrestler of the Week, along with Oklahoma State’s Izzak Olejnik, the league office announced Tuesday. It is the second Big 12 Weekly honor of Bastida’s career and the third consecutive week a Cyclone has been recognized by the conference.

Bastida was dominant en route to winning Iowa State’s first individual Cliff Keen Invitational title since 2014. In his first real test since moving to heavyweight, Bastida went 5-0 with three bonus-point wins and defeated three top-20 opponents.

The Cuba native outscored his opponents 68-21 and did not surrender a takedown or offensive point against him the entire tournament.

Bastida earned a tech fall against Navy’s No. 10 Grady Griess in 4:25 in the semifinals. In the finals against Michigan’s No. 3 Lucas Davison, Bastida secured a reversal and takedown in the third period, the later coming with nine seconds remaining in the match, to get the win and secure the CKLV title.

Iowa State is off this weekend. The Cyclones return to action Dec. 18 at the Collegiate Duals in Nashville, Tenn. against Pittsburgh, Little Rock and Cornell.

2023-24 ISU Big 12 Weekly Honors
Nov. 21 – Kysen Terukina
Nov. 28 – Evan Frost
Dec. 5 – Yonger Bastida

Drake coach Darian DeVries expects the Bulldogs to face a motivated St. Louis University team in Wednesday night’s meeting in the Knapp Center. The Billikens are 5-4 but coming off a 101-62 loss at Southern Illinois.

DeVries says St. Louis is a versatile team.

The Bulldogs have won four straight and are coming off two blowout wins to open Missouri Valley play. DeVries says progress on defense has been a big factor in their improvement.

The first of two nights of Cy-Hawk basketball begins Wednesday night in Hilton Coliseum when the Iowa State women host fourth ranked Iowa. The Cyclones won two years ago in Ames but the Hawkeyes have won six of the last seven in the series.

That’s ISU coach Bill Fennelly. The game will be played in front of a sold-out crowd.

A young Iowa State team is 4-3 and needs to find a way to slow down reigning national player of the year Caitlin Clark.

Freshman center Audi Crooks is averaging 16 points per game, and this will be her first appearance in the rivalry.

Crooks believes the Cyclones are making progress.

Iowa coach Lisa Bluder says the Cyclones will have a good defensive plan against Caitlin Clark.

Bluder says it will be the first true road test for the Hawkeyes.

Caitlin Clark says it will be a big test for the Hawkeyes.

Clark says the emotion will be high.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – University of Iowa defensive coordinator and secondary coach Phil Parker has been named the recipient of the 2023 Broyles Award, it was announced Tuesday at the awards ceremony by the Frank & Barbara Broyles Foundation. The Broyles Award is presented annually to the top assistant coach in college football.

“Phil Parker is an incredible football coach, and I am extremely pleased that he has been recognized for his career success by the Broyles Committee,” said Moon Family Head Football Coach Kirk Ferentz. “We simply would not have achieved the success we have as a program without Phil’s dedication and leadership. Since 1999, we have benefited from Phil’s expertise and tenacity.

“Phil is an exceptional coach and teacher. He has helped develop hundreds of student athletes into better football players on the field and prepared them to be better men off the field. He is one of a kind, and I am so happy that he has been by my side in this program throughout the past 25 years.”

The honor is the first of Parker’s career.  He was also a Broyles Award semifinalist in 2022.  Two previous Hawkeye coaches — Norm Parker (2013) and Ron Aiken (2002) — have been named the AFCA Assistant Coach of the Year. Norm Parker was also a finalist in 2004 and 2005.

Phil Parker, who is in his 25th season on Iowa’s coaching staff (12th as defensive coordinator), has been the mastermind behind one of the nation’s top defenses in 2023. The Hawkeyes have allowed just 15 touchdowns in 13 games (tied for the third fewest in the NCAA) and the unit ranks fourth nationally, giving up 13.2 points per game.

The point per game average is the lowest by a Hawkeye defense since 2008.

The Hawkeyes have given up one touchdown or less in 10 of 13 games this season and the unit is ranked fifth nationally in total defense (274.8) for a sixth straight year. Iowa’s defense has allowed 400 yards or fewer in 27 straight games dating back to the 2021 season — the longest active streak nationally.

One of Parker’s main principles is limiting “explosive” plays. In 2023, the Hawkeyes have allowed just 18 such plays in 13 games.

Across the board, Iowa ranks in the top 20 nationally in virtually every defensive category this season, including being fifth in team passing efficiency defense (100.46), 12th in red zone defense (.750), 13th in rushing defense (102.5), 16th in first downs defense (205) and 19th in third-down conversion defense (.316).

Under Parker’s tutelage, three defensive players — DB Cooper DeJean, DB Sebastian Castro and LB Jay Higgins — were midseason All-Americans. DeJean was a finalist for the Nagurski Award and Thorpe Award and a semifinalist for the Lott IMPACT Trophy, while Higgins was a semifinalist for the Butkus Award.

DeJean was also named the recipient of the 2023 Tatum-Woodson Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year, becoming the sixth Hawkeye to be voted the top defensive back in the conference under Parker’s watch.

The No. 17 Hawkeyes will play No. 21 Tennessee on Jan. 1, 2024, in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Florida. The game will start at noon (CT) and will be televised on ABC.

Northern Iowa coach Ben Jacobson says the focus has been on defense as the Panthers get ready to host Richmond on Wednesday night. UNI surrendered 90 and 91 points last week in Missouri Valley losses to Belmont and Evansville and stand 2-6 overall.

Jacobson on some of the areas of emphasis.

Jacobson says the Panthers are having too many breakdowns in their defensive rotations.

Richmond enters Wednesday’s game with a record of 5-3.

Hawkeye Ten Conference:
Council Bluffs Jefferson 69, Lewis Central 68

Western Iowa Conference:
Riverside 75, Griswold 39
Tri-Center 75, West Harrison 35
Logan-Magnolia 56, Fremont-Mills 40

Rolling Valley Conference:
Woodward-Granger 50, Glidden-Ralston 39
Tri-Center 75, West Harrison 35

Corner Conference:
Heartland Christian 51, Hamburg 42

Raccoon River Conference:
Clarke 63, Carlisle 49
Norwalk 67, Winterset 56

Pride of Iowa Conference:
Baxter 77, Martensdale-St Mary’s 57
Central Decatur 68, Lamoni 15

Hawkeye Ten Conference:
Lewis Central 66, Council Bluffs Jefferson 16
Red Oak 53, Essex 38

Western Iowa Conference:
Fremont-Mills 54, Logan-Magnolia 23
Riverside 53, Griswold 30
Tri-Center 58, West Harrison 25

Rolling Valley Conference:
Woodward-Granger 37, Glidden-Ralston 30

Corner Conference:
Hamburg 45, Heartland Christian 25

Raccoon River Conference:
#3 Norwalk 39, Winterset 31

Pride of Iowa Conference:
Central Decatur 50, Lamoni 28
Southeast Warren 51, Orient-Macksburg 34
#3 Des Moines Christian 50, #3 Martensdale St. Mary’s 46

The Griswold girls basketball team held on in the first half against Riverside, but fell a part in the second to lose at home 53-30 on Monday night. Adaline Martens led the team with 14 points, including 5 baskets in the second half. Sydney Somers had 10 and Elly Henderson had 8 to help the Bulldogs get the win.

Griswold started slow but kept pace in the first quarter to only be down 14-9. Griswold’s Abby Gohlinghorst had three treys in the first half to try and keep her team in the game. Yet an 11-3 run to end the half pushed the lead to 13 by halftime making it 26-13 Riverside. The final two threes of  Gohlinghorst’s night came in the third quarter, but it wouldn’t be enough as the Bulldog’s blew the game open to a 47-18 lead by the end of the third.  Free throws helped to expand the lead as well as Riverside ended up in the bonus both halves and finished 13-18 from the stripe.

Griswold Head Coach Ryan Lockwood said it was nice to see Gohlinghorst get into a rhythm from behind the arc as she finished the night with 16 points.

Coach Lockwood wants to see continual improvement from Griswold for Tuesday’s game.

The Tigers will stay at home with a 1-2 record to face Stanton starting at 6:00 p.m. Riverside’s road schedule continues with a 2-1 record and they will play in Underwood Tuesday night.

The Griswold Tigers boys’ basketball team took a loss at home against Riverside 75-39 Monday night. The game started with each team exchanging shots in the first quarter and a few Peyton Cook baskets. The first quarter would end with Riverside leading 12-9. The game started to turn in the second quarter with continuous passes to Grady Jeppesen who scored 19 points in the first half and helped craft a 39-23 Bulldog lead. The momentum continued to slide towards Riversides favor with an offensive outpouring, scoring 23 points and only allowing Griswold to score 6 points in the third. In the fourth quarter the fast tempo continued for Riverside and they handled Griswold with a final score of 75-39.

The leading scorer on the night for Riverside was Grady Jeppesen with 35 points and Mason McCready with 9. But the offensive showcase from Jeppesen wasn’t the sole reason the Bulldogs has such a good night. Griswold Head Coach Matthew Spunaugle noted the difference rebounds can make.

Griswold’s leading scorer was Peyton Cook with 10 points and two 3 pointers. His effort’s to not only shoot consistently but pass the pall selflessly to his teammates impressed Coach Spunaugle.

The Bulldogs stay undefeated with an improved 3-0 record and travel to Underwood on Tuesday. Griswold falls to 1-2 and will stay at home to face Stanton Tuesday night at 7:30 p.m.