HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Pete Carroll was&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/Raiders/status/1883249964564005353" target="_blank">announced</a>&nbsp;Saturday as Las Vegas’ new coach, with the Raiders hoping that even as the oldest head coach in the NFL the 73-year-old will provide stability for an organization badly lacking it.

The team and Carroll&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pete-carroll-coach-raiders-b3b7cc13601e45e1591de61d12d608d7">agreed in principle</a>&nbsp;on Friday to a three-year deal with a one-year team option, a person with knowledge of the agreement told The Associated Press. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the contract hadn’t been finalized at the time.

The club did not announce the terms of the deal.

Before sending out their news release, the Raiders&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/Raiders/status/1883246875618447830" target="_blank">posted on X</a>&nbsp;a photo showing chewing gum with their indoor practice facility in the background. Carroll is known to chew gum on the sidelines.

Carroll replaces Antonio Pierce,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/raiders-pierce-fired-oconnell-1f020e020ea0fa2aff3cc4082c82c74b">who was fired</a>&nbsp;after going 4-13 in his first full season. Pierce was 5-4 as an interim coach in 2023 after replacing Josh McDaniels.

The Raiders hope Carroll will be able to repeat his success in Seattle, where he led the Seahawks to two Super Bowl appearances. They won it all in the 2013 season and came an interception in the end zone away from going back-to-back.

He spent 14 seasons with the Seahawks, going 137-89-1.

Carroll becomes the team’s 14th head coach since Jon Gruden was traded to Tampa Bay in 2002. He is the fifth coach, including those in an interim role, since the Raiders moved to Las Vegas in 2020.

He began his NFL head-coaching career with the New York Jets in 1994, going 6-10. He was 27-21 in three seasons with the Patriots from 1997-99 and joined Seattle in 2010 after nine seasons in the college ranks at Southern California. He led the 2004 Trojans to a national championship and also the 2003 AP national title.

Overall, Carroll is&nbsp;<a href="tel:170-120-1" target="_blank">170-120-1</a>&nbsp;in the NFL.

HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Pete Carroll was&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/Raiders/status/1883249964564005353" target="_blank">announced</a>&nbsp;Saturday as Las Vegas’ new coach, with the Raiders hoping that even as the oldest head coach in the NFL the 73-year-old will provide stability for an organization badly lacking it.The team and Carroll&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pete-carroll-coach-raiders-b3b7cc13601e45e1591de61d12d608d7">agreed in principle</a>&nbsp;on Friday to a three-year deal with a one-year team option, a person with knowledge of the agreement told The Associated Press. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the contract hadn’t been finalized at the time.The club did not announce the terms of the deal.Before sending out their news release, the Raiders&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/Raiders/status/1883246875618447830" target="_blank">posted on X</a>&nbsp;a photo showing chewing gum with their indoor practice facility in the background. Carroll is known to chew gum on the sidelines.Carroll replaces Antonio Pierce,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/raiders-pierce-fired-oconnell-1f020e020ea0fa2aff3cc4082c82c74b">who was fired</a>&nbsp;after going 4-13 in his first full season. Pierce was 5-4 as an interim coach in 2023 after replacing Josh McDaniels.The Raiders hope Carroll will be able to repeat his success in Seattle, where he led the Seahawks to two Super Bowl appearances. They won it all in the 2013 season and came an interception in the end zone away from going back-to-back.He spent 14 seasons with the Seahawks, going 137-89-1.Carroll becomes the team’s 14th head coach since Jon Gruden was traded to Tampa Bay in 2002. He is the fifth coach, including those in an interim role, since the Raiders moved to Las Vegas in 2020.He began his NFL head-coaching career with the New York Jets in 1994, going 6-10. He was 27-21 in three seasons with the Patriots from 1997-99 and joined Seattle in 2010 after nine seasons in the college ranks at Southern California. He led the 2004 Trojans to a national championship and also the 2003 AP national title.Overall, Carroll is&nbsp;<a href="tel:170-120-1" target="_blank">170-120-1</a>&nbsp;in the NFL.

Raiders announce Pete Carroll as their new head coach

Barton Men 98 Garden City 85; Barton Women 64 Garden City 41

Barton Community College basketball on B104 3 The Point sponsored by Nex-Tech Wireless, Damm Pipe Testing, Mpire Overhead Door, Best Western Angus Inn, Marmie Auto Group, Rosenberg Family Dentistry, The University of Kansas Health System, Venture Corporation, Nex-Tech, Cougar Booster Club, The 10th Street Eye Care Center, Freedom Claims Management and Kansas Fishing Tools

<div><a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/information/boosterclub/index"><img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1635967480149.jpeg"></a>

</div><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639328302345.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Barton Men 98 Garden City 85; Barton Women 64 Garden City 41<div><iframe width="100%" height="265" src="https://clyp.it/j4rq4pcm/widget" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>Barton Community College basketball on B104 3 The Point sponsored by Nex-Tech Wireless, Damm Pipe Testing, Mpire Overhead Door, Best Western Angus Inn, Marmie Auto Group, Rosenberg Family Dentistry, The University of Kansas Health System, Venture Corporation, Nex-Tech, Cougar Booster Club, The 10th Street Eye Care Center, Freedom Claims Management and Kansas Fishing Tools

Great Bend Boys 61 Andover 45; Great Bend Girls 60 Junction City 25

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 61 Andover 45; Great Bend Girls 60 Junction City 25<div><iframe width="100%" height="265" src="https://clyp.it/l1tjask1/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.

Cimarron Boys 45 Larned 32; Cimarron Girls 46 Larned 42

&nbsp;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>Cimarron Boys 45 Larned 32; Cimarron Girls 46 Larned 42<div><iframe width="100%" height="265" src="https://clyp.it/4scsfgpg/widget" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>&nbsp;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.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Amber Glenn was disappointed but not defeated after her short program at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, the reigning champion defiantly vowing to “go on the attack” when she returned to the ice for the free skate on Friday night.

She did exactly that, beginning with a powerful triple axel to start the program and ending with an elegant layback spin.

The 25-year-old from Plano, Texas, wound up with 216.79 points, enough to edge out Alysa Liu, who had led after the short program but made a couple of small mistakes in her free skate that proved to be just big enough. The two-time national champion, in the midst of a comeback from a two-year retirement, finished right behind Glenn with 215.33 points.

“I wasn't feeling my absolute best and today, being able to not fully lock in but for the most part get into the zone I needed to be, I'm very proud of my mental fortitude and the progress I've made,” Glenn said.

Two-time champion Bradie Tennell, who was second after the short program, struggled through a fall on her triple lutz in her free skate and was passed for third by Sarah Everhardt, an 18-year-old rising star from Haymarket, Virginia.

Glenn rolled into nationals unbeaten for the season, becoming the first American woman to win the Grand Prix Final in nearly 15 years along the way. But after her uneven short program, Glenn was left in third place and trailing Liu by nearly six points.

Her opening triple axel may have been the best of her career, and it set the tone for the rest of her night. Glenn landed six more triple jumps, including three in combination, before her only real mistake — a fall on her triple loop late in the program.

“I still don't believe I won,” Glenn said. “It's a real shock to me.”

Liu, the youngest U.S. champion ever when she triumphed at the age of 13, was trying to add a third title five years after winning her last. But a couple of errors, including a mistake on her layback spin at the end, may have cost her the gold.

“I did not think I won," she said with a laugh. “I honestly didn't know if I would medal or not.”

Earlier in the night, two-time defending ice dance world champions Madison Chock and Evan Bates pranced their way through three decades of popular American music and into a big lead after the rhythm dance portion of their competition.

Chock and Bates scored 92.16 points, nearly 10 more than second-place Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko. To put that into context, second through fourth places were separated by less than a point, with the pair of Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik scoring the exact same — 82.13 points — as Caroline Green and Michael Parsons.

Chock and Bates were not available after their performance because she was dealing with a food-related stomach bug.

They are going for their fourth straight national title and sixth overall, which would tie the U.S. record held by Meryl Davis and Charlie White. And this one would come 11 years after Chock and Bates first stepped atop the podium.

The ice dance finale is Saturday, when world champion Ilia Malinin also will be in action during the men’s short program.

The proscribed style for the rhythm dance this season is “social dances and styles of the 1950s, ‘60s and ’70s," and while many teams chose to dance to Elvis Presley, Nancy Sinatra or disco fare, the avant-garde Chock and Bates chose to take their fans on a rollicking journey through all three decades of American popular culture.

There was music from “Hawaii Five-O” and a version of “Let’s Twist Again.” Chock and Bates did the “Watusi with Lucy” and spent time “Stayin’ Alive” with the Bee Gees. And of course, they had the Village People leading the arena in doing the “YMCA.”

The performance underscored their status as favorites heading into the world championships in March in Boston.

They're probably the favorites heading into the Winter Olympics next year in Milan, too.

Carreira and Ponomarenko scored 82.86 points for their cheeky, fun nod to 1950s sock hops. The reigning silver medalists made a small mistake on their twizzle but scored big on their choreographed rhythm sequence to land in second place.

Zingas and Kolesnik, who were fourth a couple of years ago, turned heads with their medley of music by the Bee Gees, and Green and Parsons managed the same score — a rarity in a sport in which there are so many variables — but were slotted into fourth place because they lost to Zingas and Kolesnik in the technical score.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Amber Glenn was disappointed but not defeated after her short program at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, the reigning champion defiantly vowing to “go on the attack” when she returned to the ice for the free skate on Friday night.She did exactly that, beginning with a powerful triple axel to start the program and ending with an elegant layback spin.The 25-year-old from Plano, Texas, wound up with 216.79 points, enough to edge out Alysa Liu, who had led after the short program but made a couple of small mistakes in her free skate that proved to be just big enough. The two-time national champion, in the midst of a comeback from a two-year retirement, finished right behind Glenn with 215.33 points.“I wasn't feeling my absolute best and today, being able to not fully lock in but for the most part get into the zone I needed to be, I'm very proud of my mental fortitude and the progress I've made,” Glenn said.Two-time champion Bradie Tennell, who was second after the short program, struggled through a fall on her triple lutz in her free skate and was passed for third by Sarah Everhardt, an 18-year-old rising star from Haymarket, Virginia.Glenn rolled into nationals unbeaten for the season, becoming the first American woman to win the Grand Prix Final in nearly 15 years along the way. But after her uneven short program, Glenn was left in third place and trailing Liu by nearly six points.Her opening triple axel may have been the best of her career, and it set the tone for the rest of her night. Glenn landed six more triple jumps, including three in combination, before her only real mistake — a fall on her triple loop late in the program.“I still don't believe I won,” Glenn said. “It's a real shock to me.”Liu, the youngest U.S. champion ever when she triumphed at the age of 13, was trying to add a third title five years after winning her last. But a couple of errors, including a mistake on her layback spin at the end, may have cost her the gold.“I did not think I won," she said with a laugh. “I honestly didn't know if I would medal or not.”Earlier in the night, two-time defending ice dance world champions Madison Chock and Evan Bates pranced their way through three decades of popular American music and into a big lead after the rhythm dance portion of their competition.Chock and Bates scored 92.16 points, nearly 10 more than second-place Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko. To put that into context, second through fourth places were separated by less than a point, with the pair of Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik scoring the exact same — 82.13 points — as Caroline Green and Michael Parsons.Chock and Bates were not available after their performance because she was dealing with a food-related stomach bug.They are going for their fourth straight national title and sixth overall, which would tie the U.S. record held by Meryl Davis and Charlie White. And this one would come 11 years after Chock and Bates first stepped atop the podium.The ice dance finale is Saturday, when world champion Ilia Malinin also will be in action during the men’s short program.The proscribed style for the rhythm dance this season is “social dances and styles of the 1950s, ‘60s and ’70s," and while many teams chose to dance to Elvis Presley, Nancy Sinatra or disco fare, the avant-garde Chock and Bates chose to take their fans on a rollicking journey through all three decades of American popular culture.There was music from “Hawaii Five-O” and a version of “Let’s Twist Again.” Chock and Bates did the “Watusi with Lucy” and spent time “Stayin’ Alive” with the Bee Gees. And of course, they had the Village People leading the arena in doing the “YMCA.”The performance underscored their status as favorites heading into the world championships in March in Boston.They're probably the favorites heading into the Winter Olympics next year in Milan, too.Carreira and Ponomarenko scored 82.86 points for their cheeky, fun nod to 1950s sock hops. The reigning silver medalists made a small mistake on their twizzle but scored big on their choreographed rhythm sequence to land in second place.Zingas and Kolesnik, who were fourth a couple of years ago, turned heads with their medley of music by the Bee Gees, and Green and Parsons managed the same score — a rarity in a sport in which there are so many variables — but were slotted into fourth place because they lost to Zingas and Kolesnik in the technical score.

Amber Glenn defends title at the US Figure Skating Championships in Wichita

Game #3 Minneapolis Girls 45 Ellsworth 42

Special Winter Jam Major Sponsors on 100.7 Eagle Country! Nex-Tech Wireless, USD 431 Hoisington, C&amp;E Doors, Freedom Claims Management, Great Bend Rec, Landmark National Bank, Allstaff Chartered, Clara Barton Medical Center, Mpire Realty, USD 432 Victoria, Innovative Livestock Services, Jimlo Glass Center, The Fieldhouse, USD 355 Ellinwood Public Schools.

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>Game #1 Ellinwood Girls 40 Pratt 36Game #2 Pratt Boys 64 Victoria 41Game #3 Minneapolis Girls 45 Ellsworth 42Game #4 Hoisington Boys 53 Ellsworth 28<div><iframe width="100%" height="265" src="https://clyp.it/z5v3ecch/widget" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>Special Winter Jam Major Sponsors on 100.7 Eagle Country! Nex-Tech Wireless, USD 431 Hoisington, C&amp;E Doors, Freedom Claims Management, Great Bend Rec, Landmark National Bank, Allstaff Chartered, Clara Barton Medical Center, Mpire Realty, USD 432 Victoria, Innovative Livestock Services, Jimlo Glass Center, The Fieldhouse, USD 355 Ellinwood Public Schools.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.

Winter Jam Day 4 Results

Great Bend Boys 54 Salina Central 49; Abilene Girls 47 Great Bend 40

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673886602159.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Great Bend Boys 54 Salina Central 49; Abilene Girls 47 Great Bend 40<div><iframe width="100%" height="265" src="https://clyp.it/psmnvclf/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.

HAYS, Kan. – Curtis Hammeke, Fort Hays State University Director of Athletics, announced he will retire from his position effective in June of 2025. Hammeke will complete 21 years of service in his role at Fort Hays State at the end of the 2024-25 academic year. He has had a major impact on Fort Hays State's continued athletic success at the NCAA Division II level, while also making a tremendous impact on the community of Hays in his time as an administrator, coach, and student-athlete at FHSU.

A native of Great Bend, Kansas, Hammeke has spent nearly three decades at Fort Hays State University. His time began as a baseball student-athlete in the mid-1980s followed by five years as head coach of the Tiger baseball team from 1991-1996. He is currently in his 21st year of service as Director of Athletics for the Tigers, running from 2004-2025. He received his bachelor's degree from Fort Hays State University in Physical Education in 1985 and then completed his master's degree in Athletic Administration in 1993.

"Having spent the vast majority of my adult life engaged with this university, I'm thankful for the many opportunities I've been given as a student-athlete, baseball coach, and as director of athletics. I will always be grateful for the relationships developed through the years, and the people I've worked alongside both internally and externally," said Hammeke.

In Hammeke's time as Director of Athletics, Fort Hays State has enjoyed a total of 22 team conference titles in all sports combined since 2004. Numerous individual conference titles were also won on his watch. Hammeke was instrumental in FHSU's transition from the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference in 2006 to its current affiliation with the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA), one of the most competitive NCAA Division II conferences nationally. Twenty of the 22 conference titles under Hammeke have been during the Tigers' membership with the MIAA. Current head coaches Chris Brown (football), Mark Johnson (men's basketball), Adrian Pilkington (softball), and Brian Flax (women's tennis), along with former head coaches Tony Hobson (women's basketball), Brett Parker (men's soccer), Craig Shaw (women's soccer), and Chas Thompson (men's wrestling) all set new records for wins at FHSU in their respective sports under Hammeke's guidance.

Fort Hays State served as host of several NCAA postseason events during Hammeke's 21 years of service, several based on the success of Fort Hays State's teams. FHSU was host of the NCAA Central Regional in women's basketball three times after the team earned the No. 1 seed (2015, 2019, 2022). Football hosted an NCAA playoff game in 2017 as the super region's No. 1 seed following an undefeated regular season. Softball also hosted an NCAA regional in 2013 as the No. 1 seed. FHSU was also selected as a regional host in men's wrestling and cross country within the last 21 years.

Fort Hays State Athletics has seen numerous facility upgrades over the past couple of decades thanks to Hammeke's guidance and the generous contributions and donations from the Tiger community. FHSU Soccer Stadium (2011), Schmidt-Bickle Indoor Training Facility (2013), FHSU Track and Field Facility (2016), and the ongoing construction of the Bickle-Schmidt Athletic Complex (projected for late 2025) highlight the new facilities built for Tiger Athletics during his time at the helm. He also orchestrated numerous upgrades to existing facilities, including Lewis Field Stadium, Gross Memorial Coliseum, Larks Park, Fleharty Family Field, and FHSU Tennis Courts. Several of the upgrades include chairback seating for fans, replacement of playing surfaces, videoboards and scoreboards, locker rooms, lighting, fencing, study space for student-athletes, and various other improvements to current infrastructure.

Hammeke has made a huge impact by making a strong connection with members of the Tiger community and working with several individuals who have made generous donations and contributions to FHSU Athletics. He created the existing Difference Makers group for FHSU Athletics, a group of families and individuals who have made major contributions to help fund major upgrades and improvements at FHSU. He was also instrumental in creating the annual Tiger Auction and Dinner, a highly-popular fundraising event among Tiger supporters held each summer. The Tiger Auction and Dinner, currently organized by Assistant Athletic Director Matt Cook, celebrated its 15th year in 2024.

Fort Hays State Athletics has also seen the addition of three new sports during Hammeke's post, which included men's and women's soccer in 2011 and women's wrestling in 2023, going from 16 to 19 intercollegiate sports overall. With the additional sports, Fort Hays State now has over 500 student-athletes competing annually at the NCAA Division II level.

Hammeke has built and provided strong stability for FHSU Athletics in his time at the helm. Five of the current members of the Athletic Administration Staff have served in their roles for at least 11 years, including one spanning two decades. The sports of football, men's basketball, women's basketball, men's wrestling, softball, tennis, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's track and field, and women's golf have all seen tenures of head coaches last more than a decade under Hammeke's guidance. Five of those head coaches are still in their positions today and three of the five have coached at least 20 years at FHSU.

"It is with a profound sense of gratitude and admiration that I recognize Curtis Hammeke's exceptional contributions as our Director of Athletics," said President of Fort Hays State University Dr. Tisa Mason. "Over the past 21 years, Curtis has not only elevated our athletic programs to remarkable heights, but also fostered a deep sense of community and connection with our student-athletes, coaches, and supporters. Working alongside Curtis has been an honor and a privilege. His dedication and vision have shaped the strong foundation we enjoy today, and his leadership will be greatly missed. I extend my heartfelt wishes for a fulfilling and joyful retirement and thank him for his years of service and the legacy he leaves behind."

Hammeke has enjoyed a lifetime of contributions to collegiate athletics in the state of Kansas. Following his graduation from FHSU in 1985, he served as Assistant Baseball Coach and Sports Information Director at Barton (Kan.) Community College from 1987 to 1991. Barton is where his journey as a collegiate student-athlete and administrator began in the early 1980s, surrounding his two years as a student-athlete at Fort Hays State University. Following his five years as head baseball coach at FHSU, Hammeke was Director of Athletics at Great Bend High School for two years and then took his first collegiate Director of Athletics position at Butler (Kan.) Community College from 1998 to 2003. Butler won a pair of football national championships at the junior college level on Hammeke's watch. He spent one year as Director of Athletics at Newman University in 2003-04 before returning to Hays to serve the last 21 years in his current role. In 2017, Hammeke was inducted into the Barton Community College Sports Hall of Fame for his time as both a player and coach at the institution.

Curtis and his wife Annette are blessed with three children, Father Andy Hammeke and Alicia Knight currently residing in Hays, and Nick Hammeke currently residing in Kansas City. All three were student-athletes and graduates of Fort Hays State University and have enjoyed great success in their lives beyond FHSU. Alicia and husband Kegan have four children – Emery, Kollins, Kolter, and Turner, while Nick and wife Olivia have one son – Jack.

"It is with a great sense of gratitude that I reflect on the last 30 years," Hammeke said. "The two cornerstones of my career have been the ongoing growth of my Catholic faith and the supportive presence of my wife Annette. We've been extremely blessed with our children, their spouses, and our grandchildren. Words can't describe what they all mean to us. Beyond faith and family, it is Fort Hays State University that I'm most grateful for. There's a certain degree of apprehension, along with excitement, which coincide with not knowing exactly what the next chapter of our lives will encompass. But regardless, I will cherish forever my time spent here with all the amazing people who work tirelessly on a mission to 'Defend the Fort.'"

Fort Hays State University will begin a nationwide search for its next Director of Athletics immediately.

Individuals interested in applying or sharing information about the position can access the link to the job posting here.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737742115838.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsHAYS, Kan. – Curtis Hammeke, Fort Hays State University Director of Athletics, announced he will retire from his position effective in June of 2025. Hammeke will complete 21 years of service in his role at Fort Hays State at the end of the 2024-25 academic year. He has had a major impact on Fort Hays State's continued athletic success at the NCAA Division II level, while also making a tremendous impact on the community of Hays in his time as an administrator, coach, and student-athlete at FHSU.A native of Great Bend, Kansas, Hammeke has spent nearly three decades at Fort Hays State University. His time began as a baseball student-athlete in the mid-1980s followed by five years as head coach of the Tiger baseball team from 1991-1996. He is currently in his 21st year of service as Director of Athletics for the Tigers, running from 2004-2025. He received his bachelor's degree from Fort Hays State University in Physical Education in 1985 and then completed his master's degree in Athletic Administration in 1993."Having spent the vast majority of my adult life engaged with this university, I'm thankful for the many opportunities I've been given as a student-athlete, baseball coach, and as director of athletics. I will always be grateful for the relationships developed through the years, and the people I've worked alongside both internally and externally," said Hammeke.In Hammeke's time as Director of Athletics, Fort Hays State has enjoyed a total of 22 team conference titles in all sports combined since 2004. Numerous individual conference titles were also won on his watch. Hammeke was instrumental in FHSU's transition from the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference in 2006 to its current affiliation with the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA), one of the most competitive NCAA Division II conferences nationally. Twenty of the 22 conference titles under Hammeke have been during the Tigers' membership with the MIAA. Current head coaches Chris Brown (football), Mark Johnson (men's basketball), Adrian Pilkington (softball), and Brian Flax (women's tennis), along with former head coaches Tony Hobson (women's basketball), Brett Parker (men's soccer), Craig Shaw (women's soccer), and Chas Thompson (men's wrestling) all set new records for wins at FHSU in their respective sports under Hammeke's guidance.Fort Hays State served as host of several NCAA postseason events during Hammeke's 21 years of service, several based on the success of Fort Hays State's teams. FHSU was host of the NCAA Central Regional in women's basketball three times after the team earned the No. 1 seed (2015, 2019, 2022). Football hosted an NCAA playoff game in 2017 as the super region's No. 1 seed following an undefeated regular season. Softball also hosted an NCAA regional in 2013 as the No. 1 seed. FHSU was also selected as a regional host in men's wrestling and cross country within the last 21 years.Fort Hays State Athletics has seen numerous facility upgrades over the past couple of decades thanks to Hammeke's guidance and the generous contributions and donations from the Tiger community. FHSU Soccer Stadium (2011), Schmidt-Bickle Indoor Training Facility (2013), FHSU Track and Field Facility (2016), and the ongoing construction of the Bickle-Schmidt Athletic Complex (projected for late 2025) highlight the new facilities built for Tiger Athletics during his time at the helm. He also orchestrated numerous upgrades to existing facilities, including Lewis Field Stadium, Gross Memorial Coliseum, Larks Park, Fleharty Family Field, and FHSU Tennis Courts. Several of the upgrades include chairback seating for fans, replacement of playing surfaces, videoboards and scoreboards, locker rooms, lighting, fencing, study space for student-athletes, and various other improvements to current infrastructure.Hammeke has made a huge impact by making a strong connection with members of the Tiger community and working with several individuals who have made generous donations and contributions to FHSU Athletics. He created the existing Difference Makers group for FHSU Athletics, a group of families and individuals who have made major contributions to help fund major upgrades and improvements at FHSU. He was also instrumental in creating the annual Tiger Auction and Dinner, a highly-popular fundraising event among Tiger supporters held each summer. The Tiger Auction and Dinner, currently organized by Assistant Athletic Director Matt Cook, celebrated its 15th year in 2024.Fort Hays State Athletics has also seen the addition of three new sports during Hammeke's post, which included men's and women's soccer in 2011 and women's wrestling in 2023, going from 16 to 19 intercollegiate sports overall. With the additional sports, Fort Hays State now has over 500 student-athletes competing annually at the NCAA Division II level.Hammeke has built and provided strong stability for FHSU Athletics in his time at the helm. Five of the current members of the Athletic Administration Staff have served in their roles for at least 11 years, including one spanning two decades. The sports of football, men's basketball, women's basketball, men's wrestling, softball, tennis, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's track and field, and women's golf have all seen tenures of head coaches last more than a decade under Hammeke's guidance. Five of those head coaches are still in their positions today and three of the five have coached at least 20 years at FHSU."It is with a profound sense of gratitude and admiration that I recognize Curtis Hammeke's exceptional contributions as our Director of Athletics," said President of Fort Hays State University Dr. Tisa Mason. "Over the past 21 years, Curtis has not only elevated our athletic programs to remarkable heights, but also fostered a deep sense of community and connection with our student-athletes, coaches, and supporters. Working alongside Curtis has been an honor and a privilege. His dedication and vision have shaped the strong foundation we enjoy today, and his leadership will be greatly missed. I extend my heartfelt wishes for a fulfilling and joyful retirement and thank him for his years of service and the legacy he leaves behind."Hammeke has enjoyed a lifetime of contributions to collegiate athletics in the state of Kansas. Following his graduation from FHSU in 1985, he served as Assistant Baseball Coach and Sports Information Director at Barton (Kan.) Community College from 1987 to 1991. Barton is where his journey as a collegiate student-athlete and administrator began in the early 1980s, surrounding his two years as a student-athlete at Fort Hays State University. Following his five years as head baseball coach at FHSU, Hammeke was Director of Athletics at Great Bend High School for two years and then took his first collegiate Director of Athletics position at Butler (Kan.) Community College from 1998 to 2003. Butler won a pair of football national championships at the junior college level on Hammeke's watch. He spent one year as Director of Athletics at Newman University in 2003-04 before returning to Hays to serve the last 21 years in his current role. In 2017, Hammeke was inducted into the Barton Community College Sports Hall of Fame for his time as both a player and coach at the institution.Curtis and his wife Annette are blessed with three children, Father Andy Hammeke and Alicia Knight currently residing in Hays, and Nick Hammeke currently residing in Kansas City. All three were student-athletes and graduates of Fort Hays State University and have enjoyed great success in their lives beyond FHSU. Alicia and husband Kegan have four children – Emery, Kollins, Kolter, and Turner, while Nick and wife Olivia have one son – Jack."It is with a great sense of gratitude that I reflect on the last 30 years," Hammeke said. "The two cornerstones of my career have been the ongoing growth of my Catholic faith and the supportive presence of my wife Annette. We've been extremely blessed with our children, their spouses, and our grandchildren. Words can't describe what they all mean to us. Beyond faith and family, it is Fort Hays State University that I'm most grateful for. There's a certain degree of apprehension, along with excitement, which coincide with not knowing exactly what the next chapter of our lives will encompass. But regardless, I will cherish forever my time spent here with all the amazing people who work tirelessly on a mission to 'Defend the Fort.'"Fort Hays State University will begin a nationwide search for its next Director of Athletics immediately.Individuals interested in applying or sharing information about the position can access the link to the job posting here.

Hammeke announces retirement as FHSU AD, set for June '25

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. (AP) — Ichiro Suzuki wants to raise a glass with the voter who chose not to check off his name on the Hall of Fame ballot.

“There’s one writer that I wasn’t able to get a vote from,” he said through a translator Thursday, two days after receiving 393 of 394 votes from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. “I would like to invite him over to my house, and we’ll have a drink together, and we’ll have a good chat.”

Suzuki had been to the Hall seven times before attending a news conference Thursday with fellow electees CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner. The trio will be inducted on July 27 along with Dave Parker and Dick Allen, voted in last month by the classic era committee.

Suzuki struggled to process being the first player from Japan elected to the Hall.

“Maybe five, 10 years from now I could look back and maybe we’ll be able to say this is what it meant,” he said.

BBWAA secretary-treasurer Jack O’Connell recalled Suzuki was at the Hall in 2001 when he called to inform the Seattle star he had been voted AL Rookie of the Year. Suzuki received 27 of 28 first-place votes, all but one from an Ohio writer who selected Sabathia.

“He stole my Rookie of the Year,” Sabathia said playfully.

Sabathia remembered a game at Safeco Field on July 30, 2005. He had worked with Cleveland pitching coach Carl Willis in a bullpen session on a pitch he could throw to retire Suzuki, which turned out to be a slider.

“I get two strikes on Ichi and he hits it off the window,” Sabathia said of the 428-foot drive off the second deck restaurant in right field, at the time the longest home run of Suzuki’s big league career. “Come back around his next at-bat, throw it to him again, first pitch he hits it out again.”

Suzuki’s second home run broke a sixth-inning tie in the Mariners’ 3-2 win.

As the trio discussed their favorite memorabilia, Suzuki mentioned a mockup Hall of Fame plaque the Hall had created — not a design for the real one — that included his dog, Ikkyu.

“Our dog and then Bob Feller’s cat are the only animals to have the Hall of Fame plaque. That is something that I cherish,” Suzuki said, referring to a mockup with the pitcher’s cat, Felix.

Sabathia helped the New York Yankees win the World Series in 2009 after agreeing to a $161 million, seven-year contract as a free agent. Sabathia started his big league career in Cleveland, finished the 2008 season in Milwaukee and was apprehensive about signing with the Yankees before he was persuaded by general manager Brian Cashman.

“Going into the offseason, I just heard all of the stuff that was going on, the turmoil in the Yankees clubhouse,” Sabathia said. “Pretty quick, like two or three days into spring training, me and Andy (Pettitte) are running in the outfield, I get a chance to meet (Derek) Jeter, we’re hanging out, and the pitching staff, we’re going to dinners, we’re going to basketball games together. So it didn’t take long at all before I felt like this was the right decision.”

Sabathia was on 342 ballots and Wagner on 325 (82.5%), which was 29 votes more than the 296 needed for the required 75%. While Suzuki and Sabathia were elected in their first ballot appearance, Wagner was voted in on his 10th and final try with the writers.

Even two days after learning of his election, Wagner had tears streaming down his cheeks when he thought back to the call. His face turned red.

“It’s humbling,” he said, his voice quavering before he paused. “I don’t know if it’s deserving but to sit out 10 years and have your career scrutinized and stuff, it’s tough.”

Wagner, who is 5-foot-10, became the first left-hander elected to the Hall who was primarily a reliever. He thought of the words of 5-foot-11 right-hander Pedro Martínez, voted to Cooperstown in 2015.

“I hope kids around see that there is a chance that you can get here and it is possible, that size and where you’re from doesn’t matter,” Wagner said. “I think Pedro said it first, but If I can get here, anyone can get here.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737730533613.jpeg" alt="From left, Hall of Fame President Josh Rawitch, Ichiro Suzuki, Billy Wagner, CC Sabathia and Allen Turner Japanese interpreter for Ichiro Suzuki during a news conference Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025, in Cooperstown, N.Y. (AP Photo/Hans Pennink)" />
 <figcaption>From left, Hall of Fame President Josh Rawitch, Ichiro Suzuki, Billy Wagner, CC Sabathia and Allen Turner Japanese interpreter for Ichiro Suzuki during a news conference Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025, in Cooperstown, N.Y. (AP Photo/Hans Pennink)</figcaption>
 </figure>COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. (AP) — Ichiro Suzuki wants to raise a glass with the voter who chose not to check off his name on the Hall of Fame ballot.“There’s one writer that I wasn’t able to get a vote from,” he said through a translator Thursday, two days after receiving 393 of 394 votes from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. “I would like to invite him over to my house, and we’ll have a drink together, and we’ll have a good chat.”Suzuki had been to the Hall seven times before attending a news conference Thursday with fellow electees CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner. The trio will be inducted on July 27 along with Dave Parker and Dick Allen, voted in last month by the classic era committee.Suzuki struggled to process being the first player from Japan elected to the Hall.“Maybe five, 10 years from now I could look back and maybe we’ll be able to say this is what it meant,” he said.BBWAA secretary-treasurer Jack O’Connell recalled Suzuki was at the Hall in 2001 when he called to inform the Seattle star he had been voted AL Rookie of the Year. Suzuki received 27 of 28 first-place votes, all but one from an Ohio writer who selected Sabathia.“He stole my Rookie of the Year,” Sabathia said playfully.Sabathia remembered a game at Safeco Field on July 30, 2005. He had worked with Cleveland pitching coach Carl Willis in a bullpen session on a pitch he could throw to retire Suzuki, which turned out to be a slider.“I get two strikes on Ichi and he hits it off the window,” Sabathia said of the 428-foot drive off the second deck restaurant in right field, at the time the longest home run of Suzuki’s big league career. “Come back around his next at-bat, throw it to him again, first pitch he hits it out again.”Suzuki’s second home run broke a sixth-inning tie in the Mariners’ 3-2 win.As the trio discussed their favorite memorabilia, Suzuki mentioned a mockup Hall of Fame plaque the Hall had created — not a design for the real one — that included his dog, Ikkyu.“Our dog and then Bob Feller’s cat are the only animals to have the Hall of Fame plaque. That is something that I cherish,” Suzuki said, referring to a mockup with the pitcher’s cat, Felix.Sabathia helped the New York Yankees win the World Series in 2009 after agreeing to a $161 million, seven-year contract as a free agent. Sabathia started his big league career in Cleveland, finished the 2008 season in Milwaukee and was apprehensive about signing with the Yankees before he was persuaded by general manager Brian Cashman.“Going into the offseason, I just heard all of the stuff that was going on, the turmoil in the Yankees clubhouse,” Sabathia said. “Pretty quick, like two or three days into spring training, me and Andy (Pettitte) are running in the outfield, I get a chance to meet (Derek) Jeter, we’re hanging out, and the pitching staff, we’re going to dinners, we’re going to basketball games together. So it didn’t take long at all before I felt like this was the right decision.”Sabathia was on 342 ballots and Wagner on 325 (82.5%), which was 29 votes more than the 296 needed for the required 75%. While Suzuki and Sabathia were elected in their first ballot appearance, Wagner was voted in on his 10th and final try with the writers.Even two days after learning of his election, Wagner had tears streaming down his cheeks when he thought back to the call. His face turned red.“It’s humbling,” he said, his voice quavering before he paused. “I don’t know if it’s deserving but to sit out 10 years and have your career scrutinized and stuff, it’s tough.”Wagner, who is 5-foot-10, became the first left-hander elected to the Hall who was primarily a reliever. He thought of the words of 5-foot-11 right-hander Pedro Martínez, voted to Cooperstown in 2015.“I hope kids around see that there is a chance that you can get here and it is possible, that size and where you’re from doesn’t matter,” Wagner said. “I think Pedro said it first, but If I can get here, anyone can get here.”

Ichiro wants to have a drink with writer who left him off Hall of Fame ballot

By BRANDON SMITH Barton Sports Info

The Barton Community College wrestling team closed out the home portion of the season Thursday night falling 55-0 to No. 9 Pratt Community College in the annual Battle of Highway 281.

Facing its toughest challenge of the season, the Cougars met four ranked opponents over the 10 classes while staying open at 197.

The result drops the Cougars to 0-3 in league play and 2-12 on the season, while the Beavers improve to 3-0 in both conference and overall.

Next up for Barton will be a Thursday road trip to Colby, Kansas to take on the host Trojans and No. 13 Labette Community College with action slated to get underway at 4:00 p.m. from the Colby Event Center.

Sophomore&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wrest/2024-25/bios/mcmullen_skyler_jz53">Skyler McMullen</a>&nbsp;delivered the most exciting match of the night going the distance in his tilt at 141 before ultimately falling short in a 20-13 decision. Facing a 14-point deficit early in the second period, McMullen quickly shifted the momentum on his third escape of the bout closing the period behind a takedown, four and two point near falls and nearly capped the comeback with a late period pin just before buzzer to draw within two, 14-12. Escaping to pull within one at the start of the third, the sophomore's late comeback bid fell short as a late period counter shot by Pratt's Jameal Agnew created a takedown, three near back and ride time point in the final seconds.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737727278875.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By BRANDON SMITH Barton Sports InfoThe Barton Community College wrestling team closed out the home portion of the season Thursday night falling 55-0 to No. 9 Pratt Community College in the annual Battle of Highway 281.Facing its toughest challenge of the season, the Cougars met four ranked opponents over the 10 classes while staying open at 197.The result drops the Cougars to 0-3 in league play and 2-12 on the season, while the Beavers improve to 3-0 in both conference and overall.Next up for Barton will be a Thursday road trip to Colby, Kansas to take on the host Trojans and No. 13 Labette Community College with action slated to get underway at 4:00 p.m. from the Colby Event Center.Sophomore&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wrest/2024-25/bios/mcmullen_skyler_jz53">Skyler McMullen</a>&nbsp;delivered the most exciting match of the night going the distance in his tilt at 141 before ultimately falling short in a 20-13 decision. Facing a 14-point deficit early in the second period, McMullen quickly shifted the momentum on his third escape of the bout closing the period behind a takedown, four and two point near falls and nearly capped the comeback with a late period pin just before buzzer to draw within two, 14-12. Escaping to pull within one at the start of the third, the sophomore's late comeback bid fell short as a late period counter shot by Pratt's Jameal Agnew created a takedown, three near back and ride time point in the final seconds.

Barton Wrestling drops final home dual of season to No. 9 Pratt

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/australian-open-2025-rowdy-fans-tv-interviews-5bcde2a4e92d012ff611c54041b038c4">Spectators booed</a>&nbsp;an injured&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/djokovic-basavareddy-australian-open-federer-nadal-54293cfc7d89dba6d19536915ac6722c">Novak Djokovic</a>&nbsp;as he left the court in Rod Laver Arena after quitting one set into his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/tennis">Australian Open</a>&nbsp;semifinal against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/french-open-men-zverev-ruud-76c4530e76d15d1c35821d19a9a7af16">Alexander Zverev</a>&nbsp;on Friday. Dealing with what he said was a torn muscle, Djokovic lost the opening set 7-6 (5) when he put a forehand volley into the net, then began shaking his head and immediately walked over to tell Zverev the match was over. The 37-year-old Djokovic packed up his equipment and walked off toward the locker room, pausing to respond to the jeers by giving two thumbs-up. At his news conference, Djokovic said the pain in his taped left leg was “getting worse and worse.” He hurt it during his quarterfinal victory over Carlos Alcaraz on Tuesday night. “I knew,” Djokovic said, “even if I won the first set, it was going to be a huge uphill battle for me.”

LeBron James is extending his All-Star records. And Giannis Antetokounmpo is the people’s choice, again. The NBA revealed the starters — some of them, anyway — for the revamped All-Star Game on Thursday night, and there wasn’t much in the way of surprises. James is now officially an All-Star for the 21st year, and Antetokounmpo is now the ninth player to win the fan vote in back-to-back seasons. The other starters: — New York’s Jalen Brunson and Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell as the Eastern Conference guards. — Boston’s Jayson Tatum and New York’s Karl-Anthony Towns as the East frontcourt players alongside Antetokounmpo. — Golden State’s Stephen Curry and NBA leading scorer Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as Western Conference guards. — Phoenix’s Kevin Durant and Denver’s Nikola Jokic as the West frontcourt players alongside James. The starters were picked through a system of weighted balloting: 50% was fan voting, 25% was a media panel and 25% was voting by current players.

SEATTLE (AP) — Alex Ovechkin moved within 20 goals of breaking Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record with an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nhl.com/video/wsh-sea-ovechkin-scores-goal-against-joey-daccord-6367608606112" target="_blank">empty-netter</a>, helping the Washington Capitals beat the Seattle Kraken 3-0 on Thursday night for their sixth straight victory. Ovechkin scored his 22nd goal of the season to push his career total to 875. Gretzky scored 894 goals in the NHL. Charlie Lindgren made 22 saves in his first start since Jan. 10 for his first shutout of the season — and the NHL-leading Capitals’ third in five games after Logan Thompson blanked Anaheim and Ottawa in consecutive games last week. Aliaksei Protas and Ethen Frank also scored. Joey Daccord made 30 saves for Seattle in his fifth straight start and 100th NHL game.

THURSDAY SCORES NCAA MEN TOP 25 Maryland 91, No. 17 Illinois 70

NCAA WOMEN TOP 25 No. 1 UCLA 84, Rutgers 66

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723542041782.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/australian-open-2025-rowdy-fans-tv-interviews-5bcde2a4e92d012ff611c54041b038c4">Spectators booed</a>&nbsp;an injured&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/djokovic-basavareddy-australian-open-federer-nadal-54293cfc7d89dba6d19536915ac6722c">Novak Djokovic</a>&nbsp;as he left the court in Rod Laver Arena after quitting one set into his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/tennis">Australian Open</a>&nbsp;semifinal against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/french-open-men-zverev-ruud-76c4530e76d15d1c35821d19a9a7af16">Alexander Zverev</a>&nbsp;on Friday. Dealing with what he said was a torn muscle, Djokovic lost the opening set 7-6 (5) when he put a forehand volley into the net, then began shaking his head and immediately walked over to tell Zverev the match was over. The 37-year-old Djokovic packed up his equipment and walked off toward the locker room, pausing to respond to the jeers by giving two thumbs-up. At his news conference, Djokovic said the pain in his taped left leg was “getting worse and worse.” He hurt it during his quarterfinal victory over Carlos Alcaraz on Tuesday night. “I knew,” Djokovic said, “even if I won the first set, it was going to be a huge uphill battle for me.”LeBron James is extending his All-Star records. And Giannis Antetokounmpo is the people’s choice, again. The NBA revealed the starters — some of them, anyway — for the revamped All-Star Game on Thursday night, and there wasn’t much in the way of surprises. James is now officially an All-Star for the 21st year, and Antetokounmpo is now the ninth player to win the fan vote in back-to-back seasons. The other starters: — New York’s Jalen Brunson and Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell as the Eastern Conference guards. — Boston’s Jayson Tatum and New York’s Karl-Anthony Towns as the East frontcourt players alongside Antetokounmpo. — Golden State’s Stephen Curry and NBA leading scorer Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as Western Conference guards. — Phoenix’s Kevin Durant and Denver’s Nikola Jokic as the West frontcourt players alongside James. The starters were picked through a system of weighted balloting: 50% was fan voting, 25% was a media panel and 25% was voting by current players.SEATTLE (AP) — Alex Ovechkin moved within 20 goals of breaking Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record with an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nhl.com/video/wsh-sea-ovechkin-scores-goal-against-joey-daccord-6367608606112" target="_blank">empty-netter</a>, helping the Washington Capitals beat the Seattle Kraken 3-0 on Thursday night for their sixth straight victory. Ovechkin scored his 22nd goal of the season to push his career total to 875. Gretzky scored 894 goals in the NHL. Charlie Lindgren made 22 saves in his first start since Jan. 10 for his first shutout of the season — and the NHL-leading Capitals’ third in five games after Logan Thompson blanked Anaheim and Ottawa in consecutive games last week. Aliaksei Protas and Ethen Frank also scored. Joey Daccord made 30 saves for Seattle in his fifth straight start and 100th NHL game.SEATTLE (AP) — Alex Ovechkin moved within 20 goals of breaking Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record with an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nhl.com/video/wsh-sea-ovechkin-scores-goal-against-joey-daccord-6367608606112" target="_blank">empty-netter</a>, helping the Washington Capitals beat the Seattle Kraken 3-0 on Thursday night for their sixth straight victory. Ovechkin scored his 22nd goal of the season to push his career total to 875. Gretzky scored 894 goals in the NHL. Charlie Lindgren made 22 saves in his first start since Jan. 10 for his first shutout of the season — and the NHL-leading Capitals’ third in five games after Logan Thompson blanked Anaheim and Ottawa in consecutive games last week. Aliaksei Protas and Ethen Frank also scored. Joey Daccord made 30 saves for Seattle in his fifth straight start and 100th NHL game.THURSDAY SCORES NCAA MEN TOP 25 Maryland 91, No. 17 Illinois 70No. 24 Memphis 61, Wichita State 53NCAA WOMEN TOP 25 No. 1 UCLA 84, Rutgers 66No. 3 Notre Dame 89, Boston College 63No. 7 Texas 80, No. 17 TennesseeNo. 12 Ohio State 74, No. 8 Maryland 66Texas A&amp;M 61, No. 11 Kentucky 55No. 13 North Carolina 76, Wake Forest 51No. 14 Duke 81, SMU 46No. 18 Georgia Tech 75, Virginia 62No. 20 NC State 74, Syracuse 66No. 22 California 75, Stanford 72

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

For the third consecutive season, the Barton Community College baseball team heads into upcoming season tabbed to finish atop the Jayhawk West Conference as voted by its league member coaches.

The Jayhawk Conference released its annual preseason coaches' poll last Thursday as the Cougars and Cloud County sharing top point totals of 71 and three first place votes each while the defending Jayhawk West champion Blue Dragons of Hutchinson came in third with 66 points despite four first place votes.

Butler was picked 19 points behind Hutchinson in fourth with Dodge City rounding out the top five. Seward County, Colby. Garden City and Pratt rounded out the poll.

<a target="_blank" href="https://kjccc.org/sports/bsb/2024-25/Releases/2025_KJCCC_West_Preseason_Order_of_Finish">Complete 2025 KJCCC West Predicted Order of Finish</a>

Picked to win the conference for a second straight season last year, the Cougars wound up placing tied for fourth in the Jayhawk West at 19-13. Forced to go out on the road for the first round of the Region 6 Tournament, Barton caught fire at the ideal time pulling off a 2-0 opening round sweep of Fort Scott before finishing inside the top 3 of the Region 6/Plains District Tournament to conclude the 2024 season with a 41-21 record.

Skipper&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/bsb/coaches/biggs_brent_2425">Brent Biggs</a>&nbsp;returns to the Cougar dugout for his 11th season with a 367-179 record over 10 seasons.

Barton returns six position players and 11 pitchers from last season.

Offensively, redshirt-sophomore&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/bsb/2024-25/bios/hadley_ayden_rwzb">Ayden Hadley</a>&nbsp;and infielder&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/bsb/2024-25/bios/gomez_cesar_2mfx">Cesar Gomez</a>&nbsp;return as the top hitters for 2025.

Serving as the first baseman last season, Hadley returns following a strong Region 6 Tournament as the redshirt sophomore finished hitting .321 with 52 total hits, 13 double, two home runs and 39 RBIs.

Gomez manned third base for much of the year, while spending some time at second base. The Liberal, Kansas native returns after hitting .333 with 50 hits, 43 RBIs and four stolen bases.

Other notable returning position players include outfielder&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/bsb/2024-25/bios/yetter_wyatt_uyu3">Wyatt Yetter</a>, and catcher&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/bsb/2024-25/bios/donaldson_barrett_bd8c">Barrett Donaldson</a>.

Left-handed starting pitcher&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/bsb/2024-25/bios/minaker_ethan_it4v">Ethan Minaker</a>&nbsp;returns as the lone post-season selection from last year's squad as the Winnipeg, Manitoba native earned an All-KJCCC West honorable mention. Minaker made 12 starts, going 5-3 with a 4.28 ERA and earned the Week 14 KJCCC Pitcher of the Week distinction following a six-inning shutout performance scattering four hits with six strikeouts against Garden City.

<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/bsb/2024-25/bios/macwilliams_jackson_xa2n">Jackson MacWilliams</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/bsb/2024-25/bios/treto_anthony_sgp5">Anthony Treto</a>&nbsp;highlight the returners out of the Barton bullpen.

McWilliams led the Cougars in relief appearances a year ago, appearing 20 times out of the bullpen to post a 2-1 record with two saves and 19 strikeouts in 25-innings.

Treto looks to solidify his spot in the starting rotation, making two starts in 13 outings a season ago, the Brighten, Colorado native fashioned a 4-2 record with one save and 30 punchouts in 29.2-innings.

The Cougars will open the 2025 season on February 7th in the first of a three-game series at Rose State College before returning home for the home opener at Lawson-Biggs Field held February 15th-16th against Western Nebraska. Barton will begin Jayhawk Conference play on March 6th hosting the Saints of Seward County.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737724274131.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By BRANDON SMITH Barton Sports InfoFor the third consecutive season, the Barton Community College baseball team heads into upcoming season tabbed to finish atop the Jayhawk West Conference as voted by its league member coaches.The Jayhawk Conference released its annual preseason coaches' poll last Thursday as the Cougars and Cloud County sharing top point totals of 71 and three first place votes each while the defending Jayhawk West champion Blue Dragons of Hutchinson came in third with 66 points despite four first place votes.Butler was picked 19 points behind Hutchinson in fourth with Dodge City rounding out the top five. Seward County, Colby. Garden City and Pratt rounded out the poll.<a target="_blank" href="https://kjccc.org/sports/bsb/2024-25/Releases/2025_KJCCC_West_Preseason_Order_of_Finish">Complete 2025 KJCCC West Predicted Order of Finish</a>Picked to win the conference for a second straight season last year, the Cougars wound up placing tied for fourth in the Jayhawk West at 19-13. Forced to go out on the road for the first round of the Region 6 Tournament, Barton caught fire at the ideal time pulling off a 2-0 opening round sweep of Fort Scott before finishing inside the top 3 of the Region 6/Plains District Tournament to conclude the 2024 season with a 41-21 record.Skipper&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/bsb/coaches/biggs_brent_2425">Brent Biggs</a>&nbsp;returns to the Cougar dugout for his 11th season with a 367-179 record over 10 seasons.Barton returns six position players and 11 pitchers from last season.Offensively, redshirt-sophomore&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/bsb/2024-25/bios/hadley_ayden_rwzb">Ayden Hadley</a>&nbsp;and infielder&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/bsb/2024-25/bios/gomez_cesar_2mfx">Cesar Gomez</a>&nbsp;return as the top hitters for 2025.Serving as the first baseman last season, Hadley returns following a strong Region 6 Tournament as the redshirt sophomore finished hitting .321 with 52 total hits, 13 double, two home runs and 39 RBIs.Gomez manned third base for much of the year, while spending some time at second base. The Liberal, Kansas native returns after hitting .333 with 50 hits, 43 RBIs and four stolen bases.Other notable returning position players include outfielder&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/bsb/2024-25/bios/yetter_wyatt_uyu3">Wyatt Yetter</a>, and catcher&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/bsb/2024-25/bios/donaldson_barrett_bd8c">Barrett Donaldson</a>.Left-handed starting pitcher&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/bsb/2024-25/bios/minaker_ethan_it4v">Ethan Minaker</a>&nbsp;returns as the lone post-season selection from last year's squad as the Winnipeg, Manitoba native earned an All-KJCCC West honorable mention. Minaker made 12 starts, going 5-3 with a 4.28 ERA and earned the Week 14 KJCCC Pitcher of the Week distinction following a six-inning shutout performance scattering four hits with six strikeouts against Garden City.<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/bsb/2024-25/bios/macwilliams_jackson_xa2n">Jackson MacWilliams</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/bsb/2024-25/bios/treto_anthony_sgp5">Anthony Treto</a>&nbsp;highlight the returners out of the Barton bullpen.McWilliams led the Cougars in relief appearances a year ago, appearing 20 times out of the bullpen to post a 2-1 record with two saves and 19 strikeouts in 25-innings.Treto looks to solidify his spot in the starting rotation, making two starts in 13 outings a season ago, the Brighten, Colorado native fashioned a 4-2 record with one save and 30 punchouts in 29.2-innings.The Cougars will open the 2025 season on February 7th in the first of a three-game series at Rose State College before returning home for the home opener at Lawson-Biggs Field held February 15th-16th against Western Nebraska. Barton will begin Jayhawk Conference play on March 6th hosting the Saints of Seward County.

Barton Baseball tabbed atop the KJCCC West Preseason for third straight year

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Alysa Liu wore the smudge of blood on her dress at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships on Thursday night like a poignant badge of honor, symbolic of everything she has gone through over the past few years.

The 19-year-old has been through some battles.

The youngest American champion ever when she triumphed at 13, and then defended her title the next year, Liu walked away from the sport in 2022 content with her career. She had done everything that everyone had ever asked of her, and she was more than ready to move on to the next phase of her life, which meant enrolling at UCLA to study psychology.

But then, early last year, Liu decided to mount a comeback. And with the bright lights shining again, Liu delivered a brilliant and breathtaking short program in her return to nationals, scoring 76.36 points to take a solid lead over two-time U.S. champ Bradie Tennell and defending champion Amber Glenn heading into Friday night's free skate.

“I was emotional from the very beginning to the end,” said Liu, who had nicked the palm of her hand when she grasped her skate blade especially hard during the program. “And I really loved that for me, and I felt very connected to the ice.”

In the pairs competition earlier in the night, Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea scored 77.19 points in a near-flawless short program. It was more than four points better than their best in international competition, and put Kam and O’Shea more than eight ahead of second-place Emily Chan and Spencer Howe heading into Saturday night’s free skate.

This year’s nationals, just over a year out from the Milano-Cortina Games, should help identify the front-runners for the squad the U.S. sends to Italy. It also will go a long way toward deciding the U.S. team for the world championships, which are returning to American soil for the first time in nine years this March in Boston.

Who would have thought Liu might be there?

“I don’t remember the first time I won (nationals) or like, the feeling of it, honestly,” said Liu, who got back on the ice after a ski trip, when she realized had she missed the adrenaline of competing. “It feels like a different lifetime. And when I’ve seen like, old videos of me, it’s like that wasn’t me, you know what I’m saying? But it was, obviously. It was just so long ago.”

Liu's score Thursday night would have been the third highest in international competition this season, and it was more than five points clear of Tennell, who scored 71.23 to land in second. Glenn scored 70.91 after a mistake on her combination jump.

Tennell was still pleased with her performance, especially given the foot and ankle injuries that have hobbled her for years.

“It felt amazing,” she said. “This program is so lively and so energetic and so much fun for me to perform, and there's nothing like performing for your home country. Nationals always feels like coming home. And I'm very happy.”

The 25-year-old Glenn wasn't nearly as pleased, especially after a season in which she won every competition she entered.

“I didn't feel the attack or adrenaline going out there today," Glenn said. “I came into this event trained and ready but definitely more fatigued and not quite as — I'm trying to find a word for it — exhilarated as I'd like to be.”

Kam and O'Shea, who were fifth at the Grand Prix Final last month, opened their short program with a clean triple twist before landing side-by-side triple salchows. But it was their throw triple loop that highlighted their program, and Kam and O'Shea both knew it when their music came to an end — she punched both of her fists and he punched one of his own.

And their moms, who had clenched hands while watching from the stands, finally exhaled and celebrated.

“My mom and I share some high anxiety in pressure moments. I think she knows what I feel,” Kam said, “but being able to see them on the big screen, it's just really special for them to come to these events with us.”

Chan and Howe, the 2023 silver medalists at nationals, scored 69.10 points for their program to Lara Fabian's cover of “Je Suis Malade." The score was dragged down just a bit by a noticeable wobble going into their lift midway through.

Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov, the reigning silver medalists, were right behind Chan and Howe with 69.03 points.

“We were both really happy with how we felt out there,” said Chan, who dealt with a concussion earlier this season that limited the amount of time the pair could spend on the ice. “We put our heads together and really made a lot of improvement and felt we were really happy with our training, and we wanted to put it out here tonight.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737687208394.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Alysa Liu wore the smudge of blood on her dress at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships on Thursday night like a poignant badge of honor, symbolic of everything she has gone through over the past few years.The 19-year-old has been through some battles.The youngest American champion ever when she triumphed at 13, and then defended her title the next year, Liu walked away from the sport in 2022 content with her career. She had done everything that everyone had ever asked of her, and she was more than ready to move on to the next phase of her life, which meant enrolling at UCLA to study psychology.But then, early last year, Liu decided to mount a comeback. And with the bright lights shining again, Liu delivered a brilliant and breathtaking short program in her return to nationals, scoring 76.36 points to take a solid lead over two-time U.S. champ Bradie Tennell and defending champion Amber Glenn heading into Friday night's free skate.“I was emotional from the very beginning to the end,” said Liu, who had nicked the palm of her hand when she grasped her skate blade especially hard during the program. “And I really loved that for me, and I felt very connected to the ice.”In the pairs competition earlier in the night, Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea scored 77.19 points in a near-flawless short program. It was more than four points better than their best in international competition, and put Kam and O’Shea more than eight ahead of second-place Emily Chan and Spencer Howe heading into Saturday night’s free skate.This year’s nationals, just over a year out from the Milano-Cortina Games, should help identify the front-runners for the squad the U.S. sends to Italy. It also will go a long way toward deciding the U.S. team for the world championships, which are returning to American soil for the first time in nine years this March in Boston.Who would have thought Liu might be there?“I don’t remember the first time I won (nationals) or like, the feeling of it, honestly,” said Liu, who got back on the ice after a ski trip, when she realized had she missed the adrenaline of competing. “It feels like a different lifetime. And when I’ve seen like, old videos of me, it’s like that wasn’t me, you know what I’m saying? But it was, obviously. It was just so long ago.”Liu's score Thursday night would have been the third highest in international competition this season, and it was more than five points clear of Tennell, who scored 71.23 to land in second. Glenn scored 70.91 after a mistake on her combination jump.Tennell was still pleased with her performance, especially given the foot and ankle injuries that have hobbled her for years.“It felt amazing,” she said. “This program is so lively and so energetic and so much fun for me to perform, and there's nothing like performing for your home country. Nationals always feels like coming home. And I'm very happy.”The 25-year-old Glenn wasn't nearly as pleased, especially after a season in which she won every competition she entered.“I didn't feel the attack or adrenaline going out there today," Glenn said. “I came into this event trained and ready but definitely more fatigued and not quite as — I'm trying to find a word for it — exhilarated as I'd like to be.”Kam and O'Shea, who were fifth at the Grand Prix Final last month, opened their short program with a clean triple twist before landing side-by-side triple salchows. But it was their throw triple loop that highlighted their program, and Kam and O'Shea both knew it when their music came to an end — she punched both of her fists and he punched one of his own.And their moms, who had clenched hands while watching from the stands, finally exhaled and celebrated.“My mom and I share some high anxiety in pressure moments. I think she knows what I feel,” Kam said, “but being able to see them on the big screen, it's just really special for them to come to these events with us.”Chan and Howe, the 2023 silver medalists at nationals, scored 69.10 points for their program to Lara Fabian's cover of “Je Suis Malade." The score was dragged down just a bit by a noticeable wobble going into their lift midway through.Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov, the reigning silver medalists, were right behind Chan and Howe with 69.03 points.“We were both really happy with how we felt out there,” said Chan, who dealt with a concussion earlier this season that limited the amount of time the pair could spend on the ice. “We put our heads together and really made a lot of improvement and felt we were really happy with our training, and we wanted to put it out here tonight.”

Alysa Liu returns from 2-year absence and leads at US Championships in Wichita

HOISINGTON WINTER JAM Boys Monday quarterfinals No. 1 Pratt 46, No. 8 Minneapolis 33 No. 4 Victoria 60, No. 5 Otis-Bison 35

Tuesday quarterfinals No. 6 Ellsworth 39, No. 3 Ellinwood 38 No. 7 Hoisington 52, No. 2 LaCrosse 19

Thursday consolation Minneapolis 52, Otis-Bison 46 Ellinwood 60, LaCrosse 42

Friday semifinals Pratt vs. Victoria, 5 p.m. Hoisington vs Ellsworth, 8 p.m.

Saturday's schedule @ Hoisington Middle School 2:30 p.m. Seventh place: LaCrosse vs. Otis-Bison 5:30 p.m. Fifth Place: Minneapolis vs. Ellinwood Saturday's schedule @ Activity Center 2:30 p.m. Third Place: TBA 5:30 p.m. Championship: TBA

HOISINGTON WINTER JAM Girls Monday quarterfinals No. 2 Minneapolis 56, No. 7 Victoria 37 No. 4 Pratt 55, No. 5 La Crosse 33&nbsp;&nbsp;

Tuesday's quarterfinals No. 1 Ellinwood 41, No. 8 Otis-Bison 28 No. 3 Ellsworth 35, No. 6 Hoisington 28

Thursday's consolation La Crosse 47, Otis-Bison 21 Hoisington 57, Victoria 39

Friday's semifinals Pratt vs. Ellinwood, 3:30 p.m. Minneapolis vs. Ellsworth, 6:30 p.m.

Saturday's schedule @ Hoisington Middle School 1 p.m. Seventh place: Otis-Bison vs Victoria 4 p.m. Fifth place: Hoisington vs LaCrosse Saturday's schedule @ Activity Center 1 p.m Third place: TBA 4 p.m. Championship: TBA

Great Bend Post SportsHOISINGTON WINTER JAM Boys Monday quarterfinals No. 1 Pratt 46, No. 8 Minneapolis 33 No. 4 Victoria 60, No. 5 Otis-Bison 35Tuesday quarterfinals No. 6 Ellsworth 39, No. 3 Ellinwood 38 No. 7 Hoisington 52, No. 2 LaCrosse 19Thursday consolation Minneapolis 52, Otis-Bison 46 Ellinwood 60, LaCrosse 42Friday semifinals Pratt vs. Victoria, 5 p.m. Hoisington vs Ellsworth, 8 p.m.Saturday's schedule @ Hoisington Middle School 2:30 p.m. Seventh place: LaCrosse vs. Otis-Bison 5:30 p.m. Fifth Place: Minneapolis vs. Ellinwood Saturday's schedule @ Activity Center 2:30 p.m. Third Place: TBA 5:30 p.m. Championship: TBAHOISINGTON WINTER JAM Girls Monday quarterfinals No. 2 Minneapolis 56, No. 7 Victoria 37 No. 4 Pratt 55, No. 5 La Crosse 33&nbsp;&nbsp;Tuesday's quarterfinals No. 1 Ellinwood 41, No. 8 Otis-Bison 28 No. 3 Ellsworth 35, No. 6 Hoisington 28Thursday's consolation La Crosse 47, Otis-Bison 21 Hoisington 57, Victoria 39Friday's semifinals Pratt vs. Ellinwood, 3:30 p.m. Minneapolis vs. Ellsworth, 6:30 p.m.Saturday's schedule @ Hoisington Middle School 1 p.m. Seventh place: Otis-Bison vs Victoria 4 p.m. Fifth place: Hoisington vs LaCrosse Saturday's schedule @ Activity Center 1 p.m Third place: TBA 4 p.m. Championship: TBA

Updated Hoisington Cardinal Winter Jam brackets and schedule

ST. JOHN MID-WINTER CLASSIC Boys Monday quarterfinals No. 1 Central Plains 51, No. 8 Nickerson 35 No. 2 Macksville 64, No. 7 Cimarron 57&nbsp;&nbsp;

Tuesday quarterfinals No. 3 St. John 45, No. 6 Inman 33 No. 4 Little River 45, No. 5 Larned 43

Thursday schedule Larned 37, Nickerson 33 (consolation) Central Plains 52, Little River 30 (semifinal), 8 p.m.

Friday schedule&nbsp; Cimarron vs. Inman, (consolation), 5 p.m. Macksville vs. St. John (semifinal), 8 p.m.

Saturday schedule Seventh place, 10:30 a.m.: Nickerson vs TBA Fifth place, 1:30 p.m.: Larned vs TBA Third place, 4:30 p.m.: Little River vs TBA Championship, 7:30 p.m.: Central Plains vs TBA

ST. JOHN MID-WINTER CLASSIC Girls Monday quarterfinals No. 1 Little River 79, No. 8 Nickerson 16 No. 2 Central Plains 39, No. 7 Cimarron 25&nbsp;&nbsp;

Tuesday quarterfinals No. 3 Inman 70, No. 6 Macksville 26 No. 4 St. John 42, No. 5 Larned 35

Thursday schedule Larned 67, Nickerson 13 (consolation), 3:30 p.m. Little River 46, St. John 28 (semifinal), 6:30 p.m.

Friday schedule Cimarron vs. Macksville (consolation), 3:30 p.m. Central Plains vs. Inman (semifinal), 6:30 p.m.

Saturday schedule Seventh place, 9 a.m.: Nickerson vs TBA Fifth place, noon: Larned vs TBA Third place, 3 p.m.: St. John vs TBA Championship, 6 p.m.: Little River vs TBA

Great Bend Post SportsST. JOHN MID-WINTER CLASSIC Boys Monday quarterfinals No. 1 Central Plains 51, No. 8 Nickerson 35 No. 2 Macksville 64, No. 7 Cimarron 57&nbsp;&nbsp;Tuesday quarterfinals No. 3 St. John 45, No. 6 Inman 33 No. 4 Little River 45, No. 5 Larned 43Thursday schedule Larned 37, Nickerson 33 (consolation) Central Plains 52, Little River 30 (semifinal), 8 p.m.Friday schedule&nbsp; Cimarron vs. Inman, (consolation), 5 p.m. Macksville vs. St. John (semifinal), 8 p.m.Saturday schedule Seventh place, 10:30 a.m.: Nickerson vs TBA Fifth place, 1:30 p.m.: Larned vs TBA Third place, 4:30 p.m.: Little River vs TBA Championship, 7:30 p.m.: Central Plains vs TBAST. JOHN MID-WINTER CLASSIC Girls Monday quarterfinals No. 1 Little River 79, No. 8 Nickerson 16 No. 2 Central Plains 39, No. 7 Cimarron 25&nbsp;&nbsp;Tuesday quarterfinals No. 3 Inman 70, No. 6 Macksville 26 No. 4 St. John 42, No. 5 Larned 35Thursday schedule Larned 67, Nickerson 13 (consolation), 3:30 p.m. Little River 46, St. John 28 (semifinal), 6:30 p.m.Friday schedule Cimarron vs. Macksville (consolation), 3:30 p.m. Central Plains vs. Inman (semifinal), 6:30 p.m.Saturday schedule Seventh place, 9 a.m.: Nickerson vs TBA Fifth place, noon: Larned vs TBA Third place, 3 p.m.: St. John vs TBA Championship, 6 p.m.: Little River vs TBA

Updated St. John Mid-Winter Classic scores and schedule

Game #2 Minneapolis Boys 52 Otis-Bison 46

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1581739911992.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Game #1 La Crosse Girls 47 Otis-Bison 21Game #2 Minneapolis Boys 52 Otis-Bison 46Game #3 Hoisington Girls 57 Victoria 39Game #4 Ellinwood Boys 60 La Crosse 42<div><iframe width="100%" height="265" src="https://clyp.it/lfwsxbph/widget" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>Special Winter Jam Major Sponsors on 100.7 Eagle Country! Nex-Tech Wireless, USD 431 Hoisington, C&amp;E Doors, Freedom Claims Management, Great Bend Rec, Landmark National Bank, Allstaff Chartered, Clara Barton Medical Center, Mpire Realty, USD 432 Victoria, Innovative Livestock Services, Jimlo Glass Center, The Fieldhouse, USD 355 Ellinwood Public Schools.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.

Winter Jam Day 3 Results

Great Bend Boys 72 Wichita South 41; Salina South 42 Great Bend 12

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673886602159.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Great Bend Boys 72 Wichita South 41; Salina South 42 Great Bend 12<div><iframe width="100%" height="265" src="https://clyp.it/haytw5tl/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.

Larned Boys 37 Nickerson 33; Larned Girls 67 Nickerson 13

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>Larned Boys 37 Nickerson 33; Larned Girls 67 Nickerson 13<div><iframe width="100%" height="265" src="https://clyp.it/21uth5qu/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.

By TODD MOORE Barton Sports Info

Barton Community College Athletic Department announces the election of Tim Weiser, Lacy (Frees) Draznik, and Natchapol Srinoon to its Sports Hall of Fame.

Weiser leads the trio of selections as the Great Bend native advanced from his Barton baseball playing experience to earn multiple Hall of Fame honors within his decorated 40-plus year career in athletics including his recent retirement as the Big 12 Conference Deputy Commissioner.

Draznik, formerly Frees of Ellinwood, continued her dance career after Barton to Wichita State University before embarking on a professional dance career that has now grown into a highly successful ownership of multiple dance studios.

A standout men's golfer at Barton, Srinoon moved on to Arkansas Tech before turning professional in his home country of Thailand.

The Class of 2025 will be enshrined at a 2:00 p.m. induction ceremony Saturday, February 15, in the Kirkman Activity Center located on the Barton Campus. Induction ceremony is free and open to the public. Public attendance also encouraged in honoring the inductees between the women's and men's basketball games versus Dodge City Community College later that evening.

Schedule of EventsSaturday, February 15, at Barton Community College2:00 p.m. – Induction Ceremony located on lower level of the Kirkman Activity Center on the Barton campus. Admission is free and public is encouraged to attend. *Live web streaming will also be available.5:30 p.m. – Barton women's basketball versus Dodge City Community College*7:15 p.m. - *Approximate time. Inductees will be presented with Hall of Fame plaques in a brief ceremony between the women and men's basketball contests.7:30 p.m. – Barton men's basketball versus Dodge City Community College

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737639392154.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By TODD MOORE Barton Sports InfoBarton Community College Athletic Department announces the election of Tim Weiser, Lacy (Frees) Draznik, and Natchapol Srinoon to its Sports Hall of Fame.Weiser leads the trio of selections as the Great Bend native advanced from his Barton baseball playing experience to earn multiple Hall of Fame honors within his decorated 40-plus year career in athletics including his recent retirement as the Big 12 Conference Deputy Commissioner.Draznik, formerly Frees of Ellinwood, continued her dance career after Barton to Wichita State University before embarking on a professional dance career that has now grown into a highly successful ownership of multiple dance studios.A standout men's golfer at Barton, Srinoon moved on to Arkansas Tech before turning professional in his home country of Thailand.The Class of 2025 will be enshrined at a 2:00 p.m. induction ceremony Saturday, February 15, in the Kirkman Activity Center located on the Barton Campus. Induction ceremony is free and open to the public. Public attendance also encouraged in honoring the inductees between the women's and men's basketball games versus Dodge City Community College later that evening.Schedule of EventsSaturday, February 15, at Barton Community College2:00 p.m. – Induction Ceremony located on lower level of the Kirkman Activity Center on the Barton campus. Admission is free and public is encouraged to attend. *Live web streaming will also be available.5:30 p.m. – Barton women's basketball versus Dodge City Community College*7:15 p.m. - *Approximate time. Inductees will be presented with Hall of Fame plaques in a brief ceremony between the women and men's basketball contests.7:30 p.m. – Barton men's basketball versus Dodge City Community College

Pair of local talent headline Barton Athletics' 2025 Sports HOF inductee class

By ROB MAADDI Associated Press

Josh Allen, Saquon Barkley, Joe Burrow, Jared Goff and Lamar Jackson are finalists for The Associated Press 2024 NFL Most Valuable Player award.

Barkley, Burrow and Jackson also are finalists for Offensive Player of the Year and Burrow is also in the running for Comeback Player of the Year.

The winners will be announced at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nfl-honors-snoop-dogg-368675c40e656373ebd1f10a5b4d4883">NFL Honors</a>&nbsp;on Feb. 6. A nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the league completed voting before the playoffs began.

Here are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nfl-award-finalists-afac589634892b05eef25de400c7ca6c">the finalists</a>, in alphabetical order, for the eight AP NFL awards:

Allen helped the Bills win their fifth straight AFC East title. He threw for 3,731 yards, 28 TDs and had six picks for a 101.4 passer rating. Allen ran for 531 yards and 12 scores.

Barkley ran for 2,005 yards, eighth-best in NFL history. He sat out Philadelphia’s final regular-season game when he needed 101 yards to break Eric Dickerson’s single-season record. Barkley helped the Eagles win the NFC East and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eagles-barkley-nfc-title-game-commanders-755dd2a3f8590cbe58c9abbb79926665">advance to the conference championship game</a>.

Burrow led the NFL with a career-high 4,918 yards passing and 43 TDs but the Cincinnati Bengals finished 9-8 and missed the playoffs.

Goff threw for 4,629 yards, 37 TDs, nine interceptions and led Detroit to the No. 1 seed in the NFC. The Lions were eliminated in the divisional round by Washington.

Jackson, the reigning winner, is seeking his third MVP award after leading the Ravens to an AFC North title. 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 was a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nfl-all-pro-2024-e51ea0b49d95ad15be037f198e914d2c">first-team All-Pro</a>&nbsp;for the third time and also ran for 915 yards and four TDs. The Ravens were knocked out of the divisional round by Allen and the Buffalo Bills.

Barkley, Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, Derrick Henry and Jackson are finalists for the award.

Chase won the receiving triple crown, leading the league with 127 receptions, 1,708 yards and 17 TDs. The Bengals’ star wide receiver was a unanimous selection for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nfl-all-pro-2024-cdf9837431c51929b072c357988bc024">All-Pro</a>.

Henry, the 2020 Offensive Player of the Year, had 1,921 yards rushing and 16 TDs in his first season with the Ravens.

Eagles linebacker Zack Baun went from mostly playing special teams for the Saints to earning All-Pro honors in his first season in Philadelphia.

All-Pro edge rusher Myles Garrett, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, had 14 sacks for the Cleveland Browns.

Bengals All-Pro edge rusher Trey Hendrickson led the NFL with 17 1/2 sacks.

By ROB MAADDI Associated PressJosh Allen, Saquon Barkley, Joe Burrow, Jared Goff and Lamar Jackson are finalists for The Associated Press 2024 NFL Most Valuable Player award.Barkley, Burrow and Jackson also are finalists for Offensive Player of the Year and Burrow is also in the running for Comeback Player of the Year.The winners will be announced at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nfl-honors-snoop-dogg-368675c40e656373ebd1f10a5b4d4883">NFL Honors</a>&nbsp;on Feb. 6. A nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the league completed voting before the playoffs began.Here are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nfl-award-finalists-afac589634892b05eef25de400c7ca6c">the finalists</a>, in alphabetical order, for the eight AP NFL awards:<h2>Most Valuable Player</h2>Allen helped the Bills win their fifth straight AFC East title. He threw for 3,731 yards, 28 TDs and had six picks for a 101.4 passer rating. Allen ran for 531 yards and 12 scores.Barkley ran for 2,005 yards, eighth-best in NFL history. He sat out Philadelphia’s final regular-season game when he needed 101 yards to break Eric Dickerson’s single-season record. Barkley helped the Eagles win the NFC East and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eagles-barkley-nfc-title-game-commanders-755dd2a3f8590cbe58c9abbb79926665">advance to the conference championship game</a>.Burrow led the NFL with a career-high 4,918 yards passing and 43 TDs but the Cincinnati Bengals finished 9-8 and missed the playoffs.Goff threw for 4,629 yards, 37 TDs, nine interceptions and led Detroit to the No. 1 seed in the NFC. The Lions were eliminated in the divisional round by Washington.Jackson, the reigning winner, is seeking his third MVP award after leading the Ravens to an AFC North title. 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 was a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nfl-all-pro-2024-e51ea0b49d95ad15be037f198e914d2c">first-team All-Pro</a>&nbsp;for the third time and also ran for 915 yards and four TDs. The Ravens were knocked out of the divisional round by Allen and the Buffalo Bills.<h2>Offensive Player of the Year</h2>Barkley, Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, Derrick Henry and Jackson are finalists for the award.Chase won the receiving triple crown, leading the league with 127 receptions, 1,708 yards and 17 TDs. The Bengals’ star wide receiver was a unanimous selection for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nfl-all-pro-2024-cdf9837431c51929b072c357988bc024">All-Pro</a>.Henry, the 2020 Offensive Player of the Year, had 1,921 yards rushing and 16 TDs in his first season with the Ravens.<h2>Defensive Player of the Year</h2>Eagles linebacker Zack Baun went from mostly playing special teams for the Saints to earning All-Pro honors in his first season in Philadelphia.All-Pro edge rusher Myles Garrett, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, had 14 sacks for the Cleveland Browns.Bengals All-Pro edge rusher Trey Hendrickson led the NFL with 17 1/2 sacks.Broncos All-Pro cornerback Patrick Surtain II allowed just 37 receptions, had four picks and opposing quarterbacks had a 61.1 passer rating throwing against himSteelers edge rusher T.J. Watt, the 2021 winner, had 11 1/2 sacks and forced six fumbles.<h2>Offensive Rookie of the Year</h2>Raiders tight end Brock Bowers set a rookie record with 112 receptions and his 1,194 yards receiving were the most by a first-year player at his position.Commanders&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jayden-daniels-washington-commanders-fa56ef251df0469c4761d0dfabad55b1">quarterback Jayden Daniels</a>&nbsp;led the team to an eight-win improvement and has them one win away from a Super Bowl appearance. He threw for 3,568 yards, 25 TDs and posted a 100.1 rating. Daniels also ran for 891 yards and six scores.Giants receiver Malik Nabers had 109 catches for 1,204 yards and seven TDs.Broncos QB Bo Nix helped the team reach the playoffs for the first time in nine years. He had 3,775 yards passing, 29 TDs, 12 picks and ran for 430 yards and four scores.Jaguars receiver Brian Thomas Jr. caught 87 passes for 1,282 yards and 10 TDs.<h2>Defensive Rookie of the Year</h2>Eagles cornerback Cooper DeJean was among the highest-rated players in the slot, holding opponents to 50 receptions. He had five pass breakups and quarterbacks had an 82.2 passer rating against him.Rams defensive tackle Braden Fiske led the team and all rookies with 8 1/2 sacks. He had 51 pressures, two forced fumbles and recoveries, 10 tackles for loss and 10 quarterback hits.Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell allowed 40 receptions, had nine pass breakups and quarterbacks had an 87 passer rating against him.Dolphins edge Chop Robinson had six sacks, 20 pressures and eight tackles for loss.Rams edge Jared Verse had 4 1/2 sacks but led all rookies in quarterback hits (18), pressures (77) and hurries (56). He also had 11 tackles for loss.