Jaelyn Haggard has had one of the more fruitful women's basketball careers in northwest Missouri history.

The St. Joseph Central alum and Northwest Missouri State point guard compiled 1185 points (19th in school history) over 81 starts in four seasons for the Bearcats, becoming the program's all-time leader in three-pointers made (256) in the process.

When the season ended in late-February, Haggard had some big decisions to make. Like everyone else, she was granted an extra year of eligibility due to COVID-19. She also wanted to continue her education in a physical therapy program.

"Missouri Western has always kind of been on my list as far as schooling goes," Haggard said. "So, I applied there in February. I think maybe a week after I applied, I was getting some texts from their head coach (Candi Whitaker) and from a couple other people who helped get my name into the transfer portal."

Haggard applied for and got accepted into&nbsp;Missouri Western's highly competitive Physical Therapist Assistant Program, which only takes about 20-30 applicants.

"Luckily, I had four years of schooling under my belt," said Haggard, who will receive her bachelor's degree from Northwest in just a few weeks. "As well as classes I have already taken at Northwest that kind of increased my chances of getting in. It's normally a built-in program for anyone who goes to MWSU and gets accepted. It's a two-year program. 

I'm kind of doing it backwards, having my bachelor's already, but it's definitely a competitive and high demand program."

Haggard will soon realize two of her biggest goals - furthering her education and playing career in a city she's always called home.

"Within a couple of weeks of being in the transfer portal, I went on a visit to Mo West," said Haggard. "I met the team, had dinner with the coaches and it just felt right. It's in my backyard. I get to drive two minutes to school. You know, I don't think I'd want to be anywhere else."

Haggard averaged 9.3 points per game this past season - more than any player on the Griffons' roster in 2020-21.

Joined by Missouri State grad transfer <a href="https://gogriffons.com/news/2021/4/6/womens-basketball-signs-missouri-state-transfer-trinity-knapp.aspx">Trinity Knapp</a>&nbsp;and four incoming freshmen, Haggard looks forward to hitting the ground running with this group.

"I've been scrimmaging with their team for the last few weeks," she said. "It's been fun just to see how they play on their team, as opposed to being on the other side of the court. There's lots of talent there, there's a lot of potential. I think it'll be fun coming in as an upperclassman with four years of MIAA experience under my belt. I plan to be as positive and competitive as possible, and see how much I can bring them to the next level."

Haggard dazzled St. Joseph basketball fans in her four years at Central, scoring 1319 career points to rank second all-time in program history.

Going to college in nearby Maryville was convenient for her family, as her parents, siblings and grandparents were able to make nearly every game at Bearcat Arena.

But, it was still 45 minutes. Now, they only have to go down the street to MWSU Fieldhouse.

"It's going to be really nice to be in the same hometown and city," said Haggard. "My entire family pretty much lives here, so just to see them in the stands and perform in front of them where everyone can come, I think it's going to be really special."

Haggard's future is bright, but she'll always cherish the memories and relationships made over a terrific four years at Northwest.

"It's been a really exciting few months," she reflected, "just getting to see where God has placed me and what he has in store for me. I'm super thankful for my four years at Northwest, and I can't wait for this new opportunity and to make the most of it for one more year."

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619035660247.jpeg" alt="Courtesy BearcatSports.com." />
 <figcaption>Courtesy BearcatSports.com.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostJaelyn Haggard has had one of the more fruitful women's basketball careers in northwest Missouri history.The St. Joseph Central alum and Northwest Missouri State point guard compiled 1185 points (19th in school history) over 81 starts in four seasons for the Bearcats, becoming the program's all-time leader in three-pointers made (256) in the process.When the season ended in late-February, Haggard had some big decisions to make. Like everyone else, she was granted an extra year of eligibility due to COVID-19. She also wanted to continue her education in a physical therapy program."Missouri Western has always kind of been on my list as far as schooling goes," Haggard said. "So, I applied there in February. I think maybe a week after I applied, I was getting some texts from their head coach (Candi Whitaker) and from a couple other people who helped get my name into the transfer portal."Haggard applied for and got accepted into&nbsp;Missouri Western's highly competitive Physical Therapist Assistant Program, which only takes about 20-30 applicants."Luckily, I had four years of schooling under my belt," said Haggard, who will receive her bachelor's degree from Northwest in just a few weeks. "As well as classes I have already taken at Northwest that kind of increased my chances of getting in. It's normally a built-in program for anyone who goes to MWSU and gets accepted. It's a two-year program. I'm kind of doing it backwards, having my bachelor's already, but it's definitely a competitive and high demand program."Haggard will soon realize two of her biggest goals - furthering her education and playing career in a city she's always called home."Within a couple of weeks of being in the transfer portal, I went on a visit to Mo West," said Haggard. "I met the team, had dinner with the coaches and it just felt right. It's in my backyard. I get to drive two minutes to school. You know, I don't think I'd want to be anywhere else."Haggard averaged 9.3 points per game this past season - more than any player on the Griffons' roster in 2020-21.Joined by Missouri State grad transfer <a href="https://gogriffons.com/news/2021/4/6/womens-basketball-signs-missouri-state-transfer-trinity-knapp.aspx">Trinity Knapp</a>&nbsp;and four incoming freshmen, Haggard looks forward to hitting the ground running with this group."I've been scrimmaging with their team for the last few weeks," she said. "It's been fun just to see how they play on their team, as opposed to being on the other side of the court. There's lots of talent there, there's a lot of potential. I think it'll be fun coming in as an upperclassman with four years of MIAA experience under my belt. I plan to be as positive and competitive as possible, and see how much I can bring them to the next level."Haggard dazzled St. Joseph basketball fans in her four years at Central, scoring 1319 career points to rank second all-time in program history.Going to college in nearby Maryville was convenient for her family, as her parents, siblings and grandparents were able to make nearly every game at Bearcat Arena.But, it was still 45 minutes. Now, they only have to go down the street to MWSU Fieldhouse."It's going to be really nice to be in the same hometown and city," said Haggard. "My entire family pretty much lives here, so just to see them in the stands and perform in front of them where everyone can come, I think it's going to be really special."Haggard's future is bright, but she'll always cherish the memories and relationships made over a terrific four years at Northwest."It's been a really exciting few months," she reflected, "just getting to see where God has placed me and what he has in store for me. I'm super thankful for my four years at Northwest, and I can't wait for this new opportunity and to make the most of it for one more year."<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1034130133&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/tommy-rezac" title="KFEQ Radio, St. Joseph Post" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">KFEQ Radio, St. Joseph Post</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/tommy-rezac/st-joe-central-alum-northwest-guard-jaelyn-haggard" title="St. Joe Central alum, Northwest guard Jaelyn Haggard" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">St. Joe Central alum, Northwest guard Jaelyn Haggard</a></div></div>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Haggard hopes to lead by example, entertain hometown crowd at MWSU

With a first-pitch temperature in the low 40s, it was hard to say whether Maryville or Lafayette would have a good day offensively.

But once the Irish (9-3) got their first hit in the second inning, they scored three runs on four hits in the third inning and kept tacking on insurance in a 9-1 win over Maryville in the first round of the Pony Express Tournament at the Bartlett Park Baseball Field Monday.

All told, Lafayette outhit Maryville 10-1.

"When we got that first run across, it kind of gave me that cushion to know that my team is really helping me out there," said Lafayette senior and starting pitcher Zach Langley. "Once we started rallying a couple more hits and started hitting a lot more, it really just gave me leeway. Like, 'this is my game. I have to work with my counts. If they're going to hit for me, I'm going to pitch for them.'"

Langley had two hits and two RBIs himself at the plate, while striking out four batters over six innings on the mound.

The Irish got their first run across in the first inning when senior Dayne Koch reached first on an error. After stealing second, Koch reached third on a sacrifice groundout and then scored on a sac fly from Brayden Luikart.

Luikart went 2-for-4 at the plate himself, including a single-shot home run in the third inning. The Oklahoma baseball commit finished with two runs scored and two RBIs.

Junior Xavion Page was very productive, going 3-for-4 with a double and two runs scored.

"It was a good game," Page said. "We came, we brought energy. It was a good fight, I think."

Maryville (6-5) got its only hit in the second inning, but had multiple base runners in five of the seven innings, thanks to a number of free passes and errors from Lafayette's defense.

The Irish committed three errors in the field, and Langley walked three batters and hit four more, giving Maryville some free passes.

Yet, the Spoofhounds stranded eight baserunners and Lafayette overcame its own mistakes to secure a solid victory.

"We kind of went back and watched some video of ourselves and really just said, 'Here's a moment where you make an error, it's baseball, you flush it and move on,'" Lafayette head coach Matt Jansen said. "Hopefully, we're to the point where we can do that automatically as a team."

Leading 5-1 after the fourth inning, the Irish tacked on two more runs in both the 5th and 6th innings. Senior Jayden Little then relieved Langley on the mound in the top of the seventh, and put Maryville down in order on 11 pitches to close out the win.

Lafayette, winners of three straight, now face one of their biggest challenges of the season Wednesday when they take on Platte County (11-2) in the tournament semifinals at Phil Welch Stadium.

The Pirates defeated Chillicothe 12-10 on Monday afternoon.

Having already faced teams like Excelsior Springs, Fort Osage and Pleasant Hill, Jansen and his team embrace the opportunity to play bigger, out-of-conference schools.

"We want to play the big dogs," said Jansen. "We're always getting everyone's best shot. Embrace the target as we say. We want to play a highly competitive game, and we know we'll get that with Platte County. We're excited for the challenge, and hopefully we can come out and execute our game plan."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618886683078.jpeg" alt="Lafayette senior pitcher Zach Langley struck out four batters and allowed only one hit over six innings in a 9-1 win over Maryville Monday. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Lafayette senior pitcher Zach Langley struck out four batters and allowed only one hit over six innings in a 9-1 win over Maryville Monday. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostWith a first-pitch temperature in the low 40s, it was hard to say whether Maryville or Lafayette would have a good day offensively.But once the Irish (9-3) got their first hit in the second inning, they scored three runs on four hits in the third inning and kept tacking on insurance in a 9-1 win over Maryville in the first round of the Pony Express Tournament at the Bartlett Park Baseball Field Monday.All told, Lafayette outhit Maryville 10-1."When we got that first run across, it kind of gave me that cushion to know that my team is really helping me out there," said Lafayette senior and starting pitcher Zach Langley. "Once we started rallying a couple more hits and started hitting a lot more, it really just gave me leeway. Like, 'this is my game. I have to work with my counts. If they're going to hit for me, I'm going to pitch for them.'"Langley had two hits and two RBIs himself at the plate, while striking out four batters over six innings on the mound.The Irish got their first run across in the first inning when senior Dayne Koch reached first on an error. After stealing second, Koch reached third on a sacrifice groundout and then scored on a sac fly from Brayden Luikart.Luikart went 2-for-4 at the plate himself, including a single-shot home run in the third inning. The Oklahoma baseball commit finished with two runs scored and two RBIs.Junior Xavion Page was very productive, going 3-for-4 with a double and two runs scored."It was a good game," Page said. "We came, we brought energy. It was a good fight, I think."Maryville (6-5) got its only hit in the second inning, but had multiple base runners in five of the seven innings, thanks to a number of free passes and errors from Lafayette's defense.The Irish committed three errors in the field, and Langley walked three batters and hit four more, giving Maryville some free passes.Yet, the Spoofhounds stranded eight baserunners and Lafayette overcame its own mistakes to secure a solid victory."We kind of went back and watched some video of ourselves and really just said, 'Here's a moment where you make an error, it's baseball, you flush it and move on,'" Lafayette head coach Matt Jansen said. "Hopefully, we're to the point where we can do that automatically as a team."Leading 5-1 after the fourth inning, the Irish tacked on two more runs in both the 5th and 6th innings. Senior Jayden Little then relieved Langley on the mound in the top of the seventh, and put Maryville down in order on 11 pitches to close out the win.Lafayette, winners of three straight, now face one of their biggest challenges of the season Wednesday when they take on Platte County (11-2) in the tournament semifinals at Phil Welch Stadium.The Pirates defeated Chillicothe 12-10 on Monday afternoon.Having already faced teams like Excelsior Springs, Fort Osage and Pleasant Hill, Jansen and his team embrace the opportunity to play bigger, out-of-conference schools."We want to play the big dogs," said Jansen. "We're always getting everyone's best shot. Embrace the target as we say. We want to play a highly competitive game, and we know we'll get that with Platte County. We're excited for the challenge, and hopefully we can come out and execute our game plan."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618889093750.jpeg" alt="Lafayette's Dayne Koch puts the bat on the ball early in Monday's game against Maryville. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Lafayette's Dayne Koch puts the bat on the ball early in Monday's game against Maryville. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618889161347.jpeg" alt="Lafayette's Brayden Luikart (right) celebrates with teammate Jayden Little (8) after hitting a single-shot home run in the third inning. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Lafayette's Brayden Luikart (right) celebrates with teammate Jayden Little (8) after hitting a single-shot home run in the third inning. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Lafayette opens Pony Express Tournament with impressive win over Maryville Monday

Former St. Joseph Central basketball player and Northwest Missouri State guard Jaelyn Haggard has announced that she’ll be using her extra year of eligibility to play for Missouri Western.

"Jaelyn Haggard is a perfect fit for our program at this time," Missouri Western coach Candi Whitaker said. "With a young talented team retuning, Jaelyn brings maturity, playing experience and knowledge of the MIAA. Her speed, scoring and competitiveness will impact us from day one. We are thrilled Jaelyn is a Griff!" Haggard has played in 105 games during her four-year career at Northwest Missouri State, including 81 starts. She scored 1185 points, which ranked 19th&nbsp;all-time at Northwest, and she is the Bearcats' all-time leader in three-point field goals made with 256.

Haggard, the MIAA Freshman of the Year in 2018, is also third all-time at Northwest in free throw percentage as she shot 82.8 percent for her career. Haggard averaged 9.3 points per game this past season and has averaged 11.3 over the course of her career.&nbsp; Haggard left Central as one of the most prolific players in school history, scoring 1319 career points, which ranks second all-time in program history. Haggard's father, Darren, played baseball at Missouri Western. Haggard is the sixth player to sign with the Griffons for next season, joining grad transfer Trinity Knapp from Missouri State, and incoming freshmen Abby Bala, Alyssa Bonilla, Jae'mya Lyons and Jaidyn Schomp.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618867860449.jpeg" alt="Photo via BearcatSports.com." />
 <figcaption>Photo via BearcatSports.com.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostFormer St. Joseph Central basketball player and Northwest Missouri State guard Jaelyn Haggard has announced that she’ll be using her extra year of eligibility to play for Missouri Western."Jaelyn Haggard is a perfect fit for our program at this time," Missouri Western coach Candi Whitaker said. "With a young talented team retuning, Jaelyn brings maturity, playing experience and knowledge of the MIAA. Her speed, scoring and competitiveness will impact us from day one. We are thrilled Jaelyn is a Griff!" Haggard has played in 105 games during her four-year career at Northwest Missouri State, including 81 starts. She scored 1185 points, which ranked 19th&nbsp;all-time at Northwest, and she is the Bearcats' all-time leader in three-point field goals made with 256.Haggard, the MIAA Freshman of the Year in 2018, is also third all-time at Northwest in free throw percentage as she shot 82.8 percent for her career. Haggard averaged 9.3 points per game this past season and has averaged 11.3 over the course of her career.&nbsp; Haggard left Central as one of the most prolific players in school history, scoring 1319 career points, which ranks second all-time in program history. Haggard's father, Darren, played baseball at Missouri Western. Haggard is the sixth player to sign with the Griffons for next season, joining grad transfer Trinity Knapp from Missouri State, and incoming freshmen Abby Bala, Alyssa Bonilla, Jae'mya Lyons and Jaidyn Schomp.&nbsp;&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">An official welcome home, <a href="https://twitter.com/theinstaballer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@theinstaballer</a>! 🏠 🏀 🔗: <a href="https://t.co/8eddLI8uTd">https://t.co/8eddLI8uTd</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OurCity?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OurCity</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GriffUp?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GriffUp</a>🦅🦁 <a href="https://t.co/hgbEBgRg7U">pic.twitter.com/hgbEBgRg7U</a>&mdash; Griffon WBB 🏀 (@GriffonWBB) <a href="https://twitter.com/GriffonWBB/status/1384253365979213834?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 19, 2021</a></blockquote>
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St. Joseph Central graduate, Northwest guard Jaelyn Haggard transferring to MWSU

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas City Chiefs tight end Fred Arbanas, a key member of their first two Super Bowl teams in the 1960s and ’70s who later had a long career in county politics, has died. He was 82.

The Jackson County Democratic Party in Missouri, for which Arbanas was a major player for more than four decades, announced his death in a brief statement Saturday. No cause was given.

Arbanas, a member of the Chiefs’ Hall of Fame, was a six-time all-AFL selection and was picked to the All-Time AFL Team by the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was a member of the Dallas Texans team that won the 1962 AFL title and, after the club moved to Kansas City, helped the rechristened Chiefs reach the Super Bowl in 1967 and 1970.

After his playing career, Arbanas served more than 40 years in the Jackson County Legislature. He was so influential in working with the local parks system that a golf course was renamed in his honor in 1999.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618773521712.png" alt="Fred Arbanas-photo courtesy Jackson Co. Democrats" />
 <figcaption>Fred Arbanas-photo courtesy Jackson Co. Democrats</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas City Chiefs tight end Fred Arbanas, a key member of their first two Super Bowl teams in the 1960s and ’70s who later had a long career in county politics, has died. He was 82.The Jackson County Democratic Party in Missouri, for which Arbanas was a major player for more than four decades, announced his death in a brief statement Saturday. No cause was given.Arbanas, a member of the Chiefs’ Hall of Fame, was a six-time all-AFL selection and was picked to the All-Time AFL Team by the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was a member of the Dallas Texans team that won the 1962 AFL title and, after the club moved to Kansas City, helped the rechristened Chiefs reach the Super Bowl in 1967 and 1970.After his playing career, Arbanas served more than 40 years in the Jackson County Legislature. He was so influential in working with the local parks system that a golf course was renamed in his honor in 1999.

Chiefs great Arbanas, longtime local politician, dies at 82

Northwest Missouri State's Trevor Hudgins, the reigning NCAA Division II and MIAA player of the year, will return to Maryville for his senior year, according to an ESPN report Thursday.

Hudgins and the Bearcats <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/593b4329-7476-4d30-a910-4f7a115bde8d">won the Division II national championship</a> at the end of March, defeating West Texas A&amp;M 80-54.

"I want to finish what I started here," Hudgins told ESPN. "I know the transfer portal is going nuts right now and everyone is giving me advice on what my next step should be. The grass might not be greener on the other side, but best of luck to everyone entering the portal. I hope it works out for them.

"My coach (Ben McCollum) took a chance on me when not a lot of teams did. He believed in me and that's my reason for going back to try and win another national championship. I feel like if you're good enough, you can play wherever you want at the end of the day."

Hudgins went from redshirting his freshman season to becoming a dominant figure at the D2 level, winning back-to-back MIAA conference player of the year awards.

He's converted over 50 percent of his three-pointers in his three years in college thus far, averaging 19.3 points, 5.3 assists and 1.7 turnovers through 100 games.

In the 2020-21 season, Hudgins averaged 19.8 points, a team-best 4.6 assists and 2.4 rebounds per game, helping lead the Bearcats to a DII-best 28-2 record and the program's third national title.

With Ryan Hawkins, the Bearcats' leading scorer this past season also announcing his plans to come back next season, Northwest will return its entire starting lineup for the 2021-22 season.

Despite going into his fifth year of college, Hudgins will still have another season of eligibility when he graduates next spring. The NCAA awarded all winter sport athletes an extra year of eligibility due to COVID-19.

Hudgins says he plans to go pro when the upcoming season is over, but he will not completely close that door until he needs to.

"As of right now, I want this to be my last year in college, but I'll approach that when the time comes. If I have an opportunity to play at the next level making money, that's what I'll do, wherever that may be."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615086932353.jpeg" alt="Northwest junior Trevor Hudgins fires for three in the first half during the MIAA championship against Washburn at Bearcat Arena. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Northwest junior Trevor Hudgins fires for three in the first half during the MIAA championship against Washburn at Bearcat Arena. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostNorthwest Missouri State's Trevor Hudgins, the reigning NCAA Division II and MIAA player of the year, will return to Maryville for his senior year, according to an ESPN report Thursday.Hudgins and the Bearcats <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/593b4329-7476-4d30-a910-4f7a115bde8d">won the Division II national championship</a> at the end of March, defeating West Texas A&amp;M 80-54."I want to finish what I started here," Hudgins told ESPN. "I know the transfer portal is going nuts right now and everyone is giving me advice on what my next step should be. The grass might not be greener on the other side, but best of luck to everyone entering the portal. I hope it works out for them."My coach (Ben McCollum) took a chance on me when not a lot of teams did. He believed in me and that's my reason for going back to try and win another national championship. I feel like if you're good enough, you can play wherever you want at the end of the day."Hudgins went from redshirting his freshman season to becoming a dominant figure at the D2 level, winning back-to-back MIAA conference player of the year awards.He's converted over 50 percent of his three-pointers in his three years in college thus far, averaging 19.3 points, 5.3 assists and 1.7 turnovers through 100 games.In the 2020-21 season, Hudgins averaged 19.8 points, a team-best 4.6 assists and 2.4 rebounds per game, helping lead the Bearcats to a DII-best 28-2 record and the program's third national title.With Ryan Hawkins, the Bearcats' leading scorer this past season also announcing his plans to come back next season, Northwest will return its entire starting lineup for the 2021-22 season.Despite going into his fifth year of college, Hudgins will still have another season of eligibility when he graduates next spring. The NCAA awarded all winter sport athletes an extra year of eligibility due to COVID-19.Hudgins says he plans to go pro when the upcoming season is over, but he will not completely close that door until he needs to."As of right now, I want this to be my last year in college, but I'll approach that when the time comes. If I have an opportunity to play at the next level making money, that's what I'll do, wherever that may be."

Trevor Hudgins returning to Northwest Missouri State for senior season, per ESPN

Royals baseball for Friday night has been postponed due to heavy rain.

 Kansas City and Toronto will now play a doubleheader Saturday with the first game starting at 1:10 and the second at 5:10. We’ll have full coverage on KFEQ Radio (680 AM, 95.3 FM St. Joseph) with pregame starting at 12:30 p.m. Both games will be seven innings long.

Fans holding tickets to tonight’s game should use those same tickets for tomorrow’s second game at 5:10 p.m.

St. Joseph PostRoyals baseball for Friday night has been postponed due to heavy rain. Kansas City and Toronto will now play a doubleheader Saturday with the first game starting at 1:10 and the second at 5:10. We’ll have full coverage on KFEQ Radio (680 AM, 95.3 FM St. Joseph) with pregame starting at 12:30 p.m. Both games will be seven innings long.Fans holding tickets to tonight’s game should use those same tickets for tomorrow’s second game at 5:10 p.m.

Royals game postponed Friday due to rain, will play Saturday doubleheader against Toronto

Lathrop head football coach Chris Holt has resigned his position this week. The Clinton County Leader first reported the news Friday.

Holt coached six seasons at Lathrop, going 48-21 while leading the team to two district championships, two KCI Conference titles and a state runner-up finish in 2018.

Holt began his head coaching career at Princeton before going to Maryville, where he helped establish the Spoofhounds' dynasty, winning 59 games in six years while leading the team to a state title game appearance in 2008 and then a state title in 2009.

Holt later coached at Oak Park in 2012 and '13. He was hired at Lathrop in 2015. The Mules had their most dominant season in 2018, going 14-1 and finishing as state runners-up to Blair Oaks.

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostLathrop head football coach Chris Holt has resigned his position this week. The Clinton County Leader first reported the news Friday.Holt coached six seasons at Lathrop, going 48-21 while leading the team to two district championships, two KCI Conference titles and a state runner-up finish in 2018.Holt began his head coaching career at Princeton before going to Maryville, where he helped establish the Spoofhounds' dynasty, winning 59 games in six years while leading the team to a state title game appearance in 2008 and then a state title in 2009.Holt later coached at Oak Park in 2012 and '13. He was hired at Lathrop in 2015. The Mules had their most dominant season in 2018, going 14-1 and finishing as state runners-up to Blair Oaks.

Lathrop head football coach Chris Holt stepping down after six seasons

Jakob Junis ran his scoreless streak to 14 innings and the Kansas City Royals staked him to a seven-run lead before their bullpen gave most of it back in a 7-5 win over the Toronto Blue Jays Thursday.

Scott Barlow put two on with one out in the ninth for Kansas City before getting Bo Bichette to pop out and striking out Vladimir Guerrero Jr. for his first save of the season.

Jorge Soler, Hunter Dozier and Hanser Alberto each had a pair of hits. The Royals are 7-4 and have won three straight and four of their last five to take over first place in the AL Central.

Game two against the Bluejays is set for 7:10 Friday evening weather permitting. Mike Minor will start on the hill for Kansas City. Coverage of Friday's game will start at 6:30 on KFEQ Radio - 680 AM and 95.3 FM in St. Joseph.

St. Joseph PostJakob Junis ran his scoreless streak to 14 innings and the Kansas City Royals staked him to a seven-run lead before their bullpen gave most of it back in a 7-5 win over the Toronto Blue Jays Thursday.Scott Barlow put two on with one out in the ninth for Kansas City before getting Bo Bichette to pop out and striking out Vladimir Guerrero Jr. for his first save of the season.Jorge Soler, Hunter Dozier and Hanser Alberto each had a pair of hits. The Royals are 7-4 and have won three straight and four of their last five to take over first place in the AL Central.Game two against the Bluejays is set for 7:10 Friday evening weather permitting. Mike Minor will start on the hill for Kansas City. Coverage of Friday's game will start at 6:30 on KFEQ Radio - 680 AM and 95.3 FM in St. Joseph.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">FINAL: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Royals?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Royals</a> 7, Blue Jays 5<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HEYHEYHEYHEY?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HEYHEYHEYHEY</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TogetherRoyal?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TogetherRoyal</a> <a href="https://t.co/nKAzdbYCGl">pic.twitter.com/nKAzdbYCGl</a>&mdash; Kansas City Royals (@Royals) <a href="https://twitter.com/Royals/status/1382892138241822727?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Jakob Junis has strong start, bullpen hangs on as Royals top BlueJays Thursday

Baseball Benton 7 Bishop LeBlond 5 Savannah 15 Center 0 (5 innings, South Kansas City Classic) St. Joseph Central 8&nbsp;Fort Osage 2

Lawson 3 Mid-Buchanan 2. The Dragons stranded the tying run at second base in a game between two of the best in the area.

Maryville 10&nbsp;Cameron 0. Trey Houchin allowed only one hit in six innings and struck out 11.

St. Joseph Christian 15&nbsp;North Andrew 0

Plattsburg 16 Stewartsville-Osborn 8. The Tigers rallied from an 8-3 deficit. Brock Steggall hit two home runs, including a grand slam.

Girls soccer Staley 4 St. Joseph Central 0. <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/53d28f61-ff37-490a-b0bf-b44983664eb8">Full coverage here</a>. Bishop LeBlond 5 Kansas City Lutheran 0 Mid-Buchanan 4 Cameron 2. Emily Parrott had the hat trick for the Dragons, who are now 5-2.

&nbsp;Boys' Tennis St. Joseph Central 6 Truman 3 Benton 6 LeBlond 3

Golf Mid-Buchanan took first in the Dragon Invitational in dominating fashion by 44 strokes.

St. Joseph Central defeated Park Hill 156-185. Daniel Love shot a 35 to lead the Indians.

LeBlond stays unbeaten, defeating Maryville in a dual 154-185. Jeffrey Johnston led the way, shooting a 35. <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/3efc2533-ac89-40b7-9a6e-eea19568454a">More on the Eagles' golf season here</a>.

Track and field The East Buchanan boys (125 points) and the North Platte girls (134.5 points) took first at the Plattsburg Invitational.

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostBaseball Benton 7 Bishop LeBlond 5 Savannah 15 Center 0 (5 innings, South Kansas City Classic) St. Joseph Central 8&nbsp;Fort Osage 2Lawson 3 Mid-Buchanan 2. The Dragons stranded the tying run at second base in a game between two of the best in the area.Maryville 10&nbsp;Cameron 0. Trey Houchin allowed only one hit in six innings and struck out 11.St. Joseph Christian 15&nbsp;North Andrew 0Plattsburg 16 Stewartsville-Osborn 8. The Tigers rallied from an 8-3 deficit. Brock Steggall hit two home runs, including a grand slam.Platte Valley 6&nbsp;King City 2Girls soccer Staley 4 St. Joseph Central 0. <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/53d28f61-ff37-490a-b0bf-b44983664eb8">Full coverage here</a>. Bishop LeBlond 5 Kansas City Lutheran 0 Mid-Buchanan 4 Cameron 2. Emily Parrott had the hat trick for the Dragons, who are now 5-2.&nbsp;Boys' Tennis St. Joseph Central 6 Truman 3 Benton 6 LeBlond 3Golf Mid-Buchanan took first in the Dragon Invitational in dominating fashion by 44 strokes.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">Dragons claim the tournament championship by 44 strokes! Scramble team of John Kelly and Conor McQueen placed 1st. The best ball team of Lane Ellison and Spencer Sumner placed 2nd. Noah Hughes finished 1st in individual play with a 76. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MBDragonPride?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MBDragonPride</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/SJNPSports?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SJNPSports</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/KQ2SPORTS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KQ2SPORTS</a> <a href="https://t.co/BV1HzPfmNC">pic.twitter.com/BV1HzPfmNC</a>&mdash; Mid Buchanan (@MBDragonSports) <a href="https://twitter.com/MBDragonSports/status/1382809964792659978?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2021</a></blockquote>
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</div>St. Joseph Central defeated Park Hill 156-185. Daniel Love shot a 35 to lead the Indians.LeBlond stays unbeaten, defeating Maryville in a dual 154-185. Jeffrey Johnston led the way, shooting a 35. <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/3efc2533-ac89-40b7-9a6e-eea19568454a">More on the Eagles' golf season here</a>.Track and field The East Buchanan boys (125 points) and the North Platte girls (134.5 points) took first at the Plattsburg Invitational.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">The EBHS boys placed first 🏆 and the girls were second at tonight’s Plattsburg Invitational! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RightNow?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RightNow</a> <a href="https://t.co/88fbonXef7">pic.twitter.com/88fbonXef7</a>&mdash; East Buchanan Track &amp; Field (@eastbuchtrack) <a href="https://twitter.com/eastbuchtrack/status/1382865373549170688?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2021</a></blockquote>
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</div>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

KFEQ/St. Joseph Post area high school scoreboard - April 15, 2021

St. Joseph Central played a solid first half defensively and goalie Danielle Burg made eight saves, but the Indians (4-4) fell to Staley, 4-0, on Thursday evening at the Den.

The Falcons (6-4) got on the board less than four minutes into the match. Staley kept the ball on Central's side of the pitch for much of the first half, and had three corner kicks in the first 3.5 minutes.

On the third corner kick, junior forward Ruby Henson sent the ball into the back of the net off of Maddylen Farris' corner boot.

Staley had five more shots-on-goal in the first half, but the Indians only trailed 1-0 at halftime.

"Danielle had a fantastic day today (in the goal)," Central head coach Christi Shaffer said. "I couldn't be more proud of the way she showed out today. I think the defensive line really put a lot together to be able to shut down the two attackers (Staley) has, so I think they did very well."

Of the seven corner kicks the Falcons had in Thursday's match, they only managed to score on one of them.

"I would have to say today as a team collectively, it was a win for us," Shaffer continued. "Because, we played against a great team that moves the ball pretty well and I think we defended it pretty good."

Just like the first half, though, Staley controlled the pace offensively in the second half, and quickly added to their lead.

Junior Jordan Bedard scored off of a pass from senior Leah Hays in the 18-yard box , putting the Falcons ahead 2-0 less than two minutes into the second half.

Henson Bedard each scored one more goal inside the final 10 minutes of the match, breaking a two-game losing streak for Staley and giving Central its third straight loss.

Staley finished with 12 shots-on-goal compared to just two by Central.

"We're just a little slow on our passing and our distribution between each other," Shaffer observed. "Other than that, I don't think there's anything outstanding they did to shut us down."

The Indians have faced stiff competition the last six days, facing Kearney (4-1) last Friday and going to Lee's Summit (6-1) on Tuesday.

Central has been outscored 15-0 in the last three games combined, but Shaffer is still encouraged by her team's effort and attitude, especially after Thursday's match.&nbsp;

Central gets a few days off before going to Park Hill (4-5) Tuesday and then Park Hill South (5-3) next Friday.

"We'll get to work and we'll keep going," Shaffer said. "We don't go into it any different, really. We go out there to play hard and play well defensively and work the ball up as a team."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618539913538.jpeg" alt="Brooklyn Dickens kicks the ball up the pitch during St. Joseph Central's match with Staley Thursday. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Brooklyn Dickens kicks the ball up the pitch during St. Joseph Central's match with Staley Thursday. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostSt. Joseph Central played a solid first half defensively and goalie Danielle Burg made eight saves, but the Indians (4-4) fell to Staley, 4-0, on Thursday evening at the Den.The Falcons (6-4) got on the board less than four minutes into the match. Staley kept the ball on Central's side of the pitch for much of the first half, and had three corner kicks in the first 3.5 minutes.On the third corner kick, junior forward Ruby Henson sent the ball into the back of the net off of Maddylen Farris' corner boot.Staley had five more shots-on-goal in the first half, but the Indians only trailed 1-0 at halftime."Danielle had a fantastic day today (in the goal)," Central head coach Christi Shaffer said. "I couldn't be more proud of the way she showed out today. I think the defensive line really put a lot together to be able to shut down the two attackers (Staley) has, so I think they did very well."Of the seven corner kicks the Falcons had in Thursday's match, they only managed to score on one of them."I would have to say today as a team collectively, it was a win for us," Shaffer continued. "Because, we played against a great team that moves the ball pretty well and I think we defended it pretty good."Just like the first half, though, Staley controlled the pace offensively in the second half, and quickly added to their lead.Junior Jordan Bedard scored off of a pass from senior Leah Hays in the 18-yard box , putting the Falcons ahead 2-0 less than two minutes into the second half.Henson Bedard each scored one more goal inside the final 10 minutes of the match, breaking a two-game losing streak for Staley and giving Central its third straight loss.Staley finished with 12 shots-on-goal compared to just two by Central."We're just a little slow on our passing and our distribution between each other," Shaffer observed. "Other than that, I don't think there's anything outstanding they did to shut us down."The Indians have faced stiff competition the last six days, facing Kearney (4-1) last Friday and going to Lee's Summit (6-1) on Tuesday.Central has been outscored 15-0 in the last three games combined, but Shaffer is still encouraged by her team's effort and attitude, especially after Thursday's match.&nbsp;Central gets a few days off before going to Park Hill (4-5) Tuesday and then Park Hill South (5-3) next Friday."We'll get to work and we'll keep going," Shaffer said. "We don't go into it any different, really. We go out there to play hard and play well defensively and work the ball up as a team."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618540519782.jpeg" alt="Greycie Bardo tries to work the ball away from Staley's Izzy Gonzalez during Thursday's match. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Greycie Bardo tries to work the ball away from Staley's Izzy Gonzalez during Thursday's match. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618540622570.jpeg" alt="Central goalie Danielle Burg (yellow) blocks a shot from Staley's Jordan Bedard in the second half of Thursday's match. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Central goalie Danielle Burg (yellow) blocks a shot from Staley's Jordan Bedard in the second half of Thursday's match. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Staley posts three second-half goals, tops St. Joseph Central Thursday

When the world shut down due to COVID-19 last spring, there weren't a lot of places people could go.

Golf courses, for the most part, were able to stay open. For Bishop LeBlond golfer and freshman Tim Johnston, that proved to be a nice escape - and a nice opportunity to get better.

"It helped a lot," he said. "Especially on days where we had Zoom classes and we had time off. We could come out here and practice and hit balls and keep our game in shape."

Accompanied by twin brother Patrick, and older brother Jeffrey, the Johnstons practiced golf a lot in the offseason. And many offseasons before that, actually.

"I've golfed since I was two," Jeffrey said. "Tim and Pat since they were little, too. My Dad (Matthew) has just played forever. So, yeah. It's just been a family thing."

The Johnston brothers, along with Sam Schoeberl and Davis Jungbluth, make up the LeBlond varsity golf team for 2021. Three of the five are related, but Schoeberl says they all feel like family.

"We're not just teammates, but we're really close friends," he said. "So, being able to do this with these guys has been great."

Whatever these guys are doing, it's working. LeBlond has been on a tear so far this spring, taking first in a triangular against Savannah and Smithville, beating St. Pius X head-to-head and also taking first in the Blue Springs South Invitational this week.

"We're just little ol' LeBlond, small school here in St. Joe," first-year head coach Mitchell Girres said. "We played against all Class 5 and 6 schools (in Blue Springs). We didn't really play our best, and we were fortunate enough to win, even not playing our best. It speaks to the depth of our kids. We finished with all five kids in the top 10 in that tournament. So, they're really playing well at this point in the season."

Girres, the head boys' basketball coach for LeBlond, just finished leading the Eagles to a 16-11 record and a district runner-up finish. Jeffrey Johnston, a senior, was a big part of that run.

Girres knows - you can't be as vocal coaching golf as you are while coaching hoops.

"You're going to have bad days playing golf," said Girres, who played collegiate golf for Missouri Western. "It's not one of those things you can really control, and no one can really perfect it. So, I just try to help guide them on the course and some course management stuff. These kids have played so much golf. I just do my best to guide them and teach them some things, and they kind of take care of the rest."

Bishop LeBlond has a strong history in boys'&nbsp; golf. The Eagles have finished fourth or better at state six times. They've won three state titles - all since 2016.

"We've had a lot of good players come through LeBlond,"Schoeberl said. "I'm happy to be a part of it."

That strong history and culture, partnered with this current team's passion and dedication to the game, has LeBlond seeking history once again in 2021.

"We've just been playing pretty much all of our lives together," said Jeffrey, who will go onto play golf for Missouri Western next year. "We've gotten really close. We've been looking forward to this year for a long time. We knew we'd have a chance to do great things, and it's just showing. We just hope to continue to play moving forward."

The Eagles compete at Maryville on Thursday at 4 p.m.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618457876771.jpeg" alt="The Bishop LeBlond golf team practices on the putting green at St. Joseph Country Club on Wednesday. The Eagles have won every event they've competed in thus far this season - a triangular, a tournament and a dual. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>The Bishop LeBlond golf team practices on the putting green at St. Joseph Country Club on Wednesday. The Eagles have won every event they've competed in thus far this season - a triangular, a tournament and a dual. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostWhen the world shut down due to COVID-19 last spring, there weren't a lot of places people could go.Golf courses, for the most part, were able to stay open. For Bishop LeBlond golfer and freshman Tim Johnston, that proved to be a nice escape - and a nice opportunity to get better."It helped a lot," he said. "Especially on days where we had Zoom classes and we had time off. We could come out here and practice and hit balls and keep our game in shape."Accompanied by twin brother Patrick, and older brother Jeffrey, the Johnstons practiced golf a lot in the offseason. And many offseasons before that, actually."I've golfed since I was two," Jeffrey said. "Tim and Pat since they were little, too. My Dad (Matthew) has just played forever. So, yeah. It's just been a family thing."The Johnston brothers, along with Sam Schoeberl and Davis Jungbluth, make up the LeBlond varsity golf team for 2021. Three of the five are related, but Schoeberl says they all feel like family."We're not just teammates, but we're really close friends," he said. "So, being able to do this with these guys has been great."Whatever these guys are doing, it's working. LeBlond has been on a tear so far this spring, taking first in a triangular against Savannah and Smithville, beating St. Pius X head-to-head and also taking first in the Blue Springs South Invitational this week."We're just little ol' LeBlond, small school here in St. Joe," first-year head coach Mitchell Girres said. "We played against all Class 5 and 6 schools (in Blue Springs). We didn't really play our best, and we were fortunate enough to win, even not playing our best. It speaks to the depth of our kids. We finished with all five kids in the top 10 in that tournament. So, they're really playing well at this point in the season."Girres, the head boys' basketball coach for LeBlond, just finished leading the Eagles to a 16-11 record and a district runner-up finish. Jeffrey Johnston, a senior, was a big part of that run.Girres knows - you can't be as vocal coaching golf as you are while coaching hoops."You're going to have bad days playing golf," said Girres, who played collegiate golf for Missouri Western. "It's not one of those things you can really control, and no one can really perfect it. So, I just try to help guide them on the course and some course management stuff. These kids have played so much golf. I just do my best to guide them and teach them some things, and they kind of take care of the rest."Bishop LeBlond has a strong history in boys'&nbsp; golf. The Eagles have finished fourth or better at state six times. They've won three state titles - all since 2016."We've had a lot of good players come through LeBlond,"Schoeberl said. "I'm happy to be a part of it."That strong history and culture, partnered with this current team's passion and dedication to the game, has LeBlond seeking history once again in 2021."We've just been playing pretty much all of our lives together," said Jeffrey, who will go onto play golf for Missouri Western next year. "We've gotten really close. We've been looking forward to this year for a long time. We knew we'd have a chance to do great things, and it's just showing. We just hope to continue to play moving forward."The Eagles compete at Maryville on Thursday at 4 p.m.<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1029950983&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/tommy-rezac" title="KFEQ Radio, St. Joseph Post" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">KFEQ Radio, St. Joseph Post</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/tommy-rezac/bishop-leblond-off-to-a-hot-start-in-2021" title="Bishop LeBlond golf off to a hot start in 2021" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Bishop LeBlond golf off to a hot start in 2021</a></div></div><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618458903352.jpeg" alt="LeBlond's Davis Jungbluth (left) and Tim Johnston (right) hit the driving range at the St. Joseph Country Club Wednesday. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>LeBlond's Davis Jungbluth (left) and Tim Johnston (right) hit the driving range at the St. Joseph Country Club Wednesday. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Bishop LeBlond boys' golf off to a roaring start in 2021

St. Joseph Christian's Brooklyn Miller and Lafayette's Dayne Koch were honored as the city's Scholar Athletes of the Year for 2020 Wednesday, while St. Joseph Central cross country Coach Bob Miller was named Coach of the Year.

The 10 student-athlete and five coach nominees were honored at an in-person ceremony at the Missouri Theater Wednesday - a nice change from the virtual event last year.

"I am so happy that we got to do it in person this year," Brooklyn Miller said. "It is so special to everyone involved. I really enjoyed having the coaches there with us, because we got to sit there and congratulate them when they've helped us get to where we are. So, they need as much credit as we have."

A Nebraska track and field commit, Miller maintains a 4.14 GPA and has been a first-team All City volleyball player for four years and all-state for two. She's the 2019 Class 1 state champion in high jump and has placed at state in the javelin as well as the 4x200 and the 4x100 relay.

Her father, Dr. Brett Miller, has helped put on the award ceremony for years.

"I've been going with him for about five years now watching it all unfold," she said. "And my name getting called was just so surreal."

Koch is ranked No. 1 in his class at Lafayette with a 4.0 GPA and has been actively involved in many clubs, including FBLA, MASC, Irish Ambassadors and many more.

A basketball and baseball standout, Koch will go onto play baseball for Central Christian College in McPherson, Kansas.

"I just know it's an honor," he said on the award. "There's so many great people here. So many people who could've just as easily won the award like I did. It's just great to know I got selected. I take pride in that. It's awesome. I feel honored more than anything."

Coach Miller meanwhile has coached for nearly 20 years, and has been Central's boys and girls cross country coach for the last 11. He's led his teams to four conference championships and three district titles over the last decade.

His girls' team qualified for state in 2018, while his boys' teams have qualified for the state meet five times since 2012.

"When you put in that kind of work and that kind of time with kids over time," Miller said, "and the kids that buy into it, they sacrifice a lot. I'm really grateful for the talented athletes that I've had who buy into what we do."

St. Joseph Sports, Inc. and SJSD Scholar Athlete of the Year nominees

St. Joseph Christian Brooklyn Miller Landon Swavey

St. Joseph Central Isabella Wiebelt-Smith James Jura

Bishop LeBlond Jeffrey Johnston Lilyann Gardner

Benton Alyssa White Max Haywood

Lafayette Dayne Koch Lauren Adams

Coach of the Year nominees Kevin Bristol - Lafayette boys' basketball Adrienne Smith - Bishop LeBlond dance Lisa Olson - St. Joseph Christian cross country, track and field Bob Miller- St. Joseph Central cross country Gary Belcher - Benton boys' basketball

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618451729352.jpeg" alt="St. Joseph Central Cross Country coach Bob Miller accepts the Coach of the Year traveling plaque from Dr. Brett Miller at Wednesday's St. Joseph Scholar Athlete ceremony at the Missouri Theater on Wednesday evening. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>St. Joseph Central Cross Country coach Bob Miller accepts the Coach of the Year traveling plaque from Dr. Brett Miller at Wednesday's St. Joseph Scholar Athlete ceremony at the Missouri Theater on Wednesday evening. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostSt. Joseph Christian's Brooklyn Miller and Lafayette's Dayne Koch were honored as the city's Scholar Athletes of the Year for 2020 Wednesday, while St. Joseph Central cross country Coach Bob Miller was named Coach of the Year.The 10 student-athlete and five coach nominees were honored at an in-person ceremony at the Missouri Theater Wednesday - a nice change from the virtual event last year."I am so happy that we got to do it in person this year," Brooklyn Miller said. "It is so special to everyone involved. I really enjoyed having the coaches there with us, because we got to sit there and congratulate them when they've helped us get to where we are. So, they need as much credit as we have."A Nebraska track and field commit, Miller maintains a 4.14 GPA and has been a first-team All City volleyball player for four years and all-state for two. She's the 2019 Class 1 state champion in high jump and has placed at state in the javelin as well as the 4x200 and the 4x100 relay.Her father, Dr. Brett Miller, has helped put on the award ceremony for years."I've been going with him for about five years now watching it all unfold," she said. "And my name getting called was just so surreal."Koch is ranked No. 1 in his class at Lafayette with a 4.0 GPA and has been actively involved in many clubs, including FBLA, MASC, Irish Ambassadors and many more.A basketball and baseball standout, Koch will go onto play baseball for Central Christian College in McPherson, Kansas."I just know it's an honor," he said on the award. "There's so many great people here. So many people who could've just as easily won the award like I did. It's just great to know I got selected. I take pride in that. It's awesome. I feel honored more than anything."Coach Miller meanwhile has coached for nearly 20 years, and has been Central's boys and girls cross country coach for the last 11. He's led his teams to four conference championships and three district titles over the last decade.His girls' team qualified for state in 2018, while his boys' teams have qualified for the state meet five times since 2012."When you put in that kind of work and that kind of time with kids over time," Miller said, "and the kids that buy into it, they sacrifice a lot. I'm really grateful for the talented athletes that I've had who buy into what we do."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618452555684.jpeg" alt="Brooklyn Miller (right) with St. Joseph Christian athletic director Nicki Carlson. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Brooklyn Miller (right) with St. Joseph Christian athletic director Nicki Carlson. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618452614684.jpeg" alt="Dayne Koch (right) with Lafayette athletic director Corey Gilpin. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Dayne Koch (right) with Lafayette athletic director Corey Gilpin. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>St. Joseph Sports, Inc. and SJSD Scholar Athlete of the Year nomineesSt. Joseph Christian Brooklyn Miller Landon SwaveySt. Joseph Central Isabella Wiebelt-Smith James JuraBishop LeBlond Jeffrey Johnston Lilyann GardnerBenton Alyssa White Max HaywoodLafayette Dayne Koch Lauren AdamsCoach of the Year nominees Kevin Bristol - Lafayette boys' basketball Adrienne Smith - Bishop LeBlond dance Lisa Olson - St. Joseph Christian cross country, track and field Bob Miller- St. Joseph Central cross country Gary Belcher - Benton boys' basketballYou can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

St. Joseph Scholar Athletes, Coach of the Year honored Wednesday

Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez picked David Fletcher off third with the bases loaded for the final out in the ninth inning, helping Kansas City beat the L.A. Angels 3-2 Tuesday night at Kaufmann Stadium.

Danny Duffy pitched one-run ball over six innings, Greg Holland got the save and Perez had two hits and an RBI. Kansas City’s veteran backstop ended the game by blocking Greg Holland’s 0-2 pitch in the dirt.

The ball bounced off batter Jared Walsh and right back to Perez, who picked it up and caught Fletcher venturing too far off third base.

Royals manager Mike Matheny likes the way his team has battled, even if they haven't been at their best quite yet.

"We've played some pretty good teams," he said. "We've faced some good pitching. We continue to stay in these games, and there's a large portion of our lineup that hasn't started to get going yet."

The Royals improve to 5-4 and conclude their series with the Angels Wednesday afternoon with a 1:10 first pitch. The game will be carried live on KFEQ Radio - 680 AM and 95.3 FM in St. Joseph.

St. Joseph PostKansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez picked David Fletcher off third with the bases loaded for the final out in the ninth inning, helping Kansas City beat the L.A. Angels 3-2 Tuesday night at Kaufmann Stadium.Danny Duffy pitched one-run ball over six innings, Greg Holland got the save and Perez had two hits and an RBI. Kansas City’s veteran backstop ended the game by blocking Greg Holland’s 0-2 pitch in the dirt.The ball bounced off batter Jared Walsh and right back to Perez, who picked it up and caught Fletcher venturing too far off third base.Royals manager Mike Matheny likes the way his team has battled, even if they haven't been at their best quite yet."We've played some pretty good teams," he said. "We've faced some good pitching. We continue to stay in these games, and there's a large portion of our lineup that hasn't started to get going yet."The Royals improve to 5-4 and conclude their series with the Angels Wednesday afternoon with a 1:10 first pitch. The game will be carried live on KFEQ Radio - 680 AM and 95.3 FM in St. Joseph.

Salvador Perez picks off David Fletcher, Royals edge Angels Tuesday

Baseball Savannah 7 Maryville 1 Platte County 15 Benton 0 Park Hill 10 St. Joseph Central 0 Trenton 14 North Andrew 10 Mid-Buchanan 13 North Platte 3 South Holt 8 East Atchison 7 (8 innings) East Buchanan 10 St. Joseph Christian 0 Lawson 11 Plattsburg 2 Lathrop 9 West Platte 0 North Nodaway 7 DeKalb 6 Platte Valley 5 Northeast Nodaway 3 West Nodaway 9 Stewartsville-Osborn 6

Girls soccer Lincoln College Prep 3 Benton 1 Lee’s Summit 8 St. Joseph Central 0

Boys' Tennis Chillicothe 7 Bishop LeBlond 2 Maryville 9 Benton 0

Boys' Golf Maryville golf took first in a triangular at Shenandoah, Iowa with a team score of 338.

Track and Field Bishop LeBlond set 50 PRs at the St. Joseph City Track Meet hosted at Eagle Stadium. LeBlond’s Hayden Cross tied the school record in the 400 meter dash.

Also, at the Mid-Buchanan invitational, East Buchanan’s Emma Klein set a new school record in pole vault, clearing 8 feet.

These are the results that are posted on social or sent to us. Have results you'd like to share? Send an email to Tommy.Rezac@EagleRadio.net.

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostBaseball Savannah 7 Maryville 1 Platte County 15 Benton 0 Park Hill 10 St. Joseph Central 0 Trenton 14 North Andrew 10 Mid-Buchanan 13 North Platte 3 South Holt 8 East Atchison 7 (8 innings) East Buchanan 10 St. Joseph Christian 0 Lawson 11 Plattsburg 2 Lathrop 9 West Platte 0 North Nodaway 7 DeKalb 6 Platte Valley 5 Northeast Nodaway 3 West Nodaway 9 Stewartsville-Osborn 6Girls soccer Lincoln College Prep 3 Benton 1 Lee’s Summit 8 St. Joseph Central 0Boys' Tennis Chillicothe 7 Bishop LeBlond 2 Maryville 9 Benton 0Boys' Golf Maryville golf took first in a triangular at Shenandoah, Iowa with a team score of 338.Track and Field Bishop LeBlond set 50 PRs at the St. Joseph City Track Meet hosted at Eagle Stadium. LeBlond’s Hayden Cross tied the school record in the 400 meter dash.Also, at the Mid-Buchanan invitational, East Buchanan’s Emma Klein set a new school record in pole vault, clearing 8 feet.These are the results that are posted on social or sent to us. Have results you'd like to share? Send an email to Tommy.Rezac@EagleRadio.net.

KFEQ/St. Joseph Post area high school scoreboard - April 13, 2021

Savannah will still be called the Savages, but the school's mascot imagery will be changing, starting next school year.

The Savannah Board of Education voted 4-3 Tuesday night to retain the "Savage" nickname, but phase out the Native American imagery and symbolism associated with the mascot.

The board also motioned to expand curriculum and expand its relationship with the Andrew County Museum and Historical Society to educate students on the history of the mascot, and to honor that history as well.

It's a decision that qualms a 10-month long debate amongst the board and community.

"This has been a long work-in-progress," outgoing school board president Stancy Bond said. "It's something the board has really very diligently tried to be thorough in our evaluation. We received a lot of criticism for taking so long. But in the end, I think it proved that we did our homework, we read through all public comment, we listened to everyone's concern and we made a decision. That's ultimately what we're here for - to make decisions for our district."

Board member Dyann Duncan motioned to put the mascot issue before voters on the August ballot - a motion that Bond opposed.

"We were elected to make decisions and I think we are fully capable and educated," Bond said. "And I don't think that we should put this on the ballot."

Duncan's motion failed narrowly, 4-3. Bond, vice-president Rebecca Bledsoe, Linda Kozminski and newly elected president Joseph Barbosa voted against putting the issue on the August ballot.

Barbosa then suggested keeping the name "Savage," but removing the Native American imagery from uniforms, playing surfaces and other places on the school's campus.

"This debate has gone on for the last 10 months," Barbosa said. "Not only in our community, but abroad and I think we need to move toward some sort of resolution."

Barbosa simply offered the idea up for discussion. Bond made it into a motion, while adding the amendment to, "expand the curriculum of course offerings to include Native American history, culture, genealogy and current events and instruct the administration to develop a relationship with Native American groups for educational opportunities" starting in the 2022-23 school year.

The amendment also instructed administration to "expand the district relationship with the Andrew County Museum and Historical Society and Savannah Alumni Association Foundation to preserve and maintain school artifacts and history including Savage memorabilia.

Barbosa notes this amendment was key in Tuesday's decision.

"The one thing I kept hearing from constituents," Barbosa said, "they felt that this was an attack on their identity. I did not want that to be the case. This is a moment where we preserve who we are and preserve our history. This preserves a big piece of our town."

A mascot committee was formed last July to do research on the history of the mascot and to explore alternatives to the current name and imagery.

That committee voted 4-4 last month on a mascot change, ultimately leaving the decision up to the board.

"I'm ready to be done," said Bond. "I think most of the community was ready for us to make a decision and move forward."

There was no public comment at Tuesday's meeting, but 348 comments from community members were submitted to the board beforehand.

"Five of those were 'no change' comments," Bond revealed. "So, that means that 340 plus were for change, and I think that was expressed through those comments."

Bond, Barbosa, Bledsoe and Kozminski voted in favor of the mascot image change. Duncan, along with board members Jamin Sybert and Than Wagers, voted against.

It's been a divisive issue since the beginning, but Bond is relieved to see her time as school board president end with such an impactful decision.

"It's not really been a fun discussion," she admitted. "Both sides are very passionate about their opinion and both sides make great points, but ultimately, we made a great compromise and that's what it's all about."

The discussion does not end with Tuesday's vote. The estimated cost of phasing out all of the Native American imagery on Savannah's campus and uniforms could be in the neighborhood of $500,000.

Bond made it clear that not a cent of that expense would come from the school district's budget.

"As we do routine maintenance, that's when we'll look at images and what needs to be replaced and how we go forward," Bond said. "At a decent pace, but fiscally responsible. So, we won't use any district money to replace the gym floor. We just had it replaced two years ago."

There's a lot of work ahead for Barbosa, as he takes over as the board's new president. But as a lifelong area resident, Barbosa is excited to move forward and fully resolve the matter.

"It is somewhat resolved, but with anything in our system and anything in America, there's going to debate and there's going to be discussion," he said. "But, I am looking forward to focusing on what's best for our students."

The next big question is - what will the new mascot imagery be? That won't be answered overnight, but Bond hopes that the Savannah student body has a big say in the decision.

"While this is a community issue, the mascot belongs to our students," she said. "So, we'd like our student input to be the strongest voice in that conversation."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618365086887.jpeg" alt="The Savannah school board meets in the high school gym Tuesday to discuss the changes to the Savannah Savages mascot and imagery./ Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>The Savannah school board meets in the high school gym Tuesday to discuss the changes to the Savannah Savages mascot and imagery./ Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostSavannah will still be called the Savages, but the school's mascot imagery will be changing, starting next school year.The Savannah Board of Education voted 4-3 Tuesday night to retain the "Savage" nickname, but phase out the Native American imagery and symbolism associated with the mascot.The board also motioned to expand curriculum and expand its relationship with the Andrew County Museum and Historical Society to educate students on the history of the mascot, and to honor that history as well.It's a decision that qualms a 10-month long debate amongst the board and community."This has been a long work-in-progress," outgoing school board president Stancy Bond said. "It's something the board has really very diligently tried to be thorough in our evaluation. We received a lot of criticism for taking so long. But in the end, I think it proved that we did our homework, we read through all public comment, we listened to everyone's concern and we made a decision. That's ultimately what we're here for - to make decisions for our district."Board member Dyann Duncan motioned to put the mascot issue before voters on the August ballot - a motion that Bond opposed."We were elected to make decisions and I think we are fully capable and educated," Bond said. "And I don't think that we should put this on the ballot."Duncan's motion failed narrowly, 4-3. Bond, vice-president Rebecca Bledsoe, Linda Kozminski and newly elected president Joseph Barbosa voted against putting the issue on the August ballot.Barbosa then suggested keeping the name "Savage," but removing the Native American imagery from uniforms, playing surfaces and other places on the school's campus."This debate has gone on for the last 10 months," Barbosa said. "Not only in our community, but abroad and I think we need to move toward some sort of resolution."Barbosa simply offered the idea up for discussion. Bond made it into a motion, while adding the amendment to, "expand the curriculum of course offerings to include Native American history, culture, genealogy and current events and instruct the administration to develop a relationship with Native American groups for educational opportunities" starting in the 2022-23 school year.The amendment also instructed administration to "expand the district relationship with the Andrew County Museum and Historical Society and Savannah Alumni Association Foundation to preserve and maintain school artifacts and history including Savage memorabilia.Barbosa notes this amendment was key in Tuesday's decision."The one thing I kept hearing from constituents," Barbosa said, "they felt that this was an attack on their identity. I did not want that to be the case. This is a moment where we preserve who we are and preserve our history. This preserves a big piece of our town."A mascot committee was formed last July to do research on the history of the mascot and to explore alternatives to the current name and imagery.That committee voted 4-4 last month on a mascot change, ultimately leaving the decision up to the board."I'm ready to be done," said Bond. "I think most of the community was ready for us to make a decision and move forward."There was no public comment at Tuesday's meeting, but 348 comments from community members were submitted to the board beforehand."Five of those were 'no change' comments," Bond revealed. "So, that means that 340 plus were for change, and I think that was expressed through those comments."Bond, Barbosa, Bledsoe and Kozminski voted in favor of the mascot image change. Duncan, along with board members Jamin Sybert and Than Wagers, voted against.It's been a divisive issue since the beginning, but Bond is relieved to see her time as school board president end with such an impactful decision."It's not really been a fun discussion," she admitted. "Both sides are very passionate about their opinion and both sides make great points, but ultimately, we made a great compromise and that's what it's all about."The discussion does not end with Tuesday's vote. The estimated cost of phasing out all of the Native American imagery on Savannah's campus and uniforms could be in the neighborhood of $500,000.Bond made it clear that not a cent of that expense would come from the school district's budget."As we do routine maintenance, that's when we'll look at images and what needs to be replaced and how we go forward," Bond said. "At a decent pace, but fiscally responsible. So, we won't use any district money to replace the gym floor. We just had it replaced two years ago."There's a lot of work ahead for Barbosa, as he takes over as the board's new president. But as a lifelong area resident, Barbosa is excited to move forward and fully resolve the matter."It is somewhat resolved, but with anything in our system and anything in America, there's going to debate and there's going to be discussion," he said. "But, I am looking forward to focusing on what's best for our students."The next big question is - what will the new mascot imagery be? That won't be answered overnight, but Bond hopes that the Savannah student body has a big say in the decision."While this is a community issue, the mascot belongs to our students," she said. "So, we'd like our student input to be the strongest voice in that conversation."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618365048532.jpeg" alt="Replacing all of the Native American imagery within the Savannah school district could take years, according to newly elected board president Joseph Barbosa. /Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Replacing all of the Native American imagery within the Savannah school district could take years, according to newly elected board president Joseph Barbosa. /Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618368461365.jpeg" alt="Newly appointed Savannah Board of Education president Joseph Barbosa addresses the room after being appointed president and after a vote to change the Savannah mascot imagery Tuesday. /Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Newly appointed Savannah Board of Education president Joseph Barbosa addresses the room after being appointed president and after a vote to change the Savannah mascot imagery Tuesday. /Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.