The Bishop LeBlond boys basketball team used scoring runs in the first and third quarters to separate themselves from Mid-Buchanan, eventually pulling out a 54-36 win on Tuesday night at Grace Gymnasium.

The Eagles (8-4) ended the first quarter on a 7-0 run to go up 11-6 and eventually led 24-11 with 2:26 left in the second.

Mid-Buchanan answered back with a 7-0 run of their own to make it a 24-18 ball game at halftime.

"I was pretty fired up with the kids at halftime," LeBlond coach Mitch Girres said. "I was not real happy with the way we finished the first half. We kind of got after them in the locker room a little bit. Anytime you play Mid-Buch, no lead is safe, because they're so aggressive and so good defensively and turn you over."

LeBlond played well coming out of the locker room, scoring 17 third quarter points and ending the third on an 8-0 run to lead 41-25 entering the fourth.

Mid-Buchanan fought to the end, but the Eagles maintained a comfortable lead through the final eight minutes.

Sophomore Chris Miljavic led LeBlond with a game-high 16 points on four made three-pointers.

"I think we did good," Miljavic said. "It all starts with teammates finding open guys."

Senior Jake Korell scored 14 points, while senior Landon Gardner followed with 11. Senior Joe Clark led Mid-Buchanan with 14 points. Fellow senior Jackson Wahlgren scored eight for the Dragons.

In the end, it was a nice bounce back for LeBlond after finishing a disappointing fourth in their home LeBlond tournament last week.

Plus, LeBlond got some payback after Mid-Buchanan beat the Eagles 48-43 in the Mound City Invitational championship back on December 3.

"The kids really battled and played really hard," Girres said. "We struggled in the last two games of our (LeBlond) tournament and we had a quick turnaround. It was nice to put one in the win column."

The LeBlond boys are in action Thursday at Chillicothe. Mid-Buchanan is at West Platte Friday.

LeBlond girls get off to fast start, stay unbeaten after routing Dragons

The Bishop LeBlond girls (11-0) had little trouble with Mid-Buchanan Tuesday, getting off to a 20-1 start and rolling to a 60-38 win. Senior Tatum Studer scored 17 points, while fellow senior Shae Lewis had 16.

Studer sunk four three-pointers in the win. Senior Mallie Lieffring led Mid-Buchanan (5-8) with 10 points.

The LeBlond girls are home to Chillicothe Friday. Mid-Buchanan is at West Platte on Friday.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672801234599.jpeg" alt="Cooper Waterman (12) looks to drive during Tuesday's game against Mid-Buchanan at Bishop LeBlond High School. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Cooper Waterman (12) looks to drive during Tuesday's game against Mid-Buchanan at Bishop LeBlond High School. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe Bishop LeBlond boys basketball team used scoring runs in the first and third quarters to separate themselves from Mid-Buchanan, eventually pulling out a 54-36 win on Tuesday night at Grace Gymnasium.The Eagles (8-4) ended the first quarter on a 7-0 run to go up 11-6 and eventually led 24-11 with 2:26 left in the second.Mid-Buchanan answered back with a 7-0 run of their own to make it a 24-18 ball game at halftime."I was pretty fired up with the kids at halftime," LeBlond coach Mitch Girres said. "I was not real happy with the way we finished the first half. We kind of got after them in the locker room a little bit. Anytime you play Mid-Buch, no lead is safe, because they're so aggressive and so good defensively and turn you over."LeBlond played well coming out of the locker room, scoring 17 third quarter points and ending the third on an 8-0 run to lead 41-25 entering the fourth.Mid-Buchanan fought to the end, but the Eagles maintained a comfortable lead through the final eight minutes.Sophomore Chris Miljavic led LeBlond with a game-high 16 points on four made three-pointers."I think we did good," Miljavic said. "It all starts with teammates finding open guys."Senior Jake Korell scored 14 points, while senior Landon Gardner followed with 11. Senior Joe Clark led Mid-Buchanan with 14 points. Fellow senior Jackson Wahlgren scored eight for the Dragons.In the end, it was a nice bounce back for LeBlond after finishing a disappointing fourth in their home LeBlond tournament last week.Plus, LeBlond got some payback after Mid-Buchanan beat the Eagles 48-43 in the Mound City Invitational championship back on December 3."The kids really battled and played really hard," Girres said. "We struggled in the last two games of our (LeBlond) tournament and we had a quick turnaround. It was nice to put one in the win column."The LeBlond boys are in action Thursday at Chillicothe. Mid-Buchanan is at West Platte Friday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672802895086.jpeg" alt="Jackson Sauvage (10)." />
 <figcaption>Jackson Sauvage (10).</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672802971578.jpeg" alt="Ian Wegenka (5)." />
 <figcaption>Ian Wegenka (5).</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672802998163.jpeg" alt="Jake Korell (20) goes up for a layup." />
 <figcaption>Jake Korell (20) goes up for a layup.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672803024526.jpeg" alt="Joe Clark (0)." />
 <figcaption>Joe Clark (0).</figcaption>
 </figure>LeBlond girls get off to fast start, stay unbeaten after routing DragonsThe Bishop LeBlond girls (11-0) had little trouble with Mid-Buchanan Tuesday, getting off to a 20-1 start and rolling to a 60-38 win. Senior Tatum Studer scored 17 points, while fellow senior Shae Lewis had 16.Studer sunk four three-pointers in the win. Senior Mallie Lieffring led Mid-Buchanan (5-8) with 10 points.The LeBlond girls are home to Chillicothe Friday. Mid-Buchanan is at West Platte on Friday.You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

LeBlond boys, girls come away with big home wins over Mid-Buchanan Tuesday

The Missouri Western women's basketball team slowly pulled away from Northeastern State Monday. The Griffons led by 33 with 9:08 to go and came away with a 74-53 win over the Riverhawks at the MWSU Fieldhouse.

The Griffons (12-4, 6-2 MIAA) held Northeastern State to just eight third quarter points and were firing on all cylinders for the most part, but Northeastern State (4-7, 1-6 MIAA) limited the damage, ending the game on a 14-3 run over the final 7:37.

Still, Missouri Western had some impressive performances Monday. Junior Connie Clarke logged her seventh double-double of the season, leading the team with 16 points and 11 rebounds.

Junior Brionna Budgets had 15 points and four boards, while fellow junior Trinity Knapp scored 13. In all, 11 Griffons scored and Missouri Western tallied 24 bench points.

The Griffons scored 22 points off of 14 Northeastern State turnovers. Missouri Western held Northeastern State to a 36.7 percent shooting effort from the field, including a 4-of-18 mark from three.

"I always want our team to compete like they're competing for a national championship every single time they hit the floor," Missouri Western coach Candi Whitaker said. "It's challenging at times when you're playing a team and it's a bit lopsided, but we have to have more discipline, and I thought how we ended that game wasn't good."

MWSU men rally from big deficit, fall just shy in closing seconds

The Northeastern State men's basketball team shot lights out to begin Monday's game and led 32-14 with 7:33 left until halftime.

That lead ballooned to 59-35 with 13:04 left in the game. The Griffons turned the tide, outscoring the Riverhawks 38-16 over those final 13 minutes.

Missouri Western tied the game at 73 with just two seconds remaining after Julius Dixon banked in a tying three-pointer from the right wing. Shortly after though, Missouri Western's Reese Glover was called on a foul.

It was the 10th team foul on Missouri Western (7-5, 3-3 MIAA), putting the Riverhawks in the double bonus with just 0.6 seconds left on the clock. Northeastern State's Dillon Bailey made both free throws, and the Riverhawks prevailed 75-73 at the MWSU Fieldhouse.

Dixon, who had 16 points Monday, got a shot off from midcourt at the buzzer as time expired to try and give Missouri Western victory, but the shot missed and the Griffons suffered their second loss by two points or less in the last three days.

"I think we would have had a great chance in overtime," Missouri Western coach Will Martin said of Monday's result. "Obviously, we can't lose our mind. We have to know time and score. We're lifting Reese up and it's never one play. You can't be in a position where you're down 24 points. You can't do that. We turned the ball over too much in the first half."

Taye Fields led Missouri Western with 19 points and nine rebounds. Glover had 11 points on three critical three-pointers in the second half. Junior JaRon Thames, who's been limited with a left hand injury, played seven minutes Monday and scored 10 points, all in the second half, in just his fourth appearance this season.

"He was big," Martin said of Thames. "We've been waiting to get him back. We're always going to slow roll getting guys back, because their health is the most important, but this was a game that we wanted to utilize him. If it wasn't for him, we wouldn't have come back in that game."

Northeastern State (7-4, 4-3 MIAA) had a multi-pronged attack on offense Monday. The Riverhawks were led by Dillon Bailey and Christian Cook, who each finished with 18 points. Cook also had seven assists and six rebounds.

Rashad Perkins had 16 points for the Riverhawks on 3-of-4 shooting from three, helping Northeastern State to their first win in St. Joseph since February 2013.

Both Missouri Western teams go just up the road Saturday to face rival Northwest Missouri State. The women play at 1:30 and the men follow at 3:30 p.m.

Both games are on KFEQ (680, 95.3, 680kfeq.com).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672719286553.jpeg" alt="Connie Clarke (10) led the Missouri Western women's basketball team with 16 points and 11 rebounds during the Griffons' 74-53 win over Northeastern State on Monday. Stock photo." />
 <figcaption>Connie Clarke (10) led the Missouri Western women's basketball team with 16 points and 11 rebounds during the Griffons' 74-53 win over Northeastern State on Monday. Stock photo.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe Missouri Western women's basketball team slowly pulled away from Northeastern State Monday. The Griffons led by 33 with 9:08 to go and came away with a 74-53 win over the Riverhawks at the MWSU Fieldhouse.The Griffons (12-4, 6-2 MIAA) held Northeastern State to just eight third quarter points and were firing on all cylinders for the most part, but Northeastern State (4-7, 1-6 MIAA) limited the damage, ending the game on a 14-3 run over the final 7:37.Still, Missouri Western had some impressive performances Monday. Junior Connie Clarke logged her seventh double-double of the season, leading the team with 16 points and 11 rebounds.Junior Brionna Budgets had 15 points and four boards, while fellow junior Trinity Knapp scored 13. In all, 11 Griffons scored and Missouri Western tallied 24 bench points.The Griffons scored 22 points off of 14 Northeastern State turnovers. Missouri Western held Northeastern State to a 36.7 percent shooting effort from the field, including a 4-of-18 mark from three."I always want our team to compete like they're competing for a national championship every single time they hit the floor," Missouri Western coach Candi Whitaker said. "It's challenging at times when you're playing a team and it's a bit lopsided, but we have to have more discipline, and I thought how we ended that game wasn't good."MWSU men rally from big deficit, fall just shy in closing secondsThe Northeastern State men's basketball team shot lights out to begin Monday's game and led 32-14 with 7:33 left until halftime.That lead ballooned to 59-35 with 13:04 left in the game. The Griffons turned the tide, outscoring the Riverhawks 38-16 over those final 13 minutes.Missouri Western tied the game at 73 with just two seconds remaining after Julius Dixon banked in a tying three-pointer from the right wing. Shortly after though, Missouri Western's Reese Glover was called on a foul.It was the 10th team foul on Missouri Western (7-5, 3-3 MIAA), putting the Riverhawks in the double bonus with just 0.6 seconds left on the clock. Northeastern State's Dillon Bailey made both free throws, and the Riverhawks prevailed 75-73 at the MWSU Fieldhouse.Dixon, who had 16 points Monday, got a shot off from midcourt at the buzzer as time expired to try and give Missouri Western victory, but the shot missed and the Griffons suffered their second loss by two points or less in the last three days."I think we would have had a great chance in overtime," Missouri Western coach Will Martin said of Monday's result. "Obviously, we can't lose our mind. We have to know time and score. We're lifting Reese up and it's never one play. You can't be in a position where you're down 24 points. You can't do that. We turned the ball over too much in the first half."Taye Fields led Missouri Western with 19 points and nine rebounds. Glover had 11 points on three critical three-pointers in the second half. Junior JaRon Thames, who's been limited with a left hand injury, played seven minutes Monday and scored 10 points, all in the second half, in just his fourth appearance this season."He was big," Martin said of Thames. "We've been waiting to get him back. We're always going to slow roll getting guys back, because their health is the most important, but this was a game that we wanted to utilize him. If it wasn't for him, we wouldn't have come back in that game."Northeastern State (7-4, 4-3 MIAA) had a multi-pronged attack on offense Monday. The Riverhawks were led by Dillon Bailey and Christian Cook, who each finished with 18 points. Cook also had seven assists and six rebounds.Rashad Perkins had 16 points for the Riverhawks on 3-of-4 shooting from three, helping Northeastern State to their first win in St. Joseph since February 2013.Both Missouri Western teams go just up the road Saturday to face rival Northwest Missouri State. The women play at 1:30 and the men follow at 3:30 p.m.Both games are on KFEQ (680, 95.3, 680kfeq.com).You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

MWSU WBB knocks off Northeastern State, MWSU MBB rallies and falls short Monday

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes moved into the rarest of company Sunday, joining Tom Brady and Drew Brees as the only quarterbacks with multiple 5,000-yard passing seasons, and the Chiefs overcame another sloppy start to beat the Broncos for the 15th consecutive time and stay alive for the No. 1 seed in the AFC.

So everything must be good in Kansas City, right?

“There's not a lot satisfying for me,” Mahomes said shortly after the 27-24 victory Sunday.

There was the pick he threw in the end zone and the mechanics that went awry in the second half. There was the fumbled punt return that led to a Denver touchdown, a sloppy snap on a point-after attempt and even a blocked field goal.

Yet the Chiefs (13-3) still managed to escape a 17-13 third-quarter deficit and rally for their fourth consecutive win.

“When I don't have my best stuff and guys step up and we still win football games,” said Mahomes, who nevertheless finished with 328 yards passing and three touchdowns, “that's a good thing.”

Jerick McKinnon had two touchdown catches while Blake Bell and Isiah Pacheco also scored for the Chiefs, who began the day tied with Buffalo for the best record in the AFC; the Bills play Cincinnati on Monday night.

“We'll watch it,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said with a smile.

Denver's Russel Wilson threw for 222 yards and a touchdown while also running for a pair of scores, the second of them — after two costly penalties on the Kansas City defense — pulling Denver within 27-24 with 6:14 left in the game.

The Broncos got the ball back with just under four minutes to go, too, and picked up a quick first down. But the Kansas City defense stiffened near midfield, and Chris Jones sacked Wilson on fourth-and-2 to effectively end the game.

The Chiefs' sluggish start against the downtrodden Broncos wasn't all that surprising. They've habitually played down to the opposition, whether it was in their overtime win at Houston or their 34-28 victory over the Broncos three weeks ago.

But the Chiefs also have proven over the years their ability to strike quickly, and they did that after falling behind for the first time Sunday. Mahomes answered with long passes to Toney and McKinnon, a penalty on third down gave them a fresh set of downs, and McKinnon turned a screen pass into a touchdown reception for the fifth straight game.

That streak is the longest for an NFL running back since Bill Dudley of the Lions in 1947.

“If I would have told you I saw it was coming, nah,” McKinnon said, “but that's what you put the work in the offseason for, when you're opportunity comes you're ready for the moment.”

The Chiefs struggled to maintain momentum after halftime, though, going three-and-out on their first three possessions. And the Broncos, with their third play-caller of the season in offensive coordinator Justin Outten, capitalized with a 63-yard touchdown drive that gave them a 17-13 lead late in the third quarter.

Then the Chiefs began looking like the Chiefs. And the Broncos like the Broncos.

Mahomes led the AFC West champs briskly downfield before hitting Bell from 17 yards for his first regular-season touchdown catch. And on the very next play, Wilson threw a wobbler under pressure that L'Jarius Sneed picked off, setting up McKinnon's second touchdown catch of the day and his eighth in the past five games.

The Broncos scored in the fourth quarter to give themselves a chance before Kansas City put the game away.

“When you win and you don't feel like you play you best ball, that's a really good thing,” Mahomes said. “We have to find a way to, for four quarters, play our best football when we get to the playoffs. And I feel like we haven't done that.”

Mahomes improved to 11-0 against Denver, joining Andrew Luck (11-0 vs Tennessee) as the only QBs in the Super Bowl era with more than 10 wins and no losses against an opponent.

 The Chiefs' 15 straight wins over Denver is tied for the third-longest streak of any team against an opponent in NFL history. The Broncos have not won against the Chiefs since Sept. 17, 2015.

LG Joe Thuney (ankle) left late in the third quarter and WR Skyy Moore (hand) in the fourth. L'Jarius Sneed also hurt his hip on his interception return in the fourth.

The Chiefs visit the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday in their regular-season finale. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. Coverage starts at 2:30 p.m. on KFEQ (680, 95.3) and Q Country 92.7 FM in St. Joseph.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672610964644.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Chiefs running back Jerick McKinnon (1) celebrates after scoring past Denver Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II (2) and teammate JuJu Smith-Schuster (9) during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)." />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Chiefs running back Jerick McKinnon (1) celebrates after scoring past Denver Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II (2) and teammate JuJu Smith-Schuster (9) during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel).</figcaption>
 </figure>St. Joseph PostKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes moved into the rarest of company Sunday, joining Tom Brady and Drew Brees as the only quarterbacks with multiple 5,000-yard passing seasons, and the Chiefs overcame another sloppy start to beat the Broncos for the 15th consecutive time and stay alive for the No. 1 seed in the AFC.So everything must be good in Kansas City, right?“There's not a lot satisfying for me,” Mahomes said shortly after the 27-24 victory Sunday.There was the pick he threw in the end zone and the mechanics that went awry in the second half. There was the fumbled punt return that led to a Denver touchdown, a sloppy snap on a point-after attempt and even a blocked field goal.Yet the Chiefs (13-3) still managed to escape a 17-13 third-quarter deficit and rally for their fourth consecutive win.“When I don't have my best stuff and guys step up and we still win football games,” said Mahomes, who nevertheless finished with 328 yards passing and three touchdowns, “that's a good thing.”Jerick McKinnon had two touchdown catches while Blake Bell and Isiah Pacheco also scored for the Chiefs, who began the day tied with Buffalo for the best record in the AFC; the Bills play Cincinnati on Monday night.“We'll watch it,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said with a smile.Denver's Russel Wilson threw for 222 yards and a touchdown while also running for a pair of scores, the second of them — after two costly penalties on the Kansas City defense — pulling Denver within 27-24 with 6:14 left in the game.The Broncos got the ball back with just under four minutes to go, too, and picked up a quick first down. But the Kansas City defense stiffened near midfield, and Chris Jones sacked Wilson on fourth-and-2 to effectively end the game.The Chiefs' sluggish start against the downtrodden Broncos wasn't all that surprising. They've habitually played down to the opposition, whether it was in their overtime win at Houston or their 34-28 victory over the Broncos three weeks ago.But the Chiefs also have proven over the years their ability to strike quickly, and they did that after falling behind for the first time Sunday. Mahomes answered with long passes to Toney and McKinnon, a penalty on third down gave them a fresh set of downs, and McKinnon turned a screen pass into a touchdown reception for the fifth straight game.That streak is the longest for an NFL running back since Bill Dudley of the Lions in 1947.“If I would have told you I saw it was coming, nah,” McKinnon said, “but that's what you put the work in the offseason for, when you're opportunity comes you're ready for the moment.”The Chiefs struggled to maintain momentum after halftime, though, going three-and-out on their first three possessions. And the Broncos, with their third play-caller of the season in offensive coordinator Justin Outten, capitalized with a 63-yard touchdown drive that gave them a 17-13 lead late in the third quarter.Then the Chiefs began looking like the Chiefs. And the Broncos like the Broncos.Mahomes led the AFC West champs briskly downfield before hitting Bell from 17 yards for his first regular-season touchdown catch. And on the very next play, Wilson threw a wobbler under pressure that L'Jarius Sneed picked off, setting up McKinnon's second touchdown catch of the day and his eighth in the past five games.The Broncos scored in the fourth quarter to give themselves a chance before Kansas City put the game away.“When you win and you don't feel like you play you best ball, that's a really good thing,” Mahomes said. “We have to find a way to, for four quarters, play our best football when we get to the playoffs. And I feel like we haven't done that.”STATS AND STREAKSMahomes improved to 11-0 against Denver, joining Andrew Luck (11-0 vs Tennessee) as the only QBs in the Super Bowl era with more than 10 wins and no losses against an opponent. The Chiefs' 15 straight wins over Denver is tied for the third-longest streak of any team against an opponent in NFL history. The Broncos have not won against the Chiefs since Sept. 17, 2015.INJURIESLG Joe Thuney (ankle) left late in the third quarter and WR Skyy Moore (hand) in the fourth. L'Jarius Sneed also hurt his hip on his interception return in the fourth.The Chiefs visit the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday in their regular-season finale. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. Coverage starts at 2:30 p.m. on KFEQ (680, 95.3) and Q Country 92.7 FM in St. Joseph.

Chiefs top Broncos Sunday for a 15th straight time

The Missouri Western women's basketball team left little doubt that they would win Saturday shortly after the game tipped off.

The Griffons (11-4, 5-2 MIAA) rocketed off to a 12-0 start, led 25-10 at the end of the first quarter and rolled to a 96-51 win over Rogers State on Saturday afternoon at the MWSU Fieldhouse.

Missouri Western shot 53 percent from the field, and made 12-of-31 three-point attempts. The Griffons also shared the ball well, doling out 31 assists.

Defensively, Missouri Western held Rogers State (3-9 overall, 1-5 MIAA) to 31 percent shooting from the field, and turned the Hillcats over 31 times.

Junior Brionna Budgets led four Griffons in double figures with 21 points on 5-of-6 shooting from three. Sophomore Abby Bala scored a career-high 17 points on a career-best four made three-pointers.

Junior Connie Clarke had 10 points and eight rebounds . Junior Trinity Knapp had 10 points, three rebounds and three assists. In all, 13 Griffons played and 12 of them scored.

Missouri Western has now won four in a row and improved to 4-0 all time against Rogers State.

MWSU men rally, fall short in final seconds to Rogers State

The Missouri Western men's basketball team got down 20-9 in the first half and trailed 36-29 at halftime.

The Griffons led 44-42 with 12:35 remaining, but fell behind 54-46 with 7:23 to go. Missouri Western would again rally, tying the game at 58 with a Taye Fields three-pointer with 1:40 to go.

Rogers State, however, reclaimed the lead with 1:08 remaining and never trailed again, outlasting the Griffons 62-61 in a nail biter on Saturday at the MWSU Fieldhouse.

The Griffons (7-4, 3-2 MIAA) had the ball down a point with just over nine seconds to go. Julius Dixon had a look at what would have been a game-winning three inside the final five seconds, but it was off the mark, and Western had no look at a put-back off the miss.

Junior Will Eames led Missouri Western with a game-high 19 points. He also had eight rebounds and four assists. Dixon finished with 16 points and five boards.

Junior Reese Glover had 11 points on 3-of-8 shooting from deep.

Joey Saracco led Rogers State with 14 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the field. He also had seven rebounds.

Sherwyn Devonish-Prince Jr. had 13 for the Hillcats, while Chris Whitaker had 10.&nbsp;

The Hillcats (8-4, 4-2 MIAA) shot 49.1 percent from the field, while Missouri Western shot 38.9 percent. The Griffons had 16 turnovers, which led to 18 points for the Hillcats.

Both the Missouri Western men and women stay home on Tuesday, January 2 to host Northeastern State. The women tip at 4 and the men at 6 p.m. Both games will be on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3, 680kfeq.com).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1672541005188.jpeg" alt="Stock photo." />
 <figcaption>Stock photo.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe Missouri Western women's basketball team left little doubt that they would win Saturday shortly after the game tipped off.The Griffons (11-4, 5-2 MIAA) rocketed off to a 12-0 start, led 25-10 at the end of the first quarter and rolled to a 96-51 win over Rogers State on Saturday afternoon at the MWSU Fieldhouse.Missouri Western shot 53 percent from the field, and made 12-of-31 three-point attempts. The Griffons also shared the ball well, doling out 31 assists.Defensively, Missouri Western held Rogers State (3-9 overall, 1-5 MIAA) to 31 percent shooting from the field, and turned the Hillcats over 31 times.Junior Brionna Budgets led four Griffons in double figures with 21 points on 5-of-6 shooting from three. Sophomore Abby Bala scored a career-high 17 points on a career-best four made three-pointers.Junior Connie Clarke had 10 points and eight rebounds . Junior Trinity Knapp had 10 points, three rebounds and three assists. In all, 13 Griffons played and 12 of them scored.Missouri Western has now won four in a row and improved to 4-0 all time against Rogers State.<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/MWSU-WBB-coach-Candi-Whitaker---Rogers-State-postgame-123122-e1surur" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div><div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/MWSU-sophomore-Abby-Bala---Rogers-State-postgame-123122-e1sus1p" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>MWSU men rally, fall short in final seconds to Rogers StateThe Missouri Western men's basketball team got down 20-9 in the first half and trailed 36-29 at halftime.The Griffons led 44-42 with 12:35 remaining, but fell behind 54-46 with 7:23 to go. Missouri Western would again rally, tying the game at 58 with a Taye Fields three-pointer with 1:40 to go.Rogers State, however, reclaimed the lead with 1:08 remaining and never trailed again, outlasting the Griffons 62-61 in a nail biter on Saturday at the MWSU Fieldhouse.The Griffons (7-4, 3-2 MIAA) had the ball down a point with just over nine seconds to go. Julius Dixon had a look at what would have been a game-winning three inside the final five seconds, but it was off the mark, and Western had no look at a put-back off the miss.Junior Will Eames led Missouri Western with a game-high 19 points. He also had eight rebounds and four assists. Dixon finished with 16 points and five boards.Junior Reese Glover had 11 points on 3-of-8 shooting from deep.Joey Saracco led Rogers State with 14 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the field. He also had seven rebounds.Sherwyn Devonish-Prince Jr. had 13 for the Hillcats, while Chris Whitaker had 10.&nbsp;The Hillcats (8-4, 4-2 MIAA) shot 49.1 percent from the field, while Missouri Western shot 38.9 percent. The Griffons had 16 turnovers, which led to 18 points for the Hillcats.Both the Missouri Western men and women stay home on Tuesday, January 2 to host Northeastern State. The women tip at 4 and the men at 6 p.m. Both games will be on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3, 680kfeq.com).<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/MWSU-MBB-coach-Will-Martin---Rogers-State-postgame-123122-e1sus0r" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

MWSU women dominate Rogers State, MWSU men fall just short to Hillcats

The Bishop LeBlond girls' basketball team overcame a somewhat sluggish start on offense and knocked down eight total three-pointers on their way to a 50-32 win over Savannah in the LeBlond Holiday Tournament championship game on Thursday night.

Leading 10-4 at the end of the first, LeBlond (10-0) made three triples in the second quarter alone, led 21-6 at one point and settled for a 25-13 advantage at halftime.

The LeBlond barrage continued in the third quarter, as the Golden Eagles made four more threes and led 43-26 entering the fourth.

Senior Shae Lewis, who was named LeBlond Tournament MVP, finished Thursday's game with 16 points. She scored a combined 43 points over the three games this week, helping the Golden Eagles to win their home holiday tournament for a second straight year.

"It's just really special to be out here one last time playing in the (LeBlond) tournament," Lewis said on KFEQ Radio after. "I'm so glad we won again and it's just a great feeling."

Seniors Katie Beam, Emma Raines and Tatum Studer each scored nine points Thursday. Studer and junior Kaleigh Ziesel were also named to the LeBlond all-tournament team.

"Everyone is starting to feel comfortable in their position and their role," LeBlond coach Jackie Steltenpohl said. "Once they see the ball go through the net, they just know they always have the green light, and we don't tell them to stop shooting.

"I think, going forward, having all of those girls with that confidence and everyone coming off the bench and we can light 'em up and everyone gets eight-plus (points) per game, that's going to be hard to stop."

Conversely, LeBlond turned Savannah over 18 times Thursday.

"They're a great group of girls who can play great defense," Steltenpohl noted. "I keep telling them that defense is going to take us a long way this year more than our offense."

Freshman Ella Scott led Savannah (2-6) off the bench with nine points - all from beyond the arc. Junior Rhyan Shrick and freshman Ambi Jones each scored six points. Freshman Mylee Shrick had five. Both Schricks were named to the LeBlond all tournament team.

LeBlond now heads into the New Year with an unblemished record and a ranking that rose to No. 2 in the latest Missouri Basketball Coaches' Association polls.

The Eagles will rest for a couple of days, and then get set to host Mid-Buchanan on Tuesday, January 3. Savannah is at Cameron on January 6.

Girls 5th place - Brookfield 48 Plattsburg 41 3rd place - Nodaway Valley 46 North Andrew 41 OT

Boys 7th place - Nodaway Valley 48 Brookfield 36 5th place - Lawson 61 North Andrew 50 3rd place - Savannah 46 Bishop LeBlond 40 1st place - Plattsburg 60 St. Michael the Archangel 59 - 2 OT - Isaia Howard had 33 points. Plattsburg is 11-0.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1672373723136.jpeg" alt="Bishop LeBlond girls' basketball has won the LeBlond tournament for a second straight year. Courtesy photo." />
 <figcaption>Bishop LeBlond girls' basketball has won the LeBlond tournament for a second straight year. Courtesy photo.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe Bishop LeBlond girls' basketball team overcame a somewhat sluggish start on offense and knocked down eight total three-pointers on their way to a 50-32 win over Savannah in the LeBlond Holiday Tournament championship game on Thursday night.Leading 10-4 at the end of the first, LeBlond (10-0) made three triples in the second quarter alone, led 21-6 at one point and settled for a 25-13 advantage at halftime.The LeBlond barrage continued in the third quarter, as the Golden Eagles made four more threes and led 43-26 entering the fourth.Senior Shae Lewis, who was named LeBlond Tournament MVP, finished Thursday's game with 16 points. She scored a combined 43 points over the three games this week, helping the Golden Eagles to win their home holiday tournament for a second straight year."It's just really special to be out here one last time playing in the (LeBlond) tournament," Lewis said on KFEQ Radio after. "I'm so glad we won again and it's just a great feeling."Seniors Katie Beam, Emma Raines and Tatum Studer each scored nine points Thursday. Studer and junior Kaleigh Ziesel were also named to the LeBlond all-tournament team."Everyone is starting to feel comfortable in their position and their role," LeBlond coach Jackie Steltenpohl said. "Once they see the ball go through the net, they just know they always have the green light, and we don't tell them to stop shooting."I think, going forward, having all of those girls with that confidence and everyone coming off the bench and we can light 'em up and everyone gets eight-plus (points) per game, that's going to be hard to stop."Conversely, LeBlond turned Savannah over 18 times Thursday."They're a great group of girls who can play great defense," Steltenpohl noted. "I keep telling them that defense is going to take us a long way this year more than our offense."Freshman Ella Scott led Savannah (2-6) off the bench with nine points - all from beyond the arc. Junior Rhyan Shrick and freshman Ambi Jones each scored six points. Freshman Mylee Shrick had five. Both Schricks were named to the LeBlond all tournament team.LeBlond now heads into the New Year with an unblemished record and a ranking that rose to No. 2 in the latest Missouri Basketball Coaches' Association polls.The Eagles will rest for a couple of days, and then get set to host Mid-Buchanan on Tuesday, January 3. Savannah is at Cameron on January 6.Postgame interviews<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/Shae-Lewis--Jackie-Steltenpohl---Bishop-LeBlond-postgame-122922-e1ssmtn" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>Full game broadcast<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/2022-LeBlond-GBB-tournament-championship---Bishop-LeBlond-vs--Savannah-e1ssn0q" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>Other LeBlond tournament resultsGirls 5th place - Brookfield 48 Plattsburg 41 3rd place - Nodaway Valley 46 North Andrew 41 OTBoys 7th place - Nodaway Valley 48 Brookfield 36 5th place - Lawson 61 North Andrew 50 3rd place - Savannah 46 Bishop LeBlond 40 1st place - Plattsburg 60 St. Michael the Archangel 59 - 2 OT - Isaia Howard had 33 points. Plattsburg is 11-0.You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Bishop LeBlond GBB wins LeBlond Holiday Tournament for second straight season

The Missouri Western women's basketball team used a dominant second quarter to pull away from Saint Mary and down the Spires 94-65 on Wednesday night at the MWSU Fieldhouse in St. Joseph.

Leading 24-14 at the end of the first, the Griffons outscored Saint Mary 28-10 in the second quarter to go up 52-24 at the break.

Missouri Western was led in scoring by junior Brionna Budgets, who had a game-high 26 points on a career-best seven made three-pointers.

Junior Connie Clarke had 20 points on 8-of-10 shooting. She also had four steals, three rebounds and three assists.

Junior Mary Fultz logged a season-high 16 points off the bench on 8-of-9 shooting. Missouri Western shot 54% from the field, and were 16-of-20 at the free throw line. The Griffons also outrebounded the Spires 42-26.

Saint Mary made 12 three-pointers, but were held to 39 percent shooting from the field overall.

"We got to play everybody and that's what we wanted," Missouri Western coach Candi Whitaker said. "Didn't want to get anybody hurt and wanted to come out with a win and knock some rust off and get ready for conference games coming up. So, I'm happy with most of it."

Missouri Western men dominate down the stretch against Friends

The Missouri Western men found themselves in a low scoring struggle with Friends University in the first 14 minutes of Wednesday's game, but a 15-3 run by the Griffons to end the first half turned the tide.

Missouri Western led 35-18 at halftime and dominated the rest of the way in an 82-49 victory on Wednesday night at the MWSU Fieldhouse.

The Griffons shot well from long range, knocking down 15-of-27 three-point attempts. Conversely, Friends shot only 33.3% from the field.

Reese Glover led Missouri Western with 15 points on 5-of-7 shooting from beyond the arc. Julius Dixon had 14 points on four made triples, Will Eames scored 13 points and Zion Swader logged 10. Eames led the team with eight rebounds, while Swader had four assists and four steals.

"It gave us a good opportunity to hold each other accountable and get a lot better," Missouri Western coach Will Martin said. "Definitely some positive things. We got four guys (to score) in double digits and that's starting to become a little bit of a trend for us is having 4-5 guys in double digits and that makes you hard to beat."

Both the Missouri Western men's and women's basketball teams are back in action at home Saturday to face Rogers State in MIAA Conference play. The women play at 1:30, and the men follow at 3:30 p.m. Both games will be on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3, 680kfeq.com).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1672287591040.jpeg" alt="Missouri Western's Zion Swader goes up for a dunk during the Griffons' 82-49&nbsp; win over Friends University on Wednesday night. Photo by Derek Zimmerman-Guyer." />
 <figcaption>Missouri Western's Zion Swader goes up for a dunk during the Griffons' 82-49&nbsp; win over Friends University on Wednesday night. Photo by Derek Zimmerman-Guyer.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe Missouri Western women's basketball team used a dominant second quarter to pull away from Saint Mary and down the Spires 94-65 on Wednesday night at the MWSU Fieldhouse in St. Joseph.Leading 24-14 at the end of the first, the Griffons outscored Saint Mary 28-10 in the second quarter to go up 52-24 at the break.Missouri Western was led in scoring by junior Brionna Budgets, who had a game-high 26 points on a career-best seven made three-pointers.Junior Connie Clarke had 20 points on 8-of-10 shooting. She also had four steals, three rebounds and three assists.Junior Mary Fultz logged a season-high 16 points off the bench on 8-of-9 shooting. Missouri Western shot 54% from the field, and were 16-of-20 at the free throw line. The Griffons also outrebounded the Spires 42-26.Saint Mary made 12 three-pointers, but were held to 39 percent shooting from the field overall."We got to play everybody and that's what we wanted," Missouri Western coach Candi Whitaker said. "Didn't want to get anybody hurt and wanted to come out with a win and knock some rust off and get ready for conference games coming up. So, I'm happy with most of it."Missouri Western men dominate down the stretch against FriendsThe Missouri Western men found themselves in a low scoring struggle with Friends University in the first 14 minutes of Wednesday's game, but a 15-3 run by the Griffons to end the first half turned the tide.Missouri Western led 35-18 at halftime and dominated the rest of the way in an 82-49 victory on Wednesday night at the MWSU Fieldhouse.The Griffons shot well from long range, knocking down 15-of-27 three-point attempts. Conversely, Friends shot only 33.3% from the field.Reese Glover led Missouri Western with 15 points on 5-of-7 shooting from beyond the arc. Julius Dixon had 14 points on four made triples, Will Eames scored 13 points and Zion Swader logged 10. Eames led the team with eight rebounds, while Swader had four assists and four steals."It gave us a good opportunity to hold each other accountable and get a lot better," Missouri Western coach Will Martin said. "Definitely some positive things. We got four guys (to score) in double digits and that's starting to become a little bit of a trend for us is having 4-5 guys in double digits and that makes you hard to beat."Both the Missouri Western men's and women's basketball teams are back in action at home Saturday to face Rogers State in MIAA Conference play. The women play at 1:30, and the men follow at 3:30 p.m. Both games will be on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3, 680kfeq.com).You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

MWSU women take down Saint Mary, MWSU men defeat Friends Wednesday

The Bishop LeBlond girls' basketball team jumped out to a 20-1 lead in the first quarter, and that was about it.

The unbeaten Eagles (8-0) made nine threes and got points from 11 different players in a 66-17 dismantling of Brookfield on Tuesday evening at Grace Gymnasium in the LeBlond Holiday Tournament.

Brookfield (8-2) made only five offense field goals in the whole game, and were doomed by 18 turnovers.

Senior Shae Lewis led LeBlond with a game-high 16 points.

"It was nice that she just caught fire like she has the last couple of games," coach Jackie Steltenpohl said of Lewis, "because she was kind of in a shooting rut. She's kind of relaxed now and ready to play."

Seniors Katie Beam, Emma Raines and junior Kaleigh Ziesel each had eight points. Senior Tatum Studer and sophomore Harper Wright each scored six.

"The girls had a lot of energy and that's always exciting to see," Steltenpohl said. "Especially coming off of a break with no games. We were just really prepared for that team and the girls came out and shot lights out."

The LeBlond girls face North Andrew in pool play on Wednesday night at 7 p.m.

LeBlond boys follow suit with big win over Brookfield

After a slow, defensive slug fest in the first 5-6 minutes, Bishop LeBlond finally created a bit of separation, leading 13-4 at the end of the first quarter.

It was an avalanche from there, as Brookfield (1-8) was held scoreless in the second quarter and the Eagles cruised to a 63-18 win over the Bulldogs on Tuesday night at Grace Gymnasium.

The win was LeBlond's third straight and it marked their largest margin of victory so far this season.

Senior Jake Korell was crisp for LeBlond (7-2) all night, dropping a game-high 22 points. Sophomore Chris Miljavic scored 12 on four made three-pointers.

LeBlond turned Brookfield over 17 times and held the Bulldogs to just one made field goal in the first half.

"I think that's what we've been trying to work on practice," LeBlond coach Mitch Girres said. "Just being better on the defensive end, communicating better and we played really well tonight on that end."

LeBlond advances to the semifinals of the boys' bracket and will play St. Michael the Archangel (4-2) on Wednesday night at 8:30 p.m.

"St. Michael is a good team," Girres said. "A little bigger and a little more athletic. They all shoot it well, so it will be a bit of a different flow. I don't know if we want to play at their pace. We're going to hopefully play at ours, but it'll definitely be a challenge."

Other LeBlond tournament results Wednesday

Girls Savannah 40 Nodaway Valley 37 North Andrew 47 Plattsburg 25

Boys St. Michaels' 52 Lawson 42 Plattsburg 60 Nodaway Valley 41. The Tigers are 9-0 on the season. Savannah 53 North Andrew 40 - Both Savannah teams picked up their first wins of the season Tuesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670386890860.jpeg" alt="Shae Lewis (22) led LeBlond in victory Tuesday night with 16 points. Stock photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Shae Lewis (22) led LeBlond in victory Tuesday night with 16 points. Stock photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe Bishop LeBlond girls' basketball team jumped out to a 20-1 lead in the first quarter, and that was about it.The unbeaten Eagles (8-0) made nine threes and got points from 11 different players in a 66-17 dismantling of Brookfield on Tuesday evening at Grace Gymnasium in the LeBlond Holiday Tournament.Brookfield (8-2) made only five offense field goals in the whole game, and were doomed by 18 turnovers.Senior Shae Lewis led LeBlond with a game-high 16 points."It was nice that she just caught fire like she has the last couple of games," coach Jackie Steltenpohl said of Lewis, "because she was kind of in a shooting rut. She's kind of relaxed now and ready to play."Seniors Katie Beam, Emma Raines and junior Kaleigh Ziesel each had eight points. Senior Tatum Studer and sophomore Harper Wright each scored six."The girls had a lot of energy and that's always exciting to see," Steltenpohl said. "Especially coming off of a break with no games. We were just really prepared for that team and the girls came out and shot lights out."The LeBlond girls face North Andrew in pool play on Wednesday night at 7 p.m.LeBlond boys follow suit with big win over BrookfieldAfter a slow, defensive slug fest in the first 5-6 minutes, Bishop LeBlond finally created a bit of separation, leading 13-4 at the end of the first quarter.It was an avalanche from there, as Brookfield (1-8) was held scoreless in the second quarter and the Eagles cruised to a 63-18 win over the Bulldogs on Tuesday night at Grace Gymnasium.The win was LeBlond's third straight and it marked their largest margin of victory so far this season.Senior Jake Korell was crisp for LeBlond (7-2) all night, dropping a game-high 22 points. Sophomore Chris Miljavic scored 12 on four made three-pointers.LeBlond turned Brookfield over 17 times and held the Bulldogs to just one made field goal in the first half."I think that's what we've been trying to work on practice," LeBlond coach Mitch Girres said. "Just being better on the defensive end, communicating better and we played really well tonight on that end."LeBlond advances to the semifinals of the boys' bracket and will play St. Michael the Archangel (4-2) on Wednesday night at 8:30 p.m."St. Michael is a good team," Girres said. "A little bigger and a little more athletic. They all shoot it well, so it will be a bit of a different flow. I don't know if we want to play at their pace. We're going to hopefully play at ours, but it'll definitely be a challenge."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670386777401.jpeg" alt="Jake Korell (left) led the LeBlond boys with 22 points Tuesday. Stock photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Jake Korell (left) led the LeBlond boys with 22 points Tuesday. Stock photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>Other LeBlond tournament results WednesdayGirls Savannah 40 Nodaway Valley 37 North Andrew 47 Plattsburg 25Boys St. Michaels' 52 Lawson 42 Plattsburg 60 Nodaway Valley 41. The Tigers are 9-0 on the season. Savannah 53 North Andrew 40 - Both Savannah teams picked up their first wins of the season Tuesday.You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

LeBlond, Savannah big winners in first day of LeBlond tournament Tuesday

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Even as the Kansas City Chiefs squeaked out wins the past few weeks, coach Andy Reid lamented both the state of their inexperienced defense and their inability to put away struggling teams.

They showed massive improvement in both areas against Seattle on Saturday.

That youthful defense shut down Geno Smith and the slumping Seahawks offense, Patrick Mahomes threw two TD passes before running for a clinching score in the fourth quarter, and the Chiefs rolled to a 24-10 win that allowed them to keep pace with Buffalo for the best record in the AFC.

“I mentioned it the other way the last couple of weeks, that they need to get better,” Reid said of his defense, which often has five or more rookies on the field at a time. “They're making progress and I thought they did a nice job today.”

Indeed, the Chiefs stopped the Seahawks (7-8) twice on fourth down, picked off their Pro Bowl quarterback in the end zone and dealt coach Pete Carroll’s team their fifth loss in six games along with a near-knockout blow to their playoff hopes.

Travis Kelce had six catches for 113 yards, and Kadarius Toney and Jerick McKinnon had touchdown catches, as the AFC West champion Chiefs (12-3) remain tied with the Bills — who hold the tiebreaker — with two games to go.

“We’re on a mission here in Kansas City,” Chiefs defensive end Frank Clark said, “and the goal is to finish the season strong. The last few weeks we haven't been getting the job done as far as finishing strong. A lot of tight games."

Kansas City has won 16 consecutive regular-season games against NFC opponents.

Kenneth Walker III was the biggest bright spot for Seattle, running for 107 yards but failing to reach the end zone. But the Chiefs mostly kept DK Metcalf in check, and Seattle didn't reach the end zone until the closing minutes of the game.

“We just couldn't get going and couldn't make first downs,” Carroll said. “We got nothing going at all.”

Much like the rest of the country, the cold weather that flooded the Midwest produced some frigid temperatures — the wind chill was minus-2 at kickoff, and that was an improvement over the previous two days. In fact, it had been so cold the tarp was frozen to the field when workers tried to remove it three hours before kickoff.

That didn't bother a half-dozen Seahawks, including DK Metcalf and his fellow wide receivers, who walked out of the tunnel bare-chested shortly afterward for their pregame warmups on the ice-covered field.

Maybe they weren't cold, but Seattle's offense was downright frigid.

Playing without wide receiver Tyler Lockett, who had surgery on his broken hand this week, Smith and Co. gained just 18 yards on their first 15 plays, and they were forced to punt on their first five possessions.

The Chiefs took advantage of the slow start, too. Mahomes threw a pop pass to Toney to cap a 63-yard TD drive, then a pass to McKinnon out of the backfield a few minutes later for another score. And by the time Harrison Butker drilled a 47-yard field goal late in the half, the Chiefs had jumped out to a 17-0 lead.

Even when Seattle got a field goal before halftime, much of the drive was aided by defensive penalties.

While the Chiefs struggled to extend their lead in the second half, the Seahawks proved incapable of trimming it.

They failed on fourth down at the Kansas City 34 when tight end Colby Parkinson was stood up after a catch; failed on fourth down again when Laquon Treadwell failed to run his route to the first-down marker and came up short; and failed to score at the Kansas City 22 when Smith overthrew Treadwell and was picked off by Juan Thornhill in the end zone.

The Chiefs, who have been maligned for failing to put struggling teams away, finally did it on the ensuing possession, when Mahomes hit Kelce with two long throws before sprinting to the pylon for the clinching touchdown.

“We just have to keep going. We're on a roll,” Toney said. “We have a goal right now and we're just trying to get to it.”

Mahomes extended his consecutive completions streak to 21 at the start of the game before missing his next throw. McKinnon has six TDs in his past four games.

The Chiefs will host the Denver Broncos this Sunday. Kickoff is set for noon. Coverage starts at 11 a.m. on KFEQ (680, 95.3) and Q Country 92.7 FM in St. Joseph.

St. Joseph PostKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Even as the Kansas City Chiefs squeaked out wins the past few weeks, coach Andy Reid lamented both the state of their inexperienced defense and their inability to put away struggling teams.They showed massive improvement in both areas against Seattle on Saturday.That youthful defense shut down Geno Smith and the slumping Seahawks offense, Patrick Mahomes threw two TD passes before running for a clinching score in the fourth quarter, and the Chiefs rolled to a 24-10 win that allowed them to keep pace with Buffalo for the best record in the AFC.“I mentioned it the other way the last couple of weeks, that they need to get better,” Reid said of his defense, which often has five or more rookies on the field at a time. “They're making progress and I thought they did a nice job today.”Indeed, the Chiefs stopped the Seahawks (7-8) twice on fourth down, picked off their Pro Bowl quarterback in the end zone and dealt coach Pete Carroll’s team their fifth loss in six games along with a near-knockout blow to their playoff hopes.Travis Kelce had six catches for 113 yards, and Kadarius Toney and Jerick McKinnon had touchdown catches, as the AFC West champion Chiefs (12-3) remain tied with the Bills — who hold the tiebreaker — with two games to go.“We’re on a mission here in Kansas City,” Chiefs defensive end Frank Clark said, “and the goal is to finish the season strong. The last few weeks we haven't been getting the job done as far as finishing strong. A lot of tight games."Kansas City has won 16 consecutive regular-season games against NFC opponents.Kenneth Walker III was the biggest bright spot for Seattle, running for 107 yards but failing to reach the end zone. But the Chiefs mostly kept DK Metcalf in check, and Seattle didn't reach the end zone until the closing minutes of the game.“We just couldn't get going and couldn't make first downs,” Carroll said. “We got nothing going at all.”Much like the rest of the country, the cold weather that flooded the Midwest produced some frigid temperatures — the wind chill was minus-2 at kickoff, and that was an improvement over the previous two days. In fact, it had been so cold the tarp was frozen to the field when workers tried to remove it three hours before kickoff.That didn't bother a half-dozen Seahawks, including DK Metcalf and his fellow wide receivers, who walked out of the tunnel bare-chested shortly afterward for their pregame warmups on the ice-covered field.Maybe they weren't cold, but Seattle's offense was downright frigid.Playing without wide receiver Tyler Lockett, who had surgery on his broken hand this week, Smith and Co. gained just 18 yards on their first 15 plays, and they were forced to punt on their first five possessions.The Chiefs took advantage of the slow start, too. Mahomes threw a pop pass to Toney to cap a 63-yard TD drive, then a pass to McKinnon out of the backfield a few minutes later for another score. And by the time Harrison Butker drilled a 47-yard field goal late in the half, the Chiefs had jumped out to a 17-0 lead.Even when Seattle got a field goal before halftime, much of the drive was aided by defensive penalties.While the Chiefs struggled to extend their lead in the second half, the Seahawks proved incapable of trimming it.They failed on fourth down at the Kansas City 34 when tight end Colby Parkinson was stood up after a catch; failed on fourth down again when Laquon Treadwell failed to run his route to the first-down marker and came up short; and failed to score at the Kansas City 22 when Smith overthrew Treadwell and was picked off by Juan Thornhill in the end zone.The Chiefs, who have been maligned for failing to put struggling teams away, finally did it on the ensuing possession, when Mahomes hit Kelce with two long throws before sprinting to the pylon for the clinching touchdown.“We just have to keep going. We're on a roll,” Toney said. “We have a goal right now and we're just trying to get to it.”STATS AND STREAKSMahomes extended his consecutive completions streak to 21 at the start of the game before missing his next throw. McKinnon has six TDs in his past four games.The Chiefs will host the Denver Broncos this Sunday. Kickoff is set for noon. Coverage starts at 11 a.m. on KFEQ (680, 95.3) and Q Country 92.7 FM in St. Joseph.

Chiefs get past Seahawks, remain tied for AFC's best record

The St. Joseph Sports Commission announced Thursday that all Holiday Hoops Games scheduled for Thursday at Civic Arena have been canceled due to inclement weather.

The Benton/Lincoln Prep boys' and girls' doubleheader has been rescheduled for Friday with girls tip at 12 p.m. and boys at 1:30. The St. Joseph Sports Commission will seek to reschedule the other four games at a later date in January or February if possible.

St. Joseph Christian and Stewartsville/Osborn were scheduled to play a boys and girls' doubleheader Thursday. The Bishop LeBlond boys were scheduled to face West Platte, while the LeBlond girls were going to face Schuyler County Thursday as well.

Wednesday's results are below. East Buchanan 47 DeKalb 16 (girls) East Buchanan 62 Northland Christian 41 (boys) North Platte 60 East Atchison 33 (girls) North Platte 64 East Atchison 56 (boys) Central 65 Lafayette 56 (girls) Lafayette 52 Central 50 (boys)

Full coverage of the Central/Lafayette doubleheader <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/b86c23ee-97e3-4a41-bffe-28627fd4f701">can be found here</a>.&nbsp;Tickets for Friday's games in St. Joseph will go on sale at the arena box one hour prior to tip.

This wasn't the only high school basketball event impacted by weather this week. Twelve Courts of Christmas canceled all games for Thursday at Hyvee Arena in Kansas City, as did the NCMC tournament in Trenton.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671726647032.jpeg" alt="Photo by Clifton Grooms." />
 <figcaption>Photo by Clifton Grooms.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe St. Joseph Sports Commission announced Thursday that all Holiday Hoops Games scheduled for Thursday at Civic Arena have been canceled due to inclement weather.The Benton/Lincoln Prep boys' and girls' doubleheader has been rescheduled for Friday with girls tip at 12 p.m. and boys at 1:30. The St. Joseph Sports Commission will seek to reschedule the other four games at a later date in January or February if possible.St. Joseph Christian and Stewartsville/Osborn were scheduled to play a boys and girls' doubleheader Thursday. The Bishop LeBlond boys were scheduled to face West Platte, while the LeBlond girls were going to face Schuyler County Thursday as well.Wednesday's results are below. East Buchanan 47 DeKalb 16 (girls) East Buchanan 62 Northland Christian 41 (boys) North Platte 60 East Atchison 33 (girls) North Platte 64 East Atchison 56 (boys) Central 65 Lafayette 56 (girls) Lafayette 52 Central 50 (boys)Full coverage of the Central/Lafayette doubleheader <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/b86c23ee-97e3-4a41-bffe-28627fd4f701">can be found here</a>.&nbsp;Tickets for Friday's games in St. Joseph will go on sale at the arena box one hour prior to tip.This wasn't the only high school basketball event impacted by weather this week. Twelve Courts of Christmas canceled all games for Thursday at Hyvee Arena in Kansas City, as did the NCMC tournament in Trenton.You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

St. Joseph Holiday Hoops games canceled for Thursday, Benton to play on Friday

The St. Joseph Central girls' basketball team got off to a 13-2 start, led by as many as 21 in the fourth quarter and settled for a 65-56 win over Lafayette at Civic Arena in the inaugural St. Joseph Area Sports Hall of Fame Holiday Hoops Classic on Wednesday.

Lafayette (4-5) got down early, but reeled off a 10-2 run in the first half, and the Irish only trailed 33-27 at halftime.

The Indians (5-5) had a 21-6 run in the second half to go up 59-39 with 3:02 remaining.

With Central sitting a number of their starters, Lafayette's starters stayed in and made a late push, getting back to within single digits, but the Irish simply ran out of time.

Central saw three seniors finish in double figures. Senior Charlie Broaden, even though she fouled out in the fourth quarter, had a game-high 19 points. Her twin sister, Teegan, scored 18. Senior Lauren Wells logged 13.

Junior Honor Mannings led Lafayette with 16 points. Senior Jazlyn King had 15, while senior Modesta Wilhelmson scored 10.

Lafayette knocked down eight three-pointers in the loss. The Irish take part in the Neosho Holiday Classic on Dec. 28. The Central girls will be at the&nbsp;Rolla Oral Surgery Holiday Tournament on Dec. 27.

Lafayette boys survive back-and-forth tilt against Central

St. Joseph Central started red hot Wednesday, making four first quarter threes to grab a 14-6 lead early on.

Lafayette slowly reeled off a 9-0 run to grab a one-point lead early in the second, and the game pretty much stayed that close for the rest of the night.

In a thrilling game that featured six ties and six lead changes, the Irish (4-2) survived to beat Central 52-50 at Civic Arena Wednesday night.

It was the Indians (4-5) who led 26-23 at the break after sophomore Marquel Mayfield drained a buzzer beater three-pointer just before the end of the first half.

Central led by as many as five in the second half, but trailed by four entering the fourth quarter.

The Indians, who made eight threes in the loss, got a huge triple from sophomore Gabe Fields to tie the game at 50 with about 30 seconds left.

Lafayette had the answer the other way, as senior George Galloway's layup with about 15 seconds left put the Irish up 52-50.

The game was far from over at that point. On the next possession, Fields was fouled and got to shoot a pair of free throws. He missed both, but Lafayette lost the ball out of bounds on a rebound attempt.

With still 5.7 seconds remaining, Central had two more shots at the end. Fields missed what would have been a winning three. Junior Shadai Ndamboma just missed a tying layup under the rim on an offensive board, and the Irish survived.

Senior Camden Bennett led Lafayette with a game-high 18 points. He was a perfect 9-for-9 at the free throw line. Senior Mikey Thomas scored 12.

Fields led Central with 15. Senior Stone Wetlaufer had 11 points - all in the second half.

The Lafayette boys head to the Neosho Holiday Classic on Dec. 28. The Central boys are home to host Warrenton on Dec. 28 as well.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671685114745.jpeg" alt="Lafayette's Darcy Bowlin (green) moves the ball down the floor during the Irish's 65-56 loss to Central Wednesday. Photo by Clifton Grooms." />
 <figcaption>Lafayette's Darcy Bowlin (green) moves the ball down the floor during the Irish's 65-56 loss to Central Wednesday. Photo by Clifton Grooms.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe St. Joseph Central girls' basketball team got off to a 13-2 start, led by as many as 21 in the fourth quarter and settled for a 65-56 win over Lafayette at Civic Arena in the inaugural St. Joseph Area Sports Hall of Fame Holiday Hoops Classic on Wednesday.Lafayette (4-5) got down early, but reeled off a 10-2 run in the first half, and the Irish only trailed 33-27 at halftime.The Indians (5-5) had a 21-6 run in the second half to go up 59-39 with 3:02 remaining.With Central sitting a number of their starters, Lafayette's starters stayed in and made a late push, getting back to within single digits, but the Irish simply ran out of time.Central saw three seniors finish in double figures. Senior Charlie Broaden, even though she fouled out in the fourth quarter, had a game-high 19 points. Her twin sister, Teegan, scored 18. Senior Lauren Wells logged 13.Junior Honor Mannings led Lafayette with 16 points. Senior Jazlyn King had 15, while senior Modesta Wilhelmson scored 10.Lafayette knocked down eight three-pointers in the loss. The Irish take part in the Neosho Holiday Classic on Dec. 28. The Central girls will be at the&nbsp;Rolla Oral Surgery Holiday Tournament on Dec. 27.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671685149998.jpeg" alt="Teegan Broaden. Photo by Clifton Grooms." />
 <figcaption>Teegan Broaden. Photo by Clifton Grooms.</figcaption>
 </figure>Lafayette boys survive back-and-forth tilt against CentralSt. Joseph Central started red hot Wednesday, making four first quarter threes to grab a 14-6 lead early on.Lafayette slowly reeled off a 9-0 run to grab a one-point lead early in the second, and the game pretty much stayed that close for the rest of the night.In a thrilling game that featured six ties and six lead changes, the Irish (4-2) survived to beat Central 52-50 at Civic Arena Wednesday night.It was the Indians (4-5) who led 26-23 at the break after sophomore Marquel Mayfield drained a buzzer beater three-pointer just before the end of the first half.Central led by as many as five in the second half, but trailed by four entering the fourth quarter.The Indians, who made eight threes in the loss, got a huge triple from sophomore Gabe Fields to tie the game at 50 with about 30 seconds left.Lafayette had the answer the other way, as senior George Galloway's layup with about 15 seconds left put the Irish up 52-50.The game was far from over at that point. On the next possession, Fields was fouled and got to shoot a pair of free throws. He missed both, but Lafayette lost the ball out of bounds on a rebound attempt.With still 5.7 seconds remaining, Central had two more shots at the end. Fields missed what would have been a winning three. Junior Shadai Ndamboma just missed a tying layup under the rim on an offensive board, and the Irish survived.Senior Camden Bennett led Lafayette with a game-high 18 points. He was a perfect 9-for-9 at the free throw line. Senior Mikey Thomas scored 12.Fields led Central with 15. Senior Stone Wetlaufer had 11 points - all in the second half.The Lafayette boys head to the Neosho Holiday Classic on Dec. 28. The Central boys are home to host Warrenton on Dec. 28 as well.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671685278693.jpeg" alt="Mikey Thomas (left) goes up for a shot. Photo by Clifton Grooms." />
 <figcaption>Mikey Thomas (left) goes up for a shot. Photo by Clifton Grooms.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671685298754.jpeg" alt="Gabe Fields. Photo by Clifton Grooms." />
 <figcaption>Gabe Fields. Photo by Clifton Grooms.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Central girls, Lafayette boys claim victory in Holiday Hoops Classic at Civic Arena

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Franco Harris, the Hall of Fame running back whose heads-up thinking authored “The Immaculate Reception,” considered the most iconic play in NFL history, has died. He was 72.

Harris' son Dok told The Associated Press his father passed away overnight. No cause of death was given.

His death comes two days before the 50th anniversary of the play that provided the jolt that helped transform the Steelers from also-rans into the NFL's elite and three days before Pittsburgh is scheduled to retire his No. 32 during a ceremony at halftime of its game against the Las Vegas Raiders.

Harris ran for 12,120 yards and won four Super Bowl rings with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1970s, a dynasty that began in earnest when Harris decided to keep running during a last-second heave by Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw in a playoff game against Oakland in 1972.

With Pittsburgh trailing 7-6 and facing fourth-and-10 from their own 40 yard line and 22 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, Bradshaw drifted back and threw deep to running back French Fuqua. Fuqua and Oakland defensive back Jack Tatum collided, sending the ball careening back toward midfield in the direction of Harris.

While nearly everyone else on the field stopped, Harris kept his legs churning, snatching the ball just inches above the Three Rivers Stadium turf near the Oakland 45 then outracing several stunned Raider defenders to give the Steelers their first playoff victory in the franchise's four-decade history.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671623958912.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>PITTSBURGH (AP) — Franco Harris, the Hall of Fame running back whose heads-up thinking authored “The Immaculate Reception,” considered the most iconic play in NFL history, has died. He was 72.Harris' son Dok told The Associated Press his father passed away overnight. No cause of death was given.His death comes two days before the 50th anniversary of the play that provided the jolt that helped transform the Steelers from also-rans into the NFL's elite and three days before Pittsburgh is scheduled to retire his No. 32 during a ceremony at halftime of its game against the Las Vegas Raiders.Harris ran for 12,120 yards and won four Super Bowl rings with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1970s, a dynasty that began in earnest when Harris decided to keep running during a last-second heave by Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw in a playoff game against Oakland in 1972.With Pittsburgh trailing 7-6 and facing fourth-and-10 from their own 40 yard line and 22 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, Bradshaw drifted back and threw deep to running back French Fuqua. Fuqua and Oakland defensive back Jack Tatum collided, sending the ball careening back toward midfield in the direction of Harris.While nearly everyone else on the field stopped, Harris kept his legs churning, snatching the ball just inches above the Three Rivers Stadium turf near the Oakland 45 then outracing several stunned Raider defenders to give the Steelers their first playoff victory in the franchise's four-decade history.“That play really represents our teams of the ’70s,” Harris said after the ”Immaculate Reception" was voted the greatest play in NFL history during the league's 100th anniversary season in 2020.While the Steelers fell the next week to Miami in the AFC Championship, Pittsburgh was on its way to becoming the dominant team of the 1970s, twice winning back-to-back Super Bowls, first after the 1974 and 1975 seasons and again after the 1978 and 1979 seasons.Harris, the 6-foot-2, 230-pound workhorse from Penn State, found himself in the center of it all. He churned for a then-record 158 yards rushing and a touchdown in Pittsburgh's 16-6 victory over Minnesota in Super Bowl IX on his way to winning the game's Most Valuable Player award. He scored at least once in three of the four Super Bowls he played in, and his 354 career yards rushing on the NFL's biggest stage remains a record nearly four decades after his retirement.Born in Fort Dix, New Jersey, on March 7, 1950, Harris played collegiately at Penn State, where his primary job was to open holes for backfield mate Lydell Mitchell. The Steelers, in the final stages of a rebuild led by Hall of Fame coach Chuck Noll, saw enough in Harris to make him the 13th overall pick in the 1972 draft.“When (Noll) drafted Franco Harris, he gave the offense heart, he gave it discipline, he gave it desire, he gave it the ability to win a championship in Pittsburgh,” Steelers Hall of Fame wide receiver Lynn Swann said of his frequent roommate on team road trips.Harris' impact was immediate. He won the NFL's Rookie to the Year award in 1972 after rushing for a then-team-rookie record 1,055 yards and 10 touchdowns as the Steelers reached the postseason for just the second time in franchise history.The city's large Italian-American population embraced Harris immediately, led by two local businessmen who founded what became known as “Franco's Italian Army,” a nod to Harris' roots as the son of an African-American father and an Italian mother.The “Immaculate Reception” made Harris a star, though he typically preferred to let his play and not his mouth do the talking. On a team that featured big personalities in Bradshaw, defensive tackle Joe Greene, linebacker Jack Lambert among others, the intensely quiet Harris spent 12 seasons as the engine that helped Pittsburgh's offense go.Eight times he topped 1,000 yards rushing in a season, including five times while playing a 14-game schedule. He piled up another 1,556 yards rushing and 16 rushing touchdowns in the playoffs, both second all-time behind Smith.Despite his gaudy numbers, Harris stressed he was just one cog in an extraordinary machine that redefined greatness.“You see, during that era, each player brought their own little piece with them to make that wonderful decade happen,” Harris said during his Hall of Fame speech in 1990. “Each player had their strengths and weaknesses, each their own thinking, each their own method, just each, each had their own. But then it was amazing, it all came together, and it stayed together to forge the greatest team of all times.”Harris also made it a habit to stick up for his teammates. When Bradshaw took what Harris felt was an illegal late hit from Dallas linebacker Thomas “Hollywood” Henderson in the second half of their meeting in the 1978 Super Bowl, Harris basically demanded Bradshaw give him the ball on the next play. All Harris did was sprint up the middle 22 yards — right by Henderson — for a touchdown that gave the Steelers an 11-point lead they would not relinquish on their way to their third championship in six years.Despite all of his success, his time in Pittsburgh ended acrimoniously when the Steelers cut him after he held out during training camp before the 1984 season. Noll, who leaned on Harris so heavily for so long, famously answered “Franco who?” when asked about Harris' absence from the team's camp at Saint Vincent College.Harris signed with Seattle, running for just 170 yards in eight games before being released in midseason. He retired as the NFL's third all-time leading rusher behind Walter Payton and Jim Brown."I don’t even think about that (anymore),” Harris said in 2006. “I’m still black and gold.”Harris remained in Pittsburgh following his retirement, opening a bakery and becoming heavily involved in several charities, including serving as the chairman of “Pittsburgh Promise," which provides college scholarship opportunities for Pittsburgh Public School students.Harris is survived by his wife Dana Dokmanovich and his son, Dok.