The Ellinwood High School volleyball team has advanced to state twice in the last four seasons. A driving force of that success was the play of senior Kennedy Benhke, a 3-time First-Team All-Central Prairie League selection who helped the Lady Eagles to four league championships in her four varsity seasons. Behnke recently signed a letter of intent to continue her career at Barton Community College next season.

This fall, Behnke was the lone senior on an Ellinwood team that set a school record with 42 wins in a season. Behnke paced this year's team with 286 kills, a 53.9-percent kill rate, and 121 of the team's 212 blocks. Behnke also served up a team-high 65 aces on the way to earning First-Team Class 2A State honors. She was also a First-Team Class 2A State Tournament selection after the Lady Eagles finished fourth.

Kennedy is the daughter of Matt and Lindsay Behnke.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733973848334.jpeg" alt="Ellinwood senior Kennedy Behnke (right) and Barton Community College volleyball coach Megan Besecker." />
 <figcaption>Ellinwood senior Kennedy Behnke (right) and Barton Community College volleyball coach Megan Besecker.</figcaption>
 </figure>Great Bend Post SportsThe Ellinwood High School volleyball team has advanced to state twice in the last four seasons. A driving force of that success was the play of senior Kennedy Benhke, a 3-time First-Team All-Central Prairie League selection who helped the Lady Eagles to four league championships in her four varsity seasons. Behnke recently signed a letter of intent to continue her career at Barton Community College next season.This fall, Behnke was the lone senior on an Ellinwood team that set a school record with 42 wins in a season. Behnke paced this year's team with 286 kills, a 53.9-percent kill rate, and 121 of the team's 212 blocks. Behnke also served up a team-high 65 aces on the way to earning First-Team Class 2A State honors. She was also a First-Team Class 2A State Tournament selection after the Lady Eagles finished fourth.Kennedy is the daughter of Matt and Lindsay Behnke.

Ellinwood's Behnke signs to play volleyball at Barton Community College

Eugene, OR&nbsp; (TrackTown U.S.A.)&nbsp;–&nbsp;An estimated economic impact of $50 million was generated by track and field and running events during the 2024 TrackTown season. Thousands of athletes, coaches, officials, volunteers and fans experienced the magic that is TrackTown and their spending provided an essential boost for local businesses and generated tax revenue for our communities.&nbsp;

The Eugene Cascades &amp; Coast Sports Commission, together with key representatives from the track and field and running community, hosted a Track &amp; Field Roundtable in early 2024. Together, representatives from TrackTown USA, the Oregon Track Club, the University of Oregon, the Eugene Marathon, Travel Lane County and other organizations explored opportunities to support and build Eugene’s reputation as “TrackTown USA.”

With goals that included the development of unified branding, increased community engagement, focused media outreach and enhanced participation at events, the roundtable participants went to work. This collaboration created an inclusive program that not only welcomed record numbers of participants but also helped people appreciate the rich legacy of TrackTown.&nbsp;

The 2024 season was marked by extraordinary community involvement. Welcome to TrackTown banners, support from local businesses and exclusive TrackTown-branded merchandise from icons like Track Town Pizza and Prince Puckler’s Ice Cream showcased the collective effort of Eugene to celebrate its track and field identity. Nearly 500 front-line workers wore branded shirts, welcoming visitors with pride and camaraderie. These initiatives united residents, businesses and visitors in support of TrackTown, exemplifying the community spirit that Eugene embodies.&nbsp;

The Eugene, Cascades &amp; Coast Sports Commission earned the Destination Branding and Marketing Campaign of the Year award from the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://marketing.eugenecascadescoast.org/acton/ct/42006/s-03ce-2412/Bct/l-000a/l-000a:c7a/ct1_0/1/lu?sid=TV2%3AJeBwWlVlt">Sports Events and Tourism Association</a>&nbsp;(Sports ETA) at the Sports ETA 4S Rights Holder Summit in Chattanooga, Tennessee. This prestigious honor, presented by Sports ETA—the national association for sports commissions—recognizes a destination member with the most exceptional and comprehensive marketing campaign showcasing its organization as a premier sports destination. Learn more about the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://marketing.eugenecascadescoast.org/acton/ct/42006/s-03ce-2412/Bct/l-000a/l-000a:c7a/ct2_0/1/lu?sid=TV2%3AJeBwWlVlt">Welcome to TrackTown campaign</a>.&nbsp;

"TrackTown is a title that embodies community pride while creating meaningful opportunities to inspire people around the globe,"&nbsp;said JB Carney, Senior Director, Sports, Eugene, Cascades &amp; Coast Sports Commission.&nbsp;"We couldn’t be prouder of how the community stepped up in 2024, and the excitement is already growing for an incredible 2025 season."

The Eugene Cascades &amp; Coast Sports Commission recently reconvened the Track &amp; Field Roundtable to begin preparing for an exciting 2025 season, building on the success and resources established in 2024. With marquee events like the USATF-certified Eugene Marathon, the USATF Outdoor Championships, the NCAA D1 Outdoor Championships, and the 50th Anniversary Prefontaine Classic, the Eugene, Cascades &amp; Coast region has a new opportunity to welcome the world and solidify its place as a dynamic, welcoming hub for track and field and running enthusiasts.&nbsp;

2024 Event Highlights U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Track &amp; Field The ticketed spectator count, which does not include credentialed individuals such as athletes and the workforce, totaled 95,411 for the eight days of action. Fans hailed from all 50 of the United States, as well as three countries outside of the United States. These fans experienced the best our local businesses have to offer through the Fan Festival, which featured 13 local food vendors, a local distillery, and a local brewery. Families flocked to this year’s event, seeing 120 kids participate in the Rising Star Youth Clinic and hundreds of kids compete and play in the TrackTown USA Kids Club Kids Zone at the festival. Through Uncle Phil’s Front Row, 144 kids and their families were provided tickets free of charge to experience this year’s Olympic Trials up close. Mothers utilized the event lactation spaces, with services and staffing provided by &amp;Mother and local group Women’s Care.

The event had 1,034 athletes compete for their spot to represent their country, resulting in one world record, three Hayward Field records, 13 Olympic Trials meet records, and more than 100 Olympians named to Team USA. Of those Olympians, 18 of those selected in individual events are current student-athletes in the NCAA system, as reported by NCAA.com. Many of the competing athletes felt the Hayward magic, setting or equaling a total of 204 personal bests over the course of the event.

The Olympic Trials were possible thanks to the 488 volunteers and workforce, who dedicated hours to operations, athlete services, fan experience, and countless other roles to help ensure the event ran smoothly. Volunteers and workforce hailed from 31 of the United States as well as two countries outside of the United States.

Prefontaine Classic The ticketed spectator count, which does not include credentialed individuals such as athletes and workforce, totaled 12,004 for the single day of action. Fans hailed from 47 of the United States, as well as six countries outside of the United States. These fans were able to experience the best our community has to offer, with 41 businesses joining the event as a partner, food truck, or vendor.

Hundreds of members of the TrackTown USA Kids Club partook in exclusive experiences throughout the weekend, with over 400 youth participants in the PeaceHealth Youth Meet, over 20 kids cheering on their favorite athletes free of charge through Uncle Phil’s Front Row, and 40 Kids Club members accompanying the world’s best athletes as Youth Buddies.

The event had 281 athletes compete across all events, resulting in one world record, one world under-20 record, six national records, and seven world leads. This includes the 14 Diamond Disciplines; non-Diamond men’s and women’s 10,000m, men’s and women’s 100m, women’s 100m hurdles, and women’s hammer throw; para athletics 100m and 400m mixed wheelchair races; and the boys’ and girls’ 1500m. Many of the competing athletes felt the Hayward magic, setting or equaling a total over 40 personal bests over the course of the event.

The 49th Prefontaine Classic was possible thanks to the 720 volunteers and workforce, who dedicated hours to operations, athlete services, fan experience, and countless other roles to help ensure the event ran smoothly. Volunteers and workforce hailed from 13 of the United States.

Eugene Marathon The 2024 Eugene Marathon weekend saw record participation, with over 12,000 registrants from all 50 states and 28 countries across the marathon, half marathon, Eugene 5K, and Kid’s Duck Dash. Over 10,000 runners crossed the iconic Hayward Field finish line, marking a significant increase from previous years. The event generated an estimated $6.8 million in local economic impact, $2 million more than in 2023.

Additionally, the marathon’s charity initiative, Run for a Reason, raised an impressive $233,000 for local nonprofits, far surpassing its $150,000 goal. Race Director Ian Dobson highlighted the unique spirit of TrackTown USA in welcoming both returning and new runners. The surge in participants required over 1,300 volunteers, primarily from local schools and nonprofits, who also benefited from donations for their support.

NCAA Division 1 Outdoor Track and Field Championships Over 180 schools and 1,100 student-athletes participated in the 2024 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Thousands of parents, coaches, officials and fans contributed to an estimated economic impact of nearly $9 million. 4,500 credentialed athletes, coaches, officials and volunteers participated in the event. Viewership over the four days of competition was approximately 2 million, which represents the 9th&nbsp;largest viewership in championship history.

The upcoming 2025 NCAA Outdoor Championships will be the 20th time the national meet will be held in Eugene. Oregon first hosted the NCAA meet in 1962. Hayward Field will now serve as the host site for the next four years having previously been awarded the meet for 2025 through 2028.

Oregon Relays The 2024 Oregon Relays saw its biggest athlete turnout in the meet's history! Over 3000 high school athletes and 500 middle school athletes participated, including an exciting lineup of professional runners including Josh Kerr and Karissa Schweizer. The event hosted its first World Record with the Men's Distance Medley Relay by the Brooks Beasts in a time of 9:14.58.

Nike Outdoor Nationals The National Scholastic Athletics Foundation (NSAF) and its partners, Nike, USA Track &amp; Field (USATF), TrackTown USA, and RunnerSpace, hosted the 2024 Nike Outdoor Nationals and USATF U20 Championships at Hayward Field at the University of Oregon, June 12 – 15, 2024. Nearly 5,000 athletes competed for National Championships and World Championship berths during the event. The top-placing athletes in the U20 Championships earned spots on Team USA, which competed in the World Athletics U20 Championships in Lima, Peru in August. The estimated economic impact was $2.4 million.

About the Eugene, Cascades &amp; Coast Sports Commission The Eugene, Cascades &amp; Coast Sports Commission, operating under Travel Lane County, is dedicated to positioning the Eugene, Cascades &amp; Coast region as a premier sports destination, actively attracting and securing new sports events to drive overnight stays and economic impact in Lane County. The Commission works to qualify, bid for, and secure new sports events, maintaining a comprehensive database of venues and a master sports calendar, which it distributes to media and sports partners to keep the community and visitors informed. To maximize the region's appeal, the Commission also collaborates with existing events to create auxiliary activities that extend stays, offering valuable networking and educational resources to event organizers.

Supported primarily through countywide room tax collections, along with grants and donations, the Sports Commission is structured with a dedicated team, a Sports Advisory Council, and a broader commission of corporate, government and event representatives from across the county. Together, they work to foster a cohesive sports community, engaging local venues, schools, and the hospitality industry in attracting and supporting new events. This partnership-focused approach underscores the region's commitment to supporting sports events, strengthening Lane County's reputation as a highly desirable destination for event planners and attendees alike.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733924991289.jpeg" alt="Norway's Jakob Ingebrigsten runs ahead of the United States' Jared Nuguse during the 2023 Prefontaine Classic at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore. Nuguse set the American mile record in the race. (photo by Mike Courson/Great Bend Post)." />
 <figcaption>Norway's Jakob Ingebrigsten runs ahead of the United States' Jared Nuguse during the 2023 Prefontaine Classic at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore. Nuguse set the American mile record in the race. (photo by Mike Courson/Great Bend Post).</figcaption>
 </figure>Eugene, OR&nbsp; (TrackTown U.S.A.)&nbsp;–&nbsp;An estimated economic impact of $50 million was generated by track and field and running events during the 2024 TrackTown season. Thousands of athletes, coaches, officials, volunteers and fans experienced the magic that is TrackTown and their spending provided an essential boost for local businesses and generated tax revenue for our communities.&nbsp;The Eugene Cascades &amp; Coast Sports Commission, together with key representatives from the track and field and running community, hosted a Track &amp; Field Roundtable in early 2024. Together, representatives from TrackTown USA, the Oregon Track Club, the University of Oregon, the Eugene Marathon, Travel Lane County and other organizations explored opportunities to support and build Eugene’s reputation as “TrackTown USA.”With goals that included the development of unified branding, increased community engagement, focused media outreach and enhanced participation at events, the roundtable participants went to work. This collaboration created an inclusive program that not only welcomed record numbers of participants but also helped people appreciate the rich legacy of TrackTown.&nbsp;The 2024 season was marked by extraordinary community involvement. Welcome to TrackTown banners, support from local businesses and exclusive TrackTown-branded merchandise from icons like Track Town Pizza and Prince Puckler’s Ice Cream showcased the collective effort of Eugene to celebrate its track and field identity. Nearly 500 front-line workers wore branded shirts, welcoming visitors with pride and camaraderie. These initiatives united residents, businesses and visitors in support of TrackTown, exemplifying the community spirit that Eugene embodies.&nbsp;The Eugene, Cascades &amp; Coast Sports Commission earned the Destination Branding and Marketing Campaign of the Year award from the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://marketing.eugenecascadescoast.org/acton/ct/42006/s-03ce-2412/Bct/l-000a/l-000a:c7a/ct1_0/1/lu?sid=TV2%3AJeBwWlVlt">Sports Events and Tourism Association</a>&nbsp;(Sports ETA) at the Sports ETA 4S Rights Holder Summit in Chattanooga, Tennessee. This prestigious honor, presented by Sports ETA—the national association for sports commissions—recognizes a destination member with the most exceptional and comprehensive marketing campaign showcasing its organization as a premier sports destination. Learn more about the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://marketing.eugenecascadescoast.org/acton/ct/42006/s-03ce-2412/Bct/l-000a/l-000a:c7a/ct2_0/1/lu?sid=TV2%3AJeBwWlVlt">Welcome to TrackTown campaign</a>.&nbsp;"TrackTown is a title that embodies community pride while creating meaningful opportunities to inspire people around the globe,"&nbsp;said JB Carney, Senior Director, Sports, Eugene, Cascades &amp; Coast Sports Commission.&nbsp;"We couldn’t be prouder of how the community stepped up in 2024, and the excitement is already growing for an incredible 2025 season."The Eugene Cascades &amp; Coast Sports Commission recently reconvened the Track &amp; Field Roundtable to begin preparing for an exciting 2025 season, building on the success and resources established in 2024. With marquee events like the USATF-certified Eugene Marathon, the USATF Outdoor Championships, the NCAA D1 Outdoor Championships, and the 50th Anniversary Prefontaine Classic, the Eugene, Cascades &amp; Coast region has a new opportunity to welcome the world and solidify its place as a dynamic, welcoming hub for track and field and running enthusiasts.&nbsp;2024 Event Highlights U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Track &amp; Field The ticketed spectator count, which does not include credentialed individuals such as athletes and the workforce, totaled 95,411 for the eight days of action. Fans hailed from all 50 of the United States, as well as three countries outside of the United States. These fans experienced the best our local businesses have to offer through the Fan Festival, which featured 13 local food vendors, a local distillery, and a local brewery. Families flocked to this year’s event, seeing 120 kids participate in the Rising Star Youth Clinic and hundreds of kids compete and play in the TrackTown USA Kids Club Kids Zone at the festival. Through Uncle Phil’s Front Row, 144 kids and their families were provided tickets free of charge to experience this year’s Olympic Trials up close. Mothers utilized the event lactation spaces, with services and staffing provided by &amp;Mother and local group Women’s Care.The event had 1,034 athletes compete for their spot to represent their country, resulting in one world record, three Hayward Field records, 13 Olympic Trials meet records, and more than 100 Olympians named to Team USA. Of those Olympians, 18 of those selected in individual events are current student-athletes in the NCAA system, as reported by NCAA.com. Many of the competing athletes felt the Hayward magic, setting or equaling a total of 204 personal bests over the course of the event.The Olympic Trials were possible thanks to the 488 volunteers and workforce, who dedicated hours to operations, athlete services, fan experience, and countless other roles to help ensure the event ran smoothly. Volunteers and workforce hailed from 31 of the United States as well as two countries outside of the United States.Prefontaine Classic The ticketed spectator count, which does not include credentialed individuals such as athletes and workforce, totaled 12,004 for the single day of action. Fans hailed from 47 of the United States, as well as six countries outside of the United States. These fans were able to experience the best our community has to offer, with 41 businesses joining the event as a partner, food truck, or vendor.Hundreds of members of the TrackTown USA Kids Club partook in exclusive experiences throughout the weekend, with over 400 youth participants in the PeaceHealth Youth Meet, over 20 kids cheering on their favorite athletes free of charge through Uncle Phil’s Front Row, and 40 Kids Club members accompanying the world’s best athletes as Youth Buddies.The event had 281 athletes compete across all events, resulting in one world record, one world under-20 record, six national records, and seven world leads. This includes the 14 Diamond Disciplines; non-Diamond men’s and women’s 10,000m, men’s and women’s 100m, women’s 100m hurdles, and women’s hammer throw; para athletics 100m and 400m mixed wheelchair races; and the boys’ and girls’ 1500m. Many of the competing athletes felt the Hayward magic, setting or equaling a total over 40 personal bests over the course of the event.The 49th Prefontaine Classic was possible thanks to the 720 volunteers and workforce, who dedicated hours to operations, athlete services, fan experience, and countless other roles to help ensure the event ran smoothly. Volunteers and workforce hailed from 13 of the United States.Eugene Marathon The 2024 Eugene Marathon weekend saw record participation, with over 12,000 registrants from all 50 states and 28 countries across the marathon, half marathon, Eugene 5K, and Kid’s Duck Dash. Over 10,000 runners crossed the iconic Hayward Field finish line, marking a significant increase from previous years. The event generated an estimated $6.8 million in local economic impact, $2 million more than in 2023.Additionally, the marathon’s charity initiative, Run for a Reason, raised an impressive $233,000 for local nonprofits, far surpassing its $150,000 goal. Race Director Ian Dobson highlighted the unique spirit of TrackTown USA in welcoming both returning and new runners. The surge in participants required over 1,300 volunteers, primarily from local schools and nonprofits, who also benefited from donations for their support.NCAA Division 1 Outdoor Track and Field Championships Over 180 schools and 1,100 student-athletes participated in the 2024 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Thousands of parents, coaches, officials and fans contributed to an estimated economic impact of nearly $9 million. 4,500 credentialed athletes, coaches, officials and volunteers participated in the event. Viewership over the four days of competition was approximately 2 million, which represents the 9th&nbsp;largest viewership in championship history.The upcoming 2025 NCAA Outdoor Championships will be the 20th time the national meet will be held in Eugene. Oregon first hosted the NCAA meet in 1962. Hayward Field will now serve as the host site for the next four years having previously been awarded the meet for 2025 through 2028.Oregon Relays The 2024 Oregon Relays saw its biggest athlete turnout in the meet's history! Over 3000 high school athletes and 500 middle school athletes participated, including an exciting lineup of professional runners including Josh Kerr and Karissa Schweizer. The event hosted its first World Record with the Men's Distance Medley Relay by the Brooks Beasts in a time of 9:14.58.Nike Outdoor Nationals The National Scholastic Athletics Foundation (NSAF) and its partners, Nike, USA Track &amp; Field (USATF), TrackTown USA, and RunnerSpace, hosted the 2024 Nike Outdoor Nationals and USATF U20 Championships at Hayward Field at the University of Oregon, June 12 – 15, 2024. Nearly 5,000 athletes competed for National Championships and World Championship berths during the event. The top-placing athletes in the U20 Championships earned spots on Team USA, which competed in the World Athletics U20 Championships in Lima, Peru in August. The estimated economic impact was $2.4 million.About the Eugene, Cascades &amp; Coast Sports Commission The Eugene, Cascades &amp; Coast Sports Commission, operating under Travel Lane County, is dedicated to positioning the Eugene, Cascades &amp; Coast region as a premier sports destination, actively attracting and securing new sports events to drive overnight stays and economic impact in Lane County. The Commission works to qualify, bid for, and secure new sports events, maintaining a comprehensive database of venues and a master sports calendar, which it distributes to media and sports partners to keep the community and visitors informed. To maximize the region's appeal, the Commission also collaborates with existing events to create auxiliary activities that extend stays, offering valuable networking and educational resources to event organizers.Supported primarily through countywide room tax collections, along with grants and donations, the Sports Commission is structured with a dedicated team, a Sports Advisory Council, and a broader commission of corporate, government and event representatives from across the county. Together, they work to foster a cohesive sports community, engaging local venues, schools, and the hospitality industry in attracting and supporting new events. This partnership-focused approach underscores the region's commitment to supporting sports events, strengthening Lane County's reputation as a highly desirable destination for event planners and attendees alike.&nbsp;&nbsp;

TrackTown U.S.A. shined in 2024 with $50 million in economic impact

ZURICH (AP) — Saudi Arabia was officially confirmed Wednesday by FIFA as host of the 2034 World Cup in men’s soccer, giving the oil-rich kingdom its biggest prize yet for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/liv-saudis-golf-sportswashing-063c639305121c034b8dceaab24f26b3">massive spending on global sports</a>&nbsp;driven by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The Saudi bid was the only candidate and was acclaimed by the applause of more than 200 FIFA member federations. They took part remotely in an online meeting hosted in Zurich by the soccer body’s president Gianni Infantino.

“The vote of the congress is loud and clear,” said Infantino, who had asked officials on a bank of screens to clap their hands at head level to show their support.

The decision was combined with approving the only candidate to host the 2030 World Cup. Spain, Portugal and Morocco will co-host in a six-nation project, with Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay each getting one of the 104 games.

The South American connection will mark the centenary of Uruguay hosting the first World Cup in 1930.

The decisions complete a mostly opaque 15-month bid process which Infantino helped steer toward Saudi Arabia without a rival candidate, without taking questions, and which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2034-world-cup-saudi-arabia-migrant-labor-human-rights-fcf03a475a23fda09583ef69176337a0">human rights groups warn</a>&nbsp;will put the lives of migrant workers at risk.

“We look forward to hosting an exceptional and unprecedented edition of the FIFA World Cup by harnessing our strengths and capabilities to bring joy to football fans around the world,” Prince Mohammed said in a statement.

FIFA and Saudi officials have said hosting the 2034 tournament can accelerate change, including more freedoms and rights for women, with Infantino on Wednesday calling the World Cup a “unique catalyst for positive social change and unity.”

“I fully trust our hosts to address all open points in this process, and deliver a World Cup that meets the world’s expectations,” the FIFA president said.

An international collective of rights groups said FIFA made a “reckless decision” to approve Saudi Arabia without getting public assurances, and the&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/RonanEvain/status/1866875156133511417">Football Supporters Europe group said</a>&nbsp;it was “the day football truly lost its mind.”

A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/world-cup-saudi-arabia-2034-ef76fa3cbcfab8eb6a13434fe3c34134">fast-track path to victory</a>&nbsp;was cleared last year by FIFA accepting the three-continent hosting plan for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2030-world-cup-spain-portugal-south-america-3f400c036694c048b277f0b49796fc4c">2030 World Cup</a>. It meant only soccer federations in Asia and Oceania were eligible for the 2034 contest, and FIFA gave countries less than four weeks to declare a bid. Only Saudi Arabia did.

The win will kick off a decade of scrutiny on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ilo-labor-complaint-saudi-arabia-fifa-8767e862bffba8e49e021e515d5b306b">Saudi labor laws and treatment of workers</a>&nbsp;mostly from South Asia needed to help build and upgrade 15 stadiums, plus hotels and transport networks ahead of the 104-game tournament.

Amnesty International said awarding the tournament to Saudi Arabia represents “a moment of great danger” for human rights.

“FIFA’s reckless decision to award the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia without ensuring adequate human rights protections are in place will put many lives at risk,” said Steve Cockburn, Amnesty International’s Head of Labor Rights and Sport."

One of the stadiums is planned to be 350 meters (yards) above the ground in Neom — a futuristic city that does not yet exist — and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/saudi-arabia-fifa-world-cup-stadium-qiddiya-6523d5286b89ab46929637ed98c5ff4a">another named for the crown prince</a>&nbsp;is designed to be atop a 200-meter cliff near Riyadh.

During the bid campaign, FIFA has accepted limited scrutiny of Saudi Arabia’s human rights record that was widely&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/saudi-arabia-un-human-rights-council-2098e8faa0dd947157bd2ef1398a9737">criticized this year at the United Nations</a>.

Saudi and international rights groups and activists warned FIFA it has not learned the lessons of Qatar’s much-criticized preparations to host the 2022 World Cup.

“At every stage of this bidding process, FIFA has shown its commitment to human rights to be a sham," Cockburn said.

The kingdom plans to spend tens of billion of dollars on projects related to the World Cup as part of the crown prince’s sweeping Vision 2030 project that aims to modernize Saudi society and economy. At its core is spending on sports by the $900 billion sovereign wealth operation, the Public Investment Fund, which he oversees. Critics have called it “sportswashing” of the kingdom's reputation.

The prince, known as MBS, has built close working ties to Infantino since 2017 — aligning with the organizer of sport’s most-watched event rather than directly confronting the established system as it did with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/liv-golf-pga-europeann-tour-saudi-arabia-a316315863e88d3f69b763fbdc82ebe0">the disruptive LIV Golf project</a>.

The result for Saudi Arabia and FIFA has been smooth progress toward the win Wednesday with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fifa-world-2034-cup-saudi-arabia-norway-cb686740643fbfb9ceec9ebe6c5d5d23">limited pushback</a>&nbsp;from soccer officials, though some from women international players.

The steady flow of Saudi cash into international soccer is set to increase.

FIFA created a new and higher World Cup sponsor category for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fifa-saudi-arabia-aramco-a62b1ce2c0372a602fd9909a548d27fe">state oil firm Aramco</a>, and Saudi funding is set to underwrite the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fifa-club-world-cup-explainer-messi-mbappe-f5419625b8e10e2ccf9ff32b9f92fc68">2025 Club World Cup</a>&nbsp;in the United States that is a pet project for Infantino.

North American soccer body CONCACAF signed a multi-year deal with PIF, Saudi stadiums host Super Cup games for Italy and Spain, and nearly 50 FIFA member federations have signed working agreements with Saudi counterparts.

Lavish spending by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/soccer-saudi-arabia-ronaldo-benzema-messi-b9b248c3583bff69c9a2206d67caa95c">PIF-owned Saudi clubs</a>&nbsp;in the past two years buying and paying players – including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-soccer-cristiano-ronaldo-fifa-world-cup-saudi-arabia-national-team-dffe3559e4ccce1ae2e42a03fa56154e">Cristiano Ronaldo</a>, Neymar, Karim Benzema and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sadio-mane-saudi-34879f69d7d7525db5d24b92e413476f">Sadio Mané</a>&nbsp;– put hundreds of millions of dollars into European soccer.

That influence could be key in talks to agree which months to play the 2034 World Cup. The November-December slot taken by Qatar in 2022 to avoid extreme midsummer heat is complicated in 2034 by the holy month of Ramadan through mid-December and Riyadh hosting the multi-sport Asian Games.

Still, January 2034 could be an option — and likely better for European clubs and leagues —after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/saudi-arabia-ioc-fifa-2034-world-cup-winter-olympcis-a8eecde9a6e438ef2133bbb253f271a1">International Olympic Committee said</a>&nbsp;it saw few issues in clashing with the Salt Lake Winter Games opening Feb. 10, 2034. The IOC also has a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ioc-olympics-esports-saudi-arabia-ab66b3b1dca6b6bd850f5c5f2e0cfcf9">major commercial deal with Saudi Arabia</a>, to host the new Esports Olympics.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733946060205.jpeg" alt="FILE - Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, left, and FIFA President Gianni Infantino, stand for the anthem prior to opening soccer match of the 2018 World Cup between Russia and Saudi Arabia at the Luzhniki stadium in Moscow, Russia, on June 14, 2018. (Alexei Nikolsky/Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP, File)" />
 <figcaption>FILE - Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, left, and FIFA President Gianni Infantino, stand for the anthem prior to opening soccer match of the 2018 World Cup between Russia and Saudi Arabia at the Luzhniki stadium in Moscow, Russia, on June 14, 2018. (Alexei Nikolsky/Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>ZURICH (AP) — Saudi Arabia was officially confirmed Wednesday by FIFA as host of the 2034 World Cup in men’s soccer, giving the oil-rich kingdom its biggest prize yet for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/liv-saudis-golf-sportswashing-063c639305121c034b8dceaab24f26b3">massive spending on global sports</a>&nbsp;driven by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.The Saudi bid was the only candidate and was acclaimed by the applause of more than 200 FIFA member federations. They took part remotely in an online meeting hosted in Zurich by the soccer body’s president Gianni Infantino.“The vote of the congress is loud and clear,” said Infantino, who had asked officials on a bank of screens to clap their hands at head level to show their support.The decision was combined with approving the only candidate to host the 2030 World Cup. Spain, Portugal and Morocco will co-host in a six-nation project, with Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay each getting one of the 104 games.The South American connection will mark the centenary of Uruguay hosting the first World Cup in 1930.The decisions complete a mostly opaque 15-month bid process which Infantino helped steer toward Saudi Arabia without a rival candidate, without taking questions, and which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2034-world-cup-saudi-arabia-migrant-labor-human-rights-fcf03a475a23fda09583ef69176337a0">human rights groups warn</a>&nbsp;will put the lives of migrant workers at risk.“We look forward to hosting an exceptional and unprecedented edition of the FIFA World Cup by harnessing our strengths and capabilities to bring joy to football fans around the world,” Prince Mohammed said in a statement.FIFA and Saudi officials have said hosting the 2034 tournament can accelerate change, including more freedoms and rights for women, with Infantino on Wednesday calling the World Cup a “unique catalyst for positive social change and unity.”“I fully trust our hosts to address all open points in this process, and deliver a World Cup that meets the world’s expectations,” the FIFA president said.An international collective of rights groups said FIFA made a “reckless decision” to approve Saudi Arabia without getting public assurances, and the&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/RonanEvain/status/1866875156133511417">Football Supporters Europe group said</a>&nbsp;it was “the day football truly lost its mind.”A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/world-cup-saudi-arabia-2034-ef76fa3cbcfab8eb6a13434fe3c34134">fast-track path to victory</a>&nbsp;was cleared last year by FIFA accepting the three-continent hosting plan for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2030-world-cup-spain-portugal-south-america-3f400c036694c048b277f0b49796fc4c">2030 World Cup</a>. It meant only soccer federations in Asia and Oceania were eligible for the 2034 contest, and FIFA gave countries less than four weeks to declare a bid. Only Saudi Arabia did.The win will kick off a decade of scrutiny on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ilo-labor-complaint-saudi-arabia-fifa-8767e862bffba8e49e021e515d5b306b">Saudi labor laws and treatment of workers</a>&nbsp;mostly from South Asia needed to help build and upgrade 15 stadiums, plus hotels and transport networks ahead of the 104-game tournament.Amnesty International said awarding the tournament to Saudi Arabia represents “a moment of great danger” for human rights.“FIFA’s reckless decision to award the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia without ensuring adequate human rights protections are in place will put many lives at risk,” said Steve Cockburn, Amnesty International’s Head of Labor Rights and Sport."One of the stadiums is planned to be 350 meters (yards) above the ground in Neom — a futuristic city that does not yet exist — and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/saudi-arabia-fifa-world-cup-stadium-qiddiya-6523d5286b89ab46929637ed98c5ff4a">another named for the crown prince</a>&nbsp;is designed to be atop a 200-meter cliff near Riyadh.During the bid campaign, FIFA has accepted limited scrutiny of Saudi Arabia’s human rights record that was widely&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/saudi-arabia-un-human-rights-council-2098e8faa0dd947157bd2ef1398a9737">criticized this year at the United Nations</a>.Saudi and international rights groups and activists warned FIFA it has not learned the lessons of Qatar’s much-criticized preparations to host the 2022 World Cup.“At every stage of this bidding process, FIFA has shown its commitment to human rights to be a sham," Cockburn said.The kingdom plans to spend tens of billion of dollars on projects related to the World Cup as part of the crown prince’s sweeping Vision 2030 project that aims to modernize Saudi society and economy. At its core is spending on sports by the $900 billion sovereign wealth operation, the Public Investment Fund, which he oversees. Critics have called it “sportswashing” of the kingdom's reputation.The prince, known as MBS, has built close working ties to Infantino since 2017 — aligning with the organizer of sport’s most-watched event rather than directly confronting the established system as it did with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/liv-golf-pga-europeann-tour-saudi-arabia-a316315863e88d3f69b763fbdc82ebe0">the disruptive LIV Golf project</a>.The result for Saudi Arabia and FIFA has been smooth progress toward the win Wednesday with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fifa-world-2034-cup-saudi-arabia-norway-cb686740643fbfb9ceec9ebe6c5d5d23">limited pushback</a>&nbsp;from soccer officials, though some from women international players.The steady flow of Saudi cash into international soccer is set to increase.FIFA created a new and higher World Cup sponsor category for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fifa-saudi-arabia-aramco-a62b1ce2c0372a602fd9909a548d27fe">state oil firm Aramco</a>, and Saudi funding is set to underwrite the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fifa-club-world-cup-explainer-messi-mbappe-f5419625b8e10e2ccf9ff32b9f92fc68">2025 Club World Cup</a>&nbsp;in the United States that is a pet project for Infantino.North American soccer body CONCACAF signed a multi-year deal with PIF, Saudi stadiums host Super Cup games for Italy and Spain, and nearly 50 FIFA member federations have signed working agreements with Saudi counterparts.Lavish spending by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/soccer-saudi-arabia-ronaldo-benzema-messi-b9b248c3583bff69c9a2206d67caa95c">PIF-owned Saudi clubs</a>&nbsp;in the past two years buying and paying players – including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-soccer-cristiano-ronaldo-fifa-world-cup-saudi-arabia-national-team-dffe3559e4ccce1ae2e42a03fa56154e">Cristiano Ronaldo</a>, Neymar, Karim Benzema and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sadio-mane-saudi-34879f69d7d7525db5d24b92e413476f">Sadio Mané</a>&nbsp;– put hundreds of millions of dollars into European soccer.That influence could be key in talks to agree which months to play the 2034 World Cup. The November-December slot taken by Qatar in 2022 to avoid extreme midsummer heat is complicated in 2034 by the holy month of Ramadan through mid-December and Riyadh hosting the multi-sport Asian Games.Still, January 2034 could be an option — and likely better for European clubs and leagues —after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/saudi-arabia-ioc-fifa-2034-world-cup-winter-olympcis-a8eecde9a6e438ef2133bbb253f271a1">International Olympic Committee said</a>&nbsp;it saw few issues in clashing with the Salt Lake Winter Games opening Feb. 10, 2034. The IOC also has a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ioc-olympics-esports-saudi-arabia-ab66b3b1dca6b6bd850f5c5f2e0cfcf9">major commercial deal with Saudi Arabia</a>, to host the new Esports Olympics.

FIFA names Saudi Arabia as 2034 World Cup host

By MIKE COURSON Great Bend Post

The Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association has released its first set of regular-season rankings. Several wrestlers have changed weight classes or dropped out of the pre-season rankings.  

Class 5A Boys: 1. Goddard 2. Blue Valley SW 3. Bishop Carroll 4. Basehor-Linwood 5. St. Thomas Aquinas 6. Andover 7. Valley Center 8. Lansing 9. Salina Central 10. Newton

138 pounds - No. 6 Triston Tomlinson, Jr., Great Bend

165 pounds - No. 2 Jace Schartz, Sr., Great Bend (No. 3 all-class)

215 pounds - No. 6 Trenton Kern, Jr., Great Bend (No. 9 all-class)

Class 5A Girls 1. Basehor-Linwood 2. Shawnee Heights 3. Newton 4. Bonner Springs 5. Pittsburg 6. Topeka Seaman 7. Hays 8. Blue Valley Southwest 9. Emporia 10. Great Bend

100 pounds - No. 5 Sophia Bauer, Fr., Great Bend

105 pounds - No. 2 Camdyn Post, So., Great Bend (No. 5 all-class)

125 pounds - No. 6 Micah Ellegood, Fr., Great Bend 

170 pounds - No. 3 Kira Stevens, Sr., Great Bend

Class 3-2-1A Boys 1. Hoxie 2. Phillipsburg 3. Norton 4. Russell 5. Council Grove 6. Atchison County 7. Beloit 8. Bluestem 9. West Franklin 10. Herington

113 pounds - No. 2 Xzephren Donner, Jr., Russell (No. 6 all-class at 106)

120 pounds  - No. 4 Easton Benavidez, Jr., Lyons

120 pounds - No. 5 Jai Sean Phillips, Sr., Larned

150 pounds - No. 4 Jace Grizzle, So., Lyons

165 pounds - No. 2 Teagen Pfeifer, Sr., Russell

175 pounds - No. 2 Brayden Suchy, Sr., Russell (No. 10 all-class)

190 pounds - No. 4 Teron Kraft, Sr., Hoisington (No. 9 all-class)

215 pounds - No. 5 Landon Haney, Sr., Larned

Class 3-2-1A Girls 1. Oakley 2. Russell 3. Plainville 4. Norton 5. Larned 6. Stockton 7. Ellinwood 8. Lakin 9. Hoisington 10. Douglass

100 pounds - No. 2 Teagan Walker, Sr., Larned

100 pounds - No. 5 Stephanie King, So., Russell

105 pounds - No. 1 Jacynn Boeken, Fr., Sterling (No. 6 all-class)

105 pounds - No. 5 Madison Raybern, So., Russell

110 pounds - No. 1 Kennedy Grizzle, Jr., Lyons

110 pounds - No. 2 McKena Parker, Fr., Ellinwood

115 pounds - No. 3 Mya Trevino, Jr., Russell

120 pounds - No. 3 Liliana McKenna, Sr., Larned

125 pounds - No. 6 Chaysei Bachman, So., Russell

130 pounds - No. 2 Averie Counts, Fr., Russell

135 pounds - No. 2 Cara Herbert, Jr., Larned

135 pounds - No. 3 Kinsley Zorn, So., Russell

145 pounds - No. 1 Jaden Ney, Sr., Russell (No. 1 all-class)

170 pounds - No. 4 Gracyn Dombroski, Jr., Ellinwood

170 pounds - No. 3 Nevaeh Graves, So., Hoisington (No. 7 all-class)

170 pounds - No. 5 Peyton Snyder, Sr., Hoisington

190 pounds - No. 6 Paisley Weizbrod, Fr., Larned

235 pounds - No. 1 Haylee Holinde, Sr., Hoisington (No. 6 all-class)

235 pounds - No. 2 Emma Hahn, Sr., Ellinwood (No. 9 all-class)

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604497727867.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By MIKE COURSON Great Bend PostThe Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association has released its first set of regular-season rankings. Several wrestlers have changed weight classes or dropped out of the pre-season rankings. Area tanked teams and wrestlers include:Class 5A Boys: 1. Goddard 2. Blue Valley SW 3. Bishop Carroll 4. Basehor-Linwood 5. St. Thomas Aquinas 6. Andover 7. Valley Center 8. Lansing 9. Salina Central 10. Newton138 pounds - No. 6 Triston Tomlinson, Jr., Great Bend165 pounds - No. 2 Jace Schartz, Sr., Great Bend (No. 3 all-class)215 pounds - No. 6 Trenton Kern, Jr., Great Bend (No. 9 all-class)Class 5A Girls 1. Basehor-Linwood 2. Shawnee Heights 3. Newton 4. Bonner Springs 5. Pittsburg 6. Topeka Seaman 7. Hays 8. Blue Valley Southwest 9. Emporia 10. Great Bend100 pounds - No. 5 Sophia Bauer, Fr., Great Bend105 pounds - No. 2 Camdyn Post, So., Great Bend (No. 5 all-class)125 pounds - No. 6 Micah Ellegood, Fr., Great Bend 170 pounds - No. 3 Kira Stevens, Sr., Great BendClass 3-2-1A Boys 1. Hoxie 2. Phillipsburg 3. Norton 4. Russell 5. Council Grove 6. Atchison County 7. Beloit 8. Bluestem 9. West Franklin 10. Herington113 pounds - No. 2 Xzephren Donner, Jr., Russell (No. 6 all-class at 106)120 pounds - No. 4 Easton Benavidez, Jr., Lyons120 pounds - No. 5 Jai Sean Phillips, Sr., Larned150 pounds - No. 4 Jace Grizzle, So., Lyons165 pounds - No. 2 Teagen Pfeifer, Sr., Russell175 pounds - No. 2 Brayden Suchy, Sr., Russell (No. 10 all-class)190 pounds - No. 4 Teron Kraft, Sr., Hoisington (No. 9 all-class)215 pounds - No. 5 Landon Haney, Sr., LarnedClass 3-2-1A Girls 1. Oakley 2. Russell 3. Plainville 4. Norton 5. Larned 6. Stockton 7. Ellinwood 8. Lakin 9. Hoisington 10. Douglass100 pounds - No. 2 Teagan Walker, Sr., Larned100 pounds - No. 5 Stephanie King, So., Russell105 pounds - No. 1 Jacynn Boeken, Fr., Sterling (No. 6 all-class)105 pounds - No. 5 Madison Raybern, So., Russell110 pounds - No. 1 Kennedy Grizzle, Jr., Lyons110 pounds - No. 2 McKena Parker, Fr., Ellinwood115 pounds - No. 3 Mya Trevino, Jr., Russell120 pounds - No. 3 Liliana McKenna, Sr., Larned125 pounds - No. 6 Chaysei Bachman, So., Russell130 pounds - No. 2 Averie Counts, Fr., Russell135 pounds - No. 2 Cara Herbert, Jr., Larned135 pounds - No. 3 Kinsley Zorn, So., Russell145 pounds - No. 1 Jaden Ney, Sr., Russell (No. 1 all-class)170 pounds - No. 4 Gracyn Dombroski, Jr., Ellinwood170 pounds - No. 3 Nevaeh Graves, So., Hoisington (No. 7 all-class)170 pounds - No. 5 Peyton Snyder, Sr., Hoisington190 pounds - No. 6 Paisley Weizbrod, Fr., Larned235 pounds - No. 1 Haylee Holinde, Sr., Hoisington (No. 6 all-class)235 pounds - No. 2 Emma Hahn, Sr., Ellinwood (No. 9 all-class)

Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association Rankings (Dec. 10)

By JOSH DUBOW AP Football Writer

In a season on pace for a record number of close games, no team has been better at pulling them out late than the two-time defending champion&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/85fc1f584063b900906a84b42a604cfa">Kansas City Chiefs</a>.

Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs tied an NFL record last week by winning their 10th game this season by seven points or fewer — a feat accomplished only once before by the 1978 Houston Oilers — when Matthew Wright doinked in a 31-yard field goal on the final play for a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chargers-chiefs-score-329fa4446f99a14bba8c5b4bbdd4e3fd">19-17 victory</a>&nbsp;over the Chargers.

Kansas City has won three times on a walk-off field goal and is the only team ever to do that with three kickers. Spencer Shrader kicked a 31-yarder to beat&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-panthers-score-8a2d8481eb66b38f68aaaf15509f7546">Carolina in Week 12</a>&nbsp;and Harrison Butker made a 51-yarder to beat&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bengals-chiefs-score-cincinnati-kansas-city-0e5430b9f6d4298661da31ed964bce5f">Cincinnati in Week 2</a>.

That's all part of a perfect 10-0 mark in close games for the Chiefs. Those are 10 of the 114 games that have been decided by seven points or fewer so far this season, the most ever through 14 weeks in NFL history, topping the 112 in 2016. The average scoring margin of 10.7 points per game is on pace to be the fifth-lowest in the Super Bowl era.

The tight wins have helped clinch a ninth straight AFC West title for the Chiefs, extending the second-longest division winning streak in NFL history behind the 11 AFC East crowns in a row New England won from 2009-19.

Kansas City is the 36th team to be 12-1 or better after 13 games despite outscoring the opposition by only 56 points. Only two other teams won at least 12 of the first 13 games with a scoring margin of less than 100: the 1976 Raiders (plus-89) and 1990 49ers (plus-98).

Kansas City has thrived in these situations since Mahomes took over as quarterback starting in 2018. The Chiefs are 51-19 in the regular season and playoffs with Mahomes at quarterback in games decided by fewer than seven points, the best mark ever among the 131 QBs with at least 40 starts in close games.

The other teams thriving in close games this season are Philadelphia and Minnesota, who are each 7-1, and the Detroit Lions, who have won six of seven.

The Giants have been the worst team in games decided by seven points or fewer with a 1-7 record, with the Jets, Jaguars and Bengals all having lost seven out of nine close games.

Josh Allen delivered another first in what is turning into a signature season.

A week after becoming the first quarterback credited with a passing, rushing and receiving touchdown in the same game thanks in part to a statistical quirk, Allen put together an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bills-allen-rams-b5bc06f9441ecd1b38e714b320f565c5">even more prolific effort</a>&nbsp;in Buffalo's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rams-bills-score-allen-stafford-b71d13e2b51e270ee210a72abcbc06ef">44-42 loss</a>&nbsp;to the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday.

Allen became the first player to have three TD passes and three TD runs in a regular-season game as he produced 424 yards to go with those scores. The only other player to pull off that version of a “double triple” was Cleveland's Otto Graham in the 1954 NFL title game against Detroit.

Yet somehow, the Bills didn't win. Buffalo became the second team in NFL history to score at least 42 points, commit no turnovers and lose, joining the Browns, who did it in a 47-42 loss to the Chargers in 2021. In all, teams had been 315-1 in the Super Bowl era with those stats before Buffalo's loss.

The game was the second with at least five combined TD passes, five combined TD runs and no turnovers. Kansas City and Denver did it Dec. 19, 1965, in a 45-35 win for the Chiefs.

The 86 combined points for the Bills and Rams were the most in a game that featured no turnovers.

Even a healthy season from Aaron Rodgers couldn't end the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jets-rodgers-3e863fb9a7967eaebab39bbffe851cca">New York Jets' playoff drought</a>.

New York was eliminated from the playoffs for a 14th straight season after losing 32-26 to Miami in overtime, extending the longest active postseason drought in the NFL, NBA, NHL or MLB. The Buffalo Sabres of the NHL have missed the playoffs for 13 straight seasons.

The Jets last made the postseason in the 2010 season when they went to their second straight AFC title game under coach Rex Ryan and quarterback Mark Sanchez.

Since then, New York has gone through five head coaches and 15 starting quarterbacks without getting back to the playoffs. The 144 losses for the Jets in that span are the third-most in the NFL.

Only four NFL teams since the 1970 merger have gone longer without making the playoffs, with the Browns (17 straight, 2003-19), Bills (17, 2000-16) and Saints (17, 1970-86) having the longest droughts. The Cardinals missed the playoffs for 15 straight seasons from 1983-97.

The Jets have lost five times this season after leading in the fourth quarter. The only team in the last five seasons with more blown fourth-quarter leads was the 2022 Raiders with six.

The first half of San Francisco's win over Chicago in interim coach Thomas Brown's debut for the Bears was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bears-thomas-brown-48e902ee5443845a0760e77bdaa20c0f">about as one-sided</a>&nbsp;as they come.

The 49ers had 319 yards of offense for the biggest output by any team in a first half this season, while the 4 yards for the Bears were the fewest by any team this year as San Francisco led 24-0 at the break.

The 305-yard differential was the ninth-biggest since 1991 as the Bears generated only one first down in the first half and had minus-3 yards passing thanks to four sacks for 37 yards.

Chicago didn't get the interim coach bump many do, as teams had been 13-11 in their first game with an interim coach the past 10 seasons compared to a .284 winning percentage for those teams coming into the game.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bears-49ers-score-a9cc043853755ad10650b4933b8f1e26">The Niners won 38-13,</a>&nbsp;with the 25-point loss the most lopsided for an interim coach in his debut since Denver's Eric Studesville lost 43-13 to Arizona in 2010 in his first game after replacing Josh McDaniels.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733924642454.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) looks to pass as Los Angeles Chargers defensive tackle Poona Ford (95) defends during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) looks to pass as Los Angeles Chargers defensive tackle Poona Ford (95) defends during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOSH DUBOW AP Football WriterIn a season on pace for a record number of close games, no team has been better at pulling them out late than the two-time defending champion&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/85fc1f584063b900906a84b42a604cfa">Kansas City Chiefs</a>.Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs tied an NFL record last week by winning their 10th game this season by seven points or fewer — a feat accomplished only once before by the 1978 Houston Oilers — when Matthew Wright doinked in a 31-yard field goal on the final play for a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chargers-chiefs-score-329fa4446f99a14bba8c5b4bbdd4e3fd">19-17 victory</a>&nbsp;over the Chargers.Kansas City has won three times on a walk-off field goal and is the only team ever to do that with three kickers. Spencer Shrader kicked a 31-yarder to beat&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-panthers-score-8a2d8481eb66b38f68aaaf15509f7546">Carolina in Week 12</a>&nbsp;and Harrison Butker made a 51-yarder to beat&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bengals-chiefs-score-cincinnati-kansas-city-0e5430b9f6d4298661da31ed964bce5f">Cincinnati in Week 2</a>.That's all part of a perfect 10-0 mark in close games for the Chiefs. Those are 10 of the 114 games that have been decided by seven points or fewer so far this season, the most ever through 14 weeks in NFL history, topping the 112 in 2016. The average scoring margin of 10.7 points per game is on pace to be the fifth-lowest in the Super Bowl era.The tight wins have helped clinch a ninth straight AFC West title for the Chiefs, extending the second-longest division winning streak in NFL history behind the 11 AFC East crowns in a row New England won from 2009-19.Kansas City is the 36th team to be 12-1 or better after 13 games despite outscoring the opposition by only 56 points. Only two other teams won at least 12 of the first 13 games with a scoring margin of less than 100: the 1976 Raiders (plus-89) and 1990 49ers (plus-98).Kansas City has thrived in these situations since Mahomes took over as quarterback starting in 2018. The Chiefs are 51-19 in the regular season and playoffs with Mahomes at quarterback in games decided by fewer than seven points, the best mark ever among the 131 QBs with at least 40 starts in close games.The other teams thriving in close games this season are Philadelphia and Minnesota, who are each 7-1, and the Detroit Lions, who have won six of seven.The Giants have been the worst team in games decided by seven points or fewer with a 1-7 record, with the Jets, Jaguars and Bengals all having lost seven out of nine close games.<h2>Awesome Allen</h2>Josh Allen delivered another first in what is turning into a signature season.A week after becoming the first quarterback credited with a passing, rushing and receiving touchdown in the same game thanks in part to a statistical quirk, Allen put together an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bills-allen-rams-b5bc06f9441ecd1b38e714b320f565c5">even more prolific effort</a>&nbsp;in Buffalo's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rams-bills-score-allen-stafford-b71d13e2b51e270ee210a72abcbc06ef">44-42 loss</a>&nbsp;to the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday.Allen became the first player to have three TD passes and three TD runs in a regular-season game as he produced 424 yards to go with those scores. The only other player to pull off that version of a “double triple” was Cleveland's Otto Graham in the 1954 NFL title game against Detroit.Yet somehow, the Bills didn't win. Buffalo became the second team in NFL history to score at least 42 points, commit no turnovers and lose, joining the Browns, who did it in a 47-42 loss to the Chargers in 2021. In all, teams had been 315-1 in the Super Bowl era with those stats before Buffalo's loss.The game was the second with at least five combined TD passes, five combined TD runs and no turnovers. Kansas City and Denver did it Dec. 19, 1965, in a 45-35 win for the Chiefs.The 86 combined points for the Bills and Rams were the most in a game that featured no turnovers.<h2>Grounded Jets</h2>Even a healthy season from Aaron Rodgers couldn't end the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jets-rodgers-3e863fb9a7967eaebab39bbffe851cca">New York Jets' playoff drought</a>.New York was eliminated from the playoffs for a 14th straight season after losing 32-26 to Miami in overtime, extending the longest active postseason drought in the NFL, NBA, NHL or MLB. The Buffalo Sabres of the NHL have missed the playoffs for 13 straight seasons.The Jets last made the postseason in the 2010 season when they went to their second straight AFC title game under coach Rex Ryan and quarterback Mark Sanchez.Since then, New York has gone through five head coaches and 15 starting quarterbacks without getting back to the playoffs. The 144 losses for the Jets in that span are the third-most in the NFL.Only four NFL teams since the 1970 merger have gone longer without making the playoffs, with the Browns (17 straight, 2003-19), Bills (17, 2000-16) and Saints (17, 1970-86) having the longest droughts. The Cardinals missed the playoffs for 15 straight seasons from 1983-97.The Jets have lost five times this season after leading in the fourth quarter. The only team in the last five seasons with more blown fourth-quarter leads was the 2022 Raiders with six.<h2>One-sided</h2>The first half of San Francisco's win over Chicago in interim coach Thomas Brown's debut for the Bears was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bears-thomas-brown-48e902ee5443845a0760e77bdaa20c0f">about as one-sided</a>&nbsp;as they come.The 49ers had 319 yards of offense for the biggest output by any team in a first half this season, while the 4 yards for the Bears were the fewest by any team this year as San Francisco led 24-0 at the break.The 305-yard differential was the ninth-biggest since 1991 as the Bears generated only one first down in the first half and had minus-3 yards passing thanks to four sacks for 37 yards.Chicago didn't get the interim coach bump many do, as teams had been 13-11 in their first game with an interim coach the past 10 seasons compared to a .284 winning percentage for those teams coming into the game.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bears-49ers-score-a9cc043853755ad10650b4933b8f1e26">The Niners won 38-13,</a>&nbsp;with the 25-point loss the most lopsided for an interim coach in his debut since Denver's Eric Studesville lost 43-13 to Arizona in 2010 in his first game after replacing Josh McDaniels.

In an NFL season filled with close games, no one wins more than the Chiefs

Tuesday's Great Bend High School Swim Invitational at Barton Community College was mostly a Western Athletic Conference affair with five of the six teams in action hailing from the league. Garden City scored 444 points to take the title, followed by Hays with 426 points and Hutchinson with 347 points. Great Bend finished fifth with 244 points.

Matthew Williams led the way with a silver medal in the 500 free in 7:26.67 to miss the gold by 53 seconds. He finished 21 seconds ahead of the bronze-medal winner from Garden City. Williams finished seventh in the 200 IM in 2:59.10, followed by Jordan Sander in eighth in 3:22.75. A 2:32 was needed to make the top three.

The 400 free relay team of Sander, Randy Weber, Mark Sperlein, and Kale Mermis placed third in 4:52.52, 30 seconds behind second place. The team of Tyler Scheuerman, Dylon Kalivoda, Leo Bashor, and Cade Urban finished ninth in 6:17.73.

The 200 medley relay squad of Sperlein, Williams, Sander, and Mermis placed fifth in 2:28.07 to miss the bronze by 17 seconds. The team of Kalivoda, AJ Schartz, Zach Hart, and Charlie Maharjan finished seventh in 2:47.41. The 200 free relay team of Hart, Weber, Williams, and Mermis missed the bronze medal by 17 seconds to finish seventh in 2:08.72.

Individually, Sperlein placed fifth in the 100 fly in 1:21.77, just five seconds out of third place. He finished seventh in the 200 free in 2:44.86 to miss the bronze by 23 seconds. Schartz placed 11th in 3:01.55. Mermis led the team in the 50 free in 30.81 to miss the bronze by four seconds. Hart placed 10th in 30.81, and Weber hit the wall in 32.33 for 12th. Weber swam 13th in the 100 back in 1:45.67, followed by Kalivoda in 14th in 1:48.13. The top-two swimmers in the race finished in under 1:08. Schartz placed eighth in the 100 breast in 1:39.12.

Great Bend Post SportsTuesday's Great Bend High School Swim Invitational at Barton Community College was mostly a Western Athletic Conference affair with five of the six teams in action hailing from the league. Garden City scored 444 points to take the title, followed by Hays with 426 points and Hutchinson with 347 points. Great Bend finished fifth with 244 points.Matthew Williams led the way with a silver medal in the 500 free in 7:26.67 to miss the gold by 53 seconds. He finished 21 seconds ahead of the bronze-medal winner from Garden City. Williams finished seventh in the 200 IM in 2:59.10, followed by Jordan Sander in eighth in 3:22.75. A 2:32 was needed to make the top three.The 400 free relay team of Sander, Randy Weber, Mark Sperlein, and Kale Mermis placed third in 4:52.52, 30 seconds behind second place. The team of Tyler Scheuerman, Dylon Kalivoda, Leo Bashor, and Cade Urban finished ninth in 6:17.73.The 200 medley relay squad of Sperlein, Williams, Sander, and Mermis placed fifth in 2:28.07 to miss the bronze by 17 seconds. The team of Kalivoda, AJ Schartz, Zach Hart, and Charlie Maharjan finished seventh in 2:47.41. The 200 free relay team of Hart, Weber, Williams, and Mermis missed the bronze medal by 17 seconds to finish seventh in 2:08.72.Individually, Sperlein placed fifth in the 100 fly in 1:21.77, just five seconds out of third place. He finished seventh in the 200 free in 2:44.86 to miss the bronze by 23 seconds. Schartz placed 11th in 3:01.55. Mermis led the team in the 50 free in 30.81 to miss the bronze by four seconds. Hart placed 10th in 30.81, and Weber hit the wall in 32.33 for 12th. Weber swam 13th in the 100 back in 1:45.67, followed by Kalivoda in 14th in 1:48.13. The top-two swimmers in the race finished in under 1:08. Schartz placed eighth in the 100 breast in 1:39.12.

Panther swimmers finish fifth in Tuesday home meet

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Jeff Grimes will become the offensive coordinator at his fourth school in eight seasons, leaving Kansas after one season to take the same job at Wisconsin, Badgers coach Luke Fickell announced Tuesday. Grimes directed one of the top rushing offenses in the Big 12 this season with the Jayhawks. He previously was offensive coordinator at Baylor from 2020-22 and BYU from 2018-20. He is a two-time finalists for the Frank Broyles Award as the nation’s top assistant coach. Grimes replaces&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wisconsin-badgers-longo-3f145e47e077adb204de48682c142ded">Phil Longo, who was fired last month.</a>

ZURICH (AP) — Saudi Arabia will be confirmed by FIFA as host of the men’s soccer 2034 World Cup on Wednesday, giving the oil-rich kingdom its biggest prize yet for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/liv-saudis-golf-sportswashing-063c639305121c034b8dceaab24f26b3">massive spending on global sports</a>&nbsp;driven by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The decision completes a mostly opaque 15-month bid process which FIFA president Gianni Infantino helped steer toward Saudi Arabia without a rival candidate, without taking questions, and which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2034-world-cup-saudi-arabia-migrant-labor-human-rights-fcf03a475a23fda09583ef69176337a0">human rights groups warn</a>&nbsp;will put the lives of migrant workers at risk. FIFA and Saudi officials say hosting the 2034 tournament can accelerate change, including more freedoms and rights for women.&nbsp;A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/world-cup-saudi-arabia-2034-ef76fa3cbcfab8eb6a13434fe3c34134">fast-track path to victory</a>&nbsp;was cleared last year by FIFA accepting a three-continent hosting plan for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2030-world-cup-spain-portugal-south-america-3f400c036694c048b277f0b49796fc4c">2030 World Cup</a>&nbsp;led by Spain, Portugal and Morocco. That bid also will win Wednesday in a combined approval for the 2030 and 2034 tournament hosts by applause from more than 200 FIFA member federations in an online meeting hosted from Zurich by Infantino.

DALLAS (AP) — The Texas Rangers have accomplished one of their primary offseason goals with a deal to re-sign Nathan Eovaldi, the winning pitcher in their 2023 World Series clincher. Texas has agreed on a $75 million, three-year contract with the right-hander, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press on Tuesday night. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal was subject to a successful physical. Eovaldi became a free agent Nov. 4 after declining a vested $20 million player option for the 2025 season. The Rangers had expected that move, but said one of their priorities was to re-sign the Texas native who will turn 35 in February. The two-time All-Star got a $2 million buyout from that option, which was earned by throwing more than 300 innings over his two years with the Rangers after joining them in free agency.

Penn State University police will not charge&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jason-kelce-retires-philadelphia-eagles-a05268e22b31c1aba750ba52df85618e">retired Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce</a>&nbsp;after investigating&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jason-kelce-cellphone-eagles-penn-state-66d2ff488e74ff02f1081e8b808e552f">an altercation with a fan</a>&nbsp;over a cellphone before a Nov. 2 home game between the Nittany Lions and Ohio State. University Police and Public Safety public information officer Jacqueline Sheader confirmed in an email to the Associated Press on Tuesday night that the case has been closed. The Philadelphia Inquirer first reported that the investigation was closed without charges against Kelce. Sheader’s email added that the individual in a video that went viral on social media has not been identified, and no one has come forward to police with a complaint about damage to personal property.

TUESDAY SCORES NCAA MEN TOP 25 No. 1 Tennessee 75, Miami 62

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721294994442.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Jeff Grimes will become the offensive coordinator at his fourth school in eight seasons, leaving Kansas after one season to take the same job at Wisconsin, Badgers coach Luke Fickell announced Tuesday. Grimes directed one of the top rushing offenses in the Big 12 this season with the Jayhawks. He previously was offensive coordinator at Baylor from 2020-22 and BYU from 2018-20. He is a two-time finalists for the Frank Broyles Award as the nation’s top assistant coach. Grimes replaces&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wisconsin-badgers-longo-3f145e47e077adb204de48682c142ded">Phil Longo, who was fired last month.</a>ZURICH (AP) — Saudi Arabia will be confirmed by FIFA as host of the men’s soccer 2034 World Cup on Wednesday, giving the oil-rich kingdom its biggest prize yet for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/liv-saudis-golf-sportswashing-063c639305121c034b8dceaab24f26b3">massive spending on global sports</a>&nbsp;driven by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The decision completes a mostly opaque 15-month bid process which FIFA president Gianni Infantino helped steer toward Saudi Arabia without a rival candidate, without taking questions, and which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2034-world-cup-saudi-arabia-migrant-labor-human-rights-fcf03a475a23fda09583ef69176337a0">human rights groups warn</a>&nbsp;will put the lives of migrant workers at risk. FIFA and Saudi officials say hosting the 2034 tournament can accelerate change, including more freedoms and rights for women.&nbsp;A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/world-cup-saudi-arabia-2034-ef76fa3cbcfab8eb6a13434fe3c34134">fast-track path to victory</a>&nbsp;was cleared last year by FIFA accepting a three-continent hosting plan for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2030-world-cup-spain-portugal-south-america-3f400c036694c048b277f0b49796fc4c">2030 World Cup</a>&nbsp;led by Spain, Portugal and Morocco. That bid also will win Wednesday in a combined approval for the 2030 and 2034 tournament hosts by applause from more than 200 FIFA member federations in an online meeting hosted from Zurich by Infantino.DALLAS (AP) — The Texas Rangers have accomplished one of their primary offseason goals with a deal to re-sign Nathan Eovaldi, the winning pitcher in their 2023 World Series clincher. Texas has agreed on a $75 million, three-year contract with the right-hander, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press on Tuesday night. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal was subject to a successful physical. Eovaldi became a free agent Nov. 4 after declining a vested $20 million player option for the 2025 season. The Rangers had expected that move, but said one of their priorities was to re-sign the Texas native who will turn 35 in February. The two-time All-Star got a $2 million buyout from that option, which was earned by throwing more than 300 innings over his two years with the Rangers after joining them in free agency.Penn State University police will not charge&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jason-kelce-retires-philadelphia-eagles-a05268e22b31c1aba750ba52df85618e">retired Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce</a>&nbsp;after investigating&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jason-kelce-cellphone-eagles-penn-state-66d2ff488e74ff02f1081e8b808e552f">an altercation with a fan</a>&nbsp;over a cellphone before a Nov. 2 home game between the Nittany Lions and Ohio State. University Police and Public Safety public information officer Jacqueline Sheader confirmed in an email to the Associated Press on Tuesday night that the case has been closed. The Philadelphia Inquirer first reported that the investigation was closed without charges against Kelce. Sheader’s email added that the individual in a video that went viral on social media has not been identified, and no one has come forward to police with a complaint about damage to personal property.TUESDAY SCORES NCAA MEN TOP 25 No. 1 Tennessee 75, Miami 62No. 4 Duke 72, Incarnate Word 46Arkansas 89, No. 14 Michigan 87No. 15 Houston 62, Troy 42Illinois 86, No. 20 Wisconsin 80

Wednesday's Sports Headlines and Scores presented by Barton Community College

Plainville Boys 40 Larned 31; Larned Girls 59 Plainville 27

1. Larned Sports on 106.9 brought to you in part by USD #495, Beckwith Mortuary, Equity Bank, Smith Dental, Eakin Concrete, Santa Fe Liquor Mart, Farmer's Bank &amp; Trust in Larned, Farm Bureau Financial Services Leigh Anne Seeman, Clock Realty &amp; Insurance, Pawnee Plaza, Innovative Livestock Services, Titan Building Systems, Pawnee County COOP, Progressive Therapy &amp; Sports Medicine, Frick Veterinary, Services, H&amp;H Roofing, Rosenberg Family Dentistry, Fusion Bank, Doerr's Ace Hardware, Pawnee Valley Community Hospital, Larned Veterinary Clinic, Heart of Kansas Family Health, Barton Community College, and Off Broadway Boutique.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695238768373.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Plainville Boys 40 Larned 31; Larned Girls 59 Plainville 27<div><iframe width="100%" height="265" src="https://clyp.it/1l5uoq5q/widget" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>1. Larned Sports on 106.9 brought to you in part by USD #495, Beckwith Mortuary, Equity Bank, Smith Dental, Eakin Concrete, Santa Fe Liquor Mart, Farmer's Bank &amp; Trust in Larned, Farm Bureau Financial Services Leigh Anne Seeman, Clock Realty &amp; Insurance, Pawnee Plaza, Innovative Livestock Services, Titan Building Systems, Pawnee County COOP, Progressive Therapy &amp; Sports Medicine, Frick Veterinary, Services, H&amp;H Roofing, Rosenberg Family Dentistry, Fusion Bank, Doerr's Ace Hardware, Pawnee Valley Community Hospital, Larned Veterinary Clinic, Heart of Kansas Family Health, Barton Community College, and Off Broadway Boutique.

Hoisington Boys 73 Kinsley 29; Hoisington Girls 59 Kinsley 19

1.Hoisington Sports on 100.7 Eagle Country sponsored  by...USD #431 Hoisington, Ehler Chevrolet, Cardinal Pharmacy, Equity Bank, Donald E Reif Jr. Attorney at Law, Town &amp; Country Supermarket, Superior Essex, First Kansas Bank, Innovative Livestock Services, Mpire Realty Jessy Kirmer/Nikki Henderson, Clara Barton Medical Center, Hoisington Veterinary Hospital, Rosenberg Family Denistry, Hoisington Recreation Commission, Central Chiropractic, Dr. Tyler Schremmer, Bobcat Backhoe Service, and Barton Community College.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1582693944473.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Hoisington Boys 73 Kinsley 29; Hoisington Girls 59 Kinsley 19<div><iframe width="100%" height="265" src="https://clyp.it/l0msj0ik/widget" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>1.Hoisington Sports on 100.7 Eagle Country sponsored by...USD #431 Hoisington, Ehler Chevrolet, Cardinal Pharmacy, Equity Bank, Donald E Reif Jr. Attorney at Law, Town &amp; Country Supermarket, Superior Essex, First Kansas Bank, Innovative Livestock Services, Mpire Realty Jessy Kirmer/Nikki Henderson, Clara Barton Medical Center, Hoisington Veterinary Hospital, Rosenberg Family Denistry, Hoisington Recreation Commission, Central Chiropractic, Dr. Tyler Schremmer, Bobcat Backhoe Service, and Barton Community College.

Great Bend Boys 62 Sterling 61; Great Bend Girls 54 Sterling 36

1. Great Bend Sports on 104 3 the Point sponsored by USD #428, Keller Real Estate &amp; Insurance Agency, Equity Bank, The 10th Street Eyecare Center, People's Bank and Trust, Comfort Pro, Delgado's Mexican Restaurant, Great Bend Rec, Edward Jones, Damm Pipe Testing, University of Kansas Health System, The Fieldhouse, Scott's Welding Service, American Plains COOP, Farmer's Bank &amp; Trust, Innovative Livestock Services, Marmie Auto Group, Mpire Realty, Advanced Therapy &amp; Sports Medicine, GB Tarp Company, Freedom Claims Management, Coldwell Banker - Megan Wells, Advanced Truck &amp; Diesel, Nextech, Stone Sand Company/Stone Waste Management, Rosenberg Family Denistry, Sutherlands, Great Bend Redi Mix, Kern Floor Service, Magna Dry Cleaning Services, Shelter Insurance - Chris Ramsey, and Mitchell K Haney and Associates.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673886602159.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Great Bend Boys 62 Sterling 61; Great Bend Girls 54 Sterling 36<div><iframe width="100%" height="265" src="https://clyp.it/ffmyg45v/widget" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>1. Great Bend Sports on 104 3 the Point sponsored by USD #428, Keller Real Estate &amp; Insurance Agency, Equity Bank, The 10th Street Eyecare Center, People's Bank and Trust, Comfort Pro, Delgado's Mexican Restaurant, Great Bend Rec, Edward Jones, Damm Pipe Testing, University of Kansas Health System, The Fieldhouse, Scott's Welding Service, American Plains COOP, Farmer's Bank &amp; Trust, Innovative Livestock Services, Marmie Auto Group, Mpire Realty, Advanced Therapy &amp; Sports Medicine, GB Tarp Company, Freedom Claims Management, Coldwell Banker - Megan Wells, Advanced Truck &amp; Diesel, Nextech, Stone Sand Company/Stone Waste Management, Rosenberg Family Denistry, Sutherlands, Great Bend Redi Mix, Kern Floor Service, Magna Dry Cleaning Services, Shelter Insurance - Chris Ramsey, and Mitchell K Haney and Associates.

- The "Voice of the Cougars" Cole Reif will discuss what ails the defending National Champion Barton Cougars who dropped their third straight game with a home loss to Pratt Saturday.

- Mike Courson sits down with the "Voice of the Basketball Panthers" Steve Webster to discuss the Panther Boys and Girls home opener Friday against Pratt and discuss this week's Kingman Eagle Classic that begins Tuesday afternoon when the Panthers take on Sterling.

- Mike Courson goes "On the Prowl" for Panther Sports with Great Bend wrestling coach Lars Lueders.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1693997740304.jpeg" alt="Tuesday show lineup with hosts Steve Webster, Mike Courson, and&nbsp; Mike Hesher" />
 <figcaption>Tuesday show lineup with hosts Steve Webster, Mike Courson, and&nbsp; Mike Hesher</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jbiIMxj3Omg?si=565gyKEmsZ95HP5B" 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>- The "Voice of the Cougars" Cole Reif will discuss what ails the defending National Champion Barton Cougars who dropped their third straight game with a home loss to Pratt Saturday.- Mike Courson sits down with the "Voice of the Basketball Panthers" Steve Webster to discuss the Panther Boys and Girls home opener Friday against Pratt and discuss this week's Kingman Eagle Classic that begins Tuesday afternoon when the Panthers take on Sterling.- Mike Courson goes "On the Prowl" for Panther Sports with Great Bend wrestling coach Lars Lueders.- Tuesday Sports Headlines- Sounds of the past 24-hours

Tuesday on Sports Day(Watch)

DALLAS (AP) — Shortly after striking a record $765 million, 15-year contract for Juan Soto with the New York Mets, agent Scott Boras walked into Nick &amp; Sam's, a restaurant near the winter meetings hotel, with about a dozen of his staff.

They were given a bottle of celebratory champagne and dined on deviled eggs, crab, shrimp and a New York strip steak — appropriate given that the Mets had stripped the All-Star outfielder from the rival Yankees.

“Scott is coming with his army of personnel. It was kind of like the `Gladiator,'” said Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora, who watched from across the steakhouse Sunday night.

Soto's deal, the largest and longest in baseball history, was pending a physical. The agreement reverberated across the winter meetings and stung the Yankees, who on Sunday morning had raised their offer to $760 million over 16 years from $712.5 million for 15 years.

“My first thought is that my oldest kid is going to be 28 when he’s done playing. That really puts it in perspective for me,” San Francisco president of baseball operations Buster Posey said.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone learned of Soto's decision when his flight arrived in Dallas.

“Literally that the wheels hit the runway and the alert hit my phone that he had signed with the Mets,” Boone recalled.

He texted an emoji of a face to Mets manager Carlos Mendoza, a former Yankees coach. Mendoza wasn't sure what Boone meant.

“I sent him another face,” Mendoza said Monday, shrugging his shoulders.

Soto's deal, which includes a $75 million signing bonus, would rise to $805 million if the Mets exercise their right to void Soto's ability to opt out after the 2029 season.

“I was shocked when I saw the bonus. My goodness,” said Cincinnati manager Terry Francona, thinking about the implications for prices other teams will have to pay for players. “I think it makes it harder, but I certainly don’t begrudge teams for doing it if they can. They’re not breaking the rules. We’re going to have to make really good decisions, and we’re not going to be able to outspend on mistakes, so we have to limit those.”

Soto's deal sparked even greater expectations in a free agent market that includes pitchers Corbin Burnes and Max Fried, first basemen Pete Alonso and Christian Walker, third baseman Alex Bregman and outfielder Anthony Santander.

“I think everybody’s intent is hopefully to land their planes as soon as possible, whether it’s trades or free agency,” Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said.

Some teams have feared the economic might of Mets billionaire owner Steve Cohen, whose team has been baseball's biggest spender during the last two years.

“We want to win and we have an owner that is willing to do whatever it takes,” Mendoza said.

Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns wouldn't discuss Soto because the deal wasn't finalized.

“Every year I’ve ever been around the game at some point in the offseason there is a cry of inflationary free agency," he said. “And then at some point in the offseason there’s this worry that a bunch of players aren’t going to either get paid what they deserve or aren’t going to have jobs.”

Many small-market teams have long sought a salary cap but the consensus since the 1994-95 strike has been not to propose a hard limit, knowing it would provoke another lengthy work stoppage. The current labor contract expires in December 2026.

Most teams were priced out of the Soto market.

“We have to be creative. We have to put the best 26 guys on a roster or the best 40 guys on a roster, not the best one or two,” Kansas City manager Matt Quatraro said. “I still think at the end of the day you have a chance to compete against those guys. Soto is going to hit four to five times a night. Those are impactful at-bats, but there’s other ways to combat that with a full 26-man roster.”

Soto, 26, helped Washington win the 2019 World Series and in 2022 turned down a $440 million, 15-year offer from the Nationals, who then traded him to San Diego.

“I can sit here and say that I’m the only manager that won a World Series with him,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez said. “How about that?”

San Diego traded Soto to the Yankees last December.

“I’m not sure there’s anything we could do any different,” Cashman said. “Outside of winning the World Series, it played out perfect.”

Combining with Aaron Judge, Soto helped the Yankees win their first AL pennant since 2009 before they lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series.

Boras asked Saturday night for final offers in the morning.

'Hal Steinbrenner really stepped up to find a way to retain Juan Soto," Cashman said. “He is one of one. He is a unique guy with a unique age."

Boras called Cashman on Sunday night to inform him Soto was signing elsewhere. Cashman then contacted Steinbrenner and team president Randy Levine to deliver the news to both jointly.

Cashman said the Yankees had a Zoom meeting with pitcher Blake Snell before he agreed to a $182 million, five-year deal with the Dodgers. The GM remains interested in Boras' other clients, which include Burnes and Bregman.

“When you get a chance, give me a slot and we’ll talk about who’s remaining on the board,” Cashman said he told Boras during their Sunday night conversation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733837807045.jpeg" alt="New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza smiles as he speaks to media at the Major League Baseball winter meetings, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)" />
 <figcaption>New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza smiles as he speaks to media at the Major League Baseball winter meetings, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)</figcaption>
 </figure>DALLAS (AP) — Shortly after striking a record $765 million, 15-year contract for Juan Soto with the New York Mets, agent Scott Boras walked into Nick &amp; Sam's, a restaurant near the winter meetings hotel, with about a dozen of his staff.They were given a bottle of celebratory champagne and dined on deviled eggs, crab, shrimp and a New York strip steak — appropriate given that the Mets had stripped the All-Star outfielder from the rival Yankees.“Scott is coming with his army of personnel. It was kind of like the `Gladiator,'” said Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora, who watched from across the steakhouse Sunday night.Soto's deal, the largest and longest in baseball history, was pending a physical. The agreement reverberated across the winter meetings and stung the Yankees, who on Sunday morning had raised their offer to $760 million over 16 years from $712.5 million for 15 years.“My first thought is that my oldest kid is going to be 28 when he’s done playing. That really puts it in perspective for me,” San Francisco president of baseball operations Buster Posey said.Yankees manager Aaron Boone learned of Soto's decision when his flight arrived in Dallas.“Literally that the wheels hit the runway and the alert hit my phone that he had signed with the Mets,” Boone recalled.He texted an emoji of a face to Mets manager Carlos Mendoza, a former Yankees coach. Mendoza wasn't sure what Boone meant.“I sent him another face,” Mendoza said Monday, shrugging his shoulders.Soto's deal, which includes a $75 million signing bonus, would rise to $805 million if the Mets exercise their right to void Soto's ability to opt out after the 2029 season.“I was shocked when I saw the bonus. My goodness,” said Cincinnati manager Terry Francona, thinking about the implications for prices other teams will have to pay for players. “I think it makes it harder, but I certainly don’t begrudge teams for doing it if they can. They’re not breaking the rules. We’re going to have to make really good decisions, and we’re not going to be able to outspend on mistakes, so we have to limit those.”Soto's deal sparked even greater expectations in a free agent market that includes pitchers Corbin Burnes and Max Fried, first basemen Pete Alonso and Christian Walker, third baseman Alex Bregman and outfielder Anthony Santander.“I think everybody’s intent is hopefully to land their planes as soon as possible, whether it’s trades or free agency,” Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said.Some teams have feared the economic might of Mets billionaire owner Steve Cohen, whose team has been baseball's biggest spender during the last two years.“We want to win and we have an owner that is willing to do whatever it takes,” Mendoza said.Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns wouldn't discuss Soto because the deal wasn't finalized.“Every year I’ve ever been around the game at some point in the offseason there is a cry of inflationary free agency," he said. “And then at some point in the offseason there’s this worry that a bunch of players aren’t going to either get paid what they deserve or aren’t going to have jobs.”Many small-market teams have long sought a salary cap but the consensus since the 1994-95 strike has been not to propose a hard limit, knowing it would provoke another lengthy work stoppage. The current labor contract expires in December 2026.Most teams were priced out of the Soto market.“We have to be creative. We have to put the best 26 guys on a roster or the best 40 guys on a roster, not the best one or two,” Kansas City manager Matt Quatraro said. “I still think at the end of the day you have a chance to compete against those guys. Soto is going to hit four to five times a night. Those are impactful at-bats, but there’s other ways to combat that with a full 26-man roster.”Soto, 26, helped Washington win the 2019 World Series and in 2022 turned down a $440 million, 15-year offer from the Nationals, who then traded him to San Diego.“I can sit here and say that I’m the only manager that won a World Series with him,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez said. “How about that?”San Diego traded Soto to the Yankees last December.“I’m not sure there’s anything we could do any different,” Cashman said. “Outside of winning the World Series, it played out perfect.”Combining with Aaron Judge, Soto helped the Yankees win their first AL pennant since 2009 before they lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series.Boras asked Saturday night for final offers in the morning.'Hal Steinbrenner really stepped up to find a way to retain Juan Soto," Cashman said. “He is one of one. He is a unique guy with a unique age."Boras called Cashman on Sunday night to inform him Soto was signing elsewhere. Cashman then contacted Steinbrenner and team president Randy Levine to deliver the news to both jointly.Cashman said the Yankees had a Zoom meeting with pitcher Blake Snell before he agreed to a $182 million, five-year deal with the Dodgers. The GM remains interested in Boras' other clients, which include Burnes and Bregman.“When you get a chance, give me a slot and we’ll talk about who’s remaining on the board,” Cashman said he told Boras during their Sunday night conversation.

Soto's record $765 million contract with Mets reverberates through MLB

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals finally got a break. The Dallas Cowboys had flashbacks to one of the most painful moments in franchise history. Burrow threw a tiebreaking 40-yard touchdown pass to Ja’Marr Chase after&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/NFL/status/1866334970567970921" target="_blank">Dallas botched a blocked punt</a>&nbsp;to give the ball back to Cincinnati in the final two minutes, and the Bengals beat the Cowboys 27-20 on Monday night. The Cowboys were about to get the ball back with the score tied on the first play after the two-minute warning when Nick Vigil blocked a punt by Cincinnati’s Ryan Rehkow. Amani Oruwariye tried to field the bouncing ball when leaving it alone would have given Dallas possession. Oruwariye couldn’t hold on, and the Bengals’ Maema Njongmeta recovered at the Cincinnati 43-yard line with 1:53 remaining. Three plays later, Burrow threw to Chase,&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/Bengals/status/1866335678558056941" target="_blank">who evaded DaRon Bland and ran untouched</a>&nbsp;the rest of the way for the lead with 1:01 to go as the Bengals (5-8) stopped a three-game losing streak.

Former New England Patriots coach and six-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick said Monday he had “a couple of good conversations” with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/north-carolina-tar-heels-football">North Carolina</a>&nbsp;Chancellor Lee Roberts amid his discussions&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bill-belichick-interview-unc-coach-72f4126e3fad4134e8c8c28f26d48aba">about the Tar Heels’ head-coaching job</a>. Speaking on ESPN’s “The Pat McAfee Show,” Belichick said he had spent the 11 months&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bill-belichick-patriots-4c4e5422842ee489b99c6f9d17e4dc6e">since his departure from the Patriots</a>&nbsp;taking a “longer look” at college football throughout the season as opposed to during the spring lead-up to the draft as a pro coach. “So it’s been, it’s been a good year for me. I’ve learned a lot,” Belichick said. “So I’ve had the opportunity to talk to Chancellor Roberts and we’ve had a couple of good conversations. So we’ll see how it goes.” Belichick opted not to go into more detail when asked by McAfee. Instead, Belichick offered a quip about his reputation for giving terse responses during news conferences with the Patriots.

Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel, Colorado’s Travis Hunter, Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty and Miami’s Cam Ward were announced as the Heisman Trophy finalists on Monday night. The Heisman has been given to the nation’s most outstanding college football player since 1935. This year’s winner will be announced Saturday in New York. The top four vote-getters determined by more than 900 voters are selected as finalists. The voting panel includes members of the media and former Heisman winners.

DALLAS (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers expect Shohei Ohtani to be ready to hit when the reigning World Series champions open their season in Japan against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mlb-schedule-2025-opening-day-98b6bceb6de5915fb5c911933cdfbb5a">the Chicago Cubs on March 18 and 19</a>. “I don’t think he’d have it any other way,” manager Dave Roberts said Monday of the NL MVP who had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shohei-ohtani-surgery-shoulder-injury-dodgers-74a9dd825e15cd5a11dabbd94baf3734">left shoulder surgery</a>&nbsp;last month. “That’s our expectation.” Coming off his third MVP award, Ohtani is doubtful to pitch while recovering from right elbow surgery in September 2023. Roberts said a mound appearance for the two-way star in his home country is “very unlikely.” “I just don’t see us starting the clock in March to then think that we would keep that continuously going through October,” Roberts said during the winter meetings. “Then that would call for a break or reprieve in the middle of the season, so I don’t know. I still think unlikely.”

MONDAY SCORES National Football League Cincinnati 27, Dallas 20

NCAA Women Top 25 No. 16 Kentucky 87, Queens University 45

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723542041782.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals finally got a break. The Dallas Cowboys had flashbacks to one of the most painful moments in franchise history. Burrow threw a tiebreaking 40-yard touchdown pass to Ja’Marr Chase after&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/NFL/status/1866334970567970921" target="_blank">Dallas botched a blocked punt</a>&nbsp;to give the ball back to Cincinnati in the final two minutes, and the Bengals beat the Cowboys 27-20 on Monday night. The Cowboys were about to get the ball back with the score tied on the first play after the two-minute warning when Nick Vigil blocked a punt by Cincinnati’s Ryan Rehkow. Amani Oruwariye tried to field the bouncing ball when leaving it alone would have given Dallas possession. Oruwariye couldn’t hold on, and the Bengals’ Maema Njongmeta recovered at the Cincinnati 43-yard line with 1:53 remaining. Three plays later, Burrow threw to Chase,&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/Bengals/status/1866335678558056941" target="_blank">who evaded DaRon Bland and ran untouched</a>&nbsp;the rest of the way for the lead with 1:01 to go as the Bengals (5-8) stopped a three-game losing streak.Former New England Patriots coach and six-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick said Monday he had “a couple of good conversations” with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/north-carolina-tar-heels-football">North Carolina</a>&nbsp;Chancellor Lee Roberts amid his discussions&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bill-belichick-interview-unc-coach-72f4126e3fad4134e8c8c28f26d48aba">about the Tar Heels’ head-coaching job</a>. Speaking on ESPN’s “The Pat McAfee Show,” Belichick said he had spent the 11 months&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bill-belichick-patriots-4c4e5422842ee489b99c6f9d17e4dc6e">since his departure from the Patriots</a>&nbsp;taking a “longer look” at college football throughout the season as opposed to during the spring lead-up to the draft as a pro coach. “So it’s been, it’s been a good year for me. I’ve learned a lot,” Belichick said. “So I’ve had the opportunity to talk to Chancellor Roberts and we’ve had a couple of good conversations. So we’ll see how it goes.” Belichick opted not to go into more detail when asked by McAfee. Instead, Belichick offered a quip about his reputation for giving terse responses during news conferences with the Patriots.Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel, Colorado’s Travis Hunter, Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty and Miami’s Cam Ward were announced as the Heisman Trophy finalists on Monday night. The Heisman has been given to the nation’s most outstanding college football player since 1935. This year’s winner will be announced Saturday in New York. The top four vote-getters determined by more than 900 voters are selected as finalists. The voting panel includes members of the media and former Heisman winners.DALLAS (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers expect Shohei Ohtani to be ready to hit when the reigning World Series champions open their season in Japan against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mlb-schedule-2025-opening-day-98b6bceb6de5915fb5c911933cdfbb5a">the Chicago Cubs on March 18 and 19</a>. “I don’t think he’d have it any other way,” manager Dave Roberts said Monday of the NL MVP who had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shohei-ohtani-surgery-shoulder-injury-dodgers-74a9dd825e15cd5a11dabbd94baf3734">left shoulder surgery</a>&nbsp;last month. “That’s our expectation.” Coming off his third MVP award, Ohtani is doubtful to pitch while recovering from right elbow surgery in September 2023. Roberts said a mound appearance for the two-way star in his home country is “very unlikely.” “I just don’t see us starting the clock in March to then think that we would keep that continuously going through October,” Roberts said during the winter meetings. “Then that would call for a break or reprieve in the middle of the season, so I don’t know. I still think unlikely.”MONDAY SCORES National Football League Cincinnati 27, Dallas 20NCAA Women Top 25 No. 16 Kentucky 87, Queens University 45

Tuesday's Sports Headlines and Scores presented by Barton Community College

- Great Bend Tribune Sports Editor Jim Misunas

- Barton wrestling coach Nathan Broeckelman

- Barton Women's basketball coach Alan Clark

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1693997740304.jpeg" alt="Monday show lineup with hosts Steve Webster, Mike Courson, and Mike Hesher" />
 <figcaption>Monday show lineup with hosts Steve Webster, Mike Courson, and Mike Hesher</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-Rd7cQLBUL8?si=DK24X2JMk2dzKjBK" 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>- Great Bend Tribune Sports Editor Jim Misunas- Barton wrestling coach Nathan Broeckelman- Barton Women's basketball coach Alan Clark- Weekend Sports Headlines- Sounds of the Weekend