DENVER (AP) — A day after Tom Brady’s dud of a debut for Tampa Bay, Stephen Gostkowski failed to put all that Patriots pedigree to work in his first game with the Tennessee Titans.

Unlike Brady, who lost his first game in a uniform other than New England’s, Gostkowski prevailed Monday night when he nailed a 25-yard field goal&nbsp;with 17 seconds left, sending the Titans past the Denver Broncos 16-14 after he missed four kicks for the first time in his career.

“I really wanted to come out and make a strong first impression,” Gostkowski said. “I did the exact opposite.”

Gostkowski missed a kick in each quarter, including a blocked field goal and an errant extra point.

“We’re happy to get a win,” Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill said. “Any win in the NFL is a good win. I’ll take it. They don’t put any asterisks on it in the win column.”

Titans coach and ex-teammate Mike Vrabel said he had no qualms about sending Gostkowski out for another try,

“Nope, and they did, obviously, because they weren’t using their timeouts and they were banking on him missing,” Vrabel said. “We’ve all got to do our job. And again, it’s not on just one player. We’ll get this stuff fixed. We’ve got a lot of faith in our players. Excited to get out of here with a win. This is a tough place to play.”

Gostkowski missed every way you can think of: wide left, wide right, a block and a shanked extra point that loomed large until he atoned for his awful night in the final seconds.

“You can’t expect him to miss them all,” said Broncos defensive lineman Jurrell Casey, who was traded from Tennessee in the offseason.

Gostkowski never missed three field goals in a game during his 14 seasons in New England, where he won three Super Bowl rings, made four Pro Bowls and left this offseason as the Patriots’ all-time leading scorer.

On Thursday he joined the Titans, who had the worst field goal unit in the NFL last year when their first four kickers combined to connect on only 44.4% of field goals (8 for 18).

The last Titans/Oilers kicker to miss three field goals and an extra point in a game was Skip Butler against the Jets in the 1977 season opener.

“I just got here and come out here and play like that? For the guys to still support me and still have my back was pretty good,” Gostkowski said. “That’s the cool thing about team sports — you win and lose as a team. A position like mine, everybody sees when you screw up.

“That’s why I was grateful for the opportunity at the end, because the guys deserved the win. We’re all pros here. We’ve all had our days. But the kicking position, you miss a couple of kicks, the camera follows you around, they talk about you the whole time, they watch you. It can get to a lonely spot. But you have to keep your head high and keep on going.”

Gostkowski, who had made 87.4% of his kicks coming into the game, a percentage that ranked fifth-best in NFL history, missed a 47-yarder in the first quarter and Shelby Harris blocked his 43-yarder just before halftime. Gostkowski’s 42-yarder in the third quarter was wide left and he missed the PAT following Tennessee’s go-ahead touchdown on Jonnu Smith’s catch from Ryan Tannehill on fourth-and-1 with 13:49 remaining.

Denver replied with a 75-yard drive, with Melvin Gordon taking it in from a yard out, and Brandon McManus’ extra point put the Broncos up 14-13 with 9 minutes left.

The Broncos punted on their next two possessions and the Titans made them pay with a 12-play, 83-yard, game-winning scoring drive.

The teams scuffled to a 7-all tie after an eventful first half that included an ejection, a goal-line stand and Gostkowski’s dismal debut four days after signing with the Titans. The 36-year-old kicker left New England with 1,775 points over 204 games.

Drew Lock threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to Noah Fant after Gostkowski’s first miss, and the Titans tied it on Tannehill’s 1-yard strike to MyCole Pruitt after a Denver turnover.

Gordon, who signed a two-year, $16 million deal in free agency, coughed up the ball at the Denver 23 on a hard hit by safety Kevin Byard, who leads the league with 17 interceptions since 2017 but had never forced a fumble. Jeffrey Simmons recovered for Tennessee.

The Broncos failed to punch it in on three tries from the Titans 1 in the second quarter. Lock overthrew a wide-open Nick Vannett, Gordon was stuffed for no gain and Lock’s shovel pass to Jake Butt came up a yard short of the goal line.

Butt was on the receiving end of Rashaan Evans’ punch that got the Titans linebacker ejected.

There were no paying spectators but about 500 guests of players and coaches were in the stands as a sort of trial run for the Broncos’ next home game, against Brady and Tampa Bay in two weeks, when 5,700 fans will be allowed into the 70,000-seat Empower Field at Mile High.

Lock missed having the home crowd’s energy in the fourth quarter.

“Yeah, that would have been sweet,” he said. “It was definitely weird out there tonight. No noise. The timeouts, it was just quiet. I wanted to call the plays quiet in the huddle because I didn’t know if they could hear us.”

INJURIES: Titans CB Jonathan Joseph left in the first half with an arm injury but returned.

Broncos RB Phillip Lindsay (foot) and CB A.J. Bouye (shoulder) both went out in the first half and didn’t return.

The Broncos lost their best defender, Von Miller, to a season-threatening ankle injury and their best offensive player, receiver Courtland Sutton, to a sprained AC joint last week. Plus, second-round receiver K.J. Hamler (hamstring) was out.

Coach Vic Fangio said the rash of injuries is disturbing “but we’re good enough to overcome them. I believe that. We almost won the game tonight. I know almost doesn’t mean anything, but we were competitive and played good football despite all those injuries.”

Titans open at home against Jacksconville on Sunday.

DENVER (AP) — A day after Tom Brady’s dud of a debut for Tampa Bay, Stephen Gostkowski failed to put all that Patriots pedigree to work in his first game with the Tennessee Titans.Until the very end.Unlike Brady, who lost his first game in a uniform other than New England’s, Gostkowski prevailed Monday night when he nailed a 25-yard field goal&nbsp;with 17 seconds left, sending the Titans past the Denver Broncos 16-14 after he missed four kicks for the first time in his career.“I really wanted to come out and make a strong first impression,” Gostkowski said. “I did the exact opposite.”Gostkowski missed a kick in each quarter, including a blocked field goal and an errant extra point.It didn’t matter in the end.“We’re happy to get a win,” Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill said. “Any win in the NFL is a good win. I’ll take it. They don’t put any asterisks on it in the win column.”Titans coach and ex-teammate Mike Vrabel said he had no qualms about sending Gostkowski out for another try,“Nope, and they did, obviously, because they weren’t using their timeouts and they were banking on him missing,” Vrabel said. “We’ve all got to do our job. And again, it’s not on just one player. We’ll get this stuff fixed. We’ve got a lot of faith in our players. Excited to get out of here with a win. This is a tough place to play.”Gostkowski missed every way you can think of: wide left, wide right, a block and a shanked extra point that loomed large until he atoned for his awful night in the final seconds.“You can’t expect him to miss them all,” said Broncos defensive lineman Jurrell Casey, who was traded from Tennessee in the offseason.Gostkowski never missed three field goals in a game during his 14 seasons in New England, where he won three Super Bowl rings, made four Pro Bowls and left this offseason as the Patriots’ all-time leading scorer.On Thursday he joined the Titans, who had the worst field goal unit in the NFL last year when their first four kickers combined to connect on only 44.4% of field goals (8 for 18).The last Titans/Oilers kicker to miss three field goals and an extra point in a game was Skip Butler against the Jets in the 1977 season opener.Gostkowski appreciated the support.“I just got here and come out here and play like that? For the guys to still support me and still have my back was pretty good,” Gostkowski said. “That’s the cool thing about team sports — you win and lose as a team. A position like mine, everybody sees when you screw up.“That’s why I was grateful for the opportunity at the end, because the guys deserved the win. We’re all pros here. We’ve all had our days. But the kicking position, you miss a couple of kicks, the camera follows you around, they talk about you the whole time, they watch you. It can get to a lonely spot. But you have to keep your head high and keep on going.”Gostkowski, who had made 87.4% of his kicks coming into the game, a percentage that ranked fifth-best in NFL history, missed a 47-yarder in the first quarter and Shelby Harris blocked his 43-yarder just before halftime. Gostkowski’s 42-yarder in the third quarter was wide left and he missed the PAT following Tennessee’s go-ahead touchdown on Jonnu Smith’s catch from Ryan Tannehill on fourth-and-1 with 13:49 remaining.Denver replied with a 75-yard drive, with Melvin Gordon taking it in from a yard out, and Brandon McManus’ extra point put the Broncos up 14-13 with 9 minutes left.The Broncos punted on their next two possessions and the Titans made them pay with a 12-play, 83-yard, game-winning scoring drive.The teams scuffled to a 7-all tie after an eventful first half that included an ejection, a goal-line stand and Gostkowski’s dismal debut four days after signing with the Titans. The 36-year-old kicker left New England with 1,775 points over 204 games.Drew Lock threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to Noah Fant after Gostkowski’s first miss, and the Titans tied it on Tannehill’s 1-yard strike to MyCole Pruitt after a Denver turnover.Gordon, who signed a two-year, $16 million deal in free agency, coughed up the ball at the Denver 23 on a hard hit by safety Kevin Byard, who leads the league with 17 interceptions since 2017 but had never forced a fumble. Jeffrey Simmons recovered for Tennessee.The Broncos failed to punch it in on three tries from the Titans 1 in the second quarter. Lock overthrew a wide-open Nick Vannett, Gordon was stuffed for no gain and Lock’s shovel pass to Jake Butt came up a yard short of the goal line.Butt was on the receiving end of Rashaan Evans’ punch that got the Titans linebacker ejected.There were no paying spectators but about 500 guests of players and coaches were in the stands as a sort of trial run for the Broncos’ next home game, against Brady and Tampa Bay in two weeks, when 5,700 fans will be allowed into the 70,000-seat Empower Field at Mile High.Lock missed having the home crowd’s energy in the fourth quarter.“Yeah, that would have been sweet,” he said. “It was definitely weird out there tonight. No noise. The timeouts, it was just quiet. I wanted to call the plays quiet in the huddle because I didn’t know if they could hear us.”INJURIES: Titans CB Jonathan Joseph left in the first half with an arm injury but returned.Broncos RB Phillip Lindsay (foot) and CB A.J. Bouye (shoulder) both went out in the first half and didn’t return.The Broncos lost their best defender, Von Miller, to a season-threatening ankle injury and their best offensive player, receiver Courtland Sutton, to a sprained AC joint last week. Plus, second-round receiver K.J. Hamler (hamstring) was out.Coach Vic Fangio said the rash of injuries is disturbing “but we’re good enough to overcome them. I believe that. We almost won the game tonight. I know almost doesn’t mean anything, but we were competitive and played good football despite all those injuries.”UP NEXTTitans open at home against Jacksconville on Sunday.Broncos visit the Steelers on Sunday.

🏈 Gostkowski delivers in Titans’ win at Denver

LIBERAL&nbsp; - Make it three
out of four for the Hays High girls’ golf team after taking the Liberal
Invitational Monday at the Willow Tree Golf Course.

The Indians place three in the top four to win the nine-hole event
by seven shots over Dodge City.

Katie Dinkel
won her first tournament of the fall, shooting a 40 to edge Dodge City's Ashlyn Armstrong by two strokes. Talea McCrae finished third
with a 44 and Sophia Garrison placed fourth with a 47.

TEAM STANDINGS 1. Hays High - 182 2. Dodge City - 189 3. Great Bend - 199 4. Garden City - 204 5. Liberal - 222

TOP 10 MEDALISTS 1. Katie Dinkel, Hays High - 40 2. Ashlyn Armstrong, Dodge City - 42 3. Taleia McCrae, Hays High - 44 4. Sophia Garrison, Hays High - 47 5. Lauren Gleason, Dodge City - 48 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Kirsten Miessler, Great Bend - 48 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Ryan Warren, Garden City - 48 8. Valeria Aguirre, Dodge City - 49 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Allyson Kaiser, Great Bend - 49 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Ashlynn Wagensell, Liberal - 49

LIBERAL&nbsp; - Make it three
out of four for the Hays High girls’ golf team after taking the Liberal
Invitational Monday at the Willow Tree Golf Course.The Indians place three in the top four to win the nine-hole event
by seven shots over Dodge City.Katie Dinkel
won her first tournament of the fall, shooting a 40 to edge Dodge City's Ashlyn Armstrong by two strokes. Talea McCrae finished third
with a 44 and Sophia Garrison placed fourth with a 47.TEAM STANDINGS 1. Hays High - 182 2. Dodge City - 189 3. Great Bend - 199 4. Garden City - 204 5. Liberal - 222 TOP 10 MEDALISTS 1. Katie Dinkel, Hays High - 40 2. Ashlyn Armstrong, Dodge City - 42 3. Taleia McCrae, Hays High - 44 4. Sophia Garrison, Hays High - 47 5. Lauren Gleason, Dodge City - 48 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Kirsten Miessler, Great Bend - 48 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Ryan Warren, Garden City - 48 8. Valeria Aguirre, Dodge City - 49 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Allyson Kaiser, Great Bend - 49 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Ashlynn Wagensell, Liberal - 49

⛳ HHS wins Liberal Invitational

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs threw the adage that defense wins championship on the ol’ barbecue and cooked it till charred last season, relying instead on their dynamic offense to win their first Super Bowl in 50 years.

They also leaned on it to win their season opener against Houston.

That game to kick off the NFL’s season on Thursday night, though, may have illustrated just how exceptional their offense can be.

When the Texans backed off the line of scrimmage to deal with the Chiefs’ speedy wide receivers, they simply ran at will with first-round pick Clyde Edwards-Helaire. When they packed the line of scrimmage, quarterback Patrick Mahomes could be seen smiling through his face mask while his vast array of playmakers shredded the secondary.

None of this is revolutionary. Teams have sought such offensive balance for decades. It’s just that the Chiefs have the talent and personnel to pull off the trick better than just about any NFL team in recent memory.

“What makes this offense so good,” Mahomes said, “is that we can change within games. We can go through our game plan and find ways to score and find ways to move the ball down the field, and (against Houston) it was running the football and taking the short passes. I think whenever we get to the Chargers next week, we’ll play another great defense, and we’ll have to find a way to move the ball and score that week as well.”

The balance the Chiefs showed is evident simply by looking at the box score.

Mahomes threw 32 passes downfield; the Chiefs ran the ball 34 times. He threw for 203 yards and three touchdowns; they ran for 166 yards and another score. They averaged 6.6 yards per completion; they averaged 4.9 yards per carry.

“They’ve been a man (defense) against us in the past,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said of the Texans, “but they kind of mixed it up with a bunch of different coverages. Some of our underneath stuff was good. ... Our whole receiving corps I thought did a really nice job. And Pat did a really nice job of checking it down.”

He also did a really nice job of finding the open target even when Houston managed to take somebody away.

The Texans started out by blanketing Tyreek Hill, and that opened things up for Sammy Watkins, who had seven catches for 82 yards and a score. When they shifted more attention to Watkins, the Chiefs started directing the ball to tight end Travis Kelce, who added six catches for 50 yards and a touchdown.

Oh, and lest you think Hill can be kept under wraps all game, he still finished with five catches for 46 yards and a score.

“We were rocking,” Kelce said with simplistic bravado. “We were out here rocking.”

They had better keep rolling, too. While the Chiefs played well defensively against Houston, a few injuries picked up during the game coupled with suspensions being served by cornerback Bashaud Breeland and defensive tackle Mike Pennel have left them short-handed when they visit Los Angeles this weekend to play the Chargers.

Defensive tackle Khalen Saunders dislocated his elbow and will be out awhile. Charvarius Ward fractured his hand, which means the Chiefs could be without their top two cornerbacks. Defensive end Alex Okafor left the game with what the team called a “slight hamstring” issue, but his injury history means the Chiefs will certainly take it slowly with him.

“Listen, I’m proud of our guys,” Reid said, “but we have a ton of things to work on, so that’s a plus. And these guys are willing to do that. They know that. And once they have a chance to look at the tape and see what they’ve got, they’ll hit the drawing board, as you’d say, and get busy working on those things.”

NOTES: C Austin Reiter is dealing with some knee soreness, Reid said Monday. ... Despite having surgery, Ward has not been ruled out against the Chargers. “He had some work done on it and we’ll just see where he’s at when it’s game time,” Reid said. ... S Juan Thornhill had no issues against Houston in his first game since tearing his ACL late last season. “He actually came out feeling good, which is what we wanted,” Reid said. “We were cautious with him. He wanted to play more, to his credit. It all worked out well, particularly the day after, which was important to us.”

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs threw the adage that defense wins championship on the ol’ barbecue and cooked it till charred last season, relying instead on their dynamic offense to win their first Super Bowl in 50 years.They also leaned on it to win their season opener against Houston.That game to kick off the NFL’s season on Thursday night, though, may have illustrated just how exceptional their offense can be.When the Texans backed off the line of scrimmage to deal with the Chiefs’ speedy wide receivers, they simply ran at will with first-round pick Clyde Edwards-Helaire. When they packed the line of scrimmage, quarterback Patrick Mahomes could be seen smiling through his face mask while his vast array of playmakers shredded the secondary.None of this is revolutionary. Teams have sought such offensive balance for decades. It’s just that the Chiefs have the talent and personnel to pull off the trick better than just about any NFL team in recent memory.“What makes this offense so good,” Mahomes said, “is that we can change within games. We can go through our game plan and find ways to score and find ways to move the ball down the field, and (against Houston) it was running the football and taking the short passes. I think whenever we get to the Chargers next week, we’ll play another great defense, and we’ll have to find a way to move the ball and score that week as well.”The balance the Chiefs showed is evident simply by looking at the box score.Mahomes threw 32 passes downfield; the Chiefs ran the ball 34 times. He threw for 203 yards and three touchdowns; they ran for 166 yards and another score. They averaged 6.6 yards per completion; they averaged 4.9 yards per carry.“They’ve been a man (defense) against us in the past,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said of the Texans, “but they kind of mixed it up with a bunch of different coverages. Some of our underneath stuff was good. ... Our whole receiving corps I thought did a really nice job. And Pat did a really nice job of checking it down.”He also did a really nice job of finding the open target even when Houston managed to take somebody away.The Texans started out by blanketing Tyreek Hill, and that opened things up for Sammy Watkins, who had seven catches for 82 yards and a score. When they shifted more attention to Watkins, the Chiefs started directing the ball to tight end Travis Kelce, who added six catches for 50 yards and a touchdown.Oh, and lest you think Hill can be kept under wraps all game, he still finished with five catches for 46 yards and a score.“We were rocking,” Kelce said with simplistic bravado. “We were out here rocking.”They had better keep rolling, too. While the Chiefs played well defensively against Houston, a few injuries picked up during the game coupled with suspensions being served by cornerback Bashaud Breeland and defensive tackle Mike Pennel have left them short-handed when they visit Los Angeles this weekend to play the Chargers.Defensive tackle Khalen Saunders dislocated his elbow and will be out awhile. Charvarius Ward fractured his hand, which means the Chiefs could be without their top two cornerbacks. Defensive end Alex Okafor left the game with what the team called a “slight hamstring” issue, but his injury history means the Chiefs will certainly take it slowly with him.“Listen, I’m proud of our guys,” Reid said, “but we have a ton of things to work on, so that’s a plus. And these guys are willing to do that. They know that. And once they have a chance to look at the tape and see what they’ve got, they’ll hit the drawing board, as you’d say, and get busy working on those things.”NOTES: C Austin Reiter is dealing with some knee soreness, Reid said Monday. ... Despite having surgery, Ward has not been ruled out against the Chargers. “He had some work done on it and we’ll just see where he’s at when it’s game time,” Reid said. ... S Juan Thornhill had no issues against Houston in his first game since tearing his ACL late last season. “He actually came out feeling good, which is what we wanted,” Reid said. “We were cautious with him. He wanted to play more, to his credit. It all worked out well, particularly the day after, which was important to us.”

🏈 Chiefs offense shows balance, firepower right out of gate

LAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;The Kansas Jayhawks will take their first road trip of the season as they take on the Baylor Bears on Sept. 26, which will kickoff at 6:30 p.m. CT on ESPNU, the Big 12 Conference announced on Monday.

The game will be Kansas’ second night game of the 2020 season, after playing its season-opener under the lights on Sept. 12. The game also marks Kansas’ first Big 12 contest of the season.

LAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;The Kansas Jayhawks will take their first road trip of the season as they take on the Baylor Bears on Sept. 26, which will kickoff at 6:30 p.m. CT on ESPNU, the Big 12 Conference announced on Monday.The game will be Kansas’ second night game of the 2020 season, after playing its season-opener under the lights on Sept. 12. The game also marks Kansas’ first Big 12 contest of the season.Kansas Athletics

🏈 Kansas at Baylor to Kickoff at 6:30 p.m. on ESPNU

If you missed Saturday's FHSU Football Replay on Tiger Radio Mix-103, we have it right here. Enjoy Fort Hays State vs. No. 6 Pittsburg State from Sep. 9, 1995.

If you missed Saturday's FHSU Football Replay on Tiger Radio Mix-103, we have it right here. Enjoy Fort Hays State vs. No. 6 Pittsburg State from Sep. 9, 1995.<div><iframe title="FHSU Football Replay: vs. #6 Pittsburg State (Sep. 09, 1995)" height="400" width="400" style="border: none;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/media/player/pe5f8-eb7bbb?from=pb6admin&download=1&version=1&vjs=1&auto=0&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Helvetica&skin=7&pfauth="></iframe></div>

🎧 Defend the Fort Podcast: FHSU Football Replay

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Brad Keller pitched his first major league shutout, tossing a five-hitter as the Kansas City Royals won their sixth in a row by beating the Pittsburgh Pirates 11-0 on Sunday.

Keller (4-2) was in total command, allowing only three hits until the ninth inning.

Making his 55th career start in the big leagues, he struck two, walked one and threw 111 pitches. It was his second complete game in the majors.

Salvador Pérez and Hunter Dozier homered to help Kansas City win its second consecutive series after losing its previous eight. Pittsburgh lost its fourth game in a row.

The Royals thrived off Chad Kuhl (1-2) who couldn’t find the strike zone. He walked six, helping set up nine runs in 2 1/3 innings. Only 31 of his 70 pitches were strikes.

After giving up a single in the third, he walked three of the next four batters and was yanked. Nick Tropeano relieved him and proceeded to walk Nicky Lopez, then give up a two-run single to Whit Merrifield that made it 9-0.

Seven Royals starters had an RBI with Merrifield and Salvador Pérez both having a pair.

Maikel Franco drove in a run in the first inning after singles by Merrifield and Perez. Alex Gordon also tacked on an RBI later in the inning.

The Pirates caught a bad break on the next batter when a wild pitch ricocheted off the home plate umpire nearly into the Royals dugout. Dozier and Alex Gordon both scored on the play.

Pirates: Begins a four-game series against Cincinnati including a doubleheader on Monday.

Royals: Have the day off on Monday before facing Detroit for a two-game series. They haven’t played the Tigers since July.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Brad Keller pitched his first major league shutout, tossing a five-hitter as the Kansas City Royals won their sixth in a row by beating the Pittsburgh Pirates 11-0 on Sunday.Keller (4-2) was in total command, allowing only three hits until the ninth inning.Making his 55th career start in the big leagues, he struck two, walked one and threw 111 pitches. It was his second complete game in the majors.Salvador Pérez and Hunter Dozier homered to help Kansas City win its second consecutive series after losing its previous eight. Pittsburgh lost its fourth game in a row.The Royals thrived off Chad Kuhl (1-2) who couldn’t find the strike zone. He walked six, helping set up nine runs in 2 1/3 innings. Only 31 of his 70 pitches were strikes.After giving up a single in the third, he walked three of the next four batters and was yanked. Nick Tropeano relieved him and proceeded to walk Nicky Lopez, then give up a two-run single to Whit Merrifield that made it 9-0.Seven Royals starters had an RBI with Merrifield and Salvador Pérez both having a pair.Maikel Franco drove in a run in the first inning after singles by Merrifield and Perez. Alex Gordon also tacked on an RBI later in the inning.The Pirates caught a bad break on the next batter when a wild pitch ricocheted off the home plate umpire nearly into the Royals dugout. Dozier and Alex Gordon both scored on the play.UP NEXTPirates: Begins a four-game series against Cincinnati including a doubleheader on Monday.Royals: Have the day off on Monday before facing Detroit for a two-game series. They haven’t played the Tigers since July.

⚾ Keller 1st MLB shutout, KC tops Pirates for 6th win in row

LAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;Kansas couldn’t overcome early miscues as Coastal Carolina defeated the Jayhawks, 38-23, at David Booth Memorial Stadium Saturday night in the season opener for both teams. KU would outscore the Chanticleers, 20-10, in the second half.

Playing before an empty stadium due to COVID-19, Coastal Carolina turned three Kansas first-half turnovers into 21 points as the Chanticleers scored touchdowns on four of their first five possessions to go up 28-0. Kansas redshirt-freshman kicker Jacob Borcila connected on 47-yard field goal as time expired to make the score 28-3 at the intermission.

After stalling Coastal Carolina’s opening drive of the second half, Kansas went 89 yards in 15 plays with junior quarterback Miles Kendrick hitting senior wide receiver Andrew Parchment on a 14-yard touchdown pass. Kendrick then connected with senior Kwamie Lassiter II on the two-point conversion to make the score 28-11. For the game, Kendrick completed 15 of his 24 pass attempts for a total of 156 yards and two touchdowns. Parchment hauled in six receptions for 54 yards on the night, also scoring one touchdown.

Kansas’ defense then forced a Coastal Carolina three-and-out and on its next drive. KU sophomore running back Velton Gardner raced 61 yards for a touchdown to make the score 28-17 after three quarters. It would be the closest the Jayhawks would come in the second half. Gardner ended the night as KU’s leading rusher with 81 yards on 11 carries.

Coastal Carolina then went on an 81-yard drive with a two-yard score by quarterback Grayson McCall to make it 35-17, but KU would once again respond. Kendrick hit Lassiter with a five-yard touchdown pass to make the score 35-23. Lassiter hauled in five catches for 63 yards for the game.

The Chanticleers would add a late field goal to give Coastal Carolina its second-straight win in as many seasons versus KU, with a final score of 38-23.

Next, Kansas will take a week off and open Big 12 play at Baylor on Saturday, Sept. 26. Kickoff time and television designation for the KU-BU contest have yet to be announced.

LAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;Kansas couldn’t overcome early miscues as Coastal Carolina defeated the Jayhawks, 38-23, at David Booth Memorial Stadium Saturday night in the season opener for both teams. KU would outscore the Chanticleers, 20-10, in the second half.Playing before an empty stadium due to COVID-19, Coastal Carolina turned three Kansas first-half turnovers into 21 points as the Chanticleers scored touchdowns on four of their first five possessions to go up 28-0. Kansas redshirt-freshman kicker Jacob Borcila connected on 47-yard field goal as time expired to make the score 28-3 at the intermission.After stalling Coastal Carolina’s opening drive of the second half, Kansas went 89 yards in 15 plays with junior quarterback Miles Kendrick hitting senior wide receiver Andrew Parchment on a 14-yard touchdown pass. Kendrick then connected with senior Kwamie Lassiter II on the two-point conversion to make the score 28-11. For the game, Kendrick completed 15 of his 24 pass attempts for a total of 156 yards and two touchdowns. Parchment hauled in six receptions for 54 yards on the night, also scoring one touchdown.Kansas’ defense then forced a Coastal Carolina three-and-out and on its next drive. KU sophomore running back Velton Gardner raced 61 yards for a touchdown to make the score 28-17 after three quarters. It would be the closest the Jayhawks would come in the second half. Gardner ended the night as KU’s leading rusher with 81 yards on 11 carries.Coastal Carolina then went on an 81-yard drive with a two-yard score by quarterback Grayson McCall to make it 35-17, but KU would once again respond. Kendrick hit Lassiter with a five-yard touchdown pass to make the score 35-23. Lassiter hauled in five catches for 63 yards for the game.The Chanticleers would add a late field goal to give Coastal Carolina its second-straight win in as many seasons versus KU, with a final score of 38-23.Next, Kansas will take a week off and open Big 12 play at Baylor on Saturday, Sept. 26. Kickoff time and television designation for the KU-BU contest have yet to be announced.Kansas Athletics

🏈 Kansas falls in season opener to Coastal Carolina

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Adalberto Mondesi homered and stole a base for the third consecutive game, Kyle Zimmer got his first career win after a winding path to the major leagues and the Kansas City Royals beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-4 on Saturday night.

Whit Merrifield added a solo homer and the Royals won their fifth straight game. It was the third consecutive loss for Pittsburgh.

Mondesi and Bobby Abreu in 2004 are the only players to homer and steal a base in three straight games since at least 1901, according to MLB.com.

“He just continues to take great at bats and making things happen,” manager Mike Matheny said.

Zimmer (1-0) pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing a hit and a walk and striking out one. The 28-year-old was the fifth overall pick in the 2012 draft by Kansas City but didn’t debut in the majors until last season due to recurring shoulder issues that threatened to end his career.

“I just got a bunch of milk and barbecue sauce dumped on me,” Zimmer said. “It’s hard to look back and it’s been a long road with a lot of years of grinding, but I just try to stay in the moment.”

After struggling through 15 outings last season in his first taste of the majors, Zimmer owns a 1.35 ERA in 13 appearances this season.

Zimmer relieved Carlos Hernandez after the right-hander allowed solo homers by Josh Bell, Bryan Reynolds and Adam Frazier.

“I thought he had really good stuff today,” Matheny said. “Even his misses were close misses and there’s a few things he needs to continue to work on.”

Greg Holland pitched the ninth for his fifth save.

Mondesi tied it at 3 with his two-run homer in the third inning. He has four homers in the past six games after failing to hit one in the first 41 games of the season.

Trevor Williams (1-7) took the loss for the Pirates, allowing 10 hits and six runs in five innings.

“It’s just the consistency of execution,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said. “We see it in stretches and then he loses it during the game. We got to get him back on track executing in his zone.”

Merrifield led the bottom of the first off with a home run, his ninth on the year.

Salvador Perez hit an RBI single that scored Mondesi after he singled and stole second to put the Royals up 4-3. Olivares and Gordon also had RBIs in the fifth to extend the lead to 6-3.

Nicky Lopez picked up an RBI in the seventh off Kyle Crick who walked two batters and gave up two hits in 2/3 of an inning.

Scott Barlow allowed one run on an RBI by Frazier

The game was pushed back 30 minutes after an armed man fired shots at nearby Arrowhead Stadium from the parking lot. The suspect was taken into custody.

Royals: Before the game, INF Kelvin Gutierrez returned from the IL, OF Nick Heath was recalled while INF Ryan McBroom was optioned and INF Matt Reynolds was designated for assignment.

RHP Chad Kuhl (1-1, 3.38) starts Sunday’s matinee for the Pirates against RHP Brad Keller (3-2, 2.60). Keller gave up four runs in 6 2/3 innings in his last outing against the Indians.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Adalberto Mondesi homered and stole a base for the third consecutive game, Kyle Zimmer got his first career win after a winding path to the major leagues and the Kansas City Royals beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-4 on Saturday night.Whit Merrifield added a solo homer and the Royals won their fifth straight game. It was the third consecutive loss for Pittsburgh.Mondesi and Bobby Abreu in 2004 are the only players to homer and steal a base in three straight games since at least 1901, according to MLB.com.“He just continues to take great at bats and making things happen,” manager Mike Matheny said.Zimmer (1-0) pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing a hit and a walk and striking out one. The 28-year-old was the fifth overall pick in the 2012 draft by Kansas City but didn’t debut in the majors until last season due to recurring shoulder issues that threatened to end his career.“I just got a bunch of milk and barbecue sauce dumped on me,” Zimmer said. “It’s hard to look back and it’s been a long road with a lot of years of grinding, but I just try to stay in the moment.”After struggling through 15 outings last season in his first taste of the majors, Zimmer owns a 1.35 ERA in 13 appearances this season.Zimmer relieved Carlos Hernandez after the right-hander allowed solo homers by Josh Bell, Bryan Reynolds and Adam Frazier.“I thought he had really good stuff today,” Matheny said. “Even his misses were close misses and there’s a few things he needs to continue to work on.”Greg Holland pitched the ninth for his fifth save.Mondesi tied it at 3 with his two-run homer in the third inning. He has four homers in the past six games after failing to hit one in the first 41 games of the season.Trevor Williams (1-7) took the loss for the Pirates, allowing 10 hits and six runs in five innings.“It’s just the consistency of execution,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said. “We see it in stretches and then he loses it during the game. We got to get him back on track executing in his zone.”Merrifield led the bottom of the first off with a home run, his ninth on the year.Salvador Perez hit an RBI single that scored Mondesi after he singled and stole second to put the Royals up 4-3. Olivares and Gordon also had RBIs in the fifth to extend the lead to 6-3.Nicky Lopez picked up an RBI in the seventh off Kyle Crick who walked two batters and gave up two hits in 2/3 of an inning.Scott Barlow allowed one run on an RBI by FrazierLATE STARTThe game was pushed back 30 minutes after an armed man fired shots at nearby Arrowhead Stadium from the parking lot. The suspect was taken into custody.ROSTER MOVESRoyals: Before the game, INF Kelvin Gutierrez returned from the IL, OF Nick Heath was recalled while INF Ryan McBroom was optioned and INF Matt Reynolds was designated for assignment.UP NEXTRHP Chad Kuhl (1-1, 3.38) starts Sunday’s matinee for the Pirates against RHP Brad Keller (3-2, 2.60). Keller gave up four runs in 6 2/3 innings in his last outing against the Indians.

⚾ Mondesi has HR, SB; Zimmer gets 1st win as Royals top Bucs

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Jonathan Adams Jr. caught three touchdown passes, including the game-winner with 38 seconds remaining, and Arkansas State defeated Kansas State 35-31 on Saturday.

Layne Hatcher threw a 17-yard pass to Adams for the winning score after the Wildcats (0-1) had taken a 31-28 lead on a Blake Lynch 35-yard field goal with 2:30 remaining.

Arkansas State (1-1) faked a punt that led to a pass interference call, keeping a drive alive and leading to a 5-yard TD pass to Adams from Logan Bonner for a 28-21 lead with just under 12 minutes left in the fourth quarter.

Kansas State responded with Harry Trotter’s 5-yard touchdown run before Lynch’s go-ahead field goal.

Kansas State scored on its first possession on a 17-yard catch by Phillip Brooks following a blocked punt. The Wildcats scored on consecutive drives in the second quarter to take a 21-7 lead. Adams got the Red Wolves’ first TD on a 2-yard pass from Bonner.

Wide receiver Jeff Foreman threw a 48-yard scoring pass to Roshauud Paul midway through the second quarter and the Red Wolves trailed 21-14 at halftime.

Arkansas State held the Wildcats to 91 yards rushing.

Arkansas State put on a magic show in Manhattan, fooling K-State with three trick plays that all led to points.

Arkansas State: The quick tempo and aggressive play-calling kept the Red Wolves in the game and proved to be the difference. Arkansas State kept the ground game in check.

Kansas State: The Wildcats failed to establish the run game and had to rely on the arm of Skylar Thompson, an uncommon offensive strategy for K-State.

Arkansas State will host Central Arkansas next Saturday.

Kansas State will have a week off before opening Big 12 play against Oklahoma on September 26.

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Jonathan Adams Jr. caught three touchdown passes, including the game-winner with 38 seconds remaining, and Arkansas State defeated Kansas State 35-31 on Saturday.Layne Hatcher threw a 17-yard pass to Adams for the winning score after the Wildcats (0-1) had taken a 31-28 lead on a Blake Lynch 35-yard field goal with 2:30 remaining.Arkansas State (1-1) faked a punt that led to a pass interference call, keeping a drive alive and leading to a 5-yard TD pass to Adams from Logan Bonner for a 28-21 lead with just under 12 minutes left in the fourth quarter.Kansas State responded with Harry Trotter’s 5-yard touchdown run before Lynch’s go-ahead field goal.Kansas State scored on its first possession on a 17-yard catch by Phillip Brooks following a blocked punt. The Wildcats scored on consecutive drives in the second quarter to take a 21-7 lead. Adams got the Red Wolves’ first TD on a 2-yard pass from Bonner.Wide receiver Jeff Foreman threw a 48-yard scoring pass to Roshauud Paul midway through the second quarter and the Red Wolves trailed 21-14 at halftime.Arkansas State held the Wildcats to 91 yards rushing.TRICK PLAYSArkansas State put on a magic show in Manhattan, fooling K-State with three trick plays that all led to points.THE TAKEAWAYArkansas State: The quick tempo and aggressive play-calling kept the Red Wolves in the game and proved to be the difference. Arkansas State kept the ground game in check.Kansas State: The Wildcats failed to establish the run game and had to rely on the arm of Skylar Thompson, an uncommon offensive strategy for K-State.UP NEXTArkansas State will host Central Arkansas next Saturday.Kansas State will have a week off before opening Big 12 play against Oklahoma on September 26.

🏈 Arkansas State beats Kansas State in final minute

Click <a href="https://streamdb7web.securenetsystems.net/cirrusencore/index.cfm?stationCallSign=KJLS">here</a> to listen to listen to our rebroadcast of the Tigers game vs. No. 6 Pittsburg State from September 9, 1995.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599145566549.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Click <a href="https://streamdb7web.securenetsystems.net/cirrusencore/index.cfm?stationCallSign=KJLS">here</a> to listen to listen to our rebroadcast of the Tigers game vs. No. 6 Pittsburg State from September 9, 1995.The rebroadcast begins at 2 p.m.

📻 Listen to FHSU Football Replay

Listen as
the ‘Voice of the Chiefs’ Mitch Holthus recaps Thursday's season-opening win over the Houston Texans.

The
Holthus Hotline airs Saturday mornings at 8 a.m. during the Chiefs seaosn on your home for Chiefs football, KFIX
(96.9-FM).

Listen as
the ‘Voice of the Chiefs’ Mitch Holthus recaps Thursday's season-opening win over the Houston Texans.The
Holthus Hotline airs Saturday mornings at 8 a.m. during the Chiefs seaosn on your home for Chiefs football, KFIX
(96.9-FM).<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/891550960&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-814667509/091220a" title="Holthus Hotline 091220" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Holthus Hotline 091220</a></div></div>

🎧 Holthus Hotline with ‘Voice of the Chiefs’ Mitch Holthus

HAYS - The TMP-Marian Monarchs overcame a slow start Friday night at Lewis Field and beat the Russell Broncos 34-6.

Russell jumped out to an early 6-0 lead as they scored on their opening possession on a Jesse Whitmer 10-year touchdown run that capped off a six-play 47-yard drive.

The Monarchs offense was held in check for the majority of the first half until midway through the second quarter when Bryce Seib broke free for a 32 yard run setting up a Kade Harris 1-yard touchdown run. TMP took their first lead of the game with the extra point that made it 7-6.

In the second half the Monarchs scored a touchdown on four of their first five drivers as they built a 34-6 lead.

Harris added a second rushing touchdown and threw for two second half touchdowns. One went for 19 yards to Lance Lang and the second was a 95 yard pass to Mark Rack.

After recording just 13 total yards in the first quarter TMP racked up 254 yards in the final three quarter of the game.

TMP quarterback Kade Harris finished 8-18 passing for 174 yards and two touchdowns. Mark Rack had two receptions for 109 yards and a touchdown.

TMP improved to 1-1 on the season while Russell dropped to 0-2.

The Monarchs travel to Plainville next Friday night.

HAYS - The TMP-Marian Monarchs overcame a slow start Friday night at Lewis Field and beat the Russell Broncos 34-6.Coach Jays Harris<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/891886984&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-814667509/09-11-20-tmp-interview" title="09 - 11 - 20 Tmp Interview" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">09 - 11 - 20 Tmp Interview</a></div></div>Russell jumped out to an early 6-0 lead as they scored on their opening possession on a Jesse Whitmer 10-year touchdown run that capped off a six-play 47-yard drive.The Monarchs offense was held in check for the majority of the first half until midway through the second quarter when Bryce Seib broke free for a 32 yard run setting up a Kade Harris 1-yard touchdown run. TMP took their first lead of the game with the extra point that made it 7-6.In the second half the Monarchs scored a touchdown on four of their first five drivers as they built a 34-6 lead.Harris added a second rushing touchdown and threw for two second half touchdowns. One went for 19 yards to Lance Lang and the second was a 95 yard pass to Mark Rack.After recording just 13 total yards in the first quarter TMP racked up 254 yards in the final three quarter of the game.Game highlights<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/891887038&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-814667509/09-11-20-tmp-highlights" title="09 - 11 - 20 Tmp Highlights" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">09 - 11 - 20 Tmp Highlights</a></div></div>TMP quarterback Kade Harris finished 8-18 passing for 174 yards and two touchdowns. Mark Rack had two receptions for 109 yards and a touchdown.TMP improved to 1-1 on the season while Russell dropped to 0-2.The Monarchs travel to Plainville next Friday night.

🏈 TMP pulls away from Russell for first win of the year

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kris Bubic worked hard through five innings to earn his first major league win as the Kansas City Royals defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-3 Friday night for their fourth straight victory.

Bubic (1-5), the second of four pitchers from the first round of the 2018 draft to debut for Kansas City in 2020, faced baserunners in every inning, but only allowed one run on six hits in five innings.

The 23-year-old lefty won in his eighth big league start. He walked two and struck out six, five of those coming with runners in scoring position.

Greg Holland pitched a perfect ninth for his fourth save.

Royals star catcher Salvador Perez came off the injured list and hit a double and single. He had missed the last 20 games with fluid on his left eye.

Adalberto Mondesi homered, scored three runs and stole two bases for the Royals. Maikel Franco hit a pair of RBI singles.

Steven Brault (0-3) allowed three runs on five hits in four innings.

Adam Frazier saw his 12-game hitting streak snapped. It was the longest hitting streak for the Pirates this season.

Mondesi’s third home run of the season, all in the last five games, put the Royals up 1-0 in the first. He also extended his hitting streak to eight games, tying his career high.

The Royals got two more runs in the third. Franco hit an RBI single and Perez scored on a wild pitch.

The Pirates cut the lead to 3-1 in the fourth, but Bubic escaped trouble for the second time in three innings. After getting out of a first-and-third jam with no outs in the second by striking out the side, Bubic faced the same situation in the fourth.

He gave up an RBI double to Jacob Stallings, putting runners on second and third, still with no outs. But Bubic then retired the next three batters on an infield popup, a strikeout and a flyout.

Mondesi scored three runs, the last coming in the seventh when he led off with a walk, stole two bases and scored on Franco’s second RBI single.

Josh Bell’s two-run homer in the eighth drew the Pirates to within 4-3.

Pirates: Placed RHP Tyler Bashlor on the 10-day Injured List with lower back inflammation. LHP Austin Davis was recalled.

Royals: Optioned C Maibrys Viloria to the alternate site.

RHP Trevor Williams (1-6, 5.80 ERA) pitches for the Pirates on Saturday.He’s allowed 10 homers in 40 1/3 innings this season.

RHP Carlos Hernandez (0-0, 1.42 ERA) will make his first career start for the Royals. He has pitched 6 1/3 innings out of the bullpen in two appearances since making his major league debut Sept. 1.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kris Bubic worked hard through five innings to earn his first major league win as the Kansas City Royals defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-3 Friday night for their fourth straight victory.Bubic (1-5), the second of four pitchers from the first round of the 2018 draft to debut for Kansas City in 2020, faced baserunners in every inning, but only allowed one run on six hits in five innings.The 23-year-old lefty won in his eighth big league start. He walked two and struck out six, five of those coming with runners in scoring position.Greg Holland pitched a perfect ninth for his fourth save.Royals star catcher Salvador Perez came off the injured list and hit a double and single. He had missed the last 20 games with fluid on his left eye.Adalberto Mondesi homered, scored three runs and stole two bases for the Royals. Maikel Franco hit a pair of RBI singles.Steven Brault (0-3) allowed three runs on five hits in four innings.Adam Frazier saw his 12-game hitting streak snapped. It was the longest hitting streak for the Pirates this season.Mondesi’s third home run of the season, all in the last five games, put the Royals up 1-0 in the first. He also extended his hitting streak to eight games, tying his career high.The Royals got two more runs in the third. Franco hit an RBI single and Perez scored on a wild pitch.The Pirates cut the lead to 3-1 in the fourth, but Bubic escaped trouble for the second time in three innings. After getting out of a first-and-third jam with no outs in the second by striking out the side, Bubic faced the same situation in the fourth.He gave up an RBI double to Jacob Stallings, putting runners on second and third, still with no outs. But Bubic then retired the next three batters on an infield popup, a strikeout and a flyout.Mondesi scored three runs, the last coming in the seventh when he led off with a walk, stole two bases and scored on Franco’s second RBI single.Josh Bell’s two-run homer in the eighth drew the Pirates to within 4-3.ROSTER MOVESPirates: Placed RHP Tyler Bashlor on the 10-day Injured List with lower back inflammation. LHP Austin Davis was recalled.Royals: Optioned C Maibrys Viloria to the alternate site.UP NEXTRHP Trevor Williams (1-6, 5.80 ERA) pitches for the Pirates on Saturday.He’s allowed 10 homers in 40 1/3 innings this season.RHP Carlos Hernandez (0-0, 1.42 ERA) will make his first career start for the Royals. He has pitched 6 1/3 innings out of the bullpen in two appearances since making his major league debut Sept. 1.

⚾ Bubic earns 1st MLB win, Royals beat Pirates for 4th in row

GREAT BEND - Hays High went on the road for a second consecutive week to start the 2020 season. The Indians opened Western Athletic Conference play in Great Bend Friday night.

Hays stormed out of the gates scoring a touchdown on each of their first three series. Jaren Kanak took the first play of offense for the Indians 43 yards and a score. Jordan Dale, who started for an ill Dylan Dreiling, scored with his legs on the next two series. Dale ran in from 26 yards and 47 yards out for a 22-0 lead with 4:39 to go in the first quarter.

Great Bend threw an interception to end their next series. The Indians gave the ball back just three plays later on a tipped pass that resulted in an interception.

The Panthers scored on their next two series. The first a ten yard pass set up by a 42 yard double pass. Great Bend closed the gap down to 22-14 on a 34 yard pass on fourth and four with :26 left in the first half.

Jordan Dale continued his career night with two more touchdown runs and a completed pass for a score. Dale scored from 61 yards out on the first play of second half and a 29-14 lead.&nbsp;

The Indian defense posted a shutout in the second half and allowed just 265 yards in the game.&nbsp;

Dale threw a 65 yard touchdown pass to Carson Kieffer in the fourth quarter and tacked on a 40 yard TD run for his fourth rushing score. He ran for 229 yards becoming the first player to rush for 200+ yards in a game since Alex Delton did it three times in 2014.&nbsp;

Hays is 2-0 for the first time since 2014 and start WAC play at 1-0. Great Bend falls to 0-2 and 0-1. Hays is at home for the first time this season next week as they host Liberal.

GREAT BEND - Hays High went on the road for a second consecutive week to start the 2020 season. The Indians opened Western Athletic Conference play in Great Bend Friday night.Hays stormed out of the gates scoring a touchdown on each of their first three series. Jaren Kanak took the first play of offense for the Indians 43 yards and a score. Jordan Dale, who started for an ill Dylan Dreiling, scored with his legs on the next two series. Dale ran in from 26 yards and 47 yards out for a 22-0 lead with 4:39 to go in the first quarter.Great Bend threw an interception to end their next series. The Indians gave the ball back just three plays later on a tipped pass that resulted in an interception.The Panthers scored on their next two series. The first a ten yard pass set up by a 42 yard double pass. Great Bend closed the gap down to 22-14 on a 34 yard pass on fourth and four with :26 left in the first half.Highlights<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/891888892&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-814667509/9-11-2020-hays-high-fb-at-great-bend-highlights" title="9 - 11 - 2020 Hays High FB At Great Bend Highlights" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">9 - 11 - 2020 Hays High FB At Great Bend Highlights</a></div></div>Jordan Dale continued his career night with two more touchdown runs and a completed pass for a score. Dale scored from 61 yards out on the first play of second half and a 29-14 lead.&nbsp;The Indian defense posted a shutout in the second half and allowed just 265 yards in the game.&nbsp;Dale threw a 65 yard touchdown pass to Carson Kieffer in the fourth quarter and tacked on a 40 yard TD run for his fourth rushing score. He ran for 229 yards becoming the first player to rush for 200+ yards in a game since Alex Delton did it three times in 2014.&nbsp;Coach Tony Crough<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/891888655&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-814667509/9-11-2020-hays-high-coach-tony-crough" title="9 - 11 - 2020 Hays High Coach Tony Crough" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">9 - 11 - 2020 Hays High Coach Tony Crough</a></div></div>Hays is 2-0 for the first time since 2014 and start WAC play at 1-0. Great Bend falls to 0-2 and 0-1. Hays is at home for the first time this season next week as they host Liberal.

🏈 Jordan Dale runs over Great Bend for a W

The TMP-Marian Monarchs host the Russell Broncos in a MCL matchup Friday.

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. with the Hertz Rental Car Pregame Show set for 6:30.

You can also listen to the game on <a href="https://streamdb7web.securenetsystems.net/cirrusencore/index.cfm?stationCallSign=KHAZ">99.5 KHAZ</a>.

The TMP-Marian Monarchs host the Russell Broncos in a MCL matchup Friday.Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. with the Hertz Rental Car Pregame Show set for 6:30.<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TdB4uqs0aR0"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>You can also listen to the game on <a href="https://streamdb7web.securenetsystems.net/cirrusencore/index.cfm?stationCallSign=KHAZ">99.5 KHAZ</a>.

🏈WATCH - TMP-Marian hosts Russell

The Hays High football teams travels to Great Bend Friday for a WAC matchup with the rival Panthers.

You can also listen to the game on 96.9 <a href="https://radio.securenetsystems.net/cwa/KFIX">KFIX</a>.

The Hays High football teams travels to Great Bend Friday for a WAC matchup with the rival Panthers.Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. with the Hertz Rental Car Pregame Show set for 6:30.<div><iframe width="750" height="672" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Fn9Pjdcu7fE" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>You can also listen to the game on 96.9 <a href="https://radio.securenetsystems.net/cwa/KFIX">KFIX</a>.

🏈WATCH - Hays Hight at Great Bend

BELOIT - The TMP-Marian volleyball team got a little revenge over the team that ended their season in the sub-state finals last season.

The Monarchs (11-2) defeated Beloit 24-26, 25-20, 25-12, 25-14 Thursday.

The Monarchs are ranked fifth in Class 3A in the latest Kansas Volleyball Association poll.

BELOIT - The TMP-Marian volleyball team got a little revenge over the team that ended their season in the sub-state finals last season.The Monarchs (11-2) defeated Beloit 24-26, 25-20, 25-12, 25-14 Thursday.The Monarchs are ranked fifth in Class 3A in the latest Kansas Volleyball Association poll.

🏐 TMP-Marian defeats Beloit

DODGE CITY - The Hays High volleyball team went 2-1 Thursday at the Dodge City quad.

The Indians (6-4) defeated Lakin (27-25, 25-23) and Sublette (25-16, 25-11) and lost to Dodge City (25-22, 18-25, 17-25).

DODGE CITY - The Hays High volleyball team went 2-1 Thursday at the Dodge City quad.The Indians (6-4) defeated Lakin (27-25, 25-23) and Sublette (25-16, 25-11) and lost to Dodge City (25-22, 18-25, 17-25).

🏐 HHS goes 2-1 in Dodge City

HESSTON – The Hays High boys and girls’ cross country teams
had 27 individual medalists and both finished in third place at the Swather
Special Thursday.

Leo Hernandez won the freshman boys race and was the highest
finisher for the Indians in the race which was scored by class. Hernandez had a
time of 18:07.4 and held off Great Bend’s Apollos Johnson (18:10.7). Hays High’s
Elijah McCullough placed third in the freshman race (18:12.7), Ty Demsey was
fourth (18:29.3) and Lane Dewald seventh (19:00.9).

Matthew Dempsey placed eighth in the junior boys (17:50.6)

Claire Shippy was the highest finisher for the Indian girls,
finishing fourth in the senior division (21:43.7). Landri Dotts placed ninth in
the junior division (21:52.0). The Indians had four in the top-ten in the
sophomore division. Jaycine Watson finished fourth (21:36.0), Michaela Dickman
sixth (21:50.7), Nayeli Cisneros seventh (22:20.4) and Avery Winter eighth
(22:21.8).

Hays placed five freshman in the top-ten. Brenlyn Albers
placed fifth (21:06.9), Mika Zimmerman sixth (21:07.2), Arely Maldonado seventh
(21:26.6), Brynn Kinderknecht eighth (21:30.7) and Julia Zadina ninth (21:36.0)

BOYS TEAM RESULTS 1. Dodge City, 42
 2. Garden City, 43 &nbsp;3. Hays, 56
 4. Liberal, 60
 5. Newton, 62
 6. Great Bend, 90
 7. McPherson, 100 &nbsp;8. Buhler, 108
 9. Salina South, 113
 10. Salina Central, 116

GIRLS TEAM RESULTS
 1. Great Bend, 13
 2. Dodge City, 16
 3. Hays, 25
 4. Salina South, 27
 5. Garden City, 37
 6. Buhler, 57
 7. Liberal, 69
 8. Newton, 77
 9. Salina Central, 77
 10. McPherson, 81

HESSTON – The Hays High boys and girls’ cross country teams
had 27 individual medalists and both finished in third place at the Swather
Special Thursday.Leo Hernandez won the freshman boys race and was the highest
finisher for the Indians in the race which was scored by class. Hernandez had a
time of 18:07.4 and held off Great Bend’s Apollos Johnson (18:10.7). Hays High’s
Elijah McCullough placed third in the freshman race (18:12.7), Ty Demsey was
fourth (18:29.3) and Lane Dewald seventh (19:00.9).Matthew Dempsey placed eighth in the junior boys (17:50.6)Claire Shippy was the highest finisher for the Indian girls,
finishing fourth in the senior division (21:43.7). Landri Dotts placed ninth in
the junior division (21:52.0). The Indians had four in the top-ten in the
sophomore division. Jaycine Watson finished fourth (21:36.0), Michaela Dickman
sixth (21:50.7), Nayeli Cisneros seventh (22:20.4) and Avery Winter eighth
(22:21.8).Hays placed five freshman in the top-ten. Brenlyn Albers
placed fifth (21:06.9), Mika Zimmerman sixth (21:07.2), Arely Maldonado seventh
(21:26.6), Brynn Kinderknecht eighth (21:30.7) and Julia Zadina ninth (21:36.0)BOYS TEAM RESULTS 1. Dodge City, 42
 2. Garden City, 43 &nbsp;3. Hays, 56
 4. Liberal, 60
 5. Newton, 62
 6. Great Bend, 90
 7. McPherson, 100 &nbsp;8. Buhler, 108
 9. Salina South, 113
 10. Salina Central, 116GIRLS TEAM RESULTS
 1. Great Bend, 13
 2. Dodge City, 16
 3. Hays, 25
 4. Salina South, 27
 5. Garden City, 37
 6. Buhler, 57
 7. Liberal, 69
 8. Newton, 77
 9. Salina Central, 77
 10. McPherson, 81

🏃 Indian boys and girls place third at Hesston

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Just about the only thing that looked familiar about the NFL’s long-awaited return Thursday night was the sight of Patrick Mahomes effortlessly leading the Kansas City Chiefs up and down the field.

The Super Bowl MVP threw for 211 yards and three touchdowns, Clyde Edwards-Helaire ran through the rain for 138 yards and another score, and the Chiefs began defense of their first championship in 50 years by beating the Houston Texans 34-20 on Thursday night before a socially distanced crowd of about 17,000 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Travis Kelce, Sammy Watkins and Tyreek Hill each caught TD passes for the Chiefs. They have won 10 straight dating to last season. That run includes a come-from-behind 51-31 victory&nbsp;over the Texans in the divisional round of the playoffs.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Just about the only thing that looked familiar about the NFL’s long-awaited return Thursday night was the sight of Patrick Mahomes effortlessly leading the Kansas City Chiefs up and down the field.The Super Bowl MVP threw for 211 yards and three touchdowns, Clyde Edwards-Helaire ran through the rain for 138 yards and another score, and the Chiefs began defense of their first championship in 50 years by beating the Houston Texans 34-20 on Thursday night before a socially distanced crowd of about 17,000 due to the coronavirus pandemic.Travis Kelce, Sammy Watkins and Tyreek Hill each caught TD passes for the Chiefs. They have won 10 straight dating to last season. That run includes a come-from-behind 51-31 victory&nbsp;over the Texans in the divisional round of the playoffs.“I’m proud of our players but I’m also proud of our fans. They came out there. They were loud,” said Chiefs coach Andy Reid, who claimed he didn’t notice some booing from fans during a pregame moment of unity involving both teams.“Obviously, our players, both sides of the ball and special teams , I thought they were solid,” Reid continued. “For the first game there were some good things that were done, some great individual performances.”The Texans' Deshaun Watson threw a touchdown pass and ran for another score, but he also was under relentless pressure and was intercepted once. David Johnson provided the biggest bright spot for Houston, running for 77 yards and a score.“There’s a lot to fix,” Texans coach Bill O’Brien said. “It’s only one game. We have to improve pretty quickly. But it’s only one game . We have to get back to work pretty soon and fix these things.”The world has changed dramatically in the seven months since the Chiefs hoisted the Lombardi Trophy in Miami.Within six weeks, the term&nbsp; COVID-19 had become a part of everyday life,&nbsp;the disease killing more than 900,000 people around the globe. The death of George Floyd at the knee of a white Minneapolis police officer in May touched off the Black Lives Matter movement, which in turn has led to a summer of social unrest that has gripped the country.Against that backdrop came an NFL opener unlike any other: masks worn by everyone from fans to the coaching staffs; a series of videos raising awareness of social justice initiatives and encouraging the public to vote; and ultimately both teams locking arms in a display of unity prior to the coin toss.To the relief of many, kickoff finally brought 4 hours of normalcy.The Texans, who blew a 24-point lead against Kansas City in the the playoffs, struck first when they marched 80 yards for a touchdown. The elusive Johnson finished it off by scampering 19 yards to the end zone for a 7-0 lead.But just like that cold January day, the red-hot Chiefs quickly overcame their slow start.They tied it moments later when Mahomes threw a short touchdown pass to Kelce, then took the lead when they forced a quick punt and Mahomes found Watkins in the end zone. Harrison Butker capped the first half by kicking a chip-shot field goal that sent the Chiefs to the locker room with a 17-7 lead.Edwards-Helaire, their first-round pick, padded the lead in the third quarter. After ripping off an 11-yard gain early in the drive, the pint-sized dynamo out of LSU unleashed a wicked stutter-step before running 27 yards for another score.“H’es just another weapon I have in this offense,” Mahomes said.The Chiefs put the game away when rookie L’Jarius Sneed picked off Watson’s jump ball in the closing seconds of the third quarter. Mahomes was bailed out of a fourth-down interception by pass interference in the end zone, then he zipped a dart to Hill streaking across the field for a 31-7 lead early in the fourth quarter.“We just trust whatever Coach Reid is dialing up,” said Kelce, who finished with six catches for 50 yards. “They do an unbelievable job preparing us and scheming up defenses and we just trust what they’re doing.”Watson threw a touchdown pass and ran for a TD later in the quarter to make the final score a bit more respectable.“It was a little different but the fans did what they did for their home team and that was pretty much it,” Watson said. “We just got to continue to do our job, find the rhythm, get guys on the same page and that’s pretty much it.”UPON FURTHER REVIEWThe Chiefs had a touchdown on their opening series brought back when the officials determined Demarcus Robinson failed to control a 36-yard pass from Mahomes in the end zone. They had another overturned when Watkins caught a 9-yard pass in the second quarter, though he wound up catching a screen pass for a TD two plays later.SOCIAL JUSTICEThe Chiefs lined up along the goal line about 30 minutes before kickoff and watched Alicia Keyes perform “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” which is often considered the Black national anthem, in a video designed to address racial inequility.The Texans had already left the field when the demonstration occurred. They remained there until R&amp;B duo Chloe x Halle finished a virtual performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” then ran onto the field to a chorus of boos from fans.Some fans were still booing when the&nbsp;<a href="https://pro32.ap.org/article/chiefs-nix-headdresses-face-paint-start-nfl-season" target="_blank">teams met at midfield</a>&nbsp;and shook hands. The teams then stood together in a line that stretched from one end zone to the other for a moment of silence before the coin toss.“Listen, I didn’t really notice it,” Reid said of the booing. “I thought that was kind of a neat deal, both sides coming together for a cause. The story was told there. Whether it was the national anthems and how those were presented, the singers — Alicia Keyes was phenomenal — and then guys joining hands together for a cause. Really just to make us all better and a stronger country than we all are. We have a chance to be unstoppable when we all come together.”SUPER CELEBRATIONIn a relatively muted celebration, the Chiefs unveiled their Super Bowl banner and presented the Lombardi Trophy to their fans — along with a 20-foot replica that was wheeled onto the field — about 15 minutes before the game began.INJURIESChiefs: DT Khalen Saunders (elbow) left in the first quarter with an elbow injury. DE Alex Okafor hurt his hamstring in the third and did not return. CB Charvarius Ward left in the fourth quarter with a hand injury.Texans: RB Duke Johnson left in the fourth quarter with a leg injury. He did not return.UP NEXTThe Texans play their home opener against the Ravens on Sept. 20. The Chiefs visit the Chargers the same day.

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