With five combined runs and seven combined hits through the first two innings, it seemed like Saturday's bout between Savannah and Benton could be a high-scoring affair.

At the end of the sixth inning, the score was the same.

Savannah (15-7) nabbed an early 3-2 lead in the second inning, and held that slim advantage entering the seventh.

With two outs and nobody on in the top of the seventh, it appeared the Savages were going to post another zero on the scoreboard.

Then, Tyson Hilsabeck walked, Ethan Dennis reached on an error and Gabe Piper hit a bloop single to centerfield to load the bases.

Three walks later, with a passed ball and wild pitch sprinkled in between, Savannah scratched across three runs in the top of the seventh and held on for a 6-2 win over Benton in an MEC Conference battle Saturday afternoon at Hyde Park.

Piper, who started on the mound, threw a complete game and put the Cardinals (10-13) down in order in the bottom of the seventh to polish off the victory.

Piper allowed only four hits while striking out six and walking just one.

"I feel like I did pretty good," Piper said. "I had a couple of bad pitches in the dirt and a couple of passed balls, but I feel like I did a good job."

Savannah committed two errors in the field, but the Savages set the Cardinals down in order in the fourth and seventh innings, and they held the Cardinals without a hit for nine consecutive at-bats between the second and fifth innings.

"That helps a lot," said Piper. "I think in the last few weeks, we've been able to come together as a team and work together a lot."

Offensively, Savannah saw the ball well throughout the game, connecting for 11 total hits. Truman Bodenhausen led the way, going 3-for-5 at the plate with a run scored and two RBIs. He reached first safely on a pair of successful bunts - one in the first and another in the fourth.

He gave the Savages an early lead with a two-run RBI to right in the second.

"I did what I needed to do," Bodenhausen said. "My teammates got into a good situation. I just had to drive them in."

The Savages had some missed opportunities to put the game away, stranding 10 total baserunners. They left them loaded in the fourth and again in the seventh inning, but the head coach was all-in-all pleased.

"We battled the whole way through," Savannah coach Erich Bodenhausen said. "We had lots of opportunities to score. We left a lot of people out there. But, we broke it open there in the end. I liked our pitching, we did a good job on defense and we hit the ball hard."

Savannah has now won four of its last five games and are 10-2 in their last 12. The Savages have only two games left in the regular season, including a critical district tilt at Lafayette (14-6) on Tuesday.

The Class 4 District 16 bracket was released Saturday, and the Irish have secured the No. 1 seed and a first-round bye in district play, which starts Friday. Lafayette gets the No. 1 seed, since they beat Savannah 4-0 on March 30.

The Savages are the No. 2 seed in districts, and will face Maryville in the first round on May 18 at Phil Welch Stadium.

But before that point, the Savages want to show that they're a force to be reckoned with - just like their counterpart Lafayette.

"Hopefully we beat (Lafayette) next week," Truman Bodenhausen said. "I just hope we play good against them next week."

"Our thing is to take it one game at a time, and really one pitch at a time, and let the game take care of itself," said Coach Bodenhausen.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620508023973.jpeg" alt="Savannah's Gabe Piper struck out six and walked only one in a complete game victory over Benton Saturday. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Savannah's Gabe Piper struck out six and walked only one in a complete game victory over Benton Saturday. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostWith five combined runs and seven combined hits through the first two innings, it seemed like Saturday's bout between Savannah and Benton could be a high-scoring affair.At the end of the sixth inning, the score was the same.Savannah (15-7) nabbed an early 3-2 lead in the second inning, and held that slim advantage entering the seventh.With two outs and nobody on in the top of the seventh, it appeared the Savages were going to post another zero on the scoreboard.Then, Tyson Hilsabeck walked, Ethan Dennis reached on an error and Gabe Piper hit a bloop single to centerfield to load the bases.Three walks later, with a passed ball and wild pitch sprinkled in between, Savannah scratched across three runs in the top of the seventh and held on for a 6-2 win over Benton in an MEC Conference battle Saturday afternoon at Hyde Park.Piper, who started on the mound, threw a complete game and put the Cardinals (10-13) down in order in the bottom of the seventh to polish off the victory.Piper allowed only four hits while striking out six and walking just one."I feel like I did pretty good," Piper said. "I had a couple of bad pitches in the dirt and a couple of passed balls, but I feel like I did a good job."Savannah committed two errors in the field, but the Savages set the Cardinals down in order in the fourth and seventh innings, and they held the Cardinals without a hit for nine consecutive at-bats between the second and fifth innings."That helps a lot," said Piper. "I think in the last few weeks, we've been able to come together as a team and work together a lot."Offensively, Savannah saw the ball well throughout the game, connecting for 11 total hits. Truman Bodenhausen led the way, going 3-for-5 at the plate with a run scored and two RBIs. He reached first safely on a pair of successful bunts - one in the first and another in the fourth.He gave the Savages an early lead with a two-run RBI to right in the second."I did what I needed to do," Bodenhausen said. "My teammates got into a good situation. I just had to drive them in."The Savages had some missed opportunities to put the game away, stranding 10 total baserunners. They left them loaded in the fourth and again in the seventh inning, but the head coach was all-in-all pleased."We battled the whole way through," Savannah coach Erich Bodenhausen said. "We had lots of opportunities to score. We left a lot of people out there. But, we broke it open there in the end. I liked our pitching, we did a good job on defense and we hit the ball hard."Savannah has now won four of its last five games and are 10-2 in their last 12. The Savages have only two games left in the regular season, including a critical district tilt at Lafayette (14-6) on Tuesday.The Class 4 District 16 bracket was released Saturday, and the Irish have secured the No. 1 seed and a first-round bye in district play, which starts Friday. Lafayette gets the No. 1 seed, since they beat Savannah 4-0 on March 30.The Savages are the No. 2 seed in districts, and will face Maryville in the first round on May 18 at Phil Welch Stadium.But before that point, the Savages want to show that they're a force to be reckoned with - just like their counterpart Lafayette."Hopefully we beat (Lafayette) next week," Truman Bodenhausen said. "I just hope we play good against them next week.""Our thing is to take it one game at a time, and really one pitch at a time, and let the game take care of itself," said Coach Bodenhausen.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620508099519.jpeg" alt="Savannah's Truman Bodenhausen went 3-for-5 at the plate with a run scored and two RBIs Saturday. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Savannah's Truman Bodenhausen went 3-for-5 at the plate with a run scored and two RBIs Saturday. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">2021 Class 4 District 16 MSHSAA Bracket 📅 May 14th - 20th 📍Phil Welch Stadium <a href="https://t.co/7eMGNyTPCW">pic.twitter.com/7eMGNyTPCW</a>&mdash; LHS - AD (@IrishActivities) <a href="https://twitter.com/IrishActivities/status/1391015123758850048?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 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.

Savannah scratches across late insurance runs, defeats Benton Saturday

COUNTRY CLUB -&nbsp;

Missouri Western sophomore&nbsp;Allycia Gan started the season with one goal - making the national championship.

Entering the final round of the Division II Women's Golf Central Regional at St. Joseph Country Club Wednesday, she was only four strokes off the lead. Suddenly, her goal became winning the regional tournament.

Gan put pressure on herself, and struggled on the front nine.

"She wanted to win so bad," Missouri Western grad assistant golf coach Wendy Monfort said. "I think she put a lot of pressure on herself and started overthinking every shot. She didn't go for it as much. Was trying to make pars rather than birdies like the last couple of days."

Gan shot a seven-over par 43 on the front nine, including a triple bogey on 8 and bogeys on 2, 3, 4 and 9.

After no birdies through the first 10 holes, Gan knew she had to calm down.

"I went to the bathroom after 9," Gan said. "I washed my face and kept myself awake. I kept running to the bathroom to wash my face, and thank God my back nine saved my...saved my ass."

Gan battled back with a one-under 35 on the back nine, including birdies on 11 and 17 to finish&nbsp;second overall and qualify for the NCAA National Championship next week in Detroit.

The birdie on 11, a near ace on a par 3, was the hole that turned the day around for Gan. She bogeyed only once on the back nine.

"The priority is national," Gan said. "Just getting to national. That's what we want. This is my first year, and that's good enough for me. I told myself, I have to make my teammates proud and make myself proud."

This will be the fifth straight NCAA National Championship that a Griffon women's golfer will be competing in.

"This was my first goal in this year - I wanted to make the national," Gan said. "No matter how I made it, I just wanted to make it to national. And I made it. Thank God." Gan finished the week with a three-round total of 7-over 223.&nbsp;

This was the first NCAA Regional for Gan since the season was canceled last year due to COVID-19.

The first season coming off that cancelation had its challenges, but Monfort is glad to see her team's best player get to the big stage in the end.

"I think it's going to be a really great thing for next year that she made it to nationals," Monfort said. "Hopefully, it'll motivate the others to do the same next year. It was a tough season, but in the end, it's going to be a good thing for (Gan) next year."

Roger State's Jessica Green won the tournament with a 1-under par 215 - eight shots ahead of Gan. Katie Whitfield of Arkansas Tech finished third with a 10-over 226 - three shots behind Gan.

Arkansas Tech won the team title with a three-round total of 919, while Rogers State (924) and Northeastern State (936) also qualified the for the national championship as a team. Henderson State (937) and Central Missouri (937) tied for fourth. The NCAA Division II National Championship starts next Tuesday, May 11 at TPC Michigan in Detroit and will wrap up on Saturday, May 15.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620252660800.jpeg" alt="Missouri Western golfer Allycia Gan putts on the front nine during Wednesday's NCAA Central Regional tournament at the St. Joseph Country Club. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Missouri Western golfer Allycia Gan putts on the front nine during Wednesday's NCAA Central Regional tournament at the St. Joseph Country Club. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostCOUNTRY CLUB -&nbsp;

Missouri Western sophomore&nbsp;Allycia Gan started the season with one goal - making the national championship.Entering the final round of the Division II Women's Golf Central Regional at St. Joseph Country Club Wednesday, she was only four strokes off the lead. Suddenly, her goal became winning the regional tournament.Gan put pressure on herself, and struggled on the front nine."She wanted to win so bad," Missouri Western grad assistant golf coach Wendy Monfort said. "I think she put a lot of pressure on herself and started overthinking every shot. She didn't go for it as much. Was trying to make pars rather than birdies like the last couple of days."Gan shot a seven-over par 43 on the front nine, including a triple bogey on 8 and bogeys on 2, 3, 4 and 9.After no birdies through the first 10 holes, Gan knew she had to calm down."I went to the bathroom after 9," Gan said. "I washed my face and kept myself awake. I kept running to the bathroom to wash my face, and thank God my back nine saved my...saved my ass."Gan battled back with a one-under 35 on the back nine, including birdies on 11 and 17 to finish&nbsp;second overall and qualify for the NCAA National Championship next week in Detroit.The birdie on 11, a near ace on a par 3, was the hole that turned the day around for Gan. She bogeyed only once on the back nine."The priority is national," Gan said. "Just getting to national. That's what we want. This is my first year, and that's good enough for me. I told myself, I have to make my teammates proud and make myself proud."This will be the fifth straight NCAA National Championship that a Griffon women's golfer will be competing in."This was my first goal in this year - I wanted to make the national," Gan said. "No matter how I made it, I just wanted to make it to national. And I made it. Thank God." Gan finished the week with a three-round total of 7-over 223.&nbsp;

This was the first NCAA Regional for Gan since the season was canceled last year due to COVID-19.The first season coming off that cancelation had its challenges, but Monfort is glad to see her team's best player get to the big stage in the end."I think it's going to be a really great thing for next year that she made it to nationals," Monfort said. "Hopefully, it'll motivate the others to do the same next year. It was a tough season, but in the end, it's going to be a good thing for (Gan) next year."Roger State's Jessica Green won the tournament with a 1-under par 215 - eight shots ahead of Gan. Katie Whitfield of Arkansas Tech finished third with a 10-over 226 - three shots behind Gan. Arkansas Tech won the team title with a three-round total of 919, while Rogers State (924) and Northeastern State (936) also qualified the for the national championship as a team. Henderson State (937) and Central Missouri (937) tied for fourth. The NCAA Division II National Championship starts next Tuesday, May 11 at TPC Michigan in Detroit and will wrap up on Saturday, May 15.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620252734225.jpeg" alt="Allycia Gan and graduate assistant coach Wendy Monfort embrace on the 18th green after Gan placed second in the NCAA Central Regional tournament at St. Joseph Country Club on Wednesday. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Allycia Gan and graduate assistant coach Wendy Monfort embrace on the 18th green after Gan placed second in the NCAA Central Regional tournament at St. Joseph Country Club on Wednesday. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620252785346.jpeg" alt="Allycia Gan drives a ball off the tee on the back nine of Wednesday's NCAA Central Regional. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Allycia Gan drives a ball off the tee on the back nine of Wednesday's NCAA Central Regional. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620252853770.jpeg" alt="Missouri Western golfer Allycia Gan hits a ball out of the sand trip on the second hole during Wednesday's NCAA Central Regional at St. Joseph Country Club. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Missouri Western golfer Allycia Gan hits a ball out of the sand trip on the second hole during Wednesday's NCAA Central Regional at St. Joseph Country Club. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>

Missouri Western golfer Allycia Gan qualifies for NCAA golf championships

Strong hitting up and down the lineup, paired with solid pitching and eight Benton errors, led to Lafayette (13-6) scoring a 16-3 win in five innings over the Cardinals on Tuesday afternoon at Bartlett Park.

The Irish scored three runs in the top of the first, four more in the second and led 8-0 by the middle of the third.

It was a satisfying start to the week for a Lafayette team coming off of a disappointing 4th place finish in the Chillicothe tournament over the weekend.

"We prepared really well," Lafayette head coach Matt Jansen said. "Our guys bought in. We came out with good approach and preparation and really tried to play our game and get back to where we were."

Benton got on the board in the bottom of the 3rd, thanks to a three-run home run to left field by Jackson Kanacsky.

The Irish punched right back with three runs in the top of the fourth inning. Now trailing 11-3, Benton (9-11) loaded the bases after an error and a pair of walks.

With two outs, the Irish sent senior and Oklahoma commit Brayden Luikart to the mound, and he got the final out in five quick pitches.

After a five-run top of the fifth by Lafayette's offense, Luikart proceeded to put Benton down in order in the bottom of the fifth. Luikart threw only 16 pitches and struck out three of his four batters faced.

Senior Zach Langley made the start on the mound for Lafayette, lasting 2.1 innings. Davin Guess pitched 1.1 innings of middle relief. Collectively, the Irish held Benton to just three hits.

"We were going to use our bullets right here and really go after what we want," Jansen said. "We wanted to be in a position where we could bring Brayden in, and it really shut the door."

Offensively, Lafayette stayed hot throughout the game, tallying 11 total hits. They also benefited from eight Benton errors.

 Senior Dayne Koch went 2-for-4 at the plate with two RBIs and four runs scored. Junior Cade King went 2-for-3 with a double and two runs scored.

 Senior Jayden Little blew the game clear open Tuesday with a three-run homer to left center, which gave the Irish a 13-run lead and gave the Highland Community College commit his sixth homer of the season.

"I came into today, looking to make a better and bigger impact on this game," Little said. "I just happened to help my team with a homerun. That's how it happens sometimes."

With only three games left in the regular season and districts just 10 days away, Lafayette is poised to break through when it matters most. Especially after the 4th place finish in Chillicothe and a runner-up finish in the Pony Express tournament.

"We just come in and work hard every day," Little said. "Just play to the best of our ability. Whenever we play the best we can, there aren't too many teams around here that can hang with us, and that just feels good to know that."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620177639397.jpeg" alt="Lafayette's Chance Herie (4) hits a double down the left-field line in the Irish's 16-3 win over Benton Tuesday. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Lafayette's Chance Herie (4) hits a double down the left-field line in the Irish's 16-3 win over Benton Tuesday. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostStrong hitting up and down the lineup, paired with solid pitching and eight Benton errors, led to Lafayette (13-6) scoring a 16-3 win in five innings over the Cardinals on Tuesday afternoon at Bartlett Park.The Irish scored three runs in the top of the first, four more in the second and led 8-0 by the middle of the third.It was a satisfying start to the week for a Lafayette team coming off of a disappointing 4th place finish in the Chillicothe tournament over the weekend."We prepared really well," Lafayette head coach Matt Jansen said. "Our guys bought in. We came out with good approach and preparation and really tried to play our game and get back to where we were."Benton got on the board in the bottom of the 3rd, thanks to a three-run home run to left field by Jackson Kanacsky.The Irish punched right back with three runs in the top of the fourth inning. Now trailing 11-3, Benton (9-11) loaded the bases after an error and a pair of walks.With two outs, the Irish sent senior and Oklahoma commit Brayden Luikart to the mound, and he got the final out in five quick pitches.After a five-run top of the fifth by Lafayette's offense, Luikart proceeded to put Benton down in order in the bottom of the fifth. Luikart threw only 16 pitches and struck out three of his four batters faced.Senior Zach Langley made the start on the mound for Lafayette, lasting 2.1 innings. Davin Guess pitched 1.1 innings of middle relief. Collectively, the Irish held Benton to just three hits."We were going to use our bullets right here and really go after what we want," Jansen said. "We wanted to be in a position where we could bring Brayden in, and it really shut the door."Offensively, Lafayette stayed hot throughout the game, tallying 11 total hits. They also benefited from eight Benton errors. Senior Dayne Koch went 2-for-4 at the plate with two RBIs and four runs scored. Junior Cade King went 2-for-3 with a double and two runs scored. Senior Jayden Little blew the game clear open Tuesday with a three-run homer to left center, which gave the Irish a 13-run lead and gave the Highland Community College commit his sixth homer of the season."I came into today, looking to make a better and bigger impact on this game," Little said. "I just happened to help my team with a homerun. That's how it happens sometimes."With only three games left in the regular season and districts just 10 days away, Lafayette is poised to break through when it matters most. Especially after the 4th place finish in Chillicothe and a runner-up finish in the Pony Express tournament."We just come in and work hard every day," Little said. "Just play to the best of our ability. Whenever we play the best we can, there aren't too many teams around here that can hang with us, and that just feels good to know that."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620177774645.jpeg" alt="Lafayette's Brayden Luikart pitches in relief during the Irish's 16-3 win over Benton. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Lafayette's Brayden Luikart pitches in relief during the Irish's 16-3 win over Benton. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620177818835.jpeg" alt="Lafayette's Davin Guess pitches in middle relief in Tuesday's win against Benton. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Lafayette's Davin Guess pitches in middle relief in Tuesday's win against Benton. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Lafayette starts hot, capitalizes on errors in win over Benton Tuesday

The St. Joseph Mustangs will kick off their 12th season with the annual Fan Fest celebration on Tuesday, June 1 at Phil Welch Stadium - one day before the season opener.

Food specials, national anthem tryouts, batting practice and autographs will highlight the event, and admission will be free.

Fans will have the chance to meet players and get autographs from the entire 2021 roster following the completion of batting practice.

“This will be many of our players' first opportunity to get on the field, and experience the incredible support of the community," said Mustangs general manager Ky Turner in a release. "We’ll have concessions open, music on the speakers and live interviews. This is really going to be a fun event, and it’s entirely free. We are just excited to welcome back everyone to the stadium.”

Fans will also get a chance to check out new merchandise for the upcoming season.

The Mustangs will start their quest for a seventh MINK League Championship on Wednesday, June 2 when they host the Des Moines Prospects. Johnny Coy returns to coach the team for a third season.&nbsp;

Tickets are available by contacting the Mustangs Front Office at 816-279-7856.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620155862134.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe St. Joseph Mustangs will kick off their 12th season with the annual Fan Fest celebration on Tuesday, June 1 at Phil Welch Stadium - one day before the season opener.Food specials, national anthem tryouts, batting practice and autographs will highlight the event, and admission will be free.Fans will have the chance to meet players and get autographs from the entire 2021 roster following the completion of batting practice.“This will be many of our players' first opportunity to get on the field, and experience the incredible support of the community," said Mustangs general manager Ky Turner in a release. "We’ll have concessions open, music on the speakers and live interviews. This is really going to be a fun event, and it’s entirely free. We are just excited to welcome back everyone to the stadium.”Fans will also get a chance to check out new merchandise for the upcoming season.The Mustangs will start their quest for a seventh MINK League Championship on Wednesday, June 2 when they host the Des Moines Prospects. Johnny Coy returns to coach the team for a third season.&nbsp;Tickets are available by contacting the Mustangs Front Office at 816-279-7856.

St. Joseph Mustangs' Fan Fest returning in 2021

The MIAA released the bracket for the 2021 MIAA Softball Tournament Monday. Missouri Western is the No. 6 seed and will play No. 3 seed Missouri Southern in the quarterfinals in Joplin on Friday. Eight teams made the tournament this season and the quarterfinals are a best-of-three series hosted by the higher seed on campus sites that begin Friday.

The Griffons just wrapped up their regular season against Missouri Southern and lost 4-3 and 3-2 on Saturday in Joplin. Missouri Western is 27-17 this season and they finished 16-10 in the MIAA. The best-of-three series against Missouri Southern will begin with a doubleheader Friday and the first pitch of game one is set for 3:00 p.m. Game three, if necessary, is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. on Saturday.

Northwest (18-20) plays No. 1 seed Central Oklahoma in Edmond on Friday with a doubleheader starting at 5 p.m.

Game three, if needed, is Saturday at 2 p.m. The winner of each quarterfinal series will advance to the MIAA semifinals in Edmond, Oklahoma. That will be a double elimination tournament starting May 13. MIAA QUARTERFINALS 1. Central Oklahoma vs. 8. Northwest Missouri State 2. Central Missouri vs. 7. Washburn 3. Missouri Southern vs. 6. Missouri Western 4. Rogers State vs. 5. Fort Hays State&nbsp;&nbsp;

St. Joseph Post&nbsp;The MIAA released the bracket for the 2021 MIAA Softball Tournament Monday. Missouri Western is the No. 6 seed and will play No. 3 seed Missouri Southern in the quarterfinals in Joplin on Friday. Eight teams made the tournament this season and the quarterfinals are a best-of-three series hosted by the higher seed on campus sites that begin Friday.The Griffons just wrapped up their regular season against Missouri Southern and lost 4-3 and 3-2 on Saturday in Joplin. Missouri Western is 27-17 this season and they finished 16-10 in the MIAA. The best-of-three series against Missouri Southern will begin with a doubleheader Friday and the first pitch of game one is set for 3:00 p.m. Game three, if necessary, is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. on Saturday.Northwest (18-20) plays No. 1 seed Central Oklahoma in Edmond on Friday with a doubleheader starting at 5 p.m.Game three, if needed, is Saturday at 2 p.m. The winner of each quarterfinal series will advance to the MIAA semifinals in Edmond, Oklahoma. That will be a double elimination tournament starting May 13. MIAA QUARTERFINALS 1. Central Oklahoma vs. 8. Northwest Missouri State 2. Central Missouri vs. 7. Washburn 3. Missouri Southern vs. 6. Missouri Western 4. Rogers State vs. 5. Fort Hays State&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620150458430.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Missouri Western, Northwest Missouri State qualify for MIAA softball tournament

The MEC Conference golf tournament took place at Fairview Golf Course in St. Joseph Monday, and Bishop LeBlond won their third consecutive conference meet with a team score of 315.

They won by 44 strokes over runner-up Maryville (359).

Senior Jeff Johnston took first with a 75. Sophomore Sam Schoeberl was second with a 78. All five of the Eagles' golfers ended up placing in the top 10.

Pat Johnston placed 3rd (80), Davis Jungbluth 4th (82) and Tim Johnston was 6th (84).

Savannah finished third as a team with a team score of 362.

Maryville and LeBlond will return to Fairview next Monday for the Class 3 District 4 tournament.

<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. Stock photo." />
 <figcaption>LeBlond's Davis Jungbluth (left) and Tim Johnston (right) hit the driving range at the St. Joseph Country Club. Stock photo.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe MEC Conference golf tournament took place at Fairview Golf Course in St. Joseph Monday, and Bishop LeBlond won their third consecutive conference meet with a team score of 315.They won by 44 strokes over runner-up Maryville (359).Senior Jeff Johnston took first with a 75. Sophomore Sam Schoeberl was second with a 78. All five of the Eagles' golfers ended up placing in the top 10.Pat Johnston placed 3rd (80), Davis Jungbluth 4th (82) and Tim Johnston was 6th (84).Savannah finished third as a team with a team score of 362.Maryville and LeBlond will return to Fairview next Monday for the Class 3 District 4 tournament.

Bishop LeBlond takes first in MEC Golf tournament Monday

ROSENDALE -&nbsp;North Andrew basketball standout Tanner McDaniel will continue his playing career at the next level.

McDaniel signed his letter of intent to play basketball for MIAA school Washburn on Monday afternoon.

McDaniel leaves North Andrew with one of the most decorated basketball careers in school history, tallying 1,494 career points, including 162 career three-pointers.

"I don't know if I've ever met someone more deserving of this than Tanner," said North Andrew boys' basketball coach Wade Bryson. "He works hard. He's put in a ton of time, and to see that time and hard work pay off with this kind of opportunity is incredible."

Coming from an area of Missouri Western and Northwest Missouri State fans and alums, McDaniel looks to forward to playing both the Griffons and Bearcats while wearing an Ichabod uniform.

"It'll be super fun," McDaniel said. "It's crazy to think about playing those teams. They're so good and so successful. It'll be great to come back here and play games."

Bryson said this past season gave McDaniel lots of chances to play in front of college coaches, especially during the Final Four in Springfield.

"Once we got to state and coaches saw the success he had, that opened up a door for him that wasn't there at the start of the year," Bryson said.

A little while before the state tournament, during a game against St. Michael the Archangel at the Bishop LeBlond Holiday tournament in late December, Washburn coaches got to see McDaniel's potential and skill set up close

"Washburn was there when we played St. Michael at LeBlond," Bryson recalled. "They sat right behind our bench. That hadn't talked to us at that point, but they had been on our list."

McDaniel helped lead the Cardinals to a district championship in 2020-21 with a 22-10 record and a fourth place finish at state.

He'll play for a Washburn program that's had a great run of recent success itself. The Ichabods finished No. 17 in the final NCAA DII poll this past season with a 20-7 record.

That included wins over Missouri Western in the NCAA Central Region Tournament and a pair of wins againt eventual national champion Northwest Missouri State, <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/f1a8e16e-10ae-4d0c-9b1e-e978f11211a1">including a 69-68 victory in the MIAA tournament championship game</a>.

"I'm just super excited to get the opportunity to play there," said McDaniel. "The main thing is I didn't want to stop playing basketball. I sent a bunch of stuff out and they got back to me. I was super excited. I went on a visit. Loved the campus, loved the coaches. Just thought it was a good fit."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620084740232.jpeg" alt="Tanner McDaniel signs his national letter of intent to play basketball for Washburn next season. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Tanner McDaniel signs his national letter of intent to play basketball for Washburn next season. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostROSENDALE -&nbsp;North Andrew basketball standout Tanner McDaniel will continue his playing career at the next level.McDaniel signed his letter of intent to play basketball for MIAA school Washburn on Monday afternoon.McDaniel leaves North Andrew with one of the most decorated basketball careers in school history, tallying 1,494 career points, including 162 career three-pointers."I don't know if I've ever met someone more deserving of this than Tanner," said North Andrew boys' basketball coach Wade Bryson. "He works hard. He's put in a ton of time, and to see that time and hard work pay off with this kind of opportunity is incredible."Coming from an area of Missouri Western and Northwest Missouri State fans and alums, McDaniel looks to forward to playing both the Griffons and Bearcats while wearing an Ichabod uniform."It'll be super fun," McDaniel said. "It's crazy to think about playing those teams. They're so good and so successful. It'll be great to come back here and play games."Bryson said this past season gave McDaniel lots of chances to play in front of college coaches, especially during the Final Four in Springfield."Once we got to state and coaches saw the success he had, that opened up a door for him that wasn't there at the start of the year," Bryson said.A little while before the state tournament, during a game against St. Michael the Archangel at the Bishop LeBlond Holiday tournament in late December, Washburn coaches got to see McDaniel's potential and skill set up close"Washburn was there when we played St. Michael at LeBlond," Bryson recalled. "They sat right behind our bench. That hadn't talked to us at that point, but they had been on our list."McDaniel helped lead the Cardinals to a district championship in 2020-21 with a 22-10 record and a fourth place finish at state.He'll play for a Washburn program that's had a great run of recent success itself. The Ichabods finished No. 17 in the final NCAA DII poll this past season with a 20-7 record.That included wins over Missouri Western in the NCAA Central Region Tournament and a pair of wins againt eventual national champion Northwest Missouri State, <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/f1a8e16e-10ae-4d0c-9b1e-e978f11211a1">including a 69-68 victory in the MIAA tournament championship game</a>."I'm just super excited to get the opportunity to play there," said McDaniel. "The main thing is I didn't want to stop playing basketball. I sent a bunch of stuff out and they got back to me. I was super excited. I went on a visit. Loved the campus, loved the coaches. Just thought it was a good fit."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612323452017.jpeg" alt="Tanner McDaniel during a home game vs. St. Joseph Christian./ Photo by Whitnee Ice." />
 <figcaption>Tanner McDaniel during a home game vs. St. Joseph Christian./ Photo by Whitnee Ice.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

North Andrew's Tanner McDaniel signs to play college basketball at Washburn

The No. 23 Northwest Missouri State men's tennis team claimed the 2021&nbsp;MIAA-GAC&nbsp;Men's Tennis Tournament championship with a 4-0 dual sweep over No. 20 Washburn on Sunday in Edmond, Oklahoma. It's the ninth time that the Bearcat men have captured the&nbsp;MIAA's&nbsp;postseason tournament championship under head coach Mark&nbsp;Rosewell. Northwest (14-4) clinched an automatic bid into the NCAA Central Region Tournament with the crown. The Bearcats got going quickly in doubles play. Northwest's No. 1 doubles team of Andrea&nbsp;Zamurri&nbsp;and Franco&nbsp;Oliva&nbsp;breezed to a 6-1 win over Washburn's Bradley&nbsp;Eidenmueller&nbsp;and Sebastian&nbsp;Pjontek. Northwest's No. 2 doubles duo of Martin Sanchez and&nbsp;Fillippo&nbsp;Piranomonte&nbsp;cruised to a 6-1 win over Washburn's Paul&nbsp;Haase&nbsp;and&nbsp;Miquel&nbsp;Perez to clinch the doubles point for the Bearcats. Northwest didn't miss a beat in singles, scoring wins at No. 1, No. 4 and No. 5. Zamurri, ranked No. 6 in the nation,&nbsp;moved his season mark to 17-0 with a 6-2, 6-1 win over WU's No. 24-ranked&nbsp;Raul-Alin&nbsp;Dicu. Piranomonte&nbsp;took it to WU's&nbsp;Eidenmueller&nbsp;at No. 4 singles with a 6-1, 6-2 victory. Northwest's Martin Sanchez closed out the dual win with a 6-4, 6-2 triumph at No. 5 singles over WU's&nbsp;Pjontek.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620039441171.jpeg" alt="BearcatSports.com" />
 <figcaption>BearcatSports.com</figcaption>
 </figure>St. Joseph PostThe No. 23 Northwest Missouri State men's tennis team claimed the 2021&nbsp;MIAA-GAC&nbsp;Men's Tennis Tournament championship with a 4-0 dual sweep over No. 20 Washburn on Sunday in Edmond, Oklahoma. It's the ninth time that the Bearcat men have captured the&nbsp;MIAA's&nbsp;postseason tournament championship under head coach Mark&nbsp;Rosewell. Northwest (14-4) clinched an automatic bid into the NCAA Central Region Tournament with the crown. The Bearcats got going quickly in doubles play. Northwest's No. 1 doubles team of Andrea&nbsp;Zamurri&nbsp;and Franco&nbsp;Oliva&nbsp;breezed to a 6-1 win over Washburn's Bradley&nbsp;Eidenmueller&nbsp;and Sebastian&nbsp;Pjontek. Northwest's No. 2 doubles duo of Martin Sanchez and&nbsp;Fillippo&nbsp;Piranomonte&nbsp;cruised to a 6-1 win over Washburn's Paul&nbsp;Haase&nbsp;and&nbsp;Miquel&nbsp;Perez to clinch the doubles point for the Bearcats. Northwest didn't miss a beat in singles, scoring wins at No. 1, No. 4 and No. 5. Zamurri, ranked No. 6 in the nation,&nbsp;moved his season mark to 17-0 with a 6-2, 6-1 win over WU's No. 24-ranked&nbsp;Raul-Alin&nbsp;Dicu. Piranomonte&nbsp;took it to WU's&nbsp;Eidenmueller&nbsp;at No. 4 singles with a 6-1, 6-2 victory. Northwest's Martin Sanchez closed out the dual win with a 6-4, 6-2 triumph at No. 5 singles over WU's&nbsp;Pjontek.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Northwest Missouri State men's tennis wins MIAA-GAC tournament title

(AP) - The Kansas City Chiefs made the most of their modest number of draft picks by filling the biggest holes remaining on their roster.

With their first two picks, both in the second round, they grabbed Missouri linebacker Nick Bolton and Oklahoma center Creed Humphrey on Friday.

They added Florida State pass rusher Joshua Kaindoh in the fourth and Duke tight end Noah Gray and Clemson wide receiver Cornell Powell in the fifth rounds on Saturday.

The Chiefs also used their first-round pick as part of a trade package with Baltimore earlier in the week that landed them two-time Pro Bowl offensive tackle Orlando Brown, Jr.

St. Joseph Post(AP) - The Kansas City Chiefs made the most of their modest number of draft picks by filling the biggest holes remaining on their roster.With their first two picks, both in the second round, they grabbed Missouri linebacker Nick Bolton and Oklahoma center Creed Humphrey on Friday.They added Florida State pass rusher Joshua Kaindoh in the fourth and Duke tight end Noah Gray and Clemson wide receiver Cornell Powell in the fifth rounds on Saturday.The Chiefs also used their first-round pick as part of a trade package with Baltimore earlier in the week that landed them two-time Pro Bowl offensive tackle Orlando Brown, Jr.

Chiefs draft five players over the weekend, including Mizzou LB Nick Bolton

It was a picture perfect day weather wise on Thursday, and quite a busy day on the spring sports schedule as well.

Baseball The Chillicothe tournament got underway. The Benton Cardinals scored 16-8 victories over both Macon and Chillicothe. The Cardinals will play for the title on Saturday at 11 a.m.

Lafayette plays Cameron, while Maryville plays Kirksville in that tournament on Friday afternoon.

Other baseball scores St. Pius X 8 Bishop LeBlond 0 South Holt 18 DeKalb 0 Lawson 10 East Buchanan 3 Mid-Buchanan (11-3) plated three runs in the bottom of the seventh to beat Lathrop 9-8.

King City 5 Albany 4 Platte Valley 16 North Andrew 1 Pattonsburg 15 St. Joseph Christian 3| West Platte 3 Plattsburg 2

Boys’ golf Chillicothe won the Savannah invitational by a whopping 34 strokes. Meanwhile, Mid-Buchanan finished second in the KCI Conference meet. Noah Hughes took first with a 77. Lane Ellison and John Kelly earned all-conference honors.

Girls soccer Maryville 9 Benton 1 Lee’s Summit 8 St. Joseph Central 0 Mid-Buchanan 2 Lafayette 0 Savannah 4 Kansas City Lutheran 2 St. Pius X 3 Bishop LeBlond 0. That snaps a five-match winning streak for the Eagles.

Boys’ Tennis The MEC tournament starts today at 8 a.m. at the Noyes Tennis Courts. Meanwhile, Savannah swept Benton 9-0 Thursday to clinch the regular season MEC championship outright.

Other tennis results Maryville 9 LeBlond 0

Track and Field The Maryville boys and the Cameron girls took first in the Spoofhound relays. Maryville racked up 183 points, while Cameron had 169. Full results can be <a href="https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/kmaland.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/3/ce/3ce2ef84-a95d-11eb-87a1-271e25a1daac/608b6dcc55645.pdf.pdf">viewed here</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619781124958.jpeg" alt="The Savannah boys' tennis team swept Benton 9-0 Thursday to claim the MEC regular season championship outright. Photo courtesy of Wakefield Hare." />
 <figcaption>The Savannah boys' tennis team swept Benton 9-0 Thursday to claim the MEC regular season championship outright. Photo courtesy of Wakefield Hare.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostIt was a picture perfect day weather wise on Thursday, and quite a busy day on the spring sports schedule as well.Baseball The Chillicothe tournament got underway. The Benton Cardinals scored 16-8 victories over both Macon and Chillicothe. The Cardinals will play for the title on Saturday at 11 a.m.Lafayette plays Cameron, while Maryville plays Kirksville in that tournament on Friday afternoon.Other baseball scores St. Pius X 8 Bishop LeBlond 0 South Holt 18 DeKalb 0 Lawson 10 East Buchanan 3 Mid-Buchanan (11-3) plated three runs in the bottom of the seventh to beat Lathrop 9-8.King City 5 Albany 4 Platte Valley 16 North Andrew 1 Pattonsburg 15 St. Joseph Christian 3| West Platte 3 Plattsburg 2Boys’ golf Chillicothe won the Savannah invitational by a whopping 34 strokes. Meanwhile, Mid-Buchanan finished second in the KCI Conference meet. Noah Hughes took first with a 77. Lane Ellison and John Kelly earned all-conference honors.Girls soccer Maryville 9 Benton 1 Lee’s Summit 8 St. Joseph Central 0 Mid-Buchanan 2 Lafayette 0 Savannah 4 Kansas City Lutheran 2 St. Pius X 3 Bishop LeBlond 0. That snaps a five-match winning streak for the Eagles.Boys’ Tennis The MEC tournament starts today at 8 a.m. at the Noyes Tennis Courts. Meanwhile, Savannah swept Benton 9-0 Thursday to clinch the regular season MEC championship outright.Other tennis results Maryville 9 LeBlond 0Track and Field The Maryville boys and the Cameron girls took first in the Spoofhound relays. Maryville racked up 183 points, while Cameron had 169. Full results can be <a href="https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/kmaland.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/3/ce/3ce2ef84-a95d-11eb-87a1-271e25a1daac/608b6dcc55645.pdf.pdf">viewed here</a>.You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

KFEQ/St. Joseph Post area high school scoreboard - April 29, 2021

St. Joseph Christian faculty helped lead a dedication ceremony on Thursday afternoon before the Lions' baseball game against Pattonsburg.

The school officially dedicated the Terry Glidewell Baseball Concession Stand at the baseball field.

Terry was the mother of St. Joseph Christian alum and star pitcher Levi Glidewell, who helped the Lions to back-to-back district titles in 2017 and '18 - the first two seasons of the St. Joe Christian baseball program.

Terry died after a lengthy fight with ovarian cancer in 2018. Afterward, her husband Jeff and school administration came together to try and decide the best way to honor her memory.

A concession stand at the baseball field was the unanimous choice.

"It was something our school needed as well," co-superintendent Danny Maggart said. "It was just a no-brainer that we were able to do this. We're just so thankful for the opportunity to remember Terry in this way."

The concession stand was delivered to the school about a year ago, but with COVID canceling last year's season, the dedication ceremony had been delayed a bit.

"It's really just a privilege to not only build this facility that was needed by the school, but also to be able to have something in Terry's memory," Jeff said. "She was just so dedicated to our son and watching different sports over the years. And she was so dedicated to the school."

Numerous parents and community members gathered at the ballpark Thursday to hear stories about Terry, as well as Levi's memorable playing career, which included a no-hit, 17-strikeout performance against East Atchison in 2019 and another 16-strikeout no-no against Braymer that same year.

"It's not important you remember me," Jeff said as he addressed the crowd at the ceremony. "It's not even important that you remember how fantastic Levi was in his three years of playing baseball. What's important is that you remember Terry's legacy."

It's a legacy and influence that Jeff saw in his son on the mound.

"He had nerves of steel," Jeff said of Levi. "And I just think of how Terry could handle any kind of situation. Chemo treatments, radiation, whatever and not complain. Levi just had that same kind of mental toughness on the mound that his mom did."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619748557485.jpeg" alt="The concession stand at the St. Joseph Christian field was built and dedicated in Terry Glidewell's honor. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>The concession stand at the St. Joseph Christian field was built and dedicated in Terry Glidewell's honor. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostSt. Joseph Christian faculty helped lead a dedication ceremony on Thursday afternoon before the Lions' baseball game against Pattonsburg.The school officially dedicated the Terry Glidewell Baseball Concession Stand at the baseball field.Terry was the mother of St. Joseph Christian alum and star pitcher Levi Glidewell, who helped the Lions to back-to-back district titles in 2017 and '18 - the first two seasons of the St. Joe Christian baseball program.Terry died after a lengthy fight with ovarian cancer in 2018. Afterward, her husband Jeff and school administration came together to try and decide the best way to honor her memory.A concession stand at the baseball field was the unanimous choice."It was something our school needed as well," co-superintendent Danny Maggart said. "It was just a no-brainer that we were able to do this. We're just so thankful for the opportunity to remember Terry in this way."The concession stand was delivered to the school about a year ago, but with COVID canceling last year's season, the dedication ceremony had been delayed a bit.Delayed, but not any less meaningful."It's really just a privilege to not only build this facility that was needed by the school, but also to be able to have something in Terry's memory," Jeff said. "She was just so dedicated to our son and watching different sports over the years. And she was so dedicated to the school."Numerous parents and community members gathered at the ballpark Thursday to hear stories about Terry, as well as Levi's memorable playing career, which included a no-hit, 17-strikeout performance against East Atchison in 2019 and another 16-strikeout no-no against Braymer that same year."It's not important you remember me," Jeff said as he addressed the crowd at the ceremony. "It's not even important that you remember how fantastic Levi was in his three years of playing baseball. What's important is that you remember Terry's legacy."It's a legacy and influence that Jeff saw in his son on the mound."He had nerves of steel," Jeff said of Levi. "And I just think of how Terry could handle any kind of situation. Chemo treatments, radiation, whatever and not complain. Levi just had that same kind of mental toughness on the mound that his mom did."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619748608512.jpeg" alt="Jeff and Levi Glidewell bow their head in prayer during the concession stand dedication ceremony on Thursday afternoon. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Jeff and Levi Glidewell bow their head in prayer during the concession stand dedication ceremony on Thursday afternoon. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

St. Joseph Christian dedicates Terry Glidewell Baseball Concession Stand

FAUCETT - Braydn Kemper has been around basketball basically his whole life.

His father, Bryce, has been a huge part of that experience.

A Mid-Buchanan graduate in 2016, Braydn played basketball for his dad and was part of a team that took second at state in 2015. He went on to score 1,191 points in his varsity career, earning all-state and all-conference honors.

After playing a couple years collegiately for the University of St. Mary in Leavenworth, Braydn came home to pursue both teaching and coaching opportunities.

He's spent the last two years as an assistant coach for Mid-Buchanan, helping his dad lead the Dragons to back-to-back district titles.

"It was just special," Braydn said. "Getting to celebrate with him. Just being able to work him, too. He's a tremendous coach. Arguably one of the best in the area. It's been a great learning experience for me. I've known I've wanted to be a coach for a long time. When you get to coach with somebody, you get to be a part of the whole process."

After those two years, Kemper knew he was ready to lead a program of his own. Lo and behold, North Platte was looking for a math teacher and boys' basketball coach. Bryce told his son about the job opening, and things were in motion from that point on.

"It was just an awesome opportunity," Braydn said. "Just a small school, which I'm used to and something I was looking to find. A small school kind of like Mid-Buchanan, and I think North Platte is like Mid-Buchanan in a lot of ways. A small community, and everyone kind of backs the school. It was an opportunity I couldn't pass up."

Indeed, only 7.5 miles separate Faucett and Dearborn, as both Mid-Buchanan and North Platte are members of the KCI Conference. Braydn's chance to coach against his dad will come quickly.

The two teams will meet in the KCI Conference on December 17 at North Platte High School.

"I know a little insider information about how (my dad) prepares," Braydn joked. "So, that might help me come December."

More broadly, Kemper is excited to help North Platte take a step forward after the Panthers finished 3-15 in 2020-21.

North Platte returns 14 players from its current roster, and will look to achieve its first winning season since 2016. The last district title came in 2011.

Braydn is 23, making him one of the youngest head coaches in the area. Getting North Platte to the level where Mid-Buchanan is will take some time.

But, Kemper feels ready to lead a program, and the players feel ready to help him bring it up a notch.

"They are hungry to turn this thing around," Kemper said. "We just have to put in the work. They have some good junior high kids coming up. Working with the community so far has been really cool. I've had people reach out to me, congratulate me and welcome me."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619639222501.jpeg" alt="Braydn Kemper has been assistant for Mid-Buchanan boys' basketball the last two years, with his father Bryce being the head man. Now, Braydn will be the head coach of the North Platte boys next season. Photo via Braydn Kemper on Twitter." />
 <figcaption>Braydn Kemper has been assistant for Mid-Buchanan boys' basketball the last two years, with his father Bryce being the head man. Now, Braydn will be the head coach of the North Platte boys next season. Photo via Braydn Kemper on Twitter.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostFAUCETT - Braydn Kemper has been around basketball basically his whole life.His father, Bryce, has been a huge part of that experience.A Mid-Buchanan graduate in 2016, Braydn played basketball for his dad and was part of a team that took second at state in 2015. He went on to score 1,191 points in his varsity career, earning all-state and all-conference honors.After playing a couple years collegiately for the University of St. Mary in Leavenworth, Braydn came home to pursue both teaching and coaching opportunities.He's spent the last two years as an assistant coach for Mid-Buchanan, helping his dad lead the Dragons to back-to-back district titles."It was just special," Braydn said. "Getting to celebrate with him. Just being able to work him, too. He's a tremendous coach. Arguably one of the best in the area. It's been a great learning experience for me. I've known I've wanted to be a coach for a long time. When you get to coach with somebody, you get to be a part of the whole process."After those two years, Kemper knew he was ready to lead a program of his own. Lo and behold, North Platte was looking for a math teacher and boys' basketball coach. Bryce told his son about the job opening, and things were in motion from that point on."It was just an awesome opportunity," Braydn said. "Just a small school, which I'm used to and something I was looking to find. A small school kind of like Mid-Buchanan, and I think North Platte is like Mid-Buchanan in a lot of ways. A small community, and everyone kind of backs the school. It was an opportunity I couldn't pass up."Indeed, only 7.5 miles separate Faucett and Dearborn, as both Mid-Buchanan and North Platte are members of the KCI Conference. Braydn's chance to coach against his dad will come quickly.The two teams will meet in the KCI Conference on December 17 at North Platte High School."I know a little insider information about how (my dad) prepares," Braydn joked. "So, that might help me come December."More broadly, Kemper is excited to help North Platte take a step forward after the Panthers finished 3-15 in 2020-21.North Platte returns 14 players from its current roster, and will look to achieve its first winning season since 2016. The last district title came in 2011.Braydn is 23, making him one of the youngest head coaches in the area. Getting North Platte to the level where Mid-Buchanan is will take some time.But, Kemper feels ready to lead a program, and the players feel ready to help him bring it up a notch."They are hungry to turn this thing around," Kemper said. "We just have to put in the work. They have some good junior high kids coming up. Working with the community so far has been really cool. I've had people reach out to me, congratulate me and welcome me."<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/1038635377&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/mid-buchanan-assistant-braydn-kemper-talks-about-new-north-platte-job" title="Mid-Buchanan assistant Braydn Kemper talks about new North Platte job" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Mid-Buchanan assistant Braydn Kemper talks about new North Platte job</a></div></div>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Braydn Kemper excited to forge his own path as North Platte's new boys' basketball coach

FAUCETT - Bishop LeBlond scored three runs in the top of the fifth inning to force a tie, but Mid-Buchanan (10-3) scored a run in the bottom of the fifth and two more in the sixth to fend off the Eagles, 6-3, on Tuesday at Mid-Buchanan High School.

Playing their first game in five days, the Dragons were a bit slow to start and were held without a hit in the first two innings.

Mid-Buchanan got on the board first in the bottom of the third, however. Sophomore Zach Kelly singled up the middle and was able to steal both second and third base.

Kelly was brought home on an RBI single to left by sophomore Derek Sprague, and an RBI groundout by senior Cade Bradford gave the Dragons a 2-0 lead after three.

Senior Tyler Brown did his part on the mound as well, striking out six batters through the first three innings.

"Our pitching was excellent," Mid-Buchanan coach Rod Elms said. "I think we walked only two people and only hit one. Hitting locations. That was a good thing to see, plus we played pretty good defense. It was just an all around good baseball game."

After&nbsp; the Dragons scored another run in the fourth, LeBlond got their bats going in the fifth. With one out and nobody on, sophomore Jake Korell reached first on an error, and junior Alex Libel reached on a full-count walk right after.

After that, junior Chris Guldan, senior Will Atkinson and junior Bradeyn Dawson each hit RBI singles consecutively to tie the game at 3-3.

Junior Caiden Bailey replaced Brown on the mound, and a flyout to left and a subsequent throw down to third base resulted in a double play and ended the inning, keeping the tie intact.

The Dragons quickly got the lead back in the bottom of the fifth. Sprague knocked a one-out single to center and swiped second and third base. He scored on an RBI groundout from Bradford.

Sprague went 2-of-3 at the plate with a run scored, an RBI and two stolen bases.

"He's just a baseball nut," Elms said of Sprague. "I mean, he'll go and stay late after practice or go and watch JV. He's a good kid, and I'll put him anywhere out here. He's just a good baseball kid. Just loves the game."

After Bailey put the Eagles down 1-2-3 in the top of the sixth, Mid-Buchanan tacked on two more runs on a pair of hits, sparked by a right-field triple off the bat of senior Javan Noyes, who scored a team-high two runs, while driving in a run and stealing two bases.

Bailey, who got the win on the mound in 2.2 innings of work, put the Eagles down in order in the top of the seventh to end the game. Bailey didn't allow a hit and struck out two batters.

In 4.1 innings, Brown struck out eight and walked only one in an overall solid start on the mound.

"Again, awesome job by both of them," Elms said of his pitchers. "It was just awesome."

LeBlond's Chris Guldan struck out nine batters in a complete game loss, and did not hit or walk anyone. He surrendered six hits and five earned runs, but Mid-Buchanan benefited from three fielding errors and 10 stolen bases. A handful of passed balls also helped the Dragons get some extra bases.

"He's a very good pitcher," Elms said about Guldan's performance. "Very crafty. He throws it in, out. Changes speeds on you. We hit the ball hard. We put it in play, and that's what we had to do."

Mid-Buchanan is back home Thursday to face Lathrop (9-2) at 4:30 before hosting Class 3 contender Carrollton (12-2) on Friday at 4:30 as well.

LeBlond (3-9) is home to conference foe St. Pius X (11-2) on Thursday at 4:30.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619572774860.jpeg" alt="Mid-Buchanan's Tyler Brown struck out eight batters, and also singled and scored at the plate in the Dragons' 6-3 win over Bishop LeBlond Tuesday. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Mid-Buchanan's Tyler Brown struck out eight batters, and also singled and scored at the plate in the Dragons' 6-3 win over Bishop LeBlond Tuesday. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostFAUCETT - Bishop LeBlond scored three runs in the top of the fifth inning to force a tie, but Mid-Buchanan (10-3) scored a run in the bottom of the fifth and two more in the sixth to fend off the Eagles, 6-3, on Tuesday at Mid-Buchanan High School.Playing their first game in five days, the Dragons were a bit slow to start and were held without a hit in the first two innings.Mid-Buchanan got on the board first in the bottom of the third, however. Sophomore Zach Kelly singled up the middle and was able to steal both second and third base.Kelly was brought home on an RBI single to left by sophomore Derek Sprague, and an RBI groundout by senior Cade Bradford gave the Dragons a 2-0 lead after three.Senior Tyler Brown did his part on the mound as well, striking out six batters through the first three innings."Our pitching was excellent," Mid-Buchanan coach Rod Elms said. "I think we walked only two people and only hit one. Hitting locations. That was a good thing to see, plus we played pretty good defense. It was just an all around good baseball game."After&nbsp; the Dragons scored another run in the fourth, LeBlond got their bats going in the fifth. With one out and nobody on, sophomore Jake Korell reached first on an error, and junior Alex Libel reached on a full-count walk right after.After that, junior Chris Guldan, senior Will Atkinson and junior Bradeyn Dawson each hit RBI singles consecutively to tie the game at 3-3.Junior Caiden Bailey replaced Brown on the mound, and a flyout to left and a subsequent throw down to third base resulted in a double play and ended the inning, keeping the tie intact.The Dragons quickly got the lead back in the bottom of the fifth. Sprague knocked a one-out single to center and swiped second and third base. He scored on an RBI groundout from Bradford.Sprague went 2-of-3 at the plate with a run scored, an RBI and two stolen bases."He's just a baseball nut," Elms said of Sprague. "I mean, he'll go and stay late after practice or go and watch JV. He's a good kid, and I'll put him anywhere out here. He's just a good baseball kid. Just loves the game."After Bailey put the Eagles down 1-2-3 in the top of the sixth, Mid-Buchanan tacked on two more runs on a pair of hits, sparked by a right-field triple off the bat of senior Javan Noyes, who scored a team-high two runs, while driving in a run and stealing two bases.Bailey, who got the win on the mound in 2.2 innings of work, put the Eagles down in order in the top of the seventh to end the game. Bailey didn't allow a hit and struck out two batters.In 4.1 innings, Brown struck out eight and walked only one in an overall solid start on the mound."Again, awesome job by both of them," Elms said of his pitchers. "It was just awesome."LeBlond's Chris Guldan struck out nine batters in a complete game loss, and did not hit or walk anyone. He surrendered six hits and five earned runs, but Mid-Buchanan benefited from three fielding errors and 10 stolen bases. A handful of passed balls also helped the Dragons get some extra bases."He's a very good pitcher," Elms said about Guldan's performance. "Very crafty. He throws it in, out. Changes speeds on you. We hit the ball hard. We put it in play, and that's what we had to do."Mid-Buchanan is back home Thursday to face Lathrop (9-2) at 4:30 before hosting Class 3 contender Carrollton (12-2) on Friday at 4:30 as well.LeBlond (3-9) is home to conference foe St. Pius X (11-2) on Thursday at 4:30.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619572937513.jpeg" alt="LeBlond's Chris Guldan had a stellar performance on the mound, striking out nine batters Tuesday. He was also 2-of-4 at the plate with a run scored and an RBI in the Eagles' 6-3 loss to Mid-Buchanan Tuesday. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>LeBlond's Chris Guldan had a stellar performance on the mound, striking out nine batters Tuesday. He was also 2-of-4 at the plate with a run scored and an RBI in the Eagles' 6-3 loss to Mid-Buchanan Tuesday. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619573012208.jpeg" alt="Mid-Buchanan's Blake Hunter had a single and a pair of RBIs in the Dragons' 6-3 win over Bishop LeBlond Tuesday. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Mid-Buchanan's Blake Hunter had a single and a pair of RBIs in the Dragons' 6-3 win over Bishop LeBlond Tuesday. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Mid-Buchanan scores key insurance runs, holds off Bishop LeBlond Tuesday

The Kansas City Royals will expand stadium capacity for May games at Kauffman Stadium.

Single-game tickets to May home games will go on sale Wednesday at 10 a.m. central at Royals.com.

The Royals will provide three-foot socially distanced pod-style seating to accommodate 17,400 fans per game in May.

Future single-game ticket availability will be determined on a month-by-month basis until Kauffman Stadium can operate at full capacity. 

Capacity limits will be reviewed each month based on Kansas City health and safety protocols.

In addition to pod-style seating, several additional policies and protocols will be in place to ensure the health and safety of everyone at the ballpark. Face coverings are still required at all times unless eating or drinking.

Tickets and parking will only be accessible on mobile devices via the MLB Ballpark app. All tickets and parking must be purchased in advance.

St. Joseph PostThe Kansas City Royals will expand stadium capacity for May games at Kauffman Stadium.Single-game tickets to May home games will go on sale Wednesday at 10 a.m. central at Royals.com.The Royals will provide three-foot socially distanced pod-style seating to accommodate 17,400 fans per game in May.Future single-game ticket availability will be determined on a month-by-month basis until Kauffman Stadium can operate at full capacity. Capacity limits will be reviewed each month based on Kansas City health and safety protocols.In addition to pod-style seating, several additional policies and protocols will be in place to ensure the health and safety of everyone at the ballpark. Face coverings are still required at all times unless eating or drinking.Tickets and parking will only be accessible on mobile devices via the MLB Ballpark app. All tickets and parking must be purchased in advance.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">We are expanding stadium capacity for May games at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheK?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheK</a>. Get your single-game tickets tomorrow at 10 a.m. CT. More info: <a href="https://t.co/n4rVbBoMOB">https://t.co/n4rVbBoMOB</a> <a href="https://t.co/fNPqeef4SM">pic.twitter.com/fNPqeef4SM</a>&mdash; Kansas City Royals (@Royals) <a href="https://twitter.com/Royals/status/1387107171893223433?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 27, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>

Royals to expand stadium capacity for fans starting in May

Jared Boone had set St. Joseph Central girls' basketball up pretty well in his five years there before being relieved of his duties last April.

From 2016-2020, the Indians had winning records in four of those seasons and district titles in two of them (2016, 2020). In all, a 79-54 record.

Now, as Boone gets set to return to St. Joseph as the new Benton boys' basketball coach, he can't help but be excited about the situation, and the roster, he's inheriting.

"There's a lot of potential there," Boone tells The Post. "I'm really excited about the possibilities of things I think we can do this year. I'm excited about my finger prints I can put on the program and how I can help grow their game."

Boone takes over for Gary Belcher, <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/79d97a65-2ae5-416b-92c5-0d373b7d8ea6">who's headed to Lawson next year</a> after seven years in the South Side. In his seven years, Belcher guided the Cardinals to five winning seasons, including a 13-12 mark and district runner-up finish in 2020-21.

Before Belcher's arrival, Benton basketball failed to win more than six games in a single season from 2010-2014. With all five starters returning from this past year's squad, including all-conference honorees Kason Mauzey, Allan Coy and Carson Newlon, Boone is excited to build off of what Belcher has started.

"I think he did a great job with the program," Boone said of his predecessor. "From where it was when he took over to where he's got it now. He's done a good job of kind of setting me up to walk into a good situation."

Boone certainly learned a lot from his five years at Central, but he also gained valuable perspective in his one year as an assistant for Oak Park boys' basketball coach Brennan Scanlon this past season.

"As a head coach, you kind of get caught up in a lot of stuff that's up front," Boone said. "Sometimes, you forget to kind of take a step back and view things from a different vantage point. I've learned to do that this year, being in the assistant role and I really think it's helped grow me and prepare me to step into this situation."

A 2004 Benton graduate, Boone went onto play collegiately for North Central Missouri College in Trenton for two years before transferring to Lincoln University for two more.

He returned to St. Joseph to teach and coach at Spring Grader Middle School in 2009. He then joined the Central boys' staff in 2013 before being promoted to the head coaching role for the girls.

It's been a little while since he's walked the halls there, but Boone feels comfortable making this transition - a transition to a place he considers home.

"Just having that natural connection there," Boone said, "of like, 'Hey we're cut from the same cloth here' I think will help with a lot of the transition period and me being able to get in there and form those relationships and make those connections with the players."

<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/1037983948&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/benton-alum-former-central-girls-coach-jared-boone-talks-new-benton-job" title="Benton alum, former Central girls coach Jared Boone talks new Benton job" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Benton alum, former Central girls coach Jared Boone talks new Benton job</a></div></div>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostJared Boone had set St. Joseph Central girls' basketball up pretty well in his five years there before being relieved of his duties last April.From 2016-2020, the Indians had winning records in four of those seasons and district titles in two of them (2016, 2020). In all, a 79-54 record.Now, as Boone gets set to return to St. Joseph as the new Benton boys' basketball coach, he can't help but be excited about the situation, and the roster, he's inheriting."There's a lot of potential there," Boone tells The Post. "I'm really excited about the possibilities of things I think we can do this year. I'm excited about my finger prints I can put on the program and how I can help grow their game."Boone takes over for Gary Belcher, <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/79d97a65-2ae5-416b-92c5-0d373b7d8ea6">who's headed to Lawson next year</a> after seven years in the South Side. In his seven years, Belcher guided the Cardinals to five winning seasons, including a 13-12 mark and district runner-up finish in 2020-21.Before Belcher's arrival, Benton basketball failed to win more than six games in a single season from 2010-2014. With all five starters returning from this past year's squad, including all-conference honorees Kason Mauzey, Allan Coy and Carson Newlon, Boone is excited to build off of what Belcher has started."I think he did a great job with the program," Boone said of his predecessor. "From where it was when he took over to where he's got it now. He's done a good job of kind of setting me up to walk into a good situation."Boone certainly learned a lot from his five years at Central, but he also gained valuable perspective in his one year as an assistant for Oak Park boys' basketball coach Brennan Scanlon this past season."As a head coach, you kind of get caught up in a lot of stuff that's up front," Boone said. "Sometimes, you forget to kind of take a step back and view things from a different vantage point. I've learned to do that this year, being in the assistant role and I really think it's helped grow me and prepare me to step into this situation."A 2004 Benton graduate, Boone went onto play collegiately for North Central Missouri College in Trenton for two years before transferring to Lincoln University for two more.He returned to St. Joseph to teach and coach at Spring Grader Middle School in 2009. He then joined the Central boys' staff in 2013 before being promoted to the head coaching role for the girls.It's been a little while since he's walked the halls there, but Boone feels comfortable making this transition - a transition to a place he considers home."Just having that natural connection there," Boone said, "of like, 'Hey we're cut from the same cloth here' I think will help with a lot of the transition period and me being able to get in there and form those relationships and make those connections with the players."You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Jared Boone sees 'lots of potential' in current Benton team as he preps for next season

Former St. Joseph Central girls’ basketball coach Jared Boone is coming back to his hometown and alma mater.

Boone announced Monday evening that he’ll be the new head coach for the Benton boys’ basketball team, starting next season.

<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">IM COMING HOME! <a href="https://t.co/UlY7dqCs8s">pic.twitter.com/UlY7dqCs8s</a>&mdash; Jared Boone (@jaredboone32) <a href="https://twitter.com/jaredboone32/status/1386833004811669511?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 27, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostFormer St. Joseph Central girls’ basketball coach Jared Boone is coming back to his hometown and alma mater.Boone announced Monday evening that he’ll be the new head coach for the Benton boys’ basketball team, starting next season.Boone spent this past season as an assistant for the Oak Park boys’ team. Before that, he coached the Central girls from 2015-2020, compiling a 79-54 record and two district titles in that time.Boone replaces Gary Belcher at Benton, as <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/79d97a65-2ae5-416b-92c5-0d373b7d8ea6">Belcher will be the new boys’ basketball coach</a> at Lawson next year.Benton also announced the hiring of Lauryn Doolan as their next head volleyball coach Monday.Doolan is a 2013 Benton graduate and was a basketball and volleyball standout. She had been an assistant coach on Barbara Bell’s staff.Doolan is also an assistant track coach at Spring Garden Middle School. Benton volleyball finished last fall with a 6-9 record, and they return all but one player to their roster for next season.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">⁦<a href="https://twitter.com/bentoncardinals?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@bentoncardinals</a>⁩ would like to welcome Jared Boone as our 2021-22 Head Boys Basketball Coach!! ⁦<a href="https://twitter.com/bentonboyshoops?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@bentonboyshoops</a>⁩ ⁦<a href="https://twitter.com/KQ2SPORTS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KQ2SPORTS</a>⁩ ⁦<a href="https://twitter.com/SJNPSports?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SJNPSports</a>⁩ ⁦<a href="https://twitter.com/TommyKFEQ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TommyKFEQ</a>⁩ ⁦<a href="https://twitter.com/BHSSportsMarke3?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BHSSportsMarke3</a>⁩ <a href="https://t.co/IQ3i6IAnZY">pic.twitter.com/IQ3i6IAnZY</a>&mdash; Brett Goodwin (@BrettGoodwin20) <a href="https://twitter.com/BrettGoodwin20/status/1386831884211085313?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><a href="https://twitter.com/bentoncardinals?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@bentoncardinals</a> would like to welcome Lauryn Doolan as our 2021-22 Head Volleyball Coach!<a href="https://twitter.com/LadyCardsVball1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LadyCardsVball1</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://twitter.com/TommyKFEQ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TommyKFEQ</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/BHSSportsMarke3?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BHSSportsMarke3</a> <a href="https://t.co/46neYqDmzz">pic.twitter.com/46neYqDmzz</a>&mdash; Brett Goodwin (@BrettGoodwin20) <a href="https://twitter.com/BrettGoodwin20/status/1386831283494469637?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 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.