Basketball is now back for the Atlantic Trojans girls basketball team who finished the 2023 season with a 9-14 record and second round postseason loss to Cherokee Washington. Last year’s team leaned on the younger side with only one senior, Claire Pellet in the starting five. In order to achieve more and go further into the postseason Atlantic head coach Dan Vargason explained that his team has been taking this year’s offseason very seriously and that gives him confidence in his program.

The way that the Trojans have been attacking the offseason has not been the only positive sign with Atlantic basketball. This more seasoned core returning four starters from last year have also shown a hunger to improve and ability that follows.

As a team last year, the Trojans were shooting at 37.9% from the floor and 55% from the charity stripe. That concise shooting on the floor came from the sharp passes by junior Zoey Kirchoff who led the team in assists last season with 60. Joining Kirchoff for another year of basketball is junior Katrina Williams who tabbed four blocks and 67 rebounds last year. Athletes like Williams and Kirchoff returning adds another layer of experience that coach Vargason is counting on.

Helping lead the Trojans this year will be the lone starting senior and statistical leader in almost all categories, Paytn Harter. Harter last season was the leading scorer with 373 total points, led in blocks with 14, steals at 52, rebounds at 259, and field goal percentage at 63.8% Harter will have high expectations heading into the 2024 season, but coach Vargason believes in Harter’s dynamic ability.

Coming up for Atlantic is their first game of the season at home against a talented Pella Dutch squad. Last year when these two met, Pella won handily 70-43. This year coach Vargason is counting on creating a different outcome and making sure to establish depth for his team.

KJANTV will bring you the coverage of Atlantic’s game against Pella with the pregame show slated to begin at 5:45 p.m.

In a game where the offenses were supposed to be the main feature, it was the defense that stepped up when it mattered most and lifted the Tri-Center Trojans Football team to their first ever state championship. Defeating the West Hancock Eagles 14-10,  the Trojan defense held firm at every turn limiting the Eagles to just 240 yards while making multiple red zone stands en route to their first state title victory.

Although the game was dominated by the defenses, the Trojan’s offense came right out of the gates.  On the opening drive, Tri-Center drove 80 yards on nine plays that was capped off by a 38-yard AJ Harder strike to Carter Kunze. Down 7-0, the West Hancock offense went to work methodically driving the ball down the field. However, inside the red zone and looking to convert on fourth and short, the Eagles took a false start penalty, forcing them to attempt a pass that would fall incomplete.

At this point in the game, the defense started to take over. The line a scrimmage was a war for most of the contest, with neither team able to assert their full will on the other. Like a game of tug-of-war, both team’s defensive and offensive lines had their moments. However, after neither side could get much going, at 5:32 of the second quarter, the Eagles broke through on a 49-yard touchdown run by Gustavo Gomez. The Eagles’ only touchdown of the game was marked by controversy as an apparent holding penalty was picked up leaving the game tied at 7-7.

Now tied, Tri-Center’s offense needed a response to retake the lead before the half, and they would get one. Harder would lead the Trojan offense on a perfectly called and perfectly executed 12-play 73-yard drive. This included a huge fourth-down conversion reception from Zach Nelson, who finished the game with seven receptions and 78 yards. Kunze would cap off the drive with a 4-yard touchdown touchdown run that left little time for West Hancock to respond.

Down 14-7 and with the ball out of the half, the Eagles came out on a mission, going on a long extended drive. However, it was the Tri-Center’s defense that would come out on top. Despite some isolated explosive plays, West Hancock could not get anything going on offense. The Trojans’ defense allowed just twelve first downs and forced the Eagles to go o-for-3 in the red zone. They also forced West Hancock to punt multiple times in a game for the first time this season.  After some big plays for Kunze and the defense,  the Trojans came up with a goal-line stand forcing a field goal to push the score to 14-10 with 7:59 remaining in the third quarter. It would be the last score of the game.

Although Tri-Center’s offense couldn’t get much going either, they didn’t need to. With under four minutes to play, Harder punted the ball back to West Hancock and let the defense go to work one last time. After allowing a first down, the Trojans were able to halt the running attack of the Eagles once again. After a false start penalty made 4th & 15 West Hancock was forced to attempt a throw, which would ultimately fall incomplete all but sealing the game. After a first-down run by Kunze and a pair kneel downs by Harder, theb Tri-Center Trojans were Class A State Champions.

From going 3-6 a year ago to state champs, Head Coach Ryan Schroder was beyond pleased at reaching the top of the mountain.

For Tri-Center’s seniors, they will go out Champions. For a team that has barely gotten over .500 in the last five seasons, Kunze says that the championship mindset went all te way back to the beginning of the year.

Winning a championship can mean the world to a community and this one is no different as Kunze and the Trojans were proud to make the dream a reality.

Despite all the weapons at the Skill positions, it was the defense that was the star of the game for the Trojans. Schroder and his players credited their success to their preparation.

Although it might be way too early to start thinking about the future, don’t be surprised to see Tri-Center in the mix going forward. In addition to quarterback AJ Harder, the Trojans will return both of their top two receivers in Zach Nelson and Cael Witt. Harder is excited for what’s to come.

Regardless of what is to come, the celebration in Neola is here and now as the Tri-Center Trojans are the 2024 Class A State Champions

Drake led nearly the entire way and beat Miami 80-69 in the opening round of the Charleston Classic, handing the Hurricanes their first loss. Bulldog coach Ben McCollum.

Drake held Miami to 41 percent shooting and out-rebounded the Hurricanes 35-23.

Bennett Stirtz had 21 points as the Bulldogs improve to 4-0 and move on to Friday’s semifinal round.

Iowa’s defense has struggled on the road and Maryland will pose anther challenge on Saturday. The Terrapins average just over 421 yards of offense, including 305 per game in passing. Senior corner Jermari Harris.

Tackling has been an issue this season and defensive end Ethan Hurkett says they worked on that during the bye week.

With two games remaining in the regular season linebacker Nick Jackson sees the finish line of his college career.

Drake will get a second chance to lock up the outright Pioneer Football League title on Saturday by closing the regular season at Stetson. Morehead State spoiled Drake’s Senior day celebration with a 29-20 win. It also snapped the Bulldog’s 17-game win streak in the league race.

That’s Bulldog coach Todd Stepsis. Drake has already clinched a share of the title and there is a chance the Bulldogs could get the FCS playoff bid even with a loss. Step[sis says they are treating this as a must win.

Drake’s turnaround as a program began two years ago with a late rally at Stetson. It was the first of 17 straight in the PFL.

The Iowa Hawkeye men take a 5-0 record to Kansas City Friday night to play Utah State in the NABC Hall of Fame Classic. Utah State is 4-0.

That’s Iowa coach Fran McCaffery. Utah State was 28-7 last year and lost in the second round of the NCAA Tournament to Purdue.

The Hawkeyes have had success with full court pressure the past few games and have done so without giving up easy baskets.

The second ranked Iowa Hawkeye wrestling team will look to extend its dominance in the series with Iowa State when the teams collide Saturday night in Iowa City. The Hawkeyes have won the last 19 duals in the series and 34 of the last 35.

That’s Iowa coach Tom Brands who says it is the next challenge on the schedule.

The 13th ranked Cyclones will be in search of their first victory over the Hawkeyes since 2004. ISU coach Kevin Dresser.

The series dates back to 1916.

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Three members of the University of Iowa women’s soccer team – Maggie Johnston, Elle Otto and Kenzie Roling — earned College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District honors, it was announced Wednesday by the CSC.

Johnston is majoring in elementary education, while Otto and Roling are enterprise leadership majors.

The CSC Academic All-America program recognizes the nation’s top collegiate athletes for performance in the classroom and on the pitch. To qualify for all-district recognition, each student-athlete must earn at least a 3.5 GPA and demonstrate athletic excellence while meeting a 90 percent game participation threshold.

Johnston earned the honor for a second straight season. The Corona, California, native has started 18 games this season, scoring three goals and adding an assist. Johnston has one game-winning goal – a strike in the NCAA Tournament win over Missouri State.

Johnston was a second-team All-Big Ten this season after playing a key role for a Hawkeye defense that is one of the best in the nation.

Otto also earned her second academic all-district honor. This season, the Grandville, Michigan, native has scored one goal and registered three assists in 2024. She has nine career goals and 11 career assists.

Roling, who also earned the distinction for a second straight year, has scored one goal and registered five assists in 2024.

The Hawkeyes return to action Friday, facing Georgetown in the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament. The game will be play at Wallis Annenberg Stadium in Los Angeles beginning at 6 p.m. (CT). Iowa is looking to punch its ticket into the Sweet 16.

The Riverside Girls Basketball team is ready and excited for the start of the 2024-25 season.  The Bulldogs show a lot of promise as they are returning a large portion of what was a young team that finished 11-11 last season. Head Coach Mark Jeppesen says the team is ready and that he’s enjoyed watching the team get better with another year of experience under their belt.

The Bulldogs are returning their leading scorer. Last season, Sophia Taylor led the way averaging seven points per game, and was Riverside’s best 3-point shooter, shooting 35% from beyond the arc. Jeppesen commented that Taylor has been a hard worker and that she is ready to be one of the team’s leaders.

Coming off a year with such a young team, there are lots of opportunities for players to step up and have breakout seasons. One of those players is sophomore Kayden Schnack. Last season, she finished in the top five on the team in scoring, field goal percentage, and 3-point shooting. She also led the team in free throw percentage. The Bulldogs also return their top two rebounders from a season ago. Madison Kelley led the team averaging 4.3 per game. Sydney Sommers wasn’t far behind averaging 4.0 per game. Jeppesen is excited about the number of girls who are on track for a breakout season.

The Bulldogs are also adding some new pieces to the mix as well. Carly Miller and Riley Ewoldt both moved to the district this year and are set to provide some extra experience to the mix. Jeppesen says it’s easy to see how much they enjoy the game.

One of the most encouraging signs of this team is the depth and internal competition. Jeppesen knows that this can only be a good thing and that his team is ready to get out on the floor and compete.

The Riverside Bulldogs open their season at home against Essex this Friday at 6 pm.

The Tri-Center Trojans Football Team will look to capture their first state championship on Thursday when they take on the West Hancock Eagles. Despite 12 previous playoff appearances, the Trojans had never made it to the UNI Dome and now have a chance to win it all. The Trojans might be one of the hottest teams in the state. They have not lost since dropping their opening game of the season to AHSTW. The offense has been firing on all cylinders, putting up 40 or more points each of the last five games, and the defense has not allowed more than 20 points since their week two win over Treynor. Playing in championship games is always a remarkable opportunity and Head Coach Ryan Schroder is excited for this moment.

To get to this point, the Trojans had to deal with noteworthy opponents, and last week was no different. Battling a Saint Ansgar team with tons of talent, the Trojans shined. Although their halftime lead was slim, AJ Harder shined in the opening two quarters, arguably playing his best game of the postseason. Then, in the second half, Cater Kunze joined the party to finish the game with 195 yards and four touchdowns in Tri-Center’s 42-14 win. Schroder admitted that his team was a little tight in the early going but was happy with how his team handled the pressure, saying their balance attack allows them to have multiple options.

Part of those multiple options are receivers Zach Nelson and Cael Witt. Both have over 60 receptions and over a thousand receiving yards. In their semi-final matchup, Nelson and Witt each had six receptions, while Witt had two touchdowns, including a 34-yard strike from Harder. You also can’t forget about Brant Freeberg, who has made himself a very reliable third option, leading the team in yards per reception. This allows Tri-Center’s playbook to be expansive and cover a variety of scenarios. Coach Schroder knows it’s a very useful advantage to have in his pocket.

Despite all the weapons at the skill positions, it might be the unsung heroes of the offensive and defensive line that play one of the biggest roles for the Trojans.  They arguably were the biggest difference against Saint Ansgar. Schroder knows that without them, the Trojans wouldn’t have come this far.

Tri-Center will have to get over a big hurdle if they are to take home the crown. The West Hancock Eagles are a perfect 12-0 and have looked sharp throughout the postseason. The Eagles also have an edge in experience as the UNI Dome has practically been a second home for West Hancock. The Eagles are making their fifth final appearance in the last seven seasons. However, beyond just making it to the big game, they know how to win it. Schroder understands that today will be a very tough challenge.

Regardless of the outcome of today’s game, it will be the last time either of these teams plays in their current forms. The message from Coach Schroder was simple.

You can catch all the action on KJAN with pregame coverage starting at noon.