FAUCETT - Mid-Buchanan (10-0) scored touchdowns on their first six possessions of the game, and had a pair of defensive scores in the third quarter, as the Dragons rolled to a 56-6 win over Plattsburg in a Class 1 District 8 quarterfinal in Faucett Friday.

The Dragons led 28-0 by the end of the first quarter and were ahead comfortably, 42-0, by halftime.

"I think the goal tonight was to come out sharp and play well," Mid Buchanan head coach Aaron Fritz said. "Get in, play as well as we can and see if we can get out of here healthy, and I thought we accomplished that."

Mid-Buchanan did all of their offensive damage in the first half. The Dragons won the toss and elected to receive. It took them just three plays to score on their opening drive.

Junior Xavier Arambula ran for 56 yards down the sideline to give the Dragons an early 6-0 lead just 1:15 into the game.

Plattsburg (1-9) punted on four of their first five possessions. The one where they didn't punt ended in a turnover on downs.

Senior quarterback Rawlins Brant, who's worked his way back from an ankle injury against East Buchanan three weeks ago, looked like his old self Friday, as he engineered a 6-play, 63-yard march and ended it with a four-yard touchdown run on first and goal to put the Dragons up 13-0 halfway through the first.

Brant would then find fellow senior Blake Hunter on touchdown throws of four and 57 yards on the next two drives. A Jackson Sauvage two-point run made it 28-0 Dragons by the end of the first.

Arambula had touchdown runs of seven and 10 yards in the second quarter, giving the Dragons a 42-0 halftime lead.

Arambula finished with 120 yards on eight carries and three touchdowns. Brant finished with 188 all-purpose yards, 130 through the air and 58 on the ground, and three all-purpose scores.

Mid-Buchanan finished with 346 yards of offense, compared to just 99 by Plattsburg.

The Tigers got the ball to start the second half, but senior quarterback Brock Steggall threw a pick-six on the second play from scrimmage in the third quarter, and Hunter took it back 24 yards for the score, putting the Dragons ahead 49-0 less than two minutes into the second half.

Just three plays later, junior Clancey Woodward jumped a slant route and got a pick-six of his own, this one going for 20 yards, to put Mid-Buchanan ahead 56-0 midway through the third.

"You never know when your last game is going to be," Fritz said. "We told the starters, 'We'll let you have a drive on defense (to start the second half),' and then we get the pick-six right away. So, then they were like, 'Aww man, can we get one more?' And I went, 'Nope. You guys stand over here.' Clancey (Woodward) is still new to football. So, we let him stay out there, and that was a great play. Jumped the route and did a really nice job."

Mid-Buchanan touched the ball for just four plays in the second half. Plattsburg strung together a drive that nearly lasted seven minutes late in the third.

Aided by a couple of Dragon penalties, senior Nathan Bash scored on a 40-yard touchdown run to put Plattsburg on the board, 56-6, with 20 seconds left in the third. Jackson Sauvage blocked the point-after attempt by Jackson Lewis.

The Dragons had one drive in the third quarter that resulted in three-and-out. Plattsburg had a couple of possessions in the fourth, but didn't come close to scoring on either of them.

That sets up the Battle of the Buchanans - round two, postseason edition, next week. The No. 3 seed Bulldogs (9-1) defeated Carrollton soundly Friday, 42-0, in Gower in the other quarterfinal.

<a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/ecc61d65-3c0e-4d99-9c76-c1a65e9adc03">The Dragons beat East Buchanan in the regular season</a>, 28-21, on October 8 in Faucett. The two teams now get a rematch on Friday, Nov. 5 in Faucett, in the district semifinals.

"It was one of the all-time best games I've been a part of last time," Fritz said. "I know it's going to be a great battle again and we're going to have to come out and play a little bit cleaner and a little bit better if we're going to have a chance to win."

<a href="https://www.680kfeq.com/scoreboard/">More scores here.</a>

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635565390256.jpeg" alt="Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZAC and MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostFAUCETT - Mid-Buchanan (10-0) scored touchdowns on their first six possessions of the game, and had a pair of defensive scores in the third quarter, as the Dragons rolled to a 56-6 win over Plattsburg in a Class 1 District 8 quarterfinal in Faucett Friday.The Dragons led 28-0 by the end of the first quarter and were ahead comfortably, 42-0, by halftime."I think the goal tonight was to come out sharp and play well," Mid Buchanan head coach Aaron Fritz said. "Get in, play as well as we can and see if we can get out of here healthy, and I thought we accomplished that."Mid-Buchanan did all of their offensive damage in the first half. The Dragons won the toss and elected to receive. It took them just three plays to score on their opening drive.Junior Xavier Arambula ran for 56 yards down the sideline to give the Dragons an early 6-0 lead just 1:15 into the game.Plattsburg (1-9) punted on four of their first five possessions. The one where they didn't punt ended in a turnover on downs.Senior quarterback Rawlins Brant, who's worked his way back from an ankle injury against East Buchanan three weeks ago, looked like his old self Friday, as he engineered a 6-play, 63-yard march and ended it with a four-yard touchdown run on first and goal to put the Dragons up 13-0 halfway through the first.Brant would then find fellow senior Blake Hunter on touchdown throws of four and 57 yards on the next two drives. A Jackson Sauvage two-point run made it 28-0 Dragons by the end of the first.Arambula had touchdown runs of seven and 10 yards in the second quarter, giving the Dragons a 42-0 halftime lead.Arambula finished with 120 yards on eight carries and three touchdowns. Brant finished with 188 all-purpose yards, 130 through the air and 58 on the ground, and three all-purpose scores.Mid-Buchanan finished with 346 yards of offense, compared to just 99 by Plattsburg.The Tigers got the ball to start the second half, but senior quarterback Brock Steggall threw a pick-six on the second play from scrimmage in the third quarter, and Hunter took it back 24 yards for the score, putting the Dragons ahead 49-0 less than two minutes into the second half.Just three plays later, junior Clancey Woodward jumped a slant route and got a pick-six of his own, this one going for 20 yards, to put Mid-Buchanan ahead 56-0 midway through the third."You never know when your last game is going to be," Fritz said. "We told the starters, 'We'll let you have a drive on defense (to start the second half),' and then we get the pick-six right away. So, then they were like, 'Aww man, can we get one more?' And I went, 'Nope. You guys stand over here.' Clancey (Woodward) is still new to football. So, we let him stay out there, and that was a great play. Jumped the route and did a really nice job."Mid-Buchanan touched the ball for just four plays in the second half. Plattsburg strung together a drive that nearly lasted seven minutes late in the third.Aided by a couple of Dragon penalties, senior Nathan Bash scored on a 40-yard touchdown run to put Plattsburg on the board, 56-6, with 20 seconds left in the third. Jackson Sauvage blocked the point-after attempt by Jackson Lewis.The Dragons had one drive in the third quarter that resulted in three-and-out. Plattsburg had a couple of possessions in the fourth, but didn't come close to scoring on either of them.That sets up the Battle of the Buchanans - round two, postseason edition, next week. The No. 3 seed Bulldogs (9-1) defeated Carrollton soundly Friday, 42-0, in Gower in the other quarterfinal.<a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/ecc61d65-3c0e-4d99-9c76-c1a65e9adc03">The Dragons beat East Buchanan in the regular season</a>, 28-21, on October 8 in Faucett. The two teams now get a rematch on Friday, Nov. 5 in Faucett, in the district semifinals."It was one of the all-time best games I've been a part of last time," Fritz said. "I know it's going to be a great battle again and we're going to have to come out and play a little bit cleaner and a little bit better if we're going to have a chance to win."<a href="https://www.680kfeq.com/scoreboard/">More scores here.</a><div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/Aaron-Fritz-postgame-after-Plattsburg-e19h3gp" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635565481115.jpeg" alt="Plattsburg's Brock Steggall (center) throws a pass in the second half of Friday's game against Mid-Buchanan. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Plattsburg's Brock Steggall (center) throws a pass in the second half of Friday's game against Mid-Buchanan. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post.

Mid-Buchanan builds early lead, rolls to win over Plattsburg in quarterfinal

The search for the next athletic director at Missouri Western State University has been paused, and will reopen early next year.

University president Elizabeth Kennedy said in a statement late Thursday afternoon, "After careful review and consideration of our three finalists who visited campus earlier this month, and after consultation with many people on campus and in the community, we are pausing the search and will reopen the position in January."

While all three candidates are highly qualified and capable people, none stood out as the right fit for Missouri Western at this time, and that needs to be our standard in all hiring decisions.”

The University named 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 as their three finalists.

Those three finalists all spoke to community members and Missouri Western supporters on the week of Oct. 11.

Theresa Grosbach, who has served as interim A.D. since September, will remain in that role. The previous A.D., Josh Looney, left Missouri Western after four years in late August to take the same job at Division I North Alabama.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1627495305550.jpeg" alt="MWSU President Elizabeth Kennedy announced Thursday that she will reopen the search for the University's next A.D. Stock photo by Brent Martin." />
 <figcaption>MWSU President Elizabeth Kennedy announced Thursday that she will reopen the search for the University's next A.D. Stock photo by Brent Martin.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe search for the next athletic director at Missouri Western State University has been paused, and will reopen early next year.University president Elizabeth Kennedy said in a statement late Thursday afternoon, "After careful review and consideration of our three finalists who visited campus earlier this month, and after consultation with many people on campus and in the community, we are pausing the search and will reopen the position in January."While all three candidates are highly qualified and capable people, none stood out as the right fit for Missouri Western at this time, and that needs to be our standard in all hiring decisions.”The University named 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 as their three finalists.Those three finalists all spoke to community members and Missouri Western supporters on the week of Oct. 11.Theresa Grosbach, who has served as interim A.D. since September, will remain in that role. The previous A.D., Josh Looney, left Missouri Western after four years in late August to take the same job at Division I North Alabama.&nbsp;

Missouri Western pauses athletic director search, will seek new candidates in January

GOWER - The Bishop LeBlond volleyball team got off to a quick start in the first set, and rode that momentum throughout in a 3-0 sweep over East Buchanan in a raucous atmosphere at East Buchanan High School Thursday.

LeBlond (25-9-1) won the first 25-17, the second 25-19 and the third 25-16 to advance to the Class 2 quarterfinal round in somewhat dominant fashion.

It's the first quarterfinal for the Eagles since 2016 as they seek their first Final Four appearance since 2015.

"It feels great," said sophomore middle Maddie Sego. "We worked really hard to get to this and I'm just so proud of my team, and yeah. It's just really great."

Junior outside hitter Sadie Ward, who's tallied 221 kills on the season, notes her team's communication was a big factor in helping her and her teammates stay calm in a loud postseason environment away from home.

"I think we had a lot of good communication," she said. "We're usually more quiet to each other, and we just worked really well together and our passes were on point."

LeBlond had swept East Buchanan in Gower back on September 27. After beating a pair of sub .500 teams in districts in Trenton and Brookfield, veteran coach Kimberly Huss knew her team was going to have to be ready for a tougher challenge.

"East Buchanan is a great program with a great coach," Huss said. "They have some phenomenal athletes. They have three girls on there who are all-state track athletes. They're very good kids and good athletes. We knew we were going to have to bring our best game tonight."

As for the environment, Huss was impressed with how underclassmen like Maddie Sego, Lindsey Wright and Kyla Conard, all sophomores and regular contributors, handled the atmosphere after not getting that feel during a COVID season in 2020-21.

"We haven't played in a (postseason environment) with this many fans in two years," Huss said. "All of the fans were limited last year. So, it's really fun in this gym and to be here and see all of these fans and see them cheering for each other, it was a fun environment."

LeBlond moves onto the quarterfinals on Saturday, going on the road to face another KCI school in Lawson. The Cardinals (28-5-2) defeated Adrian 3-1 on Thursday, and swept LeBlond in Grace Gymnasium just 10 days ago.

Whatever happens from this point on, Huss, a veteran coach who has engineered a multitude of postseason runs and district titles, is once again happy to see her team reap the rewards of their hard work.

"I really like when you get to this point and you can see them kind of actualize their goals," she said. "It's really fun to see every group get there."

East Buchanan ends their season at 21-10-2.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635479030535.jpeg" alt="Kianna Herrera serves in Thursday's Class 2 sectional win over East Buchanan. Photo by Matt Pike." />
 <figcaption>Kianna Herrera serves in Thursday's Class 2 sectional win over East Buchanan. Photo by Matt Pike.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZAC and MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostGOWER - The Bishop LeBlond volleyball team got off to a quick start in the first set, and rode that momentum throughout in a 3-0 sweep over East Buchanan in a raucous atmosphere at East Buchanan High School Thursday.LeBlond (25-9-1) won the first 25-17, the second 25-19 and the third 25-16 to advance to the Class 2 quarterfinal round in somewhat dominant fashion.It's the first quarterfinal for the Eagles since 2016 as they seek their first Final Four appearance since 2015."It feels great," said sophomore middle Maddie Sego. "We worked really hard to get to this and I'm just so proud of my team, and yeah. It's just really great."Junior outside hitter Sadie Ward, who's tallied 221 kills on the season, notes her team's communication was a big factor in helping her and her teammates stay calm in a loud postseason environment away from home."I think we had a lot of good communication," she said. "We're usually more quiet to each other, and we just worked really well together and our passes were on point."LeBlond had swept East Buchanan in Gower back on September 27. After beating a pair of sub .500 teams in districts in Trenton and Brookfield, veteran coach Kimberly Huss knew her team was going to have to be ready for a tougher challenge."East Buchanan is a great program with a great coach," Huss said. "They have some phenomenal athletes. They have three girls on there who are all-state track athletes. They're very good kids and good athletes. We knew we were going to have to bring our best game tonight."As for the environment, Huss was impressed with how underclassmen like Maddie Sego, Lindsey Wright and Kyla Conard, all sophomores and regular contributors, handled the atmosphere after not getting that feel during a COVID season in 2020-21."We haven't played in a (postseason environment) with this many fans in two years," Huss said. "All of the fans were limited last year. So, it's really fun in this gym and to be here and see all of these fans and see them cheering for each other, it was a fun environment."LeBlond moves onto the quarterfinals on Saturday, going on the road to face another KCI school in Lawson. The Cardinals (28-5-2) defeated Adrian 3-1 on Thursday, and swept LeBlond in Grace Gymnasium just 10 days ago.Saturday's match will start at 3 p.m.Whatever happens from this point on, Huss, a veteran coach who has engineered a multitude of postseason runs and district titles, is once again happy to see her team reap the rewards of their hard work."I really like when you get to this point and you can see them kind of actualize their goals," she said. "It's really fun to see every group get there."East Buchanan ends their season at 21-10-2.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635479096395.jpeg" alt="East Buchanan's Rilyn Sherwood (22) tries to get a ball past a pair of LeBlond blockers. Photo by Matt Pike." />
 <figcaption>East Buchanan's Rilyn Sherwood (22) tries to get a ball past a pair of LeBlond blockers. Photo by Matt Pike.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ, Matt on Twitter @KFEQMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

LeBlond sweeps East Buchanan in Class 2 sectional volleyball in Gower

The Missouri Western women's basketball team got off to a 15-0 start in Thursday's exhibition against NAIA school Peru State, and that pretty much set the tone for the rest of the game.

The Griffons never let the Bobcats get even close, as they rolled to a 108-43 win at the MWSU Fieldhouse in front of 407 fans.

Missouri Western led 50-13 at the break, and had a terrific night all around, shooting 56 percent from the floor and forcing 33 turnovers.

"I thought we did a really good job early of being active," said Griffons head coach Candi Whitaker. "We were much more active early. Loved the energy and the effort."

The Griffons dominated in practically every category. They outscored Peru State 64-14 in the paint, forced 20 steals, blocked nine shots and doled out 32 assists to just 10 turnovers.

"The assist-to-turnover ratio says everything," Whitaker said. "When you can share the basketball like that, it's what you want offensively. I thought we were extremely unselfish, finding open players and really sharing it. Got a great inside out attack. Everyone who came in really contributed. I was excited that all of them got some good minutes and all did well."

Fourteen different Griffons cracked the scoring column Thursday. Senior Corbyn Cunningham led the way with a game-high 16 points on a perfect 7-for-7 shooting night. Sophomore and Missouri State transfer Trinity Knapp had 11 points along with a game-high six rebounds.

Freshman Alissa Bonilla and sophomore Brianna Budgets each had 10. Bonilla, a true freshman from El Paso, also had a game-high seven assists and three steals.

"There was good energy in the building and it was a lot of fun," Whitaker said. "I enjoyed watching our team get up and down and play fast and share the ball."

Peru State got their scoring going a bit in the third quarter, scoring 18 points in that frame. Still, the Bobcats (0-2) shot just 20.8 percent from the field all night, including 3-of-17 from three.

The Griffons were slow to start from three, making just 2-of-12 in the first half, but they sunk five triples in the second half. Bonilla and freshman Jordan Cunningham each made a couple.

On a night where Western scored 64 points in the paint, a 7-of-25 clip from beyond the arc isn't the worst thing in the world.

"I feel good about our ability to shoot the three," Whitaker said. "I think when you combine that in the mix and are still getting paint touches, which is important to us, we have a super balanced attack offensively.

Missouri Western stays home to host the Livin' the Dream Women's Exhibition Team in a Wednesday&nbsp; scrimmage at 6:30. The LTD Women's Team is comprised of&nbsp;former college and current professional players that travel to compete against top-level NCAA, NAIA, JUCO and International Professional teams.

"This is going to be a different-style game, this is going to be a different level of competition," Whitaker said. "I think it will be really good for us."

After that, the Griffons have their first official game at home on Friday, November 12 against Sioux Falls. Tip-off in that game is set for 7:30.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635475548236.jpeg" alt="Missouri Western celebrates after ringing the bell, following their 108-43 win over Peru State in Thursday night's exhibition. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Missouri Western celebrates after ringing the bell, following their 108-43 win over Peru State in Thursday night's exhibition. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe Missouri Western women's basketball team got off to a 15-0 start in Thursday's exhibition against NAIA school Peru State, and that pretty much set the tone for the rest of the game.The Griffons never let the Bobcats get even close, as they rolled to a 108-43 win at the MWSU Fieldhouse in front of 407 fans.Missouri Western led 50-13 at the break, and had a terrific night all around, shooting 56 percent from the floor and forcing 33 turnovers."I thought we did a really good job early of being active," said Griffons head coach Candi Whitaker. "We were much more active early. Loved the energy and the effort."The Griffons dominated in practically every category. They outscored Peru State 64-14 in the paint, forced 20 steals, blocked nine shots and doled out 32 assists to just 10 turnovers."The assist-to-turnover ratio says everything," Whitaker said. "When you can share the basketball like that, it's what you want offensively. I thought we were extremely unselfish, finding open players and really sharing it. Got a great inside out attack. Everyone who came in really contributed. I was excited that all of them got some good minutes and all did well."Fourteen different Griffons cracked the scoring column Thursday. Senior Corbyn Cunningham led the way with a game-high 16 points on a perfect 7-for-7 shooting night. Sophomore and Missouri State transfer Trinity Knapp had 11 points along with a game-high six rebounds.Freshman Alissa Bonilla and sophomore Brianna Budgets each had 10. Bonilla, a true freshman from El Paso, also had a game-high seven assists and three steals."There was good energy in the building and it was a lot of fun," Whitaker said. "I enjoyed watching our team get up and down and play fast and share the ball."Peru State got their scoring going a bit in the third quarter, scoring 18 points in that frame. Still, the Bobcats (0-2) shot just 20.8 percent from the field all night, including 3-of-17 from three.The Griffons were slow to start from three, making just 2-of-12 in the first half, but they sunk five triples in the second half. Bonilla and freshman Jordan Cunningham each made a couple.On a night where Western scored 64 points in the paint, a 7-of-25 clip from beyond the arc isn't the worst thing in the world."I feel good about our ability to shoot the three," Whitaker said. "I think when you combine that in the mix and are still getting paint touches, which is important to us, we have a super balanced attack offensively.Missouri Western stays home to host the Livin' the Dream Women's Exhibition Team in a Wednesday&nbsp; scrimmage at 6:30. The LTD Women's Team is comprised of&nbsp;former college and current professional players that travel to compete against top-level NCAA, NAIA, JUCO and International Professional teams."This is going to be a different-style game, this is going to be a different level of competition," Whitaker said. "I think it will be really good for us."After that, the Griffons have their first official game at home on Friday, November 12 against Sioux Falls. Tip-off in that game is set for 7:30.<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/Candi-Whitaker---Peru-State-postgame-e19fk9q" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Missouri Western women dominate Peru State in exhibition Thursday

The Missouri Western basketball season officially gets underway on Thursday evening in St. Joseph, as the Griffon women host Peru State in an exhibition.

Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. with coverage starting at 5:30 on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3).

The ceiling for this Griffons team is very high. They went 6-16 last season, but Missouri Western returns six of their top eight scorers from last year, while also adding three transfers and four new freshmen.

Third-year head coach Candi Whitaker knows this team is still young, but she also knows they have a lot to prove.

"I'm really excited about the pieces we've added, and I'm really excited about the progress our young players made throughout last year and in this offseason," Whitaker said. "Looking forward to evolving as a unit and a team and seeing how good we can get."

Missouri Western had six freshmen on the team last year. All of them played, and most of them saw significant minutes.

"We relied on them so heavily," Whitaker said of her freshmen last season. "Sometimes, I would look up and there'd be four or five of them on the floor, which was a struggle at times. But, you saw their evolution throughout the year, and by January and February, they were playing at a much higher level."

After a 2-1 start, Missouri Western lost seven straight. In mid-February, the Griffons went on a three-game winning streak, but lost their last five games to end the year.

Those last five losses, however, were all by 10 points or less. Two of those were by single digits against teams ranked in the top 15 nationally.

"We weren't ready early," Whitaker said of last year. "But, we kept getting better. We kept coming to practice. They had great attitudes and because of that, they turned a corner. We didn't win those games late, but we were in all of them, within one possession and a chance to win."

Youth, is still, the name of the game for Missouri Western. Nine of the 16 players on this year's roster are freshmen. Four of them are brand new, but five of them are back from last year, and did not lose a season of eligibility due to COVID-19.

There are five players listed as freshmen, but they're five players who all have significant playing experience.

"We still are a young team," Whitaker admitted. "But, it's been fun to watch progress for our, I don't know what to call them, experienced freshmen."

Sophomore Brionna Budgets is also a key returner. A transfer from Central Arkansas, Budgets led the Griffons last year with 8.4 points per game, including 25 made three-pointers.

Senior Mychaell Gray is also back after contributing 6.9 points and 3.4 rebounds per contest last year. Another senior who's back is Corbyn Cunningham - a first-team all-MIAA forward, who missed all but three games last year due to injury.

Playing in the final three games, Cunningham scored 16 points and managed 12 rebounds after averaging 15.7 points and 8.3 rebounds per game in 2019-20.

"She's just naturally very talented," Whitaker said of Cunningham. "Those games she played in last year, she had maybe three practices prior. She was in terrible shape, but for her to be able to do that in such a short amount of time really speaks to Corbyn's ability."

So, that's who's coming back. But, there are several newcomers looking to make an impact, too. Guard, graduate student and St. Joseph native Jaelyn Haggard, for one.

<a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/d8894c5b-0148-45f8-a9c0-242b6b37b4f4">The Central alum announced last spring</a> that she would use her extra year of eligibility to play at Missouri Western, where she got accepted into the University's&nbsp;Physical Therapist Assistant Program.

Haggard left Northwest Missouri State after four years, making 256 three-pointers - the most in Bearcat women’s history.&nbsp; She's also third all-time at Northwest in free throw percentage, shooting 82.8 percent for her career.

"She's very familiar with this league," Cunningham said. "Tremendous motor, shooter. She's quick. I think she has a lot of basketball left in her. Excited to have her."

The Griffons also added Trinity Knapp - a transfer from Division I Missouri State who played in 12 total games over two seasons there. Also new is Connie Clark - a junior guard who came in after two fruitful years in the junior college ranks.

Clark averaged 9.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.7 steals per game in the 2020-21 season at Shelton State Community College in Alabama.

"When you sign and recruit a transfer there needs to be a fit and a need, and all three of them were that," Whitaker noted.

With a core of her 'experienced freshmen,' three veteran transfers, four true freshmen and two new grad assistant coaches, Whitaker can't exactly know how this season will pan out. Heck, no one can.

But, one thing is for sure. This group is confident they can be quite a bit better than their 6-16 mark a season ago.

That confidence, plus a more normal season with non-conference games and fuller arenas, make for better vibes all around.

"We have a lot of returners and some new ones that we've added that we feel really good about," said Whitaker. "More normal this year, which is obviously huge, when you practice and prep and play live and not be quarantined."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613105633839.jpeg" alt="The Missouri Western women's basketball teams rings the victory bell following their win over Missouri Southern at the MWSU Fieldhouse this past February. Photo courtesy of GoGriffons.com." />
 <figcaption>The Missouri Western women's basketball teams rings the victory bell following their win over Missouri Southern at the MWSU Fieldhouse this past February. Photo courtesy of GoGriffons.com.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe Missouri Western basketball season officially gets underway on Thursday evening in St. Joseph, as the Griffon women host Peru State in an exhibition.Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. with coverage starting at 5:30 on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3).The ceiling for this Griffons team is very high. They went 6-16 last season, but Missouri Western returns six of their top eight scorers from last year, while also adding three transfers and four new freshmen.Third-year head coach Candi Whitaker knows this team is still young, but she also knows they have a lot to prove."I'm really excited about the pieces we've added, and I'm really excited about the progress our young players made throughout last year and in this offseason," Whitaker said. "Looking forward to evolving as a unit and a team and seeing how good we can get."Missouri Western had six freshmen on the team last year. All of them played, and most of them saw significant minutes."We relied on them so heavily," Whitaker said of her freshmen last season. "Sometimes, I would look up and there'd be four or five of them on the floor, which was a struggle at times. But, you saw their evolution throughout the year, and by January and February, they were playing at a much higher level."After a 2-1 start, Missouri Western lost seven straight. In mid-February, the Griffons went on a three-game winning streak, but lost their last five games to end the year.Those last five losses, however, were all by 10 points or less. Two of those were by single digits against teams ranked in the top 15 nationally."We weren't ready early," Whitaker said of last year. "But, we kept getting better. We kept coming to practice. They had great attitudes and because of that, they turned a corner. We didn't win those games late, but we were in all of them, within one possession and a chance to win."Youth, is still, the name of the game for Missouri Western. Nine of the 16 players on this year's roster are freshmen. Four of them are brand new, but five of them are back from last year, and did not lose a season of eligibility due to COVID-19.There are five players listed as freshmen, but they're five players who all have significant playing experience."We still are a young team," Whitaker admitted. "But, it's been fun to watch progress for our, I don't know what to call them, experienced freshmen."Sophomore Brionna Budgets is also a key returner. A transfer from Central Arkansas, Budgets led the Griffons last year with 8.4 points per game, including 25 made three-pointers.Senior Mychaell Gray is also back after contributing 6.9 points and 3.4 rebounds per contest last year. Another senior who's back is Corbyn Cunningham - a first-team all-MIAA forward, who missed all but three games last year due to injury.Playing in the final three games, Cunningham scored 16 points and managed 12 rebounds after averaging 15.7 points and 8.3 rebounds per game in 2019-20."She's just naturally very talented," Whitaker said of Cunningham. "Those games she played in last year, she had maybe three practices prior. She was in terrible shape, but for her to be able to do that in such a short amount of time really speaks to Corbyn's ability."So, that's who's coming back. But, there are several newcomers looking to make an impact, too. Guard, graduate student and St. Joseph native Jaelyn Haggard, for one.<a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/d8894c5b-0148-45f8-a9c0-242b6b37b4f4">The Central alum announced last spring</a> that she would use her extra year of eligibility to play at Missouri Western, where she got accepted into the University's&nbsp;Physical Therapist Assistant Program.Haggard left Northwest Missouri State after four years, making 256 three-pointers - the most in Bearcat women’s history.&nbsp; She's also third all-time at Northwest in free throw percentage, shooting 82.8 percent for her career. "She's very familiar with this league," Cunningham said. "Tremendous motor, shooter. She's quick. I think she has a lot of basketball left in her. Excited to have her."The Griffons also added Trinity Knapp - a transfer from Division I Missouri State who played in 12 total games over two seasons there. Also new is Connie Clark - a junior guard who came in after two fruitful years in the junior college ranks.Clark averaged 9.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.7 steals per game in the 2020-21 season at Shelton State Community College in Alabama."When you sign and recruit a transfer there needs to be a fit and a need, and all three of them were that," Whitaker noted.With a core of her 'experienced freshmen,' three veteran transfers, four true freshmen and two new grad assistant coaches, Whitaker can't exactly know how this season will pan out. Heck, no one can.But, one thing is for sure. This group is confident they can be quite a bit better than their 6-16 mark a season ago.That confidence, plus a more normal season with non-conference games and fuller arenas, make for better vibes all around."We have a lot of returners and some new ones that we've added that we feel really good about," said Whitaker. "More normal this year, which is obviously huge, when you practice and prep and play live and not be quarantined."<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/Missouri-Western-coaches-luncheon---102521-e19daua" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Missouri Western women's basketball tips off season with Peru State exhibition

The Savannah volleyball team rallied after getting dominated in the first set, but the Savages got off to a slow start in the fifth set and No. 1 seed Smithville (26-5-5) topped Savannah 3-2 in the Class 4 District 16 championship at Benton High School Tuesday.

Obviously not the desired outcome for No. 2 seed Savannah, but the Savages can look back on this season with their heads held high, getting the most wins in a single season since 2015.

"It's awesome that they stuck around," said first-year Savannah head coach Marina Atkins said. "Everyone bought in and this is what happened. So, it's a huge accomplishment. Tough loss, it is a tough loss, but I couldn't have done it without our four seniors. They led well, and they worked well together as a team, and they set that tone for the program."

Smithville, which won its first district title in volleyball since 2018, raced out to a 6-1 start in the first set, and never trailed, winning 25-15 to lead off.

Savannah (22-11-2) returned the favor in the second set, getting off to a 6-1 start themselves and weathering a late run from the Warriors to take the second 25-21.

The third set was back and forth throughout, but it was Smithville that went on a 4-0 run to end the set, breaking a 21-21 tie to win the third, 25-21.

Once again, the Savages hit back. Savannah took a 19-12 lead in the fourth, thanks to a 7-0 run, and they tied the match 2-2 with a 25-17 victory.

Smithville set the tone right away in the fifth, jumping out to a 6-2 lead.&nbsp; Savannah narrowed the gap, trailing 8-7 and forcing a Warriors timeout, but that's as close as the Savages would come in the fifth, as Smithville closed it out 15-9.

"Honestly, we kind of got stuck in a hole," Atkins said of the final set. "Then, we couldn't quite get out of it. But, the girls worked hard. We did. We battled back, we worked hard. It's just...sometimes you get stuck in a hole and a little rut and it's hard to get out of that. As young players, that's just something that comes with experience."

Sophomore outside hitter Rhyan Schrick led the Savages with 11 kills, while senior outside hitter Alexcia Jones finished an outstanding season with 10 kills.

Sophomore Addy Minton came off the bench and had a solid match, finishing with nine kills. Junior Sailor Bodenhausen finished with seven kills and two blocks.

Senior middle Isabella Reynolds was at times dominant for Smithville, knocking down a match-high 16 kills while also getting six blocks.

The Warriors came up with 12 blocks compared to Savannah's five. Smithville also had seven ace serves compared to just two by the Savages.

Again, not the desired outcome, but after getting swept by Smithville to open the season on August 30, Coach Atkins was happy to give one of the best teams in Class 4 a run for their money in the district title.

"They come out here and at least make them work for this, I couldn't have asked for a better type of loss," Atkins said. "Rather than coming out and just handing it to them. They had to at least work for it."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635305029531.jpeg" alt="Savannah's Sailor Bodenhausen (10) tries to lob a ball over Smithville blockers in Tuesday's Class 4 District 16 title at Benton High School. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Savannah's Sailor Bodenhausen (10) tries to lob a ball over Smithville blockers in Tuesday's Class 4 District 16 title at Benton High School. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe Savannah volleyball team rallied after getting dominated in the first set, but the Savages got off to a slow start in the fifth set and No. 1 seed Smithville (26-5-5) topped Savannah 3-2 in the Class 4 District 16 championship at Benton High School Tuesday.Obviously not the desired outcome for No. 2 seed Savannah, but the Savages can look back on this season with their heads held high, getting the most wins in a single season since 2015."It's awesome that they stuck around," said first-year Savannah head coach Marina Atkins said. "Everyone bought in and this is what happened. So, it's a huge accomplishment. Tough loss, it is a tough loss, but I couldn't have done it without our four seniors. They led well, and they worked well together as a team, and they set that tone for the program."Smithville, which won its first district title in volleyball since 2018, raced out to a 6-1 start in the first set, and never trailed, winning 25-15 to lead off.Savannah (22-11-2) returned the favor in the second set, getting off to a 6-1 start themselves and weathering a late run from the Warriors to take the second 25-21.The third set was back and forth throughout, but it was Smithville that went on a 4-0 run to end the set, breaking a 21-21 tie to win the third, 25-21.Once again, the Savages hit back. Savannah took a 19-12 lead in the fourth, thanks to a 7-0 run, and they tied the match 2-2 with a 25-17 victory.Smithville set the tone right away in the fifth, jumping out to a 6-2 lead.&nbsp; Savannah narrowed the gap, trailing 8-7 and forcing a Warriors timeout, but that's as close as the Savages would come in the fifth, as Smithville closed it out 15-9."Honestly, we kind of got stuck in a hole," Atkins said of the final set. "Then, we couldn't quite get out of it. But, the girls worked hard. We did. We battled back, we worked hard. It's just...sometimes you get stuck in a hole and a little rut and it's hard to get out of that. As young players, that's just something that comes with experience."Sophomore outside hitter Rhyan Schrick led the Savages with 11 kills, while senior outside hitter Alexcia Jones finished an outstanding season with 10 kills.Sophomore Addy Minton came off the bench and had a solid match, finishing with nine kills. Junior Sailor Bodenhausen finished with seven kills and two blocks.Senior middle Isabella Reynolds was at times dominant for Smithville, knocking down a match-high 16 kills while also getting six blocks.The Warriors came up with 12 blocks compared to Savannah's five. Smithville also had seven ace serves compared to just two by the Savages.Again, not the desired outcome, but after getting swept by Smithville to open the season on August 30, Coach Atkins was happy to give one of the best teams in Class 4 a run for their money in the district title."They come out here and at least make them work for this, I couldn't have asked for a better type of loss," Atkins said. "Rather than coming out and just handing it to them. They had to at least work for it."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635305154564.jpeg" alt="Rhyan Schrick serves the ball." />
 <figcaption>Rhyan Schrick serves the ball.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635305224348.jpeg" alt="Senior Ella Jordan (15) sets the ball in Tuesday's match." />
 <figcaption>Senior Ella Jordan (15) sets the ball in Tuesday's match.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Savannah battles hard, falls short against No. 1 seed Smithville in district title Tuesday

The No. 1 seed Smithville outlasted Benton in a physical, four-set match, while No. 2 seed Savannah capitalized on a fast start to beat No.&nbsp; 3 seed Lafayette, 3-1, on Monday night in the Class 4 District 16 semifinals at Benton High School.

Smithville 3-1 (25-20, 22-25, 25-20, 25-22)

The Warriors (25-5-5) were in a close battle with host school and No. 4 seed Benton throughout. The Cardinals (16-15-1) were able to take the second set, but never had a lead in the third.

The fourth set was up for grabs down the stretch, but Smithville was able to score the final couple of points to survive and advance to the district championship on Tuesday night at 6.

Smithville's Rylee Thompson led the way with 10 kills, but Benton senior Alyia Stillman, who just last week reached 1,000 career kills herself, finished with a match-high 17 kills, six aces and two blocks.

Fellow Benton senior Gabrielle Moulden had 11 kills and a pair of blocks. Sophomore Hollie Peters had nine kills.

Savannah 3-1 (25-14, 25-12, 23-25, 25-16)

The Savages (22-10-2) cruised through the first two sets, getting off to a 12-3 start in the first and a 12-1 start in the second.

Lafayette (15-19) flipped the script in the third, getting out to a 13-6 start themselves and hanging on for a narrow victory to avoid being swept.

The fourth set started out 5-5, but a 7-0 run propelled Savannah to a nice lead halfway through, and the Savages were able to hold the Irish down the rest of the way to punch their ticket into Tuesday's district title.

"Third set, I think we just got comfortable and played safe," Savannah head coach Marina Atkins said. "There toward the end, they flipped a switch and the girls were like, 'Yeah we've had enough.' So, then we took that energy from the third into the fourth."

Senior Alexcia Jones led Savannah with 11 kills, while junior Sailor Bodenhausen had eight. Sophomore Rhyan Shrick was right behind with seven kills of her own.

"It helps that our offense is pretty even," Atkins said. "I mean, we do have a couple of hitters who we trust to put the ball away at times. But, overall, we have front row players who can put the ball away and even backrow players that we can set, so they can just put it over."

Junior Bailey Flanagan led Lafayette with 11 kills.

Savannah, seeking its first district title in volleyball since 2015, will face Smithville in the Class 4 District 16 championship on Tuesday night at 6 at Benton High School.

The Warriors beat Savannah 3-0 back on August 30 - the first match of the season for both teams.

"They were our first game of the season," Atkins recalled. "So, we're coming out hungry and we're ready to play them. We're ready to win."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635221801639.jpeg" alt="Savannah's Rhyan Schrick (top) sets a ball during the Savage's 3-1 win over Lafayette on Monday in a Class 4 District 16 semifinal. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Savannah's Rhyan Schrick (top) sets a ball during the Savage's 3-1 win over Lafayette on Monday in a Class 4 District 16 semifinal. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe No. 1 seed Smithville outlasted Benton in a physical, four-set match, while No. 2 seed Savannah capitalized on a fast start to beat No.&nbsp; 3 seed Lafayette, 3-1, on Monday night in the Class 4 District 16 semifinals at Benton High School.Smithville 3-1 (25-20, 22-25, 25-20, 25-22)The Warriors (25-5-5) were in a close battle with host school and No. 4 seed Benton throughout. The Cardinals (16-15-1) were able to take the second set, but never had a lead in the third.The fourth set was up for grabs down the stretch, but Smithville was able to score the final couple of points to survive and advance to the district championship on Tuesday night at 6.Smithville's Rylee Thompson led the way with 10 kills, but Benton senior Alyia Stillman, who just last week reached 1,000 career kills herself, finished with a match-high 17 kills, six aces and two blocks.Fellow Benton senior Gabrielle Moulden had 11 kills and a pair of blocks. Sophomore Hollie Peters had nine kills.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635221915571.jpeg" alt="Benton's Alyia Stillman (4) serves while head coach Lauryn Doolan looks on during Monday's match. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Benton's Alyia Stillman (4) serves while head coach Lauryn Doolan looks on during Monday's match. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>Savannah 3-1 (25-14, 25-12, 23-25, 25-16)The Savages (22-10-2) cruised through the first two sets, getting off to a 12-3 start in the first and a 12-1 start in the second.Lafayette (15-19) flipped the script in the third, getting out to a 13-6 start themselves and hanging on for a narrow victory to avoid being swept.The fourth set started out 5-5, but a 7-0 run propelled Savannah to a nice lead halfway through, and the Savages were able to hold the Irish down the rest of the way to punch their ticket into Tuesday's district title."Third set, I think we just got comfortable and played safe," Savannah head coach Marina Atkins said. "There toward the end, they flipped a switch and the girls were like, 'Yeah we've had enough.' So, then we took that energy from the third into the fourth."Senior Alexcia Jones led Savannah with 11 kills, while junior Sailor Bodenhausen had eight. Sophomore Rhyan Shrick was right behind with seven kills of her own."It helps that our offense is pretty even," Atkins said. "I mean, we do have a couple of hitters who we trust to put the ball away at times. But, overall, we have front row players who can put the ball away and even backrow players that we can set, so they can just put it over."Junior Bailey Flanagan led Lafayette with 11 kills.Savannah, seeking its first district title in volleyball since 2015, will face Smithville in the Class 4 District 16 championship on Tuesday night at 6 at Benton High School.The Warriors beat Savannah 3-0 back on August 30 - the first match of the season for both teams."They were our first game of the season," Atkins recalled. "So, we're coming out hungry and we're ready to play them. We're ready to win."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635221958510.jpeg" alt="Savannah's Alexcia Jones prepares to serve." />
 <figcaption>Savannah's Alexcia Jones prepares to serve.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Smithville outlasts Benton, Savannah beats Lafayette in district semis

(AP) -&nbsp;Ryan Tannehill threw for 270 yards and a touchdown, and he also ran for a score, as the Tennessee Titans routed the Kansas City Chiefs 27-3 Sunday for their fifth win in six games.

This also was the second victory in six days for the Titans over teams that played for the AFC championship in January. They edged Buffalo 34-31 on Monday night.

The Titans (5-2) followed that by simply dominating the two-time defending AFC champions. Tennessee jumped out to a 27-0 halftime lead, and never looked back.

"They made more plays than we did," Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said after. "Particularly, the first few series there. I've seen our guys do it and make the plays. We're just not doing it now. But, I trust those things will get taken care of on both sides of the ball, and special teams."

The Chiefs (3-4) now have lost two of three and dropped to 1-4 in the AFC this season.

Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes takes the blame for his two turnovers Sunday, saying he's trying too hard to make something happen.

"Today, it was probably me just pressing a little bit too early in the game," Mahomes said. "Then, we got down and then we're in that kind of mode where we're kind of no huddle. Which, you don't want to be in in the NFL. You can execute a little bit, but it's hard to sustain drives. So, I have to be better early in games so we don't get behind like we did."

Either way, Kansas City is left with a big turnover problem.

The Chiefs turned the ball over three times Sunday. The Titans turned a Mahomes interception and Mahomes fumble into 10 points late in the first half.

Kansas City has one more turnover already this season than the 16 giveaways in all of 2020. Mahomes has also been intercepted in six straight games - the longest stretch in his career.

"I trust the players, the locker room and the coaches," Reid said. "We have to make sure we hang together and fix the problems. The easy way out is not doing that. We need to hang together."

The Chiefs are back home to host the New York Giants (2-5) on Monday night football next week. Kick off is set for 7:15 central. The game will be carried on KFEQ Radio (680 AM,, 95.3 FM) and Q Country 92.7 FM in St. Joseph.

The Giants topped Carolina, 25-3, on Sunday.

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph Post(AP) -&nbsp;Ryan Tannehill threw for 270 yards and a touchdown, and he also ran for a score, as the Tennessee Titans routed the Kansas City Chiefs 27-3 Sunday for their fifth win in six games.This also was the second victory in six days for the Titans over teams that played for the AFC championship in January. They edged Buffalo 34-31 on Monday night.The Titans (5-2) followed that by simply dominating the two-time defending AFC champions. Tennessee jumped out to a 27-0 halftime lead, and never looked back."They made more plays than we did," Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said after. "Particularly, the first few series there. I've seen our guys do it and make the plays. We're just not doing it now. But, I trust those things will get taken care of on both sides of the ball, and special teams."The Chiefs (3-4) now have lost two of three and dropped to 1-4 in the AFC this season.Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes takes the blame for his two turnovers Sunday, saying he's trying too hard to make something happen."Today, it was probably me just pressing a little bit too early in the game," Mahomes said. "Then, we got down and then we're in that kind of mode where we're kind of no huddle. Which, you don't want to be in in the NFL. You can execute a little bit, but it's hard to sustain drives. So, I have to be better early in games so we don't get behind like we did."Either way, Kansas City is left with a big turnover problem.The Chiefs turned the ball over three times Sunday. The Titans turned a Mahomes interception and Mahomes fumble into 10 points late in the first half.Kansas City has one more turnover already this season than the 16 giveaways in all of 2020. Mahomes has also been intercepted in six straight games - the longest stretch in his career."I trust the players, the locker room and the coaches," Reid said. "We have to make sure we hang together and fix the problems. The easy way out is not doing that. We need to hang together."The Chiefs are back home to host the New York Giants (2-5) on Monday night football next week. Kick off is set for 7:15 central. The game will be carried on KFEQ Radio (680 AM,, 95.3 FM) and Q Country 92.7 FM in St. Joseph.The Giants topped Carolina, 25-3, on Sunday.

Titans build big lead early, dominate Chiefs Sunday

Pittsburg State took the opening kickoff back 98 yards for a touchdown and scored 17 points in the second quarter to build a 24-0 halftime lead and eventually beat Missouri Western 34-14 at Spratt Stadium Saturday.

After falling behind 7-0 in the first 13 seconds of the game, Missouri Western (3-5) strung together three consecutive drives of eight plays or more in the first half.

The Griffons got into Pitt State territory on all three of those drives. Yet, Missouri Western had to punt it away on each of those drives. Pitt State's offense then came alive, scoring on three straight drives to go up 24-0 late in the second quarter.

"It's like a trend right now," Missouri Western head football coach Matt Williamson said. "We're coming out and flatlining in the first half. Very stagnant offensively. Not doing much at all. It's disheartening quite a bit. It's tough to see."

Missouri Western got the ball to start the second half, but had to punt it away for a sixth straight possession.

Pitt State scored a field goal on their first drive of the second half to go up 27-0 with 9:28 to go in the third.

After that, Missouri Western made a change at quarterback, putting in backup Reagan Jones in place of Anthony Vespo, and Jones helped engineer a 10-play, 75-yard scoring drive that ended with a one-yard touchdown run from Shen Butler-Lawson, Jr., making it a 27-7 ballgame with 4:48 remaining in the third.

Pittsburg State strung together another long drive of their own after that, scoring on the second play of the fourth quarter to go up 34-7 with 14:51 to play.&nbsp;

The Gorillas had a streak of five consecutive scoring drives, spanning from the second to the fourth quarter. Three of those drives ended in touchdown, and two in field goal.

Pitt State quarterback Mak Sexton was efficient throughout, completing 19-of-29 passes for 224 yards and two touchdowns. Running back Tyler Adkins ran hard throughout the game, finishing with 85 yards on 15 carries and a touchdown.

The Griffons were able to finally hit back offensively in the fourth quarter. After a solid kick return by Trey Vaval set Missouri Western up at midfield, Jones found receiver Cooper Burton on a 34-yard catch, eventually setting up an eight-yard touchdown run by Jones. The point-after made the score 34-14 with 12:44 to play.

Jones finished the game 7-of-11 through the air for 142 yards passing, while also rushing for 77 yards on eight carries and the touchdown, giving him 219 all-purpose yards.

Burton finished with six catches for a season-high 135 yards receiving.

"You've got a kid that comes in who starts playing really well in the second half and sparks (the offense) and gets things going," Williamson said of Jones. "Maybe we'll look at that, I don't know. We have to get all of our playmakers the ball."

Missouri Western's defense got a quick, and much needed three-and-out, giving the Griffons the ball back down three scores with still 10:58 to go.

For a third straight drive, the Griffons found rhythm on offense. A 36-yard completion to Burton, followed by a 12-yard rush by Brandon Hall, gave Missouri Western first-and-goal at the 9.

The Griffons got to the six, and on 4th down, Jones threw across his body to the back of the end zone looking for Burton, but the pass was off target, and Pittsburg State took over on downs at their own six with 8:44 to go.

The Gorillas were able to run six minutes off the clock, before attempting a 31-yard field goal with 2:12 to go. The field goal attempt was blocked by Sam Webb, and the loose ball was recovered by Tariq Stewart.

With just under two minutes left, Jones got the Griffons into Pitt State territory again, but an interception in the end zone with under a minute left ended the game.

Missouri Western goes back on the road Saturday to face Missouri Southern (3-5). The Lions lost at Emporia State 24-21 on Saturday.

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostPittsburg State took the opening kickoff back 98 yards for a touchdown and scored 17 points in the second quarter to build a 24-0 halftime lead and eventually beat Missouri Western 34-14 at Spratt Stadium Saturday.After falling behind 7-0 in the first 13 seconds of the game, Missouri Western (3-5) strung together three consecutive drives of eight plays or more in the first half.The Griffons got into Pitt State territory on all three of those drives. Yet, Missouri Western had to punt it away on each of those drives. Pitt State's offense then came alive, scoring on three straight drives to go up 24-0 late in the second quarter."It's like a trend right now," Missouri Western head football coach Matt Williamson said. "We're coming out and flatlining in the first half. Very stagnant offensively. Not doing much at all. It's disheartening quite a bit. It's tough to see."Missouri Western got the ball to start the second half, but had to punt it away for a sixth straight possession.Pitt State scored a field goal on their first drive of the second half to go up 27-0 with 9:28 to go in the third.After that, Missouri Western made a change at quarterback, putting in backup Reagan Jones in place of Anthony Vespo, and Jones helped engineer a 10-play, 75-yard scoring drive that ended with a one-yard touchdown run from Shen Butler-Lawson, Jr., making it a 27-7 ballgame with 4:48 remaining in the third.Pittsburg State strung together another long drive of their own after that, scoring on the second play of the fourth quarter to go up 34-7 with 14:51 to play.&nbsp;The Gorillas had a streak of five consecutive scoring drives, spanning from the second to the fourth quarter. Three of those drives ended in touchdown, and two in field goal.Pitt State quarterback Mak Sexton was efficient throughout, completing 19-of-29 passes for 224 yards and two touchdowns. Running back Tyler Adkins ran hard throughout the game, finishing with 85 yards on 15 carries and a touchdown.The Griffons were able to finally hit back offensively in the fourth quarter. After a solid kick return by Trey Vaval set Missouri Western up at midfield, Jones found receiver Cooper Burton on a 34-yard catch, eventually setting up an eight-yard touchdown run by Jones. The point-after made the score 34-14 with 12:44 to play.Jones finished the game 7-of-11 through the air for 142 yards passing, while also rushing for 77 yards on eight carries and the touchdown, giving him 219 all-purpose yards.Burton finished with six catches for a season-high 135 yards receiving."You've got a kid that comes in who starts playing really well in the second half and sparks (the offense) and gets things going," Williamson said of Jones. "Maybe we'll look at that, I don't know. We have to get all of our playmakers the ball."Missouri Western's defense got a quick, and much needed three-and-out, giving the Griffons the ball back down three scores with still 10:58 to go.For a third straight drive, the Griffons found rhythm on offense. A 36-yard completion to Burton, followed by a 12-yard rush by Brandon Hall, gave Missouri Western first-and-goal at the 9.The Griffons got to the six, and on 4th down, Jones threw across his body to the back of the end zone looking for Burton, but the pass was off target, and Pittsburg State took over on downs at their own six with 8:44 to go.The Gorillas were able to run six minutes off the clock, before attempting a 31-yard field goal with 2:12 to go. The field goal attempt was blocked by Sam Webb, and the loose ball was recovered by Tariq Stewart.With just under two minutes left, Jones got the Griffons into Pitt State territory again, but an interception in the end zone with under a minute left ended the game.Missouri Western goes back on the road Saturday to face Missouri Southern (3-5). The Lions lost at Emporia State 24-21 on Saturday.<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/Missouri-Westerns-Matt-Williamson-postgame-e197iqo" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Pittsburg State uses big second quarter, gets key stop late in win over Griffons Saturday

We have reached the end of the regular season in high school football with week 9 in Missouri and week 8 in Kansas. Here's a look at all of the area matchups and finals from Friday night. We now await district pairings!&nbsp;

MEC: Chillicothe 50 (6-3)&nbsp;Benton 21 (1-8) - FINAL

#4 St. Pius X 35 (8-1)&nbsp;Savannah 0 (3-6) - FINAL

Marshall 30 (2-6) Cameron 0 (2-7) - FINAL

Maryville 37 (5-4)&nbsp;Lafayette 6 (6-3) - FINAL

#8 Bishop LeBlond 32 (8-1) Northwest (Hughesville) 30 (5-4) - FINAL - Eagles overcome a 22-6 halftime deficit.

KCI: #2 Mid-Buchanan 28 (9-0) #8 West Platte 12 (7-2) - FINAL - The Dragons win back-to-back KCI Conference titles and finish with back-to-back undefeated regular seasons.

Lathrop 51 (3-6)&nbsp;Plattsburg 7 (1-8) - FINAL - Third straight win for the Mules, and they win the 100th meeting with Plattsburg.

#5 East Buchanan 57 (8-1) North Platte 8 (0-9) - FINAL

GRC Albany 84 (4-5)&nbsp;Pattonsburg 0 (3-6) - FINAL

North Andrew 68 (4-4) @ Southwest Livingston 20 (3-6) - FINAL

#6 King City 48 (7-2) St. Joseph Christian 0 (0-9) - FINAL

#1 Worth County 76 (9-0)&nbsp;#5 Stanberry 16 (5-3) - FINAL

Milan 28 (5-4)&nbsp;Maysville 12 (3-6) - FINAL

Gallatin 48 (7-2) Princeton 8 (0-9) - FINAL - Bulldogs win their fifth straight.

Putnam County 20 (3-6)&nbsp;Polo 16 (6-3) - FINAL

South Harrison 25 (5-4)&nbsp;Trenton 24 (4-5) - FINAL OT

275 DeKalb 52 (1-8)&nbsp;Stewartsville-Osborn 38 (1-7) - FINAL

#9 South Holt 22 (7-2) Nodaway Valley 6 (2-7) - FINAL - The Knights get their sixth straight win.

Rock Port 26 (6-3)&nbsp;Mound City 20 (4-5) - FINAL - Micah Makings had a two-yard winning TD with two seconds left.

Platte Valley 28 (7-2)&nbsp;#3 East Atchison 26 (8-1) - FINAL

Greater KC Suburban Conference #7 Park Hill South 51 (9-0) St. Joseph Central 27 (1-8) - FINAL (Thursday)

#4 Platte County 39 (7-2)&nbsp;Lansing, KS 3 (2-6) - FINAL

Kansas games: Atchison 21 (7-1) Washington 20 (3-4) - FINAL

Troy 40 (4-4)&nbsp;Horton 12 (0-8) - FINAL

Burlingame 36 (5-2)&nbsp;Doniphan West 28 (3-5) - FINAL OT

Maur Hill-Prep Mount Academy 24 (3-4)&nbsp;Riverside 21 (0-8) - FINAL

More scores<a href="https://www.680kfeq.com/scoreboard/">&nbsp;can be found here</a>.

Tune into KFEQ again tonight for this season's final episode of 'Friday Night Lights' from 8-10 p.m.! We'll have two hours of scores, interviews, analysis and more! Listen on 680 AM, 95.3 FM, 680kfeq.com and the KFEQ mobile app.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1634935278702.jpeg" alt="Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostWe have reached the end of the regular season in high school football with week 9 in Missouri and week 8 in Kansas. Here's a look at all of the area matchups and finals from Friday night. We now await district pairings!&nbsp; MEC: Chillicothe 50 (6-3)&nbsp;Benton 21 (1-8) - FINAL#4 St. Pius X 35 (8-1)&nbsp;Savannah 0 (3-6) - FINALMarshall 30 (2-6) Cameron 0 (2-7) - FINALMaryville 37 (5-4)&nbsp;Lafayette 6 (6-3) - FINAL#8 Bishop LeBlond 32 (8-1) Northwest (Hughesville) 30 (5-4) - FINAL - Eagles overcome a 22-6 halftime deficit.<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/LeBlond-head-football-coach-Chuck-Davis-e196fgr" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>KCI: #2 Mid-Buchanan 28 (9-0) #8 West Platte 12 (7-2) - FINAL - The Dragons win back-to-back KCI Conference titles and finish with back-to-back undefeated regular seasons.<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/Mid-Buchanan-coach-Aaron-Fritz-e196f9t" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>Lathrop 51 (3-6)&nbsp;Plattsburg 7 (1-8) - FINAL - Third straight win for the Mules, and they win the 100th meeting with Plattsburg.#5 East Buchanan 57 (8-1) North Platte 8 (0-9) - FINAL<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/East-Buchanan-coach-Dan-Ritter-e196fd2" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>Hamilton 41 (6-3) Lawson 0 (2-7) - FINAL<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/Hamilton-head-coach-Alexander-Lloyd-e196fet" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>GRC Albany 84 (4-5)&nbsp;Pattonsburg 0 (3-6) - FINALNorth Andrew 68 (4-4) @ Southwest Livingston 20 (3-6) - FINAL#6 King City 48 (7-2) St. Joseph Christian 0 (0-9) - FINAL#1 Worth County 76 (9-0)&nbsp;#5 Stanberry 16 (5-3) - FINALMilan 28 (5-4)&nbsp;Maysville 12 (3-6) - FINALGallatin 48 (7-2) Princeton 8 (0-9) - FINAL - Bulldogs win their fifth straight.Putnam County 20 (3-6)&nbsp;Polo 16 (6-3) - FINALSouth Harrison 25 (5-4)&nbsp;Trenton 24 (4-5) - FINAL OT275 DeKalb 52 (1-8)&nbsp;Stewartsville-Osborn 38 (1-7) - FINAL<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/DeKalb-head-coach-Kaleb-Wardlow-e196fii" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>#9 South Holt 22 (7-2) Nodaway Valley 6 (2-7) - FINAL - The Knights get their sixth straight win.<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/South-Holt-head-coach-Josh-Petersen-e196fk8" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>Rock Port 26 (6-3)&nbsp;Mound City 20 (4-5) - FINAL - Micah Makings had a two-yard winning TD with two seconds left.Platte Valley 28 (7-2)&nbsp;#3 East Atchison 26 (8-1) - FINALGreater KC Suburban Conference #7 Park Hill South 51 (9-0) St. Joseph Central 27 (1-8) - FINAL (Thursday)#4 Platte County 39 (7-2)&nbsp;Lansing, KS 3 (2-6) - FINALKansas games: Atchison 21 (7-1) Washington 20 (3-4) - FINALTroy 40 (4-4)&nbsp;Horton 12 (0-8) - FINALBurlingame 36 (5-2)&nbsp;Doniphan West 28 (3-5) - FINAL OTMaur Hill-Prep Mount Academy 24 (3-4)&nbsp;Riverside 21 (0-8) - FINALHiawatha (4-3) @ Sabetha (3-4) - missingMore scores<a href="https://www.680kfeq.com/scoreboard/">&nbsp;can be found here</a>.Tune into KFEQ again tonight for this season's final episode of 'Friday Night Lights' from 8-10 p.m.! We'll have two hours of scores, interviews, analysis and more! Listen on 680 AM, 95.3 FM, 680kfeq.com and the KFEQ mobile app.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1630711670029.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

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