By GERARD WELLBROCK Hays Post

Hays - For the first 30 minutes, the Fort Hays State football team went toe-to-toe with No. 3 Pittsburg State but the defending MIAA champs dominated the second half and beat the Tigers 40-14 at Lewis Field.

<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/boxscore.aspx?path=football&amp;id=12573">Box Score</a>

The Tigers (1-1, 1-1 MIAA) held a 14-13 lead at halftime, but the Gorillas (2-0, 2-0 MIAA) outscored them 27-0 in the second half on their way to their 14th-straight MIAA win. FHSU was held to only one first down and 50 total yards in the second half.

After getting a fourth-down stop near mid-field on the Gorillas first possession, the Tigers scored on a 13-yard touchdown pass from Jack Dawson to Bryson Smith to grab an early 7-0 lead. It was the Houston transfers first catch as a Tigers.

Pitt State scored the next 10 points with a 39-yard field goal at the 6:33 mark of the first quarter and a nine-yard touchdown pass on fourth down with 4:46 to play in the second which capped a 17-play drive that ate up over nine minutes and saw the Gorillas convert on three fourth down plays.&nbsp;

The Tigers took the lead back on a seven=yard TD strike from Dawson to Jayden Horace&nbsp;with 1:15 to go in the second to go up 14-10. The Gorillas scored on a late field goal to pull within a point at halftime.

The Tigers punted five times and threw an interception in their six second-half possessions and went three-and-out four times.

Dawson completed 15-of-32 passes for 165 passing yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Cale Cormaney&nbsp;led the Tigers in receiving yards with 52, while Trevor Watts&nbsp;had a team-high four catches. Travis Dixon&nbsp;led FHSU in rushing with 37 yards. FHSU generated only 47 rushing yards as a team. Makel Williams led the Tiger defense with 13 tackles, while Mason Perez&nbsp;added nine. Kobe Rome had an interception.

The Gorillas rushed for 193 yards spread among eight players, led by Ty Pennington with 43. Chad Dodson threw for 239 of the Gorillas' 283 yards through the air with two touchdowns and an interception. Devon Garrison led PSU in receiving yards with 90, while Kolbe Katsis had a team-high 14 receptions. Alex Gaskill led the PSU defense with six tackles.

Fort Hays State will host Northwest Missouri State on Saturday, September 16 at 7 p.m. at Lewis Field. The fifth-ranked Bearcats lost 33-13 at home to No. 18 Emporia State Thursday in Maryville.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694147308458.jpeg" alt="Fort Hays State linebaker Makel Williams (6) tackles Pittsburg State tight end Devon Garrison (88) in an MIAA football game Thursday, September 7, 2023 in Hays, Kan. (FHSU Athletics photo/Gillian Lynch)" />
 <figcaption>Fort Hays State linebaker Makel Williams (6) tackles Pittsburg State tight end Devon Garrison (88) in an MIAA football game Thursday, September 7, 2023 in Hays, Kan. (FHSU Athletics photo/Gillian Lynch)</figcaption>
 </figure>By GERARD WELLBROCK Hays PostHays - For the first 30 minutes, the Fort Hays State football team went toe-to-toe with No. 3 Pittsburg State but the defending MIAA champs dominated the second half and beat the Tigers 40-14 at Lewis Field.<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/boxscore.aspx?path=football&amp;id=12573">Box Score</a>The Tigers (1-1, 1-1 MIAA) held a 14-13 lead at halftime, but the Gorillas (2-0, 2-0 MIAA) outscored them 27-0 in the second half on their way to their 14th-straight MIAA win. FHSU was held to only one first down and 50 total yards in the second half.<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1611386319&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/chris-brown-postgame-vs-pittsburg-state-sep-7-2023" title="Chris Brown Postgame vs. Pittsburg State (Sep 7, 2023)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Chris Brown Postgame vs. Pittsburg State (Sep 7, 2023)</a></div></div>After getting a fourth-down stop near mid-field on the Gorillas first possession, the Tigers scored on a 13-yard touchdown pass from Jack Dawson to Bryson Smith to grab an early 7-0 lead. It was the Houston transfers first catch as a Tigers.Pitt State scored the next 10 points with a 39-yard field goal at the 6:33 mark of the first quarter and a nine-yard touchdown pass on fourth down with 4:46 to play in the second which capped a 17-play drive that ate up over nine minutes and saw the Gorillas convert on three fourth down plays.&nbsp;<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1611386844&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/mason-perez-postgame-vs-3-pittsburg-state-sep-7-2023" title="Mason Perez Postgame vs. #3 Pittsburg State (Sep 7, 2023)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Mason Perez Postgame vs. #3 Pittsburg State (Sep 7, 2023)</a></div></div>The Tigers took the lead back on a seven=yard TD strike from Dawson to Jayden Horace&nbsp;with 1:15 to go in the second to go up 14-10. The Gorillas scored on a late field goal to pull within a point at halftime.The Tigers punted five times and threw an interception in their six second-half possessions and went three-and-out four times.Dawson completed 15-of-32 passes for 165 passing yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Cale Cormaney&nbsp;led the Tigers in receiving yards with 52, while Trevor Watts&nbsp;had a team-high four catches. Travis Dixon&nbsp;led FHSU in rushing with 37 yards. FHSU generated only 47 rushing yards as a team. Makel Williams led the Tiger defense with 13 tackles, while Mason Perez&nbsp;added nine. Kobe Rome had an interception.<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1611387180&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/jack-dawson-postgame-vs-3-pittsburg-state-sep-7-2023" title="Jack Dawson Postgame vs. #3 Pittsburg State (Sep 7, 2023)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Jack Dawson Postgame vs. #3 Pittsburg State (Sep 7, 2023)</a></div></div>The Gorillas rushed for 193 yards spread among eight players, led by Ty Pennington with 43. Chad Dodson threw for 239 of the Gorillas' 283 yards through the air with two touchdowns and an interception. Devon Garrison led PSU in receiving yards with 90, while Kolbe Katsis had a team-high 14 receptions. Alex Gaskill led the PSU defense with six tackles.<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1611387549&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/fort-hays-state-fb-highlights-vs-3-pittsburg-state-sep-7-2023" title="Fort Hays State FB Highlights vs. #3 Pittsburg State (Sep 7, 2023)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Fort Hays State FB Highlights vs. #3 Pittsburg State (Sep 7, 2023)</a></div></div>UP NEXTFort Hays State will host Northwest Missouri State on Saturday, September 16 at 7 p.m. at Lewis Field. The fifth-ranked Bearcats lost 33-13 at home to No. 18 Emporia State Thursday in Maryville.

🏈 Strong second half lifts No. 3 Pitt State past Tigers

DODGE CITY – The Hays High volleyball team went 2-1 at Thursday
Dodge City triangular. The Indians lost to the host Red Demons (24-26, 23-25)
then came back to beat Sublette (25-13, 25-13) and Lakin (25-22, 25-21).

The Indians have won three of their last four matches and
are now 5-6 on the season. The are in Great Bend for a triangular with the
Panthers and Manhattan on Tuesday (Sep. 12).

Hays PostDODGE CITY – The Hays High volleyball team went 2-1 at Thursday
Dodge City triangular. The Indians lost to the host Red Demons (24-26, 23-25)
then came back to beat Sublette (25-13, 25-13) and Lakin (25-22, 25-21).The Indians have won three of their last four matches and
are now 5-6 on the season. The are in Great Bend for a triangular with the
Panthers and Manhattan on Tuesday (Sep. 12).

🏐 HHS goes 2-1 in Dodge City

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – Fort Hays State Men's Soccer fell by s score of 3-1 to No. 10 ranked Maryville University on Thursday (Sept. 7). The match was held at a neutral site, the Scheels Soccer Complex in Overland Park, Kan.

The Saints scored about 11 minutes into the match and then added on to their lead with goals in the 47th&nbsp;and 69th&nbsp;minutes during the second half. The Tigers picked up their lone tally of the match in the 76th&nbsp;minute when a handball in the box gave&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-soccer/roster/blake-arndt/7300">Blake Arndt</a>&nbsp;the opportunity to score a penalty kick goal. Arndt now has a team-leading three goals on the season.

The Tigers make another trip to Kansas City on Sunday (Sept. 10) when they play at Rockhurst University. Match time is set for 3 p.m. The Hawks will enter the match at 1-1-0 on the season, while the Tigers are now 1-2-0.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694170841171.jpeg" alt="FHSU Athletics photo/Ryan Prickett" />
 <figcaption>FHSU Athletics photo/Ryan Prickett</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsOVERLAND PARK, Kan. – Fort Hays State Men's Soccer fell by s score of 3-1 to No. 10 ranked Maryville University on Thursday (Sept. 7). The match was held at a neutral site, the Scheels Soccer Complex in Overland Park, Kan.The Saints scored about 11 minutes into the match and then added on to their lead with goals in the 47th&nbsp;and 69th&nbsp;minutes during the second half. The Tigers picked up their lone tally of the match in the 76th&nbsp;minute when a handball in the box gave&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-soccer/roster/blake-arndt/7300">Blake Arndt</a>&nbsp;the opportunity to score a penalty kick goal. Arndt now has a team-leading three goals on the season.The Tigers make another trip to Kansas City on Sunday (Sept. 10) when they play at Rockhurst University. Match time is set for 3 p.m. The Hawks will enter the match at 1-1-0 on the season, while the Tigers are now 1-2-0.&nbsp;&nbsp;

⚽ Tiger men fall to No. 10 Maryville in Kansas City

WICHITA - The Hays High boys soccer team notched their first win on the season Thursday, edging Maize 1-0 in the second round of the Wichita South Titan Classic. The Indians fell to Derby 2-0 earlier in the week. 

HHS will wrap up tourney play Saturday at 1:00 p.m. against Hutchinson.

Hays PostWICHITA - The Hays High boys soccer team notched their first win on the season Thursday, edging Maize 1-0 in the second round of the Wichita South Titan Classic. The Indians fell to Derby 2-0 earlier in the week. HHS will wrap up tourney play Saturday at 1:00 p.m. against Hutchinson.

⚽ HHS picks defeats Maize for first win

HESSTON – The Hays High girls placed six in the top-10 of
the Swather Special Senior 2 Mile run and placed second Thursday. The boys placed
four in the top-10 and also finished in second place.

Elijah McCullough won the individual for the boys with a
time of 11:47.9. Ty Dempsey finished sixth (14:02.8), Tacoma Augustine seventh (14:05.2)
and Gavin Flaska 10th (14:41.1).

Taevian Maupin won the junior race with a time of 12:37.8. Malachi
Chance finished fifth in the sophomore race (14:02.9) and Chris Hollis ninth
(15:50.1).

Logan Leiker finished third in the freshman race (13:26.9),
Brayden Staley fourth (13:45.1), Bryson Dumler sixth (14:21.2) and Aiden
Hardman 10th (14:49.9)

Arely Maldonado won the senior race with a time of 14:12.4.
Teammate Brynn Kinderknecht finished second (14:58.6). Julia Zadina placed fifth
(15:43.7), Brenlynn Albers sixth (15:49.6), Mika Zimmerman seventh (15:56.9)
and Addison Ottie ninth (16:54.8).

Aralan Maupin placed third in the sophomore race with a time
of 16:22.8. Cara Cunningham finished fourth (16:37.5), Ava Biggs sixth (16:37.8)
and Kynli Koeningsman seventh (16:42.0).

Jayleigh Weilert placed eighth in the freshman race with a
time of 20:21.4

Salina South won the team title with 12 points. Hays was
second with 15 and Liberal third with 18.

Hays PostHESSTON – The Hays High girls placed six in the top-10 of
the Swather Special Senior 2 Mile run and placed second Thursday. The boys placed
four in the top-10 and also finished in second place.Elijah McCullough won the individual for the boys with a
time of 11:47.9. Ty Dempsey finished sixth (14:02.8), Tacoma Augustine seventh (14:05.2)
and Gavin Flaska 10th (14:41.1).Taevian Maupin won the junior race with a time of 12:37.8. Malachi
Chance finished fifth in the sophomore race (14:02.9) and Chris Hollis ninth
(15:50.1).Logan Leiker finished third in the freshman race (13:26.9),
Brayden Staley fourth (13:45.1), Bryson Dumler sixth (14:21.2) and Aiden
Hardman 10th (14:49.9)Arely Maldonado won the senior race with a time of 14:12.4.
Teammate Brynn Kinderknecht finished second (14:58.6). Julia Zadina placed fifth
(15:43.7), Brenlynn Albers sixth (15:49.6), Mika Zimmerman seventh (15:56.9)
and Addison Ottie ninth (16:54.8).Aralan Maupin placed third in the sophomore race with a time
of 16:22.8. Cara Cunningham finished fourth (16:37.5), Ava Biggs sixth (16:37.8)
and Kynli Koeningsman seventh (16:42.0).Jayleigh Weilert placed eighth in the freshman race with a
time of 20:21.4Salina South won the team title with 12 points. Hays was
second with 15 and Liberal third with 18.

👟 HHS boys and girls finish second at Swather Speical

DODGE CITY – The Hays High girls’ golf team shot a 355 and finished
second at the Dodge City Invitational Thursday at the Mariah Hills Golf Course.
The Indians tied with Maize but were awarded second place because of a lower score by their fifth golfer. 

Kapaun Mt. Carmel won the team title with a 328.

Abbie Norris led the Indians with a 10-over 83 and finished
fifth. Jaycee Oakley fired an 84 and placed fifth.

Kinslea Jones of Maize won the individual title with a
1-under-per 72. 

Hays PostDODGE CITY – The Hays High girls’ golf team shot a 355 and finished
second at the Dodge City Invitational Thursday at the Mariah Hills Golf Course.
The Indians tied with Maize but were awarded second place because of a lower score by their fifth golfer. Kapaun Mt. Carmel won the team title with a 328.Abbie Norris led the Indians with a 10-over 83 and finished
fifth. Jaycee Oakley fired an 84 and placed fifth.Kinslea Jones of Maize won the individual title with a
1-under-per 72.

⛳ HHS girls win tiebreaker, finish second in Dodge City

#3/3 Pittsburg State (1-0, 1-0&nbsp;MIAA) vs RV/- Fort Hays State (1-0, 1-0&nbsp;MIAA) Thursday, September 7 - 7 p.m. Hays, Kan. – Lewis Field Stadium Vyve Broadband Kickoff Classic Radio - KJLS (103.3)

<a href="https://mix103fm.com/">CLICK HERE TO LISTEN LIVE</a>

Fort Hays State Football plays its first home game of the 2023 season on Thursday night at Lewis Field Stadium in Hays. It will be a big one as the Tigers take on No. 3/3 ranked Pittsburg State, the defending MIAA champions. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. Live coverage includes The&nbsp;MIAA&nbsp;Network, radio, and live stats.

<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/news/2023/8/24/general-miaa-network-prices-announced-for-2023-24.aspx">SUBSCRIBE TO THE MIAA NETWORK</a>&nbsp;(All-season, monthly, and single-game purchases available)

The Tigers are coming off a 56-0 shutout win at Northeastern State in their season opener. FHSU jumped out to a 35-0 lead by halftime and added three more touchdowns in the second half to produce its most points in a game since a 64-6 win at Northeastern State on November 6, 2021.

Pittsburg State is also coming off a win in its season opener, downing Washburn 34-7 in Pittsburg last week. The Gorillas started the year at No. 4 in the national rankings and moved up one spot this week in both the AFCA and D2Football.com polls.

Fort Hays State and Pittsburg State were the only MIAA schools to hold their opponents inside of 10 points in Week 1. FHSU leads the MIAA in total defense (199 yds/game) and scoring defense (0.0 ppg), while the Gorillas are second in both categories (233 yds/game and 7.0 ppg). Pittsburg State had the top scoring defense in the MIAA last year at 14.1 points per game, which helped them join FHSU and Northwest Missouri State as the only programs to navigate an 11-game MIAA conference schedule undefeated.

This will be the first of six home games for the Tigers this season. Three of the six are against teams currently in the Top 25 of the national rankings. The Tigers are looking for their first win over a Top 10 ranked team in Hays since 1997 when they knocked off a No. 7 ranked Western State (now Western Colorado) team by a score of 28-15 when both were members of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. Western Colorado remains in the RMAC today, while FHSU joined the MIAA in 2006. The Tigers are seeking their first win at home against a Top 10 ranked team in their MIAA era, now at 0-9, with six of the losses to Northwest Missouri State, one to Pittsburg State, one to Missouri Western, and one to Ferris State.

Pittsburg State has won the last two meetings with FHSU (2021 &amp; 2022). Prior to that, Fort Hays State reeled off four straight wins against PSU from 2016-2019. The Gorillas and Tigers met in the regular season finale last year in Pittsburg with PSU winning 35-14 to cap its undefeated regular season. The Gorillas went on to win one NCAA playoff game before falling to eventually national champion Ferris State in the Round of 16.

Fort Hays State quarterback&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/football/roster/jack-dawson/7346">Jack Dawson</a>&nbsp;leads all of NCAA Division II in completion percentage (87.0) and pass efficiency rating (274.5). He threw for over 300 yards for the first time in his career last week with 317, completing 20-of-23 attempts. He also ran for one touchdown, giving him a hand in 36 of FHSU's 56 points. A pair of transfer receivers combined for 182 receiving yards, which included&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/football/roster/hosia-stokes/7518">Hosia Stokes</a>&nbsp;with 122 and&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/football/roster/jayden-horace/7515">Jayden Horace</a>&nbsp;with 60. Four Tiger running backs combined for over 100 yards rushing, led by&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/football/roster/shane-watts/7425">Shane Watts</a>&nbsp;with 39.

The Tigers had a big game one on the defensive side of the ball as well. The Tigers had four interceptions in their season opener, which included picks by&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/football/roster/myles-menges/7381">Myles Menges</a>&nbsp;(tipped by&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/football/roster/gaven-haselhorst/7356">Gaven Haselhorst</a>),&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/football/roster/makel-williams/7430">Makel Williams</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/football/roster/mason-perez/7388">Mason Perez</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/football/roster/trevion-mitchell/7384">Trevion Mitchell</a>. The defensive line created pressure all game long and accounted for 32 percent of the team's tackles. FHSU shut down NSU twice in the red zone to preserve its shutout.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694089970143.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU Athletics#3/3 Pittsburg State (1-0, 1-0&nbsp;MIAA) vs RV/- Fort Hays State (1-0, 1-0&nbsp;MIAA) Thursday, September 7 - 7 p.m. Hays, Kan. – Lewis Field Stadium Vyve Broadband Kickoff Classic Radio - KJLS (103.3)<a href="https://mix103fm.com/">CLICK HERE TO LISTEN LIVE</a>Fort Hays State Football plays its first home game of the 2023 season on Thursday night at Lewis Field Stadium in Hays. It will be a big one as the Tigers take on No. 3/3 ranked Pittsburg State, the defending MIAA champions. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. Live coverage includes The&nbsp;MIAA&nbsp;Network, radio, and live stats.<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/news/2023/8/24/general-miaa-network-prices-announced-for-2023-24.aspx">SUBSCRIBE TO THE MIAA NETWORK</a>&nbsp;(All-season, monthly, and single-game purchases available)The Tigers are coming off a 56-0 shutout win at Northeastern State in their season opener. FHSU jumped out to a 35-0 lead by halftime and added three more touchdowns in the second half to produce its most points in a game since a 64-6 win at Northeastern State on November 6, 2021.Pittsburg State is also coming off a win in its season opener, downing Washburn 34-7 in Pittsburg last week. The Gorillas started the year at No. 4 in the national rankings and moved up one spot this week in both the AFCA and D2Football.com polls.Fort Hays State and Pittsburg State were the only MIAA schools to hold their opponents inside of 10 points in Week 1. FHSU leads the MIAA in total defense (199 yds/game) and scoring defense (0.0 ppg), while the Gorillas are second in both categories (233 yds/game and 7.0 ppg). Pittsburg State had the top scoring defense in the MIAA last year at 14.1 points per game, which helped them join FHSU and Northwest Missouri State as the only programs to navigate an 11-game MIAA conference schedule undefeated.This will be the first of six home games for the Tigers this season. Three of the six are against teams currently in the Top 25 of the national rankings. The Tigers are looking for their first win over a Top 10 ranked team in Hays since 1997 when they knocked off a No. 7 ranked Western State (now Western Colorado) team by a score of 28-15 when both were members of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. Western Colorado remains in the RMAC today, while FHSU joined the MIAA in 2006. The Tigers are seeking their first win at home against a Top 10 ranked team in their MIAA era, now at 0-9, with six of the losses to Northwest Missouri State, one to Pittsburg State, one to Missouri Western, and one to Ferris State.Pittsburg State has won the last two meetings with FHSU (2021 &amp; 2022). Prior to that, Fort Hays State reeled off four straight wins against PSU from 2016-2019. The Gorillas and Tigers met in the regular season finale last year in Pittsburg with PSU winning 35-14 to cap its undefeated regular season. The Gorillas went on to win one NCAA playoff game before falling to eventually national champion Ferris State in the Round of 16.Fort Hays State quarterback&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/football/roster/jack-dawson/7346">Jack Dawson</a>&nbsp;leads all of NCAA Division II in completion percentage (87.0) and pass efficiency rating (274.5). He threw for over 300 yards for the first time in his career last week with 317, completing 20-of-23 attempts. He also ran for one touchdown, giving him a hand in 36 of FHSU's 56 points. A pair of transfer receivers combined for 182 receiving yards, which included&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/football/roster/hosia-stokes/7518">Hosia Stokes</a>&nbsp;with 122 and&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/football/roster/jayden-horace/7515">Jayden Horace</a>&nbsp;with 60. Four Tiger running backs combined for over 100 yards rushing, led by&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/football/roster/shane-watts/7425">Shane Watts</a>&nbsp;with 39.The Tigers had a big game one on the defensive side of the ball as well. The Tigers had four interceptions in their season opener, which included picks by&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/football/roster/myles-menges/7381">Myles Menges</a>&nbsp;(tipped by&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/football/roster/gaven-haselhorst/7356">Gaven Haselhorst</a>),&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/football/roster/makel-williams/7430">Makel Williams</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/football/roster/mason-perez/7388">Mason Perez</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/football/roster/trevion-mitchell/7384">Trevion Mitchell</a>. The defensive line created pressure all game long and accounted for 32 percent of the team's tackles. FHSU shut down NSU twice in the red zone to preserve its shutout.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🏈🎙️ LISTEN - Tigers face No. 3 Pittsburg State in home opener

<a href="https://sportsbook.fanduel.com/navigation/nfl">FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK NFL LINE</a>: Chiefs by 6 1/2.

LAST MEETING: Chiefs beat Lions 34-30 on Sept. 29, 2019, in Detroit.

LIONS OFFENSE: OVERALL (4), RUSH (11), PASS (8), SCORING (5).

LIONS DEFENSE: OVERALL (32), RUSH (29), PASS (30), SCORING (T28).

CHIEFS OFFENSE: OVERALL (1), RUSH (20), PASS (1), SCORING (1).

CHIEFS DEFENSE: OVERALL (11), RUSH (8), PASS (18), SCORING (16).

TURNOVER DIFFERENTIAL: Lions plus-7; Chiefs minus-3.

LIONS PLAYER TO WATCH: WR Amon-Ra St. Brown is one of three players in NFL history with at least 90 catches in each of his first two seasons and the only Detroit player with at least 900 yards receiving in each of them. St. Brown will be going against a young Kansas City pass defense that could struggle unless the defensive front generates some pass rush.

CHIEFS PLAYER TO WATCH: The easy choice is QB Patrick Mahomes, who is coming off his second straight league MVP award. He threw for a franchise-record 5,250 yards last season while leading the NFL with 41 touchdown passes against just six interceptions. But off-the-radar picks are WRs Rashee Rice and Justyn Ross, who will be making their regular-season debuts and will be counted upon to pick up the slack for JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman.

KEY MATCHUP: Lions DL Aidan Hutchinson and LB James Houston against Chiefs OTs Jawaan Taylor and Donovan Smith. Hutchinson and Houston were the first Detroit rookies to have at least eight sacks apiece last season. They'll be going against two new, albeit veteran, offensive tackles that Kansas City brought in to replace Andrew Wylie and Orlando Brown Jr.

KEY INJURIES: Lions CB Emmanuel Moseley (knee) recently returned to practice after spending training camp on the PUP list. It is unclear whether he will be active Thursday night. ... All-Pro TE Travis Kelce could miss the game for Kansas City after hyperextending his knee in practice on Tuesday. WR Kadarius Toney (knee), CB L'Jarius Sneed (knee) and DT Turk Wharton (knee) are expected to play after each missed significant portions of training camp.

SERIES NOTES: The Chiefs have won two straight and six of their past eight against Detroit. The Lions have not beaten Kansas City since a 48-3 rout on Sept. 18, 2011, and their most recent win at Arrowhead Stadium was on Oct. 23, 1988.

STATS AND STUFF: The Lions are opening against the defending Super Bowl champions for the second time. They tied the Packers to open the 1967 season. ... Detroit finished with a winning record for the first time since 2017 last season and fell just short of its first postseason appearance since 2016. ... The Lions have not won a division title since 1993, when they played in the NFC Central. ... The franchise has one playoff victory since winning the 1957 NFL title, and that was on Jan. 5, 1992. ... Lions QB Jared Goff and Mahomes last met on Nov. 19, 2018, when his Rams beat the Chiefs 54-51 in the third-highest scoring game in NFL history. ... Goff is riding a streak of nine starts and 324 passes without an interception. Both are the longest in Detroit history. ... Detroit had the fewest turnovers in the NFL with 15 last season. ... The Lions' David Montgomery is one of six RBs to eclipse 1,000 yards from scrimmage with six touchdowns each of the past four seasons. ... Hutchinson finished with 9 1/2 sacks, the most among NFL rookies. Houston was second with eight and the Chiefs' George Karlaftis third with six. .... The Chiefs have won seven consecutive AFC West titles and hosted the past five AFC championship games. ... Kansas City is 9-1 under Andy Reid in season openers. That includes the past eight, five of which came with Mahomes as the quarterback. ... Reid can tie Tom Landry for third on the career wins list with his 270th. ... Mahomes has thrown 18 touchdown passes without an interception in openers. ... Mahomes and TE Travis Kelce have 46 touchdown connections. They need five more to tie Drew Brees and Jimmy Graham for third in NFL history. ... Kelce has caught a pass in 143 straight games, the longest streak in franchise history. He needs five TD catches to pass Tony Gonzalez (76) for second in club history. ... RB Jerick McKinnon has scored in six straight games, and would tie Dwayne Bowe for the longest in Chiefs history with one Thursday night. ... Kansas City allowed 26 sacks last season, the third fewest in the NFL. ... The Chiefs led the NFL with 7,032 yards of offense and 61 touchdowns last season. Detroit was third in yards with 6,460 and fourth in TDs with 54.

DETROIT (9-8) at KANSAS CITY (17-3)Thursday, 8:20 p.m. EDT, NBC<a href="https://sportsbook.fanduel.com/navigation/nfl">FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK NFL LINE</a>: Chiefs by 6 1/2.SERIES RECORD: Chiefs lead 9-5.LAST MEETING: Chiefs beat Lions 34-30 on Sept. 29, 2019, in Detroit.LIONS OFFENSE: OVERALL (4), RUSH (11), PASS (8), SCORING (5).LIONS DEFENSE: OVERALL (32), RUSH (29), PASS (30), SCORING (T28).CHIEFS OFFENSE: OVERALL (1), RUSH (20), PASS (1), SCORING (1).CHIEFS DEFENSE: OVERALL (11), RUSH (8), PASS (18), SCORING (16).TURNOVER DIFFERENTIAL: Lions plus-7; Chiefs minus-3.LIONS PLAYER TO WATCH: WR Amon-Ra St. Brown is one of three players in NFL history with at least 90 catches in each of his first two seasons and the only Detroit player with at least 900 yards receiving in each of them. St. Brown will be going against a young Kansas City pass defense that could struggle unless the defensive front generates some pass rush.CHIEFS PLAYER TO WATCH: The easy choice is QB Patrick Mahomes, who is coming off his second straight league MVP award. He threw for a franchise-record 5,250 yards last season while leading the NFL with 41 touchdown passes against just six interceptions. But off-the-radar picks are WRs Rashee Rice and Justyn Ross, who will be making their regular-season debuts and will be counted upon to pick up the slack for JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman.KEY MATCHUP: Lions DL Aidan Hutchinson and LB James Houston against Chiefs OTs Jawaan Taylor and Donovan Smith. Hutchinson and Houston were the first Detroit rookies to have at least eight sacks apiece last season. They'll be going against two new, albeit veteran, offensive tackles that Kansas City brought in to replace Andrew Wylie and Orlando Brown Jr.KEY INJURIES: Lions CB Emmanuel Moseley (knee) recently returned to practice after spending training camp on the PUP list. It is unclear whether he will be active Thursday night. ... All-Pro TE Travis Kelce could miss the game for Kansas City after hyperextending his knee in practice on Tuesday. WR Kadarius Toney (knee), CB L'Jarius Sneed (knee) and DT Turk Wharton (knee) are expected to play after each missed significant portions of training camp.SERIES NOTES: The Chiefs have won two straight and six of their past eight against Detroit. The Lions have not beaten Kansas City since a 48-3 rout on Sept. 18, 2011, and their most recent win at Arrowhead Stadium was on Oct. 23, 1988.STATS AND STUFF: The Lions are opening against the defending Super Bowl champions for the second time. They tied the Packers to open the 1967 season. ... Detroit finished with a winning record for the first time since 2017 last season and fell just short of its first postseason appearance since 2016. ... The Lions have not won a division title since 1993, when they played in the NFC Central. ... The franchise has one playoff victory since winning the 1957 NFL title, and that was on Jan. 5, 1992. ... Lions QB Jared Goff and Mahomes last met on Nov. 19, 2018, when his Rams beat the Chiefs 54-51 in the third-highest scoring game in NFL history. ... Goff is riding a streak of nine starts and 324 passes without an interception. Both are the longest in Detroit history. ... Detroit had the fewest turnovers in the NFL with 15 last season. ... The Lions' David Montgomery is one of six RBs to eclipse 1,000 yards from scrimmage with six touchdowns each of the past four seasons. ... Hutchinson finished with 9 1/2 sacks, the most among NFL rookies. Houston was second with eight and the Chiefs' George Karlaftis third with six. .... The Chiefs have won seven consecutive AFC West titles and hosted the past five AFC championship games. ... Kansas City is 9-1 under Andy Reid in season openers. That includes the past eight, five of which came with Mahomes as the quarterback. ... Reid can tie Tom Landry for third on the career wins list with his 270th. ... Mahomes has thrown 18 touchdown passes without an interception in openers. ... Mahomes and TE Travis Kelce have 46 touchdown connections. They need five more to tie Drew Brees and Jimmy Graham for third in NFL history. ... Kelce has caught a pass in 143 straight games, the longest streak in franchise history. He needs five TD catches to pass Tony Gonzalez (76) for second in club history. ... RB Jerick McKinnon has scored in six straight games, and would tie Dwayne Bowe for the longest in Chiefs history with one Thursday night. ... Kansas City allowed 26 sacks last season, the third fewest in the NFL. ... The Chiefs led the NFL with 7,032 yards of offense and 61 touchdowns last season. Detroit was third in yards with 6,460 and fourth in TDs with 54.

🏈 Chiefs begin defense of Super Bowl title with Lions visiting for Thursday night NFL opener

🎥🏈 Watch This Week's Tiger Talk

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Chiefs' Travis Kelce was held out of Wednesday's final workout and listed as questionable for Thursday night's season opener against Detroit, one day after the All-Pro tight end hyperextended his knee in practice.

Kelce was the only player to carry an injury designation for the Super Bowl champions, who will be raising their latest banner before the first game of the NFL season.

That means that wide receiver Kadarius Toney and cornerback L'Jarius Sneed, both of whom have dealt with knee injuries throughout training camp, are expected to be in the lineup.

Chiefs coach Andy Reid did not discuss Kelce's injury in detail after Tuesday's practice, but a person familiar with the tests taken afterward told The Associated Press that there was no ligament damage. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the test results.

Kelce's brother and podcast partner, Eagles center Jason Kelce, told WIP on Wednesday that “he's got some swelling going on," and alluded to a bruise on the bone that could take some time to heal.

“From what we know right now,” Jason Kelce said, “his knee is fine. It's about getting that swelling down.”

The 33-year-old Kelce has not missed a game to injury since his rookie season in 2013, when he played in just one game before having a microfracture procedure to fix a cartilage problem in his knee. Kelce has twice been held out of meaningless games to end the regular season and missed a game in December 2021 when he tested positive to COVID-19.

Kelce had a career-high 110 passes for 1,338 yards and 12 touchdowns last season. That was enough to be voted first-team All-Pro for the fourth time and get selected to the Pro Bowl for the eighth straight season.

“I’ve been very fortunate that we have the best training staff in the league,” Kelce said earlier in the week, before he hurt his knee on a red zone play. "There’s a lot that goes into it. You just have to be a professional, and you just have to be very fortunate.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Chiefs' Travis Kelce was held out of Wednesday's final workout and listed as questionable for Thursday night's season opener against Detroit, one day after the All-Pro tight end hyperextended his knee in practice.Kelce was the only player to carry an injury designation for the Super Bowl champions, who will be raising their latest banner before the first game of the NFL season.That means that wide receiver Kadarius Toney and cornerback L'Jarius Sneed, both of whom have dealt with knee injuries throughout training camp, are expected to be in the lineup.Chiefs coach Andy Reid did not discuss Kelce's injury in detail after Tuesday's practice, but a person familiar with the tests taken afterward told The Associated Press that there was no ligament damage. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the test results.Kelce's brother and podcast partner, Eagles center Jason Kelce, told WIP on Wednesday that “he's got some swelling going on," and alluded to a bruise on the bone that could take some time to heal.“From what we know right now,” Jason Kelce said, “his knee is fine. It's about getting that swelling down.”The 33-year-old Kelce has not missed a game to injury since his rookie season in 2013, when he played in just one game before having a microfracture procedure to fix a cartilage problem in his knee. Kelce has twice been held out of meaningless games to end the regular season and missed a game in December 2021 when he tested positive to COVID-19.Kelce had a career-high 110 passes for 1,338 yards and 12 touchdowns last season. That was enough to be voted first-team All-Pro for the fourth time and get selected to the Pro Bowl for the eighth straight season.“I’ve been very fortunate that we have the best training staff in the league,” Kelce said earlier in the week, before he hurt his knee on a red zone play. "There’s a lot that goes into it. You just have to be a professional, and you just have to be very fortunate.

🏈 Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce questionable for opener vs Lions with knee injury

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Just about everyone in the Kansas City Chiefs locker room has moved past their latest Super Bowl triumph by this point, turning their focus toward the Detroit Lions in Thursday night's NFL opener and the prospect of becoming the first repeat NFL champions in nearly two decades.

Keeping that focus has been hard, though.

The Chiefs spent the offseason wondering&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-chiefs-chris-jones-holdout-bcbc5ea863a81484bd5a09e90242e9ab">whether Chris Jones would end his holdout</a>, and it appears that the All-Pro defensive tackle is content taking it right into the regular season. Then on Tuesday, the Chiefs watched All-Pro tight end&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-chiefs-travis-kelce-injury-36ed6513beab37c312556a8de4d1a3be">Travis Kelce limp off the practice field</a>&nbsp;with a hyperextended knee, putting his availability for the Lions in question.

Throw in the fact that Chiefs fans are still talking about their February victory over Philadelphia, their attempt to set a record for largest pregame tailgate, and a banner-raising ceremony greeting their entrance to Arrowhead Stadium and, well, there are more than enough reasons for the Chiefs to be distracted as they begin pursuit of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mahomes-chiefs-nfl-f0471bee5f6668aa1bea65a33499b9e2">a fourth Super Bowl trip in five years.</a>

“Listen, right now the guys are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nfl-lions-jets-saints-titans-steelers-eeed8fec64e2037d1d135b7d47fec4e7">focused on the Lions</a>,” said Chiefs coach Andy Reid, who has won eight consecutive openers. “All that other stuff — it's going to be an exciting environment, but right now we've got to make sure we're not looking at all that stuff and we're looking at the Lions. They get your attention when you watch the tape.”

Indeed, the Lions responded to losing six of their first seven games last season by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/detroit-lions-dan-campbell-goff-510d345bd007e7f390abc91ef423755c">winning eight of their last 10</a>, and there were few offenses in the NFL that were scoring at the same clip as Jared Goff and Co. down the stretch.

The Lions could be even better on that side of the ball, too. The picked up David Montgomery in free agency, chose fellow running back Jahmyr Gibbs in the first round of the draft and selected tight end Sam LaPorta in the third round.

“The last two years we haven’t started quick,” Goff said. “There’s a little bit of an increased awareness of it, I think, making sure that we don’t dig ourselves in a hole. But the same time, we’re trying to win every game.”

So are the Chiefs, who have done a pretty good job of it.

They have won the AFC West the past seven seasons, hosted the conference title game a record five straight years, and Patrick Mahomes — the reigning league MVP — has never lost an opener in five games as the starting quarterback.

Four of those games the Chiefs won by double digits with Mahomes throwing 18 touchdown passes and no interceptions.

“Obviously the preseason is one thing," he said, "but taking that next step into the regular season will be big, and it's not always going to be perfect. But how are you going to battle the entire game to find a way to win?'

Jones has already racked up millions in fines for missing training camp and the preseason, but the Chiefs' star defensive tackle now faces the prospect of losing about $1.1 million in game checks for each week he is gone.

Jones is entering the final year of a four-year, $80 million deal, and has been holding out in the hopes of landing a more lucrative long-term deal.

The Chiefs' star tight end hyperextended his knee during Tuesday's last full workout for the Lions. The 33-year-old Kelce has not missed a game because of injury since his rookie year, when he had surgery on his knee, and he is coming off perhaps the best season of his 10-year career. He had a career-best 110 catches for 1,338 yards and 12 touchdowns last season.

Detroit is aiming to get off to a better start this season and hopes joint practices against the Giants and Jaguars will help.

“It was two good teams, two playoff teams, two teams with completely different styles of defense,” Goff said. “It was a really good four days of work for us and was able to kind of be a barometer for where we were at and some things to learn from.”

The Lions had a top-five offense last season in part because they finished 11th in rushing, their best showing on the ground since 1997, when future Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders had a 2,000-yard season. But they dealt D’Andre Swift to the Eagles and Jamaal Williams left for the Saints, so general manager Brad Holmes signed David Montgomery away from the Bears and drafted Jahmyr Gibbs out of Alabama with the No. 12 pick overall, putting them behind one of the league’s best offensive lines.

“Gibby’s kind of the speed, quick guy and David is a bit more of the stronger,” Goff said. “We plan to hand it off to both of them and throw it to both of them at some points this season and they’re both extremely explosive.”

The Lions are thrilled that Levi Onwuzurike, a backup in 16 games two years ago, is back to bolster their depth on the defensive line. He missed last season with a back injury that required a spinal-fusion surgery that could have ended his career.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Just about everyone in the Kansas City Chiefs locker room has moved past their latest Super Bowl triumph by this point, turning their focus toward the Detroit Lions in Thursday night's NFL opener and the prospect of becoming the first repeat NFL champions in nearly two decades.Keeping that focus has been hard, though.The Chiefs spent the offseason wondering&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-chiefs-chris-jones-holdout-bcbc5ea863a81484bd5a09e90242e9ab">whether Chris Jones would end his holdout</a>, and it appears that the All-Pro defensive tackle is content taking it right into the regular season. Then on Tuesday, the Chiefs watched All-Pro tight end&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-chiefs-travis-kelce-injury-36ed6513beab37c312556a8de4d1a3be">Travis Kelce limp off the practice field</a>&nbsp;with a hyperextended knee, putting his availability for the Lions in question.Throw in the fact that Chiefs fans are still talking about their February victory over Philadelphia, their attempt to set a record for largest pregame tailgate, and a banner-raising ceremony greeting their entrance to Arrowhead Stadium and, well, there are more than enough reasons for the Chiefs to be distracted as they begin pursuit of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mahomes-chiefs-nfl-f0471bee5f6668aa1bea65a33499b9e2">a fourth Super Bowl trip in five years.</a>“Listen, right now the guys are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nfl-lions-jets-saints-titans-steelers-eeed8fec64e2037d1d135b7d47fec4e7">focused on the Lions</a>,” said Chiefs coach Andy Reid, who has won eight consecutive openers. “All that other stuff — it's going to be an exciting environment, but right now we've got to make sure we're not looking at all that stuff and we're looking at the Lions. They get your attention when you watch the tape.”Indeed, the Lions responded to losing six of their first seven games last season by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/detroit-lions-dan-campbell-goff-510d345bd007e7f390abc91ef423755c">winning eight of their last 10</a>, and there were few offenses in the NFL that were scoring at the same clip as Jared Goff and Co. down the stretch.The Lions could be even better on that side of the ball, too. The picked up David Montgomery in free agency, chose fellow running back Jahmyr Gibbs in the first round of the draft and selected tight end Sam LaPorta in the third round.“The last two years we haven’t started quick,” Goff said. “There’s a little bit of an increased awareness of it, I think, making sure that we don’t dig ourselves in a hole. But the same time, we’re trying to win every game.”So are the Chiefs, who have done a pretty good job of it.They have won the AFC West the past seven seasons, hosted the conference title game a record five straight years, and Patrick Mahomes — the reigning league MVP — has never lost an opener in five games as the starting quarterback.Four of those games the Chiefs won by double digits with Mahomes throwing 18 touchdown passes and no interceptions.“Obviously the preseason is one thing," he said, "but taking that next step into the regular season will be big, and it's not always going to be perfect. But how are you going to battle the entire game to find a way to win?'MISSING FROM ACTIONJones has already racked up millions in fines for missing training camp and the preseason, but the Chiefs' star defensive tackle now faces the prospect of losing about $1.1 million in game checks for each week he is gone.Jones is entering the final year of a four-year, $80 million deal, and has been holding out in the hopes of landing a more lucrative long-term deal.KELCE CONCERNSThe Chiefs' star tight end hyperextended his knee during Tuesday's last full workout for the Lions. The 33-year-old Kelce has not missed a game because of injury since his rookie year, when he had surgery on his knee, and he is coming off perhaps the best season of his 10-year career. He had a career-best 110 catches for 1,338 yards and 12 touchdowns last season.PRIMED FOR PRIME TIMEDetroit is aiming to get off to a better start this season and hopes joint practices against the Giants and Jaguars will help.“It was two good teams, two playoff teams, two teams with completely different styles of defense,” Goff said. “It was a really good four days of work for us and was able to kind of be a barometer for where we were at and some things to learn from.”NEW-LOOK BACKFIELDThe Lions had a top-five offense last season in part because they finished 11th in rushing, their best showing on the ground since 1997, when future Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders had a 2,000-yard season. But they dealt D’Andre Swift to the Eagles and Jamaal Williams left for the Saints, so general manager Brad Holmes signed David Montgomery away from the Bears and drafted Jahmyr Gibbs out of Alabama with the No. 12 pick overall, putting them behind one of the league’s best offensive lines.“Gibby’s kind of the speed, quick guy and David is a bit more of the stronger,” Goff said. “We plan to hand it off to both of them and throw it to both of them at some points this season and they’re both extremely explosive.”BOUNCING BACKThe Lions are thrilled that Levi Onwuzurike, a backup in 16 games two years ago, is back to bolster their depth on the defensive line. He missed last season with a back injury that required a spinal-fusion surgery that could have ended his career.

🏈 Chiefs begin NFL title defense against Lions on Thursday night at Arrowhead Stadium

By JARED BAUCK Head Coach

The U9 Hays Havoc Girls Soccer Team was in action on August 26 for a weekend tournament in Kansas City. They played a total of four games and finished the tournament with a record of 3-0-1.

Game 1 found the Havoc on the right side of the score as we cruised to an 8-0 victory. First season forward/goalkeeper Olivia Feldt scored her first goal and started the scoring with a great left-footed goal. The scoring would continue thanks to goals from Brynlee Bauck, Hattie Simpson, Getse Cabrera-Ramirez and Hattie Enslow. Stellar defense and shutout goalkeeping from Nyx Kaiser spurred the early tournament blowout.

Game 2 was a little more of a defensive battle, but we stilled ended up with a 3-0 victory. Chasing the ball was an issue in this game and we were fatigued most of the game because of that. We were fortunate to win this game, and only did so due to lockdown defense and shutout goalkeeping yet again. First year forward Olivia Gonzalez had a game to remember as she found the back of the net, sneaking it past the defender and the goalkeeper on the right side. Although play was sluggish, we did exactly what we needed to do to put ourselves in a position to play for a championship.

Starting 2-0 in pool play put us in a great position heading into our 3rd game. The girls played their hearts out and the effort was very good, but we couldn’t quite score enough goals and the game ended in a 1-1 tie. Forward Hattie Simpson netted the lone goal for us and a defensive lapse allowed Sporting City North to tie the game up. A tie is always better than a loss, and after all was said and done in this our first tournament, the girls had a chance to win it at 3:00 p.m.

We knew this was going to be a battle; you wouldn’t want it any other way. I wanted to see the girls compete at a high level, that was my main goal going into the game. 

Both teams went at each other for the first few minutes, resulting in minimal shots on goal. We were the more aggressive team so I felt really good about the start. Hattie Simpson started the scoring, but wasn’t quite done. A little later she took the ball up the right side and passed it to the middle allowing teammate Getse Cabrera-Ramirez to run right into a shot that went into the left corner of the net. That was the best passing sequence of the tournament. Another goal was added and we were up 3-0 at halftime. We were in a great spot but knew there was work to be done. The defenses went at it most of the 2nd half, resulting in no goals being scored until a penalty kick opportunity with about eight minutes left in the game. Bauck was able to find the right corner of the goal on the PK and we took a commanding 4-0 lead. Nyx Kaiser showed yet again why she is the best goalie at her age, yielding her third shutout in four games as the Havoc were tournament champions!

Our defender group of Aly Cabrera-Ramirez, Brynlee Hartshorn, Brielle Robbins, Skyler Nowak, Samantha Schonthaler and Kersee Wince were absolutely outstanding all tournament long. Any time teams thought they had a scoring opportunity there was one of our defenders waiting for them. 

The effort was incredible all tournament long. Overall, there are always things you are going to need to work on, but I was extremely proud of the way the girls played in their first tournament of 7 v. 7.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694010361745.jpeg" alt="U9 Hays Havoc girls soccer team (Courtesy photo)" />
 <figcaption>U9 Hays Havoc girls soccer team (Courtesy photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>By JARED BAUCK Head CoachThe U9 Hays Havoc Girls Soccer Team was in action on August 26 for a weekend tournament in Kansas City. They played a total of four games and finished the tournament with a record of 3-0-1.Game 1 found the Havoc on the right side of the score as we cruised to an 8-0 victory. First season forward/goalkeeper Olivia Feldt scored her first goal and started the scoring with a great left-footed goal. The scoring would continue thanks to goals from Brynlee Bauck, Hattie Simpson, Getse Cabrera-Ramirez and Hattie Enslow. Stellar defense and shutout goalkeeping from Nyx Kaiser spurred the early tournament blowout.Game 2 was a little more of a defensive battle, but we stilled ended up with a 3-0 victory. Chasing the ball was an issue in this game and we were fatigued most of the game because of that. We were fortunate to win this game, and only did so due to lockdown defense and shutout goalkeeping yet again. First year forward Olivia Gonzalez had a game to remember as she found the back of the net, sneaking it past the defender and the goalkeeper on the right side. Although play was sluggish, we did exactly what we needed to do to put ourselves in a position to play for a championship.Starting 2-0 in pool play put us in a great position heading into our 3rd game. The girls played their hearts out and the effort was very good, but we couldn’t quite score enough goals and the game ended in a 1-1 tie. Forward Hattie Simpson netted the lone goal for us and a defensive lapse allowed Sporting City North to tie the game up. A tie is always better than a loss, and after all was said and done in this our first tournament, the girls had a chance to win it at 3:00 p.m.We knew this was going to be a battle; you wouldn’t want it any other way. I wanted to see the girls compete at a high level, that was my main goal going into the game. Both teams went at each other for the first few minutes, resulting in minimal shots on goal. We were the more aggressive team so I felt really good about the start. Hattie Simpson started the scoring, but wasn’t quite done. A little later she took the ball up the right side and passed it to the middle allowing teammate Getse Cabrera-Ramirez to run right into a shot that went into the left corner of the net. That was the best passing sequence of the tournament. Another goal was added and we were up 3-0 at halftime. We were in a great spot but knew there was work to be done. The defenses went at it most of the 2nd half, resulting in no goals being scored until a penalty kick opportunity with about eight minutes left in the game. Bauck was able to find the right corner of the goal on the PK and we took a commanding 4-0 lead. Nyx Kaiser showed yet again why she is the best goalie at her age, yielding her third shutout in four games as the Havoc were tournament champions!Our defender group of Aly Cabrera-Ramirez, Brynlee Hartshorn, Brielle Robbins, Skyler Nowak, Samantha Schonthaler and Kersee Wince were absolutely outstanding all tournament long. Any time teams thought they had a scoring opportunity there was one of our defenders waiting for them. The effort was incredible all tournament long. Overall, there are always things you are going to need to work on, but I was extremely proud of the way the girls played in their first tournament of 7 v. 7.

Hays Havoc U9 girls soccer team wins Sporting Classic in KC 

HAYS, Kan. - The Fort Hays State volleyball team picked up a win in its 2023 home opener Wednesday, defeating Kansas Wesleyan in five sets, 24-26, 27-29, 25-20, 25-16, 15-11. The Tigers tallied 17 blocks and 13 service aces in the win, both the most by an MIAA program in a match so far this season. The Tigers improved to 2-3 on the year, while the Coyotes dipped to 6-6 overall.

Neither side could find much separation in a first set that featured 12 ties and nine lead changes, with the score margin staying at or below three the entire way. The Tigers trailed 10-7 midway through the frame before an 8-2 run gave FHSU a three-point lead of its own.&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/riley-tinder/7504">Riley Tinder</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/gracie-rains/7500">Gracie Rains</a>&nbsp;both contributed multiple kills to the rally before finishing the set with six kills each. A&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/brooke-hyland/7498">Brooke Hyland</a>&nbsp;ace pushed the lead to three before KWU battled back to score five in a row to regain the lead. The Tigers led as late as 23-21 before the Coyotes captured five of the final six points to take the set, 26-24.

The Tigers fell behind early in the second set, but quickly responded to tie things up at nine. FHSU broke open a 12-12 tie with a 6-1 run to take a five-point lead, 18-13, but Kansas Wesleyan clawed back to eventually tie the score at 23. The Tigers had three chances at set point down the stretch, but were unable to capitalize. The Coyotes finished off the 29-27 win by scoring four of the final five points, giving them a 2-0 advantage in the match.

Fort Hays State took control in the third set and didn't relent the rest of the evening. The Coyotes led early in the third, 3-2, which would prove to be their final lead of the evening. The Tigers led for good in the third after an 8-8 tie, going in front by as many as six at 20-14. The visitors made things interesting, closing within two down the stretch, 22-20, before a kill from&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/emily-ellis/7495">Emily Ellis</a>&nbsp;and back-to-back blocks from Ellis and&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/caiya-stucky/7503">Caiya Stucky</a>&nbsp;and Ellis and Tinder gave the Tigers a 25-20 win.

The Tiger defense kept the pressure on in the fourth set, limiting the Coyotes to a -.050 attack percentage in the fourth after holding them to a -.049 swing rate in the third. FHSU picked up six blocks in the third set and added four more in the fourth to win in dominant fashion, 25-16.Four service aces helped the Tigers take control in the fifth set, including two from Hyland and one each from Stucky and Tinder.&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/taylor-hawkins/7497">Taylor Hawkins</a>&nbsp;also came in to provide three kills on three attempts in the final set, helping FHSU to a 15-11 match-clinching victory.

Rains led the team with 15 kills and added four blocks, while Ellis posted 12 kills and nine blocks (one solo).&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/ashlyn-reeves/7536">Ashlyn Reeves</a>&nbsp;picked up 10 kills and eight digs while leading the team with an attack percentage of .304. Tinder posted a double-double with 12 kills, 18 digs, two blocks, two assist and one service ace. Stucky distributed 54 assists on the night and added four kills, three blocks and two aces.&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/kirsten-evans/7496">Kirsten Evans</a>&nbsp;racked up five service aces, with Hyland chipping in four aces and a team-high 24 digs.

The Tigers posted an attack percentage of .168 for the match while limiting KWU to a swing rate of .083.

Fort Hays State will next host the 2023 Tiger Classic this weekend (Sept. 8-9) with 10 games inside Gross Memorial Coliseum, five each on Friday and Saturday. The Tigers are slated to play New Mexico Highlands (noon) and Southern Nazarene (6 p.m.) on Friday and Minnesota State (2 p.m.) and Cameron (6 p.m.) on Saturday. Action in neutral site matches will begin at 10 a.m. each day.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694081672493.jpeg" alt="The Fort Hays State volleyball team celebrates after scoring a point vs. Kansas Wesleyan Wednesday, September 6, 2023 in Hays, Kan. (FHSU Athletics photo/Nicole Heitmann)" />
 <figcaption>The Fort Hays State volleyball team celebrates after scoring a point vs. Kansas Wesleyan Wednesday, September 6, 2023 in Hays, Kan. (FHSU Athletics photo/Nicole Heitmann)</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsHAYS, Kan. - The Fort Hays State volleyball team picked up a win in its 2023 home opener Wednesday, defeating Kansas Wesleyan in five sets, 24-26, 27-29, 25-20, 25-16, 15-11. The Tigers tallied 17 blocks and 13 service aces in the win, both the most by an MIAA program in a match so far this season. The Tigers improved to 2-3 on the year, while the Coyotes dipped to 6-6 overall.Neither side could find much separation in a first set that featured 12 ties and nine lead changes, with the score margin staying at or below three the entire way. The Tigers trailed 10-7 midway through the frame before an 8-2 run gave FHSU a three-point lead of its own.&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/riley-tinder/7504">Riley Tinder</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/gracie-rains/7500">Gracie Rains</a>&nbsp;both contributed multiple kills to the rally before finishing the set with six kills each. A&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/brooke-hyland/7498">Brooke Hyland</a>&nbsp;ace pushed the lead to three before KWU battled back to score five in a row to regain the lead. The Tigers led as late as 23-21 before the Coyotes captured five of the final six points to take the set, 26-24.The Tigers fell behind early in the second set, but quickly responded to tie things up at nine. FHSU broke open a 12-12 tie with a 6-1 run to take a five-point lead, 18-13, but Kansas Wesleyan clawed back to eventually tie the score at 23. The Tigers had three chances at set point down the stretch, but were unable to capitalize. The Coyotes finished off the 29-27 win by scoring four of the final five points, giving them a 2-0 advantage in the match.Fort Hays State took control in the third set and didn't relent the rest of the evening. The Coyotes led early in the third, 3-2, which would prove to be their final lead of the evening. The Tigers led for good in the third after an 8-8 tie, going in front by as many as six at 20-14. The visitors made things interesting, closing within two down the stretch, 22-20, before a kill from&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/emily-ellis/7495">Emily Ellis</a>&nbsp;and back-to-back blocks from Ellis and&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/caiya-stucky/7503">Caiya Stucky</a>&nbsp;and Ellis and Tinder gave the Tigers a 25-20 win.The Tiger defense kept the pressure on in the fourth set, limiting the Coyotes to a -.050 attack percentage in the fourth after holding them to a -.049 swing rate in the third. FHSU picked up six blocks in the third set and added four more in the fourth to win in dominant fashion, 25-16.Four service aces helped the Tigers take control in the fifth set, including two from Hyland and one each from Stucky and Tinder.&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/taylor-hawkins/7497">Taylor Hawkins</a>&nbsp;also came in to provide three kills on three attempts in the final set, helping FHSU to a 15-11 match-clinching victory.Rains led the team with 15 kills and added four blocks, while Ellis posted 12 kills and nine blocks (one solo).&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/ashlyn-reeves/7536">Ashlyn Reeves</a>&nbsp;picked up 10 kills and eight digs while leading the team with an attack percentage of .304. Tinder posted a double-double with 12 kills, 18 digs, two blocks, two assist and one service ace. Stucky distributed 54 assists on the night and added four kills, three blocks and two aces.&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/kirsten-evans/7496">Kirsten Evans</a>&nbsp;racked up five service aces, with Hyland chipping in four aces and a team-high 24 digs.The Tigers posted an attack percentage of .168 for the match while limiting KWU to a swing rate of .083.Fort Hays State will next host the 2023 Tiger Classic this weekend (Sept. 8-9) with 10 games inside Gross Memorial Coliseum, five each on Friday and Saturday. The Tigers are slated to play New Mexico Highlands (noon) and Southern Nazarene (6 p.m.) on Friday and Minnesota State (2 p.m.) and Cameron (6 p.m.) on Saturday. Action in neutral site matches will begin at 10 a.m. each day.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🏐 Tigers hold off pesky Coyotes in home opener

By DAVID SMALE Associated Press

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Andrew Vaughn doubled, homered, drove in two runs and scored two as the Chicago White Sox beat the Kansas City Royals 6-4 Wednesday night to snap a five-game losing streak.

Elvis Andrus had four hits, and Yoan Moncada and Oscar Colas also went deep for the White Sox.

“We've got some guys who've got some talent,” Chicago manager Pedro Grifol said. “They've got to stay away from the ground. There's no money in the ground. We've got to put the ball in the air. Crooked numbers happen when you get the ball up in the air and you've got that kind of pop.”

Chicago starter Touki Toussaint (3-7) gave up two runs and two hits with six strikeouts over six innings. Bryan Shaw got the last three outs for his second save of the season.

“I think I was just executing pitches when I needed to,” Toussaint said. “I don't think anything particularly was working. I was behind a lot of guys, but I was able to get weak contact when I needed to.”

Nelson Velazquez and Edward Olivares homered for Kansas City, which had won consecutive games for the first time since winning seven straight July 28 to Aug. 4. The Royals have lost 22 of their last 30.

Jordan Lyles (4-16), the major leagues' leader in losses, allowed three runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings.

Both starting pitchers worked around trouble most of the night, with only two clean half-innings through the first five innings. The White Sox finally got to Lyles in the fourth as Vaughn lined a one-out single to center and scored on Gavin Sheets' two-out double.

The Royals answered with two runs in the bottom of the fourth on Velazquez's 12th home run, a 439-foot shot to center. He has nine home runs in just 23 games with the Royals after being acquired in a trade-deadline deal with the Chicago Cubs. He homered in all three games of this series and in four of his last six games.

“If you can hit the ball out of the ballpark consistently, you can change the game with one swing,” Kansas City manager Matt Quatraro said of Velazquez. “We saw that today. You can go from down one to up one in one swing of the bat. He’s done that numerous times. His value is going to be driving the ball out of the ballpark and if he continues to do that at this rate, that’s incredible.”

Vaughn put the White Sox back in front in the sixth with a two-run home run. His line drive just cleared the left-field fence, but it was enough to end the night for Lyles.

“Luis Robert led off with a double,” Vaughn said. “I had seen Lyles twice already on the night. He got one over the heart of the plate and I put a good swing on it.”

Moncada greeted reliever Tucker Davidson with a 433-foot home run on the first pitch.

Colas homered on the first pitch of the seventh inning to provide cushion for the White Sox.

Olivares had a two-run homer in the eighth for the Royals’ first by a pinch-hitter since May 13, 2022, to trim the deficit to 5-4.

Andrew Benintendi had an RBI single in the ninth to cap the scoring for the White Sox.

White Sox: SS Tim Anderson was scratched from the lineup with neck stiffness. He was replaced by Andrus. ... LHP Garrett Crochet, who has been on the Injured List since June 20 with inflammation in his throwing shoulder, was sent to Double-A Birmingham on a rehab assignment.

White Sox: After a day off on Thursday, Chicago heads to Detroit for a three-game series against the Tigers. The team has not announced a starter for Friday.

Royals: After a day off, Kansas City opens a three-game series in Toronto on Friday. The Royals have not announced a starter.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694055761188.jpeg" alt="Chicago White Sox's Yoan Moncada celebrates as he runs home after hitting a solo home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)" />
 <figcaption>Chicago White Sox's Yoan Moncada celebrates as he runs home after hitting a solo home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)</figcaption>
 </figure>By DAVID SMALE Associated PressKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Andrew Vaughn doubled, homered, drove in two runs and scored two as the Chicago White Sox beat the Kansas City Royals 6-4 Wednesday night to snap a five-game losing streak.Elvis Andrus had four hits, and Yoan Moncada and Oscar Colas also went deep for the White Sox.“We've got some guys who've got some talent,” Chicago manager Pedro Grifol said. “They've got to stay away from the ground. There's no money in the ground. We've got to put the ball in the air. Crooked numbers happen when you get the ball up in the air and you've got that kind of pop.”Chicago starter Touki Toussaint (3-7) gave up two runs and two hits with six strikeouts over six innings. Bryan Shaw got the last three outs for his second save of the season.“I think I was just executing pitches when I needed to,” Toussaint said. “I don't think anything particularly was working. I was behind a lot of guys, but I was able to get weak contact when I needed to.”Nelson Velazquez and Edward Olivares homered for Kansas City, which had won consecutive games for the first time since winning seven straight July 28 to Aug. 4. The Royals have lost 22 of their last 30.Jordan Lyles (4-16), the major leagues' leader in losses, allowed three runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings.Both starting pitchers worked around trouble most of the night, with only two clean half-innings through the first five innings. The White Sox finally got to Lyles in the fourth as Vaughn lined a one-out single to center and scored on Gavin Sheets' two-out double.The Royals answered with two runs in the bottom of the fourth on Velazquez's 12th home run, a 439-foot shot to center. He has nine home runs in just 23 games with the Royals after being acquired in a trade-deadline deal with the Chicago Cubs. He homered in all three games of this series and in four of his last six games.“If you can hit the ball out of the ballpark consistently, you can change the game with one swing,” Kansas City manager Matt Quatraro said of Velazquez. “We saw that today. You can go from down one to up one in one swing of the bat. He’s done that numerous times. His value is going to be driving the ball out of the ballpark and if he continues to do that at this rate, that’s incredible.”Vaughn put the White Sox back in front in the sixth with a two-run home run. His line drive just cleared the left-field fence, but it was enough to end the night for Lyles.“Luis Robert led off with a double,” Vaughn said. “I had seen Lyles twice already on the night. He got one over the heart of the plate and I put a good swing on it.”Moncada greeted reliever Tucker Davidson with a 433-foot home run on the first pitch.Colas homered on the first pitch of the seventh inning to provide cushion for the White Sox.Olivares had a two-run homer in the eighth for the Royals’ first by a pinch-hitter since May 13, 2022, to trim the deficit to 5-4.Andrew Benintendi had an RBI single in the ninth to cap the scoring for the White Sox.TRAINER'S ROOMWhite Sox: SS Tim Anderson was scratched from the lineup with neck stiffness. He was replaced by Andrus. ... LHP Garrett Crochet, who has been on the Injured List since June 20 with inflammation in his throwing shoulder, was sent to Double-A Birmingham on a rehab assignment.UP NEXTWhite Sox: After a day off on Thursday, Chicago heads to Detroit for a three-game series against the Tigers. The team has not announced a starter for Friday.Royals: After a day off, Kansas City opens a three-game series in Toronto on Friday. The Royals have not announced a starter.

⚾ Vaughn helps White Sox avoid sweep with Royals

Tiger Talk from Wednesday, September 6, 2023 with FHSU cross country coach Jason McCullough, women's soccer coach Tyson John, volleyball coach Jessica Wood-Atkins and football coach Chris Brown.

Tiger Talk airs Wednesday's at 12:10 p.m. on KAYS (1400/94.3) during Tiger Club at the Robbins Center on the FHSU campus.&nbsp;

Tiger Talk from Wednesday, September 6, 2023 with FHSU cross country coach Jason McCullough, women's soccer coach Tyson John, volleyball coach Jessica Wood-Atkins and football coach Chris Brown.Tiger Talk airs Wednesday's at 12:10 p.m. on KAYS (1400/94.3) during Tiger Club at the Robbins Center on the FHSU campus.&nbsp;<div><iframe title="Tiger Talk (September 6, 2023)" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=n7dec-149bea4-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=1&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=2" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

🎧 Defend the Fort Podcast: Tiger Talk (September 6, 2023)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Fort Hays State's&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-soccer/roster/hannah-mares/7293">Hannah Mares</a>&nbsp;was named the MIAA Offensive Athlete of the Week for women's soccer after an impressive first week of the season. Mares has served to be the offensive leader for the Tigers throughout their 2-0 start to the year.

Just nearly three minutes into the opening game of the season Mares captured her first goal against Northwestern Oklahoma State. Two days later Mares rattled off three goals in the 4-0 shutout victory over Southwestern College to record just the third hat trick in program history. The scores also notched her in tie for the most goals scored in a single match by a Tiger. The senior from Castle Rock, Colorado led the team in goals scored a season ago with eight, and currently leads this year's squad with four.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694032140357.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsKANSAS CITY, Mo. – Fort Hays State's&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-soccer/roster/hannah-mares/7293">Hannah Mares</a>&nbsp;was named the MIAA Offensive Athlete of the Week for women's soccer after an impressive first week of the season. Mares has served to be the offensive leader for the Tigers throughout their 2-0 start to the year.Just nearly three minutes into the opening game of the season Mares captured her first goal against Northwestern Oklahoma State. Two days later Mares rattled off three goals in the 4-0 shutout victory over Southwestern College to record just the third hat trick in program history. The scores also notched her in tie for the most goals scored in a single match by a Tiger. The senior from Castle Rock, Colorado led the team in goals scored a season ago with eight, and currently leads this year's squad with four.&nbsp;&nbsp;

⚽ FHSU's Mares takes home MIAA Offensive Player of the Week honor

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones, who has been in the midst of a contract dispute, left open the possibility that he could be on the field for the Kansas City Chiefs when they open the season on Thursday night against the Detroit Lions.

Jones has been working out in Miami throughout the offseason and training camp while his agents, Jason and Michael Katz, negotiate with the Chiefs on a potential extension. Jones is entering the final year of a four-year, $80 million deal, and said in his first public comments Wednesday that he “just wants a raise” like any other employee in any line of work.

“Hopefully it gets worked out,” said Jones, who was accompanied by the Katz brothers on a trip to visit with kids at Ronald McDonald House Charities. “It's always been my goal to be a Kansas City Chief for life. I've said that multiple time on social media platforms, from interviews, and they know where my position is at.”

More than 40 local families at the Ronald McDonald House, which is dedicated to supporting families with sick children in their time of need, were able to meet with Jones during his appearance in Kansas City.

The 29-year-old pass rusher already has accrued millions in fines for missing mandatory workouts, training camp and preseason games. If Jones does not report before Thursday, he will begin losing about $1.1 million in weekly game checks.

Asked whether he felt he had let anybody down by not reporting, Jones replied: “How?”

“That's what I have to ask,” Jones continued. “How have I let them down? It's just like when you're at a job, you're asking for a raise, who are you letting down? When you take the personal feelings out of it, you can kind of get it.”

Jones is coming off perhaps his best season, matching a career high with 15 1/2 sacks on the way to a Super Bowl title.

His absence from the Kansas City defense could be particularly damaging given the loss of defensive end Charles Omenihu, who is suspended for six games for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy. That has left youngsters George Karlaftis, entering his second year, and first-round draft pick Felix Anudike-Uzomah as the Chiefs' main pass rushers.

The market for defensive tackles, set by Aaron Donald with a three-year, $95 million deal, skyrocketed this past offseason. The Giants' Dexter Lawrence and the Commanders' Daron Payne each signed four-year, $90 million pacts, the Titans' Jeffrey Simmons signed for four years and $95 million, and the Jets' Quinnen Williams agreed to a four-year, $96 million deal.

The Chiefs and Jones' representatives were at an impasse until about a week ago, when general manager Brett Veach said their communication had increased in recent days. Veach was even optimistic that Jones would be available against Detroit.

“We're going to continue to press on and work hard,” he said. “A lot of respect on both sides of this thing. It’s been well-stated how we feel about Chris and he feels the same thing. We’re just going to keep working on this thing.”

Chiefs coach Andy Reid was blunt when asked about Jones after their final practice Tuesday. Reid declined to say whether he has been involved in negotiations and has continually said that his focus is solely on the players that are available.

"That’s where I'm at,” Reid said. "If you’re not there, you’re not there. Unfortunately, that’s the name of the game, so you can’t spend time — you have got to exhaust your time on the team you’re playing. So that’s where we’re at.”

Turns out there's a chance, however slight it may be, that Jones could be there against the Lions on Thursday night.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones, who has been in the midst of a contract dispute, left open the possibility that he could be on the field for the Kansas City Chiefs when they open the season on Thursday night against the Detroit Lions.Jones has been working out in Miami throughout the offseason and training camp while his agents, Jason and Michael Katz, negotiate with the Chiefs on a potential extension. Jones is entering the final year of a four-year, $80 million deal, and said in his first public comments Wednesday that he “just wants a raise” like any other employee in any line of work.“Hopefully it gets worked out,” said Jones, who was accompanied by the Katz brothers on a trip to visit with kids at Ronald McDonald House Charities. “It's always been my goal to be a Kansas City Chief for life. I've said that multiple time on social media platforms, from interviews, and they know where my position is at.”More than 40 local families at the Ronald McDonald House, which is dedicated to supporting families with sick children in their time of need, were able to meet with Jones during his appearance in Kansas City.The 29-year-old pass rusher already has accrued millions in fines for missing mandatory workouts, training camp and preseason games. If Jones does not report before Thursday, he will begin losing about $1.1 million in weekly game checks.Asked whether he felt he had let anybody down by not reporting, Jones replied: “How?”“That's what I have to ask,” Jones continued. “How have I let them down? It's just like when you're at a job, you're asking for a raise, who are you letting down? When you take the personal feelings out of it, you can kind of get it.”Jones is coming off perhaps his best season, matching a career high with 15 1/2 sacks on the way to a Super Bowl title.His absence from the Kansas City defense could be particularly damaging given the loss of defensive end Charles Omenihu, who is suspended for six games for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy. That has left youngsters George Karlaftis, entering his second year, and first-round draft pick Felix Anudike-Uzomah as the Chiefs' main pass rushers.The market for defensive tackles, set by Aaron Donald with a three-year, $95 million deal, skyrocketed this past offseason. The Giants' Dexter Lawrence and the Commanders' Daron Payne each signed four-year, $90 million pacts, the Titans' Jeffrey Simmons signed for four years and $95 million, and the Jets' Quinnen Williams agreed to a four-year, $96 million deal.The Chiefs and Jones' representatives were at an impasse until about a week ago, when general manager Brett Veach said their communication had increased in recent days. Veach was even optimistic that Jones would be available against Detroit.“We're going to continue to press on and work hard,” he said. “A lot of respect on both sides of this thing. It’s been well-stated how we feel about Chris and he feels the same thing. We’re just going to keep working on this thing.”Chiefs coach Andy Reid was blunt when asked about Jones after their final practice Tuesday. Reid declined to say whether he has been involved in negotiations and has continually said that his focus is solely on the players that are available."That’s where I'm at,” Reid said. "If you’re not there, you’re not there. Unfortunately, that’s the name of the game, so you can’t spend time — you have got to exhaust your time on the team you’re playing. So that’s where we’re at.”Turns out there's a chance, however slight it may be, that Jones could be there against the Lions on Thursday night.

🏈 Chiefs All-Pro Chris Jones amid holdout as season approaches: 'I just want a raise'

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Gregory Santos balked with the bases-loaded as the Kansas City Royals rallied from a six-run deficit to beat the Chicago White Sox 7-6 on Tuesday night.

It was the Royals first series win since Aug. 1-3 against the Mets, ironically a series that included the first balk-off win in franchise history. They entered the ninth trailing 6-5. Nick Loftin reached on an error and went to second on a single by Michael Massey. Maikel Garcia hit into a fielder's choice before Bobby Witt Jr. singled in the tying run. With two outs, Santos intentionally walked MJ Melendez to load the bases, bringing up Edward Olivares.

Santos was called for a balk on his first pitch to Olivares.

“I don't know what he was trying to do,” Olivares said. “Maybe he was trying to speed me up.”

The Royals had never won on a game-ending balk prior to this season, and now they've done it twice. The first was against the Mets on Aug. 1.

“Prior to this year I can only remember it happening two other times total (in MLB history),” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “It was definitely not in the same season.”

Jackson Kowar (1-0) earned the win, the first of his three-year career.

“You usually don't think you're going to back-door one like that,” he said. “As soon as Salvy (Salvador Perez) lined out (for the second out), I thought that was just bad luck. But it kind of flipped back for us."

"I just wanted to get the sticks back up there. (Angel Zerpa, who pitched three scoreless innings of relief) did a really nice job of bridging the gap. That's a really good lineup. We were running into balls all night. I knew if I held them right there we'd have a chance.”

“They kept battling and creeping up,” disappointed Chicago manager Pedro Grifol said. “We had a couple of opportunities to tack on runs, but we didn't, and you saw the ending.”

Neither starter factored in the decision. Chicago starter Dylan Cease allowed five runs on eight hits in 5 1/3 innings. Brady Singer, in his first action since becoming a father for the first time on Sept. 1, allowed six runs on nine hits in five innings.

A night after not scoring until the eighth inning Monday, the White Sox scored five runs in the second inning. Andrew Vaughn beat out an infield hit leading off and Yoan Moncada followed with a 430-foot home run to right center. After Elvis Andrus and Oscar Colas hit one-out singles, Korey Lee hit his first career home run in the second. He came into the game with one hit in his first 25 MLB at-bats, and he broke an 0-for-23 slump.

Vaughn led off the third with a 437-foot home run to center, stretching the lead to 6-0.

The Royals were able to cash in a leadoff triple in the third. Garcia lined one to the wall in right center. He scored on a two-out single by Melendez. The Royals added a pair of runs in the fourth, the first one on a home run by Nelson Velazquez. It was Velazquez' 11th home run of the season, but his eighth in 22 games with the Royals and second in as many games. Massey also hit 11th home run with two outs. It traveled 441 feet, the longest blast of Massey's career.

“I knew I hit it well,” Massey said. “I still haven't figured out how to not sprint out of the box on a homer.”

Melendez hit his 14th homer of the year in the fifth to cut the deficit to 6-4. Massey then drew the Royals within one run with an RBI groundout in the sixth.

Royals: OF Kyle Isbel, who was held out of Monday's game with hamstring tightness was available, according to KC manager Matt Quatraro, though he was not in the starting lineup.

The White Sox and Royals will play the final game of the three-game series Wednesday night. Chicago RHP Touki Toussaint (2-7, 4.87 ERA) will face RHP Jordan Lyles (4-15, 6.29 ERA) for KC.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1693967995292.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals' Michael Massey celebrates as he crosses the plate after hitting a solo home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals' Michael Massey celebrates as he crosses the plate after hitting a solo home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)</figcaption>
 </figure>By DAVID SMALE Associated PressKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Gregory Santos balked with the bases-loaded as the Kansas City Royals rallied from a six-run deficit to beat the Chicago White Sox 7-6 on Tuesday night.It was the Royals first series win since Aug. 1-3 against the Mets, ironically a series that included the first balk-off win in franchise history. They entered the ninth trailing 6-5. Nick Loftin reached on an error and went to second on a single by Michael Massey. Maikel Garcia hit into a fielder's choice before Bobby Witt Jr. singled in the tying run. With two outs, Santos intentionally walked MJ Melendez to load the bases, bringing up Edward Olivares.Santos was called for a balk on his first pitch to Olivares.“I don't know what he was trying to do,” Olivares said. “Maybe he was trying to speed me up.”The Royals had never won on a game-ending balk prior to this season, and now they've done it twice. The first was against the Mets on Aug. 1.“Prior to this year I can only remember it happening two other times total (in MLB history),” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “It was definitely not in the same season.”Jackson Kowar (1-0) earned the win, the first of his three-year career.“You usually don't think you're going to back-door one like that,” he said. “As soon as Salvy (Salvador Perez) lined out (for the second out), I thought that was just bad luck. But it kind of flipped back for us.""I just wanted to get the sticks back up there. (Angel Zerpa, who pitched three scoreless innings of relief) did a really nice job of bridging the gap. That's a really good lineup. We were running into balls all night. I knew if I held them right there we'd have a chance.”Santos (2-2) took the loss.“They kept battling and creeping up,” disappointed Chicago manager Pedro Grifol said. “We had a couple of opportunities to tack on runs, but we didn't, and you saw the ending.”Neither starter factored in the decision. Chicago starter Dylan Cease allowed five runs on eight hits in 5 1/3 innings. Brady Singer, in his first action since becoming a father for the first time on Sept. 1, allowed six runs on nine hits in five innings.A night after not scoring until the eighth inning Monday, the White Sox scored five runs in the second inning. Andrew Vaughn beat out an infield hit leading off and Yoan Moncada followed with a 430-foot home run to right center. After Elvis Andrus and Oscar Colas hit one-out singles, Korey Lee hit his first career home run in the second. He came into the game with one hit in his first 25 MLB at-bats, and he broke an 0-for-23 slump.Vaughn led off the third with a 437-foot home run to center, stretching the lead to 6-0.The Royals were able to cash in a leadoff triple in the third. Garcia lined one to the wall in right center. He scored on a two-out single by Melendez. The Royals added a pair of runs in the fourth, the first one on a home run by Nelson Velazquez. It was Velazquez' 11th home run of the season, but his eighth in 22 games with the Royals and second in as many games. Massey also hit 11th home run with two outs. It traveled 441 feet, the longest blast of Massey's career.“I knew I hit it well,” Massey said. “I still haven't figured out how to not sprint out of the box on a homer.”Melendez hit his 14th homer of the year in the fifth to cut the deficit to 6-4. Massey then drew the Royals within one run with an RBI groundout in the sixth.TRAINING ROOM:Royals: OF Kyle Isbel, who was held out of Monday's game with hamstring tightness was available, according to KC manager Matt Quatraro, though he was not in the starting lineup.UP NEXT:The White Sox and Royals will play the final game of the three-game series Wednesday night. Chicago RHP Touki Toussaint (2-7, 4.87 ERA) will face RHP Jordan Lyles (4-15, 6.29 ERA) for KC.

⚾ Royals get "balk off" win over White Sox

NICKERSON -The Hays High volleyball
team split their two matches in Nickerson Tuesday. The Indians defeat the host Panthers
22-25, 25-21, 25-14. They lost 23-25 and 17-25 to Smoky Valley. 

Hays is now 3-5 on the
season. They travel to Dodge City Thursday for a quadrangular.

Hays PostNICKERSON -The Hays High volleyball
team split their two matches in Nickerson Tuesday. The Indians defeat the host Panthers
22-25, 25-21, 25-14. They lost 23-25 and 17-25 to Smoky Valley. Hays is now 3-5 on the
season. They travel to Dodge City Thursday for a quadrangular.

🏐 HHS splits two matches in Nickerson

NORTON -&nbsp;TMP-Marian split their two matches at the Norton triangular Tuesday. The Monarchs defeated Oakley in three (25-9, 24-26, 25-14) then lost to the host Bluejays in two (12-25, 20-25).

The Monarchs are now 3-8 on the season. They are off until next Thursday (Sep. 12) when they travel to Hill City for a triangular.

Hays PostNORTON -&nbsp;TMP-Marian split their two matches at the Norton triangular Tuesday. The Monarchs defeated Oakley in three (25-9, 24-26, 25-14) then lost to the host Bluejays in two (12-25, 20-25).The Monarchs are now 3-8 on the season. They are off until next Thursday (Sep. 12) when they travel to Hill City for a triangular.

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