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.

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

<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.

“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.

<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.

🏈 Steelers Hall of Fame running back Franco Harris dies at 72

Missouri Western women's basketball coach Candi Whitaker finished her playing career at the same place where Mike Leach began his head coaching journey - Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas.

Leach, who died on December 12 at the age of 61 due to heart complications, was the head coach of the Red Raiders from 2000-2009, and became the winningest head coach in that program's history, compiling 84 wins and winning five bowl games.

His 2008 team won 11 games, and Leach was named Big 12 and National Coach of the Year that year.

Whitaker, then Candi White, played at Texas Tech from 2000-2002 after transferring in from Seward County Community College. Her two seasons as a player in Lubbock coincided with Leach's first two years there as the head football coach.

Whitaker, who went on to coach Texas Tech from 2013-2018, says Leach was often a spectator at Lady Raider practices when she was still a player.

"He would come over and talk to us," Whitaker said of Leach. "He was very approachable and very likable. My coach, Marsha Sharp, and he were very, very close. Very good friends throughout his tenure at Tech."

Leach was fired from Texas Tech under controversial circumstances in late December 2009 after accusations of alleged player abuse from Adam James - son of football legend and then ESPN analyst Craig James.

After Adam James had suffered a concussion, Leach reportedly ordered his staff to take James "out of the light," and Leach's attorney&nbsp;said James was treated reasonably in light of his condition.

The James family claimed James was taken to a dark equipment room near the Raiders' practice facility. School officials at the time said they gave Leach an ultimatum to apologize to James in writing, or be suspended.

On December 30, Tech fired Leach, calling his refusal to apologize "a defiant act of insubordination."

Many speculate Leach's firing was more financially motivated. Leach was fired a day before he was reportedly owed an $800,000 tenure bonus and more than $1,700,000 for contractual guaranteed income for the 2009 season.

Whitaker says many Red Raider fans and alums, and even many who are not affiliated with the school, believe Texas Tech did not treat Leach fairly in the end.

"I think everyone loved him," Whitaker said of Leach, "and hated to see how things ended at Tech. I think there's a lot of people upset about how Tech handled things. Mike put them on the map. Before Mike, their football team was okay and good, but Mike took it to another level."

Leach would go on to have success as Washington State's head coach from 2012-2019 and then at Mississippi State from 2020 up until his death in 2o22.

Leach compiled 158 career wins, was a three-time conference coach of the year and two-time national coach of the year. He's considered by many to be the godfather of the high powered, potent "air raid offense."

He'll perhaps be equally as remembered for all of his press conference quotes and answers in interviews, topics ranging from Halloween candy, marriage advice, pirates, Bigfoot and many more.

Whitaker says that's how he always was - even when the cameras weren't rolling.

"So many of the rumors, like he did bring in a pirate at Tech to talk to his team," she said. "He is who he is. That community (in Lubbock) loved him and he loved them."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1662586654083.jpeg" alt="Missouri Western's Candi Whitaker (center) played women's basketball at Texas Tech from 2000-2002. She was playing at around the same time that Mike Leach started as head football coach of the Red Raiders. Stock photo." />
 <figcaption>Missouri Western's Candi Whitaker (center) played women's basketball at Texas Tech from 2000-2002. She was playing at around the same time that Mike Leach started as head football coach of the Red Raiders. Stock photo.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostMissouri Western women's basketball coach Candi Whitaker finished her playing career at the same place where Mike Leach began his head coaching journey - Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas.Leach, who died on December 12 at the age of 61 due to heart complications, was the head coach of the Red Raiders from 2000-2009, and became the winningest head coach in that program's history, compiling 84 wins and winning five bowl games.His 2008 team won 11 games, and Leach was named Big 12 and National Coach of the Year that year.Whitaker, then Candi White, played at Texas Tech from 2000-2002 after transferring in from Seward County Community College. Her two seasons as a player in Lubbock coincided with Leach's first two years there as the head football coach.Whitaker, who went on to coach Texas Tech from 2013-2018, says Leach was often a spectator at Lady Raider practices when she was still a player."He would come over and talk to us," Whitaker said of Leach. "He was very approachable and very likable. My coach, Marsha Sharp, and he were very, very close. Very good friends throughout his tenure at Tech."Leach was fired from Texas Tech under controversial circumstances in late December 2009 after accusations of alleged player abuse from Adam James - son of football legend and then ESPN analyst Craig James.After Adam James had suffered a concussion, Leach reportedly ordered his staff to take James "out of the light," and Leach's attorney&nbsp;said James was treated reasonably in light of his condition.The James family claimed James was taken to a dark equipment room near the Raiders' practice facility. School officials at the time said they gave Leach an ultimatum to apologize to James in writing, or be suspended.On December 30, Tech fired Leach, calling his refusal to apologize "a defiant act of insubordination."Many speculate Leach's firing was more financially motivated. Leach was fired a day before he was reportedly owed an $800,000 tenure bonus and more than $1,700,000 for contractual guaranteed income for the 2009 season.Whitaker says many Red Raider fans and alums, and even many who are not affiliated with the school, believe Texas Tech did not treat Leach fairly in the end."I think everyone loved him," Whitaker said of Leach, "and hated to see how things ended at Tech. I think there's a lot of people upset about how Tech handled things. Mike put them on the map. Before Mike, their football team was okay and good, but Mike took it to another level."Leach would go on to have success as Washington State's head coach from 2012-2019 and then at Mississippi State from 2020 up until his death in 2o22.Leach compiled 158 career wins, was a three-time conference coach of the year and two-time national coach of the year. He's considered by many to be the godfather of the high powered, potent "air raid offense."He'll perhaps be equally as remembered for all of his press conference quotes and answers in interviews, topics ranging from Halloween candy, marriage advice, pirates, Bigfoot and many more.Whitaker says that's how he always was - even when the cameras weren't rolling."So many of the rumors, like he did bring in a pirate at Tech to talk to his team," she said. "He is who he is. That community (in Lubbock) loved him and he loved them."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671570598753.jpeg" alt="Photo courtesy of the Brownwood Bulletin." />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy of the Brownwood Bulletin.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Missouri Western coach, former Red Raider remembers Mike Leach

EMPORIA, KS - The Missouri Western women's basketball team got off to electric starts in both the first and second quarters, leading by as many as 14 in the first half.

Emporia State hit back, trailing by only four at halftime and leading 59-56 entering the fourth. The Griffons (9-4, 4-2 MIAA) saved the best for last, outscoring Emporia 26-15 in the final 10 minutes, and the Griffons topped the Hornets 82-74 at White Auditorium on Monday afternoon.

Missouri Western was 8-of-13 from the field in the fourth quarter, including 3-of-4 from three. The Griffons also made seven of their last eight free throws to seal a big road win.

"Really proud of our effort and how we showed up today," Missouri Western women's basketball coach Candi Whitaker said.&nbsp; "I really like this team and I think we can keep getting better. We just have to understand what makes us good."

Western used a 12-2 run in the early part of the fourth to go up 68-61 with 7:53 remaining. Emporia (9-2, 4-1 MIAA) got back to within 72-70 with 5:04 to go, but that's as close as it got.

It was a full team effort for the Griffons Monday. Junior Brionna Budgets scored 24 points on a career-best six made three-pointers. Junior Connie Clarke scored 19 on 8-of-11 shooting. She also had eight rebounds.

Fellow junior Trinity Knapp logged a career-high 17 points to go with six rebounds. She was an astounding +26 on the final stat sheet.

"Trinity is playing really, really well," Whitaker emphasized. "She's playing like we thought she could play. She likes to shoot the three. What I want to tell her is, 'You played really, really well and haven't taken a three.' She was so great at cutting in the back of that zone offense and catching high (passes) and finishing."

True freshman Meredith Rieker also came off the bench and scored nine points on three straight three-pointers in the first half.

Redshirt junior Tre'Zure Jobe led Emporia with a game-high 31 points. The Hornets nabbed 12 steals, turned the Griffons over 20 times and outrebounded Western on the offensive glass 20-6.

It wasn't always smooth sailing, and the game featured six ties and four lead changes. But, the Griffons outshot the Hornets from the field, from three and from the free throw line.

Missouri Western snapped a six-game winning streak for Emporia State, handing the Hornets their first conference loss of the season, while picking up a huge confidence boost for themselves heading into a nine-day break before the next game.

"I thought we had great team effort to rebound the basketball in the fourth (quarter) and do a little better job there," Whitaker said of her team's finish. "We turned them over a bit and made them take some quick shots and rebounded it. All of that was very timely. We had multiple people step up in this game."

MWSU men overcome 12-point hole, fend off #22 Emporia State late

Monday's game started as bad as it could have for Missouri Western. The Griffons made just four of their first 20 shot attempts and got down 17-5 with 10:18 left in the first half.

Coach Will Martin called timeout, drew up a new offense and things slowly, but surely, started to swing.

The Griffons (6-3, 3-1 MIAA) ended the first half on a 20-11 run and only&nbsp; trailed 28-25 at the break.

The impressive swing continued, as Missouri Western shot north of 50% in the second half, outscoring the No. 22 Hornets 43-36 in the final 20 minutes to pull off a 68-64 win on Monday afternoon at White Auditorium.

"Just so proud of our guys," Missouri Western coach Will Martin said. "We just kept chipping away. We keep saying we have no excuses, no matter what adversity hits and we're going to embrace it and we have. I mean, you take a tough one on the chin at Washburn and that's not fun, but we responded. I thought the guys were really locked in today."

After shooting just 32.1% the first half, the Griffons shot 51.6% the second half and went up 60-48 with 6:42 remaining.

Emporia State (9-2, 4-2 MIAA) didn't go down without a fight on their home floor. The Hornets used a 10-1 run to pull within 61-58 with 3:33 left.&nbsp;

Junior Owen Long hit a transition three-pointer up top and got fouled by Missouri Western's Julius Dixon as he went up. Long converted the four-point play, and Emporia's home crowd was back into it.

The Hornets never got closer, as the Griffons got key stops down the stretch and made five of their final seven free throws to hold on.

Sophomore Reed Kemp made the final free throw to put the Griffons up four with 3.5 seconds remaining, ultimately sealing the deal for Missouri Western.

Kemp led the Griffons in scoring for a second straight game, coming off the bench to score 13. Julius Dixon, Will Eames and Reese Glover each had 12 points. Glover made four three-pointers, moving him to second all-time in program history with 219 made threes.

Eames logged a team-high 12 rebounds for his first double-double of the season. Zion Swader was the fifth Griffon in double figures with 11 points.

Owen Long, who led Emporia with 29 points in a victory over No. 1 Northwest Missouri State this past Saturday, led his team again Monday with 23 points on 5-of-9 shooting from long range. Atavian Butler came off the bench and scored 11 for the Hornets.

The win Monday is Missouri Western's first at Emporia since February 2018 and it marks the sixth win over a ranked team for Coach Martin, who's still early in his third year as head coach.

In the context of this season, Monday's result sure feels good for the Griffons after they got thumped 76-51 at Washburn two days prior - their first game after a 14-day pause due to COVID-19.

"What we judge the performance on is, are we getting better?" Martin said. "To be able to get the win is amazing, but I saw our team get better today. There's no doubt about it we got better. To be able to take that step going into break makes me really confident."

Both the Missouri Western men and women are back in action at home on Dec. 28. The women host Saint Mary and the men host Friends - both NAIA opponents.

The women tip off at 5:30 and the men follow at 7:30. Both games will be on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671497042682.jpeg" alt="Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostEMPORIA, KS - The Missouri Western women's basketball team got off to electric starts in both the first and second quarters, leading by as many as 14 in the first half.Emporia State hit back, trailing by only four at halftime and leading 59-56 entering the fourth. The Griffons (9-4, 4-2 MIAA) saved the best for last, outscoring Emporia 26-15 in the final 10 minutes, and the Griffons topped the Hornets 82-74 at White Auditorium on Monday afternoon.Missouri Western was 8-of-13 from the field in the fourth quarter, including 3-of-4 from three. The Griffons also made seven of their last eight free throws to seal a big road win."Really proud of our effort and how we showed up today," Missouri Western women's basketball coach Candi Whitaker said.&nbsp; "I really like this team and I think we can keep getting better. We just have to understand what makes us good."Western used a 12-2 run in the early part of the fourth to go up 68-61 with 7:53 remaining. Emporia (9-2, 4-1 MIAA) got back to within 72-70 with 5:04 to go, but that's as close as it got.It was a full team effort for the Griffons Monday. Junior Brionna Budgets scored 24 points on a career-best six made three-pointers. Junior Connie Clarke scored 19 on 8-of-11 shooting. She also had eight rebounds.Fellow junior Trinity Knapp logged a career-high 17 points to go with six rebounds. She was an astounding +26 on the final stat sheet."Trinity is playing really, really well," Whitaker emphasized. "She's playing like we thought she could play. She likes to shoot the three. What I want to tell her is, 'You played really, really well and haven't taken a three.' She was so great at cutting in the back of that zone offense and catching high (passes) and finishing."True freshman Meredith Rieker also came off the bench and scored nine points on three straight three-pointers in the first half.Redshirt junior Tre'Zure Jobe led Emporia with a game-high 31 points. The Hornets nabbed 12 steals, turned the Griffons over 20 times and outrebounded Western on the offensive glass 20-6.It wasn't always smooth sailing, and the game featured six ties and four lead changes. But, the Griffons outshot the Hornets from the field, from three and from the free throw line.Missouri Western snapped a six-game winning streak for Emporia State, handing the Hornets their first conference loss of the season, while picking up a huge confidence boost for themselves heading into a nine-day break before the next game."I thought we had great team effort to rebound the basketball in the fourth (quarter) and do a little better job there," Whitaker said of her team's finish. "We turned them over a bit and made them take some quick shots and rebounded it. All of that was very timely. We had multiple people step up in this game."<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/MWSU-WBB-coach-Candi-Whitaker---Emporia-State-postgame-121922-e1sg4if" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>MWSU men overcome 12-point hole, fend off #22 Emporia State lateMonday's game started as bad as it could have for Missouri Western. The Griffons made just four of their first 20 shot attempts and got down 17-5 with 10:18 left in the first half.Coach Will Martin called timeout, drew up a new offense and things slowly, but surely, started to swing.The Griffons (6-3, 3-1 MIAA) ended the first half on a 20-11 run and only&nbsp; trailed 28-25 at the break.The impressive swing continued, as Missouri Western shot north of 50% in the second half, outscoring the No. 22 Hornets 43-36 in the final 20 minutes to pull off a 68-64 win on Monday afternoon at White Auditorium."Just so proud of our guys," Missouri Western coach Will Martin said. "We just kept chipping away. We keep saying we have no excuses, no matter what adversity hits and we're going to embrace it and we have. I mean, you take a tough one on the chin at Washburn and that's not fun, but we responded. I thought the guys were really locked in today."After shooting just 32.1% the first half, the Griffons shot 51.6% the second half and went up 60-48 with 6:42 remaining.Emporia State (9-2, 4-2 MIAA) didn't go down without a fight on their home floor. The Hornets used a 10-1 run to pull within 61-58 with 3:33 left.&nbsp;Junior Owen Long hit a transition three-pointer up top and got fouled by Missouri Western's Julius Dixon as he went up. Long converted the four-point play, and Emporia's home crowd was back into it.The Hornets never got closer, as the Griffons got key stops down the stretch and made five of their final seven free throws to hold on.Sophomore Reed Kemp made the final free throw to put the Griffons up four with 3.5 seconds remaining, ultimately sealing the deal for Missouri Western.Kemp led the Griffons in scoring for a second straight game, coming off the bench to score 13. Julius Dixon, Will Eames and Reese Glover each had 12 points. Glover made four three-pointers, moving him to second all-time in program history with 219 made threes.Eames logged a team-high 12 rebounds for his first double-double of the season. Zion Swader was the fifth Griffon in double figures with 11 points.Owen Long, who led Emporia with 29 points in a victory over No. 1 Northwest Missouri State this past Saturday, led his team again Monday with 23 points on 5-of-9 shooting from long range. Atavian Butler came off the bench and scored 11 for the Hornets.The win Monday is Missouri Western's first at Emporia since February 2018 and it marks the sixth win over a ranked team for Coach Martin, who's still early in his third year as head coach.In the context of this season, Monday's result sure feels good for the Griffons after they got thumped 76-51 at Washburn two days prior - their first game after a 14-day pause due to COVID-19."What we judge the performance on is, are we getting better?" Martin said. "To be able to get the win is amazing, but I saw our team get better today. There's no doubt about it we got better. To be able to take that step going into break makes me really confident."Both the Missouri Western men and women are back in action at home on Dec. 28. The women host Saint Mary and the men host Friends - both NAIA opponents.The women tip off at 5:30 and the men follow at 7:30. Both games will be on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3).<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/Missouri-Western-MBB-coach-Will-Martin---Emporia-State-postgame-121922-e1sg4k1" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Missouri Western women's, men's basketball get wins at Emporia State Monday

HOUSTON (AP) — Wearing shirts that read “Conquered the West” and baseball caps commemorating their AFC West title, the Kansas City Chiefs celebrated winning the division for a seventh straight season after outlasting the Houston Texans, 30-24, in overtime Sunday.

Amid the jubilation, their star quarterback was quick to point out the feat was only the beginning of what they hope to do this season.

“When we start every season, the first thing we get told when we first walk in is let’s win the AFC West,” Patrick Mahomes said. "That’s our first goal ... (and) we accomplished our first goal.”

Jerick McKinnon had a 26-yard touchdown run in overtime&nbsp;and the Chiefs got three touchdowns from Mahomes in the win.

The Chiefs (11-3) got the ball first in overtime, but had to punt it away after Mahomes was sacked by Blake Cashman on third down. Texans quarterback Davis Mills fumbled on a scramble on Houston’s first play, and it was recovered by Kansas City's Willie Gay on the Texans’ 26.

McKinnon, who also had a TD reception, dashed untouched into the end zone on the next play.

He said Mahomes reminded him before the play to keep two hands on the ball.

“I said: ‘I’m about to score,’” McKinnon said. “Juju (Smith-Schuster) looked at me and said: ‘I’ve got your block, bro. Just find me when you get out there’. And it worked out exactly like that.”

Houston (1-12-1) tied it at 24 on a 29-yard field goal with about five minutes to go in the fourth quarter. The Chiefs had a chance to win it in regulation, but Harrison Butker’s 51-yard attempt was wide right.

Kansas City overcame two turnovers and a season-high 102 penalty yards to win for the seventh time in eight games.

Mills threw for 121 yards and two touchdowns sharing time at quarterback with Jeff Driskel. The Texans dropped their ninth straight game for their longest skid since losing the final 14 games of the 2013 season.

Kansas City’s streak of division titles is tied with the Rams (1973-79) for the second-longest in NFL history behind the Patriots, who captured 11 in a row in the AFC East from 2009-2019.

“I think one of the most difficult things in the National Football League is consistent success," Kansas City owner Clark Hunt said. "The rules are designed to make that difficult, whether that’s the draft or the salary cap. So, it’s a real testament to the job that general manager Brett Veach and coach Andy Reid have done over the last several years.”

The Chiefs trailed for much of the day and were behind by five early in the fourth quarter&nbsp;when Mahomes dashed in from 5 yards out. His 2-point conversion pass to McKinnon came next to give Kansas City a 24-21 lead.

Mahomes thew for 336 yards and had touchdown passes of 20 and 4 yards. He has 35 TD passes this season to become the fifth player in NFL history with 35 or more touchdown tosses in four or more seasons, joining Tom Brady (6), Aaron Rodgers (6), Drew Brees (4) and Peyton Manning (4).

Mahomes, who is from Tyler, Texas, and starred at Texas Tech, played his first NFL game in the state in his sixth professional season. The crowd was overwhelmingly made up of Chiefs fans, many of whom wore his No. 15 jersey. A handful donned his scarlet and black Texas Tech jersey.

The Chiefs piled up 502 yards to set a franchise record with their 19th straight game with at least 300 yards, and it was their ninth in a row with more than 400 yards.

Travis Kelce had 102 yards receiving and Smith-Schuster had 88 yards receiving for the Chiefs.

The Chiefs led 16-14 after a field goal early in the third and were driving again when Tremon Smith forced a fumble by Smith-Schuster that the Texans recovered near midfield. It wasn’t ruled a fumble initially, but Houston challenged the call and it was reversed.

The Chiefs will host Seattle this Saturday. Kickoff is set for noon. The game will be carried on KFEQ (680, 95.3) and Q Country 92.7 FM in St. Joseph.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671406749421.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Chiefs running back Jerick McKinnon (1) celebrates with teammates after making a catch for a two-point conversion during the second half of an NFL football game against the Houston Texans Sunday, Dec. 18, 2022, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)." />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Chiefs running back Jerick McKinnon (1) celebrates with teammates after making a catch for a two-point conversion during the second half of an NFL football game against the Houston Texans Sunday, Dec. 18, 2022, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith).</figcaption>
 </figure>St. Joseph PostHOUSTON (AP) — Wearing shirts that read “Conquered the West” and baseball caps commemorating their AFC West title, the Kansas City Chiefs celebrated winning the division for a seventh straight season after outlasting the Houston Texans, 30-24, in overtime Sunday.Amid the jubilation, their star quarterback was quick to point out the feat was only the beginning of what they hope to do this season.“When we start every season, the first thing we get told when we first walk in is let’s win the AFC West,” Patrick Mahomes said. "That’s our first goal ... (and) we accomplished our first goal.”Jerick McKinnon had a 26-yard touchdown run in overtime&nbsp;and the Chiefs got three touchdowns from Mahomes in the win.The Chiefs (11-3) got the ball first in overtime, but had to punt it away after Mahomes was sacked by Blake Cashman on third down. Texans quarterback Davis Mills fumbled on a scramble on Houston’s first play, and it was recovered by Kansas City's Willie Gay on the Texans’ 26.McKinnon, who also had a TD reception, dashed untouched into the end zone on the next play.He said Mahomes reminded him before the play to keep two hands on the ball.“I said: ‘I’m about to score,’” McKinnon said. “Juju (Smith-Schuster) looked at me and said: ‘I’ve got your block, bro. Just find me when you get out there’. And it worked out exactly like that.”Houston (1-12-1) tied it at 24 on a 29-yard field goal with about five minutes to go in the fourth quarter. The Chiefs had a chance to win it in regulation, but Harrison Butker’s 51-yard attempt was wide right.Kansas City overcame two turnovers and a season-high 102 penalty yards to win for the seventh time in eight games.Mills threw for 121 yards and two touchdowns sharing time at quarterback with Jeff Driskel. The Texans dropped their ninth straight game for their longest skid since losing the final 14 games of the 2013 season.Kansas City’s streak of division titles is tied with the Rams (1973-79) for the second-longest in NFL history behind the Patriots, who captured 11 in a row in the AFC East from 2009-2019.“I think one of the most difficult things in the National Football League is consistent success," Kansas City owner Clark Hunt said. "The rules are designed to make that difficult, whether that’s the draft or the salary cap. So, it’s a real testament to the job that general manager Brett Veach and coach Andy Reid have done over the last several years.”The Chiefs trailed for much of the day and were behind by five early in the fourth quarter&nbsp;when Mahomes dashed in from 5 yards out. His 2-point conversion pass to McKinnon came next to give Kansas City a 24-21 lead.Mahomes thew for 336 yards and had touchdown passes of 20 and 4 yards. He has 35 TD passes this season to become the fifth player in NFL history with 35 or more touchdown tosses in four or more seasons, joining Tom Brady (6), Aaron Rodgers (6), Drew Brees (4) and Peyton Manning (4).Mahomes, who is from Tyler, Texas, and starred at Texas Tech, played his first NFL game in the state in his sixth professional season. The crowd was overwhelmingly made up of Chiefs fans, many of whom wore his No. 15 jersey. A handful donned his scarlet and black Texas Tech jersey.The Chiefs piled up 502 yards to set a franchise record with their 19th straight game with at least 300 yards, and it was their ninth in a row with more than 400 yards.Travis Kelce had 102 yards receiving and Smith-Schuster had 88 yards receiving for the Chiefs.The Chiefs led 16-14 after a field goal early in the third and were driving again when Tremon Smith forced a fumble by Smith-Schuster that the Texans recovered near midfield. It wasn’t ruled a fumble initially, but Houston challenged the call and it was reversed.The Chiefs will host Seattle this Saturday. Kickoff is set for noon. The game will be carried on KFEQ (680, 95.3) and Q Country 92.7 FM in St. Joseph.

McKinnon scores game winner in OT, Chiefs survive the Texans to win the AFC West again

TOPEKA, KS - The Missouri Western women's basketball team built a 47-23 lead over Washburn with 4:51 left in the third quarter.

What followed was a span they'd perhaps like to forget.

The Griffons, after committing just seven turnovers in the first half, committed 17 second half turnovers and were outscored 21-10 over the final 14:51.

Washburn (4-5, 1-3 MIAA) got to within 52-44 with 1:19 remaining, but the Griffons (8-4, 3-2 MIAA) ended the game on a 5-0 run and came away with a 57-44 win over the Ichabods on Saturday afternoon at Lee Arena in Topeka.

It goes down as a win, and the Griffons for the most part dominated the first 2.5 quarters, but the way it ended left a sour taste.

"I just think we lack a lot of discipline," Missouri Western coach Candi Whitaker said. "And I think that leads to our inconsistency. I mean, how many balls can we throw out of bounds? And just forcing things. I just, I don't know what it's going to take for our team to understand that every possession matters."

The Griffons dominated on the glass 43-26, nabbed 12 steals and scored 18 points in the fast break, but they also committed a season-high 24 turnovers. Conversely, Western was able to score 23 points off of 24 Washburn giveaways.

Missouri Western was led in scoring by junior Brionna Budgets, who had 14 points and three steals. Sophomore Abby Bala scored 12 points off the bench, as she knocked down three triples in the first half.

Connie Clarke scored 11 points and managed a career-high 18 rebounds for her sixth double-double of the season. Aubree Dewey led Washburn with a game-high 16 points.&nbsp;

MWSU men fall to a hot shooting Washburn team coming off shutdown

The Missouri Western men came ready Saturday. After not playing for 14 days, and after just two practices following a COVID-19 shutdown the week prior, the Griffons hung in.

Heck, the Griffons were up 21-15 with 7:26 left in the first half. Washburn, at that point, called timeout, and things turned around in a hurry.

The Ichabods (4-6, 1-3 MIAA) ended the first half on a 22-5 run and then reeled off a 17-0 barrage in the second half to down the Griffons 76-51 on Saturday afternoon at Lee Arena.

Missouri Western (5-3, 2-1 MIAA) hadn't played since a Dec. 3 matchup at Missouri Southern in Joplin. Their scheduled games on Dec. 8 and 10 against Nebraska-Kearney and Fort Hays State were postponed due to COVID protocol within the Griffon program.

The loss Saturday ended what was a four-game winning streak for Missouri Western, but Martin saw resiliency in his team, as they came into a tough matchup and situation.

"Any time you're shut down, it's hard to get your lungs back and your conditioning back," Martin said. "It's hard to get your cadence and rhythm back offensively and defensively. I thought we had upperclassmen who have been through this and led our group."

Sophomore Reed Kemp led the Griffons with 15 points off the bench. Junior Will Eames had eight points, six rebounds and four assists.

Tyler Nelson paced four Ichabods in double figures with 19 points. He also had seven rebounds, six assists and six steals. Washburn shot a scorching 12-of-24 from three and outrebounded the Griffons 43-30.

Washburn scored 20 points in the fast break and tallied 16 points off of 16 Griffon turnovers. The Ichabods also had 16 second chance points.

"When you look at the second chance opportunities off of (offensive) boards and the fast break, that's 40 points we gave up," Martin pointed out. "Credit to Washburn. They're a good team, they're well coached. They're extremely disciplined. We'll find a way to get better because of this."

"This is a time for us. We're going to be judged by how we respond in these difficult times and have another one Monday. It's got to be a quick response."

Both the Missouri Western men and women are back in action Monday at Emporia State. The women tip at 1:30 and the men at 3:30. Coverage starts at 1 p.m. on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3, 680kfeq.com).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671332150362.jpeg" alt="Stock photo by Arianne Boma." />
 <figcaption>Stock photo by Arianne Boma.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostTOPEKA, KS - The Missouri Western women's basketball team built a 47-23 lead over Washburn with 4:51 left in the third quarter.What followed was a span they'd perhaps like to forget.The Griffons, after committing just seven turnovers in the first half, committed 17 second half turnovers and were outscored 21-10 over the final 14:51.Washburn (4-5, 1-3 MIAA) got to within 52-44 with 1:19 remaining, but the Griffons (8-4, 3-2 MIAA) ended the game on a 5-0 run and came away with a 57-44 win over the Ichabods on Saturday afternoon at Lee Arena in Topeka.It goes down as a win, and the Griffons for the most part dominated the first 2.5 quarters, but the way it ended left a sour taste."I just think we lack a lot of discipline," Missouri Western coach Candi Whitaker said. "And I think that leads to our inconsistency. I mean, how many balls can we throw out of bounds? And just forcing things. I just, I don't know what it's going to take for our team to understand that every possession matters."The Griffons dominated on the glass 43-26, nabbed 12 steals and scored 18 points in the fast break, but they also committed a season-high 24 turnovers. Conversely, Western was able to score 23 points off of 24 Washburn giveaways.Missouri Western was led in scoring by junior Brionna Budgets, who had 14 points and three steals. Sophomore Abby Bala scored 12 points off the bench, as she knocked down three triples in the first half.Connie Clarke scored 11 points and managed a career-high 18 rebounds for her sixth double-double of the season. Aubree Dewey led Washburn with a game-high 16 points.&nbsp;MWSU men fall to a hot shooting Washburn team coming off shutdownThe Missouri Western men came ready Saturday. After not playing for 14 days, and after just two practices following a COVID-19 shutdown the week prior, the Griffons hung in.Heck, the Griffons were up 21-15 with 7:26 left in the first half. Washburn, at that point, called timeout, and things turned around in a hurry.The Ichabods (4-6, 1-3 MIAA) ended the first half on a 22-5 run and then reeled off a 17-0 barrage in the second half to down the Griffons 76-51 on Saturday afternoon at Lee Arena.Missouri Western (5-3, 2-1 MIAA) hadn't played since a Dec. 3 matchup at Missouri Southern in Joplin. Their scheduled games on Dec. 8 and 10 against Nebraska-Kearney and Fort Hays State were postponed due to COVID protocol within the Griffon program.The loss Saturday ended what was a four-game winning streak for Missouri Western, but Martin saw resiliency in his team, as they came into a tough matchup and situation."Any time you're shut down, it's hard to get your lungs back and your conditioning back," Martin said. "It's hard to get your cadence and rhythm back offensively and defensively. I thought we had upperclassmen who have been through this and led our group."Sophomore Reed Kemp led the Griffons with 15 points off the bench. Junior Will Eames had eight points, six rebounds and four assists.Tyler Nelson paced four Ichabods in double figures with 19 points. He also had seven rebounds, six assists and six steals. Washburn shot a scorching 12-of-24 from three and outrebounded the Griffons 43-30.Washburn scored 20 points in the fast break and tallied 16 points off of 16 Griffon turnovers. The Ichabods also had 16 second chance points."When you look at the second chance opportunities off of (offensive) boards and the fast break, that's 40 points we gave up," Martin pointed out. "Credit to Washburn. They're a good team, they're well coached. They're extremely disciplined. We'll find a way to get better because of this.""This is a time for us. We're going to be judged by how we respond in these difficult times and have another one Monday. It's got to be a quick response."Both the Missouri Western men and women are back in action Monday at Emporia State. The women tip at 1:30 and the men at 3:30. Coverage starts at 1 p.m. on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3, 680kfeq.com).You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

MWSU women win, Griffon men fall at Washburn Saturday

Missouri Western athletic director Andy Carter named Jacob Plocher as the sixth head women's soccer coach in program history Friday.&nbsp; "We were impressed by the caliber of coaches who expressed interest in this position," said Carter in a statement. "Jacob Plocher's strong track record speaks for itself, and we are excited to see what he will do as the new leader of Griffon soccer." Plocher comes to Missouri Western after six highly successful seasons at Eastern Oregon University, an NAIA institution in the Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC). Previous to taking the reins at EOU, Plocher&nbsp;spent four years at Presentation College.&nbsp; "I am excited and ready to get to work," said Plocher. "I would like to thank Andy Carter and the search committee. I am grateful for this opportunity to lead this program and looking forward to being back in Missouri and the MIAA." Plocher&nbsp;took the EOU Women's Soccer program to new heights, qualifying for the NAIA National Championship Tournament four of the six years he was in charge, the only four times EOU has qualified for the National Championships.

Plocher's teams never posted a sub-.500 record and climbed as high as No. 6 in the NAIA Poll. Twice his team made it to the NAIA quarterfinals, and EOU won two regular season CCC titles and two CCC Tournament titles. Plocher's teams finished ranked in the top 15 of the NAIA polls twice.

Plocher was named CCC Coach of the year in 2017. Plocher also coached Kiara Fontanilla, a goalkeeper on the Philippines National Team who competed for the country in the World Cup.&nbsp; During his stint at Presentation College, Plocher compiled 27 wins. During the 2016 campaign, he guided the Saints to an 11-6-2 record, the best in program history. Under his leadership, Presentation College broke nearly every offensive school record this past season, including goals (42), assists (29), points (119), shots (354), shots on goal (191), and game-winners (10). Prior to Presentation College, Plocher coached at Kansas Wesleyan University, William Penn University and West Plains High School. He served as an assistant coach to both the men's and women's soccer programs at Kansas Wesleyan. Plocher began his coaching career in West Plains, Missouri, where he was the assistant coach for the West Plains High School boys' varsity soccer team. He directed the squad to a third-place finish at the state tournament for the first time in school history. He also served as the head coach for the school's junior varsity team. During his playing days, Plocher was a team captain at William Penn after transferring from Missouri Southern. He ultimately earned his Bachelor of Arts in Wellness, Recreation, and Physical Education, and he later added a Master of Business Leadership degree.

Plocher succeeds interim head coach Leah Stringer, who took over the Griffons after former head coach Damian Macias stepped down this past July.

Macias was hired by Missouri Western in 2020, and his first season was canceled due to COVID-19. In the spring of 2021, an unofficial season, he guided the Griffons to an 8-3-2 record overall and a 4-1 mark in the MIAA Northwest division.

His first and only official season in the fall of 2021 saw Western go 9-8-2 overall and 6-5 in the MIAA. At one point, the Griffons were ranked 13th in the country - the best ranking in program history. 

Stringer, who spent three total years on staff at Missouri Western, guided the Griffons to a 5-10-4 record this past fall, including a 3-6-2 mark in MIAA play.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671228657908.png" alt="Courtesy MWSU athletics." />
 <figcaption>Courtesy MWSU athletics.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostMissouri Western athletic director Andy Carter named Jacob Plocher as the sixth head women's soccer coach in program history Friday.&nbsp; "We were impressed by the caliber of coaches who expressed interest in this position," said Carter in a statement. "Jacob Plocher's strong track record speaks for itself, and we are excited to see what he will do as the new leader of Griffon soccer." Plocher comes to Missouri Western after six highly successful seasons at Eastern Oregon University, an NAIA institution in the Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC). Previous to taking the reins at EOU, Plocher&nbsp;spent four years at Presentation College.&nbsp; "I am excited and ready to get to work," said Plocher. "I would like to thank Andy Carter and the search committee. I am grateful for this opportunity to lead this program and looking forward to being back in Missouri and the MIAA." Plocher&nbsp;took the EOU Women's Soccer program to new heights, qualifying for the NAIA National Championship Tournament four of the six years he was in charge, the only four times EOU has qualified for the National Championships.Plocher's teams never posted a sub-.500 record and climbed as high as No. 6 in the NAIA Poll. Twice his team made it to the NAIA quarterfinals, and EOU won two regular season CCC titles and two CCC Tournament titles. Plocher's teams finished ranked in the top 15 of the NAIA polls twice.Plocher was named CCC Coach of the year in 2017. Plocher also coached Kiara Fontanilla, a goalkeeper on the Philippines National Team who competed for the country in the World Cup.&nbsp; During his stint at Presentation College, Plocher compiled 27 wins. During the 2016 campaign, he guided the Saints to an 11-6-2 record, the best in program history. Under his leadership, Presentation College broke nearly every offensive school record this past season, including goals (42), assists (29), points (119), shots (354), shots on goal (191), and game-winners (10). Prior to Presentation College, Plocher coached at Kansas Wesleyan University, William Penn University and West Plains High School. He served as an assistant coach to both the men's and women's soccer programs at Kansas Wesleyan. Plocher began his coaching career in West Plains, Missouri, where he was the assistant coach for the West Plains High School boys' varsity soccer team. He directed the squad to a third-place finish at the state tournament for the first time in school history. He also served as the head coach for the school's junior varsity team. During his playing days, Plocher was a team captain at William Penn after transferring from Missouri Southern. He ultimately earned his Bachelor of Arts in Wellness, Recreation, and Physical Education, and he later added a Master of Business Leadership degree.Plocher succeeds interim head coach Leah Stringer, who took over the Griffons after former head coach Damian Macias stepped down this past July.Macias was hired by Missouri Western in 2020, and his first season was canceled due to COVID-19. In the spring of 2021, an unofficial season, he guided the Griffons to an 8-3-2 record overall and a 4-1 mark in the MIAA Northwest division.His first and only official season in the fall of 2021 saw Western go 9-8-2 overall and 6-5 in the MIAA. At one point, the Griffons were ranked 13th in the country - the best ranking in program history. Stringer, who spent three total years on staff at Missouri Western, guided the Griffons to a 5-10-4 record this past fall, including a 3-6-2 mark in MIAA play.

Missouri Western names Jacob Plocher as the new women's soccer coach Friday

Missouri Western head football coach Tyler Fenwick is starting to piece together his coaching staff. The Griffons announced a flurry of new hires Friday and are also retaining one assistant from Matt Williamson's staff.

Patrick St. Louis, a 2008 graduate of Missouri Western, had served as offensive line coach since 2017. St. Louis was the only full-time coach retained after Williamson's dismissal on November 13.

St. Louis will stay on staff with Fenwick and will coach running backs.

"I know Coach St. Louis from his time as a player, and I know he has the respect of our team," said Fenwick in a release. "I am happy that he will be staying on staff and remaining a vitally important part of the Griffon football program."

Missouri Western athletic director Andy Carter was complimentary of the job St. Louis did holding things together during the University's 24-day search for a new head coach.

"He loves the program and is an alum," Carter said of coach St. Louis. "He's done a fantastic job for us and keeping things on the rails and moving forward and communicating with our recruits and student-athletes. At the end of the day, coach Fenwick will decide who's on staff."

Fenwick was <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/a28c5fdd-308e-43b5-985a-b685b936874d">officially introduced</a> as the seventh Missouri Western head football coach on December 8.

Erik Johnson will join the Griffon football staff as defensive coordinator after spending the last two seasons at Southeastern Oklahoma State with Fenwick. Johnson was also Fenwick's linebackers coach each of the last two seasons. Johnson has almost 30 years of coaching experience under his belt, with a five year-stint as defensive backs coach at Claremont College in California, and a long tenure at Occidental College, where he served as defensive coordinator from 2002-2012. He also coached at various high schools from 1991-2001.

Two more defensive assistants were announced Friday.

Eriq Moore will join the staff as the defensive backs coach. Moore most recently served as the defensive secondary coach and special teams coordinator at Emporia State the last two seasons. "Coach Moore has experience at a winning program in the MIAA and I've had the opportunity to match up against his defenses the last two postseasons," said Fenwick. "He will be a tremendous addition to the Griffon program."

Fenwick's Southeastern Oklahoma State teams met Emporia State in the Live United Bowl in Texarkana, Arkansas each of the last two seasons. Emporia won that game this year 48-27, but Southeastern won 37-34 in 2021. Over the past two seasons, Moore helped lead the Hornets to a 15-6 overall record and two appearances in the postseason. Emporia's defense allowed 21.7 points per game this season, ranking third in the MIAA. Moore previously served as defensive backs coach at Southern Arkansas for two seasons and Chadron State for one after his playing days. A three-year starter at Southeast Missouri State, Moore earned a scholarship after walking on to the team as a freshman and was twice voted by his peers as a team captain.

Coach St. Louis isn't the only former Griffon joining the fold.&nbsp;

Michael Gallo will return to his alma mater and serve as defensive line coach. &nbsp;&nbsp; A two-year letter winner for the Griffons in 2016 and 2017, Gallo has spent the last two seasons coaching the defensive line at Missouri Southern. Prior to his time in Joplin, Gallo spent two years at Southwestern Oklahoma State, where he helped coach inside linebackers for the Bulldogs. Gallo started his coaching career in St. Joseph, serving as the freshman offensive coordinator and assistant defensive line coach at Central High School.

The offensive coordinator and several other assistants are yet to be announced. Missouri Western's last day of the fall semester was Friday, and more assistant coaches are expected to be announced shortly after New Year's Day.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671227945272.jpeg" alt="Missouri Western football coach Tyler Fenwick announced the hiring of four assistant coaches Friday. He's seen here during his introductory press conference on December 8. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Missouri Western football coach Tyler Fenwick announced the hiring of four assistant coaches Friday. He's seen here during his introductory press conference on December 8. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostMissouri Western head football coach Tyler Fenwick is starting to piece together his coaching staff. The Griffons announced a flurry of new hires Friday and are also retaining one assistant from Matt Williamson's staff.Patrick St. Louis, a 2008 graduate of Missouri Western, had served as offensive line coach since 2017. St. Louis was the only full-time coach retained after Williamson's dismissal on November 13.St. Louis will stay on staff with Fenwick and will coach running backs."I know Coach St. Louis from his time as a player, and I know he has the respect of our team," said Fenwick in a release. "I am happy that he will be staying on staff and remaining a vitally important part of the Griffon football program."Missouri Western athletic director Andy Carter was complimentary of the job St. Louis did holding things together during the University's 24-day search for a new head coach."He loves the program and is an alum," Carter said of coach St. Louis. "He's done a fantastic job for us and keeping things on the rails and moving forward and communicating with our recruits and student-athletes. At the end of the day, coach Fenwick will decide who's on staff."Fenwick was <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/a28c5fdd-308e-43b5-985a-b685b936874d">officially introduced</a> as the seventh Missouri Western head football coach on December 8.Erik Johnson will join the Griffon football staff as defensive coordinator after spending the last two seasons at Southeastern Oklahoma State with Fenwick. Johnson was also Fenwick's linebackers coach each of the last two seasons. Johnson has almost 30 years of coaching experience under his belt, with a five year-stint as defensive backs coach at Claremont College in California, and a long tenure at Occidental College, where he served as defensive coordinator from 2002-2012. He also coached at various high schools from 1991-2001.Two more defensive assistants were announced Friday.Eriq Moore will join the staff as the defensive backs coach. Moore most recently served as the defensive secondary coach and special teams coordinator at Emporia State the last two seasons. "Coach Moore has experience at a winning program in the MIAA and I've had the opportunity to match up against his defenses the last two postseasons," said Fenwick. "He will be a tremendous addition to the Griffon program."Fenwick's Southeastern Oklahoma State teams met Emporia State in the Live United Bowl in Texarkana, Arkansas each of the last two seasons. Emporia won that game this year 48-27, but Southeastern won 37-34 in 2021. Over the past two seasons, Moore helped lead the Hornets to a 15-6 overall record and two appearances in the postseason. Emporia's defense allowed 21.7 points per game this season, ranking third in the MIAA. Moore previously served as defensive backs coach at Southern Arkansas for two seasons and Chadron State for one after his playing days. A three-year starter at Southeast Missouri State, Moore earned a scholarship after walking on to the team as a freshman and was twice voted by his peers as a team captain. Coach St. Louis isn't the only former Griffon joining the fold.&nbsp;

Michael Gallo will return to his alma mater and serve as defensive line coach. &nbsp;&nbsp; A two-year letter winner for the Griffons in 2016 and 2017, Gallo has spent the last two seasons coaching the defensive line at Missouri Southern. Prior to his time in Joplin, Gallo spent two years at Southwestern Oklahoma State, where he helped coach inside linebackers for the Bulldogs. Gallo started his coaching career in St. Joseph, serving as the freshman offensive coordinator and assistant defensive line coach at Central High School.The offensive coordinator and several other assistants are yet to be announced. Missouri Western's last day of the fall semester was Friday, and more assistant coaches are expected to be announced shortly after New Year's Day.You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Missouri Western football announces several assistant coach hires Friday

SAVANNAH - Savannah High School saw a pair of female student-athletes sign their national letters of intent for collegiate sports this week.

On Thursday, senior swimmer Makenzie Kurre signed her NLI to continue her swimming career at Division I Missouri State in Springfield.

Kurre, owner of multiple state medals already, including three gold medals, is also a state record holder in the 100-yard freestyle, winning that event this past February with a time of 51.38 seconds.

She also won state this past year in the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:52.79. When she had a chance to visit Missouri State, she knew it was a place she'd want to go.

"I really had a fun time with the team," Kurre said. "We've always had great chemistry and it's been a fun experience to swim other girls. On some of my competitive teams, there aren't many girls."&nbsp;

Kurre was also on a 200-yard freestyle relay team with Lana Rhoads, Corinna Stewart and Canica Rodriguez that qualified for state this past season and finished 15th.

"I really hope our relay teams get down and get faster times so we can get to state in all three relays," she said. "Last year, we went in one and I feel like we could get all three this year."

On Friday, Savannah golfer Mollee Olszowka signed her letter of intent to North Central Missouri College in Trenton. Olszowka concluded her varsity golf career this past fall, going to state in all four years of high school.

"I'm proud of myself and I think I did pretty good," Olszowka said. "I have a big drive to play golf and I just have the ability to go out and want to be there and have fun."

Olszowka finished second overall in the MEC meet this past fall and posted a top three score in districts to get to state for a fourth straight year.

Olszowka won the MEC tournament in 2021, and placed 18th at state her junior year.

"I'll miss my coaches a lot," Olszowka said. "They've always supported me and I really just wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere else."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671225246373.jpeg" alt="Photo courtesy of KQTV." />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy of KQTV.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostSAVANNAH - Savannah High School saw a pair of female student-athletes sign their national letters of intent for collegiate sports this week.On Thursday, senior swimmer Makenzie Kurre signed her NLI to continue her swimming career at Division I Missouri State in Springfield.Kurre, owner of multiple state medals already, including three gold medals, is also a state record holder in the 100-yard freestyle, winning that event this past February with a time of 51.38 seconds.She also won state this past year in the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:52.79. When she had a chance to visit Missouri State, she knew it was a place she'd want to go."I really had a fun time with the team," Kurre said. "We've always had great chemistry and it's been a fun experience to swim other girls. On some of my competitive teams, there aren't many girls."&nbsp;Kurre was also on a 200-yard freestyle relay team with Lana Rhoads, Corinna Stewart and Canica Rodriguez that qualified for state this past season and finished 15th."I really hope our relay teams get down and get faster times so we can get to state in all three relays," she said. "Last year, we went in one and I feel like we could get all three this year."On Friday, Savannah golfer Mollee Olszowka signed her letter of intent to North Central Missouri College in Trenton. Olszowka concluded her varsity golf career this past fall, going to state in all four years of high school."I'm proud of myself and I think I did pretty good," Olszowka said. "I have a big drive to play golf and I just have the ability to go out and want to be there and have fun."Olszowka finished second overall in the MEC meet this past fall and posted a top three score in districts to get to state for a fourth straight year.Olszowka won the MEC tournament in 2021, and placed 18th at state her junior year."I'll miss my coaches a lot," Olszowka said. "They've always supported me and I really just wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere else."<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">Savannah Senior Mollee Olszowka signing her NLI to NCMC (<a href="https://twitter.com/NCMCAthletics?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NCMCAthletics</a>) to continue her Golf career! <a href="https://twitter.com/KQ2SPORTS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KQ2SPORTS</a> I <a href="https://twitter.com/SavageAthletic2?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SavageAthletic2</a> I <a href="https://twitter.com/golf_savage?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@golf_savage</a> <a href="https://t.co/MDwu60ZfDa">pic.twitter.com/MDwu60ZfDa</a>&mdash; Mitchell Riberal - KQ2 (@Mitch_Riberal) <a href="https://twitter.com/Mitch_Riberal/status/1603796588987650053?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 16, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Savannah's Mollee Olszowka, Makenzie Kurre sign NLIs for swimming, golf

Bishop LeBlond senior and multi-sport athlete Emma Raines signed her letter of intent for Culver-Stockton women's soccer on Friday.

Raines, who's had a fruitful athletic career for the Golden Eagles in volleyball and girls' basketball as well, has played on defense for LeBlond in soccer, helping the Eagles to a district title in 2021 and a 12-7 record in 2022.

"This is really exciting for me," Raines said of her signing. "Especially going to the school my mom graduated from really means a lot to me. Glad I get to continue my soccer career and education at a school that I know will be really beneficial to me."

For Raines, the dream of playing soccer at the next level has been on her mind for the better part of 10 years.

"I don't want to stop playing this sport after high school," she said. "All of the other sports, I'd be okay with stopping after high school was over. But, this sport just stuck with me for a really long time and I enjoy it more than the other ones."

Raines played at a camp at Culver-Stockton in Canton, Missouri last summer. She says it was really then that she felt like the Wildcats were a fit for her.

Raines still has her senior season ahead of her this spring, and hopes to leave her mark on a program that's had some of its best years during her time at LeBlond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671218882737.jpeg" alt="Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostBishop LeBlond senior and multi-sport athlete Emma Raines signed her letter of intent for Culver-Stockton women's soccer on Friday.Raines, who's had a fruitful athletic career for the Golden Eagles in volleyball and girls' basketball as well, has played on defense for LeBlond in soccer, helping the Eagles to a district title in 2021 and a 12-7 record in 2022."This is really exciting for me," Raines said of her signing. "Especially going to the school my mom graduated from really means a lot to me. Glad I get to continue my soccer career and education at a school that I know will be really beneficial to me."For Raines, the dream of playing soccer at the next level has been on her mind for the better part of 10 years."I don't want to stop playing this sport after high school," she said. "All of the other sports, I'd be okay with stopping after high school was over. But, this sport just stuck with me for a really long time and I enjoy it more than the other ones."Raines played at a camp at Culver-Stockton in Canton, Missouri last summer. She says it was really then that she felt like the Wildcats were a fit for her.Raines still has her senior season ahead of her this spring, and hopes to leave her mark on a program that's had some of its best years during her time at LeBlond."LeBlond has always been really family based with the soccer team," Raines said. "There were a lot of second place finishes and being close to winning districts. My sophomore year we got it done and it was a really good feeling and I just wasn't ready to stop there."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671219666148.jpeg" alt="Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.