CLEVELAND (AP) —
Paul DeJong hit a two-run homer as the Kansas City Royals caught
Cleveland atop the AL Central by beating the Guardians 6-1 in a game
delayed more than two hours by rain. The Royals, who lost 106 games
last season, improved to a league-best 23-13 since the All-Star
break, when they trailed the Guardians by seven games. Cleveland had
been all alone in first since April 14 before dropping the first
three games in this four-game series. The Guardians have lost nine of
12 and are just 17-21 since the break. DeJong homered in the second
off Gavin Williams. 


CLEVELAND (AP) —
Kansas City Royals starter Michael Lorenzen will undergo an MRI on
Wednesday after injuring his left hamstring in the second inning of
Tuesday night’s 6-1 win over the Cleveland Guardians. Lorenzen got
hurt while stretching as he covered first base. He tried to stay in
the game, but exited after facing one batter. Manager Matt Quatraro
said Lorenzen will fly back to Kansas City for imaging tests while
the Royals finish their four-game series in Cleveland. Lorenzen was
acquired in a July trade from Texas. He was coming off his best
performance with the Royals, pitching seven scoreless innings last
week against the Angels.

ST. LOUIS (AP) —
Jake Cronenworth hit a tiebreaking RBI single in San Diego’s
two-run seventh inning, and the Padres beat the St. Louis Cardinals
7-5 for their third consecutive win. Manny Machado homered for San
Diego, and Luis Arraez had three hits. Yuki Matsui pitched an inning
for the win, and Tanner Scott handled the ninth for his 20th save in
22 chances. Padres right-hander Dylan Cease threw 96 pitches in 4 1/3
innings on a night when the gametime temperature was announced at 98
degrees. Paul Goldschmidt homered for St. Louis in its third loss in
four games.

UNDATED (AP) —
Kansas City receiver Kadarius Toney and Tennessee cornerback Caleb
Farley, both first-round picks in the 2021 NFL draft, are among the
cuts as teams trim their rosters for the regular season. Toney was on
his second team since the New York Giants drafted him 20th overall
three years ago. The Titans took Farley two picks later. Teams had to
cut their rosters to 53 players from the training camp maximum of 90.
Toney, Farley and hundreds of others will be eligible to return on
practice squads that allow up to 17 players.

EAGAN, Minn. (AP) —
NFL owners have approved a rule allowing private equity investors in
their teams. They voted to let certain league-sanctioned firms buy up
a stake of up to 10% in the 32 franchises that are steadily soaring
in value. The previously prohibited practice was studied for the past
five years. During that time the Denver Broncos sold for $4.65
billion and the Washington Commanders went for $6.05 billion. The NFL
took this vote at a special meeting in Minnesota. It vetted three
standalone funds and one consortium of five firms as the only
allowable investors.

ATLANTA (AP) — The
PGA Tour could use a change of scenery for its postseason. For the
third straight year, the path to the FedEx Cup finale starts at the
TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee. The only playoff event that
changes venues is the BMW Championship. The problem for the tour is
that Memphis is the headquarters of FedEx, the company that pays the
bills. The FedEx Cup began in big markets like New York and Boston
and two of them moved around. Now it starts in Memphis and ends in
Atlanta. It would be ideal to persuade FedEx to alternate out of
Memphis.

UNDATED (AP) — The
NCAA Division I Council will consider eliminating the 15-day spring
transfer window for football as part of a move to decrease the
overall number of days from 45 to 30 that players can declare their
intentions to switch schools while maintaining immediate eligibility.
The NCAA has announced the football oversight committees have
recommended decreasing the transfer portal windows from two to one.
The council will meet in October and if approved, the new one-window
arrangement could go into effect this year from Dec. 9-Jan. 7.

KANSAS CITY, Mo.
(AP) — The new-look Big 12 begins play this weekend and the
pressure is on to perform. The four newcomers have some tough games
right out of the blocks with Arizona State playing perennial bowl
contender Wyoming, Colorado facing FCS power North Dakota State, Utah
against Baylor after its opener against Southern Utah, and Arizona
facing Kansas State in Week 3. But they are not the only ones under
immediate pressure to win. The entire league, which is trying to
prove its playoff worth, will be watching to see what West Virginia
does when it welcomes No. 8 Penn State to town on Saturday night.

BOULDER, Colo. (AP)
— Hall of Fame defensive tackle Warren Sapp never figured he'd get
into coaching. But that changed when he visited Deion Sanders a year
ago after Coach Prime had been hired at the University of Colorado.
Sapp is serving as a graduate assistant and helping with the
defensive line this season under Sanders. Sapp said he enjoys
connecting with Gen Z players and working alongside
another former Miami Hurricanes star in Damione Lewis.

Texas	at	Chi White
Sox	5:10 p.m.	(Suspended)

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718617262520.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>CLEVELAND (AP) —
Paul DeJong hit a two-run homer as the Kansas City Royals caught
Cleveland atop the AL Central by beating the Guardians 6-1 in a game
delayed more than two hours by rain. The Royals, who lost 106 games
last season, improved to a league-best 23-13 since the All-Star
break, when they trailed the Guardians by seven games. Cleveland had
been all alone in first since April 14 before dropping the first
three games in this four-game series. The Guardians have lost nine of
12 and are just 17-21 since the break. DeJong homered in the second
off Gavin Williams. 
CLEVELAND (AP) —
Kansas City Royals starter Michael Lorenzen will undergo an MRI on
Wednesday after injuring his left hamstring in the second inning of
Tuesday night’s 6-1 win over the Cleveland Guardians. Lorenzen got
hurt while stretching as he covered first base. He tried to stay in
the game, but exited after facing one batter. Manager Matt Quatraro
said Lorenzen will fly back to Kansas City for imaging tests while
the Royals finish their four-game series in Cleveland. Lorenzen was
acquired in a July trade from Texas. He was coming off his best
performance with the Royals, pitching seven scoreless innings last
week against the Angels.ST. LOUIS (AP) —
Jake Cronenworth hit a tiebreaking RBI single in San Diego’s
two-run seventh inning, and the Padres beat the St. Louis Cardinals
7-5 for their third consecutive win. Manny Machado homered for San
Diego, and Luis Arraez had three hits. Yuki Matsui pitched an inning
for the win, and Tanner Scott handled the ninth for his 20th save in
22 chances. Padres right-hander Dylan Cease threw 96 pitches in 4 1/3
innings on a night when the gametime temperature was announced at 98
degrees. Paul Goldschmidt homered for St. Louis in its third loss in
four games.UNDATED (AP) —
Kansas City receiver Kadarius Toney and Tennessee cornerback Caleb
Farley, both first-round picks in the 2021 NFL draft, are among the
cuts as teams trim their rosters for the regular season. Toney was on
his second team since the New York Giants drafted him 20th overall
three years ago. The Titans took Farley two picks later. Teams had to
cut their rosters to 53 players from the training camp maximum of 90.
Toney, Farley and hundreds of others will be eligible to return on
practice squads that allow up to 17 players.EAGAN, Minn. (AP) —
NFL owners have approved a rule allowing private equity investors in
their teams. They voted to let certain league-sanctioned firms buy up
a stake of up to 10% in the 32 franchises that are steadily soaring
in value. The previously prohibited practice was studied for the past
five years. During that time the Denver Broncos sold for $4.65
billion and the Washington Commanders went for $6.05 billion. The NFL
took this vote at a special meeting in Minnesota. It vetted three
standalone funds and one consortium of five firms as the only
allowable investors.ATLANTA (AP) — The
PGA Tour could use a change of scenery for its postseason. For the
third straight year, the path to the FedEx Cup finale starts at the
TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee. The only playoff event that
changes venues is the BMW Championship. The problem for the tour is
that Memphis is the headquarters of FedEx, the company that pays the
bills. The FedEx Cup began in big markets like New York and Boston
and two of them moved around. Now it starts in Memphis and ends in
Atlanta. It would be ideal to persuade FedEx to alternate out of
Memphis.UNDATED (AP) — The
NCAA Division I Council will consider eliminating the 15-day spring
transfer window for football as part of a move to decrease the
overall number of days from 45 to 30 that players can declare their
intentions to switch schools while maintaining immediate eligibility.
The NCAA has announced the football oversight committees have
recommended decreasing the transfer portal windows from two to one.
The council will meet in October and if approved, the new one-window
arrangement could go into effect this year from Dec. 9-Jan. 7.KANSAS CITY, Mo.
(AP) — The new-look Big 12 begins play this weekend and the
pressure is on to perform. The four newcomers have some tough games
right out of the blocks with Arizona State playing perennial bowl
contender Wyoming, Colorado facing FCS power North Dakota State, Utah
against Baylor after its opener against Southern Utah, and Arizona
facing Kansas State in Week 3. But they are not the only ones under
immediate pressure to win. The entire league, which is trying to
prove its playoff worth, will be watching to see what West Virginia
does when it welcomes No. 8 Penn State to town on Saturday night.BOULDER, Colo. (AP)
— Hall of Fame defensive tackle Warren Sapp never figured he'd get
into coaching. But that changed when he visited Deion Sanders a year
ago after Coach Prime had been hired at the University of Colorado.
Sapp is serving as a graduate assistant and helping with the
defensive line this season under Sanders. Sapp said he enjoys
connecting with Gen Z players and working alongside
another former Miami Hurricanes star in Damione Lewis.TUESDAY SCORESMAJOR LEAGUE
BASEBALLINTERLEAGUEFinal	Philadelphia	5	Houston	0	Final	Washington	4	N.Y.
Yankees	2	Final	Oakland	5	Cincinnati	4	Final	Atlanta	8	Minnesota	6	Final	Baltimore	3	L.A.
Dodgers	2	AMERICAN LEAGUETexas	at	Chi White
Sox	5:10 p.m.	(Suspended)Final	Detroit	6	L.A.
Angels	2	Final	Kansas
City	6	Cleveland	1	Final	Boston	6	Toronto	3	Final	Tampa
Bay	3	Seattle	2	NATIONAL LEAGUEFinal	Chicago
Cubs	9	Pittsburgh	5	Final	San
Diego	7	St. Louis	5	Final	San
Francisco	5	Milwaukee	4	Final	Miami	9	Colorado	8	Final	N.Y.
Mets	8	Arizona	3

Wednesday Sports Headlines and Sounds presented by Barton Community College

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and his brother, former Eagles center Jason Kelce, are taking their popular “New Heights” podcast to Amazon's Wondery under a three-year deal that gives the company exclusive advertising sales and distribution rights.

The financial terms of the deal were not immediately available, though some reports put the total at nine figures.

The deal, announced by Wondery on Tuesday, will begin with this week's episode, which drops Wednesday. It includes the back catalog of podcast content along with exclusive rights to monetize and distribute audio and video episodes.

“We couldn’t be more excited to team up with Wondery for the next phase of ‘New Heights,’” the Kelce brothers said in a statement. “We love this show and the fanbase that has grown with us over the last two seasons. Wondery understands the shared vision and will offer a wealth of experience and resources to take us to ‘New Heights!’"

The personable Kelce brothers launched their podcast two years ago. It initially was designed to peel back the cover on the world of professional football players, but has since expanded to touch other corners of the pop culture universe.

The weekly series was chosen podcast of the year at the 2024 iHeartPodcast Awards.

“'New Heights’ on the surface is a sports podcast, and sports is such a well-listened-to category,” Wondery chief executive Jen Sargent said, "but it’s become a cultural phenomenon. They’re in that cultural zeitgeist.”

Travis Kelce's celebrity status reached another level early last season, when the tight end of the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs began dating pop superstar Taylor Swift. He has several crossover projects in the works, including a 20-episode game show for Amazon Prime Video called “Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity?”

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and his brother, former Eagles center Jason Kelce, are taking their popular “New Heights” podcast to Amazon's Wondery under a three-year deal that gives the company exclusive advertising sales and distribution rights.The financial terms of the deal were not immediately available, though some reports put the total at nine figures.The deal, announced by Wondery on Tuesday, will begin with this week's episode, which drops Wednesday. It includes the back catalog of podcast content along with exclusive rights to monetize and distribute audio and video episodes.“We couldn’t be more excited to team up with Wondery for the next phase of ‘New Heights,’” the Kelce brothers said in a statement. “We love this show and the fanbase that has grown with us over the last two seasons. Wondery understands the shared vision and will offer a wealth of experience and resources to take us to ‘New Heights!’"The personable Kelce brothers launched their podcast two years ago. It initially was designed to peel back the cover on the world of professional football players, but has since expanded to touch other corners of the pop culture universe.The weekly series was chosen podcast of the year at the 2024 iHeartPodcast Awards.“'New Heights’ on the surface is a sports podcast, and sports is such a well-listened-to category,” Wondery chief executive Jen Sargent said, "but it’s become a cultural phenomenon. They’re in that cultural zeitgeist.”Travis Kelce's celebrity status reached another level early last season, when the tight end of the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs began dating pop superstar Taylor Swift. He has several crossover projects in the works, including a 20-episode game show for Amazon Prime Video called “Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity?”

Travis and Jason Kelce take popular 'New Heights' podcast to Amazon

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — All the talk is over in the Big 12. The preseason hype has hit and settled.

Now it's time for the new-look conference, where longtime members Oklahoma and Texas have been replaced by Arizona State, Arizona, Utah and Colorado in the latest round of college football musical chairs, to prove its worth on the field.

The newcomers don't exactly have it easy out of the gate.

Start with the Sun Devils, who open Saturday with perennially bowl-bound Wyoming, which won nine games a year ago. The Cowboys' season ended with a win over Toledo in the Arizona Bowl, which the No. 21 Wildcats call home.

Arizona, meanwhile, gets a softer opening against New Mexico, then plays Northern Arizona the following week. But things get rough in a hurry with a trip to No. 18 Kansas State for a nonconference matchup against a new conference rival.

No. 12 Utah opens against Southern Utah before it, like Arizona, gets a nonconference game against a Big 12 foe. In the Utes' case, it's Baylor, which is trying to bounce back from a three-win season but won 12 games just a few years ago.

Then there is Colorado, which might attract the most attention of any newcomer not just because of their play — the Buffaloes won four games in their last season in the Pac-12 — but because of their high-profile coach. Deion Sanders is confident that they will be vastly improved this season, and they have a chance to prove it right away against North Dakota State.

The Bison may play at the Football Championship Subdivision level, but they've won fewer than 11 games only once in the past 12 years. During that stretch, they've beaten Big 12 schools Kansas State and Iowa State along with No. 13 Iowa of the Big Ten.

“They're good. They're really darned good,” Sanders said recently, “and I'm mad at (athletic director) Rick (George) right now for putting them on the schedule, to open up with them. Like, can you give me a layup or something? Those guys are wonderful."

The Bison played in five of the previous six FCS title games before losing in the semifinals last season.

“Their staff has always been amongst the best. Many people have matriculated from that staff to go to higher levels. Those kids play their butts off. They play tough. They don’t make many mistakes. They’re accustomed to winning,” Sanders said. “They don’t give a darned about being at home or on the road. That doesn’t faze them whatsoever.”

The quartet of newcomers — though Colorado is in fact returning the league after 13 years in the Pac 12 — aren't the only ones who face a challenge right away. TCU hits the road to face Stanford, which is now a member of the ACC, while West Virginia has perhaps the toughest task when it welcomes No. 8 Penn State to town Saturday night.

“I think the Penn State game is huge for us,” said Mountaineers coach Neal Brown, whose job was starting to come into question before they won nine games last season. “That's a regional rivalry, which I know that you're very entrenched in traditions. It's not a rivalry that's gone West Virginia's way very often. So that's a great opportunity for us.”

It's also a great opportunity for the Big 12 to beat one of the best programs in the expanded Big Ten.

“You're correct,” Brown said, “it's a big game for our league, and this new Big 12, without a couple schools that have been part of the Big 12 for a long time in that first weekend on a marquee stage, to show what kind of football we play in this league.”

There will be other chances for marquee nonconference wins, of course. Take next week: Iowa State plays No. 25 Iowa, No. 22 Kansas heads to Illinois and Colorado visits Nebraska in games against Big Ten foes; Arkansas visits No. 17 Oklahoma State and Mississippi State visits Arizona State in Big 12-SEC showdowns; and Cincinnati plays ACC rival Pittsburgh.

Yet there is something meaningful about winning in Week 1, both for West Virginia and the Big 12 as a conference.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — All the talk is over in the Big 12. The preseason hype has hit and settled.Now it's time for the new-look conference, where longtime members Oklahoma and Texas have been replaced by Arizona State, Arizona, Utah and Colorado in the latest round of college football musical chairs, to prove its worth on the field.The newcomers don't exactly have it easy out of the gate.Start with the Sun Devils, who open Saturday with perennially bowl-bound Wyoming, which won nine games a year ago. The Cowboys' season ended with a win over Toledo in the Arizona Bowl, which the No. 21 Wildcats call home.Arizona, meanwhile, gets a softer opening against New Mexico, then plays Northern Arizona the following week. But things get rough in a hurry with a trip to No. 18 Kansas State for a nonconference matchup against a new conference rival.No. 12 Utah opens against Southern Utah before it, like Arizona, gets a nonconference game against a Big 12 foe. In the Utes' case, it's Baylor, which is trying to bounce back from a three-win season but won 12 games just a few years ago.Then there is Colorado, which might attract the most attention of any newcomer not just because of their play — the Buffaloes won four games in their last season in the Pac-12 — but because of their high-profile coach. Deion Sanders is confident that they will be vastly improved this season, and they have a chance to prove it right away against North Dakota State.The Bison may play at the Football Championship Subdivision level, but they've won fewer than 11 games only once in the past 12 years. During that stretch, they've beaten Big 12 schools Kansas State and Iowa State along with No. 13 Iowa of the Big Ten.“They're good. They're really darned good,” Sanders said recently, “and I'm mad at (athletic director) Rick (George) right now for putting them on the schedule, to open up with them. Like, can you give me a layup or something? Those guys are wonderful."The Bison played in five of the previous six FCS title games before losing in the semifinals last season.“Their staff has always been amongst the best. Many people have matriculated from that staff to go to higher levels. Those kids play their butts off. They play tough. They don’t make many mistakes. They’re accustomed to winning,” Sanders said. “They don’t give a darned about being at home or on the road. That doesn’t faze them whatsoever.”The quartet of newcomers — though Colorado is in fact returning the league after 13 years in the Pac 12 — aren't the only ones who face a challenge right away. TCU hits the road to face Stanford, which is now a member of the ACC, while West Virginia has perhaps the toughest task when it welcomes No. 8 Penn State to town Saturday night.“I think the Penn State game is huge for us,” said Mountaineers coach Neal Brown, whose job was starting to come into question before they won nine games last season. “That's a regional rivalry, which I know that you're very entrenched in traditions. It's not a rivalry that's gone West Virginia's way very often. So that's a great opportunity for us.”It's also a great opportunity for the Big 12 to beat one of the best programs in the expanded Big Ten.“You're correct,” Brown said, “it's a big game for our league, and this new Big 12, without a couple schools that have been part of the Big 12 for a long time in that first weekend on a marquee stage, to show what kind of football we play in this league.”There will be other chances for marquee nonconference wins, of course. Take next week: Iowa State plays No. 25 Iowa, No. 22 Kansas heads to Illinois and Colorado visits Nebraska in games against Big Ten foes; Arkansas visits No. 17 Oklahoma State and Mississippi State visits Arizona State in Big 12-SEC showdowns; and Cincinnati plays ACC rival Pittsburgh.Yet there is something meaningful about winning in Week 1, both for West Virginia and the Big 12 as a conference.

Big 12 ready to embark on season of big expectations, pressure to win

- Barton Volleyball coach Megan Besecker and All American Sophomore Phoebe Reyes

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1693997740304.jpeg" alt="Tuesday show lineup with hosts Steve Webster, Mike Courson, and Mike Hesher" />
 <figcaption>Tuesday show lineup with hosts Steve Webster, Mike Courson, and Mike Hesher</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8GthJUcgQCk?si=ZEROub9bsFGAjXg6" 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>- "Voice of the Cardinals" Cole Reif- Barton Volleyball coach Megan Besecker and All American Sophomore Phoebe Reyes- "On the Prowl" with Mike Courson- Tuesday Sports Headlines- Sounds of the past 24-hours<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>

Tuesday on Sports Day(Watch)

* All games begin at 7pm unless noted. Home games in CAPS

Thur. Oct. 30&nbsp; 1st Round 6-Man Playoffs - TBA

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724776685497.jpeg" alt="2024 Otis-Bison Football Schedule" />
 <figcaption>2024 Otis-Bison Football Schedule</figcaption>
 </figure>* All games begin at 7pm unless noted. Home games in CAPSFri. Sept. 6&nbsp; WESTERN PLAINSFri. Sept. 13&nbsp; @ South BarberFri. Sept. 20&nbsp; PAWNEE HEIGHTSFri. Sept. 27&nbsp; OPENFri. Oct. 4&nbsp; CUNNINGHAMFri. Oct. 11&nbsp; @ TescottThur. Oct 17&nbsp; @ BurrtonFri. Oct. 23&nbsp; CHASEThur. Oct. 30&nbsp; 1st Round 6-Man Playoffs - TBA

2024 Otis-Bison Cougar Football Schedule

The Kansas Shrine Bowl is proud to announce the selection of Dominick Dingle, Wichita Heights High School,&nbsp;and Garrett Michael, Sabetha High School, as the Head Coaches for the 52nd Kansas Shrine Bowl presented by Mammoth. 

The head coaches are selected from the group of assistant coaches from the previous year’s game. Their selection is determined by a vote from the previous year’s coaching staff, camp directors and supportstaff. The 52nd Kansas Shrine Bowl presented by Mammoth will be played on Saturday, June 21, 2025, at Memorial Stadium in Dodge City, Kansas.

The West team will be led by Wichita Heights Head Coach Dominick Dingle. Coach Dingle is entering his 7th season at Wichita Heights High School, where he has compiled an overall record of 26-27. Prior to being named the Head Coach at Wichita Heights in 2018, Dingle spent ten seasons as the Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator at Garden City High School and one season as an assistant coach at Leavenworth High School.

“First, I would like to thank God for allowing me to be selected as the Head coach of the Shrine Bowl West team. I am honored and grateful that God continues to work exceedingly and abundantly in my life,” said Coach Dominick Dingle. “This opportunity is more than I could ever ask or imagine (Eph. 3:20). I am truly blessed for the opportunity to serve a role in helping the Shriners and the Kansas Shrine Bowl continue to make a positive impact on the lives of so many young people in Kansas and around the world. I would also like to thank my family, Wichita Heights players, coaching staff, administration, and the entire Falcon Family. Without your continued support and dedication this opportunity to represent Wichita Heights in the 2025 Kansas Shrine Bowl would not be possible. Westside!”

The 2025 East squad will be led by Garrett Michael of Sabetha High School. Coach Michael led the Sabetha program for 15 years as the Head Coach, compiling an overall record of 104-59. During his leadership, the Bluejays won back-to-back 3A state championships in 2017 and 2018, while also making back-to-back runs to the state semifinals in 2022 and 2023. Along with this past summer, Coach Michael previously coached in the Kansas Shrine Bowl in 2018 as an assistant coach.

“The Kansas Shrine Bowl is #For The Kids! It’s a life-changing experience, because you're playing for a cause much bigger than yourself. The hospital kids have a spectacular view on life and their talents top the charts. When the world gives them setbacks, the Shriners gives them bounce backs,” said Coach Garrett Michael. “I’m so humbled and honored to be selected to participate in this great event. This is the pinnacle of high school football. My father was the East Shrine Bowl head coach in 1985, so this is a dream come true for me. I wouldn’t be able to serve in this role without my faith, family, our excellent players, our outstanding coaches and the wonderful community of Sabetha. I’m beyond excited for our 2025 Shrine Bowl players, to put on a show for the state of Kansas. Go East!”

The West holds the all-time series advantage with a 31-18-2 record after the East team ended a six-year drought with a 35-26 win during the 51st Kansas Shrine Bowl presented by Mammoth. The East will be looking to win consecutive games for the first time since 2015 and 2016.

“We are excited to have Coach Dingle and Coach Michael leading our teams,” said Kansas Shrine Bowl Executive Director, Brice Kesler. “Not only are these two men great football coaches, but they are exceptional leaders and genuinely great people. They will not only do a great job coaching our all-star football teams, but they are perfect advocates for the bigger purpose and mission behind the Kansas Shrine Bowl.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715785398923.png" alt="Shrine Bowl Press Release" />
 <figcaption>Shrine Bowl Press Release</figcaption>
 </figure>The Kansas Shrine Bowl is proud to announce the selection of Dominick Dingle, Wichita Heights High School,&nbsp;and Garrett Michael, Sabetha High School, as the Head Coaches for the 52nd Kansas Shrine Bowl presented by Mammoth. The head coaches are selected from the group of assistant coaches from the previous year’s game. Their selection is determined by a vote from the previous year’s coaching staff, camp directors and supportstaff. The 52nd Kansas Shrine Bowl presented by Mammoth will be played on Saturday, June 21, 2025, at Memorial Stadium in Dodge City, Kansas.The West team will be led by Wichita Heights Head Coach Dominick Dingle. Coach Dingle is entering his 7th season at Wichita Heights High School, where he has compiled an overall record of 26-27. Prior to being named the Head Coach at Wichita Heights in 2018, Dingle spent ten seasons as the Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator at Garden City High School and one season as an assistant coach at Leavenworth High School.“First, I would like to thank God for allowing me to be selected as the Head coach of the Shrine Bowl West team. I am honored and grateful that God continues to work exceedingly and abundantly in my life,” said Coach Dominick Dingle. “This opportunity is more than I could ever ask or imagine (Eph. 3:20). I am truly blessed for the opportunity to serve a role in helping the Shriners and the Kansas Shrine Bowl continue to make a positive impact on the lives of so many young people in Kansas and around the world. I would also like to thank my family, Wichita Heights players, coaching staff, administration, and the entire Falcon Family. Without your continued support and dedication this opportunity to represent Wichita Heights in the 2025 Kansas Shrine Bowl would not be possible. Westside!”The 2025 East squad will be led by Garrett Michael of Sabetha High School. Coach Michael led the Sabetha program for 15 years as the Head Coach, compiling an overall record of 104-59. During his leadership, the Bluejays won back-to-back 3A state championships in 2017 and 2018, while also making back-to-back runs to the state semifinals in 2022 and 2023. Along with this past summer, Coach Michael previously coached in the Kansas Shrine Bowl in 2018 as an assistant coach.“The Kansas Shrine Bowl is #For The Kids! It’s a life-changing experience, because you're playing for a cause much bigger than yourself. The hospital kids have a spectacular view on life and their talents top the charts. When the world gives them setbacks, the Shriners gives them bounce backs,” said Coach Garrett Michael. “I’m so humbled and honored to be selected to participate in this great event. This is the pinnacle of high school football. My father was the East Shrine Bowl head coach in 1985, so this is a dream come true for me. I wouldn’t be able to serve in this role without my faith, family, our excellent players, our outstanding coaches and the wonderful community of Sabetha. I’m beyond excited for our 2025 Shrine Bowl players, to put on a show for the state of Kansas. Go East!”The West holds the all-time series advantage with a 31-18-2 record after the East team ended a six-year drought with a 35-26 win during the 51st Kansas Shrine Bowl presented by Mammoth. The East will be looking to win consecutive games for the first time since 2015 and 2016.“We are excited to have Coach Dingle and Coach Michael leading our teams,” said Kansas Shrine Bowl Executive Director, Brice Kesler. “Not only are these two men great football coaches, but they are exceptional leaders and genuinely great people. They will not only do a great job coaching our all-star football teams, but they are perfect advocates for the bigger purpose and mission behind the Kansas Shrine Bowl.”

2025 Kansas Shrine Bowl Head Coaches Announced

By RALPH D. RUSSO AP College Football Writer

As Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark steps up discussions in the conference about adding UConn, the question isn't so much why invite the Huskies as why do it now.

“There has never been a better time than right now to be part of the Big 12,” Yormark said in July at Big 12 football media days.

But with college sports entering a period of unprecedented transformation — superconferences, an expanded College Football Playoff and a new plan to compensate athletes — what's the rush to add a school that has conceded it needs six years to get its football program Big 12-ready?

UConn athletic director David Benedict recently traveled to Dallas to pitch the Big East school to Big 12 administrators. Conference ADs and presidents heard from the league's media consultants on Monday and plan to further discuss Yormark's latest vision.

To add a new member, 12 of the 16 Big 12 schools would need to be in favor. According to several people familiar with the situation who spoke with The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the discussions are private, Yormark still has convincing to do among his members that adding UConn is a sound move and the Big 12 needs to act fast.

The No. 1 priority among everyone in college sports right now is grasping the ramifications of the House v. NCAA settlement. The $2.8 billion deal to settle three federal antitrust lawsuits against the NCAA and power conferences also includes a groundbreaking plan to allow schools to share up to $21 million per year with their athletes as soon as 2025-26.

A hearing is scheduled for Sept. 5, when the judge overseeing the case could grant preliminary approval. Final approval is still months away.

There are scores of thorny questions about how revenue-sharing will be implemented and what impact it will have on every aspect of college sports. This is taking up a lot of time for administrators, including those in the Big 12 who haven't even watched the four newest Big 12 schools — Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah — kick off their first football seasons.

The paint has not even dried on Yormark's last renovation project and he is calling for the contractors again.

The Big 12 is all but guaranteed a spot for its champion in the new 12-team playoff, but with the Southeastern Conference swiping Texas and Oklahoma, the conference's case for landing multiple bids is built on quality depth making up for a lack of blue-blood contenders.

The plan being presented to the Big 12 on UConn calls for the Huskies' powerhouse basketball programs (17 national championships combined, including the last two men's titles) and other sports to join as soon as possible. UConn's struggling football program, currently operating as a major-college independent, would not join until 2031 after significant investment by the school.

The Huskies had five winning football seasons as a member of the old Big East, but since 2011 they have reached a bowl twice and never finished better than 6-7.

The Big 12 is trying to bill itself as the conference with no clunkers, a claim not even the top-heavy Big Ten can make. Even if you believe UConn can become a competent football program the way Kansas did after years of ineptitude, why bet on it sight unseen?

It also should be noted that woeful Colorado was the Pac-12's Kansas for the last 15 years. For all the excitement about Deion Sanders at CU, there are still questions about whether the Buffaloes make Big 12 football better.

Also, there is no line of suitors for the Huskies. The Atlantic Coast Conference probably would have interest if lawsuits by Florida State and Clemson trigger a mass exodus, but those cases are barely off the ground, with no resolution in sight.

Still, Yormark is convinced college basketball is undervalued. Supercharging already excellent Big 12 basketball while UConn is part of a strategy to unlock that value in the next round of media rights deals.

Maybe he's right, but the current deal doesn't expire until 2031.

There is no doubt Yormark's wheeler-dealer instincts have been good for the Big 12 since he took over in 2022. Being proactive under Yormark is one of the reasons why the Big 12 has 16 teams and the Pac-12 currently has two.

Yormark is convinced UConn is a good long-term investment for the Big 12 while swiping a potential lifeline from the ACC. Both are looking up at the Big Ten and SEC on and off the field.

“Two years later, I guess you could say we’re still open for business,” Yormark said in July.

Yormark was rebuked by his membership when he was interested in adding Gonzaga. UConn makes more sense but is no slam dunk. And there might be more important business to attend to.

By RALPH D. RUSSO AP College Football WriterAs Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark steps up discussions in the conference about adding UConn, the question isn't so much why invite the Huskies as why do it now.“There has never been a better time than right now to be part of the Big 12,” Yormark said in July at Big 12 football media days.But with college sports entering a period of unprecedented transformation — superconferences, an expanded College Football Playoff and a new plan to compensate athletes — what's the rush to add a school that has conceded it needs six years to get its football program Big 12-ready?UConn athletic director David Benedict recently traveled to Dallas to pitch the Big East school to Big 12 administrators. Conference ADs and presidents heard from the league's media consultants on Monday and plan to further discuss Yormark's latest vision.To add a new member, 12 of the 16 Big 12 schools would need to be in favor. According to several people familiar with the situation who spoke with The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the discussions are private, Yormark still has convincing to do among his members that adding UConn is a sound move and the Big 12 needs to act fast.The apprehension is understandable.Revenue sharingThe No. 1 priority among everyone in college sports right now is grasping the ramifications of the House v. NCAA settlement. The $2.8 billion deal to settle three federal antitrust lawsuits against the NCAA and power conferences also includes a groundbreaking plan to allow schools to share up to $21 million per year with their athletes as soon as 2025-26.A hearing is scheduled for Sept. 5, when the judge overseeing the case could grant preliminary approval. Final approval is still months away.There are scores of thorny questions about how revenue-sharing will be implemented and what impact it will have on every aspect of college sports. This is taking up a lot of time for administrators, including those in the Big 12 who haven't even watched the four newest Big 12 schools — Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah — kick off their first football seasons.The paint has not even dried on Yormark's last renovation project and he is calling for the contractors again.CFP positioningThe Big 12 is all but guaranteed a spot for its champion in the new 12-team playoff, but with the Southeastern Conference swiping Texas and Oklahoma, the conference's case for landing multiple bids is built on quality depth making up for a lack of blue-blood contenders.The plan being presented to the Big 12 on UConn calls for the Huskies' powerhouse basketball programs (17 national championships combined, including the last two men's titles) and other sports to join as soon as possible. UConn's struggling football program, currently operating as a major-college independent, would not join until 2031 after significant investment by the school.The Huskies had five winning football seasons as a member of the old Big East, but since 2011 they have reached a bowl twice and never finished better than 6-7.The Big 12 is trying to bill itself as the conference with no clunkers, a claim not even the top-heavy Big Ten can make. Even if you believe UConn can become a competent football program the way Kansas did after years of ineptitude, why bet on it sight unseen?It also should be noted that woeful Colorado was the Pac-12's Kansas for the last 15 years. For all the excitement about Deion Sanders at CU, there are still questions about whether the Buffaloes make Big 12 football better.Also, there is no line of suitors for the Huskies. The Atlantic Coast Conference probably would have interest if lawsuits by Florida State and Clemson trigger a mass exodus, but those cases are barely off the ground, with no resolution in sight.Building up basketballStill, Yormark is convinced college basketball is undervalued. Supercharging already excellent Big 12 basketball while UConn is part of a strategy to unlock that value in the next round of media rights deals.Maybe he's right, but the current deal doesn't expire until 2031.There is no doubt Yormark's wheeler-dealer instincts have been good for the Big 12 since he took over in 2022. Being proactive under Yormark is one of the reasons why the Big 12 has 16 teams and the Pac-12 currently has two.Yormark is convinced UConn is a good long-term investment for the Big 12 while swiping a potential lifeline from the ACC. Both are looking up at the Big Ten and SEC on and off the field.“Two years later, I guess you could say we’re still open for business,” Yormark said in July.Yormark was rebuked by his membership when he was interested in adding Gonzaga. UConn makes more sense but is no slam dunk. And there might be more important business to attend to.

Big 12 must ask not only why UConn, but why now

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Chiefs signed wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster on Monday, reuniting with a veteran wide receiver who helped Kansas City win the Super Bowl two years ago just one day before all NFL teams must reach the 53-player roster limit.

Smith-Schuster was back in his familiar No. 9 jersey for practice as temperatures in Kansas City approached triple digits.

Smith-Schuster was released from the Patriots earlier this month, one year into his three-year, $25 million contract. He played one season in Kansas City in 2022, catching 78 passes for 933 yards and three touchdowns. It ended with a trip to the Super Bowl, where Smith-Schuster caught seven passes for 53 yards in a 38-35 win over the Eagles.

“(Linebacker) Nick Bolton was saying he was getting treatment on the table today and said, ‘That voice is familiar,’ and looked up and he was like, ‘What’s up brother!'” Chiefs linebacker Drue Tranquill said of Smith-Schuster. “I hear he's a great player. He and Pat (Mahomes) have great chemistry. He'll be a key addition for us.”

The Chiefs had one of the least-productive wide receiver groups in the NFL last season, when they beat the 49ers for their second straight title. They tried to rectify it by signing Marquise Brown in free agency and drafting Xavier Worthy in the first round, but Brown's availability for the start of the season is in question after he dislocated his shoulder in the preseason.

The Chiefs open the regular season against the Ravens on Sept. 5 in a rematch of the AFC championship game.

They still have Rashee Rice, a breakout star a year ago, but he's been dealing with legal problems in Texas. At this point, it does not appear an NFL suspension will occur before the season, but it could be handed down eventually.

Justin Watson, Skyy Moore and Mecole Hardman also are likely to make the team when rosters are trimmed Tuesday, but that leaves a seventh wide receiver spot available. Kadarius Toney has dealt with penalties, mental mistakes and dropped passes in his time in Kansas City, while Justyn Ross has been unable to seize the job when given chances in the preseason.

Smith-Schuster would provide another veteran presence in an otherwise young wide receiver room. He's caught 430 passes for 5,048 yards and 30 touchdowns during seven seasons in the league, the first five of them spent with Pittsburgh.

The 27-year-old's best season was 2018, when he made the Pro Bowl with 111 catches for 1,426 yards and seven scores.

NOTES: DT Chris Jones (shoulder), OT Wanya Morris (knee) and RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire (personal) were back at practice on Monday. Brown and CB Josh Williams (hamstring) did not participate, while RB Louis Rees-Zammit left early with a back issue and TE Irv Smith Jr. and RG Trey Smith left early because of the heat.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Chiefs signed wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster on Monday, reuniting with a veteran wide receiver who helped Kansas City win the Super Bowl two years ago just one day before all NFL teams must reach the 53-player roster limit.Smith-Schuster was back in his familiar No. 9 jersey for practice as temperatures in Kansas City approached triple digits.Smith-Schuster was released from the Patriots earlier this month, one year into his three-year, $25 million contract. He played one season in Kansas City in 2022, catching 78 passes for 933 yards and three touchdowns. It ended with a trip to the Super Bowl, where Smith-Schuster caught seven passes for 53 yards in a 38-35 win over the Eagles.“(Linebacker) Nick Bolton was saying he was getting treatment on the table today and said, ‘That voice is familiar,’ and looked up and he was like, ‘What’s up brother!'” Chiefs linebacker Drue Tranquill said of Smith-Schuster. “I hear he's a great player. He and Pat (Mahomes) have great chemistry. He'll be a key addition for us.”The Chiefs had one of the least-productive wide receiver groups in the NFL last season, when they beat the 49ers for their second straight title. They tried to rectify it by signing Marquise Brown in free agency and drafting Xavier Worthy in the first round, but Brown's availability for the start of the season is in question after he dislocated his shoulder in the preseason.The Chiefs open the regular season against the Ravens on Sept. 5 in a rematch of the AFC championship game.They still have Rashee Rice, a breakout star a year ago, but he's been dealing with legal problems in Texas. At this point, it does not appear an NFL suspension will occur before the season, but it could be handed down eventually.Justin Watson, Skyy Moore and Mecole Hardman also are likely to make the team when rosters are trimmed Tuesday, but that leaves a seventh wide receiver spot available. Kadarius Toney has dealt with penalties, mental mistakes and dropped passes in his time in Kansas City, while Justyn Ross has been unable to seize the job when given chances in the preseason.Smith-Schuster would provide another veteran presence in an otherwise young wide receiver room. He's caught 430 passes for 5,048 yards and 30 touchdowns during seven seasons in the league, the first five of them spent with Pittsburgh.The 27-year-old's best season was 2018, when he made the Pro Bowl with 111 catches for 1,426 yards and seven scores.NOTES: DT Chris Jones (shoulder), OT Wanya Morris (knee) and RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire (personal) were back at practice on Monday. Brown and CB Josh Williams (hamstring) did not participate, while RB Louis Rees-Zammit left early with a back issue and TE Irv Smith Jr. and RG Trey Smith left early because of the heat.

Chiefs sign wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster

CLEVELAND (AP) —
Salvador Perez hit a grand slam and drove in a career-high six runs
as the Kansas City Royals completed a doubleheader sweep of
Cleveland, beating the Guardians 9-4 to pull within one game of first
in the AL Central. Bobby Witt Jr.’s 27th homer — and 11th since
July 19 — snapped a tie in the eighth inning and sent the Royals to
a 4-3 win in the day game. In Game 2, Perez hit a solo homer in the
fifth inning and connected for his sixth career slam in the sixth.
Kansas City was nine games back in early July, but have chipped away
at Cleveland’s lead by posting an AL-best 22-13 record since the
break. The Guardians dropped to 0-8 in doubleheaders this season.

ST. LOUIS (AP) —
Manny Machado homered and drove in three runs, rookie Jackson Merrill
also had three RBIs and the San Diego Padres defeated the St. Louis
Cardinals 7-4. Rookie starter Randy Vásquez went six innings for the
win, allowing two runs and six hits. Machado hit a two-run homer in
the first and an RBI double in the fifth. He also scored three times.
Merrill, who launched a game-ending homer Sunday against the New York
Mets, delivered a two-run single in the third and an RBI single in
the fifth. The Padres are 25-8 since July 20, a .758 winning
percentage. That ties them with Arizona for the best record in the
majors during that span. San Diego is a game behind the Diamondbacks
for the top National League wild card.

BOSTON (AP) — Red
Sox catcher Danny Jansen became the first player in Major League
Baseball history to appear in the same game for both teams when he
took the field for Boston in the resumption of a rain-delayed game he
started for Toronto back in June. Jansen was in the Blue Jays' lineup
at catcher and batting in the second inning on June 26 when the game
was suspended. He was traded to the Red Sox last month, and on Monday
he took his position behind the plate as pinch-hitter Daulton Varsho
completed an at-bat that Jansen started.

KANSAS CITY, Mo.
(AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs signed Juju Smith-Schuster on Monday,
adding a veteran wide receiver familiar with the team one day before
all NFL teams must reach the 53-player limit. Smith-Schuster was
released from the Patriots earlier this month, one year into his
three-year, $25 million contract. He played one season in Kansas City
in 2022 before that deal. Smith-Schuster caught 78 passes for 933
yards and three touchdowns while helping the Chiefs reach the Super
Bowl, where he caught seven passes for 53 yards in a 38-35 win over
the Eagles.

FRISCO, Texas (AP) —
Three people familiar with the deal say All-Pro wide receiver CeeDee
Lamb has ended his holdout with the Dallas Cowboys by agreeing to a
$136 million, four-year contract. Lamb is going into the last year of
his rookie contract after being drafted 17th overall in 2020. He is a
close second to Minnesota receiver Justin Jefferson as the
highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history. Lamb led the NFL in
receptions last season with 135 and was second in yards receiving
with 1,749 and third in touchdown receptions with 12.

CONCORD, N.C. (AP) —
Austin Dillon’s overly aggressive victory at Richmond Raceway won’t
land him a spot in the Cup Series playoffs. A NASCAR appeal officer
on Monday upheld the sanctioning body’s decision to revoke Dillon’s
automatic postseason berth that came with his controversial win at
Richmond on Aug. 11. Dillon intentionally wrecked Denny Hamlin and
Joey Logano coming out of the final turn to take the checkered flag
for his first victory in two years. Three days later, NASCAR
announced that Dillon’s victory “crossed a line.” Richard
Childress Racing appealed. A NASCAR “final appeal officer” upheld
the penalties and said race data indicated “that more likely than
not a rule violation did occur.”

UNDATED (AP) —
After years of debate over cost and liability, college football
finally has helmet communications between coach and player. Approved
this spring in the wake of a sign-stealing scandal involving former
Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh, coaches can relay plays to the helmet of
a designated player on either side of the ball up to 15 seconds
before the play clock expires. The move comes more than three decades
after the NFL introduced it, but some coaches believe it’s arriving
right on time. Others are fine with hand signals and those clever
signs to prevent sign stealing.

UNDATED (AP) — As
Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark steps up discussions in the
conference about adding UConn, the question isn’t so much why add
the Huskies as why add them now? With college sports about to enter a
period of unprecedented transformation — superconferences, an
expanded College Football Playoff and a new plan to compensate
athletes more than ever — what’s the rush to add a school that
has conceded it needs six years to get its football program Big
12-ready? Conference ADs and presidents are scheduled to hear from
media consultants Monday and further discuss Yormark’s latest
expansion vision.

KANSAS CITY, Mo.
(AP) — Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has donated
$5 million to alma mater Texas Tech to help fund a $242 million
renovation of the south end zone of Jones AT&amp;T Stadium and the
Dustin R. Womble Football Center. The school said it would name the
walkthrough area of the football center, the quarterback meeting room
and the office of the offensive coordinator after Mahomes, who played
for the Red Raiders from 2014-16. He declared for the NFL draft a
year early and the Chiefs selected him in the first round in 2017.
Mahomes has led the Chiefs to three Super Bowl titles, including the
past two.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723542041782.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>CLEVELAND (AP) —
Salvador Perez hit a grand slam and drove in a career-high six runs
as the Kansas City Royals completed a doubleheader sweep of
Cleveland, beating the Guardians 9-4 to pull within one game of first
in the AL Central. Bobby Witt Jr.’s 27th homer — and 11th since
July 19 — snapped a tie in the eighth inning and sent the Royals to
a 4-3 win in the day game. In Game 2, Perez hit a solo homer in the
fifth inning and connected for his sixth career slam in the sixth.
Kansas City was nine games back in early July, but have chipped away
at Cleveland’s lead by posting an AL-best 22-13 record since the
break. The Guardians dropped to 0-8 in doubleheaders this season.ST. LOUIS (AP) —
Manny Machado homered and drove in three runs, rookie Jackson Merrill
also had three RBIs and the San Diego Padres defeated the St. Louis
Cardinals 7-4. Rookie starter Randy Vásquez went six innings for the
win, allowing two runs and six hits. Machado hit a two-run homer in
the first and an RBI double in the fifth. He also scored three times.
Merrill, who launched a game-ending homer Sunday against the New York
Mets, delivered a two-run single in the third and an RBI single in
the fifth. The Padres are 25-8 since July 20, a .758 winning
percentage. That ties them with Arizona for the best record in the
majors during that span. San Diego is a game behind the Diamondbacks
for the top National League wild card.BOSTON (AP) — Red
Sox catcher Danny Jansen became the first player in Major League
Baseball history to appear in the same game for both teams when he
took the field for Boston in the resumption of a rain-delayed game he
started for Toronto back in June. Jansen was in the Blue Jays' lineup
at catcher and batting in the second inning on June 26 when the game
was suspended. He was traded to the Red Sox last month, and on Monday
he took his position behind the plate as pinch-hitter Daulton Varsho
completed an at-bat that Jansen started.KANSAS CITY, Mo.
(AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs signed Juju Smith-Schuster on Monday,
adding a veteran wide receiver familiar with the team one day before
all NFL teams must reach the 53-player limit. Smith-Schuster was
released from the Patriots earlier this month, one year into his
three-year, $25 million contract. He played one season in Kansas City
in 2022 before that deal. Smith-Schuster caught 78 passes for 933
yards and three touchdowns while helping the Chiefs reach the Super
Bowl, where he caught seven passes for 53 yards in a 38-35 win over
the Eagles.FRISCO, Texas (AP) —
Three people familiar with the deal say All-Pro wide receiver CeeDee
Lamb has ended his holdout with the Dallas Cowboys by agreeing to a
$136 million, four-year contract. Lamb is going into the last year of
his rookie contract after being drafted 17th overall in 2020. He is a
close second to Minnesota receiver Justin Jefferson as the
highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history. Lamb led the NFL in
receptions last season with 135 and was second in yards receiving
with 1,749 and third in touchdown receptions with 12.CONCORD, N.C. (AP) —
Austin Dillon’s overly aggressive victory at Richmond Raceway won’t
land him a spot in the Cup Series playoffs. A NASCAR appeal officer
on Monday upheld the sanctioning body’s decision to revoke Dillon’s
automatic postseason berth that came with his controversial win at
Richmond on Aug. 11. Dillon intentionally wrecked Denny Hamlin and
Joey Logano coming out of the final turn to take the checkered flag
for his first victory in two years. Three days later, NASCAR
announced that Dillon’s victory “crossed a line.” Richard
Childress Racing appealed. A NASCAR “final appeal officer” upheld
the penalties and said race data indicated “that more likely than
not a rule violation did occur.”UNDATED (AP) —
After years of debate over cost and liability, college football
finally has helmet communications between coach and player. Approved
this spring in the wake of a sign-stealing scandal involving former
Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh, coaches can relay plays to the helmet of
a designated player on either side of the ball up to 15 seconds
before the play clock expires. The move comes more than three decades
after the NFL introduced it, but some coaches believe it’s arriving
right on time. Others are fine with hand signals and those clever
signs to prevent sign stealing.UNDATED (AP) — As
Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark steps up discussions in the
conference about adding UConn, the question isn’t so much why add
the Huskies as why add them now? With college sports about to enter a
period of unprecedented transformation — superconferences, an
expanded College Football Playoff and a new plan to compensate
athletes more than ever — what’s the rush to add a school that
has conceded it needs six years to get its football program Big
12-ready? Conference ADs and presidents are scheduled to hear from
media consultants Monday and further discuss Yormark’s latest
expansion vision.KANSAS CITY, Mo.
(AP) — Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has donated
$5 million to alma mater Texas Tech to help fund a $242 million
renovation of the south end zone of Jones AT&amp;T Stadium and the
Dustin R. Womble Football Center. The school said it would name the
walkthrough area of the football center, the quarterback meeting room
and the office of the offensive coordinator after Mahomes, who played
for the Red Raiders from 2014-16. He declared for the NFL draft a
year early and the Chiefs selected him in the first round in 2017.
Mahomes has led the Chiefs to three Super Bowl titles, including the
past two.MONDAY SCORESMAJOR LEAGUE
BASEBALLINTERLEAGUEFinal	Philadelphia	3	Houston	2	Final	N.Y.
Yankees	5	Washington	2	Final	Atlanta	10	Minnesota	6	AMERICAN LEAGUEFinal	Kansas
City	4	Cleveland	3	Final	Toronto	4	Boston	1	Final	Kansas
City	9	Cleveland	4	Final	Toronto	7	Boston	3	Final	Detroit	6	Chicago
White Sox	3	Final	Seattle	5	Tampa
Bay	1	NATIONAL LEAGUEFinal	Chicago
Cubs	18	Pittsburgh	8	Final	San
Diego	7	St. Louis	4

Tuesday Sports Headlines and Scores presented by Barton Community College

CLEVELAND (AP) — Salvador Perez hit a grand slam and drove in a career-high six runs as the Kansas City Royals completed a doubleheader sweep of Cleveland, beating the Guardians 9-4 on Monday night to pull within one game of first in the AL Central.

The Royals won the opener 4-3 as Bobby Witt Jr.’s 27th homer — and 11th since July 19 — snapped a tie in the eighth inning.

After being nine games back in early July, the Royals have chipped away at Cleveland’s lead by posting an AL-best 22-13 record since the All-Star break. They can now move into a tie for the division lead with a win Tuesday.

“You couldn’t ask for any more,” manager Matt Quatraro said. “By no means does that mean anything is done. But these guys played extremely hard today after getting beaten up the last couple days (losing back-to-back blowouts to Philadelphia) and put that behind them.”

In Game 2, the 34-year-old Perez, who served as DH after catching the opener in hot conditions, hit a solo homer in the fifth inning — after nearly striking out — and then connected for his sixth career slam in the sixth off Tim Herrin.

The nine-time All-Star catcher has 17 career multi-homer games, tying him with Hall of Famer George Brett for the most in Kansas City history.

“He’s remarkable,” Quatraro said. “To catch that first game he was drained, you could tell, physically and mentally. Then to go out there and put those at-bats together was remarkable.”

The Guardians, who have led the Central since April 14, dropped to 0-8 in doubleheaders this season and 1-15 the last two.

But manager Stephen Vogt doesn’t see any heads hanging.

“They’re pros,” he said. “They know it was a rough day. Every time we have a tough day, they come back ready to win. This group’s not going to get discouraged. It’s not in their DNA. They all know where we’re at.”

Leading 5-4 in the sixth, the Royals loaded the bases and had a runner forced at the plate before Perez drove his 25th homer 457 feet into the bleachers. Perez’s shot tied him with Frank White for the most slams in Royals history.

José Ramírez had three doubles, giving Cleveland’s star third baseman two or more extra-base hits in 109 games to tie him with Tris Speaker for second in club history behind Earl Averill (135). Ramírez has also reached 30 homers, 30 doubles and 30 steals in a season for the second time.

Perez’s homer in the fifth off Logan Allen (8-5) came one pitch after he caught a break.

He fouled back a 3-2 pitch that catcher Bo Naylor appeared to snare before it hit the ground. But plate umpire John Tumpane looked into Naylor’s glove and noticed dirt on the ball, giving Perez new life.

With another chance, he pulled his 24th homer into the bleachers to give Kansas City a 5-4 lead.

Tumpane made the same call in the sixth, and this time Guardians pitching coach Carl Willis was ejected for arguing.

Willis not only felt Perez swung and missed, but that he didn’t make contact.

“I don’t think that it hit the bat,” Willis said. “They made the call they made, and the next pitch goes over the wall, then a half-inning later kind of a replay of the same scenario. That kind of set me off a little bit.”

In the opener, Witt connected on a 0-1 pitch from rookie Hunter Gaddis (4-3), driving it 413 feet into the left-field bleachers.

The All-Star shortstop came in batting .417 since the break, the fourth-highest average (with at least 125 at-bats) in the second half since World War II. Only Ted Williams (.454 in 1957), Ichiro Suzuki (.429, 2004) and George Brett (.421, 1980) have hit higher.

It was just another noteworthy moment of many in 2024 for Witt.

“He’s always present,” Quatraro said. “He doesn’t care what he’s done prior or what he’s going to do tomorrow. He’s going to be in that box and trying to beat you right there. Bobby’s a special player.”

MJ Melendez belted a three-run homer and made a sensational catch in left field for the Royals in Game 1.

John Schreiber (4-3) worked 1 2/3 innings and Lucas Erceg put the tying run on with a walk in the ninth before getting his fifth save since coming to Kansas City in a July 30 trade from Oakland.

Reliever Nick Sandlin made his first major league start for Cleveland in the opener. The right-hander hadn’t started a game since his junior year at Southern Miss in 2018.

TRAINER’S ROOM Royals: LHP Will Smith (back spasms) was placed on the 15-day injured list, one day after he allowed five runs in one inning against Philadelphia. Quatraro said Smith’s back issue has “been lingering for a while.”

UP NEXT Guardians RHP Gavin Williams (2-6, 5.13 ERA) starts Tuesday against Royals RHP Michael Lorenzen (7-6, 3.47), who threw seven scoreless innings in his most recent outing.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724727242980.png" alt="Kansas City Royals’ Bobby Witt Jr. (7) celebrates hitting a double during the third inning of the second game of a baseball doubleheader against the Cleveland Guardians, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Nick Cammett)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals’ Bobby Witt Jr. (7) celebrates hitting a double during the third inning of the second game of a baseball doubleheader against the Cleveland Guardians, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Nick Cammett)</figcaption>
 </figure>CLEVELAND (AP) — Salvador Perez hit a grand slam and drove in a career-high six runs as the Kansas City Royals completed a doubleheader sweep of Cleveland, beating the Guardians 9-4 on Monday night to pull within one game of first in the AL Central.The Royals won the opener 4-3 as Bobby Witt Jr.’s 27th homer — and 11th since July 19 — snapped a tie in the eighth inning.After being nine games back in early July, the Royals have chipped away at Cleveland’s lead by posting an AL-best 22-13 record since the All-Star break. They can now move into a tie for the division lead with a win Tuesday.“You couldn’t ask for any more,” manager Matt Quatraro said. “By no means does that mean anything is done. But these guys played extremely hard today after getting beaten up the last couple days (losing back-to-back blowouts to Philadelphia) and put that behind them.”In Game 2, the 34-year-old Perez, who served as DH after catching the opener in hot conditions, hit a solo homer in the fifth inning — after nearly striking out — and then connected for his sixth career slam in the sixth off Tim Herrin.The nine-time All-Star catcher has 17 career multi-homer games, tying him with Hall of Famer George Brett for the most in Kansas City history.“He’s remarkable,” Quatraro said. “To catch that first game he was drained, you could tell, physically and mentally. Then to go out there and put those at-bats together was remarkable.”The Guardians, who have led the Central since April 14, dropped to 0-8 in doubleheaders this season and 1-15 the last two.But manager Stephen Vogt doesn’t see any heads hanging.“They’re pros,” he said. “They know it was a rough day. Every time we have a tough day, they come back ready to win. This group’s not going to get discouraged. It’s not in their DNA. They all know where we’re at.”Leading 5-4 in the sixth, the Royals loaded the bases and had a runner forced at the plate before Perez drove his 25th homer 457 feet into the bleachers. Perez’s shot tied him with Frank White for the most slams in Royals history.José Ramírez had three doubles, giving Cleveland’s star third baseman two or more extra-base hits in 109 games to tie him with Tris Speaker for second in club history behind Earl Averill (135). Ramírez has also reached 30 homers, 30 doubles and 30 steals in a season for the second time.Perez’s homer in the fifth off Logan Allen (8-5) came one pitch after he caught a break.He fouled back a 3-2 pitch that catcher Bo Naylor appeared to snare before it hit the ground. But plate umpire John Tumpane looked into Naylor’s glove and noticed dirt on the ball, giving Perez new life.With another chance, he pulled his 24th homer into the bleachers to give Kansas City a 5-4 lead.Tumpane made the same call in the sixth, and this time Guardians pitching coach Carl Willis was ejected for arguing.Willis not only felt Perez swung and missed, but that he didn’t make contact.“I don’t think that it hit the bat,” Willis said. “They made the call they made, and the next pitch goes over the wall, then a half-inning later kind of a replay of the same scenario. That kind of set me off a little bit.”In the opener, Witt connected on a 0-1 pitch from rookie Hunter Gaddis (4-3), driving it 413 feet into the left-field bleachers.The All-Star shortstop came in batting .417 since the break, the fourth-highest average (with at least 125 at-bats) in the second half since World War II. Only Ted Williams (.454 in 1957), Ichiro Suzuki (.429, 2004) and George Brett (.421, 1980) have hit higher.It was just another noteworthy moment of many in 2024 for Witt.“He’s always present,” Quatraro said. “He doesn’t care what he’s done prior or what he’s going to do tomorrow. He’s going to be in that box and trying to beat you right there. Bobby’s a special player.”MJ Melendez belted a three-run homer and made a sensational catch in left field for the Royals in Game 1.John Schreiber (4-3) worked 1 2/3 innings and Lucas Erceg put the tying run on with a walk in the ninth before getting his fifth save since coming to Kansas City in a July 30 trade from Oakland.Reliever Nick Sandlin made his first major league start for Cleveland in the opener. The right-hander hadn’t started a game since his junior year at Southern Miss in 2018.TRAINER’S ROOM Royals: LHP Will Smith (back spasms) was placed on the 15-day injured list, one day after he allowed five runs in one inning against Philadelphia. Quatraro said Smith’s back issue has “been lingering for a while.”UP NEXT Guardians RHP Gavin Williams (2-6, 5.13 ERA) starts Tuesday against Royals RHP Michael Lorenzen (7-6, 3.47), who threw seven scoreless innings in his most recent outing.

Royals pull within one game of division lead after doubleheader sweep

CLEVELAND (AP) — Bobby Witt Jr. homered leading off the eighth inning to break a tie as the Kansas City Royals pulled closer to Cleveland in the AL Central with a 4-3 victory over the Guardians in the opener of a day-night doubleheader Monday.

Witt connected on a 0-1 pitch from rookie Hunter Gaddis (4-3), driving it 413 feet into the left-field bleachers for his 27th homer of the season — and his 11th in 34 games since the All-Star break.

He came in batting .417 since the break, the fourth-highest average (with at least 125 at-bats) in the second half since World War II. Only Ted Williams (.454 in 1957), Ichiro Suzuki (.429, 2004) and George Brett (.421, 1980) have hit higher.

It was just another noteworthy moment of many in 2024 for Witt, who leads the majors in average (.347), hits (181) and runs (112).

“He’s always present,” manager Matt Quatraro said. “He doesn’t care what he’s done prior or what he’s going to do tomorrow. He’s going to be in that box and trying to beat you right there. Bobby’s a special player.”

Witt’s homer was just the third run Gaddis has given up at home this season.

“He impacts the game as good as anybody in this game,” Cleveland catcher Austin Hedges said of Witt. “So you got to be real smart with him. You’ve got to make pitches. You’ve got to execute pitches. And if you make a mistake, he always takes his ‘A’ swing. There’s a reason he’s hitting (nearly) .350.”

MJ Melendez belted a three-run homer and made a sensational catch in left field for the Royals, who pulled within two games of the first-place Guardians. Cleveland has led the division since April 14.

It was the first of seven games over the next 10 days between the Guardians and Royals.

Logan Allen was recalled from Triple-A Columbus to start Game 2 for Cleveland against Royals right-hander Alec Marsh.

Erceg extended his scoreless streak to 15 1/3 innings.

“I’m glad we got him,” Quatraro said. “That’s why we got him.”

Kansas City starter Cole Ragans was lifted while leading 3-2 in the fifth inning because of cramping in his left calf and hamstring.

Ragans issued a leadoff walk and then was replaced by closer James McArthur, who got two outs before intentionally walking Josh Naylor.

Rookie Jhonkensy Noel followed with a shot toward the corner in left. Melendez raced across the grass and was able to snag it with a headfirst catch before sliding across the warning track to save at least two runs.

“As an outfielder, you have to feel like you can get to anything,” Melendez said. “That’s what goes through my head any time a ball is in the air towards me. I’m glad it was able to hang up in the air a little longer.”

Melendez’s 17th homer gave the Royals a 3-2 lead in the fourth.

Vinnie Pasquantino reached when Cleveland shortstop Tyler Freeman couldn’t corral his pop to shallow left and Salvador Perez singled. Melendez then lined an 0-1 pitch off the railing just above the right-field wall.

Reliever Nick Sandlin made his first major league start for Cleveland and pitched one inning. The right-hander hadn’t started a game since his junior year at Southern Miss in 2018.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724711179027.png" alt="Royals shortstop Bobby Witt, Jr. watches his solo home run in the eighth inning in game one of Monday's doubleheader in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Phil Long)" />
 <figcaption>Royals shortstop Bobby Witt, Jr. watches his solo home run in the eighth inning in game one of Monday's doubleheader in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Phil Long)</figcaption>
 </figure>CLEVELAND (AP) — Bobby Witt Jr. homered leading off the eighth inning to break a tie as the Kansas City Royals pulled closer to Cleveland in the AL Central with a 4-3 victory over the Guardians in the opener of a day-night doubleheader Monday.Witt connected on a 0-1 pitch from rookie Hunter Gaddis (4-3), driving it 413 feet into the left-field bleachers for his 27th homer of the season — and his 11th in 34 games since the All-Star break.He came in batting .417 since the break, the fourth-highest average (with at least 125 at-bats) in the second half since World War II. Only Ted Williams (.454 in 1957), Ichiro Suzuki (.429, 2004) and George Brett (.421, 1980) have hit higher.It was just another noteworthy moment of many in 2024 for Witt, who leads the majors in average (.347), hits (181) and runs (112).“He’s always present,” manager Matt Quatraro said. “He doesn’t care what he’s done prior or what he’s going to do tomorrow. He’s going to be in that box and trying to beat you right there. Bobby’s a special player.”Witt’s homer was just the third run Gaddis has given up at home this season.“He impacts the game as good as anybody in this game,” Cleveland catcher Austin Hedges said of Witt. “So you got to be real smart with him. You’ve got to make pitches. You’ve got to execute pitches. And if you make a mistake, he always takes his ‘A’ swing. There’s a reason he’s hitting (nearly) .350.”MJ Melendez belted a three-run homer and made a sensational catch in left field for the Royals, who pulled within two games of the first-place Guardians. Cleveland has led the division since April 14.It was the first of seven games over the next 10 days between the Guardians and Royals.Logan Allen was recalled from Triple-A Columbus to start Game 2 for Cleveland against Royals right-hander Alec Marsh.John Schreiber (4-3) worked 1 2/3 innings and Lucas Erceg put the tying run on with a walk in the ninth before getting his fifth save since coming to Kansas City in a July 30 trade from Oakland.Erceg extended his scoreless streak to 15 1/3 innings.“I’m glad we got him,” Quatraro said. “That’s why we got him.”Kansas City starter Cole Ragans was lifted while leading 3-2 in the fifth inning because of cramping in his left calf and hamstring.Ragans issued a leadoff walk and then was replaced by closer James McArthur, who got two outs before intentionally walking Josh Naylor.Rookie Jhonkensy Noel followed with a shot toward the corner in left. Melendez raced across the grass and was able to snag it with a headfirst catch before sliding across the warning track to save at least two runs.“As an outfielder, you have to feel like you can get to anything,” Melendez said. “That’s what goes through my head any time a ball is in the air towards me. I’m glad it was able to hang up in the air a little longer.”Melendez’s 17th homer gave the Royals a 3-2 lead in the fourth.Vinnie Pasquantino reached when Cleveland shortstop Tyler Freeman couldn’t corral his pop to shallow left and Salvador Perez singled. Melendez then lined an 0-1 pitch off the railing just above the right-field wall.Reliever Nick Sandlin made his first major league start for Cleveland and pitched one inning. The right-hander hadn’t started a game since his junior year at Southern Miss in 2018.TRAINER’S ROOM Royals: LHP Will Smith (back spasms) was placed on the 15-day injured list, one day after he allowed five runs in one inning against Philadelphia. Quatraro said Smith’s back issue has “been lingering for a while.”

Royals open double-header with win against division-leading Guardians

The Barton Community College volleyball team opened the 2024 season this weekend with four sweeps at the Scooter's Coffee Invitational hosted by Garden City Community College.

On Friday the Cougars put together a pair of dominant sweeps, the first coming over Trinidad State College (25-16, 25-23, 25-10) before dispatching Vernon College (25-4, 25-9, 25-11).

In an early season much anticipated test, Saturday morning's action was dominated by the Cougars against 6th ranked Navarro College in taming the Bulldogs in three (25-8, 25-18, 25-15).

Following a near six-hour span of downtime, the Cougars retook their dominance on the court with another impressive sweep over Lamar Community College ((25-10, 25-3, and 25-16) to wind up the weekend.

Barton's next competition comes Thursday beginning the Victory Electric Classic in Dodge City with a 5:30 p.m. first serve against Frank Phillips College. Friday's slate has a 12:30 p.m. match versus Panola College followed by Eastern Arizona College at 6:30 p.m. before concluding the weekend with Saturday's 1:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. scheduled matches versus Midland College and Otero College respectively.

All-American&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wvball/2024-25/bios/reyes_phoebe_zp2h">Phoebe Reyes</a>&nbsp;got off to a good sophomore season start attacking at a .392 clip with 22 kills in eight sets of action in the four matches.

<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wvball/2024-25/bios/nixon_kassidy_bbcx">Kassidy Nixon</a>&nbsp;led with 32 total kills in 12 sets on a .324 accuracy, posting the squad's lone double-double effort on the weekend with a 10-kill, 10-dig effort in the opener versus Trinidad State. Freshman&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wvball/2024-25/bios/aristy_kiara_e0ul">Kiara Aristy</a>'s 3.00 kills per set led the Cougars from her five frames of action as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wvball/2024-25/bios/zuluaga_nohava_sara_y8hs">Sara Zuluaga Nohava</a>&nbsp;produced a team leading .643 efficiency in her four frames of court time.

The sophomore setter duo of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wvball/2024-25/bios/stankovic_elena_icdc">Elena Stankovic</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wvball/2024-25/bios/reyes_maurin_5w3d">Maurin Reyes</a>&nbsp;keyed the 6-2 offense to an overall .372 efficiency, Stankovic averaging 7.50 assists per set and a team leading 11 service aces with Reyes recording 4.17 aces per set.

Each frontline attacker on the squad recorded three or more kills,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wvball/2024-25/bios/danenberg_naya_4891">Naya Danenberg</a>&nbsp;racking up 16 points on .286 efficiency with another 9 coming from the service line while defensively adding a team leading 38 digs.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wvball/2024-25/bios/kaneko_mina_z3c5">Mina Kaneko</a>&nbsp;also helped anchored the backline with 35 digs, 16 coming in her collegiate debut against Trinidad State with 10 versus the 6th ranked Bulldogs. Fellow freshman&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wvball/2024-25/bios/olander_aubrey_49pp">Aubrey Olander</a>&nbsp;played 11 of the 12 sets, leading the team with 15 total blocks to go along with 15 kills,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wvball/2024-25/bios/thompson_mya_yeos">Mya Thompson</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wvball/2024-25/bios/wierzbicki_anna_emil">Anna Wierzbicki</a>&nbsp;next in line with 8 and 7 walls of denial respectively.

Friday HighlightsWinning the first set by nine over Trinidad State, the Cougars found themselves trailing 7-1 in the second, battling back in tying it at 10 in the eventual 25-23 win before cruising to the big fifteen point match clinching victory.

Against Vernon it was all Barton, racing out to a 12-0 lead in a 25-4 win with the second wave of Cougars continuing the dominance holding Vernon to just twenty more points in the final two sets.

Nixon piled up 19 of her 32 kills on Friday, following her 10-10 double effort in the opener with a 9-kill, 9-dig effort against Vernon as P. Reyes had 13 kills in the two matches for a 3.25 kill per set average.

Saturday HighlightsIn the morning battle of nationally ranked teams, Barton continued not only its momentum but its dominance in a 25-8 opening set rout over Navarro. Scoring the first 11 points of the second frame, Navarro eventually cut the deficit to three but the Cougars responded to the surge by chalking up a seven point win to be followed by another dominant ten point match clincher.

The long wait for its final match of the weekend did little to derail the Cougars in posting a weekend high .529 attack in outscoring Lamar by 45 points.

Thompson led Saturday's offensive punch with 14 kills on a .400 attack as Nixon was close behind with 13 total kills while Aristy led with a .727 attack in putting down 8 kills in two sets of action.

From Barton SportsThe Barton Community College volleyball team opened the 2024 season this weekend with four sweeps at the Scooter's Coffee Invitational hosted by Garden City Community College.On Friday the Cougars put together a pair of dominant sweeps, the first coming over Trinidad State College (25-16, 25-23, 25-10) before dispatching Vernon College (25-4, 25-9, 25-11).In an early season much anticipated test, Saturday morning's action was dominated by the Cougars against 6th ranked Navarro College in taming the Bulldogs in three (25-8, 25-18, 25-15).Following a near six-hour span of downtime, the Cougars retook their dominance on the court with another impressive sweep over Lamar Community College ((25-10, 25-3, and 25-16) to wind up the weekend.Barton's next competition comes Thursday beginning the Victory Electric Classic in Dodge City with a 5:30 p.m. first serve against Frank Phillips College. Friday's slate has a 12:30 p.m. match versus Panola College followed by Eastern Arizona College at 6:30 p.m. before concluding the weekend with Saturday's 1:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. scheduled matches versus Midland College and Otero College respectively.All-American&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wvball/2024-25/bios/reyes_phoebe_zp2h">Phoebe Reyes</a>&nbsp;got off to a good sophomore season start attacking at a .392 clip with 22 kills in eight sets of action in the four matches.<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wvball/2024-25/bios/nixon_kassidy_bbcx">Kassidy Nixon</a>&nbsp;led with 32 total kills in 12 sets on a .324 accuracy, posting the squad's lone double-double effort on the weekend with a 10-kill, 10-dig effort in the opener versus Trinidad State. Freshman&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wvball/2024-25/bios/aristy_kiara_e0ul">Kiara Aristy</a>'s 3.00 kills per set led the Cougars from her five frames of action as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wvball/2024-25/bios/zuluaga_nohava_sara_y8hs">Sara Zuluaga Nohava</a>&nbsp;produced a team leading .643 efficiency in her four frames of court time.The sophomore setter duo of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wvball/2024-25/bios/stankovic_elena_icdc">Elena Stankovic</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wvball/2024-25/bios/reyes_maurin_5w3d">Maurin Reyes</a>&nbsp;keyed the 6-2 offense to an overall .372 efficiency, Stankovic averaging 7.50 assists per set and a team leading 11 service aces with Reyes recording 4.17 aces per set.Each frontline attacker on the squad recorded three or more kills,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wvball/2024-25/bios/danenberg_naya_4891">Naya Danenberg</a>&nbsp;racking up 16 points on .286 efficiency with another 9 coming from the service line while defensively adding a team leading 38 digs.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wvball/2024-25/bios/kaneko_mina_z3c5">Mina Kaneko</a>&nbsp;also helped anchored the backline with 35 digs, 16 coming in her collegiate debut against Trinidad State with 10 versus the 6th ranked Bulldogs. Fellow freshman&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wvball/2024-25/bios/olander_aubrey_49pp">Aubrey Olander</a>&nbsp;played 11 of the 12 sets, leading the team with 15 total blocks to go along with 15 kills,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wvball/2024-25/bios/thompson_mya_yeos">Mya Thompson</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wvball/2024-25/bios/wierzbicki_anna_emil">Anna Wierzbicki</a>&nbsp;next in line with 8 and 7 walls of denial respectively.Friday HighlightsWinning the first set by nine over Trinidad State, the Cougars found themselves trailing 7-1 in the second, battling back in tying it at 10 in the eventual 25-23 win before cruising to the big fifteen point match clinching victory.Against Vernon it was all Barton, racing out to a 12-0 lead in a 25-4 win with the second wave of Cougars continuing the dominance holding Vernon to just twenty more points in the final two sets.Nixon piled up 19 of her 32 kills on Friday, following her 10-10 double effort in the opener with a 9-kill, 9-dig effort against Vernon as P. Reyes had 13 kills in the two matches for a 3.25 kill per set average.Saturday HighlightsIn the morning battle of nationally ranked teams, Barton continued not only its momentum but its dominance in a 25-8 opening set rout over Navarro. Scoring the first 11 points of the second frame, Navarro eventually cut the deficit to three but the Cougars responded to the surge by chalking up a seven point win to be followed by another dominant ten point match clincher.The long wait for its final match of the weekend did little to derail the Cougars in posting a weekend high .529 attack in outscoring Lamar by 45 points.Thompson led Saturday's offensive punch with 14 kills on a .400 attack as Nixon was close behind with 13 total kills while Aristy led with a .727 attack in putting down 8 kills in two sets of action.

No. 17 Lady Cougar netters knock off No. 6 Navarro in opener

The 5th ranked Barton Community College men's soccer team opened the 2024 season outscoring a pair of opponents 11-1 this weekend in Enid, Oklahoma.

On Friday, the Cougars pinned a goal on the scoreboard in each of the frames for a 2-0 victory over a defensive minded Eastern Oklahoma State College squad before returning back on the seven-hour round-trip to dominant host NOC-Enid 9-1 on Saturday.

A usual defensive minded Barton program in its history, the nine-goal output was the most by the Cougars against a fellow NJCAA opponent dating back to 2019 in an October 16-0 victory over Hesston College.

The weekend served as a final tune-up as Barton begins conference play Wednesday with a 4:00 p.m. kick-off at Dodge City Community College against a Conquistador squad picked third in the league race but received one of the seven first place votes in the pre-season predicted order of finish.

Two days later Barton begins a three-game home stretch beginning Friday with 10:00 a.m. kick versus Jefferson College followed by Sunday's same time kick-off against Trinidad State College. The Cougars then return to conference action to conclude the homestand on Wednesday, September 4, at 1:00 p.m. hosting Coffeyville Community College.

A trio of Cougars recorded five points in the two matches, sophomore&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/msoc/2024-25/bios/voinier_maxence_ehjk">Maxence Voinier</a>&nbsp;picking up where he left off from last year distributing the eventual game winner before adding an insurance goal against EOSC then outdueled the Jets for another goal on Saturday.

<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/msoc/2024-25/bios/lyra_pedro_w5wg">Pedro Lyra</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/msoc/2024-25/bios/pico_abedul_joaquin_39tv">Joaquin Pico Abedul</a>&nbsp;had equally impressive Cougar debuts with five points. Lyra set up Voinier's goal on Friday before the Elizabeth College transfer netted his 3rd collegiate goal beginning Barton's big output just six minutes in the game with another net shaker coming in second half action from Abedul's setup.

Abedul put his five points on the board in Saturday's victory over the Jets, the first of his two goals providing the eventual game winner sixteen minutes into the contest by outracing the defense from near midfield to beat the keeper for his first collegiate goal. Less than a minute later on the Cougar attack, Abedul struck center net in putting away&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/msoc/2024-25/bios/bassa_gonzalo_boyx">Gonzalo Bassa</a>'s second assist of the game putting Barton up 3-0.

The lone goal of the weekend came after the Cougars built a 6-0 lead on NOC-Enid with the Jets getting on the board ten minutes before halftime on a rocket launch just under the crossbar from just outside the eighteen box.

From Barton SportsThe 5th ranked Barton Community College men's soccer team opened the 2024 season outscoring a pair of opponents 11-1 this weekend in Enid, Oklahoma.On Friday, the Cougars pinned a goal on the scoreboard in each of the frames for a 2-0 victory over a defensive minded Eastern Oklahoma State College squad before returning back on the seven-hour round-trip to dominant host NOC-Enid 9-1 on Saturday.A usual defensive minded Barton program in its history, the nine-goal output was the most by the Cougars against a fellow NJCAA opponent dating back to 2019 in an October 16-0 victory over Hesston College.The weekend served as a final tune-up as Barton begins conference play Wednesday with a 4:00 p.m. kick-off at Dodge City Community College against a Conquistador squad picked third in the league race but received one of the seven first place votes in the pre-season predicted order of finish.Two days later Barton begins a three-game home stretch beginning Friday with 10:00 a.m. kick versus Jefferson College followed by Sunday's same time kick-off against Trinidad State College. The Cougars then return to conference action to conclude the homestand on Wednesday, September 4, at 1:00 p.m. hosting Coffeyville Community College.A trio of Cougars recorded five points in the two matches, sophomore&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/msoc/2024-25/bios/voinier_maxence_ehjk">Maxence Voinier</a>&nbsp;picking up where he left off from last year distributing the eventual game winner before adding an insurance goal against EOSC then outdueled the Jets for another goal on Saturday.<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/msoc/2024-25/bios/lyra_pedro_w5wg">Pedro Lyra</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/msoc/2024-25/bios/pico_abedul_joaquin_39tv">Joaquin Pico Abedul</a>&nbsp;had equally impressive Cougar debuts with five points. Lyra set up Voinier's goal on Friday before the Elizabeth College transfer netted his 3rd collegiate goal beginning Barton's big output just six minutes in the game with another net shaker coming in second half action from Abedul's setup.Abedul put his five points on the board in Saturday's victory over the Jets, the first of his two goals providing the eventual game winner sixteen minutes into the contest by outracing the defense from near midfield to beat the keeper for his first collegiate goal. Less than a minute later on the Cougar attack, Abedul struck center net in putting away&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/msoc/2024-25/bios/bassa_gonzalo_boyx">Gonzalo Bassa</a>'s second assist of the game putting Barton up 3-0.The lone goal of the weekend came after the Cougars built a 6-0 lead on NOC-Enid with the Jets getting on the board ten minutes before halftime on a rocket launch just under the crossbar from just outside the eighteen box.

No. 5 Barton Men's Soccer nearly perfect in pair of weekend victories

By GARY VAN CLEAVE Special to Great Bend Post

ST JOHN - It will be the first of what’s likely many touchdown passes for St John talent-freak Braxton Alpers.

Two years ago as a freshman, the lanky Tiger standout was inserted at quarterback against South Barber.

“Well I was really nervous going into halftime because I got told that I would probably go in,” Alpers said. “When I went in I think it was maybe the middle of the third quarter. It was fourth and about nine.”

Forty yards from paydirt, Alpers took the shotgun snap and looked downfield.

“I felt the pocket collapse around me and I saw Alan (Valenzuela) cut up field so I threw it towards the sideline,” Alpers said.

“It was such an amazing pass. He put it up where only I could go up and get it,” Valenzuela said. “He waited for me to run my route and saw it was covered and waited for me to go to the other side man. He’s gonna be a guy to watch this year.”

The 40-yard TD strike was Alpers’ first in high school.

“I ran down the field to go chest bump him and celebrate. I was hype,” Alpers said.

“At first I just jumped up with him because it was so exciting,” Valenzuela said. “Then I told him this was just the beginning for him.”

Alpers and his 6-foot-1, 185-pound frame has been under center since.

“I played safety also on defense last year,” he said. “I don’t know for sure what my coach will have me as on defense this year because we lost a lot of seniors. But we are definitely looking to win some games this year.”

Something the Tigers haven’t experienced much in recent years on the gridiron.

But times are changing here and for the better.

“We won one game my freshman year in football,” Alpers said. “My sophomore year I started at QB and we won three games.”

“He went from working in the lab and doing ok to being better at everything he has done,” junior center Julio Lozano said. “That includes being stronger and being better at making plays as well.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724680077276.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By GARY VAN CLEAVE Special to Great Bend PostST JOHN - It will be the first of what’s likely many touchdown passes for St John talent-freak Braxton Alpers.Two years ago as a freshman, the lanky Tiger standout was inserted at quarterback against South Barber.“Well I was really nervous going into halftime because I got told that I would probably go in,” Alpers said. “When I went in I think it was maybe the middle of the third quarter. It was fourth and about nine.”Forty yards from paydirt, Alpers took the shotgun snap and looked downfield.“I felt the pocket collapse around me and I saw Alan (Valenzuela) cut up field so I threw it towards the sideline,” Alpers said.“It was such an amazing pass. He put it up where only I could go up and get it,” Valenzuela said. “He waited for me to run my route and saw it was covered and waited for me to go to the other side man. He’s gonna be a guy to watch this year.”The 40-yard TD strike was Alpers’ first in high school.“I ran down the field to go chest bump him and celebrate. I was hype,” Alpers said.“At first I just jumped up with him because it was so exciting,” Valenzuela said. “Then I told him this was just the beginning for him.”Alpers and his 6-foot-1, 185-pound frame has been under center since.“I played safety also on defense last year,” he said. “I don’t know for sure what my coach will have me as on defense this year because we lost a lot of seniors. But we are definitely looking to win some games this year.”Something the Tigers haven’t experienced much in recent years on the gridiron.But times are changing here and for the better.“We won one game my freshman year in football,” Alpers said. “My sophomore year I started at QB and we won three games.”“He went from working in the lab and doing ok to being better at everything he has done,” junior center Julio Lozano said. “That includes being stronger and being better at making plays as well.”Valenzuela expects great things from Alpers in 2024.“He listened to us seniors last year. Even though he’s a junior, I expect him to be the captain of that team,” Valenzuela said. “You can expect a big leap this year and next year.”“I guess the best way to describe him is just he is an all around athlete. I mean the guy’s a stud,” junior tight end/linebacker Weston Peterson said. “He’s got a cannon on him and if he needs to scramble he can out run anyone on the field. And if you try to tackle him he will just lay you out. I mean he is just pure speed and power. He also has very good awareness. He knows to trust his lineman and sit in the pocket and scramble if he needs to.”Alpers, a standout in basketball and track, entered his freshman year as third string quarterback.“I played JV QB but I ended up playing some meaningful minutes against South Barber and threw for a touchdown in a varsity game,” Alpers said. “I started one game my freshman year.”He’s now field general for a program on the verge of a hopeful turnaround.“We got a new coach this year for football,” Alpers said. “I think this is the year that we change our program around.”He’s been a starter in basketball since his freshman season and last year the Tigers reached double digits in victories. He’s helped the 1,600- and 3,200-meter relay teams to state both years, including medal finishes in the 4x8.He has 197 career points in basketball and could reach 500 with a solid junior season.“Braxton as a QB is an all around good guy,” junior fullback/DE Daniel Portillo said. “He’s a good teammate always pushing the team to give full effort and to never give up. One thing I like about Braxton is he never gives up, he’s never in a bad mood, never gives attitude. He’s there to get better and make everyone around him better on the field. He’s constantly picking everyone up, he’s always encouraging others.”“Similar to Lamar Jackson. Likes to scramble but can throw when it matters. Wonderful leader and the second fastest to me,” junior receiver Jace Reyes said with a grin.St John begins its new season on Sept. 6 at Lacrosse.“His potential is very good man,” Valenzuela said. “He lost me and a few of his targets, but man his vision is amazing. He knows when to throw it and when to just take it and run and score. He’s such a strong quarterback also isn’t afraid of contact. He was good as a freshman, he didn’t play as much but when he did man he made sure to make the most of it.”“I think everyone is ready to get some wins,” Peterson said. “We all worked very hard in the weight room this summer. I think we are ready to start changing the culture of St. John fooball and our new coach is helping us to do that. He has pushed us all very far this summer and it will end up showing this season I believe.”