By KEN MAGUIRE AP Sports Writer

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22KEN%20MAGUIRE%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest"></a>LONDON (AP) — In an offseason huddle at the NFL’s London headquarters, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kansas-city-chiefs">Kansas City Chiefs</a>&nbsp;are drawing up a game plan to win over fans in a crowded UK market.

They’re getting input from the locals, and there’s good news.

"There is something about that younger generation, in the UK specifically, they are really into U.S. sports at the moment,” says Louise Johnson, chief executive of marketing agency Fuse. “There’s a moment in time that you can really capitalize on.”

Chiefs executives visited London after the team added the UK to its list of countries in the NFL’s&nbsp;<a href="https://operations.nfl.com/updates/the-game/all-32-teams-officially-part-of-nfl-s-global-markets-program/">global markets program</a>, which puts teams in the driver’s seat to increase fandom overall — as well as land commercial partnerships individually.

A day that began meeting with local agencies in the NFL’s glass-enclosed eighth-floor office overlooking Leicester Square ended along the banks of the Thames, where a “Chiefs cab” was the meeting point to&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/Chiefs/status/1929976584485720162">surprise a local fan</a>&nbsp;with a ticket giveaway.

“The UK is another puzzle piece in the larger globalization of the brand,” said Lara Krug, the team’s chief media and marketing officer, echoing a franchise theme of becoming the “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-mahomes-germany-global-kelce-c583255170f52f4a7628d116058ac402">world’s team</a>.”

Krug led the team’s delegation that included business, social media and public relations representatives. Besides marketing agencies, they also met with NFL officials. The takeaways were clear for growing the Chiefs' fanbase.

“One, that 12-to-24 (aged) audience is where there is the biggest opportunity,” she told The Associated Press. ”(They’re) very much into the cultural part of the NFL and the Americana of it all.”

Second, find creative ways to connect to local fans. The Chicago Bears did&nbsp;<a href="https://www.chicagobears.com/news/bears-partner-with-acid-fc-mitchell-ness-for-london-merch-collection">soccer-style jerseys</a>&nbsp;last year for their London game.

“The league and the clubs have done a great job on growing the game,” Krug said. “We see the opportunity of reaching more fans and doing it from a cultural lens.”

Expanding your fan base is much easier when your quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, is the face of the league, and your star tight end,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/travis-kelce-kansas-city-chiefs-76e795fb9e896e69e82d4bc6af1eef60">Travis Kelce</a>, is dating&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stanley-cup-oilers-panthers-taylor-swift-travis-kelce-64580f4056005e292ab261900cbd2144">global pop star Taylor Swift</a>. Kelce was the&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/NFLUKIRE/status/1882475470484344866">UK’s top-selling NFL jersey</a>&nbsp;in 2024.

The Chiefs have also played in five of the last six Super Bowls and won three of them.

Still, there are eight other NFL teams with the same rights the Chiefs have in Britain — and six of them have been there longer.

Social media content on platforms like&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-trump-delay-executive-order-3211a98113615be44cf92b32dca69a8e">TikTok</a>&nbsp;and Instagram are crucial, especially because NFL fans in the UK over-index on daily social media use compared to other fans, the Chiefs said.

“We know mascots do really well in the markets, it becomes an ambassador,” Krug said.

KC Wolf was on hand&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-dolphins-germany-mahomes-12a0ace723d0c6c3aab077ca6614f161">in Frankfurt, Germany in 2023</a>&nbsp;when the Chiefs beat the Miami Dolphins 21-14.

They'll soon be looking for “multiple European-based mascots of our KC Wolf,” Krug said.

“That will be something that we launch later this year," she said, "so having KC Wolf show up in a few of our markets more frequently.”

Meetings aside, being on the ground in London was helpful in other ways: Krug noted the long line at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/formula-one">Formula One</a>&nbsp;promotion in the Lego store in Leicester Square.

The Chiefs have experimented before. Last year the team partnered with Hallmark — headquartered in Kansas City — on “&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syuN4M-wa9s">Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story.</a>&nbsp;”

In the NFL’s global markets program, Kansas City has rights in seven countries — only the Los Angeles Rams have as many. All but one — Mexico — of the Chiefs’ markets are in Europe. The team added the UK, Ireland and Spain this year.

The team's brass believes the best way to gain fans in foreign markets is to play games there. The Chiefs won their only London game, back in 2015. They are 3-0 overall in regular-season international games.

Dublin, Madrid and Berlin are all new host cities this season.

The Chiefs will play internationally this season — but not in Europe. They open in Brazil on Sept. 5 when they face the Los Angeles Chargers in Sao Paulo.

That’s the first of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-announces-2025-international-games-to-feature-seven-games-in-five-countries">seven international NFL games</a>&nbsp;in 2025 — the most ever in one season — and Commissioner Roger Goodell wants to eventually get to 16 games per year. Goodell has also floated the idea of creating a European division and staging&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/goodell-nfl-london-international-caa03e8d27aa2a07ab0a848bc015fff7">a Super Bowl outside the United States</a>. One theory is the league will package the international games into&nbsp;<a href="https://frontofficesports.com/sources-nfl-eyes-multi-billion-dollar-international-rights-package/">a billion-dollar rights deal</a>.

Team and league data show that the Chiefs are already popular internationally.

They have the largest overall German-language social media following at nearly 150,000. For consumer products sales, the Chiefs rank No. 1 in the “DACH” region of Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and No. 2 in Mexico. In international Game Pass viewing, the Chiefs were the most-watched team in DACH and Mexico last season.

The Chiefs brought several British “influencers” to a game at Arrowhead Stadium last season. They included “&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@formzofficial?lang=en">Formz</a>,” a Tottenham fan who raps Premier League weekly recaps and sings about heartbreak; he has 1 million followers on TikTok.

The league saw “significant growth” in UK fandom last year, said Henry Hodgson, the NFL’s general manager for the UK and Ireland.

Confidence is high enough that three teams — the Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens and Green Bay Packers — applied for and were awarded UK rights starting this season, joining the six others already in the market.

“For now, we don’t want to cap it,” Hodgson told the AP. “We see the benefit of these teams being involved in the market. It’s something that the NFL will monitor, not just in the UK but in all the markets that the global markets program exists in and make sure that all of the clubs can be successful in all the markets they’re in.”

Eleven teams have rights in Germany. Mexico is next highest with 10.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750847320952.jpeg" alt="FILE - Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver De'Anthony Thomas (13), right, celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the NFL football game between Detroit Lions and Kansas City Chiefs at the Wembley Stadium in London, England, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2015. (AP Photo/Tim Ireland, File)" />
 <figcaption>FILE - Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver De'Anthony Thomas (13), right, celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the NFL football game between Detroit Lions and Kansas City Chiefs at the Wembley Stadium in London, England, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2015. (AP Photo/Tim Ireland, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>By KEN MAGUIRE AP Sports Writer<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22KEN%20MAGUIRE%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest"></a>LONDON (AP) — In an offseason huddle at the NFL’s London headquarters, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kansas-city-chiefs">Kansas City Chiefs</a>&nbsp;are drawing up a game plan to win over fans in a crowded UK market.They’re getting input from the locals, and there’s good news."There is something about that younger generation, in the UK specifically, they are really into U.S. sports at the moment,” says Louise Johnson, chief executive of marketing agency Fuse. “There’s a moment in time that you can really capitalize on.”Chiefs executives visited London after the team added the UK to its list of countries in the NFL’s&nbsp;<a href="https://operations.nfl.com/updates/the-game/all-32-teams-officially-part-of-nfl-s-global-markets-program/">global markets program</a>, which puts teams in the driver’s seat to increase fandom overall — as well as land commercial partnerships individually.A day that began meeting with local agencies in the NFL’s glass-enclosed eighth-floor office overlooking Leicester Square ended along the banks of the Thames, where a “Chiefs cab” was the meeting point to&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/Chiefs/status/1929976584485720162">surprise a local fan</a>&nbsp;with a ticket giveaway.“The UK is another puzzle piece in the larger globalization of the brand,” said Lara Krug, the team’s chief media and marketing officer, echoing a franchise theme of becoming the “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-mahomes-germany-global-kelce-c583255170f52f4a7628d116058ac402">world’s team</a>.”Krug led the team’s delegation that included business, social media and public relations representatives. Besides marketing agencies, they also met with NFL officials. The takeaways were clear for growing the Chiefs' fanbase.“One, that 12-to-24 (aged) audience is where there is the biggest opportunity,” she told The Associated Press. ”(They’re) very much into the cultural part of the NFL and the Americana of it all.”Second, find creative ways to connect to local fans. The Chicago Bears did&nbsp;<a href="https://www.chicagobears.com/news/bears-partner-with-acid-fc-mitchell-ness-for-london-merch-collection">soccer-style jerseys</a>&nbsp;last year for their London game.“The league and the clubs have done a great job on growing the game,” Krug said. “We see the opportunity of reaching more fans and doing it from a cultural lens.”<h2>Mahomes, Kelce and KC Wolf</h2>Expanding your fan base is much easier when your quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, is the face of the league, and your star tight end,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/travis-kelce-kansas-city-chiefs-76e795fb9e896e69e82d4bc6af1eef60">Travis Kelce</a>, is dating&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stanley-cup-oilers-panthers-taylor-swift-travis-kelce-64580f4056005e292ab261900cbd2144">global pop star Taylor Swift</a>. Kelce was the&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/NFLUKIRE/status/1882475470484344866">UK’s top-selling NFL jersey</a>&nbsp;in 2024.The Chiefs have also played in five of the last six Super Bowls and won three of them.Still, there are eight other NFL teams with the same rights the Chiefs have in Britain — and six of them have been there longer.Social media content on platforms like&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-trump-delay-executive-order-3211a98113615be44cf92b32dca69a8e">TikTok</a>&nbsp;and Instagram are crucial, especially because NFL fans in the UK over-index on daily social media use compared to other fans, the Chiefs said.But some old-school methods work too.Hello, KC Wolf.“We know mascots do really well in the markets, it becomes an ambassador,” Krug said.KC Wolf was on hand&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-dolphins-germany-mahomes-12a0ace723d0c6c3aab077ca6614f161">in Frankfurt, Germany in 2023</a>&nbsp;when the Chiefs beat the Miami Dolphins 21-14.They'll soon be looking for “multiple European-based mascots of our KC Wolf,” Krug said.“That will be something that we launch later this year," she said, "so having KC Wolf show up in a few of our markets more frequently.”Meetings aside, being on the ground in London was helpful in other ways: Krug noted the long line at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/formula-one">Formula One</a>&nbsp;promotion in the Lego store in Leicester Square.The Chiefs have experimented before. Last year the team partnered with Hallmark — headquartered in Kansas City — on “&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syuN4M-wa9s">Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story.</a>&nbsp;”<h2>Going international</h2>In the NFL’s global markets program, Kansas City has rights in seven countries — only the Los Angeles Rams have as many. All but one — Mexico — of the Chiefs’ markets are in Europe. The team added the UK, Ireland and Spain this year.The team's brass believes the best way to gain fans in foreign markets is to play games there. The Chiefs won their only London game, back in 2015. They are 3-0 overall in regular-season international games.Dublin, Madrid and Berlin are all new host cities this season.The Chiefs will play internationally this season — but not in Europe. They open in Brazil on Sept. 5 when they face the Los Angeles Chargers in Sao Paulo.That’s the first of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-announces-2025-international-games-to-feature-seven-games-in-five-countries">seven international NFL games</a>&nbsp;in 2025 — the most ever in one season — and Commissioner Roger Goodell wants to eventually get to 16 games per year. Goodell has also floated the idea of creating a European division and staging&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/goodell-nfl-london-international-caa03e8d27aa2a07ab0a848bc015fff7">a Super Bowl outside the United States</a>. One theory is the league will package the international games into&nbsp;<a href="https://frontofficesports.com/sources-nfl-eyes-multi-billion-dollar-international-rights-package/">a billion-dollar rights deal</a>.Team and league data show that the Chiefs are already popular internationally.They have the largest overall German-language social media following at nearly 150,000. For consumer products sales, the Chiefs rank No. 1 in the “DACH” region of Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and No. 2 in Mexico. In international Game Pass viewing, the Chiefs were the most-watched team in DACH and Mexico last season.<h2>NFL says UK still has room to grow</h2>The Chiefs brought several British “influencers” to a game at Arrowhead Stadium last season. They included “&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@formzofficial?lang=en">Formz</a>,” a Tottenham fan who raps Premier League weekly recaps and sings about heartbreak; he has 1 million followers on TikTok.The league saw “significant growth” in UK fandom last year, said Henry Hodgson, the NFL’s general manager for the UK and Ireland.Confidence is high enough that three teams — the Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens and Green Bay Packers — applied for and were awarded UK rights starting this season, joining the six others already in the market.“For now, we don’t want to cap it,” Hodgson told the AP. “We see the benefit of these teams being involved in the market. It’s something that the NFL will monitor, not just in the UK but in all the markets that the global markets program exists in and make sure that all of the clubs can be successful in all the markets they’re in.”Eleven teams have rights in Germany. Mexico is next highest with 10.

🏈 Kansas City Chiefs' strategy to expand UK fandom: cultural connections and mascot diplomacy

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Danny Jansen hit a two-run home run and finished with three RBIs, Taj Bradley pitched two-hit ball for 6 2/3 scoreless innings and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Kansas City Royals 5-1 on Tuesday night.

Yandy Díaz and Jonathan Aranda had three hits apiece for the Rays.

José Caballero hit a two-out single in the second inning, and two pitches later Jansen followed with a homer that gave Tampa Bay a 2-0 lead.

Aranda led off the fourth with a single, advanced to third on throwing error when Jake Mangum reached on a fielder's choice, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Jansen to make it 3-0.

Díaz and Curtis Mead hit back-to-back singles and Díaz scored when Aranda, with two out in the fifth, reached on a throwing error by starter Kris Bubic (6-5).

Junior Camerino doubled and later scored on a ground ball by Mangum in the seventh.

Kansas City's Maikel Garcia hit a two-out double and scored on a single by Vinnie Pasquantino to cap the scoring in the ninth.

Tampa Bay, in second place in the AL East behind the New York Yankees, has won three in a row and eight of 10.

Bradley (5-5) didn’t allow a base runner until John Rave drew a one-out walk in the sixth. After Kyle Isbel flied out, Jonathan India hit a ground rule double to break up the no-hit bid before Bradley got Bobby Witt Jr. to line out and end the threat.

The Royals have lost eight straight and 12 of their last 15 at Kauffman Stadium after starting the season 16-5 at home.

The series continues Wednesday when Tampa Bay's Drew Rasmussen (6-5, 2.61 ERA) takes on Michael Wacha (4-6, 3.24).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750848445269.jpeg" alt="Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Taj Bradley throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Tuesday, June 24, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)" />
 <figcaption>Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Taj Bradley throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Tuesday, June 24, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Danny Jansen hit a two-run home run and finished with three RBIs, Taj Bradley pitched two-hit ball for 6 2/3 scoreless innings and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Kansas City Royals 5-1 on Tuesday night.Yandy Díaz and Jonathan Aranda had three hits apiece for the Rays.José Caballero hit a two-out single in the second inning, and two pitches later Jansen followed with a homer that gave Tampa Bay a 2-0 lead.Aranda led off the fourth with a single, advanced to third on throwing error when Jake Mangum reached on a fielder's choice, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Jansen to make it 3-0.Díaz and Curtis Mead hit back-to-back singles and Díaz scored when Aranda, with two out in the fifth, reached on a throwing error by starter Kris Bubic (6-5).Junior Camerino doubled and later scored on a ground ball by Mangum in the seventh.Kansas City's Maikel Garcia hit a two-out double and scored on a single by Vinnie Pasquantino to cap the scoring in the ninth.Tampa Bay, in second place in the AL East behind the New York Yankees, has won three in a row and eight of 10.<h2>Key moment</h2>Bradley (5-5) didn’t allow a base runner until John Rave drew a one-out walk in the sixth. After Kyle Isbel flied out, Jonathan India hit a ground rule double to break up the no-hit bid before Bradley got Bobby Witt Jr. to line out and end the threat.<h2>Key stat</h2>The Royals have lost eight straight and 12 of their last 15 at Kauffman Stadium after starting the season 16-5 at home.<h2>Up next</h2>The series continues Wednesday when Tampa Bay's Drew Rasmussen (6-5, 2.61 ERA) takes on Michael Wacha (4-6, 3.24).

⚾ Jansen has HR and 3 RBIs as the Rays beat Royals 

LIBERAL - The Hays Larks and Liberal Bee Jays were rained out Tuesday. They will now play a doubleheader Wednesday beginning at 5:00 p.m. at Brent Gould Field. The series will conclude with their regularly scheduled game on Thursday.

The Larks return home Saturday for a two-game series with the Collegiate Roughriders.

Hays Post SportsLIBERAL - The Hays Larks and Liberal Bee Jays were rained out Tuesday. They will now play a doubleheader Wednesday beginning at 5:00 p.m. at Brent Gould Field. The series will conclude with their regularly scheduled game on Thursday.The Larks return home Saturday for a two-game series with the Collegiate Roughriders.

⚾ Larks rained out in Liberal

Whit Merrifield is retiring after a nine-season career that included twice leading the MLB in hits and three trips to the All-Star Game.

The 36-year-old posted on social media that the birth of his daughter last year played a role in the decision. Merrifield, a utilityman whose career began with Kansas City, was granted free agency after finishing last season with Atlanta. He didn't play in 2025.

“At this point in my life, I'd much rather chase around a toddler than chase sliders,” wrote Merrifield, who had 192 hits for the Royals in 2018 and led the majors again a year later with 206.

Merrifield played his last game with the Braves on Sept. 30, 2024,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mets-braves-postseason-score-95f6b7d1af6907f554b994146a7b5231">when they had to play a Monday doubleheader</a>&nbsp;against the New York Mets to settle the National League wild-card race. Heavy rains from Hurricane Helene had rained out both games in Atlanta a week earlier.

The Mets clinched a wild card with a victory in Game 1, which Merrifield played. He sat for the second game, which the Braves won to move on to the postseason as well.

Merrifield was a ninth-round pick by Kansas City in the 2010 amateur draft and made his debut with the Royals six years later, the season after the club won its first World Series in 30 years.

Merrifield played in every game from 2019-21, which included the 2020 season shortened to 60 games by the pandemic.

The Royals didn't make the playoffs in any of Merrifield's six full seasons, and he was traded to Toronto in 2022. He went to the postseason twice with the Blue Jays, but wasn't a regular in the lineup.

Merrifield led the majors in stolen bases three times, including a career-high 45 in 2018. He hit .280 with 94 homers, 485 RBIs, 29 triples and 218 steals in 1,147 games.

The last All-Star trip for Merrifield came in 2023 with Toronto, and he signed as a free agent with Philadelphia that next offseason.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/merrifield-phillies-02cf42cd0ed81944db595ce86f410d77">The Phillies released Merrifield</a>&nbsp;last July, and the South Carolina native signed with the Braves.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750811045053.jpeg" alt="FILE - Philadelphia Phillies' Whit Merrifield celebrates with teammates after scoring during the fourth inning of a spring training baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Feb. 28, 2024, in Clearwater, Fla. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File)" />
 <figcaption>FILE - Philadelphia Phillies' Whit Merrifield celebrates with teammates after scoring during the fourth inning of a spring training baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Feb. 28, 2024, in Clearwater, Fla. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>By The Associated PressWhit Merrifield is retiring after a nine-season career that included twice leading the MLB in hits and three trips to the All-Star Game.The 36-year-old posted on social media that the birth of his daughter last year played a role in the decision. Merrifield, a utilityman whose career began with Kansas City, was granted free agency after finishing last season with Atlanta. He didn't play in 2025.“At this point in my life, I'd much rather chase around a toddler than chase sliders,” wrote Merrifield, who had 192 hits for the Royals in 2018 and led the majors again a year later with 206.Merrifield played his last game with the Braves on Sept. 30, 2024,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mets-braves-postseason-score-95f6b7d1af6907f554b994146a7b5231">when they had to play a Monday doubleheader</a>&nbsp;against the New York Mets to settle the National League wild-card race. Heavy rains from Hurricane Helene had rained out both games in Atlanta a week earlier.The Mets clinched a wild card with a victory in Game 1, which Merrifield played. He sat for the second game, which the Braves won to move on to the postseason as well.Merrifield was a ninth-round pick by Kansas City in the 2010 amateur draft and made his debut with the Royals six years later, the season after the club won its first World Series in 30 years.Merrifield played in every game from 2019-21, which included the 2020 season shortened to 60 games by the pandemic.The Royals didn't make the playoffs in any of Merrifield's six full seasons, and he was traded to Toronto in 2022. He went to the postseason twice with the Blue Jays, but wasn't a regular in the lineup.Merrifield led the majors in stolen bases three times, including a career-high 45 in 2018. He hit .280 with 94 homers, 485 RBIs, 29 triples and 218 steals in 1,147 games.The last All-Star trip for Merrifield came in 2023 with Toronto, and he signed as a free agent with Philadelphia that next offseason.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/merrifield-phillies-02cf42cd0ed81944db595ce86f410d77">The Phillies released Merrifield</a>&nbsp;last July, and the South Carolina native signed with the Braves.

⚾ Whit Merrifield retires after twice leading MLB in hits over his 9 seasons

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Shooting guard Kohl Rosario has signed a financial aid agreement to play basketball at Kansas, KU head coach Bill Self announced today. Rosario will be a freshman for the 2025-26 season.

Rosario, 6-foot-5, 185 pounds, comes to Kansas after playing at Overtime Elite (OTE) in Atlanta in 2024-25. The Miami native is ranked No. 27 in the class of 2026 by Rivals.com and has reclassified for the upcoming season.

"We're very excited to add Kohl this year's team," Self said. "It's not often there's a player of his potential to become available at this point. We feel that what Kohl brings from a perimeter athletic shooting standpoint is something that we've needed to add to this year's roster. He is one of the hardest working youngsters that we've ever recruited and feel the transition to college ball will be more seamless due to this.

"He's been very well drilled, and I think his competitiveness will add of piece to our culture."

At OTE, Rosario played for YNG Dreamerz, which won the 2025 championship. During the regular season Rosario averaged 15.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.8 steals per game. In the playoffs he averaged 13.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.6 steals in YNG Dreamerz' seven games. Additionally, he was 12-for-29 (41.4%) from three-point range in his team's title run.

Prior to OTE, Rosario played two seasons at Moravian Prep in Hudson, North Carolina. In 2023-24, he averaged 25.2 points, 6.1 rebounds and made 60 threes shooting 35.3 percent from beyond the arc in 24 games. In 2022-23, Rosario averaged 16.5 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. He made 58 threes in 22 contests and shot 38.9 percent from three-point range.

Rosario becomes the fifth high school signee for Kansas, joining Darryn Peterson, Samis Calderon, Bryson Tiller, and Corbin Allen. Tiller joined the KU team as a redshirt in January. Kansas' spring transfer portal signees include Melvin Council Jr. (St. Bonaventure), Jayden Dawson (Loyola Chicago), and Tre White (Illinois).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750781898843.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas AthleticsLAWRENCE, Kan. – Shooting guard Kohl Rosario has signed a financial aid agreement to play basketball at Kansas, KU head coach Bill Self announced today. Rosario will be a freshman for the 2025-26 season.Rosario, 6-foot-5, 185 pounds, comes to Kansas after playing at Overtime Elite (OTE) in Atlanta in 2024-25. The Miami native is ranked No. 27 in the class of 2026 by Rivals.com and has reclassified for the upcoming season."We're very excited to add Kohl this year's team," Self said. "It's not often there's a player of his potential to become available at this point. We feel that what Kohl brings from a perimeter athletic shooting standpoint is something that we've needed to add to this year's roster. He is one of the hardest working youngsters that we've ever recruited and feel the transition to college ball will be more seamless due to this."He's been very well drilled, and I think his competitiveness will add of piece to our culture."At OTE, Rosario played for YNG Dreamerz, which won the 2025 championship. During the regular season Rosario averaged 15.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.8 steals per game. In the playoffs he averaged 13.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.6 steals in YNG Dreamerz' seven games. Additionally, he was 12-for-29 (41.4%) from three-point range in his team's title run.Prior to OTE, Rosario played two seasons at Moravian Prep in Hudson, North Carolina. In 2023-24, he averaged 25.2 points, 6.1 rebounds and made 60 threes shooting 35.3 percent from beyond the arc in 24 games. In 2022-23, Rosario averaged 16.5 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. He made 58 threes in 22 contests and shot 38.9 percent from three-point range.Rosario becomes the fifth high school signee for Kansas, joining Darryn Peterson, Samis Calderon, Bryson Tiller, and Corbin Allen. Tiller joined the KU team as a redshirt in January. Kansas' spring transfer portal signees include Melvin Council Jr. (St. Bonaventure), Jayden Dawson (Loyola Chicago), and Tre White (Illinois).

🏀 4-star guard Kohl Rosario signs with KU

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Steve Miller, a Hall of Fame track coach who led Kansas State through a transformative period as athletics director, including the hiring of legendary football coach Bill Snyder, passed away on June 15 at the age of 81 at his home in Portland, Ore.

A Celebration of Life has been planned for 3 p.m., PT on July 7 at the Ritz Carlton in Portland.

Miller spent nine years at K-State, including five seasons as the Wildcats’ head cross country and track and field coach (1981-86), one year as Associate Athletics Director and Director of the Mike Ahearn Scholarship Fund (1986-87) and three years as the Director of Athletics (1988-91).

“We are saddened to learn of the passing of Steve Miller, a true K-Stater who led our department during some of the most critical times in our history,” Athletics Director Gene Taylor said. “Obviously his hiring of Coach Snyder is well documented, but he also was a long-time figure in the track and field world and was a leader in that space for decades. From the first time I met Steve he became a trusted friend and over the last few years provided me great guidance and advice from his vast experience in the sports industry. He will truly be missed, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family.”

A 2005 inductee into the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Coaches Hall of Fame, Miller coached track and field teams for 23 years, including 21 as a head coach at Bloom Township High School (1965-76), Cal Poly (1976-81) and K-State. Following his time in Manhattan, he served in administrative positions with Nike, the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) and Agassi Graf Holdings and as a faculty member at the University of Oregon.

Miller coached 37 All-Americans and national champions Rita Graves, Kenny Harrison and Doug Lytle in his K-State tenure, while leading the Wildcat women to a Big Eight Cross Country Championship in 1982 and a District V Cross Country title in 1984. A three-time district Coach of the Year, he became the school’s first head coach of both its men’s and women’s cross country and track and field programs on August 7, 1981, by then director of athletics DeLoss Dodds.

Miller left his position as track coach following the 1986 outdoor season to become Associate Athletics Director and Director of the Mike Ahearn Scholarship Fund, which he stayed in until becoming the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Pennsylvania Special Olympics in 1987. He was named K-State’s Director of Athletics on June 27, 1988, succeeding Larry Travis. He served in the position for three years before stepping down to take a position at Nike on June 13, 1991.

Miller made the transformational hiring of Snyder on Nov. 30, 1988, setting off the “greatest turnaround in college football history,” in which the football coach led K-State to 215 wins over two stints (1989-2005; 2009-18) with 2 Big 12 Championships (2003, 2012) and 19 bowl games.

In addition to Snyder, he also hired Dana Altman’s as men’s basketball coach on April 3, 1990. Altman has gone onto a Hall of Fame career at Creighton and Oregon.

Born in Chicago on Sept. 9, 1943, Miller was both a football and track standout at Bradley University and briefly played for the Detroit Lions.

Miller earned a bachelor's degree from Bradley in English literature and physical education in 1965 before receiving a Master’s in Contemporary English Literature in 1970 from Governors State University and Master’s in physical education and Biomechanical Analysis from Cal Poly in 1978.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750772398226.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas State AthleticsMANHATTAN, Kan. – Steve Miller, a Hall of Fame track coach who led Kansas State through a transformative period as athletics director, including the hiring of legendary football coach Bill Snyder, passed away on June 15 at the age of 81 at his home in Portland, Ore.A Celebration of Life has been planned for 3 p.m., PT on July 7 at the Ritz Carlton in Portland.Miller spent nine years at K-State, including five seasons as the Wildcats’ head cross country and track and field coach (1981-86), one year as Associate Athletics Director and Director of the Mike Ahearn Scholarship Fund (1986-87) and three years as the Director of Athletics (1988-91).“We are saddened to learn of the passing of Steve Miller, a true K-Stater who led our department during some of the most critical times in our history,” Athletics Director Gene Taylor said. “Obviously his hiring of Coach Snyder is well documented, but he also was a long-time figure in the track and field world and was a leader in that space for decades. From the first time I met Steve he became a trusted friend and over the last few years provided me great guidance and advice from his vast experience in the sports industry. He will truly be missed, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family.”A 2005 inductee into the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Coaches Hall of Fame, Miller coached track and field teams for 23 years, including 21 as a head coach at Bloom Township High School (1965-76), Cal Poly (1976-81) and K-State. Following his time in Manhattan, he served in administrative positions with Nike, the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) and Agassi Graf Holdings and as a faculty member at the University of Oregon.Miller coached 37 All-Americans and national champions Rita Graves, Kenny Harrison and Doug Lytle in his K-State tenure, while leading the Wildcat women to a Big Eight Cross Country Championship in 1982 and a District V Cross Country title in 1984. A three-time district Coach of the Year, he became the school’s first head coach of both its men’s and women’s cross country and track and field programs on August 7, 1981, by then director of athletics DeLoss Dodds.Miller left his position as track coach following the 1986 outdoor season to become Associate Athletics Director and Director of the Mike Ahearn Scholarship Fund, which he stayed in until becoming the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Pennsylvania Special Olympics in 1987. He was named K-State’s Director of Athletics on June 27, 1988, succeeding Larry Travis. He served in the position for three years before stepping down to take a position at Nike on June 13, 1991.Miller made the transformational hiring of Snyder on Nov. 30, 1988, setting off the “greatest turnaround in college football history,” in which the football coach led K-State to 215 wins over two stints (1989-2005; 2009-18) with 2 Big 12 Championships (2003, 2012) and 19 bowl games.In addition to Snyder, he also hired Dana Altman’s as men’s basketball coach on April 3, 1990. Altman has gone onto a Hall of Fame career at Creighton and Oregon.Born in Chicago on Sept. 9, 1943, Miller was both a football and track standout at Bradley University and briefly played for the Detroit Lions.Miller earned a bachelor's degree from Bradley in English literature and physical education in 1965 before receiving a Master’s in Contemporary English Literature in 1970 from Governors State University and Master’s in physical education and Biomechanical Analysis from Cal Poly in 1978.

K-State Mourns the Passing of Former AD, Track Coach Steve Miller

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

Tuesday, June 24 KAYS: Kansas City Royals vs. Tampa Bay Rays, 6:00pm

Wednesday, June 25 KAYS: Kansas City Royals vs. Tampa Bay Rays, 6:00pm

Thursday, June 26 KAYS: Kansas City Royals vs. Tampa Bay Rays, 12:30pm

Friday, June 27 KAYS: Kansas City Royals vs. Los Angeles Dodgers, 6:30pm

Saturday, June 28 KAYS: Kansas City Royals vs. Los Angeles Dodgers, 2:30pm

Sunday, June 29 KAYS: Kansas City Royals vs. Los Angeles Dodgers, 12:30pm

KAYS - (1400/94.3) KFIX - (96.9) KHAZ - (99.5) KJLS - (103.3) KKQY - (101.9)Tuesday, June 24 KAYS: Kansas City Royals vs. Tampa Bay Rays, 6:00pmWednesday, June 25 KAYS: Kansas City Royals vs. Tampa Bay Rays, 6:00pmThursday, June 26 KAYS: Kansas City Royals vs. Tampa Bay Rays, 12:30pmFriday, June 27 KAYS: Kansas City Royals vs. Los Angeles Dodgers, 6:30pmSaturday, June 28 KAYS: Kansas City Royals vs. Los Angeles Dodgers, 2:30pmSunday, June 29 KAYS: Kansas City Royals vs. Los Angeles Dodgers, 12:30pm

🎧 Eagle Radio, Hull sports broadcast schedule

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. - The Kansas City Chiefs will return to Missouri Western State University for their 2025 training camp, marking the 15th year the club has held camp in St. Joseph. The team and university have also agreed to a multi-year extension to continue the partnership.

Open practices are scheduled to begin Tuesday, July 22, and run through Wednesday, Aug. 13. All practices will take place on the Mosaic Training Fields and are free to the public unless otherwise noted. Fans must reserve tickets in advance at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.chiefs.com/trainingcamp">www.chiefs.com/trainingcamp</a>, and space is limited due to anticipated demand.

Season Ticket Members will have first access to reserve tickets beginning at 10 a.m. Tuesday, June 24. The general public can begin reserving tickets at 10 a.m. Wednesday, June 25. Fans may reserve up to six tickets per day for a maximum of three practices. Paid practice days and exclusive Season Ticket Member dates do not count toward the three-practice limit.

Three practices will require a $6 admission fee: Sunday, July 27; Saturday, Aug. 2 (Family Fun Day); and Sunday, Aug. 3. Two practices—Tuesday, July 22 and Thursday, Aug. 7—are reserved exclusively for Chiefs Season Ticket Members and will not be open to the general public.

Ambassador Day is set for Monday, July 28, and Military Appreciation Day will be held on the final day of camp, Wednesday, Aug. 13. Team autograph sessions are scheduled for July 22, July 27, Aug. 2, Aug. 3 and Aug. 7.

Parking is $7 per vehicle and must be purchased in advance during the ticket reservation process. Parking will be free for Season Ticket Members on their two exclusive days. All tickets will be mobile-only and accessible through the Chiefs Mobile app.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750767006240.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>ST. JOSEPH, Mo. - The Kansas City Chiefs will return to Missouri Western State University for their 2025 training camp, marking the 15th year the club has held camp in St. Joseph. The team and university have also agreed to a multi-year extension to continue the partnership.Open practices are scheduled to begin Tuesday, July 22, and run through Wednesday, Aug. 13. All practices will take place on the Mosaic Training Fields and are free to the public unless otherwise noted. Fans must reserve tickets in advance at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.chiefs.com/trainingcamp">www.chiefs.com/trainingcamp</a>, and space is limited due to anticipated demand.Season Ticket Members will have first access to reserve tickets beginning at 10 a.m. Tuesday, June 24. The general public can begin reserving tickets at 10 a.m. Wednesday, June 25. Fans may reserve up to six tickets per day for a maximum of three practices. Paid practice days and exclusive Season Ticket Member dates do not count toward the three-practice limit.Three practices will require a $6 admission fee: Sunday, July 27; Saturday, Aug. 2 (Family Fun Day); and Sunday, Aug. 3. Two practices—Tuesday, July 22 and Thursday, Aug. 7—are reserved exclusively for Chiefs Season Ticket Members and will not be open to the general public.Ambassador Day is set for Monday, July 28, and Military Appreciation Day will be held on the final day of camp, Wednesday, Aug. 13. Team autograph sessions are scheduled for July 22, July 27, Aug. 2, Aug. 3 and Aug. 7.Parking is $7 per vehicle and must be purchased in advance during the ticket reservation process. Parking will be free for Season Ticket Members on their two exclusive days. All tickets will be mobile-only and accessible through the Chiefs Mobile app.

🏈 Chiefs announce 2025 training camp schedule in St. Joseph; ticket reservations begin June 24

KAYS - (1400/94.3) KFIX - (96.9) KHAZ - (99.5) KJLS - (103.3) KKQY - (101.9)Monday, June 23 noneTuesday, June 24 KAYS: Kansas City Royals vs. Tampa Bay Rays, 6:00pmWednesday, June 25 KAYS: Kansas City Royals vs. Tampa Bay Rays, 6:00pmThursday, June 26 KAYS: Kansas City Royals vs. Tampa Bay Rays, 12:30pmFriday, June 27 KAYS: Kansas City Royals vs. Los Angeles Dodgers, 6:30pmSaturday, June 28 KAYS: Kansas City Royals vs. Los Angeles Dodgers, 2:30pmSunday, June 29 KAYS: Kansas City Royals vs. Los Angeles Dodgers, 12:30pm

HAYS
– Garrett Gruell had three hits in his season debut, Trent Baker drove in
three runs and the Hays Larks closed out their seven-game homestand with a 13-3
win over the Gameday Angels Sunday evening at Larks Park.

Brady
Kreutzer got the Larks on the board in the third inning with a leadoff double then
scored on a passed ball. Baker added a sacrifice fly later in the inning for a 2-0
lead.

The
Larks (10-2-1, 7-2 RMBL) would add four runs in the fourth. They loaded the bases with
a walk, a single and an error then scored a run when Kaleb Duncan was hit by a pitch and later scored on a passed ball. Lane Sparks added an RBI single for the 6-0 lead.&nbsp; 

Hays
tacked on two more runs in the sixth on a Baker groundout and Gruell single.

The
Larks opened the seventh with a single followed by three straight walks. The last
coming to Kreutzer which drove in a run. Duncan followed with a sacrifice fly.
The Larks scored another run on a double play.

They
closed out the scoring with two in the eighth on a bases loaded walk to Thomas Lyssy
and CJ Reid single.

Starter
Nolan Wilson (1-0) has seven strikeouts with no walks and didn’t allow a hit over
four innings and was awarded the win. Keevyn Goss gave up one earned run over
two innings of relief then Brooks Jones gave up two runs on three hits over the
final two innings.

The Larks did not hit a home run Sunday ending a streak of hitting at least one homer in eight-straight games.

The
Larks went 6-1 on their second longest homestand of the season. They are 7-1-1
at Larks Park this season. They return home for three in late June then close
out the season with their final 10 games at home later in July.

The
Larks open a three-game Rocky Mountain Baseball in Liberal Tuesday. The Bee
Jays are 7-6 on the season after a 22-12 win over the Collegiate Roughriders
Sunday which snapped a three-game losing streak.

Hays
Post SportsHAYS
– Garrett Gruell had three hits in his season debut, Trent Baker drove in
three runs and the Hays Larks closed out their seven-game homestand with a 13-3
win over the Gameday Angels Sunday evening at Larks Park.Brady
Kreutzer got the Larks on the board in the third inning with a leadoff double then
scored on a passed ball. Baker added a sacrifice fly later in the inning for a 2-0
lead.The
Larks (10-2-1, 7-2 RMBL) would add four runs in the fourth. They loaded the bases with
a walk, a single and an error then scored a run when Kaleb Duncan was hit by a pitch and later scored on a passed ball. Lane Sparks added an RBI single for the 6-0 lead.&nbsp; Hays
tacked on two more runs in the sixth on a Baker groundout and Gruell single.The
Larks opened the seventh with a single followed by three straight walks. The last
coming to Kreutzer which drove in a run. Duncan followed with a sacrifice fly.
The Larks scored another run on a double play.They
closed out the scoring with two in the eighth on a bases loaded walk to Thomas Lyssy
and CJ Reid single.Starter
Nolan Wilson (1-0) has seven strikeouts with no walks and didn’t allow a hit over
four innings and was awarded the win. Keevyn Goss gave up one earned run over
two innings of relief then Brooks Jones gave up two runs on three hits over the
final two innings.NO HOMERThe Larks did not hit a home run Sunday ending a streak of hitting at least one homer in eight-straight games.HOMESTAND
SUCCESSThe
Larks went 6-1 on their second longest homestand of the season. They are 7-1-1
at Larks Park this season. They return home for three in late June then close
out the season with their final 10 games at home later in July.UP
NEXTThe
Larks open a three-game Rocky Mountain Baseball in Liberal Tuesday. The Bee
Jays are 7-6 on the season after a 22-12 win over the Collegiate Roughriders
Sunday which snapped a three-game losing streak.

⚾ Larks close out homestand with win over Angels

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Jose Iglesias tied the game with two-run, two-out, bases-loaded pinch-hit single in the seventh inning and then&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/MLB/status/1936916158826864995">drove in the winning run</a>&nbsp;with a grounder in the ninth for the San Diego Padres, who beat the Kansas City Royals 3-2 on Sunday to take two of three.

Iglesias hit a soft bouncer to shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., who fielded it, spun around and threw home too late to get Luis Arraez.

Arraez started the decisive rally with a single off Daniel Lynch IV (3-2) and took third on Xander Bogaerts' double. John Schreiber came on and allowed Iglesias' grounder.

Robert Suarez (2-3) worked the ninth. He is appealing his three-game suspension for hitting Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani on Thursday night.

Salvador Perez hit a two-run homer for the Royals and phenom Jac Caglianone leaped and got his glove over the right-field wall to rob Jackson Merrill of a two-run home run in the eighth.

Seth Lugo, who pitched for the Padres in 2023, was brilliant in retiring 18 straight batters after allowing Fernando Tatis’ leadoff single.

The Padres finally broke through when Merrill, who returned from the seven-day concussion injured list, doubled into the right-field corner leading off the seventh. Lugo retired Manny Machado and made way for Angel Zerpa, who issued consecutive two-out walks.

Iglesias, pinch-hitting for left-hander Jake Cronenworth, hit an opposite-field single to right, and he tripped and fell breaking out of the box.

Perez lined a 1-0 pitch from Randy Vásquez 412 feet into the left-field stands to break a scoreless tie in the sixth.

Kansas City's Drew Waters was thrown out trying to score from first on Freddy Fermin’s double to center in the ninth.

It was Iglesias' fifth career walk-off and first since July 2, 2019, with Cincinnati.

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Jose Iglesias tied the game with two-run, two-out, bases-loaded pinch-hit single in the seventh inning and then&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/MLB/status/1936916158826864995">drove in the winning run</a>&nbsp;with a grounder in the ninth for the San Diego Padres, who beat the Kansas City Royals 3-2 on Sunday to take two of three.Iglesias hit a soft bouncer to shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., who fielded it, spun around and threw home too late to get Luis Arraez.Arraez started the decisive rally with a single off Daniel Lynch IV (3-2) and took third on Xander Bogaerts' double. John Schreiber came on and allowed Iglesias' grounder.Robert Suarez (2-3) worked the ninth. He is appealing his three-game suspension for hitting Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani on Thursday night.Salvador Perez hit a two-run homer for the Royals and phenom Jac Caglianone leaped and got his glove over the right-field wall to rob Jackson Merrill of a two-run home run in the eighth.Seth Lugo, who pitched for the Padres in 2023, was brilliant in retiring 18 straight batters after allowing Fernando Tatis’ leadoff single.The Padres finally broke through when Merrill, who returned from the seven-day concussion injured list, doubled into the right-field corner leading off the seventh. Lugo retired Manny Machado and made way for Angel Zerpa, who issued consecutive two-out walks.Iglesias, pinch-hitting for left-hander Jake Cronenworth, hit an opposite-field single to right, and he tripped and fell breaking out of the box.Perez lined a 1-0 pitch from Randy Vásquez 412 feet into the left-field stands to break a scoreless tie in the sixth.<h2>Key moment</h2>Kansas City's Drew Waters was thrown out trying to score from first on Freddy Fermin’s double to center in the ninth.<h2>Key stat</h2>It was Iglesias' fifth career walk-off and first since July 2, 2019, with Cincinnati.<h2>Up next</h2>

⚾ Iglesias drives in the tying and winning runs as the Padres beat the Royals 

The Hays Larks host the Gameday Angels in the final game of a four-game series Sunday at Larks Park.&nbsp;

First pitch is set&nbsp; for 6 p.m at Larks Park.&nbsp;

You can catch on the action on the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@hayslarksbaseball/streams">Larks YouTube channel.</a>

Hays Larks baseball on HaysPost.com is courtesy of the Hays
Larks. The broadcast is produced by the Hays Larks

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1717183089670.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Hays Larks host the Gameday Angels in the final game of a four-game series Sunday at Larks Park.&nbsp;First pitch is set&nbsp; for 6 p.m at Larks Park.&nbsp;You can catch on the action on the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@hayslarksbaseball/streams">Larks YouTube channel.</a>Hays Larks baseball on HaysPost.com is courtesy of the Hays
Larks. The broadcast is produced by the Hays Larks

⚾🎥 WATCH LIVE Hays Larks host Gameday Angels

Sunday, June 22 KAYS: Kansas City Royals at San Diego Padres, 2:30pm

KAYS - (1400/94.3) KFIX - (96.9) KHAZ - (99.5) KJLS - (103.3) KKQY - (101.9)Sunday, June 22 KAYS: Kansas City Royals at San Diego Padres, 2:30pm

By RICK PETERSON Jr. KSHSAA Covered

DODGE CITY – Maize South’s Christian McDonald found himself in the perfect spot at the perfect time to deliver the signature moment of Saturday’s Kansas Shrine Bowl. 

Moments after the West offense found a spark with a touchdown drive to take the lead, McDonald added an early dagger in the third quarter, scoring on a 28-yard interception return to put the West on its way to a 26-8 victory in a windy 52nd edition of the Shrine Bowl at Memorial Stadium. 

The defensive back jumped a route in the right flat and followed his blockers up the sideline to highlight a 19-0 third quarter for the West.

“I had to make sure I was assignment correct and reading the quarterback,” McDonald said. “Anything that came to the flats, that was me. I just made sure I was underneath the route and once the play came to me I jumped on it. 

“I took advantage of the opportunity I had.”

The West followed up McDonald’s pick-six with another defensive stop and tacked on a 1-yard TD from Cheney quarterback Josh Burdick late in the third frame for the final points of the game. 

“That (pick-six) was really electrifying for the whole team,” McDonald said. “It wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t for my lead blocker (Derby’s James Middlebrook). If he didn’t set the block, I probably wouldn’t have scored, so it’s a team effort.”

“That was a (defensive call) we’d been working on. We’d been saving it,” said West head coach Dominic Dingle of Wichita Heights. “It was a Cover 2 look, and (McDonald) did a great job of executing the game plan. It was a big-time, game-changing play.”

 Maize South's Christian McDonald celebrates his pick six. 

The wind caused havoc at times, starting on the game’s first possession.

After a three-and-out at the East 5, the punt from Gardner-Edgerton quarterback Bravin Powell-Brown got caught in the wind and sailed backward into the end zone where Wellington’s Brody Weir pounced on the ball for a touchdown.

Neither team had much success moving the ball into the wind, with all five of the touchdowns coming with the wind at the scoring team’s backs. 

“We knew (the wind) was going to be a part of the game tonight,” Dingle said. “Everything just kind of worked out the way that we want. We only kicked the ball twice, and that was exactly what we wanted to do. It was part of our game plan and it worked out perfectly tonight.”

The East bounced back from the early punt mishap to take an 8-7 halftime lead. Powell-Brown, who led Gardner-Edgerton to back-to-back 6A championships, scored the East’s lone touchdown on a 51-yard run with 9:58 left in the second quarter. Powell-Brown found Aquinas’ Elzie Slaughter for the two-point conversion. 

Olathe North’s Wyatt Flood helped the East keep the lead heading into the locker room after breaking up a pass that was nearly caught in the end zone by Abilene’s Weston Rock with 1.2 seconds left. 

The West, which rotated Burdick, Norton’s Eli Jones and Manhattan’s Carter Aslin at quarterback, found its offensive rhythm in the third quarter. 

Burdick and Jones each made big plays on the go-ahead drive, capped by a 2-yard TD run from Jones. 

“It started up front and the quarterbacks were just making dynamite decisions,” Dingle said.

Burdick, an Emporia State signee who quarterbacked Cheney to a 3A state championship as a junior, was named MVP for the West

“Our defense played amazing,” Burdick said. “Really, I think there could have been a lot more MVPs in this game. A lot of guys played really well. We were one big family on the West and I think that’s what helped us pull away.”

Lansing defensive lineman Ayden Ellington was MVP for the East. 

The West quickly got back into the win column after last year saw the East pick up its first win in six years. 

“We really couldn’t have started any worse, but we just kept going, kept going, and got up one at half,” said East head coach Garrett Michael of Sabetha. “All you can ask for as a coach is a chance, and that’s what we had. 

“I’m proud of everyone. I’m not really worried about winning or losing the game. The kids win.”

 The East's Bravin Powell-Brown is wrapped up by a host of West players.  Wellington's Brody Weir celebrates after recovering a punt in the end zone.  Gardner-Edgerton's Bravin Powell-Brown weaves through tacklers on his way to the end zone. 

East … 0 … 8 … 0 … 0 … – … 8 West ... 7 … 0 … 19 … 0 … – … 26

West – Weir punt recovery in end zone (Jones kick) East – Powell-Brown 49 run (Slaughter pass from Brown) West – Jones 2 run (run failed) West – McDonald 28 interception return (run failed) West – Burdick 1 run (Jones kick)

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750679382044.png" alt="Hutch Post Photo/Sean Boston" />
 <figcaption>Hutch Post Photo/Sean Boston</figcaption>
 </figure>By RICK PETERSON Jr. KSHSAA CoveredDODGE CITY – Maize South’s Christian McDonald found himself in the perfect spot at the perfect time to deliver the signature moment of Saturday’s Kansas Shrine Bowl. Moments after the West offense found a spark with a touchdown drive to take the lead, McDonald added an early dagger in the third quarter, scoring on a 28-yard interception return to put the West on its way to a 26-8 victory in a windy 52nd edition of the Shrine Bowl at Memorial Stadium. The defensive back jumped a route in the right flat and followed his blockers up the sideline to highlight a 19-0 third quarter for the West.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750673289560.jpeg" alt="Cheney's Josh Burdick leaps away from a tackle (Rick Peterson Jr./Kansas Covered)" />
 <figcaption>Cheney's Josh Burdick leaps away from a tackle (Rick Peterson Jr./Kansas Covered)</figcaption>
 </figure>“I had to make sure I was assignment correct and reading the quarterback,” McDonald said. “Anything that came to the flats, that was me. I just made sure I was underneath the route and once the play came to me I jumped on it. “I took advantage of the opportunity I had.”The West followed up McDonald’s pick-six with another defensive stop and tacked on a 1-yard TD from Cheney quarterback Josh Burdick late in the third frame for the final points of the game. “That (pick-six) was really electrifying for the whole team,” McDonald said. “It wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t for my lead blocker (Derby’s James Middlebrook). If he didn’t set the block, I probably wouldn’t have scored, so it’s a team effort.”“That was a (defensive call) we’d been working on. We’d been saving it,” said West head coach Dominic Dingle of Wichita Heights. “It was a Cover 2 look, and (McDonald) did a great job of executing the game plan. It was a big-time, game-changing play.” Maize South's Christian McDonald celebrates his pick six. The wind caused havoc at times, starting on the game’s first possession.After a three-and-out at the East 5, the punt from Gardner-Edgerton quarterback Bravin Powell-Brown got caught in the wind and sailed backward into the end zone where Wellington’s Brody Weir pounced on the ball for a touchdown.Neither team had much success moving the ball into the wind, with all five of the touchdowns coming with the wind at the scoring team’s backs. “We knew (the wind) was going to be a part of the game tonight,” Dingle said. “Everything just kind of worked out the way that we want. We only kicked the ball twice, and that was exactly what we wanted to do. It was part of our game plan and it worked out perfectly tonight.”The East bounced back from the early punt mishap to take an 8-7 halftime lead. Powell-Brown, who led Gardner-Edgerton to back-to-back 6A championships, scored the East’s lone touchdown on a 51-yard run with 9:58 left in the second quarter. Powell-Brown found Aquinas’ Elzie Slaughter for the two-point conversion. Olathe North’s Wyatt Flood helped the East keep the lead heading into the locker room after breaking up a pass that was nearly caught in the end zone by Abilene’s Weston Rock with 1.2 seconds left. The West, which rotated Burdick, Norton’s Eli Jones and Manhattan’s Carter Aslin at quarterback, found its offensive rhythm in the third quarter. Burdick and Jones each made big plays on the go-ahead drive, capped by a 2-yard TD run from Jones. “It started up front and the quarterbacks were just making dynamite decisions,” Dingle said.Burdick, an Emporia State signee who quarterbacked Cheney to a 3A state championship as a junior, was named MVP for the West“Our defense played amazing,” Burdick said. “Really, I think there could have been a lot more MVPs in this game. A lot of guys played really well. We were one big family on the West and I think that’s what helped us pull away.”Lansing defensive lineman Ayden Ellington was MVP for the East. The West quickly got back into the win column after last year saw the East pick up its first win in six years. “We really couldn’t have started any worse, but we just kept going, kept going, and got up one at half,” said East head coach Garrett Michael of Sabetha. “All you can ask for as a coach is a chance, and that’s what we had. “I’m proud of everyone. I’m not really worried about winning or losing the game. The kids win.” The East's Bravin Powell-Brown is wrapped up by a host of West players. Wellington's Brody Weir celebrates after recovering a punt in the end zone. Gardner-Edgerton's Bravin Powell-Brown weaves through tacklers on his way to the end zone. WEST 26, EAST 8East … 0 … 8 … 0 … 0 … – … 8 West ... 7 … 0 … 19 … 0 … – … 26West – Weir punt recovery in end zone (Jones kick) East – Powell-Brown 49 run (Slaughter pass from Brown) West – Jones 2 run (run failed) West – McDonald 28 interception return (run failed) West – Burdick 1 run (Jones kick)

🏈 West team prevails in third quarter of 52nd Kansas Shrine Bowl

SALINA – Andover’s Josh Kim spent a rough December evening in McPherson’s Roundhouse, struggling to keep the Trojans afloat against Gabe Pyle and the host Bullpups.

In March, Kim’s hopes for a second Class 5A boys title in three seasons were dashed by Corbin Johnson and Kapaun Mt. Carmel in the state semifinals in Emporia.

But on Saturday at Kansas Wesleyan’s Mabee Arena, Kim was tossing lobs to Pyle and laughing it up with Johnson as their Gold squad rolled to a 107-61 victory over the Blue in the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association All-Star Game.

“It was great not having to worry about them anymore,” said Kim, who scored 13 points and handed out seven assists. “You only had to worry about the good stuff.”

There was plenty of good stuff for the Gold, which was coached by McPherson’s Kurt Kinnamon and Kapaun’s Steve Eck, both of whom guided their high school teams to successful state title defenses in March. Their 12-player team drew largely from south central Kansas and featured a variety of foe-turned-friend lineup combinations.

In fact, the Gold starting lineup featured Kim and players from teams responsible for three of Andover’s five losses last season – Pyle, Johnson and Derby’s Jack Ulwelling – as well as Wichita Heights forward Amalachi Wilkins.

Even the Gold reserves tapped into the unique partnerships. Reed Friesen of Class 3A champion Hesston was on the court with Moundridge’s Bear Moddelmog, whose Wildcats dealt the Swathers one of their two losses last season in the Hillsboro Trojan Classic title game.

But on Saturday, those combinations were lethal. Pyle, who joined his older brothers Drew and Ben as recipients of the KBCA’s Mr. Kansas Basketball award prior to the contest, scored a game-high 19 points. Elyria Christian’s Ty Romero, the MVP of the Central Kansas All-Star Basketball Classic in March, added 14 points and Ellinwood’s Landon Simpson added 10.

The Blue team got 11 points each from Ottawa’s Caleb Hepner, Shawnee Mission Northwest’s Tyler Salmon and Goodland’s Brady Brumbaugh. But after building a 16-8 lead in the first five minutes, its momentum faded amid cold shooting and the Gold’s defensive pressure, which led to a flurry of fast-break points.

“It was really cool,” said Johnson, a KSHSAA Covered All-State Top 5 selection who will play at Wichita’s Sunrise Christian Academy next season. “There’s such good players from around the same city, so to team up and put our stuff together, the chemistry that we had was really fun.

“It’s what basketball is about, just building friendships.”

Even those whose paths didn’t cross with the others during the winter made a splash for the Gold. Simpson, one of the state’s top scorers last season at more than 24 points per game, scored all his points in the Gold’s 60-point second half after Romero led them to a 47-29 halftime lead with 12 first-half points.

Galena’s Jack Perry added nine points on 4-of-7 shooting. Macksville’s Diego Esparza had just two points, but hounded the Blue team’s guards with his quickness.

All those contributions made an impression on Kim, who will play collegiately at Washington University in St. Louis.

“Small-school guys can hoop,” Kim said. “I want people to know that. They can go.”

Kim scored seven points and Pyle added four in the Gold’s 15-4 run to start the second half that pushed the lead to 62-33. The Gold made 27 of 47 shots in the second half (57.4%) to stretch its margin. Meanwhile, the Blue finished 19 of 80 from the field and 7 of 43 from 3-point range.

Moddelmog, who helped Moundridge to Class 2A titles as a sophomore and junior, pushed the Gold over the 100-point mark with a 3-pointer that made it 101-59 with two minutes remaining.

“I’ve had a past with Bear,” said Friesen, who scored eight points. “We’ve played baseball together in the past and we played together last summer. We’ve become pretty good friends and it just makes it fun when you can get out on the court together.”

The crossover on Saturday wasn’t limited to player-to-player. After Eck watched from the bench Saturday, he recalled splitting two state tournament battles against Kim and Andover – who defeated Kapaun for the 2023 5A title – and several Greater Wichita Athletic League battles against Wilkins and Heights.

In Kapaun’s most recent meeting with Heights, Johnson hit a fadeaway 3-pointer at the buzzer that gave the Crusaders a 56-53 victory, spoiling the Falcons’ senior night.

“For me, it was fun that I could sit on the same bench with them instead of coaching against them,” Eck said. “I told Josh and Amalachi, I’m glad you guys are on the same side with me this time because I’m tired of seeing your face.”

KBCA BOYS ALL-STAR GAME GOLD 107, BLUE 61

Blue … 29 … 32 … – … 61 Gold … 47 … 60 … – … 107

Blue – Hepner 4-6 2-2 11, Salmon 5-15 0-0 11, Jones 1-8 2-7 4, Rowley 1-3 0-0 3, Broxterman 0-6 0-0 0, Burgess 2-9 2-2 6, Otott 0-1 3-4 3, Brumbaugh 4-20 1-2 11, VanHoutan 1-5 2-2 5, Skocny 1-7 4-4 7. Totals 19-80 16-23 61.

Gold – Ulwelling 1-6 0-0 2, Wilkins 4-6 0-0 8, Kim 6-9 0-0 13, Pyle 9-16 0-0 19, Johnson 4-11 0-0 9, Esparza 1-3 0-0 2, Baalmann 2-4 0-0 4, Perry 4-7 0-0 9, Friesen 4-7 0-0 8, Moddelmog 4-5 0-0 9, Simpson 4-7 1-2 10, Romero 5-9 2-2 14. Totals 48-90 3-4 107.

3-point goals – Blue 7-43 (Brumbaugh 2-14, Hepner 1-2, Rowley 1-3, VanHoutan 1-4, Skocny 1-6, Salmon 1-7, Jones 0-1, Broxterman 0-2, Burgess 0-4); Gold 8-32 (Romero 2-6, Kim 1-2, Moddelmog 1-2, Simpson 1-2, Perry 1-3, Pyle 1-4, Johnson 1-5, Wilkins 0-1, Baalmann 0-2, Ulwelling 0-5). Rebounds – Blue 46 (Hepner 7); Gold 60 (Johnson 13). Assists – Blue 11 (Jones 3); Gold 28 (Kim 7). Turnovers – Blue 9, Gold 7. Total fouls – Blue 9, Gold 19. Fouled out – None.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750766202047.png" alt="Ellinwood's Landon Simpson drives on Rock Creek's Coley Burgess (2) during the KBCA All-Star Game. (Scott Paske/KSHSAA Covered)" />
 <figcaption>Ellinwood's Landon Simpson drives on Rock Creek's Coley Burgess (2) during the KBCA All-Star Game. (Scott Paske/KSHSAA Covered)</figcaption>
 </figure>KSHSAA CoveredSALINA – Andover’s Josh Kim spent a rough December evening in McPherson’s Roundhouse, struggling to keep the Trojans afloat against Gabe Pyle and the host Bullpups.In March, Kim’s hopes for a second Class 5A boys title in three seasons were dashed by Corbin Johnson and Kapaun Mt. Carmel in the state semifinals in Emporia.But on Saturday at Kansas Wesleyan’s Mabee Arena, Kim was tossing lobs to Pyle and laughing it up with Johnson as their Gold squad rolled to a 107-61 victory over the Blue in the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association All-Star Game.“It was great not having to worry about them anymore,” said Kim, who scored 13 points and handed out seven assists. “You only had to worry about the good stuff.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750766255879.png" alt="McPherson's Gabe Pyle (14) reacts to a 3-pointer by Moundridge's Bear Moddelmog that put the Gold squad over 100 points in Saturday's KBCA All-Star Game. (Scott Paske/KSHSAA Covered)" />
 <figcaption>McPherson's Gabe Pyle (14) reacts to a 3-pointer by Moundridge's Bear Moddelmog that put the Gold squad over 100 points in Saturday's KBCA All-Star Game. (Scott Paske/KSHSAA Covered)</figcaption>
 </figure>There was plenty of good stuff for the Gold, which was coached by McPherson’s Kurt Kinnamon and Kapaun’s Steve Eck, both of whom guided their high school teams to successful state title defenses in March. Their 12-player team drew largely from south central Kansas and featured a variety of foe-turned-friend lineup combinations.In fact, the Gold starting lineup featured Kim and players from teams responsible for three of Andover’s five losses last season – Pyle, Johnson and Derby’s Jack Ulwelling – as well as Wichita Heights forward Amalachi Wilkins.Even the Gold reserves tapped into the unique partnerships. Reed Friesen of Class 3A champion Hesston was on the court with Moundridge’s Bear Moddelmog, whose Wildcats dealt the Swathers one of their two losses last season in the Hillsboro Trojan Classic title game.But on Saturday, those combinations were lethal. Pyle, who joined his older brothers Drew and Ben as recipients of the KBCA’s Mr. Kansas Basketball award prior to the contest, scored a game-high 19 points. Elyria Christian’s Ty Romero, the MVP of the Central Kansas All-Star Basketball Classic in March, added 14 points and Ellinwood’s Landon Simpson added 10.The Blue team got 11 points each from Ottawa’s Caleb Hepner, Shawnee Mission Northwest’s Tyler Salmon and Goodland’s Brady Brumbaugh. But after building a 16-8 lead in the first five minutes, its momentum faded amid cold shooting and the Gold’s defensive pressure, which led to a flurry of fast-break points.“It was really cool,” said Johnson, a KSHSAA Covered All-State Top 5 selection who will play at Wichita’s Sunrise Christian Academy next season. “There’s such good players from around the same city, so to team up and put our stuff together, the chemistry that we had was really fun.“It’s what basketball is about, just building friendships.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750766306976.png" alt="Kapaun Mt. Carmel's Corbin Johnson (34) defends against Ottawa's Caleb Hepner during the KBCA All-Star Game. (Scott Paske/KSHSAA Covered)" />
 <figcaption>Kapaun Mt. Carmel's Corbin Johnson (34) defends against Ottawa's Caleb Hepner during the KBCA All-Star Game. (Scott Paske/KSHSAA Covered)</figcaption>
 </figure>Even those whose paths didn’t cross with the others during the winter made a splash for the Gold. Simpson, one of the state’s top scorers last season at more than 24 points per game, scored all his points in the Gold’s 60-point second half after Romero led them to a 47-29 halftime lead with 12 first-half points.Galena’s Jack Perry added nine points on 4-of-7 shooting. Macksville’s Diego Esparza had just two points, but hounded the Blue team’s guards with his quickness.All those contributions made an impression on Kim, who will play collegiately at Washington University in St. Louis.“Small-school guys can hoop,” Kim said. “I want people to know that. They can go.”Kim scored seven points and Pyle added four in the Gold’s 15-4 run to start the second half that pushed the lead to 62-33. The Gold made 27 of 47 shots in the second half (57.4%) to stretch its margin. Meanwhile, the Blue finished 19 of 80 from the field and 7 of 43 from 3-point range.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750766350575.png" alt="Marysville's Will Otott (14) drives in the lane against Elyria Christian's Ty Romero (25) during the KBCA All-Star Game. (Scott Paske/KSHSAA Covered)" />
 <figcaption>Marysville's Will Otott (14) drives in the lane against Elyria Christian's Ty Romero (25) during the KBCA All-Star Game. (Scott Paske/KSHSAA Covered)</figcaption>
 </figure>Moddelmog, who helped Moundridge to Class 2A titles as a sophomore and junior, pushed the Gold over the 100-point mark with a 3-pointer that made it 101-59 with two minutes remaining.“I’ve had a past with Bear,” said Friesen, who scored eight points. “We’ve played baseball together in the past and we played together last summer. We’ve become pretty good friends and it just makes it fun when you can get out on the court together.”The crossover on Saturday wasn’t limited to player-to-player. After Eck watched from the bench Saturday, he recalled splitting two state tournament battles against Kim and Andover – who defeated Kapaun for the 2023 5A title – and several Greater Wichita Athletic League battles against Wilkins and Heights.In Kapaun’s most recent meeting with Heights, Johnson hit a fadeaway 3-pointer at the buzzer that gave the Crusaders a 56-53 victory, spoiling the Falcons’ senior night.“For me, it was fun that I could sit on the same bench with them instead of coaching against them,” Eck said. “I told Josh and Amalachi, I’m glad you guys are on the same side with me this time because I’m tired of seeing your face.”KBCA BOYS ALL-STAR GAME GOLD 107, BLUE 61Blue … 29 … 32 … – … 61 Gold … 47 … 60 … – … 107Blue – Hepner 4-6 2-2 11, Salmon 5-15 0-0 11, Jones 1-8 2-7 4, Rowley 1-3 0-0 3, Broxterman 0-6 0-0 0, Burgess 2-9 2-2 6, Otott 0-1 3-4 3, Brumbaugh 4-20 1-2 11, VanHoutan 1-5 2-2 5, Skocny 1-7 4-4 7. Totals 19-80 16-23 61.Gold – Ulwelling 1-6 0-0 2, Wilkins 4-6 0-0 8, Kim 6-9 0-0 13, Pyle 9-16 0-0 19, Johnson 4-11 0-0 9, Esparza 1-3 0-0 2, Baalmann 2-4 0-0 4, Perry 4-7 0-0 9, Friesen 4-7 0-0 8, Moddelmog 4-5 0-0 9, Simpson 4-7 1-2 10, Romero 5-9 2-2 14. Totals 48-90 3-4 107.3-point goals – Blue 7-43 (Brumbaugh 2-14, Hepner 1-2, Rowley 1-3, VanHoutan 1-4, Skocny 1-6, Salmon 1-7, Jones 0-1, Broxterman 0-2, Burgess 0-4); Gold 8-32 (Romero 2-6, Kim 1-2, Moddelmog 1-2, Simpson 1-2, Perry 1-3, Pyle 1-4, Johnson 1-5, Wilkins 0-1, Baalmann 0-2, Ulwelling 0-5). Rebounds – Blue 46 (Hepner 7); Gold 60 (Johnson 13). Assists – Blue 11 (Jones 3); Gold 28 (Kim 7). Turnovers – Blue 9, Gold 7. Total fouls – Blue 9, Gold 19. Fouled out – None.

🏀 McPherson's Pyle shines in KBCA Boys All-Star Game

As soon as the rosters came out for the Kansas Basketball Coaches All-Star game, there was a certain amount of giddiness for Anna Jueneman and Oen Deters.

Not necessarily that they’d been selected to play in the annual contest which in itself was an honor But that they’d both been named to the Blue Squad.

At last the Twin Valley League rivals – Deters from Centralia and Jueneman from Hanover – would get to play together instead of going up against each other as they’d done annually since their middle school days.

But when the Blue coaches split up their 12-member squad for playing time purposes for the game, Deters was on one group of six and Jueneman was on the other.

“Me and Oen were on opposites and so we were like, ‘We’ve been waiting for this day literally since the teams came out. Can we please get on the court together?’” Jueneman said. “So we talked them into it.”

It didn’t hurt that two of the three Blue coaches were rather familiar with each with Hanover’s Chris Beikman and Centralia’s Dusty Thompson joining Manhattan’s Scott Mall as the Blue coaches this year.

KSHSAA CoveredAs soon as the rosters came out for the Kansas Basketball Coaches All-Star game, there was a certain amount of giddiness for Anna Jueneman and Oen Deters.Not necessarily that they’d been selected to play in the annual contest which in itself was an honor But that they’d both been named to the Blue Squad.At last the Twin Valley League rivals – Deters from Centralia and Jueneman from Hanover – would get to play together instead of going up against each other as they’d done annually since their middle school days.But when the Blue coaches split up their 12-member squad for playing time purposes for the game, Deters was on one group of six and Jueneman was on the other.“Me and Oen were on opposites and so we were like, ‘We’ve been waiting for this day literally since the teams came out. Can we please get on the court together?’” Jueneman said. “So we talked them into it.”It didn’t hurt that two of the three Blue coaches were rather familiar with each with Hanover’s Chris Beikman and Centralia’s Dusty Thompson joining Manhattan’s Scott Mall as the Blue coaches this year.They acquiesced and it paid off late in Saturday’s All-Star contest at Kansas Wesleyan for the Blue team. With the Blue clinging to a narrow lead on the Gold in in the final minutes of the fourth quarter, both Deters and Jueneman hit huge 3-pointers that ultimately propelled the Blue to a 70-61 victory.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750765602287.png" alt="Hanover's Anna Jueneman (4) watches a late 3-point fall through the net to seal a 70-61 win for the Blue in the annual KBCA All-Star game at Kansas Wesleyan.&nbsp;(Scott Paske/KSHSAA Covered)" />
 <figcaption>Hanover's Anna Jueneman (4) watches a late 3-point fall through the net to seal a 70-61 win for the Blue in the annual KBCA All-Star game at Kansas Wesleyan.&nbsp;(Scott Paske/KSHSAA Covered)</figcaption>
 </figure>Hanover's Anna Jueneman (4) watches a late 3-point fall through the net to seal a 70-61 win for the Blue in the annual KBCA All-Star game at Kansas Wesleyan.Hanover's Anna Jueneman (4) watches a late 3-point fall through the net to seal a 70-61 win for the Blue in the annual KBCA All-Star game at Kansas Wesleyan.“We definitely came up big,” Jueneman said.Which they’ve done throughout their high school careers, particularly on the basketball court.Jueneman led Hanover to three straight Class 1A Division II state championships and in her four years as a start for the Wildcats, they posted a 93-11 record including a perfect 26-0 mark in 2022-23. Deters, meanwhile, led Centralia to an 87-14 record in her four-year career, capping it with an undefeated 26-0 Class 1A Division I state championship this past Match that earned her All-State Top 5 honors from KSHSAA Covered.The performance throughout their career and the Twin Valley League’s reputation as the best athletic small-school league in the state didn’t mean each didn’t go into Saturday’s game without perhaps a little something to prove.“There are a lot of good athletes in 4, 5 and 6A, but that doesn’t mean anything,” Deters said. “There are a lot of great ones in 3, 2 and 1A, too. I love competing against them. Everybody here is an all-star and that’s what’s fun.“I’m pretty confident and it was definitely is a little more chippy. But I like playing like that, being a little cocky. It’s more fun that way.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750765660142.png" alt="Centralia's Oen Deters scored 10 points and had 4 steals, helping the Blue to a 70-61 win over the Gold in the KBCA Girls All-Star game.&nbsp;(Scott Paske/KSHSAA Covered)" />
 <figcaption>Centralia's Oen Deters scored 10 points and had 4 steals, helping the Blue to a 70-61 win over the Gold in the KBCA Girls All-Star game.&nbsp;(Scott Paske/KSHSAA Covered)</figcaption>
 </figure>Jueneman agreed.“Everyone says what a great league the TVL is, and it is,” she said. “And it definitely helps in a game like this.”The TVL combo had been solid throughout the game as the Blue and Gold were tied 14-14 at the end of the third quarter before the Gold maintained leads at halftime (34-28) and at the end of the third quarter (53-50).But in the fourth, the Blue began to clamp down defensively and slowly pulled into the lead. They had held a slight lead for much of the third quarter as well before the Gold finished the period strong to regain the edge going into the fourth.This time, once the Blue got the lead, they fought off the Gold. Up by less than two possessions late, Jueneman found Deters on the wing and the Panther guard banked in a 3-pointer that gave the Blue a little breathing room.“I passed it to her for the assist and she actually called bank on that one,” Jueneman said, which Deters also confirmed. “The bench girls heard it.”Moments later, Jueneman – known more for her scoring ability in transition as a result of her constant pressure – fired up her only 3-point attempt of the game and drained it to all but clinch the Blue victory.“It’s something that’s grown on me,” she said of the 3-pointer. “Earlier in my high school career, I wouldn’t have had the confidence to take that shot, but now I know I can come up at big times like that and have the full confidence it’s going in.“Some might say it was a stupid shot, but in the heat of the moment I took it and was like, ‘Yeah, this is going in.’ Oen said, “Oh I knew it was going in right away!”Jueneman finished with 12 points to lead the Blue team and the performance may serve as an omen of what’s to come in her college career. A three-sport standout who led the Hanover volleyball team to four 1A Division II state championship matches and two titles and also was a three-time 1A state track champion in the 400 and two-time winner of the 200, Jueneman had always targeted basketball as her sport of choice for college.And her college of choice ended up being Kansas Wesleyan with Saturday’s all-star game being held on her future home court. Ironically, her mother, Tiffany (Lohse), also played in the KBCA All-Star game when it was held at Washburn’s Lee Arena, where she ended up playing in college.Deters added 10 points and 4 steals for the Blue, her point total matched by Labette County’s Lauren O’Brien. De Soto’s Makenzie Farmer chipped in 9 points and 2 assists, while St. Marys’ Hayden Heim had 7 points, 8 rebounds and 4 blocked shots.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750765699238.png" alt="After receiving the KBCA's Miss Kansas Basketball award prior to the All-Star game, Wellington's Val Norwood scored 16 points to lead all scorers in the game.&nbsp;(Scott Paske/KSHSAA Covered)" />
 <figcaption>After receiving the KBCA's Miss Kansas Basketball award prior to the All-Star game, Wellington's Val Norwood scored 16 points to lead all scorers in the game.&nbsp;(Scott Paske/KSHSAA Covered)</figcaption>
 </figure>After receiving the KBCA's Miss Kansas Basketball award prior to the All-Star game, Wellington's Val Norwood scored 16 points to lead all scorers in the game.The gold was led by Wellington's Val Norwood, who hit 7 of 14 shots on her way to game-high scoring honors with 16 points. Despite not coming away with the team win in the game, Norwood still relished the experience, which began with her being presented the KBCA Miss Kansas Basketball honor prior to the game.“It was a very exciting moment when I got the call,” she said. “It’s a great honor and I’m very grateful for it.”The honors capped a magical senior season for the Wellington standout, who earned All-State Top 5 honors after leading Wellington to its first-ever state championship as the Crusader toppled longtime state nemesis Bishop Miege 53-48 in the Class 4A championship game to finish off a 24-1 season.Norwood and her Wellington teammates had had numerous near-misses before the breakthrough title, including a 75-62 loss to Miege in the 2024 title game and losses to the Stags in each of the previous two state tourneys as well.“We’d all been waiting for that (state title) forever,” said Norwood, who led Wellington to a 91-6 record in her career. “And it was a game that we had always talked about winning. It was a great season and I’m going to miss playing with them.“This game was nice to get to play with other people and meeting them as well. We had come back at one point, but we just couldn’t get it done at the end. But it was good.”No other Gold player reached double figures with Andover’s Aliyah Green, Arkansas City’s Saliyah Henderson-Johnson and Hoxie’s Emily Bainter each finishing with 7 points. Henderson-Johnson also grabbed a team-high 7 rebounds and Central Plains’ Marilyn Soeken had 6 points and 3 assists.KBCA GIRLS ALL-STAR GAME BLUE 70, GOLD 61Blue … 14 … 14 … 22 … 20 … -- … 70 Gold … 14 … 20 … 19 … 8 … -- … 61Blue – O’Brien 3-10 3-3 10, Jueneman 3-5 5-8 12, Harris 2-4 0-0 4, Deters 3-7 2-2 10, Ramsey 1-2 0-0 2, Lambert 1-3 0-0 3, Jacobs 1-6 0-0 2, Krafels 1-4 0-0 2, Farmer 3-7 1-2 9, Martin 2-5 2-2 7, Heim 3-8 1-2 7, Johnson 1-4 0-0 2. Totals 24-65 14-21 70.Gold – Butler 1-3 0-0 2, Green 13-10 1-2 7, Zeka 2-11 0-0 4, Norwood 7-14 0-0 16, Hadley 2-5 0-0 4, Phillips 2-5 0-0 4, Henderson-Johnson 3-9 0-0 7, Jones 1-3 0-0 2, Bainter 2-4 2-2 7, Barton 1-5 0-0 2, Soeken 2-7 1-2 6, Winfrey 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 26-78 4-6 61.3-point goals – Blue 8-19 (Deters 2-4, Farmer 2-4, O’Brien 1-2, Jueneman 1-1, Lambert 1-3, Martin 1-2, Krafels 0-1, Jacobs 0-2); Gold 5-29 (Norwood 2-4, Henderson-Johnson 1-4, Bainter 1-1, Soeken 1-4, Butler 0-1, Zeka 0-5, Hadley 0-1, Phillips 0-2, Jones 0-2, Barton 0-3, Winfrey 0-1). Rebounds – Blue 43 (Heim 8), Gold 49 (Henderson-Johnson 7). Assists – Blue 11 (Jueneman 2, Farmer 2, Martin 2, Heim 2), Gold 7 (Soeken 3). Turnovers – Blue 16, Gold 17. Total fouls – Blue 7, Gold 18. Fouled out – none.