Kansas Wesleyan football coach <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/0bcbfe93-5b1b-4444-9719-8563e8f938a9?elinkdata=16827">Matt Middleton</a> went back to the future to fill two key staff positions.

Robert "Boomer" Cunningham is the Coyotes' new offensive coordinator and assistant head coach, and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/e2fc7054-8759-4891-8f8f-cff6c99c460e?elinkdata=16827">Greg Parker</a> is the new defensive coordinator.

Middleton, who was named KWU's coach on Nov. 25, previously worked with Cunningham while they were together at Division I Central Arkansas. Middleton and Parker were on the same staff at Division II Southern Arkansas.

Cunningham comes to Salina after three seasons as running backs and tight ends coach at Division II Delta State (Miss.). Before going to DSU, he was offensive line coach and recruiting coordinator for seven years at Southern Arkansas, spent one season as offensive line coach and recruiting coordinator at LaGrange (Georgia), and was assistant offensive line and offensive quality control coach at Central Arkansas for six years.

"Here's the thing about Boomer - he's super smart and impressive," Middleton said. "He's going to help me with a lot of the head coaching duties, but more importantly, it's knowing who he is as a person and a man and the character he has. And obviously, his background and success at winning at a high level. It's his trust factor, so when I'm having to handle head coaching duties, he knows what I expect and will be able to run with it.

"Not only were we together, but we've worked for some of the same people. I think that our vision and our background align with what we want to do offensively."

Cunningham, who played one season at Missouri Southern and three at Central Arkansas, said he is eager and ready to be a coordinator.

"Who I've worked for has helped me grow as a coach throughout my 15 years," he said. "Obviously, the O-line, that's the big part. That's where it starts, first and foremost. A play doesn't start without a center snapping the football.

"It's definitely taking bits and pieces from everywhere I've been. Now that I've gotten a little bit older and more comfortable with the offenses - whether it's running backs, tight ends, offensive line - having the opportunity to be a coordinator is a big step for me and my career."

Cunningham said KWU's offense will be a work in progress during the spring semester.

"Coach Middleton and I haven't really sat down and talked to a great extent," he said. "We have an idea of what we want to be - up-tempo, no huddle. That's kind of what we're heading toward."

Parker spent this fall as defensive line coach at Thomas (Florida), just its second season of football after starting the program in 2023. He was defensive line and outside linebackers coach at Division I Bucknell for two years before going to Thomas and also coached at Division I Arkansas State, Division II Black Hills State (South Dakota) and Southern Arkansas.

Parker had a long and distinguished military career before becoming a coach. He enlisted in the Marines in 1992 and was deployed as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, receiving numerous service awards from the Navy and Marines in the process.

During his 20-year career Parker also served as a drill instructor at Parris Island, S.C., and California-Berkeley. He retired as a master sergeant.

"Greg brings a wealth of experience, obviously, from leading units and teams from his time in the military," Middleton said. "The thing that I get with him is super high energy and a passion for kids, passion for people. You'll be able to find him real quick from the energy that he brings to practice every day, just his tenacity and how he carries himself and his very disciplined approach to doing things."

Middleton said KWU's defense will reflect Parker's passion.

"One thing is for sure, all these players will be flying to the football to emulate his personality," he said.

Parker said the decision to join Middleton's staff was easy.

"I would have gone as a position coach," he said. "There are a lot of coaches in this business, but there are not a lot of really good people who coach football. He's a really good person who coaches football."

Parker said his military background has served him well as a coach.

"They're very closely related in that whatever you train for, you do a lot of things that are repetitive and redundant, and you become really good at the little things," he said. "I think if you do that, you're able to adjust to the bigger things."

Parker said he is driven by three principles.

"I inspire, encourage and motivate. I want my mannerisms, I want my demeanor, I want my voice to inspire and encourage and motivate. I'm responsible for putting those young guys in a position to win. As long as I can put them in a position to win, it builds their confidence," he said.

"They're going to make mistakes; I'm going to make mistakes. It's just part of who we are as people. But we can recover from mistakes by encouraging each other and inspiring and motivating each other to just want to do better."

Parker said his defenses won't hold back.

Kansas Wesleyan football coach <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/0bcbfe93-5b1b-4444-9719-8563e8f938a9?elinkdata=16827">Matt Middleton</a> went back to the future to fill two key staff positions.Robert "Boomer" Cunningham is the Coyotes' new offensive coordinator and assistant head coach, and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/e2fc7054-8759-4891-8f8f-cff6c99c460e?elinkdata=16827">Greg Parker</a> is the new defensive coordinator.Middleton, who was named KWU's coach on Nov. 25, previously worked with Cunningham while they were together at Division I Central Arkansas. Middleton and Parker were on the same staff at Division II Southern Arkansas.Cunningham comes to Salina after three seasons as running backs and tight ends coach at Division II Delta State (Miss.). Before going to DSU, he was offensive line coach and recruiting coordinator for seven years at Southern Arkansas, spent one season as offensive line coach and recruiting coordinator at LaGrange (Georgia), and was assistant offensive line and offensive quality control coach at Central Arkansas for six years."Here's the thing about Boomer - he's super smart and impressive," Middleton said. "He's going to help me with a lot of the head coaching duties, but more importantly, it's knowing who he is as a person and a man and the character he has. And obviously, his background and success at winning at a high level. It's his trust factor, so when I'm having to handle head coaching duties, he knows what I expect and will be able to run with it."Not only were we together, but we've worked for some of the same people. I think that our vision and our background align with what we want to do offensively."Cunningham, who played one season at Missouri Southern and three at Central Arkansas, said he is eager and ready to be a coordinator."Who I've worked for has helped me grow as a coach throughout my 15 years," he said. "Obviously, the O-line, that's the big part. That's where it starts, first and foremost. A play doesn't start without a center snapping the football."It's definitely taking bits and pieces from everywhere I've been. Now that I've gotten a little bit older and more comfortable with the offenses - whether it's running backs, tight ends, offensive line - having the opportunity to be a coordinator is a big step for me and my career."Cunningham said KWU's offense will be a work in progress during the spring semester."Coach Middleton and I haven't really sat down and talked to a great extent," he said. "We have an idea of what we want to be - up-tempo, no huddle. That's kind of what we're heading toward."Parker spent this fall as defensive line coach at Thomas (Florida), just its second season of football after starting the program in 2023. He was defensive line and outside linebackers coach at Division I Bucknell for two years before going to Thomas and also coached at Division I Arkansas State, Division II Black Hills State (South Dakota) and Southern Arkansas.Parker had a long and distinguished military career before becoming a coach. He enlisted in the Marines in 1992 and was deployed as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, receiving numerous service awards from the Navy and Marines in the process.During his 20-year career Parker also served as a drill instructor at Parris Island, S.C., and California-Berkeley. He retired as a master sergeant."Greg brings a wealth of experience, obviously, from leading units and teams from his time in the military," Middleton said. "The thing that I get with him is super high energy and a passion for kids, passion for people. You'll be able to find him real quick from the energy that he brings to practice every day, just his tenacity and how he carries himself and his very disciplined approach to doing things."Middleton said KWU's defense will reflect Parker's passion."One thing is for sure, all these players will be flying to the football to emulate his personality," he said.Parker said the decision to join Middleton's staff was easy."I would have gone as a position coach," he said. "There are a lot of coaches in this business, but there are not a lot of really good people who coach football. He's a really good person who coaches football."Parker said his military background has served him well as a coach."They're very closely related in that whatever you train for, you do a lot of things that are repetitive and redundant, and you become really good at the little things," he said. "I think if you do that, you're able to adjust to the bigger things."Parker said he is driven by three principles."I inspire, encourage and motivate. I want my mannerisms, I want my demeanor, I want my voice to inspire and encourage and motivate. I'm responsible for putting those young guys in a position to win. As long as I can put them in a position to win, it builds their confidence," he said."They're going to make mistakes; I'm going to make mistakes. It's just part of who we are as people. But we can recover from mistakes by encouraging each other and inspiring and motivating each other to just want to do better."Parker said his defenses won't hold back.

Middleton adds Cunningham and Parker to Coyote Football staff

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post

The Southeast of Saline basketball teams traveled to Hillsboro on Thursday night for a bonus Trojan War.

Hillsboro would take both games, defeating SES 44-25 on the girl’s side and 62-43 on the boy’s side.

Girls: SE of Saline 25, Hillsboro 44

The first quarter of this game was one of the lowest scoring affairs across the state, with just four total field goals and a 6-5 Hillsboro lead at the end of the frame.

Both teams picked things up from there, and behind 12 second-half points for Kyiah Samuelson and Annabell Villalaz, Southeast pulled ahead to take a 17-15 lead at halftime.

Unfortunately for SES, the Lady Trojans in purple would score just eight points for the remainder of the game, including a lone three in the fourth quarter, as Hillsboro pulled away in a dominant second half.

Samuelson finished with 11 of Southeast’s 25 points, and was the only member of the purple and white in double figures.

Hillsboro was led in scoring by Amyah Werth (15), Ella Potucek (12), and Talia Jost (8).

SES falls to 2-2 on the year at the Christmas break while Hillsboro improves to 3-3.

Boys: SE of Saline 43, Hillsboro 62

The boy’s side of this doubleheader saw Southeast struggle right out of the gate, scoring just eight points and finding themselves down 23-8 after the first quarter.

Both sides of the ball would improve in the second, and SES managed to whittle down the lead a bit, but the damage was done as Hillsboro pulled away down the stretch in a 19-point win.

Just four Trojans found the scoring column in this game, led by a herculean effort from Gannon Jacobson, who dropped a new career-high 17 points in this game.

Jacobson was joined in double figures by Owen Bailey (11), but the rest of the team chipped in just five total points on two made field goals.

Hillsboro had six total players in scoring including three in double figures, led by Lincoln Wichert (18), Nash Dickinson (17), and Easton Shahan (11).

Southeast’s first win of the season will have to come in the new year as they fall to 0-4, Hillsboro meanwhile moves to 4-2.

Both SES teams will be back in action on January 3rd to open a 3-game homestand against Republic County.

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina PostThe Southeast of Saline basketball teams traveled to Hillsboro on Thursday night for a bonus Trojan War.Hillsboro would take both games, defeating SES 44-25 on the girl’s side and 62-43 on the boy’s side.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715807615208.jpeg" alt="Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here.jpg" />
 <figcaption>Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here.jpg</figcaption>
 </figure>Girls: SE of Saline 25, Hillsboro 44The first quarter of this game was one of the lowest scoring affairs across the state, with just four total field goals and a 6-5 Hillsboro lead at the end of the frame.Both teams picked things up from there, and behind 12 second-half points for Kyiah Samuelson and Annabell Villalaz, Southeast pulled ahead to take a 17-15 lead at halftime.Unfortunately for SES, the Lady Trojans in purple would score just eight points for the remainder of the game, including a lone three in the fourth quarter, as Hillsboro pulled away in a dominant second half.Samuelson finished with 11 of Southeast’s 25 points, and was the only member of the purple and white in double figures.Hillsboro was led in scoring by Amyah Werth (15), Ella Potucek (12), and Talia Jost (8).SES falls to 2-2 on the year at the Christmas break while Hillsboro improves to 3-3.Boys: SE of Saline 43, Hillsboro 62The boy’s side of this doubleheader saw Southeast struggle right out of the gate, scoring just eight points and finding themselves down 23-8 after the first quarter.Both sides of the ball would improve in the second, and SES managed to whittle down the lead a bit, but the damage was done as Hillsboro pulled away down the stretch in a 19-point win.Just four Trojans found the scoring column in this game, led by a herculean effort from Gannon Jacobson, who dropped a new career-high 17 points in this game.Jacobson was joined in double figures by Owen Bailey (11), but the rest of the team chipped in just five total points on two made field goals.Hillsboro had six total players in scoring including three in double figures, led by Lincoln Wichert (18), Nash Dickinson (17), and Easton Shahan (11).Southeast’s first win of the season will have to come in the new year as they fall to 0-4, Hillsboro meanwhile moves to 4-2.Both SES teams will be back in action on January 3rd to open a 3-game homestand against Republic County.

Southeast swept by Hillsboro in 2024 finale

OPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“Alright, as far as the guys that didn’t practice today, it was Chamarri (Conner) and D.J. (Humphries) and then the rest of the guys were out there working. I know the questions are about Patrick (Mahomes). He worked out this week, full and will most likely end up playing. We’ll just see how things worked out today – rotated guys at the left tackle position, Joe Thuney being one of them and then the young guys (Wanya Morris and Kingsley Suamataia) so – and we’ll just finalize that as we get closer here, but they all got work in there. (We) look forward to the challenge of playing the Texans. (Houston Texans Head Coach) DeMeco’s (Ryans) done a great job there and they’re good offensively, defensively and special teams-wise, but our guys have had a real good week of preparation (and we) look forward to that challenge. With that, time’s yours.”

Q:&nbsp;Do you expect Hollywood Brown to play on Saturday?

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, there’s a good chance on that.”

Q:&nbsp;On the comments from the Texans players.

REID:&nbsp;“Listen, we just play. We practice and we play so (we’re) not worried about that.”

Q:&nbsp;How has Hollywood Brown looked in practice?

REID:&nbsp;“He’s (Hollywood Brown) done a nice job. I mentioned earlier just about (how) it’s not – it wasn’t his legs, so he’s been able to run and keep himself in running shape, but the rest of it where the surgery wasn’t at, he – it looked good and (he) was doing fine, yeah.”

Q:&nbsp;Do you feel like at this point that Patrick Mahomes will play unless he has a setback?

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, listen I don’t want to lead you one way or the other. I’m (going to) make sure that – we’ve been taking it day-by-day and that’s kind of where we’re at, but he (Patrick Mahomes) did look good out there.”

Q: When you say look good, can you elaborate on that?

REID:&nbsp;“He (Patrick Mahomes) moved around pretty good. You’re always looking to make sure that he can get out of the way, not to further any harm to him so that’s what I look at.”

Q: Did you give Carson Wentz more reps with the regular guys this week?

REID:&nbsp;“Well, not necessarily with the regular guys but he (Carson Wentz) did some extra stuff, yeah.”

Q: Where is Chamarri Conner in his concussion protocol? Is there a chance he could play on Wednesday?

REID:&nbsp;“There’s a chance Wednesday but right now, he’s (Chamarri Conner) still in the protocol and going through it. He’s doing better every day, so we’ll just – we’ll have to see. Definitely though out for this game.”

Q: Five days ago, did you think Patrick Mahomes would be where he is today physically?

REID:&nbsp;“I wasn’t sure. I’ve been through it with him (Patrick Mahomes) before and he amazes me every time he does it. I mean, the guy, he’s so mentally tough and just puts – it’s a mindset that he has going into it. Where he was a few days ago, yeah, I’d probably say it was a long shot, but you know he’s done well with it.”

Q: Is your goal to get D.J. Humphries back in the left tackle spot?

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, we just have to let that hamstring – being a big - cause just because I don’t want him (D.J. Humphries) to go out and do it again but yeah, eventually he’ll get back in there and get going.”

Q: Is there a chance he can play against the Steelers?

HEAD COACH ANDY REIDOPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“Alright, as far as the guys that didn’t practice today, it was Chamarri (Conner) and D.J. (Humphries) and then the rest of the guys were out there working. I know the questions are about Patrick (Mahomes). He worked out this week, full and will most likely end up playing. We’ll just see how things worked out today – rotated guys at the left tackle position, Joe Thuney being one of them and then the young guys (Wanya Morris and Kingsley Suamataia) so – and we’ll just finalize that as we get closer here, but they all got work in there. (We) look forward to the challenge of playing the Texans. (Houston Texans Head Coach) DeMeco’s (Ryans) done a great job there and they’re good offensively, defensively and special teams-wise, but our guys have had a real good week of preparation (and we) look forward to that challenge. With that, time’s yours.”Q:&nbsp;Do you expect Hollywood Brown to play on Saturday?REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, there’s a good chance on that.”Q:&nbsp;On the comments from the Texans players.REID:&nbsp;“Listen, we just play. We practice and we play so (we’re) not worried about that.”Q:&nbsp;How has Hollywood Brown looked in practice?REID:&nbsp;“He’s (Hollywood Brown) done a nice job. I mentioned earlier just about (how) it’s not – it wasn’t his legs, so he’s been able to run and keep himself in running shape, but the rest of it where the surgery wasn’t at, he – it looked good and (he) was doing fine, yeah.”Q:&nbsp;Do you feel like at this point that Patrick Mahomes will play unless he has a setback?REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, listen I don’t want to lead you one way or the other. I’m (going to) make sure that – we’ve been taking it day-by-day and that’s kind of where we’re at, but he (Patrick Mahomes) did look good out there.”Q: When you say look good, can you elaborate on that?REID:&nbsp;“He (Patrick Mahomes) moved around pretty good. You’re always looking to make sure that he can get out of the way, not to further any harm to him so that’s what I look at.”Q: Did you give Carson Wentz more reps with the regular guys this week?REID:&nbsp;“Well, not necessarily with the regular guys but he (Carson Wentz) did some extra stuff, yeah.”Q: Where is Chamarri Conner in his concussion protocol? Is there a chance he could play on Wednesday?REID:&nbsp;“There’s a chance Wednesday but right now, he’s (Chamarri Conner) still in the protocol and going through it. He’s doing better every day, so we’ll just – we’ll have to see. Definitely though out for this game.”Q: Five days ago, did you think Patrick Mahomes would be where he is today physically?REID:&nbsp;“I wasn’t sure. I’ve been through it with him (Patrick Mahomes) before and he amazes me every time he does it. I mean, the guy, he’s so mentally tough and just puts – it’s a mindset that he has going into it. Where he was a few days ago, yeah, I’d probably say it was a long shot, but you know he’s done well with it.”Q: Is your goal to get D.J. Humphries back in the left tackle spot?REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, we just have to let that hamstring – being a big - cause just because I don’t want him (D.J. Humphries) to go out and do it again but yeah, eventually he’ll get back in there and get going.”Q: Is there a chance he can play against the Steelers?

Chiefs Quotes: 12-19-24

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–&nbsp;The All-America candidate duo of Ayoka Lee and Serena Sundell paced (13/12) K-State with 52 combined points as the Wildcats concluded its non-conference schedule with an 83-39 win over New Mexico State on Wednesday night at Bramlage Coliseum. The Wildcats improved its season-best win streak to seven games.

Lee registered her 63rd&nbsp;career double-double to tie Brittney Griner for third place on the Big 12 career double-doubles list. Lee finished the night with a season-high 34 points on 14-of-18 shooting, 11 rebounds, three blocks and a steal in 26 minutes of action. This was Lee’s 13th&nbsp;career game with 30 or more points and 10 or more rebounds.

Sundell carded 18 points on 6-of-9 shooting and a 5-of-5 effort at the foul line, six assists, two rebounds, a block and a steal.

This is the 41st&nbsp;time that Lee and Sundell have reached double figures in the same game. The 52 combined points marks the third time the duo has combined for 50 or more points in the same game and the first time since Jan. 23, 2022, when Lee and Sundell set the school record for combined points by two teammates at 72.

- K-State (12-1) won the first quarter on the back of Lee, as she outscored New Mexico State (6-5) on her own, 15-7. The Wildcats would hold a 19-7 advantage after the first frame, as Temira Poindexter added two free throws and Jaelyn Glenn converted a layup.

- The second quarter belonged to Sundell, as she scored K-State’s first nine points and assisted on the other made field goal to send the Wildcats to a 30-10 lead and force an Aggies timeout with 5:50 remaining.

- Sundell would end the second quarter with 13 points in the frame, pushing the Wildcats into a 38-22 lead at halftime.

- K-State would wallop New Mexico State in the third quarter, 28-7, by shooting 75.0 percent (9-of-12) from the field.

- Lee and Poindexter took turns scoring on New Mexico State to begin the third, as the tandem split the 15 points with Lee scoring eight and Poindexter added seven. The Wildcats held a 53-27 lead with 4:42 to play in the third.

- The Wildcats would end the third on a 13-2 run to hold a 66-29 lead.

- K-State would shoot 57.1 percent in the final frame to win the stanza, 17-10.

- The Wildcats registered 54 points in the paint aiding to its final field goal percentage of 59.3 percent (32-of-54) which included a 25.0 percent (4-of-16) effort from long range.

- K-State handed out 25 assists on its 32 made field goals.

- K-State and New Mexico State met for the first time in the series. The Wildcats are 17-13 against current members of Conference USA.

- K-State head coach Jeff Mittie owns a career record of 656-371 (.639), including a mark of 202-136 (.598).

- K-State owns a record of 260-96 (.730) as an AP ranked team. K-State is 22-3 (.880) all-time when ranked 13th in the nation.

- The Wildcats are 250-103 (.708) in games played in the month of December, including an active 13-game winning streak dating back to the start of December 2023. Under Mittie, K-State is 49-18 (.731) in games during the 12th&nbsp;month.

- K-State's starting five consisted of guards: Zyanna Walker, Jaelyn Glenn and Serena Sundell; forward Temira Poindexter and center Ayoka Lee. This was the 11th time this lineup has started together this season. This was the 125th career start for Lee, the 116th career start for Sundell, the 112th career start for Jaelyn Glenn, the 100th career collegiate start and 12th at K-State for Poindexter and the 13th career start for Walker. With her 125th career start at K-State, Lee remains in fourth in program history for career starts.

- The Wildcats held a 38-22 lead at halftime on Wednesday. Under Mittie, K-State is 161-19 (.894) when leading at halftime. The Wildcats have led at the half in 11 games this season (11-0).

- K-State improves to 56-3 (.949) over the last four seasons when holding foes to 60 points or less.

- K-State has scored 20-or more points in a quarter 32 times this season, including the third quarter on Wednesday. Since the start of the quarter-system in 2015-16, the Wildcats are 144-62 (.699) when scoring 20 or more points in any quarter of a game.

- K-State shot 50.0 percent or better in a quarter in all four quarters on Wednesday. The Wildcats have 33 quarters this season of 50.0 percent or better shooting.

- Over the last four seasons, K-State is 54-3 (.947) when holding the advantage on the glass.

- K-State improved to 102-8 (.927) when handing out 20 or more assists in a game. The Wildcats have dished out 20 or more assists in 10 games this season (10-0).

- With her 34 points on Wednesday, Lee boosted her career total to 2,392 and moved into sole possession of eighth on the Big 12 career scoring list. Lee registered her 15th&nbsp;career game with 30 or more points, tallied her 55th career game with 20 or more points and her 114th career game with 10 or more points. Lee has scored in every game of her career (125 games).

- Lee hauled in 11 rebounds on Wednesday. Lee’s career total for rebounds stands at 1,188, improving upon her own school record for career rebounds. Lee is seventh in Big 12 history for career rebounds. She owns 64 career games with 10 or more rebounds and 108 career games with five or more rebounds.

- Lee registered three blocks on Wednesday and boosted her career total to 330. Lee moved into a tie for fourth in Big 12 history with Lanay Montgomery of West Virginia (2014-17; 330). This was her 86th&nbsp;career game with two or more blocks.

- Sundell notched her 80th career game with 10 or more points. Sundell owns 1,429 career points and remains in 14th&nbsp;on the K-State career scoring list.

- Sundell’s six assists on Wednesday improved her career total to 637. This was her 75th career game with five or more assists.

- With her nine points on Wednesday, Glenn improved her career total to 986 points. She needs 14 points to become the 46th&nbsp;player in program history to score 1,000 or more career points at K-State.

- Glenn pulled in three rebounds on Wednesday and improved her career total to 527 and remains in 29th&nbsp;on the K-State career rebounds list.

- Glenn pocketed three steals on Wednesday. This was her 65th&nbsp;career game with two or more steals. She improved her career total to 225 and remains in seventh in school history for career steals.

On if the plan going into the game was to give Lee extended minutes…

"We didn't have [Imani] Lester tonight, so we were a little short on the bench. We've got to be ready for that, but it wasn't a stated goal coming in. I did feel like it was good to get her some extended minutes. Certainly without Lester, you have to be ready to have those extra minutes.”

On Sundell’s big second quarter after a slow start…

"It wasn't a conversation I had tonight. Now, throughout her career there have always been times when I've been able to talk to her at a time out, saying, ‘I need [you] to be more aggressive here’ or ‘look to score here.’ She got a couple early back to the basket moves down low, where she had a size advantage. It wasn't just Lee that had advantages down low and Serena took advantage.”

On where the team is at with conference play coming up…

"We have a lot of work to do. I haven't felt like we've been sharp lately, but we've had a successful non-conference. As I said, coming out of St. Joseph this weekend, I liked our grit when we weren't shooting the ball well, and it goes real positive, offensively, we've shown a good balance. I'd like to see us have an understanding of controlling the pace better than we did tonight. I felt like they controlled the pace. We needed to make a more concerted effort to get those possessions up. You saw that in the second half. I think it's been a successful non-conference, but I still think we've got a lot of work to do. A lot of things we've got to clean up.”

On some of his takeaways from non-conference play…

"I thought that we faced a lot of really good offensive teams, a lot of really good motion teams, and early we blew them out. And that surprised me some. And if you look up, the teams I'm talking about are Belmont, Green Bay and Creighton was a 20-point win. They've gone on and played extremely well, they've got some really good wins. And Creighton, I looked up and they're 9-2 and they played six road games, so that part pleased me, because I did think we played some very efficient offensive teams. So defensively, we did some good things. Offensively, we've scored with good balance but we're still a work in progress in how well our guards play together and how well we attack disruptive defenses, and we haven't faced a lot of those. I think that's behind a little bit but I thought New Mexico State tried to be disruptive at times tonight. And there were times where we made some improvements so I think it's been successful."

On K-State's non-conference play…

“From our first game to now, we've grown a lot. I think the Duke game, even though that sucked, obviously we wanted to win, but taking that loss, kind of getting our butts kicked a little bit, woke us up and told us right away what we need to work on. Being able to play some more pressure teams after Duke and work on our spacing and ball movement has been good. Middle Tennessee, like [Ayoka Lee] Yoki and coach [Jeff] Mittie said, was a good test for us just because we weren't making shots and that's kind of been a question mark in practice. When we're not making shots and going against the guys, how are we responding and still playing good defense? That first half was a good test for us, I think we're ready for the Big 12 and to go play for a title.”

On playing more competitive games in conference play…

“It’s been fun beating people by large margins, but I think we're ready to see some more competition and then actually have, not that there's not meaning behind these games, because obviously you just want to win when you're a competitor, but just to see the goal of winning a Big 12 Championship and how important every single game is. Those conferences could go either way every night and every night is a dog fight. So we're excited for the Big 12 play.”

“Just her consistency, she's just a teammate that you can trust. You can trust her to do her role defensively. There's a few times tonight, and 7 [Molly Kaiser] was so fast tonight, I was getting beat off the dribble, Jaelyn was there. Their player was in the opposite corner, but she came all the way over. She's just doing the little things and she does them so consistently, it’s her personality. She's not gonna be flashy or crazy, over the top, energetic, but she's never gonna get too low either. Just to have someone day in day out. What you guys see out on the court in games, is exactly how she is in practice. She's just always doing things right.”

On being tied with Brittney Griner for Big 12 double-doubles…

“That's a big name, that's crazy. It's an honor, it's really cool. Just to continue to see how things kind of add up, I try to stay in the present.”

“The first word that came to my mind was consistency. She's definitely a teammate you don't have to worry about and she might not have gotten hot from the three tonight, but she ran in transition and she played great defense and was helping and all that stuff. So she's just consistent and you can trust her.”

K-State begins Big 12 action at Bramlage Coliseum on Sunday, December 22, as the Wildcats host Cincinnati at 1 p.m. Sunday’s game is $2 day, as advance tickets purchased online are available for just $2. For tickets, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://kstatesports.com/tickets" target="_blank">kstatesports.com/tickets</a>&nbsp;or call 800-221-CATS.

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–&nbsp;The All-America candidate duo of Ayoka Lee and Serena Sundell paced (13/12) K-State with 52 combined points as the Wildcats concluded its non-conference schedule with an 83-39 win over New Mexico State on Wednesday night at Bramlage Coliseum. The Wildcats improved its season-best win streak to seven games.Lee registered her 63rd&nbsp;career double-double to tie Brittney Griner for third place on the Big 12 career double-doubles list. Lee finished the night with a season-high 34 points on 14-of-18 shooting, 11 rebounds, three blocks and a steal in 26 minutes of action. This was Lee’s 13th&nbsp;career game with 30 or more points and 10 or more rebounds.Sundell carded 18 points on 6-of-9 shooting and a 5-of-5 effort at the foul line, six assists, two rebounds, a block and a steal.This is the 41st&nbsp;time that Lee and Sundell have reached double figures in the same game. The 52 combined points marks the third time the duo has combined for 50 or more points in the same game and the first time since Jan. 23, 2022, when Lee and Sundell set the school record for combined points by two teammates at 72.HOW IT HAPPENED- K-State (12-1) won the first quarter on the back of Lee, as she outscored New Mexico State (6-5) on her own, 15-7. The Wildcats would hold a 19-7 advantage after the first frame, as Temira Poindexter added two free throws and Jaelyn Glenn converted a layup.- The second quarter belonged to Sundell, as she scored K-State’s first nine points and assisted on the other made field goal to send the Wildcats to a 30-10 lead and force an Aggies timeout with 5:50 remaining.- Sundell would end the second quarter with 13 points in the frame, pushing the Wildcats into a 38-22 lead at halftime.- K-State would wallop New Mexico State in the third quarter, 28-7, by shooting 75.0 percent (9-of-12) from the field.- Lee and Poindexter took turns scoring on New Mexico State to begin the third, as the tandem split the 15 points with Lee scoring eight and Poindexter added seven. The Wildcats held a 53-27 lead with 4:42 to play in the third.- The Wildcats would end the third on a 13-2 run to hold a 66-29 lead.- K-State would shoot 57.1 percent in the final frame to win the stanza, 17-10.- The Wildcats registered 54 points in the paint aiding to its final field goal percentage of 59.3 percent (32-of-54) which included a 25.0 percent (4-of-16) effort from long range.- K-State handed out 25 assists on its 32 made field goals.QUICK FACTS- K-State and New Mexico State met for the first time in the series. The Wildcats are 17-13 against current members of Conference USA.- K-State head coach Jeff Mittie owns a career record of 656-371 (.639), including a mark of 202-136 (.598).- K-State owns a record of 260-96 (.730) as an AP ranked team. K-State is 22-3 (.880) all-time when ranked 13th in the nation.- The Wildcats are 250-103 (.708) in games played in the month of December, including an active 13-game winning streak dating back to the start of December 2023. Under Mittie, K-State is 49-18 (.731) in games during the 12th&nbsp;month.TEAM NOTES- K-State's starting five consisted of guards: Zyanna Walker, Jaelyn Glenn and Serena Sundell; forward Temira Poindexter and center Ayoka Lee. This was the 11th time this lineup has started together this season. This was the 125th career start for Lee, the 116th career start for Sundell, the 112th career start for Jaelyn Glenn, the 100th career collegiate start and 12th at K-State for Poindexter and the 13th career start for Walker. With her 125th career start at K-State, Lee remains in fourth in program history for career starts.- The Wildcats held a 38-22 lead at halftime on Wednesday. Under Mittie, K-State is 161-19 (.894) when leading at halftime. The Wildcats have led at the half in 11 games this season (11-0).- K-State improves to 56-3 (.949) over the last four seasons when holding foes to 60 points or less.- K-State has scored 20-or more points in a quarter 32 times this season, including the third quarter on Wednesday. Since the start of the quarter-system in 2015-16, the Wildcats are 144-62 (.699) when scoring 20 or more points in any quarter of a game.- K-State shot 50.0 percent or better in a quarter in all four quarters on Wednesday. The Wildcats have 33 quarters this season of 50.0 percent or better shooting.- Over the last four seasons, K-State is 54-3 (.947) when holding the advantage on the glass.- K-State improved to 102-8 (.927) when handing out 20 or more assists in a game. The Wildcats have dished out 20 or more assists in 10 games this season (10-0).PLAYER NOTES- With her 34 points on Wednesday, Lee boosted her career total to 2,392 and moved into sole possession of eighth on the Big 12 career scoring list. Lee registered her 15th&nbsp;career game with 30 or more points, tallied her 55th career game with 20 or more points and her 114th career game with 10 or more points. Lee has scored in every game of her career (125 games).- Lee hauled in 11 rebounds on Wednesday. Lee’s career total for rebounds stands at 1,188, improving upon her own school record for career rebounds. Lee is seventh in Big 12 history for career rebounds. She owns 64 career games with 10 or more rebounds and 108 career games with five or more rebounds.- Lee registered three blocks on Wednesday and boosted her career total to 330. Lee moved into a tie for fourth in Big 12 history with Lanay Montgomery of West Virginia (2014-17; 330). This was her 86th&nbsp;career game with two or more blocks.- Sundell notched her 80th career game with 10 or more points. Sundell owns 1,429 career points and remains in 14th&nbsp;on the K-State career scoring list.- Sundell’s six assists on Wednesday improved her career total to 637. This was her 75th career game with five or more assists.- With her nine points on Wednesday, Glenn improved her career total to 986 points. She needs 14 points to become the 46th&nbsp;player in program history to score 1,000 or more career points at K-State.- Glenn pulled in three rebounds on Wednesday and improved her career total to 527 and remains in 29th&nbsp;on the K-State career rebounds list.- Glenn pocketed three steals on Wednesday. This was her 65th&nbsp;career game with two or more steals. She improved her career total to 225 and remains in seventh in school history for career steals.FROM THE HEAD COACHK-State Head Coach Jeff MittieOn if the plan going into the game was to give Lee extended minutes…"We didn't have [Imani] Lester tonight, so we were a little short on the bench. We've got to be ready for that, but it wasn't a stated goal coming in. I did feel like it was good to get her some extended minutes. Certainly without Lester, you have to be ready to have those extra minutes.”On Sundell’s big second quarter after a slow start…"It wasn't a conversation I had tonight. Now, throughout her career there have always been times when I've been able to talk to her at a time out, saying, ‘I need [you] to be more aggressive here’ or ‘look to score here.’ She got a couple early back to the basket moves down low, where she had a size advantage. It wasn't just Lee that had advantages down low and Serena took advantage.”On where the team is at with conference play coming up…"We have a lot of work to do. I haven't felt like we've been sharp lately, but we've had a successful non-conference. As I said, coming out of St. Joseph this weekend, I liked our grit when we weren't shooting the ball well, and it goes real positive, offensively, we've shown a good balance. I'd like to see us have an understanding of controlling the pace better than we did tonight. I felt like they controlled the pace. We needed to make a more concerted effort to get those possessions up. You saw that in the second half. I think it's been a successful non-conference, but I still think we've got a lot of work to do. A lot of things we've got to clean up.”On some of his takeaways from non-conference play…"I thought that we faced a lot of really good offensive teams, a lot of really good motion teams, and early we blew them out. And that surprised me some. And if you look up, the teams I'm talking about are Belmont, Green Bay and Creighton was a 20-point win. They've gone on and played extremely well, they've got some really good wins. And Creighton, I looked up and they're 9-2 and they played six road games, so that part pleased me, because I did think we played some very efficient offensive teams. So defensively, we did some good things. Offensively, we've scored with good balance but we're still a work in progress in how well our guards play together and how well we attack disruptive defenses, and we haven't faced a lot of those. I think that's behind a little bit but I thought New Mexico State tried to be disruptive at times tonight. And there were times where we made some improvements so I think it's been successful."FROM THE FLOORSERENA SUNDELL, SENIOR GUARDOn K-State's non-conference play…“From our first game to now, we've grown a lot. I think the Duke game, even though that sucked, obviously we wanted to win, but taking that loss, kind of getting our butts kicked a little bit, woke us up and told us right away what we need to work on. Being able to play some more pressure teams after Duke and work on our spacing and ball movement has been good. Middle Tennessee, like [Ayoka Lee] Yoki and coach [Jeff] Mittie said, was a good test for us just because we weren't making shots and that's kind of been a question mark in practice. When we're not making shots and going against the guys, how are we responding and still playing good defense? That first half was a good test for us, I think we're ready for the Big 12 and to go play for a title.”On playing more competitive games in conference play…“It’s been fun beating people by large margins, but I think we're ready to see some more competition and then actually have, not that there's not meaning behind these games, because obviously you just want to win when you're a competitor, but just to see the goal of winning a Big 12 Championship and how important every single game is. Those conferences could go either way every night and every night is a dog fight. So we're excited for the Big 12 play.”On senior guard Jaelyn Glenn…“Just her consistency, she's just a teammate that you can trust. You can trust her to do her role defensively. There's a few times tonight, and 7 [Molly Kaiser] was so fast tonight, I was getting beat off the dribble, Jaelyn was there. Their player was in the opposite corner, but she came all the way over. She's just doing the little things and she does them so consistently, it’s her personality. She's not gonna be flashy or crazy, over the top, energetic, but she's never gonna get too low either. Just to have someone day in day out. What you guys see out on the court in games, is exactly how she is in practice. She's just always doing things right.”AYOKA LEE, SENIOR CENTEROn being tied with Brittney Griner for Big 12 double-doubles…“That's a big name, that's crazy. It's an honor, it's really cool. Just to continue to see how things kind of add up, I try to stay in the present.”On senior guard Jaelyn Glenn…“The first word that came to my mind was consistency. She's definitely a teammate you don't have to worry about and she might not have gotten hot from the three tonight, but she ran in transition and she played great defense and was helping and all that stuff. So she's just consistent and you can trust her.”UP NEXTK-State begins Big 12 action at Bramlage Coliseum on Sunday, December 22, as the Wildcats host Cincinnati at 1 p.m. Sunday’s game is $2 day, as advance tickets purchased online are available for just $2. For tickets, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://kstatesports.com/tickets" target="_blank">kstatesports.com/tickets</a>&nbsp;or call 800-221-CATS.

Lee, Sundell Lead K-State WBB to Win on Wednesday

ST. LOUIS –&nbsp;Southern Illinois basketball coaching legend Bruce Weber has been selected to the Missouri Valley Conference Hall of Fame, the League office announced Wednesday. 

A highly successful men's basketball coach, Bruce Weber began his Division I coaching career at Southern Illinois in 1998.&nbsp; He coached SIU to a 103-54 overall record (.656) in five seasons from 1998-99 through 2002-03.&nbsp; During his five-year sting in Carbondale, the Salukis recorded a 62-28 record in MVC games-only (.689); the 13th best win percentage in MVC history. 

Weber led SIU to two MVC regular-season titles (2002 and 2003) and two NCAA Tournament appearances (2002 and 2003). Both teams received at-large bids. The 2002 team reached the Sweet 16: one of three Sweet 16 appearances in SIU history. 

The 2002 team was ranked 22nd nationally in the final USA Today/ESPN poll of the season and is the second winningest team in SIU history (28 victories), which is tied for seventh-best in a single-season in MVC history. 

The 2003 MVC Coach of the Year, Weber led the 2000 Salukis to the NIT where they won at Colorado and lost at BYU.&nbsp; Weber coached three MVC All Conference First Team players: Kent Williams (2X) and Rolan Roberts. Roberts was 2002 MVC Newcomer of the Year. A 2018 SIU Hall of Fame inductee, his 2002 and 2003 teams launched a stretch of six consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances by the Salukis. 

Weber has an overall head coaching record of 497-302 (.622) in 24 seasons. He coached SIU, Illinois (2003-2012) and Kansas State (2012-22) to a total of six conference championships, to 13 NCAA tournaments (including the 2005 Final Four), and to two NITs. Weber won Big Ten regular-season titles in 2004 and 2005 while Illinois was crowned as Big Ten tourney champs in 2005.&nbsp; 

While at K-State Weber earned two regular-season Big 12 titles (2013, 2019).&nbsp; Weber was Big Ten Coach of the Year in 2005, and he was named the Big 12 Coach of the Year in 2013.Weber's long list of national coaching accolades include AP Coach of the Year (2005), the Henry Iba Award (2005), NABC Coach of the Year (2005), Naismith College Coach of the Year (2005), Victor Awards National Coach of the Year (2005), USBWA District VI Coach of the Year (2013, 2019), NABC District 8 Coach of the Year (2013), and USA Basketball National co-Coach of the Year (2019).Weber currently works as a studio analyst and color commentator for the Big Ten Network.

The league will conduct its annual Hall of Fame ceremony as part the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Men's Basketball Championship in St. Louis, Mo., on March 6-9, 2025. 

The Friday, March 7, festivities begin with an 8:00 a.m. breakfast, followed by the induction ceremony at 8:30 a.m.Tickets to the 2025 Hall of Fame event, which will be held at Stifel Theatre -- adjacent to Enterprise Center – can be obtained by contacting the league office. Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis.The 2025 State Farm MVC Tournament marks the 35th-straight year the event has been staged in St. Louis.

&nbsp;The MVC Hall of Fame consists of 157 former student-athletes, administrators, coaches, and contributors.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734614465849.png" alt="Bruce Weber photo MVC" />
 <figcaption>Bruce Weber photo MVC</figcaption>
 </figure>ST. LOUIS –&nbsp;Southern Illinois basketball coaching legend Bruce Weber has been selected to the Missouri Valley Conference Hall of Fame, the League office announced Wednesday. A highly successful men's basketball coach, Bruce Weber began his Division I coaching career at Southern Illinois in 1998.&nbsp; He coached SIU to a 103-54 overall record (.656) in five seasons from 1998-99 through 2002-03.&nbsp; During his five-year sting in Carbondale, the Salukis recorded a 62-28 record in MVC games-only (.689); the 13th best win percentage in MVC history. Weber led SIU to two MVC regular-season titles (2002 and 2003) and two NCAA Tournament appearances (2002 and 2003). Both teams received at-large bids. The 2002 team reached the Sweet 16: one of three Sweet 16 appearances in SIU history. The 2002 team was ranked 22nd nationally in the final USA Today/ESPN poll of the season and is the second winningest team in SIU history (28 victories), which is tied for seventh-best in a single-season in MVC history. The 2003 MVC Coach of the Year, Weber led the 2000 Salukis to the NIT where they won at Colorado and lost at BYU.&nbsp; Weber coached three MVC All Conference First Team players: Kent Williams (2X) and Rolan Roberts. Roberts was 2002 MVC Newcomer of the Year. A 2018 SIU Hall of Fame inductee, his 2002 and 2003 teams launched a stretch of six consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances by the Salukis. Weber has an overall head coaching record of 497-302 (.622) in 24 seasons. He coached SIU, Illinois (2003-2012) and Kansas State (2012-22) to a total of six conference championships, to 13 NCAA tournaments (including the 2005 Final Four), and to two NITs. Weber won Big Ten regular-season titles in 2004 and 2005 while Illinois was crowned as Big Ten tourney champs in 2005.&nbsp; While at K-State Weber earned two regular-season Big 12 titles (2013, 2019).&nbsp; Weber was Big Ten Coach of the Year in 2005, and he was named the Big 12 Coach of the Year in 2013.Weber's long list of national coaching accolades include AP Coach of the Year (2005), the Henry Iba Award (2005), NABC Coach of the Year (2005), Naismith College Coach of the Year (2005), Victor Awards National Coach of the Year (2005), USBWA District VI Coach of the Year (2013, 2019), NABC District 8 Coach of the Year (2013), and USA Basketball National co-Coach of the Year (2019).Weber currently works as a studio analyst and color commentator for the Big Ten Network.The league will conduct its annual Hall of Fame ceremony as part the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Men's Basketball Championship in St. Louis, Mo., on March 6-9, 2025. The Friday, March 7, festivities begin with an 8:00 a.m. breakfast, followed by the induction ceremony at 8:30 a.m.Tickets to the 2025 Hall of Fame event, which will be held at Stifel Theatre -- adjacent to Enterprise Center – can be obtained by contacting the league office. Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis.The 2025 State Farm MVC Tournament marks the 35th-straight year the event has been staged in St. Louis.&nbsp;The MVC Hall of Fame consists of 157 former student-athletes, administrators, coaches, and contributors.

🏀 Former K-State coach inducted into the Missouri Valley Conference Hall of Fame

CANYON, Texas — Down 14 just halfway through the first quarter, No. 3 Hutchinson (11-1) found a way to capture its second national championship in program history Wednesday night.

Back-to-back national champion No. 1 Iowa Western (11-2) scored on its first two drives to build a 14-0 advantage with 6:49 left in the first frame.

Reiver quarterback Hunter Dekkers drove his team 93 yards in just nine plays on the first possession of the game. Dekkers capped the drive with a 27-yard pass to Keyon Brown.

Hutchinson went three-and-out and Davis Barr had his punt blocked. The Reivers recovered with a short field and capitalized on a free play.

The Dragon defense jumped offside and Dekkers hit Titus Myers on a 14-yard strike.

Dekkers finished the first half with 240 yards and two touchdowns on 15-of-23 passing.

Hutchinson cut into the Iowa Western lead as the first quarter expired when Samari Collier completed his first pass of the contest to Ben Prosper for 26 yards.

Collier used that momentum on a 27-yard touchdown run just four plays into the second quarter.

A Max Bartachek 32-yard field goal gave Iowa Western a 17-7 halftime lead after a Nestus Burger field-goal attempt from 46 yards went wide right.

The Reivers drove to the Dragon 4, but had no timeouts left as the clock expired on the first half.

Hutchinson scored the next 21 points unanswered.

The Dragons opened the third quarter with a 10-play, 54-yard drive that was capped with a Collier 8-yard pass to Prosper.

Shortly after, Collier left the game with an ankle injury.

Christian Johnson entered the game at quarterback for Hutchinson and threw a dime for seven on just his second play from scrimmage.

"(You) always got to stay ready," coach Drew Dallas said of his team's next-man-up mentality. "It's two cranks of the arm and go."

Johnson dropped back and hit Tre Brown for a 34-yard score.

In the national semifinal, Johnson threw a touchdown pass on his first play from scrimmage.

The play of the game came with 3:26 left in the third quarter.

Punt returner Kordell Gouldsby backpedaled to retrieve a Jonah Dupont punt. He found the opening he needed for a 73-yard house call.

The momentum-shifter put Hutchinson up 28-17 and was enough for Gouldsby to be named the game's most valuable player.

Hutchinson erased a double-digit lead and etched a double-digit lead of its own, but Iowa Western would not go away quietly.

Dekkers led the Reivers on another 93-yard drive. The 10-play drive was capped on a Brown reverse from 11 yards out.

Reiver head coach Scott Strohmeier kept his offense on the field for a two-point try. The attempt failed as Dekkers could not connect with receiver Fresh Walters.

It was the second time in as many meetings this season that a failed two-point attempt helped decide the outcome of the game.

Up five, Hutchinson needed one last stop from its defense after a Nestus Burger 32-yard field-goal attempt was blocked.

Iowa Western drove the ball to its own 46 before facing a fourth down. On 4th-and-5, Dekkers found tight end Naivyan Cargill for 13 yards.

The Reivers moved the ball to the Hutchinson 5 before facing fourth down again.

Dekkers was looking for Cargill again when he was pressured by Dragon linebacker JaQuel Mack. The pass was broken up by Avian Rice.

"Play for the man beside you," Rice pleaded with his teammates at halftime when the Dragons were down 10, a sentiment Kedrick Walker reminded himself throughout the second half.

Walker, Mack and Rice combined for 18 tackles, a tackle for loss, two broken-up passes and three quarterback hurries.

Marshon Oxley lived in the Reiver backfield and registered three sacks.

FINAL: Hutchinson 28 Iowa Western 23

This is Hutchinson's second national title under Drew Dallas.

Much like the first championship, Hutchinson had to erase a 14-point deficit.

The Dragon defense held Hunter Dekkers to 36.8% passing in the second half.

Before his exit, Samari Collier threw for 80 yards on 6-of-16 passing and added 109 yards on the ground with two total touchdowns.

Christian Johnson's only completion in five attempts went for a 34-yard touchdown.

The Reivers went 3-of-3 on third down to begin the game but were held to 3-of-14 the rest of the contest.

Both of Iowa Western's losses this season came at the hands of Hutchinson.

CANYON, Texas — Down 14 just halfway through the first quarter, No. 3 Hutchinson (11-1) found a way to capture its second national championship in program history Wednesday night.Back-to-back national champion No. 1 Iowa Western (11-2) scored on its first two drives to build a 14-0 advantage with 6:49 left in the first frame.Reiver quarterback Hunter Dekkers drove his team 93 yards in just nine plays on the first possession of the game. Dekkers capped the drive with a 27-yard pass to Keyon Brown.Hutchinson went three-and-out and Davis Barr had his punt blocked. The Reivers recovered with a short field and capitalized on a free play.The Dragon defense jumped offside and Dekkers hit Titus Myers on a 14-yard strike.Dekkers finished the first half with 240 yards and two touchdowns on 15-of-23 passing.Hutchinson cut into the Iowa Western lead as the first quarter expired when Samari Collier completed his first pass of the contest to Ben Prosper for 26 yards.Collier used that momentum on a 27-yard touchdown run just four plays into the second quarter.A Max Bartachek 32-yard field goal gave Iowa Western a 17-7 halftime lead after a Nestus Burger field-goal attempt from 46 yards went wide right.The Reivers drove to the Dragon 4, but had no timeouts left as the clock expired on the first half.Hutchinson scored the next 21 points unanswered.The Dragons opened the third quarter with a 10-play, 54-yard drive that was capped with a Collier 8-yard pass to Prosper.Shortly after, Collier left the game with an ankle injury.Christian Johnson entered the game at quarterback for Hutchinson and threw a dime for seven on just his second play from scrimmage."(You) always got to stay ready," coach Drew Dallas said of his team's next-man-up mentality. "It's two cranks of the arm and go."Johnson dropped back and hit Tre Brown for a 34-yard score.In the national semifinal, Johnson threw a touchdown pass on his first play from scrimmage.The play of the game came with 3:26 left in the third quarter.Punt returner Kordell Gouldsby backpedaled to retrieve a Jonah Dupont punt. He found the opening he needed for a 73-yard house call.The momentum-shifter put Hutchinson up 28-17 and was enough for Gouldsby to be named the game's most valuable player.Hutchinson erased a double-digit lead and etched a double-digit lead of its own, but Iowa Western would not go away quietly.Dekkers led the Reivers on another 93-yard drive. The 10-play drive was capped on a Brown reverse from 11 yards out.Reiver head coach Scott Strohmeier kept his offense on the field for a two-point try. The attempt failed as Dekkers could not connect with receiver Fresh Walters.It was the second time in as many meetings this season that a failed two-point attempt helped decide the outcome of the game.Up five, Hutchinson needed one last stop from its defense after a Nestus Burger 32-yard field-goal attempt was blocked.The Reivers took over at their own 15.Iowa Western drove the ball to its own 46 before facing a fourth down. On 4th-and-5, Dekkers found tight end Naivyan Cargill for 13 yards.The Reivers moved the ball to the Hutchinson 5 before facing fourth down again.Dekkers was looking for Cargill again when he was pressured by Dragon linebacker JaQuel Mack. The pass was broken up by Avian Rice."Play for the man beside you," Rice pleaded with his teammates at halftime when the Dragons were down 10, a sentiment Kedrick Walker reminded himself throughout the second half.Walker, Mack and Rice combined for 18 tackles, a tackle for loss, two broken-up passes and three quarterback hurries.Marshon Oxley lived in the Reiver backfield and registered three sacks.FINAL: Hutchinson 28 Iowa Western 23This is Hutchinson's second national title under Drew Dallas.Much like the first championship, Hutchinson had to erase a 14-point deficit.The Dragon defense held Hunter Dekkers to 36.8% passing in the second half.Before his exit, Samari Collier threw for 80 yards on 6-of-16 passing and added 109 yards on the ground with two total touchdowns.Christian Johnson's only completion in five attempts went for a 34-yard touchdown.The Reivers went 3-of-3 on third down to begin the game but were held to 3-of-14 the rest of the contest.Both of Iowa Western's losses this season came at the hands of Hutchinson.

🏈 Hutchinson secures 2nd national title in 5 years with win over Iowa Western

ASSISTANT HEAD COACH/SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR DAVE TOUB

Q: When Harrison Butker lands on his knee, is that accuracy or a power thing? What does that allow him to do?

TOUB: “I’m not sure about the power. I’m not sure he (Harrison Butker) has more power the other way, I mean, that’s up for debate. (His) accuracy is fine. I mean, he’s been doing this for two years. He missed that field goal but that wasn’t his – you know, he was coming back but that wasn’t his fault.”

Q: How nice will it be to catch up with Texans P Tommy Townsend before the game?

TOUB: “(Texans P) Tommy (Townsend) and I were real close and it’s going to be good to see Tommy again. He’s having a great season. His numbers are really, really good. We look forward to the challenge of playing against Tommy now. We know Tommy so it’s going to be fun, (it’ll be) a little bit of a reunion seeing him again.”

TOUB: “Very good, I mean (Texans KR Dameon) Pierce the returner – the kick returner, he doesn’t go down. It’s as simple as that. He breaks tackles and he’s really, really tough. Then, they have (Texans WR/PR) Tank Dell back there at punt returner now. He’s got six returns, he’s averaging like 14 (yards) every time he touches it, never fair catches it. I mean, they’re a top unit, great cover team, very well coached. (Texans K Ka’imi) Fairbairn, the kicker is excellent, then (Texans P) Tommy (Townsend), we know all about him. It’s a good unit – playoff team caliber level.”

DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR STEVE SPAGNUOLO

OPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“Listen, coming off the last week’s game – if I was being honest, I’d say we were all happy except for one play. We played some pretty good defense but with that, we put it to bed and now it’s onto a playoff team. This is a good football team with a really good quarterback and some weapons so (we’ll need) all hands-on deck for this one. With that, I’ll open it up.”

Q:&nbsp;Did you see some progress from your defense after forcing six turnovers and five sacks? Is this sustainable?

SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“Well, I’ll tell you the play that Bryan Cook made, I thought was a really good, athletic play – (he) played that perfect. Then, Trent (McDuffie) – I mean, to get your first interception on a play like that was – and then at the end of the game, it was nice to finish the game with an interception rather than having them drive a little bit so all that was good. Leo’s (Chenal) been doing – Leo’s been doing that (motions punching the football out) all year long. He does it in practice, he’s done it in the games and sometimes it (the football) comes out and sometimes it doesn’t, but I thought that was perfect. The play Nick (Bolton) made – it was the first play of the second half? Yeah, I mean he did – first he hit it (and then) when it bounced back, I thought it was going to be one of those where he made a great play and then they caught it and then he found a way to tear it out of there, but some really good individual plays I thought on those turnovers. Then, Charles (Omenihu) with the fumble.”

Q:&nbsp;What have you seen from second-year guys like Texans QB C.J. Stroud and Texans WR Nico Collins?

SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“They (Texans QB C.J. Stroud and Texans WR Nico Collins) look like they’re in complete synergy (meshes hands together), and not just those two and not just that wideout. I think they have a tight end (Texans TE Dalton Schultz) that’s real effective, their slot receiver’s (Texans WR Tank Dell) really good and then the running back (Texans RB Joe Mixon), who we saw a lot when he was in Cincinnati – boy, what a find he was for them and he – and not just as a running back. He catches the ball out of the backfield, too. You know, we hadn’t played the Texans since C.J. (Stroud) had gotten there so we really hadn’t studied them other than seeing highlights and what not, but he’s as impressive as you had heard about people talking. (He’s) really poised for a second-year quarterback and I think he just has a unique ability to move around in the pocket and still have his eyes downfield. He makes a lot of plays slipping in and out of the pocket and finding an open receiver and when a quarterback can do that, I think that’s pretty dangerous.”

Q:&nbsp;How has the return of Charles Omenihu impacted the defense as a whole?

SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“Well listen, you guys know how I feel about Charles (Omenihu). It’s good to get him back and it was going to take a little while to kind of ramp him up. He’s playing a little bit more and more – a little bit more on first and second down now, which is a good thing for us when they decide to throw it. He’s getting better in the run game (and) that takes a little while. I mean, remember he steps into this thing with really no padded practices since the Baltimore game a year ago so that’s taken a little while, but I think he’s getting there and I’m glad we got him (back). We just need everybody up front to kind of play like we did last week to help everybody else on the back end.”

Q: What are you looking for when making the decision of if Patrick Mahomes will play on Saturday?

NAGY:&nbsp;“Just for him (Patrick Mahomes) to be able to be honest with us as he goes through this. It’s all part of the game (and) we know he’s a tough kid, so we understand that but at the same point in time, you want to be smart. I think, you know – we know our schedule this week and (it’s) a little bit of a shorter week so there’s a balance there to that but so far, I think his mindset is to do everything (that) he can but at the same time, you still have to be able to see how he does throughout the week.”

Q: What do you weigh when you’re looking at left tackle between Joe Thuney and Wanya Morris?

NAGY:&nbsp;“You probably just start off – I want to give a lot of credit to Joe (Thuney) coming in last week and doing what he did. I thought, in that moment, he did a great job against a really good front – in particular, (Browns DE) Myles Garrett so we’ll continue to just kind of keep an eye on that. In the end, (Head) Coach (Andy) Reid will make the final decision on how we go with that and where we go but I just look back to last week and just say – for what Joe did in that moment, I think it just speaks to him and the value that he has of being able to have the flexibility to go out there and play tackle like he did.”

Q: Is there something that you’ve learned about DeAndre Hopkins that you didn’t know before since he’s been here?&nbsp;

Chiefs Coordinator QuotesDecember 18, 2024ASSISTANT HEAD COACH/SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR DAVE TOUBQ: When Harrison Butker lands on his knee, is that accuracy or a power thing? What does that allow him to do?TOUB: “I’m not sure about the power. I’m not sure he (Harrison Butker) has more power the other way, I mean, that’s up for debate. (His) accuracy is fine. I mean, he’s been doing this for two years. He missed that field goal but that wasn’t his – you know, he was coming back but that wasn’t his fault.”Q: How nice will it be to catch up with Texans P Tommy Townsend before the game?TOUB: “(Texans P) Tommy (Townsend) and I were real close and it’s going to be good to see Tommy again. He’s having a great season. His numbers are really, really good. We look forward to the challenge of playing against Tommy now. We know Tommy so it’s going to be fun, (it’ll be) a little bit of a reunion seeing him again.”Q: On the Texans return game.TOUB: “Very good, I mean (Texans KR Dameon) Pierce the returner – the kick returner, he doesn’t go down. It’s as simple as that. He breaks tackles and he’s really, really tough. Then, they have (Texans WR/PR) Tank Dell back there at punt returner now. He’s got six returns, he’s averaging like 14 (yards) every time he touches it, never fair catches it. I mean, they’re a top unit, great cover team, very well coached. (Texans K Ka’imi) Fairbairn, the kicker is excellent, then (Texans P) Tommy (Townsend), we know all about him. It’s a good unit – playoff team caliber level.”DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR STEVE SPAGNUOLOOPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“Listen, coming off the last week’s game – if I was being honest, I’d say we were all happy except for one play. We played some pretty good defense but with that, we put it to bed and now it’s onto a playoff team. This is a good football team with a really good quarterback and some weapons so (we’ll need) all hands-on deck for this one. With that, I’ll open it up.”Q:&nbsp;Did you see some progress from your defense after forcing six turnovers and five sacks? Is this sustainable?SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“Well, I’ll tell you the play that Bryan Cook made, I thought was a really good, athletic play – (he) played that perfect. Then, Trent (McDuffie) – I mean, to get your first interception on a play like that was – and then at the end of the game, it was nice to finish the game with an interception rather than having them drive a little bit so all that was good. Leo’s (Chenal) been doing – Leo’s been doing that (motions punching the football out) all year long. He does it in practice, he’s done it in the games and sometimes it (the football) comes out and sometimes it doesn’t, but I thought that was perfect. The play Nick (Bolton) made – it was the first play of the second half? Yeah, I mean he did – first he hit it (and then) when it bounced back, I thought it was going to be one of those where he made a great play and then they caught it and then he found a way to tear it out of there, but some really good individual plays I thought on those turnovers. Then, Charles (Omenihu) with the fumble.”Q:&nbsp;What have you seen from second-year guys like Texans QB C.J. Stroud and Texans WR Nico Collins?SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“They (Texans QB C.J. Stroud and Texans WR Nico Collins) look like they’re in complete synergy (meshes hands together), and not just those two and not just that wideout. I think they have a tight end (Texans TE Dalton Schultz) that’s real effective, their slot receiver’s (Texans WR Tank Dell) really good and then the running back (Texans RB Joe Mixon), who we saw a lot when he was in Cincinnati – boy, what a find he was for them and he – and not just as a running back. He catches the ball out of the backfield, too. You know, we hadn’t played the Texans since C.J. (Stroud) had gotten there so we really hadn’t studied them other than seeing highlights and what not, but he’s as impressive as you had heard about people talking. (He’s) really poised for a second-year quarterback and I think he just has a unique ability to move around in the pocket and still have his eyes downfield. He makes a lot of plays slipping in and out of the pocket and finding an open receiver and when a quarterback can do that, I think that’s pretty dangerous.”Q:&nbsp;How has the return of Charles Omenihu impacted the defense as a whole?SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“Well listen, you guys know how I feel about Charles (Omenihu). It’s good to get him back and it was going to take a little while to kind of ramp him up. He’s playing a little bit more and more – a little bit more on first and second down now, which is a good thing for us when they decide to throw it. He’s getting better in the run game (and) that takes a little while. I mean, remember he steps into this thing with really no padded practices since the Baltimore game a year ago so that’s taken a little while, but I think he’s getting there and I’m glad we got him (back). We just need everybody up front to kind of play like we did last week to help everybody else on the back end.”OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR MATT NAGYQ: What are you looking for when making the decision of if Patrick Mahomes will play on Saturday?NAGY:&nbsp;“Just for him (Patrick Mahomes) to be able to be honest with us as he goes through this. It’s all part of the game (and) we know he’s a tough kid, so we understand that but at the same point in time, you want to be smart. I think, you know – we know our schedule this week and (it’s) a little bit of a shorter week so there’s a balance there to that but so far, I think his mindset is to do everything (that) he can but at the same time, you still have to be able to see how he does throughout the week.”Q: What do you weigh when you’re looking at left tackle between Joe Thuney and Wanya Morris?NAGY:&nbsp;“You probably just start off – I want to give a lot of credit to Joe (Thuney) coming in last week and doing what he did. I thought, in that moment, he did a great job against a really good front – in particular, (Browns DE) Myles Garrett so we’ll continue to just kind of keep an eye on that. In the end, (Head) Coach (Andy) Reid will make the final decision on how we go with that and where we go but I just look back to last week and just say – for what Joe did in that moment, I think it just speaks to him and the value that he has of being able to have the flexibility to go out there and play tackle like he did.”Q: Is there something that you’ve learned about DeAndre Hopkins that you didn’t know before since he’s been here?&nbsp;

Chiefs Quotes: 12-18-24

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas cornerback Cobee Bryant was named Second Team All-America by The Sporting News, the organization announced on Wednesday.

The All-America honor is Bryant's second after being named to the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) All-America Second Team on Dec. 13. Bryant also becomes the first Jayhawk to be named All-America by the Sporting News since 2018, and the third all-time, joining Joe Dineen (2018) and Curtis McClinton (1961).

Kansas' four All-America honors are the most in a single season since 2007. Along with Bryant's pair of Second Team All-America honors, senior cornerback Mello Dotson was named Walter Camp Second Team All-America on Dec. 12 and Associated Press Third Team All-America on Dec. 16. Dotson and Bryant become the first defensive back duo in program history to earn All-America honors in the same season.

The Sporting News All-America Team is the fifth and final All-America team to be announced, making up the five outlets recognized by the NCAA to determine consensus All-America (Football Writers Association of America, Associated Press, Sporting News and Walter Camp Foundation).

Bryant, of Evergreen, Ala., finished his senior season with four interceptions to go along with 37 tackles, one forced fumble and seven pass breakups. Bryant's four interceptions tied for the third most in the Big 12, while he finished his career with 13 interceptions, tied for the third-most among cornerbacks nationally. Bryant's 13 career interceptions are also tied for No. 2 in Kansas football program history, trailing only Ray Evans, who finished his career with 17 interceptions.

In four seasons at Kansas, Bryant totaled 128 tackles (107 solo, 21 assist) and added 22 pass breakups, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and 1.5 sacks. Bryant scored four career touchdowns, one fumble recovery (vs. BYU, 2023), two interception returns (at Texas, 2021; vs. West Virginia, 2022) and one blocked field goal return (vs. Tennessee Tech, 2022).

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas cornerback Cobee Bryant was named Second Team All-America by The Sporting News, the organization announced on Wednesday.The All-America honor is Bryant's second after being named to the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) All-America Second Team on Dec. 13. Bryant also becomes the first Jayhawk to be named All-America by the Sporting News since 2018, and the third all-time, joining Joe Dineen (2018) and Curtis McClinton (1961).Kansas' four All-America honors are the most in a single season since 2007. Along with Bryant's pair of Second Team All-America honors, senior cornerback Mello Dotson was named Walter Camp Second Team All-America on Dec. 12 and Associated Press Third Team All-America on Dec. 16. Dotson and Bryant become the first defensive back duo in program history to earn All-America honors in the same season.The Sporting News All-America Team is the fifth and final All-America team to be announced, making up the five outlets recognized by the NCAA to determine consensus All-America (Football Writers Association of America, Associated Press, Sporting News and Walter Camp Foundation).Bryant, of Evergreen, Ala., finished his senior season with four interceptions to go along with 37 tackles, one forced fumble and seven pass breakups. Bryant's four interceptions tied for the third most in the Big 12, while he finished his career with 13 interceptions, tied for the third-most among cornerbacks nationally. Bryant's 13 career interceptions are also tied for No. 2 in Kansas football program history, trailing only Ray Evans, who finished his career with 17 interceptions.In four seasons at Kansas, Bryant totaled 128 tackles (107 solo, 21 assist) and added 22 pass breakups, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and 1.5 sacks. Bryant scored four career touchdowns, one fumble recovery (vs. BYU, 2023), two interception returns (at Texas, 2021; vs. West Virginia, 2022) and one blocked field goal return (vs. Tennessee Tech, 2022).