IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz on Thursday identified defensive line and tight end as the team’s biggest concerns heading into the offseason. The Hawkeyes, who finished 9-4 and ranked 25th after beating Mississippi State in the Outback Bowl, lost a program-high four players who left school early for the NFL. Tight end was by far the hardest hit, with redshirt sophomore T.J. Hockenson and junior Noah Fant both projected to be high picks after declaring themselves eligible for the draft.

“When you’re a good football team, you going to lose good players,” Ferentz said during his annual season-ending news conference. “It’s another trend in college football that we’ll learn to adjust and deal with.” Iowa’s defensive line was so deep in 2018 that it could afford to use A.J. Epenesa, the Big Ten’s sack leader with 10.5, largely as a third-down specialist. Epenesa might need to play every down in 2019.

The Hawkeyes lost Parker Hesse, Matt Nelson and Sam Brincks to graduation, and Anthony Nelson bolted for the NFL after starting 27 games at defensive end. Iowa also moved promising lineman Tyler Linderbaum to center, where he could start as soon as next season. The Hawkeyes could be without junior college transfer Daviyon Nixon as well. Nixon sat out last season in hopes of being ready to help Iowa in 2019 and beyond, but Ferentz was vague about his future with the Hawkeyes.

“He’s considering his options right now,” said Ferentz of Nixon, who is enrolled in classes but has also submitted his name to the NCAA’s transfer portal. “We’ll see where it goes.” The Hawkeyes weren’t surprised to see Fant leave for the pros after he had a huge season as a sophomore in 2017. But Hockenson’s rise from a supporting role to winning the Mackey Award as the nation’s top tight end took everyone by surprise.

Iowa might have to re-adjust their playbook next fall to accommodate losing the best tight end duo in America. The Hawkeyes will likely lean more heavily on wide receivers Ihmir Smith-Marsette and Brandon Smith, two juniors who improved in 2018. Iowa might also see another tight end or two emerge from a group that includes junior Shaun Beyer and senior Nate Wieting.

Senior Drew Cook, a 6-foot-5, 250-pound former quarterback, moved to tight end in the spring of 2017. Cook’s father Marv was an All-American tight end for Iowa in 1988 before playing in the NFL.
“Offensively, we could play with three wideouts and running back,” Ferentz said. But “we feel like we have tight ends on the roster that can play well. We’ll just have to look at every possibility.”

The Atlantic basketball teams will travel to Clarinda tonight for a doubleheader that was moved up from Friday night due to impending weather. We’ll have coverage on KJAN as the Trojans square off against the Cardinals in Hawkeye Ten hoops.

The girls game will feature teams with matching 1-13 records on the season. Both teams will be searching for their first official conference win. The Cardinals are averaging 29 points per game and have been led by 11 points per outing from senior Taylor Wedemeyer. Aliyah St. Romain has contributed 8 points per out for the Cardinals. Atlantic is averaging 43 points per game as a team and have three players averaging around 10 points per game; Haley Rasmussen, Baylee Newell, and McKenzie Waters.

The boys game will showcase the 4-9 Trojans against he 6-8 Cardinals. Atlantic will be out to try to halt a 7 game losing skid. Both teams are coming off heart-breakers on Tuesday. The Trojans lost at Kuemper Catholic 52-51 on a late basket and the Cardinals fell 62-60 at Creston. Both teams are averaging right at 56 points per game. The Trojans are led by Chase Mullenix with 19 per outing and Tyler Moen has dropped in 15 per game. The Cardinals have four player averaging 9-10 points per contest: Nathan Lindsay (10.4), Matt Millikan (9.6), Connor Brown (8.5), and Alex Best (8.9).

Catch the action on KJAN with pregame starting at about 5:50pm prior to the girls game which is set for a 6:00pm tip-off. Chris Parks will have the call on AM1220, FM101.1, on the web app, and online at www.kjan.com.

The Atlantic/CAM wrestling team will host Glenwood and Clarinda for a Varsity double dual tonight at the Atlantic High School. The Trojans are still undefeated in dual action this season at 16-0 overall and 6-0 in Hawkeye Ten action. Glenwood comes in with a 6-6 overal dual mark, including 3-3 in the conference. Clarinda is 8-8 overall and 4-5 in the conference.

The CAM Cougar Channel will have live video coverage of the double dual tonight. A crew of CAM students will bring you the coverage with action set to begin at 5:30pm.

With an expected winter weather event on the way this weekend there have been a number of changes to area high school sporting events, both time changes and date changes. Here is a rundown of known changes.

• The John J. Harris Wrestling tournament in Corning has adjusted their time schedule. You can view changes here.
• The Corner Confernce Basketball tournaments were condensed down to a finish for tonight instead of Friday and Saturday. The championship and consolation games will be played at Fremont-Mills tonight.

The following basketball games have been moved up to Thursday night play from Friday.

• Atlantic @ Clarinda Doubleheader will be played tonight instead of Friday. Girls at 6:00pm, Boys to follow at 7:30pm. We’ll have coverage on KJAN.
• Red Oak @ Harlan Doubleheader.
• Riverside @ Audubon Doubleheader.
• CAM @ Ar-We-Va Doubleheader.
• Logan-Magnolia @ AHSTW Doubleheader.
• Exira-EHK @ West Harrison Doubleheader.
• Missouri Valley @ IKM-Manning Doubleheader.
• Nodway Valley @ Central Decatur Doubleheader.
• Mount Ayr @ Martensdale St. Marys Doubleheader.
• Thomas Jefferson @ Abraham Lincoln Doubleheader.

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

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (6.5MB)

Subscribe: RSS

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Baseball fans are welcome to enter an online drawing to buy season tickets to the College World Series. Fans who enter by midnight CST on March 1 will be eligible to be selected to buy up to four season tickets to the CWS, which is held in June each year at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha. The number of tickets available is to be determined and based on existing season-ticket holder renewals. Most of the tickets for new applicants will be in the upper level of the stadium. Season ticket holders can request seat relocation in future years.

People whose names are drawn will receive email notice by March 6. Season ticket prices range from $425 to $476. Fans can apply at NCAA.com/CWSTickets and CWSomaha.com.

BOYS PREP BASKETBALL

Corner Conference Tournament

Semifinals

• East Mills 55, Sidney 34
• Stanton 69, Fremont Mills 55

GIRLS PREP BASKETBALL

Corner Conference Tournament

Semifinals

• Fremont Mills 40, Griswold 31
• Sidney 64, Stanton 31

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — With plenty of time left on the shot clock and his team nursing a slight lead late, Iowa guard Jordan Bohannon probably could’ve been more patient. His coach is glad he wasn’t. Bohannon stepped back with 36 seconds left and drained his fifth 3-pointer of the night to clinch the No. 23 Hawkeyes’ 89-82 win over Penn State on Wednesday night.

Bohannon finished with 19 points and Luka Garza matched a season-high 22 points and also grabbed 12 rebounds. Ryan Kriener had 15 off the bench for the Hawkeyes (15-3, 4-3 Big Ten), who won their fourth straight and ninth of 10.

After the teams swapped the lead five times in the final six minutes, Garza put Iowa ahead for good with a free throw that made it 83-82 with 1:36 to play. Bohannon’s 3-pointer moments later to put the game out of reach. Iowa’s not known as a 3-point shooting team and the Hawkeyes had made just 35 percent of their 3-pointers on the season heading into the game. However, they drained 12 of 28 (43 percent) overall against Penn State and 9 of 19 in the first half.

Iowa played its second game this season without starting forward Tyler Cook who’s nursing a sprained ankle suffered against Ohio State. But the team’s leading scorer and rebounder is nearing a return. Coach Fran McCaffery said he’s hopeful Cook can return Saturday against Illinois.

UP NEXT: Iowa hosts Illinois on Sunday.

PEORIA, Ill. (AP) — Nick McGlynn had 19 points and 11 rebounds and Drake built a big first-half lead to beat Bradley 69-52 on Wednesday night. Drake (13-5, 2-3 Missouri Valley Conference) has defeated the Braves (8-10, 0-5) in three of the last four meetings.

The Bulldogs closed the first half on a 26-6 run for a 33-15 advantage at the break. Brady Ellingson made three 3-pointers during the surge. Tremell Murphy scored eight of his 11 points in the first half and finished with a career-high 11 rebounds. Ellingson had 15 points and D.J. Wilkins chipped in with 10.

Elijah Childs had 15 points and a career-best 13 rebounds to lead Bradley. The Braves shot just 19 of 61 (31 percent) from the field that included 12 missed 3-pointers while Drake was 26-of-50 shooting (52 percent). Dwayne Lautier-Ogunleye added 13 points and Luqman Lundy had 10 for the Braves.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP) — Spencer Haldeman scored 21 points, Trae Berhow made 3 of 4 from the free-throw line in the final 19 seconds and Northern Iowa defeated Indiana State 69-64 on Wednesday night.

Berhow made the second of two free throws for a three-point lead, 67-64, with 19 seconds remaining. Indiana State’s Cooper Neese missed a 3-pointer and the Sycamores (10-7, 2-3 Missouri Valley) sent Berhow to the line again. He made both to seal the win.

The game was last tied, 53-53, with 4:41 remaining. UNI (8-10, 3-2) led the rest of the way but Indiana State was twice within two points in the final minute and a half. Haldeman made 4 of 8 3-point tries for Northern Iowa, while his teammates went 2 for 15. Berhow made one 3-pointer and went 3 for 4 from the line for six points. Jordan Barnes had 15 points and 11 rebounds for Indiana State.