Friday August 18th Local Sports

THIS WEEKEND:

== FRIDAY
– AM-1300 KGLO — Minnesota Twins vs. Pittsburgh — pre-game 6:30, first pitch 7:10
– AM-1490/96.7-FM KRIB, kribam.com — Iowa High School Scoreboard Show pre-season edition — 10:00-11:30 PM

 

== SATUDAY
AM-1300 KGLO — Minnesota Twins vs. Pittsburgh — pre-game 5:30, first pitch 6:10

 

== SUNDAY
AM-1300 KGLO — Minnesota Twins vs. Pittsburgh — Inside Twins 12:00, pre-game 12:30, first pitch 1:10

 

MASON CITY — Several high school football programs will hold preview night scrimmages tonight throughout north-central Iowa. Mason City will travel to Forest City for a varsity scrimmage. New Riverhawks head coach Josh Reuter says he’s enjoying his time in taking over the head role.

Reuter talks about what he’s asked his team to buy into during pre-season practices.

Reuter says his team is excited for the season.

The varsity scrimmage starts at 7:30.

 

 

Other scrimmages locally tonight include:

== Clear Lake will host Osage for a scrimmage that starts at 5 o’clock
== Newman will host Postville starting at 6 o’clock

West Hancock at Algona
Lake Mills at Garner-Hayfield-Ventura
Sioux Central at West Fork
Northwood-Kensett at Riceville
Hampton-Dumont-CAL at Belmond-Klemme

 

 

 

MASON CITY — The first Iowa High School Scoreboard Show from Radio Iowa is tonight on KRIB. Each and every week, including this preview show week, you can hear scores from around the state of Iowa from 10:00-11:30 on AM-1490/96.7-FM KRIB and kribam.com

 

 

 

 

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Beth Goetz wasn’t around for most of the lawsuits, settlements and football controversy that shed a negative light on the Iowa athletic department in recent years.

As interim athletic director, her job is to get the department moving in a positive direction and make sure the bad things that happened in the past don’t happen again.

During her introductory news conference on Thursday, Goetz says she wants to try to ensure and help support the university in not making any repetitive mistakes.

Goetz takes over for Gary Barta, who retired July 31 after 17 years as athletic director. She was hired last September as deputy athletic director and chief operating officer after four years as Ball State’s athletic director. She was an athletic administrator at Connecticut and Minnesota before that.

The 49-year-old Missouri native is in charge at a time when the Big Ten is taking steps toward the expansion to 18 schools next year with the additions of UCLA, Southern California, Oregon and Washington. There also are challenges with the NCAA transfer portal and possible new laws and rules for NIL, which allows college athletes to make money from their name, image and likeness.

Goetz’s immediate focus is the state’s investigation into illegal sports wagering by college athletes and its fallout.

On the day she began her job, Aug. 1, criminal charges were filed against three current or former Iowa athletes in connection with the investigation. Last week charges were filed against three more.

All the athletes are suspected of tampering with records to disguise their identity. They were under the state’s legal betting age of 21 and NCAA athletes at the time their mobile betting accounts were set up under the names of other people, according to criminal complaints.

Other Iowa athletes remain under investigation, and Goetz said the school has begun the NCAA’s process for reinstating eligibility. She said she expects to receive feedback from the NCAA within days.

Under Barta, the athletic department paid out more than $11 million in settlements, including one in March for $4.2 million to 12 Black football players who alleged racial discrimination and abuse in the football program.

In 2021, the department paid $400,000 to settle a Title IX lawsuit after dropping the women’s swimming program. The program later was reinstated.

The department paid $6.5 million in 2017 to the former field hockey coach and her partner to settle a lawsuit based on the coach’s allegation she was discriminated against based on her gender and sexual orientation.

On top of the settlements, the football program has been dogged by concerns over nepotism with 25th-year coach Kirk Ferentz hiring and retaining his son, Brian Ferentz, as offensive coordinator.

The father-son relationship required Barta, under university policy, to be Brian Ferentz’s direct supervisor, and Goetz said she would continue in that role.

Goetz said an amendment to Brian Ferentz’s contract remains in place requiring Iowa to win seven games and average 25 points per game for him to keep his job.

 

 

 

 

IOWA CITY — Iowa’s offense is motivated to stop being a liability this season. The Hawkeyes were 8-5 last season but it could have been much better had they averaged more than a measly 17.7 points per game. An influx of transfers are being counted on to make the offense more productive, including former Michigan quarterback Cade McNamara.

That is senior receiver Nico Ragaini who says the offense has something to prove.

Ragaini says McNamara has been a great addition.

Offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz had a 25 points per game incentive added to his contract but the son of head coach Kirk Ferentz is focused on winning.

The added pressure of being the head coach’s son has always been there.

He says McNamara has shown the ability to extend plays in practice.

The Hawkeyes open the season at home on September 2nd against Utah State.

 

 

 

AMES — Sophomores Cartevious Norton and Eli King are the most experienced running backs in a group that is missing senior Jirehl Brock at Iowa State. Norton appeared in eight games last season but was hampered by a hamstring injury he suffered in the season opener.

Norton says with experience he has learned to be patient.

Though still early in his career Norton has become one of the leaders of the running back group.

King also appeared in eight games last year and feels he has improved during the offseason.

King says he has become a better student of the game.

Injuries plagued the running backs last year and King says they are trying to do a better job of taking care of their bodies.

The Cyclones open at home on September 2nd against UNI.