KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs released veteran linebacker Joe Mays on Thursday as they attempt to free up much-needed salary cap space before the start of free agency next week. The Chiefs saved about $3 million by parting with Mays, who started last season on injured reserve and wound up making just 16 tackles in eight games. Mays was expected to start alongside Derrick Johnson, but never seemed to solidify his role.

The Chiefs have made modest savings by releasing Mays along with wide receivers Donnie Avery and A.J. Jenkins and tight end Anthony Fasano. Now, the big question is whether they will carve out more significant salary cap space by trading, releasing or restructuring the massive contracts of wide receiver Dwayne Bowe and linebacker Tamba Hali in the coming days.

JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — Miami’s Giancarlo Stanton was hitless in his first two at-bats in a major league game since being struck in the face by a pitch last September, and Jason Heyward singled in his first at-bat with the St. Louis Cardinals, a 4-1 victory over the Marlins on Thursday. Stanton wore a helmet with a partial face mask that protected the left side of his face, where he broke his orbital bone and damaged several teeth when he was hit by a pitch from Mike Fiers that ended his season.

Acquired in an offseason trade with Atlanta, Heyward’s spot in the Cardinals’ lineup has been a popular topic of speculation. He batted second on Thursday, going 1 for 2. He scored on a two-run bloop single by Matt Adams off Dan Haren, who was making his first appearance for the Marlins after being acquired in an offseason deal with the Dodgers. He allowed two runs and three hits while walking one in two innings.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Senior forward Aaron White arrived in Iowa City as a scrawny kid that few outside of suburban Cleveland had ever heard of. He’ll leave as one of the greatest players the Hawkeyes have ever had. White’s career with Iowa has far exceeded even his own modest expectations. From posting a double-double in his freshman debut to averaging 23.7 points and 9.3 rebounds in his last three games, White has been a key cornerstone for coach Fran McCaffery during his five-year tenure.

White and the Hawkeyes (20-10, 11-6 Big Ten) host Northwestern Saturday in search of their first six-game Big Ten winning streak in 28 years.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Northern Iowa’s Ben Jacobson has been named Missouri Valley Conference coach of the year for the third time in seven seasons. Jacobson received 26 of 47 first-place votes from conference coaches, media and sports information directors. Wichita State’s Gregg Marshall, who won the previous three seasons, finished second and Greg Lansing of Indiana State was third.

The 11th-ranked Panthers (27-3) had a school-record 16-game winning streak this season and are the second seed in the Valley tournament this week. They’ve had six consecutive 20-win seasons under Jacobson, who became the school’s career wins leader in the opener.

Jacobson also won in 2009 and 2010, and he and Marshall are among four coaches who have won three times. Maury John of Drake won the award four times.

CLASS 1-A SEMI-FINALS:

Springville 68, Exira/EHK 57

Springville’s smallest player and one of its youngest carried the Orioles to the Class 1A championship game.

The 11th-ranked Orioles raced to a 19-2 lead, then held off a spirited comeback by No. 2 Exira/Elk Horn-Kimballton for a 68-57 semifinal victory that ended the Spartans’ unbeaten season.

Springville improved to 22-3 and will play No. 7 Newell-Fonda in the championship game at 6 p.m. Friday. It’s a rematch of the 2008 title game, which Springville won 67-60. Springville also reached the finals in 2009, when it lost a one-point game to AGWSR.

Sarah Matus, a 5-foot senior, hit six 3-pointers and led Springville with 23 points. Freshman Rylee Menster scored 19 on 7-of-9 shooting, made seven steals and combined with Matus to foil the Spartans’ comeback attempt.

Another freshman, Mikayla Nachazel, added 14 points for the Orioles, while junior Megan Wagaman has six points and 11 rebounds.

Freshman Sophia Peppers led Exira/Elk Horn-Kimballton (25-1) with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Mara Burmeister scored 14 points, Maggie Rasmussen 11 and Rachel Smith 10. Rasmussen also grabbed 10 rebounds and Burmeister made five steals.

Exira/Elk Horn-Kimballton missed its first 11 shots and found itself trailing 25-6 at one point. But the Spartans never gave up and they twice got within four points, the first time at 35-31 midway through a third quarter.

But an odd technical foul that occurred as the Spartans were making a substitution blunted their momentum and Matus rattled off seven quick points — a free throw on the technical and two straight 3-pointers — for a 42-31 lead.

The Spartans charged back again and consecutive 3s by Burmeister drew them to 43-39. Springville didn’t let them get any closer. Menster and Matus combined for all of their team’s points in a 12-2 run that upped the lead to 55-41 and put the Orioles out of danger. Menster drove for three layups after stealing the ball in that burst and Matus knocked down a pair of 3-pointers.

Exira/Elk Horn-Kimballton made the state tournament for the first time as a combined program, which formed after Exira won the state championship in 2010.

CLASS 2-A SEMI-FINALS:

Unity Christian 58, South Central Calhoun 47

Unity Christian is getting another chance to win a state championship.

The top-ranked and unbeaten Knights pulled away at the end of the first half and rolled to a 58-42 victory over No. 6 South Central Calhoun to earn a spot in the Class 2A title game.

Chanda Zomermaand led Unity (26-0) with 22 points on some sharp shooting. The 5-foot-7 junior went 4-for-6 from 3-point range, shot 5-for-8 overall and made 8 of her 9 free throws.

Deidra Noteboom came off the bench to add 12 points and seven rebounds for the Knights, who lost to MOC-Floyd Valley in last year’s Class 3A championship game. Kassidy De Jong had 10 points and seven boards in the winning effort, while Anna Kiel was solid with seven points, eight rebounds, three assists and a steal.

Zomermaand hit two 3-pointers to spark a 13-2 Unity run that closed the first half and produced a 30-15 lead. That proved to be all the cushion the Knights needed. The lead was never below 10 points in the second half and the Knights stayed in control by making eight straight free throws down the stretch.

Haley Birks and Tyffaney Toms scored 11 points each to lead South Central Calhoun (23-3), which made the tournament for the first time in its current makeup as a district. Kori Assman had eight points, five rebounds and three assists for the Titans, who continued to hustle but couldn’t overcome their scoring drought late in the first half.

North Linn 73, Western Christian 71 (OT)

CLASS 3-A SEMI-FINALS:

CLASS 4-A SEMI-FINALS: