The 11th seeded Drake Bulldogs, led by former Northwest Missouri State coach Ben McCollum and former player Bennett Stirtz, controlled the pace of the game and held off a rally from the six seed Missouri Tigers, winning 67-57 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.&nbsp;

The Tigers and Bulldogs traded blows early before Drake pulled away in the first half, controlling the tempo and keeping the ball away from Missouri, leading 30-23 at the end of the first half.&nbsp;

Drake continued to pull away to start the second half after Missouri scored the first two points, going on a 12-3 run before the Tigers could score again thanks to a layup by Tamar Bates.&nbsp; &nbsp;

The Tigers would make a furious comeback, and for a moment it looked like they might have a miracle stored up.&nbsp; Missouri started inching closer and closer. Down 15 points with 12:40 remaining, the Tigers went on a 5-of-5 run from the field to get back into the game.

Mizzou's Marques Warrick clipped a rare step-back triple to cut the deficit to eight points. Caleb Grill, who led the Tigers with 14 points, opened his 3-point account on his sixth attempt at the 7:42 mark of the second half to get them out of a double-digit deficit hole again.

Mizzou battered and bruised its way to the free throw line — making seven straight in the space of three minutes — until it was a one-point game with 4:20 to play. Drake’s mistakes began to stack, with empty trips to the stripe and turnovers piling.

The misses started to pile up again, and Drake again became the aggressor in the game’s final four minutes, when Stirtz, who led the game with 21 points, made a jumper that kicked off Drake’s ride to the second round. The Bulldogs closed the game on a long 16-6 run. Mizzou made two shots from the field in the final four minutes.

Drake will now play either three seed Texas Tech or 14 seed UNC Wilmington in the round of 32 on Saturday.

Kansas falls in Round of 64 for first time since '06 to Arkansas

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- — Jonas Aidoo scored 22 points to help 10th-seeded Arkansas to a 79-72 opening-round NCAA Tournament victory over No. 7 seed Kansas in the latest meeting between two of college basketball’s winningest coaches.

Johnell Davis added 18 points, including some crucial late free throws, to help John Calipari to his first tournament victory as Razorbacks coach. Freshman standout Boogie Fland played for the first time since having right thumb surgery in January and scored six points in 24 minutes.

Zeke Mayo had 18 points for Kansas (21-13), which has made 35 straight NCAA Tournaments and hadn't lost in the first round since 2006. Aj Storr finished with 15 points and Hunter Dickinson added 11 points and nine rebounds.

Thursday’s matchup was the third March Madness meeting between two of the four active win leaders in men’s college basketball. Calipari is second (876), with Bill Self of Kansas fourth (831) on the list. Both previous meetings were in the national championship game, with each winning once.

Kansas erased what was an 11-point, second-half deficit and nudged ahead 65-64 on a follow shot by Storr with less than six minutes remaining.

The Jayhawks kept the lead until Aidoo connected on a pair of free throws to put the Razorbacks back in front. Arkansas got a stop on the other end and then got a 3-pointer by Davis that gave it a 71-67 cushion with less than two minutes on the clock.

Arkansas’ edge was down to 71-69 before Davis dropped in a pair of free throws. Dickinson missed a 3 on Kansas’ next trip and Arkansas added two more free throws.

The Jayhawks got it back down to 75-72 on a 3-pointer by Rylan Griffen with 13 seconds left. The Razorbacks called back-to-back timeouts trying to get the ball inbounds. They finally did and Davis calmly sank two free throws to help close it out.

&nbsp;Kansas fell to 47-6 record in first-round games all-time.

Arkansas will get either No. 2 seed St. John’s or No. 15 Omaha in the second round of the West Region on Saturday.

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742522127790.jpeg" alt="Missouri's Caleb Grill drives in for a layup during the Tigers first round matchup with Drake/ Photo courtesy of Mizzou Hoops on X" />
 <figcaption>Missouri's Caleb Grill drives in for a layup during the Tigers first round matchup with Drake/ Photo courtesy of Mizzou Hoops on X</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostThe 11th seeded Drake Bulldogs, led by former Northwest Missouri State coach Ben McCollum and former player Bennett Stirtz, controlled the pace of the game and held off a rally from the six seed Missouri Tigers, winning 67-57 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.&nbsp;The Tigers and Bulldogs traded blows early before Drake pulled away in the first half, controlling the tempo and keeping the ball away from Missouri, leading 30-23 at the end of the first half.&nbsp;Drake continued to pull away to start the second half after Missouri scored the first two points, going on a 12-3 run before the Tigers could score again thanks to a layup by Tamar Bates.&nbsp; &nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742523409190.jpeg" alt="Bennett Stirtz goes for a layup between Missouri's Trent Pierce (11) and Tony Perkins (12)/ Photo courtesy of Drake basketball on X" />
 <figcaption>Bennett Stirtz goes for a layup between Missouri's Trent Pierce (11) and Tony Perkins (12)/ Photo courtesy of Drake basketball on X</figcaption>
 </figure>The Tigers would make a furious comeback, and for a moment it looked like they might have a miracle stored up.&nbsp; Missouri started inching closer and closer. Down 15 points with 12:40 remaining, the Tigers went on a 5-of-5 run from the field to get back into the game.Mizzou's Marques Warrick clipped a rare step-back triple to cut the deficit to eight points. Caleb Grill, who led the Tigers with 14 points, opened his 3-point account on his sixth attempt at the 7:42 mark of the second half to get them out of a double-digit deficit hole again.Mizzou battered and bruised its way to the free throw line — making seven straight in the space of three minutes — until it was a one-point game with 4:20 to play. Drake’s mistakes began to stack, with empty trips to the stripe and turnovers piling.The misses started to pile up again, and Drake again became the aggressor in the game’s final four minutes, when Stirtz, who led the game with 21 points, made a jumper that kicked off Drake’s ride to the second round. The Bulldogs closed the game on a long 16-6 run. Mizzou made two shots from the field in the final four minutes.Drake will now play either three seed Texas Tech or 14 seed UNC Wilmington in the round of 32 on Saturday.Kansas falls in Round of 64 for first time since '06 to Arkansas<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742521915238.jpeg" alt="Kansas forward KJ Adams dunks during the Jayhawks first round loss to Arkansas/ Photo courtesy of KU Hoops on X" />
 <figcaption>Kansas forward KJ Adams dunks during the Jayhawks first round loss to Arkansas/ Photo courtesy of KU Hoops on X</figcaption>
 </figure>PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- — Jonas Aidoo scored 22 points to help 10th-seeded Arkansas to a 79-72 opening-round NCAA Tournament victory over No. 7 seed Kansas in the latest meeting between two of college basketball’s winningest coaches.Johnell Davis added 18 points, including some crucial late free throws, to help John Calipari to his first tournament victory as Razorbacks coach. Freshman standout Boogie Fland played for the first time since having right thumb surgery in January and scored six points in 24 minutes.Zeke Mayo had 18 points for Kansas (21-13), which has made 35 straight NCAA Tournaments and hadn't lost in the first round since 2006. Aj Storr finished with 15 points and Hunter Dickinson added 11 points and nine rebounds.Thursday’s matchup was the third March Madness meeting between two of the four active win leaders in men’s college basketball. Calipari is second (876), with Bill Self of Kansas fourth (831) on the list. Both previous meetings were in the national championship game, with each winning once.Kansas erased what was an 11-point, second-half deficit and nudged ahead 65-64 on a follow shot by Storr with less than six minutes remaining.The Jayhawks kept the lead until Aidoo connected on a pair of free throws to put the Razorbacks back in front. Arkansas got a stop on the other end and then got a 3-pointer by Davis that gave it a 71-67 cushion with less than two minutes on the clock.Arkansas’ edge was down to 71-69 before Davis dropped in a pair of free throws. Dickinson missed a 3 on Kansas’ next trip and Arkansas added two more free throws.The Jayhawks got it back down to 75-72 on a 3-pointer by Rylan Griffen with 13 seconds left. The Razorbacks called back-to-back timeouts trying to get the ball inbounds. They finally did and Davis calmly sank two free throws to help close it out.&nbsp;Kansas fell to 47-6 record in first-round games all-time.Arkansas will get either No. 2 seed St. John’s or No. 15 Omaha in the second round of the West Region on Saturday.You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Mizzou comeback bid falls short, Arkansas downs Kansas for first 1st round loss since '06

The Missouri Tigers begin their NCAA Tournament run today, taking on former Northwest Missouri State coach Ben McCollum and the Drake Bulldogs. 

Missouri finished the season 22-11 and earned the sixth seed in the tournament, while Drake finished 30-3 getting the 11th seed.  

Missouri head coach Dennis Gates says while Drake wants to control the pace of the game, the Tigers aim to make it a high school affair 

"Both programs will continue to do what they've done throughout the course of the season, and we'll continue to do that as well," Gates tells reporters.  "I think at the end of the day, if their ball isn't going in and ours is going in, it can feel like things are being sped up a bit and that's kind of what we want to continue to do." 

McCollum says it is difficult to prepare for the variety of defenses the Tigers will throw at them 

"You know you can kind of get down a rabbit hole trying to figure it out, and a lot of it just comes back to conceptual basketball of just playing the right way," McCollum explains.  "Move the basketball, do what we've done all season long, and keep it pretty simple."

Former Northwest Missouri State player Bennett Stirtz, who followed McCollum to Drake, says the Bulldogs want the game played at their pace 

"We're going to have to play our game, obviously the SEC is the best conference in the nation, Mizzou will be ready to go, they play really physical, and they try to speed you up, things like that," Stirtz says.  "So, I'd just say play our speed, try not to get sped up and just play calm." 

Meanwhile Tigers guard Tamar Bates says pushing the tempo begins on the defensive end 

"We're not going to try to do anything outside of what we've done all year to speed things up," Bates says.  "I mean we'll be solid defensively and take away what we can, obviously they have some things that they're really good at on the offensive end that they've stuck too, so for us it's just about doing what we do." 

Missouri and Drake tipoff tonight at 6:35 in Wichita.  Coverage begins on KFEQ at 6pm.

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741919994141.jpeg" alt="Missouri's Tamar Bates drives in during the first round of the SEC Tournament/ Photo courtesy of the SEC on X" />
 <figcaption>Missouri's Tamar Bates drives in during the first round of the SEC Tournament/ Photo courtesy of the SEC on X</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostBy MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post The Missouri Tigers begin their NCAA Tournament run today, taking on former Northwest Missouri State coach Ben McCollum and the Drake Bulldogs. Missouri finished the season 22-11 and earned the sixth seed in the tournament, while Drake finished 30-3 getting the 11th seed. Missouri head coach Dennis Gates says while Drake wants to control the pace of the game, the Tigers aim to make it a high school affair "Both programs will continue to do what they've done throughout the course of the season, and we'll continue to do that as well," Gates tells reporters. "I think at the end of the day, if their ball isn't going in and ours is going in, it can feel like things are being sped up a bit and that's kind of what we want to continue to do." McCollum says it is difficult to prepare for the variety of defenses the Tigers will throw at them "You know you can kind of get down a rabbit hole trying to figure it out, and a lot of it just comes back to conceptual basketball of just playing the right way," McCollum explains. "Move the basketball, do what we've done all season long, and keep it pretty simple."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741196162442.jpeg" alt="Bennett Stirtz/ Photo courtesy of Ginnie Coleman with Drake Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Bennett Stirtz/ Photo courtesy of Ginnie Coleman with Drake Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>Former Northwest Missouri State player Bennett Stirtz, who followed McCollum to Drake, says the Bulldogs want the game played at their pace "We're going to have to play our game, obviously the SEC is the best conference in the nation, Mizzou will be ready to go, they play really physical, and they try to speed you up, things like that," Stirtz says. "So, I'd just say play our speed, try not to get sped up and just play calm." Meanwhile Tigers guard Tamar Bates says pushing the tempo begins on the defensive end "We're not going to try to do anything outside of what we've done all year to speed things up," Bates says. "I mean we'll be solid defensively and take away what we can, obviously they have some things that they're really good at on the offensive end that they've stuck too, so for us it's just about doing what we do." Missouri and Drake tipoff tonight at 6:35 in Wichita. Coverage begins on KFEQ at 6pm.You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Missouri opens up NCAA tournament tonight against Drake

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph Post<div><iframe src="https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/kfeq-news/embed/episodes/KFEQ-Morning-Sports-3192025-e30cta5/a-abrdsdr" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>

KFEQ Morning Sports

After Robin Pingeton announced her resignation as the head coach of Missouri women's basketball, the program has hired&nbsp; a proven winner to lead the team.&nbsp;

Missouri Athletic Director Laird Veatch announced today that Kellie Harper has been hired as the fifth head coach in Mizzou program history.&nbsp; Harper brings a championship pedigree to Columbia, including 16 postseason appearances in 20 seasons as a Division I head coach.&nbsp;

"We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Kellie Harper and her family to Mizzou," Veatch says in a news relase. "Kellie is a proven winner and dynamic leader who understands the 'Will to Win' necessary to succeed at the sport's highest level. "

"She is nationally respected, and her experience in the SEC, her deep ties to the state of Missouri and her ability to recruit and develop championship-level players make her the ideal leader for our program. We are incredibly excited about the future of Mizzou Women's Basketball under her leadership."

A native of Sparta, Tennessee, Harper returns to the state of Missouri after most recently serving as the head coach at Tennessee from 2019 to 2024. She has previous head-coaching stops at Western Carolina, North Carolina State, and Missouri State. 

In 20 seasons as a Division I head coach, Harper has led her teams to a 393-260 record and nine NCAA Tournament berths. She has piloted her squads to 15 top-three league finishes and four conference tournament championships. In 2022-23, Harper led the Lady Volunteers to the NCAA Sweet 16 for a second consecutive season.

"I am incredibly honored to be the next head coach at Mizzou," Harper said. "Missouri is a special place, and I know firsthand the passion and pride that surrounds this program. Our family is excited to return to the state of Missouri. I look forward to working with our leadership and our student-athletes, building strong relationships throughout the community and winning championships in Columbia. The foundation is in place for success — and I can't wait to get started."

Spending five years with the Lady Vols, Harper rebuilt the historic program to national prominence. Two of her last three teams won 25 games, including a 25-9 record in 2021-22 with an 11-5 mark in SEC play and a 25-12 record in 2022-23 with a 13-3 mark against league competitors. The Lady Vols' 13 SEC wins in 2022-23 were the program's most since 2014-15 as they recorded 25 victories in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2013-14 and 2014-15.

Overall, Harper compiled a 108-52 record at Tennessee, including a 53-24 mark against SEC competition, ranking third in winning percentage in league games behind only LSU's Kim Mulkey and South Carolina's Dawn Staley.

"I am thrilled for the hiring of Kellie Harper as Mizzou's next women's basketball coach," said former Mizzou All-American Sophie Cunningham, the program's all-time leading scorer and now a member of the WNBA's Indiana Fever. "Kellie and her husband, Jon, have experienced winning both in Missouri and in the SEC. I have so much respect for Coach Harper, and I can't wait to support her and our Tigers however I can."

"I know from experience how incredible this fan base is when they're excited about women's basketball, and I can't wait to get Mizzou Arena rockin! Congratulations to Laird, the Board of Curators and Mizzou Nation on a fantastic hire. MIZ baby!"

Harper will be formally introduced at a press conference in Mizzou Arena. Further details will be announced at a later date.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742329509009.jpeg" alt="Kellie Harper has been selected as the new head coach of the Missouri Women's Basketball program, following the resignation of Robin Pingeton/ Photo courtesy of the NCAA" />
 <figcaption>Kellie Harper has been selected as the new head coach of the Missouri Women's Basketball program, following the resignation of Robin Pingeton/ Photo courtesy of the NCAA</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostAfter Robin Pingeton announced her resignation as the head coach of Missouri women's basketball, the program has hired&nbsp; a proven winner to lead the team.&nbsp;Missouri Athletic Director Laird Veatch announced today that Kellie Harper has been hired as the fifth head coach in Mizzou program history.&nbsp; Harper brings a championship pedigree to Columbia, including 16 postseason appearances in 20 seasons as a Division I head coach.&nbsp;"We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Kellie Harper and her family to Mizzou," Veatch says in a news relase. "Kellie is a proven winner and dynamic leader who understands the 'Will to Win' necessary to succeed at the sport's highest level. ""She is nationally respected, and her experience in the SEC, her deep ties to the state of Missouri and her ability to recruit and develop championship-level players make her the ideal leader for our program. We are incredibly excited about the future of Mizzou Women's Basketball under her leadership."A native of Sparta, Tennessee, Harper returns to the state of Missouri after most recently serving as the head coach at Tennessee from 2019 to 2024. She has previous head-coaching stops at Western Carolina, North Carolina State, and Missouri State. In 20 seasons as a Division I head coach, Harper has led her teams to a 393-260 record and nine NCAA Tournament berths. She has piloted her squads to 15 top-three league finishes and four conference tournament championships. In 2022-23, Harper led the Lady Volunteers to the NCAA Sweet 16 for a second consecutive season."I am incredibly honored to be the next head coach at Mizzou," Harper said. "Missouri is a special place, and I know firsthand the passion and pride that surrounds this program. Our family is excited to return to the state of Missouri. I look forward to working with our leadership and our student-athletes, building strong relationships throughout the community and winning championships in Columbia. The foundation is in place for success — and I can't wait to get started."Spending five years with the Lady Vols, Harper rebuilt the historic program to national prominence. Two of her last three teams won 25 games, including a 25-9 record in 2021-22 with an 11-5 mark in SEC play and a 25-12 record in 2022-23 with a 13-3 mark against league competitors. The Lady Vols' 13 SEC wins in 2022-23 were the program's most since 2014-15 as they recorded 25 victories in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2013-14 and 2014-15.Overall, Harper compiled a 108-52 record at Tennessee, including a 53-24 mark against SEC competition, ranking third in winning percentage in league games behind only LSU's Kim Mulkey and South Carolina's Dawn Staley."I am thrilled for the hiring of Kellie Harper as Mizzou's next women's basketball coach," said former Mizzou All-American Sophie Cunningham, the program's all-time leading scorer and now a member of the WNBA's Indiana Fever. "Kellie and her husband, Jon, have experienced winning both in Missouri and in the SEC. I have so much respect for Coach Harper, and I can't wait to support her and our Tigers however I can.""I know from experience how incredible this fan base is when they're excited about women's basketball, and I can't wait to get Mizzou Arena rockin! Congratulations to Laird, the Board of Curators and Mizzou Nation on a fantastic hire. MIZ baby!"Harper will be formally introduced at a press conference in Mizzou Arena. Further details will be announced at a later date.You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Missouri women's basketball tabs Kellie Harper as next head coach

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph Post<div><iframe src="https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/kfeq-news/embed/episodes/KFEQ-Morning-Sports-3182025-e30bb9a/a-abrbse2" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph Post<div><iframe src="https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/kfeq-news/embed/episodes/KFEQ-Morning-Sports-317-e309msr/a-abr9p6j" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>

For the second time in three years of the Dennis Gates era, and the 30th time in program history, the Missouri men's basketball team is in the NCAA tournament.

The Tigers earned the sixth seed in the West Region and will head to Wichita, Kansas on Thursday to take on former Northwest Missouri State coach Ben McCollum and the 11th seeded Drake Bulldogs. Missouri was one of 14 schools from the SEC to earn a tournament berth.

Missouri is fresh off a 95-81 loss in the SEC Tournament to the Florida Gators, the eventual champions of the tournament.&nbsp; Drake meanwhile are the Missouri Valley Conference tournament champions, defeating Bradley 63-48.&nbsp;

There will be plenty of local connection in this matchup, aside from McCollum.&nbsp; The Bulldogs feature four former Northwest Missouri State Bearcats, including Missouri Valley Player of the Year Bennett Stirtz.&nbsp; Also off the bench is a high school standout from Plattsburg, Isaia Howard.&nbsp;

Missouri and Drake are scheduled to tipoff at 6:35pm in the NCAA Tournament on Thursday.&nbsp; The game will be broadcast on KFEQ (680AM/95.3FM).

In the same region as the Tigers are the Kansas Jayhawks who were given the seven seed.&nbsp; The Jayhawks will face  John Calipari and the tenth seeded Arkansas Razorbacks.&nbsp; That game will tipoff Thursday at 6:10pm and will be televised on CBS.&nbsp;&nbsp;

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741919994141.jpeg" alt="Missouri's Tamar Bates drives in during the first round of the SEC Tournament/ Photo courtesy of the SEC on X" />
 <figcaption>Missouri's Tamar Bates drives in during the first round of the SEC Tournament/ Photo courtesy of the SEC on X</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostFor the second time in three years of the Dennis Gates era, and the 30th time in program history, the Missouri men's basketball team is in the NCAA tournament.The Tigers earned the sixth seed in the West Region and will head to Wichita, Kansas on Thursday to take on former Northwest Missouri State coach Ben McCollum and the 11th seeded Drake Bulldogs. Missouri was one of 14 schools from the SEC to earn a tournament berth.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Crossing the border and dancing in Wichita 🕺<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MIZ?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MIZ</a> 🐯 <a href="https://t.co/oqJ8WLbgKD">pic.twitter.com/oqJ8WLbgKD</a>&mdash; Mizzou Hoops (@MizzouHoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/MizzouHoops/status/1901401752735207708?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 16, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Missouri is fresh off a 95-81 loss in the SEC Tournament to the Florida Gators, the eventual champions of the tournament.&nbsp; Drake meanwhile are the Missouri Valley Conference tournament champions, defeating Bradley 63-48.&nbsp;There will be plenty of local connection in this matchup, aside from McCollum.&nbsp; The Bulldogs feature four former Northwest Missouri State Bearcats, including Missouri Valley Player of the Year Bennett Stirtz.&nbsp; Also off the bench is a high school standout from Plattsburg, Isaia Howard.&nbsp;Missouri and Drake are scheduled to tipoff at 6:35pm in the NCAA Tournament on Thursday.&nbsp; The game will be broadcast on KFEQ (680AM/95.3FM).In the same region as the Tigers are the Kansas Jayhawks who were given the seven seed.&nbsp; The Jayhawks will face John Calipari and the tenth seeded Arkansas Razorbacks.&nbsp; That game will tipoff Thursday at 6:10pm and will be televised on CBS.&nbsp;&nbsp;You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Missouri basketball back in the NCAA tournament

For the first time in more than 30 years, the Benton boys basketball team is in the final four.

The Benton boys basketball team finished third place in 1992.  Now, in 2025, they are back at state looking to bring home a championship.

Following the Cardinals narrow 36-32 win over Center, head coach Jared Boone says he knows how much this opportunity means for so many people.

"The southside, Benton High School, our fans that travel with us, the players, parents, past players, current players, my teammates from back in the day," Boone told reporters following the game.&nbsp; "I mean gosh it just means so much to, not only me, but a lot of people and I couldn't be more ecstatic to be able to deliver this to them."

For the first time ever, both the Benton boys and girls basketball teams will be competing for a state title, at the same time. The Lady Cardinals defeated Boonville 62-42 over the weekend.  

&nbsp;Boone says having both teams down in Columbia at the same time will be awesome

"That's kind of been the talk here lately is to get boys and girls down there and just basically have the southside take over Columbia," Boone says.&nbsp; "That's exciting and I definitely want to see, I've been down there when they was down there so I know the fans show up and just being able to experience that."

Boone knows the energy having both teams can bring, after seeing Logan Rogersville do it in 2018

"Just seeing that atmosphere there and just it's like, oh man it would be cool if the southside could experience this," Boone explains.

Benton will do just that against that very team that did it in 2018, both taking on Logan Rogersville on Friday in Columbia.  The boys tipping off at 4pm, and the girls at 8pm.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741403651938.jpeg" alt="The Benton student section celebrate alongside the team after winning the Class 4 District 16 title.JPG" />
 <figcaption>The Benton student section celebrate alongside the team after winning the Class 4 District 16 title.JPG</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostFor the first time in more than 30 years, the Benton boys basketball team is in the final four.The Benton boys basketball team finished third place in 1992. Now, in 2025, they are back at state looking to bring home a championship.Following the Cardinals narrow 36-32 win over Center, head coach Jared Boone says he knows how much this opportunity means for so many people."The southside, Benton High School, our fans that travel with us, the players, parents, past players, current players, my teammates from back in the day," Boone told reporters following the game.&nbsp; "I mean gosh it just means so much to, not only me, but a lot of people and I couldn't be more ecstatic to be able to deliver this to them."For the first time ever, both the Benton boys and girls basketball teams will be competing for a state title, at the same time. The Lady Cardinals defeated Boonville 62-42 over the weekend. &nbsp;Boone says having both teams down in Columbia at the same time will be awesome"That's kind of been the talk here lately is to get boys and girls down there and just basically have the southside take over Columbia," Boone says.&nbsp; "That's exciting and I definitely want to see, I've been down there when they was down there so I know the fans show up and just being able to experience that."Boone knows the energy having both teams can bring, after seeing Logan Rogersville do it in 2018"Just seeing that atmosphere there and just it's like, oh man it would be cool if the southside could experience this," Boone explains.Benton will do just that against that very team that did it in 2018, both taking on Logan Rogersville on Friday in Columbia. The boys tipping off at 4pm, and the girls at 8pm.You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Benton boys and girls basketball headed to state

With no Mark Mitchell in the second half, senior Tamar Bates took over and helped lead the #21 Missouri Tigers to an 85-73 win over the Mississippi State Bulldogs in the second round of the SEC Tournament.&nbsp;

Missouri held a narrow lead over Mississippi state all through the first half, their largest lead only ever getting to eight points, but after 20 minutes led the Bulldogs 39-34.&nbsp;

Starting the second half, it was announced that Mitchell was ruled out for the remainder of the game with a knee injury, leaving a hole in the Missouri lineup, but the Tigers never wavered and continued trading blows throughout the second half, until late.&nbsp;

Caleb Grill broke the 17th and final tie of the game with a dunk with 4:05 remaining in the second half to put the Tigers up 71-69.&nbsp;Missouri finished the second half hitting six of its final seven field goals, while the Bulldogs hit just one of their final nine attempts from the field.

Bates led the Tigers with 25 points, shooting a blistering 8-12 from the field and 3-5 from beyond the arc while going a perfect 6-6 at the free throw line.&nbsp; Tony Perkins added 20 points

Missouri will play Florida next in the tournament.&nbsp; The Tigers beat the Gators 83-82 in their lone matchup this season.&nbsp; Tipoff is scheduled for 6pm, coverage will begin at 5:30 on KFEQ (680AM/95.3FM).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741919994141.jpeg" alt="Missouri's Tamar Bates drives in during the first round of the SEC Tournament/ Photo courtesy of the SEC on X" />
 <figcaption>Missouri's Tamar Bates drives in during the first round of the SEC Tournament/ Photo courtesy of the SEC on X</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostWith no Mark Mitchell in the second half, senior Tamar Bates took over and helped lead the #21 Missouri Tigers to an 85-73 win over the Mississippi State Bulldogs in the second round of the SEC Tournament.&nbsp;Missouri held a narrow lead over Mississippi state all through the first half, their largest lead only ever getting to eight points, but after 20 minutes led the Bulldogs 39-34.&nbsp;Starting the second half, it was announced that Mitchell was ruled out for the remainder of the game with a knee injury, leaving a hole in the Missouri lineup, but the Tigers never wavered and continued trading blows throughout the second half, until late.&nbsp;Caleb Grill broke the 17th and final tie of the game with a dunk with 4:05 remaining in the second half to put the Tigers up 71-69.&nbsp;Missouri finished the second half hitting six of its final seven field goals, while the Bulldogs hit just one of their final nine attempts from the field.Bates led the Tigers with 25 points, shooting a blistering 8-12 from the field and 3-5 from beyond the arc while going a perfect 6-6 at the free throw line.&nbsp; Tony Perkins added 20 pointsMissouri will play Florida next in the tournament.&nbsp; The Tigers beat the Gators 83-82 in their lone matchup this season.&nbsp; Tipoff is scheduled for 6pm, coverage will begin at 5:30 on KFEQ (680AM/95.3FM).

Missouri rolls through second half to beat Mississippi State, advances in SEC tourney

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph Post<div><iframe src="https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/kfeq-news/embed/episodes/KFEQ-Morning-Sports-3132025-e304e5r/a-abr36ui" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>

The #21 Missouri Tigers open the SEC Tournament on Thursday, after earning a first round bye, taking on the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.

Mississippi State advanced after beating LSU 91-62 in the opening round.&nbsp; In one game against the Bulldogs this season, the Tigers won on the road 88-61.

Missouri ended the season on a three game losing streak, with losses to Vanderbilt, Oklahoma and Kentucky.&nbsp; But even with that, Tigers head coach Dennis Gates doesn't believe there's any sort of fatigue

"No fatigue, no mental, emotional fatigue or anything like that, our guys have done a great job, if you look at our minutes distribution they've been below 30 minutes," Gates told reporters before the tournament.&nbsp; "And when you can do that with your depth, you obviously extend health, you extend the possibility of having mental or emotional fatigue that has not crept into our program."

The Tigers had a bounce back season this year, despite suffering a slump near the end, posting a 21-10 overall record in the regular season, and going 10-8 in the SEC one year after going through an 0-18 conference schedule.&nbsp; Gates hopes his team uses this SEC tournament as a springboard in preparing for the NCAA tournament.&nbsp;

"When you look at the history of the NCAA tournament, some winners have finished right where we are, some have finished right where we are," Gates says.&nbsp; "So, we're excited about the SEC tournament, it's an opportunity for us to win an SEC tournament championship, and that's our approach."

Missouri and Mississippi State will tipoff at 6pm on Thursday.&nbsp; Coverage on KFEQ (680AM/95.3FM) will begin at 5:30.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741833881515.jpeg" alt="Photo courtesy of Mizzou Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy of Mizzou Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostThe #21 Missouri Tigers open the SEC Tournament on Thursday, after earning a first round bye, taking on the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.Mississippi State advanced after beating LSU 91-62 in the opening round.&nbsp; In one game against the Bulldogs this season, the Tigers won on the road 88-61.Missouri ended the season on a three game losing streak, with losses to Vanderbilt, Oklahoma and Kentucky.&nbsp; But even with that, Tigers head coach Dennis Gates doesn't believe there's any sort of fatigue"No fatigue, no mental, emotional fatigue or anything like that, our guys have done a great job, if you look at our minutes distribution they've been below 30 minutes," Gates told reporters before the tournament.&nbsp; "And when you can do that with your depth, you obviously extend health, you extend the possibility of having mental or emotional fatigue that has not crept into our program."The Tigers had a bounce back season this year, despite suffering a slump near the end, posting a 21-10 overall record in the regular season, and going 10-8 in the SEC one year after going through an 0-18 conference schedule.&nbsp; Gates hopes his team uses this SEC tournament as a springboard in preparing for the NCAA tournament.&nbsp;"When you look at the history of the NCAA tournament, some winners have finished right where we are, some have finished right where we are," Gates says.&nbsp; "So, we're excited about the SEC tournament, it's an opportunity for us to win an SEC tournament championship, and that's our approach."Missouri and Mississippi State will tipoff at 6pm on Thursday.&nbsp; Coverage on KFEQ (680AM/95.3FM) will begin at 5:30.You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

#21 Missouri to open SEC Tournament against Mississippi State on Thursday

The Kansas City Chiefs have restructured the contracts of quarterback Patrick Mahomes and defensive tackle Chris Jones, freeing up&nbsp;$49.446 million in salary cap space

The report on the move came from a source telling ESPN's Field Yates on Wednesday morning.&nbsp;

The moves were needed to clear the cap space to needed to cover the Chiefs' activity in recent weeks. They placed the franchise tag on guard Trey Smith and re-signed linebacker Nick Bolton and wide receiver Hollywood Brown.&nbsp; They also added in free agency, most notably picking up offensive tackle Jaylon Moore and cornerback Kristian Fulton.

This is the fourth time Mahomes has reworked his contract since before the 2021 season. He signed a revised contract in 2023 that moved up some money he was scheduled to receive in later years of his contract, and a restructure in March 2024 created $21.6 million of salary cap space.

Mahomes is signed through the 2031 season at a total cost of almost $500 million.

-ESPN's Adam Teicher contributed to this report

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723743945433.jpeg" alt="Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes throws a pass during Chiefs practice/ Photo by Alexis Starks" />
 <figcaption>Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes throws a pass during Chiefs practice/ Photo by Alexis Starks</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostThe Kansas City Chiefs have restructured the contracts of quarterback Patrick Mahomes and defensive tackle Chris Jones, freeing up&nbsp;$49.446 million in salary cap spaceThe report on the move came from a source telling ESPN's Field Yates on Wednesday morning.&nbsp;The moves were needed to clear the cap space to needed to cover the Chiefs' activity in recent weeks. They placed the franchise tag on guard Trey Smith and re-signed linebacker Nick Bolton and wide receiver Hollywood Brown.&nbsp; They also added in free agency, most notably picking up offensive tackle Jaylon Moore and cornerback Kristian Fulton.This is the fourth time Mahomes has reworked his contract since before the 2021 season. He signed a revised contract in 2023 that moved up some money he was scheduled to receive in later years of his contract, and a restructure in March 2024 created $21.6 million of salary cap space.Mahomes is signed through the 2031 season at a total cost of almost $500 million.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721584304820.jpeg" alt="Chris Jones rides to the locker room following practice waving to fans/ Photo by Alexis Starks" />
 <figcaption>Chris Jones rides to the locker room following practice waving to fans/ Photo by Alexis Starks</figcaption>
 </figure>-ESPN's Adam Teicher contributed to this reportYou can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Patrick Mahomes, Chris Jones restructure to help out Chiefs cap space

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph Post<div><iframe src="https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/kfeq-news/embed/episodes/KFEQ-Morning-Sports-3122025-e302no0/a-abr12ha" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>

Missouri Western State University will be searching for a new men's basketball coach after Will Martin announced his resignation today Athletic Director Andy Carter announced.

"Will is a class-act who has led our program with love, passion and integrity," Carter said in a news release from the university.&nbsp; "I appreciate his dedication to our student-athletes and our university. We thank him for his efforts of elevating our program back to respectability."

Martin spent seven total seasons on the Griffon sidelines, including the last five as head coach.&nbsp; He compiled a 77-70 overall record and a 51-56 mark in MIAA conference play.&nbsp; Joining the staff in 2018 as an assistant under Sundance Wicks, Martin was elevated to first-time head coach in the Spring of 2020. 

He led the Griffons to an NCAA Tournament berth during the Covid-shortened season of 2020-21, MWSU's 18-13 record in 2024-25 was the program's highest regular-season win total in 22 years.

"I am extremely grateful for my time at Missouri Western," Martin said."I will forever be humbled by the opportunity to be a Head Coach for this entire community, and appreciative to everyone who made it possible. I am proud of the success we were able to have on the court, in the classroom, and in the community."

"Most importantly, I will forever cherish the wonderful relationships cultivated in my time here. Thank you to my staff and all the student-athletes I was blessed to coach. Your hard work, sacrifice, and dedication undoubtedly served to leave the program better than we found it. Griffon Nation will always hold a special place in my heart!"

The search for Martin's replacement begins immediately.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1591383897177.jpeg" alt="Will Martin/ File photo" />
 <figcaption>Will Martin/ File photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostMissouri Western State University will be searching for a new men's basketball coach after Will Martin announced his resignation today Athletic Director Andy Carter announced."Will is a class-act who has led our program with love, passion and integrity," Carter said in a news release from the university.&nbsp; "I appreciate his dedication to our student-athletes and our university. We thank him for his efforts of elevating our program back to respectability."Martin spent seven total seasons on the Griffon sidelines, including the last five as head coach.&nbsp; He compiled a 77-70 overall record and a 51-56 mark in MIAA conference play.&nbsp; Joining the staff in 2018 as an assistant under Sundance Wicks, Martin was elevated to first-time head coach in the Spring of 2020. He led the Griffons to an NCAA Tournament berth during the Covid-shortened season of 2020-21, MWSU's 18-13 record in 2024-25 was the program's highest regular-season win total in 22 years."I am extremely grateful for my time at Missouri Western," Martin said."I will forever be humbled by the opportunity to be a Head Coach for this entire community, and appreciative to everyone who made it possible. I am proud of the success we were able to have on the court, in the classroom, and in the community.""Most importantly, I will forever cherish the wonderful relationships cultivated in my time here. Thank you to my staff and all the student-athletes I was blessed to coach. Your hard work, sacrifice, and dedication undoubtedly served to leave the program better than we found it. Griffon Nation will always hold a special place in my heart!"The search for Martin's replacement begins immediately.You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

MWSU to begin search for new head coach as Will Martin resigns

The Kansas City Royals have been trimming down their camp roster over the past weeks, and some of the more notable moves came on Sunday and Monday as pitchers Noah Cameron (The Royals #5 prospect),&nbsp; Luinder Avila (#19), and Eric Cerantola (#28) were all optioned to Triple A Omaha and assigned to minor league camp.&nbsp;

Along with those three pitchers, who had all been added to the 40-man roster this past offseason, the Royals optioned outfielder Tyler Gentry (#25) to Triple-A, and he will also head to Minor League camp.

In his first big league camp, Cameron wasted no time showing why the Royals protected him from the Rule 5 draft last offseason.&nbsp; The pitcher from St. Joseph allowed four earned runs across 10 inning with one walk and seven strikeouts in four Cactus League appearances, with one start.&nbsp; He also recorded one save.&nbsp;&nbsp;He’ll now head to Triple-A at the beginning of the season trying to build on the 2.32 ERA he posted there in nine starts at the end of last season.

Manager Matt Quatraro was impressed with Cameron, and it's become a matter of when, not if, he gets to Kansas City to make his major league debut.

“He was really impressive, first and foremost,” manager Matt Quatraro tells reporters. “His poise, delivery, stuff, command, all those things were outstanding. He could not have had a better camp. Fortunately for us right now, with pitchers being healthy and guys that are established big leaguers, he’s going to have to wait his turn, so to speak.

“But we’re really excited about what we saw. And you know how this goes. It could be a moment’s notice that we need him and need him to help us win.”

Cameron was solid in three innings Sunday, his first Cactus League start, allowing one unearned run with two strikeouts. He’s always been a strike-thrower in his Minor League career, and that didn’t waver when he got on the mound in front of big league coaches.

“It’s definitely helped, for sure,” Cameron said Sunday. “Just being around everybody and having the locker room atmosphere. Whenever [my debut] comes, just having relationships with these guys takes all the stress off of you a little bit. Just having confidence in me, knowing that whenever I do go up or whatever that looks like, knowing that I deserve to be there and can help the team win.”

-MLB.com's Anne Rogers contributed to this report

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741572394248.jpeg" alt="Noah Cameron/ File photo" />
 <figcaption>Noah Cameron/ File photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostThe Kansas City Royals have been trimming down their camp roster over the past weeks, and some of the more notable moves came on Sunday and Monday as pitchers Noah Cameron (The Royals #5 prospect),&nbsp; Luinder Avila (#19), and Eric Cerantola (#28) were all optioned to Triple A Omaha and assigned to minor league camp.&nbsp;Along with those three pitchers, who had all been added to the 40-man roster this past offseason, the Royals optioned outfielder Tyler Gentry (#25) to Triple-A, and he will also head to Minor League camp.In his first big league camp, Cameron wasted no time showing why the Royals protected him from the Rule 5 draft last offseason.&nbsp; The pitcher from St. Joseph allowed four earned runs across 10 inning with one walk and seven strikeouts in four Cactus League appearances, with one start.&nbsp; He also recorded one save.&nbsp;&nbsp;He’ll now head to Triple-A at the beginning of the season trying to build on the 2.32 ERA he posted there in nine starts at the end of last season.Manager Matt Quatraro was impressed with Cameron, and it's become a matter of when, not if, he gets to Kansas City to make his major league debut.“He was really impressive, first and foremost,” manager Matt Quatraro tells reporters. “His poise, delivery, stuff, command, all those things were outstanding. He could not have had a better camp. Fortunately for us right now, with pitchers being healthy and guys that are established big leaguers, he’s going to have to wait his turn, so to speak.“But we’re really excited about what we saw. And you know how this goes. It could be a moment’s notice that we need him and need him to help us win.”Cameron was solid in three innings Sunday, his first Cactus League start, allowing one unearned run with two strikeouts. He’s always been a strike-thrower in his Minor League career, and that didn’t waver when he got on the mound in front of big league coaches.“It’s definitely helped, for sure,” Cameron said Sunday. “Just being around everybody and having the locker room atmosphere. Whenever [my debut] comes, just having relationships with these guys takes all the stress off of you a little bit. Just having confidence in me, knowing that whenever I do go up or whatever that looks like, knowing that I deserve to be there and can help the team win.”-MLB.com's Anne Rogers contributed to this reportYou can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Despite being sent to Omaha, Royals management impressed with Noah Cameron

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph Post<div><iframe src="https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/kfeq-news/embed/episodes/KFEQ-Morning-Sports-3112025-e30135g/a-abquvd8" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>

A trio of Missouri Tigers have been honored by the Southeastern Conference with end of season awards announced on Monday. 

Caleb Grill was named the SEC Sixth Man of the Year, while junior Mark Mitchell was named all SEC third team.  Sophomore Anthony Robinson was named to the SEC All-Defense team.

Grill is the second Tiger to be named the Sixth Man of the Year by the conference.  He ranked second on the team overall, and first during conference play, in points per game.

Meanwhile Mitchell led the team in points per game.  He also ranks second on the team in rebounds, first in blocks, third in assists, and fifth in steals.  

Robinson became just the second Tiger to be named to the all defense team, and the only underclassmen in the conference in the last two seasons.  Robinson leads Mizzou and ranks 38th nationally with 2.03 steals per game, swiping 61 in 30 games as a sophomore.

The trio is set to lead Mizzou into the postseason, starting on Thursday when the Tigers play in the SEC Tournament Second Round at 6 p.m. against either Mississippi State or LSU.

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741647573422.jpeg" alt="The Tigers surround Caleb Grill in celebration.&nbsp; Grill was named the SEC's Sixth Man of the Year on Monday/ Photo courtesy of Mizzou Athletics" />
 <figcaption>The Tigers surround Caleb Grill in celebration.&nbsp; Grill was named the SEC's Sixth Man of the Year on Monday/ Photo courtesy of Mizzou Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostA trio of Missouri Tigers have been honored by the Southeastern Conference with end of season awards announced on Monday. Caleb Grill was named the SEC Sixth Man of the Year, while junior Mark Mitchell was named all SEC third team. Sophomore Anthony Robinson was named to the SEC All-Defense team.Grill is the second Tiger to be named the Sixth Man of the Year by the conference. He ranked second on the team overall, and first during conference play, in points per game.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741647678389.jpeg" alt="Mark Mitchell/ Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Mark Mitchell/ Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Meanwhile Mitchell led the team in points per game. He also ranks second on the team in rebounds, first in blocks, third in assists, and fifth in steals. Robinson became just the second Tiger to be named to the all defense team, and the only underclassmen in the conference in the last two seasons. Robinson leads Mizzou and ranks 38th nationally with 2.03 steals per game, swiping 61 in 30 games as a sophomore.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741647939636.jpeg" alt="Anthony Robinson/ Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Anthony Robinson/ Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>The trio is set to lead Mizzou into the postseason, starting on Thursday when the Tigers play in the SEC Tournament Second Round at 6 p.m. against either Mississippi State or LSU.You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Trio of Tigers earn SEC Awards

Two Bishop LeBlond seniors that helped in turning the football program around, have officially signed their letters of intent to continue playing football in college.&nbsp;

Wide receiver Trey Icke will stay in St. Joseph, signing with Missouri Western State University, while tight end&nbsp;Jacob Winkelbauer is joining a Benedictine Ravens team that came one game shy of a national championship berth last season.&nbsp;

Icke will go play for head coach Tyler Fenwick at Missouri Western State University, staying at home.&nbsp; For him, it was a talk with Griffons linebacker coach Colin Mcquillan that made Western the perfect fit.&nbsp;

"Everything was so good, the facilities are great, and their strength and conditioning coach he just topped it off, I had to go after talking to him," Icke tells reporters.&nbsp;

Winkelbauer will also stay close to home, albeit a little farther away, joining the Benedictine Ravens, a team that this past season came one game shy of a trip to the national championship.&nbsp; Winkelbauer points to the culture of the Ravens as to why it was the right choice.&nbsp;

"Good stuff, and the players they all liked it, they all looked like they bought into the program and I think they're going to be going some places in a few years," Winkelbauer says.&nbsp;

It will be a slight transition at the next level for both Icke and Winkelbauer after playing four years of 8-man football in high school, shifting to 11-man in college.&nbsp;&nbsp;Winkelbauer though, feels like it won't feel that different.&nbsp;

"We run a lot of 11-man schemes in our eight man game, so I feel like it won't be too hard,"&nbsp;Winkelbauer explains.&nbsp;

And for Icke, he says it's just a transition back to a way that he's played nearly his whole life.&nbsp;

"I played tackle football, 11-man, since I was five, so hopefully it's not that different, not that hard," Icke says.&nbsp;

Icke and Winkelbauer were part of two district championship teams at LeBlond, including a second place finish at state in 2022.&nbsp; A massive turnaround happened in their time, with the Golden Eagles not having a winning season prior to that since 2012.&nbsp;

When it comes to the legacy they hope to leave, Winkelbauer points to something coaches have told them, about how their senior class really shifted the culture

"From all the seniors beating up on the freshman, like killshots every practice, and we kind of welcomed freshman, became friends with them, we were more of a team I'd say for the past two years, and that was nice," Winkelbauer says.&nbsp;

Icke echoes that, saying that as a group the seniors really focused on helping to build up the freshman and underclassmen

"Instead of like tearing them down, we were like building them up, making them get better to carry on this tradition, and to just go all the way through to the district championship each year," Icke says.&nbsp;

Icke recorded 20 carries for 144 yds and 88 receptions for 1307 yds with 24 total touchdowns in his senior year.&nbsp; On defense he tallied 77 tackles, three sacks, three ints, one blocked punt, one forced fumble and three fumble recoveries.&nbsp; He was tabbed first team all-state recognition his senior year and second- team all-state recognition his junior year, as well as being an all-district selection his sophomore year.

In his senior season, Winkelbauer had 47 catches for 816 yards with 16 touchdowns.&nbsp; On defense he recorded 70 tackles, 17 for loss, with 10 sacks.&nbsp; He forced two fumbles and had one interception. He earned first team all state in his senior year and was a second team honoree in his sophomore season.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741639995161.png" alt="Bishop Leblond's Trey Icke (left) and Jacob&nbsp;Winkelbauer (right) signed their NLI's to continue playing football in college.&nbsp; Icke signed to Missouri Western State University while&nbsp;Winkelbauer will play at Benedictine/ Photo by Matt Pike" />
 <figcaption>Bishop Leblond's Trey Icke (left) and Jacob&nbsp;Winkelbauer (right) signed their NLI's to continue playing football in college.&nbsp; Icke signed to Missouri Western State University while&nbsp;Winkelbauer will play at Benedictine/ Photo by Matt Pike</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostTwo Bishop LeBlond seniors that helped in turning the football program around, have officially signed their letters of intent to continue playing football in college.&nbsp;Wide receiver Trey Icke will stay in St. Joseph, signing with Missouri Western State University, while tight end&nbsp;Jacob Winkelbauer is joining a Benedictine Ravens team that came one game shy of a national championship berth last season.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741640898856.jpeg" alt="Trey Icke/ Photo by Matt Pike" />
 <figcaption>Trey Icke/ Photo by Matt Pike</figcaption>
 </figure>Icke will go play for head coach Tyler Fenwick at Missouri Western State University, staying at home.&nbsp; For him, it was a talk with Griffons linebacker coach Colin Mcquillan that made Western the perfect fit.&nbsp;"Everything was so good, the facilities are great, and their strength and conditioning coach he just topped it off, I had to go after talking to him," Icke tells reporters.&nbsp;Winkelbauer will also stay close to home, albeit a little farther away, joining the Benedictine Ravens, a team that this past season came one game shy of a trip to the national championship.&nbsp; Winkelbauer points to the culture of the Ravens as to why it was the right choice.&nbsp;"Good stuff, and the players they all liked it, they all looked like they bought into the program and I think they're going to be going some places in a few years," Winkelbauer says.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741645080279.jpeg" alt="Jake Winkelbauer/ Photo by Matt Pike" />
 <figcaption>Jake Winkelbauer/ Photo by Matt Pike</figcaption>
 </figure>It will be a slight transition at the next level for both Icke and Winkelbauer after playing four years of 8-man football in high school, shifting to 11-man in college.&nbsp;&nbsp;Winkelbauer though, feels like it won't feel that different.&nbsp;"We run a lot of 11-man schemes in our eight man game, so I feel like it won't be too hard,"&nbsp;Winkelbauer explains.&nbsp;And for Icke, he says it's just a transition back to a way that he's played nearly his whole life.&nbsp;"I played tackle football, 11-man, since I was five, so hopefully it's not that different, not that hard," Icke says.&nbsp;Icke and Winkelbauer were part of two district championship teams at LeBlond, including a second place finish at state in 2022.&nbsp; A massive turnaround happened in their time, with the Golden Eagles not having a winning season prior to that since 2012.&nbsp;When it comes to the legacy they hope to leave, Winkelbauer points to something coaches have told them, about how their senior class really shifted the culture"From all the seniors beating up on the freshman, like killshots every practice, and we kind of welcomed freshman, became friends with them, we were more of a team I'd say for the past two years, and that was nice," Winkelbauer says.&nbsp;Icke echoes that, saying that as a group the seniors really focused on helping to build up the freshman and underclassmen"Instead of like tearing them down, we were like building them up, making them get better to carry on this tradition, and to just go all the way through to the district championship each year," Icke says.&nbsp;Icke recorded 20 carries for 144 yds and 88 receptions for 1307 yds with 24 total touchdowns in his senior year.&nbsp; On defense he tallied 77 tackles, three sacks, three ints, one blocked punt, one forced fumble and three fumble recoveries.&nbsp; He was tabbed first team all-state recognition his senior year and second- team all-state recognition his junior year, as well as being an all-district selection his sophomore year.In his senior season, Winkelbauer had 47 catches for 816 yards with 16 touchdowns.&nbsp; On defense he recorded 70 tackles, 17 for loss, with 10 sacks.&nbsp; He forced two fumbles and had one interception. He earned first team all state in his senior year and was a second team honoree in his sophomore season.You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Bishop LeBlond's Trey Icke, Jacob Winkelbauer sign to continue football careers

With just over three weeks until Opening Day. the Kansas City Royals continued trimming down their roster today, getting closer to the 26 players that will be on their roster.&nbsp;

The Royals today moved six players to minor league camp, and optioned three of them to Triple A Omaha, including St. Joseph's Noah Cameron.&nbsp;

Cameron, right handed pitcher Eric Cerantola, and outfielder Tyler Gentry were optioned to Omaha and to minor league camp, while right handed pitchers Anthony&nbsp;Simonelli and Junior Fernandez, along with catcher Kyle Hayes were assigned to minor league camp.&nbsp;

Cameron had impressed this spring for the Royals.&nbsp; Through four appearances (with one start) he pitched 10 innings, struck out seven batters, and had a 3.60 ERA.&nbsp; He was competing with Daniel Lynch and Kris Bubic for the fifth spot in the Royals rotation.&nbsp;

In a limited sample size, Cerantola had also pitched well this spring, only appearing in two games&nbsp; but giving up no runs while striking out one batter.&nbsp; Gentry also made his case for the roster in limited time, with five hits in 15 at bats, batting .333 with one home run and three RBI's.&nbsp;

With the moves, the Royals roster is now down to 52 players.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741572394248.jpeg" alt="Noah Cameron/ File photo" />
 <figcaption>Noah Cameron/ File photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostWith just over three weeks until Opening Day. the Kansas City Royals continued trimming down their roster today, getting closer to the 26 players that will be on their roster.&nbsp;The Royals today moved six players to minor league camp, and optioned three of them to Triple A Omaha, including St. Joseph's Noah Cameron.&nbsp;Cameron, right handed pitcher Eric Cerantola, and outfielder Tyler Gentry were optioned to Omaha and to minor league camp, while right handed pitchers Anthony&nbsp;Simonelli and Junior Fernandez, along with catcher Kyle Hayes were assigned to minor league camp.&nbsp;Cameron had impressed this spring for the Royals.&nbsp; Through four appearances (with one start) he pitched 10 innings, struck out seven batters, and had a 3.60 ERA.&nbsp; He was competing with Daniel Lynch and Kris Bubic for the fifth spot in the Royals rotation.&nbsp;In a limited sample size, Cerantola had also pitched well this spring, only appearing in two games&nbsp; but giving up no runs while striking out one batter.&nbsp; Gentry also made his case for the roster in limited time, with five hits in 15 at bats, batting .333 with one home run and three RBI's.&nbsp;With the moves, the Royals roster is now down to 52 players.&nbsp;

Royals continue trimming roster, Cameron optioned to Omaha

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph Post<div><iframe src="https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/kfeq-news/embed/episodes/KFEQ-Morning-Sports-3102025-e2vvd99/a-abqsrn9" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>

For the third time in four years, and the 15th time in program history, the Missouri Western women's basketball team has punched their ticket into the NCAA tournament.&nbsp;

The Lady Griffons were selected as the four seed in the NCAA Central Region during the NCAA Divsion II Women's Basketball Selection show on Sunday night.&nbsp; Missouri Western will play five seed Minnesota State in Pittsburgh, Kansas.&nbsp; Pittsburgh State was selected as the top seed in the region earning the right to host.&nbsp;

The trip to the dance is the first for the Griffons under first-year head coach Ashton Feldhaus, who guided Missouri Western to a 20-9 record in her debut season, and did so with a unique rebuild of the conference championship program she inherited. Competing with a roster of just 10 student-athletes for the majority of the 2024-25 season, the Griffons reached 20 wins for the fifth time in six years.

Missouri Western is 13-14 in NCAA tournament games all-time, with regional championships (Elite 8 Appearances) in 1994, 1995 and 2022.

A time and date for tip-off will be announced soon.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741579772732.jpeg" alt="Missouri Western women's basketball is in the NCAA tournament for the third time in four years. They will play Minnesota State in the first round/ Photo courtesy of Missouri Western Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Missouri Western women's basketball is in the NCAA tournament for the third time in four years. They will play Minnesota State in the first round/ Photo courtesy of Missouri Western Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostFor the third time in four years, and the 15th time in program history, the Missouri Western women's basketball team has punched their ticket into the NCAA tournament.&nbsp;The Lady Griffons were selected as the four seed in the NCAA Central Region during the NCAA Divsion II Women's Basketball Selection show on Sunday night.&nbsp; Missouri Western will play five seed Minnesota State in Pittsburgh, Kansas.&nbsp; Pittsburgh State was selected as the top seed in the region earning the right to host.&nbsp;The trip to the dance is the first for the Griffons under first-year head coach Ashton Feldhaus, who guided Missouri Western to a 20-9 record in her debut season, and did so with a unique rebuild of the conference championship program she inherited. Competing with a roster of just 10 student-athletes for the majority of the 2024-25 season, the Griffons reached 20 wins for the fifth time in six years.Missouri Western is 13-14 in NCAA tournament games all-time, with regional championships (Elite 8 Appearances) in 1994, 1995 and 2022.A time and date for tip-off will be announced soon.You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

MWSU women's basketball back in the NCAA tournament

St. Joseph's Noah Cameron made his first Cactus League start for the Kansas City Royals on Sunday against the Milwaukee Brewers where the Royals came away with a 5-2 victory.&nbsp;

Cameron opened up the game hot in his fourth appearance of spring training, making quick work of the Brewers with a 1-2-3 inning.&nbsp; The Royals went on to take the lead in the bottom half of the inning, thanks to new leadoff hitter Jonathan India, who hit his first home run of the spring to left field.&nbsp;

After Cameron gave up a leadoff double to Mark Cahna to start the second inning, he got Oliver Dunn to ground out and Manuel Margot to fly out, before striking out Jake Bauers with a curveball to end the inning.&nbsp;

After Kansas City failed to score in the bottom half of the inning, Milwaukee tied up the game in the top of the third.&nbsp; Cameron struck out Eric Haase to start the inning, but gave up a single to Raynel Delgado.&nbsp; As Delgado stole second, on a 3-2 pickoff move, first baseman Jac Caglianone threw the ball off his back, and into the outfield allowing Delgado to advance to third.&nbsp; After a Sal Frelick walk, Delgado scored on a sacrifice fly by Vinny Capra.&nbsp;

Caglianone made up for his mistake in the bottom half of the inning, hitting his third home run of spring training, 444 feet to right field for a monster blast, again putting Cameron in position to earn a win in his first spring start.&nbsp;

Carlos Hernandez relieved Cameron in the fourth inning and walked Cahna, who advanced to second on a wild pitch.&nbsp; After forcing Dunn and Margot to fly out, Bauers hit a double to drive in Cahna and tie the game up once more.&nbsp;

The game remained tied until the sixth inning where Maikel Garcia drove in MJ Melendez after he tripled.&nbsp; Kansas City scored two more runs in the eighth, Daniel Vazquez driving in Payton Wilson with an RBI triple and then scoring one batter later on a fielding error.&nbsp;

Cameron earned a no decision in the game, pitching three innings, striking out two batters, giving up two hits, walking one, and giving up one unearned run.&nbsp; Austin Cox earned the win.&nbsp;

Through spring training Cameron has continued to impress the Royals and fans.&nbsp; Through his four appearances he's pitched 10 innings and has struck out seven batters with a 3.60 ERA with one save.&nbsp;

The Royals matchup with the Cleveland Guardians on Monday.&nbsp; First pitch is at 3:05.&nbsp; The next broadcast of Royals spring training on KFEQ (680AM/95.3FM) will be on Tuesday against the Texas Rangers with coverage beginning at 2pm.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741572394248.jpeg" alt="St. Joseph' s Noah Cameron made his first Cactus League start against the Milwaukee Brewers Sunday.&nbsp; Cameron pitched three innings, gave up one unearned run, walked one and struck out two/ Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>St. Joseph' s Noah Cameron made his first Cactus League start against the Milwaukee Brewers Sunday.&nbsp; Cameron pitched three innings, gave up one unearned run, walked one and struck out two/ Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostSt. Joseph's Noah Cameron made his first Cactus League start for the Kansas City Royals on Sunday against the Milwaukee Brewers where the Royals came away with a 5-2 victory.&nbsp;Cameron opened up the game hot in his fourth appearance of spring training, making quick work of the Brewers with a 1-2-3 inning.&nbsp; The Royals went on to take the lead in the bottom half of the inning, thanks to new leadoff hitter Jonathan India, who hit his first home run of the spring to left field.&nbsp;After Cameron gave up a leadoff double to Mark Cahna to start the second inning, he got Oliver Dunn to ground out and Manuel Margot to fly out, before striking out Jake Bauers with a curveball to end the inning.&nbsp;After Kansas City failed to score in the bottom half of the inning, Milwaukee tied up the game in the top of the third.&nbsp; Cameron struck out Eric Haase to start the inning, but gave up a single to Raynel Delgado.&nbsp; As Delgado stole second, on a 3-2 pickoff move, first baseman Jac Caglianone threw the ball off his back, and into the outfield allowing Delgado to advance to third.&nbsp; After a Sal Frelick walk, Delgado scored on a sacrifice fly by Vinny Capra.&nbsp;Caglianone made up for his mistake in the bottom half of the inning, hitting his third home run of spring training, 444 feet to right field for a monster blast, again putting Cameron in position to earn a win in his first spring start.&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Jac Caglianone, oh my 🤯 The <a href="https://twitter.com/Royals?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Royals</a> top prospect (MLB No. 22) destroys his 3rd homer of the spring! 444 ft | 114.6 EV <a href="https://t.co/JlljYwPgBf">pic.twitter.com/JlljYwPgBf</a>&mdash; MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) <a href="https://twitter.com/MLBPipeline/status/1898838314373026110?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 9, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Carlos Hernandez relieved Cameron in the fourth inning and walked Cahna, who advanced to second on a wild pitch.&nbsp; After forcing Dunn and Margot to fly out, Bauers hit a double to drive in Cahna and tie the game up once more.&nbsp;The game remained tied until the sixth inning where Maikel Garcia drove in MJ Melendez after he tripled.&nbsp; Kansas City scored two more runs in the eighth, Daniel Vazquez driving in Payton Wilson with an RBI triple and then scoring one batter later on a fielding error.&nbsp;Cameron earned a no decision in the game, pitching three innings, striking out two batters, giving up two hits, walking one, and giving up one unearned run.&nbsp; Austin Cox earned the win.&nbsp;Through spring training Cameron has continued to impress the Royals and fans.&nbsp; Through his four appearances he's pitched 10 innings and has struck out seven batters with a 3.60 ERA with one save.&nbsp;The Royals matchup with the Cleveland Guardians on Monday.&nbsp; First pitch is at 3:05.&nbsp; The next broadcast of Royals spring training on KFEQ (680AM/95.3FM) will be on Tuesday against the Texas Rangers with coverage beginning at 2pm.&nbsp;You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

St. Joseph's Noah Cameron makes first spring start, Royals top Brewers 5-2

Linebacker Nick Bolton is resigning with the Kansas City Chiefs on a three year deal worth $45 million, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter today.&nbsp;

He joined the Chiefs in 2021 as a second-round draft pick out of Missouri. He became an immediate contributor, starting 12 games as a rookie and finishing with 112 tackles.&nbsp; He&nbsp;became a full-time starter in 2022, and made 180 tackles, with two sacks and two interceptions in the regular season. His signature play that season was a 36-yard fumble return for a touchdown in the Chiefs' Super Bowl LVII win over the Philadelphia Eagles.

Bolton started 16 games this past regular season, registering 106 tackles and recording a career-high three sacks. He then started all three games in the postseason, recording 20 tackles.

Bolton has 559 tackles and 37 tackles for loss in his career, including playoffs. The other four players with 550-plus tackles and 35-plus TFLs over their first four seasons (including playoffs) since 2000, per NFL Research, combined for 10 first-team All-Pro selections in those spans -- Luke Kuechly, Lavonte David, NaVorro Bowman, and Patrick Willis.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697752888994.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Chiefs' Nick Bolton (32) reacts after an interception during the first half of an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos, Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Chiefs' Nick Bolton (32) reacts after an interception during the first half of an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos, Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostLinebacker Nick Bolton is resigning with the Kansas City Chiefs on a three year deal worth $45 million, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter today.&nbsp;He joined the Chiefs in 2021 as a second-round draft pick out of Missouri. He became an immediate contributor, starting 12 games as a rookie and finishing with 112 tackles.&nbsp; He&nbsp;became a full-time starter in 2022, and made 180 tackles, with two sacks and two interceptions in the regular season. His signature play that season was a 36-yard fumble return for a touchdown in the Chiefs' Super Bowl LVII win over the Philadelphia Eagles.Bolton started 16 games this past regular season, registering 106 tackles and recording a career-high three sacks. He then started all three games in the postseason, recording 20 tackles.Bolton has 559 tackles and 37 tackles for loss in his career, including playoffs. The other four players with 550-plus tackles and 35-plus TFLs over their first four seasons (including playoffs) since 2000, per NFL Research, combined for 10 first-team All-Pro selections in those spans -- Luke Kuechly, Lavonte David, NaVorro Bowman, and Patrick Willis.You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Chiefs resign LB Nick Bolton to three year, $45 million deal

Last year, the Lafayette Fighting Irish beat the Benton Cardinals in the Class 4 District 16 championship game on a last second shot by then freshman Jodell Redman.&nbsp; This year, the Cardinals got their revenge.

Benton raced out to an early lead and never let Lafayette back into the game, winning against their crosstown rivals 65-46 and bringing the first district title since 2007 to the southside.&nbsp;

After the Cardinals raced to a 6-0 lead to start the game, the Fighting Irish cut the lead to as much as two before Benton pulled away and led at the end of the first quarter 19-8.&nbsp;

While the second quarter was closer, the Cardinals continued to show a potent offensive attack and stifling defense to keep holding Lafayette down, going on to lead 35-18.&nbsp;

Benton Head Coach Jared Boone says the team knew they had to come out early and set the tone.&nbsp;

"We knew they were going to come out juiced up, especially after the way they played yesterday," Boone tells reporters following the game.&nbsp; "They're in this championship game year after year after year after year, I mean they've owned this district year after year after year after year, so I mean they have that championship pedigree, we knew it was going to be tough."&nbsp;

"KB (Lafayette head coach Kevin Bristol) did a good job, hats off to them in towing the load, but I mean we had a good start and we didn't look back."&nbsp;

Benton went on to outscore Lafayette 30-28 in the second half of the game on way to the district championship.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Boone says it means everything to bring the first championship in 18 years back to the southside

"It's why I came back, to try to deliver this to this community this school, I mean I have no words, it's amazing," Boone says.&nbsp; "It's all contributed to these guys, their hard work, their belief in me, and what we're trying to do here and what we're trying to build here."&nbsp;

"You know they put their hard hats on and come to work every single day, and we've had our ups and our downs and our heartbreaks and days where we've been at it, but it's all for this, it's all for this."

Senior Lincoln Goodwin led the team with 21 points.&nbsp; Junior Mach Mayom scored 14 while senior Myles Bachali added 11.&nbsp; Bachali says waiting a whole year for this rematch, after a heartbreaking loss last season, is what motivated the team

"Just having to wait 365 days, just keeping in the back of our mind we got beat, everyday it haunts you the whole year," Bachali points out.&nbsp;

Beating a team that has been as dominant as Lafayette could bring pressure to any other team, but not Benton, according to Goodwin.&nbsp;

"I mean not really pressure, this is what we're built for, we work hard every single day, we're built for the moment," Goodwin tells reporters.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741403651938.jpeg" alt="The Benton student section celebrate alongside the team after winning the Class 4 District 16 title/ Photo by Matt Pike" />
 <figcaption>The Benton student section celebrate alongside the team after winning the Class 4 District 16 title/ Photo by Matt Pike</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostLast year, the Lafayette Fighting Irish beat the Benton Cardinals in the Class 4 District 16 championship game on a last second shot by then freshman Jodell Redman.&nbsp; This year, the Cardinals got their revenge.Benton raced out to an early lead and never let Lafayette back into the game, winning against their crosstown rivals 65-46 and bringing the first district title since 2007 to the southside.&nbsp;After the Cardinals raced to a 6-0 lead to start the game, the Fighting Irish cut the lead to as much as two before Benton pulled away and led at the end of the first quarter 19-8.&nbsp;While the second quarter was closer, the Cardinals continued to show a potent offensive attack and stifling defense to keep holding Lafayette down, going on to lead 35-18.&nbsp;Benton Head Coach Jared Boone says the team knew they had to come out early and set the tone.&nbsp;"We knew they were going to come out juiced up, especially after the way they played yesterday," Boone tells reporters following the game.&nbsp; "They're in this championship game year after year after year after year, I mean they've owned this district year after year after year after year, so I mean they have that championship pedigree, we knew it was going to be tough."&nbsp;"KB (Lafayette head coach Kevin Bristol) did a good job, hats off to them in towing the load, but I mean we had a good start and we didn't look back."&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741402893764.jpeg" alt="Myles Bachali goes up for a layup/ Photo by Matt Pike" />
 <figcaption>Myles Bachali goes up for a layup/ Photo by Matt Pike</figcaption>
 </figure>Benton went on to outscore Lafayette 30-28 in the second half of the game on way to the district championship.&nbsp;&nbsp;Boone says it means everything to bring the first championship in 18 years back to the southside"It's why I came back, to try to deliver this to this community this school, I mean I have no words, it's amazing," Boone says.&nbsp; "It's all contributed to these guys, their hard work, their belief in me, and what we're trying to do here and what we're trying to build here."&nbsp;"You know they put their hard hats on and come to work every single day, and we've had our ups and our downs and our heartbreaks and days where we've been at it, but it's all for this, it's all for this."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741410460395.jpeg" alt="Lincoln Goodwin takes a fadeway shot/ Photo by Matt Pike" />
 <figcaption>Lincoln Goodwin takes a fadeway shot/ Photo by Matt Pike</figcaption>
 </figure>Senior Lincoln Goodwin led the team with 21 points.&nbsp; Junior Mach Mayom scored 14 while senior Myles Bachali added 11.&nbsp; Bachali says waiting a whole year for this rematch, after a heartbreaking loss last season, is what motivated the team"Just having to wait 365 days, just keeping in the back of our mind we got beat, everyday it haunts you the whole year," Bachali points out.&nbsp;Beating a team that has been as dominant as Lafayette could bring pressure to any other team, but not Benton, according to Goodwin.&nbsp;"I mean not really pressure, this is what we're built for, we work hard every single day, we're built for the moment," Goodwin tells reporters.&nbsp;Benton will matchup with St. Pius X to open up the Class 4 quarterfinals on Monday.&nbsp; MSHSAA has yet to announce the host or tipoff time.&nbsp; In their one matchup this season, Benton beat St. Pius 64-53.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741410501154.jpeg" alt="Daryan May breakaway layup/ Photo by Matt Pike" />
 <figcaption>Daryan May breakaway layup/ Photo by Matt Pike</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741410524033.jpeg" alt="Jodell Redman (5) fights through the double team of Mach Mayom (35) and Xavier Warner (25)/ Photo by Matt Pike" />
 <figcaption>Jodell Redman (5) fights through the double team of Mach Mayom (35) and Xavier Warner (25)/ Photo by Matt Pike</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;