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SPORTS SHORTS: Comets crowned conference champs

Local Sports

CEDAR FALLS — The BCLUW volleyball team locked down an undefeated Iowa Star Conference South Division title on Thursday night by sweeping Valley Lutheran and Collins-Maxwell in a league doubleheader. The Comets (23-11, 7-0) crushed Valley Lutheran to start the night, winning 25-4, 25-6, 25-3, and then clobbered Collins-Maxwell, 25-3, 25-7, 25-7. Against Valley Lutheran (0-14, 0-6), BCLUW was led by Raine Sireno with eight kills. Cambria Wayman and Kylie Pekarek had six kills apiece, and setter Sally Ramirez finished with 19 assists. BCLUW served 70-for-71 in the match, racking up 24 ...

MHS rules at Mike Augustine Classic

Local Sports

DES MOINES — The Marshalltown cross country teams both claimed titles at the 71st Mike Augustine Classic on Thursday at the James W. Cownie Soccer Park, beating all of the Des Moines metro schools in the process. The Bobcat boys had five finishers inside the top-10 to take the team ...

Bears legend Mike Ditka dies at 86

National Sports

CHICAGO — Mike Ditka, who personified the toughness and grit of Chicago in a Hall of Fame career as a player and coach of the Bears and the leader of arguably the most dominant team in NFL history, has died. He was 86. Ditka’s family announced his death on Friday in a statement. “It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend, Mike Ditka,” the family said. “While the world knew Mike as a Hall of Fame football player, legendary coach, and leader of the Chicago Bears’ Super Bowl XX championship team, we knew ...

Iowa women’s wrestling unveils season schedule

Local Sports

IOWA CITY — The University of Iowa women’s wrestling program unveiled its schedule for the 2026-27 season, head coach Clarissa Chun announced on Thursday. The slate includes two home duals at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Sunday, Nov. 22, vs. King University and Friday, Jan. 15, vs. Quincy University. Iowa opens the season at the Luther Hill Open in Indianola on Nov. 1 before heading to the third annual Throwdown on the Yorktown III duals in Charleston, S.C. from Nov. 7-8. The Hawkeyes face Wartburg at the Iowa PBS Dual in Waverly on Dec. 10. The NWCA National Duals take place in ...

Relay sweep lifts MHS past Lincoln

Local Sports

DES MOINES — A 1-2-3 sweep in the 100-yard freestyle helped to power the Marshalltown girls’ swimming and diving squad to a 98-87 victory over Des Moines Lincoln in an Iowa Alliance Conference meet here Tuesday. The Bobcats (6-2) claimed their sixth consecutive dual meet on the strength ...

USC, UCLA seeking West Coast dominance in Big Ten

Local Sports

ROSEMONT, Ill. — With UCLA coming off a national title and Southern Cal going for one of its own with star Juju Watkins returning from injury, there may never have been more attention on women’s basketball in Los Angeles. “If you intend to come,” USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb said Wednesday at Big Ten media days, “you should probably get your tickets early.” The success of the two West Coast schools has been a bigger problem for the rest of the Big Ten than Los Angeles basketball fans. In the two years since USC and UCLA left the Pac-12 for the Big Ten, each school has ...