By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports Writer

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Los Angeles Rams and Kansas City Chiefs were oh-so close to playing in the Super Bowl in February.

On Sunday, they'll get to face each other under far different circumstances at Arrowhead Stadium.

The Rams are off to a 3-7 start, the worst in NFL history by a defending Super Bowl champ, and things only appear to be getting worse. Matthew Stafford is in the concussion protocol, which means unheralded Bryce Perkins will get his first start at quarterback, and his supporting cast will be without injured wide receiver Cooper Kupp and the Rams' leading rusher, Darrell Henderson Jr., who was released this week.

"It's been challenging," acknowledged Rams coach Sean McVay, who is mired in his first four-game losing streak.

"There's a lot of different things that we've worked through as it relates to the injuries, the moving parts, and some of those types of things. And so you just have to be able to say, 'Alright, who's up next? What does that look like?'"

Up next for the Rams? One of the hottest teams in the league.

The Chiefs have followed up their brutal AFC title game letdown against the Bengals by romping to an 8-2 start, led by a young and hungry defense and an offense that may be even better without Tyreek Hill on the roster.

Kansas City has the league's top offense, pass offense and scoring offense through the first 11 weeks, and coach Andy Reid's group tends to get even better this time of year. The Chiefs have won 24 straight in November and December.

"We have good players, good locker room. Coach that are willing to work. I mean, a combination that does well, but it's everybody," Reid offered by way of explanation. "It's not one thing we're doing."

Since the Bengals played spoiler in a Rams-Chiefs showdown in the Super Bowl, the franchises haven't faced each other since 2018, when they played one of the epic regular-season games in NFL history. Jared Goff threw a 40-yard TD pass to Gerald Everett with 1:49 left to give the Rams a 54-51 victory that day.

Most of the faces have changed, though some remain the same. Aaron Donald will still be trying to chase down Patrick Mahomes, who in turn will be trying to get the ball out to Travis Kelce as quickly as possible.

"They still have a ton of talent. They're still a great defense," Mahomes said. "(Donald) strip-sacked me twice when we played them; we have to account for him every time we're on the field. (Jalen) Ramsey is a great player. They have great players throughout that defense."

The offense has been another matter this season.

"Without a doubt," McVay said, "you try to remain positive within the framework of the things you can control and shift your energy and focus toward those things. That will continue to remain consistent for me and for our coaches."

The Chiefs have won after trailing at halftime four times this season, and they improved to 9-6 with Mahomes when they trail after three quarters with their come-from-behind 30-27 win over the Chargers last week. No other quarterback with at least 15 tries has a winning record when behind entering the fourth quarter.

"Hopefully we can try to get some leads going into halftime and make it easy on us," Mahomes said. "That would help."

The Chiefs hope JuJu Smith-Schuster will play Sunday after spending last week in the concussion protocol. Mecole Hardman is on his second week on injured reserve with an abdominal issue and fellow wide receiver Kadarius Toney missed practice this week with a hamstring injury.

One of the rare bright spots for the Rams has been Tutu Atwell, who didn't have a catch as a rookie after they chose him in the second round of the 2021 draft. Atwell finally showed his game-breaking speed and ability last week against the Saints, hauling in a 62-yard pass from Stafford for his first career touchdown.

"It means everything," Atwell said afterward. "It just means everything."

The Rams' decision to waive Henderson, one of their key players last season, means Cam Akers and rookie Kyren Williams will get the bulk of the work Sunday. Akers requested a trade after getting little playing time earlier this season.

There aren't many players left that played in that 54-51 thriller in 2018, but one of them is Kelce, who caught 10 passes for 127 yards and a touchdown that day. His play hasn't diminished over the past four years, either. Kelce had six catches for 115 yards and three touchdowns against the Chargers.

"I love the energy that he brings, and I love the positive impact that he has with our team on the sidelines," Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy said, "so it's been fun to watch."

By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports WriterKANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Los Angeles Rams and Kansas City Chiefs were oh-so close to playing in the Super Bowl in February.On Sunday, they'll get to face each other under far different circumstances at Arrowhead Stadium.The Rams are off to a 3-7 start, the worst in NFL history by a defending Super Bowl champ, and things only appear to be getting worse. Matthew Stafford is in the concussion protocol, which means unheralded Bryce Perkins will get his first start at quarterback, and his supporting cast will be without injured wide receiver Cooper Kupp and the Rams' leading rusher, Darrell Henderson Jr., who was released this week."It's been challenging," acknowledged Rams coach Sean McVay, who is mired in his first four-game losing streak."There's a lot of different things that we've worked through as it relates to the injuries, the moving parts, and some of those types of things. And so you just have to be able to say, 'Alright, who's up next? What does that look like?'"Up next for the Rams? One of the hottest teams in the league.The Chiefs have followed up their brutal AFC title game letdown against the Bengals by romping to an 8-2 start, led by a young and hungry defense and an offense that may be even better without Tyreek Hill on the roster.Kansas City has the league's top offense, pass offense and scoring offense through the first 11 weeks, and coach Andy Reid's group tends to get even better this time of year. The Chiefs have won 24 straight in November and December."We have good players, good locker room. Coach that are willing to work. I mean, a combination that does well, but it's everybody," Reid offered by way of explanation. "It's not one thing we're doing."Since the Bengals played spoiler in a Rams-Chiefs showdown in the Super Bowl, the franchises haven't faced each other since 2018, when they played one of the epic regular-season games in NFL history. Jared Goff threw a 40-yard TD pass to Gerald Everett with 1:49 left to give the Rams a 54-51 victory that day.Most of the faces have changed, though some remain the same. Aaron Donald will still be trying to chase down Patrick Mahomes, who in turn will be trying to get the ball out to Travis Kelce as quickly as possible."They still have a ton of talent. They're still a great defense," Mahomes said. "(Donald) strip-sacked me twice when we played them; we have to account for him every time we're on the field. (Jalen) Ramsey is a great player. They have great players throughout that defense."The offense has been another matter this season."Without a doubt," McVay said, "you try to remain positive within the framework of the things you can control and shift your energy and focus toward those things. That will continue to remain consistent for me and for our coaches."CAPTAIN COMEBACKThe Chiefs have won after trailing at halftime four times this season, and they improved to 9-6 with Mahomes when they trail after three quarters with their come-from-behind 30-27 win over the Chargers last week. No other quarterback with at least 15 tries has a winning record when behind entering the fourth quarter."Hopefully we can try to get some leads going into halftime and make it easy on us," Mahomes said. "That would help."WIDE RECEIVER WOESThe Chiefs hope JuJu Smith-Schuster will play Sunday after spending last week in the concussion protocol. Mecole Hardman is on his second week on injured reserve with an abdominal issue and fellow wide receiver Kadarius Toney missed practice this week with a hamstring injury.TUTU'S TD DANCEOne of the rare bright spots for the Rams has been Tutu Atwell, who didn't have a catch as a rookie after they chose him in the second round of the 2021 draft. Atwell finally showed his game-breaking speed and ability last week against the Saints, hauling in a 62-yard pass from Stafford for his first career touchdown."It means everything," Atwell said afterward. "It just means everything."RUNNING BACK ROULETTEThe Rams' decision to waive Henderson, one of their key players last season, means Cam Akers and rookie Kyren Williams will get the bulk of the work Sunday. Akers requested a trade after getting little playing time earlier this season.REMEMBER METhere aren't many players left that played in that 54-51 thriller in 2018, but one of them is Kelce, who caught 10 passes for 127 yards and a touchdown that day. His play hasn't diminished over the past four years, either. Kelce had six catches for 115 yards and three touchdowns against the Chargers."I love the energy that he brings, and I love the positive impact that he has with our team on the sidelines," Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy said, "so it's been fun to watch."

Rams to face Chiefs for first time since epic 2018 game

DENVER (AP) — Whether Pete Carroll meant it as a barb for Russell 
Wilson or a bouquet for Geno Smith, the Seattle Seahawks coach made 
play-calling wristbands a hot topic in the NFL during a topsy-turvy 
season that has rattled the longstanding quarterback order.

Carroll
 was talking about the Seahawks’ surprising success in 2022 after moving
 on from Wilson when he mentioned Smith’s willingness to wear a 
wristband to help facilitate Seattle's play-calling.

“If you 
notice, Geno’s going off the wristband, and that’s a big help,” Carroll 
told Seattle Sports 710 AM earlier this month. “It’s smoothed things 
out, sped things up. And that’s part of it, too. We never did that 
before. There was resistance to that. So, we didn’t do that before.”

Wilson retorted with his own <a href="https://apnews.com/article/jacksonville-jaguars-denver-broncos-seattle-seahawks-nfl-sports-612de661c6102546d755e3cd732c2927">subtle dig</a>,
 reminding that he "won a lot of games there without one on the wrist. 
And I didn’t know winning or losing mattered if you wore the wristband 
or not.”

Coincidentally, Wilson wore a wristband for the first 
time with the Broncos in a win over the Jaguars in London two days 
before Carroll's comments, and he's been using it at games and practices
 ever since as the Broncos try to jump-start a sputtering offense.

He even wore it at the podium on Wednesday.

“Yeah, I guess I'm rocking this wristband here,” Wilson said with a chuckle.

On
 any weekend, roughly two-thirds of NFL quarterbacks are rocking the 
wristbands. Tom Brady has used one his whole career. But some QBs and 
coaches prefer memorization skills for their more complex plays.

The
 bands that hug the quarterback's non-throwing wrist and forearm contain
 dozens of plays with corresponding numbers or codes. They are often as 
much a benefit to the play-caller as to the QB because he can just call 
out a simple number rather than the entire play sequence with all its 
protections, checks and other nuances.

“As a play designer 
sometimes you want to get a little creative and those things can get a 
little bit verbose,” Broncos coach Nathaniel Hackett said.

Calling
 out a number and not the entire play sequence saves a few ticks before 
the quarterback's earpiece shuts off with 15 seconds left on the play 
clock. The QB can then relay the play and break the huddle quicker, 
getting up to the line of scrimmage with a few extra seconds to survey 
the defense for any necessary adjustments.

Hackett said the 
wristbands especially come in handy on the road and are particularly 
helpful with the game's ever more complex play calls.

“It's just how offenses have advanced,” Hackett said. “... we're getting more elaborate with our play designs."

Not
 all plays on the coaches' call sheets are listed on the quarterbacks' 
wristbands. They're often limited to those complex calls or to red-zone 
plays that are installed later in the week, which means players have had
 less time to practice them.

Some QBs, such as the Titans' Ryan Tannehill, have tried them but don't wear them all the time like Brady does.

“Last
 year when we went to Seattle I wore one” because of the din at Lumen 
Field, Tannehill said. “Not too many times. I like to be able to hear 
the call and visualize it in my head as it comes in. It just helps me 
build the picture of what’s going on. When I hear it and I have to build
 the picture of the play in my head, it helps me communicate with my 
guys as opposed to reading a line on a wristband.”

Vikings QB Kirk
 Cousins doesn't usually wear a wristband, and that has something to do 
with Rams coach Sean McVay, who was Cousins' offensive coordinator in 
Washington from 2014-16.

Cousins recalled telling McVay, “These plays are long, and I could use a wristband.”

"Sean
 would say, ‘I don’t look down at the call sheet to call the play to see
 what the wristband number is. I just call the game from my head,’” 
Cousins recounted. “So, he said, ‘We can’t do that because I’d have to 
go find the play and then give you the number.’ I learned with Sean that
 I’m just going to have to memorize these plays and I don’t have the 
luxury of a wristband.”

“There’s so many different ways to do it 
and I think there’s positives and negatives to every different way,” 
Cousins said. “There’s times where I like having a fair amount of words 
because you can paint the picture better, but there’s other times where 
you’re calling two to three plays and it can just be a lot. With a 
motion, a shift, an alert and you have the play clock, so there’s a lot 
going on.”

Cousins said he picked up a trick from backup Nick Mullens when he was digesting the Vikings' new offense this summer.

“I
 was really struggling late in August and early September of really 
getting to a place where I could spit the plays out with just total 
ownership,” Cousins said. He recalled Mullens telling him, “I just 
record the tricky plays on my phone and instead of listening to music or
 the radio on the drive to and from work, I'll just listen to the play 
calls.”

“I started doing that and my drives are a little more 
boring," Cousins said, “but I find myself getting home to the garage and
 I feel a little better about the game plan and my command of the game 
plan.”

DENVER (AP) — Whether Pete Carroll meant it as a barb for Russell 
Wilson or a bouquet for Geno Smith, the Seattle Seahawks coach made 
play-calling wristbands a hot topic in the NFL during a topsy-turvy 
season that has rattled the longstanding quarterback order.Carroll
 was talking about the Seahawks’ surprising success in 2022 after moving
 on from Wilson when he mentioned Smith’s willingness to wear a 
wristband to help facilitate Seattle's play-calling.“If you 
notice, Geno’s going off the wristband, and that’s a big help,” Carroll 
told Seattle Sports 710 AM earlier this month. “It’s smoothed things 
out, sped things up. And that’s part of it, too. We never did that 
before. There was resistance to that. So, we didn’t do that before.”Wilson retorted with his own <a href="https://apnews.com/article/jacksonville-jaguars-denver-broncos-seattle-seahawks-nfl-sports-612de661c6102546d755e3cd732c2927">subtle dig</a>,
 reminding that he "won a lot of games there without one on the wrist. 
And I didn’t know winning or losing mattered if you wore the wristband 
or not.”Coincidentally, Wilson wore a wristband for the first 
time with the Broncos in a win over the Jaguars in London two days 
before Carroll's comments, and he's been using it at games and practices
 ever since as the Broncos try to jump-start a sputtering offense.He even wore it at the podium on Wednesday.“Yeah, I guess I'm rocking this wristband here,” Wilson said with a chuckle.On
 any weekend, roughly two-thirds of NFL quarterbacks are rocking the 
wristbands. Tom Brady has used one his whole career. But some QBs and 
coaches prefer memorization skills for their more complex plays.The
 bands that hug the quarterback's non-throwing wrist and forearm contain
 dozens of plays with corresponding numbers or codes. They are often as 
much a benefit to the play-caller as to the QB because he can just call 
out a simple number rather than the entire play sequence with all its 
protections, checks and other nuances.“As a play designer 
sometimes you want to get a little creative and those things can get a 
little bit verbose,” Broncos coach Nathaniel Hackett said.Calling
 out a number and not the entire play sequence saves a few ticks before 
the quarterback's earpiece shuts off with 15 seconds left on the play 
clock. The QB can then relay the play and break the huddle quicker, 
getting up to the line of scrimmage with a few extra seconds to survey 
the defense for any necessary adjustments.Hackett said the 
wristbands especially come in handy on the road and are particularly 
helpful with the game's ever more complex play calls.“It's just how offenses have advanced,” Hackett said. “... we're getting more elaborate with our play designs."Not
 all plays on the coaches' call sheets are listed on the quarterbacks' 
wristbands. They're often limited to those complex calls or to red-zone 
plays that are installed later in the week, which means players have had
 less time to practice them.Wristbands aren't for everyone, though.Some QBs, such as the Titans' Ryan Tannehill, have tried them but don't wear them all the time like Brady does.“Last
 year when we went to Seattle I wore one” because of the din at Lumen 
Field, Tannehill said. “Not too many times. I like to be able to hear 
the call and visualize it in my head as it comes in. It just helps me 
build the picture of what’s going on. When I hear it and I have to build
 the picture of the play in my head, it helps me communicate with my 
guys as opposed to reading a line on a wristband.”Vikings QB Kirk
 Cousins doesn't usually wear a wristband, and that has something to do 
with Rams coach Sean McVay, who was Cousins' offensive coordinator in 
Washington from 2014-16.Cousins recalled telling McVay, “These plays are long, and I could use a wristband.”"Sean
 would say, ‘I don’t look down at the call sheet to call the play to see
 what the wristband number is. I just call the game from my head,’” 
Cousins recounted. “So, he said, ‘We can’t do that because I’d have to 
go find the play and then give you the number.’ I learned with Sean that
 I’m just going to have to memorize these plays and I don’t have the 
luxury of a wristband.”“There’s so many different ways to do it 
and I think there’s positives and negatives to every different way,” 
Cousins said. “There’s times where I like having a fair amount of words 
because you can paint the picture better, but there’s other times where 
you’re calling two to three plays and it can just be a lot. With a 
motion, a shift, an alert and you have the play clock, so there’s a lot 
going on.”Cousins said he picked up a trick from backup Nick Mullens when he was digesting the Vikings' new offense this summer.“I
 was really struggling late in August and early September of really 
getting to a place where I could spit the plays out with just total 
ownership,” Cousins said. He recalled Mullens telling him, “I just 
record the tricky plays on my phone and instead of listening to music or
 the radio on the drive to and from work, I'll just listen to the play 
calls.”“I started doing that and my drives are a little more 
boring," Cousins said, “but I find myself getting home to the garage and
 I feel a little better about the game plan and my command of the game 
plan.”

QB wristbands a trending NFL topic after Carroll comments

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/0fc35e83-e7d0-47b0-b4db-41afa34edfc9">The Hays High Indians traveled to Maize last Friday for a 5A state semifinal matchup.</a>

&nbsp; You can watch the replay&nbsp;<a href="https://vcloud.blueframetech.com/broadcast/embed/469037">HERE</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Due to KSHSAA streaming restrictions,&nbsp;Hays Post was not allowed to stream video of the game live.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/0fc35e83-e7d0-47b0-b4db-41afa34edfc9">The Hays High Indians traveled to Maize last Friday for a 5A state semifinal matchup.</a>&nbsp; You can watch the replay&nbsp;<a href="https://vcloud.blueframetech.com/broadcast/embed/469037">HERE</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;<div><iframe src="https://vcloud.blueframetech.com/broadcast/embed/469037?autoplay=1" width="640" height="360" allow="fullscreen;" style="border:0;overflow:hidden;"></iframe></div>Due to KSHSAA streaming restrictions,&nbsp;Hays Post was not allowed to stream video of the game live.

🏈🎥 REPLAY: Hays High at Maize

PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas (AP) — Bobby Pettiford Jr. made a twisting reverse layup off a loose rebound with 0.2 seconds left in overtime to give No. 3 Kansas a 69-68 win over Wisconsin in a Battle 4 Atlantis semifinal on Thursday.

Pettiford's layup marked his only points of the game, capping a thriller that saw Wisconsin rally from 15 down early in the second half.

Pettiford landed on the floor after the basket as he watched the ball go through the net, then extended his fists in front of him and yelled as he started to sit up. By the time he had gotten on his feet, he had a big smile while his teammates began to hug and gather with him near the baseline corner to celebrate.

The team left the court to chants of “Bobby! Bobby!” as they headed to Friday's championship game.

Jalen Wilson scored 29 points and had 14 rebounds for the reigning national champion Jayhawks (6-0), and Kevin McCullar Jr. had 18 points and nine rebounds — and a 3 to force overtime.

Tyler Wahl led the Badgers (4-1) with 23 points and 10 rebounds. Most of his points came after half in what was at times a one-man comeback, including a spinning drive against a falling Wilson for a layup and a 68-67 lead with 21 seconds left.

Wisconsin shot 48% in the second half behind Wahl, who had 14 points and got to the foul line seven times. That included a run of nine straight points with his team down by eight, ending with his banked-in runner against Kansas' Gradey Dick for a 61-60 lead with 49.4 seconds left in regulation.

Wisconsin appeared on the verge of pulling off a stunner after a pair of free throws by Connor Essegian made it 63-60, but McCullar buried a clutch 3 from the left wing with 11.8 seconds left to tie it and force OT.

Wisconsin: The same team that struggled to crack 40 points — or make a shot, frankly — in the first round of the tournament looked to be on its way to another bad offensive showing. Instead, Wahl and the Badgers showed resilience and climbed back in it, they stayed shot for shot with Kansas down the stretch.

Kansas: The Jayhawks didn't have an easy time of their Atlantis debut on Thursday, needing to battle to the final minutes against N.C. State. This time, Pettiford was in the right place at the right time after Wilson tipped the ball from Wahl's reach for a rebound off Zach Clemence's missed 3-pointer. Just like that, Kansas was still unbeaten.

Wisconsin: The Badgers will face the Southern California-Tennessee loser in Friday's third-place game.

Kansas: The Jayhawks advanced to Friday's championship game to face the Southern California-Tennessee winner.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669319267631.jpeg" alt="Tim Aylen/Bahamas Visual Services via AP" />
 <figcaption>Tim Aylen/Bahamas Visual Services via AP</figcaption>
 </figure>PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas (AP) — Bobby Pettiford Jr. made a twisting reverse layup off a loose rebound with 0.2 seconds left in overtime to give No. 3 Kansas a 69-68 win over Wisconsin in a Battle 4 Atlantis semifinal on Thursday.Pettiford's layup marked his only points of the game, capping a thriller that saw Wisconsin rally from 15 down early in the second half.Pettiford landed on the floor after the basket as he watched the ball go through the net, then extended his fists in front of him and yelled as he started to sit up. By the time he had gotten on his feet, he had a big smile while his teammates began to hug and gather with him near the baseline corner to celebrate.The team left the court to chants of “Bobby! Bobby!” as they headed to Friday's championship game.Jalen Wilson scored 29 points and had 14 rebounds for the reigning national champion Jayhawks (6-0), and Kevin McCullar Jr. had 18 points and nine rebounds — and a 3 to force overtime.Tyler Wahl led the Badgers (4-1) with 23 points and 10 rebounds. Most of his points came after half in what was at times a one-man comeback, including a spinning drive against a falling Wilson for a layup and a 68-67 lead with 21 seconds left.Wisconsin shot 48% in the second half behind Wahl, who had 14 points and got to the foul line seven times. That included a run of nine straight points with his team down by eight, ending with his banked-in runner against Kansas' Gradey Dick for a 61-60 lead with 49.4 seconds left in regulation.Wisconsin appeared on the verge of pulling off a stunner after a pair of free throws by Connor Essegian made it 63-60, but McCullar buried a clutch 3 from the left wing with 11.8 seconds left to tie it and force OT.BIG PICTUREWisconsin: The same team that struggled to crack 40 points — or make a shot, frankly — in the first round of the tournament looked to be on its way to another bad offensive showing. Instead, Wahl and the Badgers showed resilience and climbed back in it, they stayed shot for shot with Kansas down the stretch.Kansas: The Jayhawks didn't have an easy time of their Atlantis debut on Thursday, needing to battle to the final minutes against N.C. State. This time, Pettiford was in the right place at the right time after Wilson tipped the ball from Wahl's reach for a rebound off Zach Clemence's missed 3-pointer. Just like that, Kansas was still unbeaten.UP NEXTWisconsin: The Badgers will face the Southern California-Tennessee loser in Friday's third-place game.Kansas: The Jayhawks advanced to Friday's championship game to face the Southern California-Tennessee winner.

🏀 No. 3 Kansas survives OT scare from Wisconsin

GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands (AP) — Keyontae Johnson scored 16 points and his jumper with five seconds left allowed Kansas State to remain undefeated and hand LSU its first loss, 61-59 in the championship game of the Cayman Islands Classic on Wednesday night.

Adam Miller gave LSU the lead, 59-57 with his layup with 1:15 left, but Markquis Nowell answered with a jumper with 49 seconds to go. The Tigers' KJ Williams turned over the ball 15 seconds later, the Wildcats ran the clock down before Johnson took a feed from Desi Sills and buried the winning shot.

Neither team managed a two-possession lead in the final eight minutes. The game was tied three times in the final five minutes and the lead changed hands four times.

Nowell led Kansas State (6-0) with 18 points and Sills contributed 16 points off the bench.

Williams led LSU (5-1) with a double-double, putting up 17 points and pulling down 10 rebounds. Justice Hill scored 12 points and Miller contributed 11 points.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669291722341.jpeg" alt="Kansas State Athletics photo" />
 <figcaption>Kansas State Athletics photo</figcaption>
 </figure>GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands (AP) — Keyontae Johnson scored 16 points and his jumper with five seconds left allowed Kansas State to remain undefeated and hand LSU its first loss, 61-59 in the championship game of the Cayman Islands Classic on Wednesday night.Adam Miller gave LSU the lead, 59-57 with his layup with 1:15 left, but Markquis Nowell answered with a jumper with 49 seconds to go. The Tigers' KJ Williams turned over the ball 15 seconds later, the Wildcats ran the clock down before Johnson took a feed from Desi Sills and buried the winning shot.Neither team managed a two-possession lead in the final eight minutes. The game was tied three times in the final five minutes and the lead changed hands four times.Nowell led Kansas State (6-0) with 18 points and Sills contributed 16 points off the bench.Williams led LSU (5-1) with a double-double, putting up 17 points and pulling down 10 rebounds. Justice Hill scored 12 points and Miller contributed 11 points.

🏀 Johnson lifts Kansas State past LSU for Cayman title

PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas (AP) — Bill Self couldn't wait to get started Wednesday at the Battle 4 Atlantis. Neither could hot-shooting Kansas rookie Gradey Dick.

Dick scored a season-high 25 points to help the third-ranked Jayhawks beat North Carolina State 80-74 in Wednesday’s tournament opener, giving Self a successful return to the bench after a four-game suspension.

Dick had 18 on six 3-pointers in the first half before going 1 for 8 from the field after halftime. Jalen Wilson added 19 points and 11 rebounds for the reigning national champion Jayhawks (5-0), who blew an eight-point halftime lead and a nine-point second-half lead before grinding it out.

“I think it really just showed what our team's about and in crunch time, we can come out with tough plays when we really need it,” Dick said.

It also helped, Dick said, to “have a Hall of Famer in our corner" again.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-basketball-march-madness-mens-college-4ad44691ab500492a652e14c582c57ae">Kansas had imposed the suspension</a>&nbsp;on Self and assistant Kurtis Townsend as part of the fallout from a pending NCAA infractions case tied to the federal investigation into corruption within the sport.

Self was allowed to coach practices, so he remained involved with the team. But on gamedays, he said he got a dose of the helpless perspective of a fan while assistant Norm Roberts led the team. He said he couldn't even take notes until he watched the game on a replay.

He was ready for Wednesday right from the 7 a.m. wake-up call.

“I usually don't jump out of bed,” Self said, “but I kind of did today because I was excited about what was getting ready to happen.”

As he emerged from the tunnel, Self was greeted with loud cheers from a boisterous Kansas fan section. He had a slight smile as one fan dangled a Jayhawks national title banner as he walked by and gave light high-fives to a line of about a half-dozen fans who had extended their arms over their railing.

Casey Morsell scored 21 points to lead the Wolfpack (4-1), while Terquavion Smith added 19 points.

This was N.C. State’s first appearance at Atlantis since 2017 at the start of Kevin Keatts’ coaching tenure. That team opened by beating No. 2 Arizona and this year’s bunch gave Kansas fits all the way to the final minutes.

“We missed a couple of free throws down the stretch, I thought they got out in transition,” Keatts said. “We had a couple of breakdowns that when you're in that one- or two-possession game, everything is important down the stretch.”

N.C. State: The Wolfpack program had also been caught up in the FBI investigation of the sport involving recruiting violations tied to one-and-done freshman Dennis Smith Jr. under former coach Mark Gottfried. That case had hung over the entirety of Keatts' tenure until there was a December resolution. Now Keatts has restocked his roster with a style closer to his vision: playing fast and picking up fullcourt even against a marquee-name program.

“I don't know from a raw speed standpoint if there's anybody that we'll play against that is as quick as" the backcourt of Smith and Jarkel Joiner, Self said, adding: “We're athletic, pretty athletic — but we're not jet quick. So we had to be turned up pretty good to stay in front of them.”

Kansas: The 6-foot-8 Dick is off to a strong start. He came in averaging 16.8 points while shooting 10 of 20 from 3-point range, then surpassed his (short) season high of 23 points from the opener against Omaha.

Dick's sixth 3-pointer for a 39-31 lead came before the halftime horn and through light contact from Morsell, with Dick falling to the floor. He got up with an emphatic shout, clapping, while Morsell could only respond with a frustrated shrug.

But N.C. State answered with an 8-0 burst, with Morsell hitting a 3 on the break and another on a stepback to tie it.

The Wolfpack never led after halftime but tied it five times, the last at 63-all on Jack Clark’s jumper with 7:14 left.

N.C. State: The Wolfpack will face the Wisconsin-Dayton loser in Thursday’s consolation bracket.

Kansas: The Jayhawks advanced to Thursday’s semifinals to face the Wisconsin-Dayton winner.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669237432334.jpeg" alt="KU's Grady Dick hit six first half 3-pointers Thursday vs. NC State in the opening round of the Battle 4 Atlantis at Paradise Island, Bahamas. (Kansas Athletics photo)" />
 <figcaption>KU's Grady Dick hit six first half 3-pointers Thursday vs. NC State in the opening round of the Battle 4 Atlantis at Paradise Island, Bahamas. (Kansas Athletics photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas (AP) — Bill Self couldn't wait to get started Wednesday at the Battle 4 Atlantis. Neither could hot-shooting Kansas rookie Gradey Dick.Dick scored a season-high 25 points to help the third-ranked Jayhawks beat North Carolina State 80-74 in Wednesday’s tournament opener, giving Self a successful return to the bench after a four-game suspension.Dick had 18 on six 3-pointers in the first half before going 1 for 8 from the field after halftime. Jalen Wilson added 19 points and 11 rebounds for the reigning national champion Jayhawks (5-0), who blew an eight-point halftime lead and a nine-point second-half lead before grinding it out.“I think it really just showed what our team's about and in crunch time, we can come out with tough plays when we really need it,” Dick said.It also helped, Dick said, to “have a Hall of Famer in our corner" again.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-basketball-march-madness-mens-college-4ad44691ab500492a652e14c582c57ae">Kansas had imposed the suspension</a>&nbsp;on Self and assistant Kurtis Townsend as part of the fallout from a pending NCAA infractions case tied to the federal investigation into corruption within the sport.Self was allowed to coach practices, so he remained involved with the team. But on gamedays, he said he got a dose of the helpless perspective of a fan while assistant Norm Roberts led the team. He said he couldn't even take notes until he watched the game on a replay.He was ready for Wednesday right from the 7 a.m. wake-up call.“I usually don't jump out of bed,” Self said, “but I kind of did today because I was excited about what was getting ready to happen.”As he emerged from the tunnel, Self was greeted with loud cheers from a boisterous Kansas fan section. He had a slight smile as one fan dangled a Jayhawks national title banner as he walked by and gave light high-fives to a line of about a half-dozen fans who had extended their arms over their railing.Casey Morsell scored 21 points to lead the Wolfpack (4-1), while Terquavion Smith added 19 points.This was N.C. State’s first appearance at Atlantis since 2017 at the start of Kevin Keatts’ coaching tenure. That team opened by beating No. 2 Arizona and this year’s bunch gave Kansas fits all the way to the final minutes.“We missed a couple of free throws down the stretch, I thought they got out in transition,” Keatts said. “We had a couple of breakdowns that when you're in that one- or two-possession game, everything is important down the stretch.”BIG PICTUREN.C. State: The Wolfpack program had also been caught up in the FBI investigation of the sport involving recruiting violations tied to one-and-done freshman Dennis Smith Jr. under former coach Mark Gottfried. That case had hung over the entirety of Keatts' tenure until there was a December resolution. Now Keatts has restocked his roster with a style closer to his vision: playing fast and picking up fullcourt even against a marquee-name program.“I don't know from a raw speed standpoint if there's anybody that we'll play against that is as quick as" the backcourt of Smith and Jarkel Joiner, Self said, adding: “We're athletic, pretty athletic — but we're not jet quick. So we had to be turned up pretty good to stay in front of them.”Kansas: The 6-foot-8 Dick is off to a strong start. He came in averaging 16.8 points while shooting 10 of 20 from 3-point range, then surpassed his (short) season high of 23 points from the opener against Omaha.KEY SEQUENCESDick's sixth 3-pointer for a 39-31 lead came before the halftime horn and through light contact from Morsell, with Dick falling to the floor. He got up with an emphatic shout, clapping, while Morsell could only respond with a frustrated shrug.But N.C. State answered with an 8-0 burst, with Morsell hitting a 3 on the break and another on a stepback to tie it.The Wolfpack never led after halftime but tied it five times, the last at 63-all on Jack Clark’s jumper with 7:14 left.UP NEXTN.C. State: The Wolfpack will face the Wisconsin-Dayton loser in Thursday’s consolation bracket.Kansas: The Jayhawks advanced to Thursday’s semifinals to face the Wisconsin-Dayton winner.

🏀 No. 3 Kansas beats NC State in coach Bill Self's return

By STEPHEN HAWKINS&nbsp; Associated Press

The Texas Rangers hired Mike Maddux as their new pitching coach 
Wednesday, and added former Kansas City Royals general manager Dayton 
Moore as a senior adviser in their baseball operations department.

Maddux
 is returning to Texas to be on new manager Bruce Bochy's staff. Maddux 
was first the pitching coach for the Rangers from 2009-15, a span in 
which they made their only two World Series appearances. He spent the 
past five seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals, and has been part of 11 
playoffs teams over his past 15 seasons as a pitching coach.

Moore
 spent the past 16 years with the Royals, where he was named GM in May 
2006 and also served as president of baseball operations before getting 
fired in September. The Royals had three consecutive 100-loss seasons 
before Moore's arrival. They won back-to-back American League pennants 
in 2014 and 2015, beating the New York Mets for the World Series title 
after the second one.

Moore will collaborate with Rangers general 
manager Chris Young, the former pitcher who finished his big league 
playing career with the Royals from 2015-17.

“There is no one more
 respected in our game. He rebuilt the Royals into a world champion,” 
Young said. “Dayton’s experiences as a longtime general manager, as well
 as his extensive background in scouting, will be a tremendous asset to 
me and the other leaders of our baseball group.”

Before joining 
the Royals, Moore spent 13 seasons with the Atlanta Braves in scouting 
and player development roles before becoming their director of player 
personnel in 2002.

Maddux was the second-longest tenured pitching 
coach in club history when he left the Rangers after the 2015 season and
 spent the following two years with Washington. Texas had four 
consecutive seasons with team ERAs under 4.00 from 2010-13. Before his 
arrival, they hadn't had a team ERA under 4.00 since 1990, and haven't 
had one since Maddux left.

After 15 seasons pitching in the big leagues, Maddux began his MLB coaching career with the Milwaukee Brewers from 2003-08.

Even
 before three-time World Series champion manager Bochy was hired last 
month, the Rangers had said co-pitching coaches Doug Mathis and Brendan 
Sagara wouldn’t return to their major league staff.

By STEPHEN HAWKINS&nbsp; Associated PressThe Texas Rangers hired Mike Maddux as their new pitching coach 
Wednesday, and added former Kansas City Royals general manager Dayton 
Moore as a senior adviser in their baseball operations department.Maddux
 is returning to Texas to be on new manager Bruce Bochy's staff. Maddux 
was first the pitching coach for the Rangers from 2009-15, a span in 
which they made their only two World Series appearances. He spent the 
past five seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals, and has been part of 11 
playoffs teams over his past 15 seasons as a pitching coach.Moore
 spent the past 16 years with the Royals, where he was named GM in May 
2006 and also served as president of baseball operations before getting 
fired in September. The Royals had three consecutive 100-loss seasons 
before Moore's arrival. They won back-to-back American League pennants 
in 2014 and 2015, beating the New York Mets for the World Series title 
after the second one.Moore will collaborate with Rangers general 
manager Chris Young, the former pitcher who finished his big league 
playing career with the Royals from 2015-17.“There is no one more
 respected in our game. He rebuilt the Royals into a world champion,” 
Young said. “Dayton’s experiences as a longtime general manager, as well
 as his extensive background in scouting, will be a tremendous asset to 
me and the other leaders of our baseball group.”Before joining 
the Royals, Moore spent 13 seasons with the Atlanta Braves in scouting 
and player development roles before becoming their director of player 
personnel in 2002.Maddux was the second-longest tenured pitching 
coach in club history when he left the Rangers after the 2015 season and
 spent the following two years with Washington. Texas had four 
consecutive seasons with team ERAs under 4.00 from 2010-13. Before his 
arrival, they hadn't had a team ERA under 4.00 since 1990, and haven't 
had one since Maddux left.After 15 seasons pitching in the big leagues, Maddux began his MLB coaching career with the Milwaukee Brewers from 2003-08.Even
 before three-time World Series champion manager Bochy was hired last 
month, the Rangers had said co-pitching coaches Doug Mathis and Brendan 
Sagara wouldn’t return to their major league staff.

⚾ Dayton Moore joins Rangers organization as adviser

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Chiefs could have wide receiver JuJu 
Smith-Schuster back for this weekend's game against the Los Angeles Rams
 after he returned to practice Wednesday for the first time since 
landing in the concussion protocol two weeks ago.

Chiefs coach 
Andy Reid said that Smith-Schuster would need to get through a workout 
to officially clear the protocol, but signs point toward him being 
available Sunday. And that would be a major boost for a Chiefs offense 
missing wide receiver Mecole Hardman and potentially Kadarius Toney, who
 missed Wednesday's practice with a hamstring injury.

“Hopefully 
everything goes well with the protocol and stuff like that, he's ready 
to go,” Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes said. “To have that energy on
 the sideline — he's a great player and a great teammate, and you always
 want to have those guys back in the huddle.”

Right guard Joe 
Thuney missed practice Wednesday with an ankle injury, though Reid said 
it's getting better. Safety Juan Thornhill worked out despite a calf 
injury and cornerback Jaylen Watson despite an ailing hand.

The 
Chiefs also made a series of roster moves, putting running back Clyde 
Edwards-Helaire on injured reserve with a high ankle sprain; they 
activated offensive lineman Lucas Niang to the 53-man roster after he 
spent the start of the season on the PUP list; and they signed tight end
 Kendall Blanton to the practice squad after an injury to Jordan Franks.

The
 decision to put Edwards-Helaire on IR comes shortly after the 2020 
first-round pick ceded the starting job to seventh-round draft pick 
Isiah Pacheco. The Chiefs also have Jerick McKinnon in the backfield, 
though he's primarily a threat in the pass game, and veteran Ronald 
Jones II could be active for the first time Sunday.

“There's a 
chance he plays. I mean, a legitimate chance,” Reid said, “but within 
that he has to make sure he has all the protections down, the timing of 
the runs. Those are the things we look at. But he's been working at it.”

Smith-Schuster
 wound up missing only last week's 30-27 win over the Chargers after a 
vicious helmet-to-helmet shot from Jacksonville safety Andre Cisco the 
previous week left him laying motionless on the Arrowhead Stadium turf.

Smith-Schuster,
 who signed a one-year prove-it deal with Kansas City, has been more 
productive as he became more familiar with Mahomes and the offense. He 
caught five passes for 113 yards and a touchdown against Buffalo, seven 
for 124 yards and a score against San Francisco and 10 for 88 yards 
against Tennessee before getting hurt.

Justin Watson led the 
Chiefs with three catches for 67 yards against the Chargers last Sunday.
 Skyy Moore had the best game of his rookie season with five catches for
 63 yards. The only other wide receiver in their depleted group to catch
 a pass was Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who had an 18-yard grab to show 
for his four targets.

The performance by Moore, a second-round draft pick, was perhaps the most encouraging of them.

“He’s
 been struggling at times but you know what? It never put him in a dark 
place,” Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy said. “We always knew
 exactly what he can do. He just needed that opportunity to just go out 
there and shine.”

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Chiefs could have wide receiver JuJu 
Smith-Schuster back for this weekend's game against the Los Angeles Rams
 after he returned to practice Wednesday for the first time since 
landing in the concussion protocol two weeks ago.Chiefs coach 
Andy Reid said that Smith-Schuster would need to get through a workout 
to officially clear the protocol, but signs point toward him being 
available Sunday. And that would be a major boost for a Chiefs offense 
missing wide receiver Mecole Hardman and potentially Kadarius Toney, who
 missed Wednesday's practice with a hamstring injury.“Hopefully 
everything goes well with the protocol and stuff like that, he's ready 
to go,” Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes said. “To have that energy on
 the sideline — he's a great player and a great teammate, and you always
 want to have those guys back in the huddle.”Right guard Joe 
Thuney missed practice Wednesday with an ankle injury, though Reid said 
it's getting better. Safety Juan Thornhill worked out despite a calf 
injury and cornerback Jaylen Watson despite an ailing hand.The 
Chiefs also made a series of roster moves, putting running back Clyde 
Edwards-Helaire on injured reserve with a high ankle sprain; they 
activated offensive lineman Lucas Niang to the 53-man roster after he 
spent the start of the season on the PUP list; and they signed tight end
 Kendall Blanton to the practice squad after an injury to Jordan Franks.The
 decision to put Edwards-Helaire on IR comes shortly after the 2020 
first-round pick ceded the starting job to seventh-round draft pick 
Isiah Pacheco. The Chiefs also have Jerick McKinnon in the backfield, 
though he's primarily a threat in the pass game, and veteran Ronald 
Jones II could be active for the first time Sunday.“There's a 
chance he plays. I mean, a legitimate chance,” Reid said, “but within 
that he has to make sure he has all the protections down, the timing of 
the runs. Those are the things we look at. But he's been working at it.”Smith-Schuster
 wound up missing only last week's 30-27 win over the Chargers after a 
vicious helmet-to-helmet shot from Jacksonville safety Andre Cisco the 
previous week left him laying motionless on the Arrowhead Stadium turf.Smith-Schuster,
 who signed a one-year prove-it deal with Kansas City, has been more 
productive as he became more familiar with Mahomes and the offense. He 
caught five passes for 113 yards and a touchdown against Buffalo, seven 
for 124 yards and a score against San Francisco and 10 for 88 yards 
against Tennessee before getting hurt.Justin Watson led the 
Chiefs with three catches for 67 yards against the Chargers last Sunday.
 Skyy Moore had the best game of his rookie season with five catches for
 63 yards. The only other wide receiver in their depleted group to catch
 a pass was Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who had an 18-yard grab to show 
for his four targets.The performance by Moore, a second-round draft pick, was perhaps the most encouraging of them.“He’s
 been struggling at times but you know what? It never put him in a dark 
place,” Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy said. “We always knew
 exactly what he can do. He just needed that opportunity to just go out 
there and shine.”

🏈 Chiefs could have Smith-Schuster back from injury for Rams

By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT Hays Post

A year removed from leading the Thomas More Prep-Marian
football team to its best season in more than a decade, head coach Jay Harris is
stepping down.

The school announced Harris' resignation Tuesday.

In the four years that Harris led the Monarchs, they
finished with a record of 22-16.

The Monarchs earned back-to-back winning seasons in the 2020
and 2021 seasons — the first back-to-back winning seasons since 1989 and 1990.

The eight wins in 2021 was the most wins in a single season
since 2002. It also marked the first state quarterfinal appearance since the
2002 season.

Below is the press release from TMP-Marian.

[Hays, KS, Nov. 22, 2022] Jay Harris, the architect of TMP-Marian’s two most recent playoff football runs is
stepping down after four seasons at the helm. With a combined record of 22-16,
Harris led the Monarchs to the Regional championship in 2021.

“I have been privileged to work with great young men during
my time at TMP-Marian. I am grateful for all of the hard work that they have
put in during the off-season to become a better football team during the
season. I look forward to seeing what they can accomplish in years to come,”
said Harris.

Other highlights from Coach Harris’s tenure include having
26 All-League Honors earned by his players.

“Coach Harris always puts his players and students first,”
said TMP-Marian principal Chad Meitner. “He taught the game of football
incredibly well, but I can’t express my appreciation enough for his priority
and focus on teaching his players to be good men, husbands, and fathers.”

The search for a new head football coach has begun and
interested candidates can apply through tmp-m.org under the employment tab.

Located in Hays, Kan., Thomas More Prep-Marian is a Catholic
school serving grades 7-12. Students come from Hays, the surrounding region, and
from countries around the world. The school was founded by the Capuchin
Franciscans as Hays Catholic College in 1908 and ultimately became Thomas More
Prep-Marian in 1981. The school continues to serve young people in the
traditions of spiritual growth, academic excellence, and leadership formation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669229093972.jpeg" alt="Harris / TMP-M photo" />
 <figcaption>Harris / TMP-M photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT Hays PostA year removed from leading the Thomas More Prep-Marian
football team to its best season in more than a decade, head coach Jay Harris is
stepping down.The school announced Harris' resignation Tuesday.In the four years that Harris led the Monarchs, they
finished with a record of 22-16.The Monarchs earned back-to-back winning seasons in the 2020
and 2021 seasons — the first back-to-back winning seasons since 1989 and 1990.The eight wins in 2021 was the most wins in a single season
since 2002. It also marked the first state quarterfinal appearance since the
2002 season.Below is the press release from TMP-Marian.[Hays, KS, Nov. 22, 2022] Jay Harris, the architect of TMP-Marian’s two most recent playoff football runs is
stepping down after four seasons at the helm. With a combined record of 22-16,
Harris led the Monarchs to the Regional championship in 2021.“I have been privileged to work with great young men during
my time at TMP-Marian. I am grateful for all of the hard work that they have
put in during the off-season to become a better football team during the
season. I look forward to seeing what they can accomplish in years to come,”
said Harris.Other highlights from Coach Harris’s tenure include having
26 All-League Honors earned by his players.“Coach Harris always puts his players and students first,”
said TMP-Marian principal Chad Meitner. “He taught the game of football
incredibly well, but I can’t express my appreciation enough for his priority
and focus on teaching his players to be good men, husbands, and fathers.”The search for a new head football coach has begun and
interested candidates can apply through tmp-m.org under the employment tab.Located in Hays, Kan., Thomas More Prep-Marian is a Catholic
school serving grades 7-12. Students come from Hays, the surrounding region, and
from countries around the world. The school was founded by the Capuchin
Franciscans as Hays Catholic College in 1908 and ultimately became Thomas More
Prep-Marian in 1981. The school continues to serve young people in the
traditions of spiritual growth, academic excellence, and leadership formation.

🏈 Harris stepping down as TMP-M football coach

By GERARD WELLBROCK Hays Post

HAYS - Fort Hays State used a couple of big first half runs to build a 25-point halftime lead and cruised to a 65-32 win over Central Christian College Tuesday at Gross Memorial Coliseum for their fourth straight win.

The Tigers (4-1) scored 10 straight to grab an early 12-2 lead then later held CCC (3-4) scoreless for over 8 1/2 minutes building a 35-10 lead at halftime. They built their&nbsp;biggest lead of the game at points with 3:37 to play on a Traejon Davis dunk.

Kaleb Hammeke led a balanced scoring effort with 10 points and a team-high five assists. Davis added nine points and a career-high 11 rebounds. Ten of the 12 Tigers who played scored.

Fort Hays State dominated the game on the glass, doubling up CCC in rebounds 48-24. The Tigers had 17 offensive rebounds and scored 18 second-chance points. Central Christian finished at 23.4 percent shooting for the game, and just 18.2 percent beyond the 3-point line. Chris Witten led them with nine points off the bench. Jamir Spivey pulled down a team-best seven rebounds

UP NEXT Fort Hays State remains at home to take on Manhattan Christian (Kan.) College Saturday at 7 p.m. at Gross Memorial Coliseum. It will follow the FHSU women who hosts Tabor College at 5 p.m.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669174907908.jpeg" alt="Gilbert Peters drives to the basket vs. Central Christian College Tuesday night at Gross Memorial Coliseum. (FHSU Athletics photo/Nicole Heitmann)" />
 <figcaption>Gilbert Peters drives to the basket vs. Central Christian College Tuesday night at Gross Memorial Coliseum. (FHSU Athletics photo/Nicole Heitmann)</figcaption>
 </figure>By GERARD WELLBROCK Hays PostHAYS - Fort Hays State used a couple of big first half runs to build a 25-point halftime lead and cruised to a 65-32 win over Central Christian College Tuesday at Gross Memorial Coliseum for their fourth straight win.<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/1388701519&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-814667509/11-22-22-coach-mark-johnson-interview" title="Mark Johnson Postgame vs. Central Christian College (Nov. 22, 2022)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Mark Johnson Postgame vs. Central Christian College (Nov. 22, 2022)</a></div></div>The Tigers (4-1) scored 10 straight to grab an early 12-2 lead then later held CCC (3-4) scoreless for over 8 1/2 minutes building a 35-10 lead at halftime. They built their&nbsp;biggest lead of the game at points with 3:37 to play on a Traejon Davis dunk.Kaleb Hammeke led a balanced scoring effort with 10 points and a team-high five assists. Davis added nine points and a career-high 11 rebounds. Ten of the 12 Tigers who played scored.<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/1388701543&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-814667509/11-22-22-fhsu-mbkb-vs-central-christian-highlights" title="Fort Hays State MBB Highlights vs. Central Christian (Nov. 22, 2022)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Fort Hays State MBB Highlights vs. Central Christian (Nov. 22, 2022)</a></div></div>Fort Hays State dominated the game on the glass, doubling up CCC in rebounds 48-24. The Tigers had 17 offensive rebounds and scored 18 second-chance points. Central Christian finished at 23.4 percent shooting for the game, and just 18.2 percent beyond the 3-point line. Chris Witten led them with nine points off the bench. Jamir Spivey pulled down a team-best seven reboundsUP NEXT Fort Hays State remains at home to take on Manhattan Christian (Kan.) College Saturday at 7 p.m. at Gross Memorial Coliseum. It will follow the FHSU women who hosts Tabor College at 5 p.m.

🏀 Tigers cruise past Central Christian for fourth-straight win

GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands (AP) — Markquis Nowell scored 29 points and had 11 assists, Keyontae Johnson scored 28 points and grabbed nine rebounds and Kansas State beat Nevada 96-87 in overtime on Tuesday night.

The Wildcats (5-0) outscored Nevada 16-7 in the extra session. Nowell’s layup with 11 seconds left in regulation tied it at 80 and the Wolfpack couldn’t get off a shot.

Johnson's two foul shots with 37 seconds left in overtime gave Kansas State a 94-84 lead and marked the largest margin held by either team.

Kansas State is off to its best start since the 2018-19 season when it won its first six.

Jarod Lucas scored 20 points, Will Baker 19, Kenan Blackshear 17 with 10 assists and Tre Coleman and Darrion Williams each scored 10 for Nevada (5-1).

Kansas State finished 33-for-60 (55%) shooting and Nevada went 28 for 54 (52%).

Despite the loss, Nevada is off to its best start since starting the 2018-19 season winning 14 straight.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669202957872.jpeg" alt="K-State's Markquis Nowell drives in for two of his game-high 29 points vs. Nevada Tuesday at the Cayman Islands Classic. (Kansas State Athletics photo)" />
 <figcaption>K-State's Markquis Nowell drives in for two of his game-high 29 points vs. Nevada Tuesday at the Cayman Islands Classic. (Kansas State Athletics photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands (AP) — Markquis Nowell scored 29 points and had 11 assists, Keyontae Johnson scored 28 points and grabbed nine rebounds and Kansas State beat Nevada 96-87 in overtime on Tuesday night.The Wildcats (5-0) outscored Nevada 16-7 in the extra session. Nowell’s layup with 11 seconds left in regulation tied it at 80 and the Wolfpack couldn’t get off a shot.Johnson's two foul shots with 37 seconds left in overtime gave Kansas State a 94-84 lead and marked the largest margin held by either team.Kansas State is off to its best start since the 2018-19 season when it won its first six.Jarod Lucas scored 20 points, Will Baker 19, Kenan Blackshear 17 with 10 assists and Tre Coleman and Darrion Williams each scored 10 for Nevada (5-1).Kansas State finished 33-for-60 (55%) shooting and Nevada went 28 for 54 (52%).Despite the loss, Nevada is off to its best start since starting the 2018-19 season winning 14 straight.

🏀 K-State beats Nevada in OT for best start since 2018-19

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Kansas and coach Lance Leipold have agreed to their second contract extension in less than three months, this time adding two years to his deal and keeping him tied to the Jayhawks through the 2029 season, a person familiar with the terms told The Associated Press.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity Tuesday night because the school had not announced the extension.

Leipold had a year added to his original contract on Sept. 1 as a reward for a two-win first season that raised hopes around Lawrence that the football program might return to relevance. But after a 5-0 start had the Jayhawks ranked in the AP Top 25, and a sixth win made them bowl-eligible, the school aggressively moved to lock up Leipold well into the future — especially with Nebraska and Wisconsin, where he has deep connections, in the market for coaches.

Leipold’s original contract was a $16.5 million, six-year pact that paid him $2.2 million in its initial season with $200,000 increases each year. He also would earn $50,000 for finishing in the Top 25, earning Big 12 coach of the year or winning seven regular-season games, a threshold he can clear with a win Saturday over rival Kansas State.

He's already earned a $100,000 bonus for qualifying for a bowl and can earn another $75,000 for academic benchmarks.

Leipold was hired early last year, shortly after the Jayhawks parted with Les Miles amid sexual harassment allegations from his time at LSU. The scandal led to the ouster of Jeff Long, his longtime friend and the athletic director who hired him.

Kansas eventually gave the AD job to Travis Goff, and his first major move was to pluck Leipold — who won six Division III titles at Wisconsin-Whitewater — from Buffalo, which he had taken to three straight bowl games.

Leipold was a popular pick among Jayhawks fans because of his Midwest pedigree, small-town roots and success in building programs, and his old-school demeanor on the field fit seamlessly with the values of the school.

Despite having no offseason or time to put together a full recruiting class, Leipold managed to lead the Jayhawks to an upset of Texas late last season, and then carried the momentum right into this year. They ripped off five consecutive wins before losing quarterback Jalon Daniels to a shoulder injury, then toppled Oklahoma State with backup Jason Bean under center to qualify for a bowl game for the first time since the 2008 season.

On Saturday, they will try to snap a 13-game losing streak to Kansas State in their regular-season finale.

The extension for Leipold is the latest investment in football for a school primarily known for its national champion men's basketball program. Kansas officials announced plans last month for a long-awaited renovation to Memorial Stadium, part of a project that could exceed $300 million and include new conference, entertainment and retail spaces.

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Kansas and coach Lance Leipold have agreed to their second contract extension in less than three months, this time adding two years to his deal and keeping him tied to the Jayhawks through the 2029 season, a person familiar with the terms told The Associated Press.The person spoke on condition of anonymity Tuesday night because the school had not announced the extension.Leipold had a year added to his original contract on Sept. 1 as a reward for a two-win first season that raised hopes around Lawrence that the football program might return to relevance. But after a 5-0 start had the Jayhawks ranked in the AP Top 25, and a sixth win made them bowl-eligible, the school aggressively moved to lock up Leipold well into the future — especially with Nebraska and Wisconsin, where he has deep connections, in the market for coaches.Leipold’s original contract was a $16.5 million, six-year pact that paid him $2.2 million in its initial season with $200,000 increases each year. He also would earn $50,000 for finishing in the Top 25, earning Big 12 coach of the year or winning seven regular-season games, a threshold he can clear with a win Saturday over rival Kansas State.He's already earned a $100,000 bonus for qualifying for a bowl and can earn another $75,000 for academic benchmarks.Leipold was hired early last year, shortly after the Jayhawks parted with Les Miles amid sexual harassment allegations from his time at LSU. The scandal led to the ouster of Jeff Long, his longtime friend and the athletic director who hired him.Kansas eventually gave the AD job to Travis Goff, and his first major move was to pluck Leipold — who won six Division III titles at Wisconsin-Whitewater — from Buffalo, which he had taken to three straight bowl games.Leipold was a popular pick among Jayhawks fans because of his Midwest pedigree, small-town roots and success in building programs, and his old-school demeanor on the field fit seamlessly with the values of the school.Despite having no offseason or time to put together a full recruiting class, Leipold managed to lead the Jayhawks to an upset of Texas late last season, and then carried the momentum right into this year. They ripped off five consecutive wins before losing quarterback Jalon Daniels to a shoulder injury, then toppled Oklahoma State with backup Jason Bean under center to qualify for a bowl game for the first time since the 2008 season.On Saturday, they will try to snap a 13-game losing streak to Kansas State in their regular-season finale.The extension for Leipold is the latest investment in football for a school primarily known for its national champion men's basketball program. Kansas officials announced plans last month for a long-awaited renovation to Memorial Stadium, part of a project that could exceed $300 million and include new conference, entertainment and retail spaces.

🏈 KU gives coach Lance Leipold 2-year extension

LILBURN, Ga. - The Fort Hays State women's basketball team continued its run in the WBCA Division II Top 25 again this week (Nov. 22), sitting in 23rd in the first regular season poll of the 2022-23 season. It is the 26th-consecutive release in which the Tigers have been ranked in the top 25 dating back to the first poll of the shortened 2020-21 season. The current streak is three shy of the program record of 29-straight weeks, set between the 2018-19 preseason poll and February 4, 2020. This is the fifth time the Tigers have been ranked 23rd in the coaches poll during the program's DII era. The Tigers are 2-4 when playing as the 23rd-ranked team in DII, including a 1-1 record at home and a 1-3 mark on the road. Most recently, the Tigers were ranked 23rd late in the 2019-20 season (2/4/20). The Tigers went 1-1 at home that week before falling out of the polls the following week. Fort Hays State is 144-38 all-time when ranked in the top 25. Fort Hays State is one of seven Central Region programs recognized in the latest poll. MIAA rival Missouri Southern moved up to No. 10 in the country, with Minnesota State close behind in 11th. Nebraska-Kearney, Augustana, Central Missouri and Minnesota Duluth are all receiving votes. Fort Hays State will return to action after the Thanksgiving break on Saturday (Nov. 26) when the Tigers host Tabor beginning at 5 p.m. inside Gross Memorial Coliseum. WBCA DII Coaches Poll - 11/22/22 Rk. - School (1st) - W-L - Pts. - Last 1 - Grand Valley State (17) - 4-0 - 566 - 1 2 - West Texas A&amp;M (2) - 5-0 - 516 - 6 3 - Ashland &nbsp;- 4-0 - 493 - 5 4 - Glenville State (4) - 3-0 - 487 - 8 5 - Eckerd &nbsp;- 3-0 - 435 - 11 6 - Union, Tenn. - 2-0 - 424 - 4 7 - Drury &nbsp;- 3-0 - 378 - 10 8 - Georgia Southwestern &nbsp;- 3-0 - 366 - 14 9 - Bentley &nbsp;- 3-0 - 358 - 13 10 - Missouri Southern State &nbsp;- 5-0 - 325 - 19 11 - Minnesota State Mankato &nbsp;- 3-0 - 312 - 15 12 - North Georgia &nbsp;- 4-0 - 277 - 18 13 - Western Washington &nbsp;- 1-1 - 273 - 2 14 - Tampa &nbsp;- 4-0 - 265 - 17 15 - Alaska Anchorage &nbsp;- 3-0 - 262 - RV 16 - Charleston, W.V. &nbsp;- 3-1 - 213 - 15 17 - Carson-Newman &nbsp;- 3-1 - 196 - 9 18 - California, Pa. - 2-1 - 177 - 7 19 - Cal State San Marcos &nbsp;- 2-1 - 132 - 12 20 - Gannon &nbsp;- 4-0 - 120 - RV 21 - Colorado Mines &nbsp;- 2-1 - 97 - 20 22 - Thomas Jefferson &nbsp;- 4-0 - 93 - RV 23 - Fort Hays State &nbsp;- 3-3 - 74 - 3 24 - Azusa Pacific &nbsp;- 3-2 - 72 - 21 25 - Savannah State &nbsp;- 2-0 - 68 - 25&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669150444006.jpeg" alt="FHSU Athletics photo" />
 <figcaption>FHSU Athletics photo</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsLILBURN, Ga. - The Fort Hays State women's basketball team continued its run in the WBCA Division II Top 25 again this week (Nov. 22), sitting in 23rd in the first regular season poll of the 2022-23 season. It is the 26th-consecutive release in which the Tigers have been ranked in the top 25 dating back to the first poll of the shortened 2020-21 season. The current streak is three shy of the program record of 29-straight weeks, set between the 2018-19 preseason poll and February 4, 2020. This is the fifth time the Tigers have been ranked 23rd in the coaches poll during the program's DII era. The Tigers are 2-4 when playing as the 23rd-ranked team in DII, including a 1-1 record at home and a 1-3 mark on the road. Most recently, the Tigers were ranked 23rd late in the 2019-20 season (2/4/20). The Tigers went 1-1 at home that week before falling out of the polls the following week. Fort Hays State is 144-38 all-time when ranked in the top 25. Fort Hays State is one of seven Central Region programs recognized in the latest poll. MIAA rival Missouri Southern moved up to No. 10 in the country, with Minnesota State close behind in 11th. Nebraska-Kearney, Augustana, Central Missouri and Minnesota Duluth are all receiving votes. Fort Hays State will return to action after the Thanksgiving break on Saturday (Nov. 26) when the Tigers host Tabor beginning at 5 p.m. inside Gross Memorial Coliseum. WBCA DII Coaches Poll - 11/22/22 Rk. - School (1st) - W-L - Pts. - Last 1 - Grand Valley State (17) - 4-0 - 566 - 1 2 - West Texas A&amp;M (2) - 5-0 - 516 - 6 3 - Ashland &nbsp;- 4-0 - 493 - 5 4 - Glenville State (4) - 3-0 - 487 - 8 5 - Eckerd &nbsp;- 3-0 - 435 - 11 6 - Union, Tenn. - 2-0 - 424 - 4 7 - Drury &nbsp;- 3-0 - 378 - 10 8 - Georgia Southwestern &nbsp;- 3-0 - 366 - 14 9 - Bentley &nbsp;- 3-0 - 358 - 13 10 - Missouri Southern State &nbsp;- 5-0 - 325 - 19 11 - Minnesota State Mankato &nbsp;- 3-0 - 312 - 15 12 - North Georgia &nbsp;- 4-0 - 277 - 18 13 - Western Washington &nbsp;- 1-1 - 273 - 2 14 - Tampa &nbsp;- 4-0 - 265 - 17 15 - Alaska Anchorage &nbsp;- 3-0 - 262 - RV 16 - Charleston, W.V. &nbsp;- 3-1 - 213 - 15 17 - Carson-Newman &nbsp;- 3-1 - 196 - 9 18 - California, Pa. - 2-1 - 177 - 7 19 - Cal State San Marcos &nbsp;- 2-1 - 132 - 12 20 - Gannon &nbsp;- 4-0 - 120 - RV 21 - Colorado Mines &nbsp;- 2-1 - 97 - 20 22 - Thomas Jefferson &nbsp;- 4-0 - 93 - RV 23 - Fort Hays State &nbsp;- 3-3 - 74 - 3 24 - Azusa Pacific &nbsp;- 3-2 - 72 - 21 25 - Savannah State &nbsp;- 2-0 - 68 - 25&nbsp;&nbsp;

🏀 Tiger women drop to No. 23 in latest Division II coaches poll

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - For the second week in a row Fort Hays State's&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/wrestling/roster/tereus-henry/7220">Tereus Henry</a>&nbsp;has been named the MIAA Wrestler of the Week, announced Tuesday by the league office. The El Paso, Texas native shared this week's award with Conner Johnston of Central Missouri. Henry, the 11th-ranked wrestler in Division II at 197 pounds, picked up his fourth-career open tournament championship on Saturday after winning the elite 197-pound bracket at the 2022 Younes Hospitality Open in Kearney, Neb. He recorded four victories on the day, including two wins over nationally ranked opponents while all four triumphs came against DII opponents. Henry opened the tournament with a 10-6 decision in his first round before capturing a 12-4 major decision in the quarterfinals. He then defeated fourth-ranked Matt Kaylor of UMary 8-5 in the semifinals before defeating sixth-ranked Anderson Salisbury of Colorado School of Mines in sudden victory, 5-3, to secure the championship. The fourth-year sophomore&nbsp;is now 9-1 on the year with five bonus-point victories. Henry and the rest of his Tiger teammates will return to competition on December 2 with a pair of duals against San Francisco State and Colorado School of Mines in Golden, Colo.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669148642495.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsKANSAS CITY, Mo. - For the second week in a row Fort Hays State's&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/wrestling/roster/tereus-henry/7220">Tereus Henry</a>&nbsp;has been named the MIAA Wrestler of the Week, announced Tuesday by the league office. The El Paso, Texas native shared this week's award with Conner Johnston of Central Missouri. Henry, the 11th-ranked wrestler in Division II at 197 pounds, picked up his fourth-career open tournament championship on Saturday after winning the elite 197-pound bracket at the 2022 Younes Hospitality Open in Kearney, Neb. He recorded four victories on the day, including two wins over nationally ranked opponents while all four triumphs came against DII opponents. Henry opened the tournament with a 10-6 decision in his first round before capturing a 12-4 major decision in the quarterfinals. He then defeated fourth-ranked Matt Kaylor of UMary 8-5 in the semifinals before defeating sixth-ranked Anderson Salisbury of Colorado School of Mines in sudden victory, 5-3, to secure the championship. The fourth-year sophomore&nbsp;is now 9-1 on the year with five bonus-point victories. Henry and the rest of his Tiger teammates will return to competition on December 2 with a pair of duals against San Francisco State and Colorado School of Mines in Golden, Colo.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🤼‍♂️ FHSU's Henry earns another MIAA weekly honor

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– Kansas State junior Deuce Vaughn&nbsp;is one of 10 running backs in the country to be named a semifinalist for the 2022 Doak Walker Award, the PwC SMU Athletic Forum announced Tuesday.&nbsp;&nbsp;

It is the second-straight year that Vaughn is a semifinalist for the nation's premier running back honor – the first time in school history a Wildcat has been named a semifinalist for the award twice in a career – while it is the fourth time a K-State running back has reached semifinalist status. He is one of three returning semifinalists on this year's list, joining Texas' Bijan Robinson (2021) and Minnesota's Mohamed Ibrahim (2020). Vaughn and Robinson were joined on the list by another Big 12 running back in TCU's Kendre Miller. A product of Round Rock, Texas, Vaughn currently ranks ninth in school history with 1,148 rushing yards this season as he became just the third player in school history with multiple 1,000-yard seasons (Darren Sproles: 2002, 2003, 2004; Daniel Thomas: 2009, 2010). He ranks 14th&nbsp;nationally in scrimmage yards (rushing + receiving) per game at 128.5, while he is 22nd&nbsp;in the country in all-purpose yards per game at 128.55. Earlier this year, Vaughn became the fastest player in Big 12 history and tied for the fastest in the nation since 1996 with 3,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards in a career, doing so in his 32nd&nbsp;career game. He ranks second nationally among running backs with three receiving touchdowns this season, while he is fifth in catches (38) and 14th&nbsp;in receiving yards (266). Finalists for the 2022 Doak Walker Award will be announced November 29, and the winner will be unveiled live on ESPN during&nbsp;The Home Depot College Football Awards&nbsp;on December 8. Kansas State, which checks in at No. 15 in this week's Associated Press Top 25, hosts Kansas for the annual Dillons Sunflower Showdown on Saturday inside a sold-out Bill Snyder Family Stadium. The game kicks at 7 p.m., and will be shown on FOX.&nbsp; &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669148290088.jpeg" alt="Kansas State Athletics photo" />
 <figcaption>Kansas State Athletics photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas State AthleticsMANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– Kansas State junior Deuce Vaughn&nbsp;is one of 10 running backs in the country to be named a semifinalist for the 2022 Doak Walker Award, the PwC SMU Athletic Forum announced Tuesday.&nbsp;&nbsp;It is the second-straight year that Vaughn is a semifinalist for the nation's premier running back honor – the first time in school history a Wildcat has been named a semifinalist for the award twice in a career – while it is the fourth time a K-State running back has reached semifinalist status. He is one of three returning semifinalists on this year's list, joining Texas' Bijan Robinson (2021) and Minnesota's Mohamed Ibrahim (2020). Vaughn and Robinson were joined on the list by another Big 12 running back in TCU's Kendre Miller. A product of Round Rock, Texas, Vaughn currently ranks ninth in school history with 1,148 rushing yards this season as he became just the third player in school history with multiple 1,000-yard seasons (Darren Sproles: 2002, 2003, 2004; Daniel Thomas: 2009, 2010). He ranks 14th&nbsp;nationally in scrimmage yards (rushing + receiving) per game at 128.5, while he is 22nd&nbsp;in the country in all-purpose yards per game at 128.55. Earlier this year, Vaughn became the fastest player in Big 12 history and tied for the fastest in the nation since 1996 with 3,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards in a career, doing so in his 32nd&nbsp;career game. He ranks second nationally among running backs with three receiving touchdowns this season, while he is fifth in catches (38) and 14th&nbsp;in receiving yards (266). Finalists for the 2022 Doak Walker Award will be announced November 29, and the winner will be unveiled live on ESPN during&nbsp;The Home Depot College Football Awards&nbsp;on December 8. Kansas State, which checks in at No. 15 in this week's Associated Press Top 25, hosts Kansas for the annual Dillons Sunflower Showdown on Saturday inside a sold-out Bill Snyder Family Stadium. The game kicks at 7 p.m., and will be shown on FOX.&nbsp; &nbsp;

🏈 K-State's Vaughn named semifinalist for Doak Walker Award

Central Christian College (3-4) at Fort Hays State (3-1) Tuesday, November 22 - 7:00 p.m. Hays, Kan. - Gross Memorial Coliseum Radio - KJLS (103.3)&nbsp;

<a href="https://radio.securenetsystems.net/cwa/KJLS">CLICK HERE TO LISTEN</a>

Fort Hays State Men's Basketball returns to the floor on Tuesday (Nov. 22) night hosting Central Christian College at 7 p.m. The Tigers are coming off a thrilling 68-66 win over MSU Denver on Sunday and enter the game at 3-1 overall. Central Christian enters at 3-4 overall. After falling in its first contest of the season, Fort Hays State has won three straight games. The Tigers are 2-0 at home so far with wins over Bethel College and MSU Denver. The Tigers are outscoring opponents by an average of 9.7 points per game so far and outrebounding opponents by an average of five per game. The Tigers are one of the top free-throw shooting teams in NCAA Division II so far this year at 88.3 percent as a team (68-of-77), ranking third nationally. <a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/kaleb-hammeke/6897">Kaleb Hammeke</a>&nbsp;is leading the Tiger scoring effort so far at 15.0 points per game, while&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/elijah-nnanabu/6902">Elijah Nnanabu</a>&nbsp;is also averaging double figures at 12.3 per game. Fort Hays State has won all 20 previous meetings with Central Christian, including an 82-40 win in Hays last year. All but one of the meetings occurred since the 2000-01 season, but the first meeting was all the way back in 1945-46. Central Christian is averaging 75.1 points per game this season, while allowing 82 per game. The Tigers from McPherson are -3.9 in rebounding margin this season, but +3.9 in turnover margin.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669117846719.jpeg" alt="FHSU Athletics photo/Madison Shapland" />
 <figcaption>FHSU Athletics photo/Madison Shapland</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsCentral Christian College (3-4) at Fort Hays State (3-1) Tuesday, November 22 - 7:00 p.m. Hays, Kan. - Gross Memorial Coliseum Radio - KJLS (103.3)&nbsp;<a href="https://radio.securenetsystems.net/cwa/KJLS">CLICK HERE TO LISTEN</a> Fort Hays State Men's Basketball returns to the floor on Tuesday (Nov. 22) night hosting Central Christian College at 7 p.m. The Tigers are coming off a thrilling 68-66 win over MSU Denver on Sunday and enter the game at 3-1 overall. Central Christian enters at 3-4 overall. After falling in its first contest of the season, Fort Hays State has won three straight games. The Tigers are 2-0 at home so far with wins over Bethel College and MSU Denver. The Tigers are outscoring opponents by an average of 9.7 points per game so far and outrebounding opponents by an average of five per game. The Tigers are one of the top free-throw shooting teams in NCAA Division II so far this year at 88.3 percent as a team (68-of-77), ranking third nationally. <a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/kaleb-hammeke/6897">Kaleb Hammeke</a>&nbsp;is leading the Tiger scoring effort so far at 15.0 points per game, while&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/elijah-nnanabu/6902">Elijah Nnanabu</a>&nbsp;is also averaging double figures at 12.3 per game. Fort Hays State has won all 20 previous meetings with Central Christian, including an 82-40 win in Hays last year. All but one of the meetings occurred since the 2000-01 season, but the first meeting was all the way back in 1945-46. Central Christian is averaging 75.1 points per game this season, while allowing 82 per game. The Tigers from McPherson are -3.9 in rebounding margin this season, but +3.9 in turnover margin.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🏀🎙️ LISTEN - Tiger men host Central Christian Tuesday night

By BRETT MARSHALL <a href="https://www.wacathletics.com/hays-dominates-wac-football-honors/">wacathletics.com</a>

It does, however, seem&nbsp;appropriate for
the 2022 Hays High Indians football team.

Head Coach Tony Crough guided his latest
edition to a school record 10 wins, sweeping the four opponents in the Western
Athletic Conference to win the title outright, and then saw his top offensive
player – Malik Bah – and defensive player – Bryce Salmans – capture WAC
Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year awards.

In a year that set a new standard at Hays, it
was runner-up Great Bend Head Coach Erin Beck who earned the vote of his peers
to win WAC Coaching honors. Beck’s Panthers went 7-3 after entering the season
with a&nbsp;19-game losing streak, covering a period of three seasons.

The 10 wins engineered&nbsp;by Crough,
propelled&nbsp;the Indians all the way to the Class 5A semifinals where their
season ended with a loss to Maize High, with the only other setback to No.
1-ranked Class 6A and state finalist Manhattan during the regular season.

The Indians defeated WAC opponents Great Bend
(33-7), Garden City (30-26), Dodge City (31-7) and Liberal (56-12). A year
earlier, the Indians shared the WAC crown with both Dodge City and Garden City
when the three teams traded wins over the others – Garden over Hays, Hays over
Dodge and Dodge over Garden.

This time, there was no sharing with the other
WAC teams.

In a season after some of Hays High’s best
players graduated to the collegiate level of Division I, Crough
stitched&nbsp;together a team that ran the ball impressively, passed
effectively, and used a strong defense to keep opponents out of the end zone
much of the year.

“No. 1, you have to have good players and
we’ve got a number of those,” Crough said. “If you don’t have enough talent,
you’re not going to make a run in the playoffs.”

Crough just completed his fifth season at the
program’s helm and each year the Indians have seen a steady improvement. His
teams have gone 3-6, 4-6, 5-3, 8-3 and this year’s 10-2. The 10 wins is a
program record, eclipsing the 1984 and 1993 teams that reached the state semis.

“I think that Hays has always had some good athletes,
but I honestly don’t think they had the mindset of winning as a big priority,”
Crough said of the program he inherited in 2018. “We had to go out and beat the
drums some to get kids to come out. We had to instill a belief that they could
win, and now I think we have a belief of expecting to win.”

Crough credited his school’s administration
for allowing him to bring in coaches who could also teach at the high school,
effectively making communication with the student-athletes much better.

“It all comes from the top down, and we’ve
just embraced a winning atmosphere and the kids, the community have all bought
in,” Crough said.&nbsp;

While his 2021 team reached the 5A
quarterfinals before losing to Hays, Crough said this year’s team had a
different approach to the just-completed season.

“We had 21 seniors and a lot of depth in the
class,” Crough said. “We lost some great players from the 2021 team, but a lot
of our really good players were juniors last year. It was just a matter of how
we would fill in those positions and we had a bunch of hungry juniors to do
that.”

While quarterback Kyreese Groen was the
starter of the Hays offense, it was Bah, a speedy junior, who ran roughshod
over the opposition in the eight-game regulation&nbsp;season&nbsp;with 1,327
yards (165.9 avg.) while scoring 20 rushing touchdowns.&nbsp;He finished the
12-game schedule with 1,633 yards on 155 carries (10.54 avg.) with 22
touchdowns. He fumbled just once.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669130442352.png" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Great Bend’s Beck nabs Coaching honor</h2>By BRETT MARSHALL <a href="https://www.wacathletics.com/hays-dominates-wac-football-honors/">wacathletics.com</a>To the victor goes the spoils.Or so the saying goes.It does, however, seem&nbsp;appropriate for
the 2022 Hays High Indians football team.Head Coach Tony Crough guided his latest
edition to a school record 10 wins, sweeping the four opponents in the Western
Athletic Conference to win the title outright, and then saw his top offensive
player – Malik Bah – and defensive player – Bryce Salmans – capture WAC
Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year awards.In a year that set a new standard at Hays, it
was runner-up Great Bend Head Coach Erin Beck who earned the vote of his peers
to win WAC Coaching honors. Beck’s Panthers went 7-3 after entering the season
with a&nbsp;19-game losing streak, covering a period of three seasons.The 10 wins engineered&nbsp;by Crough,
propelled&nbsp;the Indians all the way to the Class 5A semifinals where their
season ended with a loss to Maize High, with the only other setback to No.
1-ranked Class 6A and state finalist Manhattan during the regular season.The Indians defeated WAC opponents Great Bend
(33-7), Garden City (30-26), Dodge City (31-7) and Liberal (56-12). A year
earlier, the Indians shared the WAC crown with both Dodge City and Garden City
when the three teams traded wins over the others – Garden over Hays, Hays over
Dodge and Dodge over Garden.This time, there was no sharing with the other
WAC teams.In a season after some of Hays High’s best
players graduated to the collegiate level of Division I, Crough
stitched&nbsp;together a team that ran the ball impressively, passed
effectively, and used a strong defense to keep opponents out of the end zone
much of the year.“No. 1, you have to have good players and
we’ve got a number of those,” Crough said. “If you don’t have enough talent,
you’re not going to make a run in the playoffs.”Crough just completed his fifth season at the
program’s helm and each year the Indians have seen a steady improvement. His
teams have gone 3-6, 4-6, 5-3, 8-3 and this year’s 10-2. The 10 wins is a
program record, eclipsing the 1984 and 1993 teams that reached the state semis.“I think that Hays has always had some good athletes,
but I honestly don’t think they had the mindset of winning as a big priority,”
Crough said of the program he inherited in 2018. “We had to go out and beat the
drums some to get kids to come out. We had to instill a belief that they could
win, and now I think we have a belief of expecting to win.”Crough credited his school’s administration
for allowing him to bring in coaches who could also teach at the high school,
effectively making communication with the student-athletes much better.“It all comes from the top down, and we’ve
just embraced a winning atmosphere and the kids, the community have all bought
in,” Crough said.&nbsp;While his 2021 team reached the 5A
quarterfinals before losing to Hays, Crough said this year’s team had a
different approach to the just-completed season.“We had 21 seniors and a lot of depth in the
class,” Crough said. “We lost some great players from the 2021 team, but a lot
of our really good players were juniors last year. It was just a matter of how
we would fill in those positions and we had a bunch of hungry juniors to do
that.”While quarterback Kyreese Groen was the
starter of the Hays offense, it was Bah, a speedy junior, who ran roughshod
over the opposition in the eight-game regulation&nbsp;season&nbsp;with 1,327
yards (165.9 avg.) while scoring 20 rushing touchdowns.&nbsp;He finished the
12-game schedule with 1,633 yards on 155 carries (10.54 avg.) with 22
touchdowns. He fumbled just once.&nbsp;Bah also showed his versatility by catching 10
passes for 206 yards and a pair of touchdowns. In many games, the speedy junior
played just about half the time, according to Crough. And he missed two games
due to injuries.“He’s an elite, elite running back,” Crough
said of Bah. “He’s got speed, quickness and good vision. He does a great job of
showing patience by following his blockers. He’s just got all of those natural
skills that you don’t teach.”Groen countered Bah’s speed with heads up
decision-making plays that accounted for&nbsp;1,004&nbsp;rushing yards
and&nbsp;13&nbsp;TDs while completing&nbsp;46-of-101&nbsp;passes for&nbsp;805&nbsp;yards
and 14&nbsp;touchdowns with just 3 interceptions.“He just did a great job of running our
offense,” Crough said of his QB. “We have a lot of different ways to move the
ball, but it all starts with his decision-making.”On the receiving end was rangy wide receiver
Keamonie Archie, who hauled in&nbsp;20 passes for 379 yards
and&nbsp;8&nbsp;touchdowns.&nbsp;Defensively, Salmans wasn’t the highest
tackler on the HHS defense as many teams simply ran away from him. But he led
the WAC with 5 sacks and 13&nbsp;tackles for a loss.&nbsp;He also forced a
fumble and recovered three opponent miscues. He finished with 57 tackles, 27 of
those solo.Unquestionably, the combination of offense and
defense put the Indians in a position to succeed at a high level as they
produced one of the best seasons in school history.“The strength of our offense comes from our
defense, which did a great job all season,” Crough said. “Our defense put us in
good position so many different times for our offense.”The Indians’ defense gave up just an average
of 15.9 points per game and just 238 total yards each outing (107 passing/128
rushing). They also had a turnover margin of plus-17.Crough credits&nbsp;the players and their
belief in the system&nbsp;for the general uptick in the program, which had
several 5A postseason playoff games a decade ago, but couldn’t get out of the
first round.&nbsp;The Indians had struggled through three losing seasons before
his arrival.Crough played quarterback in high school at
Garden City for Dave Meadows in the late 1990s and credits his former coach for
much of his current philosophy.“I learned so much from Coach,” Crough said in
referencing Meadows (Coach of the 1999 6A state championship team). “I learned
how to build a program and how much he poured himself into the kids. I learned
about being part of a team and how to find kids. You have to see the value in
the kids and become a model of consistency. He taught me about believing it
could happen and building character to be a great person on and off the field.
You learn how to do the little things over and over and over.”Offensive&nbsp;Player of the Year 
Malik Bah, Hays, Jr., 5-8, 175-lb, RB&nbsp;The speedy Bah, who still has a senior season
to look forward to in 2023, was brilliant for the Indians this season.Clocked at 11.0 in the 100-meter dash, Bah
used his speed and quickness to finish the 2022 campaign with 1,633 yards on
just 155 carries (10.54 avg.) and reached the end zone 22 times carrying the
ball. He added 10 catches for 206 yards and another&nbsp;2 TDs. Add in 122
yards on kickoff returns and 88 on punt returns and he compiled 2,049
all-purpose yards.“He’s an elite, elite running back,” his
coach, Tony Crough, said. “I’m not saying he’s a Darren Sproles or a Deuce
Vaughn, but he has a similar style to them.”For Bah, the breakout season was something he
and his teammates had looked to early before the season even began.“We listened to the coaches and I just
followed my offensive linemen,” he said. “They’re some real good dudes up front
and I learned how to be more patient and not just run side to side. I learned
how to follow my blockers and then make the move to an opening.”Bah said an opening-game victory over Junction
City gave the Indians a lot of confidence and then they played 6A state
finalist and No. 1-ranked Manhattan tough early in the season.“We just kept getting better each week after
those games,” Bah said. “With the line blocking, I feel like any play I can be
taking off for six (TD).”Bah said the team’s chemistry was a big factor
in the success of the 2022 season.“We’ve bonded year to year, but we were more
about WE and not ME this year and that was a big factor,” Bah said. “I can’t
wait to get back and start working for my senior year. It goes way too fast.”Defensive Player of the Year 
Bryce Salmans, Hays, Sr., 6-1, 225-lb., DESalmans perhaps had more impact for the
Indians’ defense than any other player, according to Crough. His stats might
tell otherwise, but the 6-1, 225-pounder influenced how teams’ offense played
against the Indians.“A lot of people simply ran away from his side
of the field,” Crough said. “I think we found out when we moved him defensive
end that he became one of the better ones in the state. He’s really athletic.
He’s just one of those kids with some rare skills (he was a member of the track
team’s 4×100-meter relay unit).”Salmans’ numbers showed 57 tackles, 27 of
those solo. He led the WAC in sacks with 5 and tackles for loss with 13. He
forced one fumble and recovered three.“I think my role this year at defensive end
was just to fit in and keep the offense from getting to the outside edge,”
Salmans said. “Our team really bonded this year and our defense definitely
improved over the year as we got more reps.”In his first year at defensive end, Salmans
said he had to learn some of the more nuanced parts of the position.“I think early I just tried to bulldoze people
and I had to learn about leverage and moving side to side,” Salmans said. “I
think I was able to cover the run/pass about the same. I think a key is just
going as hard as you can on every play.”Salmans said he hopes to play football at the
next level, but recruiting has yet to get serious.“Not sure where, but I want to play
somewhere,” he said. “I want to study either physical therapy or law but I’m
unsure about that, too.”All-WAC selectionsBah, of course, leads the way on the all-WAC
first-team offense and is joined on the squad by teammates Derrik Riggs (Sr.,
OL), Quinton McGuire (Sr., OL) and Groen (Sr., Athlete). Conference runner-up
Great Bend and third-place Garden City each had three first-teamers on offense.The Panthers’ selections include junior OL
Matthew Johnson, senior quarterback Cayden Scheuerman) and senior wide receiver
Braylon Council. The Buffaloes’ choices include OL Garrett Messenger, running
back Zack Keosengphet and special&nbsp;team’s&nbsp;player Jerry Arteaga. All
are seniors.Liberal’s two selections include quarterback
J. Brooks Kappelmann and wide receiver Zayden Martinez, both juniors, and Dodge
City senior OL Roman Loya.Defensively, the stingy Hays defense also set
standard for selections as five Indians received first-team votes. In addition
to Salmans, senior lineman Carson Spray, senior linebackers Evan Lind and Wyatt
Waddell and defensive back Connor Dreiling made the top squad.Great Bend had a pair of selections in junior
lineman Dee’Onn Jones and senior linebacker Mathew Moeder; Garden City’s three
first-teamers include sophomore lineman David Holguin, and defensive backs Ryan
Heiman and Caleb Wiese. Heiman and Wiese are seniors.Liberal’s Trystian Juarez, a senior
linebacker, rounded out the first-team defense.<figure>
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