Wednesday on Sports Day (Watch)

The Kansas Shrine Bowl is headed back to Dodge City for the second time in 2025. The Kansas Shrine Bowl Board of Directors announced the 52nd Kansas Shrine Bowl presented by Mammoth will be played on Saturday, June 21, 2025 at Memorial Stadium in Dodge City. 

“We are excited to bring the Kansas Shrine Bowl back to Dodge City,” said Brice Kesler, Executive Director of the Kansas Shrine Bowl. “The beautiful renovations to Memorial Stadium will provide a great host for our game and create the type of experience we want for our participants.”

Dodge City previously hosted the Kansas Shrine Bowl in 2019, bringing the event to Southwest Kansas for the first time. 

"We're thrilled to welcome the Kansas Shrine Bowl back to Dodge City," said Megan Welsh, director of the Dodge City Convention and Visitors Bureau. "Hosting an event of this magnitude wouldn't be possible without the incredible support of our community partners. We look forward to showcasing our Old West hospitality and giving these talented young athletes a taste of our rich history."

In addition to hosting the Kansas Shrine Bowl All-Star football game, the week of the Kansas Shrine Bowl includes an all-star cheer camp, an all-state band camp, hospital experience event, golf tournament, parade, alumni events, the Friday Night All-Star Showcase Event and more. 

“We’re thankful that the Kansas Shrine Bowl is returning to Dodge City”, said Jacob Miller, chair of the Dodge City Sports Commission. “The facilities we have in this community are top-notch and our cooperation between multiple entities are a main reason why we can bring back an event like the Kansas Shrine Bowl for a second time. The Kansas Shrine Bowl is a great opportunity to showcase the amazing facilities we have here in Dodge City!”

The Kansas Shrine Bowl host site is awarded following a competitive bid process which includes communities across Kansas. Since 1974, the Kansas Shrine Bowl has been played in Lawrence, Manhattan, Wichita, Topeka, Hays, Emporia, Pittsburg, El Dorado, Dodge City and Hutchinson. 

To learn more about the Kansas Shrine Bowl and associated events, visit www.KansasShrineBowl.com. 

All Shrine Bowl of Kansas, Inc. events are produced and presented to benefit Shriners Children’s. It is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity that produces annual events and related activities, with net proceeds benefiting Shriners Children’s. Shriners Children’s is a health care system of 22 hospitals dedicated to improving the lives of children by providing pediatric specialty care, innovative research, and outstanding teaching programs for medical professionals. Children up to the age of 18 are eligible for care and receive all services in a family-centered environment, regardless of the patients' ability to pay. Since 1974, the Shrine Bowl of Kansas, Inc has donated $3.8 million to Shriners Children’s.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715785398923.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Kansas Shrine Bowl is headed back to Dodge City for the second time in 2025. The Kansas Shrine Bowl Board of Directors announced the 52nd Kansas Shrine Bowl presented by Mammoth will be played on Saturday, June 21, 2025 at Memorial Stadium in Dodge City. “We are excited to bring the Kansas Shrine Bowl back to Dodge City,” said Brice Kesler, Executive Director of the Kansas Shrine Bowl. “The beautiful renovations to Memorial Stadium will provide a great host for our game and create the type of experience we want for our participants.”Dodge City previously hosted the Kansas Shrine Bowl in 2019, bringing the event to Southwest Kansas for the first time. "We're thrilled to welcome the Kansas Shrine Bowl back to Dodge City," said Megan Welsh, director of the Dodge City Convention and Visitors Bureau. "Hosting an event of this magnitude wouldn't be possible without the incredible support of our community partners. We look forward to showcasing our Old West hospitality and giving these talented young athletes a taste of our rich history."In addition to hosting the Kansas Shrine Bowl All-Star football game, the week of the Kansas Shrine Bowl includes an all-star cheer camp, an all-state band camp, hospital experience event, golf tournament, parade, alumni events, the Friday Night All-Star Showcase Event and more. “We’re thankful that the Kansas Shrine Bowl is returning to Dodge City”, said Jacob Miller, chair of the Dodge City Sports Commission. “The facilities we have in this community are top-notch and our cooperation between multiple entities are a main reason why we can bring back an event like the Kansas Shrine Bowl for a second time. The Kansas Shrine Bowl is a great opportunity to showcase the amazing facilities we have here in Dodge City!”The Kansas Shrine Bowl host site is awarded following a competitive bid process which includes communities across Kansas. Since 1974, the Kansas Shrine Bowl has been played in Lawrence, Manhattan, Wichita, Topeka, Hays, Emporia, Pittsburg, El Dorado, Dodge City and Hutchinson. To learn more about the Kansas Shrine Bowl and associated events, visit www.KansasShrineBowl.com. All Shrine Bowl of Kansas, Inc. events are produced and presented to benefit Shriners Children’s. It is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity that produces annual events and related activities, with net proceeds benefiting Shriners Children’s. Shriners Children’s is a health care system of 22 hospitals dedicated to improving the lives of children by providing pediatric specialty care, innovative research, and outstanding teaching programs for medical professionals. Children up to the age of 18 are eligible for care and receive all services in a family-centered environment, regardless of the patients' ability to pay. Since 1974, the Shrine Bowl of Kansas, Inc has donated $3.8 million to Shriners Children’s.

Dodge City to host 2025 Kansas Shrine Bowl

By MIKE COURSON Great Bend Post

Great Bend High School will host a Class 5A track and field regional Thursday. Field events begin at 2 p.m. with preliminary races on the track beginning at 5 p.m. The top four finishers from each event will qualify for the Kansas State High School Track and Field Championships held at Wichita State University's Cessna Stadium on May 24-25.

Based on regular-season rankings, here are some of the top times and marks among the athletes in competition Thursday:

Girls The Lady Panthers have won three-straight regional titles. Teams from eight other schools will be pushing to end that streak, perhaps most notably, Salina Central.

100m dash: Newton's Mackenzie Sauerwein and Salina Central's Elle Denning are ranked No. 4 and 5 in the class, respectively. Hays also has a pair of sprinters in the top 16.

200m dash: Sauerwein is ranked No. four in the class, followed by Denning at No. 7. Hays' Kamryn McCall is ranked No. 11.

400m dash: The GB regional will feature four ranked sprinters, led by Valley Center's Laney Hooper at No. 3. Goddard's Leah LaPlant and Newton's Maisie Brubacher are also top-seven sprinters.

800m run: Great Bend's power has been in the distance events. Salina Central freshman Kaylie Schultz enters at No. 6 in 5A (2:19.94), with Great Bend senior Eliana Beckham ranked No. 9 (2:20.35). Salina South's Ava Lemaster is ranked No. 11 at 2:21. Lady Panthers Reese Bullard and Sienna Smith could push for the fourth qualifying spot with Bullard's season-best at 2:25.

1600m run: Salina Central junior Katelyn Rupe has already committed to North Carolina and ranks No. 15 all-time in Kansas at 4:54.45 this year. Her freshman teammate Schultz is ranked No. 6 in Kansas this spring (5:00.17). Great Bend senior Addy Nicholson ranks No. 14 in 5A (5:21), and Smith has gone as fast as 5:30 this spring.

3200m run: Rupe is better in longer races, and her 10:17 at the KU Relays last month ranks No. 6 all-time in Kansas and No. 2 in the state this year. Schultz ranks No. 4 in Kansas at 10:32. Those are the only two ranked runners in the Great Bend field, with Nicholson entering with a season-best 11:46 and Marissa Boone at 11:54.

100m hurdles: The GB regional features four of the top 13 hurdlers in 5A this spring, with Salina South's Tamia Cheeks at No. 4 (15.41) and Hays' Lyndi Zimmerman at No. 5 (15.46). Lady Panther senior Sadie Spray has made strides in her return to the event with a season-best of 16.43, which trails fourth-seeded Anai Fernandez of Newton by 0.35s.

300m hurdles: Lady Panther senior Kenzie Premer is the reigning three-time state runner-up in the event. With Premer out, the torch falls to Spray, who enters ranked No. 12 in 5A (48.56). She will be the No. 3 seed out of four top-16 hurdlers at the regional. Cheeks and Zimmerman are ranked No. 9 and 10, respectively.

4x1: The GB regional features four of the top 13 teams in 5A, led by Hays at No. 5.

4x4: Great Bend leads a field of three ranked teams at the regional. The Lady Panthers are ranked No. 9 in 5A (4:10.47) with No. 13 Valley Center clocking in at a best of 4:11.67.

4x8: Great Bend's marquee event on the track this season has been the 4x8. The Lady Panther team of Beckham, Bullard, Smith, and Kate Welcher posted a school-record 9:39.52 that ranks No. 3 in 5A and No. 7 all-class this year. Great Bend's season-best is 28 seconds faster than eighth-ranked Valley Center.

High jump: Hays junior Katie Linenberger cleared the state bar last May at 5-4 to claim second place behind Great Bend's Valarie Luna, who graduated last year. Spray also cleared 5-4 to finish third in the field. She recently tied that personal best to tie for No. 12 all-class this spring. At the same meet, Linenberger cleared 5-6 to tie at No. 5 all-class. South's Cheeks has also cleared 5-4 this year. The GB regional features seven of the top 15 jumpers in 5A this year. Junior Cassie Ellegood, another state qualifier last year, enters as the No. 4 seed at 5-2.

Long jump: The GB regional is again loaded with six of the top 13 jumpers in 5A. Hays freshman Lynsi Kanak and senior Lilian McGrath have each gone further than 17-7.

Triple jump: South's Cheeks is ranked No. 2 in 5A at 37-0. The GB regional will feature four of the top 14 jumpers in 5A.

Javelin: Lady Panther senior Macy Nachtigal has been the 5A leader for most of the season. Her best throw of 141-4 leads the class by seven feet and ranks No. 5 all-class. Hays' Rylen Harrington is ranked No. 2 in 5A (134-5), and Great Bend will see six of the top-15 throwers in 5A.

Shot put: Goddard-Eisenhower's Leah Wilkinson and Stella Kitt rank No. 1 and 3, respectively, in 5A. Wilkinson's top throw of 43-6 ranks No. 5 all-class. The GB regional features five of the top 13 throwers in 5A, with the No. 15 ranking at 36-11. Lady Panther sophomore Allie Gerhart has a best toss of 35-8.

Discus: The GB regional is loaded with five of the top six throwers in 5A, all with throws of at least 126-7. Eisenhower's Wilkinson is ranked No. 6 all-class at 140-4. In all, seven of the top 16 throwers in 5A will be in Great Bend. Lady Panther sophomore Kimberly Hofflinger has a season-best of 115-10.

Pole vault: The GB regional is again tough with seven of the top 15 vaulters in 5A. Salina South's Bethany Hicklin and Salina Central's Anna Hogeland are ranked No. 1 and 2 in the class, respectively, at 11-1 and 11-0. Great Bend freshman Kayle Baldwin has a best height of 9-0.

Boys 100m dash: The GB regional features six of the top 16 sprinters in 5A. Valley Center's Tyler Mankse ranks No. 4 at 10.75, and Goddard's Micah Johnson sits at No. 5 (10.78), but both of those times are from April. Hays senior Malik Bah ranks No. 16 but ran a season-best 11-flat last week.

200m dash: Five of the top 16 sprinters will be in Great Bend. Manske again leads the way at No. 5 in 22.10, closely followed by Hutchinson's Christopher Lachenmeier. Salina Central's Kamryn Jones is also ranked in both the 100m and 200m dashes.

400m dash: The GB regional features just two ranked sprinters at No. 14 and 15. Great Bend's Ramiro Rocho has a season-best of 51.61, which is just half a second slower than the ranked times.

800m run: There are no ranked runners at the GB regional. A 1:59.38 was required to crack the top 16 in 5A this spring. Great Bend's Ismael Ramirez and Braylon Moore both have best times of 2:03.

1600m run: The GB regional again features no ranked runners. A time of 4:27.60 was needed to make the top 16. Ramirez has a season-best of 4:37.18, and Tavon Stroup has gone as fast as 4:41.41.

3200m run: The 2-mile again features no ranked runners in the GB field. A 9:43.55 was good enough for the No. 16 spot in 5A this spring. Stroup has a best time of 10:17.70.

100m hurdles: The GB regional will feature three of the top 13 hurdlers in 5A, led by Goddard's Tyson Wallace at No. 7 (14.73) and Eisenhower's Justus Reynolds at No. 8 (14.91).

300m hurdles: Wallace and Reynolds are the top-two hurdlers in 5A this spring. Wallace ranks No. 4 all-class at 38.92, and Reynolds ranks No. 6 all-class at 38.97. Hays' Carson Avery is ranked in both 5A hurdle events.

4x1: The GB regional features four of the top 11 teams in 5A, and Eisenhower is ranked No. 15 in the class. Goddard ranks No. 7 all-class at 42.47.

4x4: Five of the top 15 teams in 5A will be in Great Bend. Hutchinson ranks No. 4 in the class at 3:25.30, closely followed by Salina South.

4x8: The Panthers enter with a season-best of 8:25.66 to rank No. 10 in Class 5A as the No. 2 seed at the regional behind Valley Center, ranked No. 9. Salina Central is ranked No. 13.

High jump: Great Bend will see two of the top 13 jumpers in 5A. Hays' Kamani Jones ranks No. 2 in the class at 6-6.

Long jump: Six of the top 16 jumpers in 5A will be in Great Bend. Hutchinson's Terrell King is ranked No. 3 at 22-9.5. Panther freshman Cooper Ohnmacht is the No. 5 seed at a season-best 22-0.5 to rank No. 13 in 5A.

Triple jump: Five of the top nine jumpers in 5A will be in Great Bend. Ohnmacht ranks No. 2 in 5A with his school-record of 46-5.5, which ranks No. 4 all-class. Hays' Jones ranks No. 8 all-class with a season-best of 45-9.

Discus: The GB regional will feature six of the top 14 throwers in 5A. Goddard's Matrix Eames ranks No. 2 in 5A at 172-3, which ranks No. 7 all-class. Great Bend's Conner Holliday has a season-best of 139-9 to trail the final ranked thrower in Great Bend by seven feet.

Shot put: Great Bend will see four ranked throwers, but Goddard's Eames leads the class by 15 inches at 57-1, the fifth-best throw in Kansas this spring. 

Javelin: The GB regional features seven of the top 13 throwers in 5A. Newton's Niko Ramos is ranked No. 2 at 189-9, followed by Hays' Dalton Meyers at No. 3 (179-10).

Pole vault: The GB regional has seven of the top 15 vaulters in 5A. Salina South's Dylan Brice and Hays' Harley Zimmerman both have clearances at 14-0.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715748372649.jpeg" alt="Lady Panther senior Addy Nicholson is coming off league titles in the 1600m and 3200m runs." />
 <figcaption>Lady Panther senior Addy Nicholson is coming off league titles in the 1600m and 3200m runs.</figcaption>
 </figure>By MIKE COURSON Great Bend PostGreat Bend High School will host a Class 5A track and field regional Thursday. Field events begin at 2 p.m. with preliminary races on the track beginning at 5 p.m. The top four finishers from each event will qualify for the Kansas State High School Track and Field Championships held at Wichita State University's Cessna Stadium on May 24-25.Based on regular-season rankings, here are some of the top times and marks among the athletes in competition Thursday:Girls The Lady Panthers have won three-straight regional titles. Teams from eight other schools will be pushing to end that streak, perhaps most notably, Salina Central.100m dash: Newton's Mackenzie Sauerwein and Salina Central's Elle Denning are ranked No. 4 and 5 in the class, respectively. Hays also has a pair of sprinters in the top 16.200m dash: Sauerwein is ranked No. four in the class, followed by Denning at No. 7. Hays' Kamryn McCall is ranked No. 11.400m dash: The GB regional will feature four ranked sprinters, led by Valley Center's Laney Hooper at No. 3. Goddard's Leah LaPlant and Newton's Maisie Brubacher are also top-seven sprinters.800m run: Great Bend's power has been in the distance events. Salina Central freshman Kaylie Schultz enters at No. 6 in 5A (2:19.94), with Great Bend senior Eliana Beckham ranked No. 9 (2:20.35). Salina South's Ava Lemaster is ranked No. 11 at 2:21. Lady Panthers Reese Bullard and Sienna Smith could push for the fourth qualifying spot with Bullard's season-best at 2:25.1600m run: Salina Central junior Katelyn Rupe has already committed to North Carolina and ranks No. 15 all-time in Kansas at 4:54.45 this year. Her freshman teammate Schultz is ranked No. 6 in Kansas this spring (5:00.17). Great Bend senior Addy Nicholson ranks No. 14 in 5A (5:21), and Smith has gone as fast as 5:30 this spring.3200m run: Rupe is better in longer races, and her 10:17 at the KU Relays last month ranks No. 6 all-time in Kansas and No. 2 in the state this year. Schultz ranks No. 4 in Kansas at 10:32. Those are the only two ranked runners in the Great Bend field, with Nicholson entering with a season-best 11:46 and Marissa Boone at 11:54.100m hurdles: The GB regional features four of the top 13 hurdlers in 5A this spring, with Salina South's Tamia Cheeks at No. 4 (15.41) and Hays' Lyndi Zimmerman at No. 5 (15.46). Lady Panther senior Sadie Spray has made strides in her return to the event with a season-best of 16.43, which trails fourth-seeded Anai Fernandez of Newton by 0.35s.300m hurdles: Lady Panther senior Kenzie Premer is the reigning three-time state runner-up in the event. With Premer out, the torch falls to Spray, who enters ranked No. 12 in 5A (48.56). She will be the No. 3 seed out of four top-16 hurdlers at the regional. Cheeks and Zimmerman are ranked No. 9 and 10, respectively.4x1: The GB regional features four of the top 13 teams in 5A, led by Hays at No. 5.4x4: Great Bend leads a field of three ranked teams at the regional. The Lady Panthers are ranked No. 9 in 5A (4:10.47) with No. 13 Valley Center clocking in at a best of 4:11.67.4x8: Great Bend's marquee event on the track this season has been the 4x8. The Lady Panther team of Beckham, Bullard, Smith, and Kate Welcher posted a school-record 9:39.52 that ranks No. 3 in 5A and No. 7 all-class this year. Great Bend's season-best is 28 seconds faster than eighth-ranked Valley Center.High jump: Hays junior Katie Linenberger cleared the state bar last May at 5-4 to claim second place behind Great Bend's Valarie Luna, who graduated last year. Spray also cleared 5-4 to finish third in the field. She recently tied that personal best to tie for No. 12 all-class this spring. At the same meet, Linenberger cleared 5-6 to tie at No. 5 all-class. South's Cheeks has also cleared 5-4 this year. The GB regional features seven of the top 15 jumpers in 5A this year. Junior Cassie Ellegood, another state qualifier last year, enters as the No. 4 seed at 5-2.Long jump: The GB regional is again loaded with six of the top 13 jumpers in 5A. Hays freshman Lynsi Kanak and senior Lilian McGrath have each gone further than 17-7.Triple jump: South's Cheeks is ranked No. 2 in 5A at 37-0. The GB regional will feature four of the top 14 jumpers in 5A.Javelin: Lady Panther senior Macy Nachtigal has been the 5A leader for most of the season. Her best throw of 141-4 leads the class by seven feet and ranks No. 5 all-class. Hays' Rylen Harrington is ranked No. 2 in 5A (134-5), and Great Bend will see six of the top-15 throwers in 5A.Shot put: Goddard-Eisenhower's Leah Wilkinson and Stella Kitt rank No. 1 and 3, respectively, in 5A. Wilkinson's top throw of 43-6 ranks No. 5 all-class. The GB regional features five of the top 13 throwers in 5A, with the No. 15 ranking at 36-11. Lady Panther sophomore Allie Gerhart has a best toss of 35-8.Discus: The GB regional is loaded with five of the top six throwers in 5A, all with throws of at least 126-7. Eisenhower's Wilkinson is ranked No. 6 all-class at 140-4. In all, seven of the top 16 throwers in 5A will be in Great Bend. Lady Panther sophomore Kimberly Hofflinger has a season-best of 115-10.Pole vault: The GB regional is again tough with seven of the top 15 vaulters in 5A. Salina South's Bethany Hicklin and Salina Central's Anna Hogeland are ranked No. 1 and 2 in the class, respectively, at 11-1 and 11-0. Great Bend freshman Kayle Baldwin has a best height of 9-0.Boys 100m dash: The GB regional features six of the top 16 sprinters in 5A. Valley Center's Tyler Mankse ranks No. 4 at 10.75, and Goddard's Micah Johnson sits at No. 5 (10.78), but both of those times are from April. Hays senior Malik Bah ranks No. 16 but ran a season-best 11-flat last week.200m dash: Five of the top 16 sprinters will be in Great Bend. Manske again leads the way at No. 5 in 22.10, closely followed by Hutchinson's Christopher Lachenmeier. Salina Central's Kamryn Jones is also ranked in both the 100m and 200m dashes.400m dash: The GB regional features just two ranked sprinters at No. 14 and 15. Great Bend's Ramiro Rocho has a season-best of 51.61, which is just half a second slower than the ranked times.800m run: There are no ranked runners at the GB regional. A 1:59.38 was required to crack the top 16 in 5A this spring. Great Bend's Ismael Ramirez and Braylon Moore both have best times of 2:03.1600m run: The GB regional again features no ranked runners. A time of 4:27.60 was needed to make the top 16. Ramirez has a season-best of 4:37.18, and Tavon Stroup has gone as fast as 4:41.41.3200m run: The 2-mile again features no ranked runners in the GB field. A 9:43.55 was good enough for the No. 16 spot in 5A this spring. Stroup has a best time of 10:17.70.100m hurdles: The GB regional will feature three of the top 13 hurdlers in 5A, led by Goddard's Tyson Wallace at No. 7 (14.73) and Eisenhower's Justus Reynolds at No. 8 (14.91).300m hurdles: Wallace and Reynolds are the top-two hurdlers in 5A this spring. Wallace ranks No. 4 all-class at 38.92, and Reynolds ranks No. 6 all-class at 38.97. Hays' Carson Avery is ranked in both 5A hurdle events.4x1: The GB regional features four of the top 11 teams in 5A, and Eisenhower is ranked No. 15 in the class. Goddard ranks No. 7 all-class at 42.47.4x4: Five of the top 15 teams in 5A will be in Great Bend. Hutchinson ranks No. 4 in the class at 3:25.30, closely followed by Salina South.4x8: The Panthers enter with a season-best of 8:25.66 to rank No. 10 in Class 5A as the No. 2 seed at the regional behind Valley Center, ranked No. 9. Salina Central is ranked No. 13.High jump: Great Bend will see two of the top 13 jumpers in 5A. Hays' Kamani Jones ranks No. 2 in the class at 6-6.Long jump: Six of the top 16 jumpers in 5A will be in Great Bend. Hutchinson's Terrell King is ranked No. 3 at 22-9.5. Panther freshman Cooper Ohnmacht is the No. 5 seed at a season-best 22-0.5 to rank No. 13 in 5A.Triple jump: Five of the top nine jumpers in 5A will be in Great Bend. Ohnmacht ranks No. 2 in 5A with his school-record of 46-5.5, which ranks No. 4 all-class. Hays' Jones ranks No. 8 all-class with a season-best of 45-9.Discus: The GB regional will feature six of the top 14 throwers in 5A. Goddard's Matrix Eames ranks No. 2 in 5A at 172-3, which ranks No. 7 all-class. Great Bend's Conner Holliday has a season-best of 139-9 to trail the final ranked thrower in Great Bend by seven feet.Shot put: Great Bend will see four ranked throwers, but Goddard's Eames leads the class by 15 inches at 57-1, the fifth-best throw in Kansas this spring. Javelin: The GB regional features seven of the top 13 throwers in 5A. Newton's Niko Ramos is ranked No. 2 at 189-9, followed by Hays' Dalton Meyers at No. 3 (179-10).Pole vault: The GB regional has seven of the top 15 vaulters in 5A. Salina South's Dylan Brice and Hays' Harley Zimmerman both have clearances at 14-0.

What to watch: Class 5A regional track and field in Great Bend

5A Great Bend Regional (Great Bend Sports Complex) Tuesday, May 14 Goddard 1, Valley Center 0 Great Bend 4, Newton 3 Great Bend 5, Goddard 3 4A McPherson Regional Tuesday, May 14 Andale 5, Larned 2 McPherson 4, Rose Hill 0 Andale 8, McPherson 0 3A Hoisington Regional Monday, May 13 Ellsworth 13, Minneapolis 3 Southeast of Saline 15, Russell 0 Hoisington 8, Smoky Valley 1 Beloit 7, Plainville 1 Tuesday, May 14 Southeast of Saline 10, Ellsworth 3 Hoisington 3, Beloit 2 Southeast of Saline 2, Hoisington 0

5A Great Bend Regional (Great Bend Sports Complex) Tuesday, May 14 Goddard 1, Valley Center 0 Great Bend 4, Newton 3 Great Bend 5, Goddard 3 4A McPherson Regional Tuesday, May 14 Andale 5, Larned 2 McPherson 4, Rose Hill 0 Andale 8, McPherson 0 3A Hoisington Regional Monday, May 13 Ellsworth 13, Minneapolis 3 Southeast of Saline 15, Russell 0 Hoisington 8, Smoky Valley 1 Beloit 7, Plainville 1 Tuesday, May 14 Southeast of Saline 10, Ellsworth 3 Hoisington 3, Beloit 2 Southeast of Saline 2, Hoisington 0

Area Regional Softball Scores

It wouldn't be the postseason without a little drama. Twice Tuesday evening at the Sports Complex, the Lady Panther softball team finished out tough games to punch their ticket to state for the first time since 2015. Freshman Camdyn Post provided the walk-off hit in a 4-3 regional semifinal win against Newton. Freshman Kya Behr hit her second 3-run homer in the regional championship to help Great Bend defeat Goddard 5-3.

"It's super exciting," said Lady Panther Coach Carrie Minton. "That's what we've talked about for a long time is how far these girls have come. Our seniors, over the years, we struggled early on. They have continued to work hard and stuck with it. Last year we finished .500. This year, it's amazing they've maintained and continued to work hard and set a great example. Then you have these classes coming in below them that are extremely talented. They just surrounded themselves and created their set of expectations. The expectation is to win."

Great Bend trailed 2-0 into the bottom of the third inning against Goddard. Behr, already with a 3-run home run in the third inning against Newton, again stepped to the plate in the bottom of the third against Goddard after Halle Post reached on an error and Paige Thexton singled. Behr's home run to center field gave the Lady Panthers their first lead in the championship game at 3-2.

"I was just working to get on base," she said. "Batting average, I think, is not as important as RBIs, so I'll 100-percent sacrifice my batting average to get those girls in because it's all about the runs."

Freshman Chayla Prendergast walked to lead off the fourth inning. Denver Ringo followed with a single, then Alyssa McCauley put down a bunt and reached on an error that scored Rylee Prilling, running for Prendergast. The Great Bend lead grew to 4-2.

Behr hit a one-out double in the fifth inning and scored on a single to center field from DeShawnna Bryant for the final Lady Panther run of the evening.

Prendergast was effective in the circle all night. She allowed two earned runs on four hits in seven innings of work in the championship game. She struck out three and walked seven. She forced a groundout in the sixth inning to leave a runner stranded at third, and she worked around three-straight walks to allow just one run in the seventh. The go-ahead run was at the plate when a hard-hit ball to Bryant in right ended Goddard's season.

Behr finished with the home run and double to drive in three runs and score twice. Thexton singled twice and scored a run. Bryant had the single and an RBI.

If the regional championship came to a dramatic conclusion, even it failed to meet the excitement of the semifinal game against Newton. Again trailing 2-0 into the bottom of the third, Behr's first bomb of the game put Great Bend ahead 3-2.

Newton tied things up in the top of the sixth. The drama continued into the top of the seventh. Sophomore Braelyn Turner threw the first 6.2 innings, allowing three earned runs on six hits with four strikeouts and a pair of walks. With a runner in scoring position, Minton made the move to Prendergast with a 1-1 count and two outs in the book. The freshman recorded a strikeout to leave the go-ahead run stranded at third.

"Instead of letting their batter feel comfortable and put pressure on our defense, we wanted the batter to feel the pressure of having to see somebody new already being down in the count," said Minton. "That was the thinking behind it. It wasn't anything other than changing up what they were seeing in that moment and making them think a little bit."

Katherine Mazouch hit a one-out single in the bottom of the seventh but was thrown out at second on a fielder's choice off the bat of Thexton. Camdyn Post, with two outs and the game-winning run on first base, delivered a ball to center field that allowed Thexton to score in walk-off fashion.

"I had a lot of confidence in them," Minton said. "I knew we were struggling at the plate just a little bit. We were getting underneath everything. It basically boiled down to we were putting too much pressure on ourselves to try and come up with a big hit. I felt like we had settled down a little bit and I was confident."

Post was huge at the plate in her first varsity postseason game with three hits, including the game-winning double, three RBIs, and a run scored. Behr homered and walked, and Kamdyn Koelsch added a pair of singles.

Great Bend takes a 22-6 record into next Thursday's Class 5A State Softball Championships in Wichita.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715738286926.jpeg" alt="The Lady Panther softball team defeated Goddard 5-3 in Tuesday's regional championship game to advance to the state tournament for the first time since 2015." />
 <figcaption>The Lady Panther softball team defeated Goddard 5-3 in Tuesday's regional championship game to advance to the state tournament for the first time since 2015.</figcaption>
 </figure>By MIKE COURSON Great Bend PostIt wouldn't be the postseason without a little drama. Twice Tuesday evening at the Sports Complex, the Lady Panther softball team finished out tough games to punch their ticket to state for the first time since 2015. Freshman Camdyn Post provided the walk-off hit in a 4-3 regional semifinal win against Newton. Freshman Kya Behr hit her second 3-run homer in the regional championship to help Great Bend defeat Goddard 5-3."It's super exciting," said Lady Panther Coach Carrie Minton. "That's what we've talked about for a long time is how far these girls have come. Our seniors, over the years, we struggled early on. They have continued to work hard and stuck with it. Last year we finished .500. This year, it's amazing they've maintained and continued to work hard and set a great example. Then you have these classes coming in below them that are extremely talented. They just surrounded themselves and created their set of expectations. The expectation is to win."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715741242056.jpeg" alt="Lady Panther freshman Kya Behr is greeted by teammates after the second of two 3-run home runs in Tuesday's regional action." />
 <figcaption>Lady Panther freshman Kya Behr is greeted by teammates after the second of two 3-run home runs in Tuesday's regional action.</figcaption>
 </figure>Great Bend trailed 2-0 into the bottom of the third inning against Goddard. Behr, already with a 3-run home run in the third inning against Newton, again stepped to the plate in the bottom of the third against Goddard after Halle Post reached on an error and Paige Thexton singled. Behr's home run to center field gave the Lady Panthers their first lead in the championship game at 3-2."I was just working to get on base," she said. "Batting average, I think, is not as important as RBIs, so I'll 100-percent sacrifice my batting average to get those girls in because it's all about the runs."Freshman Chayla Prendergast walked to lead off the fourth inning. Denver Ringo followed with a single, then Alyssa McCauley put down a bunt and reached on an error that scored Rylee Prilling, running for Prendergast. The Great Bend lead grew to 4-2.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715741309614.jpeg" alt="Lady Panther freshman Chayla Prendergast recorded a strikeout to close out regional semifinal action, then pitched a complete-game for the win against Goddard in the finals." />
 <figcaption>Lady Panther freshman Chayla Prendergast recorded a strikeout to close out regional semifinal action, then pitched a complete-game for the win against Goddard in the finals.</figcaption>
 </figure>Behr hit a one-out double in the fifth inning and scored on a single to center field from DeShawnna Bryant for the final Lady Panther run of the evening.Prendergast was effective in the circle all night. She allowed two earned runs on four hits in seven innings of work in the championship game. She struck out three and walked seven. She forced a groundout in the sixth inning to leave a runner stranded at third, and she worked around three-straight walks to allow just one run in the seventh. The go-ahead run was at the plate when a hard-hit ball to Bryant in right ended Goddard's season.Behr finished with the home run and double to drive in three runs and score twice. Thexton singled twice and scored a run. Bryant had the single and an RBI.If the regional championship came to a dramatic conclusion, even it failed to meet the excitement of the semifinal game against Newton. Again trailing 2-0 into the bottom of the third, Behr's first bomb of the game put Great Bend ahead 3-2.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715741156643.jpeg" alt="Great Bend takes a 22-6 record to the Class 5A state tournament in Wichita next Thursday." />
 <figcaption>Great Bend takes a 22-6 record to the Class 5A state tournament in Wichita next Thursday.</figcaption>
 </figure>Newton tied things up in the top of the sixth. The drama continued into the top of the seventh. Sophomore Braelyn Turner threw the first 6.2 innings, allowing three earned runs on six hits with four strikeouts and a pair of walks. With a runner in scoring position, Minton made the move to Prendergast with a 1-1 count and two outs in the book. The freshman recorded a strikeout to leave the go-ahead run stranded at third."Instead of letting their batter feel comfortable and put pressure on our defense, we wanted the batter to feel the pressure of having to see somebody new already being down in the count," said Minton. "That was the thinking behind it. It wasn't anything other than changing up what they were seeing in that moment and making them think a little bit."Katherine Mazouch hit a one-out single in the bottom of the seventh but was thrown out at second on a fielder's choice off the bat of Thexton. Camdyn Post, with two outs and the game-winning run on first base, delivered a ball to center field that allowed Thexton to score in walk-off fashion."I had a lot of confidence in them," Minton said. "I knew we were struggling at the plate just a little bit. We were getting underneath everything. It basically boiled down to we were putting too much pressure on ourselves to try and come up with a big hit. I felt like we had settled down a little bit and I was confident."Post was huge at the plate in her first varsity postseason game with three hits, including the game-winning double, three RBIs, and a run scored. Behr homered and walked, and Kamdyn Koelsch added a pair of singles.Great Bend takes a 22-6 record into next Thursday's Class 5A State Softball Championships in Wichita.

Behr bombs, Post double help Lady Panthers punch ticket to state

Baseball -Game 1- Hoisington 10 Holcomb 4 -Game 2- Hoisington 10 Cimarron 2

1.Hoisington Sports on 100.7 Eagle Country sponsored  by...USD #431 Hoisington, Donald E. Reif Jr., Attorney at Law, Superior Essex, Cardinal Pharmacy, Town &amp; Country Supermarket, H &amp; D Exploration, Central Chiropractic, Equity  Bank, K &amp; L Fencing, Keenan Law Firm, Hoisington Recreation Commission, Dr. Tyler Schremmer, Hoisington Veterinary Hospital, Clara Barton Medical Center, Barton Community College, First Kansas Bank, Innovative Livestock, Rosenburg Family Dentistry, Farmers Insurance, the Matt Delong Agency and Ehler Chevrolet

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715738778554.jpeg" alt="photo Erik Stone, KRSL radio" />
 <figcaption>photo Erik Stone, KRSL radio</figcaption>
 </figure>Baseball -Game 1- Hoisington 10 Holcomb 4 -Game 2- Hoisington 10 Cimarron 2<div><iframe width="100%" height="265" src="https://clyp.it/dwzxymhd/widget" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div><iframe width="100%" height="265" src="https://clyp.it/dsxmmz1r/widget" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>1.Hoisington Sports on 100.7 Eagle Country sponsored by...USD #431 Hoisington, Donald E. Reif Jr., Attorney at Law, Superior Essex, Cardinal Pharmacy, Town &amp; Country Supermarket, H &amp; D Exploration, Central Chiropractic, Equity Bank, K &amp; L Fencing, Keenan Law Firm, Hoisington Recreation Commission, Dr. Tyler Schremmer, Hoisington Veterinary Hospital, Clara Barton Medical Center, Barton Community College, First Kansas Bank, Innovative Livestock, Rosenburg Family Dentistry, Farmers Insurance, the Matt Delong Agency and Ehler Chevrolet

Hoisington ⚾️  B2B years going to State

Softball -Game 1- Hoisington 3 Beloit 2 -Game 2- Southeast Saline 2 Hoisington 0

1.Hoisington Sports on 100.7 Eagle Country sponsored by...USD #431 Hoisington, Donald E. Reif Jr., Attorney at Law, Superior Essex, Cardinal Pharmacy, Town &amp; Country Supermarket, H &amp; D Exploration, Central Chiropractic, Equity Bank, K &amp; L Fencing, Keenan Law Firm, Hoisington Recreation Commission, Dr. Tyler Schremmer, Hoisington Veterinary Hospital, Clara Barton Medical Center, Barton Community College, First Kansas Bank, Innovative Livestock, Rosenburg Family Dentistry, Farmers Insurance, the Matt Delong Agency and Ehler Chevrolet

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1582693944473.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Softball -Game 1- Hoisington 3 Beloit 2 -Game 2- Southeast Saline 2 Hoisington 0<div><iframe width="100%" height="265" src="https://clyp.it/cbc0fcuk/widget" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>1.Hoisington Sports on 100.7 Eagle Country sponsored by...USD #431 Hoisington, Donald E. Reif Jr., Attorney at Law, Superior Essex, Cardinal Pharmacy, Town &amp; Country Supermarket, H &amp; D Exploration, Central Chiropractic, Equity Bank, K &amp; L Fencing, Keenan Law Firm, Hoisington Recreation Commission, Dr. Tyler Schremmer, Hoisington Veterinary Hospital, Clara Barton Medical Center, Barton Community College, First Kansas Bank, Innovative Livestock, Rosenburg Family Dentistry, Farmers Insurance, the Matt Delong Agency and Ehler Chevrolet

1. Larned Sports on 106.9 brought to you in part by Progressive Therapy and Sports Medicine, Barton Community College, Farmers Bank &amp; Trust, Pawnee County CO-OP, Innovative Livestock Services, Titan Building Systems, Eakin Concrete/Santa Fe Liquor Mart,  H and H Roofing, Fusion Bank, Beckwith Mortuary, Farm Bureau Financial Services, Leigh Ann Seeman agent, Carr Auction and Real Estate, Smith Dental, Ike Shaver Plumbing, Heart of Kansas Medical Center, Equity Bank Clock Reality and Insurance, Frick Veterinary Service, Pawnee Plaza, Rosenberg Family Dentistry, Doerrs Ace Hardware and USD 495.&nbsp;

<figure>
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 </figure>Baseball -Game 1- Rose Hill 8 Larned 2<div><iframe width="100%" height="265" src="https://clyp.it/hof0aykh/widget" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>1. Larned Sports on 106.9 brought to you in part by Progressive Therapy and Sports Medicine, Barton Community College, Farmers Bank &amp; Trust, Pawnee County CO-OP, Innovative Livestock Services, Titan Building Systems, Eakin Concrete/Santa Fe Liquor Mart, H and H Roofing, Fusion Bank, Beckwith Mortuary, Farm Bureau Financial Services, Leigh Ann Seeman agent, Carr Auction and Real Estate, Smith Dental, Ike Shaver Plumbing, Heart of Kansas Medical Center, Equity Bank Clock Reality and Insurance, Frick Veterinary Service, Pawnee Plaza, Rosenberg Family Dentistry, Doerrs Ace Hardware and USD 495.&nbsp;

Baseball -Game 1- Rose Hill 8 Larned 2

SEATTLE (AP) — Nelson Velázquez put Kansas City ahead with a three-run homer in the seventh inning, and Michael Wacha worked six dominant innings as the Royals beat the Seattle Mariners 4-2 on Tuesday night.

Velázquez’s third homer of the season spoiled a strong outing for Seattle starter Logan Gilbert, who had given up just three hits over six shutout innings entering the decisive frame.

It all fell apart for Gilbert (3-2) in the seventh, as Bobby Witt, Jr. led off with a walk and reached second on a Vinnie Pasquantino groundout to second base where Josh Rojas bobbled the ball to spoil the chance of a double play. Salvador Perez reached on an intentional walk, and scored when Velázquez sent a 398-foot blast to left field.

“They found a way to put some pressure on him late, he made a mistake, and the three-run homer was the big swing in the ballgame,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said. “But the stuff, the command, the competitiveness, it was pretty much what we've seen all year from Logan.”

Velázquez' homer was his first since April 4.

“He's a high percentage slider guy, so I went there with a plan that at-bat," Velázquez said. “Look for the slider and try to hit the ball to the middle. I stood on my plan and a good thing happened.”

Maikel Garcia added to Kansas City's lead with an RBI single off Mariners reliever Trent Thornton in the eighth.

Luke Raley gave the Mariners an early lead with a solo homer in the bottom of the fourth, one of just three hits for the Mariners against Wacha (3-4), who struck out seven.

“His stuff was good today,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “The slider was better and he's been working on that. His velo was up early, he got the ball up above the zone when he needed to, he got the ball down, and his changeup was good, like usual.”

Mitch Haniger hit a solo home run in the bottom of the ninth off closer James McArthur, who struck out Dylan Moore and got Luis Urías to line out for his 10th save.

The Mariners struck out 11 times in the loss, which snapped a seven-game winning streak against the Royals.

“Especially early on, they were swinging aggressively and maybe didn't have time to get to the changeup," Wacha said. “But also, you know, trying to disguise it at times with other pitches as well. Whenever I did throw it, felt like it had good action. Some positive results today.”

Mariners: DH Mitch Garver (upper back spasms) was scratched from the starting lineup … 2B Jorge Polanco was out of the lineup after leaving in the sixth inning of Monday’s game because of a tight right hamstring. Manager Scott Servais said the injury was “nothing that serious.”

Royals: CF Kyle Isbel (stomach bug) was out of the starting lineup for the second straight game.

Seattle right-hander Bryan Woo (0-0, 0.00 ERA) will make his second start of the season on Wednesday, while the Royals will start righty Alec Marsh (3-0, 2.53 ERA). Marsh will make his second start since being activated from the injured list on May 9 after taking a line drive off his right elbow in late April.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715772481791.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals' Nelson Velazquez, right, runs the bases after hitting a three-run home run, while Seattle Mariners third baseman Luis Urias watches during the seventh inning of a baseball game Tuesday, May 14, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Jason Redmond)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals' Nelson Velazquez, right, runs the bases after hitting a three-run home run, while Seattle Mariners third baseman Luis Urias watches during the seventh inning of a baseball game Tuesday, May 14, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Jason Redmond)</figcaption>
 </figure>SEATTLE (AP) — Nelson Velázquez put Kansas City ahead with a three-run homer in the seventh inning, and Michael Wacha worked six dominant innings as the Royals beat the Seattle Mariners 4-2 on Tuesday night.Velázquez’s third homer of the season spoiled a strong outing for Seattle starter Logan Gilbert, who had given up just three hits over six shutout innings entering the decisive frame.It all fell apart for Gilbert (3-2) in the seventh, as Bobby Witt, Jr. led off with a walk and reached second on a Vinnie Pasquantino groundout to second base where Josh Rojas bobbled the ball to spoil the chance of a double play. Salvador Perez reached on an intentional walk, and scored when Velázquez sent a 398-foot blast to left field.“They found a way to put some pressure on him late, he made a mistake, and the three-run homer was the big swing in the ballgame,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said. “But the stuff, the command, the competitiveness, it was pretty much what we've seen all year from Logan.”Velázquez' homer was his first since April 4.“He's a high percentage slider guy, so I went there with a plan that at-bat," Velázquez said. “Look for the slider and try to hit the ball to the middle. I stood on my plan and a good thing happened.”Maikel Garcia added to Kansas City's lead with an RBI single off Mariners reliever Trent Thornton in the eighth.Luke Raley gave the Mariners an early lead with a solo homer in the bottom of the fourth, one of just three hits for the Mariners against Wacha (3-4), who struck out seven.“His stuff was good today,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “The slider was better and he's been working on that. His velo was up early, he got the ball up above the zone when he needed to, he got the ball down, and his changeup was good, like usual.”Mitch Haniger hit a solo home run in the bottom of the ninth off closer James McArthur, who struck out Dylan Moore and got Luis Urías to line out for his 10th save.The Mariners struck out 11 times in the loss, which snapped a seven-game winning streak against the Royals.“Especially early on, they were swinging aggressively and maybe didn't have time to get to the changeup," Wacha said. “But also, you know, trying to disguise it at times with other pitches as well. Whenever I did throw it, felt like it had good action. Some positive results today.”TRAINER’S ROOMMariners: DH Mitch Garver (upper back spasms) was scratched from the starting lineup … 2B Jorge Polanco was out of the lineup after leaving in the sixth inning of Monday’s game because of a tight right hamstring. Manager Scott Servais said the injury was “nothing that serious.”Royals: CF Kyle Isbel (stomach bug) was out of the starting lineup for the second straight game.UP NEXTSeattle right-hander Bryan Woo (0-0, 0.00 ERA) will make his second start of the season on Wednesday, while the Royals will start righty Alec Marsh (3-0, 2.53 ERA). Marsh will make his second start since being activated from the injured list on May 9 after taking a line drive off his right elbow in late April.

Nelson Velázquez slugs 3-run homer, Royals rally past Mariners 4-2

SEATTLE (AP) —
Nelson Velázquez hit a three-run homer in the seventh inning to put
Kansas City ahead, and Michael Wacha worked six dominant innings as
the Royals beat the Seattle Mariners 4-2. Velázquez’s third homer
of the season spoiled what had been a strong outing for Seattle
starter Logan Gilbert. It all fell apart for Gilbert (3-2) in the
seventh as Bobby Witt, Jr. led off with a walk and reached second on
a Vinnie Pasquantino groundout to second base. Salvador Perez then
reached on an intentional walk, and scored two batters later when
Velázquez sent a 398-foot blast to left field. Maikel Garcia added
to Kansas City’s lead with an RBI single in the eighth. Luke Raley
homered for Seattle.

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP)
— Alec Burleson hit a two-run homer in the seventh inning, Pedro
Pagés had a three-run double for his first MLB hit and the St. Louis
Cardinals defeated the Los Angeles Angels 7-6. Kevin Pillar had three
hits and Logan O’Hoppe had a three-run homer in the fourth inning
as the Angels fell to 1-5 on their current homestand despite rallying
from an early five-run deficit. The Halos are a major-league worst
5-16 at home. Burleson also had three hits as he homered for the
fourth time in 16 games after not having one in his first 19.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) —
Shohei Ohtani really wanted a splash hit into San Francisco’s
McCovey Cove, and he came oh so close. Ohtani’s 446-foot drive for
the Dodgers during a 10-2 win landed above the brick facade in
right-center for the longest home run at Oracle Park in nearly two
years. Ohtani says he is sleeping better after he had struggled to
get proper rest amid his former interpreter’s gambling scandal this
spring.

DENVER (AP) —
Nikola Jokic was presented with his third NBA MVP award before the
game, then scored 40 points and dished out 13 assists in leading the
Denver Nuggets past the Minnesota Timberwolves 112-97 Tuesday night.
That gives the Nuggets a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series. Game 6
is Thursday night in Minneapolis. The Nuggets became the first home
team to win a game in this Western Conference semifinal series.
Anthony Edwards was limited to 18 points on 5-of-15 shooting for
Minnesota.

NEW YORK (AP) —
Jalen Brunson scored 44 points, and the New York Knicks moved a win
away from their first Eastern Conference finals trip since 2000 by
beating the Indiana Pacers 121-91 in Game 5. The Knicks rebounded
from a blowout loss on Sunday and guaranteed themselves at least one
more game at Madison Square Garden in front of their roaring fans who
have been aching to see big games in late spring again. Josh Hart had
18 points and 11 rebounds, and Deuce McBride scored 17 points after
he was inserted into the starting lineup. The No. 2-seeded Knicks can
win the series Friday night at Indiana. Game 7, if necessary, would
be Sunday afternoon.

UNDATED (AP) — The
first full week of the upcoming college football season will feature
a Saturday tripleheader on ABC, including Texas A&amp;M hosting Notre
Dame in prime time. ESPN announced its major matchups for Week 0 and
Week 1 on Tuesday as part of its presentation to advertisers in New
York. The Aug. 31 matchup also marks Mike Elko’s first game as
Texas A&amp;M’s head coach. College GameDay will also originate
from College Station, Texas, that day for the first time since 2018.
ABC’s other Saturday Week 1 games include Clemson facing Georgia in
Atlanta at 12 p.m. EDT and Florida hosting Miami at 3:30 p.m.

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga.
(AP) — Kirk Cousins has shrugged off any hard feelings over the
Atlanta Falcons drafting Michael Penix Jr., insisting he’s ready to
compete and doesn’t think there will be any issues in the
quarterback room. Cousins was one of the biggest free-agent signings
of the offseason, getting a $180 million, four-year deal with the
Falcons that includes $100 million in guaranteed money. Then, in the
most shocking decision of the draft, the Falcons selected Penix with
the No. 8 overall selection. Cousins didn’t exactly endorse the
selection of Penix, dodging a question about whether he would’ve
signed with the Falcons if he knew they were planning to draft
another quarterback in the first round. But Cousins says he's ready
to make a potentially uncomfortable situation work for the Falcons.

LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP)
— North Carolina State, Baylor and Texas will be among the eight
teams in the field for the 2025 Maui Invitational. The tournament
field also will include Oregon, Seton Hall, Southern California, UNLV
and host Chaminade. The tournament returns to the Lahaina Civic
Center this November after being played in Honolulu last year
following a series of fires that killed 101 people and decimated the
town of Lahaina. The 2025 bracket will be played Nov. 24-26. N.C.
State is coming off the program’s fourth trip to the Final Four
following an unexpected run through the ACC Tournament. Baylor is one
of four teams to win at least one game in the NCAA Tournament the
last five years, including a run to the 2021 national championship.

KANSAS CITY, Mo.
(AP) — Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker railed against
Pride month, working women, President Biden’s leadership during the
COVID-19 pandemic and abortion during a commencement address at
Benedictine College last weekend. The three-time Super Bowl champion
delivered the roughly 20-minute address Saturday at the Catholic
private liberal arts school in Atchison, Kansas. Butker also
addressed the women in the audience, arguing their “most important
title” should be that of “homemaker.” Butker has made his
conservative Catholic beliefs well known. The Chiefs declined to
comment on the commencement address.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP)
— There's a lot of uncertainty about Tiger Woods at the PGA
Championship. Only some of it involves his golf. Woods says he is
still talking with the PGA of America about whether he has the time
to serve as Ryder Cup captain for the 2025 matches at Bethpage Black.
Woods didn't have a lot to offer about his role on the PGA Tour as it
tries to negotiate with the Saudi backers of LIV Golf on a potential
investment deal. As for his game? He says he needs to figure out how
to play four good rounds instead of two.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP)
— Rory McIlroy has filed for divorce in a stunning development as
the PGA Championship nears. Court records in Palm Beach County,
Florida, showed the petition for dissolution of marriage against
Erica Stoll was filed Monday. That's one day after McIlroy won the
Wells Fargo Championship for his 26th career PGA Tour victory.
McIlroy's management team confirms the divorce filing and says he
won't comment to make sure this time is respectful and amicable. The
petition for divorce described the marriage as irretrievably broken
and asked that a prenuptial agreement signed about a month before
their 2017 wedding be enforced. The prenuptial agreement was sealed.

Toronto	at	Baltimore	6:35
p.m.	(Postponed)

NATIONAL
BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PLAYOFFS

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715164542820.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>SEATTLE (AP) —
Nelson Velázquez hit a three-run homer in the seventh inning to put
Kansas City ahead, and Michael Wacha worked six dominant innings as
the Royals beat the Seattle Mariners 4-2. Velázquez’s third homer
of the season spoiled what had been a strong outing for Seattle
starter Logan Gilbert. It all fell apart for Gilbert (3-2) in the
seventh as Bobby Witt, Jr. led off with a walk and reached second on
a Vinnie Pasquantino groundout to second base. Salvador Perez then
reached on an intentional walk, and scored two batters later when
Velázquez sent a 398-foot blast to left field. Maikel Garcia added
to Kansas City’s lead with an RBI single in the eighth. Luke Raley
homered for Seattle.ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP)
— Alec Burleson hit a two-run homer in the seventh inning, Pedro
Pagés had a three-run double for his first MLB hit and the St. Louis
Cardinals defeated the Los Angeles Angels 7-6. Kevin Pillar had three
hits and Logan O’Hoppe had a three-run homer in the fourth inning
as the Angels fell to 1-5 on their current homestand despite rallying
from an early five-run deficit. The Halos are a major-league worst
5-16 at home. Burleson also had three hits as he homered for the
fourth time in 16 games after not having one in his first 19.SAN FRANCISCO (AP) —
Shohei Ohtani really wanted a splash hit into San Francisco’s
McCovey Cove, and he came oh so close. Ohtani’s 446-foot drive for
the Dodgers during a 10-2 win landed above the brick facade in
right-center for the longest home run at Oracle Park in nearly two
years. Ohtani says he is sleeping better after he had struggled to
get proper rest amid his former interpreter’s gambling scandal this
spring.DENVER (AP) —
Nikola Jokic was presented with his third NBA MVP award before the
game, then scored 40 points and dished out 13 assists in leading the
Denver Nuggets past the Minnesota Timberwolves 112-97 Tuesday night.
That gives the Nuggets a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series. Game 6
is Thursday night in Minneapolis. The Nuggets became the first home
team to win a game in this Western Conference semifinal series.
Anthony Edwards was limited to 18 points on 5-of-15 shooting for
Minnesota.NEW YORK (AP) —
Jalen Brunson scored 44 points, and the New York Knicks moved a win
away from their first Eastern Conference finals trip since 2000 by
beating the Indiana Pacers 121-91 in Game 5. The Knicks rebounded
from a blowout loss on Sunday and guaranteed themselves at least one
more game at Madison Square Garden in front of their roaring fans who
have been aching to see big games in late spring again. Josh Hart had
18 points and 11 rebounds, and Deuce McBride scored 17 points after
he was inserted into the starting lineup. The No. 2-seeded Knicks can
win the series Friday night at Indiana. Game 7, if necessary, would
be Sunday afternoon.UNDATED (AP) — The
first full week of the upcoming college football season will feature
a Saturday tripleheader on ABC, including Texas A&amp;M hosting Notre
Dame in prime time. ESPN announced its major matchups for Week 0 and
Week 1 on Tuesday as part of its presentation to advertisers in New
York. The Aug. 31 matchup also marks Mike Elko’s first game as
Texas A&amp;M’s head coach. College GameDay will also originate
from College Station, Texas, that day for the first time since 2018.
ABC’s other Saturday Week 1 games include Clemson facing Georgia in
Atlanta at 12 p.m. EDT and Florida hosting Miami at 3:30 p.m.FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga.
(AP) — Kirk Cousins has shrugged off any hard feelings over the
Atlanta Falcons drafting Michael Penix Jr., insisting he’s ready to
compete and doesn’t think there will be any issues in the
quarterback room. Cousins was one of the biggest free-agent signings
of the offseason, getting a $180 million, four-year deal with the
Falcons that includes $100 million in guaranteed money. Then, in the
most shocking decision of the draft, the Falcons selected Penix with
the No. 8 overall selection. Cousins didn’t exactly endorse the
selection of Penix, dodging a question about whether he would’ve
signed with the Falcons if he knew they were planning to draft
another quarterback in the first round. But Cousins says he's ready
to make a potentially uncomfortable situation work for the Falcons.LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP)
— North Carolina State, Baylor and Texas will be among the eight
teams in the field for the 2025 Maui Invitational. The tournament
field also will include Oregon, Seton Hall, Southern California, UNLV
and host Chaminade. The tournament returns to the Lahaina Civic
Center this November after being played in Honolulu last year
following a series of fires that killed 101 people and decimated the
town of Lahaina. The 2025 bracket will be played Nov. 24-26. N.C.
State is coming off the program’s fourth trip to the Final Four
following an unexpected run through the ACC Tournament. Baylor is one
of four teams to win at least one game in the NCAA Tournament the
last five years, including a run to the 2021 national championship.KANSAS CITY, Mo.
(AP) — Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker railed against
Pride month, working women, President Biden’s leadership during the
COVID-19 pandemic and abortion during a commencement address at
Benedictine College last weekend. The three-time Super Bowl champion
delivered the roughly 20-minute address Saturday at the Catholic
private liberal arts school in Atchison, Kansas. Butker also
addressed the women in the audience, arguing their “most important
title” should be that of “homemaker.” Butker has made his
conservative Catholic beliefs well known. The Chiefs declined to
comment on the commencement address.LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP)
— There's a lot of uncertainty about Tiger Woods at the PGA
Championship. Only some of it involves his golf. Woods says he is
still talking with the PGA of America about whether he has the time
to serve as Ryder Cup captain for the 2025 matches at Bethpage Black.
Woods didn't have a lot to offer about his role on the PGA Tour as it
tries to negotiate with the Saudi backers of LIV Golf on a potential
investment deal. As for his game? He says he needs to figure out how
to play four good rounds instead of two.LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP)
— Rory McIlroy has filed for divorce in a stunning development as
the PGA Championship nears. Court records in Palm Beach County,
Florida, showed the petition for dissolution of marriage against
Erica Stoll was filed Monday. That's one day after McIlroy won the
Wells Fargo Championship for his 26th career PGA Tour victory.
McIlroy's management team confirms the divorce filing and says he
won't comment to make sure this time is respectful and amicable. The
petition for divorce described the marriage as irretrievably broken
and asked that a prenuptial agreement signed about a month before
their 2017 wedding be enforced. The prenuptial agreement was sealed.TUESDAY SCORESMAJOR LEAGUE
BASEBALLINTERLEAGUEFinal	Washington	6	Chicago
White Sox	3	Final	Miami	1	Detroit	0	Final	Chicago White
Sox	4	Washington	0	Final	St.
Louis	7	L.A. Angels	6	AMERICAN LEAGUEToronto	at	Baltimore	6:35
p.m.	(Postponed)Final	N.Y.
Yankees	5	Minnesota	1	Final	Boston	5	Tampa
Bay	4	Final	Cleveland	7	Texas	4	Final	Houston	2	Oakland	1	Final	Kansas
City	4	Seattle	2	NATIONAL LEAGUEFinal	Philadelphia	4	N.Y.
Mets	0	Final	Atlanta	7	Chicago
Cubs	0	Final	Milwaukee	4	Pittsburgh	3	Final	Cincinnati	6	Arizona	2	Final	Colorado	6	San
Diego	3	Final	L.A.
Dodgers	10	San Francisco	2	NATIONAL
BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PLAYOFFSFinal	New
York	121	Indiana	91	Final	Denver	112	Minnesota	97	NATIONAL HOCKEY
LEAGUE PLAYOFFSFinal	Boston	2	Florida	1

Wednesday Sports Headlines and Scores presented by Barton Community College

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — The Buffalo Bills have signed yet another receiver, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, to reshape a position group that lost two starters,&nbsp;including Stefon Diggs.

The Bills announced the signing of the sixth-year player to a one-year contract on Tuesday, a day after Valdes-Scantling visited the team for a workout.

Listed at 6-foot-4 and 206 pounds, he is a two-time Super Bowl champion after spending the past two seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, where he combined for 63 catches for 1,002 yards and three touchdowns. Among his most notable catches was a 16-yard TD reception in Kansas City's 25-22 Super Bowl win over San Francisco in February.

Selected in the fifth round of the 2018 draft by Green Bay, he spent his first four seasons with the Packers, where he had 123 catches for 2,153 yards and 13 TDs.

The 29-year-old Valdes-Scantling goes from catching passes from Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay and Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City to Buffalo’s Josh Allen.

He joins what is becoming a crowded receiver group of free agents and castoffs the Bills have brought in this offseason to offset the loss of Diggs, who was traded to Houston last month, and the free-agent departure of No. 2 receiver Gabe Davis.

The two combined for 152 catches, 1,929 yards and 15 of Allen’s 29 touchdown passes last year.

Buffalo used its top draft pick to&nbsp;select Florida State’s Keon Coleman at No. 33&nbsp;last month.

Among Buffalo’s veteran free-agent offseason additions at receiver are Curtis Samuel, Mack Hollins, Chase Claypool and Quintez Cephus.

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — The Buffalo Bills have signed yet another receiver, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, to reshape a position group that lost two starters,&nbsp;including Stefon Diggs.The Bills announced the signing of the sixth-year player to a one-year contract on Tuesday, a day after Valdes-Scantling visited the team for a workout.Listed at 6-foot-4 and 206 pounds, he is a two-time Super Bowl champion after spending the past two seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, where he combined for 63 catches for 1,002 yards and three touchdowns. Among his most notable catches was a 16-yard TD reception in Kansas City's 25-22 Super Bowl win over San Francisco in February.Selected in the fifth round of the 2018 draft by Green Bay, he spent his first four seasons with the Packers, where he had 123 catches for 2,153 yards and 13 TDs.The 29-year-old Valdes-Scantling goes from catching passes from Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay and Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City to Buffalo’s Josh Allen.He joins what is becoming a crowded receiver group of free agents and castoffs the Bills have brought in this offseason to offset the loss of Diggs, who was traded to Houston last month, and the free-agent departure of No. 2 receiver Gabe Davis.The two combined for 152 catches, 1,929 yards and 15 of Allen’s 29 touchdown passes last year.Buffalo used its top draft pick to&nbsp;select Florida State’s Keon Coleman at No. 33&nbsp;last month.Among Buffalo’s veteran free-agent offseason additions at receiver are Curtis Samuel, Mack Hollins, Chase Claypool and Quintez Cephus.

Buffalo Bills continue offseason stockpile of receivers with signing of Marquez Valdes-Scantling

NEW YORK (AP) — First, Lamar Jackson. Then, Joe Burrow.

The two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs face a daunting test in opening their season after CBS unveiled Kansas City’s Week 2 opponent as being the Cincinnati Bengals on Tuesday. The league also announced Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets will open their season on ESPN's Monday Night Football on Sept. 9 in traveling to play the NFC champion San Francisco 49ers.

Prime Video later announced it’s Thursday Night Football schedule will open in Week 2 with an AFC East showdown featuring the Miami Dolphins hosting the Buffalo Bills on Sept. 12.

The Bengals, with Burrow as their quarterback again following a season-ending wrist injury, will travel to play at Kansas City in a late-afternoon outing on Sept. 15. The matchup follows the league's announcement on Monday of the Chiefs opening the NFL schedule hosting the Jackson-led Baltimore Ravens on Sept. 5 in a rematch of last season’s AFC title game.

The meeting against the Bengals brings together two teams who met in consecutive AFC championships, with Cincinnati winning in 2021 and the Chiefs winning the following season.

The NFL is releasing highlighted portions of its schedule in advance of the league revealing its full slate of games on Wednesday night.

The Jets are opening on Monday Night Football for a second consecutive season following a 22-16 overtime win over the Buffalo Bills last year, in what became Rodgers' celebrated but injury-abbreviated New York debut. Rodgers attempted one pass, which went incomplete, during a first series which ended with him tearing his left Achilles tendon. He was sidelined for the rest of the season.

Rodgers is on track to return to practice without limitations once the Jets begin voluntary spring sessions next week.

This season marks Prime's third since taking over the Thursday night broadcast, and kicks off with a rematch of last season's finale in which Josh Allen and the Bills defeated the Dolphins 21-14 to clinch Buffalo its fourth consecutive AFC East title. It also relegated Miami to the AFC's sixth playoff seed. Buffalo has won four consecutive meetings and 11 of 12 against Miami, including a wild-card playoff victory two years ago.

The league previously announced that the Green Bay Packers would be facing the Philadelphia Eagles in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on Sept. 6. It will be the first time the NFL has played a game on Friday night of opening weekend in more than 50 years.

The game will be streamed on Peacock, and also air on the NBC affiliates in Philadelphia, Green Bay and Milwaukee.

Also, Tom Brady’s broadcast debut with Fox will be on Sept. 8 when the Dallas Cowboys open at the Cleveland Browns. It is the first time since 2019 that the Cowboys have not had a prime time kickoff in Week 1.

In a departure from past seasons, CBS and Fox will not both have a doubleheader in Week 1. Fox has it for the opening week followed by CBS in Week 2.

The league will announce the dates and opponents for the four international games in Europe on Wednesday morning. Jacksonville, Minnesota and Chicago are the designated home teams for the London contests and Carolina will head to Munich, Germany.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715715171974.jpeg" alt="FILE - Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) throws a pass during the second half of the AFC Championship NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, in Baltimore, Sunday, Jan. 28, 2024. The NFL announced Monday, May 13, that the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs will open the season at home against the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday, Sept. 5. The game is a rematch of the AFC championship game in January, which the Chiefs won 17-10 in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Terrance Williams, File)" />
 <figcaption>FILE - Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) throws a pass during the second half of the AFC Championship NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, in Baltimore, Sunday, Jan. 28, 2024. The NFL announced Monday, May 13, that the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs will open the season at home against the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday, Sept. 5. The game is a rematch of the AFC championship game in January, which the Chiefs won 17-10 in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Terrance Williams, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — First, Lamar Jackson. Then, Joe Burrow.The two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs face a daunting test in opening their season after CBS unveiled Kansas City’s Week 2 opponent as being the Cincinnati Bengals on Tuesday. The league also announced Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets will open their season on ESPN's Monday Night Football on Sept. 9 in traveling to play the NFC champion San Francisco 49ers.Prime Video later announced it’s Thursday Night Football schedule will open in Week 2 with an AFC East showdown featuring the Miami Dolphins hosting the Buffalo Bills on Sept. 12.The Bengals, with Burrow as their quarterback again following a season-ending wrist injury, will travel to play at Kansas City in a late-afternoon outing on Sept. 15. The matchup follows the league's announcement on Monday of the Chiefs opening the NFL schedule hosting the Jackson-led Baltimore Ravens on Sept. 5 in a rematch of last season’s AFC title game.The meeting against the Bengals brings together two teams who met in consecutive AFC championships, with Cincinnati winning in 2021 and the Chiefs winning the following season.The NFL is releasing highlighted portions of its schedule in advance of the league revealing its full slate of games on Wednesday night.The Jets are opening on Monday Night Football for a second consecutive season following a 22-16 overtime win over the Buffalo Bills last year, in what became Rodgers' celebrated but injury-abbreviated New York debut. Rodgers attempted one pass, which went incomplete, during a first series which ended with him tearing his left Achilles tendon. He was sidelined for the rest of the season.Rodgers is on track to return to practice without limitations once the Jets begin voluntary spring sessions next week.This season marks Prime's third since taking over the Thursday night broadcast, and kicks off with a rematch of last season's finale in which Josh Allen and the Bills defeated the Dolphins 21-14 to clinch Buffalo its fourth consecutive AFC East title. It also relegated Miami to the AFC's sixth playoff seed. Buffalo has won four consecutive meetings and 11 of 12 against Miami, including a wild-card playoff victory two years ago.The league previously announced that the Green Bay Packers would be facing the Philadelphia Eagles in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on Sept. 6. It will be the first time the NFL has played a game on Friday night of opening weekend in more than 50 years.The game will be streamed on Peacock, and also air on the NBC affiliates in Philadelphia, Green Bay and Milwaukee.Also, Tom Brady’s broadcast debut with Fox will be on Sept. 8 when the Dallas Cowboys open at the Cleveland Browns. It is the first time since 2019 that the Cowboys have not had a prime time kickoff in Week 1.In a departure from past seasons, CBS and Fox will not both have a doubleheader in Week 1. Fox has it for the opening week followed by CBS in Week 2.The league will announce the dates and opponents for the four international games in Europe on Wednesday morning. Jacksonville, Minnesota and Chicago are the designated home teams for the London contests and Carolina will head to Munich, Germany.

Patrick Mahomes vs. Joe Burrow showdown coming in Week 2

- Ellinwood Baseball coach and Great Bend Bat Cat General Manager Roger Ward joins the show to talk about the Eagles Regional semi-final matchup in Hays against the TMP Monarchs.

- "Voice of the Cardinals" Cole Reif is on to preview Tuesday's 3A Baseball Regional in Russell where the Cardinals hookup with Holcomb in the Semi-finals.

- Mike Courson goes "On the Prowl" for Panther sports, this time stepping out and talking with members of the Great Bend High School Electric Car Team that includes Alex Allen, Matt Williams, and Joshua Manning, and GBHS Teacher Travis Straub.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1693997740304.jpeg" alt="Tuesday show lineup with hosts Steve Webster, Mike Courson and Mike Hesher" />
 <figcaption>Tuesday show lineup with hosts Steve Webster, Mike Courson and Mike Hesher</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2XgVQS4KMBE?si=QKJKYQuZbOnjUoVw" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>- Ellinwood Baseball coach and Great Bend Bat Cat General Manager Roger Ward joins the show to talk about the Eagles Regional semi-final matchup in Hays against the TMP Monarchs.- "Voice of the Cardinals" Cole Reif is on to preview Tuesday's 3A Baseball Regional in Russell where the Cardinals hookup with Holcomb in the Semi-finals.- Mike Courson goes "On the Prowl" for Panther sports, this time stepping out and talking with members of the Great Bend High School Electric Car Team that includes Alex Allen, Matt Williams, and Joshua Manning, and GBHS Teacher Travis Straub.- Tuesday Sports Headlines- Sounds of the past 24-hours

Tuesday on Sports Day (Watch)

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715653519671.jpeg" alt="trackranksgbpostweek7-2024.jpg" />
 <figcaption>trackranksgbpostweek7-2024.jpg</figcaption>
 </figure>

Area track and field leaders through May 13

SEATTLE (AP) — George Kirby allowed three hits over seven shutout innings, Luke Raley hit a two-run homer and drove in three runs, and the Seattle Mariners beat the Kansas City Royals 6-2 on Monday night.

A night that started with a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mariners-foul-ball-fan-1e26d7d28494e34a60fee728115f5462">lucky fan catching foul balls</a>&nbsp;on consecutive pitches ended with another dominant pitching performance that helped the Mariners improve to 19-11 over the past 30 games.

Kirby (4-3) had been bothered by a sore knee, but was terrific. He angrily pitched out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the first inning after hitting a pair of batters, but appeared to become energized by getting himself out of the situation.

"If anything else, that just fires me up to make that pitch even more fine on the corner," Kirby said.

He gave up Bobby Witt Jr.’s first inning single, then didn’t allow another hit until Dairon Blanco reached on an infield single in the fifth. Kirby struck out six, walked none. It was the third time this season he pitched at least six innings and didn’t allow a run.

Seattle manager Scott Servais called it a vintage performance by Kirby despite some early frustration.

“George is angry some nights and tonight was the night. There was a few calls that he didn't get that he thought he should have got, but he was on the attack,” Servais said.

Raley's second homer of the season traveled an estimated at 432 feet and came after Cal Raleigh doubled on the first pitch of the second inning from Kansas City starter Brady Singer. Raley also&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/lindseywasson/status/1790214531387641891">appeared to break</a>&nbsp;– or have come unscrewed — the celebratory trident used by the Mariners to celebrate home runs.

“All I was doing was carrying it and it fell apart,” Raley said.

Raley is hitting .375 with a 1.131 OPS in May.

“I've put a lot of work in. I was busting my butt to get back to feeling comfortable in the box and it's paying off now,” Raley said.

Raleigh and Raley added an RBI singles an inning later. Raleigh's was a 410-foot shot that tipped off Blanco’s glove as he jumped at the fence. Julio Rodríguez scored, but Jorge Polanco had to wait near first base and could only advance 90 feet, leaving Raleigh with possibly the longest single of his career.

Ty France added a two-run homer in the eighth inning, his third of the season.

Kansas City's Michael Massey had a two-out, two-run double in the eighth, but closer Andrés Muñoz recorded the final four outs for his sixth save.

Singer (3-2) gave up a season-high nine hits and allowed more than two earned runs for only the second time this season – both losses. Singer needed 108 pitches to get through five innings and struck out six.

“His stuff was good. Missed his spots a couple of times there, at least the ones I saw on the board there. Middle mistakes with pretty good hitters,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said.

Royals: RHP Carlos Hernandez (shoulder) pitched 1 1/3 innings on Sunday as part of his rehab assignment at Triple-A Omaha, the first time he pitched more than one inning.

Mariners: Polanco left the game before the start of the sixth inning due to hamstring tightness in his right leg. ... SS J.P. Crawford (oblique) is expected to start a rehab assignment with Triple-A Tacoma on Tuesday.

Royals: RHP Michael Wacha (2-4, 5.15) looks for his second straight win after giving up two earned runs over six innings in his last start. Mariners: RHP Logan Gilbert (3-1, 2.94) will try and rebound after giving up eight runs on nine hits in a loss to Minnesota.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715679996990.jpeg" alt="Seattle Mariners' Luke Raley follows through on a two-run home run against the Kansas City Royals during the second inning of a baseball game Monday, May 13, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)" />
 <figcaption>Seattle Mariners' Luke Raley follows through on a two-run home run against the Kansas City Royals during the second inning of a baseball game Monday, May 13, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)</figcaption>
 </figure>SEATTLE (AP) — George Kirby allowed three hits over seven shutout innings, Luke Raley hit a two-run homer and drove in three runs, and the Seattle Mariners beat the Kansas City Royals 6-2 on Monday night.A night that started with a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mariners-foul-ball-fan-1e26d7d28494e34a60fee728115f5462">lucky fan catching foul balls</a>&nbsp;on consecutive pitches ended with another dominant pitching performance that helped the Mariners improve to 19-11 over the past 30 games.Kirby (4-3) had been bothered by a sore knee, but was terrific. He angrily pitched out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the first inning after hitting a pair of batters, but appeared to become energized by getting himself out of the situation."If anything else, that just fires me up to make that pitch even more fine on the corner," Kirby said.He gave up Bobby Witt Jr.’s first inning single, then didn’t allow another hit until Dairon Blanco reached on an infield single in the fifth. Kirby struck out six, walked none. It was the third time this season he pitched at least six innings and didn’t allow a run.Seattle manager Scott Servais called it a vintage performance by Kirby despite some early frustration.“George is angry some nights and tonight was the night. There was a few calls that he didn't get that he thought he should have got, but he was on the attack,” Servais said.Raley's second homer of the season traveled an estimated at 432 feet and came after Cal Raleigh doubled on the first pitch of the second inning from Kansas City starter Brady Singer. Raley also&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/lindseywasson/status/1790214531387641891">appeared to break</a>&nbsp;– or have come unscrewed — the celebratory trident used by the Mariners to celebrate home runs.“All I was doing was carrying it and it fell apart,” Raley said.Raley is hitting .375 with a 1.131 OPS in May.“I've put a lot of work in. I was busting my butt to get back to feeling comfortable in the box and it's paying off now,” Raley said.Raleigh and Raley added an RBI singles an inning later. Raleigh's was a 410-foot shot that tipped off Blanco’s glove as he jumped at the fence. Julio Rodríguez scored, but Jorge Polanco had to wait near first base and could only advance 90 feet, leaving Raleigh with possibly the longest single of his career.Ty France added a two-run homer in the eighth inning, his third of the season.Kansas City's Michael Massey had a two-out, two-run double in the eighth, but closer Andrés Muñoz recorded the final four outs for his sixth save.Singer (3-2) gave up a season-high nine hits and allowed more than two earned runs for only the second time this season – both losses. Singer needed 108 pitches to get through five innings and struck out six.“His stuff was good. Missed his spots a couple of times there, at least the ones I saw on the board there. Middle mistakes with pretty good hitters,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said.TRAINER’S ROOMRoyals: RHP Carlos Hernandez (shoulder) pitched 1 1/3 innings on Sunday as part of his rehab assignment at Triple-A Omaha, the first time he pitched more than one inning.Mariners: Polanco left the game before the start of the sixth inning due to hamstring tightness in his right leg. ... SS J.P. Crawford (oblique) is expected to start a rehab assignment with Triple-A Tacoma on Tuesday.UP NEXTRoyals: RHP Michael Wacha (2-4, 5.15) looks for his second straight win after giving up two earned runs over six innings in his last start. Mariners: RHP Logan Gilbert (3-1, 2.94) will try and rebound after giving up eight runs on nine hits in a loss to Minnesota.

Mariners beat Royals 6-2

Softball -Game 1- Hoisington 8 Smoky Valley 1

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1582693944473.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Softball -Game 1- Hoisington 8 Smoky Valley 1<div><iframe width="100%" height="265" src="https://clyp.it/kqhxyoxj/widget" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>1.Hoisington Sports on 100.7 Eagle Country sponsored by...USD #431 Hoisington, Donald E. Reif Jr., Attorney at Law, Superior Essex, Cardinal Pharmacy, Town &amp; Country Supermarket, H &amp; D Exploration, Central Chiropractic, Equity Bank, K &amp; L Fencing, Keenan Law Firm, Hoisington Recreation Commission, Dr. Tyler Schremmer, Hoisington Veterinary Hospital, Clara Barton Medical Center, Barton Community College, First Kansas Bank, Innovative Livestock, Rosenburg Family Dentistry, Farmers Insurance, the Matt Delong Agency and Ehler Chevrolet

SEATTLE (AP) —
George Kirby allowed three hits over seven shutout innings, Luke
Raley hit a two-run homer and drove in three runs, and the Seattle
Mariners beat the Kansas City Royals 6-2. A night that started with a
lucky fan catching foul balls on consecutive pitches ended with
another dominant pitching performance that helped the Mariners
improve to 19-11 over the past 30 games. Kirby had been bothered by a
sore knee, but was terrific in striking out six and walking none.
Raley's homer was his second of the season. Ty France also hit a
two-run homer in the eighth inning. Kansas City starter Brady Singer
allowed a season-high nine hits.

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP)
— The St. Louis Cardinals scored eight runs in the seventh inning
and rallied from a four-run deficit for a 10-5 victory over the Los
Angeles Angels. Nolan Arenado homered and Matt Carpenter had a tying
two-run single during the surge. St. Louis sent 14 batters to the
plate during a rally capped by a two-run single from Iván Herrera,
who had two hits in the inning. Kevin Pillar hit a two-run homer and
Kyren Paris had an RBI double during a four-run third inning for the
Angels, who have lost four of five during their homestand to drop to
5-15 at home.

NEW YORK (AP) —
The Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs will open the regular
season at home against the Baltimore Ravens on Sept. 5 in a rematch
of the AFC title game. The NFL will release the entire 2024 season
schedule on Wednesday night on the NFL Network. The Chiefs beat the
Ravens 17-10 in the AFC championship game in January and went on to
defeat the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 in overtime in the Super Bowl.
The Ravens-Chiefs opener at Arrowhead Stadium will be a Thursday
night game on NBC. Kansas City will be going for a third straight
Super Bowl title and fourth in six years this season.

DALLAS (AP) — Shai
Gilgeous-Alexander scored 34 points, and the Oklahoma City Thunder
overcame a Dallas franchise playoff record of 13 blocks, rallying for
a 100-96 victory to even their Western Conference semifinal series at
2-2. Chet Holmgren and Lu Dort hit a clutch 3-pointer apiece late,
and Jalen Williams drove for a dunk and a 94-91 lead with 1:29
remaining as Dallas players and coaches screamed for a double-dribble
call. The teams split a pair on each other’s home court. Game 5 is
Wednesday night in Oklahoma City. The Mavericks’ last chance to tie
came with 10.1 seconds left when trailing by two, Luka Doncic had two
free throws. But the Dallas superstar missed the first.

CLEVELAND (AP) —
Jayson Tatum scored 33 points with LeBron James watching from a
courtside seat and the Boston Celtics beat the severely short-handed
Cleveland Cavaliers 109-102 in Game 4 to take a commanding 3-1 lead
in their East semifinal series. Jaylen Brown added 27 for the
Celtics, who can close out Cleveland with a win in Game 5 on
Wednesday at home. The Cavs got pushed to the brink of elimination
with Donovan Mitchell and Jarrett Allen out with injuries. It was
nothing new for a Cleveland team that dealt with injuries all season,
but it was a big ask. Tatum added 11 rebounds and five assists.
Darius Garland scored 30 and Evan Mobley and Caris LeVert 19 apiece
for the Cavs.

NEW YORK (AP) —
Jordan Staal and Evgeny Kuznetsov scored 3:06 apart in the third
period, and the Carolina Hurricanes got four goals in the third
period for a 4-1 win over the New York Rangers in Game 5, staving off
elimination for the second straight game. Jordan Martinook and Martin
Necas also scored in the Hurricanes’ big third period, and Frederik
Andersen — starting for the fourth time in five games in this
series and ninth time in 10 games in the postseason — had 20 saves.
Jacob Trouba scored a short-handed goal and Igor Shesterkin stopped
24 shots for New York, which has lost two straight after taking a 3-0
series lead. Game 6 is Thursday night in Raleigh, North Carolina.

DENVER (AP) —
Wyatt Johnston scored twice on the eve of his 21st birthday as the
Dallas Stars pushed Colorado to the brink of elimination with a 5-1
win in Game 4 that came hours after Avalanche standout Valeri
Nichushkin was suspended for at least six months. Dallas can close it
out at home in Game 5 on Wednesday. Miro Heiskanen and Evgenii
Dadonov also scored, while Sam Steel added an empty-net goal. Jake
Oettinger made 24 saves. Before the game, the National Hockey League
and National Hockey League Players’ Association announced that
Nichushkin was suspended for at least six months without pay.

UNDATED (AP) — One
of the lead attorneys in a class-action antitrust lawsuit against the
NCAA says settlement talks are progressing well. A deadline looms
next week for the NCAA and major conferences to agree to a deal that
could cost billions in damages and set up a groundbreaking
revenue-sharing system with college athletes. Steve Berman, a
Seattle-based attorney for the plaintiffs, would not confirm details
of the possible agreement but told AP a settlement could create a new
framework for paying college athletes that he believes could
withstand other antitrust challenges.

UNDATED (AP) — The
spring transfer portal window is closed in college football and
several teams made huge upgrades. Mississippi coach Lane Kiffin has
built a contender for the first year of the 12-team College Football
Playoff. Miami went hard to boost its chances in Year 3 under Mario
Cristobal. Ohio State's portal class was high in quality. Oregon
added another experienced quarterback. Kalen DeBoer's best pick up at
Alabama might have been a lineman who came back. And at Colorado,
Coach Deion Sanders is reloading again with a host of new arrivals.

UNDATED (AP) —
Oklahoma has broken through for its first regular-season baseball
championship in the Big 12. The Sooners swept Baylor for the
program's first regular-season title since 1995, when they were in
the old Big Eight. Oklahoma led the Big 12 from start to finish and
wrapped it up with wins in six straight conference games and in 13 of
the last 15. Tennessee, Kentucky and Arkansas won weekend series and
start the week as the top three teams in the nation by D1Baseball.com
and Baseball America. The final Pac-12 regular-season race will come
down to the Oregon State-Arizona series in Tucson.

UNDATED (AP) —
Longtime rivals Texas and Oklahoma are primed to go out in style in
their final Big 12 seasons before joining the Southeastern
Conference. Texas has claimed the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA
Division I Softball Tournament, despite losing to Oklahoma in the Big
12 Championship game. Three-time defending national champion Oklahoma
is the No. 2 overall seed. A fourth straight title would be
unprecedented. Oklahoma defeated Texas in the best-of-three
championship series in 2022 to claim the national title.

LOS ANGELES (AP) —
The former interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani is
likely to plead not guilty as a formality in a sports betting case.
Prosecutors allege Ippei Mizuhara stole nearly $17 million from the
Japanese baseball player to pay off debts. He has agreed to a plea
deal on one count of bank fraud and one count of subscribing to a
false tax return. But first he's likely to enter a not-guilty plea as
a formality during his arraignment Tuesday in federal court in Los
Angeles. Authorities say there was no evidence that Ohtani was
involved in or aware of Mizuhara’s gambling.

PARIS (AP) — Diego
Maradona’s heirs want to stop the auction of a trophy he was
awarded after the 1986 World Cup won by Argentina. It had been
missing for decades and recently resurfaced. Their lawyer told The
Associated Press he will launch an urgent request to have the Golden
Ball withdrawn from the sale next month in Paris. He told the AP he
will also request a judicial sequestration of the trophy and file a
complaint for theft and concealed theft. Maradona died in 2020 at age
60. He captained Argentina in its 3-2 win over West Germany in the
1986 final in Mexico City. Maradona’s heirs say the trophy was
stolen and claim the current owner cannot be entitled to sell it.

Washington	at	Chi
White Sox	4:40 p.m.	(Postponed)

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1714991701059.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>SEATTLE (AP) —
George Kirby allowed three hits over seven shutout innings, Luke
Raley hit a two-run homer and drove in three runs, and the Seattle
Mariners beat the Kansas City Royals 6-2. A night that started with a
lucky fan catching foul balls on consecutive pitches ended with
another dominant pitching performance that helped the Mariners
improve to 19-11 over the past 30 games. Kirby had been bothered by a
sore knee, but was terrific in striking out six and walking none.
Raley's homer was his second of the season. Ty France also hit a
two-run homer in the eighth inning. Kansas City starter Brady Singer
allowed a season-high nine hits.ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP)
— The St. Louis Cardinals scored eight runs in the seventh inning
and rallied from a four-run deficit for a 10-5 victory over the Los
Angeles Angels. Nolan Arenado homered and Matt Carpenter had a tying
two-run single during the surge. St. Louis sent 14 batters to the
plate during a rally capped by a two-run single from Iván Herrera,
who had two hits in the inning. Kevin Pillar hit a two-run homer and
Kyren Paris had an RBI double during a four-run third inning for the
Angels, who have lost four of five during their homestand to drop to
5-15 at home.NEW YORK (AP) —
The Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs will open the regular
season at home against the Baltimore Ravens on Sept. 5 in a rematch
of the AFC title game. The NFL will release the entire 2024 season
schedule on Wednesday night on the NFL Network. The Chiefs beat the
Ravens 17-10 in the AFC championship game in January and went on to
defeat the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 in overtime in the Super Bowl.
The Ravens-Chiefs opener at Arrowhead Stadium will be a Thursday
night game on NBC. Kansas City will be going for a third straight
Super Bowl title and fourth in six years this season.DALLAS (AP) — Shai
Gilgeous-Alexander scored 34 points, and the Oklahoma City Thunder
overcame a Dallas franchise playoff record of 13 blocks, rallying for
a 100-96 victory to even their Western Conference semifinal series at
2-2. Chet Holmgren and Lu Dort hit a clutch 3-pointer apiece late,
and Jalen Williams drove for a dunk and a 94-91 lead with 1:29
remaining as Dallas players and coaches screamed for a double-dribble
call. The teams split a pair on each other’s home court. Game 5 is
Wednesday night in Oklahoma City. The Mavericks’ last chance to tie
came with 10.1 seconds left when trailing by two, Luka Doncic had two
free throws. But the Dallas superstar missed the first.CLEVELAND (AP) —
Jayson Tatum scored 33 points with LeBron James watching from a
courtside seat and the Boston Celtics beat the severely short-handed
Cleveland Cavaliers 109-102 in Game 4 to take a commanding 3-1 lead
in their East semifinal series. Jaylen Brown added 27 for the
Celtics, who can close out Cleveland with a win in Game 5 on
Wednesday at home. The Cavs got pushed to the brink of elimination
with Donovan Mitchell and Jarrett Allen out with injuries. It was
nothing new for a Cleveland team that dealt with injuries all season,
but it was a big ask. Tatum added 11 rebounds and five assists.
Darius Garland scored 30 and Evan Mobley and Caris LeVert 19 apiece
for the Cavs.NEW YORK (AP) —
Jordan Staal and Evgeny Kuznetsov scored 3:06 apart in the third
period, and the Carolina Hurricanes got four goals in the third
period for a 4-1 win over the New York Rangers in Game 5, staving off
elimination for the second straight game. Jordan Martinook and Martin
Necas also scored in the Hurricanes’ big third period, and Frederik
Andersen — starting for the fourth time in five games in this
series and ninth time in 10 games in the postseason — had 20 saves.
Jacob Trouba scored a short-handed goal and Igor Shesterkin stopped
24 shots for New York, which has lost two straight after taking a 3-0
series lead. Game 6 is Thursday night in Raleigh, North Carolina.DENVER (AP) —
Wyatt Johnston scored twice on the eve of his 21st birthday as the
Dallas Stars pushed Colorado to the brink of elimination with a 5-1
win in Game 4 that came hours after Avalanche standout Valeri
Nichushkin was suspended for at least six months. Dallas can close it
out at home in Game 5 on Wednesday. Miro Heiskanen and Evgenii
Dadonov also scored, while Sam Steel added an empty-net goal. Jake
Oettinger made 24 saves. Before the game, the National Hockey League
and National Hockey League Players’ Association announced that
Nichushkin was suspended for at least six months without pay.UNDATED (AP) — One
of the lead attorneys in a class-action antitrust lawsuit against the
NCAA says settlement talks are progressing well. A deadline looms
next week for the NCAA and major conferences to agree to a deal that
could cost billions in damages and set up a groundbreaking
revenue-sharing system with college athletes. Steve Berman, a
Seattle-based attorney for the plaintiffs, would not confirm details
of the possible agreement but told AP a settlement could create a new
framework for paying college athletes that he believes could
withstand other antitrust challenges.UNDATED (AP) — The
spring transfer portal window is closed in college football and
several teams made huge upgrades. Mississippi coach Lane Kiffin has
built a contender for the first year of the 12-team College Football
Playoff. Miami went hard to boost its chances in Year 3 under Mario
Cristobal. Ohio State's portal class was high in quality. Oregon
added another experienced quarterback. Kalen DeBoer's best pick up at
Alabama might have been a lineman who came back. And at Colorado,
Coach Deion Sanders is reloading again with a host of new arrivals.UNDATED (AP) —
Oklahoma has broken through for its first regular-season baseball
championship in the Big 12. The Sooners swept Baylor for the
program's first regular-season title since 1995, when they were in
the old Big Eight. Oklahoma led the Big 12 from start to finish and
wrapped it up with wins in six straight conference games and in 13 of
the last 15. Tennessee, Kentucky and Arkansas won weekend series and
start the week as the top three teams in the nation by D1Baseball.com
and Baseball America. The final Pac-12 regular-season race will come
down to the Oregon State-Arizona series in Tucson.UNDATED (AP) —
Longtime rivals Texas and Oklahoma are primed to go out in style in
their final Big 12 seasons before joining the Southeastern
Conference. Texas has claimed the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA
Division I Softball Tournament, despite losing to Oklahoma in the Big
12 Championship game. Three-time defending national champion Oklahoma
is the No. 2 overall seed. A fourth straight title would be
unprecedented. Oklahoma defeated Texas in the best-of-three
championship series in 2022 to claim the national title.LOS ANGELES (AP) —
The former interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani is
likely to plead not guilty as a formality in a sports betting case.
Prosecutors allege Ippei Mizuhara stole nearly $17 million from the
Japanese baseball player to pay off debts. He has agreed to a plea
deal on one count of bank fraud and one count of subscribing to a
false tax return. But first he's likely to enter a not-guilty plea as
a formality during his arraignment Tuesday in federal court in Los
Angeles. Authorities say there was no evidence that Ohtani was
involved in or aware of Mizuhara’s gambling.PARIS (AP) — Diego
Maradona’s heirs want to stop the auction of a trophy he was
awarded after the 1986 World Cup won by Argentina. It had been
missing for decades and recently resurfaced. Their lawyer told The
Associated Press he will launch an urgent request to have the Golden
Ball withdrawn from the sale next month in Paris. He told the AP he
will also request a judicial sequestration of the trophy and file a
complaint for theft and concealed theft. Maradona died in 2020 at age
60. He captained Argentina in its 3-2 win over West Germany in the
1986 final in Mexico City. Maradona’s heirs say the trophy was
stolen and claim the current owner cannot be entitled to sell it.MONDAY SCORESMAJOR LEAGUE
BASEBALLINTERLEAGUEWashington	at	Chi
White Sox	4:40 p.m.	(Postponed)Final	Detroit	6	Miami	5	Final	St.
Louis	10	L.A. Angels	5	AMERICAN LEAGUEFinal	Toronto	3	Baltimore	2	Final	Tampa
Bay	5	Boston	3	Final	Houston	9	Oakland	2	Final	Cleveland	7	Texas	0	Final	Seattle	6	Kansas
City	2	NATIONAL LEAGUEFinal	Atlanta	2	Chicago
Cubs	0	Final	Philadelphia	5	N.Y.
Mets	4	Final	Pittsburgh	8	Milwaukee	6	Final	Colorado	5	San
Diego	4	Final	L.A.
Dodgers	6	San Francisco	4	Final	Arizona	6	Cincinnati	5	NATIONAL
BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PLAYOFFSFinal	Boston	109	Cleveland	102	Final	Oklahoma
City	100	Dallas	96	NATIONAL HOCKEY
LEAGUE PLAYOFFSFinal	Carolina	4	N-Y
Rangers	1

Tuesday Sports Headlines and Scores presented by Barton Community College

NEW YORK (AP) — The Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs will open the regular season at home against the Baltimore Ravens on Sept. 5 in a rematch of the AFC title game, the NFL announced Monday.

The NFL will release the entire 2024 season schedule on Wednesday night on the NFL Network.

The Chiefs beat the Ravens 17-10 in the AFC championship game in January and went on to defeat the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 in overtime in the Super Bowl.

The Chiefs-Ravens opener at Arrowhead Stadium will be a Thursday night game on NBC. The Chiefs are favored by three points, according to BetMGM Sportsbook.

Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs will be going for an unprecedented third straight Super Bowl title and fourth in six years this season. Mahomes is 4-1 in his career against Lamar Jackson and the Ravens.

Kansas City will begin the season at home for the second straight year and is 9-2 in openers under Andy Reid. The Chiefs lost 21-20 to Detroit in their 2023 opener.

In addition to Mahomes, the Chiefs bring back star tight end Travis Kelce, who agreed to a $34.5 million, two-year contract extension last month, and All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones, who signed a five-year, $158.75 million deal in March.

Led by Jackson, the two-time MVP, Baltimore had the best record in the NFL last season and was the top seed for the AFC playoffs. The Ravens beat the Houston Texans 34-10 in the divisional round before undisciplined play and a couple interceptions by Jackson doomed them against the Chiefs.

The Ravens will have a different look when the teams meet in the opener. Derrick Henry, the second-leading rusher in the league for Tennessee last season, signed with the Ravens in March and gives the team a pounding running back to complement the elusive Jackson. Ravens running backs had just six carries in the AFC title game.

NEW YORK (AP) — The Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs will open the regular season at home against the Baltimore Ravens on Sept. 5 in a rematch of the AFC title game, the NFL announced Monday.The NFL will release the entire 2024 season schedule on Wednesday night on the NFL Network.The Chiefs beat the Ravens 17-10 in the AFC championship game in January and went on to defeat the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 in overtime in the Super Bowl.The Chiefs-Ravens opener at Arrowhead Stadium will be a Thursday night game on NBC. The Chiefs are favored by three points, according to BetMGM Sportsbook.Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs will be going for an unprecedented third straight Super Bowl title and fourth in six years this season. Mahomes is 4-1 in his career against Lamar Jackson and the Ravens.Kansas City will begin the season at home for the second straight year and is 9-2 in openers under Andy Reid. The Chiefs lost 21-20 to Detroit in their 2023 opener.In addition to Mahomes, the Chiefs bring back star tight end Travis Kelce, who agreed to a $34.5 million, two-year contract extension last month, and All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones, who signed a five-year, $158.75 million deal in March.Led by Jackson, the two-time MVP, Baltimore had the best record in the NFL last season and was the top seed for the AFC playoffs. The Ravens beat the Houston Texans 34-10 in the divisional round before undisciplined play and a couple interceptions by Jackson doomed them against the Chiefs.The Ravens will have a different look when the teams meet in the opener. Derrick Henry, the second-leading rusher in the league for Tennessee last season, signed with the Ravens in March and gives the team a pounding running back to complement the elusive Jackson. Ravens running backs had just six carries in the AFC title game.