Chiefs wide receiver Sammy Watkins did not practice Wednesday ahead of Kansas City's Sunday divisional playoff game against the Cleveland Browns.

Watkins has been battling a calf injury. Corner Rashad Fenton and linebacker Willie Gay also did not practice. Running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire was limited (hip/ankle).

Head coach Andy Reid also announced Wednesday that right tackle Mitchell Schwartz, who's been out since week 6 with a back injury, will not be available this Sunday.

Receiver Tyreek Hill told reporters Wednesday that he "feels great" and is "ready...excited" to face the Browns on Sunday.

Kickoff from Arrowhead Stadium is set for 2:05 p.m. on Sunday. The game can be heard on KFEQ (680 AM, 95.3 FM) and Q Country 92.7 FM in St. Joseph.

The winner gets a spot in the AFC championship game on Sunday, Jan. 24.

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostChiefs wide receiver Sammy Watkins did not practice Wednesday ahead of Kansas City's Sunday divisional playoff game against the Cleveland Browns.Watkins has been battling a calf injury. Corner Rashad Fenton and linebacker Willie Gay also did not practice. Running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire was limited (hip/ankle).Head coach Andy Reid also announced Wednesday that right tackle Mitchell Schwartz, who's been out since week 6 with a back injury, will not be available this Sunday.Receiver Tyreek Hill told reporters Wednesday that he "feels great" and is "ready...excited" to face the Browns on Sunday.Kickoff from Arrowhead Stadium is set for 2:05 p.m. on Sunday. The game can be heard on KFEQ (680 AM, 95.3 FM) and Q Country 92.7 FM in St. Joseph.The winner gets a spot in the AFC championship game on Sunday, Jan. 24.

Chiefs receiver Sammy Watkins did not practice Wednesday, Edwards-Helaire limited

Fairfax Invitational East Atchison 61 West Nodaway 17 Nodaway-Holt 31 St. Joseph Christian 22 Falls City 72 North Nodaway 51 South Holt 59 Rock Port 31

Stanberry Invitational Stanberry 57 Mound City 21 King City 43 Worth County 36

Lawson Invitational Lawson 55 Gallatin 13 - Morgan Moore 10 pts. (Lawson)

Osborn Invitational Union Star 51 Northland Christian 17

Additional scores Maryville 45 East Buchanan 32

Cardinal Classic at Benton High School Savannah 32 Oak Park 30. <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/7936cd4c-3b1d-4937-8cf1-3a92e28f5956">Full coverage here.</a> Benton 79 Northeast KC 21. <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/7936cd4c-3b1d-4937-8cf1-3a92e28f5956">Full coverage here.</a>

Stanberry Invitational Platte Valley 64 Worth County 63

Kearney Classic Lafayette 59 North Kansas City 54. Irish face Kearney on Thursday night at 8 p.m. Platte County 75 Southeast 70

Lawson Invitational Chillicothe 49 Hamilton 38 - Andrew Rich 18 pts. (Hamilton) Gallatin 67 Lawson 57 - Max Trout 17 pts. (Lawson) - Isaac Bird 21 pts. (Gallatin)

Osborn Invitational Winston 50 Polo 29 Pattonsburg 73 Union Star 34

South Harrison Tournament Northeast Nodaway 56 Tri-County 43 North Harrison 69 Maysville 62

Additional scores Lee’s Summit 56 St. Joseph Central 45 Center 59 Maryville 54

Girls' basketball - Bill Burns Classic (pool play) Savannah vs. University Academy - 6:00

Girls' basketball - South Harrison Tournament Northeast Nodaway vs. Tri County - 6:00 Mercer vs. Maysville - 9:00 (semifinal)

Girls' basketball - Lawson Invitational (consolation) Gallatin vs. Trenton - 5:00 Richmond vs. West Platte - 7:30

Girls' basketball - Stanberry Invite (consolation) North Andrew vs. Mound City - 4:30 Platte Valley JV vs . Worth County - 7:30

Boys' basketball - Fairfax Invitational North Holt vs. North Nodaway - 4:30 West Nodaway vs. South Holt - 6:00 St. Joseph Christian vs. Rock Port - 7:30 (semifinal)&nbsp; Falls City vs. East Atchison - 9:00 (semifinal)

Boys' basketball - Lawson Invitational (consolation) North Platte vs. Trenton - 5:30 Lawson vs. Hamilton - 7:00

Boys' basketball - Bill Burns Classic (pool play) Mid-Buchanan vs. N. Christian - 7:30

Boys' basketball - Stanberry Invitational (consolation) Lafayette JV vs. Worth County - 6:00

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

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostGirl's basketball scoresFairfax Invitational East Atchison 61 West Nodaway 17 Nodaway-Holt 31 St. Joseph Christian 22 Falls City 72 North Nodaway 51 South Holt 59 Rock Port 31Stanberry Invitational Stanberry 57 Mound City 21 King City 43 Worth County 36Lawson Invitational Lawson 55 Gallatin 13 - Morgan Moore 10 pts. (Lawson) Osborn Invitational Union Star 51 Northland Christian 17Fairfax Invitational East Atchison 61 West Nodaway 17 Nodaway-Holt 31 St. Joseph Christian 22 Falls City 72 North Nodaway 51 South Holt 59 Rock Port 31Additional scores Maryville 45 East Buchanan 32<ul>
 <li>K-State commit Serena Sundell surpasses 2,000 career points - the first ever Spoofhound to reach that milestone.</li>
 </ul>Boys’ basketball scoresCardinal Classic at Benton High School Savannah 32 Oak Park 30. <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/7936cd4c-3b1d-4937-8cf1-3a92e28f5956">Full coverage here.</a> Benton 79 Northeast KC 21. <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/7936cd4c-3b1d-4937-8cf1-3a92e28f5956">Full coverage here.</a>Stanberry Invitational Platte Valley 64 Worth County 63Kearney Classic Lafayette 59 North Kansas City 54. Irish face Kearney on Thursday night at 8 p.m. Platte County 75 Southeast 70Lawson Invitational Chillicothe 49 Hamilton 38 - Andrew Rich 18 pts. (Hamilton) Gallatin 67 Lawson 57 - Max Trout 17 pts. (Lawson) - Isaac Bird 21 pts. (Gallatin)Osborn Invitational Winston 50 Polo 29 Pattonsburg 73 Union Star 34South Harrison Tournament Northeast Nodaway 56 Tri-County 43 North Harrison 69 Maysville 62Additional scores Lee’s Summit 56 St. Joseph Central 45 Center 59 Maryville 54Wednesday scheduleGirls' basketball - Bill Burns Classic (pool play) Savannah vs. University Academy - 6:00Girls' basketball - South Harrison Tournament Northeast Nodaway vs. Tri County - 6:00 Mercer vs. Maysville - 9:00 (semifinal)Girls' basketball - Lawson Invitational (consolation) Gallatin vs. Trenton - 5:00 Richmond vs. West Platte - 7:30 Girls' basketball - Stanberry Invite (consolation) North Andrew vs. Mound City - 4:30 Platte Valley JV vs . Worth County - 7:30Boys' basketball - Fairfax Invitational North Holt vs. North Nodaway - 4:30 West Nodaway vs. South Holt - 6:00 St. Joseph Christian vs. Rock Port - 7:30 (semifinal)&nbsp; Falls City vs. East Atchison - 9:00 (semifinal)Boys' basketball - Lawson Invitational (consolation) North Platte vs. Trenton - 5:30 Lawson vs. Hamilton - 7:00Boys' basketball - Bill Burns Classic (pool play) Mid-Buchanan vs. N. Christian - 7:30Boys' basketball - Stanberry Invitational (consolation) Lafayette JV vs. Worth County - 6:00You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

KFEQ/St. Joseph Post area high school scoreboard - January 12, 2021

It was an 8-0 run in the first two minutes. Then a 14-0 one in the first 4:13.&nbsp;

Suddenly, Benton (6-3) is ahead 25-5 after the first quarter.

"In this era of 'we're the only ones in the gym,' you have to create the energy," Cardinals coach Gary Belcher said. "You're thinking 'we have a home game,' but you look around and it's not the normal student body. It's not the normal crowd. So, you have to kind of create that (energy), and getting off to the start we did...everyone contributed tonight which is a positive."

The Cardinals coasted on their early surge and rolled in a 79-21 takedown of Northeast (KC) on Tuesday evening at the third annual Cardinal Classic hosted by Benton High School.

The win was Benton's fourth straight and the 79 points are a new season-high.

Sophomore Denver Domann scored the game's first six points and had 10 in the first half alone. But, junior Allan Coy hit a three-pointer in the second quarter.

And then another one, and another and by the end of the night, he buried six shots from long range to end up with a game-high 27 points.

"(My teammates) hit me when I was open and I just kept shooting," Coy said. "We just kept hitting the open man and hitting the guys that had the best shot."

All 11 of Coach Belcher's players saw significant minutes Tuesday, and eight of them got a tally in the score column.

"We've had a lot of close games this year," Coach Belcher said. "Our three losses were pretty much one-possession games. So, to get that sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth player on the bench a lot of minutes and involved, they work hard in practice, too. To see the starters relish and enjoy watching those guys have success, that's special too."

Benton will next play either Hogan Prep or Metro Academy, who tipped off around 8:30 p.m. Tuesday night. The semifinal will be Thursday night at 7 p.m.

Benton has already beat Hogan Prep, 53-44, on Dec. 5 in the Savannah tournament. Metro meanwhile beat Benton in last year's Cardinal Classic, 58-49.

Benton 79 - 25, 21, 26, 7 Northeast KC 21 - 5, 7, 2, 7

Benton scorers - Allan Coy - 27, Kason Mauzey - 17, Denver Domann - 12, Noah Roseberry - 8, Carson Newlon - 6, Kamren Caine - 4, Adrian Byrd -4, Trey Mull - 1

Northeast KC scorers - Nico Bateman - 10, Malcolm Cook - 6, Michael McMillian - 3 Ariath Kon - 2

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1610508989819.jpeg" alt="Allan Coy (right) looks on as Kason Mauzey (30) shoots a free throw in the second half of Benton's 79-21 win over Northeast KC Tuesday night at the Cardinal Classic. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Allan Coy (right) looks on as Kason Mauzey (30) shoots a free throw in the second half of Benton's 79-21 win over Northeast KC Tuesday night at the Cardinal Classic. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostIt was an 8-0 run in the first two minutes. Then a 14-0 one in the first 4:13.&nbsp;Suddenly, Benton (6-3) is ahead 25-5 after the first quarter."In this era of 'we're the only ones in the gym,' you have to create the energy," Cardinals coach Gary Belcher said. "You're thinking 'we have a home game,' but you look around and it's not the normal student body. It's not the normal crowd. So, you have to kind of create that (energy), and getting off to the start we did...everyone contributed tonight which is a positive."The Cardinals coasted on their early surge and rolled in a 79-21 takedown of Northeast (KC) on Tuesday evening at the third annual Cardinal Classic hosted by Benton High School.The win was Benton's fourth straight and the 79 points are a new season-high.Sophomore Denver Domann scored the game's first six points and had 10 in the first half alone. But, junior Allan Coy hit a three-pointer in the second quarter.And then another one, and another and by the end of the night, he buried six shots from long range to end up with a game-high 27 points."(My teammates) hit me when I was open and I just kept shooting," Coy said. "We just kept hitting the open man and hitting the guys that had the best shot."All 11 of Coach Belcher's players saw significant minutes Tuesday, and eight of them got a tally in the score column."We've had a lot of close games this year," Coach Belcher said. "Our three losses were pretty much one-possession games. So, to get that sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth player on the bench a lot of minutes and involved, they work hard in practice, too. To see the starters relish and enjoy watching those guys have success, that's special too."Benton will next play either Hogan Prep or Metro Academy, who tipped off around 8:30 p.m. Tuesday night. The semifinal will be Thursday night at 7 p.m.Benton has already beat Hogan Prep, 53-44, on Dec. 5 in the Savannah tournament. Metro meanwhile beat Benton in last year's Cardinal Classic, 58-49.Benton 79 - 25, 21, 26, 7 Northeast KC 21 - 5, 7, 2, 7Benton scorers - Allan Coy - 27, Kason Mauzey - 17, Denver Domann - 12, Noah Roseberry - 8, Carson Newlon - 6, Kamren Caine - 4, Adrian Byrd -4, Trey Mull - 1Northeast KC scorers - Nico Bateman - 10, Malcolm Cook - 6, Michael McMillian - 3 Ariath Kon - 2You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Benton jumps on Northeast KC early, cruises to win in Cardinal Classic Tuesday

Savannah watched a six-point, first quarter lead shrink to a one-point lead at halftime, and then suddenly, they were down seven with less than 2:30 to play.

Coach Nick Kemerling called timeout, knowing his boys had one more real shot at getting back in it.

"We used that (timeout) to calm them down," Kemerling said. "I thought we had done some dumb things. We had a couple of offensive fouls, we weren't keeping our composure."

Savannah (4-6) regained their composure and stormed back with a 9-0 run that ended with senior Wes Darnell draining a go-ahead, corner three with about three seconds remaining to give the Savages a 32-30 win over Oak Park on Tuesday at the Cardinal Classic at Benton High School in St. Joseph.

"Just saw an open shot," Darnell said after scoring a team-high 13 points, including seven in the fourth quarter. 

Kemerling admits - that last shot wasn't drawn up beforehand.

"Wes made a great play," Kemerling said. "(Quay) Jeter did a great job of getting us into that. Wes didn't have the game he wanted the first three quarters at all, but I think that's what makes him a great player. He didn't get down on myself. He had a great last 2-2.5 minutes, and it ended with that shot. And it was a contested shot."

The Savages scored 11 points in the first quarter, but only scored nine in the second and third quarters combined.

Oak Park (3-3) used a 19-9 run to take a 25-20 lead entering the fourth quarter and then went up seven, 30-23, with 2:28 left when Kemerling called timeout for Savannah.

The Savages also got a break at the foul line - from the other team. Oak Park was a dismal 7-of-20 from the charity stripe, including 1-of-8 over the final eight minutes.

With a team that has only three seniors, Kemerling believes Tuesday's game was an overall great learning experience.

"There's a lot of new kids on this roster that didn't play varsity last year," he said. "They're pretty tough kids. They compete and I do think they're improving every week."'

Savannah is onto something. They've won four of their last five games after an 0-5 start. The Savages will face St. Pius X (3-7) in Thursday's semifinal at 8:30 p.m.

"We have to string some good practices together," Kemerling said. "Mainly, they just have to play off each other. Darnell, Jeter and (Caden) Nigh, who's a senior but a new varsity player, those guys are doing a nice job o setting the tone for the younger kids. We just have to keep that up."

Savannah 32 - 11, 3, 6, 12 Oak Park 30 - 6, 7, 12, 5

Savannah scoring - Wes Darnell - 13, Quay Jeter - 11, Heisman LaFave - 3, Caden Nigh - 3 Ethan Dudeck - 2.

Oak Park scoring - Winston Allen - 17, Westin Hughes - 5, Cornelius Jones 4, Ethan Willmann - 3, Ty Clemens - 1.

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

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostSavannah watched a six-point, first quarter lead shrink to a one-point lead at halftime, and then suddenly, they were down seven with less than 2:30 to play.Coach Nick Kemerling called timeout, knowing his boys had one more real shot at getting back in it."We used that (timeout) to calm them down," Kemerling said. "I thought we had done some dumb things. We had a couple of offensive fouls, we weren't keeping our composure."Savannah (4-6) regained their composure and stormed back with a 9-0 run that ended with senior Wes Darnell draining a go-ahead, corner three with about three seconds remaining to give the Savages a 32-30 win over Oak Park on Tuesday at the Cardinal Classic at Benton High School in St. Joseph."Just saw an open shot," Darnell said after scoring a team-high 13 points, including seven in the fourth quarter. Took it, and luckily I made it."Kemerling admits - that last shot wasn't drawn up beforehand."Wes made a great play," Kemerling said. "(Quay) Jeter did a great job of getting us into that. Wes didn't have the game he wanted the first three quarters at all, but I think that's what makes him a great player. He didn't get down on myself. He had a great last 2-2.5 minutes, and it ended with that shot. And it was a contested shot."The Savages scored 11 points in the first quarter, but only scored nine in the second and third quarters combined.Oak Park (3-3) used a 19-9 run to take a 25-20 lead entering the fourth quarter and then went up seven, 30-23, with 2:28 left when Kemerling called timeout for Savannah.The Savages also got a break at the foul line - from the other team. Oak Park was a dismal 7-of-20 from the charity stripe, including 1-of-8 over the final eight minutes.With a team that has only three seniors, Kemerling believes Tuesday's game was an overall great learning experience."There's a lot of new kids on this roster that didn't play varsity last year," he said. "They're pretty tough kids. They compete and I do think they're improving every week."'Savannah is onto something. They've won four of their last five games after an 0-5 start. The Savages will face St. Pius X (3-7) in Thursday's semifinal at 8:30 p.m."We have to string some good practices together," Kemerling said. "Mainly, they just have to play off each other. Darnell, Jeter and (Caden) Nigh, who's a senior but a new varsity player, those guys are doing a nice job o setting the tone for the younger kids. We just have to keep that up."Savannah 32 - 11, 3, 6, 12 Oak Park 30 - 6, 7, 12, 5Savannah scoring - Wes Darnell - 13, Quay Jeter - 11, Heisman LaFave - 3, Caden Nigh - 3 Ethan Dudeck - 2.Oak Park scoring - Winston Allen - 17, Westin Hughes - 5, Cornelius Jones 4, Ethan Willmann - 3, Ty Clemens - 1.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1610507230464.jpeg" alt="Quay Jeter finished with 11 points in Tuesday's 32-30 win over Oak Park on Tuesday night at Benton High School. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Quay Jeter finished with 11 points in Tuesday's 32-30 win over Oak Park on Tuesday night at Benton High School. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>Follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Wes Darnell buries go-ahead three, Savannah edges Oak Park in Cardinal Classic

The Missouri Western men's basketball team (8-1) moved up six spots to No. 16 in the latest NABC Top 25 Coaches Poll released Tuesday. The Griffons move up in the rankings after a 70-61 win over Emporia State Thursday and a 75-67 triumph over No. 5 Washburn Saturday at the MWSU Fieldhouse.

The victory over the Ichabods was the program's first over a top-5 team since 2011. This is the highest ranking of the season for Missouri Western. They entered the poll at No. 19 on Dec. 15, and have stayed in the rankings ever since.

Elsewhere, Northwest Missouri State (6-1) drops to No. 3 after their loss to Washburn Thursday. The Ichabods (8-1) are now No. 8. Missouri Western is on the road this week, looking to extend their four-game winning streak.

The Griffons are at Nebraska-Kearney Thursday at 7:30 p.m. and then at Fort Hays State Saturday at 4:00 p.m..&nbsp; &nbsp;

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe Missouri Western men's basketball team (8-1) moved up six spots to No. 16 in the latest NABC Top 25 Coaches Poll released Tuesday. The Griffons move up in the rankings after a 70-61 win over Emporia State Thursday and a 75-67 triumph over No. 5 Washburn Saturday at the MWSU Fieldhouse. The victory over the Ichabods was the program's first over a top-5 team since 2011. This is the highest ranking of the season for Missouri Western. They entered the poll at No. 19 on Dec. 15, and have stayed in the rankings ever since.Elsewhere, Northwest Missouri State (6-1) drops to No. 3 after their loss to Washburn Thursday. The Ichabods (8-1) are now No. 8. Missouri Western is on the road this week, looking to extend their four-game winning streak. The Griffons are at Nebraska-Kearney Thursday at 7:30 p.m. and then at Fort Hays State Saturday at 4:00 p.m..&nbsp; &nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><a href="https://twitter.com/MWSUMBB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MWSUMBB</a> ⬆️6⃣ spots this week!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OurCity?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OurCity</a><a href="https://t.co/LviJvY7K25">https://t.co/LviJvY7K25</a>&mdash; Griffon Athletics (@gogriffons) <a href="https://twitter.com/gogriffons/status/1349083973188771846?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 12, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Missouri Western men's basketball up six spots, Northwest Missouri State falls to No. 3 in latest poll

Missouri Western head volleyball coach&nbsp;Marian Carbin&nbsp;has announced the Griffons 2021 spring schedule. This will be the first competition for MWSU volleyball since the fall of 2019. The NCAA canceled all Division II fall championships and the MIAA suspended competition earlier this season.

In November, the NCAA finalized plans to conduct a spring volleyball season in which institutions were permitted to schedule up to the NCAA maximum of 20 contests with outside competition. "We are excited to get back on the court and play a full slate of spring volleyball," Carbin said in a statement. "With 16 dates on the calendar and 18 opponents lined up for this spring and then looking ahead to a full schedule for the fall, it is destined to be an unforgettable year of volleyball in 2021!

"We are extremely grateful for the hard work of all the administrators on campus and at the MIAA that have made this a reality for our players, and we are eager to suit up and put all of their hard work to good use. Finally, and most importantly, I am thrilled for our players, especially our seniors, that they will have the opportunity to put all of their hard work over the past year on display! We have an amazing and talented group of young women, and I can't wait for Griffon Nation to see them in action again." Missouri Western will open its season on the road in Wichita on February 26th and 27th as they square off against Newman and Central Oklahoma. The Griffons have seven home dates on the schedule with the home opener set for March 3rd against Washburn. The MIAA Tournament will take place April 16-17 and each school will have eight matches that count toward the seeding of that tournament. MWSU will play home-and-home matches against Fort Hays State, Nebraska-Kearney, Northwest Missouri State and Washburn that will be count toward the seeding of the MIAA Tournament, and all other matches will be considered non-conference. MWSU 2021 SPRING VOLLEYBALL SCHEDULE Feb. 26 @ Newman Crossover (vs. Newman or UCO) TBD Feb. 27 @ Newman Crossover (vs. Newman or UCO) TBD Mar. 3 vs. Washburn* 5:00 Mar. 6 vs. Missouri Southern TBD Mar. 12 @ Fort Hays State* 5:00 Mar. 13 @ Nebraska-Kearney* 4:00 Mar. 17 @ Northwest Missouri State* 6:00 Mar. 19 @ Washburn* 6:00 Mar. 24 vs. Park 7:00 Mar. 27 @ Washburn Crossover (vs. Pittsburg State) 12:00 Mar. 27 @ Washburn Crossover (vs. Emporia State) 4:30 Apr. 3 vs. Northwest Missouri State* 2:00 Apr. 9 vs. Nebraska-Kearney* 6:00 Apr. 10 vs. Fort Hays State* 2:00 Apr. 16 MIAA Tournament TBD Apr. 17 MIAA Tournament TBD Apr. 22 @ Central Missouri 5:00 Apr. 24 vs. Central Missouri 2:00&nbsp;&nbsp;

GoGriffons.comMissouri Western head volleyball coach&nbsp;Marian Carbin&nbsp;has announced the Griffons 2021 spring schedule. This will be the first competition for MWSU volleyball since the fall of 2019. The NCAA canceled all Division II fall championships and the MIAA suspended competition earlier this season.In November, the NCAA finalized plans to conduct a spring volleyball season in which institutions were permitted to schedule up to the NCAA maximum of 20 contests with outside competition. "We are excited to get back on the court and play a full slate of spring volleyball," Carbin said in a statement. "With 16 dates on the calendar and 18 opponents lined up for this spring and then looking ahead to a full schedule for the fall, it is destined to be an unforgettable year of volleyball in 2021!"We are extremely grateful for the hard work of all the administrators on campus and at the MIAA that have made this a reality for our players, and we are eager to suit up and put all of their hard work to good use. Finally, and most importantly, I am thrilled for our players, especially our seniors, that they will have the opportunity to put all of their hard work over the past year on display! We have an amazing and talented group of young women, and I can't wait for Griffon Nation to see them in action again." Missouri Western will open its season on the road in Wichita on February 26th and 27th as they square off against Newman and Central Oklahoma. The Griffons have seven home dates on the schedule with the home opener set for March 3rd against Washburn. The MIAA Tournament will take place April 16-17 and each school will have eight matches that count toward the seeding of that tournament. MWSU will play home-and-home matches against Fort Hays State, Nebraska-Kearney, Northwest Missouri State and Washburn that will be count toward the seeding of the MIAA Tournament, and all other matches will be considered non-conference. MWSU 2021 SPRING VOLLEYBALL SCHEDULE Feb. 26 @ Newman Crossover (vs. Newman or UCO) TBD Feb. 27 @ Newman Crossover (vs. Newman or UCO) TBD Mar. 3 vs. Washburn* 5:00 Mar. 6 vs. Missouri Southern TBD Mar. 12 @ Fort Hays State* 5:00 Mar. 13 @ Nebraska-Kearney* 4:00 Mar. 17 @ Northwest Missouri State* 6:00 Mar. 19 @ Washburn* 6:00 Mar. 24 vs. Park 7:00 Mar. 27 @ Washburn Crossover (vs. Pittsburg State) 12:00 Mar. 27 @ Washburn Crossover (vs. Emporia State) 4:30 Apr. 3 vs. Northwest Missouri State* 2:00 Apr. 9 vs. Nebraska-Kearney* 6:00 Apr. 10 vs. Fort Hays State* 2:00 Apr. 16 MIAA Tournament TBD Apr. 17 MIAA Tournament TBD Apr. 22 @ Central Missouri 5:00 Apr. 24 vs. Central Missouri 2:00&nbsp;&nbsp;

Missouri Western releases spring 2021 volleyball schedule

It was a busy day across the KFEQ and St. Joseph Post coverage area Monday, with several high school basketball tournaments getting underway. Here's a recap of the action:

Stanberry Invitational No. 3 Albany 49 No. 6 North Andrew 44. <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/71fc37f3-66f0-4c89-829f-35d0eff470d6">Full coverage here</a>.&nbsp; No. 1 seed Platte Valley receives first-round bye.

Osborn Tournament Pattonsburg 57 Winston 51 Polo 86 Northland Christian 12 Union Star vs. Stewartsville-Osborn - missing

Kearney Classic Kearney 41 Lafayette 31

Lawson Invitational Hamilton 37 West Platte 32 North Platte 35 Trenton 23

Bill Burns Classic Cameron vs. Van Horn - missing

South Harrison Tournament Maysville 33 North Harrison 24 Princeton 36 Northeast Nodaway 21

Stanberry Invitational North Andrew 52 Lafayette JV 42 Stanberry 49 Albany 30. <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/2118778c-1280-4fdf-bef7-10c247d3bdea">Full coverage here.</a>

Fairfax Invite St. Joseph Christian 87 North Nodaway 20 -&nbsp;18 points for Carson Bowman. 15 for Caleb Carlson. Rock Port 69 Nodaway-Holt 42. East Atchison 67 West Nodaway 57 Falls City 56 South Holt 34

Lawson Invitational West Platte 83 Trenton 25

Bill Burns Classic Mid-Buchanan 58 Lathrop 44 Van Horn 79 Cameron 50

Osborn Invitational Polo 54 DeKalb 40 Stewartsville-Osborn vs. Union Star - missing

Stanberry Invitational Stanberry vs. Mound City - 4:30 King City vs. Worth County - 7:30

Lawson Invitational Lawson vs. Gallatin - 5:00

Fairfax Invitational East Atchison vs. West Nodaway - 4:30 Nodaway-Holt vs. St. Joseph Christian - 6:00 North Nodaway vs. Falls City - 7:30 South Holt vs. Rock Port - 9:00

Bill Burns Classic Mid-Buchanan vs. Lathrop - 7:30

Stanberry Invitational Worth County vs. Platte Valley - 6:00

Lawson Invitational Hamilton vs. Chillicothe - 7:30 Gallatin vs. Lawson - 7:00

Osborn Invitational Winston vs. Polo Pattonsburg vs. Union Star

Bill Burns Classic Cameron vs. University Academy - 6:00 N. Christian vs. Lathrop - 9:00

South Harrison Tournament Northeast Nodaway vs. Tri County - 6:00 North Harrison vs. Maysville - 9:00

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostIt was a busy day across the KFEQ and St. Joseph Post coverage area Monday, with several high school basketball tournaments getting underway. Here's a recap of the action:GIRLSStanberry Invitational No. 3 Albany 49 No. 6 North Andrew 44. <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/71fc37f3-66f0-4c89-829f-35d0eff470d6">Full coverage here</a>.&nbsp; No. 1 seed Platte Valley receives first-round bye.Osborn Tournament Pattonsburg 57 Winston 51 Polo 86 Northland Christian 12 Union Star vs. Stewartsville-Osborn - missingKearney Classic Kearney 41 Lafayette 31Lawson Invitational Hamilton 37 West Platte 32 North Platte 35 Trenton 23Bill Burns Classic Cameron vs. Van Horn - missingSouth Harrison Tournament Maysville 33 North Harrison 24 Princeton 36 Northeast Nodaway 21BOYSStanberry Invitational North Andrew 52 Lafayette JV 42 Stanberry 49 Albany 30. <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/2118778c-1280-4fdf-bef7-10c247d3bdea">Full coverage here.</a>Fairfax Invite St. Joseph Christian 87 North Nodaway 20 -&nbsp;18 points for Carson Bowman. 15 for Caleb Carlson. Rock Port 69 Nodaway-Holt 42. East Atchison 67 West Nodaway 57 Falls City 56 South Holt 34Lawson Invitational West Platte 83 Trenton 25Bill Burns Classic Mid-Buchanan 58 Lathrop 44 Van Horn 79 Cameron 50Osborn Invitational Polo 54 DeKalb 40 Stewartsville-Osborn vs. Union Star - missingTuesday schedule - GIRLSStanberry Invitational Stanberry vs. Mound City - 4:30 King City vs. Worth County - 7:30Lawson Invitational Lawson vs. Gallatin - 5:00Fairfax Invitational East Atchison vs. West Nodaway - 4:30 Nodaway-Holt vs. St. Joseph Christian - 6:00 North Nodaway vs. Falls City - 7:30 South Holt vs. Rock Port - 9:00Bill Burns Classic Mid-Buchanan vs. Lathrop - 7:30Tuesday schedule - BOYSStanberry Invitational Worth County vs. Platte Valley - 6:00 Lawson Invitational Hamilton vs. Chillicothe - 7:30 Gallatin vs. Lawson - 7:00Osborn Invitational Winston vs. Polo Pattonsburg vs. Union StarBill Burns Classic Cameron vs. University Academy - 6:00 N. Christian vs. Lathrop - 9:00South Harrison Tournament Northeast Nodaway vs. Tri County - 6:00 North Harrison vs. Maysville - 9:00You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

High school scoreboard - January 11, 2021

STANBERRY - There's no place like home. Even in these pandemic times, with limited crowds.

Playing on their home floor, No. 5 seed Stanberry (5-5) got off to a 10-2 start and never looked back in a 49-30 win over No. 4 seed Albany (3-4) on Monday night in the opening round of the Stanberry Invite, giving the Bulldogs their third straight win.

Junior Austin Schwebach got into a groove early with six first quarter points and ended up with a game-high 17.

"We came out pretty strong in the first quarter," Schwebach said. "At halftime, coach (Nick Groomer) gave us a pretty good pep talk and we came out fired up."

Up 33-21, Stanberry opened the fourth quarter on an 8-0 run to take their biggest lead of the night.

"I thought we played a good team and played well," Groomer said. "We got some energy (in the fourth quarter). It's kind of hard to do with a dead gym. They have to motivate themselves, and we've been working on that."

Tyler Schwebach contributed 11 points, while Collin Sager had eight and Landon Marticke six on a pair of made three-pointers.

The Bulldogs will now face No. 1 seed Mound City (9-0) on Thursday in the semifinal at 6 p.m. No. 8 seed King City is unable to play Tuesday night.

The Panthers, ranked No. 2 in the latest Class 1 poll, beat Stanberry on Dec. 21, 79-42. It was the Bulldogs' largest losing margin of the season, but they were without two starters in that matchup, including Austin Schwebach.

With Stanberry nearly at full strength once again, Groomer is hopeful that his team can have a better showing against one of the best teams in the region.

"Right now, we just need to rest," Groomer said. "We did lose one guy to injury last week, so right now, we're just trying to get in shape and what comes Thursday comes Thursday."

Stanberry 49 - 12, 9, 12, 16 Albany 30 - 4, 8, 9, 9

Stanberry scorers - Austin Schwebach - 17, Tyler Schwebach - 11, Collin Sager - 8, Landon Marticke - 6, Colby McQuinn - 3, Gavin Cameron 2.

Albany scorers - Tryce Floyd - 9, Kaeden Hutchinson - 7, Kemper Cline - 5, Timmy Poppa - 3, Cade Newman -&nbsp; 2, Jordan Poppa - 2, Brett Williams 2.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1610428015026.jpeg" alt="Albany's Kaeden Hutchinson (10) brings the ball up the floor in the second half, as the Warriors fell to Stanberry 49-30 on Monday night in the Stanberry Invite. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Albany's Kaeden Hutchinson (10) brings the ball up the floor in the second half, as the Warriors fell to Stanberry 49-30 on Monday night in the Stanberry Invite. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostSTANBERRY - There's no place like home. Even in these pandemic times, with limited crowds.Playing on their home floor, No. 5 seed Stanberry (5-5) got off to a 10-2 start and never looked back in a 49-30 win over No. 4 seed Albany (3-4) on Monday night in the opening round of the Stanberry Invite, giving the Bulldogs their third straight win.Junior Austin Schwebach got into a groove early with six first quarter points and ended up with a game-high 17."We came out pretty strong in the first quarter," Schwebach said. "At halftime, coach (Nick Groomer) gave us a pretty good pep talk and we came out fired up."Up 33-21, Stanberry opened the fourth quarter on an 8-0 run to take their biggest lead of the night."I thought we played a good team and played well," Groomer said. "We got some energy (in the fourth quarter). It's kind of hard to do with a dead gym. They have to motivate themselves, and we've been working on that."Tyler Schwebach contributed 11 points, while Collin Sager had eight and Landon Marticke six on a pair of made three-pointers.The Bulldogs will now face No. 1 seed Mound City (9-0) on Thursday in the semifinal at 6 p.m. No. 8 seed King City is unable to play Tuesday night.The Panthers, ranked No. 2 in the latest Class 1 poll, beat Stanberry on Dec. 21, 79-42. It was the Bulldogs' largest losing margin of the season, but they were without two starters in that matchup, including Austin Schwebach.With Stanberry nearly at full strength once again, Groomer is hopeful that his team can have a better showing against one of the best teams in the region."Right now, we just need to rest," Groomer said. "We did lose one guy to injury last week, so right now, we're just trying to get in shape and what comes Thursday comes Thursday."Stanberry 49 - 12, 9, 12, 16 Albany 30 - 4, 8, 9, 9Stanberry scorers - Austin Schwebach - 17, Tyler Schwebach - 11, Collin Sager - 8, Landon Marticke - 6, Colby McQuinn - 3, Gavin Cameron 2.Albany scorers - Tryce Floyd - 9, Kaeden Hutchinson - 7, Kemper Cline - 5, Timmy Poppa - 3, Cade Newman -&nbsp; 2, Jordan Poppa - 2, Brett Williams 2.Follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Austin, Tyler Schwebach combine for 28 points, Stanberry rolls Albany Monday

STANBERRY - No. 3 seed Albany (6-2) got off to an 11-6 start in the first quarter, and never lost the lead the rest of the way, as the Warriors topped North Andrew, 49-44, in the first round of the 47th Stanberry Invitational Monday.

North Andrew (1-5) hung tough throughout, trailing only 23-19 at halftime, but the Warriors created some separation thanks to senior Gabby Newman.

After getting elbowed in the face and sitting out a couple of minutes in the third quarter, Newman came back in and nailed a three-pointer to put her team back up two possessions.

"I think it got us back in the game," Newman said. "They got a couple of steals and a layup when I was on the bench. Once I hit that (three), we kind of got the momentum back and that helped us moving forward."

Newman finished with a team-high 20 points, including eight in that third quarter. Fellow seniors Sierra Anthony scored 11, while Kayce Messner added nine.

North Andrew didn't go away, despite being down seven to enter the fourth. The Cardinals scored 15 points in the final period, but Albany was in the bonus with 7:29 to play and then the double bonus with 2:39 left.

Albany was able to make 10-of-16 free throw attempts in the fourth quarter to survive and advance.

"I thought we did a better of job of lifting our heads up (in the second half)," Albany head coach Brooke Crawford said. "We just kind of went out and got the job done. I was proud of them."

Senior Alaina Officer led North Andrew in scoring with a game-high 21 points, including the Cardinals' only made three-pointer in the second quarter. Sophomore Riley Walker scored 10. Senior Carlie Grace had six.

Albany now awaits the winner of No. 2 Stanberry and No. 7 Mound City, who square off on Tuesday afternoon at 4:30.

"We just have to get the ball in our hands again," Crawford said. "It doesn't matter who the opponent is, we just have to mentally prepare for a tough game on Thursday."

Albany 49 - 11, 12, 13, 13 North Andrew 44 - 6, 13, 10, 15

Albany scorers - Gabby Newman - 20, Sierra Anthony 11, Kayce Messner - 9, Michaela Martin - 7, Cory Worrell - 2.

North Andrew scorers - Alaina Officer - 21, Riley Walker - 10, Carlie Grace - 6, Madison Ecker - 4, Regan Walker - 2, Makenna Goldizen - 2.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1610426171828.jpeg" alt="Albany girls' basketball coach Brooke Crawford talks to her team during a timeout in Mondays' 49-44 win over North Andrew in the Stanberry Invitational. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Albany girls' basketball coach Brooke Crawford talks to her team during a timeout in Mondays' 49-44 win over North Andrew in the Stanberry Invitational. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostSTANBERRY - No. 3 seed Albany (6-2) got off to an 11-6 start in the first quarter, and never lost the lead the rest of the way, as the Warriors topped North Andrew, 49-44, in the first round of the 47th Stanberry Invitational Monday.North Andrew (1-5) hung tough throughout, trailing only 23-19 at halftime, but the Warriors created some separation thanks to senior Gabby Newman.After getting elbowed in the face and sitting out a couple of minutes in the third quarter, Newman came back in and nailed a three-pointer to put her team back up two possessions."I think it got us back in the game," Newman said. "They got a couple of steals and a layup when I was on the bench. Once I hit that (three), we kind of got the momentum back and that helped us moving forward."Newman finished with a team-high 20 points, including eight in that third quarter. Fellow seniors Sierra Anthony scored 11, while Kayce Messner added nine.North Andrew didn't go away, despite being down seven to enter the fourth. The Cardinals scored 15 points in the final period, but Albany was in the bonus with 7:29 to play and then the double bonus with 2:39 left.Albany was able to make 10-of-16 free throw attempts in the fourth quarter to survive and advance."I thought we did a better of job of lifting our heads up (in the second half)," Albany head coach Brooke Crawford said. "We just kind of went out and got the job done. I was proud of them."Senior Alaina Officer led North Andrew in scoring with a game-high 21 points, including the Cardinals' only made three-pointer in the second quarter. Sophomore Riley Walker scored 10. Senior Carlie Grace had six.Albany now awaits the winner of No. 2 Stanberry and No. 7 Mound City, who square off on Tuesday afternoon at 4:30."We just have to get the ball in our hands again," Crawford said. "It doesn't matter who the opponent is, we just have to mentally prepare for a tough game on Thursday."Albany 49 - 11, 12, 13, 13 North Andrew 44 - 6, 13, 10, 15Albany scorers - Gabby Newman - 20, Sierra Anthony 11, Kayce Messner - 9, Michaela Martin - 7, Cory Worrell - 2.North Andrew scorers - Alaina Officer - 21, Riley Walker - 10, Carlie Grace - 6, Madison Ecker - 4, Regan Walker - 2, Makenna Goldizen - 2.Follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Albany girls make enough free throws, fend off North Andrew in Stanberry Invite Monday

It's tournament week across northwest Missouri! Many boys' and girls' basketball teams in the KFEQ and St. Joseph Post coverage area are playing in tournaments across the region this week.

Here are the teams and brackets that we'll be following:

Stanberry Invitational - Girls

27th annual Lawson Invitational - Girls

27th annual Lawson Invitational - Boys

Osborn Invitational Basketball Tournament - Girls

Osborn Invitational Basketball Tournament - Boys

89th annual Fairfax Basketball tournament - girls

89th annual Fairfax Basketball tournament - boys

Bill Burns Classic @ Lathrop - Girls

Bill Burns Classic @ Lathrop - Boys

St. Joseph Post will be attending games and posting daily scores and tournament updates.

On Monday, we'll be at Stanberry, covering No. 3 Albany vs. No. 6 North Andrew (girls) and No. 4 Albany vs. No. 5 Stanberry (boys).

Tuesday, we'll be at the Fairfax girls' tournament, covering No. 4 Nodaway Holt vs. No. 5 St. Joseph Christian, No. 2 North Nodaway vs. No. 7 Falls City and No. 3 South Holt vs. No. 6 Rock Port.

Wednesday night, we'll cover the Faifax boys' semifinals at 7:30 and 9 p.m.

In all likelihood, St. Joseph Post and KFEQ will cover the Stanberry championships on Saturday (not broadcasting), since every team in both the boys' and girls' brackets are in the coverage area, but we'll see how the week shakes out.

You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ.

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostIt's tournament week across northwest Missouri! Many boys' and girls' basketball teams in the KFEQ and St. Joseph Post coverage area are playing in tournaments across the region this week.Here are the teams and brackets that we'll be following:Stanberry Invitational - Girls <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1610313549620.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Stanberry Invitational - Boys <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1610313583736.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>27th annual Lawson Invitational - Girls<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1610313631776.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>27th annual Lawson Invitational - Boys<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1610313663037.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Osborn Invitational Basketball Tournament - Girls<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1610313699226.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Osborn Invitational Basketball Tournament - Boys<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1610313733265.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>89th annual Fairfax Basketball tournament - girls<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1610313790526.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>89th annual Fairfax Basketball tournament - boys<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1610313815697.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Bill Burns Classic @ Lathrop - Girls<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1610313859639.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Bill Burns Classic @ Lathrop - Boys<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1610313883651.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>St. Joseph Post will be attending games and posting daily scores and tournament updates.On Monday, we'll be at Stanberry, covering No. 3 Albany vs. No. 6 North Andrew (girls) and No. 4 Albany vs. No. 5 Stanberry (boys).Tuesday, we'll be at the Fairfax girls' tournament, covering No. 4 Nodaway Holt vs. No. 5 St. Joseph Christian, No. 2 North Nodaway vs. No. 7 Falls City and No. 3 South Holt vs. No. 6 Rock Port.Wednesday night, we'll cover the Faifax boys' semifinals at 7:30 and 9 p.m.In all likelihood, St. Joseph Post and KFEQ will cover the Stanberry championships on Saturday (not broadcasting), since every team in both the boys' and girls' brackets are in the coverage area, but we'll see how the week shakes out.Check back for daily updates.You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ.

Tournament week - basketball tournaments in the KFEQ/St. Joseph Post area

The Kansas City Chiefs (14-2) now know their playoff opponent.

Kansas City, the No. 1 seed, will host No. 6 seed Cleveland (12-5) at Arrowhead Stadium in an AFC divisional playoff game on Sunday, Jan. 17 at 2:05 p.m. central. The game will be televised by CBS.

It can also be heard on 680 AM/107.9 and 95.3 FM, KFEQ and 92.7 FM KSJQ (Q Country) in St. Joseph.

The winner gets a spot in the AFC championship game on Jan. 24.

The Browns upset AFC East rival and No. 2 seed Pittsburgh, 48-37, on Sunday night at Heinz Field after jumping out to a 28-0 lead in the first quarter and forcing five Steeler turnovers.

Sunday's result marks Cleveland's first playoff win since 1994. The Browns are in the playoffs this season for the first time since 2002.

Cleveland wasn't able to practice this past week until Friday due to a COVID-19 outbreak that sidelined several players and staff, including head coach Kevin Stefanski and Pro Bowl guard Joel Bitonio.

Stefanski will be back on the sidelines next Sunday for the Browns, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Kansas City, who was idle this weekend with a first-round bye, has had the No. 1 seed locked up in the AFC bracket since Dec. 27, 2020, after their 17-14 win over the Atlanta Falcons in week 16.

As the No. 1 seed, the Chiefs are rewarded both home field advantage and a matchup with the lowest seeded team to make it out of the wildcard round.

The Chiefs rested nearly all of their starters in week 17, resulting in an overall <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/b43f8416-cffe-47bb-8258-f5edb466c735">meaningless 38-21 loss</a> to the L.A. Chargers last weekend.

The Chiefs and Browns haven't played in over two years. The last matchup resulted in a 37-21 win for Kansas City on Nov. 4, 2018 in Cleveland.

The Chiefs lead the all-time series with the Browns 13-11-2, and have won four of the last five meetings dating back to 2010.

Cleveland hasn't beaten Kansas City since Dec. 9, 2012 - a 30-7 trouncing at FirstEnergy Stadium.

The Browns and Chiefs have never met in the postseason before.

AFC: Baltimore 20 Tennessee 13 Buffalo 27 Indianapolis 24

NFC: New Orleans 21 Chicago 9 Los Angeles Rams 30 Seattle 20 Tampa Bay 31 Washington 23

AFC: Cleveland @ Kansas City - Sunday, Jan. 17 at 2:05 p.m. CT (CBS). Baltimore @ Buffalo - Saturday, Jan. 16 at 7:16 p.m. CT (NBC).

NFC: Los Angeles @ Green Bay - Saturday, Jan. 16 at 3:35 p.m. CT (FOX). Tampa Bay @ New Orleans -Sunday, Jan. 17 at 5:40 p.m. CT (FOX).

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe Kansas City Chiefs (14-2) now know their playoff opponent.Kansas City, the No. 1 seed, will host No. 6 seed Cleveland (12-5) at Arrowhead Stadium in an AFC divisional playoff game on Sunday, Jan. 17 at 2:05 p.m. central. The game will be televised by CBS.It can also be heard on 680 AM/107.9 and 95.3 FM, KFEQ and 92.7 FM KSJQ (Q Country) in St. Joseph.The winner gets a spot in the AFC championship game on Jan. 24.The Browns upset AFC East rival and No. 2 seed Pittsburgh, 48-37, on Sunday night at Heinz Field after jumping out to a 28-0 lead in the first quarter and forcing five Steeler turnovers.Sunday's result marks Cleveland's first playoff win since 1994. The Browns are in the playoffs this season for the first time since 2002.Cleveland wasn't able to practice this past week until Friday due to a COVID-19 outbreak that sidelined several players and staff, including head coach Kevin Stefanski and Pro Bowl guard Joel Bitonio.Stefanski will be back on the sidelines next Sunday for the Browns, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.Kansas City, who was idle this weekend with a first-round bye, has had the No. 1 seed locked up in the AFC bracket since Dec. 27, 2020, after their 17-14 win over the Atlanta Falcons in week 16.As the No. 1 seed, the Chiefs are rewarded both home field advantage and a matchup with the lowest seeded team to make it out of the wildcard round.The Chiefs rested nearly all of their starters in week 17, resulting in an overall <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/b43f8416-cffe-47bb-8258-f5edb466c735">meaningless 38-21 loss</a> to the L.A. Chargers last weekend.The Chiefs and Browns haven't played in over two years. The last matchup resulted in a 37-21 win for Kansas City on Nov. 4, 2018 in Cleveland.The Chiefs lead the all-time series with the Browns 13-11-2, and have won four of the last five meetings dating back to 2010.Cleveland hasn't beaten Kansas City since Dec. 9, 2012 - a 30-7 trouncing at FirstEnergy Stadium.The Browns and Chiefs have never met in the postseason before.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">The Browns are coming to Arrowhead. <a href="https://t.co/2xmivxDWIq">pic.twitter.com/2xmivxDWIq</a>&mdash; Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) <a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs/status/1348489760596258817?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>Other wildcard scoresAFC: Baltimore 20 Tennessee 13 Buffalo 27 Indianapolis 24NFC: New Orleans 21 Chicago 9 Los Angeles Rams 30 Seattle 20 Tampa Bay 31 Washington 23Divisional round scheduleAFC: Cleveland @ Kansas City - Sunday, Jan. 17 at 2:05 p.m. CT (CBS). Baltimore @ Buffalo - Saturday, Jan. 16 at 7:16 p.m. CT (NBC).NFC: Los Angeles @ Green Bay - Saturday, Jan. 16 at 3:35 p.m. CT (FOX). Tampa Bay @ New Orleans -Sunday, Jan. 17 at 5:40 p.m. CT (FOX).Follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Chiefs to host Browns in AFC divisional playoff game Sunday

Fred Rogers once said, "Love is at the root of everything. All learning...all relationships...love, or the lack of it."

Some may be wondering - why is No. 22 Missouri Western (8-1) so good all of a sudden? What's the key to this best start in two decades? What's the key to this story? This run? This latest win?

"What you see is a group of guys who love each other," Griffons coach Will Martin said in the midst of his first season. "It's real. If you come to a practice or a game, you see it and feel it.

"It makes me so proud, because I get texts from D-I coaches and even NBA coaches I know, and all they want to talk about when they see our guys play, even if it's just on a live stream, they say, 'It looks like your guys just care about each other and love each other.' And that wins. It does. That's our competitive advantage."

The Griffons, through a game dogged by fouls and a faulty shot clock, used that competitive advantage in a historic 74-67 win over No. 5 Washburn (8-1) Saturday night in a raucous MWSU Fieldhouse.

"I feel like we had a pretty nice crowd (Saturday) to be honest," junior Tyrell Carroll said. "There were more people watching today than there were my freshman year. But, we focused on bringing our own energy, so we just try and feed off of each other."

Yes, the season is only nine games in, but it's hard to understate the significance of a win like the one Missouri Western just experienced.

The first ranked men's matchup in the MWSU Fieldhouse since 2002. The first ranked men’s matchup between the Griffons and Ichabods since 1995 and the first win over a top five team for the Griffon men since 2011.

"I feel like it was a huge win for us," Carroll said. "I feel like it really got over this hump we've been trying to get over. From being a good team to becoming a great team."

Missouri Western, for now, also takes over first place in the MIAA Conference standings.

"I think you're seeing us transform from good to great," Martin said, expanding on Carroll's point. "We're finding ways to win, regardless of circumstances. We're somewhere in between good and great. We're going to have to keep finding ways to win like we did tonight.

"For our team to go from where we are to where we want to be, which is not just top of the pack nine games in, but consistently being a team to be reckoned with in this league, in this region and in the country, we have to stay locked into the process."

Both teams got off to a sluggish start, starting a combined 0-of-4 from the field. In the first five minutes, they shot a combined 4-of-17.

The game then hit an interesting snag at the 13:39 mark of the first half, as the shot and game clock went out on the Washburn goal. Several staff members took the basket down to inspect it and troubleshoot the problem.

The delay went on for about 12 or so minutes before the officials resumed play with just one working shot clock.

The scoring heated up after that, particularly for the Griffons, who went on a 7-0 run late in the half to grab a nine-point advantage and eventually take a 40-32 lead into the locker room.

With the shot clocks now working on both ends, the Ichabods opened the second half on a 5-0 run, but the Griffons maintained the lead.

Fouls started stacking up for both teams, as both the Griffons and the Ichabods got into the bonus with 13:05 left. There were a combined 17 fouls in the first ten minutes of the second half, bringing the game to a grinding halt.

Carroll and Tyree Martin spend a decent portion of the second half on the bench with four fouls each.

With two starters in foul trouble, including the leading scorer, Martin turned to his staff to determine how to handle the situation.

“I completely let them manage (Martin's) minutes once he got four fouls," Martin said of his staff. "I was so locked into the game. I said, Tim (Pete), Ty (Danielson), you got it. They did an unbelievable job. They put (Carroll) in the exact right moments for us, and he was a spark plug. Then, they got him out, so he wouldn't get his fifth (foul). It says so much about my staff and the maturity of those guys."

Carroll was indeed a spark plug, scoring 13 points and grabbing four rebounds and two steals.

With Carroll limited and Missouri Western's offense struggling , Washburn took a 51-49 lead with 10:15 to play, going on a 19-9 run.

Missouri Western missed their first seven three-point attempts of the second half, and made only two of their first 17 shots attempted in the second half.

An Alex John dunk, though, tied things up at 51, and started an eventual 16-1 run for MWSU.

Carroll reentered the game with around eight minutes left and made an immediate impact, making two layups and a free throw to put the Griffons up 57-51 with 7:15 to play.

Missouri Western seized on their first taste of momentum in the second half, as Reese Glover and Will Eames each drained clutch three-pointers to put the Griffons up 65-52 with 3:21 to play.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1610260423824.jpeg" alt="Missouri Western junior Q Mays rings the victory bell after the Griffons' 74-67 over No. 5 Washburn on Saturday night. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Missouri Western junior Q Mays rings the victory bell after the Griffons' 74-67 over No. 5 Washburn on Saturday night. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph Post&nbsp;Fred Rogers once said, "Love is at the root of everything. All learning...all relationships...love, or the lack of it."Some may be wondering - why is No. 22 Missouri Western (8-1) so good all of a sudden? What's the key to this best start in two decades? What's the key to this story? This run? This latest win?"What you see is a group of guys who love each other," Griffons coach Will Martin said in the midst of his first season. "It's real. If you come to a practice or a game, you see it and feel it."It makes me so proud, because I get texts from D-I coaches and even NBA coaches I know, and all they want to talk about when they see our guys play, even if it's just on a live stream, they say, 'It looks like your guys just care about each other and love each other.' And that wins. It does. That's our competitive advantage."The Griffons, through a game dogged by fouls and a faulty shot clock, used that competitive advantage in a historic 74-67 win over No. 5 Washburn (8-1) Saturday night in a raucous MWSU Fieldhouse.Raucous, at least, by COVID standards."I feel like we had a pretty nice crowd (Saturday) to be honest," junior Tyrell Carroll said. "There were more people watching today than there were my freshman year. But, we focused on bringing our own energy, so we just try and feed off of each other."Yes, the season is only nine games in, but it's hard to understate the significance of a win like the one Missouri Western just experienced.The first ranked men's matchup in the MWSU Fieldhouse since 2002. The first ranked men’s matchup between the Griffons and Ichabods since 1995 and the first win over a top five team for the Griffon men since 2011."I feel like it was a huge win for us," Carroll said. "I feel like it really got over this hump we've been trying to get over. From being a good team to becoming a great team." Missouri Western, for now, also takes over first place in the MIAA Conference standings."I think you're seeing us transform from good to great," Martin said, expanding on Carroll's point. "We're finding ways to win, regardless of circumstances. We're somewhere in between good and great. We're going to have to keep finding ways to win like we did tonight. "For our team to go from where we are to where we want to be, which is not just top of the pack nine games in, but consistently being a team to be reckoned with in this league, in this region and in the country, we have to stay locked into the process."Both teams got off to a sluggish start, starting a combined 0-of-4 from the field. In the first five minutes, they shot a combined 4-of-17.The game then hit an interesting snag at the 13:39 mark of the first half, as the shot and game clock went out on the Washburn goal. Several staff members took the basket down to inspect it and troubleshoot the problem.The delay went on for about 12 or so minutes before the officials resumed play with just one working shot clock.The scoring heated up after that, particularly for the Griffons, who went on a 7-0 run late in the half to grab a nine-point advantage and eventually take a 40-32 lead into the locker room.With the shot clocks now working on both ends, the Ichabods opened the second half on a 5-0 run, but the Griffons maintained the lead.Fouls started stacking up for both teams, as both the Griffons and the Ichabods got into the bonus with 13:05 left. There were a combined 17 fouls in the first ten minutes of the second half, bringing the game to a grinding halt.Carroll and Tyree Martin spend a decent portion of the second half on the bench with four fouls each.With two starters in foul trouble, including the leading scorer, Martin turned to his staff to determine how to handle the situation.“I completely let them manage (Martin's) minutes once he got four fouls," Martin said of his staff. "I was so locked into the game. I said, Tim (Pete), Ty (Danielson), you got it. They did an unbelievable job. They put (Carroll) in the exact right moments for us, and he was a spark plug. Then, they got him out, so he wouldn't get his fifth (foul). It says so much about my staff and the maturity of those guys."Carroll was indeed a spark plug, scoring 13 points and grabbing four rebounds and two steals.With Carroll limited and Missouri Western's offense struggling , Washburn took a 51-49 lead with 10:15 to play, going on a 19-9 run.Missouri Western missed their first seven three-point attempts of the second half, and made only two of their first 17 shots attempted in the second half.An Alex John dunk, though, tied things up at 51, and started an eventual 16-1 run for MWSU.Carroll reentered the game with around eight minutes left and made an immediate impact, making two layups and a free throw to put the Griffons up 57-51 with 7:15 to play.They wouldn't lose the lead again.Missouri Western seized on their first taste of momentum in the second half, as Reese Glover and Will Eames each drained clutch three-pointers to put the Griffons up 65-52 with 3:21 to play.Glover finished with 15 points, including a 4-of-9 effort from three. Eames dropped his fifth double-double of the season with 12 points and 12 rebounds.Momentum on Saturday came in spurts for Missouri Western, as Washburn closed the gap, thanks to a pair of questionable technical foul calls against the Griffons.One on Eames and another on Carroll. They each fouled out after being called for those.Fouls hindered both teams and frankly, the game itself. 47 whistles on the entire night, including 30 in the second half.The Ichabods got back to within five, 65-60, with 1:37 to play.But, Missouri Western capitalized on their late free throw opportunities, going 9-for-10 on their final five trips to the line.Q Mays knocked down eight of those nine makes, and finished with a team-high 17 points, including an 11-of-12 effort from the charity stripe.“I just got in the gym more," Mays said of his free throws. "My teammates believed in me and pushed me. They told me, 'Come on, Q. Let's do it.' We just did it."Women's gameThe Missouri Western women, playing for the first time in three weeks, couldn't overcome an early 16-point deficit as they lost to Washburn Saturday, 61-49, at the&nbsp; Fieldhouse.&nbsp; The Griffons have now lost five straight games and fall to 2-6 this season. Washburn raced out to an 18-2 lead to start the game, making&nbsp;seven of their first nine shots.&nbsp; The Griffons used a 15-4 run to bridge the first and second quarters and pulled to within 30-24 at halftime.&nbsp;&nbsp; MWSU opened the second half with a basket to cut the lead to 30-26, but that was as close the Griffons would get. Washburn led 46-39 after three quarters and used a 12-3 run to pull away. Logan Hughes&nbsp;and&nbsp;Brionna Budgetts&nbsp;led Missouri Western with 10 points each, while&nbsp;Miranda Stephens&nbsp;added seven.&nbsp; MWSU forced 21 Washburn turnovers, but only scored 10 points off of those turnovers.&nbsp; The Griffons also shot just 31.7% percent (19-60) from the field.The Missouri Western men and women are on the road Thursday as they travel to Nebraska-Kearney. The women tip off at 5:30 p.m. with the men to follow.&nbsp;&nbsp;Follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">FINAL: #22 Missouri Western 74 (8-1) #5 Washburn 67 (8-1) Griffons are the new #1 in <a href="https://twitter.com/TheMIAA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheMIAA</a>! <a href="https://t.co/V4ey3Y8cvj">pic.twitter.com/V4ey3Y8cvj</a>&mdash; Tommy Rezac (@TommyKFEQ) <a href="https://twitter.com/TommyKFEQ/status/1348113998244433921?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2021</a></blockquote>
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