Lafayette sophomore Jazlyn King was feeling confident early in Wednesday's game against Excelsior Springs.

She scored eight points in the first quarter and played tight on-ball defense from the first whistle.

But King's tenacity got her three personal fouls by the early second quarter.

"Jaz is a gamer," Lafayette girls' coach Brad Spinner said. "She's gonna give it her all, and sometimes, that gets her in (foul) trouble. And it did get her into foul trouble in the first half. She got over-aggressive with her boxout.

"I told her to stay away from the fourth (foul), and you're going to be in there for a long time."

King didn't commit a single foul in the second half and scored a team-high 12 points as Lafayette (6-5) took down Excelsior Springs, 46-27, on Wednesday night at Lafayette High School.

After 21 first-quarter points, Lafayette mustered only four with King on the bench.

"(Jazlyn) is kind of a floor general," Spinner said. "We need her. She kind of gets us set up. When she goes out, we get a little hectic. The speed of the game gets a little hectic. She does a great job of being kind of a calming influence. She was able to stay away from a fourth foul, and that was huge for us to extend that lead going into the fourth."

King says she was cognizant of getting fouled again, but she didn't want to let off the gas all that much.

"You have to play a little scared (in foul trouble)," she said, "but much. I mean, you can't give up, because if you do, they're going to come back and roll. It was hard, but I've been in that situation before and it helped me understand what I need to do to calm down and control myself."

The Irish certainly controlled themselves on defense, forcing 14 turnovers and four charge calls. They also limited the Tigers (6-7) to just 12 second-half points and just 16 points over the final three quarters combined.

That, and Excelsior Spring's free throw struggles (10-of-27) helped Lafayette maintain a lead throughout.

Defense, Spinner says, has been the key in Lafayette's three-game winning streak, as the Irish came off of wins over Raytown South and Southeast KC last week at the Kearney Invitational.

"We're buying into the defensive side a little more," Spinner pointed out. "These last three games, we've done a great job of buying into the defensive game plan and executing it pretty well.

"For example, Katie Koelzer. We ask her to stay and help on drives and wall up. She got into foul trouble in the first half, but was able to turn around and do a fantastic job in the second half of staying straight up, affecting shots, getting rebounds and blocks."

Offensively in the second half, freshman Talicia Byrd had some strong baseline drives and scored four of her 10 points in the final quarter to help the Irish put on the finishing touches.&nbsp;

"One thing I don't have to teach Talicia is scoring," Spinner said. "She knows how to score the basketball. Taking the ball to the basket and pulling up and shooting those little floaters in the middle of the lane, she's a natural scorer."

Lafayette now has perhaps its toughest test of the season thus far with a Thursday night trip to Lawson (10-4).&nbsp;

"They have size and they're a winning program," Spinner said. "(Coach Lisa Glenn) does a great job with that group of girls. That program has a history of winning. It's always going to be a difficult task. But, if we can stay within ourselves and not get rushed and not get sped up, I think we have a chance and maybe coming out on the winning side."

Lafayette 46 - 21, 4, 10, 11 Excelsior Springs 27 - 11, 4, 7, 5

Lafayette scorers - Jazlyn King - 12, Talicia Byrd - 10, Ellie Wattenbarger - 8, Harlea Tarr - 5, Katie Koezler - 4, Darcy Bowlin - 2, Kendyal Bennett - 2.

Excelsior Springs scorers - Mallory Millsap - 12, Rylie Stottlemyre - 6, Lillian Mawby - 3, Mayce Barber - 3, Kyli Crowley - 2, Baylee O'Dell - 1

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611199451388.jpeg" alt="Jazlyn King goes up for a layup in the first half of Wednesday's 46-27 win over Excelsior Springs at Lafayette High School. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Jazlyn King goes up for a layup in the first half of Wednesday's 46-27 win over Excelsior Springs at Lafayette High School. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostLafayette sophomore Jazlyn King was feeling confident early in Wednesday's game against Excelsior Springs.She scored eight points in the first quarter and played tight on-ball defense from the first whistle.But King's tenacity got her three personal fouls by the early second quarter."Jaz is a gamer," Lafayette girls' coach Brad Spinner said. "She's gonna give it her all, and sometimes, that gets her in (foul) trouble. And it did get her into foul trouble in the first half. She got over-aggressive with her boxout."I told her to stay away from the fourth (foul), and you're going to be in there for a long time."Coach Spinner was right.King didn't commit a single foul in the second half and scored a team-high 12 points as Lafayette (6-5) took down Excelsior Springs, 46-27, on Wednesday night at Lafayette High School.After 21 first-quarter points, Lafayette mustered only four with King on the bench."(Jazlyn) is kind of a floor general," Spinner said. "We need her. She kind of gets us set up. When she goes out, we get a little hectic. The speed of the game gets a little hectic. She does a great job of being kind of a calming influence. She was able to stay away from a fourth foul, and that was huge for us to extend that lead going into the fourth."King says she was cognizant of getting fouled again, but she didn't want to let off the gas all that much."You have to play a little scared (in foul trouble)," she said, "but much. I mean, you can't give up, because if you do, they're going to come back and roll. It was hard, but I've been in that situation before and it helped me understand what I need to do to calm down and control myself."The Irish certainly controlled themselves on defense, forcing 14 turnovers and four charge calls. They also limited the Tigers (6-7) to just 12 second-half points and just 16 points over the final three quarters combined.That, and Excelsior Spring's free throw struggles (10-of-27) helped Lafayette maintain a lead throughout.Defense, Spinner says, has been the key in Lafayette's three-game winning streak, as the Irish came off of wins over Raytown South and Southeast KC last week at the Kearney Invitational."We're buying into the defensive side a little more," Spinner pointed out. "These last three games, we've done a great job of buying into the defensive game plan and executing it pretty well."For example, Katie Koelzer. We ask her to stay and help on drives and wall up. She got into foul trouble in the first half, but was able to turn around and do a fantastic job in the second half of staying straight up, affecting shots, getting rebounds and blocks."Offensively in the second half, freshman Talicia Byrd had some strong baseline drives and scored four of her 10 points in the final quarter to help the Irish put on the finishing touches.&nbsp;"One thing I don't have to teach Talicia is scoring," Spinner said. "She knows how to score the basketball. Taking the ball to the basket and pulling up and shooting those little floaters in the middle of the lane, she's a natural scorer."Lafayette now has perhaps its toughest test of the season thus far with a Thursday night trip to Lawson (10-4).&nbsp;"They have size and they're a winning program," Spinner said. "(Coach Lisa Glenn) does a great job with that group of girls. That program has a history of winning. It's always going to be a difficult task. But, if we can stay within ourselves and not get rushed and not get sped up, I think we have a chance and maybe coming out on the winning side."Lafayette 46 - 21, 4, 10, 11 Excelsior Springs 27 - 11, 4, 7, 5Lafayette scorers - Jazlyn King - 12, Talicia Byrd - 10, Ellie Wattenbarger - 8, Harlea Tarr - 5, Katie Koezler - 4, Darcy Bowlin - 2, Kendyal Bennett - 2.Excelsior Springs scorers - Mallory Millsap - 12, Rylie Stottlemyre - 6, Lillian Mawby - 3, Mayce Barber - 3, Kyli Crowley - 2, Baylee O'Dell - 1<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/969666118&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/tommy-rezac" title="KFEQ Radio, St. Joseph Post" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">KFEQ Radio, St. Joseph Post</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/tommy-rezac/brad-spinner-lafayette-girls-basketball-1-20-21" title="Brad Spinner - Lafayette Girls&#x27; Basketball 1-20-21" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Brad Spinner - Lafayette Girls&#x27; Basketball 1-20-21</a></div></div><div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/969665740&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/tommy-rezac" title="KFEQ Radio, St. Joseph Post" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">KFEQ Radio, St. Joseph Post</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/tommy-rezac/jazlyn-king-lafayette-girls-basketball-1-20-21" title="Jazlyn King - Lafayette Girls&#x27; Basketball 1-20-21" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Jazlyn King - Lafayette Girls&#x27; Basketball 1-20-21</a></div></div><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611199490910.jpeg" alt="Harlea Tarr looks for an open teammate in Lafayette's 46-27 win over Excelsior Springs on Wednesday night. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Harlea Tarr looks for an open teammate in Lafayette's 46-27 win over Excelsior Springs on Wednesday night. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Lafayette girls overcome foul trouble, use defense to beat Excelsior Springs Wednesday

Kansas high school athletic officials decided Wednesday to increase the limited number of guests at sporting events during the winter season.

Representatives from several Kansas school districts decided to increase the limit from two spectators to four per-athlete at events, as long as the venue can meet social distancing requirements.

Forty-six representatives voted in favor of the increase, and 27 opposed it.

The new rule takes effect Jan. 29. Local school districts can still make their own stricter limits on fans, based on their area’s health department guidelines, but they cannot make less limited restrictions than the KSHSAA.

The decision comes as winter sports like basketball and wrestling are halfway through their seasons.

KSHSAA also decided that postseason events, like playoffs and championships, can only allow the increase to four spectators per athlete as long as the venue’s occupancy limit is filled to a maximum of 50%.

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostKansas high school athletic officials decided Wednesday to increase the limited number of guests at sporting events during the winter season.Representatives from several Kansas school districts decided to increase the limit from two spectators to four per-athlete at events, as long as the venue can meet social distancing requirements.Forty-six representatives voted in favor of the increase, and 27 opposed it.The new rule takes effect Jan. 29. Local school districts can still make their own stricter limits on fans, based on their area’s health department guidelines, but they cannot make less limited restrictions than the KSHSAA.The decision comes as winter sports like basketball and wrestling are halfway through their seasons.KSHSAA also decided that postseason events, like playoffs and championships, can only allow the increase to four spectators per athlete as long as the venue’s occupancy limit is filled to a maximum of 50%.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1598357043542.jpeg" alt="" />
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More fans to be allowed at winter high school sporting events in Kansas

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid confirmed that quarterback Patrick Mahomes, receiver Sammy Watkins and running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire all practiced in at least limited capacity Wednesday as the Chiefs prepare to host the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship Sunday.

Reid says Mahomes is still in concussion protocol, and is progressing well.

“He's looked good, but he's in protocol, so there's only certain things he can do," Reid said. "Today was limited practice, so it fit right in with what he can do. He took all of the snaps. He feels good. We're just going to follow the protocol as close as we possibly can."

The only Chief who didn’t practice Wednesday is linebacker Willie Gay (ankle). Bashaud Breeland (corner), who’s also in concussion protocol and Rashad Fenton (corner) both practiced Wednesday.

Reid said Thursday is the "bigger, heavier" practice, but thought everyone "progressed well" on Wednesday.

If Mahomes cannot go Sunday, backup quarterback and 13-year veteran Chad Henne reaffirms that he’s ready to go if he needs to step in again.

“My preparation is going to stay the same," Henne said. "I prepare each and every week as if I'm going to be the starter no matter what happens. I have to be prepared, even if something were to happen and whatever does happen happens. For me, I take it each day at a time. We'll be excited to play."

Henne completed 6-of-8 passes for 66 yards and an interception in Sunday’s win over the Cleveland Browns. He also completed 23-of-32 passes for 218 yards and two passing touchdowns in the Week 17 start against the L.A. Chargers.

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

The Chiefs beat the Bills, 26-17, in Week 6 of this past regular season.

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostChiefs head coach Andy Reid confirmed that quarterback Patrick Mahomes, receiver Sammy Watkins and running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire all practiced in at least limited capacity Wednesday as the Chiefs prepare to host the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship Sunday.Reid says Mahomes is still in concussion protocol, and is progressing well.“He's looked good, but he's in protocol, so there's only certain things he can do," Reid said. "Today was limited practice, so it fit right in with what he can do. He took all of the snaps. He feels good. We're just going to follow the protocol as close as we possibly can."The only Chief who didn’t practice Wednesday is linebacker Willie Gay (ankle). Bashaud Breeland (corner), who’s also in concussion protocol and Rashad Fenton (corner) both practiced Wednesday.Reid said Thursday is the "bigger, heavier" practice, but thought everyone "progressed well" on Wednesday.If Mahomes cannot go Sunday, backup quarterback and 13-year veteran Chad Henne reaffirms that he’s ready to go if he needs to step in again.“My preparation is going to stay the same," Henne said. "I prepare each and every week as if I'm going to be the starter no matter what happens. I have to be prepared, even if something were to happen and whatever does happen happens. For me, I take it each day at a time. We'll be excited to play."Henne completed 6-of-8 passes for 66 yards and an interception in Sunday’s win over the Cleveland Browns. He also completed 23-of-32 passes for 218 yards and two passing touchdowns in the Week 17 start against the L.A. Chargers.The Chiefs and Bills kick off from Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday at 5:40 central. The game will be carried on KFEQ (680 AM, 95.3 FM) and Q Country 92.7 FM in St. Joseph.The Chiefs beat the Bills, 26-17, in Week 6 of this past regular season.

Mahomes, Edwards-Helaire, Watkins all practice 'in some form' Wednesday

The Kansas City Royals announced Wednesday that they signed right-handed pitcher&nbsp;Wade Davis&nbsp;to a minor league contract.

A three-time All-Star, the 35-year-old Davis has pitched the last three years with the Colorado Rockies, making five appearances during the 2020 campaign. He led the National League in saves (43) and games finished (63) in 2018, while he recorded 15 saves in 50 appearances in his last full season with the Rockies in 2019.

The right-hander pitched for the Chicago Cubs in 2017, going 4-2 with 32 saves and a 2.30 ERA (15 ER in 58.2 IP) in 59 appearances, earning his third-straight All-Star selection.

He was with the Royals for four seasons (2013-16), being named an All-Star twice (2015-16).

Davis has pitched in six different postseasons, going 4-0 with eight saves and a 1.80 ERA (8 ER in 40.0 IP), with 57 strikeouts (12.83 K/9) combined.

That includes three victories and four saves with Kansas City during the 2014 and 2015 postseasons, while pitching to a 0.36 ERA (1 ER in 25.0 IP).

St. Joseph PostThe Kansas City Royals announced Wednesday that they signed right-handed pitcher&nbsp;Wade Davis&nbsp;to a minor league contract.A three-time All-Star, the 35-year-old Davis has pitched the last three years with the Colorado Rockies, making five appearances during the 2020 campaign. He led the National League in saves (43) and games finished (63) in 2018, while he recorded 15 saves in 50 appearances in his last full season with the Rockies in 2019.The right-hander pitched for the Chicago Cubs in 2017, going 4-2 with 32 saves and a 2.30 ERA (15 ER in 58.2 IP) in 59 appearances, earning his third-straight All-Star selection.He was with the Royals for four seasons (2013-16), being named an All-Star twice (2015-16).Davis has pitched in six different postseasons, going 4-0 with eight saves and a 1.80 ERA (8 ER in 40.0 IP), with 57 strikeouts (12.83 K/9) combined.That includes three victories and four saves with Kansas City during the 2014 and 2015 postseasons, while pitching to a 0.36 ERA (1 ER in 25.0 IP).

Royals sign Wade Davis to a minor-league deal Wednesday

The Northwest Missouri State women's basketball team fell to Emporia State 58-51 Tuesday night in Bearcat Arena in their first home game of 2021.

It was the first home game for the Bearcat women since Dec. 5.

The loss was the fourth straight for the Bearcats, who fall to 3-6 on the season. Jaelyn Haggard led NWMSU with 14 points, including four made three-pointers. Kylie Coleman and Molly Hartnet each scored eight.

Northwest is back in action on Thursday night in Maryville when they take on Central Oklahoma at 5:30 p.m.&nbsp;&nbsp;

St. Joseph PostThe Northwest Missouri State women's basketball team fell to Emporia State 58-51 Tuesday night in Bearcat Arena in their first home game of 2021.It was the first home game for the Bearcat women since Dec. 5.The loss was the fourth straight for the Bearcats, who fall to 3-6 on the season. Jaelyn Haggard led NWMSU with 14 points, including four made three-pointers. Kylie Coleman and Molly Hartnet each scored eight.Northwest is back in action on Thursday night in Maryville when they take on Central Oklahoma at 5:30 p.m.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Northwest Missouri State women's basketball falls to Emporia State Tuesday

Jeremiah Tilmon had 19 points and 10 rebounds in an efficient performance, as No. 19 Missouri beat South Carolina 81-70 Tuesday night in Columbia

 Tilmon, who came in shooting an SEC-leading 74% from the floor, improved on that mark by going 8-of-11.

Mark Smith scored 18 points and went 3 for 5 from 3-point range for the Tigers. Dru Smith added 16 points on 5-of-6 shooting. Mizzou has won three of its last four and improves to 9-2 on the season.

The Tigers are at Tennessee on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. central.

In Big 12 play, Oklahoma beat Kansas State 76-50 Tuesday, handing the Wildcats their fifth-straight loss.

Oklahoma closed the first half on a 15-2 run. DaJuan Gordon scored 13 points to lead Kansas State.

The 5-10 Wildcats are home to No. 14 West Virginia on Saturday at 2 p.m.

St. Joseph PostJeremiah Tilmon had 19 points and 10 rebounds in an efficient performance, as No. 19 Missouri beat South Carolina 81-70 Tuesday night in Columbia Tilmon, who came in shooting an SEC-leading 74% from the floor, improved on that mark by going 8-of-11.Mark Smith scored 18 points and went 3 for 5 from 3-point range for the Tigers. Dru Smith added 16 points on 5-of-6 shooting. Mizzou has won three of its last four and improves to 9-2 on the season.The Tigers are at Tennessee on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. central.In Big 12 play, Oklahoma beat Kansas State 76-50 Tuesday, handing the Wildcats their fifth-straight loss.Oklahoma closed the first half on a 15-2 run. DaJuan Gordon scored 13 points to lead Kansas State.The 5-10 Wildcats are home to No. 14 West Virginia on Saturday at 2 p.m.

College basketball round-up: Missouri victorious, Kansas State falls at Oklahoma

Girls' basketball DeKalb 50 East Atchison 46. <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/31e4b785-6320-4a9b-baa1-1f7bdb2ab75a">Full coverage here.</a> Maryville 66 Hamilton 30 - Serena Sundell 25 pts. Spoofhounds are 12-1.

Polo 41 Trenton 26 Platte Valley 54 Mid-Buchanan 21 Blue Valley 49 St. Joseph Central 42 - Basehor-Linwood tournament

Albany 30 Worth County 29 Bishop LeBlond 41 Falls City 39 - Eagles move to 12-4. Shae Lewis 10 pts.

Maysville 44 Gallatin 27 Olathe West 58 Benton 52 - Basehor-Linwood tournament

Stanberry 52 North Andrew 41 Plattsburg 48 Northland Christian 10 North Platte 56 St. Joseph Christian 29 Tri-County 42 Winston 41 Nodaway-Holt 41 West Nodaway 17 Mound City 47 Northeast Nodaway 33 Osborn-Stewartsville 42 South Holt 32 North Nodaway 63 Rock Port 59 (OT)

Boys' basketball Worth County 63 Albany 59 - Kaeden Hutchinson a game-high 34 for Albany. Alex Rinehart scored 31 for Worth County.

East Atchison 51 DeKalb 40 Mound City 84 Northeast Nodaway 51 - The Panthers are a perfect 15-0 on the season.

Benton 53 Southeast KC 48 - Kason Mauzey 29 pts.

Gallatin 65 Maysville 35 Mid-Buchanan 72 Platte Valley 42 Pattonsburg 69 King City 48 North Andrew 66 Stanberry 57 - Brewer Wheeler 21 pts. for the Cardinals. Collin Sager 16 pts. for the Bulldogs.

Winston 59 Tri-County 23 Trenton 46 Polo 43 Nodaway-Holt 57 West Nodaway 55 Rock Port 61 North Nodaway 31 St. Joseph Christian 81 North Platte 60 - Caleb Carlson and Landon Swavey both score 21.

South Holt 44 Osborn-Stewartsville 43 West Platte 95 KC Lutheran 43

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostGirls' basketball DeKalb 50 East Atchison 46. <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/31e4b785-6320-4a9b-baa1-1f7bdb2ab75a">Full coverage here.</a> Maryville 66 Hamilton 30 - Serena Sundell 25 pts. Spoofhounds are 12-1.Polo 41 Trenton 26 Platte Valley 54 Mid-Buchanan 21 Blue Valley 49 St. Joseph Central 42 - Basehor-Linwood tournamentAlbany 30 Worth County 29 Bishop LeBlond 41 Falls City 39 - Eagles move to 12-4. Shae Lewis 10 pts.Maysville 44 Gallatin 27 Olathe West 58 Benton 52 - Basehor-Linwood tournamentStanberry 52 North Andrew 41 Plattsburg 48 Northland Christian 10 North Platte 56 St. Joseph Christian 29 Tri-County 42 Winston 41 Nodaway-Holt 41 West Nodaway 17 Mound City 47 Northeast Nodaway 33 Osborn-Stewartsville 42 South Holt 32 North Nodaway 63 Rock Port 59 (OT)Boys' basketball Worth County 63 Albany 59 - Kaeden Hutchinson a game-high 34 for Albany. Alex Rinehart scored 31 for Worth County.East Atchison 51 DeKalb 40 Mound City 84 Northeast Nodaway 51 - The Panthers are a perfect 15-0 on the season.Bishop LeBlond 44 Lawson 27Benton 53 Southeast KC 48 - Kason Mauzey 29 pts.Gallatin 65 Maysville 35 Mid-Buchanan 72 Platte Valley 42 Pattonsburg 69 King City 48 North Andrew 66 Stanberry 57 - Brewer Wheeler 21 pts. for the Cardinals. Collin Sager 16 pts. for the Bulldogs.Winston 59 Tri-County 23 Trenton 46 Polo 43 Nodaway-Holt 57 West Nodaway 55 Rock Port 61 North Nodaway 31 St. Joseph Christian 81 North Platte 60 - Caleb Carlson and Landon Swavey both score 21.South Holt 44 Osborn-Stewartsville 43 West Platte 95 KC Lutheran 43You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

KFEQ/St. Joseph Post area high school scoreboard - January 19, 2021

DEKALB - It was hard telling who was going to win Tuesday's battle between DeKalb and East Atchison.

The first three quarters featured five ties and eight lead changes, and momentum seemed to change per possession.

Then, East Atchison had their best run of the game, going up 46-38 with about five minutes to play. An early 4th quarter three from Wolves' senior Brynnan Poppa looked, for a moment, like the shot that changed the game.

The Tigers (10-2) ended the game on a 12-0 run and defeated East Atchison 50-46 on Tuesday night at DeKalb High School.

The Tigers, winners in three of their last four, kept the Wolves scoreless for nearly the final three minutes.

"We just kind of talked about how we needed to get some stops," DeKalb coach McKenzie Reagan said. "We really put a lot of focus on our defensive aspects and we kind of got the job done. That helped the momentum swing."

Facing an eight-point deficit in the final quarter, junior Ashton Crockett kept calm.

"We didn't need to rush," Crockett said after scoring a game-high 25 points, including 10 in the final period. "We had plenty of time to get our scorers back and we just had to play good defense and not let them beat us long on the press."

The fourth quarter started fast for both teams. With DeKalb leading 31-30, both teams combined to score 35 points over the final eight minutes.

East Atchison (12-3) played press defense for most of the game Tuesday, and did all they could to keep the pressure on in the closing minutes when their offense started to go cold.

When DeKalb started playing press themselves, they forced turnovers, got to the foul line and got clutch buckets of their own, including a three-pointer from junior Macy Dittemore which cut it to a one-score game, 46-43, with about three minutes left.

Dittemore ended up with 10 points, junior Rebbie Reagan had nine and junior Carissa Martin had four - all from the foul line and all in the final quarter.

DeKalb made 10-of-15 shots from the free throw line in the fourth quarter.

"This was a good team win for us," head coach McKenzie Reagan said. "We've been struggling with some stuff a little bit, like free throws. So, for us to pull this out going into the rest of the week and the King City tournament next week is definitely a little confidence boost."

DeKalb is a small (12 players) and young (two seniors) team. East Atchison has nearly double (22 players) the roster and has four seniors.

Stopping a Wolves' team that had won eight straight games going in, including the Fairfax Invitational title last Saturday, says one thing loud and clear - this DeKalb team is no joke.

"We're really proud," Crockett said. "A lot of people thought that after our seniors left last season, we weren't going to be as good. But, we're proving everybody wrong and we're better than we were last season."

DeKalb 50 - 12, 9, 10, 19 East Atchison 46 - 9, 13, 8, 16

DeKalb scorers - Ashton Crockett - 25, Macy Dittemore - 10, Rebbie Reagan - 9, Carissa Martin - 4, Lainie Vogan - 2, Gracie Hanshaw - 2

East Atchison scorers - Morgan Parshall - 16, Brynnon Poppa - 11, Tommie Lee Martin - 9, Claire Martin - 6, Ella Rolf - 2, Natalie Hedlund - 1, Sophia Martin - 1.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611112930790.jpeg" alt="DeKalb's Carissa Martin (15) passes to Macy Dittemore (3) in the second half of the Tigers' 50-46 win over East Atchison Tuesday. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>DeKalb's Carissa Martin (15) passes to Macy Dittemore (3) in the second half of the Tigers' 50-46 win over East Atchison Tuesday. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostDEKALB - It was hard telling who was going to win Tuesday's battle between DeKalb and East Atchison.The first three quarters featured five ties and eight lead changes, and momentum seemed to change per possession.Then, East Atchison had their best run of the game, going up 46-38 with about five minutes to play. An early 4th quarter three from Wolves' senior Brynnan Poppa looked, for a moment, like the shot that changed the game.But, DeKalb wasn't done.The Tigers (10-2) ended the game on a 12-0 run and defeated East Atchison 50-46 on Tuesday night at DeKalb High School.The Tigers, winners in three of their last four, kept the Wolves scoreless for nearly the final three minutes."We just kind of talked about how we needed to get some stops," DeKalb coach McKenzie Reagan said. "We really put a lot of focus on our defensive aspects and we kind of got the job done. That helped the momentum swing."Facing an eight-point deficit in the final quarter, junior Ashton Crockett kept calm."We didn't need to rush," Crockett said after scoring a game-high 25 points, including 10 in the final period. "We had plenty of time to get our scorers back and we just had to play good defense and not let them beat us long on the press."The fourth quarter started fast for both teams. With DeKalb leading 31-30, both teams combined to score 35 points over the final eight minutes.East Atchison (12-3) played press defense for most of the game Tuesday, and did all they could to keep the pressure on in the closing minutes when their offense started to go cold.When DeKalb started playing press themselves, they forced turnovers, got to the foul line and got clutch buckets of their own, including a three-pointer from junior Macy Dittemore which cut it to a one-score game, 46-43, with about three minutes left.Dittemore ended up with 10 points, junior Rebbie Reagan had nine and junior Carissa Martin had four - all from the foul line and all in the final quarter.DeKalb made 10-of-15 shots from the free throw line in the fourth quarter."This was a good team win for us," head coach McKenzie Reagan said. "We've been struggling with some stuff a little bit, like free throws. So, for us to pull this out going into the rest of the week and the King City tournament next week is definitely a little confidence boost."DeKalb is a small (12 players) and young (two seniors) team. East Atchison has nearly double (22 players) the roster and has four seniors.Stopping a Wolves' team that had won eight straight games going in, including the Fairfax Invitational title last Saturday, says one thing loud and clear - this DeKalb team is no joke."We're really proud," Crockett said. "A lot of people thought that after our seniors left last season, we weren't going to be as good. But, we're proving everybody wrong and we're better than we were last season."DeKalb 50 - 12, 9, 10, 19 East Atchison 46 - 9, 13, 8, 16DeKalb scorers - Ashton Crockett - 25, Macy Dittemore - 10, Rebbie Reagan - 9, Carissa Martin - 4, Lainie Vogan - 2, Gracie Hanshaw - 2East Atchison scorers - Morgan Parshall - 16, Brynnon Poppa - 11, Tommie Lee Martin - 9, Claire Martin - 6, Ella Rolf - 2, Natalie Hedlund - 1, Sophia Martin - 1.

DeKalb girls use 4th quarter surge, survives close battle with East Atchison Tuesday

Missouri Western has announced make-up dates for its men's and women's basketball games at Fort Hays State and at home against Newman. The Griffons were scheduled to play at Fort Hays State last Saturday, but had to postpone that doubleheader due to COVID-19 protocols.

That doubleheader will now be split up as the Western women will travel to Hays, Kansas to play the Tigers on Monday, Feb. 8 at 5:30 p.m. The Griffon men will play at Fort Hays State on Tuesday, Feb. 23rd at 5:30 p.m. Missouri Western also had to postpone its home doubleheader scheduled for this Thursday against Newman. That doubleheader will now be played on Monday, Feb. 15 with the women tipping off at 5:30 p.m. and the men to follow. Missouri Western is still working on rescheduling its home men's game against Northwest Missouri State and its home doubleheader against Central Oklahoma.&nbsp;&nbsp;

St. Joseph PostMissouri Western has announced make-up dates for its men's and women's basketball games at Fort Hays State and at home against Newman. The Griffons were scheduled to play at Fort Hays State last Saturday, but had to postpone that doubleheader due to COVID-19 protocols.That doubleheader will now be split up as the Western women will travel to Hays, Kansas to play the Tigers on Monday, Feb. 8 at 5:30 p.m. The Griffon men will play at Fort Hays State on Tuesday, Feb. 23rd at 5:30 p.m. Missouri Western also had to postpone its home doubleheader scheduled for this Thursday against Newman. That doubleheader will now be played on Monday, Feb. 15 with the women tipping off at 5:30 p.m. and the men to follow. Missouri Western is still working on rescheduling its home men's game against Northwest Missouri State and its home doubleheader against Central Oklahoma.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Missouri Western basketball announces make-up dates for postponed games

In football, there are certain acts, or certain people, that are tough to follow.

Frank Solich succeeding hall of fame head coach Tom Osborne at Nebraska. Cam Newton succeeding Tom Brady in New England.

Lord help whoever has to succeed Patrick Mahomes when he hangs it up.

But sometimes, it can work. Lincoln Riley succeeding the great Bob Stoops at Oklahoma, for example.

It can work at the lower level, too. Benedictine's new head football coach, Joel Osborn, is from Harlan, IA. He was coached in high school by future hall-of-famer Curt Bladt, who won 12 state titles and took the Cyclones to the playoffs 36 times in a 41-year span.

"There's no replacing that guy," Osborn said of his high school coach.

Bladt's son, Todd, officially took over as Harlan's head coach this past fall, and took the Cyclones to the 3A state championship, where they finished runner-up to North Scott. A 12-1 record in the first season of succeeding a hall-of-famer.

"I'm not saying that's going to happen (at Benedictine), but I've seen it happen."

Osborn, who spent 10 years as an offensive assistant at Northwest Missouri State, watched up close when a legend was succeeded, successfully, in Maryville.

From 1994-2010, Mel Tjeerdsma led the Bearcats to three national championships and 11 MIAA Conference titles.

Osborn entered his first season as a full-time assistant in 2011 when Adam Dorrel took the reigns as head coach.

The Bearcats went 11-3 that season and by 2013, had won a national championship - the first of three in a six-year span.

"Our staff was put in a position where we were all young," Osborn said. "Adam did a great job leading our team, and no one expected us to do anything close to what Coach Tjeerdsma did, but in Adam's six years, we won three national championships."

Osborn is now succeeding Larry Wilcox, whose retirement from Benedictine becomes official in June.

It's no secret Osborn has big shoes to fill in Atchison. In 42 years, Wilcox led the Ravens to eight conference championships, 14 NAIA playoff berths and a spot in the 2018 NAIA national title game.

Expectations are high, but Osborn is glad to have Wilcox around to guide him through what's been an unorthodox offseason.

"He's a great person," Osborn said of Wilcox. "That's one thing that'll be of my benefit is that he'll be here to help."

For as long as Wilcox has been around, this current situation is unlike anything he, or anyone, has been through.

Benedictine completed its 2020 regular season with a 7-2 record and a second place finish in the Heart of America Athletic Conference's north division.

Normally, Benedictine would likely be in position for an at-large bid in the NAIA's 16-team playoff. The at-large bids are based off of rankings in the NAIA coaches' poll.

There hasn't been a coaches' poll for NAIA football since November 2019, due to the uncertainty of a 2020 season brought on by the pandemic.

The next coaches' poll should be out within a month or so.

So, what will the spring look like for Benedictine football? More games? Full spring practice? It's unclear, but Osborn told the Ravens in their first team meeting to be ready for anything.

"It's their job to prepare themselves every day so that when our opportunity does come, they're ready to go," Osborn said. "We're going to do the best we can to help them."

Osborn has been in his new role since Monday. A snowstorm last Friday delayed a planned recruiting event, but he still had 18 prospects in town on day one.

With a big transition in progress and a fluent spring agenda, Osborn is leaning on his staff to help him navigate through an exciting, but unprecedented time.

"I'm going to rely on those guys," Osborn said. "They're going to play in a big role in our success here. I have to get to know our staff and players so everyone can be in a position to succeed."

Relationships are important in life, especially for Osborn. Benedictine athletic director Charlie Gartenmayer was the longtime defensive coordinator for the Ravens.

Once in awhile, Gartenmayers would drop in at a Northwest Missouri State practice, where he'd see Osborn coach and speak to his position group, mainly wide receivers.

It made a big impression. Big enough for Gartenmayer to call Osborn when Benedictine's football coaching job became vacant.

"It turned into seeing him at recruiting events and he would call me when they wanted to come see our staff," Osborn said. "The relationship developed over the years."

Osborn may be 'replacing' Larry Wilcox, but much like Curt Bladt in Harlan, "there is no replacing that guy."

Osborn instead hopes to learn from and build a lasting relationship with another coaching legend. In this sense, Osborn hopes to be a successful successor. Like a Lincoln Riley. Like an Aaron Rodgers after Favre.

"I feel like Joel Osborn," he said, not comparing himself to anyone. "You just try do the best you can do. I'm just excited to get to work with everybody."&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611083545539.jpeg" alt="RavenAthletics.com." />
 <figcaption>RavenAthletics.com.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostIn football, there are certain acts, or certain people, that are tough to follow.Frank Solich succeeding hall of fame head coach Tom Osborne at Nebraska. Cam Newton succeeding Tom Brady in New England.Lord help whoever has to succeed Patrick Mahomes when he hangs it up.But sometimes, it can work. Lincoln Riley succeeding the great Bob Stoops at Oklahoma, for example.It can work at the lower level, too. Benedictine's new head football coach, Joel Osborn, is from Harlan, IA. He was coached in high school by future hall-of-famer Curt Bladt, who won 12 state titles and took the Cyclones to the playoffs 36 times in a 41-year span."There's no replacing that guy," Osborn said of his high school coach.Bladt's son, Todd, officially took over as Harlan's head coach this past fall, and took the Cyclones to the 3A state championship, where they finished runner-up to North Scott. A 12-1 record in the first season of succeeding a hall-of-famer."I'm not saying that's going to happen (at Benedictine), but I've seen it happen."Osborn, who spent 10 years as an offensive assistant at Northwest Missouri State, watched up close when a legend was succeeded, successfully, in Maryville.From 1994-2010, Mel Tjeerdsma led the Bearcats to three national championships and 11 MIAA Conference titles.Osborn entered his first season as a full-time assistant in 2011 when Adam Dorrel took the reigns as head coach.The Bearcats went 11-3 that season and by 2013, had won a national championship - the first of three in a six-year span."Our staff was put in a position where we were all young," Osborn said. "Adam did a great job leading our team, and no one expected us to do anything close to what Coach Tjeerdsma did, but in Adam's six years, we won three national championships."Osborn is now succeeding Larry Wilcox, whose retirement from Benedictine becomes official in June.It's no secret Osborn has big shoes to fill in Atchison. In 42 years, Wilcox led the Ravens to eight conference championships, 14 NAIA playoff berths and a spot in the 2018 NAIA national title game.Expectations are high, but Osborn is glad to have Wilcox around to guide him through what's been an unorthodox offseason."He's a great person," Osborn said of Wilcox. "That's one thing that'll be of my benefit is that he'll be here to help."For as long as Wilcox has been around, this current situation is unlike anything he, or anyone, has been through.Benedictine completed its 2020 regular season with a 7-2 record and a second place finish in the Heart of America Athletic Conference's north division.Normally, Benedictine would likely be in position for an at-large bid in the NAIA's 16-team playoff. The at-large bids are based off of rankings in the NAIA coaches' poll.There hasn't been a coaches' poll for NAIA football since November 2019, due to the uncertainty of a 2020 season brought on by the pandemic.The next coaches' poll should be out within a month or so.So, what will the spring look like for Benedictine football? More games? Full spring practice? It's unclear, but Osborn told the Ravens in their first team meeting to be ready for anything."It's their job to prepare themselves every day so that when our opportunity does come, they're ready to go," Osborn said. "We're going to do the best we can to help them."Osborn has been in his new role since Monday. A snowstorm last Friday delayed a planned recruiting event, but he still had 18 prospects in town on day one.With a big transition in progress and a fluent spring agenda, Osborn is leaning on his staff to help him navigate through an exciting, but unprecedented time."I'm going to rely on those guys," Osborn said. "They're going to play in a big role in our success here. I have to get to know our staff and players so everyone can be in a position to succeed."Relationships are important in life, especially for Osborn. Benedictine athletic director Charlie Gartenmayer was the longtime defensive coordinator for the Ravens.Once in awhile, Gartenmayers would drop in at a Northwest Missouri State practice, where he'd see Osborn coach and speak to his position group, mainly wide receivers.It made a big impression. Big enough for Gartenmayer to call Osborn when Benedictine's football coaching job became vacant."It turned into seeing him at recruiting events and he would call me when they wanted to come see our staff," Osborn said. "The relationship developed over the years."Osborn may be 'replacing' Larry Wilcox, but much like Curt Bladt in Harlan, "there is no replacing that guy."Osborn instead hopes to learn from and build a lasting relationship with another coaching legend. In this sense, Osborn hopes to be a successful successor. Like a Lincoln Riley. Like an Aaron Rodgers after Favre.Or an Adam Dorrel after a Mel Tjeerdsma."I feel like Joel Osborn," he said, not comparing himself to anyone. "You just try do the best you can do. I'm just excited to get to work with everybody."&nbsp;You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Osborn hopes to build relationships, successfully follow legend Larry Wilcox at Benedictine

The Northwest Missouri State men's and women's basketball teams will be changing opponents for this week's scheduled games against Central Oklahoma and Newman. Northwest will play host to Newman Thursday with the women's game starting at 5:30 p.m., and the men's game to follow at 7:30 p.m. The Bearcats will take on Central Oklahoma Saturday at 1:30 p.m. for the women's contest, followed by the men's matchup at 3:30 p.m. Bearcat season ticket holders are asked to use their tickets that are assigned to the date on the ticket and not the opponent.

Thursday's assigned ticket date is Jan. 21, while Saturday's ticket date is Jan. 23. "We are rearranging these games to assist other&nbsp;MIAA&nbsp;schools and their efforts to reschedule postponed games," Director of Athletics Andy Peterson said. "It has been a season of uncertainty, but we are hoping this allows more teams in the league a chance to get closer to completion of their full&nbsp;MIAA&nbsp;schedules." On the original schedule, Northwest would have played Central Oklahoma on Thursday and Newman on Saturday. Now, it's flipped. Newman Thursday, Central Oklahoma Saturday.

St. Joseph PostThe Northwest Missouri State men's and women's basketball teams will be changing opponents for this week's scheduled games against Central Oklahoma and Newman. Northwest will play host to Newman Thursday with the women's game starting at 5:30 p.m., and the men's game to follow at 7:30 p.m. The Bearcats will take on Central Oklahoma Saturday at 1:30 p.m. for the women's contest, followed by the men's matchup at 3:30 p.m. Bearcat season ticket holders are asked to use their tickets that are assigned to the date on the ticket and not the opponent.Thursday's assigned ticket date is Jan. 21, while Saturday's ticket date is Jan. 23. "We are rearranging these games to assist other&nbsp;MIAA&nbsp;schools and their efforts to reschedule postponed games," Director of Athletics Andy Peterson said. "It has been a season of uncertainty, but we are hoping this allows more teams in the league a chance to get closer to completion of their full&nbsp;MIAA&nbsp;schedules." On the original schedule, Northwest would have played Central Oklahoma on Thursday and Newman on Saturday. Now, it's flipped. Newman Thursday, Central Oklahoma Saturday.

Northwest Missouri State switching basketball opponents for Thursday, Saturday

WACO, Texas (AP) — Jared Butler had a season-high 30 points and eight assists as No. 2 Baylor remained undefeated with a 77-69 victory over No. 9 Kansas on Monday night.

The Jayhawks have lost consecutive Big 12 games for the first time since the 2012-13 season, and have also dropped three of their last five games.

Butler made the first of his seven 3-pointers on the first shot of the game, part of an opening 11-2 spurt by the the 13-0 Bears.

Christian Braun led KU with 17 points. Ochai Agbaji scored 16.

Kansas (10-3) played for the first time since a 75-70 loss last Tuesday at Oklahoma State before the Jayhawks’ scheduled game Saturday was postponed because of COVID-19 issues in Iowa State’s program.

Kansas is at Oklahoma Saturday. Tip-off is set for 11 a.m.

WACO, Texas (AP) — Jared Butler had a season-high 30 points and eight assists as No. 2 Baylor remained undefeated with a 77-69 victory over No. 9 Kansas on Monday night.The Jayhawks have lost consecutive Big 12 games for the first time since the 2012-13 season, and have also dropped three of their last five games.Butler made the first of his seven 3-pointers on the first shot of the game, part of an opening 11-2 spurt by the the 13-0 Bears.Christian Braun led KU with 17 points. Ochai Agbaji scored 16.Kansas (10-3) played for the first time since a 75-70 loss last Tuesday at Oklahoma State before the Jayhawks’ scheduled game Saturday was postponed because of COVID-19 issues in Iowa State’s program.Kansas is at Oklahoma Saturday. Tip-off is set for 11 a.m.

No. 2 Baylor tops No. 9 Kansas Monday, Jayhawks lose back-to-back conference games

LATHROP - Cameron has been in some tight games this year.

Besides falling in a 54-53 heartbreaker to St. Michael Archangel (Lee's Summit) in Saturday's Bill Burns Classic title game, the Dragons also needed double overtime to beat Savannah, edged Stanberry by two in the second game of the year and have played four total games decided by nine points or fewer this season.

It looked like, maybe, another close one was brewing Monday with Lathrop ahead 13-12 after the first quarter.

The senior and Northwest Missouri State commit made five-of-six three-point attempts in the second quarter, including her first three in a row, and that marked the beginning of the end for Lathrop, as Cameron (13-2) rolled to a 69-36 win over the Mules at Lathrop High School on Monday.

"I just kept shooting, because my teammates kept letting me shoot," Joseph said. "They didn't get discouraged or anything. They just kept cheering me on. So, it really helps you keep going when you get encouragement."

Joseph notched eight total threes on the night and ended up with a game-high and career-high 33 points. Not only that, she finished with a triple-double, grabbing 10 rebounds and doling out 10 assists to boot.

"Obviously, (Laini) was feeling good from behind the arc in the second quarter," Cameron head coach Matt Wenck said. "That kind of loosened everything up. Laini hit a lot of different girls on fast break opportunities. I think maybe because (Lathrop) was worried about where Laini was.

"We kind of got on a run, it got out of hand and we'll take it."

The Dragons outscored the Mules 27-8 in the second quarter and 19-7 in the third. If Joseph wasn't hitting a big shot, she found someone else who did.

"I think we were all just ready to get ahead so we could have a little more fun," Joseph said.

Joseph's 10 assists allowed for other Cameron players like juniors Olivia Moore (11 pts.) and Avery McVicker (8 pts.) to have solid nights as well.

Eight total Dragons ended up scoring. All-in-all, a feel-good win for a pretty good team who came up a point short in the Bill Burns Classic championship only two days prior.

"That was a good win for us," Coach Wenck said. "We've been playing pretty good lately, but not as good as were 6-7 games ago. Hopefully, this'll get us going again like that."

Cameron scored 60 or more point in four of its first seven games, and 69 is a new season-high. So perhaps, a sign of big things to come for the No. 10 Dragons in Class 4.

After playing two games in three days, Cameron gets eight days off before partaking in the Cameron tournament. The Dragons play No. 8 Chillicothe (10-1) Tuesday and Maryville (11-1) Wednesday.

"Back-to-back pretty big games," Wenck said. "It's going to be tough. We're 13-2 and we're the five-seed. So, that tells you what kind of tournament it is."

Cameron 69 - 12, 27, 19, 10 Lathrop 36 - 13, 8, 7, 8

Cameron scorers - Laini Joseph - 33, Olivia Moore - 11, Avery McVicker - 8, Brayton Shank - 6, Mica Dunscombe - 5, Madison Jessen - 2, Ella Jameson - 2, Claire Wenck - 2.

Lathrop scorers - Arrissa Jackson - 11, Autumn Nichols - 8, Maycee Nichols - 4, Kaitlyn Morgan - 4, Kinsley Patton - 2, Bailey White -&nbsp; 2, Kaylie Beane - 2, Avery Clay - 2, Josie Wright - 1.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611026166651.jpeg" alt="Cameron's Avery McVicker (left) and Laini Joseph (right) enjoyed much of the fourth quarter from the bench after Cameron built a massive lead in a 69-36 win over Lathrop Monday. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Cameron's Avery McVicker (left) and Laini Joseph (right) enjoyed much of the fourth quarter from the bench after Cameron built a massive lead in a 69-36 win over Lathrop Monday. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostLATHROP - Cameron has been in some tight games this year.Besides falling in a 54-53 heartbreaker to St. Michael Archangel (Lee's Summit) in Saturday's Bill Burns Classic title game, the Dragons also needed double overtime to beat Savannah, edged Stanberry by two in the second game of the year and have played four total games decided by nine points or fewer this season.It looked like, maybe, another close one was brewing Monday with Lathrop ahead 13-12 after the first quarter.Laini Joseph wasn't having any of it.The senior and Northwest Missouri State commit made five-of-six three-point attempts in the second quarter, including her first three in a row, and that marked the beginning of the end for Lathrop, as Cameron (13-2) rolled to a 69-36 win over the Mules at Lathrop High School on Monday."I just kept shooting, because my teammates kept letting me shoot," Joseph said. "They didn't get discouraged or anything. They just kept cheering me on. So, it really helps you keep going when you get encouragement."Joseph notched eight total threes on the night and ended up with a game-high and career-high 33 points. Not only that, she finished with a triple-double, grabbing 10 rebounds and doling out 10 assists to boot."Obviously, (Laini) was feeling good from behind the arc in the second quarter," Cameron head coach Matt Wenck said. "That kind of loosened everything up. Laini hit a lot of different girls on fast break opportunities. I think maybe because (Lathrop) was worried about where Laini was."We kind of got on a run, it got out of hand and we'll take it."The Dragons outscored the Mules 27-8 in the second quarter and 19-7 in the third. If Joseph wasn't hitting a big shot, she found someone else who did."I think we were all just ready to get ahead so we could have a little more fun," Joseph said.Joseph's 10 assists allowed for other Cameron players like juniors Olivia Moore (11 pts.) and Avery McVicker (8 pts.) to have solid nights as well.Eight total Dragons ended up scoring. All-in-all, a feel-good win for a pretty good team who came up a point short in the Bill Burns Classic championship only two days prior.In the same gym, no less."That was a good win for us," Coach Wenck said. "We've been playing pretty good lately, but not as good as were 6-7 games ago. Hopefully, this'll get us going again like that."Cameron scored 60 or more point in four of its first seven games, and 69 is a new season-high. So perhaps, a sign of big things to come for the No. 10 Dragons in Class 4.After playing two games in three days, Cameron gets eight days off before partaking in the Cameron tournament. The Dragons play No. 8 Chillicothe (10-1) Tuesday and Maryville (11-1) Wednesday."Back-to-back pretty big games," Wenck said. "It's going to be tough. We're 13-2 and we're the five-seed. So, that tells you what kind of tournament it is."Cameron 69 - 12, 27, 19, 10 Lathrop 36 - 13, 8, 7, 8Cameron scorers - Laini Joseph - 33, Olivia Moore - 11, Avery McVicker - 8, Brayton Shank - 6, Mica Dunscombe - 5, Madison Jessen - 2, Ella Jameson - 2, Claire Wenck - 2.Lathrop scorers - Arrissa Jackson - 11, Autumn Nichols - 8, Maycee Nichols - 4, Kaitlyn Morgan - 4, Kinsley Patton - 2, Bailey White -&nbsp; 2, Kaylie Beane - 2, Avery Clay - 2, Josie Wright - 1.You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Laini Joseph drops new career-high, Cameron downs Lathrop Monday

Girls' basketball Cameron 69 Lathrop 36. <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/f9e2ce3a-07ea-4f3a-9a2b-98e38cf6be83">Full coverage here</a>. Bishop LeBlond 45 West Platte 22. - The Eagles move to 11-4 on the season.

Boys' basketball Savannah 47 East-Buchanan 45 (3 OT) Cameron vs. Lathrop - missing Basehor-Linwood 64 St. Joseph Central 40 (Basehor-Linwood Bobcat Invitational) Richmond 81 Mid-Buchanan 44

Sam Martin Girls' Wrestling Invitational @ Plattsburg

Mid-Buchanan placers 151 lbs. - Layson Hafley - 2nd 127 lbs. Kalli Schuster - 5th

Plattsburg placers 127 lbs. - Faith Howard - 3rd 151 lbs. - Payge Fuller - 3rd

Lathrop placers Josie Wright - 1st

Polo placers Vada Burton - 2nd Valerie Gabrielli - 3rd Mesa Roller - 4th Cierra Stigger - 6th

Winnetonka Varsity Girls' wrestling tournament St. Joseph Central's Delany Grider places first.

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostGirls' basketball Cameron 69 Lathrop 36. <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/f9e2ce3a-07ea-4f3a-9a2b-98e38cf6be83">Full coverage here</a>. Bishop LeBlond 45 West Platte 22. - The Eagles move to 11-4 on the season. Boys' basketball Savannah 47 East-Buchanan 45 (3 OT) Cameron vs. Lathrop - missing Basehor-Linwood 64 St. Joseph Central 40 (Basehor-Linwood Bobcat Invitational) Richmond 81 Mid-Buchanan 44 Sam Martin Girls' Wrestling Invitational @ PlattsburgMid-Buchanan placers 151 lbs. - Layson Hafley - 2nd 127 lbs. Kalli Schuster - 5thPlattsburg placers 127 lbs. - Faith Howard - 3rd 151 lbs. - Payge Fuller - 3rdLathrop placers Josie Wright - 1stPolo placers Vada Burton - 2nd Valerie Gabrielli - 3rd Mesa Roller - 4th Cierra Stigger - 6thWinnetonka Varsity Girls' wrestling tournament St. Joseph Central's Delany Grider places first.

KFEQ/St. Joseph Post area high school scoreboard - January 18, 2021

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid told reporters Monday afternoon that quarterback Patrick Mahomes is undergoing concussion protocol and the team is awaiting results.

Other than that, there’s no real news, and Reid would not speculate on when Mahomes could be back.

"Patrick is in protocol, so we'll just follow that and see how he does in the next couple of days."

Reid said after Sunday's game that Mahomes was "feeling good," but didn't elaborate much beyond that.

There are five phases Mahomes must pass this week before he is cleared to play.

If after meeting four thresholds, and if he is deemed cleared to play by an Independent Neurological Consultant, only then will Mahomes be in uniform for the AFC Championship game.

Before being taken out, Mahomes completed 21-of-30 passes for 255 yards and a score.

Back-up quarterback and 13-year veteran Chad Henne came in and made some huge throws, completing 6-of-8 passes for 66 yards in a <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/ffe3cc89-e0ea-406e-8f66-e6b9aa7240b8">22-17 win over the Cleveland Browns</a> in the AFC Divisional Playoffs Sunday.

Henne says getting to start<a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/b43f8416-cffe-47bb-8258-f5edb466c735"> against the Chargers in Week 17</a> helped him prepare for such a moment.

"I felt a lot more comfortable out there," Henne said, "after playing the last game of the season against the Chargers. Had a full week of preparation. I felt confident. There's a lot of playmakers out there, and it was a great opportunity for me to get out there and see some guys make some plays."

The Chiefs (15-2) host the Buffalo Bills (15-3) in the AFC Championship on Sunday at 5:40 p.m.

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostKansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid told reporters Monday afternoon that quarterback Patrick Mahomes is undergoing concussion protocol and the team is awaiting results.Other than that, there’s no real news, and Reid would not speculate on when Mahomes could be back."Patrick is in protocol, so we'll just follow that and see how he does in the next couple of days."Reid said after Sunday's game that Mahomes was "feeling good," but didn't elaborate much beyond that.There are five phases Mahomes must pass this week before he is cleared to play.If after meeting four thresholds, and if he is deemed cleared to play by an Independent Neurological Consultant, only then will Mahomes be in uniform for the AFC Championship game.Before being taken out, Mahomes completed 21-of-30 passes for 255 yards and a score.Back-up quarterback and 13-year veteran Chad Henne came in and made some huge throws, completing 6-of-8 passes for 66 yards in a <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/ffe3cc89-e0ea-406e-8f66-e6b9aa7240b8">22-17 win over the Cleveland Browns</a> in the AFC Divisional Playoffs Sunday.Henne says getting to start<a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/b43f8416-cffe-47bb-8258-f5edb466c735"> against the Chargers in Week 17</a> helped him prepare for such a moment."I felt a lot more comfortable out there," Henne said, "after playing the last game of the season against the Chargers. Had a full week of preparation. I felt confident. There's a lot of playmakers out there, and it was a great opportunity for me to get out there and see some guys make some plays."The Chiefs (15-2) host the Buffalo Bills (15-3) in the AFC Championship on Sunday at 5:40 p.m.

Patrick Mahomes in concussion protocol, Reid not speculating on QB's return



Northwest Missouri State junior point guard Trevor&nbsp;Hudgins&nbsp;has been named the&nbsp;MIAA's&nbsp;men's basketball co-athlete of the week.

Hudgins shares this week's award with Washburn's Tyler&nbsp;Geiman. It's the second time this season and the sixth time in his career that Hudgins&nbsp;has been honored with the&nbsp;MIAA's&nbsp;top weekly honor. A Manhattan native, Hudgins averaged 20.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.0 steals this past week, helping Northwest extend the nation's longest active road winning streak to 12 in a row in wins at Fort Hayes State and Nebraska-Kearney. Hudgins&nbsp;scored a season-high 29 points and added eight rebounds to go along with four assists in a 64-51 triumph at Fort Hays State. Hudgins&nbsp;tallied 12 points, including the final six at the free throw line in the last 2:35, to clinch a road victory at Nebraska-Kearney Saturday.&nbsp;Hudgins&nbsp;was credited with five assists and three steals against the&nbsp;Lopers.

St. Joseph Post

Northwest Missouri State junior point guard Trevor&nbsp;Hudgins&nbsp;has been named the&nbsp;MIAA's&nbsp;men's basketball co-athlete of the week.Hudgins shares this week's award with Washburn's Tyler&nbsp;Geiman. It's the second time this season and the sixth time in his career that Hudgins&nbsp;has been honored with the&nbsp;MIAA's&nbsp;top weekly honor. A Manhattan native, Hudgins averaged 20.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.0 steals this past week, helping Northwest extend the nation's longest active road winning streak to 12 in a row in wins at Fort Hayes State and Nebraska-Kearney. Hudgins&nbsp;scored a season-high 29 points and added eight rebounds to go along with four assists in a 64-51 triumph at Fort Hays State. Hudgins&nbsp;tallied 12 points, including the final six at the free throw line in the last 2:35, to clinch a road victory at Nebraska-Kearney Saturday.&nbsp;Hudgins&nbsp;was credited with five assists and three steals against the&nbsp;Lopers.Hudgins finds his name at or near the top of eight different MIAA statistical categories.1st - Assist-to-Turnover Ratio (2.9) 1st - 3-Pointers Made (2.9) 1st - Minutes Played (37.6) 2nd - Scoring (20.1) 2nd - 3-Point FG% (53.1) 2nd - Assists (5.2) 3rd - Free Throw % (90.4) 3rd - Field Goal % (53.5)&nbsp; Geiman, meanwhile, averaged 23.5 points, 7.5 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game for the Ichabods, who were 2-0 last week.Against Missouri Southern, Geiman had a double-double with 28 points and 10 assists while recording seven rebounds going 12-of-16 from the field. The Ichabods will return to the court next on Saturday when they will face Emporia State at 3:30 p.m.&nbsp;&nbsp; Northwest will be back in action Thursday at home against Central Oklahoma. The men tip off at 7:30 following the conclusion of the women's game.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611003981693.jpeg" alt="Trevor Hudgins." />
 <figcaption>Trevor Hudgins.</figcaption>
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