For the 17th straight season, the Northwest Missouri State football team has secured an NCAA Division II playoff bid. Northwest (9-1) is the No. 3 seed in Super Region Three and earned a home playoff game. against Central Washington (8-2) this Saturday. Kickoff is set for noon at Bearcat Stadium.

"It's very exciting," Northwest senior and linebacker Sam Roberts said about the prospect of playoffs. "We've put in a lot of hard work over the years and to see it come to fruition at this moment in time is just amazing. With COVID and stuff, we just had extra motivation to play this season and we're just using that, and we're going to do the thing and run it up." The Bearcats captured the program's 31st MIAA regular season title with a 35-7 win over Emporia State on Saturday. It marks Northwest's 21st outright MIAA title and the first one since 2016 - the last time that Northwest won a national title as well.

"They sacrificed a lot," Northwest head coach Rich Wright said after Saturday's game. "For them to get an opportunity to win the conference, it makes all of those days in the weight room and running sprints worth it." Northwest and Central Washington met once previously in the 2009 playoffs. Northwest pulled out a 21-20 victory in the quarterfinals in Ellensburg, WA.

Bearcat senior Tyler Roach blocked an extra point with six seconds left in the game to preserve Northwest's one-point victory. Northwest would go on to win the national championship that year as well.

The MIAA saw two other football teams receive a playoff berth. Nebraska-Kearney (9-2) is at No. 3 seed Western Colorado (10-1) on Saturday at 2 p.m. central.

Washburn (9-2) is at No. 2 seed Harding (10-1) on Saturday at 1 p.m. central.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612386387587.jpeg" alt="Stock photo." />
 <figcaption>Stock photo.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostFor the 17th straight season, the Northwest Missouri State football team has secured an NCAA Division II playoff bid. Northwest (9-1) is the No. 3 seed in Super Region Three and earned a home playoff game. against Central Washington (8-2) this Saturday. Kickoff is set for noon at Bearcat Stadium."It's very exciting," Northwest senior and linebacker Sam Roberts said about the prospect of playoffs. "We've put in a lot of hard work over the years and to see it come to fruition at this moment in time is just amazing. With COVID and stuff, we just had extra motivation to play this season and we're just using that, and we're going to do the thing and run it up." The Bearcats captured the program's 31st MIAA regular season title with a 35-7 win over Emporia State on Saturday. It marks Northwest's 21st outright MIAA title and the first one since 2016 - the last time that Northwest won a national title as well."They sacrificed a lot," Northwest head coach Rich Wright said after Saturday's game. "For them to get an opportunity to win the conference, it makes all of those days in the weight room and running sprints worth it." Northwest and Central Washington met once previously in the 2009 playoffs. Northwest pulled out a 21-20 victory in the quarterfinals in Ellensburg, WA.Bearcat senior Tyler Roach blocked an extra point with six seconds left in the game to preserve Northwest's one-point victory. Northwest would go on to win the national championship that year as well.The MIAA saw two other football teams receive a playoff berth. Nebraska-Kearney (9-2) is at No. 3 seed Western Colorado (10-1) on Saturday at 2 p.m. central.Washburn (9-2) is at No. 2 seed Harding (10-1) on Saturday at 1 p.m. central.

Northwest draws No. 3 seed in playoffs, will host Central Washington Saturday

(AP) -&nbsp; Patrick Mahomes threw for five touchdown passes and returned to his usual form after a surprisingly shaky stretch this season, and the Kansas City Chiefs moved into first place in the AFC West with a 41-14 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday night.

"You could just feel the energy from the guys," Mahomes said after. "Everybody was ready to go this game. Offensively, we obviously haven't played the way we've wanted to this season, but we've been finding ways to get wins and they've been steady with the process of getting better and better."

Mahomes and the Chiefs showed little resemblance to the team that overpowered the AFC the past three seasons over the first nine weeks. But, they used a dominant performance over the Raiders on a day when everyone else in the division lost, returning the Chiefs to the top of the standings.

"I knew we were going to click back into it," Mahomes stated. "I've been saying it for weeks. We're going to find it. We have too many guys who work hard. We have too many great coaches that put in the time. We're going to find a way to get stuff going."

Running back Darrel Williams had nine catches for 101 yards and a touchdown Sunday, tight end Travis Kelce had over 100 yards receiving and Tyreek Hill caught two touchdown passes.&nbsp;

Kansas City improves to 6-4 with their third straight win. The Chiefs are back home Sunday to host Dallas (7-2). Kickoff from Arrowhead Stadium is slated for 3:25 p.m. The game will be carried on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3) and Q Country 92.7 FM in St. Joseph.

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

St. Joseph Post(AP) -&nbsp; Patrick Mahomes threw for five touchdown passes and returned to his usual form after a surprisingly shaky stretch this season, and the Kansas City Chiefs moved into first place in the AFC West with a 41-14 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday night."You could just feel the energy from the guys," Mahomes said after. "Everybody was ready to go this game. Offensively, we obviously haven't played the way we've wanted to this season, but we've been finding ways to get wins and they've been steady with the process of getting better and better."Mahomes and the Chiefs showed little resemblance to the team that overpowered the AFC the past three seasons over the first nine weeks. But, they used a dominant performance over the Raiders on a day when everyone else in the division lost, returning the Chiefs to the top of the standings."I knew we were going to click back into it," Mahomes stated. "I've been saying it for weeks. We're going to find it. We have too many guys who work hard. We have too many great coaches that put in the time. We're going to find a way to get stuff going."Running back Darrel Williams had nine catches for 101 yards and a touchdown Sunday, tight end Travis Kelce had over 100 yards receiving and Tyreek Hill caught two touchdown passes.&nbsp;Kansas City improves to 6-4 with their third straight win. The Chiefs are back home Sunday to host Dallas (7-2). Kickoff from Arrowhead Stadium is slated for 3:25 p.m. The game will be carried on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3) and Q Country 92.7 FM in St. Joseph.You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Mahomes throws for five scores, Chiefs rout Raiders Sunday night

KANSAS CITY -&nbsp; The Missouri Western saw a double-digit lead slip away late, as Henderson State topped the Griffons 81-77 in overtime at the Central Region Challenge in Kansas City Sunday.

The Griffons led 39-34 at the half and held the lead for more than 30 minutes in the contest, but couldn't withstand a late run by the Reddies.

Missouri Western led 55-43 with just over 12 minutes left and 68-58 with 4:30 to go, but a 12-2 run by the Reddies forced OT and Henderson State (1-1) started the overtime period on a 5-0 run.

"We have to rebound and finish plays," head coach Will Martin said. "That's not just a toughness thing, that's a technique thing as well. So, as a staff, we'll look at that and we'll adjust."

After sitting for most of the first half with two early fouls,&nbsp;JaQuaylon "Q" Mays&nbsp;erupted to start the second half, scoring six straight points to help the Griffons extend their lead.

Mays, for a fourth straight game, led his team in scoring with 22 points - 21 of that came after halftime.

JaRon Thames came off the bench to score a season-high 17 points. Alex John also scored a season-best 14 points to go with seven rebounds. Will Eames was just shy of a double-double, scoring eight points and grabbing a team-best 11 boards.

The Griffons shot 42.4 percent from the field, but just 6-of-29 from three and 15-of-22 from the free throw line.

Some strong performances, and Western played well enough to win for most of the game, but the final stretch belonged to Henderson State and the Griffons fall to 1-3 on the young season, suffering their second overtime loss in the first four games.

"Perspective is going to be huge for us," Martin said. "I told the guys, and I truly believe this - in moments like this, you have a tremendous opportunity to respond. I've said this a lot, you learn more in the losses."

The Griffons return to action Friday to open the Hillyard Men's Tip-Off Classi,c and will play in the MWSU Fieldhouse for the first time this season. Missouri Western hosts Oklahoma Baptist Friday, with tipoff set for 7:30 p.m.&nbsp; The game will be carried on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1636990785675.jpeg" alt="Photo by John Roushkolb." />
 <figcaption>Photo by John Roushkolb.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostKANSAS CITY -&nbsp; The Missouri Western saw a double-digit lead slip away late, as Henderson State topped the Griffons 81-77 in overtime at the Central Region Challenge in Kansas City Sunday.The Griffons led 39-34 at the half and held the lead for more than 30 minutes in the contest, but couldn't withstand a late run by the Reddies.Missouri Western led 55-43 with just over 12 minutes left and 68-58 with 4:30 to go, but a 12-2 run by the Reddies forced OT and Henderson State (1-1) started the overtime period on a 5-0 run."We have to rebound and finish plays," head coach Will Martin said. "That's not just a toughness thing, that's a technique thing as well. So, as a staff, we'll look at that and we'll adjust." After sitting for most of the first half with two early fouls,&nbsp;JaQuaylon "Q" Mays&nbsp;erupted to start the second half, scoring six straight points to help the Griffons extend their lead.Mays, for a fourth straight game, led his team in scoring with 22 points - 21 of that came after halftime.JaRon Thames came off the bench to score a season-high 17 points. Alex John also scored a season-best 14 points to go with seven rebounds. Will Eames was just shy of a double-double, scoring eight points and grabbing a team-best 11 boards.The Griffons shot 42.4 percent from the field, but just 6-of-29 from three and 15-of-22 from the free throw line.Some strong performances, and Western played well enough to win for most of the game, but the final stretch belonged to Henderson State and the Griffons fall to 1-3 on the young season, suffering their second overtime loss in the first four games."Perspective is going to be huge for us," Martin said. "I told the guys, and I truly believe this - in moments like this, you have a tremendous opportunity to respond. I've said this a lot, you learn more in the losses."The Griffons return to action Friday to open the Hillyard Men's Tip-Off Classi,c and will play in the MWSU Fieldhouse for the first time this season. Missouri Western hosts Oklahoma Baptist Friday, with tipoff set for 7:30 p.m.&nbsp; The game will be carried on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3).You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Missouri Western men lose double-digit lead, fall to Henderson State in overtime Sunday

KANSAS CITY - The East Buchanan football team (11-1) dominated in the ground game and rolled to a 38-12 win over University Academy Charter on Saturday afternoon in the Class 1 District 8 championship in Kansas City.

The district title win marks the first for East Buchanan football since 2017.

"To give these fans and these players a chance to play for a district title and then win it, what a great feeling for this community," second year head coach Dan Ritter said.

East Buchanan set the tone up front from the get-go. Running back Trevor Klein got the scoring started with a five-yard touchdown run, giving the Bulldogs an early 7-0 lead in the first quarter.

University Academy (8-4) answered with a touchdown of their own in the second quarter, but went for two and failed to convert.

The Bulldogs took advantage on their ensuing drive, as Klein rumbled into the end zone on an 81-yard run. The point-after missed, but East Buchanan went ahead 13-6 midway through the second.

After getting a stop on defense, East Buchanan went back to work on the ground game, as Cru Conaway scored on a three-yard run. Klein's successful two-point run gave the Bulldogs a 21-6 lead.

"Just run through someone's face when you get the rock," Conaway said. "That's what we do. It's a mentality. That's all it really is. You get the ball and you just want to score and that's how (me and Trevor) see it."

University Academy responded with a deep touchdown pass in the final minute of the first half, but again failed on a two-point try, and East Buchanan tacked on a field goal from Alec Hesson to take a 24-12 lead at the break.

East Buchanan kept the ball on the ground in the second half, controlling the line of scrimmage and time of possession. Conaway tallied two more rushing scores, and Adam Stephen-Enges snagged a pair of interceptions on the defensive side to keep University Academy off the board.

The Bulldog defense got four total interceptions on the day, including one in the end zone, and they held University Academy scoreless for the entire second half.

In total, East Buchanan rushed for a staggering 412 yards - Conaway and Klein combined for 385 of those rushing yards on their own.

"We always just love running the rock," said Klein after rushing for three scores. "We're really good at running and our offensive linemen are some of the best in the state, and we can do it any time we want."

East Buchanan advances to the Class 1 state quarterfinals, where they'll host KCI rival Hamilton on Saturday at 1 p.m. The game will be broadcast on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3).

East Buchanan defeated Hamilton in the regular season 22-12 on September 17 in Gower.

The Hornets (9-3) took down Gallatin, 42-8, for a district title of their own on Friday night.

"We better figure out our keys and we better tackle," Ritter said, "because they can run the ball and they showed Gallatin what was up in the cold. That's a tough team, so we know we have our hands full, but we're going to celebrate today."

You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ, Matt at @KFEQMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1636913203334.jpeg" alt="Trevor Klein (20) rushes for a TD in the first half against University Academy Charter. Photo by Matt Pike." />
 <figcaption>Trevor Klein (20) rushes for a TD in the first half against University Academy Charter. Photo by Matt Pike.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZAC and MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostKANSAS CITY - The East Buchanan football team (11-1) dominated in the ground game and rolled to a 38-12 win over University Academy Charter on Saturday afternoon in the Class 1 District 8 championship in Kansas City.The district title win marks the first for East Buchanan football since 2017."To give these fans and these players a chance to play for a district title and then win it, what a great feeling for this community," second year head coach Dan Ritter said.East Buchanan set the tone up front from the get-go. Running back Trevor Klein got the scoring started with a five-yard touchdown run, giving the Bulldogs an early 7-0 lead in the first quarter.University Academy (8-4) answered with a touchdown of their own in the second quarter, but went for two and failed to convert.The Bulldogs took advantage on their ensuing drive, as Klein rumbled into the end zone on an 81-yard run. The point-after missed, but East Buchanan went ahead 13-6 midway through the second.After getting a stop on defense, East Buchanan went back to work on the ground game, as Cru Conaway scored on a three-yard run. Klein's successful two-point run gave the Bulldogs a 21-6 lead."Just run through someone's face when you get the rock," Conaway said. "That's what we do. It's a mentality. That's all it really is. You get the ball and you just want to score and that's how (me and Trevor) see it."University Academy responded with a deep touchdown pass in the final minute of the first half, but again failed on a two-point try, and East Buchanan tacked on a field goal from Alec Hesson to take a 24-12 lead at the break.East Buchanan kept the ball on the ground in the second half, controlling the line of scrimmage and time of possession. Conaway tallied two more rushing scores, and Adam Stephen-Enges snagged a pair of interceptions on the defensive side to keep University Academy off the board.The Bulldog defense got four total interceptions on the day, including one in the end zone, and they held University Academy scoreless for the entire second half.In total, East Buchanan rushed for a staggering 412 yards - Conaway and Klein combined for 385 of those rushing yards on their own."We always just love running the rock," said Klein after rushing for three scores. "We're really good at running and our offensive linemen are some of the best in the state, and we can do it any time we want."East Buchanan advances to the Class 1 state quarterfinals, where they'll host KCI rival Hamilton on Saturday at 1 p.m. The game will be broadcast on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3).East Buchanan defeated Hamilton in the regular season 22-12 on September 17 in Gower.The Hornets (9-3) took down Gallatin, 42-8, for a district title of their own on Friday night."We better figure out our keys and we better tackle," Ritter said, "because they can run the ball and they showed Gallatin what was up in the cold. That's a tough team, so we know we have our hands full, but we're going to celebrate today."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1636913287656.jpeg" alt="Cru Conaway (6) runs the ball against University Academy Charter. Photo by Matt Pike." />
 <figcaption>Cru Conaway (6) runs the ball against University Academy Charter. Photo by Matt Pike.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1636913340060.jpeg" alt="East Buchanan huddles at halftime. Photo by Matt Pike." />
 <figcaption>East Buchanan huddles at halftime. Photo by Matt Pike.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ, Matt at @KFEQMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

East Buchanan dominates University Academy to claim first district title since 2017

8-man District 3 semifinals Bishop LeBlond 77 (10-1) Braymer 46 (4-6) - FINAL

King City 78 (11-2) Orrick 6 (8-4) - FINAL - LeBlond will host King City in a district title next Friday night at 7 p.m.

8-man District 4 semifinals Worth County 34 (11-0) Stanberry 20 (7-5) - FINAL

East Atchison 40 (10-1) Platte Valley 14 (8-3) - FINAL - Worth County hosts East Atchison in the district title next Friday at 7 p.m.

Class 1 District 7 championship Hamilton 42 (9-3) Gallatin 8 (9-3) - FINAL - The Hornets await the winner of East Buchanan/University Academy Charter in state quarterfinals.

Class 1 District 8 championship University Academy Charter (8-3) hosts East Buchanan (10-1) for the title on Saturday afternoon at 1.

Class 2 District 7 championship Maryville 33 (7-4) Macon 6 (7-5) - FINAL - The Spoofhounds host Richmond in state quarterfinals on Saturday, November 20 at 1 p.m.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1636173980659.jpeg" alt="Stock photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Stock photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph Post8-man District 3 semifinals Bishop LeBlond 77 (10-1) Braymer 46 (4-6) - FINALKing City 78 (11-2) Orrick 6 (8-4) - FINAL - LeBlond will host King City in a district title next Friday night at 7 p.m.8-man District 4 semifinals Worth County 34 (11-0) Stanberry 20 (7-5) - FINALEast Atchison 40 (10-1) Platte Valley 14 (8-3) - FINAL - Worth County hosts East Atchison in the district title next Friday at 7 p.m.Class 1 District 7 championship Hamilton 42 (9-3) Gallatin 8 (9-3) - FINAL - The Hornets await the winner of East Buchanan/University Academy Charter in state quarterfinals.Class 1 District 8 championship University Academy Charter (8-3) hosts East Buchanan (10-1) for the title on Saturday afternoon at 1.Class 2 District 7 championship Maryville 33 (7-4) Macon 6 (7-5) - FINAL - The Spoofhounds host Richmond in state quarterfinals on Saturday, November 20 at 1 p.m.&nbsp;

KFEQ/St. Joseph Post area football scoreboard - November 12, 2021

Corbyn Cunningham&nbsp;was a rebound shy of a double-double on Friday night as she helped lead Missouri Western to a 76-68 win over Sioux Falls in the Hillyard Women's Basketball Tipoff Classic at the Missouri Western Fieldhouse.

Cunningham had a stellar night, scoring a game-high 24 points to go with nine rebounds, two assists and a steal.

Grad student and Northwest transfer&nbsp;Jaelyn Haggard&nbsp;was also a potent force for the Griffon offense, scoring 23 points on 5-of-9 shooting from three.

Missouri Western led 36-22 at halftime, but the Cougars (0-1) closed the gap a couple of times, trailing only 46-42 late in the third and then just 67-64 late in the fourth, but the Griffons made enough free throws in the final minute to pull away. Missouri Western controlled the offensive glass on the night, holding a 21-9 advantage, and the Griffons forced 26 turnovers as well.

The Griffon women close out their weekend Saturday, taking on Southeastern Oklahoma State. Tipoff is set for 3:30 p.m. Coverage starts at 3, or immediately following Griffon football coverage on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3).&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1636790162162.jpeg" alt="Corbyn Cunningham (left) goes up for a shot Friday against Sioux Falls. Photo by Arianne Boma." />
 <figcaption>Corbyn Cunningham (left) goes up for a shot Friday against Sioux Falls. Photo by Arianne Boma.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostCorbyn Cunningham&nbsp;was a rebound shy of a double-double on Friday night as she helped lead Missouri Western to a 76-68 win over Sioux Falls in the Hillyard Women's Basketball Tipoff Classic at the Missouri Western Fieldhouse.Cunningham had a stellar night, scoring a game-high 24 points to go with nine rebounds, two assists and a steal.Grad student and Northwest transfer&nbsp;Jaelyn Haggard&nbsp;was also a potent force for the Griffon offense, scoring 23 points on 5-of-9 shooting from three.Missouri Western led 36-22 at halftime, but the Cougars (0-1) closed the gap a couple of times, trailing only 46-42 late in the third and then just 67-64 late in the fourth, but the Griffons made enough free throws in the final minute to pull away. Missouri Western controlled the offensive glass on the night, holding a 21-9 advantage, and the Griffons forced 26 turnovers as well. The Griffon women close out their weekend Saturday, taking on Southeastern Oklahoma State. Tipoff is set for 3:30 p.m. Coverage starts at 3, or immediately following Griffon football coverage on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3).&nbsp;&nbsp;

Missouri Western women's basketball wins season-opener over Sioux Falls Friday

KANSAS CITY - Minnesota-State Mankato got off to a 23-7 start and never waivered, as the Mavericks topped Missouri Western 77-64 in the Central Region Challenge at the Municipal Auditorium on Friday night.

The Griffons (1-2) shot 28.6 percent (8-of-28) in the first half and just 33.3 percent (19-of-57) for the game, while also going 23-of-37 at the free throw line.

Western also never got going from deep, going 3-of-19 from three.

"They did a really good job scouting our team," Griffons head coach Will Martin said. "Taking away the shots we like to get into. So, we have to watch the film and figure out ways we can counter that."

Down 41-24 at halftime, Missouri Western started the second half on a 16-7 run and made it a 48-40 ballgame with 13:21 to play, but the Mavericks (1-0) responded with&nbsp; a 10-0 run to go up 58-40 with 10:21 left.

Western got some stops and closed to within 62-51 with 6:19 left, but that's as close as the Griffons would get.

Senior Q Mays led his team in scoring for the third consecutive game, notching a game-high 27 points on a tough 10-of-22 shooting night from the floor. Sophomore Will Eames scored 10 points, while freshman Taye Fields and sophomore JaRon Thames each had seven.

Fields, a true freshman from Opelika, Alabama, was a bright spot in an all around frustrating night for the Griffons, leading the team with seven rebounds and tying for the team-high with four steals.

"I was proud of the way we responded for a lot of the second half," Martin said. "You had Taye Fields, a freshman, really step up and gave us some productive minutes. Q (Mays) was good again in terms of giving us a playmaker on the court."

Missouri Western will stay at the Municipal Auditorium on Sunday to face Henderson State. Tip-off is set for 4:15 p.m. Coverage starts at 3:50 on KFEQ Radio (680 AM, 95.3 FM).

"I think our guys are going to respond," Martin said of Sunday's game. "I really do. I keep saying that over and over again, but I believe we have that core with this team."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1636788920442.jpeg" alt="Stock photo by Arianne Boma." />
 <figcaption>Stock photo by Arianne Boma.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostKANSAS CITY - Minnesota-State Mankato got off to a 23-7 start and never waivered, as the Mavericks topped Missouri Western 77-64 in the Central Region Challenge at the Municipal Auditorium on Friday night.The Griffons (1-2) shot 28.6 percent (8-of-28) in the first half and just 33.3 percent (19-of-57) for the game, while also going 23-of-37 at the free throw line.Western also never got going from deep, going 3-of-19 from three."They did a really good job scouting our team," Griffons head coach Will Martin said. "Taking away the shots we like to get into. So, we have to watch the film and figure out ways we can counter that."Down 41-24 at halftime, Missouri Western started the second half on a 16-7 run and made it a 48-40 ballgame with 13:21 to play, but the Mavericks (1-0) responded with&nbsp; a 10-0 run to go up 58-40 with 10:21 left.Western got some stops and closed to within 62-51 with 6:19 left, but that's as close as the Griffons would get.Senior Q Mays led his team in scoring for the third consecutive game, notching a game-high 27 points on a tough 10-of-22 shooting night from the floor. Sophomore Will Eames scored 10 points, while freshman Taye Fields and sophomore JaRon Thames each had seven.Fields, a true freshman from Opelika, Alabama, was a bright spot in an all around frustrating night for the Griffons, leading the team with seven rebounds and tying for the team-high with four steals."I was proud of the way we responded for a lot of the second half," Martin said. "You had Taye Fields, a freshman, really step up and gave us some productive minutes. Q (Mays) was good again in terms of giving us a playmaker on the court."Missouri Western will stay at the Municipal Auditorium on Sunday to face Henderson State. Tip-off is set for 4:15 p.m. Coverage starts at 3:50 on KFEQ Radio (680 AM, 95.3 FM)."I think our guys are going to respond," Martin said of Sunday's game. "I really do. I keep saying that over and over again, but I believe we have that core with this team."You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

MWSU gets off to slow start, falls to Minnesota State-Mankato Friday

Luke Theis was named the interim director of the e-sports program at Missouri Western State University this past fall.

Theis had previously served as a grad assistant coach on the e-sports team, and was a punter on the Missouri Western football team in his undergrad years.

"I'm kind of just trying to give our student-athletes and coaches we do have the tools to succeed," Theis said during an appearance on KFEQ's The Hotline. "Just supervising and helping out. You know, if they have troubles that come up, I try and assist them in any way I can."

As a former student-athlete, Theis is hoping to bring some of what he learned as a football player into the gaming arena, as each player has a physical activity requirement and practice regiment.

"I was a punter," he said. "So, you try and perfect your punting, you want to perfect your movement so it becomes muscle memory. That's kind of the goal of practices and stuff like that. We also do study tables, too. I came from football, so I brought a lot of that over."

Theis takes over the e-sports director role previously filled by Christian Konczal, who left this past summer&nbsp;after serving as the University's first e-sports director and head coach for two seasons.

Missouri Western started team-based competition in select video games in the fall of 2020 and dedicated a large E-Sports arena in the Blum Student Union full of gaming computers, which are open for use to all students. There was an official ribbon cutting for that arena this past March.

The team also hosts its events and competitions from that arena.

"That's open for all students to walk in and play video games freely," Theis said. "(The arena) is very much viewed as a recreational space. As would be a gymnasium or a weight room."

The varsity players also have a training room for practice, muscle memory exercises and things of that nature.

E-Sports was one activity for Missouri Western that could go on in 2020 after things were shut down in March, and after the fall sports season was postponed. Competitions were fully remote.&nbsp;For e-sports, the pandemic mostly meant league championships couldn't be held in person.

The Griffons' E-sports program was just getting started in 2020, and they had no team competitions before the pandemic. The fall of 2021 marks just the third semester of having varsity teams.

The team has been busy, competing in an Overwatch tournament in South Carolina the weekend of Halloween.

 They also had a 24-hour livestream on Twitch on Oct. 28-29 from 4 p.m. - 4 p.m. All proceeds from that event went toward KU pediatrics, thanks to Extra Life - a non-profit which takes proceeds from charity gaming events and sends them to branches of the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals.

"I mean, it's just a lot of events for 24 hours that students get to partake in," Theis said, "that's all being streamed on Twitch, and donations throughout the stream go to Extra Life."

The biggest challenge COVID-19 presented to Missouri Western's new E-sports team in 2020 was, how do you spread the word and recruit members when campus is shut down?

When campus reopened last fall, the Griffons entered their first semester of varsity competition with a pretty strong response. The E-sports Arena at the Blum Student Union just opened this past spring to the public, which helped as well.

"If we have the foundation of our community, then it really helps our program a lot," Theis said. "Then, we can get more students and get more support and more people interested and that's really what we want - showing what e-sports is about and showing what we have as a program."

There were about 30 students enrolled in Missouri Western's E-sports team this past spring. The Griffons compete in four leagues - Rocket League, League of Legends, Overwatch and Fortnite. They also have two club leagues - Super Smash Bros. and Valorant.

"Rocket League is pry the (closest game we have) to a sport," Theis explained. "It's basically car soccer. So, you have a ball on a field and you try and score it into the goal, and you have cars driving around kind of racing in a way, but they're really just trying to score the ball into the net just like soccer."

Missouri Western's e-sports program have varsity teams that compete with multiple schools in many different tournaments and events throughout the school year. They also have club teams for players who may not have made it on varsity during tryouts, but can still hone their skills and work on their game.

Championships can involve the top 12-24 teams from across the country in each league, with the season typically ending when the school year does, or shortly thereafter. The team takes a break, like everyone else, over the winer holiday.

The E-Sports Arena on Missouri Western's campus also features a broadcasting suite and production room, which allows students to produce YouTube shows, podcasts and other projects.

There are also scholarships available for MWSU e-sports athletes, student-coaches and managers, with scholarships possibly coming for the team's production staff at some point.

As for employment opportunities after college, Theis says professional gaming is a goal for some on his team, but being a part of e-sports opens so many more doors in the real world than just playing games for a living.

"A lot of them are interested in professional organizations as well," Theis said. "Job opportunities there as like a manager, social media person, marketing person. Being their play-by-play announcer, stuff like that. So, there is a professional side to e-sports that students have a lot of interest in."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1636659154002.jpeg" alt="Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostLuke Theis was named the interim director of the e-sports program at Missouri Western State University this past fall.Theis had previously served as a grad assistant coach on the e-sports team, and was a punter on the Missouri Western football team in his undergrad years."I'm kind of just trying to give our student-athletes and coaches we do have the tools to succeed," Theis said during an appearance on KFEQ's The Hotline. "Just supervising and helping out. You know, if they have troubles that come up, I try and assist them in any way I can."As a former student-athlete, Theis is hoping to bring some of what he learned as a football player into the gaming arena, as each player has a physical activity requirement and practice regiment."I was a punter," he said. "So, you try and perfect your punting, you want to perfect your movement so it becomes muscle memory. That's kind of the goal of practices and stuff like that. We also do study tables, too. I came from football, so I brought a lot of that over."Theis takes over the e-sports director role previously filled by Christian Konczal, who left this past summer&nbsp;after serving as the University's first e-sports director and head coach for two seasons.Missouri Western started team-based competition in select video games in the fall of 2020 and dedicated a large E-Sports arena in the Blum Student Union full of gaming computers, which are open for use to all students. There was an official ribbon cutting for that arena this past March.The team also hosts its events and competitions from that arena."That's open for all students to walk in and play video games freely," Theis said. "(The arena) is very much viewed as a recreational space. As would be a gymnasium or a weight room."The varsity players also have a training room for practice, muscle memory exercises and things of that nature.E-Sports was one activity for Missouri Western that could go on in 2020 after things were shut down in March, and after the fall sports season was postponed. Competitions were fully remote.&nbsp;For e-sports, the pandemic mostly meant league championships couldn't be held in person.The Griffons' E-sports program was just getting started in 2020, and they had no team competitions before the pandemic. The fall of 2021 marks just the third semester of having varsity teams.The team has been busy, competing in an Overwatch tournament in South Carolina the weekend of Halloween. They also had a 24-hour livestream on Twitch on Oct. 28-29 from 4 p.m. - 4 p.m. All proceeds from that event went toward KU pediatrics, thanks to Extra Life - a non-profit which takes proceeds from charity gaming events and sends them to branches of the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals."I mean, it's just a lot of events for 24 hours that students get to partake in," Theis said, "that's all being streamed on Twitch, and donations throughout the stream go to Extra Life."The biggest challenge COVID-19 presented to Missouri Western's new E-sports team in 2020 was, how do you spread the word and recruit members when campus is shut down?When campus reopened last fall, the Griffons entered their first semester of varsity competition with a pretty strong response. The E-sports Arena at the Blum Student Union just opened this past spring to the public, which helped as well."If we have the foundation of our community, then it really helps our program a lot," Theis said. "Then, we can get more students and get more support and more people interested and that's really what we want - showing what e-sports is about and showing what we have as a program."There were about 30 students enrolled in Missouri Western's E-sports team this past spring. The Griffons compete in four leagues - Rocket League, League of Legends, Overwatch and Fortnite. They also have two club leagues - Super Smash Bros. and Valorant."Rocket League is pry the (closest game we have) to a sport," Theis explained. "It's basically car soccer. So, you have a ball on a field and you try and score it into the goal, and you have cars driving around kind of racing in a way, but they're really just trying to score the ball into the net just like soccer."Missouri Western's e-sports program have varsity teams that compete with multiple schools in many different tournaments and events throughout the school year. They also have club teams for players who may not have made it on varsity during tryouts, but can still hone their skills and work on their game.Championships can involve the top 12-24 teams from across the country in each league, with the season typically ending when the school year does, or shortly thereafter. The team takes a break, like everyone else, over the winer holiday.The E-Sports Arena on Missouri Western's campus also features a broadcasting suite and production room, which allows students to produce YouTube shows, podcasts and other projects.There are also scholarships available for MWSU e-sports athletes, student-coaches and managers, with scholarships possibly coming for the team's production staff at some point.As for employment opportunities after college, Theis says professional gaming is a goal for some on his team, but being a part of e-sports opens so many more doors in the real world than just playing games for a living."A lot of them are interested in professional organizations as well," Theis said. "Job opportunities there as like a manager, social media person, marketing person. Being their play-by-play announcer, stuff like that. So, there is a professional side to e-sports that students have a lot of interest in."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1636659214038.jpeg" alt="Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Luke Theis overseeing young, thriving MWSU e-sports program as interim director

The MINK summer baseball league voted unanimously to add a new team - the Carroll, IA Merchants.

The Merchants play in Merchants Park, which was first built in 1949. 

Since 2015, Carroll has put about two million dollars toward renovations and upgrades to the stadium. The team had previously competed in the Pioneer League.

St. Joseph Mustangs manager and MINK League President Ky Turner says the Merchants were a perfect fit for this current group of teams.

"If you look across the league, we have some great communities," Turner said. "We've also got some great playing facilities and some history behind each team. Their town also really supports baseball, so the response from the town has been tremendous."

The Merchants will compete in the MINK’s North Division, joining the Mustangs, Clarinda A’s, Chillicothe Mudcats and Des Moines Peak Prospects. Des Moines just joined the league themselves in 2021.

The South Division will be composed of the Jefferson City Renegades, Joplin Outlaws, Nevada Griffons and Sedalia Bombers.

Carroll did not play a 2020 or 2021 season. The 2020 season was canceled due to COVID, and 2021 due to scheduling conflicts with area high school baseball teams in Iowa, who play their official high school schedule in summer.

The MINK League has also created two new postseason awards. The first being the Bob Steinkamp Manager of the Year Award. Steinkamp served as manager of the now-defunct Beatrice (NE) Bruins. He was the only manager in team history, amassing more than 1,300 wins in his career.

He also managed players such as Alex Gordon and Joba Chamberlain while with the Bruins. Steinkamp served as MINK League Commissioner, and is currently the Nebraska Baseball Hall of Fame President.&nbsp;

Additionally, the league will award a postseason General Manager of the year award, named in honor of Jeff Post, who passed away in 2019.&nbsp; Post served as board member and General Manager of the Nevada Griffons. Post also served as MINK League President for five years.&nbsp;

"This kind of gives us a chance to celebrate those accomplishments," Turner said of the awards. "A lot of hard work and a lot fun goes into it, but it gives us a chance to honor some of those people."

Turner and Mustangs coach Johnny Coy are already looking forward to 2022. Together, they helped lead St. Joseph to its seventh MINK League title with a 12-2 win over Sedalia in the championship series in late July.

Turner says Coy just received his championship ring recently, and is already excited about the type of roster he's putting together.

"(Coy) had just opened his ring that we had just gotten in for our players," Turner said, "and he's already gushing about the upcoming roster. So, some familiar faces you'll see soon. We'll pry release (the roster) after the new year, but some familiar faces and some other high level baseball players."

The Mustangs' 2022 schedule will be released in about a month's time. Turner says the team will play their first game of the year against Clarinda - a team that went 32-5 and had the best overall record of any team in the league last summer.

The MINK League All-Star game will be played in Clarinda, Iowa in 2022. Chillicothe will then host the All-Star game in 2023.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1636579610028.jpeg" alt="Carroll Merchants logo." />
 <figcaption>Carroll Merchants logo.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe MINK summer baseball league voted unanimously to add a new team - the Carroll, IA Merchants.The Merchants play in Merchants Park, which was first built in 1949. Since 2015, Carroll has put about two million dollars toward renovations and upgrades to the stadium. The team had previously competed in the Pioneer League.St. Joseph Mustangs manager and MINK League President Ky Turner says the Merchants were a perfect fit for this current group of teams."If you look across the league, we have some great communities," Turner said. "We've also got some great playing facilities and some history behind each team. Their town also really supports baseball, so the response from the town has been tremendous."The Merchants will compete in the MINK’s North Division, joining the Mustangs, Clarinda A’s, Chillicothe Mudcats and Des Moines Peak Prospects. Des Moines just joined the league themselves in 2021.The South Division will be composed of the Jefferson City Renegades, Joplin Outlaws, Nevada Griffons and Sedalia Bombers.Carroll did not play a 2020 or 2021 season. The 2020 season was canceled due to COVID, and 2021 due to scheduling conflicts with area high school baseball teams in Iowa, who play their official high school schedule in summer.The MINK League has also created two new postseason awards. The first being the Bob Steinkamp Manager of the Year Award. Steinkamp served as manager of the now-defunct Beatrice (NE) Bruins. He was the only manager in team history, amassing more than 1,300 wins in his career.He also managed players such as Alex Gordon and Joba Chamberlain while with the Bruins. Steinkamp served as MINK League Commissioner, and is currently the Nebraska Baseball Hall of Fame President.&nbsp;Additionally, the league will award a postseason General Manager of the year award, named in honor of Jeff Post, who passed away in 2019.&nbsp; Post served as board member and General Manager of the Nevada Griffons. Post also served as MINK League President for five years.&nbsp;"This kind of gives us a chance to celebrate those accomplishments," Turner said of the awards. "A lot of hard work and a lot fun goes into it, but it gives us a chance to honor some of those people."Turner and Mustangs coach Johnny Coy are already looking forward to 2022. Together, they helped lead St. Joseph to its seventh MINK League title with a 12-2 win over Sedalia in the championship series in late July.Turner says Coy just received his championship ring recently, and is already excited about the type of roster he's putting together."(Coy) had just opened his ring that we had just gotten in for our players," Turner said, "and he's already gushing about the upcoming roster. So, some familiar faces you'll see soon. We'll pry release (the roster) after the new year, but some familiar faces and some other high level baseball players."The Mustangs' 2022 schedule will be released in about a month's time. Turner says the team will play their first game of the year against Clarinda - a team that went 32-5 and had the best overall record of any team in the league last summer.The MINK League All-Star game will be played in Clarinda, Iowa in 2022. Chillicothe will then host the All-Star game in 2023.You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

MINK League adds new team, new postseason awards for 2022 season

The search for the next athletic director at Missouri Western State University was paused in late October, and will reopen early next year.

That was the decision by University president Elizabeth Kennedy, after three candidates for the job came to campus, met with the community and interviewed for the job.

In an interview with KFEQ, Kennedy said she and the search committee are looking for the best fit, and they weren't going to hire someone just to fill the position.

"We were looking for the candidate who is the right fit for Missouri Western," Kennedy said. "We weren't going to look at the pool and say, 'Well which one of these is the one we want, but which one is the best for us?' So, I'm not about rushing into something or hiring someone just because we need to."

Kennedy paused the search for now, and the position will reopen in January. The search first opened in late July, when former Missouri Western athletic director Josh Looney announced he was taking the same job at Division I North Alabama.

"Believe it or not, there's a season for athletic director searches and we were a little off cycle," Kennedy said. "So, we'll take a little pause for the holidays, come back after early January, get this fired up again and see what we can do."

The three finalists who were on campus this fall were Franklin Pierce University athletic director Rachel Burleson, Illinois State associate A.D. of external affairs Dwight Merilatt and South Dakota School of Mines A.D. Joel Lueken.

Kennedy described all three as "highly qualified and capable people," but said that none stood out as the right fit for Missouri Western at this time.

The main thing Kennedy is looking for is someone who can engage with the community, and someone with a deep background and understanding of athletics and academics.

"And also somebody who has that polish and can stand in front of just about any crowd you can imagine and just command that," Kennedy said, "and also someone who just has that vision for Missouri Western. So, it is the total package we are looking for."

Theresa Grosbach, who has served as interim A.D. since September, will remain in that role.

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe search for the next athletic director at Missouri Western State University was paused in late October, and will reopen early next year.That was the decision by University president Elizabeth Kennedy, after three candidates for the job came to campus, met with the community and interviewed for the job.In an interview with KFEQ, Kennedy said she and the search committee are looking for the best fit, and they weren't going to hire someone just to fill the position."We were looking for the candidate who is the right fit for Missouri Western," Kennedy said. "We weren't going to look at the pool and say, 'Well which one of these is the one we want, but which one is the best for us?' So, I'm not about rushing into something or hiring someone just because we need to."Kennedy paused the search for now, and the position will reopen in January. The search first opened in late July, when former Missouri Western athletic director Josh Looney announced he was taking the same job at Division I North Alabama."Believe it or not, there's a season for athletic director searches and we were a little off cycle," Kennedy said. "So, we'll take a little pause for the holidays, come back after early January, get this fired up again and see what we can do."The three finalists who were on campus this fall were Franklin Pierce University athletic director Rachel Burleson, Illinois State associate A.D. of external affairs Dwight Merilatt and South Dakota School of Mines A.D. Joel Lueken.Kennedy described all three as "highly qualified and capable people," but said that none stood out as the right fit for Missouri Western at this time.The main thing Kennedy is looking for is someone who can engage with the community, and someone with a deep background and understanding of athletics and academics."And also somebody who has that polish and can stand in front of just about any crowd you can imagine and just command that," Kennedy said, "and also someone who just has that vision for Missouri Western. So, it is the total package we are looking for."Theresa Grosbach, who has served as interim A.D. since September, will remain in that role.You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

MWSU President Kennedy looking for 'total package' in next A.D.

By NOAH TABORDA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/11/07/six-man-football-offers-hope-for-kansas-schools-struggling-with-dwindling-participation-population/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — In 2019, Greeley County High
 School suffered its worst season in years, finishing winless and 
struggling week in and week out to field a complete team.

At the time, the school was playing 
eight-man football, but dwindling interest in trying out for football 
forced a remarkable seven forfeits throughout a nine-game schedule. In 
the two games they were able to play, they lost 44-0 against Rawlins 
County and 68-20 against Cheylin.&nbsp;

After conversations about the future 
of the program, the school made the move to six-man football last year. 
This year the team finished 2-5, and while the team may not be winning a
 lot, the players are having fun again.

“At least the kids are getting to 
play there, right?” said Greeley County High School athletic director 
Greg Cook. “It keeps interest in fall activities. It allows the kids to 
still play football and get all the benefits of being part of a team.”

High school football participation 
has steadily declined over the past decade as concerns around head 
trauma and other injuries escalate. Add that to the declining population
 in rural cities and towns, and many schools across Kansas are facing 
similar challenges to Greeley County.

Six-man football first popped up in 
Kansas during the 1960s but did not gain widespread traction and 
eventually disappeared. In 2014, faced with very few options to keep 
their program afloat, Weskan became the first Kansas team to play 
six-man since 2003.

Since then, the six-man ranks have 
risen to 15 schools operating under the Six-man Football Association. 
The association culminates each year with the Wild West Bowl state 
championship game in Dodge City.

The participating schools have 
primarily been in the Northwest and Southwest parts of Kansas. Burrton, 
in central Kansas, is the furthest eastern school, but that could soon 
change.

In September, the Kansas State High 
School Activities Association officially sanctioned six-man football 
following a unanimous vote of their board of directors. According to the
 association, 26 teams will play six-man next fall.

Those schools’ total enrollment for 
ninth, 10th and 11th grade must range from 19 to 55 students, although 
some in that range have chosen to play eight-man football. In addition 
to an official schedule and playoffs, Cook said the association’s 
sanction will help smaller schools like his.

“The schools that are borderline that
 are hanging on to eight-man — if they should happen to lose some 
students or have some small classes — it’ll be easier for them to move 
down to six-man,” he said.

Altoona-Midway, Chase, Chetopa, 
Ingalls, Southern Coffey County, Centre, Peabody-Burns, Southern Cloud, 
Tescott, Waverly, Wetmore and Triplains-Brewster will all be part of the
 newly sanctioned division next year, the state high school athletics 
association announced. Many of the schools switching to the six-man 
division hail from the eastern side of the state.&nbsp;

Those teams have a combined 19 wins 
and 72 losses this fall. Chase and Chetopa took forfeits because of low 
participation, and Centre was unable to field an eight-man team and 
played some six-man games.

Peabody-Burns was exploring a six-man move this summer. Only Waverly had a winning record last season.

“The game of football is great for 
kids, it’s great for communities and it is safer than it’s ever been,” 
said Mark Lentz, assistant executive director for the state High School 
Activities Association.

A full high school schedule is nine football games. Last year, six-man squads averaged 6.2 games.

In states like Colorado, Texas and 
Nebraska, the six-man modifications to the standard 11-man rules have 
resulted in high-scoring games. This trend has held true in Kansas so 
far.

The games are heavy on offense and, 
like eight-man football, can be extremely high scoring, with some games 
eclipsing 200 combined points scored. Besides the score and shorter 
field (80 yards vs the normal 100 yards) six-man is unique to both 
eight-person and 11-person football.&nbsp;

However, the aim of the game is still the same, Lentz said.

“Football is football,” he said. “It 
just looks a little bit different when you have six players on a side 
versus 11 but it’s still all about blocking and tackling and the 
fundamentals that you learn from playing a team sport.”

One noticeable rule change is that to
 advance the ball forward on a run play, the ball must be exchanged 
between players at least once. As a result, the running back will 
oftentimes receive the snap and immediately toss the ball to the 
quarterback, giving them the choice to either run or pass the ball.

Rather than the typical 10 yards needed for a first down, six-man football requires teams to advance the ball 15 yards.

Scoring is also unique, with extra 
points worth two when kicked as opposed to one. Field goals are worth 
more as well — four points earned during a successful kick versus the 
typical three.

The other big rule change: Everyone 
on the field is eligible to receive the ball. That includes the center. 
Though three players must be on the line of scrimmage on many calls the 
center will be the lone lineman — and the defense will still have to 
wonder if he’s going out to receive a pass.

“It’s taken me four years to finally 
figure out some of the little nuances about the game of six-man,” said 
Jon Schnable, football head coach and athletic director for Rolla High 
School. “At first, I thought if you have a big-sized team, you can get 
away with a lot of things, but if you look at the six-man schools, their
 kids’ size isn’t a priority, it’s speed. If you’ve got some speed on 
your team, you can win a lot of ballgames.

While the number of players and 
various rules may differ, advocates of the six-man variety will take 
what they can get, especially when participation numbers continue to 
drop across the country.

According to data from the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/">Aspen Institute</a> and the <a target="_blank" href="https://nfhs.org/">National Federation of State High School Associations</a>,
 from 2008-19 to 2018-19 the total number of youths aged 6 to 18 playing
 tackle football fell by more than 620,000. Participation nationwide now
 sits at just over 1 million high school players.

Over that same decade attendance at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncaa.org/championships/statistics/ncaa-football-attendance">college</a> and professional football also declined.

However, there is optimism among some
 that the annual declines in participation appear to be leveling off for
 now. While COVID-19 made data for 2020 difficult to collect, in 2019 
high school football participation only dropped by 2,489 students.

Previous years saw declines of 23,311, 20,540 and 30,829 students playing football.

“These (2019) numbers suggest to us 
that parents are appreciative of the risk minimization efforts that have
 been put in place,” said Karissa Niehoff, director of the National 
Federation of State High School Associations. “Every state has enacted 
rules that limit the amount of contact before the season and during 
practice, and every state has established concussion protocols and 
laws.”

Kansas has also seen the drop in 
participation level off recently with football participation hovering in
 the high 14,000-student range since 2016. In 2020, however, the state 
high school activates association recorded the first notable decrease in
 participation since that year.

Still, other research shows <a target="_blank" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0277953618307202">increasing parental concerns about concussion risks</a>. This raises concerns for future participation across the country and in Kansas.

For example, some have suggested implementing age-based restrictions on physical contact in the sport.

In a <a target="_blank" href="https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/143/5/e20182402?casa_token=1LUpwzsJF8YAAAAA%3AIoCBCMFs-5IuTjXhBPM5J-856x44gwgkAH0bpE87Wa07EiwZ-rBHOppsO-dK9xeibl-yl2YhsMif">2019 study of the favorability of an age cap</a>,
 several researchers wrote, “US parents are willing to accept age limits
 on tackling in youth football.” They added that the organizations 
responsible for shaping public discourse about the topic, like the 
American Academy of Pediatrics, “may find it useful to consider US 
parents’ attitudes regarding age limits on tackling, alongside research 
quantifying the risk of tackling, when they revisit this topic.”

As the first team to bring six-man football back to Kansas, Weskan has seen it evolve and grow over the years.

Brett Clow, athletic director and 
head coach of Weskan’s football team, said he expects six-man football’s
 growth to continue. Like any changes to a sport with deep roots in many
 communities across the state, six-man football has its doubters who 
believe only 11-man football to be “real football,” but Clow said with 
the sport under the pressure it is, six-man is an important alternative.

“When you look at… some of these 
small towns fighting to keep football, this is now another option,” he 
said. “If a school is thinking about it, I would only say how great it’s
 been for us and that it is worth at least giving it a shot.”

Clow also said he was excited to see 
the influx of new teams after the state association sanctioned the 
six-man games and hopes there could be as many as 40 such teams in the 
state one day.

The format, he said, can help schools
 that haven’t experienced much past success, like Natoma High School, 
which won the six-man state title this year after not having won a 
single playoff game for 47 years.

“It’s really cool for teams like that
 and schools like that to have success for the first time,” Clow said. 
“I think once people do see it and schools start participating in it, 
they’ll realize how much fun it is and that the kids really enjoy it.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1636408798030.png" alt="Rolla High School Football players line up against Burton High School earlier this year in a six-man football game. The Kansas State High School Activities Association has officially sanctioned six-man games for 2022, which means a full slate of games and playoffs. (Submitted to Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Rolla High School Football players line up against Burton High School earlier this year in a six-man football game. The Kansas State High School Activities Association has officially sanctioned six-man games for 2022, which means a full slate of games and playoffs. (Submitted to Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By NOAH TABORDA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/11/07/six-man-football-offers-hope-for-kansas-schools-struggling-with-dwindling-participation-population/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — In 2019, Greeley County High
 School suffered its worst season in years, finishing winless and 
struggling week in and week out to field a complete team.At the time, the school was playing 
eight-man football, but dwindling interest in trying out for football 
forced a remarkable seven forfeits throughout a nine-game schedule. In 
the two games they were able to play, they lost 44-0 against Rawlins 
County and 68-20 against Cheylin.&nbsp;After conversations about the future 
of the program, the school made the move to six-man football last year. 
This year the team finished 2-5, and while the team may not be winning a
 lot, the players are having fun again.“At least the kids are getting to 
play there, right?” said Greeley County High School athletic director 
Greg Cook. “It keeps interest in fall activities. It allows the kids to 
still play football and get all the benefits of being part of a team.”High school football participation 
has steadily declined over the past decade as concerns around head 
trauma and other injuries escalate. Add that to the declining population
 in rural cities and towns, and many schools across Kansas are facing 
similar challenges to Greeley County.Six-man football first popped up in 
Kansas during the 1960s but did not gain widespread traction and 
eventually disappeared. In 2014, faced with very few options to keep 
their program afloat, Weskan became the first Kansas team to play 
six-man since 2003.Since then, the six-man ranks have 
risen to 15 schools operating under the Six-man Football Association. 
The association culminates each year with the Wild West Bowl state 
championship game in Dodge City.The participating schools have 
primarily been in the Northwest and Southwest parts of Kansas. Burrton, 
in central Kansas, is the furthest eastern school, but that could soon 
change.In September, the Kansas State High 
School Activities Association officially sanctioned six-man football 
following a unanimous vote of their board of directors. According to the
 association, 26 teams will play six-man next fall.Those schools’ total enrollment for 
ninth, 10th and 11th grade must range from 19 to 55 students, although 
some in that range have chosen to play eight-man football. In addition 
to an official schedule and playoffs, Cook said the association’s 
sanction will help smaller schools like his.“The schools that are borderline that
 are hanging on to eight-man — if they should happen to lose some 
students or have some small classes — it’ll be easier for them to move 
down to six-man,” he said.Altoona-Midway, Chase, Chetopa, 
Ingalls, Southern Coffey County, Centre, Peabody-Burns, Southern Cloud, 
Tescott, Waverly, Wetmore and Triplains-Brewster will all be part of the
 newly sanctioned division next year, the state high school athletics 
association announced. Many of the schools switching to the six-man 
division hail from the eastern side of the state.&nbsp;Those teams have a combined 19 wins 
and 72 losses this fall. Chase and Chetopa took forfeits because of low 
participation, and Centre was unable to field an eight-man team and 
played some six-man games.Peabody-Burns was exploring a six-man move this summer. Only Waverly had a winning record last season.“The game of football is great for 
kids, it’s great for communities and it is safer than it’s ever been,” 
said Mark Lentz, assistant executive director for the state High School 
Activities Association.A full high school schedule is nine football games. Last year, six-man squads averaged 6.2 games.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1636408905030.png" alt=" Rolla High School football coach and athletic director Jon Schnable said he’s learned how the rules of six-man football prioritize speed over size in many instances. (Submitted to Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Rolla High School football coach and athletic director Jon Schnable said he’s learned how the rules of six-man football prioritize speed over size in many instances. (Submitted to Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Rule differences</h2>In states like Colorado, Texas and 
Nebraska, the six-man modifications to the standard 11-man rules have 
resulted in high-scoring games. This trend has held true in Kansas so 
far.The games are heavy on offense and, 
like eight-man football, can be extremely high scoring, with some games 
eclipsing 200 combined points scored. Besides the score and shorter 
field (80 yards vs the normal 100 yards) six-man is unique to both 
eight-person and 11-person football.&nbsp;However, the aim of the game is still the same, Lentz said.“Football is football,” he said. “It 
just looks a little bit different when you have six players on a side 
versus 11 but it’s still all about blocking and tackling and the 
fundamentals that you learn from playing a team sport.”One noticeable rule change is that to
 advance the ball forward on a run play, the ball must be exchanged 
between players at least once. As a result, the running back will 
oftentimes receive the snap and immediately toss the ball to the 
quarterback, giving them the choice to either run or pass the ball.Rather than the typical 10 yards needed for a first down, six-man football requires teams to advance the ball 15 yards.Scoring is also unique, with extra 
points worth two when kicked as opposed to one. Field goals are worth 
more as well — four points earned during a successful kick versus the 
typical three.The other big rule change: Everyone 
on the field is eligible to receive the ball. That includes the center. 
Though three players must be on the line of scrimmage on many calls the 
center will be the lone lineman — and the defense will still have to 
wonder if he’s going out to receive a pass.“It’s taken me four years to finally 
figure out some of the little nuances about the game of six-man,” said 
Jon Schnable, football head coach and athletic director for Rolla High 
School. “At first, I thought if you have a big-sized team, you can get 
away with a lot of things, but if you look at the six-man schools, their
 kids’ size isn’t a priority, it’s speed. If you’ve got some speed on 
your team, you can win a lot of ballgames.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1636408949648.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Dwindling participation</h2>While the number of players and 
various rules may differ, advocates of the six-man variety will take 
what they can get, especially when participation numbers continue to 
drop across the country.According to data from the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/">Aspen Institute</a> and the <a target="_blank" href="https://nfhs.org/">National Federation of State High School Associations</a>,
 from 2008-19 to 2018-19 the total number of youths aged 6 to 18 playing
 tackle football fell by more than 620,000. Participation nationwide now
 sits at just over 1 million high school players.Over that same decade attendance at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncaa.org/championships/statistics/ncaa-football-attendance">college</a> and professional football also declined.However, there is optimism among some
 that the annual declines in participation appear to be leveling off for
 now. While COVID-19 made data for 2020 difficult to collect, in 2019 
high school football participation only dropped by 2,489 students.Previous years saw declines of 23,311, 20,540 and 30,829 students playing football.“These (2019) numbers suggest to us 
that parents are appreciative of the risk minimization efforts that have
 been put in place,” said Karissa Niehoff, director of the National 
Federation of State High School Associations. “Every state has enacted 
rules that limit the amount of contact before the season and during 
practice, and every state has established concussion protocols and 
laws.”Kansas has also seen the drop in 
participation level off recently with football participation hovering in
 the high 14,000-student range since 2016. In 2020, however, the state 
high school activates association recorded the first notable decrease in
 participation since that year.Still, other research shows <a target="_blank" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0277953618307202">increasing parental concerns about concussion risks</a>. This raises concerns for future participation across the country and in Kansas.For example, some have suggested implementing age-based restrictions on physical contact in the sport.In a <a target="_blank" href="https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/143/5/e20182402?casa_token=1LUpwzsJF8YAAAAA%3AIoCBCMFs-5IuTjXhBPM5J-856x44gwgkAH0bpE87Wa07EiwZ-rBHOppsO-dK9xeibl-yl2YhsMif">2019 study of the favorability of an age cap</a>,
 several researchers wrote, “US parents are willing to accept age limits
 on tackling in youth football.” They added that the organizations 
responsible for shaping public discourse about the topic, like the 
American Academy of Pediatrics, “may find it useful to consider US 
parents’ attitudes regarding age limits on tackling, alongside research 
quantifying the risk of tackling, when they revisit this topic.”<h2>‘Fighting to keep football’</h2>As the first team to bring six-man football back to Kansas, Weskan has seen it evolve and grow over the years.Brett Clow, athletic director and 
head coach of Weskan’s football team, said he expects six-man football’s
 growth to continue. Like any changes to a sport with deep roots in many
 communities across the state, six-man football has its doubters who 
believe only 11-man football to be “real football,” but Clow said with 
the sport under the pressure it is, six-man is an important alternative.“When you look at… some of these 
small towns fighting to keep football, this is now another option,” he 
said. “If a school is thinking about it, I would only say how great it’s
 been for us and that it is worth at least giving it a shot.”Clow also said he was excited to see 
the influx of new teams after the state association sanctioned the 
six-man games and hopes there could be as many as 40 such teams in the 
state one day.The format, he said, can help schools
 that haven’t experienced much past success, like Natoma High School, 
which won the six-man state title this year after not having won a 
single playoff game for 47 years.“It’s really cool for teams like that
 and schools like that to have success for the first time,” Clow said. 
“I think once people do see it and schools start participating in it, 
they’ll realize how much fun it is and that the kids really enjoy it.”

Six-man football offers hope for shrinking Kansas schools

(AP) - Patrick Mahomes threw for 166 yards and a touchdown as the Kansas City Chiefs held off Jordan Love and the Packers 13-7 on Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium.

Love started in place of Aaron Rodgers, who tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this week. Love responded by going 19 of 34 for 190 yards with a touchdown and an interception.

His TD pass to Allen Lazard with 4:49 left gave Green Bay a chance, but Mahomes threw a third-down completion to Tyreek Hill for a first down that helped the Chiefs (5-4) run out the clock.

"We got a couple of big plays on that last drive," Mahomes said. "We were able to get some completions and move the ball and get the first downs we needed to run the time out."

The loss ended Green Bay's seven-game win streak.&nbsp;The Packers (7-2) did all they could defensively, but their special teams were abysmal. Mason Crosby missed a field goal and had another one blocked. The Packers also gave up the ball on a punt-return miscue, then nearly did it again later on.

The Chiefs finished with just 237 yards of offense, but did not commit any turnovers.

"Offensively, we're not playing the way we want to or expect to," Mahomes says, "but, we're finding ways to get wins."

The win Sunday was Kansas City's 500th as a franchise.&nbsp;

The Chiefs head to Vegas for a key divisional showdown with the Raiders this Sunday night at 7:20 central. The game will be carried live on KFEQ Radio (680 AM, 95.3 FM) and Q Country 92.7 FM in St. Joseph.

St. Joseph Post(AP) - Patrick Mahomes threw for 166 yards and a touchdown as the Kansas City Chiefs held off Jordan Love and the Packers 13-7 on Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium.Love started in place of Aaron Rodgers, who tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this week. Love responded by going 19 of 34 for 190 yards with a touchdown and an interception.His TD pass to Allen Lazard with 4:49 left gave Green Bay a chance, but Mahomes threw a third-down completion to Tyreek Hill for a first down that helped the Chiefs (5-4) run out the clock."We got a couple of big plays on that last drive," Mahomes said. "We were able to get some completions and move the ball and get the first downs we needed to run the time out."The loss ended Green Bay's seven-game win streak.&nbsp;The Packers (7-2) did all they could defensively, but their special teams were abysmal. Mason Crosby missed a field goal and had another one blocked. The Packers also gave up the ball on a punt-return miscue, then nearly did it again later on.The Chiefs finished with just 237 yards of offense, but did not commit any turnovers."Offensively, we're not playing the way we want to or expect to," Mahomes says, "but, we're finding ways to get wins."The win Sunday was Kansas City's 500th as a franchise.&nbsp;The Chiefs head to Vegas for a key divisional showdown with the Raiders this Sunday night at 7:20 central. The game will be carried live on KFEQ Radio (680 AM, 95.3 FM) and Q Country 92.7 FM in St. Joseph.

Chiefs lean on special teams, defense in Sunday win over Packers

The triple threat of JaQuaylon 'Q' Mays,&nbsp;Reese Glover&nbsp;and&nbsp;Caleb Bennett&nbsp;powered the Missouri Western men's basketball team to a 93-82 win over No. 8 St. Thomas Aquinas College on Sunday in the final game of the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic at the St. Joseph Civic Arena.

The Griffons (1-1) shot an impressive 60 percent from three-point range in the upset, hitting 18-of-30 attempts. Bennett was a perfect 5-of-5 from downtown, while Glover's eight threes were a new career-high and tied a program record.

Mays led all scorers in the contest for a second straight game with 25 points, as Missouri Western picked up its third win over a ranked team in the young tenure of head coach&nbsp;Will Martin. Mays also had four rebounds, four assists and three steals, while connecting on 4-of-5 three-point attempts.

Glover finished with 24 points, while Bennett cashed in 19. JaRon Thames finished with 12 points. Will Eames had seven points and a team-high nine rebounds.

"That's what it takes to be great is trusting the process and trusting each other," Martin said, "and being able to make the right play, no matter what the circumstance is."

The first half was a back-and-forth battle, but the Griffons were able to build a 36-27 lead with with 7:41 to go until halftime. The Spartans closed the gap, but Missouri Western came out on the right side of nine lead changes in the first half, as Mays drilled a three at the halftime buzzer to give his team a 46-45 lead at the break.

The Griffons then came out of the locker room firing on all cylinders, making 9-of-13 threes in the second half and leading by as much as 15.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1636350606594.jpeg" alt="Missouri Western's Q Mays (10) fires for three in the first half of the Griffons' 93-82 win over No. 8 St. Thomas Aquinas at Civic Arena Sunday. Photo by John Roushkolb." />
 <figcaption>Missouri Western's Q Mays (10) fires for three in the first half of the Griffons' 93-82 win over No. 8 St. Thomas Aquinas at Civic Arena Sunday. Photo by John Roushkolb.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe triple threat of JaQuaylon 'Q' Mays,&nbsp;Reese Glover&nbsp;and&nbsp;Caleb Bennett&nbsp;powered the Missouri Western men's basketball team to a 93-82 win over No. 8 St. Thomas Aquinas College on Sunday in the final game of the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic at the St. Joseph Civic Arena.The Griffons (1-1) shot an impressive 60 percent from three-point range in the upset, hitting 18-of-30 attempts. Bennett was a perfect 5-of-5 from downtown, while Glover's eight threes were a new career-high and tied a program record.Mays led all scorers in the contest for a second straight game with 25 points, as Missouri Western picked up its third win over a ranked team in the young tenure of head coach&nbsp;Will Martin. Mays also had four rebounds, four assists and three steals, while connecting on 4-of-5 three-point attempts.Glover finished with 24 points, while Bennett cashed in 19. JaRon Thames finished with 12 points. Will Eames had seven points and a team-high nine rebounds."That's what it takes to be great is trusting the process and trusting each other," Martin said, "and being able to make the right play, no matter what the circumstance is."The first half was a back-and-forth battle, but the Griffons were able to build a 36-27 lead with with 7:41 to go until halftime. The Spartans closed the gap, but Missouri Western came out on the right side of nine lead changes in the first half, as Mays drilled a three at the halftime buzzer to give his team a 46-45 lead at the break.The Griffons then came out of the locker room firing on all cylinders, making 9-of-13 threes in the second half and leading by as much as 15.St. Thomas Aquinas (1-1) overcame a double-digit deficit, got in the bonus and sunk some free throws to make it an 87-82 game with 2:08 to go. Mays got a late and-one to put his team ahead 90-82 with 43 seconds left.After a missed shot in transition by the Spartans, Glover made his eighth three inside the final 30 seconds to seal the win.In all, the Griffons shot 56.9 percent from the floor and finished with 16 assists to go with 20 turnovers."Even though we turned the ball over too much, we only had 16 assists," Martin said. "I would like for that to increase. We had 10 (against Embry-Riddle), so progress over perfection. I think this is a team that can get 20 assists per game. They're starting to trust the system and starting to trust each other."Next up for the Griffons is Minnesota State-Mankato on Friday night in the first of two games in the Central Region Challenge at the Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City. Tipoff is set for 7:45 p.m. The game will be carried live on KFEQ Radio (680 AM, 95.3 FM).You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.