The Kansas City Chiefs have clinched back-to-back Super Bowl appearances for the first time in franchise history.

The defending champion Chiefs (16-2) protected their home field and defeated the Buffalo Bills, 38-24, in the AFC Championship on Sunday night at Arrowhead Stadium.

Patrick Mahomes, who underwent concussion protocol successfully this past week and battled some minor turf toe, seemed completely unbothered Sunday, passing for a postseason-best 325 yards and three touchdowns on 29-of-38 passing, improving his career postseason record to 4-1.

"The best thing about this team is that we believe in each other," Mahomes told CBS after the game. "Every single time we hit the field, we give everything we have. The job is not finished."

The Chiefs' offense piled up 439 yards of offense and averaged 6.9 yards per play. Mahomes says he felt primed for a big game all day leading up to the game.

"We did a good job of rehabbing and getting myself ready to go," Mahomes said. "I feel like I was myself out there and we were able to go out there and score points and find a way to win against a really good football team."

The Bills got off to a hot start in Sunday's game. After coming away with a 51-yard field goal by Tyler Bass on their opening drive, Buffalo's special teams came up with a big play.&nbsp;

Backed inside his own 15, Mecole Hardman muffed a punt, which the Bills recovered and turned into points on the next play.

With a first-and-goal at the three, Allen tossed the ball to Dawson Knox on a swing pass, but Bass missed the PAT, putting Buffalo ahead 9-0 with 6:14 to go in the first.

"After that fumble, I told Mecole on the sidelines that he was going to make a big play, and sure enough he made multiple," said Mahomes.

Hardman indeed atoned for his sins on the next drive as he hauled in a three-yard touchdown pass from Mahomes, capping a 14-play, 80-yard drive that took nearly seven minutes off the clock.

Kansas City got on the board, trailing 9-7 with 14:16 left in the first half.

On the Chiefs' following drive, Hardman further redeemed himself with a 50-yard run on an end around that put Kansas City into scoring range.

That run by Hardman was the longest rush from scrimmage in franchise postseason history.

Four plays later, Darrel Williams punched it in from four yards out, giving Kansas City its first lead at 14-9 with 9:35 to go until halftime.

Kansas City's defense also stepped up big, forcing three Bills' punts in the first half after Buffalo had scored on their opening series.

The Chiefs' offense took advantage, stringing together a nine-play, 77-yard drive capped off by a one-yard touchdown run by Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who had previously been inactive since Week 15 with an ankle injury suffered against the Saints. It was the first postseason touchdown in the rookie's career.

The Chiefs led 21-9 with 4:12 left in the second, completely swinging the momentum in their favor after a sluggish start.

Buffalo moved the ball down the field inside the final four minutes of the first half and made it all the way to the Kansas City two-yard line, but had to settle for a 20-yard field goal from Bass, giving the Chiefs a 21-12 halftime lead.

The Chiefs got the ball to start the second half, and marched right down the field again, as the drive was sparked by a 31-yard reception by Tyreek Hill. The drive stalled, however, and Harrison Butker came in for a 45-yard field goal, putting Kansas City ahead 24-12 with 10:48 left in the third.

The Bills looked solid on their first possession of the second half as well, but the drive stalled, and Bass had to come in for his third field goal of the game - this one good from 27 yards out.

That cut the Chiefs lead down to 24-15 with under six minutes left in the third.

Kansas City, once again, had a bigger and better answer. Sparked by a 71-yard pitch and catch to Hill, it took the Chiefs only four plays to put another touchdown on the board.&nbsp;

Mahomes tossed an underhanded ball to Kelce, who took it in from a yard away, putting Kansas City ahead 31-15 with 3:34 to go in the third.

The Bills tried to battle back and were driving into Chiefs territory, but an interception by Rashad Fenton ended that series and Kansas City capitalized off of the first Bills' turnover.

The Chiefs drove 58 yards on 11 plays and went to their sure-handed tight end for another touchdown - this one from five yards out to put Kansas City ahead 38-15 with just over 7:36 to play.

Kelce, who's had the most receiving yards by a tight end in a single season in NFL history this year, finished Sunday's game with a playoff game record-tying 13 catches for 118 yards and two scores.

"You put me and Tyreek (out there ," Kelce said, "one in the back of the end zone and one in the front, and hope that one of us can win our matchups, thinking it's a man coverage. Sure enough, everyone forgot about me."

Hill was also clutch with nine grabs for 172 yards, averaging over 19 yards per catch.

Kelce says Mahomes was as good as he's ever seen him play, despite the uncertainty of his status going in.

"I mean, he was dialed in, throwing the ball all over the field and making the right decisions," Kelce said. "Sure enough, he played his A-game and led us to the Super Bowl, man."

Now awaiting Kansas City in Super Bowl 55 is Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers (14-5) defeated the Green Bay Packers, 31-26, on Sunday afternoon at Lambeau Field in the NFC Championship.

This will mark a record tenth Super Bowl appearance by quarterback Tom Brady, who passed for three touchdowns, but also threw three interceptions in the win.

Super Bowl 55 kicks off on Sunday, Feb. 7, at 5:30 p.m. central from Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, making the Buccaneers the first franchise in NFL history to play a Super Bowl on their home field.

Kansas City won at Tampa this past regular season on Nov. 29, 27-24 - a game in which Brady threw three touchdowns a pair of interceptions. Mahomes did not throw a pick in that game, and finished with a season-best 462 yards and three scores.

Andy Reid, who's now fourth on the NFL's all-time list with 17 postseason wins as a head coach, says Sunday's win was a 'good team effort' but stresses the need to always improve.

"This job is a little bit like, and I'm talking about coaches and players, being a farmer," Reid said. "The work is never done. You can always work to get better as a team, and that's what we're going to do here in the next couple of weeks."

Brady and Mahomes have met four times before, and the series between the two legends is tied 2-2. All four of the previous meetings have been decided by seven points or less.

"Every one (of the previous games against Brady) are tremendous," Reid said. "I wouldn't expect this to be any different. Those two have a lot of respect for each other."

"The Super Bowl is the Super Bowl," Mahomes said on the excitement of facing Brady on the biggest stage. "Being able to go up against one of the greatest, if not the greatest quarterback of all time in his 150th Super Bowl...I mean, it's going to be a great experience.

"To go out there and have a chance to repeat and do it against the best, it's something special and I'm looking forward to the opportunity."

You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611541702400.png" alt="Darrel Williams scores a touchdown in the second quarter, which gave the Chiefs their first lead in the AFC Championship on Sunday night." />
 <figcaption>Darrel Williams scores a touchdown in the second quarter, which gave the Chiefs their first lead in the AFC Championship on Sunday night.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe Kansas City Chiefs have clinched back-to-back Super Bowl appearances for the first time in franchise history.The defending champion Chiefs (16-2) protected their home field and defeated the Buffalo Bills, 38-24, in the AFC Championship on Sunday night at Arrowhead Stadium.Patrick Mahomes, who underwent concussion protocol successfully this past week and battled some minor turf toe, seemed completely unbothered Sunday, passing for a postseason-best 325 yards and three touchdowns on 29-of-38 passing, improving his career postseason record to 4-1."The best thing about this team is that we believe in each other," Mahomes told CBS after the game. "Every single time we hit the field, we give everything we have. The job is not finished."The Chiefs' offense piled up 439 yards of offense and averaged 6.9 yards per play. Mahomes says he felt primed for a big game all day leading up to the game."We did a good job of rehabbing and getting myself ready to go," Mahomes said. "I feel like I was myself out there and we were able to go out there and score points and find a way to win against a really good football team."The Bills got off to a hot start in Sunday's game. After coming away with a 51-yard field goal by Tyler Bass on their opening drive, Buffalo's special teams came up with a big play.&nbsp;Backed inside his own 15, Mecole Hardman muffed a punt, which the Bills recovered and turned into points on the next play.With a first-and-goal at the three, Allen tossed the ball to Dawson Knox on a swing pass, but Bass missed the PAT, putting Buffalo ahead 9-0 with 6:14 to go in the first."After that fumble, I told Mecole on the sidelines that he was going to make a big play, and sure enough he made multiple," said Mahomes.Hardman indeed atoned for his sins on the next drive as he hauled in a three-yard touchdown pass from Mahomes, capping a 14-play, 80-yard drive that took nearly seven minutes off the clock.Kansas City got on the board, trailing 9-7 with 14:16 left in the first half.On the Chiefs' following drive, Hardman further redeemed himself with a 50-yard run on an end around that put Kansas City into scoring range.That run by Hardman was the longest rush from scrimmage in franchise postseason history.Four plays later, Darrel Williams punched it in from four yards out, giving Kansas City its first lead at 14-9 with 9:35 to go until halftime.They never trailed after.Kansas City's defense also stepped up big, forcing three Bills' punts in the first half after Buffalo had scored on their opening series.The Chiefs' offense took advantage, stringing together a nine-play, 77-yard drive capped off by a one-yard touchdown run by Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who had previously been inactive since Week 15 with an ankle injury suffered against the Saints. It was the first postseason touchdown in the rookie's career.The Chiefs led 21-9 with 4:12 left in the second, completely swinging the momentum in their favor after a sluggish start.Buffalo moved the ball down the field inside the final four minutes of the first half and made it all the way to the Kansas City two-yard line, but had to settle for a 20-yard field goal from Bass, giving the Chiefs a 21-12 halftime lead.The Chiefs got the ball to start the second half, and marched right down the field again, as the drive was sparked by a 31-yard reception by Tyreek Hill. The drive stalled, however, and Harrison Butker came in for a 45-yard field goal, putting Kansas City ahead 24-12 with 10:48 left in the third.The Bills looked solid on their first possession of the second half as well, but the drive stalled, and Bass had to come in for his third field goal of the game - this one good from 27 yards out.That cut the Chiefs lead down to 24-15 with under six minutes left in the third.Kansas City, once again, had a bigger and better answer. Sparked by a 71-yard pitch and catch to Hill, it took the Chiefs only four plays to put another touchdown on the board.&nbsp;Mahomes tossed an underhanded ball to Kelce, who took it in from a yard away, putting Kansas City ahead 31-15 with 3:34 to go in the third.The Bills tried to battle back and were driving into Chiefs territory, but an interception by Rashad Fenton ended that series and Kansas City capitalized off of the first Bills' turnover.The Chiefs drove 58 yards on 11 plays and went to their sure-handed tight end for another touchdown - this one from five yards out to put Kansas City ahead 38-15 with just over 7:36 to play.Kelce, who's had the most receiving yards by a tight end in a single season in NFL history this year, finished Sunday's game with a playoff game record-tying 13 catches for 118 yards and two scores."You put me and Tyreek (out there ," Kelce said, "one in the back of the end zone and one in the front, and hope that one of us can win our matchups, thinking it's a man coverage. Sure enough, everyone forgot about me."Hill was also clutch with nine grabs for 172 yards, averaging over 19 yards per catch.Kelce says Mahomes was as good as he's ever seen him play, despite the uncertainty of his status going in."I mean, he was dialed in, throwing the ball all over the field and making the right decisions," Kelce said. "Sure enough, he played his A-game and led us to the Super Bowl, man."Now awaiting Kansas City in Super Bowl 55 is Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers (14-5) defeated the Green Bay Packers, 31-26, on Sunday afternoon at Lambeau Field in the NFC Championship.This will mark a record tenth Super Bowl appearance by quarterback Tom Brady, who passed for three touchdowns, but also threw three interceptions in the win.Super Bowl 55 kicks off on Sunday, Feb. 7, at 5:30 p.m. central from Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, making the Buccaneers the first franchise in NFL history to play a Super Bowl on their home field.Kansas City won at Tampa this past regular season on Nov. 29, 27-24 - a game in which Brady threw three touchdowns a pair of interceptions. Mahomes did not throw a pick in that game, and finished with a season-best 462 yards and three scores.Andy Reid, who's now fourth on the NFL's all-time list with 17 postseason wins as a head coach, says Sunday's win was a 'good team effort' but stresses the need to always improve."This job is a little bit like, and I'm talking about coaches and players, being a farmer," Reid said. "The work is never done. You can always work to get better as a team, and that's what we're going to do here in the next couple of weeks."Brady and Mahomes have met four times before, and the series between the two legends is tied 2-2. All four of the previous meetings have been decided by seven points or less."Every one (of the previous games against Brady) are tremendous," Reid said. "I wouldn't expect this to be any different. Those two have a lot of respect for each other.""The Super Bowl is the Super Bowl," Mahomes said on the excitement of facing Brady on the biggest stage. "Being able to go up against one of the greatest, if not the greatest quarterback of all time in his 150th Super Bowl...I mean, it's going to be a great experience."To go out there and have a chance to repeat and do it against the best, it's something special and I'm looking forward to the opportunity."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611543187618.png" alt="Tyreek Hill cuts up field on a 71-yard reception in the second half of Sunday's AFC Championship game." />
 <figcaption>Tyreek Hill cuts up field on a 71-yard reception in the second half of Sunday's AFC Championship game.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Chiefs' offense overwhelms Buffalo, Kansas City headed back to the Super Bowl

The Northwest Missouri State and Missouri Western men’s and women’s track teams wrapped up competition in day two of the Northwest Open in Hughes&nbsp;Fieldhouse on Saturday.

The Griffons had two event winners as junior&nbsp;Jordan Garr&nbsp;captured the men's shot put title and junior&nbsp;Hanna Williams&nbsp;won the 600-yard run. It's the second straight shot put crown for Garr after winning at Washburn last week. The St. Joseph native and Central alum threw a NCAA Division II provisional mark of 16.72 meters (54-10.25 feet) and won the event by over three feet.

Garr also finished eighth in the weight throw with a personal best throw of 15.67 meters (51.05-00 feet). Williams ran the 600-yard for the first time this season and broke her own Northwest Open meet record with a time of 1:25.30. She set that record in 2019.

Also on the women's side, Mid-Buchanan alum Bailey Gilbert&nbsp;followed up her Pentathlon victory Friday night with a second place finish in the long jump (5.37 m, 17-07.50 ft) and the women's 4x400 meter relay also finished second on Saturday with a time of 3:57.40. The Griffon track &amp; field teams will travel to Pittsburg State next weekend as they'll compete at the MIAA Challenge on Saturday, January 30.

Northwest Missouri State recap Ally Hammond had another strong individual showing as she placed fourth in the 60m dash before taking gold in the 60m hurdles. Bailey Blake and&nbsp;Kaylee&nbsp;Harp took second and third place, respectively, in the 600-yard dash, while&nbsp;Delanie&nbsp;Dykes won the 800m run in a new meet record time of 2:17.99. Caroline Cunningham brought home a win of her own, taking gold in the 3,000-meter run with a new meet-record time of 10:14.07.

The women's 4x400m relay team of Aliyah Simmons,&nbsp;Blake, Tiffany&nbsp;Hughey, and Addie&nbsp;Palser&nbsp;also won the event in a new meet-record time of 3:53.23. On the men’s side,&nbsp;Gavyn&nbsp;Monday nearly had provisional qualifying times in the 60m dash (6.88s) and 200m dash (21.65s). Monday’s 200m time ties teammate’s&nbsp;Caelon&nbsp;Harkey&nbsp;time for third best in Northwest history.

Harkey&nbsp;took third in the 400m dash in an NCAA Division II provisional qualifying time of 48.29 seconds. RJ Williams was just off provisional qualifying time in the 400m dash as well with his time of 49.07 seconds. Abdelrahim&nbsp;Mahgoub&nbsp;(1:52.76) and Jake Norris (1:52.90) each met NCAA Division II provisional qualifying time in the 800m run as they finished second and third in the event respectively. Those times rank sixth and seventh in Northwest history. Blake Morgan won the high jump for the second time this season with a meet record jump of 6-09.50 (2.07m). Reece Smith won&nbsp;the 3000m run in dominating fashion as he set new school and Hughes&nbsp;Fieldhouse&nbsp;records with his time of 8:18.35, as well as meeting NCAA Division II provisional qualifying time. The men's 4x400-meter relay team of&nbsp;Harkey, Prince Griffin,&nbsp;Mahgoub, and Monday won the event as well in a time of 3:14.04. That time set a new meet record, met NCAA Division II provisional qualifying time, and&nbsp;currently sits at third in Northwest history as well. Among performances from Friday’s portion of the meet, both men’s and women’s distance medley relay teams met NCAA Division II provisional qualifying times. The men’s team set meet and school records with their time as well. The Northwest men’s distance trio of Mike&nbsp;Lagat&nbsp;(14:58.34), Jacob&nbsp;Nkamasiai&nbsp;(14:58.58), and&nbsp;Fedrick&nbsp;Kipyego&nbsp;(15:01.80) also swept gold, silver, and bronze finishes in the 5000m run. The Bearcats are back in Hughes&nbsp;Fieldhouse&nbsp;next Saturday, Jan. 30 for the Herschel&nbsp;Neil Invite.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611464600694.jpeg" alt="Northwest's Caelon Harkey competes in Saturday's Northwest Open at Hughes Fieldhouse. Photo courtesy of BearcatSports.com." />
 <figcaption>Northwest's Caelon Harkey competes in Saturday's Northwest Open at Hughes Fieldhouse. Photo courtesy of BearcatSports.com.</figcaption>
 </figure>St. Joseph PostThe Northwest Missouri State and Missouri Western men’s and women’s track teams wrapped up competition in day two of the Northwest Open in Hughes&nbsp;Fieldhouse on Saturday.Missouri Western recapThe Griffons had two event winners as junior&nbsp;Jordan Garr&nbsp;captured the men's shot put title and junior&nbsp;Hanna Williams&nbsp;won the 600-yard run. It's the second straight shot put crown for Garr after winning at Washburn last week. The St. Joseph native and Central alum threw a NCAA Division II provisional mark of 16.72 meters (54-10.25 feet) and won the event by over three feet.Garr also finished eighth in the weight throw with a personal best throw of 15.67 meters (51.05-00 feet). Williams ran the 600-yard for the first time this season and broke her own Northwest Open meet record with a time of 1:25.30. She set that record in 2019.Also on the women's side, Mid-Buchanan alum Bailey Gilbert&nbsp;followed up her Pentathlon victory Friday night with a second place finish in the long jump (5.37 m, 17-07.50 ft) and the women's 4x400 meter relay also finished second on Saturday with a time of 3:57.40. The Griffon track &amp; field teams will travel to Pittsburg State next weekend as they'll compete at the MIAA Challenge on Saturday, January 30.Northwest Missouri State recap Ally Hammond had another strong individual showing as she placed fourth in the 60m dash before taking gold in the 60m hurdles. Bailey Blake and&nbsp;Kaylee&nbsp;Harp took second and third place, respectively, in the 600-yard dash, while&nbsp;Delanie&nbsp;Dykes won the 800m run in a new meet record time of 2:17.99. Caroline Cunningham brought home a win of her own, taking gold in the 3,000-meter run with a new meet-record time of 10:14.07.The women's 4x400m relay team of Aliyah Simmons,&nbsp;Blake, Tiffany&nbsp;Hughey, and Addie&nbsp;Palser&nbsp;also won the event in a new meet-record time of 3:53.23. On the men’s side,&nbsp;Gavyn&nbsp;Monday nearly had provisional qualifying times in the 60m dash (6.88s) and 200m dash (21.65s). Monday’s 200m time ties teammate’s&nbsp;Caelon&nbsp;Harkey&nbsp;time for third best in Northwest history.Harkey&nbsp;took third in the 400m dash in an NCAA Division II provisional qualifying time of 48.29 seconds. RJ Williams was just off provisional qualifying time in the 400m dash as well with his time of 49.07 seconds. Abdelrahim&nbsp;Mahgoub&nbsp;(1:52.76) and Jake Norris (1:52.90) each met NCAA Division II provisional qualifying time in the 800m run as they finished second and third in the event respectively. Those times rank sixth and seventh in Northwest history. Blake Morgan won the high jump for the second time this season with a meet record jump of 6-09.50 (2.07m). Reece Smith won&nbsp;the 3000m run in dominating fashion as he set new school and Hughes&nbsp;Fieldhouse&nbsp;records with his time of 8:18.35, as well as meeting NCAA Division II provisional qualifying time. The men's 4x400-meter relay team of&nbsp;Harkey, Prince Griffin,&nbsp;Mahgoub, and Monday won the event as well in a time of 3:14.04. That time set a new meet record, met NCAA Division II provisional qualifying time, and&nbsp;currently sits at third in Northwest history as well. Among performances from Friday’s portion of the meet, both men’s and women’s distance medley relay teams met NCAA Division II provisional qualifying times. The men’s team set meet and school records with their time as well. The Northwest men’s distance trio of Mike&nbsp;Lagat&nbsp;(14:58.34), Jacob&nbsp;Nkamasiai&nbsp;(14:58.58), and&nbsp;Fedrick&nbsp;Kipyego&nbsp;(15:01.80) also swept gold, silver, and bronze finishes in the 5000m run. The Bearcats are back in Hughes&nbsp;Fieldhouse&nbsp;next Saturday, Jan. 30 for the Herschel&nbsp;Neil Invite.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Missouri Western, Northwest Missouri State finish strong at Northwest Open

The No. 3 Northwest Missouri State men's basketball team won its fifth straight game with a 90-68 blowout over Central Oklahoma at Bearcat Arena Saturday. Junior guard and Lafayette St. Joseph alum Diego Bernard became the 25th Bearcat to surpass 1,000 career points as he tallied 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the floor.&nbsp; Northwest's other junior guard, Trevor&nbsp;Hudgins, stuffed his stat sheet with 20 points, nine assists and five steals. Senior Ryan Hawkins registered game-highs in points (23) and rebounds (17). Hudgins&nbsp;took care of the offense early in the second half as he put up 11 points in the first five minutes to boost Northwest's lead to 66-45 with 15:05 to go in the game.&nbsp;

Bearcat women start three true freshmen, fall in close battle with UCO&nbsp;

The Central Oklahoma&nbsp;Bronchos scored a 61-51 win over the Bearcats Saturday. The&nbsp;Bronchos&nbsp;move to 7-4 overall, while Northwest falls to 4-7 . Northwest freshman Molly&nbsp;Hartnett&nbsp;scored a career-high 26 points in the contest.&nbsp;

Hartnett&nbsp;carried the first-quarter offense for the Bearcats as she accounted for 11 of Northwest's 15 points.&nbsp; Northwest cut into the UCO lead in the fourth.&nbsp;Hartnett&nbsp;finished off a three-point play to pull Northwest to within 47-44, but the&nbsp;Bronchos&nbsp;responded with a 6-0 run. Northwest could only manage one made field goal in their last seven attempts.&nbsp;&nbsp; Both Northwest teams will be back in action Thursday at Lincoln. The women's game will start things off at 5:30 p.m.

St. Joseph Post&nbsp;The No. 3 Northwest Missouri State men's basketball team won its fifth straight game with a 90-68 blowout over Central Oklahoma at Bearcat Arena Saturday. Junior guard and Lafayette St. Joseph alum Diego Bernard became the 25th Bearcat to surpass 1,000 career points as he tallied 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the floor.&nbsp; Northwest's other junior guard, Trevor&nbsp;Hudgins, stuffed his stat sheet with 20 points, nine assists and five steals. Senior Ryan Hawkins registered game-highs in points (23) and rebounds (17). Hudgins&nbsp;took care of the offense early in the second half as he put up 11 points in the first five minutes to boost Northwest's lead to 66-45 with 15:05 to go in the game.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611461512577.jpeg" alt="Diego Bernard." />
 <figcaption>Diego Bernard.</figcaption>
 </figure>Bearcat women start three true freshmen, fall in close battle with UCO&nbsp; The Central Oklahoma&nbsp;Bronchos scored a 61-51 win over the Bearcats Saturday. The&nbsp;Bronchos&nbsp;move to 7-4 overall, while Northwest falls to 4-7 . Northwest freshman Molly&nbsp;Hartnett&nbsp;scored a career-high 26 points in the contest.&nbsp;Hartnett&nbsp;carried the first-quarter offense for the Bearcats as she accounted for 11 of Northwest's 15 points.&nbsp; Northwest cut into the UCO lead in the fourth.&nbsp;Hartnett&nbsp;finished off a three-point play to pull Northwest to within 47-44, but the&nbsp;Bronchos&nbsp;responded with a 6-0 run. Northwest could only manage one made field goal in their last seven attempts.&nbsp;&nbsp; Both Northwest teams will be back in action Thursday at Lincoln. The women's game will start things off at 5:30 p.m.

No. 3 Northwest Missouri State tops Central Oklahoma, Diego Bernard joins 1,000 point club

Girls' basketball Princeton 46 Gallatin 35 Pattonsburg 51 Winston 44 Albany 54 West Nodaway 31&nbsp; St. Joseph Central 39 Blue Valley 36

Boys' basketball Albany 54 West Nodaway 43 - Kaeden Hutchinson scores a game-high 25 points for Albany. Winston 52 Pattonsburg 44. The Redbirds keep rolling and move to 16-0. Gallatin 58 Princeton 51 Greenwood 74 Mid-Buchanan 36

Wrestling results The Cameron Dragons, once again, took first in the MEC Conference meet. Benton, Lafayette, Savannah and Maryville also competed.&nbsp;<a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/a97f2f8d-f7dc-4992-92ed-2472459b834f">Full coverage here.</a>

Another Dragons team, Mid-Buchanan, took first in the Lathrop Invitational Saturday, tallying 314 total points.

Mid-Buchanan placers Ryan Coons - 1st - 106 Clancy Woodward - 3rd - 113 Dallas Grippando - 1st - 120 Ethan Vidal - 4th - 120 Kaden Anderson - 1st - 126 Wyatt Cunningham - 2nd - 126 Clayton Rotterman - 2nd - 132 Butch Walters - 1st - 138 Nathan Hyde - 2nd - 145 Colton Kirkham - 3rd - 152 Zach Kelly - 3rd - 160 Chase Davisdon - 2nd - 160 Denton Miller - 2nd - 170 Wade Stanton - 1st - 182 Creed Webster - 1st - 195 Seth Cruz - 1st - 285

West Platte placers @ Lathrop 106- Ryan Handgen 5th place 126- McKanan Reade 6th place 132- Peyson Chandler 4th place 170- Cameron Williams 6th place 195- Lane Scott 6th place 220- Lamar Henderson 5th place 285- Macon McDonald 5th place

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostGirls' basketball Princeton 46 Gallatin 35 Pattonsburg 51 Winston 44 Albany 54 West Nodaway 31&nbsp; St. Joseph Central 39 Blue Valley 36Boys' basketball Albany 54 West Nodaway 43 - Kaeden Hutchinson scores a game-high 25 points for Albany. Winston 52 Pattonsburg 44. The Redbirds keep rolling and move to 16-0. Gallatin 58 Princeton 51 Greenwood 74 Mid-Buchanan 36Wrestling results The Cameron Dragons, once again, took first in the MEC Conference meet. Benton, Lafayette, Savannah and Maryville also competed.&nbsp;<a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/a97f2f8d-f7dc-4992-92ed-2472459b834f">Full coverage here.</a>Another Dragons team, Mid-Buchanan, took first in the Lathrop Invitational Saturday, tallying 314 total points.Mid-Buchanan placers Ryan Coons - 1st - 106 Clancy Woodward - 3rd - 113 Dallas Grippando - 1st - 120 Ethan Vidal - 4th - 120 Kaden Anderson - 1st - 126 Wyatt Cunningham - 2nd - 126 Clayton Rotterman - 2nd - 132 Butch Walters - 1st - 138 Nathan Hyde - 2nd - 145 Colton Kirkham - 3rd - 152 Zach Kelly - 3rd - 160 Chase Davisdon - 2nd - 160 Denton Miller - 2nd - 170 Wade Stanton - 1st - 182 Creed Webster - 1st - 195 Seth Cruz - 1st - 285West Platte placers @ Lathrop 106- Ryan Handgen 5th place 126- McKanan Reade 6th place 132- Peyson Chandler 4th place 170- Cameron Williams 6th place 195- Lane Scott 6th place 220- Lamar Henderson 5th place 285- Macon McDonald 5th place

KFEQ/St. Joseph Post area high school scoreboard - January 23, 2021

ST. JOSEPH - The Cameron wrestling team tallied 340 total points and had six wrestlers place first, as the Dragons won the Midland Empire Conference wrestling tournament for a third straight year Saturday at Benton High School.

Ryker Smith (120), Kenton Gates (145), Kolby Robinson (160), Paul Viena (170), Wyatt Burnett (220) and Camren Hedgpeth (285) all took gold Saturday.

Hedgpeth, a state qualifier last season, took gold at 285 Saturday after doing so at 195 in the MEC tournament in 2020.

Sam Erickson (106), Caleb Husch (113), Chase Short (132), Brecken Gates (138), Benton Barton (152) and Keegan Reynolds (195) all finished finished second for the Dragons, who've been dominant at the MEC tournament through recent years.

They were fairly dominant Saturday with a combined 40 pins as a team.

"We're consistent for sure," Cameron wrestling coach Phillip Limb said. "Kids step up. Every year, we graduate some kids and young kids step in and fill the void. (MEC) is always something on the calendar that we shoot for. Kids wrestled well today, and came out on top."

Saturday was a day of other milestones for Cameron. Senior Kolby Robinson earned his 100th career win while senior Keegan Reynolds got career win No. 150.

Reynolds lost to Maryville's Keiren Watkins in the final, 3-2, but is overall grateful to reach such a landmark in his career.

"I'm very happy about that," Reynolds said. "I'm just glad I have something that says (the hard work) is paying off. To get to 100 career wins is amazing, and to be on the wall with all of the legends and get into the top five of the all-time wins (in school history) is amazing for me.

"I wrestled as hard as I could. It was a great day. I'm walking out of here with a second place medal, so hopefully next time I'll do better."

Chillicothe placed second as a team with 213.5 points, Savannah third (157), Lafayette fourth (150.5), Maryville fifth (150), Benton sixth (135) and St. Pius X seventh (82).

Savannah's Will Courtney (126), who placed second on the day, earned his 100th career win. Gage Schottel (106) and Chance Phillips (132) took home gold for the Savages.

For Lafayette, freshman Marco Dalakishvili (126) and senior Jay Greiner (182) placed first, while senior Andy Nyugen (120) placed second.

Greiner placed second at state in 2020 at 145 pounds.

Benton's Tyler Murphy&nbsp; (138), who also finished second at state last year at 126, repeated as MEC champion, while Bishop Rush (145) finished second.

Maryville senior Keiren Watkins, who placed first at 195, was named the MEC tournament's Most Outstanding Wrestler. Drew Spire (160) and Kort Watkins (285) placed second for the Spoofhounds.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611445970133.jpeg" alt="The Cameron wrestling team poses for a team photo after winning the team title at the MEC wrestling tournament at Benton High School Saturday. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>The Cameron wrestling team poses for a team photo after winning the team title at the MEC wrestling tournament at Benton High School Saturday. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostST. JOSEPH - The Cameron wrestling team tallied 340 total points and had six wrestlers place first, as the Dragons won the Midland Empire Conference wrestling tournament for a third straight year Saturday at Benton High School.Ryker Smith (120), Kenton Gates (145), Kolby Robinson (160), Paul Viena (170), Wyatt Burnett (220) and Camren Hedgpeth (285) all took gold Saturday.Hedgpeth, a state qualifier last season, took gold at 285 Saturday after doing so at 195 in the MEC tournament in 2020.Sam Erickson (106), Caleb Husch (113), Chase Short (132), Brecken Gates (138), Benton Barton (152) and Keegan Reynolds (195) all finished finished second for the Dragons, who've been dominant at the MEC tournament through recent years.They were fairly dominant Saturday with a combined 40 pins as a team."We're consistent for sure," Cameron wrestling coach Phillip Limb said. "Kids step up. Every year, we graduate some kids and young kids step in and fill the void. (MEC) is always something on the calendar that we shoot for. Kids wrestled well today, and came out on top."Saturday was a day of other milestones for Cameron. Senior Kolby Robinson earned his 100th career win while senior Keegan Reynolds got career win No. 150.Reynolds lost to Maryville's Keiren Watkins in the final, 3-2, but is overall grateful to reach such a landmark in his career."I'm very happy about that," Reynolds said. "I'm just glad I have something that says (the hard work) is paying off. To get to 100 career wins is amazing, and to be on the wall with all of the legends and get into the top five of the all-time wins (in school history) is amazing for me."I wrestled as hard as I could. It was a great day. I'm walking out of here with a second place medal, so hopefully next time I'll do better."Chillicothe placed second as a team with 213.5 points, Savannah third (157), Lafayette fourth (150.5), Maryville fifth (150), Benton sixth (135) and St. Pius X seventh (82).Savannah's Will Courtney (126), who placed second on the day, earned his 100th career win. Gage Schottel (106) and Chance Phillips (132) took home gold for the Savages.For Lafayette, freshman Marco Dalakishvili (126) and senior Jay Greiner (182) placed first, while senior Andy Nyugen (120) placed second.Greiner placed second at state in 2020 at 145 pounds.Benton's Tyler Murphy&nbsp; (138), who also finished second at state last year at 126, repeated as MEC champion, while Bishop Rush (145) finished second.Maryville senior Keiren Watkins, who placed first at 195, was named the MEC tournament's Most Outstanding Wrestler. Drew Spire (160) and Kort Watkins (285) placed second for the Spoofhounds.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611446222577.jpeg" alt="Maryville's Keiren Watkins after winning the MEC's Most Outstanding Wrestler award. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Maryville's Keiren Watkins after winning the MEC's Most Outstanding Wrestler award. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611446098562.jpeg" alt="Benton's Tyler Murphy (top) defeated Chillicothe's Cayden Larson in round four of Saturday's MEC tournament. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Benton's Tyler Murphy (top) defeated Chillicothe's Cayden Larson in round four of Saturday's MEC tournament. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611446500982.jpeg" alt="Lafayette sophomore Benjamin Kneib pinned Savannah sophomore Jacob Lorraine in round three of Saturday's MEC tournament. Lorraine still placed second for the Savages. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Lafayette sophomore Benjamin Kneib pinned Savannah sophomore Jacob Lorraine in round three of Saturday's MEC tournament. Lorraine still placed second for the Savages. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>

Cameron wins MEC wrestling tournament for 3rd straight year, six Dragons place first

The Missouri Western Track &amp; Field teams got off to a strong start on Friday in their second meet of the season at the Northwest Missouri State Open in Maryville.

Two Griffon women captured individual titles as junior&nbsp;Bailey Gilbert&nbsp;won the Pentathlon and freshman&nbsp;Madison Nash&nbsp;took home first place in the 5000 meter run. Gilbert won the Pentathlon High Jump and Long Jump, finished second in the Shot Put, third in the 60 meter Hurdles and sixth in the 800 meter run. She finished with 3,132 points to defeat Northwest's Anna Gladstone by 73 points. MWSU's sophomore&nbsp;Erin Miller&nbsp;placed seventh in the Pentathlon. Nash dominated the 5000 meter field Friday night with a time of 19:07.20, which was 23 seconds faster than any other competitor. Missouri Western junior&nbsp;Janet Nyamboneka&nbsp;finished third with a time of 19:59.25. Junior&nbsp;Konner Larkin&nbsp;was the top finisher for the Griffon men Friday as he placed eighth in the 5000 meter run with a time of 15:46.67. The Distance Medley Relay was the only other event that took place on Friday night and the MWSU women finished fourth (13:07.28) and men were sixth (11:01.26).

Northwest Missouri State recap As for the Bearcats, in women's&nbsp;penthalon action, four Bearcats competed throughout the day Friday. Anna Gladstone earned a second-place finish for her efforts. Gladstone won the 60m hurdles (9.43s), taking fourth in the shot put (29-04.75, 8.96 m), and tied for second with teammate Morgan Masters in the high jump (5-02.25, 1.58m). She placed third in the long jump (16-07.75, 5.07m) and fifth in the 800m run (2:46.09). Masters placed third behind Gladstone in the event. She took sixth in the 60m hurdles (10.31s) and finished third in the shot put (30-02.75, 9.21m) to go along with her second-place high jump finish. Masters also took second in the long jump (16-11.25, 5.16m) and edged teammate Madison Simmons for third in the 800m run (2:44.26). Randi&nbsp;Overkamp&nbsp;placed second in the 60m hurdles (9.71s) before finishing ninth in the high jump (4-07, 1.40m) and sixth in the shot put (28-05.5, 8.67m). She also finished sixth in the long jump (15-11.75, 4.87m) and won the 800m run (2:32.00).&nbsp;Overkamp&nbsp;placed fourth overall in the pentathlon. Simmons finished seventh in the 60m hurdles (10.77s), tied for fifth in the high jump (4-10.5, 1.49m), and finished eighth in the shot put (24-09.75, 7.56m). She also placed fifth in the long jump (16-02.25, 4.93m) and fourth in the 800m run (2:44.85). In evening running events, the Northwest women's distance medley relay team of Caroline Cunningham, Aliyah Simmons, Bailey Blake and&nbsp;Delanie&nbsp;Dykes won the event with a NCAA Division II provisional qualifying time of 12:00.38. The Bearcat men's distance medley team of Jake Norris, Prince Griffin,&nbsp;Abdelrahim&nbsp;Mahgoub, and Reece Smith also broke records with their time of 9:49.43. That time not only broke the Northwest Missouri State and Hughes&nbsp;Fieldhouse&nbsp;records, but it also met NCAA Division II provisional qualifying time.&nbsp;&nbsp; The Northwest Open will continue Saturday inside the Hughes Fieldhouse in Maryville with the women's Pole Vault getting the day started at 11:00 a.m. and the 60 meter Hurdle prelims will be the first running event at 1:00 p.m. Missouri Western and Northwest Missouri State are two of 16 teams competing this weekend. The field also includes Central Oklahoma, Concordia University Irvine, Drury, Grand View, Indian Hills, Iowa Wesleyan, Iowa Western, Lincoln, Maryville, Nebraska-Kearney, Quincy, Truman State, William Jewell and William Penn. With COVID-19 restrictions in place, fans will not be allowed to attend the meet this weekend. However, Northwest Missouri State will provide a free video stream of the action on The MIAA Network and live results courtesy of Black Squirrel Timing.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611419516017.jpeg" alt="Mid-Buchanan alum Bailey Gilbert competes in long jump Friday. Courtesy GoGriffons.com." />
 <figcaption>Mid-Buchanan alum Bailey Gilbert competes in long jump Friday. Courtesy GoGriffons.com.</figcaption>
 </figure>St. Joseph PostThe Missouri Western Track &amp; Field teams got off to a strong start on Friday in their second meet of the season at the Northwest Missouri State Open in Maryville.Two Griffon women captured individual titles as junior&nbsp;Bailey Gilbert&nbsp;won the Pentathlon and freshman&nbsp;Madison Nash&nbsp;took home first place in the 5000 meter run. Gilbert won the Pentathlon High Jump and Long Jump, finished second in the Shot Put, third in the 60 meter Hurdles and sixth in the 800 meter run. She finished with 3,132 points to defeat Northwest's Anna Gladstone by 73 points. MWSU's sophomore&nbsp;Erin Miller&nbsp;placed seventh in the Pentathlon. Nash dominated the 5000 meter field Friday night with a time of 19:07.20, which was 23 seconds faster than any other competitor. Missouri Western junior&nbsp;Janet Nyamboneka&nbsp;finished third with a time of 19:59.25. Junior&nbsp;Konner Larkin&nbsp;was the top finisher for the Griffon men Friday as he placed eighth in the 5000 meter run with a time of 15:46.67. The Distance Medley Relay was the only other event that took place on Friday night and the MWSU women finished fourth (13:07.28) and men were sixth (11:01.26).Northwest Missouri State recap As for the Bearcats, in women's&nbsp;penthalon action, four Bearcats competed throughout the day Friday. Anna Gladstone earned a second-place finish for her efforts. Gladstone won the 60m hurdles (9.43s), taking fourth in the shot put (29-04.75, 8.96 m), and tied for second with teammate Morgan Masters in the high jump (5-02.25, 1.58m). She placed third in the long jump (16-07.75, 5.07m) and fifth in the 800m run (2:46.09). Masters placed third behind Gladstone in the event. She took sixth in the 60m hurdles (10.31s) and finished third in the shot put (30-02.75, 9.21m) to go along with her second-place high jump finish. Masters also took second in the long jump (16-11.25, 5.16m) and edged teammate Madison Simmons for third in the 800m run (2:44.26). Randi&nbsp;Overkamp&nbsp;placed second in the 60m hurdles (9.71s) before finishing ninth in the high jump (4-07, 1.40m) and sixth in the shot put (28-05.5, 8.67m). She also finished sixth in the long jump (15-11.75, 4.87m) and won the 800m run (2:32.00).&nbsp;Overkamp&nbsp;placed fourth overall in the pentathlon. Simmons finished seventh in the 60m hurdles (10.77s), tied for fifth in the high jump (4-10.5, 1.49m), and finished eighth in the shot put (24-09.75, 7.56m). She also placed fifth in the long jump (16-02.25, 4.93m) and fourth in the 800m run (2:44.85). In evening running events, the Northwest women's distance medley relay team of Caroline Cunningham, Aliyah Simmons, Bailey Blake and&nbsp;Delanie&nbsp;Dykes won the event with a NCAA Division II provisional qualifying time of 12:00.38. The Bearcat men's distance medley team of Jake Norris, Prince Griffin,&nbsp;Abdelrahim&nbsp;Mahgoub, and Reece Smith also broke records with their time of 9:49.43. That time not only broke the Northwest Missouri State and Hughes&nbsp;Fieldhouse&nbsp;records, but it also met NCAA Division II provisional qualifying time.&nbsp;&nbsp; The Northwest Open will continue Saturday inside the Hughes Fieldhouse in Maryville with the women's Pole Vault getting the day started at 11:00 a.m. and the 60 meter Hurdle prelims will be the first running event at 1:00 p.m. Missouri Western and Northwest Missouri State are two of 16 teams competing this weekend. The field also includes Central Oklahoma, Concordia University Irvine, Drury, Grand View, Indian Hills, Iowa Wesleyan, Iowa Western, Lincoln, Maryville, Nebraska-Kearney, Quincy, Truman State, William Jewell and William Penn. With COVID-19 restrictions in place, fans will not be allowed to attend the meet this weekend. However, Northwest Missouri State will provide a free video stream of the action on The MIAA Network and live results courtesy of Black Squirrel Timing.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Missouri Western, Northwest Missouri State have strong first day in Northwest Open

Girls' basketball East Buchanan 54 Mid-Buchanan 33 Pattonsburg 69 Worth County 46 Albany 39 St. Joseph Christian 15 Stanberry 37 King City 21 Stewartsville-Osborn 59 West Nodaway 12 Putnam County 57 Maysville 39 Nodaway-Holt 46 Rock Port 33 Platte Valley 61 East Atchison 36 Plattsburg 44 Hamilton 37 DeKalb @ Union Star - postponed North Platte @ Lawson - postponed

Boys' basketball Mid-Buchanan 55 East Buchanan 40. <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/9274fe2d-bea6-45b6-96c0-ebde1d24e9e1">Full coverage here</a>. St. Joseph Central 42 Washburn Rural 39 St. Joseph Christian 51 Albany 39 Lafayette 70 Hogan Prep 45 Bishop LeBlond 66 Cameron 56 Savannah 51 Maryville 33 - Quay Jeter leads the Savages with 18 pts.

Gallatin 70 South Harrison 62 Putnam County 72 Maysville 49 Rock Port 51 Nodaway-Holt 48 Stanberry 66 King City 42 Plattsburg 58 Penney 40 West Platte vs. Lathrop - postponed Platte Valley vs. East Atchison - postponed

Follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and follow St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611377621799.jpeg" alt="Joe Clark in Friday night's East Buchanan @ Mid-Buchanan game. Photo by Whitnee Ice." />
 <figcaption>Joe Clark in Friday night's East Buchanan @ Mid-Buchanan game. Photo by Whitnee Ice.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostGirls' basketball East Buchanan 54 Mid-Buchanan 33 Pattonsburg 69 Worth County 46 Albany 39 St. Joseph Christian 15 Stanberry 37 King City 21 Stewartsville-Osborn 59 West Nodaway 12 Putnam County 57 Maysville 39 Nodaway-Holt 46 Rock Port 33 Platte Valley 61 East Atchison 36 Plattsburg 44 Hamilton 37 DeKalb @ Union Star - postponed North Platte @ Lawson - postponed Boys' basketball Mid-Buchanan 55 East Buchanan 40. <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/9274fe2d-bea6-45b6-96c0-ebde1d24e9e1">Full coverage here</a>. St. Joseph Central 42 Washburn Rural 39 St. Joseph Christian 51 Albany 39 Lafayette 70 Hogan Prep 45 Bishop LeBlond 66 Cameron 56 Savannah 51 Maryville 33 - Quay Jeter leads the Savages with 18 pts.Gallatin 70 South Harrison 62 Putnam County 72 Maysville 49 Rock Port 51 Nodaway-Holt 48 Stanberry 66 King City 42 Plattsburg 58 Penney 40 West Platte vs. Lathrop - postponed Platte Valley vs. East Atchison - postponedFollow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and follow St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

KFEQ/St. Joseph Post area high school scoreboard - January 22, 2021

FAUCETT - Things have gone decently well for Mid-Buchanan boys' basketball this season.

Despite fighting through some injuries, the No. 3 Dragons (11-4) had won five of their last seven games coming into Friday, head coach Bryce Kemper recently eclipsed 400 career wins and their average margin of victory this season has exceeded 16 points.

After a set back against Van Horn in the Bill Burns Classic last weekend, and a loss to a terrific Class 2 Richmond group on Monday, Mid-Buchanan has gotten some confidence back.

After a 30-point win against Platte Valley Tuesday, the Dragons stayed hot with a 55-40 win over East Buchanan (7-6) on Friday night in Faucett.

After a first quarter that featured four lead changes and three ties, and a nine-point scoring effort by the Dragons in the second, Mid-Buchanan pulled away with four, third quarter three-pointers and three more in the final period.

"As the game went on, our defense was able to get us going and then we started to hit some shouts from the outside," Coach Kemper said. "That helped a lot, too."

Mid-Buchanan stayed aggressive on defense throughout, forcing 15 turnovers and limiting the Bulldogs to just four made threes. Compare that to the 12 Mid-Buchanan made.

The Dragons also got the home crowd going with the highlight reel dunk from sophomore Joe Clark, as seen above.

"Joe Clark is gonna do some pretty good stuff here at Mid-Buch," Kemper chuckled. "We hadn't run that play for a couple of years. I wasn't sure they'd even remember it, but then they kind of figured it out after awhile and we were able to get the dunk down. It was nice. I thought that kind of kicked us up a little bit and got us a little run there before the end of the half."

The Dragons ended the first half on a 6-0 run and led 40-31 entering the fourth. A couple of threes by Blake Hunter and another by fellow junior Caiden Bailey helped the Dragons jump out to a 51-33 lead with a little over five minutes left.

"(East Buchanan) was packing it in pretty tough," Kemper said. "They were making it hard to get it inside. At halftime, we put in a little different offense just to try and get a little inside-out action. We were able to do that. We got some better looks at the basket than we did in the first half and that got us going there."

Up next for Mid-Buchanan, after a bout with Class 3 No. 2 Greenwood Saturday, is the North Platte tournament, featuring North Andrew, Mound City, Plattsburg, Platte Valley, Polo and, well, North Platte.

The Dragons hope to get healthier between now and then. Junior starter Stetson Lieffering has come back as he battles through a torn ACL. Kemper is also hopeful that senior starter Drew Russell can return by next week as well.

"It's a loaded tournament," Kemper said. "All of those teams will look like nothing compared to what we see (Saturday). We're going to go down (to Springfield) and play Greenwood. I know they've got a D-1 kid (Aminu Mohammed) going to Georgetown. It's going to be fun. When we first took the game we were completely healthy. But, we're going to roll down there and see what happens."

Mid-Buchanan 55 - 16, 9, 15, 15 East Buchanan 40 - 12, 6, 13, 9

Mid-Buchanan scorers - Caiden Bailey 13, Tyler Brown - 11, Joe Clark - 10, Blake Hunter - 8, Javan Noyes - 6, Stetson Lieffring - 3, Reese McClurg - 2, Lane Ellison - 2

East Buchanan scorers - Cru Conaway - 7, Jack Archdekin - 6, Connor Musser - 5, Kaden Woodside - 5, Drew Thompson - 5, Carson White - 4, Luke Webb - 4, Adam Engnes - 3, Blake Antle - 1

You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611374978620.jpeg" alt="Sophomore Joe Clark brought the house down with an alley-oop dunk late in the first half in Mid-Buchanan's 55-40 win over East Buchanan Friday night. Photo by Whitnee Ice." />
 <figcaption>Sophomore Joe Clark brought the house down with an alley-oop dunk late in the first half in Mid-Buchanan's 55-40 win over East Buchanan Friday night. Photo by Whitnee Ice.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostFAUCETT - Things have gone decently well for Mid-Buchanan boys' basketball this season.Despite fighting through some injuries, the No. 3 Dragons (11-4) had won five of their last seven games coming into Friday, head coach Bryce Kemper recently eclipsed 400 career wins and their average margin of victory this season has exceeded 16 points.After a set back against Van Horn in the Bill Burns Classic last weekend, and a loss to a terrific Class 2 Richmond group on Monday, Mid-Buchanan has gotten some confidence back.After a 30-point win against Platte Valley Tuesday, the Dragons stayed hot with a 55-40 win over East Buchanan (7-6) on Friday night in Faucett.After a first quarter that featured four lead changes and three ties, and a nine-point scoring effort by the Dragons in the second, Mid-Buchanan pulled away with four, third quarter three-pointers and three more in the final period."As the game went on, our defense was able to get us going and then we started to hit some shouts from the outside," Coach Kemper said. "That helped a lot, too."Mid-Buchanan stayed aggressive on defense throughout, forcing 15 turnovers and limiting the Bulldogs to just four made threes. Compare that to the 12 Mid-Buchanan made.The Dragons also got the home crowd going with the highlight reel dunk from sophomore Joe Clark, as seen above."Joe Clark is gonna do some pretty good stuff here at Mid-Buch," Kemper chuckled. "We hadn't run that play for a couple of years. I wasn't sure they'd even remember it, but then they kind of figured it out after awhile and we were able to get the dunk down. It was nice. I thought that kind of kicked us up a little bit and got us a little run there before the end of the half."The Dragons ended the first half on a 6-0 run and led 40-31 entering the fourth. A couple of threes by Blake Hunter and another by fellow junior Caiden Bailey helped the Dragons jump out to a 51-33 lead with a little over five minutes left."(East Buchanan) was packing it in pretty tough," Kemper said. "They were making it hard to get it inside. At halftime, we put in a little different offense just to try and get a little inside-out action. We were able to do that. We got some better looks at the basket than we did in the first half and that got us going there."Up next for Mid-Buchanan, after a bout with Class 3 No. 2 Greenwood Saturday, is the North Platte tournament, featuring North Andrew, Mound City, Plattsburg, Platte Valley, Polo and, well, North Platte.The Dragons hope to get healthier between now and then. Junior starter Stetson Lieffering has come back as he battles through a torn ACL. Kemper is also hopeful that senior starter Drew Russell can return by next week as well."It's a loaded tournament," Kemper said. "All of those teams will look like nothing compared to what we see (Saturday). We're going to go down (to Springfield) and play Greenwood. I know they've got a D-1 kid (Aminu Mohammed) going to Georgetown. It's going to be fun. When we first took the game we were completely healthy. But, we're going to roll down there and see what happens."Mid-Buchanan 55 - 16, 9, 15, 15 East Buchanan 40 - 12, 6, 13, 9Mid-Buchanan scorers - Caiden Bailey 13, Tyler Brown - 11, Joe Clark - 10, Blake Hunter - 8, Javan Noyes - 6, Stetson Lieffring - 3, Reese McClurg - 2, Lane Ellison - 2East Buchanan scorers - Cru Conaway - 7, Jack Archdekin - 6, Connor Musser - 5, Kaden Woodside - 5, Drew Thompson - 5, Carson White - 4, Luke Webb - 4, Adam Engnes - 3, Blake Antle - 1<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611375549676.jpeg" alt="Caiden Bailey puts up a shot in the second half of Mid-Buchanan's 55-40 win over East Buchanan Friday. Photo by Whitnee Ice." />
 <figcaption>Caiden Bailey puts up a shot in the second half of Mid-Buchanan's 55-40 win over East Buchanan Friday. Photo by Whitnee Ice.</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/970992694&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=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/tommy-rezac" title="KFEQ Radio, St. Joseph Post" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">KFEQ Radio, St. Joseph Post</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/tommy-rezac/1-22-21-bryce-kemper-mid-buchanan-boys-basketball" title="1-22-21 Bryce Kemper - Mid-Buchanan boys&#x27; basketball" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">1-22-21 Bryce Kemper - Mid-Buchanan boys&#x27; basketball</a></div></div>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Mid-Buchanan drains threes throughout in victory over East Buchanan Friday

The Kansas City Royals announced their Major League coaching staff for the 2021 campaign Friday.

Changes to second-year manager&nbsp;Mike Matheny’s&nbsp;staff include the addition of&nbsp;Tony Peña, Jr., as a coach and the return of&nbsp;Rusty Kuntz&nbsp;as the club’s first base coach.

Terry Bradshaw&nbsp;(hitting),&nbsp;Larry Carter&nbsp;(bullpen),&nbsp;Cal Eldred&nbsp;(pitching),&nbsp;Pedro Grifol&nbsp;(bench),&nbsp;John Mabry&nbsp;(Major League coach) and&nbsp;Vance Wilson&nbsp;(third base) will all remain in their roles from last season.

Rafael Belliard, who served as an infield coach last year, will return to his previous role as a Special Assistant to the General Manager, and&nbsp;Damon Hollins, who filled in for Kuntz as first base coach last year, will also return to his position as a minor league instructor.&nbsp;

Peña Jr. was slated to be the Omaha Stormchasers (AAA) bench coach and serve as the manager at Burlington (Rookie) in 2020 before the minor league season was cancelled. 

This will be Peña Jr.'s first year on the Major League staff. His father,&nbsp;Tony Peña, Sr., managed the Royals from 2002-05.

Peña Jr., managed Surprise (Rookie) from 2018-19, following an 18-year playing career that included four seasons in the Majors with Atlanta (2006) and Kansas City (2007-09).

Kuntz returns to a familiar role, beginning his third stint as the first base coach in 2021. He was slated to return to the Major League coaching staff last year, but opted out due to the pandemic.

He previously held the title from 2012-17 and 2008-10, while he served the organization as a Special Assistant to the General Manager/Quality Control the past three seasons and as the minor league outfield/baserunning coordinator from 2010-12.

Prior to his time in Kansas City, Kuntz held various coaching positions with Houston (1987-88), Seattle (1989-92), Florida (1993-2001), Atlanta (2002) and Pittsburgh (2003-07).

St. Joseph PostThe Kansas City Royals announced their Major League coaching staff for the 2021 campaign Friday.Changes to second-year manager&nbsp;Mike Matheny’s&nbsp;staff include the addition of&nbsp;Tony Peña, Jr., as a coach and the return of&nbsp;Rusty Kuntz&nbsp;as the club’s first base coach.Terry Bradshaw&nbsp;(hitting),&nbsp;Larry Carter&nbsp;(bullpen),&nbsp;Cal Eldred&nbsp;(pitching),&nbsp;Pedro Grifol&nbsp;(bench),&nbsp;John Mabry&nbsp;(Major League coach) and&nbsp;Vance Wilson&nbsp;(third base) will all remain in their roles from last season.Rafael Belliard, who served as an infield coach last year, will return to his previous role as a Special Assistant to the General Manager, and&nbsp;Damon Hollins, who filled in for Kuntz as first base coach last year, will also return to his position as a minor league instructor.&nbsp;Peña Jr. was slated to be the Omaha Stormchasers (AAA) bench coach and serve as the manager at Burlington (Rookie) in 2020 before the minor league season was cancelled. This will be Peña Jr.'s first year on the Major League staff. His father,&nbsp;Tony Peña, Sr., managed the Royals from 2002-05.Peña Jr., managed Surprise (Rookie) from 2018-19, following an 18-year playing career that included four seasons in the Majors with Atlanta (2006) and Kansas City (2007-09).Kuntz returns to a familiar role, beginning his third stint as the first base coach in 2021. He was slated to return to the Major League coaching staff last year, but opted out due to the pandemic.He previously held the title from 2012-17 and 2008-10, while he served the organization as a Special Assistant to the General Manager/Quality Control the past three seasons and as the minor league outfield/baserunning coordinator from 2010-12.Prior to his time in Kansas City, Kuntz held various coaching positions with Houston (1987-88), Seattle (1989-92), Florida (1993-2001), Atlanta (2002) and Pittsburgh (2003-07).

Royals announce 2021 coaching staff, Rusty Kuntz returns, Tony Peña Jr. comes on board

The MIAA Conference formally announced its volleyball schedule for the 2021 spring season Friday. Member schools were provided with flexibility in setting schedules that best fit their needs.

The conference's 11 teams will play an eight-match schedule versus teams within their own division. The North Division consists of Fort Hays State, Missouri Western, Nebraska Kearney, Northwest Missouri and Washburn.

Central Missouri, Central Oklahoma, Emporia State, Missouri Southern, Newman and Pittsburg State make up the South Division. Teams also have the opportunity to schedule additional matches for this spring season. The MIAA will also conduct a postseason tournament April 16-17 at a campus site to be determined.

All institutions will be invited to participate, with the full format announced at a later date.&nbsp;&nbsp;

St. Joseph PostThe MIAA Conference formally announced its volleyball schedule for the 2021 spring season Friday. Member schools were provided with flexibility in setting schedules that best fit their needs.The conference's 11 teams will play an eight-match schedule versus teams within their own division. The North Division consists of Fort Hays State, Missouri Western, Nebraska Kearney, Northwest Missouri and Washburn.Central Missouri, Central Oklahoma, Emporia State, Missouri Southern, Newman and Pittsburg State make up the South Division. Teams also have the opportunity to schedule additional matches for this spring season. The MIAA will also conduct a postseason tournament April 16-17 at a campus site to be determined.All institutions will be invited to participate, with the full format announced at a later date.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
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MIAA announces volleyball schedule guidelines Friday

Patrick Mahomes is out of concussion protocol, clearing the way for him to start in this Sunday’s AFC Championship against the Buffalo Bills.

Mahomes said Friday that he’s felt fine as he’s gone through a week of testing and evaluation.

"I had a bunch of testing and a bunch of different things just to make I'm good to go and to make sure there's no lingering effects or anything like that," Mahomes said. "Everything has been good. I've gone through what the 3-4 different doctors have said. Everything looks good, and I'm out of it now."

Mahomes’ toe had also been bothering during last Sunday’s game, but he says that’s gotten a lot better as well.

"It was a little sore right after the game," Mahomes said, "but it's gotten a lot better every day since."

Running back Le’Veon Bell (knee) and linebacker Willie Gay (ankle) did not practice Friday. Gay has been ruled out for Sunday's game, while Bell is questionable.

Receiver Sammy Watkins (questionable) and running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire (questionable) practiced and had a decent day, according to coach Andy Reid.

"The injured guys have all looked good," Reid said. "They've moved around. With Clyde, he's done a nice job. He's been running around and doing a good job."

The Chiefs and Bills kick off this Sunday in the AFC Championship game at 5:40 central with coverage starting at 4 on KFEQ (680 AM, 95.3 FM).

 The Bills are seeking their first ever Super Bowl win and their first Super Bowl appearance since 1994.

The Chiefs look to get into back-to-back Super Bowls for the first time in franchise history.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611005133178.jpeg" alt="Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes announced Friday that he's out of concussion protocol and has been cleared to play Sunday." />
 <figcaption>Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes announced Friday that he's out of concussion protocol and has been cleared to play Sunday.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostPatrick Mahomes is out of concussion protocol, clearing the way for him to start in this Sunday’s AFC Championship against the Buffalo Bills.Mahomes said Friday that he’s felt fine as he’s gone through a week of testing and evaluation."I had a bunch of testing and a bunch of different things just to make I'm good to go and to make sure there's no lingering effects or anything like that," Mahomes said. "Everything has been good. I've gone through what the 3-4 different doctors have said. Everything looks good, and I'm out of it now."Mahomes’ toe had also been bothering during last Sunday’s game, but he says that’s gotten a lot better as well."It was a little sore right after the game," Mahomes said, "but it's gotten a lot better every day since."Running back Le’Veon Bell (knee) and linebacker Willie Gay (ankle) did not practice Friday. Gay has been ruled out for Sunday's game, while Bell is questionable.Receiver Sammy Watkins (questionable) and running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire (questionable) practiced and had a decent day, according to coach Andy Reid."The injured guys have all looked good," Reid said. "They've moved around. With Clyde, he's done a nice job. He's been running around and doing a good job."The Chiefs and Bills kick off this Sunday in the AFC Championship game at 5:40 central with coverage starting at 4 on KFEQ (680 AM, 95.3 FM). The Bills are seeking their first ever Super Bowl win and their first Super Bowl appearance since 1994.The Chiefs look to get into back-to-back Super Bowls for the first time in franchise history.

Patrick Mahomes out of concussion protocol, clearing the way for start against Bills

The status of Patrick Mahomes has been at the forefront of every Chiefs' fan's mind this past week.

<a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/436d0197-4b14-41a5-b496-1406d0f8ef65">Mahomes confirmed Friday</a> that's he's out of protocol, clearing the way for him to safely return.

While many fans have thought about Mahomes, the Chiefs themselves primarily thought about the Bills. And for good reason.

Buffalo (15-3), playing in their first AFC Championship since 1994, is perhaps the hottest team in the NFL, winners of eight straight games and 11 of their last 12.

The Chiefs won at Buffalo in Week 6, 26-17, but the Bills have since gotten healthier and more lethal on offense.

Buffalo averaged more than 34 points per contest over the final 10 weeks of the regular season compared to 26 through the first six games. Plus, quarterback Josh Allen has passed for 530 yards (3 TD - 0 INT) this postseason, trailing only Tom Brady's 580.

"Their quarterback is playing outstanding," defensive tackle Chris Jones said. "He's playing at an MVP-caliber level. They're steamrolling right now, man. They're firing on all cylinders."

Allen finished the regular season with 4,544 passing yards (5th in NFL), 37 touchdowns (5th) and 10 interceptions. It also helps that Allen has one of the best targets in the league to throw to.

Stefon Diggs led the NFL with 1,535 receiving yards in the regular season and is the leader in the clubhouse with 234 receiving yards in the postseason.

"He's probably the most targeted receiver in the NFL," safety Tyrann Mathieu said. "So, whoever is in front of (Diggs) has tough duty."

The Bills’ two top receivers, Diggs and Cole Beasley, were both full participants in Friday’s practice after being limited earlier in the week.

Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo called this Bills matchup 'the most difficult task of the season.'

"We certainly expect the level of their play to certainly go way up," Spagnuolo said. "Big quarterback, wideouts all over the place and an offensive line that's functioning well together."

On defense, Buffalo has steadily improved. They ranked in the middle of the pack in the regular season and have given up 400 yards per game in the postseason.

Yet, they rank No. 1 this postseason with 13.5 points per game allowed. The 17-3 win over the Ravens in the divisional round skews that number, but their linebacking core has gotten healthier with the return of Matt Milano, who was out with injury against the Chiefs in Week 6.

Cornerback Tre'Davious White and linebacker Tremaine Edmunds are also Pro Bowl selections.

"They're very aggressive," Chad Henne said of the Bills defense. "I mean, they have a veteran group in the secondary. Linebackers are very, very mobile and can run around and the defensive line is active. I think they're flying around, and obviously with this being the AFC Championship, the ante just goes up. So, we anticipate their best shot."

The Chiefs and Bills kick off on Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium at 5:40 p.m. The game will be carried on KFEQ (680 AM, 95.3 FM) and Q Country 92.7 FM in St. Joseph.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611288099880.jpeg" alt="Josh Allen passed for over 4,500 yards in the regular season, throwing 37 touchdowns and just 10 interceptions." />
 <figcaption>Josh Allen passed for over 4,500 yards in the regular season, throwing 37 touchdowns and just 10 interceptions.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe status of Patrick Mahomes has been at the forefront of every Chiefs' fan's mind this past week.<a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/436d0197-4b14-41a5-b496-1406d0f8ef65">Mahomes confirmed Friday</a> that's he's out of protocol, clearing the way for him to safely return.While many fans have thought about Mahomes, the Chiefs themselves primarily thought about the Bills. And for good reason.Buffalo (15-3), playing in their first AFC Championship since 1994, is perhaps the hottest team in the NFL, winners of eight straight games and 11 of their last 12.The Chiefs won at Buffalo in Week 6, 26-17, but the Bills have since gotten healthier and more lethal on offense.Buffalo averaged more than 34 points per contest over the final 10 weeks of the regular season compared to 26 through the first six games. Plus, quarterback Josh Allen has passed for 530 yards (3 TD - 0 INT) this postseason, trailing only Tom Brady's 580."Their quarterback is playing outstanding," defensive tackle Chris Jones said. "He's playing at an MVP-caliber level. They're steamrolling right now, man. They're firing on all cylinders."Allen finished the regular season with 4,544 passing yards (5th in NFL), 37 touchdowns (5th) and 10 interceptions. It also helps that Allen has one of the best targets in the league to throw to.Stefon Diggs led the NFL with 1,535 receiving yards in the regular season and is the leader in the clubhouse with 234 receiving yards in the postseason."He's probably the most targeted receiver in the NFL," safety Tyrann Mathieu said. "So, whoever is in front of (Diggs) has tough duty."The Bills’ two top receivers, Diggs and Cole Beasley, were both full participants in Friday’s practice after being limited earlier in the week.Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo called this Bills matchup 'the most difficult task of the season.'"We certainly expect the level of their play to certainly go way up," Spagnuolo said. "Big quarterback, wideouts all over the place and an offensive line that's functioning well together."On defense, Buffalo has steadily improved. They ranked in the middle of the pack in the regular season and have given up 400 yards per game in the postseason.Yet, they rank No. 1 this postseason with 13.5 points per game allowed. The 17-3 win over the Ravens in the divisional round skews that number, but their linebacking core has gotten healthier with the return of Matt Milano, who was out with injury against the Chiefs in Week 6.Cornerback Tre'Davious White and linebacker Tremaine Edmunds are also Pro Bowl selections."They're very aggressive," Chad Henne said of the Bills defense. "I mean, they have a veteran group in the secondary. Linebackers are very, very mobile and can run around and the defensive line is active. I think they're flying around, and obviously with this being the AFC Championship, the ante just goes up. So, we anticipate their best shot."***The Chiefs and Bills kick off on Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium at 5:40 p.m. The game will be carried on KFEQ (680 AM, 95.3 FM) and Q Country 92.7 FM in St. Joseph.

'Greatest challenge of the season' awaits the Chiefs on Sunday in AFC Championship

ATLANTA (AP) — Hank Aaron, who endured racist threats with stoic dignity during his pursuit of Babe Ruth but went on to break the career home run record in the pre-steroids era, died early Friday. He was 86

The Atlanta Braves said Aaron died peacefully in his sleep. No cause of death was given.

Aaron made his last public appearance less than two weeks ago when he received the COVID-19 vaccine.

“Hammerin’ Hank” set a wide array of career hitting records during a 23-year career spent mostly with the Milwaukee and Atlanta Braves, including RBIs, extra-base hits and total bases.

But the Hall of Famer will be remembered for one swing above all others, the one that made him baseball’s home-run king.

It was a title he would hold for more than 33 years, a period in which the Hammer slowly but surely claimed his rightful place as one of America’s most iconic sporting figures, a true national treasure worthy of mention in the same breath with Ruth or Ali or Jordan.

ATLANTA (AP) — Hank Aaron, who endured racist threats with stoic dignity during his pursuit of Babe Ruth but went on to break the career home run record in the pre-steroids era, died early Friday. He was 86The Atlanta Braves said Aaron died peacefully in his sleep. No cause of death was given.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/4hOMsSGnRi">pic.twitter.com/4hOMsSGnRi</a>&mdash; Atlanta Braves (@Braves) <a href="https://twitter.com/Braves/status/1352650753920430083?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Aaron made his last public appearance less than two weeks ago when he received the COVID-19 vaccine.“Hammerin’ Hank” set a wide array of career hitting records during a 23-year career spent mostly with the Milwaukee and Atlanta Braves, including RBIs, extra-base hits and total bases.But the Hall of Famer will be remembered for one swing above all others, the one that made him baseball’s home-run king.It was a title he would hold for more than 33 years, a period in which the Hammer slowly but surely claimed his rightful place as one of America’s most iconic sporting figures, a true national treasure worthy of mention in the same breath with Ruth or Ali or Jordan.

Baseball legend Hank Aaron has died 

Girls' basketball Chillicothe 61 East Buchanan 42 Lawson 45 Lafayette St. Joseph 28 - The Cardinals improve to 11-4. St. Joseph Central 54 Basehor-Linwood 40 Savannah vs. Fort Osage - missing Polo 52 Braymer 40 Pattonsburg 69 Worth County 46

Boys' basketball Polo 53 Braymer 19 Winston 67 Gilman City/North Daviess 12 - The Redbirds are now 15-0 on the season. Pattonsburg 74 Worth County 56

Wrestling results Maysville 42 Lawson 34 Maysville 35 Trenton 30 Maysville 60 Maryille 12 - The Wolverines earn a sweep in the quad at Maryville's Hound Pound. Mid-Buchanan 49 Oak Grove 21

By TOMMY REZACGirls' basketball Chillicothe 61 East Buchanan 42 Lawson 45 Lafayette St. Joseph 28 - The Cardinals improve to 11-4. St. Joseph Central 54 Basehor-Linwood 40 Savannah vs. Fort Osage - missing Polo 52 Braymer 40 Pattonsburg 69 Worth County 46Boys' basketball Polo 53 Braymer 19 Winston 67 Gilman City/North Daviess 12 - The Redbirds are now 15-0 on the season. Pattonsburg 74 Worth County 56Wrestling results Maysville 42 Lawson 34 Maysville 35 Trenton 30 Maysville 60 Maryille 12 - The Wolverines earn a sweep in the quad at Maryville's Hound Pound. Mid-Buchanan 49 Oak Grove 21

KFEQ/St. Joseph Post area high school scoreboard - January 21, 2021

The No. 3-ranked Northwest Missouri State men's basketball team withstood a hot shooting night from the Newman Jets and improved to 9-1 on the season with an 81-70 triumph at Bearcat Arena Thursday night. Senior&nbsp;Ryan Hawkins&nbsp;registered his eighth, career 30-point scoring game, leading all scorers with 30 points.

Junior&nbsp;Diego Bernard&nbsp;posted 18 points and came up two points shy of joining Northwest's 1,000 point club. Bernard has recorded 998 points in his Bearcat career.

Northwest had four scorers in double figures as Trevor&nbsp;Hudgins&nbsp;tallied 11 and Luke Waters notched 10. Newman shot an impressive 56.1 percent from the floor and drained 7-of-13 three-point shots. The Jets drained seven of their first 10 three-pointers in the contest and held a 50-45 lead early in the second half.

Northwest used a 12-3 spurt to take a 71-62 lead with 3:17 to go.

Northwest will be back in action at home Saturday against Central Oklahoma. Tip is set for 3:30 p.m., following the women's contest.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611290224667.jpeg" alt="Ryan Hawkins puts up a shot in Thursday's game. Courtesy BearcatSports.com" />
 <figcaption>Ryan Hawkins puts up a shot in Thursday's game. Courtesy BearcatSports.com</figcaption>
 </figure>St. Joseph Post&nbsp;The No. 3-ranked Northwest Missouri State men's basketball team withstood a hot shooting night from the Newman Jets and improved to 9-1 on the season with an 81-70 triumph at Bearcat Arena Thursday night. Senior&nbsp;Ryan Hawkins&nbsp;registered his eighth, career 30-point scoring game, leading all scorers with 30 points.Junior&nbsp;Diego Bernard&nbsp;posted 18 points and came up two points shy of joining Northwest's 1,000 point club. Bernard has recorded 998 points in his Bearcat career.Northwest had four scorers in double figures as Trevor&nbsp;Hudgins&nbsp;tallied 11 and Luke Waters notched 10. Newman shot an impressive 56.1 percent from the floor and drained 7-of-13 three-point shots. The Jets drained seven of their first 10 three-pointers in the contest and held a 50-45 lead early in the second half.Northwest used a 12-3 spurt to take a 71-62 lead with 3:17 to go.Northwest will be back in action at home Saturday against Central Oklahoma. Tip is set for 3:30 p.m., following the women's contest.

Northwest Missouri State men's basketball holds off Newman Thursday

The Northwest Missouri State women's basketball team (4-6) picked up its first win of 2021 with a 57-47 victory over Newman at Bearcat Arena Thursday.

The Bearcats were without Kylie Coleman, who was injured in <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/51c9c189-d0a9-43f9-8583-144bbdf6b016">Tuesday's game against Emporia State</a>. Jaelyn Haggard&nbsp;led the Bearcats with 20 points on 6-of-11 shooting from 3-point land. Jillian Fleming&nbsp;had a career-high 12 points and was 5-for-5 from the free throw line. The Bearcats stay home to take on Central Oklahoma on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.

St. Joseph PostThe Northwest Missouri State women's basketball team (4-6) picked up its first win of 2021 with a 57-47 victory over Newman at Bearcat Arena Thursday.The Bearcats were without Kylie Coleman, who was injured in <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/51c9c189-d0a9-43f9-8583-144bbdf6b016">Tuesday's game against Emporia State</a>. Jaelyn Haggard&nbsp;led the Bearcats with 20 points on 6-of-11 shooting from 3-point land. Jillian Fleming&nbsp;had a career-high 12 points and was 5-for-5 from the free throw line. The Bearcats stay home to take on Central Oklahoma on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. <div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">The Northwest Missouri State women’s basketball team picked up its first win of 2021 with a 57-47 victory over Newman <a href="https://t.co/wvtAdMezqX">https://t.co/wvtAdMezqX</a>&mdash; Northwest Athletics (@bearcatsports) <a href="https://twitter.com/bearcatsports/status/1352431992084828166?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Northwest Missouri State women's basketball snap losing skid, defeat Newman Thursday

The Mizzou football program has hired former Arizona Cardinals head coach Steve Wilks as the Tigers next defensive coordinator.

The university made it official with a press release Thursday afternoon.

Wilks last served as defensive coordinator with the Cleveland Browns during the 2019 season. He served one season as Arizona’s head coach in 2018 when the team went 3–13. Wilks did not coach in 2020.

Wilks was also a defensive assistant with the Carolina Panthers, San Diego Chargers and Chicago Bears, giving him 14 total years of coaching experience at the NFL level. His last college job was with Washington back in 2005.

Former defensive coordinator Ryan Walters left the program to serve as Bret Bielema’s first defensive coordinator at Illinois.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611269102842.jpeg" alt="Steve Wilks. Photo via Mutigers.com." />
 <figcaption>Steve Wilks. Photo via Mutigers.com.</figcaption>
 </figure>St. Joseph PostThe Mizzou football program has hired former Arizona Cardinals head coach Steve Wilks as the Tigers next defensive coordinator.The university made it official with a press release Thursday afternoon.Wilks last served as defensive coordinator with the Cleveland Browns during the 2019 season. He served one season as Arizona’s head coach in 2018 when the team went 3–13. Wilks did not coach in 2020.Wilks was also a defensive assistant with the Carolina Panthers, San Diego Chargers and Chicago Bears, giving him 14 total years of coaching experience at the NFL level. His last college job was with Washington back in 2005.Former defensive coordinator Ryan Walters left the program to serve as Bret Bielema’s first defensive coordinator at Illinois.

Steve Wilks officially named defensive coordinator at Missouri

The Missouri Western men's basketball home game against Central Oklahoma has been rescheduled for Sunday, February 7 at the MWSU Fieldhouse. The game will tip at 2:30 p.m. and will air on KFEQ (680 AM and 95.3 FM). The Griffons and Bronchos were originally scheduled to meet in St. Joseph this Saturday as part of a men's and women's doubleheader, but the games were postponed due to COVID-19 protocols.

The two schools are still working on rescheduling the women's game. Fans with tickets for the January 23rd game can use those same tickets for the rescheduled game on Feb. 7. No. 23 Missouri Western is 8-2 this season. The Griffons will be back on the court Thursday, Jan. 28 when they play at Central Missouri.

The women's game will get things started that night at 5:30 p.m. inside the Multipurpose Building in Warrensburg.&nbsp;

St. Joseph PostThe Missouri Western men's basketball home game against Central Oklahoma has been rescheduled for Sunday, February 7 at the MWSU Fieldhouse. The game will tip at 2:30 p.m. and will air on KFEQ (680 AM and 95.3 FM). The Griffons and Bronchos were originally scheduled to meet in St. Joseph this Saturday as part of a men's and women's doubleheader, but the games were postponed due to COVID-19 protocols.The two schools are still working on rescheduling the women's game. Fans with tickets for the January 23rd game can use those same tickets for the rescheduled game on Feb. 7. No. 23 Missouri Western is 8-2 this season. The Griffons will be back on the court Thursday, Jan. 28 when they play at Central Missouri.The women's game will get things started that night at 5:30 p.m. inside the Multipurpose Building in Warrensburg.&nbsp;The Griffon men have been idle since last Thursday to due positive COVID-19 tests within the program. The Griffon men and women both had their game at Fort Hays State postponed last Saturday due to COVID protocol.The Fort Hays State doubleheader will now be split up as the Western women travel to Hays, Kansas to play the Tigers on Monday, Feb. 8 at 5:30 p.m. The Griffon men will play at Fort Hays State on Tuesday, Feb. 23rd at 5:30 p.m. Missouri Western also had to postpone its home doubleheader scheduled for this Thursday against Newman. That doubleheader will now be played on Monday, Feb. 15 with the women tipping off at 5:30 p.m. and the men to follow. Missouri Western is still working on rescheduling its home men's game against Northwest Missouri State.