By MIKE COURSON Great Bend Post

They can't all be dunks. Great Bend's Ian Premer put up a season's worth of highlights on a Jan. 3 trip to Liberal. All the junior did Friday night against the Redskins was pour in 31 points, grab 12 rebounds, and dish out a handful of assists, mostly in three quarters. Four Panthers hit double-figures as Great Bend cruised to a 78-41 running-clock win.

Premer finished a big first quarter with 10 points, four rebounds, and three assists. Junior Jacob Hall added eight points in the frame as No. 4 Great Bend jumped out to a 26-5 lead. Premer got his double-double before the half with 10 more points and six more rebounds in the second quarter as the Panthers extended the lead to 46-22.

Great Bend got nine points apiece from Premer and senior Ben Nicholson in the third quarter. The Panthers opened the second half with a flurry of 13 points in less than three minutes. Liberal was able to cut the lead under 30 points late in the quarter but Premer went coast-to-coast and Nicholson followed with a putback in the final 38 seconds to push the gap back to 70-35 with a quarter to play.

Liberal (3-13) got a pair of third-quarter threes from senior Jaykree Washington, who paced the Redskins with 12 points. Junior James Fieser scored nine of his 11 points in the first half.

Great Bend has now won 11 straight to move to 14-1 on the season. Premer finished with 31 points and 15 rebounds. Nicholson also notched a double-double with 19 points and 10 boards. Hall finished with 11 points, and Homecoming King Izaeh Reed scored 10 points.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738989421597.jpeg" alt="Panther senior Ben Nicholson put up 19 points and 10 rebounds in Friday's 78-41 Homecoming win against Liberal." />
 <figcaption>Panther senior Ben Nicholson put up 19 points and 10 rebounds in Friday's 78-41 Homecoming win against Liberal.</figcaption>
 </figure>By MIKE COURSON Great Bend PostThey can't all be dunks. Great Bend's Ian Premer put up a season's worth of highlights on a Jan. 3 trip to Liberal. All the junior did Friday night against the Redskins was pour in 31 points, grab 12 rebounds, and dish out a handful of assists, mostly in three quarters. Four Panthers hit double-figures as Great Bend cruised to a 78-41 running-clock win.Premer finished a big first quarter with 10 points, four rebounds, and three assists. Junior Jacob Hall added eight points in the frame as No. 4 Great Bend jumped out to a 26-5 lead. Premer got his double-double before the half with 10 more points and six more rebounds in the second quarter as the Panthers extended the lead to 46-22.Great Bend got nine points apiece from Premer and senior Ben Nicholson in the third quarter. The Panthers opened the second half with a flurry of 13 points in less than three minutes. Liberal was able to cut the lead under 30 points late in the quarter but Premer went coast-to-coast and Nicholson followed with a putback in the final 38 seconds to push the gap back to 70-35 with a quarter to play.Liberal (3-13) got a pair of third-quarter threes from senior Jaykree Washington, who paced the Redskins with 12 points. Junior James Fieser scored nine of his 11 points in the first half.Great Bend has now won 11 straight to move to 14-1 on the season. Premer finished with 31 points and 15 rebounds. Nicholson also notched a double-double with 19 points and 10 boards. Hall finished with 11 points, and Homecoming King Izaeh Reed scored 10 points.

Premer leads No. 4 Panthers with 31 points; Great Bend downs Liberal 78-41

Ellinwood Boys 54 Hoisington 48; Ellinwood Girls 52 Hoisington 34

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>Ellinwood Boys 54 Hoisington 48; Ellinwood Girls 52 Hoisington 34<div><iframe width="100%" height="265" src="https://clyp.it/kqd1fkcw/widget" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>Hoisington Sports on 100.7 Eagle Country sponsored by...USD #431 Hoisington, Ehler Chevrolet, Cardinal Pharmacy, Equity Bank, Donald E Reif Jr. Attorney at Law, Town &amp; Country Supermarket, Superior Essex, First Kansas Bank, Innovative Livestock Services, Mpire Realty Jessy Kirmer/Nikki Henderson, Clara Barton Medical Center, Hoisington Veterinary Hospital, Rosenberg Family Denistry, Hoisington Recreation Commission, Central Chiropractic, Dr. Tyler Schremmer, Bobcat Backhoe Service, and Barton Community College.

Great Bend Boys 78 Liberal 41; Liberal Girls 67 Great Bend 40

Great Bend Sports on B104 3 The Point sponsored by USD #428, Keller Real Estate &amp; Insurance Agency, Equity Bank, The 10th Street Eyecare Center, People's Bank and Trust, Comfort Pro, Delgado's Mexican Restaurant, Great Bend Rec, Edward Jones, Damm Pipe Testing, University of Kansas Health System, The Fieldhouse, Scott's Welding Service, American Plains COOP, Farmer's Bank &amp; Trust, Innovative Livestock Services, Marmie Auto Group, Mpire Realty, Advanced Therapy &amp; Sports Medicine, GB Tarp Company, Freedom Claims Management, Coldwell Banker - Megan Wells, Advanced Truck &amp; Diesel, Nextech, Stone Sand Company/Stone Waste Management, Rosenberg Family Denistry, Sutherlands, Great Bend Redi Mix, Kern Floor Service, Magna Dry Cleaning Services, Shelter Insurance - Chris Ramsey, and Mitchell K Haney and Associates.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673886602159.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Great Bend Boys 78 Liberal 41; Liberal Girls 67 Great Bend 40<div><iframe width="100%" height="265" src="https://clyp.it/0piydbxp/widget" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>Great Bend Sports on B104 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.

Hesston Boys 64 Larned 31; Hesston Girls 58 Larned 29

Larned Sports on Hits 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>Hesston Boys 64 Larned 31; Hesston Girls 58 Larned 29<div><iframe width="100%" height="265" src="https://clyp.it/ntnp1g1c/widget" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>Larned Sports on Hits 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.

NEW YORK (AP) — If you tune into the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/puppy-bowl-2024-20th-anniversary-fe5ab3507eb72f24e170d1cb23c28b52">“Puppy Bowl”</a>&nbsp;on Sunday, you’ll likely see a key person’s influence — even if you don’t actually see her.

Victoria Schade is a dog trainer and novelist who’s the show’s lead puppy trainer and wrangler. She’s the one making sure the shelter pups have a conflict-free contest and that they’re captured at their most adorable — all from off-camera.

It is Schade who gets the puppies to look up during the “The Star-Spangled Banner” or run through a tunnel to get to the field for the starting lineups. She’s on the lookout for possible conflicts or nervous dogs.

“My responsibilities include ensuring puppy happiness and safety during gameplay,” she says. “So if there’s any moment where a puppy looks like they’re overwhelmed or they just need a break, I’ll step out and give them a little break on the sideline.”

Schade has been working with the doggies on the Animal Planet show for 19 years and is believed to be the longest serving member of the “Puppy Bowl” crew. She also works the kitten halftime show and calls filming both her favorite week of the year.

“I think she is one of the most dedicated, hardest working people out there in the business,” says “Puppy Bowl” referee Dan Schachner, now in his 14th year. “She doesn’t ever seem to run out of energy. She never says no to a request and there’s always brightness and sunshine from her with every step.”

Schade has coached hundreds of dogs over the years but never adopted one from the show — until now. She took home Boris — known on the show as Mr. Pickles — from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dallasdog.org/" target="_blank">Dallas Dog rescue.</a>&nbsp;“I saw star quality. So this was the year,” she says.

Early on, Schade was responsible for recruiting and selecting the puppies, a task now that leans on animal rescue groups and shelters throughout the country. These days, she’s the lead trainer.

“If you’re seeing the puppy looking up at the camera, I’m typically right there with the treat,” she says. “It’s a lot of treats and funny noises. And that does the trick.”

This year, Schade is stepping out from the sidelines and joining Schachner on camera for an hour-long pre-game kickoff show, which features a doggie combine and a draft. Other show highlights include segments with Dan Smyers, from superstar country duo Dan + Shay, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-chiefs-puppy-bowl-pet-adoption-0d3a65750c94ca476c59b47a564b3ebf">Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi.</a>

Schade has developed some very special animal-related skills over the years, including anticipating when one of the players needs to relieve itself.

“One of my ‘Puppy Bowl’ skills is reading butts. So I know when a puppy is going to go to the bathroom and I’ll typically say like, ‘Watch out in the 20-yard-line, we’re going to have a deposit’ and everyone’s ready to go with that cleanup.”

The “Puppy Bowl” made its debut as counter-programming to the Super Bowl in 2005. Dogs score touchdowns on a gridiron carpet when they cross the goal line — any goal line — with a toy in their mouth.

The show is really just an excuse to spend time watching adorable, clumsy pups play with chew toys, wag their tails furiously and lick the camera. A deeper reason is to encourage animal adoption.

<a href="https://www.aspca.org/helping-people-pets/shelter-intake-and-surrender/pet-statistics#:~:text=Approximately%204.1%20million%20shelter%20animals,are%20returned%20to%20their%20owners." target="_blank">According to the ASPCA,</a>&nbsp;approximately 390,000 shelter dogs are euthanized each year and 2 million shelter dogs are adopted.

Most of the puppies are usually adopted by airtime, since the show was filmed in the fall. But the point is to show that animals just like the ones on the show can be found at any shelter at any time.

This year’s three-hour television event this year will feature 142 rescue puppies from 80 shelters across 40 states — and one from Nicaragua, a Chihuahua-German shepherd. There will be 11 special needs dogs.

“That’s the most amount we’ve ever had,” says Schachner. “Look out for Jolene, who is a pitbull mix that’s in a wheelchair. Look out for a three-legged Boston terrier from New York City. And my personal favorite, is Sprinkle, who is a blind and deaf Aussie. So it’s just incredible to watch them play.”

The inaugural “Puppy Bowl” was watched by nearly 6 million viewers. Last year, 12.6 million viewers tuned in. In comparison, this year’s Golden Globes attracted 9.3 million.

Schade, whose first book was “&nbsp;<a href="https://www.victoriaschade.com/books/bonding-with-your-dog/" target="_blank">Bonding With Your Dog</a>&nbsp;” and who then pivoted to writing pet-oriented novels, like “Life on the Leash” and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.victoriaschade.com/books/dog-friendly/" target="_blank">“Dog Friendly,”</a>&nbsp;is a wealth of information about our four-legged friends.

She advises dog owners to learn to read the body language of their pet, to try to understand what they’re trying to say. Like tail-wagging — how tight? And where is the tail positioned?

Schade is a big advocate for positive reinforcement and science-based training, not the so-called alpha dog approach, which uses intimidation or force.

“There’s no need to be the alpha, which has been debunked anyway. You are your dog’s ally. You’re their friend. You’re their No. 1. And it’s a relationship based in compassion and understanding.”

That means load up on treats. She advocates keeping them in your pocket and consistently using them as rewards for good behavior, especially when potty training.

“I cannot stress it enough: When you think you’re treating enough, treat more because, especially during puppyhood, it is such a critical learning period and every interaction is a chance to teach something.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738936448970.png" alt="This image, released by Animal Planet/Warner Bros. Discovery shows animal expert Victoria Schade interacting with dogs on the set of "Puppy Bowl XXI," airing Sunday. (Animal Planet/Warner Bros. Discovery via AP)" />
 <figcaption>This image, released by Animal Planet/Warner Bros. Discovery shows animal expert Victoria Schade interacting with dogs on the set of "Puppy Bowl XXI," airing Sunday. (Animal Planet/Warner Bros. Discovery via AP)</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — If you tune into the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/puppy-bowl-2024-20th-anniversary-fe5ab3507eb72f24e170d1cb23c28b52">“Puppy Bowl”</a>&nbsp;on Sunday, you’ll likely see a key person’s influence — even if you don’t actually see her.Victoria Schade is a dog trainer and novelist who’s the show’s lead puppy trainer and wrangler. She’s the one making sure the shelter pups have a conflict-free contest and that they’re captured at their most adorable — all from off-camera.It is Schade who gets the puppies to look up during the “The Star-Spangled Banner” or run through a tunnel to get to the field for the starting lineups. She’s on the lookout for possible conflicts or nervous dogs.“My responsibilities include ensuring puppy happiness and safety during gameplay,” she says. “So if there’s any moment where a puppy looks like they’re overwhelmed or they just need a break, I’ll step out and give them a little break on the sideline.”Schade has been working with the doggies on the Animal Planet show for 19 years and is believed to be the longest serving member of the “Puppy Bowl” crew. She also works the kitten halftime show and calls filming both her favorite week of the year.“I think she is one of the most dedicated, hardest working people out there in the business,” says “Puppy Bowl” referee Dan Schachner, now in his 14th year. “She doesn’t ever seem to run out of energy. She never says no to a request and there’s always brightness and sunshine from her with every step.”Schade has coached hundreds of dogs over the years but never adopted one from the show — until now. She took home Boris — known on the show as Mr. Pickles — from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dallasdog.org/" target="_blank">Dallas Dog rescue.</a>&nbsp;“I saw star quality. So this was the year,” she says.<h2>Treats and funny noises</h2>Early on, Schade was responsible for recruiting and selecting the puppies, a task now that leans on animal rescue groups and shelters throughout the country. These days, she’s the lead trainer.“If you’re seeing the puppy looking up at the camera, I’m typically right there with the treat,” she says. “It’s a lot of treats and funny noises. And that does the trick.”This year, Schade is stepping out from the sidelines and joining Schachner on camera for an hour-long pre-game kickoff show, which features a doggie combine and a draft. Other show highlights include segments with Dan Smyers, from superstar country duo Dan + Shay, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-chiefs-puppy-bowl-pet-adoption-0d3a65750c94ca476c59b47a564b3ebf">Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi.</a>Schade has developed some very special animal-related skills over the years, including anticipating when one of the players needs to relieve itself.“One of my ‘Puppy Bowl’ skills is reading butts. So I know when a puppy is going to go to the bathroom and I’ll typically say like, ‘Watch out in the 20-yard-line, we’re going to have a deposit’ and everyone’s ready to go with that cleanup.”The “Puppy Bowl” made its debut as counter-programming to the Super Bowl in 2005. Dogs score touchdowns on a gridiron carpet when they cross the goal line — any goal line — with a toy in their mouth.The show is really just an excuse to spend time watching adorable, clumsy pups play with chew toys, wag their tails furiously and lick the camera. A deeper reason is to encourage animal adoption.<a href="https://www.aspca.org/helping-people-pets/shelter-intake-and-surrender/pet-statistics#:~:text=Approximately%204.1%20million%20shelter%20animals,are%20returned%20to%20their%20owners." target="_blank">According to the ASPCA,</a>&nbsp;approximately 390,000 shelter dogs are euthanized each year and 2 million shelter dogs are adopted.Most of the puppies are usually adopted by airtime, since the show was filmed in the fall. But the point is to show that animals just like the ones on the show can be found at any shelter at any time.This year’s three-hour television event this year will feature 142 rescue puppies from 80 shelters across 40 states — and one from Nicaragua, a Chihuahua-German shepherd. There will be 11 special needs dogs.“That’s the most amount we’ve ever had,” says Schachner. “Look out for Jolene, who is a pitbull mix that’s in a wheelchair. Look out for a three-legged Boston terrier from New York City. And my personal favorite, is Sprinkle, who is a blind and deaf Aussie. So it’s just incredible to watch them play.”The inaugural “Puppy Bowl” was watched by nearly 6 million viewers. Last year, 12.6 million viewers tuned in. In comparison, this year’s Golden Globes attracted 9.3 million.<h2>Practical advice for raising puppies</h2>Schade, whose first book was “&nbsp;<a href="https://www.victoriaschade.com/books/bonding-with-your-dog/" target="_blank">Bonding With Your Dog</a>&nbsp;” and who then pivoted to writing pet-oriented novels, like “Life on the Leash” and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.victoriaschade.com/books/dog-friendly/" target="_blank">“Dog Friendly,”</a>&nbsp;is a wealth of information about our four-legged friends.She advises dog owners to learn to read the body language of their pet, to try to understand what they’re trying to say. Like tail-wagging — how tight? And where is the tail positioned?Schade is a big advocate for positive reinforcement and science-based training, not the so-called alpha dog approach, which uses intimidation or force.“There’s no need to be the alpha, which has been debunked anyway. You are your dog’s ally. You’re their friend. You’re their No. 1. And it’s a relationship based in compassion and understanding.”That means load up on treats. She advocates keeping them in your pocket and consistently using them as rewards for good behavior, especially when potty training.“I cannot stress it enough: When you think you’re treating enough, treat more because, especially during puppyhood, it is such a critical learning period and every interaction is a chance to teach something.”

Meet the woman keeping the adorable pups happy at this year’s ‘Puppy Bowl’

By BRANDON SMITH Barton Sports Info

Barton Community College sophomore forward&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wbkb/2024-25/bios/onugha_vivian_7u24">Vivian Onugha</a>&nbsp;has been tabbed the week 11 Jayhawk Conference Division I women's basketball Player of the Week announced on Tuesday after a stellar week that led to a pair of victories.

The honor is the second in the last four weeks for Onugha, having earned the Week 9 KJCCC and NJCAA distinction and the third for the sophomore's Barton career.

Onugha extended her streak of double-doubles to 12 straight games in Barton's pair of games for the week averaging 20.5 points on 45.5 percent shooting with 20.5 rebounds, two assists and two steal in 42 minutes of court time.

Beginning the week, Onugha made her presence known in the Cougars 64-59 win over Cloud County delivering an all-around performance of 24 points, 24 rebounds and matching her career high with four steals over 40 minutes. The sophomore's performance marked her 21st game this season finishing in double-figure scoring and sixth time eclipsing the 20-mark in rebounds.

Heading back out on the road, Onugha followed up with her 18th double-double of the season scoring 17 points and hauling down 19 rebounds of which nine coming on the offensive side to go along with a team high four assists in Barton's 66-65 comeback overtime win over Cowley.

Most recently, Onugha recorded her 13th straight and 19th double-double on the season by scoring 11 points and 11 rebounds while leading the team with three steals in a loss to Butler Community College.

Now 7-10 in conference play and 11-12 overall, Barton looks to get back on track Saturday afternoon with a 2:00 p.m. road trip to Pratt Community College before hosting a pair of home contests next week.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738937982225.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By BRANDON SMITH Barton Sports InfoBarton Community College sophomore forward&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wbkb/2024-25/bios/onugha_vivian_7u24">Vivian Onugha</a>&nbsp;has been tabbed the week 11 Jayhawk Conference Division I women's basketball Player of the Week announced on Tuesday after a stellar week that led to a pair of victories.The honor is the second in the last four weeks for Onugha, having earned the Week 9 KJCCC and NJCAA distinction and the third for the sophomore's Barton career.Onugha extended her streak of double-doubles to 12 straight games in Barton's pair of games for the week averaging 20.5 points on 45.5 percent shooting with 20.5 rebounds, two assists and two steal in 42 minutes of court time.Beginning the week, Onugha made her presence known in the Cougars 64-59 win over Cloud County delivering an all-around performance of 24 points, 24 rebounds and matching her career high with four steals over 40 minutes. The sophomore's performance marked her 21st game this season finishing in double-figure scoring and sixth time eclipsing the 20-mark in rebounds.Heading back out on the road, Onugha followed up with her 18th double-double of the season scoring 17 points and hauling down 19 rebounds of which nine coming on the offensive side to go along with a team high four assists in Barton's 66-65 comeback overtime win over Cowley.Most recently, Onugha recorded her 13th straight and 19th double-double on the season by scoring 11 points and 11 rebounds while leading the team with three steals in a loss to Butler Community College.Now 7-10 in conference play and 11-12 overall, Barton looks to get back on track Saturday afternoon with a 2:00 p.m. road trip to Pratt Community College before hosting a pair of home contests next week.

Onugha nets second KJCCC Player of the Week honor

- Barton Men's basketball coach Jeremy Coombs joins the show to talk about Wednesday's big home win over Butler. He'll also preview Saturday's road game in Pratt against the Beavers.

- Sunflower Sports Solutions Conor Nicholl looks at the landscape of high school basketball heading down the stretch in the final three weeks of the season.

- Photographer and Great Bend High School alum Patrick Heath accidentally got involved with the Super Bowl. Hear how one of his photos ended up in Patrick Mahomes' hands for a bit on ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live!

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1693997740304.jpeg" alt="Friday show lineup with hosts Steve Webster and Mike Courson" />
 <figcaption>Friday show lineup with hosts Steve Webster and Mike Courson</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AILK5XFq2PE?si=37jOTbLiClQ7lYtV" 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 joins the show to talk about Wednesday's big home win over Butler. He'll also preview Saturday's road game in Pratt against the Beavers.- Sunflower Sports Solutions Conor Nicholl looks at the landscape of high school basketball heading down the stretch in the final three weeks of the season.- Photographer and Great Bend High School alum Patrick Heath accidentally got involved with the Super Bowl. Hear how one of his photos ended up in Patrick Mahomes' hands for a bit on ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live!- Friday Sports Headlines- Sounds of the past 24 hours

Friday on Sports Day(Watch)

DENVER (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/deion-sanders-nfl-084d826b8683197e42c51472bb054261">Deion Sanders</a>&nbsp;added another Pro Football Hall of Famer to his staff at Colorado by bringing in Marshall Faulk to oversee the running backs.

Faulk becomes the third member of the Buffaloes’ coaching ranks to boast a gold jacket, joining Warren Sapp and, of course, Sanders. Sapp is the senior quality control analyst for the defense.

Faulk will try to improve a running game that’s been one of the worst in the nation the last two seasons. Colorado’s offense has relied heavily on quarterback Shedeur Sanders and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter, who are both projected to be high picks in the upcoming NFL draft.

Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes are coming off a 9-4 season in which they earned a spot in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alamo-bowl-colorado-byu-score-7d59642c848bf42f12f1b93414ff8650">Alamo Bowl</a>.

Faulk was a dual threat out of the backfield over a 12-year career with the Indianapolis Colts and the St. Louis Rams. He rushed for 12,279 yards and 100 TDs, while also catching 767 passes for 6,875 yards and 36 scores.

Faulk, who turns 52 at the end of the month, was the 2000 NFL MVP, a three-time offensive player of the year and a Super Bowl winner with the Rams. He and Sanders were both part of the 2011 class that was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Faulk also is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame after a stellar career at San Diego State, where he was a three-time first-team All-American. He was the second overall pick by the Colts in the 1994 NFL draft.

DENVER (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/deion-sanders-nfl-084d826b8683197e42c51472bb054261">Deion Sanders</a>&nbsp;added another Pro Football Hall of Famer to his staff at Colorado by bringing in Marshall Faulk to oversee the running backs.Faulk becomes the third member of the Buffaloes’ coaching ranks to boast a gold jacket, joining Warren Sapp and, of course, Sanders. Sapp is the senior quality control analyst for the defense.Faulk will try to improve a running game that’s been one of the worst in the nation the last two seasons. Colorado’s offense has relied heavily on quarterback Shedeur Sanders and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter, who are both projected to be high picks in the upcoming NFL draft.Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes are coming off a 9-4 season in which they earned a spot in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alamo-bowl-colorado-byu-score-7d59642c848bf42f12f1b93414ff8650">Alamo Bowl</a>.Faulk was a dual threat out of the backfield over a 12-year career with the Indianapolis Colts and the St. Louis Rams. He rushed for 12,279 yards and 100 TDs, while also catching 767 passes for 6,875 yards and 36 scores.Faulk, who turns 52 at the end of the month, was the 2000 NFL MVP, a three-time offensive player of the year and a Super Bowl winner with the Rams. He and Sanders were both part of the 2011 class that was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.Faulk also is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame after a stellar career at San Diego State, where he was a three-time first-team All-American. He was the second overall pick by the Colts in the 1994 NFL draft.

Sanders brings in Hall of Famer Faulk to coach the running backs at Colorado

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — NFL coach Sean Payton remains a fan of the nearly 50-year-old Superdome, where he paced the home sideline for 15 seasons.

“I challenge any venue to age like this one has,” Payton, now with the Denver Broncos, said while visiting New Orleans for Super Bowl-related festivities this week.

On Sunday, the hulking, 70,000-seat, triple-decker stadium — an unmistakable figure in the New Orleans skyline with its champagne-colored metallic sheen and hourglass shape — will host a Super Bowl for the eighth time.

Payton surmised the Superdome has housed more special moments in sports history than perhaps any stadium in existence now, “and hopefully more this weekend.”

Nearly $1 billion has been spent on repairs and upgrades to the Superdome since Hurricane Katrina tore a hole in the roof while the stadium was sheltering thousands of New Orleans residents from the storm on Aug. 29, 2005.

About $600 million has been spent to upgrade the dome since it last hosted a Super Bowl in 2013, according to Doug Thornton, an executive vice president for ASM Global, a company which manages sports and entertainment venues around the world, including the state-owned Superdome.

Interior ramps were removed and replaced with soaring escalators and modern interior design features that give spacious areas just inside several main entrances the look like modern, upscale hotel lobbies.

Fans “want to be able to walk and talk” during games,” Thornton said. “Particularly the younger generations that come to the games, they want to hang out with their friends.”

Some seating areas in the corners of the two upper levels have been removed to open up gathering decks with panoramic views of the field and surrounding stands.

Those areas give the dome “a much more open feeling,” Thornton said. “And when you’re sitting in your seats, you can actually see through that view corridor to the exterior where there’s exterior glass” letting in natural light.

The exterior windows are difficult to see from the outside because of horizontal aluminum slats that were meant to help them blend in to the exterior skin.

Louisiana’s state architectural board “does not want to do anything that would disturb the exterior facade because of the historical significance of the architecture,” Thornton said. “It was one of the first buildings of its kind to be designed that way. It’s got a timeless look.”

Meanwhile, the Superdome’s expansive, 13-acre footprint and its 2 million square feet of interior space have given architects flexibility to periodically update the building, outfitting it over time with with new sideline clubs behind the first two levels of seating and field-level suites behind one end zone.

Concourses also have widened, while bathroom and concession areas have been expanded and updated.

Video boards also have been updated and enlarged since the last Super Bowl.

“The original design to me is quite remarkable for many reasons,” Thornton said. “One, the sheer volume of building has allowed us to do all this work. This stadium is the same size today as modern stadiums. But it was designed more than 50 years ago.”

The venerable venue not only has hosted seven previous Super Bowls, but also six NCAA men’s Final Fours and five college football national championships since the BCS system (which evolved into the College Football Playoff) began in 1998. In all, 13 college football national championship teams finished their season with a victory in the Superdome, starting with Pittsburgh’s 1976 team in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1, 1977.

Here are some of the more memorable moments — not all of them sports-related — in Superdome history:

__ Sept. 15, 1978: Muhammad Ali defeats Leon Spinks in a heavyweight championship bout billed as the “Battle of New Orleans.”

__ Nov. 25, 1980: Boxer Roberto Duran famously quits his bout against Sugar Ray Leonard by uttering, “No mas,” to the referee for the welterweight championship.

__ Dec. 5, 1981: The Rolling Stones played to a crowd of 87,500 in what was touted as the largest indoor concert in history for about three decades.

__ March 29, 1982: Michael Jordan, then a freshman, hit a game-winning, mid-range jumper in North Carolina’s national championship victory over the Georgetown.

__ Jan. 26, 1986: One of the most dominant teams in NFL history, the 1985 Chicago Bears, closed out an 18-1 season with a 46-10 victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XX.

__ Sept. 12, 1987: Pope John Paul II addressed a crowd of 80,000 in this heavily Catholic city.

__ Aug. 15, 1988: George H.W. Bush memorably used the phrase, “a thousand points of light” in his presidential nomination acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention.

__ April 5, 1993: “The Timeout.” Michigan star Chris Weber called a timeout that the Wolverines didn’t have with 11 seconds left in a national title tilt against North Carolina. The technical foul gave North Carolina, which led 73-71 at the time, two free throws and the ball. The Tarheels won, 77-71.

__ Nov. 29, 1997: Renowned Grambling State coach Eddie Robinson coached the final game of his 56-year career in the Bayou Classic against rival Southern.

__ Feb. 3, 2002: Tom Brady won the first of his seven Super Bowls, leading the New England Patriots to that franchise’s first title with a dramatic 20-17 victory over the St. Louis Rams on Adam Vinatieri’s 48-yard field goal as time expired.

__ Jan. 4, 2004: Nick Saban won his first college football national championship — and his only one with LSU — as the Tigers knocked off Oklahoma, 21-14.

__ Sept. 25, 2006: The Superdome reopened for the Saints’ first game in New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina struck more than a year earlier. Special teams cult hero Steve Gleason memorably blocked a punt that was recovered for a touchdown to open scoring in a dominant — and emotional — 23-3 Saints triumph. Before kickoff, U2 and Green Day teamed up for a rendition of “The Saints are Coming.”

__ Jan. 24, 2010: The New Orleans Saints&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theoaklandpress.com/2010/01/24/saints-beat-vikings-in-ot-will-face-colts-in-super-bowl/" target="_blank">beat the Minnesota Vikings, 31-28, in overtime in the NFC championship game</a>&nbsp;to clinch what remains the franchise’s only Super Bowl berth since its founding in 1967.

__ Jan. 9, 2012: Alabama, with Saban as coach,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/no-2-alabama-beats-no-1-lsu-21-0-for-bcs-title/" target="_blank">defeated home-state favorite LSU 21-0</a>&nbsp;for college football’s national title, ending the Tigers’ bid for an unbeaten season.

__ Feb. 3, 2013: The lights went out —&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jacksonville.com/story/entertainment/local/2013/02/04/nfl-beyonces-halftime-show-not-blame-super-bowl-power/15839246007/" target="_blank">because of an issue outside the stadium</a>&nbsp;— shortly after Beyonce’s halftime show at Super Bowl 48, won by Baltimore, 34-31, over San Francisco in the only NFL championship game to feature two brothers — John and Jim Harbaugh — as opposing coaches.

__ Oct. 13, 2015: Women’s soccer great Abby Wambach&nbsp;<a href="https://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-newswire-20151217-story.html" target="_blank">played in her final match</a>&nbsp;with the U.S. team — a friendly against China, which won, 1-0.

__ Jan. 13, 2020: LSU and quarterback Joe Burrow cap off one of the most dominant campaigns in college football history with a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-orleans-saints-college-football-clemson-tigers-football-nfl-sports-general-b406d2c2009097ca7567e447d2f7b054">42-25 victory over Clemson</a>&nbsp;in the College Football Playoff national title game. The Tigers went 15-0 that season with an average victory margin of 26.5 points.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — NFL coach Sean Payton remains a fan of the nearly 50-year-old Superdome, where he paced the home sideline for 15 seasons.“I challenge any venue to age like this one has,” Payton, now with the Denver Broncos, said while visiting New Orleans for Super Bowl-related festivities this week.On Sunday, the hulking, 70,000-seat, triple-decker stadium — an unmistakable figure in the New Orleans skyline with its champagne-colored metallic sheen and hourglass shape — will host a Super Bowl for the eighth time.Payton surmised the Superdome has housed more special moments in sports history than perhaps any stadium in existence now, “and hopefully more this weekend.”Nearly $1 billion has been spent on repairs and upgrades to the Superdome since Hurricane Katrina tore a hole in the roof while the stadium was sheltering thousands of New Orleans residents from the storm on Aug. 29, 2005.About $600 million has been spent to upgrade the dome since it last hosted a Super Bowl in 2013, according to Doug Thornton, an executive vice president for ASM Global, a company which manages sports and entertainment venues around the world, including the state-owned Superdome.Interior ramps were removed and replaced with soaring escalators and modern interior design features that give spacious areas just inside several main entrances the look like modern, upscale hotel lobbies.Fans “want to be able to walk and talk” during games,” Thornton said. “Particularly the younger generations that come to the games, they want to hang out with their friends.”Some seating areas in the corners of the two upper levels have been removed to open up gathering decks with panoramic views of the field and surrounding stands.Those areas give the dome “a much more open feeling,” Thornton said. “And when you’re sitting in your seats, you can actually see through that view corridor to the exterior where there’s exterior glass” letting in natural light.The exterior windows are difficult to see from the outside because of horizontal aluminum slats that were meant to help them blend in to the exterior skin.Louisiana’s state architectural board “does not want to do anything that would disturb the exterior facade because of the historical significance of the architecture,” Thornton said. “It was one of the first buildings of its kind to be designed that way. It’s got a timeless look.”Meanwhile, the Superdome’s expansive, 13-acre footprint and its 2 million square feet of interior space have given architects flexibility to periodically update the building, outfitting it over time with with new sideline clubs behind the first two levels of seating and field-level suites behind one end zone.Concourses also have widened, while bathroom and concession areas have been expanded and updated.Video boards also have been updated and enlarged since the last Super Bowl.“The original design to me is quite remarkable for many reasons,” Thornton said. “One, the sheer volume of building has allowed us to do all this work. This stadium is the same size today as modern stadiums. But it was designed more than 50 years ago.”The venerable venue not only has hosted seven previous Super Bowls, but also six NCAA men’s Final Fours and five college football national championships since the BCS system (which evolved into the College Football Playoff) began in 1998. In all, 13 college football national championship teams finished their season with a victory in the Superdome, starting with Pittsburgh’s 1976 team in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1, 1977.Here are some of the more memorable moments — not all of them sports-related — in Superdome history:__ Sept. 15, 1978: Muhammad Ali defeats Leon Spinks in a heavyweight championship bout billed as the “Battle of New Orleans.”__ Nov. 25, 1980: Boxer Roberto Duran famously quits his bout against Sugar Ray Leonard by uttering, “No mas,” to the referee for the welterweight championship.__ Dec. 5, 1981: The Rolling Stones played to a crowd of 87,500 in what was touted as the largest indoor concert in history for about three decades.__ March 29, 1982: Michael Jordan, then a freshman, hit a game-winning, mid-range jumper in North Carolina’s national championship victory over the Georgetown.__ Jan. 26, 1986: One of the most dominant teams in NFL history, the 1985 Chicago Bears, closed out an 18-1 season with a 46-10 victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XX.__ Sept. 12, 1987: Pope John Paul II addressed a crowd of 80,000 in this heavily Catholic city.__ Aug. 15, 1988: George H.W. Bush memorably used the phrase, “a thousand points of light” in his presidential nomination acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention.__ April 5, 1993: “The Timeout.” Michigan star Chris Weber called a timeout that the Wolverines didn’t have with 11 seconds left in a national title tilt against North Carolina. The technical foul gave North Carolina, which led 73-71 at the time, two free throws and the ball. The Tarheels won, 77-71.__ Nov. 29, 1997: Renowned Grambling State coach Eddie Robinson coached the final game of his 56-year career in the Bayou Classic against rival Southern.__ Feb. 3, 2002: Tom Brady won the first of his seven Super Bowls, leading the New England Patriots to that franchise’s first title with a dramatic 20-17 victory over the St. Louis Rams on Adam Vinatieri’s 48-yard field goal as time expired.__ Jan. 4, 2004: Nick Saban won his first college football national championship — and his only one with LSU — as the Tigers knocked off Oklahoma, 21-14.__ Sept. 25, 2006: The Superdome reopened for the Saints’ first game in New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina struck more than a year earlier. Special teams cult hero Steve Gleason memorably blocked a punt that was recovered for a touchdown to open scoring in a dominant — and emotional — 23-3 Saints triumph. Before kickoff, U2 and Green Day teamed up for a rendition of “The Saints are Coming.”__ Jan. 24, 2010: The New Orleans Saints&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theoaklandpress.com/2010/01/24/saints-beat-vikings-in-ot-will-face-colts-in-super-bowl/" target="_blank">beat the Minnesota Vikings, 31-28, in overtime in the NFC championship game</a>&nbsp;to clinch what remains the franchise’s only Super Bowl berth since its founding in 1967.__ Jan. 9, 2012: Alabama, with Saban as coach,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/no-2-alabama-beats-no-1-lsu-21-0-for-bcs-title/" target="_blank">defeated home-state favorite LSU 21-0</a>&nbsp;for college football’s national title, ending the Tigers’ bid for an unbeaten season.__ Feb. 3, 2013: The lights went out —&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jacksonville.com/story/entertainment/local/2013/02/04/nfl-beyonces-halftime-show-not-blame-super-bowl-power/15839246007/" target="_blank">because of an issue outside the stadium</a>&nbsp;— shortly after Beyonce’s halftime show at Super Bowl 48, won by Baltimore, 34-31, over San Francisco in the only NFL championship game to feature two brothers — John and Jim Harbaugh — as opposing coaches.__ Oct. 13, 2015: Women’s soccer great Abby Wambach&nbsp;<a href="https://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-newswire-20151217-story.html" target="_blank">played in her final match</a>&nbsp;with the U.S. team — a friendly against China, which won, 1-0.__ Jan. 13, 2020: LSU and quarterback Joe Burrow cap off one of the most dominant campaigns in college football history with a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-orleans-saints-college-football-clemson-tigers-football-nfl-sports-general-b406d2c2009097ca7567e447d2f7b054">42-25 victory over Clemson</a>&nbsp;in the College Football Playoff national title game. The Tigers went 15-0 that season with an average victory margin of 26.5 points.

Revamped Superdome set to host 8th Super Bowl after 50 years of memorable moments

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels recently underwent knee surgery and will be limited in spring practice, the school said Thursday.

Daniels has started 33 games for the Jayhawks and will be returning for his sixth season. The school said Daniels’ surgery was minor.

The native of Lawndale, California, has been plagued by injuries. He missed four games with a shoulder injury in 2022 and 10 games with a back injury in 2023.

Daniels started all 12 games last season and struggled before he led the Jayhawks (5-7, 4-5 Big 12) to consecutive wins over ranked opponents Iowa State, BYU and Colorado. He completed 57% of his passes for 204.5 yards per game and 14 touchdowns. His 12 interceptions tied for most in the Big 12.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723137789848.jpeg" alt="Jalon Daniels-photo courtesy Missy Minear-KU Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Jalon Daniels-photo courtesy Missy Minear-KU Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels recently underwent knee surgery and will be limited in spring practice, the school said Thursday.Daniels has started 33 games for the Jayhawks and will be returning for his sixth season. The school said Daniels’ surgery was minor.The native of Lawndale, California, has been plagued by injuries. He missed four games with a shoulder injury in 2022 and 10 games with a back injury in 2023.Daniels started all 12 games last season and struggled before he led the Jayhawks (5-7, 4-5 Big 12) to consecutive wins over ranked opponents Iowa State, BYU and Colorado. He completed 57% of his passes for 204.5 yards per game and 14 touchdowns. His 12 interceptions tied for most in the Big 12.

Kansas QB Jalon Daniels’ minor knee surgery will limit him in spring practice

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Josh Allen wanted to leave New Orleans with different hardware. Still, he’s happy to be recognized for his accomplishments. Allen edged two-time winner Lamar Jackson for the AP NFL Most Valuable Player award in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nfl-mvp-explainer-e2e7a4163765f177e81d36c4f3da8aac">closest</a>&nbsp;race since Matt Ryan beat out Tom Brady in 2016. “I wish we weren’t hoisting this trophy. I wish we were hoisting the Lombardi — and we’re going to keep working until we do,” Allen said Thursday, referring to winning a Super Bowl. Allen, who led Buffalo to a fifth straight AFC East title, got 27 first-place votes to Jackson’s 23 and finished with 383 points. He received 22 second-place votes and one third. The Bills fell short of playing on Sunday, losing to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC title game. Jackson, who led the Ravens to a second straight AFC North championship, got 26 second-place votes and one fourth for a total of 362 points.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Age is more than just a number to LeBron James. It’s also a target.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/lebron-james">The 40-year-old James</a>&nbsp;became the oldest player to score 40 points in an NBA game Thursday night, putting up a season-high 42 in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lakers-warriors-score-lebron-curry-703fcbae25c0587616d2a89ff6d7d5df">the Los Angeles Lakers’ 120-112 victory</a>&nbsp;over the Golden State Warriors. James passed the record held by Michael Jordan, his idol and the only other NBA player to score 40 after his 40th birthday. “I’m old, that’s my take,” James said when asked about his latest achievement. “I need a glass of wine and some sleep, that’s what I think.” Jordan did it for the Washington Wizards just three days after turning 40 in February 2003. James is 38 days removed from his 40th birthday last Dec. 30 — and it seems highly unlikely this will be the last time he hits the mark, since the top scorer in NBA history is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lakers-clippers-score-lebron-588c573b75161b727cecf3542745aa4e">still playing phenomenal basketball</a>&nbsp;deep in his record-tying 22nd NBA season.

SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — The former interpreter for baseball star&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dodgers-ohtani-interpreter-gambling-investigation-ce1d0c55526715afdb1b345590ece4f0">Shohei Ohtani</a>&nbsp;was sentenced Thursday to nearly five years in prison for bank and tax fraud after he stole nearly $17 million from the Los Angeles Dodgers player’s bank account.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohtani-interpreter-sentencing-what-to-know-15a602432382463d57f9ba34f416bb6c">Ippei Mizuhara</a>, who was supposed to bridge the gap between the Japanese athlete and his English-speaking teammates and fans, was sentenced in federal court in Santa Ana to four years and nine months after pleading guilty last year. He was ordered Thursday to pay $18 million in restitution, with nearly $17 million going to Ohtani and the remainder to the IRS. He was also sentenced to three years’ supervised release on top of the prison sentence and ordered to surrender to authorities by March 24. “The magnitude of the theft — $17 million — in my view, is shockingly high,” U.S. District Judge John W. Holcomb said upon issuing the sentence.

PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred says he is getting emails from fans concerned over the sport’s lack of a salary cap following an offseason&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dodgers-roki-sasaki-ohtani-yamamoto-e2d2b1a4c76e32e69d24fe2d2fdc5023">spending spree by the Los Angeles Dodgers</a>&nbsp;that sparked increased attention over the expiration of the collective bargaining agreement in December 2027. “This is an issue that we need to be vigilant on,” Manfred said Thursday following the end of an owners’ meeting. “We need to pay attention to it and need to determine whether there are things that can be done to allay those kinds of concerns and make sure we have a competitive and healthy game going forward.” Baseball’s biggest spender in 2024 won the World Series: The Dodgers had a $353 million luxury tax payroll and had to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mlb-luxury-tax-dodgers-mets-dbd88c1dffe35d7b8153be4b7a4fe9e8">pay a $103 million tax.</a>&nbsp;The Athletics had the lowest luxury tax payroll at just under $84 million. “The Dodgers are a really well-run, successful organization,” Manfred said. “Everything that they do and have done is consistent with our rules. They’re trying to give their fans the best possible product. Those are all positives. I recognize, however, and my emails certainly reflect that there are fans in other markets who are concerned about their team’s ability to compete. And we always have to be concerned when our fans are concerned about something. But pinning it on the Dodgers, I’m not in that camp.”

THURSDAY SCORES NCAA MEN TOP 25 Ohio State 73, No. 18 Maryland 70

NCAA WOMEN TOP 25 No. 2 South Carolina 74, Georgia 42

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1714991701059.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Josh Allen wanted to leave New Orleans with different hardware. Still, he’s happy to be recognized for his accomplishments. Allen edged two-time winner Lamar Jackson for the AP NFL Most Valuable Player award in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nfl-mvp-explainer-e2e7a4163765f177e81d36c4f3da8aac">closest</a>&nbsp;race since Matt Ryan beat out Tom Brady in 2016. “I wish we weren’t hoisting this trophy. I wish we were hoisting the Lombardi — and we’re going to keep working until we do,” Allen said Thursday, referring to winning a Super Bowl. Allen, who led Buffalo to a fifth straight AFC East title, got 27 first-place votes to Jackson’s 23 and finished with 383 points. He received 22 second-place votes and one third. The Bills fell short of playing on Sunday, losing to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC title game. Jackson, who led the Ravens to a second straight AFC North championship, got 26 second-place votes and one fourth for a total of 362 points.LOS ANGELES (AP) — Age is more than just a number to LeBron James. It’s also a target.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/lebron-james">The 40-year-old James</a>&nbsp;became the oldest player to score 40 points in an NBA game Thursday night, putting up a season-high 42 in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lakers-warriors-score-lebron-curry-703fcbae25c0587616d2a89ff6d7d5df">the Los Angeles Lakers’ 120-112 victory</a>&nbsp;over the Golden State Warriors. James passed the record held by Michael Jordan, his idol and the only other NBA player to score 40 after his 40th birthday. “I’m old, that’s my take,” James said when asked about his latest achievement. “I need a glass of wine and some sleep, that’s what I think.” Jordan did it for the Washington Wizards just three days after turning 40 in February 2003. James is 38 days removed from his 40th birthday last Dec. 30 — and it seems highly unlikely this will be the last time he hits the mark, since the top scorer in NBA history is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lakers-clippers-score-lebron-588c573b75161b727cecf3542745aa4e">still playing phenomenal basketball</a>&nbsp;deep in his record-tying 22nd NBA season.SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — The former interpreter for baseball star&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dodgers-ohtani-interpreter-gambling-investigation-ce1d0c55526715afdb1b345590ece4f0">Shohei Ohtani</a>&nbsp;was sentenced Thursday to nearly five years in prison for bank and tax fraud after he stole nearly $17 million from the Los Angeles Dodgers player’s bank account.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohtani-interpreter-sentencing-what-to-know-15a602432382463d57f9ba34f416bb6c">Ippei Mizuhara</a>, who was supposed to bridge the gap between the Japanese athlete and his English-speaking teammates and fans, was sentenced in federal court in Santa Ana to four years and nine months after pleading guilty last year. He was ordered Thursday to pay $18 million in restitution, with nearly $17 million going to Ohtani and the remainder to the IRS. He was also sentenced to three years’ supervised release on top of the prison sentence and ordered to surrender to authorities by March 24. “The magnitude of the theft — $17 million — in my view, is shockingly high,” U.S. District Judge John W. Holcomb said upon issuing the sentence.PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred says he is getting emails from fans concerned over the sport’s lack of a salary cap following an offseason&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dodgers-roki-sasaki-ohtani-yamamoto-e2d2b1a4c76e32e69d24fe2d2fdc5023">spending spree by the Los Angeles Dodgers</a>&nbsp;that sparked increased attention over the expiration of the collective bargaining agreement in December 2027. “This is an issue that we need to be vigilant on,” Manfred said Thursday following the end of an owners’ meeting. “We need to pay attention to it and need to determine whether there are things that can be done to allay those kinds of concerns and make sure we have a competitive and healthy game going forward.” Baseball’s biggest spender in 2024 won the World Series: The Dodgers had a $353 million luxury tax payroll and had to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mlb-luxury-tax-dodgers-mets-dbd88c1dffe35d7b8153be4b7a4fe9e8">pay a $103 million tax.</a>&nbsp;The Athletics had the lowest luxury tax payroll at just under $84 million. “The Dodgers are a really well-run, successful organization,” Manfred said. “Everything that they do and have done is consistent with our rules. They’re trying to give their fans the best possible product. Those are all positives. I recognize, however, and my emails certainly reflect that there are fans in other markets who are concerned about their team’s ability to compete. And we always have to be concerned when our fans are concerned about something. But pinning it on the Dodgers, I’m not in that camp.”THURSDAY SCORES NCAA MEN TOP 25 Ohio State 73, No. 18 Maryland 70NCAA WOMEN TOP 25 No. 2 South Carolina 74, Georgia 42No. 3 Notre Dame 96, Stanford 47No. 4 Texas 87, No. 24 Vanderbilt 66No. 19 Tennessee 80, No. 5 UConn 76No. 6 LSU 71, Missouri 60No. 10 Duke 74, Clemson 55No. 15 Oklahoma 66, Ole Miss 56No. 16. Maryland 79, Oregon 61No. 17 Georgia Tech 70, SMU 69Louisville 70, No. 21 California 63No. 22 Florida State 101, Virginia 68No. 23 Alabama 84, Florida 66

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

Western Athletic Conference Liberal @ Great Bend Dodge City @ Hays Garden City @ Woodward, OK Central Kansas League Hesston @ Larned Ellinwood @ Hoisington Pratt @ Nickerson Haven @ Smoky Valley Halstead @ Hillsboro Central Prairie League Central Plains @ St. John Victoria @ Macksville Otis-Bison @ Chase Spearville @ Kinsley Saturday LaCrosse @ Lincoln Other Area Games Thursday TMP @ Sacred Heart Friday South Barber @ Stafford Satanta @ Pawnee Heights Oakley @ Russell Burrton @ Skyline TMP @ Smith Center Hodgeman County @ Bucklin

Western Athletic Conference Liberal @ Great Bend Dodge City @ Hays Garden City @ Woodward, OK Central Kansas League Hesston @ Larned Ellinwood @ Hoisington Pratt @ Nickerson Haven @ Smoky Valley Halstead @ Hillsboro Central Prairie League Central Plains @ St. John Victoria @ Macksville Otis-Bison @ Chase Spearville @ Kinsley Saturday LaCrosse @ Lincoln Other Area Games Thursday TMP @ Sacred Heart Friday South Barber @ Stafford Satanta @ Pawnee Heights Oakley @ Russell Burrton @ Skyline TMP @ Smith Center Hodgeman County @ Bucklin

Friday (2/7) High School Basketball Schedule

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Josh Allen wanted to leave New Orleans with different hardware. Still, he’s happy to be recognized for his accomplishments.

Allen edged two-time winner Lamar Jackson for the AP NFL Most Valuable Player award in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nfl-mvp-explainer-e2e7a4163765f177e81d36c4f3da8aac">closest</a>&nbsp;race since Matt Ryan beat out Tom Brady in 2016.

“I wish we weren’t hoisting this trophy. I wish we were hoisting the Lombardi — and we’re going to keep working until we do,” Allen said Thursday, referring to winning a Super Bowl.

Allen, who led Buffalo to a fifth straight AFC East title, got 27 first-place votes to Jackson’s 23 and finished with 383 points. He received 22 second-place votes and one third. The Bills fell short of playing on Sunday, losing to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC title game.

Jackson, who led the Ravens to a second straight AFC North championship, got 26 second-place votes and one fourth for a total of 362 points.

Eagles running back Saquon Barkley finished third (120 points) followed by Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (82) and Lions QB Jared Goff (47).

Allen threw for 3,731 yards, 28 TDs and had six picks for a 101.4 passer rating. He ran for 531 yards and 12 scores, becoming the first player in NFL history to have five consecutive seasons with at least 40 total touchdowns.

“I feel like my teammates wanted this more for me than I did, but I’m very honored,” said Allen, who was joined at the awards by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hailee-steinfeld-josh-allen-super-bowl-2025-d14943d1b3bb4cb42272fffe8f9f890f">fiancee Hailee Steinfeld</a>.

Jackson had career-highs with 4,172 yards passing, 41 TDs to just four interceptions and a 119.6 passer rating, which led the NFL. He got 30 first-place votes to Allen’s 18 to earn AP first-team All-Pro honors.

The last time a first-team All-Pro didn’t win the NFL MVP award was 1987. John Elway was the MVP that season and Joe Montana was first-team All-Pro. The MVP award is given to a player who had the most valuable season while All-Pro is a statistical recognition.

Kevin O’Connell beat out Dan Campbell for AP NFL Coach of the Year after leading the Minnesota Vikings to 14 wins with quarterback Sam Darnold.

The Vikings, widely picked to finish last in the NFC North, ended up playing for a division title and the conference’s No. 1 seed in the final game of the regular season. They lost to the Lions and then were knocked out of the playoffs by the Rams.

“I put a lot of thought into this season. I thought it had a chance to be a special team,” said O’Connell, who was presented by Bill Belichick, the coach who drafted him in the third round in 2008. “It really wasn’t about that. It was more my belief in our organization and my belief in our coaches and our players to come together and just try to win one football game.

“It’s a great example of unique people and unique things being able to come together and find a way to try to have unique results.”

O’Connell got 25 first-place votes, 18 seconds and seven thirds, appearing on all 50 ballots.

Campbell, who guided Detroit to a franchise-record 15 wins, got 19 first-place votes to finish second. Kansas City’s Andy Reid (4), Denver’s Sean Payton (1) and Washington’s Dan Quinn (1) also received first-place votes.

Los Angeles Rams edge rusher Jared Verse was an overwhelming choice for AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.

“Hard work can take you anywhere,” Verse said. “You don’t have to be the biggest, the strongest, the fastest. As long as you work hard, you can overcome anything. So, it’s just a testament to that.”

Verse had 4 1/2 sacks and led all rookies in quarterback hits (18), pressures (77) and hurries (56). He also had 11 tackles for loss. Verse got 37 first-place votes, well ahead of Eagles rookie cornerback Quinyon Mitchell, who received nine.

Rams defensive tackle Braden Fiske, Chargers cornerback Tarheeb Still, Texans safety Calen Bullock and Commanders cornerback Mike Sainristil each got one apiece.

Joe Burrow took the AP NFL Comeback Player of the Year award after returning from wrist surgery in 2023 to lead the NFL with 4,918 yards passing and 43 touchdown passes.

Burrow played all 17 games for the Bengals (9-8) after missing seven due to injuries the previous season. He received 31 first-place votes and finished far ahead of Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins (3).

Vikings QB Sam Darnold (8), Bills safety Damar Hamlin (3) and Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez (2) also got first-place votes.

Saquon Barkley ran away with the AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year award after rushing for 2,005 yards, eighth-best in NFL history, in his first season with the Eagles.

Barkley sat out Philadelphia’s final regular-season game when he was 101 yards away from breaking Eric Dickerson’s single-season record but he has 442 rushing yards and five touchdowns in the playoffs.

Barkley needs 30 yards rushing in the Super Bowl to set the all-time single-season record, including the playoffs. Hall of Fame running back Terrell Davis had 2,476 yards rushing in 19 regular season and playoff games in 1998 for the Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos.

Barkley received 35 of 50 first-place votes.

Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson received 12 first-place votes and teammate Derrick Henry got one. Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow and Bills QB Josh Allen also received one first-place vote each.

Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase finished third in the voting despite no first-place votes. Chase, a unanimous selection for All-Pro, won the receiving triple crown, leading the league with 127 receptions, 1,708 yards and 17 TDs.

Patrick Surtain II became the seventh cornerback to win the AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year award.

The Denver Broncos’ All-Pro allowed just 37 receptions, had four interceptions and opposing quarterbacks had a 61.1 passer rating throwing against him.

Surtain received 26 first-place votes, beating out Bengals edge rusher Trey Hendrickson (11) and Browns edge Myles Garrett (5).

“When I’m holding my side of the field down, that’s where I become most valuable to the team,” Surtain said. “That’s what I did all year. ... That’s what I came to do, is lock down my side of the field.”

Steelers edge T.J. Watt (3), Eagles linebacker Zack Baun (2), Lions safety Kerby Joseph (1) and Vikings edge rushers Andrew Van Ginkel (1) and Jonathan Greenard (1) also received first-place votes.

Stephon Gilmore was the last cornerback to win the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2019. Charles Woodson, Deion Sanders, Rod Woodson, Lester Hayes and Mel Blount previously won it.

Jayden Daniels was a near-unanimous choice for AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year after helping the Washington Commanders win 12 games.

The Pro Bowl quarterback received 49 of 50 first-place votes with the other going to Raiders tight end Brock Bowers.

“It’s just nothing but hard work, and just preparation,” Daniels said, alluding to the jump he made in his final season at LSU, when he won the Heisman Trophy. “If you lock in for one year, your life will change. I kind of did that.”

Daniels, the No. 2 overall pick, threw for 3,568 yards, 25 TDs and posted a 100.1 rating. He also ran for 891 yards and six scores. Daniels led the Commanders to a pair of road playoff wins before losing to the Eagles in the NFC championship game.

Broncos quarterback Bo Nix finished third in the voting, Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. was fourth and Giants wideout Malik Nabers placed fifth.

Ben Johnson was a clear choice for the AP NFL Assistant Coach of the Year, receiving 29 first-place votes.

Johnson, who was the Lions offensive coordinator, led a group that was first in scoring (33.22 points per game) and second in yards (409.5). He was hired to coach the Chicago Bears after Detroit lost in the playoffs.

Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores got three first-place votes and finished second in the voting. Former Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, who was hired to coach the New York Jets, received six first-place votes and came in third.

A nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the league completed voting before the playoffs began.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738906317054.jpeg" alt="Buffalo Bills' Josh Allen gives a thumbs up during the NFL Honors award show ahead of the Super Bowl 59 football game, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)" />
 <figcaption>Buffalo Bills' Josh Allen gives a thumbs up during the NFL Honors award show ahead of the Super Bowl 59 football game, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Josh Allen wanted to leave New Orleans with different hardware. Still, he’s happy to be recognized for his accomplishments.Allen edged two-time winner Lamar Jackson for the AP NFL Most Valuable Player award in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nfl-mvp-explainer-e2e7a4163765f177e81d36c4f3da8aac">closest</a>&nbsp;race since Matt Ryan beat out Tom Brady in 2016.“I wish we weren’t hoisting this trophy. I wish we were hoisting the Lombardi — and we’re going to keep working until we do,” Allen said Thursday, referring to winning a Super Bowl.Allen, who led Buffalo to a fifth straight AFC East title, got 27 first-place votes to Jackson’s 23 and finished with 383 points. He received 22 second-place votes and one third. The Bills fell short of playing on Sunday, losing to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC title game.Jackson, who led the Ravens to a second straight AFC North championship, got 26 second-place votes and one fourth for a total of 362 points.Eagles running back Saquon Barkley finished third (120 points) followed by Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (82) and Lions QB Jared Goff (47).Allen threw for 3,731 yards, 28 TDs and had six picks for a 101.4 passer rating. He ran for 531 yards and 12 scores, becoming the first player in NFL history to have five consecutive seasons with at least 40 total touchdowns.“I feel like my teammates wanted this more for me than I did, but I’m very honored,” said Allen, who was joined at the awards by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hailee-steinfeld-josh-allen-super-bowl-2025-d14943d1b3bb4cb42272fffe8f9f890f">fiancee Hailee Steinfeld</a>.Jackson had career-highs with 4,172 yards passing, 41 TDs to just four interceptions and a 119.6 passer rating, which led the NFL. He got 30 first-place votes to Allen’s 18 to earn AP first-team All-Pro honors.The last time a first-team All-Pro didn’t win the NFL MVP award was 1987. John Elway was the MVP that season and Joe Montana was first-team All-Pro. The MVP award is given to a player who had the most valuable season while All-Pro is a statistical recognition.Kevin O’Connell beat out Dan Campbell for AP NFL Coach of the Year after leading the Minnesota Vikings to 14 wins with quarterback Sam Darnold.The Vikings, widely picked to finish last in the NFC North, ended up playing for a division title and the conference’s No. 1 seed in the final game of the regular season. They lost to the Lions and then were knocked out of the playoffs by the Rams.“I put a lot of thought into this season. I thought it had a chance to be a special team,” said O’Connell, who was presented by Bill Belichick, the coach who drafted him in the third round in 2008. “It really wasn’t about that. It was more my belief in our organization and my belief in our coaches and our players to come together and just try to win one football game.“It’s a great example of unique people and unique things being able to come together and find a way to try to have unique results.”O’Connell got 25 first-place votes, 18 seconds and seven thirds, appearing on all 50 ballots.Campbell, who guided Detroit to a franchise-record 15 wins, got 19 first-place votes to finish second. Kansas City’s Andy Reid (4), Denver’s Sean Payton (1) and Washington’s Dan Quinn (1) also received first-place votes.<h2>AP Defensive Rookie of the Year</h2>Los Angeles Rams edge rusher Jared Verse was an overwhelming choice for AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.“Hard work can take you anywhere,” Verse said. “You don’t have to be the biggest, the strongest, the fastest. As long as you work hard, you can overcome anything. So, it’s just a testament to that.”Verse had 4 1/2 sacks and led all rookies in quarterback hits (18), pressures (77) and hurries (56). He also had 11 tackles for loss. Verse got 37 first-place votes, well ahead of Eagles rookie cornerback Quinyon Mitchell, who received nine.Rams defensive tackle Braden Fiske, Chargers cornerback Tarheeb Still, Texans safety Calen Bullock and Commanders cornerback Mike Sainristil each got one apiece.<h2>AP Comeback Player of the Year</h2>Joe Burrow took the AP NFL Comeback Player of the Year award after returning from wrist surgery in 2023 to lead the NFL with 4,918 yards passing and 43 touchdown passes.Burrow played all 17 games for the Bengals (9-8) after missing seven due to injuries the previous season. He received 31 first-place votes and finished far ahead of Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins (3).Vikings QB Sam Darnold (8), Bills safety Damar Hamlin (3) and Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez (2) also got first-place votes.<h2>AP Offensive Player of the Year</h2>Saquon Barkley ran away with the AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year award after rushing for 2,005 yards, eighth-best in NFL history, in his first season with the Eagles.Barkley sat out Philadelphia’s final regular-season game when he was 101 yards away from breaking Eric Dickerson’s single-season record but he has 442 rushing yards and five touchdowns in the playoffs.Barkley needs 30 yards rushing in the Super Bowl to set the all-time single-season record, including the playoffs. Hall of Fame running back Terrell Davis had 2,476 yards rushing in 19 regular season and playoff games in 1998 for the Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos.Barkley received 35 of 50 first-place votes.Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson received 12 first-place votes and teammate Derrick Henry got one. Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow and Bills QB Josh Allen also received one first-place vote each.Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase finished third in the voting despite no first-place votes. Chase, a unanimous selection for All-Pro, won the receiving triple crown, leading the league with 127 receptions, 1,708 yards and 17 TDs.<h2>AP Defensive Player of the Year</h2>Patrick Surtain II became the seventh cornerback to win the AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year award.The Denver Broncos’ All-Pro allowed just 37 receptions, had four interceptions and opposing quarterbacks had a 61.1 passer rating throwing against him.Surtain received 26 first-place votes, beating out Bengals edge rusher Trey Hendrickson (11) and Browns edge Myles Garrett (5).“When I’m holding my side of the field down, that’s where I become most valuable to the team,” Surtain said. “That’s what I did all year. ... That’s what I came to do, is lock down my side of the field.”Steelers edge T.J. Watt (3), Eagles linebacker Zack Baun (2), Lions safety Kerby Joseph (1) and Vikings edge rushers Andrew Van Ginkel (1) and Jonathan Greenard (1) also received first-place votes.Stephon Gilmore was the last cornerback to win the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2019. Charles Woodson, Deion Sanders, Rod Woodson, Lester Hayes and Mel Blount previously won it.<h2>AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year</h2>Jayden Daniels was a near-unanimous choice for AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year after helping the Washington Commanders win 12 games.The Pro Bowl quarterback received 49 of 50 first-place votes with the other going to Raiders tight end Brock Bowers.“It’s just nothing but hard work, and just preparation,” Daniels said, alluding to the jump he made in his final season at LSU, when he won the Heisman Trophy. “If you lock in for one year, your life will change. I kind of did that.”Daniels, the No. 2 overall pick, threw for 3,568 yards, 25 TDs and posted a 100.1 rating. He also ran for 891 yards and six scores. Daniels led the Commanders to a pair of road playoff wins before losing to the Eagles in the NFC championship game.Broncos quarterback Bo Nix finished third in the voting, Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. was fourth and Giants wideout Malik Nabers placed fifth.<h2>AP Assistant Coach of the Year</h2>Ben Johnson was a clear choice for the AP NFL Assistant Coach of the Year, receiving 29 first-place votes.Johnson, who was the Lions offensive coordinator, led a group that was first in scoring (33.22 points per game) and second in yards (409.5). He was hired to coach the Chicago Bears after Detroit lost in the playoffs.Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores got three first-place votes and finished second in the voting. Former Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, who was hired to coach the New York Jets, received six first-place votes and came in third.A nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the league completed voting before the playoffs began.

Josh Allen wins AP NFL Most Valuable Player award

Not one but two perfect 300 games were rolled last Saturday at the Great Plains Invitational at Bowlero Northrock in Wichita. Then there were the near misses, including a 274 by Great Bend's Xander Orth. Both Panther teams placed in the top eight teams to make the bracket competition but exited that part of the tournament early.

Thirty-two boys' teams bowled on Saturday. The top five series on each team plus 12 Baker games determined the eight finalists. The Panthers rolled a 5,402 to miss sixth-place Junction City by just 41 pins and avoid the No. 9 seed by 25 pins.

Garden City's Bo Roth had a huge day with games of 249, 225, and 300 for a 774 series. Derby's Cash Carns opened with a 300 game, and his teammate Tyler Huffman rolled a 288 middle game. Newton's Tanner McAlister and Emporia's Colton Swift each had high-games of 289.

Great Bend's Orth finished in a three-way tie with a 713 series. He finished second in the tie-break to drop to seventh overall. Besides his 274 to open competition, he also rolled games of 204 and 235.

All six Panther bowlers had at least one game over 200. Brantley Vsetecka shot a 232 middle game to finish with a 595 series in 56th place. Kanyen Parr rolled a 236 final game to finish at 585 in 66th place. Tyler Pelster had a 245 middle game for a 573 series, Josh Manning had a 223 middle game for a 550 series, and Quinten Miller finished strong with a 236 for a 545 series.

Great Bend entered bracket competition as the No. 7 seed opposite Campus. The Panthers rolled a 216 in the best-of-three Baker format but the Campus rolled a 234. The Colts took game two 222-171. Garden City won the overall title by defeating Derby in three games.

Lady Panthers finish seventh Thirty-two girls' teams were in action at Bowlero on Friday. Great Bend finished seventh with 4,475 pins, just 16 pins out of sixth place and 123 pins out of ninth place.

Megan Glinka of Topeka's Washburn Rural was the lone bowler to surpass 700 pins with a 713 series on games of 234, 203, and 276.

Great Bend junior Zoey Mayberry finished second with a 661 series. She also finished strong with games of 206, 218, and 237. Kacey Schroeder finished with games of 195 and 197 to move into 23rd with a 543 series. Emery Meza rolled games of 176, 173, and 170 for 32nd with a 519 series. Brooklynn Mayberry shot a 454, Abigail Alvarez finished with a 405 series, and Layne Soukup rolled a 359.

The Lady Panthers entered bracket competition against Washburn Rural, dropping the first game 196-153. Game two came down to the final ball with Rural advancing 148-145. Wichita Northwest defeated Campus in three games to win the title.

Great Bend Post SportsNot one but two perfect 300 games were rolled last Saturday at the Great Plains Invitational at Bowlero Northrock in Wichita. Then there were the near misses, including a 274 by Great Bend's Xander Orth. Both Panther teams placed in the top eight teams to make the bracket competition but exited that part of the tournament early.Thirty-two boys' teams bowled on Saturday. The top five series on each team plus 12 Baker games determined the eight finalists. The Panthers rolled a 5,402 to miss sixth-place Junction City by just 41 pins and avoid the No. 9 seed by 25 pins.Garden City's Bo Roth had a huge day with games of 249, 225, and 300 for a 774 series. Derby's Cash Carns opened with a 300 game, and his teammate Tyler Huffman rolled a 288 middle game. Newton's Tanner McAlister and Emporia's Colton Swift each had high-games of 289.Great Bend's Orth finished in a three-way tie with a 713 series. He finished second in the tie-break to drop to seventh overall. Besides his 274 to open competition, he also rolled games of 204 and 235.All six Panther bowlers had at least one game over 200. Brantley Vsetecka shot a 232 middle game to finish with a 595 series in 56th place. Kanyen Parr rolled a 236 final game to finish at 585 in 66th place. Tyler Pelster had a 245 middle game for a 573 series, Josh Manning had a 223 middle game for a 550 series, and Quinten Miller finished strong with a 236 for a 545 series.Great Bend entered bracket competition as the No. 7 seed opposite Campus. The Panthers rolled a 216 in the best-of-three Baker format but the Campus rolled a 234. The Colts took game two 222-171. Garden City won the overall title by defeating Derby in three games.Lady Panthers finish seventh Thirty-two girls' teams were in action at Bowlero on Friday. Great Bend finished seventh with 4,475 pins, just 16 pins out of sixth place and 123 pins out of ninth place.Megan Glinka of Topeka's Washburn Rural was the lone bowler to surpass 700 pins with a 713 series on games of 234, 203, and 276.Great Bend junior Zoey Mayberry finished second with a 661 series. She also finished strong with games of 206, 218, and 237. Kacey Schroeder finished with games of 195 and 197 to move into 23rd with a 543 series. Emery Meza rolled games of 176, 173, and 170 for 32nd with a 519 series. Brooklynn Mayberry shot a 454, Abigail Alvarez finished with a 405 series, and Layne Soukup rolled a 359.The Lady Panthers entered bracket competition against Washburn Rural, dropping the first game 196-153. Game two came down to the final ball with Rural advancing 148-145. Wichita Northwest defeated Campus in three games to win the title.

Mayberry, Orth lead Panther bowlers at Great Plains Invitational in Wichita

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Patrick Mahomes,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-2025-kelce-e81cb46000e0dfe731cf4d1bd0775635">Travis Kelce</a>&nbsp;and the Kansas City Chiefs are pursuing history and a few of Taylor Swift’s records.

Saquon Barkley, Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles stand in their way.

The Chiefs (17-2) will try to become the first team to win three straight Super Bowls when they face the Eagles (17-3) on Sunday in the Superdome.

It’s a rematch from two years ago when Hurts nearly led the Eagles to a championship only to watch Mahomes snatch it away by rallying Kansas City to a 38-35 win on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-butker-6b308c23c218a10201a3c3bafa2aaca1">Harrison Butker’s</a>&nbsp;27-yard field goal with 8 seconds left.

Mahomes lifted the Chiefs to an overtime win against San Francisco in another Super Bowl rematch last year. Now, they’re poised for a three-peat, a word coach&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-2025-andy-reid-bed873e97e64d43952dcf4382c963578">Andy Reid</a>&nbsp;doesn’t use much.

“I think the only time I’ve heard him say it is to the media whenever y’all ask him about it,” Mahomes said. “He’s very locked in on just, ‘How can we be great with our cadence today at practice?’ so that’s just the stuff that Coach Reid focuses on.”

Reid won more games than any coach in franchise history during his 14 seasons in Philadelphia but couldn’t win the big one, going 1-4 in NFC championship games and losing a Super Bowl to the Patriots. He went right to Kansas City after the Eagles fired him following the 2012 season and has built a dynasty thanks to Mahomes, Kelce, Chris Jones and others.

“You don’t have time to think about all that,” Reid said of the three-peat. “You’re focused in on the job at hand here and that’s playing against a great Eagles team.”

Jones, the three-time All-Pro defensive tackle, echoed his coach’s viewpoint.

“We don’t talk about no three-peat,” Jones said. “I think that’s what we’re here for. We understand that. We understand there’s one more game until the offseason and we can do whatever we want to do. Our main focus is making sure we’re prepared for the Eagles.”

No matter what the Chiefs say, everyone else is talking about it. No team has done it in the Super Bowl era, though the Green Bay Packers won an NFL championship in 1965 and followed by winning the first two Super Bowls. Kelce even started all the three-peat talk on stage last year when he said the team’s goal was to win three.

“This is gonna be our biggest test yet,” Kelce said. “They got a lot of great players but the biggest thing is they play great together. You could see their communication. You could see the accountability they have, especially in the secondary. It’s not gonna make my job any easier.”

These Eagles are different from the group that fell just short against Kansas City in Arizona two years ago.

They have the NFL’s most dynamic player in the backfield. Barkley rushed for 2,447 yards with seven touchdowns of 60-plus yards in the regular season and playoffs.

“The goal has always been to win it, not just to get here,” Barkley said.

Losing to the Chiefs two years ago only motivated Hurts even more. He’s determined to hoist a Lombardi trophy and even had a photo of him walking off the field with Kansas City’s red and yellow confetti falling around him as the background on his phone.

“It’s had a great driving force,” Hurts said of that loss. “It lit a flame, lit a fire in me, and to have this opportunity again is exactly what you work for.”

Hurts, Barkley, A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith and a dominant offensive line present a major challenge for Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.

The Eagles also have the league’s No. 1-ranked defense, featuring eight new starters from 2022 and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio.

All-Pro linebacker Zack Baun and rookie cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean plus the emergence of defensive tackle Jalen Carter and edge rusher Nolan Smith has transformed a defensive unit that fell apart last season.

“We’re fortunate to have Steve Spagnuolo, but I tell you that Vic is one of those guys,” Reid said. “He’s just one of those really creative defensive minds that survived a long time in this league. He’s been time-tested, and, he has the trust of his players.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738842088116.jpeg" alt="Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) and Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) pose with the trophy during Super Bowl 59 Opening Night, Monday, Feb. 3, 2025, in New Orleans, ahead of the NFL football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday. (AP Photo/Matt York)" />
 <figcaption>Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) and Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) pose with the trophy during Super Bowl 59 Opening Night, Monday, Feb. 3, 2025, in New Orleans, ahead of the NFL football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday. (AP Photo/Matt York)</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Patrick Mahomes,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-2025-kelce-e81cb46000e0dfe731cf4d1bd0775635">Travis Kelce</a>&nbsp;and the Kansas City Chiefs are pursuing history and a few of Taylor Swift’s records.Saquon Barkley, Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles stand in their way.The Chiefs (17-2) will try to become the first team to win three straight Super Bowls when they face the Eagles (17-3) on Sunday in the Superdome.It’s a rematch from two years ago when Hurts nearly led the Eagles to a championship only to watch Mahomes snatch it away by rallying Kansas City to a 38-35 win on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-butker-6b308c23c218a10201a3c3bafa2aaca1">Harrison Butker’s</a>&nbsp;27-yard field goal with 8 seconds left.Mahomes lifted the Chiefs to an overtime win against San Francisco in another Super Bowl rematch last year. Now, they’re poised for a three-peat, a word coach&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-2025-andy-reid-bed873e97e64d43952dcf4382c963578">Andy Reid</a>&nbsp;doesn’t use much.“I think the only time I’ve heard him say it is to the media whenever y’all ask him about it,” Mahomes said. “He’s very locked in on just, ‘How can we be great with our cadence today at practice?’ so that’s just the stuff that Coach Reid focuses on.”Reid won more games than any coach in franchise history during his 14 seasons in Philadelphia but couldn’t win the big one, going 1-4 in NFC championship games and losing a Super Bowl to the Patriots. He went right to Kansas City after the Eagles fired him following the 2012 season and has built a dynasty thanks to Mahomes, Kelce, Chris Jones and others.“You don’t have time to think about all that,” Reid said of the three-peat. “You’re focused in on the job at hand here and that’s playing against a great Eagles team.”Jones, the three-time All-Pro defensive tackle, echoed his coach’s viewpoint.“We don’t talk about no three-peat,” Jones said. “I think that’s what we’re here for. We understand that. We understand there’s one more game until the offseason and we can do whatever we want to do. Our main focus is making sure we’re prepared for the Eagles.”No matter what the Chiefs say, everyone else is talking about it. No team has done it in the Super Bowl era, though the Green Bay Packers won an NFL championship in 1965 and followed by winning the first two Super Bowls. Kelce even started all the three-peat talk on stage last year when he said the team’s goal was to win three.“This is gonna be our biggest test yet,” Kelce said. “They got a lot of great players but the biggest thing is they play great together. You could see their communication. You could see the accountability they have, especially in the secondary. It’s not gonna make my job any easier.”These Eagles are different from the group that fell just short against Kansas City in Arizona two years ago.They have the NFL’s most dynamic player in the backfield. Barkley rushed for 2,447 yards with seven touchdowns of 60-plus yards in the regular season and playoffs.“The goal has always been to win it, not just to get here,” Barkley said.Losing to the Chiefs two years ago only motivated Hurts even more. He’s determined to hoist a Lombardi trophy and even had a photo of him walking off the field with Kansas City’s red and yellow confetti falling around him as the background on his phone.“It’s had a great driving force,” Hurts said of that loss. “It lit a flame, lit a fire in me, and to have this opportunity again is exactly what you work for.”Hurts, Barkley, A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith and a dominant offensive line present a major challenge for Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.The Eagles also have the league’s No. 1-ranked defense, featuring eight new starters from 2022 and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio.All-Pro linebacker Zack Baun and rookie cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean plus the emergence of defensive tackle Jalen Carter and edge rusher Nolan Smith has transformed a defensive unit that fell apart last season.“We’re fortunate to have Steve Spagnuolo, but I tell you that Vic is one of those guys,” Reid said. “He’s just one of those really creative defensive minds that survived a long time in this league. He’s been time-tested, and, he has the trust of his players.”If the Chiefs win, Reid and Mahomes will be one step closer to Bill Belichick and Tom Brady. They’re halfway to the six Belichick and Brady won together in New England and Mahomes is still four away from Brady’s seven rings.“I’m trying to be the greatest Patrick Mahomes that I can be. That’s obviously a goal of anyone’s — to be the greatest at their profession — but in order to do that, you have to be the greatest that you can be every single day,” Mahomes said.“Whenever I’m done with football, if I leave everything out there — the way that I feel like I have so far — as far as effort and mentality, I’ll be happy with the results.”A win for Kansas City also would give Kelce his fourth ring, the same number of Grammy Awards his pop star girlfriend has won for best album. Overall, Kelce has 18 playoff wins and Swift has 14 Grammys.“She’s up there being the superstar that she is and never taking no for an answer and always working her tail off. I better match that energy for sure,” Kelce said.