KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Chiefs are signing former All-Pro wide receiver Josh Gordon, who was recently reinstated by the NFL after violations of its policies on substance abuse and performance-enhancing substances. 

Gordon’s agents, Eric Dounn and Matt Leist, confirmed that Gordon was headed to Kansas City on Monday. The expectation is he will join the active roster as soon as he’s up to speed. 

The 30-year-old Gordon was one of the league’s dynamic players early in his career in Cleveland, where he led the league with 1,646 yards receiving during the 2013 season. But he quickly became entangled in off-the-field issues, leading to six suspensions over a span of six years,  five of them for some form of substance abuse.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Chiefs are signing former All-Pro wide receiver Josh Gordon, who was recently reinstated by the NFL after violations of its policies on substance abuse and performance-enhancing substances. Gordon’s agents, Eric Dounn and Matt Leist, confirmed that Gordon was headed to Kansas City on Monday. The expectation is he will join the active roster as soon as he’s up to speed. The 30-year-old Gordon was one of the league’s dynamic players early in his career in Cleveland, where he led the league with 1,646 yards receiving during the 2013 season. But he quickly became entangled in off-the-field issues, leading to six suspensions over a span of six years, five of them for some form of substance abuse.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Time to get to work. 🎯 <a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Chiefs</a> 🙏🏾&mdash; Flash (@JOSH_GORDONXII) <a href="https://twitter.com/JOSH_GORDONXII/status/1442582550082297857?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 27, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

Chiefs signing former All-Pro wide receiver Josh Gordon

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Chiefs coach Andy Reid was released from the hospital Monday after he felt ill and was taken by ambulance to be treated for dehydration following their 30-24 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. 

Chiefs spokesman Ted Crews said that Reid was “in great spirits” and that he planned to visit the practice facility later in the day or Tuesday. In the meantime, Chiefs coordinators Steve Spagnuolo and Eric Bieniemy ran the Monday film reviews. The 63-year-old Reid is expected to coach Sunday when the Chiefs visit Philadelphia.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Chiefs coach Andy Reid is resting and in stable condition after being taken to a hospital following Kansas City's 30-24 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.

The Chiefs released a statement Sunday night saying Reid was evaluated by the medical staff in the locker room after the game and was transported to The University of Kansas Health System for further evaluation as a precaution.

“Coach is doing well, currently resting &amp; in stable condition,” the statement posted on Twitter said.

The 63-year-old Reid was feeling ill but coached the duration of the game, a team spokesman said.

Assistant coach Dave Toub answered questions following a second straight fourth-quarter letdown.

“Coach just wasn't feeling well,"&nbsp;<a href="https://www.chiefs.com/video/dave-toub-it-s-not-about-effort-we-ve-just-got-to-clean-it-up-week-3-press-confe">Toub said afterward</a>. "He did talk to the team.”

In fact, quarterback Patrick Mahomes said his coach “seemed fine on the sideline as well” as the Chiefs (1-2) threw away an opportunity to beat the Chargers with&nbsp;<a href="https://pro32.ap.org/article/chargers-rally-beat-turnover-prone-chiefs-30-24-kc">four turnovers, several costly penalties and numerous missed assignments</a>.

“He came in and talked to us and he seemed fine,” Mahomes said of the postgame locker room. “That's all I really know.”

The Chiefs began the game by turning over the ball on three straight possessions, including a pair of fumbles and a pass from Mahomes that bounced off his intended wide receiver and into the hands of the Chargers' Asante Samuel Jr.

It basically ended with Mahomes throwing another interception with 1:42 left in the fourth quarter.

The game was still tied at that point, but their suspect defense — which had allowed 12 straight red-zone trips to turn into touchdowns to start the season — seemed to make it a foregone conclusion that Los Angeles was headed for the end zone.

The Chiefs allowed a 15-yard pass to Keenan Allen on third down, then DeAndre Baker was called for pass interference on fourth a few minutes later to give Los Angeles a fresh set of down. Justin Herbert then hit Mike Williams with back-to-back passes, and the second with 32 seconds left in the game gave the Chargers the lead for good.

Asked what Reid said afterward, running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire replied: “Pretty much it's not going to be over-the-top as far as him getting on us. We know what we did wrong. We know what we need to get corrected.”

“He came and told us — it's not necessarily going to be all right, but it's things that we can get fixed that can make it all right. That's what we need to go in and handle tomorrow. That's what it is," Edwards-Helaire added. "Watch the film tonight, see what we can get corrected, come in tomorrow and handle our business.”

Edwards-Helaire had one of the Chiefs' two fumbles Sunday, offsetting what was an otherwise solid day with 100 yards rushing and a touchdown reception. Edwards-Helaire also fumbled in the closing minute last week in Baltimore, preventing the Chiefs from having an opportunity to kick a winning field goal in a 36-35 defeat.

“Anybody can watch the film and you'll see that we beat ourselves,” Edwards-Helaire said. “It's those small, minute details that hurt us. Like we say, ‘It’s a game of inches.' It's going to be those small things we see on film: a step here, a step there that we feel like will make a difference. We had four turnovers and it still came down to the wire.”

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Chiefs coach Andy Reid quickly left Arrowhead Stadium with an illness after a 30-24 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, leaving assistant coach Dave Toub to handle questions following a second straight fourth-quarter letdown.

Reid was feeling ill but coached the duration of the game, a team spokesman said, before NFL Network reported the 63-year-old coach went to the hospital in an ambulance as a precaution. The Chiefs did not provide additional comment.

"Coach just wasn't feeling well," Chiefs special teams coach Dave Toub said afterward. "He did talk to the team."

In fact, quarterback Patrick Mahomes said his coach "seemed fine on the sideline as well" as the Chiefs (1-2) threw away an opportunity to beat the Chargers with four turnovers, several costly penalties and numerous missed assignments.

"He came in and talked to us and he seemed fine," Mahomes said of the postgame locker room. "That's all I really know."

Asked what Reid said afterward, running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire replied: "Pretty much it's not going to be over-the-top as far as him getting on us. We know what we did wrong. We know what we need to get corrected."

"He came and told us — it's not necessarily going to be all right, but it's things that we can get fixed that can make it all right. That's what we need to go in and handle tomorrow. That's what it is," Edwards-Helaire added. "Watch the film tonight, see what we can get corrected, come in tomorrow and handle our business."

"Anybody can watch the film and you'll see that we beat ourselves," Edwards-Helaire said. "It's those small, minute details that hurt us. Like we say, 'It's a game of inches.' It's going to be those small things we see on film: a step here, a step there that we feel like will make a difference. We had four turnovers and it still came down to the wire."

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Chiefs coach Andy Reid quickly left Arrowhead Stadium with an illness after their 30-24 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, leaving assistant coach Dave Toub to handle questions following a second straight fourth-quarter letdown. 

Reid was feeling ill during the game, a team spokesman said, and NFL Network reported the 63-year-old coach was taken to the hospital in an ambulance. The Chiefs did not provide additional comment on the report. The Chiefs have lost back-to-back games to the Ravens and Chargers and are in last place in the AFC West.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Chiefs coach Andy Reid was released from the hospital Monday after he felt ill and was taken by ambulance to be treated for dehydration following their 30-24 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. Chiefs spokesman Ted Crews said that Reid was “in great spirits” and that he planned to visit the practice facility later in the day or Tuesday. In the meantime, Chiefs coordinators Steve Spagnuolo and Eric Bieniemy ran the Monday film reviews. The 63-year-old Reid is expected to coach Sunday when the Chiefs visit Philadelphia.--------KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Chiefs coach Andy Reid is resting and in stable condition after being taken to a hospital following Kansas City's 30-24 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.The Chiefs released a statement Sunday night saying Reid was evaluated by the medical staff in the locker room after the game and was transported to The University of Kansas Health System for further evaluation as a precaution.“Coach is doing well, currently resting &amp; in stable condition,” the statement posted on Twitter said.The 63-year-old Reid was feeling ill but coached the duration of the game, a team spokesman said.Assistant coach Dave Toub answered questions following a second straight fourth-quarter letdown.“Coach just wasn't feeling well,"&nbsp;<a href="https://www.chiefs.com/video/dave-toub-it-s-not-about-effort-we-ve-just-got-to-clean-it-up-week-3-press-confe">Toub said afterward</a>. "He did talk to the team.”In fact, quarterback Patrick Mahomes said his coach “seemed fine on the sideline as well” as the Chiefs (1-2) threw away an opportunity to beat the Chargers with&nbsp;<a href="https://pro32.ap.org/article/chargers-rally-beat-turnover-prone-chiefs-30-24-kc">four turnovers, several costly penalties and numerous missed assignments</a>.“He came in and talked to us and he seemed fine,” Mahomes said of the postgame locker room. “That's all I really know.”The Chiefs began the game by turning over the ball on three straight possessions, including a pair of fumbles and a pass from Mahomes that bounced off his intended wide receiver and into the hands of the Chargers' Asante Samuel Jr.It basically ended with Mahomes throwing another interception with 1:42 left in the fourth quarter.The game was still tied at that point, but their suspect defense — which had allowed 12 straight red-zone trips to turn into touchdowns to start the season — seemed to make it a foregone conclusion that Los Angeles was headed for the end zone.The Chiefs allowed a 15-yard pass to Keenan Allen on third down, then DeAndre Baker was called for pass interference on fourth a few minutes later to give Los Angeles a fresh set of down. Justin Herbert then hit Mike Williams with back-to-back passes, and the second with 32 seconds left in the game gave the Chargers the lead for good.Asked what Reid said afterward, running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire replied: “Pretty much it's not going to be over-the-top as far as him getting on us. We know what we did wrong. We know what we need to get corrected.”“He came and told us — it's not necessarily going to be all right, but it's things that we can get fixed that can make it all right. That's what we need to go in and handle tomorrow. That's what it is," Edwards-Helaire added. "Watch the film tonight, see what we can get corrected, come in tomorrow and handle our business.”Edwards-Helaire had one of the Chiefs' two fumbles Sunday, offsetting what was an otherwise solid day with 100 yards rushing and a touchdown reception. Edwards-Helaire also fumbled in the closing minute last week in Baltimore, preventing the Chiefs from having an opportunity to kick a winning field goal in a 36-35 defeat.“Anybody can watch the film and you'll see that we beat ourselves,” Edwards-Helaire said. “It's those small, minute details that hurt us. Like we say, ‘It’s a game of inches.' It's going to be those small things we see on film: a step here, a step there that we feel like will make a difference. We had four turnovers and it still came down to the wire.”KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Chiefs coach Andy Reid quickly left Arrowhead Stadium with an illness after a 30-24 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, leaving assistant coach Dave Toub to handle questions following a second straight fourth-quarter letdown.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I’m praying for my Head Coach &amp; I’m hoping you can send up prayers with me!! One of the best men &amp; teachers I’ve been around!!! GOD please show us your mercy!&mdash; Tyrann Mathieu (@Mathieu_Era) <a href="https://twitter.com/Mathieu_Era/status/1442238966489440257?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 26, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Reid was feeling ill but coached the duration of the game, a team spokesman said, before NFL Network reported the 63-year-old coach went to the hospital in an ambulance as a precaution. The Chiefs did not provide additional comment."Coach just wasn't feeling well," Chiefs special teams coach Dave Toub said afterward. "He did talk to the team."In fact, quarterback Patrick Mahomes said his coach "seemed fine on the sideline as well" as the Chiefs (1-2) threw away an opportunity to beat the Chargers with four turnovers, several costly penalties and numerous missed assignments."He came in and talked to us and he seemed fine," Mahomes said of the postgame locker room. "That's all I really know."The Chiefs began the game by turning over the ball on three straight possessions, including a pair of fumbles and a pass from Mahomes that bounced off his intended wide receiver and into the hands of the Chargers' Asante Samuel Jr.It basically ended with Mahomes throwing another interception with 1:42 left in the fourth quarter.The game was still tied at that point, but their suspect defense — which had allowed 12 straight red-zone trips to turn into touchdowns to start the season — seemed to make it a foregone conclusion that Los Angeles was headed for the end zone.The Chiefs allowed a 15-yard pass to Keenan Allen on third down, then DeAndre Baker was called for pass interference on fourth a few minutes later to give Los Angeles a fresh set of down. Justin Herbert then hit Mike Williams with back-to-back passes, and the second with 32 seconds left in the game gave the Chargers the lead for good.Asked what Reid said afterward, running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire replied: "Pretty much it's not going to be over-the-top as far as him getting on us. We know what we did wrong. We know what we need to get corrected.""He came and told us — it's not necessarily going to be all right, but it's things that we can get fixed that can make it all right. That's what we need to go in and handle tomorrow. That's what it is," Edwards-Helaire added. "Watch the film tonight, see what we can get corrected, come in tomorrow and handle our business."Edwards-Helaire had one of the Chiefs' two fumbles Sunday, offsetting what was an otherwise solid day with 100 yards rushing and a touchdown reception. Edwards-Helaire also fumbled in the closing minute last week in Baltimore, preventing the Chiefs from having an opportunity to kick a winning field goal in a 36-35 defeat."Anybody can watch the film and you'll see that we beat ourselves," Edwards-Helaire said. "It's those small, minute details that hurt us. Like we say, 'It's a game of inches.' It's going to be those small things we see on film: a step here, a step there that we feel like will make a difference. We had four turnovers and it still came down to the wire."-----------KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Chiefs coach Andy Reid quickly left Arrowhead Stadium with an illness after their 30-24 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, leaving assistant coach Dave Toub to handle questions following a second straight fourth-quarter letdown. Reid was feeling ill during the game, a team spokesman said, and NFL Network reported the 63-year-old coach was taken to the hospital in an ambulance. The Chiefs did not provide additional comment on the report. The Chiefs have lost back-to-back games to the Ravens and Chargers and are in last place in the AFC West.

Chiefs' Reid released from hospital, plans to return soon

Meeting for the second time in nine days, Missouri Western and Missouri Southern women's soccer finished 90 minutes of regulation deadlocked at 1-1.

The Griffons powered through for a 2-1 win with a 99th-minute rocket from&nbsp;Kaili Campbell&nbsp;at Spratt Stadium on a blustery, warm afternoon.

Missouri Southern caught a huge break in the 27th minute to open the scoring. Banner Williams hit what appeared to be a high cross, and as Griffons' keeper&nbsp;Anna Mayer&nbsp;was coming out to punch it away, the ball got caught in a gust of wind and bounced awkwardly over the Griffons keeper and into the net.

The Griffons came out aggressive to start the second half, dominating the possession early. Campbell nearly found the equalizer in the 47th minute, but her shot was saved by Lilly Doneghue.

In the 53rd minute, Missouri Western tied the score at 1-1, as Campbell found&nbsp;Eszter Toth&nbsp;in the middle of the field, and the transfer striker made easy work of the shot.

In overtime, after a turnover in midfield by Southern, the Griffons played the ball in to the center of the pitch and Campbell was able to poke the ball off the foot of a Missouri Southern defender and turn to face goal.

Campbell eventually struck the ball top-shelf to move Missouri Western to 1-0 in conference action and 4-2-2 overall.

Anna Mayer recorded three saves in the win for the Griffons, with MWSU holding a 9-4 edge in shots-on-goal.

The Griffons return to Spratt Stadium on Friday to host Emporia State. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632706265611.jpeg" alt="Kaili Campbell. Courtesy photo by Arianne Boma." />
 <figcaption>Kaili Campbell. Courtesy photo by Arianne Boma.</figcaption>
 </figure>St. Joseph PostMeeting for the second time in nine days, Missouri Western and Missouri Southern women's soccer finished 90 minutes of regulation deadlocked at 1-1.The Griffons powered through for a 2-1 win with a 99th-minute rocket from&nbsp;Kaili Campbell&nbsp;at Spratt Stadium on a blustery, warm afternoon.Missouri Southern caught a huge break in the 27th minute to open the scoring. Banner Williams hit what appeared to be a high cross, and as Griffons' keeper&nbsp;Anna Mayer&nbsp;was coming out to punch it away, the ball got caught in a gust of wind and bounced awkwardly over the Griffons keeper and into the net.The Griffons came out aggressive to start the second half, dominating the possession early. Campbell nearly found the equalizer in the 47th minute, but her shot was saved by Lilly Doneghue.In the 53rd minute, Missouri Western tied the score at 1-1, as Campbell found&nbsp;Eszter Toth&nbsp;in the middle of the field, and the transfer striker made easy work of the shot.In overtime, after a turnover in midfield by Southern, the Griffons played the ball in to the center of the pitch and Campbell was able to poke the ball off the foot of a Missouri Southern defender and turn to face goal.Campbell eventually struck the ball top-shelf to move Missouri Western to 1-0 in conference action and 4-2-2 overall.Anna Mayer recorded three saves in the win for the Griffons, with MWSU holding a 9-4 edge in shots-on-goal.The Griffons return to Spratt Stadium on Friday to host Emporia State. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.&nbsp;

Kaili Campbell scores overtime goal, Missouri Western edges Missouri Southern Sunday

(AP) —Justin Herbert’s touchdown toss to Mike Williams with 32 seconds to go lifted the Los Angeles Chargers (2-1) to a 30-24 victory over the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium Sunday.

The Chargers capitalized on four Kansas City turnovers, including Patrick Mahomes’ second interception in the closing minutes.  Herbert finished with 281 yards passing and four touchdowns without an interception, outdueling Mahomes in a matchup of two of the game's best young quarterbacks.

Mahomes finished with 260 yards and three touchdown passes along with his two interceptions. Kansas City (1-2) also lost two fumbles.

“You can't overcome four turnovers,” said Chiefs assistant Dave Toub, who took postgame questions, since coach Andy Reid was feeling ill. “I thought that was the story of the game.”

Coach Reid quickly left Arrowhead Stadium with an illness. He was feeling ill during the game, a team spokesman said, and NFL Network reported the 63-year-old coach was taken to the hospital in an ambulance. The Chiefs did not provide additional comment on the report.

The Chiefs trailed 14-0 early but had climbed back into the game in the second half, taking a 24-21 lead midway through the fourth quarter. But the Chargers tied it on Tristan Vizcaino's short field goal, and after Mahomes was picked by&nbsp;Alohi Gilman&nbsp;with 1:42 to go, Herbert began the march for the go-ahead touchdown.

The Chiefs got to midfield in the closing seconds, but Mahomes' Hail Mary attempt to the end zone was incomplete.

“The defense did a great job stepping up today and forcing all those turnovers,” said Herbert, who found Williams seven times for 122 yards and two touchdowns. "I couldn’t have done it without them.”

Clyde Edwards-Helaire ran for 100 yards with a touchdown catch, but was responsible for one of two Kansas City fumbles.

Travis Kelce had seven catches for 104 yards. Mecole Hardman and Jody Forston also caught touchdown passes for the Chiefs.

“Nobody is happy with the way we played,” Mahomes said. “You take a loss to a division opponent, it's not a good thing. We haven't done a lot of that in my time here. It's how you respond. We have a long season ahead of us.”

The Chiefs are back on the road Sunday when they go to Philadelphia to face the Eagles. Kickoff is set for noon central. The game can be heard on Q Country 92.7 FM in St. Joseph.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1628794401462.jpeg" alt="Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>St. Joseph Post(AP) —Justin Herbert’s touchdown toss to Mike Williams with 32 seconds to go lifted the Los Angeles Chargers (2-1) to a 30-24 victory over the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium Sunday.The Chargers capitalized on four Kansas City turnovers, including Patrick Mahomes’ second interception in the closing minutes. Herbert finished with 281 yards passing and four touchdowns without an interception, outdueling Mahomes in a matchup of two of the game's best young quarterbacks.Mahomes finished with 260 yards and three touchdown passes along with his two interceptions. Kansas City (1-2) also lost two fumbles.“You can't overcome four turnovers,” said Chiefs assistant Dave Toub, who took postgame questions, since coach Andy Reid was feeling ill. “I thought that was the story of the game.”Coach Reid quickly left Arrowhead Stadium with an illness. He was feeling ill during the game, a team spokesman said, and NFL Network reported the 63-year-old coach was taken to the hospital in an ambulance. The Chiefs did not provide additional comment on the report.The Chiefs trailed 14-0 early but had climbed back into the game in the second half, taking a 24-21 lead midway through the fourth quarter. But the Chargers tied it on Tristan Vizcaino's short field goal, and after Mahomes was picked by&nbsp;Alohi Gilman&nbsp;with 1:42 to go, Herbert began the march for the go-ahead touchdown.The Chiefs got to midfield in the closing seconds, but Mahomes' Hail Mary attempt to the end zone was incomplete.“The defense did a great job stepping up today and forcing all those turnovers,” said Herbert, who found Williams seven times for 122 yards and two touchdowns. "I couldn’t have done it without them.”Clyde Edwards-Helaire ran for 100 yards with a touchdown catch, but was responsible for one of two Kansas City fumbles.Travis Kelce had seven catches for 104 yards. Mecole Hardman and Jody Forston also caught touchdown passes for the Chiefs.“Nobody is happy with the way we played,” Mahomes said. “You take a loss to a division opponent, it's not a good thing. We haven't done a lot of that in my time here. It's how you respond. We have a long season ahead of us.”The Chiefs are back on the road Sunday when they go to Philadelphia to face the Eagles. Kickoff is set for noon central. The game can be heard on Q Country 92.7 FM in St. Joseph.&nbsp;

Chiefs commit four turnovers, come up short against Chargers Sunday

TOPEKA - Sophomore quarterback Anthony Vespo set a single-game Missouri Western record with 443 passing yards.

He threw for four touchdowns on 31-of-43 passing, and the Griffons racked up 579 yards of offense, but Washburn scored 20 unanswered points in the second half and racked up over 500 yards themselves to beat Missouri Western 47-41 at Yager Stadium Saturday.

Missouri Western was hindered by 10 penalties for 85 yards - seven of those penalties were called on special teams plays. The Griffons also averaged just 16 yards on six kickoff returns.

Washburn also moved the ball at will, scoring touchdowns on seven out of nine possessions and averaging over nine yards per play.

"Very disappointed," Missouri Western coach Matt Williamson said on defense and special teams. "Special teams was a disaster. And defensively, we couldn't stop them. They scored at will. I've never seen anything like it since I've been here. I know those players are upset. I'm upset. Just a bad performance all around."

Offensively, the Griffons (2-2) scored touchdowns on six of their first seven possessions, and were overall clicking on offense through the first two-and-a-half quarters.

Washburn scored on its opening drive to go up 7-0, but the Griffons punched right back on their first possession when Vespo found freshman tight end Tycen Gray for a seven-yard touchdown to knot the game at 7-7 with 7:34 left in the first quarter.

Gray finished the game with a career-high six catches for 61 yards and his first career collegiate score.

After the Ichabods scored again late in the first to go up 14-7, the Griffons went back to work and Vespo found sophomore receiver Cooper Burton on a wide-open 37-yard strike to again knot the game at 14 with 12:51 left until halftime.

After forcing the first Washburn punt of the day on the following drive, Missouri Western got the ball back and moved the ball down the field on a methodical 16-play, 70-yard drive which ended with a one-yard touchdown run from freshman Shen Butler-Lawson, Jr.

After a drive that lasted nearly seven minutes, the Griffons led 20-14 with 4:54 to go in the second quarter.

"I think our offense took a huge, huge step," Williamson said. "They played phenomenally. One of the best offensive games I've seen since I've been here. Anthony (Vespo) stepped up and made some great throws. We had some great receiving."

Washburn answered&nbsp; back in just six plays, and scored with just 2:11 left until halftime. Both teams had one more possession inside the final two minutes, but did nothing with it and the score was tied 20-20 at the break. Each team missed a point-after in the first half.

The Griffons got the ball to start the second half, and took advantage. On a first down play, Burton flipped the ball to Burton on a flea flicker. A former all-district quarterback at Benton, Burton fired a 36-yard pass down the sideline to a wide open Hezekiah Trotter, who took it in for a touchdown, giving the Griffons a 27-20 lead with 12:51 left in the third.

Burton finished with three all-purpose touchdowns and 96 all-purpose yards. He ended up with four catches for 60 yards and two receiving scores.

Trotter had five catches for a career-high 122 yards and the touchdown.

After fielding a short kickoff, Washburn tied the game back up in just two plays when quarterback Mitch Schurig fired a pass 44 yards into the end zone, where it was caught in tight coverage by Peter Afful to tie the game at 27.

Schurig was 24-of-30 for 388 yards and five touchdowns.

Missouri Western, again, returned the favor, marching 89 yards on just seven plays. Burton caught his second touchdown pass of the day - a six-yard grab in the back of the end zone - to put the Griffons ahead 34-27 with still 9:10 left in the third quarter.

It was the last time Missouri Western would take the lead.

Washburn continued its offensive conquest, going 71 yards on eight plays. The Ichabods had a 4th-and-1 at the Griffons' 13, but Zach Willis converted and bounced off tacklers for a 13-yard touchdown run to yet again tie the game - this time at 34.

After just a nine-yard kick return by Trey Vaval, and an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, Missouri Western was pinned inside its own 10, and Jack Rasmussen had to punt it away inside of his own end zone.

Starting at the Griffons' 33, Washburn went right back to the air and found the end zone on a 33-yard pass to Jace Williams. The Ichabods led 41-34 entering the fourth.

"That team came out and freaking whipped our defense's ass," Williamson said, after Washburn piled up 532 yards of offense. "They did. It's honest and it's the truth and we're going to have to get it fixed."

Washburn's Marquise Manning picked off Vespo on a deep pass intended for Traveon James with 23 seconds left in the third quarter. The Ichabods eventually turned that into points, scoring on a five-yard touchdown run from Will Evans to go up 47-34 with 11:26 remaining.

Missouri Western put together a long drive after that, getting all the way down to the Washburn 12. However, Vespo threw a pass that was intercepted in the end zone, giving Washburn the ball back up 13 with 6:22 to play.

The Griffon defense got a stop, and again, Vespo and the offense strung together a long drive that ended with a 32-yard touchdown pass to Traveon James, pulling Missouri Western to within 47-41 with just over a minute left.

James had a stellar day, catching 11 passes for 188 yards - both career-highs.

Cody Watson had a decent onside kick attempt, getting a late bounce on the ball, but the kick went out-of-bounds. Washburn punted the ball back to MWSU with just three seconds left. Pinned at their own 10, the Griffons didn't have enough time left to get down the field and score.

Overall, an outstanding day by the Griffon offense, but just not enough from defense or special teams, says Williamson.

"I told our kids in the locker room that you definitely have to win two out of the three phases, and we only won one today," he said. "That's why we got a loss."

Missouri Western comes back home Saturday to face No. 2 Northwest Missouri State (3-0), who shut out Central Oklahoma 38-0 in Maryville on Saturday.

Kickoff in that game is set for 6 p.m. The game will be carried live on the Griffon Sports Network (680 AM, 95.3 FM) with coverage starting at 5 p.m.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632628075985.jpeg" alt="Yager Stadium, the site of Saturday's game between Missouri Western and Washburn." />
 <figcaption>Yager Stadium, the site of Saturday's game between Missouri Western and Washburn.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostTOPEKA - Sophomore quarterback Anthony Vespo set a single-game Missouri Western record with 443 passing yards.He threw for four touchdowns on 31-of-43 passing, and the Griffons racked up 579 yards of offense, but Washburn scored 20 unanswered points in the second half and racked up over 500 yards themselves to beat Missouri Western 47-41 at Yager Stadium Saturday.Missouri Western was hindered by 10 penalties for 85 yards - seven of those penalties were called on special teams plays. The Griffons also averaged just 16 yards on six kickoff returns.Washburn also moved the ball at will, scoring touchdowns on seven out of nine possessions and averaging over nine yards per play."Very disappointed," Missouri Western coach Matt Williamson said on defense and special teams. "Special teams was a disaster. And defensively, we couldn't stop them. They scored at will. I've never seen anything like it since I've been here. I know those players are upset. I'm upset. Just a bad performance all around."Offensively, the Griffons (2-2) scored touchdowns on six of their first seven possessions, and were overall clicking on offense through the first two-and-a-half quarters.Washburn scored on its opening drive to go up 7-0, but the Griffons punched right back on their first possession when Vespo found freshman tight end Tycen Gray for a seven-yard touchdown to knot the game at 7-7 with 7:34 left in the first quarter.Gray finished the game with a career-high six catches for 61 yards and his first career collegiate score.After the Ichabods scored again late in the first to go up 14-7, the Griffons went back to work and Vespo found sophomore receiver Cooper Burton on a wide-open 37-yard strike to again knot the game at 14 with 12:51 left until halftime.After forcing the first Washburn punt of the day on the following drive, Missouri Western got the ball back and moved the ball down the field on a methodical 16-play, 70-yard drive which ended with a one-yard touchdown run from freshman Shen Butler-Lawson, Jr.After a drive that lasted nearly seven minutes, the Griffons led 20-14 with 4:54 to go in the second quarter."I think our offense took a huge, huge step," Williamson said. "They played phenomenally. One of the best offensive games I've seen since I've been here. Anthony (Vespo) stepped up and made some great throws. We had some great receiving."Washburn answered&nbsp; back in just six plays, and scored with just 2:11 left until halftime. Both teams had one more possession inside the final two minutes, but did nothing with it and the score was tied 20-20 at the break. Each team missed a point-after in the first half.The Griffons got the ball to start the second half, and took advantage. On a first down play, Burton flipped the ball to Burton on a flea flicker. A former all-district quarterback at Benton, Burton fired a 36-yard pass down the sideline to a wide open Hezekiah Trotter, who took it in for a touchdown, giving the Griffons a 27-20 lead with 12:51 left in the third.Burton finished with three all-purpose touchdowns and 96 all-purpose yards. He ended up with four catches for 60 yards and two receiving scores.Trotter had five catches for a career-high 122 yards and the touchdown.After fielding a short kickoff, Washburn tied the game back up in just two plays when quarterback Mitch Schurig fired a pass 44 yards into the end zone, where it was caught in tight coverage by Peter Afful to tie the game at 27.Schurig was 24-of-30 for 388 yards and five touchdowns.Missouri Western, again, returned the favor, marching 89 yards on just seven plays. Burton caught his second touchdown pass of the day - a six-yard grab in the back of the end zone - to put the Griffons ahead 34-27 with still 9:10 left in the third quarter.It was the last time Missouri Western would take the lead.Washburn continued its offensive conquest, going 71 yards on eight plays. The Ichabods had a 4th-and-1 at the Griffons' 13, but Zach Willis converted and bounced off tacklers for a 13-yard touchdown run to yet again tie the game - this time at 34.After just a nine-yard kick return by Trey Vaval, and an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, Missouri Western was pinned inside its own 10, and Jack Rasmussen had to punt it away inside of his own end zone.Starting at the Griffons' 33, Washburn went right back to the air and found the end zone on a 33-yard pass to Jace Williams. The Ichabods led 41-34 entering the fourth."That team came out and freaking whipped our defense's ass," Williamson said, after Washburn piled up 532 yards of offense. "They did. It's honest and it's the truth and we're going to have to get it fixed."Washburn's Marquise Manning picked off Vespo on a deep pass intended for Traveon James with 23 seconds left in the third quarter. The Ichabods eventually turned that into points, scoring on a five-yard touchdown run from Will Evans to go up 47-34 with 11:26 remaining.Missouri Western put together a long drive after that, getting all the way down to the Washburn 12. However, Vespo threw a pass that was intercepted in the end zone, giving Washburn the ball back up 13 with 6:22 to play.The Griffon defense got a stop, and again, Vespo and the offense strung together a long drive that ended with a 32-yard touchdown pass to Traveon James, pulling Missouri Western to within 47-41 with just over a minute left.James had a stellar day, catching 11 passes for 188 yards - both career-highs.Cody Watson had a decent onside kick attempt, getting a late bounce on the ball, but the kick went out-of-bounds. Washburn punted the ball back to MWSU with just three seconds left. Pinned at their own 10, the Griffons didn't have enough time left to get down the field and score.Overall, an outstanding day by the Griffon offense, but just not enough from defense or special teams, says Williamson."I told our kids in the locker room that you definitely have to win two out of the three phases, and we only won one today," he said. "That's why we got a loss."Missouri Western comes back home Saturday to face No. 2 Northwest Missouri State (3-0), who shut out Central Oklahoma 38-0 in Maryville on Saturday.Kickoff in that game is set for 6 p.m. The game will be carried live on the Griffon Sports Network (680 AM, 95.3 FM) with coverage starting at 5 p.m.<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/MWSU-football-coach-Matt-Williamson-e17t6n9" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GSI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GSI</a>: Tony Vespo set an MWSU record with 448 passing yards. Cooper Burton caught 2 TD&#39;s and threw for another. Tra James hauled in 11 catches for 188 yards. But <a href="https://twitter.com/MWSU_Football?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MWSU_Football</a> falls in a Washburn shootout. <a href="https://t.co/BteQ51NVot">pic.twitter.com/BteQ51NVot</a>&mdash; Missouri Western Athletics (@MWSUGriffons) <a href="https://twitter.com/MWSUGriffons/status/1441972579825160193?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 26, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Anthony Vespo sets MWSU passing record, Griffons fall in shootout at Washburn

It's week 5 in Missouri and week 4 in Kansas. There's a few top 10, eight-man battles in northwest Missouri, as well as a rivalry renewed in the city of St. Joseph.

MEC &nbsp; St. Joseph Central 63 (1-4)&nbsp;Lafayette 56 (4-1) - FINAL OT

- It was the first match-up between the two teams since 2017. Central scored 28 unanswered points to end it, and started with the ball in overtime. Lafayette missed what would have been a game-winning field goal at the end of regulation. The Irish were stuffed with a 4th-and-goal at the 1-yard line to end the game. - Week 6: Lafayette @ Chillicothe - Week 6: Central @ Oak Park&nbsp;&nbsp;

Savannah 27 (2-3)&nbsp;Benton 0 (1-4) - FINAL - Week 6: Benton home to Maryville - Week 6: Savannah @ Cameron

#8 Archie 28 (5-0)&nbsp;#9 Bishop LeBlond 24 (4-1) - FINAL - Week 6: LeBlond home to Kansas City East Christian (KS)

#4 St. Pius X 40 (5-0) Chillicothe 0 (3-2) - FINAL - Week 6: Chillicothe home to Lafayette - Week 6: St. Pius X home to St. James Academy (Lenexa, KS)

Maryville 52 (2-3)&nbsp;Cameron 0 (1-4) - FINAL - Week 6: Cameron home to Savannah - Week 6: Maryville @ Benton

KCI #9 Hamilton 33 (4-1) Lathrop 7 (0-5) - FINAL - Week 6: Hamilton home to Mid-Buchanan - Week 6: Lathrop @ West Platte

#6 East Buchanan 21 (5-0) West Platte 20 (4-1) - FINAL - Week 6: East Buchanan home to Plattsburg - Week 6: West Platte home to Lathrop

#3 Mid-Buchanan 62 (5-0)&nbsp;North Platte 6 (0-5) - FINAL - Week 6: North Platte home to Lawson &nbsp;- Week 6: Mid-Buchanan @ Hamilton

Lawson 36 (1-4)&nbsp; Plattsburg 26 (1-4) - FINAL - Week 6: Plattsburg @ East Buchanan - Week 6: Lawson @ North Platte

Grand River Conference #1 Stanberry 75 (5-0) Pattonsburg 14 (0-5) - FINAL - Week 6: Stanberry home to North Andrew

#5 Worth County 44 (5-0) #3 King City 34 (3-2) - FINAL - Week 6: King City home to Rock Port - Week 6: Worth County home to Orrick

North Andrew 74 (3-2) St. Joseph Christian 6 (0-5) - FINAL - Week 6: North Andrew @ Stanberry - Week 6: St. Joseph Christian @ Knox County

Platte Valley 56 (3-2)&nbsp;Albany 38 (2-3) - FINAL - Week 6: Albany home to Schuyler County - Week 6: Platte Valley home to&nbsp;Southwest Livingston

Gallatin 26 (3-2) Maysville 20 (1-4) - FINAL - Week 6: Gallatin home to Milan - Week 6: Maysville @ Princeton

South Harrison 32 (2-3) Polo 22 (4-1) - FINAL - Week 6: South Harrison home to Putnam County - Week 6: Polo @ Trenton

Trenton 18 (3-2) Milan 14 (2-3) - FINAL - Week 6: Trenton home to Polo

275 Conference South Holt 64 (3-2)&nbsp;DeKalb (0-5) 6 - FINAL - Week 6: South Holt @ Stewartsville-Osborn - Week 6: DeKalb home to Nodaway Valley

#4 East Atchison 48 (5-0) #10 Rock Port 0 (4-1) - FINAL - East Atchison has outscored their opposition 298-12 through the first four games. - Week 6: Rock Port @ King City - Week 6: East Atchison home to Mound City

Southwest Livingston 22 (2-3)&nbsp;Stewartsville-Osborn 12 (1-3) - FINAL - Week 6: Stewartsville-Osborn home to South Holt

Mound City 58 (3-2) Nodaway Valley 14 (1-4) - FINAL - Week 6: Nodaway Valley @ DeKalb - Week 6: Mound City @ East Atchison

Greater KC Suburban Conference

#1 Smithville 20 (5-0) #7 Platte County 10 (3-2) - FINAL - Week 6: Platte County @ Ruskin

Kansas games Atchison 70 (3-1) Harmon 0 (0-2) - FINAL - Week 5: Atchison @ Turner

Rock Creek 48 (2-2)&nbsp;Hiawatha 0 (2-2) - FINAL - Week 5: Hiawatha home to Jefferson West

Troy 56 (3-1)&nbsp;Pleasanton 6 (0-4) - FINAL - Week 5: Troy @ Jackson Heights

St. Mary's 54 (1-4) Riverside 7 (0-4) - FINAL - Week 5: Riverside @ Republic County

Republic County 44 (2-1) Maur Hill Prep-Mount Academy 16 (2-2) - FINAL&nbsp; - Week 5:&nbsp;Maur Hill Prep-Mount Academy @ Atchison County

Washington County 44 (1-3)&nbsp;Doniphan West 36 (1-3) - FINAL - Week 5: Doniphan West home to Maranatha Christian Academy

Tune into KFEQ Radio (680 AM, 95.3 FM) every Friday night from 8-10 this fall for 'Friday Night Lights!' We'll have live scoring updates throughout the show, plus interviews with local coaches and media!

You can also listen at 680kfeq.com or on the KFEQ mobile app!

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632519667845.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostIt's week 5 in Missouri and week 4 in Kansas. There's a few top 10, eight-man battles in northwest Missouri, as well as a rivalry renewed in the city of St. Joseph.MEC &nbsp; St. Joseph Central 63 (1-4)&nbsp;Lafayette 56 (4-1) - FINAL OT- It was the first match-up between the two teams since 2017. Central scored 28 unanswered points to end it, and started with the ball in overtime. Lafayette missed what would have been a game-winning field goal at the end of regulation. The Irish were stuffed with a 4th-and-goal at the 1-yard line to end the game. - Week 6: Lafayette @ Chillicothe - Week 6: Central @ Oak Park&nbsp;&nbsp;<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/Central-football-coach-Regi-Trotter-e17s4ud" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>Savannah 27 (2-3)&nbsp;Benton 0 (1-4) - FINAL - Week 6: Benton home to Maryville - Week 6: Savannah @ Cameron<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/Savannah-head-football-coach-Kevin-Kopecky-e17s3te" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>#8 Archie 28 (5-0)&nbsp;#9 Bishop LeBlond 24 (4-1) - FINAL - Week 6: LeBlond home to Kansas City East Christian (KS)<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/LeBlond-head-football-coach-Chuck-Davis-e17s3n7" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>#4 St. Pius X 40 (5-0) Chillicothe 0 (3-2) - FINAL - Week 6: Chillicothe home to Lafayette - Week 6: St. Pius X home to St. James Academy (Lenexa, KS)Maryville 52 (2-3)&nbsp;Cameron 0 (1-4) - FINAL - Week 6: Cameron home to Savannah - Week 6: Maryville @ BentonKCI #9 Hamilton 33 (4-1) Lathrop 7 (0-5) - FINAL - Week 6: Hamilton home to Mid-Buchanan - Week 6: Lathrop @ West Platte<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/HamiltonPenney-coach-Alexander-Lloyd-e17s3ll" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>#6 East Buchanan 21 (5-0) West Platte 20 (4-1) - FINAL - Week 6: East Buchanan home to Plattsburg - Week 6: West Platte home to Lathrop<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/East-Buchanan-football-coach-Daniel-Ritter-e17s3rl" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>#3 Mid-Buchanan 62 (5-0)&nbsp;North Platte 6 (0-5) - FINAL - Week 6: North Platte home to Lawson &nbsp;- Week 6: Mid-Buchanan @ Hamilton<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/Mid-Buchanan-football-coach-Aaron-Fritz-e17s3oh" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>Lawson 36 (1-4)&nbsp; Plattsburg 26 (1-4) - FINAL - Week 6: Plattsburg @ East Buchanan - Week 6: Lawson @ North Platte<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/Plattsburg-assistant-coach-Hunter-Adkins-e17s3uc" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>Grand River Conference #1 Stanberry 75 (5-0) Pattonsburg 14 (0-5) - FINAL - Week 6: Stanberry home to North Andrew<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/Stanberry-head-football-coach-Shane-Hilton-e17s3q4" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>#5 Worth County 44 (5-0) #3 King City 34 (3-2) - FINAL - Week 6: King City home to Rock Port - Week 6: Worth County home to OrrickNorth Andrew 74 (3-2) St. Joseph Christian 6 (0-5) - FINAL - Week 6: North Andrew @ Stanberry - Week 6: St. Joseph Christian @ Knox CountyPlatte Valley 56 (3-2)&nbsp;Albany 38 (2-3) - FINAL - Week 6: Albany home to Schuyler County - Week 6: Platte Valley home to&nbsp;Southwest LivingstonGallatin 26 (3-2) Maysville 20 (1-4) - FINAL - Week 6: Gallatin home to Milan - Week 6: Maysville @ PrincetonSouth Harrison 32 (2-3) Polo 22 (4-1) - FINAL - Week 6: South Harrison home to Putnam County - Week 6: Polo @ TrentonTrenton 18 (3-2) Milan 14 (2-3) - FINAL - Week 6: Trenton home to Polo275 Conference South Holt 64 (3-2)&nbsp;DeKalb (0-5) 6 - FINAL - Week 6: South Holt @ Stewartsville-Osborn - Week 6: DeKalb home to Nodaway Valley<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/South-Holt-head-football-coach-Josh-Peterson-e17s3jv" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>#4 East Atchison 48 (5-0) #10 Rock Port 0 (4-1) - FINAL - East Atchison has outscored their opposition 298-12 through the first four games. - Week 6: Rock Port @ King City - Week 6: East Atchison home to Mound CitySouthwest Livingston 22 (2-3)&nbsp;Stewartsville-Osborn 12 (1-3) - FINAL - Week 6: Stewartsville-Osborn home to South HoltMound City 58 (3-2) Nodaway Valley 14 (1-4) - FINAL - Week 6: Nodaway Valley @ DeKalb - Week 6: Mound City @ East AtchisonGreater KC Suburban Conference #1 Smithville 20 (5-0) #7 Platte County 10 (3-2) - FINAL - Week 6: Platte County @ RuskinKansas games Atchison 70 (3-1) Harmon 0 (0-2) - FINAL - Week 5: Atchison @ TurnerRock Creek 48 (2-2)&nbsp;Hiawatha 0 (2-2) - FINAL - Week 5: Hiawatha home to Jefferson WestTroy 56 (3-1)&nbsp;Pleasanton 6 (0-4) - FINAL - Week 5: Troy @ Jackson HeightsSt. Mary's 54 (1-4) Riverside 7 (0-4) - FINAL - Week 5: Riverside @ Republic CountyRepublic County 44 (2-1) Maur Hill Prep-Mount Academy 16 (2-2) - FINAL&nbsp; - Week 5:&nbsp;Maur Hill Prep-Mount Academy @ Atchison CountyWashington County 44 (1-3)&nbsp;Doniphan West 36 (1-3) - FINAL - Week 5: Doniphan West home to Maranatha Christian AcademyTune into KFEQ Radio (680 AM, 95.3 FM) every Friday night from 8-10 this fall for 'Friday Night Lights!' We'll have live scoring updates throughout the show, plus interviews with local coaches and media!You can also listen at 680kfeq.com or on the KFEQ mobile app!<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1630711670029.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

KFEQ/St. Joseph Post area football matchups and scoreboard - September 24, 2021

Atchison, Kansas native and Benton High School graduate Cooper Burton has been the most sure-handed receiver for Missouri Western, and one of the most sure-handed in the MIAA, so far this season.

A sophomore, Burton leads the Griffons with 15 catches for 294 yards and a touchdown, averaging over 98 receiving yards per game.

His 15 catches are tied for second in the MIAA, while his 294 yards are more than any other receiver in the league. But ask Burton about this lightning start, and he'll tell you it's way more than just individual effort.

"I'm pretty confident, because we put a lot of work into this summer," Burton said. "As in, the whole group, you know what I mean? So, like, I have confidence in everybody and not just myself."

Burton is part of an offensive unit that's averaging more than 444 yards per game, including 270 through the air.

A 2018 Benton graduate, Burton has been a big part of Missouri Western's offensive success so far. He turned in seven catches for 90 yards against Central Oklahoma - both career-highs.

He followed that up with an 86-yard touchdown grab in the third quarter against Fort Hays State - a score that put the Griffons ahead 38-24 entering the fourth.

The following week, Burton had five more catches for 72 yards, including a 48-yard grab that set up a late third quarter touchdown in Western's 38-37 come-from-behind win against Emporia State.

He also ran in a successful two-point conversion in the fourth to put the Griffons up 38-31 with less than eight minutes to play.

"I didn't feel like there was any point in time where we were going to lose the game," Burton said of the comeback against Emporia. "I just knew we had to get going, but once we really started getting back to doing us, I felt good. I can't really explain the feeling, but...it felt good."

Burton used to be very quiet about his feelings in his first two years in the program. A talented player, but one who didn't vocalize much. That has completely changed in 2021, according to head coach Matt Williamson.

"Man, I love him to death," Williamson said of Burton. "When he came here, great kid, but was real immature. Trying to find his way, just like a lot of kids coming in. Over 2019, with him playing and having a little bit of success, having a year off with COVID and then coming out...it's a totally different person. It's absolutely awesome to see."

For Burton, it's a really a matter of trying to share positive energy and momentum with those around him.

"I've always kind of been, like, to myself," he admitted. "But, like, I'm bringing the energy on the field. So, like, now I want to be able to uplift others without just keeping all of that energy within myself."

Burton and the rest of the Missouri Western offense are trying to find a way to get that energy going right from the start - instead of falling behind and having to come back.

The Griffons have trailed at halftime in all three games so far this season. Missouri Western has scored 72 points after halftime this season compared to just 21 points in the first in the first halves.

Missouri Western fell behind 28-7 to Emporia State at halftime last week before outscoring the Hornets 31-9 over the final two quarters.

"It's not like we can't get things going," Burton said. "We showed it in the second half. We just have to come out the game like that. Because, if we come out the first half like that, there's not going to be a lot of people who will be able to run with us really."

Missouri Western faces a Washburn team (2-1) in Topeka this Saturday that could potentially run with the Griffons. The Ichabods are averaging 464 yards and 43 points per contest. They've scored more points than any team in the MIAA so far this season.

Their quarterback, multi-year starter and all-MIAA performer Mitch Schurig, has thrown for 732 yards (2nd MIAA) and six touchdowns so far in 2021. Their running back, Taylon Peters, is third in the league with 251 rushing yards. He's scored three touchdowns and averages more than six yards per carry.

Washburn is coming off of its first loss of the season last week - a 28-24 decision at No. 23 Nebraska-Kearney. It's another big challenge for the Griffons, who go for their third straight win this season and their third straight win against the Ichabods.

Washburn also ranks second in the MIAA in total defense and sacks, as well as third in pass defense.

But Burton knows that as long as he and his teammates play up to their potential for all four quarters, Missouri Western will give themselves a reasonable chance against any team they play.

"I just know they're going to play hard," Burton said, "but, we're going to play hard, too. So, hopefully it's a good game and we'll see where it takes us. We'll focus on what we have right now, each game, and at the end of the season, we'll see how we did."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632437257085.jpeg" alt="Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostAtchison, Kansas native and Benton High School graduate Cooper Burton has been the most sure-handed receiver for Missouri Western, and one of the most sure-handed in the MIAA, so far this season.A sophomore, Burton leads the Griffons with 15 catches for 294 yards and a touchdown, averaging over 98 receiving yards per game.His 15 catches are tied for second in the MIAA, while his 294 yards are more than any other receiver in the league. But ask Burton about this lightning start, and he'll tell you it's way more than just individual effort."I'm pretty confident, because we put a lot of work into this summer," Burton said. "As in, the whole group, you know what I mean? So, like, I have confidence in everybody and not just myself."Burton is part of an offensive unit that's averaging more than 444 yards per game, including 270 through the air.A 2018 Benton graduate, Burton has been a big part of Missouri Western's offensive success so far. He turned in seven catches for 90 yards against Central Oklahoma - both career-highs.He followed that up with an 86-yard touchdown grab in the third quarter against Fort Hays State - a score that put the Griffons ahead 38-24 entering the fourth.The following week, Burton had five more catches for 72 yards, including a 48-yard grab that set up a late third quarter touchdown in Western's 38-37 come-from-behind win against Emporia State.He also ran in a successful two-point conversion in the fourth to put the Griffons up 38-31 with less than eight minutes to play."I didn't feel like there was any point in time where we were going to lose the game," Burton said of the comeback against Emporia. "I just knew we had to get going, but once we really started getting back to doing us, I felt good. I can't really explain the feeling, but...it felt good."Burton used to be very quiet about his feelings in his first two years in the program. A talented player, but one who didn't vocalize much. That has completely changed in 2021, according to head coach Matt Williamson."Man, I love him to death," Williamson said of Burton. "When he came here, great kid, but was real immature. Trying to find his way, just like a lot of kids coming in. Over 2019, with him playing and having a little bit of success, having a year off with COVID and then coming out...it's a totally different person. It's absolutely awesome to see."For Burton, it's a really a matter of trying to share positive energy and momentum with those around him."I've always kind of been, like, to myself," he admitted. "But, like, I'm bringing the energy on the field. So, like, now I want to be able to uplift others without just keeping all of that energy within myself."Burton and the rest of the Missouri Western offense are trying to find a way to get that energy going right from the start - instead of falling behind and having to come back.The Griffons have trailed at halftime in all three games so far this season. Missouri Western has scored 72 points after halftime this season compared to just 21 points in the first in the first halves.Missouri Western fell behind 28-7 to Emporia State at halftime last week before outscoring the Hornets 31-9 over the final two quarters."It's not like we can't get things going," Burton said. "We showed it in the second half. We just have to come out the game like that. Because, if we come out the first half like that, there's not going to be a lot of people who will be able to run with us really."Missouri Western faces a Washburn team (2-1) in Topeka this Saturday that could potentially run with the Griffons. The Ichabods are averaging 464 yards and 43 points per contest. They've scored more points than any team in the MIAA so far this season.Their quarterback, multi-year starter and all-MIAA performer Mitch Schurig, has thrown for 732 yards (2nd MIAA) and six touchdowns so far in 2021. Their running back, Taylon Peters, is third in the league with 251 rushing yards. He's scored three touchdowns and averages more than six yards per carry.Washburn is coming off of its first loss of the season last week - a 28-24 decision at No. 23 Nebraska-Kearney. It's another big challenge for the Griffons, who go for their third straight win this season and their third straight win against the Ichabods.Washburn also ranks second in the MIAA in total defense and sacks, as well as third in pass defense.But Burton knows that as long as he and his teammates play up to their potential for all four quarters, Missouri Western will give themselves a reasonable chance against any team they play."I just know they're going to play hard," Burton said, "but, we're going to play hard, too. So, hopefully it's a good game and we'll see where it takes us. We'll focus on what we have right now, each game, and at the end of the season, we'll see how we did."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632439522820.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632439543921.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Benton alum, MWSU receiver Cooper Burton credits his teammates for fast 2021 start

GOWER - The East Buchanan volleyball team came from behind in the first set, survived a tight second set and pulled away in the third for a 3-0 sweep over Mid-Buchanan in Gower Thursday.

The Bulldogs (12-5-1) won their fifth straight match, taking the first set 25-21, the second 25-23 and the third 25-16.

The sweep comes after Mid-Buchanan (8-8-1) swept the Bulldogs 2-0 to open the season in the KCI tournament on August 28. The Dragons then tied a match with East Buchanan 1-1&nbsp; during the Lathrop Invitational last weekend.

East Buchanan coach Ryan Horn says his team played very tense in the first two sets Thursday, but were able to relax in the third set, ultimately ending the final frame on a 9-0 run.

"I felt like we were tense all night," Horn said. "Mid-Buch is a huge rival for us. We want to beat them as bad as anybody. We kind of came out tense, we looked tense and I tried to get them to relax a little bit."

Junior hitter Maya Watkins, who's logged over 100 kills this season and more than 500 in her career, can feel things starting to come together for a team that has now won five straight matches and 15 straight sets.

"It's all just kind of starting to flow now," Watkins said. "With injuries and everything, we've just been working really hard together on and off the court and just having a lot of fun. Emma (Klein) is doing an amazing job setting. It's all kind of flowing."

Sophomore Holly Caylor, who usually plays in the middle, was moved to the outside in Thursday's match in an effort to keep Mid-Buchanan's tough defense off balance.

"We also moved Rilyn Sherwood to the middle," coach Horn said. "We also moved Maya (Watkins) to the middle and tried to keep them guessing as much as we could as to where our better hitters were."

Caylor, who led her team entering Thursday's match with 126 kills this season, noticed an uptick in energy with the team as the match against the Dragons went on.

"I think we kind of, sort of started to pick up our energy and started to play more as a team toward the end," Caylor said.

East Buchanan will stay home on Monday to face Bishop LeBlond (11-2) - a team looking for its second district title in three seasons and its eighth district crown over the last 10 years.

The Eagles were swept at St. Pius X Thursday, but Horn knows any match against Kim Huss as the opposing head coach will be a challenge.

"Over the last 7-8 years since I've been coaching at least and probably longer, they've been the best program in northwest Missouri," Horn said of LeBlond. "In order to beat them, you have to play hard and you can't play tense. You can't do what we did tonight."

Mid-Buchanan was led in Thursday's match by senior Khania Clark, who had 12 kills and seven blocks. The Dragons are home to Orrick on Monday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632454725905.jpeg" alt="East Buchanan's Holly Caylor (11) tries to block Mid-Buchanan's Mallie Lieffring. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>East Buchanan's Holly Caylor (11) tries to block Mid-Buchanan's Mallie Lieffring. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostGOWER - The East Buchanan volleyball team came from behind in the first set, survived a tight second set and pulled away in the third for a 3-0 sweep over Mid-Buchanan in Gower Thursday.The Bulldogs (12-5-1) won their fifth straight match, taking the first set 25-21, the second 25-23 and the third 25-16.The sweep comes after Mid-Buchanan (8-8-1) swept the Bulldogs 2-0 to open the season in the KCI tournament on August 28. The Dragons then tied a match with East Buchanan 1-1&nbsp; during the Lathrop Invitational last weekend.East Buchanan coach Ryan Horn says his team played very tense in the first two sets Thursday, but were able to relax in the third set, ultimately ending the final frame on a 9-0 run."I felt like we were tense all night," Horn said. "Mid-Buch is a huge rival for us. We want to beat them as bad as anybody. We kind of came out tense, we looked tense and I tried to get them to relax a little bit."Junior hitter Maya Watkins, who's logged over 100 kills this season and more than 500 in her career, can feel things starting to come together for a team that has now won five straight matches and 15 straight sets."It's all just kind of starting to flow now," Watkins said. "With injuries and everything, we've just been working really hard together on and off the court and just having a lot of fun. Emma (Klein) is doing an amazing job setting. It's all kind of flowing."Sophomore Holly Caylor, who usually plays in the middle, was moved to the outside in Thursday's match in an effort to keep Mid-Buchanan's tough defense off balance."We also moved Rilyn Sherwood to the middle," coach Horn said. "We also moved Maya (Watkins) to the middle and tried to keep them guessing as much as we could as to where our better hitters were."Caylor, who led her team entering Thursday's match with 126 kills this season, noticed an uptick in energy with the team as the match against the Dragons went on."I think we kind of, sort of started to pick up our energy and started to play more as a team toward the end," Caylor said.East Buchanan will stay home on Monday to face Bishop LeBlond (11-2) - a team looking for its second district title in three seasons and its eighth district crown over the last 10 years.The Eagles were swept at St. Pius X Thursday, but Horn knows any match against Kim Huss as the opposing head coach will be a challenge."Over the last 7-8 years since I've been coaching at least and probably longer, they've been the best program in northwest Missouri," Horn said of LeBlond. "In order to beat them, you have to play hard and you can't play tense. You can't do what we did tonight."Mid-Buchanan was led in Thursday's match by senior Khania Clark, who had 12 kills and seven blocks. The Dragons are home to Orrick on Monday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632454756281.jpeg" alt="Holly Caylor." />
 <figcaption>Holly Caylor.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632454798581.jpeg" alt="Gracie Kelsey (left) tries to hit past Mid-Buchanan's Hallie Lieffring (15) in the middle." />
 <figcaption>Gracie Kelsey (left) tries to hit past Mid-Buchanan's Hallie Lieffring (15) in the middle.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632454822504.jpeg" alt="Emma Klein." />
 <figcaption>Emma Klein.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

East Buchanan pulls away in third set for sweep of Mid-Buchanan Thursday

DEARBORN - North Platte scored four runs off of four walks and a two-run RBI double by sophomore pitcher Courtney Dehn - all in the first inning.

Those four runs, along with seven complete innings in the circle by Dehn, was enough for the Panthers (9-2) to beat North Andrew 4-1 in Dearborn Tuesday.

Dehn had a strong night, striking out five and walking only one. She set the Cardinals down 1-2-3 in the first, third, fourth and seventh innings.

"I just told myself that I have to continue to throw strikes and be consistent so they couldn't hit the ball and score," Dehn said.

Offensively, North Platte managed just two hits on the night, but they drew six walks from starting pitcher Madison Curran - four of them in the bottom of the first inning.

With two outs and nobody on in the first, the Panthers drew four consecutive walks. After a couple of passed balls scored the first two runs, Dehn hit a two-run RBI double to left to give North Platte an early 4-0 lead.

"Our game plan is to always come out early and attack when we can offensively," North Platte coach Farrah Seckel said, "and just do the best we can there to score as many runs as we can there up front, and everyone did really well there to get out on top."

North Andrew (13-3) managed three hits in the second and three more in the sixth. The Cardinals finally got on the board in the top of the sixth. An RBI double by freshman Piper Cook scored sophomore Katryna Warren.

The Cardinals had two runners in scoring position in the sixth with two outs, but a flyout ended the inning. North Platte went 1-2-3 in the sixth, but so did North Andrew in the top of the seventh, bringing the game to a quick end.

Dehn, who threw 84 pitches in the complete game victory, credits her defense for being largely mistake free throughout the night. It's also a defense that threw two North Andrew runners out at third base.

"It helped a lot," Dehn said of her defense, who committed just one error the whole night. "I rely on the defense a lot to back me up, because I'm very consistent, so it's easy for teams to get on me. So, I rely on them a lot."

North Andrew relief pitcher Katryna Warren, who went in for Curran in the second, threw four scoreless innings of relief for the Cardinals. She struck out seven and walked none. She struck out the side in the fourth inning.

To beat a North Andrew team in the midst of one of its best softball seasons in program history is not a feat that Seckel and her team take lightly.

"I'm just proud of these girls," said Seckel. "They're working really hard this year, and to come up against a team...we know they're no slouch. We knew coming into it that they'd be ready for us, so we were looking to come out and win this game."

North Platte heads to Savannah for a 4:30 game on Wednesday -a make-up game due to a rainout Monday.

North Andrew heads home to open the 32nd annual North Andrew softball tournament. The Cardinals, the No. 1 seed in that tournament, play the night cap against South Holt at 8:45 p.m. Wednesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632277518315.jpeg" alt="Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostDEARBORN - North Platte scored four runs off of four walks and a two-run RBI double by sophomore pitcher Courtney Dehn - all in the first inning.Those four runs, along with seven complete innings in the circle by Dehn, was enough for the Panthers (9-2) to beat North Andrew 4-1 in Dearborn Tuesday.Dehn had a strong night, striking out five and walking only one. She set the Cardinals down 1-2-3 in the first, third, fourth and seventh innings."I just told myself that I have to continue to throw strikes and be consistent so they couldn't hit the ball and score," Dehn said.Offensively, North Platte managed just two hits on the night, but they drew six walks from starting pitcher Madison Curran - four of them in the bottom of the first inning.With two outs and nobody on in the first, the Panthers drew four consecutive walks. After a couple of passed balls scored the first two runs, Dehn hit a two-run RBI double to left to give North Platte an early 4-0 lead."Our game plan is to always come out early and attack when we can offensively," North Platte coach Farrah Seckel said, "and just do the best we can there to score as many runs as we can there up front, and everyone did really well there to get out on top."North Andrew (13-3) managed three hits in the second and three more in the sixth. The Cardinals finally got on the board in the top of the sixth. An RBI double by freshman Piper Cook scored sophomore Katryna Warren.The Cardinals had two runners in scoring position in the sixth with two outs, but a flyout ended the inning. North Platte went 1-2-3 in the sixth, but so did North Andrew in the top of the seventh, bringing the game to a quick end.Dehn, who threw 84 pitches in the complete game victory, credits her defense for being largely mistake free throughout the night. It's also a defense that threw two North Andrew runners out at third base."It helped a lot," Dehn said of her defense, who committed just one error the whole night. "I rely on the defense a lot to back me up, because I'm very consistent, so it's easy for teams to get on me. So, I rely on them a lot."North Andrew relief pitcher Katryna Warren, who went in for Curran in the second, threw four scoreless innings of relief for the Cardinals. She struck out seven and walked none. She struck out the side in the fourth inning.To beat a North Andrew team in the midst of one of its best softball seasons in program history is not a feat that Seckel and her team take lightly."I'm just proud of these girls," said Seckel. "They're working really hard this year, and to come up against a team...we know they're no slouch. We knew coming into it that they'd be ready for us, so we were looking to come out and win this game."North Platte heads to Savannah for a 4:30 game on Wednesday -a make-up game due to a rainout Monday.North Andrew heads home to open the 32nd annual North Andrew softball tournament. The Cardinals, the No. 1 seed in that tournament, play the night cap against South Holt at 8:45 p.m. Wednesday.<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/North-Platte-softball-coach-Farrah-Seckel-and-pitcher-Courtney-Dehn-e17n003" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Courtney Dehn pitches full game, North Platte outlasts North Andrew Tuesday

East Buchanan (11-5) started fast against St. Joseph Christian, and rode that momentum throughout in a 3-0 sweep over the Lions (25-15, 25-17, 25-23) at St. Joseph Christian High School Monday night.

The Bulldogs got off to a 5-0 start in the first set before going up 21-10 and taking the first set with relative ease at 25-15.

In the second, East Buchanan got behind 13-12, only to reel off a 12-2 run and win that one 25-17.

The Bulldogs built a 12-8 lead in set three, but the Lions refused to go away, leading 14-12 and 21-20 in the third before East Buchanan closed the door and scored the final two points in a 25-23 set three victory.

"They kind of fought back there at the end of the third," East Buchanan volleyball coach Ryan Horn said, "and they pushed back at us and we had a couple of situations we were trying to figure out, and I thought we just continued to fight. We didn't settle for letting them take that set, because we didn't want them to take the momentum."

Junior hitter Maya Watkins, who eclipsed 500 career kills just last week, led her team with 15 kills and three blocks. Sophomore Holly Caylor logged six kills, while freshman Rilyn Sherwood had five.

East Buchanan also had a solid night serving, managing eight ace serves compared to just two by St. Joseph Christian.

"We're not the greatest serving team in the world, but we're not that bad either," Horn said. "I just tell them to hit the ball in and they picked their spots and did a nice job with it."

St. Joseph Christian (13-2), who saw a seven-match winning streak end, was led by junior outside hitter Ella Bowman, who knocked down 11 kills, including six in the third set.

Sophomore Ella DuBois had a solid night, knocking down seven kills for the Lions.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632196314650.jpeg" alt="St. Joseph Christian's Ella DuBois (8) tries to hit a ball past East Buchanan's Sidnee Carr (4) during Monday's match. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>St. Joseph Christian's Ella DuBois (8) tries to hit a ball past East Buchanan's Sidnee Carr (4) during Monday's match. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostEast Buchanan (11-5) started fast against St. Joseph Christian, and rode that momentum throughout in a 3-0 sweep over the Lions (25-15, 25-17, 25-23) at St. Joseph Christian High School Monday night.The Bulldogs got off to a 5-0 start in the first set before going up 21-10 and taking the first set with relative ease at 25-15.In the second, East Buchanan got behind 13-12, only to reel off a 12-2 run and win that one 25-17.The Bulldogs built a 12-8 lead in set three, but the Lions refused to go away, leading 14-12 and 21-20 in the third before East Buchanan closed the door and scored the final two points in a 25-23 set three victory."They kind of fought back there at the end of the third," East Buchanan volleyball coach Ryan Horn said, "and they pushed back at us and we had a couple of situations we were trying to figure out, and I thought we just continued to fight. We didn't settle for letting them take that set, because we didn't want them to take the momentum."Junior hitter Maya Watkins, who eclipsed 500 career kills just last week, led her team with 15 kills and three blocks. Sophomore Holly Caylor logged six kills, while freshman Rilyn Sherwood had five.East Buchanan also had a solid night serving, managing eight ace serves compared to just two by St. Joseph Christian."We're not the greatest serving team in the world, but we're not that bad either," Horn said. "I just tell them to hit the ball in and they picked their spots and did a nice job with it."St. Joseph Christian (13-2), who saw a seven-match winning streak end, was led by junior outside hitter Ella Bowman, who knocked down 11 kills, including six in the third set.Sophomore Ella DuBois had a solid night, knocking down seven kills for the Lions.St. Joseph Christian stays home Tuesday to host Nodaway Valley. East Buchanan returns to Gower to host Mid-Buchanan Thursday.The Bulldogs split a pair of sets against the Dragons at the Lathrop tournament on Saturday. Mid-Buchanan beat East Buchanan in two sets in the KCI tournament on August 28."We just have to make sure we're out-hustling them," Horn said. "We struggled with that a little bit on Saturday, but we did a little bit better job of it tonight, so hopefully that carries over to Thursday."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632197841330.jpeg" alt="Maya Watkins." />
 <figcaption>Maya Watkins.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632197881347.jpeg" alt="Holly Caylor (11) tries to hit a ball past St. Joseph Christian's Ella DuBois (8)." />
 <figcaption>Holly Caylor (11) tries to hit a ball past St. Joseph Christian's Ella DuBois (8).</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632197934806.jpeg" alt="Rilyn Sherwood tries to hit a ball over the block over St. Joseph Christian's Chloe Burnham." />
 <figcaption>Rilyn Sherwood tries to hit a ball over the block over St. Joseph Christian's Chloe Burnham.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.