(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

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

Lawson 47 (4-2)&nbsp;Plattsburg 6 (0-6) - FINAL - Week 7: Plattsburg home to East Buchanan

Hamilton 36 (1-5)&nbsp;Lathrop 7 (2-4) - FINAL - Week 7: Hamilton @ Mid-Buchanan - Week 7: Lathrop home to West Platte

#2 East Buchanan 49 (5-1)&nbsp;West Platte 14 (2-4) - FINAL - Week 7: East Buchanan @ Plattsburg - Week 7: West Platte @ Lathrop

GRC 11-man Trenton 24 (6-0) Polo 6 (2-4) - FINAL - Week 7: Polo home to Princeton - Week 7: Trenton @ Maysville

Putnam 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

Maysville 28 (4-2)&nbsp;Princeton 12 (0-6) - FINAL - Week 7: Maysville home to Trenton

GRC 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

#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 County

275 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 @ LeBlond

South 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 Springs

Northeast Kansas Atchison 55 (5-0) Washington 6 (1-4) - FINAL - Week 6: Atchison home to Highland Park

Riverside 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 Heights

Concordia 38 (1-4)&nbsp;Hiawatha 12 (2-3) - FINAL - Week 6: Hiawatha home to Rock Creek

Hanover 48 (2-3)&nbsp;Doniphan West 0 (1-4) - FINAL - Week 6: Doniphan West home to Linn

Be 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;

<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;

KFEQ/St. Joseph Post area high school football scoreboard - September 30, 2022

ROSENDALE - North Andrew scored touchdowns on each of their first seven drives, held Stanberry to three punts and turned the Bulldogs over twice in the first half en route to a 54-6 victory in Rosendale Friday.

The Cardinals (6-0) avenged a 55-12 loss at Stanberry from last year and led 16-0 at the end of the first and 40-0 by halftime.

"I thought it was a good all around game from everyone on the field," North Andrew sophomore quarterback Braxon Linville said. "We dominated on the line, leading the way for me, (Hayden) Ecker, (Andrew) Goff to just succeed and keep scoring and keep going."

Senior Hayden Ecker got things started quickly for North Andrew, as he scored on a 41-yard touchdown run on the Cardinals' third play from scrimmage. The successful two-point conversion put North Andrew ahead 8-0 with 8:46 left in the first.

Linville joined in on the fun later in the first, scoring on a 63-yard touchdown run to help give his team a 16-0 advantage.

Linville finished with 113 yards rushing on 13 carries and two rushing scores.

Stanberry (3-3) had no answer defensively, as Ecker and Linville each had additional rushing scores in the first half. Linville also had a 35-yard touchdown throw to Dawson Eychaner all before halftime to give the Cardinals a 40-0 cushion at the break.

North Andrew got the ball to start the second half, and scored in just five plays. Linville once again found Eychaner for a 35-yard touchdown strike.

Eychaner, who missed the first four weeks, has now had five touchdown catches in the last two games combined.

"That was my main target last year," Linville said of Eychaner. "So, it's good to have that chemistry back. He's my favorite receiver to throw it to. It's just really nice to have him back."

Ecker added another 41-yard rushing at the tail end of the third quarter to put North Andrew up 54-0 entering the fourth before the backups took the field for both teams.

Stanberry got on the board with 7:09 remaining when junior Brayden Hahn scored on a nine-yard touchdown run.

Hahn finished with six carries for 32 yards. Tucker Scheiber had 43 yards rushing for the Bulldogs on eight carries. Stanberry quarterback Colby McQuinn was 5-of-9 through the air for 54 yards. He also had an interception and was sacked four times.

North Andrew goes on the road next week to face Albany (6-0). The Warriors shut out St. Joseph Christian 64-0 Friday. No doubt a thrilling matchup between a pair of unbeaten heavyweights.

"We just keep doing what we do," Linville said. "We run the ball, ball security. Once we get ahead, pass what we can and just do what we do. Run it down their throat."

Stanberry is off next week and will be home to East Atchison on October 14.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1664596201340.jpeg" alt="Hayden Ecker (24) runs away for a second half touchdown in North Andrew's 54-6 win over Stanberry Friday. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Hayden Ecker (24) runs away for a second half touchdown in North Andrew's 54-6 win over Stanberry Friday. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostROSENDALE - North Andrew scored touchdowns on each of their first seven drives, held Stanberry to three punts and turned the Bulldogs over twice in the first half en route to a 54-6 victory in Rosendale Friday.The Cardinals (6-0) avenged a 55-12 loss at Stanberry from last year and led 16-0 at the end of the first and 40-0 by halftime."I thought it was a good all around game from everyone on the field," North Andrew sophomore quarterback Braxon Linville said. "We dominated on the line, leading the way for me, (Hayden) Ecker, (Andrew) Goff to just succeed and keep scoring and keep going."Senior Hayden Ecker got things started quickly for North Andrew, as he scored on a 41-yard touchdown run on the Cardinals' third play from scrimmage. The successful two-point conversion put North Andrew ahead 8-0 with 8:46 left in the first.Linville joined in on the fun later in the first, scoring on a 63-yard touchdown run to help give his team a 16-0 advantage.Linville finished with 113 yards rushing on 13 carries and two rushing scores.Stanberry (3-3) had no answer defensively, as Ecker and Linville each had additional rushing scores in the first half. Linville also had a 35-yard touchdown throw to Dawson Eychaner all before halftime to give the Cardinals a 40-0 cushion at the break.North Andrew got the ball to start the second half, and scored in just five plays. Linville once again found Eychaner for a 35-yard touchdown strike.Eychaner, who missed the first four weeks, has now had five touchdown catches in the last two games combined."That was my main target last year," Linville said of Eychaner. "So, it's good to have that chemistry back. He's my favorite receiver to throw it to. It's just really nice to have him back."Ecker added another 41-yard rushing at the tail end of the third quarter to put North Andrew up 54-0 entering the fourth before the backups took the field for both teams.Stanberry got on the board with 7:09 remaining when junior Brayden Hahn scored on a nine-yard touchdown run.Hahn finished with six carries for 32 yards. Tucker Scheiber had 43 yards rushing for the Bulldogs on eight carries. Stanberry quarterback Colby McQuinn was 5-of-9 through the air for 54 yards. He also had an interception and was sacked four times.North Andrew goes on the road next week to face Albany (6-0). The Warriors shut out St. Joseph Christian 64-0 Friday. No doubt a thrilling matchup between a pair of unbeaten heavyweights."We just keep doing what we do," Linville said. "We run the ball, ball security. Once we get ahead, pass what we can and just do what we do. Run it down their throat."Stanberry is off next week and will be home to East Atchison on October 14.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1664597444164.jpeg" alt="Braxon Linville (37) runs for a score." />
 <figcaption>Braxon Linville (37) runs for a score.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1664597471853.jpeg" alt="North Andrew takes the field." />
 <figcaption>North Andrew takes the field.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1664597491715.jpeg" alt="Tucker Scheiber (25)." />
 <figcaption>Tucker Scheiber (25).</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1664597518348.jpeg" alt="Hayden Ecker." />
 <figcaption>Hayden Ecker.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1664597573043.jpeg" alt="The Cardinals huddle before the game." />
 <figcaption>The Cardinals huddle before the game.</figcaption>
 </figure><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>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

North Andrew takes control in first half, scores big win over Stanberry Friday

ROSENDALE - It's an eight-man, Grand River Conference rivalry restored as Stanberry (3-2) travels to face No. 1 North Andrew (5-0).

Pregame starts at 6:30 with kickoff at 7. <a href="https://radio.securenetsystems.net/cwa/SJPOST">LINK TO LISTEN IS HERE</a>. Tommy Rezac has the play-by-play and Harry Loomis will be on the sideline.

North Andrew is coming off of an 86-30 win at St. Joseph Christian last week, while Stanberry walloped Pattonsburg 84-48 at home last week as well.

The Bulldogs got the best of the Cardinals last year in Stanberry, winning that game 55-12.

North Andrew has a huge test next week when they travel to unbeaten Albany. Stanberry has a bye on Oct. 7 and will host #7 East Atchison on Oct. 14.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1664563153292.jpeg" alt="Photo by Harry Loomis." />
 <figcaption>Photo by Harry Loomis.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostROSENDALE - It's an eight-man, Grand River Conference rivalry restored as Stanberry (3-2) travels to face No. 1 North Andrew (5-0).Pregame starts at 6:30 with kickoff at 7. <a href="https://radio.securenetsystems.net/cwa/SJPOST">LINK TO LISTEN IS HERE</a>. Tommy Rezac has the play-by-play and Harry Loomis will be on the sideline.North Andrew is coming off of an 86-30 win at St. Joseph Christian last week, while Stanberry walloped Pattonsburg 84-48 at home last week as well.The Bulldogs got the best of the Cardinals last year in Stanberry, winning that game 55-12.North Andrew has a huge test next week when they travel to unbeaten Albany. Stanberry has a bye on Oct. 7 and will host #7 East Atchison on Oct. 14.

LIVE AUDIO STREAM - Stanberry Bulldogs @ North Andrew Cardinals football

(AP) — Willi Castro and Javy Báez homered to lead Detroit over the Kansas City Royals 10-3 for a three-game sweep that moved the Tigers out of last place in the AL Central. 

Detroit (63-92) has won six straight, matching its season high and ensuring the Tigers will not lose 100 games. Detroit went 10-9 this year against the Royals (63-93), who dropped into the division cellar. 

Kansas City stranded 11 runners, raising its two-day total to 24. and went 2 for 10 with runners in scoring position. Eduardo Rodriguez allowed five hits and four walks in 6 2/3 shutout innings.

The Royals next take on Cleveland Friday evening with first pitch at 6:10 central. Coverage begins at 5:30 on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3) in St. Joseph.

(AP) — Willi Castro and Javy Báez homered to lead Detroit over the Kansas City Royals 10-3 for a three-game sweep that moved the Tigers out of last place in the AL Central. Detroit (63-92) has won six straight, matching its season high and ensuring the Tigers will not lose 100 games. Detroit went 10-9 this year against the Royals (63-93), who dropped into the division cellar. Kansas City stranded 11 runners, raising its two-day total to 24. and went 2 for 10 with runners in scoring position. Eduardo Rodriguez allowed five hits and four walks in 6 2/3 shutout innings.The Royals next take on Cleveland Friday evening with first pitch at 6:10 central. Coverage begins at 5:30 on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3) in St. Joseph.

Castro, Báez homer, Tigers sweep Royals 10-3, escape cellar

Boys’ soccer Maryville 5 Bishop LeBlond 0. <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/75f3c105-cff2-47de-a0cb-39b91b137f0c">Full coverage here</a>. Summit Christian Academy 3 Lafayette 0&nbsp;&nbsp;

Volleyball Benton 3 Bishop LeBlond 2 Smithville 3 St. Joseph Central 0 St. Pius X 3 Lafayette 1 Savannah 3 Maryville 2 West Platte 3 Mid-Buchanan 2 East Buchanan 3 Hamilton 0 South Holt 3 Mound City 0

Softball Savannah 10 Lafayette 5. The Savages are 14-3 and have won 12 straight. Notre Dame de Sion 2 Bishop LeBlond 0 Fort Osage 4 St. Joseph Central 1 North Platte 7 East Buchanan 1 Lawson 5 Mid-Buchanan 4 Polo 12 North Andrew 2. The Panthers are GRC champions.

Girls’ tennis Benton 7 Maryville 2 St. Joseph Central 7 Truman 2 Lafayette defeated Cameron, though no score was reported.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1664539230999.jpeg" alt="Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostBoys’ soccer Maryville 5 Bishop LeBlond 0. <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/75f3c105-cff2-47de-a0cb-39b91b137f0c">Full coverage here</a>. Summit Christian Academy 3 Lafayette 0&nbsp;&nbsp;Volleyball Benton 3 Bishop LeBlond 2 Smithville 3 St. Joseph Central 0 St. Pius X 3 Lafayette 1 Savannah 3 Maryville 2 West Platte 3 Mid-Buchanan 2 East Buchanan 3 Hamilton 0 South Holt 3 Mound City 0Softball Savannah 10 Lafayette 5. The Savages are 14-3 and have won 12 straight. Notre Dame de Sion 2 Bishop LeBlond 0 Fort Osage 4 St. Joseph Central 1 North Platte 7 East Buchanan 1 Lawson 5 Mid-Buchanan 4 Polo 12 North Andrew 2. The Panthers are GRC champions.Girls’ tennis Benton 7 Maryville 2 St. Joseph Central 7 Truman 2 Lafayette defeated Cameron, though no score was reported.

KFEQ/St. Joseph Post area high school scoreboard - September 30, 2022

Maryville and Bishop LeBlond have been the class of the field in the Midland Empire Conference in boys' soccer this season.

When the two got together for a match, the Spoofhounds separated themselves from the Eagles shortly after it started.

Maryville (7-2) scored two goals within the first 2:34 at Eagle Stadium and came away with a 5-0 win Thursday - the fifth straight win and third consecutive shutout victory for the Spoofhounds.

"They played an excellent game," LeBlond coach Chad Thompson said of Maryville. "We fell short and once we fell short, we fell a little shorter."

Maryville's Kason Teale got the scoring started with a header into the goal just 91 seconds into the match with an assist from Truett Haer. Just 63 seconds after that, Quinn Pettlon scored from long distance to give the Spoofounds a 2-0 advantage less than three minutes in.

"That kind of changes the entire mindset of everything we try to do," Thompson said of the early deficit. "Kind of try to play the long ball instead of passing the ball. Got beat by a really good team today."

LeBlond (9-2) went on the defensive after that and kept the Hounds off the board for awhile, but Haer found the back of the net with 1:07 left in the first half, thanks to a strong cross from Tuan Jacobson.

LeBlond had a handful of chances offensively especially in the first half, getting through Maryville's backline, but the Eagles were unable to finish once they got in the Spoofhounds' goalie box.

The Eagles finished with three shots-on-goal, while Maryville had 12.

"What (Maryville) was doing really great was keeping pressure (on the LeBlond goal)," Thompson noted. "Off of their defense. Like I said, they're a really good team and we got beat."

LeBlond keeper Cole Stevenson had a busy, and impressive day, finishing with seven saves, including several diving and high jumping stops to keep the game within a reasonable margin for some time.

After nearly 30 scoreless minutes of play in the second half, Maryville essentially put the match away with a goal from Boyd Gallaher to make it 4-0 with 10:58 remaining.

The Hounds also got late insurance with a midrange goal from Teale, his second of the match, to make it a 5-0 margin with 3:49 to play.

The loss snaps a six-game win streak for LeBlond, who still has the best record in Class 2 District 8.

The Eagles are back home on Oct. 5 to host Kansas City Lutheran. With just four regular season games remaining, LeBlond hopes to finish strong and have another deep postseason run - just like they've done the last couple of seasons.

"We'll just hit the fields," Thompson said. "We'll be out here practicing every day that we don't play. So, that's about what the rest of the season is."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1664500101268.jpeg" alt="Boyd Gallaher (right) Gabe Baldwin (12) react to a second half goal in Maryville's 5-0 win at Bishop LeBlond Thursday. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Boyd Gallaher (right) Gabe Baldwin (12) react to a second half goal in Maryville's 5-0 win at Bishop LeBlond Thursday. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostMaryville and Bishop LeBlond have been the class of the field in the Midland Empire Conference in boys' soccer this season.When the two got together for a match, the Spoofhounds separated themselves from the Eagles shortly after it started.Maryville (7-2) scored two goals within the first 2:34 at Eagle Stadium and came away with a 5-0 win Thursday - the fifth straight win and third consecutive shutout victory for the Spoofhounds."They played an excellent game," LeBlond coach Chad Thompson said of Maryville. "We fell short and once we fell short, we fell a little shorter."Maryville's Kason Teale got the scoring started with a header into the goal just 91 seconds into the match with an assist from Truett Haer. Just 63 seconds after that, Quinn Pettlon scored from long distance to give the Spoofounds a 2-0 advantage less than three minutes in."That kind of changes the entire mindset of everything we try to do," Thompson said of the early deficit. "Kind of try to play the long ball instead of passing the ball. Got beat by a really good team today."LeBlond (9-2) went on the defensive after that and kept the Hounds off the board for awhile, but Haer found the back of the net with 1:07 left in the first half, thanks to a strong cross from Tuan Jacobson.Maryville led 3-0 at the break.LeBlond had a handful of chances offensively especially in the first half, getting through Maryville's backline, but the Eagles were unable to finish once they got in the Spoofhounds' goalie box.The Eagles finished with three shots-on-goal, while Maryville had 12."What (Maryville) was doing really great was keeping pressure (on the LeBlond goal)," Thompson noted. "Off of their defense. Like I said, they're a really good team and we got beat."LeBlond keeper Cole Stevenson had a busy, and impressive day, finishing with seven saves, including several diving and high jumping stops to keep the game within a reasonable margin for some time.After nearly 30 scoreless minutes of play in the second half, Maryville essentially put the match away with a goal from Boyd Gallaher to make it 4-0 with 10:58 remaining.The Hounds also got late insurance with a midrange goal from Teale, his second of the match, to make it a 5-0 margin with 3:49 to play.The loss snaps a six-game win streak for LeBlond, who still has the best record in Class 2 District 8.The Eagles are back home on Oct. 5 to host Kansas City Lutheran. With just four regular season games remaining, LeBlond hopes to finish strong and have another deep postseason run - just like they've done the last couple of seasons."We'll just hit the fields," Thompson said. "We'll be out here practicing every day that we don't play. So, that's about what the rest of the season is."Maryville is home to Benton on Oct. 4.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1664500139162.jpeg" alt="Adan Seiter (left) and Gavin Wray (right)." />
 <figcaption>Adan Seiter (left) and Gavin Wray (right).</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1664500178433.jpeg" alt="Adan Seiter." />
 <figcaption>Adan Seiter.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1664500213871.jpeg" alt="Kohen Sumpter (right) Tuan Jacobson (27)." />
 <figcaption>Kohen Sumpter (right) Tuan Jacobson (27).</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1664500243325.jpeg" alt="Noah Stevenson with a header." />
 <figcaption>Noah Stevenson with a header.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1664500285542.jpeg" alt="Davis Jungbluth (2) takes a penalty kick." />
 <figcaption>Davis Jungbluth (2) takes a penalty kick.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Maryville scores two goals in first three minutes, gets by LeBlond Thursday

(AP) — Miguel Cabrera hit his 507th home run, Detroit got nine innings from its bullpen and the Tigers beat the Kansas City Royals 2-1 on Wednesday night for their fifth straight victory. 

MJ Melendez led off the game with a home run for Kansas City, and Cabrera hit a two-run shot in the bottom of the inning. Scheduled Tigers starter Matt Manning was scratched just before game time because of arm fatigue. 

Will Vest pitched the first inning, allowing Melendez’s homer, and the next six relievers combined for eight shutout innings. Gregory Soto pitched the ninth for his 29th save. The Tigers need one win in their last eight games to avoid 100 losses.

The Royals take on the Tigers again Thursday afternoon with first pitch at 12:10 central on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3) in St. Joseph.

(AP) — Miguel Cabrera hit his 507th home run, Detroit got nine innings from its bullpen and the Tigers beat the Kansas City Royals 2-1 on Wednesday night for their fifth straight victory. MJ Melendez led off the game with a home run for Kansas City, and Cabrera hit a two-run shot in the bottom of the inning. Scheduled Tigers starter Matt Manning was scratched just before game time because of arm fatigue. Will Vest pitched the first inning, allowing Melendez’s homer, and the next six relievers combined for eight shutout innings. Gregory Soto pitched the ninth for his 29th save. The Tigers need one win in their last eight games to avoid 100 losses.The Royals take on the Tigers again Thursday afternoon with first pitch at 12:10 central on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3) in St. Joseph.

Miguel Cabrera hits 507th homer, Tigers beat Royals 2-1

Charlie Phillips and his mother, Tina Schoonmaker, attended the Missouri Western football season opener on September 1 against Central Oklahoma at Spratt Stadium in St Joseph.

Phillips and the Special Olympics Missouri flag football team were honored on the field prior to kickoff. The team&nbsp;competed against Special Olympics Kansas at Spratt Stadium during Kansas City Chiefs Training Camp.

However, there was a special, surprise announcement for Phillips right after for the entire stadium to hear.

"Charlie Phillips from Savannah, Missouri - you&nbsp;have been nominated to represent Special Olympics Missouri and Special Olympics USA in&nbsp;powerlifting&nbsp;at the 2023 Special Olympics World Games in Berlin, Germany!"

"After they announced it," Charlie recalled, "I saw myself on the jumbotron. Then, I got the letter. I was on the news a couple of times. I was so happy that night."

The 25-year-old Phillips will compete in the Special Olympics Team USA trials in San Antonio November 14-18 in an attempt to qualify for&nbsp;the 2023 Special Olympics World Games in Berlin.

"He's, I would say, very deserving of it," Schoonmaker said. "Ever since he's gotten into powerlifting, he's been very focused on that sport and still does it when it's out of season for Special Olympics.&nbsp;

Phillips has competed in Special Olympics for close to 15 years. He started by competing in soccer, speed skating and track and field. But from an early age, he was drawn to powerlifting. Once he got a little older, he finally got his chance.

He's been powerlifting regularly for the past seven years.

"I never quit doing it," Charlie said, "because it's...my life. It's a passion. It's like, anyone can do it."

Schnoonmaker says Charlie's love for competition and lifting goes well beyond Special Olympics.

"He belongs to the United States Powerlifting Association," she said. "He competes along with other lifters. He doesn't just do Special Olympics in powerlifting. He still does flag football and basketball."

Phillips says anyone can take up powerlifting if they wanted. Yet, he acknowledges that simply getting the opportunity to try out for Team USA required a lot of ups and downs.

"It's like a mountain," Charlie said. "Lots of ups and downs. It's very difficult, but after you compete for those first years, and your competition is complete, you just want to do more and that's what I'm doing now."

All of that work has now led to a moment Charlie has dreamed about for years.

"I've been working so hard to achieve my goals," he said. "This is one of my dreams. Ever since I started Special Olympics, I told my parents, my siblings, I said, 'One day, I will go to a World Games.' And, I'm almost there."

Schoonmaker has noticed an uncanny work ethic with Charlie when it comes to powerlifting. Every Monday, he sees coach J.P. Price at Strong Barbell Club in North Kansas City. He lifts at his home every Wednesday and Friday.

"During COVID, Charlie continued," she said. "He just never stopped."

Charlie's drive to compete is ever present as well. In fact, he helped organize a powerlifting meet on Sunday, November 13 - the weekend before he leaves for San Antonio for the&nbsp;Team USA trials.

With the help of Price and Liz Strain at&nbsp;Strong Barbell Club, lifters from both Missouri and Kansas Special Olympics came together last year for a 'Border War' meet, and it's expected to be bigger this year with more competitors.

Phillips has not only forged a path for himself to compete and do what he loves, but his story and his drive is making that path possible for other Special Olympians also.

"He's opening more doors and introducing more people to Special Olympics as volunteers," Schoonmaker said. "Seeing them as athletes and seeing that they're serious just like the other athletes out there in powerlifting."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1664406557910.jpeg" alt="Charlie Phillips. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Charlie Phillips. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostCharlie Phillips and his mother, Tina Schoonmaker, attended the Missouri Western football season opener on September 1 against Central Oklahoma at Spratt Stadium in St Joseph.Phillips and the Special Olympics Missouri flag football team were honored on the field prior to kickoff. The team&nbsp;competed against Special Olympics Kansas at Spratt Stadium during Kansas City Chiefs Training Camp.However, there was a special, surprise announcement for Phillips right after for the entire stadium to hear."Charlie Phillips from Savannah, Missouri - you&nbsp;have been nominated to represent Special Olympics Missouri and Special Olympics USA in&nbsp;powerlifting&nbsp;at the 2023 Special Olympics World Games in Berlin, Germany!""After they announced it," Charlie recalled, "I saw myself on the jumbotron. Then, I got the letter. I was on the news a couple of times. I was so happy that night."The 25-year-old Phillips will compete in the Special Olympics Team USA trials in San Antonio November 14-18 in an attempt to qualify for&nbsp;the 2023 Special Olympics World Games in Berlin."He's, I would say, very deserving of it," Schoonmaker said. "Ever since he's gotten into powerlifting, he's been very focused on that sport and still does it when it's out of season for Special Olympics.&nbsp;Phillips has competed in Special Olympics for close to 15 years. He started by competing in soccer, speed skating and track and field. But from an early age, he was drawn to powerlifting. Once he got a little older, he finally got his chance.He's been powerlifting regularly for the past seven years."I never quit doing it," Charlie said, "because it's...my life. It's a passion. It's like, anyone can do it."Schnoonmaker says Charlie's love for competition and lifting goes well beyond Special Olympics."He belongs to the United States Powerlifting Association," she said. "He competes along with other lifters. He doesn't just do Special Olympics in powerlifting. He still does flag football and basketball."Phillips says anyone can take up powerlifting if they wanted. Yet, he acknowledges that simply getting the opportunity to try out for Team USA required a lot of ups and downs."It's like a mountain," Charlie said. "Lots of ups and downs. It's very difficult, but after you compete for those first years, and your competition is complete, you just want to do more and that's what I'm doing now."All of that work has now led to a moment Charlie has dreamed about for years."I've been working so hard to achieve my goals," he said. "This is one of my dreams. Ever since I started Special Olympics, I told my parents, my siblings, I said, 'One day, I will go to a World Games.' And, I'm almost there."Schoonmaker has noticed an uncanny work ethic with Charlie when it comes to powerlifting. Every Monday, he sees coach J.P. Price at Strong Barbell Club in North Kansas City. He lifts at his home every Wednesday and Friday."During COVID, Charlie continued," she said. "He just never stopped."Charlie's drive to compete is ever present as well. In fact, he helped organize a powerlifting meet on Sunday, November 13 - the weekend before he leaves for San Antonio for the&nbsp;Team USA trials.With the help of Price and Liz Strain at&nbsp;Strong Barbell Club, lifters from both Missouri and Kansas Special Olympics came together last year for a 'Border War' meet, and it's expected to be bigger this year with more competitors.Phillips has not only forged a path for himself to compete and do what he loves, but his story and his drive is making that path possible for other Special Olympians also."He's opening more doors and introducing more people to Special Olympics as volunteers," Schoonmaker said. "Seeing them as athletes and seeing that they're serious just like the other athletes out there in powerlifting."<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/Savannahs-Charlie-Phillips-preparing-for-Special-Olympics-Team-USA-powerlifting-trials-e1ohab3" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Savannah man preparing to compete at Special Olympics USA team trials

(AP) — Harold Castro singled in the winning run with two outs in the 10th inning after tying it with a two-run single in the eighth in the Detroit Tigers’ 4-3 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday night. 

Tucker Barnhart bunted pinch-runner Ryan Kreidler to third and Anthony Misiewicz (3-2) intentionally walked pinch-hitter Eric Haase. Riley Greene struck out, and the Royals decided to walk Javy Báez to pitch to Castro with the bases loaded. He hit a soft grounder up the middle to win it. 

In the top of the 10th, Alex Lange (6-4) retired Salvador Perez before getting Vinnie Pasquatino to bounce into an inning-ending double play.

The Royals take on the Tigers again Wednesday evening with first pitch at 5:40 central. Coverage begins at 5:00 on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3) in St. Joseph.

(AP) — Harold Castro singled in the winning run with two outs in the 10th inning after tying it with a two-run single in the eighth in the Detroit Tigers’ 4-3 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday night. Tucker Barnhart bunted pinch-runner Ryan Kreidler to third and Anthony Misiewicz (3-2) intentionally walked pinch-hitter Eric Haase. Riley Greene struck out, and the Royals decided to walk Javy Báez to pitch to Castro with the bases loaded. He hit a soft grounder up the middle to win it. In the top of the 10th, Alex Lange (6-4) retired Salvador Perez before getting Vinnie Pasquatino to bounce into an inning-ending double play.The Royals take on the Tigers again Wednesday evening with first pitch at 5:40 central. Coverage begins at 5:00 on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3) in St. Joseph.

Castro has 2 late singles, Tigers beat Royals 4-3 in 10

Volleyball Bishop LeBlond 3 East Buchanan 0 Lafayette 3 Maryville 1 St. Joseph Christian 3 Lathrop 0 Mid-Buchanan 3 Orrick 0 Falls City Sacred Heart @ Savannah - missing

Softball Bishop LeBlond 2 West Platte 1 Plattsburg 4 DeKalb 1 Winston 17 Stewartsville-Osborn 5 Northeast Nodaway @ East Buchanan - missing Mid-Buchanan @ Savannah - missing

Boys’ soccer Maur Hill 6 Benton 1 St. Joseph Central 3 North Kansas City 2 - OT

Girls’ golf The MEC meet took place Monday in Cameron. Maryville won the meet in dominant fashion with a team score of 365. Savannah was second with a 412. Maryville's Cailyn Auffert was the medalist with a score of 83, while Savannah’s Mollee Olszowka finished second with a 90.

Girls’ tennis Bishop LeBlond 8 Maryville 1 St. Joseph Central 6 Savannah 3 Benton 6 Trenton 3 Cross Country Mound City’s Keaton Zembles won the Rock Port Invitational with a time of 18:18. The LeBlond boys finished second as a team at the meet. Jonathan Eckstein medaled second.

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostVolleyball Bishop LeBlond 3 East Buchanan 0 Lafayette 3 Maryville 1 St. Joseph Christian 3 Lathrop 0 Mid-Buchanan 3 Orrick 0 Falls City Sacred Heart @ Savannah - missingSoftball Bishop LeBlond 2 West Platte 1 Plattsburg 4 DeKalb 1 Winston 17 Stewartsville-Osborn 5 Northeast Nodaway @ East Buchanan - missing Mid-Buchanan @ Savannah - missingBoys’ soccer Maur Hill 6 Benton 1 St. Joseph Central 3 North Kansas City 2 - OTGirls’ golf The MEC meet took place Monday in Cameron. Maryville won the meet in dominant fashion with a team score of 365. Savannah was second with a 412. Maryville's Cailyn Auffert was the medalist with a score of 83, while Savannah’s Mollee Olszowka finished second with a 90.Girls’ tennis Bishop LeBlond 8 Maryville 1 St. Joseph Central 6 Savannah 3 Benton 6 Trenton 3 Cross Country Mound City’s Keaton Zembles won the Rock Port Invitational with a time of 18:18. The LeBlond boys finished second as a team at the meet. Jonathan Eckstein medaled second.

KFEQ/St. Joseph Post area high school scoreboard - September 26, 2022

(AP) — Luis Castillo, fresh off signing a rich contract with Seattle, got chased as the Kansas City Royals erupted for 11 runs in the sixth inning and a wild, 13-12 win that cost the Mariners a chance to move up in the AL wild-card standings. 

Mitch Haniger singled twice during an eight-run fifth for the Mariners, and they led 11-2 going into the bottom of the sixth. But Castillo struggled, and Michael Massey homered and drove in four runs during the Royals’ biggest inning since 2004. 

The Mariners stayed in the third wild-card spot, a half-game behind Tampa Bay. Seattle remained four games ahead of Baltimore for that last AL playoff slot. Castillo, an All-Star traded from Cincinnati to the Mariners in midseason, got a $108 million, five-year contract.

The Royals next take on the Tigers Tuesday evening with first pitch at 5:40 central. Coverage begins at 5:00 on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3) in St. Joseph.

(AP) — Luis Castillo, fresh off signing a rich contract with Seattle, got chased as the Kansas City Royals erupted for 11 runs in the sixth inning and a wild, 13-12 win that cost the Mariners a chance to move up in the AL wild-card standings. Mitch Haniger singled twice during an eight-run fifth for the Mariners, and they led 11-2 going into the bottom of the sixth. But Castillo struggled, and Michael Massey homered and drove in four runs during the Royals’ biggest inning since 2004. The Mariners stayed in the third wild-card spot, a half-game behind Tampa Bay. Seattle remained four games ahead of Baltimore for that last AL playoff slot. Castillo, an All-Star traded from Cincinnati to the Mariners in midseason, got a $108 million, five-year contract.The Royals next take on the Tigers Tuesday evening with first pitch at 5:40 central. Coverage begins at 5:00 on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3) in St. Joseph.

Castillo falters, M's blow 9-run lead; KC's 11-run 6th wins

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Matt Ryan kept the faith Sunday.

As the 37-year-old quarterback looked around the huddle, he sensed his Indianapolis Colts teammates would find a way to make some big plays late. Eventually, with a little help from the Kansas City defense, they did.

Ryan capped a masterfully managed final drive by finding rookie Jelani Woods on a 12-yard touchdown pass with 24 seconds left for a 20-17 comeback win over the Chiefs Sunday. It was Ryan's first victory with the Colts — sealed by Rodney McLeod Jr.'s interception with 2 seconds to go.

“Sometimes you have a game where it’s just not right and you have to tighten things up, but you can't be uptight,” Ryan said, referring to last week's shutout loss at Jacksonville. “You have to be loose enough to believe we’re going to make these plays.”

While this one certainly wasn't pretty and, at times, was downright ugly, the Colts (1-1-1) still managed to snap a four-game winless streak that dated to last season's final two games. Indy looked listless in all four.

This time, the defense stymied Patrick Mahomes &amp; Co., giving up just a field goal in the second half and two touchdowns following turnovers in Colts territory. The offense, meanwhile, did just enough to take advantage of some uncharacteristic Chiefs miscues.

And when it mattered most, Ryan was at his best. He finished 27 of 37 for 222 yards despite getting sacked five times and losing two fumbles. And he found Woods twice for touchdowns. The first gave Indy its first lead of the season and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.colts.com/video/can-t-miss-play-matt-ryan-delivers-go-ahead-td-to-woods-with-under-0-30-remainin">the second one, wrestled away by Woods,</a>&nbsp;gave Indy the win.

“That’s the player we expect Jelani to be,” coach Frank Reich said. “He’s a big man and he’s fast. You could see his growth in the offseason and during training camp. He’s just continued to get better."

An unsportsmanlike conduct call on defensive tackle Chris Jones following a third-down sack extended Indy’s final drive with less than five minutes to play. Ryan wasn't sure what drew the penalty. Referee Shawn Smith later explained it was for abusive language.

Chiefs kicker Matt Ammendola missed an extra point in the first half and a 34-yard field goal just before Ryan led the decisive drive. Ammendola was replacing an injured Harrison Butker.

Plus there was a fake field goal that resulted in a turnover on downs.

Still, the Chiefs appeared to be in control after Clyde Edwards-Helaire’s 1-yard TD run and Travis Kelce’s 2-point conversion catch made it 14-10 late in the first half.

But after a third-quarter field goal gave the Chiefs a 17-13 lead, they didn’t score again and couldn’t stop the Colts on the final 16-play, 76-yard drive that took nearly 8 1/2 minutes.&nbsp;Mahomes then threw his first interception of the season.

“Whenever you’re playing a tough game like this one, you have to execute at a high level,” Mahomes said. "Our schedule gets no easier, so we have to get better quickly. If we don’t, the Ls are going to start piling up.”

EXCHANGING WORDS Mahomes wasn’t happy with the play-calling at the end of the first half and as the Chiefs walked off the field, he let offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy know about it.&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/i/status/1574106345703292928">The two exchanged words</a>&nbsp;on the field before coach Andy Reid stepped between them.

“I wanted to go and try and score,” Mahomes said. “We were in a tough position and the smart thing was to go to halftime. I told him (Bieniemy) to let me have a chance at it and then he said, 'Let's just get back to the locker room and get something going for the second half.'”

INJURY REPORT Reid said there were no significant injuries Sunday, though right tackle Andrew Wylie and safety Bryan Cook both left the game briefly.

STAT PACK Mahomes fell to 13-3 in September while going 20 of 35 for 262 yards with one TD. He was also the Chiefs' top rusher with four carries for 26 yards. Kelce caught four passes for 58 yards and one TD in addition to the conversion catch.JuJu Smith-Schuster had five catches for 89 yards.

The Chiefs visit Tampa Bay to take on Tom Brady in a Super Bowl 55 rematch next Sunday night at 7:20 central. The game will be carried on KFEQ (680, 95.3) and Q Country 92.7 FM in St. Joseph.

The Bucs (2-1) lost to Green Bay 14-12 on Sunday.

St. Joseph PostINDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Matt Ryan kept the faith Sunday.As the 37-year-old quarterback looked around the huddle, he sensed his Indianapolis Colts teammates would find a way to make some big plays late. Eventually, with a little help from the Kansas City defense, they did.Ryan capped a masterfully managed final drive by finding rookie Jelani Woods on a 12-yard touchdown pass with 24 seconds left for a 20-17 comeback win over the Chiefs Sunday. It was Ryan's first victory with the Colts — sealed by Rodney McLeod Jr.'s interception with 2 seconds to go.“Sometimes you have a game where it’s just not right and you have to tighten things up, but you can't be uptight,” Ryan said, referring to last week's shutout loss at Jacksonville. “You have to be loose enough to believe we’re going to make these plays.”While this one certainly wasn't pretty and, at times, was downright ugly, the Colts (1-1-1) still managed to snap a four-game winless streak that dated to last season's final two games. Indy looked listless in all four.This time, the defense stymied Patrick Mahomes &amp; Co., giving up just a field goal in the second half and two touchdowns following turnovers in Colts territory. The offense, meanwhile, did just enough to take advantage of some uncharacteristic Chiefs miscues.And when it mattered most, Ryan was at his best. He finished 27 of 37 for 222 yards despite getting sacked five times and losing two fumbles. And he found Woods twice for touchdowns. The first gave Indy its first lead of the season and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.colts.com/video/can-t-miss-play-matt-ryan-delivers-go-ahead-td-to-woods-with-under-0-30-remainin">the second one, wrestled away by Woods,</a>&nbsp;gave Indy the win.“That’s the player we expect Jelani to be,” coach Frank Reich said. “He’s a big man and he’s fast. You could see his growth in the offseason and during training camp. He’s just continued to get better."The Chiefs (2-1) helped out, too.An unsportsmanlike conduct call on defensive tackle Chris Jones following a third-down sack extended Indy’s final drive with less than five minutes to play. Ryan wasn't sure what drew the penalty. Referee Shawn Smith later explained it was for abusive language.Chiefs kicker Matt Ammendola missed an extra point in the first half and a 34-yard field goal just before Ryan led the decisive drive. Ammendola was replacing an injured Harrison Butker.Plus there was a fake field goal that resulted in a turnover on downs.Still, the Chiefs appeared to be in control after Clyde Edwards-Helaire’s 1-yard TD run and Travis Kelce’s 2-point conversion catch made it 14-10 late in the first half.But after a third-quarter field goal gave the Chiefs a 17-13 lead, they didn’t score again and couldn’t stop the Colts on the final 16-play, 76-yard drive that took nearly 8 1/2 minutes.&nbsp;Mahomes then threw his first interception of the season.“Whenever you’re playing a tough game like this one, you have to execute at a high level,” Mahomes said. "Our schedule gets no easier, so we have to get better quickly. If we don’t, the Ls are going to start piling up.”EXCHANGING WORDS Mahomes wasn’t happy with the play-calling at the end of the first half and as the Chiefs walked off the field, he let offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy know about it.&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/i/status/1574106345703292928">The two exchanged words</a>&nbsp;on the field before coach Andy Reid stepped between them.“I wanted to go and try and score,” Mahomes said. “We were in a tough position and the smart thing was to go to halftime. I told him (Bieniemy) to let me have a chance at it and then he said, 'Let's just get back to the locker room and get something going for the second half.'”INJURY REPORT Reid said there were no significant injuries Sunday, though right tackle Andrew Wylie and safety Bryan Cook both left the game briefly.STAT PACK Mahomes fell to 13-3 in September while going 20 of 35 for 262 yards with one TD. He was also the Chiefs' top rusher with four carries for 26 yards. Kelce caught four passes for 58 yards and one TD in addition to the conversion catch.JuJu Smith-Schuster had five catches for 89 yards.The Chiefs visit Tampa Bay to take on Tom Brady in a Super Bowl 55 rematch next Sunday night at 7:20 central. The game will be carried on KFEQ (680, 95.3) and Q Country 92.7 FM in St. Joseph.The Bucs (2-1) lost to Green Bay 14-12 on Sunday.

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