By BRANDON SMITH Barton Sports Info

Participating in its' first weekend tournament of the season, the Barton Community College men's bowling team accrued many learning experiences this past weekend in the pair of tier-two events held at the City View Lanes in Fort Worth, Tex.   

The Cougars opened the weekend with a 9th place finish in the SWIBC-I accumulating 6,652 pins over five individual and 12 baker games before coming back 24-hours later in the SWIBC-II finishing with the 12th most knocked down pins 6,500 over seven single games.

Claiming the team title on Saturday was Oklahoma Christian University outlasting the 14-team field with 7,646 pins edging out Newman University's second best of 7,558 while the teams backed their performances on Sunday with OCU tallying a 7,467-best mark to NU's 7,341.

Cale McConnell piloted the Cougars individually finishing just outside the top-30 with a 31st place in the 142-man field with a five-game total of 966. The sophomore averaged a squad best 193.2 behind a pair of 200-plus games (223) and (201).

Recording the highest game on the afternoon was Chris O'Connor rolling a 228 in the first of his five games tossed for a 947 score and 34th finish.

Freshman, Torrey Lindsay fell four spots outside of a top-50 finish in his first collegiate tournament posting an 886 five game total.

Alex Flinn and Cooper Holloway shared the honors of leading the Cougar junior varsity entry, as the duo combined for 723 totals.

Baker's action the Cougars recorded the eighth best score of 2,163 edging out Division I Louisiana State University's ninth most 2,152.

In Sunday's individual games, O'Connor carried the hot hand for Barton posting a 26th placing in the 146-participant field. The freshman finished with an above 200-score in four of his seven rolled games with his highest of 216 coming at the midway point finishing with a seven game average of 201.7.

Cole Brown edged out McConnell as the duo recorded 69th and 70th finishes. Brown recorded a six-game total of 1,136 while McConnell tossed the highest varsity single game score 237 finishing with 1,133 over his six games tossed.

Holloway directed Barton's junior varsity team for the second constitutive day landing a 77th place finish with a six-game total 1,096 with Caleb Murphy falling three spots behind at 1,071.

Landon Wareman fashioned the highest individual game score over the course of the weekend bowling a 258 in his third of his five games appearing in.

Barton will return to action Thursday as they travel to Ottawa, Kan. to battle Ottawa University at 11:00 a.m. inside the Fusion Alley.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696934595462.jpeg" alt="Barton Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Barton Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRANDON SMITH Barton Sports InfoParticipating in its' first weekend tournament of the season, the Barton Community College men's bowling team accrued many learning experiences this past weekend in the pair of tier-two events held at the City View Lanes in Fort Worth, Tex. The Cougars opened the weekend with a 9th place finish in the SWIBC-I accumulating 6,652 pins over five individual and 12 baker games before coming back 24-hours later in the SWIBC-II finishing with the 12th most knocked down pins 6,500 over seven single games.Claiming the team title on Saturday was Oklahoma Christian University outlasting the 14-team field with 7,646 pins edging out Newman University's second best of 7,558 while the teams backed their performances on Sunday with OCU tallying a 7,467-best mark to NU's 7,341.SWIBC-ICale McConnell piloted the Cougars individually finishing just outside the top-30 with a 31st place in the 142-man field with a five-game total of 966. The sophomore averaged a squad best 193.2 behind a pair of 200-plus games (223) and (201).Recording the highest game on the afternoon was Chris O'Connor rolling a 228 in the first of his five games tossed for a 947 score and 34th finish.Freshman, Torrey Lindsay fell four spots outside of a top-50 finish in his first collegiate tournament posting an 886 five game total.Alex Flinn and Cooper Holloway shared the honors of leading the Cougar junior varsity entry, as the duo combined for 723 totals.Baker's action the Cougars recorded the eighth best score of 2,163 edging out Division I Louisiana State University's ninth most 2,152.SWIBC-IIIn Sunday's individual games, O'Connor carried the hot hand for Barton posting a 26th placing in the 146-participant field. The freshman finished with an above 200-score in four of his seven rolled games with his highest of 216 coming at the midway point finishing with a seven game average of 201.7.Cole Brown edged out McConnell as the duo recorded 69th and 70th finishes. Brown recorded a six-game total of 1,136 while McConnell tossed the highest varsity single game score 237 finishing with 1,133 over his six games tossed.Holloway directed Barton's junior varsity team for the second constitutive day landing a 77th place finish with a six-game total 1,096 with Caleb Murphy falling three spots behind at 1,071.Landon Wareman fashioned the highest individual game score over the course of the weekend bowling a 258 in his third of his five games appearing in.Barton will return to action Thursday as they travel to Ottawa, Kan. to battle Ottawa University at 11:00 a.m. inside the Fusion Alley.

Barton Men's Bowling has learning experience at SWIBC-I and SWIBC-II

- The "Voice of the Panthers" Aaron Clark reacts to Friday's 21-14 loss at Liberal

- Great Bend Tribune Sports Editor Jim Misunas

- Mike Courson goes "On the Prowl" for Panther Sports with Great Bend Cross Country coach Lyles Lashley

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1693997740304.jpeg" alt="Monday show lineup with hosts Steve Webster, Mike Courson, Aaron Clark and Mike Hesher" />
 <figcaption>Monday show lineup with hosts Steve Webster, Mike Courson, Aaron Clark and Mike Hesher</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lcj64cgiCyw?si=dMtIOnkhlUbq7fFK" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>- The "Voice of the Panthers" Aaron Clark reacts to Friday's 21-14 loss at Liberal- Great Bend Tribune Sports Editor Jim Misunas- Mike Courson goes "On the Prowl" for Panther Sports with Great Bend Cross Country coach Lyles Lashley- Weekend Sports Headlines- Sounds of the weekend

Monday on Sports Day (Watch)

By TODD MOORE Barton Sports Info

Emmanuel Chirchir made his collegiate debut Saturday morning for the Barton Community College men's cross country team in competing at the Carol Swenson Invitational.

The freshman shook off an inadvertent spiking midway thru the 8k race in going on to a 20th placing out of 105 runners with a 26:23.42 time.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696773499931.jpeg" alt="Barton Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Barton Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>By TODD MOORE Barton Sports InfoEmmanuel Chirchir made his collegiate debut Saturday morning for the Barton Community College men's cross country team in competing at the Carol Swenson Invitational.The freshman shook off an inadvertent spiking midway thru the 8k race in going on to a 20th placing out of 105 runners with a 26:23.42 time.

Barton cross country results from Carol Swenson Invite

By Brandon Smith Barton Sports Info

After having two weeks off, the Barton Community College swimming programs returned to the pool Friday afternoon competing against in-state schools at the fourth annual Sunflower Showdown held inside the Robinson Natatorium in Lawrence, Kan.

The Barton men returned home with a second-place finish after winning eight of the 10-events while their counterparts, the Cougar women finished the one-day event with a third-place finish of 390.5 points.

Earning the men's title was the University of Saint Mary's with a total score of 589 edging out the Cougar's 505-point total while host school Kansas University topped the field of four women's teams with a 760 output to the University of Saint Mary's 412.5.

Barton's next action comes in two weeks at the Kansas Collegiate Showcase held October 27th and 28th, as the Cougars will dual against Sterling College and the University of Saint Mary's.

Leading the Cougars were a trio of individuals winning multiple events on the afternoon. Freshman Louis Ainley swam to a trio of golds, as the freshman outswam the field in the 100-yard backstroke (53.29), 100-yard breaststroke (1:00.85), and 100-yard butterfly (51.41) to conclude a dominating afternoon.

Dominik Strba conquered the lone distance race leading the eight field of 500-yard freestyle participants to the wall (4:54.98) after securing the first individual victory for Barton in the 200-yard IM, with a stoppage of (1:52.12).

Also making a splash was Ethan Baylin taking the ever so eventful 50-yard and 100-yard freestyle events with times of (21.30) and (47.03) respectfully.

The Cougars other victory came in the team events as the four-pack of Ainley, Javan Titus, Straba and Baylin bested seven teams with a top time (1:35.09) in the 200-yard medley relay.

Over the course of the day, Barton logged five new program top-10 times, seven new personal bests and five season bests over the 10 events.

Aleksandra Cicha turned in the best finish on the day with a sixth-place finish in the 100-yard freestyle (1:00.01) edging out Caroline Tipton's seventh place (1:01.76) stoppage.

Hazel Bentley and Elena Lara had the biggest impacts on the program's top-10 list with both etching their names inside the record books twice. Bentley clocked the program's third quickest stoppage (2:14.69) in the 200-yard IM for a 10th place result before joining Lara in the 100-yard butterfly as the duo timed the seventh and eighth quickest program times (1:03.26) and (1:03.59). Lara's other impact time came in the lone distance race, with an 11th place result in the 500-yard freestyle (5:38.64) marking the schools sixth quickest mark.

Barton's other impact inside the program books came in the 100-yard breaststroke as Shaylynn Hanes' wall touching (1:19.46) for 13th place marked the 10th quickest time.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696772695843.jpeg" alt="Barton Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Barton Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>By Brandon Smith Barton Sports InfoAfter having two weeks off, the Barton Community College swimming programs returned to the pool Friday afternoon competing against in-state schools at the fourth annual Sunflower Showdown held inside the Robinson Natatorium in Lawrence, Kan.The Barton men returned home with a second-place finish after winning eight of the 10-events while their counterparts, the Cougar women finished the one-day event with a third-place finish of 390.5 points.Earning the men's title was the University of Saint Mary's with a total score of 589 edging out the Cougar's 505-point total while host school Kansas University topped the field of four women's teams with a 760 output to the University of Saint Mary's 412.5.Barton's next action comes in two weeks at the Kansas Collegiate Showcase held October 27th and 28th, as the Cougars will dual against Sterling College and the University of Saint Mary's.Men's RecapLeading the Cougars were a trio of individuals winning multiple events on the afternoon. Freshman Louis Ainley swam to a trio of golds, as the freshman outswam the field in the 100-yard backstroke (53.29), 100-yard breaststroke (1:00.85), and 100-yard butterfly (51.41) to conclude a dominating afternoon.Dominik Strba conquered the lone distance race leading the eight field of 500-yard freestyle participants to the wall (4:54.98) after securing the first individual victory for Barton in the 200-yard IM, with a stoppage of (1:52.12).Also making a splash was Ethan Baylin taking the ever so eventful 50-yard and 100-yard freestyle events with times of (21.30) and (47.03) respectfully.The Cougars other victory came in the team events as the four-pack of Ainley, Javan Titus, Straba and Baylin bested seven teams with a top time (1:35.09) in the 200-yard medley relay.Women's RecapOver the course of the day, Barton logged five new program top-10 times, seven new personal bests and five season bests over the 10 events.Aleksandra Cicha turned in the best finish on the day with a sixth-place finish in the 100-yard freestyle (1:00.01) edging out Caroline Tipton's seventh place (1:01.76) stoppage.Hazel Bentley and Elena Lara had the biggest impacts on the program's top-10 list with both etching their names inside the record books twice. Bentley clocked the program's third quickest stoppage (2:14.69) in the 200-yard IM for a 10th place result before joining Lara in the 100-yard butterfly as the duo timed the seventh and eighth quickest program times (1:03.26) and (1:03.59). Lara's other impact time came in the lone distance race, with an 11th place result in the 500-yard freestyle (5:38.64) marking the schools sixth quickest mark.Barton's other impact inside the program books came in the 100-yard breaststroke as Shaylynn Hanes' wall touching (1:19.46) for 13th place marked the 10th quickest time.

Barton swimming results from Sunflower Showdown

Oklahoma moved up to
No. 5 in The Associated Press college football poll and Miami’s
late-game gaffe nearly cost the 25th-ranked Hurricanes a spot in the
rankings. No. 1 Georgia got 50 first-place votes after 35 last week.
No. 2 Michigan had 11 first-place votes. No. 3 Ohio State and No. 4
Florida State each moved up a spot and received a first-place vote.
Oklahoma jumped seven places after beating Texas. The Longhorns
slipped to No. 9. For the first time ever, basketball blue bloods
Kentucky, North Carolina, Duke, UCLA, Kansas and Louisville are
ranked in football at the same time.

Oklahoma moved up to
No. 5 in The Associated Press college football poll and Miami’s
late-game gaffe nearly cost the 25th-ranked Hurricanes a spot in the
rankings. No. 1 Georgia got 50 first-place votes after 35 last week.
No. 2 Michigan had 11 first-place votes. No. 3 Ohio State and No. 4
Florida State each moved up a spot and received a first-place vote.
Oklahoma jumped seven places after beating Texas. The Longhorns
slipped to No. 9. For the first time ever, basketball blue bloods
Kentucky, North Carolina, Duke, UCLA, Kansas and Louisville are
ranked in football at the same time.Record	Pts	Prv1. Georgia
(50)	6-0	1559	12. Michigan
(11)	6-0	1489	23. Ohio St.
(1)	5-0	1408	44. Florida St.
(1)	5-0	1389	55.
Oklahoma	6-0	1278	126. Penn
St.	5-0	1273	67.
Washington	5-0	1239	78. Oregon	5-0	1150	89.
Texas	5-1	1052	310. Southern
Cal	6-0	999	911.
Alabama	5-1	971	1112. North
Carolina	5-0	894	1413.
Mississippi	5-1	748	1614.
Louisville	6-0	731	2515. Oregon
St.	5-1	725	1516. Utah	4-1	567	1817. Duke	4-1	479	1918. UCLA	4-1	438	-19. Washington
St.	4-1	412	1319.
Tennessee	4-1	412	2221. Notre
Dame	5-2	374	1022. LSU	4-2	321	2323.
Kansas	5-1	103	-24.
Kentucky	5-1	99	2025. Miami	4-1	74	17

Jayhawks No. 23 in AP Football Poll

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Though Patrick Mahomes and the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs have had plenty of scares already, they've lost just one game, by one point.

The frightening part for the rest of the NFL is what they might look like once they hit their stride.

Mahomes threw two touchdown passes in the third quarter, one to Travis Kelce after the All-Pro tight end had left the game with an ankle injury, and the Chiefs beat the Minnesota Vikings 27-20 on Sunday.

Mahomes went 31 for 41 for 281 yards and no turnovers in his most efficient performance of the season for the Chiefs (4-1), who once again won while not at their best.

“There's a lot of young guys out there, and we're going to keep everybody moving and going in the right direction,” said Mahomes, who completed passes to 10 receivers. “I think by the end of the year we're going to be dangerous, because you're not going to know who's going to get those opportunities throughout the game.”

Kirk Cousins threw for scores to Jordan Addison and Alexander Mattison for the Vikings (1-4). They had two chances at the tying touchdown in the final five minutes, but a late hamstring injury to star wide receiver Justin Jefferson and a lack of timeouts from earlier mismanagement of the game were ultimately too much to overcome.

Jefferson slipped on the turf while trying to make a cut on his route during a third-down pass deep in Kansas City territory. He grabbed the back of his right leg and limped slowly to the sideline. Coach Kevin O'Connell said after the game it was too early to provide a timeline for Jefferson's return.

Mahomes hit Justin Watson with a 33-yard heave on third-and-18 from his own 17 to extend the Chiefs' first possession of the second half. The two-time MVP finished that drive with a tiebreaking 8-yard scoring toss to Rashee Rice.

“We were backed up," Mahomes said. “That really could've changed the game.”

Kelce, whose rumored girlfriend Taylor Swift was not in attendance after the superstar singer attended the Chiefs' previous two games, fell awkwardly to the turf after catching a pass in the second quarter and went for X-rays. He watched the first possession after halftime from the sideline and went back in for the next one.

With coordinator Steve Spagnuolo sending plenty of extra rushers at Cousins, the defense was the catalyst for the Chiefs. Jefferson was held to three catches and 28 yards, both season lows, with cornerback L'Jarius Sneed leading the effort from the secondary.

“They played exceptionally today,” said Chris Jones, who had one of the three sacks and three of the 12 hits on Cousins. “Hats off go to those guys.”

All four of Minnesota's losses have come by eight points or fewer this year after a record 11 wins in 11 one-score games in 2022. The Vikings lost a fumble on their opening possession, again, a turnover by tight end Josh Oliver that the Chiefs recovered at the Minnesota 45. Isaiah Pacheco's touchdown run capped the drive and gave Kansas City the early lead.

The Vikings have an NFL-most 12 turnovers, including eight lost fumbles.

“We need to protect the football, and we need to make plays when they are there,” said Cousins, who went 29 for 47 for 284 yards and no turnovers.

After Cousins connected with Mattison on a 9-yard touchdown pass that pulled the Vikings within seven points with 12:11 left, the defense did its part by forcing punts on both of the Chiefs' possessions.

The Vikings had fourth-and-7 at the 19 with 4:54 remaining and took a delay of game penalty. Then Cousins chucked the ball into the end zone near Addison as he was hit on a cornerback blitz by Trent McDuffie. Addison collided with Sneed, but the flag for defensive pass interference was waved off.

“I feel like I had my head back,” said Sneed, whose removal of his helmet to argue the initial call did not get penalized, much to the anger of O'Connell.

The Vikings regained possession with 1:07 to go at their 19, but Cousins was again under heavy pressure. On the final play from the Chiefs 38, he was sacked by Mike Danna.

“We’ve got to find a way to eliminate some of those outcomes from affecting our chances of winning the game,” O'Connell said.

The victory gave Mahomes at least one against every opponent in the league. The Vikings were the only team he'd never beaten in six years as Kansas City's starter. This was the first time he'd ever faced the team that plays in the city where his father, Pat Mahomes, pitched for the Minnesota Twins.

Chiefs: LB Nick Bolton (ankle) was sidelined for the third straight game, replaced by Drue Tranquill.

Vikings: C Garrett Bradbury (back) returned to the starting lineup after missing the last three games.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Though Patrick Mahomes and the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs have had plenty of scares already, they've lost just one game, by one point.The frightening part for the rest of the NFL is what they might look like once they hit their stride.Mahomes threw two touchdown passes in the third quarter, one to Travis Kelce after the All-Pro tight end had left the game with an ankle injury, and the Chiefs beat the Minnesota Vikings 27-20 on Sunday.Mahomes went 31 for 41 for 281 yards and no turnovers in his most efficient performance of the season for the Chiefs (4-1), who once again won while not at their best.“There's a lot of young guys out there, and we're going to keep everybody moving and going in the right direction,” said Mahomes, who completed passes to 10 receivers. “I think by the end of the year we're going to be dangerous, because you're not going to know who's going to get those opportunities throughout the game.”Kirk Cousins threw for scores to Jordan Addison and Alexander Mattison for the Vikings (1-4). They had two chances at the tying touchdown in the final five minutes, but a late hamstring injury to star wide receiver Justin Jefferson and a lack of timeouts from earlier mismanagement of the game were ultimately too much to overcome.Jefferson slipped on the turf while trying to make a cut on his route during a third-down pass deep in Kansas City territory. He grabbed the back of his right leg and limped slowly to the sideline. Coach Kevin O'Connell said after the game it was too early to provide a timeline for Jefferson's return.Mahomes hit Justin Watson with a 33-yard heave on third-and-18 from his own 17 to extend the Chiefs' first possession of the second half. The two-time MVP finished that drive with a tiebreaking 8-yard scoring toss to Rashee Rice.“We were backed up," Mahomes said. “That really could've changed the game.”Kelce, whose rumored girlfriend Taylor Swift was not in attendance after the superstar singer attended the Chiefs' previous two games, fell awkwardly to the turf after catching a pass in the second quarter and went for X-rays. He watched the first possession after halftime from the sideline and went back in for the next one.With coordinator Steve Spagnuolo sending plenty of extra rushers at Cousins, the defense was the catalyst for the Chiefs. Jefferson was held to three catches and 28 yards, both season lows, with cornerback L'Jarius Sneed leading the effort from the secondary.“They played exceptionally today,” said Chris Jones, who had one of the three sacks and three of the 12 hits on Cousins. “Hats off go to those guys.”All four of Minnesota's losses have come by eight points or fewer this year after a record 11 wins in 11 one-score games in 2022. The Vikings lost a fumble on their opening possession, again, a turnover by tight end Josh Oliver that the Chiefs recovered at the Minnesota 45. Isaiah Pacheco's touchdown run capped the drive and gave Kansas City the early lead.The Vikings have an NFL-most 12 turnovers, including eight lost fumbles.“We need to protect the football, and we need to make plays when they are there,” said Cousins, who went 29 for 47 for 284 yards and no turnovers.STOPPED SHORTAfter Cousins connected with Mattison on a 9-yard touchdown pass that pulled the Vikings within seven points with 12:11 left, the defense did its part by forcing punts on both of the Chiefs' possessions.The Vikings had fourth-and-7 at the 19 with 4:54 remaining and took a delay of game penalty. Then Cousins chucked the ball into the end zone near Addison as he was hit on a cornerback blitz by Trent McDuffie. Addison collided with Sneed, but the flag for defensive pass interference was waved off.“I feel like I had my head back,” said Sneed, whose removal of his helmet to argue the initial call did not get penalized, much to the anger of O'Connell.The Vikings regained possession with 1:07 to go at their 19, but Cousins was again under heavy pressure. On the final play from the Chiefs 38, he was sacked by Mike Danna.“We’ve got to find a way to eliminate some of those outcomes from affecting our chances of winning the game,” O'Connell said.CHECK THAT BOXThe victory gave Mahomes at least one against every opponent in the league. The Vikings were the only team he'd never beaten in six years as Kansas City's starter. This was the first time he'd ever faced the team that plays in the city where his father, Pat Mahomes, pitched for the Minnesota Twins.INJURY REPORTChiefs: LB Nick Bolton (ankle) was sidelined for the third straight game, replaced by Drue Tranquill.Vikings: C Garrett Bradbury (back) returned to the starting lineup after missing the last three games.UP NEXTChiefs: Host Denver on Thursday night.Vikings: Visit Chicago next Sunday.

Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs outlast Vikings 27-20

The change from warm weather to cold must mean it's time for regional tennis action. Teams around Kansas competed on Friday and Saturday with the top six singles players and doubles teams advancing to their respective state tournaments. In Salina, Great Bend came up one win shy of sending two players to state.

Class 5A in Salina Playing as the No. 5 seed, Great Bend's Kaylin Wahlmeier just needed to do her part in the bracket to advance. She did just that, opening with a 6-1, 6-2 win against Valley Center. She secured her spot at state with a 1-6, 6-2, 10-7 win against the No. 4 seed from Salina South. After a loss to the top-seed and eventual champion from Emporia, Wahlmeier placed fourth in the bracket with a loss to the No. 6 seed from Valley Center.

As the No. 8 seed, Paige Stacey came up one win shy of state. She downed the No. 9 seed from Salina South 6-0, 6-4 before falling to the No. 1 seed from Emporia. Needing one win to advance to the fifth-place match, Stacey was defeated by the No. 4 seed from Salina South.

Great Bend's doubles teams failed to advance past the first round. Seniors Sam Mayers and Taylor Lashley have played as the No. 1 team most of the season. They entered the bracket Saturday as the No. 13 seed in a 6-2, 6-2 loss to the No. 4 seed from Buhler that went on to place fifth. Mac Lindberg and Darcy Feist entered as the No. 7 seed with a 6-2, 6-1 loss to the No. 7 seed from Valley Center that placed sixth to qualify for state.

Wahlmeier will return to Salina to play in the Class 5A State Tennis Championships on Friday.

Other area state qualifiers: Class 3-1A at Hesston: Larned senior Abigail Holt entered the singles bracket as the No. 1 seed and carried that forward to the championship. Ellsworth senior Karli Haase placed fourth in the bracket to qualify, and Lady Bearcat sophomore Felis De La Cruz placed sixth to qualify. Ellsworth's doubles team of freshman Reygan Coonrod and Inarie Rippert placed second, and the team of junior Elena Jundt and freshman Hannah Vague finished fourth to qualify. Ellsworth scored 16 points to beat Hesston by three points for the regional team championship.

Class 3-1A at Phillipbsurg: Central Plains senior Lauren Oeser finished fourth in the singles bracket to punch her ticket to state. Lady Oiler juniors Grace Lamatsch and Ryann Metro finished third in the doubles bracket to qualify.

The Class 3-1A State Tennis Championships begin in Topeka on Friday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614342133195.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Great Bend Post SportsThe change from warm weather to cold must mean it's time for regional tennis action. Teams around Kansas competed on Friday and Saturday with the top six singles players and doubles teams advancing to their respective state tournaments. In Salina, Great Bend came up one win shy of sending two players to state.Class 5A in Salina Playing as the No. 5 seed, Great Bend's Kaylin Wahlmeier just needed to do her part in the bracket to advance. She did just that, opening with a 6-1, 6-2 win against Valley Center. She secured her spot at state with a 1-6, 6-2, 10-7 win against the No. 4 seed from Salina South. After a loss to the top-seed and eventual champion from Emporia, Wahlmeier placed fourth in the bracket with a loss to the No. 6 seed from Valley Center.As the No. 8 seed, Paige Stacey came up one win shy of state. She downed the No. 9 seed from Salina South 6-0, 6-4 before falling to the No. 1 seed from Emporia. Needing one win to advance to the fifth-place match, Stacey was defeated by the No. 4 seed from Salina South.Great Bend's doubles teams failed to advance past the first round. Seniors Sam Mayers and Taylor Lashley have played as the No. 1 team most of the season. They entered the bracket Saturday as the No. 13 seed in a 6-2, 6-2 loss to the No. 4 seed from Buhler that went on to place fifth. Mac Lindberg and Darcy Feist entered as the No. 7 seed with a 6-2, 6-1 loss to the No. 7 seed from Valley Center that placed sixth to qualify for state.Wahlmeier will return to Salina to play in the Class 5A State Tennis Championships on Friday.Other area state qualifiers: Class 3-1A at Hesston: Larned senior Abigail Holt entered the singles bracket as the No. 1 seed and carried that forward to the championship. Ellsworth senior Karli Haase placed fourth in the bracket to qualify, and Lady Bearcat sophomore Felis De La Cruz placed sixth to qualify. Ellsworth's doubles team of freshman Reygan Coonrod and Inarie Rippert placed second, and the team of junior Elena Jundt and freshman Hannah Vague finished fourth to qualify. Ellsworth scored 16 points to beat Hesston by three points for the regional team championship.Class 3-1A at Phillipbsurg: Central Plains senior Lauren Oeser finished fourth in the singles bracket to punch her ticket to state. Lady Oiler juniors Grace Lamatsch and Ryann Metro finished third in the doubles bracket to qualify.The Class 3-1A State Tennis Championships begin in Topeka on Friday.

Wahlmeier qualifies for state; other regional tennis results

With a pair of losses on Tuesday - just their second and the third of the season - the Lady Panther volleyball team faced some adversity. How did they respond? By knocking off top-ranked Hillsboro (2A) and No. 9 Emporia (5A) on Thursday. They carried that momentum into Saturday's tournament at El Dorado, improving to 25-3 overall with a 5-0 showing.

Twenty of the 25 wins this season have come in straight sets. Great Bend picked up three more of those wins Saturday but twice needed three sets to get by Chanute, including a 25-20, 22-25, 25-14 win in the finals.

The Lady Panthers opened with a 25-19, 25-9 win over Wichita West. Senior Makenzie Premer led the offense with six kills, followed by four each from senior Sadie Spray and juniors Cassie Ellegood and Kara Feist. Senior Lauryn Davis served up five aces and freshman Kya Behr added three. Spray and Feist each had two blocks. The back row needed just 16 digs in the win. Senior Macy Nachtigal led the team with four, and Davis followed with three. Behr had nine assists and Spray finished with six.

Great Bend defeated August 25-18, 26-24. Ellegood led a balanced attack with seven kills. Feist added six, and sophomore Denver Ringo finished with four. Spray was big at the net defensively with five blocks, followed by four from Feist, and three from Ellegood. The back row was much busier with 38 digs, led by 13 from Nachtigal and seven from Behr. Behr again led the team with 15 assists.

Chanute dominated the first set in the first meeting 25-10. The Lady Panthers responded to take the final two sets 25-23, 25-21. Great Bend needed some extra time to get past Buhler 31-29, 25-18 in the semifinals.

The Lady Panthers travel north to Phillipsburg for a triangular that includes No. 3 Smith Center (2A) on Tuesday. They close out the regular season Saturday with the Western Athletic Conference Tournament in Dodge City Saturday.

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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696817852389.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Great Bend Post SportsWith a pair of losses on Tuesday - just their second and the third of the season - the Lady Panther volleyball team faced some adversity. How did they respond? By knocking off top-ranked Hillsboro (2A) and No. 9 Emporia (5A) on Thursday. They carried that momentum into Saturday's tournament at El Dorado, improving to 25-3 overall with a 5-0 showing.Twenty of the 25 wins this season have come in straight sets. Great Bend picked up three more of those wins Saturday but twice needed three sets to get by Chanute, including a 25-20, 22-25, 25-14 win in the finals.The Lady Panthers opened with a 25-19, 25-9 win over Wichita West. Senior Makenzie Premer led the offense with six kills, followed by four each from senior Sadie Spray and juniors Cassie Ellegood and Kara Feist. Senior Lauryn Davis served up five aces and freshman Kya Behr added three. Spray and Feist each had two blocks. The back row needed just 16 digs in the win. Senior Macy Nachtigal led the team with four, and Davis followed with three. Behr had nine assists and Spray finished with six.Great Bend defeated August 25-18, 26-24. Ellegood led a balanced attack with seven kills. Feist added six, and sophomore Denver Ringo finished with four. Spray was big at the net defensively with five blocks, followed by four from Feist, and three from Ellegood. The back row was much busier with 38 digs, led by 13 from Nachtigal and seven from Behr. Behr again led the team with 15 assists.Chanute dominated the first set in the first meeting 25-10. The Lady Panthers responded to take the final two sets 25-23, 25-21. Great Bend needed some extra time to get past Buhler 31-29, 25-18 in the semifinals.The Lady Panthers travel north to Phillipsburg for a triangular that includes No. 3 Smith Center (2A) on Tuesday. They close out the regular season Saturday with the Western Athletic Conference Tournament in Dodge City Saturday.

Lady Panthers go 5-0 to win El Dorado tournament

By TODD MOORE Barton Sports Info

A pair of late first half goals seemed to awaken the 6th ranked Barton Community College men's soccer team as the Cougars tacked on four more in the final frame for a 6-1 non-conference victory over Northeastern Junior College in Sterling, Colorado.

The victory on Barton's largest output of the season improves the Cougars to 10-0-3 on the year while dropping Northeastern to 3-5-2.

Barton returns to conference play on Tuesday with a 7:30 p.m. kick at Kansas City Community College with an additional non-conference trip to Colorado looming next Saturday in a 3:00 p.m. battle at 13th ranked Otero College.

Kimito Fritz netted his 2nd and 3rd goal of the season, putting Barton on top with 7:29 left in first half action by striking far post off the rebound from Lucas Dos Santos' blocked shot giving the freshman his first collegiate assist before capping the day's scoring sending a missile to the back of the net off of Nicolas Galanis' blocked shot with 5:23 remaining.

Eighty seconds after Fritz' goal to break the gridlock, Wilmont Manneh delivered Nils Knecht's first collegiate assist coming on a through ball for his second net shaker of the year giving Barton the 2-0 halftime edge and what proved to be the eventual game winner.

The Cougars' leading scorer Lucas Constante pushed the margin to three in converting a penalty kick for his 8th of the season at the 14:11 mark into the second half.

Less than two minutes later the Plainsman put their lone tally on the board on a well-executed play with Leonardo Morales putting away a cross in slicing the deficit.

All hopes for the home team were diminished behind three Barton goals in an eleven minute span beginning with 16:15 to play on Arthur Prado's first goal of the year putting away Nescar Rojas' collegiate first assist.

Galanis netted the Cougars' second penalty kick conversion of the afternoon for his 6th of the year coming with 12:29 left as his second assist of the year followed seven minutes later on Fritz' second goal putting the icing on the road victory.

Dennis Bottcher kept the sheet clean protecting the pipes in the opening frame improving to 7-0-3 on the year with Victor Chavez patrolling the box for the final forty-five.

37:31: Kimito Fritz (2); Assist: Lucas Dos Santos (1)

38:51: Wilmont Manneh (2); Assist: Nils Knecht (1)

73:45 – Arthur Prado (1); Assist: Nescar Rojas (1)

84:37 – Kimito Fritz (3); Assist: Nicolas Galanis (2)

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696773239621.jpeg" alt="Barton Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Barton Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>By TODD MOORE Barton Sports InfoA pair of late first half goals seemed to awaken the 6th ranked Barton Community College men's soccer team as the Cougars tacked on four more in the final frame for a 6-1 non-conference victory over Northeastern Junior College in Sterling, Colorado.The victory on Barton's largest output of the season improves the Cougars to 10-0-3 on the year while dropping Northeastern to 3-5-2.Barton returns to conference play on Tuesday with a 7:30 p.m. kick at Kansas City Community College with an additional non-conference trip to Colorado looming next Saturday in a 3:00 p.m. battle at 13th ranked Otero College.Kimito Fritz netted his 2nd and 3rd goal of the season, putting Barton on top with 7:29 left in first half action by striking far post off the rebound from Lucas Dos Santos' blocked shot giving the freshman his first collegiate assist before capping the day's scoring sending a missile to the back of the net off of Nicolas Galanis' blocked shot with 5:23 remaining.Eighty seconds after Fritz' goal to break the gridlock, Wilmont Manneh delivered Nils Knecht's first collegiate assist coming on a through ball for his second net shaker of the year giving Barton the 2-0 halftime edge and what proved to be the eventual game winner.The Cougars' leading scorer Lucas Constante pushed the margin to three in converting a penalty kick for his 8th of the season at the 14:11 mark into the second half.Less than two minutes later the Plainsman put their lone tally on the board on a well-executed play with Leonardo Morales putting away a cross in slicing the deficit.All hopes for the home team were diminished behind three Barton goals in an eleven minute span beginning with 16:15 to play on Arthur Prado's first goal of the year putting away Nescar Rojas' collegiate first assist.Galanis netted the Cougars' second penalty kick conversion of the afternoon for his 6th of the year coming with 12:29 left as his second assist of the year followed seven minutes later on Fritz' second goal putting the icing on the road victory.Dennis Bottcher kept the sheet clean protecting the pipes in the opening frame improving to 7-0-3 on the year with Victor Chavez patrolling the box for the final forty-five.Barton Scoring:37:31: Kimito Fritz (2); Assist: Lucas Dos Santos (1)38:51: Wilmont Manneh (2); Assist: Nils Knecht (1)59:11: Lucas Constante (8)73:45 – Arthur Prado (1); Assist: Nescar Rojas (1)77:31 – Nicolas Galanis (6)84:37 – Kimito Fritz (3); Assist: Nicolas Galanis (2)

6th ranked Cougars dominate Northeastern 6-1

JOPLIN, Mo. – Fort Hays State Football improved to 4-2 overall and 3-2 in the MIAA with a 35-22 win over Missouri Southern on Saturday (Oct. 7). The Tigers led at the end of each quarter on the way to their sixth-straight win over the Lions in Joplin, which dates back to the 2009 season. MSSU fell to 3-3 overall and 3-3 in the MIAA.

The Tigers were able to shake off a couple of mistakes in each half that led to a pair of Lion touchdowns, but otherwise did a great job at controlling the flow of the game. The Tigers dominated time of possession by controlling the ball nearly 11 more than the Lions. That allowed the Tigers to run 15 more plays in the game than the Lions, outgaining them by 130 yards (441 to 301).

The Tigers had strong success running the ball, finishing with 199 yards as a team. Shane Watts led the attack with a season-high 96 yards with one touchdown. Quarterback Jack Dawson notched 57 yards with a rushing touchdown, and Travis Dixon found the endzone twice on short yardage plunges.

After Missouri Southern converted a field goal on its first drive of the game, the Tiger offense went to work with a methodical 14-play, 92-yard drive that covered 6:45 to take a 7-3 lead. That was the score at the end of the first frame as quarterback Jack Dawson completed 9-of-11 passing attempts on the drive, the biggest a 33-yard touchdown connection with Shane Watts.

The Tigers marched deep into Lion territory again early in the second quarter, but made a mistake by throwing an interception in the endzone. Instead of getting some form of points, it allowed the Lions to regain their footing and march 80 yards for a touchdown to take a 9-7 lead after a missed PAT try. But, the Tigers immediately shook off the mistake with another long drive, this time 13 plays over 75 yards capped on a two-yard touchdown plunge by Travis Dixon with 12 seconds remaining in the opening half. That gave the Tigers a 14-9 advantage at the break.

The Tiger offense moved a bit quicker on the first drive of the second half, going 66 yards over six plays to reach the endzone again on a Dawson two-yard run. However, looking as though they had control of the game again after forcing a 3-and-out of the Lions' offense, the punt struck an FHSU player in the leg setting up a short field for the Lions. The momentum went back to MSSU as it covered 29 yards and scored another touchdown off a Tiger mistake, but once again missed the PAT try leaving the score at 21-15.

Fort Hays State was able to take control of the momentum once again with another touchdown drive late in the third quarter. The Tigers covered 67 yards over nine plays capped on another two-yard dive by Dixon. They led 28-15 going to the final quarter.

The Lions were able to tighten the screws once again with a touchdown on their first drive of the fourth quarter, getting back within six point with 10:11 to play. But the Tigers delivered the dagger with another big time-consuming drive, covering 75 yards in 10 plays capped on a six-yard touchdown run by Shane Watts with 3:39 to play. On the ensuing MSSU drive, John Johnson intercepted a pass near midfield to seal the victory for FHSU.

Dawson finished the game with 242 passing yards, completing 25-of-33 attempts. Trevor Watts hauled in a team-high eight passes for 57 yards. Shane Watts finished the game with 143 all-purpose yards between rushing and receiving. Sam Brandt and Makel Williams led FHSU in tackles with 10 each, while Johnson had eight to go with his interception.

For Missouri Southern, Luke Sampson threw completed 20-of-34 passes for 185 yards. Nathan Glades led in rushing with 60 yards, while Deontay Campbell had a team high six receptions for 52 yards. Zach Bergmann led the Lions on defense with 12 tackles and an interception.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696772860543.jpeg" alt="FHSU Athletics" />
 <figcaption>FHSU Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>JOPLIN, Mo. – Fort Hays State Football improved to 4-2 overall and 3-2 in the MIAA with a 35-22 win over Missouri Southern on Saturday (Oct. 7). The Tigers led at the end of each quarter on the way to their sixth-straight win over the Lions in Joplin, which dates back to the 2009 season. MSSU fell to 3-3 overall and 3-3 in the MIAA.The Tigers were able to shake off a couple of mistakes in each half that led to a pair of Lion touchdowns, but otherwise did a great job at controlling the flow of the game. The Tigers dominated time of possession by controlling the ball nearly 11 more than the Lions. That allowed the Tigers to run 15 more plays in the game than the Lions, outgaining them by 130 yards (441 to 301).The Tigers had strong success running the ball, finishing with 199 yards as a team. Shane Watts led the attack with a season-high 96 yards with one touchdown. Quarterback Jack Dawson notched 57 yards with a rushing touchdown, and Travis Dixon found the endzone twice on short yardage plunges.After Missouri Southern converted a field goal on its first drive of the game, the Tiger offense went to work with a methodical 14-play, 92-yard drive that covered 6:45 to take a 7-3 lead. That was the score at the end of the first frame as quarterback Jack Dawson completed 9-of-11 passing attempts on the drive, the biggest a 33-yard touchdown connection with Shane Watts.The Tigers marched deep into Lion territory again early in the second quarter, but made a mistake by throwing an interception in the endzone. Instead of getting some form of points, it allowed the Lions to regain their footing and march 80 yards for a touchdown to take a 9-7 lead after a missed PAT try. But, the Tigers immediately shook off the mistake with another long drive, this time 13 plays over 75 yards capped on a two-yard touchdown plunge by Travis Dixon with 12 seconds remaining in the opening half. That gave the Tigers a 14-9 advantage at the break.The Tiger offense moved a bit quicker on the first drive of the second half, going 66 yards over six plays to reach the endzone again on a Dawson two-yard run. However, looking as though they had control of the game again after forcing a 3-and-out of the Lions' offense, the punt struck an FHSU player in the leg setting up a short field for the Lions. The momentum went back to MSSU as it covered 29 yards and scored another touchdown off a Tiger mistake, but once again missed the PAT try leaving the score at 21-15.Fort Hays State was able to take control of the momentum once again with another touchdown drive late in the third quarter. The Tigers covered 67 yards over nine plays capped on another two-yard dive by Dixon. They led 28-15 going to the final quarter.The Lions were able to tighten the screws once again with a touchdown on their first drive of the fourth quarter, getting back within six point with 10:11 to play. But the Tigers delivered the dagger with another big time-consuming drive, covering 75 yards in 10 plays capped on a six-yard touchdown run by Shane Watts with 3:39 to play. On the ensuing MSSU drive, John Johnson intercepted a pass near midfield to seal the victory for FHSU.Dawson finished the game with 242 passing yards, completing 25-of-33 attempts. Trevor Watts hauled in a team-high eight passes for 57 yards. Shane Watts finished the game with 143 all-purpose yards between rushing and receiving. Sam Brandt and Makel Williams led FHSU in tackles with 10 each, while Johnson had eight to go with his interception.For Missouri Southern, Luke Sampson threw completed 20-of-34 passes for 185 yards. Nathan Glades led in rushing with 60 yards, while Deontay Campbell had a team high six receptions for 52 yards. Zach Bergmann led the Lions on defense with 12 tackles and an interception.

Tigers Top Lions in Joplin 35-22

By TODD MOORE Barton Sports Info

Redemption Saturday resulted in 19th ranked Barton Community College volleyball team's sweep over Dodge City Community College (25-23, 25-14, and 25-14).

Victors of eight straight since taking a September 6th three-set loss at Dodge City, Barton maintains a two-game lead in the league race at 9-1 and 19-3 on the season while the Conquistadors suffer their fifth straight loss falling to 3-7 in conference and 12-13 overall.

Next on the slate is a pair of road matches beginning Wednesday at Seward County Community College for a 6:30 p.m. first serve followed by a Saturday trip to Cloud County Community College.

While the offense distributed the wealth to a .287 attack efficiency, the defense was equally impressive with 13 blocks to help limit Dodge City to a negative .019 attack.

Phoebe Reyes followed her 16 kill performance in the season's first meeting, leading the Cougars again on Saturday with 13 kills on a .375 attack for her 18th match of double-digit kills.

Kassidy Nixon's .545 efficiency with 6 kills and Anna Wierzbicki's .462 with 7 kills, along with Naya Danenberg's 5 kills kept the Conquistador defense unsettled as Elena Stankovic and Maurin Reyes moved the ball to the tune of 17 and 14 assists respectively.

At the net, Wierzbicki followed her KJCCC Offensive Player of the Week performances with another solid all-around game in matching her collegiate best walls of denial for the second straight match with 9 blocks giving her 23 in a three-match, 10-set stretch.  Nixon and Danenberg also set collegiate best efforts with five and four blocks respectively while Akeir Scales added three against her former team.

Barton's back line was also solid in squelching the Dodge City attack, Clara Lindstrom and Nixon collecting 11 digs with Stankovic recording 10 digs for her 5th double-double of the year.

The afternoon started with Dodge City having the hot hand and the Cougars having a slow start as the Conquistadors scored five of the first six points to build an eventual 8-3 lead. 

A service error followed by a pair of attack errors swung the momentum to the Cougars, tacking on kills by Danenberg and P. Reyes for the first tie of the set coming at 8-all.  Another Dodge City attack error put Barton in front for the first time as twelve more ties would ensue with the final coming at 23-all.

Barton hit for .296 in the opener with Dodge City's errors adding up, eleven in the set including the final two turning the victory over to the home team at 25-23.

The teams again came out and played relatively point for point to begin the second frame until Nixon's pair of attacks and Mya Thompson's kill led a four-point spurt in grabbing a 9-4 lead.

Trading service errors, Barton tacked on another four-pack of points, Nixon with a pair in being joined by P. Reyes and Scales to build out a 14-5 advantage.

Dodge City would cut the gap to seven at 18-11 but Wierzbicki's center attack halted the Conquistadors' 3-0 run momentum as the Cougars rode out the set for the 11-point victory.

Scoring the first six points of the clinching set, Barton strung another six straight to demoralize the Dodge City morale with a 12-1 deficit. The Cougars continued the pressure keeping the lead from dipping below seven points, including coming at 21-14 as Wierzbicki helped close out the match accounting for three straight points before Thompson's 4th kill of the afternoon concluded the sweep. 

- Barton's win snapped Dodge City's three match win streak

- Barton has won 13 of the last 14 meetings at the Barton Gym to lead 28-3 on their home floor

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696772375390.jpeg" alt="Barton Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Barton Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>By TODD MOORE Barton Sports InfoRedemption Saturday resulted in 19th ranked Barton Community College volleyball team's sweep over Dodge City Community College (25-23, 25-14, and 25-14).Victors of eight straight since taking a September 6th three-set loss at Dodge City, Barton maintains a two-game lead in the league race at 9-1 and 19-3 on the season while the Conquistadors suffer their fifth straight loss falling to 3-7 in conference and 12-13 overall.Next on the slate is a pair of road matches beginning Wednesday at Seward County Community College for a 6:30 p.m. first serve followed by a Saturday trip to Cloud County Community College.While the offense distributed the wealth to a .287 attack efficiency, the defense was equally impressive with 13 blocks to help limit Dodge City to a negative .019 attack.Phoebe Reyes followed her 16 kill performance in the season's first meeting, leading the Cougars again on Saturday with 13 kills on a .375 attack for her 18th match of double-digit kills.Kassidy Nixon's .545 efficiency with 6 kills and Anna Wierzbicki's .462 with 7 kills, along with Naya Danenberg's 5 kills kept the Conquistador defense unsettled as Elena Stankovic and Maurin Reyes moved the ball to the tune of 17 and 14 assists respectively.At the net, Wierzbicki followed her KJCCC Offensive Player of the Week performances with another solid all-around game in matching her collegiate best walls of denial for the second straight match with 9 blocks giving her 23 in a three-match, 10-set stretch. Nixon and Danenberg also set collegiate best efforts with five and four blocks respectively while Akeir Scales added three against her former team.Barton's back line was also solid in squelching the Dodge City attack, Clara Lindstrom and Nixon collecting 11 digs with Stankovic recording 10 digs for her 5th double-double of the year.The afternoon started with Dodge City having the hot hand and the Cougars having a slow start as the Conquistadors scored five of the first six points to build an eventual 8-3 lead. A service error followed by a pair of attack errors swung the momentum to the Cougars, tacking on kills by Danenberg and P. Reyes for the first tie of the set coming at 8-all. Another Dodge City attack error put Barton in front for the first time as twelve more ties would ensue with the final coming at 23-all.Barton hit for .296 in the opener with Dodge City's errors adding up, eleven in the set including the final two turning the victory over to the home team at 25-23.The teams again came out and played relatively point for point to begin the second frame until Nixon's pair of attacks and Mya Thompson's kill led a four-point spurt in grabbing a 9-4 lead.Trading service errors, Barton tacked on another four-pack of points, Nixon with a pair in being joined by P. Reyes and Scales to build out a 14-5 advantage.Dodge City would cut the gap to seven at 18-11 but Wierzbicki's center attack halted the Conquistadors' 3-0 run momentum as the Cougars rode out the set for the 11-point victory.Scoring the first six points of the clinching set, Barton strung another six straight to demoralize the Dodge City morale with a 12-1 deficit. The Cougars continued the pressure keeping the lead from dipping below seven points, including coming at 21-14 as Wierzbicki helped close out the match accounting for three straight points before Thompson's 4th kill of the afternoon concluded the sweep. Series Notes:- Barton's win snapped Dodge City's three match win streak- Barton has won 13 of the last 14 meetings at the Barton Gym to lead 28-3 on their home floor- Barton leads the overall series 79-8

Team effort leads 19th ranked Barton Volleyball to sweep over Dodge City

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP)
— Devin Neal rushed for 154 yards on just 12 carries and Daniel
Hishaw ran for another 134 yards and two touchdowns as Kansas
dominated UCF 51-22 in a Big 12 Conference battle. On the day Kansas
inducted Tony Sands, the school’s second all-time leading rusher,
into the ring of honor, Neal passed four players to move into ninth
on the all-time list as the Jayhawks rushed for 399 yards.

DALLAS (AP) —
Dillon Gabriel threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Nic Anderson with 15
seconds left and 12th-ranked Oklahoma remained undefeated with a
34-30 win over No. 3 Texas. It was their last Red River rivalry game
as Big 12 members before moving to the SEC. The pocket was collapsing
around him when Gabriel threw the game-winner to Anderson in the back
of the end zone. Gabriel completed 23 of 38 passes for 285 yards and
ran 14 times for 113 yards and a score. The left-handed quarterback
had missed the Sooners’ 49-0 loss in last year’s game because of
a concussion.

UNDATED (AP) — The
final Red River Rivalry in the Big 12 before it moves to the
Southeastern Conference felt like a chance for No. 3 Texas to lay
claim to being the best team in the country. Instead, second-year
Oklahoma coach Brent Venables got his first signature win and the
12th-ranked Sooners stamped themselves as College Football Playoff
contenders. Meanwhile, in the current SEC, the more you watch the
rest of the SEC West, the better Alabama looks. The Crimson Tide,
despite some issues, sit atop the division after beating Texas A&amp;M.
And Miami gives one away.

WACO, Texas (AP) —
Behren Morton threw for 180 yards with three touchdowns while running
for another score, Tahj Brooks ran 31 times for 170 yards and Texas
Tech beat Baylor 39-14. A year after a four-touchdown loss at home
against the Bears, Texas Tech took the lead for good when Morton
threw a 13-yard TD to Coy Eakin on its first drive. Morton completed
19 of 26 passes, including scoring strikes of 16 and 18 yards to
Baylor Cupp on his only catches of the night. Brooks had his fourth
consecutive 100-yard rushing game. Texas Tech is 3-3 while Baylor is
2-4.

AMES, Iowa (AP) —
Iowa State rushed for 215 yards and the defense intercepted four
passes as the Cyclones pulled away for a 27-14 win over TCU. Eli
Sanders led the way for Iowa State, rushing for 99 yards and a
touchdown on 16 carries. The Cyclones averaged well over 6 yards per
carry before taking a knee at the end of the game, wearing down TCU
in the second half. Abu Sama ran for a 55-yard touchdown with 11:30
left in the third quarter to give Iowa State a 17-7 lead. Iowa State,
which improved to 20-5 in its last 25 Big 12 home games. Emani Bailey
led the Horned Frogs with 152 yards rushing on 21 attempts – his
fourth 100-yard game of the season.

LOS ANGELES (AP) —
Caleb Williams rushed for three touchdowns before running for a
two-point conversion in the third overtime, and No. 9 Southern
California stopped Arizona’s final attempt in a wild 43-41 victory.
Williams passed for 219 yards and three touchdowns for the Trojans
(6-0, 4-0 Pac-12), who botched a 25-yard field goal attempt on the
final snap of regulation. Noah Fifita passed for 313 yards and threw
two of his five touchdown passes to Jacob Cowing in overtime, but the
Wildcats blew an early 17-point lead and fell just short of a
signature victory under third-year coach Jedd Fisch.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP)
— Jawhar Jordan ran for a season-high 143 yards, scoring on 45- and
21-yard runs on consecutive second-half possessions, and No. 25
Louisville beat No. 10 Notre Dame 33-20 on Saturday night.
Louisville, at 6-0 off to its best start in 10 years, pulled away in
a signature victory for first-year coach and former Cardinals great
Jeff Brohm before a stadium-record 59,081. Norte Dame (5-2) lost for
the second time in three games. It had won 30 straight games against
Atlantic Coast Conference opponents. The Fighting Irish converted Cam
Hart’s fumble recovery into a 10-7 lead on Spencer Schrader’s
53-yard field goal midway through the third quarter before the
Cardinals answered with Brock Travelstead’s 44-yarder. Jordan took
over from there with explosive runs.

LOS ANGELES (AP) —
Gabriel Moreno’s three-run homer highlighted a six-run first inning
for Arizona, and the Diamondbacks battered Los Angeles Dodgers ace
Clayton Kershaw on the way to an 11-2 victory in Game 1 of their NL
Division Series. The D-backs also got homers by Corbin Carroll, Alek
Thomas and Tommy Pham. Merrill Kelly beat the Dodgers for the first
time, limiting them to three hits in 6 1/3 innings. He retired 11 in
a row during one stretch. Kershaw staggered through the worst start
and shortest of his 16-year career. The three-time Cy Young Award
winner got tagged for six runs and recorded just one out.

ATLANTA (AP) —
Bryce Harper homered, Ranger Suárez and the Philadelphia bullpen
stifled baseball’s most prolific offense, and the Phillies blanked
the 104-win Atlanta Braves 3-0 in Game 1 of the NL Division Series.
The East champion Braves find themselves in exactly the same position
as a year ago: trailing the Phillies after the opener in Atlanta.
Wild-card series hero Bryson Stott broke a scoreless tie with a
run-scoring single in the fourth. Harper padded the lead with a drive
over the right-field wall in the sixth off Spencer Strider,
baseball’s only 20-game winner. Game 2 in the best-of-five series
is Monday night.

HOUSTON (AP) —
Justin Verlander pitched six shutout innings, Yordan Alvarez homered
twice and the Houston Astros held on for a 6-4 win over the Minnesota
Twins in their AL Division Series opener. Jose Altuve hit a leadoff
home run and Alvarez had three RBIs as the defending World Series
champions earned their 10th straight victory in Game 1 of a Division
Series. Verlander settled in after a shaky start and the Astros built
a 5-0 lead through six innings with big swings from Altuve and
Alvarez. Jorge Polanco and rookie Royce Lewis hit consecutive homers
off Héctor Neris in the seventh to make it 5-4. Alvarez's second
homer of the game in the bottom half gave Houston some insurance, and
Ryan Pressly worked a scoreless ninth for the save.

BALTIMORE (AP) —
Andrew Heaney and Dane Dunning helped Texas reach the sixth inning
with a lead, and the Rangers’ maligned bullpen held on through some
anxious moments for a 3-2 victory over the Baltimore Orioles in Game
1 of their AL Division Series. Josh Jung homered and made a nice play
at third base to start a critical double play for Texas, which
improved to 3-0 in these playoffs — all on the road. The Rangers
entered the postseason without Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer and with
a bullpen largely considered a weak link, but they’ve allowed only
three runs in three games against the Orioles and Tampa Bay Rays.
Anthony Santander homered for Baltimore.

Final	(25)Louisville	33	(10)Notre
Dame	20	

Final	(5)Florida
St.	39	Virginia Tech	17	

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696416123616.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP)
— Devin Neal rushed for 154 yards on just 12 carries and Daniel
Hishaw ran for another 134 yards and two touchdowns as Kansas
dominated UCF 51-22 in a Big 12 Conference battle. On the day Kansas
inducted Tony Sands, the school’s second all-time leading rusher,
into the ring of honor, Neal passed four players to move into ninth
on the all-time list as the Jayhawks rushed for 399 yards.DALLAS (AP) —
Dillon Gabriel threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Nic Anderson with 15
seconds left and 12th-ranked Oklahoma remained undefeated with a
34-30 win over No. 3 Texas. It was their last Red River rivalry game
as Big 12 members before moving to the SEC. The pocket was collapsing
around him when Gabriel threw the game-winner to Anderson in the back
of the end zone. Gabriel completed 23 of 38 passes for 285 yards and
ran 14 times for 113 yards and a score. The left-handed quarterback
had missed the Sooners’ 49-0 loss in last year’s game because of
a concussion.UNDATED (AP) — The
final Red River Rivalry in the Big 12 before it moves to the
Southeastern Conference felt like a chance for No. 3 Texas to lay
claim to being the best team in the country. Instead, second-year
Oklahoma coach Brent Venables got his first signature win and the
12th-ranked Sooners stamped themselves as College Football Playoff
contenders. Meanwhile, in the current SEC, the more you watch the
rest of the SEC West, the better Alabama looks. The Crimson Tide,
despite some issues, sit atop the division after beating Texas A&amp;M.
And Miami gives one away.WACO, Texas (AP) —
Behren Morton threw for 180 yards with three touchdowns while running
for another score, Tahj Brooks ran 31 times for 170 yards and Texas
Tech beat Baylor 39-14. A year after a four-touchdown loss at home
against the Bears, Texas Tech took the lead for good when Morton
threw a 13-yard TD to Coy Eakin on its first drive. Morton completed
19 of 26 passes, including scoring strikes of 16 and 18 yards to
Baylor Cupp on his only catches of the night. Brooks had his fourth
consecutive 100-yard rushing game. Texas Tech is 3-3 while Baylor is
2-4.AMES, Iowa (AP) —
Iowa State rushed for 215 yards and the defense intercepted four
passes as the Cyclones pulled away for a 27-14 win over TCU. Eli
Sanders led the way for Iowa State, rushing for 99 yards and a
touchdown on 16 carries. The Cyclones averaged well over 6 yards per
carry before taking a knee at the end of the game, wearing down TCU
in the second half. Abu Sama ran for a 55-yard touchdown with 11:30
left in the third quarter to give Iowa State a 17-7 lead. Iowa State,
which improved to 20-5 in its last 25 Big 12 home games. Emani Bailey
led the Horned Frogs with 152 yards rushing on 21 attempts – his
fourth 100-yard game of the season.LOS ANGELES (AP) —
Caleb Williams rushed for three touchdowns before running for a
two-point conversion in the third overtime, and No. 9 Southern
California stopped Arizona’s final attempt in a wild 43-41 victory.
Williams passed for 219 yards and three touchdowns for the Trojans
(6-0, 4-0 Pac-12), who botched a 25-yard field goal attempt on the
final snap of regulation. Noah Fifita passed for 313 yards and threw
two of his five touchdown passes to Jacob Cowing in overtime, but the
Wildcats blew an early 17-point lead and fell just short of a
signature victory under third-year coach Jedd Fisch.LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP)
— Jawhar Jordan ran for a season-high 143 yards, scoring on 45- and
21-yard runs on consecutive second-half possessions, and No. 25
Louisville beat No. 10 Notre Dame 33-20 on Saturday night.
Louisville, at 6-0 off to its best start in 10 years, pulled away in
a signature victory for first-year coach and former Cardinals great
Jeff Brohm before a stadium-record 59,081. Norte Dame (5-2) lost for
the second time in three games. It had won 30 straight games against
Atlantic Coast Conference opponents. The Fighting Irish converted Cam
Hart’s fumble recovery into a 10-7 lead on Spencer Schrader’s
53-yard field goal midway through the third quarter before the
Cardinals answered with Brock Travelstead’s 44-yarder. Jordan took
over from there with explosive runs.LOS ANGELES (AP) —
Gabriel Moreno’s three-run homer highlighted a six-run first inning
for Arizona, and the Diamondbacks battered Los Angeles Dodgers ace
Clayton Kershaw on the way to an 11-2 victory in Game 1 of their NL
Division Series. The D-backs also got homers by Corbin Carroll, Alek
Thomas and Tommy Pham. Merrill Kelly beat the Dodgers for the first
time, limiting them to three hits in 6 1/3 innings. He retired 11 in
a row during one stretch. Kershaw staggered through the worst start
and shortest of his 16-year career. The three-time Cy Young Award
winner got tagged for six runs and recorded just one out.ATLANTA (AP) —
Bryce Harper homered, Ranger Suárez and the Philadelphia bullpen
stifled baseball’s most prolific offense, and the Phillies blanked
the 104-win Atlanta Braves 3-0 in Game 1 of the NL Division Series.
The East champion Braves find themselves in exactly the same position
as a year ago: trailing the Phillies after the opener in Atlanta.
Wild-card series hero Bryson Stott broke a scoreless tie with a
run-scoring single in the fourth. Harper padded the lead with a drive
over the right-field wall in the sixth off Spencer Strider,
baseball’s only 20-game winner. Game 2 in the best-of-five series
is Monday night.HOUSTON (AP) —
Justin Verlander pitched six shutout innings, Yordan Alvarez homered
twice and the Houston Astros held on for a 6-4 win over the Minnesota
Twins in their AL Division Series opener. Jose Altuve hit a leadoff
home run and Alvarez had three RBIs as the defending World Series
champions earned their 10th straight victory in Game 1 of a Division
Series. Verlander settled in after a shaky start and the Astros built
a 5-0 lead through six innings with big swings from Altuve and
Alvarez. Jorge Polanco and rookie Royce Lewis hit consecutive homers
off Héctor Neris in the seventh to make it 5-4. Alvarez's second
homer of the game in the bottom half gave Houston some insurance, and
Ryan Pressly worked a scoreless ninth for the save.BALTIMORE (AP) —
Andrew Heaney and Dane Dunning helped Texas reach the sixth inning
with a lead, and the Rangers’ maligned bullpen held on through some
anxious moments for a 3-2 victory over the Baltimore Orioles in Game
1 of their AL Division Series. Josh Jung homered and made a nice play
at third base to start a critical double play for Texas, which
improved to 3-0 in these playoffs — all on the road. The Rangers
entered the postseason without Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer and with
a bullpen largely considered a weak link, but they’ve allowed only
three runs in three games against the Orioles and Tampa Bay Rays.
Anthony Santander homered for Baltimore.SATURDAY SCORESTOP-25 COLLEGE
FOOTBALLFinal	(12)Oklahoma	34	(3)Texas	30	Final	(1)Georgia	51	(20)Kentucky	13	Final	(23)LSU	49	(21)Missouri	39	Final	(25)Louisville	33	(10)Notre
Dame	20	Final	(4)Ohio
St.	37	Maryland	17	Final	UCLA	25	(13)Washington
St.	17	Final	(11)Alabama	26	Texas
A&amp;M	20	Final	(5)Florida
St.	39	Virginia Tech	17	Final	(14)North
Carolina	40	Syracuse	7	Final	(16)Mississippi	27	Arkansas	20	Final	(2)Michigan	52	Minnesota	10	Final	Wyoming	24	(24)Fresno
St.	19	Final	Georgia
Tech	23	(17)Miami	20	Final	(15)Oregon
St.	52	California	40	Final	(9)Southern
Cal	43	Arizona	41	AMERICAN LEAGUE
PLAYOFFSFinal	Texas	3	Baltimore	2	Final	Houston	6	Minnesota	4	NATIONAL LEAGUE
PLAYOFFSFinal	Philadelphia	3	Atlanta	0

Sunday Sports Headlines and Scores presented by Barton Community College

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Devin Neal rushed for 154 yards on just 12 carries and Daniel Hishaw ran for another 134 yards and two touchdowns as Kansas dominated UCF 51-22 in a Big 12 Conference battle on Saturday.

On the day Kansas inducted Tony Sands, the school's second all-time leading rusher, into the ring of honor, Neal passed four players to move into ninth on the all-time list as the Jayhawks (5-1, 2-1 Big 12) rushed for 399 yards.

UCF (3-3, 0-3 Big 12) welcomed back starting quarterback John Rhys Plumlee, who missed three games with an undisclosed leg injury. He was just 3-of-7 for 33 yards. Backup Timmy McClain was 12-of-15 for 136 yards and two scores.

Kansas was without its starting quarterback, Jalon Daniels, for the second straight week and third time this season. Daniels, the preseason Big 12 offensive player of the year, missed the game with a back injury. Backup Jason Bean was 8-of-12 for 91 yards.

Already up 24-0 at intermission, Neal took a handoff on the first play from scrimmage in the second half and raced 75 yards untouched for a 31-0 lead.

The Knights finally reached the end zone on a four-play, 75-yard drive in the third quarter. McClain hit Alec Holler with a 13-yard touchdown pass. The 2-point conversion failed.

Kansas responded with a 75-yard drive to stretch the lead to 37-8. Dylan McDuffie punched in from the 1-yard line. The extra point attempt was botched and UCF returned it 91 yards for 2 points.

UCF cut it to 37-15 with a touchdown by RJ Harvey. Hishaw's second touchdown gave the Jayhawks a 44-15 lead. UCF's final touchdown was a 23-yard pass from McClain to Randy Pittman.

Kansas got a 25-yard Seth Keller field goal on its first drive. Bean found Lawrence Arnold for a 5-yard touchdown pass on the third play of the second quarter to put Kansas up 10-0. Hishaw extended the lead with a 3-yard touchdown run midway through the second quarter and Trevor Wilson returned a punt 82 yards for a touchdown and a 24-0 lead.

UCF: the Knights are still stinging from blowing a 35-7 lead over Baylor late in the third quarter. UCF gave up 60 straight points, 29 straight to lose 36-35 to Baylor and 31 straight to start this game.

Kansas: the Jayhawks didn't let a tough loss at Texas last week carry over. The Jayhawks dominated from the start.

UCF: the Knights are off next weekend before traveling to play Oklahoma in Norman on Oct. 21.

Kansas: the Jayhawks will face Oklahoma State in Stillwater, Okla., next Saturday.

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Devin Neal rushed for 154 yards on just 12 carries and Daniel Hishaw ran for another 134 yards and two touchdowns as Kansas dominated UCF 51-22 in a Big 12 Conference battle on Saturday.On the day Kansas inducted Tony Sands, the school's second all-time leading rusher, into the ring of honor, Neal passed four players to move into ninth on the all-time list as the Jayhawks (5-1, 2-1 Big 12) rushed for 399 yards.UCF (3-3, 0-3 Big 12) welcomed back starting quarterback John Rhys Plumlee, who missed three games with an undisclosed leg injury. He was just 3-of-7 for 33 yards. Backup Timmy McClain was 12-of-15 for 136 yards and two scores.Kansas was without its starting quarterback, Jalon Daniels, for the second straight week and third time this season. Daniels, the preseason Big 12 offensive player of the year, missed the game with a back injury. Backup Jason Bean was 8-of-12 for 91 yards.Already up 24-0 at intermission, Neal took a handoff on the first play from scrimmage in the second half and raced 75 yards untouched for a 31-0 lead.The Knights finally reached the end zone on a four-play, 75-yard drive in the third quarter. McClain hit Alec Holler with a 13-yard touchdown pass. The 2-point conversion failed.Kansas responded with a 75-yard drive to stretch the lead to 37-8. Dylan McDuffie punched in from the 1-yard line. The extra point attempt was botched and UCF returned it 91 yards for 2 points.UCF cut it to 37-15 with a touchdown by RJ Harvey. Hishaw's second touchdown gave the Jayhawks a 44-15 lead. UCF's final touchdown was a 23-yard pass from McClain to Randy Pittman.Kansas got a 25-yard Seth Keller field goal on its first drive. Bean found Lawrence Arnold for a 5-yard touchdown pass on the third play of the second quarter to put Kansas up 10-0. Hishaw extended the lead with a 3-yard touchdown run midway through the second quarter and Trevor Wilson returned a punt 82 yards for a touchdown and a 24-0 lead.THE TAKEAWAYUCF: the Knights are still stinging from blowing a 35-7 lead over Baylor late in the third quarter. UCF gave up 60 straight points, 29 straight to lose 36-35 to Baylor and 31 straight to start this game.Kansas: the Jayhawks didn't let a tough loss at Texas last week carry over. The Jayhawks dominated from the start.UP NEXTUCF: the Knights are off next weekend before traveling to play Oklahoma in Norman on Oct. 21.Kansas: the Jayhawks will face Oklahoma State in Stillwater, Okla., next Saturday.

Jayhawks run over UCF, 51-22

By TODD MOORE Barton Sports Info

Anna Wierzbicki of the 19th ranked Barton Community College volleyball team has been named the Week 7 KJCCC Offensive Player of the Week.

The freshman middle blocker posted a pair of career bests in all-around performances last week leading the Cougars to road victories to stay atop of the standings and move up a slot in the latest national polls.

Beginning the week at Hutchinson last Wednesday with a career best 13 kills and tying her most 6 blocks, Wierzbicki followed with a 7 kill on .353 attack this past Saturday in Garden City to reset her collegiate most blockades with 9 total.

Hitting at an efficient .302 for the week, Wierzbicki averaged 2.5 kills per set and 1.88 blocks per set from the middle position to currently rank in the conference's top five of all three net defender categories.

On a seven match win streak, Barton gets back to action on Saturday in a 2:00 p.m. first serve hosting Dodge City Community College. The Cougars, now 8-1 in league and 18-3 overall, will be looking to even the season series as Dodge City (3-6, 12-12) handed Barton's its lone conference loss in a September 6 sweep.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696719691659.jpeg" alt="Barton Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Barton Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>By TODD MOORE Barton Sports InfoAnna Wierzbicki of the 19th ranked Barton Community College volleyball team has been named the Week 7 KJCCC Offensive Player of the Week.The freshman middle blocker posted a pair of career bests in all-around performances last week leading the Cougars to road victories to stay atop of the standings and move up a slot in the latest national polls.Beginning the week at Hutchinson last Wednesday with a career best 13 kills and tying her most 6 blocks, Wierzbicki followed with a 7 kill on .353 attack this past Saturday in Garden City to reset her collegiate most blockades with 9 total.Hitting at an efficient .302 for the week, Wierzbicki averaged 2.5 kills per set and 1.88 blocks per set from the middle position to currently rank in the conference's top five of all three net defender categories.On a seven match win streak, Barton gets back to action on Saturday in a 2:00 p.m. first serve hosting Dodge City Community College. The Cougars, now 8-1 in league and 18-3 overall, will be looking to even the season series as Dodge City (3-6, 12-12) handed Barton's its lone conference loss in a September 6 sweep.

Barton's Wierzbicki earns conference honors

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — There’s only one team in the NFL that Patrick Mahomes has yet to beat.

The Minnesota Vikings, it figures, are the only one he’s never faced.

Matching up with the two-time NFL MVP and his defending champion Kansas City Chiefs is hardly a recipe for maintaining the momentum generated last week by their vulnerable defense, but the Vikings of course don’t get to choose their schedule.

What players with any pride would want it any other way? It’s time for the team that won 13 games and the NFC North last season to show it can still be a factor in 2023 and keep those long-frustrated fans from obsessing over next year’s draft position.

Playing the Chiefs (3-1) ought to be as accurate of a measuring stick as the Vikings (1-3) could find for the first weekend in October.

“You want to play against the best,” Vikings safety Harrison Smith said, “and these guys certainly have been that in recent history.”

With two Super Bowl titles in his first five seasons as the starter, all those statistical accomplishments and his unique blend of fearlessness and improvisation that has gone a long way toward redefining quarterback play for a new generation, Mahomes doesn't have much left to accomplish on the field.

Defeating the Vikings to complete the checklist of 31 other teams would be an impressive feat, considering half of the league only appears on the schedule every four years in the NFL's formula for interconference competition.

“I just want to win every week," said Mahomes, who is 67-17 in the regular season and 11-3 in the playoffs as a starter. "It’s not necessarily beating this team because I haven’t played them. It’s going in with the mentality to do what I need to win the game.”

When the Chiefs beat the Vikings in 2019, Matt Moore was behind center while Mahomes recovered from a dislocated kneecap. Though Mahomes has lost to Indianapolis in his only two regular-season matchups, he and the Chiefs beat the Colts in his first career start in the playoffs.

“Right now, we’re just all focused on trying to get things right,” coach Andy Reid said, "but it is an amazing stat for him for sure.”

The Chiefs are favored by 5½ points, according to FanDuel Sportsbook odds, but even with a defense that ranks just 21st in the league in passing yards allowed the Vikings might well be catching their opponent at the right time in what's sure to be a raucous U.S. Bank Stadium.

With a wide receiver group still trying to find its way, Mahomes has thrown four interceptions over four games and is only 15th in the NFL in passer rating (92.0).

“I have to put us in better positions and make better decisions so guys can go out there and make plays for me,” Mahomes said.

Mahomes isn't feared for his speed, but his ability to use his feet has still been a useful tool in Kansas City's offense. He showed that in last season’s playoffs, when his scramble set up the winning field goal against Cincinnati in the AFC championship game and again last week when a 25-yard run on third-and-22 kept alive the Chiefs’ final drive to seal a 23-20 victory over the Jets.

“He’s got a good feel for the coverage, who is dropping out of there and the time element that is involved with that,” Reid said, “and he’s smart when he does it in certain situations. He knows he can do it, and other times it’s not going to be available.”

The Chiefs hope to have linebacker Nick Bolton (ankle), who is responsible for setting the defense, and cornerback Jaylen Watson (shoulder) back from injuries this week. Bolton’s absence from the past two games has been noticeable, and missing Watson has minimized the depth in the secondary. The Chiefs could use their full complement of defensive backs to deal with Vikings superstar Justin Jefferson.

“It’s hard to stop him play after play,” safety Mike Edwards said. “If he gets a 5-yard catch, he can turn 5 yards into 60. We have to stop the explosive gains, and we’ll be good.”

Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce is apparently not too preoccupied with Taylor Swift to mentor his young teammates. Wide receiver Rashee Rice singled out the All-Pro this week for helping him learn how to identify defenses, including ways to escape the line of scrimmage against man-to-man coverage and where the soft spots should be in zones.

“He’s always pulling me aside, during games, during practices," said Rice, a rookie from SMU who was drafted in the second round. "We get a lot of good looks out here.”

Vikings center Garrett Bradbury, one of only seven players remaining who played against the Chiefs in 2019, is on track to return from a back injury that knocked him out of the season opener. With guards Ezra Cleveland and Ed Ingram leaving room for improvement, the Vikings have also begun to work newcomer Dalton Risner into the mix during practice. This would seem to be the right time for Risner to at least rotate in or take over as a starter.

“When you add a player like Dalton in-season, you want to give him an opportunity,” coach Kevin O'Connell said.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — There’s only one team in the NFL that Patrick Mahomes has yet to beat.The Minnesota Vikings, it figures, are the only one he’s never faced.Matching up with the two-time NFL MVP and his defending champion Kansas City Chiefs is hardly a recipe for maintaining the momentum generated last week by their vulnerable defense, but the Vikings of course don’t get to choose their schedule.What players with any pride would want it any other way? It’s time for the team that won 13 games and the NFC North last season to show it can still be a factor in 2023 and keep those long-frustrated fans from obsessing over next year’s draft position.Playing the Chiefs (3-1) ought to be as accurate of a measuring stick as the Vikings (1-3) could find for the first weekend in October.“You want to play against the best,” Vikings safety Harrison Smith said, “and these guys certainly have been that in recent history.”With two Super Bowl titles in his first five seasons as the starter, all those statistical accomplishments and his unique blend of fearlessness and improvisation that has gone a long way toward redefining quarterback play for a new generation, Mahomes doesn't have much left to accomplish on the field.Defeating the Vikings to complete the checklist of 31 other teams would be an impressive feat, considering half of the league only appears on the schedule every four years in the NFL's formula for interconference competition.“I just want to win every week," said Mahomes, who is 67-17 in the regular season and 11-3 in the playoffs as a starter. "It’s not necessarily beating this team because I haven’t played them. It’s going in with the mentality to do what I need to win the game.”When the Chiefs beat the Vikings in 2019, Matt Moore was behind center while Mahomes recovered from a dislocated kneecap. Though Mahomes has lost to Indianapolis in his only two regular-season matchups, he and the Chiefs beat the Colts in his first career start in the playoffs.“Right now, we’re just all focused on trying to get things right,” coach Andy Reid said, "but it is an amazing stat for him for sure.”The Chiefs are favored by 5½ points, according to FanDuel Sportsbook odds, but even with a defense that ranks just 21st in the league in passing yards allowed the Vikings might well be catching their opponent at the right time in what's sure to be a raucous U.S. Bank Stadium.With a wide receiver group still trying to find its way, Mahomes has thrown four interceptions over four games and is only 15th in the NFL in passer rating (92.0).“I have to put us in better positions and make better decisions so guys can go out there and make plays for me,” Mahomes said.PICKING HIS SPOTSMahomes isn't feared for his speed, but his ability to use his feet has still been a useful tool in Kansas City's offense. He showed that in last season’s playoffs, when his scramble set up the winning field goal against Cincinnati in the AFC championship game and again last week when a 25-yard run on third-and-22 kept alive the Chiefs’ final drive to seal a 23-20 victory over the Jets.“He’s got a good feel for the coverage, who is dropping out of there and the time element that is involved with that,” Reid said, “and he’s smart when he does it in certain situations. He knows he can do it, and other times it’s not going to be available.”HELP ON DEFENSEThe Chiefs hope to have linebacker Nick Bolton (ankle), who is responsible for setting the defense, and cornerback Jaylen Watson (shoulder) back from injuries this week. Bolton’s absence from the past two games has been noticeable, and missing Watson has minimized the depth in the secondary. The Chiefs could use their full complement of defensive backs to deal with Vikings superstar Justin Jefferson.“It’s hard to stop him play after play,” safety Mike Edwards said. “If he gets a 5-yard catch, he can turn 5 yards into 60. We have to stop the explosive gains, and we’ll be good.”HELPING HANDChiefs tight end Travis Kelce is apparently not too preoccupied with Taylor Swift to mentor his young teammates. Wide receiver Rashee Rice singled out the All-Pro this week for helping him learn how to identify defenses, including ways to escape the line of scrimmage against man-to-man coverage and where the soft spots should be in zones.“He’s always pulling me aside, during games, during practices," said Rice, a rookie from SMU who was drafted in the second round. "We get a lot of good looks out here.”LINE SHUFFLEVikings center Garrett Bradbury, one of only seven players remaining who played against the Chiefs in 2019, is on track to return from a back injury that knocked him out of the season opener. With guards Ezra Cleveland and Ed Ingram leaving room for improvement, the Vikings have also begun to work newcomer Dalton Risner into the mix during practice. This would seem to be the right time for Risner to at least rotate in or take over as a starter.“When you add a player like Dalton in-season, you want to give him an opportunity,” coach Kevin O'Connell said.

The Vikings have never lost to Patrick Mahomes. Hint: They've never played against him, either

By ARNIE STAPLETON AP Pro Football Writer

The Broncos on Friday traded benched pass rusher Randy Gregory to the San Francisco 49ers in a deal that also includes the exchange of 2024 draft picks, with Denver sending over a seventh-round selection for a sixth-round choice.

Broncos coach Sean Payton confirmed the trade following Friday's practice. Earlier in the week, he said the team felt it was best to give more playing time to younger players.

By ARNIE STAPLETON AP Pro Football WriterThe Broncos on Friday traded benched pass rusher Randy Gregory to the San Francisco 49ers in a deal that also includes the exchange of 2024 draft picks, with Denver sending over a seventh-round selection for a sixth-round choice.Broncos coach Sean Payton confirmed the trade following Friday's practice. Earlier in the week, he said the team felt it was best to give more playing time to younger players.As part of the deal, the Broncos (1-3) are picking up the bulk of the $10.9 million remaining on Gregory’s salary this season.The Broncos decided this week to move on from Gregory 18 months after signing him to a five-year, $70 million contract. He ended up playing in 10 of a possible 21 games for Denver, collecting three sacks and undergoing two surgeries.He was benched last week at Chicago in favor of second-year outside linebacker Nik Bonitto, who had 2½ sacks, including a strip-sack of Justin Fields that led to the tying touchdown in the fourth quarter of Denver’s 31-28 comeback win over the Bears, their first victory under Payton.Gregory’s benching came a week after he was shut out at Miami, where he failed to register a single tackle and had no sacks or pressures of Tua Tagovailoa, who led the Dolphins’ 70-20 onslaught in one of the biggest blowouts in NFL history.Gregory was close to re-signing with Dallas last year before Broncos general manager George Paton offered him a contract that included $28 million in guarantees.Gregory has stayed out of trouble since being activated from the commissioner’s exempt list on Oct. 20, 2020, the last of his four substance-abuse suspensions including one that sidelined him for the entire 2019 season.Gregory, however, was limited to a half-dozen games in 2022 because of a knee injury after he missed all of training camp following shoulder surgery. He had two sacks last year and one this season.Although Gregory didn’t have any off-the-field issues in Denver like he did during his suspension-filled seven-year stint in Dallas, his production on the field never lived up to his lofty contract.