Senior Kianna Herrera scored 18 points, and the Bishop LeBlond girls' basketball team continued its strong start to the season with a 66-27 win over Nodaway Valley in the LeBlond tournament Monday evening.

LeBlond (9-1) got to a somewhat sluggish start in the first few minutes, leading 5-4, but then suddenly, the Golden Eagles were ahead 17-6 after the first and then 41-12 at the half.

Herrera and fellow senior Emma Raines each made a three-pointer in the first half to kickstart the LeBlond offense, and the onslaught continued in the second half.

The Eagles got points from nine different players. Raines dropped 10 herself, while sophomore Kaleigh Ziesel came off the bench to score eight. Sophomore Kayla Beam scored six, while fellow sophomore Kyla Conard had seven. Junior Shae Lewis contributed six.

"I knew that once we got a couple of shots underneath our belt, everything would kind of fall into place," LeBlond head coach Jackie Ziesel said. "It was kind of a matter of waking up our brains and our legs and our bodies so we could get that push of momentum that we needed."

Freshman Ava Graham led Nodaway Valley with eight points. Senior Piper Hunt had five. LeBlond advances to the semifinals to play North Andrew, who beat East Buchanan Monday, 46-34. Tip-off in Tuesday's semifinal is set for 7 p.m.

Nodaway Valley faces East Buchanan in consolation play on Tuesday at 1.

Guldan hits 1000 career points, LeBlond boys pull away late

Senior Chris Guldan hit a career milestone Monday, scoring 21 points to surpass 1,000 in his career, helping the LeBlond boys to a 59-40 win over Nodaway Valley in tournament action Monday night.

Guldan was honored after the game with a large banner, commemorating his 1,000 point achievement.

"You see people in high school when you're younger getting this and you just dream of it," Guldan said. "And it came true. Just an amazing feeling."

Trailing 15-8 after the first, Nodaway Valley used a 12-0 run in the second quarter to tie the game at 23. A quick two in the lane by junior Jake Korell gave the Eagles a 25-23 lead at the break.

"The second half, me and Jake kind of turned it on a little bit," Guldan said. "Gave us a little boost and helped us win."

Leading 41-36 entering the fourth, LeBlond (6-2) ended the game on a 17-4 run to pull away. Guldan had seven points in the fourth quarter alone. Korell scored 17 of his 21 points in the second half. The next highest scorer was senior Noah Eidmann, who had six.

"(Jake and Chris) kind of carried us offensively," LeBlond coach Mitch Girres said. "We struggled a little defensively at times, which is usually something we can rely on. So, we just have to make sure we bring a little better energy to start the game. Really focus on starting better."

That sets up a LeBlond tournament semifinal matchup between LeBlond and North Andrew (5-3) on Tuesday night. Tip-off is set for 8:30 p.m. The Cardinals beat East Buchanan, 49-41, in the first round Monday.

The last time the Cardinals and Eagles met was for a Class 2 District 16 title, where North Andrew prevailed 47-45 on Feb. 25 in Rosendale.

"It's been close every time we've played 'em I think in my four years," Guldan recalled. "Will pry be close again."

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640669835226.jpeg" alt="Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostSenior Kianna Herrera scored 18 points, and the Bishop LeBlond girls' basketball team continued its strong start to the season with a 66-27 win over Nodaway Valley in the LeBlond tournament Monday evening.LeBlond (9-1) got to a somewhat sluggish start in the first few minutes, leading 5-4, but then suddenly, the Golden Eagles were ahead 17-6 after the first and then 41-12 at the half.Herrera and fellow senior Emma Raines each made a three-pointer in the first half to kickstart the LeBlond offense, and the onslaught continued in the second half.The Eagles got points from nine different players. Raines dropped 10 herself, while sophomore Kaleigh Ziesel came off the bench to score eight. Sophomore Kayla Beam scored six, while fellow sophomore Kyla Conard had seven. Junior Shae Lewis contributed six."I knew that once we got a couple of shots underneath our belt, everything would kind of fall into place," LeBlond head coach Jackie Ziesel said. "It was kind of a matter of waking up our brains and our legs and our bodies so we could get that push of momentum that we needed."Freshman Ava Graham led Nodaway Valley with eight points. Senior Piper Hunt had five. LeBlond advances to the semifinals to play North Andrew, who beat East Buchanan Monday, 46-34. Tip-off in Tuesday's semifinal is set for 7 p.m.Nodaway Valley faces East Buchanan in consolation play on Tuesday at 1.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640669865518.jpeg" alt="Sloan Lewis." />
 <figcaption>Sloan Lewis.</figcaption>
 </figure>Guldan hits 1000 career points, LeBlond boys pull away lateSenior Chris Guldan hit a career milestone Monday, scoring 21 points to surpass 1,000 in his career, helping the LeBlond boys to a 59-40 win over Nodaway Valley in tournament action Monday night.Guldan was honored after the game with a large banner, commemorating his 1,000 point achievement."You see people in high school when you're younger getting this and you just dream of it," Guldan said. "And it came true. Just an amazing feeling."Trailing 15-8 after the first, Nodaway Valley used a 12-0 run in the second quarter to tie the game at 23. A quick two in the lane by junior Jake Korell gave the Eagles a 25-23 lead at the break."The second half, me and Jake kind of turned it on a little bit," Guldan said. "Gave us a little boost and helped us win."Leading 41-36 entering the fourth, LeBlond (6-2) ended the game on a 17-4 run to pull away. Guldan had seven points in the fourth quarter alone. Korell scored 17 of his 21 points in the second half. The next highest scorer was senior Noah Eidmann, who had six."(Jake and Chris) kind of carried us offensively," LeBlond coach Mitch Girres said. "We struggled a little defensively at times, which is usually something we can rely on. So, we just have to make sure we bring a little better energy to start the game. Really focus on starting better."That sets up a LeBlond tournament semifinal matchup between LeBlond and North Andrew (5-3) on Tuesday night. Tip-off is set for 8:30 p.m. The Cardinals beat East Buchanan, 49-41, in the first round Monday.The last time the Cardinals and Eagles met was for a Class 2 District 16 title, where North Andrew prevailed 47-45 on Feb. 25 in Rosendale."It's been close every time we've played 'em I think in my four years," Guldan recalled. "Will pry be close again."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640669800333.jpeg" alt="Courtesy photo." />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640669925895.jpeg" alt="Jake Korell (20). Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Jake Korell (20). Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

LeBlond girls win big, Guldan scores 1000th career point against Nodaway Valley

Senior Owen Graham dropped a game-high 17 points to help North Andrew (5-3) top East Buchanan, 49-41, in first-round action at the Bishop LeBlond Holiday tournament Monday.

The game was air tight in the first half with neither team able to jump out to a big lead. East Buchanan led 18-17 at halftime behind a three-pointer from both Jack Archdekin and Conner Musser.

The third quarter is when North Andrew gained some control. The Cardinals opened the third on a 12-0 run and led 32-23 entering the fourth. The Bulldogs were held to just five third quarter points.

"For the guys to dig in and battle against a really good East Buchanan team, it was a big sign for us," North Andrew coach Wade Bryson said. "We had some nice offensive performances, but tonight, it was nice to see us play championship level defense."

East Buchanan made a strong charge in the fourth, opening that quarter on a 10-0 run. Archedkin had 10 points over the final eight minutes alone, and led the Bulldogs with 15 points total, but North Andrew closed the game out strong.

The Cardinals went 6-for-6 at the foul line in the fourth quarter, and got a key three-pointer from sophomore Trey McDaniel to seal the victory.

"As teams start to key in on Owen and take him away, it's going to have to be the guys around him who step up and make plays and you saw that tonight. That was exciting as a coach to see."

Freshman Braxon Linville was also reliable, scoring 13 points for the Cardinals. McDaniel finished with nine. Musser dropped 11 for East Buchanan, while Carson White had six.

North Andrew advances to the LeBlond tournament semifinals on Tuesday night, where they'll face the hosting Golden Eagles. Tip-off is set for 8:30 p.m.

East Buchanan faces Nodaway Valley in consolation play on Tuesday morning at 11:30.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640667722496.jpeg" alt="North Andrew's Braxon Linville (5) guards East Buchanan's Carson Thompson (24) on Monday. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>North Andrew's Braxon Linville (5) guards East Buchanan's Carson Thompson (24) on Monday. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostSenior Owen Graham dropped a game-high 17 points to help North Andrew (5-3) top East Buchanan, 49-41, in first-round action at the Bishop LeBlond Holiday tournament Monday.The game was air tight in the first half with neither team able to jump out to a big lead. East Buchanan led 18-17 at halftime behind a three-pointer from both Jack Archdekin and Conner Musser.The third quarter is when North Andrew gained some control. The Cardinals opened the third on a 12-0 run and led 32-23 entering the fourth. The Bulldogs were held to just five third quarter points."For the guys to dig in and battle against a really good East Buchanan team, it was a big sign for us," North Andrew coach Wade Bryson said. "We had some nice offensive performances, but tonight, it was nice to see us play championship level defense."East Buchanan made a strong charge in the fourth, opening that quarter on a 10-0 run. Archedkin had 10 points over the final eight minutes alone, and led the Bulldogs with 15 points total, but North Andrew closed the game out strong.The Cardinals went 6-for-6 at the foul line in the fourth quarter, and got a key three-pointer from sophomore Trey McDaniel to seal the victory."As teams start to key in on Owen and take him away, it's going to have to be the guys around him who step up and make plays and you saw that tonight. That was exciting as a coach to see."Freshman Braxon Linville was also reliable, scoring 13 points for the Cardinals. McDaniel finished with nine. Musser dropped 11 for East Buchanan, while Carson White had six.North Andrew advances to the LeBlond tournament semifinals on Tuesday night, where they'll face the hosting Golden Eagles. Tip-off is set for 8:30 p.m.East Buchanan faces Nodaway Valley in consolation play on Tuesday morning at 11:30.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640667787513.jpeg" alt="Jack Archdekin." />
 <figcaption>Jack Archdekin.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640667808220.jpeg" alt="Couper Simmons." />
 <figcaption>Couper Simmons.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Owen Graham drops 17, North Andrew outlasts East Buchanan in LeBlond tournament

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The chances that the Kansas City Chiefs would spend Sunday night celebrating their record sixth straight AFC West title seemed slim last week when Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce headlined an outbreak of COVID-19 within the team.

Turns out, the NFL's hottest team was just fine.

Patrick Mahomes threw for 258 yards and three touchdowns, and the defense dominated the Pittsburgh Steelers in a 36-10 drubbing at Arrowhead Stadium Sunday evening.

“This is the type of week where it's so great to have an experienced coach like Andy Reid, somebody who is so steady — somebody who has seen virtually everything that the NFL can throw at them," Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt said. “This was a different challenge, but his preparation is so thorough that they were able to get the guys who were able ready to play.”

The Chiefs (11-4) remained a game ahead of Tennessee for first place overall in the AFC with their eighth straight win. That would give them the conference's lone first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs.

Clyde Edwards-Helaire had a touchdown run for Kansas City before leaving early in the second half with a collarbone injury. Darrel Williams and Derrick Gore carried the load the rest of the way, Williams running for 55 yards and Gore adding 43 yards on the ground and three catches for 61 yards.

“The guys all played together, which I don't think you can avoid talking about,” Reid said. “The way they supported each other when there was a problem, when something didn't work — everybody just hung together.”

The Chiefs were crushed by a COVID-19 outbreak early in the week — at one point they had 13 players on the active roster and three on the practice squad test positive. They managed to get Hill and several others cleared in time for kickoff, but Kelce was among three starters unable to test out of protocols Sunday morning.

After watching the Chargers improbably lose to the Texans earlier Sunday, the Chiefs — who began the season 3-4 — knew they merely had to beat inconsistent and offensively challenged Pittsburgh to wrap up another division title. They made it look easy on both sides of the ball.

The Chiefs went 73 yards on their opening possession with Edwards-Helaire bouncing off Robert Spillane for a score. Pringle scored his first TD after Roethlisberger was picked off on a flea-flicker. Mecole Hardman hauled in a touchdown throw from Mahomes, and fill-in kicker Elliott Fry hit a 44-yard field goal for a 23-0 halftime lead.

“It was us just filling those voids and those places and those spots on the field,” Hardman said, “and doing the best we can.”

The Steelers at that point? Two punts, a pick, a turnover on downs, a missed field goal at the end of the half.

They started the second half watching Diontae Johnson fumble the ball away, too. The Chiefs tacked on another TD when Mahomes found Pringle in the back of the end zone, putting the game away by midway through the third quarter.

The Chiefs visit Cincinnati on Sunday. Kickoff is set for noon central. The game will be carried live on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3) and Q Country 92.7 FM in St. Joseph.

The Bengals (9-6) are currently the No. 3 seed in the AFC playoff picture and sit in first place in the AFC North.

St. Joseph PostKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The chances that the Kansas City Chiefs would spend Sunday night celebrating their record sixth straight AFC West title seemed slim last week when Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce headlined an outbreak of COVID-19 within the team.Turns out, the NFL's hottest team was just fine.Patrick Mahomes threw for 258 yards and three touchdowns, and the defense dominated the Pittsburgh Steelers in a 36-10 drubbing at Arrowhead Stadium Sunday evening.“This is the type of week where it's so great to have an experienced coach like Andy Reid, somebody who is so steady — somebody who has seen virtually everything that the NFL can throw at them," Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt said. “This was a different challenge, but his preparation is so thorough that they were able to get the guys who were able ready to play.”More like ready to dominate.The Chiefs (11-4) remained a game ahead of Tennessee for first place overall in the AFC with their eighth straight win. That would give them the conference's lone first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs.Clyde Edwards-Helaire had a touchdown run for Kansas City before leaving early in the second half with a collarbone injury. Darrel Williams and Derrick Gore carried the load the rest of the way, Williams running for 55 yards and Gore adding 43 yards on the ground and three catches for 61 yards.“The guys all played together, which I don't think you can avoid talking about,” Reid said. “The way they supported each other when there was a problem, when something didn't work — everybody just hung together.”The Chiefs were crushed by a COVID-19 outbreak early in the week — at one point they had 13 players on the active roster and three on the practice squad test positive. They managed to get Hill and several others cleared in time for kickoff, but Kelce was among three starters unable to test out of protocols Sunday morning.It didn't matter.After watching the Chargers improbably lose to the Texans earlier Sunday, the Chiefs — who began the season 3-4 — knew they merely had to beat inconsistent and offensively challenged Pittsburgh to wrap up another division title. They made it look easy on both sides of the ball.The Chiefs went 73 yards on their opening possession with Edwards-Helaire bouncing off Robert Spillane for a score. Pringle scored his first TD after Roethlisberger was picked off on a flea-flicker. Mecole Hardman hauled in a touchdown throw from Mahomes, and fill-in kicker Elliott Fry hit a 44-yard field goal for a 23-0 halftime lead.“It was us just filling those voids and those places and those spots on the field,” Hardman said, “and doing the best we can.”The Steelers at that point? Two punts, a pick, a turnover on downs, a missed field goal at the end of the half.They started the second half watching Diontae Johnson fumble the ball away, too. The Chiefs tacked on another TD when Mahomes found Pringle in the back of the end zone, putting the game away by midway through the third quarter.The Chiefs visit Cincinnati on Sunday. Kickoff is set for noon central. The game will be carried live on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3) and Q Country 92.7 FM in St. Joseph.The Bengals (9-6) are currently the No. 3 seed in the AFC playoff picture and sit in first place in the AFC North.

Chiefs dominate Steelers Sunday to clinch sixth straight AFC West title

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs added wide receiver Tyreek Hill, cornerback Rashad Fenton and tight end Blake Bell to their growing COVID-19 list Tuesday that already included tight end Travis Kelce and kicker Harrison Butker. 

The Chiefs also have Charvarius Ward on the list, which means two of their top three cornerbacks are in the league’s virus protocol.

The Chiefs also added to the COVID list Wednesday linebacker Nick Bolton, Offensive Tackle Lucas Niang, Offensive Guard Kyle Long, Safety Armani Watts and Practice squad players linebacker Darius Harris and wide receiver Daurice Fountain.

Last week, defensive tackle Chris Jones, linebacker Willie Gay Jr. and wide receiver Josh Gordon tested positive.

The Chiefs COVID/Reserve list now stands at 16 players, with 13 on the active roster and three on the practice squad.

The Chiefs play the Steelers on Sunday in an important game for the AFC playoff race.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs added wide receiver Tyreek Hill, cornerback Rashad Fenton and tight end Blake Bell to their growing COVID-19 list Tuesday that already included tight end Travis Kelce and kicker Harrison Butker. The Chiefs also have Charvarius Ward on the list, which means two of their top three cornerbacks are in the league’s virus protocol.The Chiefs also added to the COVID list Wednesday linebacker Nick Bolton, Offensive Tackle Lucas Niang, Offensive Guard Kyle Long, Safety Armani Watts and Practice squad players linebacker Darius Harris and wide receiver Daurice Fountain.Last week, defensive tackle Chris Jones, linebacker Willie Gay Jr. and wide receiver Josh Gordon tested positive.The Chiefs COVID/Reserve list now stands at 16 players, with 13 on the active roster and three on the practice squad.The Chiefs play the Steelers on Sunday in an important game for the AFC playoff race.

Chiefs dealing with more COVID issues, place nine more players on COVID list

After weeks of saying that running back Tyler Badie will play in the Armed Forces Bowl, head coach Eli Drinkwitz announced in his press conference today that Mizzou's single season record holder for rushing yards will not play tomorrow. 

 Drinkwitz says the decision came after several long talks with his coaching staff.  Badie will now begin preparing for the NFL Draft, and that starts with getting ready for the NFL combine that begins on April 28th. 

 Badie leaves Mizzou holding the single season rushing record, rushing this season for 1,604 yards, and finishes his Mizzou career with 2,740 yards and 23 rushing TDs.  Senior Dawson Downing will start in place of Badie.

Drinkwitz also announced today that Redshirt Freshman Brady Cook will make his first career start for the Tigers, taking the place of Sophomore Connor Bazelak, who has been battling a leg injury this season.  Cook has appeared some for the Tigers this season, going 19 for 24 with 107 yards and a TD, but has spent his time on the field splitting snaps with Tyler Macon.

Mizzou will be without five starters for the Armed Forces bowl, either because they are injured or opted out: running back Tyler Badie, safety Martez Manuel who is the teams leading tackler, tight end Niko Hea, defensive tackle Akiel Byers and cornerback Akayleb Evans

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostAfter weeks of saying that running back Tyler Badie will play in the Armed Forces Bowl, head coach Eli Drinkwitz announced in his press conference today that Mizzou's single season record holder for rushing yards will not play tomorrow. Drinkwitz says the decision came after several long talks with his coaching staff. Badie will now begin preparing for the NFL Draft, and that starts with getting ready for the NFL combine that begins on April 28th. Badie leaves Mizzou holding the single season rushing record, rushing this season for 1,604 yards, and finishes his Mizzou career with 2,740 yards and 23 rushing TDs. Senior Dawson Downing will start in place of Badie.Drinkwitz also announced today that Redshirt Freshman Brady Cook will make his first career start for the Tigers, taking the place of Sophomore Connor Bazelak, who has been battling a leg injury this season. Cook has appeared some for the Tigers this season, going 19 for 24 with 107 yards and a TD, but has spent his time on the field splitting snaps with Tyler Macon.Mizzou will be without five starters for the Armed Forces bowl, either because they are injured or opted out: running back Tyler Badie, safety Martez Manuel who is the teams leading tackler, tight end Niko Hea, defensive tackle Akiel Byers and cornerback Akayleb Evans<div><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CXwHVzRrEbi/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CXwHVzRrEbi/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"> <div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;"><svg width="50px" height="50px" viewBox="0 0 60 60" version="1.1" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"><g transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)" fill="#000000"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></div><div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style=" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"><div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"></div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"></div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"></div></div><div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"></div></div></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div></div></a><p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CXwHVzRrEbi/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Tyler Badie (@only1badie)</a></div></blockquote> <script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script></div>

Mizzou's Tyler Badie sitting out Armed Forces Bowl, Brady Cook to make first start

NEW YORK (AP) —The NBA on Sunday postponed a total of five games involving nine teams in response to rising coronavirus numbers, raising the number of contests that have been pushed back this season to seven.

Called off were three Sunday games: Cleveland at Atlanta, Denver at Brooklyn and New Orleans at Philadelphia. Also shelved were Orlando's game at Toronto on Monday and Washington's game at Brooklyn on Tuesday.

The postponements came on the same day that Atlanta announced star guard Trae Young entered the league's health and safety protocols and the Los Angeles Lakers said coach Frank Vogel also was added to the list.

Leaguewide, through Sunday afternoon, there were at least 68 players who have either been ruled out to play — or in the case of the postponed games, would have been ruled out — because they are in the protocols. That number has soared in recent days, with the NBA just one of many sports leagues worldwide dealing with a rapidly worsening issue.

U.S. officials are expecting a wave of breakthrough infections among the vaccinated given the surge of holiday travelers and gatherings expected in the coming days. The NBA has said 97% of players are fully vaccinated and somewhere around 60% had received boosters as of last week. It was not clear how many of the current positive cases involve those who are ineligible for a booster shot or those who have chosen not to receive one.

Also not clear is how many of the NBA cases involve asymptomatic players. The NFL has revised its protocols so that only unvaccinated players and those experiencing possible symptoms of COVID-19 will be tested. The NHL has five teams shut down through Christmas because of outbreaks, and numerous college games at all levels have been canceled in recent days.

“It is what it is. Just trying to stay safe as possible and that’s all you can do,” Lakers guard Russell Westbrook said of the NBA’s rising numbers. Westbrook was briefly in the protocols late last week, before returning at least three negative coronavirus tests and being cleared to return to play without missing a game.

The league and the National Basketball Players Association have been discussing a plan in which teams in desperate need of players would be able to sign reinforcements to 10-day contracts but without those deals impacting salary cap and luxury tax figures. That deal has not yet been finalized, though talks are continuing.

The Cavaliers had five players enter the protocols on Sunday, the team said. All five — center Jarrett Allen, forwards Lamar Stevens and Dylan Windler and guards Denzel Valentine and RJ Nembhard — tested positive for COVID-19, according to a person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team did not release that specific detail.

They joined Isaac Okoro and Evan Mobley, who entered the protocols previously.

Vogel won't be on the bench when his Lakers play Sunday at Chicago. David Fizdale will coach in Vogel's place, the Lakers said. The Bulls are returning to the court after having two games postponed last week.

Chicago still doesn't have all of its players back yet, either. Among those listed as out Sunday and still in protocols is Olympic gold medalist Zach LaVine.

Through Saturday’s games, those were the only games the NBA had pushed back during this outbreak. But on Sunday, the league added significantly to the list of postponements, with teams simply not having enough players to compete.

Brooklyn alone has 10 players, plus some staff, in the protocols.

“It’s just crazy,” Nets forward Blake Griffin said.

Brooklyn's list of players in protocols includes Kevin Durant, James Harden and — even though he’s still not yet able to play — Kyrie Irving, who has sat out all season for not complying with New York City's vaccine mandate. The team reversed course Friday and said Irving would be welcomed back “for games and practices in which he is eligible to participate,” knowing he’d still miss two games at the Knicks and trips to Toronto and Golden State.

The Nets had eight available players for Saturday night's game against Orlando. The Magic had nine, including four players — Aleem Ford, Hassani Gravett, B.J. Johnson and Admiral Schofield — who were signed late last week to hardship contracts because of virus issues and injuries decimating Orlando's roster.

Here's how necessary they were: Magic coach Jamahl Mosley had all four on the court together in two separate stretches of Orlando's win.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639341015562.jpg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) —The NBA on Sunday postponed a total of five games involving nine teams in response to rising coronavirus numbers, raising the number of contests that have been pushed back this season to seven.Called off were three Sunday games: Cleveland at Atlanta, Denver at Brooklyn and New Orleans at Philadelphia. Also shelved were Orlando's game at Toronto on Monday and Washington's game at Brooklyn on Tuesday.The postponements came on the same day that Atlanta announced star guard Trae Young entered the league's health and safety protocols and the Los Angeles Lakers said coach Frank Vogel also was added to the list.Leaguewide, through Sunday afternoon, there were at least 68 players who have either been ruled out to play — or in the case of the postponed games, would have been ruled out — because they are in the protocols. That number has soared in recent days, with the NBA just one of many sports leagues worldwide dealing with a rapidly worsening issue.U.S. officials are expecting a wave of breakthrough infections among the vaccinated given the surge of holiday travelers and gatherings expected in the coming days. The NBA has said 97% of players are fully vaccinated and somewhere around 60% had received boosters as of last week. It was not clear how many of the current positive cases involve those who are ineligible for a booster shot or those who have chosen not to receive one.Also not clear is how many of the NBA cases involve asymptomatic players. The NFL has revised its protocols so that only unvaccinated players and those experiencing possible symptoms of COVID-19 will be tested. The NHL has five teams shut down through Christmas because of outbreaks, and numerous college games at all levels have been canceled in recent days.“It is what it is. Just trying to stay safe as possible and that’s all you can do,” Lakers guard Russell Westbrook said of the NBA’s rising numbers. Westbrook was briefly in the protocols late last week, before returning at least three negative coronavirus tests and being cleared to return to play without missing a game.The league and the National Basketball Players Association have been discussing a plan in which teams in desperate need of players would be able to sign reinforcements to 10-day contracts but without those deals impacting salary cap and luxury tax figures. That deal has not yet been finalized, though talks are continuing.The Cavaliers had five players enter the protocols on Sunday, the team said. All five — center Jarrett Allen, forwards Lamar Stevens and Dylan Windler and guards Denzel Valentine and RJ Nembhard — tested positive for COVID-19, according to a person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team did not release that specific detail.They joined Isaac Okoro and Evan Mobley, who entered the protocols previously.Vogel won't be on the bench when his Lakers play Sunday at Chicago. David Fizdale will coach in Vogel's place, the Lakers said. The Bulls are returning to the court after having two games postponed last week.Chicago still doesn't have all of its players back yet, either. Among those listed as out Sunday and still in protocols is Olympic gold medalist Zach LaVine.Through Saturday’s games, those were the only games the NBA had pushed back during this outbreak. But on Sunday, the league added significantly to the list of postponements, with teams simply not having enough players to compete.Brooklyn alone has 10 players, plus some staff, in the protocols.“It’s just crazy,” Nets forward Blake Griffin said.Brooklyn's list of players in protocols includes Kevin Durant, James Harden and — even though he’s still not yet able to play — Kyrie Irving, who has sat out all season for not complying with New York City's vaccine mandate. The team reversed course Friday and said Irving would be welcomed back “for games and practices in which he is eligible to participate,” knowing he’d still miss two games at the Knicks and trips to Toronto and Golden State.The Nets had eight available players for Saturday night's game against Orlando. The Magic had nine, including four players — Aleem Ford, Hassani Gravett, B.J. Johnson and Admiral Schofield — who were signed late last week to hardship contracts because of virus issues and injuries decimating Orlando's roster.Here's how necessary they were: Magic coach Jamahl Mosley had all four on the court together in two separate stretches of Orlando's win.———

NBA postpones more games as COVID rocks sports world

MARYVILLE - The Northwest Missouri State women's basketball team held previously unbeaten Missouri Western to a season-low in points and prevailed in a 49-46 defensive battle at Bearcat Arena Saturday.

It took almost four minutes for the first made basket for either team. Northwest's Jayna Green finally hit the net with 6:17 left in the first quarter, but Western's&nbsp;Trinity Knapp&nbsp;answered with back-to-back buckets for Missouri Western to start a 9-0 run. Northwest (9-2, 4-1 MIAA) responded with a 16-11 second quarter to take a 23-20 halftime lead. The third quarter was very back-and-forth, and Missouri Western managed to tie the game a couple of times, but the Griffons (9-1, 4-1 MIAA) never managed to grab a lead in the second half. Connie Clarke pulled the Griffons to within 47-46 with 41.6 seconds left after making a pair of free throws, and a defensive stop put the ball back in Western's hands with 12.1 seconds to go. Knapp missed a go-ahead jump shot inside the final 10 seconds, and the whistle blew as both teams battled for the rebound.&nbsp;Camille Evans&nbsp;was called for a foul, but even after a pair of made free throws by Northwest's Paityn Rau, the Griffons had one last chance to send the game to overtime with 2.2 on the clock. A quick timeout advanced the ball to the near side of the court, and former Bearcat Jaelyn Haggard&nbsp;was able to find an opening in the swarming defense, but her last-second three-pointer was just short and bounced off the rim as the buzzer sounded. Missouri Western shot 29.5 percent (13-44) on the afternoon, with Knapp leading all scorers with 15 - a new career-high for her. Northwest Missouri shot at a 25.8 percent (16-62) clip, including 7-of-29 from beyond the arc.

Missouri Western was 2-of-8 from three on the afternoon.

Jayna Green&nbsp;grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds to go along with six points, four blocks and three assists for Northwest.&nbsp;Peyton Kelderman&nbsp;led the Bearcats in scoring with nine points.&nbsp;&nbsp; The Griffons close out the 2021 calendar year on Wednesday, Dec. 29, with a 1 p.m. game against University of Saint Mary at MWSU Fieldhouse.

The Northwest women host Missouri Southern on New Year's Day.

Trevor Hudgins drops 36, Northwest shoots lights out against Griffons

No. 2 Northwest (10-1, 5-0 MIAA) team shot a single-game school record 72.9% from the field in a 101-63 rout over Missouri Western Saturday.

The Bearcats won their ninth straight game overall and their 19th straight against their rival Griffons. Western (8-5, 4-1 MIAA) saw a six-game win streak come to an end.

Northwest broke its single-game field goal percentage record by making 35-of-48 field goals in the victory. It's the highest single-game field goal percentage for an NCAA Division II team this season. The Bearcats shot 80.0% from the floor in the second half, making 20-of-25 field goal attempts in the final 20 minutes.&nbsp;

"You could say this, that or the other, but at the end of the day, sometimes you just make shots," Northwest coach Ben McCollum said. "I'd have to see the film, but we pry just made a lot of shots. Got the shots we were looking for and were able to make them." Junior&nbsp;Trevor Hudgins, last season's DII National Player of the Year, posted a 36-point scoring effort, making 12-of-15 shots, including 4-of-6 from beyond the arc. Sophomore&nbsp;Luke Waters&nbsp;did not miss a shot as he tallied 18 points, going 6-of-6 from the field and 6-of-6 from the foul line.

"It's a result of him working with others to allow him to be who he is," McCollum said. "We allow people&nbsp;to be great in our system because we want to win."

"We just started going," Hudgins said. "We just started getting into the flow and offense started clicking. Shots started falling and...yeah. Saw the results."

Junior&nbsp;Diego Bernard&nbsp;tallied 14 points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals. "We are starting to slowly find ourselves on the defensive and offensive ends," said McCollum, as he improves to 24-2 all-time against the Griffons. "It takes time. We fit our personnel into our system and we have to find our different roles. We are finding out who we are going to be&nbsp;defensively&nbsp;and offensively this year." Leading 45-30 at the break, Northwest started the second half on a 21-8 run and took a 66-38 lead with 12:52 to play, essentially putting the game away.

Q Mays led Missouri Western with 11 points, but he spent much of the first half on the bench with three early fouls and he would eventually foul out midway through the second.

"All of the credit in the world to Northwest and their players," Missouri Western coach Will Martin said. "I mean, they showed why they're the best team in the country. You get beat like we did, there's not much more to say other than 'hats off to their team,' and there's things we could have done better offensively." The Northwest men return to action on Dec. 29 against the University of Saint Mary. Tip is set for 2 p.m. in Bearcat Arena.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Griffons are back in St. Joseph on the 29th for an exhibition against Friends University. Tip-off from MWSU Fieldhouse is set for 3 p.m.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639933940995.jpeg" alt="Courtesy photo." />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostMARYVILLE - The Northwest Missouri State women's basketball team held previously unbeaten Missouri Western to a season-low in points and prevailed in a 49-46 defensive battle at Bearcat Arena Saturday.It took almost four minutes for the first made basket for either team. Northwest's Jayna Green finally hit the net with 6:17 left in the first quarter, but Western's&nbsp;Trinity Knapp&nbsp;answered with back-to-back buckets for Missouri Western to start a 9-0 run. Northwest (9-2, 4-1 MIAA) responded with a 16-11 second quarter to take a 23-20 halftime lead. The third quarter was very back-and-forth, and Missouri Western managed to tie the game a couple of times, but the Griffons (9-1, 4-1 MIAA) never managed to grab a lead in the second half. Connie Clarke pulled the Griffons to within 47-46 with 41.6 seconds left after making a pair of free throws, and a defensive stop put the ball back in Western's hands with 12.1 seconds to go. Knapp missed a go-ahead jump shot inside the final 10 seconds, and the whistle blew as both teams battled for the rebound.&nbsp;Camille Evans&nbsp;was called for a foul, but even after a pair of made free throws by Northwest's Paityn Rau, the Griffons had one last chance to send the game to overtime with 2.2 on the clock. A quick timeout advanced the ball to the near side of the court, and former Bearcat Jaelyn Haggard&nbsp;was able to find an opening in the swarming defense, but her last-second three-pointer was just short and bounced off the rim as the buzzer sounded. Missouri Western shot 29.5 percent (13-44) on the afternoon, with Knapp leading all scorers with 15 - a new career-high for her. Northwest Missouri shot at a 25.8 percent (16-62) clip, including 7-of-29 from beyond the arc.Missouri Western was 2-of-8 from three on the afternoon.Jayna Green&nbsp;grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds to go along with six points, four blocks and three assists for Northwest.&nbsp;Peyton Kelderman&nbsp;led the Bearcats in scoring with nine points.&nbsp;&nbsp; The Griffons close out the 2021 calendar year on Wednesday, Dec. 29, with a 1 p.m. game against University of Saint Mary at MWSU Fieldhouse.The Northwest women host Missouri Southern on New Year's Day.Trevor Hudgins drops 36, Northwest shoots lights out against GriffonsNo. 2 Northwest (10-1, 5-0 MIAA) team shot a single-game school record 72.9% from the field in a 101-63 rout over Missouri Western Saturday.The Bearcats won their ninth straight game overall and their 19th straight against their rival Griffons. Western (8-5, 4-1 MIAA) saw a six-game win streak come to an end.Northwest broke its single-game field goal percentage record by making 35-of-48 field goals in the victory. It's the highest single-game field goal percentage for an NCAA Division II team this season. The Bearcats shot 80.0% from the floor in the second half, making 20-of-25 field goal attempts in the final 20 minutes.&nbsp;"You could say this, that or the other, but at the end of the day, sometimes you just make shots," Northwest coach Ben McCollum said. "I'd have to see the film, but we pry just made a lot of shots. Got the shots we were looking for and were able to make them." Junior&nbsp;Trevor Hudgins, last season's DII National Player of the Year, posted a 36-point scoring effort, making 12-of-15 shots, including 4-of-6 from beyond the arc. Sophomore&nbsp;Luke Waters&nbsp;did not miss a shot as he tallied 18 points, going 6-of-6 from the field and 6-of-6 from the foul line. "It's a result of him working with others to allow him to be who he is," McCollum said. "We allow people&nbsp;to be great in our system because we want to win.""We just started going," Hudgins said. "We just started getting into the flow and offense started clicking. Shots started falling and...yeah. Saw the results."Junior&nbsp;Diego Bernard&nbsp;tallied 14 points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals. "We are starting to slowly find ourselves on the defensive and offensive ends," said McCollum, as he improves to 24-2 all-time against the Griffons. "It takes time. We fit our personnel into our system and we have to find our different roles. We are finding out who we are going to be&nbsp;defensively&nbsp;and offensively this year." Leading 45-30 at the break, Northwest started the second half on a 21-8 run and took a 66-38 lead with 12:52 to play, essentially putting the game away.Q Mays led Missouri Western with 11 points, but he spent much of the first half on the bench with three early fouls and he would eventually foul out midway through the second."All of the credit in the world to Northwest and their players," Missouri Western coach Will Martin said. "I mean, they showed why they're the best team in the country. You get beat like we did, there's not much more to say other than 'hats off to their team,' and there's things we could have done better offensively." The Northwest men return to action on Dec. 29 against the University of Saint Mary. Tip is set for 2 p.m. in Bearcat Arena.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Griffons are back in St. Joseph on the 29th for an exhibition against Friends University. Tip-off from MWSU Fieldhouse is set for 3 p.m.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639934022302.jpeg" alt="Missouri Western's Taye Fields (left) scored a career-high 9 points in the Griffons' 101-63 loss at Northwest Saturday. Courtesy photo." />
 <figcaption>Missouri Western's Taye Fields (left) scored a career-high 9 points in the Griffons' 101-63 loss at Northwest Saturday. Courtesy photo.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Northwest women win close game, Bearcat men rout Missouri Western Saturday

Saturday's women's basketball game between No. 13 Missouri Western and Northwest Missouri State is big for a number of reasons.

The Griffons (9-0, 4-0 MIAA) are off to their best start in six years and sit in first place in the MIAA. The Bearcats have already surpassed their win total from a season ago, and have won eight of their first 10 games for the first time since 2010-11.

It's also the first meeting between Northwest and Western since former Bearcat and St. Joseph native Jaelyn Haggard announced her decision to use her fifth year of eligibility to play for the Griffons after four storied seasons in Maryville.

"It's really exciting," Haggard said. "I think it's going to be a surreal moment to step back on that floor, considering what the last four years have been like for me there, but I think it's going to be a lot of fun."

Haggard played in 105 games during her four-year career at Northwest, including 81 starts. She scored 1185 points, and became the Bearcats' all-time leader in three-point field goals made with 256.

The MIAA Freshman of the Year in 2018, Haggard is also third all-time at Northwest in free throw percentage at 82.8 percent.

After the 2020-21 season ended, Haggard got accepted into Missouri Western's highly competitive Physical Therapist Assistant Program, which only takes about 20-30 applicants.

"I can't wait to get out into the healthcare field and serve people and take care of people," she said. "Right now, it's a grinding process, but it's fun."

Haggard joined the fold with Missouri Western's team right away, scrimmaging with the Griffons during the offseason and working practices in between her busy class schedule. But so far, so good.

Haggard has made 20 three-pointers already this season, while averaging 9.7 points per game and shooting 37 percent from beyond the arc, helping the Griffons to one of their best starts in recent memory.

"This is one of my better decisions I've made in my course of just playing basketball and being here with family," Haggard said. "But, school has been really fun and I love the team to death and the coaches have been great. So, all-in-all, it's been a really awesome experience." Haggard left St. Joseph Central as one of the most prolific players in school history, scoring 1319 career points to rank second all-time. Haggard's father, Darren, played baseball at Missouri Western.

Missouri Western coach Candi Whitaker learned of Haggard's career and achievements when she first took the Griffon job in 2019.

Fast forward a couple of years, and Whitaker is certainly glad to have Haggard be a part of what's been a so far historic season for Missouri Western.

"But I'm just so glad we have her," Whitaker said. "That was the first thing when I got here, I was like, 'Why don't we have her?!' I'm really excited Jaelyn is with us this one year. She's a ton of fun to coach and watch play and she's done nothing but make us better."

Missouri Western faces Northwest Missouri State on Saturday at Bearcat Arena in Maryville. The women tip off at 1:30, the men to follow at 3:30. Both games will be carried live on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3, 680kfeq.com and the KFEQ app. Pregame starts at 1 p.m.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639747457728.jpeg" alt="Courtesy photo." />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostSaturday's women's basketball game between No. 13 Missouri Western and Northwest Missouri State is big for a number of reasons.The Griffons (9-0, 4-0 MIAA) are off to their best start in six years and sit in first place in the MIAA. The Bearcats have already surpassed their win total from a season ago, and have won eight of their first 10 games for the first time since 2010-11.It's also the first meeting between Northwest and Western since former Bearcat and St. Joseph native Jaelyn Haggard announced her decision to use her fifth year of eligibility to play for the Griffons after four storied seasons in Maryville."It's really exciting," Haggard said. "I think it's going to be a surreal moment to step back on that floor, considering what the last four years have been like for me there, but I think it's going to be a lot of fun."Haggard played in 105 games during her four-year career at Northwest, including 81 starts. She scored 1185 points, and became the Bearcats' all-time leader in three-point field goals made with 256.The MIAA Freshman of the Year in 2018, Haggard is also third all-time at Northwest in free throw percentage at 82.8 percent.After the 2020-21 season ended, Haggard got accepted into Missouri Western's highly competitive Physical Therapist Assistant Program, which only takes about 20-30 applicants."I can't wait to get out into the healthcare field and serve people and take care of people," she said. "Right now, it's a grinding process, but it's fun."Haggard joined the fold with Missouri Western's team right away, scrimmaging with the Griffons during the offseason and working practices in between her busy class schedule. But so far, so good.Haggard has made 20 three-pointers already this season, while averaging 9.7 points per game and shooting 37 percent from beyond the arc, helping the Griffons to one of their best starts in recent memory."This is one of my better decisions I've made in my course of just playing basketball and being here with family," Haggard said. "But, school has been really fun and I love the team to death and the coaches have been great. So, all-in-all, it's been a really awesome experience." Haggard left St. Joseph Central as one of the most prolific players in school history, scoring 1319 career points to rank second all-time. Haggard's father, Darren, played baseball at Missouri Western.Missouri Western coach Candi Whitaker learned of Haggard's career and achievements when she first took the Griffon job in 2019.Fast forward a couple of years, and Whitaker is certainly glad to have Haggard be a part of what's been a so far historic season for Missouri Western."But I'm just so glad we have her," Whitaker said. "That was the first thing when I got here, I was like, 'Why don't we have her?!' I'm really excited Jaelyn is with us this one year. She's a ton of fun to coach and watch play and she's done nothing but make us better."<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/Missouri-Westerns-Jaelyn-Haggard-e1br4i9" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>Missouri Western faces Northwest Missouri State on Saturday at Bearcat Arena in Maryville. The women tip off at 1:30, the men to follow at 3:30. Both games will be carried live on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3, 680kfeq.com and the KFEQ app. Pregame starts at 1 p.m.You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Jaelyn Haggard, now in a Griffon uniform, ready for return to Bearcat Arena

SAVANNAH -&nbsp;Savannah senior and softball standout Emma Tipton signed her national letter of intent Friday to continue her softball career at Metropolitan Community College in Kansas City.

Tipton becomes the fourth player from the 2021 Savannah softball team to sign for college softball. She joins Ella Bruner, who signed to Pittsburg State, along with Taijha Davis and Kaylence Cook, who both signed to North Central Missouri College.

Tipton says that many signees this fall speaks to the strong work ethic Savannah brings each year.

"We have a lot of dedicated girls," Tipton said. "We all want to do our best all of the time. We strive for greatness. Every time we step on the field, we do our best. We just support each other. We just push each other to be the best."

Tipton helped Savannah to a 23-5 season this past fall, along with a third-place finish at state in 2019 and a runner-up finish in 2020.&nbsp;&nbsp;

As for her new team, Tipton says meeting some of the current players helped solidify her decision to commit to MCC. She also got to know head coach Autumn Hughes - a Savannah native and North Andrew alum who was just named the Wolves' head coach this past July.

"She's just a very good person," Tipton said of Hughes. "Overall, just hearing the girls on the team talk about the program made me really want to go there."

Tipton is a three-time all-district and three-time all-Midland Empire Conference selection. She can play a variety of positions, including second base and outfield.

She says the opportunity to go to MCC and play softball, as well pursue a nursing degree, would not have been possible without the support of her family.

"My family is amazing and my team is amazing," Tipton said. "My coaching is great. Everyone pushes me to be my best and they do whatever I need them to do to get me to where I want to be."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639779050929.jpeg" alt="Savannah's Emma Tipton (center) signs her national letter of intent to Metropolitan Community College Friday. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Savannah's Emma Tipton (center) signs her national letter of intent to Metropolitan Community College Friday. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostSAVANNAH -&nbsp;Savannah senior and softball standout Emma Tipton signed her national letter of intent Friday to continue her softball career at Metropolitan Community College in Kansas City.Tipton becomes the fourth player from the 2021 Savannah softball team to sign for college softball. She joins Ella Bruner, who signed to Pittsburg State, along with Taijha Davis and Kaylence Cook, who both signed to North Central Missouri College.Tipton says that many signees this fall speaks to the strong work ethic Savannah brings each year."We have a lot of dedicated girls," Tipton said. "We all want to do our best all of the time. We strive for greatness. Every time we step on the field, we do our best. We just support each other. We just push each other to be the best."Tipton helped Savannah to a 23-5 season this past fall, along with a third-place finish at state in 2019 and a runner-up finish in 2020.&nbsp;&nbsp;As for her new team, Tipton says meeting some of the current players helped solidify her decision to commit to MCC. She also got to know head coach Autumn Hughes - a Savannah native and North Andrew alum who was just named the Wolves' head coach this past July."She's just a very good person," Tipton said of Hughes. "Overall, just hearing the girls on the team talk about the program made me really want to go there."Tipton is a three-time all-district and three-time all-Midland Empire Conference selection. She can play a variety of positions, including second base and outfield.She says the opportunity to go to MCC and play softball, as well pursue a nursing degree, would not have been possible without the support of her family."My family is amazing and my team is amazing," Tipton said. "My coaching is great. Everyone pushes me to be my best and they do whatever I need them to do to get me to where I want to be."You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Savannah's Emma Tipton signs NLI to Metropolitan CC softball Friday

(AP) - Travis Kelce scored on a 34-yard pass from Patrick Mahomes in overtime and the Kansas City Chiefs rallied for a 34-28 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers Thursday.

 Kelce caught a tying seven-yard touchdown pass with 1:16 left in the fourth quarter, then ended the game with his catch-and-run in overtime.

"I'm always trying to get the ball in the end zone," Kelce said. "That's the name of the game right there. I was instinctually trying to get extra yards, trying to put our team in position to keep moving the ball downfield and sure enough, I saw enough guys working to get blocks downfield, and sure enough, find my way into the endzone."

 On first-and-10, Kelce pulled in Mahomes’ pass at the 30 and eluded two tackles en route to the end zone, where he was swarmed by teammates. Mahomes finished 31 of 47 for a season-high 410 yards with three touchdowns and an interception.

"I don't think I've been part of a walk-off touchdown or anything like that," Mahomes said. "To be in that moment, find (Kelce) underneath and for him to make such a dynamic play. I mean, he cut back. Ran by people."

Kelce had 10 receptions for a career-best 191 yards and two touchdowns.

Winners of seven straight, the Chiefs are, as of now, the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoff picture and are in the driver's seat in their quest for a sixth straight AFC West title.

Kansas City is next in action on Sunday, Dec. 26 at home against Pittsburgh. Kickoff in that game is set for 3:25 p.m. The game will be carried live on KFEQ (680, 95.3) and Q County 92.7 FM in St. Joseph.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1628100833346.jpeg" alt="Stock photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Stock photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>St. Joseph Post(AP) - Travis Kelce scored on a 34-yard pass from Patrick Mahomes in overtime and the Kansas City Chiefs rallied for a 34-28 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers Thursday. Kelce caught a tying seven-yard touchdown pass with 1:16 left in the fourth quarter, then ended the game with his catch-and-run in overtime."I'm always trying to get the ball in the end zone," Kelce said. "That's the name of the game right there. I was instinctually trying to get extra yards, trying to put our team in position to keep moving the ball downfield and sure enough, I saw enough guys working to get blocks downfield, and sure enough, find my way into the endzone." On first-and-10, Kelce pulled in Mahomes’ pass at the 30 and eluded two tackles en route to the end zone, where he was swarmed by teammates. Mahomes finished 31 of 47 for a season-high 410 yards with three touchdowns and an interception."I don't think I've been part of a walk-off touchdown or anything like that," Mahomes said. "To be in that moment, find (Kelce) underneath and for him to make such a dynamic play. I mean, he cut back. Ran by people."Kelce had 10 receptions for a career-best 191 yards and two touchdowns.Winners of seven straight, the Chiefs are, as of now, the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoff picture and are in the driver's seat in their quest for a sixth straight AFC West title.Kansas City is next in action on Sunday, Dec. 26 at home against Pittsburgh. Kickoff in that game is set for 3:25 p.m. The game will be carried live on KFEQ (680, 95.3) and Q County 92.7 FM in St. Joseph.

Kelce's walk-off touchdown gives Chiefs victory over Chargers Thursday night

One of St. Joseph Central's best cross country runners will continue his prolific career in the city he now calls home.

Central senior Berhe Usman, who set a school record at the Class 5 boys' state cross country championships in Columbia this past November, signed his national letter of intent for Missouri Western cross country Thursday.

Usman made headlines when he set a new school record with a time of 15:53 at the state meet.

"That was one of my goals," Usman said, "was to be able to break a school record. That had been one of my goals since I came here. So, for me to be able to do that was an exciting moment. Because right when I did it, I looked at the time, and I was going crazy."

Usman transferred into Central in the fall of 2020. He came from Northwest Classen High School in Oklahoma City, where he had qualified for state cross country as a sophomore.

As a junior, Usman hadn't met Central cross country coach Bob Miller until a couple of months into his first semester. But after a solid performance by Usman in the spring track season, including a 5th place finish in the 4x800 meter relay at sectionals in May, Miller knew Usman was something special.

"(Berhe) came up and introduced himself to me in the middle of October last year," Miller said. "Right before we were getting ready for districts. I thought, 'Man, it'd have been good to know you about a month-and-a-half ago.'" We might be holding a state title right now."

Usman helped the Indians to a KC Suburban conference championship this past fall in cross country, and he hopes to do big things this coming spring in the 800, 4x800 relay, the mile and potentially two-mile race as well.

"He doesn't even really know what his talent level is," Miller pointed out. "I think the more he can stick his neck out and risk a little bit more, he's going to see some breakthrough stuff. I think college is going to be awesome for him, because it's an even longer (cross country) race in college and I think he's just going to get better as he trains more and the distances get longer."

Usman joins a Missouri Western cross country program that only had its first season in 2017. It's a Griffon program that recruits heavy locally. Central alums Mason Orscheln and Aidan Lindstrom are already on the Western roster.

"To have a place in town where kids can still live at home and maybe get their tuition paid for and pretty much get their school for free is just tremendous," Miller said.

For Usman, staying close to family was his main motivation when it came time to think about where to go to college.

"It was close to home, which was like a big thing," Usman said. "I didn't really want to go somewhere a couple of hours away from my family and stuff like that. So, it was a very good thing to be in St. Joseph. So, that was a big plus right there. I'm going to be one of the first people in my family to go to college, so that's an exciting thing. Yeah, just super excited about it."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639709244147.jpeg" alt="Berhe Usman (top row, center) poses with coach Bob Miller and his family after signing to Missouri Western cross country Thursday. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Berhe Usman (top row, center) poses with coach Bob Miller and his family after signing to Missouri Western cross country Thursday. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostOne of St. Joseph Central's best cross country runners will continue his prolific career in the city he now calls home.Central senior Berhe Usman, who set a school record at the Class 5 boys' state cross country championships in Columbia this past November, signed his national letter of intent for Missouri Western cross country Thursday.Usman made headlines when he set a new school record with a time of 15:53 at the state meet."That was one of my goals," Usman said, "was to be able to break a school record. That had been one of my goals since I came here. So, for me to be able to do that was an exciting moment. Because right when I did it, I looked at the time, and I was going crazy."Usman transferred into Central in the fall of 2020. He came from Northwest Classen High School in Oklahoma City, where he had qualified for state cross country as a sophomore.As a junior, Usman hadn't met Central cross country coach Bob Miller until a couple of months into his first semester. But after a solid performance by Usman in the spring track season, including a 5th place finish in the 4x800 meter relay at sectionals in May, Miller knew Usman was something special."(Berhe) came up and introduced himself to me in the middle of October last year," Miller said. "Right before we were getting ready for districts. I thought, 'Man, it'd have been good to know you about a month-and-a-half ago.'" We might be holding a state title right now."Usman helped the Indians to a KC Suburban conference championship this past fall in cross country, and he hopes to do big things this coming spring in the 800, 4x800 relay, the mile and potentially two-mile race as well."He doesn't even really know what his talent level is," Miller pointed out. "I think the more he can stick his neck out and risk a little bit more, he's going to see some breakthrough stuff. I think college is going to be awesome for him, because it's an even longer (cross country) race in college and I think he's just going to get better as he trains more and the distances get longer."Usman joins a Missouri Western cross country program that only had its first season in 2017. It's a Griffon program that recruits heavy locally. Central alums Mason Orscheln and Aidan Lindstrom are already on the Western roster."To have a place in town where kids can still live at home and maybe get their tuition paid for and pretty much get their school for free is just tremendous," Miller said.For Usman, staying close to family was his main motivation when it came time to think about where to go to college."It was close to home, which was like a big thing," Usman said. "I didn't really want to go somewhere a couple of hours away from my family and stuff like that. So, it was a very good thing to be in St. Joseph. So, that was a big plus right there. I'm going to be one of the first people in my family to go to college, so that's an exciting thing. Yeah, just super excited about it."<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">.<a href="https://twitter.com/StJoeCentralXC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@StJoeCentralXC</a> senior Berhe Usman signs his NLI for <a href="https://twitter.com/MwsuTf?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mwsutf</a>. Usman set a school record at the Class 5 state meet in Columbia this past November. Story soon <a href="https://twitter.com/StJosephPost?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@stjosephpost</a>! <a href="https://t.co/EDzmXRDefX">pic.twitter.com/EDzmXRDefX</a>&mdash; Tommy Rezac (@TommyKFEQ) <a href="https://twitter.com/TommyKFEQ/status/1471545933334781957?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 16, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

St. Joseph Central's Berhe Usman staying home, signs with MWSU cross country

The Missouri Western women’s basketball team (9-0) came out firing on all cylinders Tuesday night, taking down William Jewell 98-34 at the MWSU Fieldhouse.

The 64-point margin is the largest ever for Missouri Western women's basketball against a DII opponent.

Six Griffons finished in double figures, led by Brionna Budgetts with 13. Corbyn Cunningham had 11. Jordan Cunningham and Connie Clarke scored 10.

With the game well in hand in the second half, head coach Candi Whitaker was able to give her younger players significant minutes in the contest.

Freshman Abby Bala knocked in 11 points on 4-5 shooting in just 10 minutes, adding two assists. Freshman Alyssa Bonilla grabbed three rebounds, a steal and an assist to go with 10 points.

In all, 15 Griffons played and 15 Griffons scored.

"I wanted to play a bunch of people," Whitaker said. "I'm really happy with the minutes spread across our team. Happy with the defensive effort with whoever was on the floor, and sharing the basketball. We continue to make extra passes."

The Griffons finished with 19 assists to just 10 turnovers Monday, while also holding William Jewell to 24.5 percent shooting and forcing 25 Cardinal turnovers.

Missouri Western returns to conference play on Saturday, traveling to Northwest Missouri State. Tipoff against the Bearcats is set for 1:30 p.m.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639574603512.jpeg" alt="Stock photo by Arianne Boma." />
 <figcaption>Stock photo by Arianne Boma.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe Missouri Western women’s basketball team (9-0) came out firing on all cylinders Tuesday night, taking down William Jewell 98-34 at the MWSU Fieldhouse.The 64-point margin is the largest ever for Missouri Western women's basketball against a DII opponent.Six Griffons finished in double figures, led by Brionna Budgetts with 13. Corbyn Cunningham had 11. Jordan Cunningham and Connie Clarke scored 10.With the game well in hand in the second half, head coach Candi Whitaker was able to give her younger players significant minutes in the contest.Freshman Abby Bala knocked in 11 points on 4-5 shooting in just 10 minutes, adding two assists. Freshman Alyssa Bonilla grabbed three rebounds, a steal and an assist to go with 10 points.In all, 15 Griffons played and 15 Griffons scored."I wanted to play a bunch of people," Whitaker said. "I'm really happy with the minutes spread across our team. Happy with the defensive effort with whoever was on the floor, and sharing the basketball. We continue to make extra passes."The Griffons finished with 19 assists to just 10 turnovers Monday, while also holding William Jewell to 24.5 percent shooting and forcing 25 Cardinal turnovers.Missouri Western returns to conference play on Saturday, traveling to Northwest Missouri State. Tipoff against the Bearcats is set for 1:30 p.m.

Missouri Western scores big win over William Jewell Tuesday

Girls' basketball East Buchanan 37 Savannah 34 Bishop LeBlond 56 North Platte 33. The Eagles are now 7-0. Benton 69 St. Michael the Archangel 35 St. Joseph Christian 59 King City 35 Platte Valley 58 Nodaway Valley 19 Stewartsville-Osborn 35 Mound City 32 East Atchison 43 South Holt 26 Worth County 52 North Andrew 18 DeKalb 50 Rock Port 29 Stanberry 55 Albany 32

Boys' basketball William Chrisman 38&nbsp;St. Joseph Central 32 St. Joseph Christian 54 King City 37 Platte Valley 74 Nodaway Valley 53 Mound City 74 Stewartsville-Osborn 42 South Holt 48 East Atchison 43 Worth County 54 North Andrew 42 Stanberry 51 Albany 34 Rock Port 77 DeKalb 45 Plattsburg 59 Summit Christian 40 West Platte 68 Hogan Prep 64 OT

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostGirls' basketball East Buchanan 37 Savannah 34 Bishop LeBlond 56 North Platte 33. The Eagles are now 7-0. Benton 69 St. Michael the Archangel 35 St. Joseph Christian 59 King City 35 Platte Valley 58 Nodaway Valley 19 Stewartsville-Osborn 35 Mound City 32 East Atchison 43 South Holt 26 Worth County 52 North Andrew 18 DeKalb 50 Rock Port 29 Stanberry 55 Albany 32Boys' basketball William Chrisman 38&nbsp;St. Joseph Central 32 St. Joseph Christian 54 King City 37 Platte Valley 74 Nodaway Valley 53 Mound City 74 Stewartsville-Osborn 42 South Holt 48 East Atchison 43 Worth County 54 North Andrew 42 Stanberry 51 Albany 34 Rock Port 77 DeKalb 45 Plattsburg 59 Summit Christian 40 West Platte 68 Hogan Prep 64 OT

KFEQ/St. Joseph Post area high school scoreboard - December 14, 2021

The Lafayette girls' basketball team (4-3) got back in the win column with a 40-25 win over Mid-Buchanan, while the Lafayette boys (3-1) took down the Dragons, 66-39 at Lafayette High School Monday.

The Lady Irish got off to a 24-8 start in the first half, and held Mid-Buchanan (5-2) to just eight made field goals all night.

That comes right after Lafayette lost to Tipton, 49-24, in the&nbsp;Missouri Sports Hall of Fame Basketball Classic at Benton High School Saturday.

"The best way to wash a bad defensive game out of your mouth is to come back the next game and turn things around," Lafayette girls' coach Brad Spinner said. "I thought we did a good job of really sitting down and defending and making shots hard to come by and really battling for the boards."

Lafayette was led in scoring by junior Talicia Byrd, who logged a game-high 15 points. Fellow junior Jazlyn King chipped in 10 points on a pair of three-pointers.

Mid-Buchanan was led in scoring by junior Mallie Lieffring, who wound up with nine points.

The Lafayette boys, meanwhile, took control almost immediately, getting off to a 13-3 start in the first 3:48 of the ballgame.

Leading 32-13 at halftime, the Irish were able to cruise in the second half, despite a 15-point effort from the Dragons (5-2) in the third quarter.

"I felt like we could have played a little bit better," Lafayette junior Camden Bennett said. "Third quarter, we were slacking just a little bit. But, other than that, we were playing what we do and we were playing to our potential and it was a good night."

Bennett led all scorers with 22 points. He knocked down three triples on the night, including two right away in the first quarter. Senior Drake Davison tallied 13 points, while junior Mikey Thomas contributed 11.

Lafayette was also hot from downtown, knocking down eight three-pointers, including four in the first quarter.

"Camden is our go-to guy," Lafayette head coach Kevin Bristol said. "But, we have many guys on different nights who can also knock down and score big for us."

Lafayette's defense was aggressive throughout, forcing 21 Mid-Buchanan turnovers and holding standout Dragon point guard Joe Clark to just seven points on two made field goals.

Senior Caiden Bailey led the Dragons with 15 points.

Both Mid-Buchanan teams are at Stanberry Thursday. The Lafayette girls are at Hamilton Wednesday, while the Lafayette boys will next face Des Moines Hoover on Saturday in the inaugural '12 Courts of Christmas' event at Hyvee Arena in Kansas City.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639453905354.jpeg" alt="Jazlyn King (22) brings the ball up the floor in the second half. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Jazlyn King (22) brings the ball up the floor in the second half. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe Lafayette girls' basketball team (4-3) got back in the win column with a 40-25 win over Mid-Buchanan, while the Lafayette boys (3-1) took down the Dragons, 66-39 at Lafayette High School Monday.The Lady Irish got off to a 24-8 start in the first half, and held Mid-Buchanan (5-2) to just eight made field goals all night.That comes right after Lafayette lost to Tipton, 49-24, in the&nbsp;Missouri Sports Hall of Fame Basketball Classic at Benton High School Saturday."The best way to wash a bad defensive game out of your mouth is to come back the next game and turn things around," Lafayette girls' coach Brad Spinner said. "I thought we did a good job of really sitting down and defending and making shots hard to come by and really battling for the boards."Lafayette was led in scoring by junior Talicia Byrd, who logged a game-high 15 points. Fellow junior Jazlyn King chipped in 10 points on a pair of three-pointers.Mid-Buchanan was led in scoring by junior Mallie Lieffring, who wound up with nine points.The Lafayette boys, meanwhile, took control almost immediately, getting off to a 13-3 start in the first 3:48 of the ballgame.Leading 32-13 at halftime, the Irish were able to cruise in the second half, despite a 15-point effort from the Dragons (5-2) in the third quarter."I felt like we could have played a little bit better," Lafayette junior Camden Bennett said. "Third quarter, we were slacking just a little bit. But, other than that, we were playing what we do and we were playing to our potential and it was a good night."Bennett led all scorers with 22 points. He knocked down three triples on the night, including two right away in the first quarter. Senior Drake Davison tallied 13 points, while junior Mikey Thomas contributed 11.Lafayette was also hot from downtown, knocking down eight three-pointers, including four in the first quarter."Camden is our go-to guy," Lafayette head coach Kevin Bristol said. "But, we have many guys on different nights who can also knock down and score big for us."Lafayette's defense was aggressive throughout, forcing 21 Mid-Buchanan turnovers and holding standout Dragon point guard Joe Clark to just seven points on two made field goals.Senior Caiden Bailey led the Dragons with 15 points.Both Mid-Buchanan teams are at Stanberry Thursday. The Lafayette girls are at Hamilton Wednesday, while the Lafayette boys will next face Des Moines Hoover on Saturday in the inaugural '12 Courts of Christmas' event at Hyvee Arena in Kansas City.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639455269736.jpeg" alt="Camden Bennett (left) dribbles around Mid-Buchanan's Caiden Bailey. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Camden Bennett (left) dribbles around Mid-Buchanan's Caiden Bailey. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639455311218.jpeg" alt="Talicia Byrd (30, middle) tries to keep the ball away from two Mid-Buchanan defenders." />
 <figcaption>Talicia Byrd (30, middle) tries to keep the ball away from two Mid-Buchanan defenders.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639455368815.jpeg" alt="Caiden Bailey (left) tries to keep the ball from Lafayette's Drake Davison." />
 <figcaption>Caiden Bailey (left) tries to keep the ball from Lafayette's Drake Davison.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Lafayette boys, girls basketball get home sweep over Mid-Buchanan

The NFL is requiring players, coaches and other team personnel to receive a COVID-19 booster by Dec. 27.

In a memo sent to teams on Monday and obtained by The Associated Press, the league said: “Given the increased prevalence of the virus in our communities, our experts have recommended that we implement the CDC’s recommendation.”

The league’s requirement extends to all Tier 1 and Tier 2 individuals who have previously received the vaccine. The CDC recommends an individual who received a second Pfizer or Moderna shot to complete the primary vaccine series more than six months earlier should receive a booster shot. An individual that received the Johnson and Johnson shot more than two months earlier should receive a booster shot.

The following do not have to meet the requirement:

—An individual who is not eligible for a booster pursuant to the CDC definition.

—An individual who is in the 90-day test holiday after a confirmed positive COVID-19 test

—An individual who received monoclonal antibodies within the immediately preceding 90

—An individual whose “S” antibody level on an antibody test administered via BRL (BioReference Lab) at the club facility is 2500 or greater.

The league says any individual who is not currently subject to the requirement for boosters will be required to obtain the booster within 14 days of becoming eligible.

Teams were asked to provide booster shots to all eligible tiered staff as soon as possible, and to consider making booster shots available for player and staff families and cohabitants.

A season-high total of 36 players were placed on the COVID-19/reserve list Monday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593142110654.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By ROB MAADDI, AP Pro Football WriterThe NFL is requiring players, coaches and other team personnel to receive a COVID-19 booster by Dec. 27.In a memo sent to teams on Monday and obtained by The Associated Press, the league said: “Given the increased prevalence of the virus in our communities, our experts have recommended that we implement the CDC’s recommendation.”The league’s requirement extends to all Tier 1 and Tier 2 individuals who have previously received the vaccine. The CDC recommends an individual who received a second Pfizer or Moderna shot to complete the primary vaccine series more than six months earlier should receive a booster shot. An individual that received the Johnson and Johnson shot more than two months earlier should receive a booster shot.The following do not have to meet the requirement:—An individual who is not eligible for a booster pursuant to the CDC definition.—An individual who is in the 90-day test holiday after a confirmed positive COVID-19 testunder the league protocols.—An individual who received monoclonal antibodies within the immediately preceding 90days.—An individual whose “S” antibody level on an antibody test administered via BRL (BioReference Lab) at the club facility is 2500 or greater.The league says any individual who is not currently subject to the requirement for boosters will be required to obtain the booster within 14 days of becoming eligible.Teams were asked to provide booster shots to all eligible tiered staff as soon as possible, and to consider making booster shots available for player and staff families and cohabitants.A season-high total of 36 players were placed on the COVID-19/reserve list Monday.___