Game #3 Reno County Boys 60 Hoisington 57

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1581739911992.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Game #1 Ellsworth Girls 49 La Crosse 32Game #2 Ellsworth Boys 42 La Crosse 21Game #3 Reno County Boys 60 Hoisington 57<div><iframe width="100%" height="265" src="https://clyp.it/cm53b2gx/widget" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>HOISINGTON SPORTS ON 100.7 EAGLE COUNTRY SPONSORED BY... EQUITY BANK, USD #431 HOISINGTON, EHLER CHEVROLET, CARDINAL PHARMACY, TOWN &amp; COUNTRY SUPERMARKET, SUPERIOR ESSEX, FIRST KANSAS BANK, INNOVATIVE LIVESTOCK SERVICES, MPIRE REALTY NIKKI HENDERSON, CLARA BARTON MEDICAL CENTER, HOISINGTON VETERINARY HOSPITAL, HOISINGTON HIGH SCHOOL BOOSTER CLUB, AMERICAN LEGION POST 286, ROSENBERG FAMILY DENISTRY, HOISINGTON RECREATION COMMISSION, CENTRAL CHIROPRACTIC, DR. TYLER SCHREMMER, AND BARTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE.

Winter Jam Day 2 Results

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BOYS RANKINGSClass 6A1. Shawnee Mission South 2. Olathe North 3. Mill Valley 4. Wichita Heights 5. Blue Valley Northwest 6. Blue Valley High 7. Maize 8. Manhattan 9. Wichita East 10. Blue Valley West5A Boys 1. Kapaun Mt. Carmel 2. Topeka Seaman 3. Topeka West 4. Bonner Springs 5. Emporia 6. Maize South 7. St. James Academy 8. Hays 9. Andover 10. KC Piper4A Boys 1. Rock Creek 2. Atchison 3. Bishop Miege 4. Pratt 5. Andale 6. Baldwin 7. Concordia 8. Hugoton 9. Labette County 10. McPherson3A Boys 1. Wichita Collegiate 2. Hesston 3. Holcomb 4. Burlington 5. Beloit 6. Hiawatha 7. Anthony/Harper-Chaparral 8. Silver Lake 9. Wichita Trinity 10. Colby2A Boys 1. Sterling 2. Brookville - Ell-Saline 3. Salina - Sacred Heart 4. Moundridge 5. Pittsburg - St. Mary's Colgan 6. Classical School of Wichita 7. Elbing - Berean Academy 8. Topeka - Cair Paravel Latin School 9. St. Mary's 10. Cherokee - Southeast1A Div. 1 Boys 1. Olpe 2. South Central 3. Little River 4. Lawrence - Bishop Seabury Academy 5. Central Plains 6. Wabaunsee 7. Burden - Central 8. St. John's/Tipton 9. Crest 10. Greeley County1A Div. 2 Boys 1. Hanover 2. Axtell 3. Thunder Ridge 4. Hartford 5. Wallace County 6. Victoria 7. Deerfield 8. Ingalls 9. Tescott 10. Linn-----------------------------------GIRLS RANKINGS6A Girls1. Shawnee Mission South2. Wichita Heights3. Derby4. Blue Valley North5. Wichita East6. Olathe South7. Olathe North8. Manhattan9. Washburn Rural10. Liberal5A Girls1. St. Thomas Aquinas2. Andover3. Hays4. Maize South5. St. James Academy6. Shawnee Heights7. KC Piper8. Kapaun Mt. Carmel9. Bishop Carroll10. Salina South4A Girls1. Wellington2. Independence3. Bishop Miege4. Wamego5. Ottawa6. Eudora7. Rock Creek8. Fort Scott9. Topeka Hayden10. Andale3A Girls1. Silver Lake2. Halstead3. Osage City4. Beloit5. Hiawatha6. Burlington7. Holcomb8. Frontenac9. Caney Valley10. Riley County2A Girls1. Moundridge2. Pitt-Colgan3. Hillsboro4. Eureka5. Ellinwood6. Remington7. Valley Heights8. Hoxie9. Doniphan West10. Inman1A Div. 1 Girls1. Little River2. Wabaunsee3. Centralia4. Holdgeman County5. Olpe6. Rock Hills7. South Gray8. Spearville9. Clifton-Clyde10. Quinter 1A Div. 2 Girls1. Hanover2. Bucklin3. Central Christian4. Dighton5. Linn6. Marais des Cygnes Valley7. Lebo8. Ashland9. Axtell10. Cheylin

KBCA High School BB Rankings (Jan. 20)

- Jade Winter, head coach of Great Bend Girls Basketball

- Wyatt Thompson, Voice of the Kansas State Wildcats

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756047315700.jpeg" alt="Tuesday Show Lineup with Host Brant Daughtry" />
 <figcaption>Tuesday Show Lineup with Host Brant Daughtry</figcaption>
 </figure>- Sounds of the Past 24 Hours- Jade Winter, head coach of Great Bend Girls Basketball- Wyatt Thompson, Voice of the Kansas State Wildcats

Tuesday on Sports Day

Returning to competition for the first time in over two months, the Barton Community College men's bowling team navigated a two-event Southwest Intercolelgiate Bowling Conference (SWIBC) weekend by finishing ninth in Saturday's SWIBC V before responding less than 24 hours later with a third-place showing in Sunday's SWIBC VI.

Saturday's action featured four individual team games followed by 10 Baker rounds, with the Cougars totaling 5,614 pins to place ninth in the 18-team field. Wichita State University claimed the team title with 6,726 pins followed by cross town rival Newman University in second at 6,550, and Southern Nazarene University rounding out the top three with 5,930.

Campbell Peterson&nbsp;paced the Barton varsity squad with a 33rd-place finish, rolling a four-game total of 803 (200.8 avg) highlighted by a 237 high game.&nbsp;Landyn Ziegenhirt&nbsp;followed in 37th with a 785 total (196.3 avg), while&nbsp;Colton Swift&nbsp;added a 48th-place showing behind a 762 total (190.5 avg) to pace the Cougars three top-50 varsity finishers.

Fielding a second entry, Barton's junior varsity group placed fifth in the JV team standings with 5,176 pins.&nbsp;Jett Cosby&nbsp;led the JV lineup with a 25th-palce finish overall, posting an 829 total (207.3 avg) to pace Barton's secondary lineup.

Individually, Carter Street of Wichita State University edged teammate Connor Fleming by 12 pins to claim individual medalist honors, leading the 153-bowler field with a four-game total of 1,009.

Sunday's competition shifted to a six-game team format, and the Cougars responded in a big way, finishing third with a 5,898-pin total, climbing six spots from Saturday's standings to secure their best team result of the season.

Wichita State University completed the weekend sweep, claiming the team title with 6,493 pins followed by Newman University once again in second at 6,221.

Dayden Cunningham&nbsp;headlined Barton's turnaround, surging to a sixth-place finish after placing 86th the previous day. Cunningham rolled a six-game total of 1,312 (218.7 avg), highlighted by games of 232, 236 and 233, as he also prevented a Wichita sweep of the top six individual spots.

Swift joined Cunningham inside the top 30, finishing 24th with a 1,189 total (198.2 avg) and a 253 high game in Game 6, while Ziegenhirt followed close behind in 27th with a 1,187 total (197.8 avg).

Barton's junior-varsity squad added another fifth place finish in the JV standings with 5,175 pins, just one shy of Saturday's 5,176 output.&nbsp;Hayden Raynor&nbsp;led the Cougars' JV group with a 1,140 total (190.0 avg) closing strong with games of 235 and 229.

Evan Dahlinghaus of Wichita State University topped the 152-particiapnt field with a 1,363 total (227.2 avg), edging Saturday's champion Carter Street by 11 pins as the Shockers placed five bowlers inside the top five and six within the top-seven.

Barton returns to action this Saturday and Sunday at the Eagle Invitational I and II, held in Belton, Missouri.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768915578994.jpeg" alt="BartonSports.com" />
 <figcaption>BartonSports.com</figcaption>
 </figure>Returning to competition for the first time in over two months, the Barton Community College men's bowling team navigated a two-event Southwest Intercolelgiate Bowling Conference (SWIBC) weekend by finishing ninth in Saturday's SWIBC V before responding less than 24 hours later with a third-place showing in Sunday's SWIBC VI.Saturday's action featured four individual team games followed by 10 Baker rounds, with the Cougars totaling 5,614 pins to place ninth in the 18-team field. Wichita State University claimed the team title with 6,726 pins followed by cross town rival Newman University in second at 6,550, and Southern Nazarene University rounding out the top three with 5,930.Campbell Peterson&nbsp;paced the Barton varsity squad with a 33rd-place finish, rolling a four-game total of 803 (200.8 avg) highlighted by a 237 high game.&nbsp;Landyn Ziegenhirt&nbsp;followed in 37th with a 785 total (196.3 avg), while&nbsp;Colton Swift&nbsp;added a 48th-place showing behind a 762 total (190.5 avg) to pace the Cougars three top-50 varsity finishers.Fielding a second entry, Barton's junior varsity group placed fifth in the JV team standings with 5,176 pins.&nbsp;Jett Cosby&nbsp;led the JV lineup with a 25th-palce finish overall, posting an 829 total (207.3 avg) to pace Barton's secondary lineup.Individually, Carter Street of Wichita State University edged teammate Connor Fleming by 12 pins to claim individual medalist honors, leading the 153-bowler field with a four-game total of 1,009.Sunday's competition shifted to a six-game team format, and the Cougars responded in a big way, finishing third with a 5,898-pin total, climbing six spots from Saturday's standings to secure their best team result of the season.Wichita State University completed the weekend sweep, claiming the team title with 6,493 pins followed by Newman University once again in second at 6,221.Dayden Cunningham&nbsp;headlined Barton's turnaround, surging to a sixth-place finish after placing 86th the previous day. Cunningham rolled a six-game total of 1,312 (218.7 avg), highlighted by games of 232, 236 and 233, as he also prevented a Wichita sweep of the top six individual spots.Swift joined Cunningham inside the top 30, finishing 24th with a 1,189 total (198.2 avg) and a 253 high game in Game 6, while Ziegenhirt followed close behind in 27th with a 1,187 total (197.8 avg).Barton's junior-varsity squad added another fifth place finish in the JV standings with 5,175 pins, just one shy of Saturday's 5,176 output.&nbsp;Hayden Raynor&nbsp;led the Cougars' JV group with a 1,140 total (190.0 avg) closing strong with games of 235 and 229.Evan Dahlinghaus of Wichita State University topped the 152-particiapnt field with a 1,363 total (227.2 avg), edging Saturday's champion Carter Street by 11 pins as the Shockers placed five bowlers inside the top five and six within the top-seven.Barton returns to action this Saturday and Sunday at the Eagle Invitational I and II, held in Belton, Missouri.

Sunday surge caps weekend as Cougars finish third at SWIBC VI

Opening the new year with its first competition since November 9, the Barton Community College women's bowling team put together an impressive weekend on the lanes, finishing runner-up in Saturday's SWIBC V before adding a fourth-place result in Sunday's SWIBC VI.

Highlighting the performances on the weekend was&nbsp;Tailynn Level, who turned in a second-place individual finish on Saturday, punctuated by a new program single-game record of 288.

Saturday's SWIBC V featured four traditional team games followed by 10 Baker rounds, as Barton pieced together a runner-up showing amongst the eight-team field with a 5,194-pin total. Tulane University captured the team title with 5,797 pins, while the University of Texas-San Antonio rounded out the top three at 4,998.

Level lead the Cougars individually who earning a second-place finish behind a four-game 807 series (201.8 avg) highlighted by a program-record single-game score of 288 in her second game. The freshman broke the program's single-game mark by opening with 10 consecutive strikes before closing, the game with an eight count and spare on her final roll.

Anne Timmermeyer&nbsp;followed with a 10-place finish, carding a 706 series (176.5 avg), while&nbsp;Alexis Wareman&nbsp;placed 18th (646) and&nbsp;Ellie Weeks&nbsp;slipped just outside the top 20 in 21st (635) to give Barton four bowlers inside the top 25.

Tulane University's Linnea Holcomb claimed individual medalist honors, besting the 44-participant field with a four-game 851, leading three Green Wave bowlers inside the top four.

SWIBC VI RecapReturning to the lanes less than 24 hours later, Sunday's SWIBC VI consisted of a six-game traditional format, as Barton mingled a fourth-place finish among the eight-team field with 4,847 pins. Tulane University completed the weekend sweep by capturing the team title with 5,526 pins, followed by Southern Nazarene University in second (4,970) and Texas A&amp;M University in third (4,914).The Cougars were led by its twin duo, as&nbsp;Rose Timmermeyer&nbsp;and A. Timmermeyer finished 13th (1,029) and 14th (1,028), respectively, each averaging just over 171 across six games. Level followed in 17th (925), while Wareman rounded out Barton's top-30 finishers in 28th (786).

Individually, Lylian Smith of Tulane secured the individual title, topping the 46-entry field with a six-game 1,293 series.

Barton returns to action this weekend at the Eagle Invitational I and Eagle Invitational II, weather permitting, held in Lee's Summit, Missouri.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768915448702.jpeg" alt="BartonSports.com" />
 <figcaption>BartonSports.com</figcaption>
 </figure>Opening the new year with its first competition since November 9, the Barton Community College women's bowling team put together an impressive weekend on the lanes, finishing runner-up in Saturday's SWIBC V before adding a fourth-place result in Sunday's SWIBC VI.Highlighting the performances on the weekend was&nbsp;Tailynn Level, who turned in a second-place individual finish on Saturday, punctuated by a new program single-game record of 288.Saturday's SWIBC V featured four traditional team games followed by 10 Baker rounds, as Barton pieced together a runner-up showing amongst the eight-team field with a 5,194-pin total. Tulane University captured the team title with 5,797 pins, while the University of Texas-San Antonio rounded out the top three at 4,998.Level lead the Cougars individually who earning a second-place finish behind a four-game 807 series (201.8 avg) highlighted by a program-record single-game score of 288 in her second game. The freshman broke the program's single-game mark by opening with 10 consecutive strikes before closing, the game with an eight count and spare on her final roll.Anne Timmermeyer&nbsp;followed with a 10-place finish, carding a 706 series (176.5 avg), while&nbsp;Alexis Wareman&nbsp;placed 18th (646) and&nbsp;Ellie Weeks&nbsp;slipped just outside the top 20 in 21st (635) to give Barton four bowlers inside the top 25.Tulane University's Linnea Holcomb claimed individual medalist honors, besting the 44-participant field with a four-game 851, leading three Green Wave bowlers inside the top four.SWIBC VI RecapReturning to the lanes less than 24 hours later, Sunday's SWIBC VI consisted of a six-game traditional format, as Barton mingled a fourth-place finish among the eight-team field with 4,847 pins. Tulane University completed the weekend sweep by capturing the team title with 5,526 pins, followed by Southern Nazarene University in second (4,970) and Texas A&amp;M University in third (4,914).The Cougars were led by its twin duo, as&nbsp;Rose Timmermeyer&nbsp;and A. Timmermeyer finished 13th (1,029) and 14th (1,028), respectively, each averaging just over 171 across six games. Level followed in 17th (925), while Wareman rounded out Barton's top-30 finishers in 28th (786).Individually, Lylian Smith of Tulane secured the individual title, topping the 46-entry field with a six-game 1,293 series.Barton returns to action this weekend at the Eagle Invitational I and Eagle Invitational II, weather permitting, held in Lee's Summit, Missouri.

Barton women open new year strong at SWIBC V & VI, Level sets program record

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Fernando Mendoza lowered his pads into a defender, spun in a full circle, used his hand to keep his balance,&nbsp;then launched himself horizontally&nbsp;and reached the ball over the goal line — an Indiana touchdown and a ready-made poster pic for a title run straight from the movies.

The Heisman Trophy winner’s touchdown Monday night put an exclamation point on a 27-21 win over Miami that closed out an undefeated season and brought an improbable — maybe impossible? — national championship to a program that had known nothing but losing and indifference for almost 140 years.

“Let me tell you: We won the national championship at Indiana University. It can be done,” said coach Curt Cignetti, who took over a program with a nation-leading 713 losses and turned it into the game's biggest winner in the span of two years.

Cignetti, the 64-year-old coaching lifer, started it. Mendoza helped get the Hoosiers over the line. He finished with 186 yards passing, but it was that tackle-breaking, sprawled-out 12-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-4 with 9:18 left that defined this game — and the Hoosiers' season.

“I had to go airborne,” said Mendoza, who had his lip split and his arm bloodied by a ferocious Miami defense that sacked him three times and hit him many more. “I would die for my team.”

Mendoza's TD gave Indiana a 24-14 lead — barely enough breathing room to hold off a frenzied charge by the hard-hitting Hurricanes — a team that barely made the College Football Playoff and barely showed up in the first half of the final before coming to life behind 112 yards and two scores from Mark Fletcher.

“They're the best thing that happened to the University of Miami in 25 years,” said coach Mario Cristobal, who was part of the title run that put this colorful program on the map in the 1980s and '90s.

The CFP trophy now heads to the most unlikely of places: Bloomington, Indiana — home of the college that famously boasts the most living alumni (805,000), including billionaire Mark Cuban and several thousand of his closest friends who packed Miami's home stadium and turned a title-game ticket into a $4,000-or-more splurge.

“It's way up there, that's for damn sure,” Cuban said when asked where this ranked among the out-of-nowhere success stories he helped bankroll on his reality show “Shark Tank.”

Indiana finished 16-0 — using the extra games afforded by the expanded 12-team playoff to match a perfect-season win total last compiled by Yale in 1894. President Donald Trump was in the stands for what he said “turned out to be a great game” after a slow start — Indiana led 10-0 at half.

In a fitting bit of symmetry, this undefeated title comes 50 years after Bob Knight’s basketball team went 32-0 to win it all in that state’s favorite sport.

That hasn’t happened since, and there’s already some thought that college football — in its evolving, money-soaked, name-image-likeness era — might not see a team like this again, either.

Players like Mendoza — a transfer from Cal who grew up just a few miles away from Miami’s campus, “The U” — certainly don’t come around often.

Two fourth-down gambles by Cignetti in the fourth quarter, after Fletcher’s second touchdown carved the Hurricanes' deficit to 17-14, put the QB in position to shine.

The first was a 19-yard-completion to Charlie Becker on a back-shoulder fade those guys have been perfecting all season. Four plays later came a decision and play that wins championships.

Cignetti sent his kicker out on fourth-and-4 from the 12, but quickly called his second timeout. The team huddled on the field and the coach drew up a quarterback draw, hoping the Hurricanes would be in a defense they had shown before.

“We rolled the dice and said, ‘They’re going to be in it again and they were,’” Cignetti said. “We blocked it well, he broke a tackle or two and got in the end zone.”

Mendoza's play could very well join John Elway's “helicopter” run in Super Bowl 32 as one of the greatest examples of a quarterback willing to put everything on the line to win it all. Mendoza might soon have something else in common with Elway: This game did little to diminish his projection as the first pick in the upcoming NFL draft.

“Everyone on the team, including my coach, makes fun of my running style,” Mendoza said. “But it’s fourth down, so you’ve got to put it all on the line. Every player, if they had that opportunity, they’d put their body on the line, too.”

A team listed 18th in the first CFP rankings moved to 10th and sneaked into the playoff, bringing as many questions about the process as the selection itself.

The Hurricanes proved they belonged all the way. Fletcher was a one-man force, hitting triple digits for the third time in four playoff games and turning a moribund offense into something much more.

His first touchdown run was a 57-yard burst through the right side that pulled Miami within 10-7 early in the third quarter.

But after Miami got the ball back and stalled deep in its own territory, Hoosiers lineman Mikail Kamara slid past the ’Canes’ punt protectors and&nbsp;blocked the kick. The ball ended up in the end zone and Isaiah Jones recovered to make it 17-7. Miami was in comeback mode the rest of the way.

It ended as a one-score game, and the ’Canes — the visiting team playing on their home field — moved into Indiana territory before Carson Beck’s heave got picked off by Jamari Sharpe, a Miami native who made sure the only miracle in this season would be Indiana’s.

This was a program that was so bad that coach Lee Corso stopped a game in 1976 to take a picture of a scoreboard when it read “Indiana 7, Ohio State 6.” Indiana lost 47-7.

There were hundreds of losses in front of half-empty stadiums between then and now.

But those days are over. The Hoosiers — yes, the Hoosiers — are national champions.

“I know nobody thought it was possible,” Cignetti said. “It probably is one of the greatest sports stories of all time.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768915293598.jpeg" alt="Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza holds the trophy after their win against Miami in the College Football Playoff national championship game, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)" />
 <figcaption>Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza holds the trophy after their win against Miami in the College Football Playoff national championship game, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)</figcaption>
 </figure>MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Fernando Mendoza lowered his pads into a defender, spun in a full circle, used his hand to keep his balance,&nbsp;then launched himself horizontally&nbsp;and reached the ball over the goal line — an Indiana touchdown and a ready-made poster pic for a title run straight from the movies.Maybe they’ll call it “Hoosiers.”The Heisman Trophy winner’s touchdown Monday night put an exclamation point on a 27-21 win over Miami that closed out an undefeated season and brought an improbable — maybe impossible? — national championship to a program that had known nothing but losing and indifference for almost 140 years.“Let me tell you: We won the national championship at Indiana University. It can be done,” said coach Curt Cignetti, who took over a program with a nation-leading 713 losses and turned it into the game's biggest winner in the span of two years.Cignetti, the 64-year-old coaching lifer, started it. Mendoza helped get the Hoosiers over the line. He finished with 186 yards passing, but it was that tackle-breaking, sprawled-out 12-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-4 with 9:18 left that defined this game — and the Hoosiers' season.Indiana would not be denied.“I had to go airborne,” said Mendoza, who had his lip split and his arm bloodied by a ferocious Miami defense that sacked him three times and hit him many more. “I would die for my team.”Mendoza's TD gave Indiana a 24-14 lead — barely enough breathing room to hold off a frenzied charge by the hard-hitting Hurricanes — a team that barely made the College Football Playoff and barely showed up in the first half of the final before coming to life behind 112 yards and two scores from Mark Fletcher.“They're the best thing that happened to the University of Miami in 25 years,” said coach Mario Cristobal, who was part of the title run that put this colorful program on the map in the 1980s and '90s.The CFP trophy now heads to the most unlikely of places: Bloomington, Indiana — home of the college that famously boasts the most living alumni (805,000), including billionaire Mark Cuban and several thousand of his closest friends who packed Miami's home stadium and turned a title-game ticket into a $4,000-or-more splurge.“It's way up there, that's for damn sure,” Cuban said when asked where this ranked among the out-of-nowhere success stories he helped bankroll on his reality show “Shark Tank.”Indiana finished 16-0 — using the extra games afforded by the expanded 12-team playoff to match a perfect-season win total last compiled by Yale in 1894. President Donald Trump was in the stands for what he said “turned out to be a great game” after a slow start — Indiana led 10-0 at half.In a fitting bit of symmetry, this undefeated title comes 50 years after Bob Knight’s basketball team went 32-0 to win it all in that state’s favorite sport.That hasn’t happened since, and there’s already some thought that college football — in its evolving, money-soaked, name-image-likeness era — might not see a team like this again, either.Players like Mendoza — a transfer from Cal who grew up just a few miles away from Miami’s campus, “The U” — certainly don’t come around often.Two fourth-down gambles by Cignetti in the fourth quarter, after Fletcher’s second touchdown carved the Hurricanes' deficit to 17-14, put the QB in position to shine.The first was a 19-yard-completion to Charlie Becker on a back-shoulder fade those guys have been perfecting all season. Four plays later came a decision and play that wins championships.Cignetti sent his kicker out on fourth-and-4 from the 12, but quickly called his second timeout. The team huddled on the field and the coach drew up a quarterback draw, hoping the Hurricanes would be in a defense they had shown before.“We rolled the dice and said, ‘They’re going to be in it again and they were,’” Cignetti said. “We blocked it well, he broke a tackle or two and got in the end zone.”Mendoza's play could very well join John Elway's “helicopter” run in Super Bowl 32 as one of the greatest examples of a quarterback willing to put everything on the line to win it all. Mendoza might soon have something else in common with Elway: This game did little to diminish his projection as the first pick in the upcoming NFL draft.“Everyone on the team, including my coach, makes fun of my running style,” Mendoza said. “But it’s fourth down, so you’ve got to put it all on the line. Every player, if they had that opportunity, they’d put their body on the line, too.”For Miami, it was a very close call.A team listed 18th in the first CFP rankings moved to 10th and sneaked into the playoff, bringing as many questions about the process as the selection itself.The Hurricanes proved they belonged all the way. Fletcher was a one-man force, hitting triple digits for the third time in four playoff games and turning a moribund offense into something much more.His first touchdown run was a 57-yard burst through the right side that pulled Miami within 10-7 early in the third quarter.But after Miami got the ball back and stalled deep in its own territory, Hoosiers lineman Mikail Kamara slid past the ’Canes’ punt protectors and&nbsp;blocked the kick. The ball ended up in the end zone and Isaiah Jones recovered to make it 17-7. Miami was in comeback mode the rest of the way.It ended as a one-score game, and the ’Canes — the visiting team playing on their home field — moved into Indiana territory before Carson Beck’s heave got picked off by Jamari Sharpe, a Miami native who made sure the only miracle in this season would be Indiana’s.How big a miracle?This was a program that was so bad that coach Lee Corso stopped a game in 1976 to take a picture of a scoreboard when it read “Indiana 7, Ohio State 6.” Indiana lost 47-7.There were hundreds of losses in front of half-empty stadiums between then and now.But those days are over. The Hoosiers — yes, the Hoosiers — are national champions.“I know nobody thought it was possible,” Cignetti said. “It probably is one of the greatest sports stories of all time.”

Indiana completes undefeated season and wins first national title, beating Miami 27-21 in CFP final

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Fernando Mendoza bulldozed his way into the end zone and Indiana bullied its way into the history books Monday night. The Hoosiers toppled Miami 27-21 to put the finishing touch on a rags-to-riches story, an undefeated season and the national title. The Heisman Trophy winner finished with 186 yards passing, but it was his tackle-breaking, sprawled-out 12-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-4 with 9:18 left that defined this game. Mendoza’s TD gave turnaround artist Curt Cignetti’s team a 10-point lead — barely enough breathing room to hold off a frenzied charge by the hard-hitting Hurricanes.

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Curt Cignetti came to Indiana to win championships. The old-school, blunt-spoken coach who began his Hoosiers tenure with a promise to bring swift success to the losingest program in college football completed his masterpiece on Monday night. Cignetti guided Indiana to a 27-21 win over the Miami Hurricanes in the College Football Playoff final and the first national championship in school history. The Hoosiers finished off an undefeated campaign in front of 67,227 fans at Hard Rock Stadium, concluding one of the most surprising turnarounds in college football history.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee Titans have agreed to hire Robert Saleh as their coach, hoping he can speed up their rebuild and end the franchise’s skid of four straight losing seasons. A person familiar with the decision confirmed it to The Associated Press on Monday night, speaking on condition of anonymity because the agreement had not been announced. Saleh spent this season as the San Francisco 49ers’ defensive coordinator, his second stint in that job after spending three-plus seasons as coach of the New York Jets. He did not have a winning season with the Jets and was fired after a 2-3 start in 2024, going 20-36 overall.

MIAMI (AP) — Fernando Mendoza's historic season has ended with a national title. He didn't have his best statistical game, but delivered when it mattered. Mendoza completed 16 of 27 passes for 186 yards and ran for a touchdown. His rushing score came after the Hurricanes cut the deficit to three points. In the fourth quarter, Mendoza led a crucial 12-play, 75-yard drive, converting two fourth downs, including a 12-yard rushing touchdown. Coach Curt Cignetti said the play was specifically designed for this game. Mendoza's performance helped Indiana secure its first national title. Raiders owner Mark Davis and Tom Brady were in attendance.

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Miami's football team faces big changes next season with a new quarterback, new starters on both lines, and a new kicker. However, Mark Fletcher Jr. and Malachi Toney will return as offensive leaders. On Monday night, they combined for three touchdowns in Miami's 27-21 loss to Indiana in the College Football Playoff championship game. Fletcher finished the season with 1,192 rushing yards, while Toney had 108 catches. Both are local talents with compelling stories that resonate with fans. Despite the loss, their performances highlight their potential to lead Miami next season.

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — The Buffalo Bills have fired coach Sean McDermott after the team again failed to reach the Super Bowl in his nine seasons. The move came two days after the Bills were eliminated in a heart-wrenching 33-30 overtime loss at Denver in the divisional round of the playoffs. The Bills went 12-5 in the regular season and had their five-year run atop the AFC East end. McDermott transformed the franchise into a perennial winner, but was knocked for failing to make a Super Bowl appearance. Buffalo became the NFL’s first team to win a playoff round in six consecutive years but not reach the Super Bowl.

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — The Miami Dolphins hired former Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley as their head coach on Monday. The moved ends a swift search for a coach who will be tasked with turning around a losing franchise that hasn’t won a playoff game in 25 years. Hafley replaces Mike McDaniel, who was fired earlier this month after going 35-33 in four seasons. The Dolphins also fired longtime general manager Chris Grier during the season. Hafley met with the Dolphins for a second interview earlier Monday before he was offered the job. He will rejoin new GM Jon-Eric Sullivan in Miami.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Warriors star Jimmy Butler was helped off the court with a right knee injury at the 7:41 mark of the third quarter against his former Miami team. Butler was hurt after catching a pass in the paint and going down hard and awkwardly after a collision with the Heat's Davion Mitchell. Butler grimaced and grabbed at his knee while down for a couple of minutes. He needed teammates Gary Payton II and Buddy Hield to escort him off the court and to the locker room after the fall. He is scheduled for an MRI exam and the team didn't plan an update until Tuesday.

NEW YORK (AP) — Center fielders Carlos Beltrán and Andruw Jones appear on track to gain election to the Baseball Hall of Fame on Tuesday. As of Monday evening, Beltrán had been picked on 89.2% of ballots revealed early on Ryan Thibodaux’s online vote-tracker, while Jones was at 83%, both surpassing the 75% needed for induction. Beltrán, in his fourth ballot appearance, has steadily increased his support since 2023. Jones, on his ninth ballot, has also seen significant growth since his first appearance in 2018. If elected, they would be inducted on July 26 alongside second baseman Jeff Kent. Other candidates like Chase Utley and Félix Hernández seem likely to fall short this year.

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Jannik Sinner has started his Australian Open campaign with a win after Hugo Gaston retired from their match. Sinner was leading 6-2, 6-1 when Gaston withdrew. Sinner is aiming to become the fourth player to win three consecutive men's titles at the Australian Open. Madison Keys has also advanced after overcoming a tough start against Oleksandra Oliynykova. Keys trailed 4-0 in the first set but rallied to win 7-6, 6-1. In other matches, Ben Shelton defeated Ugo Humbert and Lorenzo Musetti advanced after Raphael Collignon retired.

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE Final	Carolina	2	Buffalo	1	 Final	Colorado	5	Washington	2	 Final	Pittsburgh	6	Seattle	3	 Final	San Jose	4	Florida	1	 Final	Minnesota	6	Toronto	3	 Final	Philadelphia	2	Vegas	1	 Final	Chicago	2	Winnipeg	0	 Final OT	New Jersey	2	Calgary	1	 Final	N-Y Islanders	4	Vancouver	3	 Final	Anaheim	5	N-Y Rangers	3

TOP-25 COLLEGE FOOTBALL Final	(1)Indiana	27	(10)Miami	21

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Fernando Mendoza bulldozed his way into the end zone and Indiana bullied its way into the history books Monday night. The Hoosiers toppled Miami 27-21 to put the finishing touch on a rags-to-riches story, an undefeated season and the national title. The Heisman Trophy winner finished with 186 yards passing, but it was his tackle-breaking, sprawled-out 12-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-4 with 9:18 left that defined this game. Mendoza’s TD gave turnaround artist Curt Cignetti’s team a 10-point lead — barely enough breathing room to hold off a frenzied charge by the hard-hitting Hurricanes.MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Curt Cignetti came to Indiana to win championships. The old-school, blunt-spoken coach who began his Hoosiers tenure with a promise to bring swift success to the losingest program in college football completed his masterpiece on Monday night. Cignetti guided Indiana to a 27-21 win over the Miami Hurricanes in the College Football Playoff final and the first national championship in school history. The Hoosiers finished off an undefeated campaign in front of 67,227 fans at Hard Rock Stadium, concluding one of the most surprising turnarounds in college football history.NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee Titans have agreed to hire Robert Saleh as their coach, hoping he can speed up their rebuild and end the franchise’s skid of four straight losing seasons. A person familiar with the decision confirmed it to The Associated Press on Monday night, speaking on condition of anonymity because the agreement had not been announced. Saleh spent this season as the San Francisco 49ers’ defensive coordinator, his second stint in that job after spending three-plus seasons as coach of the New York Jets. He did not have a winning season with the Jets and was fired after a 2-3 start in 2024, going 20-36 overall.MIAMI (AP) — Fernando Mendoza's historic season has ended with a national title. He didn't have his best statistical game, but delivered when it mattered. Mendoza completed 16 of 27 passes for 186 yards and ran for a touchdown. His rushing score came after the Hurricanes cut the deficit to three points. In the fourth quarter, Mendoza led a crucial 12-play, 75-yard drive, converting two fourth downs, including a 12-yard rushing touchdown. Coach Curt Cignetti said the play was specifically designed for this game. Mendoza's performance helped Indiana secure its first national title. Raiders owner Mark Davis and Tom Brady were in attendance.MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Miami's football team faces big changes next season with a new quarterback, new starters on both lines, and a new kicker. However, Mark Fletcher Jr. and Malachi Toney will return as offensive leaders. On Monday night, they combined for three touchdowns in Miami's 27-21 loss to Indiana in the College Football Playoff championship game. Fletcher finished the season with 1,192 rushing yards, while Toney had 108 catches. Both are local talents with compelling stories that resonate with fans. Despite the loss, their performances highlight their potential to lead Miami next season.ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — The Buffalo Bills have fired coach Sean McDermott after the team again failed to reach the Super Bowl in his nine seasons. The move came two days after the Bills were eliminated in a heart-wrenching 33-30 overtime loss at Denver in the divisional round of the playoffs. The Bills went 12-5 in the regular season and had their five-year run atop the AFC East end. McDermott transformed the franchise into a perennial winner, but was knocked for failing to make a Super Bowl appearance. Buffalo became the NFL’s first team to win a playoff round in six consecutive years but not reach the Super Bowl.MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — The Miami Dolphins hired former Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley as their head coach on Monday. The moved ends a swift search for a coach who will be tasked with turning around a losing franchise that hasn’t won a playoff game in 25 years. Hafley replaces Mike McDaniel, who was fired earlier this month after going 35-33 in four seasons. The Dolphins also fired longtime general manager Chris Grier during the season. Hafley met with the Dolphins for a second interview earlier Monday before he was offered the job. He will rejoin new GM Jon-Eric Sullivan in Miami.SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Warriors star Jimmy Butler was helped off the court with a right knee injury at the 7:41 mark of the third quarter against his former Miami team. Butler was hurt after catching a pass in the paint and going down hard and awkwardly after a collision with the Heat's Davion Mitchell. Butler grimaced and grabbed at his knee while down for a couple of minutes. He needed teammates Gary Payton II and Buddy Hield to escort him off the court and to the locker room after the fall. He is scheduled for an MRI exam and the team didn't plan an update until Tuesday.NEW YORK (AP) — Center fielders Carlos Beltrán and Andruw Jones appear on track to gain election to the Baseball Hall of Fame on Tuesday. As of Monday evening, Beltrán had been picked on 89.2% of ballots revealed early on Ryan Thibodaux’s online vote-tracker, while Jones was at 83%, both surpassing the 75% needed for induction. Beltrán, in his fourth ballot appearance, has steadily increased his support since 2023. Jones, on his ninth ballot, has also seen significant growth since his first appearance in 2018. If elected, they would be inducted on July 26 alongside second baseman Jeff Kent. Other candidates like Chase Utley and Félix Hernández seem likely to fall short this year.MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Jannik Sinner has started his Australian Open campaign with a win after Hugo Gaston retired from their match. Sinner was leading 6-2, 6-1 when Gaston withdrew. Sinner is aiming to become the fourth player to win three consecutive men's titles at the Australian Open. Madison Keys has also advanced after overcoming a tough start against Oleksandra Oliynykova. Keys trailed 4-0 in the first set but rallied to win 7-6, 6-1. In other matches, Ben Shelton defeated Ugo Humbert and Lorenzo Musetti advanced after Raphael Collignon retired.FinalsNATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE Final	Carolina	2	Buffalo	1	 Final	Colorado	5	Washington	2	 Final	Pittsburgh	6	Seattle	3	 Final	San Jose	4	Florida	1	 Final	Minnesota	6	Toronto	3	 Final	Philadelphia	2	Vegas	1	 Final	Chicago	2	Winnipeg	0	 Final OT	New Jersey	2	Calgary	1	 Final	N-Y Islanders	4	Vancouver	3	 Final	Anaheim	5	N-Y Rangers	3TOP-25 COLLEGE FOOTBALL Final	(1)Indiana	27	(10)Miami	21

Tuesday Sports Headlines and Scores presented by Barton Community College

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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1581739911992.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Game #1 Ellinwood Girls 54 Pratt 33Game #2 Pratt Boys 71 Minneapolis 25Game #3 Minneapolis Girls 57 Victoria 30Game #4 Victoria Boys 60 Ellinwood 52<div><iframe width="100%" height="265" src="https://clyp.it/mrbld132/widget" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>

Winter Jam Day 1 Results

Larned Boys 41 Inman 39; Larned Girls 51 Cimarron 18

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695238768373.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Larned Boys 41 Inman 39; Larned Girls 51 Cimarron 18<div><iframe width="100%" height="265" src="https://clyp.it/ilpv5uu4/widget" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>LARNED SPORTS ON HITS 106.9 BROUGHT TO YOU IN PART BY... EQUITY BANK, INNOVATIVE LIVESTOCK SERVICES, SMITH DENTAL CLINIC, CLOCK REALTY &amp; INSURANCE, ROSENBERG FAMILY DENTISTRY, PROGRESSIVE THERAPY &amp; SPORTS MEDICINE, DOERR'S ACE HARDWARE, FARM BUREAU FINANCIAL SERVICES - LEIGH ANN SEEMAN, PAWNEE PLAZA, HEART OF KANSAS FAMILY HEALTH, COMFORT PRO, EAKIN ENTERPRISES, FRICK VETERINARY, USD #495 LARNED, CARR AUCTION &amp; REAL ESTATE, AG SYSTEMS, FUSION BANK, PICKET FENCE REAL ESTATE, AND BARTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE.

Arizona is the unanimous No. 1 in The Associated Press Top 25 men's college basketball poll for the first time. The Wildcats received all 61 votes from a media panel in Monday's poll. Arizona (18-0) won both of its games last week to remain among the three undefeated Division I teams. Iowa State dropped seven spots to No. 9 after their undefeated season ended. Nebraska moved up a spot to No. 7, its highest ranking ever. Saint Louis and Miami (Ohio) joined the poll, while Tennessee and Utah State dropped out. Kansas returned, giving the Big 12 Conference six ranked teams.

Others receiving votes: Wisconsin 64, St. John's 64, Iowa 30, Kentucky 27, Tennessee 20, Utah St. 15, UCF 14, Miami 10, George Mason 10, Saint Mary's 5, SMU 3, Villanova 3, Texas A&amp;M 2, NC State 1.

By the Associated PressArizona is the unanimous No. 1 in The Associated Press Top 25 men's college basketball poll for the first time. The Wildcats received all 61 votes from a media panel in Monday's poll. Arizona (18-0) won both of its games last week to remain among the three undefeated Division I teams. Iowa State dropped seven spots to No. 9 after their undefeated season ended. Nebraska moved up a spot to No. 7, its highest ranking ever. Saint Louis and Miami (Ohio) joined the poll, while Tennessee and Utah State dropped out. Kansas returned, giving the Big 12 Conference six ranked teams.	Record	Pts	Prv1. Arizona (61)	18-0	1525	12. UConn	18-1	1419	33. Michigan	16-1	1377	44. Purdue	17-1	1318	55. Duke	17-1	1296	66. Houston	17-1	1217	77. Nebraska	18-0	1207	88. Gonzaga	19-1	1103	99. Iowa St.	16-2	1001	210. Michigan St.	16-2	998	1211. Illinois	15-3	893	1312. Texas Tech	14-4	805	1513. BYU	16-2	791	1114. Virginia	16-2	713	1615. Vanderbilt	16-2	656	1016. Florida	13-5	651	1917. Alabama	13-5	571	1818. Clemson	16-3	449	2219. Kansas	13-5	305	-20. Arkansas	13-5	298	1721. Georgia	15-3	263	2122. North Carolina	14-4	220	1423. Louisville	13-5	195	2024. Saint Louis	17-1	187	-25. Miami (Ohio)	19-0	99	-Others receiving votes: Wisconsin 64, St. John's 64, Iowa 30, Kentucky 27, Tennessee 20, Utah St. 15, UCF 14, Miami 10, George Mason 10, Saint Mary's 5, SMU 3, Villanova 3, Texas A&amp;M 2, NC State 1.

Arizona a unanimous No. 1 for first time, Kansas returns at No. 19

- College Football National Championship Preview

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756047315700.jpeg" alt="Monday Show Lineup with Host Brant Daughtry" />
 <figcaption>Monday Show Lineup with Host Brant Daughtry</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FGAs0DAqsnI?si=Y8esMEWK04YZccxZ" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>- Sounds of the Weekend- Garrett Fitzpatrick joins the show- NFL Playoff discussion- College Football National Championship Preview

Monday on Sports Day(Watch)

CHICAGO (AP) — Matthew Stafford and Sean McVay shot knowing glances at each other, then went to work on the drive that got the Los Angeles Rams one step away from the Super Bowl.

Stafford and the Rams survived an&nbsp;incredible throw by Caleb Williams&nbsp;that forced overtime, beating the Chicago Bears 20-17 on Sunday night to advance to the NFC championship game.

Harrison Mevis kicked a 42-yard field goal in OT&nbsp;after&nbsp;Kam Curl intercepted a deep pass by Williams&nbsp;on the Bears’ first possession of the extra period. Stafford glanced at his coach prior to the winning drive, then completed three passes for first downs — including a 16-yarder to Puka Nacua to get the Rams into field-goal range.

“I looked right at Sean, he looked right at me,” Stafford said. “And I'm like, ‘Here we go.’ That's what it's all about. What an unbelievable job by our defense today, getting us the ball over and over again. Whether it be fourth-down stops or turnovers, they were clutch and timely.”

The “Thiccer Kicker,” as he's known, ended the Bears' season. Teammates mobbed him while a crowd that was rocking earlier watched in near silence at the conclusion of a cold, snowy night.

The Rams (14-5) will visit NFC West rival Seattle next Sunday in their first trip to the conference championship game since the 2021 team won the Super Bowl. The Seahawks beat San Francisco 41-6 on Saturday.

“It was like, all right, the football gods are smiling on us,” McVay said. “The weather had calmed down. There wasn't a lot of wind right there. ... I was really happy for him, and I was very confident that he would make that.”

Los Angeles led 17-10 in the final minute of regulation and the Bears faced fourth-and-4 from the 14-yard line when Williams backpedaled to avoid the pass rush and heaved the ball to Cole Kmet for the tying touchdown with 18 seconds left. Although officially a 14-yard pass, the ball traveled 51.2 yards in the air, according to the NFL’s Next Gen Stats.

Bears coach Ben Johnson thought about trying for a go-ahead 2-point conversion but decided to send out Cairo Santos for the extra point.

Williams threw for two touchdowns but was intercepted three times as the Bears (12-7) — who pulled off seven fourth-quarter comeback wins in Johnson's first season — came up short this time. They won the NFC North after finishing last in the division a year ago.

“Our guys are feeling it right now,” Johnson said. “They all believed, man. They all believed that we could find a way to win each and every week. And so it’s disappointing like that. I’m proud of the group. It’s a special group.”

Stafford led a 91-yard touchdown drive in the fourth quarter, with Kyren Williams scoring from the 5 to give the Rams a 17-10 lead with 8:50 remaining. Nacua kept the possession going on the previous play with a 2-yard run on fourth-and-5.

The Bears then drove to the 2, but Omar Speights broke up Williams’ fourth-down pass to Luther Burden just inside the goal line.

Chicago got the ball back at midfield with just under two minutes remaining after Ethan Evans shanked a 33-yard punt, setting up Williams' heroics.

In overtime, the Bears won the toss and deferred. They quickly got the ball back when the Rams went three-and-out. Los Angeles was forced to punt after Blake Corum got stopped for a 1-yard loss on third-and-1 at the 36.

Chicago took over at the 16. Williams kept the drive going with a 3-yard keeper on fourth-and-1 near midfield. But Curl picked off Williams' pass intended for DJ Moore two plays later.

Stafford was 20 of 42 for 258 yards and took four sacks. Nacua had 56 yards receiving after going for 111 in a wild-card win over Carolina, and Kyren Williams ran for 87 yards and two scores.

“I definitely didn't get into a great rhythm today, there's no question about that,” said Stafford, who sprained the index finger on his throwing hand against the Panthers. “I had some opportunities in the pass game, just some things that made it tough. Obviously, I can be better. But playoff football is about winning the football game.”

Caleb Williams completed 23 of 42 passes for 257 yards. Moore had a touchdown catch, and D'Andre Swift ran for 76 yards.

“In these moments you feel that you let your team down, you feel this and that,” Williams said. “It’s a good lesson learned for us, first time being in this situation for me and for us as a team. I’m excited for what's to come, but obviously going to go back and watch this and see how I can be better.”

Rams: CB Emmanuel Forbes Jr. (shoulder) was hurt in the first half.

Bears: TE Colston Loveland (concussion) exited late in regulation.

Rams: Los Angeles and Seattle split two close games in the regular season, with the home team winning each time.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768828882514.jpeg" alt="Los Angeles Rams kicker Harrison Mevis, center, reacts with holder Ethan Evans, center right, and teammates after booting a game-winning field goal during overtime of an NFL football divisional playoff game against the Chicago Bears, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)" />
 <figcaption>Los Angeles Rams kicker Harrison Mevis, center, reacts with holder Ethan Evans, center right, and teammates after booting a game-winning field goal during overtime of an NFL football divisional playoff game against the Chicago Bears, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)</figcaption>
 </figure>CHICAGO (AP) — Matthew Stafford and Sean McVay shot knowing glances at each other, then went to work on the drive that got the Los Angeles Rams one step away from the Super Bowl.Stafford and the Rams survived an&nbsp;incredible throw by Caleb Williams&nbsp;that forced overtime, beating the Chicago Bears 20-17 on Sunday night to advance to the NFC championship game.Harrison Mevis kicked a 42-yard field goal in OT&nbsp;after&nbsp;Kam Curl intercepted a deep pass by Williams&nbsp;on the Bears’ first possession of the extra period. Stafford glanced at his coach prior to the winning drive, then completed three passes for first downs — including a 16-yarder to Puka Nacua to get the Rams into field-goal range.“I looked right at Sean, he looked right at me,” Stafford said. “And I'm like, ‘Here we go.’ That's what it's all about. What an unbelievable job by our defense today, getting us the ball over and over again. Whether it be fourth-down stops or turnovers, they were clutch and timely.”So was Mevis.The “Thiccer Kicker,” as he's known, ended the Bears' season. Teammates mobbed him while a crowd that was rocking earlier watched in near silence at the conclusion of a cold, snowy night.The Rams (14-5) will visit NFC West rival Seattle next Sunday in their first trip to the conference championship game since the 2021 team won the Super Bowl. The Seahawks beat San Francisco 41-6 on Saturday.“It was like, all right, the football gods are smiling on us,” McVay said. “The weather had calmed down. There wasn't a lot of wind right there. ... I was really happy for him, and I was very confident that he would make that.”Los Angeles led 17-10 in the final minute of regulation and the Bears faced fourth-and-4 from the 14-yard line when Williams backpedaled to avoid the pass rush and heaved the ball to Cole Kmet for the tying touchdown with 18 seconds left. Although officially a 14-yard pass, the ball traveled 51.2 yards in the air, according to the NFL’s Next Gen Stats.Bears coach Ben Johnson thought about trying for a go-ahead 2-point conversion but decided to send out Cairo Santos for the extra point.Williams threw for two touchdowns but was intercepted three times as the Bears (12-7) — who pulled off seven fourth-quarter comeback wins in Johnson's first season — came up short this time. They won the NFC North after finishing last in the division a year ago.“Our guys are feeling it right now,” Johnson said. “They all believed, man. They all believed that we could find a way to win each and every week. And so it’s disappointing like that. I’m proud of the group. It’s a special group.”<h2>Fireworks in the fourth</h2>Stafford led a 91-yard touchdown drive in the fourth quarter, with Kyren Williams scoring from the 5 to give the Rams a 17-10 lead with 8:50 remaining. Nacua kept the possession going on the previous play with a 2-yard run on fourth-and-5.The Bears then drove to the 2, but Omar Speights broke up Williams’ fourth-down pass to Luther Burden just inside the goal line.Chicago got the ball back at midfield with just under two minutes remaining after Ethan Evans shanked a 33-yard punt, setting up Williams' heroics.<h2>Overtime gets off to slow start</h2>In overtime, the Bears won the toss and deferred. They quickly got the ball back when the Rams went three-and-out. Los Angeles was forced to punt after Blake Corum got stopped for a 1-yard loss on third-and-1 at the 36.Chicago took over at the 16. Williams kept the drive going with a 3-yard keeper on fourth-and-1 near midfield. But Curl picked off Williams' pass intended for DJ Moore two plays later.Stafford was 20 of 42 for 258 yards and took four sacks. Nacua had 56 yards receiving after going for 111 in a wild-card win over Carolina, and Kyren Williams ran for 87 yards and two scores.“I definitely didn't get into a great rhythm today, there's no question about that,” said Stafford, who sprained the index finger on his throwing hand against the Panthers. “I had some opportunities in the pass game, just some things that made it tough. Obviously, I can be better. But playoff football is about winning the football game.”Caleb Williams completed 23 of 42 passes for 257 yards. Moore had a touchdown catch, and D'Andre Swift ran for 76 yards.“In these moments you feel that you let your team down, you feel this and that,” Williams said. “It’s a good lesson learned for us, first time being in this situation for me and for us as a team. I’m excited for what's to come, but obviously going to go back and watch this and see how I can be better.”<h2>Injuries</h2>Rams: CB Emmanuel Forbes Jr. (shoulder) was hurt in the first half.Bears: TE Colston Loveland (concussion) exited late in regulation.<h2>Up next</h2>Rams: Los Angeles and Seattle split two close games in the regular season, with the home team winning each time.Bears: Prepare for next season.

Rams shake off wild, late TD pass by Caleb Williams, beat Bears 20-17 in OT to reach NFC title game

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Mike Vrabel returned to New England on a mission to have the franchise playing again in meaningful games in January — as he did so often as a player.

In his first year as the head coach, he wanted to do it by building a culture of players that wanted to perform for each another. Their most complete team effort of the season has the Patriots one win from a trip to the Super Bowl.

Drake Maye threw&nbsp;three touchdown passes&nbsp;in the snow and rain, Marcus Jones&nbsp;returned&nbsp;one of C.J. Stroud’s four interceptions for a score and the Patriots defeated the Houston Texans 28-16 on Sunday to advance to the AFC championship game for the first time in seven years.

The Patriots (16-3) will take on the Broncos (15-3) in Denver next Sunday, with the winner advancing to the NFL's title game in three weeks.

"Everybody’s stepping up. We’re using everybody. Everybody’s making plays. Everybody’s helping us win," said Vrabel, who won three Super Bowls as a playmaking linebacker for the Patriots. “I’m excited for these guys, but also, they’re not satisfied, and I can tell that.”

The Patriots — winners of 15 of their last 16 games — will make their 16th conference championship game appearance and first since their run to their sixth Super Bowl title under Bill Belichick in the 2018 season. New England has won its last nine divisional round games.

Maye finished 16 of 27 for 179 yards, but had an interception and fumbled four times, losing two in cold conditions in which snow and rain fell throughout. One of Maye’s fumbles set up Houston’s first touchdown.

“Just proud of the guys,” Maye said. “Battled the elements. This is New England. This is what we’re trying to embrace and we want to embrace all season long. Props to our defense, played a hell of a game. We’ve got to protect the football better, but we made enough plays to win it.”

Carlton Davis III had&nbsp;two interceptions&nbsp;for New England. Craig Woodson added an interception and fumble recovery.

“They bring it every week,” Maye said of his defense. “It’s fun to watch. And we could help them out some more, but just proud of the guys. Enjoy this one, and we’re back on the road.”

The eight combined turnovers — Woody Marks also lost a fumble for Houston — were the most in a playoff game since 2015 when the Cardinals and Panthers combined for eight in the NFC championship game.

The Texans (13-6) have lost in the divisional round in three straight seasons under coach DeMeco Ryans. The franchise fell to 0-7 in this round.

"It’s tough to win a game when you turn the ball over five times," Ryans said.

Stroud finished 20 of 47 with a TD pass. All of his interceptions came in the first half as he became the first player with five or more INTs and five or more fumbles in a single postseason. Will Anderson forced two fumbles for the Texans.

“I feel like I let people down,” Stroud said. "I’m not happy with that. It hurts. I’m not used to it."

Leading 21-16 in the fourth quarter, the Patriots stretched their lead to 27-16 when Kayshon Boutte got behind Derek Stingley Jr. and pulled in a diving, one-hand catch in the corner of the end zone for a touchdown.

The Texans had the ball with 5:48 to play, but punted on fourth-and-18 at their own 21 with 4:18 remaining.

New England’s next drive took the clock under two minutes. But the Texans turned it over on downs when Stroud’s fourth-down pass to Xavier Hutchinson was batted down by Robert Spillane.

The Patriots now go back on the road, where they are 8-0 this season.

“We feel like we deserve to be here,” Maye said. "I like our chances with those guys in the locker room.”

With the Patriots leading 7-3 early, a series of miscues produced the next two scores.

Maye was strip-sacked by Danielle Hunter deep in Patriots territory, but left tackle Will Campbell fell on the ball and the Patriots punted.

The Texans gave it right back when Stroud’s deep pass along the sideline was intercepted by Davis III.

Maye fumbled again when he attempted to run on a busted play and had the ball stripped by Tommy Togiai and recovered by Azeez Al-Shaair. Six plays later, Stroud linked up with Christian Kirk on a 10-yard touchdown pass.

But on Houston’s next drive, Stroud was rushed up the middle by K’Lavon Chaisson and he lofted a pass that was intercepted by Jones and returned for the score to put New England back in front.

Later in the quarter, the Patriots’ lead increased to 21-10 when they capped a five-play, 56-yard drive with a 7-yard TD pass from Maye to Stefon Diggs.

Jones scored on an interception return for the second time this season. It was the first of his career in the playoffs and first for New England in the postseason since Asante Samuel had one vs. Indianapolis on Jan. 21, 2007, in the AFC championship game.

Texans: TE Dalton Schultz (calf) left in the first quarter and didn’t return. ... LG Tytus Howard limped off in the second quarter. ... TE Cade Stover left in the fourth with a knee injury and didn’t return.

Patriots: LB Robert Spillane left in the first quarter with a thumb injury, but returned. ... RB TreVeyon Henderson was shaken up after a second quarter run before jogging off. ... S Craig Woodson exited after his INT with a head injury, but returned. ... RB Rhamondre Stevenson left in the second quarter with an eye issue. ... Davis injured his head in the fourth quarter.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768828772465.jpeg" alt="New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) passes against the Houston Texans during the second half of an NFL divisional playoff football game, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)" />
 <figcaption>New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) passes against the Houston Texans during the second half of an NFL divisional playoff football game, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)</figcaption>
 </figure>FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Mike Vrabel returned to New England on a mission to have the franchise playing again in meaningful games in January — as he did so often as a player.In his first year as the head coach, he wanted to do it by building a culture of players that wanted to perform for each another. Their most complete team effort of the season has the Patriots one win from a trip to the Super Bowl.Drake Maye threw&nbsp;three touchdown passes&nbsp;in the snow and rain, Marcus Jones&nbsp;returned&nbsp;one of C.J. Stroud’s four interceptions for a score and the Patriots defeated the Houston Texans 28-16 on Sunday to advance to the AFC championship game for the first time in seven years.The Patriots (16-3) will take on the Broncos (15-3) in Denver next Sunday, with the winner advancing to the NFL's title game in three weeks."Everybody’s stepping up. We’re using everybody. Everybody’s making plays. Everybody’s helping us win," said Vrabel, who won three Super Bowls as a playmaking linebacker for the Patriots. “I’m excited for these guys, but also, they’re not satisfied, and I can tell that.”The Patriots — winners of 15 of their last 16 games — will make their 16th conference championship game appearance and first since their run to their sixth Super Bowl title under Bill Belichick in the 2018 season. New England has won its last nine divisional round games.Maye finished 16 of 27 for 179 yards, but had an interception and fumbled four times, losing two in cold conditions in which snow and rain fell throughout. One of Maye’s fumbles set up Houston’s first touchdown.“Just proud of the guys,” Maye said. “Battled the elements. This is New England. This is what we’re trying to embrace and we want to embrace all season long. Props to our defense, played a hell of a game. We’ve got to protect the football better, but we made enough plays to win it.”Carlton Davis III had&nbsp;two interceptions&nbsp;for New England. Craig Woodson added an interception and fumble recovery.“They bring it every week,” Maye said of his defense. “It’s fun to watch. And we could help them out some more, but just proud of the guys. Enjoy this one, and we’re back on the road.”The eight combined turnovers — Woody Marks also lost a fumble for Houston — were the most in a playoff game since 2015 when the Cardinals and Panthers combined for eight in the NFC championship game.The Texans (13-6) have lost in the divisional round in three straight seasons under coach DeMeco Ryans. The franchise fell to 0-7 in this round."It’s tough to win a game when you turn the ball over five times," Ryans said.Stroud finished 20 of 47 with a TD pass. All of his interceptions came in the first half as he became the first player with five or more INTs and five or more fumbles in a single postseason. Will Anderson forced two fumbles for the Texans.“I feel like I let people down,” Stroud said. "I’m not happy with that. It hurts. I’m not used to it."Leading 21-16 in the fourth quarter, the Patriots stretched their lead to 27-16 when Kayshon Boutte got behind Derek Stingley Jr. and pulled in a diving, one-hand catch in the corner of the end zone for a touchdown.The Texans had the ball with 5:48 to play, but punted on fourth-and-18 at their own 21 with 4:18 remaining.New England’s next drive took the clock under two minutes. But the Texans turned it over on downs when Stroud’s fourth-down pass to Xavier Hutchinson was batted down by Robert Spillane.The Patriots now go back on the road, where they are 8-0 this season.“We feel like we deserve to be here,” Maye said. "I like our chances with those guys in the locker room.”<h2>Early action</h2>With the Patriots leading 7-3 early, a series of miscues produced the next two scores.Maye was strip-sacked by Danielle Hunter deep in Patriots territory, but left tackle Will Campbell fell on the ball and the Patriots punted.The Texans gave it right back when Stroud’s deep pass along the sideline was intercepted by Davis III.Maye fumbled again when he attempted to run on a busted play and had the ball stripped by Tommy Togiai and recovered by Azeez Al-Shaair. Six plays later, Stroud linked up with Christian Kirk on a 10-yard touchdown pass.But on Houston’s next drive, Stroud was rushed up the middle by K’Lavon Chaisson and he lofted a pass that was intercepted by Jones and returned for the score to put New England back in front.Later in the quarter, the Patriots’ lead increased to 21-10 when they capped a five-play, 56-yard drive with a 7-yard TD pass from Maye to Stefon Diggs.<h2>Mr. Pick-6</h2>Jones scored on an interception return for the second time this season. It was the first of his career in the playoffs and first for New England in the postseason since Asante Samuel had one vs. Indianapolis on Jan. 21, 2007, in the AFC championship game.<h2>Injuries</h2>Texans: TE Dalton Schultz (calf) left in the first quarter and didn’t return. ... LG Tytus Howard limped off in the second quarter. ... TE Cade Stover left in the fourth with a knee injury and didn’t return.Patriots: LB Robert Spillane left in the first quarter with a thumb injury, but returned. ... RB TreVeyon Henderson was shaken up after a second quarter run before jogging off. ... S Craig Woodson exited after his INT with a head injury, but returned. ... RB Rhamondre Stevenson left in the second quarter with an eye issue. ... Davis injured his head in the fourth quarter.

Maye throws 3 TD passes, Stroud has 4 INTs as Patriots top Texans 28-16 to advance to AFC title game

The Barton Community College men's basketball team leaned on toughness in the paint and timely late-game execution Saturday night, outlasting Cowley College 84–81 on Hall of Fame celebration day at Fleske Fieldhouse.

The results coincidentally leaves both teams with identical records of 6-6 in conference play and 11-7 overall. Barton now hits the road Wednesday for a 7:30 p.m. matchup at first-place and No. 21 ranked Dodge City Community College (9-3, 13-5).

Barton established an early inside presence behind&nbsp;Majok Chuol&nbsp;and&nbsp;Sebastian Muchitsch, building its largest lead of ten with 13:56 left in the half, before Cowley answered with stretches of perimeter shooting and transition looks to keep it tight. The Tigers briefly nudged ahead late in the frame, but the Cougars carried a 40–38 advantage into the break after&nbsp;Blake Rucker&nbsp;buried the first of his pair of three-pointers on the night with 14 seconds remaining.

The second half unfolded as a possession-by-possession battle, with Barton briefly stretching its lead before Cowley used turnovers and second-chance opportunities to seize momentum. After the Cougars pushed the margin to seven early, Cowley capitalized on three Barton miscues and a pair of offensive rebounds to surge ahead, turning a one-point game into its largest lead of the night at 69–61 with 7:18 remaining.

Barton responded with composure and physicality, attacking the paint and the glass to quickly erase the deficit. Muchitsch scored on consecutive possessions and finished through contact to pull the Cougars back within three, setting the stage for a tight closing stretch that featured multiple lead changes and a 73–73 tie with 3:24 to play. From there, Barton delivered its cleanest execution of the night at the free-throw line, converting eight straight attempts in the final 90 seconds as&nbsp;Aris Rodriguez,&nbsp;Jayden Ramirez, and&nbsp;Brian Sullivan, Jr.&nbsp;combined to build late separation and secure the 84–81 victory despite Cowley's final-minute push.

Barton finished 30-of-36 at the free-throw line, a key separator in a three-point game, while also controlling the boards 42–26 behind 14 offensive rebounds.

Muchitsch posted his fourth double-double of the year behind a monster 19 points and career high 15 rebounds, while Rodriguez led the Cougars with 23 points and a career best six assists.&nbsp;Noah Williams&nbsp;added 14 points and 10 rebounds for his third double of the season, and Chuol's inside spark delivered a season high 12 points on 4-of-5 shooting to go with five boards and two blocks. Rucker chipped in seven points off the bench, highlighted by his momentum-swing triple just before halftime.

Four Tigers reached double figures, led by Roman Miller's 16 points and six rebounds. Leslie Owens Jr. added 14 points, Kyden Thompson contributed 12, and Marcus Smith finished with 11.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768828603541.jpeg" alt="BartonSports.com" />
 <figcaption>BartonSports.com</figcaption>
 </figure>The Barton Community College men's basketball team leaned on toughness in the paint and timely late-game execution Saturday night, outlasting Cowley College 84–81 on Hall of Fame celebration day at Fleske Fieldhouse.The results coincidentally leaves both teams with identical records of 6-6 in conference play and 11-7 overall. Barton now hits the road Wednesday for a 7:30 p.m. matchup at first-place and No. 21 ranked Dodge City Community College (9-3, 13-5).Barton established an early inside presence behind&nbsp;Majok Chuol&nbsp;and&nbsp;Sebastian Muchitsch, building its largest lead of ten with 13:56 left in the half, before Cowley answered with stretches of perimeter shooting and transition looks to keep it tight. The Tigers briefly nudged ahead late in the frame, but the Cougars carried a 40–38 advantage into the break after&nbsp;Blake Rucker&nbsp;buried the first of his pair of three-pointers on the night with 14 seconds remaining.The second half unfolded as a possession-by-possession battle, with Barton briefly stretching its lead before Cowley used turnovers and second-chance opportunities to seize momentum. After the Cougars pushed the margin to seven early, Cowley capitalized on three Barton miscues and a pair of offensive rebounds to surge ahead, turning a one-point game into its largest lead of the night at 69–61 with 7:18 remaining.Barton responded with composure and physicality, attacking the paint and the glass to quickly erase the deficit. Muchitsch scored on consecutive possessions and finished through contact to pull the Cougars back within three, setting the stage for a tight closing stretch that featured multiple lead changes and a 73–73 tie with 3:24 to play. From there, Barton delivered its cleanest execution of the night at the free-throw line, converting eight straight attempts in the final 90 seconds as&nbsp;Aris Rodriguez,&nbsp;Jayden Ramirez, and&nbsp;Brian Sullivan, Jr.&nbsp;combined to build late separation and secure the 84–81 victory despite Cowley's final-minute push.Barton finished 30-of-36 at the free-throw line, a key separator in a three-point game, while also controlling the boards 42–26 behind 14 offensive rebounds.Muchitsch posted his fourth double-double of the year behind a monster 19 points and career high 15 rebounds, while Rodriguez led the Cougars with 23 points and a career best six assists.&nbsp;Noah Williams&nbsp;added 14 points and 10 rebounds for his third double of the season, and Chuol's inside spark delivered a season high 12 points on 4-of-5 shooting to go with five boards and two blocks. Rucker chipped in seven points off the bench, highlighted by his momentum-swing triple just before halftime.Four Tigers reached double figures, led by Roman Miller's 16 points and six rebounds. Leslie Owens Jr. added 14 points, Kyden Thompson contributed 12, and Marcus Smith finished with 11.

Cougars grind out 84-81 win over Cowley to even up conference mark

In a game that stayed within a possession deep into the fourth quarter, the Barton Community College women's basketball team saw Cowley College pull away late in a 56-51 loss on Hall of Fame Saturday evening inside the Fleske Fieldhouse.

The loss leaves the Cougars at 4-8 in conference play at the midway point and 6-12 overall, while the Tigers move to 6-6 in league action and 10-8 on the season. Barton will open the second half of Jayhawk play Wednesday night with a 5:30 p.m. road contest at No. 4 Dodge City Community College.

The Cougars endured a slow offensive start in the opening quarter, going scoreless over the opening 4:29 as Cowley jumped out to a 5-0 advantage. Trailing 10-4 with 3:25 remaining,&nbsp;Christal Long&nbsp;provided a spark down the stretch, scoring five straight points over the final 2:06 to draw Barton back within 10-9 at the first stanzas end.

Mersadie Spray's opening trey to start the second quarter kept momentum on the Cougars side, capping an 8-0 run and fiving Barton its first lead of the night at 18-16. The quarter stayed tight from there with three ties over the next five minutes before&nbsp;Regina Donanu&nbsp;sparked a personal 6-2 run with 1:07 remaining to match Barton's largest lead of the night at four. Cowley swung momentum back late, closing the half on a 5-0 spurt over the final 30 seconds to take a 23-22 edge into the break.

Out of the locker room, the teams traded baskets with four lead changes over the opening 2:14, with&nbsp;Keyona Hall's jumper at the 8:00 mark putting Barton in front for the final time at 26-25. Cowley seized control from there, capitalizing on 10 Barton turnovers in the third quarter to build a six-point cushion by the 3:01 mark. The Cougars stayed within striking distance, as&nbsp;Mary Akinde's three-point play and a Spray layup in the final minute trimmed the deficit to 43-41 heading into the fourth.

Cowley pushed the lead back to six early in the fourth before Barton answered with a 6-0 run, capped by a pair of perfect trips at the line from Long and an&nbsp;Alaina Eck&nbsp;layup to tie the game at 47 with 4:04 left. Momentum turned moments later, as a scoreless stretch and four Cougar turnovers fueled an 8-0 Tiger run that proved decisive down the stretch.

Finishing the night shooting 31.6 percent from the floor, Spray led a trio of Barton starters in double-figures with 12 points, adding three rebounds and two assists. Long followed with 11 points and seven rebounds, narrowly missing her second double-double of the season, while Donanu chipped in 10 points and six boards.

Despite having her two-game double-double streak snapped, Akinde controlled the glass with a career and game high 21 rebounds, seven coming on the offensive end, to go with four points.

Turnovers ultimately proved costly, as Barton's season-high 30 giveaways led to a 21-6 Cowley advantage in points off turnovers. The Tigers also held a six-point edge in points in the paint, offsetting Barton's plus-22 rebounding margin and plus-nine advantage in second-chance points.

Cowley was paced by Aniyah Burney, who delivered a game-high 21 points off the bench on 8-of-17 shooting. Mallory Jackson rounded out the double-figure scoring with 12 points and three rebounds, while joining three other Tigers with three-steals.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768828517645.jpeg" alt="BartonSports.com" />
 <figcaption>BartonSports.com</figcaption>
 </figure>In a game that stayed within a possession deep into the fourth quarter, the Barton Community College women's basketball team saw Cowley College pull away late in a 56-51 loss on Hall of Fame Saturday evening inside the Fleske Fieldhouse.The loss leaves the Cougars at 4-8 in conference play at the midway point and 6-12 overall, while the Tigers move to 6-6 in league action and 10-8 on the season. Barton will open the second half of Jayhawk play Wednesday night with a 5:30 p.m. road contest at No. 4 Dodge City Community College.The Cougars endured a slow offensive start in the opening quarter, going scoreless over the opening 4:29 as Cowley jumped out to a 5-0 advantage. Trailing 10-4 with 3:25 remaining,&nbsp;Christal Long&nbsp;provided a spark down the stretch, scoring five straight points over the final 2:06 to draw Barton back within 10-9 at the first stanzas end.Mersadie Spray's opening trey to start the second quarter kept momentum on the Cougars side, capping an 8-0 run and fiving Barton its first lead of the night at 18-16. The quarter stayed tight from there with three ties over the next five minutes before&nbsp;Regina Donanu&nbsp;sparked a personal 6-2 run with 1:07 remaining to match Barton's largest lead of the night at four. Cowley swung momentum back late, closing the half on a 5-0 spurt over the final 30 seconds to take a 23-22 edge into the break.Out of the locker room, the teams traded baskets with four lead changes over the opening 2:14, with&nbsp;Keyona Hall's jumper at the 8:00 mark putting Barton in front for the final time at 26-25. Cowley seized control from there, capitalizing on 10 Barton turnovers in the third quarter to build a six-point cushion by the 3:01 mark. The Cougars stayed within striking distance, as&nbsp;Mary Akinde's three-point play and a Spray layup in the final minute trimmed the deficit to 43-41 heading into the fourth.Cowley pushed the lead back to six early in the fourth before Barton answered with a 6-0 run, capped by a pair of perfect trips at the line from Long and an&nbsp;Alaina Eck&nbsp;layup to tie the game at 47 with 4:04 left. Momentum turned moments later, as a scoreless stretch and four Cougar turnovers fueled an 8-0 Tiger run that proved decisive down the stretch.Finishing the night shooting 31.6 percent from the floor, Spray led a trio of Barton starters in double-figures with 12 points, adding three rebounds and two assists. Long followed with 11 points and seven rebounds, narrowly missing her second double-double of the season, while Donanu chipped in 10 points and six boards.Despite having her two-game double-double streak snapped, Akinde controlled the glass with a career and game high 21 rebounds, seven coming on the offensive end, to go with four points.Turnovers ultimately proved costly, as Barton's season-high 30 giveaways led to a 21-6 Cowley advantage in points off turnovers. The Tigers also held a six-point edge in points in the paint, offsetting Barton's plus-22 rebounding margin and plus-nine advantage in second-chance points.Cowley was paced by Aniyah Burney, who delivered a game-high 21 points off the bench on 8-of-17 shooting. Mallory Jackson rounded out the double-figure scoring with 12 points and three rebounds, while joining three other Tigers with three-steals.

Barton drops tight battle in loss to Cowley

The Barton Community College wrestling team sent a limited lineup to the mats Sunday at the UCM Roger Denker Open inside the Jerry M. Hughes Athletics Center in Warrensburg, Missouri, combining for a 3-8 record against a 17-team field featuring NCAA Division I, Division II, and NJCAA programs.

S'Ron Hill&nbsp;led the Cougars with a sixth-place finish at 184-pounds, posting a 3-2 record for the day. Hill opened the tournament with an 8-6 decision over No. 4 seed Judah Yates of Quincy University before being pushed to the consolation side of the bracket. He continued his run with a forfeit victory followed by a 7-6 decision to advance into the consolation semifinals, where he dropped an 8-4 decision to Seth Sarasua of Central Oklahoma. Hill later withdrew prior to the fifth-place bout to earn his sixth place finish.

In the process, the sophomore set a new Barton program record for takedowns in a season, reaching 78 to eclipse Tim Johnson's previous mark of 75 set in 2016.

At 285 pounds,&nbsp;Logan Buchanan&nbsp;faced a challenging draw, dropping both bouts, including a loss to the No. 3 seed Wade Stanton of Drury University, who went on to finish as the tournament runner-up.&nbsp;Jamal Garrett&nbsp;(125) and&nbsp;Tyler Gouker&nbsp;(141) rounded out the Cougars lineup, each encountering upper seeded opponents early in their brackets.

Two additional Barton wrestlers competed unattached, with&nbsp;Colin Little&nbsp;(149) and&nbsp;Michael Villarreal&nbsp;(285) each earning mat time in their respective brackets.

The Cougars will return to the mats Wednesday in Parsons as conference action continues, facing No. 17 Fort Hays Tech Northwest and host Labette Community College beginning at 4:00 p.m.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768828403522.jpeg" alt="BartonSports.com" />
 <figcaption>BartonSports.com</figcaption>
 </figure>The Barton Community College wrestling team sent a limited lineup to the mats Sunday at the UCM Roger Denker Open inside the Jerry M. Hughes Athletics Center in Warrensburg, Missouri, combining for a 3-8 record against a 17-team field featuring NCAA Division I, Division II, and NJCAA programs.S'Ron Hill&nbsp;led the Cougars with a sixth-place finish at 184-pounds, posting a 3-2 record for the day. Hill opened the tournament with an 8-6 decision over No. 4 seed Judah Yates of Quincy University before being pushed to the consolation side of the bracket. He continued his run with a forfeit victory followed by a 7-6 decision to advance into the consolation semifinals, where he dropped an 8-4 decision to Seth Sarasua of Central Oklahoma. Hill later withdrew prior to the fifth-place bout to earn his sixth place finish.In the process, the sophomore set a new Barton program record for takedowns in a season, reaching 78 to eclipse Tim Johnson's previous mark of 75 set in 2016.At 285 pounds,&nbsp;Logan Buchanan&nbsp;faced a challenging draw, dropping both bouts, including a loss to the No. 3 seed Wade Stanton of Drury University, who went on to finish as the tournament runner-up.&nbsp;Jamal Garrett&nbsp;(125) and&nbsp;Tyler Gouker&nbsp;(141) rounded out the Cougars lineup, each encountering upper seeded opponents early in their brackets.Two additional Barton wrestlers competed unattached, with&nbsp;Colin Little&nbsp;(149) and&nbsp;Michael Villarreal&nbsp;(285) each earning mat time in their respective brackets.The Cougars will return to the mats Wednesday in Parsons as conference action continues, facing No. 17 Fort Hays Tech Northwest and host Labette Community College beginning at 4:00 p.m.

Hill highlights Barton wrestling at UCM Roger Denker Open, sets program record

The Community College women's track and field team continued its indoor season this past weekend in Lubbock, competing at the 9th Annual Corky Classic hosted by Texas Tech University inside the Sports Performance Center.

Facing a deep and competitive field of 22 teams, including eight Power 4 programs, a limited squad of Cougars used the weekend as a high-level benchmark, adding a pair of national qualifying marks while gaining valuable experience against top-flight competition.

Alexia Walker&nbsp;delivered one of Barton's standout performances in the long jump, placing 12th overall while securing a national qualifying mark with a leap of 5.71 meters (18-08.75).&nbsp;Celine Riddle&nbsp;followed closely, also meeting the national standard in finishing 16th at 5.59m (18-04.25), giving Barton a pair of qualifiers in the event.

In the hurdles,&nbsp;Asharria Ulett&nbsp;advanced through the rounds to place 11th in the 60m hurdles with a time of 8.54, after clocking an 8.51 in the opening round, continuing her consistent early-season form following last week's national qualifying performance.&nbsp;Camoy Binger&nbsp;added a 25th-place finish at 8.75, already having secured her national mark in the season opener.

Sprint action saw&nbsp;Thomphang Basele&nbsp;post a 7.71 in the 60m against a deep field, building off her national qualifying debut from the previous week.&nbsp;Kennidra Spigner&nbsp;and&nbsp;Takeila Williams&nbsp;each recorded personal or season bests across the sprints, with Spigner clocking a season-best 25.43 in the 200m and Williams posting a personal best 25.58.

Riddle doubled back in the triple jump, placing 17th with a mark of 11.90m (39-00.50), just shy of her previous national qualifying distance. In the high jump, freshman&nbsp;Jahmeka Brown&nbsp;tied for 11th while matching her personal best and national qualifying height of 1.66m (5-05.25), continuing a strong start to her collegiate career.

Barton returns to action Saturday, January 24, traveling to Pittsburg, Kansas, to compete in the NAIA/JUCO Challenge hosted at Pittsburg State University's Plaster Center.

Barton Women's Results Long Jump: 12th&nbsp;Alexia Walker&nbsp;(NQ 5.71m, 18-8.75), 16th&nbsp;Celine Riddle&nbsp;(NQ 5.59m, 18-4.25) 60m Hurdles: 11th&nbsp;Asharria Ulett&nbsp;(8.54, *8.51 in 1st Rd **Already NQ), 25th&nbsp;Camoy Binger&nbsp;(8.75 *Already NQ) 60m: 39th&nbsp;Thomphang Basele&nbsp;(7.71 *Already NQ), 60th&nbsp;Kennidra Spigner&nbsp;(PB 7.92), 64th&nbsp;Takeila Williams&nbsp;(7.95) Triple Jump: 17th&nbsp;Celine Riddle&nbsp;(11.90m, 39-00.50 *Already NQ) 200m: 47th&nbsp;Kennidra Spigner&nbsp;(SB 25.43), 54th&nbsp;Takeila Williams&nbsp;(PB 25.58) High Jump: T-11th&nbsp;Jahmeka Brown&nbsp;(T-PB 1.66m, 5-5.25 *Already NQ)

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768828327019.jpeg" alt="BartonSports.com" />
 <figcaption>BartonSports.com</figcaption>
 </figure>The Community College women's track and field team continued its indoor season this past weekend in Lubbock, competing at the 9th Annual Corky Classic hosted by Texas Tech University inside the Sports Performance Center.Facing a deep and competitive field of 22 teams, including eight Power 4 programs, a limited squad of Cougars used the weekend as a high-level benchmark, adding a pair of national qualifying marks while gaining valuable experience against top-flight competition.Alexia Walker&nbsp;delivered one of Barton's standout performances in the long jump, placing 12th overall while securing a national qualifying mark with a leap of 5.71 meters (18-08.75).&nbsp;Celine Riddle&nbsp;followed closely, also meeting the national standard in finishing 16th at 5.59m (18-04.25), giving Barton a pair of qualifiers in the event.In the hurdles,&nbsp;Asharria Ulett&nbsp;advanced through the rounds to place 11th in the 60m hurdles with a time of 8.54, after clocking an 8.51 in the opening round, continuing her consistent early-season form following last week's national qualifying performance.&nbsp;Camoy Binger&nbsp;added a 25th-place finish at 8.75, already having secured her national mark in the season opener.Sprint action saw&nbsp;Thomphang Basele&nbsp;post a 7.71 in the 60m against a deep field, building off her national qualifying debut from the previous week.&nbsp;Kennidra Spigner&nbsp;and&nbsp;Takeila Williams&nbsp;each recorded personal or season bests across the sprints, with Spigner clocking a season-best 25.43 in the 200m and Williams posting a personal best 25.58.Riddle doubled back in the triple jump, placing 17th with a mark of 11.90m (39-00.50), just shy of her previous national qualifying distance. In the high jump, freshman&nbsp;Jahmeka Brown&nbsp;tied for 11th while matching her personal best and national qualifying height of 1.66m (5-05.25), continuing a strong start to her collegiate career.Barton returns to action Saturday, January 24, traveling to Pittsburg, Kansas, to compete in the NAIA/JUCO Challenge hosted at Pittsburg State University's Plaster Center.Barton Women's Results Long Jump: 12th&nbsp;Alexia Walker&nbsp;(NQ 5.71m, 18-8.75), 16th&nbsp;Celine Riddle&nbsp;(NQ 5.59m, 18-4.25) 60m Hurdles: 11th&nbsp;Asharria Ulett&nbsp;(8.54, *8.51 in 1st Rd **Already NQ), 25th&nbsp;Camoy Binger&nbsp;(8.75 *Already NQ) 60m: 39th&nbsp;Thomphang Basele&nbsp;(7.71 *Already NQ), 60th&nbsp;Kennidra Spigner&nbsp;(PB 7.92), 64th&nbsp;Takeila Williams&nbsp;(7.95) Triple Jump: 17th&nbsp;Celine Riddle&nbsp;(11.90m, 39-00.50 *Already NQ) 200m: 47th&nbsp;Kennidra Spigner&nbsp;(SB 25.43), 54th&nbsp;Takeila Williams&nbsp;(PB 25.58) High Jump: T-11th&nbsp;Jahmeka Brown&nbsp;(T-PB 1.66m, 5-5.25 *Already NQ)

Barton women add qualifiers, face elite field at Texas Tech's Corky Classic

The Barton Community College men's track and field team squared off against one of the nation's strongest early-season fields this past weekend, competing at the 9th Annual Corky Classic hosted by Texas Tech University inside the Sports Performance Center in Lubbock, Texas.

Matched against a 22-team field featuring a heavy presence of Power 4 programs, the Cougars produced five additional national qualifying performances while continuing to sharpen form against elite-level competition early in the indoor campaign.

Barton's most significant moment came in the weekend's final event, the 4x400-meter relay, where the Cougars continued their climb up the program record book. The quartet of&nbsp;Trevoy Smith,&nbsp;Emmanuel Adams,&nbsp;Furious Trammel, and&nbsp;Lamont Johnson&nbsp;posted a season-best time of 3:09.46 to place ninth overall, improving two spots from the previous week to move into the seventh-fastest time in Barton history.

In the field events,&nbsp;Chavez Penn&nbsp;delivered one of the meet's top individual performances, capturing a third-place finish in the triple jump with a national qualifying mark of 15.37m (50-05.25). Penn doubled back in the high jump to clear a national qualifying height of 2.05m (6-08.75), placing ninth overall and securing his second national standard of the weekend.

The Cougars added new national qualifiers in the throws, led by&nbsp;Ilia Ciui's ninth-place showing in the weight throw with a national qualifying toss of 17.46m (57-03.50).&nbsp;Jaylon Calder&nbsp;followed with a personal-best mark of 16.39m (53-09.25) to place 12th, continuing his sophomore season progression. Calder returned on Saturday in the shot put, finishing 18th at 15.36m (50-04.75), already holding a national qualifying mark in the event.

On the track,&nbsp;Simeon Adams&nbsp;turned in one of Barton's top races, placing 11th in the 400 meters while clocking a national qualifying time of 47.75.&nbsp;Lamont Johnson&nbsp;added another new national standard in the 200 meters, finishing 19th in 21.46, leading four Cougars in the event as&nbsp;Furious Trammel&nbsp;(22.09) and&nbsp;Trevoy Smith&nbsp;(22.18) followed, with&nbsp;Taigon Peterkin&nbsp;closing the group with a personal-best 22.26.

Middle-distance action remained steady, as&nbsp;Keandro Gordon&nbsp;(1:55.62) and&nbsp;Sergi Gonzalez&nbsp;(1:55.93) continued their nationally qualified form in the 800 meters. Gonzalez returned Saturday in the 1000 meters, placing 14th in 2:29.69.

Barton Men's Results 60m: 59th&nbsp;Dejuan Colber&nbsp;(7.00), 76th&nbsp;Perrion Williams&nbsp;(7.24) 200m: 19th&nbsp;Lamont Johnson&nbsp;(NQ 21.46), 45th&nbsp;Furious Trammel&nbsp;(22.09), 53rd&nbsp;Trevoy Smith&nbsp;(22.18), 56th&nbsp;Taigon Peterkin&nbsp;(PB 22.26) 400m: 11th&nbsp;Simeon Adams&nbsp;(NQ 47.75)800m: 20th&nbsp;Keandro Gordon&nbsp;(1:55.62 *Already NQ), 22nd&nbsp;Sergi Gonzalez&nbsp;(1:55.93 *Already NQ) 1000m: 14th&nbsp;Sergi Gonzalez&nbsp;(2:29.69) Shot Put: 18th&nbsp;Jaylon Calder&nbsp;(15.36m, 50-4.75 *Already NQ) Weight Throw: 9th&nbsp;Ilia Ciui&nbsp;(NQ 17.46m, 57-3.50), 12th&nbsp;Jaylon Calder&nbsp;(PB 16.39m, 53-9.25 *Already NQ) Long Jump: 16th&nbsp;Jaylan McLloyd&nbsp;(7.14m, 23-5.25 *Already NQ) Triple Jump: 3rd&nbsp;Chavez Penn&nbsp;(NQ 15.37m, 50-5.25), 13th&nbsp;Devon Williams&nbsp;(14.07m, 46-2.00 *Already NQ) High Jump: 9th&nbsp;Chavez Penn&nbsp;(NQ 2.05m, 6-08.75) 4x400m: 9th SB 3:09.46 *Program 7th Fastest (Trevoy Smith,&nbsp;Emmanuel Adams,&nbsp;Furious Trammel,&nbsp;Lamont Johnson)

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768828197752.jpeg" alt="BartonSports.com" />
 <figcaption>BartonSports.com</figcaption>
 </figure>The Barton Community College men's track and field team squared off against one of the nation's strongest early-season fields this past weekend, competing at the 9th Annual Corky Classic hosted by Texas Tech University inside the Sports Performance Center in Lubbock, Texas.Matched against a 22-team field featuring a heavy presence of Power 4 programs, the Cougars produced five additional national qualifying performances while continuing to sharpen form against elite-level competition early in the indoor campaign.Barton's most significant moment came in the weekend's final event, the 4x400-meter relay, where the Cougars continued their climb up the program record book. The quartet of&nbsp;Trevoy Smith,&nbsp;Emmanuel Adams,&nbsp;Furious Trammel, and&nbsp;Lamont Johnson&nbsp;posted a season-best time of 3:09.46 to place ninth overall, improving two spots from the previous week to move into the seventh-fastest time in Barton history.In the field events,&nbsp;Chavez Penn&nbsp;delivered one of the meet's top individual performances, capturing a third-place finish in the triple jump with a national qualifying mark of 15.37m (50-05.25). Penn doubled back in the high jump to clear a national qualifying height of 2.05m (6-08.75), placing ninth overall and securing his second national standard of the weekend.The Cougars added new national qualifiers in the throws, led by&nbsp;Ilia Ciui's ninth-place showing in the weight throw with a national qualifying toss of 17.46m (57-03.50).&nbsp;Jaylon Calder&nbsp;followed with a personal-best mark of 16.39m (53-09.25) to place 12th, continuing his sophomore season progression. Calder returned on Saturday in the shot put, finishing 18th at 15.36m (50-04.75), already holding a national qualifying mark in the event.On the track,&nbsp;Simeon Adams&nbsp;turned in one of Barton's top races, placing 11th in the 400 meters while clocking a national qualifying time of 47.75.&nbsp;Lamont Johnson&nbsp;added another new national standard in the 200 meters, finishing 19th in 21.46, leading four Cougars in the event as&nbsp;Furious Trammel&nbsp;(22.09) and&nbsp;Trevoy Smith&nbsp;(22.18) followed, with&nbsp;Taigon Peterkin&nbsp;closing the group with a personal-best 22.26.Middle-distance action remained steady, as&nbsp;Keandro Gordon&nbsp;(1:55.62) and&nbsp;Sergi Gonzalez&nbsp;(1:55.93) continued their nationally qualified form in the 800 meters. Gonzalez returned Saturday in the 1000 meters, placing 14th in 2:29.69.Barton returns to action Saturday, January 24, traveling to Pittsburg, Kansas, to compete in the NAIA/JUCO Challenge hosted at Pittsburg State University's Plaster Center.Barton Men's Results 60m: 59th&nbsp;Dejuan Colber&nbsp;(7.00), 76th&nbsp;Perrion Williams&nbsp;(7.24) 200m: 19th&nbsp;Lamont Johnson&nbsp;(NQ 21.46), 45th&nbsp;Furious Trammel&nbsp;(22.09), 53rd&nbsp;Trevoy Smith&nbsp;(22.18), 56th&nbsp;Taigon Peterkin&nbsp;(PB 22.26) 400m: 11th&nbsp;Simeon Adams&nbsp;(NQ 47.75)800m: 20th&nbsp;Keandro Gordon&nbsp;(1:55.62 *Already NQ), 22nd&nbsp;Sergi Gonzalez&nbsp;(1:55.93 *Already NQ) 1000m: 14th&nbsp;Sergi Gonzalez&nbsp;(2:29.69) Shot Put: 18th&nbsp;Jaylon Calder&nbsp;(15.36m, 50-4.75 *Already NQ) Weight Throw: 9th&nbsp;Ilia Ciui&nbsp;(NQ 17.46m, 57-3.50), 12th&nbsp;Jaylon Calder&nbsp;(PB 16.39m, 53-9.25 *Already NQ) Long Jump: 16th&nbsp;Jaylan McLloyd&nbsp;(7.14m, 23-5.25 *Already NQ) Triple Jump: 3rd&nbsp;Chavez Penn&nbsp;(NQ 15.37m, 50-5.25), 13th&nbsp;Devon Williams&nbsp;(14.07m, 46-2.00 *Already NQ) High Jump: 9th&nbsp;Chavez Penn&nbsp;(NQ 2.05m, 6-08.75) 4x400m: 9th SB 3:09.46 *Program 7th Fastest (Trevoy Smith,&nbsp;Emmanuel Adams,&nbsp;Furious Trammel,&nbsp;Lamont Johnson)

Barton men climb record book, add five qualifiers at Texas Tech's Corky Classic

CHICAGO (AP) — Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams survived an incredible throw by Caleb Williams that forced overtime, beating the Chicago Bears 20-17 to advance to the NFC championship game. Harrison Mevis kicked a 42-yard field goal in OT after Kam Curl intercepted a deep pass by Williams on the Bears’ first possession of the extra period. Stafford completed a 16-yard pass to Puka Nacua to get the Rams into field-goal range and set up Mevis. The Rams will visit NFC West rival Seattle next Sunday in their first trip to the conference championship game since the 2021 team won the Super Bowl.

CHICAGO (AP) — Caleb Williams almost led the Chicago Bears to another surprising win. He threw a breathtaking touchdown pass in the fourth quarter, but his third interception led to a winning field goal for the Los Angeles Rams in overtime in the divisional playoffs. The 24-year-old Williams led Chicago to an NFL-record seven wins when trailing in the last two minutes of regulation. Despite the loss in the playoffs, Williams remains optimistic, calling it a learning experience. His coach and teammates praised his incredible skills and potential for the future.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Drake Maye threw three touchdown passes, Marcus Jones returned one of C.J. Stroud’s four interceptions for a TD and the New England Patriots defeated the Houston Texans 28-16 to advance to the AFC championship game for the first time in seven years. They will play at Denver next Sunday. Their last AFC title game trip was during their run to their sixth Super Bowl title in the 2018 season. Maye finished 16 of 27 for 179 yards, but had an interception and fumbled four times, losing two. The eight combined turnovers were the most in a playoff game since 2015. The Texans have lost in the divisional round in three straight seasons under coach DeMeco Ryans.

CHICAGO (AP) — Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams survived an incredible throw by Caleb Williams that forced overtime, beating the Chicago Bears 20-17 to advance to the NFC championship game. Harrison Mevis kicked a 42-yard field goal in OT after Kam Curl intercepted a deep pass by Williams on the Bears’ first possession of the extra period. Stafford completed a 16-yard pass to Puka Nacua to get the Rams into field-goal range and set up Mevis. The Rams will visit NFC West rival Seattle next Sunday in their first trip to the conference championship game since the 2021 team won the Super Bowl.CHICAGO (AP) — Caleb Williams almost led the Chicago Bears to another surprising win. He threw a breathtaking touchdown pass in the fourth quarter, but his third interception led to a winning field goal for the Los Angeles Rams in overtime in the divisional playoffs. The 24-year-old Williams led Chicago to an NFL-record seven wins when trailing in the last two minutes of regulation. Despite the loss in the playoffs, Williams remains optimistic, calling it a learning experience. His coach and teammates praised his incredible skills and potential for the future.FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Drake Maye threw three touchdown passes, Marcus Jones returned one of C.J. Stroud’s four interceptions for a TD and the New England Patriots defeated the Houston Texans 28-16 to advance to the AFC championship game for the first time in seven years. They will play at Denver next Sunday. Their last AFC title game trip was during their run to their sixth Super Bowl title in the 2018 season. Maye finished 16 of 27 for 179 yards, but had an interception and fumbled four times, losing two. The eight combined turnovers were the most in a playoff game since 2015. The Texans have lost in the divisional round in three straight seasons under coach DeMeco Ryans.NFL Championship Sunday is set. It'll be Rams vs. Seahawks and Patriots vs. Broncos. It’s an NFC West showdown between Los Angeles and Seattle, and the AFC matchup is a rematch from 10 years ago when Tom Brady lost to Peyton Manning. This time, Denver has to turn to backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham because Bo Nix broke his ankle, while New England has second-year sensation Drake Maye. The Patriots are 5 1/2-point favorites, according to BetMGM Sportsbook, while the Seahawks are 2 1/2-point favorites.MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Indiana and Miami are playing for the national title Monday night, and if that has you scratching your head thinking “Who?” or “What?” then you are not alone. Even though a new world of paying players and rapid-fire transfers from school to school has shuffled the deck in college sports, nobody thought it would get mixed up this much. And even though both schools have been trending upward of late, both were listed as 100-1 long shots to win the championship at some point this season. Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza and the Hoosiers head into the game being played on Miami's home field at Hard Rock Stadium as 8 1/2-point favorites, according to BetMGM Sportsbook.MIAMI BEACH, Fla. (AP) — College football leaders have given every indication that they remain stuck in a yearlong debate about expanding the playoff from 12 teams to 16 or beyond. Commissioners and school presidents met on the eve of the College Football Playoff title game, facing a Friday deadline from ESPN to decide on changing or staying with the current 12-team model. ESPN bankrolls the postseason. The debate boils down to two conferences, the Big Ten and SEC, that have widely different visions of where the playoff should go. The SEC wants a 16-team playoff, the Big Ten wants 24. If they can't agree, the playoff will stay at 12 teams for next season.HONOLULU (AP) — Chris Gotterup didn't take much time adding to his PGA Tour victory total. He rallied for a 64 on the final day of the Sony Open for a two-shot victory. Gotterup started the final round two shots behind and took advantage of a meltdown by Davis Riley. The victory is his third in three years since getting a PGA Tour card. Gotterup was at No. 195 in the world when he left the Sony Open last year. Now he's up to No. 17 and closing in on the elite in golf. Ryan Gerard shot 65 and finished second.MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Iga Świątek knows she has much work to do before she can win a first Australian Open title. She struggled in a two-hour win over Chinese qualifier Yuan Yue on Monday. Swiatek has won four French Open titles as well as Wimbledon and the U.S. Open but the Australian title remains elusive. She adjusted her game after a slow start against Yuan. Swiatek had a disrupted preparation, losing two singles matches at the United Cup. Coco Gauff also faced challenges but won her opening match. Other players advancing include Amanda Anisimova and Jessica Pegula. Stan Wawrinka began his farewell season with a win.MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Priscilla Hon has helped her Canadian opponent Marina Stakusic leave the court in a wheelchair during the Australian Open. Hon was leading 1-6, 6-4, 5-3 when Stakusic needed treatment for severe leg cramps on Day 2 of the season-opening major. Stakusic was one of two Canadian players to struggle with cramping on Monday. Men's No. 7 Felix Auger-Aliassime also retired from his match with Nuno Borges, saying he'd never had cramps so early in a tournament before. Conditions have been consistently warm without being extreme at Melbourne Park in recent days.HOUSTON (AP) — Kevin Durant moved into sixth place on the NBA's career scoring list, passing his friend and idol Dirk Nowitzki. Durant scored 18 points in a win over the New Orleans Pelicans and raised his career scoring total to 31,562 points. Durant says he tried to emulate Nowitzki in his career and was thankful that the former Dallas Mavericks player took time to send a video message of congratulations. Next on the scoring list is Michael Jordan at 32,292 points. Durant says he wants to continue climbing up the list and that so far the ride as been amazing.FinalsNATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE Final	Tampa Bay	4	Dallas	1	 Final OT	Detroit	4	Ottawa	3	 Final	Edmonton	5	St. Louis	0TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL Final	(7)Houston	103	Arizona State	73NFL PLAYOFFS Final New England 28 Houston 16 Final OT Los Angeles 20 Chicago 17