Cowley Men 104 Barton 77; Barton Women 53 Butler 49

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612867320038.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Cowley Men 104 Barton 77; Barton Women 53 Butler 49<div><iframe width="100%" height="265" src="https://clyp.it/qtyfy3x3/widget" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>


The Great Bend Lady Panther soccer team travelled to Garden City
Thursday seeking their first win of the season but came home with
their fourth loss is as many games.


The Buffaloes beat Great Bend 5-0 to drop the Lady Panthers to 0-4 on
the season.


Great Bend will try again Tuesday at home against Dodge City.

The Great Bend Lady Panther soccer team travelled to Garden City
Thursday seeking their first win of the season but came home with
their fourth loss is as many games.
The Buffaloes beat Great Bend 5-0 to drop the Lady Panthers to 0-4 on
the season.
Great Bend will try again Tuesday at home against Dodge City.

Garden City cruises past Lady Panthers 5-0


After beating Liberal on the road Tuesday, the Great Bend Lady
Panthers again found success against the Redskins Thursday as they
swept a Western Athletic Conference double header from Liberal at the
Great Bend Sports Complex.


In game one, Great Bend used a 9 run fourth inning to win 17-6 in a
game called in the fifth due to the run rule. In game two, the Lady
Panthers scored in every inning in beating Liberal 11-8.


Great Bend (3-4) will return to the Sports Complex on Tuesday to host
Dodge City.

After beating Liberal on the road Tuesday, the Great Bend Lady
Panthers again found success against the Redskins Thursday as they
swept a Western Athletic Conference double header from Liberal at the
Great Bend Sports Complex.
In game one, Great Bend used a 9 run fourth inning to win 17-6 in a
game called in the fifth due to the run rule. In game two, the Lady
Panthers scored in every inning in beating Liberal 11-8.
Great Bend (3-4) will return to the Sports Complex on Tuesday to host
Dodge City.

Lady Panthers take two from Liberal

The Barton Community College softball team got a pair of strong pitching performances and big hits when they needed it to sweep Independence Community College 8-2 and 4-0 Thursday afternoon at Cougar Field.

The second straight home doubleheader sweep improves the Cougars to 5-9 in conference play and 9-19 on the season while Independence slides to 3-7 in league and 13-13 overall.

Barton's next opportunity to extend their four game win streak comes Saturday in hosting Northwest Kansas Technical College in a 1:00 p.m. doubleheader at Cougar Field.

The Barton Community College softball team got a pair of strong pitching performances and big hits when they needed it to sweep Independence Community College 8-2 and 4-0 Thursday afternoon at Cougar Field.The second straight home doubleheader sweep improves the Cougars to 5-9 in conference play and 9-19 on the season while Independence slides to 3-7 in league and 13-13 overall.Barton's next opportunity to extend their four game win streak comes Saturday in hosting Northwest Kansas Technical College in a 1:00 p.m. doubleheader at Cougar Field.

Barton softball earns second straight home sweep

After taking a brief break from Jayhawk West action last week, the Barton Community College baseball team had a rough go in their return, as the Saints of Seward County took care of business Thursday afternoon earning a doubleheader sweep. In the series opener, the Cougar bats were held at bay as the Saints ace Sam Berberich tossed a no-hitter in a five-inning 10-0 run-rule victory. The nightcap looked promising in the early innings for Barton jumping out to a 6-1 lead until a late Seward County surge propelled the Saints in walk-off fashion 9-8.

Barton falls to 7-7 in Jayhawk West play while moving to 20-11 on the season as the Saints improve their mark to 12-6 in league play and 16-14 overall. The Cougars will look to salvage a series spilt with the Saints on Saturday as the series shifts to Lawson-Biggs Field with first pitch of the doubleheader slated for 1:00 p.m.&nbsp;

By Alex HammekeAfter taking a brief break from Jayhawk West action last week, the Barton Community College baseball team had a rough go in their return, as the Saints of Seward County took care of business Thursday afternoon earning a doubleheader sweep. In the series opener, the Cougar bats were held at bay as the Saints ace Sam Berberich tossed a no-hitter in a five-inning 10-0 run-rule victory. The nightcap looked promising in the early innings for Barton jumping out to a 6-1 lead until a late Seward County surge propelled the Saints in walk-off fashion 9-8.Barton falls to 7-7 in Jayhawk West play while moving to 20-11 on the season as the Saints improve their mark to 12-6 in league play and 16-14 overall. The Cougars will look to salvage a series spilt with the Saints on Saturday as the series shifts to Lawson-Biggs Field with first pitch of the doubleheader slated for 1:00 p.m.&nbsp;

Cougar Baseball drops pair on road at Seward County

CHICAGO (AP) — There wasn’t much doubt Lance Lynn would go back out to finish this one. Manager Tony La Russa turned to him and asked how he was feeling.

“He looked at me and said, ‘Are you good?’” Lynn said. “I said, ‘I’m gonna finish it. Does that sound good?’ He goes, ‘Sounds good.’ And that was pretty much it.”

Lynn pitched a five-hitter for the first complete game and shutout in the major leagues this season, and the Chicago White Sox beat the Kansas City Royals 6-0 on a rainy Thursday.

Yermín Mercedes kept up his scorching start with a 485-foot homer. Yoán Moncada went deep, and the White Sox gave manager Tony La Russa the win in his first home game on the South Side in 35 years.

Lynn (1-0) struck out 11 and walked none in his second shutout in 238 career starts, his first since a five-hitter against the New York Yankees on May 27, 2014.

Acquired from Texas in the offseason, Lynn threw 79 of 111 pitches for strikes in his fourth career complete game. The 33-year-old right-hander struck out the first three batters and did not allow a runner until Salvador Pérez led off the fifth with an infield single.

La Russa saw Lynn’s potential when he managed him in 2011 as a rookie with St. Louis. Lynn went on to become an innings-eating workhorse who can keep hitters off balance with a variety of pitches.

“He was really competitive,” La Russa said. “Now, what he’s added is experience. Ball does different things. He has three different fastballs. He has a nice breaking ball. He’s really just become a veteran pitcher who understands, keeps adding here, adding there so the hitters have to see different things. It’s really impressive.”

Moncada hit a two-run homer in the first, and Mercedes followed with a long shot to left-center against Brad Keller to make it 3-0. The 28-year-old rookie went 2 for 4, giving him a major league-leading 15 hits in 27 at-bats. And the White Sox came away with an easy win in a game delayed more than two hours at the start.

La Russa had not managed a home game on the South Side since a loss to the California Angels on June 11, 1986. Chicago fired him soon in a move chairman Jerry Reinsdorf regretted allowing, and the White Sox brought back the Hall of Famer in October to replace Rick Renteria, hoping he can push them to a championship.

“I could feel the excitement,” La Russa said. “The fans are looking forward to watching this club.”

Keller (0-1), coming off the shortest opening-day start in franchise history, got tagged for four runs and six hits in 3 1/3 innings after getting just four outs against Texas last week.

Lynn, meanwhile, established his fastball and overpowered Kansas City.

“It was hard sinker, hard cut, trust movement,” Royals manager Mike Matheny said. “I think that’s probably a lot like the conversation that we’ve already had with Brad. He’s got the ability to predominantly use that pitch — and use the other pitches off of it. He’s just got to trust it a little bit more like we saw the guy on the other side. He trusted it more today.”

White Sox: GM Rick Hahn said the White Sox expect star SS Tim Anderson (strained left hamstring) to return once he’s eligible to be activated from the 10-day injured list on April 15. ... The White Sox placed OF Billy Hamilton (strained left hamstring) on the 10-day injured list and selected the contract of OF Nick Williams from their training facility in Schaumburg. Hamilton was replaced in the fifth inning of Wednesday’s loss at Seattle due to tightness in his hamstring after stealing third. ... The White Sox also transferred LHP Jace Fry to the 60-day injured list. He’s recovering from a microdiscectomy to repair a herniated disk.

The White Sox will try to win their 18th straight game against a left-handed starter and tie a major league record set by Atlanta from 2004-05 when they meet Mike Minor (1-0, 6.00) on Saturday. Chicago’s streak dates to a loss to Detroit on Sept. 28, 2019, when lefty Tyler Alexander started for the Tigers but did not figure in the decision. RHP Dylan Cease (0-0, 5.79 ERA) pitches Saturday for Chicago.

CHICAGO (AP) — There wasn’t much doubt Lance Lynn would go back out to finish this one. Manager Tony La Russa turned to him and asked how he was feeling.“He looked at me and said, ‘Are you good?’” Lynn said. “I said, ‘I’m gonna finish it. Does that sound good?’ He goes, ‘Sounds good.’ And that was pretty much it.”Lynn pitched a five-hitter for the first complete game and shutout in the major leagues this season, and the Chicago White Sox beat the Kansas City Royals 6-0 on a rainy Thursday.Yermín Mercedes kept up his scorching start with a 485-foot homer. Yoán Moncada went deep, and the White Sox gave manager Tony La Russa the win in his first home game on the South Side in 35 years.Lynn (1-0) struck out 11 and walked none in his second shutout in 238 career starts, his first since a five-hitter against the New York Yankees on May 27, 2014.Acquired from Texas in the offseason, Lynn threw 79 of 111 pitches for strikes in his fourth career complete game. The 33-year-old right-hander struck out the first three batters and did not allow a runner until Salvador Pérez led off the fifth with an infield single.La Russa saw Lynn’s potential when he managed him in 2011 as a rookie with St. Louis. Lynn went on to become an innings-eating workhorse who can keep hitters off balance with a variety of pitches.“He was really competitive,” La Russa said. “Now, what he’s added is experience. Ball does different things. He has three different fastballs. He has a nice breaking ball. He’s really just become a veteran pitcher who understands, keeps adding here, adding there so the hitters have to see different things. It’s really impressive.”Moncada hit a two-run homer in the first, and Mercedes followed with a long shot to left-center against Brad Keller to make it 3-0. The 28-year-old rookie went 2 for 4, giving him a major league-leading 15 hits in 27 at-bats. And the White Sox came away with an easy win in a game delayed more than two hours at the start.La Russa had not managed a home game on the South Side since a loss to the California Angels on June 11, 1986. Chicago fired him soon in a move chairman Jerry Reinsdorf regretted allowing, and the White Sox brought back the Hall of Famer in October to replace Rick Renteria, hoping he can push them to a championship.“I could feel the excitement,” La Russa said. “The fans are looking forward to watching this club.”KELLER STRUGGLESKeller (0-1), coming off the shortest opening-day start in franchise history, got tagged for four runs and six hits in 3 1/3 innings after getting just four outs against Texas last week.Lynn, meanwhile, established his fastball and overpowered Kansas City.“It was hard sinker, hard cut, trust movement,” Royals manager Mike Matheny said. “I think that’s probably a lot like the conversation that we’ve already had with Brad. He’s got the ability to predominantly use that pitch — and use the other pitches off of it. He’s just got to trust it a little bit more like we saw the guy on the other side. He trusted it more today.”TRAINER’S ROOMWhite Sox: GM Rick Hahn said the White Sox expect star SS Tim Anderson (strained left hamstring) to return once he’s eligible to be activated from the 10-day injured list on April 15. ... The White Sox placed OF Billy Hamilton (strained left hamstring) on the 10-day injured list and selected the contract of OF Nick Williams from their training facility in Schaumburg. Hamilton was replaced in the fifth inning of Wednesday’s loss at Seattle due to tightness in his hamstring after stealing third. ... The White Sox also transferred LHP Jace Fry to the 60-day injured list. He’s recovering from a microdiscectomy to repair a herniated disk.UP NEXTThe White Sox will try to win their 18th straight game against a left-handed starter and tie a major league record set by Atlanta from 2004-05 when they meet Mike Minor (1-0, 6.00) on Saturday. Chicago’s streak dates to a loss to Detroit on Sept. 28, 2019, when lefty Tyler Alexander started for the Tigers but did not figure in the decision. RHP Dylan Cease (0-0, 5.79 ERA) pitches Saturday for Chicago.

White Sox top Royals 6-0

Story by Todd Moore, KJCCC SID Volleyball Committee Chairperson

Headed to the national tournament for the first time since 2011, Region VI Plains District Champion Barton Community College leads the 2020-21 Division I Volleyball post-season selections as KJCCC Champion Seward County Community College lands three on the first team.

Taking over at Seward County following their '19 national runner-up finish, Geno Frugoli kept the reloaded Saints crusing through his first season at the helm despite injury challenges to capture the program's 5th straight Jayhawk West title. Ranked 10th in the final NJCAA poll, the Saints completed the season at 15-1 in the Jayhawk and 22-5 overall as the Region VI runner-ups dropped a 15-12 fifth set concluding the campaign.

Mylena Testoni of Barton helped lead Barton to its first Region VI title since 2011, qualifying the 25-4 Cougars for their nation leading 21st Division I Volleyball national tournament appearance. Leading the Region in attack percentage at .354, the 6-time conference Offensive Player of the Week was also solid defensively ranking fourth in overall digs in posting 14 double-doubles including three straight in the post-season.

Maria Santos was also an integral part of Barton's success, complimenting Testoni on the other outside position in providing multiple offensive options for the Cougars. Attacking at a region fifth best .282, Santos also drew the defensive assignment against the opponent's best hitter helping Barton rank as the region's top and nation's second best blocking team. Recording a block in all but one of the Cougars' 29 matches, Santos continued to progress throughout her freshman campaign providing multiple blocks in sixteen of the matches including four of the last six matches.

Ariana Arciniega Seward County OH 6'0” SO

Hillary English Dodge City S/OH 5'10” FR

Joelle LaForce Barton MH/OPP 6'0" FR

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617908858554.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Story by Todd Moore, KJCCC SID Volleyball Committee ChairpersonHeaded to the national tournament for the first time since 2011, Region VI Plains District Champion Barton Community College leads the 2020-21 Division I Volleyball post-season selections as KJCCC Champion Seward County Community College lands three on the first team.Coach of the YearTaking over at Seward County following their '19 national runner-up finish, Geno Frugoli kept the reloaded Saints crusing through his first season at the helm despite injury challenges to capture the program's 5th straight Jayhawk West title. Ranked 10th in the final NJCAA poll, the Saints completed the season at 15-1 in the Jayhawk and 22-5 overall as the Region VI runner-ups dropped a 15-12 fifth set concluding the campaign.Most Valuable PlayerMylena Testoni of Barton helped lead Barton to its first Region VI title since 2011, qualifying the 25-4 Cougars for their nation leading 21st Division I Volleyball national tournament appearance. Leading the Region in attack percentage at .354, the 6-time conference Offensive Player of the Week was also solid defensively ranking fourth in overall digs in posting 14 double-doubles including three straight in the post-season.Freshman of the YearMaria Santos was also an integral part of Barton's success, complimenting Testoni on the other outside position in providing multiple offensive options for the Cougars. Attacking at a region fifth best .282, Santos also drew the defensive assignment against the opponent's best hitter helping Barton rank as the region's top and nation's second best blocking team. Recording a block in all but one of the Cougars' 29 matches, Santos continued to progress throughout her freshman campaign providing multiple blocks in sixteen of the matches including four of the last six matches.FIRST TEAM COLLEGE POS HT CLMylena Testoni Barton OH 5'9" SOThorne, Jenna Hutchinson OH 6'0” SOMacarena Ruiz Colby OH 5'9” SOAriana Arciniega Seward County OH 6'0” SOMaria Santos Barton OPP 6'0" FRReagan Karlin Garden City OH 6'1" FRJaryn Benning Butler OH/RS 5'10” SOGabi Badilla Seward County OH 5'9” FRHillary English Dodge City S/OH 5'10” FRSeyun Park Seward County MB 5'11” FRSECOND TEAM COLLEGE POS HT CLRuxandra Flueras Colby L 5'5” FRChloe Price Hutchinson S 5'8” SOKristina Head Hutchinson MB 6'0” FRGrecia Soriana Seward County L 5'4” SOJoelle LaForce Barton MH/OPP 6'0" FRIsabella Guedes Barton S 5'6" FRCarol Melo Barton OH/MH 5'11" SOShelby Reeder Hutchinson L 5'5” FRVictoria Gehret Garden City L 5'3" FRCarly Clennan Butler MB 6'0” FR

KJCCC Division I Volleyball Post-Season Awards Announced

It has been a challenging school year so far to say the least. After dealing with the pandemic all year, we had to endure a once-in-a-lifetime winter storm, which cancelled school for an entire week. We could not even attempt an online pivot due to the rampant power and internet outages occurring throughout the area.

While tackling an added layer of obstacles, coaches frantically tried to reschedule playoff games and band directors had to postpone state music contests. More than ever before, having faced yet another traumatizing situation, we are convinced of the need and value of activities programs for high school students. These programs – sports and performing arts – have always been a vital piece of the educational journey for students. Despite all the challenges we have faced this year, this statement has never been more accurate: Involvement matters, now more than never.

Students at our school were surveyed in early February. The goal was to obtain their thoughts on the importance of being involved in cocurricular activities, especially while getting an education during this global pandemic.

Fort Bend Independent School District (greater Houston area) is the eighth-largest school district in Texas, serving more than 76,000 students. Dulles High School, flagship high school of the district, is a 6A school with approximately 2,670 students. Approximately 40 percent of the students completed the survey, and those respondents fairly equally represented each grade level.

Almost 850 (82 percent) of the respondents are online learners, and 18 percent are in the face–to-face setting. A total of 638 students identified as being involved with a cocurricular organization or program, with 578 of those students participating in athletics, performing arts or both.

Other information gathered from the survey includes 50 percent of the students stating that they have made friends through their involvement, and 371 students claim that their involvement has helped them feel more connected to the school community. Also, 489 students (47 percent) stated that their involvement has helped them connect with one or more of the school’s coaches, directors or teachers.

While all this information supports involvement in athletics and performing arts as critical to fostering a deeper school connection, it was most compelling to hear what students said in their open-ended remarks when asked to elaborate on whether their involvement with their respective activities helped them develop a greater connection to our school community:

Extracurriculars are important because they help students feel connected to the community and not isolated in this time of quarantine.

It’s very important. It’s one of the few things getting me through this pandemic.

It’s important that we make these connections because we are all feeling alone right now, and these connections can help us get through these challenging times.

You need the socialization, sweat and tears to keep you sane in all of this.

It allows us the ability to truly feel like we are part of a community and not so isolated in our own homes.

Extracurricular organizations remind me that there is still a world worth living in outside of this pandemic.

It helps you feel less alone by reminding you that other people are going through the same situation. Even so, we are able to overcome these challenges by rehearsing, playing and working together.

During a time like this pandemic, it’s important to maintain some sort of connection with your peers and teachers, and staying active and involved in an organization can be a huge help.

Whether amid playoff games for our girls basketball team, which was undefeated during this unusual season, or watching our Dolls dance team perform for family prior to a contest, or celebrating our Academic Decathlon team for earning its fifth-year State Champion title, there is a deeper sense of gratification for our directors, our coaches and the benefits these programs provide to our schools. These moments serve as reminders of brighter yesterdays and evidence of the tenacious resiliency of our student-athletes and artists.

Many of us are likely to face tightened budgets as we forge ahead. Advocate on behalf of your athletics and performing arts programs. Find ways to sustain them. In doing so, you will not only add depth and richness to students’ journeys through high school, you will ensure that your campus culture is strong enough to sustain even the most difficult circumstances. Steps to advocate for your programs

Empower your coaches and program directors to establish consistent safety protocols.

Communicate with families – convey expectations, request support.

Celebrate success – let them tell your school’s story of resilience.

Find ways to utilize fiscal resources to support your programs through professional development or matching funds for higher-cost items.

Develop master schedules that support program development and growth (consider placing classes at the beginning or end of the school day to dovetail with practices and rehearsals).

Our district designed protocol expectations that include wellness screenings and social-distancing guidelines so that students could participate in athletics and performing arts even if they elected to learn remotely. Our coaches, sponsors and directors understand their role in ensuring student safety. They model the expectations, as they know this is the only way to keep actively engaging students.

We set schedules that allow students to practice and rehearse without impacting their online course schedules. Families have received frequent communication, with updates on adjustments and the safety measures in place. We have also adapted so that those who have greater health risks are not penalized for not taking part to the same degree as their classmates. Although this suggests teams or programs may not be as robust as they would have previously been, it also means when we round the corner from this experience, retention is likely to be higher.

There is still uncertainty as we look ahead to the next school year, but one thing remains steadfast: student involvement in campus cocurricular activities will serve to bridge some of the gaps we are going to face. We are going to need all the help we can get. We must ensure that, even in the throes of such unexpected challenges, these programs remain strong, viable and accessible so that students continue to reap the many benefits of participating.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617883235304.jpeg" alt="Melissa King-Knowles is a high school principal who has served secondary public education for 18 years." />
 <figcaption>Melissa King-Knowles is a high school principal who has served secondary public education for 18 years.</figcaption>
 </figure>It has been a challenging school year so far to say the least. After dealing with the pandemic all year, we had to endure a once-in-a-lifetime winter storm, which cancelled school for an entire week. We could not even attempt an online pivot due to the rampant power and internet outages occurring throughout the area.While tackling an added layer of obstacles, coaches frantically tried to reschedule playoff games and band directors had to postpone state music contests. More than ever before, having faced yet another traumatizing situation, we are convinced of the need and value of activities programs for high school students. These programs – sports and performing arts – have always been a vital piece of the educational journey for students. Despite all the challenges we have faced this year, this statement has never been more accurate: Involvement matters, now more than never.Students at our school were surveyed in early February. The goal was to obtain their thoughts on the importance of being involved in cocurricular activities, especially while getting an education during this global pandemic.Fort Bend Independent School District (greater Houston area) is the eighth-largest school district in Texas, serving more than 76,000 students. Dulles High School, flagship high school of the district, is a 6A school with approximately 2,670 students. Approximately 40 percent of the students completed the survey, and those respondents fairly equally represented each grade level.Almost 850 (82 percent) of the respondents are online learners, and 18 percent are in the face–to-face setting. A total of 638 students identified as being involved with a cocurricular organization or program, with 578 of those students participating in athletics, performing arts or both.Other information gathered from the survey includes 50 percent of the students stating that they have made friends through their involvement, and 371 students claim that their involvement has helped them feel more connected to the school community. Also, 489 students (47 percent) stated that their involvement has helped them connect with one or more of the school’s coaches, directors or teachers.While all this information supports involvement in athletics and performing arts as critical to fostering a deeper school connection, it was most compelling to hear what students said in their open-ended remarks when asked to elaborate on whether their involvement with their respective activities helped them develop a greater connection to our school community:Extracurriculars are important because they help students feel connected to the community and not isolated in this time of quarantine.It’s very important. It’s one of the few things getting me through this pandemic.It’s important that we make these connections because we are all feeling alone right now, and these connections can help us get through these challenging times.You need the socialization, sweat and tears to keep you sane in all of this.It allows us the ability to truly feel like we are part of a community and not so isolated in our own homes.Extracurricular organizations remind me that there is still a world worth living in outside of this pandemic.It helps you feel less alone by reminding you that other people are going through the same situation. Even so, we are able to overcome these challenges by rehearsing, playing and working together.During a time like this pandemic, it’s important to maintain some sort of connection with your peers and teachers, and staying active and involved in an organization can be a huge help.Whether amid playoff games for our girls basketball team, which was undefeated during this unusual season, or watching our Dolls dance team perform for family prior to a contest, or celebrating our Academic Decathlon team for earning its fifth-year State Champion title, there is a deeper sense of gratification for our directors, our coaches and the benefits these programs provide to our schools. These moments serve as reminders of brighter yesterdays and evidence of the tenacious resiliency of our student-athletes and artists.Many of us are likely to face tightened budgets as we forge ahead. Advocate on behalf of your athletics and performing arts programs. Find ways to sustain them. In doing so, you will not only add depth and richness to students’ journeys through high school, you will ensure that your campus culture is strong enough to sustain even the most difficult circumstances. Steps to advocate for your programsEmpower your coaches and program directors to establish consistent safety protocols.Communicate with families – convey expectations, request support.Encourage optional practices/rehearsals.Celebrate success – let them tell your school’s story of resilience.Find ways to utilize fiscal resources to support your programs through professional development or matching funds for higher-cost items.Develop master schedules that support program development and growth (consider placing classes at the beginning or end of the school day to dovetail with practices and rehearsals).Additional ConsiderationsOur district designed protocol expectations that include wellness screenings and social-distancing guidelines so that students could participate in athletics and performing arts even if they elected to learn remotely. Our coaches, sponsors and directors understand their role in ensuring student safety. They model the expectations, as they know this is the only way to keep actively engaging students.We set schedules that allow students to practice and rehearse without impacting their online course schedules. Families have received frequent communication, with updates on adjustments and the safety measures in place. We have also adapted so that those who have greater health risks are not penalized for not taking part to the same degree as their classmates. Although this suggests teams or programs may not be as robust as they would have previously been, it also means when we round the corner from this experience, retention is likely to be higher.There is still uncertainty as we look ahead to the next school year, but one thing remains steadfast: student involvement in campus cocurricular activities will serve to bridge some of the gaps we are going to face. We are going to need all the help we can get. We must ensure that, even in the throes of such unexpected challenges, these programs remain strong, viable and accessible so that students continue to reap the many benefits of participating.

Involvement in Activity Programs Matters – Now More Than Ever

CLEVELAND (AP) — When José Ramírez’s shot to deep right field narrowly missed being a home run, Shane Bieber knew what was coming next.

“Foul ball, homer, foul ball, homer,” the Cy Young Award winner said. “You know he’s on it and he’s going straighten it out. Sure enough, he did.”

Ramírez’s second two-run homer of the game snapped a tie in the eighth inning and sent the Cleveland Indians to a 4-2 win over the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday after Bieber struck out 12 for the second straight game.

Ramírez’s one-out shot in the eighth off Greg Holland (0-1) gave the Indians their first home win in 2021 after they were shut out 3-0 on Monday.

In the sixth, Ramirez, who was fooled by a pitch and struck out in his first at-bat, hit a long foul to right before connecting for a two-run homer to bring in Cleveland’s first runs at Progressive Field this season.

“This just in,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “Josey’s pretty good.

It was the kind of performance the Indians have come to expect from their All-Star third baseman, who finished second in the MVP voting last season and third in 2017 and 2018.

“He’s a gamer, man,” Bieber said. “It never turns off. Whether it’s going good or it’s not, he’s the same guy and he brings that same energy and that’s why we rely on him so much. Not just physically, but as a leader in the clubhouse, the way he goes about everything.

“Really can’t say enough about the guy. He comes up in big moments like he did today and that’s why he’s our guy.”

Emmanuel Clase (1-0) pitched the eighth — all nine of his fastballs were over 100 mph — and Nick Wittgren worked the ninth for his first save since Sept. 4, 2019.

Bieber had his second strong start of the season, fanning 12 and allowing just two runs and three hits in 6 1/3 innings. But the right-hander remains winless as the Indians continue to struggle at the plate through the season’s first week.

The right-hander extended his streak of striking out at least eight to 14 games, tying Corey Kluber’s club record.

Hall of Famer Randy Johnson holds the major league mark with 17 in a row.

The Indians only got three hits Monday, and they didn’t get a runner to second through the first five innings against Kansas City starter Jakob Junis, who was only slated to pitch a few innings in what was supposed to be a bullpen game.

“I thought I was going two innings,” said Junis, who gave up one hit in five innings. “I didn’t think in a million years I’d go five innings.”

It was 73 degrees and sunny when Bieber threw his first pitch, a 41-degree jump from opening day last week in Detroit, where he pitched in swirling snow over the first few innings.

Pérez ripped Bieber’s first pitch of the fourth into the trees beyond the center-field wall to put the Royals ahead 1-0.

With an early-season off day, half of Cleveland’s roster received COVID-19 vaccines on Tuesday. Francona said the Cleveland Clinic administered the shots at Progressive Field.

Francona understands there may be players who don’t want to get vaccinated — for a variety of reasons.

“That’s everybody’s personal choice,” he said. “You can’t make somebody do that. That wouldn’t be right. I hope we get to a certain amount though, where we are able as a team to relax some of the restrictions. That would be helpful.”

Kansas City’s Carlos Santana received a warm ovation before his first at-bat in Monday’s opener as Cleveland fans thanked the popular first baseman for 10 seasons with the club.

“Respect,” Santana said when asked about the cheers. “Respect the fans, respect the team. Respect the city. Respect the organization that gave me the opportunity for 10 years.”

The Royals are opening the season with eight straight day games, the club’s longest run of afternoon baseball since 1979. Kansas City is scheduled to play 62 days games in 2021, which would match the 1971 Royals for the most in team history.

Royals: Begin a three-game series in Chicago on Thursday with RHP Brad Keller going against RHP Lance Lynn. Keller lasted just 1 1/3 innings in his opening-day start.

Indians: After another off day, Cleveland opens a three-game series against Detroit. Zach Plesac (0-1) will face RHP Julio Teheran (1-0), who beat the Indians last weekend.

CLEVELAND (AP) — When José Ramírez’s shot to deep right field narrowly missed being a home run, Shane Bieber knew what was coming next.A legit one.“Foul ball, homer, foul ball, homer,” the Cy Young Award winner said. “You know he’s on it and he’s going straighten it out. Sure enough, he did.”Ramírez’s second two-run homer of the game snapped a tie in the eighth inning and sent the Cleveland Indians to a 4-2 win over the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday after Bieber struck out 12 for the second straight game.Ramírez’s one-out shot in the eighth off Greg Holland (0-1) gave the Indians their first home win in 2021 after they were shut out 3-0 on Monday.In the sixth, Ramirez, who was fooled by a pitch and struck out in his first at-bat, hit a long foul to right before connecting for a two-run homer to bring in Cleveland’s first runs at Progressive Field this season.“This just in,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “Josey’s pretty good.It was the kind of performance the Indians have come to expect from their All-Star third baseman, who finished second in the MVP voting last season and third in 2017 and 2018.“He’s a gamer, man,” Bieber said. “It never turns off. Whether it’s going good or it’s not, he’s the same guy and he brings that same energy and that’s why we rely on him so much. Not just physically, but as a leader in the clubhouse, the way he goes about everything.“Really can’t say enough about the guy. He comes up in big moments like he did today and that’s why he’s our guy.”Emmanuel Clase (1-0) pitched the eighth — all nine of his fastballs were over 100 mph — and Nick Wittgren worked the ninth for his first save since Sept. 4, 2019.Salvador Pérez homered for the Royals.Bieber had his second strong start of the season, fanning 12 and allowing just two runs and three hits in 6 1/3 innings. But the right-hander remains winless as the Indians continue to struggle at the plate through the season’s first week.The right-hander extended his streak of striking out at least eight to 14 games, tying Corey Kluber’s club record.Hall of Famer Randy Johnson holds the major league mark with 17 in a row.The Indians only got three hits Monday, and they didn’t get a runner to second through the first five innings against Kansas City starter Jakob Junis, who was only slated to pitch a few innings in what was supposed to be a bullpen game.“I thought I was going two innings,” said Junis, who gave up one hit in five innings. “I didn’t think in a million years I’d go five innings.”It was 73 degrees and sunny when Bieber threw his first pitch, a 41-degree jump from opening day last week in Detroit, where he pitched in swirling snow over the first few innings.Pérez ripped Bieber’s first pitch of the fourth into the trees beyond the center-field wall to put the Royals ahead 1-0.SHOT IN THE PARKWith an early-season off day, half of Cleveland’s roster received COVID-19 vaccines on Tuesday. Francona said the Cleveland Clinic administered the shots at Progressive Field.Francona understands there may be players who don’t want to get vaccinated — for a variety of reasons.“That’s everybody’s personal choice,” he said. “You can’t make somebody do that. That wouldn’t be right. I hope we get to a certain amount though, where we are able as a team to relax some of the restrictions. That would be helpful.”ROYAL SALUTEKansas City’s Carlos Santana received a warm ovation before his first at-bat in Monday’s opener as Cleveland fans thanked the popular first baseman for 10 seasons with the club.He appreciated the gesture.“Respect,” Santana said when asked about the cheers. “Respect the fans, respect the team. Respect the city. Respect the organization that gave me the opportunity for 10 years.”DAY AFTER DAYThe Royals are opening the season with eight straight day games, the club’s longest run of afternoon baseball since 1979. Kansas City is scheduled to play 62 days games in 2021, which would match the 1971 Royals for the most in team history.UP NEXTRoyals: Begin a three-game series in Chicago on Thursday with RHP Brad Keller going against RHP Lance Lynn. Keller lasted just 1 1/3 innings in his opening-day start.Indians: After another off day, Cleveland opens a three-game series against Detroit. Zach Plesac (0-1) will face RHP Julio Teheran (1-0), who beat the Indians last weekend.

Ramírez homers twice, Bieber fans 12, Indians beat Royals

Barton Men 81 Garden City 80; Barton Women 80 Coffeyville 71

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 </figure>Barton Men 81 Garden City 80; Barton Women 80 Coffeyville 71<div><iframe width="100%" height="265" src="https://clyp.it/0xkqava1/widget" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas head coach Bill Self announced today that Jerrance Howard is leaving the Jayhawks to take an assistant coaching position under Chris Beard at the University of Texas.

“I want to thank Jerrance for all of his hard work and dedication to Kansas men’s basketball over the past eight years,” said Self. “I was fortunate to coach him at Illinois and loved the opportunity we had to coach together here at KU. He has been a member of our great staff and instrumental in the development of many players over his eight seasons. I would like to express my appreciation to Jerrance, his wife Jessica, as well as JJ and Jaya. We certainly wish them all the best.”

“Working for Coach Self and being a part of Kansas basketball has been a true privilege that I will always be grateful for,” said Howard. ” As I look forward to my next career opportunity, I thank God for the amazing players, staff, and community I have been blessed to know during my eight seasons at KU.”

Howard spent eight seasons at Kansas, and has been a part of six Big 12 regular-season championships, two Big 12 Tournament titles, six in-season tourney titles and seven NCAA Tournament appearances, including three Elite Eight runs and one Final Four in 2018. Howard has seen 13 Jayhawks move on to the NBA. He was listed on ESPN’s 40 under 40 following the 2020 season.

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas head coach Bill Self announced today that Jerrance Howard is leaving the Jayhawks to take an assistant coaching position under Chris Beard at the University of Texas.“I want to thank Jerrance for all of his hard work and dedication to Kansas men’s basketball over the past eight years,” said Self. “I was fortunate to coach him at Illinois and loved the opportunity we had to coach together here at KU. He has been a member of our great staff and instrumental in the development of many players over his eight seasons. I would like to express my appreciation to Jerrance, his wife Jessica, as well as JJ and Jaya. We certainly wish them all the best.”“Working for Coach Self and being a part of Kansas basketball has been a true privilege that I will always be grateful for,” said Howard. ” As I look forward to my next career opportunity, I thank God for the amazing players, staff, and community I have been blessed to know during my eight seasons at KU.”Howard spent eight seasons at Kansas, and has been a part of six Big 12 regular-season championships, two Big 12 Tournament titles, six in-season tourney titles and seven NCAA Tournament appearances, including three Elite Eight runs and one Final Four in 2018. Howard has seen 13 Jayhawks move on to the NBA. He was listed on ESPN’s 40 under 40 following the 2020 season.

Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach Jerrance Howard Leaving KU


Liberal 6 Great Bend 0 (called at half due to weather)

Baseball @ Great
Bend
Great Bend 10 Hutchinson 3
Game 2 SuspendedSoftball @
Liberal
Great Bend 8 Liberal 5Girls Soccer
Liberal 6 Great Bend 0 (called at half due to weather)

Panther Sports Scoreboard

Baseball -Game 1- Hesston 6 Larned 4 -Game 2- Suspended

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 </figure>Baseball -Game 1- Hesston 6 Larned 4 -Game 2- Suspended<div><iframe width="100%" height="265" src="https://clyp.it/iahp5nrl/widget" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>

The Barton Community College men's swimming team continued the march toward the postseason this past weekend earning a 2-1 record in the 3rd live/virtual Cougar Duals. On the day, the Cougars achieved 13 season best performances, three personal bests and four program record book adjustments going along with five individual crowns.

The Cougars secured their pair of victories over South Georgia State College 143-43 and 114-86 against Southwestern Oregon Community College. The hopes of a weekend sweep fell narrowly dropping a 110-94 battle to Iowa Central Community College.

Nikolas Ioannides highlighted two of the five individual crowns for Barton securing both distance events besting the 11-particpant field in the 500 freestyle (4:55:25) while outlasting the eight entry field in the 1650 freestyle (16:55.92).

In the 200 freestyle Isaiah Auid clocked the fifth fastest time in program history (1:46.01) while teammate Justus Hampton touched the wall two spots back setting a new season best mark (1:52.05).

Fresh off a gold in the 200 breaststroke a weekend ago, Kacper Mayerberg made it back-to-back weeks with a season best time (2:02.79) edging out counterpart Jordan Weve's runner-up finish (2:08.69).

Josias Solarte clocked a new personal best time in the 100 freestyle (48.80) outlasting the field of 13 while producing the 10th fastest time in school history.

Others etching their names into the Barton record books were Johan Cue Carrillo in the 200 breaststroke (2:15.97) seventh fastest and Mykael White in the 1650 freestyle (19:01.43) ninth fastest.

Barton will return to the pool this next weekend competing virtually in the Midwest Cup hosted by Iowa Central Community College serving as the final tune-up before the NJCAA Swimming &amp; Diving Championships schedule for April 28-May 1 in Erie, NY. 

Approaching the final two weekends of the regular season the Barton Community College women's swimming program rode a new school record, two individual titles and three personal bests earning a 1-2 dual record at the 3rd live/virtual Cougar Duals.

The outnumbered Cougars edged out South Georgia State College 26-24 earning their first dual victory of the season while falling 120-26 to Iowa Central Community College and 132-31 to Southwestern Oregon Community College.

Sophomore Fanny Courbot paced the waves individually for the Cougars unleashing a new school record (2:20.83) in the 200 IM producing the first of her two gold finishes. Courbot notched her second individual crown in the 100 freestyle clocking the stopwatches (58.64).

Freshman Sophia Ortiz displayed a pair of personal bests with a runner-up finish in the 100 freestyle (1:01.94) and bronze display in the 50 freestyle (27.89).

Barton will return to the pool this next weekend competing virtually in the Midwest Cup hosted by Iowa Central Community College serving as the final tune-up before the NJCAA Swimming &amp; Diving Championships schedule for April 28-May 1 in Erie, NY.  

Barton MenThe Barton Community College men's swimming team continued the march toward the postseason this past weekend earning a 2-1 record in the 3rd live/virtual Cougar Duals. On the day, the Cougars achieved 13 season best performances, three personal bests and four program record book adjustments going along with five individual crowns.The Cougars secured their pair of victories over South Georgia State College 143-43 and 114-86 against Southwestern Oregon Community College. The hopes of a weekend sweep fell narrowly dropping a 110-94 battle to Iowa Central Community College.Nikolas Ioannides highlighted two of the five individual crowns for Barton securing both distance events besting the 11-particpant field in the 500 freestyle (4:55:25) while outlasting the eight entry field in the 1650 freestyle (16:55.92).In the 200 freestyle Isaiah Auid clocked the fifth fastest time in program history (1:46.01) while teammate Justus Hampton touched the wall two spots back setting a new season best mark (1:52.05).Fresh off a gold in the 200 breaststroke a weekend ago, Kacper Mayerberg made it back-to-back weeks with a season best time (2:02.79) edging out counterpart Jordan Weve's runner-up finish (2:08.69).Josias Solarte clocked a new personal best time in the 100 freestyle (48.80) outlasting the field of 13 while producing the 10th fastest time in school history.Others etching their names into the Barton record books were Johan Cue Carrillo in the 200 breaststroke (2:15.97) seventh fastest and Mykael White in the 1650 freestyle (19:01.43) ninth fastest.Barton will return to the pool this next weekend competing virtually in the Midwest Cup hosted by Iowa Central Community College serving as the final tune-up before the NJCAA Swimming &amp; Diving Championships schedule for April 28-May 1 in Erie, NY. Barton WomenApproaching the final two weekends of the regular season the Barton Community College women's swimming program rode a new school record, two individual titles and three personal bests earning a 1-2 dual record at the 3rd live/virtual Cougar Duals.The outnumbered Cougars edged out South Georgia State College 26-24 earning their first dual victory of the season while falling 120-26 to Iowa Central Community College and 132-31 to Southwestern Oregon Community College.Sophomore Fanny Courbot paced the waves individually for the Cougars unleashing a new school record (2:20.83) in the 200 IM producing the first of her two gold finishes. Courbot notched her second individual crown in the 100 freestyle clocking the stopwatches (58.64).Freshman Sophia Ortiz displayed a pair of personal bests with a runner-up finish in the 100 freestyle (1:01.94) and bronze display in the 50 freestyle (27.89).Barton will return to the pool this next weekend competing virtually in the Midwest Cup hosted by Iowa Central Community College serving as the final tune-up before the NJCAA Swimming &amp; Diving Championships schedule for April 28-May 1 in Erie, NY.

Barton swim results

Baseball -Game 1- Great Bend 10 Hutchinson 3 -Game 2- Suspended

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 </figure>Baseball -Game 1- Great Bend 10 Hutchinson 3 -Game 2- Suspended<div><iframe width="100%" height="265" src="https://clyp.it/ocoghxfc/widget" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>


(8) Independence (12-9) def (8-12)(9) Seward County 63-62 



5) Dodge City (13-8) def (6-16)(12) Allen 93-73


(4) Coffeyville (20-2) def (6-9)(13) Colby 91-68


(3) Barton (14-8) def (6-16)(14) Cloud County 89-80  



(11) Garden City (8-12) def (16-6) (6) Butler 79-69


(10) Neosho County (8-13) def (9-11) (7) Pratt 89-85

Wednesday
Quarterfinals at Higher Remaining Seed


7:30PM - Independence (13-9) at (16-5) Hutchinson


7:30PM - Dodge City (14-8) at (21-2) Coffeyville


7:30PM - Garden City (9-12) at (15-8) Barton


7PM - Neosho County (9-13) at (18-4) Cowley


(8) Cowley (14-8) def (8-13) (9) Pratt 79-65


(5) Seward County (16-5) def (4-17) (12) Neosho County 124-50


(4) Independence (16-6) def (6-16) (13) Dodge City 65-40


(3) Barton (17-5) def (1-21) (14) Allen 88-50


(6) Coffeyville (14-6) def (6-14) (11) Northwest KS Tech 79-60


(7) Garden City (12-10) def (10-11) 10) Cloud County 63-43


5:30PM - Cowley (15-8) at (18-4) Hutchinson


6PM - Seward County (17-5) at (17-6) Independence


5:30PM - Coffeyville (15-6) at (18-5) Barton


5:30PM - Garden City (13-10) at (19-2) Butler

Region 6 Playoffs
– MenMonday Scores
(8) Independence (12-9) def (8-12)(9) Seward County 63-62 

5) Dodge City (13-8) def (6-16)(12) Allen 93-73
(4) Coffeyville (20-2) def (6-9)(13) Colby 91-68
(3) Barton (14-8) def (6-16)(14) Cloud County 89-80 

(11) Garden City (8-12) def (16-6) (6) Butler 79-69
(10) Neosho County (8-13) def (9-11) (7) Pratt 89-85
(2) Cowley (18-4) vs BYEWednesday
Quarterfinals at Higher Remaining Seed
7:30PM - Independence (13-9) at (16-5) Hutchinson
7:30PM - Dodge City (14-8) at (21-2) Coffeyville
7:30PM - Garden City (9-12) at (15-8) Barton
7PM - Neosho County (9-13) at (18-4) CowleyRegion 6 Playoffs
– WomenMonday Scores
(1) Hutchinson (18-4) vs BYE
(8) Cowley (14-8) def (8-13) (9) Pratt 79-65
(5) Seward County (16-5) def (4-17) (12) Neosho County 124-50
(4) Independence (16-6) def (6-16) (13) Dodge City 65-40
(3) Barton (17-5) def (1-21) (14) Allen 88-50
(6) Coffeyville (14-6) def (6-14) (11) Northwest KS Tech 79-60
(7) Garden City (12-10) def (10-11) 10) Cloud County 63-43
(2) Butler (19-2) vs BYEWednesday
Quarterfinals at Higher Remaining Seed
5:30PM - Cowley (15-8) at (18-4) Hutchinson
6PM - Seward County (17-5) at (17-6) Independence
5:30PM - Coffeyville (15-6) at (18-5) Barton
5:30PM - Garden City (13-10) at (19-2) Butler

Region 6 Tournament Scores and Schedule

NDIANAPOLIS (AP) — There was another team out there that was marching through the season undefeated, that looked unstoppable at times, that had all arrows pointing toward a national title.

COVID-19 put a halt to the undefeated dream. Nothing could stop Baylor from cutting down the nets.

The fresh-as-can-be Bears obliterated wobbly-legged Gonzaga’s march to its own undefeated season Monday night. It was an 86-70 runaway that brought this once-downtrodden program’s first national title back home to Waco, Texas.

Jared Butler scored 22 points and MaCio Teague had 19 for the Bears (28-2), who were ranked second or third in the AP poll all year long. But never first. That was because of one team and maybe, just maybe, because of a three-week break that put a halt to a 17-0 start and sapped some of Baylor’s burgeoning momentum.

“Prior to COVID, us and Gonzaga were on the track to being undefeated,” coach Scott Drew reminded everyone in the socially distanced arena, during a TV interview, while brushing off confetti.

So maybe this blowout in one of the most-anticipated finals in memory — a meeting between teams whose own regular-season matchup in December was scrapped because of a coronavirus outbreak — shouldn’t come as such a shock.

The two losses that came after Baylor’s COVID-19 break in February felt like a far-off memory come March. Then came April, and the feeling grew even stronger.

Baylor outscored all six of its opponents in the tournament by an average of 15 points. It beat Houston by 19 in the semifinal. Less than 5 minutes into the final, the Bears were ahead of Gonzaga by double digits.

Pounding the offensive glass — Baylor won that battle 16-5 — and winning the lion’s share of the 50-50 balls, the Bears weren’t about to let this one come down to a Jalen Suggs miracle. The Gonzaga freshman’s buzzer-beater from near the half-court logo got the Zags to the final in a game that stood as their first true test of the season.

They passed against UCLA. Against Baylor? Not even close.

“When you come against a team that’s just firing on all cylinders for 40 minutes, it’s kind of hard to compete with,” Zags forward Corey Kispert said.

After running to a 19-point lead early, the Bears never let Gonzaga get any closer than nine. Butler made four 3-pointers and added seven assists, and was named the Final Four’s most outstanding player.

“I knew at some point, we were up big,” said Butler, who insisted his team wasn’t focused on the scoreboard. “We were scoring, they weren’t scoring. It was just electrifying.”

Guard Davion Mitchell — nicknamed “Off Night” because so many opponents encounter one when they go against him — finished with 15 points and did the best he could on Suggs. The freshman finished with 22 points, most of them after this game was out of hand, and likely will be heading to the NBA draft next.

Gonzaga’s first loss in 32 games this season — 36 dating to 2019-20 — leaves Indiana’s 1975-76 team as the last to go undefeated.

Baylor was up 9-0 after 2 1/2 minutes, and the Bulldogs faced only their fourth double-digit deficit of the season at 11-1. They faced their biggest deficit of the season — 15 points — with 7:10 gone. By then, Suggs had two fouls and was watching from the bench.

After the game, he was crying — burying his head on the shoulder of one teammate, then another.

“He’s a winner and he lost for the first time in college basketball,” Zags coach Mark Few said. “He’s highly competitive and doesn’t like losing. In his mind, he saw us cutting down nets.”

But more than anything he did in the title game, it was Suggs’ memorable basket two nights earlier that laid the groundwork for Gonzaga in this one. His bank shot at the buzzer vs. UCLA capped one of the most riveting college basketball games ever. Back on the floor about 46 hours after that emotional roller coaster, it was clear the Zags were gassed.

The sequence that best illustrated the energy gap came about six minutes into the contest when Baylor’s Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua slapped the ball out of Drew Timme’s hands and the Bears worked the ball ahead to Mitchell. He missed a layup, but Tchamwa Tchatchoua got the offensive rebound and fed Adam Flagler for a 3.

Gonzaga was practically just standing there for it all.

Few, now 0-2 in title games, gave full credit to Baylor, and didn’t blame his own team’s fatigue.

“Obviously, it’s a tough turnaround, but it was more just the aggressiveness and athleticism of Baylor,” Few said. “They deserved it. Quite frankly, they were terrific.”

Gonzaga briefly pulled within nine early in the second half, and saw a glimmer of hope when Tchamwa Tchatchoua joined another Baylor big man, Flo Thamba, on the bench with four fouls.

But Baylor answered with a 9-2 run punctuated by Mark Vital’s rejection of Kispert, then a fast break that led to an easy 3 from Flagler.

After that, it was over. Yes, Gonzaga might have been the year’s most watchable team with its dramatic run at perfection, to say nothing of the shot of the tournament.

But it was Baylor, not Suggs, jumping on top of the scorer’s table and cheering for the fans at the end. And those were the Bears cutting down the nets.

“When the fans are happy, that’s what makes our players happy and proud,” Drew said. “They stuck with us, they’ve been with us through the lean years. They deserve this.”

In 2003, Drew took over a roster with only seven scholarship players and a team staring at years of NCAA probation in the wake of the murder of player Patrick Dennehy by a teammate.

Drew’s introductory news conference was trending after the title game. That day, formal in his coat and tie, he stood behind the lectern and proclaimed: “I did not come to go to the NCAA Tournament. We came to win games at the NCAA Tournament. We came with the chance to win a national championship at Baylor University.”

Eighteen years later, Drew found himself behind a different mic.

He was sitting at a table, answering questions on Zoom in front of a background with a Final Four logo.

He was smiling wide, drenched in sweat, with a cut-down net hanging around his neck.

NDIANAPOLIS (AP) — There was another team out there that was marching through the season undefeated, that looked unstoppable at times, that had all arrows pointing toward a national title.COVID-19 put a halt to the undefeated dream. Nothing could stop Baylor from cutting down the nets.Not even Gonzaga.The fresh-as-can-be Bears obliterated wobbly-legged Gonzaga’s march to its own undefeated season Monday night. It was an 86-70 runaway that brought this once-downtrodden program’s first national title back home to Waco, Texas.Jared Butler scored 22 points and MaCio Teague had 19 for the Bears (28-2), who were ranked second or third in the AP poll all year long. But never first. That was because of one team and maybe, just maybe, because of a three-week break that put a halt to a 17-0 start and sapped some of Baylor’s burgeoning momentum.“Prior to COVID, us and Gonzaga were on the track to being undefeated,” coach Scott Drew reminded everyone in the socially distanced arena, during a TV interview, while brushing off confetti.So maybe this blowout in one of the most-anticipated finals in memory — a meeting between teams whose own regular-season matchup in December was scrapped because of a coronavirus outbreak — shouldn’t come as such a shock.The two losses that came after Baylor’s COVID-19 break in February felt like a far-off memory come March. Then came April, and the feeling grew even stronger.Baylor outscored all six of its opponents in the tournament by an average of 15 points. It beat Houston by 19 in the semifinal. Less than 5 minutes into the final, the Bears were ahead of Gonzaga by double digits.Pounding the offensive glass — Baylor won that battle 16-5 — and winning the lion’s share of the 50-50 balls, the Bears weren’t about to let this one come down to a Jalen Suggs miracle. The Gonzaga freshman’s buzzer-beater from near the half-court logo got the Zags to the final in a game that stood as their first true test of the season.They passed against UCLA. Against Baylor? Not even close.“When you come against a team that’s just firing on all cylinders for 40 minutes, it’s kind of hard to compete with,” Zags forward Corey Kispert said.After running to a 19-point lead early, the Bears never let Gonzaga get any closer than nine. Butler made four 3-pointers and added seven assists, and was named the Final Four’s most outstanding player.“I knew at some point, we were up big,” said Butler, who insisted his team wasn’t focused on the scoreboard. “We were scoring, they weren’t scoring. It was just electrifying.”Guard Davion Mitchell — nicknamed “Off Night” because so many opponents encounter one when they go against him — finished with 15 points and did the best he could on Suggs. The freshman finished with 22 points, most of them after this game was out of hand, and likely will be heading to the NBA draft next.Gonzaga’s first loss in 32 games this season — 36 dating to 2019-20 — leaves Indiana’s 1975-76 team as the last to go undefeated.Baylor was up 9-0 after 2 1/2 minutes, and the Bulldogs faced only their fourth double-digit deficit of the season at 11-1. They faced their biggest deficit of the season — 15 points — with 7:10 gone. By then, Suggs had two fouls and was watching from the bench.After the game, he was crying — burying his head on the shoulder of one teammate, then another.“He’s a winner and he lost for the first time in college basketball,” Zags coach Mark Few said. “He’s highly competitive and doesn’t like losing. In his mind, he saw us cutting down nets.”But more than anything he did in the title game, it was Suggs’ memorable basket two nights earlier that laid the groundwork for Gonzaga in this one. His bank shot at the buzzer vs. UCLA capped one of the most riveting college basketball games ever. Back on the floor about 46 hours after that emotional roller coaster, it was clear the Zags were gassed.The sequence that best illustrated the energy gap came about six minutes into the contest when Baylor’s Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua slapped the ball out of Drew Timme’s hands and the Bears worked the ball ahead to Mitchell. He missed a layup, but Tchamwa Tchatchoua got the offensive rebound and fed Adam Flagler for a 3.Gonzaga was practically just standing there for it all.Few, now 0-2 in title games, gave full credit to Baylor, and didn’t blame his own team’s fatigue.“Obviously, it’s a tough turnaround, but it was more just the aggressiveness and athleticism of Baylor,” Few said. “They deserved it. Quite frankly, they were terrific.”Gonzaga briefly pulled within nine early in the second half, and saw a glimmer of hope when Tchamwa Tchatchoua joined another Baylor big man, Flo Thamba, on the bench with four fouls.But Baylor answered with a 9-2 run punctuated by Mark Vital’s rejection of Kispert, then a fast break that led to an easy 3 from Flagler.After that, it was over. Yes, Gonzaga might have been the year’s most watchable team with its dramatic run at perfection, to say nothing of the shot of the tournament.But it was Baylor, not Suggs, jumping on top of the scorer’s table and cheering for the fans at the end. And those were the Bears cutting down the nets.“When the fans are happy, that’s what makes our players happy and proud,” Drew said. “They stuck with us, they’ve been with us through the lean years. They deserve this.”In 2003, Drew took over a roster with only seven scholarship players and a team staring at years of NCAA probation in the wake of the murder of player Patrick Dennehy by a teammate.Drew’s introductory news conference was trending after the title game. That day, formal in his coat and tie, he stood behind the lectern and proclaimed: “I did not come to go to the NCAA Tournament. We came to win games at the NCAA Tournament. We came with the chance to win a national championship at Baylor University.”Eighteen years later, Drew found himself behind a different mic.He was sitting at a table, answering questions on Zoom in front of a background with a Final Four logo.He was smiling wide, drenched in sweat, with a cut-down net hanging around his neck.

Baylor beatdown: Bears win title, hang 86-70 loss on Gonzaga

In less than two minutes the 17th ranked Barton Community College men's soccer team put up four goals in Monday's home opener, rolling to a 7-0 victory over York College.

Barton improves to 2-0 on the season with its next contest also coming at Cougar Field in a 4:00 p.m. kick hosting Southeast Community College.

The Barton Community College women's soccer team and the Hutchinson Community College Blue Dragons battled to a 1-1 draw Monday afternoon in the home opener at Cougar Field.

Barton slips to 1-0-1 on the year with Hutchinson's record improving to 0-1-1.

The Cougars next action is Thursday hosting Southeast Community College in a 2:00 p.m. kick-off at Cougar Field.

Barton Men 7 York College 0In less than two minutes the 17th ranked Barton Community College men's soccer team put up four goals in Monday's home opener, rolling to a 7-0 victory over York College.Barton improves to 2-0 on the season with its next contest also coming at Cougar Field in a 4:00 p.m. kick hosting Southeast Community College.Barton Women 1 Hutchinson 1The Barton Community College women's soccer team and the Hutchinson Community College Blue Dragons battled to a 1-1 draw Monday afternoon in the home opener at Cougar Field.Barton slips to 1-0-1 on the year with Hutchinson's record improving to 0-1-1.The Cougars next action is Thursday hosting Southeast Community College in a 2:00 p.m. kick-off at Cougar Field.

Barton Men pick up victory; Women tie Hutch

Kansas has hired Northwestern administrator Travis Goff, a Sunflower State native who graduated from the school, to be its next athletic director during a crucial moment for its football program and high-profile men’s basketball program.

The school announced the hiring Monday night, shortly after reaching a deal with Goff to return to Lawrence. He will be introduced Wednesday during an on-campus event at the Lied Center.

“With a long history of success, unwavering partnership with campus leaders and the unparalleled passion of the Jayhawk fanbase, this is one of the most humbling responsibilities and opportunities in college athletics,” said Goff, who grew up in the southwestern Kansas town of Dodge City. “I’m thrilled to return to Lawrence with my family and to continue to make this department a point of pride for our entire university.”

Kansas has hired Northwestern administrator Travis Goff, a Sunflower State native who graduated from the school, to be its next athletic director during a crucial moment for its football program and high-profile men’s basketball program.The school announced the hiring Monday night, shortly after reaching a deal with Goff to return to Lawrence. He will be introduced Wednesday during an on-campus event at the Lied Center.“With a long history of success, unwavering partnership with campus leaders and the unparalleled passion of the Jayhawk fanbase, this is one of the most humbling responsibilities and opportunities in college athletics,” said Goff, who grew up in the southwestern Kansas town of Dodge City. “I’m thrilled to return to Lawrence with my family and to continue to make this department a point of pride for our entire university.”Goff has has been at Northwestern since 2012, most recently as deputy athletic director and assistant vice president for development. He played a key role in fundraising that led to massive facilities upgrades at Northwestern and oversaw the baseball, volleyball and football programs — experience that will come in handy at Kansas.“We are fortunate to have Travis return to Lawrence to lead our department and after speaking with him, it is clear he is exactly what we need,” basketball coach Bill Self said. “He will be a tremendous partner to all of our head coaches and sports programs and will ensure that our student-athletes have a world-class experience.”Kansas has been searching for an athletic director since Jeff Long resigned almost a month ago.Long was responsible for hiring Les Miles, with whom the school parted ways amid sexual misconduct allegations dating to the football coach’s time at LSU. Long initially said he would lead the search for Miles’ replacement, but criticism about the due diligence he did in hiring his longtime friend forced him to reconsider and ultimately resign.Goff’s first big task will be to set the course for a moribund football program already going through spring practice under wide receivers coach Emmett Jones, picked to serve as the interim coach last month.The downtrodden Jayhawks lost all nine of their games last season. They have not had a winning season since Mark Mangino was on the sideline in 2008, cycling through Turner Gill, Charlie Weis, interim coach Clint Bowen, David Beaty and Miles without finding a way to return to prominence.Goff is expected to lead the search for the next football coach, though the timeline for that hiring remains unclear.Along with deep-seated fan apathy, the Jayhawks have some of the worst facilities in the Big 12 — despite a new indoor practice facility — and have struggled for years to generate money and support to upgrade Memorial Stadium.Goff also must deal with potential NCAA sanctions facing the Jayhawks’ storied basketball program.The program was hit with five Level I charges tied to recruiting, one directed at Self, as part of the fallout of an FBI investigation into college basketball corruption. Kansas has staunchly defended itself against the allegations, and the case is going through the NCAA’s new independent appeals process, with a decision expected later this year.“Travis understands the challenges we face and the changing landscape of collegiate athletics,” Kansas Chancellor Doug Girod said. “At the same time, he is well-positioned to help us build on our recent successes in student-athlete health care, diversity and inclusion, and student-athlete academic achievement. The fact that he is a Jayhawk is an added bonus.”Goff returns to Lawrence having worked under former Northwestern athletic director Jim Phillips, who left the school in the Chicago suburb of Evanston earlier this year to become Atlantic Coast Conference commissioner.Goff graduated from KU in 2002 with degrees in journalism and sociology, then earned an MBA from Tulane, where he worked as associate athletic director for external affairs.He is the sixth athletic director for the Jayhawks since Bob Frederick retired in 2001.“When you grow up in Dodge City like Travis and I did, you get to know everyone,” Texas A&amp;M athletic director Ross Bjork said. “I have been fortunate to know Travis and his first-class family for more than 30 years, and it is so exciting to see him become the athletics director at Kansas. As both of us have evolved in college athletics, we have become great friends. I’ve always known this day would come for Travis at the right time and the right place.”