MANHATTAN, Kan. - Kansas State sophomore quarterback&nbsp;Avery Johnson&nbsp;was honored for his play in the Wildcats’ 42-20 victory over No. 20 Oklahoma State by being named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week, the conference office announced Monday.

It is Johnson’s first weekly conference honor this season and second of his career as he was named Big 12 Newcomer of the Year last year after the Texas Tech game. He is the first K-State player to earn the weekly Big 12 offensive honor since&nbsp;DJ Giddens&nbsp;last year against UCF and the first Wildcat signal caller since Will Howard following the 2022 Oklahoma State game.

Against the Cowboys, Johnson threw for 259 yards and three touchdowns on 19-of-31 aim – setting career highs across the board – while he rushed for 60 yards and another two scores on five carries.

Johnson, a native of Wichita, Kansas, became the first Wildcat to have at least three passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns against a conference opponent since Collin Klein at West Virginia in 2012, while it was just the ninth time in Big 12 history that a player hit those marks against a ranked opponent.

In addition to the Big 12 weekly honor, Johnson was also named a Manning Award Star of the Week and to the Davey O’Brien Great 8 List earlier on Monday.

No. 20 Kansas State is off this week before returning to action on Saturday, October 12, when the Wildcats travel to face Colorado. Kickoff for the game against the Buffaloes is set for 9:15 p.m. (CT) and will be shown on ESPN.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727721139874.jpeg" alt="Kansas State Athletics photo" />
 <figcaption>Kansas State Athletics photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas State AthleticsMANHATTAN, Kan. - Kansas State sophomore quarterback&nbsp;Avery Johnson&nbsp;was honored for his play in the Wildcats’ 42-20 victory over No. 20 Oklahoma State by being named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week, the conference office announced Monday.It is Johnson’s first weekly conference honor this season and second of his career as he was named Big 12 Newcomer of the Year last year after the Texas Tech game. He is the first K-State player to earn the weekly Big 12 offensive honor since&nbsp;DJ Giddens&nbsp;last year against UCF and the first Wildcat signal caller since Will Howard following the 2022 Oklahoma State game.Against the Cowboys, Johnson threw for 259 yards and three touchdowns on 19-of-31 aim – setting career highs across the board – while he rushed for 60 yards and another two scores on five carries.Johnson, a native of Wichita, Kansas, became the first Wildcat to have at least three passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns against a conference opponent since Collin Klein at West Virginia in 2012, while it was just the ninth time in Big 12 history that a player hit those marks against a ranked opponent.In addition to the Big 12 weekly honor, Johnson was also named a Manning Award Star of the Week and to the Davey O’Brien Great 8 List earlier on Monday.No. 20 Kansas State is off this week before returning to action on Saturday, October 12, when the Wildcats travel to face Colorado. Kickoff for the game against the Buffaloes is set for 9:15 p.m. (CT) and will be shown on ESPN.

🏈 K-State’s Johnson named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week

🎥🏈 Redeem Designs Plays of the week HHS vs Garden City

🎥🏈 Redeem Designs Plays of the week TMP vs Stanton County

MANHATTAN, Kan. - Following his five total touchdowns in Kansas State’s 42-20 victory over No. 20 Oklahoma State, quarterback&nbsp;Avery Johnson&nbsp;was named both a Manning Award Star of the Week and to the Davey O’Brien Great 8 List on Monday.

It was the first time in his career that Johnson has been honored by the Manning Award, while it was the second time this season he has been named to the Davey O’Brien Great 8 List, the first being after the victory over Arizona.

By being named one of eight Manning Award Stars of the Week, Johnson is now in the running for the Manning Award Quarterback of the Week, which is&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://allstatesugarbowl.org/news/2024/9/30/stars.aspx">determined via an online fan vote</a>.

Johnson set career highs in passing across the board against the Cowboys, going 19-of-31 through the air for 259 yards and three touchdowns, while he added 60 rushing yards on five attempts with another two scores.

A native of Wichita, Kansas, Johnson became the first Wildcat to have at least three passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns against a conference opponent since Collin Klein at West Virginia in 2012. Additionally, it was just the ninth time in Big 12 history that a player hit those marks against a ranked opponent.

Through five starts during his first full season as the starting quarterback, Johnson has thrown for 879 yards and nine touchdowns on 77-of-126 aim, while he has rushed for 321 yards and two scores on 44 carries. He is one of only four quarterbacks in the country, one of two from a Power 4 team and the only Big 12 signal caller to throw for at least 800 yards and rush for 300 yards this season.

Following a bye, No. 20 Kansas State returns to action on Saturday, October 12, when the Wildcats travel to face Colorado.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727713823551.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas State AthleticsMANHATTAN, Kan. - Following his five total touchdowns in Kansas State’s 42-20 victory over No. 20 Oklahoma State, quarterback&nbsp;Avery Johnson&nbsp;was named both a Manning Award Star of the Week and to the Davey O’Brien Great 8 List on Monday.It was the first time in his career that Johnson has been honored by the Manning Award, while it was the second time this season he has been named to the Davey O’Brien Great 8 List, the first being after the victory over Arizona.By being named one of eight Manning Award Stars of the Week, Johnson is now in the running for the Manning Award Quarterback of the Week, which is&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://allstatesugarbowl.org/news/2024/9/30/stars.aspx">determined via an online fan vote</a>.Johnson set career highs in passing across the board against the Cowboys, going 19-of-31 through the air for 259 yards and three touchdowns, while he added 60 rushing yards on five attempts with another two scores.A native of Wichita, Kansas, Johnson became the first Wildcat to have at least three passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns against a conference opponent since Collin Klein at West Virginia in 2012. Additionally, it was just the ninth time in Big 12 history that a player hit those marks against a ranked opponent.Through five starts during his first full season as the starting quarterback, Johnson has thrown for 879 yards and nine touchdowns on 77-of-126 aim, while he has rushed for 321 yards and two scores on 44 carries. He is one of only four quarterbacks in the country, one of two from a Power 4 team and the only Big 12 signal caller to throw for at least 800 yards and rush for 300 yards this season.Following a bye, No. 20 Kansas State returns to action on Saturday, October 12, when the Wildcats travel to face Colorado.

🏈 K-State’s Johnson earns two national weekly awards

Dikembe Mutombo, a Basketball Hall of Famer who was one of the best defensive players in NBA history and a longtime global ambassador for the game, died Monday from brain cancer, the league announced. He was 58.

His family revealed two years ago that he was undergoing treatment in Atlanta for a brain tumor. The NBA said he died surrounded by his family.

“Dikembe Mutombo was simply larger than life,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said. “On the court, he was one of the greatest shot blockers and defensive players in the history of the NBA. Off the floor, he poured his heart and soul into helping others.”

Mutombo was distinctive in so many ways —&nbsp;<a href="https://youtu.be/g7SdhtxuJYA?feature=shared" target="_blank">the playful finger wag at opponents</a>&nbsp;after blocking their shots, his height, his deep and gravelly voice, his massive smile. Players of this generation were always drawn to him and Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid, who was born in Cameroon, looked to Mutombo as an inspiration.

“It’s a sad day, especially for us Africans, and really the whole world,” Embiid said Monday. “Other than what he’s accomplished on the basketball court, I think he was even better off the court. He’s one of the guys that I look up to, as far as having an impact, not just on the court, but off the court. He’s done a lot of great things. He did a lot of great things for a lot of people. He was a role model of mine. It is a sad day.”

Mutombo spent 18 seasons in the NBA, playing for Denver, Atlanta, Houston, Philadelphia, New York and the then-New Jersey Nets. The 7-foot-2 center out of Georgetown was an eight-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA selection and went into the Hall of Fame in 2015 after averaging 9.8 points and 10.3 rebounds per game for his career.

“It’s really hard to believe,” Toronto President Masai Ujiri said Monday, pausing several times because he was overcome with emotion shortly after hearing the news of Mutombo’s death. “It’s hard for us to be without that guy. You have no idea what Dikembe Mutombo meant to me. ... That guy, he made us who we are. That guy is a giant, an incredible person.”

Mutombo last played during the 2008-09 season, devoting his time after retirement to charitable and humanitarian causes. He spoke nine languages and founded the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation in 1997, concentrating on improving health, education and quality of life for the people in the Congo.

Mutombo served on the boards of many organizations, including Special Olympics International, the CDC Foundation and the National Board for the U.S. Fund for UNICEF.

“There was nobody more qualified than Dikembe to serve as the NBA’s first Global Ambassador,” Silver said. “He was a humanitarian at his core. He loved what the game of basketball could do to make a positive impact on communities, especially in his native Democratic Republic of the Congo and across the continent of Africa.”

Mutombo is one of three players to win the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year four times. The others: reigning DPOY winner Rudy Gobert of the Minnesota Timberwolves, and Hall of Famer Ben Wallace.

Philadelphia 76ers president Daryl Morey — who was with Mutombo for many seasons in Houston — was informed of his friend’s death during the team’s media day on Monday. Tears welled in Morey’s eyes as he processed the news.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727711604410.jpeg" alt="FILE - Retired Denver Nuggets center Dikembe Mutombo waves to the crowd as his jersey number was retired by the team during halftime of the Nuggets' NBA basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday, Oct. 29, 2016, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)" />
 <figcaption>FILE - Retired Denver Nuggets center Dikembe Mutombo waves to the crowd as his jersey number was retired by the team during halftime of the Nuggets' NBA basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday, Oct. 29, 2016, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>Associated PressDikembe Mutombo, a Basketball Hall of Famer who was one of the best defensive players in NBA history and a longtime global ambassador for the game, died Monday from brain cancer, the league announced. He was 58.His family revealed two years ago that he was undergoing treatment in Atlanta for a brain tumor. The NBA said he died surrounded by his family.“Dikembe Mutombo was simply larger than life,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said. “On the court, he was one of the greatest shot blockers and defensive players in the history of the NBA. Off the floor, he poured his heart and soul into helping others.”Mutombo was distinctive in so many ways —&nbsp;<a href="https://youtu.be/g7SdhtxuJYA?feature=shared" target="_blank">the playful finger wag at opponents</a>&nbsp;after blocking their shots, his height, his deep and gravelly voice, his massive smile. Players of this generation were always drawn to him and Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid, who was born in Cameroon, looked to Mutombo as an inspiration.“It’s a sad day, especially for us Africans, and really the whole world,” Embiid said Monday. “Other than what he’s accomplished on the basketball court, I think he was even better off the court. He’s one of the guys that I look up to, as far as having an impact, not just on the court, but off the court. He’s done a lot of great things. He did a lot of great things for a lot of people. He was a role model of mine. It is a sad day.”Mutombo spent 18 seasons in the NBA, playing for Denver, Atlanta, Houston, Philadelphia, New York and the then-New Jersey Nets. The 7-foot-2 center out of Georgetown was an eight-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA selection and went into the Hall of Fame in 2015 after averaging 9.8 points and 10.3 rebounds per game for his career.“It’s really hard to believe,” Toronto President Masai Ujiri said Monday, pausing several times because he was overcome with emotion shortly after hearing the news of Mutombo’s death. “It’s hard for us to be without that guy. You have no idea what Dikembe Mutombo meant to me. ... That guy, he made us who we are. That guy is a giant, an incredible person.”Mutombo last played during the 2008-09 season, devoting his time after retirement to charitable and humanitarian causes. He spoke nine languages and founded the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation in 1997, concentrating on improving health, education and quality of life for the people in the Congo.Mutombo served on the boards of many organizations, including Special Olympics International, the CDC Foundation and the National Board for the U.S. Fund for UNICEF.“There was nobody more qualified than Dikembe to serve as the NBA’s first Global Ambassador,” Silver said. “He was a humanitarian at his core. He loved what the game of basketball could do to make a positive impact on communities, especially in his native Democratic Republic of the Congo and across the continent of Africa.”Mutombo is one of three players to win the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year four times. The others: reigning DPOY winner Rudy Gobert of the Minnesota Timberwolves, and Hall of Famer Ben Wallace.Philadelphia 76ers president Daryl Morey — who was with Mutombo for many seasons in Houston — was informed of his friend’s death during the team’s media day on Monday. Tears welled in Morey’s eyes as he processed the news.

🏀 Dikembe Mutombo, a Hall of Fame player and tireless advocate, dies at 58 from brain cancer

Fort Hays State tries to slow down the top offense in NCAA II when they travel to Edmond to take on #23 Central Oklahoma on Saturday, September 28, 2024.

Fort Hays State tries to slow down the top offense in NCAA II when they travel to Edmond to take on #23 Central Oklahoma on Saturday, September 28, 2024.<div><iframe title="FHSU Rewind: FB at #23 Central Oklahoma (September 28, 2024)" 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=jxxf6-16eb6dc-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=1&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=2" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

🎧 Defend the Fort Podcast: FHSU Rewind-FB at #23 Central Oklahoma

Hays High's doubles team of Kaelin Maier and Alyse Zimmerman went undeeated in Garden City on Saturday. The pair took the title with an 8-2 victory over Garden City.

After receiving a first round bye, the duo picked up win of 8-4, 8-1 and 8-5 to reach the finals.

The Indians finished fifth overall as a team.

Hannah Crain and Riley Dreher went 2-3 for a 25th place finish.

On the singles side Maycie Holdeman was 10th with a 3-2 record. Melissa Boland went 2-3 and placed 15th. Karley Schlautman was also went 2-3 with a 23rd place showing.

Garden City won the Invite. Larned, Great Bend and Dodge City finished ahead of the Indians in the top five.

Hays High's doubles team of Kaelin Maier and Alyse Zimmerman went undeeated in Garden City on Saturday. The pair took the title with an 8-2 victory over Garden City.After receiving a first round bye, the duo picked up win of 8-4, 8-1 and 8-5 to reach the finals.The Indians finished fifth overall as a team.Hannah Crain and Riley Dreher went 2-3 for a 25th place finish.On the singles side Maycie Holdeman was 10th with a 3-2 record. Melissa Boland went 2-3 and placed 15th. Karley Schlautman was also went 2-3 with a 23rd place showing.Garden City won the Invite. Larned, Great Bend and Dodge City finished ahead of the Indians in the top five.

🎾Maier and Zimmerman win at Garden City Invite

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes passed for 245 yards and a touchdown while rediscovering his connection with Travis Kelce, and the Kansas City Chiefs rallied from an early 10-point deficit to beat the Los Angeles Chargers 17-10 on Sunday.

Making his 100th regular-season start, Mahomes completed 19 of 29 passes for the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs, who are 4-0 for the first time since 2020. Kelce had a season-high seven receptions for 89 yards and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/travis-kelce-chiefs-record-466a834119e572d5dad408e0741734f1">set the franchise's career receptions record</a>, surpassing fellow tight end Tony Gonzalez.

Kansas City has won six straight over the Chargers. It also has 11 straight road victories victories its AFC West rival, the longest active winning streak by a visiting squad and tied for third all-time.

The Chargers (2-2) scored 10 points off a pair of Chiefs turnovers — a fumble by Carson Steele and Mahomes' fifth interception of the season — but struggled after that.

<a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs/status/1840505902064972101">Mahomes heaved a 54-yard pass to Xavier Worthy</a>&nbsp;in the third quarter for the Chiefs' first touchdown, and Samaje Perine put Kansas City ahead with a 2-yard touchdown run in the fourth.

Playing with limited mobility because of a high ankle sprain, LA's Justin Herbert went 16 of 27 for 179 yards. The Chargers used a patchwork offensive line because of injuries to tackles Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt.

Herbert was sacked twice by Chris Jones and was hit 10 times on 31 dropbacks.

Kansas City got the opening kickoff and was at the Chargers 30 when Elijah Molden recovered Steele’s fumble at the LA 27 after Tuli Tuipulotu jarred the ball loose while tackling the rookie running back.

The Chargers converted Steele's second fumble of the season into a touchdown.

Herbert completed all four of his passes on Los Angeles' opening 10-play drive, including a 7-yard strike to Ladd McConkey in the back of the end zone. Herbert took a big hit from Chiefs defensive end Malik Herring while throwing, but he put the ball in a tight spot as safety Bryan Cook had his back turned.

Cameron Dicker's 50 yard field goal extended the Chargers' lead to 10-0. The drive started on the KC 20 after a bizarre play in which Kristian Fulton intercepted Mahomes' pass intended for Kelce and returned it 29 yards up the right sideline.

Kansas City's Rashee Rice punched the ball loose behind Fulton for a fumble, which Chiefs center Creed Humphrey recovered. But the call was reversed when a video review showed Rice was out of bounds when he forced the fumble.

Rice was injured when Mahomes hit his legs while trying to tackle Fulton. Rice was carted to the locker room.

Kansas City had a pair of turnovers and went three-and-out on four of its first five possessions before getting on track late in the second quarter.

The Chiefs took over at their 46 after forcing the Chargers to go three-and-out, and Mahomes immediately connected with Worthy for the deep touchdown. Worthy, the speedy rookie wide receiver who was the 28th overall pick in April's draft, blew past Fulton on a go route and caught it 3 yards deep in the end zone on a pass from Mahomes that went 64 yards in the air.

Harrison Butker's 37-yard field goal tied it at 10-all midway through the third quarter.

The Chargers had a chance to take the lead early in the fourth when they drove to the Kansas City 3, but Herbert threw incomplete on fourth-and-1.

Perine's decisive touchdown capped a five-play, 60-yard drive.

Kelce, in his 12th season, has 922 receptions. Gonzalez had 916 catches in 12 seasons with Kansas City, and the Hall of Famer finished his career with 1,325.

Chiefs: At Minnesota Vikings next Sunday.

Chargers: After a bye, visit Denver on Oct. 14.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727654476310.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy, right, is celebrates after catching a 54-yard touchdown pass from teammate Patrick Mahomes, left, during the first half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy, right, is celebrates after catching a 54-yard touchdown pass from teammate Patrick Mahomes, left, during the first half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)</figcaption>
 </figure>INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes passed for 245 yards and a touchdown while rediscovering his connection with Travis Kelce, and the Kansas City Chiefs rallied from an early 10-point deficit to beat the Los Angeles Chargers 17-10 on Sunday.Making his 100th regular-season start, Mahomes completed 19 of 29 passes for the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs, who are 4-0 for the first time since 2020. Kelce had a season-high seven receptions for 89 yards and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/travis-kelce-chiefs-record-466a834119e572d5dad408e0741734f1">set the franchise's career receptions record</a>, surpassing fellow tight end Tony Gonzalez.Kansas City has won six straight over the Chargers. It also has 11 straight road victories victories its AFC West rival, the longest active winning streak by a visiting squad and tied for third all-time.The Chargers (2-2) scored 10 points off a pair of Chiefs turnovers — a fumble by Carson Steele and Mahomes' fifth interception of the season — but struggled after that.<a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs/status/1840505902064972101">Mahomes heaved a 54-yard pass to Xavier Worthy</a>&nbsp;in the third quarter for the Chiefs' first touchdown, and Samaje Perine put Kansas City ahead with a 2-yard touchdown run in the fourth.Playing with limited mobility because of a high ankle sprain, LA's Justin Herbert went 16 of 27 for 179 yards. The Chargers used a patchwork offensive line because of injuries to tackles Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt.Herbert was sacked twice by Chris Jones and was hit 10 times on 31 dropbacks.Kansas City got the opening kickoff and was at the Chargers 30 when Elijah Molden recovered Steele’s fumble at the LA 27 after Tuli Tuipulotu jarred the ball loose while tackling the rookie running back.The Chargers converted Steele's second fumble of the season into a touchdown.Herbert completed all four of his passes on Los Angeles' opening 10-play drive, including a 7-yard strike to Ladd McConkey in the back of the end zone. Herbert took a big hit from Chiefs defensive end Malik Herring while throwing, but he put the ball in a tight spot as safety Bryan Cook had his back turned.Cameron Dicker's 50 yard field goal extended the Chargers' lead to 10-0. The drive started on the KC 20 after a bizarre play in which Kristian Fulton intercepted Mahomes' pass intended for Kelce and returned it 29 yards up the right sideline.Kansas City's Rashee Rice punched the ball loose behind Fulton for a fumble, which Chiefs center Creed Humphrey recovered. But the call was reversed when a video review showed Rice was out of bounds when he forced the fumble.Rice was injured when Mahomes hit his legs while trying to tackle Fulton. Rice was carted to the locker room.Kansas City had a pair of turnovers and went three-and-out on four of its first five possessions before getting on track late in the second quarter.The Chiefs took over at their 46 after forcing the Chargers to go three-and-out, and Mahomes immediately connected with Worthy for the deep touchdown. Worthy, the speedy rookie wide receiver who was the 28th overall pick in April's draft, blew past Fulton on a go route and caught it 3 yards deep in the end zone on a pass from Mahomes that went 64 yards in the air.Harrison Butker's 37-yard field goal tied it at 10-all midway through the third quarter.The Chargers had a chance to take the lead early in the fourth when they drove to the Kansas City 3, but Herbert threw incomplete on fourth-and-1.Perine's decisive touchdown capped a five-play, 60-yard drive.Kelce, in his 12th season, has 922 receptions. Gonzalez had 916 catches in 12 seasons with Kansas City, and the Hall of Famer finished his career with 1,325.<h2>Up next</h2>Chiefs: At Minnesota Vikings next Sunday.Chargers: After a bye, visit Denver on Oct. 14.

🏈 Mahomes, Kelce help Chiefs rally for win over Chargers

ATLANTA (AP) — Charlie Morton gave up a three-run homer to Michael Massey in the first inning and the Atlanta Braves squandered a chance to clinch a postseason berth, losing to the playoff-bound Kansas City Royals 4-2 on Sunday in what was supposed to be the final day of the regular season.

Atlanta hosts doubleheader Monday against the New York Mets, a makeup of two games that were rained out last week between the NL East rivals as Hurricane Helene slashed through the southeastern U.S.

Atlanta and the Mets are both 88-72, and Arizona finished 89-73. If either team sweeps Monday, the Diamondbacks reach the playoffs. But if the doubleheader is split, the Mets and Braves advance and Arizona is out because the Braves and Mets hold the tiebreaker edge over the Diamondbacks.

Before recording an out, Morton gave up a leadoff double to Tommy Pham, a single to Bobby Witt Jr. and Massey's homer.

Morton (8-10) surrendered four runs on five hits with two walks and three strikeouts over 4 1/3 innings.

The 40-year-old was drafted by the Braves in 2002 and made his MLB debut for Atlanta in 2008 He made what could be his final major league start and was given an small ovation after manager Brian Snitker pulled him in the top of the fifth inning.

Atlanta had ample opportunity to score more than two runs but went 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position.

Alec Marsh (9-9) allowed one earned run over five innings for the win. Kris Bubic pitched a scoreless ninth for his first save.

Witt went 1 for 4 to earn the AL batting title after finishing with a .332 average.

Royals: The No. 6 seed in the American League will face third-seeded Houston in the Wild Card Series that begins on Tuesday.

Braves: Will play the Mets in a Monday doubleheader to make up the games that were postponed on Wednesday and Thursday. Eighteen-game winner Chris Sale and rookie Spencer Schwellenbach are set up to get the starts.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727650739606.png" alt="Image KC Royals" />
 <figcaption>Image KC Royals</figcaption>
 </figure>ATLANTA (AP) — Charlie Morton gave up a three-run homer to Michael Massey in the first inning and the Atlanta Braves squandered a chance to clinch a postseason berth, losing to the playoff-bound Kansas City Royals 4-2 on Sunday in what was supposed to be the final day of the regular season.Atlanta hosts doubleheader Monday against the New York Mets, a makeup of two games that were rained out last week between the NL East rivals as Hurricane Helene slashed through the southeastern U.S.Atlanta and the Mets are both 88-72, and Arizona finished 89-73. If either team sweeps Monday, the Diamondbacks reach the playoffs. But if the doubleheader is split, the Mets and Braves advance and Arizona is out because the Braves and Mets hold the tiebreaker edge over the Diamondbacks.Before recording an out, Morton gave up a leadoff double to Tommy Pham, a single to Bobby Witt Jr. and Massey's homer.Morton (8-10) surrendered four runs on five hits with two walks and three strikeouts over 4 1/3 innings.The 40-year-old was drafted by the Braves in 2002 and made his MLB debut for Atlanta in 2008 He made what could be his final major league start and was given an small ovation after manager Brian Snitker pulled him in the top of the fifth inning.Atlanta had ample opportunity to score more than two runs but went 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position.Alec Marsh (9-9) allowed one earned run over five innings for the win. Kris Bubic pitched a scoreless ninth for his first save.BATTING TITLEWitt went 1 for 4 to earn the AL batting title after finishing with a .332 average.UP NEXTRoyals: The No. 6 seed in the American League will face third-seeded Houston in the Wild Card Series that begins on Tuesday.Braves: Will play the Mets in a Monday doubleheader to make up the games that were postponed on Wednesday and Thursday. Eighteen-game winner Chris Sale and rookie Spencer Schwellenbach are set up to get the starts.

⚾ Royals edge the Brave; Witt earns AL batting title 

PITTSBURG, Kan. – Fort Hays State Women's Soccer ran its win streak to five in a row on Sunday by defeating Pittsburg State by a score of 2-0. It was the fourth-straight shutout win for the Tigers in their streak as they now sit at 5-1-2 overall on the season and 2-0 in the MIAA. Pittsburg State moved to 4-3-1 overall and 0-1-1 in the MIAA with the result.

The teams played to a scoreless deadlock through the first half, but Fort Hays State broke through in the 51st&nbsp;minute when&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-soccer/roster/emily-hutchings/8088">Emily Hutchings</a>&nbsp;sent a long free kick into the box. After the ball landed over a jumping keeper,&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-soccer/roster/taylor-hill/8126">Taylor Hill</a>&nbsp;made a slight touch on the ball and then&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-soccer/roster/montserrat-diaz/8081">Montserrat Diaz</a>&nbsp;finished by putting the ball into a wide open net right in front of the goal line. In the 62nd&nbsp;minute,&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-soccer/roster/sydney-cotter/8104">Sydney Cotter</a>&nbsp;added insurance for the Tigers when she collected her own rebounded shot off a failed clearance by the Gorillas and tucked the ball just over the line into the upper part of the net.

Both teams finished with nine shots in the match. FHSU placed four on goal and PSU placed two on goal.&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-soccer/roster/mackenzie-caldwell/8128">Mackenzie Caldwell</a>&nbsp;made the two saves for her fourth-consecutive clean sheet in goal. Jocelyn Kramar of PSU also made two saves.

The Tigers finished their long three-week road swing with a record of 5-0-1, yielding only one goal over the six-match span. FHSU is now set for a pair of big matchups in Hays next week. The Tigers will host nationally ranked Central Missouri on Friday (Oct. 4) at 7 p.m. and then Emporia State on Sunday (Oct. 6) at 2 p.m.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727645004315.png" alt="FHSU Athletics photo/Coryn Hahn" />
 <figcaption>FHSU Athletics photo/Coryn Hahn</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsPITTSBURG, Kan. – Fort Hays State Women's Soccer ran its win streak to five in a row on Sunday by defeating Pittsburg State by a score of 2-0. It was the fourth-straight shutout win for the Tigers in their streak as they now sit at 5-1-2 overall on the season and 2-0 in the MIAA. Pittsburg State moved to 4-3-1 overall and 0-1-1 in the MIAA with the result.The teams played to a scoreless deadlock through the first half, but Fort Hays State broke through in the 51st&nbsp;minute when&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-soccer/roster/emily-hutchings/8088">Emily Hutchings</a>&nbsp;sent a long free kick into the box. After the ball landed over a jumping keeper,&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-soccer/roster/taylor-hill/8126">Taylor Hill</a>&nbsp;made a slight touch on the ball and then&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-soccer/roster/montserrat-diaz/8081">Montserrat Diaz</a>&nbsp;finished by putting the ball into a wide open net right in front of the goal line. In the 62nd&nbsp;minute,&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-soccer/roster/sydney-cotter/8104">Sydney Cotter</a>&nbsp;added insurance for the Tigers when she collected her own rebounded shot off a failed clearance by the Gorillas and tucked the ball just over the line into the upper part of the net.Both teams finished with nine shots in the match. FHSU placed four on goal and PSU placed two on goal.&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-soccer/roster/mackenzie-caldwell/8128">Mackenzie Caldwell</a>&nbsp;made the two saves for her fourth-consecutive clean sheet in goal. Jocelyn Kramar of PSU also made two saves.UP NEXTThe Tigers finished their long three-week road swing with a record of 5-0-1, yielding only one goal over the six-match span. FHSU is now set for a pair of big matchups in Hays next week. The Tigers will host nationally ranked Central Missouri on Friday (Oct. 4) at 7 p.m. and then Emporia State on Sunday (Oct. 6) at 2 p.m.&nbsp;&nbsp;

⚽ Tiger women run win-streak to five with shutout of Gorillas

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Bo Nix threw his first NFL touchdown and the Denver Broncos overcame a miserable first half on offense and held on to beat a banged-up Aaron Rodgers and the sloppy New York Jets 10-9 in a defensive standoff on a rainy Sunday.

Rodgers came up limping a bit after a sack late in the fourth quarter and seemed to be favoring his left leg — the same on which his Achilles tendon was surgically repaired last year — and was looked at on the sideline by trainers.

It appeared Rodgers might have also fumbled on the play, but the Broncos were out of challenges so Sean Payton couldn’t ask officials to review.

Rodgers came back on the Jets’ next possession with 2:31 remaining but couldn’t get anything going. Facing fourth-and-10 on New York’s 45, Rodgers was sacked from behind by a blitzing P.J. Locke to give the Broncos the ball at the 35.

The defense came up big and New York (2-2) used all three of its timeouts, and the Broncos’ drive ended with Wil Lutz pushing a 50-yarder wide left.

That gave Rodgers and the Jets one more chance.

New York got down to the Broncos 32 and after an incompletion from Rodgers to Mike Williams with 51 seconds left, Greg Zuerlein lined up for a potential winning kick — but his 50-yarder curved to the right and Nix and the Broncos (2-2) were able to kneel down for the victory.

Rodgers was 24 of 42 for 225 yards and was sacked five times. New York also was penalized 13 times.

Nix was 7 of 15 for minus-7 yards in the first two quarters, and finished with just 60 yards on 12-of-25 passing — but had no turnovers and made the big play when he needed.

Nix’s first NFL TD pass came with 3:08 left in the third quarter when he found a wide-open Courtland Sutton in the back of the end zone to give Denver a 7-6 lead.

Nix, the No. 12 overall pick in April, tossed a high pass to the back of the end zone where Sutton went up, grabbed the ball and got both feet down for the score. It capped what was easily the Broncos’ best drive to that point, with Nix leading Denver 87 yards on 11 plays.

After Zuerlein’s 40-yarder gave the Jets the lead back, the Broncos marched down the field — on seven straight runs — to set up Lutz’s 47-yarder to put Denver back on top 10-9 with 8:55 left.

A defensive struggle in the first quarter had the Jets with 15 total yards and the Broncos just 6.

New York finally broke through 9 seconds into the second quarter on Zuerlein’s 23-yard field goal that came shortly after a scary moment.

Broncos running back Tyler Badie was placed on a back board and carted from the sideline with a back injury. He caught a pass from Nix on a third-down play shortly before the end of the opening quarter and was immediately hit by Quincy Williams for a 4-yard loss and fumbled the ball. Michael Carter II recovered for the Jets.

Badie was seen on his back on the sideline a few minutes later, with trainers working on him before he was taken from the field.

Zuerlein’s 35-yarder to end the first half gave the Jets a 6-0 lead.

New York’s Allen Lazard was called for a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty when he caught a 13-yard pass from Rodgers for a first down in the third quarter. He celebrated by signaling for a first down with what officials deemed was a gun-like gesture with both hands.

The NFL has warned players to not make “violent gestures.” Atlanta wide receiver Drake London was fined $14,069 for unsportsmanlike conduct/violent gesture for a gun-like celebration in a recent game. Giants rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers was also recently find $28,128 for two different “gun-like” celebrations.

Broncos: Host the AFC West-rival Las Vegas Raiders next Sunday.

Jets: Head to London to play Minnesota next Sunday morning at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727691425494.jpeg" alt="Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) reacts after throwing his first touchdown pass against the New York Jets during the third quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)" />
 <figcaption>Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) reacts after throwing his first touchdown pass against the New York Jets during the third quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)</figcaption>
 </figure>EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Bo Nix threw his first NFL touchdown and the Denver Broncos overcame a miserable first half on offense and held on to beat a banged-up Aaron Rodgers and the sloppy New York Jets 10-9 in a defensive standoff on a rainy Sunday.Rodgers came up limping a bit after a sack late in the fourth quarter and seemed to be favoring his left leg — the same on which his Achilles tendon was surgically repaired last year — and was looked at on the sideline by trainers.It appeared Rodgers might have also fumbled on the play, but the Broncos were out of challenges so Sean Payton couldn’t ask officials to review.Rodgers came back on the Jets’ next possession with 2:31 remaining but couldn’t get anything going. Facing fourth-and-10 on New York’s 45, Rodgers was sacked from behind by a blitzing P.J. Locke to give the Broncos the ball at the 35.The defense came up big and New York (2-2) used all three of its timeouts, and the Broncos’ drive ended with Wil Lutz pushing a 50-yarder wide left.That gave Rodgers and the Jets one more chance.New York got down to the Broncos 32 and after an incompletion from Rodgers to Mike Williams with 51 seconds left, Greg Zuerlein lined up for a potential winning kick — but his 50-yarder curved to the right and Nix and the Broncos (2-2) were able to kneel down for the victory.Rodgers was 24 of 42 for 225 yards and was sacked five times. New York also was penalized 13 times.Nix was 7 of 15 for minus-7 yards in the first two quarters, and finished with just 60 yards on 12-of-25 passing — but had no turnovers and made the big play when he needed.Nix’s first NFL TD pass came with 3:08 left in the third quarter when he found a wide-open Courtland Sutton in the back of the end zone to give Denver a 7-6 lead.Nix, the No. 12 overall pick in April, tossed a high pass to the back of the end zone where Sutton went up, grabbed the ball and got both feet down for the score. It capped what was easily the Broncos’ best drive to that point, with Nix leading Denver 87 yards on 11 plays.After Zuerlein’s 40-yarder gave the Jets the lead back, the Broncos marched down the field — on seven straight runs — to set up Lutz’s 47-yarder to put Denver back on top 10-9 with 8:55 left.A defensive struggle in the first quarter had the Jets with 15 total yards and the Broncos just 6.New York finally broke through 9 seconds into the second quarter on Zuerlein’s 23-yard field goal that came shortly after a scary moment.Broncos running back Tyler Badie was placed on a back board and carted from the sideline with a back injury. He caught a pass from Nix on a third-down play shortly before the end of the opening quarter and was immediately hit by Quincy Williams for a 4-yard loss and fumbled the ball. Michael Carter II recovered for the Jets.Badie was seen on his back on the sideline a few minutes later, with trainers working on him before he was taken from the field.Zuerlein’s 35-yarder to end the first half gave the Jets a 6-0 lead.<h2>Costly celebration</h2>New York’s Allen Lazard was called for a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty when he caught a 13-yard pass from Rodgers for a first down in the third quarter. He celebrated by signaling for a first down with what officials deemed was a gun-like gesture with both hands.The NFL has warned players to not make “violent gestures.” Atlanta wide receiver Drake London was fined $14,069 for unsportsmanlike conduct/violent gesture for a gun-like celebration in a recent game. Giants rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers was also recently find $28,128 for two different “gun-like” celebrations.<h2>Up next</h2>Broncos: Host the AFC West-rival Las Vegas Raiders next Sunday.Jets: Head to London to play Minnesota next Sunday morning at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

🏈 Nix throws his first NFL touchdown pass to help Broncos slip past Rodgers and the Jets

Sunday, September 29
 KAYS: Kansas City Royals at Atlanta Braves, 1:30pm
 KFIX: Kansas City Chiefs at Los Angeles Chargers, 2:00pm

Sunday, September 29
 KAYS: Kansas City Royals at Atlanta Braves, 1:30pm
 KFIX: Kansas City Chiefs at Los Angeles Chargers, 2:00pm

🎧 Eagle Radio, Hull sports broadcast schedule

By GERARD WELLBROCK Hays Post

EDMOND, Okla. - Central Oklahoma lived up to its billing as the top offense in NCAA Division II Saturday night at Chad Richison Stadium. The No. 23/23 Bronchos scored three quick first quarter touchdowns en route to a 49-24 victory over Fort Hays State.

The Bronchos (4-0, 3-0 MIAA) scored on touchdown passes of 49, 52 and 34 yards on their first three possessions to built an early 21-0 lead. Fort Hays State (3-2, 1-2 MIAA) moved the ball into redzone on their second possession but Jack Dawson threw an interception in the endzone to end the scoring threat.&nbsp;

Caleb Heavner replaced Dawson late in the first quarter and gave the Tigers a spark. The redshirt sophomore from Denison, Texas found Jabari Lewis om a&nbsp;64-yard touchdown pass up the FHSU sideline early in the second quarter. After forcing UCO into a three-and-out, the Tigers had a chance to cut into the lead even more, but the drive fizzled in the redzone when they were unable to convert on 4th-and-3 at the UCO 7 yardline.

UCO went on to reach the endzone two more times in the quarter and led 35-10 at halftime.

Bronchos running back Jaylen Cottrell broke a 79-yard touchdown run on the second play of the third quarter. An 11-yard touchdown run from William Mason pushed the lead to 49-10. Shane Watts scored on a 1-yard touchdown run and Heavner a 30-yard scamper in the fourth quarter to close out the scoring.

Heavner finished 22-of-33 for 275 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed for 55 yards on seven carries and the score. Jayden Horace hauled in four passes for 83 yards. Shane Watts finished with 75 rushing yards.

UCO quarterback Jett Huff entered the game with the top completion percentage percentage in Division II. He finished 22-of-26 through the air for 367 yards and five touchdowns, all of them in the first half. Terrill Davis had nine receptions for 217 yards and four touchdowns. Eight of those catches came in the first half. Running back Jaylen Cottrell had 134 rushing yards on 11 carries and the one touchdown.

UCO finished the night with 591 total yards of offense, roughly nine yards over their nation-leading average. Fort Hays State had their best offensive performance of the season with 502 yards.

Fort Hays State returns home to host nationally ranked Central Missouri for Homecoming next Saturday. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Lewis Field.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727625982932.png" alt="FHSU Athletics photo/Ryan Prickett" />
 <figcaption>FHSU Athletics photo/Ryan Prickett</figcaption>
 </figure>By GERARD WELLBROCK Hays PostEDMOND, Okla. - Central Oklahoma lived up to its billing as the top offense in NCAA Division II Saturday night at Chad Richison Stadium. The No. 23/23 Bronchos scored three quick first quarter touchdowns en route to a 49-24 victory over Fort Hays State.<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/1925631200&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/fhsu-chris-brown-post-v-uco-sept-28-2024" title="Chris Brown Postgame at #23 Central Oklahoma (Sep. 28, 2024)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Chris Brown Postgame at #23 Central Oklahoma (Sep. 28, 2024)</a></div></div>The Bronchos (4-0, 3-0 MIAA) scored on touchdown passes of 49, 52 and 34 yards on their first three possessions to built an early 21-0 lead. Fort Hays State (3-2, 1-2 MIAA) moved the ball into redzone on their second possession but Jack Dawson threw an interception in the endzone to end the scoring threat.&nbsp;Caleb Heavner replaced Dawson late in the first quarter and gave the Tigers a spark. The redshirt sophomore from Denison, Texas found Jabari Lewis om a&nbsp;64-yard touchdown pass up the FHSU sideline early in the second quarter. After forcing UCO into a three-and-out, the Tigers had a chance to cut into the lead even more, but the drive fizzled in the redzone when they were unable to convert on 4th-and-3 at the UCO 7 yardline.<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/1925631314&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/fhsu-fb-caleb-hevner-v-uco-sept-28-2024" title="Caleb Heavner Postgame at #23 Central Oklahoma (Sep. 28, 2024)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Caleb Heavner Postgame at #23 Central Oklahoma (Sep. 28, 2024)</a></div></div>UCO went on to reach the endzone two more times in the quarter and led 35-10 at halftime.Bronchos running back Jaylen Cottrell broke a 79-yard touchdown run on the second play of the third quarter. An 11-yard touchdown run from William Mason pushed the lead to 49-10. Shane Watts scored on a 1-yard touchdown run and Heavner a 30-yard scamper in the fourth quarter to close out the scoring.<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/1925631800&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/fhsu-fb-mason-perez-v-uco-sept-28-2024" title="Mason Perez Postgame at #23 Central Oklahoma (Sep. 28, 2024)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Mason Perez Postgame at #23 Central Oklahoma (Sep. 28, 2024)</a></div></div>Heavner finished 22-of-33 for 275 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed for 55 yards on seven carries and the score. Jayden Horace hauled in four passes for 83 yards. Shane Watts finished with 75 rushing yards.UCO quarterback Jett Huff entered the game with the top completion percentage percentage in Division II. He finished 22-of-26 through the air for 367 yards and five touchdowns, all of them in the first half. Terrill Davis had nine receptions for 217 yards and four touchdowns. Eight of those catches came in the first half. Running back Jaylen Cottrell had 134 rushing yards on 11 carries and the one touchdown.<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/1925631104&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/fhsu-fb-highlights-v-uco-sept-28-2024" title="Fort Hays State FB Highlights at #23 Central Oklahoma (Sep. 28, 2024)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Fort Hays State FB Highlights at #23 Central Oklahoma (Sep. 28, 2024)</a></div></div>UCO finished the night with 591 total yards of offense, roughly nine yards over their nation-leading average. Fort Hays State had their best offensive performance of the season with 502 yards.UP NEXTFort Hays State returns home to host nationally ranked Central Missouri for Homecoming next Saturday. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Lewis Field.

🏈 No. 23 Central Oklahoma runs past Tigers

WARRENSBURG, Mo. - The Fort Hays State volleyball team took the opening set at Central Missouri Saturday evening before the Jennies rallied to win in four sets, 25-23, 15-25, 13-25, 16-25. The Tigers are now 9-2 overall and 1-1 in conference play after seeing their eight-match winning streak come to an end, while the Jennies move to 5-6 on the year and 1-1 in MIAA contests.

The teams battled back and forth throughout a first set that included 13 ties and five lead changes. The Tigers trailed by four early before using a 7-1 run to go on top by three, 12-9. The lead changed hands four more times after that rally, with the Tigers ultimately taking the set on a Jennie error. The Tigers posted an attack percentage of .389 in the first set, compiling 17 kills and just three errors on 36 attempts.

Central Missouri responded in a big way, taking the next three sets to win the match. UCM finished the night with a swing rate of .346 (59-13-113), compared to an attack percentage of .193 (48-20-145) for the Tigers.

<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/gracie-rains/7948">Gracie Rains</a>&nbsp;led Fort Hays State with 13 kills, with&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/grace-schmedding/8180">Grace Schmedding</a>&nbsp;adding 11 kills.&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/taytum-lovesee/7946">Taytum Lovesee</a>&nbsp;tallied four kills and a team-high four blocks.&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/kirsten-evans/7943">Kirsten Evans</a>&nbsp;paced the Tigers with 10 digs, with&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/caiya-stucky/7954">Caiya Stucky</a>&nbsp;distributing 31 assists alongside four kills and seven digs.

The Tigers will open a five-match homestand next weekend during Homecoming when FHSU hosts Northwest Missouri State on Friday and Missouri Western on Saturday (Oct. 5, 2 p.m.)&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727624947190.png" alt="FHSU Athletics photo/Nicole Heitmann" />
 <figcaption>FHSU Athletics photo/Nicole Heitmann</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsWARRENSBURG, Mo. - The Fort Hays State volleyball team took the opening set at Central Missouri Saturday evening before the Jennies rallied to win in four sets, 25-23, 15-25, 13-25, 16-25. The Tigers are now 9-2 overall and 1-1 in conference play after seeing their eight-match winning streak come to an end, while the Jennies move to 5-6 on the year and 1-1 in MIAA contests.The teams battled back and forth throughout a first set that included 13 ties and five lead changes. The Tigers trailed by four early before using a 7-1 run to go on top by three, 12-9. The lead changed hands four more times after that rally, with the Tigers ultimately taking the set on a Jennie error. The Tigers posted an attack percentage of .389 in the first set, compiling 17 kills and just three errors on 36 attempts.Central Missouri responded in a big way, taking the next three sets to win the match. UCM finished the night with a swing rate of .346 (59-13-113), compared to an attack percentage of .193 (48-20-145) for the Tigers.<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/gracie-rains/7948">Gracie Rains</a>&nbsp;led Fort Hays State with 13 kills, with&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/grace-schmedding/8180">Grace Schmedding</a>&nbsp;adding 11 kills.&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/taytum-lovesee/7946">Taytum Lovesee</a>&nbsp;tallied four kills and a team-high four blocks.&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/kirsten-evans/7943">Kirsten Evans</a>&nbsp;paced the Tigers with 10 digs, with&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/caiya-stucky/7954">Caiya Stucky</a>&nbsp;distributing 31 assists alongside four kills and seven digs.UP NEXTThe Tigers will open a five-match homestand next weekend during Homecoming when FHSU hosts Northwest Missouri State on Friday and Missouri Western on Saturday (Oct. 5, 2 p.m.)&nbsp;&nbsp;

🏐 Tigers stumble at Central Missouri

ATLANTA (AP) — Travis d’Arnaud hit a walk-off homer in the ninth inning and the Atlanta Braves kept up their postseason push with a 2-1 win over the playoff-bound Kansas City Royals on Saturday night.

Reynaldo López came off the injured list to throw six strong innings for the Braves, who moved one game ahead of the New York Mets and a half-game in front of Arizona for the final two wild-card spots in the National League. The Mets lost 6-0 at Milwaukee and the Diamondbacks were hosting San Diego.

D'Arnaud ended it with one swing in the ninth, launching a 2-0 pitch from Sam Long (3-3) over the center-field wall for his 15th homer this season.

López pitched for the first time since Sept. 10, when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/reynaldo-lopez-atlanta-braves-injures-a8133cf3a3bc04a578a093aa2991fc4b#:~:text=Braves%20RHP%20Reynaldo%20L%C3%B3pez%20heads%20back%20to%20injured%20list%20with%20shoulder%20inflammation,-1%20of%202&amp;text=WASHINGTON%20(AP)%20%E2%80%94%20In%20another,Wednesday%20with%20right%20shoulder%20inflammation.">he lasted only one inning</a>&nbsp;at Washington before coming out with shoulder discomfort. An MRI showed no structural damage, but the Braves placed him on the 15-day disabled list in the heat of playoff race to make sure things didn't get worse.

López looked as good as ever in his return, allowing only two singles while striking out nine. After fanning Adam Frazier with the last of his 73 pitches, he pounded his glove in satisfaction walking off the mound, having lowered his ERA in a dazzling season to an even 2.00.

Kansas City went ahead in the third after starting the frame with its only two hits off Lopez — back-to-back singles by Freddy Fermin and Garrett Hampson. Fermin came home from third when Dairon Blanco hit into a double play.

<a href="https://x.com/i/status/1840184788893753712">The Braves tied it up</a>&nbsp;in the fourth with an unearned run.

With two outs, Jorge Soler hit one off the yellow line at the top of the wall in right-center for a double. D'Arnaud followed with a dribbler that was fielded by pitcher Michael Lorenzon, who had plenty of time to get the slow-running catcher but threw it in the Braves dugout. Soler came home on the error.

The Royals went with a makeshift lineup one day after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-royals-playoffs-97e7e58c4c2257c95fa0bebe10cc7144">clinching their first postseason appearance since 2015</a>.

Bobby Witt Jr. was among six starters from Friday's 3-0 loss who got the night off, while three others were slotted into different positions. For Witt, it was the first game he's missed all season after making 160 consecutive starts — 159 at shortstop and one game as the designated hitter.

Sitting out had an added benefit for the Royals star, who likely locked up the AL batting title with a .332 average and just one game left in the regular season.

Sixteen-game winner Seth Lugo pitched two scoreless innings for Kansas City, limited to 36 pitches in what was essentially a tune-up for the Wild Card Series that begins Tuesday.

Royals:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/royals-kansas-city-injuries-3d58f8b6810ed0d06ffd2cce41107a70">1B Vinnie Pasquantino</a>&nbsp;(broken righ thumb) holds out hope he may be able to return to the lineup during the playoffs. He took another step in his recovery by facing live pitching for the first time since his injury. Before the game. he took swings against LH Will Smith, who is recovering from low back spasms, and RH Steven Cruz, who has been optioned to the minors.

Braves: With López coming off the injured list, RHP John Brebbia was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett — merely a procedural move since the minor-league team's season is over.

ATLANTA (AP) — Travis d’Arnaud hit a walk-off homer in the ninth inning and the Atlanta Braves kept up their postseason push with a 2-1 win over the playoff-bound Kansas City Royals on Saturday night.Reynaldo López came off the injured list to throw six strong innings for the Braves, who moved one game ahead of the New York Mets and a half-game in front of Arizona for the final two wild-card spots in the National League. The Mets lost 6-0 at Milwaukee and the Diamondbacks were hosting San Diego.D'Arnaud ended it with one swing in the ninth, launching a 2-0 pitch from Sam Long (3-3) over the center-field wall for his 15th homer this season.Raisel Iglesias (6-2) earned the win.López pitched for the first time since Sept. 10, when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/reynaldo-lopez-atlanta-braves-injures-a8133cf3a3bc04a578a093aa2991fc4b#:~:text=Braves%20RHP%20Reynaldo%20L%C3%B3pez%20heads%20back%20to%20injured%20list%20with%20shoulder%20inflammation,-1%20of%202&amp;text=WASHINGTON%20(AP)%20%E2%80%94%20In%20another,Wednesday%20with%20right%20shoulder%20inflammation.">he lasted only one inning</a>&nbsp;at Washington before coming out with shoulder discomfort. An MRI showed no structural damage, but the Braves placed him on the 15-day disabled list in the heat of playoff race to make sure things didn't get worse.López looked as good as ever in his return, allowing only two singles while striking out nine. After fanning Adam Frazier with the last of his 73 pitches, he pounded his glove in satisfaction walking off the mound, having lowered his ERA in a dazzling season to an even 2.00.Kansas City went ahead in the third after starting the frame with its only two hits off Lopez — back-to-back singles by Freddy Fermin and Garrett Hampson. Fermin came home from third when Dairon Blanco hit into a double play.<a href="https://x.com/i/status/1840184788893753712">The Braves tied it up</a>&nbsp;in the fourth with an unearned run.With two outs, Jorge Soler hit one off the yellow line at the top of the wall in right-center for a double. D'Arnaud followed with a dribbler that was fielded by pitcher Michael Lorenzon, who had plenty of time to get the slow-running catcher but threw it in the Braves dugout. Soler came home on the error.The Royals went with a makeshift lineup one day after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-royals-playoffs-97e7e58c4c2257c95fa0bebe10cc7144">clinching their first postseason appearance since 2015</a>.Bobby Witt Jr. was among six starters from Friday's 3-0 loss who got the night off, while three others were slotted into different positions. For Witt, it was the first game he's missed all season after making 160 consecutive starts — 159 at shortstop and one game as the designated hitter.Sitting out had an added benefit for the Royals star, who likely locked up the AL batting title with a .332 average and just one game left in the regular season.Sixteen-game winner Seth Lugo pitched two scoreless innings for Kansas City, limited to 36 pitches in what was essentially a tune-up for the Wild Card Series that begins Tuesday.TRAINER'S ROOMRoyals:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/royals-kansas-city-injuries-3d58f8b6810ed0d06ffd2cce41107a70">1B Vinnie Pasquantino</a>&nbsp;(broken righ thumb) holds out hope he may be able to return to the lineup during the playoffs. He took another step in his recovery by facing live pitching for the first time since his injury. Before the game. he took swings against LH Will Smith, who is recovering from low back spasms, and RH Steven Cruz, who has been optioned to the minors.Braves: With López coming off the injured list, RHP John Brebbia was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett — merely a procedural move since the minor-league team's season is over.UP NEXT

⚾ D'Arnaud hits walk-off homer as Braves edge the Royals

BETHANY, Okla. - The No. 17 ranked Fort Hays State men's soccer team faced No. 22 ranked Southern Nazarene on Saturday in Bethany, Okla. FHSU held a 1-0 lead at halftime, but saw SNU get past with three goals in the final 25 minutes of the match. FHSU moved to 3-2-1 overall, 0-1 GAC, while SNU moved to 4-3-1, 1-1 GAC.

The first half saw solid defensive efforts from both teams, keeping the scoreboard empty until the final minute of play.&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-soccer/roster/bryce-dickerson/8344">Bryce Dickerson</a>&nbsp;broke the deadlock with a clinical finish, scoring the team's only goal.&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-soccer/roster/harrison-bensouda/7924">Harrison Bensouda</a>&nbsp;delivered a cross into the box, where a scramble ensued before Dickerson got a decisive touch on the ball. It was Dickerson's second goal of the season.&nbsp;Southern Nazarene came out strong in the second half, creating multiple offensive opportunities. SNU's persistence paid off when they earned a penalty kick after drawing a foul inside the box on a breakaway. Axel Agurcia converted the penalty kick, leveling the score. The penalty came at a price for the Tigers too as a pair of yellow cards for&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-soccer/roster/dimitry-tchantcheu/8365">Dimitry Tchantcheu</a>&nbsp;turned red. Much like the 3-1 loss to a ranked Midwestern State team a week prior, the Tigers had to play a man down the remainder of the match and could not keep the game level after the penalty kick.

With just over 10 minutes remaining, the Crimson Storm seized another opportunity. After a ricocheted shot, Unaiz Shajani reacted quickly, pouncing on the loose ball and slotting it into the net, giving Southern Nazarene a 2-1 lead. SNU later notched an insurance goal off an initial save by&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-soccer/roster/ben-dixon/7926">Ben Dixon</a>, resulting in Shajani's second goal of the game.

Despite a strong performance Dixon in goal, who recorded seven saves, the Tigers could not contain the Crimson Storm offense late.

The Tigers will look to bounce back when they return home to Hays for a pair of GAC matchups, facing Rogers State on Thursday (Oct. 3) and Northeastern State on Saturday (Oct. 5).&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727624483353.png" alt="FHSU Athletics photo/Nicole Heitmann" />
 <figcaption>FHSU Athletics photo/Nicole Heitmann</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsBETHANY, Okla. - The No. 17 ranked Fort Hays State men's soccer team faced No. 22 ranked Southern Nazarene on Saturday in Bethany, Okla. FHSU held a 1-0 lead at halftime, but saw SNU get past with three goals in the final 25 minutes of the match. FHSU moved to 3-2-1 overall, 0-1 GAC, while SNU moved to 4-3-1, 1-1 GAC.The first half saw solid defensive efforts from both teams, keeping the scoreboard empty until the final minute of play.&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-soccer/roster/bryce-dickerson/8344">Bryce Dickerson</a>&nbsp;broke the deadlock with a clinical finish, scoring the team's only goal.&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-soccer/roster/harrison-bensouda/7924">Harrison Bensouda</a>&nbsp;delivered a cross into the box, where a scramble ensued before Dickerson got a decisive touch on the ball. It was Dickerson's second goal of the season.&nbsp;Southern Nazarene came out strong in the second half, creating multiple offensive opportunities. SNU's persistence paid off when they earned a penalty kick after drawing a foul inside the box on a breakaway. Axel Agurcia converted the penalty kick, leveling the score. The penalty came at a price for the Tigers too as a pair of yellow cards for&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-soccer/roster/dimitry-tchantcheu/8365">Dimitry Tchantcheu</a>&nbsp;turned red. Much like the 3-1 loss to a ranked Midwestern State team a week prior, the Tigers had to play a man down the remainder of the match and could not keep the game level after the penalty kick.With just over 10 minutes remaining, the Crimson Storm seized another opportunity. After a ricocheted shot, Unaiz Shajani reacted quickly, pouncing on the loose ball and slotting it into the net, giving Southern Nazarene a 2-1 lead. SNU later notched an insurance goal off an initial save by&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-soccer/roster/ben-dixon/7926">Ben Dixon</a>, resulting in Shajani's second goal of the game.Despite a strong performance Dixon in goal, who recorded seven saves, the Tigers could not contain the Crimson Storm offense late.UP NEXTThe Tigers will look to bounce back when they return home to Hays for a pair of GAC matchups, facing Rogers State on Thursday (Oct. 3) and Northeastern State on Saturday (Oct. 5).&nbsp;&nbsp;

⚽ No. 17 Tiger men fall to No. 22 Crimson Storm in conference opener

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Josh Hoover threw for 356 yards and three touchdowns, JP Richardson returned a second-half punt 89 yards for the go-ahead score, and TCU pulled away to beat Kansas 38-27 on Saturday at Arrowhead Stadium.

Jack Bech had 131 yards receiving and two touchdowns, and Cam Cook had a touchdown run, helping the Horned Frogs (3-2, 1-1 Big 12) improve to 11-1 against the Jayhawks (1-4, 0-2) since they became conference rivals 12 years ago.

“We just kept fighting. There was no panic,” said TCU coach Sonny Dykes, whose defense had just allowed a 101 combined points in back-to-back losses to UCF and SMU. “Guys stepped up and they were tougher and grittier and more determined to win, and sometimes teams that lose two games in a row don't respond that way.”

The Horned Frogs shut down Jalon Daniels, who was 15 of 34 for 179 yards with a touchdown and a pick. Daniel Hishaw and Devin Neal had TD runs for Kansas, but they were unable to carry the load alone.

The Jayhawks, who have lost four straight, are playing their home Big 12 games at the home of the Kansas City Chiefs. And their current losing streak may have been a big reason why there were plenty of empty red and yellow seats.

“Extremely down, but why wouldn’t you be? We put all this time in and we’re not making it happen,” Jayhawks coach Lance Leipold said. “It starts with the head coach. I’m not getting it done and I need to be better.”

Leipold spent much of the second half livid with referee Michael VanderVelde. The officials first overturned a long third-down catch by the Jayhawks after discussing the play, and the on-field call stood upon video review. A few minutes later, Hoover was hit from behind and fumbled, but VanderVelde overturned that call and gave TCU the ball back.

“Did it drastically change the momentum of the game? Yes. Did we still need to make plays and didn’t? Yes,” said Leipold, who spent several minutes blasting the officiating. “They can fine me today. I don’t really care.”

Kansas was fortunate to be within 21-17 at halftime thanks to a couple of TCU turnovers — a fumble on the opening series that Daniels turned into a touchdown pass to Luke Grimm, and a pick by O.J. Burroughs that turned into a field goal.

Otherwise, the Jayhawks were unable to slow down Hoover and the Horned Frogs.

The prolific sophomore was 21 of 26 for 227 yards and two touchdowns in the first half alone. His favorite target was Bech, who had seven catches by that point, including a 35-yard TD reception and a 7-yard scoring strike with 12 seconds to go.

The teams swapped scores to start the second half — Hishaw had a TD run for Kansas, Richardson answered with his punt return to retake the lead for TCU. But ultimately, mistakes and missed opportunities doomed the Jayhawks once again.

Their biggest missed chance came early in the fourth quarter, when the Horned Frogs were clinging to a 28-24 lead. Kansas had to settle for a field goal, rather than take the lead with a touchdown. Two plays later, Hoover hit Eric McAlister near the sideline, and he slipped tackles by Burroughs and Mello Dotson on his way to a 59-yard touchdown reception.

“We had some adversity today and fought through,” Hoover said. “I'm really proud of our guys.”

Kyle Lemmermann atoned for an earlier miss with a 29-yard field goal with 3:02 remaining to put the game away.

“I can't say enough about our players,” Dykes said. “I'm proud of them for how hard they worked all week. They never blinked, just with all the stuff last week, having my back personally. I really appreciate it.”

TCU overcame three turnovers thanks largely to a defense that was able to clamp down on the Kansas passing game. "Very seldom do you win a football game when you turn the ball over three times," Dykes said. “We were very fortunate that way.”

Kansas only had six penalties for 50 yards, but they came at especially bad times. And when open players are dropping passes and the defense is blowing assignments, the accumulated mistakes became too much to overcome.

TCU returns to face Houston on Friday night.

Kansas heads to Arizona State on Saturday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727566655346.jpeg" alt="Kansas receiver Luke Grimm tip toes along the sideline for a catch/ Photo courtesy Kansas Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Kansas receiver Luke Grimm tip toes along the sideline for a catch/ Photo courtesy Kansas Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Josh Hoover threw for 356 yards and three touchdowns, JP Richardson returned a second-half punt 89 yards for the go-ahead score, and TCU pulled away to beat Kansas 38-27 on Saturday at Arrowhead Stadium.Jack Bech had 131 yards receiving and two touchdowns, and Cam Cook had a touchdown run, helping the Horned Frogs (3-2, 1-1 Big 12) improve to 11-1 against the Jayhawks (1-4, 0-2) since they became conference rivals 12 years ago.“We just kept fighting. There was no panic,” said TCU coach Sonny Dykes, whose defense had just allowed a 101 combined points in back-to-back losses to UCF and SMU. “Guys stepped up and they were tougher and grittier and more determined to win, and sometimes teams that lose two games in a row don't respond that way.”The Horned Frogs shut down Jalon Daniels, who was 15 of 34 for 179 yards with a touchdown and a pick. Daniel Hishaw and Devin Neal had TD runs for Kansas, but they were unable to carry the load alone.The Jayhawks, who have lost four straight, are playing their home Big 12 games at the home of the Kansas City Chiefs. And their current losing streak may have been a big reason why there were plenty of empty red and yellow seats.“Extremely down, but why wouldn’t you be? We put all this time in and we’re not making it happen,” Jayhawks coach Lance Leipold said. “It starts with the head coach. I’m not getting it done and I need to be better.”Leipold spent much of the second half livid with referee Michael VanderVelde. The officials first overturned a long third-down catch by the Jayhawks after discussing the play, and the on-field call stood upon video review. A few minutes later, Hoover was hit from behind and fumbled, but VanderVelde overturned that call and gave TCU the ball back.“Did it drastically change the momentum of the game? Yes. Did we still need to make plays and didn’t? Yes,” said Leipold, who spent several minutes blasting the officiating. “They can fine me today. I don’t really care.”Kansas was fortunate to be within 21-17 at halftime thanks to a couple of TCU turnovers — a fumble on the opening series that Daniels turned into a touchdown pass to Luke Grimm, and a pick by O.J. Burroughs that turned into a field goal.Otherwise, the Jayhawks were unable to slow down Hoover and the Horned Frogs.The prolific sophomore was 21 of 26 for 227 yards and two touchdowns in the first half alone. His favorite target was Bech, who had seven catches by that point, including a 35-yard TD reception and a 7-yard scoring strike with 12 seconds to go.The teams swapped scores to start the second half — Hishaw had a TD run for Kansas, Richardson answered with his punt return to retake the lead for TCU. But ultimately, mistakes and missed opportunities doomed the Jayhawks once again.Their biggest missed chance came early in the fourth quarter, when the Horned Frogs were clinging to a 28-24 lead. Kansas had to settle for a field goal, rather than take the lead with a touchdown. Two plays later, Hoover hit Eric McAlister near the sideline, and he slipped tackles by Burroughs and Mello Dotson on his way to a 59-yard touchdown reception.“We had some adversity today and fought through,” Hoover said. “I'm really proud of our guys.”Kyle Lemmermann atoned for an earlier miss with a 29-yard field goal with 3:02 remaining to put the game away.“I can't say enough about our players,” Dykes said. “I'm proud of them for how hard they worked all week. They never blinked, just with all the stuff last week, having my back personally. I really appreciate it.”<h2>The takeaway</h2>TCU overcame three turnovers thanks largely to a defense that was able to clamp down on the Kansas passing game. "Very seldom do you win a football game when you turn the ball over three times," Dykes said. “We were very fortunate that way.”Kansas only had six penalties for 50 yards, but they came at especially bad times. And when open players are dropping passes and the defense is blowing assignments, the accumulated mistakes became too much to overcome.<h2>Up next</h2>TCU returns to face Houston on Friday night.Kansas heads to Arizona State on Saturday.

🏈 Jack Hoover throws three TDs as TCU beats KU at Arrowhead Stadium

<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/fball/2024-25/boxscores/20240928_dk69.xml">BOX SCORE</a>

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The No. 1-ranked Hutchinson Community College football team put the scoreboard to work in a 99-0 romp over Ellsworth Community College on Saturday at Gowans Stadium.

The 99 points are the most-ever scored in a Blue Dragon single-game and tie for the most-ever points scored in a NJCAA Division I football game.

Hutchinson (4-0) scored on its first play from scrimmage, a 58-yard scamper by quarterback Samari Collier. The Collier touchdown was the first of eight rushing touchdowns in the win.&nbsp;

Waymond Jordan Jr. finished the game with nine carries for 171 yards and four scores, Julius Bolden eight carries for 80 yards and a score, and Titus Petteway four carries for 67 yards and two touchdowns.

Ben Prosper hauled in two passes for 54 yards and two touchdowns, while Dwayne Moorehead had two catches for 15 yards, Tre Brown with one catch for 15 yards and a score, and Kordell Gouldsby one catch for 19 yards.

The Blue Dragons scored 24 points in the first quarter, 35 in the second, 14 in the third and 26 in the final period.&nbsp;

The Blue Dragons ran 57 plays for 591 yards, 40 of the 57 plays were rushing attempts, which the Blue Dragons gashed the Panthers defense for 469 yards.

The Hutchinson defense also joined in on the scoring, recording two interception returns for a touchdown, one by David Jester and the other from MJ Graham. HutchCC held Ellsworth to 100 yards on 83 plays.

The Blue Dragons defense matched its season-total of seven quarterback sacks, while recording 17 tackles for loss in the win.&nbsp;

HutchCC will host Dodge City (3-2) on Saturday at Gowans Stadium with kickoff scheduled for noon.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727558743422.jpeg" alt="Hutch Post Photo/Sean Boston" />
 <figcaption>Hutch Post Photo/Sean Boston</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/fball/2024-25/boxscores/20240928_dk69.xml">BOX SCORE</a>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The No. 1-ranked Hutchinson Community College football team put the scoreboard to work in a 99-0 romp over Ellsworth Community College on Saturday at Gowans Stadium.The 99 points are the most-ever scored in a Blue Dragon single-game and tie for the most-ever points scored in a NJCAA Division I football game.Hutchinson (4-0) scored on its first play from scrimmage, a 58-yard scamper by quarterback Samari Collier. The Collier touchdown was the first of eight rushing touchdowns in the win.&nbsp;Waymond Jordan Jr. finished the game with nine carries for 171 yards and four scores, Julius Bolden eight carries for 80 yards and a score, and Titus Petteway four carries for 67 yards and two touchdowns.Ben Prosper hauled in two passes for 54 yards and two touchdowns, while Dwayne Moorehead had two catches for 15 yards, Tre Brown with one catch for 15 yards and a score, and Kordell Gouldsby one catch for 19 yards.The Blue Dragons scored 24 points in the first quarter, 35 in the second, 14 in the third and 26 in the final period.&nbsp;The Blue Dragons ran 57 plays for 591 yards, 40 of the 57 plays were rushing attempts, which the Blue Dragons gashed the Panthers defense for 469 yards.The Hutchinson defense also joined in on the scoring, recording two interception returns for a touchdown, one by David Jester and the other from MJ Graham. HutchCC held Ellsworth to 100 yards on 83 plays.The Blue Dragons defense matched its season-total of seven quarterback sacks, while recording 17 tackles for loss in the win.&nbsp;HutchCC will host Dodge City (3-2) on Saturday at Gowans Stadium with kickoff scheduled for noon.

🏈 No. 1 Hutchinson scores school-record 99 points in thumping of Ellsworth

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Avery Johnson passed for three touchdowns and ran for two as No. 23 Kansas State routed No. 20 Oklahoma State 42-20 Saturday.

Johnson passed for 259 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 60 yards and two scores.

DJ Giddens ran for 187 yards and a touchdown and had a catch for 22 yards for Kansas State for the Wildcats (4-1, 1-1 Big 12), who fell behind early before scoring 35 straight points to take control.

Alan Bowman passed for 361 yards and a touchdown for Oklahoma State (3-2, 0-2), but he threw two costly interceptions and lost a fumble. De'Zhaun Stribling had seven catches for 157 yards, including a 77-yard touchdown catch from Bowman on a flea flicker.

Giddens' 66-yard touchdown run on K-State's second offensive play of the second half gave Kansas State a 28-13 lead. Johnson then found Will Anciaux on a 2-yard pass for his first career touchdown and a 35-13 advantage. Johnson iced the game with a nifty 13-yard scramble for a touchdown.

Oklahoma State: The Cowboys, one of the preseason favorites to play in the Big 12 Championship Game, will have an uphill battle to get there. The Cowboys got running back Ollie Gordon II going early with 72 yards rushing in the first quarter, but he finished with 76.

Kansas State: The Wildcats dominated on offense, gaining 559 yards. On defense, they still need to limit the big plays in the passing game — they allowed five different Oklahoma State players to gain at least 10 yards on a reception and gave up 364 yards in the air.

Oklahoma State: Hosts West Virginia on Oct. 5.

Kansas State: Visits Colorado on Oct. 12.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727554589001.png" alt="Photo courtesy K-State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy K-State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Avery Johnson passed for three touchdowns and ran for two as No. 23 Kansas State routed No. 20 Oklahoma State 42-20 Saturday.Johnson passed for 259 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 60 yards and two scores.DJ Giddens ran for 187 yards and a touchdown and had a catch for 22 yards for Kansas State for the Wildcats (4-1, 1-1 Big 12), who fell behind early before scoring 35 straight points to take control.Alan Bowman passed for 361 yards and a touchdown for Oklahoma State (3-2, 0-2), but he threw two costly interceptions and lost a fumble. De'Zhaun Stribling had seven catches for 157 yards, including a 77-yard touchdown catch from Bowman on a flea flicker.Giddens' 66-yard touchdown run on K-State's second offensive play of the second half gave Kansas State a 28-13 lead. Johnson then found Will Anciaux on a 2-yard pass for his first career touchdown and a 35-13 advantage. Johnson iced the game with a nifty 13-yard scramble for a touchdown.<h2>The Takeaway</h2>Oklahoma State: The Cowboys, one of the preseason favorites to play in the Big 12 Championship Game, will have an uphill battle to get there. The Cowboys got running back Ollie Gordon II going early with 72 yards rushing in the first quarter, but he finished with 76.Kansas State: The Wildcats dominated on offense, gaining 559 yards. On defense, they still need to limit the big plays in the passing game — they allowed five different Oklahoma State players to gain at least 10 yards on a reception and gave up 364 yards in the air.<h2>Up Next:</h2>Oklahoma State: Hosts West Virginia on Oct. 5.Kansas State: Visits Colorado on Oct. 12.

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