By COLE REIF Great Bend Post

The United Way of Central Kansas (UWCK) has created a new program called “Laundry
Love” which will launch Saturday, Aug. 20 in Great Bend to help those in need with
cleaning their clothes. 
Laundry Love will wash the clothes and bedding of low- and no-income families
and individuals. With no questions asked, anyone can stop by and receive up to
five loads of laundry done for free.

United Way Executive Director Charell Owings
said the event will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Discount Laundry on
Jefferson Street, just behind the Subway restaurant. 
"They don't need to bring anything with them, except for their laundry," said Owings. "In case they have to bring their kids with them, we'll have some Dolly Parton Imagination Library books, coloring books and crayons. We'll also have snacks and water available for anyone that joins us."

On average, a load of laundry done in your house costs less than a dollar. At
a laundromat, it costs about $4.25 to do that same load. To help those
underserved, clean laundry can assist with health, children teasing because of a child’s
dirty clothes and the economic burden. 
Moeder Plumbing, Heating &amp; Air is sponsoring Saturday's event, but Owings
said United Way is looking for individuals or businesses to sponsor future
events. 
"We will be doing this monthly," said Owings. "We'll be looking for more sponsors. Even if people want to donate laundry supplies. We have enough to get us through a couple of events but we'll be collecting those donations as well." 
Each Laundry Love event will be on the third Saturday of the month from 10 a.m.
to 2 p.m.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

This new program was born from the collaboration that UWCK is a part of, Communities Organizing to Promote Equity (COPE). A fellow member of this group Vicki Richardson with Kansas Children’s Service League and Pilot Club had seen this program in action in Salina and had of goal of bringing this to Great Bend for more than two years.

The story of Laundry Love began with T-Bone, a gentleman living in Ventura, California. In one particular conversation, a question was asked of him: “T-Bone, how can we come alongside your life in a meaningful way?” His response was honest and practical. “If I had clean clothes, people would treat me like a human being.”

Free laundry service for those in need arrives to Great Bend

Make a Difference Contest 

<a href="https://www.intrustbankarena.com/westfest">Purchase Tickets HERE</a>

Win Tickets - West Fest at Intrust Bank Arena August, 26th 

Kansas City Chief Ticket Giveaway with Zip Stop 

Instant Finalist Days (Subject to Change)&nbsp;

Blazin’ Hot Summer Giveaway 

From the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/kansashistorical/">Kansas Historical Society Facebook page</a>:

Get your cameras ready! The Happy Birthday, Kansas! Photo Contest is now accepting submissions. This year’s theme is “What Kansas Means to Me” and is open to students in first through 12th grade during the 2022 school year. Photos must be taken of Kansas by the student in 2022. First place in each grade level will receive iPads and second place in each grade level will receive Kindles. The contest closes on January 9, 2023 at 5:00. Winners will be notified and awards will be announced at the Kansas Day celebration at the Kansas State Capitol in Topeka on January 27, 2023. This contest sponsored by the Kansas legislative spouses in conjunction with the Kansas Historical Society. #kansashistory

'What Kansas Means to Me' student photo contest

Bark at the Waterpark will take place Saturday, Aug. 20 from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

For $5 per dog, citizens can let their dogs come play at the Great Bend Wetlands Waterpark.

The proceeds go to the Great Bend Dog Park.

Dogs welcome at Great Bend pool Saturday

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 <a href="https://greatbendpost.com/category/contests">HERE</a>!

Eagle Radio CONTESTS

Retired WNBA Basketball legend Jackie Stiles will speak at Barton Community College at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 29 in the Fine Arts Auditorium to commemorate the 50th&nbsp;Anniversary of Title IX. Admission is free and the public is invited to attend. Barton Title IX Coordinator Cheryl Brown said celebrating the 50th Anniversary is an important milestone to acknowledge. “President Richard Nixon signed Title IX into law in 1972,” she said. “Early efforts to obtain equal access for women in education focused on athletics, but it also opened the doors for women in all the professions and every field beyond education.” Brown said Stiles is an exciting figure to help celebrate this landmark anniversary. “Jackie is a Barton County hometown hero who was asked to speak at Barton to inspire not only our students but all of us … not just in athletics, but in all of life’s endeavors,” she said. Stiles is one of the most renowned basketball players in the history of the women's game. From her roots in Claflin, she led the country in scoring. Then to Southwest Missouri State University, she rewrote the NCAA women's basketball record books en route to leading the Lady Bears to the 2001 Final Four. Finally, to a professional career in the WNBA, Jackie has inspired and impacted millions. In 2016, Stiles was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in Knoxville, Tennessee.

For more information, please contact Title IX Coordinator Cheryl Brown at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:brownc@bartonccc.edu" target="_blank">brownc@bartonccc.edu</a>&nbsp;or call (620)786-7441.

Free presentation with Jackie Stiles in Great Bend Aug. 29

Hear this month's Great Bend Rec Show with Eagle Radio's Steve Webster and staff from the Great Bend Recreation Commission that aired Aug. 18, 2022.

The Great Bend Rec Show airs the third Thursday of each month at 8:30 a.m. on 1590 KVGB &amp; 95.5 FM.&nbsp;

🎤Great Bend Rec show

By MIKE COURSON Great Bend Post

Temperatures in the 80s this week are foreshadowing cooler things to come. As the temperatures drop each summer, that means hunting season is just around the corner. Dove season opens statewide on Sept. 1, and Cheyenne Bottoms Area Wildlife Manager Jason Wagner said dry conditions could make for a successful hunt.

"I've seen more and more dove," he said. "I've seen a pretty good hatch of them. It's going to be pretty prime this year for western Kansas dove hunting if we don't get a cold front or a bunch of rain between now and Sept. 1. It looks really promising for at least dove season."

Teal season begins east of Highway 283, including the Bottoms, on Sept. 10 and runs through Sept. 25. The high plains season west of 283 will be a week shorter from Sept. 17-25. Given the ducks' proclivity for water, they might be a little harder to find this season.

"Teal season is normally the big one we like to talk about at the Bottoms, but it's going to be pretty tough," Wagner said. "You might have to bring your own water."

Deer season for the youth and disabled begins on Sept. 3, and the archery season runs from Sept. 12 through the end of 2022. Fall turkey season begins Oct. 1.

Wagner said hunting maps are available online but regulation books have not been printed yet due to some late decisions on regulations in August. He also said printed hunting licenses will still be available, but this year the licenses will be printed on standard paper and not the green specialized paper as in past years. Licenses may also be purchased through gooutdoorskansas.com.

"Get familiar with the GooutdoorsKansas app," Wagner said. "That's also the check-in and out system. If you were to hunt at Cheyenne Bottoms, or any of the public wildlife areas, you have to check in and out through the Kansas outdoors app. It's almost identical to what iSportsman was, it's just all together in an app."

Dry conditions could make for successful dove hunting season

Click&nbsp;<a href="https://greatbendpost.com/category/obituaries" target="_blank">HERE&nbsp;</a>to view the most recent obituaries and service times from our funeral home partners.

Great Bend Post is honored to publish full obituaries and photos at no cost to families.

﻿Funeral homes and families can send notices to <a href="mailto:obitsgb@eagleradio.net">obitsgb@eagleradio.net</a> or&nbsp;<a href="mailto:mike.courson@eagleradio.net">mike.courson@eagleradio.net</a>.

Recent Obituaries 

The next step in beautifying Great Bend’s downtown entertainment district is
coming up Sept. 10 with a community paint day for the art
alley. 
The final Friday of the month, from spring to fall, a portion of Forest Avenue
is barricaded for live music, food and beverages. This year, the consumption
area was extended to the alleyway between Forest and Lakin Avenue. 
The Great Bend City Council gave approval to paint a mural along the ground of
the alley, to inspire more art throughout the community. 
Great Bend Economic Development Director Sara Hayden said the community paint day
will start at 8 a.m. with citizens able to register for painting shifts. "It will be like a 'paint by numbers' project," said Hayden. "When volunteers come, they'll be given a number, paint can and a paint brush. They will paint the numbers that coincide with that can and brush. They get to tell everybody that they helped with a community mural." 
Great Bend Alive, Inc., under the umbrella of Great Bend Economic Development,
had L&amp;M Contractors fill and patch potholes in the alley. The organization
is now looking for donations or sponsorships to raise $5,000 for painting
supplies. 
"We will need about 100 gallons of paint and a clear protective coat that goes over the top," said Hayden. "Doing a community paint day, we'll have to have a good amount of supplies to be able to keep everybody going throughout the day." 
The paint will be rated for cars to drive over it, but Hayden estimated the
alleyway paint will need to be refreshed after three or four years.

This spring the outdoor events took on the name “Final Fridays on Forest” and run from 5 p.m. - 9 p.m. Citizens are allowed to order alcoholic drinks, buy food, listen to music and enjoy entertainment while staying inside the consumption district.&nbsp;&nbsp; 
Visit <a href="https://www.gbedinc.com/gbalive?fbclid=IwAR2ybEAv_3Yw1HJ2Vox4ALzQ-srm-tnGK4fFNRiTJrIZtZ6nhf6s1kbn4qQ">gbedinc.com</a> to find out how to donate to the project or sign up to
help paint.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Community paint day set for Great Bend’s downtown alley 

Heartland Community Church, 4907 Tenth Street, will host a special time of teaching with Greg Mohr on Saturday, Aug. 20 from 10 a.m. to noon, and is open to the public. From noon until 2 pm he will continue to share with pastors and ministry leaders. There is no cost to attend.

Mohr has penned several books on healing, including Your Healing Door, Wisdom Keys for Healing, Fundamentals of Healing and Healing for the BrokenHearted. Other books he has written include Building a Successful Marriage, Walking in Wisdom, A Prosperous Soul, Flowing in the Supernatural, Hearing God Clearly, Scriptures to Live By and The Baptism in the Holy Spirit.

Mohr is the Executive Director of the Association of Related Ministries International (A.R.M.I.). He is also the Ministry School Director and staff instructor at Charis Bible College in Woodland Park, Colorado. He served as Senior Pastor of River of Life Church in Decatur, Texas for 24 years after graduating from Rhema Bible Training Center in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. Mohr earned a Masters degree in Leadership from Southwestern Christian University in Bethany, Oklahoma. Author of several books, Mohr speaks all over the world encouraging believers in their faith and helping them grow in wisdom, maturity, and grace.

Guest speaker coming to Great Bend church Saturday

On this episode of Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times host Gary Shorman speaks with&nbsp;Simpson Farm Enterprises manager Jed Simpson.

🎤Forward Ever: Simpson Farm Enterprises manager Jed Simpson

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The strides made by Kansas under first-year coach Lance Leipold were evident on an autumn night in Texas, when the long-suffering Jayhawks stunned the Longhorns in overtime in one of the biggest upsets in college football.

They took TCU and West Virginia down to the wire in their final two games, too, giving the Jayhawks — despite winning just two games all season — the rare feeling of positive momentum heading into this season.

“Year 1 was definitely a whirlwind,” admitted Leipold, the longtime small-college coach who turned around Buffalo before taking leadership of the Jayhawks. “But we feel the foundation has been set in many ways. Feel pleased on how we finished last season, the way we progressed her in the spring and some of the additions to our roster.”

Simply having a normal spring was a good start for Leipold, who was hired midway through camp when Kansas and then-coach Les Miles parted ways. The program was coming off a winless season, low on scholarship numbers and the subject of such overwhelming fan apathy that ever filling Memorial Stadium again seemed farfetched.

The progress during the early part of last season was hard to see: a 49-22 drubbing by Coastal Carolina, a 59-7 loss to Iowa State and a 55-3 blowout by Oklahoma State. But once the Jayhawks settled on Jalon Daniels under center, and the defense began to learn coordinator Brian Borland's system, things began to slowly turn around.

It all culminated in Austin, when the Jayhawks finally gave their fans a reason to feel proud again.

"The players understood our routine, our message was going to be consistent and we weren’t going to waver from it. And when they saw that and started to get better in what we were doing and understanding, it started to show itself late in the year," Leipold said. "That win, obviously, and the injection of Jalon at quarterback really helped us the last few games.”

The trick is to continue on that promising path.

It helps that Daniels is back under center. The Jayhawks opened up the quarterback competition again this fall, but it was clear early on that junior would not be beaten out. He threw for seven touchdowns and ran for three more while throwing just three interceptions in the final three-plus games that he started last season.

“Jalon's game has elevated to a different level,” Jayhawks wide receiver Lawrence Arnold said. “I feel like last year was just a glimpse for everybody to see, but this year is going to be a whole different Jalon.”

Arnold will be joined by veteran wide receivers Luke Grimm and Steven McBride in the lineup. But the biggest help for Daniels will be Devin Neal lining up behind him. He ran for 707 yards and eight scores as a freshman last season.

“It was a blessing last year,” Neal said, “but I'm not too focused dwelling on the past. I'm focused on getting better each and every day. We want to achieve big things this year and it starts now.”

The Jayhawks could have one of the best groups of running backs in the Big 12 season. That's because Neal will be backed up by Ky Thomas, who ran for more than 800 yards last season at Minnesota, and Sevion Morrison, who showed plenty of promise while getting relatively few opportunities last season at Nebraska.

The Jayhawks allowed 42.17 points per game last season, behind only UMass at the bottom of Division I football. The Jayhawks also topped Arkansas State to keep from being last in rush defense, were 81st in pass defense and tied for 50th in turnover margin.

The Jayhawks could have as many as seven transfers start on defense. They include pass rusher Lonnie Phelps (Miami-Ohio), Craig Young (Ohio State) and Lorenzo McCaskill (Louisiana) at linebacker, Kalon Gervin (Michigan State) and Monte' McGary (Utah State) at cornerback and Marvin Grant (Purdue) and Jarrett Paul (Eastern Michigan) at safety.

While a bevy of transfers will help the defensive backfield, its success will largely depend on Kenny Logan Jr., an All-Big 12 safety who has NFL potential. Logan led all Power Five safeties with 113 tackles last season.

The Jayhawks open Sept. 2 against Tennessee Tech before diving straight into Big 12 play with a trip to West Virginia, which barely beat Kansas last season. Then comes a tough trip to future conference foe Houston. A back-loaded schedule means Kansas finishes with a brutal five game stretch at Baylor, against Oklahoma State, at Texas Tech, against revenge-minded Texas and at Kansas State.

Jayhawks ride late-season success into Leipold's second year

Amy and Ava Jones returned home late Thursday night.

Amy and Ava, along with Trey and Creek Jones, were the victims of an accident in Louisville, Kentucky where they were struck by a car driven by&nbsp;33-year-old Michael Hurley of Lexington, Ind. The Jones family were pedestrians.

Trey Jones died from his injuries in the accident. Ava Jones and her family were in Louisville for an AAU basketball tournament with Wheat State Elite.

Jones had signed with the University of Iowa basketball program and the Hawkeyes say she will keep her scholarship whether she is ever able to play for them or not.

Hurley's case went before a grand jury earlier this month, but we do not have details on when the next steps in the court case may be.

Amy and Ava Jones are home

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — The expectations when Kansas State coach Chris Klieman was plying his trade at North Dakota State began and ended with winning the FCS national championship, and he managed to pull off the feat four times in five years.

While they'll never be so lofty with the Wildcats, that doesn't mean soaring expectations do not exist in Manhattan.

After Klieman's second eight-win season in his first three years, the Wildcats are poised to push Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas for the top of the Big 12 this season. They have All-America candidate Deuce Vaughn in the backfield, potential first-round draft pick Felix Anudike-Uzomah at defensive end, and a bevy of talent just about everywhere else on the roster.

That includes quarterback, where Nebraska transfer Adrian Martinez is taking over for the graduated Skyler Thompson, and is intent on overcoming the turnover trouble that plagued his otherwise prolific passing numbers with the Huskers.

“We have very optimistic, high expectations, as everybody does this time of year,” Klieman said, “but we have a lot of work to do. Have a number of guys back on both sides of the ball. But as the landscape of college football is right now, it's going to be new players that you've got to mesh with the returning players that are going to be the key to your success.”

Klieman might as well have been calling out Martinez by name.

During his four seasons at Nebraska, he threw for 8,491 yards and 45 touchdowns while also running for 2,301 yards and 35 scores. But he also threw 30 interceptions, and it seemed that most of them came in crucial situations.

Now he gets a fresh start under the watchful eye of former Heisman Trophy finalist Collin Klein, who begins his first full year as offensive coordinator. Much like Martinez, Klein was a dual-threat quarterback who is expected to implement an offensive system similar to the one he operated for Bill Snyder a decade ago.

“He's gotten better the last few weeks,” Klein said. “He's gotten comfortable in what we're asking him to do.”

Martinez will have the benefit of having Vaughn lining up behind him. The 5-foot-6 dynamo is coming off a season in which he totaled 1,872 yards from scrimmage and scored 22 touchdowns.

“The people see him and how he handles himself every day. He's a consummate pro,” running backs coach Brian Anderson said. “He takes care of his body. He attacks the workouts in fall camp. He sits in the meetings and takes notes. Guys see that and try to be like him, and that helps our locker room.”

Anudike-Uzomah made a splash as a sophomore last season, piling up four sacks in a game against TCU and finishing with 52 tackles, 11 sacks and six forced fumbles. His prototypical size at 6-foot-4, 255 pounds has made him an early favorite of NFL scouts, even though he was a lightly recruited prospect coming out of high school.

Defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman's bunch got a big lift when defensive tackle Eli Huggins and linebacker Daniel Green decided to return for their senior seasons. The Wildcats also return talented cornerbacks Ekow Boye-Doe and Julius Brents, though they'll be breaking in a pair of new safeties in transfers Kobe Savage and Josh Hayes.

The Wildcats return a trio of senior wide receivers in Phillip Brooks, Malik Knowles and Kade Warner along with another senior in tight end Sammy Wheeler. But there is plenty of depth with junior Keenan Garber and freshman RJ Garcia getting rave reviews in camp, and Ole Miss transfer Jadon Jackson fighting for playing time.

Knowles returned a pair of kickoffs for touchdowns last season while Brooks has returned three punts for touchdowns, and that gives the Wildcats a big advantage on special teams. They also have Chris Tennant back to handle kicking duties and Ty Zentner back to handle punts.

The Wildcats should be comfortable favorites in their first three games against South Dakota, former Big 12 rival Missouri and Tulane. And if they get off to a 3-0 start, that would set up a big showdown at No. 9 Oklahoma to start conference play.

The rest of the schedule sets up favorably for the Wildcats. They get Oklahoma State and Texas at home, though they do visit Baylor, and finish with games against West Virginia and Kansas in which they should be favorites.

K-State eyes top of Big 12 behind bevy of returning starters

New
York	73	46	.613	_	_	3-7	L-1	42-18	31-28

Tampa
Bay	63	54	.538	9	_	6-4	W-1	36-22	27-32

Toronto	63	54	.538	9	_	4-6	W-2	36-25	27-29

Baltimore	61	57	.517	11½	2½	5-5	L-2	33-22	28-35

Boston	59	60	.496	14	5	5-5	L-1	29-30	30-30

Cleveland	63	55	.534	_	_	7-3	W-1	31-24	32-31

Minnesota	61	55	.526	1	1½	5-5	W-3	34-25	27-30

Chicago	61	58	.513	2½	3	6-4	L-2	30-31	31-27

Kansas
City	48	72	.400	16	16½	3-7	L-4	29-34	19-38

Detroit	45	75	.375	19	19½	2-8	L-1	26-33	19-42

Houston	77	43	.642	_	_	7-3	W-2	39-18	38-25

Seattle	65	54	.546	11½	+1	7-3	W-3	31-26	34-28

Texas	53	65	.449	23	10½	5-5	W-1	27-34	26-31

Los
Angeles	51	67	.432	25	12½	5-5	L-3	26-36	25-31

Oakland	43	76	.361	33½	21	2-8	L-1	17-38	26-38

New
York	76	43	.639	_	_	6-4	L-1	40-19	36-24

Atlanta	73	47	.608	3½	+7½	9-1	W-1	40-23	33-24

Philadelphia	65	52	.556	10	+1	6-4	L-1	32-26	33-26

Miami	52	66	.441	23½	12½	3-7	L-1	25-33	27-33

Washington	40	80	.333	36½	25½	4-6	W-1	19-44	21-36

St.
Louis	66	51	.564	_	_	7-3	W-4	40-21	26-30

Milwaukee	63	54	.538	3	1	5-5	W-1	31-24	32-30

Chicago	50	67	.427	16	14	7-3	W-3	24-34	26-33

Cincinnati	46	70	.397	19½	17½	3-7	W-1	26-36	20-34

Pittsburgh	46	72	.390	20½	18½	2-8	W-1	25-31	21-41

Los
Angeles	81	36	.692	_	_	7-3	L-1	40-15	41-21

San
Diego	66	55	.545	17	_	5-5	L-1	33-25	33-30

San
Francisco	59	59	.500	22½	5½	6-4	L-2	34-29	25-30

Arizona	55	63	.466	26½	9½	6-4	W-2	32-29	23-34

Colorado	51	69	.425	31½	14½	3-7	L-5	33-30	18-39

Friday MLB Standings

Friday August 19 5:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Kansas City @ Tampa Bay Rays&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Saturday August 20 2:00PM B104 - Washington Commanders @ Kansas City Chiefs 2:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Kansas City @ Tampa Bay Rays&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Sunday August 21 12:00PM 1590/95.5FM - Kansas City @ Tampa Bay Rays 5:00PM 1590/95.5FM - MLB - Boston Red Sox @ Baltimore Orioles&nbsp; Monday August 22 12:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Chicago White Sox @ Kansas City Tuesday August 23 6:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Arizona Diamondbacks @ Kansas City Wednesday August 24 6:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Arizona Diamondbacks @ Kansas City&nbsp; Thursday August 25 6:00PM - NFL - Green Bay Packers @ Kansas City Chiefs&nbsp; Friday August 26 6:30PM 1590/95.5FM - San Diego Padres @ Kansas City&nbsp; &nbsp; Saturday August 27 5:30PM 1590/95.5FM - San Diego Padres @ Kansas City&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Sunday August 28 12:30PM 1590/95.5FM - San Diego Padres @ Kansas City 5:00PM 1590/95.5FM - MLB - Atlanta Braves @ St. Louis Cardinals&nbsp; Tuesday August 30 6:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Kansas City @ Chicago White Sox&nbsp; Wednesday August 31 6:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Kansas City @ Chicago White Sox &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Eagle Radio and Hull Broadcasting PBP Schedule

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Luis Patiño pitched strongly into the sixth inning, Yandy Díaz drove in three runs, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Kansas City Royals 7-1 on Thursday night.

Tampa Bay, which is tied with Toronto for the second AL wild card, has won five of six.

Patiño (1-1), recalled from Triple-A Durham to make his first big league appearance since July 23, gave up four hits in 5 2/3 scoreless innings. He went on the 60-day injured list following a left oblique strain in April.

“I felt really good," Patiño said through a translator. “I've been in the process of being able to recover from my injuries. Confidence has definitely gone up.”

Patiño gave up three runs and seven hits in four innings at Kansas City on July 23. The right-hander is the Rays' major league-leading 22nd pitcher to win a game this season.

“Kept us off balance,” Royals manager Mike Matheny said. “He's got good stuff. Breaking ball is sharp, good velocity. Couldn't really predict where he was going to go and didn't make a lot of mistakes."

Díaz homered on the second pitch from Max Castillo (0-1) leading off the first, and had a two-run double during a during a five-run seventh off Brad Keller.

Michael Massey hit his first major league homer leading off the eighth against Shawn Armstrong to stop the Royals' scoreless streak at 33 innings. Kansas City, blanked by Minnesota in its previous two games, avoided being shut out in three straight for the second time this season.

Castillo allowed one run and three hits, including two on bunts, in five innings. The right-hander was acquired from Toronto in the Whit Merrifield trade on Aug. 2 and recalled from Triple-A Omaha to make the start after Keller was shifted to the bullpen on Wednesday.

“Really impressive,” Matheny said. “Couldn't have expected any more than what he did.”

Keller, who went 6-13 in 22 starts this year, entered with one out in the seventh and allowed six consecutive hits, including Díaz's double that bounced over the head of third baseman Bobby Witt Jr. He allowed five runs, six hits and threw a run-scoring wild pitch in two-thirds of an inning.

Roman Quinn had the second hit in the seventh and took advantage of the shift to get a huge lead off first. He advanced to second on Jose Siri's infield single that shortstop Nicky Lopez fielded. Lopez looked at second before making a late throw to first.

“Roman Quinn's baserunning set up that entire inning,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “Just very, very heads up. We weren't knocking the ball all over the place. Keller gave up I think six or seven groundballs that inning.”

Christian Bethancourt had a solo homer in the eighth that made it 7-1.

Kansas City designated hitter Vinnie Pasquantino went 0 for 3 with a walk and had his nine-game hitting streak that included five homers end. Salvador Perez walked twice, giving him 12 in 78 games this year.

The Rays arrived in the Tampa area around 5 a.m. after Wednesday night’s 8-7, 10-inning loss to the New York Yankees.

Outfielder David Peralta normally doesn’t sleep on the plane but did this time and said he was snoring so loudly he woke himself up.

Asked before the game if he thought the players were tired, Cash said, “No.”

Royals: RF Hunter Dozier was reinstated from the paternity list.

Rays: SS Wander Franco (right hamate bone surgery) sat out his second consecutive game with Triple-A Durham after departing his first rehab game Tuesday with hand soreness. Cash said Franco will take grounders Friday. ... OF Manuel Margot (right patellar strain) is expected to be activated Saturday. ... LHP Brendan McKay (thoracic outlet syndrome surgery) allowed two runs and two hits over four innings for Durham.

Royals: RHP Brady Singer (6-4), coming off a one-hit, six-inning outing Sunday in a 4-0 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers, starts Friday night against the Rays' Shane McClanahan (11-5), the AL All-Star Game starter.

Luis Patiño strong in return, Rays beat Royals 7-1

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.
(AP) — Luis Patiño pitched strongly into the sixth inning, Yandy
Díaz drove in three runs, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Kansas
City Royals 7-1. Tampa Bay started the day tied with Toronto for the
second AL wild card. The Rays have won five of six. Patiño was
recalled from Triple-A Durham to make his first big league appearance
since July 23. He gave up four hits in 5 2/3 scoreless innings. Díaz
homered on the second pitch from Max Castillo leading off the first,
and had a two-run double during a during a five-run seventh off Brad
Keller.

ST. LOUIS (AP) —
Albert Pujols launched a pinch-hit grand slam and drove in five runs,
Adam Wainwright pitched seven sharp innings and the St. Louis
Cardinals routed the Colorado Rockies 13-0 for a three-game sweep.
The Rockies lost starting pitcher Antonio Senzatela and right fielder
Charlie Blackmon in the second inning to leg injuries. Senzatela
crumpled to the ground after attempting to cover first base and
Blackmon was removed an inning after beating out an infield single.
The NL Central-leading Cardinals won their fourth in a row and sent
Colorado to its fifth straight loss. Pujols hit his 690th career home
run. It was his 16th grand slam, tying him with Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth
and Dave Kingman for 10th-most of all-time. Wainwright gave up three
hits, struck out seven and walked none.

UNDATED (AP) — The
Big Ten has announced its new, seven-year media rights deal with Fox,
NBC and CBS that is believed to be the richest ever struck with a
college sports conference. A person familiar with the contracts tells
The Associated Press that the conference's soon-to-be 16 member
universities eventually will share more than $1 billion in revenue
per year. Starting in 2024, when USC and UCLA join the conference,
Big Ten football Saturdays will be structured similar to the NFL.
That means three marquee games being carried in consecutive time
slots on three different major TV networks.

UNDATED (AP) —
NCAA officials have sent a letter to members updating them on
enforcement’s staff pursuit of “potential violations” of the
name, image and likeness compensation policy. The association
emphasized the need for schools to aid investigations. The email says
NCAA enforcement staff is “actively investigating potential abuses
of NIL transactions and we’ll allege any substantiated concerns as
soon as possible.” The NCAA in 2020 lifted its ban on athletes
earning money for things like endorsement and sponsorship deals,
social media posts and personal appearances.

BEREA, Ohio (AP) —
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson will serve an 11-game
unpaid suspension, pay a $5 million fine and undergo required
professional evaluation and counseling following accusations of
sexual misconduct by two dozen women. Watson was accused of sexually
harassing and coercing women during massage therapy sessions while he
played for the Houston Texans. The league had sought to ban him for
at least one year for violating its personal conduct policy. Watson's
suspension begins Aug. 30, when he won't be allowed at the team’s
facility. He may return for the Browns’ game on Dec. 4 in Houston.
Cleveland traded for the three-time Pro Bowler in March, signing him
to a fully guaranteed $230 million contract.

WILMINGTON, Del.
(AP) — Keegan Bradley hasn’t been to the FedEx Cup finale in four
years. He started the BMW Championship like he was in a hurry to get
back. Bradley tied a personal best with a 29 on the front nine a
Wilmington Country Club on his way to a 64. That gives him a one-shot
lead over Adam Scott. Both are in the same boat. They are outside the
top 30 who make it to the Tour Championship in Atlanta to chase the
$18 million prize. Justin Thomas and Shane Lowry were among those two
shots behind.

SEATTLE (AP) —
Geno Smith did little to distinguish himself in his battle with Drew
Lock for Seattle’s starting quarterback job as the sloppy Seahawks
fell 27-11 to the Chicago Bears in the second preseason game for both
teams. The Seahawks had planned to start Lock but turned to Smith
when Lock tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday. That meant another
opportunity for Smith, but his uninspired performance suggests Lock
still has a chance to win the job. Smith finished 10 of 18 for 112
yards and was hampered by teammates’ mistakes while playing the
first half. Second-year Bears quarterback Justin Fields made a brief
appearance and led a field-goal drive.

ATLANTA (AP) —
Jared Bernhardt has traded in his stick for the pigskin. Just two
years after being honored as the nation’s top college lacrosse
player, Bernhardt is trying to make it as an NFL receiver with the
Atlanta Falcons. If this were a lacrosse team, the 24-year-old
Bernhardt would undoubtedly be one of their best players. He starred
for five seasons at Maryland, where he helped the Terrapins to a
national championship as a freshman and was honored with the sport’s
version of the Heisman Trophy after his record-setting senior year.
Now, he’s the longest of long shots on the gridiron.

Friday Sports Headlines and Scores presented by Barton Community College

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — The quickest way to the quarterback for a defensive end is usually the most direct route, and that may be why Chiefs rookie George Karlaftis is so adept at bulldozing his way through an unsuspecting offensive tackle and into the backfield.

Then again, perhaps it's because the route Karlaftis took to reaching the NFL was anything but direct.

The first-round pick out of Purdue grew up in Athens — not the one in Georgia, home to the Bulldogs, but the one in Greece, home to the Parthenon. His father, Matt, was an accomplished track and field athlete who had ventured to the U.S. to attend college, and while doing doctoral work at Purdue had met his eventual wife, Amy.

The two settled back in Athens, where Matt Karlaftis embarked on a career in academia, and where the family eventually grew to include four children. But the lives of all of them changed in June 2014, when their patriarch died of a sudden heart attack while on a work trip at the age of 44. Within a matter of days, Amy decided to move with her kids back to Indiana, where she settled in West Lafayette to be closer to family and her support network.

It was there that George Karlaftis, who had excelled at water polo and a myriad other sports in Greece, fell in love with the American version of football. He was in the eighth grade and, for a young man learning a new language, adapting to a new culture and trying to make new friends, the game gave him an opportunity to discover himself.

Now, a mere eight years later, the 21-year-old Karlaftis has reached the pinnacle of the sport.

“Looking back on it,” he said, “it's pretty crazy to think about. I feel like, more generally speaking, I've always excelled in sports to a certain extent. Football sort of came natural to me after I had a full year under my belt. I surely fell in love with it. Just looking back on it, I had a crazy, crazy ride. And just like the French say, ‘C'est la vie,' right? That's life.”

It has certainly been an interesting one. And in many ways, it's only beginning.

The Chiefs were better than just three teams in the NFL last season when it came to bringing down the quarterback, and they were unable to make a noteworthy splash in free agency until they signed veteran Carlos Dunlap midway into training camp. So instead, they spent one of their two first-round draft picks in an attempt to upgrade at defensive end.

Karlaftis was the fifth one off the board after a standout career at Purdue, but he fit perfectly with Kansas City.

“With a late start to football, he picked it up quick,” Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said, “and one thing in common in everyone that you talk to about George is approach to the game and how important it is to him.”

That's been evident through the first month of training camp. Karlaftis is often one of the first players on the field and one of the last to leave it, and not just because he's probably signed more autographs for fans than just about anyone.

Along the way, Karlaftis began spending time with veteran Frank Clark, who regularly puts in extra work after practice.

“George is dope. He's a dope rookie,” Clark said with a smile. "He listens, you know? And honestly, I love him. He's a favorite for me early, one of my favorite rookies ever. He wants to be good. He understands it's a different game. There's a different twist in the NFL. You have to be understanding that.

“The other day,” Clark recalled, “he asked about getting off the ball — I fly off the ball — and he's asking, ‘What are you looking at?' And I explained to him different keys. Then at the end of practice, I'm zoned out, looking at the sky, just had five plays in a row, and he came running over to me and he's like, ‘Bro!’ Scared me. He's like, ‘Bro! I did it! I did what you told me to do!’ I was like, ‘Oh, cool. Good stuff.’ But just the fact that he came over so excited was cool.”

Not always does such practice success translate on game day, but Karlaftis couldn't have had a better preseason debut than last Saturday in Chicago. He had two quarterback hits along with a tackle-for-loss and a sack.

“Everyone is helping in their own way,” said Karlaftis, who gets his first opportunity inside Arrowhead Stadium when the Chiefs play Washington in their second exhibition game Saturday. “We're trying to have the strongest group possible. But it's just little things about the game, little veteran intricacies, that are being passed down to me.”

The depth chart is fluid in Kansas City, where defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo is known for rotating so many players that it hardly matters anyway. But at least for now, Karlaftis is taking the shortest route he can to the top — just like he does when he's trying to chase down a quarterback in the backfield.

“He's a great kid,” Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce said. “A lot of love for the rook. He came in and knew the playbook, he's a true student of the game. He has a lot of heart and effort. I love playing with him. He brings the young dog out of me.”

Chiefs' George Karlaftis could become NFL's own Greek Freak

The Barton Community College volleyball team has been picked to finish third in the Jayhawk West Conference for the upcoming 2022-23 season according to the league member coaches' voting

Finishing runner-up for the third straight year, the Cougars had their season come to an end in the Region VI Semifinals concluding the campaign at 24-11.

Entering his fourth year at the helm Head Coach Alan Segal returns seven key pieces from last season's squad including First-Team outside hitter Tasiah Nunnery and second-team defensive specialist Hanna Miller.

Barton will toss the ball up on Friday, August 19th at the OWT Tournament in Rockford, Illinois against Lake Land College before concluding the weekend trip with a pair of matches Saturday, August 20th versus Williston State College and Rend Lake College. The Lady Cougars open the home slate on September 14th against Pratt Community College.

The Saints of Seward County Community College have been tabbed the conference favorite with the defending Conference and Region VI Champions Butler Community College predicted just in-front of the Cougars with Dodge City Community College in the fourth spot.

Barton Volleyball tabbed third in the Jayhawk West

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Emilio Pagán pitched two scoreless innings after Tyler Mahle departed with right shoulder fatigue, and the Minnesota Twins beat the Kansas City Royals 4-0 on Wednesday for a three-game sweep.

Jose Miranda homered for Minnesota, which is fighting with Cleveland and the Chicago White Sox for control of the crowded AL Central. Miranda finished with two hits and two RBIs, and Nick Gordon had a run-scoring double.

After Mahle left in the third, Pagán (4-6), Griffin Jax, Jhoan Duran, Michael Fulmer and Trevor Megill finished Minnesota’s second straight shutout. A diving catch by center fielder Gilberto Celestino saved a run in the seventh.

“Yeah, we’ve got a super-talented group, and to be able to pick up the team like that is huge, especially when it caps off a sweep. So, that was a lot of fun,” Pagán said.

Making his third start since he was acquired from Cincinnati at the trade deadline, Mahle faced eight batters before manager Rocco Baldelli and a team trainer visited the mound in the third inning.

Mahle pitched 2 1/3 innings of hitless ball, walking one. He threw 29 of his 42 pitches for strikes, but his velocity was diminished.

Mahle is going to get an MRI and the team is expected to provide an update later Wednesday or Thursday.

On July 6, the Reds placed Mahle on the 15-day injured list with a strained right shoulder. An MRI ruled out any serious issues.

“I think we’re thinking it’s more along the lines of what guys do deal with over the course of the season," Baldelli said. "Guys do deal with things like this, maybe not quite to this extent, but guys do pitch through a lot of different soreness and tight here and tight there.”

Minnesota outscored Kansas City 17-2 in the series, bouncing back nicely from an ugly 1-4 road trip.

“That’s baseball,” Twins catcher Gary Sánchez said. “We never put our heads down. We came home. We had a great series against Kansas City, and just moving forward."

The Royals led 2-0 in the first inning Monday, but have gone scoreless in 26 frames since.

Salvador Perez and Vinnie Pasquantino each had two hits for Kansas City, which has been shut out 15 times this season.

Royals left-hander Daniel Lynch (4-8) allowed four runs — three earned — in six innings.

One strike away from getting out of the first inning, Lynch surrendered a two-run drive by Miranda. Of the 50 runs Lynch has allowed in 19 starts, 18 have come in the first inning. Last season, 43.5% of the runs he allowed occurred in the opening frame.

“I think I just sort of came out a little flat," Lynch said. “I’m not sure, but I kind of came in after that first inning and told myself I need to turn it on and get going a little bit.”

Brad Keller has been moved from the Royals’ rotation to the bullpen. The 6-foot-5 right-hander last worked as a reliever as a rookie in 2018.

Keller, who was scheduled to start Thursday, has six wins, an AL-high 13 losses and a 4.93 ERA in 22 starts. In two of his last three starts, he allowed eight earned runs; in three innings against the Dodgers on Aug. 13, and in 5 2/3 innings Aug. 2 against the White Sox.

“Many of you probably remember when Brad came up and how dominant he could look in the ’pen. So, it’s always been part of the conversation. Hate to go into the offseason wondering without actually taking a look,” manager Mike Matheny said.

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