Friday scores from the Associated Press

Lee's Summit North, Mo. 31, Mill Valley 21

Pittsburg St Mary's-Colgan 29, Frontenac 13

St. Thomas Aquinas 41, St. James Academy 21

Friday scores from the Associated PressAbilene 16, Chapman 12Andale 77, Wellington 20Andover Central 27, Newton 18Baxter Springs 40, Afton, Okla. 8Buhler 37, Augusta 12Burlingame 52, Waverly 0Burlington 45, Osawatomie 7Cedar Vale-Dexter 50, Flinthills 36Cheney 38, Kingman 0Clearwater 47, El Dorado 0Colby 34, Holyoke, Colo. 25Council Grove 41, Mission Valley 0De Soto 51, KC Turner 6Diamond, Mo. 42, Southeast 6Emporia 52, Wichita West 6Eudora 49, Bonner Springs 0Eureka 44, Fredonia 14Galena 20, Columbus 13Girard 26, Riverton 6Hays 21, Choctaw, Okla. 19Highland Park 44, KC Sumner 16Hoisington 39, Hesston 23Lee's Summit North, Mo. 31, Mill Valley 21Liberal 28, Wichita South 21Lyndon 54, Frankfort 44Madison 49, Hartford 0Maize 27, Andover 0Maize South 38, Salina South 35Manhattan 47, Lawrence Free State 7Marion 24, Douglass 14Mid-Buchanan, Mo. 49, Centralia 13Mulvane 39, Independence 6Oswego 65, St Paul 18Ottawa 41, Baldwin 6Pittsburg St Mary's-Colgan 29, Frontenac 13Remington 42, Bennington 6Rock Creek 21, Wamego 13Rossville 40, St Marys 34SM East 41, Topeka Seaman 21Scott City 34, Wray, Colo. 12Smith Center 16, Phillipsburg 14Smoky Valley 48, Belle Plaine 18Southeast of Saline 46, Clay Center 7St. Thomas Aquinas 41, St. James Academy 21Sterling 27, Moundridge 15Tescott 54, Southern Coffey County 0Victoria 22, Central Plains 20Wellsville 43, Iola 14Wichita Collegiate 21, Rose Hill 10Wichita Northwest 34, Wichita East 14

Friday Statewide Scores

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Ismail Mahdi ran for 189 yards, Noah Fifita had two touchdown runs and Arizona overcame a shaky start to the second half for a 23-17 win over Kansas State on Friday night.

Arizona (3-0) faced its first big test of the year after beating two smaller-conference teams by a combined score of 88-9. The Wildcats led by 14 at halftime, but let Kansas State back in it with a series of mistakes. They sealed the win with a turnover on downs, opening 3-0 for the first time since 2015.

“That's what it's supposed to look like,” Arizona coach Brent Brennan said. “Not the whole thing, but in moments that's what it's supposed to look like and I'm so proud of this team.”

Coming off a home loss to Army, Kansas State (1-3) struggled offensively for much of the nonconference matchup between future Big 12 foes — a game scheduled before Arizona joined the league. Kansas State had 193 total yards and quarterback Avery Johnson was limited to 88 yards and no touchdowns on 13 of 29 passing.

“We've come out flat four straight weeks,” Johnson said. “We knew what they were going to give us, just felt like we were slow in all aspects.”

Arizona led 17-3 at halftime on touchdown runs of 15 and two yards by Fifita.

Kansas State needed one play to get back in it.

Taking a direct snap, Jayce Brown weaved through a blockade of tacklers on the right side and raced past the rest of the defense for&nbsp;a 75-yard touchdown run&nbsp;— the first touchdown Arizona's defense has allowed this season.

After a three-and-out, Arizona punter Michael Salgado-Medina fumbled a snap and had his kick blocked, setting up Kansas State at Arizona's 13. Johnson scored four plays later on a 1-yard run to tie it at 17-all.

Salgado-Medina kicked field goals of 31 and 41 yards to put Arizona up 23-17 before hitting the upright on a 46-yard attempt with 1:55 left.

“I definitely feel like there's a lot of growth as far as responding, and it's showing out there,” Arizona defensive back Genesis Smith said.

Kansas State running back Dylan Edwards returned for the first time since spraining his ankle early in the season opener against No. 14 Iowa State.

The third-year player saw limited action, finishing with 13 yards on four carries.

“He tried to go — I applaud Dylan,” Kansas State coach Chris Klieman said. “He gave it a go, gave it an effort and got a couple of runs, but I knew he wasn’t gonna last that long and he didn’t."

Kansas State: The Wildcats need to find some answers fast. Kansas State's only win is against a Football Championship Subdivision team and it spent most of Friday night being dominated on both sides of the ball once again.

Arizona: The Wildcats were shaky in the opening 4 1/2 minutes of the third quarter, but shut down Kansas State the rest of the night.

Kansas State: Opens Big 12 play against UCF on Sept. 27.

Arizona: Plays its first Big 12 game at Iowa State on Sept. 27.

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Ismail Mahdi ran for 189 yards, Noah Fifita had two touchdown runs and Arizona overcame a shaky start to the second half for a 23-17 win over Kansas State on Friday night.Arizona (3-0) faced its first big test of the year after beating two smaller-conference teams by a combined score of 88-9. The Wildcats led by 14 at halftime, but let Kansas State back in it with a series of mistakes. They sealed the win with a turnover on downs, opening 3-0 for the first time since 2015.“That's what it's supposed to look like,” Arizona coach Brent Brennan said. “Not the whole thing, but in moments that's what it's supposed to look like and I'm so proud of this team.”Coming off a home loss to Army, Kansas State (1-3) struggled offensively for much of the nonconference matchup between future Big 12 foes — a game scheduled before Arizona joined the league. Kansas State had 193 total yards and quarterback Avery Johnson was limited to 88 yards and no touchdowns on 13 of 29 passing.“We've come out flat four straight weeks,” Johnson said. “We knew what they were going to give us, just felt like we were slow in all aspects.”Arizona led 17-3 at halftime on touchdown runs of 15 and two yards by Fifita.Kansas State needed one play to get back in it.Taking a direct snap, Jayce Brown weaved through a blockade of tacklers on the right side and raced past the rest of the defense for&nbsp;a 75-yard touchdown run&nbsp;— the first touchdown Arizona's defense has allowed this season.After a three-and-out, Arizona punter Michael Salgado-Medina fumbled a snap and had his kick blocked, setting up Kansas State at Arizona's 13. Johnson scored four plays later on a 1-yard run to tie it at 17-all.Salgado-Medina kicked field goals of 31 and 41 yards to put Arizona up 23-17 before hitting the upright on a 46-yard attempt with 1:55 left.“I definitely feel like there's a lot of growth as far as responding, and it's showing out there,” Arizona defensive back Genesis Smith said.<h2>Edwards' return</h2>Kansas State running back Dylan Edwards returned for the first time since spraining his ankle early in the season opener against No. 14 Iowa State.The third-year player saw limited action, finishing with 13 yards on four carries.“He tried to go — I applaud Dylan,” Kansas State coach Chris Klieman said. “He gave it a go, gave it an effort and got a couple of runs, but I knew he wasn’t gonna last that long and he didn’t."<h2>The takeaway</h2>Kansas State: The Wildcats need to find some answers fast. Kansas State's only win is against a Football Championship Subdivision team and it spent most of Friday night being dominated on both sides of the ball once again.Arizona: The Wildcats were shaky in the opening 4 1/2 minutes of the third quarter, but shut down Kansas State the rest of the night.<h2>Up next</h2>Kansas State: Opens Big 12 play against UCF on Sept. 27.Arizona: Plays its first Big 12 game at Iowa State on Sept. 27.

Arizona holds off Kansas State rally for 23-17 win

Western Athletic Conference Great Bend 40, Olathe South 21 Hays 21, Choctaw, OK 19 Liberal 28, Wichita South 21 Olathe Northwest 34, Garden City 7 Olathe East 34, Dodge City 20 Central Kansas League Hoisington 39, Hesston 23 Hillsboro 35, Larned 0 Pratt 41, Halstead 0 Haven 44, Nickerson 7 Smoky Valley 48, Belle Plaine 18 Other Area 11-Man Games Ellinwood 43, Herrington 6 TMP 55, Norton 6 Ellsworth 40, Republic County 16 Minneapolis 16, Lyons 6 Sterling 27, Moundridge 15 Russell 33,&nbsp; Oakley 0 Thursday Area 8-Man Games Victoria 22, Central Plains 20 Kinsley 52, Macksville 6 St. John 50, Ness City 34 Lacrosse 20, Logan/Palco 18 Stafford 56, Pretty Prairie 26 Hodgeman County 48, Meade 6 Chase County 70, Kiowa County 50 Little River 70, Rural Vista 30 Sylvan-Lucas 60, St. John's Beloit 14 Skyline 57, Fairfield 12&nbsp; Area 6-Man Games South Barber 72, Otis-Bison 32 Pawnee Heights 54,&nbsp; Pawnee Heights 0 Chase (0-1) @ Northern Valley

Western Athletic Conference Great Bend 40, Olathe South 21 Hays 21, Choctaw, OK 19 Liberal 28, Wichita South 21 Olathe Northwest 34, Garden City 7 Olathe East 34, Dodge City 20 Central Kansas League Hoisington 39, Hesston 23 Hillsboro 35, Larned 0 Pratt 41, Halstead 0 Haven 44, Nickerson 7 Smoky Valley 48, Belle Plaine 18 Other Area 11-Man Games Ellinwood 43, Herrington 6 TMP 55, Norton 6 Ellsworth 40, Republic County 16 Minneapolis 16, Lyons 6 Sterling 27, Moundridge 15 Russell 33,&nbsp; Oakley 0 Thursday Area 8-Man Games Victoria 22, Central Plains 20 Kinsley 52, Macksville 6 St. John 50, Ness City 34 Lacrosse 20, Logan/Palco 18 Stafford 56, Pretty Prairie 26 Hodgeman County 48, Meade 6 Chase County 70, Kiowa County 50 Little River 70, Rural Vista 30 Sylvan-Lucas 60, St. John's Beloit 14 Skyline 57, Fairfield 12&nbsp; Area 6-Man Games South Barber 72, Otis-Bison 32 Pawnee Heights 54,&nbsp; Pawnee Heights 0 Chase (0-1) @ Northern Valley

Area High School Football Scores - Week 2 (9/12)

GREAT BEND SPORTS ON B104.3 THE POINT SPONSORED BY... GB TARP COMPANY, ADVANCE TRUCK &amp; DIESEL, KELLER REAL ESTATE &amp; INSURANCE, EQUITY BANK, INNOVATIVE LIVESTOCK SERVICES, THE FIELDHOUSE, MARMIE AUTO GROUP, MAGNA DRY CLEANING SERVICES, FREEDOM CLAIMS MANAGEMENT, GREAT BEND REC, ROSENBERG FAMILY DENTISTRY, CHRIS RAMSEY SHELTER INSURANCE, MITCH HANEY &amp; ASSOCIATES, FARMER'S BANK &amp; TRUST, SCOTT'S WELDING SERVICE, PEOPLE'S BANK &amp; TRUST, KERNS FLOOR SERVICE, NEX-TECH, COMFORT PRO, THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS HEATH SYSTEM - GREAT BEND CAMPUS, SUTHERLANDS, AND THE 10TH STREEET EYECARE CENTER. STONE SAND COMPANY AND STONE WASTE MANAGEMENT, ADVANCED THERAPY &amp; SPORTS MEDICINE, DAMM PIPE TESTING, GREAT BEND REDI MIX, INSURANCE PLANNING, EDWARD JONES, DELGADOS MEXICAN RESTAURANT, MPIRE REALTY, AMERICAN PLAINS COOP, AND CODY CROOK RED CEDAR LAND COMPANY. GB TIRES, THE ANIMAL MEDICAL CENTER, BARTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE, DR CHAD OHNMACHT DDS, AND WATKINS CALCARA CHARTERED.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673886602159.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Great Bend 40 Olathe South 21<div><iframe width="100%" height="265" src="https://clyp.it/lxy1gsvm/widget" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>GREAT BEND SPORTS ON B104.3 THE POINT SPONSORED BY... GB TARP COMPANY, ADVANCE TRUCK &amp; DIESEL, KELLER REAL ESTATE &amp; INSURANCE, EQUITY BANK, INNOVATIVE LIVESTOCK SERVICES, THE FIELDHOUSE, MARMIE AUTO GROUP, MAGNA DRY CLEANING SERVICES, FREEDOM CLAIMS MANAGEMENT, GREAT BEND REC, ROSENBERG FAMILY DENTISTRY, CHRIS RAMSEY SHELTER INSURANCE, MITCH HANEY &amp; ASSOCIATES, FARMER'S BANK &amp; TRUST, SCOTT'S WELDING SERVICE, PEOPLE'S BANK &amp; TRUST, KERNS FLOOR SERVICE, NEX-TECH, COMFORT PRO, THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS HEATH SYSTEM - GREAT BEND CAMPUS, SUTHERLANDS, AND THE 10TH STREEET EYECARE CENTER. STONE SAND COMPANY AND STONE WASTE MANAGEMENT, ADVANCED THERAPY &amp; SPORTS MEDICINE, DAMM PIPE TESTING, GREAT BEND REDI MIX, INSURANCE PLANNING, EDWARD JONES, DELGADOS MEXICAN RESTAURANT, MPIRE REALTY, AMERICAN PLAINS COOP, AND CODY CROOK RED CEDAR LAND COMPANY. GB TIRES, THE ANIMAL MEDICAL CENTER, BARTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE, DR CHAD OHNMACHT DDS, AND WATKINS CALCARA CHARTERED.

Great Bend 40 Olathe South 21

HOISINGTON SPORTS ON 100.7 EAGLE COUNTRY SPONSORED BY... EQUITY BANK, USD #431 HOISINGTON, EHLER CHEVROLET, CARDINAL PHARMACY, TOWN &amp; COUNTRY SUPERMARKET, SUPERIOR ESSEX, FIRST KANSAS BANK, INNOVATIVE LIVESTOCK SERVICES, MPIRE REALTY NIKKI HENDERSON, CLARA BARTON MEDICAL CENTER, HOISINGTON VETERINARY HOSPITAL, HOISINGTON HIGH SCHOOL BOOSTER CLUB, AMERICAN LEGION POST 286, ROSENBERG FAMILY DENISTRY, HOISINGTON RECREATION COMMISSION, CENTRAL CHIROPRACTIC, DR. TYLER SCHREMMER, AND BARTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1582693944473.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Hoisington 39 Hesston 24<div><iframe width="100%" height="265" src="https://clyp.it/s5x5bjid/widget" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>HOISINGTON SPORTS ON 100.7 EAGLE COUNTRY SPONSORED BY... EQUITY BANK, USD #431 HOISINGTON, EHLER CHEVROLET, CARDINAL PHARMACY, TOWN &amp; COUNTRY SUPERMARKET, SUPERIOR ESSEX, FIRST KANSAS BANK, INNOVATIVE LIVESTOCK SERVICES, MPIRE REALTY NIKKI HENDERSON, CLARA BARTON MEDICAL CENTER, HOISINGTON VETERINARY HOSPITAL, HOISINGTON HIGH SCHOOL BOOSTER CLUB, AMERICAN LEGION POST 286, ROSENBERG FAMILY DENISTRY, HOISINGTON RECREATION COMMISSION, CENTRAL CHIROPRACTIC, DR. TYLER SCHREMMER, AND BARTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE.

Hoisington 39 Hesston 24

LARNED SPORTS ON HITS 106.9 BROUGHT TO YOU IN PART BY... EQUITY BANK, INNOVATIVE LIVESTOCK SERVICES, SMITH DENTAL CLINIC, CLOCK REALTY &amp; INSURANCE, ROSENBERG FAMILY DENTISTRY, PROGRESSIVE THERAPY &amp; SPORTS MEDICINE, DOERR'S ACE HARDWARE, FARM BUREAU FINANCIAL SERVICES - LEIGH ANN SEEMAN, PAWNEE PLAZA, HEART OF KANSAS FAMILY HEALTH, COMFORT PRO, EAKIN ENTERPRISES, FRICK VETERINARY, USD #495 LARNED, CARR AUCTION &amp; REAL ESTATE, AG SYSTEMS, FUSION BANK, PICKET FENCE REAL ESTATE, AND BARTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695238768373.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Hillsboro 35 Larned 0<div><iframe width="100%" height="265" src="https://clyp.it/aebfonsp/widget" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>LARNED SPORTS ON HITS 106.9 BROUGHT TO YOU IN PART BY... EQUITY BANK, INNOVATIVE LIVESTOCK SERVICES, SMITH DENTAL CLINIC, CLOCK REALTY &amp; INSURANCE, ROSENBERG FAMILY DENTISTRY, PROGRESSIVE THERAPY &amp; SPORTS MEDICINE, DOERR'S ACE HARDWARE, FARM BUREAU FINANCIAL SERVICES - LEIGH ANN SEEMAN, PAWNEE PLAZA, HEART OF KANSAS FAMILY HEALTH, COMFORT PRO, EAKIN ENTERPRISES, FRICK VETERINARY, USD #495 LARNED, CARR AUCTION &amp; REAL ESTATE, AG SYSTEMS, FUSION BANK, PICKET FENCE REAL ESTATE, AND BARTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE.

Hillsboro 35 Larned 0

- Sounds of the Past 24 Hours - Brady Keith, head coach of the Larned Indians - Conor Nicholl of Sunflower Sports Solutions - Mike Hesher, play by play for the Great Bend Panthers

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756047315700.jpeg" alt="Friday Show Lineup with Host Brant Daughtry" />
 <figcaption>Friday Show Lineup with Host Brant Daughtry</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KX2dQqEpO_g?si=o67cQRZdoGPt-4lG" 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>- Sounds of the Past 24 Hours - Brady Keith, head coach of the Larned Indians - Conor Nicholl of Sunflower Sports Solutions - Mike Hesher, play by play for the Great Bend Panthers

Friday on Sports Day

CLEVELAND -- A fastball that was supposed to be up-and-in to C.J. Kayfus, Cleveland’s No. 9 hitter, instead landed at the bottom of the zone and directly into Kayfus’ bat as the rookie connected with it, sent it 425 feet out to right-center field and delivered the biggest swing of momentum into the Guardians’ dugout.

Thus, the self-described best day of Kayfus’ life turned out to be one of the Royals’ worst.

Kayfus’ home run off Royals reliever&nbsp;John Schreiber&nbsp;in the bottom of the eighth inning gave Kansas City a&nbsp;3-2 heartbreaker of a loss&nbsp;on Thursday night at Progressive Field, flying out of Cleveland with a series loss and more ground to make up in the standings.

The Royals (74-73) are&nbsp;five games back of an American League Wild Card spot&nbsp;following the Mariners' (79-68) win over the Angels on Thursday. Two teams sit ahead of Kansas City, too, with Texas (77-70), which is in the midst of a tight AL West race, and Cleveland (75-71), which holds the&nbsp;season tiebreaker&nbsp;over Kansas City, gaining ground on the Royals this week.

“Our road is very difficult right now,” said&nbsp;Vinnie Pasquantino, who hit his 30th home run of the season to give the Royals a two-run lead in the first inning. “It’s not over, though. We’ve got to do whatever we can to get some wins and try to stack them together. We’re at the point where we have to get hot. That’s the only way that it’s going to happen. We need some things to go our way. We need to score more runs.

“We need to get hot, plain and simple. We’ve got 15 to go. Starts tomorrow. But we’ve got 15 left to win 15 ballgames, basically.”

Their path doesn’t get easier; the Royals head to Philadelphia on Friday for a three-game set and then back to Kauffman Stadium for the final homestand of the regular season against the Mariners and Blue Jays.

The road ahead makes the series loss in Cleveland all the more crushing. The Royals led Thursday’s game for 7 1/2 innings. Their starter was excellent. Stephen Kolek dominated a Guardians lineup of all lefties for 6 2/3 innings, allowing just one run on three hits.

In three starts as a Royal, Kolek has a 1.83 ERA.

“Historically, lefties have been a challenge for me,” Kolek said. “I’ve been working on developing new weapons, and to be able to execute them at a pretty good clip tonight, to see the plan of attack that we had, [that] felt pretty good.”

Schreiber recorded the final out of the seventh after Kolek walked his final batter. In the eighth, Schreiber had two strikes on Bo Naylor, who then poked a single through a hole and into right field.

Kayfus crushed his third career homer moments later.

Both were lefties, but the Royals have confidence in Schreiber against lefties -- his .227/.292/.375 slash line against them this year backs that up. After a bullpen game Wednesday in which Lucas Erceg threw two innings, manager Matt Quatraro was hoping for one-plus out of Schreiber on Thursday before likely turning to Carlos Estévez for the save situation in the ninth.

He got the one-plus from Schreiber; the Royals never saw the bottom of the ninth inning.

“Missed a couple of pitches, [and they] did some damage,” Schreiber said. “It’s frustrating. I haven’t been coming up in big spots the last few series. Hurting the team.”

Royals pitching really had no margin for error. The offense fizzled after the first. Guardians starter Gavin Williams was shaky in his first inning, throwing 31 pitches, allowing the homer to Pasquantino and walking two batters.

Williams retired 17 of his final 22 batters after Pasquantino’s homer. The Royals recorded one hit in the final three innings off four Guardians relievers.

The Royals were only down by one run in the ninth, and they got their leadoff batter on when reliever Cade Smith hit Jonathan India with a pitch. Pinch-runner Tyler Tolbert never stole second like he did Wednesday night.

“We could have taken a chance,” Quatraro said. “But Smith’s a 1.1 [second] to the plate [guy]. It’s not a good proposition. We could have taken that chance. Then if he gets thrown out, you got no chance to flip the lineup over.”

Kyle Isbel struck out on a foul bunt, with the bunt sign coming from the dugout as the Royals wanted to get Tolbert into scoring position. But all three pitches Isbel attempted to bunt on were rising fastballs.

Pinch-hitter Nick Loftin struck out. Mike Yastrzemski flied out to end the game.

“Whole team’s frustrated with how we did this series,” Schreiber said. “Just got to go into Philly and get some energy and kick some butt.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1753362703712.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals' Vinnie Pasquantino hits a two-run home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in Chicago, Wednesday, July 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals' Vinnie Pasquantino hits a two-run home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in Chicago, Wednesday, July 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)</figcaption>
 </figure>Anne Rogers MLB.comCLEVELAND -- A fastball that was supposed to be up-and-in to C.J. Kayfus, Cleveland’s No. 9 hitter, instead landed at the bottom of the zone and directly into Kayfus’ bat as the rookie connected with it, sent it 425 feet out to right-center field and delivered the biggest swing of momentum into the Guardians’ dugout.Thus, the self-described best day of Kayfus’ life turned out to be one of the Royals’ worst.Kayfus’ home run off Royals reliever&nbsp;John Schreiber&nbsp;in the bottom of the eighth inning gave Kansas City a&nbsp;3-2 heartbreaker of a loss&nbsp;on Thursday night at Progressive Field, flying out of Cleveland with a series loss and more ground to make up in the standings.The Royals (74-73) are&nbsp;five games back of an American League Wild Card spot&nbsp;following the Mariners' (79-68) win over the Angels on Thursday. Two teams sit ahead of Kansas City, too, with Texas (77-70), which is in the midst of a tight AL West race, and Cleveland (75-71), which holds the&nbsp;season tiebreaker&nbsp;over Kansas City, gaining ground on the Royals this week.“Our road is very difficult right now,” said&nbsp;Vinnie Pasquantino, who hit his 30th home run of the season to give the Royals a two-run lead in the first inning. “It’s not over, though. We’ve got to do whatever we can to get some wins and try to stack them together. We’re at the point where we have to get hot. That’s the only way that it’s going to happen. We need some things to go our way. We need to score more runs.“We need to get hot, plain and simple. We’ve got 15 to go. Starts tomorrow. But we’ve got 15 left to win 15 ballgames, basically.”Their path doesn’t get easier; the Royals head to Philadelphia on Friday for a three-game set and then back to Kauffman Stadium for the final homestand of the regular season against the Mariners and Blue Jays.The road ahead makes the series loss in Cleveland all the more crushing. The Royals led Thursday’s game for 7 1/2 innings. Their starter was excellent. Stephen Kolek dominated a Guardians lineup of all lefties for 6 2/3 innings, allowing just one run on three hits.In three starts as a Royal, Kolek has a 1.83 ERA.“Historically, lefties have been a challenge for me,” Kolek said. “I’ve been working on developing new weapons, and to be able to execute them at a pretty good clip tonight, to see the plan of attack that we had, [that] felt pretty good.”Schreiber recorded the final out of the seventh after Kolek walked his final batter. In the eighth, Schreiber had two strikes on Bo Naylor, who then poked a single through a hole and into right field.Kayfus crushed his third career homer moments later.Both were lefties, but the Royals have confidence in Schreiber against lefties -- his .227/.292/.375 slash line against them this year backs that up. After a bullpen game Wednesday in which Lucas Erceg threw two innings, manager Matt Quatraro was hoping for one-plus out of Schreiber on Thursday before likely turning to Carlos Estévez for the save situation in the ninth.He got the one-plus from Schreiber; the Royals never saw the bottom of the ninth inning.“Missed a couple of pitches, [and they] did some damage,” Schreiber said. “It’s frustrating. I haven’t been coming up in big spots the last few series. Hurting the team.”Royals pitching really had no margin for error. The offense fizzled after the first. Guardians starter Gavin Williams was shaky in his first inning, throwing 31 pitches, allowing the homer to Pasquantino and walking two batters.Williams retired 17 of his final 22 batters after Pasquantino’s homer. The Royals recorded one hit in the final three innings off four Guardians relievers.The Royals were only down by one run in the ninth, and they got their leadoff batter on when reliever Cade Smith hit Jonathan India with a pitch. Pinch-runner Tyler Tolbert never stole second like he did Wednesday night.“We could have taken a chance,” Quatraro said. “But Smith’s a 1.1 [second] to the plate [guy]. It’s not a good proposition. We could have taken that chance. Then if he gets thrown out, you got no chance to flip the lineup over.”Kyle Isbel struck out on a foul bunt, with the bunt sign coming from the dugout as the Royals wanted to get Tolbert into scoring position. But all three pitches Isbel attempted to bunt on were rising fastballs.Pinch-hitter Nick Loftin struck out. Mike Yastrzemski flied out to end the game.“Whole team’s frustrated with how we did this series,” Schreiber said. “Just got to go into Philly and get some energy and kick some butt.”

Gut-punch loss puts Royals in tough spot in Wild Card race

Indigo Pruitt&nbsp;and&nbsp;Aubrey Olander&nbsp;of the 3rd ranked Barton Community College volleyball team have been selected for week three Division I honors distributed the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference.

The duo dominated the middle net helping lead Barton to five victories during the week beginning with a conference road sweep at Hutchinson followed by four victories at the Odessa Invitational including a pair of wins over ranked opponents Friday followed by two sweeps on Saturday.

the Cougars' demanding six-match week featuring its KJCCC opening victory at Butler, in addition to, then taking on four ranked opponents in three days which included statement victories over No. 8 Missouri State-West Plains and No. 11 New Mexico Military Institute to finish the week going 4-2.

Pruitt totaled 43 kills on .419 hitting across 17 sets while also contributing 20 blocks, three digs, and 55 total points in a strong two-way showing to earn the freshman's first Offensive Player of the Week award. Recording a career high 10 kills on a .381 efficiency at Hutchinson, Indigo's standout performance came next in Texas against No. 14 New Mexico Military Institute on a career high 8 blocks and hammered a career best 12 kills on .571 efficiency in the four-set victory.

Olander finished the week with 24 blocks and 10 digs across 17 sets while offensively contributing 41 kills on a .366 hitting percentage. Olander's week was highlighted by a breakout performance against No. 13 Frank Phillips College in posting her first career double-double with 15 kills and 11 blocks in the four-set victory. The sophomore followed with six kills and six blocks against No. 14 New Mexico Military Institute before beginning the final day of the weekend with 13 kills in a sweep of Casper College.

Most recently, the duo helped Barton to a big road test resulting in a 3-1 at Dodge City Community College. Pruitt stayed hot contributing 8 kills on .375 efficiency and four total blocks while Olander chipped in 4 block assists and 6 kills.

Barton improved to 3-0 in league and 14-2 on the season while Dodge City, predicted to finish second with the Cougars in the conference race, slips to 2-1 and 8-7 on the year.

Next up is a weekend trip to Sterling, Colorado, for the Sheila Worley Tournament beginning Friday versus Laramie County Community College at 10:30 a.m. followed by a 3:30 p.m. tangle with No. 9 Odessa College. Saturday's action begins at 3:30 p.m. with their second match in a week versus New Mexico Junior College before closing out the trip at 8:30 p.m. against the host and 5th ranked Northeastern Junior College.

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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757680153697.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Indigo Pruitt&nbsp;and&nbsp;Aubrey Olander&nbsp;of the 3rd ranked Barton Community College volleyball team have been selected for week three Division I honors distributed the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference.The duo dominated the middle net helping lead Barton to five victories during the week beginning with a conference road sweep at Hutchinson followed by four victories at the Odessa Invitational including a pair of wins over ranked opponents Friday followed by two sweeps on Saturday.the Cougars' demanding six-match week featuring its KJCCC opening victory at Butler, in addition to, then taking on four ranked opponents in three days which included statement victories over No. 8 Missouri State-West Plains and No. 11 New Mexico Military Institute to finish the week going 4-2.Pruitt totaled 43 kills on .419 hitting across 17 sets while also contributing 20 blocks, three digs, and 55 total points in a strong two-way showing to earn the freshman's first Offensive Player of the Week award. Recording a career high 10 kills on a .381 efficiency at Hutchinson, Indigo's standout performance came next in Texas against No. 14 New Mexico Military Institute on a career high 8 blocks and hammered a career best 12 kills on .571 efficiency in the four-set victory.Olander finished the week with 24 blocks and 10 digs across 17 sets while offensively contributing 41 kills on a .366 hitting percentage. Olander's week was highlighted by a breakout performance against No. 13 Frank Phillips College in posting her first career double-double with 15 kills and 11 blocks in the four-set victory. The sophomore followed with six kills and six blocks against No. 14 New Mexico Military Institute before beginning the final day of the weekend with 13 kills in a sweep of Casper College.Most recently, the duo helped Barton to a big road test resulting in a 3-1 at Dodge City Community College. Pruitt stayed hot contributing 8 kills on .375 efficiency and four total blocks while Olander chipped in 4 block assists and 6 kills.Barton improved to 3-0 in league and 14-2 on the season while Dodge City, predicted to finish second with the Cougars in the conference race, slips to 2-1 and 8-7 on the year.Next up is a weekend trip to Sterling, Colorado, for the Sheila Worley Tournament beginning Friday versus Laramie County Community College at 10:30 a.m. followed by a 3:30 p.m. tangle with No. 9 Odessa College. Saturday's action begins at 3:30 p.m. with their second match in a week versus New Mexico Junior College before closing out the trip at 8:30 p.m. against the host and 5th ranked Northeastern Junior College.

Barton's Pruitt and Olander named week three KJCCC Volleyball honors

Masaki Tsuji&nbsp;and&nbsp;Pedro Lisboa&nbsp;of the 7th ranked Barton Community College men's soccer team have been named the week three KJCCC and NJCAA Division I Players of the Week.

In Barton's lone outing last week, the freshman duo played key roles in a 3-1 neutral-site victory over No. 11 Lewis &amp; Clark Community College at Pratt's Bill Keller Family Sports Complex.

Tsuji continued his strong start to his inaugural season with two second-half goals, the first standing as the eventual game-winner.

Lisboa rose to the occasion in net, recording seven saves and turning away multiple attacks, with the lone blemish coming in the 80th minute. Making just his third appearance of the year, Lisboa secured his first collegiate victory after previously posting a draw against No. 2 Indian Hills and a narrow loss to top-ranked Iowa Western.

Tsuji carried the momentum into this week, striking for the game-winner just 8:30 into Wednesday's 4-0 road victory at Seward County. He later assisted on Barton's third goal, marking his second multi-point effort of the season. He currently ranks second in the KJCCC in both goals and points, while sitting third in assists.

The Cougars' conference-opening win lifted them to 3-1-1 overall as they head into a week's break before returning to action next Wednesday against Garden City Community College. Due to ongoing construction at the Cougar Soccer Complex, the contest will be played at the FHSU Soccer Stadium in Hays with kickoff set for 1:00 p.m.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757680068393.jpeg" alt="Masaki Tsuji and Pedro Lisboa" />
 <figcaption>Masaki Tsuji and Pedro Lisboa</figcaption>
 </figure>Masaki Tsuji&nbsp;and&nbsp;Pedro Lisboa&nbsp;of the 7th ranked Barton Community College men's soccer team have been named the week three KJCCC and NJCAA Division I Players of the Week.In Barton's lone outing last week, the freshman duo played key roles in a 3-1 neutral-site victory over No. 11 Lewis &amp; Clark Community College at Pratt's Bill Keller Family Sports Complex.Tsuji continued his strong start to his inaugural season with two second-half goals, the first standing as the eventual game-winner.Lisboa rose to the occasion in net, recording seven saves and turning away multiple attacks, with the lone blemish coming in the 80th minute. Making just his third appearance of the year, Lisboa secured his first collegiate victory after previously posting a draw against No. 2 Indian Hills and a narrow loss to top-ranked Iowa Western.Tsuji carried the momentum into this week, striking for the game-winner just 8:30 into Wednesday's 4-0 road victory at Seward County. He later assisted on Barton's third goal, marking his second multi-point effort of the season. He currently ranks second in the KJCCC in both goals and points, while sitting third in assists.The Cougars' conference-opening win lifted them to 3-1-1 overall as they head into a week's break before returning to action next Wednesday against Garden City Community College. Due to ongoing construction at the Cougar Soccer Complex, the contest will be played at the FHSU Soccer Stadium in Hays with kickoff set for 1:00 p.m.

 Barton's Tsuji and Lisboa double-up week three conference and national honors

CLEVELAND (AP) — Rookie C.J. Kayfus hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning as the Cleveland Guardians rallied for a 3-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Thursday night.

Cleveland (75-71) has won six of seven and took three of four in the series against its AL Central rival as it tries to stay in contention for the final AL wild card spot.

The Guardians trail Seattle by three games with 15 games remaining.

Kansas City's Vinnie Pasquantino became the fourth left-handed batter in Royals history to record 30 home runs in a season with a two-run drive in the first inning. The last Royals lefty batter to reach the mark was Mike Moustakas with 38 in 2017. The others were John Mayberry (34 in 1975) and Hall of Famer George Brett (30 in 1985).

The Royals (74-73) have gone 4-6 in their last 10 games and are 4 1/2 games back for the final wild card.

Guardians' catcher Bo Naylor led off the eighth with a base hit to right field. Kayfus followed with a towering 425-foot drive to right-center on a low fastball on a 1-0 count from John Schreiber (3-3) for his third homer of the season.

Matt Festa (4-3) got the win with a scoreless eighth inning. Cade Smith hit Jonathan India with a fastball to lead off the ninth and then retired the next three batters for his 13th save.

The Royals were 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position. They had runners at the corners with two outs in the sixth, but Guardians starter Gavin Williams struck out India with a sweeper on a full count to end the frame.

In 30 games since Aug. 10, Pasquatino leads the majors with 33 RBIs and is tied with the Mets’ Juan Soto at 11 home runs.

Royals: Open a three-game series at Philadelphia on Friday with RHP Michael Lorenzen (5-10, 4.63 ERA) on the mound.

Guardians: RHP Tanner Bibee (9-11, 4.69 ERA) gets the call on Friday for the start of a three-game set against the Chicago White Sox.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757679958170.jpeg" alt="Cleveland Guardians right fielder CJ Kayfus catches a fly ball hit for an out but Kansas City Royals' Maikel Garcia in the eighth inning of a baseball game in Cleveland, Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)" />
 <figcaption>Cleveland Guardians right fielder CJ Kayfus catches a fly ball hit for an out but Kansas City Royals' Maikel Garcia in the eighth inning of a baseball game in Cleveland, Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)</figcaption>
 </figure>CLEVELAND (AP) — Rookie C.J. Kayfus hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning as the Cleveland Guardians rallied for a 3-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Thursday night.Cleveland (75-71) has won six of seven and took three of four in the series against its AL Central rival as it tries to stay in contention for the final AL wild card spot.The Guardians trail Seattle by three games with 15 games remaining.Kansas City's Vinnie Pasquantino became the fourth left-handed batter in Royals history to record 30 home runs in a season with a two-run drive in the first inning. The last Royals lefty batter to reach the mark was Mike Moustakas with 38 in 2017. The others were John Mayberry (34 in 1975) and Hall of Famer George Brett (30 in 1985).The Royals (74-73) have gone 4-6 in their last 10 games and are 4 1/2 games back for the final wild card.Guardians' catcher Bo Naylor led off the eighth with a base hit to right field. Kayfus followed with a towering 425-foot drive to right-center on a low fastball on a 1-0 count from John Schreiber (3-3) for his third homer of the season.Matt Festa (4-3) got the win with a scoreless eighth inning. Cade Smith hit Jonathan India with a fastball to lead off the ninth and then retired the next three batters for his 13th save.<h2>Key moment</h2>The Royals were 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position. They had runners at the corners with two outs in the sixth, but Guardians starter Gavin Williams struck out India with a sweeper on a full count to end the frame.<h2>Key stat</h2>In 30 games since Aug. 10, Pasquatino leads the majors with 33 RBIs and is tied with the Mets’ Juan Soto at 11 home runs.<h2>Up next</h2>Royals: Open a three-game series at Philadelphia on Friday with RHP Michael Lorenzen (5-10, 4.63 ERA) on the mound.Guardians: RHP Tanner Bibee (9-11, 4.69 ERA) gets the call on Friday for the start of a three-game set against the Chicago White Sox.

C.J. Kayfus' homer in 8th inning propels Guardians to 3-2 victory over Royals

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Jordan Love threw for 292 yards and two touchdowns and the Green Bay Packers beat the Washington Commanders 27-18. Tight end Tucker Kraft caught six passes for a career-high 124 yards to help the Packers improve to 2-0 for the first time since 2020. Love and Kraft connected on an 8-yard touchdown play with 8:57 left to thwart the Commanders’ comeback attempt. Love’s other touchdown pass was a 5-yarder to Romeo Doubs in the first quarter. Washington gained just 11 yards in the first quarter and lost running back Austin Ekeler to an Achilles tendon injury late in the game.

NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge has hit his 361st career home run, tying Hall of Fame outfielder Joe DiMaggio for fourth place in New York Yankees history. The two-time AL MVP went deep twice in the first three innings against the Detroit Tigers, with President Donald Trump in attendance at Yankee Stadium on the 24th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Judge launched homer No. 360 in the first inning, a 413-foot drive off Tyler Holton that put New York up 1-0. Judge matched DiMaggio in the third by driving a fastball from Sawyer Gipson-Long to the back of the Tigers’ bullpen in left-center field for his second homer of the game.

NEW YORK (AP) — President Donald Trump attended the New York Yankees victory over the Detroit Tigers in the Bronx, drawing mixed reactions from the crowd. The visit marks the 24th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. Earlier Thursday, Trump honored victims at the Pentagon. Security was heightened at the stadium, with metal detectors and Secret Service agents present at every entrance. Trump greeted players before the game and predicted a Yankees win, recalling past games with late owner George Steinbrenner. Trump, who was born in Queens, has attended a series of major sporting events since returning to the White House in January.

Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson didn’t need to play a snap in the preseason. They were spectacular in their first game action of the season. Jackson led the Baltimore Ravens to a 15-point, fourth-quarter lead only to watch Allen rally the Buffalo Bills to a 41-40 victory. NFL coaches have to make difficult decisions each preseason, choosing whether to rest starters or put quarterbacks in harm’s way in meaningless games. Green Bay’s Jordan Love injured his hand in an exhibition game but was ready to play in Week 1. Sitting out doesn’t mean guys will be ineffective. Playing in preseason games doesn’t guarantee success early in the season, either.

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — Two-time Olympic finalist Erriyon Knighton was banned for four years in a doping case of an anabolic steroid. It rules the 21-year-old United States sprinter out of the 2028 Los Angeles Games. The Court of Arbitration for Sport says its judges upheld separate appeals by the World Anti-Doping Agency and track and field investigators. They had asked for a maximum four-year ban after Knighton was cleared by a U.S. tribunal. Knighton placed fourth in the 200 meters at the Paris Olympics after being judged not at fault for a positive test for trenbolone. His ban expires in July 2029.

NEW YORK (AP) — The NHL says the five players acquitted of sexual assault charges stemming from an incident in 2018 will be eligible to sign a contract Oct. 15 and play Dec. 1. The league announced the decision Thursday to reinstate Dillon Dube, Cal Foote, Alex Formenton, Carter Hart, and Michael McLeod a little over a month since a judge in London, Ontario, found them not guilty. They were members of Canada’s 2018 world junior team at the time and not yet in the NHL. The NHL Players' Association in a statement said it was pleased Dube, Foote, Formention, Hart and McLeod will get a chance to resume their careers.

The WNBA playoffs are set to begin Sunday with New York looking to become the fourth team to repeat as champions and Minnesota trying to avenge last season’s heartbreaking loss in the Finals. Indiana is back in the playoffs, but missing star guard Caitlin Clark, who has been sidelined for the last two months with a groin injury and will miss the postseason. The Liberty will have a difficult road as they are the No. 5 seed and open up at Phoenix on Sunday. After starting out 9-0, injuries decimated New York and left the Liberty in the difficult position of having to win at least one game on the road in each series to win a second straight title.

LONDON (AP) — South Africa plays its first ever quarterfinal in the Women’s Rugby World Cup against six-time champion New Zealand on Saturday in Exeter. South Africa coach Swys de Bruin believes in miracles. He sacrificed a 57-10 loss to France last weekend to rest 10 front-line players for the Black Ferns, stack his bench with a 7-1 bomb squad, and urge his Springbok Women to enjoy the biggest game of their lives. There needs to be three other miracles this weekend if the established order is to be upset. Canada takes a perfect 7-0 record against Australia into their Bristol clash. France has beaten Ireland in their last eight games over eight years. England closes the quarterfinals on Sunday having won the last 27 games against Scotland.

TOKYO (AP) — From a start-up track league that didn’t pay its runners to the inability of the sport to put its best athletes on the track at the same time and place, track and field begins its world championships looking disorganized. The Olympics in Los Angeles, and a chance to capture the world’s imagination, are three years away, but there remain big questions about whether the sport is positioned to capture the momentum.

Paddy Donovan and Lewis Crocker square off Saturday with the IBF welterweight belt on the line. It’s billed as the first all-Irish world title fight. The setting is Windsor Park soccer stadium in Belfast. It's a rematch of their fight in March. Donovan was in control but was disqualified when he dropped Crocker with a punch after the eighth-round bell. Donovan said he didn’t hear it. The first bout had been to become mandatory challenger to Jaron “Boots” Ennis, but the American vacated the title to move up a division. So the rematch was upgraded to a world title fight.

INTERLEAGUE Final Baltimore 3 Pittsburgh 2

AMERICAN LEAGUE Final Chicago White Sox 5 Tampa Bay 1 Final Toronto 6 Houston 0 Final Cleveland 3 Kansas City 2 Final N.Y. Yankees 9 Detroit 3 Final Seattle 7 L.A. Angels 6

NATIONAL LEAGUE Final Miami 5 Washington 0 Final Philadelphia 6 N.Y. Mets 4 Final San Diego 2 Colorado 0

NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE Final Green Bay 27 Washington 18

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739459822020.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Jordan Love threw for 292 yards and two touchdowns and the Green Bay Packers beat the Washington Commanders 27-18. Tight end Tucker Kraft caught six passes for a career-high 124 yards to help the Packers improve to 2-0 for the first time since 2020. Love and Kraft connected on an 8-yard touchdown play with 8:57 left to thwart the Commanders’ comeback attempt. Love’s other touchdown pass was a 5-yarder to Romeo Doubs in the first quarter. Washington gained just 11 yards in the first quarter and lost running back Austin Ekeler to an Achilles tendon injury late in the game.NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge has hit his 361st career home run, tying Hall of Fame outfielder Joe DiMaggio for fourth place in New York Yankees history. The two-time AL MVP went deep twice in the first three innings against the Detroit Tigers, with President Donald Trump in attendance at Yankee Stadium on the 24th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Judge launched homer No. 360 in the first inning, a 413-foot drive off Tyler Holton that put New York up 1-0. Judge matched DiMaggio in the third by driving a fastball from Sawyer Gipson-Long to the back of the Tigers’ bullpen in left-center field for his second homer of the game.NEW YORK (AP) — President Donald Trump attended the New York Yankees victory over the Detroit Tigers in the Bronx, drawing mixed reactions from the crowd. The visit marks the 24th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. Earlier Thursday, Trump honored victims at the Pentagon. Security was heightened at the stadium, with metal detectors and Secret Service agents present at every entrance. Trump greeted players before the game and predicted a Yankees win, recalling past games with late owner George Steinbrenner. Trump, who was born in Queens, has attended a series of major sporting events since returning to the White House in January.Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson didn’t need to play a snap in the preseason. They were spectacular in their first game action of the season. Jackson led the Baltimore Ravens to a 15-point, fourth-quarter lead only to watch Allen rally the Buffalo Bills to a 41-40 victory. NFL coaches have to make difficult decisions each preseason, choosing whether to rest starters or put quarterbacks in harm’s way in meaningless games. Green Bay’s Jordan Love injured his hand in an exhibition game but was ready to play in Week 1. Sitting out doesn’t mean guys will be ineffective. Playing in preseason games doesn’t guarantee success early in the season, either.LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — Two-time Olympic finalist Erriyon Knighton was banned for four years in a doping case of an anabolic steroid. It rules the 21-year-old United States sprinter out of the 2028 Los Angeles Games. The Court of Arbitration for Sport says its judges upheld separate appeals by the World Anti-Doping Agency and track and field investigators. They had asked for a maximum four-year ban after Knighton was cleared by a U.S. tribunal. Knighton placed fourth in the 200 meters at the Paris Olympics after being judged not at fault for a positive test for trenbolone. His ban expires in July 2029.NEW YORK (AP) — The NHL says the five players acquitted of sexual assault charges stemming from an incident in 2018 will be eligible to sign a contract Oct. 15 and play Dec. 1. The league announced the decision Thursday to reinstate Dillon Dube, Cal Foote, Alex Formenton, Carter Hart, and Michael McLeod a little over a month since a judge in London, Ontario, found them not guilty. They were members of Canada’s 2018 world junior team at the time and not yet in the NHL. The NHL Players' Association in a statement said it was pleased Dube, Foote, Formention, Hart and McLeod will get a chance to resume their careers.The WNBA playoffs are set to begin Sunday with New York looking to become the fourth team to repeat as champions and Minnesota trying to avenge last season’s heartbreaking loss in the Finals. Indiana is back in the playoffs, but missing star guard Caitlin Clark, who has been sidelined for the last two months with a groin injury and will miss the postseason. The Liberty will have a difficult road as they are the No. 5 seed and open up at Phoenix on Sunday. After starting out 9-0, injuries decimated New York and left the Liberty in the difficult position of having to win at least one game on the road in each series to win a second straight title.LONDON (AP) — South Africa plays its first ever quarterfinal in the Women’s Rugby World Cup against six-time champion New Zealand on Saturday in Exeter. South Africa coach Swys de Bruin believes in miracles. He sacrificed a 57-10 loss to France last weekend to rest 10 front-line players for the Black Ferns, stack his bench with a 7-1 bomb squad, and urge his Springbok Women to enjoy the biggest game of their lives. There needs to be three other miracles this weekend if the established order is to be upset. Canada takes a perfect 7-0 record against Australia into their Bristol clash. France has beaten Ireland in their last eight games over eight years. England closes the quarterfinals on Sunday having won the last 27 games against Scotland.TOKYO (AP) — From a start-up track league that didn’t pay its runners to the inability of the sport to put its best athletes on the track at the same time and place, track and field begins its world championships looking disorganized. The Olympics in Los Angeles, and a chance to capture the world’s imagination, are three years away, but there remain big questions about whether the sport is positioned to capture the momentum.Paddy Donovan and Lewis Crocker square off Saturday with the IBF welterweight belt on the line. It’s billed as the first all-Irish world title fight. The setting is Windsor Park soccer stadium in Belfast. It's a rematch of their fight in March. Donovan was in control but was disqualified when he dropped Crocker with a punch after the eighth-round bell. Donovan said he didn’t hear it. The first bout had been to become mandatory challenger to Jaron “Boots” Ennis, but the American vacated the title to move up a division. So the rematch was upgraded to a world title fight.INTERLEAGUE Final Baltimore 3 Pittsburgh 2AMERICAN LEAGUE Final Chicago White Sox 5 Tampa Bay 1 Final Toronto 6 Houston 0 Final Cleveland 3 Kansas City 2 Final N.Y. Yankees 9 Detroit 3 Final Seattle 7 L.A. Angels 6NATIONAL LEAGUE Final Miami 5 Washington 0 Final Philadelphia 6 N.Y. Mets 4 Final San Diego 2 Colorado 0NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE Final Green Bay 27 Washington 18

Friday Sports Headlines and Scores presented by Barton Community College

- Erin Beck, head coach of the Great Bend Panthers

- Mike Hesher, play-by-play for the Great Bend Panthers

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756047315700.jpeg" alt="Thursday Show Lineup with host Brant Daughtry" />
 <figcaption>Thursday Show Lineup with host Brant Daughtry</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7MhzRi4Su78?si=Op6D_YML6qHrY9wC" 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>- Sounds of the Past 24 Hours- Erin Beck, head coach of the Great Bend Panthers- Cole Reif of Kanas Sports Chatter- Mike Hesher, play-by-play for the Great Bend Panthers

Thursday on Sports Day(Watch)

CLEVELAND (AP) — Nick Loftin singled in the tying run and scored on Maikel Garcia’s double in the seventh inning, sending the Kansas City Royals to a 4-3 victory over the Cleveland Guardians on Wednesday night.

Kansas City snapped a three-game losing streak and moved within 3 1/2 games of Seattle, which holds the third and final American League wild-card position. The Guardians are three behind the Mariners.

Cleveland led 3-2 after six before Loftin drove in Tyler Tolbert, then came around on Garcia’s liner off the wall in left against Hunter Gaddis. Tim Herrin (5-4) was charged with both runs.

Luinder Avila (1-0) worked two scoreless innings for his first career win and Carlos Estévez pitched the ninth for his major league-leading 39th save.

Kyle Manzardo hit a two-run homer in the first and Bo Naylor had an RBI single in the fourth for Cleveland, which had won five straight. Manzardo’s 432-foot shot off Jonathan Bowlan was the longest of his career and his 26th homer of the season.

Vinnie Pasquantino and Jonathan India both singled in runs for Kansas City. Pasquantino reached 100 RBIs for the first time.

Guardians starter Logan Allen gave up two runs in five innings, remaining winless in seven outings since July 29.

Jac Caglianone walked with one out in the seventh and was replaced by pinch-runner Tolbert, who scored on Loftin’s pinch-hit single off Herrin. Gaddis entered and gave up Garcia’s RBI double.

Kansas City used six pitchers with Bowlan logging the first two innings. Michael Wacha was slated to start before suffering a concussion as a result of what manager Matt Quatraro termed “an off-field accident.”

Royals RHP Stephen Kolek (5-5, 3.88 ERA) faces Guardians RHP Gavin Williams (10-5, 3.17 ERA) in the four-game series finale on Thursday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757593678048.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., left, fields a ball hit by Cleveland Guardians' C.J. Kayfus during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Dermer)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., left, fields a ball hit by Cleveland Guardians' C.J. Kayfus during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Dermer)</figcaption>
 </figure>CLEVELAND (AP) — Nick Loftin singled in the tying run and scored on Maikel Garcia’s double in the seventh inning, sending the Kansas City Royals to a 4-3 victory over the Cleveland Guardians on Wednesday night.Kansas City snapped a three-game losing streak and moved within 3 1/2 games of Seattle, which holds the third and final American League wild-card position. The Guardians are three behind the Mariners.Cleveland led 3-2 after six before Loftin drove in Tyler Tolbert, then came around on Garcia’s liner off the wall in left against Hunter Gaddis. Tim Herrin (5-4) was charged with both runs.Luinder Avila (1-0) worked two scoreless innings for his first career win and Carlos Estévez pitched the ninth for his major league-leading 39th save.Kyle Manzardo hit a two-run homer in the first and Bo Naylor had an RBI single in the fourth for Cleveland, which had won five straight. Manzardo’s 432-foot shot off Jonathan Bowlan was the longest of his career and his 26th homer of the season.Vinnie Pasquantino and Jonathan India both singled in runs for Kansas City. Pasquantino reached 100 RBIs for the first time.Guardians starter Logan Allen gave up two runs in five innings, remaining winless in seven outings since July 29.<h2>Key moment</h2>Jac Caglianone walked with one out in the seventh and was replaced by pinch-runner Tolbert, who scored on Loftin’s pinch-hit single off Herrin. Gaddis entered and gave up Garcia’s RBI double.<h2>Key stat</h2>Kansas City used six pitchers with Bowlan logging the first two innings. Michael Wacha was slated to start before suffering a concussion as a result of what manager Matt Quatraro termed “an off-field accident.”<h2>Up next</h2>Royals RHP Stephen Kolek (5-5, 3.88 ERA) faces Guardians RHP Gavin Williams (10-5, 3.17 ERA) in the four-game series finale on Thursday.

Nick Loftin singles in tying run and scores in 7th, Royals rally for 4-3 win over Guardians

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy is a "long shot" to play against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday due to a toe injury. Coach Kyle Shanahan said Wednesday that Purdy couldn't practice after getting hurt in a season-opening win at Seattle. If Purdy can't play, Mac Jones will start for the 49ers. Purdy played through injuries to his toe and left shoulder, leading a game-winning drive against Seattle. Jones, a former first-round pick by New England, signed with San Francisco in March. The 49ers are also without star tight end George Kittle, who is on injured reserve.

Racial abuse in European soccer is on the rise, with several incidents reported early in the season. In England, Germany, Italy, and Spain, Black players have faced racial slurs from fans. Anti-discrimination campaigners are alarmed by the persistence of racism despite efforts by FIFA, UEFA, and clubs to combat it. Piara Powar of the Fare network notes a significant increase in incidents compared to last season. Some players are calling for tougher penalties. FIFA has announced a new panel of former players to advise on anti-racism initiatives, but specific actions remain unclear.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs are downplaying emotional outbursts during their season-opening loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in Brazil. Star tight end Travis Kelce confronted right tackle Jawaan Taylor, who was penalized four times. Later, linebacker Drue Tranquill had words with defensive tackle Chris Jones after a crucial mistake. Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Wednesday that emotions are part of the game but acknowledged the team came out flat last Friday. Patrick Mahomes emphasized the passion among teammates, saying they hold each other accountable. The Chiefs have a Super Bowl rematch with Philadelphia on Sunday.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Steelers offensive line has plenty to clean up ahead of a Week 2 visit from Seattle. While Pittsburgh pulled out a 34-32 victory over the New York Jets in the season opener, the line allowed quarterback Aaron Rodgers to be sacked four times. The 41-year-old Rodgers admits he contributed to some of those sacks and acknowledges he wasn't moving as well as he'd like after sitting out the preseason. Left tackle Broderick Jones, who allowed three sacks, knows he needs to improve. The Steelers are confident Jones can turn things around. They face a tough challenge against the Seahawks' aggressive defense next week.

NEW YORK (AP) — The NBA is not rushing its investigation into whether a business relationship between Kawhi Leonard and a California company was legitimate or a way for the Los Angeles Clippers to bypass salary cap rules. Commissioner Adam Silver said Wednesday that the league will wait for a report from an outside firm before taking further steps. The investigation began last week after a report suggested a $28 million endorsement deal between Leonard and Aspiration Fund Adviser, LLC, might have broken league rules. The Clippers deny any wrongdoing and welcome the investigation. Silver emphasized the importance of due process and fairness.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has built most of his domestic travel around attending sporting events. Rather than rooting for any particular team, however, he seems more eager to soak up the spotlight and spectacle of the events — even if some in the crowd boo him. During his second term, Trump has attended major sporting events such as the Super Bowl, Daytona 500 and the U.S. Open, and now he plans to go to Thursday's Yankees-Tigers baseball game in the Bronx.

The Procore Championship has a 144-man field to start the Fall portion of the PGA Tour schedule. It feels like Ryder Cup training camp. Scottie Scheffler, Collin Morikawa and Justin Thomas are among 10 players on the U.S. team wanting to play at Silverado this week to stay sharp for the Ryder Cup. Scheffler was a big voice in encouraging everyone to play in Napa at the start of the year knowing it was the only tournament between the Tour Championship and the Ryder Cup. But the world's No. 1 player says he's not just here to talk Ryder Cup.

Micah Parsons ran down Jared Goff for his first sack with the Green Bay Packers. Now, he’ll be chasing Jayden Daniels. Fresh off a convincing victory over the two-time defending NFC North champion Lions, the Packers host the Washington Commanders to kick off Week 2. The Commanders ran for 220 yards, including 68 by Daniels, in their win over the Giants. Without Kenny Clark stuffing the middle, the Packers still shut down Detroit’s run game. Parsons played 45% of the snaps just 10 days after the two-time All-Pro pass rusher was acquired from Dallas in a blockbuster deal. He should see more action on short rest.

It’s hard to not notice the handful of games where Power Four teams play Group of Five opponents on the road. Among Associated Press Top 25 teams this week, No. 13 Oklahoma is at Temple and No. 14 Iowa State visits Arkansas State. Among the unranked, SMU travels to FBS newcomer Missouri State, Duke is at Tulane and Utah goes to Wyoming. There should be fewer Power Four road games against G5 teams in coming years as athletic directors craft schedules giving them best paths to the College Football Playoff.

TOKYO (AP) — Noah Lyles and Kenny Bednarek set the stage for what could be the best legit sprint rivalry the sport of track has seen in decades with a message-sending staredown, then the two-handed shove that followed, then the trash talk that came after that. Their next showdown: track and field world championships in Tokyo. The championships start Saturday and the 200-meter final, which will bring a likely rematch between Lyles and Bednarek, is scheduled for September 19.

INTERLEAGUE Final Texas 6 Milwaukee 3 Final Baltimore 2 Pittsburgh 1 Final Seattle 4 St. Louis 2

AMERICAN LEAGUE Final Athletics 5 Boston 4 Final L.A. Angels 4 Minnesota 3 Final Kansas City 4 Cleveland 3 Final Houston 3 Toronto 2 Final Detroit 11 N.Y. Yankees 1 Final Chicago White Sox 6 Tampa Bay 5

NATIONAL LEAGUE Final Arizona 5 San Francisco 3 Final Miami 8 Washington 3 Final Philadelphia 11 N.Y. Mets 3 Final Chicago Cubs 3 Atlanta 2 Final Cincinnati 2 San Diego 1 Final L.A. Dodgers 9 Colorado 0

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739459822020.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy is a "long shot" to play against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday due to a toe injury. Coach Kyle Shanahan said Wednesday that Purdy couldn't practice after getting hurt in a season-opening win at Seattle. If Purdy can't play, Mac Jones will start for the 49ers. Purdy played through injuries to his toe and left shoulder, leading a game-winning drive against Seattle. Jones, a former first-round pick by New England, signed with San Francisco in March. The 49ers are also without star tight end George Kittle, who is on injured reserve.Racial abuse in European soccer is on the rise, with several incidents reported early in the season. In England, Germany, Italy, and Spain, Black players have faced racial slurs from fans. Anti-discrimination campaigners are alarmed by the persistence of racism despite efforts by FIFA, UEFA, and clubs to combat it. Piara Powar of the Fare network notes a significant increase in incidents compared to last season. Some players are calling for tougher penalties. FIFA has announced a new panel of former players to advise on anti-racism initiatives, but specific actions remain unclear.KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs are downplaying emotional outbursts during their season-opening loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in Brazil. Star tight end Travis Kelce confronted right tackle Jawaan Taylor, who was penalized four times. Later, linebacker Drue Tranquill had words with defensive tackle Chris Jones after a crucial mistake. Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Wednesday that emotions are part of the game but acknowledged the team came out flat last Friday. Patrick Mahomes emphasized the passion among teammates, saying they hold each other accountable. The Chiefs have a Super Bowl rematch with Philadelphia on Sunday.PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Steelers offensive line has plenty to clean up ahead of a Week 2 visit from Seattle. While Pittsburgh pulled out a 34-32 victory over the New York Jets in the season opener, the line allowed quarterback Aaron Rodgers to be sacked four times. The 41-year-old Rodgers admits he contributed to some of those sacks and acknowledges he wasn't moving as well as he'd like after sitting out the preseason. Left tackle Broderick Jones, who allowed three sacks, knows he needs to improve. The Steelers are confident Jones can turn things around. They face a tough challenge against the Seahawks' aggressive defense next week.NEW YORK (AP) — The NBA is not rushing its investigation into whether a business relationship between Kawhi Leonard and a California company was legitimate or a way for the Los Angeles Clippers to bypass salary cap rules. Commissioner Adam Silver said Wednesday that the league will wait for a report from an outside firm before taking further steps. The investigation began last week after a report suggested a $28 million endorsement deal between Leonard and Aspiration Fund Adviser, LLC, might have broken league rules. The Clippers deny any wrongdoing and welcome the investigation. Silver emphasized the importance of due process and fairness.WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has built most of his domestic travel around attending sporting events. Rather than rooting for any particular team, however, he seems more eager to soak up the spotlight and spectacle of the events — even if some in the crowd boo him. During his second term, Trump has attended major sporting events such as the Super Bowl, Daytona 500 and the U.S. Open, and now he plans to go to Thursday's Yankees-Tigers baseball game in the Bronx.The Procore Championship has a 144-man field to start the Fall portion of the PGA Tour schedule. It feels like Ryder Cup training camp. Scottie Scheffler, Collin Morikawa and Justin Thomas are among 10 players on the U.S. team wanting to play at Silverado this week to stay sharp for the Ryder Cup. Scheffler was a big voice in encouraging everyone to play in Napa at the start of the year knowing it was the only tournament between the Tour Championship and the Ryder Cup. But the world's No. 1 player says he's not just here to talk Ryder Cup.Micah Parsons ran down Jared Goff for his first sack with the Green Bay Packers. Now, he’ll be chasing Jayden Daniels. Fresh off a convincing victory over the two-time defending NFC North champion Lions, the Packers host the Washington Commanders to kick off Week 2. The Commanders ran for 220 yards, including 68 by Daniels, in their win over the Giants. Without Kenny Clark stuffing the middle, the Packers still shut down Detroit’s run game. Parsons played 45% of the snaps just 10 days after the two-time All-Pro pass rusher was acquired from Dallas in a blockbuster deal. He should see more action on short rest.It’s hard to not notice the handful of games where Power Four teams play Group of Five opponents on the road. Among Associated Press Top 25 teams this week, No. 13 Oklahoma is at Temple and No. 14 Iowa State visits Arkansas State. Among the unranked, SMU travels to FBS newcomer Missouri State, Duke is at Tulane and Utah goes to Wyoming. There should be fewer Power Four road games against G5 teams in coming years as athletic directors craft schedules giving them best paths to the College Football Playoff.TOKYO (AP) — Noah Lyles and Kenny Bednarek set the stage for what could be the best legit sprint rivalry the sport of track has seen in decades with a message-sending staredown, then the two-handed shove that followed, then the trash talk that came after that. Their next showdown: track and field world championships in Tokyo. The championships start Saturday and the 200-meter final, which will bring a likely rematch between Lyles and Bednarek, is scheduled for September 19.FinalsINTERLEAGUE Final Texas 6 Milwaukee 3 Final Baltimore 2 Pittsburgh 1 Final Seattle 4 St. Louis 2AMERICAN LEAGUE Final Athletics 5 Boston 4 Final L.A. Angels 4 Minnesota 3 Final Kansas City 4 Cleveland 3 Final Houston 3 Toronto 2 Final Detroit 11 N.Y. Yankees 1 Final Chicago White Sox 6 Tampa Bay 5NATIONAL LEAGUE Final Arizona 5 San Francisco 3 Final Miami 8 Washington 3 Final Philadelphia 11 N.Y. Mets 3 Final Chicago Cubs 3 Atlanta 2 Final Cincinnati 2 San Diego 1 Final L.A. Dodgers 9 Colorado 0

Thursday Sports Headlines and Scores presented by Barton Community College

- Zach Baird, head coach of the Hoisington Cardinals

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756047315700.jpeg" alt="Wednesday Show&nbsp; Lineup with Host Brant Daughtry" />
 <figcaption>Wednesday Show&nbsp; Lineup with Host Brant Daughtry</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wvdZhDjm3Bw?si=Q3sTKWpPWW4wdw7f" 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>- Zach Baird, head coach of the Hoisington Cardinals- Cole Reif of Kansas Sports Chatter- Steve Webster, former host of the show

Wednesday on Sports Day(Watch)

D. Scott Fritchen KStateSports.com It's a shortened week for Kansas State, which less than 48 hours after a frustrating 24-21 home loss to Army, has plenty to do before leaving Thursday evening for an important non-conference Big 12 Conference showdown at Arizona on Friday at 8:00 p.m. (CT) at Arizona Stadium in Tucson, Arizona.

K-State head coach&nbsp;Chris Klieman&nbsp;began his weekly news conference on Monday breaking down the week ahead.

"Today is a Tuesday afternoon for us from a practice standpoint, so we've had to move on pretty quickly," he said. "We were with the guys (Sunday). Didn't practice, just walked through some things, and today will be like a normal Tuesday practice. We won't put pads on today, but we'll resume that tomorrow.

K-State, 1-2 overall and 0-1 in the Big 12 Conference, beat Arizona in a non-conference clash 31-7 last year during a Friday night game in Manhattan. The Wildcats are 4-1 in the regular season against non-conference Power 4 opponents under Klieman, beating Mississippi State (2019), Stanford (2021), Missouri (2022) and Arizona (2024), while the lone loss came on a last-second field goal by Missouri (2023).

After the emotional loss at Missouri, the Wildcats collected themselves and went 7-3 the remainder of the 2023 season. &nbsp;Klieman hopes this K-State team, too, can turn things around. The Wildcats suffered a 24-21 loss to Iowa State in Ireland, and then needed late-game heroics to survive FCS member North Dakota, before possessing the football just 19:31 in a 24-21 loss to Army — a nighttime battle that drained the Wildcats and their fans at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.

"The week before when it went our way (against UND), it's probably easier to be hard on them, and I thought we were really hard on them after UND," Klieman said. "This week, two-fold, with it being a short week, we were probably both (hard and gentle). We were challenging on some guys that we know have to and can play better, and on the flipside, we've got to be firm and then wipe it clean, because we have to get back and get ready to work."&nbsp; &nbsp;

A total of seven points separates K-State from an unblemished season.

"(Guys are) frustrated, obviously not a great mental state when you have three one-score games and don't find a way to win two of them," Klieman said. "I think they realize, and we all do, when you look at the three games, how close we are, but close doesn't count, and it's a handful of plays in all three phases that if we can flip it, we really can turn this."

Arizona, 2-0, has begun its season with a pair of convincing home wins in following up a 40-6 victory over Hawai'i with a 48-3 win over Weber State at 50,800-capacity Arizona Stadium. Arizona, led by second-year head coach Brent Brennan, possesses talent.

Quarterback Noah Fifita has a 210.35 passing efficiency rating in completing 30-of-45 passes for 534 yards and six touchdowns and no interceptions. Wide receiver Javin Whatley has eight catches for 206 yards (25.75 yards per catch) and two touchdowns. Running back Quincy Craig has 15 carries for 156 yards (10.4 yards per attempt) and one touchdown.

"When you blow people out the first two weeks, you gain confidence," Klieman said, "and you can tell they're playing with a lot of confidence on both sides of the ball."

K-State has posted at least 375 total yards in 34 games since 2022, which is tied for fourth among Power 4 teams, but the Wildcats against Army managed just 246 yards on 43 plays —&nbsp;their fewest plays in a game since against Navy in the 2019 Liberty Bowl — while possessing the football just 3 minutes, 16 seconds in the final two quarters.&nbsp; 

Army ran 82 plays and gained 332 total yards, and Klieman and his staff are all-too aware of the wear-and-tear the contest took on the Wildcats.

"Our defensive line is the one that we've got to be smart with those guys," Klieman said. "(Our) guys are going to play physical and they've proven they have for the amount of years that these kids have been here on the defensive line, and so we have to take care of those guys.&nbsp;Damian Ilalio&nbsp;and&nbsp;Uso Seumalo&nbsp;are going to play their tails off. We have to make sure they're as fresh and as healthy as we can get them for Friday night rather than them seeing a ton of pictures that they've probably seen over the last handful of years. Those two in particular really stand out to me.

"We rotated enough of the defensive ends that they're not as probably as beat up, although they played a lot of snaps. We just have to be really smart. On a short week, you can't go a normal padded Tuesday. We have to take care of those guys."

Klieman indicated that there's a "really good chance" the defensive line could get some good news on Friday with the return of defensive end&nbsp;Ryan Davis. Junior&nbsp;Tobi Osunsanmi&nbsp;has played lights out for the Wildcats, but the addition of the 6-foot-4, 252-pound Davis could also help things along a defensive line that features four defensive linemen this season.

"I'm pleased with it," Klieman said of the four-man defensive front this season. "We didn't play very well against UND, and then you have to take the Army game out. That's the hard thing. We were going to play in a four-man front regardless of what we were going to change because that's what Joe and I know in defending the option. Against North Dakota, we didn't play great and (defensive coordinator)&nbsp;Joe Klanderman&nbsp;would tell you the same thing, that I don't think we put our kids in the best possibilities to make plays against North Dakota on the defensive line. We're going to find out this week if we've cleaned some of that up.

"There's a really good chance we can get&nbsp;Ryan Davis&nbsp;back this week. Tobi is playing really good football, but it'll give us another guy on the edge. That would help solidify some things on the defensive line and maybe not have to play Damion and Uso as much as we have."&nbsp; 

Conversely, Klieman delivered less-than-ideal reports on junior running back&nbsp;Dylan Edwards&nbsp;and senior wide receiver&nbsp;Jerand Bradley.

"It's probably 50/50," Klieman said. "He was out there with the walk-through. He's not practicing today. That's a concern for him moving forward. I know we don't have injury reports this week because it's not a Big 12 game. I don't know. It's not out, but he's probably in that questionable-to-doubtful range."

Bradley, one of the top receiving targets in the first three games, suffered an injury on Saturday while diving into the end zone with the ball in his hands for what officials deemed an incompletion.

"We will not have JB," Klieman said. "I think he's going to be down for a few weeks. We're learning more this week with some more imaging, but it's likely we're going to miss him for a few weeks, but I don't know if that's two or four."

Klieman did comment on a new trend in college football — the prevalent nature of facing a former player.

K-State senior safety&nbsp;Gunner Maldonado&nbsp;arrived this offseason from Arizona, where he served as a team captain. Sophomore wide receiver&nbsp;Tre Spivey&nbsp;transferred to Arizona after playing at K-State last season.

"That's college football now," Klieman said. "I'm happy&nbsp;Tre Spivey&nbsp;found a home and is playing. That's what it's about is finding a place that you fit and play, and I'm happy we were able to get Gunner here. That's just college football now."

The game of college football has changed in many ways in recent years.

The method for reaching sustained success typically hasn't. And that, in part, includes player leadership.

"We had a good meeting yesterday of the accountability factor for those guys that they understand that we're in a tough spot – not a crisis – but a tough spot," Klieman said. "We're still growing and still going to get some guys back that are banged up.

"We just need to keep finding ways to play better football every day."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757514328127.jpeg" alt="KStateSports.com" />
 <figcaption>KStateSports.com</figcaption>
 </figure>D. Scott Fritchen KStateSports.com It's a shortened week for Kansas State, which less than 48 hours after a frustrating 24-21 home loss to Army, has plenty to do before leaving Thursday evening for an important non-conference Big 12 Conference showdown at Arizona on Friday at 8:00 p.m. (CT) at Arizona Stadium in Tucson, Arizona.K-State head coach&nbsp;Chris Klieman&nbsp;began his weekly news conference on Monday breaking down the week ahead."Today is a Tuesday afternoon for us from a practice standpoint, so we've had to move on pretty quickly," he said. "We were with the guys (Sunday). Didn't practice, just walked through some things, and today will be like a normal Tuesday practice. We won't put pads on today, but we'll resume that tomorrow."It's going to be a quick turnaround."K-State, 1-2 overall and 0-1 in the Big 12 Conference, beat Arizona in a non-conference clash 31-7 last year during a Friday night game in Manhattan. The Wildcats are 4-1 in the regular season against non-conference Power 4 opponents under Klieman, beating Mississippi State (2019), Stanford (2021), Missouri (2022) and Arizona (2024), while the lone loss came on a last-second field goal by Missouri (2023).After the emotional loss at Missouri, the Wildcats collected themselves and went 7-3 the remainder of the 2023 season. &nbsp;Klieman hopes this K-State team, too, can turn things around. The Wildcats suffered a 24-21 loss to Iowa State in Ireland, and then needed late-game heroics to survive FCS member North Dakota, before possessing the football just 19:31 in a 24-21 loss to Army — a nighttime battle that drained the Wildcats and their fans at Bill Snyder Family Stadium."The week before when it went our way (against UND), it's probably easier to be hard on them, and I thought we were really hard on them after UND," Klieman said. "This week, two-fold, with it being a short week, we were probably both (hard and gentle). We were challenging on some guys that we know have to and can play better, and on the flipside, we've got to be firm and then wipe it clean, because we have to get back and get ready to work."&nbsp; &nbsp;A total of seven points separates K-State from an unblemished season."(Guys are) frustrated, obviously not a great mental state when you have three one-score games and don't find a way to win two of them," Klieman said. "I think they realize, and we all do, when you look at the three games, how close we are, but close doesn't count, and it's a handful of plays in all three phases that if we can flip it, we really can turn this."Arizona, 2-0, has begun its season with a pair of convincing home wins in following up a 40-6 victory over Hawai'i with a 48-3 win over Weber State at 50,800-capacity Arizona Stadium. Arizona, led by second-year head coach Brent Brennan, possesses talent.Quarterback Noah Fifita has a 210.35 passing efficiency rating in completing 30-of-45 passes for 534 yards and six touchdowns and no interceptions. Wide receiver Javin Whatley has eight catches for 206 yards (25.75 yards per catch) and two touchdowns. Running back Quincy Craig has 15 carries for 156 yards (10.4 yards per attempt) and one touchdown."When you blow people out the first two weeks, you gain confidence," Klieman said, "and you can tell they're playing with a lot of confidence on both sides of the ball."K-State has posted at least 375 total yards in 34 games since 2022, which is tied for fourth among Power 4 teams, but the Wildcats against Army managed just 246 yards on 43 plays —&nbsp;their fewest plays in a game since against Navy in the 2019 Liberty Bowl — while possessing the football just 3 minutes, 16 seconds in the final two quarters.&nbsp; Army ran 82 plays and gained 332 total yards, and Klieman and his staff are all-too aware of the wear-and-tear the contest took on the Wildcats."Our defensive line is the one that we've got to be smart with those guys," Klieman said. "(Our) guys are going to play physical and they've proven they have for the amount of years that these kids have been here on the defensive line, and so we have to take care of those guys.&nbsp;Damian Ilalio&nbsp;and&nbsp;Uso Seumalo&nbsp;are going to play their tails off. We have to make sure they're as fresh and as healthy as we can get them for Friday night rather than them seeing a ton of pictures that they've probably seen over the last handful of years. Those two in particular really stand out to me."We rotated enough of the defensive ends that they're not as probably as beat up, although they played a lot of snaps. We just have to be really smart. On a short week, you can't go a normal padded Tuesday. We have to take care of those guys."Klieman indicated that there's a "really good chance" the defensive line could get some good news on Friday with the return of defensive end&nbsp;Ryan Davis. Junior&nbsp;Tobi Osunsanmi&nbsp;has played lights out for the Wildcats, but the addition of the 6-foot-4, 252-pound Davis could also help things along a defensive line that features four defensive linemen this season."I'm pleased with it," Klieman said of the four-man defensive front this season. "We didn't play very well against UND, and then you have to take the Army game out. That's the hard thing. We were going to play in a four-man front regardless of what we were going to change because that's what Joe and I know in defending the option. Against North Dakota, we didn't play great and (defensive coordinator)&nbsp;Joe Klanderman&nbsp;would tell you the same thing, that I don't think we put our kids in the best possibilities to make plays against North Dakota on the defensive line. We're going to find out this week if we've cleaned some of that up."There's a really good chance we can get&nbsp;Ryan Davis&nbsp;back this week. Tobi is playing really good football, but it'll give us another guy on the edge. That would help solidify some things on the defensive line and maybe not have to play Damion and Uso as much as we have."&nbsp; Conversely, Klieman delivered less-than-ideal reports on junior running back&nbsp;Dylan Edwards&nbsp;and senior wide receiver&nbsp;Jerand Bradley.As for Edwards?"It's probably 50/50," Klieman said. "He was out there with the walk-through. He's not practicing today. That's a concern for him moving forward. I know we don't have injury reports this week because it's not a Big 12 game. I don't know. It's not out, but he's probably in that questionable-to-doubtful range."Bradley, one of the top receiving targets in the first three games, suffered an injury on Saturday while diving into the end zone with the ball in his hands for what officials deemed an incompletion."We will not have JB," Klieman said. "I think he's going to be down for a few weeks. We're learning more this week with some more imaging, but it's likely we're going to miss him for a few weeks, but I don't know if that's two or four."Klieman did comment on a new trend in college football — the prevalent nature of facing a former player.K-State senior safety&nbsp;Gunner Maldonado&nbsp;arrived this offseason from Arizona, where he served as a team captain. Sophomore wide receiver&nbsp;Tre Spivey&nbsp;transferred to Arizona after playing at K-State last season."That's college football now," Klieman said. "I'm happy&nbsp;Tre Spivey&nbsp;found a home and is playing. That's what it's about is finding a place that you fit and play, and I'm happy we were able to get Gunner here. That's just college football now."The game of college football has changed in many ways in recent years.The method for reaching sustained success typically hasn't. And that, in part, includes player leadership."We had a good meeting yesterday of the accountability factor for those guys that they understand that we're in a tough spot – not a crisis – but a tough spot," Klieman said. "We're still growing and still going to get some guys back that are banged up."We just need to keep finding ways to play better football every day."

A Quick Turnaround

IRVING, Texas (AP) — The Big 12 officiating crew that worked the&nbsp;Kansas-Missouri game&nbsp;last week has been removed from its next assignment because it failed to enforce a rule in the kicking game, the conference announced Tuesday.

NCAA rules require the kick following a touchdown to be kicked off a tee or be a dropkick, a type that's nearly obsolete. Missouri had Connor Weselman punt following its first touchdown, and the Tigers should have been penalized 5 yards and re-kicked properly. The crew headed by referee Mike McCabe allowed the teams to play on after the punt.

“We believe we have one of the best officiating programs in college football,” Big 12 chief football and competition officer Scott Draper said in a statement. “When the Conference’s high standard for officiating is not met, the Big 12 will take action.”

McCabe's crew had been scheduled to work one of the two Big 12 games Friday night. The conference did not specify whether it was Colorado at Houston or Kansas State at Arizona, and a spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Missouri, which beat Kansas 42-31, went into the game with a precarious kicking situation. The Tigers' starting kicker, Blake Craig, tore his ACL in the opener against Central Arkansas and Oliver Robbins handled the opening kickoff.

An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty was called on Missouri after its first touchdown, and the 15-yard penalty was enforced on the kickoff from the Tigers' 20. Weselman punted, against the rules, and Robbins was back to handle kickoffs the rest of the game. The only time a punt is allowed following a score is after a safety.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757507423581.jpeg" alt="Missouri head coach Eliah Drinkwitz watches his team during an NCAA college football intra-squad spring game on March 19, 2022, in Columbia, Mo. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, File)" />
 <figcaption>Missouri head coach Eliah Drinkwitz watches his team during an NCAA college football intra-squad spring game on March 19, 2022, in Columbia, Mo. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>IRVING, Texas (AP) — The Big 12 officiating crew that worked the&nbsp;Kansas-Missouri game&nbsp;last week has been removed from its next assignment because it failed to enforce a rule in the kicking game, the conference announced Tuesday.NCAA rules require the kick following a touchdown to be kicked off a tee or be a dropkick, a type that's nearly obsolete. Missouri had Connor Weselman punt following its first touchdown, and the Tigers should have been penalized 5 yards and re-kicked properly. The crew headed by referee Mike McCabe allowed the teams to play on after the punt.“We believe we have one of the best officiating programs in college football,” Big 12 chief football and competition officer Scott Draper said in a statement. “When the Conference’s high standard for officiating is not met, the Big 12 will take action.”McCabe's crew had been scheduled to work one of the two Big 12 games Friday night. The conference did not specify whether it was Colorado at Houston or Kansas State at Arizona, and a spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.Missouri, which beat Kansas 42-31, went into the game with a precarious kicking situation. The Tigers' starting kicker, Blake Craig, tore his ACL in the opener against Central Arkansas and Oliver Robbins handled the opening kickoff.An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty was called on Missouri after its first touchdown, and the 15-yard penalty was enforced on the kickoff from the Tigers' 20. Weselman punted, against the rules, and Robbins was back to handle kickoffs the rest of the game. The only time a punt is allowed following a score is after a safety.

Big 12 officiating crew removed from next assignment for not enforcing kickoff rule in Missouri win

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs could be without Xavier Worthy and rookie Jalen Royals because of injuries in a depleted wide receiver group when they face the Philadelphia Eagles in a Super Bowl rematch on Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium.

Worthy hurt his shoulder in the opening minutes of the Chiefs'&nbsp;season-opening loss to the Chargers&nbsp;in Brazil, when he collided with tight end Travis Kelce on a crossing route. Chiefs coach Andy Reid did not provide much of an update on Monday, when he spoke briefly with local reporters, saying only that the team was taking it “day by day.”

“He's rehabbing and working his shoulder,” Reid said, “and we'll just see where it goes. See where we end up.”

Royals, a fourth-round pick, did not practice last week and missed Friday night's game while dealing with a knee injury.

“Jalen is doing a good job with his rehab. We'll just see how that ends up this week,” Reid said. “We've got a couple of days here that we've had. Guys are making good progress. But we'll see where it rolls. If neither (Worthy nor Royals) play, we've got guys that we played with the other night that are good football players.”

Still, the loss of Royals and Worthy would leave Kansas City without three of its primary wide receivers against Philadelphia. Rashee Rice already was serving the second game in his six-game suspension for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy. It is part of his punishment following a March 2024 car crash on a Dallas highway that injured several people.

The Chiefs were hoping that the speedy Worthy would help them deal with Rice's absence early in the season, especially after a breakout rookie season in which he led their wide receivers with 59 catches for 638 yards and six touchdowns.

Instead, Worthy was the victim in a friendly fire incident reminiscent of last season, when Rice tore ligaments in his knee when Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes collided with him while trying to make a tackle following an interception.

“It was just one of those deals. Sometimes that happens,” Reid said. “You hope it doesn't very often, for sure.”

Marquise Brown, who missed most of last season with a shoulder injury, led the Chiefs against Los Angeles with 10 grabs for 99 yards. JuJu Smith-Schuster had five catches for 55 yards and Tyquan Thornton had two for 41 yards.

“Tyquan and Hollywood and JuJu did a great job of filling some of those roles,”&nbsp;Mahomes said after the 27-21 defeat. “That’s someone (in Worthy) that was a huge part of our game plan, and someone that we’re counting on to go out there and make plays against some of the man coverage that they played. I thought guys did a good job kind of stepping up in those roles.”

In other news, Reid tried to sidestep questions about the open-handed slap that Chargers defensive tackle Teair Tart delivered to Kelce in the third quarter. Tart was given a personal foul penalty but, because it was an open-handed punch rather than one that was delivered with a closed fist, the officiating crew allowed him to remain in the game.

“I don't understand that rule. I didn't — you know, I guess it's open-hand, fist, whatever. I don't know all that, what their decision was on that,” Reid said. “He definitely got hit in the head pretty hard, whether it was an open fist or a closed fist.

“I'm not sure how you determine that,” Reid added, “which hurts more.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757507285260.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes passes under pressure from Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Khalil Mack during the second half of an NFL football game, Friday, Sept. 5, 2025, in Sao Paulo. (AP Photo/Doug Benc)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes passes under pressure from Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Khalil Mack during the second half of an NFL football game, Friday, Sept. 5, 2025, in Sao Paulo. (AP Photo/Doug Benc)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs could be without Xavier Worthy and rookie Jalen Royals because of injuries in a depleted wide receiver group when they face the Philadelphia Eagles in a Super Bowl rematch on Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium.Worthy hurt his shoulder in the opening minutes of the Chiefs'&nbsp;season-opening loss to the Chargers&nbsp;in Brazil, when he collided with tight end Travis Kelce on a crossing route. Chiefs coach Andy Reid did not provide much of an update on Monday, when he spoke briefly with local reporters, saying only that the team was taking it “day by day.”“He's rehabbing and working his shoulder,” Reid said, “and we'll just see where it goes. See where we end up.”Royals, a fourth-round pick, did not practice last week and missed Friday night's game while dealing with a knee injury.“Jalen is doing a good job with his rehab. We'll just see how that ends up this week,” Reid said. “We've got a couple of days here that we've had. Guys are making good progress. But we'll see where it rolls. If neither (Worthy nor Royals) play, we've got guys that we played with the other night that are good football players.”Still, the loss of Royals and Worthy would leave Kansas City without three of its primary wide receivers against Philadelphia. Rashee Rice already was serving the second game in his six-game suspension for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy. It is part of his punishment following a March 2024 car crash on a Dallas highway that injured several people.The Chiefs were hoping that the speedy Worthy would help them deal with Rice's absence early in the season, especially after a breakout rookie season in which he led their wide receivers with 59 catches for 638 yards and six touchdowns.Instead, Worthy was the victim in a friendly fire incident reminiscent of last season, when Rice tore ligaments in his knee when Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes collided with him while trying to make a tackle following an interception.“It was just one of those deals. Sometimes that happens,” Reid said. “You hope it doesn't very often, for sure.”Marquise Brown, who missed most of last season with a shoulder injury, led the Chiefs against Los Angeles with 10 grabs for 99 yards. JuJu Smith-Schuster had five catches for 55 yards and Tyquan Thornton had two for 41 yards.“Tyquan and Hollywood and JuJu did a great job of filling some of those roles,”&nbsp;Mahomes said after the 27-21 defeat. “That’s someone (in Worthy) that was a huge part of our game plan, and someone that we’re counting on to go out there and make plays against some of the man coverage that they played. I thought guys did a good job kind of stepping up in those roles.”In other news, Reid tried to sidestep questions about the open-handed slap that Chargers defensive tackle Teair Tart delivered to Kelce in the third quarter. Tart was given a personal foul penalty but, because it was an open-handed punch rather than one that was delivered with a closed fist, the officiating crew allowed him to remain in the game.“I don't understand that rule. I didn't — you know, I guess it's open-hand, fist, whatever. I don't know all that, what their decision was on that,” Reid said. “He definitely got hit in the head pretty hard, whether it was an open fist or a closed fist.“I'm not sure how you determine that,” Reid added, “which hurts more.”