OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Willie Gay was charged with misdemeanor criminal damage to property after he broke a vacuum and other items during an argument, putting his status for Sunday's divisional round playoff game against the Buffalo Bills in question

Gay pleaded not guilty Thursday and was expected to be released from jail later in the day.

Police in the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park, Kansas, said the 23-year-old Gay was arrested Wednesday night. The total of damaged property amounted to $225, police said.

No drugs, alcohol or weapons were involved and no one was injured, police said.

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Willie Gay has been charged with misdemeanor criminal damage to property after he broke a vacuum and other items during an argument, authorities said.

Gay, 23, was arrested Wednesday night in Overland Park, Kansas, and had a court date scheduled for Thursday afternoon.

Overland Park police said in an offense report that Gay damaged a vacuum and other property, causing total property damage of $225, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/sports/nfl/kansas-city-chiefs/article257529423.html">reported</a>.

Gay's agents, Maxx Lepsettler and Ryan Rubin, said in a statement that Gay was visiting his son when he got into an argument with the child's mother, who called police.

The agents said Gay would likely pay a fine and replace the vacuum and “all should be resolved today with no further issues.”

The Chiefs, who play the Buffalo Bills in the playoffs on Sunday, said they were aware of the incident but did not plan to make further comment.

Gay, in his second season with the Chiefs, has played in 12 games this season, totaling 48 tackles and two interceptions.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642726509970.png" alt="Gay-photo Johnson County Jail" />
 <figcaption>Gay-photo Johnson County Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Willie Gay was charged with misdemeanor criminal damage to property after he broke a vacuum and other items during an argument, putting his status for Sunday's divisional round playoff game against the Buffalo Bills in questionGay pleaded not guilty Thursday and was expected to be released from jail later in the day.Police in the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park, Kansas, said the 23-year-old Gay was arrested Wednesday night. The total of damaged property amounted to $225, police said.No drugs, alcohol or weapons were involved and no one was injured, police said.----------OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Willie Gay has been charged with misdemeanor criminal damage to property after he broke a vacuum and other items during an argument, authorities said.Gay, 23, was arrested Wednesday night in Overland Park, Kansas, and had a court date scheduled for Thursday afternoon.Overland Park police said in an offense report that Gay damaged a vacuum and other property, causing total property damage of $225, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/sports/nfl/kansas-city-chiefs/article257529423.html">reported</a>.No drugs, alcohol or weapons were involved and no one was injured, police said.Gay's agents, Maxx Lepsettler and Ryan Rubin, said in a statement that Gay was visiting his son when he got into an argument with the child's mother, who called police.The agents said Gay would likely pay a fine and replace the vacuum and “all should be resolved today with no further issues.”The Chiefs, who play the Buffalo Bills in the playoffs on Sunday, said they were aware of the incident but did not plan to make further comment.Gay, in his second season with the Chiefs, has played in 12 games this season, totaling 48 tackles and two interceptions.

Chiefs linebacker enters plea for misdemeanor criminal damage

WICHITA, KS - Missouri Western used a 10-0 run in the second quarter and a 20-0 run in the third to put away Newman in a 70-37 blowout win at Fugate Gymnasium in Wichita Thursday.

Playing in their first road game in over a month, the Griffons (13-3, 7-3 MIAA) were without head coach Candi Whitaker Thursday due to COVID-19 protocol. Assistant Emily Wacker was the acting head coach, as the Griffons broke a two-game losing skid and got their first road win in 2022.

"This kind of felt good to get some bounce back," Wacker said, "make some shots and get a little bit of a rhythm again."

Missouri Western got off to a 10-2 start, but Newman (2-16, 0-12 MIAA) hit back, trailing only 13-9 after the first quarter.

The Griffons took a double-digit lead for the first time off of a Jordan Cunningham three-pointer, giving MWSU a 30-18 lead with 2:36 to go until halftime.

Another three by Brionna Budgets in the final minute of the second quarter put the Griffons ahead 35-18 at halftime. After letting Newman score the first two points of the third quarter, the Griffons reeled off a monstrous 20-0 run in less than six minutes, putting the game away for good.

Western led 59-27 entering the fourth after outscoring the Jets 24-9 in the third quarter.

"I thought we competed really hard on the defensive end," Wacker said. "Once we got locked in there, that created offensive opportunities for us on the other end."

Fifteen Griffons played and 12 of them scored Thursday. Budgets scored a game-high 18 points, tying her season-high with four made three-pointers. Connie Clarke had nine points and a team-best seven rebounds.

Corbyn Cunningham scored eight, while Jaelyn Haggard scored seven points - all of that coming in the third quarter.

Missouri Western is back on the road to face Central Oklahoma (11-7, 7-5 MIAA) Saturday. Tip-off in that game is set for 1:30.

"(UCO) is a team we haven't faced yet," Wacker said. "So, we'll need to learn some new personnel and understand what they're trying to accomplish. It's a big test. UCO is a really good basketball team, so we'll need to be ready to go."

The Bronchos fell at home to Northwest Missouri State, 79-69, Thursday. The Missouri Western men did not play Thursday, nor will they Saturday.

The Griffon men are back in action at home on Monday, Jan. 24 to face Fort Hays State in a make-up game. Tip-off in that one is set for 3:30 at the MWSU Fieldhouse. Both games will be carried on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3).

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642733386310.png" alt="Courtesy of GoGriffons.com." />
 <figcaption>Courtesy of GoGriffons.com.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostWICHITA, KS - Missouri Western used a 10-0 run in the second quarter and a 20-0 run in the third to put away Newman in a 70-37 blowout win at Fugate Gymnasium in Wichita Thursday.Playing in their first road game in over a month, the Griffons (13-3, 7-3 MIAA) were without head coach Candi Whitaker Thursday due to COVID-19 protocol. Assistant Emily Wacker was the acting head coach, as the Griffons broke a two-game losing skid and got their first road win in 2022."This kind of felt good to get some bounce back," Wacker said, "make some shots and get a little bit of a rhythm again."Missouri Western got off to a 10-2 start, but Newman (2-16, 0-12 MIAA) hit back, trailing only 13-9 after the first quarter.The Griffons took a double-digit lead for the first time off of a Jordan Cunningham three-pointer, giving MWSU a 30-18 lead with 2:36 to go until halftime.It never got closer than that.Another three by Brionna Budgets in the final minute of the second quarter put the Griffons ahead 35-18 at halftime. After letting Newman score the first two points of the third quarter, the Griffons reeled off a monstrous 20-0 run in less than six minutes, putting the game away for good.Western led 59-27 entering the fourth after outscoring the Jets 24-9 in the third quarter."I thought we competed really hard on the defensive end," Wacker said. "Once we got locked in there, that created offensive opportunities for us on the other end."Fifteen Griffons played and 12 of them scored Thursday. Budgets scored a game-high 18 points, tying her season-high with four made three-pointers. Connie Clarke had nine points and a team-best seven rebounds.Corbyn Cunningham scored eight, while Jaelyn Haggard scored seven points - all of that coming in the third quarter.Missouri Western is back on the road to face Central Oklahoma (11-7, 7-5 MIAA) Saturday. Tip-off in that game is set for 1:30."(UCO) is a team we haven't faced yet," Wacker said. "So, we'll need to learn some new personnel and understand what they're trying to accomplish. It's a big test. UCO is a really good basketball team, so we'll need to be ready to go."The Bronchos fell at home to Northwest Missouri State, 79-69, Thursday. The Missouri Western men did not play Thursday, nor will they Saturday.The Griffon men are back in action at home on Monday, Jan. 24 to face Fort Hays State in a make-up game. Tip-off in that one is set for 3:30 at the MWSU Fieldhouse. Both games will be carried on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3).You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Missouri Western women dominate Newman on the road Thursday

Girls' basketball North Andrew 37 Stanberry 29. <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/a425b56a-27c1-41b1-92a0-724f0f0abdc0">Full coverage here</a>. Bishop LeBlond 55 West Platte 36 St. Joseph Christian 48 North Harrison 23 Stewartsville-Osborn 58 South Holt 37 King City @ Pattonsburg - PPD to Feb. 7. Maysville @ Gallatin - PPD to Feb. 7. DeKalb @ East Atchison has been postponed to February 9. Richmond @ Mid-Buchanan has been postponed to February 2.

Boys' basketball Benton 64 Lincoln College Prep 63 - OT Junction City 90 St. Joseph Central 47 at the Basehor-Linwood tournament. Central faces Piper on Friday. Bishop LeBlond 50 Lawson 43 Center 65 Maryville 43 Mound City 83 Northeast Nodaway 48. The girls’ matchup between those two was canceled. Stanberry 57 North Andrew 41 St. Joseph Christian 62 North Harrison 39 Stewartsville-Osborn 68 South Holt 47 Plattsburg 68 Northland Christian 50 King City @ Pattonsburg - PPD Maysville @ Gallatin - PPD Richmond @ Mid-Buchanan has been postponed to February 2. DeKalb @ East Atchison has been postponed to February 9.

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostGirls' basketball North Andrew 37 Stanberry 29. <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/a425b56a-27c1-41b1-92a0-724f0f0abdc0">Full coverage here</a>. Bishop LeBlond 55 West Platte 36 St. Joseph Christian 48 North Harrison 23 Stewartsville-Osborn 58 South Holt 37 King City @ Pattonsburg - PPD to Feb. 7. Maysville @ Gallatin - PPD to Feb. 7. DeKalb @ East Atchison has been postponed to February 9. Richmond @ Mid-Buchanan has been postponed to February 2.Boys' basketball Benton 64 Lincoln College Prep 63 - OT Junction City 90 St. Joseph Central 47 at the Basehor-Linwood tournament. Central faces Piper on Friday. Bishop LeBlond 50 Lawson 43 Center 65 Maryville 43 Mound City 83 Northeast Nodaway 48. The girls’ matchup between those two was canceled. Stanberry 57 North Andrew 41 St. Joseph Christian 62 North Harrison 39 Stewartsville-Osborn 68 South Holt 47 Plattsburg 68 Northland Christian 50 King City @ Pattonsburg - PPD Maysville @ Gallatin - PPD Richmond @ Mid-Buchanan has been postponed to February 2. DeKalb @ East Atchison has been postponed to February 9.You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

KFEQ/St. Joseph Post area high school scoreboard - January 18, 2022

ROSENDALE - North Andrew used a 14-0 run in the first half to grab an early lead, and fended off a couple of late runs from Stanberry to beat the Bulldogs, 37-29, Tuesday night at North Andrew High School.

This comes after Stanberry defeated North Andrew, 36-31, in the Stanberry tournament semifinals just last Thursday.

Stanberry (11-3) scored the first two baskets of the game and went ahead 4-0 in the opening three minutes, but North Andrew (11-5) quickly bounced back, leading 10-4 after the first quarter and eventually 14-4 early in the second.

"We got off to a really good start offensively," North Andrew head coach Craig Walker said. "Offensively, seeing the ball go in the basket is a big thing for our team. Never worried about our girls competing on the defensive side. Did what we asked of them tonight and they pulled it out at the end there."

The Bulldogs went on an 8-2 run after a timeout to get back to within two possessions, but a three-pointer by North Andrew's Brylie Brincks put the Cardinals up 21-14 at the half.

Stanberry didn't go down easy. The Bulldogs opened the third quarter on a 7-0 run, all scored by Lexi Craig, to tie the game at 21, but Brincks hit two big threes in the third quarter to give the Cardinals a 27-23 advantage entering the fourth.

"I think we really pulled together as a team," Brincks said. "We kind of struggled a little bit in the third quarter, but we really challenged ourselves and came back and worked as a team."

Neither team could score a whole lot in the closing minutes, but North Andrew made 6-of-8 free throws in the final quarter to maintain their lead after only getting to the foul line once in the first three quarters.

"Taking care of the basketball, being strong and making the free throws at the end," Walker said. "The girls did what we needed them to get done. So proud of them."

Brincks led the Cardinals with 13 points. Freshman Madison Lillard had nine - all from beyond the arc.&nbsp;

Craig led Stanberry with 19 points - 13 of which came in the second half. Amelia Wallace had the other 10 points for the Bulldogs.

Stanberry, who saw a six-game win streak snapped, is home to King City Friday. North Andrew, winner of two in a row, is home to North Harrison Friday as well.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642560379288.jpeg" alt="Stanberry's Lexi Craig (24) gets swarmed by several North Andrew defenders in the second half. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Stanberry's Lexi Craig (24) gets swarmed by several North Andrew defenders in the second half. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostROSENDALE - North Andrew used a 14-0 run in the first half to grab an early lead, and fended off a couple of late runs from Stanberry to beat the Bulldogs, 37-29, Tuesday night at North Andrew High School.This comes after Stanberry defeated North Andrew, 36-31, in the Stanberry tournament semifinals just last Thursday.Stanberry (11-3) scored the first two baskets of the game and went ahead 4-0 in the opening three minutes, but North Andrew (11-5) quickly bounced back, leading 10-4 after the first quarter and eventually 14-4 early in the second."We got off to a really good start offensively," North Andrew head coach Craig Walker said. "Offensively, seeing the ball go in the basket is a big thing for our team. Never worried about our girls competing on the defensive side. Did what we asked of them tonight and they pulled it out at the end there."The Bulldogs went on an 8-2 run after a timeout to get back to within two possessions, but a three-pointer by North Andrew's Brylie Brincks put the Cardinals up 21-14 at the half.Stanberry didn't go down easy. The Bulldogs opened the third quarter on a 7-0 run, all scored by Lexi Craig, to tie the game at 21, but Brincks hit two big threes in the third quarter to give the Cardinals a 27-23 advantage entering the fourth."I think we really pulled together as a team," Brincks said. "We kind of struggled a little bit in the third quarter, but we really challenged ourselves and came back and worked as a team."Neither team could score a whole lot in the closing minutes, but North Andrew made 6-of-8 free throws in the final quarter to maintain their lead after only getting to the foul line once in the first three quarters."Taking care of the basketball, being strong and making the free throws at the end," Walker said. "The girls did what we needed them to get done. So proud of them."Brincks led the Cardinals with 13 points. Freshman Madison Lillard had nine - all from beyond the arc.&nbsp;Craig led Stanberry with 19 points - 13 of which came in the second half. Amelia Wallace had the other 10 points for the Bulldogs.Stanberry, who saw a six-game win streak snapped, is home to King City Friday. North Andrew, winner of two in a row, is home to North Harrison Friday as well.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642558673762.jpeg" alt="Brylie Brincks goes up for a basket in the first half." />
 <figcaption>Brylie Brincks goes up for a basket in the first half.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642560442977.jpeg" alt="Madison Lillard (right) dribbles in the corner during the first half." />
 <figcaption>Madison Lillard (right) dribbles in the corner during the first half.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

North Andrew sinks five three-pointers, upsets No. 6 Stanberry Tuesday

It's practically déjà vu for Missouri Western men's basketball.

January 14, 2021. No. 16 Missouri Western is on the road, facing Nebraska-Kearney, down a couple of players due to COVID-19. The Lopers come away with a 75-67 upset, and the Griffons go on pause the following day after playing nine conference games.

January 13, 2022. Missouri Western is down four players due to COVID-19 protocol, and Nebraska-Kearney comes away with an 81-79 win in St. Joseph. The Griffons go on pause the following day after playing nine conference games.

"I mean, it's eerily similar to last year," Missouri Western head coach Will Martin said in his second season. "It's crazy how the universe works. We were at Kearney last year. Kearney was here this year before we shut down. And it looks like we'll have a similar type of comeback in terms of teams that we'll play."

The parallels to last season run deeper. When Western came out of quarantine in 2021, they resumed play with games against Central Missouri and Lincoln.

The Griffons are scheduled, this year, to resume play on January 26 against Central Missouri and January 29 against Lincoln.

The Griffons have had four games postponed this month due to COVID protocol. Their home game against Missouri Southern on Jan. 3 was pushed to Jan. 17 due to COVID within the Lions' program - only to be postponed a second time due to COVID in the Griffons' program.

Further, a home game against Fort Hays State and road trips to Newman and Central Oklahoma have been postponed to future dates still to be determined.

"So now, we're having to reschedule a scheduled game," Martin said. "The reality is, there could be some more shutdowns across the league. We cross our fingers and pray that doesn't happen, but it could be a reality. So, we have to be flexible and adaptive."

Missouri Western won six straight games earlier this season before this current five-game losing skid.

Last year, the Griffons were on a four-game winning streak before losing to Kearney, shutting down and losing six more in a row before turning things around and winning five of their next six to make the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2010-11.

"I do think our experience through this, the staff and the players, we'll be more positioned to bounce back quicker than we did last year," Martin said. "It's another small hump in the road that we're going to have to navigate through, but I think this team will come back on the other side stronger than ever."

Missouri Western men's basketball certainly isn't alone in dealing with the complications of an ongoing pandemic. They're also not alone in wanting to achiever their ultimate goals going forward.

Prioritizing safety, and getting the whole regular season schedule in before the end of February.

"The health and safety of the student-athletes comes first," Martin pointed out. "But if we reschedule these games and get them all in, and I'm confident we will, because of what this league and what this school and what teams across the MIAA have proven through experience last year."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639934022302.jpeg" alt="Stock photo." />
 <figcaption>Stock photo.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostIt's practically déjà vu for Missouri Western men's basketball.January 14, 2021. No. 16 Missouri Western is on the road, facing Nebraska-Kearney, down a couple of players due to COVID-19. The Lopers come away with a 75-67 upset, and the Griffons go on pause the following day after playing nine conference games.January 13, 2022. Missouri Western is down four players due to COVID-19 protocol, and Nebraska-Kearney comes away with an 81-79 win in St. Joseph. The Griffons go on pause the following day after playing nine conference games."I mean, it's eerily similar to last year," Missouri Western head coach Will Martin said in his second season. "It's crazy how the universe works. We were at Kearney last year. Kearney was here this year before we shut down. And it looks like we'll have a similar type of comeback in terms of teams that we'll play."The parallels to last season run deeper. When Western came out of quarantine in 2021, they resumed play with games against Central Missouri and Lincoln.The Griffons are scheduled, this year, to resume play on January 26 against Central Missouri and January 29 against Lincoln.The Griffons have had four games postponed this month due to COVID protocol. Their home game against Missouri Southern on Jan. 3 was pushed to Jan. 17 due to COVID within the Lions' program - only to be postponed a second time due to COVID in the Griffons' program.Further, a home game against Fort Hays State and road trips to Newman and Central Oklahoma have been postponed to future dates still to be determined."So now, we're having to reschedule a scheduled game," Martin said. "The reality is, there could be some more shutdowns across the league. We cross our fingers and pray that doesn't happen, but it could be a reality. So, we have to be flexible and adaptive."Missouri Western won six straight games earlier this season before this current five-game losing skid.Last year, the Griffons were on a four-game winning streak before losing to Kearney, shutting down and losing six more in a row before turning things around and winning five of their next six to make the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2010-11.Can that happen again?"I do think our experience through this, the staff and the players, we'll be more positioned to bounce back quicker than we did last year," Martin said. "It's another small hump in the road that we're going to have to navigate through, but I think this team will come back on the other side stronger than ever."Missouri Western men's basketball certainly isn't alone in dealing with the complications of an ongoing pandemic. They're also not alone in wanting to achiever their ultimate goals going forward.Prioritizing safety, and getting the whole regular season schedule in before the end of February."The health and safety of the student-athletes comes first," Martin pointed out. "But if we reschedule these games and get them all in, and I'm confident we will, because of what this league and what this school and what teams across the MIAA have proven through experience last year."You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

MWSU men's basketball face COVID scenario eerily similar to last year

KANSAS CITY (AP) — The Chiefs were going nowhere on offense against Pittsburgh early Sunday night, so coach Andy Reid had wide receiver Mecole Hardman take a shotgun snap and hand off to running back Darrel Williams on a trick play.

Their exchange hit the ground, T.J. Watt picked it up and returned the fumble for a touchdown.

It was precisely the kind of play that should have energized the heavy underdogs, playing in a tough environment on the road, but it wound up doing something else entirely. It ticked off Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

He proceeded to throw for 404 yards and five scores, leading Kansas City to the end zone on six straight possessions after the turnover, and the Chiefs cruised through the second half for a 42-21 wild-card victory at Arrowhead Stadium Sunday night.

“We were all pissed at ourselves,” Mahomes said. “We weren't playing with enough energy. We weren't playing at a high enough level. We all motivated ourselves. Everyone was talking to each other, and we came out with a different urgency.”

Byron Pringle caught touchdown passes from both Mahomes and Kelce, and Jerick McKinnon and Tyreek Hill also had scoring catches, while the Chiefs (13-5) shut down the retiring Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers offense.

The performance not only sent Kansas City into the divisional round of the playoffs, it also turned next Sunday night's game against Buffalo — a rematch of last year's AFC title game — into appointment viewing. The Bills had a similarly easy time with their 47-17 victory over New England on Saturday.

“When you’ve been to the Super Bowl the last two years and you walk off that field with a loss last year, you want to go back and get that revenge, get that win,” Mahomes said. "We have the Bills coming here this next week and we’re going to have to play our best football.”

Roethlisberger, who acknowledged the Steelers (9-8-1) were “not a very good football team” this week, wasn't very good in his own right. The 39-year-old quarterback was 29 of 44 for 215 yards with two meaningless TD passes late in the game, providing the coda to a career that includes six Pro Bowl trips and two Super Bowl wins.

The Chiefs welcome Buffalo next Sunday night in the AFC divisional round. The Bills won in Arrowhead 38-20 in October. Mahomes threw three TD passes in a 38-24 victory for the AFC crown last January.

Kickoff in Sunday's game is set for 5:30 central. The game will be carried on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3) and Q Country 92.7 FM in St. Joseph.

St. Joseph PostKANSAS CITY (AP) — The Chiefs were going nowhere on offense against Pittsburgh early Sunday night, so coach Andy Reid had wide receiver Mecole Hardman take a shotgun snap and hand off to running back Darrel Williams on a trick play.Their exchange hit the ground, T.J. Watt picked it up and returned the fumble for a touchdown.It was precisely the kind of play that should have energized the heavy underdogs, playing in a tough environment on the road, but it wound up doing something else entirely. It ticked off Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.He proceeded to throw for 404 yards and five scores, leading Kansas City to the end zone on six straight possessions after the turnover, and the Chiefs cruised through the second half for a 42-21 wild-card victory at Arrowhead Stadium Sunday night.“We were all pissed at ourselves,” Mahomes said. “We weren't playing with enough energy. We weren't playing at a high enough level. We all motivated ourselves. Everyone was talking to each other, and we came out with a different urgency.”Byron Pringle caught touchdown passes from both Mahomes and Kelce, and Jerick McKinnon and Tyreek Hill also had scoring catches, while the Chiefs (13-5) shut down the retiring Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers offense.The performance not only sent Kansas City into the divisional round of the playoffs, it also turned next Sunday night's game against Buffalo — a rematch of last year's AFC title game — into appointment viewing. The Bills had a similarly easy time with their 47-17 victory over New England on Saturday.“When you’ve been to the Super Bowl the last two years and you walk off that field with a loss last year, you want to go back and get that revenge, get that win,” Mahomes said. "We have the Bills coming here this next week and we’re going to have to play our best football.”Roethlisberger, who acknowledged the Steelers (9-8-1) were “not a very good football team” this week, wasn't very good in his own right. The 39-year-old quarterback was 29 of 44 for 215 yards with two meaningless TD passes late in the game, providing the coda to a career that includes six Pro Bowl trips and two Super Bowl wins.The Chiefs welcome Buffalo next Sunday night in the AFC divisional round. The Bills won in Arrowhead 38-20 in October. Mahomes threw three TD passes in a 38-24 victory for the AFC crown last January.Kickoff in Sunday's game is set for 5:30 central. The game will be carried on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3) and Q Country 92.7 FM in St. Joseph.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">VICTORY MOOOOOD 😎 <a href="https://t.co/JwUKZ4rsRj">pic.twitter.com/JwUKZ4rsRj</a>&mdash; Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) <a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs/status/1482943011033997314?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 17, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Chiefs overcome slow start, blow out Steelers to advance to divisional round

It was high-level basketball on both ends of the floor Saturday between No. 2 Fort Hays State and No. 22 Missouri Western in the first half.

The teams went blow-for-blow and the Griffons gave the Tigers all they could handle in the first two quarters.

Missouri Western (12-3, 6-3 MIAA) trailed by just one point at halftime after six ties and four lead changes, but a 16-2 run to open the second half lifted Fort Hays State to a 74-61 win on Saturday at the MWSU Fieldhouse.

"Super disappointed in the third quarter start," Missouri Western coach Candi Whitaker said. "On defense, absolute zero communication, which is controllable. The difference is, they don't have me in their ear. They have to do it themselves in the third quarter, and they didn't."

The Griffons regathered themselves somewhat, scoring 13 points over the final 5:41 of the third quarter after just two points in the first 4:19 after halftime.

Still, Fort Hays State (15-1, 9-1 MIAA) led 55-43 entering the fourth, behind a 10-of-13 shooting effort in the third, and the Tigers eventually led 67-47 with 5:19 to go.

The Griffons did not quit, reeling off a 14-3 run to get to within 70-61 with 49 seconds left. Missouri Western, however, missed a number of free throws, and ran out of time down the stretch.

The Griffons were just 6-of-13 at the free throw line in the second half and 12-of-21 for the game. Missouri Western was also just 6-of-24 on two-point field goals in the second half.

"There's so much opportunity there," Whitaker said. "You have to make layups and you have to make free throws. You hope you shoot it better from the arc, but those two things have to be there consistently."

Freshman Josie Weishaar led the way for Western, tying her career-high with 16 points to go with five rebounds and two steals.

Connie Clarke and Brionna Budgets each had nine points for the Griffons. Jaelyn Haggard made a pair of second half threes and finished with seven points. Clarke and Corbyn Cunningham, two starters and two of the top scorers, spent a lot of time on the bench Saturday, as they each picked up a couple of early fouls.

Mound City native Kameron Freemyer played a season-high 20 minutes, scoring two points and collecting two rebounds.

"(Josie and Kameron), I thought, were just fantastic today," Whitaker said. "It speaks to their character. They haven't had that much opportunity this year and they just took advantage of it. Played with such heart and determination."

Hays was led by freshman Katie Wagner, who logged her sixth double-double of the season with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Whitney Randall scored 15 points to go with four steals, while Olivia Hollenbeck scored 14.

Western will begin a three-game road trip on Thursday when they go to Wichita to play Newman (2-14, 0-10 MIAA). Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. The game will be carried on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642289691240.jpeg" alt="Photo by Arianne Boma." />
 <figcaption>Photo by Arianne Boma.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostIt was high-level basketball on both ends of the floor Saturday between No. 2 Fort Hays State and No. 22 Missouri Western in the first half.The teams went blow-for-blow and the Griffons gave the Tigers all they could handle in the first two quarters.Missouri Western (12-3, 6-3 MIAA) trailed by just one point at halftime after six ties and four lead changes, but a 16-2 run to open the second half lifted Fort Hays State to a 74-61 win on Saturday at the MWSU Fieldhouse."Super disappointed in the third quarter start," Missouri Western coach Candi Whitaker said. "On defense, absolute zero communication, which is controllable. The difference is, they don't have me in their ear. They have to do it themselves in the third quarter, and they didn't."The Griffons regathered themselves somewhat, scoring 13 points over the final 5:41 of the third quarter after just two points in the first 4:19 after halftime.Still, Fort Hays State (15-1, 9-1 MIAA) led 55-43 entering the fourth, behind a 10-of-13 shooting effort in the third, and the Tigers eventually led 67-47 with 5:19 to go.The Griffons did not quit, reeling off a 14-3 run to get to within 70-61 with 49 seconds left. Missouri Western, however, missed a number of free throws, and ran out of time down the stretch.The Griffons were just 6-of-13 at the free throw line in the second half and 12-of-21 for the game. Missouri Western was also just 6-of-24 on two-point field goals in the second half."There's so much opportunity there," Whitaker said. "You have to make layups and you have to make free throws. You hope you shoot it better from the arc, but those two things have to be there consistently."Freshman Josie Weishaar led the way for Western, tying her career-high with 16 points to go with five rebounds and two steals.Connie Clarke and Brionna Budgets each had nine points for the Griffons. Jaelyn Haggard made a pair of second half threes and finished with seven points. Clarke and Corbyn Cunningham, two starters and two of the top scorers, spent a lot of time on the bench Saturday, as they each picked up a couple of early fouls.Mound City native Kameron Freemyer played a season-high 20 minutes, scoring two points and collecting two rebounds."(Josie and Kameron), I thought, were just fantastic today," Whitaker said. "It speaks to their character. They haven't had that much opportunity this year and they just took advantage of it. Played with such heart and determination."Hays was led by freshman Katie Wagner, who logged her sixth double-double of the season with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Whitney Randall scored 15 points to go with four steals, while Olivia Hollenbeck scored 14.Western will begin a three-game road trip on Thursday when they go to Wichita to play Newman (2-14, 0-10 MIAA). Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. The game will be carried on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3).You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Missouri Western starts slow in the second half, falls short to No. 2 Fort Hays State

The Missouri Western women's basketball team went toe-to-toe with No. 16 Nebraska-Kearney for awhile, but the Lopers (13-2, 8-1 MIAA) grabbed a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter and hung on for a 60-48 win at the MWSU Fieldhouse Thursday night.

In a battle of top 25 teams, No. 22 Missouri Western (12-2, 7-2 MIAA) started strong and hung with the Lopers early, leading 15-14 at the end of the first and only trailing 25-22 at the break.

But after seven ties and six lead changes in the first half, Nebraska-Kearney never lost the lead in the second half and led 44-36 entering the final quarter.

The Griffons, who lost at home for the first time this season Thursday, got to within 44-40 with 8:07 to go in the fourth, but that's as close as it would get for the rest of the game.

A three-pointer by Haley Simental put the Lopers ahead 56-44 with 3:35 remaining, and the Lopers led it by 10 or more the rest of the way.

Missouri Western shot just 8-of-23 in the second half, including 3-of-11 in the final quarter.

"I thought we had some opportunities that we left on the table," Missouri Western coach Candi Whitaker said. "Missed some layups. We had some wide open looks from the arc. They just didn't go. We just didn't make some shots. I thought you could tell we were a young team late compared to (Kearney's) experience."

Simental and Elisa Backes led Nebraska-Kearney with 16 points each. Brook Carlson had 12 points to go with 11 rebounds.

Connie Clarke carried the load for Western, scoring a game-high 23 points to go with nine rebounds, but no other Griffon finished in double figures. Brionna Budgets finished with nine points. Trinity Knapp had five off the bench.

Missouri Western shot just 32.1 percent (17-of-53) from the field, including just 1-of-11 from three. UNK shot 42.3 percent (22-of-52), including 6-of-19 from three.

Western men erase 23-point deficit, come up just shy at the end

It was tough sledding for the Missouri Western men before Thursday's game even started. The Griffons were without Alex John, Anthony Peacock, Q Mays and Caleb Bennett due to COVID protocol. Three starters, including two of the top three scorers.

Nebraska-Kearney pounced early, leading 30-7 with 8:25 to go in the first half. Will Martin had to call timeout. Suddenly, things changed.

"I felt like our emotions and our attitudes were, 'Oh we're down our three best players,'" Martin said of his team's start. "I said, 'Listen, I'm rocking with all you cats. We're not dodging from any smoke. There's a lot of teams that want to play this game.' And I said, 'I believe in you.'"

The Griffons ended the first half on a 28-11 run, willed themselves back into the game and hung in for the entire second half, but the Lopers (6-9, 2-7 MIAA) hung on late for an 81-79 win in St. Joseph Thursday.

Western used a 13-2 run to get back to within 32-20 with 5:41 left in the first half, prompting a UNK timeout. A Zion Swader three-pointer with just 10 seconds left in the half made it a 41-36 game at the break.

Nebraska-Kearney started the second half on a 9-3 run, and eventually went up 56-43 with 14:14 to go, thanks to a three-pointer from Sean Evans. Evans led the Lopers with a game-high 22 points.

Still trailing 70-63 with 6:27 to play, the Griffons really started to close the gap after several layups by JaRon Thames and Taye Fields made it a 74-71 game with 3:20 left.

Western finally grabbed the lead when Reese Glover hit an open floater in the lane to put the Griffons ahead 77-76 with just over a minute to go.

Nebraska-Kearney responded on the next possession, as Matt Brien hit a corner three with 42 seconds remaining to put the Lopers back up 79-77.

Thames tied it at 79 with a layup of his own with just 25 seconds left. He also got fouled and had a chance at a three-point play, but missed the ensuing free throw. Fields rebounded that miss, and had a chance at a go-ahead put back, but that too was off the mark.

With 15 seconds left, Nebraska-Kearney called timeout and eventually got the ball to Darrian Nebecker, who hit a go-ahead, long range jumper from the left side to put the Lopers back up 81-79. Nebecker finished with 16 points on 7-of-8 shooting. He also had 11 rebounds.

With 4.1 seconds still to go, Western called a full timeout. Will Eames chucked the ball inbounds, halfway across the court to Thames, who dribbled in the lane and had a decent look at a tying shot from just a few feet away, but the shot missed off the iron and the Lopers held on.

"I thought he was right there," Martin said. "It's a good shot that I'll take. He had been hitting those all night. I'm so proud of this team. I don't care about the five-game losing streak. I am so proud of this team."

Heartbreak, perhaps. But, a gutsy effort by a team that was down four total players and three starters, and that got behind by 23 in the early going.

"I've never in my life been more proud of a team," Martin beamed. "Ever. We're down three starters, two seniors. We're out our leading scorer, our best defensive player. We came out and we fought, man. We fought. We fought and we battled."

Zion Swader broke out for a career-high 20 points to go with four steals. Taye Fields had his first career double-double with 15 points and 15 rebounds. JaRon Thames scored 17 points, tying his season-high. Will Eames chipped in 13 points, six rebounds and three steals.

Both Missouri Western teams are back home Saturday to host Fort Hays State. The women tip at 1:30, the men at 3:30. Both games will be carried on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3).

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe Missouri Western women's basketball team went toe-to-toe with No. 16 Nebraska-Kearney for awhile, but the Lopers (13-2, 8-1 MIAA) grabbed a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter and hung on for a 60-48 win at the MWSU Fieldhouse Thursday night.In a battle of top 25 teams, No. 22 Missouri Western (12-2, 7-2 MIAA) started strong and hung with the Lopers early, leading 15-14 at the end of the first and only trailing 25-22 at the break.But after seven ties and six lead changes in the first half, Nebraska-Kearney never lost the lead in the second half and led 44-36 entering the final quarter.The Griffons, who lost at home for the first time this season Thursday, got to within 44-40 with 8:07 to go in the fourth, but that's as close as it would get for the rest of the game.A three-pointer by Haley Simental put the Lopers ahead 56-44 with 3:35 remaining, and the Lopers led it by 10 or more the rest of the way.Missouri Western shot just 8-of-23 in the second half, including 3-of-11 in the final quarter."I thought we had some opportunities that we left on the table," Missouri Western coach Candi Whitaker said. "Missed some layups. We had some wide open looks from the arc. They just didn't go. We just didn't make some shots. I thought you could tell we were a young team late compared to (Kearney's) experience."Simental and Elisa Backes led Nebraska-Kearney with 16 points each. Brook Carlson had 12 points to go with 11 rebounds.Connie Clarke carried the load for Western, scoring a game-high 23 points to go with nine rebounds, but no other Griffon finished in double figures. Brionna Budgets finished with nine points. Trinity Knapp had five off the bench.Missouri Western shot just 32.1 percent (17-of-53) from the field, including just 1-of-11 from three. UNK shot 42.3 percent (22-of-52), including 6-of-19 from three.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642137659413.jpeg" alt="Courtesy photo." />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo.</figcaption>
 </figure>Western men erase 23-point deficit, come up just shy at the endIt was tough sledding for the Missouri Western men before Thursday's game even started. The Griffons were without Alex John, Anthony Peacock, Q Mays and Caleb Bennett due to COVID protocol. Three starters, including two of the top three scorers.Nebraska-Kearney pounced early, leading 30-7 with 8:25 to go in the first half. Will Martin had to call timeout. Suddenly, things changed."I felt like our emotions and our attitudes were, 'Oh we're down our three best players,'" Martin said of his team's start. "I said, 'Listen, I'm rocking with all you cats. We're not dodging from any smoke. There's a lot of teams that want to play this game.' And I said, 'I believe in you.'"The Griffons ended the first half on a 28-11 run, willed themselves back into the game and hung in for the entire second half, but the Lopers (6-9, 2-7 MIAA) hung on late for an 81-79 win in St. Joseph Thursday.Western used a 13-2 run to get back to within 32-20 with 5:41 left in the first half, prompting a UNK timeout. A Zion Swader three-pointer with just 10 seconds left in the half made it a 41-36 game at the break.Nebraska-Kearney started the second half on a 9-3 run, and eventually went up 56-43 with 14:14 to go, thanks to a three-pointer from Sean Evans. Evans led the Lopers with a game-high 22 points.Still trailing 70-63 with 6:27 to play, the Griffons really started to close the gap after several layups by JaRon Thames and Taye Fields made it a 74-71 game with 3:20 left.Western finally grabbed the lead when Reese Glover hit an open floater in the lane to put the Griffons ahead 77-76 with just over a minute to go.Nebraska-Kearney responded on the next possession, as Matt Brien hit a corner three with 42 seconds remaining to put the Lopers back up 79-77.Thames tied it at 79 with a layup of his own with just 25 seconds left. He also got fouled and had a chance at a three-point play, but missed the ensuing free throw. Fields rebounded that miss, and had a chance at a go-ahead put back, but that too was off the mark.With 15 seconds left, Nebraska-Kearney called timeout and eventually got the ball to Darrian Nebecker, who hit a go-ahead, long range jumper from the left side to put the Lopers back up 81-79. Nebecker finished with 16 points on 7-of-8 shooting. He also had 11 rebounds.With 4.1 seconds still to go, Western called a full timeout. Will Eames chucked the ball inbounds, halfway across the court to Thames, who dribbled in the lane and had a decent look at a tying shot from just a few feet away, but the shot missed off the iron and the Lopers held on."I thought he was right there," Martin said. "It's a good shot that I'll take. He had been hitting those all night. I'm so proud of this team. I don't care about the five-game losing streak. I am so proud of this team."Heartbreak, perhaps. But, a gutsy effort by a team that was down four total players and three starters, and that got behind by 23 in the early going."I've never in my life been more proud of a team," Martin beamed. "Ever. We're down three starters, two seniors. We're out our leading scorer, our best defensive player. We came out and we fought, man. We fought. We fought and we battled."Zion Swader broke out for a career-high 20 points to go with four steals. Taye Fields had his first career double-double with 15 points and 15 rebounds. JaRon Thames scored 17 points, tying his season-high. Will Eames chipped in 13 points, six rebounds and three steals.Both Missouri Western teams are back home Saturday to host Fort Hays State. The women tip at 1:30, the men at 3:30. Both games will be carried on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3).<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642135761146.jpeg" alt="Courtesy photo." />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Nebraska-Kearney women top MWSU, Griffon men's comeback falls short

The St. Joseph Central girls' basketball team is no stranger to playing tough competition in the 2021-22 season.

Raytown (10-2), No. 1 ranked Bishop Meige from Kansas (7-0) and then No. 2 Rock Bridge (10-0) just two days ago were among the toughest tests so far. So, when St. Pius X, a team that's receiving votes in the Class 4 Missouri Basketball Coaches' Association came to the Coliseum Wednesday, Central didn't flinch.

The Indians (8-4) got off to an 8-0 start and never looked back in a 66-47 win over the Warriors on Wednesday night.

The game was a late edition to the schedule for Central after their game at Lee's Summit scheduled for this Thursday got rescheduled to February 1st. The matchup against Pius was announced on Monday afternoon.

"We've played a tough schedule so far this year," Central coach Roger Smith said. "We wanted that for this year. We said in the very beginning that we wanted a tough schedule, because we wanted to be prepared. We've held our own. I'm happy with the way we're playing. I like the intensity we're playing with."

The Indians started quick Wednesday, going up 8-0 in the first 2:46 of the game, and leading 18-6 at the end of the first quarter.

Pius (7-3) made a bit of a charge in the third quarter, getting to within 41-31 with 3:20 left in the third and then 43-34 just a few moments later.

Central ended the third quarter on a 7-1 run, thanks to a flurry of steals and led 50-35 entering the fourth.

Pius made a couple of three-pointers in the final quarter, but 16 points over the final eight minutes was enough for Central to put the game away.

"I liked the way we executed," Smith said. "I thought in the third quarter we finally got into a rhythm again. When we get going offensively, it's going to be fun, because our defense is usually pretty darn good.

"I like the intensity we're playing with. I like my team. They're a lot of fun right now. When kids play that hard, it's fun to coach."

The Indians were led in scoring by senior and Northwest Missouri State basketball commit Ella Moody, who scored a game-high 17 points. Junior Breanna Dudley came off the bench to score 16, while fellow junior Avery Barber also came off the bench and tallied 15 points, including three made three-pointers.

"We made really good open shots to open girls," Barber said. "We just played tough and kept playing good defense and ended up with the win."

Junior Lauren Wells had nine, while junior Charlize Broaden scored eight. Senior Adanna Anikwe led Pius with 15 points. Sophomore Ava Coons finished with 10.

Central will be in action next week at the Basehor-Linwood tournament, which runs Jan. 18-22.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642046196504.jpeg" alt="Avery Barber shoots for three in the first half against St. Pius X Wednesday. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Avery Barber shoots for three in the first half against St. Pius X Wednesday. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe St. Joseph Central girls' basketball team is no stranger to playing tough competition in the 2021-22 season.Raytown (10-2), No. 1 ranked Bishop Meige from Kansas (7-0) and then No. 2 Rock Bridge (10-0) just two days ago were among the toughest tests so far. So, when St. Pius X, a team that's receiving votes in the Class 4 Missouri Basketball Coaches' Association came to the Coliseum Wednesday, Central didn't flinch.The Indians (8-4) got off to an 8-0 start and never looked back in a 66-47 win over the Warriors on Wednesday night.The game was a late edition to the schedule for Central after their game at Lee's Summit scheduled for this Thursday got rescheduled to February 1st. The matchup against Pius was announced on Monday afternoon."We've played a tough schedule so far this year," Central coach Roger Smith said. "We wanted that for this year. We said in the very beginning that we wanted a tough schedule, because we wanted to be prepared. We've held our own. I'm happy with the way we're playing. I like the intensity we're playing with."The Indians started quick Wednesday, going up 8-0 in the first 2:46 of the game, and leading 18-6 at the end of the first quarter.Pius (7-3) made a bit of a charge in the third quarter, getting to within 41-31 with 3:20 left in the third and then 43-34 just a few moments later.Central ended the third quarter on a 7-1 run, thanks to a flurry of steals and led 50-35 entering the fourth.Pius made a couple of three-pointers in the final quarter, but 16 points over the final eight minutes was enough for Central to put the game away."I liked the way we executed," Smith said. "I thought in the third quarter we finally got into a rhythm again. When we get going offensively, it's going to be fun, because our defense is usually pretty darn good."I like the intensity we're playing with. I like my team. They're a lot of fun right now. When kids play that hard, it's fun to coach."The Indians were led in scoring by senior and Northwest Missouri State basketball commit Ella Moody, who scored a game-high 17 points. Junior Breanna Dudley came off the bench to score 16, while fellow junior Avery Barber also came off the bench and tallied 15 points, including three made three-pointers."We made really good open shots to open girls," Barber said. "We just played tough and kept playing good defense and ended up with the win." Junior Lauren Wells had nine, while junior Charlize Broaden scored eight. Senior Adanna Anikwe led Pius with 15 points. Sophomore Ava Coons finished with 10.Central will be in action next week at the Basehor-Linwood tournament, which runs Jan. 18-22.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642045818073.jpeg" alt="Ella Moody." />
 <figcaption>Ella Moody.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642046256071.jpeg" alt="Lauren Wells." />
 <figcaption>Lauren Wells.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Central girls get off to quick start, pull away late against St. Pius X Wednesday

Fairfax tournament South Holt 49 Nodaway Valley 34 Bill Burns Classic at Lathrop Lathrop 53 Savannah 46

Lawson tournament North Platte 62 Richmond 26 West Platte 49 Gallatin 16

Osborn tournament DeKalb 52 Pattonsburg 40. The Tigers are onto the championship. They'll play Polo on Friday night at 6:30. The Panthers beat Benton JV, 50-28.

Stanberry tournament North Andrew 34 Mound City 16 North Nodaway 33 King City 24. North Nodaway meets Platte Valley in the semifinal on Thursday at 4:30.

Benton Cardinal Classic Benton 62 Hogan Prep 41 No final reported, but Oak Park was leading Savannah 48-17 at half.

Kearney Invitational Lafayette 63 Kearney 53 OT. The Irish will next play North Kansas City on Thursday at 8.

Fairfax tournament South Holt 57 Nodaway Valley 53

Lawson tournament West Platte 80 Cristo Rey 18

Stanberry tournament Mound City 74 North Nodaway 25. The Panthers are 11-0 and will play Platte Valley in semis on Thursday at 6. Stanberry 74 King City 41. The Bulldogs play Worth County in semis on Thursday night at 9.&nbsp;

Non-tournament play Lee’s Summit 72 St. Joseph Central 48

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostGirls' basketballFairfax tournament South Holt 49 Nodaway Valley 34 Bill Burns Classic at Lathrop Lathrop 53 Savannah 46Lawson tournament North Platte 62 Richmond 26 West Platte 49 Gallatin 16Osborn tournament DeKalb 52 Pattonsburg 40. The Tigers are onto the championship. They'll play Polo on Friday night at 6:30. The Panthers beat Benton JV, 50-28.Stanberry tournament North Andrew 34 Mound City 16 North Nodaway 33 King City 24. North Nodaway meets Platte Valley in the semifinal on Thursday at 4:30.Boys’ basketballBenton Cardinal Classic Benton 62 Hogan Prep 41 No final reported, but Oak Park was leading Savannah 48-17 at half.Kearney Invitational Lafayette 63 Kearney 53 OT. The Irish will next play North Kansas City on Thursday at 8.Fairfax tournament South Holt 57 Nodaway Valley 53Lawson tournament West Platte 80 Cristo Rey 18Stanberry tournament Mound City 74 North Nodaway 25. The Panthers are 11-0 and will play Platte Valley in semis on Thursday at 6. Stanberry 74 King City 41. The Bulldogs play Worth County in semis on Thursday night at 9.&nbsp;Non-tournament play Lee’s Summit 72 St. Joseph Central 48

KFEQ/St. Joseph Post area high school scoreboard - January 11, 2022

A former Northwest Missouri State head football coach was honored recently during the AFCA Convention in San Antonio, TX.&nbsp;

Mel Tjeerdsma, who led the Bearcats from 1994 to 2010, was awarded the 2022 Amos Alonzo Stagg Award.&nbsp; The award is given to an individual “whose services have been outstanding in the advancement of the best interests of football.”

The award is named in honor of a man who was instrumental in founding the AFCA in the 1920s. Amos Alonzo Stagg is considered one of the great innovators and motivating forces in the early development of the game of football. 

The plaque given to each recipient is a replica of the one given to Stagg at the 1939 AFCA Convention in tribute to his 50 years of service to football.

Tjeerdsma was a head coach for 27 years, with a stint at Austin from 1984 to 1993 before coming to Maryville, earning 242 career wins, 183 coming with the Bearcats, which ranks 10th all-time among among Division II head coaches.&nbsp; Tjeerdsma also boasts a 74.4 winning percentage. Just three seasons after being hired on at Northwest, Tjeerdsma turned the program around, going from 0-11 to 11-2 and leading Northwest to its first playoff appearance since 1984.&nbsp; in 1998, Tjeerdsma would lead Northwest to an undefeated 15-0 season, culminating in their first ever NCAA Division II national title.

Northwest would go on to win a second straight title in 1999 under Tjeerdsma, playing in five more national championship games, winning a third in 2009.&nbsp; Those 183 wins with Northwest would make Tjeerdsma the all-time wins leader for the program.&nbsp; He was also an AFCA Division II Coach of the year four times in his career (1998, 1999, 2008, 2009) and a seven time AFCA Regional Coach of the Year winner.

Before retiring in 2010 from coaching, the Bearcats would name the field at Bearcat Stadium in his honor in 2007.&nbsp; In 2013, after returning to Austin College working in the Institutional Advancement Division, Tjeerdsma returned as Northwest's Athletic Director, a post he held until 2018.

&nbsp;In 2018, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641933440247.jpeg" alt="Stock Photo" />
 <figcaption>Stock Photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostA former Northwest Missouri State head football coach was honored recently during the AFCA Convention in San Antonio, TX.&nbsp;Mel Tjeerdsma, who led the Bearcats from 1994 to 2010, was awarded the 2022 Amos Alonzo Stagg Award.&nbsp; The award is given to an individual “whose services have been outstanding in the advancement of the best interests of football.”The award is named in honor of a man who was instrumental in founding the AFCA in the 1920s. Amos Alonzo Stagg is considered one of the great innovators and motivating forces in the early development of the game of football. The plaque given to each recipient is a replica of the one given to Stagg at the 1939 AFCA Convention in tribute to his 50 years of service to football.Tjeerdsma was a head coach for 27 years, with a stint at Austin from 1984 to 1993 before coming to Maryville, earning 242 career wins, 183 coming with the Bearcats, which ranks 10th all-time among among Division II head coaches.&nbsp; Tjeerdsma also boasts a 74.4 winning percentage. Just three seasons after being hired on at Northwest, Tjeerdsma turned the program around, going from 0-11 to 11-2 and leading Northwest to its first playoff appearance since 1984.&nbsp; in 1998, Tjeerdsma would lead Northwest to an undefeated 15-0 season, culminating in their first ever NCAA Division II national title.Northwest would go on to win a second straight title in 1999 under Tjeerdsma, playing in five more national championship games, winning a third in 2009.&nbsp; Those 183 wins with Northwest would make Tjeerdsma the all-time wins leader for the program.&nbsp; He was also an AFCA Division II Coach of the year four times in his career (1998, 1999, 2008, 2009) and a seven time AFCA Regional Coach of the Year winner.Before retiring in 2010 from coaching, the Bearcats would name the field at Bearcat Stadium in his honor in 2007.&nbsp; In 2013, after returning to Austin College working in the Institutional Advancement Division, Tjeerdsma returned as Northwest's Athletic Director, a post he held until 2018.&nbsp;In 2018, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. <div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Congratulations to former <a href="https://twitter.com/NWBearcat_FB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NWBearcat_FB</a> head coach Mel Tjeerdsma on receiving the 2022 Amos Alonzo Stagg Award at the <a href="https://twitter.com/WeAreAFCA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WeAreAFCA</a> convention in San Antonio. It is given to those whose services have been outstanding in the advancement of the best interests in football. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OABAAB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OABAAB</a> <a href="https://t.co/Ou20QpkZ6V">pic.twitter.com/Ou20QpkZ6V</a>&mdash; Northwest Athletics (@bearcatsports) <a href="https://twitter.com/bearcatsports/status/1480916772509388801?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

Former Northwest Head Coach Mel Tjeerdsma wins Amos Alonzo Stagg Award

SAVANNAH - Online voting has started for a new school mascot at Savannah.

Savannah parents, community members and alumni are invited to choose from five mascot designs in an online survey. The five choices were narrowed down by the school board in December after a total of 83 submissions.

New mascot designs were submitted by students, community members and alumni.

"We really truly had submissions from all of those areas," Savannah district spokesperson Jess Gillett said. "It was really kind of fun to see. We have several alumni who are now graphic artists and we got things on that end of the spectrum all the way to submissions from young elementary students. So, that was fun to see."

Any submissions with copyrighted imagery, or anything that had negative connotations, were thrown out. Students eventually narrowed it down to their favorite 10 submissions with a vote. That 10 was then narrowed down further to five. The final five were presented to the board in December.

"Students voted on the top 10," Gillett said. "Taking the top 10 to their favorite five. That's what went to the board last month, and the board was in agreement that those top five were good and we could move forward and that's where we are now."

Voting on the mascot opened Monday and will close on Friday, January 14.&nbsp;Students and staff members are voting on campus.&nbsp;

The five new mascot choices&nbsp;<a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1MesOUpFZxwr-I1P2QZpmM13J2ND84Pt9GdjhgHg-UQQ/edit#slide=id.g10764e4012a_0_20">can be viewed here</a>. Savannah parents, alums and community members&nbsp;<a href="https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PXRQS9B">can vote online here</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The school colors and the name "Savages" will be retained. The Savannah school board voted <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/db776f1c-5c82-46d3-9192-5fb6a33525ca">in April of last year</a>&nbsp;to retain the Savage name, but phase out&nbsp;the Native American imagery and symbolism associated with the mascot.

A final decision on the new mascot imagery will be announced after the next board meeting on Thursday, January 20.

Once the new mascot is chosen, Gillett says the final and biggest step will be replacing the equipment and uniforms that bear the original mascot.

Gillett reiterated, just as the school board did at the time of their vote, not one cent of the school district's budget is going toward the mascot change.&nbsp;Instead, as it becomes necessary to replace items, the updated imagery will be used.

"Uniforms are on a five-year rotation," Gillett said. "So, when it's time for those uniforms to be replaced, we'll simply put the new mascot on the new uniform and move forward. And that's true of everything in the district. Gym floors, things like that. They'll just be replaced as they were already scheduled to be updated or replaced."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618368461365.jpeg" alt="Newly appointed Savannah Board of Education president Joseph Barbosa addresses the room after being appointed president and after a vote to change the Savannah mascot imagery last April. Stock photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Newly appointed Savannah Board of Education president Joseph Barbosa addresses the room after being appointed president and after a vote to change the Savannah mascot imagery last April. Stock photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph Post&nbsp;SAVANNAH - Online voting has started for a new school mascot at Savannah.Savannah parents, community members and alumni are invited to choose from five mascot designs in an online survey. The five choices were narrowed down by the school board in December after a total of 83 submissions.New mascot designs were submitted by students, community members and alumni."We really truly had submissions from all of those areas," Savannah district spokesperson Jess Gillett said. "It was really kind of fun to see. We have several alumni who are now graphic artists and we got things on that end of the spectrum all the way to submissions from young elementary students. So, that was fun to see."Any submissions with copyrighted imagery, or anything that had negative connotations, were thrown out. Students eventually narrowed it down to their favorite 10 submissions with a vote. That 10 was then narrowed down further to five. The final five were presented to the board in December."Students voted on the top 10," Gillett said. "Taking the top 10 to their favorite five. That's what went to the board last month, and the board was in agreement that those top five were good and we could move forward and that's where we are now."Voting on the mascot opened Monday and will close on Friday, January 14.&nbsp;Students and staff members are voting on campus.&nbsp;

The five new mascot choices&nbsp;<a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1MesOUpFZxwr-I1P2QZpmM13J2ND84Pt9GdjhgHg-UQQ/edit#slide=id.g10764e4012a_0_20">can be viewed here</a>. Savannah parents, alums and community members&nbsp;<a href="https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PXRQS9B">can vote online here</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;The school colors and the name "Savages" will be retained. The Savannah school board voted <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/db776f1c-5c82-46d3-9192-5fb6a33525ca">in April of last year</a>&nbsp;to retain the Savage name, but phase out&nbsp;the Native American imagery and symbolism associated with the mascot.A final decision on the new mascot imagery will be announced after the next board meeting on Thursday, January 20.Once the new mascot is chosen, Gillett says the final and biggest step will be replacing the equipment and uniforms that bear the original mascot.Gillett reiterated, just as the school board did at the time of their vote, not one cent of the school district's budget is going toward the mascot change.&nbsp;Instead, as it becomes necessary to replace items, the updated imagery will be used."Uniforms are on a five-year rotation," Gillett said. "So, when it's time for those uniforms to be replaced, we'll simply put the new mascot on the new uniform and move forward. And that's true of everything in the district. Gym floors, things like that. They'll just be replaced as they were already scheduled to be updated or replaced."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618430580582.png" alt="Stock photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Stock photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Voting underway for new Savannah mascot, five finalists selected

DENVER (AP) — Nearly stumbling heading into the playoffs, Nick Bolton and the Kansas City Chiefs gathered themselves just in time to thunder into the postseason with an AFC-leading 12 wins.

They'll learn Sunday if that's enough to get them a first-round bye.

“We're ready to go wherever and against whomever,” Patrick Mahomes said after the Chiefs rallied for a 28-24 win Saturday over the Denver Broncos, a victory powered by Bolton's&nbsp;86-yard fumble return&nbsp;midway through the fourth quarter.

To secure the pole position in the AFC playoffs, the Chiefs (12-5) need Houston to upset the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. If not, Kansas City hosts a wild-card game next weekend in its quest to reach a third consecutive Super Bowl.

The Broncos were ahead 21-20 and driving for another score when Melvin Ingram III blitzed, speeding past tight end Noah Fant untouched and blowing up the play just as Drew Lock handed the ball to Melvin Gordon on second-and-2 from the 9.

Bolton, a rookie linebacker who checks in at 237 pounds, scooped up the loose ball and rumbled down the Chiefs' euphoric sideline, nearly falling down at midfield before regaining his balance and outracing Lock, whom he played with at Missouri, to the end zone.

“I was hoping that he wouldn't stumble," Chiefs coach Andy Reid said after his 250th NFL coaching victory, including playoffs. "Those guys don't get much of a chance to run that far that fast very often and he ran like a stallion. He took off and looked like a running back there.”

Like many of the other victories in the Chiefs' 13-game winning streak against Denver, this one was no cakewalk. The Broncos (7-10) led for much of the afternoon despite having nothing to play for but pride.

“I love the way our defense buckled down," Reid said. “All in all, a good win and an important win for the Kansas City Chiefs and we’ll see what we have by tomorrow night, who we’re playing. We sure look forward to bringing back a playoff game back to Arrowhead in front of our fans.”

Wide receiver Tyreek Hill could surely use the week off that goes to the top seed in each conference. He injured a heel in pregame warmups and was held to one catch for 2 yards. With Hill hurting, Mecole Hardman stepped up with eight catches for 103 yards.

“No one is Tyreek. He's a special player that has never been seen in this league,” Mahomes said. “But Mecole is pretty close. ... He was prepared for this moment."

After Mahomes scored a two-point conversion following Bolton's touchdown to give the Chiefs a seven-point lead, the Broncos quickly drove downfield again but settled for Brandon McManus' chip shot field goal rather than going for it on fourth-and-9 from the 13.

The Chiefs chewed up the final 4:37 and lined up in victory formation after the two-minute warning as the crowd&nbsp; streamed for the exits, a fifth straight losing season in the books and the Broncos' playoff drought now stretched to six years.

The Chiefs now await their playoff matchup, and will cheer on the Texans when they face the Titans on Sunday at noon central in Houston.

St. Joseph PostDENVER (AP) — Nearly stumbling heading into the playoffs, Nick Bolton and the Kansas City Chiefs gathered themselves just in time to thunder into the postseason with an AFC-leading 12 wins.They'll learn Sunday if that's enough to get them a first-round bye.“We're ready to go wherever and against whomever,” Patrick Mahomes said after the Chiefs rallied for a 28-24 win Saturday over the Denver Broncos, a victory powered by Bolton's&nbsp;86-yard fumble return&nbsp;midway through the fourth quarter.To secure the pole position in the AFC playoffs, the Chiefs (12-5) need Houston to upset the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. If not, Kansas City hosts a wild-card game next weekend in its quest to reach a third consecutive Super Bowl.The Broncos were ahead 21-20 and driving for another score when Melvin Ingram III blitzed, speeding past tight end Noah Fant untouched and blowing up the play just as Drew Lock handed the ball to Melvin Gordon on second-and-2 from the 9.Bolton, a rookie linebacker who checks in at 237 pounds, scooped up the loose ball and rumbled down the Chiefs' euphoric sideline, nearly falling down at midfield before regaining his balance and outracing Lock, whom he played with at Missouri, to the end zone.“I was hoping that he wouldn't stumble," Chiefs coach Andy Reid said after his 250th NFL coaching victory, including playoffs. "Those guys don't get much of a chance to run that far that fast very often and he ran like a stallion. He took off and looked like a running back there.”Like many of the other victories in the Chiefs' 13-game winning streak against Denver, this one was no cakewalk. The Broncos (7-10) led for much of the afternoon despite having nothing to play for but pride.“I love the way our defense buckled down," Reid said. “All in all, a good win and an important win for the Kansas City Chiefs and we’ll see what we have by tomorrow night, who we’re playing. We sure look forward to bringing back a playoff game back to Arrowhead in front of our fans.”Wide receiver Tyreek Hill could surely use the week off that goes to the top seed in each conference. He injured a heel in pregame warmups and was held to one catch for 2 yards. With Hill hurting, Mecole Hardman stepped up with eight catches for 103 yards.“No one is Tyreek. He's a special player that has never been seen in this league,” Mahomes said. “But Mecole is pretty close. ... He was prepared for this moment."After Mahomes scored a two-point conversion following Bolton's touchdown to give the Chiefs a seven-point lead, the Broncos quickly drove downfield again but settled for Brandon McManus' chip shot field goal rather than going for it on fourth-and-9 from the 13.The Chiefs chewed up the final 4:37 and lined up in victory formation after the two-minute warning as the crowd&nbsp; streamed for the exits, a fifth straight losing season in the books and the Broncos' playoff drought now stretched to six years.The Chiefs now await their playoff matchup, and will cheer on the Texans when they face the Titans on Sunday at noon central in Houston.

Nick Bolton's scoop-n-score lifts Chiefs to tough win over Denver Saturday

TOPEKA, KS -&nbsp;

The Missouri Western men's basketball team got behind early in the first half, and never recovered in a 76-64 loss at Washburn Saturday.

The Griffons (8-8, 4-4 MIAA) got off to a quick 5-0 start, but Washburn responded with a 14-2 run and eventually went up 25-14 with 7:19 to go in the first half.

The lead only grew for the Ichabods, as they went up 40-25 at halftime, thanks to a three-pointer by Jalen Lewis with just two seconds left before the buzzer.

Lewis had 20 of his game-high 25 points in the first half, and shot a blistering 6-of-12 from three.

"They did a really good job of penetrating and beating us one-on-one," Missouri Western coach Will Martin said. "Getting to the paint and making good reads. Jalen Lewis had a really good game. He only had five points in the second half, but we have to have that same type of intentionality the entire game."

The Griffons got down by as many as 19 within the first five minutes of the second half, but played better offensively down the stretch.

Western shot 48.4 in the second half and outscored the Ichabods 39-36 in the final 20 minutes, but were never really able to get back into it.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641696671596.jpeg" alt="Missouri Western's Justin Bubak (15) goes for three in the second half. Courtesy photo." />
 <figcaption>Missouri Western's Justin Bubak (15) goes for three in the second half. Courtesy photo.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostTOPEKA, KS -&nbsp;

The Missouri Western men's basketball team got behind early in the first half, and never recovered in a 76-64 loss at Washburn Saturday.The Griffons (8-8, 4-4 MIAA) got off to a quick 5-0 start, but Washburn responded with a 14-2 run and eventually went up 25-14 with 7:19 to go in the first half.The lead only grew for the Ichabods, as they went up 40-25 at halftime, thanks to a three-pointer by Jalen Lewis with just two seconds left before the buzzer.Lewis had 20 of his game-high 25 points in the first half, and shot a blistering 6-of-12 from three."They did a really good job of penetrating and beating us one-on-one," Missouri Western coach Will Martin said. "Getting to the paint and making good reads. Jalen Lewis had a really good game. He only had five points in the second half, but we have to have that same type of intentionality the entire game."The Griffons got down by as many as 19 within the first five minutes of the second half, but played better offensively down the stretch.Western shot 48.4 in the second half and outscored the Ichabods 39-36 in the final 20 minutes, but were never really able to get back into it.A three-pointer by Will Eames within the final two minutes made it a 73-64 ballgame with 1:22 remaining, but that's as close as the Griffons got."We have to execute," Martin said. "That's what I told the guys at the end. We talk so much about connectivity and staying together and this team has and they showed fortitude in that second half and didn't give up. But, now there comes a time where you just have to execute, man."Western, which has now lost four in a row, was led in scoring by Q Mays, who had 23 points - the most points he's had in a game since Nov. 20 against Missouri-St. Louis. Mays also had eight rebounds.Eames finished with 15 points and eight boards. Caleb Bennett had nine points to go with seven rebounds.Turnovers were a problem for Missouri Western Saturday. The Griffons had 19 turnovers to just seven assists. The Ichabods, who have now won four of their last five games overall, finished with just seven turnovers to 17 assists."If you ask me, we haven't created an identity defensively," Martin said. "We've had games where we've shown up. We've had too many games where we haven't. I think is team is capable of being a really, really solid defensive team when you look at our roster and our length and our athleticism."Missouri Western returns home Thursday to begin a three-game homestand. The Griffons will host Nebraska-Kearney in a men's and women's doubleheader. The women's game will tip at 5:30 and the men will follow at 7:30.Both games will be carried on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3).You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

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