Others Considered: Blue
Valley, Blue Valley Northwest, Blue Valley West, Dodge City,
Garden City, Junction City, Lawrence Free State, Olathe South,
Washburn Rural, Wichita East

Others Considered: De
Soto, Goddard, Great Bend, Hays, Liberal, Maize, Maize South,
Pittsburg, Salina Central, Shawnee Heights, Spring Hill, Valley
Center

Others Considered:
Andover Central, Atchison, Basehor-Linwood, Buhler, Chanute,
Coffeyville, KC Piper, Louisburg, McPherson, Towanda-Circle,
Wellington

Others Considered:
Bishop Ward, Concordia, Frontenac, Girard, Hesston, Holcomb, Holton,
Hugoton, Marysville, Parsons, Pratt, Rock Creek, Scott City,
Wellsville

Others Considered:
Beloit, Council Grove, Ellsworth, Garden Plain, Humboldt,
Osage City, Phillipsburg, Riley County, Rossville, Russell,
Southeast of Saline

Others Considered:
Centralia, Hutchinson Trinity, Jayhawk-Linn, Jefferson Co. North,
Marion, Oakley, Pleasanton, Sedgwick, Smith Center, Sterling,
Troy, Valley Heights, Wabaunsee

Others Considered:
Atwood-Rawlins Co., Burlingame, Central Burden, Chase County,
Clifton-Clyde, Ell-Saline, Hoxie, Little River, Madison,
Moundridge, Quinter, South Sumner Co.

Others Considered:
Beloit St. John's-Tipton, Bucklin, Canton-Galva, Frankfort, Hodgeman
County, Kinsley, Lakeside-Downs, Lebo, Marmaton Valley, Minneola,
Sharon Springs-Wallace Co., South Barber, South Central, Sylvan-Lucas
Unified, Thunder Ridge

Others Considered:
Centre-Lost Springs,
 Deerfield, Golden Plains,
Ingalls, Pawnee Heights, Tescott

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1693413247503.jpeg" alt="Kpreps.com Pre-Season High School Football Poll" />
 <figcaption>Kpreps.com Pre-Season High School Football Poll</figcaption>
 </figure>CLASS
6A
#1 GARDNER-EDGERTON (0-0)
#2 WICHITA NORTHWEST (0-0)
#3 DERBY (0-0)
#4 MANHATTAN (0-0)
#5 OLATHE NORTH (0-0)
Others Considered: Blue
Valley, Blue Valley Northwest, Blue Valley West, Dodge City,
Garden City, Junction City, Lawrence Free State, Olathe South,
Washburn Rural, Wichita EastCLASS
5A
#1 MILL VALLEY (0-0)
#2 BISHOP CARROLL (0-0)
#3 KAPAUN MT. CARMEL (0-0)
#4 HUTCHINSON (0-0)
#5 BLUE VALLEY SOUTHWEST (0-0)
Others Considered: De
Soto, Goddard, Great Bend, Hays, Liberal, Maize, Maize South,
Pittsburg, Salina Central, Shawnee Heights, Spring Hill, Valley
CenterCLASS
4A
#1 BISHOP MIEGE (0-0)
#2 ST. THOMAS AQUINAS (0-0)
#3 ST. JAMES ACADEMY (0-0)
#4 WAMEGO (0-0)
#5 EUDORA (0-0)
Others Considered:
Andover Central, Atchison, Basehor-Linwood, Buhler, Chanute,
Coffeyville, KC Piper, Louisburg, McPherson, Towanda-Circle,
WellingtonCLASS
3A
#1 ANDALE (0-0)
#2 CHENEY (0-0)
#3 TOPEKA HAYDEN (0-0)
#4 WICHITA COLLEGIATE (0-0)
#5 CLAY CENTER (0-0)
Others Considered:
Bishop Ward, Concordia, Frontenac, Girard, Hesston, Holcomb, Holton,
Hugoton, Marysville, Parsons, Pratt, Rock Creek, Scott City,
WellsvilleCLASS
2A
#1 NEMAHA CENTRAL (0-0)
#2 SABETHA (0-0)
#3 KINGMAN (0-0)#4
HOISINGTON (0-0)
#5 SILVER LAKE (0-0)
Others Considered:
Beloit, Council Grove, Ellsworth, Garden Plain, Humboldt,
Osage City, Phillipsburg, Riley County, Rossville, Russell,
Southeast of SalineCLASS
1A
#1 ST. MARYS (0-0)
#2 INMAN (0-0)
#3 ST. MARYS COLGAN (0-0)
#4 CONWAY SPRINGS (0-0)
#5 OLPE (0-0)
Others Considered:
Centralia, Hutchinson Trinity, Jayhawk-Linn, Jefferson Co. North,
Marion, Oakley, Pleasanton, Sedgwick, Smith Center, Sterling,
Troy, Valley Heights, Wabaunsee8-MAN
I
#1 LEOTI-WICHITA CO. (0-0)
#2 LYNDON (0-0)
#3 HILL CITY (0-0)
#4 MEADE (0-0)
#5 WEST ELK (0-0)
Others Considered:
Atwood-Rawlins Co., Burlingame, Central Burden, Chase County,
Clifton-Clyde, Ell-Saline, Hoxie, Little River, Madison,
Moundridge, Quinter, South Sumner Co.8-MAN
II
#1 AXTELL (0-0)
#2 OSBORNE (0-0)#3
VICTORIA (0-0)
#4 DIGHTON (0-0)
#5 HANOVER (0-0)
Others Considered:
Beloit St. John's-Tipton, Bucklin, Canton-Galva, Frankfort, Hodgeman
County, Kinsley, Lakeside-Downs, Lebo, Marmaton Valley, Minneola,
Sharon Springs-Wallace Co., South Barber, South Central, Sylvan-Lucas
Unified, Thunder Ridge6-MAN
#1 CUNNINGHAM (0-0)
#2 ASHLAND (0-0)
#3 NORTHERN VALLEY (0-0)
#4 CHEYLIN (0-0)
#5 WAVERLY (0-0)
Others Considered:
Centre-Lost Springs,
 Deerfield, Golden Plains,
Ingalls, Pawnee Heights, Tescott

Kpreps Pre-Season High School Football Poll

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — An attendance record of global proportions could be set Wednesday night when the University of Nebraska hosts a celebration of volleyball at Memorial Stadium.

The event will feature an exhibition between in-state Division II powers Nebraska-Kearney and Wayne State and a regular-season match between Omaha and the fourth-ranked Cornhuskers. Country artist Scotty McCreery will perform afterward.

Nebraska athletic department officials have taken aim at the women's sporting event attendance record of 91,648, set during a Champions League soccer match as Barcelona defeated Real Madrid 5-2 at the Camp Nou Stadium in 2022.

“If any place can do it, it's Nebraska,” Huskers freshman outside hitter Harper Murray said.

Memorial Stadium's official capacity is just over 85,000 for football, but that number will be higher for this event because seating on the field is available. The court is positioned on the north end of the stadium, which is the home field of the Huskers football team.

The American record attendance for a women’s sporting event is 90,185 for the 1999 World Cup soccer final between the United States and China at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.

Nebraska has sold out 306 consecutive regular-season matches, though Wednesday's event won't count toward the streak because it is not being held on the team's Devaney Center court. The Huskers have led the nation in attendance every season since 2013, and eight of the top nine crowds in NCAA volleyball history are matches that have involved Nebraska.

“I keep flashing back to the USA soccer team playing at the Rose Bowl,” Huskers coach John Cook said. “That was a big moment for women’s sports and soccer really shot up. I think this is another great chance for that to happen in the sport of volleyball.”

Nebraska has won five national championships in volleyball, and its program is one of the few in Division I that turns a profit — $1 million last year, according to athletic department CFO Doug Ewald.

Volleyball Day in Nebraska tickets went on sale in late April, and more than 82,000 were sold in three days. Adults get in for $25 and children for $5.

The magnitude of the event prompted chancellor Rodney Bennett to cancel classes for the day. NCAA President Charlie Baker and Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti are scheduled to be on hand. So are Husker volleyball players who were part of iconic coach Terry Pettit's teams over four decades. High school teams from across a state stretching 430 miles border to border are being excused from classes so they can attend.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — An attendance record of global proportions could be set Wednesday night when the University of Nebraska hosts a celebration of volleyball at Memorial Stadium.The event will feature an exhibition between in-state Division II powers Nebraska-Kearney and Wayne State and a regular-season match between Omaha and the fourth-ranked Cornhuskers. Country artist Scotty McCreery will perform afterward.Nebraska athletic department officials have taken aim at the women's sporting event attendance record of 91,648, set during a Champions League soccer match as Barcelona defeated Real Madrid 5-2 at the Camp Nou Stadium in 2022.“If any place can do it, it's Nebraska,” Huskers freshman outside hitter Harper Murray said.Memorial Stadium's official capacity is just over 85,000 for football, but that number will be higher for this event because seating on the field is available. The court is positioned on the north end of the stadium, which is the home field of the Huskers football team.The American record attendance for a women’s sporting event is 90,185 for the 1999 World Cup soccer final between the United States and China at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.Nebraska has sold out 306 consecutive regular-season matches, though Wednesday's event won't count toward the streak because it is not being held on the team's Devaney Center court. The Huskers have led the nation in attendance every season since 2013, and eight of the top nine crowds in NCAA volleyball history are matches that have involved Nebraska.“I keep flashing back to the USA soccer team playing at the Rose Bowl,” Huskers coach John Cook said. “That was a big moment for women’s sports and soccer really shot up. I think this is another great chance for that to happen in the sport of volleyball.”Nebraska has won five national championships in volleyball, and its program is one of the few in Division I that turns a profit — $1 million last year, according to athletic department CFO Doug Ewald.Volleyball Day in Nebraska tickets went on sale in late April, and more than 82,000 were sold in three days. Adults get in for $25 and children for $5.The magnitude of the event prompted chancellor Rodney Bennett to cancel classes for the day. NCAA President Charlie Baker and Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti are scheduled to be on hand. So are Husker volleyball players who were part of iconic coach Terry Pettit's teams over four decades. High school teams from across a state stretching 430 miles border to border are being excused from classes so they can attend.

Nebraska volleyball stadium event could draw 90,000-plus and set women's world attendance record

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691667877931.jpeg" alt="All Games begin at 7pm" />
 <figcaption>All Games begin at 7pm</figcaption>
 </figure>9/1 MCPHERSON9/8 @
Hays9/15 @
Buhler9/22 WICHITA
SOUTHEAST9/29 DODGE
CITY10/6 @ Liberal10/13
@ Ulysses10/20 GARDEN CITY10/27 TBA

2023 Great Bend Panther Football Schedule

Tue. 8/22 - Salina Jamboree - Great Bend, Salina South, Salina Central, Hays

Mon. 9/4-9/9 - Titan Classic hosted by Wichita South - TBA

Sat. 9/16 - Wichita Trinity 12:30pm

Tue. 10/3 - @ Life Prep 6:30pm @ Stryker Soccer Complex Wichita

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602069895156.png" alt="2023 Schedule - Home matches in bold" />
 <figcaption>2023 Schedule - Home matches in bold</figcaption>
 </figure>Tue. 8/22 - Salina Jamboree - Great Bend, Salina South, Salina Central, HaysThur. 8/31 - @ Liberal 5:30pmMon. 9/4-9/9 - Titan Classic hosted by Wichita South - TBATue. 9/12 - Hays 6:30pmThur. 9/14 - @ Maize South 6:30pmSat. 9/16 - Wichita Trinity 12:30pmTue. 9/19 - @ Hays 7:00pmThur. 9/21 - Dodge City 6:30pmTue. 9/26 - Garden City 6:30pmTue. 10/3 - @ Life Prep 6:30pm @ Stryker Soccer Complex WichitaThur. 10/5 - @ Garden City 6:30pmTue. 10/10 - @ Dodge City 6:30pmThur. 10/12 - @ Junction City 6:30pmTue. 10/17 - Liberal 6:30pmThur. 10/19 - McPherson 6:30pmMon. 10/23 - 5A RegionalsThur. 10/26 - 5A RegionalsMon. 10/30 - 5A QuarterfinalsWed. 11/1 - 5A Semi-FinalsSat. 11/4 - 5A State Championship

2023 Great Bend Panther Boys Soccer schedule

Thur. 8/31 - Triangular @ Garden City: Garden City-Liberal

Tue. 9/5 -&nbsp;Triangular @ Dodge City: Dodge City-Guymon, OK

Tue. 9/12 - Great Bend Triangular - Hays-Manhattan 4:00pm

Thur. 9/21 -&nbsp;Triangular @ Goddard: Goddard-Hutchinson

Thur. 9/28 - Dual vs Dodge City 6pm

Sat. 9/30 - Great Bend Invitational - Hutchinson, Liberal, Newton, Wichita Southeast

Tue. 10/3 -&nbsp;Triangular @ Goddard-Eisenhower: Eisenhower-Campus

Thur. 10/5 -&nbsp;Triangular @ Hillsboro: Hillsboro-Emporia

Tue. 10/10 -&nbsp;Triangular @ Phillipsburg: Phillipsburg-Smith Center

Sat. 10/14 - Western Athletic Conference Tournament @ Dodge City

Fri/Sat 10/27-10/28 - 5A State Tournament

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673886631383.png" alt="2023 Schedule - Home matches in bold" />
 <figcaption>2023 Schedule - Home matches in bold</figcaption>
 </figure>Thur. 8/31 - Triangular @ Garden City: Garden City-LiberalTue. 9/5 -&nbsp;Triangular @ Dodge City: Dodge City-Guymon, OKSat. 9/9 - Riley County InvitationalTue. 9/12 - Great Bend Triangular - Hays-Manhattan 4:00pmTue. 9/19 - Dual @ Junction City 6:00pmThur. 9/21 -&nbsp;Triangular @ Goddard: Goddard-HutchinsonThur. 9/28 - Dual vs Dodge City 6pmSat. 9/30 - Great Bend Invitational - Hutchinson, Liberal, Newton, Wichita SoutheastTue. 10/3 -&nbsp;Triangular @ Goddard-Eisenhower: Eisenhower-CampusThur. 10/5 -&nbsp;Triangular @ Hillsboro: Hillsboro-EmporiaSat. 10/7 - El Dorado InviationalTue. 10/10 -&nbsp;Triangular @ Phillipsburg: Phillipsburg-Smith CenterSat. 10/14 - Western Athletic Conference Tournament @ Dodge CitySat. 10/21 - 5A Sub-State @ TBAFri/Sat 10/27-10/28 - 5A State Tournament

2023 Great Bend Panther Volleyball schedule

Thur 8/31 9:00 - Great Bend Invitational @ Lake Barton: Great Bend, Central Plains, Derby, Dodge City, Ellinwood, Garden City, Hays, Hoisington, Kiowa County, Liberal, Macksville, Maize, McPherson, Nickerson, Otis-Bison, Russell, Salina Central, Salina South, Sublette, Bishop Carroll

Sat. 9/23 -&nbsp;Rim Rock Farm Classic - Lawrence

10/12 - Western Athletic Conference @ Lake Barton

10/28 - 5A State - Lawrence Rim Rock Farm

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1601813925906.png" alt="23 Schedule - Home meets in bold" />
 <figcaption>23 Schedule - Home meets in bold</figcaption>
 </figure>Thur 8/31 9:00 - Great Bend Invitational @ Lake Barton: Great Bend, Central Plains, Derby, Dodge City, Ellinwood, Garden City, Hays, Hoisington, Kiowa County, Liberal, Macksville, Maize, McPherson, Nickerson, Otis-Bison, Russell, Salina Central, Salina South, Sublette, Bishop CarrollSat. 9/9 - Olathe North InviationalThur. 9/14 - Buhler InvitationalThur. 9/21 - Larned InvitationalSat. 9/23 -&nbsp;Rim Rock Farm Classic - Lawrence9/30 - Bishop Carroll Invitational10/12 - Western Athletic Conference @ Lake Barton10/21 - 5A Regionals - TBA10/28 - 5A State - Lawrence Rim Rock Farm

2023 Great Bend Cross Country Schedule

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Chiefs acquired defensive tackle Neil Farrell Jr. from the Las Vegas Raiders for a sixth-round pick in a rare trade among division rivals, giving Kansas City some needed depth as All-Pro pass rusher Chris Jones continues his holdout.

The Chiefs agreed to the trade on Tuesday just hours before the deadline for teams to reach the 53-man roster limit, a person familiar with the trade told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity because Farrell still must pass a physical. That is not expected to be an issue after the Raiders' fourth-round pick in the 2022 draft appeared in all of their preseason games.

About an hour after the deadline passed, word spread that the Chiefs had put Jones on the reserve/did not report list. That means he will not count toward the 53-man roster and his $19.5 million base salary will not count toward the salary cap.

Jones has been holding out in the hopes of earning a lucrative long-term contract, racking up millions in fines for missing the Chiefs' mandatory minicamp, their entire training camp and three preseason games.

In a back-and-forth with fans on social media, Jones indicated he would be willing to hold out until Week 8. That would be the deadline for making sure he would accrue a full season and fulfill the terms of his four-year, $80 million contract.

Even in that case, the Chiefs could use the franchise tag on him next offseason.

Farrell, who at 6-foot-4, 325 pounds plugs a mammoth hole in the middle of the defensive line, only had 12 tackles and two quarterback hits in nine games last season. But the acquisition of the 25-year-old tackle follows a trend of Chiefs general manager Brett Veach acquiring relatively high draft picks and giving them a fresh start in Kansas City.

“God don’t make mistakes, forever blessed and highly favored,” Farrell posted on Twitter after the trade.

The Chiefs were relatively thin along the defensive line with Jones holding out. Turk Wharton missed a big chunk of training camp with a knee injury, though he should be ready to go for their Sept. 7 opener against the Detroit Lions, while defensive end Charles Omenihu will begin serving a six-game suspension for violating the NFL's personal-conduct policy.

Among the players cut by the Chiefs on Tuesday was Danny Shelton, a defensive tackle who made a push for a roster spot.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Chiefs acquired defensive tackle Neil Farrell Jr. from the Las Vegas Raiders for a sixth-round pick in a rare trade among division rivals, giving Kansas City some needed depth as All-Pro pass rusher Chris Jones continues his holdout.The Chiefs agreed to the trade on Tuesday just hours before the deadline for teams to reach the 53-man roster limit, a person familiar with the trade told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity because Farrell still must pass a physical. That is not expected to be an issue after the Raiders' fourth-round pick in the 2022 draft appeared in all of their preseason games.About an hour after the deadline passed, word spread that the Chiefs had put Jones on the reserve/did not report list. That means he will not count toward the 53-man roster and his $19.5 million base salary will not count toward the salary cap.Jones has been holding out in the hopes of earning a lucrative long-term contract, racking up millions in fines for missing the Chiefs' mandatory minicamp, their entire training camp and three preseason games.In a back-and-forth with fans on social media, Jones indicated he would be willing to hold out until Week 8. That would be the deadline for making sure he would accrue a full season and fulfill the terms of his four-year, $80 million contract.Even in that case, the Chiefs could use the franchise tag on him next offseason.Farrell, who at 6-foot-4, 325 pounds plugs a mammoth hole in the middle of the defensive line, only had 12 tackles and two quarterback hits in nine games last season. But the acquisition of the 25-year-old tackle follows a trend of Chiefs general manager Brett Veach acquiring relatively high draft picks and giving them a fresh start in Kansas City.“God don’t make mistakes, forever blessed and highly favored,” Farrell posted on Twitter after the trade.The Chiefs were relatively thin along the defensive line with Jones holding out. Turk Wharton missed a big chunk of training camp with a knee injury, though he should be ready to go for their Sept. 7 opener against the Detroit Lions, while defensive end Charles Omenihu will begin serving a six-game suspension for violating the NFL's personal-conduct policy.Among the players cut by the Chiefs on Tuesday was Danny Shelton, a defensive tackle who made a push for a roster spot.

Chiefs get DT Neil Farrell Jr from division-rival Raiders for draft pick

AMERICAN LEAGUEEast DivisionBaltimore	83	49	.629	_Tampa
Bay	81	52	.609	2½Toronto	72	61	.541	11½Boston	69	64	.519	14½New
York	64	68	.485	19Central DivisionMinnesota	69	64	.519	_Cleveland	63	70	.474	6Detroit	59	73	.447	9½Chicago	52	81	.391	17Kansas
City	41	93	.306	28½West DivisionSeattle	75	57	.568	_Texas	75	57	.568	_Houston	76	58	.567	_Los
Angeles	63	70	.474	12½Oakland	39	94	.293	36½NATIONAL LEAGUEEast DivisionAtlanta	86	45	.656	_Philadelphia	74	58	.561	12½Miami	66	66	.500	20½Washington	62	71	.466	25New
York	60	73	.451	27Central DivisionMilwaukee	74	58	.561	_Chicago	70	62	.530	4Cincinnati	68	66	.507	7Pittsburgh	60	73	.451	14½St.
Louis	57	76	.429	17½West DivisionLos
Angeles	82	49	.626	_San
Francisco	69	63	.523	13½Arizona	69	64	.519	14San
Diego	62	71	.466	21

MLB Standings

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Ke'Bryan Hayes hit a two-run homer with two out in the eighth inning, helping rally the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 6-3 win over the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday night.

Hayes hit his 11th homer of the season 424 feet to left-center to erase a one-run deficit. In the ninth inning, Liover Peguero added a three-run homer and Jack Suwinski scored on a Kansas City error.

“It feels great,” Hayes said. “Those are the type of moments you grow up playing the game for — late in the game tying the game up or taking the lead.”

The Pirates won the series opener 5-0 on Monday and will try to win three in a row on Wednesday for only the second time since the All-Star break. Pittsburgh hasn't swept a series since June 27-29 against San Diego.

Luis Ortiz (3-4) allowed just one run on three hits in five innings of relief to get the victory.

“Ortiz was outstanding,” Pittsburgh manager Derek Shelton said. “He was totally in control of his delivery. The big inning was when he got out of the bases-loaded jam. He gave up one run, but he stayed composed and did a nice job.”

Carlos Hernandez (1-9), one of five Kansas City pitchers, gave up the home run to Hayes and took the loss.

The Royals lost a series for the seventh time in eight tries and would need to go 16-12 in their final 28 games to avoid matching the franchise record of 106 losses from 2005.

Kansas City squandered a solid effort by starter Cole Ragans, who allowed three hits, struck out nine and walked one in carrying a shutout through seven innings. With the nine strikeouts, he finished the month of August with 53 Ks, the second-most in Royals history behind Dennis Leonard's 55 in June 1977. He has a 1.73 ERA in seven starts with the Royals since being acquired in mid-July from Texas for Aroldis Chapman.

Shelton gave credit to Ragans when asked what changed after seven fruitless innings on offense.

“Ragans was out of the game, quite honestly,” he said. “That's really good stuff, a left-handed fastball at 99 and a change-up and a cutter. That's a good young pitcher.”

Kansas City manager Matt Quatraro was equally impressed.

“(A) continuation of what he’s been doing," he said. "All his pitches (were) effective, around the zone, in the zone, getting chase when he needed it, swing-and-miss in the zone. I would guess he might say it wasn’t his best command. He lost some balls arm-side, but was able to correct. But, his stuff’s so good that even when he was behind in the count he would get swing and miss.”

The first hit of the game came with no outs in the bottom of the fourth, when Bobby Witt Jr. lined a single into left field. Salvador Perez then lined a single off the glove of Hayes, sending Witt to third with no outs. After striking out MJ Melendez, Ortiz walked Nelson Velazquez, loading the bases. Drew Waters hit a line drive that tipped off Connor Joe's glove at first. Waters was retired, 4-3, but he picked up the game's first RBI.

Ragans allowed his first baserunner on a leadoff walk to Joe in the fifth. He later gave up a two-out single to Peguero, ending his no-hit bid. He struck out Jack Suwinski to end the threat.

Steven Cruz made his MLB debut Tuesday for Kansas City. He was acquired in the offseason in a trade for Michael A Taylor from the Twins. He became the 34th pitcher to appear in a game this season for Kansas City, extending a club record set last year at 32.

The Royals added two runs in the ninth on an RBI single by Freddy Fermin.

Royals: RHP Steven Cruz was selected from Triple-A Omaha. In a corresponding move, LHP Taylor Hearn was optioned to Triple-A Omaha following Monday night's game.

The Pirates and Royals conclude their three-game series Wednesday night. The Pirates will send Andre Jackson (0-1, 4.91 ERA) to the mound. Kansas City has not announced a starter.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Ke'Bryan Hayes hit a two-run homer with two out in the eighth inning, helping rally the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 6-3 win over the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday night.Hayes hit his 11th homer of the season 424 feet to left-center to erase a one-run deficit. In the ninth inning, Liover Peguero added a three-run homer and Jack Suwinski scored on a Kansas City error.“It feels great,” Hayes said. “Those are the type of moments you grow up playing the game for — late in the game tying the game up or taking the lead.”The Pirates won the series opener 5-0 on Monday and will try to win three in a row on Wednesday for only the second time since the All-Star break. Pittsburgh hasn't swept a series since June 27-29 against San Diego.Luis Ortiz (3-4) allowed just one run on three hits in five innings of relief to get the victory.“Ortiz was outstanding,” Pittsburgh manager Derek Shelton said. “He was totally in control of his delivery. The big inning was when he got out of the bases-loaded jam. He gave up one run, but he stayed composed and did a nice job.”Carlos Hernandez (1-9), one of five Kansas City pitchers, gave up the home run to Hayes and took the loss.The Royals lost a series for the seventh time in eight tries and would need to go 16-12 in their final 28 games to avoid matching the franchise record of 106 losses from 2005.Kansas City squandered a solid effort by starter Cole Ragans, who allowed three hits, struck out nine and walked one in carrying a shutout through seven innings. With the nine strikeouts, he finished the month of August with 53 Ks, the second-most in Royals history behind Dennis Leonard's 55 in June 1977. He has a 1.73 ERA in seven starts with the Royals since being acquired in mid-July from Texas for Aroldis Chapman.Shelton gave credit to Ragans when asked what changed after seven fruitless innings on offense.“Ragans was out of the game, quite honestly,” he said. “That's really good stuff, a left-handed fastball at 99 and a change-up and a cutter. That's a good young pitcher.”Kansas City manager Matt Quatraro was equally impressed.“(A) continuation of what he’s been doing," he said. "All his pitches (were) effective, around the zone, in the zone, getting chase when he needed it, swing-and-miss in the zone. I would guess he might say it wasn’t his best command. He lost some balls arm-side, but was able to correct. But, his stuff’s so good that even when he was behind in the count he would get swing and miss.”The first hit of the game came with no outs in the bottom of the fourth, when Bobby Witt Jr. lined a single into left field. Salvador Perez then lined a single off the glove of Hayes, sending Witt to third with no outs. After striking out MJ Melendez, Ortiz walked Nelson Velazquez, loading the bases. Drew Waters hit a line drive that tipped off Connor Joe's glove at first. Waters was retired, 4-3, but he picked up the game's first RBI.Ragans allowed his first baserunner on a leadoff walk to Joe in the fifth. He later gave up a two-out single to Peguero, ending his no-hit bid. He struck out Jack Suwinski to end the threat.Steven Cruz made his MLB debut Tuesday for Kansas City. He was acquired in the offseason in a trade for Michael A Taylor from the Twins. He became the 34th pitcher to appear in a game this season for Kansas City, extending a club record set last year at 32.The Royals added two runs in the ninth on an RBI single by Freddy Fermin.TRANSACTIONS:Royals: RHP Steven Cruz was selected from Triple-A Omaha. In a corresponding move, LHP Taylor Hearn was optioned to Triple-A Omaha following Monday night's game.UP NEXT:The Pirates and Royals conclude their three-game series Wednesday night. The Pirates will send Andre Jackson (0-1, 4.91 ERA) to the mound. Kansas City has not announced a starter.

Ke’Bryan Hayes' 2-run homer in the 8th inning sends the Pirates to 6-3 win over the Royals

KANSAS CITY, Mo.
(AP) — Ke’Bryan Hayes hit a two-run homer with two out in the
eighth inning, helping rally the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 6-3 win over
the Kansas City Royals. Hayes hit his 11th homer of the season 424
feet to left-center to erase a one-run deficit. In the ninth inning,
Liover Peguero added a three-run homer and Jack Suwinski scored on a
Kansas City error. The Pirates won the series opener 5-0 on Monday
and will try to win three in a row on Wednesday for only second time
since the All-Star break. Pittsburgh hasn’t swept a series since
June 27-29 against San Diego. Luis Ortiz (3-4) allowed just one run
on three hits in five innings of relief to get the victory. Carlos
Hernandez (1-9), one of five Kansas City pitchers, gave up the home
run to Hayes and took the loss.

ST. LOUIS (AP) —
Willson Contreras homered twice, pinch-hitter Tommy Edman singled in
the deciding run in the 10th inning and the St. Louis Cardinals beat
the San Diego Padres 6-5 on Tuesday night to snap a four-game losing
streak. Edman slammed the first pitch from Josh Hader (0-2) to left
field with one out to bring in Maysn Winn. Contreras cut it to 4-3 in
the sixth with his first homer, then tied it at 5 with a two-run
homer in the eighth off Robert Suarez. Contreras has 15 homers. JoJo
Romero (4-1) struck out two batters in the 10th. Luis Campusano
homered for San Diego, which has lost four of five to fall to 7-16 in
August.

DENVER (AP) —
Marcell Ozuna hit his 30th homer, Charlie Morton threw six innings of
one-run ball and the Atlanta Braves beat the Colorado Rockies 3-1 on
Tuesday night for their 16th win in 21 games. Major league-best
Atlanta improved to 86-45, including 6-0 against the Rockies with a
57-17 run margin. Colorado, which has lost 12 of its last 13 against
Atlanta. is an NL-worst 49-83, assured of its fifth straight losing
season. The Rockies have lost eight of nine overall. Ozuna homered
for the fifth time in eight games, a solo drive in the second off
Peter Lambert (3-5), and added an RBI single in the fifth.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) —
The Los Angeles Angels have reportedly placed six players on waivers.
ESPN reported they are pitchers Lucas Giolito, Dominic Leone, Matt
Moore and Reynaldo Lopez, and outfielders Hunter Renfroe and Randal
Grichuk. Giolito says he read the news on X, the social media
platform formerly known as Twitter. Los Angeles would get some salary
relief if the players are claimed and their contracts assumed. The
Angels are 63-70 and headed for their eighth straight losing season.
The moves signal the team has given up after going all-in at the
trade deadline, acquiring Giolito and Grichuk among several others.

CHICAGO (AP) — A
shooting that likely happened inside of Guaranteed Rate Field,
followed by a scary moment for Atlanta Braves star Ronald Acuña Jr.
in Colorado. Both in a span of four days. While Major League Baseball
is on track for a marked increase in attendance this year, the pair
of high-profile incidents raised questions about the safety of
players and fans inside and outside of big league ballparks. A
spokeswoman for the Major League Baseball Players Association said
Tuesday that the union takes player safety “very seriously” and
that it reviews club and stadium protocols throughout every season
“to mitigate the possibility of similar future incidents.” Acuña
had an encounter with two fans during Atlanta’s 14-4 win over
Colorado on Monday night.

KANSAS CITY, Mo.
(AP) — The Chiefs acquired defensive tackle Neil Farrell Jr. from
the Las Vegas Raiders for a sixth-round pick in a rare trade among
division rivals, giving Kansas City some needed depth as All-Pro pass
rusher Chris Jones continues his holdout. The Chiefs agreed to the
trade just hours before the deadline for teams to reach the 53-man
roster limit, a person familiar with the trade told The Associated
Press, speaking on condition of anonymity because Farrell still must
pass a physical. About an hour after the deadline passed, word spread
that the Chiefs had put Jones on the reserve/did not report list.
That means he will not count toward the 53-man roster and his $19.5
million base salary will not count toward the salary cap.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo.
(AP) — The Denver Broncos acquired kicker Wil Lutz from the New
Orleans Saints in exchange for a seventh-round pick next year,
reuniting the veteran kicker with coach Sean Payton. The Broncos also
traded veteran tight end Albert Okwuegbunam and a 2025 seventh-round
selection to the Philadelphia Eagles for a ’25 sixth-rounder.
Okwuegbunam is coming off a monster exhibition finale in which he
caught seven passes for 109 yards and a touchdown against the Rams,
after which his teammates serenaded him with chants of “Albert O!
Albert O!”

UNDATED (AP) — TA
slew of trades highlighted roster cutdown day in the NFL. Kicker Wil
Lutz is reuniting with coach Sean Payton in Denver. The Eagles got
tight end Albert Okwuegbunam from the Broncos. Veteran kicker Nick
Folk went from New England to Tennessee. Defensive end Boogie Bashum,
defensive tackle Neil Farrell Jr., cornerbacks Noah Igbinoghene and
Kelvin Joseph, offensive lineman Dan Feeney and Kendrick Green also
switched teams and wide receiver/returner Ihmir Smith-Marsette are
among the players on the move via trade. Jonathan Taylor isn’t
going anywhere, however. The Indianapolis Colts didn’t trade the
disgruntled star running back but they’re keeping Taylor on the
physically unable to perform list.

UNDATED (AP) — The
Big 12 has four new teams debuting in the league this season. Some
coincidental non-conference scheduling means the league also gets an
early look at what's more to come. Three of the four Pac-12 teams
that are set to move to the Big 12 next year will play future
conference foes over the next two Saturdays. Deion Sanders makes his
debut as Colorado’s coach in a season opener at 17th-ranked. Then
in Week 2, No. 14 Utah is at Baylor, and Arizona State hosts Oklahoma
State. Arizona doesn't play a Big 12 team this season. BYU,
Cincinnati, Houston and UCF are this year's newcomers.

MANILA, Philippines
(AP) — Another game, another blowout for the U.S. at the Basketball
World Cup. And now the competition figures to get considerably
tougher. Anthony Edwards scored 22 points and the Americans completed
an easy march through the group stage by beating Jordan 110-62 to
improve to 3-0 and finish atop Group C. Second-round play for the
U.S. starts Friday against Montenegro. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson is the
only player with any NBA experience on Jordan’s roster. He led his
team with 20 points and seven rebounds.

UNDATED (AP) —
Zach Johnson has filled out his U.S. Ryder Cup team with some
familiar faces. He has added Justin Thomas and Rickie Fowler among
his six captain's picks. Another choice of his is LIV Golf player and
five-time major champion Brooks Koepka. He's the only non-PGA Tour
member on the U.S. team. The others are Jordan Spieth, Collin
Morikawa and Sam Burns. This will be Sam Burns' first Ryder Cup.
Thomas is the known as the American spark in the Ryder Cup. But he
finished 15th in the standings. And he didn't qualify for the PGA
Tour postseason.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691404624657.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo.
(AP) — Ke’Bryan Hayes hit a two-run homer with two out in the
eighth inning, helping rally the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 6-3 win over
the Kansas City Royals. Hayes hit his 11th homer of the season 424
feet to left-center to erase a one-run deficit. In the ninth inning,
Liover Peguero added a three-run homer and Jack Suwinski scored on a
Kansas City error. The Pirates won the series opener 5-0 on Monday
and will try to win three in a row on Wednesday for only second time
since the All-Star break. Pittsburgh hasn’t swept a series since
June 27-29 against San Diego. Luis Ortiz (3-4) allowed just one run
on three hits in five innings of relief to get the victory. Carlos
Hernandez (1-9), one of five Kansas City pitchers, gave up the home
run to Hayes and took the loss.ST. LOUIS (AP) —
Willson Contreras homered twice, pinch-hitter Tommy Edman singled in
the deciding run in the 10th inning and the St. Louis Cardinals beat
the San Diego Padres 6-5 on Tuesday night to snap a four-game losing
streak. Edman slammed the first pitch from Josh Hader (0-2) to left
field with one out to bring in Maysn Winn. Contreras cut it to 4-3 in
the sixth with his first homer, then tied it at 5 with a two-run
homer in the eighth off Robert Suarez. Contreras has 15 homers. JoJo
Romero (4-1) struck out two batters in the 10th. Luis Campusano
homered for San Diego, which has lost four of five to fall to 7-16 in
August.DENVER (AP) —
Marcell Ozuna hit his 30th homer, Charlie Morton threw six innings of
one-run ball and the Atlanta Braves beat the Colorado Rockies 3-1 on
Tuesday night for their 16th win in 21 games. Major league-best
Atlanta improved to 86-45, including 6-0 against the Rockies with a
57-17 run margin. Colorado, which has lost 12 of its last 13 against
Atlanta. is an NL-worst 49-83, assured of its fifth straight losing
season. The Rockies have lost eight of nine overall. Ozuna homered
for the fifth time in eight games, a solo drive in the second off
Peter Lambert (3-5), and added an RBI single in the fifth.PHILADELPHIA (AP) —
The Los Angeles Angels have reportedly placed six players on waivers.
ESPN reported they are pitchers Lucas Giolito, Dominic Leone, Matt
Moore and Reynaldo Lopez, and outfielders Hunter Renfroe and Randal
Grichuk. Giolito says he read the news on X, the social media
platform formerly known as Twitter. Los Angeles would get some salary
relief if the players are claimed and their contracts assumed. The
Angels are 63-70 and headed for their eighth straight losing season.
The moves signal the team has given up after going all-in at the
trade deadline, acquiring Giolito and Grichuk among several others.CHICAGO (AP) — A
shooting that likely happened inside of Guaranteed Rate Field,
followed by a scary moment for Atlanta Braves star Ronald Acuña Jr.
in Colorado. Both in a span of four days. While Major League Baseball
is on track for a marked increase in attendance this year, the pair
of high-profile incidents raised questions about the safety of
players and fans inside and outside of big league ballparks. A
spokeswoman for the Major League Baseball Players Association said
Tuesday that the union takes player safety “very seriously” and
that it reviews club and stadium protocols throughout every season
“to mitigate the possibility of similar future incidents.” Acuña
had an encounter with two fans during Atlanta’s 14-4 win over
Colorado on Monday night.KANSAS CITY, Mo.
(AP) — The Chiefs acquired defensive tackle Neil Farrell Jr. from
the Las Vegas Raiders for a sixth-round pick in a rare trade among
division rivals, giving Kansas City some needed depth as All-Pro pass
rusher Chris Jones continues his holdout. The Chiefs agreed to the
trade just hours before the deadline for teams to reach the 53-man
roster limit, a person familiar with the trade told The Associated
Press, speaking on condition of anonymity because Farrell still must
pass a physical. About an hour after the deadline passed, word spread
that the Chiefs had put Jones on the reserve/did not report list.
That means he will not count toward the 53-man roster and his $19.5
million base salary will not count toward the salary cap.ENGLEWOOD, Colo.
(AP) — The Denver Broncos acquired kicker Wil Lutz from the New
Orleans Saints in exchange for a seventh-round pick next year,
reuniting the veteran kicker with coach Sean Payton. The Broncos also
traded veteran tight end Albert Okwuegbunam and a 2025 seventh-round
selection to the Philadelphia Eagles for a ’25 sixth-rounder.
Okwuegbunam is coming off a monster exhibition finale in which he
caught seven passes for 109 yards and a touchdown against the Rams,
after which his teammates serenaded him with chants of “Albert O!
Albert O!”UNDATED (AP) — TA
slew of trades highlighted roster cutdown day in the NFL. Kicker Wil
Lutz is reuniting with coach Sean Payton in Denver. The Eagles got
tight end Albert Okwuegbunam from the Broncos. Veteran kicker Nick
Folk went from New England to Tennessee. Defensive end Boogie Bashum,
defensive tackle Neil Farrell Jr., cornerbacks Noah Igbinoghene and
Kelvin Joseph, offensive lineman Dan Feeney and Kendrick Green also
switched teams and wide receiver/returner Ihmir Smith-Marsette are
among the players on the move via trade. Jonathan Taylor isn’t
going anywhere, however. The Indianapolis Colts didn’t trade the
disgruntled star running back but they’re keeping Taylor on the
physically unable to perform list.UNDATED (AP) — The
Big 12 has four new teams debuting in the league this season. Some
coincidental non-conference scheduling means the league also gets an
early look at what's more to come. Three of the four Pac-12 teams
that are set to move to the Big 12 next year will play future
conference foes over the next two Saturdays. Deion Sanders makes his
debut as Colorado’s coach in a season opener at 17th-ranked. Then
in Week 2, No. 14 Utah is at Baylor, and Arizona State hosts Oklahoma
State. Arizona doesn't play a Big 12 team this season. BYU,
Cincinnati, Houston and UCF are this year's newcomers.MANILA, Philippines
(AP) — Another game, another blowout for the U.S. at the Basketball
World Cup. And now the competition figures to get considerably
tougher. Anthony Edwards scored 22 points and the Americans completed
an easy march through the group stage by beating Jordan 110-62 to
improve to 3-0 and finish atop Group C. Second-round play for the
U.S. starts Friday against Montenegro. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson is the
only player with any NBA experience on Jordan’s roster. He led his
team with 20 points and seven rebounds.UNDATED (AP) —
Zach Johnson has filled out his U.S. Ryder Cup team with some
familiar faces. He has added Justin Thomas and Rickie Fowler among
his six captain's picks. Another choice of his is LIV Golf player and
five-time major champion Brooks Koepka. He's the only non-PGA Tour
member on the U.S. team. The others are Jordan Spieth, Collin
Morikawa and Sam Burns. This will be Sam Burns' first Ryder Cup.
Thomas is the known as the American spark in the Ryder Cup. But he
finished 15th in the standings. And he didn't qualify for the PGA
Tour postseason.TUESDAY SCORESINTERLEAGUEFinal	Philadelphia	12	L.A.
Angels	7	Final	Texas	2	N.Y.
Mets	1	Final	Tampa
Bay	11	Miami	2	Final	Washington	5	Toronto	4	Final	Pittsburgh	6	Kansas
City	3	AMERICAN LEAGUEFinal	N.Y.
Yankees	4	Detroit	2	Final	Houston	6	Boston	2	Final	Baltimore	9	Chicago
White Sox	3	Final	Cleveland	4	Minnesota	2	Final	Oakland	3	Seattle	1	NATIONAL LEAGUEFinal	Chicago
Cubs	1	Milwaukee	0	Final	St.
Louis	6	San Diego	5	Final	Atlanta	3	Colorado	1	Final	San
Francisco	6	Cincinnati	1

Wednesday Sports Headlines and Scores presented by Barton Community College

- Great Bend High School Volleyball coach Shelly Duvall

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660823675526.jpeg" alt="Tuesday show lineup with hosts Steve Webster, Mike Courson, Aaron Clark and Mike Hesher" />
 <figcaption>Tuesday 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/blZT8KMOJXQ?si=lyOgo5OluN-ziNyp" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>- Voice of the Cardinals Cole Reif-Barton Athletic Director Trevor Rolfs- Great Bend High School Volleyball coach Shelly Duvall- Tuesday Sports Headlines- Sounds of the past 24-hours

Tuesday on Sports Day (Watch) 

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — With injuries impacting their depth at wide receiver, the Carolina Panthers made a move to acquire wide receiver/returner Ihmir Smith-Marsette from the Kansas City Chiefs in a deal involving a swap of conditional 2025 seventh-round draft picks.

The 6-foot-1, 185-pound Smith-Marsette is coming off a strong preseason where he was second in the league with 195 yards receiving on nine receptions.

The 2021 fifth-round draft pick by the Minnesota Vikings averaged 21.7 yards per catch in three games, including two 40-plus yard receptions from Chiefs backup quarterback Blaine Gabbert.

With the NFL regular season fast approaching, the Panthers are dealing with injuries to three of their top five receivers. DJ Chark, Terrace Marshall Jr. and Laviska Shenault Jr. all sat out the preseason finale and their status for Week 1 remains uncertain.

Smith-Marsette spent time with Minnesota and the Chicago Bears the past two seasons, catching five passes for 116 yards and two touchdowns in 2021. He had one catch for 15 yards last season.

He has returned five kickoffs for 100 yards.

The Panthers also announced 22 roster moves on Tuesday to get closer to the league's 53-player limit.

The most notable cut was linebacker Deion Jones, a 2016 Pro Bowl linebacker for the Atlanta Falcons who was signed earlier this offseason to a one-year deal.

A second-round pick by the Falcons in 2016, Jones has started 88 games and played in 96 in his career with 12 interceptions and 11 sacks.

The Panthers also parted ways with five draft picks from the era of former coach Matt Rhule, including wide receiver Shi Smith, cornerbacks Keith Taylor and Stantley Thomas-Oliver, linebacker Brandon Smith and offensive lineman Deonte Brown.

The team also cut wide receivers Javon Wims and Josh Vann; running back Spencer Brown, offensive linemen Justin McCray, Michael Jordan, Sam Tecklenburg and JD Direnzo; defensive lineman Raequan Williams; outside linebackers Kobe Jones, Eku Leota, and Jordan Thomas; inside linebacker Ace Eley; safety Eric Rowe; and cornerbacks Herb Miller, Mac McCain, and Mark Milton.

Right guard Austin Corbett was placed on the reserve/physically unable to perform list as he continues to recover from a torn ACL he sustained in last year’s regular-season finale. That means Corbett will miss at least the first four games of the season.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — With injuries impacting their depth at wide receiver, the Carolina Panthers made a move to acquire wide receiver/returner Ihmir Smith-Marsette from the Kansas City Chiefs in a deal involving a swap of conditional 2025 seventh-round draft picks.The 6-foot-1, 185-pound Smith-Marsette is coming off a strong preseason where he was second in the league with 195 yards receiving on nine receptions.The 2021 fifth-round draft pick by the Minnesota Vikings averaged 21.7 yards per catch in three games, including two 40-plus yard receptions from Chiefs backup quarterback Blaine Gabbert.With the NFL regular season fast approaching, the Panthers are dealing with injuries to three of their top five receivers. DJ Chark, Terrace Marshall Jr. and Laviska Shenault Jr. all sat out the preseason finale and their status for Week 1 remains uncertain.Smith-Marsette spent time with Minnesota and the Chicago Bears the past two seasons, catching five passes for 116 yards and two touchdowns in 2021. He had one catch for 15 yards last season.He has returned five kickoffs for 100 yards.The Panthers also announced 22 roster moves on Tuesday to get closer to the league's 53-player limit.The most notable cut was linebacker Deion Jones, a 2016 Pro Bowl linebacker for the Atlanta Falcons who was signed earlier this offseason to a one-year deal.A second-round pick by the Falcons in 2016, Jones has started 88 games and played in 96 in his career with 12 interceptions and 11 sacks.The Panthers also parted ways with five draft picks from the era of former coach Matt Rhule, including wide receiver Shi Smith, cornerbacks Keith Taylor and Stantley Thomas-Oliver, linebacker Brandon Smith and offensive lineman Deonte Brown.The team also cut wide receivers Javon Wims and Josh Vann; running back Spencer Brown, offensive linemen Justin McCray, Michael Jordan, Sam Tecklenburg and JD Direnzo; defensive lineman Raequan Williams; outside linebackers Kobe Jones, Eku Leota, and Jordan Thomas; inside linebacker Ace Eley; safety Eric Rowe; and cornerbacks Herb Miller, Mac McCain, and Mark Milton.Right guard Austin Corbett was placed on the reserve/physically unable to perform list as he continues to recover from a torn ACL he sustained in last year’s regular-season finale. That means Corbett will miss at least the first four games of the season.

Panthers acquire WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette from the Chiefs

Andy Reid couldn’t win the big one until he went to Kansas City and got Patrick Mahomes. Now, there’s no telling how many big games the coach affectionately known as “Big Red” will end up winning.

Reid was a near-unanimous choice by The Associated Press for the top spot among NFL head coaches, receiving eight of nine first-place votes.

A panel of nine AP Pro Football Writers ranked the top five head coaches, making their selections based on current status entering the 2023 season. First-place votes were worth 10 points. Second through fifth-place votes were worth 5, 3, 2 and 1 points.

Six-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick got the other first-place vote. Kyle Shanahan, Mike Tomlin, John Harbaugh, Mike Vrabel, Sean McVay and Nick Sirianni each got second-place votes.

A total of 13 coaches received at least one vote, including Pete Carroll, Doug Pederson, Sean Payton, Sean McDermott and Matt LaFleur.

1. ANDY REID, Kansas City Chiefs: Reid won more games than any coach in the history of the Philadelphia Eagles, leading the franchise to six NFC championship games and one Super Bowl appearance in 14 seasons. He went to Kansas City in 2013 and has led the Chiefs to a winning record 10 straight years, including double-digit wins nine times. The Chiefs have hosted the AFC title game the last five seasons and won two Super Bowls in three tries.

2. BILL BELICHICK, New England Patriots: Belichick is one of three coaches in NFL history to win six championships and he ranks third behind Don Shula and Tom Landry on the all-time wins list. However, Belichick hasn’t won a playoff game since Tom Brady left New England. He’s 80-90 in his career in games Brady didn’t start.

3. KYLE SHANAHAN, San Francisco 49ers: Shanahan is the only coach in the top five who hasn’t won a Super Bowl. He guided the 49ers to the NFC championship game last season with third-string QB Brock Purdy and led them to one Super Bowl appearance and two NFC championship games with Jimmy Garoppolo. Shanahan edged Tomlin for third place by one point. He was named on five ballots, getting two second-place votes.

4. MIKE TOMLIN, Pittsburgh Steelers: Tomlin has never had a losing season in 16 years with the Steelers. He had Ben Roethlisberger for 15 of those seasons but finished 9-8 with rookie Kenny Pickett taking over at QB in 2022. Tomlin has won a Super Bowl in two appearances. He was named on seven ballots.

5. JOHN HARBAUGH, Baltimore Ravens: Harbaugh has one Super Bowl ring and only two losing seasons in 15 years with the Ravens. He edged McVay and Sirianni by one point for fifth place.

Andy Reid couldn’t win the big one until he went to Kansas City and got Patrick Mahomes. Now, there’s no telling how many big games the coach affectionately known as “Big Red” will end up winning.Reid was a near-unanimous choice by The Associated Press for the top spot among NFL head coaches, receiving eight of nine first-place votes.A panel of nine AP Pro Football Writers ranked the top five head coaches, making their selections based on current status entering the 2023 season. First-place votes were worth 10 points. Second through fifth-place votes were worth 5, 3, 2 and 1 points.Six-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick got the other first-place vote. Kyle Shanahan, Mike Tomlin, John Harbaugh, Mike Vrabel, Sean McVay and Nick Sirianni each got second-place votes.A total of 13 coaches received at least one vote, including Pete Carroll, Doug Pederson, Sean Payton, Sean McDermott and Matt LaFleur.1. ANDY REID, Kansas City Chiefs: Reid won more games than any coach in the history of the Philadelphia Eagles, leading the franchise to six NFC championship games and one Super Bowl appearance in 14 seasons. He went to Kansas City in 2013 and has led the Chiefs to a winning record 10 straight years, including double-digit wins nine times. The Chiefs have hosted the AFC title game the last five seasons and won two Super Bowls in three tries.2. BILL BELICHICK, New England Patriots: Belichick is one of three coaches in NFL history to win six championships and he ranks third behind Don Shula and Tom Landry on the all-time wins list. However, Belichick hasn’t won a playoff game since Tom Brady left New England. He’s 80-90 in his career in games Brady didn’t start.3. KYLE SHANAHAN, San Francisco 49ers: Shanahan is the only coach in the top five who hasn’t won a Super Bowl. He guided the 49ers to the NFC championship game last season with third-string QB Brock Purdy and led them to one Super Bowl appearance and two NFC championship games with Jimmy Garoppolo. Shanahan edged Tomlin for third place by one point. He was named on five ballots, getting two second-place votes.4. MIKE TOMLIN, Pittsburgh Steelers: Tomlin has never had a losing season in 16 years with the Steelers. He had Ben Roethlisberger for 15 of those seasons but finished 9-8 with rookie Kenny Pickett taking over at QB in 2022. Tomlin has won a Super Bowl in two appearances. He was named on seven ballots.5. JOHN HARBAUGH, Baltimore Ravens: Harbaugh has one Super Bowl ring and only two losing seasons in 15 years with the Ravens. He edged McVay and Sirianni by one point for fifth place.

Andy Reid in the lead spot in AP's NFL Top 5 head coach rankings

The Kansas Shrine Bowl Board of Directors is excited to announce the selection of Weston Moody, Wamego,&nbsp;and Jace Pavlovich, McPherson, as the next head coaches of the Kansas Shrine Bowl. The 51st Kansas Shrine Bowl presented by Mammoth will be played on Saturday, June 29, 2024, at Welch Stadium in Emporia, Kansas.

The head coaches are selected from the group of assistant coaches in the previous year’s game. This selection is determined by a vote from the previous coaching staff, camp directors, trainers, and managers.

The East team will be led by Wamego High School Head Coach, Weston Moody. Coach Moody is entering his sixth season as the Head Coach at Wamego High School, where he has compiled an overall record of 38-15. Wamego is coming off a 12-1 season that included their first ever state championship game appearance in 2022. Coach Moody was named the 4A Coach of the Year by multiple outlets following his program’s historic 2022 season.

"I am honored to be selected as the Head Coach of the Shrine Bowl East squad,” said East Head Coach Weston Moody. “I'm humbled to be able to play a small part in the efforts of the Shriners, who provide care to youth in need worldwide and highlight the best football players in the state of Kansas. I'm grateful for this opportunity, and it would not be possible without our players, staff, Wamego community and my family."

McPherson High School Head Coach Jace Pavlovich will lead the 2024 Kansas Shrine Bowl West team. Coach Pavlovich is entering his ninth season as the Head Coach at McPherson High School where he has put together a career record of 72-18. Pavlovich enters the 2023 season tied with Tom Young as the program’s all-time wins leader. The Bullpups finished 10-2 during the 2022 season.

"I am honored and privileged to be chosen to lead the West squad this year,” said West Head Coach Jace Pavlovich. “To have the privilege of being a small part of this great event and to help in the noble cause it represents is a dream come true. I am grateful for being chosen, but the credit should rest with the outstanding players, coaches, and administrators at McPherson High School. Westside!"

The 51st Kansas Shrine Bowl presented by Mammoth is returning to Emporia on June 29, 2024, for the sixth time and first since 2016. The West Team won the 50th Kansas Shrine Bowl presented by Mammoth, 21-20, on Saturday, July 15, 2023, in Hays, Kansas. The West now holds a 31-17-2 advantage all-time and has not lost since 2018, with four wins and a tie (2022) since the last East victory in 2018.

“We’re excited to have both of these great coaches associated with our organization,” said Kansas Shrine Bowl Executive Director, B.J. Harris. “To be selected by your peers is an honor and reflects the type of skill and character both Coach Moody and Coach Pavlovich possess. We’re looking forward to working with both as we continue to grow the Kansas Shrine Bowl and maximize our impact on Shriners Children.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1693306369013.png" alt="Kansas Shrine Bowl Release" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Shrine Bowl Release</figcaption>
 </figure>The Kansas Shrine Bowl Board of Directors is excited to announce the selection of Weston Moody, Wamego,&nbsp;and Jace Pavlovich, McPherson, as the next head coaches of the Kansas Shrine Bowl. The 51st Kansas Shrine Bowl presented by Mammoth will be played on Saturday, June 29, 2024, at Welch Stadium in Emporia, Kansas.The head coaches are selected from the group of assistant coaches in the previous year’s game. This selection is determined by a vote from the previous coaching staff, camp directors, trainers, and managers.The East team will be led by Wamego High School Head Coach, Weston Moody. Coach Moody is entering his sixth season as the Head Coach at Wamego High School, where he has compiled an overall record of 38-15. Wamego is coming off a 12-1 season that included their first ever state championship game appearance in 2022. Coach Moody was named the 4A Coach of the Year by multiple outlets following his program’s historic 2022 season."I am honored to be selected as the Head Coach of the Shrine Bowl East squad,” said East Head Coach Weston Moody. “I'm humbled to be able to play a small part in the efforts of the Shriners, who provide care to youth in need worldwide and highlight the best football players in the state of Kansas. I'm grateful for this opportunity, and it would not be possible without our players, staff, Wamego community and my family."McPherson High School Head Coach Jace Pavlovich will lead the 2024 Kansas Shrine Bowl West team. Coach Pavlovich is entering his ninth season as the Head Coach at McPherson High School where he has put together a career record of 72-18. Pavlovich enters the 2023 season tied with Tom Young as the program’s all-time wins leader. The Bullpups finished 10-2 during the 2022 season."I am honored and privileged to be chosen to lead the West squad this year,” said West Head Coach Jace Pavlovich. “To have the privilege of being a small part of this great event and to help in the noble cause it represents is a dream come true. I am grateful for being chosen, but the credit should rest with the outstanding players, coaches, and administrators at McPherson High School. Westside!"The 51st Kansas Shrine Bowl presented by Mammoth is returning to Emporia on June 29, 2024, for the sixth time and first since 2016. The West Team won the 50th Kansas Shrine Bowl presented by Mammoth, 21-20, on Saturday, July 15, 2023, in Hays, Kansas. The West now holds a 31-17-2 advantage all-time and has not lost since 2018, with four wins and a tie (2022) since the last East victory in 2018.“We’re excited to have both of these great coaches associated with our organization,” said Kansas Shrine Bowl Executive Director, B.J. Harris. “To be selected by your peers is an honor and reflects the type of skill and character both Coach Moody and Coach Pavlovich possess. We’re looking forward to working with both as we continue to grow the Kansas Shrine Bowl and maximize our impact on Shriners Children.”

Head Coaches Selected for 51st Kansas Shrine Bowl

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Johan Oviedo pitched a two-hitter for his first complete game in 53 major league starts, Ke’Bryan Hayes had four hits and Zack Greinke lost his ninth consecutive decision in the Pittsburgh Pirates' 5-0 win and the Kansas City Royals on Monday night.

Oviedo (8-13) struck out five and walked two while throwing a career-high 112 pitches.

“He was on point the entire game," Pittsburgh manager Derek Shelton said. "When he got behind he was able to execute..”

It was just the 28th complete game in the major leagues this season and the first complete game in 150 professional starts for the 26-year-old right-hander dating to 2016. Oviedo had never before gotten an out in the eighth inning, must less pitch the ninth.

“I was trying not to think about anything,” Oviedo said. “I was very excited. I tried to just check my mind and make good pitches.”

Catcher Endy Rodríguez lobbied Shelton and pitching coach Oscar Martin to allow Oviedo to finish.

“Going into the ninth, I didn't plan on pitching him, because he was at 97,” Shelton said of the pitch count. “I figured that was good. Endy Rodríguez made a pretty strong push. He kept saying, ‘Let’s go, he's fine.' ... I figured: young catcher feeling it. We were hitter by hitter, but it was good for Endy and good for Ovi.”

Pittsburgh won at Kansas City for the first time since Aug. 20, 2015.

Kansas City (41-92) didn't advance a runner past first base. The Royals were blanked for the 14th time this season and held to two hits or fewer for the eighth time.

“We didn't put too many good swings on him,” Kansas City manager Matt Quatraro said.

Greinke (1-13) gave up two runs and six hits in 4 2/3 innings, dropping to 0-9 in 17 starts since beating Baltimore on May 3. The 39-year-old right-hander is tied with Oviedo, Kyle Freeland and Rich Hill for second in the majors in losses, trailing only teammate Jordan Lyles at 15. Grienke had only one 1-2-3 inning.

“He was a little bit off with his command,” Quatraro said. “It's amazing how he can compete and get out of trouble. There's a reason he's been doing this for as long as he has.”

Hayes singled in the first, hit an RBI double in the third for a 2-0 lead, singled in the fifth to chase Greinke and singled in the seventh against Taylor Hearn. Hayes is hitting .438 (21 for 48) since Aug. 9 with four doubles, four home runs and eight RBIs.

“I've been putting good at-bats together and hitting the ball hard,” Hayes said. “We were able to find some holes. It feels good whenever you can find a hole.”

Alfonso Rivas hit a run-scoring double-play grounder in the second first after Rodríguez's leadoff single and walks to Jack Suwinski and Liover Peguero.

Andrew McCutchen and Joshua Palacios had RBI singles in the seventh off Hearn. and Rivas doubled in a run in the eighth against Jackson Kowar.

Royals: RHP Brady Singer is going to miss his next turn Wednesday. Manager Matt Quatraro said Singer has shown signs of arm fatigue but there is nothing physically wrong.

Kansas City LHP Cole Ragans (5-4, 3.66 ERA) starts Tuesday night.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Johan Oviedo pitched a two-hitter for his first complete game in 53 major league starts, Ke’Bryan Hayes had four hits and Zack Greinke lost his ninth consecutive decision in the Pittsburgh Pirates' 5-0 win and the Kansas City Royals on Monday night.Oviedo (8-13) struck out five and walked two while throwing a career-high 112 pitches.“He was on point the entire game," Pittsburgh manager Derek Shelton said. "When he got behind he was able to execute..”It was just the 28th complete game in the major leagues this season and the first complete game in 150 professional starts for the 26-year-old right-hander dating to 2016. Oviedo had never before gotten an out in the eighth inning, must less pitch the ninth.“I was trying not to think about anything,” Oviedo said. “I was very excited. I tried to just check my mind and make good pitches.”Catcher Endy Rodríguez lobbied Shelton and pitching coach Oscar Martin to allow Oviedo to finish.“Going into the ninth, I didn't plan on pitching him, because he was at 97,” Shelton said of the pitch count. “I figured that was good. Endy Rodríguez made a pretty strong push. He kept saying, ‘Let’s go, he's fine.' ... I figured: young catcher feeling it. We were hitter by hitter, but it was good for Endy and good for Ovi.”Pittsburgh won at Kansas City for the first time since Aug. 20, 2015.Kansas City (41-92) didn't advance a runner past first base. The Royals were blanked for the 14th time this season and held to two hits or fewer for the eighth time.“We didn't put too many good swings on him,” Kansas City manager Matt Quatraro said.Greinke (1-13) gave up two runs and six hits in 4 2/3 innings, dropping to 0-9 in 17 starts since beating Baltimore on May 3. The 39-year-old right-hander is tied with Oviedo, Kyle Freeland and Rich Hill for second in the majors in losses, trailing only teammate Jordan Lyles at 15. Grienke had only one 1-2-3 inning.“He was a little bit off with his command,” Quatraro said. “It's amazing how he can compete and get out of trouble. There's a reason he's been doing this for as long as he has.”Hayes singled in the first, hit an RBI double in the third for a 2-0 lead, singled in the fifth to chase Greinke and singled in the seventh against Taylor Hearn. Hayes is hitting .438 (21 for 48) since Aug. 9 with four doubles, four home runs and eight RBIs.“I've been putting good at-bats together and hitting the ball hard,” Hayes said. “We were able to find some holes. It feels good whenever you can find a hole.”Alfonso Rivas hit a run-scoring double-play grounder in the second first after Rodríguez's leadoff single and walks to Jack Suwinski and Liover Peguero.Andrew McCutchen and Joshua Palacios had RBI singles in the seventh off Hearn. and Rivas doubled in a run in the eighth against Jackson Kowar.TRAINER'S ROOMRoyals: RHP Brady Singer is going to miss his next turn Wednesday. Manager Matt Quatraro said Singer has shown signs of arm fatigue but there is nothing physically wrong.UP NEXTKansas City LHP Cole Ragans (5-4, 3.66 ERA) starts Tuesday night.

Oviedo leads Pirates over Royals 5-0

It's five months into the regular season and all 30 Major League Baseball managers who started the year with their respective teams are all still employed. That's fairly rare but not totally uncommon.

Here's a look at some of the managers who are in a tenuous position as the season winds down.

— Aaron Boone, New York Yankees: This is Boone's sixth season and the previous five were all very good. But the Yankees have fallen to last place in the AL East with a 62-68 record, GM Brian Cashman called the season a “disaster” and it's fair to say that patience isn't always the best virtue for teams in the Big Apple. The Yankees haven't had a losing season since 1992.

— Buck Showalter, New York Mets: The 67-year-old had the Midas touch in 2022, leading the Mets to 101 wins before a disappointing wild-card round exit against the San Diego Padres. Another big season was expected after owner Steve Cohen spent huge on the team's payroll, but the Mets have plunged to the bottom of the NL East with a 60-71 record.

— Bob Melvin, San Diego Padres: The 61-year-old is well respected and took over the Padres in 2022, leading them to an 89-win season and a spot in the NLCS before losing to the Phillies in five games. But the high-priced roster — with stars like Fernando Tatis Jr., Juan Soto, Manny Machado, Yu Darvish and Xander Bogaerts — is just 61-70 this season and almost certainly will miss the playoffs.

— Oliver Marmol, St. Louis Cardinals: The 37-year-old was surprise choice in 2022 to lead the storied franchise, but the front office looked like geniuses after Marmol guided the team to a 93-win season. He hasn't been able to keep the momentum, with the Cardinals falling to 56-75 and a last-place spot in the NL Central. They're on pace to lose at least 90 games for the first time since 1990.

— Pedro Grifol, Chicago White Sox: The first-year manager has been in charge during a hugely disappointing season on the South Side, and owner Jerry Reinsdorf just fired executive vice president Ken Williams and GM Rick Hahn. On top of that, pitcher Keynan Middleton didn't have a lot of great things to say about the clubhouse culture following his trade to the Yankees.

— Bud Black, Colorado Rockies: The 66-year-old manager is well liked but is now presiding over his fifth straight losing season. It's not all Black's fault — the team's roster construction is a mess and the team's best players can't seem to stay healthy — but it seems like the Rockies might need a new voice in the dugout.

— Phil Nevin, Los Angeles Angels: Nevin took over from the fired Joe Maddon midway through last season but hasn't had much more success. The Angels are one of the most confounding teams in baseball, failing to make the playoffs despite having two-way sensation Shohei Ohtani and one of this generation's best players in Mike Trout. Nevin is far from that team's only problem, but it wouldn't be shocking to see the franchise make a change.

The Yankees have finished last in their division just twice over the past century. What were those seasons?

Square-shaped slugger Kyle Schwarber continues one of the most unusual seasons in MLB history and could become the first player in the sport's history to hit 40 homers despite a sub-.200 batting average.

Schwarber smacked his 36th homer of the season on Sunday, helping the Phillies beat the Cardinals 3-0. The 30-year-old is hitting just .189 this season and more than a third of his hits — 36 of 89 — have been long balls. He's also on pace to strike out 200 times for a second straight season.

One reason Schwarber remains a useful player is that he's not afraid to walk. He's already taken 100 free passes this season, meaning his .335 on-base percentage is above the MLB average despite such a low batting average.

The Seattle Mariners continue to play inspired baseball, jumping to the top of the AL West with a 3-2 win over the Kansas City Royals on Sunday.

They're 24-6 over their past 30 games, rocketing past the defending World Series champion Houston Astros and scuffling Texas Rangers.

Speaking of the Rangers, they looked like they were going to waltz into the playoffs just a few weeks ago.

Texas has lost nine of its last 10, no longer leads the AL West and is just 2 1/2 games ahead of the Toronto Blue Jays for the final AL wild-card spot.

It's five months into the regular season and all 30 Major League Baseball managers who started the year with their respective teams are all still employed. That's fairly rare but not totally uncommon.The ax could be coming soon.Here's a look at some of the managers who are in a tenuous position as the season winds down.— Aaron Boone, New York Yankees: This is Boone's sixth season and the previous five were all very good. But the Yankees have fallen to last place in the AL East with a 62-68 record, GM Brian Cashman called the season a “disaster” and it's fair to say that patience isn't always the best virtue for teams in the Big Apple. The Yankees haven't had a losing season since 1992.— Buck Showalter, New York Mets: The 67-year-old had the Midas touch in 2022, leading the Mets to 101 wins before a disappointing wild-card round exit against the San Diego Padres. Another big season was expected after owner Steve Cohen spent huge on the team's payroll, but the Mets have plunged to the bottom of the NL East with a 60-71 record.— Bob Melvin, San Diego Padres: The 61-year-old is well respected and took over the Padres in 2022, leading them to an 89-win season and a spot in the NLCS before losing to the Phillies in five games. But the high-priced roster — with stars like Fernando Tatis Jr., Juan Soto, Manny Machado, Yu Darvish and Xander Bogaerts — is just 61-70 this season and almost certainly will miss the playoffs.— Oliver Marmol, St. Louis Cardinals: The 37-year-old was surprise choice in 2022 to lead the storied franchise, but the front office looked like geniuses after Marmol guided the team to a 93-win season. He hasn't been able to keep the momentum, with the Cardinals falling to 56-75 and a last-place spot in the NL Central. They're on pace to lose at least 90 games for the first time since 1990.— Pedro Grifol, Chicago White Sox: The first-year manager has been in charge during a hugely disappointing season on the South Side, and owner Jerry Reinsdorf just fired executive vice president Ken Williams and GM Rick Hahn. On top of that, pitcher Keynan Middleton didn't have a lot of great things to say about the clubhouse culture following his trade to the Yankees.— Bud Black, Colorado Rockies: The 66-year-old manager is well liked but is now presiding over his fifth straight losing season. It's not all Black's fault — the team's roster construction is a mess and the team's best players can't seem to stay healthy — but it seems like the Rockies might need a new voice in the dugout.— Phil Nevin, Los Angeles Angels: Nevin took over from the fired Joe Maddon midway through last season but hasn't had much more success. The Angels are one of the most confounding teams in baseball, failing to make the playoffs despite having two-way sensation Shohei Ohtani and one of this generation's best players in Mike Trout. Nevin is far from that team's only problem, but it wouldn't be shocking to see the franchise make a change.TRIVIA QUESTIONThe Yankees have finished last in their division just twice over the past century. What were those seasons?ALL OR NOTHINGSquare-shaped slugger Kyle Schwarber continues one of the most unusual seasons in MLB history and could become the first player in the sport's history to hit 40 homers despite a sub-.200 batting average.Schwarber smacked his 36th homer of the season on Sunday, helping the Phillies beat the Cardinals 3-0. The 30-year-old is hitting just .189 this season and more than a third of his hits — 36 of 89 — have been long balls. He's also on pace to strike out 200 times for a second straight season.One reason Schwarber remains a useful player is that he's not afraid to walk. He's already taken 100 free passes this season, meaning his .335 on-base percentage is above the MLB average despite such a low batting average.RISINGThe Seattle Mariners continue to play inspired baseball, jumping to the top of the AL West with a 3-2 win over the Kansas City Royals on Sunday.They're 24-6 over their past 30 games, rocketing past the defending World Series champion Houston Astros and scuffling Texas Rangers.FALLINGSpeaking of the Rangers, they looked like they were going to waltz into the playoffs just a few weeks ago.Now, it's not so clear.Texas has lost nine of its last 10, no longer leads the AL West and is just 2 1/2 games ahead of the Toronto Blue Jays for the final AL wild-card spot.TRIVIA ANSWER1966 and 1990.

All 30 managers who started the MLB season are still employed, for now.....

Patrick Mahomes is a two-time NFL MVP, a two-time Super Bowl MVP and has led the Kansas City Chiefs to the AFC championship game five straight seasons.

Any poll that ranks players has to start with No. 15. Mahomes was a unanimous choice by The Associated Press for the top spot among quarterbacks.

A panel of nine AP Pro Football Writers ranked the top five players at QB, making their selections based on current status entering the 2023 season. First-place votes were worth 10 points. Second through fifth-place votes were worth 5, 3, 2 and 1 points.

Joe Burrow, Josh Allen and Jalen Hurts each received second-place votes. Four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers was named on seven ballots. Justin Herbert, Kirk Cousins, Trevor Lawrence and Lamar Jackson also received votes.

1. PATRICK MAHOMES, Kansas City Chiefs: Mahomes had another spectacular season despite losing star receiver Tyreek Hill. He received 49 of 50 first-place votes for AP All-Pro and 48 of 50 for AP NFL MVP. If any player has a chance to challenge Tom Brady’s seven Super Bowl rings, it’s Mahomes. He only turns 28 next month and the Chiefs are built to keep winning. Mahomes and coach Andy Reid are a perfect fit together.

2. JOE BURROW, Cincinnati Bengals: Burrow edged Allen for the No. 2 spot by one point despite being left off two ballots due to his calf injury. Burrow got five second-place votes. He’s led the Bengals to the AFC championship game against Mahomes and the Chiefs two years in a row, winning one. Burrow beat Mahomes on the road in the playoffs in 2022 and led the Bengals to a victory over Allen and the Bills on the road in the AFC divisional round last season.

3. JOSH ALLEN, Buffalo Bills: Allen was named on every ballot, getting votes in every spot from Nos. 2-5. Allen is the only QB in NFL history with three straight seasons throwing 25 touchdown passes and rushing for five scores. Allen has led the Bills to three straight AFC East titles but Buffalo has lost in the divisional round the last two seasons.

4. AARON RODGERS, New York Jets: Rodgers had a disappointing season to finish his career in Green Bay after winning consecutive MVP awards in 2020-21. The 39-year-old future Hall of Famer has been rejuvenated in New York. He’ll become a folk hero if he can lead the Jets to a Super Bowl for the first time since Broadway Joe Namath.

5. JALEN HURTS, Philadelphia Eagles: Hurts had a breakout season in 2022, finishing runner-up to Mahomes for AP NFL MVP and third behind Justin Jefferson and Mahomes for AP Offensive Player of the Year. Hurts had a spectacular Super Bowl but the Eagles lost to Mahomes and the Chiefs 38-35. Hurts, who was selected on six of nine ballots, finished one point behind Rodgers for fourth place.

Patrick Mahomes is a two-time NFL MVP, a two-time Super Bowl MVP and has led the Kansas City Chiefs to the AFC championship game five straight seasons.Any poll that ranks players has to start with No. 15. Mahomes was a unanimous choice by The Associated Press for the top spot among quarterbacks.A panel of nine AP Pro Football Writers ranked the top five players at QB, making their selections based on current status entering the 2023 season. First-place votes were worth 10 points. Second through fifth-place votes were worth 5, 3, 2 and 1 points.Joe Burrow, Josh Allen and Jalen Hurts each received second-place votes. Four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers was named on seven ballots. Justin Herbert, Kirk Cousins, Trevor Lawrence and Lamar Jackson also received votes.1. PATRICK MAHOMES, Kansas City Chiefs: Mahomes had another spectacular season despite losing star receiver Tyreek Hill. He received 49 of 50 first-place votes for AP All-Pro and 48 of 50 for AP NFL MVP. If any player has a chance to challenge Tom Brady’s seven Super Bowl rings, it’s Mahomes. He only turns 28 next month and the Chiefs are built to keep winning. Mahomes and coach Andy Reid are a perfect fit together.2. JOE BURROW, Cincinnati Bengals: Burrow edged Allen for the No. 2 spot by one point despite being left off two ballots due to his calf injury. Burrow got five second-place votes. He’s led the Bengals to the AFC championship game against Mahomes and the Chiefs two years in a row, winning one. Burrow beat Mahomes on the road in the playoffs in 2022 and led the Bengals to a victory over Allen and the Bills on the road in the AFC divisional round last season.3. JOSH ALLEN, Buffalo Bills: Allen was named on every ballot, getting votes in every spot from Nos. 2-5. Allen is the only QB in NFL history with three straight seasons throwing 25 touchdown passes and rushing for five scores. Allen has led the Bills to three straight AFC East titles but Buffalo has lost in the divisional round the last two seasons.4. AARON RODGERS, New York Jets: Rodgers had a disappointing season to finish his career in Green Bay after winning consecutive MVP awards in 2020-21. The 39-year-old future Hall of Famer has been rejuvenated in New York. He’ll become a folk hero if he can lead the Jets to a Super Bowl for the first time since Broadway Joe Namath.5. JALEN HURTS, Philadelphia Eagles: Hurts had a breakout season in 2022, finishing runner-up to Mahomes for AP NFL MVP and third behind Justin Jefferson and Mahomes for AP Offensive Player of the Year. Hurts had a spectacular Super Bowl but the Eagles lost to Mahomes and the Chiefs 38-35. Hurts, who was selected on six of nine ballots, finished one point behind Rodgers for fourth place.

Patrick Mahomes is unanimous choice by AP for the top spot among NFL quarterbacks

By MIKE COURSON Great Bend Post

The old, "If you build it, they will come," phrase may be from a baseball movie but it applies to all walks of life. High school cross country is no exception. The Lake Barton course has been the home of several regional meets in recent years. Action returns Thursday morning north of Great Bend with a 19-team team invitational.

"Four or five years ago we had about five teams and we've built this up," said Panther cross country coach Lyles Lashley. "We have a great course. Having it on a Thursday morning helps the schools to be able to come and race in the morning time with the heat going on this time of year."

The Lady Panthers finished fifth in Class 5A last year and return a full squad plus some newcomers. Also competing at Rim Rock Farm last October was Salina South junior Katelyn Rupe, who set a Lake Barton Course record a week before setting the Rim Rock course record at state. Rupe is joined by freshman teammate Kaylie Shultz, who broke Rupe's old middle school records in the 800, 1600, and 3200m runs.

Also competing on the girls' side are Bishop Carroll and Hays, who finished seventh and 10th, respectively, in Class 5A last year. Maize sophomore Isabella Ponce is also a top-25 state finisher.

For Great Bend, junior Marissa Boone finished eighth at state last October and has already been featured in a <a href="https://kshsaacovered.com/news/2023/7/23/womens-cross-country-40-girls-cross-country-runners-to-watch-in-2023.aspx">KSHSAA Covered article</a> as one of the runners to watch this fall. Senior Addy Nicholson also returns as an all-state runner.

The boys' side will include Maize senior Kaleb Glazier, who took the Lake Barton Course record from then-Panther senior Kaiden Esfeld during last year's regional meet. Glazier went on to finish second in Class 5A. Senior Alex Ayin also earned all-state honors for the Eagles.

Hoisington junior Kamden Tarlton leads local runners after a 22nd place state finish in Class 3A. The boys' race will also feature a Buhler team that slipped to second in Class 4A last year after winning four-straight championships. The Crusaders are on the short list of favorites for a title in 2023. Seniors Kaden Lohrentz and Layne Whisler each finished in the top nine at state, and all five Buhler scorers ran in the top-21 at Wamego last October.

Most of the 19 teams in action Thursday hail from the larger classifications, but the races will also include the likes of Hoisington, Central Plains, Otis-Bison, and Russell. All schools will race together but smaller schools will be scored separately.

"Some of the smaller school kids can get some really good competition," Lashley said. "It's nice to see them in there with the big schools. Having coached at Ellinwood, it's always nice to see what small schools can do against big schools."

Races begin at 9:30 a.m. with the girls' varsity race, followed by the varsity boys at 10. Junior varsity and C-team races will follow. After a short break to hand out high school medals, middle school races will begin at 1 p.m.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1664130038946.jpeg" alt="Lady Panther junior Marissa Boone paced Great Bend with an eighth-place finish at state last October." />
 <figcaption>Lady Panther junior Marissa Boone paced Great Bend with an eighth-place finish at state last October.</figcaption>
 </figure>By MIKE COURSON Great Bend PostThe old, "If you build it, they will come," phrase may be from a baseball movie but it applies to all walks of life. High school cross country is no exception. The Lake Barton course has been the home of several regional meets in recent years. Action returns Thursday morning north of Great Bend with a 19-team team invitational."Four or five years ago we had about five teams and we've built this up," said Panther cross country coach Lyles Lashley. "We have a great course. Having it on a Thursday morning helps the schools to be able to come and race in the morning time with the heat going on this time of year."The Lady Panthers finished fifth in Class 5A last year and return a full squad plus some newcomers. Also competing at Rim Rock Farm last October was Salina South junior Katelyn Rupe, who set a Lake Barton Course record a week before setting the Rim Rock course record at state. Rupe is joined by freshman teammate Kaylie Shultz, who broke Rupe's old middle school records in the 800, 1600, and 3200m runs.Also competing on the girls' side are Bishop Carroll and Hays, who finished seventh and 10th, respectively, in Class 5A last year. Maize sophomore Isabella Ponce is also a top-25 state finisher.For Great Bend, junior Marissa Boone finished eighth at state last October and has already been featured in a <a href="https://kshsaacovered.com/news/2023/7/23/womens-cross-country-40-girls-cross-country-runners-to-watch-in-2023.aspx">KSHSAA Covered article</a> as one of the runners to watch this fall. Senior Addy Nicholson also returns as an all-state runner.The boys' side will include Maize senior Kaleb Glazier, who took the Lake Barton Course record from then-Panther senior Kaiden Esfeld during last year's regional meet. Glazier went on to finish second in Class 5A. Senior Alex Ayin also earned all-state honors for the Eagles.Hoisington junior Kamden Tarlton leads local runners after a 22nd place state finish in Class 3A. The boys' race will also feature a Buhler team that slipped to second in Class 4A last year after winning four-straight championships. The Crusaders are on the short list of favorites for a title in 2023. Seniors Kaden Lohrentz and Layne Whisler each finished in the top nine at state, and all five Buhler scorers ran in the top-21 at Wamego last October.Most of the 19 teams in action Thursday hail from the larger classifications, but the races will also include the likes of Hoisington, Central Plains, Otis-Bison, and Russell. All schools will race together but smaller schools will be scored separately."Some of the smaller school kids can get some really good competition," Lashley said. "It's nice to see them in there with the big schools. Having coached at Ellinwood, it's always nice to see what small schools can do against big schools."Races begin at 9:30 a.m. with the girls' varsity race, followed by the varsity boys at 10. Junior varsity and C-team races will follow. After a short break to hand out high school medals, middle school races will begin at 1 p.m.