<a>MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–</a>&nbsp;One of the top interior offensive linemen in the nation, Kansas State senior left guard&nbsp;Cooper Beebe&nbsp;has been named a Walter Camp First Team All-American, the Walter Camp Football Foundation announced Friday night during&nbsp;The Home Depot College Football Awards&nbsp;live on ESPN.

A native of Kansas City, Kansas, Beebe was included on the first of five All-America teams used by the NCAA to select its Consensus All-America teams with the other four – Associated Press, Football Writers Association of America, American Football Coaches Association and&nbsp;Sporting News&nbsp;– being announced next week. Beebe is trying to become the first Wildcat offensive lineman ever and the 12th&nbsp;overall player in school history to be named a Consensus All-American.

Beebe is the first Wildcat to be named a First Team All-American by the Walter Camp Foundation since kick returner Tyler Lockett in 2011 and the first on offense since wide receiver Jordy Nelson in 2007.

Overall, Beebe has landed on four All-America teams this week as he was also named a First Team All-American by CBS Sports, Pro Football Focus and&nbsp;USA TODAY.

With Beebe spearheading the offensive line, the Wildcats enter bowl season ranked 11th&nbsp;nationally and sixth in school history by scoring 37.7 points per game, while their 446.1 total yards per game ranks 23rd&nbsp;in the nation and second in school history. K-State also ranks 14th&nbsp;nationally with 199.7 rushing yards per game, while its 4.86 rushing yards per carry ranks seventh in school history.

Beebe has started 47 career games, ranking fifth among Wildcat offensive linemen since 1990, and he has allowed just one sack among his 1,224 pass blocking snaps since the beginning of his sophomore season in 2021. A 12-game starter this year at left guard, Beebe&nbsp;was also a finalist for the Outland Trophy, one of 16 finalists for the William V. Campbell Trophy – often referred to as the “Academic Heisman” – and a semifinalist for the Lombardi Award.

Kansas State, which was slotted No. 25 in the final College Football Playoff Top 25, takes on No. 18 NC State in the Pop-Tarts Bowl on Thursday, December 28, inside Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida. The game, which will be shown nationally on ESPN, kicks off at 4:45 p.m. (CT).

<a>MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–</a>&nbsp;One of the top interior offensive linemen in the nation, Kansas State senior left guard&nbsp;Cooper Beebe&nbsp;has been named a Walter Camp First Team All-American, the Walter Camp Football Foundation announced Friday night during&nbsp;The Home Depot College Football Awards&nbsp;live on ESPN.A native of Kansas City, Kansas, Beebe was included on the first of five All-America teams used by the NCAA to select its Consensus All-America teams with the other four – Associated Press, Football Writers Association of America, American Football Coaches Association and&nbsp;Sporting News&nbsp;– being announced next week. Beebe is trying to become the first Wildcat offensive lineman ever and the 12th&nbsp;overall player in school history to be named a Consensus All-American.Beebe is the first Wildcat to be named a First Team All-American by the Walter Camp Foundation since kick returner Tyler Lockett in 2011 and the first on offense since wide receiver Jordy Nelson in 2007.Overall, Beebe has landed on four All-America teams this week as he was also named a First Team All-American by CBS Sports, Pro Football Focus and&nbsp;USA TODAY.With Beebe spearheading the offensive line, the Wildcats enter bowl season ranked 11th&nbsp;nationally and sixth in school history by scoring 37.7 points per game, while their 446.1 total yards per game ranks 23rd&nbsp;in the nation and second in school history. K-State also ranks 14th&nbsp;nationally with 199.7 rushing yards per game, while its 4.86 rushing yards per carry ranks seventh in school history.Beebe has started 47 career games, ranking fifth among Wildcat offensive linemen since 1990, and he has allowed just one sack among his 1,224 pass blocking snaps since the beginning of his sophomore season in 2021. A 12-game starter this year at left guard, Beebe&nbsp;was also a finalist for the Outland Trophy, one of 16 finalists for the William V. Campbell Trophy – often referred to as the “Academic Heisman” – and a semifinalist for the Lombardi Award.Kansas State, which was slotted No. 25 in the final College Football Playoff Top 25, takes on No. 18 NC State in the Pop-Tarts Bowl on Thursday, December 28, inside Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida. The game, which will be shown nationally on ESPN, kicks off at 4:45 p.m. (CT).

K-State’s Beebe Named Walter Camp First Team All-American

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Hunter Dickinson had 13 points and 16 rebounds, Kevin McCullar Jr. and KJ Adams had 17 points each and No. 2 Kansas beat rival Missouri 73-64 on Saturday.

The Jayhawks closed out the first half on a 14-0 run started by a Elmarko Jackson's 3-pointer to turn a 2-point deficit into a 41-29 halftime lead.

“They were better than us to start the game, but that run was the difference in the game,” Kansas coach Bill Self said. "We made a lot of good basketball plays in the last six minutes of the first half.”

McCullar Jr. had 14 points and six rebounds in the first half.

Sean East II led Missouri with 21 points and Nick Honor scored 17, but the Tigers were without one of their guards, Caleb Grill. Grill injured his non-shooting wrist last Sunday and is expected to miss 5-7 weeks. He averages 8.4 points and nearly six rebounds per game.

“We were creating for one another and we just wanted to use the ball screens effectively and I thought we did that well," Honor said. "We’ve got to learn how to play for the full 40 minutes.”

Missouri kept it close in the second half outscoring Kansas 35-32, but it wasn’t enough to pull off an upset of their border foe and former Big 12 rival.

“I thought our guys played an unbelievable first half other than the last five of the first half and first five of the second half,” Missouri coach Dennis Gates said. "We had an excellent game plan but weren’t able to put a full 40 minutes together. I thought our guys grew up a little bit today. I think we had multiple guys make big plays.”

Kansas dominated in the paint scoring 42 points down low, but were careless with the ball and committed 16 turnovers, which kept Missouri in the game in the first half.

“The food tastes better and the drinks are colder the night that we beat Missouri," Self said. "I’m leaving out of here really happy that we won, but also that we have got to play better.”

The Jayhawks, who improved to 9-1, shot 25 of 56 while Missouri went 24 for 58 from the floor and fell to 7-3.

Prior to the game, Thomas Robinson had his No. 0 jersey retired. He led the Jayhawks to the NCAA title game in 2012 and was named a Consensus All-America First Team that same year.

Missouri: After jumping out a quick lead, they went cold to end the first half and never bounced back.

Kansas: Had a slow start, but their defense locked down in the final few minutes of the first half and never looked back after that. They have their first true road game in their next contest.

Kansas: Travels to Indiana next Saturday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702174645362.png" alt="Photo University of Kansas Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo University of Kansas Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Hunter Dickinson had 13 points and 16 rebounds, Kevin McCullar Jr. and KJ Adams had 17 points each and No. 2 Kansas beat rival Missouri 73-64 on Saturday.The Jayhawks closed out the first half on a 14-0 run started by a Elmarko Jackson's 3-pointer to turn a 2-point deficit into a 41-29 halftime lead.“They were better than us to start the game, but that run was the difference in the game,” Kansas coach Bill Self said. "We made a lot of good basketball plays in the last six minutes of the first half.”McCullar Jr. had 14 points and six rebounds in the first half.Sean East II led Missouri with 21 points and Nick Honor scored 17, but the Tigers were without one of their guards, Caleb Grill. Grill injured his non-shooting wrist last Sunday and is expected to miss 5-7 weeks. He averages 8.4 points and nearly six rebounds per game.“We were creating for one another and we just wanted to use the ball screens effectively and I thought we did that well," Honor said. "We’ve got to learn how to play for the full 40 minutes.”Missouri kept it close in the second half outscoring Kansas 35-32, but it wasn’t enough to pull off an upset of their border foe and former Big 12 rival.“I thought our guys played an unbelievable first half other than the last five of the first half and first five of the second half,” Missouri coach Dennis Gates said. "We had an excellent game plan but weren’t able to put a full 40 minutes together. I thought our guys grew up a little bit today. I think we had multiple guys make big plays.”Kansas dominated in the paint scoring 42 points down low, but were careless with the ball and committed 16 turnovers, which kept Missouri in the game in the first half.“The food tastes better and the drinks are colder the night that we beat Missouri," Self said. "I’m leaving out of here really happy that we won, but also that we have got to play better.”The Jayhawks, who improved to 9-1, shot 25 of 56 while Missouri went 24 for 58 from the floor and fell to 7-3.ROBINSON JERSEY RETIREDPrior to the game, Thomas Robinson had his No. 0 jersey retired. He led the Jayhawks to the NCAA title game in 2012 and was named a Consensus All-America First Team that same year.BIG PICTUREMissouri: After jumping out a quick lead, they went cold to end the first half and never bounced back.Kansas: Had a slow start, but their defense locked down in the final few minutes of the first half and never looked back after that. They have their first true road game in their next contest.UP NEXTMissouri: Hosts Seton Hall next Sunday.Kansas: Travels to Indiana next Saturday.

Adams, MCullar, Jr. score 17 each as Kansas tops rival Missouri 

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Cam Carter scored 21 points, 19 in the first half, and Arthur Kaluma added a double-double, leading Kansas State to a 75-60 victory over LSU on Saturday.

LSU outshot Kansas State 59%-52% in the first half but trailed 42-34 at the break. Tylor Perry and Kaluma opened the second half with 3-pointers for K-State to keep the pressure on LSU. Later, an 8-0 run by the Wildcats pushed the lead to 56-39 near the 14-minute mark.

LSU fought back and an 11-0 run got the Tigers within three points near the 10-minute mark. At that point, the teams that shot better than 50% in the first half both went ice cold. In the next eight minutes, K-State made three baskets and LSU one, leaving the Wildcats with a 67-57 lead with two minutes to go. K-State outscored LSU 13-3 over those final two minutes, including the final six points of the game.

Kaluma had 17 points and 11 rebounds for the Wildcats (8-2). Perry had 14 points and six assists, and Will McNair Jr. scored 13 points. Carter had eight rebounds.

Jordan Wright scored 19 points and Jalen Reed added 12 for LSU (5-4).

The game was LSU's first nonconference homecourt matchup against a Power Six team since December 2015. Earlier this season, the Tigers played at Syracuse and vs. Wake Forest at a neutral site.

This was the Wildcats' first true road game of the season (they've played three games at neutral sites).

K-State and LSU will play in Manhattan, Kansas, next season.

Meanwhile, LSU hosts Alabama State on Wednesday and Kansas State will host Nebraska on Sunday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702174487225.png" alt="Photo K-State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo K-State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Cam Carter scored 21 points, 19 in the first half, and Arthur Kaluma added a double-double, leading Kansas State to a 75-60 victory over LSU on Saturday.LSU outshot Kansas State 59%-52% in the first half but trailed 42-34 at the break. Tylor Perry and Kaluma opened the second half with 3-pointers for K-State to keep the pressure on LSU. Later, an 8-0 run by the Wildcats pushed the lead to 56-39 near the 14-minute mark.LSU fought back and an 11-0 run got the Tigers within three points near the 10-minute mark. At that point, the teams that shot better than 50% in the first half both went ice cold. In the next eight minutes, K-State made three baskets and LSU one, leaving the Wildcats with a 67-57 lead with two minutes to go. K-State outscored LSU 13-3 over those final two minutes, including the final six points of the game.Kaluma had 17 points and 11 rebounds for the Wildcats (8-2). Perry had 14 points and six assists, and Will McNair Jr. scored 13 points. Carter had eight rebounds.Jordan Wright scored 19 points and Jalen Reed added 12 for LSU (5-4).The game was LSU's first nonconference homecourt matchup against a Power Six team since December 2015. Earlier this season, the Tigers played at Syracuse and vs. Wake Forest at a neutral site.This was the Wildcats' first true road game of the season (they've played three games at neutral sites).K-State and LSU will play in Manhattan, Kansas, next season.Meanwhile, LSU hosts Alabama State on Wednesday and Kansas State will host Nebraska on Sunday.

Carter, Kaluma power Kansas State to win over LSU

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

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

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

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

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

Coyotes Return to Mabee to Wrap up 2023 on KINA

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post

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

Girls Game: Salina South 51, Salina Central 46

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Boys Game: Salina Central 65, Salina South 57

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

South, Central Split Battle for Salina on the Hardwood

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

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

Girls Game: SE of Saline 46, Beloit 36

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Boys Game: SE of Saline 40, Beloit 44

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Southeast Splits First Leg of Trojan War

BY ADAM COULTER Salina Post Contributor

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BY ADAM COULTER Salina Post Contributor

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sacred Heart Looks to Continue Success at Irish Classic in Chapman

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

Girls: Minneapolis 48, Bennington 12

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

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

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

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

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

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

Boys: Bennington 70, Minneapolis 38

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Minneapolis and Bennington Split Doubleheader in Lion Country

ASSISTANT HEAD COACH/SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR DAVE TOUB

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

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

Q: Were you satisfied with the special teams unit?

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

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

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

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

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

DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR STEVE SPAGNUOLO

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR&nbsp;MATT NAGY

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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