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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The All-MEC football teams were announced on Tuesday.

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

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

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

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

See the full list of MEC football honorees below.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Chiefs win fifth straight, defeat Rams at home Sunday

Northwest loses defensive battle with Grand Valley State

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

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

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

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

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

The Bearcats would take their first and only lead of the game in the fourth quarter.&nbsp; Once again it was late in the fourth following another long drive of 12 plays.&nbsp; The drive consumed just over six minutes of clock this time and with 3:49 left in the game, Lammel would knock through a 25 yard field goal, putting Northwest on top 8-7.&nbsp; But Grand Valley showed they were the top seed for a reason

The Lakers on the very next drive put together a five play and 72 yard drive using just under two minutes of clock, Reed finding the endzone again from seven yards out, pushing Grand Valley back in front 13-7.&nbsp;

 That would give the Bearcats one more drive and after quarterback Mike Hohensee was sacked twice, and Northwest also had a costly unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, with the ball at the Northwest five yard line Hohensee would throw an interception to&nbsp;Nyzier Fourqurean, his third interception of the game, and the Lakers would kneel out the final minute.

Hohensee completed 12 of 23 passes on the day for 237 yards, throwing two interceptions, while Braden Wright threw one interception as well.&nbsp; Kashan Griffin accounted for 171 total offensive yards for Northwest, catching five passes for 133 yards, his third 100 yard receiving game of the season, and returning two kickoffs for 38 yards.

Northwest ends their season with a 10-3 record.&nbsp; Grand Valley State will move onto play Ferris State, after Ferris pulled out a 17-14 victory over fellow MIAA team Pittsburgh State.

#5 Indiana Wesleyan slows down potent #6 Benedictine offense in win

The Indiana Wesleyan Wildcats slowed down a good Benedictine Raven offense and limited possession, coming out on top 24-13 on Saturday in Marion, Indiana.&nbsp;

The Ravens offense turned the ball over three times in the first half, but managed to only trail 21-6 when the halftime whistle blew.&nbsp; Indiana Wesleyan scored the only touchdown of the first quarter, a three yard touchdown pass from Xander Stokes to Jacquez Carter with 4:55 left in the first quarter.&nbsp;

Benedictine would respond early in the second quarter on an eight play drive that went 80 yards, Garrett Kettle finding Reed Levi on a 33 yard touchdown pass.&nbsp; However, the Ravens would go for two and Kettle would be unable to complete a pass, making Benedictine continue to trail 7-6.&nbsp;

The Wildcats would go on to score twice more later in the second quarter, both on passes from Stokes.&nbsp; The first came with 2:04 left in the half as Stokes found Carter again, this time for a 36 yard touchdown pass, and the second would come with 59 seconds left with Stokes getting the ball to Caden Currie on a 31 yard touchdown pass.&nbsp; Both extra points would be good pushing the lead at halftime to 21-6.

The final points of the game would come late in the third quarter, first on a 29 yard field goal by the Wildcats Ethan Collins, pushing the lead to 24-6 with 2:11 left in the third after a 13 play 58 yard drive that used just over eight and a half minutes of clock.&nbsp; And then on the ensuing drive Kettle would find Tanner Zimmerman from 24 yards out, cutting the lead to 24-13 after the Harry Balke extra point.&nbsp;

The Indiana Wesleyan defense was strong in the final play as every Benedictine drive ended with an interception, while the Wildcats drive were long and used to eat clock until they could kneel it out for the victory.

Kettle completed 13 of 25 passes for 189 yards and threw two touchdowns as well as four interceptions.&nbsp; Rayshon Mills was just shy of the century mark, rushing seven times for 92 yards, while Jacob Gathright and Zimmerman each had three catches, for 51 and 46 yards respectively, and Zimmerman caught one of Kettle's two touchdowns.&nbsp;

Benedictine ends their season with an 11-2 record.&nbsp;

Missouri now bowl eligible with win over Arkansas&nbsp;

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Missouri and Arkansas will be headed to similar bowl games after the Tigers held off the Razorbacks 29-27 on Saturday night, leaving each of the bitter border rivals 6-6 on the season.

Only one walked out of Faurot Field with victory cigars.

Brady Cook threw for 242 yards and a touchdown while running for 138 yards and a score, and Missouri's defense stuffed Arkansas when it mattered in the fourth quarter, allowing the Tigers to avenge last year's loss to the Razorbacks.

“We wanted it so bad," admitted Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz, who said he bought cigars for the entire team in anticipation of reaching bowl eligibility. “We tried not to make it bigger than it was, but we were playing for more.”

Cody Schrader added 97 yards rushing and a touchdown, and Dominic Lovett — who had to ditch his own lit cigar on the way to the postgame new conference — had six catches for 130 yards, helping the Tigers (6-6, 3-5 SEC) qualify for a third bowl game in Drinkwitz's first three seasons in Columbia.

“We only won by two,” Lovett said after smacking the tobacco taste out of his mouth, “but a win's a win. We got it done.”

Arkansas (6-6, 4-4 SEC) had the ball twice with less than 8 minutes left and a chance to drive for a go-ahead field goal, but the Tigers forced three-and-outs both times and essentially ran out the clock on their first league win in a month.

“We've all been through hell — can I say hell? Well, I just said it twice,” Lovett said. “It was a good day all around.”

The Razorbacks' KJ Jefferson threw for 205 yards with two touchdowns and an interception while running for a score, though he was constantly harassed by Missouri's aggressive defensive front. Raheim Sanders, the league's second-leading rusher, was held to just 47 yards on the ground with a touchdown reception.

“We’ve got a very disappointed locker room right now and we’d certainly like to get this taste out of our mouth in a bowl game,” Razorbacks head coach Sam Pittman said, “but this is going to be hard to get rid of.”

Missouri actually scored on each of its first four drives yet still trailed at halftime.

That's because the Razorbacks were better at reaching the end zone.

While the Tigers got touchdown runs from Schrader and Cook to cap long drives, they also had to settle for a pair of field goals from Harrison Mevis, including a chipshot after a drive stalled at the Arkansas 10 late in the first half.

The Razorbacks were forced to punt twice, thanks to Missouri's pass rush, but they also got a short TD run from Jefferson and his touchdown pass to Matt Landers. And when the Razorbacks got the ball back with 5 1/2 minutes before the break, they breezed 75 yards down field and Jefferson hit Sanders out of the backfield for a 21-20 lead.

Missouri regained the lead in the third quarter when Luther Burden III caught a short pass, put a move on the Razorbacks' Quincey McAdoo, and reached the end zone from 23 yards out. And after Jefferson was picked off moments later, Mevis hit his third field goal to give the Tigers a 29-21 advantage.

The Razorbacks had a chance to retake the lead in the fourth quarter, after they'd closed to within 29-24, but they couldn't get into the end zone after first-and-goal at the Missouri 2 and Pittman settled for another field goal.

That wound up being the difference in the game.

“We felt like coming in here we were ready to go,” Pittman said, “and physically we just got whipped.”

Both Missouri and Arkansas will now await their bowl fates, which will most likely be announced after conference championships sometime next week.

Huskers keep Iowa out of Big Ten championship with big upset win

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Casey Thompson threw for three touchdowns, and Nebraska ruined Iowa’s chance to clinch the Big Ten West Division title outright with a 24-17 win on Friday.

The Huskers (4-8, 3-6 Big Ten) snapped a five-game losing streak. Iowa (7-5, 5-4 Big Ten) had its four-game winning streak snapped.

Thompson threw touchdown passes of 87 and 18 yards to Trey Palmer in the first half and a 14-yarder to Marcus Washington in the third quarter as Nebraska built a 24-0 lead.

Thompson completed 20 of 30 passes for 278 yards. Palmer had nine catches for 165 yards.

“I didn’t feel like they could guard any of our receivers,” Thompson said. “I definitely didn’t think they could run with Trey. And obviously that showed.”

“We felt good with our receivers against their defensive backs,” Nebraska interim head coach Mickey Joseph said. “We thought they were going to have trouble guarding Trey. We talked to Trey this morning, ‘Just use your speed. Don’t tiptoe through them.'”

Nebraska broke a seven-game losing streak to Iowa.

Asked how much the Huskers wanted to beat their rival, Palmer said, “Real bad. Very, very bad. Had it on our mind the whole week we were going to do it. And we went out there and did it.”

“We told them, ‘You let Wisconsin off last week (a 15-14 loss). Don’t let Iowa off,'” Joseph said.

Palmer, who became Nebraska's all-time leader in single-season receiving yards with 1,043, felt he could have a big game against the Hawkeyes, even if they came into the game ranked sixth nationally in passing defense.

“They can’t guard me,” Palmer said. “That’s all I saw. They can’t guard me, they can’t run with me.”

“Our goal was to take the top off of their defense today, and we did a good job of that," Thompson said. “We knew they would have to cover in space. We tried to get Trey matched up.”

Iowa lost cornerback Cooper DeJean in the first quarter to an injury. That left the Hawkeyes with sophomore Jamison Heinz and freshman T.J. Hall working at cornerback. Palmer beat Hall on both touchdowns.

“It impacted us a great deal,” Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz said. “It's a big loss, because (DeJean) is such a versatile player.”

Iowa had a chance to tie the game in the closing minutes, getting the ball twice in the last 3:20 after closing to within 24-17 on a 45-yard field goal by Drew Stevens. But backup quarterback Alex Padilla threw incomplete on fourth down on the first possession. Nebraska linebacker Chris Kolarevic’s interception with 42 seconds left completed the Huskers’ win.

“The reality is we made it too much of a hill to climb,” Ferentz said.

“I wanted to really blow them out, finish them off,” Palmer said. “I didn’t want to play with them."

The Hawkeyes need losses by Purdue and Illinois on Saturday to have a chance at back-to-back West Division titles.

Iowa lost starting quarterback Spencer Petras to an injury in the first quarter after he was hit and lost a fumble. The turnover led to Timmy Bleekrode’s 21-yard field goal and a 10-0 Huskers lead. Padilla also lost a fumble that led to Nebraska’s second touchdown.

Kaleb Johnson, who rushed for 109 yards, gave the Hawkeyes their first score with a 44-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. Padilla threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Luke Lachey in the fourth quarter.

Padilla completed 16 of 33 passes for 141 yards.

New head coach in place for Huskers as Nebraska hires Matt Rhule

After six straight losing seasons and more than 20 years removed from its 1990s heyday, Nebraska is turning to Matt Rhule to rebuild its football program and make it competitive in the Big Ten Conference.

Rhule signed an eight-year contract to be the Cornhuskers' next coach and will be introduced Monday at a news conference, the school announced Saturday.

The 47-year-old Rhule quickly turned around downtrodden programs at Temple and Baylor before leaving for the NFL to coach the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers fired him in October after he started his third season with four losses in five games.

“It is a tremendous honor to be chosen to lead the Nebraska football program,” Rhule said in a statement. “When you think of great, tradition-rich programs in college football, Nebraska is right at the top of the list. The fan base is second to none, and I consider it a privilege to have the opportunity to coach in Memorial Stadium on Tom Osborne Field. My family and I are so grateful to become a part of the Husker Family, and we can’t wait to get started.”

Rhule was 11-27 with Carolina and left with about $40 million remaining on the seven-year, guaranteed $62 million contract he signed in 2020. The contract made Rhule the sixth-highest paid coach in the NFL when he signed in 2020, according to Forbes.

Nebraska said it would release details of Rhule's contract on Monday.

“It is a privilege to welcome Coach Matt Rhule, his wife, Julie, and their family to Nebraska,” athletic director Trev Alberts said. “Coach Rhule has created a winning culture throughout his coaching career, and he will provide great leadership for the young men in our football program.

"Matt is detail-oriented, his teams are disciplined and play a physical brand of football. Matt also has the personality and relationship-building skills to build a great staff and excel in recruiting.”

About an hour after Rhule's hiring was announced, wide receiver Trey Palmer announced on Instagram that he would declare for the NFL draft. Palmer, who transferred from LSU after last season, had three 150-yard games this year and set the Huskers' single-season record with 1,043 yards.

The Huskers are among eight Football Bowl Subdivision programs with at least 900 wins, and they have won or shared five national championships. The last one came in 1997 under Hall of Fame coach Tom Osborne.

Five coaches have come and gone since then, most recently the quarterback of that '97 team, Scott Frost.

Alberts fired Frost on Sept. 11 after the Huskers opened 1-2, with losses to Northwestern in Ireland and to Georgia Southern at home. They were 3-6 under interim coach Mickey Joseph and finished the season 4-8 following a 24-17 win at Iowa on Friday.

Nebraska was 16-31 in four-plus seasons under Frost, never finishing higher than fifth in the Big Ten West or going to a bowl.

In four seasons at Temple, Rhule coached the Owls to 28 wins. That included 26 from 2014-16. Temple was 10-4 in 2015 and reached the American Athletic Conference’s inaugural championship game. In 2016, Rhule led the Owls to a 10-3 record and an AAC championship. The conference title was the first in 49 seasons for the Temple program, and the Owls reached bowl games in consecutive seasons for the first time in school history.

Rhule was named Baylor’s coach in December 2016 in the wake of an investigation that found the private Baptist university had not responded adequately to allegations of sexual assault by players, resulting in the firing of Art Briles.

Rhule’s trajectory was similar at Baylor, where he went from 1-11 in 2017 to 7-6 with a bowl game the next season. In his third and final season, Baylor was ranked in the top 10, played in the Big 12 championship game and finished 11-3 after a Sugar Bowl loss to Georgia.

Rhule’s collegiate success provided him the opportunity to take over as the Carolina Panthers' head coach in 2020. He guided the Panthers to five wins in each of his first two seasons before this year's 1-4 start got him fired.

Rhule has ties to the Big Ten. He moved from New York City to State College, Pennsylvania, as a teenager. He played linebacker at Penn State from 1994-97 and began his coaching there as a volunteer assistant.

Kansas State headed to Big 12 Championship with win over Kansas

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Will Howard threw for 213 yards and two touchdowns, Deuce Vaughn ran for 147 yards and a score, and No. 15 Kansas State pounded Kansas 47-27 on Saturday night to earn a shot at payback against TCU in the Big 12 championship game.

Malik Knowles added a pair of touchdown runs, and Philip Brooks and Sammy Wheeler also reached the end zone, as the Wildcats (9-3, 7-2 Big 12, No. 12 CFP) beat their biggest rival for the 14th straight time in a game they needed to win.

Kansas State blew a 28-10 lead and lost 38-28 to the Horned Frogs during the regular season. Now, they'll face each other again on Dec. 3 at AT&amp;T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, with a College Football Playoff spot likely on the line for TCU.

It will be the first time the Wildcats play in the Big 12 title game, which went on hiatus from 2010-17, since toppling then-No. 1 Oklahoma in 2003 during Hall of Fame coach Bill Snyder's first tenure. The Horned Frogs were beaten by the Sooners in their only previous appearance in the 2017 championship game.

Jalon Daniels threw for 168 yards while running for a touchdown, and Devin Neal also had two TD runs, as the Jayhawks — bowl-bound for the first time since 2008 — finished the regular season by losing six of their final seven games.

Kansas (6-6, 3-6 Big 12) made enough mistakes in the first quarter alone Saturday night to fill an entire game.

The result was a hole it could never escape.

The trouble began when O.J. Burroughs muffed a punt after a nice stand by the Jayhawks' defense, and Knowles needed one play to scoot in from the 5 for a touchdown. And after Kansas answered with a 75-yard scoring drive, its defense blew the coverage on Wheeler on a 42-yard touchdown pass.

On the ensuing kickoff, Trevor Wilson was mobbed at the 10-yard line, and another penalty on the return buried the Kansas offense. On third down, Bryce Cabeldue was called for holding in the end zone to give Kansas State a safety.

After the free kick, the Wildcats cruised to the end zone again for a 23-7 lead after one quarter.

The game soon turned into a track meet: Kansas marched through a suddenly driving rainstorm for two quick touchdowns around another score by the Wildcats, leaving them with a 30-21 advantage heading into the break.

Another major mistake by Kansas — a fumble by Torry Locklin in the third quarter — gave the Wildcats another short field, and Vaughn carried eight times on a nine-play drive before finding the end zone and putting the game out of reach.

CFB Roundup: Bearcats and Ravens fall in playoffs, Huskers clip Hawkeyes wings

Gower, MO- The defending Class 1 state champion East Buchanan Bulldogs are heading back to Columbia for a second consecutive year, after defeating Duschene on Saturday in the Class 1 semifinals 41-14. &nbsp;

The Bulldogs came out quick to start, receiving the ball to begin the first half.&nbsp; While the Pioneers did whatever they could to avoid kicking to star Junior running back Trevor Klein, Carson White would have a good return to set East Buchanan in good position.&nbsp; After that the offense would get going. &nbsp;

Klein orchestrated runs of 2, 33,6, 11, and 2 as part of a 70-yard touchdown drive that final two-yard run resulting in the touchdown with 9:28 left in the first.&nbsp; Senior Carson White also had a big 19 yard catch from Junior Gage Busby. &nbsp;

Duschene would answer though immediately.&nbsp; The Pioneers would use the run game as well with a deadly combination of Senior running back Jamond Mathis and Senior wide receiver Amorion Oliphant, driving down to knot the game up at 7-7, the touchdown coming on a 15 yard catch by Senior Ethan Kissell.&nbsp;

East Buchanan wouldn't score again until late in the first quarter, after a drive that ended with a 35-yard missed field goal, the Bulldog defense would force a fumble setting up Klein to get his second score of the game, a 26-yard touchdown reception with just 18 seconds left in the quarter. &nbsp;

Then head coach Dan Ritter would pull out the tricks. On the ensuing kickoff East Buchanan kicked an onside kick, which ended up recovered by Senior Adam Stephen Engnes.&nbsp; That would allow Klein to find the endzone for a third time, this time rushing in from three yards out to make it 21-7 in the second quarter. &nbsp;

After a Duschene drive stalled, the Bulldogs would get the ball again before disaster struck.&nbsp; As Klein attempted to take the ball to the outside, the ball would slip out allowing the Pioneers to take the fumble back 30 yards for a score, what would end up being their final score of the game. &nbsp;

Klein didn't let the fumble affect him though, soon after the kickoff making a massive 31-yard catch, which set up his eventual three-yard touchdown run, his fourth score of the game.&nbsp; Klein says while the fumble was heartbreaking, you just have to move on. &nbsp;

"That was huge in the game because it made them back down by 14, close the gap, and we just came out scored like we should," Klein tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post after the game. &nbsp;

Klein would go on to score two more touchdowns, a six-yard run and a seven-yard run respectively, for the final two scores of the game.&nbsp; The game became sealed when Mason Brown intercepted the Pioneers for their third turnover of the game. On the day, Klein compiled over 200 all-purpose yards.&nbsp;

Head coach Dan Ritter was proud of the way his team played all around in the game.&nbsp;

"First I'll talk about defense, really we held them to seven points, that other one was a turnover on a fumble, and just to be able to hold a really dominant team like that to seven I was proud of that," Ritter said following the game. "But we’ve got to talk about the offense, obviously Trevor Klein doing work, but our line stepping up when they really needed to, last week we had a rough game," &nbsp;

"And for them to bounce back and put over 40 on the board, I was so proud of these young men."&nbsp;

During the playoffs alone, East Buchanan's defense has been the story, outscoring opponents 184-20.&nbsp; Klein says the defense has been playing great. &nbsp;

"We knew they'd be good at the beginning, but they're just shutting out teams we shouldn't be shutting out, allowing them to two scores, they've just done a great job," Klein says. "All the lineman, Ethan (Bailey), Chase (Meers), and the linebackers like Nick (Klein) and Riley (Parker) just stepping up and filling the holes."&nbsp;

Next up for East Buchanan will be a return to Columbia at Memorial Stadium at Faurot Field, taking on an Adrian team that's coming off a 32-16 win over previously undefeated Monroe City. Kickoff is set for 3pm and the game will be broadcast on StJosephPost.com.&nbsp;

Going into the game, Ritter says he knows they are going to have a good run game ahead of them to try to contain. &nbsp;

"We know they can run the ball; we know they're really good at running and they have a pretty good running back and a dominant scheme, apparently if they can score 32 on Monroe City who was undefeated," Ritter says. "Speaking of pounding the rock, they could, so to hold them down like we could we're going to have a tough game on our hands, so we're going to try to be ready for Adrian and learn little bit about them and be ready for them come Saturday."&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668906784354.jpeg" alt="Trevor Klein (20) takes off on a run against. Photo by Clifton Grooms." />
 <figcaption>Trevor Klein (20) takes off on a run against. Photo by Clifton Grooms.</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostGower, MO- The defending Class 1 state champion East Buchanan Bulldogs are heading back to Columbia for a second consecutive year, after defeating Duschene on Saturday in the Class 1 semifinals 41-14. &nbsp;The Bulldogs came out quick to start, receiving the ball to begin the first half.&nbsp; While the Pioneers did whatever they could to avoid kicking to star Junior running back Trevor Klein, Carson White would have a good return to set East Buchanan in good position.&nbsp; After that the offense would get going. &nbsp;Klein orchestrated runs of 2, 33,6, 11, and 2 as part of a 70-yard touchdown drive that final two-yard run resulting in the touchdown with 9:28 left in the first.&nbsp; Senior Carson White also had a big 19 yard catch from Junior Gage Busby. &nbsp;Duschene would answer though immediately.&nbsp; The Pioneers would use the run game as well with a deadly combination of Senior running back Jamond Mathis and Senior wide receiver Amorion Oliphant, driving down to knot the game up at 7-7, the touchdown coming on a 15 yard catch by Senior Ethan Kissell.&nbsp;East Buchanan wouldn't score again until late in the first quarter, after a drive that ended with a 35-yard missed field goal, the Bulldog defense would force a fumble setting up Klein to get his second score of the game, a 26-yard touchdown reception with just 18 seconds left in the quarter. &nbsp;Then head coach Dan Ritter would pull out the tricks. On the ensuing kickoff East Buchanan kicked an onside kick, which ended up recovered by Senior Adam Stephen Engnes.&nbsp; That would allow Klein to find the endzone for a third time, this time rushing in from three yards out to make it 21-7 in the second quarter. &nbsp;After a Duschene drive stalled, the Bulldogs would get the ball again before disaster struck.&nbsp; As Klein attempted to take the ball to the outside, the ball would slip out allowing the Pioneers to take the fumble back 30 yards for a score, what would end up being their final score of the game. &nbsp;Klein didn't let the fumble affect him though, soon after the kickoff making a massive 31-yard catch, which set up his eventual three-yard touchdown run, his fourth score of the game.&nbsp; Klein says while the fumble was heartbreaking, you just have to move on. &nbsp;"That was huge in the game because it made them back down by 14, close the gap, and we just came out scored like we should," Klein tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post after the game. &nbsp;Klein would go on to score two more touchdowns, a six-yard run and a seven-yard run respectively, for the final two scores of the game.&nbsp; The game became sealed when Mason Brown intercepted the Pioneers for their third turnover of the game. On the day, Klein compiled over 200 all-purpose yards.&nbsp;Head coach Dan Ritter was proud of the way his team played all around in the game.&nbsp;"First I'll talk about defense, really we held them to seven points, that other one was a turnover on a fumble, and just to be able to hold a really dominant team like that to seven I was proud of that," Ritter said following the game. "But we’ve got to talk about the offense, obviously Trevor Klein doing work, but our line stepping up when they really needed to, last week we had a rough game," &nbsp;"And for them to bounce back and put over 40 on the board, I was so proud of these young men."&nbsp;During the playoffs alone, East Buchanan's defense has been the story, outscoring opponents 184-20.&nbsp; Klein says the defense has been playing great. &nbsp;"We knew they'd be good at the beginning, but they're just shutting out teams we shouldn't be shutting out, allowing them to two scores, they've just done a great job," Klein says. "All the lineman, Ethan (Bailey), Chase (Meers), and the linebackers like Nick (Klein) and Riley (Parker) just stepping up and filling the holes."&nbsp;Next up for East Buchanan will be a return to Columbia at Memorial Stadium at Faurot Field, taking on an Adrian team that's coming off a 32-16 win over previously undefeated Monroe City. Kickoff is set for 3pm and the game will be broadcast on StJosephPost.com.&nbsp;Going into the game, Ritter says he knows they are going to have a good run game ahead of them to try to contain. &nbsp;"We know they can run the ball; we know they're really good at running and they have a pretty good running back and a dominant scheme, apparently if they can score 32 on Monroe City who was undefeated," Ritter says. "Speaking of pounding the rock, they could, so to hold them down like we could we're going to have a tough game on our hands, so we're going to try to be ready for Adrian and learn little bit about them and be ready for them come Saturday."&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665809811450.jpeg" alt="East Buchanan takes the field." />
 <figcaption>East Buchanan takes the field.</figcaption>
 </figure>

East Buchanan heading back to Columbia after dominant 41-14 win over Duschene

GOWER - The East Buchanan football team is one win away from getting back to the state championship game for the second straight year.

The Bulldogs (12-1) are home to face Duchesne (8-4) from St. Charles. The game will be <a href="https://radio.securenetsystems.net/cwa/SJPOST">CARRIED LIVE HERE</a> with pregame starting at 12:45 p.m.

Matt Pike has the play-by-play. East Buchanan looks to get back to the state title game for just the third time in school history.

Duchesne, the 1982 runner-up in Class 3A, is seeking its first ever state title. The Pioneers have played a tough schedule, with all four of their losses coming to teams classified in Class 2 or higher.

The four teams Duchesne have lost to this year have a combined record of 42-8.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668904607225.jpeg" alt="East Buchanan's Adam Stephen-Enges (12) makes a catch during the Bulldogs' 14-6 win at Gallatin Saturday in Class 1 state quarterfinals. Photo by Clifton Grooms." />
 <figcaption>East Buchanan's Adam Stephen-Enges (12) makes a catch during the Bulldogs' 14-6 win at Gallatin Saturday in Class 1 state quarterfinals. Photo by Clifton Grooms.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostGOWER - The East Buchanan football team is one win away from getting back to the state championship game for the second straight year.The Bulldogs (12-1) are home to face Duchesne (8-4) from St. Charles. The game will be <a href="https://radio.securenetsystems.net/cwa/SJPOST">CARRIED LIVE HERE</a> with pregame starting at 12:45 p.m.Matt Pike has the play-by-play. East Buchanan looks to get back to the state title game for just the third time in school history.Duchesne, the 1982 runner-up in Class 3A, is seeking its first ever state title. The Pioneers have played a tough schedule, with all four of their losses coming to teams classified in Class 2 or higher.The four teams Duchesne have lost to this year have a combined record of 42-8.

LIVE AUDIO STREAM: East Buchanan hosts Duchesne in Class 1 state semifinals

By STEPHEN HAWKINS&nbsp; Associated Press

The Texas Rangers hired Mike Maddux as their new pitching coach 
Wednesday, and added former Kansas City Royals general manager Dayton 
Moore as a senior adviser in their baseball operations department.

Maddux
 is returning to Texas to be on new manager Bruce Bochy's staff. Maddux 
was first the pitching coach for the Rangers from 2009-15, a span in 
which they made their only two World Series appearances. He spent the 
past five seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals, and has been part of 11 
playoffs teams over his past 15 seasons as a pitching coach.

By STEPHEN HAWKINS&nbsp; Associated PressThe Texas Rangers hired Mike Maddux as their new pitching coach 
Wednesday, and added former Kansas City Royals general manager Dayton 
Moore as a senior adviser in their baseball operations department.Maddux
 is returning to Texas to be on new manager Bruce Bochy's staff. Maddux 
was first the pitching coach for the Rangers from 2009-15, a span in 
which they made their only two World Series appearances. He spent the 
past five seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals, and has been part of 11 
playoffs teams over his past 15 seasons as a pitching coach.Moore
 spent the past 16 years with the Royals, where he was named GM in May 
2006 and also served as president of baseball operations before getting 
fired in September. The Royals had three consecutive 100-loss seasons 
before Moore's arrival. They won back-to-back American League pennants 
in 2014 and 2015, beating the New York Mets for the World Series title 
after the second one.Moore will collaborate with Rangers general 
manager Chris Young, the former pitcher who finished his big league 
playing career with the Royals from 2015-17.“There is no one more
 respected in our game. He rebuilt the Royals into a world champion,” 
Young said. “Dayton’s experiences as a longtime general manager, as well
 as his extensive background in scouting, will be a tremendous asset to 
me and the other leaders of our baseball group.”Before joining 
the Royals, Moore spent 13 seasons with the Atlanta Braves in scouting 
and player development roles before becoming their director of player 
personnel in 2002.Maddux was the second-longest tenured pitching 
coach in club history when he left the Rangers after the 2015 season and
 spent the following two years with Washington. Texas had four 
consecutive seasons with team ERAs under 4.00 from 2010-13. Before his 
arrival, they hadn't had a team ERA under 4.00 since 1990, and haven't 
had one since Maddux left.After 15 seasons pitching in the big leagues, Maddux began his MLB coaching career with the Milwaukee Brewers from 2003-08.Even
 before three-time World Series champion manager Bochy was hired last 
month, the Rangers had said co-pitching coaches Doug Mathis and Brendan 
Sagara wouldn’t return to their major league staff.

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