- Great Bend Panther Color Analyst Shawn Behr will break down Friday's season opener at McPherson

- Great Bend Tribune Sports Editor Jim Misunas

- Mike Courson goes "On the Prowl" with Great Bend cross country coach Lyles Lashley

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1693997740304.jpeg" alt="Monday show lineup with hosts Steve Webster, Mike Courson, and Mike Hesher" />
 <figcaption>Monday show lineup with hosts Steve Webster, Mike Courson, and Mike Hesher</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ls844mUtrds?si=wjW-32LnLxURrzxR" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>- Great Bend Panther Color Analyst Shawn Behr will break down Friday's season opener at McPherson- Great Bend Tribune Sports Editor Jim Misunas- Mike Courson goes "On the Prowl" with Great Bend cross country coach Lyles Lashley- Weekend Sports Headlines- Sounds of the past 24-hours

Monday on Sports Day(Watch)

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Just watch us once and you’ll be hooked.

That is the message women’s college volleyball programs kept delivering as their sport went relatively unnoticed, struggling to find a television home amid the flurry of football games dominating screens each fall.

“It was an accessibility issue, not necessarily a passion issue,” Wisconsin middle blocker Carter Booth said. “I think people are very passionate about the sport. We just never really had the platform or the means to get it out there.”

Now they do – and fans are responding in droves.

As&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncaa.com/video/volleyball-women/2023-08-30/ncaa-president-charlie-baker-growing-popularity-womens-volleyball">NCAA president Charlie Baker</a>&nbsp;noted&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/charliebakerma/p/C0962SiOVNh/?locale=%E7%BE%8E%E5%A5%B3%E8%A3%B8%E8%81%8A%E7%9B%B4%E6%92%AD%E5%AE%98%E7%BD%91(va736.com)%0A.cols&amp;hl=en">last year</a>, women’s volleyball has become one of college athletics’ hottest properties.

That growth may have been inevitable considering volleyball’s popularity as a participation sport.

The number of girls high school volleyball players in 2022-23 hit an all-time high of 470,488, second only to outdoor track and field (486,355), according to the National Federation of State High School Associations. More girls play high school volleyball than basketball in all but nine states.

The three biggest crowds for a women’s college volleyball match all happened in the last year, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nebraska-volleyball-attendance-record-38f103fe2100a368cddb19b75e1adb8d">92,003 fans</a>&nbsp;attending a Nebraska victory over Omaha at Memorial Stadium. Texas’&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-nebraska-ncaa-volleyball-championship-madisen-skinner-f20a1b678077aaa5b22cece5f16dc008">NCAA Tournament championship game</a>&nbsp;triumph over Nebraska drew a record 1.7 million television viewers, a 115% increase over the previous year.

“It just feels like the last two years, that it’s not niche anymore,” Pitt coach Dan Fisher said. “It’s truly mainstream.”

Fisher offered anecdotal evidence as well. He knows fans gathered for watch parties at local bars when his team made its third straight Final Four appearance last fall.

“Fans are watching it the same way they watch a basketball or football game,” Fisher said. “The last two years, there’s been more of those types of things. When girls come to our camps, they all have shirts with players’ names on them.”

Stanford coach Kevin Hambly believes the tipping point was the emergence of conference networks that needed programming. So women’s college volleyball helped fill time. As the number of telecasts increased, viewers followed.

It’s a far cry from when Stanford outside hitter Elia Rubin grew up struggling to find a college match on television.

“I feel like I’m able to watch every game I want to now,” Rubin said. “That’s cool. Ten years ago or five years ago, that wasn’t the case.”

NBC will nationally televise three matches this season (Nebraska-Ohio State on Oct. 19, Wisconsin-Purdue on Oct. 26 and Penn State-Wisconsin on Nov. 9). ABC will broadcast a regular-season match for the first time Sept. 22 when Louisville hosts Nebraska.

The State Farm Volleyball Showcase – a Labor Day weekend event at Milwaukee’s Fiserv Forum featuring Texas, Minnesota, Stanford and Wisconsin – aired on Fox and FS1. Fox's coverage of the Texas victory over Wisconsin&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/emilyehman/status/1831502742243975673">had 584,000 viewers.</a>

The Big Ten will have 83 matches televised this season – up from 53 in 2021, 55 in 2022 and 64 in 2023. ESPN will show over 2,600 matches across its platforms.

Coaches want those numbers to keep rising. They know the answer isn’t competing with the NFL or college football. Florida coach Mary Wise says they shouldn’t even try that.

“But one night a week … could we own that night?” Wise said. “Could it be we go from coast to coast, see one at 6, 8, 10? That’s how we would really build our fan base or expand our fan base.”

A first step is making the NCAA Tournament's early rounds more readily available on linear television.

“It’s hard to get new viewers into the sport without that,” Wisconsin coach Kelly Sheffield said.

All first- and second-round matches will be available to stream on ESPN Plus, but the only television coverage of those rounds will be a “whip-around show” ESPN has on one of its networks to take viewers to various sites. For comparison’s sake, every game of the NCAA women’s basketball tournament is televised on one of ESPN’s various channels.

Women’s volleyball is growing so quickly it might not be hurt as much as other Olympic sports by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/2299a5eadef386a8d5f72195d9dbeabf">$2.8 billion settlement agreement</a>&nbsp;of antitrust litigation facing the NCAA and major conferences. That agreement could lead to cost cutting that puts Olympic sports at risk on some campuses.

“There’s concern, especially in some of the places where volleyball’s not quite as popular, in some of the regions of the country where we’re hoping that grows and changes,” Hambly said. “But I think I’m more worried about men’s volleyball, to be honest, or beach volleyball.”

ESPN’s coverage of last week’s American Volleyball Coaches Association First Serve Showcase match between Nebraska and Kentucky drew 344,000 viewers, making it the second most-watched live regular-season volleyball match to air on ESPN’s various platforms. More than 30 Division I schools reported attendance records last season.

The attendance boosts have encouraged some schools to move selected matches to larger venues. Four of the top six schools in average attendance last season were Big Ten programs: Nebraska (12,603), Wisconsin (7,220), Minnesota (5,010) and Michigan State (4,090).

Wisconsin regularly sells out the 7,229-seat UW Field House and played Marquette last year in front of a near-capacity crowd of 17,037 at Fiserv Forum. This year’s Wisconsin-Marquette match will take place on Wisconsin's campus at the Kohl Center, with a capacity of about 17,000. Purdue is hosting Wisconsin this year at Mackey Arena, which seats 14,240.

The young girls who make up much of the fan base should help continue the sport’s growth.

“They follow us on social media," said Texas outside hitter Madisen Skinner, the most outstanding player of last year's Final Four. "They come to our matches. We autograph stuff for them. We do other things like Cameos and videos and personalized things. There’s a lot of different avenues for them to connect with us, which is really cool.”

Yet that player visibility is one area in which women’s volleyball lags behind women’s basketball.

Iowa’s Caitlin Clark and LSU’s Angel Reese were household names by the time they finished their college basketball careers. JuJu Watkins already is reaching that level going into her sophomore season at Southern California.

Volleyball doesn’t have anyone with that kind of recognition.

“It doesn’t define our sport that we don’t have a person like that, but I do think it matters,” Booth said. “Caitlin Clark has brought in millions of dollars in revenue and millions of dollars in ticket sales just for being Caitlin Clark. Having someone like that in volleyball will help us get the exposure level we’re wanting to get to.”

Coaches are hoping for media coverage beyond the matches, stories that could help amplify the sport on social media. A three-part series promoting Texas’ team airs on Longhorn Network this year. ESPN also ran a documentary on Nebraska’s program last week.

“We could use that boost,” Sheffield said. “At times it feels like there’s ankle weights on us. We still have the ankle weights, but they’re not as heavy as they were.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725906539126.jpeg" alt="Wisconsin's Carter Booth blocks a shot by Texas' Madisen Skinner during an NCAA Division I women's college volleyball game, Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)" />
 <figcaption>Wisconsin's Carter Booth blocks a shot by Texas' Madisen Skinner during an NCAA Division I women's college volleyball game, Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)</figcaption>
 </figure>MILWAUKEE (AP) — Just watch us once and you’ll be hooked.That is the message women’s college volleyball programs kept delivering as their sport went relatively unnoticed, struggling to find a television home amid the flurry of football games dominating screens each fall.“It was an accessibility issue, not necessarily a passion issue,” Wisconsin middle blocker Carter Booth said. “I think people are very passionate about the sport. We just never really had the platform or the means to get it out there.”Now they do – and fans are responding in droves.As&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncaa.com/video/volleyball-women/2023-08-30/ncaa-president-charlie-baker-growing-popularity-womens-volleyball">NCAA president Charlie Baker</a>&nbsp;noted&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/charliebakerma/p/C0962SiOVNh/?locale=%E7%BE%8E%E5%A5%B3%E8%A3%B8%E8%81%8A%E7%9B%B4%E6%92%AD%E5%AE%98%E7%BD%91(va736.com)%0A.cols&amp;hl=en">last year</a>, women’s volleyball has become one of college athletics’ hottest properties.That growth may have been inevitable considering volleyball’s popularity as a participation sport.The number of girls high school volleyball players in 2022-23 hit an all-time high of 470,488, second only to outdoor track and field (486,355), according to the National Federation of State High School Associations. More girls play high school volleyball than basketball in all but nine states.The three biggest crowds for a women’s college volleyball match all happened in the last year, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nebraska-volleyball-attendance-record-38f103fe2100a368cddb19b75e1adb8d">92,003 fans</a>&nbsp;attending a Nebraska victory over Omaha at Memorial Stadium. Texas’&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-nebraska-ncaa-volleyball-championship-madisen-skinner-f20a1b678077aaa5b22cece5f16dc008">NCAA Tournament championship game</a>&nbsp;triumph over Nebraska drew a record 1.7 million television viewers, a 115% increase over the previous year.“It just feels like the last two years, that it’s not niche anymore,” Pitt coach Dan Fisher said. “It’s truly mainstream.”Fisher offered anecdotal evidence as well. He knows fans gathered for watch parties at local bars when his team made its third straight Final Four appearance last fall.“Fans are watching it the same way they watch a basketball or football game,” Fisher said. “The last two years, there’s been more of those types of things. When girls come to our camps, they all have shirts with players’ names on them.”Stanford coach Kevin Hambly believes the tipping point was the emergence of conference networks that needed programming. So women’s college volleyball helped fill time. As the number of telecasts increased, viewers followed.It’s a far cry from when Stanford outside hitter Elia Rubin grew up struggling to find a college match on television.“I feel like I’m able to watch every game I want to now,” Rubin said. “That’s cool. Ten years ago or five years ago, that wasn’t the case.”<h2>Matches are on TV</h2>NBC will nationally televise three matches this season (Nebraska-Ohio State on Oct. 19, Wisconsin-Purdue on Oct. 26 and Penn State-Wisconsin on Nov. 9). ABC will broadcast a regular-season match for the first time Sept. 22 when Louisville hosts Nebraska.The State Farm Volleyball Showcase – a Labor Day weekend event at Milwaukee’s Fiserv Forum featuring Texas, Minnesota, Stanford and Wisconsin – aired on Fox and FS1. Fox's coverage of the Texas victory over Wisconsin&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/emilyehman/status/1831502742243975673">had 584,000 viewers.</a>The Big Ten will have 83 matches televised this season – up from 53 in 2021, 55 in 2022 and 64 in 2023. ESPN will show over 2,600 matches across its platforms.Coaches want those numbers to keep rising. They know the answer isn’t competing with the NFL or college football. Florida coach Mary Wise says they shouldn’t even try that.“But one night a week … could we own that night?” Wise said. “Could it be we go from coast to coast, see one at 6, 8, 10? That’s how we would really build our fan base or expand our fan base.”A first step is making the NCAA Tournament's early rounds more readily available on linear television.“It’s hard to get new viewers into the sport without that,” Wisconsin coach Kelly Sheffield said.All first- and second-round matches will be available to stream on ESPN Plus, but the only television coverage of those rounds will be a “whip-around show” ESPN has on one of its networks to take viewers to various sites. For comparison’s sake, every game of the NCAA women’s basketball tournament is televised on one of ESPN’s various channels.<h2>Road ahead</h2>Women’s volleyball is growing so quickly it might not be hurt as much as other Olympic sports by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/2299a5eadef386a8d5f72195d9dbeabf">$2.8 billion settlement agreement</a>&nbsp;of antitrust litigation facing the NCAA and major conferences. That agreement could lead to cost cutting that puts Olympic sports at risk on some campuses.“There’s concern, especially in some of the places where volleyball’s not quite as popular, in some of the regions of the country where we’re hoping that grows and changes,” Hambly said. “But I think I’m more worried about men’s volleyball, to be honest, or beach volleyball.”ESPN’s coverage of last week’s American Volleyball Coaches Association First Serve Showcase match between Nebraska and Kentucky drew 344,000 viewers, making it the second most-watched live regular-season volleyball match to air on ESPN’s various platforms. More than 30 Division I schools reported attendance records last season.The attendance boosts have encouraged some schools to move selected matches to larger venues. Four of the top six schools in average attendance last season were Big Ten programs: Nebraska (12,603), Wisconsin (7,220), Minnesota (5,010) and Michigan State (4,090).Wisconsin regularly sells out the 7,229-seat UW Field House and played Marquette last year in front of a near-capacity crowd of 17,037 at Fiserv Forum. This year’s Wisconsin-Marquette match will take place on Wisconsin's campus at the Kohl Center, with a capacity of about 17,000. Purdue is hosting Wisconsin this year at Mackey Arena, which seats 14,240.<h2>Fan base</h2>The young girls who make up much of the fan base should help continue the sport’s growth.“They follow us on social media," said Texas outside hitter Madisen Skinner, the most outstanding player of last year's Final Four. "They come to our matches. We autograph stuff for them. We do other things like Cameos and videos and personalized things. There’s a lot of different avenues for them to connect with us, which is really cool.”Yet that player visibility is one area in which women’s volleyball lags behind women’s basketball.Iowa’s Caitlin Clark and LSU’s Angel Reese were household names by the time they finished their college basketball careers. JuJu Watkins already is reaching that level going into her sophomore season at Southern California.Volleyball doesn’t have anyone with that kind of recognition.“It doesn’t define our sport that we don’t have a person like that, but I do think it matters,” Booth said. “Caitlin Clark has brought in millions of dollars in revenue and millions of dollars in ticket sales just for being Caitlin Clark. Having someone like that in volleyball will help us get the exposure level we’re wanting to get to.”Coaches are hoping for media coverage beyond the matches, stories that could help amplify the sport on social media. A three-part series promoting Texas’ team airs on Longhorn Network this year. ESPN also ran a documentary on Nebraska’s program last week.“We could use that boost,” Sheffield said. “At times it feels like there’s ankle weights on us. We still have the ankle weights, but they’re not as heavy as they were.”

More TV opportunities helping fuel the growth of women's college volleyball

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Tyreek Hill of the Miami Dolphins was handcuffed and placed face down on a street outside the team’s stadium after he was stopped for speeding and reckless driving Sunday morning before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jaguars-dolphins-score-d3e04db401687f343f4d9097f6d35780">the Dolphins’ first game of the season</a>, an incident that left the star wide receiver baffled and resulted in a police officer being placed on administrative leave. The officer, who was not identified, was one of at least three involved in detaining Hill. Some fans saw Hill being handcuffed and captured video on their way to the game, and it quickly&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/RGIII/status/1832822226900406478" target="_blank">went viral</a>&nbsp;on social media. Miami-Dade Police director Stephanie V. Daniels said she had launched an internal affairs investigation. Told after the game that the officer was placed on leave pending the outcome of the investigation, Hill said: “That should tell you everything you need to know.”

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Fighting tears, Alex Morgan waved to the crowd and walked off the field for the last time on Sunday as she capped an impactful 15-year career. Despite the nearly 100-degree heat, a crowd of 26,516 filled San Diego’s Snapdragon Stadium for Morgan’s farewell match. The two-time Women’s World Cup winner announced on Thursday that she was pregnant with her second child and retiring from the game. She started and wore the captain’s armband for the San Diego Wave in her final match, playing for the first 13 minutes against the North Carolina Courage before subbing out of the game to an ovation. “I did everything I ever wanted to do and more. With this decision, I feel so at peace because I am ready to start my family and I am ready to hang up the boots and allow the next generation to flourish and just relish in the spotlight,” she said afterward. “It’s a good feeling.”

LOS ANGELES (AP) —Shohei Ohtani is the sixth player in major league history and the fastest ever to reach 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases, needing just 126 games. He’s the only player to hit the 40-40 mark in the same game. He did it in style, too, on a game-winning grand slam with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning on Aug. 23. On the horizon for Ohtani is potentially becoming the first member of the 50-50 club. He slugged his 46th homer on Sunday and has 46 steals with three weeks remaining in the regular season.

CHICAGO (AP) — Angel Reese’s historic rookie season is over. The Chicago Sky forward said on social media&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/reese10angel/status/1832586256003559577?s=46" target="_blank">Saturday night</a>&nbsp;that she has a season-ending injury, which the team confirmed was to her wrist. “What a year. I never would have imagined the last bucket of my rookie season would be a 3 but maybe that was God saying give them a taste of what they will be seeing more of in Year 2 lol,” Reese wrote. “Through it all, I have showed that I belong in this league even when no one else believed. All I have ever wanted was to come into the W and make an impact. I can confidently say I have done that and will strive to keep doing so.” Reese, the No. 7 pick in the draft, finished the season averaging 13.6 points and 13.1 rebounds. It’s the highest rebound average in the history of the WNBA. Reese also set the rookie record with 26 double-doubles — her last coming in a 92-78 win over Los Angeles on Friday night.

SEATTLE (AP) — It wasn’t a perfect start for Bo Nix. But Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton saw plenty of promise in his rookie quarterback’s NFL debut. Nix, the 12th overall pick in the draft, finished on the short end of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/broncos-seahawks-score-401254e6f0f616deb77a42bc2f29a445">a 26-20 loss to the Seattle Seahawks</a>&nbsp;on Sunday. It was a frustrating day, filled with a lot of short passes, a few poor decisions and some late heroics that came up just short. Pushing the ball downfield was the biggest issue Nix faced. He finished 26 of 42 passing, but for only 138 yards, an average of just 3.3 yards per attempt. He also threw two interceptions, the first to Seahawks safety Julian Love early in the second quarter, and the other to Seattle cornerback Riq Woolen with 5:37 left in the game.

SUNDAY'S SCORES Major League Baseball American League

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701258411232.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Tyreek Hill of the Miami Dolphins was handcuffed and placed face down on a street outside the team’s stadium after he was stopped for speeding and reckless driving Sunday morning before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jaguars-dolphins-score-d3e04db401687f343f4d9097f6d35780">the Dolphins’ first game of the season</a>, an incident that left the star wide receiver baffled and resulted in a police officer being placed on administrative leave. The officer, who was not identified, was one of at least three involved in detaining Hill. Some fans saw Hill being handcuffed and captured video on their way to the game, and it quickly&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/RGIII/status/1832822226900406478" target="_blank">went viral</a>&nbsp;on social media. Miami-Dade Police director Stephanie V. Daniels said she had launched an internal affairs investigation. Told after the game that the officer was placed on leave pending the outcome of the investigation, Hill said: “That should tell you everything you need to know.”SAN DIEGO (AP) — Fighting tears, Alex Morgan waved to the crowd and walked off the field for the last time on Sunday as she capped an impactful 15-year career. Despite the nearly 100-degree heat, a crowd of 26,516 filled San Diego’s Snapdragon Stadium for Morgan’s farewell match. The two-time Women’s World Cup winner announced on Thursday that she was pregnant with her second child and retiring from the game. She started and wore the captain’s armband for the San Diego Wave in her final match, playing for the first 13 minutes against the North Carolina Courage before subbing out of the game to an ovation. “I did everything I ever wanted to do and more. With this decision, I feel so at peace because I am ready to start my family and I am ready to hang up the boots and allow the next generation to flourish and just relish in the spotlight,” she said afterward. “It’s a good feeling.”LOS ANGELES (AP) —Shohei Ohtani is the sixth player in major league history and the fastest ever to reach 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases, needing just 126 games. He’s the only player to hit the 40-40 mark in the same game. He did it in style, too, on a game-winning grand slam with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning on Aug. 23. On the horizon for Ohtani is potentially becoming the first member of the 50-50 club. He slugged his 46th homer on Sunday and has 46 steals with three weeks remaining in the regular season.CHICAGO (AP) — Angel Reese’s historic rookie season is over. The Chicago Sky forward said on social media&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/reese10angel/status/1832586256003559577?s=46" target="_blank">Saturday night</a>&nbsp;that she has a season-ending injury, which the team confirmed was to her wrist. “What a year. I never would have imagined the last bucket of my rookie season would be a 3 but maybe that was God saying give them a taste of what they will be seeing more of in Year 2 lol,” Reese wrote. “Through it all, I have showed that I belong in this league even when no one else believed. All I have ever wanted was to come into the W and make an impact. I can confidently say I have done that and will strive to keep doing so.” Reese, the No. 7 pick in the draft, finished the season averaging 13.6 points and 13.1 rebounds. It’s the highest rebound average in the history of the WNBA. Reese also set the rookie record with 26 double-doubles — her last coming in a 92-78 win over Los Angeles on Friday night.SEATTLE (AP) — It wasn’t a perfect start for Bo Nix. But Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton saw plenty of promise in his rookie quarterback’s NFL debut. Nix, the 12th overall pick in the draft, finished on the short end of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/broncos-seahawks-score-401254e6f0f616deb77a42bc2f29a445">a 26-20 loss to the Seattle Seahawks</a>&nbsp;on Sunday. It was a frustrating day, filled with a lot of short passes, a few poor decisions and some late heroics that came up just short. Pushing the ball downfield was the biggest issue Nix faced. He finished 26 of 42 passing, but for only 138 yards, an average of just 3.3 yards per attempt. He also threw two interceptions, the first to Seahawks safety Julian Love early in the second quarter, and the other to Seattle cornerback Riq Woolen with 5:37 left in the game.SUNDAY'S SCORES Major League Baseball American LeagueTampa Bay 2, Baltimore 0Chicago White Sox 7, Boston 2Kansas City 2, Minnesota 0Detroit 9, Oakland 1Texas 7, LA Angels 4National LeaguePittsburgh 7, Washington 3Cincinnati 3, NY Mets 1Miami 10, Philadelphia 1Colorado 4, Milwaukee 1San Francisco 7, San Diego 6InterleagueAtlanta 4, Toronto 3Chicago Cubs 2, NY Yankees 1Seattle 10, St. Louis 4Arizona 12, Houston 6LA Dodgers 4, Cleveland 0

Monday's Sports Headlines and Scores presented by Barton Community College

AP - After the first shake-up of the college football season, the Southeastern Conference grabbed six of the top seven spots in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll">AP Top 25</a>&nbsp;— a first in the 88-year history of the rankings — and Notre Dame tumbled all the way to No. 18 on Sunday after being stunned at home.

Georgia received 54 out of a possible 63 first-place votes to keep a firm hold on No. 1. No. 2 Texas jumped a spot after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-michigan-score-ewers-d140dffcf01078793e9f40cb71f8dbc0">dominating defending national champion Michigan on the road</a>&nbsp;and received four first-place votes. The Longhorns have their best ranking since finishing second in 2009.

No. 3 Ohio State from the Big Ten Conference slipped a spot. Then it was four more SEC teams. Alabama held steady at No. 4 and Mississippi moved up a spot to No. 5.

Missouri moved up three spots to No. 6 and Tennessee made a big jump from No. 14 to No. 7 after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tennessee-north-carolina-state-score-0bcd892a9c1d878fcc30a18cbd770a2a">routing North Carolina State in Charlotte</a>.

With the SEC bigger (16 teams) — and seemingly better — than ever given the additions of Texas and Oklahoma — the circumstances were right for an early season takeover like never before.

Not only is six of the top seven teams from one conference a record for a poll, but never before had a single league held as many as five of the top seven places.

Those teams will start playing each other in the coming weeks so it is unlikely the SEC can keep this up, but it's a stark example of what's possible in the superconference era.

Especially after the first huge upset of the college football season.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/notre-dame-northern-illinois-score-a1aa3c4c0abbc943e827aa7467ed0f17">Notre Dame's 16-14 loss to Northern Illinois</a>&nbsp;marked the first time a top-five team lost to an unranked team since the 2022 season, when Purdue knocked off then-No. 2 Iowa on Nov. 5, 2022.

The Huskies' victory, the first top-five win for a Mid-American Conference team in league history, landed Northern Illinois at No. 25 in the rankings. NIU is ranked for the first time since 2013 and is the first team from non-Power Four conference to be ranked this season.

Rounding out the top 10 were No. 8 Penn State and No. 9 Oregon of the Big Ten and No. 10 Miami. The Ducks slip two spots after a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oregon-boise-state-score-21c3b528d2c8a3031bc5ea39b262dbcc">wild, comeback victory against Boise State</a>.

Northern Illinois is one of four teams to move into the rankings this week for the first time this season, most notably Nebraska at No. 23.

The Cornhuskers are ranked for the first time since 2019 after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/college-football-score-colorado-nebraska-389d70cb3a2791542ff51328ea267b87">easily handling Colorado at home</a>. That was a brief stay. After starting that season ranked No. 24, the Huskers lost in Week 2, fell out the rankings and have been gone ever since.

The last sustained season in the rankings for Nebraska was 2016, though even that season ended with the Huskers unranked. They have not finished a season ranked since 2012. That's what second-year coach Matt Rhule and freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola are aiming for.

Just a reminder: Nebraska still owns the record for the longest streak of poll appearances with 348 under coach Tom Osborne from 1981-2002. The second-best streak is Alabama's active 264 straight weeks ranked.

The turnover came from the bottom of the rankings, where Kansas, Iowa, Georgia Tech and North Carolina State all fell out after losses.

No. 21 Iowa State essentially switched places with its Cy-Hawk rivals by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iowa-state-score-5795335e96c3c8ecf01f1223c456d3b9">beating Iowa</a>.

Last week, Georgia Tech made its first appearance in the AP Top 25 since 2015, snapping one of the longest active droughts among power conference teams. The Yellow Jackets lasted only a week after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-tech-syracuse-score-479d0b24223be76604421bf8a2bae870">losing at Syracuse</a>, but another Atlantic Coast Conference team snapped its own lengthy drought.

No. 24 Boston College is ranked for the first time since 2018.

The only other time a conference had four of the top five teams was the SEC on Oct. 19, 2014, when Mississippi State was No. 1, Ole Miss was third, Alabama was fourth and Auburn was fifth.

SEC — 8 (Nos. 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 15, 16).

Big Ten — 6 (Nos. 3, 8, 9, 11, 17, 23).

No. 20 Arizona at No. 14 Kansas State, Thursday. A Big 12 game that's not actually a Big 12 game. This is a nonconference matchup that already was set before realignment.

No. 24 Boston College at No. 6 Missouri, Saturday. An unexpectedly ranked ACC-SEC matchup.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725828124795.jpeg" alt="Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers (3) runs the ball against Michigan in the first half of an NCAA college football game in Ann Arbor, Mich., Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)" />
 <figcaption>Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers (3) runs the ball against Michigan in the first half of an NCAA college football game in Ann Arbor, Mich., Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)</figcaption>
 </figure>AP - After the first shake-up of the college football season, the Southeastern Conference grabbed six of the top seven spots in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll">AP Top 25</a>&nbsp;— a first in the 88-year history of the rankings — and Notre Dame tumbled all the way to No. 18 on Sunday after being stunned at home.Georgia received 54 out of a possible 63 first-place votes to keep a firm hold on No. 1. No. 2 Texas jumped a spot after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-michigan-score-ewers-d140dffcf01078793e9f40cb71f8dbc0">dominating defending national champion Michigan on the road</a>&nbsp;and received four first-place votes. The Longhorns have their best ranking since finishing second in 2009.The Wolverines were down to No. 17.No. 3 Ohio State from the Big Ten Conference slipped a spot. Then it was four more SEC teams. Alabama held steady at No. 4 and Mississippi moved up a spot to No. 5.Missouri moved up three spots to No. 6 and Tennessee made a big jump from No. 14 to No. 7 after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tennessee-north-carolina-state-score-0bcd892a9c1d878fcc30a18cbd770a2a">routing North Carolina State in Charlotte</a>.With the SEC bigger (16 teams) — and seemingly better — than ever given the additions of Texas and Oklahoma — the circumstances were right for an early season takeover like never before.Not only is six of the top seven teams from one conference a record for a poll, but never before had a single league held as many as five of the top seven places.Those teams will start playing each other in the coming weeks so it is unlikely the SEC can keep this up, but it's a stark example of what's possible in the superconference era.Especially after the first huge upset of the college football season.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/notre-dame-northern-illinois-score-a1aa3c4c0abbc943e827aa7467ed0f17">Notre Dame's 16-14 loss to Northern Illinois</a>&nbsp;marked the first time a top-five team lost to an unranked team since the 2022 season, when Purdue knocked off then-No. 2 Iowa on Nov. 5, 2022.The Huskies' victory, the first top-five win for a Mid-American Conference team in league history, landed Northern Illinois at No. 25 in the rankings. NIU is ranked for the first time since 2013 and is the first team from non-Power Four conference to be ranked this season.Rounding out the top 10 were No. 8 Penn State and No. 9 Oregon of the Big Ten and No. 10 Miami. The Ducks slip two spots after a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oregon-boise-state-score-21c3b528d2c8a3031bc5ea39b262dbcc">wild, comeback victory against Boise State</a>.<h2>Poll points</h2>Northern Illinois is one of four teams to move into the rankings this week for the first time this season, most notably Nebraska at No. 23.The Cornhuskers are ranked for the first time since 2019 after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/college-football-score-colorado-nebraska-389d70cb3a2791542ff51328ea267b87">easily handling Colorado at home</a>. That was a brief stay. After starting that season ranked No. 24, the Huskers lost in Week 2, fell out the rankings and have been gone ever since.The last sustained season in the rankings for Nebraska was 2016, though even that season ended with the Huskers unranked. They have not finished a season ranked since 2012. That's what second-year coach Matt Rhule and freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola are aiming for.Just a reminder: Nebraska still owns the record for the longest streak of poll appearances with 348 under coach Tom Osborne from 1981-2002. The second-best streak is Alabama's active 264 straight weeks ranked.<h2>In and out</h2>The turnover came from the bottom of the rankings, where Kansas, Iowa, Georgia Tech and North Carolina State all fell out after losses.No. 21 Iowa State essentially switched places with its Cy-Hawk rivals by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iowa-state-score-5795335e96c3c8ecf01f1223c456d3b9">beating Iowa</a>.Last week, Georgia Tech made its first appearance in the AP Top 25 since 2015, snapping one of the longest active droughts among power conference teams. The Yellow Jackets lasted only a week after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-tech-syracuse-score-479d0b24223be76604421bf8a2bae870">losing at Syracuse</a>, but another Atlantic Coast Conference team snapped its own lengthy drought.No. 24 Boston College is ranked for the first time since 2018.<h2>Conference call</h2>The only other time a conference had four of the top five teams was the SEC on Oct. 19, 2014, when Mississippi State was No. 1, Ole Miss was third, Alabama was fourth and Auburn was fifth.SEC — 8 (Nos. 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 15, 16).Big Ten — 6 (Nos. 3, 8, 9, 11, 17, 23).Big 12 — 5 (Nos. 12, 13, 14, 20, 21).ACC — 4 (Nos. 10, 19, 22, 24).MAC — 1 (No. 25).Independent — 1 (No. 18).<h2>Ranked vs. ranked</h2>No. 20 Arizona at No. 14 Kansas State, Thursday. A Big 12 game that's not actually a Big 12 game. This is a nonconference matchup that already was set before realignment.No. 24 Boston College at No. 6 Missouri, Saturday. An unexpectedly ranked ACC-SEC matchup.

AP Top 25: SEC grabs six of the first seven spots in rankings, Irish fall to No. 18

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Michael Wacha pitched seven innings of four-hit ball, Garrett Hampson and Salvador Perez drove in runs and the Kansas City Royals beat the Minnesota Twins 2-0 on Sunday to complete a series sweep of their closest pursuers in the AL wild-card race.

Wacha (12-7) struck out seven while allowing just one walk is 100th career win. He got plenty of help from his defense, which turned two double plays and threw out a runner trying to score from first base in the first inning.

Kris Bubic handled the eighth for Kansas City before Lucas Erceg worked around a leadoff single in the ninth for his 11th save.

Simeon Woods Richardson (5-4) allowed two runs on three hits and two walks before he was pulled with one out in the fifth inning. The Twins bullpen did not allow a run the rest of the way, though it didn't matter with their offense getting shut out.

The Royals moved 2 1/2 games ahead of AL Central-rival Minnesota for the second wild-card spot.

The Twins had a chance to strike in the first inning, and finally build some momentum after dropping four of the first six games on their seven-game trip. But Jose Miranda, who had singled, was thrown out by about a foot trying to score on Trevor Larnach's double, and Royce Lewis eventually struck out to end the inning.

Their only other hits off Wacha came from Christian Vázquez leading off the third and sixth, and both times the right-hander was able to get a double play to prevent a runner from even reaching second base again.

When the Royals got their chance, they took advantage of it.

MJ Melendez drew a walk leading off the fifth, and Freddy Fermin and Maikel Garcia followed with singles to load the bases for Hampson, who hit a sacrifice fly to the warning track in left field. And when Tommy Pham walked to load the bases again, Perez followed with an RBI dribbler that traveled all of 80 feet down the third-base line for the only other run of the game.

Royals: RHP Michael Lorenzen (left hamstring strain) is scheduled for a rehab appearance for Double-A Northwest Arkansas on Tuesday. He's been out since Aug. 27. ... LHP Will Smith (back spasms) threw a bullpen session Saturday and is “progressing fine,” manager Matt Quatraro said. He went on the injured list Aug. 26.

Kansas City: RHP Brady Singer (9-10, 3.35) opens a three-game set against the Yankees on Monday night in New York.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725828266033.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Michael Wacha throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Michael Wacha throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Michael Wacha pitched seven innings of four-hit ball, Garrett Hampson and Salvador Perez drove in runs and the Kansas City Royals beat the Minnesota Twins 2-0 on Sunday to complete a series sweep of their closest pursuers in the AL wild-card race.Wacha (12-7) struck out seven while allowing just one walk is 100th career win. He got plenty of help from his defense, which turned two double plays and threw out a runner trying to score from first base in the first inning.Kris Bubic handled the eighth for Kansas City before Lucas Erceg worked around a leadoff single in the ninth for his 11th save.Simeon Woods Richardson (5-4) allowed two runs on three hits and two walks before he was pulled with one out in the fifth inning. The Twins bullpen did not allow a run the rest of the way, though it didn't matter with their offense getting shut out.The Royals moved 2 1/2 games ahead of AL Central-rival Minnesota for the second wild-card spot.The Twins had a chance to strike in the first inning, and finally build some momentum after dropping four of the first six games on their seven-game trip. But Jose Miranda, who had singled, was thrown out by about a foot trying to score on Trevor Larnach's double, and Royce Lewis eventually struck out to end the inning.Their only other hits off Wacha came from Christian Vázquez leading off the third and sixth, and both times the right-hander was able to get a double play to prevent a runner from even reaching second base again.When the Royals got their chance, they took advantage of it.MJ Melendez drew a walk leading off the fifth, and Freddy Fermin and Maikel Garcia followed with singles to load the bases for Hampson, who hit a sacrifice fly to the warning track in left field. And when Tommy Pham walked to load the bases again, Perez followed with an RBI dribbler that traveled all of 80 feet down the third-base line for the only other run of the game.<h2>Trainer's room</h2>Royals: RHP Michael Lorenzen (left hamstring strain) is scheduled for a rehab appearance for Double-A Northwest Arkansas on Tuesday. He's been out since Aug. 27. ... LHP Will Smith (back spasms) threw a bullpen session Saturday and is “progressing fine,” manager Matt Quatraro said. He went on the injured list Aug. 26.<h2>Next up</h2>Kansas City: RHP Brady Singer (9-10, 3.35) opens a three-game set against the Yankees on Monday night in New York.

Wacha tosses 7 innings of 4-hit ball, Royals complete sweep of Twins

The Barton Community College women's soccer team's six-hour drive to Sioux City, Iowa, resulted in a 3-1 victory at Western Iowa Tech.

The Cougars put a solo tally on the board in the first half but had to fend off the Division II Comets' upset bid with a pair unanswered net shakers in the a four minute span in picking up the non-conference victory.

Barton improves to 3-1-1 on the season with WIT dropping to 1-3.

Next up is another long trip on Wednesday traveling to 12th ranked Kansas City Kansas Community College for a 5:00 p.m. kickoff.

<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wsoc/2024-25/bios/aguirre_lancheros_sara_mg6s">Sara Aguirre Lancheros</a>&nbsp;got the Cougars on the board first with 31:18 left in the opening half, putting away&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wsoc/2024-25/bios/guillou_orlane_y1ap">Orlane Guillou</a>&nbsp;third collegiate assist with a 25-yard laser to the upper-90 for her 4th of the year.

The Comets produced the equalizer fifteen minutes after the intermission off a breakaway with an eventual loose ball being sent in from just outside the eighteen to the far post beyond&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wsoc/2024-25/bios/tanaka_mio_fiw7">Mio Tanaka</a>'s diving effort.

Five minutes later&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wsoc/2024-25/bios/jolly_fiona_g347">Fiona Jolly</a>'s backside mid-air strike sent&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wsoc/2024-25/bios/silva_leticia_f680">Leticia Quadros</a>' corner kick to the back of the net for her 4th of the year and delivering Quadros' first assist of the season.

With the momentum swung back to the Cougars, four minutes later it was the creativeness from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wsoc/2024-25/bios/burnier_candice_9y4m">Candice Burnier</a>'s soft touch flick over the keeper in fielding&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wsoc/2024-25/bios/methman_kayla_tv0d">Kayla Methman</a>'s throw-in pushing the lead to a two-goal advantage with twenty minutes remaining. For Burnier it was her second of the season while Methman chalked up her team leading 5th assist.

Scoring: 13:42:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wsoc/2024-25/bios/aguirre_lancheros_sara_mg6s">Sara Aguirre Lancheros</a>&nbsp;(4); Assist:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wsoc/2024-25/bios/guillou_orlane_y1ap">Orlane Guillou</a>&nbsp;(3)

65:48:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wsoc/2024-25/bios/jolly_fiona_g347">Fiona Jolly</a>&nbsp;(4); Assist:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wsoc/2024-25/bios/silva_leticia_f680">Leticia Q</a><a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wsoc/2024-25/bios/silva_leticia_f680">uadros</a>&nbsp;(1)

69:00:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wsoc/2024-25/bios/burnier_candice_9y4m">Candice Burnier</a>&nbsp;(2); Assist:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wsoc/2024-25/bios/methman_kayla_tv0d">Kayla Methman</a>&nbsp;(5)

The Barton Community College women's soccer team's six-hour drive to Sioux City, Iowa, resulted in a 3-1 victory at Western Iowa Tech.The Cougars put a solo tally on the board in the first half but had to fend off the Division II Comets' upset bid with a pair unanswered net shakers in the a four minute span in picking up the non-conference victory.Barton improves to 3-1-1 on the season with WIT dropping to 1-3.Next up is another long trip on Wednesday traveling to 12th ranked Kansas City Kansas Community College for a 5:00 p.m. kickoff.<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wsoc/2024-25/bios/aguirre_lancheros_sara_mg6s">Sara Aguirre Lancheros</a>&nbsp;got the Cougars on the board first with 31:18 left in the opening half, putting away&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wsoc/2024-25/bios/guillou_orlane_y1ap">Orlane Guillou</a>&nbsp;third collegiate assist with a 25-yard laser to the upper-90 for her 4th of the year.The Comets produced the equalizer fifteen minutes after the intermission off a breakaway with an eventual loose ball being sent in from just outside the eighteen to the far post beyond&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wsoc/2024-25/bios/tanaka_mio_fiw7">Mio Tanaka</a>'s diving effort.Five minutes later&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wsoc/2024-25/bios/jolly_fiona_g347">Fiona Jolly</a>'s backside mid-air strike sent&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wsoc/2024-25/bios/silva_leticia_f680">Leticia Quadros</a>' corner kick to the back of the net for her 4th of the year and delivering Quadros' first assist of the season.With the momentum swung back to the Cougars, four minutes later it was the creativeness from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wsoc/2024-25/bios/burnier_candice_9y4m">Candice Burnier</a>'s soft touch flick over the keeper in fielding&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wsoc/2024-25/bios/methman_kayla_tv0d">Kayla Methman</a>'s throw-in pushing the lead to a two-goal advantage with twenty minutes remaining. For Burnier it was her second of the season while Methman chalked up her team leading 5th assist.Scoring: 13:42:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wsoc/2024-25/bios/aguirre_lancheros_sara_mg6s">Sara Aguirre Lancheros</a>&nbsp;(4); Assist:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wsoc/2024-25/bios/guillou_orlane_y1ap">Orlane Guillou</a>&nbsp;(3)60:00: Western Iowa Tech65:48:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wsoc/2024-25/bios/jolly_fiona_g347">Fiona Jolly</a>&nbsp;(4); Assist:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wsoc/2024-25/bios/silva_leticia_f680">Leticia Q</a><a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wsoc/2024-25/bios/silva_leticia_f680">uadros</a>&nbsp;(1)69:00:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wsoc/2024-25/bios/burnier_candice_9y4m">Candice Burnier</a>&nbsp;(2); Assist:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wsoc/2024-25/bios/methman_kayla_tv0d">Kayla Methman</a>&nbsp;(5)

Barton women’s soccer picks up 3-1 win in Iowa

1.Hoisington Sports on 100.7 Eagle Country sponsored  by...USD #431 Hoisington, Ehler Chevrolet, Cardinal Pharmacy, Equity Bank, Donald E Reif Jr. Attorney at Law, Town &amp; Country Supermarket, Superior Essex, First Kansas Bank, Innovative Livestock Services, Mpire Realty Jessy Kirmer/Nikki Henderson, Clara Barton Medical Center, Hoisington Veterinary Hospital, Rosenberg Family Denistry, Hoisington Recreation Commission, Central Chiropractic, Dr. Tyler Schremmer, Bobcat Backhoe Service, and Barton Community College.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1581739911992.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Pratt 24, Hoisington 3<div><iframe width="100%" height="265" src="https://clyp.it/srod1ta5/widget" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>1.Hoisington Sports on 100.7 Eagle Country sponsored by...USD #431 Hoisington, Ehler Chevrolet, Cardinal Pharmacy, Equity Bank, Donald E Reif Jr. Attorney at Law, Town &amp; Country Supermarket, Superior Essex, First Kansas Bank, Innovative Livestock Services, Mpire Realty Jessy Kirmer/Nikki Henderson, Clara Barton Medical Center, Hoisington Veterinary Hospital, Rosenberg Family Denistry, Hoisington Recreation Commission, Central Chiropractic, Dr. Tyler Schremmer, Bobcat Backhoe Service, and Barton Community College.

Pratt 24, Hoisington 3

1. Great Bend Sports on 104 3 the Point sponsored by USD #428, Keller Real Estate &amp; Insurance Agency, Equity Bank, The 10th Street Eyecare Center, People's Bank and Trust, Comfort Pro, Delgado's Mexican Restaurant, Great Bend Rec, Edward Jones, Damm Pipe Testing, University of Kansas Health System, The Fieldhouse, Scott's Welding Service, American Plains COOP, Farmer's Bank &amp; Trust, Innovative Livestock Services, Marmie Auto Group, Mpire Realty, Advanced Therapy &amp; Sports Medicine, GB Tarp Company, Freedom Claims Management, Coldwell Banker - Megan Wells, Advanced Truck &amp; Diesel, Nextech, Stone Sand Company/Stone Waste Management, Rosenberg Family Denistry, Sutherlands, Great Bend Redi Mix, Kern Floor Service, Magna Dry Cleaning Services, Shelter Insurance - Chris Ramsey, and Mitchell K Haney and Associates.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673886602159.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Great Bend 28 McPherson 6<div><iframe width="100%" height="265" src="https://clyp.it/w4kwa5wb/widget" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>1. Great Bend Sports on 104 3 the Point sponsored by USD #428, Keller Real Estate &amp; Insurance Agency, Equity Bank, The 10th Street Eyecare Center, People's Bank and Trust, Comfort Pro, Delgado's Mexican Restaurant, Great Bend Rec, Edward Jones, Damm Pipe Testing, University of Kansas Health System, The Fieldhouse, Scott's Welding Service, American Plains COOP, Farmer's Bank &amp; Trust, Innovative Livestock Services, Marmie Auto Group, Mpire Realty, Advanced Therapy &amp; Sports Medicine, GB Tarp Company, Freedom Claims Management, Coldwell Banker - Megan Wells, Advanced Truck &amp; Diesel, Nextech, Stone Sand Company/Stone Waste Management, Rosenberg Family Denistry, Sutherlands, Great Bend Redi Mix, Kern Floor Service, Magna Dry Cleaning Services, Shelter Insurance - Chris Ramsey, and Mitchell K Haney and Associates.

Great Bend 28 McPherson 6

1. Larned Sports on 106.9 brought to you in part by USD #495, Beckwith Mortuary, Equity Bank, Smith Dental, Eakin Concrete, Santa Fe Liquor Mart, Farmer's Bank &amp; Trust in Larned, Farm Bureau Financial Services Leigh Anne Seeman, Clock Realty &amp; Insurance, Pawnee Plaza, Innovative Livestock Services, Titan Building Systems, Pawnee County COOP, Progressive Therapy &amp; Sports Medicine, Frick Veterinary, Services, H&amp;H Roofing, Rosenberg Family Dentistry, Fusion Bank, Doerr's Ace Hardware, Pawnee Valley Community Hospital, Larned Veterinary Clinic, Heart of Kansas Family Health, Barton Community College, and Off Broadway Boutique.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695238768373.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Larned 36 Smokey Valley 24<div><iframe width="100%" height="265" src="https://clyp.it/4cew0z4u/widget" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>1. Larned Sports on 106.9 brought to you in part by USD #495, Beckwith Mortuary, Equity Bank, Smith Dental, Eakin Concrete, Santa Fe Liquor Mart, Farmer's Bank &amp; Trust in Larned, Farm Bureau Financial Services Leigh Anne Seeman, Clock Realty &amp; Insurance, Pawnee Plaza, Innovative Livestock Services, Titan Building Systems, Pawnee County COOP, Progressive Therapy &amp; Sports Medicine, Frick Veterinary, Services, H&amp;H Roofing, Rosenberg Family Dentistry, Fusion Bank, Doerr's Ace Hardware, Pawnee Valley Community Hospital, Larned Veterinary Clinic, Heart of Kansas Family Health, Barton Community College, and Off Broadway Boutique.

Larned 36 Smokey Valley 24

Western Athletic Conference Great Bend 28, McPherson 6 Derby 40, Hays 7 Dodge City 40, Woodward (OK) 6 Manhattan 57, Garden City 21 Liberal 70, Wichita North 6 Central Kansas League Pratt 24, Hoisington 3 Larned 36, Smoky Valley 24 Hesston 21, Halstead 14 Haven 51, Hillsboro 13 Conway Springs 42, Nickerson 0 Other Area 11-Man games Syracuse @ Ellinwood TMP 7, Russell 6 Beloit 52, Lyons 6 Ellsworth 39, Sacred Heart 16 Sedgwick 42, Sterling 13 Area 8-Man Games Macksville @ Central Plains St. John 46, La Crosse 0 Reno Co. Homeschool @ Stafford Kinsley 54, Ashland 22 Victoria 48, Ness City 0 Hodgeman County @ South Gray Norwich 54, Pratt-Skyline 6 Minneola 46, Kiowa County 20 Sylvan United @ Thunder Ridge Little River 42, Chase County 22 Area 6-Man games Western Plains @ Otis-Bison Pawnee Heights 1, Chase 0

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725298901366.jpeg" alt="Area High School Football Schedule - Week #1" />
 <figcaption>Area High School Football Schedule - Week #1</figcaption>
 </figure>Western Athletic Conference Great Bend 28, McPherson 6 Derby 40, Hays 7 Dodge City 40, Woodward (OK) 6 Manhattan 57, Garden City 21 Liberal 70, Wichita North 6 Central Kansas League Pratt 24, Hoisington 3 Larned 36, Smoky Valley 24 Hesston 21, Halstead 14 Haven 51, Hillsboro 13 Conway Springs 42, Nickerson 0 Other Area 11-Man games Syracuse @ Ellinwood TMP 7, Russell 6 Beloit 52, Lyons 6 Ellsworth 39, Sacred Heart 16 Sedgwick 42, Sterling 13 Area 8-Man Games Macksville @ Central Plains St. John 46, La Crosse 0 Reno Co. Homeschool @ Stafford Kinsley 54, Ashland 22 Victoria 48, Ness City 0 Hodgeman County @ South Gray Norwich 54, Pratt-Skyline 6 Minneola 46, Kiowa County 20 Sylvan United @ Thunder Ridge Little River 42, Chase County 22 Area 6-Man games Western Plains @ Otis-Bison Pawnee Heights 1, Chase 0

Area High School Football Scores - Week #1

- Sunflower Sports Solution Conor Nicholl

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1693997740304.jpeg" alt="Friday show lineup with hosts Steve Webster, Mike Courson, and Mike Hesher" />
 <figcaption>Friday show lineup with hosts Steve Webster, Mike Courson, and Mike Hesher</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ty1BpOrojWY?si=KBEfl4JmVJAWYK7E" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>- Sunflower Sports Solution Conor Nicholl- "On the Prowl" with Mike Courson- Friday Sports Headlines- Sounds of the past 24-hours

Friday on Sports Day(Watch)

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Ugandan Olympic athlete Rebecca Cheptegei has died at a Kenyan hospital where she was being treated after 80% of her body was burned in an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kenya-rebecca-cheptegei-ugandan-athlete-3d51be6c201edca7f079e53315033972">attack by her partner</a>, a hospital official confirmed Thursday. She was 33.

Owen Menach, a spokesperson at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret city, said the long-distance runner died early Thursday, the morning after her organs failed. She had been fully sedated on admission.

Cheptegei competed in the women’s marathon at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games">Paris Olympics</a>&nbsp;less than a month before the attack. She finished in 44th place.

Her father, Joseph Cheptegei, told journalists at the hospital that he had lost a daughter who was “very supportive” and said he hoped to get justice.

“As it is now, the criminal who harmed my daughter is a murderer and I am yet to see what the security officials are doing," the father said. "He is still free and might even flee.”

Trans Nzoia County Police Commander Jeremiah ole Kosiom said Monday that Cheptegei’s partner, Dickson Ndiema, bought a can of gasoline, poured it on her and set her ablaze during a disagreement Sunday. Ndiema was also burned and was being treated at the same hospital.

Menach said Ndiema was still in the intensive care unit with burns over 30% of his body but was “improving and stable.”

Cheptegei’s parents said their daughter bought land in Trans Nzoia to be near Kenya's many athletic training centers. A report filed by the local chief said Cheptegei and Ndiema were heard fighting before the attack over the land where her house was built.

The Uganda Athletics Federation eulogized Cheptegei on the social platform X, writing, “We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our athlete, Rebecca Cheptegei, early this morning who tragically fell victim to domestic violence. As a federation, we condemn such acts and call for justice. May her soul rest In Peace.”

Uganda Olympic Committee President Donald Rukare called the attack “a cowardly and senseless act that has led to the loss of a great athlete.”

Kenya's Sports Minister Kipchumba Murkomen said that the government would ensure justice for the victim.

“This tragedy is a stark reminder that we must do more to combat gender-based violence in our society, which in recent years has reared its ugly head in elite sporting circles,” he wrote in a statement.

Uganda's First Lady Janet Museveni called Cheptegei's death due to domestic violence “deeply disturbing."

International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said, “Rebecca’s participation in the Paris 2024 women’s marathon was a source of inspiration, pride and joy.”

The United Nations strongly condemned Cheptegei’s death.

U.N. spokesman Stéphane Dujarric recalled the words of Secretary-General António Guterres who said, “We still live in a male-dominated culture that leaves women vulnerable by denying them equality in dignity and rights.”

Every 11 minutes on average, a woman or girl is killed by an intimate partner or family member somewhere in the world, according to figures from UN Women, the agency promoting gender equality, and the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime.

“We of course think that the true numbers are much higher,” Dujarric said.

He said the denial of women’s rights leaves societies less peaceful, economies less prosperous, and the world less just, “but a different world is possible.”

In 2023, Ugandan Olympic runner and steeplechaser&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kenya-benjamin-kiplagat-killed-olympics-3d8db59d58be0e88b0fb2fd00e46385b">Benjamin Kiplagat was found dead with stab wounds</a>. In 2022, Kenyan-born Bahraini athlete Damaris Muthee was found dead and a postmortem report stated that she was strangled. In 2021, long-distance runner Agnes Tirop was stabbed to death at her home. Her husband, Ibrahim Rotich, was arrested and charged with murder, the case is ongoing.

Kenya's high rates of violence against women have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kenya-women-killed-gender-violence-2d90642f93e942d99c620a18057ada99">prompted marches by ordinary citizens</a>&nbsp;in towns and cities this year.

Four in 10 women or an estimated 41% of dating or married Kenyan women have experienced physical or sexual violence perpetrated by their current or most recent partner, according to the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey 2022.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725627293118.jpeg" alt="FILE -Rebecca Cheptegei, competes at the Discovery 10km road race in Kapchorwa, Uganda, Jan. 20, 2023. (AP Photo, File)" />
 <figcaption>FILE -Rebecca Cheptegei, competes at the Discovery 10km road race in Kapchorwa, Uganda, Jan. 20, 2023. (AP Photo, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Ugandan Olympic athlete Rebecca Cheptegei has died at a Kenyan hospital where she was being treated after 80% of her body was burned in an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kenya-rebecca-cheptegei-ugandan-athlete-3d51be6c201edca7f079e53315033972">attack by her partner</a>, a hospital official confirmed Thursday. She was 33.Owen Menach, a spokesperson at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret city, said the long-distance runner died early Thursday, the morning after her organs failed. She had been fully sedated on admission.Cheptegei competed in the women’s marathon at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games">Paris Olympics</a>&nbsp;less than a month before the attack. She finished in 44th place.Her father, Joseph Cheptegei, told journalists at the hospital that he had lost a daughter who was “very supportive” and said he hoped to get justice.“As it is now, the criminal who harmed my daughter is a murderer and I am yet to see what the security officials are doing," the father said. "He is still free and might even flee.”Trans Nzoia County Police Commander Jeremiah ole Kosiom said Monday that Cheptegei’s partner, Dickson Ndiema, bought a can of gasoline, poured it on her and set her ablaze during a disagreement Sunday. Ndiema was also burned and was being treated at the same hospital.Menach said Ndiema was still in the intensive care unit with burns over 30% of his body but was “improving and stable.”Cheptegei’s parents said their daughter bought land in Trans Nzoia to be near Kenya's many athletic training centers. A report filed by the local chief said Cheptegei and Ndiema were heard fighting before the attack over the land where her house was built.The Uganda Athletics Federation eulogized Cheptegei on the social platform X, writing, “We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our athlete, Rebecca Cheptegei, early this morning who tragically fell victim to domestic violence. As a federation, we condemn such acts and call for justice. May her soul rest In Peace.”Uganda Olympic Committee President Donald Rukare called the attack “a cowardly and senseless act that has led to the loss of a great athlete.”Kenya's Sports Minister Kipchumba Murkomen said that the government would ensure justice for the victim.“This tragedy is a stark reminder that we must do more to combat gender-based violence in our society, which in recent years has reared its ugly head in elite sporting circles,” he wrote in a statement.Uganda's First Lady Janet Museveni called Cheptegei's death due to domestic violence “deeply disturbing."International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said, “Rebecca’s participation in the Paris 2024 women’s marathon was a source of inspiration, pride and joy.”The United Nations strongly condemned Cheptegei’s death.U.N. spokesman Stéphane Dujarric recalled the words of Secretary-General António Guterres who said, “We still live in a male-dominated culture that leaves women vulnerable by denying them equality in dignity and rights.”Every 11 minutes on average, a woman or girl is killed by an intimate partner or family member somewhere in the world, according to figures from UN Women, the agency promoting gender equality, and the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime.“We of course think that the true numbers are much higher,” Dujarric said.He said the denial of women’s rights leaves societies less peaceful, economies less prosperous, and the world less just, “but a different world is possible.”In 2023, Ugandan Olympic runner and steeplechaser&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kenya-benjamin-kiplagat-killed-olympics-3d8db59d58be0e88b0fb2fd00e46385b">Benjamin Kiplagat was found dead with stab wounds</a>. In 2022, Kenyan-born Bahraini athlete Damaris Muthee was found dead and a postmortem report stated that she was strangled. In 2021, long-distance runner Agnes Tirop was stabbed to death at her home. Her husband, Ibrahim Rotich, was arrested and charged with murder, the case is ongoing.Kenya's high rates of violence against women have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kenya-women-killed-gender-violence-2d90642f93e942d99c620a18057ada99">prompted marches by ordinary citizens</a>&nbsp;in towns and cities this year.Four in 10 women or an estimated 41% of dating or married Kenyan women have experienced physical or sexual violence perpetrated by their current or most recent partner, according to the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey 2022.

Ugandan Olympic athlete dies after being set on fire by her partner

By GARY VAN CLEAVE Special to Great Bend Post

During his high school days, Eston Juno set some insane standards to follow at Otis-Bison High.

“To me being a leader meant looking over everyone and setting a good example,” the 2024 Otis-Bison graduate said. “Doing good things that can be passed down to others and keeping a good culture flowing. Doing this will help you and your peers achieve many goals. Being a leader takes a lot of courage and drive, but it is an important thing to have within your community, school, work or wherever you are.”

During his time at Otis-Bison, Juno participated in football, basketball, traveling baseball and track. He also was a big part of various clubs such has Stuco, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, 4-H and National Honor Society. He fashioned a 3.93 GPA in high school.

“My favorite sport was probably football,” Juno said. “One of my best games was on Oct. 1, 2021 against Tescott. I was a sophomore at the time and I had one of my best receiving games of my career. I had six receptions for 104 yards and four touchdowns, while also having seven tackles and one tackle for loss in the 72-22 win over them.”

Juno was also a defensive end for his first two years of high school and linebacker for his last two years.&nbsp;

“One of my best defensive games was at linebacker when we played the ranked Sylvan-Lucus Mustangs,” he said. “They pointed us a couple minutes after halftime and I still racked up 13 tackles for the first half.”

“Eston’s work ethic was unmatched,” current Cougar senior Ian Haselhorst said. “Everyone noticed that Eston worked harder than most and cared about Otis-Bison and being the best leader he could. He really set an example, it got to the point where staff members at our school used the phrase ‘be a leader like Eston’ or ‘set an example like Eston.’ “

Juno is now taking his leadership qualities to the real world. He’s taking a one-year oil and natural gas program at Barton Community College.

“During high school I found out about the natural gas industry when we would look at careers during our seminar. I quickly took interest in it,” Juno said. “So I applied at Barton for the natural gas program and got in. I also knew the manager of the storage field at the Oneok Bushton facility and he was able to get me an internship for the summer. It was a great experience and I hope I can work there after school.”

His daily tasks normally were helping write work permits, help perform maintenance on pumps and help turn valves.

“Some of the fascinating aspects of the oil and gas industry is the amount of opportunities this career has,” Juno said. “They have so many different jobs within the career that can best suit your skills. Also it is a great paying job and has great benefits. Lastly, the evolving equipment and strategies are constantly getting better.”

“Eston is definitely the most hardest working person I’ve ever met,” senior Jake Hoopingarner said. “The guy just does all the dirty stuff, gets no praise and just does it over and over again. Our basketball coach said many, many times that if he could coach 10 of him, he would do that for the rest of his life.”

His former teammates knew Juno would go big in life.

“He’s a really smart kid with a good work ethic,” Cougar grad Riley Polly said. “He should do great in life.”

“He’s a great leader. His junior year, my freshman year, I looked up to him a lot,” junior Louis McVey said. “As a younger guy, he was the upperclassmen that you wanted to emulate. Everything he does, he does to 100%.”

“I have definitely learned that I have more skills than I thought I had,” he said. “My problem solving skills have gotten a lot better as well as my communication skills. Working at Oneok this summer really helped me get better at those skills. That’s what will help me be successful in my career and just life in general.”

“It was honestly great when me or another teammate didn’t understand something,” Haselhorst said. “He always explained it so that it made sense. He was very patient as well and didn’t judge you for not knowing things.”

Juno has especially been instrumental in playing older brother and junior Kelson.

“He was always a leader in sports and always works hard,” Kelson said.

“I have learned that being around people makes the experience a lot better and helps your growth,” the elder Juno said.

Eston noted sports and clubs served a useful role in their time in high school.

“All the sports and clubs taught me and my friends about life,” he said. “It can give you so many tools that will help you be successful in the real world.”

Eston doesn’t plan to stop promoting positivity in other people’s lives.

“Being a positive influence can have many influences. People that are a positive influence can create a great environment for others,” he said. “This can help with relationships and inspire change for your peers. This will help better yourself and everyone around you.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725558176136.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By GARY VAN CLEAVE Special to Great Bend PostDuring his high school days, Eston Juno set some insane standards to follow at Otis-Bison High.“To me being a leader meant looking over everyone and setting a good example,” the 2024 Otis-Bison graduate said. “Doing good things that can be passed down to others and keeping a good culture flowing. Doing this will help you and your peers achieve many goals. Being a leader takes a lot of courage and drive, but it is an important thing to have within your community, school, work or wherever you are.”During his time at Otis-Bison, Juno participated in football, basketball, traveling baseball and track. He also was a big part of various clubs such has Stuco, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, 4-H and National Honor Society. He fashioned a 3.93 GPA in high school.“My favorite sport was probably football,” Juno said. “One of my best games was on Oct. 1, 2021 against Tescott. I was a sophomore at the time and I had one of my best receiving games of my career. I had six receptions for 104 yards and four touchdowns, while also having seven tackles and one tackle for loss in the 72-22 win over them.”Juno was also a defensive end for his first two years of high school and linebacker for his last two years.&nbsp;“One of my best defensive games was at linebacker when we played the ranked Sylvan-Lucus Mustangs,” he said. “They pointed us a couple minutes after halftime and I still racked up 13 tackles for the first half.”“Eston’s work ethic was unmatched,” current Cougar senior Ian Haselhorst said. “Everyone noticed that Eston worked harder than most and cared about Otis-Bison and being the best leader he could. He really set an example, it got to the point where staff members at our school used the phrase ‘be a leader like Eston’ or ‘set an example like Eston.’ “Juno is now taking his leadership qualities to the real world. He’s taking a one-year oil and natural gas program at Barton Community College.“During high school I found out about the natural gas industry when we would look at careers during our seminar. I quickly took interest in it,” Juno said. “So I applied at Barton for the natural gas program and got in. I also knew the manager of the storage field at the Oneok Bushton facility and he was able to get me an internship for the summer. It was a great experience and I hope I can work there after school.”His daily tasks normally were helping write work permits, help perform maintenance on pumps and help turn valves.“Some of the fascinating aspects of the oil and gas industry is the amount of opportunities this career has,” Juno said. “They have so many different jobs within the career that can best suit your skills. Also it is a great paying job and has great benefits. Lastly, the evolving equipment and strategies are constantly getting better.”“Eston is definitely the most hardest working person I’ve ever met,” senior Jake Hoopingarner said. “The guy just does all the dirty stuff, gets no praise and just does it over and over again. Our basketball coach said many, many times that if he could coach 10 of him, he would do that for the rest of his life.”His former teammates knew Juno would go big in life.“He’s a really smart kid with a good work ethic,” Cougar grad Riley Polly said. “He should do great in life.”“He’s a great leader. His junior year, my freshman year, I looked up to him a lot,” junior Louis McVey said. “As a younger guy, he was the upperclassmen that you wanted to emulate. Everything he does, he does to 100%.”Juno has learned a lot about himself.“I have definitely learned that I have more skills than I thought I had,” he said. “My problem solving skills have gotten a lot better as well as my communication skills. Working at Oneok this summer really helped me get better at those skills. That’s what will help me be successful in my career and just life in general.”“It was honestly great when me or another teammate didn’t understand something,” Haselhorst said. “He always explained it so that it made sense. He was very patient as well and didn’t judge you for not knowing things.”Juno has especially been instrumental in playing older brother and junior Kelson.“He was always a leader in sports and always works hard,” Kelson said.“I have learned that being around people makes the experience a lot better and helps your growth,” the elder Juno said.Eston noted sports and clubs served a useful role in their time in high school.“All the sports and clubs taught me and my friends about life,” he said. “It can give you so many tools that will help you be successful in the real world.”Eston doesn’t plan to stop promoting positivity in other people’s lives.“Being a positive influence can have many influences. People that are a positive influence can create a great environment for others,” he said. “This can help with relationships and inspire change for your peers. This will help better yourself and everyone around you.”<div><iframe title="Great Bend Post Podcast" allowtransparency="true" height="315" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:315px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=exg2z-fe3d77-pbblog-playlist&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=f6f6f6&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&order=episodic&limit=10&filter=all&ss=a713390a017602015775e868a2cf26b0&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=315" loading="lazy" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

Otis-Bison grad now leads in business world

A pair of Great Bend High School golfers opened the season in Hays on Tuesday. With just two scores, the Lady Panthers did not compete as a team. Garden City edged Salina Central by a single stroke in that competition with a 195. TMP finished third with a 208.

Rawlins County senior Amelia Bowles and Hays senior Jaycee Oakley each shot a 41 to tie for first in the 9-hole competition. Garden City sophomore Ailynn Anderson finished third with a 42.

Lady Panther junior Kylee Miessler placed 21st with a 62, missing the top 20 by a single stroke. Junior Zoey Mayberry shot a 69 for 35th.

The varsity team heads to Salina on Aug. 10.

Great Bend Post SportsA pair of Great Bend High School golfers opened the season in Hays on Tuesday. With just two scores, the Lady Panthers did not compete as a team. Garden City edged Salina Central by a single stroke in that competition with a 195. TMP finished third with a 208.Rawlins County senior Amelia Bowles and Hays senior Jaycee Oakley each shot a 41 to tie for first in the 9-hole competition. Garden City sophomore Ailynn Anderson finished third with a 42.Lady Panther junior Kylee Miessler placed 21st with a 62, missing the top 20 by a single stroke. Junior Zoey Mayberry shot a 69 for 35th.The varsity team heads to Salina on Aug. 10.

Miessler leads Lady Panther golfers in season opener at Hays

The 6th ranked Barton Community College men's soccer team produced a pair of second half goals while pitching their third clean sheet of the season Wednesday afternoon at the Cougar Soccer Complex earning a 2-0 result over Coffeyville Community College.

Concluding a perfect 3-0 homestand, the victory marks the first in conference for the Cougars moving to 1-1-0 in league play and 5-1-0 overall while the Red Ravens fall to 0-1-0 in KJCCC play and 0-2-1 on the season.

Barton will embark on a three-match road trip beginning Friday evening with a 5:00 p.m. kickoff against the reserve squad of Fort Hays State University before traveling to Kansas City Kansas Community College on Wednesday September 11th.

Despite battling into a 10-20 mph south breeze in the opening 45-minutes, the Cougars outshot the Red Ravens 9-3 with a slight 6-2 advantage in shots on frame.

Controlling possession from the start of the second half, the Cougar offense broke through just 4:30 into the final frame drawing a Red Raven foul inside the 18' creating&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/msoc/2024-25/bios/kanku_loic_7v7s">Loic Kanku</a>'s third net shaker of the year, with the sophomore putting the penalty kick past the Coffeyville goalkeeper Seiya Sato.

Holding an 11-5 shot advantage over the final 45-minutes, Barton added an insurance goal just 14-minutes ensuing, converting&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/msoc/2024-25/bios/voinier_maxence_ehjk">Maxence Voinier</a>'s corner kick sent into the box finding the unmarked head of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/msoc/2024-25/bios/onofre_arthur_bfab">Arthur Onofre</a>&nbsp;near post for his first collegiate net shaker.

The Cougars defensive line held the Red Ravens at bay limiting Coffeyville to just three shots on frame. Despite falling a man down due to a second yellow card violation, Barton's defense ramped up preventing the Red Ravens from placing a shot on target over the final 16:44 in securing&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/msoc/2024-25/bios/bergamin_gabriel_93fg">Gabriel Bergamin</a>'s second shutout of the season as the netminder improved to 4-0-0 between the pipes.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725586865496.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The 6th ranked Barton Community College men's soccer team produced a pair of second half goals while pitching their third clean sheet of the season Wednesday afternoon at the Cougar Soccer Complex earning a 2-0 result over Coffeyville Community College.Concluding a perfect 3-0 homestand, the victory marks the first in conference for the Cougars moving to 1-1-0 in league play and 5-1-0 overall while the Red Ravens fall to 0-1-0 in KJCCC play and 0-2-1 on the season.Barton will embark on a three-match road trip beginning Friday evening with a 5:00 p.m. kickoff against the reserve squad of Fort Hays State University before traveling to Kansas City Kansas Community College on Wednesday September 11th.Despite battling into a 10-20 mph south breeze in the opening 45-minutes, the Cougars outshot the Red Ravens 9-3 with a slight 6-2 advantage in shots on frame.Controlling possession from the start of the second half, the Cougar offense broke through just 4:30 into the final frame drawing a Red Raven foul inside the 18' creating&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/msoc/2024-25/bios/kanku_loic_7v7s">Loic Kanku</a>'s third net shaker of the year, with the sophomore putting the penalty kick past the Coffeyville goalkeeper Seiya Sato.Holding an 11-5 shot advantage over the final 45-minutes, Barton added an insurance goal just 14-minutes ensuing, converting&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/msoc/2024-25/bios/voinier_maxence_ehjk">Maxence Voinier</a>'s corner kick sent into the box finding the unmarked head of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/msoc/2024-25/bios/onofre_arthur_bfab">Arthur Onofre</a>&nbsp;near post for his first collegiate net shaker.The Cougars defensive line held the Red Ravens at bay limiting Coffeyville to just three shots on frame. Despite falling a man down due to a second yellow card violation, Barton's defense ramped up preventing the Red Ravens from placing a shot on target over the final 16:44 in securing&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/msoc/2024-25/bios/bergamin_gabriel_93fg">Gabriel Bergamin</a>'s second shutout of the season as the netminder improved to 4-0-0 between the pipes.

No. 6 Barton Men's Soccer pitches third shutout of year in win over Coffeyville

The Great Bend High School volleyball team reset the school record for wins in a season last year. Thursday in Garden City, the Lady Panthers carried that momentum into the 2024 season with a pair of wins against Garden City and Liberal.

Great Bend closed out the night in spectacular fashion, beating Liberal 25-20, 25-6. Freshman Mikala Minton paced the attack with six kills, followed by four from senior Kara Feist and three from junior Kya Behr. Feist was also big on the serve with four aces. Behr finished with all 16 assists on the offensive side. Up front, senior Cassie Ellegood led the way with a pair of blocks. Nine Lady Panthers worked up 24 digs in the back row. Junior Ava Kaiser led that charge with five, followed by four apiece from Behr and sophomore Meredith Mazouch.&nbsp;

Great Bend needed three sets to get by Garden City in the first match of the season 25-17, 15-25, 25-22.

The varsity squad takes a 2-0 record to Dodge City next Tuesday.

Great Bend Post SportsThe Great Bend High School volleyball team reset the school record for wins in a season last year. Thursday in Garden City, the Lady Panthers carried that momentum into the 2024 season with a pair of wins against Garden City and Liberal.Great Bend closed out the night in spectacular fashion, beating Liberal 25-20, 25-6. Freshman Mikala Minton paced the attack with six kills, followed by four from senior Kara Feist and three from junior Kya Behr. Feist was also big on the serve with four aces. Behr finished with all 16 assists on the offensive side. Up front, senior Cassie Ellegood led the way with a pair of blocks. Nine Lady Panthers worked up 24 digs in the back row. Junior Ava Kaiser led that charge with five, followed by four apiece from Behr and sophomore Meredith Mazouch.&nbsp;Great Bend needed three sets to get by Garden City in the first match of the season 25-17, 15-25, 25-22.The varsity squad takes a 2-0 record to Dodge City next Tuesday.

Lady Panther volleyball opens 2024 season with pair of wins

It took 36 minutes before for the Barton Community College women's soccer team got things rolling Wednesday afternoon, at the Cougar Soccer Complex in earning a 4-0 shutout victory over Coffeyville Community College.

Rebounding from its' Sunday 2-1 loss coming at 10th ranked Butler, the Cougars improve to 1-1-1 in conference action and 2-1-1 overall while the Red Ravens drop to 0-2-0 in league play and 0-3-0 on the year.

Barton will step out of conference play on Saturday for a 4:00 p.m. kickoff against Western Iowa Tech before concluding the two-match road trip Wednesday September 11th verses Kansas City Kansas Community College.

Benefitting behind the 10-20 mph south breeze in the opening 45-minutes, the Cougars finally broke through on their 14th shot of the opening stanza with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wsoc/2024-25/bios/baldi_beatriz_vc7u">Beatriz Baldi</a>&nbsp;controlling a loose ball and firing off a 20-yard upper-90 near post net rattler for her fourth of the season.

<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wsoc/2024-25/bios/potter_katie_wgdw">Katie Potter</a>&nbsp;stretched the Barton advantage to 2-0 just 3:55 later with her first of two on the afternoon one touching&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wsoc/2024-25/bios/aguirre_lancheros_sara_mg6s">Sara Aguirre Lancheros</a>&nbsp;through ball placed into the box with a near post twine finder from 12-yards out.

Controlling possession throughout the final 45-minutes, Baldi's through ball sent into the box with 2:48 remaining provided an extra insurance goal with Potter sneaking a quick left toe touch attack far post for her team leading sixth marker.

An own goal capped the Barton scoring with 1:00 remaining while the Cougars ended up outshooting the Red Ravens 33-5 overall and assumed a 14-1 advantage in shots on frame.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725586800584.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>It took 36 minutes before for the Barton Community College women's soccer team got things rolling Wednesday afternoon, at the Cougar Soccer Complex in earning a 4-0 shutout victory over Coffeyville Community College.Rebounding from its' Sunday 2-1 loss coming at 10th ranked Butler, the Cougars improve to 1-1-1 in conference action and 2-1-1 overall while the Red Ravens drop to 0-2-0 in league play and 0-3-0 on the year.Barton will step out of conference play on Saturday for a 4:00 p.m. kickoff against Western Iowa Tech before concluding the two-match road trip Wednesday September 11th verses Kansas City Kansas Community College.Benefitting behind the 10-20 mph south breeze in the opening 45-minutes, the Cougars finally broke through on their 14th shot of the opening stanza with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wsoc/2024-25/bios/baldi_beatriz_vc7u">Beatriz Baldi</a>&nbsp;controlling a loose ball and firing off a 20-yard upper-90 near post net rattler for her fourth of the season.<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wsoc/2024-25/bios/potter_katie_wgdw">Katie Potter</a>&nbsp;stretched the Barton advantage to 2-0 just 3:55 later with her first of two on the afternoon one touching&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wsoc/2024-25/bios/aguirre_lancheros_sara_mg6s">Sara Aguirre Lancheros</a>&nbsp;through ball placed into the box with a near post twine finder from 12-yards out.Controlling possession throughout the final 45-minutes, Baldi's through ball sent into the box with 2:48 remaining provided an extra insurance goal with Potter sneaking a quick left toe touch attack far post for her team leading sixth marker.An own goal capped the Barton scoring with 1:00 remaining while the Cougars ended up outshooting the Red Ravens 33-5 overall and assumed a 14-1 advantage in shots on frame.

Late first half surge powers Barton Women's Soccer to 4-0 win over Coffeyville

The Kansas prep football season begins tonight. Here are the top five teams in each classification according to kpreps.com.

Class 6A 1. Derby 2. Gardner-Edgerton 3. BV Northwest 4. Lawrence 5. Lawrence Free State

Class 5A 1. Mill Valley 2. Blue Valley 3. St. Thomas Aquinas 4. Goddard-Eisenhower 5. Great Bend

Class 4A 1. Bishop Miege 2. Andover Central 3. Kapaun Mt. Carmel 4. Wamego 5. Louisburg

The Kansas prep football season begins tonight. Here are the top five teams in each classification according to kpreps.com.Class 6A 1. Derby 2. Gardner-Edgerton 3. BV Northwest 4. Lawrence 5. Lawrence Free StateClass 5A 1. Mill Valley 2. Blue Valley 3. St. Thomas Aquinas 4. Goddard-Eisenhower 5. Great BendClass 4A 1. Bishop Miege 2. Andover Central 3. Kapaun Mt. Carmel 4. Wamego 5. LouisburgClass 3A 1. Andale 2. Cheney 3. Topeka Hayden 4. Wichita Collegiate 5. Scott CityClass 2A 1. Nemaha Central 2. Norton 3. Southeast of Saline 4. Hoisington 5. St. MarysClass 1A 1. Conway Springs 2. Rossville 3. Medicine Lodge 4. Jackson Heights 5. Sedgwick8-Man, Div. I 1. Wichita County 2. Hoxie 3. Little River 4. Ell-Saline 5. West Elk8-Man, Div. II 1. Axtell 2. Frankfort 3. Victoria 4. Dighton 5. Burlingame6-Man 1. Cunningham 2. Ingalls 3. South Barber 4. Weskan 5. Northern Valley