The Kansas City Chiefs will play the Denver Broncos this Saturday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. CT in Denver. The NFL just released the Week 18 schedule Sunday night.&nbsp;

The Chiefs - Broncos game will be part of a doubleheader on Saturday. Philadelphia will host Dallas Saturday evening.

The Kansas City Chiefs will play the Denver Broncos this Saturday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. CT in Denver. The NFL just released the Week 18 schedule Sunday night.&nbsp;The Chiefs - Broncos game will be part of a doubleheader on Saturday. Philadelphia will host Dallas Saturday evening.

Chiefs game moves from Sunday to Saturday this week

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Justin Herbert threw for two touchdowns and set the franchise single-season record, Andre Roberts returned a kick 101 yards for a score, and the Los Angeles Chargers moved back into an AFC playoff spot with a 34-13 victory over the Denver Broncos on Sunday.

Los Angeles (9-7) is in the final wild-card spot but needs a win at Las Vegas next week to wrap up its first postseason berth since 2018. The Colts, Chargers and Raiders all have the same record, but the Chargers currently hold the tiebreaker over Las Vegas after their 28-14 victory on Oct. 4.

Denver (7-9) has lost four of its last five, was eliminated from playoff contention and is assured of its fifth straight losing season.

Herbert, the AFC starter for the Pro Bowl, has 35 touchdown passes this season, surpassing Philip Rivers’ 2008 mark of 34. Herbert tied it with 14 seconds remaining in the first half on an 8-yard throw to Keenan Allen to give the Bolts a 17-0 lead. He set the mark early in the fourth quarter on a 45-yard TD to Mike Williams, which put the Chargers up 34-6.

Herbert completed 22 of 31 passes for 237 yards. He became the fastest player to reach 800 career completions (31 games) and at 23 years, 298 days is the second-youngest player in league history to get to 65 TD passes.

Roberts became the first Charger since 2012 to score on a kickoff return. After Brandon McManus kicked his second field goal, Roberts got blocks from Chris Rumph II and Jalen Guyton to set up a lane on the right side of the field. Roberts then got a double-team block from Stephen Anderson and Cole Christiansen to spring him the rest of the way.

The fourth-longest kickoff return in franchise history snapped a 143-game drought. Michael Spurlock was the last to do it in the 2012 regular-season finale against the Raiders.

Denver’s Drew Lock was 18 of 25 for 245 yards and a touchdown. Noah Fant had six receptions for 92 yards, including a 5-yard score midway through the fourth quarter.

Denver went twice on fourth-and-goal inside the LA 5-yard line but came up short.

Trailing 10-0 in the second quarter, the Broncos drove to the Chargers 2-yard line. Lock handed off to Mike Boone, who then flipped the ball to Kendall Hinton. Chargers safety Nasir Adderley hit Hinton as he passed the ball, but Lock went down to one knee to catch it at the 7.

Despite the off-balance pass, Lock had a path to the end zone, but was stopped by Joey Bosa and Chris Harris Jr. just shy of the goal line.

In the fourth quarter, Melvin Gordon appeared to score on a 1-yard run, but the play was nullified by an illegal formation. The Broncos then brought out McManus for a 23-yard field goal.

McManus hit a career-long 61-yard field goal on the last play of the first half. McManus had missed all six of his previous attempts from at least 60 yards.

Los Angeles running back Austin Ekeler had 112 scrimmage yards (58 rushing, 54 receiving) and had a 3-yard touchdown on the opening possession.

Broncos: Left guard Dalton Risner suffered an elbow injury on the opening drive and did not return.

Chargers: Center Corey Linsley came out in the first quarter due to a back injury and did not return.

Broncos: host the Kansas City Chiefs next weekend in the regular-season finale.

Chargers: travel to the Las Vegas Raiders next weekend.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Justin Herbert threw for two touchdowns and set the franchise single-season record, Andre Roberts returned a kick 101 yards for a score, and the Los Angeles Chargers moved back into an AFC playoff spot with a 34-13 victory over the Denver Broncos on Sunday.Los Angeles (9-7) is in the final wild-card spot but needs a win at Las Vegas next week to wrap up its first postseason berth since 2018. The Colts, Chargers and Raiders all have the same record, but the Chargers currently hold the tiebreaker over Las Vegas after their 28-14 victory on Oct. 4.Denver (7-9) has lost four of its last five, was eliminated from playoff contention and is assured of its fifth straight losing season.Herbert, the AFC starter for the Pro Bowl, has 35 touchdown passes this season, surpassing Philip Rivers’ 2008 mark of 34. Herbert tied it with 14 seconds remaining in the first half on an 8-yard throw to Keenan Allen to give the Bolts a 17-0 lead. He set the mark early in the fourth quarter on a 45-yard TD to Mike Williams, which put the Chargers up 34-6.Herbert completed 22 of 31 passes for 237 yards. He became the fastest player to reach 800 career completions (31 games) and at 23 years, 298 days is the second-youngest player in league history to get to 65 TD passes.Roberts became the first Charger since 2012 to score on a kickoff return. After Brandon McManus kicked his second field goal, Roberts got blocks from Chris Rumph II and Jalen Guyton to set up a lane on the right side of the field. Roberts then got a double-team block from Stephen Anderson and Cole Christiansen to spring him the rest of the way.The fourth-longest kickoff return in franchise history snapped a 143-game drought. Michael Spurlock was the last to do it in the 2012 regular-season finale against the Raiders.Denver’s Drew Lock was 18 of 25 for 245 yards and a touchdown. Noah Fant had six receptions for 92 yards, including a 5-yard score midway through the fourth quarter.FOURTH-AND-GOAL FAILURESDenver went twice on fourth-and-goal inside the LA 5-yard line but came up short.Trailing 10-0 in the second quarter, the Broncos drove to the Chargers 2-yard line. Lock handed off to Mike Boone, who then flipped the ball to Kendall Hinton. Chargers safety Nasir Adderley hit Hinton as he passed the ball, but Lock went down to one knee to catch it at the 7.Despite the off-balance pass, Lock had a path to the end zone, but was stopped by Joey Bosa and Chris Harris Jr. just shy of the goal line.In the fourth quarter, Melvin Gordon appeared to score on a 1-yard run, but the play was nullified by an illegal formation. The Broncos then brought out McManus for a 23-yard field goal.CAREER-BEST KICKMcManus hit a career-long 61-yard field goal on the last play of the first half. McManus had missed all six of his previous attempts from at least 60 yards.ANOTHER CENTURY MARK FOR EKELERLos Angeles running back Austin Ekeler had 112 scrimmage yards (58 rushing, 54 receiving) and had a 3-yard touchdown on the opening possession.INJURIESBroncos: Left guard Dalton Risner suffered an elbow injury on the opening drive and did not return.Chargers: Center Corey Linsley came out in the first quarter due to a back injury and did not return.UP NEXTBroncos: host the Kansas City Chiefs next weekend in the regular-season finale.Chargers: travel to the Las Vegas Raiders next weekend.

🏈 Herbert, Roberts propel Chargers past Broncos

CINCINNATI (AP) — Evan McPherson kicked a 20-yard field goal as time ran out, and the Cincinnati Bengals earned their first AFC North title and postseason appearance in six years with a wild 34-31 win over the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.

Rookie Ja'Marr Chase had a franchise-record 266 yards receiving and three touchdowns on 11 catches, Joe Burrow threw for 466 yards and four scores while outdueling Patrick Mahomes, and the Bengals rallied from three 14-point deficits against the AFC West champs.

The Bengals' winning drive was filled with drama.

On fourth-and-inches with under a minute left, the Bengals (10-6) decided to go for a touchdown instead of calling on McPherson for a field goal and giving the Chiefs the ball back with a chance to win.

Burrow threw incomplete in the end zone, but Chiefs cornerback L'Jarius Sneed was flagged for illegal use of hands, giving the Bengals a fresh set of downs. Backup quarterback Brandon Allen was called on to kneel twice before McPherson came on for the game-winner.

Burrow was outstanding again, completing 30 of 39 attempts. He was sacked four times and hit at least six more times but was as accurate as ever, and Chase caught everything that was thrown near him.

Mahomes looked as if he had the game under control early. He threw two first-quarter touchdown passes to give the Chiefs the early lead, but he didn't get another one.

The Chiefs (11-5) led 14-0, 21-7 and 28-14 in the first half. They were ahead 28-17 at halftime before the Bengals began the latest of several second-half surges this season.

A 69-yard TD pass from Burrow to Chase early in the second half cut the Chiefs’ lead to 28-24. Kansas City responded with Harrison Butker's 34-yard field goal.

Burrow then hit Tyler Boyd for a 5-yard TD, capping an 86-yard drive that was twice extended by flags on Sneed, including an unnecessary roughness penalty that gave Cincinnati first-and-goal at the Kansas City 7.

Mahomes was 26 for 35 for 259 yards and threw touchdown passes to Demarcus Robinson and tight end Travis Kelce, who caught a pass in his 125th straight game.

Kansas City's Darrel Williams rushed for 88 yards and scored twice.

Chiefs: RT Lucas Niang suffered a knee injury in the first quarter and did not return.

Bengals: LG Quinton Spain suffered a right ankle injury in the second quarter and didn't return.

Chiefs: At Denver in the regular-season finale next Sunday.

Bengals: Finish next Sunday at Cleveland.

CINCINNATI (AP) — Evan McPherson kicked a 20-yard field goal as time ran out, and the Cincinnati Bengals earned their first AFC North title and postseason appearance in six years with a wild 34-31 win over the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.Rookie Ja'Marr Chase had a franchise-record 266 yards receiving and three touchdowns on 11 catches, Joe Burrow threw for 466 yards and four scores while outdueling Patrick Mahomes, and the Bengals rallied from three 14-point deficits against the AFC West champs.The Bengals' winning drive was filled with drama.On fourth-and-inches with under a minute left, the Bengals (10-6) decided to go for a touchdown instead of calling on McPherson for a field goal and giving the Chiefs the ball back with a chance to win.Burrow threw incomplete in the end zone, but Chiefs cornerback L'Jarius Sneed was flagged for illegal use of hands, giving the Bengals a fresh set of downs. Backup quarterback Brandon Allen was called on to kneel twice before McPherson came on for the game-winner.Burrow was outstanding again, completing 30 of 39 attempts. He was sacked four times and hit at least six more times but was as accurate as ever, and Chase caught everything that was thrown near him.Mahomes looked as if he had the game under control early. He threw two first-quarter touchdown passes to give the Chiefs the early lead, but he didn't get another one.The Chiefs (11-5) led 14-0, 21-7 and 28-14 in the first half. They were ahead 28-17 at halftime before the Bengals began the latest of several second-half surges this season.A 69-yard TD pass from Burrow to Chase early in the second half cut the Chiefs’ lead to 28-24. Kansas City responded with Harrison Butker's 34-yard field goal.Burrow then hit Tyler Boyd for a 5-yard TD, capping an 86-yard drive that was twice extended by flags on Sneed, including an unnecessary roughness penalty that gave Cincinnati first-and-goal at the Kansas City 7.Mahomes was 26 for 35 for 259 yards and threw touchdown passes to Demarcus Robinson and tight end Travis Kelce, who caught a pass in his 125th straight game.Kansas City's Darrel Williams rushed for 88 yards and scored twice.INJURIESChiefs: RT Lucas Niang suffered a knee injury in the first quarter and did not return.Bengals: LG Quinton Spain suffered a right ankle injury in the second quarter and didn't return.UP NEXTChiefs: At Denver in the regular-season finale next Sunday.Bengals: Finish next Sunday at Cleveland.

🏈 Bengals rally past Chiefs, clinch AFC North title

NORMAN, Okla. — Elijah Harkless sank a go-ahead jumper with 35 seconds remaining, scoring 21 points to spark Oklahoma to a 71-69 victory over Kansas State in a Big 12 Conference opener on Saturday night.

The basket by Harkless came after Kansas State battled back from an 11-point halftime deficit to tie the score at 65 on Ismael Massoud’s 3-pointer with 63 seconds left. Umoja Gibson added 19 points, going 4 for 4 from the free-throw line in the final 17 seconds. Gibson missed his only 2-point try and made just 4 of 12 from beyond the arc, but he was 7 of 7 at the foul line.

Harkless was 4 of 4 from distance and grabbed seven rebounds for the Sooners (11-2). Jordan Goldwire added 11 points, while Jalen Hill and reserve C.J. Noland both scored 10.

Mark Smith scored 14 of his career-high 25 points in the second half for the Wildcats (8-4), who trailed 33-22 at intermission. He added a career-best 16 rebounds to post his fourth double-double of the season. Nijel Pack added 17 points, while Massoud scored 13.

NORMAN, Okla. — Elijah Harkless sank a go-ahead jumper with 35 seconds remaining, scoring 21 points to spark Oklahoma to a 71-69 victory over Kansas State in a Big 12 Conference opener on Saturday night.The basket by Harkless came after Kansas State battled back from an 11-point halftime deficit to tie the score at 65 on Ismael Massoud’s 3-pointer with 63 seconds left. Umoja Gibson added 19 points, going 4 for 4 from the free-throw line in the final 17 seconds. Gibson missed his only 2-point try and made just 4 of 12 from beyond the arc, but he was 7 of 7 at the foul line.Harkless was 4 of 4 from distance and grabbed seven rebounds for the Sooners (11-2). Jordan Goldwire added 11 points, while Jalen Hill and reserve C.J. Noland both scored 10.Mark Smith scored 14 of his career-high 25 points in the second half for the Wildcats (8-4), who trailed 33-22 at intermission. He added a career-best 16 rebounds to post his fourth double-double of the season. Nijel Pack added 17 points, while Massoud scored 13.

🏀 Harkless powers Oklahoma past K-State in Big 12 opener

&nbsp;TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – Fort Hays State used a late burst to pull away from Northeastern State in a defensive battle on Saturday afternoon (Jan. 1) at the NSU Event Center, winning 59-53. Tied with 4:30 to go, the Tigers outscored the RiverHawks 15-9 down the stretch to pull out another big road win.&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=6468">Jared Vitztum</a>&nbsp;led the Tigers with 24 points and 12 rebounds, his sixth double-double performance of the season. The game saw a combined 33 turnovers between the teams, 18 by the RiverHawks and 15 by the Tigers. There were 21 turnovers by halftime, the RiverHawks also leading that that juncture 13-8. The Tigers struggled from the field in the first half, just 34.5 percent from the field, but still found themselves down by just one at the break, 24-23.

Fort Hays State opened the second half on a 9-0 run, holding NSU scoreless over the first 5:50 to build a 32-24 lead. But the RiverHawks slowly crept back and eventually tied the game 44-44 at the 4:52 mark on a transition layup. After the final media break at 4:30 remaining on the clock, the Tigers dug their heels and went on an 11-2 run to build a 55-46 lead with 45 seconds remaining. The Tigers did enough at the free-throw line late to put the game away from that point. <a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=6460">Kaleb Hammeke</a>&nbsp;was the only Tiger other than Vitztum to reach double figures in scoring with 10 points.&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=6462">Bjarni Jonsson</a>&nbsp;added eight points, his most since a 17-point effort in the season opener against Arkansas Tech.&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=6470">Nyjee Wright</a>&nbsp;and Hammeke led the Tigers with three assists each.

Emeka Obukwelu led the RiverHawks with 13 points, followed by Christian Cook with 12. Rashad Perkins had eight points and nine rebounds off the bench for NSU. The Tigers clamped down on the RiverHawks after halftime, holding them to just 31 percent shooting from the field. Each team hit just two 3-point field goals, and FHSU barely outshot NSU by percentage overall, 38.5 percent to 37.3. FHSU made one more field goal in the game than NSU and held a 17-13 advantage in made free throws. With the win, FHSU moved into a second-place tie in the MIAA standings with Central Oklahoma. The Tigers moved back into the national lead for scoring defense in NCAA Division II, seeing their points allowed per game drop slightly from 56.0 to 55.7. West Alabama saw its average elevate from 55.5 to 56.5 after allowing 68 in its contest on Friday. FHSU, West Alabama, and Lubbock Christian are the only three schools allowing fewer than 60 points per game on average this season. Fort Hays State continues its road trip to Oklahoma at Rogers State on Monday evening in another MIAA contest. Tipoff is set for 6 pm in Claremore, which follows the women's contest at 4 pm. Rogers State moved to 8-5 overall and 2-5 in the MIAA with a win over Nebraska-Kearney on Saturday afternoon.&nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – Fort Hays State used a late burst to pull away from Northeastern State in a defensive battle on Saturday afternoon (Jan. 1) at the NSU Event Center, winning 59-53. Tied with 4:30 to go, the Tigers outscored the RiverHawks 15-9 down the stretch to pull out another big road win.&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=6468">Jared Vitztum</a>&nbsp;led the Tigers with 24 points and 12 rebounds, his sixth double-double performance of the season. The game saw a combined 33 turnovers between the teams, 18 by the RiverHawks and 15 by the Tigers. There were 21 turnovers by halftime, the RiverHawks also leading that that juncture 13-8. The Tigers struggled from the field in the first half, just 34.5 percent from the field, but still found themselves down by just one at the break, 24-23.<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/1188670390&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-814667509/01-01-22-fhsu-coach-men-int" title="Mark Johnson Postgame at Northeastern State (Jan 1, 2022)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Mark Johnson Postgame at Northeastern State (Jan 1, 2022)</a></div></div>Fort Hays State opened the second half on a 9-0 run, holding NSU scoreless over the first 5:50 to build a 32-24 lead. But the RiverHawks slowly crept back and eventually tied the game 44-44 at the 4:52 mark on a transition layup. After the final media break at 4:30 remaining on the clock, the Tigers dug their heels and went on an 11-2 run to build a 55-46 lead with 45 seconds remaining. The Tigers did enough at the free-throw line late to put the game away from that point. <a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=6460">Kaleb Hammeke</a>&nbsp;was the only Tiger other than Vitztum to reach double figures in scoring with 10 points.&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=6462">Bjarni Jonsson</a>&nbsp;added eight points, his most since a 17-point effort in the season opener against Arkansas Tech.&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=6470">Nyjee Wright</a>&nbsp;and Hammeke led the Tigers with three assists each.<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/1188670351&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-814667509/01-01-22-fhsu-men-highlights" title="Fort Hays State MBB at Northeastern State Highlights (Jan 1, 2022)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Fort Hays State MBB at Northeastern State Highlights (Jan 1, 2022)</a></div></div>Emeka Obukwelu led the RiverHawks with 13 points, followed by Christian Cook with 12. Rashad Perkins had eight points and nine rebounds off the bench for NSU. The Tigers clamped down on the RiverHawks after halftime, holding them to just 31 percent shooting from the field. Each team hit just two 3-point field goals, and FHSU barely outshot NSU by percentage overall, 38.5 percent to 37.3. FHSU made one more field goal in the game than NSU and held a 17-13 advantage in made free throws. With the win, FHSU moved into a second-place tie in the MIAA standings with Central Oklahoma. The Tigers moved back into the national lead for scoring defense in NCAA Division II, seeing their points allowed per game drop slightly from 56.0 to 55.7. West Alabama saw its average elevate from 55.5 to 56.5 after allowing 68 in its contest on Friday. FHSU, West Alabama, and Lubbock Christian are the only three schools allowing fewer than 60 points per game on average this season. Fort Hays State continues its road trip to Oklahoma at Rogers State on Monday evening in another MIAA contest. Tipoff is set for 6 pm in Claremore, which follows the women's contest at 4 pm. Rogers State moved to 8-5 overall and 2-5 in the MIAA with a win over Nebraska-Kearney on Saturday afternoon.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🏀 Vitztum double-double helps Tigers grind out win at Northeastern State

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Kim English probably didn't have Kansas guard Jalen Coleman-Lands or forward Mitch Lightfoot circled on his scouting report, especially considering the George Mason coach only had a couple days to put it together.

The two backups certainly made English pay for it.

Coleman-Lands came off the bench to hit five 3-pointers and score 20 points, Lightfoot hopped up after him and scored 14, and together they helped No. 6 Kansas hold off the Patriots 76-67 on Saturday in a late addition to the schedule.

“I think the bench went (16 of 19) from the field. That was something we needed,” said Lightfoot, who shot 7 of 7. “We just want to go out there and produce for our guys and give us the best ability to win.”

The game was put together earlier this week when Kansas had its Big 12 opener against TCU postponed due to a COVID-19 outbreak. George Mason was willing to play anywhere after it had four straight games canceled or postponed.

The Patriots were up for the challenge, too. Kansas led just 66-61 with 3 minutes left when Christian Braun rattled in a 3-pointer to extend the lead. George Mason came up empty on its next two possessions, and Ochai Agbaji converted a three-point play at the other end with 1:48 to go to put the game out of reach.

Braun finished with 14 points and Agbaji had 11 for the Jayhawks (11-1), who never led by more than 12 before holding off the upstarts from the Atlantic 10 to win their 25th consecutive nonconference home game.

“Our starters were terrific against Nevada (on Wednesday). And as good as we were against Nevada, we were probably that poor today,” Kansas coach Bill Self said. “And our bench was awful against Nevada and it was even better today. We would not have won the game without them.”

D'Shawn Schwartz had 15 points and 12 rebounds, and Davonte Gaines also scored 15 for George Mason (7-6). Leading scorer Josh Oduro added 12 points and DeVon Cooper and Xavier Johnson had 11 apiece.

“I'm just happy we got to play basketball,” said English, who has plenty of history with the Jayhawks from his playing days at rival Missouri. “We got to play against a quality opponent in a great environment. It's going to help us for league play. We got better today. No matter the result, we got better.”

Even though the matchup was added late, and it was accompanied by a swirling snowstorm and single-digit temps, Kansas officials said they managed to sell out Allen Fieldhouse for the 325th straight time dating to the 2001-02 season.

Still, there were plenty of empty seats as George Mason stood toe-to-toe with the sluggish Jayhawks in the first half.

Part of that had to do with Kansas playing without starting point guard Remy Martin, who has a minor knee injury from a tangle with the Wolf Pack earlier this week. That forced Self into using some unorthodox lineups, including extra playing time for Coleman-Lands, a transfer from Iowa State, and Drake transplant Joseph Yesefu.

Coleman-Lands made the most of his time. He hit three first-half 3s to help Kansas pull ahead 48-37 at the break.

“My teammates give me the confidence to play the same way ever day,” Coleman-Lands said. “Shoot shots if I'm open. Play defense. It's as simple as that.”

Coleman-Lands, who fouled out in the final minutes, kept the hot going in the second half. He added another guarded 3 from the wing to push the lead to 63-53 with 8:39 to play, and forcing English to burn one of his timeouts.

That calmed down George Mason, which remained close to the Jayhawks the rest of the way.

Kansas freshman Bobby Pettiford tested positive for COVID-19 two days ago. He's been quarantined since that point and nobody else has tested positive. “We've been fortunate in that regard,” Self said. “This may be the norm for everybody."

English went 2-5 against Kansas during his playing career at Missouri. But the guard was 0 for 4 in Allen Fieldhouse, and he was on the team that lost an overtime heartbreaker in 2012 in their last Border War game as Big 12 rivals.

George Mason wasn't intimidated by playing on the road in a bigger environment. The Patriots won at No. 20 Maryland in November and at Georgia in December, and they played Washington close at the Crossover Classic.

Kansas was nearly flawless in blowing out Nevada on Wednesday. That wasn't the case against George Mason. Despite only nine turnovers, the Jayhawks struggled all night to get into rhythm and had too many defensive breakdowns.

George Mason is finally supposed to play its A-10 opener against Rhode Island on Wednesday night. The Jayhawks hope to open Big 12 play at Oklahoma State on Tuesday night.

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Kim English probably didn't have Kansas guard Jalen Coleman-Lands or forward Mitch Lightfoot circled on his scouting report, especially considering the George Mason coach only had a couple days to put it together.The two backups certainly made English pay for it.Coleman-Lands came off the bench to hit five 3-pointers and score 20 points, Lightfoot hopped up after him and scored 14, and together they helped No. 6 Kansas hold off the Patriots 76-67 on Saturday in a late addition to the schedule.“I think the bench went (16 of 19) from the field. That was something we needed,” said Lightfoot, who shot 7 of 7. “We just want to go out there and produce for our guys and give us the best ability to win.”The game was put together earlier this week when Kansas had its Big 12 opener against TCU postponed due to a COVID-19 outbreak. George Mason was willing to play anywhere after it had four straight games canceled or postponed.The Patriots were up for the challenge, too. Kansas led just 66-61 with 3 minutes left when Christian Braun rattled in a 3-pointer to extend the lead. George Mason came up empty on its next two possessions, and Ochai Agbaji converted a three-point play at the other end with 1:48 to go to put the game out of reach.Braun finished with 14 points and Agbaji had 11 for the Jayhawks (11-1), who never led by more than 12 before holding off the upstarts from the Atlantic 10 to win their 25th consecutive nonconference home game.“Our starters were terrific against Nevada (on Wednesday). And as good as we were against Nevada, we were probably that poor today,” Kansas coach Bill Self said. “And our bench was awful against Nevada and it was even better today. We would not have won the game without them.”D'Shawn Schwartz had 15 points and 12 rebounds, and Davonte Gaines also scored 15 for George Mason (7-6). Leading scorer Josh Oduro added 12 points and DeVon Cooper and Xavier Johnson had 11 apiece.“I'm just happy we got to play basketball,” said English, who has plenty of history with the Jayhawks from his playing days at rival Missouri. “We got to play against a quality opponent in a great environment. It's going to help us for league play. We got better today. No matter the result, we got better.”Even though the matchup was added late, and it was accompanied by a swirling snowstorm and single-digit temps, Kansas officials said they managed to sell out Allen Fieldhouse for the 325th straight time dating to the 2001-02 season.Still, there were plenty of empty seats as George Mason stood toe-to-toe with the sluggish Jayhawks in the first half.Part of that had to do with Kansas playing without starting point guard Remy Martin, who has a minor knee injury from a tangle with the Wolf Pack earlier this week. That forced Self into using some unorthodox lineups, including extra playing time for Coleman-Lands, a transfer from Iowa State, and Drake transplant Joseph Yesefu.Coleman-Lands made the most of his time. He hit three first-half 3s to help Kansas pull ahead 48-37 at the break.“My teammates give me the confidence to play the same way ever day,” Coleman-Lands said. “Shoot shots if I'm open. Play defense. It's as simple as that.”Coleman-Lands, who fouled out in the final minutes, kept the hot going in the second half. He added another guarded 3 from the wing to push the lead to 63-53 with 8:39 to play, and forcing English to burn one of his timeouts.That calmed down George Mason, which remained close to the Jayhawks the rest of the way.COVID SCAREKansas freshman Bobby Pettiford tested positive for COVID-19 two days ago. He's been quarantined since that point and nobody else has tested positive. “We've been fortunate in that regard,” Self said. “This may be the norm for everybody."ENGLISH LESSONEnglish went 2-5 against Kansas during his playing career at Missouri. But the guard was 0 for 4 in Allen Fieldhouse, and he was on the team that lost an overtime heartbreaker in 2012 in their last Border War game as Big 12 rivals.THE TAKEAWAYGeorge Mason wasn't intimidated by playing on the road in a bigger environment. The Patriots won at No. 20 Maryland in November and at Georgia in December, and they played Washington close at the Crossover Classic.Kansas was nearly flawless in blowing out Nevada on Wednesday. That wasn't the case against George Mason. Despite only nine turnovers, the Jayhawks struggled all night to get into rhythm and had too many defensive breakdowns.UP NEXTGeorge Mason is finally supposed to play its A-10 opener against Rhode Island on Wednesday night. The Jayhawks hope to open Big 12 play at Oklahoma State on Tuesday night.

🏀 Coleman-Lands scores 20, No. 6 KU beats George Mason

Fort Hays State (9-1, 4-1 MIAA) at Northeastern State (7-4, 2-3 MIAA) Saturday, January 1 – 3:30 pm Tahlequah, Okla. – NSU Event Center Radio: KJLS (103.3-FM)

<a href="https://radio.securenetsystems.net/cwa/KJLS">LISTEN LIVE</a> FHSU Men's Basketball will play at Northeastern State in Tahlequah, Oklahoma to ring in the new year on Saturday. The teams are set to tipoff at 3:30 pm inside the NSU Event Center. FHSU enters at 9-1 overall and 4-1 in the MIAA. It will be the only contest of the day inside the arena as the women's game was postponed due to COVID-19 complications within the NSU women's program. The Tigers will have a strong test on their hands facing a 7-4 RiverHawk squad that is coming off a road win at Washburn back on December 20. NSU is still unbeaten at home this season (4-0), but has played only one MIAA contest on its home floor so far. NSU is trying to climb back to the .500 mark in conference play, owning a 2-3 mark so far. The Tigers are coming off a 25-point win over Newman University back on December 19 before heading into the holiday break. All but one of FHSU's wins this season have been by double figures, the only exception being the 78-76 overtime win at Emporia State on December 4. Fort Hays State owns the second-best scoring defense in the nation at 56.0 points per game. West Alabama is the national leader at 55.5 allowed per game. Only three teams nationally allow less than 60 per game with Lubbock Christian, the nation's No. 1 ranked team, being the other. The Tigers are among the Top 15 in NCAA Division II in field goal percentage defense (5th, 37.9), turnovers per game (7th, 9.5), rebound margin (12th&nbsp;+8.3), and scoring margin (13th, +17.3). <a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=6460">Kaleb Hammeke</a>&nbsp;leads the FHSU scoring effort so far this season at 16.0 points per game. He has scored at least 17 points in the last five contests.&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=6468">Jared Vitztum</a>&nbsp;averages a double-double of 14.8 points and 10.6 rebounds per game. He leads the MIAA in rebounding and double-doubles (5) this season.&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=6470">Nyjee Wright</a>&nbsp;also averages double figures in scoring for FHSU at 11.1 points per game. Northeastern State also has three players averaging double figures in scoring, led by Emeka Obukwelu at 17.6 per game. He is also the team leader in rebounding at 8.5 per game. Christian Cook is not far behind in scoring at 16.9 points per game, while Rashad Perkins averages 13.3 points per game. As a team, NSU averages 77.7 points per game, but allows 71.5 per game.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641048367129.jpeg" alt="FHSU's Bjarni Jonsson (Courtesy FHSU Athletics, Ryan Prickett)" />
 <figcaption>FHSU's Bjarni Jonsson (Courtesy FHSU Athletics, Ryan Prickett)</figcaption>
 </figure>Fort Hays State (9-1, 4-1 MIAA) at Northeastern State (7-4, 2-3 MIAA) Saturday, January 1 – 3:30 pm Tahlequah, Okla. – NSU Event Center Radio: KJLS (103.3-FM)<a href="https://radio.securenetsystems.net/cwa/KJLS">LISTEN LIVE</a> FHSU Men's Basketball will play at Northeastern State in Tahlequah, Oklahoma to ring in the new year on Saturday. The teams are set to tipoff at 3:30 pm inside the NSU Event Center. FHSU enters at 9-1 overall and 4-1 in the MIAA. It will be the only contest of the day inside the arena as the women's game was postponed due to COVID-19 complications within the NSU women's program. The Tigers will have a strong test on their hands facing a 7-4 RiverHawk squad that is coming off a road win at Washburn back on December 20. NSU is still unbeaten at home this season (4-0), but has played only one MIAA contest on its home floor so far. NSU is trying to climb back to the .500 mark in conference play, owning a 2-3 mark so far. The Tigers are coming off a 25-point win over Newman University back on December 19 before heading into the holiday break. All but one of FHSU's wins this season have been by double figures, the only exception being the 78-76 overtime win at Emporia State on December 4. Fort Hays State owns the second-best scoring defense in the nation at 56.0 points per game. West Alabama is the national leader at 55.5 allowed per game. Only three teams nationally allow less than 60 per game with Lubbock Christian, the nation's No. 1 ranked team, being the other. The Tigers are among the Top 15 in NCAA Division II in field goal percentage defense (5th, 37.9), turnovers per game (7th, 9.5), rebound margin (12th&nbsp;+8.3), and scoring margin (13th, +17.3). <a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=6460">Kaleb Hammeke</a>&nbsp;leads the FHSU scoring effort so far this season at 16.0 points per game. He has scored at least 17 points in the last five contests.&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=6468">Jared Vitztum</a>&nbsp;averages a double-double of 14.8 points and 10.6 rebounds per game. He leads the MIAA in rebounding and double-doubles (5) this season.&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=6470">Nyjee Wright</a>&nbsp;also averages double figures in scoring for FHSU at 11.1 points per game. Northeastern State also has three players averaging double figures in scoring, led by Emeka Obukwelu at 17.6 per game. He is also the team leader in rebounding at 8.5 per game. Christian Cook is not far behind in scoring at 16.9 points per game, while Rashad Perkins averages 13.3 points per game. As a team, NSU averages 77.7 points per game, but allows 71.5 per game.&nbsp;&nbsp;FHSU Athletics

🏀📻 - LISTEN - Tigers usher in 2022 at Northeastern State New Year's Day

"Voice of the Chiefs" Mitch Holthus reviews last week's win over the Steelers which clinched a sixth-straight AFC West title for the Chiefs and previews Sunday's showdown with Cincinnati.

The Holthus Hotline airs Saturday's around 8:00 a.m. on 96.9, KFIX.

"Voice of the Chiefs" Mitch Holthus reviews last week's win over the Steelers which clinched a sixth-straight AFC West title for the Chiefs and previews Sunday's showdown with Cincinnati.The Holthus Hotline airs Saturday's around 8:00 a.m. on 96.9, KFIX.<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/1187991718%3Fsecret_token%3Ds-Wbi1kTiMMVp&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/holthus-hotline-jan-1-2022/s-Wbi1kTiMMVp" title="Holthus Hotline (Jan 1, 2022)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Holthus Hotline (Jan 1, 2022)</a></div></div>

🎧 Holthus Hotline with Voice of the Chiefs Mitch Holthus

By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports Writer

LAWRENCE — Christian Braun scored 22 points, Ochai Agbaji added 16 and sixth-ranked Kansas rolled to a 88-61 victory over Nevada. The Jayhawks were supposed to play Harvard before an outbreak forced the Crimson to cancel the trip early this week. The Wolf Pack stepped in when their Mountain West opener against San Jose State had to be postponed because of positive tests within the Spartans' program. Desmond Cambridge Jr. and Grant Sherfield led the Wolf Pack with 16 points apiece. Kansas built a 39-17 halftime lead and went on a 12-0 run early in the second half.

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — After Kansas had its game against Harvard wiped out by COVID-19, and Nevada had its Mountain West opener against San Jose State postponed for the same reason, Wolf Pack coach Steve Alford jumped at the chance to visit storied Allen Fieldhouse for the first time.

By halftime of the hastily arranged fill-in game, he was probably regretting it.

Christian Braun scored 22 points, Ochai Agbaji added 16 and the sixth-ranked Jayhawks rolled to an 88-61 victory over the turnover-prone Wolf Pack before another sellout crowd in the storied arena on Wednesday night.

"There's a lot of people out there scrambling right now. There was like, 75 games scheduled tonight and 32 were canceled or postponed," Jayhawks coach Bill Self said. "I'm glad we were able to set this up."

It was the first meeting of the schools since Nevada dealt Kansas a rare loss in the Phog in 2005.

Dajuan Harris had a career-high 14 points and David McCormack also scored 14 for the Jayhawks (10-1), who slowly built a 39-17 halftime lead before using a 12-0 run early in the second half to put the game out of reach.

"The last time we played we were poor," Self said, "so I think they were excited to play."

Desmond Cambridge Jr. and Grant Sherfield scored 16 points apiece to lead the Wolf Pack.

With all the scheduling changes this week, it wasn't surprising that both teams were a bit discombobulated.

The Wolf Pack, hounded relentlessly by a defense that forced 20 turnovers in each of its past two games, nearly had that many in the first half alone Wednesday night. In fact, Nevada at one point had turned the ball over nearly as many times (14) as it had taken shots (18) before finishing with 21 turnovers for the game.

"We knew they were going to get into us. We knew they were going to switch and deny. We worked on it and we didn't execute," Nevada assistant Kory Barnett said. "We didn't put two halves together and we continued to make mistakes, and man, you make mistakes against top-10 teams it's going to look like that."

Not that the Jayhawks looked like a top-10 team the whole way. They had 10 turnovers at halftime and 14 in all.

Still, a hot start from Braun coupled with a big run over the final couple minutes — including a turnover by DeAndre Henry that turned into Agbaji's windmill dunk — sent the Jayhawks into the locker room with a comfortable lead.

"Like, an 'F.' That was a horrible windmill," Braun said in grading Agbaji's dunk. "Maybe his legs were tired."

Kansas initially struggled to pull away in the second half, but it got some help Alford's temper. The Nevada coach was incensed a foul wasn't called when Sherfield scored a layup high off the glass, and both teams had already retreated up the floor when a whistle was blown and Alford was hit with a technical foul.

Braun hit both of the free throws, triggering a 10-0 run. Harris drilled a 3-pointer, Abgaji added back-to-back transition dunks, and Remy Martin curled in a 3-pointer as the lead ballooned to 61-36 with 12 1/2 minutes to go.

"We have so many weapons," Braun said. "We have a lot of guys that have learned how to play with each other."

Kansas coasted the rest of the way to its 24th straight nonconference home win.

"We're taking steps in the right direction," Jayhawks forward Jalen Wilson said. "We have a good team, we have a lot of good pieces. We just have to find that rhythm, get a good pace going into conference play."

Nevada never gave itself a chance with its turnovers. And when the Wolf Pack did set up in the half court, the Jayhawks dominated them in the paint. Kansas finished with a 46-14 scoring edge there and a 39-33 rebounding advantage.

Kansas scheduled the game after Harvard dropped out to to prevent a nearly two-week break before it was supposed to begin Big 12 play this weekend. The Jayhawks' game at Colorado was canceled just hours before tipoff last week, which meant they hadn't been on the floor since struggling to an 80-72 win over Stephen F. Austin on Dec. 18.

Nevada opens Mountain West play against New Mexico on Saturday. The Jayhawks return the same day against George Mason, which added to the schedule when their Big 12 opener against TCU was postponed due to COVID-19 protocols.

By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports WriterLAWRENCE — Christian Braun scored 22 points, Ochai Agbaji added 16 and sixth-ranked Kansas rolled to a 88-61 victory over Nevada. The Jayhawks were supposed to play Harvard before an outbreak forced the Crimson to cancel the trip early this week. The Wolf Pack stepped in when their Mountain West opener against San Jose State had to be postponed because of positive tests within the Spartans' program. Desmond Cambridge Jr. and Grant Sherfield led the Wolf Pack with 16 points apiece. Kansas built a 39-17 halftime lead and went on a 12-0 run early in the second half.LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — After Kansas had its game against Harvard wiped out by COVID-19, and Nevada had its Mountain West opener against San Jose State postponed for the same reason, Wolf Pack coach Steve Alford jumped at the chance to visit storied Allen Fieldhouse for the first time.By halftime of the hastily arranged fill-in game, he was probably regretting it.Christian Braun scored 22 points, Ochai Agbaji added 16 and the sixth-ranked Jayhawks rolled to an 88-61 victory over the turnover-prone Wolf Pack before another sellout crowd in the storied arena on Wednesday night."There's a lot of people out there scrambling right now. There was like, 75 games scheduled tonight and 32 were canceled or postponed," Jayhawks coach Bill Self said. "I'm glad we were able to set this up."It was the first meeting of the schools since Nevada dealt Kansas a rare loss in the Phog in 2005.The outcome was far different this time.Dajuan Harris had a career-high 14 points and David McCormack also scored 14 for the Jayhawks (10-1), who slowly built a 39-17 halftime lead before using a 12-0 run early in the second half to put the game out of reach."The last time we played we were poor," Self said, "so I think they were excited to play."Desmond Cambridge Jr. and Grant Sherfield scored 16 points apiece to lead the Wolf Pack.With all the scheduling changes this week, it wasn't surprising that both teams were a bit discombobulated.The Wolf Pack, hounded relentlessly by a defense that forced 20 turnovers in each of its past two games, nearly had that many in the first half alone Wednesday night. In fact, Nevada at one point had turned the ball over nearly as many times (14) as it had taken shots (18) before finishing with 21 turnovers for the game."We knew they were going to get into us. We knew they were going to switch and deny. We worked on it and we didn't execute," Nevada assistant Kory Barnett said. "We didn't put two halves together and we continued to make mistakes, and man, you make mistakes against top-10 teams it's going to look like that."Not that the Jayhawks looked like a top-10 team the whole way. They had 10 turnovers at halftime and 14 in all.Still, a hot start from Braun coupled with a big run over the final couple minutes — including a turnover by DeAndre Henry that turned into Agbaji's windmill dunk — sent the Jayhawks into the locker room with a comfortable lead."Like, an 'F.' That was a horrible windmill," Braun said in grading Agbaji's dunk. "Maybe his legs were tired."Kansas initially struggled to pull away in the second half, but it got some help Alford's temper. The Nevada coach was incensed a foul wasn't called when Sherfield scored a layup high off the glass, and both teams had already retreated up the floor when a whistle was blown and Alford was hit with a technical foul.Braun hit both of the free throws, triggering a 10-0 run. Harris drilled a 3-pointer, Abgaji added back-to-back transition dunks, and Remy Martin curled in a 3-pointer as the lead ballooned to 61-36 with 12 1/2 minutes to go."We have so many weapons," Braun said. "We have a lot of guys that have learned how to play with each other."Kansas coasted the rest of the way to its 24th straight nonconference home win."We're taking steps in the right direction," Jayhawks forward Jalen Wilson said. "We have a good team, we have a lot of good pieces. We just have to find that rhythm, get a good pace going into conference play."THE TAKEAWAYNevada never gave itself a chance with its turnovers. And when the Wolf Pack did set up in the half court, the Jayhawks dominated them in the paint. Kansas finished with a 46-14 scoring edge there and a 39-33 rebounding advantage.Kansas scheduled the game after Harvard dropped out to to prevent a nearly two-week break before it was supposed to begin Big 12 play this weekend. The Jayhawks' game at Colorado was canceled just hours before tipoff last week, which meant they hadn't been on the floor since struggling to an 80-72 win over Stephen F. Austin on Dec. 18.UP NEXTNevada opens Mountain West play against New Mexico on Saturday. The Jayhawks return the same day against George Mason, which added to the schedule when their Big 12 opener against TCU was postponed due to COVID-19 protocols.

No. 6 Kansas routs Nevada in hastily scheduled game

By JOHN BAETZ <a href="https://www.kansaspregame.com/">Kansas Pregame Publisher</a>

Parents and student-athletes, football fan or not, please give this a read — it’s filled with valuable advice for aspiring college student-athletes.

I knew I wanted to be a football player at an early age. My brother’s high school team won a state championship in 1982, and even though I was just eight-years-old at the moment, he and his teammates hoisting that trophy in celebration was burned into my memory and played like a newsreel on repeat in my mind throughout my teenage years.

The singular goal of team success permeated my being throughout junior high and high school, but was always underscored by the dream of playing college football. As much as I wanted to win high school football games, I also wanted to be a scholarship college football player at the highest level possible.

Unfortunately, because of that focus, I was left unprepared for college in many ways.

Academically, I did just enough to survive in high school. In courses that came more naturally to me, such as English and history, I was generally above average. In classes that were more challenging, such as math and science, I did just enough to stay eligible to play football.

I’m embarrassed to admit my lack of focus on academics, not just because it left me unprepared for some college level courses, but also because I missed out on so many scholarship opportunities tied to academic performance. I was, frankly, too confident that a college football scholarship would pay for my college education.

While I was a barely above average high school player who filled my role on my team well, my own estimation of my football skill was likely a bit inflated. While I enjoyed the recruiting process…I completely mishandled it. But, that’s a story for another time.

I was fortunate to earn a handful of scholarship offers at the NAIA and junior college level, and even a DII offer, along with several DII walk-on invites. I chose the JUCO option, and it quickly became clear that junior college was not the right fit. My size and speed&nbsp;&nbsp;– or lack thereof&nbsp;&nbsp;–&nbsp;&nbsp;left me as a kind of&nbsp;“tweener” for my ideal position. I knew after just a couple weeks of practice that I probably should’ve gone to a four-year school where I could’ve developed in a red-shirt year and grown into my position.

Ultimately, I transferred to a four-year school, left football behind, and focused on academics.

Let me be clear – this is not a criticism of junior college football! In fact, three of my high school teammates found immediate playing time and success in the junior college ranks. Many, many Kansas athletes have used junior college as a jumping off point for eventual four-year success. It simply was not the best fit for me.

But, that’s not what I want you to take from this. What is more important is how wholly unprepared I was left for college because of my singular focus on football.

I love football, and even with its risks I still believe it’s a great game that provides a great physical outlet for young people across the country. I was fortunate to parlay my passion for football, and all athletics, into a successful small business, and I couldn’t love my work more.

All that said, I mismanaged preparation for college, and I would love to help young student-athletes and their families avoid making similar mistakes. As a result, I’ve developed a kind of checklist of considerations for aspiring college athletes. Check them out below:

Certainly there are many other considerations for successful navigation of the college selection process, but financial preparedness provides a sense of security and reduces the challenges and overall stress load related to receiving a college education.

There’s no time like the present to put saving for college at the top of your list.

John Baetz is the owner of Sixteen 60 Publishing Co. in Lincoln, publisher of Kansas Pregame Magazines and past publisher of the Lincoln Sentinel-Republican and Chapman News-Times newspapers and other specialty publications.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640628266608.jpeg" alt="John Baetz" />
 <figcaption>John Baetz</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN BAETZ <a href="https://www.kansaspregame.com/">Kansas Pregame Publisher</a>Parents and student-athletes, football fan or not, please give this a read — it’s filled with valuable advice for aspiring college student-athletes.I knew I wanted to be a football player at an early age. My brother’s high school team won a state championship in 1982, and even though I was just eight-years-old at the moment, he and his teammates hoisting that trophy in celebration was burned into my memory and played like a newsreel on repeat in my mind throughout my teenage years.The singular goal of team success permeated my being throughout junior high and high school, but was always underscored by the dream of playing college football. As much as I wanted to win high school football games, I also wanted to be a scholarship college football player at the highest level possible.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Unfortunately, because of that focus, I was left unprepared for college in many ways.Academically, I did just enough to survive in high school. In courses that came more naturally to me, such as English and history, I was generally above average. In classes that were more challenging, such as math and science, I did just enough to stay eligible to play football.I’m embarrassed to admit my lack of focus on academics, not just because it left me unprepared for some college level courses, but also because I missed out on so many scholarship opportunities tied to academic performance. I was, frankly, too confident that a college football scholarship would pay for my college education.While I was a barely above average high school player who filled my role on my team well, my own estimation of my football skill was likely a bit inflated. While I enjoyed the recruiting process…I completely mishandled it. But, that’s a story for another time.I was fortunate to earn a handful of scholarship offers at the NAIA and junior college level, and even a DII offer, along with several DII walk-on invites. I chose the JUCO option, and it quickly became clear that junior college was not the right fit. My size and speed&nbsp;&nbsp;– or lack thereof&nbsp;&nbsp;–&nbsp;&nbsp;left me as a kind of&nbsp;“tweener” for my ideal position. I knew after just a couple weeks of practice that I probably should’ve gone to a four-year school where I could’ve developed in a red-shirt year and grown into my position.Ultimately, I transferred to a four-year school, left football behind, and focused on academics.Let me be clear – this is not a criticism of junior college football! In fact, three of my high school teammates found immediate playing time and success in the junior college ranks. Many, many Kansas athletes have used junior college as a jumping off point for eventual four-year success. It simply was not the best fit for me.But, that’s not what I want you to take from this. What is more important is how wholly unprepared I was left for college because of my singular focus on football.I love football, and even with its risks I still believe it’s a great game that provides a great physical outlet for young people across the country. I was fortunate to parlay my passion for football, and all athletics, into a successful small business, and I couldn’t love my work more.All that said, I mismanaged preparation for college, and I would love to help young student-athletes and their families avoid making similar mistakes. As a result, I’ve developed a kind of checklist of considerations for aspiring college athletes. Check them out below:<ol>
 <li>Athletic assessment – Every year hundreds, if not thousands of high school athletes, and their parents, claim they are&nbsp;“slept on” by top level athletic programs. The reality is that participating in college athletics is incredibly difficult at any level and properly assessing your own skill level early in high school is imperative in choosing the right opportunity. Remember, it’s not just about being on a team. It's about having a legitimate opportunity to earn playing time and not only get, but keep that scholarship.</li>
 </ol><ol>
 <li>Academic success – I think kids who hear me speak probably get tired of this message, but PLEASE put the student in student-athlete first. Do this not just because the opportunities to make a living as a professional athlete are ultra-rare, but also because academic performance can provide scholarship opportunities. If you are not a full-ride DI athlete – and very, very few of you are – then your athletic scholarship will not cover the complete cost of your education. Thousands of college graduates leave school with loads of student loan debt every year, and if your family cannot afford to cover the complete cost of your education, then you’ll want to find any and all resources to pay for those expenses. Academic scholarships are key, but so is my next point.&nbsp;</li>
 </ol><ol>
 <li>Saving for college – This should likely be the number one consideration, but it’s probably the one people least like to talk about. Even a small investment monthly at an early age can result in a windfall that can help cover costs not covered by an athletic scholarship. My family was left unprepared in this regard. But where do you start, right? Well one place to start is at the Kansas State Treasurer Lynn Rogers’&nbsp;529 Learning Quest Website (<a href="https://www.learningquest.com/home.html">https://www.learningquest.com/home.html</a>). Learning Quest provides tips on how to pay for college, including the Learning Quest 529 Savings Plan. It’s a tax-advantaged investment option to help cover the ever-increasing costs of college, while potentially reducing reliance on student loans.</li>
 </ol>Certainly there are many other considerations for successful navigation of the college selection process, but financial preparedness provides a sense of security and reduces the challenges and overall stress load related to receiving a college education.There’s no time like the present to put saving for college at the top of your list.John Baetz is the owner of Sixteen 60 Publishing Co. in Lincoln, publisher of Kansas Pregame Magazines and past publisher of the Lincoln Sentinel-Republican and Chapman News-Times newspapers and other specialty publications.

LETTER: I wish I would’ve saved for college …

HAYS, Kan. - The women's basketball game between fifth-ranked Fort Hays State and Northeastern State scheduled for Saturday (Jan. 1) has been postponed due to COVID-19 protocols within the RiverHawk program. A rescheduled date is to be determined. The men's game between the Tigers and RiverHawks will be played as scheduled, beginning at 3:30 p.m. inside the NSU Event Center in Tahlequah, Okla. The Tigers will now resume play on Monday (Jan. 3) when FHSU takes on Rogers State in Claremore, Okla. beginning at 4 p.m.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640821014994.jpeg" alt="FHSU Athletics" />
 <figcaption>FHSU Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>HAYS, Kan. - The women's basketball game between fifth-ranked Fort Hays State and Northeastern State scheduled for Saturday (Jan. 1) has been postponed due to COVID-19 protocols within the RiverHawk program. A rescheduled date is to be determined. The men's game between the Tigers and RiverHawks will be played as scheduled, beginning at 3:30 p.m. inside the NSU Event Center in Tahlequah, Okla. The Tigers will now resume play on Monday (Jan. 3) when FHSU takes on Rogers State in Claremore, Okla. beginning at 4 p.m.&nbsp;&nbsp;FHSU Athletics

🏀 FHSU women's game at Northeastern State postponed

Fort Hays State Men's Basketball, currently 9-1 overall and 4-1 in MIAA play, continues to receive votes in the NABC Top 25 Poll. The Tigers received votes in three straight NABC polls, which dates back to December 7 this season. The Tigers received the most votes (37) of any team outside the NABC Top 25 back on December 14, but were tied for seventh highest on the receiving votes list in the latest release of the poll on December 28. The Tigers received eight votes in the most recent poll. The Tigers reached the Top 25 of the D2SIDA Poll back on December 14, entering their final week of play before the holiday break ranked No. 23, but slipped back out of the Top 25 after taking their first loss of the season on December 17 to Central Oklahoma. The Tigers were not referenced among the 11 teams receiving votes in the poll outside the Top 25 in the latest release back on December 21. NABC Top 25 Poll (December 28, 2021) 1. Lubbock Christian (Texas) (13) 12-0 2. Northwest Missouri State (3) 11-1 3. West Texas A&amp;M 13-1 4. Nova Southeastern (Fla.) 10-0 5. Chico State (Calif.) 9-0 6. Cal State San Bernardino 10-1 7. Mercyhurst (Pa.) 10-1 8. West Liberty (W.Va.) 10-1 9. Minnesota Duluth 13-0 10. Indiana (Pa.) 9-1 11. Cal State San Marcos 9-0 12. Augusta (Ga.) 9-1 13. Upper Iowa 12-1 14. Dominican (N.Y.) 9-1 15. Barry (Fla.) 8-1 16. Queens (N.C.) 11-2 17. Lincoln Memorial (Tenn.) 9-2 18. Embry-Riddle (Fla.) 11-2 19. Truman State (Mo.) 7-2 20. Regis (Colo.) 10-1 21. Hillsdale (Mich.) 9-2 22. West Florida 11-1 23. Ferris State (MIch.) 9-2 24. Fairmont State (W.Va.) 9-2 25. Georgia College 9-1 Others receiving votes:&nbsp;UNC Pembroke 36, Flagler (Fla.) 35, Augustana (S.D.) 17, Central Oklahoma 11, Texas A&amp;M-Commerce 10, Angelo State (Texas) 8, Columbus State (Ga.) 8,&nbsp;Fort Hays State (Kan.) 8, Southeastern Oklahoma State 8, Texas-Tyler 6, Bentley (Mass.) 5, Southwest Baptist (Mo.) 5, Grand Valley State (Mich.) 4, Union (Tenn.) 3, Emporia State (Kan.) 1.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Fort Hays State Men's Basketball, currently 9-1 overall and 4-1 in MIAA play, continues to receive votes in the NABC Top 25 Poll. The Tigers received votes in three straight NABC polls, which dates back to December 7 this season. The Tigers received the most votes (37) of any team outside the NABC Top 25 back on December 14, but were tied for seventh highest on the receiving votes list in the latest release of the poll on December 28. The Tigers received eight votes in the most recent poll. The Tigers reached the Top 25 of the D2SIDA Poll back on December 14, entering their final week of play before the holiday break ranked No. 23, but slipped back out of the Top 25 after taking their first loss of the season on December 17 to Central Oklahoma. The Tigers were not referenced among the 11 teams receiving votes in the poll outside the Top 25 in the latest release back on December 21. NABC Top 25 Poll (December 28, 2021) 1. Lubbock Christian (Texas) (13) 12-0 2. Northwest Missouri State (3) 11-1 3. West Texas A&amp;M 13-1 4. Nova Southeastern (Fla.) 10-0 5. Chico State (Calif.) 9-0 6. Cal State San Bernardino 10-1 7. Mercyhurst (Pa.) 10-1 8. West Liberty (W.Va.) 10-1 9. Minnesota Duluth 13-0 10. Indiana (Pa.) 9-1 11. Cal State San Marcos 9-0 12. Augusta (Ga.) 9-1 13. Upper Iowa 12-1 14. Dominican (N.Y.) 9-1 15. Barry (Fla.) 8-1 16. Queens (N.C.) 11-2 17. Lincoln Memorial (Tenn.) 9-2 18. Embry-Riddle (Fla.) 11-2 19. Truman State (Mo.) 7-2 20. Regis (Colo.) 10-1 21. Hillsdale (Mich.) 9-2 22. West Florida 11-1 23. Ferris State (MIch.) 9-2 24. Fairmont State (W.Va.) 9-2 25. Georgia College 9-1 Others receiving votes:&nbsp;UNC Pembroke 36, Flagler (Fla.) 35, Augustana (S.D.) 17, Central Oklahoma 11, Texas A&amp;M-Commerce 10, Angelo State (Texas) 8, Columbus State (Ga.) 8,&nbsp;Fort Hays State (Kan.) 8, Southeastern Oklahoma State 8, Texas-Tyler 6, Bentley (Mass.) 5, Southwest Baptist (Mo.) 5, Grand Valley State (Mich.) 4, Union (Tenn.) 3, Emporia State (Kan.) 1.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🏀 Tiger men continue to receive votes in NABC Top 25 poll

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes remained in constant communication with Travis Kelce last week, when the Chiefs tight end was trying to test out of COVID-19 protocols in time to play an important game against the Steelers.

The Chiefs quarterback was still in touch with Kelce on Monday, when the team gathered at the facility to review the film of a 36-10 drubbing of Pittsburgh that allowed Kansas City to clinch its record sixth consecutive AFC West title.

"He was still annoyed he couldn't be back in the building," Mahomes said.

Well, the Pro Bowl tight end was back Wednesday — along with everyone else that tested positive for the virus last week, totaling 16 players on the active roster and practice squad. 

In fact, the only person that didn't participate in Wednesday's practice was running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who hurt his collarbone against Pittsburgh.

The fact that the Chiefs are among the healthiest teams in the NFL is among the many reasons they have gone from a 3-4 example of mediocrity the first two months of the season to eight consecutive wins and the definition of excellence.

Yes, they have nobody on the COVID-19 list right now. But they have almost nobody on the injury list, either.

The Chiefs were so ransacked by injuries a year ago, particularly when the playoffs rolled around, and they were forced to start a hodge-podge of offensive linemen. 

Perhaps the outcome would have been the same had their best group played against the Buccaneers in the Super Bowl that February night, but the fill-ins were soundly handled by Tampa Bay's pass rush that nobody wants to replay that humiliating game film.

Fast-forward nearly 11 months, though, and the Chiefs' injury report the past few weeks has had two or three names on it — usually something minor that kept guys from being full participants in a workout. 

Meanwhile, the injury reports elsewhere in the NFL often have a dozen or more names, and often several players that didn't practice at all.

Even on the rare occasion someone gets nicked up, things seem to work out swimmingly for the Chiefs. 

That was the case against the Steelers, when safety Tyrann Mathieu tweaked his quad in the second half. The Chiefs had a big lead by that point, giving coach Andy Reid the opportunity to hold Mathieu out the rest of the way.

"You know what? He feels great," Reid said Wednesday. "We took him out and the trainers started working on him the next day, and he came back and he was great. We all know he's a tough kid and loves to play the game. That point of the game, we'd enough of a lead we could get started and boy, did it make a huge difference."

There were initial fears that the dynamic running back had broken his collarbone against Pittsburgh and would miss the rest of the season. 

But additional testing Monday revealed no structural damage, and while it's unlikely Edwards-Helaire will be cleared to play this week, he will almost certainly be available by the time the playoffs begin.

Perhaps the injury karma of last season and this season are evening out.

"We've got a lot of competitors in this room," said Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones, one of the few starters to miss a game to an actual injury — and later to COVID-19 — during this season. "I think that mind frame at the end of the year will continue to go up, especially for the playoffs, and we'll see where it takes us."

NOTES: Reid confirmed linebackers coach Matt House was leaving to be defensive coordinator at LSU. But Reid also said that House will coach through the end of the season. "He'll be tremendous for the Tigers. We have a bunch of them on our team," Reid said. "They're fired up for him." ... Reid was a longtime friend of John Madden, who died Tuesday at the age of 85. "You realize how much he touched the football world and all of us," Reid said. "He made our job what it is today. Made coaching an honorable position to be in."

By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports WriterKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes remained in constant communication with Travis Kelce last week, when the Chiefs tight end was trying to test out of COVID-19 protocols in time to play an important game against the Steelers.The Chiefs quarterback was still in touch with Kelce on Monday, when the team gathered at the facility to review the film of a 36-10 drubbing of Pittsburgh that allowed Kansas City to clinch its record sixth consecutive AFC West title."He was still annoyed he couldn't be back in the building," Mahomes said.Well, the Pro Bowl tight end was back Wednesday — along with everyone else that tested positive for the virus last week, totaling 16 players on the active roster and practice squad. In fact, the only person that didn't participate in Wednesday's practice was running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who hurt his collarbone against Pittsburgh.The fact that the Chiefs are among the healthiest teams in the NFL is among the many reasons they have gone from a 3-4 example of mediocrity the first two months of the season to eight consecutive wins and the definition of excellence.Yes, they have nobody on the COVID-19 list right now. But they have almost nobody on the injury list, either.Unlike last season.The Chiefs were so ransacked by injuries a year ago, particularly when the playoffs rolled around, and they were forced to start a hodge-podge of offensive linemen. Perhaps the outcome would have been the same had their best group played against the Buccaneers in the Super Bowl that February night, but the fill-ins were soundly handled by Tampa Bay's pass rush that nobody wants to replay that humiliating game film.Fast-forward nearly 11 months, though, and the Chiefs' injury report the past few weeks has had two or three names on it — usually something minor that kept guys from being full participants in a workout. Meanwhile, the injury reports elsewhere in the NFL often have a dozen or more names, and often several players that didn't practice at all.Even on the rare occasion someone gets nicked up, things seem to work out swimmingly for the Chiefs. That was the case against the Steelers, when safety Tyrann Mathieu tweaked his quad in the second half. The Chiefs had a big lead by that point, giving coach Andy Reid the opportunity to hold Mathieu out the rest of the way."You know what? He feels great," Reid said Wednesday. "We took him out and the trainers started working on him the next day, and he came back and he was great. We all know he's a tough kid and loves to play the game. That point of the game, we'd enough of a lead we could get started and boy, did it make a huge difference."Edwards-Helaire is another example. There were initial fears that the dynamic running back had broken his collarbone against Pittsburgh and would miss the rest of the season. But additional testing Monday revealed no structural damage, and while it's unlikely Edwards-Helaire will be cleared to play this week, he will almost certainly be available by the time the playoffs begin.Perhaps the injury karma of last season and this season are evening out."We've got a lot of competitors in this room," said Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones, one of the few starters to miss a game to an actual injury — and later to COVID-19 — during this season. "I think that mind frame at the end of the year will continue to go up, especially for the playoffs, and we'll see where it takes us."NOTES: Reid confirmed linebackers coach Matt House was leaving to be defensive coordinator at LSU. But Reid also said that House will coach through the end of the season. "He'll be tremendous for the Tigers. We have a bunch of them on our team," Reid said. "They're fired up for him." ... Reid was a longtime friend of John Madden, who died Tuesday at the age of 85. "You realize how much he touched the football world and all of us," Reid said. "He made our job what it is today. Made coaching an honorable position to be in."

Chiefs head into homestretch among NFL's healthiest teams

By SIMMI BUTTAR AP Pro Football Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — For the third consecutive week, the Green Bay Packers have the top spot in the AP Pro32 poll. 

The Packers earned 10 of the 12 first-place votes. The Kansas City Chiefs, who have won eight in a row, earned the remaining two first-place votes and remained at No. 2. The Dallas Cowboys gained two spots to move to No. 3. 

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers slipped a spot to No. 4 despite routing Carolina on Sunday and the Los Angeles Rams also fell one place after a win as they are at No. 5 after edging Minnesota.

By SIMMI BUTTAR AP Pro Football WriterNEW YORK (AP) — For the third consecutive week, the Green Bay Packers have the top spot in the AP Pro32 poll. The Packers earned 10 of the 12 first-place votes. The Kansas City Chiefs, who have won eight in a row, earned the remaining two first-place votes and remained at No. 2. The Dallas Cowboys gained two spots to move to No. 3. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers slipped a spot to No. 4 despite routing Carolina on Sunday and the Los Angeles Rams also fell one place after a win as they are at No. 5 after edging Minnesota.

Packers, Chiefs maintain top 2 spots in AP Pro32 poll

Fort Hays State head volleyball coach <a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/coaches.aspx?rc=1001">Jessica Wood-Atkins</a>
 has announced the signing of eight high school seniors that will join 
the Tiger squad in the fall of 2022. This year's signing class includes 
individuals from three states, five hitters, two defensive players and 
one setter.

Lily Boughfman | Outside Hitter/Right-side Hitter | 6-1 
Little River, Kan. (Little River HS) 
Lily Boughfman was a four-year letterwinner at Little River High School 
in Little River, Kan. She was a KVA first team All-State selection as a 
senior when she helped Little River to its first state tournament 
appearance in 15 years. Boughfman also earned honorable mention 
All-State honors in 2019 and 2020 while picking up All-State Tournament 
honors as a senior. She earned first team All-Wheat State League honors 
all four years while picking up A and B honor roll status for her work 
in the classroom. Boughfman also earned four varsity letters in track 
and field and basketball.

Mataya Clark | Middle Hitter | 6-2 
Dodge City, Kan. (Dodge City HS) 
Mataya Clark earned three varsity letters at Dodge City High School in 
Dodge City, Kan. She earned a pair of All-Western Athletic Conference 
honors, including first team accolades as a senior and second team 
status as a junior. Clark also competed in basketball and track and 
field in her time as a Red Demon, placing 11th at the 6A State 
Championships in the triple jump as a junior.

Kirsten Evans | Defensive Specialist | 5-8 
Ottawa, Kan. (Ottawa HS) 
Kirsten Evans wrapped up a stellar career at Ottawa High School in 
Ottawa, Kan. this fall, helping the Cyclones to a runner-up finish at 
the 4A State Championships after placing third in 2020. She earned 
All-State Tournament honors as a junior and senior while also picking up
 KVA All-State accolades in both seasons, including first team status in
 2021 and second team honors in 2020. Evans was a second team 
All-Frontier League selection in 2021 and had two other honorable 
mention honors while earning all-area honors all four years. She also 
excelled in basketball and softball, earning all-league and all-area 
honors in both sports. Clark was an Academic All-State selection in all 
three sports and was on the top 5% honor roll all four years. She was a 
part of the Jostens Renaissance Education national program and was 
student of the month in April of 2020.

Brooke Hyland | Libero | 5-4 
Colorado Springs, Colo. (Pine Creek HS) 
Brooke Hyland picked up three varsity letters at Pine Creek High School 
in Colorado Springs, Colo. She earned a pair of all-league honors as an 
Eagle, including second team status as a senior after receiving 
honorable mention accolades as a junior. The libero led her league with 
442 digs during her senior year in 2021. Hyland was an Academic 
All-State selection as a junior and senior while earning a spot on the 
principal honor roll all four years. She also played one year on the 
varsity basketball team.

Gracie Rains | Outside Hitter | 6-0 
Newton, Kan. (Newton HS) 
Gracie Rains was a three-year varsity starter at Newton High School in 
Newton, Kan. The outside hitter was one of the best hitters in the state
 in 2021, earning KVA honorable mention All-State honors after racking 
up 326 kills. She earned All-AVCTL DI honors all three years, including a
 spot on the first team as a senior, second team status as a junior and 
honorable mention honors as a sophomore. Rains helped the Railers to a 
sub-state title as a junior before earning a spot on The Wichita Eagle
 All-Metro second team in 2021. She has earned an academic letter each 
year during her high school tenure and has earned both her greenhand and
 chapter degrees in FFA. Rains has also played on the varsity softball 
team in her time at NHS.

Tallon Rentschler | Outside Hitter | 6-0 
Smith Center, Kan. (Smith Center HS) 
Tallon Rentschler capped an incredible career at Smith Center High 
School in Smith Center, Kan. as the KVA 2A Player of the Year in 2021. 
She helped the Lady Red to their first-ever volleyball state 
championship in 2021 after finishing runner-up in 2020, placing third in
 2018 and reaching the state tournament in 2019. Rentschler earned KVA 
All-State honors all four years, including first team status as a junior
 and senior after picking up honorable mention accolades as a freshman 
and sophomore. She was listed on the All-State Tournament team three 
times (2018, 2020, 2021). She earned first team all-league honors in the
 Mid-Continent League four times, including being a unanimous selection 
as a sophomore, junior and senior. Rentschler has also had a stellar 
career on the basketball court, earning All-State honors twice and 
all-league honors all three years. She also competes in track and field 
in the spring. Rentschler has been listed on the superintendent's honor 
roll and the president's honor roll throughout her high school career.

Caiya Stucky | Setter | 6-2 
Wichita, Kan. (Wichita Northwest HS) 
Caiya Stucky helped Wichita Northwest High School to its best record in 
school history as a senior in 2021, finishing 39-4 after a 
second-consecutive sub-state championship. Stucky was named Greater 
Wichita Athletic League Player of the Year as a senior in addition to 
earning KVA 6A All-State honorable mention honors. She was a four-time 
all-league selection, earning a spot on the first team as a sophomore, 
junior and senior after picking up honorable mention status as a 
freshman. Stucky also competed in softball and basketball in her time 
with the Grizzlies, earning second team All-State honors in softball as a
 junior.

Mya Vandrovec | Right-side Hitter | 6-0 
Sioux Falls, S.D. (Roosevelt HS) 
Mya Vandrovec finished up her career at Roosevelt High School in Sioux 
Falls, S.D. with a third-place finish at the South Dakota Class AA State
 Championships in 2021. A three-year letterwinner, Vandrovec also helped
 the Rough Riders to the state tournament in 2020 (fourth place) and 
2019 (fifth place). She earned first team All-Metro Athletic Conference 
honors as a senior. Vandrovec was twice selected to play in the 
Adrenaline Volleyball Future 50 Invitational while being placed on the 
2021 AVCA All-American watch list and the Junior Volleyball Association 
Ultra Ankle watch list. She played club volleyball with Pentagon VBC. 
Vandrovec also excelled in the classroom, earning presidential gold 
honors, four academic excellence awards and four athletic academic 
excellence awards while qualifying for the HOSA national competition.

FHSU AthleticsFort Hays State head volleyball coach <a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/coaches.aspx?rc=1001">Jessica Wood-Atkins</a>
 has announced the signing of eight high school seniors that will join 
the Tiger squad in the fall of 2022. This year's signing class includes 
individuals from three states, five hitters, two defensive players and 
one setter.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640793484472.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Lily Boughfman | Outside Hitter/Right-side Hitter | 6-1 
Little River, Kan. (Little River HS) 
Lily Boughfman was a four-year letterwinner at Little River High School 
in Little River, Kan. She was a KVA first team All-State selection as a 
senior when she helped Little River to its first state tournament 
appearance in 15 years. Boughfman also earned honorable mention 
All-State honors in 2019 and 2020 while picking up All-State Tournament 
honors as a senior. She earned first team All-Wheat State League honors 
all four years while picking up A and B honor roll status for her work 
in the classroom. Boughfman also earned four varsity letters in track 
and field and basketball.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640793507444.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Mataya Clark | Middle Hitter | 6-2 
Dodge City, Kan. (Dodge City HS) 
Mataya Clark earned three varsity letters at Dodge City High School in 
Dodge City, Kan. She earned a pair of All-Western Athletic Conference 
honors, including first team accolades as a senior and second team 
status as a junior. Clark also competed in basketball and track and 
field in her time as a Red Demon, placing 11th at the 6A State 
Championships in the triple jump as a junior.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640793530286.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Kirsten Evans | Defensive Specialist | 5-8 
Ottawa, Kan. (Ottawa HS) 
Kirsten Evans wrapped up a stellar career at Ottawa High School in 
Ottawa, Kan. this fall, helping the Cyclones to a runner-up finish at 
the 4A State Championships after placing third in 2020. She earned 
All-State Tournament honors as a junior and senior while also picking up
 KVA All-State accolades in both seasons, including first team status in
 2021 and second team honors in 2020. Evans was a second team 
All-Frontier League selection in 2021 and had two other honorable 
mention honors while earning all-area honors all four years. She also 
excelled in basketball and softball, earning all-league and all-area 
honors in both sports. Clark was an Academic All-State selection in all 
three sports and was on the top 5% honor roll all four years. She was a 
part of the Jostens Renaissance Education national program and was 
student of the month in April of 2020.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640793553217.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Brooke Hyland | Libero | 5-4 
Colorado Springs, Colo. (Pine Creek HS) 
Brooke Hyland picked up three varsity letters at Pine Creek High School 
in Colorado Springs, Colo. She earned a pair of all-league honors as an 
Eagle, including second team status as a senior after receiving 
honorable mention accolades as a junior. The libero led her league with 
442 digs during her senior year in 2021. Hyland was an Academic 
All-State selection as a junior and senior while earning a spot on the 
principal honor roll all four years. She also played one year on the 
varsity basketball team.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640793575550.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Gracie Rains | Outside Hitter | 6-0 
Newton, Kan. (Newton HS) 
Gracie Rains was a three-year varsity starter at Newton High School in 
Newton, Kan. The outside hitter was one of the best hitters in the state
 in 2021, earning KVA honorable mention All-State honors after racking 
up 326 kills. She earned All-AVCTL DI honors all three years, including a
 spot on the first team as a senior, second team status as a junior and 
honorable mention honors as a sophomore. Rains helped the Railers to a 
sub-state title as a junior before earning a spot on The Wichita Eagle
 All-Metro second team in 2021. She has earned an academic letter each 
year during her high school tenure and has earned both her greenhand and
 chapter degrees in FFA. Rains has also played on the varsity softball 
team in her time at NHS.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640793600575.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Tallon Rentschler | Outside Hitter | 6-0 
Smith Center, Kan. (Smith Center HS) 
Tallon Rentschler capped an incredible career at Smith Center High 
School in Smith Center, Kan. as the KVA 2A Player of the Year in 2021. 
She helped the Lady Red to their first-ever volleyball state 
championship in 2021 after finishing runner-up in 2020, placing third in
 2018 and reaching the state tournament in 2019. Rentschler earned KVA 
All-State honors all four years, including first team status as a junior
 and senior after picking up honorable mention accolades as a freshman 
and sophomore. She was listed on the All-State Tournament team three 
times (2018, 2020, 2021). She earned first team all-league honors in the
 Mid-Continent League four times, including being a unanimous selection 
as a sophomore, junior and senior. Rentschler has also had a stellar 
career on the basketball court, earning All-State honors twice and 
all-league honors all three years. She also competes in track and field 
in the spring. Rentschler has been listed on the superintendent's honor 
roll and the president's honor roll throughout her high school career.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640793618359.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Caiya Stucky | Setter | 6-2 
Wichita, Kan. (Wichita Northwest HS) 
Caiya Stucky helped Wichita Northwest High School to its best record in 
school history as a senior in 2021, finishing 39-4 after a 
second-consecutive sub-state championship. Stucky was named Greater 
Wichita Athletic League Player of the Year as a senior in addition to 
earning KVA 6A All-State honorable mention honors. She was a four-time 
all-league selection, earning a spot on the first team as a sophomore, 
junior and senior after picking up honorable mention status as a 
freshman. Stucky also competed in softball and basketball in her time 
with the Grizzlies, earning second team All-State honors in softball as a
 junior.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640793644608.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Mya Vandrovec | Right-side Hitter | 6-0 
Sioux Falls, S.D. (Roosevelt HS) 
Mya Vandrovec finished up her career at Roosevelt High School in Sioux 
Falls, S.D. with a third-place finish at the South Dakota Class AA State
 Championships in 2021. A three-year letterwinner, Vandrovec also helped
 the Rough Riders to the state tournament in 2020 (fourth place) and 
2019 (fifth place). She earned first team All-Metro Athletic Conference 
honors as a senior. Vandrovec was twice selected to play in the 
Adrenaline Volleyball Future 50 Invitational while being placed on the 
2021 AVCA All-American watch list and the Junior Volleyball Association 
Ultra Ankle watch list. She played club volleyball with Pentagon VBC. 
Vandrovec also excelled in the classroom, earning presidential gold 
honors, four academic excellence awards and four athletic academic 
excellence awards while qualifying for the HOSA national competition.

Tiger volleyball signs eight for Class of 2022

John Madden, the Hall of Fame coach turned broadcaster whose exuberant calls combined with simple explanations provided a weekly soundtrack to NFL games for three decades, died Tuesday morning, the league said. He was 85.

The NFL said he died unexpectedly and did not detail a cause.

Madden gained fame in a decade-long stint as the coach of the renegade Oakland Raiders, making it to seven AFC title games and winning the Super Bowl following the 1976 season. He compiled a 103-32-7 regular-season record, and his .759 winning percentage is the best among NFL coaches with more than 100 games.

But it was his work after prematurely retiring as coach at age 42 that made Madden truly a household name. He educated a football nation with his use of the telestrator on broadcasts; entertained millions with his interjections of “Boom!” and “Doink!” throughout games; was an omnipresent pitchman selling restaurants, hardware stores and beer; became the face of “Madden NFL Football,” one of the most successful sports video games of all-time; and was a best-selling author.

Most of all, he was the preeminent television sports analyst for most of his three decades calling games, winning an unprecedented 16 Emmy Awards for outstanding sports analyst/personality, and covering 11 Super Bowls for four networks from 1979-2009.

“People always ask, are you a coach or a broadcaster or a video game guy?” he said when was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. “I’m a coach, always been a coach.”

He started his broadcasting career at CBS after leaving coaching in great part because of his fear of flying. He and Pat Summerall became the network’s top announcing duo. Madden then helped give Fox credibility as a major network when he moved there in 1994, and went on to call prime-time games at ABC and NBC before retiring following Pittsburgh’s thrilling 27-23 win over Arizona in the 2009 Super Bowl.

“I am not aware of anyone who has made a more meaningful impact on the National Football League than John Madden, and I know of no one who loved the game more,” Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said in a statement.

Burly and a little unkempt, Madden earned a place in America’s heart with a likable, unpretentious style that was refreshing in a sports world of spiraling salaries and prima donna stars. He rode from game to game in his own bus because he suffered from claustrophobia and had stopped flying. For a time, Madden gave out a “turducken” — a chicken stuffed inside a duck stuffed inside a turkey — to the outstanding player in the Thanksgiving game that he called.

“Nobody loved football more than Coach. He was football,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. “He was an incredible sounding board to me and so many others. There will never be another John Madden, and we will forever be indebted to him for all he did to make football and the NFL what it is today.”

When he finally retired from the broadcast booth, leaving NBC’s “Sunday Night Football,” colleagues universally praised Madden’s passion for the sport, his preparation, and his ability to explain an often-complicated game in down-to-earth terms.

“No one has made the sport more interesting, more relevant and more enjoyable to watch and listen to than John,” play-by-play announcer Al Michaels said at the time.

For anyone who heard Madden exclaim “Boom!” while breaking down a play, his love of the game was obvious.

“For me, TV is really an extension of coaching,” Madden wrote in “Hey, Wait a Minute! (I Wrote a Book!).”

“My knowledge of football has come from coaching. And on TV, all I’m trying to do is pass on some of that knowledge to viewers.”

Madden was raised in Daly City, California. He played on both the offensive and defensive lines for Cal Poly in 1957-58 and earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the school.

Madden was chosen to the all-conference team and was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles, but a knee injury ended his hopes of a pro playing career. Instead, Madden got into coaching, first at Hancock Junior College and then as defensive coordinator at San Diego State.

Al Davis brought him to the Raiders as a linebackers coach in 1967, and Oakland went to the Super Bowl in his first year in the pros. He replaced John Rauch as head coach after the 1968 season at age 32, beginning a remarkable 10-year run.

With his demonstrative demeanor on the sideline and disheveled look, Madden was the ideal coach for the collection of castoffs and misfits that made up those Raiders teams.

“Sometimes guys were disciplinarians in things that didn’t make any difference. I was a disciplinarian in jumping offsides; I hated that,” Madden once said. “Being in bad position and missing tackles, those things. I wasn’t, ‘Your hair has to be combed.’”

“I always thought his strong suit was his style of coaching,” quarterback Ken Stabler once said. “John just had a great knack for letting us be what we wanted to be, on the field and off the field. ... How do you repay him for being that way? You win for him.”

And boy, did they ever. Many years, the only problem was the playoffs.

Madden went 12-1-1 in his first season, losing the AFL title game 17-7 to Kansas City. That pattern repeated itself during his tenure; the Raiders won the division title in seven of his first eight seasons, but went 1-6 in conference title games during that span.

Still, Madden’s Raiders played in some of the sport’s most memorable games of the 1970s, games that helped change rules in the NFL. There was the “Holy Roller” in 1978, when Stabler purposely fumbled forward before being sacked on the final play. The ball rolled and was batted to the end zone before Dave Casper recovered it for the winning touchdown against San Diego.

The most famous of those games went against the Raiders in the 1972 playoffs at Pittsburgh. With the Raiders leading 7-6 and 22 seconds left, the Steelers had a fourth-and-10 from their 40. Terry Bradshaw’s desperation pass deflected off either Oakland’s Jack Tatum or Pittsburgh’s Frenchy Fuqua to Franco Harris, who caught it at his shoe tops and ran in for a TD.

In those days, a pass that bounced off an offensive player directly to a teammate was illegal, and the debate continues to this day over which player it hit. The catch, of course, was dubbed the “Immaculate Reception.”

Oakland finally broke through with a loaded team in 1976 that had Stabler at quarterback; Fred Biletnikoff and Cliff Branch at receiver; tight end Dave Casper; Hall of Fame offensive linemen Gene Upshaw and Art Shell; and a defense that included Willie Brown, Ted Hendricks, Tatum, John Matuszak, Otis Sistrunk and George Atkinson.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640439615693.jpeg" alt="John Madden in 2007 wikicommons" />
 <figcaption>John Madden in 2007 wikicommons</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOSH DUBOW, AP Pro Football WriterJohn Madden, the Hall of Fame coach turned broadcaster whose exuberant calls combined with simple explanations provided a weekly soundtrack to NFL games for three decades, died Tuesday morning, the league said. He was 85.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The Raiders Family is deeply saddened by the passing of the legendary John Madden. Statement » <a href="https://t.co/9Drm7UNvf6">https://t.co/9Drm7UNvf6</a> <a href="https://t.co/HA0GDGPN46">pic.twitter.com/HA0GDGPN46</a>&mdash; Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) <a href="https://twitter.com/Raiders/status/1475992603254423553?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 29, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The NFL said he died unexpectedly and did not detail a cause.Madden gained fame in a decade-long stint as the coach of the renegade Oakland Raiders, making it to seven AFC title games and winning the Super Bowl following the 1976 season. He compiled a 103-32-7 regular-season record, and his .759 winning percentage is the best among NFL coaches with more than 100 games.But it was his work after prematurely retiring as coach at age 42 that made Madden truly a household name. He educated a football nation with his use of the telestrator on broadcasts; entertained millions with his interjections of “Boom!” and “Doink!” throughout games; was an omnipresent pitchman selling restaurants, hardware stores and beer; became the face of “Madden NFL Football,” one of the most successful sports video games of all-time; and was a best-selling author.Most of all, he was the preeminent television sports analyst for most of his three decades calling games, winning an unprecedented 16 Emmy Awards for outstanding sports analyst/personality, and covering 11 Super Bowls for four networks from 1979-2009.“People always ask, are you a coach or a broadcaster or a video game guy?” he said when was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. “I’m a coach, always been a coach.”He started his broadcasting career at CBS after leaving coaching in great part because of his fear of flying. He and Pat Summerall became the network’s top announcing duo. Madden then helped give Fox credibility as a major network when he moved there in 1994, and went on to call prime-time games at ABC and NBC before retiring following Pittsburgh’s thrilling 27-23 win over Arizona in the 2009 Super Bowl.“I am not aware of anyone who has made a more meaningful impact on the National Football League than John Madden, and I know of no one who loved the game more,” Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said in a statement.Burly and a little unkempt, Madden earned a place in America’s heart with a likable, unpretentious style that was refreshing in a sports world of spiraling salaries and prima donna stars. He rode from game to game in his own bus because he suffered from claustrophobia and had stopped flying. For a time, Madden gave out a “turducken” — a chicken stuffed inside a duck stuffed inside a turkey — to the outstanding player in the Thanksgiving game that he called.“Nobody loved football more than Coach. He was football,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. “He was an incredible sounding board to me and so many others. There will never be another John Madden, and we will forever be indebted to him for all he did to make football and the NFL what it is today.”When he finally retired from the broadcast booth, leaving NBC’s “Sunday Night Football,” colleagues universally praised Madden’s passion for the sport, his preparation, and his ability to explain an often-complicated game in down-to-earth terms.“No one has made the sport more interesting, more relevant and more enjoyable to watch and listen to than John,” play-by-play announcer Al Michaels said at the time.For anyone who heard Madden exclaim “Boom!” while breaking down a play, his love of the game was obvious.“For me, TV is really an extension of coaching,” Madden wrote in “Hey, Wait a Minute! (I Wrote a Book!).”“My knowledge of football has come from coaching. And on TV, all I’m trying to do is pass on some of that knowledge to viewers.”Madden was raised in Daly City, California. He played on both the offensive and defensive lines for Cal Poly in 1957-58 and earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the school.Madden was chosen to the all-conference team and was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles, but a knee injury ended his hopes of a pro playing career. Instead, Madden got into coaching, first at Hancock Junior College and then as defensive coordinator at San Diego State.Al Davis brought him to the Raiders as a linebackers coach in 1967, and Oakland went to the Super Bowl in his first year in the pros. He replaced John Rauch as head coach after the 1968 season at age 32, beginning a remarkable 10-year run.With his demonstrative demeanor on the sideline and disheveled look, Madden was the ideal coach for the collection of castoffs and misfits that made up those Raiders teams.“Sometimes guys were disciplinarians in things that didn’t make any difference. I was a disciplinarian in jumping offsides; I hated that,” Madden once said. “Being in bad position and missing tackles, those things. I wasn’t, ‘Your hair has to be combed.’”The Raiders responded.“I always thought his strong suit was his style of coaching,” quarterback Ken Stabler once said. “John just had a great knack for letting us be what we wanted to be, on the field and off the field. ... How do you repay him for being that way? You win for him.”And boy, did they ever. Many years, the only problem was the playoffs.Madden went 12-1-1 in his first season, losing the AFL title game 17-7 to Kansas City. That pattern repeated itself during his tenure; the Raiders won the division title in seven of his first eight seasons, but went 1-6 in conference title games during that span.Still, Madden’s Raiders played in some of the sport’s most memorable games of the 1970s, games that helped change rules in the NFL. There was the “Holy Roller” in 1978, when Stabler purposely fumbled forward before being sacked on the final play. The ball rolled and was batted to the end zone before Dave Casper recovered it for the winning touchdown against San Diego.The most famous of those games went against the Raiders in the 1972 playoffs at Pittsburgh. With the Raiders leading 7-6 and 22 seconds left, the Steelers had a fourth-and-10 from their 40. Terry Bradshaw’s desperation pass deflected off either Oakland’s Jack Tatum or Pittsburgh’s Frenchy Fuqua to Franco Harris, who caught it at his shoe tops and ran in for a TD.In those days, a pass that bounced off an offensive player directly to a teammate was illegal, and the debate continues to this day over which player it hit. The catch, of course, was dubbed the “Immaculate Reception.”Oakland finally broke through with a loaded team in 1976 that had Stabler at quarterback; Fred Biletnikoff and Cliff Branch at receiver; tight end Dave Casper; Hall of Fame offensive linemen Gene Upshaw and Art Shell; and a defense that included Willie Brown, Ted Hendricks, Tatum, John Matuszak, Otis Sistrunk and George Atkinson.The Raiders went 13-1, losing only a blowout at New England in Week 4. They paid the Patriots back with a 24-21 win in their first playoff game and got over the AFC title game hump with a 24-7 win over the hated Steelers, who were crippled by injuries.Oakland won it all with a 32-14 Super Bowl romp against Minnesota.“Players loved playing for him,” Shell said. “He made it fun for us in camp and fun for us in the regular season. All he asked is that we be on time and play like hell when it was time to play.”Madden battled an ulcer the following season, when the Raiders once again lost in the AFC title game. He retired from coaching at age 42 after a 9-7 season in 1978.Survivors include his wife, Virginia, and two sons, Joseph and Michael. John and Virginia Madden’s 62nd wedding anniversary was two days before his death.___