By MIKE COURSON Great Bend Post

Pam Martin had an inkling she wanted to do something with nature as a career. Coming out of high school in Ohio, however, opportunities in the field were lacking. A fateful move to Kansas in 1991 changed all of that. Martin expanded programming at Quivira National Wildlife Refuge in Stafford County, and helped build from scratch the current array of programs at the Kansas Wetlands Education Center. She retires from her role as educator specialist for Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks on Sept. 30.

"I just appreciate all the opportunities I've been given by so many special people," she said. "I wouldn't have gotten to do what I've done without their faith in me, and I really appreciate that more than anything. I hope I've made a difference so that people will appreciate and protect not only the wonderful resources in their backyard, Cheyenne Bottoms and Quivira National Wildlife Refuge, but nature in general."

Martin said her role now is interpretation. Coming out of high school, she knew of park rangers and museum curators, but interpretation jobs were never promoted. Thinking of a career as a plants and animal illustrator or wildlife biologist during college, she ended up working at a biophysiology lab at Ohio State University.

In 1991, Martin's husband, Vic, accepted a job at the Kansas State University research facility near St. John. "I was a fish out of water," Pam said. "We got off the plane in Wichita and it was over 100 degrees and 30 mile an hour winds. I said what have I done, but everyone was welcoming and we found Quivira."

It proved to be a life-changing move for the Martins, who were on the first Friends of Quivira board. In 1992, University of Kansas Professor Chip Taylor began the volunteer monarch butterfly tagging program and Martin began tagging. She brought the activity to Quivira as the Monarch Mania Festival.

In those early days, Martin also took on a part-time job writing a column at the St. John newspaper. That turned into an editing job. She spent more than five years covering Barton County and taking photos for the Great Bend Tribune. 

But she knew biology was her calling. As part of Friends of Quivira, she attended the National Conservation Training Center in Virginia for training. She returned to Kansas and began applying for jobs. She made it to the interview stage for the Fort Hays educator position, but a hiring freeze helped steer her to Kansas Wildlife and Parks, who offered her a job at the newly-minted KWEC in April 2009.

"I knew I'd have to set up programs for the Center," she said. "We started from scratch. We had nothing but a building. I contacted people that I knew in the field and went and talked to them. They were just so helpful."

Martin used contacts from the Milford Nature Center in Junction City, the Sternberg Museum in Hays, Great Plains Nature Center, and she trained with the Kansas Association of Environmental Conservation and Education. Her first program at KWEC in May 2009 was about frogs and toads and the sounds they make. 

"That is still one of our go-to programs that we do," Martin said. "It's been refined through the years but for more than 14 years we've been doing that program."

Then the programming took off. Martin began contacting area libraries and schools, ultimately installing programming for all K-6 students in USD 428 Great Bend. She also did a program for Hoisington first graders 11 months out of the year, and ultimately got into all area schools.

Martin's love of butterflies and insects never waned. She started the Butterfly Festival at KWEC and, for a couple of years, tried to handle the monarch events at both Quivira and KWEC. She continues to educate on the butterflies and dragonflies that migrate thousands of miles over several generations.

"These are just tiny insects," she said. "I just have always found them fascinating. When I was growing up, both grandfathers encouraged that. I raised butterflies and the big silk moths. They're beautiful and fascinating at the same time."

Martin said her biggest accomplishment has been taking a program from scratch and building it into something that has reached thousands of students and residents in Central Kansas. Watching kids have that "ah-ha" moment has been one of the great rewards.

"When we have water and we take them out there and they're sampling for aquatic insects and other organisms in the water, quite a few of them don't want to do it," she said. "But once they get in there and start catching things, they're hooked."

Martin also recalled being part of four exhibits at Barton Community College's Shafer Art Gallery. The first two were contests where artists submitted pieces about monarch butterflies and cranes. As part of the monarch exhibit, Martin had the opportunity to visit the home of illustrator Dr. John Cody and select nearly three dozen of his paintings to exhibit. A third exhibit featured amphibian photographs from a National Geographic photographer and earned the gallery an award.

"That was extra special doing that and bringing in a different audience to appreciate what we have," Martin said. 

Martin plans to stay busy in retirement. She and Vic spent three years looking for the perfect country home that just happens to be nearly equidistant to Cheyenne Bottoms and Quivira. She plans to watch the wildlife there and get back to horse riding. She wants to focus on her photography and build a ceramics studio in her home. She will also be watching for volunteer opportunities with hopes of getting involved with Monarch Watch at the University of Kansas.

Naturally, Martin will miss the work and the people. She'll also miss the Kansas Wetlands Education Center itself - a place she helped build from scratch.

"What am I going to miss?" she asked. "I'm going to miss all that. I'm going to miss the place. When I'm out in the garden, there are butterflies, hummingbirds, and all kinds of animals. It's magical. I'm going to miss that a lot."

A natural educator: Martin retiring from role at KWEC

B104.3 NHL Ticket Giveaway -INTRUST Bank Arena September 23rd-Enter to WIN

Rosencrantz Bemis Water Well Company, Abbey Carpet &amp; Floor, HazMat Response, Miller Plastics/Miller Warehouse, USD 431 Hoisington, USD 428 Great Bend Schools, Stone Sand Company and Stone Waste Mtg., Nex-Tech Wireless, Protective Equipment Testing Lab and Supply, Great Bend Redi-Mix, Freedom Claims Management, Medical Park Pharmacy, R&amp;R Roofing, Heavy Duty Diesel and Auto, Great Bend Coffee, Nex-Tech, Johnson Electric Motor Winding, USD 355 Ellinwood Public Schools, and AllStaff Chartered&nbsp;

Make a Difference Contest 

October 1-7 is an exciting time as 4-H families across the nation celebrate National 4-H Week! According to the National 4-H website, 4-H was established as Youth Clubs in 1902 with agricultural after-school clubs focused on particular ag products such as tomatoes or corn. The passage of the Smith-Lever Act in 1914 created the Cooperative Extension System at USDA and nationalized 4-H. By 1914, 4-H Clubs were formed and the clover emblem was adopted. The Cooperative Extension System is a partnership of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture within the USDA, more than 100 land-grant universities and more than 3000 county offices across the nation, including all 105 counties in Kansas. Cooperative Extension combines the expertise and resources of federal, state, and local governments to meet the need for research, knowledge, and educational programs. In 4-H, we believe in the power of young people. We see that every child has valuable strengths and real influence to improve the world around us.

On September 26, I was joined by 4-H Ambassador, Ailey Williams, to address the Barton County Commission. We were delighted with Proclamation 2023-13 which states, in part, “4-H, as delivered by Cooperative Extension – a community of more than 100 public universities across the nation that provides experiences where young people have taken on critical societal issues, such as addressing community health inequities, engaging in civil discourse, and advocating for equity and inclusion for all; and whereas, National 4-H Week showcases the incredible experiences that 4-H offers young people, and highlights the remarkable 4-H youth in Kansas and throughout America who work each day to make a positive impact on those around them. Now, therefore, be it proclaimed by the Board of County Commissioners of Barton County, Kansas, that October 1-7, 2023 is hereby known as National 4-H Week throughout Barton County; and further, that the Commission recognizes the importance of using the Head, Heart, Hands, and Health, the four core values of the 4-H mission, to make the best better….”

If you know of a young person who would benefit from the opportunities of 4-H, enrollment for the new year began October 1! The Cottonwood Extension District offers eight community clubs in Barton County and over 40 project areas from Art

to Woodworking for youth to explore, learn, and grow. More information can be found at our website cottonwood.k-state.edu or by calling one of our offices.

If you happen to be in our Ellis County area, 4-H members will have several displays around the county!

Community service and citizenship are hallmarks of the 4-H program! 48Hrs of 4-H is a state-wide service challenge. Cottonwood-Barton 4-H families will meet at the 4-H Educational Buildings on Sunday, Oct. 8 to clean up and work on a variety of projects. Previous projects have included clean up at Great Bend-Brit Spaugh Zoo and the making cookies for county-wide emergency service personnel. Many individual clubs will take on separate projects in their town. Teaching youth the value of giving back to their communities helps all communities be stronger and to develop the leaders needed to not just survive but to thrive!

Keep learning. Keep showing grace and kindness.

Michelle Beran is the 4-H Youth Development Agent in the Cottonwood Extension District. For more information on this article or other 4-H Youth Development resources, email Michelle at mberan@ksu.edu or call Cottonwood Extension District – Barton Office at 620-793-1910. Kansas State University is committed to making its services, activities and programs accessible to all participants. If you have special requirements due to a physical, vision, or hearing disability.

BERAN: 4-H enrollment time

Hear this week's County Edition show with Eagle Radio's Steve Webster and Barton County's Juvenile Services Director Marissa Woodmansee that aired Sept. 28, 2023.

The County Edition program airs every Thursday at 11:05 a.m. on 1590 KVGB &amp; 95.5 FM.&nbsp;

🎙Post Podcast: County Edition - Juvenile Services Director Woodmansee

The public is invited to ‘Meet the Candidates’ at two planned candidate forums for local positions in Great Bend, Hoisington, and Claflin sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Great Bend-Barton County. The positions include Mayors, school boards, city councils, and the Barton Community College Board of Trustees. 

Oct. 5 is the first forum scheduled at the Great Bend Senior Center on 2005 Kansas Ave. from 6-8 p.m. This event will be live-streamed by Eagle Radio.

October 12, 2023, is the second forum scheduled at the Friendship House on 419 E. 3rd St. in Hoisington from 6-8 p.m.

The moderator is Jan Stice, LWV Vice-President. When the candidates have completed answering their questions, they will be free to mingle with the audience. Attendees may have their own follow-up questions and candidates may share any campaign information and policy thoughts they have. Refreshments will be served.

The Great Bend Chamber of Commerce is supporting both forums by posting candidate bios on their Events Calendar on their website.

The League of Women Voters is a grassroots, nonpartisan political organization with nine local Leagues throughout the state. For over 100 years, LWV has encouraged the informed and active participation of citizens in government and has influenced public policy through education and advocacy. The League never endorses candidates or political parties. For more information contact Janice Walker at 620-617-4568 or janicew1949@gmail.com

Candidate forums scheduled for Great Bend & Hoisington

It is your chance to win! View the Contests page on Great Bend Post to see what contests/giveaways are currently being promoted. View the page by clicking&nbsp;<a href="https://greatbendpost.com/category/contests">HERE</a>!&nbsp;&nbsp;

Eagle Radio CONTESTS

A few years after relocating here from Pennsylvania, a friend of mine dove into home ownership.&nbsp; Being extremely knowledgeable and passionate about birding and gardening, she decided to convert part of her front yard into a native plant pollinator garden.&nbsp; She had no problem with the plantings, but the city codes are giving her fits.

There are numerous advantages to cultivating pollinator gardens instead of non-native grass and other decorative plantings.&nbsp; Plants like Black-Eyed Susans, Western Yarrow, Wild Bergamot (beebalm), Milkweed, and Kansas’ state flower–the sunflower– have deeper root networks, which help prevent soil erosion and reduce water runoff.&nbsp; They do not need to be mowed, saving energy and pollution.&nbsp; They are natural parts of Kansas’ ecosystem and do not spread invasively.&nbsp; Natives grow well without artificial fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides.&nbsp; Many grow beautiful flowers.&nbsp; They also adapt better to our climate, requiring less watering.

Pollinator gardens supply food to native birds and insects including hummingbirds, monarch butterflies, and native bees.&nbsp; In recent years, the population of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/species/invertebrates/monarch_butterfly/#:~:text=Monarchs%20have%20declined%2085%25%20in%20two%20decades." target="_blank">monarchs</a>&nbsp;has declined alarmingly, which many experts attribute to agricultural pesticides and herbicides.&nbsp; All told, one third of our food requires pollination by insects.

Unfortunately, native pollinator gardens violate many communities’ local ordinances.&nbsp; These old laws reflect the 1950s ideal of a suburban lawn.&nbsp; They incentivize the planting of nonnative grass which is mowed short and often treated with fertilizers.&nbsp; They also encourage or condone ornamental shrubs, trees, and other plants which are an invasive threat to our native Kansas plants.&nbsp; Such scourges include the Bradford Pear, the Eastern Red Cedar, the Tree of Heaven, and wintercreeper.&nbsp; I join legions of other homeowners spending countless weekends trying to remove these noxious pests.&nbsp; Farmers and ranchers do not like them, either.

As for my friend, she won her dispute with the city, but only after cutting part of her beloved pocket prairie and compiling a thick packet of information for her hearing.&nbsp; She is now working with Emporia officials to update the local ordinances.&nbsp; Fortunately, she has a template.&nbsp; Active in Kansas and western Missouri, the Metro Area Regional Council (MARC) has prepared&nbsp;<a href="https://marc2.org/assets/environment/greeninfrastructure/FinalModelGIOrdinances_GouldEvans.pdf?fbclid=IwAR1yFBMEXakDcqC8_3GYA-wZ1WSx4iWpiF_-KlY3TxJ-1-_qnX6Sjk5TN9I" target="_blank">model legislation</a>&nbsp;to encourage native plants and pollinator gardens while still allowing communities to clean up true noxious weeds, abandoned lots, and unkempt yards.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Our sensibilities need to change, too. This past April, a Kansas family<a href="https://shawneemissionpost.com/2023/04/11/overland-park-milkweed-198901/" target="_blank">&nbsp;got caught&nbsp;</a>between the city of Overland Park–which discourages such plantings, Johnson County–which encourages them, and their own neighbors.&nbsp; Many neighborhoods in Overland Park feature neatly-manicured lawns in tidy housing subdivisions along cul-de-sac streets.&nbsp; Neighbors must adjust their expectations of what looks beautiful.&nbsp; Lawns should be property maintained, but they need not resemble golf courses.

These codes also reflect the needs of agriculture. For example, milkweed is a beneficial, beautiful, easy to grow native plant that pollinators love, but it is poisonous to cattle and horses.&nbsp; This is fine for farmers and ranchers, but the average suburban homeowner is not going to have cattle and horses in their yard!&nbsp; Some local codes still classify milkweed as a “noxious weed” even when planted in town. Fortunately, some Kansas local governments have started targeting actual noxious weeds such as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-04-04/people-in-kansas-city-lawrence-and-topeka-you-can-get-a-good-tree-for-killing-a-bad-one" target="_blank">Bradford Pears</a>, which are highly invasive. Wichita is one of many communities expanding native plantings on public land including parks.

Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University.&nbsp;

INSIGHT KANSAS: Zoning codes should allow native plants and pollinator gardens

(Sponsored) 🎥 Barton Co. Health Dept. - Prevent, promote, protect

The children at Sunflower Early Education Center (EEC), 1312 Patton, had been watching the construction of their new playground equipment from the window.

Now, they are climbing, sliding and swinging on the new addition to the facility.

“The kiddos have been very excited about this,” said McKinley Phillips, EEC director. “It is so gratifying to watch them enjoying their brand-new play area.”

The playground is available to any child being served at EEC but is primarily used for Incredible Years Preschool students.

The children in the EEC’s Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services are often integrated into the preschool setting and benefit from the playground too.

ABA is for children up to age 5 on the autism spectrum.

“While classroom work is a priority, so is playtime,” Phillips said. “Having time to play is vital for children because this is when they develop their most important learning skills.

“They learn to solve problems, while maneuvering through their environment,” she explained. “In addition, children learn social and motor skills, while building cognitive skills through imaginative play.”

Up-to-date playground equipment was on the EEC’s wish list for quite some time. But thanks to a $10,000 donation from 100+ People Who Care, the project was kicked into high gear.

“Sunflower EEC is beyond grateful to 100+ People Who Care,” Phillips said. “We are truly honored to serve a community that actively works to better the lives of others.”

Shelby Zuniga, Sunflower Diversified Services executive director, said “we were in desperate need to upgrade our outdated equipment. Sunflower Diversified Services

Foundation funds, EEC funds and a few private donations were added to the $10,000 to make this happen. We are grateful to everyone who supported this project.”

The initial playground budget was about $30,000 but the project cost was $54,197.

“Construction costs increased and extra funding was allowed for the better floor under the equipment,” Zuniga explained. “We carefully considered the pros and cons of rubber-mulch flooring versus poured-in-place rubber flooring.

“Since we serve children with special needs, the poured-in-place version gives them the best opportunity to enjoy the playground with their peers.”

A ribbon cutting for the equipment was set for Thursday, Sept. 28, at EEC, in conjunction with the Great Bend Chamber of Commerce Coffee.

In addition to Incredible Years and ABA, the EEC is home to Kansas Early Childhood Development Services for children from birth to age 3.

Sunflower Early Ed Center offers new playground equipment

It’s a two-minute recap of the headlines that broke this past week in the Golden Belt. For the full stories, click the links below.

<a href="https://greatbendpost.com/posts/a7909e47-226d-4318-95be-a381eb966bbd">No phone policy at GBHS already having positive impact</a>

<a href="https://greatbendpost.com/posts/75c3dd03-c3e5-4472-b76b-6c0467b58dcf">Barton announces timeline to hire next college president</a>

<a href="https://greatbendpost.com/posts/52dac9df-9505-4d23-a2a3-d48b8a2aad7d">Chosen Wok&nbsp; reopens in Great Bend under new management</a>

Eagle Radio's news week in review

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Western Athletic Conference Great Bend 28, Dodge City 0 Liberal 28, Garden City 21 Hays 48, Ulysses 7

Central Kansas League Hoisington 27, Pratt 19 Larned 24, Cimarron 21 Ellsworth 72, Lyons 6 Cheney 46, Smoky Valley 0 Andale 85, Nickerson 7 Hillsboro 30, Halstead 25 Kingman 28, Hesston 21 Garden Plain 41, Haven 19

Other 11-Man Games Conway Springs 54, Ellinwood 20 Russell 26, TMP 6 Medicine Lodge 21, Sterling 20

8-Man St. John 36, Stafford 28 Sylvan United 26, Central Plains 14 Dighton 70, Otis-Bison 22 Macksville 58, Ness City 42 La Crosse 38, Skyline 32 Kinsley 50, Central Christian 0 Hodgeman County 40, Bucklin 38 Trego 50, Kiowa County 0 Moundridge 58, Little River 20

6-Man Cunningham 52, Pawnee Heights 0 So. Cloud 60, Chase 13

Area Week 5 Football Scores

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Garrett Wilson agreed with Willie Gay's assessment earlier this week that the New York Jets' struggling offense appears to be a run-first bunch without Aaron Rodgers leading the way.

Yep, the Jets wide receiver said, the Kansas City Chiefs linebacker has them pegged.

“That’s exactly what we want to do,” Wilson said Friday. “We want to run the ball. We want to tote the rock. So, yeah, man, expect to see a lot of that.”

Wilson's mischievous grin as he walked away from the media scrum might have suggested otherwise, though.

Either way — by ground or air — the Jets acknowledge they'll need to at least keep up with Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs' explosive offense Sunday night if they expect to have any chance of winning.

“We know what problems are going to arise this weekend," Wilson said. "And it’s going to be our job to respond. We feel like we’ll be able to, for sure.”

That's a bit of a bold statement, considering the Jets rank last or close to it in several offensive categories and have scored just 10 points in each of their last two games against Dallas and New England. Meanwhile, Kansas City has scored 78 points in its three games, including a 41-10 thrashing of Chicago last Sunday.

Gay raised some eyebrows when he was asked about Zach Wilson and the Jets' offense. He smiled and appeared to hold back a laugh before saying it appears New York is in sort of a “panic mode” without Rodgers. Gay referred to the Jets' run game, intimating New York isn't looking to throw the ball much while its current quarterback struggles mightily.

“It’s not about them," coach Robert Saleh said. “It’s about us and what we have to do. It doesn’t bother me.”

There has been plenty of chatter swirling outside the Jets' facility, with frustrated fans and critical media dissecting the poor play of the offense, the lack of production and development by Zach Wilson and highlighting perceived mistakes made by Saleh and his staff and general manager Joe Douglas.

Even Joe Namath went on a rant during a radio interview this week calling for Zach Wilson to be benched permanently and for the Jets to make wholesale changes to its coaching staff and front office.

The players, including the embattled quarterback, have insisted the noise outside the building is blocked out. But Saleh understands the reality is some of it seeps in.

“There’s an old saying that you keep sweeping the poop under the rug and eventually the smell is going to come through,” Saleh said. “So, you address it, you talk about it, and it’s not something you want to labor on. It’s like, ‘Hey, this is what it is,’ and then you go back to, now what? Yeah, we acknowledge whatever’s going on in our lives — we acknowledge good things, we acknowledge bad things, we acknowledge everything.

"But the point is, OK, you’ve got that, you’ve acknowledged it, now what are you going to do about it?”

That's the big question, especially on an offense that has been ineffective in third-down opportunities to start the season. The Jets are 8 for 37 in those situations, a 22% conversion rate that ranks them last in the NFL.

“I mean, if you take our body of work these past three games, it hasn’t been pretty,” offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett said. “That’s facts. And again, like anybody that questions us, we have the right to prove everybody wrong. But in the end, we have to do it. The offense has to come together. They have to play downhill, physical football and not get these negative yardage plays.”

Otherwise, it could be a long night for the Jets against the high-scoring Chiefs.

“When you have someone coming into to your place on ‘Sunday Night Football,’ it's definitely a must-win,” Garrett Wilson said. “I mean, we’re not where we want to be right now record-wise, playing ball-wise. So we feel like we've got to pull it all together this week, and we’re excited for the opportunity.”

NOTES: S Tony Adams (hamstring) and OL Wes Schweitzer (concussion) were ruled out. ... DT Quinnen Williams was added as one of the team's four captains. “That guy is such a big vocal leader in this room and on this team,” Saleh said, adding Williams finished fourth in the player voting before the season. “He says all the right things, he does all the right things and stands for everything that we believe in.” Rodgers was voted a captain on offense, but Saleh said the Jets haven't considered a replacement to represent that side of the ball. ... Saleh wore a Farmingdale High School T-shirt at his news conference in honor of those affected by the school bus accident last week.

Jets know they must try to at least keep up with the Chiefs' explosive offense

Even without a leading scorer in Saturday's race in Wichita, the top-ranked Lady Panther cross country team cruised to the title at Bishop Carroll with 34 points. The host Golden Eagles scored 61 points for second, and Kapaun ran third with 68 points. No other squad scored fewer than 130 points.

Kapaun finished third despite having the second and third-place finishers in the field. Great Bend senior Addy Nicholson beat Kapaun's lead runner by 18 seconds in 19:12.9 for the individual title. Junior Marissa Boone ran fourth in 20:06.7, and senior Eliana Beckham missed the top five by six seconds in 20:19.8 for sixth. Sophomore Sienna Smith ran ninth in 20:52.7, and senior Morgan Beckwith capped team scoring in 14th with a time of 21:24.7. Freshman Bella Long finished just two spots back in 21:29.2, and freshman Teegan Guerra placed 21st in 21:47.1. A big varsity roster included junior Kate Welcher in 25th in 22:04.2, and freshman Teah King behind her in 22:22.1.

On the boys' side, Maize senior Kaleb Glazier has made the move to 6A but still posed a problem for the field in Wichita with a win by six seconds in 15:55.8. Bishop Carroll scored 37 points for the team win, followed by Kapaun in second with 45 points. Great Bend placed ninth with 225 points.

Sophomore Tavon Stroup paced the Panther boys in 15th in 17:16.2 to miss the top 10 by 15 seconds. Senior Braylon Moore placed 46th in 18:32.3, and senior Braydon Suppes finished 53rd in 18:37.5. Freshman Anthony Lawrence crossed in 19:27.8 for 78th, and freshman Parker Coleman completed team scoring in 98th with a time of 20:25.1.

Lady Panther runners run to title at Bishop Carroll

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Jonathon Brooks rushed for 217 yards and two touchdowns to lead No. 3 Texas to a 40-14 win Saturday over No. 24 Kansas, which lost standout quarterback Jalon Daniels in pregame warmups with back stiffness.

Quinn Ewers passed for 325 yards and ran 30 yards for the game's first score. Texas (5-0, 2-0 Big 12) also got another standout game from its defense, which has surrendered just three touchdowns in the past three games.

Brooks' first touchdown came on a 54-yard ru n. His second came after Texas recovered a fourth-down fumble, putting the Longhorns ahead 26-14 late in the third quarter.

Texas finished with 336 yards rushing and 661 yards overall, and wore down Kansas (4-1, 1-1) in the second half. The Longhorns blew the game open in the fourth quarter with Ewer's touchdown pass to Adonai Mitchell and the quarterback's second touchdown run.

Brooks was behind freshman C.J. Baxter on the depth chart when the season started. He now has three consecutive 100-yard rushing games.

Kansas was hamstrung by the unexpected loss of Daniels, the preseason Big 12 offensive player of the year, who was with the team at the start of warmups. But he didn't finish them, leaving the offense with backup Jason Bean. Kansas managed just 260 total yards.

Bean passed for 136 yards and a 58-yard touchdown to Trevor Wilson that pulled Kansas within six points early in the third quarter. But missing Daniels, the hero of Kansas' upset win here in double-overtime in 2021, turned the Jayhawks heavily reliant on a running game that struggled.

Daniels also missed the first game of the season with back problems. Texas hasn't faced an opponent's starting quarterback since beating Alabama and Jalen Milroe in the second game of the season.

Kansas: Despite giving up the big rushing yards, the Jayhawks' defense played pretty well in the Texas heat in the mid-90s for three quarters. Two Texas drives ended near the endzone with Longhorns field goals instead of touchdowns, and Texas missed two more kicks. Kansas even snagged the first interception thrown by Ewers this season, That kept the Jayhawks in the game, but the constant pounding from Brooks and Baxter in the fourth quarter finished them off.

Texas: The Longhorns are showing tremendous balance on offense and did not punt. But a problem is emerging in the kicking game that has cost points when game are still close. Kicker Bert Auburn is 9 of 14 this season and has struggled from long range with three misses beyond 40 yards. It hasn't hurt Texas yet, but the misses kept Kansas in the game well into the second half.

Kansas hosts new Big 12 member Central Florida next Saturday.

Texas meets border rival No. 14 Oklahoma in Dallas next Saturday.

With QB Jalen Daniels out, Texas beats Kansas 40-14

Patrick Mahomes has 199 TD passes and could reach No. 200 in his 84th game Sunday night when the Kansas City Chiefs square off against the struggling New York Jets. Mahomes would accomplish the feat in five games faster than Dan Marino’s NFL record. The game marks the first for Mahomes at MetLife Stadium. The Jets are playing on Sunday night for the first time since losing 37-16 to New England in Week 10 of the 2011 season. The struggling Zach Wilson will make his third straight start in place of the injured Aaron Rodgers.

KANSAS CITY (2-1) at NEW YORK JETS (1-2)

OPENING LINE: Chiefs by 9 1/2, according to FanDuel SportsBook.

AGAINST THE SPREAD: Chiefs 2-1; Jets 1-2.

SERIES RECORD: Chiefs lead 20-19-1.

LAST MEETING: Chiefs beat Jets 35-9 on Nov. 1, 2020, in Kansas City, Missouri.

LAST WEEK: Chiefs beat Bears 41-10; Jets lost to Patriots 15-10.

CHIEFS OFFENSE: OVERALL (5), RUSH (10), PASS (5), SCORING (9).

CHIEFS DEFENSE: OVERALL (6), RUSH (11), PASS (6), SCORING (4).

JETS OFFENSE: OVERALL (32), RUSH (22), PASS (32), SCORING (32)

JETS DEFENSE: OVERALL (20), RUSH (23), PASS (16), SCORING (12)

TURNOVER DIFFERENTIAL: Chiefs minus-2; Jets minus-1.

CHIEFS PLAYER TO WATCH: TE Travis Kelce. Taylor Swift is watching him, so why shouldn’t everyone else? He has 71 touchdown receptions, which is five behind Pro Football Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez for the franchise record. Kelce and Patrick Mahomes have connected 48 times for touchdowns, including once last week against Chicago. Three more and they will tie Drew Brees and Jimmy Graham for the third most for a QB-TE combo in NFL history.

JETS PLAYER TO WATCH: QB Zach Wilson. It has gotten ugly (again) for the 2021 No. 2 overall draft pick. Struggling in place of the injured Aaron Rodgers, Wilson has drawn ire of frustrated fans — including Hall of Famer Joe Namath — who are clamoring for a quarterback change. New York signed veteran Trevor Siemian to its practice squad and he'll be inactive this week. But if Wilson can't improve on his production in a hurry, fans will be clamoring for Siemian moving forward.

KEY MATCHUP: Chiefs O-line vs. Jets D-line. Mahomes has been getting excellent blocking in front of him, having been pressured on only 25.4% of his drop-backs this season — which is a career low. Center Creed Humphrey and left guard Joe Thuney allowed no pressures on their 41 pass-blocking snaps against Chicago. The Jets were expected to have a strong pass rush this season and are putting pressure on quarterbacks, but have just six sacks through three games and Quinnen Williams is looking for his first after a career-high 12 last season.

KEY INJURIES: Mahomes tweaked his ankle last week against Chicago, but should be fine. ... DT Chris Jones was limited early in the week with a groin ailment. ... LB Nick Bolton didn't practice early in the week with a sprained ankle. ... Jets S Tony Adams (hamstring) and backup OL Wes Schweitzer (concussion) missed last week's game and didn't practice at the start of this week.

SERIES NOTES: The Chiefs have won three of the past four meetings. ... The teams have met twice in the postseason: a win by the Chiefs in the 1969 divisional round; and a victory by the Jets in the 1986 wild-card round. ... The Jets are 12-8-1 at home — including the two postseason matchups — against the Chiefs. ... Kansas City is looking to snap a four-game road skid against the Jets.

STATS AND STUFF: The game marks the first for Mahomes at MetLife Stadium. ... Andy Reid is 3-1 as coach of the Chiefs against the Jets, including 1-0 with Mahomes as his quarterback. ... The Jets are playing on Sunday night for the first time since losing 37-16 to New England in Week 10 of the 2011 season. ... Reid won his 271st game last week, passing Tom Landry for fourth on the NFL's career list. ... Mahomes needs 23 yards rushing to break the Chiefs’ career mark for a quarterback held by Alex Smith (1,672). ... Mahomes has 199 TD passes. He could reach 200 in his 84th game Sunday night, five faster than Dan Marino’s NFL record. ... Mahomes surpassed 25,000 yards passing last week against the Bears. He did it in 83 games, seven faster than Matthew Stafford’s record. ... Chiefs RB Jerick McKinnon had two TD receptions last week against the Bears. He has 11 TD catches in 33 games for Kansas City, the fourth most by a running back in club history. ... Kelce has caught a pass in 145 consecutive games, five shy of Hall of Famer Ozzie Newsome for the second-longest streak among tight ends. ... Humphrey is expected to start his 37th straight game since he was drafted. That’s the fifth-longest streak to start a career in club history. ... Kansas City allowed 203 yards last week against Chicago. It was the fifth-fewest yards since Reid took over before the 2013 season. ... Jones has 2 1/2 sacks in the two games since ending his holdout. ... The Jets went 1 for 10 on third down against Dallas in Week 2 and 2 for 14 last Sunday against New England. For the season, they’re 8 for 37 with a 22% conversion rate ranking last in the NFL. ... New York had just 12 first downs and averaged a measly 2.8 yards per play in the loss to the Patriots. ... Wilson's 57.0 quarterback rating ranks last in the NFL. Last season, he became the first player since the 1970 merger to finish last in that category two years in a row, and is on pace for a third straight. ... RB Breece Hall set the franchise record for the most yards per carry through a player’s first 10 games (minimum 50 carries) with 5.8. The previous best was Al Dorow in 1960, when he averaged 5.56 yards per carry for the then-NY Titans. ... WR Garrett Wilson has 1,268 yards receiving in 20 games, the fewest to reach 1,200 yards receiving in Jets history. ... FB Nick Bawden scored his first NFL touchdown on his first NFL carry last week. Bawden, who switched from QB to FB at San Diego State, has five catches in 22 games — but his 1-yard TD was the first time he carried the ball on a run. ... LG Laken Tomlinson made his 100th consecutive regular-season start last Sunday. The streak began in Week 2 of the 2017 season. He’s one of five active players with at least 100 straight starts. ... Former Jets star DL Joe Klecko will receive his Pro Football Hall of Fame Ring of Excellence during a halftime ceremony. Klecko will also serve as the Jets’ honorary captain.

FANTASY TIP: Chiefs RB Isiah Pacheco had a season-high 78 yards from scrimmage last week and has led Kansas City's backfield in touches in each of the first three games. He could see increased carries if this one gets out of hand in the Chiefs' favor early.

Mahomes could make history when Chiefs square off against Jets Sunday

The Coyotes play McPherson in their final game against teams from the Kessinger Division on Saturday. Kickoff is 1 p.m. on Bissell Field at JRI Stadium at the Graves Family Sports Complex.

The video stream of the game will be available online through the Coyote Sports Network at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kcacnetwork.com/kansaswesleyan">www.kcacnetwork.com/kansaswesleyan</a>.

Live Stats will be available at&nbsp;<a href="https://kwucoyotes.com/sidearmstats/football/summary">https://kwucoyotes.com/sidearmstats/football/summary</a>

Radio coverage can be heard locally on KINA 910 AM/107.5 FM

The online stream is also available at&nbsp;<a href="https://radio.securenetsystems.net/ce/kina2.">https://radio.securenetsystems.net/ce/kina2.</a>

Tyler Henry will have the call with pregame starting at 5:00 p.m.

KWU has won the last eight games including a 14-12 victory last season in McPherson. The Coyotes averaged 43.6 points in the seven games before last season's defensive duel. They have a 16-6 advantage since the 2001 season.. It's the 100th all-time meeting between the teams. KWU leads the all-time series 58-37-4.

The Coyotes enter the game having won their last two - 35-28 over McPherson two weeks ago at JRI Stadium and 24-14 over Bethel last week in North Newton. They scored 17 points in the second quarter against Bethel, led 17-14 at intermission and held the Threshers scoreless in the second half.

The offense has come around the last two weeks after a slow start. Quarterback Richard Lara was 28 of 42 passing (66.7 percent) for 340 yards, four touchdowns and one interception in the two contests. He had a huge game against Bethel going 19 of 29 for 232 yards and three touchdowns.

Nick Allsman is the top rusher on the season with 239 yards on 61 carries and two touchdowns. Tyler Boston has 204 yards on 57 tries and one touchdown. Rhadarious Lomax-Spivey has a team-best eight receptions while Luke Armstrong and Boston each have seven.

Defense has been KWU's forte. Opponents are averaging 17.2 points, 287 total yards - 157.2 passing and 129.8 rushing. The Coyotes have forced 11 turnovers, six fumbles and five interceptions.

Placekicker Talon Cope has been superb. He has made three of four field goals - the longest from 45 yards out last week - and is perfect on 13 extra point attempts.

The Bulldogs have been a surprise this season. They have won their last two games - 60-17 over Ottawa in Ottawa and 42-21 versus Avila last week in McPherson. The loss was to Saint Mary 36-32 September 9 in McPherson. They're 2-0 on the road this season.

McPherson's offense has been outstanding. The Bulldogs are averaging 43.8 points and 473.6 total yards that includes 289.4 passing.

Junior quarterback Tristan Szabo has had a hot hand through five games, completing 56 percent of his passes for 1,407 yards, 17 touchdowns and four interceptions. He also has 179 yards rushing three more scores. Traven Lewis-Johnson and Alex Hill are the top receivers - Lewis-Johnson 19 receptions for 389 yards and Hill 15 for 209 yards. Each has four touchdowns.

Linebacker Marquis Willoughby has a team-best 49 tackles that include 6.5 for loss and has an interception. Nehemiah Figueroa has four interceptions. Opponents average 24.4 points and 333.6 yards.

The Bulldogs were 5-5 in last season but three of the losses were by one point along with the two-point setback against KWU.

"The defenses that we're playing are statistically very good so it's good to see the (offense) go out and perform. (The line) is not blowing assignments up front, we're taking care of the ball and we're protecting the quarterback. (McPherson) is going to drop back and pass 25, 30 times. We just need to make sure the quarterback is uncomfortable as possible and that relates to condensing the pocket which takes all the guys up front. (McPherson) is certainly tough, coach (Jeremiah) Fiscus does an excellent job down there. They have a very dynamic offense, honestly, and are very good at what they do. We expect a lot of shifts and motions and we need to make sure we're prepared. It will be a big challenge and we look forward to it."

The Coyotes and the entire Kansas Conference are idle October 7. Play resumes with a full slate of games October 14; KWU plays Bissell Division rival Avila at 1 p.m. in Kansas City, Missouri.

Wesleyan faces McPherson in 100th meeting between teams Saturday

Team&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;CONF&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; ALL Liberal&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 2-0&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 5-0 Great Bend&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 1-1&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;3-2 Garden City&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;1-1&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;3-2 Hays&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;1-1&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;3-2 Dodge City&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 0-2&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;2-3

Friday September 29 Great Bend 28, Dodge City 0 Hays 48, Ulysses 7 Liberal 28, Garden City 21 Friday October 6 Great Bend @ Liberal Hays @ Dodge City Garden City @ Ulysses Friday October 13 Great Bend @ Ulysses Hays @ Liberal Dodge City @ Garden City Friday October 20 Garden City @ Great Bend Ulysses @ Liberal Wichita Southeast @ Dodge City Topeka High @ Hays Friday October 27 TBA

Western Athletic Conference Football Standings

Saturday September 30 5:30PM 1590KVGB/95.5-Royals Baseball- NY Yankees @ Kansas City Sunday October 1 1:30PM 1590KVGB/95.5-Royals Baseball- NY Yankees @ Kansas City Monday October 2 12:30PM 1590KVGB/95.5 - Sports Day Tuesday October 3 12:30PM 1590KVGB/95.5 - Sports Day TBA - Major League Baseball Wild Card Playoffs

Eagle Radio and Hull Broadcasting PBP Schedule

Attica/Argonia 56, Wichita Independent 12

Christ Preparatory Academy 26, KIPP KC, Mo. 14

Kapaun Mount Carmel 70, Wichita Southeast 12

Kinsley 50, Hutchinson Central Christian 0

Friday Statewide Scores

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Bobby Witt Jr. admitted the pressure was beginning to mount, and time running out, to hit the 30th homer that would make the budding superstar the first Kansas City player to join the 30-30 club.

The Royals did everything they could to take the pressure off him Friday night.

Every batter they sent up against Yankees starter Carlos Rodón scored, resulting in a nine-run first inning that put the game solidly in control. So by the time Witt stepped to the plate in the seventh, with a hit and RBI already behind him, the 23-year-old could swing freely against New York reliever Keynan Middleton for a chance to make history.

By the time the ball landed in the left-field stands, punctuating the Royals' 12-5 rout, the celebration was underway.

“I feel like there were times I was trying and it got a little selfish,” said Witt, who had gone 11 games without a home run. “I was just trying to keep it simple. That was my approach. And just go out there and compete.”

Witt could join a much more exclusive group in the next two days. Along with 30 homers he has 49 stolen bases, and needs one more to join Eric Davis, Barry Bonds and Ronald Acuña Jr. as the only players in major league history in the 30-50 club.

“It's really nice that he did it here,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “Everybody really appreciates the significance of that, and you know, it's inevitable you're going to press when you get near those round numbers. I think he was to a certain extent. But that was a great swing, and I feel really good for him.”

Nobody felt worse Friday night than Rodón (3-8), who faced eight batters and all of them scored, tying the most for any start without recording an out since at least 1901. Rodón allowed six hits and two walks before Yankees manager Aaron Boone pulled him from the game, and Kansas City went on to put its first 10 aboard to set a franchise record.

Rodón's fastball averaged 93.6 mph, down from his 95.3 mph season average.

“Rough. A tick down in stuff. Just didn’t have the life on his fastball," Boone said, "and then location, just in the heart of the plate a lot, even with the secondary stuff. Obviously, a tough way for him to end.”

Jordan Lyles (6-17) took advantage of the Royals' immense run support to earn his second straight win. The right-hander got through six shaky innings, allowing five runs on four hits and a walk while striking out four.

Austin Wells hit a three-run homer and finished with four RBIs for New York.

The Royals (55-105) need to sweep the three-game series to avoid equaling the 2005 team that lost 106 times for the most in franchise history. The Yankees (81-79) need to win one of the last two to ensure their 31st consecutive winning season.

The miserable first year of Rodón's six-year, $162 million contract came to a fitting conclusion. In 35 pitches without recording an out, Rodón allowed four singles, two walks, a double and Edward Oliveras' no-doubt homer into the Yankees bullpen.

Not even a visit from New York pitching coach Matt Blake could slow down the damage. Rodón turned his back on Blake, something Rodón and Boone both said afterward was wrong to do.

It was the most batters faced without recording an out by a starter since Steven Matz faced eight for the Mets in 2019, and the 10 consecutive hitters that reached base were the most to start a game against the Yankees since the Cleveland Indians had that many reach against Catfish Hunter and Bob Kammeyer on July 27, 1978.

“Just throwing balls down the middle,” Rodón said. "Just didn’t find my lane and they hit the ball.”

Rodón began the year on the injured list with a strained forearm and then dealt with a back injury that slowed his return. He didn't make his Yankees debut until July 7, then lost four of his first five starts. Not even a respectable last month for the two-time All-Star could salvage his ERA, which plummeted to 6.85 on Friday night.

“It’s not all about the numbers. It’s about the profile, where he’s getting it to,” said Boone, whose club went 3-11 in Rodón's starts this season. "Today was just a day where he didn’t have too much.”

The Royals kept rolling against reliever Matt Bowman, too. Their first out scored another run on Witt's sacrifice fly, and their second was a productive fielder's choice by Oliveras that moved up runners. Maikel Garcia and Salvador Perez, who had three RBIs, each had two hits in the first inning, which ended on a questionable called third strike against Nelson Velázquez.

The Yankees trimmed their 10-run deficit in half by the sixth, but Witt's homer in the seventh put the game away.

“Everybody," Perez said, “was waiting for that moment.”

Yankees: Middleton (shoulder inflammation) was activated from the injured list and RHP Yoendrys Gómez was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Yankees RHP Frankie Montas (shoulder inflammation) arrived in Kansas City and could pitch before the end of the weekend. He had surgery on his labrum Feb. 21 in Los Angeles, an injury that had limited him after last season's trade from Oakland to the Yankees. He began a Triple-A rehab assignment on Sept. 17 and pitched two scoreless innings last Saturday.

“He didn't have to fight his way to get back for the finish,” Boone said. “He's put himself in a position to be healthy and ready. He is continuing to get after it, right? To be in a position that he is. So we certainly respect that.”

Yankees RHP Clarke Schmidt (9-9, 4.65 ERA) will start Saturday night. The Royals had not yet decided on their starter.

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