CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — Britain’s Jennifer Dodds and Bruce Mouat beat Italy to ensure top spot in the round-robin stage of the mixed doubles curling at the Milan Cortina Games, though the defending Olympic champions still reached the playoffs despite the loss, along with the U.S. and Sweden.

Britain, who had already sealed their playoff berth on Saturday, had a 4-3 lead at the halfway mark but some pinpoint shot-making from Amos Mosaner set up a massive three-pointer for Italy in the sixth end.

Despite the raucous roars of the home fans at the Cortina Olympic Curling Centre, Britain kept their wits about them and racked up four points in the final two ends to see out the win.

Just a few feet over, Americans Korey Dropkin and Cory Thiesse held off 2024 world champions Isabella and Rasmus Wranaa of Sweden to win 8-7.

Sweden took an early lead but Thiesse nailed a three-pointer and moved her team into a 6-4 lead after the fourth end. The Wranaa siblings were able to level at 7-7, but a miss from Isabella gave the U.S. the win.

“We knew that this was our game to win, you know, they’re a great team, but we knew we needed to bring our A game and did that today, so really proud of us,” Thiesse said.

“We’re just thrilled to be here, to be playing in front of this crowd and to be playing in front of our friends and family and people back home watching. We’re just trying to enjoy the moment and take it one rock at a time.”

This marks the first time the U.S. has made it through to the semifinals of mixed doubles curling, which was introduced at the Olympics in 2018.

ITALY AND SWEDEN INTO SEMIS

Switzerland’s 6-3 loss to Norway still ensured that both Italy and Sweden would finish in the top four of the standings and move into the semifinals.

Britain are top with eight wins from nine games, with the U.S. in second, Italy in third and Sweden fourth.

Teams play nine times in the round-robin stage, with the final four matches set to take place on Monday morning.

The semifinals will follow in the evening on Monday and the medal matches are scheduled for Tuesday.

Jocelyn Peterman and Brett Gallant of Canada lost 9-5 to South Korea’s Jeong Yeong-seok and Kim Seon-yeong, a fifth straight defeat after they won their first three games.

Canada, the curling capital of the world, won the inaugural mixed doubles competition at the Pyeongchang Games in 2018, but have not won a medal in the format since.

–Reuters, special to Field Level Media

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — In a similar vein as the halftime show growing into a larger production and cultural phenomenon year over year, each Super Bowl venue tries to outdo its predecessors with a signature — and typically outlandish — game day menu items.

At Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium on Sunday, that is hands-down the “LX Burger.” There is very little resembling a hamburger in the “LX,” a braised veal shank with a blue cheese sauce consisting of a Mire Poix demi-glace and Point Reyes blue fondue, served on a house-baked brioche bun.

The price is a staggering $180, with a recommended serving for four. By comparison, that price tag could also secure 18 hot dogs at Levi’s Stadium on Sunday. But Bob Riley and his fellow Seahawks friend from Orange County plunked one down hours before kickoff on Sunday, he proclaimed with a smile, “We don’t care!”

The behemoth attracted onlookers and more picture requests than the various super fans roaming the concourse from either team.

“Oh my gosh, you got one of those?” inquired a Patriots fan from Texas.

After taking down about two-thirds of the “burger,” Bob and friend headed off — perhaps to wash it down with a $36 double tequila sunrise or $22.50 premium draft beer.

They left the rest to some curious Seahawks and Patriots fans who found a common zeal in finishing off the lamb shank.

–A smattering of players from both teams began to take the field about two hours before kickoff, under a blazing blue sky with a “real feel” temperature of 75 degrees. The forecast is for clouds to roll in and for the game-time temperature to be in the mid-60s.

Patriots rookie kicker Andy Borregales was among the first players out on the field. He was extremely accurate working the hash marks back from 35 to 50 yards without pads on.

Kicking into a slight breeze toward the north end zone, Borregales didn’t miss until tugging one left from 60 yards from the left hash. He then nailed a kick from 61 yards off the right hash.

Borregales then moved to midfield to attempt a pair of 60-yarders from between the hashes. The first missed right while the second came up just short of the crossbar.

On the other side of the field, Seahawks linemen went through pre-game blocking drills while the receiving group caught passes.

About 45 minutes later, Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold took the field in uniform. He worked through light throws from 20 yards and in towards Seattle’s end zone on the south end. After dealing with an oblique injury throughout Seattle’s playoff run, Darnold practiced in full leading up to Super Bowl LX.

The Patriots were the first team to take the field in full uniform, just over an hour before kickoff.

The Seahawks joined three minutes later, greeted to a loud applause and chants of “Sea-Hawks!.” … There is a noticeably larger contingent of Seahawks fans in attendance, aided by the shorter travel distance and with Alaska, American and United airlines adding more direct flights from Seattle to the Bay Area leading up to the game

–Derek Harper, Field Level Media

Bennett Stirtz scored a career-high 36 points and Tavion Banks added 13 as Iowa defeated visiting Northwestern 76-70 on Sunday in Iowa City, Iowa, to extend its winning streak to six games.

Iowa (18-5, 8-4 Big Ten) eclipsed last season’s total for overall and conference victories behind a plus-12 rebounding margin and a 16-point edge in points in the paint.

After leading by as many as 14 points after halftime, the Hawkeyes saw the Wildcats draw within three on Nick Martinelli’s jumper with nine minutes left to cap a 7-0 run.

Iowa limited Northwestern to four field goals the rest of the way.

Stirtz, who has scored at least 20 points in each game during the streak, consistently had the answer. He swished a stepback 3-pointer to push the advantage to nine points with 3:38 remaining, while his layup put the Hawkeyes up five with 1:40 to go.

The Wildcats (10-14, 2-11) cut the deficit to 74-70 on a Martinelli trey with 29 seconds left but Cooper Koch got open for a breakaway dunk off the ensuing inbounds pass.

Northwestern entered Sunday averaging 8.2 turnovers per game this season, fewest in NCAA Division I. The Wildcats had eight giveaways in the first half and 10 for the game

Martinelli paced Northwestern with 21 points. Freshman Jake West added a career-best 18 of 7-of-8 shooting, including a fast-break dunk over Alvaro Folgueiras, who stands seven inches taller. Tre Singleton chipped in 10 points for the Wildcats before fouling out.

Martinelli, the Big Ten’s leading scorer, and reserves Angelo Ciaravino and Arrinten Page each were whistled for three fouls in the first half.

Iowa took advantage, hitting 17 of 22 free throws en route to taking a 39-35 lead into halftime.

Stirtz shined in the closing minutes. His driving layup with 3:40 left in the first half ended a field goal drought of 3:53 and started a stretch in which he scored 10 successive Iowa points in less than two minutes.

Stirtz influenced the game even when he didn’t score, as Jayden Reid was called for a technical foul for trash-talking Stirtz after knocking the ball away on a layup attempt.

Banks grabbed a game-high seven rebounds while Ciaravino led Northwestern with five boards.

Iowa stretched its home winning streak against Northwestern to 11 games.

–Field Level Media