CINCINNATI (AP) — Patrick Mahomes had only lost to one quarterback three times — until Sunday.

Mahomes fell to 0-3 against Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals, including playoffs, when Burrow rallied his team to a 27-24 victory.

Tom Brady is the only other QB with three wins over Mahomes, but he also has three losses.

Burrow has beaten the Chiefs three times in this calendar year alone. Cincinnati won 34-31 on Jan. 2, then prevailed 27-24 in overtime in the conference championship game four weeks later to send the Bengals to the Super Bowl.

This time, Burrow engineered a go-ahead touchdown drive after Cincinnati (8-4) forced a fumble from usually reliable tight end Travis Kelce.

“They just have a well put-together team,” Mahomes said. “You saw the offense — even though it has playmakers, they'll take their time and utilize the clock.”

None more so than on the final drive, when Burrow converted two third downs — including a 14-yard throw to Tee Higgins on third-and-11 — to ensure Mahomes wouldn't get the ball back.

“They have a great quarterback,” he said. “A guy who has won a lot of football games, even if that was in college. And now he's won a lot of football games in the NFL. He's someone who competes to the very end, too.”

Chiefs coach Andy Reid doesn't think the Bengals' recent success against his squad is anything extraordinary.

“I think it's (just) two good football teams playing each other. We've got to take care of business down the stretch," he said.

“It's part of the NFL, you know,” Kansas City linebacker Willie Gay said. “They're not doing anything we haven't seen. You win some, you lose some. Unfortunately, we've lost the last three we've played against this team. I'm sure we'll see them again.”

Burrow is the only quarterback to face Mahomes multiple times and be undefeated in head-to-head matchups, including the playoffs. The level-headed Burrow doesn't get too worked up over statistics like that.

“It just felt like another regular-season game. It didn’t feel any different," the third-year quarterback said.

Bengals receiver Tyler Boyd said the wins over Kansas City show the quality of the team Cincinnati has built.

“It's a message to all the other guys who doubted us and think we had a lucky year last year,” Boyd said. “Nah, we're here to stay, we're here to keep winning, and we're here to fight for another Super Bowl.”

The Chiefs are eager for another shot at the Bengals.

“The good news is,” safety Justin Reid said, “we have a lot of football left to play in December, and I'm sure we're going to see those guys again come January.”

The Chiefs (9-3) are on the road to face Denver (3-9) this Sunday at 3:25 central. The game will be on KFEQ (680, 95.3) and Q Country 92.7 FM in St. Joseph.

St. Joseph PostCINCINNATI (AP) — Patrick Mahomes had only lost to one quarterback three times — until Sunday.Mahomes fell to 0-3 against Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals, including playoffs, when Burrow rallied his team to a 27-24 victory.Tom Brady is the only other QB with three wins over Mahomes, but he also has three losses.Burrow has beaten the Chiefs three times in this calendar year alone. Cincinnati won 34-31 on Jan. 2, then prevailed 27-24 in overtime in the conference championship game four weeks later to send the Bengals to the Super Bowl.This time, Burrow engineered a go-ahead touchdown drive after Cincinnati (8-4) forced a fumble from usually reliable tight end Travis Kelce.“They just have a well put-together team,” Mahomes said. “You saw the offense — even though it has playmakers, they'll take their time and utilize the clock.”None more so than on the final drive, when Burrow converted two third downs — including a 14-yard throw to Tee Higgins on third-and-11 — to ensure Mahomes wouldn't get the ball back.Mahomes gave credit where it was due.“They have a great quarterback,” he said. “A guy who has won a lot of football games, even if that was in college. And now he's won a lot of football games in the NFL. He's someone who competes to the very end, too.”Chiefs coach Andy Reid doesn't think the Bengals' recent success against his squad is anything extraordinary.“I think it's (just) two good football teams playing each other. We've got to take care of business down the stretch," he said.“It's part of the NFL, you know,” Kansas City linebacker Willie Gay said. “They're not doing anything we haven't seen. You win some, you lose some. Unfortunately, we've lost the last three we've played against this team. I'm sure we'll see them again.”Burrow is the only quarterback to face Mahomes multiple times and be undefeated in head-to-head matchups, including the playoffs. The level-headed Burrow doesn't get too worked up over statistics like that.“It just felt like another regular-season game. It didn’t feel any different," the third-year quarterback said.Bengals receiver Tyler Boyd said the wins over Kansas City show the quality of the team Cincinnati has built.“It's a message to all the other guys who doubted us and think we had a lucky year last year,” Boyd said. “Nah, we're here to stay, we're here to keep winning, and we're here to fight for another Super Bowl.”The Chiefs are eager for another shot at the Bengals.“The good news is,” safety Justin Reid said, “we have a lot of football left to play in December, and I'm sure we're going to see those guys again come January.”The Chiefs (9-3) are on the road to face Denver (3-9) this Sunday at 3:25 central. The game will be on KFEQ (680, 95.3) and Q Country 92.7 FM in St. Joseph.

Burrow tops Mahomes again, rallies Bengals past Chiefs 27-24 Sunday

COLUMBIA, MO- The East Buchanan football team accomplished a feat that hasn't been done in almost a decade by a public school in Class 1, repeated as state champions.    

The last time a public school in Class 1 won back-to-back championships was 2007-08, when Orrick completed the hard task.  But East Buchanan put on a clinic, defeating Adrian 42-0 on a chilly Saturday evening at Faurot Field on the campus of the University of Missouri, clinching the title.   

East Buchanan Head Coach Dan Ritter says this championship doesn't feel much different from last years, in fact, he says it almost feels like deja vu.  

"You know, the same team, same weather, same experience, but the way we were able to handle ourselves, have confidence going in knowing we've done it before, it did feel a whole lot different," Ritter tells reporters in a postgame press conference. "There was a whole lot less nerves at least for me, and then you could see it on the players, they had confidence going into this game, and that's something you really like to see as a coach when you know your players are coming in ready to go." 

After Junior quarterback Gage Busby threw an interception on the first drive of the game, possession went back and forth until the third drive of game for the Bulldogs, when Junior running back Trevor Klein broke free up the middle for a 42-yard touchdown run, scoring the first touchdown of the game with 3:24 left in the first quarter.  

Busby says after throwing that interception on the first drive, it was words from assistant coach Colby Rapp that helped him turn the tide around, telling Busby to go out and get control of the huddle.  

"We're doing the right things, we just weren't executing, and I got to step up and be a leader for my team," Busby says. "And I just got to go out there and continue to let my guys make plays." 

East Buchanan would put up three more scores in the second quarter, the first coming after their longest drive of the game, a 12 play 74-yard drive that consumed almost five minutes of clock, ending with a Klein one yard touchdown run.    

Busby would find Junior wide receiver Aidan Hensley for 35-yard touchdown to extend lead to 21-0, and then at the end of the quarter, with 20 seconds left, Klein would score his third touchdown of the day rushing in from two yards out.  East Buchanan led at halftime 28-0.  

Busby would go on to throw two more touchdowns in the third quarter, a 41-yard score to Klein and an 82-yard touchdown pass to Senior wide receiver Adam Stephen Engnes, pushing the lead to 42-0, which would push the game to running clock until the end as the Bulldogs hoisted the trophy again.

The East Buchanan defense was clicking on all cylinders once more, the Bulldogs forced three interceptions on the day.  Senior linebacker Rylee Parker led with seven tackles while Senior defensive tackle Ethan Bailey and Klein each had one sack.  Hensley hauled in two interceptions on the game, his final one ultimately sealing the game, while Klein picked Adrian off once. 

On offense Klein had 221 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns.  Busby threw for 312 yards on 14 of 19 passing and threw three touchdowns and one interception.  His leading receiver was Stephen Engnes with four catches for 143 yards and one touchdown.  

For many of the Bulldog juniors, winning a championship has been a dream a long time coming, Junior offensive and defensive lineman Barrett Veatch says many of them have talked about it since first grade 

"Every game that we played we took serious, even if it was youth," Veatch says. "We talked about it whenever we were little how awesome it would be to go to state, but we never really talked about going to state two times, so it means the world to us, the community, and everybody." 

East Buchanan finishes the season 14-1, bringing home just the second football state championship in school history.  The Bulldogs will be without eight seniors next year, but bring back 16 juniors, which includes both Trevor and Nick Klein, Busby, Hensley, Veatch, Chase Meers, and Wyatt Parker among others, all with two years of championship experience.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670112968821.jpeg" alt="East Buchanan celebrates a second consecutive Class 1 Championship at the Show Me Bowl in Columbia/ Photo by Ken Pike" />
 <figcaption>East Buchanan celebrates a second consecutive Class 1 Championship at the Show Me Bowl in Columbia/ Photo by Ken Pike</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostCOLUMBIA, MO- The East Buchanan football team accomplished a feat that hasn't been done in almost a decade by a public school in Class 1, repeated as state champions. The last time a public school in Class 1 won back-to-back championships was 2007-08, when Orrick completed the hard task. But East Buchanan put on a clinic, defeating Adrian 42-0 on a chilly Saturday evening at Faurot Field on the campus of the University of Missouri, clinching the title. East Buchanan Head Coach Dan Ritter says this championship doesn't feel much different from last years, in fact, he says it almost feels like deja vu. "You know, the same team, same weather, same experience, but the way we were able to handle ourselves, have confidence going in knowing we've done it before, it did feel a whole lot different," Ritter tells reporters in a postgame press conference. "There was a whole lot less nerves at least for me, and then you could see it on the players, they had confidence going into this game, and that's something you really like to see as a coach when you know your players are coming in ready to go." After Junior quarterback Gage Busby threw an interception on the first drive of the game, possession went back and forth until the third drive of game for the Bulldogs, when Junior running back Trevor Klein broke free up the middle for a 42-yard touchdown run, scoring the first touchdown of the game with 3:24 left in the first quarter. Busby says after throwing that interception on the first drive, it was words from assistant coach Colby Rapp that helped him turn the tide around, telling Busby to go out and get control of the huddle. "We're doing the right things, we just weren't executing, and I got to step up and be a leader for my team," Busby says. "And I just got to go out there and continue to let my guys make plays." East Buchanan would put up three more scores in the second quarter, the first coming after their longest drive of the game, a 12 play 74-yard drive that consumed almost five minutes of clock, ending with a Klein one yard touchdown run. Busby would find Junior wide receiver Aidan Hensley for 35-yard touchdown to extend lead to 21-0, and then at the end of the quarter, with 20 seconds left, Klein would score his third touchdown of the day rushing in from two yards out. East Buchanan led at halftime 28-0. Busby would go on to throw two more touchdowns in the third quarter, a 41-yard score to Klein and an 82-yard touchdown pass to Senior wide receiver Adam Stephen Engnes, pushing the lead to 42-0, which would push the game to running clock until the end as the Bulldogs hoisted the trophy again.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670186780245.jpeg" alt="Trevor Klein hauls in a pass between his legs that he would go on to take 41 yards to the endzone/ Photo by Clifton Grooms" />
 <figcaption>Trevor Klein hauls in a pass between his legs that he would go on to take 41 yards to the endzone/ Photo by Clifton Grooms</figcaption>
 </figure>The East Buchanan defense was clicking on all cylinders once more, the Bulldogs forced three interceptions on the day. Senior linebacker Rylee Parker led with seven tackles while Senior defensive tackle Ethan Bailey and Klein each had one sack. Hensley hauled in two interceptions on the game, his final one ultimately sealing the game, while Klein picked Adrian off once. On offense Klein had 221 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns. Busby threw for 312 yards on 14 of 19 passing and threw three touchdowns and one interception. His leading receiver was Stephen Engnes with four catches for 143 yards and one touchdown. For many of the Bulldog juniors, winning a championship has been a dream a long time coming, Junior offensive and defensive lineman Barrett Veatch says many of them have talked about it since first grade "Every game that we played we took serious, even if it was youth," Veatch says. "We talked about it whenever we were little how awesome it would be to go to state, but we never really talked about going to state two times, so it means the world to us, the community, and everybody." East Buchanan finishes the season 14-1, bringing home just the second football state championship in school history. The Bulldogs will be without eight seniors next year, but bring back 16 juniors, which includes both Trevor and Nick Klein, Busby, Hensley, Veatch, Chase Meers, and Wyatt Parker among others, all with two years of championship experience.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670186971833.jpeg" alt="Aiden Hensley hauls in a catch before taking it into the endzone for a 35 yard receiving touchdown/ Photo by Clifton Grooms" />
 <figcaption>Aiden Hensley hauls in a catch before taking it into the endzone for a 35 yard receiving touchdown/ Photo by Clifton Grooms</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670186871820.jpeg" alt="Mason Brown (7) moves to stiff arm Adrian's Andrew Kendrick (42) in the MSHSAA Class 1 Championship game/ Photo by Clifton Grooms" />
 <figcaption>Mason Brown (7) moves to stiff arm Adrian's Andrew Kendrick (42) in the MSHSAA Class 1 Championship game/ Photo by Clifton Grooms</figcaption>
 </figure>

East Buchanan champions of Class 1 again, a feat over a decade in the making

JOPLIN - The Missouri Western women's basketball team led by as many as eight points in the first half and led 65-59 with 3:20 to play, but. No. 5 Missouri Southern (9-0) ended the game on a 16-4 run and edged the Griffons 75-69 on Saturday afternoon in Joplin.

The Griffons (6-3, 1-1 MIAA) overcame a 10-point deficit in the second quarter, and led 47-45 entering the fourth, but 19 turnovers proved costly in the narrow defeat.

"We gave them the game," Missouri Western women's basketball coach Candi Whitaker said. "They made plays, but we made so many mistakes in those last three minutes on both ends of the floor. I'm disappointed for our team, because I thought they really handled how physical this game was."

There were a lot bright spots for the Griffons in the first 37 minutes. Missouri Western outrebounded MoSo 48-40, the Griffons blocked four shots and outscored MoSo in the paint 36-32.

Junior Brionna Budgets led Missouri Western in scoring with a game-high 19 points. Fellow junior Connie Clarke tallied her fifth double-double of the season with 13 points and a season-high 16 rebounds.

Junior Mary Fultz was also solid with 10 points and seven rebounds. Freshman Kassandra Caron came off the bench and finished with six points on two made threes - her first points as a Griffon.

Missouri Southern sophomore guard and All-American Lacy Stokes was held to nine points on 3-of-18 shooting through the first three quarters, but she scored nine in the fourth quarter to end with 18 points, six assists, four rebounds and three steals.

The Lions also got to the free throw line frequently Saturday, knocking down 24-of-30 attempts from the stripe. Missouri Western was 10-of-15 at the foul line.

The loss snaps a four-game winning streak for Missouri Western, as Missouri Southern won its 13th straight home game.

A tough loss in a close game to the team tabbed as the preseason favorite to win the MIAA, but Whitaker remains encouraged by what she's seen from her squad so far this season.

"I think we're playing well and we have a good team," she said. "We'll get it fixed and keep getting better. We're excited about this year and our team. This one hurts, but we have to move on quickly."

Griffon men have scorching hot shooting start, secure win over Lions

The Missouri Western men's basketball team made 12 of their first 13 shots Saturday, including their first five three-point attempts, to take a 32-13 lead with 7:26 left in the first half.

The Griffons (5-2, 2-0 MIAA) rode that momentum the rest of the game, and fended off Missouri Southern down the stretch in a 79-65 win over the Lions at the Leggett and Platt Athletic Center in Joplin Saturday.

Missouri Western led by 19 points on two different occasions. Missouri Southern (4-4, 0-2 MIAA) got to within 10 points twice in the second half, but it never got closer than that.

"We knew this was going to be a big one for us," sophomore guard Taye Fields said after finishing with 13 points and a career-high 17 rebounds Saturday.

"We only get MoSo once (this season), so we knew we had to get this one. We felt like this was a big, important game and it showed."

The Griffons finished the game shooting 62.5 percent (25-of-40) from the field, including 11-of-18 from three. MWSU was also 18-of-24 at the free throw line, including 12-of-13 in the second half.

Missouri Western dominated on the defensive glass 30-14 and held the Lions to just 37.9 percent shooting from the field, including 8-of-24 from three.

The win is Missouri Western's fourth straight overall, and Saturday marked just the second win in Joplin for the program since 2007.

"I feel like this team is getting better," said head coach Will Martin, who has now had a 2-0 start in MIAA play in each of his first three seasons at the helm. "It's always exciting to coach a team that you feel like is making incremental growth. It was awesome to see our offense flourish a little today."

Will Eames and Julius Dixon each had 14 points to lead the scoring for Western. Reed Kemp added 10, while Reese Glover and Zion Swader contributed nine points each.

Both the Missouri Western men and women are back home Thursday to face Nebraska-Kearney. The Loper women are 9-1, while the Loper men are 2-6.

Tip-off times from the MWSU Fieldhouse Thursday are 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. Coverage starts at 5 on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3).

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670178026345.jpeg" alt="Missouri Western's Connie Clarke goes up for a basket during the Griffons' 75-69 loss at No. 5 Missouri Southern Saturday. Photo by Arianne Boma." />
 <figcaption>Missouri Western's Connie Clarke goes up for a basket during the Griffons' 75-69 loss at No. 5 Missouri Southern Saturday. Photo by Arianne Boma.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostJOPLIN - The Missouri Western women's basketball team led by as many as eight points in the first half and led 65-59 with 3:20 to play, but. No. 5 Missouri Southern (9-0) ended the game on a 16-4 run and edged the Griffons 75-69 on Saturday afternoon in Joplin.The Griffons (6-3, 1-1 MIAA) overcame a 10-point deficit in the second quarter, and led 47-45 entering the fourth, but 19 turnovers proved costly in the narrow defeat."We gave them the game," Missouri Western women's basketball coach Candi Whitaker said. "They made plays, but we made so many mistakes in those last three minutes on both ends of the floor. I'm disappointed for our team, because I thought they really handled how physical this game was."There were a lot bright spots for the Griffons in the first 37 minutes. Missouri Western outrebounded MoSo 48-40, the Griffons blocked four shots and outscored MoSo in the paint 36-32.Junior Brionna Budgets led Missouri Western in scoring with a game-high 19 points. Fellow junior Connie Clarke tallied her fifth double-double of the season with 13 points and a season-high 16 rebounds.Junior Mary Fultz was also solid with 10 points and seven rebounds. Freshman Kassandra Caron came off the bench and finished with six points on two made threes - her first points as a Griffon.Missouri Southern sophomore guard and All-American Lacy Stokes was held to nine points on 3-of-18 shooting through the first three quarters, but she scored nine in the fourth quarter to end with 18 points, six assists, four rebounds and three steals.The Lions also got to the free throw line frequently Saturday, knocking down 24-of-30 attempts from the stripe. Missouri Western was 10-of-15 at the foul line.The loss snaps a four-game winning streak for Missouri Western, as Missouri Southern won its 13th straight home game.A tough loss in a close game to the team tabbed as the preseason favorite to win the MIAA, but Whitaker remains encouraged by what she's seen from her squad so far this season."I think we're playing well and we have a good team," she said. "We'll get it fixed and keep getting better. We're excited about this year and our team. This one hurts, but we have to move on quickly."Griffon men have scorching hot shooting start, secure win over LionsThe Missouri Western men's basketball team made 12 of their first 13 shots Saturday, including their first five three-point attempts, to take a 32-13 lead with 7:26 left in the first half.The Griffons (5-2, 2-0 MIAA) rode that momentum the rest of the game, and fended off Missouri Southern down the stretch in a 79-65 win over the Lions at the Leggett and Platt Athletic Center in Joplin Saturday.Missouri Western led by 19 points on two different occasions. Missouri Southern (4-4, 0-2 MIAA) got to within 10 points twice in the second half, but it never got closer than that."We knew this was going to be a big one for us," sophomore guard Taye Fields said after finishing with 13 points and a career-high 17 rebounds Saturday."We only get MoSo once (this season), so we knew we had to get this one. We felt like this was a big, important game and it showed."The Griffons finished the game shooting 62.5 percent (25-of-40) from the field, including 11-of-18 from three. MWSU was also 18-of-24 at the free throw line, including 12-of-13 in the second half.Missouri Western dominated on the defensive glass 30-14 and held the Lions to just 37.9 percent shooting from the field, including 8-of-24 from three.The win is Missouri Western's fourth straight overall, and Saturday marked just the second win in Joplin for the program since 2007."I feel like this team is getting better," said head coach Will Martin, who has now had a 2-0 start in MIAA play in each of his first three seasons at the helm. "It's always exciting to coach a team that you feel like is making incremental growth. It was awesome to see our offense flourish a little today."Will Eames and Julius Dixon each had 14 points to lead the scoring for Western. Reed Kemp added 10, while Reese Glover and Zion Swader contributed nine points each.Both the Missouri Western men and women are back home Thursday to face Nebraska-Kearney. The Loper women are 9-1, while the Loper men are 2-6.Tip-off times from the MWSU Fieldhouse Thursday are 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. Coverage starts at 5 on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3).Taye Fields interview<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/Taye-Fields---MWSU-MBB-vs--Missouri-Southern-12322-e1rntkv" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670178128269.jpeg" alt="Taye Fields (13) has notched double-doubles in each of his last two outings for Missouri Western. Photo by Arianne Boma." />
 <figcaption>Taye Fields (13) has notched double-doubles in each of his last two outings for Missouri Western. Photo by Arianne Boma.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

MWSU WBB falls in close game at #5 MoSo, Griffon men beat Lions for fourth straight win

Ahead of Saturday's matchup in Columbia with Adrian, the Bulldogs aren't feeling any pressure about repeating as state champions.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Senior Riley Parker says the team doesn't feel the pressure, because they believe in themselves.&nbsp;

"You know, we really didn't think about what everybody else's expectations are," Parker tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. "We know we've been here and we know what it takes to be the top team."&nbsp;

Junior quarterback Gage Busby knows there will be pressure, after taking over this year from last year's quarterback Conner Musser, but Busby knows the talent of his team.&nbsp;

"Stepping in i've just got to do my job and so does everyone else, I mean, not much pressure with that," Busby says.&nbsp;

East Buchanan will face an Adrian team coming off a 32- 16 win over previously undefeated Monroe City.&nbsp; The Bulldogs advanced to Columbia after defeating Duchesne 41-14 in the Class 1 semifinals. &nbsp;

Junior running back Trevor Klein says now that the excitement has worn off it's back to business preparing for the championship game.&nbsp; But still, Klein knows how much it will mean to bring another championship back to Gower&nbsp;

"Another reason I want to win is because that celebration with the town afterwards, just last year it was really fun seeing the whole community come together," Klein emphatically says. "And I'm just really hoping that happens again."&nbsp;

East Buchanan head coach Dan Ritter says it's a great feeling to get back to this point with it being a goal for his team from the beginning of the season&nbsp;

"But, to actually get it done and take care of some really good teams down the stretch, like Mid-Buchanan, Gallatin, and Duchesne, man it's quite an accomplishment," Ritter proudly says. "Now we're not finished, but it's definitely something to hang our hat on so these young men are really excited, they've done this before, and I feel like we're set up for success just because we've been there, done that."&nbsp;

Kickoff between East Buchanan and Adrian from Memorial Stadium at Faurot Field on the campus of Mizzou will take place at 3pm on Saturday.&nbsp; The game will be broadcast live on stjosephpost.com with pregame at 2:30.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670009976634.jpeg" alt="The East Buchanan Bulldogs prepare to face Adrian in the Class 1 State Championship in Columbia on Saturday/ Photo by Matt Pike" />
 <figcaption>The East Buchanan Bulldogs prepare to face Adrian in the Class 1 State Championship in Columbia on Saturday/ Photo by Matt Pike</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE&nbsp;St. Joseph Post&nbsp;Ahead of Saturday's matchup in Columbia with Adrian, the Bulldogs aren't feeling any pressure about repeating as state champions.&nbsp; &nbsp;Senior Riley Parker says the team doesn't feel the pressure, because they believe in themselves.&nbsp;"You know, we really didn't think about what everybody else's expectations are," Parker tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. "We know we've been here and we know what it takes to be the top team."&nbsp;Junior quarterback Gage Busby knows there will be pressure, after taking over this year from last year's quarterback Conner Musser, but Busby knows the talent of his team.&nbsp;"Stepping in i've just got to do my job and so does everyone else, I mean, not much pressure with that," Busby says.&nbsp;East Buchanan will face an Adrian team coming off a 32- 16 win over previously undefeated Monroe City.&nbsp; The Bulldogs advanced to Columbia after defeating Duchesne 41-14 in the Class 1 semifinals. &nbsp;Junior running back Trevor Klein says now that the excitement has worn off it's back to business preparing for the championship game.&nbsp; But still, Klein knows how much it will mean to bring another championship back to Gower&nbsp;"Another reason I want to win is because that celebration with the town afterwards, just last year it was really fun seeing the whole community come together," Klein emphatically says. "And I'm just really hoping that happens again."&nbsp;East Buchanan head coach Dan Ritter says it's a great feeling to get back to this point with it being a goal for his team from the beginning of the season&nbsp;"But, to actually get it done and take care of some really good teams down the stretch, like Mid-Buchanan, Gallatin, and Duchesne, man it's quite an accomplishment," Ritter proudly says. "Now we're not finished, but it's definitely something to hang our hat on so these young men are really excited, they've done this before, and I feel like we're set up for success just because we've been there, done that."&nbsp;Kickoff between East Buchanan and Adrian from Memorial Stadium at Faurot Field on the campus of Mizzou will take place at 3pm on Saturday.&nbsp; The game will be broadcast live on stjosephpost.com with pregame at 2:30.&nbsp;<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/kfeq-news/embed/episodes/1222022-Journal--East-Buchanan-feels-no-pressure-as-they-seek-to-defend-state-title-e1rln2a" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670009896690.jpeg" alt="East Buchanan defenders work on defending the pass ahead of a matchup with Adrian Saturday/ Photo by Matt Pike" />
 <figcaption>East Buchanan defenders work on defending the pass ahead of a matchup with Adrian Saturday/ Photo by Matt Pike</figcaption>
 </figure>

East Buchanan prepares to defend state football title

The Missouri Western women's basketball team took down Pittsburg State in an overtime battle 80-74 to open MIAA play on Thursday night at John Lance Arena in Pittsburg, KS.

Connie Clarke led the Griffons with 21 points and 11 rebounds for her fourth double-double of the season. Brionna Budgetts added 17 points, including the game-tying three-pointer with 12 seconds left in regulation.

Missouri Western never trailed in overtime, scoring 15 points over the final five minutes. Mary Fultz added 13 points. Johnni Gonzalez had 11. The Griffon women improve to 6-2 with their fourth straight win.

The Missouri Western men delivered a thriller as well, as the Griffons overcame a 13-point deficit, edging Pittsburg State 66-65 Thursday night on a go-ahead dunk from Taye Fields with three seconds left.

 Missouri Western was down 60-51 with 2:46 to play. Fields finished the night with a season-high 20 points and 12 rebounds. Will Eames had 13 points and seven rebounds.

The Griffons win their third straight and improve to 4-2. The Missouri Western men and women are both on the road Saturday to face Missouri Southern in Joplin. The women tip at 1:30, the men at 3:30. Both games are on KFEQ (680, 95.3, 680kfeq.com).

Northwest women fall, Bearcat men dominate Missouri Southern

The Northwest Missouri State women's basketball team fell to No. 5 ranked Missouri Southern Thursday, 52-37 in Joplin. Evelyn Vazquez and Molly Hartnett each finished with nine points to lead the Bearcats. Northwest drops to 4-2 overall and 0-1 in conference play.

The No. 1 ranked Bearcat men, meanwhile, opened MIAA play with a 72-45 win over the Missouri Southern Thursday night to improve to 7-0 on the season. Bearcat senior Diego Bernard tied a career high with 25 points.

Both Northwest teams are back in action Saturday at Pittsburg State. The women tip at 1:30, the men at 3:30.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1669985919210.jpeg" alt="Missouri Western's Taye Fields had a go-ahead slam with three seconds left to lift the Griffons to a 66-65 win at Pittsburg State Thursday. Photo by Arianne Boma." />
 <figcaption>Missouri Western's Taye Fields had a go-ahead slam with three seconds left to lift the Griffons to a 66-65 win at Pittsburg State Thursday. Photo by Arianne Boma.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe Missouri Western women's basketball team took down Pittsburg State in an overtime battle 80-74 to open MIAA play on Thursday night at John Lance Arena in Pittsburg, KS.Connie Clarke led the Griffons with 21 points and 11 rebounds for her fourth double-double of the season. Brionna Budgetts added 17 points, including the game-tying three-pointer with 12 seconds left in regulation.Missouri Western never trailed in overtime, scoring 15 points over the final five minutes. Mary Fultz added 13 points. Johnni Gonzalez had 11. The Griffon women improve to 6-2 with their fourth straight win.The Missouri Western men delivered a thriller as well, as the Griffons overcame a 13-point deficit, edging Pittsburg State 66-65 Thursday night on a go-ahead dunk from Taye Fields with three seconds left. Missouri Western was down 60-51 with 2:46 to play. Fields finished the night with a season-high 20 points and 12 rebounds. Will Eames had 13 points and seven rebounds.The Griffons win their third straight and improve to 4-2. The Missouri Western men and women are both on the road Saturday to face Missouri Southern in Joplin. The women tip at 1:30, the men at 3:30. Both games are on KFEQ (680, 95.3, 680kfeq.com).Northwest women fall, Bearcat men dominate Missouri SouthernThe Northwest Missouri State women's basketball team fell to No. 5 ranked Missouri Southern Thursday, 52-37 in Joplin. Evelyn Vazquez and Molly Hartnett each finished with nine points to lead the Bearcats. Northwest drops to 4-2 overall and 0-1 in conference play.The No. 1 ranked Bearcat men, meanwhile, opened MIAA play with a 72-45 win over the Missouri Southern Thursday night to improve to 7-0 on the season. Bearcat senior Diego Bernard tied a career high with 25 points.Both Northwest teams are back in action Saturday at Pittsburg State. The women tip at 1:30, the men at 3:30.

MWSU men's and women's basketball pull off thrilling wins at Pitt State Thursday

COLUMBIA&nbsp; - The North Andrew football team rushed for 452 yards, and the Cardinals (13-0) shut out Bishop LeBlond in the second half to capture a 54-24 win the Missouri 8-man state football championship game at Faurot Field in Columbia Thursday.

The victory marks North Andrew's seventh state title in football and their first since 2016.

"It feels great," said senior guard and defensive tackle Aiden Miller. "I'm so glad to finally see everything I've done working out. You know, everything we've done. It feels good for it to finally pay off."

After the Cardinals forced LeBlond to punt on the opening drive of the game, North Andrew put up the game's first points with 8:42 left in the first, when senior Hayden Ecker scored on a one-yard touchdown run.

A successful two-point run by senior Andrew Goff made it 8-0 North Andrew early on.

LeBlond had the answer on their second possession, as senior quarterback Landon Gardner rushed for a nine-yard touchdown. A successful run on the two-point try by sophomore Carson Staggs tied the game at 8-8 with 7:39 left in the first.

LeBlond then recovered an onside kick on the ensuing kickoff, and took over at midfield. The Eagles drove to the North Andrew 15-yard line, but were stopped on fourth down, turning the ball over on downs.

North Andrew made LeBlond pay just one play later, as sophomore quarterback Braxon Linville took off on a 65-yard touchdown run down the sideline, giving the Cardinals the lead back at 16-8 with 5:41 to go in the first.

After another LeBlond punt late in the first, North Andrew put together another scoring drive. Ecker scored his second touchdown of the night on the first play of the second quarter, this one from seven yards out, and the Cardinals led 22-8 with 11:54 left in the first half.

LeBlond responded, as Gardner fired a 31-yard touchdown pass down the field to sophomore Jacob Winkelbauer to make it a 22-16 contest with 9:21 left in the second.

North Andrew's offense didn't skip a beat in the first half, scoring their fourth touchdown on their fourth possession. Linville scored his second touchdown of the game on a six-yard rush, putting the Cardinals up 30-16 with 5:12 left in the second.

LeBlond again had the answer, as Gardner led an 8-play, 73-yard drive, capped by a seven-yard touchdown pass to senior Jake Korell, to make it a 30-24 ballgame with 1:46 left until halftime.

Operating with two timeouts, North Andrew moved 56 yards on eight plays. On a second down play with two seconds left on the clock, Linville went back to throw, scrambled and eventually ran for an 11-yard touchdown run with no time left in the second quarter.

Linville's successful run on the ensuing two-point try gave North Andrew a 38-24 advantage at the break.

"For us to be able to take that momentum, that's what we were discussing heading into that," North Andrew head coach Dwyane Williams said. "We knew, 'Hey, no matter what, (LeBlond) can't get the ball back here. We have a lead, but we need to have some momentum coming' and that was a great momentum switch for us."

The Cardinals, with momentum on their side, got the ball to start the second half. On just the fifth play of the third quarter, Linville scored his fourth touchdown of the game, this one from 39 yards out, to put North Andrew ahead 46-24 with 9:57 left in the third.

Linville finished with a season-high 251 yards rushing on 26 carries and a season-high tying four touchdown runs Thursday.

"His decisions in the option game were fantastic," Williams said. "LeBlond was throwing a lot at us. Double setting the edge and bringing blitzers all over the place. So, for a young sophomore like that to make those right reads, make those right decisions...we call him a sophomore, but he's a junior. He started every game as a freshman and sophomore. He's a junior, maybe halfway to a senior."

LeBlond (10-4) struggled to move the ball for most of the second half, as the Eagles achieved just one first down on their first three possessions after the break.

North Andrew added one more for good measure early in the fourth, as Ecker scored from six yards out on a rush to bring the game to its final tally of 54-24 with 10:20 remaining.

In his final game as a Cardinal, Ecker carried the ball 32 times for 184 yards and three touchdowns. He finished a remarkable senior season with 2,203 rushing yards and 35 touchdowns. Ecker also finished the season with 81 total tackles.

"None of it happens without Hayden Ecker," senior center Jacob Chittum said. "He's an absolute stud. There's no words I can explain how good he is on the football field. Most of the credit goes to him as well. There's no fame to us without him."

LeBlond strung together a decent drive in the final 1:51 of the game, but Gardner was sacked by North Andrew's Payton Simmons on a second-and-goal at the five yard line with four seconds left to end the game.

Gardner finished his final game for LeBlond going 20-of-33 through the air for 216 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for 56 yards and a score on 15 carries.

Gardner finished his incredible season with 3,115 passing yards, 53 passing touchdowns to go with 1,387 rushing yards and 24 rushing scores.

"Want to give some credit to LeBlond and the great season they had and the fantastic job they did tonight getting prepared," Williams said. "They came out with some things we hadn't seen and they did a fantastic job up front. It was a battle in the trenches and we were expecting that. Our guys did a great job handling it. Credit to them. Great season on their part."

Senior Jake Korell led LeBlond in receiving Thursday with 11 grabs for 112 yards and a score.

North Andrew outrushed LeBlond 452-73, and outgained the Eagles in total offense 467-289. LeBlond was just 2-of-5 in the red zone and was 0-for-3 on fourth down.

North Andrew was a solid 7-of-10 on third down Thursday, which helped keep a lot of their scoring drives going.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1669959887380.jpeg" alt="North Andrew's Hayden Ecker (24) gets a handoff during the Missouri 8-man state championship game in Columbia Thursday. Photo by Anthony Crane." />
 <figcaption>North Andrew's Hayden Ecker (24) gets a handoff during the Missouri 8-man state championship game in Columbia Thursday. Photo by Anthony Crane.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostCOLUMBIA&nbsp; - The North Andrew football team rushed for 452 yards, and the Cardinals (13-0) shut out Bishop LeBlond in the second half to capture a 54-24 win the Missouri 8-man state football championship game at Faurot Field in Columbia Thursday.The victory marks North Andrew's seventh state title in football and their first since 2016."It feels great," said senior guard and defensive tackle Aiden Miller. "I'm so glad to finally see everything I've done working out. You know, everything we've done. It feels good for it to finally pay off."After the Cardinals forced LeBlond to punt on the opening drive of the game, North Andrew put up the game's first points with 8:42 left in the first, when senior Hayden Ecker scored on a one-yard touchdown run.A successful two-point run by senior Andrew Goff made it 8-0 North Andrew early on.LeBlond had the answer on their second possession, as senior quarterback Landon Gardner rushed for a nine-yard touchdown. A successful run on the two-point try by sophomore Carson Staggs tied the game at 8-8 with 7:39 left in the first.LeBlond then recovered an onside kick on the ensuing kickoff, and took over at midfield. The Eagles drove to the North Andrew 15-yard line, but were stopped on fourth down, turning the ball over on downs.North Andrew made LeBlond pay just one play later, as sophomore quarterback Braxon Linville took off on a 65-yard touchdown run down the sideline, giving the Cardinals the lead back at 16-8 with 5:41 to go in the first.After another LeBlond punt late in the first, North Andrew put together another scoring drive. Ecker scored his second touchdown of the night on the first play of the second quarter, this one from seven yards out, and the Cardinals led 22-8 with 11:54 left in the first half.LeBlond responded, as Gardner fired a 31-yard touchdown pass down the field to sophomore Jacob Winkelbauer to make it a 22-16 contest with 9:21 left in the second.North Andrew's offense didn't skip a beat in the first half, scoring their fourth touchdown on their fourth possession. Linville scored his second touchdown of the game on a six-yard rush, putting the Cardinals up 30-16 with 5:12 left in the second.LeBlond again had the answer, as Gardner led an 8-play, 73-yard drive, capped by a seven-yard touchdown pass to senior Jake Korell, to make it a 30-24 ballgame with 1:46 left until halftime.Operating with two timeouts, North Andrew moved 56 yards on eight plays. On a second down play with two seconds left on the clock, Linville went back to throw, scrambled and eventually ran for an 11-yard touchdown run with no time left in the second quarter.Linville's successful run on the ensuing two-point try gave North Andrew a 38-24 advantage at the break."For us to be able to take that momentum, that's what we were discussing heading into that," North Andrew head coach Dwyane Williams said. "We knew, 'Hey, no matter what, (LeBlond) can't get the ball back here. We have a lead, but we need to have some momentum coming' and that was a great momentum switch for us."The Cardinals, with momentum on their side, got the ball to start the second half. On just the fifth play of the third quarter, Linville scored his fourth touchdown of the game, this one from 39 yards out, to put North Andrew ahead 46-24 with 9:57 left in the third.Linville finished with a season-high 251 yards rushing on 26 carries and a season-high tying four touchdown runs Thursday."His decisions in the option game were fantastic," Williams said. "LeBlond was throwing a lot at us. Double setting the edge and bringing blitzers all over the place. So, for a young sophomore like that to make those right reads, make those right decisions...we call him a sophomore, but he's a junior. He started every game as a freshman and sophomore. He's a junior, maybe halfway to a senior."LeBlond (10-4) struggled to move the ball for most of the second half, as the Eagles achieved just one first down on their first three possessions after the break.North Andrew added one more for good measure early in the fourth, as Ecker scored from six yards out on a rush to bring the game to its final tally of 54-24 with 10:20 remaining.In his final game as a Cardinal, Ecker carried the ball 32 times for 184 yards and three touchdowns. He finished a remarkable senior season with 2,203 rushing yards and 35 touchdowns. Ecker also finished the season with 81 total tackles."None of it happens without Hayden Ecker," senior center Jacob Chittum said. "He's an absolute stud. There's no words I can explain how good he is on the football field. Most of the credit goes to him as well. There's no fame to us without him."LeBlond strung together a decent drive in the final 1:51 of the game, but Gardner was sacked by North Andrew's Payton Simmons on a second-and-goal at the five yard line with four seconds left to end the game.Gardner finished his final game for LeBlond going 20-of-33 through the air for 216 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for 56 yards and a score on 15 carries.Gardner finished his incredible season with 3,115 passing yards, 53 passing touchdowns to go with 1,387 rushing yards and 24 rushing scores."Want to give some credit to LeBlond and the great season they had and the fantastic job they did tonight getting prepared," Williams said. "They came out with some things we hadn't seen and they did a fantastic job up front. It was a battle in the trenches and we were expecting that. Our guys did a great job handling it. Credit to them. Great season on their part."Senior Jake Korell led LeBlond in receiving Thursday with 11 grabs for 112 yards and a score.North Andrew outrushed LeBlond 452-73, and outgained the Eagles in total offense 467-289. LeBlond was just 2-of-5 in the red zone and was 0-for-3 on fourth down.North Andrew was a solid 7-of-10 on third down Thursday, which helped keep a lot of their scoring drives going.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1669961601379.jpeg" alt="North Andrew hoists the state title trophy. Photo by Anthony Crane." />
 <figcaption>North Andrew hoists the state title trophy. Photo by Anthony Crane.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1669961617828.jpeg" alt="Jackson Sigrist (2) looks for running room. Photo by Anthony Crane." />
 <figcaption>Jackson Sigrist (2) looks for running room. Photo by Anthony Crane.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.Full game broadcast<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/North-Andrew-vs--Bishop-LeBlond-8-man-state-title---Dec--1--2022-e1rkn7f" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>

North Andrew rushes for 452 yards, beats LeBlond for 8-man state title Thursday

The North Andrew football team is ready to play in the program’s 14th state football championship game.

The Eagles (10-3), after a 2-3 start this year, have now won eight straight, including their first district title since 1993, and punched their ticket to state after a 44-22 win at Sweet Springs in a state semifinal this past Saturday.

Senior Max Bachali says that win was, well, extra sweet.

"It was kind of like a team bonding almost," Bachali said. "We were out there and having fun. We knew no matter win or lose, we would have had a great time. But, knowing that we're going to state is just the greatest feeling ever."

The Cardinals, meanwhile, are a perfect 13-0, ready to capture their first state title since 2016, which happens to be the last time they finished with an unblemished record. 

Fifth-year head coach Dwyane Williams says the biggest key to this year’s surge was the hard work in the weight room during the offseason after the Cardinals finished with a disappointing 6-5 record in 2021.

"We came back this year and had a great summer program and great attendance," Williams said. "It shows on the field. It's the reason why we've been able to improve our record. Those guys' commitment in the offseason."

LeBlond scheduled tough this year, playing Worth County, Archie and North Andrew all in the first five weeks. All of those teams were ranked in the top three in the state. All of those games were losses, but LeBlond coach Chuck Davis says a valuable lesson was learned.

"It showed us what it takes to play later into the year," Davis said. "What's changed for us is the physicality we bring, especially at the line of scrimmage now. It's a lot different than what it was week two.

This game is a rematch of a Week Two meeting from this past season, when North Andrew won at LeBlond 64-36 on September 2.

North Andrew senior and defensive end Collin Patterson knows his team has their work cut out for them, trying to stop LeBlond’s senior quarterback Landon Gardner, who’s piled up 2899 passing yards and has rushed for another 1331.

"We have to get pressure on Gardner and keep him contained," Patterson said. "He's really good at running also and he'll take off if you let him. Pass defense has to be great. We have to help out our secondary by getting a lot of pressure. If we do that, things should go well."

As for Gardner himself, he’s only envisioning a LeBlond victory.

"That's my game plan going in," he said. "I'm not thinking we're going to lose. I'm going to go in with confidence. If we do win, it'll be something I remember for the rest of my life. Win or lose, it'll be a great experience."

LeBlond, meanwhile, has to try and slow senior Hayden Ecker, who’s rushed for over 2000 yards and 32 touchdowns for North Andrew. He's also snagged six interceptions on defense. Coach Williams says there’s no one better.

"He's a fantastic running back and defensive back," Williams said of Ecker. "Great on special teams when we need him to be and he's also a fantastic kid off the field. He's humble, he's quiet. He doesn't like attention. He just wants to play."

This game is a clash of styles, really. Pass heavy LeBlond, run heavy North Andrew. The Cardinals seeking their seventh state title. The Eagles their first.

When the ball is kicked off tonight in Columbia, Coach Davis says it really just comes down to one thing.

"We're just going to have to really bring the physicality," Davis said. "The good thing about this time of year is you essentially know what everyone does. They know what we bring to the table. We know what they bring to the table. It's just, who can play for 48 minutes, give everything they got and come out with a win."

"If you go back and look at the (North Andrew game) film, we're a whole new team now," Bachali said. "We practice differently, we play better, we're stronger and faster. I really think we have a shot."

"We've had something to prove since week one," Patterson said of the Cardinals. "If we can stay healthy, I believe we're unstoppable at our A-game."

Thursday's game will be broadcast LIVE on StJosephPost.com. Coverage starts at 6:30 with kickoff at 7. <a href="https://radio.securenetsystems.net/cwa/SJPOST">CLICK HERE TO LISTEN</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1669897945729.jpeg" alt="LeBlond's Landon Gardner (11) has passed for over 2800 yards and rushed for over 1300 to help lead LeBlond to the state title game. Photo by Harry Loomis." />
 <figcaption>LeBlond's Landon Gardner (11) has passed for over 2800 yards and rushed for over 1300 to help lead LeBlond to the state title game. Photo by Harry Loomis.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe North Andrew football team is ready to play in the program’s 14th state football championship game.For LeBlond, it’s their first.The Eagles (10-3), after a 2-3 start this year, have now won eight straight, including their first district title since 1993, and punched their ticket to state after a 44-22 win at Sweet Springs in a state semifinal this past Saturday.Senior Max Bachali says that win was, well, extra sweet."It was kind of like a team bonding almost," Bachali said. "We were out there and having fun. We knew no matter win or lose, we would have had a great time. But, knowing that we're going to state is just the greatest feeling ever."The Cardinals, meanwhile, are a perfect 13-0, ready to capture their first state title since 2016, which happens to be the last time they finished with an unblemished record. Fifth-year head coach Dwyane Williams says the biggest key to this year’s surge was the hard work in the weight room during the offseason after the Cardinals finished with a disappointing 6-5 record in 2021."We came back this year and had a great summer program and great attendance," Williams said. "It shows on the field. It's the reason why we've been able to improve our record. Those guys' commitment in the offseason."LeBlond scheduled tough this year, playing Worth County, Archie and North Andrew all in the first five weeks. All of those teams were ranked in the top three in the state. All of those games were losses, but LeBlond coach Chuck Davis says a valuable lesson was learned."It showed us what it takes to play later into the year," Davis said. "What's changed for us is the physicality we bring, especially at the line of scrimmage now. It's a lot different than what it was week two.This game is a rematch of a Week Two meeting from this past season, when North Andrew won at LeBlond 64-36 on September 2.North Andrew senior and defensive end Collin Patterson knows his team has their work cut out for them, trying to stop LeBlond’s senior quarterback Landon Gardner, who’s piled up 2899 passing yards and has rushed for another 1331."We have to get pressure on Gardner and keep him contained," Patterson said. "He's really good at running also and he'll take off if you let him. Pass defense has to be great. We have to help out our secondary by getting a lot of pressure. If we do that, things should go well."As for Gardner himself, he’s only envisioning a LeBlond victory."That's my game plan going in," he said. "I'm not thinking we're going to lose. I'm going to go in with confidence. If we do win, it'll be something I remember for the rest of my life. Win or lose, it'll be a great experience."LeBlond, meanwhile, has to try and slow senior Hayden Ecker, who’s rushed for over 2000 yards and 32 touchdowns for North Andrew. He's also snagged six interceptions on defense. Coach Williams says there’s no one better."He's a fantastic running back and defensive back," Williams said of Ecker. "Great on special teams when we need him to be and he's also a fantastic kid off the field. He's humble, he's quiet. He doesn't like attention. He just wants to play."This game is a clash of styles, really. Pass heavy LeBlond, run heavy North Andrew. The Cardinals seeking their seventh state title. The Eagles their first.When the ball is kicked off tonight in Columbia, Coach Davis says it really just comes down to one thing."We're just going to have to really bring the physicality," Davis said. "The good thing about this time of year is you essentially know what everyone does. They know what we bring to the table. We know what they bring to the table. It's just, who can play for 48 minutes, give everything they got and come out with a win.""If you go back and look at the (North Andrew game) film, we're a whole new team now," Bachali said. "We practice differently, we play better, we're stronger and faster. I really think we have a shot.""We've had something to prove since week one," Patterson said of the Cardinals. "If we can stay healthy, I believe we're unstoppable at our A-game."Thursday's game will be broadcast LIVE on StJosephPost.com. Coverage starts at 6:30 with kickoff at 7. <a href="https://radio.securenetsystems.net/cwa/SJPOST">CLICK HERE TO LISTEN</a>.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1669901358507.jpeg" alt="Hayden Ecker (24) celebrates a touchdown against King City." />
 <figcaption>Hayden Ecker (24) celebrates a touchdown against King City.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1669901385328.jpeg" alt="Jake Korell." />
 <figcaption>Jake Korell.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1669901409416.jpeg" alt="Braxon Linville (37)." />
 <figcaption>Braxon Linville (37).</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1669901449980.jpeg" alt="Jacob Chittum." />
 <figcaption>Jacob Chittum.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1669901509693.jpeg" alt="Jackson Sigrist." />
 <figcaption>Jackson Sigrist.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668875199539.jpeg" alt="Carson Staggs (right)." />
 <figcaption>Carson Staggs (right).</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1669901638136.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668871214822.jpeg" alt="Members of the Bishop LeBlond football team hoist the district title plaque after a 50-38 win at Orrick." />
 <figcaption>Members of the Bishop LeBlond football team hoist the district title plaque after a 50-38 win at Orrick.</figcaption>
 </figure>Audio story<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/North-Andrew--LeBlond-meet-in-a-local-8-man-state-title-game-e1rjd69" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

LeBlond, North Andrew meet in a local, clash of styles 8-man football championship

The All-MEC football teams were announced on Tuesday.

Maryville head coach Matt Webb was unanimously chosen as the MEC Coach of the Year.

First-team offensive performers include Savannah lineman Jackson Hagler, Benton receiver Devon Hoffmann, Savannah running back Cade Chappell, Savannah specialist Alex Hopper and Benton tight end Denver Domann.

On the defensive side, first-team honorees include Savannah’s Cooper Burnsides, Savannah defensive back Truman Bodenhausen, Savannah linebacker Landon Noland, Lafayette kicker Carter Hewitt and Benton defense specialist Landan Stallsworth.&nbsp;

Savannah and Maryville each won a share of the MEC title this year, with the Spoofhounds topping the Savages 33-28 in the Class 3 District 8 title.

See the full list of MEC football honorees below.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669773458878.jpeg" alt="Savannah running back Cade Chappell was among those named to the MEC first-team offense. Photo by Harry Loomis." />
 <figcaption>Savannah running back Cade Chappell was among those named to the MEC first-team offense. Photo by Harry Loomis.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe All-MEC football teams were announced on Tuesday.Maryville head coach Matt Webb was unanimously chosen as the MEC Coach of the Year.First-team offensive performers include Savannah lineman Jackson Hagler, Benton receiver Devon Hoffmann, Savannah running back Cade Chappell, Savannah specialist Alex Hopper and Benton tight end Denver Domann.On the defensive side, first-team honorees include Savannah’s Cooper Burnsides, Savannah defensive back Truman Bodenhausen, Savannah linebacker Landon Noland, Lafayette kicker Carter Hewitt and Benton defense specialist Landan Stallsworth.&nbsp;Savannah and Maryville each won a share of the MEC title this year, with the Spoofhounds topping the Savages 33-28 in the Class 3 District 8 title.See the full list of MEC football honorees below.MEC offensive honorees<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669773298203.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>MEC Defensive honorees<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669773368514.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

All-MEC football teams, honorees announced Tuesday

GOWER -&nbsp;East Buchanan senior and multi-sport standout Gracie Kelsey signed her national letter of intent Tuesday to play basketball for Division II Drury University in Springfield.

Kelsey announced her verbal commitment to Drury back on September 28. Her signing for the Panthers is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream.

"It's an amazing opportunity," she said. "It's what I've been dreaming of since I was a little girl and just being able to make it actually happen is awesome."

Kelsey was part of an East Buchanan team that won a state title in girls' basketball in 2020, and though she missed her sophomore season with injury, Kelsey has still accumulated 1169 career points and 684 rebounds - both figures rank in the top 10 in school history.

Her high school coach, Cori Elms, had thought for awhile that a college career was in Kelsey's future. To see that come to fruition was just as special for Elms.

"It's always exciting when you have a player able to do that," Elms said. "Especially something she's been working on since she was a little girl. Also, just her ability to be a great teammate makes it even more special. She's done an amazing job with our younger players, and is just well liked by her teammates and just always works hard. It's an incredible feeling as a coach to know she's going into a program that's done really well and is well respected."

Kelsey also gives credit to her teammates for making her goals possible.

"I've had great teammates in all of my four years," she said. "If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't be able to get the stats that I have. They're the ones who create passes and create opportunities for me to excel."

While spending her sophomore season on the bench with injury was not part of the plan, Kelsey says that time off the court proved to be beneficial in an unexpected way.

"I got to see where maybe we could make a pass here or there," she said. "There were just a lot of opportunities to catch even better plays that could have been made."

Kelsey helped the Bulldogs to a district title in girls’ basketball last season and was a key starter in East Buchanan volleyball’s run to state this past fall, where they finished fourth in Cape Girardeau.

She will join a Drury team that's made its mark on recent history. The Panthers have captured GLVC tournament championships every year from 2017-2022, and finished as the national runners-up in 2021.

"For me, that was a big bonus," Kelsey said. "If I can be able to help them continually be good, that's all I want to do. Just play my best."

"The community and energy they bring is amazing. The players who are there welcome you and they also will push you to play the best that you can play."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669769511247.jpeg" alt="Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostGOWER -&nbsp;East Buchanan senior and multi-sport standout Gracie Kelsey signed her national letter of intent Tuesday to play basketball for Division II Drury University in Springfield.Kelsey announced her verbal commitment to Drury back on September 28. Her signing for the Panthers is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream."It's an amazing opportunity," she said. "It's what I've been dreaming of since I was a little girl and just being able to make it actually happen is awesome."Kelsey was part of an East Buchanan team that won a state title in girls' basketball in 2020, and though she missed her sophomore season with injury, Kelsey has still accumulated 1169 career points and 684 rebounds - both figures rank in the top 10 in school history.Her high school coach, Cori Elms, had thought for awhile that a college career was in Kelsey's future. To see that come to fruition was just as special for Elms."It's always exciting when you have a player able to do that," Elms said. "Especially something she's been working on since she was a little girl. Also, just her ability to be a great teammate makes it even more special. She's done an amazing job with our younger players, and is just well liked by her teammates and just always works hard. It's an incredible feeling as a coach to know she's going into a program that's done really well and is well respected."Kelsey also gives credit to her teammates for making her goals possible."I've had great teammates in all of my four years," she said. "If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't be able to get the stats that I have. They're the ones who create passes and create opportunities for me to excel."While spending her sophomore season on the bench with injury was not part of the plan, Kelsey says that time off the court proved to be beneficial in an unexpected way."I got to see where maybe we could make a pass here or there," she said. "There were just a lot of opportunities to catch even better plays that could have been made."Kelsey helped the Bulldogs to a district title in girls’ basketball last season and was a key starter in East Buchanan volleyball’s run to state this past fall, where they finished fourth in Cape Girardeau.She will join a Drury team that's made its mark on recent history. The Panthers have captured GLVC tournament championships every year from 2017-2022, and finished as the national runners-up in 2021."For me, that was a big bonus," Kelsey said. "If I can be able to help them continually be good, that's all I want to do. Just play my best.""The community and energy they bring is amazing. The players who are there welcome you and they also will push you to play the best that you can play."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669772379078.jpeg" alt="Gracie Kelsey (21) also excelled on the volleyball court, helping lead the Bulldogs to a Final Four berth this past fall." />
 <figcaption>Gracie Kelsey (21) also excelled on the volleyball court, helping lead the Bulldogs to a Final Four berth this past fall.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669772474919.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

East Buchanan's Gracie Kelsey signs NLI for Drury women's basketball Tuesday

It’s the first full week of high school basketball action across the area, and already tournament play is upon us.

Girls’ basketball in the Savannah tournament in pool play Benton 55 Smithville 36 Chillicothe 67 Maryville 35 Pembroke Hill 53 Savannah 43

Mound City Invite&nbsp; - girls' basketball Bishop LeBlond 49 South Holt 17 DeKalb vs. Stewartsville-Osborn - missing

Platte Valley Invitational - girls St. Joseph Christian 62 Bishop LeBlond JV 38 Winnetonka Invitational - girls St. Joseph Central 51 Platte County 40

Non-tournament play North Andrew beat Plattsburg 64-25.

Platte Valley Invitational - Boys' basketball St. Joseph Christian 110 Northeast Nodaway 96. Nick Orscheln and Vail Freuchting led Christian with 23 points each. Dylan McInytre led the Bluejays with 55.

Mound City Invite - Boys Bishop LeBlond 50 East Atchison 41 Rock Port 58 South Holt 54 Non-tournament play Ewing Marion Kaufmann 40 Mid-Buchanan 34

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostIt’s the first full week of high school basketball action across the area, and already tournament play is upon us.Girls’ basketball in the Savannah tournament in pool play Benton 55 Smithville 36 Chillicothe 67 Maryville 35 Pembroke Hill 53 Savannah 43Mound City Invite&nbsp; - girls' basketball Bishop LeBlond 49 South Holt 17 DeKalb vs. Stewartsville-Osborn - missingPlatte Valley Invitational - girls St. Joseph Christian 62 Bishop LeBlond JV 38 Winnetonka Invitational - girls St. Joseph Central 51 Platte County 40Non-tournament play North Andrew beat Plattsburg 64-25.Platte Valley Invitational - Boys' basketball St. Joseph Christian 110 Northeast Nodaway 96. Nick Orscheln and Vail Freuchting led Christian with 23 points each. Dylan McInytre led the Bluejays with 55.Mound City Invite - Boys Bishop LeBlond 50 East Atchison 41 Rock Port 58 South Holt 54 Non-tournament play Ewing Marion Kaufmann 40 Mid-Buchanan 34

KFEQ/St. Joseph Post area high school scoreboard - November 28, 2022

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Andy Reid lamented more problems with the Kansas City Chiefs punt return unit. JuJu Smith-Schuster regretted their many failures in the red zone. Patrick Mahomes bemoaned “the one dumb play I make every game."

So much for celebrating a 26-10 victory Sunday over the beat-up Los Angeles Rams.

Sure, the Chiefs were pleased by Mahomes throwing for 320 yards and a touchdown, and the hard yardage Isiah Pacheco gained on the ground eventually netted him a score. And they were thrilled with the performance of their defense, which frustrated fill-in quarterback Bryce Perkins and shut down the Rams ground game.

But the Chiefs also made plenty of mistakes, including an interception by Mahomes in the end zone in the fourth quarter — that dumb play he referenced — and red-zone woes that led to four field goals by Harrison Butker.

“Got to do a little better in the red zone. That's a place where we're normally pretty good,” Reid said. “We were off a tick tonight. We'll get back to the drawing board and take care of that.”

It didn't matter against the Rams, who have lost five straight for the first time under Sean McVay.

It might matter against the Bengals next week. And down the stretch in the pursuit of the AFC's top seed.

“You like the win but we have a lot to get better at,” Mahomes said, “especially me.”

Still, the Chiefs (9-2) have won six of the last seven against Los Angeles, and they exacted a measure of revenge for that lone defeat, when then-Rams quarterback Jared Goff threw a late TD pass to win a 54-51 thriller in November 2018.

Playing without Matthew Stafford, who remained in the concussion protocol, the Rams (3-8) struggled to move the chains behind Perkins, a career backup making his first start. He made a couple of nice plays with his legs but threw for just 100 yards with a touchdown pass and two interceptions.

The Rams' losing streak and their record through 11 games matches the 1987 Giants for the worst among defending Super Bowl champs, though New York's dismal start came amid a strike resulting in the use of replacement players.

Any hope the Rams had evaporated on the first two possessions of the second half, when they went three-and-out and Mahomes and Co. answered with a 71-yard scoring march. And this time, rather than the drive fizzling and Harrison Butker swinging his leg, Pacheco bulldozed into the end zone from 3 yards out to give Kansas City a 20-3 lead.

The Rams finally reached the end zone in the fourth quarter. The Chiefs added two field goals to put the game away.

“Early on, throughout the game really, we had some shots. We were moving the ball. There were some little things here and there that didn't go our way,” Perkins said. “The guys did a great job up front. We have some things to clean up.”

RG Joe Thuney (ankle) was inactive, ending his streak of 107 consecutive starts. FS Juan Thornhill (calf) also was inactive. CB L'Jarius Sneed cleared the concussion protocol after taking a hit to the head in the second quarter.

The Chiefs visit Cincinnati on Sunday for the first of three straight road games. Sunday's game kicks off at 3:25 central. The game will be broadcast on KFEQ (680, 95.3) and Q Country 92.7 FM in St. Joseph.

St. Joseph PostKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Andy Reid lamented more problems with the Kansas City Chiefs punt return unit. JuJu Smith-Schuster regretted their many failures in the red zone. Patrick Mahomes bemoaned “the one dumb play I make every game."So much for celebrating a 26-10 victory Sunday over the beat-up Los Angeles Rams.Sure, the Chiefs were pleased by Mahomes throwing for 320 yards and a touchdown, and the hard yardage Isiah Pacheco gained on the ground eventually netted him a score. And they were thrilled with the performance of their defense, which frustrated fill-in quarterback Bryce Perkins and shut down the Rams ground game.But the Chiefs also made plenty of mistakes, including an interception by Mahomes in the end zone in the fourth quarter — that dumb play he referenced — and red-zone woes that led to four field goals by Harrison Butker.“Got to do a little better in the red zone. That's a place where we're normally pretty good,” Reid said. “We were off a tick tonight. We'll get back to the drawing board and take care of that.”It didn't matter against the Rams, who have lost five straight for the first time under Sean McVay.It might matter against the Bengals next week. And down the stretch in the pursuit of the AFC's top seed.“You like the win but we have a lot to get better at,” Mahomes said, “especially me.”Still, the Chiefs (9-2) have won six of the last seven against Los Angeles, and they exacted a measure of revenge for that lone defeat, when then-Rams quarterback Jared Goff threw a late TD pass to win a 54-51 thriller in November 2018.Playing without Matthew Stafford, who remained in the concussion protocol, the Rams (3-8) struggled to move the chains behind Perkins, a career backup making his first start. He made a couple of nice plays with his legs but threw for just 100 yards with a touchdown pass and two interceptions.The Rams' losing streak and their record through 11 games matches the 1987 Giants for the worst among defending Super Bowl champs, though New York's dismal start came amid a strike resulting in the use of replacement players.Any hope the Rams had evaporated on the first two possessions of the second half, when they went three-and-out and Mahomes and Co. answered with a 71-yard scoring march. And this time, rather than the drive fizzling and Harrison Butker swinging his leg, Pacheco bulldozed into the end zone from 3 yards out to give Kansas City a 20-3 lead.The Rams finally reached the end zone in the fourth quarter. The Chiefs added two field goals to put the game away.“Early on, throughout the game really, we had some shots. We were moving the ball. There were some little things here and there that didn't go our way,” Perkins said. “The guys did a great job up front. We have some things to clean up.”INJURIESRG Joe Thuney (ankle) was inactive, ending his streak of 107 consecutive starts. FS Juan Thornhill (calf) also was inactive. CB L'Jarius Sneed cleared the concussion protocol after taking a hit to the head in the second quarter.The Chiefs visit Cincinnati on Sunday for the first of three straight road games. Sunday's game kicks off at 3:25 central. The game will be broadcast on KFEQ (680, 95.3) and Q Country 92.7 FM in St. Joseph.

Chiefs win fifth straight, defeat Rams at home Sunday

Northwest loses defensive battle with Grand Valley State

Top seed and undefeated Grand Valley State shut the door on the eighth ranked Bearcats season in a defensive bout, winning over the Northwest Missouri State 13-8 on Saturday in Allendale, Michigan.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Scoring was hard to find for both teams, as the first points of the game came late in the first quarter.&nbsp; Both Northwest and Grand Valley had turnovers early in the first quarter, Northwest throwing an interception just three plays into the game and Grand Valley State muffing a punt following a Bearcat three and out on the fifth drive of the game.&nbsp;

The first points of the game were scored by Grand Valley on the seventh drive of the game, a drive that consumed just over four minutes of clock going nine plays for 89 yards.&nbsp; The Lakers would get the ball with 5:51 left in the quarter and drive the field before Tariq Reed would get into the endzone from four yards out, giving Grand Valley a 7-0 lead.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The scoreboard would go quiet as the defenses battled through the rest of the half and no one would score again until late in the third quarter, when with 3:30 left in the third Cole Lammel would knock a field goal through to chip away at the lead.&nbsp; The field goal ended a 15 play drive that used up 7:09 of clock and went 82 yards.&nbsp;

While both defenses excelled on Saturday, the Bearcats was the only one to generate points on the very next drive following the field goal.&nbsp; With Northwest having the Lakers pinned at their own nine yard line, Elijah Green would get into the backfield and sack Cole Peterson forcing a fumble which Grand Valley would recover, however a tackle in the endzone would result in a safety, making the deficit even smaller at 7-5.

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