Alabama looked beatable for the first time.

Ohio State’s defense still looks discombobulated, Clemson’s offense still looks limp and Oklahoma still looks far from elite .

Maybe college football’s season of the super teams won’t be such a foregone conclusion after all?

The top-ranked Crimson Tide faced its first serious challenge, but managed to get out of The Swamp undefeated against No. 11 Florida. The No. 9 Buckeyes, No. 6 Tigers and No. 3 Sooners also were winners — with blemishes.

Those four teams have combined for 20 College Football Playoff appearances. Fans, at least those of other teams, have been lamenting the same old, same old and bracing for another round of it in 2021.

Three weeks in, dare to dream of something different.

After rolling out to a 21-3 lead, things didn’t come easy for the Crimson Tide’s offense and maybe Nick Saban was right to be concerned about that run defense after the Mercer game. The Gators ran for 245 yards — though they went nowhere on the potential tying 2-point conversion late in the fourth quarter.

Credit Florida coach Dan Mullen with back-to-back games against Alabama where —- with very different personnel — the Gators were able to make the Tide’s offense operate under pressure by carving up its defense.

Last year, Florida was all about Kyle Trask connecting with Kyle Pitts and Kadarius Toney. The Gators are a quarterback run team now with Emory Jones, who went the whole way with Anthony Richardson sidelined.

“To be honest with you, I hope we see them really soon, like later this season,” Mullen said of the Tide.

Alabama will still be No. 1 in the country, the favorite to repeat as national champion, but the Tide gave just the slightest indication the machine might have a couple of gears that need grease. Especially with consecutive games against No. 20 Mississippi (Oct. 2) and at No. 7 Texas A&amp;M (Oct. 9) coming up soon.

No. 9 Ohio State (2-1) is past the point of needing just a tune up. The Buckeyes pulled away from Tulsa in the fourth quarter thanks to freshman phenom TreVeyon Henderson (270 yards rushing and three TDs).

Those defensive issues that had coach Ryan Day being asked about the status of defensive coordinator Kerry Coombs after the Oregon loss? Still there. Tulsa passed for 428 yards.

Related: No. 10 Penn State, No. 25 Michigan and Michigan State are a combined 9-0.

Clemson’s opening, touchdown-less loss to Georgia seemed no reason to panic and maybe Saturday’s long weather delay against Georgia Tech got the Tigers (2-1) out of sorts. Still, 284 total yards against a team that lost to Northern Illinois is disconcerting. Clemson has scored 17 points in two games against FBS opponents.

Of course, the ACC is not exactly showing off a bunch of potential challengers to break Clemson’s six-year lock on the conference title.

As for Oklahoma, the hype coming into this year was based on the premise that the Sooners now had a good defense to go with what is almost always a super-charged offense. The assumption being that with Lincoln Riley calling plays, Spencer Rattler would go from good to great at quarterback and the rest of the offense would follow.

Rattler would turn into a Heisman contender like the three quarterbacks (Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray and Jalen Hurts) who came before him.

Oklahoma’s offense is still a long way from from the Baker/Kyler days. In a workmanlike victory against Nebraska, Rattler was 23 of 34 for 213 yards and no picks.

The Sooners have won six straight Big 12 titles, but have only gone unbeaten in conference play once during that time. After watching the Sooners play it close with Tulane and Nebraska, the rest of the Big 12 should be buoyed.

Now, a reality check: Wins are wins and by the time November rolls around all these powerhouses could be rolling toward the CFP again.

But for now, the rest of the country has some reason to hope a real playoff race is possible.

No. 8 Cincinnati came from 14-0 down late in the first half to put away Indiana late, checking the first box on an important stretch of games for the Bearcats if they hope to make a playoff case. UC has a week off before heading to No. 12 Notre Dame on Oct. 2.

“It’s a little different world for us just because it’s a little bit of a spotlight, a little bit of a bull’s eye,” Cincinnati coach Luke Fickell said. “I’m not saying it’s any more of a spotlight or a bull’s-eye than anyone else who’s ranked. But for us as a program it’s a little different than what we’ve experienced and our guys are finding a way to really handle it.”

The Bearcats got some help in the form of four turnovers by the Hoosiers and a targeting call against IU that swung momentum late in the first half. Still, it’s a solid road win.

The problem is solid was not what UC signed up for. Cincinnati’s perfect-world CFP scenario had Indiana and Notre Dame as ranked teams. The Hoosiers could still cobble together a good season, but Michael Penix has been a turnover machine and Indiana is probably not going to be the second-best team in the Big Ten East this season.

As for Notre Dame, the Irish improved to 3-0 and none of it has been easy. At least this time they didn’t need late-game heroics against Purdue.

Notre Dame has No. 18 Wisconsin next week in Chicago. The Bearcats will be rooting for the Irish on their off week.

Jake Haener transferred out of Washington to Fresno State and turned into a Pac-12 killer.

The Bulldogs’ quarterback engineered two late touchdown drives to upset No. 13 UCLA and turn Pac-12 After Dark into a debacle for the West’s Coast Power Five conference.

San Diego State beat Utah in three overtimes, No. 23 BYU won at No. 19 Arizona State, with the help of an amazing chase-down by Tyson Allgeier, and Northern Arizona beat Arizona for the first time in almost 90 years.

But nothing was worse than the UCLA loss. Just two weeks ago the Bruins knocked off LSU and seemed on the way to a big season under Chip Kelly.

Then Haener, playing through pain, put on one of the performances of the season, throwing for 455 yards and two touchdowns.

The Pac-12 is 16-16 in nonconference games, including three losses to BYU, five against Mountain West teams — such as Fresno State — and two to FCS schools.

AROUND THE COUNTRY: Nothing is more Pitt than the Panthers losing at home to Western Michigan of the Mid-American Conference the week after beating an SEC team (Tennessee) on the road. ... Add No. 15 Virginia Tech losing at West Virginia and Michigan State taking it to No. 24 Miam i to Pitt’s loss and the Atlantic Coast Conference had another rough week in nonconference play. ... Memphis won a wild game against Mississippi State with one of the more bizarre punt return TDs you’ll see — and one that Bulldogs fans will be fuming over ... Kedon Slovis got his opportunity at USC two seasons ago because of an injury to JT Daniels. Did Jaxson Dart just Wally Pipp Slovis? The Trojans’ freshman came off the bench in USC”s first game since Clay Helton was fired to pass for 391 yards and four touchdowns i n a rout of Washington State. ... Florida State is 0-3 for the first time since 1976, the late Bobby Bowden’s first season as coach. Rutgers is 3-0 for the first time since 2012. ... Hope college football doesn’t have to wait 90 more years to see Auburn play at a Big Ten stadium. Penn State-Auburn for a white out at Beaver Stadium was Exhibit A in the case against banning neutral site games.

By RALPH D. RUSSOAlabama looked beatable for the first time.Ohio State’s defense still looks discombobulated, Clemson’s offense still looks limp and Oklahoma still looks far from elite .Maybe college football’s season of the super teams won’t be such a foregone conclusion after all?The top-ranked Crimson Tide faced its first serious challenge, but managed to get out of The Swamp undefeated against No. 11 Florida. The No. 9 Buckeyes, No. 6 Tigers and No. 3 Sooners also were winners — with blemishes.Those four teams have combined for 20 College Football Playoff appearances. Fans, at least those of other teams, have been lamenting the same old, same old and bracing for another round of it in 2021.Three weeks in, dare to dream of something different.After rolling out to a 21-3 lead, things didn’t come easy for the Crimson Tide’s offense and maybe Nick Saban was right to be concerned about that run defense after the Mercer game. The Gators ran for 245 yards — though they went nowhere on the potential tying 2-point conversion late in the fourth quarter.Credit Florida coach Dan Mullen with back-to-back games against Alabama where —- with very different personnel — the Gators were able to make the Tide’s offense operate under pressure by carving up its defense.Last year, Florida was all about Kyle Trask connecting with Kyle Pitts and Kadarius Toney. The Gators are a quarterback run team now with Emory Jones, who went the whole way with Anthony Richardson sidelined.“To be honest with you, I hope we see them really soon, like later this season,” Mullen said of the Tide.Alabama will still be No. 1 in the country, the favorite to repeat as national champion, but the Tide gave just the slightest indication the machine might have a couple of gears that need grease. Especially with consecutive games against No. 20 Mississippi (Oct. 2) and at No. 7 Texas A&amp;M (Oct. 9) coming up soon.No. 9 Ohio State (2-1) is past the point of needing just a tune up. The Buckeyes pulled away from Tulsa in the fourth quarter thanks to freshman phenom TreVeyon Henderson (270 yards rushing and three TDs).Those defensive issues that had coach Ryan Day being asked about the status of defensive coordinator Kerry Coombs after the Oregon loss? Still there. Tulsa passed for 428 yards.Related: No. 10 Penn State, No. 25 Michigan and Michigan State are a combined 9-0.Clemson’s opening, touchdown-less loss to Georgia seemed no reason to panic and maybe Saturday’s long weather delay against Georgia Tech got the Tigers (2-1) out of sorts. Still, 284 total yards against a team that lost to Northern Illinois is disconcerting. Clemson has scored 17 points in two games against FBS opponents.Of course, the ACC is not exactly showing off a bunch of potential challengers to break Clemson’s six-year lock on the conference title.As for Oklahoma, the hype coming into this year was based on the premise that the Sooners now had a good defense to go with what is almost always a super-charged offense. The assumption being that with Lincoln Riley calling plays, Spencer Rattler would go from good to great at quarterback and the rest of the offense would follow.Rattler would turn into a Heisman contender like the three quarterbacks (Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray and Jalen Hurts) who came before him.What’s the old saying about assuming?Oklahoma’s offense is still a long way from from the Baker/Kyler days. In a workmanlike victory against Nebraska, Rattler was 23 of 34 for 213 yards and no picks.The Sooners have won six straight Big 12 titles, but have only gone unbeaten in conference play once during that time. After watching the Sooners play it close with Tulane and Nebraska, the rest of the Big 12 should be buoyed.Now, a reality check: Wins are wins and by the time November rolls around all these powerhouses could be rolling toward the CFP again.But for now, the rest of the country has some reason to hope a real playoff race is possible.BEARCAT COMEBACKNo. 8 Cincinnati came from 14-0 down late in the first half to put away Indiana late, checking the first box on an important stretch of games for the Bearcats if they hope to make a playoff case. UC has a week off before heading to No. 12 Notre Dame on Oct. 2.“It’s a little different world for us just because it’s a little bit of a spotlight, a little bit of a bull’s eye,” Cincinnati coach Luke Fickell said. “I’m not saying it’s any more of a spotlight or a bull’s-eye than anyone else who’s ranked. But for us as a program it’s a little different than what we’ve experienced and our guys are finding a way to really handle it.”The Bearcats got some help in the form of four turnovers by the Hoosiers and a targeting call against IU that swung momentum late in the first half. Still, it’s a solid road win.The problem is solid was not what UC signed up for. Cincinnati’s perfect-world CFP scenario had Indiana and Notre Dame as ranked teams. The Hoosiers could still cobble together a good season, but Michael Penix has been a turnover machine and Indiana is probably not going to be the second-best team in the Big Ten East this season.As for Notre Dame, the Irish improved to 3-0 and none of it has been easy. At least this time they didn’t need late-game heroics against Purdue.Notre Dame has No. 18 Wisconsin next week in Chicago. The Bearcats will be rooting for the Irish on their off week.FRESNO STATE FOLK HEROJake Haener transferred out of Washington to Fresno State and turned into a Pac-12 killer.The Bulldogs’ quarterback engineered two late touchdown drives to upset No. 13 UCLA and turn Pac-12 After Dark into a debacle for the West’s Coast Power Five conference.San Diego State beat Utah in three overtimes, No. 23 BYU won at No. 19 Arizona State, with the help of an amazing chase-down by Tyson Allgeier, and Northern Arizona beat Arizona for the first time in almost 90 years.But nothing was worse than the UCLA loss. Just two weeks ago the Bruins knocked off LSU and seemed on the way to a big season under Chip Kelly.Then Haener, playing through pain, put on one of the performances of the season, throwing for 455 yards and two touchdowns.The Pac-12 is 16-16 in nonconference games, including three losses to BYU, five against Mountain West teams — such as Fresno State — and two to FCS schools.AROUND THE COUNTRY: Nothing is more Pitt than the Panthers losing at home to Western Michigan of the Mid-American Conference the week after beating an SEC team (Tennessee) on the road. ... Add No. 15 Virginia Tech losing at West Virginia and Michigan State taking it to No. 24 Miam i to Pitt’s loss and the Atlantic Coast Conference had another rough week in nonconference play. ... Memphis won a wild game against Mississippi State with one of the more bizarre punt return TDs you’ll see — and one that Bulldogs fans will be fuming over ... Kedon Slovis got his opportunity at USC two seasons ago because of an injury to JT Daniels. Did Jaxson Dart just Wally Pipp Slovis? The Trojans’ freshman came off the bench in USC”s first game since Clay Helton was fired to pass for 391 yards and four touchdowns i n a rout of Washington State. ... Florida State is 0-3 for the first time since 1976, the late Bobby Bowden’s first season as coach. Rutgers is 3-0 for the first time since 2012. ... Hope college football doesn’t have to wait 90 more years to see Auburn play at a Big Ten stadium. Penn State-Auburn for a white out at Beaver Stadium was Exhibit A in the case against banning neutral site games.

AP Top 25 Takeaways: Not-so-super super powers show cracks

Sun 9/1912:30PM 1590/95.5 KVGB - Royals Baseball - Seattle Mariners @ Kansas City5:00PM 1590/95.5 KVGB - MLB - Philadelphia Phillies @ New York Mets6:00PM B104 - Chiefs Football - Kansas City @ Baltimore RavensMon 9/202:30PM 1590/95.5 KVGB - Royals Baseball - Kansas City @ Cleveland Indians (DH)Tue 9/214:30PM 1590/95.5 KVGB - Royals Baseball - Kansas City @ Cleveland IndiansWed 9/224:30PM 1590/95.5 KVGB - Royals Baseball - Kansas City @ Cleveland IndiansFri 9/245:30PM 1590/95.5 KVGB - Royals Baseball - Kansas City @ Detroit Tigers6:30PM B104 - High School Football - Great Bend @ Kapuan Mt. Carmel6:30PM KHOK - High School Football - Hoisington @ Phillipsburg6:45PM KHOK - High School Football - Larned @ PrattSat 9/252:30PM KBGL - College Football - Kansas @ Duke4:30PM 1590/95.5 KVGB - Royals Baseball - Kansas City @ Detroit TigersSun 9/2611:00 AM B104 - NFL Football - Los Angeles Chargers @ Kansas City Chiefs11:30AM 1590/95.5 KVGB - Royals Baseball - Kansas City @ Detroit Tigers5:30PM 1590/95.5 KVGB - MLB - New York Yankees @ Boston Red SoxTue 9/286:30PM 1590/95.5 KVGB - Royals Baseball - Cleveland Indians @ Kansas CityWed 9/296:30PM 1590/95.5 KVGB - Royals Baseball - Cleveland Indians @ Kansas City

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HAYS, Kan. – Fort Hays State rolled to a 72-0 shutout of Lincoln University on Saturday (Sept. 18) at Lewis Field Stadium to pick up its first win of 2021. The Tigers jumped out to a 37-0 lead by halftime and tacked on another 35 in the second half. They posted their first shutout of an opponent since a 58-0 win over Northeastern State in Hays in 2018. FHSU is now 1-2 on the season, while Lincoln dropped to 0-2.

The scoring extravaganza for the Tigers started off a bit slow with only one touchdown in the first quarter, courtesy of Adrian Soto on a one-yard touchdown plunge on fourth and goal. Early in the second quarter the Tigers picked up two more points when Lincoln, pinned up against its own goal line, snapped the ball over their punter's head for a safety.

From that point the Tigers went on to score nine more touchdowns, including four in the second quarter, three in the third, and two in the fourth. Soto had two more touchdown runs of three yards and one yard to account for three of the first half scores. He finished with the first 100-yard rushing game of his career, right on the mark, on 13 carries. Irick McDonald hauled in a 5-yard touchdown pass from Chance Fuller, and Alex Schremmer hauled in a 29-yard strike from Fuller in the endzone as time expired in the first half.

In the third quarter, Fuller took a ball into the endzone from two yards out, Voshon Waiters had a six-yard touchdown run, and Waiters found Calvin Stapp for a 15-yard touchdown pass. In the fourth quarter, Toronto King had a nine-yard touchdown run and Clay Robinson plunged into the endzone from one yard out. The Tigers finished with seven rushing touchdowns for the night spread around to five different players. Tristan Tucker and Robinson each rushed for 65 yards on top of Soto's 100. As a team the Tigers finished with 311 yards on the ground, their most in a game since 2019 when the rambled for 370 against Northeastern State.

Fuller, NCAA Division II's pass yards leader entering the game, did not have to put up big numbers through the air with the ground game chewing up yards. He finished with 210 passing yards, completing 13 of 17 attempts. Manny Ramsey was the top Tiger receiver with 114 yards on six catches. Tucker had 60 receiving yards in the game and led the Tigers in all-purpose yards with 125 for the night.

The Tigers distributed tackling evenly throughout the squad in the shutout effort. Layke Heimerman and Sam Brandt tied for a team-high five tackles each, while Jhimon Preston, Mason Perez, and Javaris Sanders all had four. FHSU held Lincoln to just eight first downs, including just one in the second half. FHSU held LU to just 167 total yards, while producing 621 on the offensive side of the ball.

The Tigers head on the road next week to Missouri Southern on Saturday (Sept. 25) for an afternoon contest set for 2 pm. The Lions are also 1-2 on the season after picking up their first win on Saturday as well, a 14-10 win at Central Oklahoma.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632054702441.jpeg" alt="Fort Hays State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Fort Hays State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>HAYS, Kan. – Fort Hays State rolled to a 72-0 shutout of Lincoln University on Saturday (Sept. 18) at Lewis Field Stadium to pick up its first win of 2021. The Tigers jumped out to a 37-0 lead by halftime and tacked on another 35 in the second half. They posted their first shutout of an opponent since a 58-0 win over Northeastern State in Hays in 2018. FHSU is now 1-2 on the season, while Lincoln dropped to 0-2.The scoring extravaganza for the Tigers started off a bit slow with only one touchdown in the first quarter, courtesy of Adrian Soto on a one-yard touchdown plunge on fourth and goal. Early in the second quarter the Tigers picked up two more points when Lincoln, pinned up against its own goal line, snapped the ball over their punter's head for a safety.From that point the Tigers went on to score nine more touchdowns, including four in the second quarter, three in the third, and two in the fourth. Soto had two more touchdown runs of three yards and one yard to account for three of the first half scores. He finished with the first 100-yard rushing game of his career, right on the mark, on 13 carries. Irick McDonald hauled in a 5-yard touchdown pass from Chance Fuller, and Alex Schremmer hauled in a 29-yard strike from Fuller in the endzone as time expired in the first half.In the third quarter, Fuller took a ball into the endzone from two yards out, Voshon Waiters had a six-yard touchdown run, and Waiters found Calvin Stapp for a 15-yard touchdown pass. In the fourth quarter, Toronto King had a nine-yard touchdown run and Clay Robinson plunged into the endzone from one yard out. The Tigers finished with seven rushing touchdowns for the night spread around to five different players. Tristan Tucker and Robinson each rushed for 65 yards on top of Soto's 100. As a team the Tigers finished with 311 yards on the ground, their most in a game since 2019 when the rambled for 370 against Northeastern State.Fuller, NCAA Division II's pass yards leader entering the game, did not have to put up big numbers through the air with the ground game chewing up yards. He finished with 210 passing yards, completing 13 of 17 attempts. Manny Ramsey was the top Tiger receiver with 114 yards on six catches. Tucker had 60 receiving yards in the game and led the Tigers in all-purpose yards with 125 for the night.The Tigers distributed tackling evenly throughout the squad in the shutout effort. Layke Heimerman and Sam Brandt tied for a team-high five tackles each, while Jhimon Preston, Mason Perez, and Javaris Sanders all had four. FHSU held Lincoln to just eight first downs, including just one in the second half. FHSU held LU to just 167 total yards, while producing 621 on the offensive side of the ball.The Tigers head on the road next week to Missouri Southern on Saturday (Sept. 25) for an afternoon contest set for 2 pm. The Lions are also 1-2 on the season after picking up their first win on Saturday as well, a 14-10 win at Central Oklahoma.

Tigers Blow Out Lincoln for First Win of 2021

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kris Bubic allowed two hits over 6 1/3 innings in his best start this season, and the Kansas City Royals beat Seattle 8-1 Saturday night to put another dent in the Mariners’ slim playoff chances.

Yusei Kikuchi (7-9) dropped to 0-3 in eight starts since winning at Tampa Bay at Aug. 3.

He gave up three runs and eight hits, needing 86 pitches to get through three innings, and he threw three wild pitches in the first inning alone. Kukuchi’s fastball averaged 94.1 mph, down from a season average of 95.3 mph coming in.

“I always talk about starting pitching setting the tone,” Seattle manager Scott Servais said. “Obviously, Kikuchi coming out of the chute tonight with really no command of any of his pitches was a challenge. It’s remarkable that we were still in the game at that point.”

“I felt like I wasn’t able to get in a good rhythm,” Kikuchi said through an interpreter. “No walks tonight, but getting behind in the count cost me.”

Seattle lost for the fifth time in seven games and dropped four games behind Toronto for the AL’s second wild-card berth with 14 games remaining. The New York Yankees and Oakland also are ahead of the Mariners.

Salvador Perez had a run-scoring single in a four-run eighth, his major league-leading 113th RBI.

Bubic (5-6) allowed one run and two hits in 6 1/3 innings, combining with Domingo Tapia, Josh Staumont and Gabe Speier on a three-hitter.

“It was fastball command early and then he added everything,” Kansas City manager Mike Matheny said of Bubic. “He was living on the corners with just about everything. He had a little bit of trouble early, but then he found it and got better as he went. The breaking ball showed up later in the outing. He didn’t give a lot of free passes, but when he did he figured out ways to get himself out of it.”

Kansas City stopped a three-game losing streak and at 67-81 avoided for one more day assuring its fifth straight losing season.

Whit Merrifield reached on an infield single in the first and came around on three wild pitches. Two-out singles by Andrew Benintendi, Carlos Santana and Adalberto Mondesi doubled the lead.

Mondesi and Michael A. Taylor hit consecutive doubles in the third, and Taylor homered in the fifth off Sean Doolittle.

“It was a three-run game (but) it felt like it should have been more than that,” Matheny said. “We let some opportunities slip away. That one could have gotten away from us. To add that run was big.”

Abraham’s RBI groundout off Domingo Tapia cut the deficit to 4-1 in the seventh following Ty France’s leadoff double against Bubic.

Mariners: RHP Logan Gilbert (5-5, 4.97 ERA) starts for the Mariners in Sunday’s series final and RHP Jackson Kowar (0-3, 11.50) for the Royals.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kris Bubic allowed two hits over 6 1/3 innings in his best start this season, and the Kansas City Royals beat Seattle 8-1 Saturday night to put another dent in the Mariners’ slim playoff chances.Yusei Kikuchi (7-9) dropped to 0-3 in eight starts since winning at Tampa Bay at Aug. 3.He gave up three runs and eight hits, needing 86 pitches to get through three innings, and he threw three wild pitches in the first inning alone. Kukuchi’s fastball averaged 94.1 mph, down from a season average of 95.3 mph coming in.“I always talk about starting pitching setting the tone,” Seattle manager Scott Servais said. “Obviously, Kikuchi coming out of the chute tonight with really no command of any of his pitches was a challenge. It’s remarkable that we were still in the game at that point.”Kikuchi didn’t make excuses.“I felt like I wasn’t able to get in a good rhythm,” Kikuchi said through an interpreter. “No walks tonight, but getting behind in the count cost me.”Seattle lost for the fifth time in seven games and dropped four games behind Toronto for the AL’s second wild-card berth with 14 games remaining. The New York Yankees and Oakland also are ahead of the Mariners.Salvador Perez had a run-scoring single in a four-run eighth, his major league-leading 113th RBI.Bubic (5-6) allowed one run and two hits in 6 1/3 innings, combining with Domingo Tapia, Josh Staumont and Gabe Speier on a three-hitter.“It was fastball command early and then he added everything,” Kansas City manager Mike Matheny said of Bubic. “He was living on the corners with just about everything. He had a little bit of trouble early, but then he found it and got better as he went. The breaking ball showed up later in the outing. He didn’t give a lot of free passes, but when he did he figured out ways to get himself out of it.”Kansas City stopped a three-game losing streak and at 67-81 avoided for one more day assuring its fifth straight losing season.Whit Merrifield reached on an infield single in the first and came around on three wild pitches. Two-out singles by Andrew Benintendi, Carlos Santana and Adalberto Mondesi doubled the lead.Mondesi and Michael A. Taylor hit consecutive doubles in the third, and Taylor homered in the fifth off Sean Doolittle.“It was a three-run game (but) it felt like it should have been more than that,” Matheny said. “We let some opportunities slip away. That one could have gotten away from us. To add that run was big.”Abraham’s RBI groundout off Domingo Tapia cut the deficit to 4-1 in the seventh following Ty France’s leadoff double against Bubic.UP NEXTMariners: RHP Logan Gilbert (5-5, 4.97 ERA) starts for the Mariners in Sunday’s series final and RHP Jackson Kowar (0-3, 11.50) for the Royals.

Bubic and Royals dent Mariners, Kikuchi with 8-1 victory

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kris Bubic allowed two hits over 6 1/3 innings in his best start this season, and the Kansas City Royals beat Seattle 8-1 to put another dent in the Mariners’ slim playoff chances. Yusei Kikuchi dropped to 0-3 in eight starts since winning at Tampa Bay at Aug. 3. He gave up three runs and eight hits, needing 86 pitches to get through three innings. Seattle lost for the fifth time in seven games and dropped four games behind Toronto for the AL’s second wild-card berth with 14 games remaining. 

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Tyler O’Neill hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the eighth inning and the St. Louis Cardinals rallied to beat the Padres 3-2 after San Diego stars Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. had a dugout dustup. The Cardinals pulled 2 1/2 games ahead of the Padres for the second and final NL wild card, with Cincinnati two games back and Philadelphia also in the picture. San Diego starter Yu Darvish dominated the Cardinals over seven innings, allowing three hits and striking out nine. He handed a 2-0 lead over to the bullpen, but reliever Emilio Pagán couldn’t get through the eighth.

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Gerry Bohanon threw for 269 yards and two touchdowns while running for another score as Baylor pounded Kansas 45-7. Abram Smith ran for 122 yards and a TD, and Trestan Ebner added 72 yards on 12 carries, as the Bears totaled 307 yards rushing. They beat the Jayhawks for the 12th straight time dating to the 2007 season. Kansas quarterback Jason Bean was held to just 57 yards passing and a touchdown, though he did have 62 yards on the ground.

MANHATTAN, Ks. (AP) — Will Howard pushed into the end zone on a 1-yard touchdown run to cap a 21-point fourth quarter, which sealed a 38-17 victory for Kansas State over Nevada. Howard rushed for 56 yards and two touchdowns. The sophomore quarterback went 7 of 10 in the air for 123 yards and threw a 68-yard touchdown pass to Daniel Imatorbhebhe on the second play of the game. Carson Strong was 27-of-40 passing for 262 yards with a touchdown and interception for Nevada.

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — West Virginia survived No. 15 Virginia Tech’s furious rally from a 20-point deficit to beat the Hokies 27-21. Jarret Doege threw two touchdown passes and Leddie Brown rushed for 161 yards and a score for the Mountaineers, who built a 27-7 lead midway through the third quarter. Virginia Tech’s Braxton Burmeister threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to Jalen Holston with 3:10 left and the Hokies got the ball back on an interception. But Burmeister threw incomplete on fourth-and-goal from the 3. It was one of three Virginia Tech drives that stalled inside the West Virginia 10 and the Hokies came away with no points.

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Jaylen Warren rushed for 218 yards and two touchdowns, Oklahoma State pitched a second-half shutout and the Cowboys escaped with a 21-20 victory over Boise State. Boise State had a chance to steal the win after a turnover late in the game, but Jonah Dalmas hooked a 36-yard field goal attempt wide left with 2:05 remaining. Oklahoma State (3-0) leaned on its rushing attack to grind out the win, throwing the ball just 13 times. Boise State’s Hank Bachmeier threw for 242 yards and a touchdown, while Khalil Shakir had eight catches for 78 yards.

LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Texas Tech quarterback Tyler Shough threw for 399 yards and four touchdown passes to spark a 54-21 victory against Florida International at Jones AT&amp;T Stadium. The Red Raiders shook loose from a tight game after the first quarter with four touchdowns in the second period and racked up 264 yards along the way. They finished the night with 580 yards. Max Bortenschlager threw for 190 yards and two scores for FIU.

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Brock Purdy completed 21 of 24 pass attempts for 288 yards and three touchdowns to lead No. 14 Iowa State over UNLV 48-3. Purdy, who also rushed for 33 yards, finished with a 229.6 quarterback rating, the third-highest of his career. Iowa State finished with 486 yards of offense and 7.59 yards per play, scoring on eight of its 11 possessions, including six touchdowns. Breece Hall, who rushed for 69 yards in each of Iowa State’s first two games, rushed for 70 of his 101 yards in the first quarter to lead the Cyclones’ rushing attack. Hall scored two touchdowns.

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Spencer Rattler passed for a touchdown and ran for another to help No. 3 Oklahoma beat Nebraska 23-16. It was the 50-year anniversary of the “Game of the Century,” No. 1 Nebraska’s 35-31 win over No. 2 Oklahoma in 1971. The teams rewarded their nostalgic fans with a competitive contest in the first meeting between the former conference rivals since 2010. Nebraska got the ball trailing by a touchdown with 57 seconds remaining and no timeouts, but the Cornhuskers could not manage a first down. 

Final	West Virginia	27	(15)Virginia Tech	21	

Final	(16)Coastal Carolina	28	Buffalo	25	

Final	(20)Arkansas	45	Georgia Southern	10	

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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1627657271442.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kris Bubic allowed two hits over 6 1/3 innings in his best start this season, and the Kansas City Royals beat Seattle 8-1 to put another dent in the Mariners’ slim playoff chances. Yusei Kikuchi dropped to 0-3 in eight starts since winning at Tampa Bay at Aug. 3. He gave up three runs and eight hits, needing 86 pitches to get through three innings. Seattle lost for the fifth time in seven games and dropped four games behind Toronto for the AL’s second wild-card berth with 14 games remaining. ST. LOUIS (AP) — Tyler O’Neill hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the eighth inning and the St. Louis Cardinals rallied to beat the Padres 3-2 after San Diego stars Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. had a dugout dustup. The Cardinals pulled 2 1/2 games ahead of the Padres for the second and final NL wild card, with Cincinnati two games back and Philadelphia also in the picture. San Diego starter Yu Darvish dominated the Cardinals over seven innings, allowing three hits and striking out nine. He handed a 2-0 lead over to the bullpen, but reliever Emilio Pagán couldn’t get through the eighth.LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Gerry Bohanon threw for 269 yards and two touchdowns while running for another score as Baylor pounded Kansas 45-7. Abram Smith ran for 122 yards and a TD, and Trestan Ebner added 72 yards on 12 carries, as the Bears totaled 307 yards rushing. They beat the Jayhawks for the 12th straight time dating to the 2007 season. Kansas quarterback Jason Bean was held to just 57 yards passing and a touchdown, though he did have 62 yards on the ground.MANHATTAN, Ks. (AP) — Will Howard pushed into the end zone on a 1-yard touchdown run to cap a 21-point fourth quarter, which sealed a 38-17 victory for Kansas State over Nevada. Howard rushed for 56 yards and two touchdowns. The sophomore quarterback went 7 of 10 in the air for 123 yards and threw a 68-yard touchdown pass to Daniel Imatorbhebhe on the second play of the game. Carson Strong was 27-of-40 passing for 262 yards with a touchdown and interception for Nevada.MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — West Virginia survived No. 15 Virginia Tech’s furious rally from a 20-point deficit to beat the Hokies 27-21. Jarret Doege threw two touchdown passes and Leddie Brown rushed for 161 yards and a score for the Mountaineers, who built a 27-7 lead midway through the third quarter. Virginia Tech’s Braxton Burmeister threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to Jalen Holston with 3:10 left and the Hokies got the ball back on an interception. But Burmeister threw incomplete on fourth-and-goal from the 3. It was one of three Virginia Tech drives that stalled inside the West Virginia 10 and the Hokies came away with no points.BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Jaylen Warren rushed for 218 yards and two touchdowns, Oklahoma State pitched a second-half shutout and the Cowboys escaped with a 21-20 victory over Boise State. Boise State had a chance to steal the win after a turnover late in the game, but Jonah Dalmas hooked a 36-yard field goal attempt wide left with 2:05 remaining. Oklahoma State (3-0) leaned on its rushing attack to grind out the win, throwing the ball just 13 times. Boise State’s Hank Bachmeier threw for 242 yards and a touchdown, while Khalil Shakir had eight catches for 78 yards.LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Texas Tech quarterback Tyler Shough threw for 399 yards and four touchdown passes to spark a 54-21 victory against Florida International at Jones AT&amp;T Stadium. The Red Raiders shook loose from a tight game after the first quarter with four touchdowns in the second period and racked up 264 yards along the way. They finished the night with 580 yards. Max Bortenschlager threw for 190 yards and two scores for FIU.LAS VEGAS (AP) — Brock Purdy completed 21 of 24 pass attempts for 288 yards and three touchdowns to lead No. 14 Iowa State over UNLV 48-3. Purdy, who also rushed for 33 yards, finished with a 229.6 quarterback rating, the third-highest of his career. Iowa State finished with 486 yards of offense and 7.59 yards per play, scoring on eight of its 11 possessions, including six touchdowns. Breece Hall, who rushed for 69 yards in each of Iowa State’s first two games, rushed for 70 of his 101 yards in the first quarter to lead the Cyclones’ rushing attack. Hall scored two touchdowns.NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Spencer Rattler passed for a touchdown and ran for another to help No. 3 Oklahoma beat Nebraska 23-16. It was the 50-year anniversary of the “Game of the Century,” No. 1 Nebraska’s 35-31 win over No. 2 Oklahoma in 1971. The teams rewarded their nostalgic fans with a competitive contest in the first meeting between the former conference rivals since 2010. Nebraska got the ball trailing by a touchdown with 57 seconds remaining and no timeouts, but the Cornhuskers could not manage a first down. SATURDAY SCORESINTERLEAGUEFinal	Arizona	6	Houston	4	AMERICAN LEAGUEFinal	Boston	9	Baltimore	3	Final	Cleveland	11	N.Y. Yankees	3	Final	Toronto	6	Minnesota	2	Final	Detroit	4	Tampa Bay	3	Final	Texas	2	Chicago White Sox	1	Final	Kansas City	8	Seattle	1	Final	Oakland	3	L.A. Angels	1	NATIONAL LEAGUEFinal	L.A. Dodgers	5	Cincinnati	1	Final	Colorado	6	Washington	0	Final	Pittsburgh	6	Miami	3	Final	St. Louis	3	San Diego	2	Final	Milwaukee	6	Chicago Cubs	4	Final	Philadelphia	5	N.Y. Mets	3	Final	San Francisco	2	Atlanta	0	TOP-25 COLLEGE FOOTBALLFinal	(1)Alabama	31	(11)Florida	29	Final	(10)Penn St.	28	(22)Auburn	20	Final	(23)BYU	27	(19)Arizona St.	17	Final	(8)Cincinnati	38	Indiana	24	Final	(7)Texas A&amp;M	34	New Mexico	0	Final	West Virginia	27	(15)Virginia Tech	21	Final	(25)Michigan	63	N. Illinois	10	Final	(3)Oklahoma	23	Nebraska	16	Final	(16)Coastal Carolina	28	Buffalo	25	Final	Michigan St.	38	(24)Miami	17	Final	(12)Notre Dame	27	Purdue	13	Final	(5)Iowa	30	Kent St.	7	Final	(9)Ohio St.	41	Tulsa	20	Final	(6)Clemson	14	Georgia Tech	8	Final	(20)Arkansas	45	Georgia Southern	10	Final	(2)Georgia	40	South Carolina	13	Final	(4)Oregon	48	Stony Brook	7	Final	(21)North Carolina	59	Virginia	39	Final	(17)Mississippi	61	Tulane	21	Final	(14)Iowa St.	48	UNLV	3	Final	Fresno St.	40	(13)UCLA	37

Sunday Sports Headlines and Scores presented by Barton Community College

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Dave Aranda spoke proudly this week about how Baylor had established an offensive identity on the ground this season.

It didn’t change against Kansas on Saturday.

Gerry Bohanon threw for 269 yards and two touchdowns while running for another score, and Baylor had its way against Kansas on the ground, piling up 307 yards rushing in another dominant performance in a 45-7 victory on Saturday.

Abram Smith ran for 122 yards and a touchdown, and Trestan Ebner added 72 yards on just 12 carries, as the Bears (3-0, 1-0 Big 12) piled up 576 yards of total offense in beating the Jayhawks (1-2, 0-1) for the 12th consecutive time.

“Felt like our biggest competition to this point has been ourselves,” Aranda said. “It’s been penalties, it’s been turnovers. The ability to play a clean game where we can focus all our energies on the opponent, I think when we do that we can play at a really, really high level. You were able to see some of that and feel some of that in the second half.”

They played at the level defensively for most of the game. Kansas managed just 166 yards total offense.

Jayhawks quarterback Jason Bean was held to just 57 yards passing and a touchdown, though he did have 62 yards on the ground, before giving way to backup Jalon Daniels in the fourth quarter.

By that point, Baylor had turned a 14-7 halftime advantage into another rout.

“At halftime we made up our minds that we were going to change the game around,” Bohanon said. “The defense said it was going to force a three-and-out, and we were going to capitalize on it and that’s what we did.”

The Bears rolled into Lawrence after a dominant performance against Texas Southern, when they had three 100-yard rushers, gained more than 400 yards on the ground and had five touchdowns rushing. And early on, their fleet of fast, powerful running backs were having a similarly devastating day.

Smith and Ebner gashed Kansas for big yards on their opening possession, and Bohanon capped it with a TD pass to Ben Sims. Then, the pair of Baylor running backs set up another touchdown by fullback Gavin Yates a few minutes later.

The Jayhawks? Their offense lost eight yards in the first quarter.

Yet they somehow managed to stay in the game — a fumble by Baylor’s R.J. Sneed helped — and Bean led a 76-yard drive late in the first half that he finished with a short TD pass to Trevor Wilson to get within 14-7 at the break.

Must have touched a nerve in the Baylor locker room.

They forced a three-and-out to start the second half, and Bohanon immediately found Sneed for a 69-yard score to deflate the few Kansas fans that stuck around through halftime on a sunny, unseasonably hot afternoon.

“Here we are in a one-possession game in the third quarter for the second consecutive week,” Kansas coach Lance Leipold said, reflecting on a loss to Coastal Carolina last Friday, “and it kind of gets away from us. There’s something there.

“We have to find a way to overcome that and do the things well we’re not doing in the third and fourth quarter.”

Perhaps the Jayhawks can take a cue from Baylor.

After forcing a turnover on downs, they went right back down field, riding Smith and Ebner into the red zone. This time, Bohanon capped things off by taking a keeper for a touchdown that effectively put the game away.

“It just seemed like a lot of contact is taking place five, seven yards down field,” Leipold said. “Missed tackles, leverage issues, not playing aggressively — I think we’re so tentative when we blitz and do things, you know? I don’t know if it’s a confidence issue, an experience issue, a strength issue or where we’re at. That needs to continue to be evaluated.”

Baylor wasn’t going to lose unless it committed too many penalties and turnovers. Well, the Bears coughed up the ball twice and they were whistled for a handful of fouls, but it still wasn’t enough to let Kansas make it close. It helped that the Bears had some nice offensive balance with 269 yards passing and made some stops on defense.

Kansas was competitive for a half. The next step in its progression under Lance Leipold is to put together four quarters, something the Jayhawks have yet to do this season. That will only happen if they get better play along the offensive and defensive lines, which were soundly beaten by the Bears on Saturday.

Baylor heads home to face Iowa State next Saturday.

Kansas wraps up nonconference play Saturday at Duke.

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Dave Aranda spoke proudly this week about how Baylor had established an offensive identity on the ground this season.It didn’t change against Kansas on Saturday.Gerry Bohanon threw for 269 yards and two touchdowns while running for another score, and Baylor had its way against Kansas on the ground, piling up 307 yards rushing in another dominant performance in a 45-7 victory on Saturday.Abram Smith ran for 122 yards and a touchdown, and Trestan Ebner added 72 yards on just 12 carries, as the Bears (3-0, 1-0 Big 12) piled up 576 yards of total offense in beating the Jayhawks (1-2, 0-1) for the 12th consecutive time.“Felt like our biggest competition to this point has been ourselves,” Aranda said. “It’s been penalties, it’s been turnovers. The ability to play a clean game where we can focus all our energies on the opponent, I think when we do that we can play at a really, really high level. You were able to see some of that and feel some of that in the second half.”They played at the level defensively for most of the game. Kansas managed just 166 yards total offense.Jayhawks quarterback Jason Bean was held to just 57 yards passing and a touchdown, though he did have 62 yards on the ground, before giving way to backup Jalon Daniels in the fourth quarter.By that point, Baylor had turned a 14-7 halftime advantage into another rout.“At halftime we made up our minds that we were going to change the game around,” Bohanon said. “The defense said it was going to force a three-and-out, and we were going to capitalize on it and that’s what we did.”The Bears rolled into Lawrence after a dominant performance against Texas Southern, when they had three 100-yard rushers, gained more than 400 yards on the ground and had five touchdowns rushing. And early on, their fleet of fast, powerful running backs were having a similarly devastating day.Smith and Ebner gashed Kansas for big yards on their opening possession, and Bohanon capped it with a TD pass to Ben Sims. Then, the pair of Baylor running backs set up another touchdown by fullback Gavin Yates a few minutes later.The Jayhawks? Their offense lost eight yards in the first quarter.Yet they somehow managed to stay in the game — a fumble by Baylor’s R.J. Sneed helped — and Bean led a 76-yard drive late in the first half that he finished with a short TD pass to Trevor Wilson to get within 14-7 at the break.Must have touched a nerve in the Baylor locker room.They forced a three-and-out to start the second half, and Bohanon immediately found Sneed for a 69-yard score to deflate the few Kansas fans that stuck around through halftime on a sunny, unseasonably hot afternoon.“Here we are in a one-possession game in the third quarter for the second consecutive week,” Kansas coach Lance Leipold said, reflecting on a loss to Coastal Carolina last Friday, “and it kind of gets away from us. There’s something there.“We have to find a way to overcome that and do the things well we’re not doing in the third and fourth quarter.”Perhaps the Jayhawks can take a cue from Baylor.After forcing a turnover on downs, they went right back down field, riding Smith and Ebner into the red zone. This time, Bohanon capped things off by taking a keeper for a touchdown that effectively put the game away.“It just seemed like a lot of contact is taking place five, seven yards down field,” Leipold said. “Missed tackles, leverage issues, not playing aggressively — I think we’re so tentative when we blitz and do things, you know? I don’t know if it’s a confidence issue, an experience issue, a strength issue or where we’re at. That needs to continue to be evaluated.”THE TAKEAWAYBaylor wasn’t going to lose unless it committed too many penalties and turnovers. Well, the Bears coughed up the ball twice and they were whistled for a handful of fouls, but it still wasn’t enough to let Kansas make it close. It helped that the Bears had some nice offensive balance with 269 yards passing and made some stops on defense.Kansas was competitive for a half. The next step in its progression under Lance Leipold is to put together four quarters, something the Jayhawks have yet to do this season. That will only happen if they get better play along the offensive and defensive lines, which were soundly beaten by the Bears on Saturday.UP NEXTBaylor heads home to face Iowa State next Saturday.Kansas wraps up nonconference play Saturday at Duke.

Baylor rides solid ground game to 45-7 victory over Kansas

MANHATTAN, Ks. (AP) — Will Howard pushed into the end zone on a 1-yard touchdown run to cap a 21-point fourth quarter, which sealed a 38-17 victory for Kansas State over Nevada on Saturday.

Deuce Vaughn led the rushing attack for the Wildcats with 127 yards and a touchdown en route to the win.

Howard rushed for 56 yards and two touchdowns. The sophomore quarterback went 7 of 10 in the air for 123 yards and threw a 68-yard touchdown pass to Daniel Imatorbhebhe on the second play of the game.

Carson Strong was 27-of-40 passing for 262 yards with a touchdown and interception for Nevada.

Devonte Lee led the Wolf Pack in rushing with 24 yards and a touchdown. The Wolf Pack finished with 331 yards of offense but only 25 yards on the ground.

The Wildcats finished with 390 yards, 269 yards on the ground. Joe Ervin found the end zone for the Wildcats with a 22-yard touchdown run.

Nevada: Strong saw pressure most of the afternoon, but when he had time in the pocket, he was able to complete tight window passes including a 14-yard touchdown throw to Elijah Cooks. The Wolf Pack defense struggled to stop the persistent ground attack by the Wildcats.

Kansas State: The ground game has been the staple of the Wildcat offense. Led by Vaughn, it was the dominant source of offensive production. Kansas State ran the football 48 times, opting to throw on 13 attempts. The Kansas State defense forced Strong to force errant throws.

Nevada will face Boise State on the road Oct. 2.

Kansas State will travel to face Oklahoma State on Saturday.

MANHATTAN, Ks. (AP) — Will Howard pushed into the end zone on a 1-yard touchdown run to cap a 21-point fourth quarter, which sealed a 38-17 victory for Kansas State over Nevada on Saturday.Deuce Vaughn led the rushing attack for the Wildcats with 127 yards and a touchdown en route to the win.Howard rushed for 56 yards and two touchdowns. The sophomore quarterback went 7 of 10 in the air for 123 yards and threw a 68-yard touchdown pass to Daniel Imatorbhebhe on the second play of the game.Carson Strong was 27-of-40 passing for 262 yards with a touchdown and interception for Nevada.Devonte Lee led the Wolf Pack in rushing with 24 yards and a touchdown. The Wolf Pack finished with 331 yards of offense but only 25 yards on the ground.The Wildcats finished with 390 yards, 269 yards on the ground. Joe Ervin found the end zone for the Wildcats with a 22-yard touchdown run.THE TAKEAWAYNevada: Strong saw pressure most of the afternoon, but when he had time in the pocket, he was able to complete tight window passes including a 14-yard touchdown throw to Elijah Cooks. The Wolf Pack defense struggled to stop the persistent ground attack by the Wildcats.Kansas State: The ground game has been the staple of the Wildcat offense. Led by Vaughn, it was the dominant source of offensive production. Kansas State ran the football 48 times, opting to throw on 13 attempts. The Kansas State defense forced Strong to force errant throws.UP NEXTNevada will face Boise State on the road Oct. 2.Kansas State will travel to face Oklahoma State on Saturday.

Kansas State uses rushing attack to beat Nevada 38-17

Andover Central 35, Goddard-Eisenhower 13

BV Northwest 49, Central (St. Joseph), Mo. 6

Kapaun Mount Carmel 34, Wichita Northwest 17

Lincoln College Prep, Mo. 64, KC Sumner 0

Friday AP ScoresAndale 61, Wellington 6Andover 28, Salina Central 19Andover Central 35, Goddard-Eisenhower 13Arkansas City 27, Goddard 21Ashland 42, Cheylin 32Atchison 38, KC Wyandotte 16Atchison County 58, McLouth 0Attica/Argonia 60, Oxford 8Axtell 62, Rock Hills 14BV North 40, BV Southwest 28BV Northwest 49, Central (St. Joseph), Mo. 6BV West 38, St. James Academy 6Basehor-Linwood 26, DeSoto 21Bennington 52, Moundridge 34Bishop Miege 23, St. Thomas Aquinas 20Blue Valley 67, Lee's Summit, Mo. 36Bucklin 50, Hodgeman County 48Buhler 18, Winfield 7Burlingame 57, Hartford 6Cair Paravel 60, Maranatha Academy 6Caldwell 36, Norwich 34Caney Valley 36, Erie 0Canton-Galva 50, Washington County 0Central Heights 31, Northern Heights 0Central Plains 26, Otis-Bison 12Centralia 36, Jackson Heights 12Chanute 37, Jefferson West 8Chaparral 30, Sterling 0Chapman 56, Abilene 21Chase County 52, Valley Falls 6Cheney 34, Garden Plain 7Cimarron 26, Scott City 20Circle 42, Augusta 35Concordia 33, Beloit 14Conway Springs 50, Elkhart 0Council Grove 44, West Franklin 20Cunningham 67, Fowler 18Derby 44, Wichita Bishop Carroll 36Dighton 45, St. Francis 0Dodge City 35, Wichita South 16El Dorado 51, Labette County 7Ell-Saline 20, Oakley 14, OTEudora 48, Bonner Springs 28Eureka 44, Bluestem 0Frankfort 28, Onaga 22Fredonia 28, Cherryvale 22, 4OTGalena 42, Riverton 24Garden City 49, Wichita West 0Girard 47, Columbus 26Greeley County 55, Golden Plains 32Hanover 68, BV Randolph 0Hays 58, Liberal 14Hays-TMP-Marian 21, Plainville 0Hiawatha 55, Riverside 0Hoisington 46, Halstead 20Holton 28, Perry-Lecompton 7Hoxie 52, Triplains-Brewster 20Humboldt 56, Neodesha 0Hutchinson Trinity 40, Belle Plaine 0Independence 28, Fort Scott 0Inman 86, Salina Sacred Heart 0Jayhawk Linn 30, Baxter Springs 18Johnson-Brock, Neb. 38, Doniphan West 20Junction City 23, Topeka Seaman 16, OTKC Sumner 32, East (Kansas City), Mo. 0KC Turner 52, KC Harmon 0KC Washington 22, KC Schlagle 0Kapaun Mount Carmel 34, Wichita Northwest 17Kingman 61, Marion 0Kinsley 64, South Haven 14La Crosse 44, Ness City 32Lakin 22, Goodland 14Lansing 17, Shawnee Heights 14Larned 36, Haven 6Lawrence 35, SM West 7Leavenworth 25, KC Piper 23Lebo 42, Waverly 34Lincoln College Prep, Mo. 64, KC Sumner 0Linn 78, Wetmore 30Little River 66, Goessel 20Lyons 28, Nickerson 26Maize 54, Newton 10Maize South 28, Hutchinson 14Manhattan 70, Highland Park 0Marmaton Valley 66, Chetopa 14McPherson 34, Great Bend 19Meade 46, Satanta 0Medicine Lodge 54, Macksville 14Mill Valley 41, SM East 10Minneapolis 20, Republic County 6Minneola 12, South Gray 6Moscow 67, Burrton 20Mulvane 32, Clearwater 13Natoma 67, Weskan 19Nemaha Central 19, Sabetha 7Northern Valley 84, Deerfield 18Norton 40, Russell 0Olathe North 21, Lawrence Free State 7Olathe South 34, Gardner-Edgerton 30Olathe West 56, SM South 13Olpe 70, Lyndon 12Osage City 45, Mission Valley 8Osborne 58, Lakeside 8Oswego 49, Altoona-Midway 0Pawnee Heights 72, Rolla 24Pike Valley 52, Southern Cloud 6Pleasant Ridge 42, Maur Hill - Mount Academy 28Prairie View 38, Parsons 14Pratt 36, Hesston 7Quinter 54, Oberlin-Decatur 6Rawlins County 48, Wallace County 14Remington 60, Wichita Independent 21Riley County 22, Silver Lake 14Rossville 44, St. Mary's 20SM North 14, Olathe Northwest 7SM Northwest 51, Olathe East 16Salina South 36, Wichita Campus 14Sedan 58, Burden Central 8Sedgwick 65, Southeast 6Smith Center 66, Ellinwood 0Smoky Valley 14, Hillsboro 8Solomon 64, Rural Vista 0South Barber 56, Hutchinson Central Christian 6South Central 50, Kiowa County 0Southeast Saline 72, Ellsworth 6Spearville 48, Ingalls 0Spring Hill 54, Ottawa 7Sylvan-Lucas 62, Chase 0Tescott 28, Wilson 20, 2OTThunder Ridge 56, St. John's Beloit-Tipton 6Tonganoxie 17, Paola 13Topeka Hayden 39, Topeka West 6Trego 42, Victoria 40Troy 10, Wabaunsee 6Udall 60, Cedar Vale/Dexter Co-op 28Ulysses 28, Colby 22Uniontown 30, Pleasanton 6Valley Center 51, Coffeyville 0Valley Heights 62, Horton 7Wamego 47, Clay Center 41, OTWashburn Rural 19, Pittsburg 17Wellsville 42, Iola 14West Elk 34, Flinthills 14Wichita Collegiate 35, Rose Hill 7Wichita County 62, Hill City 28Wichita East 58, Southeast 0Wichita East 58, Wichita Southeast 0Wichita Heights 69, Wichita North 12Wichita Trinity 19, Douglass 18Yates Center 52, St. Paul 6POSTPONEMENTS AND CANCELLATIONSBaldwin vs. Louisburg, ccd.Clifton-Clyde vs. Wakefield, ccd.Herington vs. Rural Vista, ccd.Logan/Palco vs. Lincoln, ccd.Marysville vs. Rock Creek, ccd.

Friday High School Statewide Scores

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1630675286139.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>McPherson 34 Great Bend 19<div><iframe width="100%" height="265" src="https://clyp.it/cztl4c3x/widget" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>

McPherson 34 Great Bend 19

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600485516602.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Larned 36 Haven 6<div><iframe width="100%" height="265" src="https://clyp.it/lr2rtml0/widget" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>

Larned 36 Haven 6

Western Athletic
Conference McPherson 34, Great Bend 19 Hays 58, Liberal 14&nbsp; Garden City 49, Wichita West 0 Dodge City 35, Wichita South 16

Central Kansas League Hoisington 46, Halstead 20 Larned
36, Haven 6 Pratt 36, Hesston
7 Smoky Valley 14, Hillsboro 8 Lyons 28, Nickerson 26

Central Prairie
League Smith Center 66, Ellinwood 0 La
Crosse 44, Ness City 32 Medicine Lodge 54, Macksville 14 Central Plains 26, Otis-Bison 12 St. John (0-2) @
Fairfield (0-2) Moved to Monday 6pm Trego 42, Victoria 40 Kinsley 64, South Haven 14

Area 11-Man Games Norton 40, Russell 0 SE of Saline 72, Ellsworth 6 TMP 21, Plainville 0 Chaparral 30, Sterling 0

Area 8-Man Games Peabody-Burns (1-1) @
Stafford (2-0) Monday 6pm Pratt-Skyline 30, Pretty Prairie 14 Tescott 28 Wilson 20 Sylvan-Lucas 62, Chase 0 Bucklin 50, Hodgeman County 48 South Central 50, Kiowa County 0 Little River 66, Goessel 20

6-Man Pawnee Heights 72, Rolla 24

Western Athletic
Conference McPherson 34, Great Bend 19 Hays 58, Liberal 14&nbsp; Garden City 49, Wichita West 0 Dodge City 35, Wichita South 16Central Kansas League Hoisington 46, Halstead 20 Larned
36, Haven 6 Pratt 36, Hesston
7 Smoky Valley 14, Hillsboro 8 Lyons 28, Nickerson 26Central Prairie
League Smith Center 66, Ellinwood 0 La
Crosse 44, Ness City 32 Medicine Lodge 54, Macksville 14 Central Plains 26, Otis-Bison 12 St. John (0-2) @
Fairfield (0-2) Moved to Monday 6pm Trego 42, Victoria 40 Kinsley 64, South Haven 14Area 11-Man Games Norton 40, Russell 0 SE of Saline 72, Ellsworth 6 TMP 21, Plainville 0 Chaparral 30, Sterling 0Area 8-Man Games Peabody-Burns (1-1) @
Stafford (2-0) Monday 6pm Pratt-Skyline 30, Pretty Prairie 14 Tescott 28 Wilson 20 Sylvan-Lucas 62, Chase 0 Bucklin 50, Hodgeman County 48 South Central 50, Kiowa County 0 Little River 66, Goessel 206-Man Pawnee Heights 72, Rolla 24

Week 3 Area High School Football Scores

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1581739911992.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Hoisington 46 Halstead 20<div><iframe width="100%" height="265" src="https://clyp.it/swaktrhz/widget" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>

Hoisington 46 Halstead 20

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Seattle rookie Jarred Kelenic spoiled the major league debut of pitcher Jonathan Heasley by hitting a pair of two-run homers that sent the Mariners over the Kansas City Royals 6-2 Friday night.

Kelenic’s first multihomer game of his career kept the Mariners 3 1/2 games behind the New York Yankees for the second AL wild-card spot. Toronto and Oakland also are in the mix.

“It was nice to get back in the win column after a couple of tough losses at home,” Seattle manager Scott Servais said. “Obviously it was the Jarred Kelenic show early.”

Kelenic had faced Heasley in the minors, going 0 for 2 with two walks.

“Any time you can hit two homers in a game it feels good,” Kelenic said. “People change. I’m sure his stuff got better over the years. I just kind of went up there with my own approach, just like I do with any other pitcher.”

Chris Flexen (12-6) allowed one run and six hits in 5 2/3 innings.

“It was definitely a grind the first couple of innings,” Flexen said. “I just needed to make pitches. We tried to attack with all four pitches.”

Heasley (0-1) gave up four runs, all on Kelenic’s homers, and six hits in four innings.

When Heasley delivered his first pitch, he became the fifth Royals pitcher selected in the 2018 draft to pitch for the big league club. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the 2021 Royals are the first team in MLB history to have five pitchers from the same draft class start a game in one season.

Royals slugger Salvador Perez went 0 for 4 with a walk. He leads the majors with 112 RBIs and has hit 45 home runs — Toronto’s Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit his 46th earlier in the day.

Heasley gave up a leadoff single to Ty France in the second and Kelenic homered with one out.

In the fourth, Kelenic hit his 12th home run, a 435-foot drive to center field after Heasley hit France with a pitch.

“I thought his stuff looked great,” Kansas City manager Mike Matheny said of Heasley’s debut. “I thought he threw much better than what the four runs were. Even looking at those pitches, you’re talking a 3-1 changeup and a 3-2 curveball on the black away. Those are not terrible pitches.

The Royals scored off Flexen in the sixth on Andrew Benintendi’s single. Kansas City eventually loaded the bases, but Michael A. Taylor took a called third strike to end the threat.

Hunter Dozier homered in the Royals seventh.

Mariners: RHP Justin Dunn left his rehab start Thursday night after a few pitches. Servais said his season likely has come to an end. Dunn has been on the injured list since June 2 with right shoulder inflammation.

Royals: Matheny said RHP Brad Keller likely is done for the year. Keller has been in the injured list since Aug. 27 with a right lat strain.

The Royals placed RHP Brady Singer on the injured list with an undisclosed injury. His spot on the 26-man roster was filled by Heasley. … Taylor was reinstated from the family medical emergency list and OF Edward Olivares was optioned to Triple-A Omaha.

Mariners LHP Yusei Kikuchi (7-8, 4.23 ERA) will face LHP Kris Bubic (4-6, 4.99) in the second game of a three-game series.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Seattle rookie Jarred Kelenic spoiled the major league debut of pitcher Jonathan Heasley by hitting a pair of two-run homers that sent the Mariners over the Kansas City Royals 6-2 Friday night.Kelenic’s first multihomer game of his career kept the Mariners 3 1/2 games behind the New York Yankees for the second AL wild-card spot. Toronto and Oakland also are in the mix.“It was nice to get back in the win column after a couple of tough losses at home,” Seattle manager Scott Servais said. “Obviously it was the Jarred Kelenic show early.”Kelenic had faced Heasley in the minors, going 0 for 2 with two walks.“Any time you can hit two homers in a game it feels good,” Kelenic said. “People change. I’m sure his stuff got better over the years. I just kind of went up there with my own approach, just like I do with any other pitcher.”Chris Flexen (12-6) allowed one run and six hits in 5 2/3 innings.“It was definitely a grind the first couple of innings,” Flexen said. “I just needed to make pitches. We tried to attack with all four pitches.”Heasley (0-1) gave up four runs, all on Kelenic’s homers, and six hits in four innings.When Heasley delivered his first pitch, he became the fifth Royals pitcher selected in the 2018 draft to pitch for the big league club. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the 2021 Royals are the first team in MLB history to have five pitchers from the same draft class start a game in one season.Royals slugger Salvador Perez went 0 for 4 with a walk. He leads the majors with 112 RBIs and has hit 45 home runs — Toronto’s Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit his 46th earlier in the day.Heasley gave up a leadoff single to Ty France in the second and Kelenic homered with one out.In the fourth, Kelenic hit his 12th home run, a 435-foot drive to center field after Heasley hit France with a pitch.“I thought his stuff looked great,” Kansas City manager Mike Matheny said of Heasley’s debut. “I thought he threw much better than what the four runs were. Even looking at those pitches, you’re talking a 3-1 changeup and a 3-2 curveball on the black away. Those are not terrible pitches.“I thought he executed everything.”The Royals scored off Flexen in the sixth on Andrew Benintendi’s single. Kansas City eventually loaded the bases, but Michael A. Taylor took a called third strike to end the threat.Hunter Dozier homered in the Royals seventh.TRAINER’S ROOMMariners: RHP Justin Dunn left his rehab start Thursday night after a few pitches. Servais said his season likely has come to an end. Dunn has been on the injured list since June 2 with right shoulder inflammation.Royals: Matheny said RHP Brad Keller likely is done for the year. Keller has been in the injured list since Aug. 27 with a right lat strain.TRANSACTIONThe Royals placed RHP Brady Singer on the injured list with an undisclosed injury. His spot on the 26-man roster was filled by Heasley. … Taylor was reinstated from the family medical emergency list and OF Edward Olivares was optioned to Triple-A Omaha.UP NEXTMariners LHP Yusei Kikuchi (7-8, 4.23 ERA) will face LHP Kris Bubic (4-6, 4.99) in the second game of a three-game series.

Mariners beat Royals 6-2

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Dylan Carlson homered twice, including a grand slam, to help Miles Mikolas win for the first time in two years as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the San Diego Padres 8-2. It was the Cardinals’ sixth win in a row and extended their lead for the second wild card spot to 1 1/2 games over San Diego. The Cincinnati Reds beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-1 and remain one game back of St. Louis. Mikolas (1-2) threw 5 2/3 shutout innings, allowing three hits, walking two and striking out three. He last won on Sept. 12, 2019. Mikolas missed all last season with an injured right shoulder, and he missed a considerable part of this season with right forearm tightness.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Seattle rookie Jarred Kelenic spoiled the major league debut of pitcher Jonathan Heasley by hitting a pair of two-run homers that sent the Mariners over the Kansas City Royals 6-2. Kelenic’s first multihomer game of his career kept the Mariners 3 1/2 games behind the New York Yankees for the second AL wild-card spot. Toronto and Oakland also are in the mix. Winning pitcher Chris Flexen allowed one run and six hits in 5 2/3 innings. Heasley gave up four runs, all on Kelenic’s homers, and six hits in four innings.

UNDATED (AP) — Miami Dolphins wide receiver Will Fuller has been ruled out for Sunday’s game with Buffalo and will be away from the team indefinitely while he deals with a personal issue. Dolphins coach Brian Flores said Fuller’s situation will be considered a day-to-day issue and that the speedy wide receiver would remain on the active roster. Fuller returned to practice Wednesday for the first time since being activated from a six-game suspension he was handed last season for a performance-enhancing drug violation.

DETROIT (AP) — College Football Hall of Famer and six-time Pro Bowl selection Roger Brown has died at 84. Brown played 10 years in the NFL for the Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Rams after being taking in the fourth round of the 1960 draft. In his seven seasons with the Lions, Brown went to the Pro Bowl five straight years and was an All-Pro selection in 1962 and ’63.

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Austin Peay is leaving the Ohio Valley Conference for the ASUN Conference effective July 1, becoming the league’s 13th full member. The move ratified by Austin Peay’s Board of Trustees and announced today ends a membership with the OVC that began in 1962. Austin Peay won 69 league titles, 21 since 2010.

(15)Virginia Tech	at	West Virginia	12 p.m.	

Virginia	at	(21)North Carolina	7:30 p.m.	

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1627657271442.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>ST. LOUIS (AP) — Dylan Carlson homered twice, including a grand slam, to help Miles Mikolas win for the first time in two years as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the San Diego Padres 8-2. It was the Cardinals’ sixth win in a row and extended their lead for the second wild card spot to 1 1/2 games over San Diego. The Cincinnati Reds beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-1 and remain one game back of St. Louis. Mikolas (1-2) threw 5 2/3 shutout innings, allowing three hits, walking two and striking out three. He last won on Sept. 12, 2019. Mikolas missed all last season with an injured right shoulder, and he missed a considerable part of this season with right forearm tightness.KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Seattle rookie Jarred Kelenic spoiled the major league debut of pitcher Jonathan Heasley by hitting a pair of two-run homers that sent the Mariners over the Kansas City Royals 6-2. Kelenic’s first multihomer game of his career kept the Mariners 3 1/2 games behind the New York Yankees for the second AL wild-card spot. Toronto and Oakland also are in the mix. Winning pitcher Chris Flexen allowed one run and six hits in 5 2/3 innings. Heasley gave up four runs, all on Kelenic’s homers, and six hits in four innings.UNDATED (AP) — Miami Dolphins wide receiver Will Fuller has been ruled out for Sunday’s game with Buffalo and will be away from the team indefinitely while he deals with a personal issue. Dolphins coach Brian Flores said Fuller’s situation will be considered a day-to-day issue and that the speedy wide receiver would remain on the active roster. Fuller returned to practice Wednesday for the first time since being activated from a six-game suspension he was handed last season for a performance-enhancing drug violation.DETROIT (AP) — College Football Hall of Famer and six-time Pro Bowl selection Roger Brown has died at 84. Brown played 10 years in the NFL for the Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Rams after being taking in the fourth round of the 1960 draft. In his seven seasons with the Lions, Brown went to the Pro Bowl five straight years and was an All-Pro selection in 1962 and ’63.CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Austin Peay is leaving the Ohio Valley Conference for the ASUN Conference effective July 1, becoming the league’s 13th full member. The move ratified by Austin Peay’s Board of Trustees and announced today ends a membership with the OVC that began in 1962. Austin Peay won 69 league titles, 21 since 2010.FRIDAY SCORESINTERLEAGUEFinal	Houston	4	Arizona	3	AMERICAN LEAGUEFinal	N.Y. Yankees	8	Cleveland	0	Final	Minnesota	7	Toronto	3	Final	Tampa Bay	7	Detroit	4	Final	Boston	7	Baltimore	1	Final	Chicago White Sox	8	Texas	0	Final	Seattle	6	Kansas City	2	Final	Oakland	5	L.A. Angels	4	NATIONAL LEAGUEFinal	Cincinnati	3	L.A. Dodgers	1	Final	Pittsburgh	2	Miami	1	Final	Philadelphia	4	N.Y. Mets	3	Final	Colorado	9	Washington	8	Final	St. Louis	8	San Diego	2	Final	Milwaukee	8	Chicago Cubs	5	Final	San Francisco	6	Atlanta	5	SATURDAY TOP 25 SCHEDULETOP-25 COLLEGE FOOTBALL(1)Alabama	at	(11)Florida	3:30 p.m.	(22)Auburn	at	(10)Penn St.	7:30 p.m.	(19)Arizona St.	at	(23)BYU	10:15 p.m.	(8)Cincinnati	at	Indiana	12 p.m.	New Mexico	at	(7)Texas A&amp;M	12 p.m.	(15)Virginia Tech	at	West Virginia	12 p.m.	N. Illinois	at	(25)Michigan	12 p.m.	Nebraska	at	(3)Oklahoma	12 p.m.	(16)Coastal Carolina	at	Buffalo	12 p.m.	Michigan St.	at	(24)Miami	12 p.m.	Purdue	at	(12)Notre Dame	2:30 p.m.	Kent St.	at	(5)Iowa	3:30 p.m.	Tulsa	at	(9)Ohio St.	3:30 p.m.	Georgia Tech	at	(6)Clemson	3:30 p.m.	Georgia Southern	at	(20)Arkansas	4 p.m.	South Carolina	at	(2)Georgia	7 p.m.	Stony Brook	at	(4)Oregon	7:30 p.m.	Virginia	at	(21)North Carolina	7:30 p.m.	Tulane	at	(17)Mississippi	8 p.m.	(14)Iowa St.	at	UNLV	10:30 p.m.	Fresno St.	at	(13)UCLA	10:45 p.m.

Saturday Sports Headlines and Scores presented by Barton Community College

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

The Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau announced Friday Hays has been selected as the site for the 50th&nbsp;Annual Kansas Shrine Bowl on July 15, 2023.

The Kansas Shrine Bowl is a nonprofit charity that works to raise funds and awareness for the Shriners Hospitals for Children. Since 1974 these prestigious high school football all-star games have raised over $3 million.

The event routinely brings 6,000 to 8,000 visitors to the host community. It is expected the 50th&nbsp;could draw even more of a crowd.

“We are excited our event will be returning to the Hays community for this very special game,” said Kansas Shrine Bowl Executive Director B.J. Harris in a news release. “Hays has proven to be a great host for us in the past, and we’re confident it will be the perfect backdrop for our 50th&nbsp;game.”

Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau staff prepared a bid for the 50th event, which included a lengthy application, pledges for partnerships, and, in the final selection round, an in-person pitch, which was presented by Janet Kuhn, Hays CVB convention and sales manager. Kuhn helped bring the Kansas Shrine Bowl to Hays in 2007, 2011 and 2015.

“Our community partners — from Fort Hays State University, local law enforcement, and our lodging properties, to the Ellis County Fair Board and local Shriners — all work together to make Hays a welcoming destination time and time again,” Kuhn said in a news release.

As the host community, Hays will partner to coordinate other events that accompany the Kansas Shrine Bowl, including a parade, band camp, cheerleading clinic, cross country event, golf tournament and banquet for 1,200 Shriners, participants and fans.

"I am just very, very thrilled to have the Shriners choose Hays," Hays Mayor Sandy Jacobs said during a press conference Friday morning. "We work every day to ensure we have a very good environment for activities such as this.&nbsp; 

"We have over 1,000 hotel rooms. We have over 65 restaurants. Our facilities are second to none. We are just thrilled to have you back.

Hosting the Shrine Bowl is about the commerce it brings to Hays, but Jacobs said it is also about the money the event raises for children's hospitals.&nbsp;

Curtis Hammeke, FHSU athletics director, said the Shrine Bowl is a great showcase of student athletes from across the state.

"More importantly, it's a great, great contributor to the Shriner hospitals and the mission of this program is something we all think very highly of and that's taking care of the kids."

The 49th annual game will be July 23, 2022, in Pittsburg. For additional information on the Kansas Shrine Bowl, visit <a href="http://www.kansasshrinebowl.com">www.kansasshrinebowl.com</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631892318014.jpeg" alt="Center Melissa Dixon, Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau director; Sandy Jacobs, Hays mayor; and Curtis Hammeke, Fort Hays State University athletics director; with state and local Shriners announced Hays will host the 2023 Shrine Bowl." />
 <figcaption>Center Melissa Dixon, Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau director; Sandy Jacobs, Hays mayor; and Curtis Hammeke, Fort Hays State University athletics director; with state and local Shriners announced Hays will host the 2023 Shrine Bowl.</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau announced Friday Hays has been selected as the site for the 50th&nbsp;Annual Kansas Shrine Bowl on July 15, 2023.The Kansas Shrine Bowl is a nonprofit charity that works to raise funds and awareness for the Shriners Hospitals for Children. Since 1974 these prestigious high school football all-star games have raised over $3 million.The event routinely brings 6,000 to 8,000 visitors to the host community. It is expected the 50th&nbsp;could draw even more of a crowd.“We are excited our event will be returning to the Hays community for this very special game,” said Kansas Shrine Bowl Executive Director B.J. Harris in a news release. “Hays has proven to be a great host for us in the past, and we’re confident it will be the perfect backdrop for our 50th&nbsp;game.”Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau staff prepared a bid for the 50th event, which included a lengthy application, pledges for partnerships, and, in the final selection round, an in-person pitch, which was presented by Janet Kuhn, Hays CVB convention and sales manager. Kuhn helped bring the Kansas Shrine Bowl to Hays in 2007, 2011 and 2015.“Our community partners — from Fort Hays State University, local law enforcement, and our lodging properties, to the Ellis County Fair Board and local Shriners — all work together to make Hays a welcoming destination time and time again,” Kuhn said in a news release.As the host community, Hays will partner to coordinate other events that accompany the Kansas Shrine Bowl, including a parade, band camp, cheerleading clinic, cross country event, golf tournament and banquet for 1,200 Shriners, participants and fans."I am just very, very thrilled to have the Shriners choose Hays," Hays Mayor Sandy Jacobs said during a press conference Friday morning. "We work every day to ensure we have a very good environment for activities such as this.&nbsp; "We have over 1,000 hotel rooms. We have over 65 restaurants. Our facilities are second to none. We are just thrilled to have you back.Hosting the Shrine Bowl is about the commerce it brings to Hays, but Jacobs said it is also about the money the event raises for children's hospitals.&nbsp;Curtis Hammeke, FHSU athletics director, said the Shrine Bowl is a great showcase of student athletes from across the state."More importantly, it's a great, great contributor to the Shriner hospitals and the mission of this program is something we all think very highly of and that's taking care of the kids."The 49th annual game will be July 23, 2022, in Pittsburg. For additional information on the Kansas Shrine Bowl, visit <a href="http://www.kansasshrinebowl.com">www.kansasshrinebowl.com</a>.

Hays earns bid for 50th Shrine Bowl in 2023

5. Thomas More Prep -Marian 10 -3 (5)

3. Smith Center 4 -0 (2) 4. Wabaunsee 12 - 1 (4) 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631884178521.jpeg" alt="Week 2 Rankings" />
 <figcaption>Week 2 Rankings</figcaption>
 </figure>Class 6A1. Washburn Rural 8-0 (1)2. Blue Valley North 12-1 (2)3. Blue Valley West 4-2 (3)4. Shawnee Mission Northwest 6-2 (4)5. Lawrence-Free State 3-0 (5)6. Wichita Northwest 10-0 (6)7. Hutchinson 9-0 (7)8. Blue Valley 2-1 (9)9. Blue Valley Northwest 3-2 (10)10. Olathe North 6-3 (NR)Class 5A1. St. Thomas Aquinas 5-0 (1)2. St. James Academy 7-4 (2)3. Lansing 7-1 (3)4. Mill Valley 7-2 (4)5. Maize South 9-2 (7)6. Shawnee Heights 3-1 (NR)7. Seaman 7-5 (NR)8. Basehor-Linwood 6-2 (5)9. Spring Hill 6-3 (6)10. Newton 5-2 (NR)Class 4A 1. Louisburg 9 - 2 ( 2) 2. Andale 12 -1 (4) 3. Bishop Miege 0 -3 (1) 4. Circle 8 - 1 (5) 5. McPherson 7 - 2 (3) 6. Clay Center 9 -0 (8) 7. Baldwin 10 -1 (10) 8. Nickerson 11 - 4 (7) 9. Rose Hill 7 -0 ( 6 ) 10. Paola 7 -3 (NR) Class 3A 1. Smoky Valley 15 -1 (1) 2. Cheney 10 -1 (2) 3. Nemaha Central 8 -1 ( 3 ) 4. Beloit 8 -2 (4) 5. Thomas More Prep -Marian 10 -3 (5) 6. Riverton 9 -1 (8) 7. Hiawatha 8 -2 (6) 8. Scott Community 10 -2 (10) 9. Eureka 11 -0 (NR) 10. Goodland 3 -1 (9) Class 2A 1. Heritage Christian 12 -0 (1) 2. Garden Plain 8 - 1 (3) 3. Smith Center 4 -0 (2) 4. Wabaunsee 12 - 1 (4) 5. Jefferson County North 7 - 2 (5) 6. Hillsboro 11 - 4 ( 6 ) 7. Sedgwick 13 -3 (8) 8. Meade/Fowler 10 - 0 (NR) 9. Ellinwood 9 -1 (9) 10. Sterling 9 -3 (10) Class 1A – Division 11. Pretty Prairie 10-1 (2)2. Central Plains 7-1 (1)3. Kiowa County 10-1 (5)4. Little River 8-1 (6)5. Lebo 10-1 (3)6. Victoria 9-0 (4)7. Centralia 9-2 (9)8. South Gray 8-1 (NR)9. Sylvan-Lucas 7-3 (NR)10. Pratt-Skyline 8-3 (10)Class 1A – Division 21. Hanover 10-0 (1)2. Attica 9-0 (2)3. St. Francis/Cheylin 10-2 (4)4. Golden Plains 14-1 (3)5. Linn 7-3 (9)6. Dighton 8-2 (6)7. Wheatland-Grinnell 10-5 (8)8. St. Paul 9-0 (NR)9. Beloit-St. John’s/Tipton 8-3 (5)10. Logan/Palco 5-4 (NR)

KVCA Volleyball Rankings Week 2


The Great Bend Panther cross country teams competed Thursday at
Buhler with the girls bringing home their third straight meet
victory.


The Lady Panthers had a 2-3-4 finish to secure the team victory,
defeating second place S.E. of Saline who is ranked #1 in Class 3A
and host Buhler is ranked 4th in Class 4A. Great Bend is
#6 in Class 5A.


Emilia Diaz led the Panthers with a second place finish followed by
Marissa Boone and Diane Alvarez in third and fourth. Emma Loomis took
eighth.


The boys were led again by Kaiden Esfeld who took third behind the
defending state champions in class 3A and 4A.


Great Bend retruns to action on Saturday, September 25 in Wichita.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602855112146.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>
The Great Bend Panther cross country teams competed Thursday at
Buhler with the girls bringing home their third straight meet
victory.
The Lady Panthers had a 2-3-4 finish to secure the team victory,
defeating second place S.E. of Saline who is ranked #1 in Class 3A
and host Buhler is ranked 4th in Class 4A. Great Bend is
#6 in Class 5A.
Emilia Diaz led the Panthers with a second place finish followed by
Marissa Boone and Diane Alvarez in third and fourth. Emma Loomis took
eighth.
The boys were led again by Kaiden Esfeld who took third behind the
defending state champions in class 3A and 4A.
Great Bend retruns to action on Saturday, September 25 in Wichita.Girls Team Scores
1. Great Bend 28
2. SE Saline 38
3. Buhler 93
4. Winfield 100
5. McPherson 130
6. Berean Academy 149
7. Hutch-Trinity 162
8. Ellinwood 229Great Bend
Results
2. Emilia Diaz 20:59.0
3. Marissa Boone 21:25.3
4. Diane Alvarez 21:41.3
8. Emma Loomis 22:24.5
11. Darcy Feist 23:14.1
21. August Siefkes 23:59.1Great Bend Boys
Results.
3. Kaiden Esfeld 16:35.5
16. Braylon Moore 21:20.4
26. Brayden Suppes 22:14.4
29. Trenton Peterson 22:20.8

Lady Panthers win again


The Great Bend Boys Soccer team suffered a 4-1 loss at Maize South
Thursday.


The Mavericks jumped to a 3-0 first half lead before the Panthers
made it 3-1 right before halftime. South scored their 4th
and final goal early in the second half and maintained that lead the
rest of the way.


Great Bend dropped to 3-2-1 on the season heading into a Saturday
morning match at home against Wichita Trinity at 11am. Maize South
improved to 6-0.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602674450925.png" alt="Maize South 4 Great Bend 1" />
 <figcaption>Maize South 4 Great Bend 1</figcaption>
 </figure>
The Great Bend Boys Soccer team suffered a 4-1 loss at Maize South
Thursday.
The Mavericks jumped to a 3-0 first half lead before the Panthers
made it 3-1 right before halftime. South scored their 4th
and final goal early in the second half and maintained that lead the
rest of the way.
Great Bend dropped to 3-2-1 on the season heading into a Saturday
morning match at home against Wichita Trinity at 11am. Maize South
improved to 6-0.

Maize South defeats Great Bend 4-1

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Tyrann Mathieu kept hoping, even as the days slowly went by and he returned one positive test after another, that he would be cleared of COVID-19 in time to join the Kansas City Chiefs for their season opener against Cleveland.

He was. Just barely. And then he sat out anyway.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Tyrann Mathieu kept hoping, even as the days slowly went by and he returned one positive test after another, that he would be cleared of COVID-19 in time to join the Kansas City Chiefs for their season opener against Cleveland.He was. Just barely. And then he sat out anyway.Mathieu was cleared the day before the Chiefs beat the Browns 33-29 at Arrowhead Stadium, and coach Andy Reid made the prudent decision to hold him out after missing nearly two weeks of practice.And while Mathieu would have loved to be on the field last weekend, he acknowledged Thursday that the coaching staff made the right decision.“I think it would be tough on anybody to not practice for 10 days and try to go out there and play a game you have to win at home,” Mathieu said. “I thought coach Reid, the training staff, everybody really made the best decision for me as a player. It was much appreciated, much respected. But I’m very happy to be back.”The Chiefs are very happy to have the three-time All-Pro safety back.They were shredded by Baker Mayfield and the Browns offense in the first half on Sunday, trudging off to the locker room in the depths of a 22-10 hole. It took some brilliant adjustments by defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, and a game-wrecking pass rush from Chris Jones, to hold Cleveland mostly in check as the Chiefs mounted their second-half comeback.Coincidentally, it was Mathieu’s understudy that helped lead the way.After Juan Thornhill was victimized as much as anybody by Mayfield in the first half, he made a series of important plays in the second. None was bigger than stripping Nick Chubb, causing a fumble that the Chiefs turned into a touchdown.“I thought he just got more confidence as the game went on,” Reid said, “and again, Juan is a real smart kid, and him seeing it and putting himself in position gives him a good opportunity to make plays.”What did Mathieu see from his perch on the sideline?“We try to hold ourselves to a high standard in the DB room, and I probably thought (Thornhill) didn’t start the game he wanted,” Mathieu said, “but he put his head down, came to the sideline, took the coaching, went back out and made plays.”Some of that coaching came from Mathieu, who had been fully vaccinated, and was allowed on the field after returning the two negative COVID-19 tests 24 hours apart that fulfilled the league’s virus protocols.“It was tough,” Mathieu said. “I wasn’t technically injured. I’ve been injured in this league before. But when you can’t help your teammates, it puts you in a bad spot. I was proud of the way those guys fought.”Still, his return couldn’t come soon enough for the Chiefs, who now head to Baltimore to face Lamar Jackson and the Ravens in a Sunday night showcase. Jackson is winless in three tries against the team he calls his “kryptonite.”“Look, did we miss Tyrann? Yeah, absolutely,” Spagnuolo said. “But I want to give credit to the guys that played. They did a great job. That first game was tough for us defensively because the offense they run is completely different from what we’ve seen, and to try to simulate that was very hard.”About as hard as simulating Jackson’s ability to run and throw. It puts an incredible amount of pressure on the back end of a defense, which is where Mathieu’s return comes in handy. Along with being one of the Chiefs’ best playmakers, he often has the responsibility of making sure everybody knows what they’re doing on any given play.Spagnuolo could only think of one other player in his coaching career that carried a similar burden.“The one that jumped to my mind was Antonio Pierce in New York. He ran the whole show,” Spagnuolo said of the Giants linebacker. “Those guys that make the other 10 better because they’re lining them up, they’re so valuable.”NOTES: DE Frank Clark (hamstring) practiced for the second consecutive day Thursday. “Hopefully, no setbacks,” Spagnuolo said. “We need Frank out there.” ... Offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy brushed off rumors that he would be interested in the Southern California coaching job, which came open when Clay Helton was fired this week. Bieniemy grew up in the Los Angeles suburb of La Puente. “You know me, guys, I’m where my feet are,” he said. “I’m focused on the task at hand, not worried about where my name is being mentioned. I’m making sure we’re preparing for this weekend’s opponent.”