Courtesy of Kansas State Athletics&nbsp;

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– The Big 12 Conference and ESPN announced Monday that Kansas State's October 21 home game against TCU will kick at 6 p.m., and will be televised by ESPN2. It will be K-State's fourth-straight night game dating back to the UCF contest.

The game against the Horned Frogs represents a rematch of the 2022 Big 12 Championship, a 31-28 Wildcat victory. K-State has won four of the last five meetings against TCU, including each of its last two home games.

The game against TCU is sold out, but K-State fans looking to purchase tickets through the secondary market are encouraged to do so through SeatGeek, K-State's official secondary ticket partner. Fraudulent tickets are often seen on gamedays, and K-State Athletics can only verify secondary market tickets and assist fans with issues on gamedays with tickets that are purchased directly from SeatGeek.

K-State travels to Lubbock, Texas, to take on Texas Tech this Saturday in a 6 p.m. contest that will be shown on FS1.&nbsp;&nbsp;

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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696869356688.jpeg" alt="(Courtesy Kansas State Athletics)" />
 <figcaption>(Courtesy Kansas State Athletics)</figcaption>
 </figure>Courtesy of Kansas State Athletics&nbsp;MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– The Big 12 Conference and ESPN announced Monday that Kansas State's October 21 home game against TCU will kick at 6 p.m., and will be televised by ESPN2. It will be K-State's fourth-straight night game dating back to the UCF contest.The game against the Horned Frogs represents a rematch of the 2022 Big 12 Championship, a 31-28 Wildcat victory. K-State has won four of the last five meetings against TCU, including each of its last two home games.The game against TCU is sold out, but K-State fans looking to purchase tickets through the secondary market are encouraged to do so through SeatGeek, K-State's official secondary ticket partner. Fraudulent tickets are often seen on gamedays, and K-State Athletics can only verify secondary market tickets and assist fans with issues on gamedays with tickets that are purchased directly from SeatGeek.K-State travels to Lubbock, Texas, to take on Texas Tech this Saturday in a 6 p.m. contest that will be shown on FS1.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🏈 K-State and TCU game on Oct. 21 scheduled for evening kickoff

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Week Six Area HS Football Scores

Q: On the linebackers performance as a unit and with Nick Bolton out.

SPAGNUOLO: “Well, we certainly got a real great replacement for Nick (Bolton), didn’t we? I mean we didn’t skip a beat. We didn’t change things, that’s a credit to Drue (Tranquill) and how he operates. Going back to the tight end, I would add in there that our defensive ends help us out a little bit, too. We talk all week long about what we call possibly ‘chucking the tight ends’ as they came off, and I thought Mike (Danna) did it a couple times, I know George (Karlaftis) did. So, they helped in defending the tight end, but yeah, I’d give credit to the linebackers and what they did. You know Leo (Chenal) had that missed tackle early, but other than that, he played pretty good for the limited snap he had. I thought you’re right about Drue, Willie (Gay) ran around a little bit and did some good things for us. All those linebackers helped us out. I wish I got Jack (Cochrane) in a little bit more; the game just didn’t dictate it that way. But he was – that tight end (Vikings TE TJ Hockenson) was a challenge, and I thought our guys overall did a pretty good job with it.”

Q: What does L’Jarius Sneed’s physicality help your defense overall as he follows teams top target out a lot?

SPAGNUOLO: “Listen, that’s been our M.O. here. I mean (current 49ers CB, former Chiefs CB) Charvarius Ward would do it for us, (former Chiefs CB) Bashaud Breeland when we had Breeland and LJ (L’Jarius Sneed) – just kind of fit right in that same mold. We believe in that philosophically to be a press coverage team and LJ does it as good as anybody. The thing about LJ is he loves a challenge, he wants to go against their very best. That’s why we do it. Listen, when you have a guy like that, that you have confidence you can put him on their best guy, I think the other ten guys rally around him. They see it, I mean they saw it two weeks ago when he was on number 17 (WR Garrett Wilson) from the Jets and how it helped us play good defense in that game. I think the same thing happened yesterday. We would’ve liked to have a few less points on the board there but I thought overall LJ did a really good job. Now he’ll probably admit to you that he got a little overzealous on that one play, but you know all in all, that might help us going forward so I’m ok with that.”

Q: What are you seeing from Mike Edwards?

SPAGNUOLO: “I’m really glad you brought Mike (Edwards) up. He’s really – we’ve given him a little bit more playing time if you notice, and he went in I think on the third series, the second or third series, and he’s earned that. He’s got a really good feel for the game. He’d tell you he’d like to have made the catch over there on the sideline, (he) kind of had it in his hands. He is a ballhawk, I mean he goes after the football, he’s had interceptions when he’s down there in Tampa Bay playing. I thought he did some really nice things for us in the red zone, (Assistant Head Coach/ Special Team Coordinator) Dave (Toub) and I were talking about that this morning. I mean he deserves to be out there; we have him in certain packages, maybe we’ll get him in a couple others but really glad we got Mike. You know guys like Mike and Drue (Tranquill) coming in here and adding to the guys we have has been really really important.”

Q: How impressed are you that Chris Jones has had a sack in each game he’s played in this season?

SPAGNUOLO: “Yeah, that’s kind of nice. I’d be ok if Chris (Jones) started getting multiple sack games, that would be even better. But he had that, and then I think he had three quarterback hits, so he’s always applying pressure. You know I will say this, I do think that that Minnesota offensive line actually did a fairly good job overall. I thought we would kind of be able to get inside a little bit more and Chris we moved around a little, but all in all, I thought our guys did a decent job. Chris, when he can finish, I think there was one other opportunity in there where he had the chance to finish with a sack and he kind of slipped off or I think (Vikings QB Kirk) Cousins got the ball away. I’m waiting for the multiple sack game, try to get off the one per game average and get to the multiple (laughter).”

Q: Is Rashee Rice earning more snaps with his level of play?

NAGY: “Yeah, I absolutely think he (Rashee Rice) is. I think it’s a growth process for him and just as we’ve talked about, and I’ve talked about, this process for these wide receivers, learning these positions and learning what they’re supposed to do within the route does take time. When you’re a rookie wide receiver nowadays coming from college (where) there’s so much no huddle, the sooner and quicker you can learn the verbiage that we have in the huddle – the next step is taking it to the line of scrimmage and being able to run the right route followed by, what’s the defense doing? And oh, by the way, you’ve got to make the catch too. Yesterday you saw that one catch he had over the middle, the middle of the field where he was running a basic cross and the throw was a little bit behind him, but he was able to maneuver himself and make a strong handed catch and still get vertical. To me, that’s immense growth from him where week one in preseason we may not have seen that. He’s starting to understand the different levels that you see with the linebackers (and) safeties, finding different holes in zones. Also, his touchdown catch of course, making a strong catch, he was physical, he was fast. What I think what we’re seeing right now with Rashee is someone that’s slowly gaining confidence in himself. He knows that we as coaches are slowly gaining more and more confidence in him. There’s immense growth ahead of him and I think that’s the exciting part that we all see.”

Q: On the play of Justin Watson and his ability to play at a higher level in year two with the team?

NAGY: “I think for him it’s that trust element him and Pat (Mahomes) have built over the last two years. You know about his speed – last year when he got here we knew, ‘Hey, this is a guy that can take the top off. This is a guy that has good hands, this is a guy that can run good routes.’ Putting it all together in this system, in this offense is the first part, the next part is understanding how to mesh with Pat and get to a point where yesterday in cover zero Pat just throws the ball up in cover zero and trusts him to go up and make a play. Not to mention also there was one earlier in the game and they hit us with a cover zero and Pat threw the ball up and J-Wat (Justin Watson) was running down the seam and the ball was a little under thrown and naturally I think he did a good job too of knocking the ball down and preventing an interception. When you do that the first time and you throw a ball up to a guy one-on-one and there’s not an interception it’s going to give your quarterback more trust in that guy (to) throw it up a second time and seeing what he can do. J-Wat made a strong catch, big play and they’re communicating more on the sidelines in between series. All of that is just a credit to Pat and his relationships he builds with these guys (and) credit to these wide receivers and their coaches, (Wide Receivers) Coach (Connor) Embree and (Pass

Game Coordinator) Coach (Joe) Bleymaier of just – you know really making sure these guys talk through everything and create more and more trust. Because we know somebody different in this offense every week can have a big game and I think that’s probably some of the strengths of this offense that we have.”

Q: How did you feel about how you handled the high volume of blitz in Sunday’s game?

NAGY: “We knew going into this game yesterday that (Vikings Defensive Coordinator) Coach (Brian) Flores was going to do a lot of different looks. He’s somebody – probably more than any defensive coordinator in the league – (is) going to throw more double A, double B, different types of fronts, looks, everybody, seven up, eight up, guys at you, to try to get you to either max protect or throw deep, that’s what he (Vikings Defensive Coordinator Coach Brian Flores) does, that’s his DNA of who he is. We knew that going into it, it’s just a matter of when you’re in it, how do we handle it? I thought the guys – our players – did a pretty good job at handling that for the most part. Now there were a couple plays here and there where – like every game – where we feel like, ‘Hey we could have been better on this play and made this play a little easier to be successful.’ That’s a part of playing the game, that’s a part of learning as we grow through the scheme and protections and cover zero checks, whatever it is. I thought our guys did a good job, I thought Pat (Mahomes) did a good job of staying in there. There’s so much that goes on within a play – it’s one thing to just call a play in the huddle and get to the line of scrimmage and see what they’re doing. The next part of it is being able to make the play during created chaos – it’s what they (The Vikings) like to create, is a bunch of havoc and chaos and make you think fast and throw the ball out quick. I thought our guys handled it really well. Situationally as well, I thought they did a good job in situational football whether (it was) red zone, four minute, end of half, end of game, I was really happy with the way they did that.”

Q: What do you see from the Broncos defense?

NAGY: “This is a defense that, you know you look at the personnel that they have – they’ve had some changes here and there, they’ve had a few injuries here and there. We know – first of all in this league there’s a lot of great NFL defenses and you can take stats and throw it out the window. These guys play hard, they’re in a lot of these games. I know right now their record may not show that, but they play hard and the DNA of their defensive coordinator Vance Joseph is an aggressive one yet playing fast and knowing where to be. It’s obviously a short turnaround for us, just coming from the game yesterday you get right on into it and you got to dig into knowing what they do and don’t do. We just have a lot of respect across the board, and I think you always start with (CB Pat) Surtain (II) back there and who he is and how he plays. He's going to follow guys and he’s going to also make plays when the ball is in the air. Then that front seven they move around pretty good, and I think they’ve got some guys that get after the quarterback. We just got to make sure we do what we do, stay within our system and just they are a good defense.”

ASSISTANT HEAD COACH/ SPECIAL TEAM COORDINATOR DAVE TOUB

Q: On the fake punt the Vikings successfully converted on.

TOUB: “Yeah, it was a pretty cool play. I mean it’s not like we didn’t know they were going to run a fake, I mean I would’ve been surprised if they didn’t run a fake right there. The fact that they didn’t even go for it on offense, and they put their punt team out. We knew it was going to be a fake, we had our big guy,

our defense out there obviously, they got the yards they needed. It was a good play, it was a little bit of a misdirection, a handoff in the backfield got us a little out of position, well executed, good blocks, a well-designed play that got the first down. Sooner or later, we got to have to stop these things otherwise were going to keep getting them. Obviously, that is going to be a point this week, and going forward. You know, we have to stop them. Teams are going to keep doing this to us because they want to stay on the field obviously and it seems like that’s something that they think they can get on us and we have to stop them, so that’s it on the old fake punt.”

Q: How much time do you spend each week preparing for fake punts?

TOUB: “We do spend – once a week, we spend on, we call it ‘Big Red’ which is our big defense out there for a punt situation, so you know we practice different fakes every week and that’s really all you can do. They’re on their toes, they know the fake is coming but you still have to stop it and it’s tough and obviously we have to get some wins under our belt here.”

Q: Yesterday was your first kick return of the season. What did you see from the blocking as a unit?

TOUB: “It’s been only one. I mean obviously it’s good that we got one because now we can coach off it and we have some young guys out there but still, it wasn’t bad, it wasn’t a bad return. We got it out at least past the 25 (yard-line), we got it at I think (the) 28 or 27-yard-line which is a positive, but we can be better, there’s a lot of things that we can coach off of on that. We can be a little bit more aggressive on our blocks and sustain and get better cutoff blocks on the back side, that’s the guy that got us – that did eventually tackle us, but I like the way t

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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694834649833.png" alt="chiefs logo.png" />
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 </figure>Submitted by KC ChiefsQ: On the linebackers performance as a unit and with Nick Bolton out.SPAGNUOLO: “Well, we certainly got a real great replacement for Nick (Bolton), didn’t we? I mean we didn’t skip a beat. We didn’t change things, that’s a credit to Drue (Tranquill) and how he operates. Going back to the tight end, I would add in there that our defensive ends help us out a little bit, too. We talk all week long about what we call possibly ‘chucking the tight ends’ as they came off, and I thought Mike (Danna) did it a couple times, I know George (Karlaftis) did. So, they helped in defending the tight end, but yeah, I’d give credit to the linebackers and what they did. You know Leo (Chenal) had that missed tackle early, but other than that, he played pretty good for the limited snap he had. I thought you’re right about Drue, Willie (Gay) ran around a little bit and did some good things for us. All those linebackers helped us out. I wish I got Jack (Cochrane) in a little bit more; the game just didn’t dictate it that way. But he was – that tight end (Vikings TE TJ Hockenson) was a challenge, and I thought our guys overall did a pretty good job with it.”Q: What does L’Jarius Sneed’s physicality help your defense overall as he follows teams top target out a lot?SPAGNUOLO: “Listen, that’s been our M.O. here. I mean (current 49ers CB, former Chiefs CB) Charvarius Ward would do it for us, (former Chiefs CB) Bashaud Breeland when we had Breeland and LJ (L’Jarius Sneed) – just kind of fit right in that same mold. We believe in that philosophically to be a press coverage team and LJ does it as good as anybody. The thing about LJ is he loves a challenge, he wants to go against their very best. That’s why we do it. Listen, when you have a guy like that, that you have confidence you can put him on their best guy, I think the other ten guys rally around him. They see it, I mean they saw it two weeks ago when he was on number 17 (WR Garrett Wilson) from the Jets and how it helped us play good defense in that game. I think the same thing happened yesterday. We would’ve liked to have a few less points on the board there but I thought overall LJ did a really good job. Now he’ll probably admit to you that he got a little overzealous on that one play, but you know all in all, that might help us going forward so I’m ok with that.”Q: What are you seeing from Mike Edwards?SPAGNUOLO: “I’m really glad you brought Mike (Edwards) up. He’s really – we’ve given him a little bit more playing time if you notice, and he went in I think on the third series, the second or third series, and he’s earned that. He’s got a really good feel for the game. He’d tell you he’d like to have made the catch over there on the sideline, (he) kind of had it in his hands. He is a ballhawk, I mean he goes after the football, he’s had interceptions when he’s down there in Tampa Bay playing. I thought he did some really nice things for us in the red zone, (Assistant Head Coach/ Special Team Coordinator) Dave (Toub) and I were talking about that this morning. I mean he deserves to be out there; we have him in certain packages, maybe we’ll get him in a couple others but really glad we got Mike. You know guys like Mike and Drue (Tranquill) coming in here and adding to the guys we have has been really really important.”Q: How impressed are you that Chris Jones has had a sack in each game he’s played in this season?SPAGNUOLO: “Yeah, that’s kind of nice. I’d be ok if Chris (Jones) started getting multiple sack games, that would be even better. But he had that, and then I think he had three quarterback hits, so he’s always applying pressure. You know I will say this, I do think that that Minnesota offensive line actually did a fairly good job overall. I thought we would kind of be able to get inside a little bit more and Chris we moved around a little, but all in all, I thought our guys did a decent job. Chris, when he can finish, I think there was one other opportunity in there where he had the chance to finish with a sack and he kind of slipped off or I think (Vikings QB Kirk) Cousins got the ball away. I’m waiting for the multiple sack game, try to get off the one per game average and get to the multiple (laughter).”OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR MATT NAGYQ: Is Rashee Rice earning more snaps with his level of play?NAGY: “Yeah, I absolutely think he (Rashee Rice) is. I think it’s a growth process for him and just as we’ve talked about, and I’ve talked about, this process for these wide receivers, learning these positions and learning what they’re supposed to do within the route does take time. When you’re a rookie wide receiver nowadays coming from college (where) there’s so much no huddle, the sooner and quicker you can learn the verbiage that we have in the huddle – the next step is taking it to the line of scrimmage and being able to run the right route followed by, what’s the defense doing? And oh, by the way, you’ve got to make the catch too. Yesterday you saw that one catch he had over the middle, the middle of the field where he was running a basic cross and the throw was a little bit behind him, but he was able to maneuver himself and make a strong handed catch and still get vertical. To me, that’s immense growth from him where week one in preseason we may not have seen that. He’s starting to understand the different levels that you see with the linebackers (and) safeties, finding different holes in zones. Also, his touchdown catch of course, making a strong catch, he was physical, he was fast. What I think what we’re seeing right now with Rashee is someone that’s slowly gaining confidence in himself. He knows that we as coaches are slowly gaining more and more confidence in him. There’s immense growth ahead of him and I think that’s the exciting part that we all see.”Q: On the play of Justin Watson and his ability to play at a higher level in year two with the team?NAGY: “I think for him it’s that trust element him and Pat (Mahomes) have built over the last two years. You know about his speed – last year when he got here we knew, ‘Hey, this is a guy that can take the top off. This is a guy that has good hands, this is a guy that can run good routes.’ Putting it all together in this system, in this offense is the first part, the next part is understanding how to mesh with Pat and get to a point where yesterday in cover zero Pat just throws the ball up in cover zero and trusts him to go up and make a play. Not to mention also there was one earlier in the game and they hit us with a cover zero and Pat threw the ball up and J-Wat (Justin Watson) was running down the seam and the ball was a little under thrown and naturally I think he did a good job too of knocking the ball down and preventing an interception. When you do that the first time and you throw a ball up to a guy one-on-one and there’s not an interception it’s going to give your quarterback more trust in that guy (to) throw it up a second time and seeing what he can do. J-Wat made a strong catch, big play and they’re communicating more on the sidelines in between series. All of that is just a credit to Pat and his relationships he builds with these guys (and) credit to these wide receivers and their coaches, (Wide Receivers) Coach (Connor) Embree and (PassGame Coordinator) Coach (Joe) Bleymaier of just – you know really making sure these guys talk through everything and create more and more trust. Because we know somebody different in this offense every week can have a big game and I think that’s probably some of the strengths of this offense that we have.”Q: How did you feel about how you handled the high volume of blitz in Sunday’s game?NAGY: “We knew going into this game yesterday that (Vikings Defensive Coordinator) Coach (Brian) Flores was going to do a lot of different looks. He’s somebody – probably more than any defensive coordinator in the league – (is) going to throw more double A, double B, different types of fronts, looks, everybody, seven up, eight up, guys at you, to try to get you to either max protect or throw deep, that’s what he (Vikings Defensive Coordinator Coach Brian Flores) does, that’s his DNA of who he is. We knew that going into it, it’s just a matter of when you’re in it, how do we handle it? I thought the guys – our players – did a pretty good job at handling that for the most part. Now there were a couple plays here and there where – like every game – where we feel like, ‘Hey we could have been better on this play and made this play a little easier to be successful.’ That’s a part of playing the game, that’s a part of learning as we grow through the scheme and protections and cover zero checks, whatever it is. I thought our guys did a good job, I thought Pat (Mahomes) did a good job of staying in there. There’s so much that goes on within a play – it’s one thing to just call a play in the huddle and get to the line of scrimmage and see what they’re doing. The next part of it is being able to make the play during created chaos – it’s what they (The Vikings) like to create, is a bunch of havoc and chaos and make you think fast and throw the ball out quick. I thought our guys handled it really well. Situationally as well, I thought they did a good job in situational football whether (it was) red zone, four minute, end of half, end of game, I was really happy with the way they did that.”Q: What do you see from the Broncos defense?NAGY: “This is a defense that, you know you look at the personnel that they have – they’ve had some changes here and there, they’ve had a few injuries here and there. We know – first of all in this league there’s a lot of great NFL defenses and you can take stats and throw it out the window. These guys play hard, they’re in a lot of these games. I know right now their record may not show that, but they play hard and the DNA of their defensive coordinator Vance Joseph is an aggressive one yet playing fast and knowing where to be. It’s obviously a short turnaround for us, just coming from the game yesterday you get right on into it and you got to dig into knowing what they do and don’t do. We just have a lot of respect across the board, and I think you always start with (CB Pat) Surtain (II) back there and who he is and how he plays. He's going to follow guys and he’s going to also make plays when the ball is in the air. Then that front seven they move around pretty good, and I think they’ve got some guys that get after the quarterback. We just got to make sure we do what we do, stay within our system and just they are a good defense.”ASSISTANT HEAD COACH/ SPECIAL TEAM COORDINATOR DAVE TOUBQ: On the fake punt the Vikings successfully converted on.TOUB: “Yeah, it was a pretty cool play. I mean it’s not like we didn’t know they were going to run a fake, I mean I would’ve been surprised if they didn’t run a fake right there. The fact that they didn’t even go for it on offense, and they put their punt team out. We knew it was going to be a fake, we had our big guy,our defense out there obviously, they got the yards they needed. It was a good play, it was a little bit of a misdirection, a handoff in the backfield got us a little out of position, well executed, good blocks, a well-designed play that got the first down. Sooner or later, we got to have to stop these things otherwise were going to keep getting them. Obviously, that is going to be a point this week, and going forward. You know, we have to stop them. Teams are going to keep doing this to us because they want to stay on the field obviously and it seems like that’s something that they think they can get on us and we have to stop them, so that’s it on the old fake punt.”Q: How much time do you spend each week preparing for fake punts?TOUB: “We do spend – once a week, we spend on, we call it ‘Big Red’ which is our big defense out there for a punt situation, so you know we practice different fakes every week and that’s really all you can do. They’re on their toes, they know the fake is coming but you still have to stop it and it’s tough and obviously we have to get some wins under our belt here.”Q: Yesterday was your first kick return of the season. What did you see from the blocking as a unit?TOUB: “It’s been only one. I mean obviously it’s good that we got one because now we can coach off it and we have some young guys out there but still, it wasn’t bad, it wasn’t a bad return. We got it out at least past the 25 (yard-line), we got it at I think (the) 28 or 27-yard-line which is a positive, but we can be better, there’s a lot of things that we can coach off of on that. We can be a little bit more aggressive on our blocks and sustain and get better cutoff blocks on the back side, that’s the guy that got us – that did eventually tackle us, but I like the way t

Chiefs Quotes, Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo 

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Patrick Mahomes threw two touchdown passes in the third quarter, one to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-kansas-city-kelce-e97f370dc8931de37cc0875dd53cf46d">Travis Kelce</a>&nbsp;after the All-Pro tight end briefly left the game with an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-travis-kelce-injury-c8292645dc17ed7c15687a394311e977">ankle injury</a>, and the Kansas City Chiefs beat the Minnesota Vikings 27-20 on Sunday.

Mahomes went 31 for 41 for 281 yards and no turnovers in his most efficient performance of the season for the defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs (4-1), who once again won while not at their best.

Kirk Cousins threw for scores to Jordan Addison and Alexander Mattison for the Vikings (1-4). They had two chances at the tying touchdown in the final five minutes, but a late&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vikings-justin-jefferson-hamstring-injury-8ee0680fa47856710f052b9722e0b341">hamstring injury to star wide receiver Justin Jefferson</a>&nbsp;and a lack of timeouts from earlier mismanagement of the game were ultimately too much to overcome.

Jefferson slipped on the turf while trying to make a cut on his route during a third-down pass deep in Kansas City territory. He grabbed the back of his right leg and limped slowly to the sideline.

Mahomes hit Justin Watson with a 33-yard heave on third-and-18 from his own 17 to extend the Chiefs' first possession of the second half. The two-time MVP finished that drive with a tiebreaking 8-yard scoring toss to Rashee Rice.

All four of Minnesota's losses have come by eight points or fewer this year after a record 11 wins in 11 one-score games in 2022. The Vikings lost a fumble on their opening possession, again, a turnover by tight end Josh Oliver that the Chiefs recovered at the Minnesota 45. Isaiah Pacheco's touchdown run capped the drive and gave Kansas City the early lead.

The victory gave Mahomes at least one against every other team in the league. The Vikings were the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-vikings-mahomes-preview-e81e04c72cffa5a82f84226021e77bc0">only team he'd never beaten</a>&nbsp;in six years as Kansas City's starter. This was the first time he'd ever faced the team that plays in the city where his father, Pat Mahomes, pitched for the Minnesota Twins.

Chiefs: Kelce fell awkwardly to the turf after catching a pass in the second quarter and went for X-rays. He watched the first possession after halftime from the sideline and went back in for the next one. ... LB Nick Bolton (ankle) was sidelined for the third straight game, replaced in the middle of the defense by Drue Tranquill.

Vikings: CB Akayleb Evans (knee) limped off in the third quarter. ... QB Nick Mullens (back) was inactive, elevating rookie Jaren Hall to the backup spot for Cousins.

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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696812160289.png" alt="Photo courtesy Kansas City Chiefs" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Kansas City Chiefs</figcaption>
 </figure>MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Patrick Mahomes threw two touchdown passes in the third quarter, one to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-kansas-city-kelce-e97f370dc8931de37cc0875dd53cf46d">Travis Kelce</a>&nbsp;after the All-Pro tight end briefly left the game with an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-travis-kelce-injury-c8292645dc17ed7c15687a394311e977">ankle injury</a>, and the Kansas City Chiefs beat the Minnesota Vikings 27-20 on Sunday.Mahomes went 31 for 41 for 281 yards and no turnovers in his most efficient performance of the season for the defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs (4-1), who once again won while not at their best.Kirk Cousins threw for scores to Jordan Addison and Alexander Mattison for the Vikings (1-4). They had two chances at the tying touchdown in the final five minutes, but a late&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vikings-justin-jefferson-hamstring-injury-8ee0680fa47856710f052b9722e0b341">hamstring injury to star wide receiver Justin Jefferson</a>&nbsp;and a lack of timeouts from earlier mismanagement of the game were ultimately too much to overcome.Jefferson slipped on the turf while trying to make a cut on his route during a third-down pass deep in Kansas City territory. He grabbed the back of his right leg and limped slowly to the sideline.Mahomes hit Justin Watson with a 33-yard heave on third-and-18 from his own 17 to extend the Chiefs' first possession of the second half. The two-time MVP finished that drive with a tiebreaking 8-yard scoring toss to Rashee Rice.All four of Minnesota's losses have come by eight points or fewer this year after a record 11 wins in 11 one-score games in 2022. The Vikings lost a fumble on their opening possession, again, a turnover by tight end Josh Oliver that the Chiefs recovered at the Minnesota 45. Isaiah Pacheco's touchdown run capped the drive and gave Kansas City the early lead.CHECK THAT BOXThe victory gave Mahomes at least one against every other team in the league. The Vikings were the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-vikings-mahomes-preview-e81e04c72cffa5a82f84226021e77bc0">only team he'd never beaten</a>&nbsp;in six years as Kansas City's starter. This was the first time he'd ever faced the team that plays in the city where his father, Pat Mahomes, pitched for the Minnesota Twins.INJURY REPORTChiefs: Kelce fell awkwardly to the turf after catching a pass in the second quarter and went for X-rays. He watched the first possession after halftime from the sideline and went back in for the next one. ... LB Nick Bolton (ankle) was sidelined for the third straight game, replaced in the middle of the defense by Drue Tranquill.Vikings: CB Akayleb Evans (knee) limped off in the third quarter. ... QB Nick Mullens (back) was inactive, elevating rookie Jaren Hall to the backup spot for Cousins.UP NEXTChiefs: Host Denver on Thursday night.

Chiefs outlast Vikings; Kelce catches TD pass after hurting ankle

By DAVID SMALE Associated Press

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Devin Neal rushed for 154 yards on just 12 carries and Daniel Hishaw ran for another 134 yards and two touchdowns as Kansas dominated UCF 51-22 in a Big 12 Conference battle on Saturday.

On the day Kansas inducted Tony Sands, the school's second all-time leading rusher, into the ring of honor, Neal passed four players to move into ninth on the all-time list as the Jayhawks (5-1, 2-1 Big 12) rushed for 399 yards.

“Tony was in the locker room after the game,” Kansas coach Lance Leipold said. “I asked him what he thought of our offensive performance. Tony gave us a thumbs-up.”

Neal, a Lawrence native who grew up watching Kansas football, was thrilled to be included on a list that features Gayle Sayers and John Riggins at sixth and seventh, respectively.

“That's special to be part of a list like that,” he said. “It's everything that I dreamed of.

"Who doesn't want to be a part of something so special, a part of history. But it wasn't my main focus (coming in). My main focus was turning this thing around.”

UCF (3-3, 0-3 Big 12) welcomed back starting quarterback John Rhys Plumlee, who missed three games with an undisclosed leg injury. He was just 3-of-7 for 33 yards. Backup Timmy McClain was 12-of-15 for 136 yards and two scores.

“This is a really good bounce-back for us,” Leipold said. “I didn't know how we would handle it after last week (a 40-14 loss at Texas). (UCF has) a high-speed offense. You could see glimpses of how dangerous they are.”

UCF head coach Gus Malzahn was not pleased.

“That was obviously a disappointing loss,” he said. “The first half was embarrassing from an offensive standpoint. Defensively, not being able to stop the run was one of the stories of the game.”

Kansas was without its starting quarterback, Jalon Daniels, for the second straight week and third time this season. Daniels, the preseason Big 12 offensive player of the year, missed the game with a back injury. Backup Jason Bean was 8-of-12 for 91 yards.

“Jason did what we asked him to do," Leipold said. “We told Jason and our receivers that this was going to be a run-emphasis game. They needed to do their jobs and accept that, and I thought they did.”

Already up 24-0 at intermission, Neal took a handoff on the first play from scrimmage in the second half and raced 75 yards untouched for a 31-0 lead.

But Kansas is not satisfied with shutting down the Knights for a half.

“I don't think we demoralized them enough,” defensive end Austin Booker said. “They came back in the second half. I feel like we should have done our job a little longer. We need to start finishing games.”

The Knights finally reached the end zone on a four-play, 75-yard drive in the third quarter. McClain hit Alec Holler with a 13-yard touchdown pass. The 2-point conversion failed.

Kansas responded with a 75-yard drive to stretch the lead to 37-8. Dylan McDuffie punched in from the 1-yard line. The extra point attempt was botched and UCF returned it 91 yards for 2 points.

UCF cut it to 37-15 with a touchdown by RJ Harvey, but Hishaw's second touchdown gave the Jayhawks a 44-15 lead. UCF's final touchdown was a 23-yard pass from McClain to Randy Pittman.

Kansas got a 25-yard Seth Keller field goal on its first drive. Bean found Lawrence Arnold for a 5-yard touchdown pass on the third play of the second quarter to put Kansas up 10-0. Hishaw extended the lead with a 3-yard touchdown run midway through the second quarter and Trevor Wilson returned a punt 82 yards for a touchdown and a 24-0 lead.

UCF: the Knights are still stinging from blowing a 35-7 lead over Baylor late in the third quarter. UCF gave up 60 unanswered points over two games: 29 straight to lose 36-35 to Baylor and 31 straight to start this game.

Kansas: the Jayhawks didn't let a tough loss at Texas last week carry over. The Jayhawks dominated from the start.

UCF: the Knights are off next weekend before traveling to play Oklahoma in Norman on Oct. 21.

Kansas: the Jayhawks will face Oklahoma State in Stillwater, Okla., next Saturday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696723119383.jpeg" alt="Kansas running back Daniel Hishaw Jr. (20) is stopped by several UCF defenders during the first half of an NCAA football game, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023, in Lawrence, Kan. (AP Photo/Colin E. Braley)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas running back Daniel Hishaw Jr. (20) is stopped by several UCF defenders during the first half of an NCAA football game, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023, in Lawrence, Kan. (AP Photo/Colin E. Braley)</figcaption>
 </figure>By DAVID SMALE Associated PressLAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Devin Neal rushed for 154 yards on just 12 carries and Daniel Hishaw ran for another 134 yards and two touchdowns as Kansas dominated UCF 51-22 in a Big 12 Conference battle on Saturday.On the day Kansas inducted Tony Sands, the school's second all-time leading rusher, into the ring of honor, Neal passed four players to move into ninth on the all-time list as the Jayhawks (5-1, 2-1 Big 12) rushed for 399 yards.“Tony was in the locker room after the game,” Kansas coach Lance Leipold said. “I asked him what he thought of our offensive performance. Tony gave us a thumbs-up.”Neal, a Lawrence native who grew up watching Kansas football, was thrilled to be included on a list that features Gayle Sayers and John Riggins at sixth and seventh, respectively.“That's special to be part of a list like that,” he said. “It's everything that I dreamed of."Who doesn't want to be a part of something so special, a part of history. But it wasn't my main focus (coming in). My main focus was turning this thing around.”UCF (3-3, 0-3 Big 12) welcomed back starting quarterback John Rhys Plumlee, who missed three games with an undisclosed leg injury. He was just 3-of-7 for 33 yards. Backup Timmy McClain was 12-of-15 for 136 yards and two scores.“This is a really good bounce-back for us,” Leipold said. “I didn't know how we would handle it after last week (a 40-14 loss at Texas). (UCF has) a high-speed offense. You could see glimpses of how dangerous they are.”UCF head coach Gus Malzahn was not pleased.“That was obviously a disappointing loss,” he said. “The first half was embarrassing from an offensive standpoint. Defensively, not being able to stop the run was one of the stories of the game.”Kansas was without its starting quarterback, Jalon Daniels, for the second straight week and third time this season. Daniels, the preseason Big 12 offensive player of the year, missed the game with a back injury. Backup Jason Bean was 8-of-12 for 91 yards.“Jason did what we asked him to do," Leipold said. “We told Jason and our receivers that this was going to be a run-emphasis game. They needed to do their jobs and accept that, and I thought they did.”Already up 24-0 at intermission, Neal took a handoff on the first play from scrimmage in the second half and raced 75 yards untouched for a 31-0 lead.But Kansas is not satisfied with shutting down the Knights for a half.“I don't think we demoralized them enough,” defensive end Austin Booker said. “They came back in the second half. I feel like we should have done our job a little longer. We need to start finishing games.”The Knights finally reached the end zone on a four-play, 75-yard drive in the third quarter. McClain hit Alec Holler with a 13-yard touchdown pass. The 2-point conversion failed.Kansas responded with a 75-yard drive to stretch the lead to 37-8. Dylan McDuffie punched in from the 1-yard line. The extra point attempt was botched and UCF returned it 91 yards for 2 points.UCF cut it to 37-15 with a touchdown by RJ Harvey, but Hishaw's second touchdown gave the Jayhawks a 44-15 lead. UCF's final touchdown was a 23-yard pass from McClain to Randy Pittman.Kansas got a 25-yard Seth Keller field goal on its first drive. Bean found Lawrence Arnold for a 5-yard touchdown pass on the third play of the second quarter to put Kansas up 10-0. Hishaw extended the lead with a 3-yard touchdown run midway through the second quarter and Trevor Wilson returned a punt 82 yards for a touchdown and a 24-0 lead.THE TAKEAWAYUCF: the Knights are still stinging from blowing a 35-7 lead over Baylor late in the third quarter. UCF gave up 60 unanswered points over two games: 29 straight to lose 36-35 to Baylor and 31 straight to start this game.Kansas: the Jayhawks didn't let a tough loss at Texas last week carry over. The Jayhawks dominated from the start.UP NEXTUCF: the Knights are off next weekend before traveling to play Oklahoma in Norman on Oct. 21.Kansas: the Jayhawks will face Oklahoma State in Stillwater, Okla., next Saturday.

🏈 Neal, Hishaw showcase Kansas run game, Jayhawks run over UCF

By ADAM COULTER Salina Post Contributor

Sacred Heart returned to Salina on Friday nightfor Homecoming, but couldn't overcome numerous penalty yards and injuries in a 30-6 loss against Wabaunsee.

The game began with the Knights surrendering a long kickoff return that put the Chargers in the Red Zone for their opening series from scrimmage. Despite the short field, the Sacred Heart defense held its ground and forced a turnover-on-downs. Both teams had promising early possessions, but eventually each drive stalled as the game remained scoreless after the opening quarter.

The second quarter was much like the first, but, in addition to several key players out with injuries, most notably two-way starter Evan Bogart, penalties began mounting up for the Knights.

Finally, with just 19-seconds remaining before halftime, Wabaunsee quarterback Wyatt Wurtz connected with Miguel Hernandez on a 30-yard pass play to break the scoreless tie. A two-point conversation made the score 8-0 at the intermission.

Sacred Heart had won the opening coin toss and deferred possession until the start of the second half, but another drive was cut short giving possession back to Wabaunsee. The Chargers tacked on two additional touchdowns in the third quarter extending their lead to 22-0.

At the9:06 mark of the final quarter, a Michael Matteucci 3-yard touchdown carry put the Knights on the scoreboard. A two-point conversation attempt was missed, but Sacred Heart had cut into the Wabaunsee lead with the score 22-6.&nbsp;

The Knights were unable to score in the fourth quarter as the Chargers found the endzone once more with a late touchdown to make the final tally 30-6.

With numerous Knights not suited up, several younger Sacred Heart players saw playing time and contributed in a losing effort. Freshmen Noah Hines and Maddox Wells along with Sopomores Gabriel Rodriguez, Ben Marrs, Elias Gordon, and Luke Koland all stepped up and saw significant playing time as the Knights continued to battle through all four quarters.

Sacred Heart will go back on the road with another district game at Smith Center&nbsp;next Friday night. Pregame is set for&nbsp;6:40&nbsp;with&nbsp;a 7pm&nbsp;kickoff. The game can be seen and heard at&nbsp;<a href="http://salinapost.com/" target="_blank">salinapost.com</a>.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694792827171.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>By ADAM COULTER Salina Post ContributorSacred Heart returned to Salina on Friday nightfor Homecoming, but couldn't overcome numerous penalty yards and injuries in a 30-6 loss against Wabaunsee.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692978564223.png" alt="Sacred Heart Knights Logo" />
 <figcaption>Sacred Heart Knights Logo</figcaption>
 </figure>The game began with the Knights surrendering a long kickoff return that put the Chargers in the Red Zone for their opening series from scrimmage. Despite the short field, the Sacred Heart defense held its ground and forced a turnover-on-downs. Both teams had promising early possessions, but eventually each drive stalled as the game remained scoreless after the opening quarter.The second quarter was much like the first, but, in addition to several key players out with injuries, most notably two-way starter Evan Bogart, penalties began mounting up for the Knights.Finally, with just 19-seconds remaining before halftime, Wabaunsee quarterback Wyatt Wurtz connected with Miguel Hernandez on a 30-yard pass play to break the scoreless tie. A two-point conversation made the score 8-0 at the intermission.Sacred Heart had won the opening coin toss and deferred possession until the start of the second half, but another drive was cut short giving possession back to Wabaunsee. The Chargers tacked on two additional touchdowns in the third quarter extending their lead to 22-0.At the9:06 mark of the final quarter, a Michael Matteucci 3-yard touchdown carry put the Knights on the scoreboard. A two-point conversation attempt was missed, but Sacred Heart had cut into the Wabaunsee lead with the score 22-6.&nbsp;The Knights were unable to score in the fourth quarter as the Chargers found the endzone once more with a late touchdown to make the final tally 30-6.With numerous Knights not suited up, several younger Sacred Heart players saw playing time and contributed in a losing effort. Freshmen Noah Hines and Maddox Wells along with Sopomores Gabriel Rodriguez, Ben Marrs, Elias Gordon, and Luke Koland all stepped up and saw significant playing time as the Knights continued to battle through all four quarters.Sacred Heart will go back on the road with another district game at Smith Center&nbsp;next Friday night. Pregame is set for&nbsp;6:40&nbsp;with&nbsp;a 7pm&nbsp;kickoff. The game can be seen and heard at&nbsp;<a href="http://salinapost.com/" target="_blank">salinapost.com</a>.&nbsp;

Penalties and Injuries Hamper Sacred Heart in Homecoming Loss to Wabaunsee

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post

The Ellsworth Bearcats took care of their business on Friday night, knocking off the Russell Broncos by a final score of 33-14.

With this win, the Bearcats remain undefeated at 6-0 while the Broncos fall back to .500 at 3-3.

It wasn’t always pretty, but Ellsworth looked like the stronger, faster, more physical team from the outset and stayed in the driver's seat for a majority of the game.

The first Bearcat drive of the day took just five plays, and concluded with a 26-yard touchdown run on an end around to Cole Webber.

On the very next drive, the Broncos responded with a 71-yard bomb from Mason Rohr to Max Evans to even the score at seven all.

Ellsworth wasted no time reclaiming the lead as Will Cravens scampered 58 yards for a score that would give the Bearcats an advantage that they would never relinquish.

Russell battled, even cutting the deficit to five before the half, but Ellsworth proved to be too much to handle and slowly pulled away down the stretch.

The Bronco offense ran just five plays in the whole third quarter, and was blanked for the entirety of the second half.

Will Cravens was excellent offensively, completing 12 of his 16 passes for 162 passing yards and a touchdown, adding 75 yards and a score on the ground.

It was also a big day for Ian Andalon, who suffocated the Russell defense with his slow, steady rushing production, racking up 132 rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Ellsworth will resume district play next Friday when they travel to 3-3 Halstead, while Russell makes the trek to 2-4 Phillipsburg.

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694792827171.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 Ellsworth Bearcats took care of their business on Friday night, knocking off the Russell Broncos by a final score of 33-14.With this win, the Bearcats remain undefeated at 6-0 while the Broncos fall back to .500 at 3-3.It wasn’t always pretty, but Ellsworth looked like the stronger, faster, more physical team from the outset and stayed in the driver's seat for a majority of the game.The first Bearcat drive of the day took just five plays, and concluded with a 26-yard touchdown run on an end around to Cole Webber.On the very next drive, the Broncos responded with a 71-yard bomb from Mason Rohr to Max Evans to even the score at seven all.Ellsworth wasted no time reclaiming the lead as Will Cravens scampered 58 yards for a score that would give the Bearcats an advantage that they would never relinquish.Russell battled, even cutting the deficit to five before the half, but Ellsworth proved to be too much to handle and slowly pulled away down the stretch.The Bronco offense ran just five plays in the whole third quarter, and was blanked for the entirety of the second half.Will Cravens was excellent offensively, completing 12 of his 16 passes for 162 passing yards and a touchdown, adding 75 yards and a score on the ground.It was also a big day for Ian Andalon, who suffocated the Russell defense with his slow, steady rushing production, racking up 132 rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns.Ellsworth will resume district play next Friday when they travel to 3-3 Halstead, while Russell makes the trek to 2-4 Phillipsburg.

Bearcats Remain Perfect with 33-14 Win Over Russell

All season long, people have waited for Southeast of Saline to get careless on a Friday night, and this week, many thought that wish might be granted.

The Trojans turned the ball over five times, losing four fumbles and an interception, with four of those miscues coming in the red zone against the top passing offense in Class 2A.

While the victory will go down as a definitive one for Southeast, the Trojans know they will need to tighten things up down the stretch in order to contend with some of the bigger opponents ahead.

“It’s a win in district, that’s what you want to accomplish,” SES head coach Mitch Gebhardt said. “But we turned the ball over way too much and we had way too many penalties. I feel like we got that 22-point lead out of the gate and we had spurts after that where we played well but we can’t play like this just because we’re up.”

Despite the struggles with ball security, it was still an excellent day for the Trojan offense as a whole, as Danny Kejr carried the ball for 246 yards and two TDs, perfectly complimenting Nathan Friesen, who tacked on 159 yards and four scores on the ground.

The Southeast defense held up their end of the bargain too, sacking the Hillsboro quarterback twice and holding one of the most potent passing attacks in Class 2A to just 140 yards through the air.

“I thought our lines both played well tonight,” Gebhardt said. “Our O-Line did a good job of opening up holes and giving Danny time to throw and our defensive line chased the quarterback well.”

Southeast will return to Gypsum next week for one final regular-season home game when they play host to the 0-6 Lyons Lions.

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694792827171.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>All season long, people have waited for Southeast of Saline to get careless on a Friday night, and this week, many thought that wish might be granted.The Trojans turned the ball over five times, losing four fumbles and an interception, with four of those miscues coming in the red zone against the top passing offense in Class 2A.They won 46-14.While the victory will go down as a definitive one for Southeast, the Trojans know they will need to tighten things up down the stretch in order to contend with some of the bigger opponents ahead.“It’s a win in district, that’s what you want to accomplish,” SES head coach Mitch Gebhardt said. “But we turned the ball over way too much and we had way too many penalties. I feel like we got that 22-point lead out of the gate and we had spurts after that where we played well but we can’t play like this just because we’re up.”Despite the struggles with ball security, it was still an excellent day for the Trojan offense as a whole, as Danny Kejr carried the ball for 246 yards and two TDs, perfectly complimenting Nathan Friesen, who tacked on 159 yards and four scores on the ground.The Southeast defense held up their end of the bargain too, sacking the Hillsboro quarterback twice and holding one of the most potent passing attacks in Class 2A to just 140 yards through the air.“I thought our lines both played well tonight,” Gebhardt said. “Our O-Line did a good job of opening up holes and giving Danny time to throw and our defensive line chased the quarterback well.”Southeast will return to Gypsum next week for one final regular-season home game when they play host to the 0-6 Lyons Lions.

Trojans Throttle Hillsboro Despite Five Turnovers

LAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;The University of Kansas is honored to announce a generous gift of $15 million from an anonymous family, further advancing the transformational Gateway&nbsp;District and reimagined David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. The family has a history of support for Kansas Athletics, and this substantial commitment to the Gateway&nbsp;District&nbsp;reflects their enduring dedication to the&nbsp;university's growth. This contribution reinforces the&nbsp;university's commitment to enhancing its football facilities, while simultaneously driving economic development to Lawrence, the state of Kansas and beyond.

“We are profoundly grateful for the exceptional generosity of this anonymous donor and their family. This significant gift underscores their belief in the transformative potential of the Gateway&nbsp;Project,”&nbsp;said Director of Athletics Travis Goff&nbsp;“Their commitment to higher education and their longstanding support for Kansas Athletics truly embodies the Jayhawk spirit.”

First announced last October by Chancellor Girod and Goff, the Gateway District will forever alter David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium and the intersection of 11th&nbsp;and Mississippi streets. The re-imagined football stadium will be part of a state-of-the-art conference center and additional mixed-use development complex. Construction on the project will begin shortly after the 2023 football season.

About Kansas AthleticsKansas Athletics is a not-for-profit corporation which was organized in 1925 to foster development of intercollegiate athletics in conjunction with the educational activities of the University of Kansas. Kansas Athletics operates the varsity intercollegiate athletic programs (18 men's and women's intercollegiate teams) of the University of Kansas in facilities owned by the State of Kansas. A major comprehensive research and teaching university with an enrollment of approximately 27,000, the University provides outstanding excellence in education and research. Kansas Athletics is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696624349951.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;The University of Kansas is honored to announce a generous gift of $15 million from an anonymous family, further advancing the transformational Gateway&nbsp;District and reimagined David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. The family has a history of support for Kansas Athletics, and this substantial commitment to the Gateway&nbsp;District&nbsp;reflects their enduring dedication to the&nbsp;university's growth. This contribution reinforces the&nbsp;university's commitment to enhancing its football facilities, while simultaneously driving economic development to Lawrence, the state of Kansas and beyond.“We are profoundly grateful for the exceptional generosity of this anonymous donor and their family. This significant gift underscores their belief in the transformative potential of the Gateway&nbsp;Project,”&nbsp;said Director of Athletics Travis Goff&nbsp;“Their commitment to higher education and their longstanding support for Kansas Athletics truly embodies the Jayhawk spirit.”First announced last October by Chancellor Girod and Goff, the Gateway District will forever alter David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium and the intersection of 11th&nbsp;and Mississippi streets. The re-imagined football stadium will be part of a state-of-the-art conference center and additional mixed-use development complex. Construction on the project will begin shortly after the 2023 football season.About Kansas AthleticsKansas Athletics is a not-for-profit corporation which was organized in 1925 to foster development of intercollegiate athletics in conjunction with the educational activities of the University of Kansas. Kansas Athletics operates the varsity intercollegiate athletic programs (18 men's and women's intercollegiate teams) of the University of Kansas in facilities owned by the State of Kansas. A major comprehensive research and teaching university with an enrollment of approximately 27,000, the University provides outstanding excellence in education and research. Kansas Athletics is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

$15 Million Gift to University of Kansas From Anonymous Donor Family Fuels

OPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“As far as the injuries go, everybody did something today, but the guys that are in question are (Matt) Dickerson, Wanya Morris and (Nick) Bolton still. So we’ll just see where it goes from there. (I) look forward to the challenge of playing the Vikings, again (they are a) good football team. Our guys have had a good week of practice, so we’ll be ready to go out there, hop on the plane tomorrow and travel up there, with that time’s yours.”

Q:&nbsp;What have you seen from Travis Kelce after the injury and then through his first three games?

REID:&nbsp;“He’s done a good job, started off real well last week which was good to see. Had a couple of nice catches and runs and all that, he had a couple of screens where he did real well, too.”

Q:&nbsp;Do you feel like with his age things are getting a little harder for Travis Kelce?

REID:&nbsp;“I haven’t seen that; he goes out and he cranks every day, so I mean he works his tail off. He never asks for time off or days off or anything (he’s) an amazing guy that way.”

Q:&nbsp;How important has Travis Kelce been to the development of the young receivers?

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, he’s been good. He talks to them and helps coach them up. He’s been real good with that. He’s got a good way about him that way.”

Q:&nbsp;How much does the impending short week impact your decisions on guys playing through injury this week?

REID:&nbsp;“Not much. If they can go, we’ll let them go, and if they can’t, then we’ll hold back on them. That’s normally how we go about it.”

Q:&nbsp;How are you? Where is your mindset at?

KELCE:&nbsp;“I’m rolling man. We’ve won three in a row, trying to get to four in a row, yeah. As all the attention comes, it feels like I was on top of the world after the Super Bowl and right now even more on top of the world, so it’s fun man.”

Q:&nbsp;On all of the recent attention with Taylor Swift.

KELCE:&nbsp;“We’re learning with the paparazzi just taking photos from all over the place, but at the same time, it comes with it, it comes with it. You have a lot of people that care for Taylor (Swift) and for good reason. Just got to keep living and learning and enjoying the moments. At the end of the day you know, I’ve always been pretty good at compartmentalizing and being able to stay focused in this building, so I’ll just keep rolling with that.”

Q:&nbsp;Does being in the building with the team help you get away from everything going on in the outside world?

KELCE:&nbsp;“I think it’s always been that for me. No matter what’s going on in my life, good or bad. I think this is one place where I can get away and just be locked in and focused and always check myself and my ego at the door and make sure that I come in with a clear mind.”

Q:&nbsp;Being a part of Taylor’s world, what have you learned?

KELCE:&nbsp;“It’s worldwide man, it’s worldwide. It’s been magnified for sure though.”

Q:&nbsp;What was the toughest part playing in Jacksonville?

KELCE:&nbsp;“The toughest part for me was to just get back in the groove, you know. With the knee injury and everything going into that week or coming out of the Lions week in Week 1, there’s been that aspect and then on top of that as a whole, as a unit just staying on the page for four quarters, staying together, putting it all together as an offense specifically and just nonstop trying to get better man, that’s always been the goal.”

Q:&nbsp;What is Patrick Mahomes like coming off the field after not playing his best?

KELCE:&nbsp;“He’s dialed in man, he’s dialed in. He’s one of the best quarterbacks to ever do this thing because of how he can move on from things, how he can learn from things, and make sure that he’s just you know being the best he can for the guys around him and for the organization he’s in front of. I expect him to go out there and be Pat Mahomes baby, nothing less.”

Q:&nbsp;What did you think about Aaron Rogers calling you Mr. Pfizer?

KELCE:&nbsp;“I thought it was pretty good. I mean with the stache, I kind of look like a guy named Mr. Pfizer. Who knew I’d get into the vax wars with (Jets QB) Aaron Rogers man. Mr. Pfizer vs. the Johnson and Johson family over there.”

Q:&nbsp;On why he chose to do the Pfizer commercial.

KELCE:&nbsp;“I mean I’ve always been – once I got the vaccine, I got it because of keeping myself safe, keeping my family safe, the people in this building, so yeah I stand by it, one thousand percent, and I’m fully comfortable with him calling me Mr. Pfizer.”

Q:&nbsp;What defensive differences are you noticing around the league that are different than last year?

KELCE:&nbsp;“They might of focused in on a few things, at least up to this time frame in the season. (Vikings Defensive Coordinator) Coach (Brian) Flores is an unbelievable defensive coordinator, or defensive coach I should say, just a coach in general. I got a lot of respect for him, and I know that he’s not shy of bringing the heat and putting the pressure on you and we just have to be ready for it.”

Q:&nbsp;How often does it happen that you and Patrick Mahomes are not on the same page in a play?

KELCE:&nbsp;“There were a few plays, and it’s just you know, we’re still learning, we’re still trying to figure things out and trying to make the best decisions. It’s one thing when it goes right, and then you want to do something based off of what you just did knowing that the defense saw it. It’s non-stop playing chess with the guys across from you. You’ve just got to make sure you’re on the same page, and you’re not putting the team in a tough spot or putting (Patrick) Pat (Mahomes) in a tough spot like I did last week a few times.”

Q:&nbsp;It seems like sometimes you and Patrick Mahomes are reading each other’s minds; does it feel weird when you don’t end up on the same page or is that just how it is sometimes?

KELCE:&nbsp;“I think that’s a good question. I’m really just so focused in on the success of the drive, the success of the play, how that play ends and then on top of that being able to move on from it and learn from it. You never really get caught up in getting down on it that’s for sure.”

KELCE:&nbsp;“I’m very fortunate to get to 34 and to be able to do what I love. I got a lot of shout outs from family, friends, a lot of people reaching out yesterday. Chiefs Kingdom always shows love, and it’s just an appreciating day. As much as everybody wants to make it about me, I just see how many family and friends that I have around me, so it’s always a beautiful thing.”

Q:&nbsp;As you get older does it start to feel any harder?

KELCE:&nbsp;“There’s been some things that have popped up that just make you stay on top of it. I think everybody gets to this point in this career – if they’re fortunate enough to get to year 11 in their career – you’ve definitely got to start to home in on things more and just make sure that you’re available, make sure you’re doing everything you can to make yourself available. That’s always been the mindset for sure.”

Q:&nbsp;This is the longest you’ve kept the mustache into the season. Was that always the plan?

KELCE:&nbsp;“Yeah it feels smooth man, it feels good. Just got a cut this morning if you couldn’t tell (laughter). Yeah, I feel the power out there when I’m running around for sure.”

Q:&nbsp;The last few weeks the games have gotten a lot of coverage because of Taylor Swift. How do you tune that out and just play?

KELCE:&nbsp;“Everybody is having fun with it. Whether I think they’re over doing it or not, I brought this to myself. I’ve been fortunate enough to have fun with it. That’s all that really matters, that it’s not pissing anybody off – over here (among the Chiefs) at least. I’m having fun with it. I think like I said earlier I’ve been pretty good at compartmentalizing, and making sure my focus is always about winning the game, and I don’t see that changing any time soon.”

Q:&nbsp;It seems like you’ve had some self-reflection going on. Is that just with your birthday or how often do you do that?

KELCE:&nbsp;“I’m fortunate. A lot of my home games I have a lot of family and friends come in town and that’s almost like a birthday every single week, especially when we get a win. I think it’s a 20-person suite, so you’ve got at least 20 people coming in to see you specifically play the game you’ve been playing since you were a kid. There’s a bit of a birthday feel to that when you get the family and friends around. I’m always reflecting on how appreciative I am of the people around me knowing that I grew up with a great community, I grew up with a great group of friends that I’m still close with, and on top of that, we’ve grabbed a lot of good one’s along the way.”

Q:&nbsp;When you hear the play call, how much do you anticipate how you might run the route a little differently than it might be drawn up based off the look you get?

KELCE:&nbsp;“Most of that is talked about, or at some point has been talked about in another route concept and it will mirror up with Pat (Mahomes). I think for the most part the flow of the game, the feel of the game – I’ve had so much fun with 15 (Patrick Mahomes) outside the facility, I’ve seen that guy compete in everything from golf to pickle ball to beer pong, you name it. I get what his competitive nature is, I think that goes a lot further than people would expect.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691529941375.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KC Chiefs Head Coach Andy ReidOPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“As far as the injuries go, everybody did something today, but the guys that are in question are (Matt) Dickerson, Wanya Morris and (Nick) Bolton still. So we’ll just see where it goes from there. (I) look forward to the challenge of playing the Vikings, again (they are a) good football team. Our guys have had a good week of practice, so we’ll be ready to go out there, hop on the plane tomorrow and travel up there, with that time’s yours.”Q:&nbsp;What have you seen from Travis Kelce after the injury and then through his first three games?REID:&nbsp;“He’s done a good job, started off real well last week which was good to see. Had a couple of nice catches and runs and all that, he had a couple of screens where he did real well, too.”Q:&nbsp;Do you feel like with his age things are getting a little harder for Travis Kelce?REID:&nbsp;“I haven’t seen that; he goes out and he cranks every day, so I mean he works his tail off. He never asks for time off or days off or anything (he’s) an amazing guy that way.”Q:&nbsp;How important has Travis Kelce been to the development of the young receivers?REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, he’s been good. He talks to them and helps coach them up. He’s been real good with that. He’s got a good way about him that way.”Q:&nbsp;How much does the impending short week impact your decisions on guys playing through injury this week?REID:&nbsp;“Not much. If they can go, we’ll let them go, and if they can’t, then we’ll hold back on them. That’s normally how we go about it.”Chiefs Player QuotesOctober 6, 2023TE TRAVIS KELCEQ:&nbsp;How are you? Where is your mindset at?KELCE:&nbsp;“I’m rolling man. We’ve won three in a row, trying to get to four in a row, yeah. As all the attention comes, it feels like I was on top of the world after the Super Bowl and right now even more on top of the world, so it’s fun man.”Q:&nbsp;On all of the recent attention with Taylor Swift.KELCE:&nbsp;“We’re learning with the paparazzi just taking photos from all over the place, but at the same time, it comes with it, it comes with it. You have a lot of people that care for Taylor (Swift) and for good reason. Just got to keep living and learning and enjoying the moments. At the end of the day you know, I’ve always been pretty good at compartmentalizing and being able to stay focused in this building, so I’ll just keep rolling with that.”Q:&nbsp;Does being in the building with the team help you get away from everything going on in the outside world?KELCE:&nbsp;“I think it’s always been that for me. No matter what’s going on in my life, good or bad. I think this is one place where I can get away and just be locked in and focused and always check myself and my ego at the door and make sure that I come in with a clear mind.”Q:&nbsp;Being a part of Taylor’s world, what have you learned?KELCE:&nbsp;“It’s worldwide man, it’s worldwide. It’s been magnified for sure though.”Q:&nbsp;What was the toughest part playing in Jacksonville?KELCE:&nbsp;“The toughest part for me was to just get back in the groove, you know. With the knee injury and everything going into that week or coming out of the Lions week in Week 1, there’s been that aspect and then on top of that as a whole, as a unit just staying on the page for four quarters, staying together, putting it all together as an offense specifically and just nonstop trying to get better man, that’s always been the goal.”Q:&nbsp;What is Patrick Mahomes like coming off the field after not playing his best?KELCE:&nbsp;“He’s dialed in man, he’s dialed in. He’s one of the best quarterbacks to ever do this thing because of how he can move on from things, how he can learn from things, and make sure that he’s just you know being the best he can for the guys around him and for the organization he’s in front of. I expect him to go out there and be Pat Mahomes baby, nothing less.”Q:&nbsp;What did you think about Aaron Rogers calling you Mr. Pfizer?KELCE:&nbsp;“I thought it was pretty good. I mean with the stache, I kind of look like a guy named Mr. Pfizer. Who knew I’d get into the vax wars with (Jets QB) Aaron Rogers man. Mr. Pfizer vs. the Johnson and Johson family over there.”Q:&nbsp;On why he chose to do the Pfizer commercial.KELCE:&nbsp;“I mean I’ve always been – once I got the vaccine, I got it because of keeping myself safe, keeping my family safe, the people in this building, so yeah I stand by it, one thousand percent, and I’m fully comfortable with him calling me Mr. Pfizer.”Q:&nbsp;What defensive differences are you noticing around the league that are different than last year?KELCE:&nbsp;“They might of focused in on a few things, at least up to this time frame in the season. (Vikings Defensive Coordinator) Coach (Brian) Flores is an unbelievable defensive coordinator, or defensive coach I should say, just a coach in general. I got a lot of respect for him, and I know that he’s not shy of bringing the heat and putting the pressure on you and we just have to be ready for it.”Q:&nbsp;How often does it happen that you and Patrick Mahomes are not on the same page in a play?KELCE:&nbsp;“There were a few plays, and it’s just you know, we’re still learning, we’re still trying to figure things out and trying to make the best decisions. It’s one thing when it goes right, and then you want to do something based off of what you just did knowing that the defense saw it. It’s non-stop playing chess with the guys across from you. You’ve just got to make sure you’re on the same page, and you’re not putting the team in a tough spot or putting (Patrick) Pat (Mahomes) in a tough spot like I did last week a few times.”Q:&nbsp;It seems like sometimes you and Patrick Mahomes are reading each other’s minds; does it feel weird when you don’t end up on the same page or is that just how it is sometimes?KELCE:&nbsp;“I think that’s a good question. I’m really just so focused in on the success of the drive, the success of the play, how that play ends and then on top of that being able to move on from it and learn from it. You never really get caught up in getting down on it that’s for sure.”Q:&nbsp;On turning 34 yesterday.KELCE:&nbsp;“I’m very fortunate to get to 34 and to be able to do what I love. I got a lot of shout outs from family, friends, a lot of people reaching out yesterday. Chiefs Kingdom always shows love, and it’s just an appreciating day. As much as everybody wants to make it about me, I just see how many family and friends that I have around me, so it’s always a beautiful thing.”Q:&nbsp;As you get older does it start to feel any harder?KELCE:&nbsp;“There’s been some things that have popped up that just make you stay on top of it. I think everybody gets to this point in this career – if they’re fortunate enough to get to year 11 in their career – you’ve definitely got to start to home in on things more and just make sure that you’re available, make sure you’re doing everything you can to make yourself available. That’s always been the mindset for sure.”Q:&nbsp;This is the longest you’ve kept the mustache into the season. Was that always the plan?KELCE:&nbsp;“Yeah it feels smooth man, it feels good. Just got a cut this morning if you couldn’t tell (laughter). Yeah, I feel the power out there when I’m running around for sure.”Q:&nbsp;The last few weeks the games have gotten a lot of coverage because of Taylor Swift. How do you tune that out and just play?KELCE:&nbsp;“Everybody is having fun with it. Whether I think they’re over doing it or not, I brought this to myself. I’ve been fortunate enough to have fun with it. That’s all that really matters, that it’s not pissing anybody off – over here (among the Chiefs) at least. I’m having fun with it. I think like I said earlier I’ve been pretty good at compartmentalizing, and making sure my focus is always about winning the game, and I don’t see that changing any time soon.”Q:&nbsp;It seems like you’ve had some self-reflection going on. Is that just with your birthday or how often do you do that?KELCE:&nbsp;“I’m fortunate. A lot of my home games I have a lot of family and friends come in town and that’s almost like a birthday every single week, especially when we get a win. I think it’s a 20-person suite, so you’ve got at least 20 people coming in to see you specifically play the game you’ve been playing since you were a kid. There’s a bit of a birthday feel to that when you get the family and friends around. I’m always reflecting on how appreciative I am of the people around me knowing that I grew up with a great community, I grew up with a great group of friends that I’m still close with, and on top of that, we’ve grabbed a lot of good one’s along the way.”Q:&nbsp;When you hear the play call, how much do you anticipate how you might run the route a little differently than it might be drawn up based off the look you get?KELCE:&nbsp;“Most of that is talked about, or at some point has been talked about in another route concept and it will mirror up with Pat (Mahomes). I think for the most part the flow of the game, the feel of the game – I’ve had so much fun with 15 (Patrick Mahomes) outside the facility, I’ve seen that guy compete in everything from golf to pickle ball to beer pong, you name it. I get what his competitive nature is, I think that goes a lot further than people would expect.”

Chiefs Coach and Player Quotes, Oct. 6

Week six will feature a critical matchup for a pair of 1A squads looking to turn things around as the Sacred Heart Knights (1-5) play host to the Wabaunsee Chargers (3-2).

For the Knights, this game represents an opportunity to prove that they can go toe to toe with a real contender, while the Chargers seek to solidify themselves as one of 1As best.

Both coaches have given glowing reviews about one another, and there will be a great deal of respect between the two sides come kickoff on Friday.

“This is another team with a coach that I greatly respect,” Knights head coach Norm Jennings said. He’s spent many years building this program to where it’s at right now and he’s got buy-in from the community and a great coaching staff. They’ve done very well against teams who pass the ball a lot and they’re very talented all over the field.”

On the other side of the matchup, Wabaunsee has seen through Sacred Heart’s record, and will be preparing for a real battle when the two clash at 7:00.

“Sacred Heart is not a 1-4 team,” Charger head coach Jess Rutledge said. “Cameron Cleveland is a big body who runs hard, Bogart is a big-time runner and Matteucci is a playmaker. You can’t lose sight of him and we remember from last year that kid could work his way out of a phone booth.”

In order to collect their second-straight win and move to 4-2, Wabaunsee will need to have all of it’s salvos firing in sync throughout the course of this matchup.

“We have to get both facets of our offense going,” Rutledge said. We’ve had games where the pass or the run is on but when we’re clicking on all cylinders we have a very dangerous offense and we’ll need to because Sacred Heart really flies around on defense.”

Meanwhile, for the Knights to pull off the upset, they will have to find a way to slow the 5th-best scoring offense in Class 1A (40.8 PPG), and ensure that they take better care of the football after a four-turnover outing.

“Offensively Wabaunsee isn’t afraid to throw it on you and they have a great ground-and-pound game,” Jennings said. “In many ways they play a similar style to us on both sides of the ball, and we can’t turn the ball over against a team like Wabaunsee.”

Kickoff between the Knights and Chargers is set for 7:00 on the campus of Kansas Wesleyan and the game will be streamed on the Salina Post with live audio and video HERE.

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694792827171.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>Week six will feature a critical matchup for a pair of 1A squads looking to turn things around as the Sacred Heart Knights (1-5) play host to the Wabaunsee Chargers (3-2).For the Knights, this game represents an opportunity to prove that they can go toe to toe with a real contender, while the Chargers seek to solidify themselves as one of 1As best.Both coaches have given glowing reviews about one another, and there will be a great deal of respect between the two sides come kickoff on Friday.“This is another team with a coach that I greatly respect,” Knights head coach Norm Jennings said. He’s spent many years building this program to where it’s at right now and he’s got buy-in from the community and a great coaching staff. They’ve done very well against teams who pass the ball a lot and they’re very talented all over the field.”On the other side of the matchup, Wabaunsee has seen through Sacred Heart’s record, and will be preparing for a real battle when the two clash at 7:00.“Sacred Heart is not a 1-4 team,” Charger head coach Jess Rutledge said. “Cameron Cleveland is a big body who runs hard, Bogart is a big-time runner and Matteucci is a playmaker. You can’t lose sight of him and we remember from last year that kid could work his way out of a phone booth.”In order to collect their second-straight win and move to 4-2, Wabaunsee will need to have all of it’s salvos firing in sync throughout the course of this matchup.“We have to get both facets of our offense going,” Rutledge said. We’ve had games where the pass or the run is on but when we’re clicking on all cylinders we have a very dangerous offense and we’ll need to because Sacred Heart really flies around on defense.”Meanwhile, for the Knights to pull off the upset, they will have to find a way to slow the 5th-best scoring offense in Class 1A (40.8 PPG), and ensure that they take better care of the football after a four-turnover outing.“Offensively Wabaunsee isn’t afraid to throw it on you and they have a great ground-and-pound game,” Jennings said. “In many ways they play a similar style to us on both sides of the ball, and we can’t turn the ball over against a team like Wabaunsee.”Kickoff between the Knights and Chargers is set for 7:00 on the campus of Kansas Wesleyan and the game will be streamed on the Salina Post with live audio and video HERE.

Sacred Heart Hosts Wabaunsee in Big Week Six Battle

After decimating Lyons 72-6 last week, the Ellsworth Bearcats will get to spend another week at home, this time looking to defend their turf against a much-improved Russell Bronco squad.

The Bearcats come into this contest ranked 4th in Class 2A with a perfect 5-0 record while the Broncos enter at 3-2, fresh off a win over Hays TMP last week.

While these two programs saw plenty of each other back when Russell was a member of the NCAA, both programs are a far cry from their former selves, which should make for an intriguing matchup on Friday night.

“They’ve done a good job and their coach has them rolling,” Ellsworth head coach Josh Homolka said. “Russell has some talented guys and it feels like they’ve turned a corner. They’re well-coached with good schemes and they’re young this year but they’re very talented.”

One of the biggest keys for the Bearcats tonight will be in containing dual-threat quarterback Mason Rohr, who leads the Broncos in both passing (69-118, 990 yds, 9 TD), and rushing (51 car, 265 yds, 3 TD).

“They like to spread it out and our defense will have to find routes,” Homolka said. “That was our focus in practice this week and we’ll have to be good about that.”

That volume for Rohr has not come without its downside however, as the Junior has turned the ball over seven times, already, and will have to be wary of a Bearcat defense hungry for more turnovers.

On the other side of the matchup, Ellsworth will look to continue feeding it’s stable of backs, as the Bearcats have five different rushers with over 100 yards and at least 19 carries already this year.

“I feel like our offense matches up well against a lot of people,” Homolka said. “We have a lot of size up front and a lot of talent in the backfield. I’m more focused on our strengths as an offense this week.”

For Russell, their keys will lie in finding a way to limit the playmaking ability of quarterback Will Cravens as well, who has over 700 yards of total offense and 12 scores to his name already.

Kickoff between the Bearcats and Broncos is set for 7:00 at Ellsworth High School and the game will be broadcast live on our Salina Post Game of the Week.

This broadcast is 100% free to stream and will feature both live audio commentary and video. To tune in click HERE.

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694792827171.jpeg" alt="Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine: Quality orthopedic care when you need it!" />
 <figcaption>Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine: Quality orthopedic care when you need it!</figcaption>
 </figure>After decimating Lyons 72-6 last week, the Ellsworth Bearcats will get to spend another week at home, this time looking to defend their turf against a much-improved Russell Bronco squad.The Bearcats come into this contest ranked 4th in Class 2A with a perfect 5-0 record while the Broncos enter at 3-2, fresh off a win over Hays TMP last week.While these two programs saw plenty of each other back when Russell was a member of the NCAA, both programs are a far cry from their former selves, which should make for an intriguing matchup on Friday night.“They’ve done a good job and their coach has them rolling,” Ellsworth head coach Josh Homolka said. “Russell has some talented guys and it feels like they’ve turned a corner. They’re well-coached with good schemes and they’re young this year but they’re very talented.”One of the biggest keys for the Bearcats tonight will be in containing dual-threat quarterback Mason Rohr, who leads the Broncos in both passing (69-118, 990 yds, 9 TD), and rushing (51 car, 265 yds, 3 TD).“They like to spread it out and our defense will have to find routes,” Homolka said. “That was our focus in practice this week and we’ll have to be good about that.”That volume for Rohr has not come without its downside however, as the Junior has turned the ball over seven times, already, and will have to be wary of a Bearcat defense hungry for more turnovers.On the other side of the matchup, Ellsworth will look to continue feeding it’s stable of backs, as the Bearcats have five different rushers with over 100 yards and at least 19 carries already this year.“I feel like our offense matches up well against a lot of people,” Homolka said. “We have a lot of size up front and a lot of talent in the backfield. I’m more focused on our strengths as an offense this week.”For Russell, their keys will lie in finding a way to limit the playmaking ability of quarterback Will Cravens as well, who has over 700 yards of total offense and 12 scores to his name already.Kickoff between the Bearcats and Broncos is set for 7:00 at Ellsworth High School and the game will be broadcast live on our Salina Post Game of the Week.This broadcast is 100% free to stream and will feature both live audio commentary and video. To tune in click HERE.

Former League Foes Clash as Ellsworth hosts Russell 

Fresh off a monumental 22-17 win over a 3A power in Clay Center, the Southeast of Saline Trojans will be on the road once again this week, squaring off with a vastly improved Hillsboro squad.

Southeast (5-0) enters this contest still ranked as the #4 team in 2A while the Trojans of Hillsboro come in at 3-2, having just picked up a big win of their own over Halstead.

With perhaps their biggest regular season hurdle already out of the way, confidence is at an all-time high in Gypsum, and SES will be eager to take that confidence back on the road this Friday.

“We beat a very good football team in Clay Center and we had to go through some adversity in that game,” Trojan head coach Mitch Gebhardt said. “Momentum was on their side but our guys took it back and a win like that boosts our confidence. Our kids understand how good they were and to beat a team like that is great for us.”

Much like their week one opponent in Rock Creek, Hillsboro isn’t afraid to throw the ball around, and with senior quarterback Dawson Boldt at the helm, currently own the top passing offense in Class 2A (233 yds/g).

“Hillsboro has a lot of athletes all over the field,” Gebhardt said. “They’ve got good receivers, their quarterback does a good job of spreading it out and they have a back that runs hard. They also have an athletic, physical defense and they’re a good, all-around football team.”

To limit the playmaking ability of Boldt, the Trojan defense, a unit that allows the 5th fewest points in Class 2A (7.2/g), will need to be disruptive in the backfield once again, which could present opportunities for a team with 11 sacks already.

“We have to put pressure on the quarterback, he can really scramble around and extend plays and we have to make sure he’s uneasy when he’s throwing the football,” he said. “We also need to slow down their run game and offensively we need to make sure we’re picking up those first downs and scoring when we need to.”

This game will present SES with an opportunity to inch one step closer to another district title, as things are shaping up for another district championship game with Ellsworth in week eight.

The Trojans and Bearcats are the last two undefeated teams standing in District 5 and each will be favored in their two remaining matchups before they meet in the regular-season finale.

Kickoff between these two Trojan teams is scheduled for 7:00 in Hillsboro and as always the game can be heard on KINA (910 AM or 107.5 FM) or streamed with live audio and video <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrroxnX-S2Y">HERE</a> on the Salina Post.

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694792827171.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>Fresh off a monumental 22-17 win over a 3A power in Clay Center, the Southeast of Saline Trojans will be on the road once again this week, squaring off with a vastly improved Hillsboro squad.Southeast (5-0) enters this contest still ranked as the #4 team in 2A while the Trojans of Hillsboro come in at 3-2, having just picked up a big win of their own over Halstead.With perhaps their biggest regular season hurdle already out of the way, confidence is at an all-time high in Gypsum, and SES will be eager to take that confidence back on the road this Friday.“We beat a very good football team in Clay Center and we had to go through some adversity in that game,” Trojan head coach Mitch Gebhardt said. “Momentum was on their side but our guys took it back and a win like that boosts our confidence. Our kids understand how good they were and to beat a team like that is great for us.”Much like their week one opponent in Rock Creek, Hillsboro isn’t afraid to throw the ball around, and with senior quarterback Dawson Boldt at the helm, currently own the top passing offense in Class 2A (233 yds/g).“Hillsboro has a lot of athletes all over the field,” Gebhardt said. “They’ve got good receivers, their quarterback does a good job of spreading it out and they have a back that runs hard. They also have an athletic, physical defense and they’re a good, all-around football team.”To limit the playmaking ability of Boldt, the Trojan defense, a unit that allows the 5th fewest points in Class 2A (7.2/g), will need to be disruptive in the backfield once again, which could present opportunities for a team with 11 sacks already.“We have to put pressure on the quarterback, he can really scramble around and extend plays and we have to make sure he’s uneasy when he’s throwing the football,” he said. “We also need to slow down their run game and offensively we need to make sure we’re picking up those first downs and scoring when we need to.”This game will present SES with an opportunity to inch one step closer to another district title, as things are shaping up for another district championship game with Ellsworth in week eight.The Trojans and Bearcats are the last two undefeated teams standing in District 5 and each will be favored in their two remaining matchups before they meet in the regular-season finale.Kickoff between these two Trojan teams is scheduled for 7:00 in Hillsboro and as always the game can be heard on KINA (910 AM or 107.5 FM) or streamed with live audio and video <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrroxnX-S2Y">HERE</a> on the Salina Post.

4th-Ranked SES travels to Hillsboro for Trojan Showdown

Below is a statement made by the NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell about the passing of NFL legend Dick Butkus.&nbsp;

"Dick Butkus was a fierce and passionate competitor who helped define the linebacker position as one of the NFL's all-time greats. Dick’s intuition, toughness and athleticism made him the model linebacker whose name will forever be linked to the position and the Chicago Bears."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593142110654.jpeg" alt="NFL logo.JPG" />
 <figcaption>NFL logo.JPG</figcaption>
 </figure>Below is a statement made by the NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell about the passing of NFL legend Dick Butkus.&nbsp;"Dick Butkus was a fierce and passionate competitor who helped define the linebacker position as one of the NFL's all-time greats. Dick’s intuition, toughness and athleticism made him the model linebacker whose name will forever be linked to the position and the Chicago Bears.""We also remember Dick as a long-time advocate for former players, and players at all levels of the game. The Dick Butkus Award and his foundation honored achievement on the field and service to the community among high school, college and NFL linebackers. Dick was a champion of clean sports as his “I Play Clean” campaign helped raise awareness about the dangers of steroid use among high school athletes." "We send our deepest condolences to the Butkus family, the Bears organization and the many fans and people he impacted throughout his life."