CLEVELAND (AP) — José Ramirez drove in two runs and had four hits, Aaron Civale pitched six solid innings and the Cleveland Guardians defeated the Kansas City Royals 9-2 in their final tune-up for the postseason.

 Cleveland opens the wild-card round against Tampa Bay on Friday at Progressive Field. Hours after the game, Royals manager Mike Matheny was fired. 

The AL Central champion Guardians are 24-6 since Sept. 5 and finish the regular season 92-70. The youngest team in baseball had 17 players make their major league debuts this season. Vinnie Pasquantino and Kyle Isbel homered for Kansas City. Royals starter Jonathan Heasley allowed six runs and nine hits in five innings.

CLEVELAND (AP) — José Ramirez drove in two runs and had four hits, Aaron Civale pitched six solid innings and the Cleveland Guardians defeated the Kansas City Royals 9-2 in their final tune-up for the postseason. Cleveland opens the wild-card round against Tampa Bay on Friday at Progressive Field. Hours after the game, Royals manager Mike Matheny was fired. The AL Central champion Guardians are 24-6 since Sept. 5 and finish the regular season 92-70. The youngest team in baseball had 17 players make their major league debuts this season. Vinnie Pasquantino and Kyle Isbel homered for Kansas City. Royals starter Jonathan Heasley allowed six runs and nine hits in five innings.

Surging Guardians beat Royals, hours later Matheny fired

Kansas City Royals Executive Vice President and General Manager&nbsp;J.J. Picollo announced Wednesday night that Manager&nbsp;Mike Matheny&nbsp;and Pitching Coach&nbsp;Cal Eldred&nbsp;will not return for the 2023 season.

"We are grateful to Mike for leading us through some unusual times these last three seasons,” Picollo said. “He met those challenges head on and helped us move forward in a positive manner. We thank him for his leadership and know his influence will have a positive impact moving forward."

Matheny went 165-219 (.430) in three seasons from 2020-2022 with the team never finishing higher than fourth in the AL Central.

Three different Royals earned&nbsp;Rawlings&nbsp;Gold Glove Awards during Matheny’s tenure with Kansas City, including&nbsp;Alex Gordon&nbsp;(2020),&nbsp;Andrew Benintendi&nbsp;(2021) and&nbsp;Michael A. Taylor&nbsp;(2021).

“Managing the Royals has been a true privilege,” Matheny said. “I’m thankful to so many, primarily&nbsp;Dayton Moore, and the coaches and players I’ve worked with. I would like to thank&nbsp;Mr. John Sherman&nbsp;and the ownership group for the opportunity to manage their team, and everyone involved in this great organization. I came to the Royals knowing it was an organization of excellence and care, and was shown that care every single day. Royals fans should be excited about this group of players, and I look forward to watching them continue to grow.”

Matheny spent parts of seven seasons managing the&nbsp;St. Louis Cardinals, finishing each with a winning record and winning the National League pennant in 2013.

But after his firing midway through 2018, he was hired by the Royals in an advisory role, and then tapped to succeed longtime manager Ned Yost when he retired before the 2020 season.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Eldred has been the Royals Pitching Coach since 2018, after he joined the organization as an Assistant to the General Manager from 2016-17.

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostKansas City Royals Executive Vice President and General Manager&nbsp;J.J. Picollo announced Wednesday night that Manager&nbsp;Mike Matheny&nbsp;and Pitching Coach&nbsp;Cal Eldred&nbsp;will not return for the 2023 season."We are grateful to Mike for leading us through some unusual times these last three seasons,” Picollo said. “He met those challenges head on and helped us move forward in a positive manner. We thank him for his leadership and know his influence will have a positive impact moving forward."Matheny went 165-219 (.430) in three seasons from 2020-2022 with the team never finishing higher than fourth in the AL Central. Three different Royals earned&nbsp;Rawlings&nbsp;Gold Glove Awards during Matheny’s tenure with Kansas City, including&nbsp;Alex Gordon&nbsp;(2020),&nbsp;Andrew Benintendi&nbsp;(2021) and&nbsp;Michael A. Taylor&nbsp;(2021).“Managing the Royals has been a true privilege,” Matheny said. “I’m thankful to so many, primarily&nbsp;Dayton Moore, and the coaches and players I’ve worked with. I would like to thank&nbsp;Mr. John Sherman&nbsp;and the ownership group for the opportunity to manage their team, and everyone involved in this great organization. I came to the Royals knowing it was an organization of excellence and care, and was shown that care every single day. Royals fans should be excited about this group of players, and I look forward to watching them continue to grow.”Matheny spent parts of seven seasons managing the&nbsp;St. Louis Cardinals, finishing each with a winning record and winning the National League pennant in 2013.But after his firing midway through 2018, he was hired by the Royals in an advisory role, and then tapped to succeed longtime manager Ned Yost when he retired before the 2020 season.&nbsp;&nbsp;Eldred has been the Royals Pitching Coach since 2018, after he joined the organization as an Assistant to the General Manager from 2016-17.

Royals fire manager Mike Matheny, pitching coach Cal Edred

St. Joseph's Civic Arena will host some high-level sporting events over the next several years. You can now add state volleyball to the list.

The Missouri State High School Activities Association selected Civic Arena to host its volleyball championships beginning in 2025 with the agreement running through 2027.

Director of the St. Joseph Sports Commission Brett Esely says volleyball was an appealing choice, mainly because many teams in northwest Missouri are having postseason success.

"Volleyball caught our eye," Esely said. "Not only because we feel Civic Arena could be a great venue for volleyball, but because we have a lot of area teams competing very well and we'd love for them to compete a little closer to home than they are right now."

The state volleyball championships are currently played in Cape Girardeau and will be through 2024. St. Joseph hasn't hosted a MSHSAA championship event since state softball at Heritage Park in 2008.

Civic Arena is also hosting the MIAA volleyball tournament this November, the St. Joseph Area Sports Hall of Fame Holiday Hoops Classic with area high schools in December and the NCAA Division II women's basketball Elite Eight in 2023 and 24.

State volleyball coming to St. Joseph in 2025 coincides well timing-wise with the new Red Lion Hotel, which is projected to be completed in downtown St. Joseph by December 2024.

"No question having a brand new hotel property right across from the arena, folks are going to love that," Esely pointed out. "Being able to park the car and literally never having to start it up again until they leave town. So, we're really excited about that."

Civic will also host two U.S. Olympics Weightlifting trials, the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic, the Hillyard Tip-Off Classic and other regional events in the coming months. Esely says more events are on the way as well.

"We're very excited about what's coming in the near future," he said. "We're excited about what's coming long-term, but we have some other major announcements hopefully just around the corner that I think will only enhance our existing schedule right now."

It's been a busy and impressive 10 or so months for Esely as the director of the St. Joseph Sports Commission - a role that he took on full-time at the start of the year.

Esely says it's an encouraging start, but he encourages the public to do their part - show up to the events.

"These are high-level events and we want to be able to create that great atmosphere," Esely said, "in some cases provide a championship experience, or provide an experience that these student-athletes wouldn't experience much otherwise. So, get out and support these events so we have the opportunity to bring future events of this nature to our community."

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1664999945220.jpeg" alt="Stock photo." />
 <figcaption>Stock photo.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostSt. Joseph's Civic Arena will host some high-level sporting events over the next several years. You can now add state volleyball to the list.The Missouri State High School Activities Association selected Civic Arena to host its volleyball championships beginning in 2025 with the agreement running through 2027.Director of the St. Joseph Sports Commission Brett Esely says volleyball was an appealing choice, mainly because many teams in northwest Missouri are having postseason success."Volleyball caught our eye," Esely said. "Not only because we feel Civic Arena could be a great venue for volleyball, but because we have a lot of area teams competing very well and we'd love for them to compete a little closer to home than they are right now."The state volleyball championships are currently played in Cape Girardeau and will be through 2024. St. Joseph hasn't hosted a MSHSAA championship event since state softball at Heritage Park in 2008.Civic Arena is also hosting the MIAA volleyball tournament this November, the St. Joseph Area Sports Hall of Fame Holiday Hoops Classic with area high schools in December and the NCAA Division II women's basketball Elite Eight in 2023 and 24.State volleyball coming to St. Joseph in 2025 coincides well timing-wise with the new Red Lion Hotel, which is projected to be completed in downtown St. Joseph by December 2024."No question having a brand new hotel property right across from the arena, folks are going to love that," Esely pointed out. "Being able to park the car and literally never having to start it up again until they leave town. So, we're really excited about that."Civic will also host two U.S. Olympics Weightlifting trials, the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic, the Hillyard Tip-Off Classic and other regional events in the coming months. Esely says more events are on the way as well."We're very excited about what's coming in the near future," he said. "We're excited about what's coming long-term, but we have some other major announcements hopefully just around the corner that I think will only enhance our existing schedule right now."It's been a busy and impressive 10 or so months for Esely as the director of the St. Joseph Sports Commission - a role that he took on full-time at the start of the year.Esely says it's an encouraging start, but he encourages the public to do their part - show up to the events."These are high-level events and we want to be able to create that great atmosphere," Esely said, "in some cases provide a championship experience, or provide an experience that these student-athletes wouldn't experience much otherwise. So, get out and support these events so we have the opportunity to bring future events of this nature to our community."You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

St. Joseph ready to welcome state volleyball to Civic Arena in 2025

(AP) — Cal Quantrill finished the regular season unbeaten at home, improving to 14-0 in his career at Progressive Field after Owen Miller hit a two-run homer to send the Cleveland Guardians to a 5-3 win over the Kansas City Royals. 

Quantrill was in danger of his unblemished run at home ending before Miller’s shot off Daniel Lynch capped Cleveland’s five-run fifth. Quantrill’s 14-game winning streak is the longest in the ballpark’s history.

It also matches the longest unbeaten streak for a pitcher in any ballpark since 1901. José Ramírez drove in two runs and Amed Rosario had three hits for Cleveland.

The Royals take on Cleveland again Wednesday afternoon for their final game of the season with first pitch at 3:10 central. Coverage begins at 2:30 on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3) in St. Joseph.

(AP) — Cal Quantrill finished the regular season unbeaten at home, improving to 14-0 in his career at Progressive Field after Owen Miller hit a two-run homer to send the Cleveland Guardians to a 5-3 win over the Kansas City Royals. Quantrill was in danger of his unblemished run at home ending before Miller’s shot off Daniel Lynch capped Cleveland’s five-run fifth. Quantrill’s 14-game winning streak is the longest in the ballpark’s history.It also matches the longest unbeaten streak for a pitcher in any ballpark since 1901. José Ramírez drove in two runs and Amed Rosario had three hits for Cleveland.The Royals take on Cleveland again Wednesday afternoon for their final game of the season with first pitch at 3:10 central. Coverage begins at 2:30 on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3) in St. Joseph.

Quantrill stays unbeaten at home, Guardians down Royals 5-3

Girls’ tennis Savannah is a district champion with a 5-2 victory over Lafayette. Savannah’s Iris Alvarez will compete in singles, and Krynna Rudel and Maddie Till will compete in doubles this Friday in state sectionals.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Volleyball Chillicothe 3 Lafayette 0 Bishop LeBlond 3 West Platte 0 East Buchanan 3 Cameron 2 Mound City 3 Nodaway Valley 1 South Holt 3 North Platte 0

Softball Benton 5 Lafayette 1 St. Joseph Central 9 Oak Park 2 Bishop LeBlond 5 Northeast Nodaway 2 East Buchanan 2 Hamilton 1 Maryville 4 Savannah 1 West Platte 4 Mid-Buchanan 2 North Andrew 8 Stewartsville-Osborn 7 Gallatin 1 King City 0 Platte Valley 7 Worth County 0

Boys’ soccer Maryville 9 Benton 1

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1664969655847.jpeg" alt="Savannah girls' tennis are champions of Class 1 District 16. Courtesy photo." />
 <figcaption>Savannah girls' tennis are champions of Class 1 District 16. Courtesy photo.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostGirls’ tennis Savannah is a district champion with a 5-2 victory over Lafayette. Savannah’s Iris Alvarez will compete in singles, and Krynna Rudel and Maddie Till will compete in doubles this Friday in state sectionals.&nbsp;&nbsp;Volleyball Chillicothe 3 Lafayette 0 Bishop LeBlond 3 West Platte 0 East Buchanan 3 Cameron 2 Mound City 3 Nodaway Valley 1 South Holt 3 North Platte 0Softball Benton 5 Lafayette 1 St. Joseph Central 9 Oak Park 2 Bishop LeBlond 5 Northeast Nodaway 2 East Buchanan 2 Hamilton 1 Maryville 4 Savannah 1 West Platte 4 Mid-Buchanan 2 North Andrew 8 Stewartsville-Osborn 7 Gallatin 1 King City 0 Platte Valley 7 Worth County 0Boys’ soccer Maryville 9 Benton 1

KFEQ/St. Joseph Post area high school scoreboard - October 4, 2022

(AP) — Rookie Drew Waters belted a three-run homer off Kirk McCarty in the 10th inning, sending the Kansas City Royals to a 5-2 victory over the AL Central champion Cleveland Guardians. 

Waters’ third home run in four games landed on the porch in left field, scoring automatic runner Nicky Lopez and Michael A. Taylor. The 23-year-old outfielder went 2 for 4 with four RBIs as Kansas City won for the second time in seven games. 

Cleveland has won 11 of 14 and is an MLB-best 22-6 since Sept. 5. The Guardians will host either Tampa Bay or Seattle in a best-of-three wild-card series beginning Friday. Scott Barlow pitched a scoreless ninth and Taylor Clarke worked the 10th, earning his third save.

The Royals take on Cleveland again Tuesday evening with first pitch at 5:10 central on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3) in St. Joseph.

(AP) — Rookie Drew Waters belted a three-run homer off Kirk McCarty in the 10th inning, sending the Kansas City Royals to a 5-2 victory over the AL Central champion Cleveland Guardians. Waters’ third home run in four games landed on the porch in left field, scoring automatic runner Nicky Lopez and Michael A. Taylor. The 23-year-old outfielder went 2 for 4 with four RBIs as Kansas City won for the second time in seven games. Cleveland has won 11 of 14 and is an MLB-best 22-6 since Sept. 5. The Guardians will host either Tampa Bay or Seattle in a best-of-three wild-card series beginning Friday. Scott Barlow pitched a scoreless ninth and Taylor Clarke worked the 10th, earning his third save.The Royals take on Cleveland again Tuesday evening with first pitch at 5:10 central on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3) in St. Joseph.

Waters hits 3-run homer in 10th, Royals beat Guardians 5-2

Missouri Western men's basketball coach Will Martin came on the Griffon Luncheon Radio Show Monday to make a big announcement about his program.

"We're going down to Lexington, Kentucky at Rupp Arena and we're going to play Kentucky on Oct. 30 at 7 p.m.," he said."

Martin went to the University of Kentucky for undergrad and during that time, was a student manager for Coach John Calipari and was on the sideline for three Elite Eights and the 2012 national championship.

Two of Martin's assistants, Jon Hood and Perry Stevenson, played at Kentucky as well.

Martin says that's not what this is primarily about.

"That kind of pales in comparison to the opportunity our student-athletes have," he said. "To be able to play in that kind of environment against Kentucky, who's probably going to be a top four or five team in the country."

The game will be televised nationally on the SEC Network. Martin says this opportunity will be good for not only his team, but Missouri Western athletics in general.

"It should be really, really good for Missouri Western and our community," Martin continued. "Just to be able to play on that platform. Should get a lot of good, positive publicity for Missouri Western, our administration and everyone who has worked so hard to make this happen. Should be good for everyone involved for all of our sports."

Missouri Western men's basketball hasn't played a major DI in an exhibition since 2017 when the Griffons played at the University of Arkansas.

The game will be broadcast live on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3) with pregame starting at 6:30.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1664885619667.jpeg" alt="Stock photo." />
 <figcaption>Stock photo.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostMissouri Western men's basketball coach Will Martin came on the Griffon Luncheon Radio Show Monday to make a big announcement about his program."We're going down to Lexington, Kentucky at Rupp Arena and we're going to play Kentucky on Oct. 30 at 7 p.m.," he said."Martin went to the University of Kentucky for undergrad and during that time, was a student manager for Coach John Calipari and was on the sideline for three Elite Eights and the 2012 national championship.Two of Martin's assistants, Jon Hood and Perry Stevenson, played at Kentucky as well.Martin says that's not what this is primarily about."That kind of pales in comparison to the opportunity our student-athletes have," he said. "To be able to play in that kind of environment against Kentucky, who's probably going to be a top four or five team in the country."The game will be televised nationally on the SEC Network. Martin says this opportunity will be good for not only his team, but Missouri Western athletics in general."It should be really, really good for Missouri Western and our community," Martin continued. "Just to be able to play on that platform. Should get a lot of good, positive publicity for Missouri Western, our administration and everyone who has worked so hard to make this happen. Should be good for everyone involved for all of our sports."Missouri Western men's basketball hasn't played a major DI in an exhibition since 2017 when the Griffons played at the University of Arkansas.The game will be broadcast live on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3) with pregame starting at 6:30.<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/MWSU-Luncheon-10322---Will-Martin--mens-basketball-e1op97v" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1664886223696.jpeg" alt="Rupp Arena. Courtesy of University of Kentucky." />
 <figcaption>Rupp Arena. Courtesy of University of Kentucky.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Missouri Western men's basketball to face Kentucky in exhibition Oct. 30

Benton has certainly been here before. A match against a city rival going to five sets.

Heck, the Cardinals have now played four, five-set matches in 2022. Three of them against city rivals.

And for the third time in 2022, a five-setter ended up in the win column for Benton.

The Cardinals (17-6) dropped the first set 25-22 to Lafayette, but dominated the second 25-12, lost the third 25-22, rallied to win the fourth 27-25 and pulled away late for a 15-10 victory in the fifth against the Irish at Springer Gymnasium Monday.

"We like to wait until that fifth set when we get there to turn some stuff on," Benton coach Lauryn Doolan said. "I wish we would learn, like, 'Hey, let's get it over with a little bit quicker,' but, they know how to fight and they know how to fight for a win."

Benton's offense was slow to get going in the first set, but the Cardinals came alive in the second, with junior Hollie Peters knocking down five kills in the second set alone to help Benton knot the match at one set apiece with a 25-12 victory.

Set 3 seemed to be going Benton's way, as the Cardinals built a 20-15 lead, but Lafayette (10-10) reeled off a 7-1 run to rally and win the third 25-22. Senior middle Bailey Flanagan had four kills in that set to help give the Irish a 2-1 lead.

Benton got off to a solid start in set four, at one point leading 14-7, but Lafayette kept chipping away and fought off set point a couple of times.

The Irish tied it at 25 in the fourth set, but never got to match point, and the Cardinals scored the last two points of the fourth to win it 27-25 and force a decisive fifth.

Neither team started the fifth set on fire, as both the Cardinals and Irish traded points back-and-forth for a bit. But eventually, Benton built a 10-6 lead in the fifth and never looked back from there.

"I feel like we have a lot of experience in those type of clutch moments," said sophomore&nbsp;Andrea Simmons, who had four kills in the fifth set and finished Monday's match with 22 kills and a block. "It's just getting us ready for the postseason. Lots of pressure situations."

Junior Hollie Peters had 19 kills, while fellow junior Avery Morlock had nine kills and three aces.

Flanagan led Lafayette with 19 kills, two aces and a block. Senior Makenna Alden had seven kills and two aces, and senior Kendyal Bennett had four kills and four blocks on the front row for the Irish.

Benton picked up its tenth straight win Monday and the Cardinals now gear up for a busy week with senior night against Maryville on Thursday and the Benton Varsity Volleyball Invitational on Saturday.

A lot of great opportunities for continued growth and momentum. Chances for more wins, too. But, coach Doolan wouldn't mind seeing those wins being decided in fewer sets.

"I want some more growth and maturity finishing games," Doolan said. "When we're up by five or whatever, we have to put some balls down and we can't let teams back in it."

Lafayette is at Chillicothe Tuesday, home to Bishop LeBlond Thursday and will also play in the Benton tournament Saturday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1664851143895.jpeg" alt="Benton's Hollie Peters tries to push a ball over during Monday's 3-2 win over Lafayette on Monday. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Benton's Hollie Peters tries to push a ball over during Monday's 3-2 win over Lafayette on Monday. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostBenton has certainly been here before. A match against a city rival going to five sets.Heck, the Cardinals have now played four, five-set matches in 2022. Three of them against city rivals.And for the third time in 2022, a five-setter ended up in the win column for Benton.The Cardinals (17-6) dropped the first set 25-22 to Lafayette, but dominated the second 25-12, lost the third 25-22, rallied to win the fourth 27-25 and pulled away late for a 15-10 victory in the fifth against the Irish at Springer Gymnasium Monday."We like to wait until that fifth set when we get there to turn some stuff on," Benton coach Lauryn Doolan said. "I wish we would learn, like, 'Hey, let's get it over with a little bit quicker,' but, they know how to fight and they know how to fight for a win."Benton's offense was slow to get going in the first set, but the Cardinals came alive in the second, with junior Hollie Peters knocking down five kills in the second set alone to help Benton knot the match at one set apiece with a 25-12 victory.Set 3 seemed to be going Benton's way, as the Cardinals built a 20-15 lead, but Lafayette (10-10) reeled off a 7-1 run to rally and win the third 25-22. Senior middle Bailey Flanagan had four kills in that set to help give the Irish a 2-1 lead.Benton got off to a solid start in set four, at one point leading 14-7, but Lafayette kept chipping away and fought off set point a couple of times.The Irish tied it at 25 in the fourth set, but never got to match point, and the Cardinals scored the last two points of the fourth to win it 27-25 and force a decisive fifth.Neither team started the fifth set on fire, as both the Cardinals and Irish traded points back-and-forth for a bit. But eventually, Benton built a 10-6 lead in the fifth and never looked back from there."I feel like we have a lot of experience in those type of clutch moments," said sophomore&nbsp;Andrea Simmons, who had four kills in the fifth set and finished Monday's match with 22 kills and a block. "It's just getting us ready for the postseason. Lots of pressure situations."Junior Hollie Peters had 19 kills, while fellow junior Avery Morlock had nine kills and three aces.Flanagan led Lafayette with 19 kills, two aces and a block. Senior Makenna Alden had seven kills and two aces, and senior Kendyal Bennett had four kills and four blocks on the front row for the Irish.Benton picked up its tenth straight win Monday and the Cardinals now gear up for a busy week with senior night against Maryville on Thursday and the Benton Varsity Volleyball Invitational on Saturday.A lot of great opportunities for continued growth and momentum. Chances for more wins, too. But, coach Doolan wouldn't mind seeing those wins being decided in fewer sets."I want some more growth and maturity finishing games," Doolan said. "When we're up by five or whatever, we have to put some balls down and we can't let teams back in it."Lafayette is at Chillicothe Tuesday, home to Bishop LeBlond Thursday and will also play in the Benton tournament Saturday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1664852958745.jpeg" alt="Andrea Simmons (5)." />
 <figcaption>Andrea Simmons (5).</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1664852982358.jpeg" alt="Avery Morlock (3)." />
 <figcaption>Avery Morlock (3).</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1664853001020.jpeg" alt="Kendyal Bennett (18)." />
 <figcaption>Kendyal Bennett (18).</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1664853035356.jpeg" alt="Honor Mannings (9) jousts with Benton blockers up front." />
 <figcaption>Honor Mannings (9) jousts with Benton blockers up front.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1664853060982.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1664853107060.jpeg" alt="Emma Loehnig (10) and Eliana Arumbula (4) try for the block." />
 <figcaption>Emma Loehnig (10) and Eliana Arumbula (4) try for the block.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Benton goes to five sets again, Cardinals outlast Lafayette Monday

(AP) — Shane Bieber tuned up for his start in Game 1 of the wild-card series, Josh Naylor and rookie Will Brennan hit three-run homers in the second inning and the Cleveland Guardians defeated the Kansas City Royals 7-5 on Sunday. 

Bieber allowed two runs in five innings in his final start of the regular season. Josh Naylor played first base and batted cleanup, one spot ahead of his brother Bo, who was the designated hitter. 

Brennan also tripled in the first. Royals catcher Salvador Perez wasn’t in the lineup after feeling soreness in his left thumb during Saturday’s game.

The Royals take on Cleveland again Monday evening with first pitch at 5:10 central on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3) in St. Joseph.

(AP) — Shane Bieber tuned up for his start in Game 1 of the wild-card series, Josh Naylor and rookie Will Brennan hit three-run homers in the second inning and the Cleveland Guardians defeated the Kansas City Royals 7-5 on Sunday. Bieber allowed two runs in five innings in his final start of the regular season. Josh Naylor played first base and batted cleanup, one spot ahead of his brother Bo, who was the designated hitter. Brennan also tripled in the first. Royals catcher Salvador Perez wasn’t in the lineup after feeling soreness in his left thumb during Saturday’s game.The Royals take on Cleveland again Monday evening with first pitch at 5:10 central on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3) in St. Joseph.

Bieber tunes up for playoffs, Guardians top Royals 7-5

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes had all the answers for solving Tampa Bay's stingy defense, winning his latest matchup against Tom Brady in the stadium where the seven-time Super Bowl winner dealt him one of his most disappointing losses.

Mahomes threw for 249 yards and three touchdowns, including an electrifying jump pass to Clyde Edwards-Helaire, to lead the Chiefs to a 41-31 victory over the Buccaneers on Sunday night.

Playing at sold out Raymond James Stadium only four days after Hurricane Ian ravaged portions of Florida, Mahomes had TD throws of 16 yards to Travis Kelce, 1 yard to Edwards-Helaire and 10 yards to Jody Fortson while making NFL history by reaching 20,000 yards passing faster than anyone else.

Edwards-Helaire and tight end Noah Gray rushed for TDs for the Chiefs (3-1), who won the first meeting between Mahomes and Brady since Tampa Bay’s 31-9 rout of Kansas City in the Super Bowl — also played at Raymond James Stadium — two seasons ago.

“When I came into the stadium I realized that I hadn’t been here and the bad taste I had last time came into effect," Mahomes said. "But it’s still not a playoff game. It’s a regular-season game, which is important. That Super Bowl will always leave a bad taste for me.”

The short pass to Edwards-Helaire was&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1576740935735513088">Mahomes at his improvisational best</a>: He escaped two defenders, did a 360-degree spin move and flipped the ball over a crowd to the running back in the back of the end zone.

“I was able to use my speed, my little bit of speed, to get around the edge there. I was gonna run for it, but they kind of flew around me," Mahomes said. “I realized I wasn’t going to make it and I saw Clyde, so I kind of flicked it up to him.”

Brady noted it's fun watching Mahomes, unless he's on the opposing sideline.

“I love seeing Patrick play. ... Unfortunately we're on the wrong end of it tonight,” said Brady, who's 1-2 against the Chiefs quarterback since joining the Bucs in 2020 after two decades with the New England Patriots.

Brady completed 39 of 52 passes for 385 yards and three TDs without an interception for Tampa Bay (2-2). The Bucs, however, played from behind the whole night after rookie Rachaad White fumbled the opening kickoff and Mahomes threw his TD pass to Kelce two plays later.

The Chiefs also got into the end zone on three of their next four possessions, with Mahomes repeatedly shredding the Tampa Bay defense with pinpoint passes and Edwards-Helaire and Isiah Pacheco taking turns running the ball effectively.

“It’s a team sport. We didn’t play great on offense. We didn’t help (the defense) much, either," Brady said.

“We didn’t do great in the first half. Too many missed opportunities on third downs, turnovers. We gotta play a lot better to be one of the good teams,” the seven-time Super Bowl winner added. "We haven’t played our best yet this year.”

Chiefs cornerback L’Jarius Sneed sacked Brady, forcing a fumble that Mahomes turned into Gray’s TD, with the tight end taking a direct snap from center on the 1-yard plunge that put Kansas City up 28-10.

Brady threw TD passes of 13 yards and 1 yard to Mike Evans, who returned from serving a one-game suspension for his role in a on-field brawl at New Orleans two weeks ago. He had eight receptions for 103 yards.

Evans' second TD trimmed Kansas City’s lead to 28-17 at halftime. That was as close as the Bucs got until Leonard Fournette’s 5-yard TD reception cut Tampa Bay’s deficit to 41-31 with 3:30 remaining.

Brady wouldn’t get the ball back until less than a minute was left.

Kansas City finished with 417 yards of total offense, including a 189-3 edge on the ground, against a defense that had allowed a league-low 27 points through three games.

“Everything in this game fell on the defensive side of the ball," Bucs coach Todd Bowles said. "You name it we did it. Missed tackles. Missed assignments. Bad calls.”

The Bucs sacked Mahomes three times and intercepted him once, but it was not the “coming out party” linebacker Shaquil Barrett thought his team could have against an offensive line the Chiefs have overhauled since struggling against Tampa Bay in the Super Bowl loss.

With Hurricane Ian approaching the Florida’s Gulf Coast, the Bucs evacuated for four days to the Miami area, where they practiced Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at the Dolphins' training facility while the NFL made contingency plans to move the game to Minneapolis if it couldn’t be played in Tampa.

The Glazer family that owns the Bucs has announced it is donating $1 million for hurricane relief. The NFL Foundation is matching that donation, and the Bucs on Sunday night began a “Florida Strong” campaign to raise funds, as well as honor emergency personnel and first responders.

Players and fans observed a “moment of support” prior the national anthem, and the Bucs also paid tribute to those affected by the hurricane in a video presentation displayed on giant scoreboard screens before the game.

Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker (ankle) was inactive for the third straight game. ... Bucs WRs Chris Godwin (hamstring) and Julio Jones (knee ), as well as LT Donovan Smith (elbow), played for the first time since Tampa Bay’s season-opening victory at Dallas. ... Bucs CB Logan Ryan left with a foot injury in the first quarter. ... TE Cameron Brate (concussion) and CB Carlton Davis (stinger) left in the second half.

Chiefs: Return home to face the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday, Oct. 10.

Buccaneers: Host the Atlanta Falcons next Sunday.

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes had all the answers for solving Tampa Bay's stingy defense, winning his latest matchup against Tom Brady in the stadium where the seven-time Super Bowl winner dealt him one of his most disappointing losses.Mahomes threw for 249 yards and three touchdowns, including an electrifying jump pass to Clyde Edwards-Helaire, to lead the Chiefs to a 41-31 victory over the Buccaneers on Sunday night.Playing at sold out Raymond James Stadium only four days after Hurricane Ian ravaged portions of Florida, Mahomes had TD throws of 16 yards to Travis Kelce, 1 yard to Edwards-Helaire and 10 yards to Jody Fortson while making NFL history by reaching 20,000 yards passing faster than anyone else.Edwards-Helaire and tight end Noah Gray rushed for TDs for the Chiefs (3-1), who won the first meeting between Mahomes and Brady since Tampa Bay’s 31-9 rout of Kansas City in the Super Bowl — also played at Raymond James Stadium — two seasons ago.“When I came into the stadium I realized that I hadn’t been here and the bad taste I had last time came into effect," Mahomes said. "But it’s still not a playoff game. It’s a regular-season game, which is important. That Super Bowl will always leave a bad taste for me.”The short pass to Edwards-Helaire was&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1576740935735513088">Mahomes at his improvisational best</a>: He escaped two defenders, did a 360-degree spin move and flipped the ball over a crowd to the running back in the back of the end zone.“I was able to use my speed, my little bit of speed, to get around the edge there. I was gonna run for it, but they kind of flew around me," Mahomes said. “I realized I wasn’t going to make it and I saw Clyde, so I kind of flicked it up to him.”Brady noted it's fun watching Mahomes, unless he's on the opposing sideline.“I love seeing Patrick play. ... Unfortunately we're on the wrong end of it tonight,” said Brady, who's 1-2 against the Chiefs quarterback since joining the Bucs in 2020 after two decades with the New England Patriots.Brady completed 39 of 52 passes for 385 yards and three TDs without an interception for Tampa Bay (2-2). The Bucs, however, played from behind the whole night after rookie Rachaad White fumbled the opening kickoff and Mahomes threw his TD pass to Kelce two plays later.The Chiefs also got into the end zone on three of their next four possessions, with Mahomes repeatedly shredding the Tampa Bay defense with pinpoint passes and Edwards-Helaire and Isiah Pacheco taking turns running the ball effectively.“It’s a team sport. We didn’t play great on offense. We didn’t help (the defense) much, either," Brady said.“We didn’t do great in the first half. Too many missed opportunities on third downs, turnovers. We gotta play a lot better to be one of the good teams,” the seven-time Super Bowl winner added. "We haven’t played our best yet this year.”Chiefs cornerback L’Jarius Sneed sacked Brady, forcing a fumble that Mahomes turned into Gray’s TD, with the tight end taking a direct snap from center on the 1-yard plunge that put Kansas City up 28-10.Brady threw TD passes of 13 yards and 1 yard to Mike Evans, who returned from serving a one-game suspension for his role in a on-field brawl at New Orleans two weeks ago. He had eight receptions for 103 yards.Evans' second TD trimmed Kansas City’s lead to 28-17 at halftime. That was as close as the Bucs got until Leonard Fournette’s 5-yard TD reception cut Tampa Bay’s deficit to 41-31 with 3:30 remaining.Brady wouldn’t get the ball back until less than a minute was left.Kansas City finished with 417 yards of total offense, including a 189-3 edge on the ground, against a defense that had allowed a league-low 27 points through three games.“Everything in this game fell on the defensive side of the ball," Bucs coach Todd Bowles said. "You name it we did it. Missed tackles. Missed assignments. Bad calls.”The Bucs sacked Mahomes three times and intercepted him once, but it was not the “coming out party” linebacker Shaquil Barrett thought his team could have against an offensive line the Chiefs have overhauled since struggling against Tampa Bay in the Super Bowl loss.With Hurricane Ian approaching the Florida’s Gulf Coast, the Bucs evacuated for four days to the Miami area, where they practiced Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at the Dolphins' training facility while the NFL made contingency plans to move the game to Minneapolis if it couldn’t be played in Tampa.The Glazer family that owns the Bucs has announced it is donating $1 million for hurricane relief. The NFL Foundation is matching that donation, and the Bucs on Sunday night began a “Florida Strong” campaign to raise funds, as well as honor emergency personnel and first responders.Players and fans observed a “moment of support” prior the national anthem, and the Bucs also paid tribute to those affected by the hurricane in a video presentation displayed on giant scoreboard screens before the game.INJURIESChiefs kicker Harrison Butker (ankle) was inactive for the third straight game. ... Bucs WRs Chris Godwin (hamstring) and Julio Jones (knee ), as well as LT Donovan Smith (elbow), played for the first time since Tampa Bay’s season-opening victory at Dallas. ... Bucs CB Logan Ryan left with a foot injury in the first quarter. ... TE Cameron Brate (concussion) and CB Carlton Davis (stinger) left in the second half.UP NEXTChiefs: Return home to face the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday, Oct. 10.Buccaneers: Host the Atlanta Falcons next Sunday.

Kansas City comes out fast, beats Tampa Bay 41-31

Northwest tops Missouri Western despite offensive struggles

The Northwest Missouri State Bearcats scored 16 unanswered points in the second half to win over Missouri Western 16-3 in Maryville on Saturday.&nbsp; Read our full recap of the game <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/74dc3384-5434-4740-940e-529e049dba2b">HERE</a>

Ravens start slow but still win big over Culver Stockton

The Benedictine Ravens fell behind early but snagged all the momentum with a Garrett Kettle 71 yard touchdown pass at the end of the first quarter, winning over Culver Stockton 45-16 on Saturday.&nbsp;

Culver Stockton scored first in the game but missed an extra point, and after back to back field goals led the Ravens 9-3 before Kettle would find Jacob Gathright down the field for the touchdown pass at the end of the first.&nbsp;

Benedictine would score one more touchdown to start the second quarter before allowing Culver Stockton's only other score of the game.&nbsp; The Ravens would end the second quarter with two more touchdowns, both rushes by Garrett Kettle.&nbsp; After no points were scored in the third, Benedictine would add 14 more points in the fourth quarter.&nbsp;

Kettle led the offense with 408 all purpose yards (267 passing and 141 rushing) and scoring five all purpose touchdowns (three passing and two rushing).&nbsp; Gathright led receivers with seven catches for 142 yards and two touchdowns.&nbsp;

The Ravens are now 5-1 on the season and will have a bye week next week.&nbsp; They will be back in action on October 15th against Central Methodist in Atchison for Stars and Stripes Day.&nbsp; Kickoff is set for 1pm.

Jayhawks hold on to beat Cyclones thanks to special teams troubles

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Iowa State kicker Jace Gilbert missed three field goals, including a 37-yarder with a chance to tie the game with under 30 seconds to play as Kansas held off Iowa State 14-11 to remain undefeated. 

Gilbert also missed 38- and 45-yard attempts in the first and fourth quarters.

At 5-0 overall, this is the Jayhawks' best start to the season since 2009 and just the second time in the last 14 years they’re 2-0 to begin Big 12 Conference play.

“This feels different because of what this group has been though," Kansas coach Lance Leipold said. “We've only been here 16 months and focusing on how we can improve, but I'm so happy for them because we can see what it does in the community, the stands, togetherness and these are great things to build upon.”

Jalon Daniels and Daniel Hishaw both scored rushing touchdowns for the Jayhawks, who were shut out in the second half, but did just enough to hang on for the victory.

The Jayhawks will look to improve to 6-0 for the first time since 2007, when the Jayhawks finished 11-1 and defeated Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl, when they face TCU this Saturday.&nbsp; Kickoff is set for 11am in Lawrence.

#25 Wildcats dominate ground game to hold off Red Raiders

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) —Kansas State quarterback Adrian Martinez rushed for 171 yards and three touchdowns and threw for another score to lead No. 25 Kansas State to a 37-28 victory. 

He was 12-for-19 passing for 116 yards for Kansas State (4-1, 2-0 Big 12), while Deuce Vaughn had 170 rushing yards for the Wildcats, who extended their winning streak against the Red Raiders to seven games.

Martinez and Vaughn combined for three runs of at least 50 yards, plus another that was nullified by a holding penalty.

“One of the things we talked about at halftime was we had to have some people step up and make some explosive plays,” Vaughn said. “That’s a testament to the O-linemen and the guys blocking downfield. They opened up some big holes.”

Donovan Smith was 34-for-48 passing for 359 yards and two TDs for Texas Tech (3-2, 1-1) and also rushed for a touchdown. The Wildcats also got three field goals from Chris Tennant after drives stalled.

Kansas State will matchup next with the fiery offense of the Iowa State Cyclones on the road in Ames, Iowa as they look to improve to stay near the top of the Big 12.&nbsp; Kickoff is set for 6:30pm and will be aired on ESPNU.

Huskers snap nine game losing skid with win over Indiana

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska quarterback Casey Thompson threw threw for two touchdowns and ran for another and Nebraska beat a Football Bowl Subdivision opponent for the first time in 364 days with a 35-21 victory over Indiana. 

Thompson threw a 71-yard touchdown pass to Trey Palmer early in the fourth to break a 21-all tie and followed with a 1-yard run to give the Cornhuskers a two-score cushion. 

The win ended a nine-game losing streak against Bowl Subdivision opponents and was Mickey Joseph’s first since he was named interim head coach following the firing of Scott Frost on Sept. 11.

“I love Mickey. I want to ride with Mickey,” defensive end Garrett Nelson said. “He was put in a tough situation and he’s flourished in that spot.”

Thompson was 18 of 27 for 270 yards with an interception to go with his two TD passes. Former Missouri and current Indiana quarterback Connor Bazelak was 22 of 44 for 223 yards with a touchdown and interception.

Nebraska is now 2-3 (1-1 Big Ten) and will look to continue their winning ways when they travel to&nbsp;Piscataway, New Jersey to face Rutgers on Saturday.&nbsp; Kickoff is set for 6pm and will be aired on FS1.

Tigers fight hard against Bulldogs but lose lead late in loss

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Daijun Edwards plunged into the end zone for the go-ahead touchdown with just over 4 minutes to go to help top-ranked Georgia rally from 10 points down in the fourth quarter to beat Missouri 26-22. 

Kendall Milton also scored in the fourth quarter for the Bulldogs, who trailed almost the entire way before finally solving red-zone woes that forced Jack Podlesny to kick four field goals. 

Brady Cook had 192 yards passing and a touchdown for the Tigers. Missouri struggled to reach the end zone against one of the country’s best defenses. Harrison Mevis wound up kicking five field goals, including two from 50-plus yards,&nbsp;one week after he missed a potential game-winner in an overtime loss at Auburn.

“We were self-inflicted wounds away from winning that game,” Tigers coach Eli Drinkwitz said.

Missouri honored former coach Gary Pinkel, who will be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in December. He also is being inducted into the Missouri Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame.

The Tigers have now lost two straight games and on the season are 2-3 (0-2 SEC) and will travel to Gainsville, Florida for a battle with the Gators in the swamp.&nbsp; Kickoff is set for 11am and will be aired on FS1.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1664683324560.jpeg" alt="Northwest tight end Cole Hembrough runs through a tackle from Missouri Western cornerback Desmond Green/ Photo by Alexis Starks of Northwest Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Northwest tight end Cole Hembrough runs through a tackle from Missouri Western cornerback Desmond Green/ Photo by Alexis Starks of Northwest Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostNorthwest tops Missouri Western despite offensive strugglesThe Northwest Missouri State Bearcats scored 16 unanswered points in the second half to win over Missouri Western 16-3 in Maryville on Saturday.&nbsp; Read our full recap of the game <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/74dc3384-5434-4740-940e-529e049dba2b">HERE</a>Ravens start slow but still win big over Culver StocktonThe Benedictine Ravens fell behind early but snagged all the momentum with a Garrett Kettle 71 yard touchdown pass at the end of the first quarter, winning over Culver Stockton 45-16 on Saturday.&nbsp;Culver Stockton scored first in the game but missed an extra point, and after back to back field goals led the Ravens 9-3 before Kettle would find Jacob Gathright down the field for the touchdown pass at the end of the first.&nbsp;Benedictine would score one more touchdown to start the second quarter before allowing Culver Stockton's only other score of the game.&nbsp; The Ravens would end the second quarter with two more touchdowns, both rushes by Garrett Kettle.&nbsp; After no points were scored in the third, Benedictine would add 14 more points in the fourth quarter.&nbsp;Kettle led the offense with 408 all purpose yards (267 passing and 141 rushing) and scoring five all purpose touchdowns (three passing and two rushing).&nbsp; Gathright led receivers with seven catches for 142 yards and two touchdowns.&nbsp;The Ravens are now 5-1 on the season and will have a bye week next week.&nbsp; They will be back in action on October 15th against Central Methodist in Atchison for Stars and Stripes Day.&nbsp; Kickoff is set for 1pm.Jayhawks hold on to beat Cyclones thanks to special teams troublesLAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Iowa State kicker Jace Gilbert missed three field goals, including a 37-yarder with a chance to tie the game with under 30 seconds to play as Kansas held off Iowa State 14-11 to remain undefeated. Gilbert also missed 38- and 45-yard attempts in the first and fourth quarters.At 5-0 overall, this is the Jayhawks' best start to the season since 2009 and just the second time in the last 14 years they’re 2-0 to begin Big 12 Conference play.“This feels different because of what this group has been though," Kansas coach Lance Leipold said. “We've only been here 16 months and focusing on how we can improve, but I'm so happy for them because we can see what it does in the community, the stands, togetherness and these are great things to build upon.”Jalon Daniels and Daniel Hishaw both scored rushing touchdowns for the Jayhawks, who were shut out in the second half, but did just enough to hang on for the victory.The Jayhawks will look to improve to 6-0 for the first time since 2007, when the Jayhawks finished 11-1 and defeated Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl, when they face TCU this Saturday.&nbsp; Kickoff is set for 11am in Lawrence.#25 Wildcats dominate ground game to hold off Red RaidersMANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) —Kansas State quarterback Adrian Martinez rushed for 171 yards and three touchdowns and threw for another score to lead No. 25 Kansas State to a 37-28 victory. He was 12-for-19 passing for 116 yards for Kansas State (4-1, 2-0 Big 12), while Deuce Vaughn had 170 rushing yards for the Wildcats, who extended their winning streak against the Red Raiders to seven games.Martinez and Vaughn combined for three runs of at least 50 yards, plus another that was nullified by a holding penalty.“One of the things we talked about at halftime was we had to have some people step up and make some explosive plays,” Vaughn said. “That’s a testament to the O-linemen and the guys blocking downfield. They opened up some big holes.”Donovan Smith was 34-for-48 passing for 359 yards and two TDs for Texas Tech (3-2, 1-1) and also rushed for a touchdown. The Wildcats also got three field goals from Chris Tennant after drives stalled.Kansas State will matchup next with the fiery offense of the Iowa State Cyclones on the road in Ames, Iowa as they look to improve to stay near the top of the Big 12.&nbsp; Kickoff is set for 6:30pm and will be aired on ESPNU.Huskers snap nine game losing skid with win over IndianaLINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska quarterback Casey Thompson threw threw for two touchdowns and ran for another and Nebraska beat a Football Bowl Subdivision opponent for the first time in 364 days with a 35-21 victory over Indiana. Thompson threw a 71-yard touchdown pass to Trey Palmer early in the fourth to break a 21-all tie and followed with a 1-yard run to give the Cornhuskers a two-score cushion. The win ended a nine-game losing streak against Bowl Subdivision opponents and was Mickey Joseph’s first since he was named interim head coach following the firing of Scott Frost on Sept. 11.“I love Mickey. I want to ride with Mickey,” defensive end Garrett Nelson said. “He was put in a tough situation and he’s flourished in that spot.”Thompson was 18 of 27 for 270 yards with an interception to go with his two TD passes. Former Missouri and current Indiana quarterback Connor Bazelak was 22 of 44 for 223 yards with a touchdown and interception.Nebraska is now 2-3 (1-1 Big Ten) and will look to continue their winning ways when they travel to&nbsp;Piscataway, New Jersey to face Rutgers on Saturday.&nbsp; Kickoff is set for 6pm and will be aired on FS1.Tigers fight hard against Bulldogs but lose lead late in lossCOLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Daijun Edwards plunged into the end zone for the go-ahead touchdown with just over 4 minutes to go to help top-ranked Georgia rally from 10 points down in the fourth quarter to beat Missouri 26-22. Kendall Milton also scored in the fourth quarter for the Bulldogs, who trailed almost the entire way before finally solving red-zone woes that forced Jack Podlesny to kick four field goals. Brady Cook had 192 yards passing and a touchdown for the Tigers. Missouri struggled to reach the end zone against one of the country’s best defenses. Harrison Mevis wound up kicking five field goals, including two from 50-plus yards,&nbsp;one week after he missed a potential game-winner in an overtime loss at Auburn.“We were self-inflicted wounds away from winning that game,” Tigers coach Eli Drinkwitz said.Missouri honored former coach Gary Pinkel, who will be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in December. He also is being inducted into the Missouri Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame.The Tigers have now lost two straight games and on the season are 2-3 (0-2 SEC) and will travel to Gainsville, Florida for a battle with the Gators in the swamp.&nbsp; Kickoff is set for 11am and will be aired on FS1.

CFB Round up: Bearcats top rival Griffons, Jayhawks win hard fought battle

(AP) — Salvador Perez had four hits and drove in a pair of runs and Kris Bubic struck out a season-high eight to help the Kansas City Royals beat the AL Central champion Cleveland Guardians 7-1. 

Perez collected three singles and a solo homer in four plate appearances, spoiling the return of Cleveland right-hander Zach Plesac following a one-month stay on the injured list with a broken pitching hand. Bubic tossed five scoreless innings, allowing five hits. 

Perez’s home run gave him 1,274 career hits, moving into eighth place in Royals history. He was removed from the game following the at-bat because of discomfort in his surgically repaired left thumb.

The Royals take on Cleveland again Sunday afternoon with first pitch at 12:40 central. Coverage begins at 12:00 on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3) in St. Joseph.

(AP) — Salvador Perez had four hits and drove in a pair of runs and Kris Bubic struck out a season-high eight to help the Kansas City Royals beat the AL Central champion Cleveland Guardians 7-1. Perez collected three singles and a solo homer in four plate appearances, spoiling the return of Cleveland right-hander Zach Plesac following a one-month stay on the injured list with a broken pitching hand. Bubic tossed five scoreless innings, allowing five hits. Perez’s home run gave him 1,274 career hits, moving into eighth place in Royals history. He was removed from the game following the at-bat because of discomfort in his surgically repaired left thumb.The Royals take on Cleveland again Sunday afternoon with first pitch at 12:40 central. Coverage begins at 12:00 on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3) in St. Joseph.

Perez has 4 hits, Royals beat AL Central champion Guardians

MARYVILLE - The first half ended Saturday and it seemed, perhaps for a moment, that history was finally turning in Missouri Western's favor.

Griffons' kicker Cody Watson made an 18-yard field goal after getting stood up on 3rd-and-goal at the two-yard line with 12 seconds left in the first half, and Western took a 3-0 lead into the locker room against No. 12 Northwest Missouri State.

It was the first time since 2013 that Northwest had been shut out in the first half. The first time since 2011 that the Griffons had a halftime lead against the Bearcats. Could Saturday be the day? Would Northwest drop back-to-back games for the first time in five years?

Very quickly in the second half, Northwest (4-1) made sure that wouldn't be the case.

The Bearcats scored on the third play from scrimmage in the third quarter, nabbing a 7-3 lead with 13:44 left in the third, and Northwest never looked back, adding three more field goals from Cole Lammel and shutting out the Griffons in the second half on their way to a 16-3 victory at Bearcat Stadium on Saturday.

After trying and failing to score on six straight drives in the first half, Northwest strung together three consecutive scoring drives in the third quarter.

"They just came out and they executed," Northwest head coach Rich Wright said of the second half. "I said, 'We don't have to win the football game with our offense or with our defense or special teams. This is a totality of the group that's going to determine whether we succeed or fail,' and they did a good job of going out and executing."

After a 42-yard return by Savannah native Jadon Brady to open the second half, Northwest scored the game's only touchdown just three plays later. Robert Rawie took off around the right side and went 43 yards to the end zone, making it a 7-3 game with 13:44 left in the third.

"It was kind of perfect timing," Wright said. "We had just come out of the locker room, we had just talked about these things and our kids went out and executed it. That flipped the script for us."

After the Griffons punted on their first series of the second half, Northwest got going again on offense. The drive was sparked by a 31-yard catch from Trevon Alexander.

Lammel capped the drive with a 25-yard field goal, putting the Bearcats ahead 10-3 with 5:15 left in the third.

Disaster then struck for Missouri Western, as Javerius McGuinn fumbled the ensuing kickoff, which was recovered by Northwest's Jakob Forslund at the Griffon 28.

The Western defense held up, as the Bearcats only moved nine more yards, but Lammel connected on a 36-yard try, making it 13-3 Northwest with 2:20 still to play in the third.

Missouri Western had six total drives in the second half. Three ended with turnover-on-downs and two ended in punt. The Griffons were 1-for-3 in the red zone and 0-for-4 on fourth down.

"We did a good job of executing down there," Wright said of his red zone defense. "I thought they executed well."

Missouri Western, who outgained Northwest in total yards 336-246, and had 19 first downs compared to 10 by Northwest, managed five drives of 44 yards or longer, and four drives that went 59 yards or longer.

Yet, the Griffons managed just three points - their first game without a touchdown of any kind since the 2018 season opener, which just so happened to be a 28-6 defeat at Bearcat Stadium - the last time Missouri Western had played in Maryville prior to Saturday.

"We did a lot of good things, but we put our defense in some really tough situations," Missouri Western head coach Matt Williamson said. "That first half, we had opportunities to put in the box and get up, but all we came away with was three in the first half and pretty much dismal in the second half. I think Northwest did a good job adjusting."

Missouri Western drove the ball 62 yards on 11 plays on the opening series of the game, but a 32-yard field goal from Watson missed. The Griffons got to the red zone only once in the second half, and got to the 11-yard line, but a pass to Cam Grandy in the end zone fell incomplete with 3:59 left in the game.

"We did quite a few decent things, especially the first two series we had," Williamson said. "We had (Northwest) on their heels and we played a bunch of snaps, but we didn't get back to doing that."

Reagan Jones was 21-of-49 for a season-high 271 yards passing. He had an interception in the first half and was sacked a season-high three times.

Cooper Burton led Missouri Western with 101 receiving yards on six catches. Traveon James had nine catches for 95 yards - both season-highs for him.

Rawie led Northwest on the ground with 84 yards on 15 carries and the score. Fifth-year senior Braden Wright, who made his first start of the season in place of the injured Mike Hohensee, completed 8-of-23 passes for 117 yards.

"He is a tough son of a gun," Wright said of Braden, who was also a little dinged up Saturday. "He went out there and battled. He didn't have his best stuff, but he went out and managed the game and gave us a chance to win in the end. I was proud of that."

Isaac Vollstedt led Northwest with nine tackles. Elijah Green had eight total stops, including two sacks.

Missouri Western is home to Nebraska-Kearney for homecoming on Saturday, October 8. Northwest heads to Pittsburg State (5-0) for a pivotal showdown on October 8 as well. Kickoff in that game is set for 2 p.m.

As for the Griffons, the goal is to focus on one week at a time, and try to break what is now a three-game losing skid.

"All we can do right now is keep the team together," Williamson said. "Keep focusing on what we do and how we do it and get back to the drawing board."

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1664670519468.jpeg" alt="Cooper Burton (5) turns up field in Saturday's 16-3 loss at Northwest Missouri State Saturday. Photo by Arianne Boma." />
 <figcaption>Cooper Burton (5) turns up field in Saturday's 16-3 loss at Northwest Missouri State Saturday. Photo by Arianne Boma.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostMARYVILLE - The first half ended Saturday and it seemed, perhaps for a moment, that history was finally turning in Missouri Western's favor.Griffons' kicker Cody Watson made an 18-yard field goal after getting stood up on 3rd-and-goal at the two-yard line with 12 seconds left in the first half, and Western took a 3-0 lead into the locker room against No. 12 Northwest Missouri State.It was the first time since 2013 that Northwest had been shut out in the first half. The first time since 2011 that the Griffons had a halftime lead against the Bearcats. Could Saturday be the day? Would Northwest drop back-to-back games for the first time in five years?Very quickly in the second half, Northwest (4-1) made sure that wouldn't be the case.The Bearcats scored on the third play from scrimmage in the third quarter, nabbing a 7-3 lead with 13:44 left in the third, and Northwest never looked back, adding three more field goals from Cole Lammel and shutting out the Griffons in the second half on their way to a 16-3 victory at Bearcat Stadium on Saturday.After trying and failing to score on six straight drives in the first half, Northwest strung together three consecutive scoring drives in the third quarter."They just came out and they executed," Northwest head coach Rich Wright said of the second half. "I said, 'We don't have to win the football game with our offense or with our defense or special teams. This is a totality of the group that's going to determine whether we succeed or fail,' and they did a good job of going out and executing."After a 42-yard return by Savannah native Jadon Brady to open the second half, Northwest scored the game's only touchdown just three plays later. Robert Rawie took off around the right side and went 43 yards to the end zone, making it a 7-3 game with 13:44 left in the third."It was kind of perfect timing," Wright said. "We had just come out of the locker room, we had just talked about these things and our kids went out and executed it. That flipped the script for us."After the Griffons punted on their first series of the second half, Northwest got going again on offense. The drive was sparked by a 31-yard catch from Trevon Alexander.Lammel capped the drive with a 25-yard field goal, putting the Bearcats ahead 10-3 with 5:15 left in the third.Disaster then struck for Missouri Western, as Javerius McGuinn fumbled the ensuing kickoff, which was recovered by Northwest's Jakob Forslund at the Griffon 28.The Western defense held up, as the Bearcats only moved nine more yards, but Lammel connected on a 36-yard try, making it 13-3 Northwest with 2:20 still to play in the third.Missouri Western had six total drives in the second half. Three ended with turnover-on-downs and two ended in punt. The Griffons were 1-for-3 in the red zone and 0-for-4 on fourth down."We did a good job of executing down there," Wright said of his red zone defense. "I thought they executed well."Missouri Western, who outgained Northwest in total yards 336-246, and had 19 first downs compared to 10 by Northwest, managed five drives of 44 yards or longer, and four drives that went 59 yards or longer.Yet, the Griffons managed just three points - their first game without a touchdown of any kind since the 2018 season opener, which just so happened to be a 28-6 defeat at Bearcat Stadium - the last time Missouri Western had played in Maryville prior to Saturday."We did a lot of good things, but we put our defense in some really tough situations," Missouri Western head coach Matt Williamson said. "That first half, we had opportunities to put in the box and get up, but all we came away with was three in the first half and pretty much dismal in the second half. I think Northwest did a good job adjusting."Missouri Western drove the ball 62 yards on 11 plays on the opening series of the game, but a 32-yard field goal from Watson missed. The Griffons got to the red zone only once in the second half, and got to the 11-yard line, but a pass to Cam Grandy in the end zone fell incomplete with 3:59 left in the game."We did quite a few decent things, especially the first two series we had," Williamson said. "We had (Northwest) on their heels and we played a bunch of snaps, but we didn't get back to doing that."Reagan Jones was 21-of-49 for a season-high 271 yards passing. He had an interception in the first half and was sacked a season-high three times.Cooper Burton led Missouri Western with 101 receiving yards on six catches. Traveon James had nine catches for 95 yards - both season-highs for him.Rawie led Northwest on the ground with 84 yards on 15 carries and the score. Fifth-year senior Braden Wright, who made his first start of the season in place of the injured Mike Hohensee, completed 8-of-23 passes for 117 yards."He is a tough son of a gun," Wright said of Braden, who was also a little dinged up Saturday. "He went out there and battled. He didn't have his best stuff, but he went out and managed the game and gave us a chance to win in the end. I was proud of that."Isaac Vollstedt led Northwest with nine tackles. Elijah Green had eight total stops, including two sacks.Missouri Western is home to Nebraska-Kearney for homecoming on Saturday, October 8. Northwest heads to Pittsburg State (5-0) for a pivotal showdown on October 8 as well. Kickoff in that game is set for 2 p.m.As for the Griffons, the goal is to focus on one week at a time, and try to break what is now a three-game losing skid."All we can do right now is keep the team together," Williamson said. "Keep focusing on what we do and how we do it and get back to the drawing board."You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp;

Northwest shuts out MWSU in second half, Bearcats top Griffons again Saturday

(AP) — José Ramírez hit a three-run homer and Emmanuel Clase closed for his major league-leading 40th save in the Cleveland Guardians’ 6-3 victory over the Kansas City Royals. 

Ramírez put AL Central champion Cleveland ahead for good at 4-3 in the sixth inning with his 29th home run of the season. The 404-foot blast to right off Brady Singer gave the All-Star third baseman 121 RBIs — second in the AL behind New York’s Aaron Judge. 

Austin Hedges followed with an RBI single, snapping an 0-for-36 slump, and Myles Straw drove in Will Brennan to make it 6-3. Cleveland has won 10 of 11 and is a major league-best 21-4 since Sept. 5.

The Royals take on Cleveland again Saturday evening with first pitch at 5:10 central on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3) in St. Joseph.

(AP) — José Ramírez hit a three-run homer and Emmanuel Clase closed for his major league-leading 40th save in the Cleveland Guardians’ 6-3 victory over the Kansas City Royals. Ramírez put AL Central champion Cleveland ahead for good at 4-3 in the sixth inning with his 29th home run of the season. The 404-foot blast to right off Brady Singer gave the All-Star third baseman 121 RBIs — second in the AL behind New York’s Aaron Judge. Austin Hedges followed with an RBI single, snapping an 0-for-36 slump, and Myles Straw drove in Will Brennan to make it 6-3. Cleveland has won 10 of 11 and is a major league-best 21-4 since Sept. 5.The Royals take on Cleveland again Saturday evening with first pitch at 5:10 central on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3) in St. Joseph.

Ramírez homers, Clase gets 40th save as Guardians beat KC

It was week six in Missouri and week five in Kansas on the last day of September.

Below is a list of the rest of our area high school football results.

MEC #8 Maryville 55 (4-2)&nbsp;Benton 13 (3-3) - FINAL - Week 7: Benton home to St. Pius X - Week 7: Maryville vs. Lutheran North in Macon

Savannah 41 (6-0)&nbsp;Cameron 6 (1-5) - FINAL - Week 7: Cameron home to Lafayette - Week 7: Savannah @ Chillicothe

Chillicothe 42 (4-2)&nbsp;Lafayette 7 (0-6) - FINAL - Week 7: Lafayette @ Cameron - Week 7: Chillicothe home to Savannah

Bishop LeBlond 68 (3-3) @ KC East Christian Academy 56 (4-1) - FINAL - Week 7: Bishop LeBlond home to Nodaway Valley

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1664597573043.jpeg" alt="Photo by Harry Loomis." />
 <figcaption>Photo by Harry Loomis.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostIt was week six in Missouri and week five in Kansas on the last day of September.Below is a list of the rest of our area high school football results.MEC #8 Maryville 55 (4-2)&nbsp;Benton 13 (3-3) - FINAL - Week 7: Benton home to St. Pius X - Week 7: Maryville vs. Lutheran North in MaconSavannah 41 (6-0)&nbsp;Cameron 6 (1-5) - FINAL - Week 7: Cameron home to Lafayette - Week 7: Savannah @ ChillicotheChillicothe 42 (4-2)&nbsp;Lafayette 7 (0-6) - FINAL - Week 7: Lafayette @ Cameron - Week 7: Chillicothe home to SavannahBishop LeBlond 68 (3-3) @ KC East Christian Academy 56 (4-1) - FINAL - Week 7: Bishop LeBlond home to Nodaway Valley<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/Chuck-Davis--Bishop-LeBlond---93022-e1okujg" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>KCI #3 Mid-Buchanan 48 (6-0) North Platte 28 (3-3) - FINAL - Week 7: North Platte @ Lawson - Week 7: Mid-Buchanan home to Hamilton<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/Aaron-Fritz--Mid-Buchanan---93022-e1okuk5" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>Lawson 47 (4-2)&nbsp;Plattsburg 6 (0-6) - FINAL - Week 7: Plattsburg home to East BuchananHamilton 36 (1-5)&nbsp;Lathrop 7 (2-4) - FINAL - Week 7: Hamilton @ Mid-Buchanan - Week 7: Lathrop home to West Platte<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/Alexander-Lloyd--HamiltonPenney---93022-e1okunr" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>#2 East Buchanan 49 (5-1)&nbsp;West Platte 14 (2-4) - FINAL - Week 7: East Buchanan @ Plattsburg - Week 7: West Platte @ Lathrop<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/Dan-Ritter--East-Buchanan---93022-e1okuog" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>GRC 11-man Trenton 24 (6-0) Polo 6 (2-4) - FINAL - Week 7: Polo home to Princeton - Week 7: Trenton @ MaysvillePutnam County 55 (5-1)&nbsp;South Harrison 14 (1-5) - FINAL - Week 7: South Harrison home to Milan#5 Gallatin 41 (6-0) Milan 10 (2-4) - FINAL - Week 7: Gallatin home to Putnam County<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/Chris-Holt--Gallatin---93022-e1okun6" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>Maysville 28 (4-2)&nbsp;Princeton 12 (0-6) - FINAL - Week 7: Maysville home to TrentonGRC 8-man #1 North Andrew 54 (6-0)&nbsp;Stanberry 6 (3-3) - FINAL. <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/04d21365-ac8b-4b48-bc5b-7ce712b03d99">Full coverage here</a>. - Week 7: North Andrew @ Albany - Week 7: Stanberry has a bye, home to East Acthison 10/14<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/North-Andrew-quarterback-Braxon-Linville-e1okspe" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>#2 Albany 64 (6-0) St. Joseph Christian 0 (0-6) - FINAL - Week 7: St. Joseph Christian home to Northland Christian - Week 7: Albany home to North Andrew#6 Worth County 76 (5-1)&nbsp;Knox County 24 (1-5) - FINAL - Week 7: Worth County home to Pattonsburg#10 King City 72 (4-2) Rock Port 36 (3-3) - FINAL - Week 7: Rock Port @ Southwest Livingston - Week 7: King City @ Schuyler County275 Conference #4 Platte Valley 66 (6-0) Southwest Livingston 20 (0-6) - FINAL - Week 7: Platte Valley @ DeKalb#7 East Atchison 60 (6-0) Mound City 6 (1-5) - FINAL - Week 7: East Atchison @ Stewartsville-Osborn - Week 7: Mound City @ South Holt (KFEQ)Nodaway Valley 70 (1-5)&nbsp;DeKalb 24 (1-5) - FINAL - Week 7: DeKalb home to Platte Valley - Week 7: Nodaway Valley @ LeBlondSouth Holt 76 (3-3)&nbsp;Stewartsville-Osborn 56 (4-2) - FINAL - Week 7: Stewartsville-Osborn home to East Atchison - Week 7: South Holt home to Mound City (KFEQ)Greater KC Suburban Fort Osage 56 (4-2)&nbsp;St. Joseph Central 13 (3-3) - FINAL - Week 7: Central home to Excelsior SpringsNortheast Kansas Atchison 55 (5-0) Washington 6 (1-4) - FINAL - Week 6: Atchison home to Highland ParkRiverside 34 (3-2) Onaga 9 (1-4) - FINAL - Week 6: Riverside home to Sabetha#4 Troy 76 (4-1)&nbsp;Maur Hill Prep Mount Academy&nbsp; 16 (2-3) - FINAL - Week 6: Maur Hill home to Atchison County - Week 6: Troy home to Jackson HeightsConcordia 38 (1-4)&nbsp;Hiawatha 12 (2-3) - FINAL - Week 6: Hiawatha home to Rock CreekHanover 48 (2-3)&nbsp;Doniphan West 0 (1-4) - FINAL - Week 6: Doniphan West home to LinnBe sure to listen to KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3, 680kfeq.com) every Friday night during the regular season from 10-11 p.m. for&nbsp;Friday Night Lights.&nbsp;Matt Pike will have a full hour of scores and live interviews with area head coaches.&nbsp;&nbsp;