The Kansas Wesleyan basketball teams will return to Mabee Arena to host Saint Mary tonight for their final doubleheader of 2023.

Team Records - Kansas Wesleyan WBB (5-6, 3-2 in KCAC) - Saint Mary WBB (7-2, 5-0 in KCAC) - Kansas Wesleyan MBB (7-3, 4-1 in KCAC) - Saint Mary MBB (5-6, 1-4 in KCAC)

On the women's side the Coyotes have won eight in a row in the series, sweeping last year's games 78-69 on December 10 in Leavenworth, and 76-74 in overtime on February 8 at Mabee Arena. KWU is 32-16 all-time against the Spires.

On the men's side, KWU has won two straight, both match-ups last season. KWU is 8-2 in the last 10 meetings between the teams. KWU won 86-62 on December 10 in Leavenworth and 80-68 on February 8 in Mabee Arena last season. KWU holds a slight 24-23 lead in the all-time series between the teams. The teams did not play in 2020-21 due to COVID.

The Kansas Wesleyan basketball teams will return to Mabee Arena to host Saint Mary tonight for their final doubleheader of 2023.Team Records - Kansas Wesleyan WBB (5-6, 3-2 in KCAC) - Saint Mary WBB (7-2, 5-0 in KCAC) - Kansas Wesleyan MBB (7-3, 4-1 in KCAC) - Saint Mary MBB (5-6, 1-4 in KCAC)The SeriesOn the women's side the Coyotes have won eight in a row in the series, sweeping last year's games 78-69 on December 10 in Leavenworth, and 76-74 in overtime on February 8 at Mabee Arena. KWU is 32-16 all-time against the Spires.On the men's side, KWU has won two straight, both match-ups last season. KWU is 8-2 in the last 10 meetings between the teams. KWU won 86-62 on December 10 in Leavenworth and 80-68 on February 8 in Mabee Arena last season. KWU holds a slight 24-23 lead in the all-time series between the teams. The teams did not play in 2020-21 due to COVID.Live Coverage<ol>
 <li>The video stream of the game will be available online through the Coyote Sports Network at&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/505fdff8-6e3f-4b5a-84f7-d71bae2975c6?elinkdata=3154" target="_blank">www.kcacnetwork.com/kansaswesleyan</a>.</li><li>Live Stats will be available at&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/3d50338f-d80c-492e-b1a0-14217671d38b?elinkdata=3154" target="_blank">https://kwucoyotes.com/sidearmstats/wbball/summary</a>&nbsp;for the women and&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/30c325cd-e10d-46cb-a31d-431e0e12e127?elinkdata=3176" target="_blank">https://kwucoyotes.com/sidearmstats/mbball/summary</a>&nbsp;for the men</li><li>Radio coverage can be heard locally on KINA 910 AM/107.5 FM, and online at Salina Post. The online stream is also available at&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/9b80b14c-bd82-476d-8980-230405f59485?elinkdata=3154" target="_blank">https://radio.securenetsystems.net/ce/kina2</a>. Tyler Henry and Brooks Garretson will have the call with pregame starting at 4:30 on Saturday.</li>
 </ol>

Coyotes Return to Mabee to Wrap up 2023 on KINA

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post

One of the biggest rivalries in the state of Kansas did not disappoint on Friday night, as Salina South and Salina Central split their doubleheader on the hardwood.

Girls Game: Salina South 51, Salina Central 46

The long wait finally came to an end for Justin Ebert and his Lady Cougars, who picked up a huge win over Salina Central after dropping each of their last five contests over the last three seasons.

It was a hot start for the Lady Mustangs, who utilized their pressure to force South into a slew of early turnovers, leading to a big Central run in transition, but the Lady Cougars adjusted and clawed back to make it a one-point game at the half.

Both Paityn Fritz and Tamia Cheeks looked solid in the first half, but the second would be their magnum opus, and Salina Central didn’t have an answer.

Fritz, who entered tonight’s game averaging 13 points, would knock down six shots in the second half, leading all scorers with 25 points, while Cheeks, who ended her night with 17, drilled big daggers near the end of each half.

Central had the more even scoring output, with 13 from Callan Hall, 10 from Saniyah Triplett, 9 from Tyler Vidrickson, and 8 from Azbey Peckham, but couldn’t find the buckets they needed to stay in it late as South pulled away.

The Lady Cougars remain perfect at 3-0 on the year while Salina Central falls to 1-2.

South will return home to battle Hutch on Tuesday while Central hits the road to take on Goddard.

Boys Game: Salina Central 65, Salina South 57

The boy’s game saw two teams not only eager to overcome their biggest rival, but hungry for their first win of the season with both squads entering at 0-2.

Each side got off to a slow start offensively, as the score sat at 9-6 Central at the end of the first quarter.

The offenses in this game started to settle into a rhythm in the second quarter, and in the second half, both exploded, leading to a fun back-and-forth battle down the stretch.

Kaden Snyder would finish his night with 30 points, including 25 in the second half and clutch shooting down the stretch.

Snyder was matched almost shot for shot by Salina South’s Sawyer Walker, who dazzled in his starting debut, knocking down six threes, en route to a 30-point performance himself.

Ultimately, the already short-handed Cougars found themselves in foul trouble late, and Central was able to pull away for the 65-57 victory.

The Mustangs will hit the road to take on Goddard on Tuesday while the Cougars return home to battle Hutch.

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697215856555.jpeg" alt="Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here." />
 <figcaption>Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here.</figcaption>
 </figure>One of the biggest rivalries in the state of Kansas did not disappoint on Friday night, as Salina South and Salina Central split their doubleheader on the hardwood.Girls Game: Salina South 51, Salina Central 46The long wait finally came to an end for Justin Ebert and his Lady Cougars, who picked up a huge win over Salina Central after dropping each of their last five contests over the last three seasons.It was a hot start for the Lady Mustangs, who utilized their pressure to force South into a slew of early turnovers, leading to a big Central run in transition, but the Lady Cougars adjusted and clawed back to make it a one-point game at the half.Both Paityn Fritz and Tamia Cheeks looked solid in the first half, but the second would be their magnum opus, and Salina Central didn’t have an answer.Fritz, who entered tonight’s game averaging 13 points, would knock down six shots in the second half, leading all scorers with 25 points, while Cheeks, who ended her night with 17, drilled big daggers near the end of each half.Central had the more even scoring output, with 13 from Callan Hall, 10 from Saniyah Triplett, 9 from Tyler Vidrickson, and 8 from Azbey Peckham, but couldn’t find the buckets they needed to stay in it late as South pulled away.The Lady Cougars remain perfect at 3-0 on the year while Salina Central falls to 1-2.South will return home to battle Hutch on Tuesday while Central hits the road to take on Goddard.Boys Game: Salina Central 65, Salina South 57The boy’s game saw two teams not only eager to overcome their biggest rival, but hungry for their first win of the season with both squads entering at 0-2.Each side got off to a slow start offensively, as the score sat at 9-6 Central at the end of the first quarter.The offenses in this game started to settle into a rhythm in the second quarter, and in the second half, both exploded, leading to a fun back-and-forth battle down the stretch.Kaden Snyder would finish his night with 30 points, including 25 in the second half and clutch shooting down the stretch.Snyder was matched almost shot for shot by Salina South’s Sawyer Walker, who dazzled in his starting debut, knocking down six threes, en route to a 30-point performance himself.Ultimately, the already short-handed Cougars found themselves in foul trouble late, and Central was able to pull away for the 65-57 victory.The Mustangs will hit the road to take on Goddard on Tuesday while the Cougars return home to battle Hutch.

South, Central Split Battle for Salina on the Hardwood

After sweeping the Smoky Valley Vikings on Tuesday, the Southeast of Saline basketball teams returned to Gypsum for their first home, and league games of the 2023-24 season, hosting Beloit on Friday.

The two teams split the opener to their series against the rival Trojans, with the girl's team collecting a big win, and the boy's team falling in a hard-fought battle.

Girls Game: SE of Saline 46, Beloit 36

The Lady Trojans of SES made it two wins in a row on Friday to improve to 2-1 while Beloit falls to 1-2.

More importantly, Southeast gains an early foothold in NCAA play, which should help them in their quest for a fourth-straight league title.

This was a closely contested contest throughout most of the night, with Beloit taking a three-point lead early in the third quarter.

From there however, it was all Southeast, as the Lady Trojans finished the quarter on a 13-4 run and never looked back, cruising to a 46-36 victory.

“We picked up our pressure defensively and kept them uncomfortable,” SES head coach Shauna Smith said. “That really seemed to get things going for us. They outmatched us in size but we know that to have success this year we have to be gritty and I thought we did that tonight.”

It was another solid performance from the Southeast offense, this time with more contributions from everyone involved.

SES was led by a trio of double-digit scorers, with 12 points from both Brielle Ptacek and Lexi Jacobson, 10 points from Maddie Harris, and 8 points from Abigail Pearson.

“Everybody needs to contribute,” Smith said. “That’s something we talk about all the time and we’re not a one-man team here at Southeast, that’s part of what makes us so dangerous.”

The Lady Trojans will return to the road next Tuesday as they make the trip to Abilene for a battle with the 0-3 Cowgirls.

Boys Game: SE of Saline 40, Beloit 44

Despite being the much smaller team on the floor, Southeast scrapped and clawed for 32 minutes but couldn’t overcome Beloit falling to 1-2 while the orange Trojans remain undefeated at 3-0.

“This was a fun game,” SES head coach Bryson Flax said. “I thought for as undersized as we are and as much as they took advantage of that we did a fantastic job of battling down in the paint. At the end of the day you need a couple to bounce your way and we didn’t but I’m proud of our guys, especially on the defensive end.”

This game was a back-and-forth affair, with Southeast leading by three after one, Beloit leading by three at the half, and the two sides tied at 30 apiece going into the fourth and final frame.

Connor Casselman took over for the purple Trojans down the stretch, with seven big fourth-quarter points, but four points from the rest of the team wouldn’t be enough as SES came up just short.

Despite taking a loss to start league play, this game proved to the Gypsum faithful, and to the rest of Class 3A, just how physical and tenacious Southeast can be, as the Trojans turned Beloit over 15 times and battled on the boards.

“I was happy with our effort and I thought we really got after it,” Flax said. “This game wasn’t determined at the free-throw line late. We have some things we have to improve but we’ll work on that going forward.”

When all was said and done, Beloit was led by Bryce Beisner (17), and Eli Johnson (10), while Southeast got most of their scoring from Caselman (11), Daniel Kejr (11), and Gannon Jacobson (9).

The Trojans will be back in action next Tuesday when they travel to Abilene for a duel with another undefeated foe in the 3-0 Cowboys.

In case you missed it you can watch the full stream of both games below.

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697215856555.jpeg" alt="Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here." />
 <figcaption>Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here.</figcaption>
 </figure>After sweeping the Smoky Valley Vikings on Tuesday, the Southeast of Saline basketball teams returned to Gypsum for their first home, and league games of the 2023-24 season, hosting Beloit on Friday.The two teams split the opener to their series against the rival Trojans, with the girl's team collecting a big win, and the boy's team falling in a hard-fought battle.Girls Game: SE of Saline 46, Beloit 36The Lady Trojans of SES made it two wins in a row on Friday to improve to 2-1 while Beloit falls to 1-2.More importantly, Southeast gains an early foothold in NCAA play, which should help them in their quest for a fourth-straight league title.This was a closely contested contest throughout most of the night, with Beloit taking a three-point lead early in the third quarter.From there however, it was all Southeast, as the Lady Trojans finished the quarter on a 13-4 run and never looked back, cruising to a 46-36 victory.“We picked up our pressure defensively and kept them uncomfortable,” SES head coach Shauna Smith said. “That really seemed to get things going for us. They outmatched us in size but we know that to have success this year we have to be gritty and I thought we did that tonight.”It was another solid performance from the Southeast offense, this time with more contributions from everyone involved.SES was led by a trio of double-digit scorers, with 12 points from both Brielle Ptacek and Lexi Jacobson, 10 points from Maddie Harris, and 8 points from Abigail Pearson.“Everybody needs to contribute,” Smith said. “That’s something we talk about all the time and we’re not a one-man team here at Southeast, that’s part of what makes us so dangerous.”The Lady Trojans will return to the road next Tuesday as they make the trip to Abilene for a battle with the 0-3 Cowgirls.Boys Game: SE of Saline 40, Beloit 44Despite being the much smaller team on the floor, Southeast scrapped and clawed for 32 minutes but couldn’t overcome Beloit falling to 1-2 while the orange Trojans remain undefeated at 3-0.“This was a fun game,” SES head coach Bryson Flax said. “I thought for as undersized as we are and as much as they took advantage of that we did a fantastic job of battling down in the paint. At the end of the day you need a couple to bounce your way and we didn’t but I’m proud of our guys, especially on the defensive end.”This game was a back-and-forth affair, with Southeast leading by three after one, Beloit leading by three at the half, and the two sides tied at 30 apiece going into the fourth and final frame.Connor Casselman took over for the purple Trojans down the stretch, with seven big fourth-quarter points, but four points from the rest of the team wouldn’t be enough as SES came up just short.Despite taking a loss to start league play, this game proved to the Gypsum faithful, and to the rest of Class 3A, just how physical and tenacious Southeast can be, as the Trojans turned Beloit over 15 times and battled on the boards.“I was happy with our effort and I thought we really got after it,” Flax said. “This game wasn’t determined at the free-throw line late. We have some things we have to improve but we’ll work on that going forward.”When all was said and done, Beloit was led by Bryce Beisner (17), and Eli Johnson (10), while Southeast got most of their scoring from Caselman (11), Daniel Kejr (11), and Gannon Jacobson (9).The Trojans will be back in action next Tuesday when they travel to Abilene for a duel with another undefeated foe in the 3-0 Cowboys.In case you missed it you can watch the full stream of both games below.<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/b_p2Fw3dCfA"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Southeast Splits First Leg of Trojan War

BY ADAM COULTER Salina Post Contributor

The Sacred Heart Knights split a doubleheader with the Rossville Bulldogs on Friday as the Irish Classic Tournament in Chapman continued.

In the girl's game, Rossville jumped out to a 6-0 lead and never looked back. The Lady Bulldogs led 16-1 after the opening quarter and never trailed in the game.

Despite the lopsided score, Sacred Heart never stopped battling. The Lady Knights found themselves down 27 points in the fourth quarter, but instead of conceding defeat, they cut the Rossville lead down to 15 points to end the game.

Katie Weiss led Sacred Heart with 18 points. Skylar Douglas added a dozen.

Sacred Heart falls to 1-2 and faces Bishop Ward on Saturday afternoon.

In the boy's game, Sacred Heart fell behind Rossville 10-0 right off the bat. The Knights came back to trail by one after the first quarter and were down 31-27 at halftime.

Then, the third quarter happened. Sacred Heart exploded for 25 points in the period for a 52-38 advantage and went on for a 16-point win.

Max Ehrlich led the Knights with 26 points. Sacred Heart is now 3-0 heading into a Saturday afternoon matchup with Bishop Ward.&nbsp;

Coverage of the Knights and Cyclones begins at 1:40 with a 2 pm girls tipoff and the boys to follow. The games can be seen and heard on&nbsp;<a href="http://salinapost.com/" target="_blank">salinapost.com</a>.

BY ADAM COULTER Salina Post Contributor<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697215856555.jpeg" alt="Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here." />
 <figcaption>Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here.</figcaption>
 </figure>The Sacred Heart Knights split a doubleheader with the Rossville Bulldogs on Friday as the Irish Classic Tournament in Chapman continued.In the girl's game, Rossville jumped out to a 6-0 lead and never looked back. The Lady Bulldogs led 16-1 after the opening quarter and never trailed in the game.Despite the lopsided score, Sacred Heart never stopped battling. The Lady Knights found themselves down 27 points in the fourth quarter, but instead of conceding defeat, they cut the Rossville lead down to 15 points to end the game.Katie Weiss led Sacred Heart with 18 points. Skylar Douglas added a dozen.Sacred Heart falls to 1-2 and faces Bishop Ward on Saturday afternoon.In the boy's game, Sacred Heart fell behind Rossville 10-0 right off the bat. The Knights came back to trail by one after the first quarter and were down 31-27 at halftime.Then, the third quarter happened. Sacred Heart exploded for 25 points in the period for a 52-38 advantage and went on for a 16-point win.Max Ehrlich led the Knights with 26 points. Sacred Heart is now 3-0 heading into a Saturday afternoon matchup with Bishop Ward.&nbsp;Coverage of the Knights and Cyclones begins at 1:40 with a 2 pm girls tipoff and the boys to follow. The games can be seen and heard on&nbsp;<a href="http://salinapost.com/" target="_blank">salinapost.com</a>.

Sacred Heart Boys Remain Unbeaten at Chapman Tourney, Lady Knights Fall To Rossville

One of the best rivalries in the state of Kansas takes center stage on the hardwood tonight Salina South and Salina Central meet for a Mayor’s Cup showdown.

While another meeting in the Salina Invitational Tournament could take place later this winter, this is the only meeting on the books between the two, and will be held at a neutral site at Mabee Arena (Kansas Wesleyan University).

Girls Game: Salina South (2-0) vs. Salina Central (1-1)

While Salina Central has dominated this rivalry as of late, winning each of the last five contests, Salina South has looked good off the line, and will enter tonight without a blemish on their resume.

“They’re off to a good start and that win at Eisenhower was a good one for them,” Central head coach Chris Fear said. “They want to get into you with some pressure and they have some athletic guards but Fritz is really the difference maker for them in the post. We’ll have to find a way to defend her and it’s a challenge we’ll have to overcome.”

While Paityn Fritz can wreak havoc underneath in the paint, she will be challenged in her own way to handle the speed and chaos created by Salina Central’s press, and speedy guards.

“This year’s Central team plays five out and they cut to the rim well so we’ll really have to do a good job with our fundamental defense and our positioning off the ball,” South head coach Justin Ebert said. “Defensively they really pressure the ball in the full court and it forces our girls to take care of the ball for 94 feet. We have players we think are up for the challenge and hopefully, we’re ready to handle that stress.”

Tip-off between the Lady Cougars and Mustangs is set for 6:00 at Mabee Arena tonight.

Boys Game: Salina South (0-2) vs. Salina Central (0-2)

On the boy’s side, much like last year, this matchup will feature two teams eager to find their footing early in the season.

While the Cougars have won four of the last five meetings, the most recent victory belongs to the Mustangs, who took home a convincing 57-36 win in this matchup a year ago.

While many of the names involved in this matchup will remain the same, this will be the introduction to the rivalry for first-year Central head coach Billy Graf, who will have an excellent opportunity to test his new system on Friday night.

“Offensively they seem to be settling into more of a flex identity and they do a little more read and react offensively creating some dribble drive looks,” Cougar head coach Jason Hooper said. “They also have a lot of new faces and guys getting opportunities to play.”

In order to pull out their first win tonight, Central will need to find ways to plug the lane and prevent the Cougars from getting out on the run.

“Salina South gets after it and they play hard, we’re going to have our hands full,” Graf said. “We’re going to have to cut down on their penetration and keep the ball out of the lane. We’ve struggled a bit with our transition defense, that will be a big key for us as well.”

To do the same on their side and reclaim the momentum in the rivalry, Salina South will need to find an answer for Kaden Snyder, and force the Mustangs to do their damage from the perimeter.

“The Snyder kid poses a mismatch in the paint and we can’t let him catch in positions where he can bully his way to the basket,” Hooper said. “The environment will also play a role in this game and we have to keep our kids focused on what’s important and not let the emotion of the atmosphere get in the way of what we’re trying to do.”

The second matchup of our doubleheader will begin 15 minutes after the conclusion of the girl's game at Mabee.

Broadcast Information - Location: Mabee Arena (Kansas Wesleyan University) - Live Stream: Salina Post (Link Below) - Pregame: 5:40 PM

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697215856555.jpeg" alt="Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here." />
 <figcaption>Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here.</figcaption>
 </figure>One of the best rivalries in the state of Kansas takes center stage on the hardwood tonight Salina South and Salina Central meet for a Mayor’s Cup showdown.While another meeting in the Salina Invitational Tournament could take place later this winter, this is the only meeting on the books between the two, and will be held at a neutral site at Mabee Arena (Kansas Wesleyan University).Girls Game: Salina South (2-0) vs. Salina Central (1-1)While Salina Central has dominated this rivalry as of late, winning each of the last five contests, Salina South has looked good off the line, and will enter tonight without a blemish on their resume.“They’re off to a good start and that win at Eisenhower was a good one for them,” Central head coach Chris Fear said. “They want to get into you with some pressure and they have some athletic guards but Fritz is really the difference maker for them in the post. We’ll have to find a way to defend her and it’s a challenge we’ll have to overcome.”While Paityn Fritz can wreak havoc underneath in the paint, she will be challenged in her own way to handle the speed and chaos created by Salina Central’s press, and speedy guards.“This year’s Central team plays five out and they cut to the rim well so we’ll really have to do a good job with our fundamental defense and our positioning off the ball,” South head coach Justin Ebert said. “Defensively they really pressure the ball in the full court and it forces our girls to take care of the ball for 94 feet. We have players we think are up for the challenge and hopefully, we’re ready to handle that stress.”Tip-off between the Lady Cougars and Mustangs is set for 6:00 at Mabee Arena tonight.Boys Game: Salina South (0-2) vs. Salina Central (0-2)On the boy’s side, much like last year, this matchup will feature two teams eager to find their footing early in the season.While the Cougars have won four of the last five meetings, the most recent victory belongs to the Mustangs, who took home a convincing 57-36 win in this matchup a year ago.While many of the names involved in this matchup will remain the same, this will be the introduction to the rivalry for first-year Central head coach Billy Graf, who will have an excellent opportunity to test his new system on Friday night.“Offensively they seem to be settling into more of a flex identity and they do a little more read and react offensively creating some dribble drive looks,” Cougar head coach Jason Hooper said. “They also have a lot of new faces and guys getting opportunities to play.”In order to pull out their first win tonight, Central will need to find ways to plug the lane and prevent the Cougars from getting out on the run.“Salina South gets after it and they play hard, we’re going to have our hands full,” Graf said. “We’re going to have to cut down on their penetration and keep the ball out of the lane. We’ve struggled a bit with our transition defense, that will be a big key for us as well.”To do the same on their side and reclaim the momentum in the rivalry, Salina South will need to find an answer for Kaden Snyder, and force the Mustangs to do their damage from the perimeter.“The Snyder kid poses a mismatch in the paint and we can’t let him catch in positions where he can bully his way to the basket,” Hooper said. “The environment will also play a role in this game and we have to keep our kids focused on what’s important and not let the emotion of the atmosphere get in the way of what we’re trying to do.”The second matchup of our doubleheader will begin 15 minutes after the conclusion of the girl's game at Mabee.Broadcast Information - Location: Mabee Arena (Kansas Wesleyan University) - Live Stream: Salina Post (Link Below) - Pregame: 5:40 PM<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bNPwkZ7V37g"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

South and Central Clash at Mabee in Heated Rivalry Showdown

After bouncing back with a clean sweep of Smoky Valley on Tuesday the Southeast of Saline basketball teams will return to Gypsum for their home and league opener with Beloit.

The first leg of this year’s Trojan War will be the only game in the friendly confines for either Southeast team in the first four matchups of 2023.

Girls Game: SE of Saline (1-1) vs. Beloit (1-1)

The Lady Trojans took another step forward offensively in their win over Smoky Valley, dropping 46 points as a team and getting a strong performance out of senior Lexi Jacobson.

“We kept our turnovers down and were really able to control the game,” SES head coach Shauna Smith said. “I thought we did a better job of being patient on offense and it’s an adjustment for us in terms of style offensively but that patience got us some really good looks.”

Now, the Lady Trojans will turn their attention to a tough Beloit team eager to start this year’s NCAA slate off on the right foot.

“Beloit has a lot of height and athleticism that always causes us some trouble,” Smith said. “They’ll play 7 or 8 and they have more size to bring off the bench so we’ll have to adjust to their long arms.”

The girl’s game is set to get underway at 6:00 at Southeast of Saline High School.

Boys Game: #9 SE of Saline (1-1) vs. Beloit (2-0)

Against the Vikings, the boy’s team had an offensive revelation of their own, thanks to a 34-point performance from hot-shooting transfer Owen Bailey.

“I thought we were better in that game for sure,” SES head coach Bryson Flax said. “Defensively we made a few improvements and we continued to build. We weren’t great offensively, Owen really bailed us out a few times, but our guys did a nice job of keeping possessions alive and giving us extra opportunities.”

As several Trojans get healthy from another elongated football season, the team shifts their focus to a big league rival that smells blood in the water following Southeast’s big graduating class.

“I’m sure a lot of people wondered when Eli and Nakari would finally graduate and we feel the same way about Bryce Beisner,” Flax said. “He’s big and physical just like the rest of them and they rotate well inside. They also have one of the better shooters in the league we’ll have to find and we have to keep them off the offensive glass.”

Broadcast Information - Location: Southeast of Saline High School - Radio: KINA (910 AM/107.5 FM) - Live Stream Video: Salina Post (Link Below) - Pregame: 5:30 PM

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697215856555.jpeg" alt="Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here." />
 <figcaption>Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here.</figcaption>
 </figure>After bouncing back with a clean sweep of Smoky Valley on Tuesday the Southeast of Saline basketball teams will return to Gypsum for their home and league opener with Beloit.The first leg of this year’s Trojan War will be the only game in the friendly confines for either Southeast team in the first four matchups of 2023.Girls Game: SE of Saline (1-1) vs. Beloit (1-1)The Lady Trojans took another step forward offensively in their win over Smoky Valley, dropping 46 points as a team and getting a strong performance out of senior Lexi Jacobson.“We kept our turnovers down and were really able to control the game,” SES head coach Shauna Smith said. “I thought we did a better job of being patient on offense and it’s an adjustment for us in terms of style offensively but that patience got us some really good looks.”Now, the Lady Trojans will turn their attention to a tough Beloit team eager to start this year’s NCAA slate off on the right foot.“Beloit has a lot of height and athleticism that always causes us some trouble,” Smith said. “They’ll play 7 or 8 and they have more size to bring off the bench so we’ll have to adjust to their long arms.”The girl’s game is set to get underway at 6:00 at Southeast of Saline High School.Boys Game: #9 SE of Saline (1-1) vs. Beloit (2-0)Against the Vikings, the boy’s team had an offensive revelation of their own, thanks to a 34-point performance from hot-shooting transfer Owen Bailey.“I thought we were better in that game for sure,” SES head coach Bryson Flax said. “Defensively we made a few improvements and we continued to build. We weren’t great offensively, Owen really bailed us out a few times, but our guys did a nice job of keeping possessions alive and giving us extra opportunities.”As several Trojans get healthy from another elongated football season, the team shifts their focus to a big league rival that smells blood in the water following Southeast’s big graduating class.“I’m sure a lot of people wondered when Eli and Nakari would finally graduate and we feel the same way about Bryce Beisner,” Flax said. “He’s big and physical just like the rest of them and they rotate well inside. They also have one of the better shooters in the league we’ll have to find and we have to keep them off the offensive glass.”Broadcast Information - Location: Southeast of Saline High School - Radio: KINA (910 AM/107.5 FM) - Live Stream Video: Salina Post (Link Below) - Pregame: 5:30 PM<figure>
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SES Basketball Kicks off Home and League Slates with Trojan War

BY ADAM COULTER Salina Post Contributor

The Sacred Heart Knights continued what will be a total of six December games away from Salina last Tuesday night. The boys and girls were both successful in their matchups with Chapman and now turn their focus to the Rossville Bulldogs.

Girls game:&nbsp; Sacred Heart (1-1) vs. Rossville (2-0)

The Sacred Heart girls have a talented and unbeaten Lady Bulldog team awaiting them. Rossville comes into the game with blowout wins over Atchison and Bishop Ward.&nbsp;

"We'll be looking to contain (Kinsey Perine), (Emma Mitchell), and (Rylee Dick)," Sacred Heart Head Coach Carl Hines said. "Dick's a good shooter, she's quick. Mitchell's long and rangy and does things. She's kind of deceptive. And then Perine as well is super quick and can get to the rim and shoot the basketball."

Sacred Heart will focus on the Rossville defensive looks and also taking care of the basketball as keys to another potential win.&nbsp;

"They're athletic, they're going to come at us full-court man, they'll give us a zone look and drop back into man," Coach Hines explained. "For us to be successful, we've got to be disciplined and cut down on the turnovers."

Tip-off for the girl’s game is set for 3:00 PM from the USD 473 District Gym in Chapman.

Boys game:&nbsp; Sacred Heart (2-0) vs. Rossville (1-1)

The Sacred Heart boys look to stay unbeaten as they take on Rossville as the Irish Classic continues.

The two teams should be fairly comparable to each other which should make for a close, hard-fought game.

"I think Rossville size-wise may have us by a little bit, but I think we're comparable, Sacred Heart Head Coach Brian Gormley said. "As far as players, Jakoby McDonnell is kind of the engine of that team. He does a great job in transition. He gets downhill really well and passes the ball exceptionallywellof the dribble."

The Knights will have the edge in experience and more upperclassmen seeing the court.

"Our guys on the floor will be a little bit older. They're putting some sophomores and juniors on the floor and maybe mixing in one or two seniors where we're putting predominantly seniors on the floor." Coach Gormley added.&nbsp;

Tip-off for the boys’ game is set for 4:30 PM from the USD 473 District Gym in Chapman.

Broadcast Information - Live Stream: Salina Post - Pregame: 2:40 PM

BY ADAM COULTER Salina Post Contributor<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697215856555.jpeg" alt="Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here." />
 <figcaption>Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here.</figcaption>
 </figure>The Sacred Heart Knights continued what will be a total of six December games away from Salina last Tuesday night. The boys and girls were both successful in their matchups with Chapman and now turn their focus to the Rossville Bulldogs.Girls game:&nbsp; Sacred Heart (1-1) vs. Rossville (2-0)The Sacred Heart girls have a talented and unbeaten Lady Bulldog team awaiting them. Rossville comes into the game with blowout wins over Atchison and Bishop Ward.&nbsp;"We'll be looking to contain (Kinsey Perine), (Emma Mitchell), and (Rylee Dick)," Sacred Heart Head Coach Carl Hines said. "Dick's a good shooter, she's quick. Mitchell's long and rangy and does things. She's kind of deceptive. And then Perine as well is super quick and can get to the rim and shoot the basketball."Sacred Heart will focus on the Rossville defensive looks and also taking care of the basketball as keys to another potential win.&nbsp;"They're athletic, they're going to come at us full-court man, they'll give us a zone look and drop back into man," Coach Hines explained. "For us to be successful, we've got to be disciplined and cut down on the turnovers."Tip-off for the girl’s game is set for 3:00 PM from the USD 473 District Gym in Chapman.Boys game:&nbsp; Sacred Heart (2-0) vs. Rossville (1-1)The Sacred Heart boys look to stay unbeaten as they take on Rossville as the Irish Classic continues.The two teams should be fairly comparable to each other which should make for a close, hard-fought game."I think Rossville size-wise may have us by a little bit, but I think we're comparable, Sacred Heart Head Coach Brian Gormley said. "As far as players, Jakoby McDonnell is kind of the engine of that team. He does a great job in transition. He gets downhill really well and passes the ball exceptionallywellof the dribble."The Knights will have the edge in experience and more upperclassmen seeing the court."Our guys on the floor will be a little bit older. They're putting some sophomores and juniors on the floor and maybe mixing in one or two seniors where we're putting predominantly seniors on the floor." Coach Gormley added.&nbsp;Tip-off for the boys’ game is set for 4:30 PM from the USD 473 District Gym in Chapman.Broadcast Information - Live Stream: Salina Post - Pregame: 2:40 PM

Sacred Heart Looks to Continue Success at Irish Classic in Chapman

On Thursday evening, Minneapolis and Bennington met for an all-area clash that saw the two teams split the doubleheader, with each side collecting one dominant win.

Girls: Minneapolis 48, Bennington 12

The Lady Lions came roaring out of the gate with a first-quarter barrage that saw four different players contribute to an early 16-point lead.

Perhaps more impressive still was the Minneapolis defense, which held Bennington to just four points in the first, and five more in the second, allowing the Lady Lions to take a 33-9 lead into the locker room.

Those trends would hold for the remainder of the game, as Minneapolis surrendered just three more points the rest of the way, thanks in large part to 20 Bennington turnovers.

While five Lady Bulldogs would contribute to the scoring, not one scored more than three points, led on a lone three by Khloe Dossett.

The Lady Lions meanwhile, had two players in double-figures among eight different scorers, getting 15 points from Maggie Shupe, and 12 from Braedee Weatherman.

With the win, Minneapolis moves to 3-0 while Bennington falls to 1-2.

Boys: Bennington 70, Minneapolis 38

Perhaps eager to repay the favor, Bennington’s boys wasted no time making short work of Minneapolis in a statement 32-point victory.

It was a slow start offensively for the Bulldogs, who led by just ten after one, but their defense once again locked down their opponent, allowing just three points in the first quarter.

From there, Bennington’s two-headed monster heated up, as Eli Lawson and Mister Smith buried five shots in the second quarter to deliver a 29-13 lead at the half.

The third quarter belonged to Lawson, who scored 11 points all by himself, just one shy of Minneapolis’ team total for the quarter.

From there, the Bulldogs cruised to another comfortable win, up 70-38 when the final buzzer sounded.

Minneapolis was led in scoring by Owen Just, who tallied 12 points in the losing effort.

Bennington meanwhile, got 27 from Eli Lawson, and 15 from Mister Smith in a pair of big games from their stars.

With this win, the Bulldogs remain undefeated at 3-0 while Minneapolis continues to search for their first win at 0-3.

If you missed either game, a link to the full stream can be found <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CncOJeyXLA">here</a>.

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697215856555.jpeg" alt="Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here." />
 <figcaption>Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here.</figcaption>
 </figure>On Thursday evening, Minneapolis and Bennington met for an all-area clash that saw the two teams split the doubleheader, with each side collecting one dominant win.Girls: Minneapolis 48, Bennington 12The Lady Lions came roaring out of the gate with a first-quarter barrage that saw four different players contribute to an early 16-point lead.Perhaps more impressive still was the Minneapolis defense, which held Bennington to just four points in the first, and five more in the second, allowing the Lady Lions to take a 33-9 lead into the locker room.Those trends would hold for the remainder of the game, as Minneapolis surrendered just three more points the rest of the way, thanks in large part to 20 Bennington turnovers.While five Lady Bulldogs would contribute to the scoring, not one scored more than three points, led on a lone three by Khloe Dossett.The Lady Lions meanwhile, had two players in double-figures among eight different scorers, getting 15 points from Maggie Shupe, and 12 from Braedee Weatherman.With the win, Minneapolis moves to 3-0 while Bennington falls to 1-2.Boys: Bennington 70, Minneapolis 38Perhaps eager to repay the favor, Bennington’s boys wasted no time making short work of Minneapolis in a statement 32-point victory.It was a slow start offensively for the Bulldogs, who led by just ten after one, but their defense once again locked down their opponent, allowing just three points in the first quarter.From there, Bennington’s two-headed monster heated up, as Eli Lawson and Mister Smith buried five shots in the second quarter to deliver a 29-13 lead at the half.The third quarter belonged to Lawson, who scored 11 points all by himself, just one shy of Minneapolis’ team total for the quarter.From there, the Bulldogs cruised to another comfortable win, up 70-38 when the final buzzer sounded.Minneapolis was led in scoring by Owen Just, who tallied 12 points in the losing effort.Bennington meanwhile, got 27 from Eli Lawson, and 15 from Mister Smith in a pair of big games from their stars.With this win, the Bulldogs remain undefeated at 3-0 while Minneapolis continues to search for their first win at 0-3.If you missed either game, a link to the full stream can be found <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CncOJeyXLA">here</a>.

Minneapolis and Bennington Split Doubleheader in Lion Country

ASSISTANT HEAD COACH/SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR DAVE TOUB

Q: There were more kickoffs returned by you and the Packers this past Sunday, what contributed to that?

TOUB: “The cold weather obviously affects the football. You can’t kick them as high; you don’t get the hangtime, so it gives you an opportunity to get returns. You get the ball in your hands; coverage is not right on top of you, so you take a shot. Every week is different. It depends on who you’re playing, what their coverage teams look like, how high they hang the ball and weather – all those things come into play every week, so we were able to get a couple last week.”

Q: Were you satisfied with the special teams unit?

TOUB: “Yeah. I thought we were one block away on the first kick return that we had, the middle, and then the left. We obviously got that out to the 34 or 35, so those are good results. 17, Richie (James) has done a good job so far.”

Q: What do you notice about the Bills special teams unit?

TOUB: “Very good. Same personnel as they had last year, they’re all back. They have one rookie on their special teams, that’s it. The rest of them are all guys that have played there last year, and they fly around, very very good on kickoff coverage and punt coverage. I think that’s where they excel. They fly around, they play hard. It’s a testament to their special teams coach (Bills Special Teams Coordinator Matthew Smiley) and (Bills Head Coach) Sean McDermott. You can tell that it’s real important to him, and he puts a lot of emphasis on it. The kicker (Tyler Bass), you know obviously he’s missed a couple but he’s still a quality kicker and the punter is 11-year vet, Sam Martin, who is a great directional punter. They’re all good, its going to be a good challenge for us.”

Q:&nbsp;What are you seeing from Chamarri Conner?

TOUB: “He (Chamarri Conner) keeps getting better and better. I mean, that’s two games in a row that he made beautiful tackles on punt and open field tackles, so it tells you a lot about his football abilities. He’s going to be a great one down the road. I’m enjoying the fact that I have him right now and I know eventually he’s going to end up being in depth as a – you know getting more and more reps on defense. He’s already getting a lot now, but he’s going to get more and more as we go forward. He’s a player that you should be excited about.”

DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR STEVE SPAGNUOLO

OPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“A little disappointed in last week, but we’re onto the next one and they do not get any easier. We know in times past with this (the Bills) offense, they’re tough to defend. With that, I’ll open it up, and let you guys roll.”

Q:&nbsp;What’s been the challenge stopping the run game early in the past two games?

SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“We’ve talked extensively about it this week. You know sometimes I’m not so sure we hone in on that part of it early, and I’d like us to do that. First and second down has really been – if you look at it – has been more of a problem for us than maybe third down. We only got them to 10 third downs last week – if you count the fourth down it would have been 11 of those kind of situations – and that’s not enough. You have to get teams into 15, 16, 17, 18 third downs and hopefully you win in 12 or 13 of them and that part didn’t happen. That part of it has been a main focus, (Defensive Line Coach) Joe (Cullen) has been all over it, (Linebackers Coach) Brendan (Daly), the upfront people, it’s all 11 guys. I’d like to see us play better. When you pull them all out and look at the ones that are going for longer yardage than you want to, everybody is playing a part in it. It’s not just one guy or one person, so everyone needs to clean it up.”

Q:&nbsp;What boost can Nick Bolton bring in stopping the run when he comes back?

SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“I’ll tell you what, he (Nick Bolton) provides – he boosts me. I mean that. He’s an energy giver. I know the guys feel that in the huddle. We’ve had Tuesday where we do a little walkthrough, yesterday – everybody knows what he’s all about, what he brings, and how he communicates. You’d have to ask him a little bit more exactly, he knows where he’s at with all that. We trust the trainers and Nick on that.”

Q:&nbsp;You rotated guys in on defense starting early in the season. What prompted you to do that?

SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“I think we talked about that one day here, I know we’ve talked about it with the coaches. I believe in that, early in the (season) to do that – it’s a long haul, 17 weeks, guys are going to get dinged and get hurt. Thank God we did it with Drue (Tranquill) initially. We’ve always had Mike (Edwards) going in and out, then it got to be a little bit more, he kind of earned that. Charles (Omenihu), same thing. You get in these games, you get into the fourth quarter, you’ve got a number of plays under your belt, it’s good to have fresh guys. That’s really important. One of the things we do – I don’t know if you guys, you may or may not see it. You’ll always see when we do little walkthroughs out there, split in two groups. It’s not just one group with a bunch of guys watching. We believe in everybody being ready to play. I think that’s really key when we get to this part of the season.”

Q:&nbsp;Would you consider Josh Allen to be one of the best running quarterbacks in the league?

SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“He’s hard to bring down. He’s such a big dude. I can’t find too many clips on there where he slides. He turns into a fullback really. I think he’s an elite competitor. Every time we go against him – even when you hear him on the sideline, to me that elevates him. The threat that he has being a pocket passer and throwing it as a strong-arm quarterback and getting out of the pocket extending the down – he’s always looking downfield. I know I put a PowerPoint up yesterday – you can check this – but scrambling then throwing it, how many passing yards, I think it was over 400, it was like 483 or something. I think it’s the best in the league, so that speaks volumes to what you’re talking about and he can tuck and run it too.”

OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR&nbsp;MATT NAGY

Q:&nbsp;What have you seen from Clyde Edwards-Helaire in his opportunities lately?

NAGY:&nbsp;“His (Clyde Edwards-Helaire) speed looks good as far as his running between the tackles. He’s been really really good even mentally when you go through a transition, or you go through what he’s been through the last couple of years. He’s been a really good mentor and leader in the room, it starts there. Then when (he) gets on the field, is given opportunities, he makes the most of it. That’s what I respect the most about him. In these situations – the running back position gets hit quite a bit, so if you have an injury or you have somebody – next man up, you want to have a guy like Clyde ready.”

Q:&nbsp;What type of characteristics and mentality have you tried to instill in the offense this year?

NAGY:&nbsp;“You start with the leaders we have; these guys have been doing it in this offense – I’m speaking of Pat (Mahomes) and (Travis) Kelce – for a long time. I think for us mentally going into this year we (understood) that it’s going to be a different year identity wise, we are getting that, I think we’re there, now it’s just fine tuning it. We’ve got to have this ability to make sure that when adversity strikes, the leaders in the room take over and we as coaches can help with that as well. So being tough minded, being physical, playing smart and scoring points is really the easiest way to say it. You navigate through some of that as the year goes on. The guys are seeing right now that where we sit it’s hard to win in this league. We’ve got the guys; we’ve got the talent. It’s now time to really start putting this thing together and make this push and play our best football at the end of the year.”

Q:&nbsp;What have you been working on redzone wise?

NAGY:&nbsp;“Opportunities, stay away from penalties and stay away from turnovers. The two easiest are the penalties and the turnovers are simple, we know that we’ve been saying that all year. It’s got to be eliminated. The execution down there – things are tighter, everything happens faster. For us we’ve got to be able to – to me that situational football is a mindset. You’ve got to be locked in at all times and you have to understand – not that every play isn’t important – when you get down there you’ve got to understand– we had two positions in that first half last game. When you get those opportunities, those possessions you’ve got to come away with seven (points) not three. So that’s really what we’re hitting home right now.”

Q:&nbsp;Fourth quarters have been a bit of a struggle. Is there anything particularly going wrong there?

NAGY:&nbsp;“The frustrations, that word is used, you see that or hear that. For us we try to honestly – and I’m not just saying this – these guys are doing good things, they’re executing and doing good things. It’s eliminating the negative stuff because we are right there. Sticking together through those times, knowing we can be better if we just eliminate a few things here or there, we’re going to be right where we want to be. We try to stay positive in this thing. (If) you start to get too negative and all of the sudden guys start playing tight and that’s not what we want. Stick together, we understand that we have good talent, and we’re going to go out there and really do our thing. This is where, as a team, you’ve really got to lock in and have all three phases going in this December football to make this push. I don’t know if I answered your question, but I just know these guys are doing a great job of sticking together and now we just have to go do it.”

ASSISTANT HEAD COACH/SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR DAVE TOUBQ: There were more kickoffs returned by you and the Packers this past Sunday, what contributed to that?TOUB: “The cold weather obviously affects the football. You can’t kick them as high; you don’t get the hangtime, so it gives you an opportunity to get returns. You get the ball in your hands; coverage is not right on top of you, so you take a shot. Every week is different. It depends on who you’re playing, what their coverage teams look like, how high they hang the ball and weather – all those things come into play every week, so we were able to get a couple last week.”Q: Were you satisfied with the special teams unit?TOUB: “Yeah. I thought we were one block away on the first kick return that we had, the middle, and then the left. We obviously got that out to the 34 or 35, so those are good results. 17, Richie (James) has done a good job so far.”Q: What do you notice about the Bills special teams unit?TOUB: “Very good. Same personnel as they had last year, they’re all back. They have one rookie on their special teams, that’s it. The rest of them are all guys that have played there last year, and they fly around, very very good on kickoff coverage and punt coverage. I think that’s where they excel. They fly around, they play hard. It’s a testament to their special teams coach (Bills Special Teams Coordinator Matthew Smiley) and (Bills Head Coach) Sean McDermott. You can tell that it’s real important to him, and he puts a lot of emphasis on it. The kicker (Tyler Bass), you know obviously he’s missed a couple but he’s still a quality kicker and the punter is 11-year vet, Sam Martin, who is a great directional punter. They’re all good, its going to be a good challenge for us.”Q:&nbsp;What are you seeing from Chamarri Conner?TOUB: “He (Chamarri Conner) keeps getting better and better. I mean, that’s two games in a row that he made beautiful tackles on punt and open field tackles, so it tells you a lot about his football abilities. He’s going to be a great one down the road. I’m enjoying the fact that I have him right now and I know eventually he’s going to end up being in depth as a – you know getting more and more reps on defense. He’s already getting a lot now, but he’s going to get more and more as we go forward. He’s a player that you should be excited about.”DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR STEVE SPAGNUOLOOPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“A little disappointed in last week, but we’re onto the next one and they do not get any easier. We know in times past with this (the Bills) offense, they’re tough to defend. With that, I’ll open it up, and let you guys roll.”Q:&nbsp;What’s been the challenge stopping the run game early in the past two games?SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“We’ve talked extensively about it this week. You know sometimes I’m not so sure we hone in on that part of it early, and I’d like us to do that. First and second down has really been – if you look at it – has been more of a problem for us than maybe third down. We only got them to 10 third downs last week – if you count the fourth down it would have been 11 of those kind of situations – and that’s not enough. You have to get teams into 15, 16, 17, 18 third downs and hopefully you win in 12 or 13 of them and that part didn’t happen. That part of it has been a main focus, (Defensive Line Coach) Joe (Cullen) has been all over it, (Linebackers Coach) Brendan (Daly), the upfront people, it’s all 11 guys. I’d like to see us play better. When you pull them all out and look at the ones that are going for longer yardage than you want to, everybody is playing a part in it. It’s not just one guy or one person, so everyone needs to clean it up.”Q:&nbsp;What boost can Nick Bolton bring in stopping the run when he comes back?SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“I’ll tell you what, he (Nick Bolton) provides – he boosts me. I mean that. He’s an energy giver. I know the guys feel that in the huddle. We’ve had Tuesday where we do a little walkthrough, yesterday – everybody knows what he’s all about, what he brings, and how he communicates. You’d have to ask him a little bit more exactly, he knows where he’s at with all that. We trust the trainers and Nick on that.”Q:&nbsp;You rotated guys in on defense starting early in the season. What prompted you to do that?SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“I think we talked about that one day here, I know we’ve talked about it with the coaches. I believe in that, early in the (season) to do that – it’s a long haul, 17 weeks, guys are going to get dinged and get hurt. Thank God we did it with Drue (Tranquill) initially. We’ve always had Mike (Edwards) going in and out, then it got to be a little bit more, he kind of earned that. Charles (Omenihu), same thing. You get in these games, you get into the fourth quarter, you’ve got a number of plays under your belt, it’s good to have fresh guys. That’s really important. One of the things we do – I don’t know if you guys, you may or may not see it. You’ll always see when we do little walkthroughs out there, split in two groups. It’s not just one group with a bunch of guys watching. We believe in everybody being ready to play. I think that’s really key when we get to this part of the season.”Q:&nbsp;Would you consider Josh Allen to be one of the best running quarterbacks in the league?SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“He’s hard to bring down. He’s such a big dude. I can’t find too many clips on there where he slides. He turns into a fullback really. I think he’s an elite competitor. Every time we go against him – even when you hear him on the sideline, to me that elevates him. The threat that he has being a pocket passer and throwing it as a strong-arm quarterback and getting out of the pocket extending the down – he’s always looking downfield. I know I put a PowerPoint up yesterday – you can check this – but scrambling then throwing it, how many passing yards, I think it was over 400, it was like 483 or something. I think it’s the best in the league, so that speaks volumes to what you’re talking about and he can tuck and run it too.”OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR&nbsp;MATT NAGYQ:&nbsp;What have you seen from Clyde Edwards-Helaire in his opportunities lately?NAGY:&nbsp;“His (Clyde Edwards-Helaire) speed looks good as far as his running between the tackles. He’s been really really good even mentally when you go through a transition, or you go through what he’s been through the last couple of years. He’s been a really good mentor and leader in the room, it starts there. Then when (he) gets on the field, is given opportunities, he makes the most of it. That’s what I respect the most about him. In these situations – the running back position gets hit quite a bit, so if you have an injury or you have somebody – next man up, you want to have a guy like Clyde ready.”Q:&nbsp;What type of characteristics and mentality have you tried to instill in the offense this year?NAGY:&nbsp;“You start with the leaders we have; these guys have been doing it in this offense – I’m speaking of Pat (Mahomes) and (Travis) Kelce – for a long time. I think for us mentally going into this year we (understood) that it’s going to be a different year identity wise, we are getting that, I think we’re there, now it’s just fine tuning it. We’ve got to have this ability to make sure that when adversity strikes, the leaders in the room take over and we as coaches can help with that as well. So being tough minded, being physical, playing smart and scoring points is really the easiest way to say it. You navigate through some of that as the year goes on. The guys are seeing right now that where we sit it’s hard to win in this league. We’ve got the guys; we’ve got the talent. It’s now time to really start putting this thing together and make this push and play our best football at the end of the year.”Q:&nbsp;What have you been working on redzone wise?NAGY:&nbsp;“Opportunities, stay away from penalties and stay away from turnovers. The two easiest are the penalties and the turnovers are simple, we know that we’ve been saying that all year. It’s got to be eliminated. The execution down there – things are tighter, everything happens faster. For us we’ve got to be able to – to me that situational football is a mindset. You’ve got to be locked in at all times and you have to understand – not that every play isn’t important – when you get down there you’ve got to understand– we had two positions in that first half last game. When you get those opportunities, those possessions you’ve got to come away with seven (points) not three. So that’s really what we’re hitting home right now.”Q:&nbsp;Fourth quarters have been a bit of a struggle. Is there anything particularly going wrong there?NAGY:&nbsp;“The frustrations, that word is used, you see that or hear that. For us we try to honestly – and I’m not just saying this – these guys are doing good things, they’re executing and doing good things. It’s eliminating the negative stuff because we are right there. Sticking together through those times, knowing we can be better if we just eliminate a few things here or there, we’re going to be right where we want to be. We try to stay positive in this thing. (If) you start to get too negative and all of the sudden guys start playing tight and that’s not what we want. Stick together, we understand that we have good talent, and we’re going to go out there and really do our thing. This is where, as a team, you’ve really got to lock in and have all three phases going in this December football to make this push. I don’t know if I answered your question, but I just know these guys are doing a great job of sticking together and now we just have to go do it.”

Chiefs Coordinator Quotes: 12-7-23

LAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;Jeff Grimes, a coaching veteran with 30 years of experience and more than 15 bowl games coached, has been named Kansas Football’s next assistant head coach/offensive coordinator, head coach Lance Leipold announced today.

Grimes is among the top offensive coaches in the country, having been named a finalist for the Frank Broyles Awards, awarded to the nation’s top assistant coach in 2021 while at Baylor and 2020 at BYU, and was named the 2021 Football Scoop coordinator of the year. While at Baylor, Grimes helped lead the Bears to the 2021 Big 12 Championship, while directing one of the most productive offensive attacks in the country.

"We’re excited to welcome Jeff, his wife Sheri and four children, Bailey, Jada, Garrison and Greydon to Lawrence. Jeff is a coach with a lot of experience and is a great relationship-builder, football mind and a high-quality person. He will be a great fit with our staff and offensive philosophy and is an exciting addition."

LANCE LEIPOLD, KANSAS FOOTBALL HEAD COACH

"My family and I are thrilled to join the KU program and be a part of what Coach Leipold and his staff are building in Lawrence. I’ve admired Kansas football over these last few years and it has been impossible to ignore the momentum behind the program. That momentum doesn’t happen without strong alignment among tremendous people committed to a common goal. I get fired up just thinking about the opportunity to coach these talented players and I can’t wait to get started. Rock Chalk!"

JEFF GRIMES, ASSISTANT HEAD COACH/OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR

Grimes comes to Kansas after three years at Baylor, where he served as the offensive coordinator and tight ends coach. Grimes has extensive experience coaching the offensive line and has seen 17 linemen who have played in his offense since 2000 go on to play in the NFL.

In his first year at Baylor, the Bears saw drastic improvement as Baylor’s offense ranked 10th&nbsp;nationally with 5.37 yards per rush and 6.32 yards per play. Baylor increased its rushing production by 129 yards per game, compared the 2020 season, raising its rushing average from 90.3 yards per game (123rd nationally) to 219.3 yards per game (10th nationally).

Grimes was among five finalists for the Broyles Award for the second time in his career, while offensive lineman Connor Galvin was named the Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year and running back Abram Smith ranked among the nation’s best in yards per carry (14th, 6.23), total rushing (5th, 1,601), and rushing touchdowns (tied for 39th, 12).

Baylor’s offensive attack continued to excel in 2022, ranking among the top-10 in program history in a several categories, including scoring the seventh-most TDs (34), while totaling the 10th&nbsp;most total yards (5,380) and first downs (296). In the air, Baylor ranked fourth-best in single season history, completing 63 percent of its passing attempts.&nbsp;Individually, Richard Reese shattered the program standard for freshman rushing yards, earning Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year honors.

Prior to his three seasons at Baylor, Grimes directed a high-powered offense at BYU in 2020 that finished its season ranked in the top-15 of 10 different statistical categories, including scoring (3rd, 43.5 ppg), total offense (7th, 522.2 ypg) and passing offense (8th, 332.1 ppg).

The 2020 BYU Cougars tied for the national lead in yards per play at 7.84, and led all of FBS in plays of 30 or more yards with 45. Overall, BYU scored 40 or more points nine times in 12 games.

Under Grimes’ leadership, BYU quarterback Zach Wilson was named a finalist for the Heisman Trophy and Manning Award, as well as a semifinalist for the Walter Camp Player of the Year, the Maxwell Award and the Davey O’Brien Award. In 2020, Wilson passed for 3,692 yards, 33 touchdowns and posted a 196.4 passing efficiency. He finished the year ranked in the top-10 nationally in 11 offensive categories.

Led by All-American offensive lineman Brady Christensen, the BYU offensive line allowed only 12 sacks in 12 games, the eighth best per-game average in the country, and helped the Cougars to the fourth-most rushing touchdowns nationally with 34. Running back Tyler Allgeier rushed for 1,130 yards, the ninth-best total in BYU history and the eighth-best total by a FBS player for the season.

Overall, BYU had four offensive players named to All-America teams in 2020, including Wilson, Christensen, and wide receiver Dax Milne. Additionally, freshman tight end Isaac Rex earned Freshman All-America honors from The Athletic. Wilson (1st round, No. 3 overall, New York Jets), Christensen (3rd round, Carolina) and Milne (7th round, Washington) were each selected in the 2021 NFL Draft.

In addition to his time as a coordinator, Grimes has extensive experience as one of the country’s top offensive line coaches. Since 2000, 17 offensive linemen that played under Grimes have been selected in the NFL Draft including three first rounders (Levi Jones, Nate Solder and Greg Robinson).

He served as offensive line coach and run game coordinator at LSU from 2014-17. While in Baton Rouge, Grimes had three of his players selected in the NFL Draft to go along with nine earn All-SEC honors and four be selected as All-Americans (La’el Collins, Vadal Alexander, Ethan Pocic and Will Clapp).

LSU’s offensive line helped pave the way for four consecutive 1,000-yard rushers in each of Grimes’ four seasons. In 49 games as LSU’s offensive line coach and run game coordinator, the Tigers had at least one running back reach the 100-yard rushing mark 34 times.

Grimes spent one season as run game coordinator and offensive line coach at Virginia Tech in 2013 following four seasons as offensive line coach at Auburn from 2009-12 that included the program’s second National Championship in 2010.

During Auburn’s 2010 national championship season, Grimes’ coached an offensive line that helped set school records for total yards of offense (6,989) and points (577) for a second consecutive season. The Tigers were No. 5 nationally in rushing yards per game (284.8) and led the SEC in scoring (41.2). Auburn’s 2010 team set school records for rushing touchdowns (41), passing touchdowns (31), rushing yards (3,987) and had three offensive linemen earn individual honors.

Grimes also had successful stints leading the offensive lines at Colorado (2007-08), BYU (2004-06), Arizona State (2001-03) and Boise State (2000). He got his start in collegiate coaching at Hardin-Simmons (1998-99), and also served as a graduate assistant at Texas A&amp;M (1996-97) and Rice (1995). Following the completion of his playing career, he coached at Riverside High School in El Paso (1993-94).

Grimes earned his bachelor’s degree in education from UTEP in 1991 and a master’s degree in education administration from Texas A&amp;M in 1997.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701987070889.png" alt="Photo Courtesy Kansas Athletics." />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy Kansas Athletics.</figcaption>
 </figure>Courtesy of Kansas AthleticsLAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;Jeff Grimes, a coaching veteran with 30 years of experience and more than 15 bowl games coached, has been named Kansas Football’s next assistant head coach/offensive coordinator, head coach Lance Leipold announced today.Grimes is among the top offensive coaches in the country, having been named a finalist for the Frank Broyles Awards, awarded to the nation’s top assistant coach in 2021 while at Baylor and 2020 at BYU, and was named the 2021 Football Scoop coordinator of the year. While at Baylor, Grimes helped lead the Bears to the 2021 Big 12 Championship, while directing one of the most productive offensive attacks in the country."We’re excited to welcome Jeff, his wife Sheri and four children, Bailey, Jada, Garrison and Greydon to Lawrence. Jeff is a coach with a lot of experience and is a great relationship-builder, football mind and a high-quality person. He will be a great fit with our staff and offensive philosophy and is an exciting addition."LANCE LEIPOLD, KANSAS FOOTBALL HEAD COACH"My family and I are thrilled to join the KU program and be a part of what Coach Leipold and his staff are building in Lawrence. I’ve admired Kansas football over these last few years and it has been impossible to ignore the momentum behind the program. That momentum doesn’t happen without strong alignment among tremendous people committed to a common goal. I get fired up just thinking about the opportunity to coach these talented players and I can’t wait to get started. Rock Chalk!"JEFF GRIMES, ASSISTANT HEAD COACH/OFFENSIVE COORDINATORGrimes comes to Kansas after three years at Baylor, where he served as the offensive coordinator and tight ends coach. Grimes has extensive experience coaching the offensive line and has seen 17 linemen who have played in his offense since 2000 go on to play in the NFL.In his first year at Baylor, the Bears saw drastic improvement as Baylor’s offense ranked 10th&nbsp;nationally with 5.37 yards per rush and 6.32 yards per play. Baylor increased its rushing production by 129 yards per game, compared the 2020 season, raising its rushing average from 90.3 yards per game (123rd nationally) to 219.3 yards per game (10th nationally).Grimes was among five finalists for the Broyles Award for the second time in his career, while offensive lineman Connor Galvin was named the Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year and running back Abram Smith ranked among the nation’s best in yards per carry (14th, 6.23), total rushing (5th, 1,601), and rushing touchdowns (tied for 39th, 12).Baylor’s offensive attack continued to excel in 2022, ranking among the top-10 in program history in a several categories, including scoring the seventh-most TDs (34), while totaling the 10th&nbsp;most total yards (5,380) and first downs (296). In the air, Baylor ranked fourth-best in single season history, completing 63 percent of its passing attempts.&nbsp;Individually, Richard Reese shattered the program standard for freshman rushing yards, earning Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year honors.Prior to his three seasons at Baylor, Grimes directed a high-powered offense at BYU in 2020 that finished its season ranked in the top-15 of 10 different statistical categories, including scoring (3rd, 43.5 ppg), total offense (7th, 522.2 ypg) and passing offense (8th, 332.1 ppg).The 2020 BYU Cougars tied for the national lead in yards per play at 7.84, and led all of FBS in plays of 30 or more yards with 45. Overall, BYU scored 40 or more points nine times in 12 games.Under Grimes’ leadership, BYU quarterback Zach Wilson was named a finalist for the Heisman Trophy and Manning Award, as well as a semifinalist for the Walter Camp Player of the Year, the Maxwell Award and the Davey O’Brien Award. In 2020, Wilson passed for 3,692 yards, 33 touchdowns and posted a 196.4 passing efficiency. He finished the year ranked in the top-10 nationally in 11 offensive categories.Led by All-American offensive lineman Brady Christensen, the BYU offensive line allowed only 12 sacks in 12 games, the eighth best per-game average in the country, and helped the Cougars to the fourth-most rushing touchdowns nationally with 34. Running back Tyler Allgeier rushed for 1,130 yards, the ninth-best total in BYU history and the eighth-best total by a FBS player for the season.Overall, BYU had four offensive players named to All-America teams in 2020, including Wilson, Christensen, and wide receiver Dax Milne. Additionally, freshman tight end Isaac Rex earned Freshman All-America honors from The Athletic. Wilson (1st round, No. 3 overall, New York Jets), Christensen (3rd round, Carolina) and Milne (7th round, Washington) were each selected in the 2021 NFL Draft.In addition to his time as a coordinator, Grimes has extensive experience as one of the country’s top offensive line coaches. Since 2000, 17 offensive linemen that played under Grimes have been selected in the NFL Draft including three first rounders (Levi Jones, Nate Solder and Greg Robinson).He served as offensive line coach and run game coordinator at LSU from 2014-17. While in Baton Rouge, Grimes had three of his players selected in the NFL Draft to go along with nine earn All-SEC honors and four be selected as All-Americans (La’el Collins, Vadal Alexander, Ethan Pocic and Will Clapp).LSU’s offensive line helped pave the way for four consecutive 1,000-yard rushers in each of Grimes’ four seasons. In 49 games as LSU’s offensive line coach and run game coordinator, the Tigers had at least one running back reach the 100-yard rushing mark 34 times.Grimes spent one season as run game coordinator and offensive line coach at Virginia Tech in 2013 following four seasons as offensive line coach at Auburn from 2009-12 that included the program’s second National Championship in 2010.During Auburn’s 2010 national championship season, Grimes’ coached an offensive line that helped set school records for total yards of offense (6,989) and points (577) for a second consecutive season. The Tigers were No. 5 nationally in rushing yards per game (284.8) and led the SEC in scoring (41.2). Auburn’s 2010 team set school records for rushing touchdowns (41), passing touchdowns (31), rushing yards (3,987) and had three offensive linemen earn individual honors.Grimes also had successful stints leading the offensive lines at Colorado (2007-08), BYU (2004-06), Arizona State (2001-03) and Boise State (2000). He got his start in collegiate coaching at Hardin-Simmons (1998-99), and also served as a graduate assistant at Texas A&amp;M (1996-97) and Rice (1995). Following the completion of his playing career, he coached at Riverside High School in El Paso (1993-94).Grimes earned his bachelor’s degree in education from UTEP in 1991 and a master’s degree in education administration from Texas A&amp;M in 1997.

🏈 Jeff Grimes named KU assistant head coach/offensive coordinator

KANSAS-&nbsp;The Kansas Shrine Bowl Board of Directors is happy to announce the assistant coaches for the 51st Kansas Shrine Bowl presented by Mammoth. The assistant coaches are chosen based on the success of their season, as well as eligibility limitations and coach availability. The East assistant coaching staff features five coaches with Shrine Bowl experience, while the West assistant coaching staff will all be making their first coaching appearance in the Kansas Shrine Bowl.&nbsp; The 2024 Head Coaches, announced earlier this year, are Wamego’s Weston Moody for the East and McPherson’s Jace Pavlovich for the West.&nbsp; The 51st Kansas Shrine Bowl presented by Mammoth will be played at Welch Stadium, on the campus of Emporia State University, on Saturday, June 29th, 2024, at 7 p.m.

The Assistant coaches for the East team are Steve Buhler (6A - Washburn Rural), Jason Swift (5A - Shawnee Heights), Preston Troyer (4A - Tonganoxie), Mark Smith (3A - Frontenac), Garrett Michael (2A - Sabetha), and Shawn Seematter (1A - St. Mary’s Colgan).&nbsp; The East coaching staff had a combined record of 67-15 in 2023, with five of the seven coaches leading their programs to the State Semifinals. The East staff boasts plenty of experience with both Steve Buhler (2012, 2020) and Jason Swift (2013) having both been Head Coaches in the Shrine Bowl previously.&nbsp; Mark Smith, Garrett Michael and Shawn Seematter were all on the 2018 Kansas Shrine Bowl East staff that helped lead the East team to their most recent victory over the West, a 21-14 victory in Pittsburg. Smith was also part of a Shrine Bowl victory for the East team in 2004 as a player, the only former player on the 2024 East coaching staff.

Assistant coaches for the West team are Dominick Dingle (6A - Wichita Heights), Darrin Fisher (5A - Eisenhower), Jeremiah Meeks (4A - Wellington), Trey Teeter (3A - Holcomb), Mitch Gebhardt (2A - Southeast of Saline), and Nicolas Schmidt (1A - Medicine Lodge). The West Coaching staff had a combined 56-20 record in 2023, with 1A Assistant Nicolas Schmidt making the deepest postseason run with a semifinal appearance at Medicine Lodge. Outside of Head Coach Jace Pavlovich, the West staff will all be coaching in the Kansas Shrine Bowl for the first time. Only Trey Teeter, Holcomb, has previous Kansas Shrine Bowl experience as a player on the 2016 West team.

“We’re excited to have this group of coaches on board for the 2024 Kansas Shrine Bowl,” said Brice Kesler of the Kansas Shrine Bowl. “They give up valuable family time and time with their own programs to be a part of this great tradition. This is a group of men and leaders who truly understand our cause and the purpose of this event. We’re thrilled to have their knowledge and leadership for our respective teams this year.”

The annual Kansas Shrine Bowl Player Selection Show is set to air on Monday, January 1st, 2024 at 10 a.m. The show can be watched live at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kansasshrinebowl.com/" target="_blank">www.KansasShrineBowl.com</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="http://www.youtube.com/KansasShrineBowl" target="_blank">www.Youtube.com/KansasShrineBowl</a>.

For more information, please visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kansasshrinebowl.com/" target="_blank">www.KansasShrineBowl.com</a>&nbsp;or call the Kansas Shrine Bowl office at 913-602-8656.

All Kansas Shrine Bowl events are produced and presented to benefit Shriners Children’s. In 2023, the Kansas Shrine Bowl donated $100,000 to Shriners Children’s and has given more than $3.8M since 1974. Shriners Children’s offers care for a range of orthopedic issues, as well as care for burn injuries, craniofacial conditions, spine care and spinal cord injuries, colorectal and gastrointestinal care, and sports medicine. Children up to the age of 18 are eligible for care and receive all services in a family-centered environment, regardless of the patients' ability to pay.

The Kansas Shrine Bowl is an all-star high school senior, East vs. West, football game put on each year in Kansas, by the Kansas Shrine. It is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity that produces annual events and related activities, with net proceeds benefiting Shriners Hospitals for Children, now known as Shriners Children’s. The Kansas Shrine Bowl has donated over $3.8M to Shriners Children’s.

The game has been played throughout Kansas each summer since 1974. Host cities have included Lawrence, Manhattan, Wichita, Topeka, Hays, Emporia, Pittsburg, Dodge City and Hutchinson.&nbsp; The West football team camp will be held at Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kansas, and the East team camp will be held at Ottawa University in Ottawa, Kansas. The East Camp Directors are Jack Call and Jim Whitehead. The West Camp Directors are Richard Steele and Greg King. &nbsp;

Beginning in 1974, the flagship event has been the East/West All-Star Football Game. As of 2023, the West leads the series with 31 wins, the East has 17 wins, and there have been two ties. Notable NFL alumni include Hall of Famer Barry Sanders, All-Pro Wide Receiver Jordy Nelson, All-Pro NFL Defensive Back Terrance Newman, former Kansas State and Kansas City Chiefs Linebacker Gary Spani, former Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and Super Bowl Champion Linebacker Mark Simoneau, current NFL player Cody Whitehair, and many others.

KANSAS-&nbsp;The Kansas Shrine Bowl Board of Directors is happy to announce the assistant coaches for the 51st Kansas Shrine Bowl presented by Mammoth. The assistant coaches are chosen based on the success of their season, as well as eligibility limitations and coach availability. The East assistant coaching staff features five coaches with Shrine Bowl experience, while the West assistant coaching staff will all be making their first coaching appearance in the Kansas Shrine Bowl.&nbsp; The 2024 Head Coaches, announced earlier this year, are Wamego’s Weston Moody for the East and McPherson’s Jace Pavlovich for the West.&nbsp; The 51st Kansas Shrine Bowl presented by Mammoth will be played at Welch Stadium, on the campus of Emporia State University, on Saturday, June 29th, 2024, at 7 p.m.The Assistant coaches for the East team are Steve Buhler (6A - Washburn Rural), Jason Swift (5A - Shawnee Heights), Preston Troyer (4A - Tonganoxie), Mark Smith (3A - Frontenac), Garrett Michael (2A - Sabetha), and Shawn Seematter (1A - St. Mary’s Colgan).&nbsp; The East coaching staff had a combined record of 67-15 in 2023, with five of the seven coaches leading their programs to the State Semifinals. The East staff boasts plenty of experience with both Steve Buhler (2012, 2020) and Jason Swift (2013) having both been Head Coaches in the Shrine Bowl previously.&nbsp; Mark Smith, Garrett Michael and Shawn Seematter were all on the 2018 Kansas Shrine Bowl East staff that helped lead the East team to their most recent victory over the West, a 21-14 victory in Pittsburg. Smith was also part of a Shrine Bowl victory for the East team in 2004 as a player, the only former player on the 2024 East coaching staff.Assistant coaches for the West team are Dominick Dingle (6A - Wichita Heights), Darrin Fisher (5A - Eisenhower), Jeremiah Meeks (4A - Wellington), Trey Teeter (3A - Holcomb), Mitch Gebhardt (2A - Southeast of Saline), and Nicolas Schmidt (1A - Medicine Lodge). The West Coaching staff had a combined 56-20 record in 2023, with 1A Assistant Nicolas Schmidt making the deepest postseason run with a semifinal appearance at Medicine Lodge. Outside of Head Coach Jace Pavlovich, the West staff will all be coaching in the Kansas Shrine Bowl for the first time. Only Trey Teeter, Holcomb, has previous Kansas Shrine Bowl experience as a player on the 2016 West team.“We’re excited to have this group of coaches on board for the 2024 Kansas Shrine Bowl,” said Brice Kesler of the Kansas Shrine Bowl. “They give up valuable family time and time with their own programs to be a part of this great tradition. This is a group of men and leaders who truly understand our cause and the purpose of this event. We’re thrilled to have their knowledge and leadership for our respective teams this year.”The annual Kansas Shrine Bowl Player Selection Show is set to air on Monday, January 1st, 2024 at 10 a.m. The show can be watched live at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kansasshrinebowl.com/" target="_blank">www.KansasShrineBowl.com</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="http://www.youtube.com/KansasShrineBowl" target="_blank">www.Youtube.com/KansasShrineBowl</a>.For more information, please visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kansasshrinebowl.com/" target="_blank">www.KansasShrineBowl.com</a>&nbsp;or call the Kansas Shrine Bowl office at 913-602-8656.All Kansas Shrine Bowl events are produced and presented to benefit Shriners Children’s. In 2023, the Kansas Shrine Bowl donated $100,000 to Shriners Children’s and has given more than $3.8M since 1974. Shriners Children’s offers care for a range of orthopedic issues, as well as care for burn injuries, craniofacial conditions, spine care and spinal cord injuries, colorectal and gastrointestinal care, and sports medicine. Children up to the age of 18 are eligible for care and receive all services in a family-centered environment, regardless of the patients' ability to pay.The Kansas Shrine Bowl is an all-star high school senior, East vs. West, football game put on each year in Kansas, by the Kansas Shrine. It is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity that produces annual events and related activities, with net proceeds benefiting Shriners Hospitals for Children, now known as Shriners Children’s. The Kansas Shrine Bowl has donated over $3.8M to Shriners Children’s.The game has been played throughout Kansas each summer since 1974. Host cities have included Lawrence, Manhattan, Wichita, Topeka, Hays, Emporia, Pittsburg, Dodge City and Hutchinson.&nbsp; The West football team camp will be held at Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kansas, and the East team camp will be held at Ottawa University in Ottawa, Kansas. The East Camp Directors are Jack Call and Jim Whitehead. The West Camp Directors are Richard Steele and Greg King. &nbsp;Beginning in 1974, the flagship event has been the East/West All-Star Football Game. As of 2023, the West leads the series with 31 wins, the East has 17 wins, and there have been two ties. Notable NFL alumni include Hall of Famer Barry Sanders, All-Pro Wide Receiver Jordy Nelson, All-Pro NFL Defensive Back Terrance Newman, former Kansas State and Kansas City Chiefs Linebacker Gary Spani, former Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and Super Bowl Champion Linebacker Mark Simoneau, current NFL player Cody Whitehair, and many others.The Kansas Shrine Bowl week also includes the Kansas Masonic All-State Marching Band Camp, Kansas Shrine Bowl Cheer Camp, Friday Night Event, Pep Rally, Parade, Golf Tournament and more. Learn more about other events during the week of the Kansas Shrine Bowl at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kansasshrinebowl.com/events" target="_blank">www.KansasShrineBowl.com/events</a>.2024 Kansas Shrine Bowl East Coaching StaffHead Coach: Weston Moody High School: Wamego 2023 Record: 9-3 Overall Head Coach Record: 47-18 Kansas Shrine Bowl Experience: Assistant (2023) High School Played For: Salina South Undergraduate: Fort Hays State Graduate: Fort Hays State6A Assistant Coach: Steve Buhler High School: Washburn Rural 2023 Record: 11-1 Overall Head Coach Record: 184-97 (Washburn Rural, Rossville) Kansas Shrine Bowl Experience: Head Coach (2020, 2012); Assistant (2001, 2006, 2011, 2019) High School Played For: Regis Jesuit (Denver, CO) Undergraduate: Benedictine Graduate: Fort Hays State5A Assistant Coach: Jason Swift High School: Shawnee Heights 2023 Record: 8-3 Overall Head Coach Record: 101-111 Kansas Shrine Bowl Experience: Head Coach (2013); Assistant (2012, 2020) High School Played For: Blue Valley Undergraduate: Emporia State Graduate: Baker4A Assistant Coach: Preston Troyer High School: Tonganoxie 2023 Record: 9-3 Overall Head Coach Record: 13-7 Kansas Shrine Bowl Experience: none High School Played For: Lake Highlands (Dallas, TX) Undergraduate: Kansas Graduate: Fort Hays State 3A Assistant Coach: Mark Smith High School: Frontenac 2023 Record: 9-2 Overall Head Coach Record: 94-38 Kansas Shrine Bowl Experience: Assistant (2018), East Player (2004) High School Played For: St. Mary’s Colgan Undergraduate: Pittsburg State Graduate: Pittsburg State2A Assistant Coach: Garrett Michael High School: Sabetha 2023 Record: 10-2 Overall Head Coach Record: 104-59 Kansas Shrine Bowl Experience: Assistant (2018) High School Played For: Silver Lake Undergraduate: Kansas State Graduate: Baker1A Assistant Coach: Shawn Seematter High School: St. Mary’s Colgan 2023 Record: 11-1 Overall Head Coach Record: 57-21 Kansas Shrine Bowl Experience: Assistant (2018) High School Played For: Royal Valley Undergraduate: Kansas State Graduate: Fort Hays State2024 Kansas Shrine Bowl West Coaching StaffHead Coach: Jace Pavlovich High School: McPherson 2023 Record: 7-4 Overall Head Coach Record: 79-22 Kansas Shrine Bowl Experience: Assistant (2023) High School Played For: Onaga &amp; Canton-Galva Undergraduate: Fort Hays State Graduate: Fort Hays State6A Assistant Coach: Dominick Dingle High School: Wichita Heights 2023 Record: 5-4 Overall Head Coach Record: 26-7 Kansas Shrine Bowl Experience: none High School Played For: LeavenworthUndergraduate: Appalachian State Graduate: Pittsburg State5A Assistant Coach: Darrin Fisher High School: Eisenhower 2023 Record: 10-2 Overall Head Coach Record: 29-39 (Eisenhower, Canton-Galva) Kansas Shrine Bowl Experience: none High School Played For: Englewood, CO 4A Assistant Coach: Jeremiah Meeks High School: Wellington 2023 Record: 8-3 Overall Head Coach Record: 34-37 (Wellington, Moundridge, Pawnee Heights) Kansas Shrine Bowl Experience: none High School Played For: Hanston Undergraduate: Fort Hays State Graduate: Emporia State3A Assistant Coach: Trey Teeter High School: Holcomb 2023 Record: 7-3 Overall Head Coach Record: 7-3 Kansas Shrine Bowl Experience: West Player (2016) High School Played For: Goodland &amp; Holcomb Undergraduate: Fort Hays State Graduate: Emporia State2A Assistant Coach: Mitch Gebhardt High School: Southeast of Saline 2023 Record: 10-1 Overall Head Coach Record: 131-74 (Southeast of Saline, Lincoln) Kansas Shrine Bowl Experience: none High School Played For: Ellsworth Undergraduate: Fort Hays State Graduate: Fort Hays State1A Assistant Coach: Nicolas Schmidt High School: Medicine Lodge 2023 Record: 9-3 Overall Head Coach Record: 12-9 Kansas Shrine Bowl Experience: none High School Played For: TMP-Marian Undergraduate: Fort Hays State Graduate: Fort Hays State