Just one night removed from a tough 78-71 loss at Benton, the Lafayette boys' basketball team (12-6) bounced back in a big way, jumping out to a 23-7 first quarter lead and cruising to a 69-46 win over Bishop LeBlond at Lafayette High School Wednesday.

After scoring 28 fourth quarter points in a furious comeback attempt at Benton on Tuesday, Irish head coach Kevin Bristol wasn't exactly sure how much energy his team would have coming out of the gate.

"I was kind of concerned about how we were going to play tonight," Bristol said. "That atmosphere from last night and that energy we had to use in the fourth quarter (against Benton) to get back in the game, I was a little concerned. But, I think we did pretty good tonight."

Lafayette, who's 5-0 on their home floor this season, jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the first minute and a half, and ended the first quarter on an 8-2 run to set the tone right away.

Juniors Mikey Thomas and Camden Bennett combined to score 21 points in the first eight minutes alone.

"We just had it going honestly," Thomas said. "Our teammates found us, we were running the floor. Sam (Ryan) hit me on at least three passes, and just getting layups like that."

LeBlond (15-8) got going a bit more offensively in the second quarter, knocking down four three-pointers in that frame. Still, the Irish led 38-21 at the break.

Bennett went off coming out of the locker room, scoring 12 points in the third quarter and finishing with a game-high 28 points. Thomas ended up with 20, while Drake Davison had 11.

"We just wanted to come in and perform after last night," Thomas continued. "I mean, obviously a disappointing loss, but nothing you can do. Can't dwell on it. Gotta go ahead and go out and play."

LeBlond, who's 8-2 in their last 10, made eight total triples in a losing effort. Jake Korell led the way with 13 points. Marcos Dominguez scored 11 on three made triples. Alex Libel finished with nine.

LeBlond heads to Columbia Saturday for the Hall of Fame Classic, where they'll face Harrisburg at 11:30 a.m. Lafayette stays home to face No. 7 Platte County on Friday at 7:30.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644466073251.jpeg" alt="Lafayette's Jake Korrell (middle) tries to shoot against two defenders in the first half. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Lafayette's Jake Korrell (middle) tries to shoot against two defenders in the first half. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostJust one night removed from a tough 78-71 loss at Benton, the Lafayette boys' basketball team (12-6) bounced back in a big way, jumping out to a 23-7 first quarter lead and cruising to a 69-46 win over Bishop LeBlond at Lafayette High School Wednesday.After scoring 28 fourth quarter points in a furious comeback attempt at Benton on Tuesday, Irish head coach Kevin Bristol wasn't exactly sure how much energy his team would have coming out of the gate."I was kind of concerned about how we were going to play tonight," Bristol said. "That atmosphere from last night and that energy we had to use in the fourth quarter (against Benton) to get back in the game, I was a little concerned. But, I think we did pretty good tonight."Lafayette, who's 5-0 on their home floor this season, jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the first minute and a half, and ended the first quarter on an 8-2 run to set the tone right away.Juniors Mikey Thomas and Camden Bennett combined to score 21 points in the first eight minutes alone."We just had it going honestly," Thomas said. "Our teammates found us, we were running the floor. Sam (Ryan) hit me on at least three passes, and just getting layups like that."LeBlond (15-8) got going a bit more offensively in the second quarter, knocking down four three-pointers in that frame. Still, the Irish led 38-21 at the break.Bennett went off coming out of the locker room, scoring 12 points in the third quarter and finishing with a game-high 28 points. Thomas ended up with 20, while Drake Davison had 11."We just wanted to come in and perform after last night," Thomas continued. "I mean, obviously a disappointing loss, but nothing you can do. Can't dwell on it. Gotta go ahead and go out and play."LeBlond, who's 8-2 in their last 10, made eight total triples in a losing effort. Jake Korell led the way with 13 points. Marcos Dominguez scored 11 on three made triples. Alex Libel finished with nine.LeBlond heads to Columbia Saturday for the Hall of Fame Classic, where they'll face Harrisburg at 11:30 a.m. Lafayette stays home to face No. 7 Platte County on Friday at 7:30.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644466008226.jpeg" alt="Camden Bennett (35) goes up for a layup." />
 <figcaption>Camden Bennett (35) goes up for a layup.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644466407781.jpeg" alt=""HERE WE GO!" Lafayette's pregame huddle." />
 <figcaption>"HERE WE GO!" Lafayette's pregame huddle.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644466430357.jpeg" alt="Mikey Thomas (1)." />
 <figcaption>Mikey Thomas (1).</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Lafayette boys strike early and often, bounce back with big win over LeBlond

The Benton girls' basketball team (16-5) got off to a 10-0 start in the first quarter and rode that momentum throughout in a 52-34 win over Lafayette at Springer Gymnasium Tuesday night.

The win was Benton's fourth straight this season and their sixth consecutive over their North Side rival Irish.

"Our team has one goal and one goal only and that is to win the next game," Benton head coach Chris Michaels said. "That's all we care about is winning the next game and we're not 100% happy with how we play sometimes. But, we're happy with winning the game. That's all we care about."

Lauren Burright led Benton with 17 points - seven of that came in the second quarter. Peyton Anderson finished with 10. Jaida Cox had eight on a pair of made three-pointers.

"We shared the ball and we came out on defense," Burright said. "I'd say we did the little things right like rebounding, boxing out. They little things are the most important in games like this."

Lafayette (14-7) was led in scoring by Jalicia Byrd, who tallied 18 points. Jazlyn King logged seven.

The Benton girls play at Maryville Thursday. The Irish, who had a three-game winning streak snapped Tuesday, will play at LeBlond Thursday.

LeBlond, who's ranked No. 6 in Class 2, defeated Cameron 58-23 Tuesday, improving the Eagles' record to 18-4.

Coy, Mauzey lead Benton to historic win over Lafayette

Just like the girls' team had done, Benton started hot against Lafayette Tuesday, leading 22-7 after the first quarter. The Cardinals, however, had to fend off a furious charge from the Irish to hang on for a 78-71 win at Benton High School Tuesday.

It marks Benton's first win over Lafayette in boys' basketball since 2007. 

"This is something&nbsp;that&nbsp;they earned," Benton head coach Jared Boone said. "But, they know the job isn't done. They know we're going to have to run into (Lafayette) down the road, and it's going to be even more juiced up the next time we see them."&nbsp;&nbsp;

Kason Mauzey and Allan Coy got things going early, as they combined to make a trio of threes in the first quarter. The Cardinals made three more triples in the second quarter and led 41-25 at halftime.

Still trailing by double digits entering the fourth, Lafayette (10-6) scored 28 points over the final eight minutes, led by Drave Davison's 12 fourth quarter points, but the Cardinals weathered the storm and prevailed.

"Lafayette is a good team," Boone said. "That's a heck of a ball club over there. KB (coach Kevin Bristol) does a heck of a job with them. They have some studs over there. We knew they would go on a run. We just couldn't let it be one of those runs where they'd go on a long run and get a lead on us and give us trouble down the stretch."

Coy, who surpassed 1,000 career points Tuesday, led Benton with 22 points. Mauzey had 17, while Carson Schmidt scored 12.

"I have been trying to do that my whole life," Coy said on the 1,000 point mark. "And to finally see that happen is a big accomplishment for me."

Mikey Thomas led Lafayette with 22 points himself. Drave Davison had 15 and Kevin Shell scored 10.

The Benton boys are back home to face Maryville Friday. Lafayette is home to LeBlond on Wednesday night. Tip-off there is set for 7 p.m., following the freshman and JV games.

Mid-Buchanan boys blow out Plattsburg, avenge earlier loss to Tigers

After falling to Plattsburg by double figures in the North Platte tournament a couple of weeks prior, Mid-Buchanan was expecting a tough fight when they went on the road to play the Tigers in their home gym.

This time, Mid-Buchanan was better prepared, as the Dragons (16-6) were sparked by three first quarter threes by Jackson Sauvage and cruised in a 50-26 win at Plattsburg High School Tuesday in a battle of the top two KCI Conference teams.

"You know, I thought the boys executed on defense pretty well," Dragons coach Bryce Kemper said. "We had some rebounding issues in the first half and early in the second half, but then we kind of picked it up. Once we shut the glass off, it became very difficult (for Plattsburg)."

Plattsburg (16-6) had no answer offensively against Mid-Buchanan, as the Tigers made just 11 total field goals on the night, and no Plattsburg players scored in double figures.

Mid-Buchanan, meanwhile, was led by Caiden Bailey, who had 16 points. Blake Hunter had 14 and Sauvage had 11.

"We came in more prepared," Bailey said. "We tried to get everyone involved instead of just me and Joe (Clark) the whole time. It just helped a lot, getting everyone more involved and it spread them out to give them more open looks, too."

Luke Schroeder led Plattsburg with 8. The Tigers have another test Friday when they travel to West Platte (16-6). Mid-Buchanan is home Lawson (10-13) Thursday.

The Mid-Buchanan girls (13-9) were also victorious Tuesday, defeating Plattsburg 43-34. Khania Clark led the Dragons in scoring with 11 points. Hannah Williams scored eight. Savannah Bingham led the Plattsburg girls with 13 points.

The Dragons have been resurgent as of late, winning three of their last four games. Plattsburg stands at 10-10 on the season.

Matt Pike and Clifton Grooms contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644421478319.jpeg" alt="Mid-Buchanan's Blake Hunter (5) tries to steal the ball from Plattsburg's Luke Schroeder (22) Tuesday. Photo by Matt Pike." />
 <figcaption>Mid-Buchanan's Blake Hunter (5) tries to steal the ball from Plattsburg's Luke Schroeder (22) Tuesday. Photo by Matt Pike.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe Benton girls' basketball team (16-5) got off to a 10-0 start in the first quarter and rode that momentum throughout in a 52-34 win over Lafayette at Springer Gymnasium Tuesday night.The win was Benton's fourth straight this season and their sixth consecutive over their North Side rival Irish."Our team has one goal and one goal only and that is to win the next game," Benton head coach Chris Michaels said. "That's all we care about is winning the next game and we're not 100% happy with how we play sometimes. But, we're happy with winning the game. That's all we care about."Lauren Burright led Benton with 17 points - seven of that came in the second quarter. Peyton Anderson finished with 10. Jaida Cox had eight on a pair of made three-pointers."We shared the ball and we came out on defense," Burright said. "I'd say we did the little things right like rebounding, boxing out. They little things are the most important in games like this."Lafayette (14-7) was led in scoring by Jalicia Byrd, who tallied 18 points. Jazlyn King logged seven.The Benton girls play at Maryville Thursday. The Irish, who had a three-game winning streak snapped Tuesday, will play at LeBlond Thursday.LeBlond, who's ranked No. 6 in Class 2, defeated Cameron 58-23 Tuesday, improving the Eagles' record to 18-4.Coy, Mauzey lead Benton to historic win over LafayetteJust like the girls' team had done, Benton started hot against Lafayette Tuesday, leading 22-7 after the first quarter. The Cardinals, however, had to fend off a furious charge from the Irish to hang on for a 78-71 win at Benton High School Tuesday.It marks Benton's first win over Lafayette in boys' basketball since 2007. "This is something&nbsp;that&nbsp;they earned," Benton head coach Jared Boone said. "But, they know the job isn't done. They know we're going to have to run into (Lafayette) down the road, and it's going to be even more juiced up the next time we see them."&nbsp;&nbsp;Kason Mauzey and Allan Coy got things going early, as they combined to make a trio of threes in the first quarter. The Cardinals made three more triples in the second quarter and led 41-25 at halftime.Still trailing by double digits entering the fourth, Lafayette (10-6) scored 28 points over the final eight minutes, led by Drave Davison's 12 fourth quarter points, but the Cardinals weathered the storm and prevailed."Lafayette is a good team," Boone said. "That's a heck of a ball club over there. KB (coach Kevin Bristol) does a heck of a job with them. They have some studs over there. We knew they would go on a run. We just couldn't let it be one of those runs where they'd go on a long run and get a lead on us and give us trouble down the stretch."Coy, who surpassed 1,000 career points Tuesday, led Benton with 22 points. Mauzey had 17, while Carson Schmidt scored 12."I have been trying to do that my whole life," Coy said on the 1,000 point mark. "And to finally see that happen is a big accomplishment for me."Mikey Thomas led Lafayette with 22 points himself. Drave Davison had 15 and Kevin Shell scored 10.The Benton boys are back home to face Maryville Friday. Lafayette is home to LeBlond on Wednesday night. Tip-off there is set for 7 p.m., following the freshman and JV games.Mid-Buchanan boys blow out Plattsburg, avenge earlier loss to TigersAfter falling to Plattsburg by double figures in the North Platte tournament a couple of weeks prior, Mid-Buchanan was expecting a tough fight when they went on the road to play the Tigers in their home gym.This time, Mid-Buchanan was better prepared, as the Dragons (16-6) were sparked by three first quarter threes by Jackson Sauvage and cruised in a 50-26 win at Plattsburg High School Tuesday in a battle of the top two KCI Conference teams."You know, I thought the boys executed on defense pretty well," Dragons coach Bryce Kemper said. "We had some rebounding issues in the first half and early in the second half, but then we kind of picked it up. Once we shut the glass off, it became very difficult (for Plattsburg)."Plattsburg (16-6) had no answer offensively against Mid-Buchanan, as the Tigers made just 11 total field goals on the night, and no Plattsburg players scored in double figures.Mid-Buchanan, meanwhile, was led by Caiden Bailey, who had 16 points. Blake Hunter had 14 and Sauvage had 11."We came in more prepared," Bailey said. "We tried to get everyone involved instead of just me and Joe (Clark) the whole time. It just helped a lot, getting everyone more involved and it spread them out to give them more open looks, too."Luke Schroeder led Plattsburg with 8. The Tigers have another test Friday when they travel to West Platte (16-6). Mid-Buchanan is home Lawson (10-13) Thursday.The Mid-Buchanan girls (13-9) were also victorious Tuesday, defeating Plattsburg 43-34. Khania Clark led the Dragons in scoring with 11 points. Hannah Williams scored eight. Savannah Bingham led the Plattsburg girls with 13 points.The Dragons have been resurgent as of late, winning three of their last four games. Plattsburg stands at 10-10 on the season.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644421527282.jpeg" alt="Mid-Buchanan's Jake Barnard (20). Photo by Matt Pike." />
 <figcaption>Mid-Buchanan's Jake Barnard (20). Photo by Matt Pike.</figcaption>
 </figure>Matt Pike and Clifton Grooms contributed to this report.You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Prep hoops round-up: Mid-Buchanan, Benton gets sweeps over Lafayette, Plattsburg

EDMOND, OK&nbsp; - Any upset is thrilling for the team that wins.

Especially when you beat a ranked team in their place. Doesn't happen all that often. Missouri Western men's basketball's 71-68 upset at No. 13 Central Oklahoma on Tuesday afternoon certainly had its thrills.

The Griffons (10-12, 6-8 MIAA) got off to a sleepy start, falling behind 21-7 less than seven minutes into the game before rattling off a 12-2 run to get back in it and eventually lead 36-35 at the break.

The Griffons then started the second half on an 11-2 run and led 56-46 with 10:05 to go.

The Bronchos (19-4, 14-3 MIAA) punched back, going on a 12-1 run to lead it themselves, 58-57, with 5:26 remaining.

However, back-to-back layups by JaRon Thames and Will Eames put the Griffons back in front, 61-58, with 4:18 to go. Missouri Western never lost the lead again.

"Where we're sitting in the league standings right now isn't what we expected," Missouri Western head coach Will Martin said, as his team sits ninth in the 14-team MIAA. "We're not satisfied with it, but these kids show up every single day looking to solve problems. And looking to become more connected and put us in position to play our best basketball in March, which are our only two goals."

Leading 67-66 with a minute to go, a dunk by Taye Fields and then a layup by Thames after an offensive charge call on UCO put the Griffons up 71-66 with 40 seconds left.

Missouri Western then missed the front end of two one-and-one opportunities inside the final 30 seconds, and the Bronchos got the ball back, down three, with 16 seconds to go.

Isaiah Wade tried a three at the top of the key with about five seconds left. That missed, was rebounded by UCO's Carson Calavan, who had a tough, long look at a tying three at the buzzer from the left wing, but that shot was an air ball. The Griffons pulled off a thrilling upset.

"Any win is a big win," Missouri Western's Will Martin said after getting his fifth win over a ranked team in his second year as head coach. "I'm just glad our guys had the fortitude. We didn't play perfect, but we trusted the scout, we trusted the offense, we got the ball moving to multiple sides.

"And you know what? When you do things the right way, sometimes the basketball gods reward you."

The win is Missouri Western's first road victory since Dec. 9, 2021 and their third win over a ranked opponent this season. Q Mays led the way with 22 points - his sixth time scoring 20 or more this season. Fields, in his second career start, finished with a career-high 20 points to go with a game-high 11 rebounds. Will Eames had 11 points for the Griffons as well.

"We just stayed composed as a team," Mays said. "Stay connected whether we were up or down. We just stuck to our game plan. That worked for us today."

UCO made five threes in the first half, but went 0-for-7 from deep in the second. The Bronchos made 23-of-26 free throws, including all 17 attempts in the second half to stay in the game, but they only shot 8-of-22 from the field over the final 20 minutes.

Missouri Western also outscored UCO in the paint 42-26.

Again, any upset is thrilling and this was a much needed, feel good moment for a Griffon team that's battled adversity and needed a feel good moment.

An 11-day COVID break in January. An 8-4 start followed by a seven-game losing skid. Injuries. Six, single-digit losses - two of those in overtime. Players having to miss time for personal reasons. Yeah, this team has been through a lot and the record isn't where they want it to be.

In that sense, this upset feels somewhat bitter sweet. But, with still eight games left in the regular season, the Griffons see this as an opportunity. An opportunity to kickstart a late run and save their best for last.

"I think it could be very big," Fields said. "I think we needed this to rattle the next eight off, so this is just the start of something."

The Griffon men and women are both in action Thursday at Missouri Southern in Joplin. The women tip off at 5:30 and the men at 7:30. Both games can be heard on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644370529193.jpeg" alt="Taye Fields (13) scored a career-high 20 points to help Missouri Western win at No. 13 Central Oklahoma 71-68 Tuesday. Stock photo." />
 <figcaption>Taye Fields (13) scored a career-high 20 points to help Missouri Western win at No. 13 Central Oklahoma 71-68 Tuesday. Stock photo.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostEDMOND, OK&nbsp; - Any upset is thrilling for the team that wins.Especially when you beat a ranked team in their place. Doesn't happen all that often. Missouri Western men's basketball's 71-68 upset at No. 13 Central Oklahoma on Tuesday afternoon certainly had its thrills.The Griffons (10-12, 6-8 MIAA) got off to a sleepy start, falling behind 21-7 less than seven minutes into the game before rattling off a 12-2 run to get back in it and eventually lead 36-35 at the break.The Griffons then started the second half on an 11-2 run and led 56-46 with 10:05 to go.The Bronchos (19-4, 14-3 MIAA) punched back, going on a 12-1 run to lead it themselves, 58-57, with 5:26 remaining.However, back-to-back layups by JaRon Thames and Will Eames put the Griffons back in front, 61-58, with 4:18 to go. Missouri Western never lost the lead again."Where we're sitting in the league standings right now isn't what we expected," Missouri Western head coach Will Martin said, as his team sits ninth in the 14-team MIAA. "We're not satisfied with it, but these kids show up every single day looking to solve problems. And looking to become more connected and put us in position to play our best basketball in March, which are our only two goals."Leading 67-66 with a minute to go, a dunk by Taye Fields and then a layup by Thames after an offensive charge call on UCO put the Griffons up 71-66 with 40 seconds left.Missouri Western then missed the front end of two one-and-one opportunities inside the final 30 seconds, and the Bronchos got the ball back, down three, with 16 seconds to go.Isaiah Wade tried a three at the top of the key with about five seconds left. That missed, was rebounded by UCO's Carson Calavan, who had a tough, long look at a tying three at the buzzer from the left wing, but that shot was an air ball. The Griffons pulled off a thrilling upset."Any win is a big win," Missouri Western's Will Martin said after getting his fifth win over a ranked team in his second year as head coach. "I'm just glad our guys had the fortitude. We didn't play perfect, but we trusted the scout, we trusted the offense, we got the ball moving to multiple sides."And you know what? When you do things the right way, sometimes the basketball gods reward you."The win is Missouri Western's first road victory since Dec. 9, 2021 and their third win over a ranked opponent this season. Q Mays led the way with 22 points - his sixth time scoring 20 or more this season. Fields, in his second career start, finished with a career-high 20 points to go with a game-high 11 rebounds. Will Eames had 11 points for the Griffons as well."We just stayed composed as a team," Mays said. "Stay connected whether we were up or down. We just stuck to our game plan. That worked for us today."UCO made five threes in the first half, but went 0-for-7 from deep in the second. The Bronchos made 23-of-26 free throws, including all 17 attempts in the second half to stay in the game, but they only shot 8-of-22 from the field over the final 20 minutes.Missouri Western also outscored UCO in the paint 42-26.Again, any upset is thrilling and this was a much needed, feel good moment for a Griffon team that's battled adversity and needed a feel good moment.An 11-day COVID break in January. An 8-4 start followed by a seven-game losing skid. Injuries. Six, single-digit losses - two of those in overtime. Players having to miss time for personal reasons. Yeah, this team has been through a lot and the record isn't where they want it to be.In that sense, this upset feels somewhat bitter sweet. But, with still eight games left in the regular season, the Griffons see this as an opportunity. An opportunity to kickstart a late run and save their best for last."I think it could be very big," Fields said. "I think we needed this to rattle the next eight off, so this is just the start of something."The Griffon men and women are both in action Thursday at Missouri Southern in Joplin. The women tip off at 5:30 and the men at 7:30. Both games can be heard on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3).<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/Missouri-Western--13-UCO---closing-50-seconds-e1e4pcq" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Missouri Western ovecomes sleepy start, pulls off upset at No. 13 Central Oklahoma

Lafayette receiver Carlos Cortez officially signed his letter of intent to Missouri Western Tuesday, and is now officially a Griffon. &nbsp;

Cortez, who is also an outstanding track star and a state qualifier in the 100 meter dash, says track is where he thought he was headed when he went to college, but midway through this past football season, began to draw interest for his skills on the gridiron.&nbsp;

"At the beginning of my senior year, I was kind of on the path of running track in college," Cortez told reporters. "And it wasn't until the middle of the season I started getting actual looks for football, and ever since Missouri Western contacted me, I've been Missouri Western all the way."&nbsp;

Cortez says that Missouri Western coaching staff, led by head coach Matt Williamson, was like no other coaching staff he met on his college visits.&nbsp;

"The Missouri Westen coaching staff is second to none, on my recruiting visit, at other recruiting visits the head coach would never pop in, but at Missouri Western, Coach Willie (Williamson) was the guy that took us everywhere, he's the guy that built relationships, and he's the guy that we asked questions and he personally answered those questions," Cortez says. "Coaching staff is just amazing."&nbsp;

Cortez will join two of his Irish teammates on the Griffon sideline, as Quarterback Jaron Saunders and Offensive Lineman Quentin Garrett also signed with Western.&nbsp;

"Me, Q (Garrett), and Jaron we played together since fourth grade, so I mean, why not in our last four years playing together," Cortez says. "And that's what we talked about, and that's what we decided to do."&nbsp;

But Cortez says he puts one thing above himself in everything he does on the football field, his family.&nbsp;

"It's amazing, you know, I get to play the game I love while also making the people I love proud, especially my brothers, everything I do is because of them, they taught me the game, everything athletically is because of them," Cortez proudly says.&nbsp;

In his senior season with the Irish Cortez helped Lafayette to a 6-4 record and compiled 23 catches for 527 yards and seven touchdowns.&nbsp;

First year Irish head coach Ryan Shroyer says he saw Cortez grow this year on the football field in many ways. &nbsp;

"Oh, he's just done everything right from the very get go, he's been an outstanding leader on and off the field, he's extremely talented at track but he's also extremely talented at football," Shroyer says. "So for him to be able to represent the school in the right way and be able to provide an opportunity for himself, I'm super proud of him.&nbsp;

Cortez, Saunders, and Garrett are part of a Missouri Western signing class that includes 21 other players, more details on that class <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/0a02b6e3-7c95-499f-8996-0064a9abc7d7">HERE</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644351504161.jpeg" alt="Carlos Cortez (middle) and his family after signing his national letter of intent to play football at Missouri Western/ Photo by Matt Pike" />
 <figcaption>Carlos Cortez (middle) and his family after signing his national letter of intent to play football at Missouri Western/ Photo by Matt Pike</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE&nbsp;St. Joseph Post&nbsp;Lafayette receiver Carlos Cortez officially signed his letter of intent to Missouri Western Tuesday, and is now officially a Griffon. &nbsp;Cortez, who is also an outstanding track star and a state qualifier in the 100 meter dash, says track is where he thought he was headed when he went to college, but midway through this past football season, began to draw interest for his skills on the gridiron.&nbsp;"At the beginning of my senior year, I was kind of on the path of running track in college," Cortez told reporters. "And it wasn't until the middle of the season I started getting actual looks for football, and ever since Missouri Western contacted me, I've been Missouri Western all the way."&nbsp;Cortez says that Missouri Western coaching staff, led by head coach Matt Williamson, was like no other coaching staff he met on his college visits.&nbsp;"The Missouri Westen coaching staff is second to none, on my recruiting visit, at other recruiting visits the head coach would never pop in, but at Missouri Western, Coach Willie (Williamson) was the guy that took us everywhere, he's the guy that built relationships, and he's the guy that we asked questions and he personally answered those questions," Cortez says. "Coaching staff is just amazing."&nbsp;Cortez will join two of his Irish teammates on the Griffon sideline, as Quarterback Jaron Saunders and Offensive Lineman Quentin Garrett also signed with Western.&nbsp;"Me, Q (Garrett), and Jaron we played together since fourth grade, so I mean, why not in our last four years playing together," Cortez says. "And that's what we talked about, and that's what we decided to do."&nbsp;But Cortez says he puts one thing above himself in everything he does on the football field, his family.&nbsp;"It's amazing, you know, I get to play the game I love while also making the people I love proud, especially my brothers, everything I do is because of them, they taught me the game, everything athletically is because of them," Cortez proudly says.&nbsp;In his senior season with the Irish Cortez helped Lafayette to a 6-4 record and compiled 23 catches for 527 yards and seven touchdowns.&nbsp;First year Irish head coach Ryan Shroyer says he saw Cortez grow this year on the football field in many ways. &nbsp;"Oh, he's just done everything right from the very get go, he's been an outstanding leader on and off the field, he's extremely talented at track but he's also extremely talented at football," Shroyer says. "So for him to be able to represent the school in the right way and be able to provide an opportunity for himself, I'm super proud of him.&nbsp;Cortez, Saunders, and Garrett are part of a Missouri Western signing class that includes 21 other players, more details on that class <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/0a02b6e3-7c95-499f-8996-0064a9abc7d7">HERE</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Congratulations to <a href="https://twitter.com/Ctez03?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Ctez03</a> on signing with <a href="https://twitter.com/MWSU_Football?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MWSU_Football</a>! They are getting a hard working and determined student-athlete. Great job, Los! <a href="https://t.co/6scooh0n9x">pic.twitter.com/6scooh0n9x</a>&mdash; LHS - AD (@IrishActivities) <a href="https://twitter.com/IrishActivities/status/1491112662939611137?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 8, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

Lafayette receiver Carlos Cortez puts name on dotted line, officially a Griffon

The St. Joseph Central girls' basketball team made a remarkable 27-of-32 free throw attempts, overcame an early deficit and defeated Park Hill South 49-39 in a critical KC Suburban Conference and Class 6 District 8 battle at the CHS Coliseum Monday.

The win is Central's fourth straight and their sixth in the last seven games.

"I thought both teams played extremely hard," Central head coach Roger Wiebelt-Smith said. "They defended us really well, I thought we defended them really well. It's just a big time game. They're a really talented team. It feels good to go out there and execute like that and get things done."

Park Hill South (15-7), who had come in on a five-game winning streak, got off to an early 11-7 lead, thanks to six first quarter points by their 6-2 sophomore guard Regan Williams.

Central (14-6) had a big answer in the second quarter, reeling off a 12-0 run to take a 19-11 lead late in the second and eventually leading 21-18 at the break.

Park Hill South's offense went cold in the third quarter, as the Panthers made just two field goals in the first eight minutes of the second half. Meanwhile, Central got in the bonus before the end of the third and senior Ella Moody got to the free throw line. A lot.

A future Northwest Missouri State basketball player, Moody made five free throws in the third quarter alone, sunk 12-of-13 free throws in the game and finished with a game-high 22 points.

"I've been practicing it," Moody said of her free throw shooting. "So, I think with all of the practice, I got better and my team, we did excellent on the free throw line tonight and I think that's excellent for all of us."

Park Hill South, who had beaten St. Joseph Central 48-44 in their home gym on January 24, didn't go away. The Panthers made a pair of second half three-pointers to hang around and kept the game to within single digits for most of the fourth quarter, but Central was in the double bonus for much of the fourth and continued to get the line.

The Indians were 13-of-16 at the foul line in the final quarter alone.

"I just thought our kids were relentless getting to the basket," Wiebelt-Smith said. "I mean, they weren't going to be denied. Got some fouls called, and had some not called, but they just battled. That's the way they play. That's our identity."

Junior Charlize Broaden finished with 10 points for Central - all of that coming in the second half. Junior Teegan Broaden scored six.

Williams led Park Hill South with 15 points. Jayme Dixon and Tatum Kells each had seven.

Central, seeking its second district title in three seasons and its first Final Four appearance since 1989, is home to Lee's Summit Friday with four regular season games remaining before district play.

"Right now, they're all bought in," Wiebelt-Smith said of his team. "They want to win and man, it's just fun to coach. It's fun to go to practice every day. Fun to be out on the court every day. I'm just glad I get to coach them."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644292021676.jpeg" alt="Ella Moody (10) brings the ball up the floor in the first half. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Ella Moody (10) brings the ball up the floor in the first half. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe St. Joseph Central girls' basketball team made a remarkable 27-of-32 free throw attempts, overcame an early deficit and defeated Park Hill South 49-39 in a critical KC Suburban Conference and Class 6 District 8 battle at the CHS Coliseum Monday.The win is Central's fourth straight and their sixth in the last seven games."I thought both teams played extremely hard," Central head coach Roger Wiebelt-Smith said. "They defended us really well, I thought we defended them really well. It's just a big time game. They're a really talented team. It feels good to go out there and execute like that and get things done."Park Hill South (15-7), who had come in on a five-game winning streak, got off to an early 11-7 lead, thanks to six first quarter points by their 6-2 sophomore guard Regan Williams.Central (14-6) had a big answer in the second quarter, reeling off a 12-0 run to take a 19-11 lead late in the second and eventually leading 21-18 at the break.Park Hill South's offense went cold in the third quarter, as the Panthers made just two field goals in the first eight minutes of the second half. Meanwhile, Central got in the bonus before the end of the third and senior Ella Moody got to the free throw line. A lot.A future Northwest Missouri State basketball player, Moody made five free throws in the third quarter alone, sunk 12-of-13 free throws in the game and finished with a game-high 22 points."I've been practicing it," Moody said of her free throw shooting. "So, I think with all of the practice, I got better and my team, we did excellent on the free throw line tonight and I think that's excellent for all of us."Park Hill South, who had beaten St. Joseph Central 48-44 in their home gym on January 24, didn't go away. The Panthers made a pair of second half three-pointers to hang around and kept the game to within single digits for most of the fourth quarter, but Central was in the double bonus for much of the fourth and continued to get the line.The Indians were 13-of-16 at the foul line in the final quarter alone."I just thought our kids were relentless getting to the basket," Wiebelt-Smith said. "I mean, they weren't going to be denied. Got some fouls called, and had some not called, but they just battled. That's the way they play. That's our identity."Junior Charlize Broaden finished with 10 points for Central - all of that coming in the second half. Junior Teegan Broaden scored six.Williams led Park Hill South with 15 points. Jayme Dixon and Tatum Kells each had seven.Central, seeking its second district title in three seasons and its first Final Four appearance since 1989, is home to Lee's Summit Friday with four regular season games remaining before district play."Right now, they're all bought in," Wiebelt-Smith said of his team. "They want to win and man, it's just fun to coach. It's fun to go to practice every day. Fun to be out on the court every day. I'm just glad I get to coach them."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644291986978.jpeg" alt="Charlize Broaden (11)." />
 <figcaption>Charlize Broaden (11).</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644292128542.jpeg" alt="Lauren Wells (left) drives in the second half." />
 <figcaption>Lauren Wells (left) drives in the second half.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644292162728.jpeg" alt="Avery Barber (30) battles against Park Hill South defenders." />
 <figcaption>Avery Barber (30) battles against Park Hill South defenders.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

St. Joseph Central girls take advantage of free throws, defeat Park Hill South Monday

A strong number of area high school girls’ wrestlers punched their ticket to the state tournament over the weekend at the District 4 meet at Oak Park High School.

100 pounds - Mid-Buchanan’s Delaney Smith with a first place medal at Districts in just her second year of wrestling.

105 pounds - Lafayette’s IsaBella Mendoza is state bound after a second place finish. It’s Mendoza’s second straight season making state. Cameron’s Ashley Yamat is also headed to state for a second time after finishing fourth at districts at 105.

110 pounds - Mid-Buchanan’s Haley Sampson is state bound for a fourth straight year and has secured 100 straight wins. Sampson finished fourth in her district bracket Saturday.

115 pounds - Mid Buchanan’s Ariana Hartingtan is going to state after finishing fourth at districts.&nbsp;

135 pounds - Benton’s Tatum Levendahl is headed to state for a second year in a row after she placed third at districts. McKayla Knight of Lathrop is also headed to state after finishing fourth in the same weight class.&nbsp;

141 pounds - Mid Buchanan’s Layson Hafley is headed to state after placing 3rd at districts. She medaled fifth at state last season. Also, Lathrop’s Sierra Brassfield is state bound with a fourth place finish.

The Dragons finished fourth as a team Saturday with 110.5 points - just nine points away from a team district title.

149 pounds - Cameron’s Justice Brewer is headed to state after a second place finish.

159 pounds - Savannah’s Taylor Owen is going to state with a fourth place district finish.

174 pounds - Plattsburg’s Payge Fuller is headed to state again after winning her district bracket. Fuller medaled 5th at state last season.

194 pounds - Cameron’s Hollie Hedgpath is state bound after a third place finish at districts. Hedpath qualified for state last year at 174.

State wrestling is February 17th-19th for all boys and girls’ classes at Mizzou Arena in Columbia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613872777702.jpeg" alt="Mid-Buchanan's Haley Sampson (top) is headed to state for a fourth straight year. Stock photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Mid-Buchanan's Haley Sampson (top) is headed to state for a fourth straight year. Stock photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostA strong number of area high school girls’ wrestlers punched their ticket to the state tournament over the weekend at the District 4 meet at Oak Park High School.100 pounds - Mid-Buchanan’s Delaney Smith with a first place medal at Districts in just her second year of wrestling.105 pounds - Lafayette’s IsaBella Mendoza is state bound after a second place finish. It’s Mendoza’s second straight season making state. Cameron’s Ashley Yamat is also headed to state for a second time after finishing fourth at districts at 105.110 pounds - Mid-Buchanan’s Haley Sampson is state bound for a fourth straight year and has secured 100 straight wins. Sampson finished fourth in her district bracket Saturday.115 pounds - Mid Buchanan’s Ariana Hartingtan is going to state after finishing fourth at districts.&nbsp;135 pounds - Benton’s Tatum Levendahl is headed to state for a second year in a row after she placed third at districts. McKayla Knight of Lathrop is also headed to state after finishing fourth in the same weight class.&nbsp;141 pounds - Mid Buchanan’s Layson Hafley is headed to state after placing 3rd at districts. She medaled fifth at state last season. Also, Lathrop’s Sierra Brassfield is state bound with a fourth place finish.The Dragons finished fourth as a team Saturday with 110.5 points - just nine points away from a team district title.149 pounds - Cameron’s Justice Brewer is headed to state after a second place finish.159 pounds - Savannah’s Taylor Owen is going to state with a fourth place district finish.174 pounds - Plattsburg’s Payge Fuller is headed to state again after winning her district bracket. Fuller medaled 5th at state last season.194 pounds - Cameron’s Hollie Hedgpath is state bound after a third place finish at districts. Hedpath qualified for state last year at 174.State wrestling is February 17th-19th for all boys and girls’ classes at Mizzou Arena in Columbia.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1643345949771.jpeg" alt="Benton's Tatum Levendahl (right) is headed to state for a second straight year. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Benton's Tatum Levendahl (right) is headed to state for a second straight year. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Mid-Buchanan, Cameron, St. Joseph schools sending several girls' wrestlers to state

Missouri Western (18-3, 12-3 MIAA) ended its women's game Saturday on an 11-1 run, turning a close game into a decently comfortable 68-52 win over Northwest Missouri State at the MWSU Fieldhouse Saturday.

The No. 22 Griffons grabbed their sixth consecutive victory and avenged a 49-46 loss to the Bearcats in Maryville from earlier this season in December.

Northwest (14-7, 9-6 MIAA) had the upper hand early, getting off to a 5-0 start and leading 15-13 at the end of the first quarter.

The Griffons grabbed their first lead at the 8:14 mark of the second quarter off of a Corbyn Cunningham layup, and never trailed after that. Missouri Western ended the second on a 9-2 run to lead it 34-24 at the break.

The Bearcats trailed 50-40 entering the fourth, and got to within 52-48 with 7:23 to go, but were outscored 16-4 the rest of the way. In fact, Northwest had only one made field goal in the final 7:23 and got outscored 11-1 in the closing 5:08.

Missouri Western switched to a zone defense to prevent Northwest from backing down to the rim, and forced the Bearcats into contested jump shots. Northwest shot just 3-of-11 from the field in the fourth quarter.

"We went to a zone," Missouri Western coach Candi Whitaker explained afterward. "(Northwest) had shooters on the floor, it was a gamble, but man we brought the energy. We played unbelievable in our zone, our guards were flying around, we did a fantastic job. Turned them over, rebounded out of it and put us in transition."

Cunningham finished with 21 points and 12 rebounds - her third double-double of the season and fifth time scoring 20 or more this season.

"Corbyn was amazing," Whitaker continued, "and I can't say enough about her. This is the Corbyn we know and this is the Corbyn we need. And it was the difference."

"I think we came with good energy," Cunningham said. "Great energy actually. We picked ourselves up from our start and had just a good collective win."

Connie Clarke had 12 points and 14 rebounds for her fifth double-double this season. Brionna Budgets scored nine points to go with four steals. Mychaell Gray had eight points, while Jordan Cunningham had seven.

The win now puts Missouri Western into second place in the MIAA standings - one game behind first place Fort Hays State (19-2, 13-2 MIAA).

"We sleep a lot better at night when we win," Whitaker said. "Excited that we continue to give ourselves a chance. Our kids know how good this league is. They actually follow it much closer than I do."

The Griffon women will next play in Joplin on Thursday against Missouri Southern (15-5, 12-3 MIAA). The Lions have won eight straight, including a 66-61 win over Central Missouri Saturday. Tip-off in Thursday's game is set for 5:30 p.m.

MWSU men hang tough for awhile, Northwest reels off late run

Missouri Western went blow-for-blow with No. 4 Northwest for awhile Saturday in the men's game, trailing by just eight with 6:31 to go, but the Bearcats (21-2, 14-1 MIAA) reeled off a 14-0 run in less than three minutes and pulled away late for an 84-53 win Saturday.

The Griffons led for 2:20 in the first half and only trailed 35-32 at halftime. Northwest started the second half on a 10-3 run, but Missouri Western (9-12, 5-8 MIAA) weathered the storm and stayed within single digits for awhile longer before Northwest went on their run.

The Bearcats shot an impressive 21-of-30 in the second half and turned the ball over only eight times all game. Northwest also outscored Western 46-28 in the paint.

"We did such a good job guarding the perimeter, and they hurt us in the paint," Missouri Western coach Will Martin said, after the Griffons held Northwest to just three of their first 15 shots from three to start the game. "They did a good job of taking advantage of just how heavy we were trying to guard the perimeter."

Western was led by JaRon Thames, who dumped in a career-high and game-high 27 points on a remarkable 10-of-12 shooting effort. Q Mays scored 15 points - all in the second half. Taye Fields came off the bench for 11 points and seven rebounds.

Wes Dreamer led four Bearcats in double figures with 23 points. Trevor Hudgins had 21, while Diego Bernard and Luke Waters each had 11. Bernard finished with a double-double, grabbing 10 rebounds as well.

The win is Northwest's fifth straight overall and their 20th straight against the Griffons.

Missouri Western, who's 1-8 in their last nine games, begin a busy stretch of nine games in 20 days on Tuesday, when they travel to Edmond to face No. 16 Central Oklahoma (19-3, 14-2 MIAA) in a makeup game. Tip-off is set for 3:30.

"It's going to be a grind and it's going to be a gauntlet," Martin said of the upcoming schedule. "It starts with UCO who I think is playing as good as anybody in the league. So, that'll be a great test for us."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644124712288.jpeg" alt="Jaelyn Haggard (2) dribbles during Missouri Western's 68-52 win over her former team Northwest Missouri State. Photo by Arianne Boma." />
 <figcaption>Jaelyn Haggard (2) dribbles during Missouri Western's 68-52 win over her former team Northwest Missouri State. Photo by Arianne Boma.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostMissouri Western (18-3, 12-3 MIAA) ended its women's game Saturday on an 11-1 run, turning a close game into a decently comfortable 68-52 win over Northwest Missouri State at the MWSU Fieldhouse Saturday.The No. 22 Griffons grabbed their sixth consecutive victory and avenged a 49-46 loss to the Bearcats in Maryville from earlier this season in December.Northwest (14-7, 9-6 MIAA) had the upper hand early, getting off to a 5-0 start and leading 15-13 at the end of the first quarter.The Griffons grabbed their first lead at the 8:14 mark of the second quarter off of a Corbyn Cunningham layup, and never trailed after that. Missouri Western ended the second on a 9-2 run to lead it 34-24 at the break.The Bearcats trailed 50-40 entering the fourth, and got to within 52-48 with 7:23 to go, but were outscored 16-4 the rest of the way. In fact, Northwest had only one made field goal in the final 7:23 and got outscored 11-1 in the closing 5:08.Missouri Western switched to a zone defense to prevent Northwest from backing down to the rim, and forced the Bearcats into contested jump shots. Northwest shot just 3-of-11 from the field in the fourth quarter."We went to a zone," Missouri Western coach Candi Whitaker explained afterward. "(Northwest) had shooters on the floor, it was a gamble, but man we brought the energy. We played unbelievable in our zone, our guards were flying around, we did a fantastic job. Turned them over, rebounded out of it and put us in transition."Cunningham finished with 21 points and 12 rebounds - her third double-double of the season and fifth time scoring 20 or more this season."Corbyn was amazing," Whitaker continued, "and I can't say enough about her. This is the Corbyn we know and this is the Corbyn we need. And it was the difference.""I think we came with good energy," Cunningham said. "Great energy actually. We picked ourselves up from our start and had just a good collective win."Connie Clarke had 12 points and 14 rebounds for her fifth double-double this season. Brionna Budgets scored nine points to go with four steals. Mychaell Gray had eight points, while Jordan Cunningham had seven.The win now puts Missouri Western into second place in the MIAA standings - one game behind first place Fort Hays State (19-2, 13-2 MIAA)."We sleep a lot better at night when we win," Whitaker said. "Excited that we continue to give ourselves a chance. Our kids know how good this league is. They actually follow it much closer than I do."The Griffon women will next play in Joplin on Thursday against Missouri Southern (15-5, 12-3 MIAA). The Lions have won eight straight, including a 66-61 win over Central Missouri Saturday. Tip-off in Thursday's game is set for 5:30 p.m.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644124661801.jpeg" alt="Photo by Arianne Boma." />
 <figcaption>Photo by Arianne Boma.</figcaption>
 </figure>MWSU men hang tough for awhile, Northwest reels off late runMissouri Western went blow-for-blow with No. 4 Northwest for awhile Saturday in the men's game, trailing by just eight with 6:31 to go, but the Bearcats (21-2, 14-1 MIAA) reeled off a 14-0 run in less than three minutes and pulled away late for an 84-53 win Saturday.The Griffons led for 2:20 in the first half and only trailed 35-32 at halftime. Northwest started the second half on a 10-3 run, but Missouri Western (9-12, 5-8 MIAA) weathered the storm and stayed within single digits for awhile longer before Northwest went on their run.The Bearcats shot an impressive 21-of-30 in the second half and turned the ball over only eight times all game. Northwest also outscored Western 46-28 in the paint."We did such a good job guarding the perimeter, and they hurt us in the paint," Missouri Western coach Will Martin said, after the Griffons held Northwest to just three of their first 15 shots from three to start the game. "They did a good job of taking advantage of just how heavy we were trying to guard the perimeter."Western was led by JaRon Thames, who dumped in a career-high and game-high 27 points on a remarkable 10-of-12 shooting effort. Q Mays scored 15 points - all in the second half. Taye Fields came off the bench for 11 points and seven rebounds.Wes Dreamer led four Bearcats in double figures with 23 points. Trevor Hudgins had 21, while Diego Bernard and Luke Waters each had 11. Bernard finished with a double-double, grabbing 10 rebounds as well.The win is Northwest's fifth straight overall and their 20th straight against the Griffons.Missouri Western, who's 1-8 in their last nine games, begin a busy stretch of nine games in 20 days on Tuesday, when they travel to Edmond to face No. 16 Central Oklahoma (19-3, 14-2 MIAA) in a makeup game. Tip-off is set for 3:30."It's going to be a grind and it's going to be a gauntlet," Martin said of the upcoming schedule. "It starts with UCO who I think is playing as good as anybody in the league. So, that'll be a great test for us."You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Missouri Western women, Northwest men pull away late for Saturday wins

Luke Theis has been named director and head coach of&nbsp;Griffon Esports&nbsp;at Missouri Western State University. Theis has served as interim director since September.

“Luke has been an important part of the Griffon Esports program from the beginning, and has provided outstanding leadership over the last several months,” said Theresa Grosbach, interim director of athletics. “I’m excited that he’s accepted the position on a permanent basis, and know that he will continue to lead our program to new heights.”

“I am beyond excited to continue the work we started with the esports program,” Theis said in a statement. “In 2015, when I stepped on campus as a student, I hoped one day Missouri Western would have an esports program. Never would I have thought I would be in this position today. I am honored to provide students an opportunity to pursue their passion of gaming and assist them on the journey to get their degree.”

Under Theis’ leadership as interim director this fall, several Griffon Esports varsity teams have had competitive success:

The Griffon Esports program has hosted events for Big Brothers Big Sisters and the YWCA Choices and Decisions program, and assists with esports programs at St. Joseph Parks and Recreation, Central High School and LevelUp Arena in Overland Park, Kansas.

In 2021, Griffon Esports produced two 24-hour live stream events in a partnership with Extra Life, raising a total of more than $5,200 for the Children’s Miracle Network.

As the graduate assistant, Theis led Coaching Coaches - a program that equipped student coaches with the tools to coach varsity teams. He also coordinated the summer youth camp last July.&nbsp;

Theis was a punter on the Griffon football team as an undergraduate. He received a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Technology in 2020, and is in his second year in the Master of Applied Science-Sport and Fitness Management program.

Missouri Western launched its team-based competitive video gaming program in Fall 2020. Missouri Western has also added an Esports Management concentration to its Recreation Sport Management major.

The Griffon Esports Arena in the Blum Student Union is open to all students, faculty and staff six days a week. It was dedicated on March 4, 2021.

To celebrate the first anniversary, the arena will host a Griffon Esports Experience for prospective students this March 4.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644007849198.jpeg" alt="Luke Theis. Photo via Missouri Western." />
 <figcaption>Luke Theis. Photo via Missouri Western.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostLuke Theis has been named director and head coach of&nbsp;Griffon Esports&nbsp;at Missouri Western State University. Theis has served as interim director since September.“Luke has been an important part of the Griffon Esports program from the beginning, and has provided outstanding leadership over the last several months,” said Theresa Grosbach, interim director of athletics. “I’m excited that he’s accepted the position on a permanent basis, and know that he will continue to lead our program to new heights.”“I am beyond excited to continue the work we started with the esports program,” Theis said in a statement. “In 2015, when I stepped on campus as a student, I hoped one day Missouri Western would have an esports program. Never would I have thought I would be in this position today. I am honored to provide students an opportunity to pursue their passion of gaming and assist them on the journey to get their degree.”Under Theis’ leadership as interim director this fall, several Griffon Esports varsity teams have had competitive success:<ul>
 <li>The Overwatch team advanced to the semifinals of the Peach Belt Conference Championship in Florence, South Carolina, the first postseason appearance and first in-person event in the brief history of the Griffon Esports program.</li><li>The League of Legends team won the ECAC Pink Division Championship with a 3-1 victory over Bloomfield College in the championship match.</li><li>The Fortnite team reached the ECAC Semifinals, finishing 9th out of more than 50 teams competing.</li>
 </ul>The Griffon Esports program has hosted events for Big Brothers Big Sisters and the YWCA Choices and Decisions program, and assists with esports programs at St. Joseph Parks and Recreation, Central High School and LevelUp Arena in Overland Park, Kansas.In 2021, Griffon Esports produced two 24-hour live stream events in a partnership with Extra Life, raising a total of more than $5,200 for the Children’s Miracle Network.As the graduate assistant, Theis led Coaching Coaches - a program that equipped student coaches with the tools to coach varsity teams. He also coordinated the summer youth camp last July.&nbsp;Theis was a punter on the Griffon football team as an undergraduate. He received a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Technology in 2020, and is in his second year in the Master of Applied Science-Sport and Fitness Management program.Missouri Western launched its team-based competitive video gaming program in Fall 2020. Missouri Western has also added an Esports Management concentration to its Recreation Sport Management major.The Griffon Esports Arena in the Blum Student Union is open to all students, faculty and staff six days a week. It was dedicated on March 4, 2021.To celebrate the first anniversary, the arena will host a Griffon Esports Experience for prospective students this March 4.&nbsp;

Luke Theis named as Missouri Western esports director, head coach

Rivalry games always create extra excitement. Even if one or both teams are down.

Just ask unranked Auburn how much they'd have loved to beat Alabama in overtime this past November and spoil the Crimson Tide's playoff plans. Ask North Carolina basketball fans, and they'd likely say a win over Duke, regardless of record, is huge.

Ask Mizzou fans, and they can probably tell you the exact day when they last won the Border War with Kansas. Any rivalry is great. Even better when both teams are playing well.

In northwest Missouri, the Missouri Western-Northwest Missouri State rivalry has a similar feel. Proximity. Play every year in multiple sports. High stakes battles.

Both sides look forward to it and circle it, even if the matchups in football and men's basketball have been quite one-sided in favor of the Green and White for the better part of a decade.

This weekend, however, the rivalry takes on a different feel. It's the women's basketball game that's the main event, and it's been awhile since that's been the case.

Both the Bearcats and No. 22 Griffons are having terrific seasons. Missouri Western (17-3, 11-3 MIAA) is off to its best start since 2015-16, and Northwest (14-6, 9-5 MIAA) is off to its best start in 11 years and seeking just its third winning season since 2010.

The two collide in a battle of top MIAA teams on Saturday at 5 p.m. in the MWSU Fieldhouse.

"I look at us two programs on the women's side here," Northwest women's coach Austin Meyer said, "and this is probably the first time in, I don't know maybe ever, where both teams come into the game with good records and both in the top 5-6 in the league."

It's been since the 2010-11 season that both teams met in February and had winning records. The last time they met in February and were both at least six games above .500?

You have to go all the way back to the 03-04 season. February 25, 2004. Northwest was 18-6 and Missouri Western 18-7. The Bearcats came into St. Joseph and won 67-66 in overtime before winning an MIAA tournament title less than two weeks later.

It also happened on February 21, 2007. No. 2 Missouri Western (27-1) beat Northwest (16-10) 77-58 in a year where both teams went on to make the NCAA tournament, though all 30 of MWSU's wins in 2006-07 were vacated due to NCAA violations.

2006-07 was the last time both Western and Northwest women's basketball made the NCAA tournament in the same season.

Both teams have had good years since then, but both have had their struggles, too. Missouri Western had three straight losing seasons from 2007-2010 and again in 2011-12 and 13-14 before three straight winning seasons, including two 20-win campaigns, under coach Rob Edmisson from 2014-17.

Northwest enjoyed three straight winning seasons from 2005-2008, but haven't finished with a winning record since 2012-13. Being six games above .500 in February is something the Bearcats haven't experienced much lately in women's hoops.

Just the second time since 2010, in fact. All five of the Bearcats' conference losses this year have been by seven points or fewer.

"We've been in games," Meyer said. "There's some games we haven't closed, but we've had some good wins as well. Some good road wins. Happy with where we're at, but on the women's side, it's such a deep league there's so many good teams and obviously Western is up there."

Western is 11-3 in the MIAA - tied with UCM, Fort Hays State, Nebraska-Kearney and Missouri Southern for most conference wins as of Thursday. A deep league indeed.

Northwest and Missouri Western met once this season in Maryville on Dec. 18, 2021. The Bearcats improved to 9-2 in a 49-46 defensive struggle for both teams. It was Missouri Western's first loss and their lowest scoring output of the season in a game where both teams shot below 30% from the field.

"(The Bearcats) have a unique style in how they play," Missouri Western head coach Candi Whitaker said. "They're playing really well. They have good size. They're big at the guards, they're big inside and they try and use that size to make things hard at the rim. You have to play with tempo, and we didn't really execute well up there (in December)."

Northwest boasts the best scoring defense in the MIAA, allowing a stingy 54.7 points per game, while only scoring 60.7 per night themselves. Missouri Western, on the other hand, leads the league with 78.1 points per contest, including 10 games with 80 or more.

"They are really good in the open floor," Meyer said of Western. "I mean, they're good in the half court as well, but they get out in transition. So, if you can limit them from getting easy buckets and make them go against your half court defense, I think you have a better chance."

It's a clash of styles when these two meet. Missouri Western plays a fast pace in the full court and will beat opponents in transition. Northwest slows things down and plays an effective half court offense and presses hard on defense. Whatever the Bearcats did the last time out, it slowed down an otherwise lethal MWSU offense.

How do the Griffons turn the tide on Saturday?

"We have to try to score," Whitaker laughed. "We had some people (in December) not really even look at the hoop. So, you have to try and score."

Seeing a high-stakes Northwest/Western battle in sports is nothing new. Seeing a high stakes battle in women's basketball with both teams solidly in the upper half of the MIAA late in the season?

That is pretty new, and should be pretty enjoyable for both the fans and players.

"I think it'll be fun," Meyer said. "This is a year where both teams are playing well and Candi has done a great job there. They're playing as well as anybody in the league. So, hopefully we can come out and play hard and compete and get after it."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1643923670414.jpeg" alt="Photo courtesy of GoGriffons.com." />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy of GoGriffons.com.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostRivalry games always create extra excitement. Even if one or both teams are down.Just ask unranked Auburn how much they'd have loved to beat Alabama in overtime this past November and spoil the Crimson Tide's playoff plans. Ask North Carolina basketball fans, and they'd likely say a win over Duke, regardless of record, is huge.Ask Mizzou fans, and they can probably tell you the exact day when they last won the Border War with Kansas. Any rivalry is great. Even better when both teams are playing well.In northwest Missouri, the Missouri Western-Northwest Missouri State rivalry has a similar feel. Proximity. Play every year in multiple sports. High stakes battles.Both sides look forward to it and circle it, even if the matchups in football and men's basketball have been quite one-sided in favor of the Green and White for the better part of a decade.This weekend, however, the rivalry takes on a different feel. It's the women's basketball game that's the main event, and it's been awhile since that's been the case.Both the Bearcats and No. 22 Griffons are having terrific seasons. Missouri Western (17-3, 11-3 MIAA) is off to its best start since 2015-16, and Northwest (14-6, 9-5 MIAA) is off to its best start in 11 years and seeking just its third winning season since 2010.The two collide in a battle of top MIAA teams on Saturday at 5 p.m. in the MWSU Fieldhouse."I look at us two programs on the women's side here," Northwest women's coach Austin Meyer said, "and this is probably the first time in, I don't know maybe ever, where both teams come into the game with good records and both in the top 5-6 in the league."It's been since the 2010-11 season that both teams met in February and had winning records. The last time they met in February and were both at least six games above .500?You have to go all the way back to the 03-04 season. February 25, 2004. Northwest was 18-6 and Missouri Western 18-7. The Bearcats came into St. Joseph and won 67-66 in overtime before winning an MIAA tournament title less than two weeks later.It also happened on February 21, 2007. No. 2 Missouri Western (27-1) beat Northwest (16-10) 77-58 in a year where both teams went on to make the NCAA tournament, though all 30 of MWSU's wins in 2006-07 were vacated due to NCAA violations.2006-07 was the last time both Western and Northwest women's basketball made the NCAA tournament in the same season.Both teams have had good years since then, but both have had their struggles, too. Missouri Western had three straight losing seasons from 2007-2010 and again in 2011-12 and 13-14 before three straight winning seasons, including two 20-win campaigns, under coach Rob Edmisson from 2014-17.Northwest enjoyed three straight winning seasons from 2005-2008, but haven't finished with a winning record since 2012-13. Being six games above .500 in February is something the Bearcats haven't experienced much lately in women's hoops.Just the second time since 2010, in fact. All five of the Bearcats' conference losses this year have been by seven points or fewer."We've been in games," Meyer said. "There's some games we haven't closed, but we've had some good wins as well. Some good road wins. Happy with where we're at, but on the women's side, it's such a deep league there's so many good teams and obviously Western is up there."Western is 11-3 in the MIAA - tied with UCM, Fort Hays State, Nebraska-Kearney and Missouri Southern for most conference wins as of Thursday. A deep league indeed.Northwest and Missouri Western met once this season in Maryville on Dec. 18, 2021. The Bearcats improved to 9-2 in a 49-46 defensive struggle for both teams. It was Missouri Western's first loss and their lowest scoring output of the season in a game where both teams shot below 30% from the field."(The Bearcats) have a unique style in how they play," Missouri Western head coach Candi Whitaker said. "They're playing really well. They have good size. They're big at the guards, they're big inside and they try and use that size to make things hard at the rim. You have to play with tempo, and we didn't really execute well up there (in December)."Northwest boasts the best scoring defense in the MIAA, allowing a stingy 54.7 points per game, while only scoring 60.7 per night themselves. Missouri Western, on the other hand, leads the league with 78.1 points per contest, including 10 games with 80 or more."They are really good in the open floor," Meyer said of Western. "I mean, they're good in the half court as well, but they get out in transition. So, if you can limit them from getting easy buckets and make them go against your half court defense, I think you have a better chance."It's a clash of styles when these two meet. Missouri Western plays a fast pace in the full court and will beat opponents in transition. Northwest slows things down and plays an effective half court offense and presses hard on defense. Whatever the Bearcats did the last time out, it slowed down an otherwise lethal MWSU offense.How do the Griffons turn the tide on Saturday?"We have to try to score," Whitaker laughed. "We had some people (in December) not really even look at the hoop. So, you have to try and score."Seeing a high-stakes Northwest/Western battle in sports is nothing new. Seeing a high stakes battle in women's basketball with both teams solidly in the upper half of the MIAA late in the season?That is pretty new, and should be pretty enjoyable for both the fans and players."I think it'll be fun," Meyer said. "This is a year where both teams are playing well and Candi has done a great job there. They're playing as well as anybody in the league. So, hopefully we can come out and play hard and compete and get after it."You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

MWSU, Northwest women's game Saturday features a rare, high stakes battle



Missouri Western head football coach&nbsp;Matt Williamson&nbsp;and his staff announced the program's 2022 recruiting class on Wednesday during National Signing Day.

The Griffons got signatures from 24 players from nine different states, including five offensive linemen, four defensive linemen, four defensive backs, three quarterbacks, two receivers, two linebackers and several more.

"Really fired up about the type of kids we got," Williamson said in a press conference Wednesday. "We got some really talented players. Great people, but awesome students, too. So, just the typical fit for Missouri Western."

Among those in Missouri Western's 2022 class are three St. Joseph natives and members of the Lafayette football team - quarterback <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/eaa027b2-b105-430d-8bc4-74f9d7897e13">Jaron Saunders</a>, receiver Carlos Cortez and offensive lineman Quentin Garrett.

All three were first-team all MEC Conference and all-city honorees in 2021. Saunders boasts over 4,000 career passing yards, including a state record 698 yards in a win over Atchison last September.

"We wanted to get on them early," Williamson said of those Lafayette seniors. "They were some of the earliest ones we offered in our class, just because I did want to keep them here. They know what St. Joe is, what it stands for and it's important to them and that's why they wanted to stay and wanted to be a Griffon." Western is coming off of a 6-5 season in 2021, winning four of their last five games and graduated just four starters. Two big pieces to replace are on defense in All-American cornerback Sam Webb and second-team all-MIAA linebacker Evan Chohon, who led MWSU and was third in the nation with 116 total tackles.

Linebacker Terrance March, defensive end Chris Blakeney and punter all Jack Rasmussen graduated, while placekicker Thomas Kopcho, who got the starting nod for the back half of 2021, transferred out.

Of the 117 players on Missouri Western's 2021 roster, 73 of them were freshmen. At least 20 of those 73 saw regular playing time or even started. With this abundance of young talent and experience returning for 2022 and beyond, including a group of seven transfers, Williamson is optimistic for the long-term future. "We've got a great team coming back," Williamson beamed. "We've just added a bunch of transfers and we added a bunch of high schools. So, we've got an even better team coming back, but we'll always keep our eyes open and keep the road open to see if someone can't come in and make a huge impact on our football team."

Coach Williamson recently added three new coaching staff members - outside linebackers coach Hassan Belton (grad assistant), offensive assistant Justin Stolberg (grad assistant) and tight ends coach Moses Harper. Harper, a full-time hire, just had his first day on the job Tuesday.

Stolberg comes from Mississippi State, playing quarterback for the Bulldogs and spending time as a student assistant for coach Mike Leach.

Harper comes to Missouri Western from William Jewell, where he spent four years as the offensive line coach. His prior experience includes time as an offensive coordinator at the junior college level in Kansas at Fort Scott Community College and Coahoma Community College in Mississippi.

Sam Webb in the East-West Shrine Bowl

Corner and All-American Sam Webb, who played his final game as a Griffon in November, will participate in the East-West Shrine Bowl on Thursday in Las Vegas - an annual all-star game for the best college football players in the nation.

Webb has already been getting looks and Williamson has been fielding calls from various position coaches around the NFL, inquiring about Webb's abilities.

"It's going to be great to see him compete against some elite of elite football players in the country," Williamson said about Webb. "That's where, in my opinion, that Missouri Western brand is going to be stamped when he plays in that game, because he's going to make plays. He's going to have success and put himself in a good situation."

The Shrine Bowl is at 7 p.m. central Thursday and will be televised on the NFL Network. Webb also played in the Hula Bowl - a college football all-star game in Orlando back on January 15.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1643845476866.jpeg" alt="Missouri Western football coach Matt Williamson addresses the media on National Signing Day Wednesday. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Missouri Western football coach Matt Williamson addresses the media on National Signing Day Wednesday. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph Post

Missouri Western head football coach&nbsp;Matt Williamson&nbsp;and his staff announced the program's 2022 recruiting class on Wednesday during National Signing Day.The Griffons got signatures from 24 players from nine different states, including five offensive linemen, four defensive linemen, four defensive backs, three quarterbacks, two receivers, two linebackers and several more."Really fired up about the type of kids we got," Williamson said in a press conference Wednesday. "We got some really talented players. Great people, but awesome students, too. So, just the typical fit for Missouri Western."Among those in Missouri Western's 2022 class are three St. Joseph natives and members of the Lafayette football team - quarterback <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/eaa027b2-b105-430d-8bc4-74f9d7897e13">Jaron Saunders</a>, receiver Carlos Cortez and offensive lineman Quentin Garrett.All three were first-team all MEC Conference and all-city honorees in 2021. Saunders boasts over 4,000 career passing yards, including a state record 698 yards in a win over Atchison last September."We wanted to get on them early," Williamson said of those Lafayette seniors. "They were some of the earliest ones we offered in our class, just because I did want to keep them here. They know what St. Joe is, what it stands for and it's important to them and that's why they wanted to stay and wanted to be a Griffon." Western is coming off of a 6-5 season in 2021, winning four of their last five games and graduated just four starters. Two big pieces to replace are on defense in All-American cornerback Sam Webb and second-team all-MIAA linebacker Evan Chohon, who led MWSU and was third in the nation with 116 total tackles.Linebacker Terrance March, defensive end Chris Blakeney and punter all Jack Rasmussen graduated, while placekicker Thomas Kopcho, who got the starting nod for the back half of 2021, transferred out.Of the 117 players on Missouri Western's 2021 roster, 73 of them were freshmen. At least 20 of those 73 saw regular playing time or even started. With this abundance of young talent and experience returning for 2022 and beyond, including a group of seven transfers, Williamson is optimistic for the long-term future. "We've got a great team coming back," Williamson beamed. "We've just added a bunch of transfers and we added a bunch of high schools. So, we've got an even better team coming back, but we'll always keep our eyes open and keep the road open to see if someone can't come in and make a huge impact on our football team."New staff membersCoach Williamson recently added three new coaching staff members - outside linebackers coach Hassan Belton (grad assistant), offensive assistant Justin Stolberg (grad assistant) and tight ends coach Moses Harper. Harper, a full-time hire, just had his first day on the job Tuesday.Stolberg comes from Mississippi State, playing quarterback for the Bulldogs and spending time as a student assistant for coach Mike Leach.Harper comes to Missouri Western from William Jewell, where he spent four years as the offensive line coach. His prior experience includes time as an offensive coordinator at the junior college level in Kansas at Fort Scott Community College and Coahoma Community College in Mississippi.Sam Webb in the East-West Shrine BowlCorner and All-American Sam Webb, who played his final game as a Griffon in November, will participate in the East-West Shrine Bowl on Thursday in Las Vegas - an annual all-star game for the best college football players in the nation.Webb has already been getting looks and Williamson has been fielding calls from various position coaches around the NFL, inquiring about Webb's abilities."It's going to be great to see him compete against some elite of elite football players in the country," Williamson said about Webb. "That's where, in my opinion, that Missouri Western brand is going to be stamped when he plays in that game, because he's going to make plays. He's going to have success and put himself in a good situation."The Shrine Bowl is at 7 p.m. central Thursday and will be televised on the NFL Network. Webb also played in the Hula Bowl - a college football all-star game in Orlando back on January 15.Webb was a first-team all-MIAA selection in 2019 and preseason All-American in 2021. He finished his time at Missouri Western with 109 career tackles, seven career picks and 39 passes defended. His 6-2, 195-pound frame makes him an attractive choice in the secondary for NFL scouts. 2022 Missouri Western signing class&nbsp; -numbers by position<ul>
 <li>24 Total Signees</li><li>24 High School Recruits</li><li>5 Offensive Linemen</li><li>4 Defensive Linemen</li><li>4 Defensive Backs</li><li>3 Quarterbacks</li><li>2 Wide Receivers</li><li>2 Linebackers</li><li>1 Running Back</li><li>1 Kickers</li><li>9 Missouri Recruits</li><li>Hometowns cover 9 states</li>
 </ul>2022 Missouri Western football signing classColton Allen QB 6-3 195 Highlands Ranch, Co&nbsp;/ Valor Christian HS - 2400 career passing yards - 23 TDs in 2021, state runner-upCarlos Cortez WR 5'10 170 St. Joseph, Mo. / Lafayette HS - First-team all conference, all-district, first-team all-city - Highest GPA on the teamSeth Cromwell RB 5'10 210 Littleton, Co. / Columbine HS - 1st-team all state, 108 rush yards per game - 3x 1st-team all conference - 2x all-state, all-state academic teamGrant Finley DL 6'4 242 St. Louis, Mo. / Chaminade HS - 2x second-team all stateChris Floyd, Jr.&nbsp;WR 6'2 195 Springfield, Mo. / Glendale HS - 2x 1st-team all conference - 2nd-team all stateQuentin Garrett OL 6'2 277 St. Joseph, Mo. / Lafayette HS - 1st team all-MEC&nbsp; - 2x all district and all cityPreston Gregg K 6'3 180 Dallas, Tx. / Lake Dallas HS - Texas 5A 1st-team all stateMichael Haggerty TE 6'4 200 Lee's Summit Mo. / St. Michael HS - 2nd team all-state - 2x all district first-teamChase Hammond LB 6'0 190 Lee's Summit Mo. / Lee's Summit West - 2x all-stateTreVon Holmes DB 5'11 185&nbsp; Wynne, Ar. / Wynne HS - 5a Defensive Player of the Year FinalistConnor Holt OL 6'4 275 Festus, Mo. / Festus HS - all-district, region, conference - 2x Lineman of the YearJake Leader DB 6'2 190 Lincoln, Ne. / Lincoln Southwest HS - 2x all-conference and all-city - 185 career tacklesNicc Oliver DB 5'10 175 Fort Worth, Tx. / North Crowley HS - 1st team all-districtSam Pezdirtz DB 5'11 175 Englewood, Co.&nbsp;&nbsp;Cherry Creek HS - 2x all-conferenceWill Pickard LB 6'2 205 Tulsa, Ok. / Bishop Kelley HS - state track qualifierJaron Saunders QB 6'1 180 St. Joseph, Mo. / Lafayette HS - 2021 all-city player of the year - 4,053 career passing yardsEli Scott QB 6'2 195 Louisville, Ky. / Eastern HS - 3,400 career passing yards - 1,000 career rushing yardsKhalid Sereal DL 6'4 215 Dickinson, Tx. / Dickinson HS - all-state, 2x all-districtAutin Sohl OL 6'4 280 Plattsmouth, Ne. / Plattsmouth HS - 2x all-state honorable mentionJoe Turner OL 6'5 295 Assumption, Ia. / Assumption HS - 1st-team all state - district lineman of the yerJonas Vickers OL 6'3 305 Derby, Ks. / Derby HS - 2x all-state, 3x all-conference - 3x state champion, 46-3 career recordBraxton White DL 6'4 220 Texarkana, Tx. / Texarkana Texas HS - four-sport athleteCam Whitt TE 6'4 225 St. Charles, Mo. / St. Dominic - all-district, all-conferenceBraydon Wickliffe DL 6'1 285 Goddard, Ks. / Goddard HS

 - KFBCA 1st-team all state - 244 career tackles, 16.5 sacks, 3 blocked FGsYou can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

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