KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Salvador Perez hit a three-run homer in Kansas City's seven-run first inning and the Royals beat the Toronto Blue Jays 20-1 on Friday night.

The Royals sent 10 batters to the plate against Max Scherzer (5-4), who exited after recording just two outs and allowing seven hits in the shortest non-injury start of his career. It was Scherzer’s shortest outing since facing just one batter while pitching for Washington on June 11, 2021, before leaving with an injury.

Following a homer by George Springer in the top of the first inning, the Royals quickly tied it in the bottom of the inning on Carter Jensen’s leadoff double and Bobby Witt Jr.’s RBI single. Witt scored on Vinnie Pasquantino’s double into the left field corner to give Kansas City the lead for good.

After a walk to Maikel Garcia – and Toronto pitching coach Pete Walker’s ejection – Perez connected for his 30th home run. Michael Massey’s two-run homer gave Kansas City a 7-1 lead.

Batting leadoff for the first time, Jensen hit three doubles – two against Scherzer in the first and a two-run double in the third. Jensen became the first Royals player with multiple doubles in the same inning.

Jac Caglianone hit a three-run homer in the seventh as the Royals had 10 runs and 13 hits in 1 1/3 innings against catcher Tyler Heineman. Infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa got the last two outs in the eighth inning.

Pasquantino had four of Kansas City’s franchise-record 27 hits, doubling twice as the Royals had with eight extra-base hits in the first three innings.

Royals starter Michael Lorenzen (6-11) gave up a run and three hits with three walks while striking out four in 7 2/3 innings for his first win since July 6.

Perez’s 30th home run matched Pasquantino for the club lead as the pair became the second Royals teammates to reach the mark, following Steve Balboni and George Brett in 1985.

Springer, celebrating his 36th birthday, hit his 63rd leadoff home run — second-most in major league history — and reached 30 homers for the first time since 2019.

Blue Jays RHP Shane Bieber (3-1, 3.72 ERA) goes against Royals LHP Noah Cameron (8-7, 2.98) on Saturday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758337684881.png" alt="Photo KC Royals" />
 <figcaption>Photo KC Royals</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Salvador Perez hit a three-run homer in Kansas City's seven-run first inning and the Royals beat the Toronto Blue Jays 20-1 on Friday night.The Royals sent 10 batters to the plate against Max Scherzer (5-4), who exited after recording just two outs and allowing seven hits in the shortest non-injury start of his career. It was Scherzer’s shortest outing since facing just one batter while pitching for Washington on June 11, 2021, before leaving with an injury.Following a homer by George Springer in the top of the first inning, the Royals quickly tied it in the bottom of the inning on Carter Jensen’s leadoff double and Bobby Witt Jr.’s RBI single. Witt scored on Vinnie Pasquantino’s double into the left field corner to give Kansas City the lead for good.After a walk to Maikel Garcia – and Toronto pitching coach Pete Walker’s ejection – Perez connected for his 30th home run. Michael Massey’s two-run homer gave Kansas City a 7-1 lead.Batting leadoff for the first time, Jensen hit three doubles – two against Scherzer in the first and a two-run double in the third. Jensen became the first Royals player with multiple doubles in the same inning.Jac Caglianone hit a three-run homer in the seventh as the Royals had 10 runs and 13 hits in 1 1/3 innings against catcher Tyler Heineman. Infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa got the last two outs in the eighth inning.Pasquantino had four of Kansas City’s franchise-record 27 hits, doubling twice as the Royals had with eight extra-base hits in the first three innings.Royals starter Michael Lorenzen (6-11) gave up a run and three hits with three walks while striking out four in 7 2/3 innings for his first win since July 6.<h2>Key moment</h2>Perez’s 30th home run matched Pasquantino for the club lead as the pair became the second Royals teammates to reach the mark, following Steve Balboni and George Brett in 1985.<h2>Key stat</h2>Springer, celebrating his 36th birthday, hit his 63rd leadoff home run — second-most in major league history — and reached 30 homers for the first time since 2019.<h2>Up next</h2>Blue Jays RHP Shane Bieber (3-1, 3.72 ERA) goes against Royals LHP Noah Cameron (8-7, 2.98) on Saturday.___

⚾️ Royals score 7 in the 1st inning to beat the Blue Jays

#2-5A Hays High (2-0, 0-0 WAC) at #1-6A Manhattan (2-0) Friday, Sept. 19 - 7 p.m. Hays, Kan.

Radio:&nbsp;KFIX (96.9)&nbsp;<a href="https://radio.securenetsystems.net/cwa/KFIX">CLICK HERE TO LISTEN</a> <a href="https://mix103fm.com/"></a>Video:&nbsp;Hays High Sports Network&nbsp;<a href="https://vcloud.hudl.com/broadcast/embed/2551472">CLICK HERE TO WATCH ($)</a>

The Hays High Indians are on the road for a state-ranked showdown with the Manhattan Indians

Kickoff is at 7
p.m. with the Hertz Rent-A-Car Pregame Show at 6:30 p.m. on 96.9 KFIX.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694699014932.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>#2-5A Hays High (2-0, 0-0 WAC) at #1-6A Manhattan (2-0) Friday, Sept. 19 - 7 p.m. Hays, Kan.Radio:&nbsp;KFIX (96.9)&nbsp;<a href="https://radio.securenetsystems.net/cwa/KFIX">CLICK HERE TO LISTEN</a> <a href="https://mix103fm.com/"></a>Video:&nbsp;Hays High Sports Network&nbsp;<a href="https://vcloud.hudl.com/broadcast/embed/2551472">CLICK HERE TO WATCH ($)</a>The Hays High Indians are on the road for a state-ranked showdown with the Manhattan IndiansKickoff is at 7
p.m. with the Hertz Rent-A-Car Pregame Show at 6:30 p.m. on 96.9 KFIX.

🏈🎥 #2-5A Hays High at #1-6A Manhattan

EDMOND, Okla. - The Fort Hays State volleyball team improved to 9-1 with a pair of victories Friday (Sept. 19) at the MIAA/GAC Crossover, with the Tigers holding on to defeat Southwestern Oklahoma State in five sets before cruising to straight-set victory over East Central.

Fort Hays State dropped in 18 service aces on the day, including eight from libero Kirsten Evans. Ashlyn Reeves led the team with 20 kills and eight blocks across the two matches, while Ella Goodwin added 19 kills.

The SWOSU Bulldogs dip to 2-9 on the year with the loss, while the orange and black Tigers are now 2-11 overall.

Fort Hays State 3, Southwestern Oklahoma State 2 The Tigers edged out Southwestern Oklahoma in a tight five-set match to begin the day, winning 25-17, 28-26, 17-25, 19-25, 15-11.

The first set opened with a back-and-forth exchange, but Fort Hays State gained momentum with a critical 7-0 run, highlighted by a pair of combo blocks from Reeves and Caiya Stucky Reyes, bringing the score to 11-5 at the midpoint. Gracie Rains and Reeves were instrumental in extending the lead, with each securing pivotal kills to thwart the Bulldogs' efforts. The set concluded with Fort Hays State securing a confident 25-17 victory thanks to 15 kills compared to only one error, good for an eye-popping swing rate of .500.

The second set began with Fort Hays State and the Bulldogs again trading points before SWOSU slowly took control. The Bulldogs later scored five in a row to lead 22-17, but a 4-0 Tiger run including kills from Reeves and Goodwin and an Evans ace helped FHSU close within one. The Bulldogs then reached set point at 24-21 before the Tigers again scored four in a row to retake the lead, 25-24. SWOSU answered back with back-to-back points to again reach set point, but the Tigers made the final push with three in a row to take the set, 28-26, on a Carsyn Cormaney kill.

The teams traded the lead six times early in the third set before SWOSU closed the frame on a 14-5 run to extend the match, 25-17.

Two service aces from Peyton Bergschneider helped the Tigers take an early 3-0 lead in the fourth set before the Bulldogs rallied to take the lead at 10-9. FHSU kept things close until SWOSU broke open a 16-16 tie with a 9-3 run, taking the set 25-19 to send the match to a fifth set.

Southwestern Oklahoma State led by as many as three early in the final set before the Tigers used a 3-0 run to go on top for the first time at 7-6. Back-to-back kills from Cormaney and two from Grace Schmedding helped the Tigers go up 11-8 before three kills from Rains helped the Tigers reach match point. Reeves finished things off with her team-high 14th kill, giving FHSU the match with a 15-11 win.

Reeves added a team-high five blocks, while Evans recording five aces and added 15 digs to her defensive efforts. Reyes coordinated the offense with 28 assists and added eight kills, nine digs and four blocks for a well-rounded performance. Rains chipped in 12 kills and one block, while Goodwin and Cormaney each had nine kills and three blocks. Hailey Smith and Paris Patterson both racked up 15 kills, with Smith adding six blocks to lead the Bulldogs.

The Tigers narrowly edged SWOSU in attack percentage, .165-.163. The Bulldogs racked up 16 blocks, compared to eight for the Tigers, while both teams totaled nine service aces. The Tigers held a 75-69 edge in blocks and a 54-46 advantage in assists.

Fort Hays State 3, East Central 0 After battling SWOSU for nearly 2.5 hours to start the day, Fort Hays State returned to the court 90 minutes later to sweep East Central, 25-22, 25-19, 25-17. FHSU recorded nine service aces for the second-straight match, overpowering ECU throughout the match. The victory was highlighted by a dominant attack percentage of .219 compared to East Central's .110.

Fort Hays State came into the first set with momentum, racing in front by as many as seven before ECU used a 9-2 run to tie the score at 22. Back-to-back kills from Bergschneider thwarted the run before an ECU error brought the frame to an end at 25-22.

East Central took control early in the second set, leading by as many as five at 13-8 before an FHSU timeout. The Black and Gold responded with a 6-1 run to level the score at 14 including two kills from Goodwin and one each from Schmedding, Cormaney, Reeves and Bergschneider. The teams then traded sets before a Cormaney kill gave FHSU its first lead of the set at 18-17. That kick-started a 6-0 FHSU run before Schmedding delivered the final blow for a 25-19 win.

In the third set, Fort Hays State secured a decisive 25-17 win highlighted by two Evans service aces and five kills from Goodwin. A 5-0 run in the heart of the frame gave FHSU control for good, including two kills from Goodwin, one from Bergschneider and a Cormaney ace.

Goodwin led the FHSU offense with 10 kills on 15 attempts, posting a hitting percentage of .533. Annie Eaton orchestrated the attack with 24 assists while adding two service aces. Reeves tallied six kills and three blocks, while Abrey Galt paced the team with eight digs alongside 14 assists and one ace. Jayla Buford led ECU with 12 kills alongside two blocks.

The Tigers will wrap up competition in the MIAA/GAC Crossover on Saturday (Sept. 20) in Shawnee, Okla. when FHSU battles Northwestern Oklahoma State at 9 a.m. and Oklahoma Baptist at 12:30 p.m.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758325543240.png" alt="FHSU Athletics photo/Parker Nisbeth" />
 <figcaption>FHSU Athletics photo/Parker Nisbeth</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsEDMOND, Okla. - The Fort Hays State volleyball team improved to 9-1 with a pair of victories Friday (Sept. 19) at the MIAA/GAC Crossover, with the Tigers holding on to defeat Southwestern Oklahoma State in five sets before cruising to straight-set victory over East Central.Fort Hays State dropped in 18 service aces on the day, including eight from libero Kirsten Evans. Ashlyn Reeves led the team with 20 kills and eight blocks across the two matches, while Ella Goodwin added 19 kills.The SWOSU Bulldogs dip to 2-9 on the year with the loss, while the orange and black Tigers are now 2-11 overall.Fort Hays State 3, Southwestern Oklahoma State 2 The Tigers edged out Southwestern Oklahoma in a tight five-set match to begin the day, winning 25-17, 28-26, 17-25, 19-25, 15-11.The first set opened with a back-and-forth exchange, but Fort Hays State gained momentum with a critical 7-0 run, highlighted by a pair of combo blocks from Reeves and Caiya Stucky Reyes, bringing the score to 11-5 at the midpoint. Gracie Rains and Reeves were instrumental in extending the lead, with each securing pivotal kills to thwart the Bulldogs' efforts. The set concluded with Fort Hays State securing a confident 25-17 victory thanks to 15 kills compared to only one error, good for an eye-popping swing rate of .500.The second set began with Fort Hays State and the Bulldogs again trading points before SWOSU slowly took control. The Bulldogs later scored five in a row to lead 22-17, but a 4-0 Tiger run including kills from Reeves and Goodwin and an Evans ace helped FHSU close within one. The Bulldogs then reached set point at 24-21 before the Tigers again scored four in a row to retake the lead, 25-24. SWOSU answered back with back-to-back points to again reach set point, but the Tigers made the final push with three in a row to take the set, 28-26, on a Carsyn Cormaney kill.The teams traded the lead six times early in the third set before SWOSU closed the frame on a 14-5 run to extend the match, 25-17.Two service aces from Peyton Bergschneider helped the Tigers take an early 3-0 lead in the fourth set before the Bulldogs rallied to take the lead at 10-9. FHSU kept things close until SWOSU broke open a 16-16 tie with a 9-3 run, taking the set 25-19 to send the match to a fifth set.Southwestern Oklahoma State led by as many as three early in the final set before the Tigers used a 3-0 run to go on top for the first time at 7-6. Back-to-back kills from Cormaney and two from Grace Schmedding helped the Tigers go up 11-8 before three kills from Rains helped the Tigers reach match point. Reeves finished things off with her team-high 14th kill, giving FHSU the match with a 15-11 win.Reeves added a team-high five blocks, while Evans recording five aces and added 15 digs to her defensive efforts. Reyes coordinated the offense with 28 assists and added eight kills, nine digs and four blocks for a well-rounded performance. Rains chipped in 12 kills and one block, while Goodwin and Cormaney each had nine kills and three blocks. Hailey Smith and Paris Patterson both racked up 15 kills, with Smith adding six blocks to lead the Bulldogs.The Tigers narrowly edged SWOSU in attack percentage, .165-.163. The Bulldogs racked up 16 blocks, compared to eight for the Tigers, while both teams totaled nine service aces. The Tigers held a 75-69 edge in blocks and a 54-46 advantage in assists.Fort Hays State 3, East Central 0 After battling SWOSU for nearly 2.5 hours to start the day, Fort Hays State returned to the court 90 minutes later to sweep East Central, 25-22, 25-19, 25-17. FHSU recorded nine service aces for the second-straight match, overpowering ECU throughout the match. The victory was highlighted by a dominant attack percentage of .219 compared to East Central's .110.Fort Hays State came into the first set with momentum, racing in front by as many as seven before ECU used a 9-2 run to tie the score at 22. Back-to-back kills from Bergschneider thwarted the run before an ECU error brought the frame to an end at 25-22.East Central took control early in the second set, leading by as many as five at 13-8 before an FHSU timeout. The Black and Gold responded with a 6-1 run to level the score at 14 including two kills from Goodwin and one each from Schmedding, Cormaney, Reeves and Bergschneider. The teams then traded sets before a Cormaney kill gave FHSU its first lead of the set at 18-17. That kick-started a 6-0 FHSU run before Schmedding delivered the final blow for a 25-19 win.In the third set, Fort Hays State secured a decisive 25-17 win highlighted by two Evans service aces and five kills from Goodwin. A 5-0 run in the heart of the frame gave FHSU control for good, including two kills from Goodwin, one from Bergschneider and a Cormaney ace.Goodwin led the FHSU offense with 10 kills on 15 attempts, posting a hitting percentage of .533. Annie Eaton orchestrated the attack with 24 assists while adding two service aces. Reeves tallied six kills and three blocks, while Abrey Galt paced the team with eight digs alongside 14 assists and one ace. Jayla Buford led ECU with 12 kills alongside two blocks.UP NEXTThe Tigers will wrap up competition in the MIAA/GAC Crossover on Saturday (Sept. 20) in Shawnee, Okla. when FHSU battles Northwestern Oklahoma State at 9 a.m. and Oklahoma Baptist at 12:30 p.m.

🏐 FHSU runs win streak to six after two wins Friday

KAYS - (1400/94.3) KFIX - (96.9) KHAZ - (99.5) KJLS - (103.3) KKQY - (101.9)

Friday, September 19
 KAYS: Kansas City
Royals vs. Toronto Blue Jays, 6:00pm
 KKQY: Ellis FB at Hoxie, 6:00pm
 KFIX: Hays High FB at Manhattan, 6:30pm
 KHAZ: TMP-Marian FB vs. Phillipsburg, 6:30pm

Saturday, September 20
 KJLS: Fort Hays State
FB at Pittsburg State, 3:00pm
 KAYS: Kansas FB vs. West Virginia, 3:30pm

Sunday, September 21
 KAYS: Kansas City
Royals vs. Toronto Blue Jays, 12:30pm
 KFIX: Kansas City Chiefs FB at New York Giants, 6:00pm

KAYS - (1400/94.3) KFIX - (96.9) KHAZ - (99.5) KJLS - (103.3) KKQY - (101.9)Friday, September 19
 KAYS: Kansas City
Royals vs. Toronto Blue Jays, 6:00pm
 KKQY: Ellis FB at Hoxie, 6:00pm
 KFIX: Hays High FB at Manhattan, 6:30pm
 KHAZ: TMP-Marian FB vs. Phillipsburg, 6:30pmSaturday, September 20
 KJLS: Fort Hays State
FB at Pittsburg State, 3:00pm
 KAYS: Kansas FB vs. West Virginia, 3:30pmSunday, September 21
 KAYS: Kansas City
Royals vs. Toronto Blue Jays, 12:30pm
 KFIX: Kansas City Chiefs FB at New York Giants, 6:00pm

🎧 Eagle Radio, Hull sports broadcast schedule

By ROB MAADDI AP Pro Football Writer

Tom Brady was finished. Bill Belichick couldn’t coach anymore. The New England Patriots’ run of dominance had ended.

Those were the premature headlines and hot takes after the “We’re on to Cincinnati” game 11 years ago.

Now, it’s the Chiefs hearing similar questions.

The Patriots were destroyed by Kansas City 41-14 in front of a national television audience on Monday night, Sept. 29, 2014 to fall to 2-2.

Brady threw two interceptions and Jimmy Garoppolo played well in garbage time, prompting folks with ill-advised opinions to call for a quarterback change.

Belichick didn’t care to rehash the lopsided loss when he spoke to reporters two days later, and he wasn’t interested in questions about benching his 37-year-old quarterback.

Five times, Belichick responded: “We’re on to Cincinnati.”

He made sure the team was focused on looking ahead and not dwelling on the past.

The Patriots routed the Bengals 43-17 to spark a seven-game winning streak, finished 12-4 and went on to win their fourth Super Bowl with Brady and Belichick.

They won a fifth and sixth Super Bowl title over the next four years.

That talk about the end of the dynasty in 2014 was nonsense.

Brady went on to win his seventh Lombardi trophy with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at age 43.

Good thing Belichick never listened to the “experts” who wanted him to replace Brady with Garoppolo.

The Chiefs are in an unfamiliar position at 0-2 for the first time since that 2014 season, the last time they didn’t win a division title. The offense is struggling and their decade-long reign over the AFC West is in a precarious position.

Like Belichick and Brady when they faced criticism in 2014, Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes are 3-2 in Super Bowls together.

Anything less than a Lombardi won’t be considered a success in Kansas City. But making the playoffs is going to be a challenge at this point.

Only five of the 43 teams (11.6%) that started 0-2 have made the postseason since the field was expanded in 2020. Only the 1993 Cowboys, 2001 Patriots and 2007 Giants have won a Super Bowl following an 0-2 start.

“Listen, we haven’t won (a) game so I understand, I get it,” Reid said about the criticism. “We keep pushing, and we’ll keep pushing and working forward and seeing what we can do going down the road here.”

The Chiefs haven’t been blown out in their first two games. They lost 27-21 to the Los Angeles Chargers in Brazil in Week 1. The defense couldn’t get a stop late in the game to give Mahomes a final drive to try to win it.

They lost 20-17 at home last week in a Super Bowl rematch against the Philadelphia Eagles, who dominated the Chiefs in February. The outcome probably would have been different if Travis Kelce didn’t drop a pass at the goal line that turned into an interception in the fourth quarter.

Mahomes, who turned 30 earlier this week, is a long way from finished. He leads the team in rushing, which needs to change. He also doesn’t have all of his playmakers. Xavier Worthy was injured in the opener and Rashee Rice is suspended through the first six games.

“Even though we have never been 0-2, we’ve had stretches where we’ve lost big games kind of consecutively and guys have responded,” Mahomes said. “It’s about the character of the guys in the locker room more than it is the play on the football field and I think that we have the guys that are going to continue to work. They’re not going to let this push them down, they’re going to use it, if anything, as motivation to be even better.

“I think that gives me the most faith and then the coaches that we have they’ll continue to push to be even better. We’ll have a great week of practice this week and know we’re going to have to play our best football to win a game against a good football team in the Giants.”

The schedule is daunting after New York (0-2). Five of the next six games will be against playoff teams. The Chiefs host the Ravens in Week 4, the Lions in Week 6, the Commanders in Week 8 and visit the Bills in Week 9.

“You take it one week at a time, but I think you just continue to even amplify the little details,” Mahomes said. “Sometimes when you’re winning a lot, those little details get lost and that’s how you lose, but when you lose early like this, you have to really just focus on those little details and maximize those and then you try and set the example on the practice field and stay after and do extra stuff and do a little bit here and there and push other guys to do the same. We’re really good at that.”

What Brady, Belichick and the Patriots accomplished in New England — six Super Bowl titles in 20 years — may never be duplicated. The second half of that run — three championships in five seasons after Brady turned 37 and the “on to Cincinnati” game — is even more impressive the first.

The Chiefs have a long way to go to even enter that conversation but it’s way too early to count them out.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758284734397.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid speaks during a news conference following an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid speaks during a news conference following an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)</figcaption>
 </figure>By ROB MAADDI AP Pro Football WriterTom Brady was finished. Bill Belichick couldn’t coach anymore. The New England Patriots’ run of dominance had ended.Those were the premature headlines and hot takes after the “We’re on to Cincinnati” game 11 years ago.Now, it’s the Chiefs hearing similar questions.The Patriots were destroyed by Kansas City 41-14 in front of a national television audience on Monday night, Sept. 29, 2014 to fall to 2-2.Brady threw two interceptions and Jimmy Garoppolo played well in garbage time, prompting folks with ill-advised opinions to call for a quarterback change.Belichick didn’t care to rehash the lopsided loss when he spoke to reporters two days later, and he wasn’t interested in questions about benching his 37-year-old quarterback.Five times, Belichick responded: “We’re on to Cincinnati.”He made sure the team was focused on looking ahead and not dwelling on the past.The Patriots routed the Bengals 43-17 to spark a seven-game winning streak, finished 12-4 and went on to win their fourth Super Bowl with Brady and Belichick.They won a fifth and sixth Super Bowl title over the next four years.That talk about the end of the dynasty in 2014 was nonsense.Brady went on to win his seventh Lombardi trophy with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at age 43.Good thing Belichick never listened to the “experts” who wanted him to replace Brady with Garoppolo.The Chiefs are in an unfamiliar position at 0-2 for the first time since that 2014 season, the last time they didn’t win a division title. The offense is struggling and their decade-long reign over the AFC West is in a precarious position.Like Belichick and Brady when they faced criticism in 2014, Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes are 3-2 in Super Bowls together.Anything less than a Lombardi won’t be considered a success in Kansas City. But making the playoffs is going to be a challenge at this point.Only five of the 43 teams (11.6%) that started 0-2 have made the postseason since the field was expanded in 2020. Only the 1993 Cowboys, 2001 Patriots and 2007 Giants have won a Super Bowl following an 0-2 start.“Listen, we haven’t won (a) game so I understand, I get it,” Reid said about the criticism. “We keep pushing, and we’ll keep pushing and working forward and seeing what we can do going down the road here.”The Chiefs haven’t been blown out in their first two games. They lost 27-21 to the Los Angeles Chargers in Brazil in Week 1. The defense couldn’t get a stop late in the game to give Mahomes a final drive to try to win it.They lost 20-17 at home last week in a Super Bowl rematch against the Philadelphia Eagles, who dominated the Chiefs in February. The outcome probably would have been different if Travis Kelce didn’t drop a pass at the goal line that turned into an interception in the fourth quarter.Mahomes, who turned 30 earlier this week, is a long way from finished. He leads the team in rushing, which needs to change. He also doesn’t have all of his playmakers. Xavier Worthy was injured in the opener and Rashee Rice is suspended through the first six games.“Even though we have never been 0-2, we’ve had stretches where we’ve lost big games kind of consecutively and guys have responded,” Mahomes said. “It’s about the character of the guys in the locker room more than it is the play on the football field and I think that we have the guys that are going to continue to work. They’re not going to let this push them down, they’re going to use it, if anything, as motivation to be even better.“I think that gives me the most faith and then the coaches that we have they’ll continue to push to be even better. We’ll have a great week of practice this week and know we’re going to have to play our best football to win a game against a good football team in the Giants.”The schedule is daunting after New York (0-2). Five of the next six games will be against playoff teams. The Chiefs host the Ravens in Week 4, the Lions in Week 6, the Commanders in Week 8 and visit the Bills in Week 9.“You take it one week at a time, but I think you just continue to even amplify the little details,” Mahomes said. “Sometimes when you’re winning a lot, those little details get lost and that’s how you lose, but when you lose early like this, you have to really just focus on those little details and maximize those and then you try and set the example on the practice field and stay after and do extra stuff and do a little bit here and there and push other guys to do the same. We’re really good at that.”What Brady, Belichick and the Patriots accomplished in New England — six Super Bowl titles in 20 years — may never be duplicated. The second half of that run — three championships in five seasons after Brady turned 37 and the “on to Cincinnati” game — is even more impressive the first.The Chiefs have a long way to go to even enter that conversation but it’s way too early to count them out.

🏈 It's premature to count out Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs

HAYS, Kan. — Fort Hays State (3-0-2) secured a 1-0 victory over Lubbock Christian (1-4) on Thursday night at FHSU Soccer Stadium, with the lone goal coming in the second half. The No. 20 Tigers produced their fourth shutout in five matches this season.

Fort Hays State and Lubbock Christian ended the first half scoreless, despite FHSU producing 11 shots. Lubbock Christian managed four shots, with two saved by Payton Roehrich.

In a tense second half, Fort Hays State broke through in the 82nd minute to secure a narrow 1-0 victory, thanks to a goal by Juan Linares, assisted by Mamadou Oumar Ndiaye. The pair executed a give and go off a corner kick on the left side of the box as Linares rifled his shot up into the corner of the net. FHSU outshot LCU 9-3 in the second half, while Roehrich made one more save to pick up his fourth clean sheet of the season.

Cards really started to mount during the final 15 minutes of the game in a physical contest. FHSU received eight cautions, compared to five cards for LCU. One of the five for LCU was a red with 1:55 to play.

Connor Pettigrew took the loss in net for LCU, despite making four saves, as his squad was outshot 20-7 by FHSU. Elias Ovelar Semeniuk led the offensive attack for FHSU with six shots.

Fort Hays State will host Jamestown (N.D.) on Saturday, September 20 at 7 p.m. in the final non-conference match before the 12-match GAC schedule for the remainder of the regular season.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758277129826.png" alt="Fort Hays State's Juan Linares (7) celebrates after scoring the Tigers lone goal against Lubbock Christian on Thursday, September 18, 2025 in Hays, Kan. (FHSU Athletics photo/Parker Nisbeth)" />
 <figcaption>Fort Hays State's Juan Linares (7) celebrates after scoring the Tigers lone goal against Lubbock Christian on Thursday, September 18, 2025 in Hays, Kan. (FHSU Athletics photo/Parker Nisbeth)</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsHAYS, Kan. — Fort Hays State (3-0-2) secured a 1-0 victory over Lubbock Christian (1-4) on Thursday night at FHSU Soccer Stadium, with the lone goal coming in the second half. The No. 20 Tigers produced their fourth shutout in five matches this season.Fort Hays State and Lubbock Christian ended the first half scoreless, despite FHSU producing 11 shots. Lubbock Christian managed four shots, with two saved by Payton Roehrich.In a tense second half, Fort Hays State broke through in the 82nd minute to secure a narrow 1-0 victory, thanks to a goal by Juan Linares, assisted by Mamadou Oumar Ndiaye. The pair executed a give and go off a corner kick on the left side of the box as Linares rifled his shot up into the corner of the net. FHSU outshot LCU 9-3 in the second half, while Roehrich made one more save to pick up his fourth clean sheet of the season.Cards really started to mount during the final 15 minutes of the game in a physical contest. FHSU received eight cautions, compared to five cards for LCU. One of the five for LCU was a red with 1:55 to play.Connor Pettigrew took the loss in net for LCU, despite making four saves, as his squad was outshot 20-7 by FHSU. Elias Ovelar Semeniuk led the offensive attack for FHSU with six shots.Fort Hays State will host Jamestown (N.D.) on Saturday, September 20 at 7 p.m. in the final non-conference match before the 12-match GAC schedule for the remainder of the regular season.

⚽ Linares strikes with under 10 minutes remaining, Tiger men defeat Chaparrals

HAYS - After having their six-match win streak snapped Tuesday with a pair of losses at their own triangular, the Hays High volleyball team got back on track with a pair of wins at a quad they hosted Thursday at the new Hays High gym.

The Indians swept Ulysses then defeated Garden City in three before losing to to Pratt in two.

Hays def. Ulysses (25-21, 25-15) Hays def. Garden City (25-21, 21-25, 25-11) Pratt def. Hays (22-25, 23-25)

The Indians are 10-5 on the season. They will host another triangular on Tuesday, September 25.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758280199019.jpeg" alt="The Hays High School volleyball team celebrates after scoring a point at a quadrangular on Thursday, September 18, 2025 in Hays, Kan. (Courtesy photo)" />
 <figcaption>The Hays High School volleyball team celebrates after scoring a point at a quadrangular on Thursday, September 18, 2025 in Hays, Kan. (Courtesy photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>Hays Post SportsHAYS - After having their six-match win streak snapped Tuesday with a pair of losses at their own triangular, the Hays High volleyball team got back on track with a pair of wins at a quad they hosted Thursday at the new Hays High gym.The Indians swept Ulysses then defeated Garden City in three before losing to to Pratt in two.Hays def. Ulysses (25-21, 25-15) Hays def. Garden City (25-21, 21-25, 25-11) Pratt def. Hays (22-25, 23-25)The Indians are 10-5 on the season. They will host another triangular on Tuesday, September 25.

🏐 HHS goes 2-1 at own quad

HAYS - Saul Hernandez built a state soccer powerhouse at his alma mater, and Dodge City is till reaping the benefits even in his absence.

After guiding the Red Demons to 185 victories and top-four state finishes eight times in his 10-year tenure at Dodge City, Hernandez left this year for a teaching and coaching job across the state at Olathe West.

Nonetheless, Dodge City is showing it’s still a force in the always-tough Western Athletic Conference.

The Red Demons spoiled the Hays High boys’ soccer debut on the Indians’ new field Thursday with a 6-0 shutout in WAC action.

The Indians were able to keep it close for the first half, trailing just 1-0 at intermission, before Dodge City exploded for five second-half goals.

Dodge City raised its record to 5-1 with the win.

Hays High (3-2 overall, 1-1 WAC) will try for its first home win on Tuesday, when it plays host to WAC opponent Great Bend, which the Indians beat 3-0 earlier this week on the Panthers’ home field.

SubmittedHAYS - Saul Hernandez built a state soccer powerhouse at his alma mater, and Dodge City is till reaping the benefits even in his absence.After guiding the Red Demons to 185 victories and top-four state finishes eight times in his 10-year tenure at Dodge City, Hernandez left this year for a teaching and coaching job across the state at Olathe West.Nonetheless, Dodge City is showing it’s still a force in the always-tough Western Athletic Conference.The Red Demons spoiled the Hays High boys’ soccer debut on the Indians’ new field Thursday with a 6-0 shutout in WAC action.The Indians were able to keep it close for the first half, trailing just 1-0 at intermission, before Dodge City exploded for five second-half goals.Dodge City raised its record to 5-1 with the win.Hays High (3-2 overall, 1-1 WAC) will try for its first home win on Tuesday, when it plays host to WAC opponent Great Bend, which the Indians beat 3-0 earlier this week on the Panthers’ home field.

⚽ Perennial power Dodge City shuts out Indians

LARNED -The TMP-Marian girls’ had four golfers place in the top-10 on their way to claiming that team title at Thursday's Larned Invitational at the at the Edwards Park Golf Course.

Brynn Schoepf and Jenna Brull both tied for third with rounds of 93. Emma Wasinger tied for eighth (106) and Ava Schumacher was 10th (113).

The Monarchs edged Hesston by three shots 405 to 408.

Hays Post SportsLARNED -The TMP-Marian girls’ had four golfers place in the top-10 on their way to claiming that team title at Thursday's Larned Invitational at the at the Edwards Park Golf Course.Brynn Schoepf and Jenna Brull both tied for third with rounds of 93. Emma Wasinger tied for eighth (106) and Ava Schumacher was 10th (113).The Monarchs edged Hesston by three shots 405 to 408.

⛳ Monarch girls win Larned tournament

Fort Hays State University defeated New Mexico Highlands with a dominant 7-0 victory at FHSU Soccer Stadium on Thursday afternoon. The Tigers scored their second most goals in a single match in program history. 

Fort Hays State dominated the first half, taking a 5-0 lead by halftime. Chaley French opened the scoring in the sixth minute with an assist off the crossbar from Sydney Cotter. French scored another goal five minutes later, assisted by Taylor Hill and Makenzie Hood. Cotter then found the net twice herself, in the 25th and 31st minutes, with Payton Porter and Megan Wiman contributing to the first of her goals. The second was a free kick just outside the 18. Berit Shores finished the first-half scoring in the 38th minute.

The Tigers extended their lead in the second half with goals from Saylor Richard Sydney Cotter, finishing with a 7-0 victory. Fort Hays managed a total of six shots in the second half, with Saylor Richard's goal coming in the 69th minute and Sydney Cotter scoring less than a minute later. Despite the Cowgirls' efforts, which included six shots in the second half, goalkeeper Hadley Ostrander maintained a clean sheet with one save.

Cotter tied two Fort Hays State single-match records with her performance. She matched the school record for goals in a match, becoming the fourth player in program history with a hat trick courtesy of her three goals. She is the first with a hat trick since Hannah Mares accomplished the feat against Southwestern College on September 2, 2023. She also tied the school record for points in a match with seven, joining Thalya Dwyer who had three goals and an assist in a win over Northwestern Oklahoma State on September 11, 2016, which was the game FHSU set it's single-game goal record, a 9-0 win. Chaley French had five shots in the match, nearly reaching a hat trick as well with some early opportunities.

At one point in the match, FHSU led the shot count 18-1, but the Cowgirls recorded six more shots late in the match.

Looking ahead, Fort Hays State begins MIAA play hosting Missouri Southern on Friday, September 26. The match is set for 7 p.m. at FHSU Soccer Stadium. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758276535062.png" alt="FHSU Athletics photo/Ryan Prickett" />
 <figcaption>FHSU Athletics photo/Ryan Prickett</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsFort Hays State University defeated New Mexico Highlands with a dominant 7-0 victory at FHSU Soccer Stadium on Thursday afternoon. The Tigers scored their second most goals in a single match in program history. Fort Hays State dominated the first half, taking a 5-0 lead by halftime. Chaley French opened the scoring in the sixth minute with an assist off the crossbar from Sydney Cotter. French scored another goal five minutes later, assisted by Taylor Hill and Makenzie Hood. Cotter then found the net twice herself, in the 25th and 31st minutes, with Payton Porter and Megan Wiman contributing to the first of her goals. The second was a free kick just outside the 18. Berit Shores finished the first-half scoring in the 38th minute.The Tigers extended their lead in the second half with goals from Saylor Richard Sydney Cotter, finishing with a 7-0 victory. Fort Hays managed a total of six shots in the second half, with Saylor Richard's goal coming in the 69th minute and Sydney Cotter scoring less than a minute later. Despite the Cowgirls' efforts, which included six shots in the second half, goalkeeper Hadley Ostrander maintained a clean sheet with one save.Cotter tied two Fort Hays State single-match records with her performance. She matched the school record for goals in a match, becoming the fourth player in program history with a hat trick courtesy of her three goals. She is the first with a hat trick since Hannah Mares accomplished the feat against Southwestern College on September 2, 2023. She also tied the school record for points in a match with seven, joining Thalya Dwyer who had three goals and an assist in a win over Northwestern Oklahoma State on September 11, 2016, which was the game FHSU set it's single-game goal record, a 9-0 win. Chaley French had five shots in the match, nearly reaching a hat trick as well with some early opportunities.At one point in the match, FHSU led the shot count 18-1, but the Cowgirls recorded six more shots late in the match.Looking ahead, Fort Hays State begins MIAA play hosting Missouri Southern on Friday, September 26. The match is set for 7 p.m. at FHSU Soccer Stadium.

⚽ Cotter’s hat trick highlights FHSU women's blowout win over Cowgirls

WAKEENEY - Ellis' Avery Boydston finished first and Taryn Boydston second in the 5000 meter race at the Trego Cross Country Invitational Thursday. Avery had a time of&nbsp;19:00.47 and Taryn&nbsp;19:09.59.

Plainville's Brilynn Trumpp finished third with a time of&nbsp;20:32.06.

Grace Schmeidler was the top TMP-Marian runner finishing in 30th place (25:32.55).

Ness City's Broxton Gall won the boys race (16:39.47). Quinter had the next three finishers.&nbsp;Carter Pennington was second (17:10.98),&nbsp;Elliot Churchwell third (17:19.67) and Kendrik Selensky fourth (17:21.53)

Mattias Marintzer led the TMP-Marian boys with a time of 18:35.53 and placed 16th.

Hoxie won the girls race, edging Ness City by one point.

Quinter won the boys race with 31 points, 11 better than Ness City.

Hays Post SportsWAKEENEY - Ellis' Avery Boydston finished first and Taryn Boydston second in the 5000 meter race at the Trego Cross Country Invitational Thursday. Avery had a time of&nbsp;19:00.47 and Taryn&nbsp;19:09.59.Plainville's Brilynn Trumpp finished third with a time of&nbsp;20:32.06.Grace Schmeidler was the top TMP-Marian runner finishing in 30th place (25:32.55).Ness City's Broxton Gall won the boys race (16:39.47). Quinter had the next three finishers.&nbsp;Carter Pennington was second (17:10.98),&nbsp;Elliot Churchwell third (17:19.67) and Kendrik Selensky fourth (17:21.53)Mattias Marintzer led the TMP-Marian boys with a time of 18:35.53 and placed 16th.Hoxie won the girls race, edging Ness City by one point.Quinter won the boys race with 31 points, 11 better than Ness City.

👟 Ellis' Boydston's lead the way at Trego Inviatational

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Luis Castillo pitched six innings of three-hit ball, Jorge Polanco and J.P. Crawford drove in runs, and the Seattle Mariners beat the Kansas City Royals 2-0 on Thursday to climb back into a first-place tie with the Houston Astros in the AL West.

The Mariners are headed to Houston for a three-game series beginning Friday night.

Eduard Bazardo and Gabe Speier tossed an inning apiece for Seattle. Andres Muñoz stranded two in the ninth by striking out Adam Frazier on three pitches for his 36th save.

Castillo (10-8) dueled with Kansas City counterpart Stephen Kolek, who allowed two runs — one earned — while pitching into the eighth inning. One run came on Polanco's double and the other after an astute move by manager Dan Wilson in the eighth.

Kolek appeared to have retired the first two batters of the inning when Wilson challenged that second baseman Michael Massey set up on the grass ahead of Polanco’s groundout. The challenge was successful and Polanco was awarded first base, and reliever Daniel Lynch IV eventually gave up Crawford's run-scoring double to make it 2-0.

Castillo and Kolek (5-6) were so stingy that each allowed just a pair of runners over the first four innings, and both times they were on back-to-back hits. The difference was the Royals paired together singles and stranded both runners while the Mariners got Josh Naylor's single and an RBI double by Polanco for a 1-0 lead.

Castillo only allowed one other runner, a single by Royals rookie Carter Jensen in the fifth. Kolek similarly breezed through the Seattle lineup until a two-out walk to Naylor in the seventh; he promptly struck out Polanco to end the inning.

Key moment The Mariners were leading 1-0 when Wilson made a rare but successful challenge. They wound up doubling their lead.

Key stats Castillo has allowed two earned runs total over his last three starts.

Up next The Mariners begin their pivotal series in Houston with RHP Bryan Woo (14-7, 3.02 ERA) on the mound Friday night. Kansas City has RHP Michael Lorenzen (5-11, 4.91) up against Toronto on Friday night in their final home series of the regular season.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758232830765.jpeg" alt="Seattle Mariners' Jorge Polanco, left, is caught off base at second by Kansas City Royals second baseman Michael Massey to get the second out of a double play hit into by Dominic Canzone during the second inning of a baseball game, Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)" />
 <figcaption>Seattle Mariners' Jorge Polanco, left, is caught off base at second by Kansas City Royals second baseman Michael Massey to get the second out of a double play hit into by Dominic Canzone during the second inning of a baseball game, Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Luis Castillo pitched six innings of three-hit ball, Jorge Polanco and J.P. Crawford drove in runs, and the Seattle Mariners beat the Kansas City Royals 2-0 on Thursday to climb back into a first-place tie with the Houston Astros in the AL West.The Mariners are headed to Houston for a three-game series beginning Friday night.Eduard Bazardo and Gabe Speier tossed an inning apiece for Seattle. Andres Muñoz stranded two in the ninth by striking out Adam Frazier on three pitches for his 36th save.Castillo (10-8) dueled with Kansas City counterpart Stephen Kolek, who allowed two runs — one earned — while pitching into the eighth inning. One run came on Polanco's double and the other after an astute move by manager Dan Wilson in the eighth.Kolek appeared to have retired the first two batters of the inning when Wilson challenged that second baseman Michael Massey set up on the grass ahead of Polanco’s groundout. The challenge was successful and Polanco was awarded first base, and reliever Daniel Lynch IV eventually gave up Crawford's run-scoring double to make it 2-0.Castillo and Kolek (5-6) were so stingy that each allowed just a pair of runners over the first four innings, and both times they were on back-to-back hits. The difference was the Royals paired together singles and stranded both runners while the Mariners got Josh Naylor's single and an RBI double by Polanco for a 1-0 lead.Castillo only allowed one other runner, a single by Royals rookie Carter Jensen in the fifth. Kolek similarly breezed through the Seattle lineup until a two-out walk to Naylor in the seventh; he promptly struck out Polanco to end the inning.Key moment The Mariners were leading 1-0 when Wilson made a rare but successful challenge. They wound up doubling their lead.Key stats Castillo has allowed two earned runs total over his last three starts.Up next The Mariners begin their pivotal series in Houston with RHP Bryan Woo (14-7, 3.02 ERA) on the mound Friday night. Kansas City has RHP Michael Lorenzen (5-11, 4.91) up against Toronto on Friday night in their final home series of the regular season.

⚾ Mariners' rare challenge helps secure win over Royals, tie Astros for first place in AL West

HAYS - The Hays High boys and girls cross country teams both had two medalists at their own Hays High Invitational Thursday morning.

Avrie Branaman led the girls with a fifth place finish after a career best time of 21:10.&nbsp;Alexa Cooley also ran a career best 21:55 and placed ninth. 

The Indian girls also had season best performances from&nbsp;Aralen Maupin (22:46),&nbsp;Ava Biggs (22:55), Kiana Sun (22:32),&nbsp;Madelyn Wilkins (23:25),&nbsp;Kynli Koenigsman (24:39.0),&nbsp;Karlee Crispin (25:16.0) and&nbsp;Serena Wilson (23:37.0).

The boys were paced by&nbsp;Malachi Chance who finished 12th with a career best time of 18:07. Bladyn Werth posted a season-best time of 18:15 and placed 14th.

Jackson Huwa had a career best time of 18:39.&nbsp;Logan Leiker a season-best 19:00.&nbsp;Emmitt Dreiling ran a career best 19:14,&nbsp;Aiden Hardman a season best 19:40 and&nbsp;Brayden Staley ran a season best 21:24.

Garden City won the boys race with 21 points, easily outdistancing second place Dodge City. 

Dodge City was the girls champ with 43 points, three ahead of Norton.

Hays Post SportsHAYS - The Hays High boys and girls cross country teams both had two medalists at their own Hays High Invitational Thursday morning.Avrie Branaman led the girls with a fifth place finish after a career best time of 21:10.&nbsp;Alexa Cooley also ran a career best 21:55 and placed ninth. The Indian girls also had season best performances from&nbsp;Aralen Maupin (22:46),&nbsp;Ava Biggs (22:55), Kiana Sun (22:32),&nbsp;Madelyn Wilkins (23:25),&nbsp;Kynli Koenigsman (24:39.0),&nbsp;Karlee Crispin (25:16.0) and&nbsp;Serena Wilson (23:37.0).The boys were paced by&nbsp;Malachi Chance who finished 12th with a career best time of 18:07. Bladyn Werth posted a season-best time of 18:15 and placed 14th.Jackson Huwa had a career best time of 18:39.&nbsp;Logan Leiker a season-best 19:00.&nbsp;Emmitt Dreiling ran a career best 19:14,&nbsp;Aiden Hardman a season best 19:40 and&nbsp;Brayden Staley ran a season best 21:24.Garden City won the boys race with 21 points, easily outdistancing second place Dodge City. Dodge City was the girls champ with 43 points, three ahead of Norton.

👟 Good day for HHS at own cross country meet

Thursday, September 18
 KAYS: Kansas City
Royals vs. Seattle Mariners, 12:30pm

KAYS - (1400/94.3) KFIX - (96.9) KHAZ - (99.5) KJLS - (103.3) KKQY - (101.9)Thursday, September 18
 KAYS: Kansas City
Royals vs. Seattle Mariners, 12:30pmFriday, September 19
 KAYS: Kansas City
Royals vs. Toronto Blue Jays, 6:00pm
 KKQY: Ellis FB at Hoxie, 6:00pm
 KFIX: Hays High FB at Manhattan, 6:30pm
 KHAZ: TMP-Marian FB vs. Phillipsburg, 6:30pmSaturday, September 20
 KJLS: Fort Hays State
FB at Pittsburg State, 3:00pm
 KAYS: Kansas FB vs. West Virginia, 3:30pmSunday, September 21
 KAYS: Kansas City
Royals vs. Toronto Blue Jays, 12:30pm
 KFIX: Kansas City Chiefs FB at New York Giants, 6:00pm

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Adam Frazier hit a go-ahead, two-run home run in the eighth inning and the Kansas City Royals went on to beat Seattle 7-5 on Wednesday night and snap the Mariners' 10-game winning streak.

Eugenio Suárez snapped an 0-for-32 skid with four hits, two RBIs and two runs for Seattle, which, with Houston's win, dropped a half-game back of the Astros in the AL West.

Lucas Erceg (8-4) earned the win despite giving up the lead on J.P. Crawford's homer in eighth. Carlos Estévez allowed a ninth-inning run, but picked up his MLB-best 40th save.

Seattle's Matt Brash (1-3) gave up four runs and four hits in two-thirds of an inning.

Cole Ragans, making his first start for Kansas City since June 5, allowed two runs on one hit through 3 2/3 innings. He struck out four and walked two. He had been on the IL with a strained left rotator cuff. He threw his first six pitches for strikes and struck out the side on 10 pitches in the first inning.

Seattle's Bryce Miller allowed three runs on eight hits in five innings.

Salvador Perez opened the scoring in the first with a 435-foot, three-run home run to center field.

Suárez answered with a 416-foot, two-run home run in the second inning to cut the deficit to 3-2. Suárez led off the seventh with a double and scored the tying run on a sacrifice fly by Mitch Garver.

Frazier’s home run put the Royals back in front after surrendering the lead in the top of the eighth.

The Royals were 5 of 13 with runners in scoring position. The Mariners were 0 for 4.

The teams compete their three-game series on Thursday. Seattle will start RHP Luis Castillo (9-8, 3.76 ERA) while Kansas City will send RHP Stephen Kolek (5-5, 3.71 ERA) to the mound.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758189408956.png" alt="Photo Kansas City Royals" />
 <figcaption>Photo Kansas City Royals</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Adam Frazier hit a go-ahead, two-run home run in the eighth inning and the Kansas City Royals went on to beat Seattle 7-5 on Wednesday night and snap the Mariners' 10-game winning streak.Eugenio Suárez snapped an 0-for-32 skid with four hits, two RBIs and two runs for Seattle, which, with Houston's win, dropped a half-game back of the Astros in the AL West.Lucas Erceg (8-4) earned the win despite giving up the lead on J.P. Crawford's homer in eighth. Carlos Estévez allowed a ninth-inning run, but picked up his MLB-best 40th save.Seattle's Matt Brash (1-3) gave up four runs and four hits in two-thirds of an inning.Cole Ragans, making his first start for Kansas City since June 5, allowed two runs on one hit through 3 2/3 innings. He struck out four and walked two. He had been on the IL with a strained left rotator cuff. He threw his first six pitches for strikes and struck out the side on 10 pitches in the first inning.Seattle's Bryce Miller allowed three runs on eight hits in five innings.Salvador Perez opened the scoring in the first with a 435-foot, three-run home run to center field.Suárez answered with a 416-foot, two-run home run in the second inning to cut the deficit to 3-2. Suárez led off the seventh with a double and scored the tying run on a sacrifice fly by Mitch Garver.<h2>Key Moment</h2>Frazier’s home run put the Royals back in front after surrendering the lead in the top of the eighth.<h2>Key Stat</h2>The Royals were 5 of 13 with runners in scoring position. The Mariners were 0 for 4.<h2>Up Next</h2>The teams compete their three-game series on Thursday. Seattle will start RHP Luis Castillo (9-8, 3.76 ERA) while Kansas City will send RHP Stephen Kolek (5-5, 3.71 ERA) to the mound.___

⚾️ Royals score 4 in the 8th to snap Seattle's 10-game winning streak

GREAT BEND -&nbsp;The Hays High boys soccer team continued their impressive start to the season with a 3-0 win over Great Bend&nbsp; in their Western Athletic Conference opener Tuesday.

The Indians, who finished third at the Salina South Invitational, improved to 3-1 on the season. They will host Dodge City in their first match at the new Hays High School.

Hays Post SportsGREAT BEND -&nbsp;The Hays High boys soccer team continued their impressive start to the season with a 3-0 win over Great Bend&nbsp; in their Western Athletic Conference opener Tuesday.The Indians, who finished third at the Salina South Invitational, improved to 3-1 on the season. They will host Dodge City in their first match at the new Hays High School.

⚽ HHS blanks Great Bend in WAC opener

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes celebrated his 30th birthday Wednesday by welcoming Xavier Worthy and Jalen Royals back to practice.

The two wide receivers have hardly played after Worthy hurt his shoulder in a collision with Travis Kelce early in their season opener, and Royals was left dealing with a knee injury from training camp. But after Worthy practiced a bit late last week, coach Andy Reid said Wednesday that neither would have any restrictions in preparing for Sunday night's game against the New York Giants.

“I'm just excited to get those guys back and, you know, go out there and try to have some success on offense better than we did last week,” said Mahomes, who is off to one of the worst starts of his NFL career for the winless Chiefs.

Mahomes has completed just 58.8% of his passes and averaging 222.5 yards passing in losses to the Los Angeles Chargers and Philadelphia Eagles.

Spotty protection from an offensive line that the Chiefs have poured financial and draft resources into over the past few years is one of the problems. But another has been the absence of three wide receivers expected to make a big impact on the team.

Along with the injuries to Worthy and Royals, Rashee Rice is in the midst of a six-game suspension for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy.

Few teams can withstand those kinds of losses, and the Chiefs have been no different. Marquise Brown is their only pass catcher with more than six receptions total, and that includes tight end Travis Kelce, who had a touchdown pass bounce off his hands for an interception at the goal line in their Super Bowl rematch against Philadelphia on Sunday.

It's been reminiscent of last season, when the Chiefs had to withstand a season-ending knee injury to Rice and a shoulder injury to Brown that caused him to miss almost the entire regular season. In that case, Worthy stepped up with a rookie season that far exceeded most expectations, and that made him a focal point of the Chiefs' offseason plans for the offense.

“I think more than anything," Mahomes said, “having him out there is a threat in general. He can at any moment take a pass, short or long, and he can take it to the house. Having him on the practice field was very encouraging last week. Obviously we didn't know after the injury in Brazil (how long he'd be out), but seeing him out there — he wanted to stay out there. We were kind of holding him back. Hopefully we can go through a good week of practice and have him out there.”

The same goes for Royals, whom the Chiefs picked in the fourth round of the draft out of Utah State.

While Worthy has game-breaking speed, Royals offers a similar kind of shifty quickness as Rice, which means he would have been a good option to take on some of the suspended wide receiver's workload over the first six weeks of the season.

“We'll just see how he does,” Reid said. “He's been out for a while. We'll see how he comes around.”

In the meantime, Mahomes didn't sound as if he had many other birthday plans Wednesday. The fact that he's on an 0-2 team for the first time since his sophomore year at Whitehouse High School in Texas has kind of put a damper on things.

“It's always hard to have a birthday in general — especially this year with the losses — but being so early in the season, you're so focused on football and trying to get going in the right direction," Mahomes said. “We celebrated in the offseason. We went down and I hung out with my friends; we all grew up together. I'm a little ahead of them but all of them, their wives are pregnant, they are getting their jobs that they're going to have for the rest of their life, stuff like that. So it's cool to see.”

Besides, Mahomes said, “I've been saying, I've got kids, man. I've been 30 forever.'”

NOTES: DE Mike Danna (quad) and CB Kristian Fulton (ankle) did not practice Wednesday. ... Reid brushed aside Wednesday any notion of “load management” for Kelce, who turns 36 next month, especially after his slow start. “I don't think it's an age thing or anything,” Reid said. “We try to keep an eye on him the best we can.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758151649613.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) throws during the second half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) throws during the second half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes celebrated his 30th birthday Wednesday by welcoming Xavier Worthy and Jalen Royals back to practice.The two wide receivers have hardly played after Worthy hurt his shoulder in a collision with Travis Kelce early in their season opener, and Royals was left dealing with a knee injury from training camp. But after Worthy practiced a bit late last week, coach Andy Reid said Wednesday that neither would have any restrictions in preparing for Sunday night's game against the New York Giants.“I'm just excited to get those guys back and, you know, go out there and try to have some success on offense better than we did last week,” said Mahomes, who is off to one of the worst starts of his NFL career for the winless Chiefs.Mahomes has completed just 58.8% of his passes and averaging 222.5 yards passing in losses to the Los Angeles Chargers and Philadelphia Eagles.Spotty protection from an offensive line that the Chiefs have poured financial and draft resources into over the past few years is one of the problems. But another has been the absence of three wide receivers expected to make a big impact on the team.Along with the injuries to Worthy and Royals, Rashee Rice is in the midst of a six-game suspension for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy.Few teams can withstand those kinds of losses, and the Chiefs have been no different. Marquise Brown is their only pass catcher with more than six receptions total, and that includes tight end Travis Kelce, who had a touchdown pass bounce off his hands for an interception at the goal line in their Super Bowl rematch against Philadelphia on Sunday.It's been reminiscent of last season, when the Chiefs had to withstand a season-ending knee injury to Rice and a shoulder injury to Brown that caused him to miss almost the entire regular season. In that case, Worthy stepped up with a rookie season that far exceeded most expectations, and that made him a focal point of the Chiefs' offseason plans for the offense.“I think more than anything," Mahomes said, “having him out there is a threat in general. He can at any moment take a pass, short or long, and he can take it to the house. Having him on the practice field was very encouraging last week. Obviously we didn't know after the injury in Brazil (how long he'd be out), but seeing him out there — he wanted to stay out there. We were kind of holding him back. Hopefully we can go through a good week of practice and have him out there.”The same goes for Royals, whom the Chiefs picked in the fourth round of the draft out of Utah State.While Worthy has game-breaking speed, Royals offers a similar kind of shifty quickness as Rice, which means he would have been a good option to take on some of the suspended wide receiver's workload over the first six weeks of the season.“We'll just see how he does,” Reid said. “He's been out for a while. We'll see how he comes around.”In the meantime, Mahomes didn't sound as if he had many other birthday plans Wednesday. The fact that he's on an 0-2 team for the first time since his sophomore year at Whitehouse High School in Texas has kind of put a damper on things.“It's always hard to have a birthday in general — especially this year with the losses — but being so early in the season, you're so focused on football and trying to get going in the right direction," Mahomes said. “We celebrated in the offseason. We went down and I hung out with my friends; we all grew up together. I'm a little ahead of them but all of them, their wives are pregnant, they are getting their jobs that they're going to have for the rest of their life, stuff like that. So it's cool to see.”Besides, Mahomes said, “I've been saying, I've got kids, man. I've been 30 forever.'”NOTES: DE Mike Danna (quad) and CB Kristian Fulton (ankle) did not practice Wednesday. ... Reid brushed aside Wednesday any notion of “load management” for Kelce, who turns 36 next month, especially after his slow start. “I don't think it's an age thing or anything,” Reid said. “We try to keep an eye on him the best we can.”

🏈 Patrick Mahomes welcomes back Xavier Worthy and Jalen Royals to Chiefs practice on his 30th birthday

GARDEN CITY, Kan. - The Fort Hays State women's golf team opened the 2025-26 season with a second place finish at the Broncbuster Invitational this week (Sept. 16-17) at Buffalo Dunes Golf Course, a par-72, 5,841-yard layout. Fort Hays State turned in scores of 328 and 337, finishing the week at 89-over as a squad.

The Tigers had six competitors place in the top 10, including a pair that finished in a tie for fourth through two rounds of competition. Chico State transfer Alexis Elliott made her Tiger debut with a round of 80 on day one, the low round of the week for the Tigers. She followed that up with an 83 in round two to finish the week 19-over, good for fourth place and just six shots shy of first place. She carded one birdie in each round.

Hayden York fired an 82 in the opening round to sit in seventh place before climbing three spots to tie for fourth at 19-over for the week. The junior posted a round of 81 on day two, tied for the third best round on the day. She finished the week with one birdie which came in round two.

Abbie Norris placed seventh at 23-over after rounds of 81 and 86, while Jaycee Oakley finished in eighth place after carding an 85 in the opening round and an 87 on day two. Brynn Ray was one spot behind Oakley, finishing ninth after scores of 87 and 93 to round out the Tiger lineup.

Kiley Maier and Ashlyn Koenke competed as individuals, with Maier placing 10th (91-96) and Koenke placing 12th (91-101).

Host Garden City CC took home the team title at 66-over following rounds of 314 and 328. GCCC's Fernanda Rodriguez secured the individual championship at 13-over thanks to rounds of 77 and 80.

The Tigers will return to competition in two weeks when they travel to Sand Creek Station Golf Course in Newton, Kan. for the Newman Invitational September 29-30.

2nd - Fort Hays State - 328 - 337 -- 665 +89 T4th - Hayden York - 82 - 81 -- 163 +19 T4th - Alexis Elliott - 80 - 83 -- 163 +19 7th - Abbie Norris - 81 - 86 -- 167 +23 8th - Jaycee Oakley - 85 - 87 -- 172 +28 9th - Brynn Ray - 87 - 93 -- 180 +36 10th - Kiley Maier (ind.) - 91 - 96 -- 187 +43 12th - Ashlyn Koenke (ind.) - 91 - 101 -- 192 +48

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758190703666.png" alt="FHSU Athletics photo" />
 <figcaption>FHSU Athletics photo</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsGARDEN CITY, Kan. - The Fort Hays State women's golf team opened the 2025-26 season with a second place finish at the Broncbuster Invitational this week (Sept. 16-17) at Buffalo Dunes Golf Course, a par-72, 5,841-yard layout. Fort Hays State turned in scores of 328 and 337, finishing the week at 89-over as a squad.The Tigers had six competitors place in the top 10, including a pair that finished in a tie for fourth through two rounds of competition. Chico State transfer Alexis Elliott made her Tiger debut with a round of 80 on day one, the low round of the week for the Tigers. She followed that up with an 83 in round two to finish the week 19-over, good for fourth place and just six shots shy of first place. She carded one birdie in each round.Hayden York fired an 82 in the opening round to sit in seventh place before climbing three spots to tie for fourth at 19-over for the week. The junior posted a round of 81 on day two, tied for the third best round on the day. She finished the week with one birdie which came in round two.Abbie Norris placed seventh at 23-over after rounds of 81 and 86, while Jaycee Oakley finished in eighth place after carding an 85 in the opening round and an 87 on day two. Brynn Ray was one spot behind Oakley, finishing ninth after scores of 87 and 93 to round out the Tiger lineup.Kiley Maier and Ashlyn Koenke competed as individuals, with Maier placing 10th (91-96) and Koenke placing 12th (91-101).Host Garden City CC took home the team title at 66-over following rounds of 314 and 328. GCCC's Fernanda Rodriguez secured the individual championship at 13-over thanks to rounds of 77 and 80.The Tigers will return to competition in two weeks when they travel to Sand Creek Station Golf Course in Newton, Kan. for the Newman Invitational September 29-30.2nd - Fort Hays State - 328 - 337 -- 665 +89 T4th - Hayden York - 82 - 81 -- 163 +19 T4th - Alexis Elliott - 80 - 83 -- 163 +19 7th - Abbie Norris - 81 - 86 -- 167 +23 8th - Jaycee Oakley - 85 - 87 -- 172 +28 9th - Brynn Ray - 87 - 93 -- 180 +36 10th - Kiley Maier (ind.) - 91 - 96 -- 187 +43 12th - Ashlyn Koenke (ind.) - 91 - 101 -- 192 +48

⛳ FHSU women second at season-opening event

NEW ORLEANS - The Fort Hays State women's cross country team moved to 27th in the country in the latest USTFCCCA NCAA Division II National Coaches Poll, announced Wednesday. The Tigers slid one spot in the poll after opening the year ranked 26th.

Adams State tops the national poll once again after receiving all eight first-place votes, while three MIAA schools are also listed in No. 10 Pittsburg State, No. 16 Rogers State and No. 18 Nebraska-Kearney.

Fort Hays State has had a strong start to the season, placing second as a team at each of its first two races. The Tigers defeated Division I Wichita State in the opening week of the season, with Emily Diercks placing first overall with a 5K time of 18:11.1. FHSU then sent a limited number of competitors to Bethel last weekend, finishing just 10 points behind the leaders with primarily freshmen running for the Tigers.

The Tigers will return to competition at the end of the month (Sept. 26) when they travel to Stillwater, Okla. for the Cowboy Jamboree. The women's 5K is slated to begin at 8:15 a.m. FHSU will then wrap up the regular season at home with the Tiger Open on Saturday, October 11.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758190108689.png" alt="FHSU Athletics image" />
 <figcaption>FHSU Athletics image</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsNEW ORLEANS - The Fort Hays State women's cross country team moved to 27th in the country in the latest USTFCCCA NCAA Division II National Coaches Poll, announced Wednesday. The Tigers slid one spot in the poll after opening the year ranked 26th.Adams State tops the national poll once again after receiving all eight first-place votes, while three MIAA schools are also listed in No. 10 Pittsburg State, No. 16 Rogers State and No. 18 Nebraska-Kearney.Fort Hays State has had a strong start to the season, placing second as a team at each of its first two races. The Tigers defeated Division I Wichita State in the opening week of the season, with Emily Diercks placing first overall with a 5K time of 18:11.1. FHSU then sent a limited number of competitors to Bethel last weekend, finishing just 10 points behind the leaders with primarily freshmen running for the Tigers.The Tigers will return to competition at the end of the month (Sept. 26) when they travel to Stillwater, Okla. for the Cowboy Jamboree. The women's 5K is slated to begin at 8:15 a.m. FHSU will then wrap up the regular season at home with the Tiger Open on Saturday, October 11.

👟 FHSU women's cross country moves to No. 27 in DII

🎥 Tiger recap against Nebraska-Kearney

Wednesday, September 17
 KAYS: Kansas City
Royals vs. Seattle Mariners, 6:00pm

KAYS - (1400/94.3) KFIX - (96.9) KHAZ - (99.5) KJLS - (103.3) KKQY - (101.9)Wednesday, September 17
 KAYS: Kansas City
Royals vs. Seattle Mariners, 6:00pmThursday, September 18
 KAYS: Kansas City
Royals vs. Seattle Mariners, 12:30pmFriday, September 19
 KAYS: Kansas City
Royals vs. Toronto Blue Jays, 6:00pm
 KKQY: Ellis FB at Hoxie, 6:00pm
 KFIX: Hays High FB at Manhattan, 6:30pm
 KHAZ: TMP-Marian FB vs. Phillipsburg, 6:30pmSaturday, September 20
 KJLS: Fort Hays State
FB at Pittsburg State, 3:00pm
 KAYS: Kansas FB vs. West Virginia, 3:30pmSunday, September 21
 KAYS: Kansas City
Royals vs. Toronto Blue Jays, 12:30pm
 KFIX: Kansas City Chiefs FB at New York Giants, 6:00pm

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Cal Raleigh&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mariners-cal-raleigh-home-run-record-4936581695c67296edc4e1048dbd5a99">hit a pair of homers</a>&nbsp;to match the Seattle season record set by Ken Griffey Jr., Dominic Canzone belted a career-best three homers of his own, and the AL West-leading Mariners routed the fading Kansas City Royals 12-5 on Tuesday night for their 10th consecutive win.

Raleigh's first homer, a 419-foot shot off Michael Wacha while batting left-handed, gave him 55 on the season, breaking the record for a switch-hitter set by Yankees great Mickey Mantle in 1961. Raleigh's second shot, a 425-footer off Daniel Lynch IV as he batted right-handed, tied the club mark that Griffey set during the 1997 season and matched the following year.

It was the 10th multihomer game this season for “The Big Dumper” and the 20th of Raleigh's career. The All-Star catcher also doubled in the first inning and finished 3 for 5 with three RBIs, giving him 118 on the year.

Canzone homered in the second inning, the fifth and the ninth on a hot, humid, late-summer night in which balls were sailing out of spacious Kauffman Stadium. The designated hitter also had a pair of singles to finish 5 for 5 with four RBIs.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Cal Raleigh&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mariners-cal-raleigh-home-run-record-4936581695c67296edc4e1048dbd5a99">hit a pair of homers</a>&nbsp;to match the Seattle season record set by Ken Griffey Jr., Dominic Canzone belted a career-best three homers of his own, and the AL West-leading Mariners routed the fading Kansas City Royals 12-5 on Tuesday night for their 10th consecutive win.Raleigh's first homer, a 419-foot shot off Michael Wacha while batting left-handed, gave him 55 on the season, breaking the record for a switch-hitter set by Yankees great Mickey Mantle in 1961. Raleigh's second shot, a 425-footer off Daniel Lynch IV as he batted right-handed, tied the club mark that Griffey set during the 1997 season and matched the following year.It was the 10th multihomer game this season for “The Big Dumper” and the 20th of Raleigh's career. The All-Star catcher also doubled in the first inning and finished 3 for 5 with three RBIs, giving him 118 on the year.Canzone homered in the second inning, the fifth and the ninth on a hot, humid, late-summer night in which balls were sailing out of spacious Kauffman Stadium. The designated hitter also had a pair of singles to finish 5 for 5 with four RBIs.Carter Jensen hit the first two homers of his big league career for Kansas City. It looked as if he had a third before his long fly ball in the eighth inning bounced off the right-field wall for a double.Logan Gilbert (5-6) allowed two runs on six hits over 5 2/3 innings while striking out five for Seattle. The 28-year-old righty, who also pitched well against the Royals in June, has allowed just seven earned runs total over his last five starts.Wacha (9-12) returned after missing his last scheduled start because of a stint on the seven-day concussion list. He allowed a season-high seven runs on nine hits over 2 2/3 innings for Kansas City.<h2>Key moment</h2>Just about every time Raleigh and Canzone stepped to the plate.<h2>Key stat</h2>The Mariners are riding their longest winning streak since a 14-gamer from July 2-17, 2022.<h2>Up next</h2>