KANSAS CITY, Mo.—Kauffman Stadium has been home to the&nbsp;Kansas City Royals&nbsp;since 1973 and it'll remain their home through the 2020s, but after that, Royals ownership has other plans.&nbsp;

On Tuesday, in a letter to fans, Royals owner John Sherman revealed plans to build a new ballpark in downtown Kansas City -- or "close to it" -- and surround it with a "ballpark district."&nbsp;

They haven't yet nailed down a specific spot, but said they have "several leading locations under close consideration."&nbsp;

The club released an artist rendering of the new ballpark the Royals plan to unveil for the 2030s.&nbsp;

Once the A's either get a new ballpark in Oakland or leave for a new city, the only four ballparks older than Kauffman Stadium will be Fenway Park (<a href="https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/teams/BOS/boston-red-sox/">Red Sox</a>, 1912), Wrigley Field (<a href="https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/teams/CHC/chicago-cubs/">Cubs</a>, 1914), Dodger Stadium (1962) and Angel Stadium (1966).&nbsp;

As for the ballpark district, here's a section of the letter that outlines the vision:&nbsp;

It'll be a while. It's nearly a decade down the road, but the biggest takeaway is that the Royals are planning on moving to a new home in the city sometime around 2030.&nbsp;

KANSAS CITY, Mo.—Kauffman Stadium has been home to the&nbsp;Kansas City Royals&nbsp;since 1973 and it'll remain their home through the 2020s, but after that, Royals ownership has other plans.&nbsp;On Tuesday, in a letter to fans, Royals owner John Sherman revealed plans to build a new ballpark in downtown Kansas City -- or "close to it" -- and surround it with a "ballpark district."&nbsp;They haven't yet nailed down a specific spot, but said they have "several leading locations under close consideration."&nbsp;The club released an artist rendering of the new ballpark the Royals plan to unveil for the 2030s.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://sportshub.cbsistatic.com/i/r/2022/11/16/c39fb44d-eef5-40d6-93a3-0423439d1f94/resize/670x377/55388509cd791e68b1054ff498175f4b/royals-ballpark1.jpg" alt="Kansas City Royals" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://sportshub.cbsistatic.com/i/r/2022/11/16/a70ad8b4-b58c-434d-a65e-b48543be67e0/resize/670x377/38f42f9bb0377358358bf88865c6beef/royals-ballpark2.jpg" alt="Kansas City Royals" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals</figcaption>
 </figure>Once the A's either get a new ballpark in Oakland or leave for a new city, the only four ballparks older than Kauffman Stadium will be Fenway Park (<a href="https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/teams/BOS/boston-red-sox/">Red Sox</a>, 1912), Wrigley Field (<a href="https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/teams/CHC/chicago-cubs/">Cubs</a>, 1914), Dodger Stadium (1962) and Angel Stadium (1966).&nbsp;As for the ballpark district, here's a section of the letter that outlines the vision:&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>Our vision is to not just build a facility that does justice to the spirit of The K. We want to construct a world-class experience – a new ballpark district and all that comes with it – one that is woven into the fabric of our city, can host events and concerts, and boosts our local economy. &nbsp; We also envision incorporating our Kansas City fountains, the Royals' crown and our team's rich traditions and history in a new ballpark district.</li><li>The proposed ballpark district would become a new home for Royals fans far and wide – both inside a state-of-the-art ballpark and in the revitalized surrounding area. We will marry the traditions of The K with a better experience for our fans.</li><li>With a mixture of public and private investment, including our own intention to invest hundreds of millions of dollars directly into the ballpark and the ballpark district, the long-term vision remains a work-in-progress. We envision local restaurants and shops, office spaces, hotels, and a variety of housing opportunities accessible for Kansas Citians from all walks of life. Affordable housing options will be important to our efforts. We would also work closely with our local transportation leaders to ensure public transportation options accommodate a new ballpark district.</li>
 </ul>It'll be a while. It's nearly a decade down the road, but the biggest takeaway is that the Royals are planning on moving to a new home in the city sometime around 2030.&nbsp;

⚾️ Royals announce plans to move to new ballpark in downtown Kansas City

The MIAA announced its postseason awards and All-MIAA teams for the 2022 football season Tuesday. Northwest Missouri’s Elijah Green was voted the MIAA Defensive Player of the Year.

Green led the MIAA with 21.0 tackles for loss and 11 total sacks on the season. A native of Maryville, the senior defensive tackle finished the season with 49.0 total tackles – 36 solo and 13 assisted. His 21.0 tackles for loss currently ranks sixth in Division II, while he dominated the MIAA with 89 total yards for loss.

Leading the way for Missouri Western was senior corner D.J. Stirgus, who earned first-team accolades. Stirgus finished the season with 26 total tackles, five pass breakups and an interception.

Receiver Traveon James was one of four Griffons to receive second-team honors. James was top five in the league with 52 catches for 700 yards. He's one of just three Griffon receivers to finish with at least 700 receiving yards in a single season in program history. First-team selections All-Purpose Back – Jamar Moya – Northwest Missouri State Defensive Line – Elijah Green – Northwest Missouri State Defensive Line – Zach Howard – Northwest Missouri State Defensive Back – Cahleel Smith – Northwest Missouri State Defensive Back – D.J. Stirgus – Missouri Western Second-team selections Wide Receiver – Traveon James – Missouri Western Tight End/Fullback – Cam Grandy – Missouri Western Offensive Line – Evan Clark – Missouri Western Offensive Line – Mitch Goff – Northwest Missouri State Kick/Punter Returner – Kashan Griffin – Northwest Missouri State Defensive Line – CJ Ravenell – Missouri Western Linebacker – Sam Phillips – Northwest Missouri State Linebacker – Isaac Vollstedt – Northwest Missouri State Defensive Back – Kobe Cummings – Missouri Western - Cummings finished his Griffon career with 282 total tackles to rank fifth all-time in school history. He also logged nine career interceptions. Third-team selections Offensive Line – Keith Russell – Missouri Western Kicker – Cole Lammel – Northwest Missouri State Defensive Line – Jake Fisher – Northwest Missouri State Linebacker – Isaac Wallace – Missouri Western - Wallace led the Griffons with 86 total tackles this season, which tied for eighth most in the league. Honorable mention Missouri Western:&nbsp;Jared Scott – RB, Jonas Bennett – APB, Brenden McClure – OL, Noah Price – OL, Brandon Johnson – DL, A.J. Crayton – DL, Tylen Wallace – DL, Anthony Villanueva - LB

Northwest Missouri State:&nbsp;Mike Hohensee – QB, Shane Fredrickson – DB

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668547266704.jpeg" alt="Northwest's Elijah Green (2) was named MIAA Defensive Player of the Year. Photo courtesy of Northwest athletics." />
 <figcaption>Northwest's Elijah Green (2) was named MIAA Defensive Player of the Year. Photo courtesy of Northwest athletics.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph Post The MIAA announced its postseason awards and All-MIAA teams for the 2022 football season Tuesday. Northwest Missouri’s Elijah Green was voted the MIAA Defensive Player of the Year. Green led the MIAA with 21.0 tackles for loss and 11 total sacks on the season. A native of Maryville, the senior defensive tackle finished the season with 49.0 total tackles – 36 solo and 13 assisted. His 21.0 tackles for loss currently ranks sixth in Division II, while he dominated the MIAA with 89 total yards for loss.Leading the way for Missouri Western was senior corner D.J. Stirgus, who earned first-team accolades. Stirgus finished the season with 26 total tackles, five pass breakups and an interception.Receiver Traveon James was one of four Griffons to receive second-team honors. James was top five in the league with 52 catches for 700 yards. He's one of just three Griffon receivers to finish with at least 700 receiving yards in a single season in program history. First-team selections All-Purpose Back – Jamar Moya – Northwest Missouri State Defensive Line – Elijah Green – Northwest Missouri State Defensive Line – Zach Howard – Northwest Missouri State Defensive Back – Cahleel Smith – Northwest Missouri State Defensive Back – D.J. Stirgus – Missouri Western Second-team selections Wide Receiver – Traveon James – Missouri Western Tight End/Fullback – Cam Grandy – Missouri Western Offensive Line – Evan Clark – Missouri Western Offensive Line – Mitch Goff – Northwest Missouri State Kick/Punter Returner – Kashan Griffin – Northwest Missouri State Defensive Line – CJ Ravenell – Missouri Western Linebacker – Sam Phillips – Northwest Missouri State Linebacker – Isaac Vollstedt – Northwest Missouri State Defensive Back – Kobe Cummings – Missouri Western - Cummings finished his Griffon career with 282 total tackles to rank fifth all-time in school history. He also logged nine career interceptions. Third-team selections Offensive Line – Keith Russell – Missouri Western Kicker – Cole Lammel – Northwest Missouri State Defensive Line – Jake Fisher – Northwest Missouri State Linebacker – Isaac Wallace – Missouri Western - Wallace led the Griffons with 86 total tackles this season, which tied for eighth most in the league. Honorable mention Missouri Western:&nbsp;Jared Scott – RB, Jonas Bennett – APB, Brenden McClure – OL, Noah Price – OL, Brandon Johnson – DL, A.J. Crayton – DL, Tylen Wallace – DL, Anthony Villanueva - LBNorthwest Missouri State:&nbsp;Mike Hohensee – QB, Shane Fredrickson – DB <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668547757619.jpeg" alt="Missouri Western's D.J. Stirgus earned first-team all-MIAA accolades in 2022 - his final season as a Griffon. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Missouri Western's D.J. Stirgus earned first-team all-MIAA accolades in 2022 - his final season as a Griffon. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>

Numerous Northwest, MWSU football players earn all-MIAA honors Tuesday

Missouri Western Athletic Director Andy Carter talked publicly Monday for the first time since making the <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/9794e2ef-cf90-4c41-adbc-d9c69ae0248c">decision to fire Matt Williamson</a> as the Griffons’ head football coach on Sunday.

"These things are always very, very difficult on everybody," Carter said Monday on JoeTown 107.5 FM and 1550 AM. "Especially when you have a lot of respect for somebody like I have for Matt. This has been a process of evaluation for basically the entire season."

Speaking at the Missouri Western coaches’ luncheon at Hi-Ho Bar and Grill Monday, Carter says it’s his hope to have a new coach in place before the year is out.

"And then have the staff in place before our students come back (from winter break) which is the 16th of January," he said. "So, we're going to move quickly."

As for Williamson, Carter emphasizes the decision to fire him was difficult, and was the result of a season-long evaluation on the direction of the program - a program that finished 2022 with a losing record for the first time since 2017.

"At the end of the day, it was just evident that if we're going to do the things we feel like we want to do with this program, that a change was necessary," Carter explained. "I spoke with Matt (Sunday) and then with the staff and with the team and let them know of my decision and what's next."

Williamson concluded his tenure with a 31-26 record. During Williamson's time, the Griffons had three winning seasons, but never made the playoffs, were 0-5 against top rival Northwest Missouri State and 2-11 against ranked opponents.

Carter said Monday that there will be at least one assistant on the current staff retained to assist with recruiting and day-to-day activities, but he did not specify who that is yet.

"There is some time for us to get to where we need to go with that," Carter said. "We've got some projects we're working on inside the football space that are exciting. But right now, it's time for us to galvanize our focus and our efforts to get the next leader of our football program."

As for the next head coach, Carter says there are several key characteristics he looks for.

"You're looking for people who can actually win games and win the recruiting battles and do those things," he said, "but also have a tremendous ability to connect with young people and lead them and lead their staffs and develop their staffs."

Missouri Western competes in the MIAA - arguably the toughest and most prestigious league in Division II. It's less than an hour from Kansas City, and has been the host site of Kansas City Chiefs training camp since 2010.

Pair that with top notch facilities and a rich athletic tradition, Carter is already seeing strong interest in the head football coach position, and believes there is untapped potential within the department yet to be realized.

"The response has been incredible," Carter said on the interest level in the job. "We're not responding to anybody yet really, but just seeing the folks who are reaching out and the high level of people with lots of experience who are interested in Missouri Western. It's humbling to see that. We're excited."

Carter has already made one coaching hire. H<a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/5e4085d1-e9e0-40e1-b2cf-f2b946788ba8">e named Matt Thrasher</a> as the head men's and women's golf coach after Greg Dillon's retirement earlier this year.

Besides football, another head coaching job has yet to be filled for women's soccer. Damian Macias stepped down from the role this past July, and interim coach Leah Stringer led the Griffons to a 5-10-4 record this past fall.

Carter say Stringer is still the interim coach right now, but notes the search for that job is ramping up also.

"I have full confidence that we'll hire an outstanding coach who will be able to lead our ladies into the future and really excited for what's in store for that program."

Carter also spoke on the <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/ad8743ad-249b-4826-9c11-f57c09370d54">Missouri Western men's basketball exhibition</a> at Kentucky on October 30. Carter's flight to Lexington was grounded, so he watched from home in St. Joseph, but was no doubt proud of how the Griffons battled. He also credited coach Will Martin for making it happen.

"I didn't really do anything," Carter said. "Will did the work on that. I just signed the contract so that we could go, and I think it was a no-brainer that we would do that."

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668473666253.jpeg" alt="Former Missouri Western head football coach Matt Williamson, seen here in February 2022, was relieved of his duties Sunday after six years by Missouri Western athletic director Andy Carter. Stock photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Former Missouri Western head football coach Matt Williamson, seen here in February 2022, was relieved of his duties Sunday after six years by Missouri Western athletic director Andy Carter. Stock photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostMissouri Western Athletic Director Andy Carter talked publicly Monday for the first time since making the <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/9794e2ef-cf90-4c41-adbc-d9c69ae0248c">decision to fire Matt Williamson</a> as the Griffons’ head football coach on Sunday."These things are always very, very difficult on everybody," Carter said Monday on JoeTown 107.5 FM and 1550 AM. "Especially when you have a lot of respect for somebody like I have for Matt. This has been a process of evaluation for basically the entire season."Speaking at the Missouri Western coaches’ luncheon at Hi-Ho Bar and Grill Monday, Carter says it’s his hope to have a new coach in place before the year is out."And then have the staff in place before our students come back (from winter break) which is the 16th of January," he said. "So, we're going to move quickly."As for Williamson, Carter emphasizes the decision to fire him was difficult, and was the result of a season-long evaluation on the direction of the program - a program that finished 2022 with a losing record for the first time since 2017."At the end of the day, it was just evident that if we're going to do the things we feel like we want to do with this program, that a change was necessary," Carter explained. "I spoke with Matt (Sunday) and then with the staff and with the team and let them know of my decision and what's next."Williamson concluded his tenure with a 31-26 record. During Williamson's time, the Griffons had three winning seasons, but never made the playoffs, were 0-5 against top rival Northwest Missouri State and 2-11 against ranked opponents.Carter said Monday that there will be at least one assistant on the current staff retained to assist with recruiting and day-to-day activities, but he did not specify who that is yet."There is some time for us to get to where we need to go with that," Carter said. "We've got some projects we're working on inside the football space that are exciting. But right now, it's time for us to galvanize our focus and our efforts to get the next leader of our football program."As for the next head coach, Carter says there are several key characteristics he looks for."You're looking for people who can actually win games and win the recruiting battles and do those things," he said, "but also have a tremendous ability to connect with young people and lead them and lead their staffs and develop their staffs."Missouri Western competes in the MIAA - arguably the toughest and most prestigious league in Division II. It's less than an hour from Kansas City, and has been the host site of Kansas City Chiefs training camp since 2010.Pair that with top notch facilities and a rich athletic tradition, Carter is already seeing strong interest in the head football coach position, and believes there is untapped potential within the department yet to be realized."The response has been incredible," Carter said on the interest level in the job. "We're not responding to anybody yet really, but just seeing the folks who are reaching out and the high level of people with lots of experience who are interested in Missouri Western. It's humbling to see that. We're excited."Other news and notesCarter has already made one coaching hire. H<a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/5e4085d1-e9e0-40e1-b2cf-f2b946788ba8">e named Matt Thrasher</a> as the head men's and women's golf coach after Greg Dillon's retirement earlier this year.Besides football, another head coaching job has yet to be filled for women's soccer. Damian Macias stepped down from the role this past July, and interim coach Leah Stringer led the Griffons to a 5-10-4 record this past fall.Carter say Stringer is still the interim coach right now, but notes the search for that job is ramping up also."I have full confidence that we'll hire an outstanding coach who will be able to lead our ladies into the future and really excited for what's in store for that program."Carter also spoke on the <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/ad8743ad-249b-4826-9c11-f57c09370d54">Missouri Western men's basketball exhibition</a> at Kentucky on October 30. Carter's flight to Lexington was grounded, so he watched from home in St. Joseph, but was no doubt proud of how the Griffons battled. He also credited coach Will Martin for making it happen."I didn't really do anything," Carter said. "Will did the work on that. I just signed the contract so that we could go, and I think it was a no-brainer that we would do that."<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/Missouri-Western-athletic-director-Andy-Carter---November-14--2022-e1qomk8" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

MWSU AD Andy Carter on Williamson decision: 'evident that change was necessary'

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes threw for 331 yards and four touchdowns, Kadarius Toney showed glimpses of stardom in his second game for the Chiefs and Kansas City rolled to a 27-17 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.

At 7-2, the Chiefs now own the best record in the AFC with Buffalo falling to the Vikings in overtime Sunday.

Toney, who was acquired a couple of week ago from the Giants, had 33 yards rushing to go with four catches for 57 yards and his first NFL touchdown reception, helping the Chiefs win their sixth straight over the Jaguars.

Travis Kelce, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Noah Gray also had touchdown catches for the Chiefs.

The win came at a cost for Kansas City. Wide receiver&nbsp;JuJu Smith-Schuster was placed in the concussion protocol&nbsp;after a helmet-to-helmet hit by Jacksonville safety Andre Cisco early in the game. The blow left Smith-Schuster motionless on the turf for a moment, though he eventually stood and walked off with some help.

Trevor Lawrence threw for 259 yards and two touchdowns, both to Christian Kirk, who finished with nine catches for 105 yards for the Jaguars (3-7). Zay Jones also had eight catches for 68 yards while Travis Etienne ran for 45 yards.

Mahomes, trying to become the third quarterback in NFL history with three straight 400-yard passing games, had 191 by halftime. That included the touchdown reception for Toney, the injury-prone former first-round draft pick.

Jacksonville tried to get back into the game after halftime with a plodding drive that consumed nearly 10 minutes, but it fizzled out in the red zone and only resulted in a field goal to make it 20-10.

As so often happens, Kansas City answered with a 75-yard drive that ended in Travis Kelce's touchdown reception.

It was his eighth TD catch of the season and the 65th of Kelce's career, moving him into second in Chiefs history. It also gave Mahomes his 16th game with at least four TD passes, the ninth most by a quarterback since at least 1950.

The Jaguars trimmed their deficit to 27-17 with 5 1/2 minutes to go, when Lawrence converted on fourth down with a pass to Jones, then hit Kirk almost entirely uncovered from 19 yards out for the touchdown.

Rather than try another onside kick, the Jaguars kicked deep and Kansas City ran out the clock.

Chiefs WR Mecole Hardman (abdominal) was inactive after scoring five TDs in his past three games. CB Chris Lammons was placed in the concussion protocol after taking a hit on punt coverage in the first half. RT Andrew Wylie left in the first half with a left elbow injury and did not return.

The Chiefs visit the Chargers next Sunday night at 7:20 central. Coverage will start at 6 p.m. on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3) and Q Country 92.7 FM in St. Joseph.

St. Joseph PostKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes threw for 331 yards and four touchdowns, Kadarius Toney showed glimpses of stardom in his second game for the Chiefs and Kansas City rolled to a 27-17 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.At 7-2, the Chiefs now own the best record in the AFC with Buffalo falling to the Vikings in overtime Sunday.Toney, who was acquired a couple of week ago from the Giants, had 33 yards rushing to go with four catches for 57 yards and his first NFL touchdown reception, helping the Chiefs win their sixth straight over the Jaguars.Travis Kelce, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Noah Gray also had touchdown catches for the Chiefs.The win came at a cost for Kansas City. Wide receiver&nbsp;JuJu Smith-Schuster was placed in the concussion protocol&nbsp;after a helmet-to-helmet hit by Jacksonville safety Andre Cisco early in the game. The blow left Smith-Schuster motionless on the turf for a moment, though he eventually stood and walked off with some help.Trevor Lawrence threw for 259 yards and two touchdowns, both to Christian Kirk, who finished with nine catches for 105 yards for the Jaguars (3-7). Zay Jones also had eight catches for 68 yards while Travis Etienne ran for 45 yards.Mahomes, trying to become the third quarterback in NFL history with three straight 400-yard passing games, had 191 by halftime. That included the touchdown reception for Toney, the injury-prone former first-round draft pick.Jacksonville tried to get back into the game after halftime with a plodding drive that consumed nearly 10 minutes, but it fizzled out in the red zone and only resulted in a field goal to make it 20-10.As so often happens, Kansas City answered with a 75-yard drive that ended in Travis Kelce's touchdown reception.It was his eighth TD catch of the season and the 65th of Kelce's career, moving him into second in Chiefs history. It also gave Mahomes his 16th game with at least four TD passes, the ninth most by a quarterback since at least 1950.The Jaguars trimmed their deficit to 27-17 with 5 1/2 minutes to go, when Lawrence converted on fourth down with a pass to Jones, then hit Kirk almost entirely uncovered from 19 yards out for the touchdown.Rather than try another onside kick, the Jaguars kicked deep and Kansas City ran out the clock.INJURIESChiefs WR Mecole Hardman (abdominal) was inactive after scoring five TDs in his past three games. CB Chris Lammons was placed in the concussion protocol after taking a hit on punt coverage in the first half. RT Andrew Wylie left in the first half with a left elbow injury and did not return.The Chiefs visit the Chargers next Sunday night at 7:20 central. Coverage will start at 6 p.m. on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3) and Q Country 92.7 FM in St. Joseph.

Mahomes throws for four touchdowns, Chiefs beat Jaguars Sunday

Missouri Western head football coach Matt Williamson has been relieved of his duties Sunday after his sixth year and fifth season at the helm.

 Athletic director Andy Carter made the announcement in a press release Sunday afternoon.

"After careful evaluation, we determined that a new direction was needed to help secure the future success of the program," said Carter. "We appreciate the service, commitment, and dedication that Matt, his family, and coaching staff have given to Missouri Western."

The Griffons closed the 2022 season&nbsp;Saturday with a <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/34fed053-5ca3-4634-b504-e04f6b61868c">41-0 win over Lincoln</a>, bringing their record to 5-6 on the year. It's the first losing season for Western since 2017, which was Williamson's inaugural season.

The five opponents that Missouri Western beat this season had a combined record of 15-40. The only team Western beat this season that finished above .500 was Central Oklahoma, who finished 6-5.

Without a season in 2020 due to COVID-19, Williamson concludes his tenure with a 31-26 record, and a 29-26 mark in MIAA play.

He led the Griffons to Live United Bowl victories in 2018 and '19, peaking with a 9-3 record in 2019. Williamson led the Griffons to three straight winning seasons in '18, '19 and again in 2021.

During Williamson's time, Missouri Western never made the playoffs and were 0-5 against top rival Northwest Missouri State. The Griffons were also 2-11 against ranked opponents under Williamson, with wins coming over No. 5 Fort Hays State in 2018 and then 25th-ranked Hays in '19.

A three-time All-MIAA defensive lineman at Missouri Western, Williamson began his coaching career with the Griffons as a graduate assistant in 1997. He returned as defensive line coach, special teams coordinator and defensive coordinator from 2000-06.

He then went to Central Arkansas, first as defensive line and special teams coordinator from 2007-09 and then as defensive coordinator from 2010-2013.

Williamson was then Stephen F. Austin's defensive coordinator from 2014-2016 before taking over his alma mater's program in 2017.

Williamson succeeded long time head football coach Jerry Partridge, who coached the Griffons from 1997-2016. Partridge led Missouri Western to a 149-83 record during that time - a tenure that included an MIAA championship in 2012 and four total playoff berths.

A national search for the next Missouri Western head football coach will begin immediately, according to the release.

Carter will address the public on this decision during the Missouri Western coaches' luncheon at Hi-Ho Bar and Grill in St. Joseph on Monday, November 14 at noon central. The luncheon will be broadcast live on JoeTown 107.5 FM and 1550 AM.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658880847717.jpeg" alt="Missouri Western head football coach Matt Williamson, seen here at 2022 MIAA Media Day, has been let go after six years. The Griffons were 31-26 overall during his tenure. Stock photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Missouri Western head football coach Matt Williamson, seen here at 2022 MIAA Media Day, has been let go after six years. The Griffons were 31-26 overall during his tenure. Stock photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostMissouri Western head football coach Matt Williamson has been relieved of his duties Sunday after his sixth year and fifth season at the helm. Athletic director Andy Carter made the announcement in a press release Sunday afternoon."After careful evaluation, we determined that a new direction was needed to help secure the future success of the program," said Carter. "We appreciate the service, commitment, and dedication that Matt, his family, and coaching staff have given to Missouri Western." The Griffons closed the 2022 season&nbsp;Saturday with a <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/34fed053-5ca3-4634-b504-e04f6b61868c">41-0 win over Lincoln</a>, bringing their record to 5-6 on the year. It's the first losing season for Western since 2017, which was Williamson's inaugural season.The five opponents that Missouri Western beat this season had a combined record of 15-40. The only team Western beat this season that finished above .500 was Central Oklahoma, who finished 6-5.Without a season in 2020 due to COVID-19, Williamson concludes his tenure with a 31-26 record, and a 29-26 mark in MIAA play.He led the Griffons to Live United Bowl victories in 2018 and '19, peaking with a 9-3 record in 2019. Williamson led the Griffons to three straight winning seasons in '18, '19 and again in 2021.During Williamson's time, Missouri Western never made the playoffs and were 0-5 against top rival Northwest Missouri State. The Griffons were also 2-11 against ranked opponents under Williamson, with wins coming over No. 5 Fort Hays State in 2018 and then 25th-ranked Hays in '19.A three-time All-MIAA defensive lineman at Missouri Western, Williamson began his coaching career with the Griffons as a graduate assistant in 1997. He returned as defensive line coach, special teams coordinator and defensive coordinator from 2000-06.He then went to Central Arkansas, first as defensive line and special teams coordinator from 2007-09 and then as defensive coordinator from 2010-2013.Williamson was then Stephen F. Austin's defensive coordinator from 2014-2016 before taking over his alma mater's program in 2017.Williamson succeeded long time head football coach Jerry Partridge, who coached the Griffons from 1997-2016. Partridge led Missouri Western to a 149-83 record during that time - a tenure that included an MIAA championship in 2012 and four total playoff berths.A national search for the next Missouri Western head football coach will begin immediately, according to the release. Carter will address the public on this decision during the Missouri Western coaches' luncheon at Hi-Ho Bar and Grill in St. Joseph on Monday, November 14 at noon central. The luncheon will be broadcast live on JoeTown 107.5 FM and 1550 AM.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668373143230.jpeg" alt="Williamson (center) with tight end Cam Grandy (left) and cornerback D.J. Stirgus (right) at MIAA Media Day in 2022. Stock photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Williamson (center) with tight end Cam Grandy (left) and cornerback D.J. Stirgus (right) at MIAA Media Day in 2022. Stock photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

MWSU head football coach Matt Williamson fired Sunday after six years

Bearcats defense stands up late to hold onto win over Emporia State

#10 Northwest Missouri State University was outscored 14-7 in the second half, but a late defensive stop helped the Bearcats hold on to a 27-21 win over #22 Emporia State.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Bearcat defense stifled the normally potent passing attack of the Hornets.&nbsp; Emporia State came into the contest averaging just over 300 yards passing per game.&nbsp; Northwest held that attack to 198 yards on the day.&nbsp;

The Bearcat rushing attack was once again the catalyst for the offense as they rushed 49 times for 182 yards and three touchdowns.&nbsp; Freshman Jay Harris rushed for two scores to go with his team leading 19 carries and 94 yards while quarterback Braden Wright rushed for the other score.&nbsp;

The scoring would get started for the day halfway through the first quarter by Harris.&nbsp; The freshman back would cap off a nine play drive that went 77 yards and used just over four minutes of clock, by rushing into the endzone from 19 yards out.&nbsp; The Bearcats though would miss the extra point.&nbsp;

Harris's second score of the day would come early in the second quarter as the Bearcats would again drive down the field, this time over seven plays and just under three minutes of clock, rushing in from five yards and giving Northwest a 12-0 lead.&nbsp; Cole Lammel would convert the extra point this time, extending the lead to 13-0.

Emporia State's only score of the first half would come on the defensive side of the ball as quarterback Mike Hohensee would fumble, one of three on the day, and the Hornets would recover and take it back 17 yards to score, trimming the lead down to 13-7 after the extra point.

Northwest would answer though with their only passing touchdown of the game late in the quarter as Hohensee would end an 11 play, 88 yard drive with a 10 yard pass to Ryan DeWhirst, pushing the lead to 20-7 after the Lammel extra point.

The Bearcats would hold that lead going into the locker room at halftime but an early touchdown in the second half by the Hornets, a one yard run by Braden Gleason, would chip the lead away to a one possession game.&nbsp; But Northwest would answer, as Braden Wright would rush in for his score from six yards out, after an 11 play drive, to make the lead 27-14.

Emporia State would score again in the fourth quarter as a 12 play drive led to another Gleason touchdown run, this time from three yards out, again making the score close at 27-21 with 7:07 left in the game. But following that score the Northwest defense would stand strong, making two big stops over the final minutes.

The Bearcats would stop the Hornets on a 4th and 3 with 4:05 left in the game.&nbsp; After another Northwest three and out, Emporia State would drive all the way down to the two yard line before linebacker Andrew Dumas would sack Gleason to force a 3rd and 17, and on the ensuing fourth down defensive back Cahleel Smith would secure the win with an interception with 48 seconds remaining.&nbsp;

Northwest finishes the regular season 9-2 with the win, and will now wait to figure out their playoff fate.&nbsp;&nbsp;The 2022 NCAA Division II playoff selection show will be this afternoon at 4:30 p.m. on NCAA.com.

Missouri Western cruises to victory against Lincoln on Senior Day

Missouri Western set several rushing records in a shutout win over Lincoln to close out the 2022 season.&nbsp; <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/34fed053-5ca3-4634-b504-e04f6b61868c">Read our full recap here</a>.

Ravens win outright Heart South title for third time

The #6 Benedictine Ravens scored 16 unanswered points in the third quarter to pull away from MidAmerica Nazarene, winning 43-21 and securing an outright title in the Heart South, after going 5-0 in Heart South play.

It's the third conference title for the Ravens since the Heart conference went to a divisional format, also winning the South in 2017 and 2018.&nbsp; Overall, it is the 10th Heart title for Benedictine.&nbsp;

While the Ravens did get the ball to start the game, they gave the ball back to MidAmerica Nazarene after a quick turnover on downs.&nbsp; The Pioneers would cash in on the opportunity, scoring the first points of the game on a six play, 78 yard drive that ended with Blake Atkins throwing a 49 yard touchdown to Caleb Tanis.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Ravens would answer though with two rushing touchdowns in the first to take the lead on back to back drives, a one yard rushing touchdown by Rayshon Mills and a nine yard rush from quarterback Garrett Kettle with 90 seconds left in the quarter.&nbsp;

MidAmerica Nazarene would answer though to start the second quarter, tying the game back up as Atkins would again find Tanis, this time from one yard out, knotting the game back up at 14.&nbsp; &nbsp;Benedictine though would not be deterred.&nbsp;

The Ravens would again score two touchdowns, this time not on back to back drives, but both coming through the air.&nbsp; Kettle would answer the Pioneers score finding Reed Levi for a 15 yard touchdown, the Ravens lead would only be 20-14 after a missed extra point, and then, after throwing an interception on the Ravens next drive, Kettle would find Ethan Peratt from nine yards out, pushing the lead to 27-14.&nbsp;

After halftime was when the Ravens would pull away, scoring 16 unanswered points, which started on defense as Benedictine would tackle Cameron Finley in the endzone for a safety pushing the lead to 29-14.&nbsp; On the ensuing drive Kettle would throw a two yard touchdown pass to Austin Buteaux to end a three play drive, which started with a 49 yard pass from Kettle to Buteaux, the score now at 36-14.&nbsp;

Three drives later the Ravens would score their final points of the quarter, following an interception by Jackson Hoskins,&nbsp; Dalton Witherspoon would rush for 12 yards before Kettle would complete a 29 yard pass to JaShawn Todd with 10:34 left in the third, making the score 43-14.&nbsp;

The game would be relatively quiet until just inside 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter, when Adrian Parsons rushed in from 12 yards out with 9:53 left in the game, marking the final points of the game for both teams.

Kettle finished with 239 yards passing on 16 completions and threw four touchdowns.&nbsp; Buteaux led receivers with 48 yards on just two catches while Levi added 45 yards on two catches. Witherspoon led all rushers with 15 carries for 108 yards.&nbsp; Defensively the Ravens had four takeaways and held the Pioneers to just 67 rushing yards on 32 carries.

Benedictine finishes the regular season with a record of 10-1, to go with their 5-0 conference record in the Heart South.&nbsp;&nbsp;The NAIA will announce their 16-team Football Championship Series field at 6 p.m. tonight on the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/PlayNAIA">NAIA's official YouTube Channel</a>.

Will Howard subs back in, leads #23 Kansas State to rout over Baylor

WACO, Texas (AP) — No. 23 Kansas State lost control of its path to the Big 12 championship game last week when quarterback Will Howard was watching from the sideline.

The super sub helped the Wildcats get it back, with a little help from undefeated conference leader TCU.

Howard threw for three touchdowns after Adrian Martinez exited with another injury, and the Wildcats buoyed their Big 12 title hopes with a 31-3 rout of Baylor on Saturday night.

The defending conference champion Bears (6-4, 4-3 Big 12) will need help to get back to the championship game after a three-game winning streak had put them back in contention.

The Wildcats (7-3, 5-2 Big 12) are now alone in second place behind the fourth-ranked Horned Frogs, who sent No. 18 Texas into a tie with Baylor behind Kansas State with a 17-10 victory in Austin.

Kansas State dropped into the second-place tie last week with a 34-27 loss to Texas, when Martinez returned from a knee injury and threw for 326 yards, but had two key turnovers.

Howard came on after Martinez appeared to injure his lower body getting a first down on a quarterback sneak in the first quarter. The school offered no specifics on the injury.

Howard has thrown seven TD passes without an interception in seven-plus quarters filling in for Martinez, who was on the sideline with his helmet on after getting checked by the medical staff.

Coach Chris Klieman said Martinez was available to return, but the staff figured he would be limited by the injury.

“I looked at Will, and I said, ‘Will, you got it,’” Klieman said. “He played really well, and we blocked exceptionally well for him. And man, we made some plays.”

The Wildcats are still interested in redshirting Howard, a junior who has spent most of the season behind the senior transfer from Nebraska.

The intrigue only grows with Kansas State now in position to play for the championship Dec. 3 at the home of the Dallas Cowboys.

“It's a conversation that we had this week, and we told him we're going to have one every week,” Klieman said. “Will's in a good place right now. Adrian's in a good place right now.”

Blake Shapen threw two interceptions in the Bears' worst offensive showing in a Big 12 game this season as a four-game winning streak in the series ended.

“Obviously everybody knows what was on the line tonight, probably too much,” Baylor linebacker Dillon Doyle said. “You just box it and move on. It's really hard to do, but it's the same thing with life.”

Deuce Vaughn had a 20-yard touchdown catch and 106 yards rushing, making him the third Kansas State running back with consecutive 1,000-yard seasons (1,081 yards this season).

Howard was 19 of 27 for 196 yards, and Sinnott had another TD from 19 yards while finishing with seven catches for 89 yards.

The Wildcats will travel to Morgantown, West Virginia Saturday to take on the Mountaineers.&nbsp; Kickoff time is still to be determined.

Red Raiders rushing attack too much for Jayhawks in loss

LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Tyler Shough threw a touchdown pass and ran for a score and Texas Tech outlasted Kansas 43-28 on Saturday night.

Shough rushed for a 9-yard touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter to give Texas Tech (5-5, 3-4 Big 12 ) a 33-21 lead. It was the first score by either team in the second half.

Tahj Brooks sealed the victory with a 5-yard touchdown run with 3:33 remaining in the game. Four different Red Raiders scored four rushing touchdowns in the win.

Shough was 16-for-25 passing for 246 yards and a touchdown in his first start since the opening week of the season. Texas Tech totaled 506 yards of offense with 260 of them on the ground.

The Red Raiders used a brief two-quarterback system with Shough and Donovan Smith. Smith rushed for a 6-yard touchdown on the opening drive where Shough was responsible for 57 of the 75 yards on the drive.

SaRodorick Thompson Jr. rushed for 68 yards with a 36-yard touchdown for the Red Raiders. Mason Tharp caught a 1-yard touchdown pass from Shough to give the Red Raiders a 24-7 lead midway through the first half.

The Jayhawks managed to claw back to trail 27-21 at halftime on Jason Bean's 16-yard touchdown run and his 3-yard scoring toss to Devin Neel. Quentin Skinner and Bean connected for a 20-yard touchdown to pull the Jayhawks within 33-28 with eight minutes remaining in the game, but the Red Raiders used a Trey Wolff field goal from and a strip sack that led to the final touchdown to hold on for the win.

Bean was 17-for-28 passing for 270 yards. He threw three touchdown passes and ran for a score in his fourth start of the season after taking over for the injured Jalon Daniels. Jared Casey and Luke Grimm were the benefactors of two Bean passing scores in the first half.

Neel rushed for 190 yards just a week after rushing for 224 yards against Oklahoma State.&nbsp; Kansas accumulated 525 yards and 293 came through the passing game.

The Jayhawks now sit at 6-4 overall on the season (3-4 Big 12) and will next up return to Lawrence, Kansas for Senior Day when they host the #18 Texas Longhorns.&nbsp; Kickoff time is still to be determined.

Tigers struggle to contain former coordinator Heupel, Volunteers

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — If style points are important to No. 5 Tennessee, the Volunteers scored 66 of them Saturday.

Hendon Hooker threw for 355 yards and three touchdowns and also ran for a score to lead the Volunteers (9-1, 5-1 SEC, No. 5 College Football Playoff) to a 66-24 victory over Missouri (4-6, 2-5 SEC).

Tennessee bounced back from its first loss of the season to Georgia last week by setting a school record with 724 total offensive yards, eclipsing 718 against Troy in 2012.

Was that a statement to the College Football Playoff Committee?

“The statement is that we're a good football team playing good football,” Tennessee coach Josh Heupel said.

The Volunteers did have trouble containing a Missouri attack that has struggled this season. The Tigers rushed for 172 yards, more than any other team against Tennessee this year.

Missouri quarterback Brady Cook did the most damage, running for 106 yards and throwing for 217.

The Tigers even cut the Vols' lead to 28-24 early in the third quarter before Tennessee took off.

“Kind of the wheels fell off,” Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz said of the Vols' 38 unanswered points.

Heupel said his team doesn't panic: “We just settled in and played better football.”

Tennessee's Jalin Hyatt caught seven passes for 146 yards and a touchdown and Bru McCoy caught nine passes for 111 yards.

“Tennessee is really good and Hendon Hooker and those guys play really well,” Drinkwitz said. “But we weren't ourselves.”

Hooker threw for 229 yards in the first half (17 of 24) as Tennessee led 28-17 at intermission. Cook had 94 yards passing and 86 rushing for Missouri. His late 40-yard scramble set up a Harrison Mevis field goal as time expired.

Next up Missouri will get a breather from their SEC schedule as they return to Columbia to host New Mexico State.&nbsp; Kickoff is set for 6:30 pm and the game will be aired on ESPNU.

Huskers struggle to contain Heisman hopeful Blake Corum in loss

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Blake Corum made plays without the ball in his hands, drawing a safety on a fake to set up one of J.J. McCarthy's touchdown passes and paving the way to help him run for a score.

Corum also ran for 162 yards and scored a touchdown of his own, helping No. 3 Michigan stay undefeated with a 34-3 win over Nebraska on Saturday.

Instead of constantly handing the ball off to Corum near the end zone as the Wolverines have many times, they used him as a decoy to set up McCarthy's 9-yard touchdown pass to Ronnie Bell and as a lead blocker for the quarterback on a designed run for another score.

“That was something different, right?" coach Jim Harbaugh asked.

The Wolverines (10-0, 7-0 Big Ten, No. 3 CFP) have won their first 10 games for the first time since 2006, when they closed the regular season as the second-ranked team with a loss to rival and top-ranked Ohio State.

In two weeks, Michigan will play the Buckeyes on the road with the Big Ten East Division title and likely spot in the College Football Playoff at stake.

“It’s a joyful, happy ride that we’re on," Harbaugh said. “It’s a mssion, but it’s a happy mission. It’s not one that has any anxiety or anger or any kind of fear."

Michigan was in control from the start against the Cornhuskers (3-7, 2-5) and opened with a 12-play, 80-yard drive that Corum capped with a 2-yard run for his 18th touchdown.

Nebraska started quarterback Chubba Purdy in place of Casey Thompson, who missed a second straight game with an elbow injury, and he left the game in the second quarter after appearing to injure his right ankle.

Logan Smothers filled in and after fumbling a snap, the Cornhuskers settled for a field goal and 14-3 score.

“He's been banged up (for) two weeks, but he’s a tough kid and he’s going to play," interim coach Mickey Joseph said.

Purdy was 6 of 12 for 56 yards and ran for a team-high 39 yards. Smothers was 4 of 8 for 15 yards for the Cornuskers, who finished with just 146 yards of offense.

“We tried to go more to the run game with Logan and tried to show some more option," Joseph said. “But we were trying to make sure that he didn’t take any direct hits."

Nebraska offensive coordinator Mark Whipple was carted off the field at halftime and taken for X-rays after Michigan receiver A.J. Henning ran into him behind the sideline in the second quarter.

Also in the first half, Cornhuskers running back Alante Brown tried to hurdle Mike Sainristil and the cornerback hit his trail leg, sending him higher into the air where defensive back D.J. Turner hit him.

“That wasn’t a smart hurdle by him," Corum said. “Mikey was not going low. He could’ve snapped his neck."

The Huskers will look to snap a four game losing streak as they return to Lincoln, Nebraska for their final home game of the season against Wisconsin.&nbsp; Kickoff time is still to be determined.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668291968223.jpeg" alt="Bearcats defensive tackle Elijah Green lines up on defense during Northwest's 27-21 win over Emporia State/ Photo by Alexis Starks, Northwest Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Bearcats defensive tackle Elijah Green lines up on defense during Northwest's 27-21 win over Emporia State/ Photo by Alexis Starks, Northwest Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostBearcats defense stands up late to hold onto win over Emporia State#10 Northwest Missouri State University was outscored 14-7 in the second half, but a late defensive stop helped the Bearcats hold on to a 27-21 win over #22 Emporia State.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Bearcat defense stifled the normally potent passing attack of the Hornets.&nbsp; Emporia State came into the contest averaging just over 300 yards passing per game.&nbsp; Northwest held that attack to 198 yards on the day.&nbsp;The Bearcat rushing attack was once again the catalyst for the offense as they rushed 49 times for 182 yards and three touchdowns.&nbsp; Freshman Jay Harris rushed for two scores to go with his team leading 19 carries and 94 yards while quarterback Braden Wright rushed for the other score.&nbsp;The scoring would get started for the day halfway through the first quarter by Harris.&nbsp; The freshman back would cap off a nine play drive that went 77 yards and used just over four minutes of clock, by rushing into the endzone from 19 yards out.&nbsp; The Bearcats though would miss the extra point.&nbsp;Harris's second score of the day would come early in the second quarter as the Bearcats would again drive down the field, this time over seven plays and just under three minutes of clock, rushing in from five yards and giving Northwest a 12-0 lead.&nbsp; Cole Lammel would convert the extra point this time, extending the lead to 13-0.Emporia State's only score of the first half would come on the defensive side of the ball as quarterback Mike Hohensee would fumble, one of three on the day, and the Hornets would recover and take it back 17 yards to score, trimming the lead down to 13-7 after the extra point.Northwest would answer though with their only passing touchdown of the game late in the quarter as Hohensee would end an 11 play, 88 yard drive with a 10 yard pass to Ryan DeWhirst, pushing the lead to 20-7 after the Lammel extra point.The Bearcats would hold that lead going into the locker room at halftime but an early touchdown in the second half by the Hornets, a one yard run by Braden Gleason, would chip the lead away to a one possession game.&nbsp; But Northwest would answer, as Braden Wright would rush in for his score from six yards out, after an 11 play drive, to make the lead 27-14.Emporia State would score again in the fourth quarter as a 12 play drive led to another Gleason touchdown run, this time from three yards out, again making the score close at 27-21 with 7:07 left in the game. But following that score the Northwest defense would stand strong, making two big stops over the final minutes.The Bearcats would stop the Hornets on a 4th and 3 with 4:05 left in the game.&nbsp; After another Northwest three and out, Emporia State would drive all the way down to the two yard line before linebacker Andrew Dumas would sack Gleason to force a 3rd and 17, and on the ensuing fourth down defensive back Cahleel Smith would secure the win with an interception with 48 seconds remaining.&nbsp;Northwest finishes the regular season 9-2 with the win, and will now wait to figure out their playoff fate.&nbsp;&nbsp;The 2022 NCAA Division II playoff selection show will be this afternoon at 4:30 p.m. on NCAA.com.Missouri Western cruises to victory against Lincoln on Senior DayMissouri Western set several rushing records in a shutout win over Lincoln to close out the 2022 season.&nbsp; <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/34fed053-5ca3-4634-b504-e04f6b61868c">Read our full recap here</a>.Ravens win outright Heart South title for third time<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668315734893.jpeg" alt="The Benedictine Ravens celebrate winning an outright Heart South conference title after defeating MidAmerica Nazarene/ Photo courtesy of Todd Nugent, Raven Athletics" />
 <figcaption>The Benedictine Ravens celebrate winning an outright Heart South conference title after defeating MidAmerica Nazarene/ Photo courtesy of Todd Nugent, Raven Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>The #6 Benedictine Ravens scored 16 unanswered points in the third quarter to pull away from MidAmerica Nazarene, winning 43-21 and securing an outright title in the Heart South, after going 5-0 in Heart South play.It's the third conference title for the Ravens since the Heart conference went to a divisional format, also winning the South in 2017 and 2018.&nbsp; Overall, it is the 10th Heart title for Benedictine.&nbsp;While the Ravens did get the ball to start the game, they gave the ball back to MidAmerica Nazarene after a quick turnover on downs.&nbsp; The Pioneers would cash in on the opportunity, scoring the first points of the game on a six play, 78 yard drive that ended with Blake Atkins throwing a 49 yard touchdown to Caleb Tanis.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Ravens would answer though with two rushing touchdowns in the first to take the lead on back to back drives, a one yard rushing touchdown by Rayshon Mills and a nine yard rush from quarterback Garrett Kettle with 90 seconds left in the quarter.&nbsp;MidAmerica Nazarene would answer though to start the second quarter, tying the game back up as Atkins would again find Tanis, this time from one yard out, knotting the game back up at 14.&nbsp; &nbsp;Benedictine though would not be deterred.&nbsp;The Ravens would again score two touchdowns, this time not on back to back drives, but both coming through the air.&nbsp; Kettle would answer the Pioneers score finding Reed Levi for a 15 yard touchdown, the Ravens lead would only be 20-14 after a missed extra point, and then, after throwing an interception on the Ravens next drive, Kettle would find Ethan Peratt from nine yards out, pushing the lead to 27-14.&nbsp;After halftime was when the Ravens would pull away, scoring 16 unanswered points, which started on defense as Benedictine would tackle Cameron Finley in the endzone for a safety pushing the lead to 29-14.&nbsp; On the ensuing drive Kettle would throw a two yard touchdown pass to Austin Buteaux to end a three play drive, which started with a 49 yard pass from Kettle to Buteaux, the score now at 36-14.&nbsp;Three drives later the Ravens would score their final points of the quarter, following an interception by Jackson Hoskins,&nbsp; Dalton Witherspoon would rush for 12 yards before Kettle would complete a 29 yard pass to JaShawn Todd with 10:34 left in the third, making the score 43-14.&nbsp;The game would be relatively quiet until just inside 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter, when Adrian Parsons rushed in from 12 yards out with 9:53 left in the game, marking the final points of the game for both teams.Kettle finished with 239 yards passing on 16 completions and threw four touchdowns.&nbsp; Buteaux led receivers with 48 yards on just two catches while Levi added 45 yards on two catches. Witherspoon led all rushers with 15 carries for 108 yards.&nbsp; Defensively the Ravens had four takeaways and held the Pioneers to just 67 rushing yards on 32 carries.Benedictine finishes the regular season with a record of 10-1, to go with their 5-0 conference record in the Heart South.&nbsp;&nbsp;The NAIA will announce their 16-team Football Championship Series field at 6 p.m. tonight on the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/PlayNAIA">NAIA's official YouTube Channel</a>.Will Howard subs back in, leads #23 Kansas State to rout over BaylorWACO, Texas (AP) — No. 23 Kansas State lost control of its path to the Big 12 championship game last week when quarterback Will Howard was watching from the sideline.The super sub helped the Wildcats get it back, with a little help from undefeated conference leader TCU.Howard threw for three touchdowns after Adrian Martinez exited with another injury, and the Wildcats buoyed their Big 12 title hopes with a 31-3 rout of Baylor on Saturday night.The defending conference champion Bears (6-4, 4-3 Big 12) will need help to get back to the championship game after a three-game winning streak had put them back in contention.The Wildcats (7-3, 5-2 Big 12) are now alone in second place behind the fourth-ranked Horned Frogs, who sent No. 18 Texas into a tie with Baylor behind Kansas State with a 17-10 victory in Austin.Kansas State dropped into the second-place tie last week with a 34-27 loss to Texas, when Martinez returned from a knee injury and threw for 326 yards, but had two key turnovers.Howard came on after Martinez appeared to injure his lower body getting a first down on a quarterback sneak in the first quarter. The school offered no specifics on the injury.Howard has thrown seven TD passes without an interception in seven-plus quarters filling in for Martinez, who was on the sideline with his helmet on after getting checked by the medical staff.Coach Chris Klieman said Martinez was available to return, but the staff figured he would be limited by the injury.“I looked at Will, and I said, ‘Will, you got it,’” Klieman said. “He played really well, and we blocked exceptionally well for him. And man, we made some plays.”The Wildcats are still interested in redshirting Howard, a junior who has spent most of the season behind the senior transfer from Nebraska.The intrigue only grows with Kansas State now in position to play for the championship Dec. 3 at the home of the Dallas Cowboys.“It's a conversation that we had this week, and we told him we're going to have one every week,” Klieman said. “Will's in a good place right now. Adrian's in a good place right now.”Blake Shapen threw two interceptions in the Bears' worst offensive showing in a Big 12 game this season as a four-game winning streak in the series ended.“Obviously everybody knows what was on the line tonight, probably too much,” Baylor linebacker Dillon Doyle said. “You just box it and move on. It's really hard to do, but it's the same thing with life.”Deuce Vaughn had a 20-yard touchdown catch and 106 yards rushing, making him the third Kansas State running back with consecutive 1,000-yard seasons (1,081 yards this season).Howard was 19 of 27 for 196 yards, and Sinnott had another TD from 19 yards while finishing with seven catches for 89 yards.The Wildcats will travel to Morgantown, West Virginia Saturday to take on the Mountaineers.&nbsp; Kickoff time is still to be determined.Red Raiders rushing attack too much for Jayhawks in lossLUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Tyler Shough threw a touchdown pass and ran for a score and Texas Tech outlasted Kansas 43-28 on Saturday night.Shough rushed for a 9-yard touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter to give Texas Tech (5-5, 3-4 Big 12 ) a 33-21 lead. It was the first score by either team in the second half.Tahj Brooks sealed the victory with a 5-yard touchdown run with 3:33 remaining in the game. Four different Red Raiders scored four rushing touchdowns in the win.Shough was 16-for-25 passing for 246 yards and a touchdown in his first start since the opening week of the season. Texas Tech totaled 506 yards of offense with 260 of them on the ground.The Red Raiders used a brief two-quarterback system with Shough and Donovan Smith. Smith rushed for a 6-yard touchdown on the opening drive where Shough was responsible for 57 of the 75 yards on the drive.SaRodorick Thompson Jr. rushed for 68 yards with a 36-yard touchdown for the Red Raiders. Mason Tharp caught a 1-yard touchdown pass from Shough to give the Red Raiders a 24-7 lead midway through the first half.The Jayhawks managed to claw back to trail 27-21 at halftime on Jason Bean's 16-yard touchdown run and his 3-yard scoring toss to Devin Neel. Quentin Skinner and Bean connected for a 20-yard touchdown to pull the Jayhawks within 33-28 with eight minutes remaining in the game, but the Red Raiders used a Trey Wolff field goal from and a strip sack that led to the final touchdown to hold on for the win.Bean was 17-for-28 passing for 270 yards. He threw three touchdown passes and ran for a score in his fourth start of the season after taking over for the injured Jalon Daniels. Jared Casey and Luke Grimm were the benefactors of two Bean passing scores in the first half.Neel rushed for 190 yards just a week after rushing for 224 yards against Oklahoma State.&nbsp; Kansas accumulated 525 yards and 293 came through the passing game.The Jayhawks now sit at 6-4 overall on the season (3-4 Big 12) and will next up return to Lawrence, Kansas for Senior Day when they host the #18 Texas Longhorns.&nbsp; Kickoff time is still to be determined.Tigers struggle to contain former coordinator Heupel, VolunteersKNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — If style points are important to No. 5 Tennessee, the Volunteers scored 66 of them Saturday.Hendon Hooker threw for 355 yards and three touchdowns and also ran for a score to lead the Volunteers (9-1, 5-1 SEC, No. 5 College Football Playoff) to a 66-24 victory over Missouri (4-6, 2-5 SEC).Tennessee bounced back from its first loss of the season to Georgia last week by setting a school record with 724 total offensive yards, eclipsing 718 against Troy in 2012.Was that a statement to the College Football Playoff Committee?“The statement is that we're a good football team playing good football,” Tennessee coach Josh Heupel said.The Volunteers did have trouble containing a Missouri attack that has struggled this season. The Tigers rushed for 172 yards, more than any other team against Tennessee this year.Missouri quarterback Brady Cook did the most damage, running for 106 yards and throwing for 217.The Tigers even cut the Vols' lead to 28-24 early in the third quarter before Tennessee took off.“Kind of the wheels fell off,” Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz said of the Vols' 38 unanswered points.Heupel said his team doesn't panic: “We just settled in and played better football.”Tennessee's Jalin Hyatt caught seven passes for 146 yards and a touchdown and Bru McCoy caught nine passes for 111 yards.“Tennessee is really good and Hendon Hooker and those guys play really well,” Drinkwitz said. “But we weren't ourselves.”Hooker threw for 229 yards in the first half (17 of 24) as Tennessee led 28-17 at intermission. Cook had 94 yards passing and 86 rushing for Missouri. His late 40-yard scramble set up a Harrison Mevis field goal as time expired.Next up Missouri will get a breather from their SEC schedule as they return to Columbia to host New Mexico State.&nbsp; Kickoff is set for 6:30 pm and the game will be aired on ESPNU.Huskers struggle to contain Heisman hopeful Blake Corum in lossANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Blake Corum made plays without the ball in his hands, drawing a safety on a fake to set up one of J.J. McCarthy's touchdown passes and paving the way to help him run for a score.Corum also ran for 162 yards and scored a touchdown of his own, helping No. 3 Michigan stay undefeated with a 34-3 win over Nebraska on Saturday.Instead of constantly handing the ball off to Corum near the end zone as the Wolverines have many times, they used him as a decoy to set up McCarthy's 9-yard touchdown pass to Ronnie Bell and as a lead blocker for the quarterback on a designed run for another score.“That was something different, right?" coach Jim Harbaugh asked.The Wolverines (10-0, 7-0 Big Ten, No. 3 CFP) have won their first 10 games for the first time since 2006, when they closed the regular season as the second-ranked team with a loss to rival and top-ranked Ohio State.In two weeks, Michigan will play the Buckeyes on the road with the Big Ten East Division title and likely spot in the College Football Playoff at stake.“It’s a joyful, happy ride that we’re on," Harbaugh said. “It’s a mssion, but it’s a happy mission. It’s not one that has any anxiety or anger or any kind of fear."Michigan was in control from the start against the Cornhuskers (3-7, 2-5) and opened with a 12-play, 80-yard drive that Corum capped with a 2-yard run for his 18th touchdown.Nebraska started quarterback Chubba Purdy in place of Casey Thompson, who missed a second straight game with an elbow injury, and he left the game in the second quarter after appearing to injure his right ankle.Logan Smothers filled in and after fumbling a snap, the Cornhuskers settled for a field goal and 14-3 score.“He's been banged up (for) two weeks, but he’s a tough kid and he’s going to play," interim coach Mickey Joseph said.Purdy was 6 of 12 for 56 yards and ran for a team-high 39 yards. Smothers was 4 of 8 for 15 yards for the Cornuskers, who finished with just 146 yards of offense.“We tried to go more to the run game with Logan and tried to show some more option," Joseph said. “But we were trying to make sure that he didn’t take any direct hits."SCARY MOMENTSNebraska offensive coordinator Mark Whipple was carted off the field at halftime and taken for X-rays after Michigan receiver A.J. Henning ran into him behind the sideline in the second quarter.Also in the first half, Cornhuskers running back Alante Brown tried to hurdle Mike Sainristil and the cornerback hit his trail leg, sending him higher into the air where defensive back D.J. Turner hit him.“That wasn’t a smart hurdle by him," Corum said. “Mikey was not going low. He could’ve snapped his neck."The Huskers will look to snap a four game losing streak as they return to Lincoln, Nebraska for their final home game of the season against Wisconsin.&nbsp; Kickoff time is still to be determined.

CFB Roundup: Bearcats win close bout against Hornets, Ravens win Heart South outright

In a tight game that featured seven lead changes and four ties, Missouri Western was matching NSIC heavyweight Northern State blow-for-blow Saturday, trailing only 45-42 with 9:55 remaining.

The Griffons (1-1), however, scored only four points over the next 6:28 of game time.

Missouri Western got down by 16 with 3:27 remaining and got back to within seven points with 56 seconds left, but Northern State made six free throws in the final 48 seconds to beat Missouri Western 68-57 on Saturday in the Hillyard Tipoff Classic at the MWSU Fieldhouse.

The Griffons turned the ball over 17 times, which led to 25 Northern State points the other way. Missouri Western shot just 38 percent (19-of-50) from the field, including 7-of-23 from three.

"We forced a lot of bad shots," Missouri Western men's basketball coach Will Martin said. "When you do that against a really good team, they make you pay. That's what Northern did tonight. We were right there most of the game, but again, when you're turning the ball over, even if the score says you're close, you're really not. You're putting yourself in a position to not have success."

Missouri Western held Northern State to a modest 39.7% shooting (23-of-58), but seven second half threes helped the Wolves turn a one-point halftime lead into a double-digit advantage down the stretch.

The Griffons led for 8:32, including a 29-28 edge with 19:20 left, but a three by Northern State's Josh Dilling put the Wolves back up 31-29 with 18:53 remaining and Northern never trailed after that.

Sophomore Taye Fields led Missouri Western with 19 points and eight rebounds. Junior Will Eames had 13 points and seven boards. Redshirt sophomore Julius Dixon logged 11 points and seven rebounds for the Griffons, while sophomore Zion Swader notched 10 points.

Senior Sam Masten paced three Northern State players in double figures. Masten scored a game-high 24 points on an efficient 9-of-13 shooting from the floor. The Wolves were efficient with the ball as a team, logging 15 assists to just 10 turnovers.

Missouri Western goes on the road this Thursday to face Oklahoma Baptist (0-2) in Shawnee, OK. That game will start at 7:30 p.m. and will be carried on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3 FM).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1667190543048.jpeg" alt="Missouri Western's Taye Fields (13) led the Griffons with 19 points and 8 rebounds in a 68-57 loss to Northern State at the MWSU Fieldhouse Saturday. Stock photo by Arianne Boma." />
 <figcaption>Missouri Western's Taye Fields (13) led the Griffons with 19 points and 8 rebounds in a 68-57 loss to Northern State at the MWSU Fieldhouse Saturday. Stock photo by Arianne Boma.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostIn a tight game that featured seven lead changes and four ties, Missouri Western was matching NSIC heavyweight Northern State blow-for-blow Saturday, trailing only 45-42 with 9:55 remaining.The Griffons (1-1), however, scored only four points over the next 6:28 of game time.Missouri Western got down by 16 with 3:27 remaining and got back to within seven points with 56 seconds left, but Northern State made six free throws in the final 48 seconds to beat Missouri Western 68-57 on Saturday in the Hillyard Tipoff Classic at the MWSU Fieldhouse.The Griffons turned the ball over 17 times, which led to 25 Northern State points the other way. Missouri Western shot just 38 percent (19-of-50) from the field, including 7-of-23 from three."We forced a lot of bad shots," Missouri Western men's basketball coach Will Martin said. "When you do that against a really good team, they make you pay. That's what Northern did tonight. We were right there most of the game, but again, when you're turning the ball over, even if the score says you're close, you're really not. You're putting yourself in a position to not have success."Missouri Western held Northern State to a modest 39.7% shooting (23-of-58), but seven second half threes helped the Wolves turn a one-point halftime lead into a double-digit advantage down the stretch.The Griffons led for 8:32, including a 29-28 edge with 19:20 left, but a three by Northern State's Josh Dilling put the Wolves back up 31-29 with 18:53 remaining and Northern never trailed after that.Sophomore Taye Fields led Missouri Western with 19 points and eight rebounds. Junior Will Eames had 13 points and seven boards. Redshirt sophomore Julius Dixon logged 11 points and seven rebounds for the Griffons, while sophomore Zion Swader notched 10 points.Senior Sam Masten paced three Northern State players in double figures. Masten scored a game-high 24 points on an efficient 9-of-13 shooting from the floor. The Wolves were efficient with the ball as a team, logging 15 assists to just 10 turnovers.Missouri Western goes on the road this Thursday to face Oklahoma Baptist (0-2) in Shawnee, OK. That game will start at 7:30 p.m. and will be carried on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3 FM).You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Turnovers, second half drought costs MWSU MBB against Northern State Saturday

Missouri Western posted a school record 462 rushing yards, led by a schol record 289 yards rushing by senior running back Titus McCoy, and the Griffons shut out the Lincoln Blue Tigers 41-0 on Saturday at Spratt Stadium in St. Joseph.

It was Senior Day for 11 Missouri Western seniors, and the Griffons ended the season on a high note, dominating a winless Lincoln team from start to finish.

"Wanted to finish this strong and finish this season that didn't turn out the way we wanted it to with our record and everything," Missouri Western football coach Matt Williamson said. "Just to finish the game like that, be able to ring the bell and play at home with these seniors and honor them for all they have done. For all of the hard work, sweat and tears they put into Griffon football. It was...it was great."

McCoy, playing in his final game as a Griffon, set the tone early with a long 57-yard rush to put Missouri Western within striking distance. Two plays later, McCoy scored his first rushing touchdown from eight yards away to put the Griffons up 7-0 with 10:49 left in the first quarter.

A bit later on, Missouri Western strung together an eight-play, 80-yard drive. This one was capped with a 37-yard touchdown run by sophomore quarterback Reagan Jones, giving the Griffons a 14-0 lead with 13:37 left in the second quarter.

Lincoln (0-11) struggled to answer all day offensively, as each of their first five drives ended in punt.

Missouri Western added one more score before the end of the first half. McCoy scored his second touchdown, this one from five yards out, to give the Griffons a 20-0 lead at half.

Missouri Western tacked on another score in their first series of the second half. A nine-play, 73 yard drive ended with yet another McCoy touchdown, this one from 10 yards out, to put the Griffons up 27-0 with 9:07 left in the third quarter.

McCoy added a couple more for good measure in the fourth quarter, one from 10 yards away and another from one yard, to put Western up 41-0 with 3:01 to play.

McCoy finished with 35 carries for a single-game program record 289 yards and a single-game record tying five rushing touchdowns.

"It's just exciting to see," McCoy said after playing his final collegiate game. "Without the O-line, I wouldn't be able to do this. So, it's easy running into second level, but the men up front deserve it all. I just made the cut and today, it worked in my favor. Going out like today just meant a lot to me and I know it's just something I'll cherish forever."&nbsp;

Jones ran the ball 12 times for 116 yards and a score. Defensively, Missouri Western held Lincoln to just 155 total yards, including just four rushing yards on 32 attempts.&nbsp;The Griffons also managed seven total sacks.

"When (Lincoln) was unable to do what they wanted to do, it makes it a heck of a lot easier to put them behind the chains and we were able to control the ball with the running game. So, it was a great team win," said Williamson.

Missouri Western ends the 2022 season with a 5-6 record, the first losing season since 2017, but setting a couple of school records at home on Senior Day was a pretty decent way to close the book.

"They just competed this week," Williamson said. "There was a lot of smiles and hard effort. I knew we were going to play really well. I wasn't shocked at all."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668311034252.jpeg" alt="Missouri Western's Titus McCoy (4) rings the bell following a school record 289 yards rushing in a 41-0 win over Lincoln at Spratt Stadium in St. Joseph Saturday. Photo by Arianne Boma." />
 <figcaption>Missouri Western's Titus McCoy (4) rings the bell following a school record 289 yards rushing in a 41-0 win over Lincoln at Spratt Stadium in St. Joseph Saturday. Photo by Arianne Boma.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph Post&nbsp;Missouri Western posted a school record 462 rushing yards, led by a schol record 289 yards rushing by senior running back Titus McCoy, and the Griffons shut out the Lincoln Blue Tigers 41-0 on Saturday at Spratt Stadium in St. Joseph.It was Senior Day for 11 Missouri Western seniors, and the Griffons ended the season on a high note, dominating a winless Lincoln team from start to finish."Wanted to finish this strong and finish this season that didn't turn out the way we wanted it to with our record and everything," Missouri Western football coach Matt Williamson said. "Just to finish the game like that, be able to ring the bell and play at home with these seniors and honor them for all they have done. For all of the hard work, sweat and tears they put into Griffon football. It was...it was great."McCoy, playing in his final game as a Griffon, set the tone early with a long 57-yard rush to put Missouri Western within striking distance. Two plays later, McCoy scored his first rushing touchdown from eight yards away to put the Griffons up 7-0 with 10:49 left in the first quarter.A bit later on, Missouri Western strung together an eight-play, 80-yard drive. This one was capped with a 37-yard touchdown run by sophomore quarterback Reagan Jones, giving the Griffons a 14-0 lead with 13:37 left in the second quarter.Lincoln (0-11) struggled to answer all day offensively, as each of their first five drives ended in punt.Missouri Western added one more score before the end of the first half. McCoy scored his second touchdown, this one from five yards out, to give the Griffons a 20-0 lead at half.Missouri Western tacked on another score in their first series of the second half. A nine-play, 73 yard drive ended with yet another McCoy touchdown, this one from 10 yards out, to put the Griffons up 27-0 with 9:07 left in the third quarter.McCoy added a couple more for good measure in the fourth quarter, one from 10 yards away and another from one yard, to put Western up 41-0 with 3:01 to play.McCoy finished with 35 carries for a single-game program record 289 yards and a single-game record tying five rushing touchdowns."It's just exciting to see," McCoy said after playing his final collegiate game. "Without the O-line, I wouldn't be able to do this. So, it's easy running into second level, but the men up front deserve it all. I just made the cut and today, it worked in my favor. Going out like today just meant a lot to me and I know it's just something I'll cherish forever."&nbsp;Jones ran the ball 12 times for 116 yards and a score. Defensively, Missouri Western held Lincoln to just 155 total yards, including just four rushing yards on 32 attempts.&nbsp;The Griffons also managed seven total sacks."When (Lincoln) was unable to do what they wanted to do, it makes it a heck of a lot easier to put them behind the chains and we were able to control the ball with the running game. So, it was a great team win," said Williamson.Missouri Western ends the 2022 season with a 5-6 record, the first losing season since 2017, but setting a couple of school records at home on Senior Day was a pretty decent way to close the book."They just competed this week," Williamson said. "There was a lot of smiles and hard effort. I knew we were going to play really well. I wasn't shocked at all."<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/Titus-McCoy--Matt-Williamson---MWSU-vs--Lincoln-postgame-e1qm3ep" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

MWSU sets rushing records, shuts out Lincoln to end 2022 football season

The Missouri Western men's basketball team (1-0) led 45-34 at halftime and 66-50 with 6:30 left in the second half, but Minnesota-Crookston went on an inspired, 20-4 run to force overtime.

Crookston's Blaize Sagna hit a tying three-pointer with 1.7 seconds left in regulation, but the Golden Eagles (0-1) never got the lead after halftime.

Missouri Western started the OT period on a 10-1 run and held on to beat the Golden Eagles 81-76 on Friday in the Hillyard Tip-off Classic at the MWSU Fieldhouse.

"We're never going to apologize for a win," Missouri Western men's basketball coach Will Martin said. "We got the W. We've got a lot, a lot to watch on the film. Which is good. You always like to learn more in the wins, but typically, you learn more in the losses. So, this one felt like a loss because of the way they came back."

"I think our guys played hard. I think they showed resiliency by getting it done in overtime. I thought we were really disciplined in that overtime."

Crookston went blow-for-blow with Missouri Western early. The Golden Eagles led 18-17 with 10:40 left in the first half, but the Griffons started shooting three-pointers, and just kept on making them.

Missouri Western was a scorching seven of their first 10 from beyond the arc Friday and ended the first half, shooting 10-of-15 from long range. The Griffons were led in three-point shooting by sophomore Zion Swader.

The sophomore from Murfreesboro, Tennessee scored 17 of his career-high 22 points in the first half on a perfect 5-for-5 effort from three.

"I knew I had to have a bigger role with the team," Swader said. "I was confident coming into the year. I worked on my shot a lot this offseason. I was just ready to get out there and play."

The Griffons controlled momentum for much of the second half, leading 66-50 with 6:32 left in regulation. However, Missouri Western shot just 7-of-30 in the final 20 minutes of regulation, and Crookston hit five three-pointers during that time to crawl back in it.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668235315419.jpeg" alt="Missouri Western's Zion Swader (12) goes up for two during the Griffons' 81-76 overtime win against Minnesota-Crookston Friday at the MWSU Fieldhouse. Photo by Arianne Boma." />
 <figcaption>Missouri Western's Zion Swader (12) goes up for two during the Griffons' 81-76 overtime win against Minnesota-Crookston Friday at the MWSU Fieldhouse. Photo by Arianne Boma.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe Missouri Western men's basketball team (1-0) led 45-34 at halftime and 66-50 with 6:30 left in the second half, but Minnesota-Crookston went on an inspired, 20-4 run to force overtime.Crookston's Blaize Sagna hit a tying three-pointer with 1.7 seconds left in regulation, but the Golden Eagles (0-1) never got the lead after halftime.Missouri Western started the OT period on a 10-1 run and held on to beat the Golden Eagles 81-76 on Friday in the Hillyard Tip-off Classic at the MWSU Fieldhouse."We're never going to apologize for a win," Missouri Western men's basketball coach Will Martin said. "We got the W. We've got a lot, a lot to watch on the film. Which is good. You always like to learn more in the wins, but typically, you learn more in the losses. So, this one felt like a loss because of the way they came back.""I think our guys played hard. I think they showed resiliency by getting it done in overtime. I thought we were really disciplined in that overtime."Crookston went blow-for-blow with Missouri Western early. The Golden Eagles led 18-17 with 10:40 left in the first half, but the Griffons started shooting three-pointers, and just kept on making them.Missouri Western was a scorching seven of their first 10 from beyond the arc Friday and ended the first half, shooting 10-of-15 from long range. The Griffons were led in three-point shooting by sophomore Zion Swader.The sophomore from Murfreesboro, Tennessee scored 17 of his career-high 22 points in the first half on a perfect 5-for-5 effort from three."I knew I had to have a bigger role with the team," Swader said. "I was confident coming into the year. I worked on my shot a lot this offseason. I was just ready to get out there and play."The Griffons controlled momentum for much of the second half, leading 66-50 with 6:32 left in regulation. However, Missouri Western shot just 7-of-30 in the final 20 minutes of regulation, and Crookston hit five three-pointers during that time to crawl back in it.Western was just 2-of-11 from three in the second half."I thought we settled for too many threes in the second half and that's how they got back," Martin said.The first 3.5 minutes of overtime, however, could not have gone much better for Missouri Western. The Griffons held Crookston scoreless for the first 2:17 of overtime and led 80-71 with 1:34 left.Even in OT, it wasn't always pretty. The Griffons missed four free throws in the extra period, but the Golden Eagles were 0-for-4 from three in OT, which helped Missouri Western hang on.&nbsp;Redshirt sophomore and Morehead State transfer Julius Dixon had 17 points and nine rebounds in his official Griffon debut. Sophomore Taye Fields dumped in 13 points and seven rebounds. Junior Will Eames had seven points and a team-best 11 rebounds.Sagna, who hit the tying three in regulation, led Minnesota-Crookston with 21 points. Xzavier Jones had 15 points and seven rebounds.The Griffons outrebounded the Golden Eagles 45-37, including 14-8 on the offensive glass. Missouri Western scored 23 points off of 13 Crookston turnovers. The Griffons finished 12-of-26 from three, while Crookston was 9-of-27 .Both teams struggled at the free throw line Friday. Missouri Western was 13-of-22, and Minnesota-Crookston was 7-of-15.Missouri Western will face Northern State (0-1) on Saturday at 6 p.m. at the MWSU Fieldhouse. The Wolves battled, but fell to No. 1 ranked Northwest Missouri State 81-78 in St. Joseph Friday.You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

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