A 69-yard pick-six by junior safety Kobe Cummings early in the third quarter sparked the Missouri Western football team in its home opener against Fort Hays State on Thursday.

The pick-six tied the game at 17, and the Griffons (1-1) would go onto score 28 third quarter points, including another defensive touchdown, in a 38-31 win over the Tigers at Spratt Stadium.

"That pick-six in the second half really got us going," said Western quarterback and sophomore Anthony Vespo. "Defense really picked us up and it was a good team win overall."

In the first home game since Nov. 9, 2019, the Griffons forced four turnovers to overcome three red zone fumbles of their own. Missouri Western scored 24 points off of turnovers.

“The defense made plays," sophomore receiver and Benton alum Cooper Burton said. "Then, as an offense, we got an opportunity to take over and capitalize on those plays and we did. Made a stand."

Fort Hays State (0-2) had the ball and a 24-17 lead deep in their own territory in the middle of the third quarter after picking up a Missouri Western fumble. Two plays later, the Tigers coughed it up themselves, and junior safety Dominic Chapa returned it for a Griffon touchdown to tie the game at 24.

On the ensuing Hays drive, sophomore safety Tristan Davis came up with an interception, setting up freshman running back Shen Butler Lawson Jr.'s second rushing touchdown of the game to put Missouri Western ahead 31-24.

The Griffons rushed for over 200 yards as a team.

"We were able to move the ball and move the chains," Missouri Western head coach Matt Williamson said. "(Offense) was a little choppy in the first half, and then we were able to start moving some things. But, that pick-six by Kobe Cummings was just a game changer."

After another Hays possession stalled, the Griffons started their next drive inside their own 20. The first and only play of that drive was an 86- yard touchdown strike from sophomore quarterback Anthony Vespo to Burton.

By that point, the Griffons had scored 21 unanswered and led 38-24 entering the fourth.

"We're going to be tough to stop if we can limit the turnovers and stop shooting ourselves in the foot," Vespo said. "But, we're a young team and we'll get that stuff taken care of, and we'll be back next week."

Fort Hays State put together a drive and scored midway through the fourth, but Lawson Jr. helped the Griffons burn some clock late and salt the game away.

The three red zone turnovers were the biggest black eye for Missouri Western in this one. Had the Griffons turned any or all of those drives into points, the game could have been put away much sooner.

But after coming up short due to self-inflicted errors at Central Oklahoma last week, Coach Williamson was grateful to see his team find a way to win and make enough big plays in the end.

"That's something to learn from," Williamson said of the turnovers. "Obviously it's great to win, but man you have to get better every week. Everyone else is, and we're going to try and continue to level up as we go through this. So, onto next week."

Missouri Western has now beat Fort Hays State in each of the last three meetings and are now 13-2 against the Tigers since 2006.

Missouri Western stays home to play Emporia State on Saturday, Sept. 18. Kickoff 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/2021/9/1631269551325.jpeg" alt="Courtesy GoGriffons.com." />
 <figcaption>Courtesy GoGriffons.com.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostA 69-yard pick-six by junior safety Kobe Cummings early in the third quarter sparked the Missouri Western football team in its home opener against Fort Hays State on Thursday.The pick-six tied the game at 17, and the Griffons (1-1) would go onto score 28 third quarter points, including another defensive touchdown, in a 38-31 win over the Tigers at Spratt Stadium."That pick-six in the second half really got us going," said Western quarterback and sophomore Anthony Vespo. "Defense really picked us up and it was a good team win overall."In the first home game since Nov. 9, 2019, the Griffons forced four turnovers to overcome three red zone fumbles of their own. Missouri Western scored 24 points off of turnovers.“The defense made plays," sophomore receiver and Benton alum Cooper Burton said. "Then, as an offense, we got an opportunity to take over and capitalize on those plays and we did. Made a stand."Fort Hays State (0-2) had the ball and a 24-17 lead deep in their own territory in the middle of the third quarter after picking up a Missouri Western fumble. Two plays later, the Tigers coughed it up themselves, and junior safety Dominic Chapa returned it for a Griffon touchdown to tie the game at 24.On the ensuing Hays drive, sophomore safety Tristan Davis came up with an interception, setting up freshman running back Shen Butler Lawson Jr.'s second rushing touchdown of the game to put Missouri Western ahead 31-24.The Griffons rushed for over 200 yards as a team."We were able to move the ball and move the chains," Missouri Western head coach Matt Williamson said. "(Offense) was a little choppy in the first half, and then we were able to start moving some things. But, that pick-six by Kobe Cummings was just a game changer."After another Hays possession stalled, the Griffons started their next drive inside their own 20. The first and only play of that drive was an 86- yard touchdown strike from sophomore quarterback Anthony Vespo to Burton.By that point, the Griffons had scored 21 unanswered and led 38-24 entering the fourth."We're going to be tough to stop if we can limit the turnovers and stop shooting ourselves in the foot," Vespo said. "But, we're a young team and we'll get that stuff taken care of, and we'll be back next week."Fort Hays State put together a drive and scored midway through the fourth, but Lawson Jr. helped the Griffons burn some clock late and salt the game away.The three red zone turnovers were the biggest black eye for Missouri Western in this one. Had the Griffons turned any or all of those drives into points, the game could have been put away much sooner.But after coming up short due to self-inflicted errors at Central Oklahoma last week, Coach Williamson was grateful to see his team find a way to win and make enough big plays in the end."That's something to learn from," Williamson said of the turnovers. "Obviously it's great to win, but man you have to get better every week. Everyone else is, and we're going to try and continue to level up as we go through this. So, onto next week."Missouri Western has now beat Fort Hays State in each of the last three meetings and are now 13-2 against the Tigers since 2006.Missouri Western stays home to play Emporia State on Saturday, Sept. 18. Kickoff 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.

Missouri Western scores 28 third quarter points, beats Fort Hays State in home opener

After outlasting Mid-Buchanan in a five-set match the night before, Lafayette was poised to stay undefeated and get a win over a city rival on their home floor Wednesday.

The Irish, however, suffered an early setback before the match even started when starting middle and senior Khiani Jackson got hurt in warm-ups.

Senior setter Taryn Smith also got hurt later in the match, and Central (3-1) overcame a slow start to sweep Lafayette 3-0 (25-22, 25-15, 25-15) on Wednesday night at Lafayette High School.

Despite losing Jackson, Lafayette got off to a 16-10 start in the first set, but the Indians rallied to win it by a 25-22 margin.

The Irish (3-1) held their own early in sets two and three, but Central ultimately pulled away in both, and Lafayette couldn't keep up offensively.

"Injuries were kind of the end of us today," Lafayette coach Laura Rehmeier said. "We kept our energy up. We played hard. We fought tooth and nail to that end, but, Central is a strong program and I'm pretty proud of how our girls looked tonight."

On the other side, Central flexed its offensive prowess throughout, with five different players getting at least four kills. Senior middle Isabella Flaska led the way with nine kills and a block. Junior middle Katie Miller had five kills and a team-high four blocks.

"We're just super happy that we got it over with in three sets," Miller said, "and that we all worked together and communicated really well. We just executed on offense and defense."

Senior outside hitter Maris Hale knocked down five kills. Fellow seniors Ella Moody and Abby Dorsey each had four. Junior libero Hannah Watson came off the bench and had a string of three consecutive ace serves in the third set.

Just like they've done in previous matches this season, Central showed many different looks with several different rotations. Head coach Monica Flaska has told her team that getting a starting spot, or significant playing time, is something that has to be earned.

"I tell them that it's a battle in practice," Flaska said. "When they're on the court, it's also a battle. So, I put someone in and if they're kind of outplaying that other person, then I let them have a go."

All-in-all, Flaska was proud of her team for overcoming a sluggish start in the first set, and controlling the tempo in the last two.

"I was proud of them for battling back and showing character and still getting the W," she said. "But, I think it's so loud and intimidating at first, and they couldn't hear. They weren't communicating. Their energy was down. Lafayette, they had the momentum shift from the beginning in terms of how loud they were."

With a group of eight seniors and a solid start to the season achieved, Flaska is excited about what the future may hold for a program that hasn't hung any banner in recent memory.

"In terms of the rest of our season," Flaska said, "I'm very, very hopeful that this will be our best season yet. With any sport, it's a mental climb the whole season and you just hope you peak in mid-October."

Central will host Benton on Monday. Lafayette, meanwhile, will play its third match in as many days when they head to Savannah on Thursday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631156614059.jpeg" alt="Central's Katie Miller (12) throws a block against Lafayette in Wednesday's match. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Central's Katie Miller (12) throws a block against Lafayette in Wednesday's match. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostAfter outlasting Mid-Buchanan in a five-set match the night before, Lafayette was poised to stay undefeated and get a win over a city rival on their home floor Wednesday.The Irish, however, suffered an early setback before the match even started when starting middle and senior Khiani Jackson got hurt in warm-ups.Senior setter Taryn Smith also got hurt later in the match, and Central (3-1) overcame a slow start to sweep Lafayette 3-0 (25-22, 25-15, 25-15) on Wednesday night at Lafayette High School.Despite losing Jackson, Lafayette got off to a 16-10 start in the first set, but the Indians rallied to win it by a 25-22 margin.The Irish (3-1) held their own early in sets two and three, but Central ultimately pulled away in both, and Lafayette couldn't keep up offensively."Injuries were kind of the end of us today," Lafayette coach Laura Rehmeier said. "We kept our energy up. We played hard. We fought tooth and nail to that end, but, Central is a strong program and I'm pretty proud of how our girls looked tonight."On the other side, Central flexed its offensive prowess throughout, with five different players getting at least four kills. Senior middle Isabella Flaska led the way with nine kills and a block. Junior middle Katie Miller had five kills and a team-high four blocks."We're just super happy that we got it over with in three sets," Miller said, "and that we all worked together and communicated really well. We just executed on offense and defense."Senior outside hitter Maris Hale knocked down five kills. Fellow seniors Ella Moody and Abby Dorsey each had four. Junior libero Hannah Watson came off the bench and had a string of three consecutive ace serves in the third set.Just like they've done in previous matches this season, Central showed many different looks with several different rotations. Head coach Monica Flaska has told her team that getting a starting spot, or significant playing time, is something that has to be earned."I tell them that it's a battle in practice," Flaska said. "When they're on the court, it's also a battle. So, I put someone in and if they're kind of outplaying that other person, then I let them have a go."All-in-all, Flaska was proud of her team for overcoming a sluggish start in the first set, and controlling the tempo in the last two."I was proud of them for battling back and showing character and still getting the W," she said. "But, I think it's so loud and intimidating at first, and they couldn't hear. They weren't communicating. Their energy was down. Lafayette, they had the momentum shift from the beginning in terms of how loud they were."With a group of eight seniors and a solid start to the season achieved, Flaska is excited about what the future may hold for a program that hasn't hung any banner in recent memory."In terms of the rest of our season," Flaska said, "I'm very, very hopeful that this will be our best season yet. With any sport, it's a mental climb the whole season and you just hope you peak in mid-October."Central will host Benton on Monday. Lafayette, meanwhile, will play its third match in as many days when they head to Savannah on Thursday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631158036198.jpeg" alt="McKenzie Brandhorst." />
 <figcaption>McKenzie Brandhorst.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631158075669.jpeg" alt="Katie Miller and Isabella Flaska throw a block." />
 <figcaption>Katie Miller and Isabella Flaska throw a block.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631158101606.jpeg" alt="Lafayette student section." />
 <figcaption>Lafayette student section.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631158123337.jpeg" alt="Central student section." />
 <figcaption>Central student section.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Central dominates late, sweeps Lafayette in intracity battle Wednesday

Volleyball Lafayette 3 Mid-Buchanan 2. <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/34bc1eab-d905-43d0-a3ae-d2347276ff18">Full coverage here</a>. Lawson 3 Benton 2 Rock Port 3 Mound City 1 South Holt 3 Nodaway Valley 1

Softball North Andrew 11 Albany 7 Bishop LeBlond 5 St. Pius X 2 East Buchanan 19 St. Teresa’s Academy 17 Savannah 4 Benton 2 Chillicothe 22 Lafayette 3 Mid-Buchanan 16 Summit Christian Academy 1 Cameron 9 Maryville 6 DeKalb 13 Stewartsville-Osborn 2 North Platte 8 South Holt 1 Worth County 9 Stanberry 8 King City 14 North Harrison 4 South Harrison 7 Maysville 3 Platte Valley 16 Northeast Nodaway 4 Boys’ soccer Bishop LeBlond 7 Kansas City Northeast 0. The Eagles are now 4-0 this season. St. Joseph Central 3 Lincoln College Prep 1 Chillicothe 6 Lafayette 0

Girls’ tennis St. Joseph Central 7 Kearney 2 Savannah 8 Maryville 1 Lafayette 5 Chillicothe 4. The Irish are 3-0 to start the season. LeBlond 8 Trenton 1

Girls’ golf Benton took first in a triangular at Fairview Golf Course against Savannah and Lafayette. Jaida Cox was the medalist, shooting a 44.

MISSING - Chillicothe Cross Country meet results.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631102741068.jpeg" alt="Audrey Willoughby. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Audrey Willoughby. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostVolleyball Lafayette 3 Mid-Buchanan 2. <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/34bc1eab-d905-43d0-a3ae-d2347276ff18">Full coverage here</a>. Lawson 3 Benton 2 Rock Port 3 Mound City 1 South Holt 3 Nodaway Valley 1Softball North Andrew 11 Albany 7 Bishop LeBlond 5 St. Pius X 2 East Buchanan 19 St. Teresa’s Academy 17 Savannah 4 Benton 2 Chillicothe 22 Lafayette 3 Mid-Buchanan 16 Summit Christian Academy 1 Cameron 9 Maryville 6 DeKalb 13 Stewartsville-Osborn 2 North Platte 8 South Holt 1 Worth County 9 Stanberry 8 King City 14 North Harrison 4 South Harrison 7 Maysville 3 Platte Valley 16 Northeast Nodaway 4 Boys’ soccer Bishop LeBlond 7 Kansas City Northeast 0. The Eagles are now 4-0 this season. St. Joseph Central 3 Lincoln College Prep 1 Chillicothe 6 Lafayette 0Girls’ tennis St. Joseph Central 7 Kearney 2 Savannah 8 Maryville 1 Lafayette 5 Chillicothe 4. The Irish are 3-0 to start the season. LeBlond 8 Trenton 1Girls’ golf Benton took first in a triangular at Fairview Golf Course against Savannah and Lafayette. Jaida Cox was the medalist, shooting a 44.MISSING - Chillicothe Cross Country meet results.You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

KFEQ/St. Joseph Post area high school scoreboard - September 7, 2021

Lafayette senior middle Khiani Jackson had been dominating in the first three sets against Mid-Buchanan Tuesday.

She had 12 kills through the first three sets. But, after the Dragons got off to a 9-1 start in the fourth set, something didn't feel right. Jackson had two kills in the fourth, but she was otherwise a non-factor as Mid-Buchanan won the fourth set 25-15.

Jackson made the decision to take herself out before the fifth set and send in junior middle Bailey Flanagan in her place. The maturity paid off.

Flanagan knocked down three kills in the fifth set, Lafayette ended the fifth on a 6-2 run, won the frame 15-11 and won the match 3-2 (25-19, 21-25, 25-22, 15-25, 15-11) over Mid-Buchanan on Tuesday night at Lafayette High School.

Irish head coach Laura Rehmeier gave Jackson a ton of credit for making a mature decision to help her team when the chips were down.

"(Khiani) felt herself off just a little bit and she made that mature decision to put the team before herself," Rehmeier said. "She told me to pull her out and Bailey had an awesome, awesome JV night. So, it was kind of a no-brainer at that point."

Jackson was of course disappointed that she couldn't help her team pull through in the fifth set, but was more so proud of her teammate Flanagan for stepping up in such a key moment.

"She's like my little minion," Jackson said of Flanagan. "I've been playing with her for three years. She's done really good, and I'm proud of her. It sucks that I was off, but I'm glad she was able to come in and handle it.

"It's great we pulled through with the win. I wish we would've done it in three, but every game is different than the next. So, still pulled through. That's all that matters."

Jackson still finished with a match-high 14 kills. She also had four blocks and an ace serve.

Sophomore middle/outside hitter Remi Vandever had seven kills and three blocks. Senior outside hitter Audrey Willoughby tallied five kills and an ace.

It wasn't always pretty, but Lafayette is off to a 3-0 start after winning only two matches in all of 2020.

"I was not expecting a five-set night," Rehmeier said. "But, the fact that they battled back over and over just says a lot about us. I mean, starting out 3-0 is definitely what we want for this season."

Mid-Buchanan (3-4) battled hard as well. Sophomore outside hitter Liv Moeckli knocked down eight kills. Junior middle Mallie Lieffring had seven kills, three aces and a block. Junior outside hitter Hailey Clark had some timely hits, totaling six kills and two blocks.

A lot of positives, but the Dragons have now lost four of their last five.

"I couldn't be prouder of our effort," Mid-Buchanan coach Ron Underwood said. "I mean, that's hard. That was our first five-game match (of the season). I know there'll be more, but that was the first one. That was something new for the players, too."

Mid-Buchanan is home to South Harrison Thursday, and freshman setter Lexi Ferguson will make her return after being out due to COVID-19 protocol.

It's been an up-and-down start, but Underwood is still optimistic about what he has in 2021.

"You know, we're pretty balanced with what we got," he said. "Nobody can key on one person. I'm excited about what's left. It's frustrating tonight right now at the end of that after all of that time, but that's how it goes. You have to finish."

Lafayette meanwhile stays home to face St. Joseph Central - a team that beat the Irish 15-8 and 15-3 in the city jamboree on Aug. 24.

"We're definitely going to have to play hard and play together," Jackson said. "We get in our heads a lot, and we can't do that (Wednesday), because they will use that against us."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631074200552.jpeg" alt="Lafayette celebrates after winning the fifth set 15-11 over Mid-Buchanan Tuesday. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Lafayette celebrates after winning the fifth set 15-11 over Mid-Buchanan Tuesday. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostLafayette senior middle Khiani Jackson had been dominating in the first three sets against Mid-Buchanan Tuesday.She had 12 kills through the first three sets. But, after the Dragons got off to a 9-1 start in the fourth set, something didn't feel right. Jackson had two kills in the fourth, but she was otherwise a non-factor as Mid-Buchanan won the fourth set 25-15.Jackson made the decision to take herself out before the fifth set and send in junior middle Bailey Flanagan in her place. The maturity paid off.Flanagan knocked down three kills in the fifth set, Lafayette ended the fifth on a 6-2 run, won the frame 15-11 and won the match 3-2 (25-19, 21-25, 25-22, 15-25, 15-11) over Mid-Buchanan on Tuesday night at Lafayette High School.Irish head coach Laura Rehmeier gave Jackson a ton of credit for making a mature decision to help her team when the chips were down."(Khiani) felt herself off just a little bit and she made that mature decision to put the team before herself," Rehmeier said. "She told me to pull her out and Bailey had an awesome, awesome JV night. So, it was kind of a no-brainer at that point."Jackson was of course disappointed that she couldn't help her team pull through in the fifth set, but was more so proud of her teammate Flanagan for stepping up in such a key moment."She's like my little minion," Jackson said of Flanagan. "I've been playing with her for three years. She's done really good, and I'm proud of her. It sucks that I was off, but I'm glad she was able to come in and handle it."It's great we pulled through with the win. I wish we would've done it in three, but every game is different than the next. So, still pulled through. That's all that matters."Jackson still finished with a match-high 14 kills. She also had four blocks and an ace serve.Sophomore middle/outside hitter Remi Vandever had seven kills and three blocks. Senior outside hitter Audrey Willoughby tallied five kills and an ace.It wasn't always pretty, but Lafayette is off to a 3-0 start after winning only two matches in all of 2020."I was not expecting a five-set night," Rehmeier said. "But, the fact that they battled back over and over just says a lot about us. I mean, starting out 3-0 is definitely what we want for this season."Mid-Buchanan (3-4) battled hard as well. Sophomore outside hitter Liv Moeckli knocked down eight kills. Junior middle Mallie Lieffring had seven kills, three aces and a block. Junior outside hitter Hailey Clark had some timely hits, totaling six kills and two blocks.A lot of positives, but the Dragons have now lost four of their last five."I couldn't be prouder of our effort," Mid-Buchanan coach Ron Underwood said. "I mean, that's hard. That was our first five-game match (of the season). I know there'll be more, but that was the first one. That was something new for the players, too."Mid-Buchanan is home to South Harrison Thursday, and freshman setter Lexi Ferguson will make her return after being out due to COVID-19 protocol.It's been an up-and-down start, but Underwood is still optimistic about what he has in 2021."You know, we're pretty balanced with what we got," he said. "Nobody can key on one person. I'm excited about what's left. It's frustrating tonight right now at the end of that after all of that time, but that's how it goes. You have to finish."Lafayette meanwhile stays home to face St. Joseph Central - a team that beat the Irish 15-8 and 15-3 in the city jamboree on Aug. 24."We're definitely going to have to play hard and play together," Jackson said. "We get in our heads a lot, and we can't do that (Wednesday), because they will use that against us."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631073256987.jpeg" alt="Khiani Jackson (5)." />
 <figcaption>Khiani Jackson (5).</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631074264702.jpeg" alt="Liv Moeckl (left) tries to hit a ball past Lafayette's Modesta Wilhelmson (4) and Remi Vandever (10)." />
 <figcaption>Liv Moeckl (left) tries to hit a ball past Lafayette's Modesta Wilhelmson (4) and Remi Vandever (10).</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631074297676.jpeg" alt="Hailey Clark (21). " />
 <figcaption>Hailey Clark (21). </figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Lafayette finishes strong in fifth set, outlasts Mid-Buchanan Tuesday

Missouri Western forward&nbsp;Kaili Campbell&nbsp;was named the MIAA Women's Soccer Offensive Player of the Week Tuesday after her performances this past weekend against Concordia-St. Paul and Rockhurst. The junior from Loveland, Colorado recorded the second hat trick in school history in the Griffons' 4-1 win over Rockhurst Sunday.&nbsp; She scored three goals in a 9:48 span in the second half, as MWSU had four goals during that stretch.&nbsp; That also broke a school record. Campbell helped Missouri Western open the season 2-0 at the Stoney Creek Hotel Classic. She played the entire 90 minutes in their 2-1 win over CSP on Friday. She found the back of the net three times on five shots against Rockhurst. Campbell and the Griffons will be on the road this weekend as they play two NSIC teams. Missouri Western will face Wayne State on Friday at 3:00 p.m. in Wayne, Nebraska. Then, they head to Marshall, Minnesota on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. to play Southwest Minnesota State.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631043307251.jpeg" alt="Courtesy GoGriffons.com." />
 <figcaption>Courtesy GoGriffons.com.</figcaption>
 </figure>St. Joseph Post&nbsp;Missouri Western forward&nbsp;Kaili Campbell&nbsp;was named the MIAA Women's Soccer Offensive Player of the Week Tuesday after her performances this past weekend against Concordia-St. Paul and Rockhurst. The junior from Loveland, Colorado recorded the second hat trick in school history in the Griffons' 4-1 win over Rockhurst Sunday.&nbsp; She scored three goals in a 9:48 span in the second half, as MWSU had four goals during that stretch.&nbsp; That also broke a school record. Campbell helped Missouri Western open the season 2-0 at the Stoney Creek Hotel Classic. She played the entire 90 minutes in their 2-1 win over CSP on Friday. She found the back of the net three times on five shots against Rockhurst. Campbell and the Griffons will be on the road this weekend as they play two NSIC teams. Missouri Western will face Wayne State on Friday at 3:00 p.m. in Wayne, Nebraska. Then, they head to Marshall, Minnesota on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. to play Southwest Minnesota State.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Missouri Western's Kaili Campbell named MIAA Offensive Player of the Week

It's week 2 of the high school football season in Missouri, Nebraska and Iowa, while Kansas gets its season started tonight!

Below is a list of all of the area matchups, starting with Missouri. Scores will be posted once the games go final. Refresh the page for updates!

275 Conference #2 King City 72 (2-0) @ DeKalb 6 (0-2) - FINAL

&nbsp;Rock Port 60 (2-0)&nbsp;Platte Valley 12 (1-1) - FINAL

Mound City (1-1) 50 @ Stewartsville-Osborn 6 (0-2) - FINAL

#5 East Atchison 84 (2-0)&nbsp;Nodaway Valley 0 (1-1) - FINAL

South Holt 74 (1-1)&nbsp;Southwest Livingston 0 (0-2) - FINAL

#6 Worth County 72 (2-0)&nbsp;St. Joseph Christian 0 (0-2) - FINAL&nbsp;

#1 Stanberry 50 (2-0)&nbsp;Albany 0 (1-1) - FINAL

#10 Bishop LeBlond 34 (2-0) @ #9 North Andrew 14 (0-2) - FINAL

Maysville 28 (1-1) @ North Platte 8 (0-2) - FINAL

Polo 18 (2-0)&nbsp;Slater 6 (0-2) - FINAL

Pattonsburg 88 (1-1) Schuyler County 52 (0-2)

#10 North Kansas City 38 (1-1) @ St. Joseph Central 0 (0-2) - FINAL

Platte County 21 (1-1)&nbsp;Kearney 3 (0-1) - FINAL

#6 Hamilton 28 (2-0)&nbsp;Gallatin 0 (1-1) - FINAL

West Platte 44 (2-0)&nbsp;South Harrison 6 (0-2) - FINAL

Savannah 6 (1-1)&nbsp;Lathrop 0 (0-2) - FINAL

#8 East Buchanan 42 (2-0) @ Trenton 7 (0-2) - FINAL

#3 Mid-Buchanan 42 (2-0) @ Southeast KC 0 (1-1) - FINAL - Game started just after 9 p.m. due to multiple lightning delays. Game was called at halftime.

University Academy Charter (1-1) 42 Plattsburg 22 (0-2) - FINAL - Game started at 6 p.m. due to a potential for rain.

Lafayette County 39 (0-1) @ Lawson 0 (0-2) - FINAL

Pleasant Hill 50 (2-0)&nbsp;Benton 19 (0-2) - FINAL

Lafayette 50 (2-0) @ Atchison, KS 21 (0-1) - FINAL

#5 Harrisonville 28 (2-0)&nbsp;#6 Maryville 20 (0-2) - FINAL

Lincoln College Prep 60 (1-0) @ Cameron 7 (1-1) - FINAL

Chillicothe 34 (2-0)&nbsp;Kirksville 14 (0-2) - FINAL

Royal Valley 16 (1-0)&nbsp;Riverside 13 (0-1) - FINAL

Doniphan West 54 (1-0) Blue Valley 8 - FINAL

Mauer Hill Prep-Mount Academy 22 (1-0) Council Grove 14 (0-1) - FINAL

Nebraska Auburn 28 Fort Calhoun 6 - FINAL

Falls City Sacred Heart @ Nebraska Lutheran - missing

Johnson-Brock 32 BDS 31 - FINAL - Johnson-Brock scored in the final 1:10 to end a 50-game winning streak by BDS.

Lourdes Central Catholic 69&nbsp;Guardian Angels Central Catholic 32 - FINAL

Iowa Shenandoah 28 Nodaway Valley 26 - FINAL

Fremont-Mills 64 Stanton/Essex 36 - FINAL

Southwest Valley 29&nbsp;Sidney 0 - FINAL

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/2021/9/1630711712426.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostIt's week 2 of the high school football season in Missouri, Nebraska and Iowa, while Kansas gets its season started tonight!Below is a list of all of the area matchups, starting with Missouri. Scores will be posted once the games go final. Refresh the page for updates!275 Conference #2 King City 72 (2-0) @ DeKalb 6 (0-2) - FINAL<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/King-CityUnion-Star-football-coach-Micah-Breckenridge-e16su2i" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div><ul>
 <li>Week 3: King City home to Stanberry</li><li>Week 3: DeKalb @ Southwest Livingston</li>
 </ul>&nbsp;Rock Port 60 (2-0)&nbsp;Platte Valley 12 (1-1) - FINAL<ul>
 <li>Week 3: Platte Valley home to Nodaway Valley</li><li>Week 3: Rock Port @ Stewartsville-Osborn</li>
 </ul>Mound City (1-1) 50 @ Stewartsville-Osborn 6 (0-2) - FINAL<ul>
 <li>Week 3: Mound City @ Albany</li><li>Week 3: Stewartsville-Osborn home to Rock Port</li>
 </ul>#5 East Atchison 84 (2-0)&nbsp;Nodaway Valley 0 (1-1) - FINAL<ul>
 <li>Week 3: Nodaway Valley @ Platte Valley</li><li>Week 3: East Atchison home South Holt</li>
 </ul>South Holt 74 (1-1)&nbsp;Southwest Livingston 0 (0-2) - FINAL<ul>
 <li>Week 3: South Holt @ East Atchison</li>
 </ul>Grand River Conference#6 Worth County 72 (2-0)&nbsp;St. Joseph Christian 0 (0-2) - FINAL&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>Week 3: St. Joseph Christian @ Santa Fe</li><li>Week 3: Worth County @ Schuyler County</li>
 </ul>#1 Stanberry 50 (2-0)&nbsp;Albany 0 (1-1) - FINAL<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/Stanberry-head-football-coach-Shane-Hilton-e16stu4" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div><ul>
 <li>Week 3: Albany home to Mound City</li><li>Week 3: Stanberry @ King City</li>
 </ul>#10 Bishop LeBlond 34 (2-0) @ #9 North Andrew 14 (0-2) - FINAL<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/Bishop-LeBlond-football-coach-Chuck-Davis-e16stvr" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div><ul>
 <li>Week 3: LeBlond home to Doniphan West (KS)</li><li>Week 3: North Andrew home to Pattonsburg</li>
 </ul>Maysville 28 (1-1) @ North Platte 8 (0-2) - FINAL<ul>
 <li>Week 3: Maysville home to Polo</li><li>Week 3: North Platte @ Hamilton</li>
 </ul>Polo 18 (2-0)&nbsp;Slater 6 (0-2) - FINAL<ul>
 <li>Week 3: Polo @ Maysville</li>
 </ul>Pattonsburg 88 (1-1) Schuyler County 52 (0-2)<ul>
 <li>Week 3: Pattonsburg @ North Andrew</li>
 </ul>Greater KC Suburban Conference#10 North Kansas City 38 (1-1) @ St. Joseph Central 0 (0-2) - FINAL<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/Central-head-football-coach-Regi-Trotter-e16su64" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div><ul>
 <li>Week 3: St Joe Central @ Belton</li>
 </ul>Platte County 21 (1-1)&nbsp;Kearney 3 (0-1) - FINAL<ul>
 <li>Week 3: Platte County @ Grandview</li>
 </ul>KCI Conference#6 Hamilton 28 (2-0)&nbsp;Gallatin 0 (1-1) - FINAL<ul>
 <li>Week 3: Gallatin home to South Harrison</li><li>Week 3: Hamilton home to North Platte</li>
 </ul>West Platte 44 (2-0)&nbsp;South Harrison 6 (0-2) - FINAL<ul>
 <li>Week 3: South Harrison @ Gallatin</li><li>Week 3: West Platte @ Plattsburg</li>
 </ul>Savannah 6 (1-1)&nbsp;Lathrop 0 (0-2) - FINAL<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/Savannah-football-coach-Kevin-Kopecky-e16su3t" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div><ul>
 <li>Week 3: Lathrop @ East Buchanan</li><li>Week 3: Savannah home to Kirksville</li>
 </ul>#8 East Buchanan 42 (2-0) @ Trenton 7 (0-2) - FINAL<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/East-Buchanan-football-coach-Daniel-Ritter-e16su14" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div><ul>
 <li>Week 3: East Buchanan home to Lathrop</li><li>Week 3: Trenton home to Princeton</li>
 </ul>#3 Mid-Buchanan 42 (2-0) @ Southeast KC 0 (1-1) - FINAL - Game started just after 9 p.m. due to multiple lightning delays. Game was called at halftime.<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/Mid-Buchanan-football-coach-Aaron-Fritz-e16su7d" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div><ul>
 <li>Week 3: Mid-Buchanan @ Lawson</li>
 </ul>University Academy Charter (1-1) 42 Plattsburg 22 (0-2) - FINAL - Game started at 6 p.m. due to a potential for rain.<ul>
 <li>Week 3: Plattsburg home to West Platte</li>
 </ul>Lafayette County 39 (0-1) @ Lawson 0 (0-2) - FINAL<ul>
 <li>Week 3: Lawson home to Mid-Buchanan</li>
 </ul>Midland Empire ConferencePleasant Hill 50 (2-0)&nbsp;Benton 19 (0-2) - FINAL<ul>
 <li>Week 3: Benton home to Lafayette</li>
 </ul>Lafayette 50 (2-0) @ Atchison, KS 21 (0-1) - FINAL<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/Lafayette-head-football-coach-Ryan-Shroyer-e16su4t" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div><ul>
 <li>Week 3: Lafayette @ Benton</li><li>Week 2: Atchison @ Highland Park</li>
 </ul>#5 Harrisonville 28 (2-0)&nbsp;#6 Maryville 20 (0-2) - FINAL<ul>
 <li>Week 3: Maryville @ Chillicothe</li>
 </ul>Lincoln College Prep 60 (1-0) @ Cameron 7 (1-1) - FINAL<ul>
 <li>Week 3: Cameron @ #7 St. Pius X</li>
 </ul>Chillicothe 34 (2-0)&nbsp;Kirksville 14 (0-2) - FINAL<ul>
 <li>Week 3: Chillicothe home to Maryville</li>
 </ul>Northeast KansasTroy 12 (1-0) Hiawatha 10 (0-1) - FINAL<ul>
 <li>Week 2: Hiawatha home to Perry Lecompton</li><li>Week 2: Troy @ Centralia</li>
 </ul>Royal Valley 16 (1-0)&nbsp;Riverside 13 (0-1) - FINAL<ul>
 <li>Week 2: Riverside home to Sabetha</li>
 </ul>Doniphan West 54 (1-0) Blue Valley 8 - FINAL<ul>
 <li>Week 2: Doniphan West @ LeBlond</li>
 </ul>Mauer Hill Prep-Mount Academy 22 (1-0) Council Grove 14 (0-1) - FINAL<ul>
 <li>Week 2: Mauer Hill Prep-Mount Academy @ Oskaloosa</li>
 </ul>Nebraska Auburn 28 Fort Calhoun 6 - FINALFalls City @ Raymond Central - missingFalls City Sacred Heart @ Nebraska Lutheran - missingJohnson-Brock 32 BDS 31 - FINAL - Johnson-Brock scored in the final 1:10 to end a 50-game winning streak by BDS.Nebraska City @ Louisville - missingLourdes Central Catholic 69&nbsp;Guardian Angels Central Catholic 32 - FINALIowa Shenandoah 28 Nodaway Valley 26 - FINALFremont-Mills 64 Stanton/Essex 36 - FINALLenox 76&nbsp;East Mills 30 - FINALUnderwood 47 Clarinda 7 - FINALSouthwest Valley 29&nbsp;Sidney 0 - FINALTune 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 football scoreboard - September 3, 2021

The&nbsp; Northwest Missouri State football team scored its first win of the season with a 15-7 triumph at Fort Hays State Thursday night.

Running back Al McKeller led the way with 161 yards rushing and a touchdown. Quarterback Braden Wright was&nbsp; 13-of-23 for 96 yards and a touchdown.

Defensively, Northwest held the Tigers to just 48 yards on the ground.

The Bearcats extended their lead to eight when Wright found Kaden Davis for an 8-yard touchdown pass late in the fourth, but the extra point was blocked, which gave Fort Hays State a chance in the final minute. The Tigers took possession at their own 24-yard line with 40 seconds left. Fort Hays State got to the Bearcat 34 with six seconds remaining, but Northwest's Isaiah Nimmers intercepted Fuller's pass on the final play to clinch the triumph. Jackson Barnes notched a team-high seven tackles. Northwest will open its home schedule next Thursday at 6 p.m. at against Lincoln.

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe&nbsp; Northwest Missouri State football team scored its first win of the season with a 15-7 triumph at Fort Hays State Thursday night.Running back Al McKeller led the way with 161 yards rushing and a touchdown. Quarterback Braden Wright was&nbsp; 13-of-23 for 96 yards and a touchdown.Defensively, Northwest held the Tigers to just 48 yards on the ground.The Bearcats extended their lead to eight when Wright found Kaden Davis for an 8-yard touchdown pass late in the fourth, but the extra point was blocked, which gave Fort Hays State a chance in the final minute. The Tigers took possession at their own 24-yard line with 40 seconds left. Fort Hays State got to the Bearcat 34 with six seconds remaining, but Northwest's Isaiah Nimmers intercepted Fuller's pass on the final play to clinch the triumph. Jackson Barnes notched a team-high seven tackles. Northwest will open its home schedule next Thursday at 6 p.m. at against Lincoln.

Northwest Missouri  State tops Fort Hays State in defensive battle Thursday

EDMOND, OK - The Missouri Western football team fell behind 24-7 at halftime before staging a comeback and getting back to within four points in the fourth quarter.

The Griffons, down four, had three possessions within the final 12 minutes of the game, but failed to score on any of them, and Central Oklahoma escaped with a 24-20 victory at Wantland Stadium on Thursday night.

It was Missouri Western's first game that counted toward their official record in 635 days. Head coach Matt Williamson was hopeful his team would come out excited and ready to play. Instead, a choppy first half offensively put the Griffons behind the 8-ball early.

"I tried to go into the game and you know I thought they'd be just amped," Williamson said of his players, "and ready to go, because they hadn't played for a long time. I was like, 'Hey, take a deep breath. Let's go out and play our football.' And we didn't. Just made tons of mistakes. Everything looked choppy."

Missouri Western failed to score on its opening drive, but the Bronchos (1-0) marched 65 yards on 10 plays on their opening possession to take a 7-0 lead with 8:26 to go in the first quarter.

On the Griffons' second drive, receiver Traveon James fumbled after a short reception. UCO recovered and were in the red zone, but settled for a 36-yard field goal to take a 10-0 lead after the first.

Missouri Western (0-1) responded early in the second. After a short UCO punt, freshman running back Brandon Hall took off on a 41-yard touchdown run to put the Griffons on the board with 12:09 left in the second quarter.

On the very next drive, UCO scored after just four plays. Junior quarterback and TCU transfer Stephon Brown took off on a 45-yard rush down the sideline for a touchdown to the put the Bronchos ahead 17-7.

Missouri Western's Thomas Kopcho missed a 36-yard field goal on the Griffons' ensuing drive, and UCO took advantage.

The Bronchos orchestrated a seven-play, 80-yard drive which ended in a 30-yard touchdown pass from Brown to receiver Markiese King, which put UCO ahead 24-7 at halftime.

Brown finished with 189 yards passing and a touchdown. He also rushed for 126 yards and a score.

"We just couldn't put anything together," Williamson said. "We just kept shooting ourselves in the foot. Penalties, crazy stuff, special teams were terrible. We did some things better later, but we just didn't put any pieces of the puzzle together in the first half. It was bad."

Missouri Western responded later in the third quarter. After a couple of stalled drives by both teams, the Griffons put together a 14-play, 66-yard series which ended with a one-yard touchdown run by freshman running back Shen Butler-Lawson Jr. on a 4th-and-goal situation.

The Griffon defense pitched another three-and-out, and the offense immediately went back to work. After a 31-yard catch by freshman receiver Hezekiah Trotter, freshman running back Brison Cobbins scored on a three-yard run to make the score 24-20.

Kopcho, who missed a field goal in the first half, missed the ensuing point after.

The Missouri Western defense came up with three stops in the fourth quarter, and the Griffon offense had three chances in the final quarter to score and grab a late lead, but they only achieved one first down in the final 12 minutes of the game.

The Griffons' last gasp was a 4th and 20 at their own 10-yard line with just over a minute left. Under pressure, sophomore quarterback Anthony Vespo threw the ball into traffic, where it was intercepted, sealing the win for UCO.

"Very disappointing," Williamson said. "I mean, that whole locker room. I was talking to them. You know, hats off to UCO. They played well and beat us and stuff like that, but I know we're a way better football team than what we put on the field today."

Sophomore receiver and Benton graduate Cooper Burton finished with a career-high seven catches for 91 yards. He also had 23 yards rushing. Hall finished with 99 all-purpose yards offensively.

Vespo was 13-of-28 through the air for 169 yards and an interception.

Missouri Western comes back for their home opener next Thursday against Fort Hays State. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. The game will be carried live on the Griffon Sports Network (680 AM, 95.3 FM) with coverage starting at 6 p.m.

While Williamson was proud of the fight his team showed in the second half, he's eager for he and his team to get back to work and fix the mistakes made in Thursday's season opener.

"We'll make the corrections when we come back and watch the film and do all of the stuff like that," Williamson said. "We're going to make sure they know exactly why, and they'll see exactly why, on film, what they produced and why we ended up on the wrong side of the column."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1630647519527.jpeg" alt="Missouri Western RB Brandon Hall scores in the first half. Courtesy photo by Arianne Boma." />
 <figcaption>Missouri Western RB Brandon Hall scores in the first half. Courtesy photo by Arianne Boma.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostEDMOND, OK - The Missouri Western football team fell behind 24-7 at halftime before staging a comeback and getting back to within four points in the fourth quarter.The Griffons, down four, had three possessions within the final 12 minutes of the game, but failed to score on any of them, and Central Oklahoma escaped with a 24-20 victory at Wantland Stadium on Thursday night.It was Missouri Western's first game that counted toward their official record in 635 days. Head coach Matt Williamson was hopeful his team would come out excited and ready to play. Instead, a choppy first half offensively put the Griffons behind the 8-ball early."I tried to go into the game and you know I thought they'd be just amped," Williamson said of his players, "and ready to go, because they hadn't played for a long time. I was like, 'Hey, take a deep breath. Let's go out and play our football.' And we didn't. Just made tons of mistakes. Everything looked choppy."Missouri Western failed to score on its opening drive, but the Bronchos (1-0) marched 65 yards on 10 plays on their opening possession to take a 7-0 lead with 8:26 to go in the first quarter.On the Griffons' second drive, receiver Traveon James fumbled after a short reception. UCO recovered and were in the red zone, but settled for a 36-yard field goal to take a 10-0 lead after the first.Missouri Western (0-1) responded early in the second. After a short UCO punt, freshman running back Brandon Hall took off on a 41-yard touchdown run to put the Griffons on the board with 12:09 left in the second quarter.On the very next drive, UCO scored after just four plays. Junior quarterback and TCU transfer Stephon Brown took off on a 45-yard rush down the sideline for a touchdown to the put the Bronchos ahead 17-7.Missouri Western's Thomas Kopcho missed a 36-yard field goal on the Griffons' ensuing drive, and UCO took advantage.The Bronchos orchestrated a seven-play, 80-yard drive which ended in a 30-yard touchdown pass from Brown to receiver Markiese King, which put UCO ahead 24-7 at halftime.Brown finished with 189 yards passing and a touchdown. He also rushed for 126 yards and a score."We just couldn't put anything together," Williamson said. "We just kept shooting ourselves in the foot. Penalties, crazy stuff, special teams were terrible. We did some things better later, but we just didn't put any pieces of the puzzle together in the first half. It was bad."Missouri Western responded later in the third quarter. After a couple of stalled drives by both teams, the Griffons put together a 14-play, 66-yard series which ended with a one-yard touchdown run by freshman running back Shen Butler-Lawson Jr. on a 4th-and-goal situation.The Griffon defense pitched another three-and-out, and the offense immediately went back to work. After a 31-yard catch by freshman receiver Hezekiah Trotter, freshman running back Brison Cobbins scored on a three-yard run to make the score 24-20.Kopcho, who missed a field goal in the first half, missed the ensuing point after.The Missouri Western defense came up with three stops in the fourth quarter, and the Griffon offense had three chances in the final quarter to score and grab a late lead, but they only achieved one first down in the final 12 minutes of the game.The Griffons' last gasp was a 4th and 20 at their own 10-yard line with just over a minute left. Under pressure, sophomore quarterback Anthony Vespo threw the ball into traffic, where it was intercepted, sealing the win for UCO."Very disappointing," Williamson said. "I mean, that whole locker room. I was talking to them. You know, hats off to UCO. They played well and beat us and stuff like that, but I know we're a way better football team than what we put on the field today."Sophomore receiver and Benton graduate Cooper Burton finished with a career-high seven catches for 91 yards. He also had 23 yards rushing. Hall finished with 99 all-purpose yards offensively.Vespo was 13-of-28 through the air for 169 yards and an interception.Missouri Western comes back for their home opener next Thursday against Fort Hays State. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. The game will be carried live on the Griffon Sports Network (680 AM, 95.3 FM) with coverage starting at 6 p.m.While Williamson was proud of the fight his team showed in the second half, he's eager for he and his team to get back to work and fix the mistakes made in Thursday's season opener."We'll make the corrections when we come back and watch the film and do all of the stuff like that," Williamson said. "We're going to make sure they know exactly why, and they'll see exactly why, on film, what they produced and why we ended up on the wrong side of the column."You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Missouri Western comeback falls short in season opener at Central Oklahoma

Missouri Western football has enjoyed an upward trajectory since Matt Williamson took over as head coach.

After a 4-7 finish in his first season in 2017, the Griffons went 7-5 in 2018 and then polished off 2019 with a 9-3 record and a second straight Live United Bowl victory. It was Missouri Western's best finish since 2012.

Just a few months after the Griffons' 35-14 win over Henderson State in December 2019, 634 days ago, the world shut down due to COVID-19 and the MIAA football season was canceled.

About 20 months later, there's still some unknowns, but the excitement surrounding the start of a new, full and normal season is palpable.

"You can just see it when you walk into a team room," Williamson said. "You walk into a meeting room or on the practice field. You're just like, 'Yup. It's happening.' And you can kind of just see it in their eyes. It's pretty cool to watch. I can't wait to just say 'go,' open the gates and see what happens."

The Griffons are picked to finish 5th in the MIAA by the league's coaches and 4th by the media.

Williamson returns nine total starters and 34 letter winners from the 2019 team, including three of the top four tacklers and three of the top four receivers.

The top tackler from 2019 is now fifth-year senior linebacker Evan Chohon, who led the Griffons with 94 tackles in that season.

As one of eight 'super seniors,' Chohon is excited to simply play a season that will actually count in the record books.

"It's nice to be able to play for something," Chohon said. "We're playing for the MIAA championship and we're getting the possibility to play for a natty. So, I think the players are excited to be playing against some other teams in the conference."

Despite a canceled MIAA season, Missouri Western played two games last fall - one at No. 11 Central Arkansas (L 52-10) from the FCS ranks and another against league rival Pittsburg State (L 20-7) at Spratt Stadium.

The Griffons had scheduled games against West Texas A&amp;M and Nebraska-Kearney in November, but both were canceled.

Even so, getting two games in 2020 proved valuable for Missouri Western, especially for the seven true freshmen who got to play in them.

"We went (to Central Arkansas) with about 65 percent of our starters," Williamson said. "If we had a full team, I was going down there ready to compete. For them to see that and be challenged at that level, it only raises you if you're a good competitor, and I believe we have a lot of good competitors in our football program."

Two of the strongest competitors in Missouri Western's program this offseason have been sophomore Anthony Vespo and freshman Reagan Jones - both vying for the role of starting quarterback.

While Vespo is expected to be under center to start things off, Williamson says Jones will be involved in the offense one way or another.

"(Jones) may not be playing quarterback," Williamson said. "He might be at another position. So, we can do some different things with him. He's just a great athlete. So, we'll work him into the game plan a little bit, and we'll kind of go from there."

The 2021 schedule is a return to normal with 11 MIAA games on the docket. Missouri Western opens the season at Central Oklahoma on Thursday night at 7 p.m. The game will be carried live on KFEQ Radio (680 AM, 95.3 FM) with pregame starting at 6 p.m.

Missouri Western is unproven in some spots. Three of the top four running backs are gone from 2019. Vespo is growing into a starting role at quarterback. Heck, there's only one senior on the offensive depth chart.

Defense could be a strength for the Griffons, as they return seven starters on that side, including five seniors. One of those five is senior and All-American corner Sam Webb.

Missouri Western struggled some defensively in 2019, giving up 440 yards per game and allowing 45 points or more in each of their three losses.

With defensive coordinator Justin Richter back for a fifth season, Chohon feels confident their unit is ready to take a big step forward.

"Yeah we had some rough patches in 2019, but we have a lot of guys returning," Chohon said. "With (coach) Richter coming back, a lot of us guys on the defense have become a lot more vocal and talking to each other and we really think we can kind of take the MIAA by storm."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1627417339445.jpeg" alt="Missouri Western head coach Matt Williamson. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Missouri Western head coach Matt Williamson. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostMissouri Western football has enjoyed an upward trajectory since Matt Williamson took over as head coach.After a 4-7 finish in his first season in 2017, the Griffons went 7-5 in 2018 and then polished off 2019 with a 9-3 record and a second straight Live United Bowl victory. It was Missouri Western's best finish since 2012.Just a few months after the Griffons' 35-14 win over Henderson State in December 2019, 634 days ago, the world shut down due to COVID-19 and the MIAA football season was canceled.About 20 months later, there's still some unknowns, but the excitement surrounding the start of a new, full and normal season is palpable."You can just see it when you walk into a team room," Williamson said. "You walk into a meeting room or on the practice field. You're just like, 'Yup. It's happening.' And you can kind of just see it in their eyes. It's pretty cool to watch. I can't wait to just say 'go,' open the gates and see what happens."The Griffons are picked to finish 5th in the MIAA by the league's coaches and 4th by the media.Williamson returns nine total starters and 34 letter winners from the 2019 team, including three of the top four tacklers and three of the top four receivers.The top tackler from 2019 is now fifth-year senior linebacker Evan Chohon, who led the Griffons with 94 tackles in that season.As one of eight 'super seniors,' Chohon is excited to simply play a season that will actually count in the record books."It's nice to be able to play for something," Chohon said. "We're playing for the MIAA championship and we're getting the possibility to play for a natty. So, I think the players are excited to be playing against some other teams in the conference."Despite a canceled MIAA season, Missouri Western played two games last fall - one at No. 11 Central Arkansas (L 52-10) from the FCS ranks and another against league rival Pittsburg State (L 20-7) at Spratt Stadium.The Griffons had scheduled games against West Texas A&amp;M and Nebraska-Kearney in November, but both were canceled.Even so, getting two games in 2020 proved valuable for Missouri Western, especially for the seven true freshmen who got to play in them."We went (to Central Arkansas) with about 65 percent of our starters," Williamson said. "If we had a full team, I was going down there ready to compete. For them to see that and be challenged at that level, it only raises you if you're a good competitor, and I believe we have a lot of good competitors in our football program."Two of the strongest competitors in Missouri Western's program this offseason have been sophomore Anthony Vespo and freshman Reagan Jones - both vying for the role of starting quarterback.While Vespo is expected to be under center to start things off, Williamson says Jones will be involved in the offense one way or another."(Jones) may not be playing quarterback," Williamson said. "He might be at another position. So, we can do some different things with him. He's just a great athlete. So, we'll work him into the game plan a little bit, and we'll kind of go from there."The 2021 schedule is a return to normal with 11 MIAA games on the docket. Missouri Western opens the season at Central Oklahoma on Thursday night at 7 p.m. The game will be carried live on KFEQ Radio (680 AM, 95.3 FM) with pregame starting at 6 p.m.Missouri Western is unproven in some spots. Three of the top four running backs are gone from 2019. Vespo is growing into a starting role at quarterback. Heck, there's only one senior on the offensive depth chart.Defense could be a strength for the Griffons, as they return seven starters on that side, including five seniors. One of those five is senior and All-American corner Sam Webb.Missouri Western struggled some defensively in 2019, giving up 440 yards per game and allowing 45 points or more in each of their three losses.With defensive coordinator Justin Richter back for a fifth season, Chohon feels confident their unit is ready to take a big step forward."Yeah we had some rough patches in 2019, but we have a lot of guys returning," Chohon said. "With (coach) Richter coming back, a lot of us guys on the defense have become a lot more vocal and talking to each other and we really think we can kind of take the MIAA by storm."You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Missouri Western football ready to continue upward climb in 2021

It has been 634 days since the winningest college football program of the last decade in Division II has taken the field.

Northwest Missouri State wrapped up the 2019 season on December 7 with a 25-3 loss to Ferris State in the NCAA DII national quarterfinals.

What followed in 2020 was a year of very limited practice. No games. No fans. No chance for the Bearcats to prove what they could have been.

"It's been a long, long offseason anticipating a game," senior quarterback and all-MIAA honoree Braden Wright said. "Like, we got one in the spring. Kind of a practice, scrimmage setup. You know, it was fun to get out there, but that's not the same as an actual football game obviously. So, it's exciting to finally get to strap it on against somebody else."

Northwest did hold a joint practice with Sioux Falls on April 10 in Maryville, but just like nearly every other DII team, did not play a game in 2020.

The Bearcats tried to schedule games with Washburn and Central Missouri in November, but both of those were canceled.

For head coach Rich Wright, who enters his fourth season, this coming year truly is a great unknown. Even when his team is picked by the league's coaches and media to win the MIAA and is preseason ranked No. 4 in the country.

"As the head football coach at Northwest Missouri State, don't know what's going to happen with this football season," Wright said. "So, how anybody picked us (first in the MIAA), I mean, I guess it's a popularity contest, because it sure isn't based on anything anybody's done in the last 365 days."

Northwest opens its season with a trip to Hays, KS on Thursday and a showdown with the Fort Hays State Tigers - a team that starts the season just outside the AFCA Top 25 and is picked to finish third in the conference.

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. For Braden Wright, this season opener carries a little more excitement than others.

"Just having the opportunity to go out and battle right out of the gate and to see what we're made of right way," he said, "I'm excited for the opportunity. Obviously, I have a lot of respect for (Fort Hays State) as a team and as a program."

While Wright enters his third year as the starting quarterback, Northwest brings back 14, fifth-year seniors. Every player in an NCAA fall and winter sport were granted an extra year of eligibility due to the pandemic.

While some elected to forego that extra year, linebacker and captain Jackson Barnes is thrilled to come back for another season and help the team achieve its high aspirations.

"This class has just worked too hard for this," Barnes said. "You know, I'm not ready to give it up and the rest of us weren't either. We're just excited to come back and compete."

Now that he has come back, Barnes and those around him intend to make this season one to remember.

"We don't want to end (the season) losing in the playoffs," he said. "We want to play for it all and that's just the standard we have and it means a lot to us to be able to come back and compete for that."

Northwest has won four national titles since 2009 - the last one coming in 2016 under coach Adam Dorrel.

For coach Wright, the talk doesn't focus a ton on national championships.

"We talk about how there's a right way to do things and a wrong way to do things and there is no gray area," he said. "So, if we go into it with that mentality, and we understand the things it takes to be successful, then the process takes care of itself."

There's some unknowns for Northwest going into this season. Two new running backs on the depth chart. A secondary peppered with transfers and unproven talent. Three of the top five receivers from 2019 gone.

The good news for the Bearcats - the start of the 2021 season is a bit of an unknown for everybody. Especially after no season last year.

"Guys graduated," coach Wright said. "They brought in other guys. People transferred out. Until we get to see what everybody has, it's truly a crap shoot."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1630544142738.jpeg" alt="From left to right: Northwest QB Braden Wright, head coach Rich Wright and linebacker Jackson Barnes at MIAA Media Days in Kansas City. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>From left to right: Northwest QB Braden Wright, head coach Rich Wright and linebacker Jackson Barnes at MIAA Media Days in Kansas City. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostIt has been 634 days since the winningest college football program of the last decade in Division II has taken the field.Northwest Missouri State wrapped up the 2019 season on December 7 with a 25-3 loss to Ferris State in the NCAA DII national quarterfinals.What followed in 2020 was a year of very limited practice. No games. No fans. No chance for the Bearcats to prove what they could have been."It's been a long, long offseason anticipating a game," senior quarterback and all-MIAA honoree Braden Wright said. "Like, we got one in the spring. Kind of a practice, scrimmage setup. You know, it was fun to get out there, but that's not the same as an actual football game obviously. So, it's exciting to finally get to strap it on against somebody else."Northwest did hold a joint practice with Sioux Falls on April 10 in Maryville, but just like nearly every other DII team, did not play a game in 2020.The Bearcats tried to schedule games with Washburn and Central Missouri in November, but both of those were canceled.For head coach Rich Wright, who enters his fourth season, this coming year truly is a great unknown. Even when his team is picked by the league's coaches and media to win the MIAA and is preseason ranked No. 4 in the country."As the head football coach at Northwest Missouri State, don't know what's going to happen with this football season," Wright said. "So, how anybody picked us (first in the MIAA), I mean, I guess it's a popularity contest, because it sure isn't based on anything anybody's done in the last 365 days."Northwest opens its season with a trip to Hays, KS on Thursday and a showdown with the Fort Hays State Tigers - a team that starts the season just outside the AFCA Top 25 and is picked to finish third in the conference.Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. For Braden Wright, this season opener carries a little more excitement than others."Just having the opportunity to go out and battle right out of the gate and to see what we're made of right way," he said, "I'm excited for the opportunity. Obviously, I have a lot of respect for (Fort Hays State) as a team and as a program."While Wright enters his third year as the starting quarterback, Northwest brings back 14, fifth-year seniors. Every player in an NCAA fall and winter sport were granted an extra year of eligibility due to the pandemic.While some elected to forego that extra year, linebacker and captain Jackson Barnes is thrilled to come back for another season and help the team achieve its high aspirations."This class has just worked too hard for this," Barnes said. "You know, I'm not ready to give it up and the rest of us weren't either. We're just excited to come back and compete."Now that he has come back, Barnes and those around him intend to make this season one to remember."We don't want to end (the season) losing in the playoffs," he said. "We want to play for it all and that's just the standard we have and it means a lot to us to be able to come back and compete for that."Northwest has won four national titles since 2009 - the last one coming in 2016 under coach Adam Dorrel.For coach Wright, the talk doesn't focus a ton on national championships."We talk about how there's a right way to do things and a wrong way to do things and there is no gray area," he said. "So, if we go into it with that mentality, and we understand the things it takes to be successful, then the process takes care of itself."There's some unknowns for Northwest going into this season. Two new running backs on the depth chart. A secondary peppered with transfers and unproven talent. Three of the top five receivers from 2019 gone.The good news for the Bearcats - the start of the 2021 season is a bit of an unknown for everybody. Especially after no season last year."Guys graduated," coach Wright said. "They brought in other guys. People transferred out. Until we get to see what everybody has, it's truly a crap shoot."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1630552489471.jpeg" alt="Northwest quarterback Braden Wright. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Northwest quarterback Braden Wright. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Northwest Missouri State ready to continue winning pedigree after long break 

Bishop LeBlond (2-0) controlled the pace late in the first set, came from behind to win the second and straight up dominated the third set in a 3-0 (25-19, 25-29, 25-8) win over Mid-Buchanan at Grace Gymnasium Tuesday.

The first set was back and forth with three ties and three lead changes early, but LeBlond opened up a 24-16 lead in the first set before eventually winning it 25-19.

Senior Kianna Herrera went to work early with five kills in the opening frame.

The second set started much like the first - both teams going toe-to-toe. After five ties early, Mid-Buchanan (3-3) opened up a 15-10 lead, prompting the first and only timeout of the night from LeBlond coach Kimberly Huss, who doesn't always love calling timeouts when her team is trying to figure out a problem, especially early in the season.

"Because I think kids need to learn how to respond if you don't have any timeouts left," Huss said. "So, sometimes I go ahead this early in the season and I let them gain a couple of points and see how our kids will respond."

With the score tied at 16-16, LeBlond ended the second set on a 9-3 run to win it 25-19. The run was fueled in part by three consecutive ace serves from sophomore Leah Frazee and three kills from junior Paige Perry.

Herrera and junior Sadie Ward each led the Eagles with nine kills, while Perry had six total.

"We're just trying to spread the wealth and get everybody involved so that we can build some confidence and continue to grow as a team," Huss said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1630465190499.jpeg" alt="Kianna Herrera. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Kianna Herrera. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostBishop LeBlond (2-0) controlled the pace late in the first set, came from behind to win the second and straight up dominated the third set in a 3-0 (25-19, 25-29, 25-8) win over Mid-Buchanan at Grace Gymnasium Tuesday.The first set was back and forth with three ties and three lead changes early, but LeBlond opened up a 24-16 lead in the first set before eventually winning it 25-19.Senior Kianna Herrera went to work early with five kills in the opening frame.The second set started much like the first - both teams going toe-to-toe. After five ties early, Mid-Buchanan (3-3) opened up a 15-10 lead, prompting the first and only timeout of the night from LeBlond coach Kimberly Huss, who doesn't always love calling timeouts when her team is trying to figure out a problem, especially early in the season."Because I think kids need to learn how to respond if you don't have any timeouts left," Huss said. "So, sometimes I go ahead this early in the season and I let them gain a couple of points and see how our kids will respond."With the score tied at 16-16, LeBlond ended the second set on a 9-3 run to win it 25-19. The run was fueled in part by three consecutive ace serves from sophomore Leah Frazee and three kills from junior Paige Perry.Herrera and junior Sadie Ward each led the Eagles with nine kills, while Perry had six total."We're just trying to spread the wealth and get everybody involved so that we can build some confidence and continue to grow as a team," Huss said.The third set was rarely in doubt. LeBlond opened up a 12-6 lead to start. Mid-Buchanan called timeout, but the Eagles reeled off a 12-1 run to force match point and eventually close the set at 25-8 and complete the sweep."One of the things we're trying to accomplish every single time we take the court is an amount of focus that it takes to finish a match and finish one set in that match," Huss said. "We talked about it in between games that we really wanted to use that in the third set to finish strong and not let them back in it."Mid-Buchanan was led by senior Khania Clark, who logged nine kills. Junior Hailey Clark had eight, while junior Mallie Lieffring had six.LeBlond is off for over a week and will welcome defending Class 3 state champion Maryville to their home floor on September 9.With a long weekend coming up, Huss is hopeful her team will be well rested and focused by the time the next match comes around."It is good in this early part of the season around the holiday to get some rest and we'll come back and play next Thursday," Huss said. "Then, come back to a couple of tournaments in a row. So, we've got to have fresh legs and be ready to go into those tournaments at the end of September."LeBlond will take part in the Chillicothe tournament Sept. 20-30 and then the LeBlond tournament in early October.Mid-Buchanan is back in St. Joseph to visit Lafayette on September 7.<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/LeBlond-volleyball-coach-Kimberly-Huss-e16o674" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1630466535533.jpeg" alt="LeBlond celebrates a point in the second set. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>LeBlond celebrates a point in the second set. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1630466500042.jpeg" alt="Mallie Lieffring (right) tries to hit one past the LeBlond blockers in the third set. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Mallie Lieffring (right) tries to hit one past the LeBlond blockers in the third set. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.