After contract negotiations on an extension fell through, the Kansas City Chiefs have parted ways with wide receiver Tyreek Hill.&nbsp;

Several reports surfaced through the day on Wednesday, stemming all the way from Hill's agents being given permission to seek a trade, to teams being interested, and finally to the packages being offered, until ultimately Hill was traded.&nbsp;&nbsp;

While the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins were the teams that emerged as the top suitors for the Pro Bowl wide receiver, it was the Dolphins that came out on top.

Miami sent a first round pick (Pick 29), a second round pick (Pick 50), and a fourth round pick in the 2022 Draft, as well as a fourth and sixth round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft to Kansas City for Hill.

Hill was instantly greeted in Miami with the contract extension he was seeking, signing a four year deal worth $120 Million with $72.2 Million guaranteed.&nbsp; The deal averages the $30 Million that reports earlier in the day said Hill was seeking.

The departure of Hill leaves a noticeable gap in the Chiefs offense, even with the signing earlier this week of receiver Juju Smith-Schuster.&nbsp; Kansas City's wide receivers now include Smith-Schuster, Mecole Hardman, Josh Gordon, Justin Watson, Cornell Powell, Gehrig Dieter, and Corey Coleman.

Now former teammates of Hill's reacted to the trade, including Hardman and running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire.

The Chiefs will now seek to replace Hill, whether that be through free agency or the draft that begins on April 28th.&nbsp; Reports surfaced prior to the Hill trade that former Green Bay Packers receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling was visiting Kansas City on Wednesday, no contract was imminent for Valdes-Scantling.

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostAfter contract negotiations on an extension fell through, the Kansas City Chiefs have parted ways with wide receiver Tyreek Hill.&nbsp;Several reports surfaced through the day on Wednesday, stemming all the way from Hill's agents being given permission to seek a trade, to teams being interested, and finally to the packages being offered, until ultimately Hill was traded.&nbsp;&nbsp;While the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins were the teams that emerged as the top suitors for the Pro Bowl wide receiver, it was the Dolphins that came out on top.Miami sent a first round pick (Pick 29), a second round pick (Pick 50), and a fourth round pick in the 2022 Draft, as well as a fourth and sixth round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft to Kansas City for Hill.Hill was instantly greeted in Miami with the contract extension he was seeking, signing a four year deal worth $120 Million with $72.2 Million guaranteed.&nbsp; The deal averages the $30 Million that reports earlier in the day said Hill was seeking.The departure of Hill leaves a noticeable gap in the Chiefs offense, even with the signing earlier this week of receiver Juju Smith-Schuster.&nbsp; Kansas City's wide receivers now include Smith-Schuster, Mecole Hardman, Josh Gordon, Justin Watson, Cornell Powell, Gehrig Dieter, and Corey Coleman.Now former teammates of Hill's reacted to the trade, including Hardman and running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">10 imma just go grab dat jersey u said I can have .. I aint lying boy! It was privilege to be able to play alongside yu big bro! Not only that having real convos with you, helped me thru alot! Godspeed…literally 🤞🏾🖤 <a href="https://twitter.com/cheetah?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@cheetah</a>&mdash; GLYDE (@Clydro_22) <a href="https://twitter.com/Clydro_22/status/1506676237284089862?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 23, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Damn …&mdash; Mecole Hardman Jr. (@MecoleHardman4) <a href="https://twitter.com/MecoleHardman4/status/1506690481958408206?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 23, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The Chiefs will now seek to replace Hill, whether that be through free agency or the draft that begins on April 28th.&nbsp; Reports surfaced prior to the Hill trade that former Green Bay Packers receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling was visiting Kansas City on Wednesday, no contract was imminent for Valdes-Scantling.

Tyreek Hill's time in Kansas City done for now, receiver traded to Miami

The Northwest Missouri State University Bearcats are Final Four bound once again. 

The Bearcats marched into Evansville, Indiana as the number-five seed matching up with number- four seed Bentley, coming out on top 61- 43.

Northwest got off to a fast start taking a 5-0 lead early in the first half and never looked back, holding the lead for the entire game. 

Trevor Hudgins led the Bearcats with 24 points, while Diego Bernard recorded a double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds.  

The Bearcats will face the winner of number-one seed Nova Southern and number-eight seed Black Hills State on Thursday, time is to be determined.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647975396209.jpeg" alt="Photo courtesy of Northwest Missouri State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy of Northwest Missouri State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostThe Northwest Missouri State University Bearcats are Final Four bound once again. The Bearcats marched into Evansville, Indiana as the number-five seed matching up with number- four seed Bentley, coming out on top 61- 43.Northwest got off to a fast start taking a 5-0 lead early in the first half and never looked back, holding the lead for the entire game. Trevor Hudgins led the Bearcats with 24 points, while Diego Bernard recorded a double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds. The Bearcats will face the winner of number-one seed Nova Southern and number-eight seed Black Hills State on Thursday, time is to be determined.

Northwest Missouri State shuts down Bentley, advances to Final Four

BIRMINGHAM, AL - A historic and memorable season for Missouri Western women's basketball ends in just the program's third ever Elite Eight appearance.

The No. 7 seed Griffons (24-10) got down by 11 in the first half, trailed by 20 entering the fourth and fell to No. 2 seed Grand Valley State 67-44 on Monday afternoon at Bill Harris Arena in Birmingham.

Coming off of a Central Region title last Monday and a full week's rest, Missouri Western was unable to recreate their March magic against the Lakers.

Grand Valley (31-2) got off to a 9-2 start in the opening minutes. Western hit back, though, and only trailed 18-13 at the end of one.

The Lakers then led 32-17 with 2:54 left in the first half before the Griffons answered with a 6-0 run and only trailed 34-23 at the break.

For the first five minutes of the third quarter, each team only put up five points and Western was still in it, trailing 39-28 with 4:44 left in the third.

Grad transfer Jaelyn Haggard then made a pair of free throws to cut it to 39-30, but Grand Valley then reeled off a 12-0 run late in the third to eventually lead 54-34 entering the fourth.

"We felt like we were in the game, even though we weren't shooting it well," Missouri Western assistant coach Emily Wacker said. "Just needed to be able to start knocking some down and getting scores in a row. Stringing them together, and we couldn't do it and you see that."

The Griffons struggled to make baskets throughout, shooting just 15-of-51 on the day, including 3-of-14 in the final quarter and a 2-of-14 effort from beyond the arc.

Grand Valley State held Western to a season-low 44 points - just the third time all year the Griffons were held under 50 points.

"We were getting stops," Wacker said. "But ultimately, we couldn't put the ball in the hole all night and that made it tough. We didn't execute to the level we'd like to and that came back to bite us."

Senior Corbyn Cunningham led Western in her final game with 16 points on 8-of-10 shooting. Sophomore Brionna Budgets had nine, freshman Alyssa Bonilla scored eight and Haggard had seven.

Grand Valley shot 25-of-58 on the day, and finished with four players in double figures. Junior Emily Spitzley scored a game-high 20 points on 3-of-7 shooting from three. Hadley Miller, Hannah Kulas and Ellie Droste each scored 10.

Both teams committed 20 turnovers, but Western was outscored in the paint 34-20 and the Lakers outrebounded the Griffons 41-31.

The final game stings, but big picture, the 2021-22 season was a program changer for Missouri Western women's basketball.

Most wins and the first NCAA tournament berth in six years. First Sweet 16 in 25 years. First Elite Eight in 27 years. All after just six wins a season ago.

Three seniors - Cunningham, Haggard and Mychaell Gray depart, but four starters and 13 total players on the current roster are set to come back next year.

Needless to say, the future is bright for Missouri Western women's basketball.

"This should be nothing but fuel to keep getting better," Wacker said of the season. "The expectation has been set. The bar has been set. This is is the level we want to compete at. So, I'm excited. We need some rest, but excited for a great offseason and to continue to get better.

"Especially when you think about where we were a year ago. Really, really proud of this team and the individuals who put in so much work."

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647900818198.jpeg" alt="MWWU's Alyssa Bonilla (4) dribbles around the key in the first half of the Griffons' Elite Eight matchup with Grand Valley State Monday at Bill Harris Arena in Birmingham. Photo by Arianne Boma." />
 <figcaption>MWWU's Alyssa Bonilla (4) dribbles around the key in the first half of the Griffons' Elite Eight matchup with Grand Valley State Monday at Bill Harris Arena in Birmingham. Photo by Arianne Boma.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostBIRMINGHAM, AL - A historic and memorable season for Missouri Western women's basketball ends in just the program's third ever Elite Eight appearance.The No. 7 seed Griffons (24-10) got down by 11 in the first half, trailed by 20 entering the fourth and fell to No. 2 seed Grand Valley State 67-44 on Monday afternoon at Bill Harris Arena in Birmingham.Coming off of a Central Region title last Monday and a full week's rest, Missouri Western was unable to recreate their March magic against the Lakers.Grand Valley (31-2) got off to a 9-2 start in the opening minutes. Western hit back, though, and only trailed 18-13 at the end of one.The Lakers then led 32-17 with 2:54 left in the first half before the Griffons answered with a 6-0 run and only trailed 34-23 at the break.For the first five minutes of the third quarter, each team only put up five points and Western was still in it, trailing 39-28 with 4:44 left in the third.Grad transfer Jaelyn Haggard then made a pair of free throws to cut it to 39-30, but Grand Valley then reeled off a 12-0 run late in the third to eventually lead 54-34 entering the fourth."We felt like we were in the game, even though we weren't shooting it well," Missouri Western assistant coach Emily Wacker said. "Just needed to be able to start knocking some down and getting scores in a row. Stringing them together, and we couldn't do it and you see that."The Griffons struggled to make baskets throughout, shooting just 15-of-51 on the day, including 3-of-14 in the final quarter and a 2-of-14 effort from beyond the arc.Grand Valley State held Western to a season-low 44 points - just the third time all year the Griffons were held under 50 points."We were getting stops," Wacker said. "But ultimately, we couldn't put the ball in the hole all night and that made it tough. We didn't execute to the level we'd like to and that came back to bite us."Senior Corbyn Cunningham led Western in her final game with 16 points on 8-of-10 shooting. Sophomore Brionna Budgets had nine, freshman Alyssa Bonilla scored eight and Haggard had seven.Grand Valley shot 25-of-58 on the day, and finished with four players in double figures. Junior Emily Spitzley scored a game-high 20 points on 3-of-7 shooting from three. Hadley Miller, Hannah Kulas and Ellie Droste each scored 10.Both teams committed 20 turnovers, but Western was outscored in the paint 34-20 and the Lakers outrebounded the Griffons 41-31.The final game stings, but big picture, the 2021-22 season was a program changer for Missouri Western women's basketball.Most wins and the first NCAA tournament berth in six years. First Sweet 16 in 25 years. First Elite Eight in 27 years. All after just six wins a season ago.Three seniors - Cunningham, Haggard and Mychaell Gray depart, but four starters and 13 total players on the current roster are set to come back next year.Needless to say, the future is bright for Missouri Western women's basketball."This should be nothing but fuel to keep getting better," Wacker said of the season. "The expectation has been set. The bar has been set. This is is the level we want to compete at. So, I'm excited. We need some rest, but excited for a great offseason and to continue to get better."Especially when you think about where we were a year ago. Really, really proud of this team and the individuals who put in so much work."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647901878618.jpeg" alt="Corbyn Cunningham (30) controls the opening tip in Monday's Elite Eight game against Grand Valley State. Photo by Arianne Boma." />
 <figcaption>Corbyn Cunningham (30) controls the opening tip in Monday's Elite Eight game against Grand Valley State. Photo by Arianne Boma.</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/Missouri-Western-vs--Grand-Valley-State-postgame---MWSU-assistant-coach-Emily-Wacker-e1g2540" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Grand Valley limits MWSU offensively, Griffons season ends at Elite Eight

BIRMINGHAM, AL - It's been 27 years since the Missouri Western women's basketball team has been here.

Elite Eight. Big stage. National championship game in site. This 2021-22 team is in pretty 'elite' company.

This is just the third time in Missouri Western's history that the women's basketball team has played in the Elite Eight - the last two trips being in 1994 and again in '95.

The '94 team lost to eventual national champion North Dakota State, 91-74, in the national quarterfinals. A year later, the Griffons beat Florida Southern 79-77 to reach the Final Four for the first time ever.

After losing to NDSU again in the semifinals, 74-67, Western beat Stonehill out of Massachusetts 76-66 to claim third place in the national tournament.

Since then, Missouri Western made the NCAA tournament nine more times between 1997-2016. Never in that span did they get back to the Elite Eight. In fact, the Griffons got beat in the first round of the NCAA tournament six times from 1998-2016.

Suddenly, this 2021-22 team finds themselves in a unique position. In the Elite Eight after just six total wins the season prior.

Ryan Menley, who's covered the Griffons for 20 years through the lens of his video camera for KQTV and then Griffon athletics, says something special is going on this year.

"I do think it's the greatest comeback story in Missouri Western history," Menley said. "Just from where that program was one year ago. You'd thought they'd get better. You thought they'd take some steps and strides in the right direction, but I don't think anybody saw this."

Missouri Western returned nine players from last year's 6-16 squad. They also added four true freshmen and three transfers in the offseason. One of those three was Northwest transfer, grad student and St. Joseph Central alum Jaelyn Haggard, who leads the team with 59 made three-pointers this season.

A key piece in Western's runs in 1994-95 was Central alum and guard Dana Obersteadt, who came off the bench and provided a spark.

Then voice of the Griffons Bob Orf, who covered Western on KFEQ from 1989-2015, sees the similarities from then to now.

"A hometown product shows up and plays a big role," Orf said of the Obersteadt/Haggard similarity. "Haggard is a great player, there's no question about that. You only wish she played for Western for those four years she had been up north. But, yeah she's had a great fifth year and they've been amazing."

Jeff Mittie, who head coached the Missouri Western women from 1992-95, and is currently leading the Kansas State women's team on their own NCAA tournament run, described those '94 and '95 teams as 'unselfish.'

Missouri Western, this season, has scored 20 or more bench points in 23 total games. Unselfish would be a great way to describe this team as well.

"There are similarities to 1994, '95 and this year," Orf said. "It is a little bit eerie when you look at it."

There's certainly a few parallels. Mittie took the '93 team from 16 wins to 29 in '94. Current head coach Candi Whitaker went from six wins last year to 24 and counting this season.

On this current roster of 16 players, 13 of them are underclassmen. Whitaker has achieved two, 20-plus win seasons in her three years at the helm.

With the Division II women's basketball Elite Eight set to be in St. Joseph in 2023 and '24, one has to wonder if this program can build on this season's success and get back to the biggest stage in their home city.

"Who knows?" Orf remarked. "Maybe Coach Whitaker will get some great recruits and add to this team and maybe we'll be back again."

"There's always been this underlying attention with Missouri Western women's basketball," Menley added. "I think what this group has done has brought that back to the forefront."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647823897159.jpeg" alt="The 1994-95 Missouri Western women's basketball team. Photo courtesy of Missouri Western athletics." />
 <figcaption>The 1994-95 Missouri Western women's basketball team. Photo courtesy of Missouri Western athletics.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostBIRMINGHAM, AL - It's been 27 years since the Missouri Western women's basketball team has been here.Elite Eight. Big stage. National championship game in site. This 2021-22 team is in pretty 'elite' company.This is just the third time in Missouri Western's history that the women's basketball team has played in the Elite Eight - the last two trips being in 1994 and again in '95.The '94 team lost to eventual national champion North Dakota State, 91-74, in the national quarterfinals. A year later, the Griffons beat Florida Southern 79-77 to reach the Final Four for the first time ever.After losing to NDSU again in the semifinals, 74-67, Western beat Stonehill out of Massachusetts 76-66 to claim third place in the national tournament.Since then, Missouri Western made the NCAA tournament nine more times between 1997-2016. Never in that span did they get back to the Elite Eight. In fact, the Griffons got beat in the first round of the NCAA tournament six times from 1998-2016.Suddenly, this 2021-22 team finds themselves in a unique position. In the Elite Eight after just six total wins the season prior.Ryan Menley, who's covered the Griffons for 20 years through the lens of his video camera for KQTV and then Griffon athletics, says something special is going on this year."I do think it's the greatest comeback story in Missouri Western history," Menley said. "Just from where that program was one year ago. You'd thought they'd get better. You thought they'd take some steps and strides in the right direction, but I don't think anybody saw this."Missouri Western returned nine players from last year's 6-16 squad. They also added four true freshmen and three transfers in the offseason. One of those three was Northwest transfer, grad student and St. Joseph Central alum Jaelyn Haggard, who leads the team with 59 made three-pointers this season.A key piece in Western's runs in 1994-95 was Central alum and guard Dana Obersteadt, who came off the bench and provided a spark.Then voice of the Griffons Bob Orf, who covered Western on KFEQ from 1989-2015, sees the similarities from then to now."A hometown product shows up and plays a big role," Orf said of the Obersteadt/Haggard similarity. "Haggard is a great player, there's no question about that. You only wish she played for Western for those four years she had been up north. But, yeah she's had a great fifth year and they've been amazing."Jeff Mittie, who head coached the Missouri Western women from 1992-95, and is currently leading the Kansas State women's team on their own NCAA tournament run, described those '94 and '95 teams as 'unselfish.'Missouri Western, this season, has scored 20 or more bench points in 23 total games. Unselfish would be a great way to describe this team as well."There are similarities to 1994, '95 and this year," Orf said. "It is a little bit eerie when you look at it."There's certainly a few parallels. Mittie took the '93 team from 16 wins to 29 in '94. Current head coach Candi Whitaker went from six wins last year to 24 and counting this season.On this current roster of 16 players, 13 of them are underclassmen. Whitaker has achieved two, 20-plus win seasons in her three years at the helm.With the Division II women's basketball Elite Eight set to be in St. Joseph in 2023 and '24, one has to wonder if this program can build on this season's success and get back to the biggest stage in their home city."Who knows?" Orf remarked. "Maybe Coach Whitaker will get some great recruits and add to this team and maybe we'll be back again.""There's always been this underlying attention with Missouri Western women's basketball," Menley added. "I think what this group has done has brought that back to the forefront."<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/Missouri-Western-womens-basketball-adds-to-prolific-history-with-2022-Elite-Eight-run-e1g0lmg" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647135657338.jpeg" alt="Missouri Western celebrates after a Central Region semifinal win over Nebraska-Kearney in Hays, Kansas on March 12. Photo by Brandon Zenner." />
 <figcaption>Missouri Western celebrates after a Central Region semifinal win over Nebraska-Kearney in Hays, Kansas on March 12. Photo by Brandon Zenner.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

MWSU women's basketball adds to prolific history with 2022 Elite Eight run

SPRINGFIELD - The game was fun. Until it wasn't.

At least, that's how Benton girls' basketball coach Chris Michaels described it.

Benton (25-6) led at the end of the first and second quarter and throughout much of the third. However, a buzzer beater three by John Burroughs' Monet Witherspoon put the Bombers up 33-31 entering the fourth.

Burroughs (22-4) never trailed the rest of the way, and the Bombers went onto win 54-46 in the Class 4 girls' state basketball championship at JQH Arena in Springfield Saturday.

John Burroughs, winning their program's first state title in their fifth Final Four appearance, sunk 12-of-16 free throws in the final quarter to help seal the victory. Their 1-3-1 zone defense also created problems for Benton offensively.

"That was a heck of a game," Michaels said. "It was fun. Until it wasn't. You have to give congratulations to Burroughs. They did some things to us that we did not expect. That's a heck of a job by their staff."

The game started out for Benton much like Friday's semifinal did against Helias Catholic. Low scoring, and the Cardinals jumped to an early, slim lead.

Behind a couple of early three-pointers by senior Jaida Cox, and another by junior Peyton Anderson, the Cardinals led 11-8 at the end of one. Leading by as many as four in the first half, Benton took a 21-19 lead into the locker room.

The third quarter was back and forth for awhile, but Benton built a 30-25 advantage with 2:21 after a successful and-one by Cox.

John Burroughs ended the third quarter on an 8-1 run, which was capped off by the three-pointer by Witherspoon, who finished with 16 points.

Benton tied it twice early in the fourth, but Burroughs took the lead for good with 5:08 to go after a pair of Allie Turner free throws but the Bombers up 41-37.

Cox was called on an offensive charge on Benton's ensuing possession with 4:29 remaining, and Burroughs continued to get stops and get free throws.

Turner, who led Burroughs with 19 points, went 12-for-14 at the foul line Saturday, including 10-for-12 in the final period.

"We tried to take her away," Michaels said of Turner. "She won't go away. Like, she keeps catching the ball. We put two girls on her, and she caught the ball. So, that's a good player."

Cox led her team in her final varsity game with 20 points. Junior Kelsey Johnson had 12 points and a game-high eight rebounds.

Benton now says an emotional goodbye to three varsity seniors - Cox, Olivia Walters and Lauren Burright. Walters had six rebounds, while Burright had five points and three boards.

"It was a great time," Cox said as she reflected on her final game in her final season. "Especially being out on that floor with those girls for the last time. I just knew I had to put everything in for those girls who were going to do the same thing for me in the end."

It's not the ending Benton wanted, but the Cardinals finish with 10 more wins than what they had last year, and they improve off of their fourth place finish at state last season, taking the program to back-to-back state semi appearances for the first time ever.

The work to come back to Springfield for a third straight year, Michaels says, begins right away.

"This is a special group," Michaels said proudly. "They've done something that's never been done before in Benton history and Benton is pretty storied. These girls have changed the culture of Benton girls' basketball in the sense of how much they love each other, and how much they're willing to work for us."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647739113869.jpeg" alt="Jaida Cox (4) drives against John Burroughs' Allie Turner (11) in the first half of the Class 4 girls' state basketball championship game in Springfield Saturday. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Jaida Cox (4) drives against John Burroughs' Allie Turner (11) in the first half of the Class 4 girls' state basketball championship game in Springfield Saturday. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostSPRINGFIELD - The game was fun. Until it wasn't.At least, that's how Benton girls' basketball coach Chris Michaels described it.Benton (25-6) led at the end of the first and second quarter and throughout much of the third. However, a buzzer beater three by John Burroughs' Monet Witherspoon put the Bombers up 33-31 entering the fourth.Burroughs (22-4) never trailed the rest of the way, and the Bombers went onto win 54-46 in the Class 4 girls' state basketball championship at JQH Arena in Springfield Saturday.John Burroughs, winning their program's first state title in their fifth Final Four appearance, sunk 12-of-16 free throws in the final quarter to help seal the victory. Their 1-3-1 zone defense also created problems for Benton offensively."That was a heck of a game," Michaels said. "It was fun. Until it wasn't. You have to give congratulations to Burroughs. They did some things to us that we did not expect. That's a heck of a job by their staff."The game started out for Benton much like Friday's semifinal did against Helias Catholic. Low scoring, and the Cardinals jumped to an early, slim lead.Behind a couple of early three-pointers by senior Jaida Cox, and another by junior Peyton Anderson, the Cardinals led 11-8 at the end of one. Leading by as many as four in the first half, Benton took a 21-19 lead into the locker room.The third quarter was back and forth for awhile, but Benton built a 30-25 advantage with 2:21 after a successful and-one by Cox.John Burroughs ended the third quarter on an 8-1 run, which was capped off by the three-pointer by Witherspoon, who finished with 16 points.Benton tied it twice early in the fourth, but Burroughs took the lead for good with 5:08 to go after a pair of Allie Turner free throws but the Bombers up 41-37.Cox was called on an offensive charge on Benton's ensuing possession with 4:29 remaining, and Burroughs continued to get stops and get free throws.Turner, who led Burroughs with 19 points, went 12-for-14 at the foul line Saturday, including 10-for-12 in the final period."We tried to take her away," Michaels said of Turner. "She won't go away. Like, she keeps catching the ball. We put two girls on her, and she caught the ball. So, that's a good player."Cox led her team in her final varsity game with 20 points. Junior Kelsey Johnson had 12 points and a game-high eight rebounds.Benton now says an emotional goodbye to three varsity seniors - Cox, Olivia Walters and Lauren Burright. Walters had six rebounds, while Burright had five points and three boards."It was a great time," Cox said as she reflected on her final game in her final season. "Especially being out on that floor with those girls for the last time. I just knew I had to put everything in for those girls who were going to do the same thing for me in the end."It's not the ending Benton wanted, but the Cardinals finish with 10 more wins than what they had last year, and they improve off of their fourth place finish at state last season, taking the program to back-to-back state semi appearances for the first time ever.The work to come back to Springfield for a third straight year, Michaels says, begins right away."This is a special group," Michaels said proudly. "They've done something that's never been done before in Benton history and Benton is pretty storied. These girls have changed the culture of Benton girls' basketball in the sense of how much they love each other, and how much they're willing to work for us."<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/Benton-postgame-31922---Chris-Michaels--Jaida-Cox--Lauren-Burright--Olivia-Walters-e1fvdlf" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647741614801.jpeg" alt="Kelsey Johnson (right) dribbles the ball in the first half." />
 <figcaption>Kelsey Johnson (right) dribbles the ball in the first half.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647741657700.jpeg" alt="Peyton Anderson (12) brings the ball up the floor." />
 <figcaption>Peyton Anderson (12) brings the ball up the floor.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647741686043.jpeg" alt="Olivia Walters (24) tries to pull the ball away from a defender." />
 <figcaption>Olivia Walters (24) tries to pull the ball away from a defender.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647741759828.jpeg" alt="Avery Morlock (left) and Jaida Cox (right) share a moment after the trophy and medal presentations Saturday." />
 <figcaption>Avery Morlock (left) and Jaida Cox (right) share a moment after the trophy and medal presentations Saturday.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Benton battles hard, falls to John Burroughs in state title game Saturday

SPRINGFIELD - It was unclear for about the first three quarters of Friday's Class 4 state semifinal between Benton and Helias Catholic whether any team could pull away.

With the game knotted at 23-23 with 2:44 left in the third, neither team had led by more than three and there had been seven ties up to that point.

Then, Benton (25-5) did something late in the third that neither team could seem to do. Score on back-to-back possessions.

Sparked by back-to-back layups by senior Lauren Burright and sophomore Avery Morlock to end the third quarter, Benton&nbsp;opened up an 8-0 run into the fourth, and held on for a 47-42 win over Helias Catholic Friday, putting Benton girls' basketball back into the state title for the first time since 2016 and the third time in history.

"We knew we had left some things on the table," Benton head coach Chris Michaels said coming off of a 4th place finish at state last season. "We knew that when we got back here, because we knew we were coming back, we wanted to do better than we did last year."

The game got off to a slow start, with Helias (23-8) leading 6-4 with less than three minutes left in the first quarter. Morlock hit a big three late in the first, which helped the Cardinals take an 11-10 lead entering the second.

The first half featured six lead changes, but Benton went into the locker room up 18-17.

"We went into halftime, what, up one?" Michaels recalled. "Then to come out and kind of stick your nose in the grind and do what we need to do to seal a game - that's big time. We told them, 'Experience being here already last year was going to help them out,' so we kind of leaned on that."&nbsp;

Benton would take its largest lead of the game at 33-25 with 4:25 to go. Helias had a scoring drought of 5:08 that stretched between the third and fourth quarter, helping the Cardinals to control the clock and momentum.

The Crusaders were held to just 32.5 percent shooting on the ay (13-of-40), and were limited to seven second quarter points and only eight in the third.

"We had gotten into some things Helias had not seen us run," Michaels said. "We put some things in specifically for this tournament. So, there's new things out there that they were not used to. So, I do think that frustrated them a tad bit."

Helias fought hard in the closing minutes, getting back to within 40-37 with 56 seconds remaining. On the ensuing possession, senior Jaida Cox threw in a quick layup in transition and was fouled.

Cox's free throw gave Benton a 42-37 advantage with 41 seconds left. Cox and Morlock each scored seven points.

 The Cardinals shot it a bit better in the second half, going 9-of-20 from the field compared to the 6-of-21 effort in the first half.

"Back-to-back baskets, we feed off of them so much," said junior Peyton Anderson, who finished with four points and five rebounds. "Obviously, our parents are going crazy when we get back-to-back baskets. It just really hypes us up."

Burright led Benton with 12 points, including six in the fourth quarter. Junior Kelsey Johnson had 11 points and seven boards.&nbsp;

Senior Gabrielle Bax led Helias with 11 points. Senior Adalyn Keolling, a Missouri State commit, had nine points and seven boards.

Benton will now face John Burroughs (21-4) out of St. Louis for the Class 4 state title on Saturday evening at 6. The Bombers have won 16 straight, including a 51-37 win over St. James in the other Class 4 semi Friday.

The Cards, however, own a 13-game winning streak themselves and are now 19-1 in their last 20. In fact, Benton hasn't lost to a Missouri team in the year 2022. Their lone loss since Jan. 1 was to Kansas Class 6A state runner-up Olathe North (23-2).

Benton has achieved their first goal this weekend - finish higher at state than they did last year. One goal down. One more to go.

"We've done better than we did last year and now there's the icing on the cake is up there and the cherry on top is up there for us to eat that."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647644857371.jpeg" alt="Kelsey Johnson (left) dribbles in the first half of Benton's 47-42 win over Helias Catholic in the Class 4 state semifinal at the Hammond Student Center on Friday. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Kelsey Johnson (left) dribbles in the first half of Benton's 47-42 win over Helias Catholic in the Class 4 state semifinal at the Hammond Student Center on Friday. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostSPRINGFIELD - It was unclear for about the first three quarters of Friday's Class 4 state semifinal between Benton and Helias Catholic whether any team could pull away.With the game knotted at 23-23 with 2:44 left in the third, neither team had led by more than three and there had been seven ties up to that point.Then, Benton (25-5) did something late in the third that neither team could seem to do. Score on back-to-back possessions.Sparked by back-to-back layups by senior Lauren Burright and sophomore Avery Morlock to end the third quarter, Benton&nbsp;opened up an 8-0 run into the fourth, and held on for a 47-42 win over Helias Catholic Friday, putting Benton girls' basketball back into the state title for the first time since 2016 and the third time in history."We knew we had left some things on the table," Benton head coach Chris Michaels said coming off of a 4th place finish at state last season. "We knew that when we got back here, because we knew we were coming back, we wanted to do better than we did last year."The game got off to a slow start, with Helias (23-8) leading 6-4 with less than three minutes left in the first quarter. Morlock hit a big three late in the first, which helped the Cardinals take an 11-10 lead entering the second.The first half featured six lead changes, but Benton went into the locker room up 18-17."We went into halftime, what, up one?" Michaels recalled. "Then to come out and kind of stick your nose in the grind and do what we need to do to seal a game - that's big time. We told them, 'Experience being here already last year was going to help them out,' so we kind of leaned on that."&nbsp;Benton would take its largest lead of the game at 33-25 with 4:25 to go. Helias had a scoring drought of 5:08 that stretched between the third and fourth quarter, helping the Cardinals to control the clock and momentum.The Crusaders were held to just 32.5 percent shooting on the ay (13-of-40), and were limited to seven second quarter points and only eight in the third."We had gotten into some things Helias had not seen us run," Michaels said. "We put some things in specifically for this tournament. So, there's new things out there that they were not used to. So, I do think that frustrated them a tad bit."Helias fought hard in the closing minutes, getting back to within 40-37 with 56 seconds remaining. On the ensuing possession, senior Jaida Cox threw in a quick layup in transition and was fouled.Cox's free throw gave Benton a 42-37 advantage with 41 seconds left. Cox and Morlock each scored seven points. The Cardinals shot it a bit better in the second half, going 9-of-20 from the field compared to the 6-of-21 effort in the first half."Back-to-back baskets, we feed off of them so much," said junior Peyton Anderson, who finished with four points and five rebounds. "Obviously, our parents are going crazy when we get back-to-back baskets. It just really hypes us up."Burright led Benton with 12 points, including six in the fourth quarter. Junior Kelsey Johnson had 11 points and seven boards.&nbsp;Senior Gabrielle Bax led Helias with 11 points. Senior Adalyn Keolling, a Missouri State commit, had nine points and seven boards.Benton will now face John Burroughs (21-4) out of St. Louis for the Class 4 state title on Saturday evening at 6. The Bombers have won 16 straight, including a 51-37 win over St. James in the other Class 4 semi Friday.The Cards, however, own a 13-game winning streak themselves and are now 19-1 in their last 20. In fact, Benton hasn't lost to a Missouri team in the year 2022. Their lone loss since Jan. 1 was to Kansas Class 6A state runner-up Olathe North (23-2).Benton has achieved their first goal this weekend - finish higher at state than they did last year. One goal down. One more to go."We've done better than we did last year and now there's the icing on the cake is up there and the cherry on top is up there for us to eat that."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647644401642.jpeg" alt="Benton celebrates after Friday's win." />
 <figcaption>Benton celebrates after Friday's win.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647648567237.jpeg" alt="Benton's Andrea Simmons drives the lane." />
 <figcaption>Benton's Andrea Simmons drives the lane.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647648654411.jpeg" alt="Avery Morlock (3) attempts a shot in the first half." />
 <figcaption>Avery Morlock (3) attempts a shot in the first half.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647648688470.jpeg" alt="Lauren Burright (30) throws up a contested shot." />
 <figcaption>Lauren Burright (30) throws up a contested shot.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647649137445.jpeg" alt="Peyton Anderson puts up a three-point attempt in the second half." />
 <figcaption>Peyton Anderson puts up a three-point attempt in the second half.</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/Benton-postgame-31822---Chris-Michaels--Avery-Morlock--Kelsey-Johnson--Andrea-Simmons--Peyton-Anderson-e1fu4pr" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Benton holds off Helias Catholic in state semis Friday, will play for state title Saturday

&nbsp;Chris Michaels has become pretty well known in St. Joseph.

In his first two years as the head girls' basketball coach at his alma mater Benton, he's taken the Cardinals to two Final Fours. He was nominated as St. Joseph Sports, Inc. Coach of the Year just this week.&nbsp;

But, that may not be the top thing he's known for. Anyone who's attended a Benton girls' basketball game over the last two seasons has probably heard Michaels' voice above the fullest of gyms.

Rest assured, his shouting is purely motivational. And it works.

"His intensity motivates all of us and pushes us even harder," junior Kelsey Johnson said. "And it makes the game a lot more fun. He makes practices and games super enjoyable."

Practice, Michaels says, is a whole different approach than a game.

"I'm not out here screaming and hollering at practice," Michaels chuckled. "If I raise my voice, it's usually because we're laughing so hard and we have to get our focus again."

It's clear Michaels has a passion for the game, and his team. He's also fond of caffeine. He had a good amount of it before Benton's state quarterfinal win over St. Pius X last Saturday.

"He had three Monsters and three cups of coffee," Johnson laughed. "So, it was worse."

Michaels, who downgraded to a more tame can of Pepsi at Wednesday's practice, cites a lack of sleep the night before.

"Any coach that tells you they can sleep the night before a quarterfinal game that decides their fate on whether or not they go to the Final Four is lying," Michaels joked.

Take the caffeine out of it, and Michaels will tell you - that fire, that intensity, that shouting from the bench will always be there. And that's by design.

"In the game, I want to give the same energy and effort that they've given me all week," Michaels explained. "That's my goal. My goal is to pay them back. All of that effort they gave us, we use in the game. They respond pretty well."

Benton (24-5) has responded well the last two years. The Cardinals, winners of 12 straight games, are back in the Final Four a second straight year and a fifth time since 2007.

They come into this Final Four with nine more wins than what they had at this time a year ago. Senior Lauren Burright has a theory on why that might be.

"This year, we focused on taking care of each other more," she said. "When we're on the floor, that brings a different kind of intensity when you're there for everyone else. When you're there for everyone else, it just amps up the energy and that kind of stuff."

Benton faces Helias Catholic (23-7) in the semifinal on Friday at 4 p.m. at JQH Arena in Springfield. The Cardinals and Crusaders met once this season already in the Jefferson City Invitational in late December.

Helias, who's in the Final Four for just the second time in their history and for the first time since 1995, got off to an 11-0 start in that game against Benton and overcame an eight-point fourth quarter deficit to beat the Cardinals 41-39 on Dec. 27.

Benton's record since that day is 18-1. Their only loss in 2022 is to Kansas' Class 6A runner-up Olathe North (23-2) on Jan. 21 at the Basehor-Linwood tournament.

That game may have also been a turning point. Michaels had a shoe break during that game, and had to get some backups.

"We've been hot since," he said. "It wasn't a choice. My shoes broke, so we put the new ones on and they've stayed heavy since then. They're just old dress shoes, right? I've had them for 15 years, right? So, we'll see what happens. Hopefully they can stay hot and heavy."

Benton's record with Michaels' 'old dress shoes' is 12-0. Superstitions exist for a reason.

"But superstition is only there if you believe it," he added.

Benton has a lot working in their favor. A young, passionate and successful head coach. A core group of starters back from last season. A 12-game winning streak. Lucky shoes. The whole smash.

They also have belief, which in the month of March, is the most important thing to have on a basketball team.

"We got fourth last year," Johnson said. "I think we have a lot more motivation to make it even farther this year and that's our goal."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647597807544.jpeg" alt="Benton girls' basketball coach Chris Michaels walks down the baseline during a practice Wednesday at Springer Gymnasium. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Benton girls' basketball coach Chris Michaels walks down the baseline during a practice Wednesday at Springer Gymnasium. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph Post&nbsp;Chris Michaels has become pretty well known in St. Joseph.In his first two years as the head girls' basketball coach at his alma mater Benton, he's taken the Cardinals to two Final Fours. He was nominated as St. Joseph Sports, Inc. Coach of the Year just this week.&nbsp;But, that may not be the top thing he's known for. Anyone who's attended a Benton girls' basketball game over the last two seasons has probably heard Michaels' voice above the fullest of gyms.Rest assured, his shouting is purely motivational. And it works."His intensity motivates all of us and pushes us even harder," junior Kelsey Johnson said. "And it makes the game a lot more fun. He makes practices and games super enjoyable."Practice, Michaels says, is a whole different approach than a game."I'm not out here screaming and hollering at practice," Michaels chuckled. "If I raise my voice, it's usually because we're laughing so hard and we have to get our focus again."It's clear Michaels has a passion for the game, and his team. He's also fond of caffeine. He had a good amount of it before Benton's state quarterfinal win over St. Pius X last Saturday."He had three Monsters and three cups of coffee," Johnson laughed. "So, it was worse."Michaels, who downgraded to a more tame can of Pepsi at Wednesday's practice, cites a lack of sleep the night before."Any coach that tells you they can sleep the night before a quarterfinal game that decides their fate on whether or not they go to the Final Four is lying," Michaels joked.Take the caffeine out of it, and Michaels will tell you - that fire, that intensity, that shouting from the bench will always be there. And that's by design."In the game, I want to give the same energy and effort that they've given me all week," Michaels explained. "That's my goal. My goal is to pay them back. All of that effort they gave us, we use in the game. They respond pretty well."Benton (24-5) has responded well the last two years. The Cardinals, winners of 12 straight games, are back in the Final Four a second straight year and a fifth time since 2007.They come into this Final Four with nine more wins than what they had at this time a year ago. Senior Lauren Burright has a theory on why that might be."This year, we focused on taking care of each other more," she said. "When we're on the floor, that brings a different kind of intensity when you're there for everyone else. When you're there for everyone else, it just amps up the energy and that kind of stuff."Benton faces Helias Catholic (23-7) in the semifinal on Friday at 4 p.m. at JQH Arena in Springfield. The Cardinals and Crusaders met once this season already in the Jefferson City Invitational in late December.Helias, who's in the Final Four for just the second time in their history and for the first time since 1995, got off to an 11-0 start in that game against Benton and overcame an eight-point fourth quarter deficit to beat the Cardinals 41-39 on Dec. 27.Benton's record since that day is 18-1. Their only loss in 2022 is to Kansas' Class 6A runner-up Olathe North (23-2) on Jan. 21 at the Basehor-Linwood tournament.That game may have also been a turning point. Michaels had a shoe break during that game, and had to get some backups."We've been hot since," he said. "It wasn't a choice. My shoes broke, so we put the new ones on and they've stayed heavy since then. They're just old dress shoes, right? I've had them for 15 years, right? So, we'll see what happens. Hopefully they can stay hot and heavy."Benton's record with Michaels' 'old dress shoes' is 12-0. Superstitions exist for a reason."But superstition is only there if you believe it," he added.Benton has a lot working in their favor. A young, passionate and successful head coach. A core group of starters back from last season. A 12-game winning streak. Lucky shoes. The whole smash.They also have belief, which in the month of March, is the most important thing to have on a basketball team."We got fourth last year," Johnson said. "I think we have a lot more motivation to make it even farther this year and that's our goal."<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/Chris-Michaels-fiery--unique-coaching-style-leads-Benton-back-to-Final-Four-e1ft56v" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646365077344.jpeg" alt="Kelsey Johnson (right) drives the lane in the first half of Benton's 47-39 win over Chillicothe in the C4D16 championship. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Kelsey Johnson (right) drives the lane in the first half of Benton's 47-39 win over Chillicothe in the C4D16 championship. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646365160265.jpeg" alt="Senior Lauren Burright cuts out a piece of the net following the Cardinals' district championship win." />
 <figcaption>Senior Lauren Burright cuts out a piece of the net following the Cardinals' district championship win.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646806312195.jpeg" alt="Jaida Cox (4) during a state sectional win over Odessa." />
 <figcaption>Jaida Cox (4) during a state sectional win over Odessa.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1646102195368.jpeg" alt="Peyton Anderson (12) tries to dribble around a defender in district semifinals against Maryville." />
 <figcaption>Peyton Anderson (12) tries to dribble around a defender in district semifinals against Maryville.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Michaels' unique, fiery style helps guide Benton back to the Final Four

Katie Koelzer had experienced a rewarding high school basketball career at Lafayette, helping take the program from two wins in 2019, four in 2020, nine in 2021 and then 16 wins this past season.

She's known for awhile that she'd to go to school at Kansas State. Never did she think she'd go there with an athletic scholarship.

Koelzer signed her national letter of intent Thursday to continue her athletic career on the K-State rowing team next year.

"Last year, I'd have never guessed I'd be a Division I athlete," Koelzer said. "Especially in rowing. I kind of just got a letter one day and I was kind of interested. So, I looked more into it and I went on a visit and I just saw all that the program could offer me for the next four years. Not just athletically, but academically."

Koelzer becomes the first ever Lafayette athlete to sign as a DI rower. It's a path she didn't expect to go down, considering her first time in a kayak was this past summer.

There's not many basketball drills that translate to rowing, either.

"Conditioning and all of the summer workouts," she said, "but that's about as much experience I'll have going into this."

Koelzer was the lone senior on Lafayette's varsity basketball team this year, becoming the first outgoing senior since coach Brad Spinner took over.

"It taught me a lot," she said of her basketball career. "Going from my freshman year to winning two games. It was a struggle and now, we're a pretty decent team, winning 16 games. It really taught me a lot about sticking with stuff and hard work. It was a lot of hard work over the last four years. But, getting to where are now, I'm really proud of the team."

Koelzer will study finance at Kansas State. Going to Manhattan on a rowing scholarship is really an added bonus for Koelzer, as she had fallen in love with the campus long before this opportunity came up.

"Everyone kind of seems close," she said. "Everyone was really nice. Kind of reminded me of Lafayette."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647543390828.jpeg" alt="Katie Koelzer signs her national letter of intent for Kansas State rowing at the Lafayette High School library Thursday. Photo by Corey Gilpin." />
 <figcaption>Katie Koelzer signs her national letter of intent for Kansas State rowing at the Lafayette High School library Thursday. Photo by Corey Gilpin.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostKatie Koelzer had experienced a rewarding high school basketball career at Lafayette, helping take the program from two wins in 2019, four in 2020, nine in 2021 and then 16 wins this past season.She's known for awhile that she'd to go to school at Kansas State. Never did she think she'd go there with an athletic scholarship.Koelzer signed her national letter of intent Thursday to continue her athletic career on the K-State rowing team next year."Last year, I'd have never guessed I'd be a Division I athlete," Koelzer said. "Especially in rowing. I kind of just got a letter one day and I was kind of interested. So, I looked more into it and I went on a visit and I just saw all that the program could offer me for the next four years. Not just athletically, but academically."Koelzer becomes the first ever Lafayette athlete to sign as a DI rower. It's a path she didn't expect to go down, considering her first time in a kayak was this past summer.There's not many basketball drills that translate to rowing, either."Conditioning and all of the summer workouts," she said, "but that's about as much experience I'll have going into this."Koelzer was the lone senior on Lafayette's varsity basketball team this year, becoming the first outgoing senior since coach Brad Spinner took over."It taught me a lot," she said of her basketball career. "Going from my freshman year to winning two games. It was a struggle and now, we're a pretty decent team, winning 16 games. It really taught me a lot about sticking with stuff and hard work. It was a lot of hard work over the last four years. But, getting to where are now, I'm really proud of the team."Koelzer will study finance at Kansas State. Going to Manhattan on a rowing scholarship is really an added bonus for Koelzer, as she had fallen in love with the campus long before this opportunity came up."Everyone kind of seems close," she said. "Everyone was really nice. Kind of reminded me of Lafayette."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647544167418.jpeg" alt="Katie Koelzer (right) in a game earlier this season against Mid-Buchanan. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Katie Koelzer (right) in a game earlier this season against Mid-Buchanan. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Lafayette's Katie Koelzer signs NLI for Kansas State rowing

The Northwest Missouri State men's basketball team (31-5) punched its ticket to the Elite Eight for the sixth time in history with a 70-56 win over top-seeded Augustana Tuesday in the Central Region championship game at the Sanford Pentagon.

Junior Trevor Hudgins knocked in seven three-pointers and scored a game-high 27 points to go along with six assists to help Northwest to its third straight Elite Eight appearance.

"I'm just excited," Hudgins said. "We worked hard all year. It's been tough at times, but just keep on going. We've been fighting and I'm just excited to get to Evansville."

Northwest closed the first half on a 22-6 run to take a 34-25 halftime lead behind a 6-of-7 three-point effort by Hudgins in the first 20 minutes. The Bearcats made 14 total threes in the victory, and never trailed in the second half after getting down 19-12 early.

"They just fight," coach Ben McCollum said. "They're just fighters. There's nothing pretty, nothing unreal. Just fighters, and that's just who they are."

Wes Dreamer scored 13 points. Diego Bernard had 10 points and nine boards. Northwest will compete in the Elite Eight starting March 22 in Evansville, Indiana. Their seeding and opponent will be determined later today.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647433077011.jpeg" alt="Courtesy Northwest athletics." />
 <figcaption>Courtesy Northwest athletics.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe Northwest Missouri State men's basketball team (31-5) punched its ticket to the Elite Eight for the sixth time in history with a 70-56 win over top-seeded Augustana Tuesday in the Central Region championship game at the Sanford Pentagon.Junior Trevor Hudgins knocked in seven three-pointers and scored a game-high 27 points to go along with six assists to help Northwest to its third straight Elite Eight appearance."I'm just excited," Hudgins said. "We worked hard all year. It's been tough at times, but just keep on going. We've been fighting and I'm just excited to get to Evansville."Northwest closed the first half on a 22-6 run to take a 34-25 halftime lead behind a 6-of-7 three-point effort by Hudgins in the first 20 minutes. The Bearcats made 14 total threes in the victory, and never trailed in the second half after getting down 19-12 early."They just fight," coach Ben McCollum said. "They're just fighters. There's nothing pretty, nothing unreal. Just fighters, and that's just who they are."Wes Dreamer scored 13 points. Diego Bernard had 10 points and nine boards. Northwest will compete in the Elite Eight starting March 22 in Evansville, Indiana. Their seeding and opponent will be determined later today.

Northwest men's basketball Elite Eight bound yet again after Augustana win

Bishop LeBlond athletic director, boys' golf and boys' basketball coach Mitch Girres was honored as the St. Joseph Sports, Inc. Coach of the Year, while Central's Ella Moody and Benton's Taten Piepergerdes were named the male and female scholar athletes of the year.

Girres, named LeBlond's athletic director this past summer, helped lead the Eagles to a dominant performance in the Class 3 state golf championship in Farmington, where LeBlond won the meet by a whopping 54 strokes.

"It's great to win this award," Girres said, "but without these kids, none of it is possible. I'm just so thankful to have a wonderful group of kids in order to have this award. It's special."

Girres also helped lead LeBlond boys' basketball to a Class 2 Final Four appearance this past season, where the Eagles finished fourth after two, hard fought games against top-ranked Norwood and Putnam County.

Ella Moody of St. Joseph Central was named the Female Scholar Athlete of the Year. A women's basketball signee for Northwest Missouri State, Moody played both volleyball and basketball for all four years of her varsity career, earning all-state, all-city and all-district honors in multiple seasons.

She recently set the all-time career scoring record at Central in girls' basketball, finishing with 1,421 points - breaking a 37-year old record.

"My grandpa is one of the founders of this organization and this award," Moody said. "So, 30 years ago, it was something he introduced, and I'm very blessed to have gotten this accomplishment."

Benton's Taten Piepergerdes was named Male Scholar Athlete of the Year. He's a three-sport athlete, having competed in soccer, football and basketball all four years.

Piepergerdes was named first-team all-city, second-team all-conference and all-district in soccer, while earning academic all-state honors in football.

"I don't think I was the most qualified," Piepergerdes said. "There were a lot of people here with really good accomplishments. So, I was kind of surprised, but I'm thankful for the opportunity. Thankful I was chosen."

Piepergerdes plans to attend Missouri Western and study finance. Both Piepergerdes and Moody receive $1,000 scholarships. Every other student nominee receives $500.

Chris Michaels - Benton girls' basketball Matt Jansen - Lafayette baseball Erin Patrick - St. Joseph Christian volleyball and girls' basketball Kendra Hodgin - Central softball

Scholar Athlete of the Year Nominees

St. Joseph Central - Ella Moody and Adam Honson Bishop LeBlond - Chris Guldan and Emily Welter Benton - Kally Horn and Taten Piepergerdes Lafayette - Ellie Wattenbarger and Quentin Garrett St. Joseph Christian - Rui (Diana) YE

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647398696061.jpeg" alt="LeBlond's Mitch Girres was named the St. Joseph Sports, Inc. and St. Joseph School District Coach of the Year Tuesday. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>LeBlond's Mitch Girres was named the St. Joseph Sports, Inc. and St. Joseph School District Coach of the Year Tuesday. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostBishop LeBlond athletic director, boys' golf and boys' basketball coach Mitch Girres was honored as the St. Joseph Sports, Inc. Coach of the Year, while Central's Ella Moody and Benton's Taten Piepergerdes were named the male and female scholar athletes of the year.Girres, named LeBlond's athletic director this past summer, helped lead the Eagles to a dominant performance in the Class 3 state golf championship in Farmington, where LeBlond won the meet by a whopping 54 strokes."It's great to win this award," Girres said, "but without these kids, none of it is possible. I'm just so thankful to have a wonderful group of kids in order to have this award. It's special."Girres also helped lead LeBlond boys' basketball to a Class 2 Final Four appearance this past season, where the Eagles finished fourth after two, hard fought games against top-ranked Norwood and Putnam County.Ella Moody of St. Joseph Central was named the Female Scholar Athlete of the Year. A women's basketball signee for Northwest Missouri State, Moody played both volleyball and basketball for all four years of her varsity career, earning all-state, all-city and all-district honors in multiple seasons.She recently set the all-time career scoring record at Central in girls' basketball, finishing with 1,421 points - breaking a 37-year old record."My grandpa is one of the founders of this organization and this award," Moody said. "So, 30 years ago, it was something he introduced, and I'm very blessed to have gotten this accomplishment." Benton's Taten Piepergerdes was named Male Scholar Athlete of the Year. He's a three-sport athlete, having competed in soccer, football and basketball all four years.Piepergerdes was named first-team all-city, second-team all-conference and all-district in soccer, while earning academic all-state honors in football."I don't think I was the most qualified," Piepergerdes said. "There were a lot of people here with really good accomplishments. So, I was kind of surprised, but I'm thankful for the opportunity. Thankful I was chosen."Piepergerdes plans to attend Missouri Western and study finance. Both Piepergerdes and Moody receive $1,000 scholarships. Every other student nominee receives $500.Coach of the Year nomineesChris Michaels - Benton girls' basketball Matt Jansen - Lafayette baseball Erin Patrick - St. Joseph Christian volleyball and girls' basketball Kendra Hodgin - Central softballScholar Athlete of the Year NomineesSt. Joseph Central - Ella Moody and Adam Honson Bishop LeBlond - Chris Guldan and Emily Welter Benton - Kally Horn and Taten Piepergerdes Lafayette - Ellie Wattenbarger and Quentin Garrett St. Joseph Christian - Rui (Diana) YE<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647398791344.jpeg" alt="Ella Moody." />
 <figcaption>Ella Moody.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647398844879.jpeg" alt="Benton's Kally Horn and Taten Piepergerdes." />
 <figcaption>Benton's Kally Horn and Taten Piepergerdes.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647398992398.jpeg" alt="Lafayette's Quentin Garrett and Ellie Wattenbarger." />
 <figcaption>Lafayette's Quentin Garrett and Ellie Wattenbarger.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Girres, Moody, Piepergerdes named winners at St. Joseph Scholar Athlete Night

HAYS, KS - Missouri Western did the unexpected on Thursday and Friday, routing No. 2 seed Southwestern Oklahoma State and then beating No. 6 Nebraska-Kearney in the semifinals after losing to the Lopers twice earlier this season.

On Monday, the Griffons did the unthinkable.

Missouri Western (24-9), down 20-7 at the end of one, and down 38-17 with two minutes left until halftime, slowly chipped away, took their first lead with 3:04 remaining in the game and held on for a 70-69 win over No. 1 seed and No. 4 ranked Fort Hays State (30-4) in the Central Region championship at Gross Memorial Coliseum on Monday night.

The Griffons are Elite Eight bound for just the third time in program history and for the first time since 1995.

"I mean, it was just unbelievable," coach Candi Whitaker said of the comeback victory. "I don't even know how it happened, to be honest. Other than our team is so gutsy and I'm&nbsp; so proud of their fight."

Down 38-23 at the break, Western slowly chipped away at their deficit, outscoring Hays 22-11 in the third quarter and only trailing 49-46 entering the fourth.

Hays, who's now 0-3 in regional final games all time, did all they could to stay ahead, hitting 12-of-15 free throws in the fourth quarter alone, but Western shot 8-of-14 from the field in the fourth and made 7-of-9 free throws themselves to continue closing the gap.

A big key to closing that gap was Jaelyn Haggard. The graduate student guard, Northwest Missouri State transfer and St. Joseph native scored 12 of her game-high 19 points in the fourth quarter alone on two huge three-pointers.

She was also 6-for-6 at the free throw line in the fourth quarter. After Haggard's jumper tied the game at 60 with 3:43 left, she had the ball again on the next possession, and got fouled hard on a shot attempt by Hays' Lauren West.

After the foul was called, West spiked the ball hard on the floor, resulting in a technical foul. Haggard shot two free throws for the shooting foul, and got to shoot two more due to the technical.

Haggard made all four of those shots, and Western led 64-60 with 3:04 left.

"Every possession at that point was extremely critical," she said. "So, we knew once we had the lead, they're an extremely tough team as well, so you can't let up at any moment. We just tried to run with it as long as we could and continue to be tough."

Haggard came up big again with 1:18 remaining, hitting an NBA-range three to put the Griffons up 67-64.

Just over a minute later, Hays' Katie Wagner got a basket and one coming out of a Tiger timeout. Wagner's free throw put Hays ahead 69-68 with 14 seconds remaining.

Coach Whitaker immediately called timeout after that, giving the Griffons the ball in the half-court. Brionna Budgets, the Central Region tournament MVP, who had been scoreless for the first 39:52 of Monday's game, drove the baseline and put up a fairly open layup with eight seconds left, giving the Griffons a 70-69 lead.

Hays called a timeout themselves, got the ball to freshman guard Kate Dilsaver on the left baseline in the closing five seconds. Dilsaver's floater was well off the mark, Western's Trinity Knapp rebounded as time expired, giving the Griffons another historic win in an unforgettable week.

"Really just down the stretch, we did a great job of executing," Whitaker said. "Bri (Budgets') bucket obviously wins the game for us, but we got a defensive stop at the end to win it.

"Just, just...kind of lost for words, but just super proud and quite emotional with the swing we had in that game."

Budgets was named the tournament's most outstanding player, scoring a combined 38 points in the three games in Hays. Haggard and senior Corbyn Cunningham were named to the all-Central Region team.

Cunningham had 15 points for Western on Monday after scoring 12 in each of the first two games of the tournament.

Whitaker gave her seniors a ton of credit after Monday's win, including Mychaell Gray, who had six points and three boards off the bench against the Tigers.

"You just love to watch kids play like it is their last," Whitaker said, "and those three (seniors) played like it. Couldn't be more proud of them."

Missouri Western advances to the Elite Eight for the first time in 27 years, and they'll play next Monday in at the Birmingham CrossPlex. Their opponent and game time is still to be determined.

The teams who advance to the Elite Eight will be assigned new seeds.

But, what a week. It's Western's first win against Fort Hays State in Hays since 2007, their first win over a top five team since 2016 and their first over a top 10 since 2020.

Missouri Western's last three wins over top 10 teams have all been against Fort Hays State.

Again, this current run is incredible. Six wins last year - Elite Eight this year. A roster with 14 underclassmen, including four true freshmen. A team that lost five of its last seven in the regular season.

It's a Griffon team that went 1-6 against the top three teams in the MIAA in the regular season and conference tournament combined.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647313792911.jpeg" alt="Missouri Western women's basketball - 2022 Central Region champions. Photo by Ryan Menley." />
 <figcaption>Missouri Western women's basketball - 2022 Central Region champions. Photo by Ryan Menley.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostHAYS, KS - Missouri Western did the unexpected on Thursday and Friday, routing No. 2 seed Southwestern Oklahoma State and then beating No. 6 Nebraska-Kearney in the semifinals after losing to the Lopers twice earlier this season.On Monday, the Griffons did the unthinkable.Missouri Western (24-9), down 20-7 at the end of one, and down 38-17 with two minutes left until halftime, slowly chipped away, took their first lead with 3:04 remaining in the game and held on for a 70-69 win over No. 1 seed and No. 4 ranked Fort Hays State (30-4) in the Central Region championship at Gross Memorial Coliseum on Monday night.The Griffons are Elite Eight bound for just the third time in program history and for the first time since 1995."I mean, it was just unbelievable," coach Candi Whitaker said of the comeback victory. "I don't even know how it happened, to be honest. Other than our team is so gutsy and I'm&nbsp; so proud of their fight."Down 38-23 at the break, Western slowly chipped away at their deficit, outscoring Hays 22-11 in the third quarter and only trailing 49-46 entering the fourth.Hays, who's now 0-3 in regional final games all time, did all they could to stay ahead, hitting 12-of-15 free throws in the fourth quarter alone, but Western shot 8-of-14 from the field in the fourth and made 7-of-9 free throws themselves to continue closing the gap.A big key to closing that gap was Jaelyn Haggard. The graduate student guard, Northwest Missouri State transfer and St. Joseph native scored 12 of her game-high 19 points in the fourth quarter alone on two huge three-pointers.She was also 6-for-6 at the free throw line in the fourth quarter. After Haggard's jumper tied the game at 60 with 3:43 left, she had the ball again on the next possession, and got fouled hard on a shot attempt by Hays' Lauren West.After the foul was called, West spiked the ball hard on the floor, resulting in a technical foul. Haggard shot two free throws for the shooting foul, and got to shoot two more due to the technical.Haggard made all four of those shots, and Western led 64-60 with 3:04 left."Every possession at that point was extremely critical," she said. "So, we knew once we had the lead, they're an extremely tough team as well, so you can't let up at any moment. We just tried to run with it as long as we could and continue to be tough."Haggard came up big again with 1:18 remaining, hitting an NBA-range three to put the Griffons up 67-64.Just over a minute later, Hays' Katie Wagner got a basket and one coming out of a Tiger timeout. Wagner's free throw put Hays ahead 69-68 with 14 seconds remaining.Coach Whitaker immediately called timeout after that, giving the Griffons the ball in the half-court. Brionna Budgets, the Central Region tournament MVP, who had been scoreless for the first 39:52 of Monday's game, drove the baseline and put up a fairly open layup with eight seconds left, giving the Griffons a 70-69 lead.Hays called a timeout themselves, got the ball to freshman guard Kate Dilsaver on the left baseline in the closing five seconds. Dilsaver's floater was well off the mark, Western's Trinity Knapp rebounded as time expired, giving the Griffons another historic win in an unforgettable week."Really just down the stretch, we did a great job of executing," Whitaker said. "Bri (Budgets') bucket obviously wins the game for us, but we got a defensive stop at the end to win it."Just, just...kind of lost for words, but just super proud and quite emotional with the swing we had in that game."Budgets was named the tournament's most outstanding player, scoring a combined 38 points in the three games in Hays. Haggard and senior Corbyn Cunningham were named to the all-Central Region team.Cunningham had 15 points for Western on Monday after scoring 12 in each of the first two games of the tournament.Whitaker gave her seniors a ton of credit after Monday's win, including Mychaell Gray, who had six points and three boards off the bench against the Tigers."You just love to watch kids play like it is their last," Whitaker said, "and those three (seniors) played like it. Couldn't be more proud of them."Missouri Western advances to the Elite Eight for the first time in 27 years, and they'll play next Monday in at the Birmingham CrossPlex. Their opponent and game time is still to be determined.The teams who advance to the Elite Eight will be assigned new seeds.But, what a week. It's Western's first win against Fort Hays State in Hays since 2007, their first win over a top five team since 2016 and their first over a top 10 since 2020.Missouri Western's last three wins over top 10 teams have all been against Fort Hays State.Again, this current run is incredible. Six wins last year - Elite Eight this year. A roster with 14 underclassmen, including four true freshmen. A team that lost five of its last seven in the regular season.It's a Griffon team that went 1-6 against the top three teams in the MIAA in the regular season and conference tournament combined.Now, here they are, representing the MIAA in the Elite Eight - one win away from their second ever Final Four appearance and two wins away from their first ever national championship game appearance.Special. Historic. Real. In some ways unimaginable. And pretty fun to witness."We are really playing great basketball and it's the most important thing this time of year," Whitaker said. "This team is really having a ton of fun. I mean, they are just having a lot of fun. So, excited we get to spend another week together and that we still have the opportunity to play basketball."&nbsp;"That's a statement for the kind of team that we are," Haggard added. "We came to compete, and right now, we're peaking. If I'm other teams, I'd be scared to play us. I've said that all week. So, we're going to go to Alabama and keep fighting and keep playing tough and see how long we can make the season go."<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/Missouri-Western-vs--FHSU---Candi-Whitaker-postgame-e1fntn7" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div><div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/Missouri-Western-vs--Fort-Hays-State---end-of-game-highlights-e1fnre6" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div><div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/Missouri-Western-vs--FHSU-postgame---Jaelyn-Haggard-e1fntpd" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">!!!!!!! PAINT ME A BIRMINGHAM !!!!!<a href="https://twitter.com/GriffonWBB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GriffonWBB</a> is Elite 8️⃣ bound!!!! FINAL: MWSU 70 (24-9) FHSU 69 (30-4) First W over Hays in Hays since 07. First Elite 8 since ‘95.<a href="https://twitter.com/theinstaballer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@theinstaballer</a> a game-high 19. Corbyn Cunningham 17. <a href="https://twitter.com/br1dagoat?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@br1dagoat</a> with the go-ahead bucket with 17 left. <a href="https://t.co/nrQlZ5wQV4">pic.twitter.com/nrQlZ5wQV4</a>&mdash; Tommy Rezac (@TommyKFEQ) <a href="https://twitter.com/TommyKFEQ/status/1503551221969391618?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2022</a></blockquote>
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</div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">RING THE BELL!!!!!!!! Final <a href="https://twitter.com/GriffonWBB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GriffonWBB</a> 70 Ft Hays - 69 ELITE 8 Bound!!! <a href="https://t.co/vkcmlsoDis">pic.twitter.com/vkcmlsoDis</a>&mdash; Missouri Western Athletics (@MWSUGriffons) <a href="https://twitter.com/MWSUGriffons/status/1503553793933336576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2022</a></blockquote>
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</div>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.