ST. LOUIS (AP) — San Francisco third baseman Matt Chapman won his fifth Gold Glove and Kansas City shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. was among 14 first-time winners of baseball’s most famous fielding honor.

Cleveland second baseman Andrés Giménez and left fielder Steven Kwan won for the third consecutive year along with Arizona first baseman Christian Walker and Chicago Cubs left fielder Ian Happ, Rawlings announced Sunday.

Rockies center fielder Brenton Doyle won for the second straight season.

It was Chapman's first Gold Glove in the NL. He won three with Oakland and one playing for Toronto.

St. Louis slugger Nolan Arenado, a 10-time Gold Glove winner, and Colorado's Ryan McMahon also were finalists at third.

“A lot of really good defensive third basemen are stacked in the National League," Chapman said in a video call. “I was able to come over here and win it, so I thought that was pretty cool and to get one in the American League and the National League now means a lot.”

Six teams had two Gold Gloves winners each, with the Guardians joined by Colorado, Kansas City, Milwaukee, San Francisco and Seattle.

AL first-time winners in addition to Witt include Royals pitcher Seth Lugo, Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, Minnesota first baseman Carlos Santana, Houston third baseman Alex Bregman, Toronto center fielder Daulton Varsho, Boston right fielder Wilyer Abreu and Mariners utilityman Dylan Moore.

NL first-time winners included Atlanta pitcher Chris Sale, Giants catcher Patrick Bailey, Milwaukee second baseman Brice Turang and right fielder Sal Frelick, Colorado shortstop Ezequiel Tovar and Pittsburgh utilityman Jared Triolo.

Frelick and Turang are the first Brewers to win a Gold Glove since Lorenzo Cain in 2019. They are the second set of Brewers teammates to win Gold Gloves in the same season, joining Cecil Cooper and Sixto Lezcano in 1979.

“It’s obviously an honor,” Frelick said. “A little surreal, still. Obviously I think even cooler to do it with Brice.”

Bregman earned a $50,000 bonus, Giménez, Lugo, Moore and Witt $50,000 and Santana $25,000.

There also were 14 first-time winners in 2022.

Voting was conducted among managers and up to six coaches from each team, who can’t select players on their own club. Since 2013, voting has been factored with a Society for American Baseball Research defensive index, which comprises about 25% of the total.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — San Francisco third baseman Matt Chapman won his fifth Gold Glove and Kansas City shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. was among 14 first-time winners of baseball’s most famous fielding honor.Cleveland second baseman Andrés Giménez and left fielder Steven Kwan won for the third consecutive year along with Arizona first baseman Christian Walker and Chicago Cubs left fielder Ian Happ, Rawlings announced Sunday.Rockies center fielder Brenton Doyle won for the second straight season.It was Chapman's first Gold Glove in the NL. He won three with Oakland and one playing for Toronto.St. Louis slugger Nolan Arenado, a 10-time Gold Glove winner, and Colorado's Ryan McMahon also were finalists at third.“A lot of really good defensive third basemen are stacked in the National League," Chapman said in a video call. “I was able to come over here and win it, so I thought that was pretty cool and to get one in the American League and the National League now means a lot.”Six teams had two Gold Gloves winners each, with the Guardians joined by Colorado, Kansas City, Milwaukee, San Francisco and Seattle.AL first-time winners in addition to Witt include Royals pitcher Seth Lugo, Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, Minnesota first baseman Carlos Santana, Houston third baseman Alex Bregman, Toronto center fielder Daulton Varsho, Boston right fielder Wilyer Abreu and Mariners utilityman Dylan Moore.NL first-time winners included Atlanta pitcher Chris Sale, Giants catcher Patrick Bailey, Milwaukee second baseman Brice Turang and right fielder Sal Frelick, Colorado shortstop Ezequiel Tovar and Pittsburgh utilityman Jared Triolo.Frelick and Turang are the first Brewers to win a Gold Glove since Lorenzo Cain in 2019. They are the second set of Brewers teammates to win Gold Gloves in the same season, joining Cecil Cooper and Sixto Lezcano in 1979.“It’s obviously an honor,” Frelick said. “A little surreal, still. Obviously I think even cooler to do it with Brice.”Bregman earned a $50,000 bonus, Giménez, Lugo, Moore and Witt $50,000 and Santana $25,000.There also were 14 first-time winners in 2022.Voting was conducted among managers and up to six coaches from each team, who can’t select players on their own club. Since 2013, voting has been factored with a Society for American Baseball Research defensive index, which comprises about 25% of the total.

Royals' Bobby Witt one of 14 first-time Gold Glove winners

By TODD MOORE Barton Sports Info

The Barton Community College women's basketball team took its second loss in less than twenty-four hours to begin the season with an 86-38 loss early Saturday afternoon at 7th ranked New Mexico Junior College.

Returning to the court approximately eighteen hours following a hard fought three-point defeat against 8th ranked Odessa College, the Cougars faced a thirteen point opening quarter deficit and never recovered.

Barton will next play the 1:00 p.m. contests in the two-day BSN Tip-Off Classic in Hutchinson against a pair of junior varsity squads, the first coming Friday versus Bethany College with Saturday's action against Tabor College. New Mexico completes the weekend unbeaten after posting a century mark output Friday against Trinidad State College.

Another double-double performance from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wbkb/2024-25/bios/onugha_vivian_7u24">Vivian Onugha</a>&nbsp;led the Cougars with 11 points and 14 rebounds.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wbkb/2024-25/bios/clements_eva_j66u">Eva Clements</a>, who didn't reach the scoring column on Friday, came off the bench for 7 points.

Posting career highs the day prior,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wbkb/2024-25/bios/simpson_brittany_jg44">Brittany Simpson</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wbkb/2024-25/bios/smith_macie_q6c0">Macie Smith</a>&nbsp;were held in check, combining for 3-of-8 from beyond the arc in finishing with six and five points respectively.

The Cougars cut down on turnovers which plagued them Friday, finishing at 18 but shot just 27.8% from the field including 4-of-15 from long range.

New Mexico connected on 43.7% of their shots, 10-of-26 from three-point land, while holding a five rebound advantage leading to a plus-11 second chance points with the Thunderbirds also controlling the paint in a plus-14 point statistical edge.

Amyah Sutton led all players with 24 points on 8-of-13 shooting with Pania Davis' 50% from the field added 12 points.

Barton women challenge No. 8 Odessa in 66-63 loss

The Barton Community College women's basketball team opened its season Friday evening in Hobbs, New Mexico, by challenging but falling short 66-63 of the upset over 8th ranked Odessa College.

The Cougars erased an eleven-point first frame deficit in leading by five at the break, eventually being tied with four minutes remaining but couldn't overcome 34 turnovers and 43% free throw shooting to spoil the upset.

A career high night from&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wbkb/2024-25/bios/smith_macie_q6c0">Macie Smith</a>&nbsp;of 5-for-8 from behind the arc for 19 points led three Cougars in double figures.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wbkb/2024-25/bios/eck_alaina_m8sz">Alaina Eck</a>&nbsp;dialed in 3-of-4 long distance for a collegiate debut 18 points with&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wbkb/2024-25/bios/onugha_vivian_7u24">Vivian Onugha</a>&nbsp;posting her 14th career double-double before fouling out with 1:17 remaining on 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Joining Smith in recording career highs,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wbkb/2024-25/bios/simpson_brittany_jg44">Brittany Simpson</a>&nbsp;added 8 points in tying Eck for a team leading three assists.

Barton finished the game 47.8% from the field, 10-of-18 from beyond the arc, but were just 9-of-21 from the charity stripe.

Odessa shot 44.4%, connecting on their third of eleven attempts beyond the three-point line on a timely draining with 37 seconds left to all but seal the contest. From the free throw line, the Wranglers held a six-point edge by sinking 15-of-28 from the stripe with another ten point edge coming from points off turnovers.

Eberechukwu Egbirika led all players with 26 points and 5 steals with 3 assists, Jaedyn Cook added 10 points, and Arminda Joaquim contributed 9 points.

Barton settled in from its round first quarter to outscore the Wranglers 18-4 in the second frame to lead by five at the break, increasing it out to eight points early in the third quarter.

Odessa flipped the script after facing their biggest deficit to regain the lead by the end of the quarter, increasing the margin out to eight within three minutes of the fourth.

The Cougars battled back sparked by Eck's consecutive triples and Simpson's pair of free throws drawing Barton to within 53-52 with 4:27 left.

Following a Wrangler bucket, Simpson canned a top of the key trey tying it up for the 6th time coming at 4:08 left on the clock.

Odessa answered with four straight before Eck's pair of charity tosses with 2:02 left cut the deficit in half with Onugha's 1-of-2 trip to the line twenty seconds later slimming it down to 59-58.

Onugha would foul out on the Wranglers' next possession as the made bucket on the play with Barton's 34th turnover on the ensuing possession plus Esomchukwu's timely baseline triple doubling up the margin out to six.

Smith's fifth long range made shot sliced it to four with ten ticks on the clock but the Wranglers tacked on a 1-of-2 trip to the line for good measure as&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wbkb/2024-25/bios/hall_keyona_qz08">Keyona Hall</a>'s inside bucket in the waning seconds being too late for any further hope.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730726968050.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By TODD MOORE Barton Sports InfoThe Barton Community College women's basketball team took its second loss in less than twenty-four hours to begin the season with an 86-38 loss early Saturday afternoon at 7th ranked New Mexico Junior College.Returning to the court approximately eighteen hours following a hard fought three-point defeat against 8th ranked Odessa College, the Cougars faced a thirteen point opening quarter deficit and never recovered.Barton will next play the 1:00 p.m. contests in the two-day BSN Tip-Off Classic in Hutchinson against a pair of junior varsity squads, the first coming Friday versus Bethany College with Saturday's action against Tabor College. New Mexico completes the weekend unbeaten after posting a century mark output Friday against Trinidad State College.Another double-double performance from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wbkb/2024-25/bios/onugha_vivian_7u24">Vivian Onugha</a>&nbsp;led the Cougars with 11 points and 14 rebounds.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wbkb/2024-25/bios/clements_eva_j66u">Eva Clements</a>, who didn't reach the scoring column on Friday, came off the bench for 7 points.Posting career highs the day prior,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wbkb/2024-25/bios/simpson_brittany_jg44">Brittany Simpson</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wbkb/2024-25/bios/smith_macie_q6c0">Macie Smith</a>&nbsp;were held in check, combining for 3-of-8 from beyond the arc in finishing with six and five points respectively.The Cougars cut down on turnovers which plagued them Friday, finishing at 18 but shot just 27.8% from the field including 4-of-15 from long range.New Mexico connected on 43.7% of their shots, 10-of-26 from three-point land, while holding a five rebound advantage leading to a plus-11 second chance points with the Thunderbirds also controlling the paint in a plus-14 point statistical edge.Amyah Sutton led all players with 24 points on 8-of-13 shooting with Pania Davis' 50% from the field added 12 points.Barton women challenge No. 8 Odessa in 66-63 lossThe Barton Community College women's basketball team opened its season Friday evening in Hobbs, New Mexico, by challenging but falling short 66-63 of the upset over 8th ranked Odessa College.The Cougars erased an eleven-point first frame deficit in leading by five at the break, eventually being tied with four minutes remaining but couldn't overcome 34 turnovers and 43% free throw shooting to spoil the upset.A career high night from&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wbkb/2024-25/bios/smith_macie_q6c0">Macie Smith</a>&nbsp;of 5-for-8 from behind the arc for 19 points led three Cougars in double figures.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wbkb/2024-25/bios/eck_alaina_m8sz">Alaina Eck</a>&nbsp;dialed in 3-of-4 long distance for a collegiate debut 18 points with&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wbkb/2024-25/bios/onugha_vivian_7u24">Vivian Onugha</a>&nbsp;posting her 14th career double-double before fouling out with 1:17 remaining on 12 points and 10 rebounds.Joining Smith in recording career highs,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wbkb/2024-25/bios/simpson_brittany_jg44">Brittany Simpson</a>&nbsp;added 8 points in tying Eck for a team leading three assists.Barton finished the game 47.8% from the field, 10-of-18 from beyond the arc, but were just 9-of-21 from the charity stripe.Odessa shot 44.4%, connecting on their third of eleven attempts beyond the three-point line on a timely draining with 37 seconds left to all but seal the contest. From the free throw line, the Wranglers held a six-point edge by sinking 15-of-28 from the stripe with another ten point edge coming from points off turnovers.Eberechukwu Egbirika led all players with 26 points and 5 steals with 3 assists, Jaedyn Cook added 10 points, and Arminda Joaquim contributed 9 points.Barton settled in from its round first quarter to outscore the Wranglers 18-4 in the second frame to lead by five at the break, increasing it out to eight points early in the third quarter.Odessa flipped the script after facing their biggest deficit to regain the lead by the end of the quarter, increasing the margin out to eight within three minutes of the fourth.The Cougars battled back sparked by Eck's consecutive triples and Simpson's pair of free throws drawing Barton to within 53-52 with 4:27 left.Following a Wrangler bucket, Simpson canned a top of the key trey tying it up for the 6th time coming at 4:08 left on the clock.Odessa answered with four straight before Eck's pair of charity tosses with 2:02 left cut the deficit in half with Onugha's 1-of-2 trip to the line twenty seconds later slimming it down to 59-58.Onugha would foul out on the Wranglers' next possession as the made bucket on the play with Barton's 34th turnover on the ensuing possession plus Esomchukwu's timely baseline triple doubling up the margin out to six.Smith's fifth long range made shot sliced it to four with ten ticks on the clock but the Wranglers tacked on a 1-of-2 trip to the line for good measure as&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wbkb/2024-25/bios/hall_keyona_qz08">Keyona Hall</a>'s inside bucket in the waning seconds being too late for any further hope.

Cougars wind up tough opening weekend with loss to No. 7 New Mexico

ATLANTA (AP) — Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott will have an MRI on Monday to determine the severity of a hamstring injury that forced him to leave&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/atlanta-falcons-dallas-cowboys-score-nfl-1ee3cde620ceb17241e79fc1b35d1fb7">Sunday’s loss at Atlanta</a>. Prescott said he “felt a pull, something I’ve never felt” but added “it’ll take a lot for me to not be out there” when the Cowboys host NFC East rival Philadelphia next Sunday. “It was a tough deal to walk on it,” Prescott said. “I know how much we needed this one. I wanted to just get out there and compete, get out there and fight.” Prescott also appeared to suffer an injury to his right hand at the end of the third quarter. The Cowboys were trailing 21-13 going into the fourth quarter and lost 27-21. Prescott completed 18 of 24 passes for 133 yards and one touchdown with no interceptions, ending his streak of three consecutive games with two interceptions. Prescott had three carries for 30 yards. Cooper Rush replaced Prescott as the Cowboys (3-5) lost their third straight game.

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Tyler Bass tuned out the doubts, the ongoing questions about his consistency and the most recent challenge to his job. Buffalo Bills coach Sean McDermott showed faith in Bass by sending him out to try a 61-yard field goal with 5 seconds left,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/BuffaloBills/status/1853180991122096574" target="_blank">and the kick was good</a>&nbsp;to give Buffalo a 30-27 victory over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. “It means everything. Very emotional,” the 27-year-old Bass said of a field goal that was the longest of his career and broke the franchise record by 2 yards. Steve Christie had the previous mark, a 59-yarder in 1993.

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa State coaches and athletes were at the Algona stop on the Cyclone Club statewide meet-and-greet tour this summer when Audi Crooks’ popularity truly registered with women’s basketball coach Bill Fennelly. Her autograph line dwarfed that of football coach Matt Campbell. “That never happens,” Fennelly said. Crooks has been beloved by the Algona community for years, not only for her prodigious scoring production at Bishop Garrigan High School but also for her enthusiastic participation in just about every youth activity while she was growing up in the town of 5,000 two hours north of Iowa State’s campus in Ames. Her celebrity as an athlete grew as she defied modest expectations entering her freshman season to become a unanimous All-Big 12 first-team center, and she introduced herself to the nation when she erupted for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/march-madness-iowa-state-maryland-score-a548463278c1e51b7fa223f7065258fa">40 points against Maryland</a>&nbsp;in the NCAA Tournament.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels rejects the notion that he pretended to spray gunfire toward former teammates after hitting a 3-pointer in front of New Orleans’ bench during a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hawks-pelicans-score-johnson-e1bdc4c847980014a1d62f7ce8b4f17e">126-111 victory</a>&nbsp;over the Pelicans on Sunday night. “I was just telling them all that it was worth 3 points,” Daniels said, noting that when he extended his right arm toward the Pelicans’ bench area, his thumb and two other fingers were extended, representing 3 points. When told&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/aburnshoops/status/1853255735733322011" target="_blank">his gesture also appeared to resemble a gun</a>, Daniels said, “It might have looked like it, but I was just telling them it was worth 3 points. You know, pointing at them all, that’s all it was. I was making sure they all knew how many points it was worth.” The NBA has handed down some high-profile fines for gun gestures in the past decade, including $35,000 to Josh Jackson in 2017 and $25,000 to Gerald Green in 2015.

SUNDAY SCORES National Football League

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723542041782.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>ATLANTA (AP) — Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott will have an MRI on Monday to determine the severity of a hamstring injury that forced him to leave&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/atlanta-falcons-dallas-cowboys-score-nfl-1ee3cde620ceb17241e79fc1b35d1fb7">Sunday’s loss at Atlanta</a>. Prescott said he “felt a pull, something I’ve never felt” but added “it’ll take a lot for me to not be out there” when the Cowboys host NFC East rival Philadelphia next Sunday. “It was a tough deal to walk on it,” Prescott said. “I know how much we needed this one. I wanted to just get out there and compete, get out there and fight.” Prescott also appeared to suffer an injury to his right hand at the end of the third quarter. The Cowboys were trailing 21-13 going into the fourth quarter and lost 27-21. Prescott completed 18 of 24 passes for 133 yards and one touchdown with no interceptions, ending his streak of three consecutive games with two interceptions. Prescott had three carries for 30 yards. Cooper Rush replaced Prescott as the Cowboys (3-5) lost their third straight game.ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Tyler Bass tuned out the doubts, the ongoing questions about his consistency and the most recent challenge to his job. Buffalo Bills coach Sean McDermott showed faith in Bass by sending him out to try a 61-yard field goal with 5 seconds left,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/BuffaloBills/status/1853180991122096574" target="_blank">and the kick was good</a>&nbsp;to give Buffalo a 30-27 victory over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. “It means everything. Very emotional,” the 27-year-old Bass said of a field goal that was the longest of his career and broke the franchise record by 2 yards. Steve Christie had the previous mark, a 59-yarder in 1993.AMES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa State coaches and athletes were at the Algona stop on the Cyclone Club statewide meet-and-greet tour this summer when Audi Crooks’ popularity truly registered with women’s basketball coach Bill Fennelly. Her autograph line dwarfed that of football coach Matt Campbell. “That never happens,” Fennelly said. Crooks has been beloved by the Algona community for years, not only for her prodigious scoring production at Bishop Garrigan High School but also for her enthusiastic participation in just about every youth activity while she was growing up in the town of 5,000 two hours north of Iowa State’s campus in Ames. Her celebrity as an athlete grew as she defied modest expectations entering her freshman season to become a unanimous All-Big 12 first-team center, and she introduced herself to the nation when she erupted for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/march-madness-iowa-state-maryland-score-a548463278c1e51b7fa223f7065258fa">40 points against Maryland</a>&nbsp;in the NCAA Tournament.NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels rejects the notion that he pretended to spray gunfire toward former teammates after hitting a 3-pointer in front of New Orleans’ bench during a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hawks-pelicans-score-johnson-e1bdc4c847980014a1d62f7ce8b4f17e">126-111 victory</a>&nbsp;over the Pelicans on Sunday night. “I was just telling them all that it was worth 3 points,” Daniels said, noting that when he extended his right arm toward the Pelicans’ bench area, his thumb and two other fingers were extended, representing 3 points. When told&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/aburnshoops/status/1853255735733322011" target="_blank">his gesture also appeared to resemble a gun</a>, Daniels said, “It might have looked like it, but I was just telling them it was worth 3 points. You know, pointing at them all, that’s all it was. I was making sure they all knew how many points it was worth.” The NBA has handed down some high-profile fines for gun gestures in the past decade, including $35,000 to Josh Jackson in 2017 and $25,000 to Gerald Green in 2015.SUNDAY SCORES National Football LeagueCarolina 23, New Orleans 22Washington 27, NY Gians 22Buffalo 30, Miami 27LA Chargers 27, Cleveland 10Tennessee 20, New England 17Cincinnati 41, Las Vegas 24Atlanta 27, Dallas 21Baltimore 41, Denver 10Arizona 29, Chicago 9LA Rams, 26, Seattle 20Philadelphia 28, Jacksonville 23Minnesota 21, Indianapolis 13Detroit 24, Green Bay 14

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

A rainy Saturday afternoon visit to the Cougar Soccer Complex had all the makings for a nailbiter as the Barton Community College men's soccer team survived and advanced past the opening round of the Region 6/Plains District Tournament on penalty kicks 4-3 over Coffeyville Community College.

Trailing 1-0 since an early 2:29 minute Red Raven goal,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/msoc/2024-25/bios/dos_santos_lucas_jzie">Lucas Dos Santos</a>' near post rise and shine header placed to the back post from&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/msoc/2024-25/bios/voinier_maxence_ehjk">Maxence Voinier</a>'s free kick in the 73rd minute provided the equalizer.

Playing a pair of scoreless 10-minute golden goal periods, the two and half plus hour battle finally came to a close in the fifth round of penalty kicks as&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/msoc/2024-25/bios/bergamin_gabriel_93fg">Gabriel Bergamin</a>&nbsp;produced the lone goalkeeper save of the shootout sending a Cougar rush onto the pitch.

Next up for the 11-6-3 Cougars is a Wednesday trip to Region 16 winner Jefferson College in a rematch from an earlier season meeting that saw Barton win 3-0 back on August 30th. Kickoff is slated for 2:00 p.m. from Hillsboro, Missouri, with the winner advancing to next Sunday's District Championship. The Red Ravens' 2024 season comes to an end at 4-10-5.

A Cougar foul called just outside the box 2:29 into the contest created the first marker, with Coffeyville's Andres Pereira shaping the 20-yard free kick around the Barton defensive wall just inside the near post past the outstretched hand of Bergamin.

Controlling possession over the final 42 minutes of the opening frame and holding a 6-4 advantage in shots, the Cougars remained on the wrong side of the scoreboard facing their fourth halftime deficit of the season.

Maintaining possession over the final 45-minutes with the Red Ravens turning toward a packed in defensive style, multiple Cougar offensive attacks missed its mark before the relentless pursuit eventually paid off. Benefitting from a Red Raven foul, Voinier's free kick cross into the box found the head of Dos Santos for the equalizing net shaker with 17:43 remaining.

Appearing to be headed for extra time, Barton would withstand a pair of Coffeyville scoring opportunities in the final five minutes including Nicolas Palmeiro's strike inside the 18' drawing wide right with 4:10 remaining.

In the first golden goal period, Barton generated the lone offensive opportunities firing off three shots with&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/msoc/2024-25/bios/pacheco_hugo_9r7l">Hugo Pacheco</a>'s laser from within the box the lone shot attempted on target.

The script flipped in the final overtime period with the Red Ravens producing a trio of shots but Voinier's post guarding thwarting one attack with Bergamin making a critical save in the final seconds helped force the shootout.

Headed to spot kicks with the season on the line, both teams connected on their first two attempts. In the third round&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/msoc/2024-25/bios/henrique_gabriel_1sof">Gabriel Henrique</a>&nbsp;gave the Cougars a 3-2 lead with Coffeyville's ensuing attempt banging off the post.

Following made conversions on the fourth attempts,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/msoc/2024-25/bios/bassa_gonzalo_boyx">Gonzalo Bassa</a>'s potential game sealing shot sailed high setting up Bergamin's game clinching rejection of Coffeyville's Fabrizio Kasperiski's kick igniting the field storming.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730727108295.jpeg" alt="Gabriel Benjamin" />
 <figcaption>Gabriel Benjamin</figcaption>
 </figure>By TODD MOORE Barton Sports InfoA rainy Saturday afternoon visit to the Cougar Soccer Complex had all the makings for a nailbiter as the Barton Community College men's soccer team survived and advanced past the opening round of the Region 6/Plains District Tournament on penalty kicks 4-3 over Coffeyville Community College.Trailing 1-0 since an early 2:29 minute Red Raven goal,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/msoc/2024-25/bios/dos_santos_lucas_jzie">Lucas Dos Santos</a>' near post rise and shine header placed to the back post from&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/msoc/2024-25/bios/voinier_maxence_ehjk">Maxence Voinier</a>'s free kick in the 73rd minute provided the equalizer.Playing a pair of scoreless 10-minute golden goal periods, the two and half plus hour battle finally came to a close in the fifth round of penalty kicks as&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/msoc/2024-25/bios/bergamin_gabriel_93fg">Gabriel Bergamin</a>&nbsp;produced the lone goalkeeper save of the shootout sending a Cougar rush onto the pitch.Next up for the 11-6-3 Cougars is a Wednesday trip to Region 16 winner Jefferson College in a rematch from an earlier season meeting that saw Barton win 3-0 back on August 30th. Kickoff is slated for 2:00 p.m. from Hillsboro, Missouri, with the winner advancing to next Sunday's District Championship. The Red Ravens' 2024 season comes to an end at 4-10-5.A Cougar foul called just outside the box 2:29 into the contest created the first marker, with Coffeyville's Andres Pereira shaping the 20-yard free kick around the Barton defensive wall just inside the near post past the outstretched hand of Bergamin.Controlling possession over the final 42 minutes of the opening frame and holding a 6-4 advantage in shots, the Cougars remained on the wrong side of the scoreboard facing their fourth halftime deficit of the season.Maintaining possession over the final 45-minutes with the Red Ravens turning toward a packed in defensive style, multiple Cougar offensive attacks missed its mark before the relentless pursuit eventually paid off. Benefitting from a Red Raven foul, Voinier's free kick cross into the box found the head of Dos Santos for the equalizing net shaker with 17:43 remaining.Appearing to be headed for extra time, Barton would withstand a pair of Coffeyville scoring opportunities in the final five minutes including Nicolas Palmeiro's strike inside the 18' drawing wide right with 4:10 remaining.In the first golden goal period, Barton generated the lone offensive opportunities firing off three shots with&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/msoc/2024-25/bios/pacheco_hugo_9r7l">Hugo Pacheco</a>'s laser from within the box the lone shot attempted on target.The script flipped in the final overtime period with the Red Ravens producing a trio of shots but Voinier's post guarding thwarting one attack with Bergamin making a critical save in the final seconds helped force the shootout.Headed to spot kicks with the season on the line, both teams connected on their first two attempts. In the third round&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/msoc/2024-25/bios/henrique_gabriel_1sof">Gabriel Henrique</a>&nbsp;gave the Cougars a 3-2 lead with Coffeyville's ensuing attempt banging off the post.Following made conversions on the fourth attempts,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/msoc/2024-25/bios/bassa_gonzalo_boyx">Gonzalo Bassa</a>'s potential game sealing shot sailed high setting up Bergamin's game clinching rejection of Coffeyville's Fabrizio Kasperiski's kick igniting the field storming.

Cougars survive on penalty kicks over Coffeyville to open Region 6 tourney

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Royals are bringing back right-hander Michael Wacha on a three-year, $51 million contract that includes a club option for the 2028 season, a person familiar with the terms told The Associated Press on Sunday.

Wacha could earn up to $72 million over four years including performance bonuses, the person said on condition of anonymity because the club did not release financial terms.

He has salaries of $18 million in each of the next two seasons and $14 million in 2027. The deal includes a $14 million club option for 2028 with a $1 million buyout. In 2027 and '28, Wacha could earn up to $4 million in performance bonuses in each year: $500,000 for 105 innings and each additional five through 140.

The 33-year-old Wacha, who went 13-8 with a 3.35 ERA this past season, signed with Kansas City last offseason on a deal that included a $16 million salary for 2024 and a $16 million player option for next season. He would have had plenty of suitors in free agency, but the new with the Royals gives him the longevity he desired and the club some certainty regarding their starting rotation.

Wacha is expected to speak to reporters Monday at Kauffman Stadium.

"I do believe that Michael and his wife enjoy being in Kansas City and that’s always an advantage,” Royals general manager J.J. Picollo said at the conclusion of the season, when asked about the Royals' chances of signing him again. “He had a very good experience here. I think he and (Royals pitching coach) Brian Sweeney got along great. So there are reasons to be optimistic.

“But he pitched very well this year,” Picollo said, "and he is going to have opportunities with other clubs, so we will work on that. Luckily, we have a few weeks to sit down with Michael and his representation and try to see how we can work something out.”

Wacha started 29 games for the Royals and logged 166.2 innings, the second-most of his 12-year big league career. He had a top-10 ERA in the American League while helping the Kansas City rotation rank second in the majors with a 3.55 ERA.

He made a pair of AL Division Series starts against the Yankees, dueling with Gerrit Cole both times. He got no decision after he allowed three runs on four hits and three walks over three innings at Yankee Stadium, and he took the loss in the decisive Game 4, even though Wacha allowed only two runs on six hits and a walk while pitching into the fifth inning.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Royals are bringing back right-hander Michael Wacha on a three-year, $51 million contract that includes a club option for the 2028 season, a person familiar with the terms told The Associated Press on Sunday.Wacha could earn up to $72 million over four years including performance bonuses, the person said on condition of anonymity because the club did not release financial terms.He has salaries of $18 million in each of the next two seasons and $14 million in 2027. The deal includes a $14 million club option for 2028 with a $1 million buyout. In 2027 and '28, Wacha could earn up to $4 million in performance bonuses in each year: $500,000 for 105 innings and each additional five through 140.The 33-year-old Wacha, who went 13-8 with a 3.35 ERA this past season, signed with Kansas City last offseason on a deal that included a $16 million salary for 2024 and a $16 million player option for next season. He would have had plenty of suitors in free agency, but the new with the Royals gives him the longevity he desired and the club some certainty regarding their starting rotation.Wacha is expected to speak to reporters Monday at Kauffman Stadium."I do believe that Michael and his wife enjoy being in Kansas City and that’s always an advantage,” Royals general manager J.J. Picollo said at the conclusion of the season, when asked about the Royals' chances of signing him again. “He had a very good experience here. I think he and (Royals pitching coach) Brian Sweeney got along great. So there are reasons to be optimistic.“But he pitched very well this year,” Picollo said, "and he is going to have opportunities with other clubs, so we will work on that. Luckily, we have a few weeks to sit down with Michael and his representation and try to see how we can work something out.”Wacha started 29 games for the Royals and logged 166.2 innings, the second-most of his 12-year big league career. He had a top-10 ERA in the American League while helping the Kansas City rotation rank second in the majors with a 3.55 ERA.He made a pair of AL Division Series starts against the Yankees, dueling with Gerrit Cole both times. He got no decision after he allowed three runs on four hits and three walks over three innings at Yankee Stadium, and he took the loss in the decisive Game 4, even though Wacha allowed only two runs on six hits and a walk while pitching into the fifth inning.

Royals sign LHP Wacha to 3-year, $51 million deal with option for 2028

By MIKE COURSON Great Bend Post

The prep cross country season wrapped up on Saturday, mostly on chilly and wet courses around the state. The top 20 finishers in each race earned all-state honors (bolded).

Class 5A at Rim Rock Farm near Lawrence - Won by Salina Central's Katelyn Rupe by 17 seconds in 17:09.77 - St. James Academy wins team title by 16 points with 77. Great Bend eighth with 193 points

Great Bend sophomore Bella Long - 25th in 19:54.62 Great Bend junior Sienna Smith - 31st in 20:08.53 Great Bend senior Marissa Boone - 41st in 20:22.88 Great Bend sophomore Teah King - 59th in 21:21.38 Great Bend senior Kate Welcher - 73rd in 21:49.54 Great Bend freshman Samantha Negaard - 81st in 22:02.06

Class 5A Boys - Won by Spring Hill's Logan Beckman by seven seconds in 5:23.94

Great Bend junior Tavon Stroup - 26th in 16:47.48

Class 3A at Rim Rock Farm near Lawrence - Won by Wichita Trinity's Emily Hein by 56 seconds in 18:26.90

Ellsworth sophomore Molly Ehrlich - 6th in 19:47.72 Hoisington junior Tianna Lutters - 17th in 20:25.34 Ellsworth freshman Lakyn Beckman -25th in 20:40.56

3A boys at Rim Rock Farm - Won by Wichita Trinity's Caleb Toftland by 16 seconds in 15:36.75

Hoisington senior Kamden Tarlton - 9th place in 16:28.18 Hoisington sophomore Brody Rossman - 14th place in 16:50.57 Lyons junior Cain Villasenor - 55th in 17:58.94

Class 2A at Wamego Country Club - Won by Smith Center sophomore Madison Howland by 33 seconds in 18:50.75 - Remington and Berean Academy tied for first with 108 points. Remington won the tie break for the state title. Ellinwood finished seventh with 150 points, just 10 points out of fourth place.

Ellinwood freshman Eleanor Joiner - 15th in 21:36.86 Sterling junior Julia Kilgore - 16th in 21:38.18 Ellinwood freshman Jenna Borror - 18th in 21:45.18 Sterling sophomore Katie Inwood - 26th in 22:03.57 Ellinwood freshman Kyla McCormick - 45th in 23:06.26 Ellinwood freshman Ali Gonzalez - 57th in 23:48.76 Ellinwood sophomore Madison Dombroski - 77th in 25:01.85 Ellinwood senior Heidi Brauer - 81st in 25:19.75 Ellinwood freshman Kynlee Wesner - 101st in 34:43.97

Class 1A at Wamego Country Club - Won by Ellis junior Avery Boydston by 62 seconds in 19:32.33. - South Gray won the team title with 37 points, followed by Northern Heights with 76 points and Ness City in third with 69 points.

Ness City junior Stephany Esparza - 14th in 22:01.90 Ness City freshman Miley Henning - 26th in 22:48.57 Macksville freshman Kennedy Butler - 31st in 23:02.78 Otis-Bison senior Destiny Mitchell - 33rd in 23:12.85

Class 1A Boys - Won by Lebo senior Caleb Durst by 15 seconds in 16:53.20. - Quinter won the team championship with 60 points, followed by Meade with 84 points. Ness City placed fourth to miss the third-place trophy by five spots. St. John finished seventh with 160 points.

Ness City junior Broxton Gall - state runner-up in 17:08.61 Stafford sophomore Joel Valadez - 8th in 17:37.00 St. John senior Quade Smith - 16th in 18:01.72 Ness City junior Wyatt Sutton - 26th in 18:28.28 St. John freshman Emmett Delp - 32nd in 18:49.67 St. John freshman Aaden Gonzalez - 34th in 18:53.76

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730670390125.jpeg" alt="Ellinwood freshman Eleanor Joiner and Jenna Borror earned all-state honors as top-20 finishers at Saturday's Class 2A state cross country race in Wamego." />
 <figcaption>Ellinwood freshman Eleanor Joiner and Jenna Borror earned all-state honors as top-20 finishers at Saturday's Class 2A state cross country race in Wamego.</figcaption>
 </figure>By MIKE COURSON Great Bend PostThe prep cross country season wrapped up on Saturday, mostly on chilly and wet courses around the state. The top 20 finishers in each race earned all-state honors (bolded).Class 5A at Rim Rock Farm near Lawrence - Won by Salina Central's Katelyn Rupe by 17 seconds in 17:09.77 - St. James Academy wins team title by 16 points with 77. Great Bend eighth with 193 pointsGreat Bend sophomore Bella Long - 25th in 19:54.62 Great Bend junior Sienna Smith - 31st in 20:08.53 Great Bend senior Marissa Boone - 41st in 20:22.88 Great Bend sophomore Teah King - 59th in 21:21.38 Great Bend senior Kate Welcher - 73rd in 21:49.54 Great Bend freshman Samantha Negaard - 81st in 22:02.06Class 5A Boys - Won by Spring Hill's Logan Beckman by seven seconds in 5:23.94Great Bend junior Tavon Stroup - 26th in 16:47.48Class 3A at Rim Rock Farm near Lawrence - Won by Wichita Trinity's Emily Hein by 56 seconds in 18:26.90Ellsworth sophomore Molly Ehrlich - 6th in 19:47.72 Hoisington junior Tianna Lutters - 17th in 20:25.34 Ellsworth freshman Lakyn Beckman -25th in 20:40.563A boys at Rim Rock Farm - Won by Wichita Trinity's Caleb Toftland by 16 seconds in 15:36.75Hoisington senior Kamden Tarlton - 9th place in 16:28.18 Hoisington sophomore Brody Rossman - 14th place in 16:50.57 Lyons junior Cain Villasenor - 55th in 17:58.94Class 2A at Wamego Country Club - Won by Smith Center sophomore Madison Howland by 33 seconds in 18:50.75 - Remington and Berean Academy tied for first with 108 points. Remington won the tie break for the state title. Ellinwood finished seventh with 150 points, just 10 points out of fourth place.Ellinwood freshman Eleanor Joiner - 15th in 21:36.86 Sterling junior Julia Kilgore - 16th in 21:38.18 Ellinwood freshman Jenna Borror - 18th in 21:45.18 Sterling sophomore Katie Inwood - 26th in 22:03.57 Ellinwood freshman Kyla McCormick - 45th in 23:06.26 Ellinwood freshman Ali Gonzalez - 57th in 23:48.76 Ellinwood sophomore Madison Dombroski - 77th in 25:01.85 Ellinwood senior Heidi Brauer - 81st in 25:19.75 Ellinwood freshman Kynlee Wesner - 101st in 34:43.97Class 1A at Wamego Country Club - Won by Ellis junior Avery Boydston by 62 seconds in 19:32.33. - South Gray won the team title with 37 points, followed by Northern Heights with 76 points and Ness City in third with 69 points.Ness City junior Stephany Esparza - 14th in 22:01.90 Ness City freshman Miley Henning - 26th in 22:48.57 Macksville freshman Kennedy Butler - 31st in 23:02.78 Otis-Bison senior Destiny Mitchell - 33rd in 23:12.85Class 1A Boys - Won by Lebo senior Caleb Durst by 15 seconds in 16:53.20. - Quinter won the team championship with 60 points, followed by Meade with 84 points. Ness City placed fourth to miss the third-place trophy by five spots. St. John finished seventh with 160 points.Ness City junior Broxton Gall - state runner-up in 17:08.61 Stafford sophomore Joel Valadez - 8th in 17:37.00 St. John senior Quade Smith - 16th in 18:01.72 Ness City junior Wyatt Sutton - 26th in 18:28.28 St. John freshman Emmett Delp - 32nd in 18:49.67 St. John freshman Aaden Gonzalez - 34th in 18:53.76

State cross country top finishers: Several area runners earn all-state honors

HOUSTON (AP) — Zeon Chriss threw for 103 yards and a touchdown without an incompletion as Houston rallied in fourth quarter to beat No. 17 Kansas State 24-19 on Saturday.

Trailing 19-10 to start the fourth quarter, Chriss threw a 1-yard touchdown to Maliq Carr with 11 minutes left. After forcing a punt, Chriss rushed for a 41-yard touchdown with 2:31 to go.

Chriss, who finished 11 of 11, also rushed for 75 yards and caught a pass for eight yards.

Michael Batton intercepted Avery Johnson on the next drive.

After Houston (4-5, 3-3 Big 12) was forced to punt with 40 seconds left, the Wildcats drove to the Cougars' 39 with 4 seconds left, but Johnson’s heave was knocked out of the end zone.

The win was Houston’s first win over a ranked team since beating No. 19 SMU 44-37 on Oct. 30, 2021.

Donovan Smith rushed for a 1-yard touchdown midway to begin the second quarter to give Houston a 7-3 lead.

Johnson finished 23 of 39 for 238 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions for Kansas State. He found Keagan Johnson for a 7-yard touchdown pass with nine seconds left in the first half to give the Wildcats (7-2, 4-2) a 16-10 halftime lead. Johnson finished with 76 yards receiving.

DJ Giddens rushed for 50 yards and a touchdown as Kansas State outgained the Cougars 327-232.

The game was delayed 55 minutes to start because of lightning.

Kansas State: The loss hurts the chances of the Wildcats making the Big 12 championship and the College Football Playoff.

Houston: The Cougars finished 3 for 3 in the red zone after struggling last week against Utah.

Kansas State could potentially drop out of the rankings after the loss.

HOUSTON (AP) — Zeon Chriss threw for 103 yards and a touchdown without an incompletion as Houston rallied in fourth quarter to beat No. 17 Kansas State 24-19 on Saturday.Trailing 19-10 to start the fourth quarter, Chriss threw a 1-yard touchdown to Maliq Carr with 11 minutes left. After forcing a punt, Chriss rushed for a 41-yard touchdown with 2:31 to go.Chriss, who finished 11 of 11, also rushed for 75 yards and caught a pass for eight yards.Michael Batton intercepted Avery Johnson on the next drive.After Houston (4-5, 3-3 Big 12) was forced to punt with 40 seconds left, the Wildcats drove to the Cougars' 39 with 4 seconds left, but Johnson’s heave was knocked out of the end zone.The win was Houston’s first win over a ranked team since beating No. 19 SMU 44-37 on Oct. 30, 2021.Donovan Smith rushed for a 1-yard touchdown midway to begin the second quarter to give Houston a 7-3 lead.Johnson finished 23 of 39 for 238 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions for Kansas State. He found Keagan Johnson for a 7-yard touchdown pass with nine seconds left in the first half to give the Wildcats (7-2, 4-2) a 16-10 halftime lead. Johnson finished with 76 yards receiving.DJ Giddens rushed for 50 yards and a touchdown as Kansas State outgained the Cougars 327-232.The game was delayed 55 minutes to start because of lightning.<h2>The takeaway</h2>Kansas State: The loss hurts the chances of the Wildcats making the Big 12 championship and the College Football Playoff.Houston: The Cougars finished 3 for 3 in the red zone after struggling last week against Utah.<h2>Poll implications</h2>Kansas State could potentially drop out of the rankings after the loss.<h2>Up next</h2>

Houston scores twice in fourth quarter, Cougars beat No. 17 Kansas State 24-19

Hoisington senior Gabby Reif nearly came up with a championship-saving dive in Saturday's Class 3A State Volleyball semifinal against Nemaha Central at the Hutchinson Sports Arena. Her diving pass to sophomore Sofia Simic at the net resulted in a point and tied the third set at 19. A Simic kill on the next point gave Hoisington a 20-19 edge. 

But the margin of error was razor thin in the semifinal battle. An ill-timed lift, a player in the net, and two missed swings in the final half of the set allowed Nemaha to advance to the finals 25-23 after the teams split the first two sets 25-21, 25-22. The Lady Cardinals bounced back to beat Neodesha 25-19, 25-13 to secure the third-place trophy.

"That semifinal game, the girls were fighting hard and they wanted it so bad," said Hoisington coach Mykela Riedl. "To just miss it by two points, it was super hard to see. The girls looked defeated, but obviously we had to come back together. We wanted to still finish our season on a high note and get the place we could."

The third semifinal set was well contested throughout. The Thunder took a 12-9 lead before the Cards answered with a kill from Simic, a block from junior Kelsi Maier, and an ace from Reif to even the score. The score was still tied at 13 when Hoisington was called for a lift. A Lady Cardinal in the net gave Nemaha a 17-15 advantage.

And still the Lady Cardinals refused to go away. Simic, who reached 1,000 career kills during Friday's pool play, had three big hits late to give Hoisington a 21-20 lead. The Thunder took the lead back on a ball that was ruled tip, but Simic again leveled the score at 22 with a kill. A block from sophomore Kinley Wilkins gave Hoisington its final lead of the set at 23-22.

Things went well for Hoisington early on as a tip from senior Ellie Crawford gave the Cards a 6-3 lead in the first set. Simic put down kills for the first five Hoisington points and traded blows with a trio of Nemaha hitters. Tied at six, the Thunder six of the next seven points and hung on to a 25-21 first set.

Hoisington trailed 9-7 in the second set when Wilkens put down a kill and junior Miya Nachtigal followed with an ace to tie things up. Simic had a stretch that included five kills and Maier added two more as the Lady Cards opened up a 19-16 lead. A Simic kill set up match point and the state-record holder for aces in a season finished off the second set at 25-22 with another of her big serves.

Hoisington handled Neodesha in two sets in Friday's pool play. The Lady Cards repeated the feat in Saturday's consolation match. After falling behind 6-2, a pair of Simic aces helped Hoisington turn things around to an 11-8 lead. Still leading 19-16, Simic had four late kills and Crawford added a big block to secure the first set 25-19.

All the Lady Cardinal hitters were out early in the final set of the season. Shots from Maier and Crawford were followed by two kills from Simic. Sophomore Brynn Tarlton's serves kept the Blue Streak offense off balance in the strethc. Leading 12-5, Maier and Simic each followed with two more kills and the rout was on. Maier had three kills late in the set and Simic added one more ace to her season total as Hoisington rolled 25-13.

Hoisington ends its season at 41-5 overall, with two losses coming to Halstead, which beat Nemaha Central in straight sets to claim the Class 3A championship. The Lady Cards say goodybe to just three seniors in Reif, Crawford, and Presley Brungardt.

"Talking to the seniors, I told them they definitely left this program better than when they came into this program," Riedl said. "We thank them and we love them and we are really going to miss them, but they left these underclassmen with the confidence, leadership, and everything they need to continue to be successful over the next several years."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730589151951.jpeg" alt="Hoisington senior Gabby Reif and the Lady Cardinals celebrate a third-place finish at the Class 3A State Volleyball Championships Saturday at the Hutchinson Sports Arena." />
 <figcaption>Hoisington senior Gabby Reif and the Lady Cardinals celebrate a third-place finish at the Class 3A State Volleyball Championships Saturday at the Hutchinson Sports Arena.</figcaption>
 </figure>By MIKE COURSON Great Bend PostHoisington senior Gabby Reif nearly came up with a championship-saving dive in Saturday's Class 3A State Volleyball semifinal against Nemaha Central at the Hutchinson Sports Arena. Her diving pass to sophomore Sofia Simic at the net resulted in a point and tied the third set at 19. A Simic kill on the next point gave Hoisington a 20-19 edge. But the margin of error was razor thin in the semifinal battle. An ill-timed lift, a player in the net, and two missed swings in the final half of the set allowed Nemaha to advance to the finals 25-23 after the teams split the first two sets 25-21, 25-22. The Lady Cardinals bounced back to beat Neodesha 25-19, 25-13 to secure the third-place trophy.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730589223935.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>"That semifinal game, the girls were fighting hard and they wanted it so bad," said Hoisington coach Mykela Riedl. "To just miss it by two points, it was super hard to see. The girls looked defeated, but obviously we had to come back together. We wanted to still finish our season on a high note and get the place we could."The third semifinal set was well contested throughout. The Thunder took a 12-9 lead before the Cards answered with a kill from Simic, a block from junior Kelsi Maier, and an ace from Reif to even the score. The score was still tied at 13 when Hoisington was called for a lift. A Lady Cardinal in the net gave Nemaha a 17-15 advantage.And still the Lady Cardinals refused to go away. Simic, who reached 1,000 career kills during Friday's pool play, had three big hits late to give Hoisington a 21-20 lead. The Thunder took the lead back on a ball that was ruled tip, but Simic again leveled the score at 22 with a kill. A block from sophomore Kinley Wilkins gave Hoisington its final lead of the set at 23-22.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730589415767.jpeg" alt="Points were dramatic in the third set of the state semifinals against Nemaha Central." />
 <figcaption>Points were dramatic in the third set of the state semifinals against Nemaha Central.</figcaption>
 </figure>Things went well for Hoisington early on as a tip from senior Ellie Crawford gave the Cards a 6-3 lead in the first set. Simic put down kills for the first five Hoisington points and traded blows with a trio of Nemaha hitters. Tied at six, the Thunder six of the next seven points and hung on to a 25-21 first set.Hoisington trailed 9-7 in the second set when Wilkens put down a kill and junior Miya Nachtigal followed with an ace to tie things up. Simic had a stretch that included five kills and Maier added two more as the Lady Cards opened up a 19-16 lead. A Simic kill set up match point and the state-record holder for aces in a season finished off the second set at 25-22 with another of her big serves.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730589616070.jpeg" alt="Lady Cardinal sophomore Kinley Wilkens (13) and junior Kelsi Maier (25) force a hit high during Saturday's consolation match against Neodesha." />
 <figcaption>Lady Cardinal sophomore Kinley Wilkens (13) and junior Kelsi Maier (25) force a hit high during Saturday's consolation match against Neodesha.</figcaption>
 </figure>Hoisington handled Neodesha in two sets in Friday's pool play. The Lady Cards repeated the feat in Saturday's consolation match. After falling behind 6-2, a pair of Simic aces helped Hoisington turn things around to an 11-8 lead. Still leading 19-16, Simic had four late kills and Crawford added a big block to secure the first set 25-19.All the Lady Cardinal hitters were out early in the final set of the season. Shots from Maier and Crawford were followed by two kills from Simic. Sophomore Brynn Tarlton's serves kept the Blue Streak offense off balance in the strethc. Leading 12-5, Maier and Simic each followed with two more kills and the rout was on. Maier had three kills late in the set and Simic added one more ace to her season total as Hoisington rolled 25-13.Hoisington ends its season at 41-5 overall, with two losses coming to Halstead, which beat Nemaha Central in straight sets to claim the Class 3A championship. The Lady Cards say goodybe to just three seniors in Reif, Crawford, and Presley Brungardt."Talking to the seniors, I told them they definitely left this program better than when they came into this program," Riedl said. "We thank them and we love them and we are really going to miss them, but they left these underclassmen with the confidence, leadership, and everything they need to continue to be successful over the next several years."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730589724744.jpeg" alt="Reif and Maier celebrate." />
 <figcaption>Reif and Maier celebrate.</figcaption>
 </figure>

Hoisington bounces back from tough semifinal loss to finish third in 3A

The Great Bend girls entered Saturday morning's Class 5A State Cross Country Championships at Rim Rock Farm near Lawrence on the outside looking in at a state trophy as the fourth-ranked team. Some of the usual 5A powers reared their heads, pushing the Lady Panthers to an eighth-place finish.&nbsp;

St. James Academy scored 77 points to win another title, followed by Kapaun Mt. Carmel with 93 points, and Blue Valley Southwest with 97 points. Bishop Carroll and St. Thomas completed the private school near sweep in fourth and fifth place. Great Bend scored 193 points for eighth.

There was plenty of intrigue in the individual race. Topeka Seaman junior Ryin Miller set the state record for a 5K earlier this year but Salina Central senior Katelyn Rupe entered as the two-time defending champion, and her sophomore teammate Kaylie Shultz also ran ahead of Miller at state last year.

The University of North Carolina-bound Rupe continued her streak, blazing a 17:09.77 to beat Miller by 17 seconds. Shultz finished third in 18:13.67.

Sophomore Bella Long led Great Bend in 25th place with a time of 19:54.62 to miss all-state honors by just nine seconds. Junior Sienna Smith ran 31st in 20:08.53, followed by senior Marissa Boone in 41st in 20:22.88. Sophomore Teah King finished 59th in 21:21.38, and senior Kate Welcher scored the final team points in 73rd with a time of 21:49.54. Freshman Samantha Negaard finished 81st in 22:02.06.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729962928566.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Great Bend Post SportsThe Great Bend girls entered Saturday morning's Class 5A State Cross Country Championships at Rim Rock Farm near Lawrence on the outside looking in at a state trophy as the fourth-ranked team. Some of the usual 5A powers reared their heads, pushing the Lady Panthers to an eighth-place finish.&nbsp;St. James Academy scored 77 points to win another title, followed by Kapaun Mt. Carmel with 93 points, and Blue Valley Southwest with 97 points. Bishop Carroll and St. Thomas completed the private school near sweep in fourth and fifth place. Great Bend scored 193 points for eighth.There was plenty of intrigue in the individual race. Topeka Seaman junior Ryin Miller set the state record for a 5K earlier this year but Salina Central senior Katelyn Rupe entered as the two-time defending champion, and her sophomore teammate Kaylie Shultz also ran ahead of Miller at state last year.The University of North Carolina-bound Rupe continued her streak, blazing a 17:09.77 to beat Miller by 17 seconds. Shultz finished third in 18:13.67.Sophomore Bella Long led Great Bend in 25th place with a time of 19:54.62 to miss all-state honors by just nine seconds. Junior Sienna Smith ran 31st in 20:08.53, followed by senior Marissa Boone in 41st in 20:22.88. Sophomore Teah King finished 59th in 21:21.38, and senior Kate Welcher scored the final team points in 73rd with a time of 21:49.54. Freshman Samantha Negaard finished 81st in 22:02.06.

Rupe wins 5A XC title; Lady Panthers finish eighth overall

One of the first state cross country championships to finish Saturday morning was the 2A girls' race at the Wamego Country Club. A pair of Lady Eagles - Eleanor Joiner and Jenna Borror - earned all-state honors as top-20 finishers.&nbsp;

Remington and Berean Academy deadlocked for the title with 108 team points but Remington won the tiebreak for the championship. Hoxie ran third with 132 points to beat Oskaloosa by eight spots. Ellinwood finished seventh with 150 points in a tight field.

Smith Center sophomore Madison Howland cruised to the individual title by 33 seconds in 18:50.76. The freshman Joiner paced Ellinwood in 15th in 21:36.86, 19 seconds from a top-10 finish. Borror, another Lady Eagle freshman, finished 18th in 21:45.18.

Kyla McCormick placed 45th in 23:06.26, Ali Gonzalez ran 57th in 23:48.76, and Madison Dombroski won the final team points in 77th with a time of 25:01.85. Heidi Brauer finished 81st in 25:19.75, and Kynlee Wesner placed 101st in 34:43.97.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727702331972.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Great Bend Post SportsOne of the first state cross country championships to finish Saturday morning was the 2A girls' race at the Wamego Country Club. A pair of Lady Eagles - Eleanor Joiner and Jenna Borror - earned all-state honors as top-20 finishers.&nbsp;Remington and Berean Academy deadlocked for the title with 108 team points but Remington won the tiebreak for the championship. Hoxie ran third with 132 points to beat Oskaloosa by eight spots. Ellinwood finished seventh with 150 points in a tight field.Smith Center sophomore Madison Howland cruised to the individual title by 33 seconds in 18:50.76. The freshman Joiner paced Ellinwood in 15th in 21:36.86, 19 seconds from a top-10 finish. Borror, another Lady Eagle freshman, finished 18th in 21:45.18.Kyla McCormick placed 45th in 23:06.26, Ali Gonzalez ran 57th in 23:48.76, and Madison Dombroski won the final team points in 77th with a time of 25:01.85. Heidi Brauer finished 81st in 25:19.75, and Kynlee Wesner placed 101st in 34:43.97.

Joiner, Borror earn all-state honors at 2A XC; Ellinwood seventh

The Class 2A State Volleyball Championship bracket was headed exactly where the polls thought it would after Friday's pool action. Top-ranked Inman rolled its three opponents in one pool, and second-ranked Ellinwood did the same in its pool.

Saturday morning was a different story in Dodge City as both of the top-ranked teams fell in straight sets. Valley Heights downed Inman 26-24, 25-21. Maranatha Academy defeated Ellinwood 25-22, 25-17. Maranatha and Valley Heights will play in the state championship game later this morning, and Ellinwood and Inman will battle it out for the third-place trophy.

Great Bend Post SportsThe Class 2A State Volleyball Championship bracket was headed exactly where the polls thought it would after Friday's pool action. Top-ranked Inman rolled its three opponents in one pool, and second-ranked Ellinwood did the same in its pool.Saturday morning was a different story in Dodge City as both of the top-ranked teams fell in straight sets. Valley Heights downed Inman 26-24, 25-21. Maranatha Academy defeated Ellinwood 25-22, 25-17. Maranatha and Valley Heights will play in the state championship game later this morning, and Ellinwood and Inman will battle it out for the third-place trophy.

2A state volleyball: top two seeds fall in Saturday semifinals

Several area volleyball teams opened state action in pool play on Friday. The top two teams in each pool advanced to Saturday's state semifinal matches.

Class 3A at Hutchinson Sports Arena 1 p.m. Hoisington will play in a semifinal after winning its first two matches. Final results and Saturday's schedule were not available at 10:55 p.m. Friday.

Class 2A at United Wireless Arena in Dodge City 9 a.m. No. 1 Inman (42-2) vs No. 6 Valley Heights (31-10) No. 2 Ellinwood (42-3) vs No. 4 Maranatha Academy (39-7)

Class 1A, Div. I at United Wireless Arena in Dodge City 1 p.m. No. 3 Little River (38-6) vs No. 1 Flinthills (39-3) No. 4 Centralia&nbsp; (37-7)&nbsp; &nbsp;vs No. 7 Clifton-Clyde (26-16)

Great Bend Post SportsSeveral area volleyball teams opened state action in pool play on Friday. The top two teams in each pool advanced to Saturday's state semifinal matches.Class 3A at Hutchinson Sports Arena 1 p.m. Hoisington will play in a semifinal after winning its first two matches. Final results and Saturday's schedule were not available at 10:55 p.m. Friday.Class 2A at United Wireless Arena in Dodge City 9 a.m. No. 1 Inman (42-2) vs No. 6 Valley Heights (31-10) No. 2 Ellinwood (42-3) vs No. 4 Maranatha Academy (39-7)Class 1A, Div. I at United Wireless Arena in Dodge City 1 p.m. No. 3 Little River (38-6) vs No. 1 Flinthills (39-3) No. 4 Centralia&nbsp; (37-7)&nbsp; &nbsp;vs No. 7 Clifton-Clyde (26-16)

Area state semifinal volleyball matchups for Saturday

Class 6A Friday Dodge City 34, Garden City 7 Class 5A&nbsp;Friday Great Bend 49, Newton 7 Hays 31, Andover0 Liberal 17, Bishop Carroll 6 Class 3A&nbsp;Friday Clay Center 47, Pratt 46 Hesston 43, Goodland 34 Rock Creek 51, Smoky Valley 8 Class 2A Friday Hoisington 28, Ellsworth 15 Southeast of Saline 76, Larned 12 Haven 38, Cimarron 7 Halstead 36, Lakin 6 Norton 33, Hillsboro 22 Class 1A Friday Sterling 48, TMP 6 8-Man Division I Thursday Central Plains 40, Sylvan-Lucas 38 Hoxie 52, La Crosse 0 Sublette 1, Pratt-Skyline 0 Little River 42, Lincoln 40 Friday Oxford 46, Kinsley 28 South Gray 56, Kiowa County 28 8-Man Division II Thursday Central Christian 48, Macksville 6 Hodgeman County 44, Norwich 38 Friday Victoria 52, Fairfield 0 Attica-Argonia 70, St. John 20 6-Man Thursday Pawnee Heights 68, Western Plains 18 Friday Chetopa 86, Chase 0 Otis-Bison (5-3) Bye

Class 6A Friday Dodge City 34, Garden City 7 Class 5A&nbsp;Friday Great Bend 49, Newton 7 Hays 31, Andover0 Liberal 17, Bishop Carroll 6 Class 3A&nbsp;Friday Clay Center 47, Pratt 46 Hesston 43, Goodland 34 Rock Creek 51, Smoky Valley 8 Class 2A Friday Hoisington 28, Ellsworth 15 Southeast of Saline 76, Larned 12 Haven 38, Cimarron 7 Halstead 36, Lakin 6 Norton 33, Hillsboro 22 Class 1A Friday Sterling 48, TMP 6 8-Man Division I Thursday Central Plains 40, Sylvan-Lucas 38 Hoxie 52, La Crosse 0 Sublette 1, Pratt-Skyline 0 Little River 42, Lincoln 40 Friday Oxford 46, Kinsley 28 South Gray 56, Kiowa County 28 8-Man Division II Thursday Central Christian 48, Macksville 6 Hodgeman County 44, Norwich 38 Friday Victoria 52, Fairfield 0 Attica-Argonia 70, St. John 20 6-Man Thursday Pawnee Heights 68, Western Plains 18 Friday Chetopa 86, Chase 0 Otis-Bison (5-3) Bye

Area high school football schedule - Week 9 scores

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/2020/2/1581739911992.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Hoisington 28 Ellsworth 15<div><iframe width="100%" height="265" src="https://clyp.it/1rzno5y4/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.

Hoisington 28 Ellsworth 15

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>Southeast Saline 76 Larned 12<div><iframe width="100%" height="265" src="https://clyp.it/sr1uagfl/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.

Southeast Saline 76 Larned 12

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 49 Newton 7<div><iframe width="100%" height="265" src="https://clyp.it/avo4oqte/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.

Great Bend 49 Newton 7

The semifinals are all but set at the Class 5A State Volleyball Championships in Salina. In Pool 2, No. 7 Kapaun knocked off No. 2 Great Bend in three sets and No. 3 Andover in two sets to avenge a pair of losses to the Trojans earlier this season. With a 25-20, 25-17 loss to No. 6 St. James Academy, Great Bend will play Andover in the final match of the evening with hopes of extending a school-record 35 wins on the season.

With Andover's loss to Kapaun, Great Bend needed to beat St. James to stay alive. The Thunder, with USC-bound Reese Messer and a powerful freshman in Mya Lee were impressive in both of their early matches.&nbsp;

Lee had three early kills in the first set against Great Bend at St. James pulled ahead 10-4. The Panthers got a pair of kills from sophomore Alex Mayers and a Melock from sophomore Kya Behr to stay in the set at 14-10. A kill from senior Cassie Ellegood and another Great Bend point made the score 15-12. The Thunder ultimately pushed the lead back to 20-13 and 22-18 on Great Bend's fourth service out of bounds in the set. Messer added a late block as the Thunder finished off the set 25-20.

Ellegood put down a kill and aced the subsequent serve to give the Panthers a quick 3-2 edge early in the second set. Great Bend remained competitive, getting a tip from Behr and an ace from junior Ava Kaiser to trail 10-9. Lee put down a kill for a 17-14 Thunder lead and the Panthers never got any closer than that in the 25-17 set.

Top-ranked and top-seeded Topeka-Seaman is the only unbeaten team in Pool 1 after two rounds of matches.

Round one of pool play at the Tony's Pizza Event Center in Salina was not a kind one to the lower-seeded teams of the Class 5A State Volleyball championships. In Pool 2, No. 3 Andover fell into a 5-0 deficit against No. 6 St. James Academy, never rebounding in a 25-14 first set. The Trojans led 8-5 in the second match before surrendering 10 straight points and dropping the set 25-19. Great Bend, the No. 2 seed, dropped its first set to Kapaun Mt. Carmel 25-8, 23-25, 25-12.

No. 2 Great Bend dropped its first set to No. 7 Kapaun 25-8. The Lady Panthers fell behind 11-3 after a pair of aces from Crusader junior Mason Palace, who added a pair of late kills to bump the Kapaun lead to 20-7.

Great Bend rebounded to take the second set 25-23 in a dramatic second set. The Panthers took their first lead at 7-6 on a tip from sophomore Kya Behr, and another Behr tip extended the lead to 13-7. Palace and the Crusaders stormed back to 13-12 before Behr ended the run with a kill. Late in the set, a Kapaun ace leveled the score at 22. Senior Cassie Ellegood answered with a kill. Leading 24-23, Behr came up with a big save that yielded an Ellegood tip for the 25-23 set.

Kapaun jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the third and decisive set. Seniors Ellegood and Kara Feist put down kills to stop the bleeding but the Crusader lead grew to 10-4, then 18-7 after a Palace kill. Kapaun kept the gap at or near double-digits the rest of the way to take the set 25-12.

Great Bend plays matches against St. James Academy and Andover later Friday evening.

In Pool 1, No. 5 seed St. Thomas Aquinas defeated No. 4 seed Blue Valley Southwest in straight sets 25-23, 25-18. Top-ranked and top-seeded Topeka-Seaman defeated De Soto in two sets.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730501981286.jpeg" alt="Lady Panther sophomore Kya Behr (17) and senior Kara Feist (15) attempt a block against Kapaun junior Mason Palace during Friday's Class 5A state tournament in Salina." />
 <figcaption>Lady Panther sophomore Kya Behr (17) and senior Kara Feist (15) attempt a block against Kapaun junior Mason Palace during Friday's Class 5A state tournament in Salina.</figcaption>
 </figure>By MIKE COURSON Great Bend PostThe semifinals are all but set at the Class 5A State Volleyball Championships in Salina. In Pool 2, No. 7 Kapaun knocked off No. 2 Great Bend in three sets and No. 3 Andover in two sets to avenge a pair of losses to the Trojans earlier this season. With a 25-20, 25-17 loss to No. 6 St. James Academy, Great Bend will play Andover in the final match of the evening with hopes of extending a school-record 35 wins on the season.With Andover's loss to Kapaun, Great Bend needed to beat St. James to stay alive. The Thunder, with USC-bound Reese Messer and a powerful freshman in Mya Lee were impressive in both of their early matches.&nbsp;Lee had three early kills in the first set against Great Bend at St. James pulled ahead 10-4. The Panthers got a pair of kills from sophomore Alex Mayers and a Melock from sophomore Kya Behr to stay in the set at 14-10. A kill from senior Cassie Ellegood and another Great Bend point made the score 15-12. The Thunder ultimately pushed the lead back to 20-13 and 22-18 on Great Bend's fourth service out of bounds in the set. Messer added a late block as the Thunder finished off the set 25-20.Ellegood put down a kill and aced the subsequent serve to give the Panthers a quick 3-2 edge early in the second set. Great Bend remained competitive, getting a tip from Behr and an ace from junior Ava Kaiser to trail 10-9. Lee put down a kill for a 17-14 Thunder lead and the Panthers never got any closer than that in the 25-17 set.Top-ranked and top-seeded Topeka-Seaman is the only unbeaten team in Pool 1 after two rounds of matches.Earlier action...Round one of pool play at the Tony's Pizza Event Center in Salina was not a kind one to the lower-seeded teams of the Class 5A State Volleyball championships. In Pool 2, No. 3 Andover fell into a 5-0 deficit against No. 6 St. James Academy, never rebounding in a 25-14 first set. The Trojans led 8-5 in the second match before surrendering 10 straight points and dropping the set 25-19. Great Bend, the No. 2 seed, dropped its first set to Kapaun Mt. Carmel 25-8, 23-25, 25-12.No. 2 Great Bend dropped its first set to No. 7 Kapaun 25-8. The Lady Panthers fell behind 11-3 after a pair of aces from Crusader junior Mason Palace, who added a pair of late kills to bump the Kapaun lead to 20-7.Great Bend rebounded to take the second set 25-23 in a dramatic second set. The Panthers took their first lead at 7-6 on a tip from sophomore Kya Behr, and another Behr tip extended the lead to 13-7. Palace and the Crusaders stormed back to 13-12 before Behr ended the run with a kill. Late in the set, a Kapaun ace leveled the score at 22. Senior Cassie Ellegood answered with a kill. Leading 24-23, Behr came up with a big save that yielded an Ellegood tip for the 25-23 set.Kapaun jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the third and decisive set. Seniors Ellegood and Kara Feist put down kills to stop the bleeding but the Crusader lead grew to 10-4, then 18-7 after a Palace kill. Kapaun kept the gap at or near double-digits the rest of the way to take the set 25-12.Great Bend plays matches against St. James Academy and Andover later Friday evening.In Pool 1, No. 5 seed St. Thomas Aquinas defeated No. 4 seed Blue Valley Southwest in straight sets 25-23, 25-18. Top-ranked and top-seeded Topeka-Seaman defeated De Soto in two sets.

Updates: Class 5A state volleyball in Salina

Win two in Friday's state pool play and you probably advance to Saturday's semifinals. Second-ranked Ellinwood left no doubt with a 3-0 showing in Friday's Class 2A State Volleyball Championships in Dodge City. The Lady Eagles will play Maranatha Academy in Saturday's state semifinal match at United Wireless Arena.

Pool II saw a shakeup early on as Valley Heights defeated No. 3 seed Sedgwick 25-19, 25-17 in the first match of the day. Ellinwood followed with a 25-9, 25-15 win against Doniphan West, then defeated Valley Heights 25-17, 25-20. The Lady Eagles dominated Sedgwick 25-8, 25-10 in the pool finale.

Inman, the No. 1 ranked team all season, also went 3-0 in Pool I to advance to Saturday's other semifinal against Valley Heights.

In Class 1A, Div. II, Otis-Bison posted a late win in pool play but it was too little, too late as Ingalls and Lebo picked up a pair of wins in the pool. The Lady Cougars fell to Lebo 25-11, 25-16, then dropped a 25-16, 25-16 match to Ingalls. Otis-Bison closed out the season with a 24-26, 25-12, 25-23 win against Victoria.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729688638922.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By MIKE COURSON Great Bend PostWin two in Friday's state pool play and you probably advance to Saturday's semifinals. Second-ranked Ellinwood left no doubt with a 3-0 showing in Friday's Class 2A State Volleyball Championships in Dodge City. The Lady Eagles will play Maranatha Academy in Saturday's state semifinal match at United Wireless Arena.Pool II saw a shakeup early on as Valley Heights defeated No. 3 seed Sedgwick 25-19, 25-17 in the first match of the day. Ellinwood followed with a 25-9, 25-15 win against Doniphan West, then defeated Valley Heights 25-17, 25-20. The Lady Eagles dominated Sedgwick 25-8, 25-10 in the pool finale.Inman, the No. 1 ranked team all season, also went 3-0 in Pool I to advance to Saturday's other semifinal against Valley Heights.In Class 1A, Div. II, Otis-Bison posted a late win in pool play but it was too little, too late as Ingalls and Lebo picked up a pair of wins in the pool. The Lady Cougars fell to Lebo 25-11, 25-16, then dropped a 25-16, 25-16 match to Ingalls. Otis-Bison closed out the season with a 24-26, 25-12, 25-23 win against Victoria.

2A/1A state volleyball: Ellinwood opens state at 3-0; advances to semis

- Barton Men's basketball coach Jeremy Coombs will be in the Mayo Money Management Studio to preview the 24-25 season that begins next Friday against Labette that will be played in Hutchinson at Hutch Tipoff Classic.

- Sunflower Sports Solutions Conor Nicholl will bring it strong as he previews State Volleyball and State Cross Country. He'll also talk about Thursday night's Week 9 games and preview the Friday games.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1693997740304.jpeg" alt="Friday show lineup with hosts Steve Webster, Mike Courson, and Mike Hesher" />
 <figcaption>Friday 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/YHJGmQtLosg?si=h5mZh3Wiu84DRDKo" 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>- Barton Men's basketball coach Jeremy Coombs will be in the Mayo Money Management Studio to preview the 24-25 season that begins next Friday against Labette that will be played in Hutchinson at Hutch Tipoff Classic.- Sunflower Sports Solutions Conor Nicholl will bring it strong as he previews State Volleyball and State Cross Country. He'll also talk about Thursday night's Week 9 games and preview the Friday games.- Friday Sports Headlines- Sounds of the past 24-hours

Friday on Sports Day(Watch)

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Athletics owner John Fisher and his family will invest $1 billion into the construction of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/as-athletics-vegas-stadium-oakland-f04dde29666d5f54b57ec14460a63c03">a stadium in Las Vegas</a>&nbsp;and U.S. Bank and Goldman Sachs will offer a $300 million loan, club executive Sandy Dean said Thursday.

Dean made his remarks to a special meeting of the Las Vegas Stadium Authority board.

Dean said four letters will be presented at the Dec. 5 authority meeting asserting construction details and financing will be in place. Final approvals are expected to be made at that meeting to allow construction of the $1.5 billion, 30,000-seat domed ballpark with a capacity for up to 33,000 fans.

“We feel like we're on the right path and it will become clearer in the months ahead,” Dean told the board.

Construction is expected to begin in the spring with a targeted opening before the 2028 season. As much as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/las-vegas-oakland-athletics-governor-signing-f190c44133bbcee47a15278135b6088f?utm_source=copy&amp;utm_medium=share">$380 million in public funding</a>&nbsp;will go into building the stadium, which will be on the Las Vegas Strip on the site of where the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/las-vegas-strip-tropicana-casino-closes-adabc55cc91d08dda3181edbc6d7984e">recently demolished Tropicana</a>&nbsp;stood.

Dean said Fisher is still pursuing partners in the Las Vegas area who can purchase stakes in the franchise, which in turn goes toward paying for the stadium.

“We've been consistent in saying it would be good coming to Las Vegas to have outside partners from Las Vegas,” Dean said after the meeting. “That process has just begun. The ability to finance the stadium is independent of that.”

As for the financing, the four letters that will be presented at the December meeting will better address that.

The first is the loan commitment from U.S. Bank and Goldman Sachs. Dean said it probably would be a five-year term “that would be replaced by a permanent loan once construction is done.”

Another letter, Dean said, asserts the Fisher and his family have the ability to meet their financial commitment. Dean said the third letter from U.S. Bank will show that through a review of the owner's finances that it “concludes the Fisher family has more than sufficient resources to fund the equity investment that's required to build the stadium.”

The fourth laid out the commitments to Athletics StadCo LLC, an entity created to handle the private capital investment.

Also, the draft lease agreement and deed were presented to the board.

“We feel like these documents are on track for the schedule that we have been talking about for a number of months,” said Steve Hill, president and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. “We feel like there's a real possibility we'll be able to reach a conclusion on all of them on Dec. 5.”

Dean said an updated construction budget will be presented at that day's meeting, and he acknowledged the final cost likely will rise “by something.”

Hill said documents would be made public several days before the December meeting and he didn't anticipate any issues regarding approval.

“There are a couple of places where we need to get the language right, but we've had enough of a conversation to understand that everybody understands what the outcome is intended to be," Hill said.

He cited ensuring details regarding parking as an example of getting all the proper wording in place.

The A's will play at least the next three seasons in West Sacramento, California. The club announced it will play 60 of its 81 home games next season at night, tying the 1968 A's for the most in their history. That includes 25 of 28 games at night in June and July when temperatures are often 100 degrees (37.8 Celsius) or hotter.

Their first game in Sacramento is March 31 against the Chicago Cubs.

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Athletics owner John Fisher and his family will invest $1 billion into the construction of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/as-athletics-vegas-stadium-oakland-f04dde29666d5f54b57ec14460a63c03">a stadium in Las Vegas</a>&nbsp;and U.S. Bank and Goldman Sachs will offer a $300 million loan, club executive Sandy Dean said Thursday.Dean made his remarks to a special meeting of the Las Vegas Stadium Authority board.Dean said four letters will be presented at the Dec. 5 authority meeting asserting construction details and financing will be in place. Final approvals are expected to be made at that meeting to allow construction of the $1.5 billion, 30,000-seat domed ballpark with a capacity for up to 33,000 fans.“We feel like we're on the right path and it will become clearer in the months ahead,” Dean told the board.Construction is expected to begin in the spring with a targeted opening before the 2028 season. As much as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/las-vegas-oakland-athletics-governor-signing-f190c44133bbcee47a15278135b6088f?utm_source=copy&amp;utm_medium=share">$380 million in public funding</a>&nbsp;will go into building the stadium, which will be on the Las Vegas Strip on the site of where the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/las-vegas-strip-tropicana-casino-closes-adabc55cc91d08dda3181edbc6d7984e">recently demolished Tropicana</a>&nbsp;stood.Dean said Fisher is still pursuing partners in the Las Vegas area who can purchase stakes in the franchise, which in turn goes toward paying for the stadium.“We've been consistent in saying it would be good coming to Las Vegas to have outside partners from Las Vegas,” Dean said after the meeting. “That process has just begun. The ability to finance the stadium is independent of that.”As for the financing, the four letters that will be presented at the December meeting will better address that.The first is the loan commitment from U.S. Bank and Goldman Sachs. Dean said it probably would be a five-year term “that would be replaced by a permanent loan once construction is done.”Another letter, Dean said, asserts the Fisher and his family have the ability to meet their financial commitment. Dean said the third letter from U.S. Bank will show that through a review of the owner's finances that it “concludes the Fisher family has more than sufficient resources to fund the equity investment that's required to build the stadium.”The fourth laid out the commitments to Athletics StadCo LLC, an entity created to handle the private capital investment.Also, the draft lease agreement and deed were presented to the board.“We feel like these documents are on track for the schedule that we have been talking about for a number of months,” said Steve Hill, president and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. “We feel like there's a real possibility we'll be able to reach a conclusion on all of them on Dec. 5.”Dean said an updated construction budget will be presented at that day's meeting, and he acknowledged the final cost likely will rise “by something.”Hill said documents would be made public several days before the December meeting and he didn't anticipate any issues regarding approval.“There are a couple of places where we need to get the language right, but we've had enough of a conversation to understand that everybody understands what the outcome is intended to be," Hill said.He cited ensuring details regarding parking as an example of getting all the proper wording in place.The A's will play at least the next three seasons in West Sacramento, California. The club announced it will play 60 of its 81 home games next season at night, tying the 1968 A's for the most in their history. That includes 25 of 28 games at night in June and July when temperatures are often 100 degrees (37.8 Celsius) or hotter.Their first game in Sacramento is March 31 against the Chicago Cubs.

John Fisher pledges $1 billion to construction of A's stadium in Las Vegas

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the rest of the ownership group of the Kansas City Current, who play in the National Women's Soccer League, have been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wnba-cba-caitlin-clark-eabe7a584a95de91df017a1123988ae6">meeting with WNBA officials a</a>&nbsp;bout bringing an expansion franchise to the city.

Mahomes confirmed the talks Thursday, saying that it was a “no-brainer” to try to bring women's hoops to Kansas City.

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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721168176429.jpeg" alt="" />
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 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the rest of the ownership group of the Kansas City Current, who play in the National Women's Soccer League, have been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wnba-cba-caitlin-clark-eabe7a584a95de91df017a1123988ae6">meeting with WNBA officials a</a>&nbsp;bout bringing an expansion franchise to the city.Mahomes confirmed the talks Thursday, saying that it was a “no-brainer” to try to bring women's hoops to Kansas City.“Obviously, we want to get basketball in Kansas City in general,” said Mahomes, who also has ownership stakes in the Royals and MLS club Sporting Kansas City. “You talk about the University of Kansas basketball, the Chiefs, whatever it is, the city is going to come out to the stadium. It's cool we were able to get the women's soccer team here and you see the support they have.”The Current, who play in a $117 million&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nwsl-soccer-championship-kansas-city-cfa9d89aaf534a6fab2c1c07670de4a7">purpose-built stadium near</a>&nbsp;downtown Kansas City, have regularly sold out their home matches this season. They begin the NWSL playoffs as the No. 4 seed on Nov. 9 after losing just three times all season.Mahomes and his wife, Brittany — a former soccer player — frequently attend Current and Sporting KC matches. The Chiefs quarterback was in a suite at Kauffman Stadium a few weeks ago to watch the Royals play the Guardians in the playoffs.“I think more than anything, I know how much sports has given to me,” said Mahomes, whose unbeaten Chiefs play Tampa Bay on Monday night. “Whenever I'm done with football — whenever that is — and I have to venture into life after football, and chase kids around, I want to still be a part of it. Hopefully, we can get this WNBA team here, for life after football, so I can make an impact in sports, and show my daughter that you can chase your dream, whatever dream that is.”The WNBA is expanding by three teams over the next two seasons with Golden State, Portland and Toronto pushing the total number of franchises to 15. And while league commissioner Cathy Engelbert has said the WNBA would like to add a 16th team by the 2028 season, Kansas City is expected to have competition from St. Louis, Philadelphia and several other cities.The league has been buoyed by young stars such as Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wnba-cba-caitlin-clark-eabe7a584a95de91df017a1123988ae6">drawing its best attendance</a>&nbsp;numbers in 22 years this past season. Game 5 of its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wnba-cba-caitlin-clark-eabe7a584a95de91df017a1123988ae6">championship peaked at</a>&nbsp;3.3 million TV viewers, the most-watched WNBA game in a quarter of a century, plus 22 telecasts during the 40-game regular season topped at least a million viewers across various networks.Kansas City has long had the infrastructure for a professional basketball franchise, building the T-Mobile Center in 2007 with the hopes of luring an NBA or NHL club to town. Those teams never materialized, but the building has remained busy hosting concerts and other sports events, including the Big 12 men's and women's basketball tournaments each March.Mahomes believes a WNBA franchise would be the perfect fit for the downtown arena.“They want to expand. Just like any other business, you have to pick and choose how,” he said. “Obviously, you've seen the last few years the WNBA has grown. We feel like Kansas City is a great place to continue that growth, but we have to battle other cities to show them that this is the right place.”