LOS ANGELES (AP) — Tommy Lasorda, the fiery Hall of Fame manager who guided the Los Angeles Dodgers to two World Series titles and later became an ambassador for the sport he loved during his 71 years with the franchise, has died. He was 93. 

The Dodgers said Friday that he had a heart attack at his home in Fullerton. Resuscitation attempts were made en route to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly before 11 p.m. Thursday. Lasorda had a history of heart problems, including a heart attack in 1996 that ended his managerial career.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Tommy Lasorda, the fiery Hall of Fame manager who guided the Los Angeles Dodgers to two World Series titles and later became an ambassador for the sport he loved during his 71 years with the franchise, has died. He was 93. <div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/E1qyeKtfjl">pic.twitter.com/E1qyeKtfjl</a>&mdash; Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) <a href="https://twitter.com/Dodgers/status/1347585134178955264?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The Dodgers said Friday that he had a heart attack at his home in Fullerton. Resuscitation attempts were made en route to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly before 11 p.m. Thursday. Lasorda had a history of heart problems, including a heart attack in 1996 that ended his managerial career.

Hall of Fame Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda dies

Bishop LeBlond senior Fred Lageschulte has signed to play football at NAIA powerhouse Morningside College in Sioux City, IA.

In just eight games, Lageschulte had a successful senior season with 10 receiving touchdowns, two rushing scores and a kickoff return for a TD. He also led the Golden Eagles in receptions (26) and receiving yards (462), and plans to play wide receiver for the Mustangs.

Lageschulte, an honor roll student at Bishop LeBlond, will major in mathematics.

Morningside claimed back-to-back NAIA national championships in 2018 and 2019. The Mustangs are a perennial contender in the NAIA, having won ten straight GPAC conference championships and 37 consecutive games.

After an undefeated regular season this past fall, Morningside will be compete in the NAIA playoffs this spring.

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostBishop LeBlond senior Fred Lageschulte has signed to play football at NAIA powerhouse Morningside College in Sioux City, IA.In just eight games, Lageschulte had a successful senior season with 10 receiving touchdowns, two rushing scores and a kickoff return for a TD. He also led the Golden Eagles in receptions (26) and receiving yards (462), and plans to play wide receiver for the Mustangs.Lageschulte, an honor roll student at Bishop LeBlond, will major in mathematics.Morningside claimed back-to-back NAIA national championships in 2018 and 2019. The Mustangs are a perennial contender in the NAIA, having won ten straight GPAC conference championships and 37 consecutive games.After an undefeated regular season this past fall, Morningside will be compete in the NAIA playoffs this spring.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1610124210236.jpeg" alt="Fred Lageschulte." />
 <figcaption>Fred Lageschulte.</figcaption>
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Bishop LeBlond's Fred Lageschulte signs to play football at Morningside

MARYVILLE - The No. 5 Washburn men's basketball team (8-0) made history, posting an 84-82 overtime win over No. 1 Northwest Missouri State (5-1) at Bearcat Arena Thursday night. 
The Washburn victory snapped Northwest's 28-game winning streak, giving the Bearcats their first loss since Dec. 7, 2019.

It was Washburn's first win against Northwest in the last 12 meeting between the two teams. 
Northwest faced a four-point deficit with 7.4 seconds left in regulation, but miraculously found a way to force OT.

Diego Bernard drove the
length of the floor and drew a foul as he sank a layup with 2.4 seconds left, cutting the lead to two, 73-71.

Bernard intentionally missed the free throw, but it
didn't hit the rim, so possession was awarded to Washburn.

Northwest then fouled Geiman before the Ichabods could get the ball in play to
send him to the free throw line.

Geiman made
the first shot, but missed the second. Bernard scooped up the rebound and threw an
outlet pass to Trevor Hudgins. Hudgins took the ball just past half court and heaved a three-pointer,
but was fouled by Washburn's Drew Maschoff
with 0.1 left.

Hudgins calmly
sank all three free throws to force overtime at 74-74. 
The Bearcats took an 82-77 lead in OT following a
three-pointer by Bernard and two more free throws from Hudgins.

However, the Ichabods scored on an old-fashioned three-point play with just over two minutes remaining in OT, and Washburn's Rathen Carter scored
two of his 12 points with 1:40 to go to, knotting the game at 82-82. 
Northwest then committed a shot clock violation, giving the ball back to Washburn. The Ichabods eventually got a chance to shoot free throws. Geiman sank both to give
the Ichabods an 84-82 lead.

Hudgins had a three-point look for Northwest at the
buzzer that missed, giving Washburn the victory.

Washburn's Tyler Geiman led all scorers with 26 points and Northwest's Wes Dreamer was the top Bearcat scorer with 24 points. 
Northwest will stay home Saturday to host Emporia State at 2 p.m.&nbsp;&nbsp;

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostMARYVILLE - The No. 5 Washburn men's basketball team (8-0) made history, posting an 84-82 overtime win over No. 1 Northwest Missouri State (5-1) at Bearcat Arena Thursday night. 
The Washburn victory snapped Northwest's 28-game winning streak, giving the Bearcats their first loss since Dec. 7, 2019.It was Washburn's first win against Northwest in the last 12 meeting between the two teams. 
Northwest faced a four-point deficit with 7.4 seconds left in regulation, but miraculously found a way to force OT.Diego Bernard drove the
length of the floor and drew a foul as he sank a layup with 2.4 seconds left, cutting the lead to two, 73-71.Bernard intentionally missed the free throw, but it
didn't hit the rim, so possession was awarded to Washburn.Northwest then fouled Geiman before the Ichabods could get the ball in play to
send him to the free throw line.Geiman made
the first shot, but missed the second. Bernard scooped up the rebound and threw an
outlet pass to Trevor Hudgins. Hudgins took the ball just past half court and heaved a three-pointer,
but was fouled by Washburn's Drew Maschoff
with 0.1 left.Yes, 0.1 left.Hudgins calmly
sank all three free throws to force overtime at 74-74. 
The Bearcats took an 82-77 lead in OT following a
three-pointer by Bernard and two more free throws from Hudgins. However, the Ichabods scored on an old-fashioned three-point play with just over two minutes remaining in OT, and Washburn's Rathen Carter scored
two of his 12 points with 1:40 to go to, knotting the game at 82-82. 
Northwest then committed a shot clock violation, giving the ball back to Washburn. The Ichabods eventually got a chance to shoot free throws. Geiman sank both to give
the Ichabods an 84-82 lead.Hudgins had a three-point look for Northwest at the
buzzer that missed, giving Washburn the victory.Washburn's Tyler Geiman led all scorers with 26 points and Northwest's Wes Dreamer was the top Bearcat scorer with 24 points. 
Northwest will stay home Saturday to host Emporia State at 2 p.m.&nbsp;&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">NO. 5 WASHBURN TAKES DOWN NO. 1 NORTHWEST MISSOURI IN OVERTIME, 84-82!!! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoBods?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoBods</a> <a href="https://t.co/6b2RQSEO2T">pic.twitter.com/6b2RQSEO2T</a>&mdash; Washburn MBB (@IchabodMBB) <a href="https://twitter.com/IchabodMBB/status/1347364817103970304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Washburn defeats NWMSU in overtime, ending top-ranked Bearcats' historic winning streak

High school scores and results from the KFEQ and St. Joseph Post coverage area for Thursday, January 7, 2021.

Maryville 62 Lafayette 22 - Serena Sundell 21 pts.

Lafayette 58 Maryville 41. The Irish head to the Kearney tournament next week.

Benton 62&nbsp; St. Pius X 58 - Kason Mauzey scored a career-high 35 points for the Cardinals.

Submit scores or results that we missed to Tommy.Rezac@EagleRadio.net or Tweet them to @TommyKFEQ and @StJosephPost.

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostHigh school scores and results from the KFEQ and St. Joseph Post coverage area for Thursday, January 7, 2021.Girls' basketball:Maryville 62 Lafayette 22 - Serena Sundell 21 pts.St. Joseph Central 74 Fort Osage 30St. Pius X 49 Benton 43South Holt 52 West Platte 51 (OT)Platte County 36 Raytown South 24.North Nodaway @ Gilman City - missingBoys' basketball:Lafayette 58 Maryville 41. The Irish head to the Kearney tournament next week.Benton 62&nbsp; St. Pius X 58 - Kason Mauzey scored a career-high 35 points for the Cardinals.&nbsp;Gilman City 64 North Nodaway 58West Platte 75 South Holt 30Platte County 72 Raytown South 57Chillicothe 65 Bishop LeBlond 63Cameron @ Savannah boys - missingBoys' wrestling:Savannah 60 Maryville 29Mid-Buchanan 60 Gallatin 19Girls’ wrestling:Gallatin 30 Mid-Buchanan 24.Submit scores or results that we missed to Tommy.Rezac@EagleRadio.net or Tweet them to @TommyKFEQ and @StJosephPost.

High school scoreboard - January 7, 2021

Caleb Bennett had a steal and then a dunk for Missouri Western in the first 23 seconds.

Later in the half, he had a monster, one-handed slam which capped a 6-0 run that gave the Griffons a 23-21 lead and forced an Emporia State timeout.

Those turned out to be signs of a big night to come for the St. Joseph native.

Bennett, a redshirt junior, finished with 22 points, a school-record tying eight steals and three highlight-reel dunks, as the No. 22 Griffons (7-1) defeated Emporia State, 70-61, at the Fieldhouse Thursday night.

"He set the tone early for us," head coach Will Martin said of Bennett's performance. "He got the steal, the emphatic dunk. Someone has to start sending his stuff into SportsCenter, man.”

No one has seen the best from him yet. What I love is the leadership. What I love is the spirit, intensity and aggression he brings every single day."

Bennett may have set the tone right out of the chute, but it was something of a sleepy start for the Griffons, particularly on offense.

Missouri Western trailed by as many as seven in the first half, and trailed 21-17 with 9:54 to go. The Griffons then went on a 15-2 run to flip the momentum and take a 34-31 lead into the locker room.&nbsp;

Twenty first-half turnovers by the Hornets (5-3) helped fuel that run. The Griffons forced a season-high 28 turnovers and turned that into 26 points Thursday.

Steals were seemingly falling from the sky for Missouri Western - they forced 21 of them, including 16 in the first half.

“I was disappointed that we didn’t convert more on that,” Martin said. “But, I’m proud of our guys for the work they’ve put in. Our guys have shown me that they can do a lot in the press. I think it took (Emporia State) out of their game a little bit.”

Offensively, Missouri Western was a dismal 1-of-15 from beyond the arc in the first half, but they turned their luck around from long range almost immediately in the second half.

Will Eames hit a three-pointer just 16 seconds in. Reese Glover then hit a three of his own 44 seconds after that.

The Griffons made 3 of their first 5 three-pointers attempted in the second half, which allowed the Griffons to go up 53-41 with 10:54 left.

Emporia State didn’t go away, taking advantage of some Missouri Western foul trouble and knocking down a few key shots to stay within single digits.

The Griffons, however, made enough baskets of their own down the stretch, and weathered the storm, thanks to big buckets from Q Mays, Bennett and Tyrell Carroll, who finished with 15 points, five assists and five steals.

“(Tyrell) didn’t have his best game,” Martin said, “but everyone knew we were going to TC late. He calls out whatever ball screen he wants, and he goes to work. He hit some big buckets for us late. I’m really proud of him for his leadership and his confidence.”

Mays had 14 points and Eames 11 to give the Griffons four players in double figures. Senior Jumah’ri Turner led the Hornets with a game-high 26 points, including a 4-of-4 effort from deep.

Up next? No. 5 Washburn (8-0), who just upended No. 1 Maryville <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/7a06b980-c1d8-462b-8c98-6b06610125b6">84-82 in OT</a> at Bearcat Arena Thursday, ending the Bearcats’ historic 28-game winning streak.

Saturday’s showdown with the unbeaten Ichabods tips off at 7:30 p.m.

“There’s no pressure,” Bennett said of the upcoming game. “We all love basketball. We all come to compete every single day. Practice, game, weights. Whatever it may be. We all love what we do and love each other. When you have that kind of connectivity, it just makes every day easy.”

Is the pressure on? Some would say yes. Do the Griffons want the pressure? Expectations?

Maybe, but most of that pressure is coming from within.

“There is nobody who has more expectation of me than I have of myself,” Martin said. “And our guys are the same way. Individually and collectively. There’s no one out there who has a higher expectation for our team than us. It’s us versus us. Period.

“We’re not playing Washburn Saturday. We’re playing us. The best version of us. We’re going to continue to get better. And when we find a better version of us, it’s going to be us versus that better version, and we’re going to try and beat that.”

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostCaleb Bennett had a steal and then a dunk for Missouri Western in the first 23 seconds.Later in the half, he had a monster, one-handed slam which capped a 6-0 run that gave the Griffons a 23-21 lead and forced an Emporia State timeout.Those turned out to be signs of a big night to come for the St. Joseph native.Bennett, a redshirt junior, finished with 22 points, a school-record tying eight steals and three highlight-reel dunks, as the No. 22 Griffons (7-1) defeated Emporia State, 70-61, at the Fieldhouse Thursday night."He set the tone early for us," head coach Will Martin said of Bennett's performance. "He got the steal, the emphatic dunk. Someone has to start sending his stuff into SportsCenter, man.”No one has seen the best from him yet. What I love is the leadership. What I love is the spirit, intensity and aggression he brings every single day."Bennett may have set the tone right out of the chute, but it was something of a sleepy start for the Griffons, particularly on offense.Missouri Western trailed by as many as seven in the first half, and trailed 21-17 with 9:54 to go. The Griffons then went on a 15-2 run to flip the momentum and take a 34-31 lead into the locker room.&nbsp;Twenty first-half turnovers by the Hornets (5-3) helped fuel that run. The Griffons forced a season-high 28 turnovers and turned that into 26 points Thursday.Steals were seemingly falling from the sky for Missouri Western - they forced 21 of them, including 16 in the first half.“I was disappointed that we didn’t convert more on that,” Martin said. “But, I’m proud of our guys for the work they’ve put in. Our guys have shown me that they can do a lot in the press. I think it took (Emporia State) out of their game a little bit.”Offensively, Missouri Western was a dismal 1-of-15 from beyond the arc in the first half, but they turned their luck around from long range almost immediately in the second half.Will Eames hit a three-pointer just 16 seconds in. Reese Glover then hit a three of his own 44 seconds after that.The Griffons made 3 of their first 5 three-pointers attempted in the second half, which allowed the Griffons to go up 53-41 with 10:54 left.Emporia State didn’t go away, taking advantage of some Missouri Western foul trouble and knocking down a few key shots to stay within single digits.The Griffons, however, made enough baskets of their own down the stretch, and weathered the storm, thanks to big buckets from Q Mays, Bennett and Tyrell Carroll, who finished with 15 points, five assists and five steals.“(Tyrell) didn’t have his best game,” Martin said, “but everyone knew we were going to TC late. He calls out whatever ball screen he wants, and he goes to work. He hit some big buckets for us late. I’m really proud of him for his leadership and his confidence.”Mays had 14 points and Eames 11 to give the Griffons four players in double figures. Senior Jumah’ri Turner led the Hornets with a game-high 26 points, including a 4-of-4 effort from deep.Up next? No. 5 Washburn (8-0), who just upended No. 1 Maryville <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/7a06b980-c1d8-462b-8c98-6b06610125b6">84-82 in OT</a> at Bearcat Arena Thursday, ending the Bearcats’ historic 28-game winning streak.Saturday’s showdown with the unbeaten Ichabods tips off at 7:30 p.m.“There’s no pressure,” Bennett said of the upcoming game. “We all love basketball. We all come to compete every single day. Practice, game, weights. Whatever it may be. We all love what we do and love each other. When you have that kind of connectivity, it just makes every day easy.”Is the pressure on? Some would say yes. Do the Griffons want the pressure? Expectations?Maybe, but most of that pressure is coming from within.“There is nobody who has more expectation of me than I have of myself,” Martin said. “And our guys are the same way. Individually and collectively. There’s no one out there who has a higher expectation for our team than us. It’s us versus us. Period.“We’re not playing Washburn Saturday. We’re playing us. The best version of us. We’re going to continue to get better. And when we find a better version of us, it’s going to be us versus that better version, and we’re going to try and beat that.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1610076633259.jpeg" alt="Jr. Q Mays goes on defense in the second half in Missouri Western's 70-61 win over Emporia State Thursday night at the MWSU Fieldhouse. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Jr. Q Mays goes on defense in the second half in Missouri Western's 70-61 win over Emporia State Thursday night at the MWSU Fieldhouse. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>

Missouri Western overcomes slow shooting start, creates turnovers in win over Emporia State

&nbsp; The&nbsp;Kansas City Chiefs&nbsp;are signing punter Dustin Colquitt to their practice squad, according to a report from ESPN's Field Yates.

After&nbsp;being released by the Chiefs following 15 seasons, the 38-year-old Colquitt&nbsp;signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers in September, but was let go in late October. Colquitt caught on with the&nbsp;Tampa Bay practice squad on Dec. 18.

The&nbsp;Jacksonville Jaguars, however, needed a punter, so they got Colquitt and added him to their 53-man roster, but they&nbsp;waived him earlier this week, opening the door for Kansas City.

Colquitt has played more games as a Chief than anyone else in NFL history.&nbsp;

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph Post&nbsp; The&nbsp;Kansas City Chiefs&nbsp;are signing punter Dustin Colquitt to their practice squad, according to a report from ESPN's Field Yates.After&nbsp;being released by the Chiefs following 15 seasons, the 38-year-old Colquitt&nbsp;signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers in September, but was let go in late October. Colquitt caught on with the&nbsp;Tampa Bay practice squad on Dec. 18.The&nbsp;Jacksonville Jaguars, however, needed a punter, so they got Colquitt and added him to their 53-man roster, but they&nbsp;waived him earlier this week, opening the door for Kansas City.Colquitt has played more games as a Chief than anyone else in NFL history.&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">The Chiefs are signing P Dustin Colquitt to their practice squad, per source. He spent the first 15 years of his career in KC and now returns for a playoff run. Always a beloved player.&mdash; Field Yates (@FieldYates) <a href="https://twitter.com/FieldYates/status/1347296738684633090?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Chiefs signing punter Dustin Colquitt to practice squad, per report

The NBA and most major colleges still aren’t allowing spectators into basketball games.

Besides the players themselves, only student-athlete family members were allowed inside Bearcat Arena in Maryville for basketball games. The NCAA rule is four tickets per player.

Northwest Missouri State recently expanded that to allow for season-ticket holders to attend, starting Thursday, when the top-ranked Bearcat men’s basketball team (5-0) welcomes No. 5 Washburn (7-0) to town for a marquee MIAA conference matchup.

Northwest athletic director Andy Peterson says safety is still the main concern, but he’s glad to help enhance the student-athlete experience.

"Obviously with COVID, we've got to be as safe as we can and do everything to protect people and keep people safe," Peterson said. "It's big to get people in, and it being a high quality basketball game makes it that much better."

Northwest Missouri State will allow up to 400 fans in. The MIAA conference allows for maximum 25% capacity at sporting events, with most spectators being athlete family members and season-ticket holders.

Peterson says the University has taken every precaution they can to prepare for more spectators.

"We've blocked off every other row," he said. "We blocked off two seats on either side of the stairwells. Limited concessions, entry and exit points. We spread the benches out a little bit. Just trying to see where we had gaps and opportunities."

The Bearcats will also host Emporia State on Saturday.

Missouri Western also has a pair of home games this week - Emporia State Thursday and Washburn Saturday. The Griffons also have limited spectators at their games. Again, primarily family members and season-ticket holders.

&nbsp;MSWU Associate athletic director Brett Esely is encouraging more fans to look into season tickets, even if it's not a viable option for everyone.

"We've given people who aren't season ticket holders an opportunity to look into that," Esely said. "It's not an option that works out for everyone, obviously. It's hard to tell folks who want to come out that it doesn't work out right now, but it's kind of where we're at."

Peterson is certainly glad to have some fans back, but is even more grateful that the Bearcats can just play.

"We're fortunate to be able to play," Peterson said. "Our groups and entities that have allowed us to play basketball, the MIAA being a leader in that, is fortunate."

It's a big week for both the Griffons and Bearcats. Missouri Western ranks 22nd in the nation, and they sit third in the MIAA conference standings with a 6-1 record. Washburn is first in the league at 7-0, Norhtwest Missouri second (5-0) and Emporia State fourth&nbsp; (5-2).

 With a couple of big tests on the docket, Griffon men’s basketball coach Will Martin said these games provide an opportunity for his team to prove that they belong in the upper echelon of a tough conference.

"This week right here is really going to stamp and decide whether we really do belong in the conversation of best in the conference,"Martin said.

So far, the Griffon men haven’t had to postpone or cancel any games due to COVID-19 issues. Martin commends his team for handling this challenging season responsibly.

"This year has been hard for everybody," Martin said emphatically. "When we get out on the court, there's a glimmer of hope. You forget about the pandemic for 40 minutes. You really do. Our guys, I can't tell you all enough how much sacrifice they're making so they can do that. I'm so proud of them."

The Missouri Western women's basketball game against Emporia State scheduled for Thursday has been postponed due to COVID-19 protocols within the Hornet program. That game will be made up on Feb. 2. Griffon season-ticket holders are encouraged to hold on to their tickets for that date.

The Missouri Western women (2-5) have been idle for 19 days, last playing at Missouri Southern on Dec. 19.

Assistant coach Emily Whacker said the team had a closed scrimmage last week which has helped them stay loose.

"That allowed us to get our feet back under us and get back into a rhythm a little bit," Whacker said. "So, that was a good thing. We'll definitely be ready to go."

The Missouri Western women are back in action Saturday, along with the men, as they host Washburn. That doubleheader starts at 5:30 p.m.

Meanwhile, the Northwest Missouri State women's basketball team rescheduled its two postponed games from this week due to COVID-19 protocols.

Northwest will host Emporia State on Jan. 19 at 5:30 p.m. in Bearcat Arena. They'll also host Washburn on Tuesday, Feb. 16 at 5:30.

The Bearcat women's next scheduled game is at Fort Hays State on Jan. 14.

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

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe NBA and most major colleges still aren’t allowing spectators into basketball games.Besides the players themselves, only student-athlete family members were allowed inside Bearcat Arena in Maryville for basketball games. The NCAA rule is four tickets per player.Northwest Missouri State recently expanded that to allow for season-ticket holders to attend, starting Thursday, when the top-ranked Bearcat men’s basketball team (5-0) welcomes No. 5 Washburn (7-0) to town for a marquee MIAA conference matchup.Northwest athletic director Andy Peterson says safety is still the main concern, but he’s glad to help enhance the student-athlete experience."Obviously with COVID, we've got to be as safe as we can and do everything to protect people and keep people safe," Peterson said. "It's big to get people in, and it being a high quality basketball game makes it that much better."Northwest Missouri State will allow up to 400 fans in. The MIAA conference allows for maximum 25% capacity at sporting events, with most spectators being athlete family members and season-ticket holders.Peterson says the University has taken every precaution they can to prepare for more spectators."We've blocked off every other row," he said. "We blocked off two seats on either side of the stairwells. Limited concessions, entry and exit points. We spread the benches out a little bit. Just trying to see where we had gaps and opportunities."The Bearcats will also host Emporia State on Saturday.Missouri Western also has a pair of home games this week - Emporia State Thursday and Washburn Saturday. The Griffons also have limited spectators at their games. Again, primarily family members and season-ticket holders.&nbsp;MSWU Associate athletic director Brett Esely is encouraging more fans to look into season tickets, even if it's not a viable option for everyone."We've given people who aren't season ticket holders an opportunity to look into that," Esely said. "It's not an option that works out for everyone, obviously. It's hard to tell folks who want to come out that it doesn't work out right now, but it's kind of where we're at."Peterson is certainly glad to have some fans back, but is even more grateful that the Bearcats can just play."We're fortunate to be able to play," Peterson said. "Our groups and entities that have allowed us to play basketball, the MIAA being a leader in that, is fortunate."It's a big week for both the Griffons and Bearcats. Missouri Western ranks 22nd in the nation, and they sit third in the MIAA conference standings with a 6-1 record. Washburn is first in the league at 7-0, Norhtwest Missouri second (5-0) and Emporia State fourth&nbsp; (5-2). With a couple of big tests on the docket, Griffon men’s basketball coach Will Martin said these games provide an opportunity for his team to prove that they belong in the upper echelon of a tough conference."This week right here is really going to stamp and decide whether we really do belong in the conversation of best in the conference,"Martin said.So far, the Griffon men haven’t had to postpone or cancel any games due to COVID-19 issues. Martin commends his team for handling this challenging season responsibly."This year has been hard for everybody," Martin said emphatically. "When we get out on the court, there's a glimmer of hope. You forget about the pandemic for 40 minutes. You really do. Our guys, I can't tell you all enough how much sacrifice they're making so they can do that. I'm so proud of them."Women's gamesThe Missouri Western women's basketball game against Emporia State scheduled for Thursday has been postponed due to COVID-19 protocols within the Hornet program. That game will be made up on Feb. 2. Griffon season-ticket holders are encouraged to hold on to their tickets for that date.The Missouri Western women (2-5) have been idle for 19 days, last playing at Missouri Southern on Dec. 19.Assistant coach Emily Whacker said the team had a closed scrimmage last week which has helped them stay loose."That allowed us to get our feet back under us and get back into a rhythm a little bit," Whacker said. "So, that was a good thing. We'll definitely be ready to go."The Missouri Western women are back in action Saturday, along with the men, as they host Washburn. That doubleheader starts at 5:30 p.m.Meanwhile, the Northwest Missouri State women's basketball team rescheduled its two postponed games from this week due to COVID-19 protocols.Northwest will host Emporia State on Jan. 19 at 5:30 p.m. in Bearcat Arena. They'll also host Washburn on Tuesday, Feb. 16 at 5:30.The Bearcat women's next scheduled game is at Fort Hays State on Jan. 14.You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

MWSU, NW Missouri State hosting key conference games Thursday, Saturday

Neither of the Benedictine basketball teams had been in action since Dec. 5, but no rust showed when the Ravens hosted Missouri Valley College Wednesday.

The Benedictine men's basketball team opened 2021 with an 89-75 win over the Vikings in Atchison. The Ravens move to 9-3 overall and 5-2 in conference play.

&nbsp;Five players finished in double-digits, led by Chris Jackson's 23. Eric Krus added 17 in 15 minutes of action, Matt Austin and Braden Belt each had 11 and Nysir Scott scored 10.&nbsp;

The Benedictine women also beat Missouri Valley College, 78-53, inside Ralph Nolan Gymnasium.

The first time the Ravens and Vikings met this season, Benedictine squeaked out a 44-43 road victory in November.&nbsp;

Natalie Smaron&nbsp;led the Ravens Wednesday with a career-high 25 points, as Benedictine improved to 8-4 on the season and 6-2 in conference play.

The Ravens stay home for their next contest on Saturday, hosting Central Methodist. The women will play at 2 p.m. and the men will follow at 4.

RavenAthletics.comNeither of the Benedictine basketball teams had been in action since Dec. 5, but no rust showed when the Ravens hosted Missouri Valley College Wednesday.The Benedictine men's basketball team opened 2021 with an 89-75 win over the Vikings in Atchison. The Ravens move to 9-3 overall and 5-2 in conference play.&nbsp;Five players finished in double-digits, led by Chris Jackson's 23. Eric Krus added 17 in 15 minutes of action, Matt Austin and Braden Belt each had 11 and Nysir Scott scored 10.&nbsp;The Benedictine women also beat Missouri Valley College, 78-53, inside Ralph Nolan Gymnasium.The first time the Ravens and Vikings met this season, Benedictine squeaked out a 44-43 road victory in November.&nbsp;Natalie Smaron&nbsp;led the Ravens Wednesday with a career-high 25 points, as Benedictine improved to 8-4 on the season and 6-2 in conference play.The Ravens stay home for their next contest on Saturday, hosting Central Methodist. The women will play at 2 p.m. and the men will follow at 4.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1609998585458.jpeg" alt="" />
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Benedictine men's, women's basketball open 2021 with wins Wednesday

Maryville
senior Garrett Dumke has committed&nbsp;to compete in Cross
Country and Track and Field at Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau.

Dumke is a
four-time Midland Empire Conference champion and a 2020 class 3 all-state performer for the
Spoofhounds. 

Garrett plans to study athletic training at SEMO.

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostMaryville
senior Garrett Dumke has committed&nbsp;to compete in Cross
Country and Track and Field at Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau.Dumke is a
four-time Midland Empire Conference champion and a 2020 class 3 all-state performer for the
Spoofhounds. Garrett plans to study athletic training at SEMO.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1609955981917.jpeg" alt="Pictured L/R Front- Sharlet Dumke, Garrett Dumke, Howard Dumke, Ava Dumke L/R Back- Head XC, Track &amp; Field Coach Rodney Bade, Asst. Cross Country Coach Dan Ferguson. " />
 <figcaption>Pictured L/R Front- Sharlet Dumke, Garrett Dumke, Howard Dumke, Ava Dumke L/R Back- Head XC, Track &amp; Field Coach Rodney Bade, Asst. Cross Country Coach Dan Ferguson. </figcaption>
 </figure>

Maryville's Garrett Dumke commits to run track, cross country at SEMO

&nbsp;The Missouri Western women's basketball game against Emporia State scheduled for Thursday has been postponed due to COVID-19 protocols within the Hornet program.

The game will now be played on Feb. 2 at 6 p.m.&nbsp; Griffon season ticket holders are asked to hold on to their ticket stubs for the new date.

The men's game against Emporia State on Thursday will take place with a new tip time of 6 p.m. inside the MWSU Fieldhouse.&nbsp;

The Missouri Western women (2-5) have been idle for 18 days, last playing at Missouri Southern on Dec. 19.

Assistant coach Emily Whacker said the team had a closed scrimmage last week which has helped the players stay loose during that time.

"That allowed us to get our feet back under us and back into a rhythm a little bit," Whacker said. "That was a good thing, and we'll definitely be ready to go." The Missouri Western women will be back in action Saturday along with the men, as they host Washburn. That regularly scheduled doubleheader will begin at 5:30 p.m. in St. Joseph.&nbsp;&nbsp;

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph Post&nbsp;The Missouri Western women's basketball game against Emporia State scheduled for Thursday has been postponed due to COVID-19 protocols within the Hornet program.The game will now be played on Feb. 2 at 6 p.m.&nbsp; Griffon season ticket holders are asked to hold on to their ticket stubs for the new date.The men's game against Emporia State on Thursday will take place with a new tip time of 6 p.m. inside the MWSU Fieldhouse.&nbsp;The Missouri Western women (2-5) have been idle for 18 days, last playing at Missouri Southern on Dec. 19.Assistant coach Emily Whacker said the team had a closed scrimmage last week which has helped the players stay loose during that time."That allowed us to get our feet back under us and back into a rhythm a little bit," Whacker said. "That was a good thing, and we'll definitely be ready to go." The Missouri Western women will be back in action Saturday along with the men, as they host Washburn. That regularly scheduled doubleheader will begin at 5:30 p.m. in St. Joseph.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1609954771747.jpeg" alt="Courtesy GoGriffons.com." />
 <figcaption>Courtesy GoGriffons.com.</figcaption>
 </figure>

Missouri Western women's game against Emporia State postponed

The Northwest Missouri State University women's
basketball team has rescheduled its two postponed games from this week due to
COVID-19 protocols. 
Northwest host Emporia State on Tuesday,
Jan. 19 at 5:30 p.m. in Bearcat Arena. They'll also host Washburn on Tuesday, Feb. 16 at 5:30 p.m.

The Bearcat women's next scheduled game is at Fort Hays State on Thursday, Jan. 14 at 5:30 p.m.

BearcatSports.comThe Northwest Missouri State University women's
basketball team has rescheduled its two postponed games from this week due to
COVID-19 protocols. 
Northwest host Emporia State on Tuesday,
Jan. 19 at 5:30 p.m. in Bearcat Arena. They'll also host Washburn on Tuesday, Feb. 16 at 5:30 p.m.The Bearcat women's next scheduled game is at Fort Hays State on Thursday, Jan. 14 at 5:30 p.m.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1609695619479.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Northwest Missouri State reschedules postponed women's basketball games

Varsity scoreboard for the KFEQ Radio and St. Joseph Post coverage area for January 5, 2021.

Maryville 63 Savannah 26 - Serena Sundell 29 pts.

North Nodaway 58 West Nodaway 40 - Lauren Herndon 17 pts.

Central 60 Lafayette 56. <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/910882f0-653d-49e4-b196-7e13daa57a01">Full coverage here</a>.

Mound City 84 Rock Port 22 -&nbsp;Tony Osburn&nbsp; scored 30 pts. to become Mound City's career leading scorer.

Stanberry 43 Worth County 32 - Collin Sager breaks Stanberry school record with 124th made three.

Excelsior Springs @ Cameron was postponed.

Gallatin boys defeated St. Pius 39-36 and Stanberry 42-24. In girls' wrestling, Lawson defeated Gallatin 56-21.

Mid-Buchanan boys beat Palmyra 58-21 and Marceline 51-21. The Mid-Buchanan girls beat Palmyra 36-6, but fell to Marceline 30-24.

Submit scores and results to Tommy.Rezac@EagleRadio.net. Or tweet them to @TommyKFEQ or @StJosephPost.

Varsity scoreboard for the KFEQ Radio and St. Joseph Post coverage area for January 5, 2021.&nbsp;Girls basketball:Maryville 63 Savannah 26 - Serena Sundell 29 pts.#9 Bishop LeBlond 58 #8 Mid-Buchanan 38North Nodaway 58 West Nodaway 40 - Lauren Herndon 17 pts.Pattonsburg 59 St. Joseph Christian 48Rock Port 59 Mound City 34North Andrew @ Albany postponed.South Holt 61 Nodaway-Holt 57 OTTrenton 26 Gallatin 15Stanberry 52 Worth County 16Platte Valley 63 DeKalb 35Maysville 53 Polo 38Boys' basketball:Central 60 Lafayette 56. <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/910882f0-653d-49e4-b196-7e13daa57a01">Full coverage here</a>.#4 Mid Buchanan 40 #7 Bishop LeBlond 31Pattonsburg 66 St. Joseph Christian 65Platte County 74 Ruskin 71South Holt 59 Nodaway-Holt 34Mound City 84 Rock Port 22 -&nbsp;Tony Osburn&nbsp; scored 30 pts. to become Mound City's career leading scorer.Stanberry 43 Worth County 32 - Collin Sager breaks Stanberry school record with 124th made three.Maysville 58 Polo 49Excelsior Springs @ Cameron was postponed.Wrestling results:Gallatin boys defeated St. Pius 39-36 and Stanberry 42-24. In girls' wrestling, Lawson defeated Gallatin 56-21.Mid-Buchanan boys beat Palmyra 58-21 and Marceline 51-21. The Mid-Buchanan girls beat Palmyra 36-6, but fell to Marceline 30-24.Submit scores and results to Tommy.Rezac@EagleRadio.net. Or tweet them to @TommyKFEQ or @StJosephPost.

Area scoreboard - January 5, 2021

St. Joseph Central had fallen behind in games before, and yet, have won nine of their first 11 games.

So, being down by 11 at the end of the first quarter against Lafayette at home Tuesday was no big deal.

The Indians (9-2) drained eight three-pointers in the second half and had 12 total trifectas in a 60-56 win over the Lafayette Irish in a boys' basketball meeting at the Colesium.

After trailing 21-10 at the end of the first, head coach Jacob Kimble said his guys relaxed and settled in.

"One thing that's true about our team is that these guys never quit," Kimble said. "We had fallen behind before, and we use the phrase 'stay the course' all the time. We stayed the course tonight, started to chip away at it and were able to stay in the game because of that."

By the second quarter, the Indians had started to chip away. Three-pointers by junior Trey Main and senior Will Small helped shrink the Irish's lead to five, 29-24, by intermission.

Main really found his stroke in the fourth quarter, where he scored 12 of his game-high 22 points. He made two three-pointers in that frame, and also went 3-for-3 at the free throw line after getting fouled from behind the arc.

"We kind of got off to a slow start," Main said. "But, just moving the ball and working together as a team, we really picked it up."

Small hit five threes and finished with 18 points. Senior Jayce Taylor also had a pair of clutch threes in the third quarter which helped sway momentum in the Indians' direction.

"We have the ability to shoot the ball well," coach Kimble said. "We had several step up tonight and hit huge shots. We create that by being unselfish. Every guy on this roster is unselfish and they're willing to make the extra pass."

Senior Zach Langley led four Irish players in double figures with 13 points - nine of that coming in the first half. Senior Try'Shon Page had 12, sophomore Camden Barrett scored 11 and fellow senior Derrick May finished with 10.

Lafayette opened the game on a 10-4 run and led by as many as 13 in the second quarter, but the second half belonged to Central, as the Indians outscored the Irish 36-27 over the final 16 minutes, including a 16-9 fourth quarter.

Kimble said Central made some adjustments on defense, and continued to stay the course.

"We were able to defend pretty effectively," Kimble said. "I'm just really proud of the way they stepped up and really started to defend and defend our home court."

Central is next in action Saturday when they host Roncalli Catholic (Omaha). Lafayette is home to Maryville on Thursday.

Central - 60 (10, 14, 20, 16) Lafayette - 56 (21, 8, 18, 9)

Central scoring: Trey Main - 22, Will Small - 18, Jayce Taylor - 6, La'var Felder - 5, Jay Jura - 5, Wills Johnston - 2, Brett Main - 2

Lafayette scoring:&nbsp;Zach Langley - 13 , Senior Try'Shon Page - 12, Camden Barrett - 11, Derrick May - 10, Drake Davison - 4, Mikey Thomas - 3, Samuel Ryan - 2, Tyrease Bicalho-Dutton - 1

More scores from Tuesday <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/49cca212-6bdb-473b-9420-71f231c49a87">here</a>.

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostSt. Joseph Central had fallen behind in games before, and yet, have won nine of their first 11 games.So, being down by 11 at the end of the first quarter against Lafayette at home Tuesday was no big deal.The Indians (9-2) drained eight three-pointers in the second half and had 12 total trifectas in a 60-56 win over the Lafayette Irish in a boys' basketball meeting at the Colesium.After trailing 21-10 at the end of the first, head coach Jacob Kimble said his guys relaxed and settled in."One thing that's true about our team is that these guys never quit," Kimble said. "We had fallen behind before, and we use the phrase 'stay the course' all the time. We stayed the course tonight, started to chip away at it and were able to stay in the game because of that."By the second quarter, the Indians had started to chip away. Three-pointers by junior Trey Main and senior Will Small helped shrink the Irish's lead to five, 29-24, by intermission.Main really found his stroke in the fourth quarter, where he scored 12 of his game-high 22 points. He made two three-pointers in that frame, and also went 3-for-3 at the free throw line after getting fouled from behind the arc."We kind of got off to a slow start," Main said. "But, just moving the ball and working together as a team, we really picked it up."Small hit five threes and finished with 18 points. Senior Jayce Taylor also had a pair of clutch threes in the third quarter which helped sway momentum in the Indians' direction."We have the ability to shoot the ball well," coach Kimble said. "We had several step up tonight and hit huge shots. We create that by being unselfish. Every guy on this roster is unselfish and they're willing to make the extra pass."Senior Zach Langley led four Irish players in double figures with 13 points - nine of that coming in the first half. Senior Try'Shon Page had 12, sophomore Camden Barrett scored 11 and fellow senior Derrick May finished with 10.Lafayette opened the game on a 10-4 run and led by as many as 13 in the second quarter, but the second half belonged to Central, as the Indians outscored the Irish 36-27 over the final 16 minutes, including a 16-9 fourth quarter.Kimble said Central made some adjustments on defense, and continued to stay the course."We were able to defend pretty effectively," Kimble said. "I'm just really proud of the way they stepped up and really started to defend and defend our home court."Central is next in action Saturday when they host Roncalli Catholic (Omaha). Lafayette is home to Maryville on Thursday.Central - 60 (10, 14, 20, 16) Lafayette - 56 (21, 8, 18, 9)Central scoring: Trey Main - 22, Will Small - 18, Jayce Taylor - 6, La'var Felder - 5, Jay Jura - 5, Wills Johnston - 2, Brett Main - 2Lafayette scoring:&nbsp;Zach Langley - 13 , Senior Try'Shon Page - 12, Camden Barrett - 11, Derrick May - 10, Drake Davison - 4, Mikey Thomas - 3, Samuel Ryan - 2, Tyrease Bicalho-Dutton - 1More scores from Tuesday <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/49cca212-6bdb-473b-9420-71f231c49a87">here</a>.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1609904222688.jpeg" alt="Trey Main dribbles in the second half of Tuesday's 60-56 win over Lafayette. Main finished with a game-high 22 points. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Trey Main dribbles in the second half of Tuesday's 60-56 win over Lafayette. Main finished with a game-high 22 points. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>

Central boys drain 12 threes, come back to beat Lafayette

The
Northwest Missouri State women's basketball team will not compete
this week against
Washburn and Emporia State due to COVID-19 protocols
within the Bearcat program. 
&nbsp; 
As a result, the Bearcat men's basketball start times have been changed. Thursday's
matchup against&nbsp; No. 5 Washburn will now tip at 6 p.m. in Bearcat Arena. Saturday's
game against Emporia State will begin at 2 p.m. 
&nbsp; 
No makeup dates or times have been determined for the postponed women's games.

Making up games could be difficult. There are seven weeks left in the regular season, and the Bearcats already have two games per week scheduled in that time.

BearcatSports.comThe
Northwest Missouri State women's basketball team will not compete
this week against
Washburn and Emporia State due to COVID-19 protocols
within the Bearcat program. 
&nbsp; 
As a result, the Bearcat men's basketball start times have been changed. Thursday's
matchup against&nbsp; No. 5 Washburn will now tip at 6 p.m. in Bearcat Arena. Saturday's
game against Emporia State will begin at 2 p.m. 
&nbsp; 
No makeup dates or times have been determined for the postponed women's games.Making up games could be difficult. There are seven weeks left in the regular season, and the Bearcats already have two games per week scheduled in that time.

Northwest Missouri State WBB games postponed this week, men's times changed

Missouri Western is one of 28 schools nationwide
to be named a finalist for the 2021 Division II Award of Excellence - an
accolade recognizing initiatives in the past year that exemplify the Division
II philosophy, community engagement and student-athlete leadership. 
The honor stems from the 2019 "Griffs Giving Gifts" initiative - an
annual tradition spearheaded by the Missouri Western Student-Athlete Advisory
Committee.

The program partners with the St. Joseph AFL-CIO to adopt needy
families for the holidays. In 2019, student-athletes raised and donated a
record $2,000 dollars, and adopting more than 50 individuals around the St.
Joseph area. 
The national winner will be announced at the virtual 2021 NCAA Convention on January
15.

GoGriffons.comMissouri Western is one of 28 schools nationwide
to be named a finalist for the 2021 Division II Award of Excellence - an
accolade recognizing initiatives in the past year that exemplify the Division
II philosophy, community engagement and student-athlete leadership. 
The honor stems from the 2019 "Griffs Giving Gifts" initiative - an
annual tradition spearheaded by the Missouri Western Student-Athlete Advisory
Committee.The program partners with the St. Joseph AFL-CIO to adopt needy
families for the holidays. In 2019, student-athletes raised and donated a
record $2,000 dollars, and adopting more than 50 individuals around the St.
Joseph area. 
The national winner will be announced at the virtual 2021 NCAA Convention on January
15. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1609866333428.jpeg" alt="Via GoGriffons.com." />
 <figcaption>Via GoGriffons.com.</figcaption>
 </figure>

MWSU's "Griffs Giving Gifts" named finalist for NCAA Award of Excellence

The Northwest Missouri State University Athletic Department will be allowing a limited number of fans into Bearcat Arena for women's and men's basketball doubleheaders. "We used the two games we hosted in December as a trial run for some spacing and mitigation plans and feel very confident we can expand our capacity beyond the players' families," Athletic Director Andy Peterson said in a statement. "With the number of season-ticket holders who responded to our inquiry about attending games, we can safely accommodate them along with our parents. We'll have a little more than 400 people in there, which should provide a solid game day environment for our student-athletes and their competitors." Student-athlete family members and season-ticket holders from 2019-2020 who expressed interest will have access to purchase seats this week. There will be no general admission tickets available for purchase.&nbsp; Season-tickets holders attending most likely won't be seated in their traditional seats, and may not even be in the same section because of seating arrangements and social distancing. An email with further details on purchasing tickets, seating charts, and other information is pending.&nbsp; Face masks will be required, per Northwest Missouri State University and City of&nbsp;Maryville&nbsp;policies. Many hand sanitizer stations will be available and there'll be limited concessions offerings.&nbsp; The Bearcat basketball teams currently have nine home doubleheaders left on their schedule.&nbsp; Season tickets became available for purchase, beginning Jan. 4 at 5 p.m. on the <a href="http://bearcatsports.com/">Bearcat athletics website</a>.

BearcatSports.comThe Northwest Missouri State University Athletic Department will be allowing a limited number of fans into Bearcat Arena for women's and men's basketball doubleheaders. "We used the two games we hosted in December as a trial run for some spacing and mitigation plans and feel very confident we can expand our capacity beyond the players' families," Athletic Director Andy Peterson said in a statement. "With the number of season-ticket holders who responded to our inquiry about attending games, we can safely accommodate them along with our parents. We'll have a little more than 400 people in there, which should provide a solid game day environment for our student-athletes and their competitors." Student-athlete family members and season-ticket holders from 2019-2020 who expressed interest will have access to purchase seats this week. There will be no general admission tickets available for purchase.&nbsp; Season-tickets holders attending most likely won't be seated in their traditional seats, and may not even be in the same section because of seating arrangements and social distancing. An email with further details on purchasing tickets, seating charts, and other information is pending.&nbsp; Face masks will be required, per Northwest Missouri State University and City of&nbsp;Maryville&nbsp;policies. Many hand sanitizer stations will be available and there'll be limited concessions offerings.&nbsp; The Bearcat basketball teams currently have nine home doubleheaders left on their schedule.&nbsp; Season tickets became available for purchase, beginning Jan. 4 at 5 p.m. on the <a href="http://bearcatsports.com/">Bearcat athletics website</a>.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1609820463660.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Northwest Missouri State to allow limited attendance at basketball games

High school basketball scores from the KFEQ and St. Joseph Post coverage area.

&nbsp;The St. Joseph Central vs. North Kansas City girls’ Suburban Conference tournament game has been postponed until January 27.

High school basketball scores from the KFEQ and St. Joseph Post coverage area.Boys:Maryville 65 Lathrop 34Hogan Prep 54 Mid Buchanan 41East Atchison 57 West Nodaway 50North Platte vs. Maysville - CANCELEDGirls:Platte County 56 Ruskin 26Grandview 53 Kearney 30Mid Buchanan 63 Hogan Prep 12East Atchison 95 West Nodaway 26North Platte vs. Maysville - CANCELED&nbsp;The St. Joseph Central vs. North Kansas City girls’ Suburban Conference tournament game has been postponed until January 27.

Area high school scoreboard - January 4, 2021

One of the NFL's hottest head coaching candidates is already receiving a lot of interest.

Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy is virtually interviewing with the Atlanta Falcons and Detroit Lions Monday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

The New York Jets have also reportedly requested to meet with Bieniemy.

The 51-year-old offensive coordinator has received widespread praise for his role in turning the Chiefs into an offensive powerhouse. Bieniemy has been Kansas City's offensive coordinator since 2018 after spending five seasons as the running backs coach.

The Chiefs finished first in points per game in 2018 (35.3), fifth in 2019 (28.2) and sixth this season (29.6).

Another team that could potentially reach out to Bieniemy is the L.A. Chargers, who fired Anthony Lynn on Monday morning.

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostOne of the NFL's hottest head coaching candidates is already receiving a lot of interest.Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy is virtually interviewing with the Atlanta Falcons and Detroit Lions Monday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.The New York Jets have also reportedly requested to meet with Bieniemy.The 51-year-old offensive coordinator has received widespread praise for his role in turning the Chiefs into an offensive powerhouse. Bieniemy has been Kansas City's offensive coordinator since 2018 after spending five seasons as the running backs coach.The Chiefs finished first in points per game in 2018 (35.3), fifth in 2019 (28.2) and sixth this season (29.6).Another team that could potentially reach out to Bieniemy is the L.A. Chargers, who fired Anthony Lynn on Monday morning.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">Chiefs&#39; OC coordinator Eric Bieniemy is doing virtual HC interviews today with the Detroit Lions and Atlanta Falcons, per source.&mdash; Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) <a href="https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/1346121856726741000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Chiefs' Eric Bieniemy receiving heavy NFL head coaching interest

The Kansas City Chiefs’ home and away opponents for the 2021 NFL season have been finalized.

The 2021 NFL schedule won’t officially be released until sometime in April, but now that the winner of the AFC South has been determined (Tennessee), the Chiefs’ opponents for next year are officially set. That includes the&nbsp;newly-introduced 17th regular-season opponent.

Broncos Chargers Raiders Steelers Browns Bills Cowboys Giants

Broncos Chargers Raiders Ravens Bengals Washington Eagles Titans

Dates, times and TV information will be released once schedules are officially out this spring.

The Kansas City Chiefs’ home and away opponents for the 2021 NFL season have been finalized.The 2021 NFL schedule won’t officially be released until sometime in April, but now that the winner of the AFC South has been determined (Tennessee), the Chiefs’ opponents for next year are officially set. That includes the&nbsp;newly-introduced 17th regular-season opponent.Chiefs'&nbsp;home opponents:Broncos Chargers Raiders Steelers Browns Bills Cowboys Giants Away opponents:Broncos Chargers Raiders Ravens Bengals Washington Eagles TitansDates, times and TV information will be released once schedules are officially out this spring.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604875588898.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Chiefs' 2021 home and away opponents finalized

KANSAS CITY, MO -Rookie quarterback Justin Herbert threw for 302 yards and accounted for four touchdowns against a team of mostly Kansas City backups, as the Los Angeles Chargers rolled to a 38-21 victory over the Chiefs on Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium in the regular-season finale for both teams.

Kansas City (14-2) turned their attention to the postseason, and Los Angeles will now focus on the future of head coach Anthony Lynn.

The Chiefs already had wrapped up the No. 1 seed and the AFC’s lone first-round bye in the playoffs, so coach Andy Reid chose to take rest over reps by sitting quarterback Patrick Mahomes, safety Tyrann Mathieu and several of his best players., including receivers Tyreek Hill and Sammy Watkins.

Kansas City QB Chad Henne made his first start in a Chiefs uniform in Sunday’s game, marking his first start in the NFL since 2014. Henne completed 23-of-32 passes for 218 yards and two passing touchdowns - good for a 111.2 passer rating.

Running back Darwin Thompson scored his first touchdown of the season on a one-yard run in the second quarter Sunday, and followed that with an eight-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter. That marked the first multi-touchdown game of Thompson's career.

Kansas City has home field advantage in the playoffs for the second time in three seasons.

KANSAS CITY, MO -Rookie quarterback Justin Herbert threw for 302 yards and accounted for four touchdowns against a team of mostly Kansas City backups, as the Los Angeles Chargers rolled to a 38-21 victory over the Chiefs on Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium in the regular-season finale for both teams.Kansas City (14-2) turned their attention to the postseason, and Los Angeles will now focus on the future of head coach Anthony Lynn.The Chiefs already had wrapped up the No. 1 seed and the AFC’s lone first-round bye in the playoffs, so coach Andy Reid chose to take rest over reps by sitting quarterback Patrick Mahomes, safety Tyrann Mathieu and several of his best players., including receivers Tyreek Hill and Sammy Watkins.Kansas City QB Chad Henne made his first start in a Chiefs uniform in Sunday’s game, marking his first start in the NFL since 2014. Henne completed 23-of-32 passes for 218 yards and two passing touchdowns - good for a 111.2 passer rating.Running back Darwin Thompson scored his first touchdown of the season on a one-yard run in the second quarter Sunday, and followed that with an eight-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter. That marked the first multi-touchdown game of Thompson's career.Kansas City has home field advantage in the playoffs for the second time in three seasons.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">Time to get ready for the playoffs. <a href="https://t.co/gFeIqZfQml">pic.twitter.com/gFeIqZfQml</a>&mdash; Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) <a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs/status/1345888003655430148?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Herbert scores four touchdowns, Chargers beat mostly Chiefs backups

PITTSBURG, Kansas - The No. 1-ranked Northwest Missouri State men's basketball team remained perfect on the season with an 84-69 triumph over Pittsburg State at John Lance Arena Saturday. The Bearcats moved to 5-0 on the season and ran their win streak to 28 in a row behind a pair of 20-point scoring performances from&nbsp;<a href="https://bearcatsports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=8101">Ryan Hawkins</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://bearcatsports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=8102">Trevor Hudgins</a>. Hawkins recorded his 29th career 20-point game, while Hudgins notched his 40th career 20-point scoring contest. Hawkins scored 18 of his team-high 24 points in the first half. Hawkins added a team-best eight rebounds and four steals. Hudgins&nbsp;notched 21 points and dished out six assists. Junior&nbsp;<a href="https://bearcatsports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=8099">Diego Bernard</a>&nbsp;continued his stat stuffing with 14 points, nine assists, seven rebounds and three blocks.&nbsp; Sophomore&nbsp;<a href="https://bearcatsports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=8100">Wes Dreamer</a>&nbsp;reached double-figure scoring with 11 points, including a trio of three-pointers.&nbsp; Northwest returns home for a matchup against No. 5 Washburn on Thursday at Bearcat Arena. Tip is set for approximately 7:30 p.m. following the women's contest.

Pittsburg State 80 Northwest Missouri State 50.

BearcatSports.comPITTSBURG, Kansas - The No. 1-ranked Northwest Missouri State men's basketball team remained perfect on the season with an 84-69 triumph over Pittsburg State at John Lance Arena Saturday. The Bearcats moved to 5-0 on the season and ran their win streak to 28 in a row behind a pair of 20-point scoring performances from&nbsp;<a href="https://bearcatsports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=8101">Ryan Hawkins</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://bearcatsports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=8102">Trevor Hudgins</a>. Hawkins recorded his 29th career 20-point game, while Hudgins notched his 40th career 20-point scoring contest. Hawkins scored 18 of his team-high 24 points in the first half. Hawkins added a team-best eight rebounds and four steals. Hudgins&nbsp;notched 21 points and dished out six assists. Junior&nbsp;<a href="https://bearcatsports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=8099">Diego Bernard</a>&nbsp;continued his stat stuffing with 14 points, nine assists, seven rebounds and three blocks.&nbsp; Sophomore&nbsp;<a href="https://bearcatsports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=8100">Wes Dreamer</a>&nbsp;reached double-figure scoring with 11 points, including a trio of three-pointers.&nbsp; Northwest returns home for a matchup against No. 5 Washburn on Thursday at Bearcat Arena. Tip is set for approximately 7:30 p.m. following the women's contest.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">W. Hawk leads with 24 points while Trev added 21 points. This marks the 40th time he has scored 20+ points in his career. DB had 14 points, 9 assists, 7 rebounds and 3 blocks on the day. <a href="https://t.co/jHvi09NPkI">pic.twitter.com/jHvi09NPkI</a>&mdash; Bearcat Basketball (@NWBearcatMBB) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWBearcatMBB/status/1345507328192344068?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2021</a></blockquote>
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</div>Women's final SaturdayPittsburg State 80 Northwest Missouri State 50.

Top-ranked Northwest Missouri State stays perfect, wins at Pittsburg Saturday

ST. JOSEPH - The No. 22&nbsp;Missouri Western men's basketball team turned a 10-point halftime lead into a 24-point second half lead, which led to an 84-76 win over Fort Hays State on Saturday at the MWSU Fieldhouse. The Griffons (6-1, 6-1 MIAA) used an 18-2 run to open the second half to put the game out of reach. &nbsp;Western as a team shot 48.5% (32/66) from the field. <a href="https://gogriffons.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=4344">Tyrell Carroll</a>&nbsp;led the Griffons in scoring with 20 points (7-14 FG), six assists, six rebounds and three steals. &nbsp;<a href="https://gogriffons.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=4347">Will Eames</a>&nbsp;added 18 points and 13 rebounds, &nbsp;<a href="https://gogriffons.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=4343">Caleb Bennett</a>&nbsp;scored 15 of his 17 points in the second half and Reece Glover chipped in 14 points (5-8 FG, 3-6 three-point FG). &nbsp; The Griffons have a pair of home games against two of the top four teams in the MIAA this week. MWSU hosts Emporia State (5-1) on January 7th in the Fieldhouse&nbsp;at 7:30 p.m. After that, No. 5 Washburn (7-0) comes to St. Joseph on Saturday.

The three teams enter the week with a combined 18-2 record.&nbsp;&nbsp;

GoGriffons.comST. JOSEPH - The No. 22&nbsp;Missouri Western men's basketball team turned a 10-point halftime lead into a 24-point second half lead, which led to an 84-76 win over Fort Hays State on Saturday at the MWSU Fieldhouse. The Griffons (6-1, 6-1 MIAA) used an 18-2 run to open the second half to put the game out of reach. &nbsp;Western as a team shot 48.5% (32/66) from the field. <a href="https://gogriffons.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=4344">Tyrell Carroll</a>&nbsp;led the Griffons in scoring with 20 points (7-14 FG), six assists, six rebounds and three steals. &nbsp;<a href="https://gogriffons.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=4347">Will Eames</a>&nbsp;added 18 points and 13 rebounds, &nbsp;<a href="https://gogriffons.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=4343">Caleb Bennett</a>&nbsp;scored 15 of his 17 points in the second half and Reece Glover chipped in 14 points (5-8 FG, 3-6 three-point FG). &nbsp; The Griffons have a pair of home games against two of the top four teams in the MIAA this week. MWSU hosts Emporia State (5-1) on January 7th in the Fieldhouse&nbsp;at 7:30 p.m. After that, No. 5 Washburn (7-0) comes to St. Joseph on Saturday. The three teams enter the week with a combined 18-2 record.&nbsp;&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">#22 Griffon Men&#39;s Basketball wins first game of the new year! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GriffUp?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GriffUp</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OurCity?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OurCity</a> <a href="https://t.co/OYr55YOLgg">pic.twitter.com/OYr55YOLgg</a>&mdash; Griffon Athletics (@gogriffons) <a href="https://twitter.com/gogriffons/status/1345484822295310340?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Missouri Western men open 2021 with win over Fort Hays State

KANSAS CITY (AP) -&nbsp;Justin Herbert had just turned 10 years old when Chiefs quarterback Chad Henne was drafted by the Miami Dolphins.

Herbert was still only in high school the last time Henne started an NFL game, which was September 2014.

It’ll be quite the matchup Sunday when the 22-year-old Herbert, who has surpassed all expectations in his rookie season, starts for the Chargers in Kansas City.

KANSAS CITY (AP) -&nbsp;Justin Herbert had just turned 10 years old when Chiefs quarterback Chad Henne was drafted by the Miami Dolphins.Think that’s wild?Herbert was still only in high school the last time Henne started an NFL game, which was September 2014.It’ll be quite the matchup Sunday when the 22-year-old Herbert, who has surpassed all expectations in his rookie season, starts for the Chargers in Kansas City.Drafted out of Oregon, Herbert has thrown for more than 4,000 yards this season to go with 28 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.Opposite him will be the 35-year-old Henne, who gets the nod at QB as the Chiefs elect to rest their starters with the No. 1 seed and a first-round by the in the NFC playoffs already secured. Henne says he’ll enjoy this opportunity."You go out there and play one play at a time," Henne said. "Do the best to your capability. If you get beat one play, come back the next play and beat the defender up. Just gotta be you. Don't be somebody else, and just go out and have some fun."Henne is 18-35 in his NFL career as a starting quarterback. He’s thrown 58 touchdowns and 63 interceptions in 70 games (53 starts) with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Miami Dolphins. He's been with Kansas City since 2018. The Chiefs and Chargers kick off from Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday at 3:25 p.m.